Al Sturgeon, an entrepreneur-in-residence at Propel ICT, wants all Atlantic Canadians to know that if they have an idea for a business, Propel and its partners can help them explore and possibly develop it.
Propel ICT is an Atlantic Canadian accelerator for startups. It hosts Build, a Moncton accelerator for mature companies, and Launch, a program for seed-stage startups. Launch operates in Halifax, Fredericton and St. John’s, N.L.
Sturgeon has just joined Propel and will work with Build and Launch participants to advise them on product-market fit, product development, hiring and sales.
“If someone has a business idea, they should share it,” he said. “People are often scared to do that for fear of the idea being stolen. But Propel helps people examine the concept and determine whether or not it can make a business.”
Sturgeon intends to work with startup founders to turn their ideas into ventures with strong growth potential.
“I want to help the people in our programs learn how to make good business decisions. This can be achieved by taking advantage of what Propel and its community partners offer.”
(Propel delivers its programs by working with partners in different centres, including Fredericton, Moncton, Halifax and St. John’s.)
Sturgeon said that good sales calls should be conversational.
“It’s about listening, gaining an understanding of a potential client’s problems and, if there’s a good match, about reaching an agreement.
“People should always think globally in terms of sales now. But some don’t see the opportunity, or they don’t know how to approach it.
“It’s important to realize that, even if you’re working with a bank headquartered in Toronto, you need to understand how they do business in other regions and countries.
“The regulatory requirements may be different to Canada’s. The company may be dealing with different demographics in different markets.”
Sturgeon said that experience in enterprise sales (selling to large corporations) can be lacking in the Maritimes.
“But people like myself have done it. I know how it feels to be dismissed on a cold call.”
He was raised in Doaktown, near Fredericton. He went on to study electrical engineering at University of New Brunswick and later built a career in sales and marketing in Ottawa.
He returned to Fredericton to join Radian6 as an account executive in late 2009, before the company sold out to Salesforce. He said he is fascinated to see how the Atlantic Canadian entrepreneurial sector has evolved in recent years.
“It’s become very dynamic. I’m excited about the diversity of companies and the strength of the support network, including the number and experience of mentors.”
Sturgeon gained his sales experience in several different industries. He has worked with five startups and three corporations. He understands much of the technology startups create, thanks to his degree in electrical engineering.
He also knows how frightening it can feel to diverge away from an anticipated path. He began his working life creating semiconductors. But the work didn’t suit him.
“I was good at it, but disliked it,” Sturgeon said. “I found I preferred being in front of customers. I liked helping people understand the technology and how it could help them.”
He went on to develop his sales career, ultimately focusing on selling to large, global corporations.
Startups he worked with include Titus, an Ottawa information platform, SafeNet, a data-protection software company, and AppZero, an app-migrations company. All three are now large companies and have offices across the globe.
At Propel, Sturgeon joins Ying Tam, the group’s other entrepreneur-in-residence, who is based in Halifax.
“If you’re an Atlantic Canadian passionate about your idea, take advantage of the programs available,” Sturgeon said.
“The region’s economy is changing and entrepreneurs are a big part of that. There’s a great ecosystem here now. If you want to start a business, there’s no reason why you can’t.”
Disclaimer: Propel ICT advertises on Entrevestor.
