(KODY BAKER) RAEFF MILES
CLAUDIA SJOBERG
Royal Roads University, Class of 2015
FOUNDER, ATLANTIS PROGRAMS
AND PEDALHEADS
Sjoberg began offering swimming and
biking camps for kids in 1986, with a
focus on building self-esteem as much as
teaching life skills. Along the way, she's
built a strong charitable component to
her business by partnering with nonprof-
its such as KidSafe and local neighbour-
hood houses to offer free programming
for inner city kids. With programs oper-
ating in 58 different locations in Canada
and the U.S., Sjoberg says getting an
MBA helped build her confidence and
sharpen the managerial and research
skills necessary to grow her business
with integrity.
WHY SHE DOES IT "Helping kids gain con-
fidence and skills helps them find their
place in the world."
KODY BAKER
SFU Management of Technology MBA , Class of 2014
FOUNDER AND CTO, VELOMETRO
MOBILITY INC.
When Rapid Electric Vehicles, the elec-
tric vehicle startup Baker worked for,
became a software company in 2012,
he was given a choice: get laid off,
or take over the company's licences,
software and tools and create a viable
alternative to the car. He chose the latter.
Velometro aims to build a future where
city streets are filled with Veemos—the
startup's electric-assist pedal-powered
vehicles that will run on a carshare-
like system (it's still in the prototype
phase). Getting an
MBA to complement
his engineering background gave Baker
insight into areas like marketing and
sales, and allowed him to not just build
a product but also bring it to market.
WHY HE DOES IT "Anyone around my age,
there's no one who really doubts climate
change and humans' effect on it. There
aren't a lot of people starting mining
companies."
40 BCBUSINESS MARCH 2016
