The startup culture in Vancouver is not only thriving, it’s growing. It’s become a trend of it’s own that inspires, and encourages everyone to join in. People who move to the city see and experience this first hand, and realize that when surrounded by the energy here, there isn’t anything they can’t do. The world is your oyster in Vancouver, but how did that come to be? Why is Vancouver such a hot-bed of self employed creatives?

As part of an ongoing series, we’ll be meeting and interviewing creative entrepreneurs in Vancouver to see how and why they think this has happened, how they’ve benefited from it, and what makes them tick as an entrepreneur. We want to know, “Why Vancouver”.

One of the most connected ladies in town and an inspiring entrepreneur, Crystal Henrickson is joining the conversation this week.

Having been to a couple of Freelance Friday events around town, Crystal began recognizing me, and was a wonderful person to talk to, be inspired by, and meet people through. Right now she’s kicking self employment butt by working from sunny Indonesia!! What a gal. Here’s her take on “Why Vancouver”. 

“I have come to realize that there is an art and science to building a self employed work life. The art: creating a scope of work based on the life you want to live and the work that fuels you. The science: experimenting with the way you work, who you work with and of course, finding your price and market fit. And to do it all in Vancouver, well that’s just magic!

There have been moments when I’ve been given incredible career opportunities outside of Vancouver. But something has always kept me here. First, it was love. Then I wanted to support our technology startup community, and then, most recently, I realized I could create the work I wanted to work on, live in a beautiful city and shape a lifestyle that fits me.

It isn’t always easy to stay. Like seasons, my love for this city I’ve called home my entire life, has waxed and waned. The reasons? Common gripes: it’s expensive; Vancouver can undervalue and under compensate talented contributors; it can be inclusive and isolating…I have long feared that if we cannot grow Vancouver into a sustainable place to live and work, that too many of the talented among us will leave. So instead of contributing to the complaining, I’ve sought out likeminds who are keen to make changes. From event organizers like Creative Mornings + Spring’s free entrepreneurial event series to co working spaces like L’Atelier and Suite Genius  to skills educators like RED Academy, Brainstation and UBC Continuing Studies (I teach at RED and UBC) there are so many services that support the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

And we're here too. After four years of growing a community of home cooks here via DinnerPartyYVR, Annika Reinhardt and I banded together to co-found our career consultancy, Talent Collective. Now we dedicate our time to supporting entrepreneurs, agile talent and workplace change-makers contributing to the strong talent pool in Vancouver! We co-organize Freelance Friday -- a monthly co working popup, workshops and this October 13, UP Conference -- a one day conference dedicated to the business of being a solopreneurial."

Meet Crystal and other entrepreneurs (like me!) at Up Conference on October 13th - Grab your ticket here!

Stay tuned for more interviews (1 every week!) with other creative “do-ers” on the topic of “Why Vancouver”, and in the meantime check out Crystal's top 5 for getting sh*t done:

1. Do you have a favourite cafe or local spot to work from?
The AMP, or Nelson the Seagul in Gastown, or Smallflower for lunch.

2. What's your favourite music to listen to whilst working?
Spotify productivity playlists and Montreal Cafe are my go-to

3. What's your favourite thing about Fall in Vancouver?
Granville Island, on chilly Saturday mornings when there are no tourists to be found, going for a walk with a friend with a Cayanne + Ginger Chai from Granville Island Tea Co in hand.

4. What's one thing you can't live without?
At least one month every year, working from somewhere totally new! (I’m writing this from the remotest spot I’ve been, Komodo, Indonesia)

5. What's the best advice you've ever been given as freelancer/ self employed designer?
It doesn’t seem to matter where you’re at in your career, there is always something you don’t know yet. That, and it’s acceptable to dislike doing taxes and bookkeeping. Regardless, it still needs to be done!

If you liked this post, let us know! We want YOU to be part of our community - so send me a message (lucy@ateliervancouver.com) and you can join in on one our community events, or be part of this blog series! Join the conversation!