Written by Hannah Birru

With a recent change in leadership at the SMU Journal from our previous Executive Director, Braden Newell, I thought there was no better time to have a virtual sit down with Braden to learn about his story.

Originally from Lunenburg, a small town along the south shore of Nova Scotia, Braden moved to Halifax to enroll in the Business Program at Saint Mary’s University. While he was sad to leave the historic town, Braden was excited to follow his business management and technology passions at SMU.

Within minutes of speaking with Braden, one thing anyone will come to understand is his deep-rooted passion for technology. Taking a class in high school that introduced him to the expansive realms of technology from communication tech, film, and video editing made him realize, “yeah, I love technology.” Before SMU, Braden worked at Eastlink as a Customer Service Representative. Braden recalls that the most exciting part of the job was learning about the actual telecommunication infrastructure that makes the modern-day cell phones and our ability to connect with each other possible.

Initially on track to major in business management during his first two years at SMU, Braden switched gears to major in Computing and Information Systems due to his love for IT. On top of a full course load, Braden also worked full-time. In 2017, Braden started working as a Specialist at the Apple Store. During his three-and-a-half years at Apple, Braden progressed to work as a Creative Pro, Technology & Merchandising Pro, Technical Expert, and finally, Career Experience Lead. In addition to working and studying full time, Braden was also heavily involved in extracurriculars. Braden initially joined Enactus as a project manager and was involved in a new tech program for at-risk youth, setting up a computer and graphic design lab. In his second year with Enactus, Braden became the Director of Technology, where he was responsible for the oversight of anything tech for the SMU chapter of Enactus. In his third year, he became the Board Liaison for SMUSA (Saint Mary’s University Student Association).

Just before beginning his final year at SMU, Braden became the Board Chair and Executive Director of the SMU Journal. The day Braden joined the Journal, he was met with some of the biggest obstacles he had faced yet: no staff, the resignation of leadership, an outdated constitution, and a previous two-year stagnant period without a single publication– or, as Braden described it, a “hiatus.” Within his first year as Executive Director, Braden had to rebuild the Journal from the ground up. Braden was tasked with a great amount of tasks and responsibilities; recollecting paper stands scattered across campus, hiring and training new staff and contributors, revising the pay structure, and writing policies. As well Braden can be credited to the strong online presence the Journal has now.

When asked what the biggest challenge was while rebuilding the SMU Journal, he stated that the most significant challenge was learning to be a leader instead of a manager, saying, “there’s a big difference between managers and leaders and how to be a great leader. Leadership is about people, and people are hard, recruiting people, convincing people to come work for you, choosing the right applicants, learning about people, and essential HR skills”. The SMU Journal relaunched in January 2020, with seven staff members and a rewritten constitution. Since then, the Journal has grown over multiple platforms (including Apple News), launched new columns such as Video Games, LGBTQ+, and Graduate Studies & Research, and grew to over a dozen staff members. The relaunching, growth and success of the Journal is one of Braden’s proudest involvement: “My single greatest achievement, [was that I took] something that a lot of people were fond of and brought it back.”

After graduating, Braden worked at the Apple Store until December 2020, then moved to REDspace Inc as an Information Technology Support Specialist. Braden now works with Jamf as a Product Management Operations Analyst. Braden describes Jamf as “the gold standard for Apple mobile device management.” Braden praises the company culture at Jamf and is proud to work on a team improving Jamf’s product line. After the second lockdown and discovering his love for working from home, Braden also values working remotely with his current job. This September, Braden started his MBA, majoring in Cybersecurity Leadership at the University of Fredericton. With his combined love for management and technology and a growing knowledge base, Braden aspires to have an executive management position in a technology company in the future.

With over seven professional designations, 8 with his degree, and 17 publications on top of all working and studying full time, one thing for sure is that less will never be enough for Braden. Through all his accomplishments, one can only begin to imagine how busy and hectic Braden’s schedule looks. However, no matter how busy he gets, Braden always prioritizes his responsibility as a dog dad. When asked how he manages it all, Braden emphasizes his hyper-scheduling practices as one of the most significant contributors. Scheduling twenty-two hours a day and planning everything, from getting ready to eating, has helped Braden become a champion of time management and organization. With such a busy, hectic schedule, sometimes burnout is inevitable. However, that is not the case for Braden, who has a strong passion for what he does and has found his “spark” in business management and technology. When asked what he does when he finds himself losing motivation, Braden responded, “I don’t; most times I remember that eventually, the course [or whatever] will end, so give 120% now, and eventually there will be a holiday”.

Journal Alumni Highlight: Braden Newell

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