What stands out as a highlight of your career?
I spent most of my career working in start-ups, with lots of ups and downs along the way. That stated, one great thing about being a founder is never knowing what to expect next, and obtainting into wonderfully weird situations through the years that turn into great memories.
And there are so many! Coming up with crazy hacks to improve mobile shopping and winning the Starbucks contract as a team of 10 recent grads was one. Going to Kuwait to raise venture funding in near 50C heat was another. Driving to San Francisco in an overheating Ford Taurus with John to see for customers and obtainting our car towed within an hour of arrival becaapply it was a street cleaning day, a third.
But if I had to pick just one, it would be taking our Japanese partners out for dinner in Gastown and on the way there, running into a beautiful girl who is now my wife.
How did SFU impact your career?
I like to joke that my “return on investment” for SFU was 24 hours—I met my business partner and a close frifinish of many years, John Boxall, in the very first class (CMPT100) on Day 1. It was a launchning of a great five-year SFU adventure, bringing many more life-long frifinishships, brilliant faculty, and learning a lot about the field, the world and myself.
Between going to SFU, doing several co-op placements and working alongside SFU grads since, I feel that my career already launched the day I arrived to the Burnaby Mountain Campus for the first time.
What is a piece of advice you would like to pass along to current students?
When I graduated from SFU CompSci in 2007, the economy and the job market for new grads were tough. More than half of CompSci co-ops couldn’t obtain work placements. It was also the year that Vancouver start-up scene flourished with companies like Hootsuite, Clio, Unbounce and Mobify obtainting established—entrepreneurship unlocked the path forward for many.
Fast forward to today, and it’s straightforward to see similarities. While the overall economy isn’t great, the opportunities for new AI start-ups are incredible. It’s literally never been a better time to start a company; whether it’s a tech start-up building AI, or a service provider utilizing it. If you can, start something new with your SFU frifinishs—you won’t regret it!
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