Faces of Entrepreneurship ft. Jason Haug

Jason is the Supervisor of Communications at Ottawa Public Health (OPH), with a team that includes social media, engagement, media relations, web, new content development, internal communications, graphic design, videography, and multilingual adaptation. Jason’s specialty areas include brand strategy development, social marketing (behaviour change communications), and public engagement.

During his time at Ottawa Public Health, Jason’s team has worked through several large responses including the COVID-19 pandemic, cannabis legalization, the opioid crisis, as well as the Ottawa River flooding, 2018 tornado, and other emergency management events. Jason and his team have expanded Ottawa Public Health’s social media presence across Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, and have introduced new sub brands to the department, including Parenting in Ottawa, The Link Ottawa, and Aging Well in Ottawa.

Prior to 10 years with Ottawa Public Health, Jason was a local entrepreneur in the health and fitness industry, working with small businesses and individuals with nutrition, exercise and wellness initiatives.

What does entrepreneurship mean to you?

Entrepreneurship to me means constantly innovating and finding new ways to find value for the people you serve. Although we might refer to people like me as “intrapreneurs,” I firmly believe that an entrepreneurial spirit can shine through in any environment that you work in. Entrepreneurship doesn’t always mean being the next Amazon, Shopify, or Google, but it’s about taking initiative and using whatever resources you have to find creative solutions and break through the noise with passion, authenticity, and relevance.

How are you entrepreneurial?

My manager, Eric Leclair, and I started with OPH around the same time, and have worked side by side to implement our vision of communications. This meant showing the value of a communications team, taking on new opportunities over time, challenging the system, and building a Rockstar team. Over time, we have grown our team from a few individuals working off the side of their desk, to a bona fide communications team, with an awesome complement of skills ranging from media relations to social media to visual media. I think that my journey involved really identifying what was important for my leaders, showing that our team could find solutions that align with their priorities, but also could radically move us forward in a creative way. I have always been privileged to work with strong leaders who have modelled the way and supported their employees. When you combine an environment that supports innovation, with energy and entrepreneurial spirit, you can’t go wrong!

How does an entrepreneurial mindset contribute to your life?

I think I have always really liked the idea of being an entrepreneur. When I was a kid, I was really passionate about designing crafts- especially little creature things made out of beads and string. I taught myself HTML so I could make a website for my crafting venture. When I went to summer camp, I had seen that they were using the patterns I had created without knowing they were mine. Later on, when I was into stamp collecting (I know, nerdy right!), I started an international trading group that helped hundreds of people from around the world to exchange stamps from their countries. As a young adult, I started my own business as a health and fitness consultant, to help others find wellness after I had lived through and experienced a debilitating health experience.

My grandparents came to Canada with basically nothing and had successful careers as entrepreneurs. I was raised knowing that there is always a way. Having an entrepreneurial mindset allows me to always have hope. You always know that you have the potential to find a solution in everything. See a roadblock? An entrepreneurial mindset can find five different ways to innovate past it. It allows you to do a lot with a little, to see the result before you break ground, and motivate people around you to engage with the vision.

*This feature was published as a part of the Faces of Entrepreneurship Campaign, 2020.