Catriona Barcoe

October 20, 2022

Ideas on Tap

What it is and why do we do it

"Where do you work? Vendasta. Oh hey, they host those monthly events, Ideas on Tap, right?"

Some of you may have been asked this question when you mention that you work at Vendasta. For our new Vendastians, or even those of you who haven't attended (or heard about) this event before, here is the story of Ideas on Tap and why we do it!

What is Ideas on Tap?

Ideas on Tap has become synonymous with Vendasta. What is Ideas on Tap? It's a series of free networking and learning events designed to share innovative ideas and bring together the best and brightest in Saskatoon’s tech and business community. The event takes place on the last Thursday (formerly Friday) of the month from January through to May, and September through to November after a summer break.

Ideas on Tap attendees have been welcomed through Vendasta’s doors since 2013 (even longer, but we'll get to that) to hear from expert speakers, share a beer, and experience the Vendasta culture.

Wait, what? Vendasta has been hosting Ideas on Tap for almost ten years?! Read on to see how Ideas on Tap started and what it's all about.

Why do we host Ideas on Tap?

Hiring/recruitment - To attract the best and brightest talent from Saskatoon and surrounds to join the Vendasta team
Thought leadership - To leverage Vendasta’s strengths and align the event to our expertise.
Brand awareness - To create awareness of Vendasta amongst the wider Saskatoon business and tech community.
Community support - To give back to our community by donating the proceeds of the event to a local charity.

How did Ideas on Tap start?

Fridays at 3pm

Vendasta’s co-founders and a small but mighty group of the OG Vendastians gathered on Friday afternoons at 3 pm in 2008 to chat about ideas, technology, innovations, and other startups over a few beers. It doesn't sound too different than Friday afternoons at Vendasta in 2022, right?

The first "Ideas on Tap"?

Friday's at 3 Beer Fridge

A lot has changed at Vendasta over the years, but one thing that has remained the same is that precious time we get to gather with fellow Vendastians every Friday to chat about what we're working on, and what we're excited about, and get to know each other!

"Fridays at 3" was officially written into the employee manual as the opportunity “to share your work and excitement with your peers, learn about what others are doing, ask questions, give input and generally build friendship and camaraderie”. The new beer fridge was stocked and family and friends were invited to join to share ideas.

This gathering of like-minded people excited about building new things became a way to attract the best and brightest to the Vendasta team.

Vendasta tidbit: Vendasta received its first round of funding after inviting Victoria Park Capital located next office to Vendasta HQ (then in the Innovation Place), to our Friday afternoon get-together. The $3 million in funding was used to grow the team, and build the software that was turning Vendasta’s dream into reality.

VendAsta Demos

In 2009, Fridays at 3 changed to VendAstaDemos. Demos came from the Agile/Scrum methodology of teams showing what they accomplished during the week. As well as presenting on the week’s accomplishments, Vendastians presented their own projects from what they worked on during Jam Time. (Jam Time was modeled after Google’s 10% time and later became Vendasta Hackathon!)

Demos weren’t just for software developers, anyone could present on other projects, or even show their holiday pics, which eventually turned into the adventures of the Vendasta Traveling Bear.

Think of a Product Showcase and Hackathon combo sprinkled with a little show & tell!

In 2011, when the growing team of 27 moved to the historic Avenue Building, VendAsta Demos became a once-a-month event with Vendastians invited to attend at 3 pm and guests invited from 4 PM.

Early Days VendAsta Demos

Something more exciting.....!

VendAsta Demos…come on marketing team, we can do better than that!

In March 2013 VendAsta Demos was rebranded as Ideas on Tap, with an invitation to the local community to “experience The Valley tech scene, right here in Saskatoon”!

You'll see Allan's name in the top email. It's worth noting that Ideas on Tap would not be alive without Allan. Allan set the foundations for the wonderful culture at Vendasta today, and for that, we'll always be grateful!

The Idea behind Ideas

Allan at Ideas on Tap

It's official!

Ideas on Tap in the Skypad

Ideas on Tap, March 2014

Nykea presenting at Ideas on Tap in 2016

Ideas on Tap in the atrium at the Avenue Building

Hiring the Best and Brightest!

On the last Friday of every month (eight times a year), Vendasta invited techies, entrepreneurs, and the local business community to the Avenue Building "to give a talk, pitch a new business idea, schmooze for a job, or complain how much they hated EA games" (taken directly from the invitation). Vendastians and guests filled the Skypad to listen to peers share their ideas, and make new friends in the industry over a beer or a game of foosball.

With a growing number of tech companies in the province, Saskatoon was becoming a tech hub. People were eager to share their ideas, grow their networks, and excited to learn more about working in the fast-paced world of tech. Ideas on Tap was the perfect meeting ground to foster these connections and find innovative and driven individuals who would have the drive to try new things and help Vendasta succeed.

Over the years, Ideas on Tap has brought several new Vendastians to the team, including Chief Operating Officer, Jacqueline Cook! We count ourselves lucky that she came to pitch her startup idea.

Jacqueline Cook

Vendasta COO

Allan Wolinski speaking in 2015

Dale Hopkins speaking at 2017

Snacks in the Skypad

What do we talk about?

Vendasta celebrated Ideas on Tap Anniversary in 2014, and there was no looking back! The Skypad at the Avenue Building was no longer big enough to hold the 100+ Vendastians and guests. We moved Ideas on Tap into the Atrium, focused on a theme each month, and brought in expert speakers from our community to speak.

We had talks on everything from workplace health to SEO for small businesses, personal branding, artificial intelligence, innovations in video game development, and women shaping the local tech industry to the YXE Elevator Pitch Competition.

You can watch past Ideas on Tap events on the Vendasta Youtube channel.

Check out some of the highlights over the years:

October 2015: Workplace Health - Allan Wolinski gave a presentation on the benefits of a standing desk.
April 2016: Melissa Squire, from Alchemy Clothing Salon Tattoo & Piercing, Vendastians modelled the wicked outfits from Alchemy.
January 2017: Cooking up Life Hacks - Chef and entrepreneur, Dale MacKay has cooked up some interesting life hacks while globetrotting around Michelin-starred restaurants.
January 2018: Women Shaping the Local Tech Industry. Seven women in the technology industry participated in a panel where the audience could ask questions.
January 2019: YXE Elevator Pitch Competition - Watch as Saskatoon’s finest ‘pitchers’ compete for cold, hard cash.

Ideas on Tap events over the years

There's always Foosball!

Mike Vossen presenting to packed house

Women Shaping the Local Tech Industry Panel

It’s not me, it’s you!

How many of us have got an interview with a company and halfway through (or worse, when it was too late) you knew in your heart of hearts that this just wasn’t going to be the right fit for you? Maybe, maybe it was the passive-aggressive signs in the communal kitchen, maybe you just didn’t click with your potential new manager, or maybe it was the decor! Whatever it was, wouldn’t you have wished you had a chance to see behind the doors of your new office, had a chance to chat with your potential new colleagues to hear about their experiences working there? Well, that’s exactly the opportunity people get when they attend Ideas on Tap.

Networking is at the heart of every Ideas on Tap event. Vendastians are passionate about sharing ideas, and at each event, we make plenty of time to meet our guests. This is the perfect opportunity for Vendastians to answer questions about their role, the company, and of course our awesome company culture. For those curious about working at Vendasta, Ideas on Tap is the perfect opportunity to get a sneak peek into what working at Vendasta would be like. Just like our Lead Designer for Foundational Products, Stephanie Unruh!

Stephanie Unruh

Lead Designer, Vendasta

Giving Back

Vendasta believes in giving back to and supporting the community where we live and work, which is why every Ideas on Tap selects a different charity to support for each event.

We charge just $3 for drinks and run a 50/50 draw at each event. All proceeds are donated back to a local charity. We have raised thousands of dollars and donated to charities like the Restorative Action Program, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Autism Services Canada, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and Care and Share. Representatives from the charity are invited to say a few words about their charity and what the donation goes to.

YXE Elevator Pitch Competition

One stand-out memory from Ideas on Tap: The YXE Elevator Pitch Competition in 2020 was when runner-up, Tre Bynoe, told his story of being a "little brother" and donated his $500 winnings to Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Ideas on Tap at Vendasta Square

Two years ago didn't know what the future would hold for Ideas on Tap or even in-person events but we're back and we're on a mission to make Ideas on Tap THE must-attend learning and network event in the city!

'Women in Prairie Tech on Growing Successful Careers' panel

We've upped our snack game!

Ideas on Tap Vendasta Square

What can you do to promote Ideas on Tap?

Recruitment: Know someone who is interested in working at Vendasta? Invite them to Ideas on Tap to meet the team and experience the Vendasta culture

Invite: Invite friends, family, and acquaintances to attend. Show them around, and introduce them to colleagues.

Share on social: Share details of the event on social media and invite anyone you know who might be interested to join

Attend: If you haven't attended Ideas on Tap before or even if it's been a while, come check it out. It's a great opportunity to learn something new, and meet fellow Vendastians!

Community: Ideas on Tap is also a fantastic way to grow your network by meeting members of the local business and tech community.

Charity: It's also a great way to give back to the community. By purchasing 50/50 tickets and drinks tickets, we can increase our donation to local charities.

Volunteer: A lot of work goes into all the events that we host at Vendasta and without our volunteers, they wouldn't even be possible. If you can spare a couple of hours, why not volunteer at Ideas on Tap? Again it's a great way to meet people, and learn something new!

Ideas: If you have an idea for a theme, topic, or speaker or suggestions on how we can make Ideas on Tap better, Slack me @cbarcoe or email me cbarcoe@vendasta.com, or come find me at the Corporate Marketing team area on the 15th floor. I'd love to chat.

Have fun: Ideas on Tap is a LOT of fun! So if you enjoy meeting new people, getting to know your fellow Vendastians, learning new things, and enjoying great food, this event is for you!

When is the next Ideas on Tap?

The next Ideas on Tap is Friday, November 25, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. on the 17th floor. Get more details here .

Let's show our community how great our people and culture are, and find the more great Vendastians to join our team!

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