Small Business Award winner spotlight: Tacit Edge

Tacit Edge, founded by Christa Hill and Renee Matsalla, has become a driving force in product management education, focusing on creating equitable and accessible pathways into the field. Their innovative approach is not only making waves in the education sector but has also earned them recognition, including the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion award at the 2024 Calgary Small Business Awards. Christa and Renee’s shared vision of fostering inclusion and diversity is at the heart of their work, which has made a significant impact on the lives of their students and the broader tech community.

Bridging gaps in product management

The story of Tacit Edge began when Christa and Renee met while working at Benevity, where they discovered a shared passion for product management. Witnessing the lack of structured education in the field, they decided to fill the gap with a program that would offer equal opportunities for people of all backgrounds, especially women, racialized individuals and newcomers to the field.

“We wanted equal pathways for folks to get into roles that lead the future of technology,” says Renee.

With this goal in mind, they developed their first applied product management program, which proved highly successful, with 80% of students securing jobs before the course even ended. The success of their pilot program marked a turning point, leading to a contract with the New York Federal Reserve.

“That was when we knew we were ready to teach product management and get people into tech,” says Renee.

For Christa and Renee, creating inclusive educational environments where individuals can bring their full identities and experiences into the professional space is central to their mission. They believe that diversity not only enriches the learning process but also fosters the creation of better, more innovative products.

"Come as you are. We need your experience. We need where you came from to come with you here,” says Christa. “We do our best work when we can be ourselves and bring it all into the room with us.”

Christa further emphasizes that expecting individuals to conform to a narrow standard stifles potential and limits growth.

“Asking us to leave or be something else in a room other than who we are, you get a fraction of our capabilities.”

The impact of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion award

In October, Tacit Edge was honoured with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion award at the Calgary Small Business Awards, a recognition that validates their mission and the work they’ve done in the education sector. This award not only celebrates their achievements but also highlights the importance of advancing diversity and equity initiatives.

“It was the most amazing award ceremony. It just legitimizes and reminds us of how big of an accomplishment this is,” says Renee.

The award also prompted a moment of reflection for the Tacit Edge team, reminding them of their impact on the community.

“It was a good reminder to look at what we've done. We’ve done what no other education has done before, and we’re doing it again with AI,” says Renee.

Amid growing challenges to DEI efforts, Christa underscores the significance of using this recognition to reaffirm their commitment to equity.

“There's a lot of people emboldened to push back on the concept of equity at the moment. It's more important now than ever for us to hold the line and say that we need to have programming that's representative of our population.”

Expanding into AI education

Following their success in product management education, Tacit Edge has now launched an innovative AI product management program. This program goes beyond the typical AI education, focusing on practical applications and accessibility for a broad range of learners.

“We’re the first in the world to launch an applied AI program that isn’t a 2-4 year Master’s or PhD, and it’s not just a program about prompts engineering like how to use ChatGPT,” says Renee.

Instead, Tacit Edge’s AI product management course teaches students how AI works, helping them build real AI products of their own to have in their portfolio.

With the goal of providing equal pathways for individuals from all backgrounds to learn and excel in AI product management, Christa emphasizes the urgency of making AI accessible to all.

“AI is the future. Very soon, this is going to become an exclusive club just like product management was, and we decided, no, this can’t happen. Everyone needs to be able to have access to AI to use it and to understand it.”

Supporting growth and access to opportunity

As Christa and Renee continue to expand their educational offerings, they remain focused on scaling their impact and creating more opportunities in both product management and AI. With technical education and a strong emphasis on inclusivity, Christa and Renee are committed to ensuring access to the rapidly evolving tech industry.

“Anyone can learn this practice because it's the future. We want to pave that way for folks and not leave anyone behind,” says Renee.

Their commitment to solving problems and creating pathways for more people to enter tech, particularly in fields like AI and quantum computing, drives Tacit Edge’s ongoing mission.

“We know diversity is our strength. We need to create equal pathways for everybody to flourish in the city,” says Renee.

Through their work, Tacit Edge continues to reshape the future of education, making technology accessible to all and ensuring that diverse voices are heard and valued in the industry.

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To learn more about Tacit Edge, visit tacit-edge.com. See the full list of winners from the 41st Calgary Small Business Awards.

Small Business Week is proudly presented by our Small Business Pillar Partner, Rogers Business. To learn more, visit calgarychamber.com/small-business.