Jordan Anderson isn’t your average salesman.
He’s VP of Sales and Marketing at Bitbuy, a Canadian owned and operated digital currency platform that allows you to add dollars and exchange for digital currencies. You might remember the big news stories surrounding Bitcoin at the end of 2017 when it’s value was steadily increasing on a daily basis. At one point 1 bitcoin was worth over $15 000 USD.
Along with Bitcoins, many other cryptocurrencies are alive and thriving. So much so that some speculate digital currencies could be the way that all money is headed. We had the chance to sit with Jordan to learn more about how he got to where he is today, and how he bet on crypto and himself and won.
- How did you get started?
When I was in university I recognized how big tech companies like Google and Facebook were changing the world. After I graduated I did whatever I could to get into that industry. My first job was selling Google Adwords programs for Rogers and after that, I landed a great job at Yahoo! Inc.
Corporate life is great but I don’t believe it challenges you the same way as building something from the ground up. When the opportunity arose to build something that was mine, I dove in head first and didn’t look back. It’s been a wild ride since.
- What type of Notable are you? Entrepreneur? Creator? Professional?
I’m a Notable Entrepreneur and earlier this year I actually won the Notable Startup award. I keep it proudly on my desk to help motivate me when things get tough.
- Tell me about why you love your job and the cool things you get to do
Bitbuy pushes me to my limits. Overseeing our Sales and Marketing efforts isn’t easy but being part of the management team, which requires so many decisions and strategy choices really challenges me. There are always obstacles to overcome and large goals to be achieved. It is a constant learning process. The Blockchain and digital currency industries are growing so fast and I feel very lucky to be part of it alongside so many talented individuals. I also love the positive feedback I get from our customers and seeing more and more users on Bitbuy each month.
- What do you want to be known for?
I want to be known for hard work, integrity and being able to create something that is reliable to our consumers, providing a product they can trust and depend on.
- What does ambition mean to you?
Ambition and resilience go hand-in-hand. Never give up. Always push for what you want. Never settle.
- Looking back are there moments in your life that clearly stand out as defining moments?
- I grew my confidence in sales and marketing at Yahoo and was able to meet and beat goals with flying colours. I see how Bitbuy has grown in the last year and a bit, and to me, that’s defining in itself.
- What would you consider your biggest accomplishment to date? Or your most proud moment?
- Growing Bitbuy to 15 staff and millions in revenue over the past year and a half. Most people don’t understand that so many of our competitors license their technology from other companies but at Bitbuy we are more than just a crypto exchange, we are a tech company that builds all of our own products in house.
- How about the worst mistake you ever made?
No one ever gets it all right. If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not learning and improving.
- Is there a business decision you look back on now that you wish you’d made differently?
There are always going to be decisions that you look back on and wish you made differently. The point is not to dwell on those mistakes but simply take what learnings you can from them and apply those learnings to your future decisions.
- Tell me about a moment you knew you’d “made it”.
Winning the Notable Award for Startup last year. Truthfully, I didn’t think I was going to get it and then when my name was called I went crazy. The hangover the next day was LARGE.
- Tell me about some pivotal mentors or mentorship moments?
My previous mentor, the Head of North American Sales at Yahoo! once took me into a sales pitch for a multi-million dollar deal and instructed me to tell them everything they needed to know in 5 minutes or under. I was astounded by how well this worked. I think that in life we tend to over complicate things. Business needs to be simple, turn-key and to the point. “Keep it tight” he would say and needless to say that turned out to be my best client that year.
- Have there been the key steps in your professional development?
People always talk about that power of networking and until I left to build my own business I never realized how powerful it can be. Creating connections and leveraging those connections to make more connections is so powerful…I am always reminding myself to constantly get out there and meet new people.
- Tell me about parts of your personality or skills or approach that has helped in your career?
I always try to practice good judgement while listening to my gut instincts. I listen first, speak second. I am always on and always ready for whatever challenges are thrown at me.
- What’s the one piece of advice that changed everything for you?
One of my mentors early in my career told me “Complacency is the enemy” and I have strived to live by those words ever since.
- What’s the next challenge or project you’re tackling?
At Bitbuy, we’re about to launch “Pro Trade” which is an advanced trading platform with a low latency trading engine. This will be one of the first of its kind in Canada and we afterwards we are planning to bring this product to the rest of the world.
- Any hidden talents? Secret passions?
- I love to go scuba diving at cool spots around the world, and I can cook a mean spaghetti carbonara.
- Tell us a secret – don’t worry we won’t tell. What’s something we don’t know about you?
I am a bit of an adrenaline junkie, whether it’s motorcycling through south-east Asia, standing too close to the edge of cliffs for that amazing Insta shot or snowboarding through six feet of powder during a winter storm.