ESTEVAN — Returning to his hometown of Estevan for the inaugural ICED Rural Conference on Sept. 11, Jeff Sandquist – a tech industry leader with a career spanning top roles at Microsoft, Twitter and now Automattic, the company that owned WordPress.com – delivered a compelling presentation titled Big Tech Unplugged.
His talk, which explored his journey from the Estevan area to the top tiers of global technology and offered a look at current tech tendencies, ended with a standing ovation.
Retired Saskatchewan radio host John Gormley facilitated the event, guiding the conversation through Sandquist's anecdotes about Estevan, the evolution of the tech industry and his experience in that world.
Sandquist grew up in the Estevan area, working in the oilpatch during summers, and his connection to the community runs deep. In his heartfelt talk, he highlighted how his hometown shaped him, offering a unique perspective on the growing role rural communities can play in the tech world.
"I am who I am because I grew up here," Sandquist shared with emotion in an interview with the Mercury and SaskToday ahead of the presentation. "There are so many people from around this area who do amazing things, demonstrating resilience, persistence and grit. That's what I grew up around."
He noted the format of an on-stage interview he chose for the event was inspired by sportsmen's dinners he experienced growing up in Estevan. He always hoped he'd one day do something similar, sharing stories that people won't hear anywhere else and providing his perspective differently.
His stories about Estevan drew applause from the audience during the presentation, reinforcing the bond he maintains with his hometown despite his global success.
Sandquist emphasized that in today's digital age, young people don't need to leave rural Saskatchewan to achieve success in the tech world.
"You don't have to go away now," he told the crowd. "You can build that next great thing right here."
He recounted his own move to the U.S. in 1997, joining Microsoft at a time when such relocations were necessary for career advancement in tech. But the industry has changed.
"The tech industry is getting older. The World Wide Web could run for president. Software as a service, the way we deliver software, could run for Congress. The iPhone is old enough to vote. And what I think you're going to see, in the industry of technology, is how there are going to be a number of big tech players. Two, it's going to be companies that integrate tech, like Walmart is a technology company now. Three, it's going to be a cottage industry, small companies that are two to three people in size that are upwards going to be the next billion-dollar companies," Sandquist said.
"You can start a company with a friend or on a laptop from here, without leaving home," he advised.
He further stressed how small companies, even those starting with just a few people, could become the tech leaders of the future. These innovations, particularly in fields like agriculture and energy, are likely to spring not from Silicon Valley but from places like Estevan, where local expertise in industries like power generation could play a critical role.
He noted Estevan's expertise in power is well-positioned to help solve one of tech's biggest problems – power generation for artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
"Start building tech literacy, start building the next generation, retain the talent and don't export it. Keep it at home," he advised rural communities, as they are trying to leverage technology for economic growth.
Addressing the rural business needs, he said, "Know the story of what you want to become in your business. I don't believe tech is an answer to all problems. I'm very pragmatic about it. But what I would tell people is that tech could be how you differentiate in your company. There's a lot of fear and sometimes rightfully so. Fear of losing jobs, fear of what is going to happen or fear of change.
"But if you look at a number of different things pragmatically, even those around Copilots and Chat GPTs, I think they're going to make us more productive. I don't think they're going to take away our jobs. I think they're going to create opportunities for folks. So how do you want to embrace that in your business? And I'd say don't resist technology. … Be literate about it.
"And for businesses, the world is your market," he added, underlining the lack of connectivity as one of the main challenges rural areas are facing, which needs to be addressed to achieve success.
He also pointed out the need to embrace all kinds of skills and talents in rural areas and capitalize on them.
"If you look at the companies that are going to succeed moving forward, they're going to be very pragmatically run. They're not going to carry a lot of debt. There are no longer zero interest rates. They're going to apply some innovation, and it's going to be applied technology. And I do really think that the pragmatic view of growing up in a rural area really will help people build great companies over time," Sandquist said.
For Sandquist, coming back to Estevan was more than just a nostalgic visit – it was a chance to give back and inspire others. His return for this event marked his first visit in two years, and his reflections on the town and its people resonated deeply.
"This community has always supported itself," he said, citing local efforts such as fundraising for the MRI machine at St. Joseph's Hospital as an example of Estevan's resilience and independence.
While sharing his experiences in the tech industry, he reminded the audience of the fundamental values he learned in Estevan.
"The small-town sensibility, resilience and pragmatism I learned here have served me well throughout my career," he said.
While Sandquist shed light on the big tech world, his message to Estevan was profound: the next wave of tech innovation can start anywhere, and young people in rural areas don't need to look elsewhere for opportunity. They can build it all from home.
