With a lifelong entrepreneurial mindset, Matthew Martel (BMgmtâ14) has always been attuned to what he calls peopleâs âpain points.â He listens to their needs and strives to address them, a skill that drives his vision as the new chief executive officer of  (BBI) in Halifax, an organization that provides programs, supports and training for the Black community.
He joined BBI almost four years ago after meeting Rustum Southwell (LLDâ18), BBIâs founding CEO, who was recently appointed chancellor of ±«Óătv University.
Before joining BBI, Martel completed a masterâs degree in Technology Entrepreneurship & Innovation (MTEI) at the Sobey School of Business at Saint Maryâs University and worked in human resources and recruitment at Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette as well as for the Halifax Regional Municipality. Before he became CEO of BBI, Martel had been its chief operating officer (COO).
âRustum and I worked very closely together for so long at BBI,â he says.
âAnd he said to me, âYouâre not filling my shoes. Youâve got your own shoes.ââ
±«Óătvâs Transition Year Program was instrumental in his success
Born in rural Cape Breton, Martel grew up in a low-income household, acutely aware of the gaps and roadblocks facing many people in the community. âThe desire to help people has always been there,â he explains of his motivations.
°Őłó±đÌęTransition Year Program (TYP) at Dal, now in its 53rd year, convinced him to pursue a post-secondary education. Established to help prepare Black and Indigenous youth for academic life, Martel says TYP was âa great opportunity to consider Dal as a university but also an opportunity to integrate into a cohort that looked like myself.â Martel adds, âWe all had shared experiences. The connections through that program were amazing.â
Programs tailored to Black community
It was while he was a student at Dal that he first made contact with BBI. âI have always been an entrepreneurial guy,â he explains. He started a few short-term business projects. One was helping women make car purchases. âI think it helped with a couple of monthsâ rent,â he says with a laugh. Another was a short-lived shipping project with another student.
BBI was helpful in giving him guidance. âIt was apparent that there wasnât any other organization that would specifically have programs and services tailored to the Black community,â says Martel.
The programs BBI was founded on include providing access to strong entrepreneurial role models, teaching financial literary, access to capital funding for entrepreneurs and advocacy.
Now in its 27th year, BBI is at an inflection point of growth as it expands its mission across the Atlantic provinces and Canada as a whole.
Progress has been made, but more is needed
âI would never discredit progress that has been made,â Martel says, âbut thereâs still so much to do.â Generational Black wealth remains unchanged, for example.
Listening to the community and identifying ways to help have resulted in several innovative programs and summits.
°Őłó±đÌę charity for empowerment of youth aged 8 to 35 is one example. Through the charityâs Business In program, ±«Óătv has helped young people see opportunities in careers where Black participants are underrepresented such as architecture and STEM. Potential employers are brought to campus to discuss opportunities. The university waives application fees for students who want to apply to the programs.
Another impactful BBI program has been the  a federally funded multi-million-dollar effort to encourage grassroots not-for-profit organizations serving Black communities in Canada. âItâs so much more successful than BBI and the federal government thought it would be,â Martel says. âOur goal at BBI is expansion in a sustainable way across Canada while maintaining the quality of services to African Nova Scotians.â
Since graduating, Martel has stayed connected to Dal. One way was by serving as a panelist for the Faculty of Managementâs Promise Scholars program (which supports Black and Indigenous business students). He spoke about the vital issues of . Likewise, throughout the years, ±«Óătv has been a key participant in BBIâs initiatives. âThe commitment from Dal is always to do more,â says Martel.
As he settles into the CEO role at BBI, Martel is also committed to doing more. âI see the desire to help as an opportunity to make community change, to make personal changeâand the freedom that comes with that,â the 34-year-old says.