He now works at Panoramic Properties Inc. as a Marketing Manager. In his role, he oversees the marketing and branding strategy for Panoramic, including social media, paid ads, branding and more.

I graduated in 2023 from the Honours BBA International Commerce and Global Development (ICOMM) program.

I actually had already attended Niagara College before enrolling in the ICOM program.

My first program was the horticulture technician program, and when I decided I wanted to go back to school for a career change, I remembered how great an experience I had my first time at Niagara College. I really enjoyed the smaller class sizes compared to a university, and it was great being able to actually get to know my professors. I also found the co-op made a big difference in finding work after graduating, so when I saw that the college offered Bachelor programs with a co-op it seemed like the best choice.

I started at Research and Innovation as a co-op student in the summer 2020 – my role was market research assistant with the Business and Commercialization Innovation Centre (BCIC) team. I was responsible for conducting market research and strategy for small businesses – and putting my findings and recommendations into reports I would deliver to clients of BCIC. After finishing my co-op I stayed on as a student worker, doing part time work during the year and working full time over the summer months. After graduating I was offered a 1-year contract as a Research Associate, doing the same kind of work but with a greater degree of autonomy and simultaneously helping newer student-workers with their research projects.

I worked for a couple different start-ups after graduating before landing my current role in late March of this year – as marketing Manager for a property development and management company called Panoramic Properties. I manage the day-to-day marketing activities as well as overseeing the long-term strategy for the business, helping to improve business processes, managing advertising, and working on branding and strategic partnerships. Basically, anything and everything related to marketing is my responsibility.

Immeasurably – I honestly can’t imagine where I would be in my career right now without the experience I had with BCIC, but I can say I wouldn’t have the kind of role I have now. My time at BCIC gave me the skills and experience needed to get a role of this level, and the confidence needed to take on such a position. If I never worked at BCIC I am sure I would be in a more junior role doing less high-level work.

There have been so many interesting and memorable projects I had the chance to work on, it’s really hard to choose just one! Some that stand out to me, though, are a plant monitor company, a soil amendment made from sheep’s wool, and a well-known international Pizza company.

One of the best parts about going to NC as a student was there was always something going on around campus. I have so many fond memories of barbecues, karaoke, and school trips I went on. I think the most special memories I made though were during the two ‘Be World Ready’ trips I went on during my final year as a student. I was fortunate enough to have the chance to go on two different amazing and life-changing trips to Ireland and Portugal respectively, and those are some of my fondest memories of my time as a student. I met so many great people, got to visit new places, experience other cultures, and eat some fantastic food.

I feel like I owe a lot to Paula Reile and Helen Duffy, two people who were both invaluable to me as mentors during my time at BCIC. I learned so much from working with them, and I don’t know if I would be half the marketer I am today without their help. Anyone fortunate enough to work with either of them should do their best to learn everything they can from them.

Put yourself out there and always be willing to push beyond what you think you are capable of. It’s so important to always be learning, and you can’t really learn doing the same thing you have always done. It can be uncomfortable doing things you don’t feel you are 100% qualified for, but that’s also how you grow, so don’t be afraid to take risks.

I feel like I’ve learned a lot about the practical day-to-day side of marketing since graduating. I have had the good fortune to get to work with some very smart and talented people in a variety of roles, and if I had to say one lesson I learned that feels most important – it’s the value of systems. You can have the best product, the best team, or the best leader, but systems are what really allow companies to grow and scale. Take the time to put the right systems in place for your business – and you will never regret it. Also – always take the time to build them right the first time around – rebuilding or fixing something that is broken is almost always more work and more headache than taking the time to do it properly from the start.

I really love to cook and bake, especially when it comes to learning new recipes or dishes. I also love going for hikes with my dog and playing video games.

My favourite video game would probably have to be Elden Ring. I have sunk more time into that game than I’m willing to admit here, and I still enjoy playing it. I think it’s an amazing game and playing it has been a real experience, and I can’t wait to see what the studio that made it releases next.

I think I’m most proud of myself for getting the role I have now; it was a big step up for me in terms of responsibilities and work, but I’m glad I got offered the position. I feel like I have already learned a lot since starting, and I can’t wait to see how much more I can accomplish here.

That’s a great question! I think I would want it to say something like “Spend as much time as you can with your loved ones.” I feel like we are all so busy nowadays, and it’s more important than ever to deliberately make time for those you care about, because you never know how much time you have with them.