Stragility Consulting

Strategic IT consultant Curt LaMontagne operates his business Stragility Consulting from Musquodoboit Harbour, but he knows no limits when it comes to business. In fact, he believes Nova Scotia is the ideal place to operate an international consulting firm.

Originally from Regina, LaMontagne started his career working with his family’s alarm business. He went on to work as a computer programmer and then to study philosophy. When he emerged from university, the Internet was just starting to play a major role in business. His programming skills won out and he continued his career in the IT sector.

LaMontagne spent a lot of his career living in the western and southwestern United States, working as a developer for Microsoft and an IT expert for several larger companies during the technology boom in the late 1990s.

LaMontagne started Stragility in 2007 but has been consulting with large organizations on an international scale for more than a decade. His business is thriving, but there came a time when he needed to come home.

“Although I’m Canadian, I lived half my adult life outside Canada. I came to the point in my career where I had the luxury of saying ‘where do I want to live?’” explains LaMontagne.

He considered the mountains near Vancouver. He considered the banks of the St. Lawrence River near Montreal. But it was love at first site when he visited Musquodoboit Harbour.

“The reason I’m here is because this is where I chose to live. It’s beautiful, quiet and close to major cities. In my business you can work anywhere in the world. My clients are mostly in the United States, but thanks to technology and travel, I can be where I need to be.”

LaMontagne says he was looking for access to an international airport with U.S. pre-clearance, and he needed solitude to help him escape the intensity and pressures of work during his leisure time.

LaMontagne says in the consulting business it doesn’t matter where you live. He uses voice-over IP so he can offer his clients U.S. and local numbers, and he travels to the United States as often as necessary to get the job done. There are times when he has to commute to the U.S. during the week and come home to Nova Scotia on the weekend.

“Nobody cares where I live as long as I can be there when they need me. Recently, I was on a fairly intense conference call with people from Arizona and California, and I was standing in my living room, watching a seal fishing on the ice in front of my house. That’s something not many people can say is part of their lives.”

Stragility has significant experience in the aviation and transportation sectors. LaMontagne and his associates provide strategic direction and logistical support to companies during major technology and business model transitions.

LaMontagne’s experience is diverse and global in scale. A start-up airline hired him on a contract basis to work as its chief information officer. He has helped an airline avionics supplier make the transition to paperless aircraft, and he regularly works with transportation-related businesses to introduce and improve online reservation systems. The common theme is that Stragility helps its clients design new business systems and connect with the vendors and technology to make the transition seamlessly and efficiently.

“Our business stretches outside IT and into strategic management consulting. While technology is usually at the core of any major transition, organizations are generally also faced with change across the business, from internal processes, to customer service to human resources. Stragility helps clients manage these changes.”

Although LaMontagne has focused largely on international clientele, he sees an opportunity to provide a one-stop consulting and technology shop to mid-sized Nova Scotia businesses looking for an international edge.

“Most Internet technology businesses are really good at the technical functions. They work as generalists and try to offer everything, or they specialize in the graphic design side. I want to combine all three attributes in one boutique business. The advantage would be to offer international expertise and connections that would help organizations move their business to an international scale.”

LaMontagne says knowledge of the local market makes a huge difference when it comes to providing IT services. With consulting companies operating from other countries like India, it’s important to differentiate your offering by being well-versed in the local context of your clients’ business.

“If it can be done over the wire, then we don’t have an advantage over anyone else. But an understanding of local business is something that doesn’t translate to the rest of the world. I intend to promote solid technical capabilities with an understanding of local business realities, as well as international expertise and connections. I think that combination could work very well.”

In the meantime, LaMontagne continues to travel to the U.S. and work from his home office in Musquodoboit Harbour. He regularly visits Halifax to sit on the board of the Halifax Club and take advantage of the music, theatre, art and restaurants.

“I’ve lived in some world class markets, but I’m happy to say that Halifax offers a pretty special cultural a scene. There’s more here than most people expect. I’m really happy in Nova Scotia and I plan to stay put.”

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