It was common for Warren Rylands (’03) to spend his childhood days travelling with his mother, surrounded by books and publishers. While reading was a challenge for him growing up, he now helps students with different learning styles access the supports they need.
Warren is the CEO of Lightbox Learning, helping students worldwide access educational tools that support their learning.
Tied to Education
Warren attended Calgary Academy for several years, graduating in 2003. He had always been close to education, with his mother being a teacher who became a textbook publisher and the eventual founder of Lightbox Learning.
He remembers travelling with her frequently as a child (he would now say that the industry is “in his blood”) to accompany her on business. When it came to school, Calgary Academy benefited Warren’s studies, helping him find strategies for his reading skills.
“My parents felt that Calgary Academy might be the best place for me to improve my reading skills. It’s something I think helped me… I had a very positive experience with Calgary Academy. That ability to focus on some of my weak points and make sure that I could improve them so that I’d be ready for university made a big difference for me.” – Warren
After graduating from CA, Warren didn’t initially want to pursue university, preferring to work immediately in publishing. However, his mother encouraged him to pursue post-secondary education first, which he did—attending the University of Calgary and eventually graduating from Simon Fraser University.
Accessible Education
After graduating, Warren began working for Lightbox Learning, an independent Grades K–12 educational publisher. Over the years, he worked to grow the business in the United States and eventually helped implement digital products, supporting learners of all needs.
“One thing that’s unique about us is that when we make a printed book, inside page two is a book code. You go to our website, enter the book code, and get a full-blown interactive e-book.”
After years of hard work, Warren became CEO of Lightbox Learning. He oversees an international company that provides location-based educational media, helping learning stay relevant and engaging with textbooks broken down into slideshows, video, or audio narration when needed.
Operating in 52 countries and serving 20 different languages, Warren is proud of Lightbox Learning’s progress. He has brought the same determination to his work that helped him succeed in school.
“I think when you have a learning disability, and you struggle with something like reading, you have to work harder. You have to put your head down and find ways of becoming a better reader. I think I had the determination to put in more work.” – Warren
Whether improving reading skills, running a company, or preparing to graduate high school, Warren understands the value of hard work. His advice to students and young adults is to tackle their goals one step at a time, no matter how big they may be.
He says, “the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.”
“I think it’s a really important lesson for children when you look at something complex… People think of the end goal, and it’s hard to get there, so they’re just like, ‘I’m never going to do this. I won’t reach that mountain because I don’t know where to start.’ The way to start is one step at a time.”