Digital Disruption

I’ve been working at the forefront of the Internet for the past 15 years helping clients embrace the transformational power of the Internet to drive their businesses forward. Today I’m even more passionate about this transformational power of Digital than I was 15 years ago — In my personal opinion it’s one of the most significant agents of change we’ve ever experienced and it’s at the center of the most profound global convergence of brands, businesses, technology, markets, people and communities that we witness today and I strongly believe that it will continue to be a significant agent of change tomorrow and into the future. It now extends way beyond e-commerce or marketing or communications or social media or mobile. It has shaken up industries, transformed the World as we know it and has brought us all much closer together.

After spending the past four years leading Organic‘s Toronto office and growing the business fourfold, it’s time for me to re-embrace this passion within me and embark on a new entrepreneurial quest.

I’ve just founded JazLabs, Inc, – a 21st century digital consultancy & idea incubator which has at it’s core openness, transparency, collaboration, story-telling and an empathy-based approach to solving today and tomorrow’s business and marketing challenges. A company at the intersection of the global conversation between brands and people; powered by social business design. More specifically, think of Jazlabs as a new business incubator at the intersection of business, technology, markets, people and community. Contact us to find out more and to become part of the JazLabs ecosystem.

What’s driving me forward? What makes me tick? Let’s look back at my personal journey so far …

A degree in math and computer science and a love of analytics got me into derivatives trading where I discovered my addiction to constant change and innovation, my love of technology, my passion for understanding people and how their beliefs, values, perceptions, fears and greed transform markets. It’s where I nurtured a sense of urgency and an impatience to achieve results. In other words, It was an excellent training ground for working in the digital space.

In 1994, I witnessed the Internet over a 300 baud dial-up connection; I was instantly smitten and thought, “this will change the world.” So I founded my own interactive agency, with BMW as my first client. In 1996 I sold my business and moved to North America, and to Modem Media where I established and grew their account services practice, then I migrated to Wunderman. As VP, Interactive, I built Wunderman Canada‘s digital practice and subsequently sold the services across the Wunderman network in North America and Europe, working on brands like Ford, AT&T and Citibank. I then became SVP in New York, leading a global team responsible for IBM’s interactive marketing across major markets in North America, Europe and Asia.

I missed working exclusively on digital, so I joined Blast Radius’ Toronto office as Managing Director. While there I opened and grew their Chicago office, focusing on driving business in Eastern Canada and the Central US. In 2005, I became the head of Organic’s Toronto office. Since then, we grew fourfold in size and service three of Organic’s largest global clients—Chrysler, Nike and Bank of America. I also became the publisher of Organic’s industry-insider blog, http://threeminds.com

I think of myself as a collaborator, cross-pollinator, experimenter, connector, doer, entrepreneur and builder. That’s what living digitally does to you, makes you think not just outside of the box but across boxes and borders, calling up the sum of your knowledge and experience.

If this has peaked your interest and you need some help exploring and developing an interesting idea that will transform your company and/or industry, please don’t hesitate to reach out and work with me.

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