Tales from the Trenches | Forget “Elbows Up,” Tech Must Stay “Heads Down”

By David Stein

Following the recent election, the tech community has been asking: What now?

Pre-election, many were looking for change that would make Canada a more attractive place to start, build, and grow companies — change that would unleash a growth mindset and drive  prosperity.

While the political focus remains on Canada-US relations, the tech industry is asking a more pragmatic question: How do we continue building value and prosperity regardless of the political landscape?

After all, Canada’s "elbows up" mentality won't build the next Shopify.

While we wait for the government to introduce its priorities and hope for a pro-growth agenda, let’s be clear about one thing: Hope is not a strategy.

Canadian tech has two choices:

Wait for policy shifts that may or may not materialize; or,

Double down on execution and focus on what you can control

The companies that will thrive in the next 18 months aren't waiting for perfect conditions. They're staying "heads down” and focused on:

- Speed: Focus on delivering value in days, not weeks or months

- Stronger products: Deepen value, differentiated capabilities and ROI

- Broader markets: Diversifying revenue by targeting additional geographies

- Talent pipeline: Building robust internship programs to secure future talent

- Government advocacy: Stay engaged and communicate value of policies

When Tobi and Harley were building Shopify, they didn't wait for perfect policy conditions. Neither did the founders of Lightspeed or Constellation Software.

Your company’s growth will depend on your team’s ability to execute relentlessly regardless of the political climate. The tech industry creates the future rather than waiting for it. Now is not the time to abandon that mindset.

Elbows up may work in hockey, but heads down works for business success.