Career Pathways: Growing a Startup with Angela Sethi
Posted on June 08, 2023Career Pathways is a Schulich ExecEd ongoing series showcasing some of our talented alumni. Everyone has something interesting and insightful to share, from independent business owners to corporate managers. We want to bring their stories to life.
In partnership with Schulich ExecEd, Treefrog Accelerator, and the Newmarket Chamber of Commerce, Accelerate Newmarket is a program designed to give Ontario-based start-ups the tools and knowledge they need to scale their businesses in North America. Participants go through the Treefrog Accelerator program and have the opportunity to apply for enrolment in the renowned Schulich Mini-MBA.
Angela Sethi’s experience with Accelerate Newmarket has been transformative to the growth of her startup. As someone who had been working in the corporate world for over 20 years, Angela found herself at a crossroads when her division in the insurance industry shut down last year. She began working on a new tech platform, Pointricity, with her partner and decided to devote her full time to its growth. Pointricity is a behavioural loyalty program which allows businesses to easily reward customers, prospects and employees for their actions.
The Starting Point
Angela was eager to have more time to work on growing her new tech platform. However, she quickly realized she didn’t have all the necessary skills to succeed in her new role as a tech startup founder. While she came from a background in project management and technology delivery, she lacked experience in sales and marketing. That’s when the Accelerate Newmarket program came into her radar, and she decided to give it a try.
The Program
The Accelerate Newmarket Schulich Mini-MBA: Essential of Management program was essential in helping to round out Angela’s skills and providing her with a deeper understanding of business strategy and finance. She feels that the program has given her the confidence to speak a wider range of business languages, refreshing her knowledge of HR, operations, and logistics.
One of the most valuable experiences for Angela was the group project, as it allowed her to work with a diverse group of individuals and learn from their backgrounds and experiences.
She especially liked how well the Accelerate Newmarket Schulich Mini-MBA: Essentials of Management program touched on the truths and realities of so many startup founders.
“The caliber of the accelerator program was truly amazing, almost like winning a lottery. As a startup founder, I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity. The exposure to the material, the chance to connect with other people who are in the same boat as me, and the lectures from the university and industry experts were invaluable. You can’t put a price on the kind of knowledge and connections that the accelerator program provided.”
“Being a part of the program was an incredibly dynamic and organic experience. After two and a half years of COVID-19 and limited social interaction, it was refreshing to be surrounded by so many new people with different stories. The program provided an amazing opportunity for personal and professional growth, and as an entrepreneur, I believe it was an experience that every individual could benefit from,” Angela explains.
A New Path Forward
Today, Angela is confidently running Pointricity, thanks partly to the entrepreneurial knowledge and experience she gained from the Treefrog Accelerator and the Accelerate Newmarket Schulich Mini-MBA program. The last six months of her life have been transformative, and she is grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow with the help of Schulich ExecEd.
We want to thank Angela again for taking the time to chat with us about the Career Pathways series. If you’re interested in learning more about Schulich ExecEd’s partnership with Accelerate Newmarket, you can read more about it here as well as here.
Not a startup founder but still interested in enrolling in a professional development program? You can read about our regular Schulich Mini-MBA: Essentials of Management program here.
Not sure what program is right for you? Our expert advisors can help. Talk to a Schulich ExecEd advisor today.