Successful people come from all walks of life. Some are born into success and just try not to mess it up to live well the rest of their lives. For others, such as David Sidoo, life wasn’t that simple.
As a son of immigrants coming to Canada with next to nothing, David Sidoo has developed into a successful businessman known throughout North America. The road was never easy, but David found a way to make it work.
Humble Beginnings
When he was a kid, the early life of the David Sidoo family was nothing glamorous. It was a true struggle in the beginning as his immigrant parents moved to Canada to provide better opportunities for their son, but they had to make some sacrifices in doing so.
Sidoo learned early on that work was necessary to make ends meet. He held multiple jobs during different parts of his life, including his college years. This lifestyle helped pay the bills back home and build for the future.
One of the ways Sidoo stayed focused came down to sports. He played just about everything growing up but took a particular liking to football. His parents knew nothing about the sport, but they supported him as he started to show significant improvement. Eventually, he proved good enough to play collegiately.
Translating Sports Success to Business Success
Success for David Sidoo was initially always related to sports. In college, he excelled on the gridiron, which led to a successful career in the Canadian Football League. He made history as the first Indo-Canadian in the league, showcasing David Sidoo’s ability to play at a high level. Overall, his work ethic played a significant role in maximizing his ability and surpassing many of his peers on depth charts.
Since football careers do not last forever, Sidoo always had the idea of networking and planning for life outside of football in the back of his mind for him and the rest of the Sidoo family. He stayed connected in the business world even during his CFL days, where he played with the Saskatchewan Rough Riders and the British Columbia Lions, which allowed him to dive in shortly after retirement.
Continued Growth
He now needed to truly establish himself in the business world and start a few years later than his peers. His first significant taste of success came with being the founding shareholder of a few different companies that led to buyouts and acquisitions in his career.
It truly was built from scratch, with over eight years of work to build the company up. There were highs and lows throughout the building process, but it all ended well for the entire team.
The success and roles he played in building one business translated to others. He took on different roles in different companies to help them grow at various development points. He came later in the process and helped get them to the next level.
Commitment to Charity
David wanted to continue to be a good example and father figure to the rest of the Sidoo family. The key is finding charities that support his passion. After creating the Sidoo Family Giving Foundation, he started to identify specific causes that made sense for the entire family.
A connection to sports made sense for obvious reasons, and Sidoo Family Giving provides for local youth sports programs annually. Not only does this equal the playing field for potentially great athletes without the resources to compete, but it keeps everyone active and healthy.Â
Personal connections always make a huge difference, but perhaps nothing more recent than World Vision RUDI grabbed Sidoo’s attention. This initiative helps improve the bathroom facilities for female students in Punjab villages in India. These female students are starting from scratch but at a severe disadvantage compared to their male counterparts. Making everything gender-equal creates a level playing field.
What initially started as a small foundation has grown considerably over the years. Sidoo Family Giving is now a well-known charity throughout Canada, especially Vancouver. David Sidoo is humbled being in the position to have a foundation set up in his family’s name.
Why David Sidoo Is Proud Of Where He Started From
Many successful individuals worldwide were born into money and primarily focused on maintaining rather than building. Sidoo believes that his drive to build from scratch has kept him going all these years later. His drive connects to that early work ethic ingrained in his mind back in New Westminster and never left. David enjoys teaching the rest of the Sidoo family about his journey and how he got to where he is today.
There were likely times in his life that he wished things were a bit easier, but part of the journey is fighting through and learning along the way. It takes a lot of effort to have the type of success Sidoo has achieved, and he is not stopping anytime soon with his overall business growth. For more on Sidoo’s journey, visit his website at davidsidoo.com.
