COLUMN: Brain gain or drain?

Now and then an opportunity presents itself to get a glimpse of the future without resorting to the vagueness of a crystal ball. 

A few weeks ago the trajectory of the local IT industry became a lot clearer when I met up with Nate Smith, the director and founder of The Vacuum creative studio located in downtown Squamish. 

He is a fitting representative of a new wave of young entrepreneurs whose niche is an expanding assortment of print and digital platforms, including social media, live action directing, editing, cinematography and motion graphics. His company’s catchy tag line underscores that assertion: “In a vacuum, there is no friction – ideas fly.” 

Smith, who hails from Lethbridge, Alta, dabbled in the creative design field while he was completing a fine arts degree. 

After working with various firms in San Francisco his affinity for backcountry skiing lured him to Nelson, B.C. where he subsequently set up shop. During the summers he came to Squamish to rock climb, and as he puts it, “fell in love with the place.” 

Seven years ago he decided to move here permanently and now his company has three full-time and two part-time employees. 

He says Squamish has a perfect mix of small and big-town vibe and the prevailing outdoor lifestyle made it easier to hire staff with the required creative skill set. 

The community’s proximity to YVR was another factor, given that he frequently attends business meetings with clients in New York, San Francisco and other international locations.  

Smith is enthusiastic about the opportunities this town offers newcomers working in the digital economy. 

But he believes the “brain gain” Squamish is tapping into at the moment could end up becoming a “brain drain” in the near future. 

Although he is in the process of building a house in Valleycliffe on a lot he bought when prices were still reasonable, some of his colleagues in the industry have not been as fortunate. 

Even couples with two incomes are facing an uphill battle to purchase a home. For that reason, Smith says a number of cutting edge start-ups may end up relocating elsewhere. 

But he is staying here and his clientele list contains some heavy hitters, including Liftopia, the largest online platform serving the ski and mountain activity industry, Arc’teryx outdoor apparel, Nike, Telus and Fitbit, the global leader in the connected health and fitness market.

The Vacuum recently created a digital platform for Fitbit’s popular “Fit for Good” campaign. That program spawned the “Step It Up! Challenge,” a two-week competition endorsed by the U.S. Surgeon General, designed to challenge participants to do more walking while monitoring the process using Fitbit technology. 

For Smith, Squamish is the place to be.