Finding out what makes the economy tick

Professional and Corporate
Written By Stuart McNish

Guest: David Williams (executive at a business council)

David Williams does everything. Or at least, it seems like he does. In his role at the Business Council of British Columbia, he has to talk and listen to all groups of people, depending on the issues of the day. To know what is going on, he has to read all the time – what experts are saying, what business leaders are saying, and what data is out there. It’s his job to find out what makes the economy tick.

Watch more episodes
Leading British Columbia’s public automotive insurance corporation
Leading British Columbia’s public automotive insurance corporation

For anyone who lives in British Columbia, everyone knows the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), the Crown corporation that handles public auto insurance. As its leader, Jason McDaniel is tasked with balancing insurance coverage with affordability – in fact, he sees affordability as his top concern. That means having a very lean team and having work on his mind beyond the normal office hours. His path to his role is not straight, but it was the result of simply giving opportunities a chance when they came.

Read More →
Leading and running an artificial intelligence company
Leading and running an artificial intelligence company

What does it mean to lead an artificial intelligence company? For Louis Dron, CEO of Redwood AI, it means everything – helping his company and workers get grants, fundraising, making sure the technology works, and more. While his team is small, it is also heavily networked with universities, academics, and government agencies. Much like the industry itself, his role requires constant innovation.

Read More →
Using empathy to succeed in the nonprofit and business world
Using empathy to succeed in the nonprofit and business world

Can “encourager” be a job? For Joe Roberts, that is how he sees himself in a world full of change and uncertainty. In his Push For Change Foundation, he seeks to better protect kids so they don’t fall through the cracks. And he isn’t just all talk – he draws on his own struggles with being a homelessness youth in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. On top of his foundation, he also does public speaking at conferences, where he uses his empathy to understand how to speak to each audience.

Read More →
Entrepreneurship and politics: it’s about the people
Entrepreneurship and politics: it’s about the people

Being a politician isn’t easy. According to Yuri Fulmer, it means a lot of travelling and talking to people face-to-face. As a candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, it is vital for him to get to know the people he seeks to represent – no matter where in BC they live. While this is a tall task for anyone, this was not something Yuri thought he’d do, while growing up in Australia. What started as a 3-week journey in Canada ended up being 34 years – starting with a humble job at A&W, he learned how to lead through franchising a location in New Westminster and developed the entrepreneurship skills that shaped who he is today.

Read More →
Stuart McNish
Previous

A “survive at all costs” approach to business
Next

Becoming one of Canada’s burn and wound experts