WINTER 2013: ENTREPRENEUR’S EDITION

5 Inside Laurier A look into Laurier’s co-curricular community during the Fall

2012 term. 10 Korn/Ferry Jeffrey Rosin, President of Canada Board & CEO Services

at Korn/Ferry shares his experiences in the executive recruitment industry.

12 J&J Johnson & Johnson’s Senior Brand Manager Angela Fenwick

and Associate Counsel Mikelis Vasarais share their career paths since graduating from WLU.

14 Scotiabank Caroline Copto, Manager of the Securities Operations

department at Scotiabank, shares her perspective on how back-office operations are key to running Canada’s major banks.

16 SBE Dean A look into the future of the Laurier School of Business &

Economics.

18 Meet Your Professor: Alan Quarry Chairman of Quarry Integrated Communications Inc. and

Laurier professor Alan Quarry discusses entrepreneurship, marketing strategy and why he loves Mondays.

20 Laurier Alumni: Maxwell Paul Maxwell, BBA grad and aspiring entrepreneur turns his

music dreams into a reality.

22 Laurier Entrepreneurs Three of Laurier’s acclaimed entrepreneurs share their

experiences and words of wisdom.

24 LAA Laurier Accounting Association shares their commitment to

SBE.

26 Communitech Waterloo-based Communitech CEO, Iain Klugman, shares his

advice and experiences as a full-time entrepreneur.

SBEATRIUM.COM@SBEATRIUM

FACEBOOK.COM/SBEATRIUMISSUU.COM/SBEATRIUM

KLARA RAICPresident

BEVERLY CHEUNGEditor-In-Chief

VINESH RATNAMCreative Director

MARK MAYHEWVP of Marketing

CATHERINE TONGVP of Human Resources

ZINTHUYA SIVANANTHANVP of Finance

JASON BAKERVP of Web Design

The views and opinions shared by some columnists do not necessarily represent

those of Atrium Media Group or any of its affiliates.

ATRIUM MEDIA GROUP

Printed: February 28, 2013Last edited: March 3, 2013

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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President of Atrium mediA GrouPIn this issue of Atrium magazine, we wanted to put a larger focus on the

people with the greatest hope and agility. The entrepreneurs of our world, who create the new technologies we use daily, are excellent demonstrators of these traits. They venture out with an idea and force investors to listen until they are convinced - there’s fire behind their eyes every step of the way. They speak about their work with great conviction and passion that has the power to inspire the rest of us. We not only believe in their ideas, but also the future ventures we hope to create ourselves.

At Atrium Media Group, we capture that same passion and put all of our efforts into each of our posts, events and magazines. We have people who work without paycheques or bonuses, whose sole motivation is the satisfaction of producing a publication - one that we hope is valued by the students, faculty and community of Wilfrid Laurier University.

The resources we have around us are incredible at this university. With the talent coming out of both Laurier and the University of Waterloo, the students here have the knowledge and expertise to start any venture they can think of. The amount of support that both universities give to new startups, as well as the entrepreneurial community of Kitchener-Waterloo, creates the perfect environment where young students can unleash their ideas and create something great.

For some great information on the support that Wilfrid Laurier University offers to new startups, visit LaurierEntrepreneur.ca.

We hope this issue inspires you as it has inspired us.

Klara RaicPresidentAtrium Media Group

editor-in-Chief of Atrium mediA GrouPBeyond talent, education or intelligence, the people who are the most

prevalent in our minds as successful and admirable, have commonalities that stem authentically from character. Although the ideal combination of innate personality and traits developed through life’s challenges are unique to our perspectives, we naturally attribute our successes to certain traits more so than others. In this Entrepreneur’s Edition of Atrium, our team had the privilege of meeting leaders with a strong sense of character and unwavering passion.

Though not all of us will move on in our lives to become entrepreneurs, two character traits of successful entrepreneurs are worth adapting into our own lives: positivity and tenacity. Positivity, at the foremost, allows entrepreneurs to see opportunities and potential where others don’t – in both their work and the people around them. Tenacity, driven by their passion, gives them the will to fight through challenging situations – their mistakes are used to agitate change. When put into perspective to our own endeavors, our current career blocks, or shortfalls in academics seem less hindering with respect to the bigger picture. Naturally, we sometimes forget that more often than not, people will rise to meet expectations, regardless of how frequent they fall.

Throughout this issue, we round out this collection with articles about senior managers, lawyers, professors and students who demonstrate entrepreneurial character traits in their respected fields. By featuring character as a priority, you will get a sense of each interviewee’s driving force behind their success and the strategies that draw out their best self.

On behalf of a truly talented team, we hope you enjoy this latest edition.

Beverly CheungEditor-in-Chief Atrium Media Group

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MESSAGES

Inside Laurier

BY: RAINA BHATT

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When you take a look at the prod-ucts used daily in your kitchen or bathroom, you are bound to find several Unilever products. According

to unilever.ca, Unilever products are selected and bought over 160 million times every day. Unilever consists of several well-known brands in food, refreshments, personal care and home care.

At the Unilever event hosted by Laurier Marketing Association (LMA) during the fall term of 2012, Brenda Demers, Marketing Manager-Knorr, shared her experience from working for Unilever. She started at Unilever under the Becel brand and then moved to Dove® where she played a role in introducing Dove® Men+Care into the Canadian market in 2010. She currently works under the Knorr brand.

Demers shared what she learned while working under Becel, a brand that has maintained its position for over 50 years. She described how there will be times when marketers will have to choose between opportunities to find the most beneficial option. For example, during a Becel campaign they had to choose between promoting the brand through the introduction of a comple-mentary product, or an event hosted in Toronto to attract their target audience. They decided to go with the event, which eventually proved to be the more profitable solution.

She provided examples of Canadian grown campaigns and how ideas are typically generated. During the Hellmann’s Real Food Campaign, real

food grants worth $100,000 were distributed among students and schools that submitted cases. Afterwards, winners submitted letters and videos of how the grants were used, which were then included in the campaign for the following year.

When it comes to marketing, it’s all about convincing your retailer you can grow their cate-gories while fulfilling consumer needs. There are two ways to approach a brand: pure innovation, which means launching a new product, or market development, achieved by expanding the usage of core products to new markets. Both require reaching desired customers and markets.

She related pure innovation to her experi-ence introducing Dove® Men+Care. They examined the market and found other men’s washes were leaving consumer’s skin dry. Thus, an opportuni-ty to bring skin care and comfort to the market had opened up. They focused on conveying this message through Dove® Men+Care – by using the product, consumers would feel comfortable in their own skin. Although introducing the new campaign was exciting, there was concern that it would affect the Dove female business, should the campaign prove unsuccessful. And if so, to what extent? With that in mind, Dove® Men+Care did prove to be a successful campaign.

Brand growth through market develop-ment, on the other hand, is based on research of repeat customers, their mindset, and shopping routine to capture their attention and fill in any market gaps. For example, under Knorr’s What’s

for Dinner? campaign, research found that many customers make their meal decisions in the fresh food section, as opposed to the dry food section. Through such research, markets are better able to position products accordingly, to increase atten-tion and sales. In addition, Demers states in-store marketing is an open market that requires much more attention, since it is an important channel similar to television campaigns.

Through the Unilever event, LMA sought to educate and expose students to Unilever’s brands and annual marketing plans. For more information regarding LMA and their upcoming events, visit their Facebook page.

UNILEVERCOMES to

LAURIER

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INSIDE LAURIER

Many of us tend to seek inspiration from others - the lives of role models, or the stories of accomplished leaders. We follow their journey to success,

but why not look at what led them to begin that journey - passion! At the Facebook Likes Laurier event and the Entrepreneur’s Exchange, hosted by Laurier Innovation and Technology Club (LiTC), the speakers conveyed their passion for their work and how it led them to achieve success and enjoy their work.

LiTC invited Daniel Habashi, Sean Hutchinson, and Sachin Monga, representatives from the Toronto Facebook office, in October 2012, with the purpose of inspiring and expos-ing Laurier students to well-known companies in the technology industry. Daniel Habashi, Marketing Solutions Manager at Facebook and Sean Hutchinson, who manages Partnerships and Operations at Facebook, both graduated from the BBA program at Laurier. Sachin Monga specializes in Platform and Market Development at Facebook and studied Systems Design Engineering at the

University of Waterloo. Working at the Toronto office with several engineers focused on the marketing side, they wanted to build a connection with Laurier and recruit skilled students.

The night consisted of speakers answering questions covering several topics received on the Twitter feed and networking with students. They defined the culture of the Toronto Facebook office as team-based, comfortable, and interactive with colleagues in their office and others globally.

When they first started working at Facebook, they described the complete change from feeling at the top of their class, to feeling the dumbest in the room. However, being surround-ed by such intelligent minds motivated them to prove what they were capable of. Another surprise they encountered was the encouragement to create their own projects, as opposed to being assigned specific duties. Naturally, the job comes with the pressure of working with brilliant minds, but there are ample resources and opportunities for self-improvement.

LiTC’s second event, The Entrepreneur’s

Exchange held on November 12th 2012, had speakers Ian Troop, CEO of the Pan American Games and Jackie Lee, CEO of RecruitMyFriends. Both speakers highlighted their journeys of building careers based on their passions. Lee encouraged students to know themselves and to find their interests and passions.

Troop shared his journey of working for P&G, ConAgra and now living his passion through his work with the Pan Am Games. He redefined his successes based on his family and what he enjoyed - sports. His passion for football brought him to Laurier and eventually led him to where he stands today.

During the exchange, Troop revealed the timelines and upcoming plans for the facilities that will be used during the next games and the events. He promised a special celebration of culture and sports during the 2015 games held in Toronto.

Through these events, LiTC intends to bring a representation of the technology and entrepreneurial industries to Laurier. To find more information regarding LiTC and their upcoming events, visit www.laurierinnovation.ca.

DISCOVER YOUR PASSIONLiTC’s FaCebook Likes Laurier and enTrepreneur’s exChange evenTs.

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LIFA MERGERFinance and investment are not represented

as much in the first two years of the busi-ness program, but now through the Laurier Investment and Finance Association (LIFA),

students can gain exposure and knowledge of the finance industry and the opportunities it presents through various competitions and events.

As the Fall 2012 term started, the merger of the Laurier Investment Association (LIA) and Laurier Finance Association (LFA) was celebrated. According to the Co-Presidents of LIFA, Milan Stojev and Cameron Grubb, since LIA and LFA offered similar opportunities and interests in simi-lar fields, becoming one club allowed LIFA to offer much more to its members. Through this merger, LIFA is able to consistently provide information and events that expose and connect students to the finance industry and its leaders. In addition,

they have a unique organizational structure with both an investment and finance team, allowing them to better assist members with specific inquires.

LIFA aims to grab the attention of first and second year students to inform them of the possi-bilities investments and finance can provide. With approximately 250 members, LIFA also offers high level discussions and opportunities for third and fourth year students without limiting membership to just business majors.

Specific events LIFA hosts include the ICAO Top Investor Challenge, where students manage a virtual portfolio and aim to yield a high return, and the Finance Designation Night, where an overview of various finance designations are provided along with the opportunity for students to network.

LIFA keeps its members connected with the present economy through their weekly meet-ings and research notes. Every Tuesday, LIFA holds a meeting in which the first half is dedicated to teaching general financial concepts. In the second half, the executives have a presentation of a com-pany with an in-depth analysis of the business and why it is a good or bad investment. Another way they keep students connected to the present economy is through their research note – a three-page note that covers the condition of the sectors in the stock market and a segment presenting a general economic outlook.

Make sure to check out their upcoming events. For more information or to become a member, visit www.lifa.ca.

ALWAYSLOOK FORWARDWomen in Leadership Laurier (WILL)

aims to provide and empower women with the tools to succeed in the workplace. WILL offers a series of

workshops to develop personal branding, net-working and interview skills, as well as a speaker’s series, where influential women come and share their stories of climbing the corporate ladder and becoming successful leaders.

On November 24th 2012, Women in Leadership and Access U hosted the Mayor Brenda Halloran Speaker Event. Mayor Halloran shared her inspirational journey of the challenges she faced and the successes that resulted.

She explained how there were limited opportunities for women in her days. “Never say ‘Oh my god, poor me!’” said Mayor Halloran. “Life will throw obstacles at you and instead of wasting time pitying yourself, use that time to pull your-self out of the mess.” She explained the situations she overcame which led her to become the mayor

of Waterloo.Halloran experimented with several dif-

ferent jobs, from being a nurse to working at the Canada Revenue Tax Agency. She believes, “Life is so exciting – why wouldn’t you want to keep trying new things?” This attitude exposed her to many different atmospheres and people.

Unfortunately during the 1970s and 80s, women were abused and patronized at the work-place and there were no strict laws against such behavior. She expressed her stories about how she refused tolerate such treatment and quit the workplace where she was discriminated against.

Halloran’s journey towards becoming the mayor of Waterloo started when she discov-ered the townhouse where she lived was built on a contaminated landfill site and she lost her life-savings. Consequently, she had lengthy lawsuits with the municipal government of the Region of Waterloo. “You are never going to know what is going to happen to you,” she explained,

“Life is full of surprises.” When faced with such difficult times, she optimistically asks, “What’s next?” She conveys that this attitude will change your outlook on life.

Through these experiences, Halloran decid-ed to voice her opinions and help her community. She became a community activist and eventually ran for mayor. During the election, she was faced with harsh criticism for being a woman. Halloran would listen to what they had to say and simply reply with, “Thank you for your feedback,” and con-tinue with confidence. She encouraged students to stay positive and confident in whatever they pursue.

Through these events WILL hopes to in-spire and motivate the women at Laurier to reach for their goals. To become a WILL member or attend their upcoming events, you can find more information on their Facebook page.

“WhAt’s next?” - Mayor brenda haLLoran

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INSIDE LAURIER

Laurier Believe 4 Kids is Wilfrid Laurier’s local chapter of the philanthropic orga-nization Believe 4 Kids. The goal of the organization is to increase awareness, raise

funds and enhance the volunteer experience for its members. It is currently affiliated with the Children’s Wish Foundation. The long-term goal of the club is to grant a wish for a child living with life-threatening medical conditions.

Zahra Abdulhusien, Vice President of External Affairs, describes the club’s goal in one simple acronym: ‘FAV’. FAV stands for fundraising, awareness and volunteering, which encompasses the club’s objectives. When I asked Zahra about the purpose of the club, she stated, “We want to make an impact locally, in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, which will allow our members to see firsthand the difference their actions are making.” This year, LB4K was the winner of Laurier Day and achieved much success in informing incoming Laurier students about their cause.

Since LB4K is a school club working towards a social cause, it does not have the necessary funds to implement an extravagant marketing campaign. Social media is an effective and cheap alternative to reach out to the different student groups within Laurier. For LB4K, Facebook is the biggest platform and has proven to be suc-cessful in reaching first and second year students. However, for upper year students, the club relies heavily on word-of-mouth marketing.

Shaurya Saxena, Vice-President of Marketing, stated, “Negative experiences are more likely to have an immediate impact on an audience than a positive one.” When using social media as a tool, it’s important to ensure the results you are receiving help your brand to create awareness.

In the past, LB4K used guerrilla marketing, a low cost marketing strategy that relies on creat-ing buzz creatively to reach its audience, enabling the club to grow tremendously. This year, with the help of Charity Republic, LB4K is moving towards a more uniform approach to creating awareness. According to Shaurya, “To be more effective, the club needs to appear harmonic. Re-organizing all our information into one Facebook page and creating a more generic t-shirt design will ensure that there is no hierarchy within the members.” This new marketing approach will also involve a more interactive iBelieve campaign to increase volunteerism among its members.

LAURIER BELIEVE

4 KIDS BY: MARIA MUSTANSIR Lb4k shares Their eFForTs

and goaLs wiTh The ChiLdren’s wish FoundaTion To inCrease

awareness.

MARKETING FOR A SOCIAL CAUSE

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JeFFrey rosin, presidenT oF Canada board & Ceo serviCes aT korn/Ferry shares his experienCes in The exeCuTive reCruiTMenT indusTry.

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FEATURE

Jeffrey Rosin, President of Canada Board & CEO Services at Korn/Ferry Toronto, is recognized as one of Canada’s foremost pro-fessionals. Korn/Ferry is the world’s largest

executive search firm and a recognized source for talent management. Rosin built his reputation by assisting many of Canada’s top organizations in their search for exceptional leaders. Getting into the headhunting industry was something Rosin had not planned to do initially. Rosin spent the first ten years of his career in the financial service sector and had a career aspiration to become a CFO (Chief Financial Officer). While being approached by executive search firms, he began to consider the headhunting industry after observing and interacting with current industry professionals. Rosin knew the business was right for him once he had joined and realized how well he fit with the firm. When speaking about his integration into the company he said, “The open plan concept allows you to learn so much about how the business is run.” The headhunting industry process is one that most people are not as familiar with. In order to execute a search, Korn/Ferry begins by referring to their internal database. Rosin states that the database is populated with large amounts of information at the start of every search and continues while the search is conducted. Rosin says, “If it is in a particular industry, then we will map out competing companies in the industry and who their key executive would be. We work with our clients and see if they would consider someone from a related industry as well.” This database is also updated if a person comes directly to the company. Korn/Ferry gives them the option of inputting their information and attaching a resume. For professional searches looking to fulfill the positions of CEO and Board members, Rosin looks for certain characteristics. Rosin stated, “On the technical side, we always look for relevant experience.” However, Rosin placed more emphasis on behavioral characteristics such as leadership

and communication. It is important to make sure the potential executive has very strong leadership skills. According to Rosin, “The characteristics of the person should be able to deal with the company dynamics. The company could be in a growth mode, stable environment or a turn around situation.” Rosin also points out that even if a candidate has not necessarily demonstrated skills that the company is looking for in their past, their potential for future achievement is also considered.

He stated, “Research shows that when executives fail, it’s not because of technical competencies but behavioral competencies.” When conducting a search, no special preference is given to internal candidates of a company over external ones. Rosin says, “We use an objective lens to complement what we do subjectively by being in the business.” An internal candidate would go through the same rigorous assessment and interview process. When Rosin was asked if Toronto was a good city to find talent, he mentioned one major factor most companies are looking for – “globality”. Rosin said, “Everyone wants global experience, so people who have been exposed and have done work abroad, or have been responsible for work abroad, are more favorable.” For him, it doesn’t matter where the candidate comes from. All that matters is that they are the best candidate. According to Rosin, the top three languages that will help a candidate land a global position are English, Spanish, and Mandarin. On a more personal front, Rosin mentions that there are no typical days in his position. The most important part of his job is

connecting with people and dealing with sensitive situations. Often times this means frequent travel and meetings that accommodate international time zones. Rosin explained, “You are not often able to have conversations during regular business hours, especially if it is a global search, so you connect with them whenever you can.” Once Rosin has completed his initial search strategy, he begins reaching out to candidates about the opportunity, and builds momentum by putting out a lot of calls.

According to Rosin, “The biggest juggle is between executing and delivering search while developing your business – it takes skill.” Rosin’s greatest personal achievement is building the brand of Korn/Ferry and raising its profile in Canada. Korn/Ferry operates on two main facets of business: executive search and talent management. This includes helping companies develop effective team leadership, succession planning and identifying high potential people within their organizations. Rosin stated, “We believe that this combination of leadership and talent consulting, together with the search at the mid-management level and the executive level is where the business is going.” According to Rosin, the headhunting industry provides a fantastic career. Rosin said, “If you like strategy, you will gain exposure to a number of different industries, have a good sense of who the key players are and you will know who is who in corporate Canada.” There is never a dull day in this business.

Headhuntingfor the World'sTop Executives

BY: MARIA MUSTANSIR

“ReseaRch shows that when executives fail, it’s not because of technical competencies but behavioRal competencies.”

- Jeffrey rosin

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LAURIER ALUMNI IN MARKETING & CORPORATE LAW BY: VICTORIA AMMENDOLIA

As students of Laurier, we all know that WLU produces some very successful and inspirational young professionals. But who are they? Who are the bright, driven

individuals determined to take the business world by storm? Angela Fenwick and Mikelis Vasarais are two Laurier graduates who proudly attribute their success to their education.

Angela Fenwick is currently the Senior Brand Manager of Allergy at Johnson & Johnson Inc. Her brand portfolio includes REACTINE® and BENADRYL®. She studied Business Administration at WLU and specialized in marketing. The main reason Angela chose Laurier above other business schools was for the acclaimed co-op program – this allowed her to keep her options open as she was initially unsure of what she wanted to do with her career. After working for two terms at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Angela decided account-ing was not the field of study for her, as it didn’t play off of her strengths. It was our Marketing Strategy class that intrigued Angela and played a role in her decision to pursue a career in market-ing. Looking back, her most memorable accom-plishments while at WLU were making it to the finals in our infamous Integrated Case Competition, volunteering in the city of Waterloo and receiving a co-op placement.

I am sure you are wondering how Angela became so successful. What steps did she take? After completing her final co-op placement in the marketing department at Unilever, Angela applied for a full time position and worked as an assistant brand manager. She then went back to school to pursue an MBA from Schulich. This led to her career with Johnson & Johnson Inc..

This was not an easy path to travel. One of Angela’s biggest obstacles throughout her career, like most of us university students, was deciding what occupation she wanted to pursue. With so many choices to be made, the co-op program helped Angela narrow down her options.

What is it like working in brand manage-ment? According to Angela, working as a Senior

Brand Manager is essentially like running a business, with multiple cross-functional depart-ments and involves teamwork on an ongoing basis. The most common misconception about brand management is that the majority of the work involved is related to advertising or creating campaigns. In actuality, Brand Managers set the campaign strategy and give advice to firms and agencies about how to carry through effectively. The true focus is on the general management of your business. One of the major challenges when working with various agencies is getting the clarity of your point across. In addition, making sure you help and understand the purpose of each cross-functional group can also be a difficult aspect of the job.

Angela described her working environment at Johnson & Johnson Inc. as, “Fun, but also per-formance driven.” Additionally, because J&J has a respected Credo, Angela brought up the fact that, “It’s nice working for an organization that does hold company values so high.”

In 2011, Angela was the senior brand man-ager on Women’s Health, the team that created the o.b.® Tampon Apology campaign. The campaign reached out to their loyal o.b.® consumers that had been affected by the out of stock situation at shelf. Shortly after its release, the campaign went viral and has since reached over 47 million views. Not only was it one of Fenwick’s most successful campaigns, but also one of her favourite to be a part of. The reason behind this, said Angela, was “Getting the opportunity to be honest with con-sumers.” Furthermore, it was exciting because the overall metrics the advertisement received were tremendously unexpected.

Now what? How do you become success-ful? Angela shared some knowledgeable advice just for us Golden Hawks. The first thing you can do, right out of school and starting a new job, is to keep an open mind and to learn from others. Angela states, “For every success that I have had, there have been a lot of things that haven’t worked out. We all make mistakes – it’s

how you deal with your mistakes that make you better.” Additionally, play to your strengths and be self-aware.

In parting, Angela shares her own philos-ophy, “Don’t be afraid to take risks, and don’t stop yourself from doing something in any aspect of your life just because you are afraid of it. Take chances and whatever is meant to be will shake itself out.” To this day, Angela remembers the wise words that truly resonated with her throughout her career: “Look at things in perspective, when things get overwhelming think, what’s the worst thing that can happen? When you think of things in those terms everything is recoverable.”

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FEATURE

Johnson & Johnson Inc.’s senIor Brand Manager angela FenwIck and assocIate counsel MIkelIs VasaraIs share theIr career paths sInce graduatIng FroM wlu.

Mikelis Vasarais is Associate Counsel at Johnson & Johnson Inc.. He transferred to Laurier after his first year of study at the University of Toronto and was drawn towards Laurier for its community culture – a factor we continue to build upon and take great pride in. While at WLU, he studied political science with the business administration option. “It allowed my creative side to work with my technical side,” said Mikelis. His greatest accomplishments while at Laurier were academic, as well as athletic and WLU community based. They included being a Dean’s List student, as well as building awareness around health, fitness and wellness through WLUSU and at the Athletic Centre.

Mikelis went on to share some of his advice for graduating students hoping to follow on the same career path. Most importantly, he spoke about gaining experience. Companies are always looking for individuals, especially for junior positions, with experience. Unfortunately, many students don’t have the desired experience. He encourages students to volunteer to gain experience if they are unable to gain experience through a paid job. There are endless opportu-nities to get experience by volunteering – like Angela, Mikelis’ road to success was not an easy one. Mikelis achieved great milestones graduat-ing from law school and getting Called to the Bar in 2009. Unfortunately, the Canadian market was amidst the economic recession and the timing for coming into the workforce was not ideal. After 7 years of schooling and Articling, it was a chal-lenge for Mikelis to immediately land a great job. Finally after various legal consulting and pro bono experiences, Mikelis landed his current position at Johnson & Johnson Inc. as Legal Counsel.

As a corporate lawyer for J&J, Mikelis practices primarily in advertising and marketing, which includes competition and privacy law. Some of his day-to-day activities include advising on contests, third party brand promotions, brand use of social media platforms and consumer outreach programs.

Modern, forward thinking and innovative – these were the words Mikelis used to describe the legal environment at J&J. He further describes his position as having to be firm, but also fair.

Mikelis enlightened us on the similarities and differences between working at a law firm versus working as an in-house legal counsel. Working at a law firm provides you with the resources as well as the internal network to reach out to different colleagues with various exper-tise, which is similar to the collaborative culture at J&J. However, this is also the difference. At a CPG company, you need to have an independent external network where you are able to reach out and gain insight and advice. One of the largest misconceptions Mikelis noted about an in-house counsel was that “we work less hours”, which is definitely not the case. Although there is a better work-life balance, it does not necessarily mean there are fewer hours.

When asked what he loved most about his job, he stated, “It’s being constantly challenged by the business, which sometimes requires creative solutions, and coming into work every day not knowing what’s going to land on your desk.” He further described, “One of the greatest things I like about this job is how I personally relate to the core values of the company Credo. The Credo challenges us to put the needs and well-beings of others first, which ties back to how Laurier influ-

enced my career path. It’s important to under-stand the role of the community, to give back and put others above yourself.”

Now, what advice does Mikelis have for those students nearing graduation? When asked what he would tell his 20 year old self, he said, “Expand your horizons, take different classes and challenge yourself. The more you expand your mind, the more it will help you get a job in the fu-ture. Most importantly, don’t be afraid of mistakes. Learning from your mistakes makes you stronger – many of us don’t remember all of our successes, but we do remember the times we should have done something differently.”

As a final piece of advice to Laurier students, Mikelis shares his personal philosophy, “Don’t lose sight of the bigger picture when faced with life’s daily stresses. Imagine a sailboat – you have a goal in mind and want to get from point A to B, but be open to different factors that can influence how you get there. You may not travel in a straight line, but you will eventually get there.”

Angela and Mikelis are two great examples of the type of intelligent, outgoing and deter-mined potential Laurier yields. Their insights and knowledge is sure to enable many of us university students to take a peek into our near futures and hopefully guide us towards our dream careers. After writing about the remarkable accomplish-ments of two of our alumni, I have concluded, and I am sure you will agree, that it truly is great to be a Laurier Golden Hawk.

“Don’t be afRaiD of mistakes. leaRning fRom youR mistakes makes you stRongeR – many of us Don’t RemembeR all of ouR successes, but we Do RemembeR the times we shoulD have Done something DiffeRently.”

- mikelis VAsArAis

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SECURITIESOPERATIONS:One of the many faces of Canadian banking

Investment banking, accounting, trading… we all know about the classic finance jobs, but they are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to careers in the world of finance and capital

markets. Just before Christmas, I sat down to chat with Scotiabank’s Caroline Copto, Senior Manager within Securities Operations in downtown Toronto, to gain insight into some of the behind-the-scenes financial operations of the bank.

To put the role of Securities Operations into perspective, there are two sides – the actual trading of securities the bank engages in and the Securities Operations side. The latter handles the settlement and processing of trades, more commonly known as the “back office” operations, which are critical to ensuring that Scotia’s accounts are settled and in order.

“Basically my team and I are responsible for processing all of the entitlements for our U.S. broker including corporate actions and income. For Canada, we look after all of the reorganizations and corporate actions,” Caroline explains. This means that any corporate actions or re-organizations such as stock splits, takeovers, restructuring of shareholder entitlements such as dividend payouts etc., are processed and settled through this department. Securities Operations

then notifies clients about the resulting impacts on their portfolios.

When it comes down to it, working in Securities Operations requires a broad understanding of various market functions, whether it be reconciling simple trades or keeping pace with more complicated corporate restructurings. Caroline views this as a great benefit of working in the department, especially for recent graduates.

“I always think Securities Operations is a good place because you have to learn a bit of everything. You have to understand how trades and trade settlements work, reconcile and really understand why the firm is out, since you have to fix that. You’re also interacting a lot with the street – you build a good network and make a lot of contacts since you’re dealing with a lot of brokers and different groups. You can get a lot of good contacts internally as well, because you are dealing with different internal departments such as income, settlements and the trading department.”

The broad knowledge base relative in this department is widely applicable to the multitude of other opportunities available in global financial institutions such as Scotiabank.

“There are many different types of jobs and departments at a bank,” Caroline exclaims. “There is Compliance, where you can work in regulation, or Credit that looks after client accounts that use margin calls or are over-margined. The RSP department processes all registered products. The Transfers department looks after clients who choose to switch brokers or when investment advisors move and bring hundreds of accounts with them at one time, along with individual clients. You can move around [as an employee] and learn different things.”

Not only are there a number of job opportunities at such a large bank, many will be relieved to learn that all workdays certainly aren’t spent solely fiddling with numbers. While numbers are certainly the core of any financial institution, there are still numerous ways to be involved with major market transactions without sitting in front of a spreadsheet the entire day.

Caroline elaborates, “Not every job involves numbers at the bank. In my department alone, there are jobs in writing, research and of course, numbers. For example, the plans analyst is responsible for reading the circulars that the lawyers and underwriters write (e.g. regarding corporate actions such as share redemptions or a

we spoke wiTh CaroLine CopTo oF The seCuriTies operaTions deparTMenT aT sCoTiabank, To gain soMe perspeCTive on how baCk-oFFiCe operaTions are key To running Canada's MaJor banks.

BY: VICTORIA CRAIG

14

FEATURE

mergers etc.), complete a condensed notice and then write a letter (basically a bulletin) that gets published to our clients.”

She notes that even for those who process transaction settlements, there is a lot more to it than just counting. When things don’t balance, the team is responsible for determining what’s gone wrong, whether that means following up with certain accounts or chasing brokers to ensure the accounts balance and flatten. “To get there, it’s more than just completing the spreadsheet and saying it’s out of balance – you’ve got to do the work. You’re the one investigating the out-of-balance, doing the entries and ensuring corrections are made, so there’s a lot more to it than just completing spreadsheets.”

So what was it that first drew Caroline into the banking realm? She admits with a laugh that after moving to Toronto from Scotland in her teens, the start of her banking career became attributable to the appeal of a one-minute commute, after realizing how close many retail bank outlets were to her Toronto apartment.

“I started out as a teller,” she notes. “I went from a dental nurse to a teller, at Yonge and Eglinton with TD Bank. I then moved to TD Greenline Investor Services, now known as

TD Waterhouse. That was where TD started their discount broker. After that, I moved into the projects department where I learned a vast amount – I worked on a conversion from one operating system to another. We were responsible for writing the procedures for the operations.” She continues, “I think the first job I really loved was in the projects department, because I was learning so many things and it was fabulous. I was really getting a big picture of how everything worked and it was empowering! I had good bosses that let me grow and they weren’t on my case all the time.”[…] “I think that was when I realized I really liked it.”

As for what’s kept her passionate throughout her career, Caroline asserts, “I like the interaction, letting people work and seeing how they grow. It’s the people management side I really like. I find it very gratifying to see people grow from being brand new at the job to gaining more confidence.” And it’s the people that have made her recent move to Scotiabank a positive one: “I find Scotia has a nice collaborative feel, everybody works together. The teamwork is amazing here and it has a warm feeling – I don’t feel like I’m in a big cold, calculated company.”

After a good few years of hiring, she also

has some requirements and recommendations to share. “You obviously need a certain amount of schooling to do the job and to understand software packages – being computer savvy is good. From there, we basically train you and you learn on the job. For this area, having your CSC (Canadian Securities Course) is ideal, because you learn about the different securities. When you hear things in the office, it won’t seem like a foreign language. I think the CSC really opens a lot of opportunities for students especially on the trading side or the mid-office side. The more front-end jobs ask for your CSC all the time and it’s a requirement in order to be licensed. In essence, if you don’t have it, you’re not getting a job at a trading desk.”

Fortunately, Caroline leaves us with some hope and advice for landing a job that may help us avoid returning to mom and dad’s basement post-grad, “I never look at a transcript and I wouldn’t know a transcript if it hit me between the eyes. For me, you’ve got to present yourself well and be prepared for an interview. We all know you’re nervous, but just try to be yourself and tell the truth, because we can tell when you don’t!”

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A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE OF THE LAURIER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS & ECONOMICSBY: ANDREW GIBBS-BRAVO

andrew siTs down wiTh new dean, MiCheáL keLLy

MEET YOUR DEAN

16

MEET YOUR DEAN

The Undergraduate Bachelor of Business Administration degree is considered by many to be the flagship program offered by Wilfrid Laurier University. In recent

years, the faculty of Business & Economics has undergone several changes including growth in class sizes, expansion of the co-op program and increased undergraduate recognition. However, Laurier remains one of the last major unnamed business schools among Canadian universities. The man responsible for finding Laurier‘s “Richard Ivey” or “Seymour Schulich” is the new dean of the School of Business & Economics – the highly accomplished Micheál Kelly.

Contrary to what one may expect, Dr. Kelly does not come from an academic background in business. Holding a PhD in politics and an MA in international relations, Dr. Kelly worked as a political science professor for a number of years at the University of Ottawa. He then worked for The Department of Foreign Affairs where he ran Canada’s foreign investment program and spent a substantial amount of time working on corporate international strategy. While working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Dr. Kelly was sent on an executive training program for International Business at Columbia University. In regards to this experience, Dr. Kelly jokes, “I probably have the most expen-sive business education in the world.” Using his newly gained experience and interest in business strategy, Dr. Kelly chose to return to his role as a professor at the University of Ottawa and in 2000 and became the Dean for the Telfer School of Management shortly after.

When asked about similarities between his prior experience as Dean for the Telfer School of Management and his new role at Laurier he notes, “Both have vibrant student organizations and leadership initiatives, and both are also very suc-cessful in the JDC competition.” He also comment-ed that one major difference is that Laurier has far more students, yet the atmosphere between the two schools is very similar.

Where the School of Business & Economics is now

The Laurier School of Business & Economics is currently in a very strong position, leaving Dr. Kelly with a positive impression com-ing into his role as Dean.

“I am amazed at the quality of the BBA program; I knew it was a strong program before I came. What makes Laurier really attractive to me is the combination of teaching excellence, experi-ential learning, and the great work that the co-op and career centers do,” Kelly remarks.

Dr. Kelly also commented on the strength of the strategic location of Laurier in an area of technology-driven companies. Waterloo is part of Canada’s “Technology Triangle” and known to be a major centre for technology start-ups. Dr. Kelly credits this success to the joint efforts of Waterloo Engineering students and Laurier Business students. Typically, the University of Waterloo generates the technology side of these companies, while Laurier drives the business side, such as growth and structuring. Moving forward, one of the big initiatives will be an effort to make Laurier’s role more widely recognized.

Laurier has a strong reputation in finance and accounting, but its business portfolio must continuously improve in order to keep up with the

fierce competition in the academic business world. At the moment there is no talk of introducing new programs. However, strong alumni partnerships and geographic relationships have created a great opportunity for entrepreneurial development. This initiative can be extended to other faculties including music and psychology, as students in any area who wish to follow their passion require many business skills to do so.

With regards to the Laurier MBA program, Dr. Kelly believes the move to Toronto was a good decision that helped establish a good position in a very competitive market. While Laurier is known for its dominant undergraduate program in busi-ness, Dr. Kelly believes that for better or worse, an MBA program is a flagship program for a business school. For this reason he said that Laurier must continue to build a solid graduate program in order to complement its undergraduate program.

The Vision for the School of Business & Economics

While the undergraduate business program is well established, Dr. Kelly does not want to simply coast on its success. He stresses that marketing is of huge importance in the short term and students can expect to see Laurier’s media presence increase dramatically. Another important short-term initiative is raising money to support international student exchanges while continuing to support available scholarships.

Dr. Kelly believes that the co-op pro-gram is one of the Laurier’s strongest features. When asked what changes can be expected to the program, he mentioned an increase in co-op opportunities outside of Southern Ontario, including more international opportunities. In order to accomplish this objective, Dr. Kelly hopes to replicate the success he had at Telfer through implementing advisory boards in key geographic areas of interest. Since working at Laurier, he has already established advisory boards in Calgary and Ottawa, and notes that in the future there will likely be a board in New York to accommodate the demand from finance students.

The largest task Dr. Kelly is in charge of is finding a donor after which Laurier will name the School of Business & Economics. While the donation is no small amount and is likely to be in the area of 25 and 30 million dollars, Dr. Kelly said that the real challenge is that you must be selective in choosing whom the school associates with. He further elaborated that there is the issue of who has the means to finance the building and whom you want to be associated with. He referenced certain events that had transpired in America where business schools were forced to change their names, such as the Kenneth Lay Chair of Economics after the notorious Enron scandal. In essence, the school never wants to be in a position where a naming will cause the school public relations aggravation further down the road.

While the new business school will be a large component of attracting promising students, Dr. Kelly said that Laurier Day is also successful in enticing students, as it effectively communi-cates Laurier’s high sense of community and club involvement. He also said that Laurier might pursue MBA rankings in order to further attract undergraduate students despite the independence of the programs.

With the addition of a new business school, an important consideration moving forward is how Laurier will maintain the intimate feel that sets it apart from other competitors such as U of T or Western. While Dr. Kelly believes it would be beneficial to slim the number of students, he indicated that enrollment is a university decision. The main strategy in maintaining personalized ed-ucation at Laurier is increasing advisory capacity and ensuring manageable class sizes.

Laurier has already contributed significant-ly in transforming the Waterloo landscape from a small Mennonite community into a thriving center for technology companies. Under the guidance of Dr. Kelly, Laurier’s School of Business & Economics will continue to expand with international co-op opportunities, strengthen core business courses and build a new business building. His vision for the school is prodigious and his efforts will great-ly benefit current students and alumni.

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QUARRYALAN

BY: VICTORIA CRAIG18

MEET YOUR PROF

CHAIRMAN OF QUARRY INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS INC. AND LAURIER PROFESSOR ALAN QUARRY DISCUSSES ENTREPRENEURSHIP, MARKETING STRATEGY AND WHY HE LOVES MONDAYS.

After completing his BA in English and History at the University of Western Ontario, Alan Quarry sought to be an English and Phys. Ed. teacher. At the time,

the teacher’s market had entered into a down-ward spiral, so he decided to branch out. Quarry landed a position at the TD Canada Trust’s head office marketing department and has not looked back since. He has been recognized as Laurier’s “Entrepreneur in Residence” for two years and is currently the Chairman of Quarry Integrated Communications Inc. (started by his father in 1973). He helped the marketing organization grow from a team of three to currently 80 members. Even with his busy schedule, he still finds the time to run international workshops and teach fourth-year and MBA marketing communications classes here at Laurier. I had the privilege of sitting down to chat with Quarry about marketing, Laurier and why he loves both.

What drew you to marketing?I think marketing is the most fun you can

have with your clothes on... it just is. Everyday is different. You’re trying to figure out what makes people tick, what makes them buy, what makes them behave in certain ways and your job is to try and change that. It has a lot to do with psychology, sociology, and actually, less so with business, so my background in literature and history has turned out to be pretty valuable.

You’ve been the Manager of Corporate Communications at TD Canada Trust and now are the Chairman at Quarry, which focuses on marketing highly engineered goods and services. How do you approach marketing across different industries?

I think it’s all tied together by the customers and trying to understand what moves a customer from being not-interested, into not just interested, but buying. We’re all kind of amateur anthropologists – we’re in some ways brand anthropologists and in other ways we’re customer ethnographers.

What is your preferred industry or a company you’d really like to work with?

I’d say Research in Motion because we have worked with them since 1995 - there were pagers at that point, no one knew what a smartphone was. We’ve been involved with them for 18 years, so of course we’ve seen the growth and we’re going to help them regrow. They’re very smart people – a lot of my former students have been in the marketing department there. Some of my former teammates at Quarry moved from Quarry to RIM, so there are a lot of good personal connections there. It’s just such an exciting brand to work with, because it’s global and it’s local... it’s “glocal”. You can quote me on that!

How did your role as Entrepreneur in Residence at Laurier come about?

I was in a meeting and Steve Farlow, who takes care of the entrepreneurial program for Schlegel, had introduced me to the current “Entrepreneur in Residence” and I had never heard of that before. So I got together with Steve and I said, “How much do I have to pay to be the Entrepreneur in Residence?” He told me I could have it for nothing! So I was the Entrepreneur in Residence for two years and now I’m helping out again down at the Laurier Sandbox with the Launchpad program. I love it. The students that I meet range from BU 111/121 right up to MBA, and the ideas are incredible. I’ve listened to people who are going to be very successful, I don’t know if they’re going to be rich – that doesn’t make a difference, but they’re going to be successful. There is a lot of good social entrepreneurship that comes out of this school.

A lot of students are hesitant about the field of entrepreneurship as it can be daunting and involves a great deal of risk. What advice would you give to students who are interested in entrepreneurship?

Well, no one ever dies. If you’re unsure about being an entrepreneur, everybody survives it, as far as I know. Being a brain surgeon or an astronaut is a hell of a lot more risky. If you want to create your own success story, the odds of you doing that by being entrepreneurial are much higher than if you go into a large organization. Large organizations have an org chart, which kind of looks like a pyramid. Well guess what, they bury people in pyramids. To become an entrepreneur it is a lot of work and it is risky. If you’re not waking up at 3 o’clock in the morning in a cold sweat once every month, you’re probably not doing it right. Yet, that adrenaline rush you get when your ideas start to get traction is unbelievable. It is so rewarding.

What led you to begin teaching at Laurier?What got my foot in the door was a Laurier

professor who called and said, “Our guy who has been teaching BU472 Integrated Marketing Communications for the past 27 years is moving to California, would you like to do it?” It took me about two seconds to say yes and then I was so

scared. It wasn’t until my third term, at the end of my second year that I really started to get it. You know, I wasn’t teaching from the textbook, I wasn’t using overheads or slides so much as I was helping the learning experience happen. I would hate to be a textbook writer in marketing and communications because as soon as you write it, it’s gone, the content becomes so last year, so I hardly use the textbook.

You are both a Laurier professor and an employer that hires Laurier grads, what is your perception of the students in the business program?

I think what I’ve found most is that Laurier business students have a really distinct character and personality. They are focused and know their business content. But they are also builders, they want to contribute, they have very little attitude problems. It sounds like, “Hey I want to do this and I know I’ll do a good job.” I don’t see that from many other schools and we hire from universities all over the place, but Laurier stands out for being very high in pleasant personalities and great work ethic. So the school prepares students very well from a competence point of view, the learning is good, but there is just something, that spark of wanting to help, wanting to build that comes out of this school like I can’t believe. My fourth year students are my favourite. They’ve got wide-open vision; they aren’t quite sure what they want to be yet, but they’re going to be successful. Interviewing people from Laurier, I see sparks, I see live people! I don’t do all the hiring now, but I feel more confident if they come from Laurier, they know their stuff and they’re going to be good people.

The Body Shop founder, Anita Roddick once said, “The world of business has taught me nothing... I honestly believe that I would not have succeeded if I had been taught about business.” How do you think this has influenced you since you came from a different background than a structured business program?

I did take some business courses when I was at Laurier and at Western. I think they increased my consciousness about what business could be, mostly to the negative. If I ever have an organization it’s not going to be out of a business school textbook. Those are companies and companies are soulless and heartless. I would rather have an organization or a team that has a shared respect and shared responsibility and Anita is actually one of my heroes. She wanted to create a community that cared about each other and she did it.

Business schools give you some basics. It helps you work with other business students, form teams, create new ideas and you get to meet some fairly interesting professors. But when you get out into the workforce, no one is going to ask you about “Chapter 12”. I’ve hired hundreds of people and never looked at a transcript. I don’t care. I want to get an idea of the person’s chemistry and curiosity. If they don’t have curiosity I’m not interested in having them on the team. It’s all about discovering new stuff, not what you learned in second year.

What gets you excited for Monday mornings?

Monday’s are my favourite day of the week. Here’s what I say and I post it on my Twitter every Monday morning: “Yay, it’s Monday, I love the smell of new opportunities in the morning.” It’s a spin on a line from “Apocalypse Now”. I used to play football and Monday is like a kick-off. I can’t wait, Sunday nights I’m anxious, like being in the dressing room before a game.

Any last thoughts you would like to share with Laurier students?

Teaching and my work with students here is the most fun I have. I love it. I keep in touch with my students back from the early 90’s. I want to see them succeed and do very, very well!

Follow Alan on Twitter: @aquarry

QUARRYALAN

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LAURIER ALUMNI

Paul Maxwell made the decision to start his own business during his fourth year in Laurier’s Business Administration Program. The day he entered his BU440 “Start a

Business Workshop” course, he knew entrepreneur-ship was the path he would soon endeavor. The foundation of Maxwell’s Music House manifested within the same year.

Five years later, after his graduation in 2007, Maxwell’s Music House sits at 220 King Street North and is Waterloo’s only full service music facility, tripling as a music school, practice space and concert house.

Although the idea began to take shape at Laurier, Maxwell was already a budding entre-preneur before starting university. “The creator of Timothy’s coffee was actually one of my teachers in high school, which was what motivated me to take business courses. That was when I began thinking about starting a business,” says Maxwell.

“By the time I was 23, I had held about 13 jobs at a variety of places,” Maxwell explains. “In that time I learned a lot about what I didn’t like – being told exactly what to do in an almost dic-tatorship-like fashion. I’m much more autonomous and work better when given a lot of freedom. I quickly realized these were very strong character-istics of an entrepreneur.”

In combination with this eclectic resume, Maxwell took a number of entrepreneurial classes at Laurier, further solidifying his decision to start a business.

The choice to incorporate music into his work was only natural considering the role music played throughout his life. “Music was huge. I played piano my whole life, took up guitar in my mid-teens and then started playing in a band when I got to university,” he says. “Our band didn’t have a good space to practice and we spent most of the time setting up and tearing down equip-ment. There needed to be a place for performers to use without the hassle,” he continues. His love for music and apparent void in the market formed the basis for his idea.

Through an in-depth research and plan-ning process, Maxwell developed and brought his ideas to fruition. “Our value proposition – what makes us stand out from the competition – is our unique combination of services. I knew that I wanted to create a space for the community’s performers to practice in, as well as incorporate teaching lessons during the studios downtime,” he explains.

Maxwell developed a love for concerts while playing in a band and eventually added that to his business’ repertoire. He continues, “Putting everything under one roof was our main differentiator when compared to other companies. There are places to see live music, other places to take lessons, and others to jam, but combining all these elements really created value for us.”

The company’s unique model combined with Maxwell’s passion gave him an edge when it came to pitching the business and raising enough capital to get started. “Once you’ve developed all the ideas and done a lot of competitive and customer research, you’ll have a strong business plan,” he says. “After that it was a matter of raising capital. Anywhere you can get money from – banks, investors, family friends - I got it.”

Throughout the process, Maxwell sought guidance from a number of local business profes-sionals. “Mentorship is really important. I found a lot of comfort in learning and taking advice from people who had already been successful in business. Laurier professors were also very inspi-rational,” he says, with specific mention of Laura Allan, first year business professor and now one of his clients.

With enough capital, Maxwell acquired the necessary team to help launch the company. “I found lawyers, realtors, contractors, marketing professionals and employees. By May of 2008 we had our grand opening and here we are 5 years later,” he explains.

Since launching, Maxwell’s Music House has seen tremendous success and growth. The full service facility now offers a number of music courses, open performance space, and manage-ment and recording services. By night, the space doubles as a concert house. “We’ve had more than 1500 concerts since we’ve opened and host con-certs for about 320 days of the year,” says Maxwell.

However, a large part of the waterloo community is made up of students, so what does Maxwell’s do during the [summer] off-season? “We saw a big dip in our music school enrollment and number of concerts during the summer so we found a way to counteract that. We now offer a very popular Rockstar Camp for kids in the summer. Since then, our summers have stayed very busy with about 60 to 100 kids enrolled each year,” says Maxwell of his business strategy.

Downtime seems like a foreign concept to Maxwell as he is also an active member of the Kitchener-Waterloo community, sitting on a

number of boards including the Laurier Alumni Association. “We’ve held over 100 outdoor concerts, hosted over 150 charity events and run a number of partnership programs with different city boards,” he explains. “It’s rewarding to collab-orate with these groups and get nominated con-sistently for awards based on our contributions to the community and the arts,” he notes, also men-tioning his recent nomination for the Corporate Citizenship Award for Junior Achievement for contributions to the community.

Maxwell continues, “My first working title after graduation was, and still is, ‘Founder, President & CEO’. In business school everyone talks about eventually rising up the corporate ladder to reach that point, but I started there. It’s a lifestyle business and I’d like to keep it going for the rest of my life. Why sell something good, right? Especially something that surrounds my passion for music.”

Most of us would agree that doing something we are passionate about and being able to make a living is a future everyone desires. Maxwell offers similar words of advice to budding entrepreneurs: “Think of something you can do for the rest of your life and then find a way to make it profitable - it’s the ‘follow your dreams’ expres-sion with a twist. The great thing about being an entrepreneur is the uniqueness you get with each day. Coupled with passionate work, the combo is unbeatable.”

In hindsight, however, Maxwell admits that there were certain things he would have improved upon if given the chance. “When starting a busi-ness unexpected things happen, so you need to have contingency plans in place. As an entrepre-neur you are stepping into a foreign world full of unknowns – spare yourself some stress and gener-ate a few more dollars so you’re more financially stable,” he advises.

Maxwell’s advice and experience is useful for any student on the brink of graduation – aspir-ing entrepreneur or otherwise – about to take on the workforce.

For more information about Maxwell’s Music House visit their website, www.maxwells-musichouse.ca, Facebook page, www.facebook.com/maxwellsmusichouse, or follow them on Twitter @maxwellsmusic.

Maxwell's Music House BY: LEEZA PECE

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MEET LAURIER’SENTREPRENUERS

Eugene Osei, a third year business student at Laurier, is the co-founder of My Career City – a Career Social Network for students to create, manage, and share their career iden-

tity. MyCareerCity.com is the next generation of career development, networking and the world’s first career social network.

What made you want to start a business that deals with career management, specifically geared toward students?

When I was in twelfth grade, I went through the process of deciding which universities and programs to apply for, which proved to be a very stressful experience. I knew that many other stu-

dents faced the exact same problem, so I wanted to develop a solution that would help students not only through the admissions process, but more importantly, through the career decision making process. Now in university, I have combined my business background with my passion for career development to help students on a larger scale.

What is the most important thing you considered when deciding on your career in entrepreneur-ship?I am motivated to solve the big challenges in the world and entrepreneurship gives me the ultimate freedom to go about doing so. This is what drives me: the opportunity to have a big impact on the world by creating innovative solutions.

What should people consider when starting a business or choosing a career path?Finding a career that is right for you is not the end-point, but the beginning of your career jour-ney. You have to manage your career development throughout your entire life. Follow your passion, pursue what you love wholeheartedly, and master your craft. I can say with complete confidence that when you pursue your passion you are investing in lifelong happiness.

What do you think is the most important trait an entrepreneur must have to be successful?An unwavering ability to embrace all obstacles you encounter.

Eugene Osei

BY: KATIE PUFALL

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WLU ENTREPRENEURS

Alex Marshall, a third year business student at Laurier, is the Chief Creative Officer of George Briggs Media Corporation. His company helps businesses establish and

market their brands through commercials and other filmed productions. Alex and his team of three others creatively communicate their clients’ stories and vision to their respective target markets.

What struggles and challenges did you face in the upstart of George Briggs Media?

It’s usually not a problem that many new businesses have, but managing growth was our greatest concern. Our problem was ensuring our direction was focused in the right manner. There was so much energy from starting out at a fast pace that it was a challenge to ensure we were not taking too much on at once. Keeping that on track while still being in school was incredibly difficult but time-management was key in balanc-ing the two.

Do you think that it is important to have both business and non-business skills when running your company?

Absolutely. One of the things that make us unique is our ability to understand the business world while retaining our creative background. This allows us to come up with a creative direc-tion for a campaign, while also guaranteeing that it has the desired return on investment and that it delivers value to the client. All of these aspects must be in balance in order for George Briggs Media to operate successfully. As well, the ability to combine business and the arts in my venture

allows me to communicate effectively to people in both sectors and be the intermediary between them.

People are often hesitant in starting their own business. Do you have any words of wisdom for them?

Dive in. This is the best time to start a business and the best way is to just jump in and start answering the questions. Do not be afraid to start and figure it out as you go. It is a learning process. Where we were a year ago at George Briggs is entirely different than where we are today. We started as a productions company and now we are more focused on advertising and creating content to tell the stories of our clients. We are constantly solving problems and learning as we encounter new challenges. There is never an “ideal” time to start a business – you just have to go for it.

Alex Marshall

Dave InglisDave Inglis, a recent Laurier graduate,

is one of the creators of Concussion Toolbox. His business promotes concus-sion awareness by providing healthcare

professionals and sport organizations with the tools to implement a comprehensive concussion management program.

How did you decide that starting a business was something you wanted to pursue?

I have always desired autonomy in a job and the ability to lead a team in an unrestrict-ed environment. I joined a program for science entrepreneurship, which made me realize that I had the opportunity to start a business. I gained significant support and confidence after placing 2nd in the Laurier Entrepreneurship Competition and winning the Ontario Center of Excellence Experiential Learning Competition with my venture idea. This helped fund the upstart of Concussion Toolbox and gave me the assurance I needed to believe in my idea wholeheartedly.

How do you plan on expanding your business over the next year?

Over the next few weeks we plan on releasing the Concussion Toolbox iPad application on the App Store for coaches and health profes-sionals to purchase. In 2013 we will continue to

develop and scale our Baseline Camps to sport organizations across Ontario and British Columbia.

What do you love most about your current posi-tion with Concussion Toolbox?

Having had a number of concussions myself, it is a pleasure to spread awareness to others and donate some of the proceeds from our workshops to charities, such as Sport Legacy Institute, that support injury awareness. I also have the chance to interact with many experts in the field and hear of their own experiences. I love being the dumbest person in the room. It is a humbling experience and it continuously pushes me to learn from people who are more knowl-edgeable in the field. If everything does not work out, which is completely possible when starting a new venture, I have still motivated myself to develop an outstanding network and transferrable skills that I can apply in any other venture.

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Accounting In Action

BY: HAYDEN MOFFAT

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CLUB PROFILE

It is rare to come across someone at the Laurier School of Business and Economics that hasn’t heard of the Laurier Accounting Association (LAA). The 2011/2012 SBESS Club of the Year

recipient boasts the largest member base of any club in SBE and provides students with unique networking opportunities with employers in the field of accounting. The ever-expanding exec-utive team has recently begun to hire outside the borders of SBE, extending opportunities to other faculties at Laurier. According to President Christopher Edey, “We [LAA] really want to engage students who are minoring in business and economics.”

The LAA provides many basic services for their members. There is a twenty-dollar mem-bership fee, which buys a student membership for a full academic year. There are many benefits included with the membership fee. For example, students receive 100 business cards, which may provide an advantage in interviews or when attached to resumes. In addition, students receive free admission to LAA hosted events, such as the annual Co-op Dinner, as well as preferential pric-ing for external events and workshops.

Throughout the academic year, the LAA hosts many impressive events in an effort to expose members to the endless possibilities in the accounting field. One particularly renowned event in the business community is the Co-op Dinner that takes place in the fall term. This event places students and employers in a setting where they can network and build connections for co-op terms. This year’s Dinner was geared toward second year students who were to enter their first work term this coming summer. In the future, Chris wishes to have the night expanded into two nights. Without any advertising the event was able to sell out in just a few days and was deemed a success by both employers and students. This

success can be attributed to the steady stream of jobs being pumped out by Laurier’s excellent co-op program.

Another event that looks to be a major success is the Tax Clinic, where a Certified General Accountant (CGA) comes in to train members of the LAA on the basics of conducting tax returns. After these members are trained, they proceed to take in the student body’s taxes and formulate a tax return for them. A major differentiator for this event, compared to other LAA events, is its open invitation to the entire student body, not just students in the SBE. This open event looks to help blur the lines between faculties at Laurier.

The LAA also hosts several charity events throughout the academic year, with the proceeds benefitting the Jennifer Ashleigh Children’s Charity. In the fall term, there was a dodgeball tournament hosted by the LAA, SOS and the LMA (Laurier Marketing Association), which proved to be a major success. This tournament consisted of 20 teams of students from all areas at Laurier. The LAA also hosts an open mic night and silent auc-tion in the winter term for charitable reasons. In the past these events have had great attendance and enthusiasm from participants.

Looking into the future, the LAA will have numerous positions opening up on its execu-tive team next year. With Chris moving out of presidency, there will be two spots opening up for co-president positions. In addition, the LAA is looking to create its own case competition here at Laurier. There is currently an LACC and LAA case competition, but Chris would like to implement its own competition strictly hosted by the LAA; he would also like to incorporate a networking component into the case conference. There is also the possibility for collaboration with the Career Centre in regards to resume building for LAA members.

When asked if Chris had any motivational words for students coming to Laurier, he advised, “Don’t be shy. Get involved in what interests you.” He went on to mention that it’s important to join something that both engages and challenges you and advises against joining something for the sole purpose of adding it to a resume. When asked about the importance of financial literacy, Chris believes that, “Any financial background should be required.” With that statement, Chris works hard everyday to ensure the members of the LAA are well connected to the financial world.

laurIer accountIng assocIatIon and theIr coMMItMent to the sBe

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A COMMUNITY OF TECHNOLOGYIf one were to Google “technology in Waterloo”,

one of two important hits would be displayed – the first being a link that reads: “Waterloo Region Economic Development – Canada’s

Technology Triangle” (CTT). CTT Inc. is a part-nership that markets the region of Waterloo to the rest of the world, while linking the cities of Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge, and the town-ships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich. They are a resource for companies looking to locate or conduct business in the region by providing complimentary services such as access to economic data, and introductions to professional networks and individuals. Think of it as a tour guide with benefits such as Confidential Itineraries, Available Site and Building Information, and Statistics and Regional Research. They are that organization and yes, everything is complimentary. However, there are only so many services “free” can provide.

The second hit is “Communitech” – a Waterloo-based incubator for tech firms. Across the top of their webpage, the streamer reads: “We

help tech companies start, grow, and succeed”. Communitech started off as a group of local executives who gathered for informal meetings to discuss and share ideas, opinions and knowledge. The root of Communitech’s name represents a community of individuals with a common goal focused on technology – one and one together forming the name for the organization. Communitech also has a strong history of prominent members. Originally founded by 40 companies in 1997, members of Communitech included Jim Balsillie from RIM, Tom Jenkins from OpenText and Ron Neumann from Maplesoft. A decade later, Communitech has grown its member network to approximately 1,000 technology companies – all of which are strong and continue to grow.

Behind the wheel is CEO, Iain Klugman. His background is broad, to say the least. In his past, Klugman was once the Executive Director of Communications for CBC and Director of Global Branding and Advertising for Nortel. He also submersed himself in roles at the Privy Council

Office and Industry Canada. “I love running the show, that was something that is core to who I am,” says Klugman. In person he radiates enthusiasm and spirit, being an entrepreneur himself. Klugman has a genuine passion and interest in how technology impacts society, business models and market opportunities. To this day, he recalls the best piece of advice he’s ever gotten: “Good is good enough…perfection is the enemy of getting things done.”

Communitech supports businesses at every stage in their life cycle, ranging from start-ups to multi-million dollar firms like Google and Desire2Learn. Early stage businesses receive one-on-one, hands-on and day-to-day coaching from the Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIRs) – a pool of knowledgeable and experienced entrepreneurs who have launched their own successful businesses. There are a total of 10 EIRs that coach businesses on product validation, market validation, market strategies, fundraising and raising capital. Together, EIRs and clients tackle challenges and deconstruct the factors in making

BY: DANIEL CHEN

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COMMUNITY

strategic decisions. They respect the autonomy of an owner’s decision, but are not scared to tell their clients how they feel.

“We tell the truth around here – we talk to our start-ups and we give them the truth. We tell them what we think and sometimes they like it, while others will leave and say, ‘You’re wrong and I’m going to show you.’ But some of them don’t – some of them listen,” says Klugman.

Communitech refers to these people as ‘un-coachable’ – CEOs and entrepreneurs who know everything – but they are welcomed back if they ever discover areas of ambiguity they wish to discuss.

In the past, one of Communitech’s major challenges was building their brand. To build credibility and reputation, Communitech focused on delivering value to every client through mentoring, networking and professional alliances. Every day became a continuous process of improvement measured on their ability to “stay relevant and valuable” to their clients. With so many prominent names associated with Communitech, they emphasized the importance of building relationships and working hard.

“There are no shortcuts… the start-ups that are successful are people who work extraordinarily hard and are nice. Being nice means you have the skills to build effective relationships and networks. Working hard means you are going to make your own luck.”

Their mandate is to provide support, along with their own candid recipe for success. The goal is to get from point A to point B as fast as possible, while recognizing that the pace increases each step of the way. In 2012, Communitech and its partners implemented a new incubator program named HYPERDRIVE, an annual program that utilizes $30 million to transform 30 start-up organizations from “Seed” to “Series A” businesses within 24 months. Firms apply online, provide detailed answers to questions, and create team videos and a website. They are then later reviewed, screened and interviewed by a Selection Committee. The program focuses on the start-up’s support structure. Klugman says, “As an entrepreneur, it’s important to recognize all the facets which come together to make an idea work: What is the market you are going after? Can you get into that market? And how are you going to win in that market?” Often times it comes down to innovation or death.

One of the mediums used to facilitate programs and innovation is the Communitech Hub. Officially opened in 2010 and expanded in 2012, the Communitech Hub is essentially 44,000 square feet of innovation. What used to be the British Commonwealth’s largest tannery is now an open invitation for entrepreneurs, multinational companies, academic institutions and even students to take part in workshops and discussions in Canada’s largest Peer2Peer

network. With the help of Ontario’s $26 million contribution and tech firms like RIM and OpenText, the Hub has become one of the numerous “nodes” that make up the Canadian Digital Media Network – an initiative founded in 2009 that connects entrepreneurs to each other and to international markets with the ambition to accelerate Canada’s digital economy. As Dalton McGuinty once said, “The Waterloo Region is Canada’s most important tech cluster.”

Klugman has one takeaway message. He wants students to recognize that they are part of the Communitech Network too – resources are available to students at Laurier. It surprises him that students are unaware of to the tools in front of them, with opportunities lined up like dominos. At the Hub, Communitech has space reserved for Laurier students next to RIM and Google, to introduce and integrate young entrepreneurs with big players. Workshops and events at the Hub are free to students, and they offer a colourful spectrum of job opportunities for co-op and full time employment. Check out the website to sign up!

waterloo-Based coMMunItech ceo, IaIn klugMan, shares hIs adVIce and experIences as a

Full-tIMe entrepreneur

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