12/12/2025
๐BIDA NG BIYERNES (Friday Feature) ๐ As the year draws to a close, we are excited to feature a community member who doesnโt just participate, he exemplifies a profound understanding of the power of community. Meet Paul Martinez! Paul has been a dedicated member of our community connecting with members with similar backgrounds and introducing our community to his contacts in other relevant communities. In his current work, Paul uses data to identify bottlenecks and friction points for businesses and help find ways to make processes more efficient.
Learn more about Paulโs story below!
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๐จโ๐ฆฐFull Name: Paul Martinez
๐จโ๐ปCurrent Role/Title: Business and Local Economy Analyst
๐ขCompany or Organization (if applicable): The City of Calgary
๐LinkedIn Profile or Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pmartz/
Primary area(s) of expertise within Tech: Data Science, Operations and Business Development and Strategies
How long have you been working in the tech industry? 5-10 years
What initially sparked your interest in tech, and what significant steps or experiences led you to where you are in your career today?
I was always curious how things work on the operations, when I found out that you can measure everything with Data, I got hooked. Data is everywhere, you just need to find the use case of why people should care about it and how it impacts them. I have a background in Computer Engineering and Business Administration which helped me marry the two knowledge points together. The most significant steps I took to really hone the skill was learning with co-workers, traditional education/certifications and mentorship.
What are you currently working on or are most excited about in your current role and/or projects?
As a Business and Local Economy Analyst for the City, my mandate is really finding friction points for businesses and helping smoothen that area for improvement. I use data whether quant or qual to help management make data driven decisions. What really excites me is finding areas for improvements, itโs like a treasure hunt, once you find it, you tend to look for more, with a goal to make Calgary business friendly of course.
What is one piece of advice you would give to other Filipino professionals looking to enter or grow in the tech industry in Calgary or elsewhere?
I want to share a quote from a great mentor of mine that really made an impact on how I view opportunities. He said: โYou donโt prepare for the storm, if the storm is forecasted to hit the shore in three days. You also need to announce to the public that a storm is coming, and that you are ready itโ. This analogy happened during Typhon season back in the Philippines, but it hit hard because I was asking for a promotion back then. It was his way of saying that you need the skills ready, the timing of an opening for promotion and showcasing/marketing your skills to the public.
Therefore, I say to all of you who are seeking to enter or grow in the tech industry in Calgary, (This code is in C โ so this shows my age)
printf("Opportunity = skills ready, timing, showcase and network\n");
And one more thing, if there is really no opportunity, then itโs time you make one, build your own company, I can help guide you through it.
If your company was a type of animal, what would it be and why?
Elephant, itโs big, slow, stubborn but creates a big dent in the lives of Calgarians.
Beyond your professional work, are you involved in any extracurricular activities, community initiatives, or personal projects that you would like to share?
For organizations: I am working on my speech skills, so I joined Toastmasters (shoutout to Fish Creek Bravehearts TM Club) and I am also a board director for the Filipino Champions of Canada which celebrates Filipino achievements in Canada.
If you woke up tomorrow and all forms of digital technology had vanished, what is the first thing you would do?
I would say, Yes!! More time to spend with family and friends.
If you could convince the world to adopt one habit, what would it be and why?
Follow Agile principles, The scope might be unknown, but the features, benefits are always known. The future is unknown, so donโt worry about it, look at the features and benefits you want in your life and strive for it. When times comes, and you look back, you have built something for yourself.
What is your favourite Filipino food or snack from your childhood?
P**o and Sikwate (itโs a Bisaya thing)
If you were to spend a day with a famous Filipino person, dead or alive, who will it be and why?
John Gokongwei of JC Summit Holdings โ I wanted to learn from the guy, from how he started, how he solved his problems and how he grew his company to an enormous conglomerate and yet kept his time for his immediate family.
