Meet three Maple team members driving innovation for good in Canadian tech
Some pursue careers in technology for the chance to develop groundbreaking innovation, while others are driven by the chance to use next-generation technology to tackle systemic challenges and create transformative change. Maple – a Canadian technology company founded with the purpose of supporting people’s health and strengthening the healthcare system – offers its employees the best of both worlds.
As a leading Canadian technology company, Maple is taking the lead on providing unparalleled access to high-quality healthcare experiences from coast-to-coast, leveraging innovative technology to improve a major challenge in our society: convenient access to care. Being a part of a team building for a purpose, a career with Maple promises many avenues for professional growth and invaluable collaboration with a diverse group of passionate industry experts spanning across technology, marketing and business development.
Since Maple’s founding in 2015, the company has grown to be Canada’s largest online network of healthcare providers, including primary care providers like doctors and nurse practitioners and specialists like dermatologists and endocrinologists.
Canada’s healthcare system faces significant challenges. Over 6.5 million Canadians don’t have access to a family doctor, leaving people to rely on waiting hours at walk-in clinics or emergency rooms for care. Pushing the boundaries on connected healthcare, Maple connects primary care providers directly to millions of patients 24/7/365 to address common health concerns. As an innovative healthcare company, we’re constantly driven to grow, improve and iterate.
At the heart of Maple’s rapid growth and success are its employees.
Meet Leah McCormick, Lee Wigmore and David Chang, three integral team members across Maple’s product and engineering teams whose careers are intertwined with the company’s growth. They offer unique insights into the rewarding journey of working within an expanding team, where opportunities for meaningful career growth are abundant.
Leah McCormick
Leah is a Senior Software Engineer and Accessibility Specialist, where they’ve been shaping digital experiences at Maple since 2018. Fuelled by a passion for accessibility and inclusive design, Leah focuses on enhancing Maple’s user applications to ensure everyone can access the care they need.
Lee Wigmore
Lee is a Senior Product Manager at Maple. As Maple’s first Product hire, Lee has been instrumental in the growth of the product function from one member to a robust team of 13. Named one of The Peak’s Emerging Leaders for 2024, Lee serves as an active mentor and thought leader in Canada’s tech community.
David Chang
David is a Senior Manager on the Engineering team at Maple. With a background in consulting before he transitioned to product-focused roles, David has played a pivotal role in scaling backend teams and driving technological advancements at Maple.
How has your role evolved as the company has scaled?
Leah: The evolution of my journey here mirrors Maple’s growth over the past six years. I began as a Junior Frontend Developer fresh out of bootcamp, joining a team of a dozen people. Since then, I’ve grown into the role of a Senior Software Engineer and Accessibility Specialist, evolving my role alongside Maple, which now has around 200 employees. What’s kept me at Maple has been my love for watching the product evolve, which in turn has created new opportunities for me to get out of my comfort zone and grow. Learning opportunities at Maple have been endless, especially considering how I’ve constantly been afforded with new opportunities, while surrounded by such incredibly talented peers.
Lee: As Maple’s first product hire, I’ve been involved in projects directly correlated to Maple’s rapid growth. From partner integrations to our Maple membership offerings, many product managers would only dream of exposure to such a wide variety of impactful features. It’s been incredibly rewarding and I’m glad to have been able to have a hand in it since the start.
David: I joined Maple in the early days when we didn’t have a Product team, wearing many hats including Scrum Master, Product Manager, Architect, Developer, Technical Writer and QA. Throughout our growth, we learned a lot, developed new processes and tools from the ground up, and my role expanded to focus on team development and support; I have a huge amount of pride seeing my colleagues move up in their careers and accomplish great things. The biggest thing that has kept me here throughout my journey so far is undoubtedly the people. Everyone is such a pleasure to work with, and it’s a comfort knowing we have each others’ backs whenever life happens. And of course, with so much work still left to be done on improving access to healthcare for Canadians, time just flies by.
How does Maple’s culture support career growth and adaptability?
Leah: Maple’s expansion has provided endless opportunities to be part of new projects and initiatives. We’re encouraged to step outside our comfort zones, take on leadership roles within projects, and share knowledge with one another. The tech team’s strong and encouraging culture, filled with talented peers, ensures constant opportunities to sharpen and expand our skill sets.
Lee: I was hired as a Technical Project Manager with little product experience, but Maple’s CTO gave me the chance to learn and grow alongside the company. Opportunities for growth at Maple are endless and professional development is strongly supported, with benefits that fund these experiences and colleagues who genuinely want you to succeed.
David: I’ve seen colleagues transition between departments to better align with their professional goals or interests, and Maple is extremely supportive. For instance, one of my team members started their career at Maple on the customer support team and was able to transition to a technology role. On the Engineering team, we have a couple of initiatives that help us foster innovation and experimentation. One is called ‘Maple Labs’, which is an initiative where we can explore a new area, space or idea, and build out a cool feature.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career at Maple or working at a scaling company?
Leah: As someone who has always struggled with change, I’ve had to learn to embrace the different phases of change that come with a scaling company. My advice to anyone working at a scaling company is to anticipate growing pains, learn from them, and get comfortable giving and receiving feedback. Use your voice confidently, and take time to celebrate the wins, no matter how small.
Lee: Be prepared to make mistakes and learn from them. You’ll need to be flexible and compassionate with yourself and others.
David: “Strong opinions, loosely held” is a good adage to adopt; have an opinion, but be open to change with new data or opportunities. Stay flexible and maintain a growth mindset. In a scale-up, things move quickly, so don’t take it too personally if everything doesn’t go according to plan.
As Maple continues to grow, what excites you most about Maple’s future and your place within the company?
Leah: It’s pretty wild to take a step back and reflect on all of my personal contributions to the company, alongside all of the company’s contributions to Canadians and the healthcare ecosystem. Especially during a time when so many companies have had to downsize or close their doors, the fact that Maple has continued to expand in every area is a testament to our impact and really shows that the sky’s the limit for us. The growth we’ve achieved is beyond what I could have imagined, and it excites me to think about where the next six years will take us.
Lee: Maple’s ubiquitous nature in the market means we have a lot more usage. With the healthcare system facing challenges, Maple is stepping up to fill the gaps, and I’m thrilled to be part of that effort.
David: The impact that Maple has on transforming healthcare delivery in Canada is immense. We are making health solutions more accessible to individuals with limited options. Personally, I’m excited by the potential opportunities presented by recent technology industry advancements that could possibly allow us to offer more personalized treatment plans down the line. One standout aspect of working at Maple is the remarkable diversity represented within our company, which sets us apart from the broader tech industry as a whole. Maple actively hires individuals from a wide spectrum of backgrounds and lived experiences, and learning from other perspectives that can be quite different from our own helps to drive innovation and creativity.