On the TechVancouver stage ×1
First seen on the TechVancouver stage in 2016. Every talk is searchable — ask the archive about Spencer ↗
In their words
There's this huge problem that people don't actually think through what the philosophy of their business is.
If you're a founder, if you're an employee, if you're an investor, you really need to think about why you want to be involved with something. You should only work with people who understand and share your philosophy.
We're not obsessed with being the best in the world. We're obsessed with being the best in Vancouver or the best in Canada, and there's a huge huge difference between the two.
Around the web ×2
Quick answers
Who is Spencer Thompson?
The founder of Sokanu, the Vancouver career-discovery company behind CareerExplorer, which he started in 2012 after watching classmates pick careers on their parents' and friends' advice. He is now co-founder and CEO of the cybersecurity company Prelude.
What happened to Sokanu?
Penn Foster acquired it in March 2021. CareerExplorer was by then used by more than ten million people a year, including US government agencies and colleges.
What was his TechVancouver talk about?
Why companies exist. He argued there are five honest answers — make money, solve a personal problem, fill a market need, solve a social issue, use personal abilities — none better than another, and that a board and a founder pursuing different ones will tear a company apart.