Mark Graham is the founder of RIGHTSLEEVE.COM, a leading Web-based promotional products company. Utilizing a mix of promotional products, design and technology, RIGHTSLEEVE develops merchandise programs for brand leading corporations across North America. RIGHTSLEEVE was founded in 2000 and has been the recipient of several industry awards. RIGHTSLEEVE was the National winner of the Dell Small Business Excellence Award, presented to businesses that use technology in innovative ways to enhance customer experience and company growth.  

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

I like to make a positive impact in everything I do. I love being involved in projects where I can change the way things are done for the better. If there is no opportunity for me to make a lasting impact on projects I am working on, I get bored very quickly.

If you had 30 seconds to impart your wisdom on a classroom of soon-to-be graduates, what would you say?

If there is any time to start your own business, it’s now. You are less willing to take risks when you are older and have competing commitments (family, mortgage, the safety net of an existing job).

In your opinion, what has been one of the most important technological developments over the past 12 months?

The continued sophistication of social networks, and the extension of social networking into the enterprise. I think this will have a dramatic effect on how people at work communicate with one another as we just seeing the beginning with services like Yammer and Chatter. Better communication begets more engagement which begets a more enjoyable work environment.

If you had a crystal ball, what would you say will be the most important technological development over the next 12 months?

Data mining and the semantic web. We’ve been talking about web 3.0 for a while now, but it has yet to really take off. I think that companies are getting a lot better at using the data available to help us make better decisions in our lives.

Who is one of Canada’s tech stars and why?

Mike McDerment, CEO of Freshbooks. In 5 years, Mike and his team have created one of the world’s most enduring and beloved applications with over 2,000,000 users. He and his team have made a pretty mundane task (invoicing) easy, fun and social. They have been laser focused on solving one point of pain for their customers and have been enormously successful by staying committed to this goal. There are not many other privately funded Canadian success stories like Freshbooks on the world stage.

Dave Hale is the founder and CEO of the Ottawa based social media agency, Soshal Group. The agency partners with local and national digital, marketing, PR and integrated agencies to deliver social media strategies, community management and channel analysis to their clients. While he works in the social space, Dave is passionate about traditional media and shares his rantings on the connection between old and new marketing and branding practices on Soshal Group’s Soshalize Blog. Connect with Dave on Twitter @DaveCHale.

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

Passion. It drives me to work harder every day, to learn as much new information as I can, to connect with new people and to succeed.

If you had 30 seconds to impart your wisdom on a classroom of soon-to-be graduates, what would you say?

I wouldn’t need 30 seconds, I’d need ten. “Work Hard.” I feel that the saying “Work smart, not hard” is great if you want to increase your time away from work or your business but, if you truly want to succeed, being smart can only get you so far. Doors don’t just open for you, you need to knock first.

In your opinion, what has been one of the most important technological developments over the past 12 months?

I’m a big fan of the Windows Phone 7 because the smart phone market needed more competition. There are very few industries or verticals where there are only three major players (RIM, Apple, Google) and this can be dangerous for two reasons. Firstly, while there is an arms race to conquer new markets and build out more functionality, these developments are stalled because of consumer demand. With more players comes more marketing dollars, greater market penetration and overall acceptance, which leads to purchase desire and action. Secondly, we’re at the mercy of the big three, just like we are with Canadian mobile carriers (Bell, Rogers, Telus). We need more Wind Mobile‘s entering the space to disrupt the industry a little bit, expose its flaws and stimulate change. Perhaps Microsoft will just be a 4th big player, but the foundation is being laid.

If you had a crystal ball, what would you say will be the most important technological development over the next 12 months?

In the marketing world it will be location. Facebook Places, Foursquare and Gowalla all allow brands and businesses to have a digital store-front, a concept the website has tried to replicate for over a decade. The difference is that I don’t scream to the world that I’ve just entered Amazon.com. Location, and the integration into social, will give brick and mortar businesses a greater ability to compete in the digital space.

Who is one of Canada’s tech stars and why?

Seeing as how metrics and social media analysis would be my next choice for “most important technological development in the next year”, I’m going with Chris Newton, founder and CTO at Radian6. Why? It goes beyond the awesome business he and his team have built and has more to do with something I’m also passionate about. Community. Radian 6 could set up shop anywhere in the world, yet they choose to remain in Fredericton, NB.

Jeremy is founder and president of Socially Collaborative Media, Inc. a company focused on changing the status quo of the traditional video production industry through Spidvid’s   community and new media platform. He is obsessed with sports, food, and his family. 

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

I know it’s a bit cliche for an entrepreneur to say, but I want to change the world. In my case innovate the video production world by making it more open, connected, and globally collaborative.

If you had 30 seconds to impart your wisdom on a classroom of soon to be graduates, what would you say?

Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life. Follow your passion and get a job that reflects that passion, or better yet control your own destiny and start your own company. There is usually a fine line between success and failure, people usually give up too early and quit when things get tough, but to push through that resistance is when the big wins happen. Oh, and read all of Seth Godin’s books and his daily blog.

In your opinion, what has been one of the most important technical developments over the past 12 months?

I would have to say the introduction of the iPad, just because it’s creating a whole new product category that will be totally mainstream in less than 5 years from now. Tablets have also killed off the Netbook market in a big way. My answer is also based on me being an Apple fan boy.

If you have a crystal ball, what would you say will be the most important technical development over the next 12 months?

Tough to say, technology is moving so fast that it makes predicting its future so challenging. I would say that millions of people will cancel their cable or satellite TV subscriptions in favor of using a box like Roku or Apple TV to watch their content online, and save lots of money. The “cord cutting” movement is just beginning right now.

Who is one of Canada’s tech stars and why?

It’s been exciting to see new tech stars emerge from across Canada over the last couple years. To say just one is tough, but Jordan Banks is leading Facebook Canada, so with Facebook being the fastest growing tech company in the world I give the honour to this remarkable gentleman.

Happy Birthday My City Lives!

Tomorrow, February 24 2011, is the official one year birthday for Toronto-based digital start-up, My City Lives.  In honour of this special day we present to you a 5 Questions feature with co-founder Adil Dhalla.  

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

It’s hard for me to succinctly boil down my answer to a few key things but speaking generally I can say that I feel for My City Lives what a tween feels for Justin Bieber – unyielding love and borderline obsession to the point of hilarity for onlookers.

If you had 30 seconds to impart your wisdom on a classroom of soon-to-be graduates, what would you say?

Take everyone’s thoughts for what they are, thoughts particular to an individual’s own experience. There is certainly a lot to learn from others, accomplished or not, but a big trap one can fall into is learning and then attempting to emulate someone else’s path rather than carving out their own. There is not one right path and rarely are there two paths exactly the same. So if you chose to use someone else’s experiences as your own blueprint, you’ll always be more likely to follow than you will be to lead. And to clarify, it’s not about doing something new or being disruptive, it’s about recognizing that no circumstances are the same and that you alone know what you’re capable of accomplishing. Write your own story.

In your opinion, what has been one of the most important technological developments over the past 12 months?

Thinking in a local context, we’ve got to feel good about the emergence of the Toronto startup/tech community in the last year. When we (My City Lives) launched a year ago at one of Sprouter’s SproutUps, there were maybe 100 people in attendance. Last week’s SproutUp had 600 by comparison. A relatively similar growth has occurred in a number of other key events in the city. A year ago, we had a small handful of local success stories to talk about. Today we have more than I can count and a bevy of upcoming products such as Urb-Ops, Rocketr and Postage App that will only further establish our city and community as a model for how things get done. A year ago, sub communities like LeanCoffeeTO, FatBeer and The Yorkville Media Centre either didn’t exist or did, but no one knew about them.  Today, the excitement around them is palatable. A year ago, co-working and collaborative spaces were something to aspire for, but today we have Camaraderie, a second CSI and now Foundery (among others) that are not only normalizing the concept, but making it stick.

The point is, I can’t pinpoint one thing that’s changed the game locally, but I think we can all agree that the community of game changers in this city is vibrant and growing at an awesome rate. The end game of this is that we can hopefully stop referring to our city as the x of the north (i.e. “Sillicon Valley of the North”) and rather just as “Toronto” with the conviction that our collective efforts stand for something.

If you had a crystal ball, what would you say will be the most important technological development over the next 12 months?

The group-buying phenomena is going to start slowing down as consumers get “dealed” out and businesses learn that the long term ROI isn’t there as previously believed. It might not be the most important development, but whether you play in the local space or have concerns about a bubble and skyrocketing valuations, there will be an interesting ripple effect.

Who is one of Canada’s tech stars and why?

There are so many to choose from so I’m going to give some love to handful of up and comers including our own Community Manager (and my kid sister) Amira Dhalla (@amirad), Amrita Mathur (@amritamathur) who is behind Techkik, Raymond Kao (@raykao) who is  behind Coworking Toronto and Robleh Jama (@robjama) who is behind the Pocket Zoo success story.