Startup Slam | Talk to an Expert Sign Up

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Talk to an Expert gives you the unique opportunity to speak to founders, investors, and industry experts in a small group and ask questions about how to found a startup or how they built their career. Through these small, friendly Q&A sessions you'll get to know industry experts and make the connections you'll need to take your ideas and career to the next level! Whether you're a student, a pro, or looking to explore tech as a career, make sure you take advantage of this!

Each Talk to an Expert session has a limit of 10 participants so be sure to register early for the sessions you want to attend! You can use the form to select your sessions, as well as submit any questions you might want to ask anonymously. The session moderator will ask any questions submitted through this form.

Check out our experts and their bios below, then select what session time you'd like to meet them. Each expert has two time slots. If a time slot isn't visible it's already full! You can also register during Startup Slam on October 3 by visiting the info booth in the virtual expo hall.

Make sure that you're registered here to take part in all the fun on October 3 👉 https://startup-slam-2020-tickets.eventbrite.ca

*** If you need to cancel your Talk to an Expert session please contact us via startupslam [at] sendwithus [dot] com ***

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Sam Fraser, UX Designer & Researcher, Workday

Sam Fraser is a UX Designer and Researcher at Workday, moderately-crazy cat mom, and wife to an astronomer. She's had 14 addresses in 3 countries since 2004, and this is her third time living in Victoria. Currently focused on conversation design for virtual assistants, Sam puts her creativity into developing new ways of communicating - working to ensure all users can be heard.

Sam - Time Slot

Questions for Sam?

Margaret Gauthier, Product Manager, Pixel Union

Margaret Gauthier has had a variety of roles in the tech space over the last five years! Margaret started as a front-end developer, soon became a Certified Scrum Master and helped transition her team to an agile mindset. Having experienced a taste of product management, Margaret became a Certified Product Owner and took on the mantle of Product Manager. Margaret finds product management very rewarding, loving the challenge of finding ways to delight customers while working towards a product vision. When not writing up business cases or updating the roadmap, Margaret is actively working with the delivery teams to discover or talk with stakeholder groups to make sure the right problems are being solved. Margaret is happy to chat about change management, remote culture, and the journey from a role in development to one in product management!

Margaret - Time Slot

Questions for Margaret?

Connor Munro, Lead Developer, Pixel Union

Connor has been working within the Shopify platform for the past 9 years, about 7 of those with Pixel Union. He has worked with clients big and small, as part of an Agency and as a freelancer. He has run and sold his own Shopify theme business (releasing a single theme into the marketplace). He is currently very excited by headless e-commerce, good 1:1s, and pair programming.

Connor - Time Slot

Questions for Connor?

Maryam Sheikh, Engineering Manager, Dyspatch

Maryam is a former Software Engineer and currently working as Engineering Manager at Dyspatch. She's had over a decade of experience working with startups of all stages in a variety of industries including finance, advertising, AI and IoT. The points of focus that she's most keen on are automation, scalability and engineering culture. She's also passionate about diversity and inclusion in tech, work-life balance and personal development. Chat to her about any of the above, nature, dogs or if you want a killer sandwich recommendation.

Maryam - Time Slot

Questions for Maryam?

Jamie Geiger, Director of Advertising Operations, Redbrick

Jamie Geiger has spent the past 15 years aligning business development, technology, and online marketing to help businesses achieve scale.

Jamie joined Assembly as a fledgling startup, leading overall operations before focusing on revenue strategy and execution as Director of Advertising Operations.

Utilizing a blend of advertising technology and data to build strong relationships with industry-leading ad-exchanges and partners around the world, Jamie has helped Assembly drive more than 6 billion ad impressions annually to a fleet of owned and operated publications, leveraging industry-leading proprietary technology.

Jamie - Time Slot

Questions for Jamie?

Annabel Youens, CMO & Founder, Appreciation Engine

A CMO Based in Victoria, BC. As employee #11 at Abebooks.com, one of the largest and earliest online marketplaces, she worked across all aspects of marketing, communications, product development and website usability. After moving to New Zealand, Annabel used this role as a starting point to build her community-building consultancy and dive into what creates “good” culture. Appreciation Engine is her second startup with her husband Jeff, and her responsibilities range from culture building to communications, to strategic partnerships and customer success. Annabel believes that successful companies look after their people, who in turn support and grow the business.

Annabel - Time Slot

Questions for Annabel?

Rob Bennett, Chief Operating Officer & Program Director, VIATEC

Rob has been involved in multiple local tech companies as a software developer, founder, investor, mentor and coach. He’s also participated in various community organizations and boards, always with a keen eye to community and economic development. Though Rob started in the technical track, he quickly learned how it’s people that make the difference.

Rob has been working with VIATEC in different roles for over 15 years, alongside a team of passionate people supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in tech companies. His current role is Chief Operating Officer and Program Director, assisting entrepreneurs with the development of their start-up and early stage companies through a variety of events, programs and resources, most notably the VIATEC Accelerator Program.

Rob - Time Slot

Questions for Rob?

Ania Wysocka, Founder of Rootd

Ania is founder and creator of Rootd, a mobile app for panic attack and anxiety relief she has grown to help over 400,000 users in over 150 countries. Ania is also Program Director at Alacrity Canada, where she created and leads a Digital Marketing Bootcamp in partnership with the BC government to help hundreds of individuals and small businesses across the Province.

Entrepreneurial by nature, with a strong sense for effective design and cross-cultural communication, Ania has been selected as a “30 Under 30” by BC Business, a Forbes 30 Under 30 Finalist, and one of “20 Women Entrepreneurs to Watch” by Founders Fund. Rootd has been named one of the "best apps for anxiety" by Healthline, Cosmopolitan, and Women’s Health, and was featured in the Time Magazine special edition: The Age of Anxiety.

Ania - Time Slot

Questions for Ania?

Alex Dawes, Founder & Virtual CFO, Virtual CFO Solutions

Alex started her accounting career working in public practice in Victoria, BC focusing on Canadian and cross border tax. She eventually moved into a senior role with a virtual accounting firm where she found her passion in helping startups. Since then, Alex founded the company, Virtual CFO Solutions, and has been helping startups and small businesses with all things finance! Her focus is on Victoria based businesses but can work with companies across Canada on a remote basis

Alex specializes in implementing efficient processes with cloud-based apps, preparing for financing raises, and developing forecasting tools for companies in need of strategic and financial planning. With the way the world is heading, Alex believes there is a huge need for modernized financial systems and processes for startups looking to grow and take their business to the next level.

Alex - Time Slot

Questions for Alex?

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