Running a computer networking and web design firm might seem an odd choice for someone who once failed a computer course in college, but Devon Meekis prides himself on being unconventional.
Now, Meekis not only runs his own tech-oriented firm, but has also made a triumphant return to the post-secondary world as a teacher for website design and microbusiness at Thunder Bay’s Confederation College.
“It’s been an interesting journey,” says the 33-year-old Meekis, a member of the Deer Lake First Nation.
“It just goes to show that it makes no difference what colour you are or where you’re from, you can succeed.”
Originally shooting for a physical education diploma as a student in Winnipeg, Meekis found his plans sidelined when he landed a “meningitis-like flu” that left him bedridden for months.
While working through his recovery process, his father bought him a computer, and he began to teach himself things he had struggled to retain in the classroom.
Soon, he had developed the passion and knowledge to pursue a career in the field of technology, and worked independently to earn a number of key web and PC certifications.
He has since founded FLI, creating the multi-purpose company in 2005 to tackle web design and hosting, multimedia and graphics design, as well as training and course planning. His success has been such that he’s been able to bring his company from Winnipeg back to his home province.
However, Meekis has had his share of bumps along the way, though he’s managed to turn even these hurdles to his advantage.
While currently a two-man firm, FLI once also included a third employee, a web designer who was tasked with managing a number of clients.
When the designer up and left the company three days before a proof was to be shown to a particularly key client, Meekis locked himself in the office to learn as much as he could, as quickly as he could.
After struggling to stay awake over the full 72 hours to develop an entirely new set of skills, he managed to produce the proof just in time and learned an important lesson about self-sufficiency in the process.
Short for “For Little Indians,” the name of his company is indicative of his optimism for First Nations people to succeed, in spite of whatever barriers they may face, be it isolation or prejudice.
He makes a point of taking time out to speak to children in the remote Aboriginal communities where his company is contracted to perform networking services.
In one case, some of the children he met were so baffled by the idea of an Aboriginal person succeeding in the tech world that they asked whether he was actually an African-American, Meekis says.
“They can’t wrap their heads around somebody like them basically making it in a field that they thought would be out of reach.”
Recently, Meekis participated for a second time in the annual Project Beyshick, a mentorship initiative which provides First Nations entrepreneurs with an opportunity to hone their talents.
After being partnered with a vice-president at the Toronto-Dominion Bank, accompanying her on meetings and being introduced to clients, he won $15,000 for a business plan.
Meekis says he plans on using the award money to expand his business beyond Thunder Bay into even bigger markets, such as Toronto or Winnipeg.
Such ambitions match the numerous other plans Meekis has waiting in the wings, including the development of an online networking site for corporate and business firms serving niche markets. The hope is that this will encourage new business opportunities between suppliers and corporate consumers, or even between companies with matching interests.
In keeping with his focus on reaching out to Aboriginal communities, he’s also looking to the imminent launch of GetNish.com, a Facebook-style social networking site for First Nations people.
The site is due to feature a variety of other popular Internet applications, including interactive whiteboards, chat rooms and video downloads.
“I’m hoping to help create a better sense of community,” he says. “I’m hoping it’ll also let me reconnect with my roots, so it’s really bringing a lot of my passions under one roof.”
