5 Questions...with Alkarim (Alex) Nasser
Every Wednesday we run a feature highlighting one of Toronto's social media or technology stars. Today, we shine the spotlight on one of Toronto's young superstars.
Formally educated in business, technology and design, Alkarim (Alex) N asser founded BNOTIONS- a web technology agency in the heart of Toronto. Alex’s ability to excel in a rapidly changing field is rooted in his constant pursuit of knowledge, his understanding of the features and benefits of a wide variety of web platforms and technologies, and his insight into the use of technology as a competitive advantage for his clients. Alex successfully challenges web conventions to generate unique and innovative offerings for businesses and their clients. Having extensive hands-on programming experience in web deployments for Fortune 500 companies (such as Rogers, Telus, Mercedes, Manulife Financial and Toyota) Alex is well-versed in the business procedures that drive web initiatives.
What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?
There is no distinct motivating factor right now. At this point, it's mostly momentum. I have an insatiable appetite for adventure, and I was fortunate to surround myself with like-minded individuals, particularly Mark Reale, Logan Aube and Aaron Ritchie. Right now we are in the middle of a journey. The rapid growth and mystery of the internet made for a logical starting point for us - no matter how big the task, short the timelines or little the pay off – the companionship of these people were a big part of what kept me moving forward.
We were all people who saw the benefits of formal educational, but understood not all careers were carved out from text books. After completing our studies we sought a career that could be determined from our own experiences and exploration. A lot of times, we rely on recognizing where we are needed most. Imagine anytime someone needs something and you have no idea how to help them, you do whatever it takes to figure it out. It may be an unconventional approach, but it has become a way of life. It is a big part of what we call Merkonomics.
Do you have any success start-up tips for people wanting to create name for themselves in your industry?
- At the end of the day, the bottom line is: just be good people.
- When life throws a lemon, work harder.
- When meeting others, always ask yourself: “how can I be useful to this person?”
- Don’t look to others to validate who you are. You validate you.
- When someone lends you a hand, fingerprint it and keep it in your records. Don’t forget to appreciate and show gratitude.
In your opinion why is Toronto a hotbed for cool tech start-ups?
The answer to “why?” is “why not?” Toronto is blossoming with young, ambitious and hard-working talent. We are a community that has had more exposure per capita to computers with access to reliable internet connections from early-on. It has been easier to share and learn; we have done exactly that.
What’s your favourite tech toy and social media site and why?
Currently, the Android OS is often at the tip of my tongue during most conversations. The ability it has to revolutionize telecommunications is surreal and unfolding quickly before our eyes. It has the inch of extra freedom the iPhone was not able to offer because it was tied to proprietary software and strict development processes. I look forward to the Google Phone, a phone built entirely to adhere to Google’s original vision of the Android OS.
I admit, I was slow to embrace Twitter. Introduced to the platform in 2007 at an Adobe Air event in Toronto, I was originally a little skeptical of its value. It wasn’t until I discovered a small niche community of ambitious innovators, that I really began taking notice. Twitter is not my answer, however. Twitter and this group of innovators had shined light on another social media site – Sprouter.com. Now this is my favourite social media site. The concept behind it is brilliant and the execution simple. It is built off of a community of entrepreneurs looking to connect and share their experiences. The leaders in this community demonstrate passion and perseverance. Surround yourselves with these people.
Who would say is one of Toronto’s social media/tech stars and why?
Satish Kanwar. It’s not often we meet very many people that take business as seriously as we do. Since we started working with JetCooper, I’ve been nothing but impressed. His ability to evaluate opportunities, paid or unpaid, and perform with absolute professionalism has inspired many changes on how I view social networking and business. Consistency is very valuable and maintaining it is very difficult. I feel he has developed a winning formula- someone to look out for in the next coming years.
