Validation from the rest of the world

Distech Controls is another Canadian company that has had success in most places except in its home country. Distech's founder, Etienne Vellieux, brings up the French saying, "A preacher is always better thought of in another town," which may explain why despite innovation as a differentiator in the building controls industry, growing a customer base here has eluded them. That may not be such a big deal because the company has experienced double digit growth for the last several years. The U.S., China and Dubai have been key drivers of that growth.

In looking for innovative companies in Canada that have had success here too, the list seems to be short. WestJet and RIM are often mentioned but some others have become better known recently such as Kaboose and Webkinz. Why? They are two Canadian companies that have managed to strike a chord with children while still appeasing the concerns of parents about children and the internet. Their subscriber growth might be indicative that children are more receptive to innovation. Having said that, Canadians, young and old, seem to be a contradiction with respect to adoption. While so many examples of Canadians waiting for validation of innovation elsewhere exist, it is interesting to note that we were one of the fastest adopting nations of debit cards and Toronto represents one of the largest single groups on Facebook in competition with London.

Maybe innovative success for a Canadian company will come from tapping into that adoptive mindset.