From the trenches

Tech is a tool for good in our lives, in our communities, and in our province. BC Tech is driven to make BC the best place to grow a tech company by helping firms grow and scale into anchors—the large companies that drive both BC’s tech sector and the economy.

They do this by providing the place and the programs, and advocating for the policies that help the tech community, collaborate, learn, and grow.

Learn more about BC Tech by visiting: wearebctech.com.

• Jill's Final 4:
  • Podcast: freakonomics.com/nsq.
  • Best Advice: "Speak up."
  • Favourite App: Zoom
  • Ukee Dogs Taqueria: www.facebook.com/ukeedogs.
• Links to organizations and initiatives mentioned:
  • #FutureFocus Forums: wearebctech.com/calendars/bc-tech-events.
  • ScaleUp BC: wearebctech.com/scaleup-bc.
  • Benedict Evans: www.ben-evans.com/presentations.
• For more local news impacting business, visit:
  • Website: www.businessexaminer.ca

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Founded in 1994 by David Chard, Executive Director & Founder, Chard Development is an urban real estate development firm based in Vancouver, BC. From condominium homes to rental apartments to commercial spaces, they specialize in urban real estate projects in Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria.

At Chard Development, they believe in integrity, accountability and diversity. They foster long-lasting, respectful relationships with their customers, consultants, trades, partners and colleagues. It is that approach that has driven their ongoing success and supported their reputation for leaving a lasting positive impact on both people and places.

Learn more about Chard Development by visiting: charddevelopment.com.

• Byron's Final 4:
  • Book: The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership.
  • Best Advice: "Say yes."
  • Favourite App: Microsoft Excel
  • Macchiato Caffe & Paninoteca: macchiatocaffe.ca.
• For more local news impacting business, visit:
  • Website: www.businessexaminer.ca

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Big Wheel Burger provides the best quality burgers, shakes, sodas and fries through local, sustainable and environmentally friendly resources. It's fast food without the guilt trip.

Zambri’s opened in October 1999.In the early days it was a simple operation. Over time, the obscure little eatery gained highly acclaimed industry recognition. GOLD Best Casual Italian Restaurant Vancouver Magazine, Victoria Chef Of the Year, EAT Magazine, to name a few. The Urban Peasant James Barber called it the “Nicest little Italian restaurant in BC. Probably in Canada. Terrific food.”

Learn more about Big Wheel Burger & Zambri's by visiting: bigwheelburger.com & www.zambris.ca.

• Calen's Final 4:
  • Humankind: A Hopeful History: www.littlebrown.com/titles/rutger-bregman/humankind/9780316418553
  • Best Advice: "It takes a long time to build capital, and a short time to lose it."
  • Favourite App: twitter.com
  • Brasserie L'Ecole:  www.lecole.ca
• Links to other organizations and initiatives referenced:
  • Bread & Butter Collective: www.breadandbuttercollective.com
• For more local news impacting business, visit:
  • Website: www.businessexaminer.ca

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Accent Inns is a boastfully BC company that has been proudly owned and operated by the Farmer family since 1986. Mandy Farmer took over the role of president and CEO of Accent Inns from her father, Terry Farmer, in 2008. With five locations in Victoria, Vancouver Airport (Richmond), Burnaby, Kelowna, and Kamloops, this family owned-and-operated group of hotels is perfectly situated when travelling in southern BC.

Hotel Zed is a ridiculously fun and eclectic group of hotels in Victoria, Kelowna and Tofino BC that are so completely awesome your mind will be blown! Ok, slight exaggeration, but they swear it's like nothing you've ever seen before: vintage VW shuttles, Zedinator waterslide, mini discos, ping pong lounges, typewriter stations, comic books in the rooms, free rental bicycles, roller skates... they are Rebels Against the Ordinary.

Learn more about Accent Inns & Hotel Zed by visiting: www.accentinns.com & www.hotelzed.com.

• Links to organizations and initiatives referenced:
  • Brené Brown: brenebrown.com/podcasts
  • Zwift: www.zwift.com/ca
  • Roar restaurant: roartofino.com
• For more local news impacting business, visit:
  • Website: www.businessexaminer.ca

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Grant Thornton LLP is a leading Canadian accounting and advisory firm providing audit, tax and advisory services to private and public organizations. They help dynamic organizations unlock their potential for growth by providing meaningful, actionable advice through a broad range of services. Grant Thornton LLP is a Canadian member of Grant Thornton International Ltd, whose member firms operate in over 100 countries worldwide.

Learn more about Mike and Grant Thornton LLP by visiting: www.grantthornton.ca

• Links to organizations and initiatives referenced:
  • Greater Victoria Public Library: www.gvpl.ca
  • The Beach House Restaurant: www.beachhousevictoria.com
• For more local news impacting business, visit:
  • Website: www.businessexaminer.ca

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Ross has extensive transactional experience in sales – over $1 billion in the last five years, which continually ranks him as one of the market leaders in development land, multi-family apartment buildings and commercial investment grade properties in Greater Victoria.

His work is shaping his own backyard; he was born and raised in Victoria and his high-profile transactional deals are changing the landscape and skyline of the region. They say on the Island it’s important to make connections (and never burn a bridge); Ross is an industry advocate and actively collaborates with an extensive network of local leaders for the betterment of business and development in the region. 

Learn more about Ross and CBRE by visiting: www.cbre.ca/en/people-and-offices/ross-marshall.

• Links to organizations and initiatives referenced:
  • OneSoccer: onesoccer.ca.
  • Pacific FC: pacificfc.canpl.ca.
  • Bin 4 Burger Lounge: www.bin4burgerlounge.com.
  • Sabhai Thai Restaurant: sabhai.ca.
  • Deep Cove Chalet: www.deepcovechalet.com.
  • II Terrazzo: www.ilterrazzo.com.
• For more local news impacting business, visit:
  • Website: www.businessexaminer.ca

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As a collaborative, non-partisan organization, the Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) strives to be a venue where members, policy experts, elected officials and government decision makers can address problems and form solutions together.

Their mission is to provide timely and exceptional public-policy research and advocacy on issues that enhance B.C.’s competitiveness and prosperity.

Led by CEO and President, Greg D'Avignon, their group of dedicated professionals works collaboratively with a committed membership that includes B.C.’s top employers to ensure that its work is credible, timely and relevant.

Their Executive Committee provides oversight and direction on the day-to-day activities of the Council. The Business Council's Board of Governors is a broad cross section of our member organizations representing virtually all industry sectors, both private and public, in B.C. The Board meets on a quarterly basis and provides strategic guidance to the Executive Committee and Council management.

Learn more about the BCBC by visiting: bcbc.com.

• Links to organizations and initiatives referenced:
  • The Economist Espresso: www.economist.com/espresso
  • Quartz: qz.com
  • ESG in B.C.: bcbc.com/esg-in-b-c
  • II Terrazzo: www.ilterrazzo.com.
• For more local news impacting business, visit:
  • Website: www.businessexaminer.ca

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As a collaborative, non-partisan organization, the Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) strives to be a venue where members, policy experts, elected officials and government decision makers can address problems and form solutions together.

Their mission is to provide timely and exceptional public-policy research and advocacy on issues that enhance B.C.’s competitiveness and prosperity.

Led by CEO and President, Greg D'Avignon, their group of dedicated professionals works collaboratively with a committed membership that includes B.C.’s top employers to ensure that its work is credible, timely and relevant.

Their Executive Committee provides oversight and direction on the day-to-day activities of the Council. The Business Council's Board of Governors is a broad cross section of our member organizations representing virtually all industry sectors, both private and public, in B.C. The Board meets on a quarterly basis and provides strategic guidance to the Executive Committee and Council management.

Learn more about the BCBC by visiting: bcbc.com.

• Links to organizations and initiatives referenced:
  • B.C. Economic Dashboard: www.bcbc.com/dashboard
  • ESG in B.C.: bcbc.com/esg-in-b-c
• For more local news impacting business, visit:
  • Website: www.businessexaminer.ca

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MNP is a leading national accounting, tax and business consulting firm in Canada. They proudly serve and respond to the needs of their clients in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Through partner-led engagements, they provide a collaborative, cost-effective approach to doing business and personalized strategies to help organizations succeed across the country and around the world. MNP is proud to have been recognized as one of the Best Employers in Canada for over ten years in a row.

Learn more about MNP by visiting: www.mnp.ca.

• Links to organizations and initiatives referenced:
  • Vancouver Island Economic Summit: viea.ca/vi-economic-summit.
  • Next by Darrell Bricker: www.harpercollins.ca/9781443446549/next
  • LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com
  • Bayside Restaurant & Lounge: www.baysideresortparksville.com/bayside-restaurant-lounge.
• For more local news impacting business, visit:
  • Website: www.businessexaminer.ca

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Tobyn Sowden is the Chief Executive Officer of Redbrick—the parent organization to a growing portfolio of companies including Assembly Digital, Shift, Leadpages and Rebase. Tobyn founded Redbrick in 2011 and since then, the company has been ranked the 5th Fastest-Growing Company in Canada and 2nd in software, by PROFIT 500. With the goal of creating, acquiring and growing businesses through operational excellence, product development and results-driven marketing, Redbrick’s companies excel at innovating their industries. In his role, Tobyn is responsible for defining Redbrick’s overall business strategy, including new product development and future business growth.

A graduate of the University of Victoria's Computer Science program, Tobyn is not new to entrepreneurship—prior to founding Redbrick, he started RedWillow Media (search marketing company), later selling it to Neverblue, the performance marketing firm where he then became a member of the executive team. There, he led marketing and supported corporate development—starting and growing their mobile division into a $30M/year business. These experiences left him with valuable and unique expertise in building, launching, and growing award-winning companies.

Outside of Redbrick, Tobyn enjoys exploring the world with his wife, Katrina, and their three sons, Benjamin, Jacob, and Zachary.

Learn more about Redbrick by visiting: rdbrck.com.

• Links to organizations and initiatives referenced:
  • Leadpages: www.leadpages.com.
  • Assembly: assmb.ly.
  • II Terrazzo: www.ilterrazzo.com.
  • Boom + Batten Restaurant & Cafe: boomandbatten.com.
• For more local news impacting business, visit:
  • Website: www.businessexaminer.ca

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