Winning Words: Kit and Ace co-founder and Ride Cycle Club co-founder John James Wilson

BCBusiness will announce the 2017 30 Under 30 winners on April 13. In the meantime, here's what a 2016 winner had to say last year

BCBusiness will announce the 2017 30 Under 30 winners on April 13. In the meantime, here’s what a 2016 winner had to say last year

To help us choose last year’s 30 Under 30, we sent each candidate a series of questions to see what made them tick. Here’s how John James Wilson, who Co-founded both Kit and Ace, and Ride Cycle Club responded.

What motivational quote gets you going?
“Don’t be afraid to fail.”

Beyond family and friends, who inspires you to succeed?
“Anyone that has the ability to merge the creative element with a business element and drive a future conversation, from Steve Jobs to Elon Musk.”

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
“This is probably going to come from Chip: to hire bigger than myself – surround myself with people that are way smarter than me.”

What’s the worst advice you’ve ever received?
“I surround myself with really great people all the time. It would be really hard for me to answer that.”

What’s your biggest fear?
“That people don’t love Kit and Ace.”

What’s your biggest regret?
“No regrets.”

What’s your favourite TV show right now?
The Jinx, which is sort of a take on the murder mystery, the Steven Avery case. I love mysteries and I love the idea of solving something and I like getting ahead of the mystery and trying to figure out what it is if I could solve it before the end. I love shows like Scandal, House of Cards. Anything that’s a little bit political I seem to be really drawn to.”

Favourite magazine?
T magazine, the New York Times publication, is one of my favourites. I love Cereal magazine as well, and Inventory magazine. It’s a local magazine by some Vancouver boys.”

What song is on repeat on your device right now?
“Since I started Ride I always have a million songs. There’s this song called ‘You’re Good but I’m Better’ by Kill J.”

A little known fact about me is…
“My favourite place to be is on the bike at Ride. It’s kind of where I meditate, it’s where I zone out, it’s where I find sort of peace in a weird way.”

Meet the 2017 winners at the 30 Under 30 celebration.