• Toronto based marketing leader calls for practical, hands on digital learning and clearer pathways for young professionals entering fast changing industries

Ontario, Canada, 2 Dec 2025, ZEX PR WIRE, Melissa Sanasie, a respected marketing manager at Shopify and longtime mentor within Toronto’s marketing and tech community, is calling for a national push toward practical digital skills training. Drawing on her own experiences in retail, finance, and technology, Sanasie says many young workers struggle not because they lack ambition, but because they lack access to guided, real world digital learning.

“Success today comes from being curious and useful,” Sanasie said. “You do not need to be perfect at everything. You just need the skills that let you solve real problems. That is what changed my career.”

Recent reports show that nearly 40 percent of Canadian businesses struggle to hire workers with basic digital skills. According to Statistics Canada, digital literacy gaps cost the economy an estimated nineteen billion dollars each year in lost productivity. Sanasie believes those gaps can be reduced if more people learn simple, practical skills early, such as campaign testing, analytics, content strategy, and automation tools.

“My biggest breakthroughs came from learning how to test small ideas,” she said. “A single A/B test at RBC lifted conversions by more than ten percent. That small habit changed how I worked.”

She is encouraging Canadians to focus on building useful, hands on skills that do not require formal programs. She recommends three starting steps: track one digital pattern each week, study one campaign from outside your industry, and improve one workflow you already use.

“Curiosity compounds,” Sanasie added. “You do not need fancy tools or expensive courses. You can learn by paying closer attention and by trying things.”

Sanasie also highlighted the importance of helping young women gain access to mentorship and early training. Her work with #SheLeadsTO and Ladies Learning Code has shown her how many young professionals feel overwhelmed by the rapid pace of digital change.

“A lot of people think success comes from big moments,” she said. “But most of my key lessons came from small projects, long nights, and simple fixes. Anyone can start there.”

Studies from the Canadian Marketing Association show that workers with basic analytics, SEO, and content planning skills experience twenty to thirty percent faster career growth. Sanasie believes this is proof that practical learning can unlock real opportunities, especially for workers from communities like the one she grew up in.

Her call to action is directed at individuals, not institutions. “Do one small thing each week that builds your digital muscle,” she said. “Track your ideas, test something new, and study what works. Little steps build big confidence.”

About Melissa Sanasie

Melissa Sanasie is a Toronto based marketing manager with more than twelve years of experience in digital strategy, content marketing, SEO, and performance campaigns. She has worked with major Canadian brands including Hudson’s Bay Company, RBC, and Shopify. She is a speaker at national marketing events, a mentor for women in tech, and an advocate for practical digital skills development and real world learning.