William Granleese (MEI Class of 1996) has been included in Business in Vancouver’s 2017 Top 40 Under 40. Congratulations William!
Source: Business in Vancouver
Forty Under 40 Winner 2017: CEO, Antrim Investments Ltd., Age 39
After receiving his bachelor of business administration in finance from Simon Fraser University in 2000, William Granleese landed a job working for Toronto-Dominion Bank. However, he soon found out working for one of Canada’s Big Five financial institutions was not for him.
“I quickly realized that the rigid organizational structure of large organizations combined with many other smart people working hard to get noticed would make it very difficult to effect change, add value and move up the corporate ladder,” he said.
Granleese, who completed his master of business administration in finance at Dalhousie University in 2004, decided on a different mantra for approaching his career.
“I realized I would have a much better chance at success in business if I were a big fish in a small pond.”
In January 2006, he was hired by Antrim Investments, a mortgage broker and lender firm based in Fort Langley. He is now the chief executive officer.
“When I entered the private mortgage market the industry was growing rapidly and was very fractured with many small players,” Granleese said. But he knew after landing at Antrim that he’d found where he belonged. “This would be my pond,” he said.
Granleese said he incorporates two principles in approaching his career. The first is being a glass-half-full type of guy. Granleese said his ideals line up with the company’s.
“Back in the 1960s, business people took courses on the power of positive thinking,” he said. “You’re going to get a lot of doors slammed in your face when you take your product to market. Even if you have an amazing product or service, most people are just too lazy to listen to the pitch. The key is keeping a positive attitude and keep persevering.”
Raised in Langley, Granleese said he has an image of one of his parents that has stuck in his head over the years, and which he applies to the business world.
“When I was a child I remember my mother cleaning the kitchen floors on all fours with her hands. Timing is very important in business, but nothing is as important as rolling up your sleeves and old-fashioned hard work to get the job done.”
