Dear Montreal Tech Community

Keep it real.

Dear Montreal Tech Community,

I’m moving to San Francisco real soon. As some of you know, we sold 5by to StumbleUpon and we’re going to accelerate our growth from their SF HQ. I need to write down some thanks and I’ll miss you words.

But where do I start? What do I say to the community that brought me in when I was 17? How do you say thanks to hundreds of people? You’ve given me so much. Support, good times, advice and more.

I guess I’ll just keep it brief.

Keep that joie de vivre. Think bigger. Raise more money. Find mentors. Be mentors. Invest in Montreal startups. Don’t worry about Quebec politics (it will always be messed up). Throw more events (not just formal events, but dinners and drinks). Build your company proudly in MTL, but be on a plane every 2 weeks. Get high profile advisors/investors. Hire from McGill. SR&ED is a godsent. MTL is the best place in the world to build an MVP. Never hurt another company in the MTL family. English vs. French debate doesn’t matter, we’re building products to make the world better, focus your thoughts on your biz. Take young entrepreneurs out for drinks and intro them to key players in MTL and abroad. Find a bar (mine was Big in Japan, 4175 St Laurent and previously, Baldwins Barmacie). Never burn bridges (the community is too small for that). NYC is a 50 minute flight. And don’t forget let me know how I can help greg@5by.com.

I really really mean it when I say thank you. Thank you. It’s felt more like a family, than a community.

Best,

Greg Isenberg