Sean Clayton

Don't wait to put yourself in the room. The experiences that grew me most were the hands-on, high-stakes ones, and my biggest regret is not seeking them out sooner.

Career questions with Sean

What do you love most about your work, and what inspired you to pursue this career in the first place? 

I've always been drawn to numbers, and through my studies and early experiences I became fascinated by the different stories they can tell. That pull led me to a double major in accounting and finance and later to both my CPA and CFA, with early roles at Air Canada and a Big Four firm.

During my time in public accounting, I started helping entrepreneurs with their financials on the side, and I was hooked by the energy of the early-stage world. When a recruiter approached me about joining Real Ventures, a Montreal-based VC firm, it felt like a natural fit, and it has been ever since. 

Looking back, what skills have been the biggest gamechangers in your career? 

Treating curiosity as a skill: practicing the constant pursuit of learning more rather than settling for what I already know. That drive still serves me now, since early-stage venture rewards people who stay genuinely interested in how things work. 

How did Concordia prepare you for your career? 

Concordia prepared me by connecting theory to practice in a way that mirrored the real world. The double major in accounting and finance gave me a strong technical foundation, while opportunities like case competitions taught me to think on my feet, work with others and translate analysis into a clear argument. That mix of rigor and real-world application is what made the jump from school to my first role feel like a natural next step rather than a leap. 

What is a standout memory from your time at Concordia? 

The standout has to be the case competition class. Learning directly from real cases, and just as often learning by failing, turned out to be one of the most valuable experiences of my early career. It taught me to think under pressure and to treat mistakes as information rather than setbacks, a mindset I still rely on today. 

If you could give your younger self one powerful piece of advice, what would it be? 

Don't wait to put yourself in the room. The experiences that grew me most were the hands-on, high-stakes ones, and my biggest regret is not seeking them out sooner. Get uncomfortable early, take the chances that scare you a little, and treat every failure as information; you learn far more from doing than from waiting until you feel ready. 

What’s the most exciting shift happening in your industry right now? 

The most exciting shift is watching how founders adapt to the new wave of technology. Adaptation has always been the trait that separates the companies that survive from the ones that don't, but the current pace of technological change has raised the stakes and made it more fascinating to watch up close. Seeing founders rethink their products, their teams and even their business models in real time is a reminder of why early-stage investing is so energizing, and why betting on people rather than fixed plans matters so much. 

Feeling inspired?

• Attend events hosted by the John Molson Accounting Society (JMAS) or other JMSB student associations.
• Participate in immersive case competitions to develop business solutions across disciplines.
• Hone your pitch for investors, employers or competitions with FutureBound’s public speaking series.
• Connect with Career Counselling & Education Transitions to start planning your career path.