Reflecting on Our First 5 Years
Celebrating this milestone in the midst of a global pandemic and global civil unrest has been interesting and yet it has also helped put into perspective where we have been, where we are today, the things we are grateful for and the hopes we have for the future.
Reflecting back on the start of CityMatch feels at once both a long time ago and yet only yesterday. I started CityMatch out of a desire to serve my city, to guide and welcome newcomers, and to leverage all of my interests and talents in a way that would allow me to show up in the world with both purpose and passion. I wanted to have a business that would bring joy to me every day and would make a difference to the people I served. Starting a business was always going to be risky and scary and I remember the early days as an exercise in faith, resiliency and perseverance.
Five years later, it’s thrilling to know that CityMatch has supported the relocation of hundreds of people from all over Canada and all over the world to London, Ontario. Our virtual world map is now fully dotted with all of the places where we have welcomed people who have said yes to this great city.
We are grateful to have helped people from 26 countries between 2015 and 2020:
Azerbaijan
Bangladesh
Bermuda
Brazil
Colombia
China
Dubai
Japan
India
Ivory Coast
Kuwait
Mexico
Nigeria
Pakistan
Peru
Philippines
Qatar
Sri Lanka
Singapore
South Africa
Russia
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States of America
Vietnam
More to come!
Looking Back
As I reflect on the journey of CityMatch, there have been some great surprises along the way.
Scaling isn’t Scary, It’s a Lot of Fun
Managing group relocations have turned out to be amazingly fun and challenging and has allowed us the opportunity to innovate and iterate, build on our efficiencies, and to expand our offerings. A few years ago we started working with a client who regularly moved groups of people to the city and it has become a wonderful partnership. We have become very good at it and perhaps the biggest surprise of all is that we have really struck a great balance of supporting groups of people and families without sacrificing the high personal touch that makes our work special and valued by our clients.
A Short Time But a Good Time
Over the years, we also came to the realization that not all of our assignments are meant to make London a forever home - sometimes our clients’ time in London is short and pre-determined. Ensuring our clients enjoy the experience of living in London is just as important if they are here for the weekend on a look-see trip or if they choose to relocate to London to work or to study for the year, stay for the next few years or they choose London for a lifetime.
Clients Become Friends
I suppose it shouldn’t have been a big surprise but we have enjoyed the many friendships that have been struck with clients we have worked with long after the assignment was complete. Equally so, it has been a joy to maintain our connections with those we have served over the years and even with those who have moved on from London.
It’s the Little Things
Another big surprise is the realization that it is not just the big things that make London a great place to live. Yes. Our parks, facilities, restaurants, and schools are awesome but it's the 1000 small things - the everyday acts of kindness and community building that make London truly extraordinary.
Great Teams Make Great Work
On a more personal note, working with others has been a true blessing! CityMatch started a solo enterprise but as we grew, it became clear that I needed help and I reached out to Shawn Adamsson (my partner in life) to join me and it made all the difference. Since then, I have been so very grateful to others who have all played a part in the CityMatch team and story. To everyone listed here - Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Marla Marnoch
Susan Steven
Brendan Dodd
Tanya Park
John Hassan
Steve MacDouell
Growth
Also, special thanks also go out to the A Team. In 2019, I made the decision to pursue my real estate license and to partner with the A Team to extend CityMatch’s suite of services to also include real estate transaction services for our clients. Whether our clients are buying, selling, or leasing, the decision to work with such a tremendous team of experienced and dedicated realtors has been a good one and I consider myself fortunate to work with a great team of realtors.
Partners Make it Possible
I am also grateful for the great property owners, operators, and property managers who have been excellent partners to us in helping our clients find a great place to live.
Thank you for your trust
Most importantly, thank you to all of our clients - the ones who relied on us for that “special” or “unique” hire, the clients who rely on us for their executive hires, their junior hires, clients who see us as key to their recruitment efforts and especially those clients who have become our core partners and who have built our offerings right into theirs - we are tremendously thankful for all the ways we have worked with you all.
The Hard Work Ahead
Throughout this journey, we have loved being in service, helping our clients land well, find a great place to live, and make valuable connections to the city. However, through that journey, we have also had a front-row seat to some of our city’s challenges too.
Over the past five years, we have seen the housing market tighten and squeeze out many people and families. Low inventory combined with rising rental rates is making it harder for people to find affordable housing options in London. It has been hard to be in the relocation and real estate business and not see the hardship that many Londoners face as they search to find an affordable place to live in the city and see the impact that comes when some are pushed out of the market and onto the street. For people who are racialized, face chronic healthcare challenges, or struggle with a precarious job market, affordability is but one of the challenges among others that make securing safe and affordable housing difficult for too many in our city. We’re a small company but we believe we can make a difference, and we’re making a commitment to doing just that.
Giving Back: Everyone Deserves a Home
As we reflect on our past 5 years and think about how we want to grow and show up for our city in the future, we want to make housing a priority in the way we give back. So as a gesture of our sincere gratitude for these past five years and in celebration of all the people who have helped us along the way and all of those who have chosen London, we will be dedicating 10% of our net profits to initiatives focused on ending homelessness in London and providing affordable housing in our city. We believe that everyone deserves the right to live with a roof over their heads and with the security and dignity that comes with having a place to call home.
“At the end of the day it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about what you’ve done with those accomplishments ... It’s about what you’ve given back.”
With Gratitude
As CityMatch celebrates turning five, we are thankful to each and everyone who has travelled along this journey with us, our clients, partners, business advisors and coaches, and our friends and family. Thank you for being there for us. While the pandemic has brought a lot of uncertainty about how our economy will fare in the short and long term, we remain hopeful and excited about the future and hope to make a positive difference in the lives of the people we work and in our city too.
Jodi Simpson founded CityMatch in 2015. Before making the leap into entrepreneurship and the destination services industry she had a successful career where she has held several senior management roles. Her ability to understand the nuances of making big life transitions ensures her clients are well served and supported whether they are moving across the province, the country or across the world. Connect with Jodi on LinkedIn.