It’ll be a big day for 18-year-old Canadian Joel Kitching tomorrow when he competes in the World Skills Competition to build the best Web site. The event – the Olympics for technical trades for people under 22 years old – features more than 850 students in 38 categories such as critical thinking, multi-tasking and time-management. Next year’s World Skills Competition will be held in Calgary. See the Vancouver Sun story for more on Kitching. [Read more]

It’s been a few years since XDL Capital and Dennis Bennie have been in the spotlight so it was a little surprising to see a press release that XDL has invested $1-million in Toronto-based Wellocities Corp., a start-up developing an “online health management destination”. “We are pleased to be funded and working with XDL Capital,” said Wellocities chairman Dr. Alex Jadad. “The firm provides us proven software entrepreneurial strength which complements our team of patients and health care providers who have a passion to making a difference in Canadian society.” Under the banner “Connect Now. Live Well”, Wellocities is a combination of health portal and social networking site with people can find and share... [Read more]

Mark down Nov. 20 on your calendars for the next edition of CaseCamp 6. So far, three of the four 15 minute presentations have been confirmed: 1. Globeandmail.com – Engaging the Community: Comments and Beyond, by Angus Frame, editor with globeandmail.com
 2. Mobile Marketing for Levis @ Virgin Fest Toronto, by Brady Murphy, managing partner, Vortex Mobile 3. Treehugger.com – Growing a global online community, by Lloyd Alter, Treehugger.com. (Alter has troubling post, by the way, on how some guy named Michael Paul organized a charity event that involved using leaf blowers to play a game of “hockey”. In an age of being green and environmentally-friendly, this idea is just dumb. And the Toronto Star should be slapped... [Read more]

So, what’s excellent customer service? What makes a customer feel like they’re more than just someone who pays for product and/or service? And why it is important to go above and beyond to offer customer service? Lots of challenging questions but if you want some insight into how one company provides top-notch customer service, check out the Tale of Triscuits being sent to Fiji. Go ahead, and read the blog post but here’s the short version. Toronto-based Freshbooks, which is headed up by my friend, Michael McDerment, writes a blog post about Cracked Pepper and Olive Oil Triscuit. One of its customers, Oceanic in Fiji, leaves a half-in-jest comment about how Freshbooks should stop talking about food that aren’t available... [Read more]

This whole Camp movement is spreading like wildfire across Canada. In Toronto, you blink, and there’s another Camp happening – BarCamp, DemoCamp, Facebook Camp, CaseCamp, Cooking marshmallows over an open fire Camp, etc. Now the Camp thing is taking off in Calgary where the first BarCamp is being held on Dec. 15. Of course, there will also be a DemoCamp happening beforehand as David Crow (aka Mr. Toronto DemoCamp) is visiting Calgary later this month. Rather than have a social, David suggested a DemoCamp. Now, please don’t take this the wrong way but there’s seems to be a whole lot of talking happening but how about some walking too. It’s all good and well to hang out, watch a few demos, talk shop and have a refreshments... [Read more]