05/04/2026
After graduating NAIT in business, I ended up taking on random jobs. I first worked at a call-centre as a technical support for Quickbooks. I worked as sales support for a window company for many years. I wanted a new challenge and quit that job, only for the new one to not work out.
This left me in a tough spot so I just kept moving around to random jobs. Outside of work, I didn’t really have many hobbies and I didn’t feel connected to any group or those who were not close friends. I didn’t feel like I fit into anything.
Then came a situation that happened in 2011 where I was treated very poorly at my day job. I vowed “never again” and that was the day that I said I needed to do something completely different.
I took time to re-evaluate why I was not satisfied with my life or my jobs. I came to this conclusion: I was a highly creative person who was in non-creative jobs. I was VERY good at my jobs following policies and procedures but that’s not what I was meant for.
What did get me excited and feeling energized was doing photography. I finally understood that to get true fulfillment, I would need to work for myself and do photography.
I had previously been around people at my day jobs where they constantly complained about management, their circumstances in life, lots of complaining and not doing something about it.
The shift to being self-employed is what changed my life. I was finally around other like-minded people. People who wanted to create change in their life. It gave me the power to make changes to my circumstances without asking management for approval.
About 6 months before I went full-time (2015), I wanted to connect with other photographers in the city and there wasn’t really anything around. So I decided I would be the guy to start a community, which was urbanyeg.
I can tell you stories of how being involved and leading this community has made an impactful, positive change in my life. So much so, that it’s one of the big reasons I’m bringing it back as Creator Space.
I now feel the most confident and connected to my community and people as I ever have. I hope you can feel the same here.
-Chan