I’m a software engineer and cloud architect with a versatile background spanning data engineering, backend development, and cloud computing. I’ve built cool things with AWS, Azure and GCP. I’ve been working in tech since 2017. I do a lot of things, but I’m most passionate about building scalable, reliable, and secure cloud-native applications. Most importantly, I try to be a good human being and help others whenever I can. At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel. I’ve been fortunate to work with some amazing people and companies. At the end of the day, I’m just a guy who loves to learn and build things. This blog is a place for me to share my thoughts, experiences, and learnings with the world.

It is clear from the first impression that when Adam connects with people, whether on a personal or professional level, he feels genuine excitement. Adam has worked extensively in customer service which enables him to provide a high level of care and attention to detail with every interaction. Buying a house is among the most important financial decisions a person will make, and Adam, backed by the knowledgeable experts of the Charlie Parker Team, is confident in providing his clients with a positive, high-quality experience.

Adam has lived in Nanaimo most of his life and has seen the city grow rapidly over the years. He believes Vancouver Island to be the perfect place for people to plant their roots and succeed in their property investments.

Sales experience is not the only training Adam has “under his belt”. Adam has been an active member of the Kyokushin Karate community on the island, having trained with the Dojo in Ladysmith for nearly 10 years. When you’re not seeing him either at the Dojo or hard at work, you may hear him practicing the piano, which he has played for many years.

Originally from Vancouver, having moved to Nanaimo in 2014. Andrea is the Manager, Corridor Development for the Island Corridor Foundation. She is working alongside the CEO to restore Passenger Rail Service from Victoria to Courtenay and from Nanaimo to Port Alberni.

Andrea was a Fine Dining Restaurant Manager and Sommelier in Vancouver prior to working for the Island Railway as well as a freelance Wine Writer. She is an artist and has created many works of art, some of which were donated to the Nanaimo Foundation's Covid Community Response Fund for auction where her 12 paintings raised over $14,000. She serves the community in many ways by sitting on the committee for the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock, fundraising for TdR as well as the Great Nanaimo Toy Drive and is a new member of the YPN Board of Directors.

I have been working in the Insurance & Risk industry for over 10 years. In addition to Corporate Broking, I have also worked as a Claims Adjuster, Underwriter, and Risk Manager. Insurance and Risk Management go hand-in-hand and I am able to apply both of these skills in order to create solutions through almost every industry.

Some of my expertise includes:

- Insurance negotiation and placement
- Placement and coordination of complex property insurance structures
- Navigating complex insurance policy wordings
- Enterprise Risk Management consulting and support
- Identify and quantify loss potential scenarios
- Claims advice and support
- Contract review
- Negotiation with lenders and contracted risk managers as it relates to insurance requirements

I am a Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) and Certified Risk Manager (CRM).

Balraj is a mortgage advisor who focuses on developing long-term client relationships built on trust, sound mortgage advice, and exemplary service.

Courtney is a Relationship Manager with CIBC Commercial Banking on Vancouver Island

She joined the commercial banking world after almost a decade of public practice accounting experience, and has worked with almost every kind of business imaginable

She's passionate about helping business owners reach their goals and about helping this beautiful community we live in thrive!

Danielle is a corporate tax lawyer based in Nanaimo whose practices focuses on resource and international taxation, and public company transactions.

Her expertise includes:
- mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations and refinancing involving Canadian corporations and their foreign subsidiaries
- structures for non-resident corporations conducting business in Canada
- structures for Canadian corporations conducting business internationally.

Greg was called to the bar in January 2010. Much of Greg’s practice is Personal Injury and ICBC injury cases. The remainder of his practice is focused on civil litigation and resolving disputes between individuals or businesses, including employment law. He has represented clients at trial in Provincial Court, Supreme Court, and the BC Court of Appeal, as well as at the Workers Compensation Appeals Tribunal. As seen in the selected cases, Greg has an excellent track record of success at trial.

Harry Olson is a brand and service designer with over a decade of experience. He brings a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to design unique to the Canadian and European cities where he has honed his practice. He is passionate about convening community through creative work that advances social change, brings civic history to life, and builds community in the public realm.

Why me? I’m able to make sense of complex data and distill key insights into producing a solution that drives effective change. I’m able to understand the business context of my work and develop the process and approach for tackling a problem.

What I offer:

Branding and Service Design in:
• Public Service (Design for organizational change, local municipalities, government)
• Climate research and science organizations that have a positive impact on a better planet
• Agriculture (Food systems)
• Renewable Energy (Wind, solar, water)
• Education (Up-skilling)
• Community (Co-housing, Facilitation)

Specialities: Business Consulting, Creative Strategy, Branding, Experience Design and Service Design.

Mental Health Coaching is a powerful way to empower individuals to take control of their mental health and overall well-being.

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, purposeless, struggling with adulting, imposter syndrome, interested in personal development, or improving your self-awareness, relationships, or communication skills… You’re in the right place!

My job is to help you create the changes that support YOU in achieving YOUR goals.

I'm on a mission to make self-healing work affordable, accessible, and enjoyable so anyone can experience the happiness, peace, and power of mental well-being.

Henry Yuan is a business account manager at RBC Royal Bank with many years of successful business results and strong relationships within the community. Henry has also provided personal financial advice to his clients before taking on the current role at RBC. He actively attends community events and Young Professional Nanaimo networking sessions. A strong believer in travelling makes one modest, Henry has studied, worked and travelled many places around the world. His travelling journey will continue with his professional development. Henry enjoys a good Netflix binge but can also be found on tennis courts and bowling alleys during the weekends.

As a junior Commercial Insurance Broker, I am eager to connect with my fellow young professionals. From an early age, I have had an interest in entrepreneurship. Having started a small business at the age of 19 before I began my insurance career, I understand the struggles small business owners go through, and what they require from a strategic partner. Once I started my career in insurance, I instantly knew this was my calling. Working with business owners to protect their assets has been the most rewarding career of my life, and I would love to assist other like minded individuals. Please reach out if I can be of assistance.

Jessica is the Department Lead for Processes and Systems at Hazelwood Group. At Hazelwood, she collaborates with business owners and operators to grow their business, build efficiencies, and achieve their goals. She provides support in business analysis, change management, systems integration and implementation, grant applications, acquisitions, and more. She is enthusiastic about continually learning and applying that to her work.

Jessica’s passion for helping businesses and entrepreneurs brought her to Vancouver Island in 2018 to return to school and she stayed for the beautiful landscapes. When she’s not at Hazelwood, she spends her time hiking around the Island or traveling to new places.

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jessicasaari

I’m a certified health and nutrition coach. I primarily help women who workout breakaway from tracking precise calories/macros to listening to intuitive hunger cues, so they can change their shape while increasing food peace and decreasing cravings. I also help them build foundational skill sets through habit-based practices and mindset tools.

Julien is Realtor at RE/MAX and is excited to be a part of the next generation of real estate professionals poised to lead the industry for years to come. With the goal to build lifelong clients, Julien concentrates on providing information/advice as well as an exceptional client service experience.

I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor working in private practice in Nanaimo BC. I work with children, youth, adults, and couples with client centred approaches to improving mental health. I love working with people and feel very grateful to hear my client's stories.

When I am not working I love spending time outdoors exploring this beautiful island or hunting down the best ice cream in town.

Lindsay is an enthusiastic young professional with experience and expertise in commercial lending and treasury solutions. Born and raised in Nanaimo, Lindsay is passionate about volunteering with local organizations and giving back to her community.

Residents in Nanaimo and surrounding area have trusted Norms with all their plumbing, heating, and air conditioning needs. Norms is family owned and operated, and is focused on providing you superior, fast service at competitive rates. Whether you have a leaky tap, or you’re upgrading your home to save money, trust the family that’s been with you since the beginning.

Mandy is a REALTOR and the Team Lead for Team Invest West partnered with RE/MAX of Nanaimo. Mandy was born and raised in Nanaimo with a background in Property Management starting in 2008 & is now entering her 10th year as a local REALTOR.

After being a part of the YPN for many years, Mandy is happy to bring her drive & knowledge joining the YPN Board as it's 2023/2024 Events Director.

Mandy has a proven track record for success in business, frequently featured as a RE/MAX Top 100 Team & a recipient of numerous awards - but she is most proud of creating a repeat and referral business & the growing list of 5 star team reviews as a result. Aligning with some of the best local professionals from lawyers to contractors, many of which she's met through the YPN, your full power team is covered.

As a mom of 2 busy boys, dog-mom to a water loving Duck Toller dog named Beretta, building investments alongside her Carpenter husband plus a love for snowboarding & beaches - Mandy has a passion for life, people and new experiences.

I'm passionate about business and entrepreneurship. Sort of like a marketing geek who loves digging into company financials and company efficiencies. I've started and sold numerous online companies. I've been lucky enough to travel the world and work nomadically but I always come home to our beautiful Vancouver Island where I was born and raised.

With the BDC I get to help other Entrepreneurs to develop and grow their business. I can help with Commercial Real Estate lending, Business Lending and Business Advisory. A little known fact, BDC is the largest Business Advisory in Canada! Ask me about how to get business grants to improve your business technology.

Nic was born and raised in Nanaimo and currently resides in Lantzville BC.

Nic is the CFO for Alitis Investment Counsel, an employee-owned independent investment firm focused on outstanding client service, intelligent financial strategies, and a hands-on approach. Established in 2009, Alitis emerged in response to the demand for investment solutions designed to protect investors against market fluctuations. Inspired by the investment strategies of the world’s leading pension plans, Alitis has redefined investment management by incorporating alternative investments such as private real estate, private equity, and private mortgages. This approach aims to mitigate market volatility and thereby safeguarding our clients’ wealth.

The firm proudly manages over $460 million in assets, has over 20 team members, and has offices in Campbell River, Comox and Victoria.

Prior to joining Alitis, Nic obtained his Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Accountant (CA) designations while working at a national accounting firm.

Welcome to Nanaimo Real Estate! I'm Ratul Goyal, a dedicated realtor with a decade of local expertise and a deep sales and customer service background. As a seasoned investor and family man, I understand the nuances of the market and the importance of finding the perfect home. Driven by a passion to succeed and a commitment to your needs, I utilize the latest technology and strong negotiation skills to ensure you receive the best possible guidance and deals in your real estate transactions. Let’s embark on this journey to find your dream property!

A Registered Representative with Aligned Capital Partners Inc. and specializing in personal and corporate insurance solutions, Sarah graduated as co-valedictorian from Vancouver Island University with a bachelor in Business Administration (Finance). Sarah collaborates with clients on life goals and creates financial road maps to get clients 'on track' via cash flow management. She also gives back to her community actively via boards such a the Young Professionals of Nanaimo.

Tyler grew up in Colwood and obtained a diploma in Civil Engineering Technology from Camosun College in 2020. After a brief stint living in Vancouver and working in Squamish he happily moved back to the Island and bought his first home in Nanaimo with his fiancé in 2024.

Working with ISL Engineering Tyler is excited to bring his knowledge of Active Transportation design to his new hometown and help to create a safer, accessible community for all and to help everyone enjoy more time outside. In his free time, you will often find Tyler somewhere out in nature; hiking, mountain biking, playing disc golf, or paddleboarding are a few of his favourite pastimes.