Edition 3: Spring 2012
THE TALENT ISSUE
SPRING/PRINTEMPS 2012
TABLE OF CONTENTS President’s Message 21inc Board Members Executive Director’s Message Taking Action Tête-à-Tête (à-Tête) Community Update
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE As we get settled into 2012, we are so excited for the year ahead at 21inc. 2011 brought lots of changes for us, with the departure of an old friend, and forging ahead under new leadership, and this year we have hit the ground running. We have just launched two new 21Leaders experiences, in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. This advanced leadership experience will once again provide dynamic young leaders an opportunity to grow their networks, and spread their wings throughout 10-months of leadership training. It will also be the first time that the program will be offered in Nova Scotia, and I believe that the time is perfect, and the selection of aspiring leaders ripe for the picking! 2
But, with the launch of 21Leaders in two provinces, the organization cannot go it alone. We need your help. We need you to spread the word about the call for nominations that is taking place this spring.. We need you to encourage your colleagues and friends to get involved. And it doesn’t stop there! To get these off the ground, we need support from generous funders and sponsors. We will be looking for bursaries to support 42 leaders through these two leadership experiences. Organizations can also get involved by hosting stops along the sixday study-tour across the province (the tour is a favourite of most participants!), or workshops during the Accelerator weekends – these 3-day skills bootcamps. There are so many opportunities
Remembering Adam Deschenes Alumni profile Guest Column 21 Questions In The Twittersphere
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Alycia Morehouse
to engage in the process, that there is something for everyone. This spring marks the end of my term as President of 21inc. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support during my tenure as President and welcome Alain Parent as our incoming Board Chair! So, as we jump into this year with both feet, we encourage you to come along with us. Whether it be as a participant, nominator, sponsor, supporter, or friend, we thank you in advance for your continued belief in 21inc. We couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for your continued support.
SPRING/PRINTEMPS 2012
21INC BOARD MEMBERS Alycia Morehouse, Chair Climate Change Coordinator City of Fredericton Matthew Alexander, Past-Chair Senior Environmental Scientist Fundy Engineering Marie-Eve Cyr, Treasurer Town Manager Village of Pointe-Verte Alain Parent National Sales Director Assumption Life Claire Ryan Consultant MT&L Public Relations Lucia DeMaio Policy Analyst Department of Social Development GNB Jeff Sparks National Director Volunteer Engagement and Special Initiatives Community Development Manager Atlantic Region at Muscular Dystrophy Canada Nathan White Marketing/Communications Manager Saint John Sea Dogs Marc Godin Restaurant Owner and Manager at Le Grand Bleu Le Caraquette and Chez Isa
21inc Board (L-R): Alain Parent, Executive Director Sara Ehrhardt, Nathan White, Jeff Sparks, Alycia Morehouse, Marc Godin
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE Talent. The urban dictionary defines it as what Justin Bieber doesn’t have. Google’s definition links it to words like gift and ‘natural skill’. For 21inc, it is one of the crucial pieces in identifying the future leaders in our region that we nurture through the 21Leaders experience and beyond. Since starting with 21inc in the fall, I have been thrilled and delighted to discover the TALENT of our community - the calibre of our supporters, mentors, leaders, alumni, nominees, partners and volunteers. Having clocked 10,000km and counting roaming around the Maritimes (and hopefully soon NFLD...) to execute 21inc’s mandate I have been humbled by the talent we have, and also floored by the recognition of so many of the importance of continuing to nurture this talent. It leaves me optimistic that so many ‘get’ where 21inc’s experiences fit into the framework
of our region’s development, and how willing so many people have been to reach out to me personally as I grow into this (still) new and important role. As you peruse this newsletter, we want you all thinking about the talented people you know that you want to invite into this amazing community as a nominee for our 21Leaders experiences, rolling out in both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia (Nominations have launched, go to 21inc.ca to nominate an amazing 20-35 year old right now!!).There are a number of ways to plug in, and I’m looking forward to continuing to work with you to make this all happen. Are you ready for what 21inc has in store this year? Fasten your seatbelts, start your engines and let the nominations drive begin!
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TAKING ACTION
Former UNB President and 21inc Founder John McLaughlin with Nathan White
CALLING ALL EMERGING LEADERS: INSIGHT ON THE 21LEADERS EXPERIENCE By Nathan White The 21 Leaders for the 21st Century (aka 21inc) experience has been a formative one for me in my young career, and I’m looking forward to seeing the next group of young leaders that will take advantage of this opportunity, which is expanding to Nova Scotia for the first time. When I found out I was fortunate enough to be selected for the New Brunswick experience in 2008, I was happy. I also didn’t quite know what I was getting into. When I arrived at the first accelerator I had no idea a night of great conversation would end in a sing-along with a yoga entrepreneur, an oncologist, a playwright and an environmentalist. The eye-opening learning and bonding experiences continued through a bus tour of New Brunswick. We felt like rock stars as we had incredible access to the province’s centres of power, from sitting in the premier’s office to standing underneath a massive turbine at the Mactaquac hydroelectric dam. Since our group of 21 Leaders has gone its separate ways, some of us have stayed involved in the organization. Some have applied the knowledge and experience to fields and positions they were already in, or used the inspiration to make the leap to something else, starting businesses or transitioning jobs to pursue other opportunities. I’m still close friends with a 4
number of people from my group, and have made connections with leaders from previous and subsequent years. New Brunswick’s neighbour, Nova Scotia faces similar challenges. While some dynamics are different from province to province, top emerging talent between the ages of 20 and 35 in Nova Scotia needs this experience. The nomination phase for both provinces is coming up, and it takes just five minutes to nominate a candidate at www.21inc.ca. Over the course of 10 months, the 21 Leaders in each province will enhance skills, networks and knowledge, increasing expectations and ambition of what can and should be accomplished. The experience includes weekend accelerators, a six-day provincial tour, mentorship, peer coaching, leadership projects and participation at the 2012 Ideas Festival. It’s a special network, and a young network. We don’t know exactly where it is going but as I look around at the names and faces, I know it’s somewhere exciting. I encourage you to come along for the ride. If you know a great candidate for the 21Leaders experience in either New Brunswick or Nova Scotia, visit http://www.21inc.ca or email info@21inc.ca to nominate today!
SPRING/PRINTEMPS 2012
TÊTE-À-TÊTE (À-TÊTE) Knowing that we have much to learn from these non-profit leaders, we asked Ashley Ward, Jeff Sparks and Christiane Guérette, What have you learned about leadership from your experience in the non-profit sector? Take out your notebooks. Here’s what they told us. Ashley Ward (ELS, 2010) Founder GIVETOLIVE
In my work with GIVETOLIVE, I have learned the importance of a collaborative approach. By creating a space where others can contribute, ideas are constantly challenged and improved on. I’ve developed a strong appreciation for feedback from employees and volunteers, and have learned a tremendous amount from everyone involved, from co-op students to senior citizens who volunteer at our events! From working alongside employees, stakeholders, board members and volunteers, I have also learned how to manage people’s expectations and needs. For instance, there is a difference between managing employees, and managing unpaid volunteers. To retain volunteers, I’ve had to be really creative in my leadership style and conscious that volunteers are dedicating their free time. I’ve put emphasis on ensuring volunteers feel valued for their work, and have opportunities to learn and grow in their roles. It’s also important to keep it fun and enjoyable. Leading teams of volunteers has often reminded me to keep smiling and find enjoyment in my work! Jeff Sparks (Next NB, 2005) National Volunteer Coordinator, Muscular Dystrophy Canada
Several qualities that are demonstrated by proven leaders in the non-profit sector include creativity, determination, partnership building and multi-tasking. Many non-profits are faced with limited financial and human resources; as a leader, one needs to be able to think outside of the box to achieve desired outcomes. A leader never gives up and applies a high level of persistence to ensure that the mission and priorities of their organization are met. Through building partners, resources can be shared so as not to have to recreate the wheel, and partnerships can also lead to greater synergy in idea generation and cost savings. A true leader needs to be someone who can wear many hats at once, including being a strategic thinker, a worker, a motivator and someone who stands behind their decisions (even when they may be unpopular). Christiane Guérette (21L, 2009) Présidente de la Fédération des Francophones de Saskatoon, VicePrésidente avec le chapitre provincial de Equal Voice
Mes expériences au sein du secteur sans but lucratif ont grandement contribuées à ma carrière mais aussi à mon développement personnel. Plus particulièrement, mes sens de l’écoute, de leadership et de communication efficace furent améliorés en apprenant la juste valeur de la consultation, du rassemblement et ses différentes approches. Grace à mes expériences, je réalise à quel point le sens d’appartenance des individus est important à une communauté. Le conflit est souvent un produit de la passion, mais le dialogue, la dissémination d’information et le débat est un processus sain pour le développement et le mouvement. Mon apprentissage est un processus continu avec mon implication dans ce secteur, un avantage important que je reconnais pour le développement de ma carrière. Mais je sais aussi que je ma contribution n’est pas minime, je fais une différence avec les gens avec qui j’ai choisit de travailler, et ce sentiment est devenue une addiction que je n’ai aucune réserve à nourrir.
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COMMUNITY UPDATE New cities
Raymond Rashed (ELS 2010) has been promoted to Toronto manage one of the major branches in the area. Elizabeth Percy (ELS 2010) has recently started a new adventure in St John’s.
Nouvelles additions
Stephen Kopp (ELS 2010) est devenu papa au petit Hugo. Susan Holt (ELS 2010) a souhaité la bienvenue à Molly. Lucia DeMaio (Conseil d’administration) est devenue maman à Rachel. Derek Simon (ELS 2010) à maintenant un fils nommé Declan. Left: Hugo Below: Molly
Canada. On top of all of this, she and Elliot made time to tie the knot last summer.
Congratulations Fraser MacCallum’s (ELS 2010) Festival of Small Halls (http:// www.smallhalls.com/) was nominated for an East Coast Music Award for Event of the Year. Congratulations to Adam Harris (21L 2009), Julia Rivard, Michael Kennedy and Ashley Ward (ELS 2010) for being selected as members of the 2012 Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference. The Conference, held every four years, brings together Above: Molly Canada’s future leaders. Jeff Sparks (NextNB 2005) and Ryan Sullivan (ELS 2010) are also past members of this prestigious leadership experience. Nos félicitations à David Michaud (21L 2009) qui a été nommé «Conseiller de l’année» au Canada-hors-Québec, soit sur 250 Conseillers au Gala Excellence Banque Nationale. De plus, il a été nommé parmi le top 10 au Canada, sur 958 Conseillers. AND….Happy Wedding to Jordan Brown (ELS 2010) who was recently married in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic!
Une autre addition à noter - Tim Coates (AvenirNB 2005) a un nouveau compagnon, Twain.
Above: Declan Right: Twain
New Challenges
Nick Hounsell (ELS 2010) is now a Commercial Account Manager at the Royal Bank of Canada, in St John’s. Having completed her Family Medicine training, Leah Genge (ELS 2010) has been accepted to do an additional year of training in Global Health (UofC) where she will focus her work on working with marginalized Canadian populations (homelessness, health sequelae of injection drug use, commercial sex work, addictions) and Aboriginal Health & Wellness. She will also be spending 4 months in East Africa for ongoing tropical medicine training that she will be able to apply to refugee medicine in 6
SPRING/PRINTEMPS 2012
Adam and Marc (NextNB, 2005)
Adam and Anne (NextNB, 2005)
Excerpt from Adam’s 2004 application to the Next NB program
REMEMBERING ADAM DESCHENES We were saddened by the news that Adam Deschenes passed away on March 8, 2012, following a battle with cancer. Adam was a member of our 2005 cohort and a Founding Director of 21inc. He will be greatly missed by so many in our community. Below are some words and memories offered by the 21inc community in honour of Adam’s contributions to New Brunswick and to each of us. Lisa Hrabluk – Lisa Hrabluk was the Founding Director of Next NB, the initiative that led to the creation of the Inaugural 21 Leaders for the 21st Century and 21inc. She shares her memories of her first time meeting Adam. “On that first day at the Wu Centre, Adam strode in with a confidence that said, ‘yea, I’m here, of course I am’. He was the one most rooted to his community - already a father, a volunteer firefighter and a small business owner. His love for the northwest was an enthusiastic one, and while he enjoyed the whole tour, as the bus bumped along the highway leading out of Campbellton his excitement grew because we were bound for his home and he couldn’t wait to show us around. I remember somewhere on that tree-lined route, Adam, Lori-Ann and Kathy leaned towards me and tried to convince me we needed to spend more time in Edmundston. They were very
persuasive and might have succeeded if we weren’t a few hours from town and I wasn’t exhausted from all the walking and talking. Big personality, kind heart; that was Adam.”
in the 21inc. story and the training experience it offers the province’s emerging leaders - a true legacy.
Anne McInerney - Fellow co-founder and member of the inaugural class of 21 leaders, Anne McInerney, got to know Adam as they travelled the back roads of New Brunswick in 2005 to learn about the province, its people and its potential:
Marc Landry – Marc is a 2005 Next New Brunswick alum who currently resides in Beaumont, Alberta. He shared with us some recent memories of Adam and the 21inc community.
“If our friendship doesn’t personify 21inc’s goal of bringing together New Brunswick’s next generation – connecting people from different corners and cultures who wouldn’t have otherwise had the chance to meet – I don’t know what does. We couldn’t have been more different: male and female, French and English, north and south, rural and urban; yet, along with other young leaders from across the province, we were united in the common cause of what New Brunswick could be. Adam’s positive energy and enthusiasm were important catalysts in the process that would conclude with the incorporation of 21inc. He made it fun. His pride in the northwest and his family were always at the forefront for Adam, and thanks to the contribution he made, evidence of both will be forever engraved
He will be missed.”
“Its times like this that make us reflect and cherish the times we spent together as a group as we remember one fellow leader, Adam Deschênes. Adam was a great father, ambassador and confident leader that was also very committed to his community and the Province. Adam will be missed dearly, yet in his short time he was able to make a significant impact on countless people. I personally had an opportunity to visit Adam and his family during my trip to New-Brunswick during the Christmas holidays. We talked about our ‘great 21 Leaders Experience’ and about the positive initiatives that 21 Inc. was presently working on. During the past months, we consistently kept in contact. Even in these difficult times, Adam continued to have a positive and optimistic outlook on the future. On a personal note, I will miss him as one of my best friends and someone I could always count on.” 7
ALUMNI PROFILE : SPREADING AWESOME
Dave Finlayson, Mike Kennedy and Colette O’Hara (ELS, 2010) spreading love on Valentine’s Day on behalf of the Awesome Foundation Halifax.
(As originally submitted by Colette O’Hara) It started the way all great things start: with a Facebook post. “Get your Awesome Foundation Calgary applications in!” was what the post read. It was written by a mutual friend of 21inc alumni Mike Kennedy and Colette O’Hara (Emerging LeadersSummit – ’10). As serendipity would have it, both read the post, promptly went to Google to find out what an Awesome Foundation is and then, separately, emailed their Calgarian friend to ask “how can we get one of those in Halifax?”. It didn’t take long before the two were connected and the Awesome Foundation Halifax found its genesis. It’s no wonder Kennedy and O’Hara were excited by the idea. The Awesome Foundation, founded in Boston in 2009, exists with the singular purpose of increasing the amount of awesome in the universe. The organization’s mission 8
is accomplished by giving away $1,000 grants to one awesome idea every month. Each grant is generated through board members, called Trustees of Awesome. Every month 10 of them get together, chip in $100 and create the monthly grant. To get the funds, applicants submit a 250word overview of their idea and why it’s awesome. The top four ideas are then selected and those finalists have the opportunity to pitch their ideas a live Dragon’s Den-like public grant event. The lucky winner walks away with $1,000 cash, on the spot. It’s micro-funding at its finest. “We love the simplicity of the idea,” Kennedy says. “Far too often great ideas get caught up in red tape, rules and politics. Worse yet, they don’t ever make it out of someone’s imagination. The Awesome Foundation exists to bridge that gap and make it simple for creative and awesome acts to come to life.”
If the term “awesome” seems vague, that’s the point. Awesome can be anything from the altruistic to the absurd. As O’Hara says, that’s the beauty of this Foundation. “It’s the lack of boundaries that makes Awesome so remarkable,” she says. “It’s the freedom to share ideas without rules or stipulations that people are getting excited about.” With 36 applications in the first month of the Foundation’s existence, there’s no doubt that the excitement in Halifax is high. Kennedy and O’Hara are anxiously awaiting the verdict on who the inaugural winner will be. When they find out, they say the first thing they’ll do is post it to Facebook. Want more info? Check out http:// awesomehalifax.com/
SPRING/PRINTEMPS 2012
GUEST COLUMN: CALLING ALL LEADERS developed world face demographic challenges. In Atlantic Canada, those challenges are especially acute. For instance, Nova Scotia is home to Canada’s oldest population, with more than 15% of residents over the age of 65. As these folks retire, they’ll leave in their wake a vacuum of knowledge, expertise – and leadership. So what do we do? I’d argue that we need to try a new approach to leadership development that incorporates three fundamental principles: intention, discipline, and reflection. Mark Surrette
By: Mark Surrette President Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette As founder and President of Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette, Mark Surrette and his team have done a lot of thinking about talent and leadership in Atlantic Canada. Below is an article by Mark that appeared in their newsletter Viewpoint this fall. We though KBRS’s views on leadership were too good not to share with the 21inc community: At a time when accessing global markets is so crucial to the competitiveness of Atlantic Canadian businesses, the world’s most advanced economies are experiencing a level of social and economic instability unprecedented in recent years. And the ripple effect of these unstable times – on consumer confidence, investors, trading partners and customers, touches all of us, both directly and indirectly. Whether we’re talking about a country, a corporation, a non-profit, or a small family business, the value of strong leadership has never been so great. Most of the organizations I’ve worked with over the last five years recognize this, and they’re committed to doing what it takes to enhance the capacities of the leaders they have, and cultivate new ones. Of course, political and economic uncertainty aren’t the only pressing factors. Virtually all countries in the
Let’s begin with intention. Work without intention is like velocity without direction: there might be a lot of speed, but it’s going nowhere fast. Similarly, leaders who don’t focus their intentions on a core function of leadership – nurturing other leaders – often find their days are consumed with rushing from one problem to another. The trouble is, sometimes life’s most important work defies the “squeaky wheel” concept. Building the leadership capacity in your team is perhaps one of the most important functions of a leader, but in the short term at least, it can be easy to put off. Most leaders I’ve worked with know this intuitively, but many struggle to deal with it effectively. By getting intentional in your efforts to nurture other leaders within your organization – and working toward it with the same sense of urgency that defines the problem-solving aspects of leader work, many CEOs and managers find greater success in developing – and sticking to – leadership development processes. Next, you need to focus on discipline. No one got to the Olympics by training once a quarter, or even once a week. Similarly, enhancing your leadership skills – and those in the people around you – takes daily effort. Discipline often means doing something you know is right – even though it may be uncomfortable. In the course of a busy day, taking the time to work on your leadership skills can be difficult
to do. That’s where discipline comes in – making the commitment to finetune a crucial aspect of your overall performance, no matter how many other pressing matters you have on your plate. The last core activity in the trilogy of good leadership development is reflection. Most of us live hectic lives, and we resist taking time out of our busy schedules to simply reflect. But, in the words of Socrates, an unexamined life isn’t worth living. Taking 10 minutes each day – whether it be during your afternoon commute, or simply at your desk – to step back and view your actions objectively is an essential leadership development activity. Without reflecting on both your successes and your mistakes, it is virtually impossible to build upon or learn from them. It’s also beneficial to help others reflect. Consider building a feedback loop into your daily activities. As the world moves faster, it behooves us to check in more. Whether you’re debriefing on a meeting with a colleague, or celebrating the completion of a project with a client, take some time to discuss the outcomes of the work, the process by which it was achieved, and the dynamics of the team involved. What worked? What didn’t work? Where was there tension? This is one of the best methods I’ve seen of improving performance, cementing relationships and identifying and dealing with problems – before they become big ones. Leadership really comes down to support. Within a well-led organization, team members are emboldened to do their best work, because they know they have steady, supportive hands guiding them at all levels. We all need that. In 2010, 21inc partnered with KBRS for the nomination and selection of our emerging leaders. Building off that fantastic partnership, KBRS and 21inc are working together to select 21Leaders in both of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia for 2012. Please be sure to nominate a leader by visiting 21inc.ca or contacting sara@21inc.ca
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21 QUESTIONS: JEFF WHITE lucky to have partners in this area as well in particular NBIF; they do enjoy working in same stage of company development.
21inc is thrilled that East Valley Ventures has become our first Growth Partner, committing to multi-year funding to help us expand across Atlantic Canada. We couldn’t have found a better fit for our first growth partner than this new enterprise and it’s COO, Jeff White. As the former CFO for Radian6, Jeff’s senior financial leadership helped several well-known companies including Deloitte, IMagicTV, Q1Labs and Genesys Laboratories Canada. Jeff recently took a moment to tell us more about himself, about East Valley Ventures, and his views on 21inc and building top talent in the region.... Q: What is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning? A: Say good morning to my 8 year old son Stuart who usually jumps into bed with my wife Cathy and I. Then check email. Q: What is East Valley Ventures anyway? And what attracted you to this opportunity? A: Simply put we want to help entrepreneurs build great ICT companies in Atlantic Canada. If you want to start an ICT company in Atlantic Canada I think
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you should call us first. I am working with incredible teammates in Gerry Pond, Bob Justason and Mariner Partners and working with some of our finest entrepreneurs in the ICT sector. Q: What are your goals for East Valley Ventures in the next year? A: Simple, stimulate the dreams of 5-10 more ICT entrepreneurs to start or grow their companies alongside the 15 we are currently proud to be part of. We actually want to buck the odds of having successful companies from our region. We are in the business of helping develop people and ideas. Q: What do you think will be East Valley Ventures biggest challenge this year? A: Wow, we run into them every day. I think our biggest challenge will be our ability to keep up with the demand. There are a lot of very smart and interesting people looking to start ICT-related companies. That is why we are constantly introducing our entrepreneurs to the people who may be able to help form an incredible team and execute their plans. A given for all of our companies is a need for additional capital beyond our capabilities. We are
Q: Where do you see EVV’s greatest opportunity? A: We have an opportunity to become a catalyst for our entrepreneurs to create incredible companies. We will work with the men and women to make their business the success they envision them to be. We want to set an example of how it can and should be done so that the founders and teams we work with are looked after and meet their goals. It is an unnatural thing we are trying to do, we are spread geographically not on the beaten path or technology and capital, but we have good entrepreneurs. The stages of companies we are dealing with are young, full of energy and ideas, ambitious but cash strapped. We want to lead the others around these companies into this early stage market, invest their time and energy and grow as the companies grow. This is easier said than done and takes conviction, patience and strong belief. Q: Talent seems to play a big role in the success of any new endeavor. Where does EVV’s talent come from? A: Actually our talent is the culmination of our years of experience in the technology and start-up world. People are actually “talent” , so we want to help develop it and connect it. Talented people are everywhere, not all sitting or nestled in one place. It [talent] comes from within the region, out of the region, and from around the world. That is the beauty of working with technology, it has no physical boundaries, it can be created, built and sold from anywhere to anywhere. Q: Transitioning into a new role is not always an easy thing. How have you approached this challenge? A: Well, I have lived in NB for over 15 years and this is my 8th transition. I have become accustomed to the |start-up| career. All of my transitions have been positive and have led to great learnings and experiences. I am generally curious about people and business so I treat
SPRING/PRINTEMPS 2012 each time as an adventure. This one is one of the easier; known people in an area I am passionate about, building great companies. Q: What leadership abilities have come naturally to you? A: That is a tough question to ask a humble leader. Usually I let others answer that, so humility, commitment, decision making, trust, and empowerment. I care about people, and enjoy making decisions, so I really enjoy helping my teammates and staff reach their decisions. Q: Which have been the most difficult to develop? A: Assertiveness: Because I like the consensus model, when the team arrives at the same location, but sometimes I could drive it home harder. To the group, it would definitely speed up our decision making at times. Q: You are a Chartered Accountant but you seem to be a tech expert - how did you first get into the technology sector? A: I applied to an ad for an accountant in 1995 with NBTel while I was living in Halifax. The reason being a friend of mine was living here and said, you know it says accountant but they are up to see really cool stuff. In my first week started working on the innovation/ start-up/commercialization strategy. I worked on the acquisition of NBTel’s first digital wireless telephone switch, and was then part of the team that formed GenesysLabs Canada, a team of eight that to started a joint venture with a software development out of San Francisco. That really exposed me to software development, international expansion, and the art of becoming a market leader. From there onto IPTV with ImagicTV, onto Q1Labs, Exigen. Deloitte, Radian6 and now East Valley. It has allowed me to travel around the globe, work with people from many different nations and open my perspective on how from here we can participate in a global ICT economy. Q: Why did East Valley Ventures choose to become a growth partner with 21inc? What is the value you see in this partnership? A: We became a growth partner because at our core we are about the people we work and live with. I have been fortunate enough to have learned
from great entrepreneurs and others along my career and quite interestingly leaders can be all around you. We think that organizations like 21inc are a great part of helping people succeed. I hope we can provide some advice, time, experience, the way we received it to help our next crop of leaders realize their dreams. Q: What is the best piece of advice that you’ve ever received? A: “It is not what happens to you in life but rather how you react to it that will define you.” I heard this while playing basketball in university and it has just stuck with me. We have situations which we win or we lose, that’s just life. So being able to sort this out and continuously look for positive or learnings from these situations is important. Q: What advice would you give to aspiring emerging leaders across Atlantic Canada? A: Be confident in your own abilities. You are capable of what you set out to do. Along the way people will try to deter you, in a way to try and protect you (or us) from failure; rather than argue, embrace it and take from it the things which you feel will help you. Be open to, and prepared to ask for help, because it will help you create the team needed to make you successful. In the end make sure you are doing the things you believe in and you can be proud of. Q: What’s playing on your iPod right now? A: U2’s Beautiful Day, Adele’s Rolling in the Deep and exerpts of my boys playing piano.
Q: What do you see as Atlantic Canada biggest challenge with talent? Why? A: I actually believe we have a good pool already here. We need more participants in the ICT community to actively try to create the opportunities for young emerging entrepreneurs to learn, experiment, and build their ability and credibility to be successful. We also have to remember the ICT community is global so we will need to create partnerships with the right talent where ever it may be, not just in our back yard. The best of the best are spread across the globe. Q: If you were to wave a magic wand and change one thing about Atlantic Canada what would it be and why? A: I’m proud to be an Atlantic Canadian – I was born and raised in Newfoundland, went to university at STFX in Nova Scotia and now live in New Brunswick. I have had chances to leave but have found and created opportunities to stay here. So I am a proponent of the region, and we are a region, let’s keep thinking as one. A tactical idea I think would help entrepreneurs would be a regional small business investor tax Credit. Q: Is there anything else you’d like to say to the 21inc community? A: Be curious, and be adventurous with your careers. Move your thinking out to an area where others seem to shy away from. There are really interesting people, opportunities and adventures out there. And if you want to start an ICT business touch base with any of us at East Valley Ventures. .
Q: The technology sector is fast moving and it seems very easy to lose touch with the newest innovations. How do you keep up to date? A: Curiosity, Twitter, Zite (for news and development), blogs and other social media, and conversations. I focus my readings on technology, venture capital. Locally, Entrevestor is a great ICT source, and Mashabel is very informative from a global perspective. I follow specific people on Twitter. In particular Seth Godin and Brian Solis. They both have had very interesting perspective on life and technology.
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IN THE TWITTERSPHERE
PSSST‌. WANT MORE? There are lots of opportunities for alumni, partners and supporters to plug into the work of 21inc. Here are just a few of the ways you can get involved: Support 21 Leaders in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick (by sharing your ideas, connecting with subject matter experts, coordinating a visit to your region during the study-tour) Help to organize an awesome reunion and party to celebrate our five year anniversary
Organize an alumni get-together in your community
Contribute to the next issue of 21ink
If these opportunities are of interest, or you have any great ideas you would like to share, get in touch with Sara at sara@21inc.ca
21inc thanks @lclaireryan @ju_bro @natachabosse (truevoicetranslation.com) and Sarah Rennick (sarahrennick.net) for their work in putting together this edition of 21ink!