Intro

Today's episode features an interview with Mark Dobbin, founder and president of Killick Capital Inc., a private equity investment firm headquartered in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. It was created as a vehicle for Mark’s desire to invest in the aerospace sector as well as work and invest in his hometown. The name "Killick" refers to an anchor made of a long stone and sticks. Its effective and ingenious design has been relied on for centuries to secure boats and nets.

If you're a startup founder in Newfoundland looking to raise money, you're probably knocking on Mark's door. He's more than an investor. He's an important part of the community, connecting and building things in Newfoundland. Let his story inspire you, and I hope you enjoy this episode!

Topics:
1:10 How Mark's upbringing in Newfoundland shaped him
3:33 How his father influenced him to go into business
6:55 His desire to invest in the aerospace sector
9:42 Cultural ties between Newfoundland and Ireland
12:06 NL's balance sheet is a “mess”
15:20 Abundant and consistent supply of oil and gas in NL
18:02 People are the most important resource
24:29 Investing versus operating a business
27:18 His biggest investment failure
30:00 What characteristics does he look for in startup founders?
36:05 Creativity and Innovation
38:59 How can the GlobalNL community support each other?
42:11 Diversity and inclusion
45:58 Advice for Newfoundlanders

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn, Website

Intro
In this episode I talk with Kimberley Mullins, an applied social scientist and the current Director of Talent Development at Shopify. She is from Newfoundland, but she moved to Calgary to work for ExxonMobil Canada. She then joined Imperial Oil, which is also located in Calgary.We discuss a variety of topics, but one of my favorites is Kimberley's discussion of how she stayed connected to her hometown and her advice to people in the community to "look after each other."

Topics covered:
2:07 Developing talent involves motivating others to be their best selves
5:07 Kimberley’s work history
7:01 How Kimberley stayed connected to her “home”
15:12 In Newfoundland, everyone respects those who are just trying to get by
32:05 Work on your strengths, not your weaknesses
35:00 Discover your passion to live a more fulfilling life
39:20 Invest in your legacy
47:07 Culture is customary difference
57:07 Making something valuable to you vulnerable to others is what trust is
1:02:10 Everyone can make a positive difference in the world
1:05:26 To be a leader, you must bring out the best in people
1:08:40 People aspire to grow professionally
1:20:50 Leadership requires humility
1:24:27 Kimberley’s advice to the community: “We look after each other”

Connect with Kimberly on LinkedIn

The fourth episode in the NL Tech Spotlight series - a discussion between Jeremy Andrews and Ed J Martin, the CEO of Clockwork Fox Studios. Clockwork is an education technology company that develops a blended learning platform for elementary math called Zorbit’s Math Adventure. Zorbit helps young math learners succeed by integrating the powers of play, pedagogy, and learning analytics.

We talk about a bunch of things in this episode, but one of my favourite parts was Ed describing how Carnegie see's Clockwork as their new Canadian Headquarters, based right here in Newfoundland and Labrador. With a number of exits to US based companies here in recent years, it's part of a growing and exciting trend for the local tech industry.

0:00 - Where ya from?

1:30 - How did you go from Mechanical Engineering to Digital Media to Software?

4:30 - Best Boy Productions and the Transition to Clockwork

8:30 - Making games that aren’t just fun, but also help kids get better at math

11:30 - Becoming a much more powerful platform for Teachers

15:30 - What’s been your “Go to Market” strategy

17:30 - “Sage on the Stage” education to “Student Centered Learning”

20:40 - Were you planning for an Acquisition?

23:35 - “The Canadian Head Office”

25:25 - Where does it go from here?

29:25 - Has doing this in Newfoundland been hard?

This episode of Uncharted Waters’ “Local Tech Spotlight” segment is a discussion between Jeremy Andrews and Leah Murphy from NorthStar Payroll. Leah came up with the idea for a better payroll system after years of operating her own payroll company, Get Payroll. NorthStar plans to provide their customers with a premium payroll software that leverages AI & Machine Learning technology to automate repetitive tasks, catch variances in processing and provide in-depth analyses.
Podcast Outline:
1:20 - Can you tell us a bit about yourself
3:40 - Being a reluctant entrepreneur
5:30 - Deciding to take the leap with support from the community
8:36 - Building a solution to your own problem
11:53 - How does NorthStar work?
13:27 - Target customer
16:58 - Go-to-market strategy and user feedback
20:55 - Support from NL startup ecosystem (NLOWE, SJBOT, Genesis, MPPCC)
23:38 - Advice for other startup founders
26:16 - What’s the future hold?

Tim Powers shares his journey, including some ups and downs, from deep roots in Newfoundland and Labrador to a life and career at the “Centre”. Tim’s vision of the future direction of this country in strategic areas including a post Covid world and Carbon Pricing is very interesting. He is always led by his mother's sage advice, which is to “Never Get Too Big For Your Britches”. Enjoy the listen it will surprise and entertain you and if you ever get a chance to visit with Tim in Ottawa, don’t forget to bring the Black Horse and/or Jockey!

Timeline:

0:20GlobalNL Introduction and Overview
3:27Growing up in Newfoundland, how it shaped you
8:06Lobbyist role - Secret Sauce
10:24Storytelling and how important it is
13:08Covid and Canadian Politics - Mental Health - Money - Family
18:25 Data Management and Politics - Abacus Data
24:10Where is the optimism/pessimism in the future of Newfoundland
30:11Climate Change - Carbon Pricing
35:49Mental Health
42:06Rugby - Outlet - Friendships - Validations - Mental Strength - World Cup game NL
45:35How can the GlobalNL community help the Province
47:22Tim’s Billboard “Stay Strong”

In the second episode of our new segment “Local Tech Spotlight”, Jeremy talks with Prospre, a St. John’s Startup developing a mobile app that allows you to easily build customized meal plans that take your personal preferences and nutritional goals into account.

Jonathan and Colin from Prospre give us a peek inside the early days of starting a technology company in Newfoundland and Labrador. We discuss the success they’ve had to date, and how a growing entrepreneurship mentality at Memorial University is helping aspiring entrepreneurs overcome the fear of getting started.

Podcast Outline:

1:30 - Can you tell us about Prospre in your own words?
3:00 - Where’d you get the idea?
4:35 - What came first? Entrepreneurship or the idea?
5:15 - Entrepreneurship mentality at MUN
9:45 - Product and Traction
15:55 - What’s been your biggest challenge?
19:50 - What’s the next big thing for Prospre?

Aatif Baskanderi, a Global NL award winner for the production of the acclaimed film “Salaam B’y”, provides us with a not often heard overview of the diversity experience growing up in Newfoundland and Labrador. Aatif's film is a profound lense through which one’s understanding of diversity today can be viewed. He gives us a interesting sense of how his life experience in education and work has lead him to now focus the establishment of the North Pine Foundation, an organization which dares to address some of the most difficult social issues in our Country. A core value in the definition and execution of this work can be seen on his Billboard “Be Kind”. Enjoy!

Outline
1:45Aatif describes growing up in Clarenville Newfoundland
2:19 GlobalNL award for “Salaam B’y”. Where did the idea come from?
7:25 Growing up Muslim in NL including Raymonds!
13:40NL cultural diversity exposure/density
14:30An emerging Racist/Right Wing sentiment in Nl - The role social media plays here.
16:30 “Agile Sincerity”
18:50How do you stay connected with the Province and the role of “Radical Kindness”
21:40Establishing Adult friend circles when moving from place to place
26:39Building Community Network
27:52Social Entrepreneurship Why/Why not
32:39The World of Innovation and its challenges and integration of Social Science
40:57Blue Ocean Groups - Elastic Innovation - People at the centre of the table
46:00North Pine Foundation - A Startup Philanthropic Foundation - Focused on foster children, former prisoners, adult refugees, rural Nl and other compelling issues.
49:00Foundation Partners - Private Tech Support
52:00Validation of Value Proposition
53:00Skepticism and Structural Mitigation
55:00Global Nl - an approach to global connectivity a positive conduit
1:13:16Aatif’s Billboard - “Be Kind”

This episode will be a discussion between Jeremy Andrews and Liam, Nick, Darryl and Matt of InspectAR. InspectAR’s technology uses AR to overlay Printed Circuit Board designs directly onto the circuit board, allowing you to inspect, debug, rework, and assemble PCBs in less time, without mistakes or frustration. In 2020, InspectAR was acquired by Cadence Design Systems, the market leader in Electronic Design Automation software and services.

Dr. Timmons leads us through a candid overview of her years growing up in Labrador and describes how this place shaped who she is. The strength of the Labrador community shines through in her discussion. The journey which led her to become Memorial’s president is wrought with this sense of community and early efforts to visit the communities of this Province are impressive. Dr. Timmons’ energy in support of defining and enabling the University’s place in supporting the future of this Province is palpable, while acknowledging the realities of a post Covid world. Vianne’s Billboard will “Lift You UP”. Enjoy the chat, perhap will find your “Tee Shirt”. Thank you Gary Bradshaw!

Timeline:

1:11GlobalNl Introduction and Overview
4:21Growing up in Labrador and its lasting effects
8:19Motivation/Process followed to apply and become MUN President
11:14The importance of Reaching-Out early to all areas of the Province
16:30Memorial’s key asset - It’s People
18:50Memorials’ Biggest challenge going forward (outside of Covid)
20:48The University’s tool box which supports positive growth for the Province
20:25How Memorial nurtures the education experience with a broad array supports
31:50Covid’s lasting impact on Memorial
37:04Vianne’s Billboard “Surround Yourself With People That Lift You Up”
39:46How can GlobalNL be of greater assistance “Stay Engaged”

Andrew leads us through an interesting summary of the impact the current global Covid 19 crisis has had on his personal and professional life. He shares his path to the field of medicine and the role that “Trauma in Baltimore” played in that journey. Discussions of “Dollar a Day” and “Team Broken Earth” provide interesting insights into what makes Andrew tick! Andrew also describes why he sees public life as a very important next step for him and lets us have an early look at his BillBoard “We Have Just Scratched The Surface”.

1:37Covid 19 experience for Andrew and family - Children, Education resources, Professional adjustments, Global Influence
9:20Covid 19 inspired “Reverse Urbanization” with benefit for places like Newfoundland and Labrador
12:08The “Technology Space” potential in Newfoundland and Labrador CoLab - Verifin
15:20Why choose the Medical Field? Helping People
19:20Trauma Fellowship in Baltimore Maryland experience (living with violence and stress)
29:36 “Dollar a Day” Mental Health focus - We all share the experience
37:48“Team Broken Earth” Where is it now? Where is it going?
50:31Public Life - Why? Being part of the solution to a very large problem
53:46Negativity and the “Value” of Twitter!
56:55NL’s - Silent Demographic Crisis! It touches everything.
1:02:31How can Global NL be part of the solution? “The great NL expat resource”
1:04:53Andrew’s BillBoard “We Have Just Scratched the Surface!”