Manitoba's Top Employers

8 A Bold career in ecommerce BOLDCOMMERCE.COM/CAREERS Now hiring! BOLD COMMERCE BOLD APPROACH PAYS OFF BY JENNIFER MCFEE A business with a unique workplace culture lives up to its name as one of Manitoba's top employers. Bold Commerce offers customizable commerce solutions of all sizes. More than 90,000 brands in upwards of 170 countries trust Bold to power their businesses every day, including well-known companies such as Staples Canada, Vera Bradley and Harry Rosen. CEO and co-founder Yvan Boisjoli understands the importance of treating employees well. The business currently employs 350 people at its Winnipeg headquarters, plus four others in Calgary and 21 in Texas. "When we started Bold, we all agreed we wanted to build a company where we would love coming to work. This has been the backbone of our culture," he said. "We wanted our employees to feel connected and allow them to impact the company in every way possible. We want them to think and act like owners, and benefit from these efforts through our employee share ownership plan (ESOP) program." A developer himself, Boisjoli always dreamed of working for a company like Google. "As a Winnipegger who loves this city and had no plans of leaving home, we needed to bring that type of company here, and that's what we set out to do. Our story is bigger than that of having fun at work — we are the underdog, and we have worked to prove that a world-class company can thrive in Winnipeg," he said. "Although we now have employees across North America, the soul of the company is genuinely Winnipeg, and even the people that have joined our company from afar all share that same spirit." Bold Commerce invests in its employees through leadership training, mentorship programs and annual education funds. The company also provides flexible start times, paid volunteer time, health and dental benefits with no monthly employee fees, and a health spending account. Employees enjoy daily catered lunches, complimentary healthy snacks and an on- site gym with free membership. Adding to the upbeat atmosphere, the business boasts air hockey and other games, an employee library, branded swag and local beer on tap. For Boisjoli, the secret to the company's success stems from the culture they've built at Bold. "It's more than just perks or treating our employees the right way. It's about challenging them and allowing them to thrive and grow through education, mentorship and career opportunities. Once you build a culture that elevates and pushes people to achieve more than they thought could be possible, work no longer becomes about getting paid," he said. "Our focus is on how we can help brands thrive in commerce every day. We have high expectations of our employees to achieve these outcomes, which at times is not easy. But, we are all in this together and we need to take care of our most important asset, our people, so that they can best serve our customers." CHRO Chantal Grindle expressed gratitude for the designation as a Top Employer in the province. "We're excited, proud and really grateful," she said. "For us to have the best place to work, we've needed to build the best team of people who truly care. This designation would not be possible without our amazing team and their dedication to our business, our customers and our people." Like Boisjoli, she credits the workplace culture as the main feature that makes Bold stand out as a great employer. "Some of the building blocks of our culture, which we've outlined in our BUILDERS Code, include innovation, learning and respect. We believe in transparency and accountability, and elevating each other to new heights," Grindle said. "The growth opportunities at Bold also make us unique. The e-commerce industry is ever-changing, which means we are learning both as individuals and as a business every day." Even during the pandemic, the company has remained committed to its culture through virtual town hall meetings, remote leadership training and much more. "Virtual events have been a hit. We have a work-hard attitude but make sure to set aside time to have fun and celebrate. Some of the virtual events we've hosted so far include pumpkin carving, beer tasting with a favourite local brewer, and trivia nights. It's been a great way to wind down from the day and discover some hidden talents," Grindle said. "We've also introduced a couple of apps, which pair a random selection of people from across the company for a watercooler-style chat. We're finding ourselves connecting with people we might not normally cross paths with working in the office. It's great as it pushes us all a bit outside our comfort zone and keeps us social, which we know is really important during these times." For more information, visit boldcommerce.com/careers BOLD COMMERCE PHOTO BOLD COMMERCE STAFF VOLUNTEER AT THE CHILDREN'S WISH FOUNDATION TEE OFF 'FORE' A WISH GOLF TOURNAMENT AT BREEZY BEND.

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