When you think of building a business, the buzz words that often come to mind involve success, money, or recognition. For one London-local entrepreneur, and TechAlliance’s newest appointment to our esteemed Board of Directors, business is synonymous with creativity, passion, and people. Melissa McInerney, CEO and Chief Creative Officer of tbk, started her founder journey in her twenties, where her educational background in communications and psychology amalgamated into the perfect picture for a people-driven venture. She soon saw success with one of her first businesses, Tagged by Kindness (the original namesake of what is now known as tbk), where users could track good deeds and pay it forward using the technology that McInerney built. What started as a passion project quickly grew a life of its own, and as kindness continued to spread through London’s Tagged by Kindness consumers, the 2008 recession hit businesses hard, and Tagged by Kindness lost its momentum to the tough times. As McInerney describes, tbk was then formed from a perfect blend of being in the perfect moment with the perfect people.
“tbk was truly born out of that entrepreneurial spirit. Being unstoppable, doing anything you set your mind to, getting it done, and doing it well,” says McInerney, “The whole approach to my business is that I wanted to become an agency that I was proud to refer as an entrepreneur”.
Having built tbk out of a passion for helping people and a deep understanding of the marketing world, McInerney now proudly boasts a myriad of accomplishments for her company while remaining true to the core of her founding purpose: people. She prides herself on having a deep understanding of both her team and the businesses they help, knowing the importance of flexible, forward-thinking marketing in today’s ever-shifting digital world of consumption. With intricate data collection to track and measure successes and changes, the team at tbk continues to thrive by being unafraid to try new things and work from the lens of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Inspired by the fiery enthusiasm of young entrepreneurs, McInerney dedicates time and education to young business owners, students, and founders. Talking about new opportunities, markets, pathways, campaigns, and brand positions allows McInerney and her team to connect the dots for businesses navigating the marketing world. With 20+ years under her belt, McInerney’s dedication to the “aha moment” for every entrepreneur continues to bolster so many London businesses from behind the curtain. She speaks on her dedication to London’s entrepreneurial and tech ecosystem as a backbone of support, with her impact creating eventual jobs and solutions for consumers, all while making the dreams of local entrepreneurs come true. Her investment in young entrepreneurs is an inspiration and motivation to our ecosystem, because as the world of marketing changes rapidly alongside everything else nowadays, tbk is expanding and experimenting right beside it – and behind some of the biggest names in tech coming out of London.
TechAlliance is elated to welcome this London-local dream-maker to our acclaimed Board of Directors. This appointment comes after many years of McInerney being deeply invested in TechAlliance’s community of dreamers, doers, and entrepreneurs. Her positive energy and ability to think outside of the box is warmly welcomed by the remainder of the Board and the TechAlliance team, as we foresee continued incredible collaboration. When asked about her drive to join TechAlliance’s Board of Directors, McInerney states, “I am excited to bring basic foundational ideas of marketing and business to the table. I study connection and understand how to use technology to get ahead and effectively communicate. I am proud of London, and I am proud to support local, so I love seeing businesses in our area become major movers and shakers in this city and beyond, and I find it inspiring to support these businesses along their journey”. With this new appointment to the Board, TechAlliance looks forward to continuing our investment into Southwestern Ontario’s always impressive tech and innovation ecosystem. “Melissa’s perspective is always rooted in kindness and care, with an exceptional knack for business and marketing,” says Christina Fox, CEO at TechAlliance, “As she joins the Board, we continue to expand our impact and knowledge, curated with intention and integrity to support the businesses that we engage with day to day. We are thrilled to welcome Melissa McInerney to TechAlliance’s Board of Directors, and honoured to be a part of Southwestern Ontario’s ever-changing, ever-expanding impact in the world of business”.
Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash