Topics

Learning to walk, wirelessly

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:39:04 -0700

by Tony Wanless

Recently, Ascalade Communications Inc., a Richmond maker of digital wireless and communications products, filed for bankruptcy protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act.

Ascalade – which makes wireless phones and other devices – was one of the bigger players in a B.C. wireless scene that’s been exploding of late, with an ever-increasing number of competitors. While it appears Ascalade’s troubles are bigger than those of its competition, they are emblematic of the sector.

Changing the game

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:52:55 -0700

by Tony Wanless

From the traditional sales encounter to "consultation."

Great big Canuckle-head

Thu, 22 May 2008 10:17:38 -0700

by Tony Wanless

A big bomb dropped on the sports pages recently when it was revealed that the Vancouver Canucks hockey team was talking to a consulting company about providing statistical analysis to the team. Jokes aside, old die hard hockey fans rolled in their graves, or on their couches if their sticks are still on the ice, at the news.

But, let's face it, hockey is a business. In fact it's a very big business – any operation with a $45-million payroll is not some simple mom and pop shop.

Who's your city?

Thu, 15 May 2008 17:00:10 -0700

by Tony Wanless

Vancouverites can be real navel gazers sometimes, and their treatment of the concept of Cascadia proves it.

Cascadia is the name given to the area stretching north from Portland to Vancouver and, east to Alberta and Washington and Oregon states. There's even a group around that promotes the concept that Cascadia is a specific region with a different culture from the rest of North America (it’s very outdoorsy and environmentally aware).

My old friend Peter

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:38:57 -0700

by Tony Wanless

This past winter, my old friend Peter Thomson, a proverbial lover of wine, women and song if ever there was one, died suddenly. I felt a grief that was shared by hundreds if not thousands of Vancouver businesspeople who had also been touched by him.

For 17 years, Peter was the Director of the BCIT Venture Development Centre (VDC), the oldest entrepreneur training operation in BC – and to my mind still the best. In that role he inspired, guided, and trained hundreds of would be entrepreneurs.

Talent grab

Thu, 01 May 2008 16:48:31 -0700

by Tony Wanless

Today, for the first time in generations, there are more jobs than there are people.

Up the capital ladder

Thu, 01 May 2008 13:44:45 -0700

by Tony Wanless

The B.C. government has finally announced the launch of its BC Renaissance Capital Fund. The concept is that the government will seed—with $90 million over five years—a large slush fund to assist B.C. technology, clean-tech, life sciences and new media companies at critical points of their lives.

But the fund's structure is causing much confusion and some cynicism among people who apparently don't have a clue about how venture capital works. For instance, a sticking point among many is that the fund will provide money to six venture capital firms, most of who have little to do with B.C.

Man of the north

Thu, 01 May 2008 11:44:13 -0700

by Tony Wanless

In 30 years, he's ascended to the uppermost stratum of world business.

As a youth, Tom Albanese fled a small industrial New Jersey town for Alaska. Albanese, now 50, is the first American CEO of the venerable London-based mining giant Rio Tinto PLC, which last year took over Alcan Inc. in a $38-billion deal. He went to university in Fairbanks, Alaska, for degrees in mineral economics and mining engineering.

A berth in the majors

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:36:00 -0700

by Tony Wanless

Every year hundreds of new B.C. companies start up with a hope of someday building a list of major-league clients. But for many, especially in B.C., that A-list never happens. It’s a small-business province, and many businesses remain stuck on the small-business-client track.

Occasionally, though, a company does break out of this trap and becomes a market leader. One such company is Verrus Mobile Technologies Inc.

The one-foot wave

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:52:00 -0800

By Tony Wanless

Service businesses are typically feast or famine, and that’s especially true among the more creative services. But that hasn’t stopped thousands of dreamy entrepreneurs from leaping into their own businesses based on a particular skill or expertise.