Collisions YYC

Another buzzword that’s been making the rounds is FinTech; a term that refers to innovations in the financial and technology crossover space that disrupt traditional financial methods and services. As the President & CEO of Alberta Central, an organization that serves Alberta credit unions, Ian has his finger on the innovation pulse to ensure that credit unions and their members always have the right tools to be successful. So, when he looks at FinTech, he doesn’t see a threat to how things are traditionally done. He sees an opportunity to transform credit unions and do everything better. Join me as Ian takes us through the innovations in FinTech, the opportunities that will be created as it continues to evolve, and how Alberta Central will continue to support its members by staying ahead of the curve.

Chris is a born-and-bred Calgarian and the CRO of Jolera, a multinational technology hybrid aggregate service provider (HASP) focused on delivering IT solutions for its customers and channel partners. Now, while that sounds like an interesting topic, Chris joins me for a different kind of conversation. Before we went into lockdown, Chris’s work took him to all kinds of international tech hubs, which gives him a unique perspective on the gaps and opportunities that exist around the world from the outside in. So, what’s his verdict on the global market? There’s a lot of Calgary missing in it. Join me for a good old-fashioned chat as Chris and I discuss all the things Calgary and what we need to do to break down our siloes and give the world a lot more of what we have to offer.

If you live in Calgary, you’ve more than likely seen Justin hanging around town. Not in person, obviously, but on ads for Justin Havre & Associates of RE/MAX First, one of the top and most trusted residential real estate groups in Calgary. For over 15 years, Justin has lived and breathed residential real estate in Calgary. So, naturally, I was excited to meet the guy who is plastered all over town to learn more about the digital transformation in residential real estate and to get his thoughts on the future of our city. Join me as Justin gives his perspective on residential real estate in Calgary, how his business continues to succeed and adapt to changes in the market and shares his insights on the road ahead.

As one of the founders of SkipTheDishes and the co-founder and CMO of Neo Financial, a new digital platform that gives Canadians a more rewarding spending and saving experience, Jeff can teach us a lot about start-ups, innovation and technology. But as a new Calgarian, he brings a fresh perspective on what we can do to make ourselves synonymous with new technology and to create more opportunities for innovation.In this episode, Jeff takes us on this journey from co-founding SkipTheDishes to his current mission of re-inventing the banking industry and why he believes Western Canada can lead our country forward in innovation and in the tech space.

For nearly 20 years, Billy worked as a Chemical Engineer using a lot of technologies that originated from the 60s and 70s. Many of them improved over time, but none were innovative game-changers that kept up with the times. So, in 2015, Billy decided to shake things up, quite literally. He founded Exergy Solutions Inc., a disruptive technology-focused consultancy that offers fit-for-purpose lab-scale and pilot-scale equipment for research and innovation, including 3D Printing and Augmented and Virtual Reality. Join me as Billy talks about the disruptive technology space, its impact on the transformation of our energy sector and why it needs to happen fast so that Alberta and Western Canada can remain competitive in the international market.

As the conversation on racism and discrimination continues around the world, I know as both a leader and as a human that it’s time for a long-overdue change. That is why I’m honoured to be joined by Eve Akinyi Aboka-Griess. As the Founder of Capability Career Group, Eve reaches out and helps organizations in Calgary identify discrimination and racism that exists in their ranks and helps them understand, learn, and address it to create equal opportunity for all. So, who better to help us understand what we as a city, a province, and a country can do better? Join me as Eve and I have an honest conversation on the issues of racism, diversity, and inclusion as she shares what we as leaders and organizations we can do to understand and end the discrimination so many people face daily.

Scott is the Co-Founder and CEO of Scope AR, a Silicon Valley-based company specializing in using AR to solve some of the toughest problems that many industries face. But before he was making waves in the tech start-up capital of the world, Scott was born and raised right here in Alberta. So, what led to his decision to move to Silicon Valley? What do they have that Alberta doesn’t? Join me as Scott shares some insight into why he moved to California, what Alberta was missing at the time and what we as a province must do to keep our top talent here to enable our digital transformation journey. 

Lora Bucsis leads digital transformation efforts at SAIT, while Craig Hess directs corporate training, focusing on workforce readiness. They delve into the multifaceted nature of digital transformation in Alberta and the evolving landscape of corporate training in response to technology. Key discussions include the importance of embracing failure as a learning tool and the need for strong leadership to navigate change. They emphasize human involvement in training and the integration of emerging technologies to foster a culture of innovation.

Dan got his entrepreneurial start right here in Calgary making websites during the late 90’s. From there, he took part in the golden age of tech consulting in Calgary before growing an interest in product development. That’s when he and his like-minded partner packed up their laptops and moved to Silicon Valley to immersive themselves in the start-up culture. The result – Rallyteam, a platform that enables companies to better understand and utilize their people. Since being acquired by Workday in 2018, Dan spends his time advising start-ups on product and strategy while also dabbling in angel investing. Join me as Dan takes us through his entrepreneurial journey to Silicon Valley, the differences between Calgary’s and San Francisco’s start-up cultures, his transition into angel investing, and the effects that the COVID crisis has had in the start-up world.

Back in 2013, Cathy co-founded 42 Technologies, a modern business intelligence platform designed for omnichannel retailers that makes retail data simple, intuitive, and powerful. This was an exciting idea that quickly gained interest from potential investors and customers, but there was a small setback – they were all in the US, and 42 Technologies was based in Canada. So, Cathy and 42 moved to San Francisco to build closer relationships with their investors, gain better access to their key customer base and accelerate the growth of their product – and they haven’t slowed down since. Join me as Cathy talks about her journey from entrepreneur to CEO, how her experiences in the Canadian and US start-up cultures compare and shares her thoughts to help future entrepreneurs in Canada gain interest and capital for their big ideas.