Goodbye 2020, Here's Diff's Goals for 2021!

The year 2020 was not the year any of us expected it to be. With the global COVID-19 pandemic, our personal and work lives changed very suddenly. As a result, Diff has spent most of this year working from home to minimize the impact of the ongoing health crisis. 

Despite working remotely in the midst of a pandemic, we achieved a lot this year. Diff directly supported Shopify businesses as they quickly adjusted their operations for a spike in online shopping. Throughout the year, our handbuilt front-ends were served up millions of times to shoppers all across the globe, and our back-end integrations kept warehouses overflowing with orders to fulfill.

We made the Best Workplaces™ list, including Best Workplaces for Inclusion and Best Workplaces for Millennials. We ranked as one of Canada’s Top Growing Companies, and we won several design awards - Davey Awards, W3 Awards, Muse Awards, and Creativity International awards.

Around Halloween, all Differs received a special shipment of treats.

Behind these awards are an incredible team of dedicated and talented staff. In 2020 our team grew, introducing 22 new hires. Despite working remotely, we found ways to team build and develop our skills through virtual initiatives and events. There were Lunch & Learns, virtual games, and costume contests! There were even occasional home deliveries of meals and special treats to help Differs get into the holiday spirit from home. 

Reflecting on 2020 and our resolutions in 2021

We wanted to take a moment to reflect on the accomplishments and growth we experienced in 2020 despite the pandemic. So, we sat down with some of the Diff team to hear their perspectives on 2020 and what they are looking forward to in 2021 - both personally and career-wise.

Jerome on vacation in Tadoussac, Quebec this past summer.

Jerome Savaria-Carrière - System Integrations Project Manager

Jerome is a System Integration Project Manager at Diff. He joined the team in February 2020.

• What’s something career-wise that you are proud of accomplishing in 2020?

I completed my Software Development Certificate from McGill University in May, which I had started in 2016. After four years, I was very happy to complete this certificate that I truly enjoyed doing! This also enables me to understand so much more about the job I am currently doing.

• What is your favourite memory (personal or work) from 2020?

Meeting everyone at Diff and seeing how everyone has been so supportive and helpful has been my professional highlight of the year. Even with the pandemic, I could feel and experience the company culture was felt throughout the several online meetings. While I really miss working in the office with my colleagues, it has been wonderful to see how we were able to keep such a positive atmosphere since being forced to work from home because of the current situation.

• Tell us about a favorite book, movie, show or podcast you discovered in 2020, and why you love it? 

Tiger King on Netflix was the best ...kidding! This year I really enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale, both the book and the television series. The Queen’s Gambit was also wonderful and revived my love for chess. 

This year I also listened to two great podcasts very regularly. “This American Life” (Chicago Public Media) which explores a new theme every week in a different format. I also listened to “Nos questions niaiseuses” (Radio-Canada) which answers some questions that we always ask ourselves but never have answers to. These shows were a great way to forget about the pandemic for a short moment!

• What was your favourite team building or personal development activity of 2020?

Our weekly meetings in our department were a great way to keep in touch with people and learn more about various topics. Our managers and colleagues would present something every week: either on a specific topic, asking us to brainstorm on a particular situation or even sometimes playing games. A big shout out to our managers for doing those every week!

• What are you most looking forward to in 2021?

I think I won’t be the only one, but I am looking forward to reconnecting with people: friends, family and colleagues! 

• Do you have any specific career goals for 2021?

Right now I don’t have a specific goal necessarily. I’d like to keep learning more about our business, keep growing, and continue to be actively involved in the company.

• How will you be spending your vacation time in 2021?

I will be spending most of my time at home with my wife and daughters. Board games, movies, hopefully going cross country skiing and many, many Facetime and Zoom meetings with family and friends!

Vivian enjoying the outdoor holiday festivities in Toronto’s Distillery District. 

Vivian Doan - Experience Designer 

Vivian is an Experience Designer at Diff. She’s been at Diff full time for 1.5 years, and was an intern for 2 years before joining the team as a full time employee.

• What’s something career-wise that you are proud of accomplishing in 2020?

I’ve become more confident in my work and presenting my ideas to clients. I’ve also become more comfortable in leading projects as the sole designer. Being still fairly new to the industry, it was something I struggled with a year prior, so I’m proud of my growth in 2020.

• What is your favourite memory (personal or work) from 2020?

My friends and I have stayed connected during this time by playing games online, which has been a lot of fun and has helped make this year a little easier. Lately, we’ve been playing Among Us - I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t tried it yet!

• Tell us about a favorite book, movie, show or podcast you discovered in 2020, and why you love it? 

I watched the docuseries Down to Earth with Zac Efron on Netflix - it highlighted healthy, sustainable ways to live. Not only was it super educational, it was also pretty funny and really interesting. I also just finished watching the Queen’s Gambit, which was amazing. The cinematography and story were so well done. I was hooked and I’ve never played chess (but it made me want to).

• What was your favourite team building or personal development activity of 2020?

We had a really interesting Lunch & Learn with Harley Finkelstein (President of Shopify). It was great hearing his perspective on the role Shopify has played during this time for many small businesses and entrepreneurs, how COVID has affected the retail landscape, and what the future of retail might look like.

• What are you most looking forward to in 2021?

I’m looking forward to things hopefully getting back to normal so that I can visit my family on the West Coast again. Crossing my fingers that we’ll be able to spend next Christmas together!

• Do you have any specific career goals for 2021 - what are they?

I don’t have anything specific in mind, but I’d like to continue to challenge myself and do things outside of my comfort zone. I’m interested in the growth and analytics work that we do with clients, so I want to take some courses on that so I can learn about it!

• How will you be spending your vacation time in 2021?

I’m hoping to explore more of Ontario! I’ve lived here for 10 years, but haven’t seen much outside of the GTA. Now would be the perfect time.

Erin on a pre-pandemic trip to British Columbia, Canada.

Erin Hynes - Marketing Coordinator

Erin is the Marketing Coordinator at Diff. She’s been at Diff for nearly 2 years. 

• What’s something career-wise that you are proud of accomplishing in 2020?

I had the opportunity this year to take on new types of projects. For example, I began leading one of Diff’s email marketing initiatives. Throughout the year I feel that I’ve gained confidence in my role and expanded my skill set. I’ve grown a lot this year, and I’m excited about it! 

• What is your favorite memory from 2020?

I spent my birthday in Florida with my closest friends and my partner. This was back in early February, before Coronavirus lockdowns began. We had an amazing time road tripping around the state. We visited lots of beaches, ate delicious food, and did lots of hiking. Oh, and we went swimming with manatees! 

• Tell us about a favorite book, movie, show or podcast you discovered in 2020, and why you love it? 

I love listening to podcasts and discovered a few good ones throughout the year. My top pick is “You’re Wrong About” which examines media controversies that have been misunderstood in the public imagination in the past. I also really enjoy “The Cut,” and “Today, Explained.” I recently started re-watching the original series “Twin Peaks.” It’s a mystery horror drama television series by David Lynch that originally aired in the 1990s. It’s weird and wonderful. 

• What was your favourite team building or personal development activity of 2020?

I always enjoy our monthly Lunch & Learns. In each one, Diff’s CEO Ben interviews a client or partner from the retail or ecommerce space. Other times, members of Diff present a short lesson related to the work that they do. For example, our Senior Experience Designer Jarek recently taught us about Gestalt Principles in user experience design. 

• What are you most looking forward to in 2021?

I’m hopeful that the world will begin to heal in 2021. That Coronavirus cases will start to decrease and we can begin getting back to “normal” life. It will be nice to start reconnecting with (and hugging!) my friends and family.   

• Do you have any specific career goals for 2021 - what are they?

I thrive when I am learning new things, and so my career goal is to continue learning and growing. I’m hoping to take on new challenges and responsibilities. For example, I’d like to take a course on search engine optimization so I can strengthen my skills in that area. Diff has grown a lot in 2020, and I’m excited to be part of the company’s growth in 2021!

• How will you be spending your vacation time in 2021?

My partner and I have always spent our vacation time traveling internationally. With the pandemic, we’ve been exploring our own backyard instead. In summer 2021 we’re hoping to do some car camping in Algonquin Provincial Park, and explore some more northern parts of Ontario. 

Would you like to join Diff’s award-winning culture? Check out our careers page to browse our current job openings, and apply.