Brad: What initially excited you about joining Local Investing YYC, and what continues to motivate your involvement in the cooperative?

Martin: What initially excited me was the idea of a small‑scale cooperative with a democratic structure that allows investors to vote on businesses recommended by the board. It struck a balance between supporting purpose‑driven companies—those creating both social and environmental impact—and making investment accessible to everyday individuals, not just large institutional players. I was drawn to the opportunity to back local businesses that were doing good for the city, which made it a natural fit for me. What continues to motivate my involvement is seeing this concept grow and evolve. I believe we are unique not only because of our cooperative model, but also because we invite retail capital and provide funding to businesses that might not otherwise have had access to it.

Brad: So you’ve recently taken on the role of our Board Chair. What do you hope to bring to this role?

Martin: First and foremost, I want to acknowledge the past board members and chairs who have done an incredible job in bringing us to this point, with $2 million of capital deployed through various rounds. My goal is to continue their legacy by fostering a strong board culture and ensuring psychological safety so that we can thrive together and make difficult decisions with confidence. In terms of my leadership capacity, I hope to contribute to that culture while also helping the organization grow and explore new avenues beyond what has been done historically—whether through partnerships with institutions or expanding retail investment opportunities. We are now entering a transition from founding board members to newer members who have joined in recent years, and I see my role as supporting that shift. With new voices come fresh ideas, and I am committed to helping steward those ideas into the next chapter of Local Investing YYC.

Brad: We’re excited for this chapter, Martin! It is an exciting time for the Cooperative. Before taking on the Chair role, you were championing the Investee Impact and Reporting Committee. Can you tell us more about what your mandate was?

Martin: Our impact and investment monitoring committee has always focused on evaluating the financial, environmental, and social outcomes of the businesses we support. Prior to making an investment, part of our due diligence involves assessing the impact these businesses aim to achieve, often using frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals. Once an investment is made, we remain closely engaged with the business—holding ongoing discussions around their targets and monitoring progress to ensure they are delivering on their commitments. This allows us to provide semi‑annual updates and a comprehensive year‑end impact report to our members, demonstrating how each investee is performing and ensuring that our capital is driving the intended results.

Brad: Finally, tell us a fun fact about yourself that people might not know.

Martin: During my university years, I had a part-time job at Domino’s Pizza in the UK. The store I worked in was one of the busiest in the country. During rush hour on a Friday night, we would make upwards of 350 pizzas an hour! We’d get inspected and audited regularly by head office, given it was a franchise location. One time, an auditor came in during the rush time to see us making pizzas a rapid pace, and asked if I’d be interested in entering in to the world’s fastest pizza making competition, which naturally, I agreed to! After several rounds of qualifying, I ended up in the final and came in 8th in the world. That’s my claim to fame.