The two of us started TNC 16 years ago, in a coffee shop in Guelph. We were already experienced community researchers, and so we knew that we wanted our new firm to focus on people and relationships, and not just ideas or methods. We wanted to work with organizations that we believed in, in ways that were truly useful. Beyond that, plans were pretty loose. Neither of us knew much about running a business, and we were both a little nervous. We knew we had a lot to learn. It was only because we knew each other well and trusted each other deeply that we took the plunge.
At that time, we fully expected TNC to remain a team of two. Very quickly, though, we needed help. We asked some people we knew and respected to join us. They said yes, and suddenly we found ourselves leading a team of four, and then a team of six. We were thrilled, and a little bit surprised, when it became clear that these amazing people didn’t just come to work at TNC. They wanted to help build it. They challenged us to create a benefits plan, a maternity leave policy, and a more inclusive approach to hiring. They started to form their own networks, lead their own projects, and develop their own unique styles of doing community research. Eventually, we promoted our two most experienced and trusted team members – Karla and Laine – into Principal Consultant roles, as a way to acknowledge their growing professional stature and the key roles they were playing in leading the organization. At around the same time, Jen came along and created a completely new role we never knew we needed – our operations manager. Eventually, we grew to our current complement of 9 full time staff. We hadn’t imagined any of these developments when we started TNC. All of them happened because these new team members embraced that same simple philosophy of building good relationships based on trust and a willingness to keep learning.
Even at this stage, there were still some times when the two of us retreated to that same coffee shop to talk one-on-one, as owners of the business. It was a safe space to talk about difficult things, and to admit that there was a lot we still didn’t know! Eventually, though, it seemed natural to invite Karla and Laine to those conversations. Once we did, it quickly became clear that it was the right move. They started asking really good questions about our approach to business development and decision making. Our practice is already different because of these questions and because of their leadership. One day, in the course of these conversations, the idea of shared ownership came up. As with every important development in the history of TNC, it happened at a coffee shop, and none of us had really planned it. Even so, it quickly started to feel like the next natural step.
Almost like a living organism, TNC constantly grows and develops. We are so honoured and humbled that Karla and Laine want to continue this journey with us. No doubt, TNC will continue to take all of us to places that surprise and challenge us. Despite this uncertainty, we have faith that we will continue to thrive. We have a skilled, passionate, smart staff team, and now two amazing people have become our co-owners. What more could we ask for? After all, finding the right partners, buying them a coffee or tea, and then confronting the unexpected together has been at the very heart of TNC’s culture since the day it was born.