LEADERS WITHIN REACH: JONATHAN HOLTBY

MEET JONATHAN

JONATHAN HOLTBY IS THE FOUNDER OF TACK, WHICH IS AN ADVANCED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE THAT’S RUNNING A HIRING COMMUNITY FOR THE TECH INDUSTRY IN TORONTO AND KITCHENER-WATERLOO. WHEN PEOPLE ASK, HE JUST SAYS “TECH FOUNDER”. JONATHAN’S LIVED AND WORKED IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, AMERICA, ENGLAND, AND THE UAE, AND HAS A MASTER OF COMMUNICATIONS DEGREE.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?

An AI that can help you with your professional networking. I think most people understand the value of a good network, but they can be kind of hard to build, and really hard to maintain and take full advantage of. So we’re designing a technology that’s going to learn who you really want to connect to, and help you meet that person through your existing social contacts.

HOW HAS YOUR NETWORK INFLUENCED AND INFORMED WHERE (OR WHO) YOU ARE TODAY?

Massively! Our whole team at tack has come from professional networking, friends-of-friends, and multiple games of six degrees of Kevin Bacon. Human relationships are the most valuable currency in professional life, we try to cultivate them as much as we possibly can.

WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST, IN TERMS OF THE “NEXT BIG THING” OR EVOLUTION FOR TECHNOLOGY (OR ENTREPRENEURS) THIS YEAR?

Without a doubt, artificial intelligence and robotics. Toronto is putting out some of the most exciting advanced technology companies on the planet these days. It’s going to be really cool to see what comes through the pipe in 2016.

BEST ADVICE FOR A NEWBIE TO GET THE MOST OUT OF ATTENDING AN AFTERWORK NETWORKING EVENT?

Don’t go into it like it’s a ‘networking event.’ Go in genuinely, with an open mind and a desire to have some fun conversations with a few new people. You’ll find you make better, and more interesting, connections that you actually want to keep in touch with after it’s done. The days of ‘gathering scalps’ (ie business cards) are getting old.

FAVOURITE APP? WHY?

Other than tack and Reach? Probably Insta. There’s beauty in simplicity, you know? And there are some very funny content creators on that channel.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT REACH?

I love local networking! There’s something very rewarding about saying, ‘Hey, I’ve got ten minutes, I wonder who’s around’ that I find really fulfilling.

BEST WAY FOR THE REACH COMMUNITY TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOU?

Join the tack community! If you work in technology or are a big time networker, we’re welcoming new members all the time. Check out our unbounce page for more information, and we’d love to welcome you into the community:

THANKS JON 

Want to be featured as a leader within Reach? Send Matt Kaine a message in the Reach app!