geekspeak Commerce, a company comprised of internationally diverse collaborators and clients, has risen as a business leader in Whitby’s tech sector and in the BIPOC community.

In 2003, Isaac Wanzama began operating geekspeak Commerce, an e-commerce services agency, out of his Whitby home. In 2010, Tricia Williams joined as managing partner and client success leader. 2010 proved to be a pivotal year for the company, as geekspeak Commerce also moved their operations to a space in Downtown Whitby.

geekspeak Commerce manages the unseen online shopping process, helping their clients optimize their e-commerce presence. Their expertise ensures proper merchandising and optimization through organizing product data, creating marketing assets, and advertising on various platforms.

Their strong connection with the Town of Whitby Economic Development Department leaves geekspeak Commerce enthusiastic about their hometown headquarters. They value the rarity of their direct line of communication with the staff at the municipality. As Whitby residents, the owners appreciate the Town’s welcoming business community and their short commute to the office. geekspeak Commerce’s enthusiasm extends to the Whitby Chamber of Commerce and other organizations built to support businesses in the Durham Region:

We’re happy that we’re located in Whitby and we’re super thankful for the support that we see from the Town and the Region. We know that that’s not normal and so we definitely value it.

Tricia Williams, 2022

Small business ownership has allowed geekspeak Commerce to create a diverse corporate culture with a team of people largely from the BIPOC community. They welcome immigrant and newcomer talent, noting that both offer a wealth of life experiences and global knowledge. Tricia highlights the team’s development, claiming that the group’s diversity is their superpower. It allows for dynamic approaches and opinions, to challenge one another in producing the best achievable work. Also, Tricia is proud of leading a team that she has trained and shaped to advance in their careers.

geekspeak Commerce has a strong company culture of removing barriers and aspires to be an example for other businesses. While they have undoubtedly faced challenges in operating their own company in a homogenous corporate world, geekspeak Commerce consistently focuses on their excellent quality of work, which cannot be contested.

We have a really diverse group of team members, and we actually call it our superpower. I kind of said that off-the-cuff and then I heard other team members say that to me and I was like yeah that’s pretty cool actually… And I believe that’s really what makes us strong.

Tricia Williams, 2022

Before 2010, geekspeak Commerce had to explain their value proposition to an audience that hadn’t fully grasped the concept of e-commerce. Then, within a decade, they jumped from selling the measure of their work to being contacted by brands in dire need.

Today, geekspeak Commerce services many Canadian retail brands such as Home Hardware, Canadian Tire, and Indigo-Chapters. During their nearly 20 years in business, geekspeak Commerce has come to appreciate the interesting people behind the brands. Around 2020, geekspeak Commerce started a live stream called Point of Purchase, where they host live shows and interview e-commerce experts. The live stream helps strengthen their team’s skills, while also providing an opportunity for clients to build their brands and share their stories.

geekspeak Commerce shows their appreciation for Whitby by hosting several community-focused initiatives. Every March, they hold their annual virtual hackathon, Hack for Good, where collaborators solve social problems. In addition, geekspeak Commerce regularly donates to Simcoe Hall Settlement House, an organization that helps address food insecurity in the Durham Region. Finally, they have hosted workshops by Canada Learning Code, which makes computer science and technology accessible to anyone interested in learning code language.

Diversity truly is their superpower at geekspeak Commerce and it shows through their leadership and teamwork. Their company culture has allowed them to acquire and retain versatile talent, and in turn, they have created a strong team that provides quality solutions and support for large brands and local charities alike.

Written by Samantha Cavallari
CDMS, Ontario Tech U

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