Enterprenuer
Alek Golijanin, a social entrepreneur and author. Alek is passionate about creating lasting change in communities through tech for community development and building.
Alek is an expert in leveraging technology to make public resources accessible to historically marginalized communities.
Alek also has experience in international development projects in South America and the Caribbean.
These projects involved collaborations with elected officials and ambassadors, National Police Forces, professional sporting teams, and large organizations.
What is the story of DocConnect?
The origin story is that the World Health Organization warned about rising rates of self-medication and drug addiction among young people.
Access to healthcare in Canada is guaranteed for all Canadians. Individuals can also seek out a family doctor.
A health statistic struck me: adolescents who can’t access a family doctor in Canada today have two commonalities.
They either live in low-income communities or are members of racialized groups.
Systemic barriers remain the primary reason adolescents don’t have a family doctor.
This is a national emergency.
A designated family doctor is essential for adolescents because it gives them a consistent experience with their doctor, where they can be vulnerable and open to receiving help.
Because the clinics are staffed on rotation, it is not unusual for patients to see multiple doctors.
This makes accessing health care in the walk-in clinic difficult.
A consistent or inconsistent doctor experience can make the difference between a healthy adult lifestyle and one dependent on self-medication and addiction.
How do you stay productive?
My day usually starts with work and ends with a workout.
I like to end my day by browsing published research and skimming through abstracts for interesting reads or watching lectures/presentations on YouTube hosted by leading thinkers.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Being a big-picture thinker and a dreamer is a great thing.
While I try to think outside the box when tackling problems, I also remain grounded in reality.
I believe in establishing a flexible starting point that can be changed and adapted to bring ideas into reality.
What’s your favorite trend?
What excites me most is the increased availability of tech learning tools and equipment for young learners that weren’t available when I was in elementary.
It’s a game-changer to introduce young learners to STEM and give them the chance to improve their skills.
It offers young people from low-income families the opportunity to learn tech skills and inspires them to dream big.
What habits make you productive?
If I am genuinely committed to something, I will become obsessed with it until my best at it.
What’s your advice for the Noob?
Little John sang “Turn Down for What!” in a 2010 hit song.
I would rephrase Little John’s lyrics to tell my younger self that I would accept something.
It takes a lot of dedication and focuses on chasing big dreams.
The sooner you recognize this, and you will experience tremendous success.
What is one thing we can all agree on?
A healthy work-life balance is the key to success.
Although I do not think it is wrong to have a healthy work/life balance, there are limits.
What do you recommend as an entrepreneur?
I have adopted a healthier lifestyle, including eating clean and regular exercise.
You will notice a change in your health and feel better after a few months.
Our bodies were designed to move, and we can experience tremendous success if we exercise regularly. This is something society must accept.
What’s your rich strategy?
People are the most crucial aspect of any growth strategy.
During one of his presentations about people, Simon Sinek said this: “100% of our customers are people.” 100% of clients can be described as people. 100% of employees are people. “If you don’t understand people, then you don’t understand business.”
No matter where you are in your career, the most important things revolve around people.
How do you overcome Failure?
In 2018, I planned to complete two international development projects in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Both projects presented similar challenges, the priorities of official representatives were different, and the countries were perilous.
Due to their proximity, I decided to do two projects instead of one.
I was unable to complete a Dominican Republic project.
This experience taught me the importance of having the right partner and how challenging it can be to manage stakeholder interests.
Can you share a business idea?
Use technology to connect communities that are historically left behind with existing resources.
What’s your recent best buy?
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes can be purchased at select grocery stores in instant sachets.
A pack of Starbucks Instant Pumpkin spice Lattes contains five sachets.
It costs approximately the same as a Venti at Starbucks.
I found a lot of discounted packets at half the price at my local grocery shop.
It was easy to stock up on a year of lattes at that price!
What are your favorite Softwares or Apps?
YouTube is the best software/web services when it comes down to being more comprehensive.
YouTube is the most extensive library known to man and has a wealth of knowledge that can be accessed with just a click.
To gain a deeper understanding of the real-world complexities, I enjoy listening to YouTube lectures and presentations. 99.99% of people cannot afford to have one-on-one conversations with the brightest minds.
Listening to their talks on subjects you are interested in learning more about is possible.
Which book would you recommend?
Relentless by Tim Grover is a great book. Grover is an iconic sports trainer who has trained elite athletes like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.
He’s also known for his mastery of mental toughness.
You must accept your imperfections if you are to be an exceptional person.
The book stresses the importance of being focused on everything you do.
It also emphasizes the need to give your best effort.
The balance between work and life is a positive idea. It is essential for healthy living.
What’s your favorite quote?
It would be “Seek first understanding, then be understood.” This quote is a possible solution to much of the current polarization.
The reality is that reality will differ from one person to the next. Realistically, people from different backgrounds will have different experiences in life.
You will have happier and healthier interactions with people if you understand others and why they do what they do.
TL;DR by Meet Alek Golijanin
- Ideas are born from intellectual curiosity.
- Timing is everything. Start today.
- Attitude: Positive attitudes matter. Do not listen to people who try to project insecurities onto others.
- Hard work: Always put in your best effort and be a life-long learner.
