Our Story
Technology Done Well
Founded on Passion, Built on Experience
Technology Done Well was founded on a simple but powerful belief: technology should strengthen and transform businesses, not complicate them. For over 30 years, founder David Trent has been helping organizations harness technology to achieve their strategic goals and build sustainable competitive advantage.
This isn’t theoretical consulting—it’s hard-won wisdom from leading technology transformations across industries, company sizes, and business challenges.
The Journey: From Code to Boardroom
Early Foundations
David’s relationship with technology began early—programming computers in the 3rd grade. But what set him apart wasn’t just technical aptitude; it was context. As the son of an entrepreneur, he spent formative summer breaks learning every aspect of running a business: sales, operations, logistics, procurement, and finance.
This combination—deep technical capability grounded in business fundamentals—would become the foundation of his approach to technology leadership.
The Digital Pioneer
David launched his first business at the dawn of the internet age, building what would now be called a digital agency. He helped his family’s business and dozens of other companies innovate and grow online when Internet Explorer 1 and Netscape were the cutting edge. These early clients saw revenues grow significantly while reducing traditional advertising costs—a pattern of technology driving business outcomes that would define David’s career.
Learning Through Transformation: Intrawest
After university, David joined a large travel and hospitality company that owned, developed, and operated dozens of ski and sun resorts across North America and Europe. His diverse experience saw him progress through multiple roles: developer, business analyst, infrastructure administrator, product manager, project manager, and eventually leader and director of a major transformational software as a service program.
The challenge? Move a traditionally call-center-based sales business to an innovative e-commerce platform—at the same time Expedia and other online travel agencies were disrupting the industry. The experience taught invaluable lessons in all the roles and experience needed in technology organizations and about leading technology change in established organizations navigating digital disruption.
Building Alignment & Global Growth
David’s next chapter took him to a global chemical company and investor darling whose founders had wisely consolidated production facilities and built an integrated supply chain. But the technology organization was in conflict. Countries ran their manufacturing technology independently while corporate managed financials, supply chain systems, and guided technology architecture. The result? Misalignment, inefficiency, and missed opportunities.
David joined as technology leader with a clear mandate: lead a team well, bring order and help the company grow. He implemented a business-focused technology strategy that drove down costs while enabling the company to grow operations in globally and integrate them into a truly global supply chain. Most importantly, he established clear organizational structures and governance frameworks that supported reliable, sustainable innovation and technology operations over time.
The lesson? Technology strategy must serve business strategy—and clear governance is essential to sustainable success.
Building for Scale
The forest products industry brought new challenges. David joined a company evolved from a British Columbia-based lumber producer to a diversified manufacturer of pulp, paper, and lumber with expanding operations in the southern United States.
While a consolidated IT organization existed on paper and a new ERP system was in place for Canadian lumber operations, the company had grown through numerous U.S. acquisitions—each with its own systems and approaches. The challenge was clear: create a technology platform that enabled low-cost, reliable operations and an integrated supply chain serving global customers.
Over several years, David and his team built this foundation, enabling acquisitions to be integrated in weeks instead of months. The platform delivered data and analytics capabilities the company had never had before, an industry-leading cybersecurity practice, and emerging AI models driving productivity gains.
The impact was transformational—and the approach became a blueprint for technology-enabled growth.
Digital Transformation at Scale
David and his family wanted to experience life outside of English speaking North America and he aimed to scale his leadership experience. A move to took him to one of North America’s largest transportation companies. Joining a talented team amid a digitization movement, David and his fellow leaders assessed projects and organizational structures.
It was there where he met Charlie Feld and his team. It proved transformative – a text book for what he had learned through years of experience. David remarked that Charlie had essentially “written the textbook companies need to thoughtfully and reliably drive sustainable technological change in large companies.” The frameworks and approaches resonated deeply with his own experience and became foundational to his advisory practice.
The results came quickly. The company moved to paperless operations within months at the outset of the pandemic—a feat that would have taken years under traditional approaches. The team rigorously evaluated the project portfolio, trimming initiatives to those that truly returned value to the company. From operational technology systems and mobility solutions to complex AI and analytics projects, they reinvented key aspects of its operations, further strengthening its leadership position in the industry.
What This Experience Means for You
David’s journey—from digital agency entrepreneur to technology leader at global companies spanning travel, chemicals, manufacturing, and transportation—provides unique perspective on what actually works in technology leadership and transformation.
He understands:
- The entrepreneur’s mindset of balancing investment with return
- The operational realities of running technology in complex, distributed organizations
- The strategic imperative of aligning technology with business objectives
- The governance requirements that enable sustainable innovation
- The change management challenges of transforming established operations
- The leadership skills needed to build and inspire technology teams
- The board perspective on technology oversight and risk management
This isn’t consulting from a textbook—it’s advisory from the trenches.
The Technology Done Well Approach
Our philosophy is simple:
- Business First, Technology Second. Technology exists to serve business strategy, not the other way around. Every technology decision should advance business objectives.
- Sustainable Transformation. Quick wins matter, but lasting change requires thoughtful governance, clear organizational structures, and building capabilities that endure.
- People Enable Technology. The best technology strategy fails without great people executing it. Leadership development, team building, and organizational design are as critical as architectural decisions.
- Proven Frameworks, Tailored Application. We draw on tested approaches and 30+ years of experience—but customize them to your specific context.
- Honest Counsel. Technology leadership is hard. We won’t tell you what you want to hear; we’ll tell you what you need to hear. And we’ll help you navigate it successfully.
How We Can Help
Whether you’re a board director seeking to strengthen technology oversight, an executive navigating digital transformation, or a technology professional developing your leadership capabilities, Technology Done Well brings experience, frameworks, and honest counsel to accelerate your success.
Board Education
Equip directors with the knowledge to provide effective technology oversight
Organizational Transformation
Hands-on support for major technology initiatives and change programs
Let's Talk About Your Technology Challenge
Every organization’s technology journey is unique. Whether you’re facing a specific challenge, planning a major transformation, or looking to develop your team’s capabilities, we’d welcome the conversation.
Technology is too important to leave to chance. Let’s ensure yours is done well.
Schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss:
- Your technology challenges and strategic objectives
- How our experience might accelerate your success
- Which services or programs would be most valuable
- Next steps to get started