Business in Vancouver’s “How I Did It” feature asks business leaders to explain in their own words how they achieved a business goal in the face of significant entrepreneurial challenges. In this week’s issue, Robert Napoli, vice-president and co-founder of First West Capital and Business in Vancouver columnist, describes how he established a professional network after moving to Canada from Australia a decade ago.
“I came to Canada in 2003, for personal reasons. I didn’t know anyone aside from a few friends, and they weren’t in my line of business, which was working for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Australia in corporate finance.
“I came over without a job and a big mortgage back home, and I didn’t know anybody. I hit the pavement and I felt like a complete outsider, walking around downtown. I had a few job interviews and a few opportunities, but nothing I was really passionate about.
“I’d applied for a job as an analyst at Vancity Capital when I was back in Australia just on the Internet, and I didn’t hear anything from them.
“I just decided to go to their office, I knocked on the door and I had an interview there and then.
“I got the job and started in the lending business. I didn’t know [a lot about it] but I figured it was like investing. I found that I really enjoyed it. I really loved it.
“Even though I took a $20,000 pay cut, I was happy to get into what I really love.
“I did that for a few years and found that Canadians were really welcoming and open to newcomers, which was wonderful, but I wasn’t getting as much traction as I wanted to. It was taking a long time to establish a reputation, even though I thought I was doing all the right things.
“So I decided to start volunteering in the community. I tried a few things, a few volunteer boards and so on, and nothing was really coming off.
“Then I decided to try my hand at the corporate finance association, which is called ACG, the Association for Corporate Growth. I started volunteering with them a little bit. And then I was asked to do a bit more. Eventually I was asked to become a director on the board and after a couple of years there was an opportunity to become president of the local chapter. I didn’t think I was quite up to it, to be honest, but I decided to give it a go and see what happens.
“For me that was a real tipping point in my career by doing some good community work and helping in our industry, helping make connections and pulling people together and putting on education and so on.
“I guess people started to think about me perhaps a little differently, and my profile went up and it led to all sort of opportunities, including my regular column in Business in Vancouver.
“Two years ago I moved from Vancity to start First West Capital with my colleague Kristi Miller.
“We’re growing that right across Canada, and we hope to have one of the biggest sub-debt [subordinated debt or junior security] firms in Canada in a few years.
“Give back and get involved and volunteer and spend your time and your effort in your community and in your industry, because the rewards pay back in spades.” •
