There is a new Executive in Residence at NAIT’s Mawji Centre. Rob LeLacheur is a NAIT business graduate with a long history in traditional media. Now, he’s a digital media entrepreneur and the owner of Road 55.
After graduating from NAIT’s marketing diploma program in 1994, LeLacheur kickstarted his career in news media.
“My last semester, I was doing work experience with the Edmonton Sun, the advertising department, and actually got on full-time with them right after finishing at NAIT,” he said.
“And that started a pretty long career in the newspaper industry.”
LeLacheur’s entrepreneurial journey started with weekly publications in St. Albert. In the early 2000’s, he was the publisher of Saint City News, an award-winning community newspaper, before starting the St. Albert Leader in 2011.
But like entrepreneurship, careers in print media can come with turbulence. The changing industry caused LeLacheur to move back to media sales and content solution management with Postmedia in 2015. Just over two years later, he would start his own media company again.
“It was a good transition,” said LeLacheur about his experience working for Postmedia’s prairies region. “I focused on how to use content for the purpose of marketing, so podcasts, infographics, articles, video.”
This led him to starting Road 55.
LeLacheur describes Road 55 as being like a “fractional marketing director” for organizations. That means he offers ideas and strategy on a contractual basis with companies. Road 55 also has a full in-house team for content creation to produce media “from in the studio to out in the field” for a diverse range of client projects.
“We’re in our ninth year now,” he said. According to LeLacheur, that determination and willingness to try and experiment with what works is part of why his entrepreneurship is successful.
“Perfection is the enemy of progress. Sometimes you just have to put it out there and get some forward momentum going. You’ll build the canoe as you’re paddling forward,” said LeLacheur.
At the beginning, entrepreneurs want to strive for their best, he explains. But finding out what works and what doesn’t — looking for opportunities to “keep fine-tuning as you go,” as LeLacheur puts it — is just as important.
“A lot of the valuable iterations that you’re going to take on going forward are a result of what’s happening or not happening, what’s selling or what isn’t selling, and getting that client feedback.”
Teamwork and community matters, too.
“Taking that first big step out and talking to people about your idea and the validation of it. Ultimately, will people pay money for this product or service?”
For aspiring entrepreneurs, the Mawji Centre is a good space to hone these skills while building community. LeLacheur believes NAIT excels in “making a very real world” for students with its material and business connections.
LeLacheur encourages current students to build those connections while still at NAIT.
“You have an opportunity to make lifetime friendships and connections with your fellow students. They are going to be future decision makers,” he said.
Even if they can’t help you right now, LeLacheur explains those investments are worth it: “Your path’s going to change directions multiple times.”
In fact, LeLacheur’s residency at the Mawji Centre is a result of networking and relationships. He said he thinks the opportunity stems from 10 plus years of involvement with the polytechnic.
In 2025, LeLacheur received NAIT’s Distinguished Alumni Award. Now, he’s in the midst of a 55-day one lollipop challenge, where one $15 red lollipop is traded until a new item is valuable enough to be auctioned off in support of NAIT student scholarships. LeLacheur is hoping to fundraise over $5000.
“I’ve been pretty actively involved with different NAIT programs and mentorship and coming to events and support. So there was a pre-established relationship. I didn’t know of this opportunity and when they reached out … I thought, ‘Oh yeah, that sounds great.’”
NAIT’s Executive in Residence program helps students and faculty connect with influential executives to get industry advice, feedback and, of course, network.
A good networking start might be to sign up for and pay attention to Mawji Centre’s events. Plenty of events are held there, and they’re open to students from all NAIT programs. In fact, if you need something to do, maybe head over there right now and ask when the next events are — it’d be good practice to meet and network with people.
As for meeting LeLacheur personally, he said the Mawji Centre is “going to be booking some one-on-one opportunities.” Students can also find him attending workshops and at other events in the Mawji Centre.
“Sometimes you just have to put it out there and get some forward momentum going. You’ll build the canoe as you’re paddling forward.”
His advice to business students in general? Actively look for connection opportunities through networking events and reach out to business leaders who make their time, experience and expertise available.
“They’re there because they want to help NAIT business students,” he said. “Whether it’s a connection or a future job opportunity or just some help with feedback.”
The first step to landing opportunities to meet influential figures might be in your hands right now. But you have to ask for it, LeLacheur said.
“You got to work for it a little bit. But trust me when I say that a lot of good’s going to come out of that.”
Students interested in connecting with LeLecheur can reach out to Colin Macdonald, an entrepreneurship advisor at the Centre by emailing cmacdonald@nait.ca.
For more information about the Executive in Residence program and the Mawji Centre, students can visit CAT309A on the third floor of NAIT’s CAT building.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in the Nugget’s March 2026 print issue. Read it online here.
Feature image via LinkedIn
