Prospectus and Editor’s Note

Kyle Braatz’s CEO of the Year award represents something bigger than his personal success as chief executive and the rapid ascent of Fullscript. It marks a generational change.

Awarded 22 times over as many years, the CEO of the Year honour typically goes to leaders in the 50-plus age range. Kyle is only 38 years old. He joins Tobi Lütke of Shopify as the only under-40 recipient. (It should be noted that both were also Forty Under 40 recipients. Their trajectories were obvious years before.)

The local business community and tech sector can take pride in Kyle, a true made-in-Ottawa entrepreneur. While born in London, Ont., Kyle got his business foundation at the Telfer School of Management and maintains a tight local network of entrepreneurs, such as longtime associate Brad Dyment.

Why is his age relevant?

Kyle’s passion for entrepreneurship mixed with social goals from the outset. On page 6, OBJ senior writer David Sali recounts Kyle’s first foray into business, which blended marketing, finance and logistics with a cross-Canada bike trip to raise money for cancer research. The same “altruistic impulse” can be seen in Fullscript, which aims to evolve the philosophy of medicine into something that is more preventative. So his age reflects this next generation of young CEOs who are most fulfilled when their corporate goals accomplish some social good.

The second age consideration is Kyle’s career runway, meaning the number of years ahead in his entrepreneurial journey. Seeing local tech entrepreneurs such as Kyle — and there are others — achieve such dizzying success at an early age makes you seriously consider their trajectory. The merger with Natural Partners to gain access to the U.S. market, the US$240-million equity financing and the ambitious goal to reach $1 billion in revenue demonstrate that Kyle is visionary and bold. It’s exciting to consider what Kyle might achieve and the positive impact it will bring to the place he calls home.

Besides corporate leadership, the other key ingredient in business success is an engaged workforce. Look to this issue’s HR Update section starting on page 33 to read the recipient profiles of Best Places to Work 2022. With economic storm clouds on the horizon, these companies are doubling down on getting things right with employees. This includes having a compelling mission, creating flexibility around work and building a strong culture. Hats off to these companies for recognizing that. I think it was Sir Winston Churchill who famously said, “Democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried.”

He had a point. And it’s one of the reasons I so admire the various candidates who throw their hats into the political ring. It’s certainly not an easy life nor an obvious one.

I sometimes think this is especially so for candidates who come from a business background, many of whom genuinely want to contribute their expertise for the betterment of their community. Typically, these folks expect sound policy, logical decision-making, informed rhetoric — maybe even collaboration and teamwork. Sound like politics to you?

I have to say, my own experiences in the high reaches of federal politics left me with a certain sense of dismay and disbelief. As I walked the tony halls of the Langevin Block, it was hard not to wonder, “These are the people running my country? Based on these half-baked sentiments?”

My overwhelming sense was that my business lens and my Spockian logic had little place at the table.

It was eye-opening, for sure, but not a total surprise. The Minister for whom I had worked before arriving at PMO was a prominent businessperson. He truly wanted to contribute his time and skills to his country.

He made some impressive progress in his portfolio and he

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gave a good stump speech, but I think he was always mildly baffled at the partisan folderole going on around him. Not to mention the abrasive heckling he would get from his own constituents in recognition of his efforts.

As we look ahead to a new mayor and council being elected this fall in Ottawa, it’s hard to predict how it will all unfold, at the ballot box and for many months afterward.

Will we benefit from a clean slate? Or will we have lost “corporate memory”? Will our shiny new representatives be eaten alive by the very machine they are trying to run?

One thing’s for sure, anyone who tries to please everyone will ultimately please no-one.

I think Sir Winston also had this to say: “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.” So wonderful in its pure cynicism!

I guess the best we can promise our fledgling municipal politicians is to do our part to keep up with them in this ungainly dance we call democracy.

Editor in Chief