Kai Jia

THE PIVOTAL REALIZATION. Kai Jia vividly remembers the moment he realized he needed a change in his life. Kai had been a management consultant at Big Four for six years. In his last year, he took an unconventional avenue: He started a 10-month sabbatical and delved into entrepreneurship. “I realized once a consultant has progressed like I did, they would be focusing on a specific expertise for the rest of their career, and I wasn’t ready to settle down yet,” he says. “What excites me more is creating something new and constantly learning.”

This sabbatical confirmed his desire to build something of his own and led him to pursue his first startup, an insurance for e-commerce business. Although this venture didn’t work out for him, it set the stage for his current endeavor: Sonar, an AI company that automates tasks for insurance producers.

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT. Entrepreneurship seems to be in Kai’s blood. His parents, “the hardest working people I’ve ever known,” instilled a strong work ethic in him. They ran their own clothing company, which left a lasting impression. At 17, Kai started a business with his friends in China, providing advisory services for students preparing to study abroad. “That’s the first business that I actually made some money from, which we used as our spending allowance,” he reflects. This early experience planted the seeds for his future ventures and gave him the confidence to pursue his own path.

Compared to corporate America, startup life for Kai is a 24/7 experience, often requiring him to step into the unknown, take risks, and be vulnerable. “As someone who went to boarding school and had a career path laid out for me, one thing I wasn’t prepared for when I started exploring entrepreneurship was the chaos and the notso-pretty things that can happen. You’re trying to build a real business, and you’re competing against other people; you are essentially going into war,” he says.

Despite diving into a world of uncertainty, Kai insists his proudest moment remains his decision to enter the startup world. The founder experience has also changed his outlook. He now “thrives in an uncertain environment” and is constantly learning new ideas. This, combined with an intense desire to succeed, are traits he considers closely linked to his LGBTQIA+ identity. “When I was growing up, knowing that I was different, I felt my identity was not on par with the social norm,” he explains. “I felt I had to do more to prove myself—and that I needed to be the best as perceived by the ‘norm.’”

SUPPORTING LGBTQIA+ FOUNDERS. Kai is also keen to support LGBTQIA+ founders. In Canada, he helped initiate Queer Tech, an incubator for LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs with limited access to resources and funds. He continues to be a mentor to rising founders, recognizing the importance of making himself available to those wanting to connect with him. His advice for new founders? “Don’t be afraid to reach out and be comfortable with rejection, I don’t think that completely goes away, but as founders you quickly grow a thicker skin and start using outreach to your advantage. I hope my experiences could offer and serve as validation or comfort for others.”

Kai considers himself an “absolute optimist.” “I’m always the guy who thinks things will work out, that we will learn as we grow,” he says. “That has got me into some trouble at times, but I think entrepreneurship is a beautiful thing. Being optimistic about what the future holds is important for me to carry on and keep moving.”