When we think about the world's movers and shakers in business, certain stereotypes continue to persist. Despite the success of people who look more like Steve Urkel than Winston Churchill, we still tend to think of leaders in industry as large men with strapping heads, sitting in smoke filled chambers of power and ruling the world with an iron fist. The truth is, succeeding in industry is not all about an iron will or even brains. Often, it is just acting on an idea at the right time.

There are many examples of this when it comes to real estate. Half a century ago, no one could know that commercial real estate in Toronto would be valued at what it is today. Even on the outskirts, cities have started to merge, making once arable land prime targets for industrial development. The people who owned this land, through fortune or foresight, have been able to turn a huge profit off of it. With very little work on their part, in many cases, they have an income that will keep themselves and their heirs rich for decades to come, if not centuries.

And that is just one area where people have become magnates simply by being patient with their assets. There are others who have managed to rise to the top by keeping a finger on the pulse of the needs of the masses. A good example here would be the person who has made it big with SEO, Canada as well as the United States and other places in the world. A decade ago, this term was totally unknown. Then someone combined the ideas of marketing and Google, and realized there was huge profit to be made by perfecting their techniques. Once again, an idea led to great wealth for certain visionaries.

The list of accidental industry leaders goes on and on, even in a country as relatively small in all areas as Canada. There are the men and women who bought rights to the oil sands as an Alberta franchise, despite gloomy forecasts of lost money. Today, northern Alberta is one of the hottest economic spots in the whole nation. Millions are made there every day, and the industry leaders in energy harvesting are all present.

So what does it take to become a leader in industry? Well, it could be one thing or a combination. Certainly, a good SR & ED department can help get you ahead of the pack. So can accurate predictions, a little bit of luck, and a lot of investing.