By Ted Kouri
Incite Solutions Inc.

Ted Kouri was involved in AIESEC Edmonton in the mid-90s, worked for AIESEC Canada in 1997-98, and participated on a traineeship. In 1999, Ted Kouri and Jared Smith founded Incite Solutions Inc., an outsourced marketing company. Incite currently employs a team of 11 people and works with clients to build and implement relationship-driven marketing programs. Ted is also the current chair of AIESEC Canada’s Board of Directors.

I often get asked, “Why did you decide to start your own business?” There’s the long answer about a backpacking trip through Europe with my eventual business partner (also a former AIESECer), and the short answer about being too naïve to know any better. However, the real reason stems from my experience with AIESEC.

AIESEC empowered me with confidence, experience, and a strong business network, and fanned the flames of my entrepreneurial spirit. Having spent four years at the local level (one as LCP), one year working for AIESEC Canada as VP Corporate Development (a.k.a. Professional Beggar), and the better part of a year in Latvia on a traineeship, I was fortunate to benefit from the complete AIESEC experience.

Looking back on that experience, I treasure many opportunities, including attending conferences, participating on an exchange, forming lasting friendships, and meeting senior business leaders from across Canada. However, if I had to choose just one thing about AIESEC to keep with me, it would be the opportunity to have been involved in running an organization because this, more than anything, helped me realize what I really enjoy doing: managing, making decisions, interacting with people, and building something from the ground up.

I firmly believe AIESEC provides an incredible opportunity to its members. Learning through doing is the best teacher, and AIESEC allows young people to take the helm of their own ships and embark on their own journeys. This is what makes AIESEC the ideal breeding ground for future entrepreneurs.

When it gets down to it, the reason I thrive off running my own business is that I’m charting my own course and working with a team to build something bigger than ourselves. Choosing the road less traveled really does make all the difference!

My business partner and I credit much of Incite’s initial success to our involvement in AIESEC and we look forward to a long association with the organization moving forward.

Thanks AIESEC!

AIESEC Canada, ALumni Newsletter September 2005