growing up my favorite brand was adidas to me it stood for all day I dream about
to me it stood for all day I dream about
to me it stood for all day I dream about sports which I did do you remember how
sports which I did do you remember how
sports which I did do you remember how easy it was to be active as a kid he
easy it was to be active as a kid he
easy it was to be active as a kid he could go outside find pickup games
could go outside find pickup games
could go outside find pickup games there’s literally endless things to do
there’s literally endless things to do
there’s literally endless things to do but recess has kids life was pretty good
but recess has kids life was pretty good
but recess has kids life was pretty good as innocent kids we didn’t care we
as innocent kids we didn’t care we
as innocent kids we didn’t care we played with the gender the ethnicity the
played with the gender the ethnicity the
played with the gender the ethnicity the age as long as we had fun it was a great
age as long as we had fun it was a great
age as long as we had fun it was a great time and then something happens we get
time and then something happens we get
time and then something happens we get older sometimes we move away friends
older sometimes we move away friends
older sometimes we move away friends change we have busy lives with work and
change we have busy lives with work and
change we have busy lives with work and families and even though we know plays
families and even though we know plays
families and even though we know plays an important part of being alive as
an important part of being alive as
an important part of being alive as somehow moves down the list of
somehow moves down the list of
somehow moves down the list of priorities on top of all that social
priorities on top of all that social
priorities on top of all that social media and smartphones have consumed us
media and smartphones have consumed us
media and smartphones have consumed us we’re now more connected than we’ve ever
we’re now more connected than we’ve ever
we’re now more connected than we’ve ever been but more socially isolated than
been but more socially isolated than
been but more socially isolated than ever before maybe that’s why we’re so
ever before maybe that’s why we’re so
ever before maybe that’s why we’re so weird as adults a couple years ago I
weird as adults a couple years ago I
weird as adults a couple years ago I sold my I sold my shares of a firm that
sold my I sold my shares of a firm that
sold my I sold my shares of a firm that I owned and I went to Nepal to visit a
I owned and I went to Nepal to visit a
I owned and I went to Nepal to visit a friend that had a non-profit now to put
friend that had a non-profit now to put
friend that had a non-profit now to put it in context he was helping villagers
it in context he was helping villagers
it in context he was helping villagers make sense of sanitation so when he
make sense of sanitation so when he
make sense of sanitation so when he asked me to get my hands dirty literally
asked me to get my hands dirty literally
asked me to get my hands dirty literally that’s actually what he meant I went
that’s actually what he meant I went
that’s actually what he meant I went down there and these remote villages had
down there and these remote villages had
down there and these remote villages had no Wi-Fi no internet connection I could
no Wi-Fi no internet connection I could
no Wi-Fi no internet connection I could feel my anxiety building instantly I had
feel my anxiety building instantly I had
feel my anxiety building instantly I had to be present it had to be the moment
to be present it had to be the moment
to be present it had to be the moment there’s no escape but what I found was
there’s no escape but what I found was
there’s no escape but what I found was though even though I didn’t connect with
though even though I didn’t connect with
though even though I didn’t connect with these people through language because we
these people through language because we
these people through language because we didn’t speak the same language be
didn’t speak the same language be
didn’t speak the same language be connected through sport and that was an
connected through sport and that was an
connected through sport and that was an intense feeling at the same time had
intense feeling at the same time had
intense feeling at the same time had just become journaling and I started to
just become journaling and I started to
just become journaling and I started to ask myself what I wanted to be
ask myself what I wanted to be
ask myself what I wanted to be remembered for what next project I want
remembered for what next project I want
remembered for what next project I want to work on that actually could have
to work on that actually could have
to work on that actually could have impact in the world I didn’t know it
impact in the world I didn’t know it
impact in the world I didn’t know it then
then
then but this trip will change the course of
but this trip will change the course of
but this trip will change the course of my life forever coming back to Calgary I
my life forever coming back to Calgary I
my life forever coming back to Calgary I moved back downtown and with golf out of
moved back downtown and with golf out of
moved back downtown and with golf out of the budget I decided to pick up tennis
the budget I decided to pick up tennis
the budget I decided to pick up tennis now I have a pretty active network in
now I have a pretty active network in
now I have a pretty active network in the city so I was blown away how hard it
the city so I was blown away how hard it
the city so I was blown away how hard it was for me to actually find coop to play
was for me to actually find coop to play
was for me to actually find coop to play with maybe they don’t want to play with
with maybe they don’t want to play with
with maybe they don’t want to play with me but most of the time they were just
me but most of the time they were just
me but most of the time they were just either super busy or just didn’t want to
either super busy or just didn’t want to
either super busy or just didn’t want to play the game I was starting to look on
play the game I was starting to look on
play the game I was starting to look on meetups use Facebook even try kijiji and
meetups use Facebook even try kijiji and
meetups use Facebook even try kijiji and that was not ideal weird yeah if and
that was not ideal weird yeah if and
that was not ideal weird yeah if and when I’d find someone the skill level
when I’d find someone the skill level
when I’d find someone the skill level was completely off the courts for in my
was completely off the courts for in my
was completely off the courts for in my courts and the time didn’t really work
courts and the time didn’t really work
courts and the time didn’t really work so kind of felt like a waste of time for
so kind of felt like a waste of time for
so kind of felt like a waste of time for all of us I knew with my background in
all of us I knew with my background in
all of us I knew with my background in tech my love of sports and this
tech my love of sports and this
tech my love of sports and this opportunity to build something bigger
opportunity to build something bigger
opportunity to build something bigger than myself there had to be a better way
than myself there had to be a better way
than myself there had to be a better way to connect people around the same time
to connect people around the same time
to connect people around the same time dating apps we’re doing a really good
dating apps we’re doing a really good
dating apps we’re doing a really good job bringing people together based on
job bringing people together based on
job bringing people together based on preferences and location this is when I
preferences and location this is when I
preferences and location this is when I had my aha moment I knew what I want to
had my aha moment I knew what I want to
had my aha moment I knew what I want to do next when you’re starting any new
do next when you’re starting any new
do next when you’re starting any new project you want to validate that the
project you want to validate that the
project you want to validate that the problem that you have is actually worth
problem that you have is actually worth
problem that you have is actually worth solving so I started to ask as many
solving so I started to ask as many
solving so I started to ask as many people as I could and what they told me
people as I could and what they told me
people as I could and what they told me above having a limited network was a two
above having a limited network was a two
above having a limited network was a two main issues that they were having when
main issues that they were having when
main issues that they were having when trying to find people were a lack of
trying to find people were a lack of
trying to find people were a lack of people that were in the same skill level
people that were in the same skill level
people that were in the same skill level and people that actually fit their
and people that actually fit their
and people that actually fit their schedule this is why we created play
schedule this is why we created play
schedule this is why we created play Cydia they could play city as tinder
Cydia they could play city as tinder
Cydia they could play city as tinder meets TripAdvisor but for physical
meets TripAdvisor but for physical
meets TripAdvisor but for physical activity buddies I know what you’re
activity buddies I know what you’re
activity buddies I know what you’re thinking not that type of physical
thinking not that type of physical
thinking not that type of physical activity but I don’t judge just don’t be
activity but I don’t judge just don’t be
activity but I don’t judge just don’t be homewrecker
how it works is quite simple log in
how it works is quite simple log in through Facebook so we know you’re a
through Facebook so we know you’re a
through Facebook so we know you’re a real person choose your preferences and
real person choose your preferences and
real person choose your preferences and start browsing simple as that
start browsing simple as that
start browsing simple as that if someone accepts your invite go play
if someone accepts your invite go play
if someone accepts your invite go play as we evolved we started to learn more
as we evolved we started to learn more
as we evolved we started to learn more about our users and found out that many
about our users and found out that many
about our users and found out that many of them weren’t actually from the city
of them weren’t actually from the city
of them weren’t actually from the city or written to you through a neighborhood
or written to you through a neighborhood
or written to you through a neighborhood so they didn’t even know where to go
so they didn’t even know where to go
so they didn’t even know where to go play think of us now as a localized
play think of us now as a localized
play think of us now as a localized community marketplace in which we
community marketplace in which we
community marketplace in which we connect stakeholders in a very targeted
connect stakeholders in a very targeted
connect stakeholders in a very targeted ecosystem we have the opportunity to not
ecosystem we have the opportunity to not
ecosystem we have the opportunity to not only connect individuals but to the
only connect individuals but to the
only connect individuals but to the community at large meet doc doc and I
community at large meet doc doc and I
community at large meet doc doc and I met on play city last summer now I was
met on play city last summer now I was
met on play city last summer now I was pumped cuz I had someone to play with at
pumped cuz I had someone to play with at
pumped cuz I had someone to play with at two o’clock in the afternoon little did
two o’clock in the afternoon little did
two o’clock in the afternoon little did I know to him it meant so much more as
I know to him it meant so much more as
I know to him it meant so much more as we started chatting when we were playing
we started chatting when we were playing
we started chatting when we were playing he told me about his experience in
he told me about his experience in
he told me about his experience in Calgary and how he just moved here and
Calgary and how he just moved here and
Calgary and how he just moved here and how sad he was that he actually couldn’t
how sad he was that he actually couldn’t
how sad he was that he actually couldn’t find people to connect with or even play
find people to connect with or even play
find people to connect with or even play with until he found play city now he
with until he found play city now he
with until he found play city now he started telling me both his dad
started telling me both his dad
started telling me both his dad encouraging him to keep on swiping he
encouraging him to keep on swiping he
encouraging him to keep on swiping he was gonna find someone and he did he’d
was gonna find someone and he did he’d
was gonna find someone and he did he’d found many people now I couldn’t hold it
found many people now I couldn’t hold it
found many people now I couldn’t hold it in any longer so I told him I was a
in any longer so I told him I was a
in any longer so I told him I was a founder and he and we made it for people
founder and he and we made it for people
founder and he and we made it for people like him and he looked at me and I’ll
like him and he looked at me and I’ll
like him and he looked at me and I’ll never forget the way he said thank you
never forget the way he said thank you
never forget the way he said thank you that that testimonial coming from him
that that testimonial coming from him
that that testimonial coming from him right from him like crystallized what we
right from him like crystallized what we
right from him like crystallized what we were doing and made it even more clear
were doing and made it even more clear
were doing and made it even more clear the mission that we had and what’s
the mission that we had and what’s
the mission that we had and what’s really cool about meeting people having
really cool about meeting people having
really cool about meeting people having fun is that it’s actually really good
fun is that it’s actually really good
fun is that it’s actually really good for you we all know the merit of sports
for you we all know the merit of sports
for you we all know the merit of sports for kids but only one in five Canadians
for kids but only one in five Canadians
for kids but only one in five Canadians gets to recommended physical activity
gets to recommended physical activity
gets to recommended physical activity mounds stress related issues stemming
mounds stress related issues stemming
mounds stress related issues stemming from social isolation and chronic
from social isolation and chronic
from social isolation and chronic diseases are skyrocketing this means in
diseases are skyrocketing this means in
diseases are skyrocketing this means in Canada that it’s a 6.8 billion dollar
Canada that it’s a 6.8 billion dollar
Canada that it’s a 6.8 billion dollar cost much of which could be mitigated
cost much of which could be mitigated
cost much of which could be mitigated through very simple lifestyle changes
through very simple lifestyle changes
through very simple lifestyle changes what I’m most proud of is the community
what I’m most proud of is the community
what I’m most proud of is the community that we built sports brings together
that we built sports brings together
that we built sports brings together people from all walks of life and our
people from all walks of life and our
people from all walks of life and our community is a living testament of that
community is a living testament of that
community is a living testament of that we’ve created thousands of connections
we’ve created thousands of connections
we’ve created thousands of connections and as a social enterprise our goal is
and as a social enterprise our goal is
and as a social enterprise our goal is to connect people through a shared
to connect people through a shared
to connect people through a shared interest to create dialogue which we
interest to create dialogue which we
interest to create dialogue which we believe the world needs more of our
believe the world needs more of our
believe the world needs more of our mission is to make the world a better
mission is to make the world a better
mission is to make the world a better place to play if we can learn and
place to play if we can learn and
place to play if we can learn and appreciate other appreciate each other
appreciate other appreciate each other
appreciate other appreciate each other and understand that our differences is
and understand that our differences is
and understand that our differences is what makes us unique we believe the
what makes us unique we believe the
what makes us unique we believe the world could be such a better place and
world could be such a better place and
world could be such a better place and the world that is way too online not
the world that is way too online not
the world that is way too online not active enough and constantly constantly
active enough and constantly constantly
active enough and constantly constantly being divided through all the noise out
being divided through all the noise out
being divided through all the noise out there let’s go back to being human
there let’s go back to being human
there let’s go back to being human beings I challenge you to meet somebody
beings I challenge you to meet somebody
beings I challenge you to meet somebody new get out there life is short
new get out there life is short
new get out there life is short go play thank you
go play thank you
go play thank you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment