NB365: Norm Couturier Of 3D Planeta In Fredericton
This is part of a year-long ‘Love for Local’ series called NB365: portraits of New Brunswick entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations. Huddle is a media partner with Love for Local. Today, we hear from Norm Couturier of 3D Planeta in Fredericton.
I’ve been a tech entrepreneur for 30 years. 3D Planeta is the ninth tech company I’ve co-founded. This latest idea to build solutions in the fast-growing earth observation space was an exciting challenge in an industry with some really cool technology.
Supporting local businesses has been engrained in me since I was a kid. I fixed old lawnmowers and bicycles and sold them on my front lawn when I lived in east Saint John to make enough money to buy parts for my dirt bike.
A family friend of my parents owned a small-town auto part and hardware store in which I spent a lot of Saturdays as a kid. The thought of owning my own business someday rubbed off on me from my time there.
I got one of my first software programming contracts in the mid-80s building a computerized inventory system for that same store.
I’ve since hired hundreds of New Brunswickers in the various technology companies I have owned, all starting from a local business helping another local business.
Supporting local businesses has a real impact because it creates this circular economy that empowers so many, from the kid with a dream to a fellow business owner wanting to expand to better serve their community.
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