Ian Phillipchuk

Have you ever wondered if you should buy a .CA or .COM? 🤔 For Edmonton business owners, this seemingly small decision can have a BIG impact on your online success. As a digital marketer, I've seen how the right domain extension can: Boost your local SEO rankings Build instant trust with Canadian customers Show your commitment to our Edmonton community 🍁 Fun fact: 84% of Canadians prefer clicking on .CA websites! Want to make the right choice for your business? I've written a detailed guide breaking down everything you need to know about choosing between .CA and .COM domains. 🔗 Read the full guide here: #EdmontonBusiness #DigitalMarketing #SEO #SmallBusiness #YEG

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We value your input if you're an #Ontario business that would benefit from access to digital research infrastructure to up your game in AI or other compute intensive workloads. "To out-compete, you must out-compute" the US council on competitiveness. #AI #DRI #HPC #competitiveness

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I’m starting today as a Staff Software Engineer at WealthSimple! https://lnkd.in/gW74_Cfw WealthSimple is a Canadian financial services startup that’s rapidly become an alternative to the big banks. I’ll be delving into their “financial operating system” and helping get it ready for the next generation of products. The included picture is ChatGPT’s idea of what I will look like doing this. Shockingly accurate.

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WAIT Are you telling me that now Shopify is using LLM's to make more simple the generation of GraphQL queries?? 😮 .dev Assistant gotta be one of the best features for developers from Shopify, you don't know how complicated it can be for someone to jump into GraphQL without previous knowledge (and the docs are not so easy to read for the beginners). This definitely will push a lot of new features and developments within stores! 🙌 🙌 🙌 This is an amazing way, and a very useful one too, of using LLM's instead of just adding a chat helper to your favorite instant messaging app 😅 Check a demo video from Shopify here! https://lnkd.in/eQcbUg2D #Shopify #ShopifyPlus #GraphQL #Storefront #APIs #LLM #FrontEnd #Learning #Lifehacks

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Take Two is cutting staff and canceling projects while they wait for GTA6 to come out. They seem to be undertaking a year of efficiency not unlike Meta's in 2023. Sigh. I had hopped that Take Two was better than this. ----- Feb. 6, 2023: GamesIndustryBiz: "Take-Two misses sales guidance, downgrades forecast again. Zelnick says shortfall isn't on developers as publisher looks to trim expenses without sweeping layoffs" GamesIndustryBiz: https://lnkd.in/gtSUr4sy Feb 8, 2024 : IGN: "Take-Two CEO Says They Have 'No Current Plans' for Layoffs Amid Cost Reduction Program. Strauss Zelnick says they "haven't put any meat on the bones of" the cost reduction plan quite yet." IGN: https://lnkd.in/gM7tgBMA March 7, 2023 GamesIndustryBiz: "Take-Two cuts jobs at Private Division Publisher says impact on US dev teams is minimal, and it has started legal processes outside of US that could result in further layoffs" GamesIndustryBiz: https://lnkd.in/gRTN67MU March 28, 2024 GamesIndustryBiz: "Take-Two to acquire Gearbox from Embracer for $460 million. Randy Pitchford to remain leader of the Borderlands developer" GamesIndustryBiz: https://lnkd.in/g8_b7pwz April 17, 2024 GameDeveloper: "Take-Two is making layoffs weeks after dropping $460M on Gearbox Interactive. The publisher will spend up to $200 million on a cost reduction program that will also include project cancellations." GameDeveloper: https://lnkd.in/gV97WPwr ----- April 17, 2024 GamesIndustryBiz: "Take-Two laying off 5% of staff. In addition to approximately 580 jobs cut, publisher's latest cost reduction program also involves cancelling projects, streamlining organizational structure" ( Brendan Sinclair) (April 16, 2024) "Take-Two Interactive is embarking on another cost cutting program, and this one will see the company layoff about 5% of its employees by the end of the year. "As part of these efforts, the company is rationalizing its pipeline and eliminating several projects in development and streamlining its organizational structure, which will eliminate headcount and reduce future hiring needs," Take-Two explained in an SEC filing stating that the board of directors approved the new program today. In its latest annual report, Take-Two reported having 11,580 full-time employees, which would put the layoffs at approximately 580 people. Take-Two expects the cost reduction program to cost up to $200 million, with as much as $140 million in charges coming from the cancelled games, up to $35 million in employee severance and similar charges, and as much as $25 million more in office space reduction expenses. Take-Two has posted net losses for seven straight quarters. Its last quarter reporting a net profit was the three months ended June 30, 2022, the quarter before the publisher closed on its acquisition of Zynga." GamesIndustryBiz https://lnkd.in/g4rD93_4 #gameindustry #gamelayoffs #disturbanceintheforce #gamedev #taketwo

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Reposting as I am a lover of great graphic design.

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NEW BLOG ALERT ‼ 10 Tips to Become a Top SaaS Seller is live. Link in the comments. Had a ton of fun with this one. Huge thanks to Avi Altschuler & Brantley Atkinson (Triple Whale), Talyson (Bacco) O’Mahoney (Tecsys Inc.), and Sam Moser (dbt Labs) for participating! They're proof that even in tough market conditions - honing in on processes, being creative with prospects, caring about relationships internally & externally, and putting in the WORK will lead to results 💲 Credit to RepVue for the data. #SaaSsales #AI #salestips

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This is a final reminder for the October 2024 Montreal.rb Ruby Meetup, "Tame Complex Queries with Database Views", taking place tonight at 7pm at Anticafe, Montreal: https://lnkd.in/dXhQ6k2G Please remember to follow these instructions when you arrive at Anticafe by 7pm (294 Saint-Catherine St W, 3rd floor, Montreal, Quebec):  - Upon entry, please check in on Anticafe's computer in the 2nd floor (free coffee and snacks are available in the 2nd floor).  - After checking in, please head to the 3rd floor to attend the Montreal.rb event  - When the talk ends (around 8pm), please leave immediately to the Networking Event location next door: NYKS Bar (1250 Rue de Bleury, Montréal, QC) - Upon leaving, please mention that you are with Andy to have your fee covered by Montreal.rb. The event is maxed out already, so if you haven't RSVP'd, you can RSVP for the next month's event instead, before the topic is chosen (if you are a Software Developer with 6 years of experience, you are welcome to present; just submit a title, description, and bio to get your talk booked): https://lnkd.in/d7RrRnQW See you all tonight! #ruby #montreal #meetup #talk #rails #db #sql #database #databaseviews

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$3, 360 is the quote one of our devs gave for an MVP version of an mobile app for a startup based in Edmonton. I have heard quotes for MVPs as high as $50,000! Early stage tech startups should not be spending that much. The idea is unvalidated yet and the risk is too high to pay that much. We have helped build 3 MVPs to date and as I write Hayelom is cranking out another mobile app, this one also under $5k. Even so, if you can validate your idea using a paper napkin and check traction don't build an MVP using code. The scrappiest and cheapest methods should be adopted when we are testing out our idea. Check the interest in the market first. I remember talking to someone who wanted to build a nice website to sell vintage clothing. My advice: check demand by selling on FB marketplace. Don't spend money on a nice website if there is no demand. I tell anyone who intends to build a physical product to sell it first. Target your ICP and run some small budget Ads with a mock-up of what the product is. See how many clicks you get which will help you know if there is demand for your product. Talk to your ICP a lot at first and really understand the problem you are trying to solve. Many times as founders we are smart and trust our assumptions too much and avoid the hard work of customer discovery. For example, I assumed all talent would want to be featured and built our platform like a marketplace. Reality: Most did not as they were concerned about how their current employment would perceive it. If I had talked to my ICP I would have saved myself a lot of wasted time and effort building and now re-building. At launch instead of having 50 vetted talent being featured we had 10! Talking to your ICP and doing the work upfront sucks. Sometimes our ICP is hard to get a hold of. Sometimes you don't have the network and have to do cold outreach (🤢, I also hate cold outreach!!!). Etc etc. But trust me the results are worth it. Or the cost of not doing so are too high. If you app needs to look super sleek to compete in the market ask "am I really solving a pain point or is this a nice to have?". When you solve a real pain how "pretty" your app looks is none issue for your early adopters. Once you have traction, revenue you can build the nicest version of your app. This is also how it is with VC funding. It is rare to get money before you show traction. Anyways, this is the follow-up email to our quote 👀 All we do is connect pre-vetted and highly skilled talent to the work. You don't need a team or PMs to build a simple MVP. One full stack dev can build it using Flutter. Keep it scrappy out there founders, unless your last name is Musk or Gates!

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Returning from your annual leave to the news of a mass layoff is not easy, even if you have not been impacted directly. While I am sure this decision was not taken lightly and I could not agree more with what our CEO Dax said below about all the people we hired at Lightspeed over the past few years, it will take a while for those of us who are still here to go back to business as usual. Until then I need your support! This is where you all potentially come into play as my LinkedIn network: To my HR & Recruitment connections across EMEA & NOAM (Germany, Netherlands, UK, Belgium, France, USA & Canada) please email our talent directory [email protected] or reach out to me for more information if your company is hiring for various positions across most departments. As a recruiter, it is hard to see folks you hired and worked with being let go, and as a colleague even harder.... To my former colleagues who were impacted, if you need any support with your CV, need an intro email to someone I might be connected with who has an open position at their company or just want to chat, please reach out. ... also please remember you are so much more than your job!

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Did you know? Did you know that new minimum wage increases are coming into effect on October 1st, 2024 (TODAY)? With Ontario, Saskatchewan, and PEI all implementing higher wages, this is more than just an adjustment on your payroll—it’s a perfect opportunity to revisit your employment contracts and ensure everything is up to date! 💡 Have you recently reviewed your contracts? 💡 Are your employment terms still compliant? 💡 How will you communicate these changes to your team? Taking proactive steps now will save you from potential headaches down the road. Make sure your business is protected, your employees are informed, and your documentation is legally solid. 🛡️ I can help you navigate these changes, ensuring a smooth transition for your team. Let’s book a quick demo to show you how we can keep your business compliant while simplifying your HR processes! CLICK TO BOOK https://lnkd.in/dErCmXFf Let’s get ahead of this together! 💪 Feel free to reach out if you have any questions—I’m here to help! 😊

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Have you ever clicked on a website and immediately thought "Yikes..." ? 😬 As the founder of Ignite Web Design here in Edmonton, I've seen countless businesses lose potential customers in the first 0.5 seconds because their website looks like it's stuck in 2005. I started this company because I believe Edmonton businesses deserve better than that. In my recent article, I break down the honest signs your website might be outdated (no sugar coating here!) and share what modern website design actually looks like in 2024 - with real Edmonton examples. 🔗 Read the full article here: https://1l.ink/2PD3C6C #WebDesign #Edmonton #SmallBusiness #DigitalMarketing #YEG

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Here's something I put together regarding RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) for Techstrong Research - https://lnkd.in/gYkUF3AK

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Copilot for Github: Time for developers to kick back and let Copilot do the work? Next up at Dynamics Compass: Marcel Chabot - Development Manager and Software Architect The TM Group, Inc. 👏 Being a Copilot enthusiast with 20 years of development experience and having built his team from the ground up, I figured Marcel was the perfect person to ask how Copilot is impacting the job of today's developers. Topics that are coming up over the next 2 weeks include: 👨‍🔬 Copilot's value and shortcomings for development 👨‍🔬 Opportunities to automate 👨‍🔬 Impact on the developer's day to day 👨‍🔬 Predictions on job increase/decrease 👨‍🔬 How hiring needs will change for development teams Don't want to wait? Check out the full 30 min interview by clicking the link in the comments. #copilot #msdynamics #github #d365

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Gotta hand it to Wealthsimple, their tax product is excellent. I used TurboTax eons ago when my personal taxes were simpler -- it was pretty grim -- and in recent years have relied on professional accountants, because, well, difficulties. This year I decided to try my hand at taxes again, mostly to see if I am still capable of completing my return with a little help from software. (Ahem. Basic math. I should be OK at this, but the skills do fade.) So far I am really pleased and impressed with Wealthsimple's tax filing product; it's easy to use (nice job, designers), blazing fast (nice job, devs), and free. I'm comparing to my most recent return as a handy reference, and so far it's nailing it. I do get that this software is probably a powerful lead gen channel for Wealthsimple, but it's actually all the more impressive in that the promotional bits within the UX are appropriately placed and not at all pushy. Job well done. Thanks Diederik van Liere for the tip.

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🚀 Is your cloud budget ballooning out of control? You're not alone. It's a common thread I've noticed among many Ontario business owners. 💸 The Problem: A staggering 32% of cloud resources are just... evaporating. That's hard-earned money slipping right through your fingers. Think about it – unused licenses gathering digital dust, or paying for storage you're not even using. It's like renting an entire office floor when a single room would do. Our latest blog post is a goldmine of practical tips to help you reclaim that 32%: - Conduct a thorough cloud audit. - Get smart with right-sizing. - Invest in reserved instances. - Automate to fit demand. - Optimize your storage strategy. Check out the full list and start turning cloud waste into cost savings! 👇 🔗https://lnkd.in/e5Pg7xnC #CloudWaste #TorontoBusiness #CostEfficiency #Cloudservices #Ontario

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For those working on Canada.ca web applications with Drupal WxT, we’ve now added a Topic page template in alignment with Canada.ca’s design system. This addition includes: - A Topic content type with configurable fields to support featured content layouts - A Byline field supporting the Contributors design pattern for consistent presentation - A Social media block with icons styled per GCWeb standards - All wrapped within an optional module to allow both new and existing site to take advantage of the new feature The implementation is ready for testing and will be included in an upcoming release. For more details on the work and to see updates, the ticket is here: https://lnkd.in/eCzMhhiz The design document can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eTpMcUe6

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What’s your purpose? For BuildOps CEO Alok Chanani, it’s not just about leading a tech company—it’s about empowering the “unsung heroes” of the trades and the people they serve. On The Savage Leader Podcast with Darren Reinke, Alok reflects on his journey from Army combat engineer to tech CEO, sharing insights like: ▶️ How focusing on your customers—and their customers—creates deeper impact ▶️ Why copying competitors is the wrong play ▶️ What it means to build something bigger than yourself It’s an honest conversation about leadership, purpose, and building for the long term. Listen now: Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gWzH8jAD Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g33XvyFi

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Another great talk from TechTO's #TorontoTogether event from Jason Zoltak of tofu with 3 lessons for Founders: 1) Start building advocates from Day 1 - Jason and his co-founders shared what they were building *as they built it* to get user feedback and buy-in from potential customers. Documenting growth builds trust. 🤝 2) Hack your GTM by engaging closely with niche communities and influencers. This allows the tofu team to grow while remaining lean, he shared. 3) Set ambitious timelines and push the team to create early momentum. Don't let deadlines slide, but use them to drive the team and product forward! 🚀

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