As our industries continue to change, it can be a challenge to retrain ourselves and learn new skills. After all, who has the time and energy to balance both a career and a full course load? That's what Vis Naidoo and The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) want to make possible with The Centre for Continuing Education and Professional Studies – a flexible learning experience that offers online and in-class courses for further professional development. Join me as Vis takes us through...
Feb 05, 2021•56 min•Ep. 119
Now that we’re well over 300 days of living in a COVID world, it’s safe to say we could all use a vacation. But will we be ready to return to the crowded airports and fully booked planes once the pandemic is behind us? Rob believes passenger travel won’t be the same and that people will ease into it in small numbers. That’s why the Calgary Airport Authority is preparing now for the traveling world of tomorrow. Join me as Rob talks about the effect COVID-19 and the decline of passenger travel has...
Feb 02, 2021•44 min•Ep. 118
Olds is a town with just over 9,100 people that’s about 90 km north of Calgary. Life in such a small town might seem ordinary, but Olds is home to one of Alberta’s biggest success stories – ProAll International. For over 50 years, ProAll International have been a global powerhouse in the concrete industry with their mixers being used on worksites around the world. Now in a COVID world, VP of Sales and Marketing Andrew thinks there’s an even greater opportunity to secure new international clients...
Jan 28, 2021•50 min•Ep. 117
Over the past few years, AI and machine learning have been on the rise, transforming the ways different industries operate like never before. But for Alberta, they are by no means new. We started investing in these technologies nearly 20 years ago before anyone else in the world gave it a thought. As CEO of The Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (AMII), Cam Linke is leading the innovators and shakers that are pushing boundaries and making good on our investment for a better future. Join me a...
Jan 26, 2021•56 min•Ep. 116
Let’s say you’ve misplaced your phone in your home. What’s the first thing you do? That’s easy – have someone call it and follow your ears. Now, let’s say you run a 50,000 sq. ft. warehouse and you’ve misplaced an essential part or item. Finding that can be like finding a needle in a haystack. Enter Richard Simpson and ZeroKey, a hyper-accurate technology that digitizes the 3D location of assets, personnel, and equipment across large industrial environments, down to the millimeter. Join me as Ri...
Jan 25, 2021•54 min•Ep. 115
Any Calgary Stampeders fan knows Jon Cornish as a record-breaking, award-winning, legendary Canadian Football Hall of Famer. What they might not know is how his connections with the fans and the community at large turned Calgary into more than just the city he played football in. It made Calgary his true home. So, now that he’s off the field, how is he giving back to the city that welcomed him with open arms? The Calgary Black Chambers, an organization of Black professionals and entrepreneurs th...
Jan 21, 2021•46 min•Ep. 114
Before the pandemic, we would go to the mall, browse around from shop-to-shop, and leave with a bunch of unique items from different retailers. Now, we’re doing all our shopping online and expecting the same result – everything we need all at once. That's an expectation that the supply chain was never designed to fulfill. Enter Scott Gravelle and Attabotics, the world’s first 3D robotic goods-to-person platform that can keep up with modern-day shoppers and their unique ordering habits. Join me a...
Jan 20, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 113
Back when this podcast first began, Judy Fairburn joined me to discuss economic transformation in Calgary and hinted at The 51 Ventures Fund, an investment community for financial feminists. Now, a year and a half later, Judy is back with one of her co-founders Shelley Kuipers for a good old-fashioned update. To sum it up, 2020 did anything but slow them down. After what can only be described as a year of ups-and-down, Judy, Shelley, and The 51 Ventures Fund thrived, even going as far as creatin...
Jan 18, 2021•57 min•Ep. 112
As we continue to move forward with our digital transformation, some aren't ready to get out of their comfort zones just yet. For Chris Foster, he thinks it’s about time they do because it pays to be curious. As VP IS & CIO of TC, Chris and his team are pushing the boundaries of innovation with wild curiosity, culture hacks, and even by bending the rules a bit from time to time. Once more Albertans start thinking like Chris, there’s no limit to what we can do. Join me as Chris shares the imp...
Jan 14, 2021•57 min•Ep. 111
As we entered lockdown last spring, many retailers had to move their stores online to survive. With no end in sight for the pandemic, what started as a temporary solution is becoming the norm as consumers are accepting the fact that their shopping experiences will now take place online. But for Jim Hill, founder of The Esker Gallery and commercial real estate owner, it’s important that we don’t lose sight of the in-person shopping experience when things go back to normal so that we don't lose th...
Jan 13, 2021•41 min•Ep. 110
When I say “robot”, many people think of The Terminator or Rosey from the Jetsons. When Savana hears “robot”, she thinks of companions that can help improve our day-to-day lives. That’s the inspiration behind her company Radley Robots, a communications and concierge service via a telepresence robot that keeps people who live on their own safe, connected, and independent. Join me as Savana shares her motivation behind Radley Robots, how her experience in Calgary’s start-up community compares to o...
Jan 08, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 109
After a series of good old-fashioned chats with a few government officials about the issues in our healthcare system, we were still missing a key side of the conversation. The perspective of someone who lives and breathes health care. Enter Dr. Bob Bray. Having spent his 30+ year career in our province, Dr. Bray has worked through the ups-and-downs of Alberta’s healthcare system. So, who better to talk to when regarding the effects our healthcare system has on our healthcare workers? Join me as ...
Jan 06, 2021•50 min•Ep. 108
Levvel is a Calgary-based organization that offers a wide range of expertise and services, including staffing, change management consulting, and software QA testing. For Co-Founder, President, and CEO Brian Milloy, it’s their software QA testing offering that truly sets them apart. Why? It's based on a unique, exclusive partnership that provides education, employment, and support to women in Rwanda. Join me as Brian takes us through Levvel’s services, their partnership with Muraho Technology tha...
Dec 29, 2020•45 min•Ep. 107
From finding a job to securing a working visa and permanent residency, moving to Canada as a foreign innovator isn’t as easy as just packing your bags and booking a ticket. Enter Marc Pavlopolous, Founder & Founder of Path to Canada and Syndesus. Based on his own experiences moving from Silicon Valley to Canada and back again, Marc helps streamline the immigration process for tech workers in the U.S. who want to join Canada's emerging tech sectors. Join me as Marc shares his vision for a cro...
Dec 22, 2020•49 min•Ep. 106
Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) began in 1995 to provide women entrepreneurs with capital to start their business. Over time, AWE’s empowerment has resulted in a boom of female entrepreneurship in many industries, age groups, and diversities. Now in its 25th year, CEO Marcela Mandeville and AWE are integrating our digital transformation into their programs and workshops so that women entrepreneurs aren’t overlooked in the road ahead. Join me as Marcela talks about the opportunities for female ...
Dec 18, 2020•49 min•Ep. 105
Last November, after what can only be described as a challenging year for education, Mishek Mwaba became the new President & CEO at Bow Valley College. So, how did he settle into his new role? He hit the ground running and started laying the groundwork for the vision – one that will transform the student experience and our city altogether. Join me as Mischeck shares his plans for Bow Valley College that will attract skilled people to Alberta and use emerging technology to support the retrain...
Dec 16, 2020•42 min•Ep. 104
While many industries are quickly adapting and accepting AI and machine learning as the way of the future, others are stuck at a standstill. One that falls into the latter category is the construction sector. Luckily, as President & CEO of Williams Engineering Canada, Naseem is speeding things up by adapting emerging technologies and integrating AI and machine learning into the way things get built. Join me as Naseem walks us through the ways AI and machine learning are being integrated into...
Dec 11, 2020•58 min•Ep. 103
From the doors of everyday Calgarians to the halls of Parliament Hill, Kent is a strong advocate for our city and not one to keep his opinions to himself. So, when asked about the future of our province in a fast-changing world, Ken knows we need to adapt like true Albertans and start doing things differently – even going as far as mentioning a taboo eight-letter word. Join me as Kent talks about his love for Calgary and Alberta and why we need to keep an open mind for what our future has in sto...
Dec 10, 2020•51 min•Ep. 102
AlliedVP is one of Canada’s newest angel investor groups and the brainchild of Matthew Wilson. In 2013, Matthew moved to Calgary seeking to get involved in our start-ups ecosystem and soon discovered angel investing. However, our start-up comunity was young with few investment opportunities, so Matthew looked to more established markets in Canada and the US. Nearly eight years later, he’s bringing his angel investing experience back to Alberta and our now bustling start-up culture. Join me as Ma...
Dec 09, 2020•51 min•Ep. 101
Collisions YYC began with an idea to start the conversation on Calgary’s digital and economic transformation and get our industry leaders, innovators, shakers, and start-ups on the same page. 16 months later, we’ve run the gamut and covered a wide range of topics that affect Calgarians and our way forward. To celebrate our 100th episode, who better to talk to than the man who is, in a way, Calgary personified – Mayor Naheed Nenshi. From capitalizing on our core industries to retraining our oil a...
Dec 08, 2020•36 min•Ep. 100
As innovators continue to tap into its unlimited potential, AI and automated machine learning is transforming the ways industries operate. Take Dr. Devon Livingstone, Founder & CMO of ENTiD. He wanted to determine whether automated machine learning could build an algorithm capable of accurately diagnosing otologic disease. The result – a solution that helps physicians better diagnose ear, nose, and throat disease, decrease wait times, and improve access to care for all. Devon’s work hasn’t g...
Dec 03, 2020•53 min•Ep. 99
Throughout his 25 year+ plus career in education, Tim has pushed student-centeredness and the importance of the undergraduate experience. So, when his phone rang with an opportunity to be President and Vice-Chancellor at Mount Royal University, he jumped at the chance to join an institution that championed a student-centric vision. Then, just after his first year, COVID arrived and took students out of the classroom, requiring Tim and MRU to rapidly adapt without losing the benefits from in-pers...
Nov 30, 2020•53 min•Ep. 98
Do you remember the Orange Wave that took many, particularly Conservative leaders in Alberta, by surprise back in 2015? Well, it also came as a shock to NDP nominee David Shepherd when he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta to represent the electoral district of Edmonton-Centre. That same year, Albertans faced another drastic change, not with our leadership but in our economy. As an elected official, David has great insights into our progress as we transform our province and the w...
Nov 25, 2020•48 min•Ep. 97
When he was appointed as Health Minister of Alberta 2019, Tyler had many long-term plans for our healthcare system. But then, COVID-19 arrived, forcing Tyler to set those plans aside and make crucial decisions that impacted both the operations and budget of Alberta’s most expensive line item in the face of a global pandemic. While adapting and preparing for the future is crucial, Tyler's biggest goal is to communicate the Ministry’s goals to Albertans in a world where politicization and soundbit...
Nov 24, 2020•48 min•Ep. 96
When he was studying Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo, Michael spent his time bouncing back and forth between Silicon Valley. As he got closer to graduating, he knew he wanted to innovate rather than land a cushy tech gig. All he needed was that big idea. Then, on a coast-to-coast road trip back to campus, that idea came to him and his co-founder – Vidyard, an online video platform that allows businesses to increase leads with delightful consumer content. Join me as Micha...
Nov 18, 2020•59 min•Ep. 95
Most of us have the instinct to complain when we are deafened by noise pollution. For Norm and his co-founder, they had an instinct to innovate. So, they took an idea that stemmed from Harley Davidsons disturbing the peace and quiet in Naramata and turned it into Zerosound – the most scalable active noise control technology on the planet that can reduce noise by up to 92%. Join me as Norm takes us along his entrepreneurial journey, talks about Zerosound’s active noise control technology, and goe...
Nov 16, 2020•51 min•Ep. 94
We’ve all had a big idea only to have no clue how to make it happen. So, what was Adam’s big idea? To use his tech background to bridge the gap between a big idea and a successful execution. Since then, as the Head of Technology for Aleta, Adam has provided guidance and development for start-up founders in Western Canada and North America who have a great idea but a lack of tech-savviness. Join me as Adam and I chat about many aspects of our transformation, from senior talent retraining themselv...
Nov 12, 2020•46 min•Ep. 93
Kari got her start in marketing and business development right here in Calgary, working with a local architecture firm before entering the oil and gas sector. Once she grew weary of big business politics, Kari started her consultancy to help Calgarian tech entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground, a venture that took her to conferences around North America. That’s when an AI start-up from New Zealand noticed Kari and lured her across the Pacific Ocean with a job. Now, since coming home to Ca...
Nov 12, 2020•46 min•Ep. 92
AI has come a long way in recent years, but it still carries a stigma. For most people, AI feels like an inevitable replacement that keeps them on their toes. But according to Jil, AI is quite the opposite. Instead, it’s a powerful tool we can use to enhance our jobs, elevate our potential, benefit our businesses, and allow us to focus on the work we want to do. Join me as Jil sets our minds at ease when it comes to AI integration from a human perspective and talks about ways that it can help us...
Nov 10, 2020•55 min•Ep. 91
In 2009, Megan opened espy Experience to transform the retail experience from sifting through multiple racks of clothes to having something found just for you. Since then, Megan and her team have created strong relationships with everyone that walks through their doors and helped each re-imagine themselves. So, when the world went into lockdown, how did Megan keep her in-person experience alive? By adopting the latest technologies in eCommerce and maintaining her strong relationships online. Joi...
Nov 05, 2020•54 min•Ep. 90
