Andrew Wilkinson and Chris Sparling, co-founders of holding company Tiny (TSXV: TINY), have been named the UVic Peter B. Gustavson School of Business 2025 Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award (DEYA) recipients.
Tiny owns over 40 businesses including Letterboxd, the popular social network for film lovers, and AeroPress, makers of the iconic coffee press. Based in Victoria, they've built their success on a straightforward philosophy: buy great businesses and let them thrive independently.
Andrew Wilkinson and Chris Sparling
"We are pleased to recognize Andrew Wilkinson and Chris Sparling as our 2025 DEYA recipients," says Peter Gustavson, chair of the DEYA committee. "They have created many opportunities for businesses to grow and thrive. Layered into this work is something equally important: a strong commitment to supporting aspiring entrepreneurs and addressing challenges that directly affect the Greater Victoria community."
The partnership between Wilkinson and Sparling began in 2009 at MetaLab, Wilkinson's first business. Like most entrepreneurs, they learned through trial and error. "We started everything from productivity apps to skincare brands," Wilkinson says. "Some worked, many didn't. But each failure taught us something valuable about capital allocation and what makes businesses actually work."
Their entrepreneurial journey took a turn after studying Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger's approach to business.
We realized we were doing it all wrong. Instead of starting new businesses from scratch, we could apply Berkshire Hathaway's model to internet businesses finding great companies with proven track records and holding them forever."
Andrew Wilkinson, co-founder of Tiny
Most companies get worse after they're acquired. We built Tiny to be different we buy profitable businesses and then stay out of their way. No unnecessary meetings, no forced synergies, just support when it's needed."
Chris Sparling, co-founder of Tiny
Their approach challenged traditional private equity models. Instead of quick flips and aggressive optimization, they focused on long-term ownership and preserving what made each business special in the first place.
"Andrew and Chris represent a new model of entrepreneurship," says Mia Maki, Associate Dean External at Gustavson. "They've shown you can build a world-class company from Victoria while actively supporting our local business ecosystem. They've created opportunities for our graduates and continue investing in our community's growth."
Wilkinson and Sparling will receive their award at the Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award gala, taking place on June 10 at the Victoria Conference Centre.
Ticket details and more about our 2025 recipients: https://www.uvic.ca/gustavson/about/events/deya
