46 BCBusiness OCtObER 2018
e n T r e P r e n e u r o F T H e Y e A r 2 0 1 8 / S O C I A L I M P A C T
R U N N E R U P
Zeeshan Hayat +
Karina Hayat
C O - F O u N D E R a N D
C E O + C O - F O u N D E R
a N D p R E S I D E N T ,
p R I Z m m E D I a
Combining entrepreneurship with
health care came naturally to karina and
Zeeshan hayat, who both grew up in families
that struggled financially and have lost rela-
tives to diabetes. in 2001 while still at Doug-
las College–Zeeshan was studying business,
and karina, planning to become a doctor,
took biology–the pair launched an online
enterprise that sold health supplements.
since then prizm media has become a
technology company that connects more
than 70 million north americans with chronic
illnesses to pharmacies and providers of
medical equipment, from hearing aids to
catheters. its Rxtome app allows patients to
order or refill prescriptions from pharmacies
24/7 for free delivery. and because prizm
media, which employs 31 people at its
Vancouver head office and another 245 in its
offshore call centres, knows who's buying
the products, it also supplies leads to medical
suppliers for marketing campaigns. –F.S.
R U N N E R U P
Jon Friesen + Randy Shier
C E O + p R E S I D E N T , m I S S I O N G R O u p
E N T E R p R I S E S
Jon Friesen and Randy Shier met in 1984 through a Vancouver church group for young
adults but didn't work together until 20 years later. Coincidentally, both switched from other
professions to property development in 1987–Friesen, born and raised in Japan, started off
as a Vancouver-based chemical trader for mitsubishi Corp., while Vancouver native shier was
an architect. in 2004, Friesen suggested that shier join him in expanding mission group, the
development firm he had founded in kelowna two years earlier.
the company, which has 59 full-time employees, builds condominiums
to sell and rental apartments to hold and lease. behind the scenes, mission
group has donated construction, new appliances, time and resources to
non-profits. Recently "we just thought, if we're going to make a social
impact, maybe we should share some of what we do and maybe we can
inspire others to do the same," shier explains. unlike low-income families
and seniors, single people are less likely to qualify for affordable housing.
mission group's build it Forward program will provide a number of suites
for below-market rents to this so-called missing middle. –F.S.
What do you do to
unwind/relax?
Go for a bike with my husband,
or hang out with my kids and sing
together at the top of our lungs
25th
a n n i v e r s a r y
