Combined Skills
Tech Support + Business Networking + Computer Networking + Hiring + Troubleshooting + Business + Bookkeeping + Freelancing

In 1999, I began attending business networking events around Victoria BC. Because I was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about computers, I quickly found opportunities with small insurance and accounting firms to manage their local area networks and software.

In 2000, an IBM alumnus named Ken Marriette referred me to the top-performing sales team at Investor's Group, headed by Susan Nielsen.

"...I recently referred him to a major client of mine. Not only did Andrew live up to my expectations, he exceeded those of my client."
- Ken Marriette, KGM Enterprises, Letter of Recommendation

Susan's main technical challenge was the way the company set up her computer network. Using a series of troubleshooting techniques, I found a solution that enabled her to substantially increase her office's productivity.

"It is no exaggeration to say that we are saving a substantial amount of staff time daily and are now even better equipped to meet the needs of our clients."
- Susan Nielsen, Investor's Group Financial Services, Thank You Letter

I wrote an instruction manual for the solution, and Susan sold it to the company. Investors Group deployed it in over 300 financial planning practices across Canada in 2001.

I continued doing tech support freelance until 2005, when I had enough work to bring in help. Unbound remained in operation until my employee, Colin, had to leave due to a personal tragedy in 2007. I was already freelancing as a PHP coder when Unbound did its last network upgrade for Discovery Insurance.

Combined Skills
Leadership + Copywriting + Organizing + Interpersonal Communication + Business Networking + Fundraising + Publicity + Project Management + Event Coordination

In the February 22 1999 edition of the Camosun College student newspaper, Nexus, there was a full-page article with the headline: March 4 Feed A Student For A Day.

"Feed A Student was started by CCSS Interurban Board of Governors rep. Andrew Nuttall to help raise awareness about hungry students."
-John Overall, Camosun Feeds Students, Nexus, March 8, 1999.

Posters were already up around campus because I had been working on the project since the middle of the previous semester with a mentor in the alumni office. I was able to approach multiple groups and offices on campus.

By the time the article ran, I had formal endorsements from 19 campus groups - including students, staff, faculty, and administration. Their logos or titles appeared on the poster and beside the full-page article in Nexus.

As the founder of Feed a Student For A Day, it was my job to write a compelling full-page article inviting the college to come together over a lasagna dinner, which would be served in the cafeteria on Lansdowne campus.

I gathered the content for my article by having conversations with members of the 19 groups, and used it to craft a unifying narrative around the mission.

The Student Finance Board uses a grocery allowance to calculate student loans, so we were asking employees of the college to buy vouchers for the daily amount. Tickets to the lasagna dinner were just slightly more expensive.

"Over 100 people came, and there were more tickets sold than people who showed up."
- Chris Green, Student Society President, Nexus, March 8, 1999.

With the help of Chris Green, president of the Student Society, I compiled a list of all the resources and every step we took into a single binder. The Student Society produced 7 in total. The dinner took place annually in early March, because that was when the money from student loans ran out and students started turning to foodbanks.

Combined Skills
Event Coordination + Theatre + Budgeting + Public Relations + Publicity + Leadership + Fundraising + Organizing + Business Networking + Project Management

As an undergraduate student at the University of Alberta in 1990, I was a member of the Kappa Alpha Literary Society. We wanted to raise money to help address the fact that 7% of Canadian Adults could not read or write at the time.

Fun Fact: The 1989 movie, Dead Poets Society, was a re-telling of the history of Kappa Alpha. While the movie is set in 1959, the story is based on actual events and real people who lived during the 1820s.

Thanks to my failure as a comedian, and my role as a volunteer team leader at the Edmonton Fringe Festival, I had several contacts in the local theatre community. So, I reached out to performers, Ticketmaster, and Horowitz Theatre. I made a budget and a marketing plan, and proposed a comedy show.

"It is very rare that we see such success with student run events; especially those who present local acts."
- Gerald Stoll, Horowitz Theatre, Letter of Recommendation

We produced two sold-out performances by a local Edmonton comedy troupe, Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie - in January 1990 and January 1991. The shows raised over $4000, which we donated to a local literacy charity.

"I am pleased to report that he generated a fabulous level of public awareness that led to great word of mouth, and consequently each presentation played to sold-out houses."
- Dave Jackson, Troupe Manager, Letter of Recommendation

Horowitz theatre sat 720. I went on to produce one more show, independently, featuring SAK Theatre from Orlando, Florida. Three Dead Trolls appeared in the production.

After graduating in 1994, I organized festivals in Prince George, BC.

Combined Skills
Public Speaking + Leadership + Interpersonal Communication + Business Networking + History + Presentation

In the summer of 2004, I joined the Communicators Toastmasters Club in Victoria, BC.

The first stage in their public speaking program involves writing and giving 10 speeches from a manual. Roughly every six weeks, each member would present one speech.

Toastmasters International had over 200,000 members in 130+ countries around the world at the time. It is based on a philosophy of learning by doing and had already grown into one of the world's largest leadership training organizations by the late 1950s.

Toastmasters generally share goodwill and most welcome guests from other clubs. For example, on a trip to Singapore in December 2004, I visited 9 clubs and saw a truly amazing sample of speakers from the public, private, and academic sectors.

I also visited the Singapore Zoo and found the inspiration for my fifth speech, which was coming up back in Victoria.

"The Wild Man of Borneo" recounted the true story of how Queen Victoria's opinion of orangutans changed European culture during the 1870s. Parts of it involved imitating the antics of a young orangutan I saw at the zoo.

The Advanced Toastmasters in our club encouraged me to present it at the Greater Victoria Golden Gavel speech competition on February 7th. I came in second place in the preliminary round and advanced to the finals.

Competitors were expected to write entirely new speeches for the final round. There were 7 speakers. I came in third.

Toastmasters is a truly positive experience for anyone willing to face the fear of public speaking. My last five speeches were given during the spring and summer of 2005, and I received my Competent Toastmaster Certificate that September.

Combined Skills
Business Networking + Organizing + Political Science + Elections + Business

In 2000, the Home Office Support Team was holding the largest meetings in the Victoria Chamber of Commerce, and they were growing rapidly. A more formal election process was needed.

H.O.S.T. had over 200 members and you could expect at least 70 to attend the Friday afternoon meetings in the Banquet Room at the Sandman Hotel. People came for the business opportunities, and came back for the camaraderie.

Unbound - the tech support company I started after completing the business program at Camosun College - was nearly two years old. My first clients were members of H.O.S.T. Almost all of my referrals came from H.O.S.T. members.

"Although I have known Andrew for only two years, his strong character and sincerity has always impressed me. Indeed, I felt confident enough in his ethics and principles that I recently referred him to a major client of mine."
- Ken Mariette, KGM Enterprises, Letter to Royal Roads University

I hold a degree in Political Science, had won two student elections, and once counted votes as a poll worker in a federal election. So, when H.O.S.T.'s leaders asked for help drafting a more robust set of election rules, I was happy to.

After two committee meetings, I compiled a set of rules and they were adopted unanimously at the third. They were in effect for the following election, which went smoothly.

During this period, I was also on the Chamber's Technology Committee, which gave me the opportunity to network with members of ViaTech.

Sadly, the Home Office Support Team is gone now. At its peek, there were 375 active members. The largest Friday meeting was in 2003, with just over 100 people.

In 2006, I closed Unbound after my employee met with a personal tragedy. I started freelancing as a PHP coder. In 2007, I allowed my membership in the Victoria Chamber to lapse because all of my clients and referrals were in other cities.

Combined Skills
APIs + PHP Coding + MySQL Databases + Business Networking + Copywriting + Marketing + Social Media + Creativity

Use this interactive resumé to see what I can do reliably and well. It lets you know my strengths, reveals what makes me unique, and enables you to take the next step.

The purpose is to give you a clear picture of my capabilities, so you can quickly decide whether to interview me, or refer me.

You will only find true stories here.
Some are about acquiring new skills. All of them explore ways I've combined skills to accomplish real-world goals and objectives.

Resumés showcase skills and abilities. By tracking which ones generate the most interest, this one produces useful information for my business networking activities.

For example, your LinkedIn Profile ID was verified using an API. A login record was created on a secure MySQL database. This page was generated by a PHP script that I wrote from scratch. This information can be used to follow up with interested parties.

At this point in the marketing funnel, you are likely wondering what else I bring to the table. It is also likely that you have already seen a few examples. Would it not be worthwhile to have a conversation?

The next step in the marketing funnel is to book an interview.

 Meet Me in Person  Interview Me on Zoom 

Combined Skills
Marketing + Education + Business Networking

In the summer of 2000, I took a 3rd-year course on marketing from Royal Roads University. I wanted to augment my knowledge of the subject, given my desire to start a business.

Because I already had an undergraduate degree from the University of Alberta, and a letter of recommendation from Camosun College, I was able to register for a 4th-year marketing class in the accelerated business program. My final grade was B+. It was one of the most enjoyable and challenging courses I had ever taken.

Although I did not directly apply the skills I acquired in that course for more than a year after completing it, I was able to make contacts who helped me get started in business. That fall, on the recommendation of the professor from that course, I joined the Victoria Chamber of Commerce. I found my first customers there, and began doing technical support for various insurance and accounting firms in Victoria, BC.