EPISODE SUMMARY
Join scientist and mindset & high-performance coach Claudia Garbutt and successful 83-year-old serial entrepreneur and bodybuilder John A. Brink as they discuss life lessons, surviving war, and becoming resilient.
In this episode, we talk about:
- Surviving the Second World War & living with PTSD
- Entrepreneurship & ADHD
- Staying fit and healthy as you age
EPISODE NOTES
John A. Brink was born in 1940 in Nazi-occupied Holland during the Second World War. From the time he could walk, his days often consisted of foraging for food with his brother and sister during harsh warlike conditions, surrounded by death and hardship, especially during the hunger winter of 1944/45. John’s mother was left to raise her three kids alone when their father was drafted into the Dutch Army. They wouldn’t know if he was dead or alive until the liberation of their village, by Canadian soldiers, on April 12, 1945. This was the exact moment when John determined he would one day move to Canada - the land of his heroes. He was only five years old when this decision was rendered. Like many others who lived through that time, John has lived his entire life with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), resulting from being in a warzone.
After serving in the Dutch Air Force for two years, John subsequently emigrated to Canada in July 1965, arriving in Prince George with $25.47 in his pocket. John’s other lifelong dream of owning a sawmill came to fruition 10 years later in 1975 with the creation of Brink Forest Products, which has since become North America’s leading secondary manufacturer of value-added wood products.
At 83, John continues to success in his role as President and CEO of the Brink Group of Companies and 10+ other companies. John is the author of three books and the host of the ON THE BRINK Podcast series. He is also a fierce advocate for erasing the stigma surrounding ADHD, something John has lived with his entire life.
In his spare time, John enjoys riding dressage, body -building, philanthropy, writing, public speaking and spending time with his family, wife and animals. In recognition of John’s lifelong achievements, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree by the University of Northern British Columbia. Less than a month later, he also received the Order of B.C. in June 2019, the highest achievement a civilian in BC, Canada can achieve.
John committed to a $1 million dollar donation to the College of New Caledonia to help support the Trades And Technology Centre. John’s vision with this donation is to create a Centre of Excellence for Northern British Columbia that helps enhance Northern work forces, economies, and population growth.
Links:
www.johnabrink.com
https://www.facebook.com/johnabrinkceo
https://johnabrink.com/category/podcasts/
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Music credit: Vittoro by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)
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