Alumni Spotlight: Mackenzie Knowles

March 30, 2023 Management Career Services 1 Comment

Originally from Toronto, Mackenzie Knowles graduated from the Bachelor of Management program with a major in Entrepreneurship and Innovation in 2015. Employing all that she learned, Mackenzie has since been focusing efforts on developing her own entrepreneurial ventures.

After graduating from Dalhousie, Mackenzie went on to complete post-grad education focused on Sport and Event Marketing, as that was a field she was always interested in learning more about. “I love analyzing how businesses are operating, channels they are using to communicate, and who they are partnering with. I was always more interested in what the businesses I was working at could be doing better in marketing and felt like I should expand my knowledge.”

Shortly after completing the Sport and Event Marketing program, Mackenzie began an internship with Wasserman, a large sports marketing and talent agency based out of Los Angeles, California. “It was a big celebration when I found out that I had worked my way into an internship with such a big sports agency. I was on a great team with smart individuals who helped me truly find my groove.”

In the midst of completing her internship, Mackenzie noticed a gap in availability of golf gear for the female market segment, sparking ideas for future business ventures. Mackenzie has since founded Ada’s Golf Boutique, named after decorated female golfer and Mackenzie’s great, great cousin Ada Mackenzie. She aspired to run a golf store that could meet multiple needs of both fashion and utility, as she understands how difficult it can be to find performance golf gear that checks all the boxes. Mackenzie took time to brainstorm ideas to create a prosperous company and has enjoyed every moment of making Ada’s Golf Boutique a reality. “Running your own business is hectic and you don’t often have time to come up for air to reflect. Looking back now, if I would have known in my fourth year of university that I’d have my own business before the age of 30 and been nominated for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Award in 2022, I would have not believed it, and would have been so stoked. Running my own business is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Maybe that’s why I love it. I love a good challenge.”

Mackenzie’s advice for students is to take time to find what truly moves you, and not settle for a job that you don’t feel 100% fits your values. “Take your time finding what you want to do. If you are soon to graduate or fresh out of your undergrad, now is the time to reflect.”

Student Spotlight: Kiarah Seon

September 26, 2022 Management Career Services 8 Comments

Kiarah Seon, a fourth-year Commerce Co-op student from Bermuda, is using her passion for artificial nail extension design to start and run her own company, Divine Nail Care, while she’s still in school. Kiarah took advantage of the opportunity to complete an entrepreneurial work term to grow her new business venture.

Divine Nail Care (DNC) is a start-up business providing goods for nail care, nail enhancements, and nail technology. Kiarah introduced DNC’s first product, the ‘Net Nails N3 Smart Nail Chip’ or Net Nails for short, in February 2022. It is a radio inductive fingernail chip that utilizes near-field communication (NFC) to share links and files with mobile users. Simply tap your fingernail on the NFC-inducing area of the cellphone to unveil the unlimited information-sharing options.

Kiarah considers developing an infrastructure that her company can grow on, forming constructive business relationships within her industry, and making sales to be her biggest achievements during her entrepreneurial work term. “Start-ups require a great deal of consistency, patience, and self-governing. Considering this, every small milestone feels like a big accomplishment,” she says. She thoroughly enjoyed how often her daily activities would change and being in control of her own learning experience and professional development while driving her own business venture. Kiarah says entrepreneurship has taught her to adapt and follow through. “My business mentor and family were a great support in decision-making when I hit an obstacle. It is important to ask questions, not only from those you know but also from those you have ‘yet’ to know,” she says.

Since Kiarah was young, her dream has always been to be a serial entrepreneur and angel investor. She aspires to work for herself and eventually help others, specifically friends and family, in creating the life they desire most. “I feel equipped with the knowledge necessary to start taking on this lifestyle,” she says. As she began her entrepreneurial work term, she was looking forward to the unexpected. Although she created SMART goals and forecasted potential growth, she couldn’t predict how her work term would have impacted her business, which made every new day exciting and interesting. She thanks her professor and business mentor Albert James and her Career and Recruitment Specialist for helping her during the process and being ready to support her whenever she had questions.

Kiarah has some advice to share with her fellow students: “You must believe in yourself and be willing to take risks. When you’re building a company from the ground up, the top of the mountain looks a lot further away. You must be determined to persevere and understand there will be lows along with the highs. Know who you are and trust in your ability to make your vision a reality.”

Student Spotlight: Finn Magee

December 1, 2020 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Finn Magee is a third-year commerce student majoring in entrepreneurship. He is originally from Toronto, Ontario but chose Dalhousie because of the co-op opportunities available to him and the overall lifestyle on the East Coast. Not only was the school’s academic program and location attractive to Finn, but also the Dalhousie Rugby team.

Finn is currently working as the Chief Commercial Officer at Sublet Connect. Sublet Connect is a start-up that is an online platform/marketplace that works to simplify the entire subletting market for students. Finn works to spearhead customer acquisition, investor relations, consumer-minded product development, and the implementation of revenue streams. He also was involved with the initial launch of the company on the East Coast. He mentioned that his most significant accomplishment this term has been securing partnerships with local businesses, including Coburg Social, and completing the beta launch in the Halifax region and securing Zeta Psi and Nova Scotia Spirit Co as company sponsorships.

When asked about what the company’s goal and mission are, Finn added, “Sublet Connect is a comprehensive, yet simple new marketplace designed to provide students with a one-stop-shop solution for all their subletting needs. In establishing high-quality control standards – such as standardized listing templates and transparent user-profiles and communications – Sublet Connect will formalize a currently informal marketplace. Accompanied by informative tools and helpful resources, Sublet Connect will enable all post-secondary students to unlock the value in the sublet market, regardless of prior experience.”.

With this opportunity, Finn has had the chance to work on many exciting projects, but there is one project that stands out to Finn as the most memorable; “The coolest project I have been able to work on so far has been our process for our first round of fundraising. During this process, I worked on our pitch deck, investor report, executive summary, and financials. As this process is still underway, I am currently pitching multiple investors, which has been an unreal experience.”.

Sublet Connect was founded by 3 of Finn’s friends from St Michael’s College School. He reached out to them with a pitch as to why their product would fit on the East Coast, using initial market research from the Halifax area. After his pitch, he was asked to join the team and help the company grow on the East Coast, which led to the opportunity to buy in as an equal partner.

Finn has seen direct results from the work he has been putting into the company which has been motivating. He also likes the amount of responsibility that he has within the company and feels that he can make sizable decisions that benefit him and the company.

One future goal that Finn has for the company is expanding it across Canada and eventually North America. Working in such a high position does bring its daily challenges; however, he has been able to solve them one by one, which adds to the unique experience that this co-op has brought him.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 Global Pandemic, Finn is currently working from home. He mentioned that he appreciates the flexibility that working from home brings. He finds that working from home has not only saved him his commute time from his last co-op, but he has felt much more productive at home.

Finn’s Advice for you:

Utilize your connections to find unique experiences that you can learn a lot from

Learn more about Sublet Connect:

Student Spotlight: Jared Hudson

November 19, 2019 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Jared Hudson is a fourth-year accounting major who was born in Halifax. His father’s work took him and his family around the world to nations such as Switzerland and Turkey. When deciding on universities, Dalhousie’s Commerce Program stood out due to the compulsory co-op for commerce students. Not so long ago, Jared started his company myPAQ, which is a sustainable home delivery service for personal care products. Recently, Jared participated in the Halifax Corporate Tour. This involves taking students to three companies, related to their major, around Halifax to network and further learn about the industry and working in it.

At this year’s Halifax Corporate Tour Jared visited VERB Interactive, Dash Hudson, and VOLTA Labs. He reflects on this tour saying “The tour provided me with valuable connections and increased my knowledge about the type of career and office environment I want to have”. Jared found VOLTA Labs, a local innovation hub for startup businesses, as particularly interesting showing him more of the local entrepreneurial environment, and giving him the opportunity to ask fellow startups invaluable advice. On top of allowing him an opportunity to learn how to better his business ventures, Jared believes this tour gave him an edge when applying for future positions having met and networked with many employees at each organization.

Jared would recommend the Corporate Tour to any students who are job hunting, or trying to learn more about an industry. The insight into the organizations would be helpful for someone trying to determine organizations and industries they would like to explore, or work with. To make the most of this opportunity the ability to network will help you secure a vantage as Jared has. To help with this he recommends to be yourself and be interested. Asking many questions and showing genuine interest will help you build a rapport with the person, as well as build your knowledge. This allows for a natural conversation flow ranging from hobbies to career goals, and in turn promoting yourself.

Moving forward Jared hopes to capitalize and sell his sustainable and industry-disrupting service myPAQ, and continue in the start-up scene. A future in the startup scene may not be his only goal as he explores the opportunity to continue to be an entrepreneur or move into the venture capitalist space. To follow Jared and his business’s adventure follow him on Instagram @jaredhudsonn as well as @mypaqcanada. To find out more about Corporate Tours check them out on the MCS website and watch your myCareer Calendar for information sessions.

Student Spotlight: Kevin Vigneau

November 5, 2019 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Kevin Vigneau is a fourth-year student from Bradford Ontario. Originally planning to go to university for kinesiology, Kevin found a passion for finance and decided to come to Dalhousie. Here he had the opportunity to explore Nova Scotia from its trails to beaches, as well as the mandatory co-op portion of the Commerce Program.

Two of Kevin’s three co-ops have been with large real estate investment and development firms. Working with the Toronto market, the growth and demand in the industry was eye opening with an added twist of being able to see what you were investing in rather than seeing it as a general financial asset. Over the past summer, Kevin secured his position with CacheFlow through Venture for Canada, a government funded program to connect students with small start-ups for mutual growth. CacheFlow is an organization focusing on creating a smart budgeting tool for organizations that helps match and predict spending patterns as well as understand spending behaviour. Watching the entrepreneurial process and being able to work directly on projects affecting the direction of the firm was a amazing learning opportunity. Kevin recommends this exposure in entrepreneurial realm to any student, especially if you are driven by the fast-paced problem solving. Venture for Canada also has workshops available during your time with them. They offer training that is applicable in the business world as well as networking with businesses across Nova Scotia.

In his final year at Dalhousie Kevin is balancing his school and graduate job hunt as well as being the Commerce Society President. This is a challenge that he recommends to any student, as it provides the ability to work on leadership skills and make a positive impact for fellow students. The balancing of commitments is difficult, but the society works as a team with delegation and team work required to succeed. Through this and an organized schedule, Kevin has been able to successfully balance his obligations while still being able to enjoy his final year.

In this spare time Kevin has been participating in case competitions and summits. In October he participated in the Rumble in the Rowe Case Competition with his team of 4th year Commerce students coming out on top against MBA students and his peers. Kevin got into case competitions as a recommendation from a friends and has continued to pursue them. Kevin says they can get stressful taking on a challenge in such a short amount of time but the skills you develop and experience is worth a little stress. He also displays these competitions prominently on his resume saying they really help show your aptitude to handle high stress situations and problem solving.

After graduation Kevin is looking to explore career options, possibly going back to his co-op roots in real estate investment and development. To follow Kevin’s success’ check out his LinkedIn page here.

To find out more about Venture for Canada click here for their website.

To find out how you can get involved in case competition watch out on the MyCareer calendar as well as the Management Career Services and Commerce Societies news feeds.

Alumni Spotlight – Molly Scott & Adam Anshan

January 22, 2019 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Molly Scott and Adam Anshan are both alumni of the Rowe School of Business – Molly graduated in 2015 from the BComm program and Adam graduated in the same year from the BMgmt program. Molly and Adam are being featured in this week’s Student Spotlight because of their involvement with the Venture for Canada Fellowship Program, a program that aims to foster entrepreneurship opportunities for recent graduates in Canada. We caught up with them to hear about their experience in the program and ask a few questions on behalf of graduating students who might be interested in applying to the program for themselves.

What attracted you to the Fellowship program?

Molly: “After graduating from the Dalhousie Commerce program in 2015, I applied and was awarded a placement in the Chinese Government Scholarship Program. I received funding to study Chinese language and culture at Fudan University in Shanghai. My year in Shanghai gave me the opportunity to think objectively about what path I wanted to take when I returned to Canada. While still in China, I applied for both the Venture for Canada program and to Queen’s University’s Masters in International Business. When weighing the two opportunities, I decided that work experience in a startup setting would be extremely valuable. The entrepreneurial experience that I would gain was attractive to me. The excitement of working at an early stage company was an opportunity I couldn’t let pass. I knew it would give me exposure to many sides of business and it would further develop my skills in the business world.”

Adam: “I was always interested in entrepreneurship and the start-up world, but didn’t feel ready to start my own business right out of school. When I came across VFC and learned how it would prepare me for a career in the start-up ecosystem, it really excited me. It only got better as I got to know the other Fellows and started working at QRA Corp.”

How did your experience in the program unfold?

Adam: “It was a great experience overall. Being in the first cohort of VFC there was still a lot of strategic planning to be done, and in a lot of ways, VFC was itself a start-up. But getting to help shape the program for future cohorts, getting to know the other fellows, and being introduced to so many amazing companies really helped me gain an understanding of the space, the players, and build some crucial skills for the rest of my career.”

What did you learn from the experience?

Molly: “Venture for Canada has shaped my career. All aspects of Venture for Canada have been valuable from the early days through the training camp and continue through the ongoing learning opportunities, and the mentoring I have received. The Venture for Canada Fellowship Program has allowed me to become part of a community of recent graduates from all over Canada. Even though our backgrounds are diverse in many ways, we share the common interest of entrepreneurship.”

Adam: “More than anything I learned that start-ups are messy, and they ALL have their challenges. Even the companies with significant funding and hype, face internal issues that people rarely, if ever, see. I learned that you must accept that, change what you can and learn to live with what you can’t. Overall, start-ups are a great place to be because there are so many questions that need answering and problems that need solving. But a lot of days that’s frustrating and it can feel like treading water until that breakthrough happens.”

How has VFC’s Fellowship Program benefitted your career?

Molly: “My career has benefited from the strong VFC community. It has proven beneficial to be able to reach out to Fellows with questions and to learn from one another. My work at the Toronto startup, Borrowell, is a direct result of my participation in the program. I began working at Borrowell two and a half years ago and it has been thrilling to be a part of a company that is experiencing rapid growth. Helping to implement positive change in the finance industry makes my work meaningful – and makes me excited to come to work every day.”

Adam: “The network of Fellows. The friendships and connections made throughout my time with VFC are by far the more valuable aspects of the program. I met many of my closest friends through VFC and they’ve been hugely supportive throughout my career from both a personal and professional point of view.”

What advice do you have for students thinking of working in the start-up/entrepreneurial landscape?

Molly: “The startup/entrepreneurial landscape is an amazing place to begin your career. It allows you to hit the ground running and to put into practice all that you have learned in your classes. You will have a front row seat to see how the work you do impacts the business you are in.”

Adam: “Find a company doing something you find interesting or see as valuable. Start-ups are a tough place to work, a lot is expected of each staff member and often it’s a thankless job. But it’s a huge opportunity to take on responsibilities that would likely take years to receive in more established companies. Find somewhere that aligns with your values – whether that’s what they sell or the internal values of the company – and don’t lose sight of why you started when things get tough!”

To learn more about the Venture for Canada Fellowship Program, visit their website at https://www.ventureforcanada.ca/applyfellowship/. For those looking to apply now, the application deadline is February 18^th. The posting can be found in myCareer, job ID #80137.

And for students embarking on a work term this summer, explore the option of pursuing an Entrepreneurial Work Term by attending our Info Session next Tuesday, January 29^th. Learn more and register to attend via the myCareer Events Calendar.

Alumni Spotlight: Kelsey Keddy

September 18, 2018 Andrea McKay 1 Comment

If you’re curious about what it’s like to start your own business, or looking for a unique co-op work term experience, keep reading to take inspiration from Kelsey Keddy, who participated in an Entrepreneurial Work Term with her business Captured Escape Rooms.

Kelsey is an alumna of the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op program with a Major in Accounting. Kelsey is currently a full-time staff accountant with Ernst & Young (EY) and still devotes time to managing and running Captured. When asked if Kelsey would recommend an Entrepreneurial Work Term, her answer was, “Absolutely!”. For students interested in pursuing entrepreneurship, Kelsey believes an Entrepreneurial Work Term is the perfect ‘launch pad’, and that one of the best parts of an Entrepreneurial Work Term is, “the secure and supportive environment that sets up students for success”.

Kelsey says her experience working with EY, where she did her first two work terms, has provided her with a set of skills that gave her comfort in starting her own business, and the skills she’s gained through owning her own business has greatly benefitted her current role with EY. She is better able to understand her client’s needs, and entrepreneurship has pushed her to be more business-minded. Creatively, Captured has provided Kelsey with an outlet to balance a full-time job and her desire to create and be artistic.

Kelsey believes, “small businesses are the backbone of the business world”, which is what sparked her interest in pursuing an Entrepreneurial Work Term. Her passion and creativity can be seen throughout every aspect of Captured and being able to devote so much of herself to her business has enabled her business to grow and succeed beyond her Entrepreneurial Work Term.

“Owning my own business has been enormously rewarding. It’s very motivating to look back on all the hard work that was put into this idea and then consider how much it’s grown, and how much I’ve learned through the process.”

One of the biggest lessons Kelsey has learned throughout her entrepreneurial journey is that everything will change, even with good planning. Being adaptive and ready to recognize opportunities where others might not, is what sets successful entrepreneurs apart. Along the way, Kelsey has taken every mistake and missed opportunity as a learning experience and has promised herself to continue to grow and to not make the same mistake again. According to Kelsey, a successful entrepreneur must have passion, drive and the ability to know when to ask for help.

“You can learn all the technical skills required, but you can’t learn enthusiasm. If you’re a person that others want to see succeed, you’ll be amazed at just how many people will help you get there.”

“Young professionals are always told that they need to be prepared to fail, and while there are no participation awards in business, if you’re constantly worried about failure, you’ll be too busy to celebrate success and will miss out on amazing opportunities awaiting you around the corner. Instead of worrying, spend that energy on driving your businesses into a brighter future”.

If you’re still interested in learning more about starting your own business and what to expect, be sure to attend our Entrepreneurial Work Term Information Session and Pizza Lunch on September 24^th. Find out more about the event and register now on myCareer.

Student Spotlight: Melissa Amelia

April 12, 2016 Management Career Services 2 Comments

Melissa Amelia is currently a second-year Bachelor of Commerce student completing her first co-op work term with the Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development (CEED) as a Workshop Facilitator. Melissa believes her previous work experiences were all important in refining key skills that led her to be successful at CEED. Even the work that she didn’t think was relevant to her career, such as being a line cook in a small restaurant, has proven to be applicable to her career path.

“In the fall semester, I began my search for a prospective co-op placement through myCareer, as many students do. I applied to a few positions and had one other interview before seeing the CEED posting. Throughout the interview process you can truly get a feel for the culture and environment of a workplace, and one of the most important pieces of advice I will give to people searching for a placement is that it has to feel right. The job description caught my attention, the interview felt comfortable and compelling, and from my first day in the office I felt like a part of the team.

As a Workshop Facilitator for CEED, I’ve worked closely with the Education Team to promote entrepreneurship as a viable career option to youth, and exploring the transferrable skills and competencies related to the entrepreneurial spirit. Throughout my co-op term we have traveled the province delivering workshops to schools and community groups, generating business ventures, and developing curriculums in alignment with Nova Scotia graduation competencies.

Although each piece of the work that I’ve been exposed to is important and enlightening in its own right, my favourite part of the term has been the community group work. The collective impact from relationships built with marginalized youth in various parts of Nova Scotia has been insightful and rewarding. There are ample initiatives CEED has going on in the community, one of which I’ve been working particularly closely on a “Family Recipe Book” venture to celebrate the heritage of the East Preston community. They have been bringing in various family recipes with stories and pictures to match, and we have been working on developing a business plan as well as expanding their marketing skills.

My first co-op placement has been extremely important in both my personal and career development. I’ve had the chance to learn from various individuals who truly have a lot to offer, and to be exposed to a vast array of experiences. One piece of advice I carry with me is to not get discouraged from failure, as the bumps along the road will eventually lead you where you are meant to be.”

Connect with ambitious students like Melissa at the 2016 Co-op Summer Social! Also, be sure to check out the Management Career Services Facebook and Twitter to keep up-to-date with the Bachelor of Commerce class of 2018 candidates’ #WorkTermPride!

Student Spotlight: Terrena Huisman

February 2, 2016 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Terrena Huisman is a third-year Entrepreneurship major in the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op program who recently completed her Certificate in Entrepreneurship through the Entrepreneurial Skills Program offered by the Norman Newman Centre for Entrepreneurship. During her first co-op, she realized two things: working in an office was not something she was going to enjoy long-term, and there were no local providers of custom swimsuits in Halifax. With her entrepreneurial spirit, she decided to seize this opportunity, and the inception of her business, Terrini’s Bikinis, began. Terrena describes her experience:

“This experience taught me dedication and self-motivation – skills that are needed to make a business successful. Communication and organization are absolutely key, as well as focusing on developing a brand image. Managing social media accounts and client relations is a very time-consuming process and has taught me the importance of being fully committed. Running a client-based business involves being available 24/7 and a typical nine to five co-op experience does not expose you to the value of having your own business. The personal growth and things you learn about yourself while building a business are unparalleled and are transferrable to many other aspects of your life.

An entrepreneurial work term is an excellent opportunity for students to take risks that would otherwise be daunting in the real world. I would encourage every Commerce student to try it for at least one work term. As a student entrepreneur, you have many valuable resources at your fingertips and the Norman Newman Centre for Entrepreneurship is a great support system – be sure to make use of it. Funding, networking, marketing advice, and constructive feedback are all easily accessible and very useful to the growth of your business. After graduation, you won’t have these resources available to you and this can make the pursuit of a new venture very intimidating. The best time to start your own business is while you are a student and have nothing to lose!”

Do you have the desire to pursue your own entrepreneurial work term for Winter 2017? If so, the deadline to submit your expression of interest is February 9 at 4:30 p.m. For more information on how to kick-start your entrepreneurship experience, visit our website.

Student Spotlight: Sandra Bencze

October 6, 2015 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Sandra Bencze is a fourth year Dalhousie University student in the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op program. During her studies she realized her passion for entrepreneurship and not only decided to pursue the field as her major, but also started her very own business venture, Sandy Tees. Her hard work and initiative won her the Sagewood Award for Entrepreneurship.

“During my studies I have realized my passion for entrepreneurship, and decided to pursue the field as my major. I had always envisioned myself owning and operating my own store, and through the Co-op program I was able to embrace the opportunity and start Sandy Tees. Sandy Tees specializes in handmade tie-dyed goods and are available for sale in the Ottawa ByWard Market.

In preparation of launching Sandy Tees I began applying for licenses and permits to sell my products. I also searched for a variety of venues in Ottawa for Sandy Tees to be available for sale. These venues included local music festivals, outdoor markets and online sales. As I wanted Sandy Tees to be a vendor in the summer of 2015, deadlines for festivals and markets were due in April. Although school was hectic during this time, it was important for me to keep in mind the deadlines for Sandy Tees to meet.

I am excited to have completed my Entrepreneurial Work Term because I pursued my passion, creating handmade tie dyed goods and growing as an entrepreneur. I am grateful to have had the support of faculty members from the Norman Newman Centre for Entrepreneurship, and am honored to have received the Sagewood Award for Entrepreneurship.

Many students in the Commerce Co-op program are not aware of the benefits an Entrepreneurial Work Term can bring you. Students may also be hesitant to pursue new ventures because it takes a lot of confidence to put your ideas out there and assume the risk of trying something new. I am excited to share my experiences with my fellow classmates and encourage students to follow their passions. I hope to inspire others, and create a supportive community for entrepreneurs and soon-to-be entrepreneurs within the Dalhousie community.”

Interested in doing an Entrepreneurial Work Term? Submit your Expression of Interest to Mary.Kilfoil@dal.ca by 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 22, 2015. Spend a co-op work term developing your own business venture and experience the challenges and benefits of working for yourself!

Category: Entrepreneur