On the TechTO stage ×1
First seen on a TechTO stage in 2024. Every TechTO talk is searchable — ask the archive about Alexis ↗
In their words
In tech we always talk about wanting scrappy, curious people, and all of those things are true. But in the years you've spent in big corporate, you will probably have been exposed to systems and processes and an understanding of metrics and KPIs that most startups aren't as sophisticated at yet.
People lean on LinkedIn and making new connections as being the ticket to building a network, but it's really important to not forget about the power of your existing network. Who are the people you worked with in your last role? Because they're the people who have seen the value you bring.
Hey, I'm brushing up my resume — what three things was I good at? What's a story about me that you remember? Really asking people who know you to help you understand the value you bring, and then you'll see yourself through their eyes.
More from TechTO ×1
Quick answers
Who is Alexis MacDonald?
She is VP of People at Klue, an AI-powered competitive enablement software company headquartered in Vancouver. She has been in people and culture roles since 2008 and holds a psychology degree and a Master's of Human Resources Management from York University. Lattice's 2026 State of People Strategy report quotes her as VP of People at Klue.
What did Alexis MacDonald do before Klue?
On the TechTO stage in June 2024 she described starting on the QuickBooks team at Intuit Canada in sales, moving through HR-adjacent roles in training and a career centre, joining a travel company as a junior HR person in 2008, spending about six years at CBC, a stint in transportation as VP of people, and then nearly six years as VP of People at Loopio. She had been at Klue three weeks at the time of the talk.
What is her advice for moving from a big company into tech?
Mine the big-company experience rather than apologize for it. She told TechTO that startups often aren't sophisticated at metrics and KPIs yet, so candidates should be able to name the KPIs their team tracked, the initiatives tied to them, and how performance moved. She also pushes people to work their existing network over cold LinkedIn connections.