SmartSimple in New York City - Interview with Cameron McLean

To celebrate the opening of our New York City office, SmartSimple is publishing a series of interviews with our staff to find out more about this exciting new move (and new city)!

For our last installment of SmartSimple in New York City, we spoke to Cameron McLean, the newly appointed President of SmartSimple Ltd. and the head of our Manhattan office. Cameron discusses his new position, acclimating to New York, and SmartSimple's plans going forward.


Congratulations on your new title as President of SmartSimple Ltd. How have you been acclimating to your new role within SmartSimple?

I am really looking forward to the opportunity and challenges that lie ahead with the role. One of the key philosophies of SmartSimple as a company, which is reflected in the SmartSimple platform, is the desire to develop strong communities. A huge amount of the company's growth in the last 12 to 18 months has been in the U.S. market, so setting up the New York office is one of the key pillars in our plan and a great opportunity to strengthen and expand our own community. We are looking forward to hosting our first U.S. Community Conference later this year. Stay tuned for details!

Have you noticed any differences between how business is conducted in New York versus Toronto? What adjustments have you had to make?

The biggest adjustment I have had to make since relocating is not being in the Toronto office and not being able to walk up to someone's desk at any time. That said, I have found that alternative tools such as Skype and WebEx meetings are just as effective. They actually help add structure and promote efficiency in the use of everyone's time. Of course, this is just an extension of the protocols we put in place some years ago when we opened our office in Dublin.

I am having a tough time remembering to use U.S. spelling: favorite vs. favourite; check vs. cheque. Canadians have the luxury of being able to use either. Having lived in London for 6 years, U.K. spelling became fairly ingrained and I am realizing (realising) how difficult it is to change the habit. Having one dollar bills instead of Loonies also takes some getting used to. I have gone out a few times thinking I have enough cash for dinner, only to discover they are all $1 bills and I only have about $15 to my name!

What hopes or expectations do you have for SmartSimple in New York for 2013?

For the next couple of months, we will be getting settled into the office and establishing all the operational processes and such that are required to support the expansion of the business. Following that we will be bringing more staff on board to work in the New York office as well as serve clients throughout the U.S.

Lastly, have you discovered any cool hot spots around the city (e.g., cafes, restaurants, places for people-watching, etc.)?

The vast array of restaurants and bars in New York is mind boggling. I am always willing to try something new, so I expect it will be quite some time before I choose any favorites and visit the same place twice. Until then, I'm trying as many new places as I can.

As an avid cyclist, I have started exploring various neighborhoods by bike. Although the traffic in New York is hectic (to say the least) there is a very decent cycling infrastructure which it makes it a convenient way to see the city. Later in the year there is a 100 mile bike tour that winds through Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx that I am really looking forward to. I have also started a weekend routine of jogging in Central Park, which I am sure will start to become enjoyable as soon as the weather improves.



Want to know more about SmartSimple and our New York City office? Visit our main site or email info@smartsimple.com to get in touch with us.

Thank you for reading our SmartSimple in New York City interview series!