Meet Cole Parry, a fourth-year Bachelor of Commerce Co-op student. Born in Calgary and raised in Toronto. Cole chose to attend Dalhousie because he wanted a new adventure and because of the allure of the program’s mandatory co-op element.
Cole’s first year at Dalhousie coincided with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and the isolation protocols of the time. During the pandemic, he completed his first co-op with CIBC’s Wood Gundy branch in Toronto, where he worked as an intern with multiple wealth management teams. During this time, Cole was offered a full-time position for the remainder of the year, and despite slightly delaying his studies as a result, he accepted knowing it was an incredible opportunity. Cole completed his second co-op the following summer as a Business Development Associate at White Whale Analytics, a Calgary-based AI and data analytics startup, where he worked for a total of 10 months. “Across these diverse co-op experiences, I gathered many key lessons in business, strategy, and technology that will stick with me. I also was able to learn how instrumental it is to stay on top industry developments rather than be forced to play catch-up.”
Most recently, Cole completed his third co-op this past summer by doing an Entrepreneurial Work Term (EWT), during which he served as a Founding Partner for his own entrepreneurial venture at Coachman’s Research. “I decided to pursue an EWT because I was already running my own business while taking classes. It seemed like an incredible opportunity to take my venture full-time with credit.”
The company initially started out as a daily newsletter selling ads in April 2022. After attending the 2022 Collision Conference, his team was introduced to the concept of marketing for publicly traded companies. More recently, the company expanded into custom generative AI models for financial content creation. “The original inspiration came from my partners and I studying various financial principles during the pandemic and wanting to share our knowledge with peers.” Coachman’s Research currently operates though three main areas: advertising, issuer marketing, and generative AI, where his previous co-op experiences have really come into play and aided his venture.
Throughout his experience during his EWT, Cole learned firsthand how difficult yet rewarding it is to start and sustain a business. “I gained appreciation for the taxing process of a bootstrapped startup, learned the need for constant innovation, and how to balance growing a company with the other responsibilities of a student.”
For students considering an EWT or launching a business, here is Cole’s advice for you:
- Take the risk to discover more about yourself and your passions.
- Begin formulating ideas early so you can hit the ground running.
- Don’t be afraid of setbacks and learn from failures.
Cole adds that those who are interested in entrepreneurship, business, or the markets can reach out to him, and he would be happy to share his experience.
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