LAB connects professionals who are navigating career transitions and finding new pathways for themselves.
At Spare Parts & Gasoline (SP&G), we’ve always believed in the transformative power of purpose-driven innovation. We seek to spark meaningful change in everything we do.
That is also at the core of how Life After BigCo (LAB) was born.
The idea for LAB was sparked during a coffee catchup between Chelsea Hallick of Calgary Economic Development and Shawn Mahoney of Spare Parts & Gasoline (SP&G). Chelsea noted that Calgary’s innovation community had been energized by talent from recent BigCo layoffs.
These layoffs brought a wealth of experience and fresh perspectives into the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Many former BigCo employees transitioned to founding or joining startups, leveraging their industry expertise to launch new ventures and accelerate growth. This influx of skilled professionals invigorated Calgary’s startup scene, creating a vibrant landscape of collaboration, investment opportunities, and innovation.
Shawn recognized this as an idea worth celebrating and began sharing it with other leaders, including Mark Little (former Suncor CEO and Jotson Founder) and former Platform Calgary CEO Terry Rock. Both leaders embraced the concept, offering their support to help it grow.
Back at SP&G, the idea began to take shape. Life After BigCo (LAB) was born.
LAB connects professionals who are navigating career transitions and finding new pathways for themselves. From those in startups to those still in large corporations, from academic institutions to government and media, LAB creates a platform for anyone who has big ideas they want to bring into the world to shape the future of business and innovation.
Through thoughtfully curated events, conversations, and collaborations, LAB is about:
At its heart, LAB is about creating innovators, changemakers, and entrepreneurs, individuals who will generate employment, spark economic growth, and leave a lasting impact on Canada’s business landscape.
Our journey with LAB started small but quickly became mighty. The first LAB: Startup Edition event set a powerful tone, featuring dynamic discussions with diverse perspectives on Calgary’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Attendees left feeling energized, inspired, and connected. Conversations sparked “unexpected collisions” that generated new ideas and collaborations.
It became clear after the first event that LAB was creating a movement and a community that empowers people across career stages and sectors to embrace innovation and purpose.
Today, LAB is more than a community. It’s a movement.
At SP&G, LAB is so much more than an idea or initiative. It’s a reflection of what we stand for: collaboration, inclusivity, and purpose-driven innovation. It’s about celebrating what’s possible when talented professionals come together to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change.
We’ve seen firsthand the incredible energy that arises when seasoned professionals bring their expertise to new ventures; when people with different experiences and perspectives collide to solve big problems. LAB is one way we’re helping that momentum grow.
For us, LAB is an invitation: to join, connect, and create. We’re bringing people together to move ideas forward and transform Canada’s business landscape, one purposeful collision at a time.
Whether you’re a former BigCo professional, currently navigating the trenches of a startup, or still working within a large corporation, there’s a role for you in this community.
If you want to be part of this shift, we’d love to have you in our community.
Welcome to Life After BigCo. Let’s create impact together.
Learn more and get involved at lifeafterbigco.com.
It became clear after the first event that LAB was creating a movement and a community that empowers people across career stages and sectors to embrace innovation and purpose.