In any market, a good idea or experience can lead to success. In the case of Yvonne Tollens, her experience working for an oil and gas company led not only to an innovative idea, but to her approach in the agriculture industry.
While working for Petro-Canada, Tollens experienced Calgary’s vibrant and venturesome attitude in the mid-’80s. At the same time, she and her husband, Ralph, wanted to make the cattle industry more streamlined and efficient. The two left their jobs to start up Computer Aid Professional Services, taking with them the spirit of Calgary.
Today, the company is Canada’s largest cattle software and solutions firm, helping to manage more than 1 million cattle in North America and Russia per year.
“One of the advantages of being in Calgary during that time was that the city had an adventuresome attitude, a can-do attitude,” Tollens says from the company’s head office in Okotoks.
“We took that same work ethic and applied it to our company.”
Coming from a large family raised on a ranch near Merritt, B.C., Tollens experienced first-hand the kind of problems ranchers have.
The inability to effectively keep track of the animals’ history was a daunting concern and one of the first hurdles Tollens tackled.
“Back then, they were using a book to keep all the cattle records,” says Tollens.
“It was really dated, but at the time ranches didn’t have much of a choice.”
Each application the company develops is fully customizable to the client’s needs and requests. The software’s range of tracking includes the cattle’s age, which herd it’s from, maintenance of multiple feedlots and the movement of sold cattle.
With partnerships including the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency and the Canadian Integrated Traceability Program, the software maintains a consistent flow of updated information to the ranchers’ clients. This, in turn, can create additional benefits such as tracking cattle involved with a recall.
Computer Aid’s latest program, Ranchers Mobility, allows ranchers in the field to access data from multiple servers through a smart phone. The software is designed to be simple and intuitive while providing one-on-one client support.
“It’s about applied innovation, making the software mimic how the client thinks,” Tollens says.
Innovation is a word that’s frequently used to describe her company and the small staff of 12, but Tollens remains modest about the attention despite the accolades she has received with awards including the RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Award for innovation in 2006.
“What makes you innovative is consistent growth in how things are done,” she says.
“Tools haven’t changed, they have just become more sophisticated.”
With the groundwork in place, Tollens and her team plan on expanding into the real estate and medical software markets.
Ryan Correy — Distance Defier
Dr. Aru Narendran — Cancer Cure Crusader
Anouk Kendall — Energy Innovator
Light Up the World Foundation — Light Bearers
Nathan Armstrong & Motive Industries — X Prize Fighters
Gary Burns — Alberta Auteur
Yvonne Tollens — Innovation Sensation
Honen's International Piano Competition — Classical Music Mentors
Robert Allen Sulatycky — Culinary Celebrity
Raghav Mathur — Hip Hop Hope
Post new comment