It’s always inspiring to see entrepreneurs disrupting traditional industries, which is why we’ve decided to take a closer look at three companies in Vancouver that are progressive, innovative and thinking to the future instead of allowing their sectors to stand unchanged. We found three companies that are not only keeping up with change and growth, they’re creating it. They’re proving that the only way to optimize these rapidly evolving industries is to come up with modern solutions, disrupt tradition and stay one step ahead at all times. Here are three Vancouver entrepreneurs who are showing old dogs new tricks and redefining fundamental industries:
Redefining Education
RED Academy is a forward-thinking technology academy created for the designers, creators, developers and digital marketers of tomorrow. Traditional educational establishments simply aren’t able to keep up when it comes to teaching the specific skills that today’s top tech companies are looking for. There are limited options when it comes to learning what’s relevant right now, which is why Red Academy is growing so quickly.
Colin Mansell, Founder and CEO of RED Academy explained that the inspiration to start RED came from his own frustrations when it came to finding qualified candidates who possessed the specific skills required to work in today’s fast-moving and always-evolving tech industry. Colin was running a web agency in Yaletown called Drive at the time and realized that these specific skills are in enormous demand, and that what’s necessary is a more forward-thinking educational system that can keep up with the thriving tech industry. “We decided we would teach the skills that people are actually using in the industry today, and teach the type of expertise today’s top tech companies require of their candidates.”
RED Academy started in only July of last year, and has already doubled the size of its Vancouver School and is opening in Toronto in May. RED’s graduates have already gone on to get jobs at awesome companies like Boeing, Oak & Fort, Telus Labs, 6S Marketing, Cossette, BCAA, Yellow Pages and Kabuni. “RED’s industry instructors will train you and give you the specific skills you need to get ahead in today’s digital economy,” explains Mansell. If you want to get ahead, check out RED Academy today.
Abrasive Blasting Specialists
Pacific Dustless Blasting is redefining their industry by providing a faster, cleaner and more environmentally friendly solution to surface restoration, surface preparation and paint removal. They offer all of this while maintaining excellent customer service and an active involvement in the community.
Over the last year, these abrasive blasting specialists have been restoring unique structures throughout the city of Vancouver, including a bronze sculpture created by local artist Al McWilliams. McWilliams’ art piece is located at Metrotown Station Square’s pedestrian level, and due to being outside for approximately 15 years, it suffered significant weathering and required some much-needed restoration. Pacific Dustless Blasting was able to restore the sculpture to its original bronze this year in order for a new finish to be applied, and this was the first time it had ever been properly cleaned.
Pacific Dustless Blasting’s local charity work recently included refurbishing the bicycles of students that have an extended history of non-engagement in school, allowing the students to get involved and customize their bikes as they were rebuilt to accommodate each of their individual preferences.
“Customer service is number one for us – that, and great workmanship. I will personally make sure to return every single call that same day, and our customers appreciate how quickly we get back to them,” says Owner and Founder of Pacific Dustless Blasting.
Extraordinary customer service isn’t the only thing Pacific Dustless Blasting prides itself on, though. “We invest in our employees as well as in the newest equipment and are consistently up-to-date with our industry’s technology and methods. We’re looking towards the future.”
Their up-to-date technology and procedures are better for the health of their employees, better for the environment and in cases, more effective than traditional methods.
Advanced Purification and Waste Water Treatment
Bio-Catalytics brings about a fundamental transformation in the advanced purification of our water resources and the cleaning arts. It’s a technology that has evolved and been perfected over many years of extensive scientific research, and when it comes to deep-cleaning, it is significantly better for the environment than traditional cleaning methods.
When it comes to water treatment, this company is optimizing their industry by converting waste water into clean water by solving the problem of low dissolved oxygen, which in turn solves both odour problems and environmental issues. They are unique in their ability to cause an immediate catalytic breakdown of the molecular structures of organic contaminates.
Parker Dale, an expert at Bio-Catalytics told us “when it comes to waste, we’re overloading our systems, so we need to stay ahead of the game to avoid low oxygen and optimize waste to prevent it from becoming septic and poisonous.”
Another unique service provided by Bio-Catalytics is ecological restoration. For example, when Hurricane Sandy knocked out a wastewater treatment plant in NYC, over 300 million gallons of raw sewage were being pumped into the fragile wetlands. The same fundamental product that is used by Bio-Catalytics here in B.C. was able to restore the wetlands before the raw sewage depleted all of the wetlands’ oxygen. By spraying the wetlands’ surface with their technology, they were able to establish a high-dissolved oxygen layer on top of the wetlands which became a natural bio-filter. This prevented a disgusting odour and saved the wetlands. Parker says, “within one month… it looked like the Garden of Eden. It was completely restored because of us. These wetlands were black, stinky, slimy and disgusting when we arrived, and it was amazing that we were able to increase the dissolved oxygen enough to accomplish such an astonishing transformation.”
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