"You can do anything with enthusiasm"

Last week's quote of the week came from Canadian entrepreneur Russ Fearon of Throat Threads Apparel Inc., in Burlington, Ont.

Now you can read my profile of Russ in today's Financial Post by clicking here.

Throat Threads, a four-time PROFIT 100 company, started out selling funky ties for "office casual" markets and is now a major distributor of branded sportswear lines (eg, Swiss Army) across Canada.

How did Fearon pull it off? He says he owes it all to his personal passion for exceeding clients' expectations. "You can do anything with enthusiasm," he says. "It's the ultimate rocket fuel."

What's interesting is how he developed this insight at a very young age. He got his first job after high school, as shop helper at a local factory, by earnestly promising to show up every day and give it his all. And he kept his promise: "They'd never seen the floor swept so clean in their lives," he says.

The company's owner was so impressed by Russ's passion for perfection that he ended up sponsoring his further education, and later became the first (and only) outside investor in Throat Threads.

Forget Horatio Alger. Russ Fearon is a great role model for any young person today who wonders how they'll fit into the world of work. Take a keen interest in what you do, and unexpected doors will swing wide open.

Read the whole story here.