building relationships and asking for help when I needed it, which was something historically that I was never really good at. Playing professional hockey taught me so much about myself and while some of the previous skills I carried with me like hard work and communication, I also picked up important life and business skills like leadership, profession- alism, and resilience. These char- acter traits are so important as a founder of a tech startup. I am so grateful for my hockey career which prepared me for leading a team and growing a business from scratch. As the Co-Found- er & COO of FanSaves, I lean on my previous work experience all the time and that is something I am very grateful for. I’ve seen a trend where these days students coming out of school feel entitled to things without putting in the time and proving themselves in the wild. I’m big on putting my head down and putting in the work to get ahead in life!
What was the transition like from being a professional athlete to the front office? KM: It was difficult for me; I think like a lot of athletes, life after sport is a time where you really learn a lot about yourself and what your career has taught you along the way. Over my career I made so many great lifelong friends but when my career ended a lot of those friends either kept playing in other cities or went back home to embark on their next move in life. It was a lonely place for a little while, luckily, I had a great support system, and it didn’t take me long to run into Shannon Ferguson, my FanSaves Co-Founder and life partner with who I instantly was drawn towards and shared so much in common with. I really threw myself into my work which at the time was working in the front office as the Sales & Marketing Director for two minor professional hockey teams. My passion and work ethic were matched by Shannon if not more which I was really attracted to outside of the beautiful person she is. Right away we clicked, and the rest is history! We both loved working in sports, and it was that that led us to the pain point we are solving with our startup FanSaves. As a professional athlete, the goal is to win games and championships, of which you have two. In the front office, it is more or less the same thing but at a different level. Can you tell us about the difference? KM: As a player, winning a championship is the ultimate goal. During my hockey career, I’ve broken bones, bled (more than a few times) and sacrificed a lot to achieve that goal. I feel so fortunate to
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MAY/JUNE 2022 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2022
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