My name is Damian, and I'm a 23 year old working out of Toronto.



​I started my post-secondary journey at the University of Guelph, studying Criminal Justice and Public Policy. My plan ever since I can remember was to finish law school and work as a Crown Attorney in Ontario. In reality, I very rarely follow a planned path, so in fitting with my life, near the end of my undergraduate career I took an educational pivot.

Last May, by complete chance I came across an advertisement for the first cohort of Ryerson University's new Digital Specialization Program. It's value proposition was that you would leave the 12 week program with enhanced digital skills for the global economy. With a cloud of doubts now surrounding my educational future, I couldn't afford not to spend my summer break in class at Ryerson, adding a specialization to my transcript. With today's workforce as competitive as it is, I didn't think listing proficiencies in MS Office and Facebook would really set me apart from the hoards of other BA students coming out of their undergrad, just as confused as I was.



Little did I know, I wouldn't be spending my summer in class at all. The next 12 weeks turned out to be an experiential roller coaster. The program situated all 7 students inside Ryerson's Digital Media Zone; an incubator for tech startups. Our goal was to split into teams, come up with a business idea, and then use the remainder of the program to turn that idea into a reality. The program ended in late August, but my passion for transforming our concept into a reality has yet to slow down; in fact a flame has been lit, and the fire burns strong. (Sorry about the cheesy analogy, I can't write anything without using at least one)

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Fast forward to today, I am now a Co-Founder of an early stage startup, FoodStory, housed in the Digital Media Zone, but this time as a real company, and not under a student umbrella. I now have a passion for business development, real world applicable skills, a continually expanding network of contacts and most importantly, a new positive outlook on life. I still don't believe in living with a prescribed path to follow, but I wouldn't have it any other way. If I did, I never would have ended up where I am today.  



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