Flip & Floss founder and CEO Andre Smith plays with his son Nathan in their home in Brampton, Ont.Duane Cole/The Globe and Mail
Ever since he was a teenager growing up in his home country of Jamaica, Andre Smith has been volunteering in the communities that are important to him. That continued after he immigrated to Canada in 2011 and started his own social enterprise, a financial literacy app for families called Flip & Floss.
In this series, Reimagining Wealth, we explore the evolving definition of wealth in today’s world. We meet Canadians who are thinking beyond traditional measures of success to maximize happiness and well-being and to build a fulfilling life.
Here’s how Mr. Smith prioritizes volunteering and community involvement while being a busy entrepreneur and father of two children, Nathan and Nyla:
When did you first start volunteering?
When I was 15 years old, I joined the cadets in Jamaica. My sister was the one who really pushed me to join. There was a lot of crime and violence in the community that we grew up in, so she thought it was a way to help us not to go down certain roads. My grandmother, who raised us, was also really big on community. She believed in the idea that everyone should come together and support each other for the greater good, so that influenced me too. In the cadets, we got involved with different causes, like distributing food [for families in need] and doing environmental cleanups.
How did your volunteering efforts continue after you immigrated to Canada?
I came to Canada in 2011 to finish my last year of studies in business administration at York University. I started volunteering for my local church and the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention. I feel like volunteerism is ingrained in the culture here in Canada. It makes you a better person and a better citizen. Coming here and seeing that spirit, that it’s a part of being Canadian, I want to continue that and give back in a meaningful way.
Tell me more about your volunteer work with Jamaican communities.
Earlier this year, I worked with high school students back home [in Jamaica] as a virtual mentor. I’ve also volunteered with the Jamaican Canadian Association to host financial literacy workshops. That’s what led me to start my own social enterprise, Flip & Floss, a financial literacy app for children to break generational cycles of poverty.
When I was a ‘nobody’ and had nothing, people came forward to help me and support me to become a better version of myself. I’m indebted in that sense. I want to give back to help others to unleash their true potential. I feel like it’s my duty as a Jamaican citizen to help give back in ways that will ultimately make the country better.
How has your volunteer work in financial literacy improved the lives of others?
Finance and generational wealth are taboo in a lot of communities. I want to be a part of that solution. If people start thinking about generational wealth, we’ll have more people getting the opportunities that they deserve. I hate the idea of young people graduating from university with $50,000 or $100,000 worth of debt. My biggest drive for doing what I do is to create a world where everyone has a shot at success regardless of where they’re from or how they look.
You’re also a “dadpreneur,” which you recently posted about on social media. Tell me about balancing running a business with being a dad.
I have a son who was born in 2018 and a daughter born in 2023. There have been a few moments of frustration. There was a pitch that I just couldn’t do because my daughter was sick. People have invited me to events and speaking engagements that I couldn’t attend because of when they’re scheduled. Yes, I do important work, and people value what I do. But I had to find the space to say: ‘Hey, I love it all, but I’m still a dad, and that comes first. So, think of that when you’re thinking about me.’
Has your view of volunteering changed since you became a father?
I want the world to be a better place for my kids. By volunteering, it helps them to realize that a big part of community is giving back. As a Jamaican and a man of colour, oftentimes there are a lot of negative things attached to those identities, but I want to create a different narrative for them. I’ve also worked really hard to build a life for my kids that I never had, but I recognize that there are so many people who don’t have that life.
Through my volunteering, my children can see that regardless of where you are or what you have, you must remain humble and give back. Becoming a father has put all of that into perspective for me.