Charting an unexpected path in business, real estate and tech through BARST

Akeem Brown

For Akeem Brown, ’20 BA(RecSpoTourism), an early pivot into business, a return to university with new perspective and a willingness to follow curiosity led to a career that now spans real estate development, community building and a tech startup at the intersection of AI and urban planning.

In this Q&A, he reflects on how the Bachelor of Arts in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism shaped his trajectory in ways he never expected.

Your career has taken a non-linear path. What inspired you to explore work outside the traditional recreation and tourism sectors after BARST?

I originally stepped away from the program at 21 because I felt a strong pull toward the business world. My dad runs a renovation and construction company, so that sense of independence and entrepreneurship was modelled for me early on. I also knew I had a seven-year window to return and finish my degree, which I did at 28. Coming back with real-world business experience gave me a completely new perspective on BARST and actually reignited my passion for sports, recreation and tourism.

How did your BARST education and experiences help you transition into fields like real estate development?

A lot of real estate development comes down to understanding location, market dynamics, demographic trends and the factors that drive demand. Through BARST, I studied recreation, tourism and some public policy, which gave me early exposure to how people interact with spaces and what makes certain areas more desirable and enjoyable.

Concepts such as “third spaces” (community gathering places) and “flow” (deep engagement) translate directly into real estate. They help investors, tenants and even city officials understand the feasibility and long-term value of a project.

What skills or perspectives from tourism and recreation have been surprisingly useful in your work on Station Park?

A lot of the skills I gained in BARST showed up in unexpected ways during the Station Park project, a project with the City of Edmonton to convert a public park into a commercial container park. In courses such as Principles of Tourism and our case studies on national parks, I learned how destinations are shaped, regulated and positioned, and that translated directly for this project.

Writing the request for proposal for the City felt surprisingly similar to writing papers for those classes, especially around policy, land use and community benefit.

When it came to pitching Station Park to potential tenants, I naturally leaned on tourism language, framing the site not just as a place to rent but as part of the story of Edmonton. We talked about the history of the railroad and how the CPR line shaped Strathcona as early as 1891. That narrative helped tenants see themselves not just as business owners, but as pioneers contributing to the next chapter of the city.

We even branded Station Park as the “welcome to Edmonton” moment for people entering downtown from the airport, and we playfully called the Gateway–Whyte Avenue intersection “centre ice.” Those destination-building principles came straight out of tourism studies, and they helped us craft a development that felt rooted in place, history and identity.

Looking back, what do you wish you had known as a BARST student exploring different career possibilities?

Looking back, I think I just wish I had a clearer sense of what I was genuinely drawn to, which is tough to know at that age. But even if I had understood it earlier, I probably would’ve ended up in the same place.

Today I’m building a tech startup that just received funding, sitting at the intersection of AI and real estate development. We’re creating a tool that helps developers run faster, more accurate feasibility analyses when evaluating opportunities.

I studied applied data science in the evenings while working on Station Park because I became interested in technology, and I actually met my co-founder in a French class. That experience taught me that your path is rarely linear, but the things you’re drawn to usually come from a real place. If you stay curious and keep learning, you eventually find the work that fits.

What advice would you give students who feel unsure about choosing a path that doesn’t fit the typical recreation or sport roles?

I’d tell them to trust their curiosity and not let hesitation or fear hold them back. Your gut is often pointing you toward something real, even if it doesn’t fit the typical path. The field is much bigger than traditional recreation or sport roles, and “typical” becomes whatever you decide to pursue with intention.

What opportunities do you see for BARST graduates in adjacent industries such as real estate, planning or community development?

There’s a lot of natural overlap between BARST and fields like urban planning, architecture, real estate and public policy. BARST graduates already understand how people use spaces, what makes communities vibrant and how demographics shape demand — and those insights are incredibly valuable in adjacent industries.

I think students should look at these areas as “blue oceans,” where they can apply the core principles of BARST to sectors that BARST professionals already influence. Planning, architecture and real estate often react to demographic trends, while BARST work helps shape those demographics. That creates a great opportunity for graduates to bring a fresh, community-oriented lens to industries that depend on understanding people and place.