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I recently read a theory that going for 50 coffees with people you've never met is the entrepreneurs equivalent to the theory that doing anything for 10,000 hours will make you an expert on it. While I get the idea, 50 coffees is far easier than practicing something for ten years, and while I'm far from lazy I've decided to set out on a fairly simple mission: over the next 50 weeks I'm going to invite 50 interesting Vancouverites, most of whom I have never met before, to go for coffee. I'm going to use this as an exercise in networking for myself and for V.I.A. while also using it as a platform to introduce you to some people who are doing really cool stuff in the city you live in. |
Usually I would start this off with "Meet Gary Pooni", but you've already met him: Jen featured he and his son, Tage, in her In The Closet feature a couple of weeks back. So it's been established that Gary has a unique sense of style, and it's been established that he was born and raised in New Westminster to hard-working, Indian immigrant parents, that he is a family man who heads up a land development consulting firm called Brook Pooni Associates.
We went for coffee and smoothies at Showcase on West Hastings and talked about his work as a "city planner for hire" and what that involves. Essentially he helps developers navigate complicated rezoning applications, like the current Rize one I'm personally SPEAKING in favour of. In fact I met Gary for the first time somewhat randomly at a public hearing at City Hall a few weeks back where I shook his hand and asked if he wanted to go for one of these coffees.
Beyond being the president of Brook Pooni Associates, being named one of Business in Vancouver's "Top Forty under 40" recipients in 2009, he also does a ton of other work. His nickname to many is "Superman" and I imagine it's because he offers support to so many that they wonder where he finds the time and energy. He does work for and with the Urban Development Institute and also finds time to serve as the director of a charity called the Indo-Canadian Friendship Society of British Columbia. The ICFSBC raises money in order to build infrastructure for villages in India where one in ten deaths are caused by disease related to poor sanitation and drinking water. In the end their goal is to provide clean drinking water, sewage facilities, waste water plants, street paving, street lights, and a chance at a better life for people living in these villages. Like Gary's, it's a truly awesome story, and you can learn more about it in the video below.
http://vimeo.com/24861595
Follow Gary on Twitter at @Gary_Pooni and stay tuned for more 50 Coffees.
