Local Community Advertising
Jace Anderson grew up in Manitoba and moved to Kelowna after studying marketing at the University of Saskatchewan. Always having been an active person, he was excited to take full advantage of the Okanagan lifestyle — but he noticed a gap while trying to get more involved in the alternative sports community.
“Coming from the prairies, I wanted to do everything our natural playground has to offer, but there wasn’t one centralized place for all the information or people,” said Anderson. “Sure, there were Facebook and Meetup groups, forums and websites, clubs and business pages, but it turned into an information overload quickly and easily.”
Anderson just wanted to find some locals to go mountain biking with, and he felt there should be an easier solution. So, he decided to create one — an app that serves as a space where action sports fans can connect and share information.
Active.ly launched on iOS in late March 2019, and is set to launch for Android in the fall. It’s free to use, and currently focuses on a variety of outdoor activities including mountain biking, paddling, climbing, snowboarding/skiing, skateboarding and surfing.
Users are able to find topic-based chat rooms where they can discuss the area, the best places to find gear or organize meetups all by simply selecting their preferred location and sport.
“It’s a great way to dip your toe into a new sport, find a ride up to the hill or just meet new people,” said Anderson. “I use it regularly to find people to bike with when I’m travelling for work.”
Just months after launching, Active.ly has seem impressive growth and has been recognized in the Ready to Rocket 2019 Emerging Rockets List for ICT, a business recognition program for the tech sector in B.C.
“Focusing on the Okanagan has been successful as we’re truly in such a great and supportive community,” said Anderson, who has funded the project himself while also working a full-time job.
While getting the app up and running came with some challenges, Anderson has enjoyed learning the ropes and looks forward to continuing to grow not only his business, but his entrepreneurial skills.
“I personally grow everyday,” said Anderson. “A traditional education teaches you very little about starting and running your own business so there are constantly things coming up where I have to learn how to handle it myself.”
Anderson’s advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs? Take the leap.
“If you're prepared and have done your research, just do it and take the jump,” said Anderson “There are so many great tools out there now for starting a business that have made it cheaper and easier than ever to get up and running.”
Click here to learn more about Active.ly and follow the link to download the app on iOS.
Local Community Advertising