JOEY THOMPSON

Mulgrave School Class of 2013 Interviewed by Michelle Noble | October 2017

fter graduating in 2013 from Mulgrave School, Joey Thompson pursued Business A at Western University with a focus on Management and Organisational Studies. Always up for an adventure, Joey took his studies abroad to Spain, where he spent four months working towards his degree, learning Spanish, making friends from all over the world, travelling, all while embracing Spanish culture. Now working for the Vancouver Canucks as an Inside Sales Representative, Joey had reached out to Mulgrave’s Alumni Association to invite all alumni to a Canucks vs. Dallas Stars game in October. We hope you enjoy this Alumni Spotlight as Joey talks about the perks of working for the Canucks, what it’s like to study abroad, and the advice he would give to his Grade 12 self.

I WOULD TELL MY GRADE 12 SELF TO NOT BE AFRAID OF TAKING RISKS.

After Mulgrave, you went to Western to study Management and Organisational Studies. Why did you choose Western, and how did you know it would be a good fit for you?

I had decided that I wanted to study business in university, so I started looking at my options. There are so many great business programmes in Canada that it was really hard to narrow it down. I was accepted into both Western and UBC, so I had a tough decision to make as they are both great schools and are both known to have outstanding business programmes. In the end, I decided that I wanted to live in a different city. I’d lived in Vancouver my whole life and I felt that it would be a great experience to live in Ontario for four years. I had done my research on London (Ontario) and found out that it’s known as the perfect student city. Looking back, I feel that I definitely made the right call. I couldn’t imagine doing my undergraduate degree anywhere else.

While pursuing your Bachelor’s Degree, you took the opportunity to study abroad in Barcelona for four months. What did you learn studying in Barcelona that you may not have otherwise learned?

Studying in Barcelona was such a great experience. I would say the most amazing aspect of it was being part of the Spanish culture and meeting people from all over the world. Spain is different from Canada in so many ways, and the only way to really understand it is by living there. I was able to take an intermediate Spanish course along with three other business courses, which were very different from my courses at Western. I also made a lot of friends from all over the world

that I still keep in touch with. It was interesting being so close with people that come from such different backgrounds.

Would you recommend studying abroad to a Mulgrave student if they had the opportunity?

One hundred percent! Studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and most universities in Canada offer it to their students. I went to Barcelona alone, not knowing anyone else from my school who was going. I was a little nervous and really didn’t know what to expect, but I found that it was easy to meet people and make friends because everyone is in the same situation. I lived in a residence with over 500 international

students who were all on exchange and who all spoke English. I felt like I was in first-year university again, only this time in a foreign country. One of the best parts of my time abroad was the opportunity to travel. We had time off from school from Friday to Sunday so my friends and I decided to plan some trips. I got to spend weekends in Mallorca, Madrid, Amsterdam, Munich, Prague, and Budapest. These were some of the best times of my four months abroad. I would tell any student that studying abroad is a must-do. It presents an opportunity to experience a culture so different from Canada and has the potential to change your perspective in so many ways…all while you’re having the time of your life.

It seems your experience and career path has so far been geared towards connecting with people, whether through captaining sports teams, selling services, creating partnerships for Black Kettle Brewing, and now as an Inside Sales Representative for the Canucks. Did you always know you wanted to work in sales and with people?

I’ve always loved working with people, especially in business. Having strong people skills is a crucial asset to have in business and in life, and I think that working in sales is a great way to learn and perfect these skills. I didn’t see myself working in sales while I was in university, probably because I didn’t fully understand the concept of sales. What I know now is that sales is everything; we are constantly selling every day, whether we realise it or not. I hope that working in sales now will help me prepare for wherever my career takes me.

What is your current role with the Vancouver Canucks?

I am an Inside Sales Representative with the Vancouver Canucks. The Sales Department was created a couple years ago as season ticket memberships started to decline. The department is small, and our job is to sell to people and companies that have an interest in attending Canucks games. Most people don’t really know what a season ticket membership entails or what the options are. My regular day involves a lot of calls and meetings where I provide people with all of the necessary information to make a decision on a Canucks membership.

That sounds fun! Do you have a favourite player?

• Favourite player: Nathan Mackinnon • Favourite Canuck: Bo Horvat

ABOVE: Joey with his parents on his graduation day at Western University.

I’ve been so passionate about hockey my whole life that I simply consider the environment of the organisation a perk. Everything that happens throughout the day involves hockey, which makes me feel comfortable and at home. The organisation also puts a lot of emphasis on culture and team building. We have days from time-to-time where the company takes us to places such as Seattle, Bowen Island, etc. Working for the Canucks has been such a fun and interesting experience.

You’re continuing your education this fall to earn a Master’s Degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Can you tell us about this programme and why you chose it?

This programme is at the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University. After I completed my undergraduate degree, I was looking into a number of master’s programmes within Canada. I was considering an MBA, and then found the Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation programme at Queen’s. After looking into it, I knew that it was something I wanted to pursue. The programme is one year and offers a few different pathways. I have chosen the Innovation pathway, which means that the first semester will involve classes relating to both Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and the remaining time will be dedicated to completing an Innovation project. As I want to continue working with the Canucks, I will be completing this programme online from Vancouver. I’ve always had entrepreneurship in the back of my mind as something I may want to pursue, so I’m excited to learn more about it and will hopefully be able to utilise it in the future.

Do you have an ultimate career goal?

I thought that by the time I finished my undergraduate degree I’d know exactly what I wanted to do. The truth is, I still don’t know, which I’m fine with. I’m very open-minded and always try to keep doors open. I studied so many different areas of business in the last four years, many of which interested me. My goal right now is to use what I’ve learned and take action. I’ve always enjoyed trying new things and experimenting, and I see a lot more of that to come in the near future.

If you could tell your Grade 12 self one thing, what would it be? I would tell my Grade 12 self to not be afraid of taking risks. When I was accepted to Western, I had the tough decision of continuing to play competitive hockey or giving it up to focus on school. I ended up trying out for the varsity team in my first year and not making the team. After that, I figured my time was up with competitive hockey and I stopped playing. I had an amazing four years focusing on school and my social life, but a part of me still wishes I worked towards making that team in my second and third year. In hindsight, I probably could have managed both hockey and school. Four years goes by faster than anyone could imagine, so my advice would be to take advantage of your opportunities. Whether it’s a sport, a club, an exchange programme, or anything else, you have so many chances to branch out and try new things. Joey Thompson, 2013