Base camp

While 2017 has been a transition professionally, 2018 is a foundation.

Just like the conquistadores settled onto strategic terrain before venturing into the new world, Stamped established its base camp at 2480 ch. Sainte-Foy, Quebec this year.

What a ride — it seems like every day has blended into a single, continuous whirlwind of discussions, trips, phone calls, meetings, excitement and deception.

Still, a few highlights definitely stand out:

CDL

Stamped got accepted in the Creative Destruction Lab Montreal AI startup incubator. Through the program, we’ve been challenged by some of the most successful and smartest people I’ve met. All are either investors or operators, sometimes both.

The ups and downs were intense. On one day we were being told by Patrick Pichette, Google’s ex CFO now partner at Inovia, that our idea was wonderful since it had the potential to reduce the burden of financial audits on humanity. On another day, in front of a full room, an investor would argue that our business model made the company unbackable from a venture perspective.

Nevertheless, we progressed, both as operators and individuals.

Launch

In October we publicly launched Stamped in our respective networks. Until then, Simon and I had been keeping our project stealthy. Exposing Stamped made us accountable of delivering on our promise: rethinking financial audits.

First hire

From the get go, Simon and I made a shortlist of brilliant people we knew that we’d love to work with in the future. Philippe Galarneau is one of those; Simon having enjoyed working with him at Price Waterhouse Cooper’s Quebec office previously. Philippe joined us at the end of 2018, just in time for our first Christmas dinner as a team.

Personal life

After 5 years, Florence and I left our beloved apartment in Montcalm to move into a condo just a few streets away. Our space is now much more comfortable, bright and has room to welcome the family that we soon wish to start building.