At Valnet, technology has always been at the heart of what we do. From the very beginning, we embraced it not just as a tool, but as a fundamental driver of efficiency and growth. Naturally, that meant our IT department quickly became a central pillar of our success, evolving in both size and complexity over the last decade.
What matters
Running a centralized IT department that supports an entire company comes with its own set of challenges. As any organization grows, entropy sets in: processes slow down, communication clogs, and responsibility layers pile up until efficiency is strangled. That’s why we obsess over clarity—streamlining documentation, optimizing workflows, and building a structure that empowers people rather than trapping them in red tape. It does create a bit of chaos—but it’s the kind we welcome. Because when controlled, that chaos fuels creativity, momentum, and rapid execution.
At Valnet, one of our core principles is simple: results matter. It’s not about being right—it’s about finding the best solution and adapting fast. We fight against the creeping bureaucracy that slows other companies down. Instead of rigid processes, we keep a startup mindset: agile, focused, and constraint-driven. Problem-solving isn’t just a function of our team—it’s the culture. And that mindset is what keeps us sharp, fast, and ahead of the curve.
Now, let’s be real, innovation isn’t always neat and tidy. Sometimes, you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet. But that’s the trade-off for efficiency, and in this industry, staying ahead often comes down to how quickly and effectively you execute. Being adaptable also means being willing to change course mid-project when a better approach presents itself. The worst thing you can do is stick to a bad solution just because you’ve already started working on it.
Delivering, Piece by Piece
At Valnet, we believe that consistent delivery is the engine behind progress. A feature that’s 99% complete but never shipped brings 0% of its value to the table. That’s why our teams focus on maintaining momentum—shipping often, improving steadily. On a typical week, we push out dozens of fixes and features, large and small, each one making the system just a bit better than the day before. It’s not about dramatic overhauls; it’s about embracing continuous improvement, where every release carries its fair share of impact.
Agile—Just Enough
Over the years, I’ve seen just about every flavor of development methodology, each with its own set of rules and evangelists. But in practice, what matters most is cultural fit. When I joined Valnet, I quickly felt the pulse of a high-motivation business culture and adapted a lean kanban-style process that suited it perfectly. We trimmed the excess from traditional agile and focused purely on what drives value. That mindset has helped bridge the gap between IT and business—getting everyone aligned, speaking the same language, and driving forward with clarity and purpose. Honestly, that’s been a huge part of what fueled our growth over the last decade.
Concrete Impact
With that foundation in place, we’ve been able to deliver truly transformative improvements—quarter after quarter—across both our websites and internal tools. The results aren’t abstract; they’re visible, measurable, and impactful. It’s incredibly rewarding to see our ideas take shape and translate directly into better performance, smoother workflows, and new opportunities; Basically, it gives us the ability to turn vision into reality.
At the end of the day, one of the best things about Valnet is our culture of proactive flexibility and rapid execution. It makes problem-solving exciting, it keeps our teams engaged, and—most importantly—it gets things done. And honestly, that’s what makes this whole process so rewarding.
Our proprietary tech, Sentinel, has been named a CIO Awards Canada winner for 2024
