Dr. Richard (Rick) J. Goossen
Dr. Richard (Rick) J. Goossen is a meaning-driven entrepreneurial leader who serves an extensive network of entrepreneurs and family/business owners built over decades of client contributions, collaboration, research, public speaking, and volunteering, impacting approximately 100,000 leaders annually.
Rick is Chairman of the ELO Group, which has grown since 2005 to provide comprehensive resources for meaning-driven entrepreneurial leaders: family business / strategic planning consulting; Forums (i.e., conferences), peer advisory group network & a week-long leadership program at the University of Oxford.
Rick is a sought-after strategic counsel and chair/advisory board member working with a range of clients in terms of size (from small specialized consultancies to billion dollar enterprises) and industry (manufacturing, retail, hi tech, etc.).
Over the course of his career, he has served, and continues to do so, on countless boards of business and non-profit organizations due to his unique combination of legal training, business experience and consulting practice.
From 2019 to 2023 he worked with Nicola Wealth, the fastest-growing independent wealth management firm in Canada, as an associate in a business development capacity, and has now transferred to a referral relationship with the firm.
Rick has extensive experience doing business in Asia and previously worked in Hong Kong for five years for a leading law firm, a City of London-based merchant bank and some entrepreneurial ventures.
He is a professional public speaker. He has spoken at industry conferences and universities around the world. In addition, he is highly experienced in MC'ing events and conducting Q & A sessions. One of his most recent books is titled, Public Speaking Laws of Success.
Rick is a professor. He has taught entrepreneurship, strategic management and business law as an adjunct professor (BBA and MBA programs) and guest lecturer at universities around the world.
He has edited five books and authored seven books on the topics of entrepreneurship, leadership and meaning/calling. Two of the books he authored are available in six translations. He has also written over 1,000 blog posts and articles. Much of his writing is on work and meaning.
In terms of credentials, Rick earned a Ph.D. from Middlesex University, London, UK; a Masters of Law (LL.M.) from Columbia University, New York City; a Juris Doctor (JD) from McGill University, Montreal; and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) (Hons.) (First Class) from Simon Fraser University, Vancouver. Rick was admitted as Barrister and Solicitor of the Province of British Columbia, Canada and voluntarily withdrew his membership to focus entirely on business pursuits.
Rick has been a Visiting Scholar at Regent's Park College, University of Oxford and St. Stephen's House, University of Oxford. He has worked with prominent University of Oxford professors and business leaders since 2018 to deliver the ELO Oxford Leadership Program.
Rick has been recognized for his expertise and contributions in various ways. He was awarded the "Alumnus of the Year" by Columbia Bible College. He was offered the "Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal" in recognition of community contributions across Canada. He has also been recognized at various conferences in Canada for his contribution to the business community.
To learn more about Rick Goossen, watch the two minute video below.
Endorsements for Dr. Richard Goossen
“[Richard Goossen] represents both a practicing businessperson and academic professor. He is himself an entrepreneur; he knows what he is talking about from experience. Yet he is also a careful student, well-read in a variety of areas including marketplace theology….We need individuals who can straddle the two worlds, who can speak the language both of the boardroom and the classroom. Such people are rare, but Richard Goossen is one of them.” - Dr. Richard Higginson, Ridley Hall Foundation, Cambridge, UK
"Rick Goossen is the renaissance man of entrepreneurship. With Canadian and U.S. law degrees, he has the legal knowledge. He founded and runs a business that raises money for entrepreneurs, so he has the financial knowledge. He teaches entrepreneurial skills at the university level, so he has the academic knowledge. And perhaps most importantly, all of Goossen's entrepreneurial knowledge and work is guided by his unique, values-driven view of enterprise. Rick Goossen is an entrepreneur for all seasons." - Larry C. Farrell, Chairman, The Farrell Company, Staunton, VA, “The World's Leading Firm for Researching and Teaching Entrepreneurship"
"Rick Goossen is an entrepreneur's entrepreneur! He lives it, breathes it, and now tells it like it is! This book [Entrepreneurial Excellence] is essential reading for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, but is the must-read book for aspiring or practicing entrepreneurs. In an ever more crowded bookshelf on the subject, this book stands out because Rick Goossen stands out as the real thing!” - Dr. Richard W. Oliver is a CEO, an entrepreneur, a business school professor at Cornell and Vanderbilt universities, served on six corporate boards, and is the author of six management books
“Rick Goossen has studied entrepreneurship by practicing it in North America, and by living among some of the world's most instinctive entrepreneurs in Hong Kong. He has also thought hard about its nature, and this book [Entrepreneurial Excellence] reflects both those analyses and those experiences.” - Gordon Redding is Director, Euro Asian Research Centre, INSEAD, France; Professor Emeritus at the University of Hong Kong; and Visiting Professor at the University of Manchester, UK
“If you want to achieve enduring success in business and in life, and you want to do it your way, you must read this book [Entrepreneurial Excellence]. Rick Goossen is an entrepreneur who is constantly driven to create new business ideas. And he has an amazing track record of success as a lawyer, journalist, author, university teacher, and corporate financier. In this book, he blends his own unique insights with the wisdom of the world's foremost experts on entrepreneurship to show others how to take the world by storm.” - Michael Alexander, widely-published author & business consultant, Toronto, CA
"Rick Goossen has compiled the great thinking of entrepreneurship experts in a handy volume [Entrepreneurial Excellence] that should be read by every entrepreneur looking to grow and finance a company on Wall Street." - Terry Murphy, Managing Director, Rodman & Renshaw, New York City
"[Rick is] definitely one of our planet's leaders in the blending of entrepreneurship and technology leading to the pursuit of possibilities. It is an honour to have [him] with us as the morning keynote speaker, and we thank [him] for [his] generous spirit and helping us launch our 2009 Vancouver show." - Lindsay Smith, Founder, Massive Technology Show, Vancouver, BC
“This [book titled Entrepreneurial Leadership by Rick Goossen & Paul Stevens] is a blend of Christian anthropology, sociological research, and pioneering discipleship." J. I. Packer, Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, CA
"Our guest speaker this year was Dr. Rick Goossen who contributed to our tradition in a wonderful way. In a presentation which exuded passion for thinking about and doing business in a way shaped by his Christian faith, he challenged and stimulated those of us who had the privilege of attending. Dr. Goossen is a valuable resource for the church as it deals with what it means to be followers of Christ in our daily work, including the field of business." - Gerald Gerbrandt, Canadian Mennonite University, Winnipeg, CA
Endorsements for Dr. Richard Goossen's book, Public Speaking Laws of Success: For Everyone and Every Occassion
“Reading this book has made me realize what an honour it has been for me to participate in several ELO events and I wish to heartily recommend it to all who aspire to public speaking, no matter how competent they think they are. It makes for compulsive reading, being a delightful distillation of years of experience that is full of (sometimes hilarious) illustrative stories of what can go right, and, more importantly, what can go wrong with attempts to communicate to an audience. Its practical wisdom rings true to experience to such an extent that if I had read it fifty years ago, it would have saved me having to learn many things the hard way. Reading it now may well save me from many more!“ John C. Lennox, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics & Associate Fellow, Said Business School, University of Oxford
“This book captures in 50 laws, based on stories, all the things you need to know about the basics of public speaking to be part of the top 10% of all speakers you ever hear. The risk of not reading this book and still speaking in public will be costly—don’t be collateral damage on the road to your dreams.” - Pat Williams, NBA Hall of Famer & author of Revolutionary Leadership, Orlando, FL
“This book could not come at a better time when many of us are required to do some form of public speaking such as in a Zoom session which can be very daunting in an open session or in making presentations and pitches. The principles that Rick Goossen outlines in his book are highly practical, useful, ‘easy to use and grasp’ with a broad appeal reflecting Rick's lifelong passion of speaking well whether in public or private. From an Asian viewpoint where public speaking or speaking in class is often not natural, this is a very instructive book for those who are grappling with this required skill in the new economy. Speaking from personal experience, this book reminds me of the first book I read on this subject and I wish I had read this before Dale Carnegie’s book.” - Dr Bill Foo, Chairman Tung Lok & Advisory Board, Salvation Army, SG
“I wish Rick Goossen’s valuable book Public Speaking Laws of Success had been published years ago as it would have improved my speaking abilities a lot. Public Speaking Laws of Success will enable you to become a more competent and confident speaker. I highly recommend you buy this book and read its stimulating stories and learn some of the inside habits and secrets of successful speakers. I am sure you will enjoy this book and find it a valuable resource in developing your speaking skills." - Dr. Peter Legge, OBC, LLD (HON), CPAE, CSP, HOF, Chairman and CEO of Canada Wide Media Ltd., Vancouver, CA
“Success in public speaking leaves clues. Rick Goossen has not only mastered public speaking for himself, but has interviewed, studied, and spent time with some of the greatest speakers alive today. I am calling this the must-read book for achieving mastery in public speaking. This book will be your guidebook for unleashing your potential to become a great public speaker.” - Brad Pedersen, Co-founder & Chairman of Open Mind Developments Corporation (Pela), Kelowna, BC & Hong Kong, CN
"Rick Goossen has done it again! Public Speaking Laws of Success offers readers a timely, practical and real-world handbook for all manner of speaking engagements. Reading it, and using it as a tool, will dramatically raise your effectiveness as a public speaker and perhaps even more importantly your overall power of persuasion as a communicator. We have worked with Rick since 2004, and I have witnessed first-hand the legacy of his work. He is that rare force in the world of public speaking who organizes important speaking events, is an avid audience member who listens to great speakers around the world and is a world-class public speaker himself. In short, he has achieved the ‘trifecta’ of public speaking! After presenting and teaching our research on entrepreneurship to over 6 million people, in some 40 countries, across 9 languages for the past 4 decades, we have learned a few things about public speaking. And one thing I know for sure – Public Speaking Laws of Success is a book I wish I had read 40 years ago!" - Larry C. Farrell, Founder/Chairman, The Farrell Company, VA & AZ
“Rick Goossen is an expert at obtaining maximum impact. Whether discussing financial investments, organizing a conference, or delivering a speech, he instinctively knows how to get enviable results. Now you have access to his considerable wisdom. Communication has never been more critical. In this insightful, practical, highly readable book, he will help you become a speaker who moves people to action.” - Richard Blackaby, President, Blackaby Ministries International, Experiencing God, Spiritual Leadership, Jonesboro, GA
“Rick is not just an excellent public speaker personally, he has also studied many masters of this craft up close and personal. I'm confident this book will be chock full of valuable wisdom for those looking to hone their craft of communicating from the stage.” - Jordan Raynor, national bestselling author of Called to Create and Master of One, Tampa, FL
“Over the past three decades or so, I have been an MC and spoken at many webinars and conferences on all the major continents around the world. I have never ever read a book that’s as relevant and practical as Dr. Rick Goossen’s Public Speaking Laws of Success. Having roots in Vancouver, and now living in Hong Kong, I can attest that Rick’s book will appeal to a wide array of readers in both the West and the East as all of us can get so much out of this ‘true bible of public speaking!" - Eric C.L. Poon, FCIM, Executive Vice Chairman, Association of Family Offices in Asia, and Founder, ePGA, Hong Kong, CN
“As a fellow speaker, and even more so, as an audience member, I implore you to read this book and help raise your personal speaking game. I’ve done a lot of speaking at public events, which means I’ve also had to sit through a lot of speaking at public events. I’ve heard some of the best and some of the worst. Mostly, I’ve heard mediocrity. That’s tragic, because as Rick Goossen shows, mediocrity is optional. It’s not that speakers decide to be bland and meandering, it’s that they don’t decide not to be. One more thing: there are a lot of books already about public speaking, but this is the first one I’ve seen in the age of Covid-19. Why does that matter? Because the rules are different for “Zoom” than they are for “room”. Rick helps us to understand how to adapt to an environment in which video presentations are going to be much more common, even after the lockdowns are over." - Jerry Bowyer, entrepreneur, economist, author & public speaker, Pittsburgh, PA
“Everyone who strives for growth and stepping up as a leader will need to master the skills of public speaking. I have known Rick for many years. He is not just an exceptional speaker but also a man who always delivers and makes an impact. Public Speaking Laws of Success is truly a must read for any leader or leader to-be.” - Justin Leung, Board Member, YCP Holdings Limited, Advisor for Hong Kong Cyberport, an entrepreneur and devoted educator, Hong Kong, CN
“Listening to a poor speaker is bad: hiring one is worse. Rick hires speakers, so he knows from a lifetime’s mixture of scintillation and squirming what works and what doesn’t. He has distilled fifty principles from this experience, which can turn a novice into a veteran and a seasoned speaker into a sought-after expert. This easy-to-read book will help you become an easy-to-listen-to speaker, and I recommend it to all who have a modicum of compassion towards long-suffering audiences!” - Revd Dr. Michael Lloyd, Principal, Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford
“Whether you’re making the business presentation your career hangs on, or you’ve been asked to emcee the upcoming holiday party, this new book from my friend Rick Goossen will equip you for success. This is not only an essential, great read for any budding or experienced public speaker, it’s entertaining while revealing its many insights. And these public speaking truth nuggets travel well, just like the author. Whether you’re speaking in the north, south, east, or west, each law is grounded in Rick’s unique experience - and he’s had lots of it. Like every event Rick designs or speaks at, this book will keep you entertained with real-to-life stories, illustrations, and examples that clearly make and powerfully reinforce the main point. Don’t speak in public without it!” - Dr. Gary Lindblad, Dean, Crowell School of Business, Biola University, La Mirada, CA