The Next 25: How a Family's Competitive Spirit Built a Global Leader to Last

Every family has its own dynamic. For the Cawse siblings, it is a unique blend of camaraderie and competition. “Everything at home was a competition,” recalls CEO, Neil Cawse. “Alan was best at sport. Clive was naughtiest and had the most friends. I was the nerdiest and did the best at school. Lindy was disciplined and an all-rounder. Nothing has really changed.”

That powerful combination of strategic intellect, charismatic leadership, disciplined execution, and a competitive drive became the foundational formula for Geotab. As the company celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, the story of its growth from a family startup to a global telematics leader is a masterclass in combining trust, shared values, and a bold vision for the future.

Resourcefulness and Rise: The Startup Era

Long before a global workforce and state-of-the-art facilities, Geotab ran on pure ingenuity. In a move that speaks to their early resourcefulness, the company's first file and email server—aptly named "server1"—was set up by Neil and Clive in a coat closet. Clive also remembers the first mapping engine, which involved scanning physical map books and programming the computer to load the next image as a user dragged the map across the screen. These stories paint a vivid picture of a team that did whatever it took to innovate and deliver.

A Foundation of Trust and Values

While the tools have evolved, the core principles have not. The siblings consistently point to an unwavering foundation of trust and a shared moral compass as the company's true north. 

“Doing the right thing,” Neil states simply, is the most essential quality. “Do right by your staff, do right by your customers and even do the right product work for the long term.”

This foundation of trust proved to be their superpower, especially when making bold decisions. Lindy, known for her focus and tenacity, reflects on this. “From the very beginning, working with siblings meant an inherent level of trust,” she says. “We knew each other's strengths and weaknesses and we could be brutally honest with each other. This fostered an environment where ideas were freely exchanged.”

Alan agrees that this bond was essential during stressful times. “The Cawse ‘kids’ are all super competitive... but what stands out for me is the undeniable trust in each other... We always come together when dealing with challenges, and we always have each other's backs!”

A Symphony of Strengths

The success of their leadership lies in a dynamic blend of complementary strengths—a balance Lindy calls the “perfectly imperfect recipe that got Geotab where it is today.” It’s a synergy where Neil’s decisive, action-oriented focus is perfectly complemented by Clive’s high-level, strategic vision. While Lindy champions the people and culture with fierce dedication, Alan safeguards the company’s security and, just as importantly, its sense of fun. He believes that if you can’t laugh at yourself, you’ve failed to make the most of the journey, and it's this unique combination of passion, precision, and perspective that has propelled the company forward.

Onward and Upward: The Path for the Next 25 Years

The family’'s dynamic of pushing and supporting each other fueled one of Geotab's most pivotal moments—a massive, early contract with UPS. The customer needed a new device on a timeline Clive, as COO, thought impossible. “Supplying the GO4 was the right thing to do for UPS, and Neil insisted and pushed me,” Clive remembers. He learned a valuable lesson about setting ambitious "stretch goals" after successfully delivering with only days to spare, securing a key customer and proving their agile capabilities.

That forward-thinking philosophy now defines Geotab’s future. In the next 25 years, Neil wants Geotab to be “the de facto standard for how connected vehicles operate.” Clive sees the company expanding to become “the trusted custodian of information.” Alan hopes Geotab will be known for helping to “save countless lives, resources, and the environment.” And for Lindy, the ultimate goal is to have cultivated the “most globally innovative, diverse, and ethically-driven workforce.”

Ambitious? Absolutely. But for a family that turned a competitive spirit into a collaborative global powerhouse, charting the future seems less like a dream and more like the next logical destination.