Erin Haluschak

Record Staff

He may not have a crystal ball, but a Comox Valley tech organizer and content manager is hoping a futurist will help inspire, connect and develop resources for the area鈥檚 developing tech sector.

Hans Peter Meyer is hosting Nikolas Badminton, futurist and former management consultant who is part of the 2015 #WeAreYQQ speaker and workshop series with the theme 鈥淚maging a Talent-Driven Economy.鈥�

Meyer said he wanted to host a series following a tech roundtable late last year which saw members of the Valley come together to brainstorm needs, resources and connections.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got a very talented community and whenever you get a chance to inspire, connect people, it鈥檚 always a good thing,鈥� noted Meyer. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a small community (in the Comox Valley) and we need to inject energy and ideas and have people come together.鈥�

Meyer explained he has heard a lot of people note the area is a great place to raise kids, but it鈥檚 not a great place for kids to work. He hopes to change that perspective, and uses a neighbouring community as an example.

鈥淚n Qualicum, they have a policy to attract and retain young families. We need to do something in that same way to stimulate and connect resources.鈥�

Meyer hopes the speaker series will bring tools to grow businesses in the Valley, and Badminton brings a wealth of experience speaking on trends and looking ahead to what is on the horizon with particular markets and opportunities.

He is a regional director for Freelancer.com, the world鈥檚 largest freelancing and crowd sourcing marketplace, said Meyer, who hopes to show how entrepreneurs can tap into a bigger market with their business with services they can鈥檛 find in the Valley and need for only a limited time.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a sharing economy.鈥�

The event, set for Jan. 26, is co-hosted by North Island College鈥檚 Interactive Media program and the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce.

A daytime workshop on strategic planning for global freelance economy is scheduled at the Sid Williams Theatre and the evening presentation on entrepreneurs and the future of work in a global marketplace is set at the Stan Hagen Theatre at North Island College.

For more information or to register, visit picatic.com/nikbadmintonjan26, or call Naz at 250-615-6516.

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