Tony J. Hebert
Categories: Male Authors - Anglophone Authors - Authors of Non-Fiction - Fundy Coast
Source: Author / auteur
Biography
Tony Hebert, born on January 23, 1954, in Saint John, NB, is an individual whose life narrative is both inspiring and captivating. He is proficient in the roles of an entrepreneur, a community leader, and an accomplished author. He developed an intense passion for sales, beginning by selling newspapers directly to households for 35 cents when he was just eight years old and eventually progressing to selling CT radiology scanners valued at $1.2 million by the time he turned 30. Amidst the global celebrations of the moon landing in July 1969, Tony embarked on his journey as a part-time door-to-door salesman while attending St. Malachy's Memorial High School in Saint John. As a Fuller Brush salesman at the age of 15, he knocked on his first doorstep.
Throughout his life, Tony has challenged himself to excel in marketing, sales, business, and managerial skills as he has sold [products] in over a dozen industries since age 8 to become a master of his craft. In 1991, he began his entrepreneurial quest by starting three successful pharmaceutical publishing companies. With those enterprises, he designed, marketed, and sold a nationwide pharmaceutical buyer's guide for pharmacies, an end-to-end Internet e-commerce AI order and payment system, an e-learning management system, and an enterprise-wide business magazine management solution over the Internet.
In addition to his accomplishments in the business realm, Tony has demonstrated active involvement in his community. He has supported various non-profit organizations through his recruitment and motivation of volunteers, leadership in community fundraising initiatives, and his financial backing of social entrepreneurial community ventures. Tony's success can be attributed to his determination, drive, preparedness, and entrepreneurial spirit. Having reached the age of 70, he boasts a remarkable six-decade tenure in the field of sales. His optimistic demeanour enables him to sustain his current roles as a practicing serial entrepreneur and community advocate.
The Knock that Changed Everything: Finding My Power of Want is Tony's first endeavour at authoring a book for free public distribution and a testament to his business and community success and writing skills. Although he has no formal writing instruction or experience, he has spent thousands of hours writing successful sales proposals and business plans for businesses and charities and has spent over seven years writing and editing his book. Tony's autobiography is a must-read for anyone looking to succeed in business or positively impact their community, and it reflects his remarkable life accomplishments and those mentors and community organizations that stood by his side.
How has New Brunswick influenced your work?
I can affirm one motivational element of why I wanted to be in Saint John in the 50s to the 70s – K.C. Irving. During my formative years, I had the privilege of working alongside and selling to Mr. Irving, one of the most exceptional entrepreneurs of his era. During my sales years in Saint John, until the age of 28, K.C. Irving had served as a role model for my aspirations of becoming an entrepreneur. He showed a consistent commitment to risk-taking and hard work in all of his endeavours. Therefore, seeing him and his many entrepreneurial organizations and brand extensions succeed in New Brunswick and beyond undoubtedly motivated me to fulfill my power of wanting more in life.
What is your favourite New Brunswick book, and why?
There are two books related to K. C. Irving: Thanks for the Business which tells the story of Maritime business tycoons Arthur Irving and K. C. Irving, and Twenty-first Century Irvings, which examines the family foundations and the future of this important business family. Both offered me great enthusiasm for our future entrepreneurs who should adhere to the books’ many principles about business.
What do you consider to be the highlight of your career so far?
My ability to give back to my community through volunteerism, social entrepreneurship and the work and gifts of my charity foundation provided over the years.
I have not sought any recognition. As I sat down in September 2016 to pen this story of my life as a door-to-door salesman, I found myself humbled by the task. For I must confess, I am no master wordsmith, nor do I possess the finesse or skill to craft a gripping mystery or a heart-stirring romance. My talent lies not in the art of creative writing, but rather in the simple recollection of a life journey in the sales profession, enriched by the presence of many remarkable individuals who travelled that journey with me. By undertaking the task of writing my autobiography, I sought to safeguard the preservation of my memories, preventing their irreversible disappearance just like treasured family recipes passed down from generation to generation.
My autobiography is not a display of my literary prowess or creative genius. It is, instead, a humble testament to the power of memory, its retention in my later years, and the profound remembrance and impact of those who have walked alongside me each day on this winding path called life. I make no claims of eloquence or grandeur in my writings; rather, I offer the raw, unfiltered account of my experiences, shaped and coloured by the wisdom and guidance of the mentors, friends, community and thousands of customers and volunteers who have shaped me. I am not successful – they are!
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Featured Publication |
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The Knock that Changed Everything: Finding My Power of Want (2025) |
Excerpt: The instinct to “want” is present from the start of life, as we all yearn for our first nourishment at birth. “Want” possesses an unquenchable appetite that relentlessly drives us towards the satisfying flavour of success. The insatiable desire for success is an aggressive force that compels us to pursue our dreams relentlessly. Our wants in our life keep pushing us forward, shaping our actions, goals and feeding our hunger for success. The power of want for family, happiness, productivity, genuine friendships, good fortune, good health, spiritual support, self-confidence, or self-care is inherent in human behaviour. The Knock that Changed Everything: Finding My Power of Want by Tony J. Hebert examines how self-awareness, hard work, preparedness, and community support contribute to achieving goals. |
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Source(s): Author.
