ìHopeî is one four-letter word that Ben Kubassek swears by. In fact,the 39-year-old Cambridge-area businessman/author is on the threshold ofdevoting his entire life to instilling hope in others. How? By simply sharinghis own story, in his recently-published book Succeed Without Burnout.The account of how he left a community farm, became wildly successful inbusiness, then saw his world come crashing down around him only to choosesalvation over self-destruction is so improbable, so inspirational, a Hollywoodscriptwriter would have to burn the midnight oil to improve on it.
That he experienced what he did is one thing. That he shed virtuallyevery coat of personal armor to bare his soul and rejoiced in discoveringbalance-life principles, not only accelerated the healing process, butmade Kubassek aware of the world around him, and now by sharing, he couldhelp others.
His story has itís roots in the southwestern Ontario Community Farmof the Brethren, just west of Cambridge, where a young Ben Kubassek, groomedto follow in his grandfatherís and fatherís footsteps, determined by age21 it was a life he couldnít continue to lead. And so, with $ 2,000 inhis pocket and a burning desire to unleash his entrepreneurial spirit,he left the farm in January 1980 and spent the next six years accruingsignificant wealth and fueling an ever-present adrenaline rush.
He became well-known in Cambridge as an electrician, a self-styledentrepreneur, an electrical contractor, a mechanical contractor,land developer, home-builder, kitchen and bath retailer, salesmanand marketer. But as his business expanded, and his personal pursuit ofsuccess raged on, he lost sight of the proverbial big picture. Kubassekhad become all-consumed, at the expense of his health, his family, andthe personal solitude he no longer had the time to experience.
In April 1987, he hit rock bottom, a total collapse on an otherwisebright and sunny afternoon, when a business proposition appeared headedoff the rails. It wasn't - but he was. Ben Kubassek crashed. This man ofintelligence, of boundless energy and unbridled creativity, who alwayshad to be in control, had lost it completely.
ìThat was so fearful for me. That was the first time in my life I hadexperienced fear and anxiety. It started coming over me in waves, and becauseI didnít know what it was.î He went home, essentially recoiling from theworld around him, and even the next day upon returning to his office, proceededto close his door, sit at his desk, and sob uncontrollably. Contrary topopular thought, recovering from burnout for Ben Kubassek meant doing morethings in his life, not less.
ìThe message I now tell others, if I was to recover, I needed to knowthere was hope, that I could feel energetic and positive, and enjoyachievements once again. Sharing that in writing and hearing about it surehad a healing effect on me.î Part of the balance he has successfully maintainedentails a commitment to helping others around the world. His primary focusin that regard has been his involvement with a group called MissionaryVentures, a Florida-based non-profit, non-denominational mission organization.In fact, Kubassek founded Mission Ventures Canada, now based in Guelph.
What he is most proud of though, is being a better husband and fatherthan he once was, and a guide for others, be they two concession roadsover, or halfway around the world. Showing them that there is indeed abetter way.