Robert Warburton
'04 BA
Co-Founder, CloudWorks
Rob Warburton is a founder of CloudWorks, a co-working and real estate investment company. CloudWorks focuses on working with start-ups, small businesses, the government and NGO’s to find the right spaces for them to succeed in Yellowknife, NT. Cloudworks operates on-demand, full-service spaces, including shared and individual offices, staff accommodations, retail and personal service and event spaces.
Rob believes there are unique and better ways to use our spaces, and he advocates for the latest innovations in his community—whether it’s finding a better use for an existing building or advocating for better policies and approaches to housing and density. By focusing on small, incremental changes, Rob believes Yellowknife can become a more affordable and livable city.
Q: Why did you choose to study at Augustana University College (AUC)?
A: I chose AUC as it was a small, intimate campus that allowed me the freedom to explore and ease into academic studies at my own pace. Being the first person in my immediate family to go to university, I did not know what post-secondary would be like. I actually started my degree at a time when you could complete any high school requirements for acceptance while doing your first year. Not coming from an academic background, I struggled in high school. Being able to upgrade while also doing university classes really helped me get focused on my studies and, ultimately, finish my degree.
Q: What is your favourite memory from your time on campus?
A: All the time, I had to think, read and explore the topics and questions I found interesting as I pursued my studies. Now a small business owner, community advocate, father and partner, I long for that time when I could sit quietly and reflect on my educational journey.All the time, I had to think, read and explore the topics and questions I found interesting as I pursued my studies. Now a small business owner, community advocate, father and partner, I long for that time when I could sit quietly and reflect on my educational journey.
Q: How did you come to find yourself in the community you reside in today?
A: As an outdoor education major, I was fortunate to participate in the 21-day arctic canoe expedition in 2002. That trip north resonated with me so much that, upon graduation, I headed to Yellowknife to guide for that first summer. Over the next few years, I worked in the north seasonally, guiding expedition raft and canoe trips all over the Canadian Arctic. My partner, Sarah, and I permanently moved to Yellowknife in 2008, and we are now raising our family and growing our business in this amazing, northern community.
Q: Did AUC help prepare you to engage with your community in a meaningful way?
A: It gave me the ability to ideate and think through a problem in ways that may not present themselves immediately. It seems cliché to say, but the critical thinking and expanded worldview I gained at AUC are the basis for my whole company and its operations today.
Q: What’s the most rewarding part of your community interaction/your career?
A: Being able to advocate at the municipal and territorial level for both housing and small businesses that are adaptable to the unique economic, environmental and social needs of our northern community.
This Alumni Q&A was originally published in the 2021 Circle Alumni Magazine.