I am finally on track to get posting on I know smart people. I meet so many smart people and I always find myself saying, "Oh, if only you knew so-and-so" all the time. Well, I am a (wom)man of action! Instead of just hoping everyone could meet each other, I thought I'd share some info on some of the coolest people I meet on this blog and a little bit about what they do all day. So let's get to it. 

Harley Young

Sarah: Harley, explain to us what you do with your time.
Harley: I cook with enthusiasm. I run to remember what’s important. I read voraciously. And, I help clients imagine and deliver technology solutions that improve their business. Sometimes that means I help companies merge another company into their business. Other times, it means I help state governments rewrite their entire disease reporting and surveillance system to improve public health outcomes. Each time there are some things that remain the same, and some things that differ, but it's generally fascinating.

Sarah:That's pretty impressive. How does one end up with a job like that?
Harley: After undergrad, I helped start a small software company in Ottawa. After sleeping under a server box at the office 2 nights a week for a couple years, we were acquired by a bigger US firm (Manugisitcs, now JDA Software). I resigned shortly after the acquisition, and went to graduate school thinking that I’d do my PhD and then dedicate my life to teaching. While I loved teaching, I didn’t care much for academic research, so I left graduate school with a MSc, and rejoined Manugistics as a technology consultant. After a year flying around North America, I was invited to join another startup in Toronto. 2000 was unkind to many dot-coms, and my new start-up was no different. After 3 months we were out of money and closed the doors. It was then that I joined my current employer, where I’ve mostly been since…save a 20 month break for a backpacking trip around the world, and about 7 months with another consulting firm. 

Sarah: Did you have any idea this is where you would end up?
Harley: Oh, absolutely not. I was initially a student of accounting and economics, figuring that I’d eventually become a Chartered Accountant (CA). It wasn’t until my third year of undergrad that a professor who taught one of my electives remarked that I often arrived at very clever solutions to technology problems. His compliment was followed by the suggestion that I might want to consider switching majors. Since no one in my family knew very much about technology, discussion of this around the dinner table was met with no-small amount of skepticism. “Do you really think there will be jobs in that field?” my mum asked. Don’t worry. She uses the Internet now.

Sarah: What is your favorite part of what you do that people might not think about right away?
Harley: I have two favourite things:

1. Travel. As part of my job, I spend a lot of time moving around, so I have the opportunity to visit many new places. Sometimes they’re big cities full of thrills, and other times they’re tiny towns that move at a slower pace. Both are great for different reasons.
2. People. Since I work for many different clients, I am always meeting new people. I enjoy the chance to learn new skills from them, offer some advice and guidance, and sometimes make new friends. I also enjoy connecting people I know to each other. Sometimes it’s just for a coffee when someone moves to a new city. Other times, it’s because I think they have something neat to offer one another.

Sarah: What's the worst part?
Harley: A few weeks ago, a guy who was about 27 was on his way from Toronto to Fort McMurray to start a new job. I had a window seat, and he was sitting next to me in the middle seat. As we pushed back from the gate, he kept craning his neck to sneak a peak out the window. I turned and asked what he was looking at. He told me that it was only his second flight and he loved watching the takeoff. I switched seats with him, and he sat with his face glued to the window while the plane took off, and while it later touched down. He was completely enamored with the magic of flight.

The ability to visit new places is one of my favourite things about my job. However, the process of actually going through customs, being frisked (or backscatter X-rayed) by security, and having your neatly packed shirts all rumpled by well-meaning inspectors multiple times each week has eroded the magic. About that, I’m sorry.

Sarah: I was thinking that all of your travels must have made you an expert packer.
Harley: If you've seen Up In The Air, you know my packing and airport strategy. The two keys to packing well are:

1. A good rolling bag (Zuca Pro)
2. Smart choices about clothing and shoes

There are lots of vidoes and sites about this. You can check out One Bag, or hit your favourte search engine and video site for one-bag packing or travelling light.

Sarah: What are you most excited about?
Harley: I am excited about a lot of things. I’m really excited about my girlfriend and her enthusiasm for providing kids with a solid foundation in math (she’s a grade 5/6 teacher). I’m also really excited about the future. There remains a lot of tragedy in the world, of course. But there are also a lot of people getting online for the first time, discovering and learning new things, connecting to each other and realizing that we’re all part of a community. I see how transparency, participation, conversations, and shared experience have changed my clients, and I’m excited to see how it will help support the desires we all share to help make life better.

Thanks to Harley for being one of the first people on I Know Smart People. You can follow Harley on Twitter or stay up-to-date on his whereabout by reading his blog.