For Episode 232 of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by a very special guest, Jay Downton, a serial entrepreneur in Edmonton. Jay is a passionate Edmontonian. He’s committed to playing a role in helping make Edmonton a global 10. In 2007, he co-founded OilersNation.com and the Nation Network. In 2010, he was appointed president of Oodle Noodle, where he was able to apply the skills he learned from specializing in franchise financing at ATB, for which he was awarded the President’s Award in 2010 for highest corporate sales in his position. 

Since taking the helm, his guidance has led Oodle Noodle to become a 17-store local chain. Jay’s passion for Edmonton and its River Valley led him, also, to be one of the co-owners of Little Brick Cafe, which became the catalyst that pushed Jay and his team to build more River Valley amenities. This led to the creation of River Valley Company, whose aim is to play a part in building more community amenities and support and development of outdoor tourism in the city’s River Valley. Other businesses in Jay’s portfolio include Dogpatch YEG, Bread + Butter Bakery, and, most recently, the Duchess Bakeshop.

Oilers Nation and the Nation Network are digital sports media content and lifestyle brand companies. The two sites started as a single site based in Edmonton, as a fan-focused hockey content brand. Wanting to give fans a voice on things related to their favourite hockey team in a world where mainstream media was the sports media juggernaut, they saw a gap in the market for a fan-led community of hockey enthusiasts. Fast forward to today, and the Nation Network is now a 10-site network of website properties, including a variety of shows, both podcast and video. And though he is still intimately involved with both sites, Jay sold the business in late 2022 for a whopping $15M.

To learn more, connect with Jay on his LinkedIn.