When a company is starting out, and all throughout its life, it requires sound, innovative advice and guidance in order to be successful. Technology companies need board members who have expertise and experience yet are still able to think freely and keep up with a rapidly changing market.
Finding suitable board members was one of the biggest challenges SimplyCast faced as a young company. Drawing from the small Halifax Regional Municipality area of around 400,000 people, it was difficult to locate potential board members who had significant experience and knowledge of the technology industry. There were not many tech companies in Halifax or Dartmouth at the time so we had to look harder.
The advice of Innovacorp (now Invest Nova Scotia) was invaluable as SimplyCast was starting out. Innovacorp is passionate about helping entrepreneurs in Nova Scotia, and the entire SimplyCast team is grateful for their support. They helped the company find great board members and develop within the province.
SimplyCast sought board members who possessed not only technical experience but also great public market experience which would help grow and direct the future of the company. People with strong accounting backgrounds and networking connections were also looked at in detail.
Although the process of finding board members was time-consuming and occasionally frustrating, the team knew the end goal would be worth it. An independent sounding board for ideas and strategies is absolutely essential for any company. A solid chairperson is also key to success.
With the help of our chairman and Innovacorp, SimplyCast was able to recruit a stellar board. The SimplyCast board, to this day, helps keep the company grounded and focused.