This article is part of the Bright Leaders of Calgary series, which features prominent corporate leaders from our Team Calgary program and their insights on the local business community and vision for the future.
In a time defined by questions, Mathew Stone is helping businesses — both in Calgary and nationwide — find meaningful answers. As a co-founder and partner at Calgary-based research firm Stone-Olafson, he works at the intersection of data, public sentiment and strategy.
As economic uncertainty reshapes how Calgarians work, live and trust, Mathew sees opportunity for organizations to listen more closely, act with empathy and create a deeper sense of meaning for their customers.
With insight-driven approaches rooted in real-time data, Stone-Olafson contributes to the bold, evidence-based thinking behind Calgary’s economic action plan, Uplook — advancing innovation and impact across Calgary’s business landscape.
We sat down with Mathew to talk about emerging trends, shifting expectations and why Calgary’s spirit of action keeps him optimistic about what’s ahead.
Stone-Olafson helps leaders make confident decisions in uncertain times. What are the biggest questions Calgary organizations are trying to answer right now?
To say that we're in turbulent times is an understatement — but what's interesting is that leaders are trying to figure out how to engage audiences in the midst of these uncertain times. So first off, where are audiences now? What are their motivations, expectations and priorities? That's one of the most important things we’re exploring, because lots of organizations recognize that the market is moving, people are changing and their priorities are different, so they want to understand them. What was urgent the last time we saw this kind of uncertainty is not the same anymore. This ends up fueling marketing strategies, product development streams and programming choices.
Another thing that organizations are asking is, ‘How do I resonate with the community in a meaningful way?’ I think that's a really powerful question to ask, because it means an organization can be and mean more than just the last transaction. Brands want to do more than just transact and sell more — yes, they care about that, but they really want to have that meaningful contribution. It's one of those things that gives me pause in a really positive way.
Your firm helps organizations ‘see around the corner’ so to speak. What are some of the key signals or shifts you’re seeing in Calgary that leaders should be paying attention to right now?
Media covers this all the time — they talk about tariffs and say, ‘Oh there’s so much uncertainty,’ but they talk about it in macroeconomic terms. Put yourself in the consumer’s perspective and the bewilderment that's facing them. Economic uncertainty doesn't mean GDP, it means, ‘Will I have a job? Is my salary going to be competitive?’ So, there's lots of uncertainty there.
All of the trends are reminding us that consumers have a lot more questions than they do answers. That makes for a different type of audience, whether you're trying to just share an idea or sell a product. Organizations that are investing time to be empathetic and help fill that uncertainty gap are really, really important right now. The trend is that people are starting to think on the human level instead of a macroeconomic level.
You work at the intersection of data, public sentiment and strategy. What are you seeing in how Calgarians’ expectations of businesses and institutions are changing?
People are looking for comfort and they're looking for real engagement. We’re seeing that a lot of brands that typically have had a transactional relationship with customers are not doing as well as they used to.
Consumers have become really skeptical. With all the uncertainty, people don't know what to trust, so they're asking a lot more questions themselves. As a result, we see reputations facing a little bit more uncertainty — the big brands that people love are not trusted in the same way. Organizations and strategies have to recognize this and adapt. The brands that have real connections with people are the brands that consumers are going to gravitate to during times of uncertainty.
What does your research reveal about what today’s workforce — especially emerging talent — wants from their careers, and how can employers in Calgary respond?
There are three things that are critical, particularly for younger talent. First off is meaning — the idea of just doing work that may not have meaning, but is high paying, is not as prevalent. When we see the youngest generations in the workforce, they're eager to contribute. They're eager to put in the time but they need meaning out of it. They want to make a difference.
The second thing is culture. Organizations that succeeded during the pandemic by building culture in different ways in a time where we couldn't be together — were really, really important. They developed good communications and recognition programs that were consistent with their brand and who they were as people — and this practice can be applied today still.
The last one is flexibility. I think organizations that give lots of flexibility recognize tend to understand their talent at a human level. Employees want to have a role in society and their whole life is not just about work. I think if employers recognize those things, then they're going to get a really talented workforce that can do a lot of things in a really productive way.
What gives you optimism for Calgary’s future?
I am optimistic by nature but the thing that I like about Calgary is represented by even my own story and Stone-Olafson’s story: Stone-Olafson started very small and is now the largest Calgary based research consulting firm. This is a city where things can happen.
It's the DNA that's baked into the city. We attract a certain kind of talent — people who want to get stuff done and try new things. If there's a challenge, then somebody's willing to try and fix it. If there’s a problem, somebody’s going to be interested in understanding how to make it better. Those kinds of things, which I think are really, really critical, give me optimism. That's the best thing you can have.
About Team Calgary: The Team Calgary corporate partnership program engages our community’s visionary thought leaders to influence Calgary’s economic growth and create long-term prosperity and opportunities for all Calgarians.
Together, we advance the economic strategy, Uplook: An Action Plan For Our Economy, as the path to make Calgary the place where bright minds and big ideas come together with an unmatched spirit to help solve global challenges