On the last page of every issue of Industry West, we find a Saskatchewan business person or leader to answer our version of the Proust Questionnaire. Marcel Proust made the questionnaire famous, believing that 35 specific questions could reveal a person’s true nature. We grabbed this idea—you’ve probably seen it in Vanity Fair—and made our own version. The first five questions are ours, and then we ask our subject to pick their favourite Proust questions to answer.
Meet Brendan King, co-founder and CEO of Vendasta Technologies Inc. in Saskatoon.
- Where are you from? Moose Jaw.
- Where did you attend school and what did you study? I have degrees in Physics and Geophysics from the University of Saskatchewan.
- What is your career history? 1987 Entrepreneur (clothing store during University), 1988-89 Eldorado Nuclear (now Cameco), 1990-1995 Delron (Started a Computer Store), 1995-1999 Compusmart (turned Delron into a franchise), 2000-2007 Point2 as COO turning them from heavy equipment into Real Estate, and Co-founder/CEO 2008-present at Vendasta.
- What’s the best piece of business or career advice you have or have been given? “Being challenged in life is unavoidable, being defeated is optional.”
- What’s your favourite thing about Saskatchewan? The people.
- What is the trait you most deplore in others? Pessimism leading to fatalism and inaction.
- What is your greatest extravagance? It’s close. Either my first car–a ‘69 Beaumont–or my massive collection of Robert Graham shirts.
- What is your current state of mind? Having fun and driving hard.
- What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Existing without a dream, a vision, and a plan to make it a reality.
- Who are your favorite writers? Stephen King, Jim Collins, Clayton Christensen, John Doerr, and Daniel Kahneman.