Martin Lehner | Tangerine Technology | January 21, 2022

S2E8

 

Join Yukon Entrepreneur, Martin Lehner, owner of Tangerine Technology, one of the Yukon’s largest IT service providers as we reconnect on what has changed for them and their business since we last chatted near the beginning of the pandemic

 

(2:00) Martin shares their first memory of the pandemic.  They had decided to open an office in Nanaimo, B.C. in early 2020 and they were down there as it started to become more known.  Many questions around whether they would be able to fly home, travel back and forth, and how travel was going to work in the future.

 

(3:06) Martin shares that the biggest challenge with the public health measures is not the measures themselves, but the communication and implementation of them.  Travel was a hurdle in 2020, but they feel we’re past that point.

 

(4:59) The adaptations Martin is most proud of their business making is being able to accommodate the needs of any of their clients.  They’ve faced a lot of logistical challenges such as shipping supplies and equipment and regardless they have made things work.

 

(7:17) The pandemic has confirmed that Tangerine Technology’s business model is very flexible and that they have been able to move to remote work relatively easily despite not having had to practice it at a larger scale in the past.

 

(10:11) Martin discusses that tech-wise not much has changed in their business, however, they observe that there is more understanding from clients on how reliant they are on technology and how it can support them.  The industry is growing, and tech is being used more and more every single day.

 

(11:05) Martin comments on the challenges the current internet has had in the Yukon during the pandemic and the emergence of a new internet service provider in the Yukon and how they see service costs going down and service quality going up which they are looking forward to seeing happen.

 

(12:10) To better position themselves for the economy ahead, Martin has continued to build on existing skill sets which has included graduating from Harvard University’s cybersecurity program and focusing developing further in that area.

 

(13:31) Thinking about leadership, Martin shares that being quick to react to things, provide direction and being able to make those decisions quickly has been important.

 

(14:24) Looking at the Yukon economy, Martin doesn’t see a ton changing, however they do recognize that many business sectors have been hit hard such as tourism.  They see rebuilding efforts being focused into those sectors.

 

(15:57) Martin’s advice for emerging entrepreneurs.  Consider what you’re starting.  Be careful about whether it is something that can be affected by restrictions.

 

(17:50) What wellness practices have been keeping Martin grounded? Focusing on the work they must do as it gets them pretty busy and focusing on family.

(18:27) Martin’s shares that they didn’t think we would still be here when we had our interview almost two years ago at the start of the pandemic.  They share that there is a different set of challenges now and how there will be another set next year, and we just have to roll with it.

 

Thank you for watching!

 

To learn more about Martin and their business, visit their website at:

https://www.tangerinetechnology.ca/