2018
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Ready. Set. Business. TELUS congratulates the winners of the Forty under 40 Awards.
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4 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
2018
Choosing Forty under 40 winners is challenging, judges say | 6 Forty under 40 gala | 10
2018 WINNERS Ali
Martin
Sarah
Keith
Ravi
Kylie
Mike
Alona
Virginia Bird | 15
Caitlin Dunne | 27
Elizabeth Mah | 37
Salima
Daniel Boffo | 16
Lawrence Eade | 28
Mike
Michael Riedel | 48
Benjamin Britton | 17
Bethany
Matias
Marquez | 39
Steve Rio | 49
Dan
Sara
Kylie
Kaela
Jasmine Byrne | 20
Poonam Jassi | 31
Austin Nairn | 41
Nishant Singh | 51
Josh
Sana
Chris
Dianne
Graham Carter | 22
Jenny
Justus
Mark
Graham Collings | 23
Chantelle Krish | 34
Amit
Denise
Assadkhan | 13
Beech | 14
Burgar | 18
Carr-Hilton | 21
DesRosiers | 24
Dickson | 26
Edmunds | 29
Hodson | 30
Kapadia | 32
Konkin | 33
Leamon | 35
Mackay | 36
Maierle | 38
McMullan | 40
Nicola | 42
Parmar | 43
Patel | 44
Phillips | 45
Puehse | 46
Remtulla | 47
Schramm | 50
Sparrow | 52
Starkey | 53
Williams | 54
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHUNG CHOW AND ROB KRUYT
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Forty under 40 is published by BIV Magazines, a division of BIV Media Group, 303 West 5th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C., V5Y 1J6, 604‑688‑2398, fax 604‑688‑1963, biv.com. Copyright 2018 Business in Vancouver Magazines. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or incorporated into any information retrieval system without permission of BIV Magazines. The publishers are not responsible in whole or in part for any errors or omissions in this publication.
The Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine would like to congratulate Dr. Caitlin Dunne and all the candidates who were selected for the Business in Vancouver Forty under 40 award. Egg Freezing | In Vitro Fertilization | Prenatal Genetic Testing The Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine is an industry leader in fertility care. With locations in Burnaby, Vancouver, Surrey and Edmonton, we are western Canada's fastest growing fertility company. Using the latest equipment and techniques we offer advanced medical treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), egg freezing, preimplantation genetic testing and first trimester screening. We value excellence in personalized fertility care.
Innovation | Trust | Integrity
pacificfertility.ca
6 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
2018
RECENT FORTY UNDER 40 AWARD WINNERS TAKE ON JUDGES’ ROLE KUDOS | Awards selection committee carefully weighs business accomplishments, community contributions of this year’s winners BY BRIGITTE PETERSEN NEWS@BIV.COM
B
usiness in Vancouver celebrates B.C.’s best and brightest young leaders annually with its Forty under 40 awards. The awards pay tribute to budding entrepreneurs, executives and professionals making a name for themselves in the province’s public, private and non-profit sectors. This year, five judges were tasked with choosing the top 40 out of more than 120 applications from a cross-section of nominees representing a wide range of industries. They looked for nominees demonstrating excellence in business, judgment, leadership and contributions to their communities. Except for Kirk LaPointe, BIV’s editor-in-chief and vicepresident, editorial, for Glacier Media, judging the awards was a new experience for all. But for new and seasoned judges alike, it
was no easy task narrowing down the field of contenders. “As judges, we continue to see how much great talent there is in British Columbia to build a better future,” LaPointe said. “The true challenge is to choose the best 40 among the excellent nominees.” As founder of the Key Group of Companies and president of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s Vancouver chapter, Cam Good was drawn to nominees who are “solving the world’s biggest problems.” “I also got really excited about women breaking stereotypes or crushing it,” said Good, who won a 2011 Forty under 40 award. “Also, happy to see the winners accurately reflect the ethnic diversity of our population.” For Good, the judging process went beyond nomination forms and references and included checking out candidates’ websites, LinkedIn pages and online searches.
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| 7
THE 2018 JUDGING PANEL KIRK LAPOINTE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER; VICE-PRESIDENT, GLACIER MEDIA
NATALIE CARTWRIGHT
CO-FOUNDER AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, FINN AI
CHASTITY DAVIS
PRINCIPAL, CHASTITY DAVIS CONSULTING.
CAM GOOD
FOUNDER, KEY GROUP OF COMPANIES; PRESIDENT, VANCOUVER CHAPTER, ENTREPRENEURS’ ORGANIZATION
HAO MIN
CEO, BOLD PROPERTIES INC.
“We considered what each of the competitors accomplished in context of where they are from, their start in life, challenges they have had to overcome, the good they have done society,” he said. Natalie Cartwright, co-founder and chief operating officer of Finn AI, said she found the nominees an “incredibly diverse” group, making it difficult to pick the top 40. The 2016 Forty under 40 winner said judges focused on actual achievements and sought to avoid being swayed by the quality of nomination writing or overall presentation. “I was looking for people who have had a tangible impact in their field,” said Cartwright, who began by considering financials and the number of employees in the nominees’ companies. “Sometimes the data included projections, which I did not take into account in my ranking. I wanted to judge on what the nominees had already accomplished to earn the award.” Chastity Davis, principal of Chastity Davis Consulting, was among Forty under 40 winners last year. She said she found being a judge an “enlightening” experience. “It was inspiring seeing all of the leaders and all of the work they are doing in our community and beyond,” said Davis, who focused on advocacy, volunteerism and philanthropy. “To be a really successful, well-rounded individual, part of that is giving back.” Hao Min, CEO of Bold Properties Inc., was impressed with the diverse backgrounds of nominees representing various industries. Min, an award winner last year, said he found one of the challenges was separating nominees’ achievements from their organizations’ successes, requiring him to learn more about individual roles to determine how they contributed to collective successes and nurtured new leaders. “I was looking for achievements made by people who have a clear vision and follow the vision to succeed,” he explained. “The contribution has to be for the benefit of the local community.” ç
Congratulations
2018 BIV Forty Under 40 winners Making BIV’s Forty Under 40 list deserves special recognition – well done! The winners join an elite group of British Columbia’s high potential individuals with impressive achievements. They have proven they have what it takes to succeed, but their journey does not end here. In fact, their career-long adventure is just beginning. As one of BC’s leading law firms, Fasken can help navigate any obstacles along the way. We recognize that highly motivated professionals who are passionate about their work are essential to the success of any organization.
William Westeringh, Q.C. Managing Partner, BC Region Fasken
These individuals are going places and we can help them get there. With offices in Vancouver and Surrey, Fasken is in your neighbourhood. The BIV Forty Under 40 award winners are leaders and role models who make outstanding contributions to their workplaces and communities. Their accomplishments raise the bar for others in the formative years of their careers, propelling business growth in BC. To all the 2018 BIV Forty Under 40 winners, I wish you all the best in your continuing success.
8 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
2018
2017 FORTY UNDER 40 WINNERS Arif Abdulla, vice-president of global franchise development, Nurse Next Door Home Care Services Luke Aulin, co-founder and CEO, Rtown Pepe Barajas, president and CEO, Infinity Enterprises Group Alexa Blain, co-founder and chief operating officer, Deetken Asset Management Inc. Natalie Boll, propriétaire, Bauhaus Restaurant Dave Brett, owner and head coach, Griffins Boxing & Fitness John Bromley, founder and CEO, Chimp Devon Brooks, entrepreneur, Sphere, Babe Rally Sarah Bundy, founder and CEO, All Inclusive Marketing Inc. Chastity Davis, owner and consultant, Chastity Davis Consulting Marko Dekovic, vice-president of public affairs, Global Container Terminals Christopher Derickson, partner, Alderhill Planning; councillor, Westbank First Nation Susan Dolinski, vice-president of social responsibility and communications, British Columbia Lottery Corp. Daryl Ee, president and CEO, Speedee Transport, 18 Wheels Distribution and Rolls Right Industries Brian French, president, Peregrine Retail Design Manufacturing Carter Gilchrist, chief product officer, Unbounce Suzanne Gildert, founder, chief science officer, Kindred AI William Granleese, CEO, Antrim Investments Ltd. Genesa Greening, president and CEO, BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre Foundation Matthew Gruben, president and CEO, Vital Logistics Greg Gutmanis, CFO and vice-president, acquisitions, Diversified Royalty Corp.
Jeff Hanman, vice-president, corporate affairs, Teck Resources Ltd. Bryn Hyndman, medical director, Qi Integrated Health Andy Kokaji, associate director of immunology, Stemcell Technologies Nathan Lusignan, founder, Point Blank Creative Andrea MacLeod, manager of environmental programs, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority Kevin Mazzone, partner, Lazy Gourmet Jaclyn McPhadden, co-founder and managing partner, RecycleSmart Solutions Andrea Mestrovic, partner, vice-president, brand strategy, Very Polite Agency Hao Min, founder and CEO, Bold Properties, Bold Construction, SmartWorks Homes Saber Miresmailli, founder and CEO, Ecoation Innovative Solutions Tamer Mohamed, CEO and co-founder, Aspect Biosystems Lindsay Nahmiache, principal, Jive Communications Jack Newton, CEO, Clio Tea Nicola, CEO and co-founder, WealthBar Financial Services Inc. Sharan Oberoi, founder, managing partner and CEO, OnActuate Consulting Kostya Polyakov, partner, technology, media and telecom munications industry leader, Greater Vancouver, KPMG Ali Pourdad, co-founder, Progressa Ryan Yada, co-owner, co-pilot, FlowMotion Entertainment Inc. Daniel Zitting, chief product officer, ACL Services
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H.G. (HOWIE) YOUNG CFP Representative, ZLC Wealth
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10 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
2018
FORTY UNDER 40 GALA
B
usiness in Vancouver’s annual Forty under 40 awards gala is a night of celebration that pays tribute to the achievements of B.C.’s young entrepreneurs, executives and professionals. Honourees are selected based on demonstrated excellence in business, judgment, leadership and community contribution, by a group of five judges,
Left to right: Gurvinder Kaur, 2017 winner Sharan Oberoi and Naeem Shafi of OnActuate Consulting at the 28th annual Forty under 40 awards gala, held January 23, 2018, at the Vancouver Convention Centre
most of whom are previous Forty under 40 winners. The 28th annual Forty under 40 awards gala on January 23, 2018, hosted a record 650 attendees. This year’s gala will be held January 24, 2019, at the Vancouver Convention Centre. For more information about the upcoming gala, go to biv.com/forty-under-40.
2017 Forty under 40 winner Sarah Bundy (second from left) celebrates with her family
2017 winner Genesa Greening, president and CEO, BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre Foundation, accepts her award from John Pickersgill, director of marketing for Telus
PHOTOGRAPHY: DOMINIC SCHAEFER
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Building blocks: Turner promotes a fresh and empowering culture in its Vancouver office
A
s the B.C. construction industry continues to boom, strong companies are valuable not only to customers in need of high-quality services but also to employees looking for an opportunity to learn and grow within a vibrant corporate culture. Turner Construction Co., founded in 1902, opened its Vancouver office in 2011. Since then it has grown its business to over $82.5 million in revenue annually, backed with more than 90 employees. The company boasts a team of highly skilled professionals who provide construction-related services to a diversified client base. Turner’s growth method is to create a strong workplace culture that prioritizes employee and client relationships. “Turner’s Vancouver business unit has the atmosphere, environment and enthu-
siasm of a startup business, but with the solid backing of the No. 1 general contractor in North America, which allows an entrepreneurialism that is perhaps not as available elsewhere,” says Turner project director Chris Rasmussen. People-driven Over 90% of the company’s Vancouver employees were gathered through employee referral, according to Amit Patel, vice-president and general manager of Turner’s Vancouver business unit. He says this helps the company be relationshipdriven in its approach to trade partners, vendors, clients and employees. Andi Duns, senior project manager, calls her move to Turner one of the best career decisions she’s made in her 20 years in the Vancouver construction community. “The balance of eager young minds just starting out in their careers, comple-
mented by several seasoned professionals who have recently made similar career decisions … makes for a very cohesive business unit with one common goal,” says Duns. That goal is to be customer service-oriented. Turner staff has extensive experience in construction project management, estimating, purchasing, consulting and operational functions. Turner’s growth is also based on a culture of inclusion. It has a 60-40 male-tofemale employee ratio, which is unique for the construction industry, says Patel. Rasmussen says Turner recognizes that its employees are its most important resource. He says that the company gives opportunities for personal and career growth. “Working at Turner is like hitting the reset button on my career,” says Rasmussen.
www.turnerconstruction.com
12 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
Congratulations 2018 BIV Forty Under 40 winners
The outstanding achievers selected for Business in Vancouver’s Forty Under 40 distinction are leading the businesses of today to define the possibilities of tomorrow. The entrepreneurs, executives, and professionals named in BIV’s 2018 Forty Under 40 demonstrate the breadth and depth of what is being achieved in British Columbia right now and provide a glimpse at Canada’s bright future. At PwC, we share BIV’s commitment to raise and recognize outstanding leaders. On behalf of everyone at PwC Canada, congratulations to these frontrunners of change who are building our province both literally and figuratively through their contributions and leadership at their companies and in the BC business community at large.
Kate Furber BC Private Company Services Leader, PwC Canada pwc.com/ca/next-gen
Take a promising place and get to know it. Respect it. Find its strengths. Reveal its character. Then make it even more livable, flexible, enjoyable. That’s bringing back the neighbourhood. And, in that place, remember the people. Introduce them. Connect them. Create structures and homes, ways and spaces for neighbours to become neighbourly once again. Boffo is committed to bringing back the neighbourhood both as a place to belong to and as a way of belonging. If we do, our community will be stronger and our lives will be richer. That’s our promise to you.
Congratulations to this year’s winners, including our very own Daniel Boffo. boffoproperties.com
EO Vancouver Chapter EO is a worldwide network of experienced entrepreneurs committed to personal and business enrichment as well as entrepreneurial mentorship and education. If you are the founder, co-founder, owner or controlling shareholder of a business with annual gross sales exceeding (US) $1 million, you qualify for EO. EO delivers a wealth of local and international benefits, programs and services to its membership including peer support through local monthly Forum groups, networking, exclusive learning events, and international programs. EO is an international network of over 12,000 entrepreneurs in 50 countries around the world. EO Vancouver Chapter is the premiere network for peer-to-peer interaction among Vancouver’s entrepreneurial community. For membership criteria and information please visit our website at www.eonetwork.org EO Vancouver Administration Office 604.622.7020
CONGRATULATIONS! CBC Vancouver is honoured to return as the exclusive broadcast partner of the BIV Top Forty Under 40 Awards. This year’s winners, represent B.C.’s future and are part of a generation at the forefront of cultivating new ideas that will make an impact in our community. Congratulations once again to this year’s accomplished winners, we look forward to covering your future achievements on CBC Vancouver News on digital, TV and radio. Sincerely,
Johnny Michel
Senior Managing Director CBC English Services British Columbia & Alberta
cbc.ca/bc
Entrepreneurs’ Organization Entrepreneurs’ Organization
CBCVancouver
| 13
ALI ASSADKHAN
2018
President, founder, Vitasave.ca
AGE
32
F
or Ali Assadkhan, the key to business success is not the ability to put one’s head down and work, but rather to hold one’s head up and work – keeping the focus on long-term goals and visions all the while. That’s how Assadkhan, who founded online health-supplement platform Vitasave.ca in 2013, evolved his business from one bricks-and-mortar store in Kerrisdale into a web-based e-commerce force that employs more than 50 people and generates revenue reaching $21 million this year. “I’ve spent a lot of time at that retail store – that 200-square-foot space up on the mezzanine … creating my own world with my mind,” Assadkhan said about his experiences at the physical store, which he has since sold due to the success of Vitasave online. “It’s almost like a meditation – almost picturing what I would be able to accomplish if I had more than what I have right now. That drove me forward. I would open the store at 10 a.m., close at 6, then stay there after hours until 3 a.m. every night.” It was those long evenings of visualization that helped the executive to realize that the retail space he wanted to occupy with health-care products and supplements was in cyberspace. So, with the goal he wanted to reach so clearly defined, he took steps to hire the right talent and delegate tasks, eventually making a successful switch to an online platform. The most important step along the way, he said, was to foster the right corporate culture to expand the business the way he wanted. “Working on the company culture was new, and it was a little bit scary. My goal
Birthplace: Durham, England Where you live now: West Vancouver
Highest level of education:
College dropout
Currently reading: Driven: The Never-Give-Up Roadmap to Massive Success by Manny Khoshbin
Those values, centred around doing more with less and keeping a customer’s trust, even if it means losing money on certain deals, were vital to Vitasave’s growth, and Assadkhan said he now plans to take his brand across Canada into the mainstream as a way to bring health products to more Canadians. He recently took the first step, opening an office in Toronto.
ROB KRUYT
is to create a place where people want to work, and to do that, I have to up our value to people as a company. It involves a lot of trial and error. In the beginning, we set up an Xbox and a small basketball hoop, and we tried to have employees take 15-minute breaks. But we realized quickly we needed discipline as well so that everyone respected their work and their work environment, so we really now focus more on our internal values.”
Currently listening to: Tha Carter
V by Lil Wayne
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: NBA player
Profession you would most like to try: Sports analyst Toughest business or professional decision: There
“MY GOAL IS TO CREATE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO WORK, AND TO DO THAT, I HAVE TO UP OUR VALUE TO PEOPLE AS A COMPANY”
was a moment early on where I realized I had to sacrifice a good employee for the long-term benefit of the company – it was difficult at the time because we were a small team that relied on this person and they were actually really good at their job. But, it had to be done
Advice you would give the younger you: Put effort into
eliminating negativity from your life, and go to Tony Robbins’ Date with Destiny event now
What’s left to do: Create
something remarkable from a place of nothing
14 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
RAVI BEECH
2018
COO, Valley Acrylic Bath Ltd.
AGE
34
T
here are a lot of bad words in the world. For Ravi Beech, the worst of them all is “stale.” Beech, who is COO at Valley Acrylic Bath, helped launched the company in 2007 after working on the retail side of real estate sales. At the time, Beech said, she found a shocking figure about her industry – that 60% of landfill waste came from the construction sector. “So the industry that I’m in – that I love – was doing that to my home, to where I live, and I didn’t know that,” said Beech, who was born and raised in the Lower Mainland. “So that led to us looking at innovative ways to manufacture things responsibly. Why not think differently? That’s why I hate hearing, ‘That’s how we always did it.’ Because that proves to me that you are stale – and we can do better.” The environmental concern coincided with an opportunity, Beech said. She noted there is a lot of innovative manufacturing talent emerging in the Lower Mainland, and a big part of construction waste came from mass-produced plumbing parts and components from elsewhere. Beech said a local solution, one capable of making customized, oneoff components near the homes themselves, can do wonders for reducing waste while boosting the local economy by showcasing the technical innovations here. “For me, Valley was a really big turning point,” Beech said. “I realized a lot of things were not being made in Canada. And they were very simple things. On things like drain locations and piping, we would ask workers to help get a little more clearance because maybe the plumber messed up, and the response we’d get would be no, because while things may be refinished here, it’s not made here…. So we saw an opportunity.”
Birthplace: Burnaby Where you live now: Burnaby
ROB KRUYT
Today, Valley Acrylic Bath and its team of 25 people produces bath and plumbing products that sell across North America, and Beech said she is eyeing an entry into the European market by 2020, given the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and Europe. She urged local government to do more to highlight the talent of B.C. manufacturing, since a lot of people simply aren’t well informed about the possibilities in Metro Vancouver.
Currently listening to: Scorpion by Drake
Highest level of education: MBA
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up:
Currently reading: The Goal: A
Profession you would most like to try: Engineer or health
in international marketing/global strategy, Duke University Process of Ongoing Improvement by Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox
Psychologist
scientist
“WHY NOT THINK DIFFERENTLY? THAT’S WHY I HATE HEARING, ‘THAT’S HOW WE ALWAYS DID IT.’ BECAUSE THAT PROVES TO ME THAT YOU ARE STALE – AND WE CAN DO BETTER”
Toughest business or professional decision: Making
sure my business upholds integrity and does not deal with clients who are discriminatory. Just because someone’s going to give you a sale doesn’t mean you have to take it
Advice you would give the younger you: Improve financial
literacy. I wish I learned more about investment, mortgages and banking when I was young, starting in Grade 8 and 9
What’s left to do: Experiencing
the joys of being a mom – and managing a company as a parent
| 15
VIRGINIA BIRD
2018
Principal, Pottinger Bird Community Relations
AGE
34
A
s a principal of Pottinger Bird Community Relations, Virginia Bird has made a name for herself by building strong relationships between developers and other stakeholders across the Lower Mainland. Holding a bachelor of arts from Queen’s University, Bird began working as a junior associate at Pottinger & Associates in 2006 and was promoted to project manager four years later. She became owner and director of client services in 2013 and is currently sole principal of the company. “I was fortunate enough to benefit from the strong mentorship of our company founder [Andrew Pottinger], who provided somewhat of an apprenticeship when I began working in the industry,” Bird said. With more than 10 years’ experience in the real estate development industry, Bird is skilled in building relationships in municipal planning processes for new development. Many of her new clients are gained through word-ofmouth referrals. The Vancouver-based company creates community relations engagement strategies for various development projects, managing the public approval process of millions of square feet of residential and commercial space. When it comes to new developments, Bird said one of her greatest challenges is working to create a balanced community dialogue. A large part of her role is to inform residents affected by proposed developments about how they can participate through open houses and public hearings and get their opinions on record. “Well-planned developments deliver a wealth of needed community amenities like new parks, upgrades to community centres and libraries, affordable housing,
Birthplace: Vancouver Where you live now: Riley Park, Vancouver
Highest level of education:
Bachelor of art history (honours), Queen’s University
Currently reading: Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
ROB KRUYT
improved public safety, daycare,” she explained. “Unfortunately, the folks who would naturally support or benefit from a project like this are less likely to participate in the planning process than those folks who naturally resist change.” Bird sits on boards and committees for numerous organizations including the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, the Vancouver Resource Society and the Urban Development Institute, and is a board trustee for the YMCA of Greater Vancouver Foundation.
Currently listening to: Black Pistol Fire
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Garbage pickup
Profession you would most like to try: Art auctioneer Toughest business or professional decision: It’s always painful for us, as well as our
“WE MUST ADAPT AND GROW TO STAY CURRENT, AND WHERE POSSIBLE, HELP INFLUENCE THE WAY BOTH OUR INDUSTRY AND MUNICIPALITIES ENGAGE THE PUBLIC”
clients, when we have to raise our fees to keep up with our costs or to handle more time-consuming projects
Advice you would give the younger you: Get active sooner
volunteering in industry and nonindustry organizations
What’s left to do: The business we’re in is constantly changing
and evolving, so there is no one specific thing left to do, but we must adapt and grow to stay current, and where possible, help influence the way both our industry and municipalities engage the public. That way we can increasingly see more productive dialogue and, as a result, more responsive and meaningful projects
16 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
DANIEL BOFFO
2018
Principal, Boffo Properties
S
AGE “
39
ometimes with a family business, work can be all-consuming,” said Daniel Boffo, principal along with his sister of Boffo Properties. “In a lot of ways, the two blend together – home and work. In a good way.” That blend between family and Boffo’s budding career in construction started at a very early age. He recalls playing on his father’s job sites and washing the company truck on weekends. Eventually, play morphed into working summers at the family business, stacking lumber and cleaning up units. “That’s probably where my OCD on detail started kicking in,” Boffo said with a laugh. “My dad blames me now that I’m too detailed, but I blame him.” Even though the business is now in the hands of the family’s second generation, Boffo says that wasn’t predetermined. “Fortunately, I enjoyed it,” Boffo said. “The craftsmanship end of real estate, of what we do, is the part that resonates with me the most. I kind of tend to feel more comfortable on the job site as opposed to the office.” Boffo was born in Vancouver and raised in Burnaby. After high school, he completed an economics degree at the University of British Columbia, followed by a diploma in construction management from the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Before joining Boffo Properties full time in 2007, he spent several years working for Ledcor, which gave him the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience from businesses including Cadillac Fairview and Westbank. “Projects are like your kids,” said Boffo, who with his wife is “in the thick of it” raising three children between the ages of one and six. But Boffo Properties’ non-profit
Birthplace: Vancouver Where you live now: North Burnaby
Highest level of education: BA, economics (UBC); diploma of technology, architectural and building engineering technology – construction management (BCIT) Currently reading: Leonardo Da Vinci by Walter Isaacson
ROB KRUYT
projects stand out most in his mind. There was Cordovan, a Downtown Eastside project with 24 for-market units and five non-market ones. The toughest business decision Boffo had to make was pulling the plug on the proposed Kettle Boffo project earlier this year, which would have included an expanded space for the Kettle Society and 30 supportive housing homes. The company and the City of Vancouver, however, were unable to reach an agreement over the development.
Currently listening to: Oprah’s
SuperSoul Conversations (podcast) – full of aha moments. Phil Jackson’s Eleven Rings (audiobook). Jay-Z/Beyoncé – their October OTR II show was tight
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Michael Jordan and the Hardy Boys. My dad
“THE CRAFTSMANSHIP END OF REAL ESTATE, OF WHAT WE DO, IS THE PART THAT RESONATES WITH ME THE MOST”
Profession you would most like to try: Architect or industrial
Advice you would give the younger you: Do the right thing.
Toughest business or professional decision: Pulling the
What’s left to do: Be a “small
designer
plug on our Kettle Boffo project proposal with our partner the Kettle Society
Figure it out. Get it done
giant.” Measure being great less by the size of our company and more by our commitment to quality work, treating people well and strengthening our neighbourhoods
| 17
BENJAMIN BRITTON
2018
Chief strategy officer and vice-president, business development, Ionomr Innovations Inc.
AGE
33
B
enjamin Britton can trace his science credentials through his own DNA. His father had a math degree, while his paternal grandfather was an inventor. His maternal grandfather was a geologist. It’s a lineage that left Britton debating whether to pursue a career as an engineer or as a chemist when he was younger. “I was very convinced that the 21st century was going to be the century of chemistry solving the major problems that existed in the world,” said the cofounder and chief strategy officer of Ionomr Innovations Inc. The Simon Fraser University (SFU) spinoff specializes in the development of ion exchange membranes and coatings for energy storage, clean energy generation and water treatment applications. “This would drive, say, 2% or 3% of the world’s energy use down, in addition to scaling something that isn’t going to be toxic and bioaccumulative on the planet,” Britton said. “It’s hard to describe how impactful this is but the more that I see it, the more passionate I get about it.” Since Ionomr was founded in 2015, Britton has helped the company raise $3.2 million in private investment and $2.6 million in grant commitments. It’s helped Ionomr grow to a team of 15 workers in its first year. In 2016 Britton was awarded the Hong Kong-Canada Investment Pitch Competition and the Coast Capital Savings Venture Prize, and earlier this year won the Startup Energy Transition Award for Low-Carbon Energy Production from the World Energy Council. While his educational background is steeped in science, including a PhD in
Birthplace: White Rock Where you live now: University of British Columbia
Highest level of education:
PhD, chemistry, Simon Fraser University
CHUNG CHOW
chemistry from SFU, he’s also focused his brain power on the humanities over the years. He boasts a graduate diploma in theology from Vancouver’s Regent College as well as a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Trinity Western University. But that pull towards engineering still persists. “I really enjoy fixing my cars,” said Britton, who owns two 1980s Porsches.
“IT’S HARD TO DESCRIBE HOW IMPACTFUL THIS IS BUT THE MORE THAT I SEE IT, THE MORE PASSIONATE I GET ABOUT IT”
Currently reading: Truth and
Profession you would most like to try: Definitely still astronaut
Advice you would give the younger you: Write your thesis
Currently listening to: Romanticera classical (Rachmaninoff, Dvořák, Brahms)
Toughest business or professional decision: Switching
What’s left to do: Shift the world
Method by Hans-Georg Gadamer
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up:
Astronaut
from an academic to business focus by starting the company
first
energy and chemical economies to sustainable, low-cost solutions
18 | Forty under 40 2018 published by Business in VAncouver
Dan Burgar
2018
President, VR/AR Association Vancouver
Age
35
W
hile Dan Burgar spends much of his work life immersed in artificial worlds, his free time is a much different matter. “I’m all about connections and meeting new people,” said the former director of business development and partnerships at Archiact, a virtual reality studio with offices in Vancouver and Shanghai. Developing connections has been a must-do for Burgar since launching the Vancouver chapter of the global VR/AR Association in 2016. The association is tasked with shepherding growth and business connections within an industry in the midst of major expansions, especially in B.C. A few years ago the local industry had 15 to 20 companies connected to the broader VR industry. “Now we’re at 220 and the secondbiggest VR/AR [virtual reality/augmented rea l ity] ecosystem i n the world,” Burgar said. “It’s only on that upward swing.” The speed at which it’s expanding – “a million miles an hour,” Burgar said – is a far cry from the pace of his early life in Fernie, B.C. “Living in kind of a blue-collar town, being one of the only Asian families there, was an interesting time,” the 35-year-old recalled. He eventua lly left to attend the University of Connecticut in the early 2000s, earning a bachelor of science in business management before returning to B.C. and studying at Vancouver Film School. He briefly considered a career working in the entertainment industry as an agent. But he wasn’t truly certain about his career path until 2014.
Birthplace: Fernie, B.C. Where you live now: Vancouver Highest level of education: Bachelor of business management
Currently reading: The Alchemist
by Paulo Coelho; Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl; Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Tim Ferriss
ROB KRUYT
That’s when he donned a VR headset for the first time, testing a new application at a conference he was attending. “It was some cleaning app. Basically it was just washing dishes and sweeping in VR,” he said. “I just thought to myself, ‘Wow, this is a profound experience in my life.’ And I figured out this was something I needed to go all in on.”
Currently listening to: Marlon
Williams, “What’s Chasing You”; Miles Davis, “Blue in Green”; Nina Simone, “Please Read Me”; The School of Greatness podcast by Lewis Howes; The Tim Ferriss Show podcast
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up:
An artist
Profession you would most like to try: Starting an organization/
fund to help people who are less
“I just thought to myself, ‘Wow, this is a profound experience in my life.’ And I figured out this was something I needed to go all in on”
fortunate, VC, documentary filmmaker and curated experiences
Toughest business or professional decision: Going all in on VR/AR; at the time it was very nascent technology and there wasn’t a lot of investment. I turned down several lucrative offers at other companies/industries but I realized that my purpose was to grow this industry and build the next wave of computing
Advice you would give the younger you: Invest in yourself
at an earlier age, don’t let others dictate your life, focus on relationships, do things that scare you and don’t be afraid to fail, be grateful every day
What’s left to do: Lots. We’re
building and growing an industry; this takes time and collaboration but I feel like we’re on the cusp of an explosion with the VR/AR ecosystem
Sponsor’s Message
Engaging Entrepreneurs to Learn and Grow EO Vancouver, Entrepreneurs’ Organization is, once again, a proud sponsor of the Business In Vancouver Top 40 Under 40 Awards for a 13th year. As an international, world respected association of entrepreneurs, the EO Vancouver Chapter is pleased to have had many EO Vancouver members as winners of the 40 Under 40 Awards over the past ten years and we congratulate all the finalists for 2018. As a global community of entrepreneurs EO has 12,000 members in 50 countries. Members must be the founder, co-founder, owner or controlling shareholder of a business with annual gross sales exceeding (US) $1 million. EO offers members Direct Peer-To-Peer Learning, Once-In-ALifetime Experiences and Connection To Experts through member events and monthly Forum Groups. The Vancouver Chapter is one of the leading chapters in the world. EO Vancouver also supports emerging entrepreneurs through the Accelerator Program, Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) and the awarding of Youth Scholarships presented annually at the 40 Under 40 Awards. Congratulations to Business In Vancouver for their vision to profile the “best of the best” entrepreneurs in British Columbia at their annual awards.
Entrepreneurs’ Organization Entrepreneurs’ Organization
— CONGRATULATIONS! BCIT Business congratulates alumni Josh Carr-Hilton, CEO, The District, and Alona Puehse, COO at Open Door Group, graduates of Operations Management and Business Administration respectively. Our graduates launch their careers with the advantage that comes from an applied learning model that ensures they are equipped to thrive in a world of innovation. We look forward to congratulating future BCIT graduates as Business in Vancouver’s Forty under 40.
For membership information visit www.eonetwork.org or contact us at 604.622.7020
Ad Name: SoB BIV 1819 partnership Media: Business in Vancouver (Glacier) PO#: A19-0067B Size: 1/4 pg sponsor ad, 3.4375 x 4.6875 Colour: CMYK Comments: Forty under 40 Artwork Deadline: Nov 02 2018
20 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
JASMINE BYRNE
2018
Vice-president, Big Mountain Foods Ltd.
AGE
31
J
asmine Byrne’s 2013 decision to join Big Mountain Foods Ltd. paid off quickly for her, the company and her business partner, Kimberly Chamberland – who happens to be Byrne’s mother. With Byrne on board suggesting new products and networking to gain new wholesale buyers and capitalize on the burgeoning vegetarian food market, the company’s revenue surged within five years from the low six figures into millions of dollars. Her goal is for Big Mountain Foods to generate $20 million in annual revenue within the next several years. “We don’t like putting on paper actual dollar figures because in the category we’re in, we’re growing like crazy and by the time publications are on the internet [they are outdated],” she said. She estimated that Big Mountain Foods products are on shelves at more than 3,000 locations across North America. That’s up from about 200 stores five years ago. Stimulating that expansion is demand for the company’s vegetarian burger patties, which are “allergenfree” with no soy, wheat, nuts or other ingredients many consumers are allergic to, Byrne said. Byrne’s inspiration for suggesting those veggie burger patties came in part because in 2013 she was diagnosed with celiac disease – an autoimmune disorder that meant that Byrne could cause damage to her small intestine if she consumed gluten. “I looked around in the [vegetarian burger] category that my mum was in, and in that space there was nothing that was allergen-free,” she said. “I saw a huge opportunity in the market so I pitched the idea to go gluten-free.” B i g M o u n t a i n Fo o d s h a d b e e n
Birthplace: Vancouver Where you live now: Vancouver Highest level of education:
Bachelor of business administration, major in human resources, minor in entrepreneurial leadership
Currently reading: VegNews
magazine is a top pick; any side reading I do is research in the plant-based sector. I believe in real-time, up-to-date information via social media and
CHUNG CHOW
operating out of a 2,500-square-foot facility in south Vancouver for decades until recently expanding that space into a 5,000-square-foot manufacturing plant. Bryne said that plans are underway to move into an even larger building to ensure that there is enough space for expansion. Outside of work, Byrne is an active volunteer at the British Columbia Food Processors Association, where she recently won an award as a rising star.
websites, getting into the brains of chefs, startups, bloggers, activists, big corporations, etc.
Currently listening to: Honestly, now that we installed Google Home in the office, the running joke is: “Google, play some soft jazz.” Try it
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Criminal lawyer
Profession you would most like to try: Politician/activist
“I SAW A HUGE OPPORTUNITY IN THE MARKET SO I PITCHED THE IDEA TO GO GLUTEN-FREE”
Toughest business or professional decision: Leaving
the start of a comfortable corporate career to expand the family business. Scaling up a food manufacturing business, especially vegan at a time when it wasn’t “trending,” was a huge gamble and I knew it would take sacrifice of blood, sweat and tears – literally
Advice you would give the younger you: Network, network, network. You never know what
will come from “small talk.” Connections are key; we are all human so don’t get a complex or too worked up about it. Get into public speaking young so when you are up against older peers you can stand your ground, be respected and feel confident
What’s left to do: Make Forbes’
World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list with achievements such as Fortune 500 or the United Nations Champion of the Earth designation
| 21
JOSH CARR-HILTON
2018
CEO, the District
AGE
32
J
osh Carr-Hilton was one of those kids who listened to everything – and he still does. “I grew up with my dad and mom listening to classical ’70s music on the radio and then being kind of forced into the golden oldies,” recalled the founder and CEO of the District, Canada’s largest independent music network of record labels, brands and marketing companies. Eventually, Carr-Hilton found trance and hip hop and began creating his own mix tapes for parties on Friday nights. “That was kind of the early days into music curation,” said Carr-Hilton, whose company manages Trap Nation, the 31st-largest channel on YouTube. “I had zero plans to be in the music industry,” he added, saying he kind of fell into it six years ago and got an incredibly fast crash course in how the industry works. “I was very, very green and have been a decent problem solver in my life,” said Carr-Hilton, who suspects his outsider’s perspective may have contributed to the company’s success in an established industry that is being forced to adjust to technological advancements. After a bachelor of arts at Simon Fraser University, Carr-Hilton went on to work at BroadbandTV for several years, where he established and oversaw the company’s multi-channel network (MCN) on YouTube, which became the fifth-largest MCN on the platform. In 2013, he founded the District and Seeking Blue Records a few years after all the major players started racing to develop brands online and connect with consumers on digital platforms. It was a wild, wild west where the needs of creators were sometimes sidelined by big business interests.
Birthplace: Vancouver Where you live now: Downtown Vancouver
Highest level of education:
Bachelor’s degree, Simon Fraser University
Currently reading: Marching
Powder: A True Story of Friendship, Cocaine, and South America’s Strangest Jail by Rusty Young
CHUNG CHOW
“I really hated that part. I really had a lot of respect for the creativity that was going into a lot of what these people were putting their passion into every day,” said Carr-Hilton. “We stepped in and grew so fast and so efficiently that we got to a point where people were listening.” The company has worked with tierone artists including Galantis, Martin Garrix, David Guetta and Tiësto, and has helped propel the careers of upand-coming names.
Currently listening to: Heiress by Novo Amor
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up:
I’ve always loved the gravity of the ocean and being outdoors. My dream when I was young was to be a marine biologist
Profession you would most like to try: Documentary filmmaker and photographer
Toughest business or professional decision: We face a number of
“I REALLY HAD A LOT OF RESPECT FOR THE CREATIVITY THAT WAS GOING INTO A LOT OF WHAT THESE PEOPLE WERE PUTTING THEIR PASSION INTO EVERY DAY”
difficult challenges as a business growing in the music industry. The harder decisions we face are usually related to the ethical consequences of commerce and art
Advice you would give the younger you: Resolve your trust
issues in yourself and those around you. Pushing yourself into challenges that have greater odds to fail can teach you the fastest lessons
What’s left to do: Support my
amazing family, support my team as best as I possibly can and hopefully help my daughter Madison accomplish great things in her lifetime. The work I’ve been putting in to support mental health issues in our community and the degradation of important ecosystems has given me so much happiness in the last six months. I hope to keep expanding that and use our platform to pull as many people along that ride as possible
22 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
GRAHAM CARTER
2018
Co-founder and principal, Maven Consulting Ltd.
AGE
37
I
n 2004, Graham Carter and his wife decided to do what many professionals from New Zealand do – take a gap year to live and work in another country. They came to Vancouver and never went back. They now have two children, both born here. Carter ended up doing in B.C. what he said would have been difficult to do in New Zealand – build three companies back to back, one of which made the Ready to Rocket list while another was on last year’s Maclean’s Startup 50 list. His latest business is Maven Consulting Ltd., a consulting firm that works with developers and utilities on power generation and transmission projects. In five years, the company has grown from a two-person operation to a 40-person company with revenues of $9 million last year. Born and raised in New Zealand, Carter earned an engineering degree from the Auckland University of Technology. He worked for the New Zealand government for two years pursuing research before he decided to hang out his shingle there as a forestry consultant. After his move to Vancouver, Carter met his business partner, Trevor St Germain, an engineer who worked at a local power company. When St Germain ran into a problem that needed a software fix, Carter agreed to help. The two young entrepreneurs decided to form a consulting company, Acclaro Management Corp. Their ultimate goal was to set up a software business specializing in the power sector. But because both men were still in their early 20s and had no money to get things off the ground, they founded Acclaro to help bankroll what would become Axia Software Corp. Maven has done some work on larger projects, like the Site C dam, but
Birthplace: Auckland, New
Zealand
Where you live now: North Vancouver
Highest level of education:
Bachelor of engineering majoring in electronics and computer systems
CHUNG CHOW
typically the company focuses on smaller energy projects, like small runof-river projects, building substations and smaller transmission lines. The Northwest Territories is a big market for the company. “We go for the unsexy stuff because there’s just a lot of them,” Carter said. “We’ve gone through some pretty impressive growth. We’ve delivered some pretty large projects, like tens of millions, to power companies over the five years that we’ve been in business.”
Currently reading: Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend Currently listening to: Where
the River Goes by Ambrose Akinmusire
“WE’VE GONE THROUGH SOME PRETTY IMPRESSIVE GROWTH. WE’VE DELIVERED SOME PRETTY LARGE PROJECTS, LIKE TENS OF MILLIONS, TO POWER COMPANIES OVER THE FIVE YEARS THAT WE’VE BEEN IN BUSINESS”
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Software developer
Profession you would most like to try: Travel agent Toughest business or professional decision: Knowing
when to pull out of things that you are emotionally invested into
Advice you would give the younger you: Enjoy each moment and milestone – it’s about the journey, not the destination
What’s left to do: Change the world
| 23
GRAHAM COLLINGS
2018
Executive vice-president of investments, ACM Advisors Ltd.
AGE
38
G
raham Collings, executive vicepresident of investments at ACM Advisors Ltd., has seen some trying times in the financial industry in the last decade. One of his most memorable career challenges was attempting to launch a mutual fund during the financial crisis. “Getting through the compliance depa r tments when ever yone was cracking down on everything and we were trying to go the other direction, that was a very resilient time,” said Collings. But Collings persevered, and he continues to do so. He was asked recently what he would do if he could start afresh; he replied, “Exactly what I am doing.” Collings, who was born in Kerrisdale, completed his bachelor of business administration degree at Simon Fraser University in 2003 and, in 2010, acquired his master of business administration while raising a child, working through a promotion and simultaneously expanding the ACM business. Collings began his career as a research analyst in investments at Cushman & Wakefield before moving on to become a senior analyst at Colliers International, a role he happily occupied for three years. From there, he settled into the role of director of retail funds at ACM. Today, Collings is co-owner of the company that has grown from $1.3 billion under management to $2.7 billion in just over five years. Collings sources and underwrites over $400 million annually in successfully funded commercial real estate financings throughout Canada with a focus on B.C. and Western Canada. What helps motivate Collings every day is the unpredictability of the work,
Birthplace: Vancouver Where you live now: Vancouver Highest level of education:
Master of business administration from Queen’s University
Currently reading: The Land of
Stories by Chris Colfer – reading with my eldest daughter
ROB KRUYT
with each day bringing a set of new challenges to overcome. It’s an attitude that one of his university professors inspired him to adopt, he said. “If you are interested in what you are doing, you won’t find any obstacles – just things you need to get past so they won’t stop you from going forward.” Collings has come full circle and lives in Kerrisdale now with his wife and three children, who like to spend free time taking part in various outdoor activities together.
Currently listening to: Radio – I like a mix
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Computer engineer
Profession you would most like to try: Being an entrepreneur in a
smaller B.C. town, very different lifestyle
“IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU ARE DOING, YOU WON’T FIND ANY OBSTACLES – JUST THINGS YOU NEED TO GET PAST SO THEY WON’T STOP YOU FROM GOING FORWARD”
Toughest business or professional decision: Taking
less salary in my first job out of school and after my second job. I knew that it was the better path long term but at the beginning it was a tough decision
Advice you would give the younger you: Always seek
out paths that you are most
interested about and see how you can align a job with that. Work and life overlap so much these days, so go all in
What’s left to do: Continue to
raise my three kids and make time in busy schedule to always spend some quality time with them every week
24 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
MARTIN DESROSIERS
2018
CEO, Nucleus Networks
AGE
38
I
t might sound counterintuitive to say that, for an IT services firm, technological savvy isn’t the most important management trait. But for Nucleus Networks CEO Martin DesRosiers, it has proved true. DesRosiers said it is more important to have the right people skills, combined with qualities like drive and passion, to achieve success in the IT field. “We can always teach the tech stuff, but it’s really hard to teach the attitude and interpersonal skills,” said Des Rosiers, who joined Nucleus as its 12th employee in 2013. “Those skills can be refined, but it really is about building good relationships and having people trust you. Show people you are passionate about what you do, and people will rally around that.” Since that time, Nucleus has grown to a team of 60-plus professionals, and DesRosiers himself has moved up to become CEO and an equity partner in the firm. Nucleus now has offices in Vancouver and Toronto, and full-time resources in Victoria and Montreal to support the IT needs of more than 100 companies across Canada. For DesRosiers, Nucleus’ focus on culture is vital to spurring growth, by motivating employees to operate at an optimum level and by attracting and keeping customers through better service. “We won a lot of awards regarding our culture, and it’s all about having camaraderie and being a team,” he said. “It’s like a giant sports team – at the end of the day, we are all just humans working towards the same goal, and it’s important to have core values, a brand promise and vision. It is also important for people to know what they are. Why are we coming to work every day at Nucleus? It’s important to know those things.”
Birthplace: North Vancouver Where you live now: Gibsons Highest level of education: No
formal degree; some postsecondary programs
Currently reading: It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work
CHUNG CHOW
DesRosiers’ emphasis on workplace culture has been formed by his extensive experience both as an employee – he was a senior technical analyst working for the federal government in 2006 – and as an entrepreneur (he started his own IT consulting firm that same year and more recently has delved into his own coffee business, the Beachcomber Coffee Co.). Often, he said, a company’s biggest mistake is not investing – figuratively and literally – in its own people.
“SHOW PEOPLE YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO, AND PEOPLE WILL RALLY AROUND THAT”
by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
Profession you would most like to try: Food critic
Advice you would give the younger you: Travel more
Currently listening to: Astroworld
Toughest business or professional decision: Walking
What’s left to do: Honestly, it’s
by Travis Scott
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Veterinarian
away from a company that offered a lot – including equity – to stay with them. But I’m thankful that I did
important to have balance. My passion project is to create a coffee company (Beachcomber Coffee), and it’s my creative outlet outside of tech
26 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
KYLIE DICKSON
2018
Vice-president, business development, Equinox Gold
AGE
38
K
ylie Dickson was seven months into maternity leave with her third child when the company she co-founded, Anthem United Inc., became involved in a three-way merger with two other companies. Cutting her leave short and hiring a nanny was one of the most difficult decisions of her career, she said, but there really was no one else at Anthem who could do the job. “We’ve always just had so few people working in our office that it wasn’t something that I could not be involved in,” she said. “We ended up getting a nanny so I could come back to work. That whole mat leave was difficult because I had to work as a CFO as well from home.” Dickson grew up in Maple Ridge and received a bachelor of administration from Simon Fraser University. She did some co-op stints with KPMG while still in university and then got a full-time job there in 2003 and gained her chartered accountant certification. She ended up specializing in the mining sector as a manager. One of KPMG’s clients was Greg Smith, a mining entrepreneur who had started a company called Minefinders Corp. Smith hired Dickson as a financial controller, which led to a partnership in a number of successful mine mergers and acquisitions amounting to $2 billion. In 2011, Pan American Silver Corp. (TSX:PAAS) bought Minefinders for $1.5 billion. Dickson was CFO for Esperanza Resources Corp., which was also acquired. After that exit, she and Smith co-founded Anthem United. “That was the one where we didn’t take salaries for a year and helped to get it up off the ground,” Dickson said. Through a series of transactions, including a three-way merger that
Birthplace: New Westminster Where you live now: North Vancouver
Highest level of education: BA,
business administration, CPA and CA
ROB KRUYT
included Luna Gold Corp. (TSX:LGC), Equinox Gold (TSX-V:EQX) was formed. Dickson is currently vice-president of business development. “Although I am a chartered accountant, I wasn’t sitting here just doing financial statements,” Dickson said. “I’m managing a $60 million financing at the moment, in addition to the normal day-to-day things.” In addition to her day job, Dickson is a busy mom; she and her husband have three young boys.
Currently reading: 11/22/63 by Stephen King
Currently listening to: “Meant to Be” featuring Florida Georgia Line
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Cashier
“I’M MANAGING A $60 MILLION FINANCING AT THE MOMENT, IN ADDITION TO THE NORMAL DAY-TO-DAY THINGS”
Profession you would most like to try: General manager of a
sports team or league
Toughest business or professional decision: Shortening maternity leave to facilitate a transaction
Advice you would give the younger you: Enjoy everything.
The freedom to travel, the ability to work whenever needed, the schedule. Things get tougher as you get older managing life outside of work, so enjoy it now
What’s left to do: Can I say retire?
| 27
CAITLIN DUNNE
2018
Co-director, partner and physician, Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine
AGE
36
C
aitlin Dunne is an advocate for the importance of family. She describes herself with a saying to the effect that life is a juggling act with glass balls and rubber balls. While the rubber balls, representing non-crucial elements of her life, can be dropped from time to time, the glass balls represent family and children and can’t ever be fumbled. The quote hits home to many parents struggling with the trials of career and life balance. But there are few people more aware of the hopes and needs of young families than Dunne, one of the leading in vitro specialists in B.C. as well as co-director, partner and physician at the Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine, one of the largest fertility clinics in Western Canada. Dunne began her studies at McGill University in the honours bachelor of science program before early acceptance to medical school. She graduated in 2008 from the University of Western Ontario with a medical degree and went on to obtain two postgraduate degrees from the University of British Columbia. She is doubly qualified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in obstetrics and gynecology as well as reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Dunne has published over 23 peerreviewed papers and textbook chapters and has written more than 20 public education pieces in publications like the Huffington Post, the Globe and Mail and more. Having a family herself, Dunne is passionate about raising awareness about the sometimes uncomfortable topic of infertility, and about potential solutions to the problem. “Infertility is a disease – some type of f u nd i ng is needed to treat the
Birthplace: Toronto Where you live now: West Vancouver
Highest level of education:
Medical doctor (MD) and two postgraduate fellowship designations with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (obstetrics/ gynecology, reproductive endocrinology and infertility)
CHUNG CHOW
condition,” Dunne said. “Fifteen per cent of couples will struggle with infertility, and presently, beyond the initial consultation, nothing is covered by provincially funded services. That means a lot of people simply cannot afford a family they so badly desire.” Dunne loves the fast-paced, technology and data-focused element of her industry. She hopes to inspire her daughter and other female students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math sectors.
“FIFTEEN PER CENT OF COUPLES WILL STRUGGLE WITH INFERTILITY, AND PRESENTLY, BEYOND THE INITIAL CONSULTATION.... A LOT OF PEOPLE SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD A FAMILY THEY SO BADLY DESIRE”
Currently reading: Calypso by
Profession you would most like to try: Residential designer
is secondary. Choose the right team and everything is possible
Currently listening to: I saw Kygo
Toughest business or professional decision: The
What’s left to do: (1) Convince
David Sedaris
at Coachella this year and I have been a fan ever since
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: A doctor – or a professional water-skier
choices I make every day to have a family and a career
Advice you would give the younger you: Caring for
patients comes first, business
the provincial governments of B.C. and Alberta that infertility is a disease and its treatments are worthy of funding. (2) Continue to increase the number of girls who pursue a career in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)
28 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
LAWRENCE EADE
2018
Co-founder and CEO, Box Concepts Food Group
AGE
35
L
awrence Eade was promoted to CEO of Surrey-based Box Concepts Food Group in 2012 at age 29, after serving as the company’s CFO for five years. Since becoming a partner in 2006, Eade has helped expand the company from three to 70 store locations, and from 40 employees to more than 2,000. Today, Box Concepts Food Group’s annual revenues are $55 million, and the company has projected it will grow to 100 locations by the end of 2019 with anticipated revenues of more than $65 million. Eade began working in kitchens and restaurants at the age of 16 and was influenced by his father, the main cook at home. “I suppose I had the foodie gene from an early age,” he said. Later, after spending two years as senior accountant at KPMG in Edmonton, Eade took a leap of faith when he left his job to become an entrepreneur. “At the time, this was a major decision and major risk, but in hindsight it was the best decision for me and my career,” he said. “The hard work and success that came after gave me the confidence and validation of my beliefs to take on new projects and move our business ahead.” T he ch a r tered profession a l accountant’s accomplishments include opening Kettle & Foods Kitchen, an 18,000-square-foot food manufacturing facility, increasing the combined annual enterprise revenue to $50 million from $1.5 million, developing operations across Canada, the U.S. and Middle East and opening 125 restaurant operations representing $55 million in capital expenditures and $160 million in real estate commitments. This year, Eade formed a joint venture with Hon’s to rebrand it as a traditional Cantonese won ton house, with the
Birthplace: Red Deer, Alberta Where you live now: Tsawwassen Highest level of education:
Bachelor of commerce and Chartered Accounting School of Business (CPA designation)
CHUNG CHOW
first of 50 planned locations opening in Olympic Village last summer. With Kettle & Foods, Eade is continually innovating food through lowsodium, gluten-free and vegan options. The father of three volunteers as a soccer coach and sits on a parent advisory committee. A board member for both the Canadian Franchise Association and Small Business BC, Eade is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada and the BC Food Processors Association.
“SUCCESS IS NOT MONEY AND MONEY IS NOT SUCCESS. MAKE ENOUGH TO BE COMFORTABLE AND THEN FOCUS ON THE BIGGER-PICTURE THINGS IN LIFE – THEN YOU’LL FIND WHAT SUCCESS IS”
Currently reading: Robinson
Profession you would most like to try: Lawyer
Currently listening to: Love Is
Toughest business or professional decision: When to
Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Here to Stay by Tony Bennett and Diana Krall
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Landscape architect
double down and when to divest on any business investment
Advice you would give the younger you: Success is not
money and money is not success. Make enough to be comfortable and then focus on the biggerpicture things in life – then you’ll find what success is
What’s left to do: Help my kids
become awesome members of society and off into the world
| 29
BETHANY EDMUNDS
2018
Associate dean of computing, British Columbia Institute of Technology
AGE
38
W
ith a PhD in computer science, specializing in machine learning, Bethany Edmunds, associate dean of computing at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), could have had her choice of jobs in the high-tech sector, where a dearth of women in computer science and programming means there is a huge demand for women with her credentials. And though she did work in the private sector briefly and even founded her own software company, Edmunds has never wanted to be anything other than a teacher. She has excelled at it, rising from instructor to program head and then, at the age of 35, to associate dean of computing at BCIT in just six years. Born and raised in New Jersey, Edmunds got a computer science degree from Rowan University and worked for a couple of years for the Federal Aviation Administration developing flight simulation software. But she wanted to teach, so she decided to earn a PhD in computer science from Rutgers University. It was there that she met her husband, Tim Edmunds, a Canadian, who was also pursuing a degree. In 2008, they moved to Vancouver so he could get his post-doctoral degree in computer science at the University of British Columbia. Bethany Edmunds held a number of part-time teaching jobs in Vancouver, including for BCIT, and also started a small company with her brother that developed software for football coaches. “It’s a little thing that my brother and I do that’s still making money, which is nice,” she said. When she got her permanent residency status in 2010, BCIT snapped
Birthplace: New Jersey Where you live now: Vancouver Highest level of education: PhD
in computer science, specializing in machine learning
Currently reading: Teaching
Naked: How Moving Technology Out of Your College Classroom
ROB KRUYT
her up. She started as an instructor but quickly moved up the ladder to become program head in 2013 – a role in which she spearheaded an effort to move BCIT’s computing and information technology department from the Burnaby campus to the school’s downtown Vancouver campus. It wasn’t just a physical move. There were changes in the teaching module that were more aligned with industry needs, and the move ultimately helped triple the program’s enrolment.
“FIND AND EMBRACE WHERE YOU STAND OUT. THAT DIFFERENCE IS WHERE YOU AND YOUR COMPANY HAVE TRUE VALUE”
Will Improve Student Learning by José Antonio Bowen
Profession you would most like to try: Author
Currently listening to: Lots of
Toughest business or professional decision: Leaving
Moana soundtrack by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Post Malone
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up:
A teacher
my software developer job at the Federal Aviation Administration to go to grad school. I really enjoyed the work that I did and the people I worked with, and it felt very risky
Advice you would give the younger you: Find and embrace
where you stand out. That difference is where you and your company have true value
What’s left to do: The tech
industry is having a lot of conversations about inclusion, but we have a long way to go to make it happen
30 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
SARA HODSON
2018
Founder and president, Live Well Exercise Clinic
AGE
39
W
hen Sara Hodson, founder and president of Live Well Exercise Clinic, entered the world of entrepreneurship, she felt somewhat underqualified. Until that time, she had spent her career in the health-care system working as a clinical exercise physiologist, designing and developing wellness programs for people facing serious health conditions like heart trouble. She was hesitant to open a business, but her father helped buoy her entrepreneurial spirit. “My dad reminded me when I started my company that I had always been an entrepreneur since childhood – because when I was 11 years old I turned our one-acre property into an 18-hole golf course for all the kids in the neighbourhood and charged them to use it,” Hodson said. When Hodson’s father told her this story later in life, he said he was very proud of her but that, ethically, she should be required to return the money to the children. (Also, he said, having his backyard riddled with 18 misshapen holes wasn’t ideal.) Hodson worked w ith the Fraser Health Authority for a decade, working to better the lives of people who had had traumatic health experiences. She and her team worked with the community to reintroduce exercise and well-being into the lives of patients. She has volunteered countless hours at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and served on several boards across the Metro Vancouver area. She has a bachelor of human kinetics degree in exercise science from UBC and clinical exercise physiologist certification from the American College of Sports Medicine.
Birthplace: Stirling, Scotland Where you live now: White Rock Highest level of education:
Bachelor of kinesiology and postgrad certification as an American College of Sports Medicine certified clinical exercise physiologist
Currently reading: Other than
reading Harry Potter to my boys every night, I listen to podcasts
ROB KRUYT
Hodson now owns and operates two corporate Live Well Exercise Clinic locations and supports over 15 franchise locations. The company plans to open another 20 in the near future, with four new locations already opened this year. Hodson is inspired every day by the clients who enter her clinics and is passionate about improving their health by helping them develop a more positive, functional lifestyle.
– currently listening to Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Currently listening to: Really enjoying Adele’s 25 right now When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Someone who made a difference in the world
Profession you would most like to try: Professional equestrian jumping
“WE WILL FORGE AHEAD UNTIL AS MANY COMMUNITIES AS POSSIBLE HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE WORK WE DO”
Toughest business or professional decision: Re-
focusing my business on what we do best and getting rid of distracting services that were stealing time, energy, joy and focus
Advice you would give the younger you: Stay focused on
what you do best and have a clear plan in place at all times, and stay on track with that plan.
In the early days, I tried to do everything and rarely said no
What’s left to do: The next
stage of our business is entering the U.S. market, and then our eyes are set on international opportunities. We will forge ahead until as many communities as possible have been impacted by the work we do
| 31
POONAM JASSI
2018
Vice-president of operations, Western Canada, FunctionAbility Rehabilitation Services
Age
34
T
he youngest provincial leader at CBI Health Group, Poonam Jassi has led the company’s growth in B.C. over the past three years. As senior director of operations, Jassi oversees 1,000 staff in the field who provide a variety of community health-care services. “I learned early on in my career that I did not have the stomach to be a clinician,” said Jassi. “Working in this field has enabled me to serve as part of the delivery system in which people’s lives are enhanced every day by the support they receive. This has been immensely rewarding.” Known for her passion to innovate, Jassi pushes boundaries while remaining committed to social change and community development. “Innovation will be paramount in ensuring the best possible outcomes in the face of the future intensity of demand in health care,” said Jassi. “We will be challenged to overcome an exponential growing need for service with continual resource constraints and we will need to employ innovative solutions to be successful.” With more than 10 years of healthcare experience, Jassi previously held roles in marketing, communications and strategy. She became CBI Health’s manager of customer experience and strategic programs in 2013 and has held her current position since 2015. Jassi, who has an MBA from the University of Toronto and a bachelor of science in molecular biology and biochemistry from Simon Fraser University, is completing a PhD in business administration through IE University in Madrid, Spain. What has been her greatest career accomplishment so far? “Almost making it through my PhD – fingers crossed
Birthplace: Vernon Where you live now: Mount Pleasant, Vancouver
Highest level of education: MBA,
currently completing PhD in business administration
Currently reading: Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande
Chung Chow
– while working full time and successfully continuing to grow the business,” she said. Driving revenue growth in key markets, Jassi led the acquisition of three companies in B.C. An accomplished public speaker, she often presents on programs she has led, including the opening of a transitional-care program that uses integrated services and technology to expedite patients’ hospital discharges and transitions.
“Working in this field has enabled me to serve as part of the delivery system in which people’s lives are enhanced every day by the support they receive. This has been immensely rewarding”
Currently listening to: Racine
bargaining to avoid a labour strike with over 300 members
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Something in medicine
Advice you would give the younger you: To focus on work
Carrée by Stromae
Profession you would most like to try: Fashion designer Toughest business or professional decision: Decision to come to a deal in collective
that challenges me and allows me to create impact, as opposed to a road map of timelines and roles that may outwardly be viewed as measures of success
What’s left to do: There is
tremendous opportunity in the
health-care space to not only produce better outcomes using advances in technology, but to shift from managing health care reactively to proactively. There is much work to do in building the appropriate systems and models to better improve the health and well-being of all Canadians in the face of an aging population and growing challenges in mental health
32 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
SANA KAPADIA
2018
Chief impact officer, Spring Activator Inc.
AGE
36
R
ecognition as a Forty under 40 winner carries a special meaning for Dubai-born Sana Kapadia. “I only became a Canadian citizen earlier this year,” says the chief impact officer at Spring Activator Inc., an incubator that helps entrepreneurs and innovators get off the ground. “The award coming at a time when you … also get to call yourself a naturalized Canadian in the same year has been a very emotional and amazing milestone.” Kapadia’s first experience in Canada was also her first time being away from home, leaving the United Arab Emirates in the early 2000s to attend the Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto. The 35-year-old sees a large part of her role as one of advocacy for social justice, and so the opportunity to set down roots in Canada and raise her two young children in a country closely aligned with her own values has synced well with her personal journey. But before settling in Vancouver, Kapadia cultivated a decade’s worth of experience in impact investing across Canada, Europe and the Middle East. Since joining the team at Spring, she’s worked with more than 100 entrepreneurs, helping advise them on the path to creating purpose-driven businesses. Kapadia has been spearheading her organization’s new business immigration assistance program, which will by next year have helped 14 entrepreneurs move to Canada to launch their own enterprises. Beyond her workplace responsibilities, Kapadia volunteers with the +Acumen organization to help Syrian refugees better integrate into the local community. She’s also taken leadership roles in
Birthplace: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Where you live now: Vancouver Highest level of education:
Master’s in development economics
Currently reading: Winners
Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridharadas; The Ways of the World by David Harvey
ROB KRUYT
female-driven initiatives such as the Raise Collective, which has been building a network of female investors and founders over the past two years. After identifying barriers such as a lack of resources facing many female founders seeking capital, the Raise Collective’s WeRaise program helped seven women raise nearly $1 million in 100 days. Kapadia also supports Room to Read, a non-profit that boosts girls’ literacy and education in Asia and Africa.
Currently listening to: Startup
Pregnant Podcast; jazz, folksy music
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up:
An archeologist or a writer
Profession you would most like to try: Travel writer Toughest business or professional decision: One that
comes to mind is leaving a career in equity research and banking at a senior level where I was leading
“THE AWARD COMING AT A TIME WHEN YOU … ALSO GET TO CALL YOURSELF A NATURALIZED CANADIAN IN THE SAME YEAR HAS BEEN A VERY EMOTIONAL AND AMAZING MILESTONE”
a sectoral practice and team to pursue my master’s and shift gears into the social impact and finance space
Advice you would give the younger you: Keep yourself open to possibilities. A career path is not straight, we all meander and take different turns to settle into our groove, so keep yourself open. Also know that you need to harness the power of partnerships, as collaboration
comes in different forms and can be very formative
What’s left to do: Everything :)
World changing is not easy and is a moving goalpost. With my passion for investing in diverse and inclusive teams, creating solid impact entrepreneurial ecosystems and broader social change, I am on the path to widening the capital pool, using a deeper gender lens and supporting impact ventures globally
| 33
JENNY KONKIN
2018
President and co-founder, Whole Way House Society
AGE
36
F
or Jenny Konkin, the major turning point in her life came in 2009. When her father, Ron, was diagnosed with terminal cancer, Konkin, who had a successful corporate career with a major restaurant chain, was so jolted by the news that she decided to re-evaluate everything in her life. “When my dad was diagnosed, it really changed my perspective of wanting to have a greater purpose,” Konkin said. “I really enjoyed what I was doing before, but it didn’t have a greater purpose…. My dad made an amazing amount of impact on people, so I wanted to be like him.” Through the Downtown Eastside single-room occupancy hotels (SROs) that Konkin’s family managed, she and her brother, Josh, began to focus on non-profit charity work in some of the province’s most in-need communities. That’s also when Konkin saw something that was not being served by the local SROs – a sense of support and community for seniors in need. That was when she decided to launch the Whole Way House Society, she said. “We thought we were just dealing with poverty, but we realized that wasn’t the underlying issue,” said Konkin, who is president of the charity organization. “We are dealing with people facing such isolation and loneliness, and that has led to so much detrimental behaviour.… It’s easy to watch the pattern of people who were not given an opportunity to have a supportive family, and in our office and in our staffing, we stress that family comes first.” The Whole Way House helps give seniors a sense of purpose and belonging, Konkin said, through programs that encourage community members to get involved and to help one another. Konkin said her corporate training has
Birthplace: Burnaby Where you live now: Vancouver Highest level of education: Simon
Fraser University, bachelor of arts in psychology
Currently reading: Crucial Accountability: Tools for Resolving Violated Expectations, Broken Commitments, and Bad
CHUNG CHOW
helped her in the non-profit field. “We took a lot of the corporate concepts and applied them into the operations here.... Being an entrepreneur, I asked myself, ‘Why are we not using some of the resources that are already here?’ “I treat the charity like a business, but the return on investment we consider is, are we helping someone’s life, helping them move forward? And it’s more important, because it’s not my money, but the generosity of our donors. We have to be accountable for all of that.”
Behavior by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler and David Maxfield
Currently listening to: Anything by Hillsong Worship
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Singer (especially of the national anthem at a hockey game)
“I TREAT THE CHARITY LIKE A BUSINESS, BUT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT WE CONSIDER IS, ARE WE HELPING SOMEONE’S LIFE, HELPING THEM MOVE FORWARD?”
Profession you would most like to try: Restaurant owner Toughest business or professional decision: Leaving the corporate world when I was two months away from a promotion
Advice you would give the younger you: The world will go on,
whether you pull the all-nighter or not. Trust that everything will be OK
What’s left to do: Finding a way
to replicate our programming so that more seniors and vulnerable people in the community can have access to safe and secure housing – as well as a support network around them
34 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
CHANTELLE KRISH
2018
Director of communications and advocacy, YWCA Metro Vancouver
AGE
36
C
hantelle Krish’s passion for standing up for marginalized people and advocating for women’s equality led her to leave a public relations company that mainly marketed mineral exploration and mining ventures, and to join the YWCA Metro Vancouver in 2011. Her ca reer has prog ressed from her role as the organization’s manager of advocacy and public relations to positions as associate director of communications and advocacy and, finally, director of communications and advocacy. As a member of the YWCA’s executive team, she has secured funding for projects including $50,000 to empower young people and $250,000 for the Culture Shift project, which aims to effect changes in policy and attitudes that perpetuate the sexualization of women and girls and hypermasculinization of men and boys. Successful work also includes the Mothers without Legal Status project, which advocated for government services for women who lost legal status after leaving abusive relationships because their ex-partners cancelled their sponsorships for permanent residence. “We were raising awareness of the gaps that they experience – income assistance, access to health care, education for children and lack of housing,” Krish said. “We highlighted those areas.” Her work successfully prompted B.C. government policy changes and won an award from the national YWCA. Outside work, she is active as a mentor, both formally and informally. Formal mentoring includes work with the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. Krish sits on committees related to affordable housing, immigration policy
Birthplace: Ottawa Where you live now: Vancouver Highest level of education:
Master of arts, community development, University of Victoria
Currently reading: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
Currently listening to: Love & Hate by Michael Kiwanuka
CHUNG CHOW
and reconciliation. She participates as a subject-matter expert for the women’s safety category of the gender equality strategy for the City of Vancouver. She is also a member of Women Deliver’s stakeholder mobilization committee and is an attendee of the national retreat for women and an adviser for the YWCA Canada advocacy committee. “One thing that I am very passionate about is getting people to understand why equality is something that matters for everyone,” she said.
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up:
A singer
Profession you would most like to try: A chef – I love being
creative and working with my hands, and I have a passion for food (which anyone who knows me will tell you!)
Toughest business or professional decision: When I was faced with an ethical
“ONE THING THAT I AM VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IS GETTING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHY EQUALITY IS SOMETHING THAT MATTERS FOR EVERYONE”
decision in my work and I struggled with how to proceed. Should I lead with my values or take the logical approach? While it made the most sense on paper, it went against my deeper instincts. I decided to be “rational” and in the end it was the wrong choice. I learned a valuable lesson when it comes to challenging ethical dilemmas – always trust your gut
Advice you would give the younger you: Become good at something, then add meaning to it
What’s left to do: So much. I
absolutely love what I do because I work for an organization (YWCA Metro Vancouver) with a vision of achieving gender equality. This work is never done and remains increasingly relevant today
| 35
SARAH LEAMON
2018
Criminal defence lawyer, entrepreneur and community advocate, Sarah Leamon Law
AGE
35
T
here aren’t a lot of women who seek out, and persist in, criminal defence work. “The harsh reality is that it’s hard to be a woman in criminal law,” said Sarah Leamon, who – as principal of Sarah Leamon Law – is an exception to the rule. She is on call 24-7 and a 12-hour day is a good one, but she can’t imagine practising any other kind of law. “Nothing else interested me. I didn’t have a Plan B,” she said. Leamon grew up in Fort McMurray, which was a smaller town at the time. “I definitely had ambitions to leave Fort McMurray from a very young age, and I did,” she said. While she dreamed of pursuing fine arts at Emily Carr University, her father gave her the choice of becoming a doctor or a lawyer. She ruled out medical school – “I’m extremely squeamish,” she said with a laugh – and, after completing political science and women’s studies degrees in five years at the University of Calgary, she left Alberta for law school in Australia. When she came back to Canada, she completed a master’s degree in women’s studies at the University of British Columbia while preparing to write her law re-entrance exam. “Everybody that I talked to about it was like, ‘You’re insane,’” recalled Leamon, who completed her degree in a year and began articling a week after she crossed the stage. Among Leamon’s career highlights is speaking before the House of Commons and Senate about impaired-driving laws. “I was the most excited person ever and I still am when I think about it,” said Leamon. “It was just so cool to get to go there and be like, ‘Holy crap, everyone’s listening to me.’”
ROB KRUYT
She also founded the Women’s Association of Criminal Lawyers British Columbia and serves as board chair for PACE Society, which offers support services to marginalized populations in the Downtown Eastside. “Finding those little places where you can kind of use your position of privilege in order to further community interests and causes that you’re passionate about, I think that’s one of the most important things that I’ve been able to do as a lawyer.”
Birthplace: Fort McMurray,
Currently listening to: Blue &
Where you live now: Vancouver
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: I wanted to be both a
Alberta
Highest level of education: Juris
doctor from Bond University in September 2008; master of arts from the University of British Columbia in May 2010
Currently reading: Living in the End Times by Slavoj Zizek
Lonesome by the Rolling Stones
veterinarian and the Queen of England – simultaneously
Profession you would most like to try: Politics Toughest business or professional decision: Your
“[USING] YOUR POSITION OF PRIVILEGE IN ORDER TO FURTHER COMMUNITY INTERESTS AND CAUSES THAT YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT,... THAT’S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT I’VE BEEN ABLE TO DO AS A LAWYER”
business is only as strong as your team, and so sometimes the toughest business decisions have to do with the people that you decide to build it around
Advice you would give the younger you: Trust in yourself.
You can do it, and you will do it
What’s left to do: There is so
much left to do. As a business owner, I am always thinking
of new and innovative ways to keep my business thriving, while ensuring that my clients continue to receive the very best representation possible. As a lawyer, each day is a new day as I work in the best interests of my clients and in challenging laws that I perceive to be unjust or inconsistent with a fair and democratic society. And as a feminist, the gender wage gap is most definitely on my radar
36 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
MIKE MACKAY
2018
President, Strand
AGE
32
A
s president of Strand, a Vancouver-based real estate finance, development and investment company, Mike Mackay has real estate in his blood. He took the helm at Strand in 2014 when it was focused on financing developers mainly in the U.S. Under Mackay, Strand has achieved significant growth in less than four years and successfully expanded into the local market. “I have seen many of my friends struggle to afford to live in Vancouver, a city they grew up in, so I saw an opportunity to take action by building a variety of housing types for people from a diverse range of backgrounds,” he said. Known as a calculated risk taker and skilled real estate entrepreneur, Mackay has formed lasting partnerships with investor groups and major banks. Heading a team of 12 employees, he has established a reputation for leading by example, collaborating and maintaining a flat organization. He developed a passion for buildings at an early age, subscribing to Winston Churchill’s maxim: “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” “I am passionate about real estate because it is intimately intertwined with almost everything we do, every day,” said Mackay. While he learned the ropes from his father, John Mackay, who founded Strand more than 40 years ago, he gained solid industry experience elsewhere. After graduating from the University of Victoria with a bachelor of arts, Mackay worked as a developer at Onni Group of Companies, where he was promoted twice and was responsible for the development of nine residential and commercial sites across Metro Vancouver. Mackay later worked for Dayhu Capital as manager of lending, Birthplace: Vancouver Where you live now: Kitsilano, Vancouver
Highest level of education: Bachelor of arts
(history), University of Victoria
ROB KRUYT
acquisitions and development. Mackay lives in Vancouver with his wife, Sophie, and two children. He is a member of the Urban Development Institute, the Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association, Urban Land Institute and Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. He is a member of the St. Paul’s Foundation Future Leaders committee, sits on the community engagement board of the BC Centre on Substance Use and is a board member for Youth Education Farms and for Face of Today.
Currently reading: Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success by Adam Grant Currently listening to: “Loud Places” by Jamie xx
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Professional athlete
“I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT REAL ESTATE BECAUSE IT IS INTIMATELY INTERTWINED WITH ALMOST EVERYTHING WE DO, EVERY DAY”
Profession you would most like to try: Archeologist Toughest business or professional decision: Deciding to leave a comfortable, wellpaying job in order to risk it all starting a real estate development company in a market with a notoriously high barrier to entry
Advice you would give the younger you: Don’t worry so
much – everything will be all right
What’s left to do: To build
an international real estate investment and development company and to deliver homes in urban locations across the world
| 37
ELIZABETH MAH
2018
Founder and lawyer, Paperclip Law Corp.
AGE
39
A
fter completing her commerce degree, Elizabeth Mah changed her mind about the career she was set to embark on. She decided to apply to law school instead. “I got in, and just kept going,” said the founder of Paperclip Law Corp. “It’s fun now.” After graduating from the University of Saskatchewan and completing her articles, Mah spent several months working at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver as a catering department coordinator and business centre manager. “I realized that business is definitely my first love, and law school kind of came in just to round out knowledge,” Mah explained. At the Fairmont, she gained a deep appreciation for the delivery of luxurious service. That carried through to her time as an associate – and later as a partner at the age of 31 – at North Shore Law. “It’s not as common for lawyers to think of customer service and the client experience – at all,” said Mah, who felt she didn’t fit in to the traditional legal model, and that the industry overall lacked creativity. So she resigned as partner and left the firm in December 2010, and started Paperclip the following month – “the hardest work I’ve ever put into anything,” said Mah, who spent a lot of time building processes from scratch. At the time, her ideas – rethinking the customer service experience and demystifying legal processes for clients – were fresh and uncommon in the legal sphere. Over the last seven years, Mah had two daughters and took her company from startup to a team of 13. That growth has come with some challenges, too, as the company’s values have shifted, and Mah has had to consider how robotics and
Birthplace: Vancouver Where you live now: North Vancouver
Highest level of education:
Bachelor’s degrees in business and law
Currently reading: Rest,
Play, Grow: Making Sense of Preschoolers (Or Anyone Who Acts Like One) by Deborah MacNamara; Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts by Brené Brown;
CHUNG CHOW
automation will shape the delivery of legal services. “The last year has also been super hard. It was sort of a bit of a restart, rebrand and reteam,” said Mah. But she’s looking forward to the next phase. “The one thing that robots can never replace is the connection and empathy for somebody, and that we’re sitting on their side with them,” said Mah. “We’re focusing on leading with hearts and not documents.”
“WE’RE FOCUSING ON LEADING WITH HEARTS AND NOT DOCUMENTS”
The Go-Giver: A Little Story about What Matters Most in Business by Bob Burg and John D. Mann
Profession you would most like to try: Host of food and travel show/
Currently listening to: “Have It
Toughest business or professional decision: Staying true to my
All” by Jason Mraz; in between “It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” by Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Mom and grocery store cashier (at the same time)
podcast
values and not budging when it comes to vision, while aligning the right people to run our different kind of law firm. It took jumping first, then growing wings on the way, and the steadfast support of loyal believers. For that, I’m truly grateful. My team is truly extraordinary
Advice you would give the younger you: Love yourself.
Forgive yourself. Let go of everyone’s expectations of you. Just be the future you dream of, one little thing at a time
What’s left to do: Focusing
creative energy and engaging drive of these bold leaders to disrupt and inspire a new vibe of how business will be done in our awesome city
38 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
MIKE MAIERLE
2018
Principal, Etro Construction Ltd.
AGE
36
M
ike Maierle could have continued to climb the corporate ladder at diversified construction giant Ledcor Group, but he had an entrepreneurial hankering to strike out on his own and launch a construction company from scratch. It was mid-2015 when he turned to wife, Melina, and said that in 90 days he was going to quit the company where he had worked for 13 years. “She said, ‘OK. We’ve talked about this for a long time now,’” he remembered. “So, on October 1, 2015, I put my resignation letter in. A month later I was sitting in my basement on my own.” The move to launch Etro Construction Ltd. was difficult partly because he enjoyed his years at Ledcor and had strong friendships there with many people whom he considered mentors. Maierle anticipated that he would likely find a client for a small office-building project but nothing was secured. That first partial year his company billed nearly $500,000. That jumped to about $20 million last year and is set to be about $40 million in 2018, and Maierle projects that billing could jump to $60 million in 2019. Many major projects that overlap years ensure continuity and steady growth in revenue. “We manage the construction, so that means hiring the contractors – the electricians, the plumbers and the drywallers and all those kinds of guys,” he said. The profitable venture now has more than 50 staff and expansion is continuing. While Maierle has up to now owned the entire company, he said that he intends to start selling some shares to key employees. The largest project that Maierle has overseen in his career – the $350 million Lynden Pindling International Airport
Birthplace: Vancouver Where you live now: Port Moody Highest level of education:
BCIT diploma of technology, Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology program – went back for my construction management degree but got distracted by industry and moved to Bahamas before I completed
CHUNG CHOW
redevelopment – was built during a five-year stint that he and Melina spent in the Bahamas. The project completed a couple of months early and was under budget, said Maierle, who was construction manager at Ledcor Construction Bahamas Ltd. at the time. Outside of work, the Burnaby North Secondary School and British Columbia Institute of Technology graduate volunteers as chairman of the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s real estate, development and construction committee.
Currently reading: Leaders Eat
Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t by Simon Sinek
Currently listening to: Everything my kids like
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: A pro hockey player or an engineer. I drew a bridge on my first “what do you want to be” poster in elementary school. I ended up being neither
“DON’T WORRY ABOUT WHO YOUR COMPETITORS ARE AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND FOCUS ON WORKING HARDER THAN EVERYONE ELSE AROUND YOU”
Profession you would most like to try: Ski instructor Toughest business or professional decision: Leaving
my amazing job at Ledcor to pursue my dream of starting my own company – took 10 years to get there
Advice you would give the younger you: Don’t worry about
who your competitors are and what they are doing and focus on working harder than everyone
else around you. Bring on smart people even before you might be able to comfortably afford them. It’s amazing how much free time you have to grow your business when brilliant individuals are working with you
What’s left to do: Too many to
list, but continue to build the strongest culture possible, settle down and focus on dialing in the procedural, repeatable elements of our business before we push for our next big revenue jump
| 39
MATIAS MARQUEZ
2018
Founder and CEO, Buyatab Online Inc.
AGE
30
A
t age 30, Matias Marquez isn’t content to rest on his success so far and is already thinking about his next business venture. While there are still lots of opportunities and strategic plans at his company, Buyatab Online Inc., seemingly nothing can tame his entrepreneurial spirit. While attending university, when most students were focused on their grades in the hopes of finding a good job down the road, Marquez decided to take matters into his hands and develop his own career. As he walked on the campus grounds, Marquez hatched the idea of an online gift card after having personally experienced issues with the traditional variety, a format he observed was not the most consumer friendly. Rather than accept its shortcomings, Marquez decided to solve the problem himself, a decision that would seed the success of his company. It might seem obvious in hindsight that Marquez made the right choice in taking the road less travelled and starting his own business rather than becoming a lawyer or an accountant. But he’ll tell you it was a struggle to choose an entrepreneurial path, which does not come with the same level of security and stability that safer, traditional jobs might have provided. “You’re just such a busy individual when you’re a student,” he said. “You have friends and a part-time job – and then I took on this challenge of building a business, and I was just fortunate that I’m in Vancouver. I think there’s a support system here that’s pretty special, that allows someone who’s super green, a university student, to have an idea and build it into a meaningful business.” However, it t a ke s more t h a n a
Birthplace: Edmonton, Alberta Where you live now: Downtown Vancouver
Highest level of education:
Bachelor of business administration/CFA
Currently reading: Lord of the Flies by William Golding
CHUNG CHOW
good support system to expand your business from an at-home website to securing Whole Foods Market and Air Canada as clients. Marquez is unequivocal in saying that it has been the most exiting journey of his life. “I really love what I do, and if I can help others doing what I love, then as much as it helps them, it helps me,” he said. “Part of it is me paying it back and the other part is it adds a personal level of fulfilment that I don’t think I would get otherwise.”
Currently listening to: Hotel California by the Eagles
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Professional hockey player
Profession you would most like to try: Professional dog trainer
“I REALLY LOVE WHAT I DO, AND IF I CAN HELP OTHERS DOING WHAT I LOVE, THEN AS MUCH AS IT HELPS THEM, IT HELPS ME”
Toughest business or professional decision: To stay
focused, especially in a fastmoving world that is full of other opportunities
Advice you would give the younger you: Ask more questions. Don’t believe everything you think
What’s left to do: Lots. I think
businesses are increasingly focused around impact and I completely believe this trend will continue. I hope to have an increasing impact on the larger community as I progress in my career as an entrepreneur
40 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
KYLIE MCMULLAN
2018
Principal, Finch Media
AGE
36
W
ith the way people communicate with one another undergoing continual rapid change, the best way for companies to get their message heard is to stay connected to marketing fundamentals while using new methods, says Kylie McMullan, principal of marketing consulting firm Finch Media. For McMullan, the most important factor in keeping up in a fast-moving industry is to adapt quickly to changing times – without abandoning fundamental business principles. “I think that technologies come and go, trends come and go,” she said. “But if you can really understand the fundamentals, you can really help your clients figure out the best path forward – by building on fundamentals with the new technologies that people are using.” That’s why McMullan is wrapping up a PhD program on the subject while bringing those principles to her practice with a new flair. While focusing on the fundamentals she’s studying, she has built a flexible, five-member firm that can adapt to clients who no longer need the 9-to-5 daily workflow but rather move at the pace of the constantly shifting social media environment. “Even in the time I’ve been practising, things have changed so much, and those changes continue to accelerate,” McMullan said. “Clients are asking for things now that they weren’t asking for a year ago; a year ago, clients would never ask for influencer-marketing campaigns. Now, we’re always asked about doing them. I think the challenge of the industry is keeping abreast of all the changes in technology and what it means to have reach.” But at the deepest level, McMullan said, it is about working with good people and telling their good stories.
Birthplace: Langley Where you live now: Vancouver Highest level of education: MBA,
general business, Simon Fraser University
Currently reading: The Undoing Project: A Friendship That
ROB KRUYT
Those basics, she said, drive the success of clients and help society in general. She cited a recent campaign with a pet-food company centred around an effort to get dogs in shelters adopted by new families. “What makes me really happy is when we can do good work for a client, getting results but at the same time having the work serve a broader purpose,” she said. “It’s a reflection of working with good companies run by good people doing good work. When we are able to share in that work, that feels good.”
“WHAT MAKES ME REALLY HAPPY IS WHEN WE CAN DO GOOD WORK FOR A CLIENT, GETTING RESULTS BUT AT THE SAME TIME HAVING THE WORK SERVE A BROADER PURPOSE”
Changed Our Minds by Michael Lewis
Profession you would most like to try: Fiction novelist
Currently listening to: Childish
Toughest business or professional decision: Probably
Gambino, “This is America”; Beyoncé, Lemonade
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Independently wealthy
starting my company when my family is so young. It comes down to a choice we made as a family and amazing support, but it is still very hard
Advice you would give the younger you: Have more fun and be less stressed. Things usually work out in the end
What’s left to do: Getting the
Finch Media Creates grant off the table, then continuing to do good work and share good stories
| 41
AUSTIN NAIRN
2018
Executive director, World Trade Centre Vancouver
AGE
37
R
eading multiple books at once always puts readers at risk of getting halfway through the page count before a more gripping tale grabs their attention. Austin Nairn doesn’t see it that way. “I’ve got a few that I go back to pretty regularly,” said the executive director of the World Trade Centers’ (WTC) Vancouver franchise, who’s currently in the midst of billionaire Ray Dalio’s Principles: Life and Work. “When I’m reading a book I usually mark it up pretty well with sticky notes and pen and whatnot, so I’ll go back and revisit. Some lessons I need to learn more than once.” One of those lessons for Nairn, who rose quickly through the ranks of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade (GVBOT) to lead the local revival of the WTC brand, might have to do with personal safety during world travels. While backpacking across South America and mixing in volunteer work along the way, the 37-year-old biked the most dangerous road in La Paz, Bolivia, where fatalities are common. “It’s pretty sketchy but I was able to come out alive,” he said. “I’m not afraid to challenge myself – within reason.” Among those challenges was taking the lead to establish We for She, which has grown into one of Canada’s largest leadership diversity conferences. The annual event aims to provide young women confidence, mentorship and exposure to ideas to help them be successful. To date, it’s engaged more than 4,000 leaders and youths. He a lso doubled the si ze of the GVBOT’s young professionals program from 300 to 600 members, and helped boost its mentorship program from 70 students to 125 students annually. The latter program now boasts 2,000
Birthplace: North Vancouver – although roots are in Scotland, England and Rhodesia/ Zimbabwe Where you live now: North
Vancouver – still trying to beat the “Grind”
Highest level of education:
Master of business administration from Queen’s University
ROB KRUYT
students to date. By the time the GVBOT endeavoured to relaunch the WTC franchise in Vancouver, Nairn had been with the business association for about a decade and had become the youngest director at the GVBOT. “We’ve basically exceeded all of our goals [for WTC Vancouver] through the first year,” Nairn said. “It’s just about keeping our ear to the ground and finding out what obstacles businesses are facing.”
Currently reading: Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio; Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Tim Ferriss; One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by B.J. Novak Currently listening to: Nina Cried
Power EP by Hozier; Hamilton soundtrack by Lin-Manuel Miranda; For Those About to Rock by AC/DC
“WE’VE BASICALLY EXCEEDED ALL OF OUR GOALS THROUGH THE FIRST YEAR. IT’S JUST ABOUT KEEPING OUR EAR TO THE GROUND AND FINDING OUT WHAT OBSTACLES BUSINESSES ARE FACING”
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: A professional tennis player
– and six feet six. Unfortunately, genetics were not on my side
Profession you would most like to try: A college or university professor; I am energized by inspiring young minds
Toughest business or professional decision: Pursuing
a career based on my passion rather than my immediate earning potential
Advice you would give the younger you: The goal of
achieving is not to be happy. The goal is to happily achieve – Tony Robbins
What’s left to do: Continue to challenge myself and support others to do the same
42 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
CHRIS NICOLA
2018
Co-founder and chief technology officer, WealthBar
AGE
39
I
t’s natural for children to want to rebel against their parents. So when it came time for Chris Nicola to plan his university studies, he was certain he didn’t want to pursue the field of finance and follow in the footsteps of his father, John, who started Nicola Wealth Management. “I originally tried to do everything I could to avoid being in wealth management by focusing on computers, software, math and physics both in university and in my career,” Nicola recalled. But despite Nicola’s efforts to break away, he eventually circled back to financial management. But his software and science university education, instead of setting him back as he gained experience in the finance field, gave him a unique perspective with which to approach the sector he seemed destined for. While working for various tech companies, Nicola noticed something that only someone who grew up around finance professionals might recognize. Most of his peers hadn’t started to consider their own financial planning strategies. Nicola struggled trying to advise his friends and colleagues on how to best invest their money, knowing that mutual fund fees were high and that they didn’t have enough money for the services of a wealth investment manager. With no satisfactory alternatives for his peers, Nicola and his wife, Tea, decided they could develop a solution. “The irony of it is, we literally created something that was the same, at least from the perspective that WealthBar is a portfolio management company, … as my dad’s company is.” While both companies are portfolio managers, WealthBar has brought
Birthplace: Vancouver Where you live now: Vancouver Highest level of education: M.Sc. in applied math
Currently reading: Managing to
Learn: Using the A3 Management Process to Solve Problems, Gain
ROB KRUYT
wealth management into the 21st century by providing ease and access to groups of people who would otherwise not have the ability to access professional financial management. As a result, Nicola may have rebelled more that he originally thought he would when he joined the sector, in that his company has been a significant force in Canada’s financial technology industry, helping disrupt the traditional business model and democratize financial planning.
Agreement, Mentor and Lead by John Shook
Currently listening to:
Canadaland podcast and Manager Tools podcast
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Scientist
“I ORIGINALLY TRIED TO DO EVERYTHING I COULD TO AVOID BEING IN WEALTH MANAGEMENT BY FOCUSING ON COMPUTERS, SOFTWARE, MATH AND PHYSICS BOTH IN UNIVERSITY AND IN MY CAREER”
Profession you would most like to try: Math and computer
Advice you would give the younger you: Don’t attempt to
Toughest business or professional decision: Risking
What’s left to do: Keep growing,
science research
other people’s money by deciding to start WealthBar and raise money from investors to do it
get a PhD; go get a job
work new financial products particularly in the mobile app
| 43
JUSTUS PARMAR
2018
Founder and managing director, Fortuna Investments
AGE
36
B
eginning as an investment advisor 14 years ago, Justus Parmar rose quickly to the top by working at three brokerage firms before founding venture capital firm Fortuna Investments in 2015. “Being a venture capitalist gives me the opportunity to have an effect on the world by investing in emerging technologies and industries that are shaping our future,” said Parmar, Fortuna’s managing director. “The greatest pleasure I get from being an entrepreneur is creating something from scratch and watching it grow to become something that has a significant social or economic impact.” At Fortuna, the certified international wealth manager and licensed U.S. portfolio manager has helped more than 125 companies raise over $300 million and assisted two dozen companies in going public. Today, the firm has 12 employees and offices in Vancouver, Toronto and Los Angeles. Previously, Parmar was the youngest adviser at Australian-based global investment banking and financial services company Macquarie Group, where he was one of the top 10 producers. He later became an investment adviser and vice-president at independent boutique investment firm Jordan Capital Markets. One of four partners, Parmar helped expand the company to 65 advisers in 18 months. In addition to his bachelor of commerce from the University of Victoria, Parmar completed private equity and venture capital studies at Harvard University. Through his support of the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Finance Club, he helps mentor the next generation. “I believe that most growth in an organization comes from young talent,”
Birthplace: Duncan Where you live now: Vancouver and Los Angeles
Highest level of education:
Executive education in finance, Harvard Business School
Currently reading: Shoe Dog: A
Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight
Currently listening to: Kygo
ROB KRUYT
he said. “While young professionals may be lacking in experience, they often make up for it in enthusiasm, desire and work ethic.” Through the Parmar Group Scholarship Foundation, he donated $250,000 to UBC, where 10 finance students have received $25,000 scholarships. Parmar co-founded and invested in companies with a collective market capitalization value of more than $2 billion, including Millennial Lithium (TSX-V:ML).
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: No. 99 for the Los Angeles Kings
Profession you would most like to try: I have always had a passion
for justice and the law. While in university, before I began my career in finance, I explored the option of going to law school. Being a lawyer and defending someone or something I believe
“YOU DON’T GET PAID FOR GOOD IDEAS; YOU GET PAID FOR MAKING THEM HAPPEN”
in is something I find very interesting
Toughest business or professional decision: Leaving
a lucrative career as a VP and very successful investment adviser to branch off and start my own firm
Advice you would give the younger you: You don’t get paid for good ideas; you get paid
for making them happen. Help people, even when you know they can’t help you back. Always deliver more than expected
What’s left to do: Be the type
of person that no matter where you are or where you go, you add value to the lives of those around you
44 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
AMIT PATEL
2018
Vice-president and general manager, Turner Construction Co.
AGE
37
S
mart executives know that if they hire the right person and do everything to keep him or her happy, fulfilled and engaged, they will never need to replace that employee, except when he or she moves up the ladder. Amit Patel learned that lesson at Turner Construction Co. in the U.S. and has put it in practice now that he is the company’s branch head for Vancouver. After working for the company in the U.S., he moved back to Vancouver in 2011 and has built Turner’s Vancouver branch from a single person – himself – into a 90-person office. The Vancouver native took a mechanical engineering degree from the University of British Columbia and was hired by Turner in 2005. Turner is a large construction general contractor that builds everything from baseball stadiums to office towers. The company moved Patel to Seattle, where he became a project engineer who worked primarily in corporate office interior construction. But after his wife gave birth to their first child eight years ago (they have two children now), she suffered from postpartum depression, so the couple decided to move back to Vancouver. “Turner was so supportive,” Patel said. “They said, ‘Look, we were always looking at starting an office in Vancouver. If you’re willing to, we’d move up our plans to do that now so you and your family can move back.’ “They also said, ‘If you’re not up for it, if you just wanted a new role, we know construction companies up there – we’d help you get a job.’” So, at the age of 30, he became Turner’s point man in Vancouver, a role in which he served in the capacity of senior project manager. He was also the only employee.
Birthplace: Vancouver Where you live now: Burnaby Highest level of education:
Bachelor of applied science, mechanical engineering, University of British Columbia
Currently reading: The Advantage: Why Organizational
CHUNG CHOW
“I was literally working out of my dad’s house for the first six months until we won our first project,” Patel said. He is now vice-president and general manager for Turner’s Vancouver office, one of only two branches in Canada, the other being in Toronto. Turner’s Vancouver office now handles roughly $80 million in work annually and has the contract for a new $40 million hockey arena in Coverdale, among other projects.
“I WAS LITERALLY WORKING OUT OF MY DAD’S HOUSE FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS UNTIL WE WON OUR FIRST PROJECT”
Health Trumps Everything Else in Business by Patrick Lencioni
Profession you would most like to try: Executive coach
Advice you would give the younger you: Learn to enjoy the
Currently listening to: “Good Old
Toughest business or professional decision: Leaving
What’s left to do: Make a positive
Days” by Macklemore
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Play in the NHL
Turner’s Seattle business unit to start a new business unit in Vancouver
journey, as time will pass you by
impact on the lives of my family, my colleagues, my clients and the construction community as a whole
| 45
KEITH PHILLIPS
2018
President and founder, West Coast Aquatic Safaris
AGE
39
F
inding the right career can be a daunting task. For many it means putting in long, difficult hours of work they don’t enjoy in the hope that it will eventually lead them to their dream job. Keith Phillips found another way – he decided to create his own dream job. “I wanted to make a better planet; I wanted to make something unique and that was better than what was being offered,” he said. Always one to pursue unique experiences, when studying at the University of Victoria, Phillips took on a number of jobs not typically on the resumé of an entrepreneur. He volunteered under the mentorship of a graduate student at the university’s whale lab and joined the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary to fight fires, help people and save lives on B.C.’s coast. One day while he was working in the whale lab, his beeper went off, signalling that someone needed his help. Later, when he got back to the lab, the graduate student he was working with asked why he didn’t put his love of the ocean and his love of nature and whales together. Phillips hadn’t made the connection before, but the observation inspired him to jump into the whalewatching industry. Soon he would move to Tofino to launch his own new whale-watching experience, but not until he worked for other whale-watching businesses across Vancouver Island to learn exactly what they were doing right – and wrong. For Phillips, launching West Coast Aquatic Safaris in Tofino was more than just creating another iteration in a long line of whale-watching tour providers. He focused on making the whalewatching adventure better, whether tackling the challenge of making sure
Birthplace: Terrace Where you live now: Tofino and Vancouver
Highest level of education: MBA and marine master certification
CHUNG CHOW
that people could enjoy both indoor and outdoor viewing experiences on the same boat, or simply providing washroom facilities for guests. Phillips wanted to put his spin on the business and change the local industry for the better. Phillips said if there were a book about his life, it might be called “Running Through a Dark Forest.” “I’ve gone into a very unknown, running as hard as I can through it. I’ve tripped along the way but it’s about getting up and running some more.”
“I’VE GONE INTO A VERY UNKNOWN, RUNNING AS HARD AS I CAN THROUGH IT. I’VE TRIPPED ALONG THE WAY BUT IT’S ABOUT GETTING UP AND RUNNING SOME MORE”
Currently reading: Factfulness by
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up:
Advice you would give the younger you: Take things less
Currently listening to: This
Profession you would most like to try: Journalist
What’s left to do: What isn’t
Hans Rosling and Full Disclosure by Beverley McLachlin
American Life podcast and 99% Invisible podcast
Firefighter
Toughest business or professional decision: To go back to school to get my MBA
seriously
there left to do? Make the coast the safest coastline and let people know how awesome B.C. is
46 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
ALONA PUEHSE
2018
Chief operating officer, Open Door Group
AGE
38
W
hen you’re a big dreamer, it’s hard to be buttoned down to the quintessential 21stcentury job. At least that’s the position Alona Puehse found herself in. Now chief operating officer of the non-profit Open Door Group, Puehse had been working in the private sector with local economic development groups from around the globe when she saw an opportunity to have a larger impact on the world. While working with newly settled refugees and immigrants in Australia, Puehse learned the critical importance of employment in people’s lives. To improve the economic development of a community, those living in the community had to become meaningful participants in that economy. “What I decided when I moved back to Canada was that I was going to leave the private sector and work in non-profit – which was not well supported by my mom,” Puehse said. Puehse’s mom may have been concerned that her daughter’s work in the non-profit sector would conform to stereotypes about instability and lower pay. However, Puehse hopes to abolish those stereotypes by leading through example and showing others that working in the non-profit sector can that offer rewards beyond monetary gain. Puehse confesses, however, switching from a prosperous career in the private sector was the most difficult decision of her professional life. It was particularly difficult when on the day she was offered an entry-level position at Open Door Group she was also offered a sales position with another organization that paid three times as much. But she knows she made the right decision, she said. Her successes at plugging the holes
Birthplace: Vernon Where you live now: Burnaby Highest level of education: MBA Currently reading: What to
Expect the First Year by Heidi Murkoff
CHUNG CHOW
within the system are a reoccurring theme throughout her career and helped propel her to the chief operating officer’s desk at Open Door Group in 2013, four years after joining the organization on its front lines. There is no question that hard work and determination are necessary ingredients for success, but Puehse’s driving force is her passion for what she does. “I’m very motivated every day to do what I do. It’s not a 9-to-5 job; it’s something that I live.”
“I’M VERY MOTIVATED EVERY DAY TO DO WHAT I DO. IT’S NOT A 9-TO-5 JOB; IT’S SOMETHING THAT I LIVE”
Currently listening to: Crime podcast
Profession you would most like to try: Car-share driver
Advice you would give the younger you: Don’t worry so
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up:
Toughest business or professional decision: Going after
What’s left to do: Whether it’s
Horseback rider
a new opportunity – be it a new contract or a major project
much
workplace or community, there’s a long way to go in terms of inclusion
| 47
SALIMA REMTULLA
2018
Vice-president, operations and corporate strategy, Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd.
AGE
36
S
alima Remtulla d rives orga nizational change and advocates diversity as vice-president of operations and corporate strategy at Vancouver-based Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd. With international experience directing strategy and building high- per for m a nce tea m s, t he f i n a nce executive has encouraged different perspectives and developed talent across the organization. Since joining the firm in 2015, Remtulla has built strategies to overhaul internal processes and communications, leading to improved productivity and morale. She conducted Leith Wheeler’s first self-administered culture survey and sponsored development of mentorship, cross-training and career development programs. “Diversity leads to improved decisionmaking, better business outcomes, heightened productivity, a larger talent pool from which to draw exceptional candidates [and] different perspectives that fuel innovation,” she said. In 2017, she was selected to attend the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference, which she credits with heightening her appreciation for diversity and raising the bar for her vision of inclusive workplaces. Remtulla holds a bachelor of arts in economics from Yale University and earned her MBA in 2015 from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where she placed in the top 5% of her class and won the peer-voted Benjamin Franklin Award. A CFA charter holder, she is certified in financial risk management and governance for not-for-profit directors. Before Leith Wheeler, she spent 11 years working her way up from treasury associate to vice-president of
Birthplace: Vancouver Where you live now: Vancouver Highest level of education: Master
of business administration, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Currently reading: Letters from a Stoic by Seneca
Currently listening to: 99%
Invisible podcast with Roman Mars
CHUNG CHOW
firm-wide risk management, to COO of global private investing at New Yorkbased multi-strategy hedge fund D.E. Shaw & Co. LP. A board member of the Vancouver Hospice Society, Remtulla volunteered on an in-patient unit with MJHS Hospice and Palliative Care in New York City for three years. She is a member of the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation’s capital campaign cabinet and contributes to a think tank in the Ismaili community.
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up:
A wrestler in the World Wrestlng Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment), with a strong, smart, sassy character that defied the mould of the sex-charged female wrestlers of the time
Profession you would most like to try: Backup dancer for Beyoncé Toughest business or professional decision: Starting a family. I’ve found life expands to accommodate new commitments
“LOOK IN THE MIRROR: THAT’S YOUR COMPETITION. DON’T DEFEAT YOURSELF BEFORE YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO SHOW WHAT YOU’RE MADE OF”
– but only to a point. In this period of transition, I’m feeling some grief for the reduced time and energy I expect to have for the professional and volunteer pursuits I’ve found so rewarding until now, and having to trust in the universe and the wisdom of those that have gone before us that this new dimension will add richness to our lives in a way we can’t yet appreciate
Advice you would give the younger you: Look in the mirror:
that’s your competition. Don’t defeat yourself before you have the chance to show what you’re made of. Odds are you’ll surprise yourself. Worst case, you’ll develop some grit
What’s left to do: Normalize the
conversation about dying and end-of-life care. Overcome the notion that pursuing diversity initiatives is like having to eat your vegetables. Bring more joy to the world
48 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
MICHAEL RIEDEL
2018
Director of quality control, Stemcell Technologies
AGE
39
S
cience has always been Michael Riedel’s passion. As a child, he would visit his grandfather, who at the time was the dean of science at the University of British Columbia. A microscope given to him by his grandfather fuelled Riedel’s curiosity, and his commitment to science hasn’t waned since. Ultimately, Riedel is driven by a quest to understand the world around him and a desire to push the boundaries of science forward through his research. The desire for continuous learning often spurs aspiring scientists to enter the field of academia – a path many of Riedel’s university peers took – but when it came time to make a career decision, Riedel followed the road less travelled in the private sector, helping to narrow the gap between academia and industry. “It’s about making new discoveries and playing whatever role we can in that,” Riedel said. “It’s about providing all researchers with the tools they need to make their job more efficient. In that way, we play a role in helping scientific discovery, and that’s really rewarding for me.” At Stemcell Technologies, Riedel found a place where he could help push scientific knowledge forward in a much broader way than simply conducting the research itself. While he began as a researcher at the company, he eventually took on the role of director of quality control. Riedel is able to make tools, programs and services that help academics and other professionals conduct their research more efficiently, allowing them to spend more time advancing their various fields of scientific study. Riedel’s desire to learn new things
Birthplace: Langley Where you live now: North Vancouver
Highest level of education: PhD, pharmacology
Currently reading: The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything by Stephen
ROB KRUYT
has helped him rise to the top of both his field and his company. The eagerness for knowledge and various perspectives is what allows him not only to pursue his own scientific initiatives but also help other researchers do their jobs better. “You can always learn more. You’re never really an expert in what you do, and if you are, it’s probably time to go try something new.”
“YOU CAN ALWAYS LEARN MORE. YOU’RE NEVER REALLY AN EXPERT IN WHAT YOU DO, AND IF YOU ARE, IT’S PROBABLY TIME TO GO TRY SOMETHING NEW”
Covey; Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling (to my kids)
Profession you would most like to try: Elementary school science
Advice you would give the younger you: Don’t be afraid of
Currently listening to:
Toughest business or professional decision: Moving
What’s left to do: Further
Freakonomics Radio podcasts and Pearl Jam
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Scientist
teacher
away from research and development and into a more operational role
new opportunities or change
Stemcell’s foray into clinical development
| 49
STEVE RIO
2018
Founder and CEO, Briteweb
AGE
38
M
any of the skills that serial entrepreneur Steve Rio knows, he taught himself – from learning HTML coding for websites in the early years of this century to how to set up a branding and digital marketing agency that has workers in 25 cities around the world. His first venture, 604media, was a digital agency that he founded while he was in his 20s, with friend Kelly Walker. Much of his time, particularly when he was in his early 20s, he spent in the music industry. He managed and led four different musical projects that ranged from hip hop to metal to jazz to funk-fusion. In 2009, he gave his share of the business to Walker and created a new digital marketing agency, Briteweb, which was aimed solely at working for social-impact organizations, nonprofit companies and foundations. Rio also founded the Emerging Arts Foundation, a federally registered nonprofit focused on funding projects like the Cheaper Show. That foundation raised more than $300,000 in its first year to support initiatives for emerging artists in Vancouver and across Canada. His big break with Briteweb, which is his main enterprise, came in 2011 when he did some work for global non-profit organization Acumen in New York. Shortly afterward came work from another New York organization: the Rockefeller Foundation. “Within a year of that first big project in New York, more than 80% of our revenue was from New York,” he said. “At one point, it was more like 97% of our revenue was from New York.” The new contracts helped him double his workforce to eight employees while tripling his annual revenue into the
Birthplace: Vancouver Where you live now: Bowen Island/Brooklyn
Highest level of education: Jazz
school dropout
Currently reading: Tribe: On
Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger
CHUNG CHOW
seven digits. Last year, Briteweb generated $2.6 million in revenue. It has 20 full-time employees and a network of 80 people who are on contract and are commissioned for projects. “The most interesting thing about our growth in the past couple years has been our shift to a new model – a future-of-work model,” he said, adding that the company’s workers are “fully distributed” in 25 cities around the world.
Currently listening to: Victory Lap by Nipsey Hussle
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Rock star
Profession you would most like to try: Architect or lawyer Toughest business or professional decision: Choosing Bowen Island over Brooklyn
“THE MOST INTERESTING THING ABOUT OUR GROWTH IN THE PAST COUPLE YEARS HAS BEEN OUR SHIFT TO A NEW MODEL – A FUTUREOF-WORK MODEL”
as my central residence, and accepting that the increased quality of life and balance would come with slower business growth
Advice you would give the younger you: (1) See
your alternative path into entrepreneurship as a gift, not something to be embarrassed about. (2) Seek out mentors;
someone has done everything you’re trying to do – you don’t need to do it alone
What’s left to do: There is so
much, it’s hard to answer this question. In the immediate future, it’s helping people regain a sense of purpose, performance and wellness with their work through my new company, Nature of Work
50 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
KAELA SCHRAMM
2018
Director of projects and planning, M’akola Development Services
AGE
33
W
hen Kaela Schramm moved from the U.S. to Victoria to become director of projects and planning for M’akola Development Services in 2013, she was the sole employee. She now heads a 13-person team that has gotten busy in the last couple of years working on affordable housing projects. M’akola is a non-profit organization that works with other non-profits, developers and government to develop affordable and supportive housing. She joined at a time when there was little senior government funding available for affordable and supportive housing. But under her direction, she managed to forge relationships with non-profit organizations and expand the organization. So when government funding started to flow in 2016, M’akola was well positioned to put its clients at the head of the queue. “We were able to forge a few key partnerships with organizations,” Schramm said. Born in Germany and raised in Minnesota, Schramm achieved her undergraduate degree in Minnesota, then completed a master’s degree in educational leadership in New York. She then decided to pursue a master’s degree in urban planning at McGill University. While at McGill, Schramm served an internship with a non-profit in Victoria. After graduating she moved to Victoria and went to work with M’akola in 2013 as a development planner. M’akola is a non-profit organization that offers planning and development consulting services for other non-profits and First Nations seeking to build affordable and supportive housing. It co-ordinates between its non-profit clients and developers and government. When Schramm joined M’akola in 2013,
Birthplace: Freiburg, Germany Where you live now: Victoria Highest level of education:
Master of urban planning, McGill University, master of educational leadership, St. Lawrence University
Currently reading: Lost in the City by Edward Jones
CHUNG CHOW
there was little senior government funding for affordable housing, yet she managed to expand the organization based on what little funding was available. After the BC Liberal government committed $855 million to affordable housing projects and issued a call for proposals in 2016, the non-profits M’akola had been working with were at the front of the line. “ We ’ v e b e e n r e a l l y s t r a t e g i c ,” Schramm said. “We’ve been positioned to take advantage of that.”
Currently listening to: Synthwave and retro-electro podcasts
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: First female president of the United States
Profession you would most like to try: Travel writing
“DO NOT UNDERVALUE YOURSELF. THERE ARE A LOT OF AMAZING PEOPLE OUT THERE AND YOU ARE ONE OF THEM. UNDERSTAND YOUR STRENGTHS AND HOW THEY TRANSLATE INTO VALUE”
Toughest business or professional decision: I coached university track and field for several years. Making the decision to switch my career path and go get my master’s at McGill was a decision that I agonized over. It was a major change in my life, but it was definitely the right one
Advice you would give the younger you: Do not undervalue
yourself. There are a lot of amazing people out there and you are one of them. Understand your strengths and how they translate into value
What’s left to do: Diversify
service offerings, better leverage technology and identify new and creative ways to invest back into Indigenous communities
| 51
NISHANT SINGH
2018
Co-founder and director, Alliance Maintenance Ltd.
AGE
35
T
he best advice Nishant Singh, cofounder and director of Alliance Maintenance Ltd., received about entering the business world was from his father, who told him that when he was ready to start his first business, he should try everything. Singh’s father said eventually something would work, and that when it did, his son should put everything into his effort to build on it. For most of his early career, Singh worked as an events co-ordinator and operations manager for educational facilities. He received his bachelor’s degree from Simon Fraser University with a major in communications and then went on to work at JPMorgan Chase & Co. for two years. During this time, Singh started to feel the need to do something more substantial. So he and his business partner put $100 into starting their first business, a door-to-door cleaning company, and quit the finance industry. Now, the janitorial and building management company serves over 11,583 condos i n the Lower Ma i nland daily and generates $3.5 million annually. It was one of the riskiest moves he had ever made – and, to date, one of the best. But if his career achievements are notable, so too are his philanthropic commitments. Singh is a passionate advocate for the mental health movement and works tirelessly to build support and funding for contribution. Alliance is an inclusive employer and takes pride in the diversity of its staff. Working with social organizations such as Mosaic, Success, WorkBC and Coast Mental Health, Alliance seeks to help the movement towards sustained mental health rehabilitation by providing employees with personal
Birthplace: East Vancouver Where you live now: Olympic Village
Highest level of education:
Bachelor of communications from Simon Fraser University
Currently reading: Encyclopedia
of Technology and Innovation Management
CHUNG CHOW
support, professional counselling and top-tier medical benefits. “Our real priority is recognizing that all of our employees are human; each and every one of them has a unique and beautiful story to tell,” he said. “Our aim is simply to help people as best we can and help their story be a fulfilling one.” Singh hopes one day the stigma surrounding mental health issues can be eradicated and all people can have fair opportunities for employment.
Currently listening to: Migos,
“Bosses Don’t Speak”
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: Super tall – still waiting
Profession you would most like to try: A pilot Toughest business or professional decision: The
toughest decision my business
“OUR REAL PRIORITY IS RECOGNIZING THAT ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE HUMAN; EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM HAS A UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL STORY TO TELL”
partner and I ever made was to quit our stable careers in finance and become janitors. Best decision I ever made
Advice you would give the younger you: Stay resourceful, stay truthful and most importantly stay humble
What’s left to do: We must end the negative stigma placed on
janitors. Janitors can be CEOs, CEOs can be janitors, and each individual has the potential for both. The industry is filled with hard-working people who deserve a fair shot at employment. Let’s all take a step back and end the useless labels we put on each other. I’m ready to walk the walk and lucky I have a talented team of staff to join me
52 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
DIANNE SPARROW
2018
Principal, Sparrow-Grant Consulting; associate director of treaty, lands and resources department, Musqueam First Nation
AGE
39
C
ommunity is at the core of Dianne Sparrow’s work and life. “My family instilled in me values around using my skills to help communities that I’m a part of,” explained the principal of Sparrow-Grant Consulting. “Although I didn’t intend to be in the field that I ended up being in, I think the values my parents instilled in me just naturally led me into the field that I am in now.” Sparrow’s journey has taken her across the country, from her mother’s community in northern Ontario to Winnipeg, when her family relocated for her father’s work, to Bearskin Lake First Nation for a stint as a high school teacher. “It was a different lifestyle and it was hard for the first six months, but then you learn to love it,” Sparrow said of her time spent teaching in the remote, fly-in-only community. Her family’s belief in the importance of higher education – and her twin sister’s educational experience – eventually encouraged Sparrow to pursue a master of arts in Indigenous governance from the University of Victoria. “That decision to move out west, it changed everything for me,” Sparrow said. “That was sort of the turning point in my career.” Sparrow’s capstone project in the program focused on the Musqueam First Nation and the B.C. treaty process. Her research ultimately led to her meeting her husband and becoming part of the community herself. Twelve years ago, she started in her role as the associate director of the treaty, lands and resources department at Musqueam. “Everything just fell into place when that happened,” she said. In that capacity, she has helped the First Nation take advantage of a number
ROB KRUYT
of opportunities, including a revenuesharing agreement with the Vancouver Airport Authority, employment at the airport’s jet fuel facility and a relationship protocol with BC Hydro. She also worked on and leads the updates of the nation’s award-winning community plan, a development she describes as momentous for the Musqueam. “I felt it was a big turning point for the nation, because we really grew from it. There was this path laid out for the community.”
“I THINK THE VALUES MY PARENTS INSTILLED IN ME JUST NATURALLY LED ME INTO THE FIELD THAT I AM IN NOW”
Ontario
Birthplace: Peterborough,
business and leadership and an MA in Indigenous governance
Where you live now: Musqueam
Currently reading: Invisible
Veterinarian or lawyer
Influence: The Hidden Forces That Shape Behavior by Jonah Berger
Profession you would most like to try: Wedding planner
Currently listening to: Mostly
Toughest business or professional decision: Starting
First Nation
Highest level of education:
Executive MBA in Indigenous
podcasts
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up:
my EMBA the week I found out I was pregnant
Advice you would give the younger you: Be brave What’s left to do: Continue to grow and support the team
| 53
MARK STARKEY
2018
CEO and managing partner, Victory Creative Group Inc.
AGE
37
F
or any athlete turned entrepreneur looking for inspiration, Mark Starkey’s resumé might read like an Oscar-winning script. The Ohio-born entrepreneur grew up with a love for sports and played NCAA basketball while riding a scholarship and completing his degree in computer information systems. “My first motivation was just not to fail,” Starkey said. “There are a lot of people in the U.S. and there is a lot of competition.” In his early days, Starkey took on web developer and data co-ordinator roles and spent five years as vicepresident of business development and partner with FCV Interactive, one of B.C.’s largest independently owned digital agencies. During this time, Starkey began to engage in philanthropy, delving into numerous community-driven initiatives to help at-risk and underprivileged youth participate in sports. Around the five-year mark of his time at FCV, the biggest opportunity of Starkey’s career came knocking. Nike (NYSE:NKE) recruited Starkey to become global Nike+ digital experience manager, a role he recalls as “an absolute privilege.” From there, Starkey couldn’t miss a shot. He moved on to become the global digital business lead of Nike’s basketball division, then assumed the role of brand director of the North American basketball division at Nike’s world headquarters. During this time a senior Nike executive – whose name Starkey declined to disclose – gave him some of the most valuable advice he ever received: “To whom much is given, much is expected.” It was this motto that helped propel Starkey to his current position.
Birthplace: Youngstown, Ohio Where you live now: Vancouver Highest level of education: B.Sc.
from Wright State University (Dayton, Ohio) in organizational leadership and development
Currently reading: Stealing Fire: How Silicon Valley, the Navy SEALs, and Maverick Scientists
CHUNG CHOW
Starkey is now the CEO of Victory Creative Group, a digital creative agency producing storytelling initiatives for global brands like Google (Nasdaq:GOOG), Dove, TEDx and more. Starkey drew on his past roles to lead a digital company focused on positive customer experience and benefiting from a meticulous understanding of client profiles and needs. “It is the No. 1 reason brands trust us: we know our clients inside and out.”
Are Revolutionizing the Way We Live and Work by Steven Kotler
Currently listening to: Cloud Nine by Kygo
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: I wanted to play basketball in the NBA and have mass impact on the world through inspiring
“MY FIRST MOTIVATION WAS JUST NOT TO FAIL. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE U.S. AND THERE IS A LOT OF COMPETITION”
young athletes. Never made the league but so fortunate to inspire athletes through digital storytelling
from a family business I built hand in hand with my brother to chase my dreams at Nike global headquarters
Profession you would most like to try: High school basketball coach
Advice you would give the younger you: Say no to things
Toughest business or professional decision: Resigning
What’s left to do: All of it :-)
in a small town
that don’t bring you joy
54 | FORTY UNDER 40 2018 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER
DENISE WILLIAMS
2018
CEO, First Nations Technology Council
AGE
36
I
t was a desire to teach English as a second language that pushed Denise Williams to leave Vancouver Island and move to the Lower Mainland 17 years ago. But a bus ride in downtown Vancouver to hand out resumés to English-asa-second-language schools shortly after the move sent her career path on a notable detour. “[I] met someone on the bus who worked for what’s now called the Department of Indigenous Services Canada,” recalled the 36-year-old. The chance encounter led to a job with the federal government – albeit in a role far removed from her current position as CEO of the First Nations Technology Council. W hile her work with the federal government began with photocopying binders of documents for three months, she eventually worked her way up to become an executive assistant and later a policy analyst. But the bus ride is now one of Williams’ go-to examples she points to if anyone has doubts about sparking up conversations on a bus. In her early 20s she left government to join the First Nations Education Steering Committee and has been focused on education and technology in Indigenous communities ever since. But when she became CEO of the First Nations Technology Council in 2015 she found the organization in deficit. Over the ensuing three years she’s h elp e d ra i s e $18 m i l l ion for t h e non-profit. And while the council was initially launched with two employees, Williams has helped bring the roster up to 14 workers with plans to double the head count by year’s end.
Birthplace: Ladysmith Where you live now: North Vancouver
Highest level of education: Master
of business administration
Currently reading: Sapiens by
Yuval Noah Harari
Currently listening to: A lot of
music I loved growing up; I’m feeling particularly reflective lately. This week I’ve been reminiscing with Jeff Buckley
CHUNG CHOW
“It was just a couple years ago that we were sitting at roundtables for sector development for B.C.’s tech and innovation economy and thinking about the talent shortage,” she said. “And now we’re seeing some of the first graduates out.” Williams added, “There [are] not words to describe what it feels like to see that there [are] those Indigenous peoples in B.C. that not only have the talent, not only have the experience – they have extreme enthusiasm.”
When you were a kid, what you wanted to be when you grew up: I wanted to be an astronaut. But I think at the core of that was a desire for adventure and to be part of a team doing something really important that would benefit humankind
Profession you would most like to try: I would like to trade lives with
Claire Williams for a year and try to navigate strategy, technology and politics as a team principal with Formula One
“THERE [ARE] NOT WORDS TO DESCRIBE WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO SEE THAT THERE [ARE] THOSE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN B.C. THAT NOT ONLY HAVE THE TALENT, NOT ONLY HAVE THE EXPERIENCE – THEY HAVE EXTREME ENTHUSIASM”
Toughest business or professional decision: I had to decide if I would
try to rebuild a non-profit called the First Nations Technology Council and take on the risks and heavy lifting that go with it, or join an established organization and risk missing the opportunity to build something myself
Advice you would give the younger you: Don’t waste time
feeling anxious about doing the right thing; you’ll find that your
instincts and moral courage will lead the way
What’s left to do: Change the
face of this country’s tech and innovation scene to celebrate the leadership and breakthroughs of Indigenous people, ensure all Indigenous peoples have access to technology in Canada to strengthen our sovereignty, complete a doctoral degree, buy a Formula One race car, befriend Elon Musk and go to space. In that order
Business in Vancouver continues to highlight the achievements of BC’s young entrepreneurs, executives and professionals by finding 40 outstanding professionals worthy of the Forty under 40 distinction. Winners are under 40 and have demonstrated excellence in business, judgment, leadership and community contribution. We invite you to join us for an evening of celebration as we honour these individuals at the 2018 Forty under 40 Awards gala dinner.
JOIN US TO CELEBRATE! January 24, 2019 Vancouver Convention Centre | 6:15pm–9:00pm Platinum Sponsor:
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®
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Register at biv.com/forty-under-40
Lead with purpose. Inspire by example. Congratulations to the 2018 BIV Forty under 40 winners. Experience and innovation come together at Fasken. We provide you with the best legal services for your unique and evolving legal needs. As your strategic business partner, we’re with you every step of the way.
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