Al Del Degan Hosts Zac Novak (Careers in Tech and Innovation) on the LIBI Podcast

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta.The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.

Al Del Degan I have been involved in software development for more than 25 years. I have started companies, lead companies and worked for companies - doing many different things. I am honored to be considered a leader in Alberta's innovation ecosystem, and I give back as much, and often as I can. When I am not working or podcasting, you will find me pursuing my passions of photography, crypto investing, and wood working along with the occasional round of golf.

Zachary Novak Zachary is focused on building shared learning experiences that empower others to reach their potential. His approach is focused on continuous discover, shipping often, and testing / iteration. He started his career in investment banking, advising senior management teams on over $30 billion of strategic financial transactions. Zac held increasingly progressive roles at several large multinational banking institutions including BMO Capital Markets, Barclays Capital and Macquarie Capital. Post investment banking, he worked at Tervita, an environmental waste company. During his tenure at Tervita, he executed a $2 billion reverse take-over acquisition taking the company public on the Toronto Stock Exchange. He worked directly with senior management and the board to help negotiate and execute the transaction, including raising a $250 million US bond issuance and communicating the merits of the transaction to the institutional investor community. Through his time in finance, Zac was recognized by his peers for being a team player: focused on mentoring fellow colleagues, organizing social experiences to enable bonding, and a curiosity to find solutions to the people problem’s in the business. Post finance, Zachary followed a passion for technology. He completed a full stack developer training that equipped him to architect and code his own web applications. Combining his experience in technology and business, with his focus on empowering others, Zachary joined Actionable, an organizational behaviour change technology company focused on conversations and habit building. At Actionable he built the product function as the Director of Product. He led product discovery and execution, and acted as the bridge between the user, business and engineering team. Outside of work, Zachary has focused on community building for the charitable sector. Founding Cancer Crusher, a community event series that raises funds for local cancer charities. He and his team have raised over $150,000 for cancer charities, and have been recognized in the Globe and Mail (Canadian national newspaper). He also likes to spend time supporting the local innovation community, with a focus on helping others find career fulfillment by either pivoting or growing their careers in technology. Zachary has earned degrees in both engineering and business, from the University of Western Ontario and Richard Ivey Business School, respectively, graduating with distinction.

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Show Resources

• Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action
• Best marketing strategy ever! Steve Jobs Think different / Crazy ones speech

Show Summary

Zac is a leader in Calgary's innovation ecosystem. He has pivoted his career multiple times, and his goal is to help others do the same. This episode has some of the best information on how to figure out what you want to be when you grow up, and how to pivot. Plenty of great resources in the show notes as well to help people as they figure out their "why"

Show Quote:

"Although you need to figure out your inner "why" and what is going to motivate you and trust the process, you do quite a bit of double-takes. "

"I got this flood of people wanting to connect with me... I did a full day of back-to-back, like a nine hour day of back-to-back meetings giving people advice. "

"Leadership is someone who is trying to make a positive impact by empowering others."

Credits...

This Episode Sponsored By: Community Now! Magazine

Episode Music: Tony Del Degan

Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan

System Engineering Sponsor: Kris Chase - PODMaster 2020