Schulich Entrepreneur Switches Career Gears
Five years ago, Mike Smith (MBA/JD ’11) decided to turn down a job offer with Stikeman Elliott to be an entrepreneur. With the help of his friend, they launched a small bicycle company called, No. 22.
The name represents titanium in the periodic table – the strong and lightweight material from which the handmade bicycles are produced. The two have been cycling for years and had built titanium bikes of their own for a cross-country ride a few years before. After Smith obtained his degree, the pair decided to take their passion to the next level.
Smith believes that his MBA gave him a lot of insight on how to run a business. “It has been very valuable in planning processes, positioning the business and carving out a niche. I was able to apply things, like organizational behaviour.”
“If I wasn’t doing No. 22, I’d probably spend the same amount of time thinking about bikes and obsessing over bikes,” said Smith. The duo’s mission is to build bikes that last forever. Their biggest challenge now is to keep up with the high demand without compromising the quality.
Photo courtesy of the Globe and Mail.