A strong community can promote new ideas and ensure accountability. It can also act as motivation, support, and even provide a little friendly competition. The power of community is undeniable and the Okanagan tech community is no exception.
Our community is strong and growing with record speed and maintaining a connection through a period of growth like this can be a challenge. Nobody panic, we’ve got a plan.
Introducing, We are #OKGNtech. A showcase of Okanagan tech entrepreneurs, partners, supporters, and cheerleaders designed to fuel more connection, more growth, and more excitement. Follow along on the blog and on Instagram @OKGNtech to learn more about our growing community and what makes them awesome.
Meet Evan. Evan McIntosh is the engineering manager at Estated. When he isn’t solving all the problems at work, you’ll find Evan playing with his puppy or snowboarding, wakeboarding, golfing—pretty much anything outdoors.
What do you enjoy most about your role at Estated?
I’m the engineering manager at Estated but I’ve worn just about every hat there is around here. I’ve always tried to be as much a part of the company as I could be. Made a lot of good friends and good relationships along the way.
What brought you to the Okanagan?
Josh Fraser and I started working together in Edmonton a few months before he moved to Kelowna. We hadn’t known each other long, but I followed him out here a year later. It was a leap of faith but I wanted that opportunity. I always knew that I wanted to start a business. I thought this would be a better opportunity to learn instead of working in a big company.
How did you get into this kind of work?
I’ve been interested in computers for a long time. In high school, I was working with my buddy who started a company. Then, when I was 19, I ran my own company reselling software online for a few years. I went to business school, dropped out, and started working with Josh.
What are some things you learned as a 19-year-old entrepreneur?
I was way too young to be thinking about running a company. It’s a different mindset at that age. I wasn’t thinking about the risks or anything—I wanted to make money and buy a nice car. I had to learn a lot about the nuances of running a business. But just because I didn’t know what I was doing when I was 19 doesn’t mean I won’t start my own business again.
How were you first introduced to the OKGNtech community?
It was through Josh when we were still Data Nerds. Josh was on a mission to put his name in front of everything he possibly could and I was just kind of tagging along. Eventually, I started meeting people from Accelerate Okanagan and got involved in one of their programs. I tend to operate better in the background. I just keep trying to build stuff.
What is something you’d like to see more of in the community?
We need to continue to build the tech community so there can be more opportunities for engineers. Everytime we put a posting up for a software engineer, we get a ton of resumes. I don’t know what the market is like for hiring engineers. Having more tech companies offering more opportunities would be good to see.
The best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Or can share?
Larry Smith told me that, in leadership, there will always be people that you have to watch for. That advice really stuck with me. There will always be a certain type of person who you need to recognize and make sure you are managing properly before you lose control of the situation.
Is there something you want to be remembered for?
I want to be remembered for being a good person who contributes to society or the community. I’m not concerned with my name being associated with a charity, that’s not who I am. I want to be remembered for leaving a good impact on the world.
Connect with Evan. Learn more about Estated. Hungry for more? Meet Tasha.
