The Hard Part with Evan McCann: Recent Episodes

Evan McCann

Canadian companies, founders, investors and leaders are always less covered than their American counterparts. The Hard Part is changing that! Join the host Evan McCann an e-commerce founder and early-stage tech employee as he interviews the most interesting Canadian business leaders. If you want to get insider details into Canada's best then make sure you listen, subscribe and don't miss a single episode.

The Hard Part site - https://anchor.fm/the-hard-part Evan's Twitter - https://twitter.com/@evansammccann Evan's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/evansmccann/

Liran Belenzon is the Co-Founder and CEO of BenchSci.

BenchSci's mission is to exponentially increase the speed and quality of life-saving R&D to improve patients' health.

They do this by applying cutting-edge AI to understand how disease biology works at scale throughout the drug discovery pipeline to solve the number one reason why drug discovery projects fail — getting the biology wrong.

ASCEND, their disease biology GenAI platform, understands the entire history of biomedical experiments to create a scalable AI assistant for preclinical organizations.

Takeaways

The genesis story of BenchSci.
Thoughts on commercialization and how to do it well.
How Liran has scaled with the company as a leader and founder.
Step changes in headcount.
How BenchSci navigates in-person, remote and hybrid work.
Liran's contrarian thoughts on raising money and how he has raised $200M+.
Why you should only do investor updates for investors and not potential investors.
How AI has changed over the last 8+ years of BenchSci's journey.
Building a network as an immigrant founder.
Scaling product offerings.
Working and selling into big pharma and research teams.
Hiring for BenchSci's unique intersection of AI and bio.

Chapters

00:00 The Genesis of BenchSci

03:12 Navigating the Drug Discovery Landscape

05:47 Commercialization Challenges and Strategies

08:59 Scaling as a Founder

11:59 Remote Work Dynamics

14:51 Mastering the Fundraising Process

19:52 The Evolution of AI in Drug Discovery

23:12 Understanding the Drug Discovery Process

25:54 Building Trust with Researchers

28:50 Overcoming Networking Challenges

32:14 Scaling Product Offerings

35:01 Hiring for a Unique Intersection

36:57 Personal Reflections and Future Outlook

Keywords

BenchSci, drug discovery, AI, commercialization, startup, scaling, fundraising, remote work, biology, technology

Inara Lalani is the Co-Founder and CEO of FemTherapeutics.

FemTherapeutics is a medical device company developing “Invisalign for Gynaecology”. Leveraging artificial intelligence and 3D Printing, their gynecology platform offers patient-specific intra-vaginal devices for common pelvic health conditions.

FemTherapeutics is building the infrastructure to allow expansion into other pelvic health categories including menstruation and sexual wellness, labour and delivery, oncology, and more.

Takeaways

Spinning out from the McGill Surgical Innovation Program.
The patent process for medtech companies.
The gender gap in medical innovation.
Regulatory hurdles for medical devices.
Fundraising in the medtech space, particularly in Canada.
How they are utilizing the "Invisalign model" for medical devices.
Manufacturing medtech products and adhering to quality standards like ISO 13485.
Importance of mentors and advisors.
Commercialization strategies and GTM.
Feedback loops in product development.
Leveraging grants and NDF.
Raising for femtech ventures in a male-dominated venture industry.

Chapters

00:00 The Genesis of FemTherapeutics

02:27 Navigating the Patent Process

05:09 Addressing the Gender Gap in Medical Innovation

07:01 The Challenges of Hardware Development

10:00 Fundraising in MedTech

12:04 Invisalign Inspiration: Customization in Medical Devices

14:21 Early Adoption Strategies for Medical Devices

15:48 Manufacturing Considerations for Medical Devices

16:46 The Importance of Advisors and Mentors

18:06 Commercialization Strategies for Medical Devices

20:26 Understanding Reimbursement Processes

21:55 Team Composition for Success

23:33 Feedback Loops in Product Development

25:37 Leveraging Government Support and Grants

27:32 Navigating Investor Conversations

29:32 Personal and Professional Excitements

30:37 Coping with Challenges as a Founder

Keywords

FemTherapeutics, medical innovation, gender gap, patent process, fundraising, medical devices, commercialization, reimbursement, team composition, feedback loops

Marc-André Forget is the Founder and CEO of dcbel.

dcbel develops technology and designs products that put people at the center of the modern energy ecosystem.

dcbel Home Energy Station perfects the art and science of smart home energy, allowing people to take ownership of their energy supply with one small device.Homeowners can supply their homes and EVs with solar power, use vehicle-to-home charging to make power outages a thing of the past, and reduce energy costs with artificial intelligence.

Takeaways

Raising from Volvo, Coatue and Real Ventures.
Starting dcbel over 10 years ago and how this technology wave was not obvious then.
Nuances and challenges to building hardware in Canada.
How a home energy station will be a future staple in all homes.
A shift towards renewable energy and grid overloads has added more complexity to energy management in the home.
The shift and change that will happen with utlities.
Navigating regulatory hurdles and changes
Manufacturing onshore versus offshore.
Distribution channels for dcbel.
Best geographies for dcbel.

Chapters

00:00 The Genesis of dcbel

08:30 The Inevitable Shift Towards Renewable Energy

14:58 The Future of Energy Management

27:16 The Global Impact of dcbel

36:56 Navigating the Challenges of Being a Founder

Keywords

Decibel, energy management, home energy station, renewable energy, complexity, accessibility

Jonathan Wolkin is the Managing Director of Deloitte Ventures.

Deloitte Ventures is Deloitte Canada’s $150M venture capital initiative, which makes minority investments in emerging technology companies.

They aim to catalyze the growth of important verticals, such as fintech and worktech, that will move Canadian businesses and citizens toward a thriving future. They support their founders by providing access to Deloitte’s network and breadth of capabilities.

Takeaways

Jon's time at Scotia TMT, Teachers' and Telus Ventures.
Why corporate venture capital is less mature in Canada compared to the US
How Deloitte Ventures got started.
How to build a successful CVC.
Diving into the "The state of corporate venture capital in Canada" report that Deloitte Ventures did with BDC Capital
How corporates should think about CVC and why every CVC is unique.
How to be a great board member.
How to build relationships within Deloitte to help portfolio companies.
Deloitte Venture's fund of funds and learnings from that.

Chapters

00:00 Building a Foundation: From Investment Banking to Venture Capital

01:54 Observing Market Trends and Embracing Change

07:13 The Role of Corporate Venture Capital in Canada

11:36 Being an Effective Board Member

20:25 Building Relationships: Internally and Externally

35:10 Expanding the Pool of Capital: Deloitte Ventures' Focus on Fund Investments

Keywords

investment banking, foundation, investor, financial understanding, business models, market trends, venture capital, Deloitte Ventures, mandate, alignment, corporate venture capital, Canada, US, board member, relationships

David Hariri is the Co-Founder of Ada.

Ada is the world’s leading customer service automation company. Built for the digitally transforming enterprise, Ada’s AI-powered customer service automation platform helps companies effortlessly resolve their customer inquiries in any language or channel.

Since 2016, Ada has powered over 4 billion automated customer interactions for companies like Meta, Verizon, AirAsia, Yeti, and Square.

Takeaways

Why Mike and David worked as customer support reps at other companies to find the true problem to solve.
Why the Buyer and User of a product are sometimes different and how you should build for them.
Design principles and open-source collaboration.
The importance and meaning of elegance in a product.
Balancing design and execution/timing.
How to do road mapping effectively with customers.
Dove into Paul Graham's Founder Mode and how David views founder involvement and feedback with his team.
How to give tough feedback on the work not the person and driving better results for the team and company while not being a jerk.
David's view on hiring for values and hiring for technical and design roles.

Chapters

00:00 Starting ADA by Working as Customer Service Representatives

01:59 The Importance of Focusing on the Problem First

03:56 Firsthand Insights from Working in the Role

07:51 Understanding Stakeholders in the Buying Process

13:49 Doing More with Less and Prioritizing Partnership

18:30 Hiring for Values and Building a Design-Driven Culture

29:11 Appreciation for Design Principles and Open Source Collaboration

36:13 Founder Involvement and Attention to Detail

43:22 The Art of Giving Tough Feedback

48:29 Generative AI in Customer Service

Keywords

Ada, customer service, founders, problem-solving, technology, user insights, stakeholder, design principles, open source, collaboration, execution, roadmapping process, customer commitments, problem prioritization, involvement, details, founder involvement, tough feedback, balance, generative AI, personal and professional life, dealing with hard times, finding balance

Nicolas Mulroney is the Co-Founder, Chairman, CEO & President of Bond Bakery Brands.

Bond is focused on building a diverse and inclusive workforce that bakes high-quality, delicious breads, pizzas, cakes, cookies, buns and more for retail and food service customers throughout North America.

Through their bakery companies, Bond employs more than 600 people across 11 facilities in Canada.

We discussed...

His time in investment banking.
The opportunity he saw in the bakery market.
Deep dive into the bakery space from commodity products to artisanal offerings.
What the acquisition process is like when acquiring family and founder-run businesses.
Distribution and sales channels to expand businesses.
Building strong relationships with the employees of a business after they are acquired.
Automation costs, efficiencies and tradeoffs.
Learnings from his father former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.

Chapters

00:00 Investment Banking and Foundational Learning

03:54 Building Blocks for a Career

08:12 Tailoring Investments to Match Needs

14:17 Balancing Craftsmanship and Scale

19:04 Opportunities in the Bakery Space

24:22 Automation and the Middle Ground

27:13 Building Relationships and Legacy

29:09 Lessons from Brian Mulroney

35:41 Support System and Entrepreneurship

Keywords

investment banking, bakery industry, acquisition, automation, legacy

Jason Liu is a great follow for everything RAG, AI consulting and prompt engineering. Jason was previously at StitchFix and Meta.

Follow Jason on Twitter/X here.

Takeaways

Jason's background is in data science and machine learning, with a focus on recommendation systems.
Deep dive into Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG).
Nuances of AI consulting.
Working with companies to implement AI and learnings there.
The future of AI technology holds the potential for smaller teams to create highly productive and specialized businesses.
Jason's excellent writing and his thoughts on how AI will impact writing.
The interesting future of micro apps and monetizing creative ideas.
Why AI will create smaller teams.
The role of research in the age of AI.

Chapters

00:00 Jason Liu's Background in Data Science and Machine Learning

03:12 The Impact of AI on Various Industries

06:37 Challenges and Opportunities in AI Consulting

09:14 The Future of AI: Smaller Teams and Specialized Businesses

12:51 The Importance of Clear and Precise Language in AI Writing

23:42 The Role of Research in the Age of AI

25:30 The Impact of AI Tools on Writing

27:29 The Power of Simplicity in Problem-Solving

29:15 Monetizing Micro Apps and Creativity

37:26 Navigating Hard Times with Processes and Hobbies

Keywords

Jason Liu, data science, machine learning, RAG, Retrieval Augmented Generation, AI consulting, AI tools, language models, value creation, writing, future of AI, research, AI tools, writing, simplicity, problem-solving, monetizing creativity, outcomes-based thinking, company creation, micro apps, processes, hobbies

Jenny He is the Founder & General Partner of Position Ventures.

Position Ventures invests in early-stage startups and positions them for success by helping founders nail their positioning and communications strategy. They help you tell your story so you can hire, fundraise, and partner with the best talent in the world.

Takeaways

Joining Square and meeting Jack Dorsey
Her angel investing journey
Working at Expa (Garrett Camp's FO and VC)
Raising Fund I from great LPs like Tiger Global and Bain Capital Ventures
Focusing on positioning and what positioning means
How do to position your startup effectively
Why positioning is so important, especially in today's noisy tech space
PR strategies that work in today's market and misconceptions around PR
Building relationships with LPs
Scaling value add as a solo GP
Why is saying nothing is a strategy
How to do stealth as a strategy effectively

Chapters

00:00 Jenny's Unique Career Path

03:17 The Power of Positioning and Communications

06:14 From Square to Expa

09:24 PR Strategies and Misconceptions

14:35 Starting Position Ventures

16:17 Building Relationships with LPs

18:08 Scaling Value Add as a Solo GP

20:07 Investing in Early Stage Founders

23:31 Navigating the Solo GP Journey

24:57 Finding and Supporting Founders

26:28 Building Relationships with Investors

28:30 Timing of Communications and PR

29:52 Shifting Positioning and Rebranding

31:27 Supporting Portfolio Companies

32:34 Dealing with Hard Times

Keywords

Jenny He, Position Ventures, career path, Ivy League, US tech industry, Square, Expa, angel investing, venture fund, positioning, communications, PR strategies, long-term relationships, portfolio companies, Jack Dorsey

Mark Shulgan is the Co-Founder of Intrepid Growth Partners.

Intrepid Growth Partners is led by Mark Machin, Mark Shulgan and Ajay Agrawal. Their new fund seeks to invest in fast-growing AI companies primarily in Canada and the UK that have reached $10M in revenue and are on a path to achieving profitability.

Takeaways

Gaining valuable experience in valuation and underwriting companies during the dot-com bubble.
Co-founding the Thematic Investing team (now known as Growth Equity) at CPP.
Building the Growth Equity team at OMERS.
Learnings around hiring and scaling an investment team.
What does growth stage investing mean to Mark and what nuances exist at that stage.
Understanding cash flow and building financial models are important aspects of growth-stage investing.
How Intrepid was started with Mark Machin calling up Mark to start a fund.
Why Intrepid is focused on the growth stage and scaling AI companies.
The step change that is involved in a company that takes them from $10M in ARR to $100M+ ARR.
Canada and the UK have a rich ecosystem of AI talent and companies.
LP appetite for the AI space.
Valuations in the AI space can be hot, but there are reasonable valuations for companies focused on specific applications.

Chapters

00:00 Mark Shulgan's Background and Experiences

09:52 CPP and OMERS: Pension Fund Managers and Growth Investing

15:06 Key Aspects of Growth Stage Investing

18:37 The Genesis Story of Intrepid

24:06 The Potential of Artificial Intelligence in Growth Stage Investing

31:46 The Abundance of AI Talent

35:10 Navigating Valuations and Cutting Through the Noise

43:19 Personal Practices for Dealing with Hard Times

45:40 The Bright Future of AI

Keywords

Mark Shulgan, growth stage investing, dot-com bubble, valuation, underwriting, private equity, subordinated debt, growth equity, CPP, OMERS, Intrepid, artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence, AI, go-to-market enablement, healthcare, robotics, automation, AI talent, valuations, hard times, transcendental meditation, fitness, future

Praveer Melwani is the CFO of Figma.

Takeaways

Joining Figma as employee 25 (now at ~3000)
Scaling with Figma and moving into the CFO role
Nuances to the CFO role at Figma
Developing and learning from mentors
How the CFO role is changing especially in high-growth tech companies
Empowering and building a finance team
The importance of understanding business drivers and key metrics as someone on the finance team
How the finance team works with product and other teams, meetings, cadence and more
What makes Figma such a special company and product
Tools the Figma finance team uses
Timing on building and hiring a finance team at a startup

Chapters

00:00 The Journey to Figma

04:12 Scaling with the Company

06:14 The CFO Role at Figma

08:04 Seeking Advice and Learning from Others

11:26 The Changing Role of the CFO

14:55 Empowering and Working with the Team

17:11 Communicating with Other Teams and Leaders

21:47 Working with Product and Other Teams

25:26 What Makes Figma Special

28:24 Exciting Tools in Finance

31:00 Hiring for the Finance Function

34:07 Timing and Building the Finance Function

36:34 Dealing with Hard Times

Keywords

Figma, CFO, journey, first principles, business gut, metrics, finance team, data tools, automation, intelligent people

Behrouz Hariri is the CEO of Smart Nora.

Smart Nora is on a mission to help 3 billion people worldwide breathe, sleep, and live better.

Takeaways

Working at Jet Cooper and IDEO.
The idea for Smart Nora came from a personal problem and evolved into a product that solves a common sleep issue.
How they ran a successful Kickstarter campaign.
Future of the sleep industry.
Balancing utility and aesthetics for hardware.
Gathering and implementing customer feedback into a hardware product.
Manufacturing process and how to do it well.
Basics of sleep.

Chapters

00:00 Experiences in Product Design and Innovation

05:06 Solving a Common Sleep Issue

07:49 Acquiring Customers and Building a Supportive Community

13:12 The Future of the Sleep Industry

16:47 Balancing Utility and Aesthetics

19:40 Continuous Improvement: Listening to Customer Feedback

22:24 The Basics of Sleep: Sleep Time Regularity and Sleep Hygiene

26:07 Physical Wellness for Founders: Navigating Challenges and Prioritizing Self-Care

Keywords

work experience, Jet Cooper, IDEO, Smart Nora, sleep industry, manufacturing, brand building, direct-to-consumer, product design, common sense, customer feedback

Kiva Dickinson is the Founder & Managing Partner of Selva Ventures.

Selva Ventures invests in healthier living. They support Seed & Series A stage consumer health & wellness brands that make healthier living more engaging, accessible, habit-forming and fun.

Takeaways

His background in investment banking at Barclays, private equity at TPG and investing at CircleUp.
Why he wanted to start his own firm in the CPG space.
Debunking the myth that CPG doesn't work for VCs.
Why investing in CPG requires a better batting average compared to technology investments.
Why Kiva looks for products with strong gross margins and repeat purchase metrics.
What is the sweet spot and inflection point for Selva to invest.
Spaces in CPG that Selva and Kiva are excited about.
Kiva's thoughts on celebrity brands.
Hiring investors in the CPG space.
"DTC is a channel, not a business" and how to run a strong retail strategy.
Why LA is one of the best geographies for CPG businesses and investors.

Chapters

00:00 Kiva Dickinson's Background and Journey

06:23 Starting Selva Ventures

08:24 Investment Strategy: Focus on Consumer Products

10:58 Investing at the Inflection Point

16:52 The Role of Retail Strategy in CPG

20:46 The Misconception that CPG Doesn't Work for Venture Capital

25:36 Exciting Spaces in Consumer Products

29:47 The Outlier Effect of Los Angeles in CPG

32:30 Hiring Investors in the Consumer Industry

35:06 The Impact of Celebrity Brands in the Consumer Space

41:19 Dealing with Hard Times and Finding Balance

Keywords

Kiva Dickinson, investment banking, consumer venture capital, Selva Ventures, private equity, consumer products, investment strategy, gross margin, repeat purchase, celebrity brands, geography

Lukas Tanasiuk is the Founder of The Nice Agency.

The Nice Agency focuses on one thing—site speed optimization for Shopify stores. A consistently fast and responsive Shopify site is one of the most high-impact areas you can focus on.

Mountains of research show that a slow Shopify site decreases conversion rates, drops AOV, reduces customer LTV and hurts your organic ranking on Google.

Lukas's X/Twitter - @igobylukas

Takeaways

How to start an agency.
Running an agency and wearing multiple hats.
Why the focus on Shopify site speed optimization.
Masterclass on site speed optimization, what you should be looking for and what to avoid.
The site speed scam exists on platforms like Fiverr and UpWork which all e-commerce founders should be aware of.
What it is like scaling a development team in this niche.
Scaling beyond project-based revenue to recurring and potential software.

Chapters

00:00 Sales Background and EVs

04:58 The Creation of The Nice Agency

14:21 The Importance of Shopify Site Speed Optimization

25:07 Challenges of Running an Agency

27:36 The Complexity and Demand for Shopify Site Optimization

30:02 Scaling the Development Team

36:04 Developing Performative Applications

39:03 Lukas' Personal Interests

44:10 The Power of Gratitude and Perseverance

Keywords

sales background, EVs, agency, The Nice Agency, Shopify site speed optimization, site speed, user experience, conversion rates, challenges, complexity, demand, site speed optimization, Shopify, developers, scaling, performative applications, rock climbing, ancient coins, gratitude, perseverance

Fiorella Schiffino is the CFO at Raven Indigenous Capital Partners.

Raven Indigenous Capital Partners is Canada's first Indigenous-led and -owned social finance intermediary.

Raven focuses on facilitating the flow of capital through impact investing to support the ongoing revitalization of the Indigenous economy. Raven builds relationships with Indigenous communities and entrepreneurs to drive sustainable change.

Takeaways

Moving PwC to Inovia and the VC space.
Diving into the finance side of venture including financial operations of the fund, cash management, compliance and reporting.
The move to Raven.
Assisting portcos with establishing governance and financial infrastructure.
Guidance on hiring CFOs or bookkeepers and implementing accounting systems.
Fund construction and reserves for follow-on investments.
Raven's thesis and mission in supporting Indigenous and Native American entrepreneurs.
When should founders think about hiring for finance roles.

Chapters

00:00 Transitioning from Professional Services to Venture Capital

03:14 The Dual Reporting Responsibilities of a Finance Leader in Venture Capital

12:39 Assisting Portfolio Companies with Governance and Financial Infrastructure

26:02 Fund Construction and Reserves in Venture Capital

28:30 Supporting Indigenous and Native American Entrepreneurs in Venture Capital

Keywords

venture capital, PwC, Inovia, finance leader, fund administration, portfolio companies, governance, financial infrastructure, fund construction, reserves, Indigenous entrepreneurs, Native American entrepreneurs

Ronak Trivedi is the Co-Founder & CEO of Pietra.

A Pietra membership unlocks access to cost-plus pricing across software, logistics, sourcing, and marketing tools; all while earning cashback every time you spend on your business.

Takeaways

The journey from the University of Waterloo to founding his own company.
Top lessons learned from working with Travis Kalanick at Uber and Cloud Kitchens.
The major pivot Pietra made and how to do pivots well.
The future of e-commerce.
Thoughts on competition and competitors building a similar product.
Building infrastructure, logistics and other challenging pieces of e-commerce.
Pietra's membership model.
Connecting global factories with a global network of founders and new businesses.
How Pietra works with factories and digitizes them.
Raising money and how Pietra raised from Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, TQ Ventures, M13 and others.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Journey into US Tech

04:21 Early Days at Uber and Learnings

16:07 Learnings from Working with Travis at Uber

20:10 Filling the Gap in the E-commerce Industry

26:49 The Future of E-commerce and Building Infrastructure

29:40 The Importance of Customer Satisfaction and Profitability

31:25 Enabling All-in Experience of Building a Company

33:14 Owning the End-to-End Supply Chain

37:26 The Membership Model: Discounted Software and Services

41:12 Connecting Factories with a Global Network

47:50 Dealing with the Roller Coaster Ride of Being a Founder

50:07 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

Ronek Trivedi, Pietra, journey, engineering, Uber, startup, pivot, marketplace, creative entrepreneurs, Travis Kalanick, lessons, opportunities, building a business, e-commerce, Shopify, Pietra, platform, infrastructure, digital landscape, entrepreneurship, business, future, tools, products

Jacob Klug is the Co-Founder and CEO of Creme Digital.

Creme Digital is a leading no-code agency for world-class startups & companies.

Takeaways

Starting a product studio out of high school.
Power of no-code.
Impacts of AI on no-code.
Launching a recurring model for an agency.
Future of internal tools.
Good versus great products.
Client interactions and support for modern agencies.
AI and its impact on scale and unlocks for Creme.

Chapters

00:00 Starting a Product Studio: The Journey of CREM Digital

04:39 The Power of No-Code and AI in the Agency Space

08:52 Transitioning to a Recurring Model: Aligning Incentives with Clients

14:59 Building a Strong Team: Balancing Talent and Quality

17:08 The Future of Internal Tools: Leveraging AI and No-Code

24:33 From Good to Great: Design, User Experience, and Problem-Solving

27:33 Client Service in the Digital Age: Transparency and Asynchronous Communication

31:47 Upskilling and Learning: Podcasts, Books, and Like-Minded Individuals

35:09 Navigating Hard Times: Distracting Yourself and Preventing Negative Thoughts

38:54 Age is Just a Number: Starting a Business at Any Stage of Life

39:58 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

time management, prioritization, productivity, goals, schedule, distractions, delegate tasks, high-value activities

Pavla Bobosikova is the Co-Founder and CEO of WFHomie (acquired by GoCo).

Takeaways

Navigating the M&A process for WFHomie.
Tactical advice on raising money and finding investors.
Transitioning from founder to being part of a larger company can be challenging.
Hiring and firing.
Building in Canada versus building in the US.
Rewards of mentoring early-stage founders.
Take risks and shoot your shot.
Challenges and advantages of being an immigrant founder.

Chapters

00:00 Navigating the M&A Process

10:42 Fundraising Success

14:37 The Emotional Journey of Exiting a Business

17:20 The Rewards of Mentoring and Working with Early-Stage Founders

24:33 The Challenges and Advantages of Being an Immigrant Founder

30:30 Building in Canada vs. Building in the US

35:07 Dealing with Hard Times

40:53 Taking Risks and Avoiding Regrets

42:35 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

M&A, fundraising, acquisition, founder, startup ecosystem, work-life integration, remote work, talent, immigrant founders, building in Canada, building in the US, personal identity, mentoring, early-stage founders, risk-taking

Klaudia McDonald is the Co-Founder & COO of Bobo.

Bobo’s mission is to make parenting easier, cheaper & more straightforward than ever before. The Bobo platform provides AI-driven support to recreate the 'village' needed for parenting.

It reduces the mental load by offering tailored, stage-specific support, making the prospect of having children more appealing & manageable.

Takeaways

Working at Just Eat Takeaway.
Launching international markets.
Challenges that parents face.
Attracting users to Bobo.
Utilizing AI.
Leveraging accelerators.
Partnerships with influencers and vendors.
Building a co-founder relationship with your spouse.
Managing ADHD as a founder.
Take advice only from individuals who are a few steps ahead of you and align with your values and vision.

Chapters

00:00 Working for a Global Organization

03:28 Building a Great Product

04:43 The Birth of Bobo

07:07 Challenges Faced by Parents

09:32 Unique Strategy for Bobo

09:53 Attracting Users and Expanding

11:55 Comprehensive Offering for Parents

13:15 From Conception to Early Childhood

15:47 Utilizing AI for Personalization

17:42 Leveraging Accelerators

19:53 Balancing Co-Founder and Spousal Roles

21:50 Managing ADHD as a Founder

24:46 Embracing Opportunities and Taking Risks

25:57 The Power of Content Curation

27:44 Launching into Different Markets

30:27 Navigating Immigration and Choosing Canada

34:00 Finding Purpose in Challenging Times

36:20 Taking Advice from the Right People

37:09 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

Klaudia McDonald, Bobo, Just Eat Takeaway, parenting, support, resources, localized information, curated content, partnerships, influencers, co-founder relationship, ADHD, advice

Mark Mitchell is a General Partner at Weave VC.

Takeaways

Mark's journey into VC.
Living in China for over a decade.
Starting with SPVs and launching Weave VC.
Co-Founder relationships with Jeff and Marco.
Investing in Western Canadian tech.
Fundraising as first-time fund managers.
Journey of an emerging manager.
Recent investments.

Chapters

00:00 Mark's Journey into Venture Capital

03:39 Building a Track Record: Angel Syndicates and SPVs

06:35 The Genesis of Weave

09:08 Co-Founder and Partner Relationships

10:50 The Focus and Vision of Weave

16:52 Investing in Western Canada's Tech Ecosystem

19:19 Investor Relations and Fundraising

22:01 Traits of Successful Founders

22:21 Trends in Western Canada's Tech Ecosystem

23:36 Recent Investments: Retreats and Venues, Reds VR

26:41 The Journey of an Emerging Manager

32:04 Recommended Reading: 'Read Write Own' by Chris Dixon

35:11 Mark's Excitement for the Future

37:13 Dealing with Challenges and Finding Balance

37:18 Final Message: Keep Building and Persevering

37:59 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

venture capital, startup ecosystem, emerging manager, founder-market-product fit, Canadian tech scene, fund closing, physical outlets, family

John Yue is the CEO and Co-Founder of Inference.ai.

Inference.ai is a leading Infrastructure as a Service company. Their mission is rooted in the belief that the intelligence of AI is directly proportional to the computational power it harnesses.

With the world's largest fleet of GPUs, they empower companies to transform their AI ambitions into reality by providing the computational muscle needed for smarter, more efficient AI.

Takeaways

Competing with the big three (AWS, Azure and Google) and why there is need for new players.
What it takes to build an infrastructure company and what infrastructure as a service (IaaS) means.
A deep chat around GPUs, the space, the industry dynamics and challenges with shortages.
Discuss why a16z is stockpiling GPUs and giving access to their portcos.
The shortage of GPUs is expected to last for 7 to 10 years.
We discuss the dynamics of LLMs and inferencing.
Advantages of being in the Bay Area with an AI startup.

Chapters

00:00 Building a Better Cloud Storage and Infrastructure

04:45 Competing with AWS and Finding the Gap in the Market

07:41 The Long-Term GPU Shortage and the Need for Creative Solutions

11:21 Stability, Flexibility, and Affordability: Key Factors in Attracting Customers

18:36 The Future of the Big Three and the Rise of New Infrastructure Providers

21:04 The Benefits and Challenges of Being in Silicon Valley

25:09 Finding Advisors and Investors with AI and Hardware Expertise

30:33 Now is the Time for Canadian Founders to Start AI Companies

42:17 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

AI infrastructure, GPU shortage, inferencing, Silicon Valley, founders, AI boom

Craig D'Cruze is the COO at Inverted Ventures.

Takeaways

Breaking into venture.
Building dealflow and relationships.
Starting with some LP investments and moving to direct.
Family Office dynamics and their interest in tech.
Value add from Inverted's POV.
Challenges of raising a fund.
The focus on Western Canada.
Follow on investments.
More liquidity and smaller exits are needed in the ecosystem to attract more capital.

Chapters

00:00 Breaking into the Venture Space

03:54 Finding Deal Flow and Building Relationships

05:40 Investing as a Family Office

07:50 Strategies for Getting Involved in Tech Investments

08:15 Navigating the Space: Strategy and Execution

11:01 Being a Value-Add Investor

14:18 Pattern Matching in Founders

17:26 The Importance of Geography in Investing

20:07 Follow-On Investments and Fundraising Strategy

22:49 Common Challenges in the Western Canadian Ecosystem

24:42 LP Conversations and the Need for Liquidity

27:13 Dealing with Hard Times and Staying Balanced

29:43 Looking Forward: Goals and Aspirations

35:03 Closing Thoughts: Building a Strong Ecosystem

43:15 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

venture capital, relationships, founders, investors, Western Canada, liquidity, exits, family offices, fundraising

Adam Felesky is the Co-Founder and CEO of Portage.

Portage is a global investment platform focused on fintech and financial services. Their team partners with ambitious companies across all stages, providing flexible capital and deliver a global network of investors, commercial partners, advisors and value-creation experts. With deep industry knowledge and entrepreneurial experience, Portage is committed to supporting the leaders who are reshaping financial services.

Takeaways

Starting Horizons ETF and nuances to the ETF business.
The founding story of Portage.
Fintech in Canada and Portage's portfolio companies Wealthsimple and KOHO.
Secondary funds and liquidity.
Regulatory environment in Canada and open banking.
Building an investment team globally.
Infrastructure and AI are promising areas in the fintech space.
Portage's different funds and their relationship with Diagram Ventures.
The importance of timing.

Chapters

00:00 The ETF Landscape in 2005 and Building a Successful ETF Business

07:47 The Growth of the Fintech Ecosystem in Canada

10:49 The Importance of a Supportive Regulatory Environment for Fintechs

12:01 Timing and Opportunities in the Fintech Market

17:34 Investing in Local Winners and the Role of Incumbents

20:15 Portage Ventures and Diagram: Investing in Going Concerns and Building Companies from Scratch

24:20 Building a Complementary Team and the Importance of Team Dynamics

26:18 The Role of Board Members and Supporting Portfolio Companies

28:25 Liquidity Options for Investors: Secondary Funds and IPOs

30:40 The Regulatory Environment and the Need for Open Banking

32:44 The Future of Fintech and the Importance of Consumer Access

33:30 Qualities of Successful Founders and Building a Clear Vision

34:11 Investing in Infrastructure and AI: Opportunities for Growth and Innovation

38:38 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

Adam Felesky, KOHO, Wealthsimple, Horizons ETFs, Portage, ETF landscape, fintech market, challenges, opportunities, infrastructure, AI, complementary team, support, ecosystem

Vedant Suri is an Investor at General Catalyst.

General Catalyst is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage and growth-stage companies. The firm has offices in the United States and Europe and has been involved in funding and nurturing several high-profile companies. Some notable companies in their portfolio include Airbnb, Stripe, and Snap.

Vedant has a really interesting background working at startups, Goldman Sach's TMT team, BCG and CapitalG.

Takeaways

Invest in companies with ambitious founders who are domain experts in their respective fields.
Focus on both the infrastructure layer and the application layer of technology.
Explore spaces like observability, industrial software, vertical AI, and HR software.
Consider founder market fit and founder product market fit in investment decisions.
Transitioning from consulting to growth-stage investing.
Mentorship is valuable in learning the ropes and navigating VC.
Be character-consistent and run your own race as an investor.
Develop a mix of inbound and outbound deal flow by building sector expertise.
Have a prepared mind when evaluating opportunities and understand the market, product needs, and potential risks.
Tastemakers are influential individuals in the ecosystem who can provide valuable insights and connections.
Great board members are engaged, prepared, and provide steady guidance during crucial moments.
The Canadian tech ecosystem has exceptional founders but could benefit from dreaming bigger.

Chapters

00:00 Working at Earlier Stage Tech Companies

05:09 The Importance of Founder-Market Fit

07:22 Skills Learned in Investment Banking and Consulting

12:07 Qualities of a Great Board Member

15:04 Dreaming Big in the Canadian Tech Ecosystem

43:58 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

investing, ambitious founders, domain experts, infrastructure layer, application layer, observability, industrial software, vertical AI, HR software, founder market fit, founder product market fit, growth stage investing, mentorship, character consistency, deal flow, prepared mind, tastemakers, board work, Canadian tech ecosystem, standing out

Lucas Matheson is the Canada Country Director at Coinbase.

Takeaways

Why Coinbase is excited about the Canadian market.
Educating Canadians on crypto and Coinbase
Coinbase's offerings including the Coinbase wallet, Coinbase One subscription, Coinbase card, and Coinbase Commerce.
The digitization of money and how it creates an interesting transition to crypto and digital assets.
The future of money.
Coinbase Ventures and the investments they have made.
Working with government and regulators.
Announcement of Stand with Crypto in Canada.

Chapters

00:00 Lucas Matheson's Role at Coinbase and the Mission of the Company

04:07 The Role of Technology in Solving Financial Inequality

06:32 Coinbase's Offerings: Retail, Institutional, and Developer Services

10:20 The Transition to Digital Assets and the Future of Money

16:50 Driving Adoption: Easier Use Cases and Access to Digital Assets

20:12 Education and Awareness: Understanding the True Potential of Crypto

23:21 Upcoming Initiatives and Opportunities in the Crypto Space

33:45 Tech Leaders in Canada: Advocating for Change and Productivity

35:53 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

Coinbase, Canada, crypto, DeFi, digital assets, education, government, banks, investments, capital gains tax

Matthew Clark is a Media and Technology Executive.

Matthew has spent time at Microsoft, Amazon, MasterClass, and Unity in business development.

Currently, he is also a Business Development Advisor for Venu Sports (a joint venture between Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery).

Takeaways

Breaking into big tech in the US.
What does strategic business development actually mean.
Negotiating, with a focus on startups interacting with big tech.
Engaging with platform companies and things to be aware of.
Startups and founders should avoid negotiating term by term and instead focus on the overall value and strategic alignment of the deal.
Startups should be thoughtful and careful when engaging with platforms.
What decision-makers you should speak with at big tech companies to get deals done.
How TV has changed with streaming.
How AI makes it cheaper and easier to create good enough quality content, disrupting traditional production methods.
How to make exclusive content successful.
The future of media + technology.

Chapters

00:00 Breaking into the Big American Tech Space

04:39 The Intersection of Media and Technology

07:06 Strategic Business Development and Negotiation Tactics

10:53 The Changing Landscape of Content Creation

28:34 The Significance of Exclusive Content and the Platform Shift

46:38 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

strategic partnerships, business development, media and technology, negotiating deals, platform companies, startups, media industry, product market fit, TV, content creation, AI, exclusive content, platform shift, Amazon, Venu, Venu Sports, Microsoft, Netflix, YouTube

Alyssa Spagnolo is the Growth and Strategy Lead at Banyan Infrastructure.

Banyan Infrastructure is on a mission to mobilize capital by modernizing sustainable infrastructure financing.

Takeaways

Alyssa's founder journey, why it was isolating.
Building empathy for founders from the investor side.
Joining ScaleUp Ventures and OMERS Ventures
Moving and building out the OMERS Ventures office in SF
Jumping into the operator seat at Banyan
The Canadian network in SF and what she likes about the tech scene there.
Her interest in renewable energy.

Chapters

00:00 Alyssa's Journey as a Founder

05:40 Transition to Venture Capital

10:08 Joining Banyan and Focus on Climate Technology

13:35 Becoming an Operator and the Importance of Founder Experience

22:44 Differences Between Canadian and US Startup Ecosystems

30:50 Creating Connection Points for Canadians in the US

35:45 Personal and Professional Excitement

37:54 Dealing with Hard Times

38:01 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

founder, venture capital, operator, renewable energy, empathy, specialization, technology, startup ecosystem, thinking big, talent, climate change

Zach Zhang is the Co-Founder, Chief Product Officer and President of Clasp.

With Clasp, HR and vertical SaaS platforms can offer their customers the ability to buy and manage employee benefits in-product.

Takeaways

The rise of embedded benefits.
The embedded software space with the likes of Stripe and Check.
HR unbundling trend.
Providing a great product experience.
Why health insurance in the USA is ripe for disruption.
Strong co-founder relationships.
GTM strategies for embedded startups.
Building partnerships.

Chapters

00:00 Zach's Journey to Becoming a Founder

04:56 The Rise of Embedded Benefits

08:14 The Role of Product Managers in a Growing Team

11:16 HR Unbundling and the Potential of Clasp

15:27 Building Trust and Relationships in the Startup World

41:27 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

embedded benefits, HR unbundling, insurance industry, product experience, co-founder relationships, trust, hard times, Stripe, benefits, embedded

Preston Pesek is the Chief Strategy Officer at NatML, previously he was the Co-Founder and CEO of Spacious which was acquired by WeWork.

Takeaways

Preston's time at SL Green and Fortress Investment Group.
Spacious was a capital-light coworking space that activated underutilized restaurant spaces.
Spacious had a different supply-side model compared to WeWork.
The acquisition of Spacious by WeWork, which was Adam Neumann's last acquisition.
How a successful exit has changed Preston's views on building.
How his new venture runs successfully on remote work.
Why Preston chose to move to Vancouver from NYC.
His interest in AI.

Chapters

00:00 From Traditional Employment to Startup: The Journey in Real Estate

05:10 Building Spacious: Insights from Real Estate Finance and Capital Markets

09:47 The Acquisition of Spacious: Lessons Learned

12:34 The WeWork Model and the Demand for Remote Work

15:45 Inspiration and Acquisition

24:45 The Move to Vancouver and Current Work

24:55 Navigating Risks as a CEO and Decision to Move to Canada

26:18 Canada: A Hub for Engineering Talent

26:44 The Disruptive Power of AI

30:41 Building Community in Remote Teams

42:27 Strategies for Dealing with Hard Times as a Founder

46:06 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

Preston Pesek, Spacious, real estate, coworking, WeWork, acquisition, remote work, office market, remote work, Spacious, Vancouver, engineering talent, AI, disruption, balance, stress

Alison Kaizer is the Head of Talent at Golden Ventures.

Golden Ventures is a leading seed-stage venture capital fund, based in Toronto and investing across North America.

Takeaways

Scaling Ritual's hiring and talent process.
How to do case studies well in the interview process.
How to approach potential hires cold.
Questions to ask in interviews.
How to run a great interview process.
When to hire someone to oversee your talent and hiring.
How to think about compensation.
How to think about titles and when to give them out.

Chapters

00:00 Joining Ritual in the Early Stages of the Tech Industry

07:02 Scaling the Interview Process to 500+ Employees

11:00 The Unique Path to Golden Ventures

13:23 Key Considerations for Early Stage Companies

16:58 Asking the Right Questions in the Interview Process

20:33 Building a High-Performing Team in a Startup

23:40 Standing Out in the Candidate Outreach Process

27:02 The Importance of Relationship Building in Hiring

29:26 Setting Up for Long-Term Success with Titles

31:15 Building a Network of Trusted Advisors for Hiring Decisions

35:30 Timing and Considerations for Hiring Someone to Oversee Talent

37:48 Aligning Expectations and Culture for the Right Fit

44:39 The Value of Community in Startup Land

45:24 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

Golden Ventures, hiring, talent, early-stage startups, cultural fit, case studies, interview process, ATS, Talent Wall, compensation, advisors

Pouria Assadipour is the Co-Founder and CTO of Beatdapp.

Beatdapp helps music labels and artists track their songs to collect royalties. Beatdapp is a tracking system that authenticates, verifies, and validates media streamed in real-time. It reduces the tracking discrepancies between Digital Service Providers (DSPs) and rights holders, increasing royalty revenue for rights holders while limiting legal exposure, expensive audit costs, and lawsuits for DSPs.

Takeaways

How Beatdapp determines if a listen is human.
Music industry breakdown.
Importance of streaming in the music business.
Breakdown revenue sources for streams and artists.
Importance of data and AI in the industry.
How to build a great engineering team.
How to find a technical co-founder.
How to hire early engineers for a startup.

Chapters

00:00 The Genesis Story of Beatdapp

04:10 The Problem of Fake Streams in the Music Industry

07:53 The Importance of Streams in the Music Business

10:42 Focus and Market Fit for Beatdapp

13:14 The Impact of Generative AI on the Music Industry

17:28 Challenges with Generative AI in Music Creation

22:20 Interfacing with Other Parts of the Business

24:03 Building a Strong Team Culture at Beatdapp

25:53 Qualities of a Great CTO

28:49 Geography and Talent Acquisition

30:51 Attracting Great Engineers to Startups

34:42 Finding and Convincing a Technical Co-founder

36:26 Current Reading and Excitement for the Future

38:48 Dealing with Hard Times as a Founder

39:38 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

fake streams, music industry, Beatdapp, revenue, CTO, engineering team, AI, data, streams importance, team culture, startups, entrepreneurship

Janet Bannisteris the Founder & Managing Partner of Staircase Ventures.

Takeaways

Working at eBay early days.
Launching Kijiji in Canada.
Getting into VC and joining Real Ventures.
How she raised a fund so quickly with Staircase Ventures.
Building relationships with LPs.
How the venture scene has changed in Canada.
Staircase Ventures prioritizes founder support and development, offering CEO coaching, peer groups, access to health coaches, family statements, and personal financial advisors.
Staircase shares carry with portfolio founders to foster a sense of teamwork.
Important qualities in founders she backs.
Burn rate and PMF.

Chapters

00:00 From eBay to Silicon Valley

07:12 Launching Kijiji in Canada

12:30 Transitioning into Venture Capital

25:15 Investing in Seed Stage and Founder Development

32:11 The Role of a Board Member

36:01 Raising a Fund and Building LP Relationships

42:30 Common Missteps After Closing a Seed Round

45:52 Dealing with Hard Times and Persevering

49:39 Journey of an Entrepreneur

Keywords

Janet Bannister, Staircase Ventures, eBay, Kijiji, venture capital, Canadian venture landscape, founder support, founder development platform, shared carry, founders, growth mindset, talent acquisition, execution speed, relationships, fundraising, burn rate, product-market fit, long-term success

Priya Monga is the GM & Senior Director of GTM Strategy for Instacart Business.

She is responsible for unlocking the growth of Instacart Business, a new emerging segment for Instacart. Lead and manage all go-to-market functions across marketing strategy, partnerships, enterprise sales and customer service.

Takeaways

Find a job that aligns with your North Star.
Getting promotions.
Demystifying the Chief of Staff role.
What made leaders at Facebook so great.
Working with Fidji Simo at Facebook and Instacart.
Launching a startup within a scaling and public company.
Zoom out and think about the bigger vision to gain support for new initiatives.
Set micro milestones to motivate the team and pivot quickly if needed.
Build a network and find a community for support and learning.
Embrace imposter syndrome as a sign of being in the right rooms.

Chapters

00:00 From Ivy League to Facebook

05:22 Living Abroad and Working with Different Cultures

07:49 The Chief of Staff Role

12:47 Balancing Vision and Detail

22:46 Launching a Startup within a Scaling Company

25:49 Validating Insights and Building the Bigger Vision

28:22 Setting Micro Milestones for Success

30:59 Hiring the Right Team and Dealing with Imposter Syndrome

33:55 The Power of Networking and Learning from Others

39:53 Being Obsessed with Your Strengths and Making Dreams Tangible

Keywords

career journey, Ivy League, Facebook, living abroad, chief of staff, Instacart, North Star, product role, leadership, vision, operational excellence, communication, influencing without authority, strategic projects, launching a startup, scaling, public company, building new business units, validating insights, zooming out, setting milestones, resourcing effectively, hiring the right team, imposter syndrome, networking, learning, strengths, Fidji Simo

Matt Roberts is a Partner at CMD Capital.

CMD Capital is a leading venture capital firm for AI-strong seed-stage startups. They focus on Canadian startups using AI in non-trivial ways, to solve mission-critical problems across B2B and Enterprise sectors.

Takeaways

The influence of Sir Terry Matthews and Matt's father played a significant role in shaping his entrepreneurial journey.
The Canadian market lacks early-stage lead checks.
Finding the first customer and iterating with them is challenging for Canadian entrepreneurs, as they often have to look to the US market for customer adoption.
Why Canadian companies don't buy from Canadian startups.
The lack of pension money in Canadian venture and Matt's Substack piece that caused a stir.
Where the value is in AI.
Tactical advice in raising a venture fund.
Matt's interest in Canadian tech and venture history.

Chapters

00:00 The Influence of Mentors and Role Models

06:44 Taking Ownership and Problem Solving

09:09 The Lack of Early-Stage Lead Checks in the Canadian Market

12:42 Challenges in Finding the First Customer and Iterating

15:07 The Need for a Cultural Shift and More Anchor Tenants in the Canadian Market

27:39 The Influence of Pension Plans on Investment Decisions

29:20 The Role of AI in the Market

33:13 Qualities of Successful Founders

35:42 Addressing Challenges in the Canadian Economy

39:31 Navigating the Process of Raising a Fund

47:49 The Importance of Understanding the History of the Ecosystem

50:17 Collaboration and Support within the Industry

Keywords

entrepreneurship, venture capital, early-stage, lead checks, Canadian market, customer adoption, investment, Canadian venture capital, pension plans, AI, founders, Canadian economy, raising a fund, history of the ecosystem, collaboration

Jodi Krakower Kessler is a Partner at 3L Capital.

3L is a private equity firm that invests in emerging growth companies.

The firm backs innovative founders and management teams across the Commerce, Enterprise Software and Tech-enabled Services landscapes, with a particular emphasis on opportunities where M&A and creative financing strategies can augment strong organic growth.

3L provides management teams with the capital, perspective, and relationships needed to become category leaders. The firm is based in Los Angeles and New York City.

Takeaways

Lessons from competitive hockey.
Investment banking prepping your for investing.
The importance of operating experience.
3L Capital combines the analytical rigour of private equity with the opportunism of venture capital.
The balance between growth and profitability.
Peer learning among portfolio companies.
Tech-enabled vertical roll-ups.
Successful M&A at the growth stage requires strong strategic rationale, financial synergies, and the right partners.
The focus on NYC and LA and not SF.
Their most recent investment Metropolis which raised $1.7B.

Chapters

00:00 Competitive Hockey and Investing Lessons

03:46 Strategic Thinking and Listening to Operators

05:09 3L Capital: Combining Private Equity Rigor with Venture Capital Opportunism

07:28 Finding the Balance: Growth vs. Profitability

12:08 The Power of Peer Learning Among Portfolio Companies

22:18 Successful M&A at the Growth Stage: Strategic Rationale and Financial Synergies

24:53 New York and LA: Venture Markets Outside of Silicon Valley

Keywords

competitive hockey, investing lessons, investment banking, operating experience, strategic thinking, listening to operators, growth versus profitability, peer learning, Canadian tech scene, Metropolis

Aleya Velshi and Melissa Donato are the Co-Founders of Alter.

Alter is a sauna and ice bath studio in College West, Toronto. Alter's mission is to make hot and cold exposure a more approachable and consistent practice by creating a warm, welcoming, and community-oriented atmosphere and an experience that pays homage to this centuries-old modality.

Alter offers flexible drop-in sessions and classes.

Takeaways

Starting a business with close friends and how to make it work.
Research needed before launching a physical space.
Designing a space to be welcoming and engaging.
Building a team that creates a top-notch experience for guests.
Structuring scheduling and blend of drop-in and classes.
Balance between newcomers and regulars and designing an experience that works for everyone.
Expansion is considered based on factors such as product-market fit, replicability, and scalability.
Pricing is determined by sustainability, comparable experiences, and the needs and preferences of their guests.

Chapters

00:00 Starting a Business with Close Friends

08:12 Research and Due Diligence

09:38 Designing a Comfortable and Approachable Space

22:44 Building a Welcoming and Diverse Team

26:49 Structured Classes and Flexible Drop-In Sessions

27:42 Creating a Unique and Approachable Wellness Experience

34:03 Building a Supportive Community through Events and Collaborations

34:33 Strategies for Expansion and Growth

40:24 Pricing: Balancing Sustainability and Guest Preferences

Keywords

friends, business, hot and cold therapy, sauna, ice bath, convenience, community, research, self-funded, design, comfort, routine, team, classes, drop-in sessions, cultural origins, personalized experience, wellness, experience, classes, advanced, beginner-friendly, options, flexibility, community, events, workshops, expansion, pricing

Riley Tomasek is the Founder and CEO of Dexa AI.

Dexa AI allows you to search podcasts' entire back catalogue. Queries will be matched with summaries and clips from relevant episodes. Your searches are private by default, but you can publicly share your favourite results.

Takeaways

Early experiences with Indochino.

Building a bootstrapped product.

Relationship between design and engineering.

How startups can work with big customers early.

Remote focused team but still valuing IRL meetups.

Raising money.

Building a team in a hot space like AI with lots of competition.

Chapters

00:00 Early Experiences with Indochino

03:02 Origin Story of Standard Resume

08:26 Geography and Remote Work

12:06 Building Dexa and Creating a Moat

14:14 The Power of Podcasts and Content Discovery

25:04 Building a Lean Team

28:25 Balancing Vision and Customer Feedback

31:36 The Future of AI in Podcasts

34:28 Raising Money and Working with Investors

37:04 Recruitment in the AI Space

41:53 Navigating Challenges as a Founder

Keywords

Indochino, Standard Resume, Dexa, AI, LLMs, design, engineering, remote work, podcast, content discovery, recruitment, raising money

Adam McNamara is the Founder and Angel Investor at his family office McNamara Family Investments.

Adam previously Co-Founded Select Start Studios (acquired by Shopify), was a VP Product at Shopify, Co-Founded Ramen Ventures and now is a Mentor through CDL.

Takeaways

Learnings from starting and winding down Ramen Ventures.
Why he continues to invest as an angel, focusing on deep tech and supporting founders who are passionate about solving hard problems.
Canada should focus on building world-class, high-impact companies rather than settling for base hits.
Investing in fundamental research and development is crucial to creating the building blocks for future technology companies.
Cities need to adapt to the knowledge economy and change electoral systems to better represent urban centers. Canadian startups should aim for global or North American opportunities rather than limiting themselves to the Canadian market.
Boldness and rational optimism are crucial for success.
The capital gains tax changes in Canada have negative implications for angel investment and venture capital.
VC preference stacking is detrimental to Canadian companies and should be addressed.
Nuclear energy and synthetic biology are spaces Adam is interested in.
Why you should be voting!

Chapters

00:00 The Rise and Wind down of Ramen Ventures

03:37 Investing in Deep Tech and Passionate Founders

08:20 Building World-Class, High-Impact Companies

14:03 The Importance of Fundamental Research and Development

27:37 Changing Electoral Systems for Better Representation

28:23 Expanding Horizons: The Need for Global Opportunities

31:02 The Power of Boldness and Rational Optimism

33:29 The Impact of Capital Gains Tax Changes

39:02 Addressing the Issue of VC Preference Stacking

44:15 Exciting Frontiers: Nuclear Energy and Synthetic Biology

Keywords

Ramen Ventures, angel investing, competition, valuations, predatory funding rounds, deep tech, high-impact companies, fundamental research and development, knowledge economy, electoral systems, Canadian startups, global opportunities, boldness, rational optimism, capital gains tax, angel investment, venture capital, VC preference stacking, nuclear energy, synthetic biology

Tim Lett is an angel investor, entrepreneur, board director, and executive coach at Torlins.

Tim founded Axsium Group (acquired by Knightsbridge Human Capital Management) and is an active investor and board member with companies like Top Hat, Alayacare, PartnerStack, CareGuide, WiseDocs and more.

Takeaways

Workbrain mafia and what made the company and people so special.
Starting his own business and going through a successful exit.
Selecting and finding early board members and advisors.
How to run a successful implementation function when you land large customers.
Tim's Principles on Angel Investing
Founder-led sales, how to do it right.
A contrarian view he has on investing.

Keywords

Workbrain, Axsium Group, angel investing, B2B SaaS, sustainable business, WiseDocs, Machu Picchu, entrepreneurship

Solon Angel is the Founder and CEO of a new stealth AI company. He previously founded MindBridge and is an active investor and advisor.

Takeaways

Why Solon actually didn't want to start MindBridge.
His journey at MindBridge and key learnings.
Working on AI in 2014 and how different the space looks today.
Why founders who have been at their business for 10+ or 20+ years are outliers and not the standard.
What he is building now.
Importance of self-awareness as a founder.
Solon's frustration with the current state of the Canadian tech scene, including regulatory policies and a mindset that needs to shift from a COVID-era mentality to a mindset of building success.
The three types of founders are those motivated by money, those with something to prove, and those seeking fame.
Success should be celebrated, and jealousy should be replaced with support and inspiration for others.

Chapters

00:00 The Genesis Story of MindBridge

08:59 Transitioning Out of MindBridge

16:28 Rethinking Founder Roles and Responsibilities

28:10 The Potential of AI in Construction

31:18 The Importance of Self-Awareness for Founders

34:22 Celebrating Success and Shifting Mindsets

36:58 Moral Clarity in Leadership

44:52 Excitement for New Ventures and Personal Growth

51:31 Never Underestimate Human Ingenuity

Keywords

MindBridge, startup, accounting, irregularities, financial fraud, AI, machine learning, financial data analysis, financial analysts, compliance professionals, auditors, AI, construction, Canadian tech ecosystem, mindset shift, celebration of success, self-awareness, leadership, moral clarity, tax space, ventures, family, human ingenuity

Renae Farough is the Co-Founder and CEO of Kicker.

Kicker is a next-generation copilot designed exclusively for sales professionals and leaders.

Their innovative solutions integrate seamlessly with Salesforce and HubSpot CRMs, leveraging real-time third-party data and advanced generative AI to supercharge all stages of your sales process. Or as they like to say, "You sell, Kicker does the rest".

Takeaways

Salespeople spend more time not selling than selling.
Top learning from Michael Hyatt.
Impacts of AI on sales.
Kicker's co-pilot business model.
Finding a technical co-founder and how it went down to the wire.
The focus on self-service onboarding.
Raising capital while pregnant and as a new mother.

Chapters

00:00 The Journey from Sales to Entrepreneurship: Challenges and Inspiration

04:07 Building Kicker: Finding the Right Technical Partner

35:37 Balancing Parenthood and Entrepreneurship: Resilience and Adaptability

Jeff Parks is the CEO of Stack Capital.

Stack Capital Group is a publicly listed entity on the TSX that looks for disruptive growth and late-stage businesses primarily in Canada and the US to invest in.

Their current portfolio includes exposure to Locus Robotics, SpaceX, Prove Identity, Newfront Insurance, Omio, Hopper, Varo, Bolt Financial and Canva.

By investing in Stack Capital Group, investors gain exposure to disruptive pre-IPO companies that are very difficult to access. Additionally, since Stack Capital Group is publicly traded, investors are not locked up for long periods and can allocate holdings to registered accounts.

Takeaways

Why timing is crucial for going public.
Signs such as hiring a CFO, investor relations focus, and revenue growth can indicate a potential IPO.
Masterclass into secondaries, what they are, how they work, and how to acquire them from early investors, employees and founders.
How to do due diligence and research on private companies.
Why folks would get ownership in Stack's diversified portfolios versus taking cash.
Dive deeper into Stack's unqiue business model.

Chapters

00:00 Key Learnings at Venator

01:01 Genesis of Stack Capital

04:21 Valuing Equity in Private Companies

05:27 Adding Value to Founders

06:57 Due Diligence on Private Companies

07:25 Targeting Companies for the Portfolio

08:45 Red Flags in Private Companies

16:10 Valuations in the Private Market

20:30 Timing of Going Public

23:08 Signs of a Company Going Public

26:29 Reselling Founder/Executive Shares

27:06 Interesting Private Companies

28:41 Analyzing Businesses

31:48 Building Trust

34:33 Raising Capital for Stack

36:52 Dealing with Hard Times

39:30 Opportunities in Growth and Late Stage Assets

Alex Kolicich is a Founding Partner of 8VC.

At 8VC, they partner with elite founders to build transformational technologies that create long-term economic and societal value.

They are investors who never stopped being engineers, operators, policymakers, philosophers, and entrepreneurs. They are equally fervent realists and optimists, with an irreverence for convention and a reverence for wisdom.

8VC has invested in Flexport, Anduril, Asana, Blend, Deliverr, Ramp, Palantir, OpenGov, Vercel, Waabi and much more.

Takeaways

Going to UWaterloo and why the co-op program teaches grads to ship code and get things done.
The startup culture at Waterloo prepares students for the world of technology and startups.
Working at Google.
Joining Clarium and Mithril (Peter Thiel's investment firms).
Top learnings from working with Peter Thiel and Joe Lonsdale.
Learnings from helping scale Palantir.
Alex's learning curve in VC and not knowing what a Series A was initially.
The founding of 8VC and what makes it unique in the VC space.
8VC's incubation program focuses on areas that require specialized knowledge, gatekeeper connections, and significant capital.
Building relationships with industry experts and forward-facing corporations is crucial for success.
Idea versus execution.
Focus on areas like biotech and defense tech, which require substantial capital to start and scale.
Alex's work with C100 and how we can improve Canada's tech ecosystem.

Chapters

00:00 The Hardworking Culture and Startup Mentality at the University of Waterloo

06:19 Lessons Learned from Google and Palantir/Clarion: Infrastructure, Resources, and Perseverance

09:01 Building a Successful Company: Aptitude, Perseverance, and Not Giving Up

12:45 From Early Exposure to Venture to Founding 8VC: Being Opportunistic and Optimizing Opportunities

23:42 Incubation at 8VC: Deeply Understanding the Customer and the Space

28:20 Investing in What Should Exist

30:16 Building Relationships with Industry Experts

33:43 The Balance Between Idea and Execution

38:17 The State of the Canadian Tech Ecosystem

43:42 Excitement for AI and Biotech

52:07 Managing Stress and Balancing Life

54:24 Understanding the Impact of Technological Progress

Keywords

University of Waterloo, engineering, co-op program, startup culture, Google, Palantir, Clarion, small startup environment, infrastructure, resources, fear of failure, building a successful company, aptitude, perseverance, not giving up, venture capital, Mithril Capital, 8VC, value add, first principles thinking, incubation, customer understanding, space disruption, investing, building companies, incubation program, specialized knowledge, gatekeeper connections, capital requirements, Canadian tech ecosystem, Peter Thiel, Joe Lonsdale, Formation 8, Anduril

Christian Levan is Front Row Ventures's Director of Portfolio Support and a VC Analyst Intern at White Star Capital.

Takeaways

His military experience in Singapore.
How he joined Front Row Ventures.
The impact FRV has had on the Canadian VC landscape and helping students land roles in the space.
Christian's advice for young people breaking into VC.
Landing internships at Inovia Capital and White Star Capital.
Being a younger team member but still adding value to the firm.

Chapters

00:00 Christian's Military Experience and Journey into Venture Capital

07:24 Front Row Ventures: Bridging the Gap for Canadian University Startups

15:57 Choosing the Right Path: Navigating Different Stages and Sectors in VC

28:28 Navigating the Challenges: Being a Young Professional in VC

34:12 Overcoming Hard Times: Resilience and Long-Term Perspective

Keywords

military, Singapore, conscription, venture capital, FRV, Front Row Ventures, Canadian VC, talent pool, early-stage investing, learning curve, choosing a fund, hard times, perseverance

Elijah Moore is the Co-Founder and CEO of Endor Health.

Endor Health is a digital health platform that simplifies care and pharmacy access for people with diabetes.

Takeaways

The acquisition of CollageHR by People Corporation and learnings.
Eli discovered he had diabetes and built a business to help others living with the disease.
Why living with diabetes is unique and involves day-to-day management, month-to-month administration, and long-term health considerations.
Building a healthcare startup requires a compound startup approach, integrating various aspects of care and services.
Nuances to building a healthtech startup and breaking down what a compound startup is.
Leveraging pre-existing communities for Endor's growth.
Building and earning trust with Endor customers, Eli will jump on calls with customers to do that.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Genesis Story of CollageHR

08:15 The Acquisition Process and Lessons Learned

18:34 Challenges of Living with Diabetes

20:40 The Burden of Living with Diabetes

25:22 Simplifying Diabetes Management with an All-in-One App

32:37 Building Trust with Customers and the Diabetes Community

34:59 The Compound Startup Approach to Diabetes Care

Keywords

entrepreneurship, venture, acquisition, diabetes, healthcare, community

Kate Bouchard is the CEO and Founder of Loba Wellness.

Loba helps people create healthy habits by bringing technology and smart design to the wellness-minded.

They are building a platform that streamlines pill and supplement management for consumers, practitioners, and suppliers - starting with our smart supplement organizer and the Loba App.

Takeaways

Branding and building an emotional connection with your customer.
The benefits and skills gained from working in an agency model.
The inspiration for Loba came from a personal need.
Prototyping a physical product.
Creating a seamless experience between physical product and software.
The B2B opportunites that Loba is creating.
Aesthetics and the unboxing experience.
Raising capital.
Building a network of advisors and mentors.
Building word-of-mouth as your top channel.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background in Marketing

04:17 The Inspiration and Journey of Loba

09:07 Creating a Seamless User Experience

11:00 Exploring B2B Opportunities in Healthcare

26:02 Raising Capital and Finding the Right Investors

27:43 Building a Supportive Network as a Founder

30:34 Harnessing the Power of Authenticity in Social Media Marketing

Keywords

marketing, branding, emotional connection, agency model, entrepreneurship, inspiration, prototype, software, physical product, B2B, healthcare, aesthetics, unboxing experience, fundraising, support

Ezio Bondi and Matt DuPerrouzel are the Founders of arte*.

arte* offers innovative, consciously-sourced, fresh and creative salad kits. They keep the environment front-of-mind and support local farms and producers, making every meal both a feel-good and a win-win.

Takeaways

Bondi Produce started as a family business and has grown to become Ontario's largest food service provider.
How Bondi has created the platform to launch arte*.
The logistics of delivering perishable produce.
The brand arte* focuses on chef-driven salad kits made with locally grown produce.
Building relationships with retailers to get more shelf space.
How to get feedback from customers in a retailer-driven space.
Leveraging social.
Bootstrapping arte*.
How they create and launch new flavours.

Chapters

00:00 The Story of Bondi Produce

02:49 Toronto New Food Co.

05:01 Chef-Driven Salad Kits

07:24 Building Relationships with Retailers

11:42 Leveraging Social Media and Content Creators

12:56 Self-Funding and Continuous Improvement

Keywords

Bondi Produce, family business, Ontario's largest food service provider, logistics, perishable produce, Toronto New Food Co., value-added solutions, slicing and dicing produce, meal kits, Art, chef-driven salad kits, locally grown produce, relationships with retailers, social media, collaborations, investment, new flavors, support system

Jordan McFarlen is the Managing Director at Conexus Venture Capital.

Conexus Venture Capital (CVC) has launched its second $30M VC fund with a $15M first close from its founder, Conexus Credit Union.

With Fund II and new leadership, the Regina-based VC firm aims to build on the groundwork laid by its first fund and Conexus-founded incubator Cultivator.

Through its latest fund, CVC plans to invest in more early-stage Saskatchewan-based technology startups.

Takeaways

Jordan starting Cultivator and building a leading accelerator.
Great versus good accelerator.
Nuances and specific challenges that Saskatchewan founders face.
Raising a $30M Fund II.
Advantages of having a smaller tech ecosystem like agility, connectivity, a cohesive ecosystem, and the government's support through tax credits and non-dilutive funding.
CVC's role in Saskatchewan funding early-stage startups and building relationships with other VCs for future funding rounds.
Exciting Sask companies like 7Shifts (backed by Softbank), Coconut Software, Vendasta and more.
The exciting next wave of Saskatchewan founders.

Chapters

00:00 Joining Conexus and Creating Cultivator

03:22 Attracting Investors and Building Relationships

08:22 Transitioning from Founder to Investor

13:31 The Advantages of Investing in Saskatchewan

18:43 Creating a Flywheel Effect in Saskatchewan

21:19 The Launch of Connect Suspension Capital Fund

24:26 Interesting Companies in Saskatchewan

26:47 The Ambition of the Younger Generation

29:05 Balancing Learning from Others and Staying Authentic

30:55 Dealing with Hard Times

33:45 The Inspiration and Drive Behind Jordan's Work

Keywords

Saskatchewan, tech ecosystem, Cultivator, Conexus Venture Capital, incubator, challenges, community, mentorship, smaller market, ambition, drive

Taz Singh is the Founder of Guild.

Guild is an all-in-one platform for events, presentations, and discussions designed to reduce the burden as communities scale.

Takeaways

People management is a crucial aspect of software development, and building trust within a team is essential for success.
One-on-one meetings focused on annoyances and aspirations can help understand what motivates individuals and build trust within the team.
Rotating team leads and prioritizing tasks based on pain versus frequency can foster collaboration and effective decision-making.
Existing community platforms have limitations, and there is a need for a comprehensive solution like Guild.
Guild is a platform that connects brands with communities and facilitates brand partnerships through a sponsorship marketplace.
Communities can form guilds, which are groups of people with a common interest or craft.
Guilds can be part of larger networks based on geography or interest, allowing for collaboration and value creation.
Government policies that the UK tech space has and what we could potentially implement in Canada.

Chapters

00:00 Patterns and Best Practices in Software Development

09:00 The Genesis of Guild and Lessons from Building Communities

14:50 Challenges of Existing Community Platforms

15:29 Building Trust and Collaboration within Teams

26:17 Driving Value from Corporations to Communities through Sponsorship

28:27 The Power of Guilds and Networks in Community Building

32:04 Automating Brand Partnerships with Guild's Sponsorship Marketplace

35:56 Insights from the Tech Scene in London and Canada

44:13 Exciting Developments for Guild in the Future

45:24 Dealing with Hard Times and Maintaining Fearlessness

47:04 The Importance of Contributing to Your Community

Keywords

consulting, software development, people management, trust, hiring, one-on-one meetings, team leads, pain versus frequency, community, community platforms, events industry, Guild, Guild, sponsorship marketplace, communities, corporations, guilds, networks, automation, brand partnerships

Alanna Lopes Souza is the Seed GM at Drive Capital.

Drive Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in innovative companies with the potential for significant growth.

Founded in 2013 by two former partners at Sequoia Capital, the firm focuses on investing in technology, healthcare, and consumer companies across various stages, from early to growth stage.

Drive Capital aims to support entrepreneurs building businesses outside the traditional startup hubs like Silicon Valley, often focusing on the Midwest and other underrepresented regions.

Takeaways

Alanna's time in investment banking, consulting and joining SSENSE.
Her time as Chief of Staff at SSENSE and the world of fashion.
Her time at Plum Guide which included a global pandemic.
Execution versus strategy.
Drive's unqiue thesis and focus.
The energy in Toronto's tech scene.
Her interest in AI.

Chapters

00:00 Alanna's Career Journey

05:09 The Importance of Execution

11:50 The Vibrant Toronto Tech Scene

36:59 Exploring Opportunities in AI and Healthcare

Keywords

career journey, investment banking, consulting, chief of staff, brand development, fashion industry, Plum Guide, vacation rental, core hosts, Drive Capital, investor, Toronto tech ecosystem, AI, healthcare, value creation, founders, support

Josh Gray is the Co-Founder of Artemis. Artemis aims to automate data cleaning for analytics and AI.

Takeaways

Josh's first venture Guelph Box.
Artemis genesis story.
Data quality is crucial for companies to leverage AI.
Healthcare and B2B SaaS are industries that have shown great traction for Artemis.
Building a strong co-founder relationship.
Making mistakes and learning from the.
Raising capital.
Product-market fit is a combination of factors, including message market fit, market fit for the product, and market readiness to adopt the solution.
Using Slack Connect to message and build trust with early customers.
Why Artemis chose Vancouver to be HQ'd.
Founder-led sales.
Creating true value with AI.

Chapters

00:00 Navigating the Challenges of Running Guelph Box

09:13 The Importance of Data Quality and Scalable Solutions

15:36 Building Strong Co-Founder Relationships

31:25 AI as an Enablement Tool for Value Creation

40:13 Prioritizing Mental and Physical Health in Hard Times

Keywords

founder, Guelph Box, logistics, COVID-19, Artemis, data platform, data quality, scalable solutions, co-founder relationship, learning from mistakes, raising capital, Artemis, product-market fit, customer communication, community building, Vancouver, talent pool, founder-led sales, AI, value creation, mental health, physical health

Tim Lynn is the Co-Founder of Startup TNT and a General Partner at TNT Capital.

Startup TNT connects local startups and entrepreneurs with angels, supporters, and other investors. To date, we have invested over $11.5M in 90+ companies across Western Canada. Their goal is to help you build your startup from your hometown, providing the network, community, and capital to make that happen.Their flagship event, The Startup TNT Investment Summit, connects new and experienced angel investors with startups by investing at least $200K (oftentimes more, up to $500K+) in each local winner, and syndicating deals for other companies that catch the investors' eyes!

Socials - Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok.

Takeaways

-How Startup TNT was started.

-TNT's use of community as due diligence on investments.

-How to build a successful non-profit.

-How to engage non-tech HNW folks to invest in startups.

-How TNT sticks out and builds trust with founders.

-Expansion across Western Canada and beyond and how to scale the experience effectively.

-Building a robust community.

-Why more folks should be investing in their local startup scene.

-TNT's new fund, fundraising, the thesis and more!

Chapters

00:00 From Corporate Finance to Startup TNT

03:21 Building a Collaborative and Inclusive Startup Community

08:10 Attracting Investors and Supporting Local Entrepreneurs

12:34 Startup TNT's Unique Approach to Venture Capital

16:33 The Power of Community in Startup Success

27:41 Building a Strong Network of Investors and Connections

30:54 The Importance of Impactful Pitches

33:35 The Success of TNT's Nonprofit Entity

38:58 Future Goals: Expansion, Bridging Investments, and Larger Fund

41:18 Recommended Books: The Outsiders and Lying for Money

44:40 Personal Connections and Support in Challenging Times

Keywords

startup, community, entrepreneurship, investment, collaboration, startup, TNT, capital, connections, clout, venture capitalists, advisors, community, founders, support, fundraising, pitches, nonprofit, sponsors, government grants, fraud, community building

Antoine Nivard is a Co-Founder and General Partner at Blank Ventures, a $65M inaugural fund, where he invests in seed-stage enterprise and fintech software.

Prior to founding Blank, he had the opportunity to help raise funds and establish Inovia Capital in Silicon Valley and was fortunate to partner with founders building companies like LightspeedCommerce (NYSE:LSPD), 1Password, Magical, BenchSci, Momentum, Vital Biosciences, Poka (acquired by IFS), DarwinAI (acquired by Apple), and many more.

Takeaways

-Early days joining Inovia.

-Launching and growing the Inovia office in SF.

-Discuss the power law and witnessing it firsthand.

-Talent arbitrage when it comes to American tech companies with significant amounts of Canadian employees (ex. Faire).

-Discuss Databricks that has two Canadian founders.

-Why there has been a lack of company formation in Canada.

-Canada needs to focus on building startup mafias, where successful entrepreneurs from companies like Shopify go on to start their own ventures.

-Launching and raising capital for Blank Ventures.

Chapters

00:00 Background and Joining Inovia

04:30 Experience at Inovia

11:02 Impact of Witnessing the Power Law

15:57 Talent Arbitrage in American Companies

18:38 Lack of Company Formation in Canada

25:30 Building a Startup Mafia in Canada

34:20 Focus on Blank Ventures

48:37 Favorite Book and Excitement for 2024

52:18 Dealing with Hard Times

54:16 Closing Remarks

Tyson Birchall is the Managing Director of Longbow Capital.

Longbow Capital is a private equity investment management company based in Calgary, Alberta that invests in the North American energy, power and technology sectors.

They invest in innovative companies that are doing things differently; companies that help bring energy to the world in the most efficient, cost effective and environmentally responsible manner.

Since being founded in 1997, Longbow has been a long-term strategic partner and an engaged and effective shareholder in over 150 high-growth investments.

Takeaways

-Tyson's time in investment banking provided valuable skills such as entrepreneurship, thinking on your feet, and client service.

-History of Longbow.

-Tyson's concept of "The Holy Trinity" when it comes to energy transition investing.

-Longbow's unqiue investment thesis when it comes to investing in energy transition and how it differs from other climatetech investors.

-What Longbow looks for in the leadership team when investing.

-Knowing the right time to sell a business.

-Growing AUM as a private equity firm.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

05:02 Investing in the Energy Space: Backing the Right Teams

12:08 Longbow's Approach to Energy Transition

25:50 Knowing When to Sell a Business

32:54 Navigating Hard Times

Keywords

investment banking, entrepreneurship, energy space, energy transition, management teams, CO2 emissions, AUM, trust, hard times

Craig Follett is the Co-Founder and CEO of Peggy.

Peggy is the social marketplace to buy and sell contemporary art. Peggy partners with galleries and artists, to make living with art accessible to all. Finally, you can buy incredible art at a price you can afford, and can later rehome an artwork with a fellow collector if your tastes change.

Peggy does good by the artists themselves, who can finally earn artist royalties for all future secondary sales as well - something they miss out on today. This is all made possible using sophisticated and proprietary AI and ML which keeps buyers and sellers protected.

Follow Peggy on Instagram!

Takeaways

Craig's internship at Spin Master inspired his entrepreneurial journey.
Universe, Craig's previous venture, was a sharing economy platform that evolved into a ticketing and event management platform and was acquired by Live Nation/Ticketmaster.
How Craig learned about the art world by attending Art Basel.
Authentication in the art world and how Peggy does it at scale.
Parallels between Universe and Peggy.
Network effects that drive Peggy.
Raising capital.
The importance of co-founder relationships.
Peggy addresses challenges faced by artists and collectors, such as provenance, catalogue raisonné and collecting royalties.
The impacts of AI, VR and other technologies on the art world.

Chapters

00:00 Spin Master and the Inspiration for Entrepreneurship

06:13 The Genesis Story of Universe

11:02 The Motivation Behind Starting Peggy

27:35 Lessons Learned from Raising Capital

32:30 The Excitement for AI Advancements

38:25 The Value of Investors with Marketplace Experience

42:05 Join the Art Revolution with Peggy

Keywords

Spin Master, Universe, acquisition, entrepreneurship, Peggy, art market, art, royalties, AI, authentication, co-founder relationships, network effects, challenges, future

Moien Giashi is a Principal at GreenSky Ventures.

GreenSky Capital is one of the top Canadian venture capital firms (according to CVCA 2021, 2022, 2023) with a focus on early-stage Canadian startups in B2B SaaS and deeptech.

Takeaways

Transitioning from academia to venture.
Deep tech investments require strong IP and moat.
There is a perception of higher risk and longer wait times for returns in deeptech.
Successful commercialization requires a combination of policy changes, university support, education, and funding.
Common challenges that academic founders face when scaling their deeptech ventures.
Showing ROI and educating LPs on deeptech.
Education around venture capital as an asset class is needed to increase interest and understanding.
The content strategy of GreenSky aims to educate and support founders.
GreenSky's new fund

Chapters

00:00 From Academia to the Venture Space

08:13 The Focus on Deep Tech at GreenSky

11:44 The Importance of Intellectual Property in Deep Tech Investments

13:49 The Limited Number of Deep Tech Investors in Canada

22:46 Challenges Faced by Deep Tech Founders

26:13 Attracting Canadian LPs and Institutions to Deep Tech

30:04 The Importance of Education in Venture Capital

30:32 Adding Value to Startups through Expertise and Support

33:28 Sourcing Quality Deals through Referrals and Ecosystem Partnerships

35:52 Educating and Supporting Founders through Content Strategy

38:05 Investment Focus and Check Size of GreenSky

42:49 Supporting a Spouse's Startup Journey

44:27 Dealing with Hard Times: Journaling and Seeking Support

47:28 Rejections in Fundraising: It's Not a Reflection of the Company

Keywords

academia, venture space, commercialization, research projects, deep tech, intellectual property, IP, deep tech investors, funding, deep tech founders, business skills, deep tech, Canada, ROI, venture capital, education, value add, deal flow, content strategy, fund structure, rejection, support

Rebecca Mazzara is the Founder and CEO of Calita Intimates.

Underwear is our most intimate piece of clothing. Calita believes you should have it all. Beautiful, comfortable underwear - made ethically.

Use code: EVAN20 for 20% off your Calita order!

Takeaways

-Being an early hire on the Shopify Plus team

-How Rebecca met her first manufacturer and designed her first run of product.

-The importance of unit economics.

-Building a brand that resonates with customers involves being authentic, relatable, and responsive to their needs.

-Being a solo founder and how to find and use advisors.

-Why TikTok has been a huge channel for Calita.

-Deciding to produce your product in North America or overseas, pros and cons to both.

-Bootstrapping versus raising capital.

Chapters

00:00 Rebecca's Journey from Shopify to Calita

06:30 Launching Shopify Plus and the Startup Within a Startup

14:43 Making the First Run of Product

34:29 Challenges and Rewards of Being a Solo Founder

Keywords

Rebecca Mazzara, Calita, Shopify, entrepreneurship, networking, collaboration, brand building, marketing, manufacturing, bootstrapping, raising capital, unit economics

Marley Alles is the Founder of rax.

rax is Canada's peer-to-peer wardrobe rental app. You can borrow, lend, sell, and buy clothes all on one platform. You can make and save money on your closet

Takeaways

-Non-technical founder learning no code low code tools and finding SWEs.

-Managing logistics on a local and national level.

-Building, scaling and maintaining a marketplace.

-Driving repeat usage through the product.

-Influencer strategy.

-Different pricing models, such as subscriptions, to enhance the user experience.

-Launching a new app and driving growth are exciting prospects for the future of Rax.

Keywords

Marley Alles, Rax, early career, fashion rental, peer-to-peer, marketplace, logistics, demand generation, repeat usage, technical talent, influencer strategy, pricing models

Vaneezeh Siddiqui is an Investor at Thomson Reuters Ventures.

Thomson Reuters Ventures is an early-stage corporate venture firm. They invest in companies at the seed and series A stages building in tax, legal, fraud, risk, compliance, insurtech, and fintech.

Takeaways

-Breaking into VC early in her career through Front Row Ventures and other experiences.

-What makes Thomson Reuters Ventures unique with their thesis, average check size and stage.

-Building credibility and trust with a founder when you an earlier career VC.

-Building relationships internally to make sure a deal gets done.

-The VC and tech ecosystem in Toronto versus NYC.

-There is a need for more resources and thought leadership in the venture capital industry, especially for those interested in breaking into VC.

Chapters

00:00 First Exposure to Venture Capital

07:00 Focus on What You Care About

13:56 Thomson Reuters Ventures: Series A Focus

26:37 Moving Deals Forward

37:30 Investment Focus Areas

45:23 Advice for Aspiring VCs

Keywords

venture capital, exposure, innovation, entrepreneurship, business, tech, software development, Front Row Ventures, pre-seed, student-led, investing, Ripple Fellowship, founders, investors, relationships, research, industries, venture capital, building rapport, moving deals forward, Toronto vs New York, investment focus areas, supporting aspiring VCs, mentorship, community, resources, thought leadership, personal goals, professional goals, advice

Eva Chan is the Co-Founder of Launch Pop.

Launch Pop is a venture studio working with founders to build eCommerce brands that dominate their category. Some notable companies built from their research, design and growth include - More Labs/Morning Recovery, Marlow, Liquid IV, IMMI and many more!

Takeaways

-Building an ecom venture studio.

-What does brand actually mean and how to build one for the modern buyer.

-GTM and launch strategy for ecom brands.

-Shift in ecom from huge valuations and rounds to margins and seeking sustainable growth.

-When should ecom brands look at an omnichannel strategy.

-Why CAC can be a trap for early-stage founders.

-Why basket sizes are growing and consumers are now comfortable making $1000+ purchases online.

-How founders should think about ecom apps.

Chapters

00:00 Eva's Journey in Design School

09:52 The Venture Studio Model

28:58 Balancing Data and Intuition

35:23 The Importance of Premium Brands

43:47 Final Message: Taking Things Lightly and Having Fun

Keywords

Eva Chan, LaunchPop, design school, Exact Media, e-commerce, product innovation, brand building, data-driven decision-making, community building, nurturing inner genius

Chris Gilpin is the CEO of OrderUp (acquired by Wealthsimple).

OrderUp's Point of Sale helps restaurants improve Front of House efficiency by 66% by empowering guests to order and pay from their phones.

Chris also Co-Founded Turnstyle Solutions (acquired by Yelp) and Ascendent a reinsurance business focused on bitcoin.

Takeaways

Working at Apple and chatting with Steve Jobs.

The hacky way they got restaurants to use Turnstyle.

The acquisition of Turnstyle by Yelp and learnings.

Chris's interest in Bitcoin led to the creation of Ascendant Capital, a reinsurance company that provides managed exposure to the Bitcoin space.

Launching OrderUp during the pandemic and being acquired by Wealthsimple.

Chris's thoughts on the Toronto tech scene.

Insights into loyalty marketing.

How to evaluate ideas and a process to turn them into a business.

The importance of meditation in Chris's life.

Chapters

00:00 Chris's time at Western and decision to pursue dual degrees

01:13 Chris's experience working at Apple

06:09 Starting TurnStyle and the motivation behind it

09:29 Scaling TurnStyle and the challenges faced

12:00 The acquisition of TurnStyle by Yelp

14:08 Chris's interest in Bitcoin and the creation of Ascendant Capital

23:48 Creation of OrderUp and interest in the POS and online ordering space

24:11 Passion for Supporting Restaurant Operators

25:08 The Seamless Integration of WeChat in Restaurants

25:37 Pivoting to Online Ordering and Payment

26:07 Challenges with Integrating with Point of Sale Systems

27:04 Becoming a Point of Sale System

27:54 The Wealthsimple Acquisition

29:28 The Toronto Tech Scene

30:27 Funding Challenges in Canada

31:19 Future Potential in Loyalty Marketing

32:03 Bridging the Gap Between Online Advertising and Offline Transactions

36:05 Chris' Process for Starting New Ventures

39:32 Chris' Focus and Future Plans

40:44 Favorite Books: 'The Bitcoin Standard' and 'How to Create a Mind'

42:33 Dealing with Hard Times: Importance of Having a Co-founder and Meditation

45:27 Encouragement to Learn About Money and Rethink the Monetary System

Eunice Wu is the Co-Founder and CEO of Asepha.

Asepha makes it easy for pharmacists to automate manual tasks so they can focus on clinical work.

Takeaways

Pivot from being a pharmacist to a startup founder.

Importance of building a solution with domain expertise and a deep understanding of the problem.

Building in a heavy regulatory, compliant and security-focused industry.

Leveraging AI to create value for pharmacists.

Tech fatigue in pharmacies and how Asepha combats it.

Integrating easily into a pharmacist's workflow and creating an unlock versus a block.

How to leverage accelerator programs to a founder's benefit.

Running a lean team with lots of runway and why it is becoming the norm.

Chapters

00:00 Interest in Pharmacy and Pursuing a Career

04:07 Building a Co-Founder Relationship

09:06 Building User-Friendly Software for Pharmacists

15:05 Geographical Variations in Pharmacy Regulations

27:45 Building Trust and Security with Larger Pharmacy Chains

32:20 Learning as a First-Time Founder

Keywords

pharmacy, tech, pharmacist, software, medication review, AI, workflow, compliance, security, accelerator programs, community

Daniel Spataro is the Co-Founder and CEO of IntegrationOS.

Use IntegrationOS to rapidly launch new integrations, remove costly data silos and build connected apps that perform at the scale your customers demand. All at a price your CFO will love.

Takeaways

-Pivot from an agency model to a scalable product-led organization

-Why integrations are so crucial but a pain to maintain and build.

-The importance of security and privacy with integrations

-Why they focus on enterprise integrations for B2B companies.

-Discuss the importance of open source software (OSS).

-The Toronto tech ecosystem

-Nuances to selling to SWEs

-Using Slack as a quick customer support channel

-Utilizing LLMs and AI in integrations

Chapters

00:00 Dan's Journey and Early Work

08:55 Early Investor Conversations

23:53 People Behind Integrations

30:29 Building a Developer Tool and Selling to Developers

37:27 Thriving in the Toronto Tech Ecosystem

Keywords

journey, university, IntegrationOS, SaaS enterprise tools, challenges, agency model, product scaling model, pain point, integrations, privacy, security, mid-market, enterprise, open source, Integration OS, Toronto tech ecosystem, large language models, generative AI, automating integrations, pricing model, usage-based billing, customer support, dealing with hard times

Ryan Freeman is the Global Head of Partnerships at Deel.

Deel is the all-in-one Global People Platform that simplifies and streamlines every aspect of managing an international workforce—from culture and onboarding, to local payroll and compliance. Their industry-leading suite of HR tools, payroll solutions, mobility services, and compliance expertise makes it possible for companies of all sizes to scale globally with unmatched speed and flexibility.Today, Deel serves over 25,000+ companies worldwide—from small teams to publicly traded enterprise businesses.

Ryan is also a Strategic Advisor at Lula Convenience and Switch Growth as well as a Venture Partner at Ripple Ventures.

Takeaways

Ryan's background at Turnstyle (acquired by Yelp), DoorDash, GoBolt and now Deel.

What "partnerships" truly means.

Balancing speed and deal quality.

Building relationships quickly and effectively when it comes to partnerships.

Creativity when it comes to deep and complex partnerships.

Building partnerships remotely as well as working with team members remotely.

Advice for early-stage founders when it comes to partnerships and business development.

Chapters

00:00 Ryan's Career Journey: Consulting to Startups

06:51 DoorDash and the Impact of the Global Pandemic

11:16 GoBolt and the Importance of Sustainability

28:38 The Depth and Creativity of Partnerships

33:58 Advice for Early-Stage Companies Exploring Partnerships

Keywords

career journey, management consulting, startups, acquisition process, partnerships, alignment, remote work, speed vs deal quality, creativity, execution, documentation, breadth of experience, focusing on the positives

Akshay Maharaj is the Co-Founder of Aview International.

Aview (Techstars '23) is a global content management platform enabling creators and enterprises to monetize their media to international audiences. Our one-click solution offers multi-language translation, voiceover dubbing, global distribution and brand deal opportunities.

Takeaways

International expansion is important for creators to prolong their careers and increase monetization opportunities

Creators should consider creating separate channels for different languages to tap into new markets

Distribution and monetization are key aspects of Aview's platform, helping creators reach global audiences and secure brand deals

Creator brands are a growing trend, but success may vary.

Understanding the audience and their preferred platforms and content formats is crucial for creators.

Snapchat is emerging as a platform with high monetization opportunities for creators.

Creators should focus on one social platform and become a leader in that space.

Paywall platforms can be challenging unless the content is perceived as highly valuable.

Longevity in content creation requires building a brand or business beyond just creating content.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:20 The Genesis Story of Aview and Getting in Front of Creators

06:17 From Subtitles to Internationalization: The Evolution of Aview

09:04 The Importance of International Expansion for Content Creators

11:49 Monetization Opportunities in Different Regions

25:08 Trends in Platforms: Understanding the Audience

25:31 Trends in Content Formats: Short Form vs Long Form

26:27 The Rise of Snapchat and Creator Monetization

28:19 The Streaming Wars and the Future of Content

30:57 Challenges and Considerations of Paywall Platforms

35:37 Strategies for Long-Term Success as a Creator

38:41 The Role of Video Optimization and Growth Hacking

41:13 The Power of Mindset in Overcoming Challenges

44:02 Taking Action as an Aspiring Entrepreneur

Keywords

Aview, content creators, international expansion, monetization, creator brands, platforms, content formats, social media platforms, creator monetization, content format, paywall platforms, long-term success, video optimization, growth hacking, mindset, entrepreneurship

Stephen Jagger is the Co-Founder of addy.

addy makes real estate investment accessible to everyone, through crowdfunding properties and letting anyone invest. Canadians over the age of majority in all provinces and territories can invest - https://addyinvest.ca/

Takeaways

-Building strong co-founder relationships

-addy enables regular Canadians to invest in institutional commercial real estate at any dollar amount.

-How addy adds value to real estate owners and developers.

-addy's software streamlines the investment process and provides transparency for investors and issuers.

-US expansion for addy

-Discussion around the current housing market and interest rates.

-addyone membership offers benefits like faster money transfers,

-New plans to introduce debt opportunities on the platform.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:18 Lessons from a Serial Entrepreneur

08:55 The Genesis of addy

13:40 Enabling Regular Canadians to Invest in Commercial Real Estate

25:30 Vetting Opportunities and Providing Transparent Information

26:55 Automated Tax Reporting and Investor Relations

28:02 US Expansion and Access to Different Currencies

29:31 Enabling Canadians to Invest in US Real Estate

31:34 The Benefits of the addyone Membership

35:06 In-Person Events and Community Building

40:53 Scaling Up and Introducing Debt Opportunities

44:42 Personal and Professional Goals for the Future

44:57 Dealing with Hard Times and Finding Support

47:40 Encouraging Users to Join the addy Platform

Keywords

entrepreneurship, co-founder relationship, Addy, real estate, investment platform, institutional commercial real estate, trust-building, transparency, Addy, investment platform, real estate, software automation, US expansion, tax complications, AdiOne membership, events, government intervention, scaling, debt opportunities, support

Willson Cross is the Co-Founder & CEO of Borderless AI.

Borderless AI is a global payroll solution that leverages the power of generative AI to automate and speed up the process of onboarding, managing, and paying international team members.

Takeaways

Dropping out of NYU and starting GoFetch.

Going through a successful acquisition of GoFetch.

The importance of timing.

Building a world-class team.

How to truly add value to customers while leveraging AI.

Prioritize deep domain expertise and startup experience when hiring.

Tips to raising capital effectively.

Maintaining and building strong co-founder relationships.

Chapters

00:00 From NYU to Startup

03:28 Lessons Learned from the Acquisition of GoFetch

07:31 Borderless AI: Revolutionizing HR for International Teams

27:57 Introduction

28:04 The Importance of Co-Founder Relationships

34:44 Building a World-Class Team

39:01 Hiring for Deep Domain Expertise and Startup Experience

44:44 Effective Communication and Problem-Solving in Managing People

48:35 Taking the Leap: Starting Your Own Venture

52:35 Conclusion

Keywords

entrepreneurship, startup, technology, mentors, acquisition, AI, HR, team building, fundraising, co-founder relationships

Byron Thom, Investor, Mentor and Board Member.

Byron’s CV...

Engineering undergrad
IP Lawyer
Co-Founder of Optigo Networks
Investor at BDC’s IT Venture Fund
Investor at Framework Venture Partners
Corp Dev at Cymax Group Technologies
Governor on the UBC Board of Governors
Angel, Mentor and more.

Takeaways

How an engineering undergrad, law school and work as an IP lawyer influence Byron’s investing lens.
The importance of team, market, and technology in VC.
His first time as a founder of Optigo Networks.
BDC’s role in Canada’s tech ecosystem.
The spinoff of Framework Venture Partners from BDC.
A good versus a great board member.
The power of storytelling.
The VC ecosystem is facing challenges in raising funds, and policymakers should support VC to ensure a vibrant tech ecosystem in Canada.
Canada should leverage its leadership in AI and increase investment to commercialize, ensuring it remains a global leader.
Thoughts on the Vancouver tech scene.
Why UBC creates such an impact on the BC economy and tech ecosystem.

Chapters

00:00 From Engineering to Law

06:53 Venture Capital and BDC

09:34 BDC's Role in the Canadian Tech Ecosystem

22:13 Investing in Founders

26:57 The Power of Storytelling

29:07 Back to an Operator Role at Cymax

29:25 The Growth of E-commerce and the Paradigm Shift in Buying and Selling

32:14 Qualities of a Great Board Observer and Board Member

35:08 UBC's Impact in Various Sectors and its Importance in British Columbia

40:49 The Thriving Vancouver Tech Scene and Focus Areas

44:43 The Need for Canada's Investment in AI and Commercialization

53:08 Challenges and Future of the VC Ecosystem

56:21 The Role of BDC in Supporting Venture Capital

Keywords

law, engineering, technology, co-founder, venture capital, IP, patents, BDC, Framework Venture Partners, angel investing, team, market, technology, storytelling, Cymax, BTC portfolio, e-commerce, paradigm shift, board observer, UBC Board of Governors, Vancouver tech scene, biotech, climate tech, AI, blockchain, Canada, AI strategy, productivity, investment, VC funds, PE funds, BDC, federal election

Keith Ippel is the Co-Founder of Spring Activator, Spring Investing Collective and Spring Impact Capital.

Spring Activator helps entrepreneurs to change the world. We provide the tools, training, and network to values-driven entrepreneurs from launch to $1.5M in revenue.

Spring Investing Collective exists to help everyone have the opportunity to invest for people, the planet and profit. Through the Investing Collective, investors become empowered through experiential education, be in community with like-minded investors, and access the best early-stage impact investing opportunities in Canada.

Spring Impact Capital invests in Canadian changemakers at the early stages of their company journeys to promote scalable innovation in planet and human health. They invest in founders to scale innovations for a more sustainable, healthy and equitable world.

Takeaways

Invoke Labs was the birthplace of Hootsuite and one of the first venture studios in Vancouver.
A great idea versus a good idea.
The importance of team over an idea.
What does impact mean to Keith and Spring from an investment standpoint.
Spring's geographic expansion and impact.
Keith looks for founders with a clear vision, hustle, adaptability, and a focus on revenue generation.
Build strong communities.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Invoke Labs

01:10 Creation of Invoke Labs and the Venture Studio Model

05:34 Timing and Tailwinds for Spring Activator

06:00 Differentiating Good Ideas from Great Ideas

07:48 Evolution of Spring Activator

09:47 Importance of Accelerator Programming

10:12 Characteristics of a Great Accelerator

12:09 Importance of Connections Beyond Capital

13:22 Key Considerations for Founders

15:36 Introduction of Spring Impact Capital

18:40 Introduction of the Spring Investing Collective

20:03 Challenges Faced by Impact Startups

22:15 Building Strong Communities

24:52 Geographic Expansion of Spring

27:35 Global Perspectives and Learnings

30:14 Vancouver Tech Scene and Future Growth

33:09 Investment Criteria and Qualities of Founders

36:01 Future Plans for Spring

39:07 Dealing with Hard Times

41:06 Favorite Books and Excitement for the Future

43:34 Final Message

Kyle Folk is the CEO of Ground Truth Agriculture.

Ground Truth Ag's solution will improve the process of obtaining and grading grain samples. This solution will enable farmers to view and maintain records of their grain quality in real-time, directly on the combine, and use that information to manage risk and increase income. This technology will eliminate discrepancies and save time and money for both farmers and the companies that buy their grain.

Takeaways

-Growing up in a farming family sparked an obsession with agtech

-Kyle's first business IntraGrain Technologies, the acquisition and learnings

-During an acquisition realize the importance of maintaining focus on running the business and not getting caught up in the acquisition process.

-The biggest challenge in agtech is addressing tech fatigue and platform overload among farmers by designing user-friendly platforms that can integrate with other tools.

-The current grading process is subjective and time-consuming, leading to inefficiencies and potential financial losses for farmers.

-Utilizing computer vision and AI to unlock value for farmers.

-Building a software + hardware business and the challenges behind that.

-How agtech companies find distribution and get in front of farmers.

Chapters

00:00 From Farming to Ag Tech: Kyle Folk's Journey

06:26 Lessons Learned from the Acquisition of IntraGrain

25:04 Challenges in the Grading Process

33:33 The Importance of Data in Grain Grading

43:02 The Potential Impact of Automated Grain Grading

Keywords

Ag Tech, agriculture, grain monitoring, grain grading, technology, acquisition, machine vision, AI, data fatigue, platform integration, ground truth, machine vision, grain grading, agriculture, AI, computer vision, customer support, ag tech, reputation

Alex Barrett is the Co-Founder and CEO of Meroka, Alex is also the Co-Founder and General Partner at Boon Fund.

Meroka's mission is to make independent practice ownership the default path for physicians in all specialties.

Meroka believes that care delivered in the independent setting produces superior patient outcomes at a lower cost. By breaking down barriers to successfully operate an independent practice, they aim to empower more physicians to choose ownership over employment and swing the pendulum away from consolidation. Because healthcare deserves to be personal, not corporate.

Takeaways

-Early Inovia and Alex's tactic of building common ground with founders

-The ups and downs at RenoRun

-Boon Fund, operators backing operators and why that is an advantage

-Raising money for Meroka as a previous and current investor

-B2B SaaS has become saturated, opening the door for models like Meroka inspired by Constellation Software and Valsoft

-Meroka's business model and focus on the US market

-Building and maintaining co-founder relationships

-The need for higher risk appetite and getting rid of the fear of failure in Canadian tech

Chapters

00:00 Early Days at Inovia

02:27 Building Confidence and Selling Skills

05:13 Lessons from RenoRun

07:30 Boon Fund: Operator-led Investing

09:17 Genesis of Boon Fund

11:39 Boon Fund's Unique Perspective

14:12 Genesis of Meroka

21:08 Focus Areas for Meroka

23:25 Finding the First Hundred Customers for Meroka

25:48 Different Types of Buyers in Medical Practices

29:54 Raising Money for Meroka

33:03 Strategy for Investors in Meroka

34:13 Importance of Co-founder Relationship

36:24 Building a Team and Hiring

38:23 Expressing Vision and Mission

40:51 Canadian Tech Scene and Risk Appetite

44:34 Favorite Book and Excitement for the Future

47:09 Career Trajectory and Reaching Potential

Fatima Zaidi is the Founder and CEO of Quill, a Lecturer at the University of Toronto and Co-Chair of Tech4SickKids.

Quill is an award-winning podcast production agency, specializing in branded content and podcast marketing.They produce podcasts for enterprise-level brands that are looking for content that achieves maximum impact and results. Working with companies like PwC, Expedia, Emergent BioSolutions, SickKids Foundation, and TD, they bring their brand’s story to life to drive reach, engagement, and growth through podcasts.Quill is also the owner of the podcast analytics and audience insights tool, CoHost which provides their clients with deeper data on who their listeners are and what resonates with their content.

Takeaways

Genesis story behind Quill.

Quill's bootstrapped journey.

Debunking the myth behind podcast saturation.

How brands/companies should think about podcasts.

Why podcasts are one of the strongest content mediums.

Differences between creator and brand-led podcasts.

Analytics in podcasting and what led to Quill's product CoHost.

Why niche audiences are the most powerful.

Chapters

00:00 Early Career Moves and Transition to Startups

01:21 Making the Jump to Start Quill

05:27 The Power of Timing and Positioning

07:23 The Value of Authentic Content in Podcasting

09:44 Unlocking the Potential of Podcasting for Brands

10:16 Debunking Myths About Podcasting

12:49 The Importance of Podcast Strategy for Brands

13:22 Creating Authentic Conversations in Podcasting

14:57 The Power of Podcasts as a Medium

20:56 The Birth of CoHost and the Need for Better Analytics

23:08 The Importance of Niche Audiences in Podcasting

25:23 Monetization and Attribution for Brands

26:54 B2B Analytics Tool and Sales Strategies

28:13 Hiring and Team Building

30:36 Bootstrapping vs. Raising Money

33:30 Synergy between Agency and Tech Product

35:36 The Importance of Advisors and Community

42:56 The Future of Podcasting

44:26 Favorite Books and Podcasts

47:16 Personal and Professional Excitement

48:32 Dealing with Hard Times

50:04 Imposter Syndrome and Advocating for Yourself

Sang Lê was the Co-Founder and CEO of Peko (acquired by Fresh Prep).

Peko is Western Canada’s first “peculiar” & surplus grocery delivery service, on a mission to fight food waste. As of February 2023, they became a part of Fresh Prep Foods - Canada’s most sustainable meal kit delivery service.

Takeaways

Effectively leveraging internships.

Genesis story behind Peko.

How to find advisors and mentors.

How to build a following through effective earned media, pitch competitions and more.

Learnings from the acquisition and what post-acquisition life is like.

Chapters

00:00 Early Founder Experiences

03:11 Internships and Experiments

09:13 Genesis of Peko

13:48 Building Relationships and Scaling

22:59 Acquisition and Post-Acquisition

27:35 Advice and Mentors

35:21 Favorite Book and Excitement

37:56 Dealing with Hard Times

38:55 Closing Message

Tarun Sachdeva is the Co-Founder and CEO of Gitwallet.

Gitwallet is a toolkit for open-source maintainers to commercialize their services for their repos and ecosystems. We help leading maintainers create robust support offerings, sell across channels, and grow their businesses.

Tarun also has some great writing on his blog.

Takeaways

What makes UWaterloo and the co-op program so legendary.

Working on the very first AWS team as an intern. AWS started as a mobile team called Amazon Anywhere.

His experience building and leading product teams at Wattpad.

Great products vs. good products.

Nuances to launching products at startups vs. scaleups.

Dive into open source software (OSS) and why Tarun is building in the space.

How Gitwallet helps OSS maintainers commercialize more effectively.

Why the Toronto tech scene has renewed energy and excitement.

Chapters

00:00 UWaterloo and the Co-op Program

05:08 Working on the Original AWS Team

10:03 Time at Wattpad

13:15 Interest in Product and Product Leadership

16:38 Launching Products at Different Stages

23:09 Genesis of Gitwallet

29:12 Commercialization of Open Source

34:14 Toronto Tech Scene

42:37 Dealing with Hard Times

Shawn Adrian is the Founder of Input Logic.

Input Logic is a digital product studio in Nanaimo, BC founded in 2011. They launch beautifully crafted web and mobile apps for brands and startups.

Takeaways

Don't be shy to talk about money and value when freelancing.

Finding product-market fit requires a combination of timing, luck, and intuition.

Building a great product studio involves talent retention and focusing on the craft. Hiring great talent and retaining them is crucial for a successful product studio. It's important to find people who love the craft and allow them to focus on it.

When choosing clients, it's ideal to work with founders who are building zero-to-one products and are willing to take a scrappy approach.

Aligning craft with business constraints requires prioritizing goals, problem-solving, and making decisions on scope and features based on potential revenue impact and customer value.

Launching an MVP involves focusing on design, bug-free execution, and providing value to end users. Iteration and feedback are essential for continuous improvement.

Growth and feedback can be challenging, and it's important to implement metrics and provide clients with tools to make data-driven decisions. Learning from successful growth-focused founders can provide valuable insights.

Equity deals should be evaluated based on the founder's experience, network, and the involvement of trusted individuals.

Chapters

00:00 Early Interest in Design

01:29 Freelancing and Best Practices

05:49 Input Logic and Quote Robot

10:00 Starting Input Logic

14:01 Finding Product-Market Fit

24:34 Building a Great Product Studio

27:43 Hiring and Retaining Talent

28:36 Finding the Right Clients

30:10 Sweet Spot for Revenue

31:14 Aligning Craft with Business Constraints

33:09 Launching and Iterating on Products

34:18 Growth and Feedback

39:02 Equity Deals

40:26 Favorite Books

42:13 Personal Excitement for the Year

45:57 Professional Goals for the Year

46:07 Dealing with Hard Times

49:25 Passion for Canadian Founders

Faye Pang is the Canadian Country Manager at Xero.

Xero is a global small business platform with 3.95 million subscribers which includes a core accounting solution, payroll, workforce management, expenses and projects. Xero also has an extensive ecosystem of connected apps and connections to banks and other financial institutions helping small businesses access a range of solutions from within Xero’s open platform to help them run their business and manage their finances. Xero is a FIFA Women’s Football partner.

Faye is an LP in Women's Equity Lab. Canada’s first all-female early-stage investment fund fostering an environment to learn and invest while supporting the next generation of game-changing companies.

Takeaways

Joining Uber Eats Canada when it had 6 people and grew the team to 120+.

The realities of joining a fast-growing, demanding early-stage company.

Hiring practices, a sense of urgency, and a collaborative culture contribute to attracting and retaining high-quality talent.

Launching Uber Freight in Canada.

Joining Xero Canada and bringing lessons and learnings from Uber.

Selling to enterprise customers requires managing expectations, understanding complex decision-making processes, and coaching customers on evaluating new technology.

Women's Equity Lab provides a platform for female investors to support and empower female founders in the tech industry.

Chapters

00:00 Scaling Uber Eats Canada

02:23 Personal Growth and Transformation at Uber

08:09 Experience at Uber Freight

10:24 Transition to Xero

13:24 Role at Xero and Building the Team

16:26 Scaling from 1 to 10

21:00 Women's Equity Lab

35:26 Sales Team Structure at Xero

36:40 Canadian Tech Scene

39:49 Favorite Book

40:53 Excitement for the Future

41:51 Dealing with Hard Times

43:16 Message to Listeners

Vasu Nadella is the Co-Founder and CEO of Vital Bio.

Vital Biosciences has raised $48M+ from Sam Altman, Lachy Groom, Marc Benioff, Northpond Ventures, Labcorp, Inovia Capital and Route 66 Ventures. Vital is bringing to market its revolutionary blood-testing product, the VitalOne. A compact device the size of a desktop computer, VitalOne conducts more than 50 lab-grade test results (95% of routine lab orders), with results available within just 20 minutes. The goal is to enable doctors to conduct tests, diagnose and treat patients in a single visit.

Michael Helander is the President and CEO of OTI Lumionics.
OTI Lumionics specializes in advanced materials for OLED displays and lighting applications. They focused on developing innovative solutions to enhance the performance and efficiency of OLED technology. OTI has raised $55M+ from LG Technology Ventures, Samsung Venture Investment Corporation, UDC Ventures, Anzu Partners and The Family Office of Lee Lau.

Takeaways

Canadian founders should think globally and tackle big problems that can have a global impact.

Dive into the "Tall Poppy Syndrome".

Why Michael and Vasu have decided to build in Canada.

Celebrating successes and creating a culture that supports risk-taking and failure is crucial for the Canadian startup ecosystem.

The Canadian VC ecosystem needs more successes to drive more investment and support for innovative startups.

Retaining talent in Canada requires competitive wages, benefits, and growth opportunities.

Government programs should focus on supporting long-term bets and providing risk capital for early-stage startups.

Chapters

00:00 OTI and VitalBio Background

03:14 Tackling Hard Problems in Canada

06:44 Challenges in the Canadian Ecosystem

12:25 Investment Gap in Canada

19:19 Cultural Shift and Tall Poppy Syndrome

23:12 Retaining Talent in Canada

28:18 Driving the Canadian VC Ecosystem

34:09 Canadian Founders in the US

38:27 Perception of Failure in Canada

41:07 AI Talent in Canada

10:00 Challenges in the Industry

20:00 Advancements in Technology

30:00 Impact on Society

40:00 Future Possibilities

Raquel Urtasun is the Founder and CEO of Waabi.

Waabi is an AI company building the next generation of self-driving technology. With a world-class team and an innovative approach that unleashes the power of AI to “drive” safely in the real world, Waabi is bringing the promise of self-driving closer to commercialization than ever before.

Waabi has raised $83.5M+ from leading investors including Khosla Ventures, Uber, 8VC, Radical Ventures, Golden Ventures, OMERS Ventures, Volvo Group Venture Capital AB, BDC Capital’s Women in Technology Venture Fund, AI luminaries Geoffrey Hinton, Fei-Fei Li, Pieter Abbeel and Sanja Fidler.

Raquel is also a Full Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto and a Co-Founder of the Vector Institute for AI. She previously was the Chief Scientist and Head of R&D at Uber Advanced Technologies Group (ATG).

Takeaways

The best advice that Dara Khosrowshahi the CEO of Uber gave her.

How Waabi's approach differs from Waymo, Cruise, Tesla and other self-driving platforms.

Waabi's unique AI-first approach to self-driving uses a simulation system to train its AI platform and achieve scalability and safety.

Why and how Waabi integrates their hardware solution at the OEM level.

The initial focus of Waabi is on self-driving trucks, which have better unit economics and address the driver shortage in the industry.

How Canada can foster a robust AI ecosystem and reduce brain drain.

How we can foster more and better commercialization from Canadian universities.

Waabi's capital needs, why Raquel chose specific types of investors and her thoughts on capital efficiency.

Chapters

00:00 Early Interest in Self-Driving Cars and Robotics

02:04 Progress in Self-Driving Technology

04:20 The Need for a Revolution in Self-Driving Technology

05:22 Transition to U of T and Uber Advanced Technologies Group

10:20 Focus on Trucking in Self-Driving

13:36 Integration of Hardware and Software in Waabi

16:15 Importance of Scale and Simulation in Self-Driving

21:36 Transition from Professor to Executive to Founder

24:30 Team Composition and Differences in Research and Startups

27:14 Raising Capital and Capital Efficiency

35:28 Building a Strong AI Ecosystem in Canada

39:15 Personal Interests and Motivations

40:43 Excitement for Waabi's Future

46:45 Focus on Safety and Transforming the World

Anish Kaushal is an Associate at Amplitude Ventures.

Amplitude Ventures works with Canada's most promising healthcare companies that share their vision of bringing groundbreaking technologies to patients. Amplitude is focused on building world-class Canadian companies in precision medicine and next-generation medical devices.

Anish also is a writer and content creator of A Niche Experience where he has published 900+ articles, summarized 250+ books and much more.

Website link
Newsletter link
Link to book summaries

Anish is also a Mentor at Front Row Ventures.

Takeaways

Anish's pivot from medicine to venture capital.

Impacts of AI on biotech and therapeutics.

Amplitude's unique thesis in the healthtech space.

Why it takes so much time and money to get a drug to market.

Canadian innovation has created the mRNA vaccine delivery mechanism and insulin.

The need for more early-stage investment to support the growth and success of Canadian healthcare innovations.

Commercializing healthcare technologies in Canada is challenging due to government processes and limited market size.

Anish's content journey with A Niche Experience and where he wants to take it.

Chapters

00:00 Interest in Medicine and Pivot Out

06:12 Transition to Amplitude

09:20 Amplitude's Focus and Thesis

15:21 Biotech and Therapeutics Focus

22:48 Impact of AI in Healthcare

27:10 Commercialization in Canada

32:07 A Niche Experience and the Importance of Learning

39:19 Building a Content Journey and Creating an Independent Media Company

46:21 Dealing with Hard Times and the Importance of Self-Love

Ryan Wilson is the Co-Founder and CEO of Walter.

Walter enables modern, collaborative relationships between law firms and their clients. Their software platform dramatically and immediately reduces the unbillable, frustrating tasks across law firms so legal teams can focus on higher-value billable work. But it’s also transformative for their clients. They get on-demand digital access to their data so they can collaborate with their law firm on everything from executing private financings to managing their cap tables – and beyond.

Takeaways

Take chances on young people and give them opportunities.

Choose investors carefully and prioritize those who share your values.

Building a solid team requires trust, autonomy, and a high-trust environment.

Acquisitions, Ryan has been through multiple, what makes a great one and what things to avoid.

Consider the security and privacy needs of your product from day one.

Create a pricing model that differentiates your product and captures value.

Embrace AI as an enabling technology and focus on building a strong foundational system.

Focus on building a diverse and inclusive ecosystem.

Chapters

00:00 Ryan's Entrepreneurial Journey

03:17 Lessons from Acquisitions

07:45 Identifying Problems and Achieving Product-Market Fit

10:20 Challenges of Digital Innovation

13:30 Addressing Gaps in the Legal Industry

28:50 Pricing Strategy for Walter

34:05 Building a Solid Team

38:44 Investors in Walter

39:15 Dealing with Hard Times

Sam Ifergan is the Founder and Managing Partner of iGan Partners.

iGan Partners is the largest venture capital firm investing in Canada. They empower visionary founders with early-stage capital and the true resources required to grow extraordinary, high-impact companies in Healthcare Technology, Digital Therapeutics, Medical Devices, and Digital Health.

Takeaways

Investing at an early stage in medtech requires a deep understanding of the industry and the ability to navigate long development cycles and regulatory processes.

The Canadian healthcare system could benefit from greater adoption of Canadian technologies and increased support for early-stage companies.

Building and growing a medtech firm requires perseverance, a strong team, and a focus on adding value through expertise and resources.

Commercialization in medtech is a complex process that requires understanding reimbursement, clinical evidence, and the unique sales cycle in healthcare.

Chapters

00:00 Genesis of iGan Partners

01:25 Nuances of the MedTech Space

06:06 Investing at an Early Stage

08:38 The Importance of Imaging in Healthcare

11:29 Geography and Market Scale

13:08 Improving the Canadian Healthcare System

15:38 IP and Research in Canada

19:53 Building and Growing iGan Partners

20:58 Fund Size and Check Size in MedTech

22:30 Common Challenges in MedTech Companies

25:05 Exits and the MedTech Market

26:51 Fundraising Challenges in Canada

29:11 Key Trends in the MedTech Industry

30:15 Value Add and Support for Portfolio Companies

32:10 Commercialization Challenges in MedTech

34:07 Exciting Exits and Elevating the Talent Bar

37:14 The Cycle of MedTech Investments

38:27 Favorite Book and Excitement for the Future

40:14 Dealing with Hard Times

41:42 Message for Entrepreneurs

Stephanie Curcio is the CEO and Co-Founder of NLPatent.

NLPatent is an industry-leading AI-based patent search and analytics platform trusted by Fortune 500 companies, law firms, and research universities around the world.

The platform takes an AI-first approach to patent search; it's built from a proprietary LLM trained on patent data to truly understand the language of patents and innovation.

Users simply describe their invention in full sentences and conceptually relevant results are generated instantly; consistently outperforming human experts on speed and accuracy.

Takeaways

Building trust and addressing concerns around data security is crucial when selling AI technology to law firms.

Continuous improvement, user feedback, and staying ahead of the curve are essential for success as a founder in the AI space.

Choosing the right investors and being capital-efficient are key factors in raising money.

NL Patent is focused on building an end-to-end patent management platform and expanding their product offerings.

The importance of IP and patents is growing, especially in the AI space.

Chapters

00:00 Career Path and Introduction to Patents

01:49 Genesis Story of Starting a Startup

04:28 Approach to Learning and Interest in New Ideas

06:06 How NLPatent Empowers Lawyers

09:54 Difference Between Domain-Specific and General AI Models

13:53 Selling to Law Firms and Lawyers

21:48 Balancing AI Capability and User Experience

25:29 Founder Journey and Maintaining an Edge

25:58 Building a Network and Learning from Others

29:06 Raising Money and Overcoming Challenges

32:38 Choosing Investors and Being Capital Efficient

36:07 The Future of NLPatent

40:07 The Growing Importance of IP and Patents

42:47 Favorite Book and Excitement for the Future

46:44 Dealing with Hard Times as a Founder

48:33 Supporting Canadian Businesses

Drew Taylor is the Co-Founder and CEO of Acorn Biolabs.

Acorn has developed the world’s first non-invasive, follicle-based cell cryopreservation service and has patented cell-based treatments made from a patient’s own hair follicle cells.

Takeaways

Moving from playing MLB baseball to doing his PhD.

Regenerative medicine is needed to address the limitations of prosthetics and improve patient outcomes.

Banking younger cells can provide better results in regenerative medicine and enhance healthspan.

The field of regenerative medicine is gaining momentum, with a focus on anti-aging, longevity, and healthspan.

Raising capital in the regenerative medicine space can be challenging due to the complexity of the field and the need to find investors who understand both the medical and business aspects.

Acorn's banking service involves specialized facilities for processing and storing cells, leveraging existing infrastructure, and ensuring safety and maintenance.

The future of regenerative medicine includes making the storage of younger cells a standard of care and leveraging stem cells for maintenance and performance as individuals age.

Chapters

00:00 Transition from Baseball to PhD

01:35 Lessons from Baseball for Founding a Company

07:06 Identifying the Need for Regenerative Medicine

09:25 The Importance of Collecting Younger Cells

12:17 Driving Factors in the Regenerative Medicine Space

20:17 Team Composition at Acorn

23:38 Raising Capital in the Regenerative Medicine Space

28:03 Acorn's Banking Service and Expansion

30:57 The Future of Acorn and Regenerative Medicine

35:21 Dealing with Hard Times

37:02 Engaging with Regenerative Medicine

Andre Charoo is the Founder and General Partner of Maple VC.

Maple backs founders with Canadian roots...because they build category-defining companies. Andre was the 25th employee at Uber. He is a Venture Partner at Inovia and Co-Chair of The C100.

Takeaways

How Andre raised his first $1M fund and executed his unique Canadian-focused thesis.

What it is like fundraising as an emerging solo GP.

Trends with Canadian founders building in the US.

Canadian founders bring a unique perspective and ambition to the table, often outperforming their peers in the US.

Canadian schools provide a solid foundation for entrepreneurs, but Canadians often have to compete on work product rather than resume alone, which is what gives them an edge.

Canada should focus on reaping the returns from successful startups (North and South of the border) and reinvesting in the ecosystem.

Celebrating Canadian success stories can inspire and motivate young students and entrepreneurs.

Chapters

00:00 Pre-Maple Career

03:41 Founding Maple

08:31 Starting a Venture Capital Firm

22:51 Trends in Canadians Building in the US

27:43 Reaping Returns for Canada

28:08 Celebrating Canadian Success Stories

28:20 Shining a Light on Canadian Startups

32:08 Lessons Learned in Fundraising

37:00 Managing Relationships with Later Stage Founders

41:26 Building the Maple Franchise

45:38 The Future of Maple and Partnerships

48:56 Dealing with Hard Times

49:03 Message to Founders

Cindy Diogo-Kociuba is the Co-Founder of Consoul.

Consoul is a family caregiver wellness platform. Their mission is to connect family caregivers to the resources, learning and support they need to focus on them. Their distinctive approach combines respite services, caregiver learning, and access to resources to tackle burnout directly in one place.

Takeaways

Misconceptions about talent acquisition include not understanding what is being recruited for, only caring about filling the role, and thinking recruiters have no say in the hiring decision.

In a startup environment, talent acquisition requires agility, automation, and a focus on relationship building.

Consoul focuses on the mental health and wellness of caregivers, providing tangible resources and a marketplace for support.

Building a successful B2B2C model involves providing value to both the company and the employees, and finding revenue streams that support the mission of the platform.

Reaching caregivers involves partnerships with employers, grassroots efforts, and word-of-mouth referrals.

Consoul aims to prove the ROI of its platform by measuring retention, productivity, and the impact on caregivers' well-being.

Managing a full-time role while growing a startup requires passion, tenacity, and a balance between personal and professional commitments.

Chapters

00:00 Misconceptions about talent acquisition

05:03 Nuances of talent acquisition in a startup environment

07:14 Genesis story of Consoul

09:56 Identifying the problem and solution for caregivers

12:32 Learning low code, no code and working with technical support

13:09 Balancing content and partnerships in the platform

14:53 Hiring the whole person and psychological safety

22:36 Building a community and connecting caregivers

24:10 Balancing revenue generation and cost-effectiveness

26:33 Measuring success and proving ROI

29:09 Geographical focus on Canada

31:17 B2B2C model and making it successful

36:13 Managing a full-time role while growing Consoul

39:10 Favorite books and personal and professional excitement

44:34 Dealing with hard times and embracing empathy

Jim Estill is the CEO and President of Danby Appliances.

Jim's resume is impressive:

Founder of EMJ Data (acquired by SYNNEX)
Founding Board Member of BlackBerry
Angel in 150+ startups like Miovision, Clearpath Robotics (acquired by Rockwell Automation), PostRank (acquired by Google) and Well.ca
Founding member of Communitech
Order of Ontario and Order of Canada
Active philanthropist

Takeaways

Being a great board member, especially to high-growth companies.

Founding his first business in university.

What it was like being a Founding Board Member at BlackBerry and watching its meteoric rise.

How to be great at sales.

Hiring.

His new focus of acquiring "smoke stack businesses" and applying high-growth principles to unlock value.

His recent acquisition of Arctic Snowplows and future plans.

Chapters

00:00 University of Waterloo Experience

01:10 Starting EMG Data

02:07 Reinventing Himself

03:03 Constant Learning and Seeking Help

04:02 Continual Reinvention and Giving Things Up

05:07 Time Management and Prioritization

06:26 Growth and Change of the Team

07:52 Dealing with Challenging Moments

09:42 Asking for Help and Finding Mentors

11:41 Being a Board Member

14:17 Approach to Sales

16:12 Joining the Board of RIM

17:33 Being a Board Member for High-Growth Companies

19:47 Acquisition of Danby Appliances

22:53 Transition to Danby Appliances

26:38 Changes at Danby Appliances

28:31 Acquisition of Arctic Snowplows

30:46 Acquisition Strategy and Value Add

36:13 Being a Humanitarian and Giving Back

38:37 Favorite Book

39:09 Excitement for the Year

40:08 Dealing with Hard Times

Simran Kang is the Founder and CEO of MyFO.

MyFO is an easy-to-use platform to help you start and grow a family office. Our net worth snapshot, curated guidance and personalized workflows help you securely manage and safe-keep all important information pertaining to your growing family office.

Takeaways

Working at a Big Four firm like PWC provides valuable insights into various businesses and builds strong relationships.

Simran breaks down Family Offices (FOs), what they are, how the operate and make decisions.

How they find FOs which are very under the radar.

The future of MyFO including a potential deal marketplace.

Her role as a Board Member at BC Tech.

Raising her pre-seed round.

Building a team at the earliest stages.

Chapters

00:00 Working at PWC and Joining a Family Office

03:28 Understanding Family Offices

06:22 Identifying the Problem and Launching MyFO

09:19 Unlocking Capital for Family Offices

13:28 Aggregating and Analyzing Data for Family Offices

17:47 Reaching Out to Family Offices

20:10 Raising Money for MyFO

23:19 User Experience and Engagement

25:25 Creating a Deal Flow Marketplace

28:43 Building the MyFO Team

31:37 Building a Strong Tech Community

35:37 Favorite Book and Excitement for the Future

37:53 Dealing with Hard Times

38:44 Message on Financial Literacy

Peter Faist is the Founder and CEO of Staffy.

Staffy is an online, on-demand platform that connects experienced workers with businesses who need their skills on a short- or long-term basis. Using a proprietary mobile and web app, contractors work when they want and businesses hire only when there’s a need. Managing everything from recruitment and vetting to scheduling and payment, Staffy is simplifying the way we work.

Takeaways

Build the business before the app.

How to solve the cold start problem with marketplaces.

How to create successful placements in marketplaces.

How to scale marketplaces.

Pivot from hospitality to healthcare during the pandemic and how Staffy did it successfully.

How Staffy continues to evolve with its new HRIS platform for healthcare.

Sylvia Ng is the CEO of ReturnBear, a platform for circular e-commerce logistics. With over 18 years of experience in technology, Sylvia noticed a gap in the e-commerce industry, where retail returns were costly and difficult for merchants. Now, Sylvia is on a mission to make retail returns accessible for everyone, and better for the planet. Sylvia has worked at eBay and Google, and most recently was General Manager at Shopify where she worked on products to help early-stage e-commerce merchants grow their businesses. In conjunction with her current role, Sylvia is also the founder of Amidira, a Toronto-based startup helping cancer patients with lifestyle content.

ReturnBear is a returns platform powering Canada’s first end-to-end reverse logistics network. Founded in October 2021 with a mission to make returns convenient for consumers, profitable for brands, and better for the planet. Brands using ReturnBear can offer self-serve returns to their customers, along with convenient drop-off options for immediate refunds. They can count on ReturnBear to gain visibility into returns across sales channels, save on return shipping costs, and get products back into forward supply faster.

Takeaways

Sylvia's time at UWaterloo during the dotcom bubble, working at iconic companies like Google and Shopify.

Product management roles can vary across companies and industries, with different focuses on engineering, design, or data-driven approaches.

A new concept to me "micro-forward fulfillment".

How merchants should be thinking about returns from a tech stack, logistics and consumer experience.

The environmental and time-consuming process of returns and how ReturnBear fixes that.

Expanding drop-off locations and implementing micro-forward fulfillment can improve the convenience and profitability of the return process.

Geographic expansion is driven by matching supply and demand and opening hubs in strategic locations.

Chapters

00:00 University Experience and Tech Industry

02:05 Diverse Work Experience

03:40 Working at Google

07:36 Product Role at 500px

09:20 Understanding Product Management

11:48 Product Line at Shopify

13:19 Inspiration for ReturnBear

15:56 Challenges of the Return Process

18:32 Drop-off Locations and Convenience

24:13 Improving Profitability for Merchants

29:49 Logistics Challenges and Solutions

34:07 Transition from GM to CEO

36:10 Team Composition and Culture

38:20 Micro-Forward Fulfillment

43:25 Geographic Expansion

45:19 Favorite Book and Excitement for 2024

47:39 Dealing with Hard Times

47:56 Coping with Depression and Self-Doubt

49:06 Finding Inspiration and Perspective

49:39 Connecting Consumers and Brands

49:54 Opportunities at ReturnBear

Andrew Kim is the CEO and Co-Founder of SHARE.

SHARE is a real estate investment company that streamlines the end-to-end process of buying and managing high-return single-family rental homes on behalf of investors in the US, Canada, and abroad. They make investing in and owning real estate as easy as stocks by enabling investors to reap the benefits of real estate ownership without the burden of full-time landlord duties.

Takeaways

Share aims to make the US single-family rental market more accessible to retail investors by providing institutional-grade asset management.

His early ventures Joyus and Kingmaker.

Andrew's time at Loblaw Digital from the early days to scaling to hundreds of people.

The impact of higher interest rates on real estate.

Venture-backed versus bootstrapped.

Keeping a small and lean team.

Chapters

00:00 Early Ventures: Joyus and Kingmaker

04:00 Joining Loblaw Digital

07:18 Leaving Loblaw Digital and Starting Share

11:23 The US Single-Family Rental Market

16:00 Scaling the Business and Team Composition

21:05 Impact of Interest Rates on Strategy

23:16 Competition and Future Growth

25:18 Motivation and Drive as a Founder

26:13 Team Composition and Lean Operations

28:44 Venture vs. Bootstrap and Maintaining a High-Performing Team

32:15 The Startup Scene in Toronto

34:13 Conversations with VCs and Investors

35:57 Investing in Share vs. Physical Real Estate

39:51 Dealing with Hard Times and Personal Solace

39:58 Final Thoughts and Taking Action

Maxime Courchesne is a VC Investment Manager at Investissement Québec (IQ).

Investissement Québec is the go-to partner for foreign and Québec-based businesses seeking to make a go of it in the province. Working out of 17 offices across Québec and 12 more around the world, their experts have a thorough understanding of your business environment and the unique challenges that Quebec founders face.

Summary

Max Courchesne, a VC investor at Investissement Quebec (IQ), shares insights on the Montreal and Quebec tech ecosystem. He discusses his career journey and the value of diverse experiences in venture capital. Max explains the role of IQ and its unique position as an evergreen institution. He highlights the focus on investing in Quebec ventures with international growth potential. Max also discusses the challenges and advantages for Montreal and Quebec-based startups, the dense investment ecosystem, and the future of the tech scene in the region. He shares his thoughts on deal flow, keeping an edge as an investor, and dealing with hard times.

Takeaways

Investissement Quebec (IQ) is an evergreen institution that provides patient capital and supports businesses in Quebec.

IQ’s VC investment thesis focuses on investing in Quebec ventures with international growth potential.

Montreal and Quebec have a dense and thriving tech ecosystem, with a strong focus on AI and a range of industries.

The diverse and dense VC ecosystem in Quebec with investors like IQ, CDPQ, Amplitude, Brightspark, Luge, Whitestar, Lumira, Inovia, Diagram and more. LPs like Fonds de solidarité FTQ, Teralys and Fondaction. Family offices like Lune Rouge.

IQ provides value-add support to its portfolio companies, including but not limited to financial support, internationalization, technology innovation, supply chain optimization, governance structure, and access to networks and talent.

Chapters

00:00 Max's Career Journey

03:12 The Value of Diverse Experiences in VC

06:09 About Investissement Quebec (IQ)

09:43 Investing in Quebec Ventures with International Growth Potential

10:23 Investment Stages and Evaluating Growth Potential

13:40 The Nature of Evergreen Funds

16:27 The Dense Quebec Investment Ecosystem

18:57 Challenges and Advantages for Montreal and Quebec-based Startups

22:39 The Future of the Montreal and Quebec Tech Scene

23:08 Value Add and Support from IQ

27:01 Exciting Trends in Montreal Tech

31:36 Dealing with Deal Flow in a Specific Region

35:24 Keeping an Edge as an Investor

40:11 Favorite Book Recommendations

43:16 What Max is Excited About in 2024

45:57 Dealing with Hard Times

51:34 Closing Remarks

Akash Vaswani is a General Partner at Velocity Fund.

Velocity Fund is a pre-seed fund spun out of the University of Waterloo to invest in world-changing companies at the earliest stage.

Waterloo grads have started companies like Databricks, Instacart, Faire, Substack, PagerDuty, Top Hat, ApplyBoard, D2L, Avidbots, BufferBox (acquired by Google), Kik, North (Formerly Thalmic Labs, Acquired by Google), Pebble (Acquired by Fitbit), Float, Vidyard and MUCH more.

Takeaways

What makes UWaterloo founders so strong, co-op, professors own their IP, success breeds success and more.

Why the co-op program is so legendary and drives so much impact.

What Velocity Incubator is and why Velocity Fund spun out.

Why UWaterloo is the fourth largest feeder school to Y Combinator after Stanford, Berkley and MIT.

Velocity companies have raised $4.2B with a net equity value of $26B.

Where should founders build? Canada or the US?

Chapters

00:00 Akash's Experience at the University of Waterloo and Introduction to Velocity

04:06 The Power of Velocity and University of Waterloo in Unlocking Entrepreneurial Opportunities

09:42 The Impact of the Co-op Program at the University of Waterloo

13:36 The Role of Velocity in Supporting Startups

18:05 Akash's Journey as a Founder and Investor

21:29 The Thesis and Approach of Alicorn Ventures

29:39 The US-Canada Debate and the Importance of Building in the Right Location

44:42 The Future of the University of Waterloo and Velocity

51:52 Connecting Canadian Entrepreneurs

52:15 Addressing Scarcity Mindset and Funding

Lewis Wynne-Jones is the VP Product at ThinkData Works.

ThinkData Works unlocks the value of external data to grow your business. Connect seamlessly to any source, drive critical insights, and deliver data while retaining visibility and control. Flexible data connections, an intuitive catalogue interface, and a suite of enrichment tools securely deliver data where it needs to be — inside or outside your organization.

Takeaways

Being employee #1 at ThinkData.

Understanding the goals and outcomes of using data is crucial for effective data management.

The shift from a consulting model to a SaaS product requires careful planning and consideration of the market dynamics.

How to think about data from a startup and large company perspective.

Data tools and platforms play a significant role in the data management space, but it's important to remain agnostic and adaptable to different technologies.

AI is a powerful tool for operationalizing data, but it's important to have a pragmatic view and focus on solving real problems.

Building products that are designed for humans and telling a whole story with data are key to delivering value to customers.

Chapters

00:00 The Genesis of Think Data

03:35 Being the First Employee

06:48 Personal Journey at Think Data

13:33 Shift from Consulting Model to SaaS Product

17:18 Shift from External Data to Internal Data

22:06 Impact of Tools and Platforms on Think Data

26:01 The Hype Cycle of AI

29:46 Thinking About Data for Founders and Large Companies

35:19 Making Decisions with Data

39:26 Building and Leading Product

43:47 Dealing with Hard Times

46:25 Data or Data?

48:32 Changing Metrics and Models in Venture Capital

49:32 The Rise of Bootstrapping

50:08 The Importance of Happy Paying Customers

50:52 Reflections and Appreciation

Amodini Chhabra is an Investor at Compass Digital Ventures. Compass Digital Ventures is the Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) arm of Compass Group. They invest in Seed and Series A startups at the intersection of food, retail, and hospitality technology. Their area of interest include frontline employee experience, automation, sustainability tech, restaurant management, convenience economy, omnichannel retail, AI & ML.

Compass Group is one of the largest contract food service companies in the world employing over 500,000 people.

Takeaways

Transitioning from a design background to venture capital.

CDV's unique Pilot, Invest, Scale process for working with early-stage companies.

How to launch, build and create a successful CVC platform.

Unique challenges for the food service industry.

Challenges of CVC include balancing strategic objectives with financial returns and maintaining alignment with the parent company's goals.

Why AI and fintech are interesting areas for Amo right now.

Chapters

00:00 Transition from Design to Venture Capital

02:24 Experience at Boston Consulting Group Ventures

06:19 Joining Compass Digital Labs

09:13 Compass Digital Labs and Compass Digital Ventures

12:01 The Process of Working with Startups

14:28 Strategies for Corporate Venture Capital Success

17:55 Investment Stage and Co-Investment

20:50 Defining the Thesis and Focus Areas

23:45 Deal Flow and Finding Founders

27:36 Unique Challenges in the Food Service Space

31:11 Internal Relationships and Strategic Value

34:29 Incubating In-House Solutions

37:41 Areas of Interest: FinTech, AI, and Procurement

43:52 Favorite Books: 'The Inner Game of Tennis' and 'The Palace of Illusions'

45:45 Excitement for the Future: Driving Innovation and Finding Balance

47:03 Dealing with Hard Times: Mindfulness and Supportive Circle

Rachel Wong is the Co-Founder of Monday Girl.

Monday Girl is the first private members club focused on supporting and connecting next-generation women leaders. Monday Girl offers:

A powerful network of like-minded professionals who can offer guidance, support, and valuable connections
Resources, programming, and mentorship opportunities that can help you grow and develop as a leader in your respective field
Digital and IRL gatherings where members can build genuine connections that can last a lifetime
Email concierge@mondaygirl.ca to learn more
Follow Monday Girl on Instagram

Takeaways

Learnings from being one of the earliest Uber Eats Canada team members.

The genesis story of Monday Girl, a community and mentorship platform for women, and the pain points it addresses.

Going from a side hustle with Monday Girl to fulltime.

Networking can be redefined to be more inclusive and less transactional.

The importance of brand and redefining networking to make it more inclusive and less transactional.

Insights on scaling the community, monetization through sponsorship and membership, and creating successful meetups.

Chapters

00:00 Early Days at Uber Eats Canada

02:10 Genesis Story of Monday Girl

05:41 Building Community and Gathering Feedback

06:11 Scaling the Community

08:20 Brand and Networking

11:08 Different Mediums and Channels

16:05 Redefining Networking

20:01 Mentorship at Monday Girl

22:45 Transitioning to Full-Time

25:41 Scaling the Community

28:00 Monetization and Sponsorship

30:27 Creating Successful Meetups

33:09 Future Focus for Monday Girl

38:00 Favorite Book and Dealing with Hard Times

41:35 Excitement for the Year Ahead

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Alex McIsaac is the Founder and General Partner of Northside Ventures.

Northside Ventures is a pre-seed and seed-stage venture capital firm backing exceptional Canadian founders in the US and Canada with unique insights derived from past experiences that serve as a competitive advantage in their next venture.They invest in a founder’s first round of external capital, often at the point of company inception and ideation. Their typical cheques are $100K-500K.They believe in a generalist approach to early-stage investing, prioritizing categories that can potentially transform our world's future greatly. Core investment categories include artificial intelligence, B2B SaaS, fintech and cleantech.

Takeaways

Operational experience is valuable for venture capitalists, as it provides credibility and a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by founders.

Learnings from being a founder at NRStor (acquired by Blackstone) and an investor at BDC and Global Founders Capital.

The best founders often have experience working at scaled ventures and have solved hard problems, giving them a competitive advantage in their next venture.

How Alex defines an exceptional founder and what characteristics they have.

Outbound sourcing and dealflow strategies Alex uses.

Raising a first-time fund as an emerging manager and solo GP.

Canadian founders are often more conservative and capital-efficient compared to their American counterparts, but the gap is narrowing as the ecosystem matures.

Northside Ventures aims to back exceptional Canadian founders at the earliest stage and believes in the potential for Canada to produce more unicorns in the coming years.

Chapters

00:00 Early Career Moves and Venture Capital

02:24 Founding NRStor and Building a Business

05:30 Transitioning from Venture Associate to Founder

08:07 Joining Global Founders Capital and Gaining Autonomy

10:05 The Importance of Founders in Investment Thesis

13:53 Evaluating Founders and Their Experience

16:57 Differences Between American and Canadian Founders

20:04 Genesis of Northside Ventures

22:20 Considerations for Fund Size and LPs

25:38 Value Add and Supporting Founders

29:39 Sourcing Deal Flow and Identifying Opportunities

36:00 Investments and the Future of Northside Ventures

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Cory Janssen is the Managing Director of AltaML Fund I LP and the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of AltaML. Previously, Cory co-founded Investopedia, a financial education site that provided content and tools to help educate individual investors. From its founding in 1999, Investopedia became one of the most popular financial sites on the web and was sold to Forbes Media in 2007. Cory is also a director at VerticalScope Inc., and sits on several private company advisory boards. Connect with Cory on LinkedIn.

AltaML is a leading artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solutions developer. Working with organizations that want to use AI to leverage their data to develop solutions that drive tangible business results, AltaML empowers partners to create operational efficiency, reduce risks and generate new sources of revenue. Through a deep understanding of organizational pain points and challenges, AltaML’s solutions encompass the entire machine learning (ML) life cycle, from evaluating potential use cases and determining feasibility to piloting solutions, putting code into production, and ensuring model evolution.

Takeaways

Investopedia was founded accidentally during the dot-com bubble and became the web's biggest investor education website.

Successful AI adoption requires understanding business workflows, data, and creating a program rather than individual projects.

Large language models (LLMs) have the potential to revolutionize various industries and change how software is built.

How Rich Sutton with reinforcement learning (UAlberta) and Geoff Hinton with deep learning (UToronto) created the underpinnings for the AI industry.

Why Canada is not great at commercialization and how we can change that/adapt to it.

Talent in the AI industry can come from various sources, and it's important to have a mix of domain expertise and technical skills.

Canada needs to change its mindset and become a player in the AI industry to fully capitalize on its potential.

Having a circle of people to lean on, such as peer-to-peer groups, is crucial for getting through hard times as an entrepreneur.

Chapters

00:00 The Origin of Investopedia

02:22 The Acquisition by Forbes

06:07 Life After Investopedia

08:14 The Birth of AltML

11:50 The Venture Studio Model

23:49 Common Mistakes in AI Adoption

28:20 Focus on Large Language Models (LLMs)

33:30 Talent and Learning in the AI Industry

39:07 Keeping AI Talent in Canada

44:01 Capitalism and Entrepreneurship

44:41 Excitement for Clean Tech and Bursting of the AI Hype

45:31 Dealing with Hard Times

46:40 Reflections on Running the Podcast

49:40 The Importance of Asking for Help

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Steve Davis is the CEO of Operto.

Operto is the world’s leading property automation and IoT operating system for vacation rentals, hotels, and serviced apartments is revolutionizing guest stays and hospitality management. Through technology that connects teams, guests, managers and smart devices; Operto addresses common friction points to provide fully seamless and personalized stays - creating greater efficiency, guest satisfaction and more revenue.

Takeaways

Marketing has evolved from a mass-market, spray-and-pray approach to a more targeted and consultative strategy, focusing on becoming a trusted advisor and thought leader.

Successful salespeople now need to adapt to longer sales cycles and the fact that buyers are more informed than ever before, requiring a consultative and value-driven approach.

Having experience as both an investor and founder can provide unique perspectives and insights that can make someone a better leader and decision-maker.

Acquisitions can be a faster and more efficient way to grow a business, but it's important to carefully consider the integration process and cultural fit.

Building a strong company culture is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent, and it requires creating an environment where people can do their best work and feel empowered.

Operto solves the problem of managing short-term rentals by providing automation and tools that streamline operations and enhance the guest experience.

Operto takes an open-source approach, working with various hardware and software platforms to provide flexibility and compatibility for their customers.

Personal growth as a CEO can be achieved through continuous learning, seeking advice from mentors and peers, and taking time for self-reflection and self-care.

Chapters

00:00 Evolution of Marketing

03:03 Consultative Sales Approach

05:37 Insights from Investor and Founder Roles

09:23 Joining Aperto as CEO

12:28 Problem Solved by Operto

17:51 Open Source Approach

19:42 Acquisitions vs. Building Internally

23:38 B2B and B2C Dynamics

26:53 Building a Strong Company Culture

30:42 Maintaining an Edge as a CEO

34:20 Favorite Books and Personal Growth

47:08 Excitement for 2024

48:43 Continuous Learning and Growth

50:45 Seeking Great People for Hyper Growth

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Guillaume Thérien is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner (Associé) of Triptyq Capital.

Based in Montreal, Triptyq Capital is a $40M early-stage venture capital investment fund that invests in companies developing tech for the media, creator economy, gaming, XR and entertainment sectors.

Takeaways

Guillaume's background in marketing and entertainment has provided him with valuable insights as an investor in the entertainment tech space.

Working for Guy Laliberté's (founder of Cirque du Soleil) family office, Lune Rouge.

How Guillaume's other Partners, Bertrand Nepveu (Vrvana acquired by Apple) and Charles Sylvestre (Novacap and Fonds de solidarité FTQ) bring different skills to the firm.

The entertainment tech industry presents unique challenges and roadblocks that founders should be aware of, such as regulatory issues and platform dependencies.

Why Montreal is a top city globally for entertainment, gaming, media and entertainment tech.

Different platforms like the Apple Vision Pro and YouTube and how they impact founders and companies building in the space.

The process behind raising $40M as first-time emerging managers.

Chapters

00:00 Background in Marketing and Entertainment

04:14 Insights from Music and Entertainment Background

06:28 Experience at Lune Rouge

08:49 Genesis of Triptyq

13:23 Successful Fundraising for First Fund

18:12 Exciting Areas of Investment

22:02 Geography in Entertainment Tech

26:32 Challenges in Entertainment Tech

29:02 Defining Content in Entertainment Tech

30:35 Recent Investments and Founders

35:30 Investing in Platform Companies

38:07 Favorite Book and Future Outlook

39:43 Excitement for 2024

41:49 Dealing with Hard Times

42:58 Closing Remarks

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Robbie Bent is the Co-Founder and CEO of Othership.

Othership is a platform that includes a physical space and a mobile app to affect positive change and address the problem of loneliness and the detrimental effects it has on our individual and collective health. Othership encourages openness to the awe, belonging, and interconnectivity that animates the human experience for a more joy-filled life and living. They combine a transformational breathwork app and physical spaces built around sauna + ice bath classes.

Takeaways

Don't optimize for money early in your career; focus on being around smart people and interesting problems.

Building a community requires finding a topic with emotional energy and creating a recurrent learning or socializing experience.

Designing a physical space involves understanding the customer journey, iterating based on feedback, and paying attention to detail.

Scaling a business while maintaining quality requires a strong training program and a team that aligns with the company's values.

Trends such as increased loneliness, reduced interest in alcohol, and the rise of wellness practices present opportunities for businesses like Othership.

Designing impactful programming that can keep users engaged and scale.

Building a brand and brands that inspire Robbie.

Raising a $10M Series A and scaling beyond Toronto to NYC and beyond.

Chapters

00:00 Starting in Finance

02:05 Becoming a Founder

04:06 Lessons from a Failed Startup

05:46 Passion and Long-Term Commitment

06:15 Building a Community

08:16 Designing the Physical Space

11:12 Finding Passion and Purpose

13:51 Building and Maintaining a Community

17:11 Scaling the Business and Maintaining Quality

21:23 Inspiring Brands and Experiences

24:12 Creating a Welcoming Experience for First-Timers

27:42 Capitalizing the Business

32:40 Location Selection

33:50 Trends and Opportunities

36:35 Creating an Amazing Programming Experience

39:00 Favorite Books and Podcasts

40:49 Excitement for 2024

42:52 Dealing with Hard Times

43:44 Dealing with Fear and Emotional Support

47:12 Finding Meaning and Purpose

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Neha Khera is a General Partner at 2048 Ventures.

2048 Ventures is a thesis-driven earliest-stage venture capital firm. They are founders, experienced operators, nerds and dreamers obsessed with the future. They've backed over 200 startups and have the experience and conviction to lead your pre-seed or seed round.

Takeaways

University of Waterloo's engineering program and co-op program provide a strong foundation for problem-solving and work ethic.

What it was like being one of Mejuri's earliest investors.

Learnings from investing at MaRS and 500 Startups/500 Canada.

Why Canadian founders run marathons and American founders run sprints.

Research is a valuable skill for investors, allowing them to make informed decisions and understand complex industries.

Investing in early-stage companies requires a focus on the team and their ability to execute.

The venture capital industry needs more diversity in terms of gender and background, and efforts should be made to support underrepresented founders and investors.

Nuances to being an emerging manager.

Chapters

00:00 University of Waterloo and Engineering

02:18 Transition to Venture Capital

04:22 Joining Mars and Formative Experience

06:19 The Strengths of Research in Investing

07:28 Early Investments and Evolving Decision-Making

09:31 Importance of Mentors and Networking

11:02 Investing in Majuri and Taking a Bet on Herself

13:35 Transition to 500 Startups Canada

15:47 Experience at 500 Startups Canada

16:41 Transition to 2048 Ventures

19:59 Choosing 2048 Ventures and Alignment with Alex

23:49 Navigating the Noise in the Market

25:36 Differences Between Canadian and American Founders

27:17 Encouraging Canadian Founders to Take More Risks

28:59 Raising a Fund and Challenges for Emerging Managers

34:53 State of the Market for Pre-Seed and Seed

36:20 Building Conviction in Founders and Developing Relationships

38:58 Misconceptions About Emerging Managers

41:38 Maintaining Communication and Support with LPs

44:36 Favorite Books and Excitement for the Future

46:17 Dealing with Hard Times and Maintaining Perspective

47:30 Open Call to Founders and Promoting Diversity

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Kaylee Astle is the Founder and CEO of Blanka.

Use the code HARDPART10 for 10% off.

Blanka helps anyone start a makeup or skincare line in under 5 minutes. Choose from hundreds of high-quality cruelty-free beauty and skincare products to personalize and dropship online. With zero minimum order quantity, they also offer dropshipping services so you can focus on marketing and sales. In their app, you can choose products, order samples, and use their logo visualizer to see your brand come to life in one click.

Takeaways

Her background and learnings at Deloitte, SAP, MobSquad and Spocket.

Nuances to building for the Shopify App Store.

Platform businesses have the potential to empower and enable others to start their own businesses.

Why they wanted to be more vertically integrated with Blanka.

The beauty industry is evolving, with emerging brands and influencer-led brands gaining traction.

Going from bootstrapped to raising capital, why the shift in strategy.

Building a strong network of founder friends can provide support, guidance, and opportunities for collaboration.

Chapters

00:00 Background and Career Arc

03:10 Starting an E-commerce Brand During COVID

04:38 Identifying a Problem and Starting Blanka

06:02 Building on the Shopify App Store

07:13 Building a Platform Business

08:51 Choosing the Beauty Industry and Vertical Integration

09:22 Customer Experience and Target Audience

10:25 The Future of Creator and Influencer Brands

11:27 Marketing and Branding Strategy

18:48 Bootstrapping and Raising Capital

21:43 The Fundraising Process

24:48 Finding Co-founders

27:57 The Role of Operations

29:53 Building a Founder Network

32:01 Deploying Capital After Fundraising

34:11 The Blanka User Experience

35:59 Favorite Book and Excitement for the New Year

37:33 Dealing with Hard Times

38:19 Closing Remarks

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Elizabeth Yin is the Co-Founder and General Partner of Hustle Fund.

Hustle Fund is a venture capital fund investing in founders at the pre-seed and seed stages. They also have Angel Squad, a vetted community of angel investors, who get radical access to Hustle Fund's deals and investor education.

Takeaways

Learnings from working for Tony Hsieh (LinkExchange and Zappos).

Being in Silicon Valley provides a unique environment for networking and learning from peers. Why Canadian founders should consider spending time there.

How Toronto's tech ecosystem has changed over the last few years.

Differences between Canadian and American founders.

A great angel investor is someone who understands their purpose and has a clear portfolio construction strategy.

Things that Hustle Fund looks for in founders at the earliest stages.

What it was like raising Hustle Fund I.

If you have the desire to start a business, now is the best time in history to pursue that opportunity.

Chapters

00:00 Getting into Tech and Working at Google

04:16 Learning from Tony Hsieh

07:24 Starting LaunchBit

08:30 What Made LaunchBit Different

12:15 Working at 500 Startups

14:35 Starting Hustle Fund

17:40 The State of Pre-Seed Market

20:48 Geography and Investing in Toronto

23:16 Mindset of Toronto Founders

26:46 The Importance of Being in Silicon Valley

30:12 Qualities of a Great Angel Investor

35:25 The Purpose of Angel Squad

43:42 Favorite Book: Buy Back Your Time

45:45 Excitement for 2024

47:24 Dealing with Hard Times

47:52 Recognizing Privilege and Gratitude

49:18 The Opportunities of the Post-Pandemic World

50:46 Inspiration and Encouragement

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Yvette Wu is the Co-Founder and CEO of Yield Exchange.

Yield Exchange is a B2B SaaS platform for organizations to access competitive GIC rates with speed, transparency, and ease.

Their platform acts as an online GIC marketplace for investors such as Canadian municipalities, universities, school boards, hospitals, and large corporations to access competitive rates directly from their partnering financial institutions.

Takeaways

Building a double-sided marketplace requires addressing the needs of both sides: depositors and financial institutions.

How Yvette solved the Cold Start Problem with Yield Exchange's marketplace.

Deeply listening to users' feedback and understanding their pain points is crucial for product development and iteration.

Hiring should be job-dependent, with a focus on potential and diversity of perspectives.

Maintaining focus and work-life balance is essential for long-term success as a founder.

Finding support from fellow founders, mentors, and advisors is valuable for personal and professional growth.

Chapters

00:00 Yvette's Background and Journey

06:08 Internal Consulting and Skillset as a Founder

07:36 Enterprise Risk Management and the Genesis of Yield Exchange

10:15 GICs and their Use in Innovative Ways

13:17 Creating a Marketplace for GICs

17:36 Building the Initial Marketplace for Yield Exchange

22:18 Product Development and Feedback from Users

26:45 Digging Deeper and Asking the Right Questions

30:29 Hiring and Building a Diverse Team

33:53 Growth Strategies and Prioritization

37:02 Finding Support as a Founder

40:36 Maintaining Focus and Work-Life Balance

44:28 Favorite Book and Excitement for the New Year

46:51 Dealing with Hard Times

48:03 Message to Listeners

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Dan Belostotsky is the Founder of HonestDoor.

HonestDoor is an Edmonton-based, VC-backed company that combines real estate data with data science to produce estimated values of houses and condos. In addition to the estimated HonestDoor price, it contains property taxes, transaction data, permit data, and neighbourhood growth rates for over 16M properties in Canada. By creating the most comprehensive source of commercial and residential real estate information in Canada, it empowers existing and potential homeowners to make more informed decisions.

Takeaways

Founding his first business in the digital sign space.

Seeking advice is important, but it's crucial to filter advice and trust your own knowledge and instincts.

Interesting ways Dan made money in the real estate space.

Transparency is essential in the real estate market, and platforms like HonestDoor aim to provide consumers with access to information.

Raising VC money for a B2C PropTech company can be challenging, but with the right product and market fit, success is possible.

Consider alternative options in real estate transactions.

Explore new possibilities and challenge traditional practices.

New product launches for HonestDoor.

Chapters

00:00 Starting Bellonet Media and the Inspiration from Jim Pattison

01:14 The Journey of Bellonet Media and the Acquisition Process

04:25 Lessons Learned in Entrepreneurship in Early 20s

06:41 Seeking Advice and Sticking to Your Guns

07:44 Finding Mentors and Filtering Advice

09:16 Venture Partnerships and Angel Investing

13:10 Investing in Real Estate and Creative Ways to Make Money

17:44 The Opaque Nature of Real Estate and the Birth of Honest Door

19:18 The Data Play and the Addition of Listings on Honest Door

21:10 Copying Successful Models and Adapting to the Canadian Market

23:00 Adding Listings and Challenging the Traditional Commission Structure

26:40 Raising VC Money for a PropTech Company

38:10 Expanding into B2B Products and Services

43:40 The Challenges of Raising VC Money for B2C PropTech

43:43 Favorite Books and Reading Habits

45:02 Looking Forward to 2024

46:14 Dealing with Hard Times

47:20 Final Message from Dan

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Rashel Hariri is a seasoned marketing professional, startup consultant, and podcast host.

With over 14 years of experience leading marketing strategies and teams at Global organizations. She created award-winning marketing campaigns for some of the largest brands in the world, like McDonald’s, Shopify, and ING Direct/Tangerine Bank.

After leaving the corporate world in 2021, she established Rashel Hariri Inc., specializing in leading holistic marketing and business strategies for startups, including creating transformative go-to-market strategies, brand partnerships, and product launches. She has worked with startups and founders across North America and the Middle East.

This fall, Rashel launched She's Interesting, a podcast community changing the narrative around entrepreneurship and highlighting the powerful stories of women entrepreneurs and investors.

Rashel is deeply committed to the success of startups and offers guidance to career-driven individuals. As a career and entrepreneurial coach, she assists clients in unlocking their potential and shaping careers that resonate with their missions.

Takeaways

Understand the consumer and their buying decisions to effectively market your product or brand.

Be scrappy and resourceful, regardless of budget or company size, to connect with your target audience.

Focus on channels where your customers are spending the most time and tailor your content to their preferences.

Build a strong network and leverage personal connections to generate leads and opportunities.

Embrace deep conversations and curiosity to uncover unique stories and perspectives. Choosing a podcast topic that you are passionate about and that has an audience is crucial for success.

Thorough research and preparation before each podcast episode can help you create high-quality content.

Effective interviewing techniques, such as active listening and asking open-ended questions, can lead to engaging conversations.

Editing and post-production are important steps in creating a polished and professional podcast.

Promoting and growing your podcast requires a strategic approach, including utilizing social media and networking with other podcasters.

Chapters

00:00 Interest in Marketing

02:08 Influential Brands

04:07 Marketing Experience at Tangerine and McDonald's

06:28 Working with Limited Budgets

08:17 Marketing at Shopify

12:40 Analyzing Data and Feedback

16:12 Thinking about Marketing Channels

19:11 Creating Valuable Content

25:37 Starting a Consulting Practice

29:27 Common Marketing Mistakes by Founders

32:10 Starting the She's Interesting Podcast

35:22 Goals for She's Interesting

40:44 Guest Composition on the Podcast

44:37 Dealing with Hard Times

46:00 Final Message

05:30 Choosing a Podcast Topic

15:45 Research and Preparation

25:10 Interviewing Techniques

35:20 Editing and Post-Production

42:50 Promoting and Growing Your Podcast

46:15 Conclusion

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Tyler Rooney was the Co-Founder of Format (acquired by Zenfolio). Format has been offering creatives solutions to showcase, manage and grow their business since 2010.

Takeaways

The dot-com era at Waterloo was a formative time for Tyler, where he learned valuable lessons and worked at startups a few of which ultimately flamed out.

Tyler's early work experiences at companies like Infusion Development and Amazon taught him what he did and did not want to do, and helped him discover his strengths.

The inspiration from 37Signals and Basecamp influenced Tyler's approach to building Format, focusing on sustainable business models and creating value for customers.

Tyler's obsession with SaaS and business metrics.

Format experienced early traction and growth, and Tyler emphasizes the importance of staying true to bootstrapping and not getting caught up in the hype of raising venture capital.

The acquisition of Format and the change in pace it created for Tyler.

Throughout his journey, Tyler has learned the importance of meaningful relationships and the support of people in both personal and professional life.

Chapters

00:00 Tyler's Time at Waterloo and Startups

03:00 Early Work Experiences and Lessons Learned

09:50 Inspiration from 37signals and Basecamp

13:29 The Idea for Format and Building the Business

21:29 Early Traction and Maintaining Momentum

25:59 Reflections on the Journey and Staying True to Bootstrapping

35:05 Transitioning from Format and Future Excitement

46:08 Dealing with Hard Times and the Importance of People

48:20 Closing Thoughts on Meaningful Relationships

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Nadia Barbosa is the Co-Founder and CEO of Tandem Experiences.

Tandem Experiences is a woman-led, purpose-oriented company making date night easy. They bundle the best local events with great food and activities so that couples can focus on spending quality time together, instead of sweating the details.

Takeaways

Tandem Experiences aims to solve the problem of fragmented planning and lack of support for couples in finding and evaluating experiences.

User feedback and engagement are crucial for improving the platform and providing value to users.

Organic growth through social media and partnerships with community organizations can help amplify the reach of Tandem Experiences.

The company focuses on unique local experiences and aims to support small to medium-sized businesses in the food, beverage, and arts industries.

Nadia emphasizes the importance of a supportive community, continuous learning, and celebrating both small and big accomplishments as a founder. Tandem is a platform that connects people through shared experiences in their city.

The app provides recommendations for activities and events, allowing users to discover new things to do.

Tandem helps people form impactful memories and reconnect with friends and loved ones.

Chapters

00:00 Background and Motivation for her MBA

02:01 Connecting with Co-Founder and Pivoting the Idea

03:05 Genesis of the Idea: Personal Experience with Dating Apps

05:31 Focus on Nurturing Relationships

08:04 The Fragmented Nature of Planning Experiences

10:12 Balancing Unique and Recurring Experiences

12:28 Measuring Success: User Satisfaction and Growth

16:14 Collecting and Prioritizing User Feedback

17:45 Organic Growth and Social Media Strategy

20:04 Expansion Strategy to Other Cities

22:12 Different User Groups and Tailoring Experiences

24:08 Partnership Strategy and Value for Partners

26:25 Balancing Efficiency and Quality with Technology

28:31 Support System and Learning from Other Founders

31:09 Product Development and Lean Approach

32:57 Gathering Feedback and Improving Recommendations

35:05 Engaging Users and Driving Engagement

37:02 Viral Growth and Referral Strategy

39:51 AI and the Flywheel Effect

42:03 Favorite Business Books and Continuous Learning

43:40 Excitement for the Future and Growth Opportunities

45:48 Pitching Advice and Celebrating Accomplishments

47:03 Dealing with Hard Times and Having a Supportive Community

49:10 Societal Impact and Mission of Tandem Experiences

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Shane Murphy is the CEO of Ownr.

Ownr is an RBCx company. They are making it simpler and more affordable for businesses to start and succeed. They know that starting and running a business takes a huge effort. By simplifying and automating business formation and everyday legal work, they help SMBs thrive.

Takeaways

Ownr aims to democratize access to incorporation and provide ongoing support for small businesses.

Building product within RBCx allows Ownr to leverage existing RBC products and create an embedded experience for users.

Shane emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with good people, engaging in physical activity, and listening to customer feedback.

The future of Ownr includes expanding services and addressing the needs of entrepreneurs at different stages of their business journey.

The acquisition of Founded Technologies by Ownr/RBCx.

Transitioning from COO to CEO.

Shane's thoughts on competition.

Hints of potential future products from Ownr.

Chapters

00:00 Shane's Interest in Law

01:27 Master's Degree in Political Theory

03:24 Starting Founded Technologies

06:03 Transition to Owner

08:28 Acquisition by RBC Ventures

12:46 Transition from COO to CEO

13:22 RBCx and the Focus on Tech and Innovation

17:09 Democratizing Access to Incorporation

19:37 Building Product within RBCx

22:20 Gathering Feedback from Customers

24:01 Creating a Deeper Relationship with Customers

26:57 Competition in the Market

29:39 Growth and Partnerships

32:23 RBCx and its Focus

34:10 Future of Ownr

36:40 User Journey for Different Types of Businesses

39:07 Favorite Book: Scaling People

41:01 Excitement for the New Year

41:51 Dealing with Hard Times

42:53 Closing Remarks

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Jesse Abrams is the Co-Founder & CEO of Homewise.

Homewise is a national consumer end-to-end homeownership platform, centered around its digital mortgage experience that uses data intelligence to match and secure clients with their best mortgage from 30+ banks and lenders in minutes. Homewise then connects clients to their in-house Real Estate solution (Homewise Real Estate) and partners at each step of the process from there, such as insurance and real estate law.

Homewise Real Estate Listings
Jesse’s Twitter

Takeaways

Foundational skills in marketing and advertising can provide a strong base for a career in the tech industry.

Identifying a gap in the market and taking the first step is crucial for starting a successful business.

A vertically integrated approach can differentiate a company and provide value to customers.

Pivoting to a B2B2C model can lead to scalable revenue growth and partnerships with other businesses.

Balancing customer and investor feedback is important for making informed decisions.

Baking education into the product can empower customers to make informed decisions and improve their overall experience. Providing advice and access throughout the home buying process can improve the customer experience and save money for customers.

Launching a real estate listing site in-house allows for greater control over the customer experience and the ability to provide tailored information to clients.

Being open to sharing ideas and collaborating with others in the industry can lead to valuable insights and opportunities for growth.

Dealing with hard times as a founder and parent requires a supportive network, engaging in physical activity, and finding joy in personal interests.

Building the industry and starting a company requires resilience, thick skin, and a passion for the work being done.

Chapters

00:00 Foundational Skills in Marketing

03:21 Genesis of the Idea for HomeWise

06:12 Taking the First Step and Identifying the Gap

10:18 Vertically Integrated Approach

15:23 Capitalizing on the Digital Movement

21:12 Pivoting to a B2B2C Model

26:50 Balancing Customer and Investor Feedback

32:40 Unlocking Competitive Rates

38:20 Baking Education into the Product

43:03 Providing Advice and Access

44:15 Launching a Real Estate Listing Site

49:50 Favorite Books and Excitement for the Future

53:45 Dealing with Hard Times

57:04 Building the Industry and Starting a Company

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Laviva Mazhar is a Principal at Luge Capital. Luge Capital is a fintech-focused venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies in Canada and the United States. They are on a mission to build fintech champions with amazing founders.

In this episode, we discuss...

Her journey from McGill, work in economic development, a startup studio and breaking into VC
The first close of their $71M Fund II and what it is like raising a second fund
Predicting if a market opportunity can grow
Regulatory environment for fintech companies
How she keeps an edge and levels up as an investor
Unique areas to find strong dealflow
Two areas in fintech she is interested in right now

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Lisa Mattam is the Founder and CEO of Sahajan. Sahajan blends the power of Ayurveda, an integral part of Lisa's South Indian heritage, with clinical science to create clean skincare products.

In this episode, we discuss...

What "clean beauty" means
How to start a skincare brand from ideation, manufacturing and distribution
Launching with one product versus launching a collection on day one
Their three-year 200,000 hotel room global deal with JW Marriott for the Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, St. Regis, and W Hotels properties and why these partnerships are so powerful
Marketing strategy from micro-influencers to large publishers like Elle
Designing a pricing strategy
Post-purchase customer experience and how to design that
Going from 8 years of bootstrapping to raising a round and how that changes things

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Michelle Reid is the VP of Partnerships & Growth at Z1.

Z1 is part of the Tiny Capital family and they are a product studio full of digital experts in UX research, product design, and engineering. Their ‘Zero to One’ approach is a proven process to shape, design, and deliver a minimum perfect product experience to the market. They partner with startup founders and growing companies to create new digital experiences, or to evolve a product to meet higher user expectations.

In this episode, we discuss...

Formative experiences at Never Blue, Strutta, Hootsuite, Traction on Demand and more
How people should think about the career and where they should work
Meeting Andrew Wilkinson from Tiny and Héctor Giner from Z1
What makes Z1's studio model unique and how they work with clients differently
Balance of metric-driven and soft skills in sales
How to build curiosity and why it is so important
Disqualifying opportunities and revenue that may be a bad fit for your company
Nuances of hiring sales folks
How to create a successful partnerships team and function

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Dan Balaban is the Executive Chair and CEO of Greengate, a leading Canadian renewable energy company.
Greengate is focused on the development of large-scale renewable energy and next-generation net zero projects. To date, Greengate has successfully developed over 1 GW of operating and in-construction renewable energy projects in Canada, including the country’s largest wind energy and solar energy projects. These projects represent nearly $2 billion of investment, are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.7 million tonnes per year and produce enough renewable energy to power more than 400,000 homes.

Dan's Twitter/X

In this episode, we discuss...

Having a successful exit by the age of 30 and what that unlocked for him
The gap he saw in the market in 2007 to start Greengate
Debunking misconceptions about renewables
Why and how the debate around renewables has become so polarized
Balancing renewables and fossil fuel production and usage
Operating in regulatory environments on a provincial, federal and international level
Greengate's unique model of developing renewable projects from raw land to large projects
How we can improve energy literacy

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Ian Whytock is the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Tidal Venture Partners. Tidal Venture Partners is a pre-seed to seed+ fund focused on the emerging ecosystem of Atlantic Canada. With conviction, they back small teams with high potential, who have detailed plans for achieving larger, later-stage milestones.

In this episode, we discuss...

Major exists in the ecosystem like Verafin (acquired for $2.75B by Nasdaq) and Radian6 (acquired for $326M by Salesforce) and how that is creating new startups in the region
The nodes that make Atlantic Canada a strong tech ecosystem
What it has been like raising a first-time fund focused on Atlantic Canada
Thoughts on LP composition before raising and now while raising Fund I
The different types of emerging managers popping up
Unique challenges founders have in Atlantic Canada and ways Tidal helps them
Their most recent publicly announced investments, Mimosa Diagnostics and Symbodi

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Thomas Park is the Co-Founder and Lead Partner of the BDC Deep Tech Fund, a $200M VC fund focused on supporting Canadian start-ups developing “hard tech” such as quantum computers, photonics, and fundamental AI.

In this episode, we discuss...

How Thomas's experiences at the International Criminal Court, UN, The Gates Foundation, Dartmouth and Havard shaped him as an investor
Why and how he launched the BDC Deep Tech Fund
Nuances to investing in deep tech startups
Areas where deep tech innovation is happening in Canada
The impact BDC Capital has had on the Canadian tech and venture space
Discuss their most recent publicly announced investment, Darwin AI
His role as Co-Chair of the Global Defense Council and the impact deep tech has on the defence sector and in geopolitics
How do we create more deep tech companies in Canada
Impact of manufacturing and global supply chain on deep tech
The Asian Canadian Venture Collective he co-founded

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Corey Pollock is the Head of Product at Pixel Union and Co-Founder of numerous companies like Uptime (acquired by WeCommerce), ListingAI (acquired), Google Meet Enhancement Suite (acquired) and more.

In this episode, we discuss...

What he learned about building product from Robleh at Tiny Hearts
What made Tiny Hearts unique when building product and the acquisition by Shopify
His work at Shopify and helping launch the Arrive (now Shop) app
Going from an Apprentice role to Lead and what it takes to scale as a product person
Building solo, in small teams and large organizations
The importance of timing when launching a product
Why empathy is crucial as a product manager
Why ideas are becoming so saturated

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Peter Root is the Co-Founder of Wildfire Robotics.

Wildfire Robotics leverages scalable robotics for complete wildfire containment - from initial attack to mop-up to monitoring.‍ The team has developed a self-propelled and remotely controlled robotic snake, called Firewall, that can be deployed in rough terrain, up to 10 km at a time, to offer rapid, fluid-based protection of communities, industry assets, critical infrastructure, homes, and sensitive ecological areas.

In this episode, we discuss...

Effective ways to commercialize technology
Intraprenuer versus entrepreneur
Utilizing drilling technology to fight wildfires
Insights into how we currently deal with wildfires and other technology solutions
How to scale robotics from a team and technology process standpoint
Shifting attention from investors to focus on the wildfire space

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Joella Almeida is the CEO and Co-founder of MedEssist.

MedEssist is a complete digital health platform for pharmacies committed to enabling pharmacists to provide the best modern, comprehensive solution for their patient interactions, elevating care, solving irritating pain points around their practice, and helping them craft their dream practice.

In this episode, we discuss...

The genesis story behind how MedEssist was started
The challenges and problems that pharmacies have
Misconceptions Canadians have about pharmacies and why they are so underutilized
The platform and products that MedEssist has built to empower pharmacies
Their project Access To Care and turning pharmacies into pharmacy health clinics

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Jessica Hodgson is a Managing Partner at Moonshot Associates.

With Moonshot Associates, you can tap into expert guidance and tailored solutions precisely when needed, allowing you to focus on innovation, profitability, and scaling your business. Whether it's developing a winning marketing strategy, optimizing your HR processes, fine-tuning your financial projections, or enhancing your product roadmap, they have you covered.

In this episode, we discuss...

Her HR roles at HootSuite, Fatigue Science, Later and VINN Automotive
How to scale a startup effectively from a culture and people standpoint
Why all problems are people problems
Why culture is what you reward and what you will tolerate
When is the right time to make your first HR hire
Promotion versus outside hiring
Remote, hybrid or in-person
Interviewing tips and tactics
Why future CEOs are likely to come from HR roles

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Maninder Dhaliwal is the President & CEO of Lions Gate International.

LGI is a venture capital and business advisory firm specializing in international venture projects in technology, mainly focused on Canada, the US and Southeast Asia.

She is the Founding Chair of TiE Incubation Lab. Based in Vancouver, TiE Incubation Lab is focused on supporting Canadian pre-seed startups. The lab supports TiE Vancouver’s mission of fostering Canadian entrepreneurs by providing high-potential Canadian startups with mentorship, access to a network of Canadian, US and global strategic advisors, support with preparing for the fundraising process, and introductions to the worldwide investor network of TiE Global Angels.

⁠Maninder's Twitter/X

In this episode, we discuss...

Maninder immigrating to Canada from India in 1999
Genesis story of Lionsgate
Why her first ten investments didn't work out and what she learned
The gap that exists between Canadian and American founders and how to bridge that
Nuances between tech ecosystems in Vancouver, SF and Singapore
Why she looks for "adaptive stubbornness" in founders
Commercializing research from universities in Canada
"If you chase clients, investors chase you"
What founders should look for in investors

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Wes Hall, Founder and Chairman of WeShall Investments Inc., came from humble beginnings in rural Jamaica and was raised by his grandmother. He moved to Canada in 1985. With a $100K bank loan, he transformed his first business into Canada's leading shareholder advisory firm, Kingsdale Advisors.

A staunch philanthropist, Wes launched the successful BlackNorth Initiative, combating anti-Black racism in 2020. He serves as Vice-Chair of Huron University College's Board of Governors and contributes to boards like SickKids Foundation, TIFF, and Pathways to Education Canada. Wes holds Honorary Doctorates from several universities, including Uni. of Toronto, Queens Uni., Toronto Metropolitan Uni., Uni. of Ottawa, and the Uni. of the West Indies, along with a 2022 Medal of Distinction from Huron University.

Wes' accomplishments span a bestselling memoir, "No Bootstraps When You're Barefoot," a podcast with Toronto Star - "Between Us with Wes Hall," and a Dragon on CBC's hit series, "Dragons' Den."

Buy Wes's book
Wes's Instagram
Wes's LinkedIn

In this episode, we discuss...

Coming to Canada from Jamaica in 1985
From his job doing a paper route to his big break on Bay Street
How he started Kingsdale Advisors
How he recruited his initial team at Kingsdale
How he landed his first big deal, a $18B takeover of Falconbridge by Xstrata
The importance of luck in business and how you can create it
Why he started the BlackNorth Initiative due to barriers he faced as a black man on Bay Street
The barriers that BIPOC people in Canada face and how we can remove them
The importance of and how to build relationships for the long term

My podcast supporter!

⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

None

Charlie Grinnell is the Co-Founder and CEO of RightMetric. RightMetric is a subscription-based research and insights provider that helps marketers create and refine a digital strategy that is more effective by being informed by evidence. Through their proprietary methodologies, they identify channel, content, and tactical whitespace opportunities using audience and competitor data.

Charlie's Twitter

In this episode, we discuss...

Dropping out of UBC
Learnings from working at Arc'teryx, Red Bull and Aritzia
Genesis story behind starting RightMetric
How they landed their first customer
Why you need to look within your industry for information and outside your industry for inspiration
The biggest trends he is seeing in marketing
Thoughts on copying, inspiration and how to use it effectively
Why human psychology is so important in marketing
How they have structured RightMetric with team size and remaining bootstrapped

My podcast supporter!

⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Vino Jeyapalan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Kabo and Pack Fresh.

Kabo is on a mission to help dogs live a happier and healthier life. We produce the healthiest, fresh dog food delivered right to your doorstep.

Pack Fresh is a cold chain third-party logistics (3PL) business with fulfillment across Canada. Their team specializes in handling, storing, and transporting cold/frozen goods to ensure they stay at optimal temperature and quality.

In this episode, we discuss...

Working on Facebook's ads team in 2012
Launching and exiting a dropshipping business
How they made shipping fresh dog food work DTC
The power of understanding human behaviour in the consumer space
Why DTC is a channel, not a business
A unique marketplace offering just for subscribers and the benefits it unlocks
Starting a whole new business Pack Fresh to solve their own challenges with Kabo
The shift in valuations, capital raising and investment into DTC brands and some predictions on where the space will go
Why strong operators make the best DTC founders

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Kevin Kliman is the Co-Founder and CEO of Humi. Humi is Canada’s leading payroll, HR, and benefits platform. Serving thousands of Canadian companies, Humi is the best-in-one people platform that your company will love.

⁠Kevin's Twitter⁠

In this episode, we discuss...

Businesses Kevin started in high school, at Brown and in dentistry school
His first venture-backed social app Instaradio and the emotions he had when it didn't work out
What inspired him to start Humi
Going through Y Combinator in 2017
The early debate of focusing on one core product or an entire platform on day one
Thoughts on competition like Zenefits and Gusto
Why Humi focused on Canada and SMBs
Why people and culture matter the most to build an enduring company
Thoughts on the Toronto and Canadian tech ecosystem

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Joe Gagliese is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Viral Nation. Viral Nation is a global digital and social innovation group that powers the social ecosystem through integrated solutions that align strategy, talent, media, and technology. Viral Nation works with tens of thousands of influencers across the social landscape and fuels growth for the world's leading brands, including Amazon Prime, The Coca-Cola Company, Hasbro, Meta, Oculus, Sonos, Tencent, Walmart and Uber.

In this episode, we discuss...

Joe's entrepreneurial experiences going back to when he was a kid
how Viral Nation landed its first influencer
how social has evolved over the last ten years
raising $250M from Eldridge and John Ruffolo's Maverix Private Equity
going from bootstrapped to raising a large round
Viral Nation's talent group, marketing group and technology
why YouTube is the best creator platform
landing Fortune 500 clients
the negative side of social media

My podcast supporter!

⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Sean Silcoff writes about technology, biotechnology and innovation for the Globe and Mail, Canada's National Newspaper. He is the winner of three National Newspaper Awards and is the co-author of Losing the Signal: the Spectacular Rise and Fall of BlackBerry, which was released in May 2015. Losing the Signal won Canada’s National Business Book Award and was shortlisted for the international Financial Times & McKinsey Business Book of the Year.

Sean's Muck Rack (Journalism social media)
Sean's Twitter

In this episode, we discuss...

how Sean broke into journalism
what drew him towards business journalism
meeting Tobi Lütke when Shopify had 40 employees and kickstarting his interest in technology
a piece that Sean wrote that caused Jim Balsillie of RIM/BlackBerry to reach out
how Jim's reach out led to a Globe piece that ended up inspiring Sean's book Losing the Signal
how he convinced Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis to be interviewed for the book
how to build a trusted network of sources
balancing being quick to release a scoop while also validating the story
why respecting and humanizing your interviewees is the most powerful interview style
AI's impact on journalism

My podcast supporter!

⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of BlackBerry

Jonathan Hershon is the Co-Founder and CEO of Pathway Medical. Pathway is a health tech company working on helping clinicians and patients access important medical information more effectively throughout the care journey. They leverage AI and big data to create a medical knowledge platform and software solutions that drive evidence-based medicine into clinical practice.

Jonathan's Twitter
Pathway's Twitter

In this episode, we discuss...

Building an end-to-end encrypted social network in 2013 called Syme
Jonathan's mindset when Syme had to be wound down
Launching a digital agency called MILE END
Building a health tech company and navigating the regulatory environment
Why they initially bootstrapped and then decided to raise capital
His thoughts on product market fit
The impact of AI and LLMs on Pathway's product and healthcare industry
How Jonathan thinks about product-led growth, specifically in health tech
His favourite bagel place in Montreal

My podcast supporter!

⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Bertrand Nembot is the Co-Founder & CEO of Billdr. Billdr is a vertically integrated home renovation marketplace operating in Montreal, Toronto, and Chicago. They facilitate renovation projects by providing turnkey solutions for homeowners supported by a digital back-office platform for general contractors. Their mission is to make home renovation simple, transparent, and efficient for everyone.

In this episode, we discuss...

Bert's first foray into renovations
launching Uber in Uganda in 3 weeks
existing challenges that homeowners and general contractors had with the renovation process
how Billdr increases general contractors' win rates
building an operating system/back office for general contractors
launching a managed marketplace in new markets like Toronto and Chicago
pivoting from a managed marketplace to a B2B offering
why he prefers croissants to bagels

My podcast supporter!

⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Jonathan Becker is the Founder and President of Thrive Digital and a General Partner at Occasional Ventures. Thrive has overseen over $3.5B in paid customer acquisition ad spend since being founded in 2012. They focus on helping companies grow their business through paid customer acquisition campaigns, analytics, creative services, and data science. They have worked with some of the largest companies in the world and specialize in e-commerce, lead generation, user acquisition, and brand marketing.

In this episode, we discuss...

how Jonathan founded Thrive
landing Lululemon as a client early on
how he structured Thrive differently from other agencies
how he met the founder of Uber in the back of a cab and landed them as a client
biggest misconceptions around paid growth
running experiments with marketing
keeping up with different marketing platforms
would he start Thrive today
his investing style with Occasional Ventures
transitioning from CEO to chairman

My podcast supporter!

⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Kevin Stadnyk is the Co-Founder and CEO of Obruta Space Solutions. Obruta Space Solutions is enabling the space economy through reimagined, autonomous, and safe spacecraft docking systems. Obruta's turnkey Docking Kit combines the necessary hardware and software for virtually any spacecraft to perform on-orbit servicing and logistics. In this episode, we discuss Kevin's time at Carleton's Aerospace Engineering program, where Obruta plays in the ever-growing space industry, what the testing process looks like for a space company, why the satellite servicing space will be $14B by 2031, why is the space industry opportunity growing so rapidly, the regulatory environment around space and the nuances to raising capital in the space industry.

My podcast supporter!

⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Randy Garg is the Founder & Managing Partner of Vistara Growth. Vistara provides highly flexible Growth Debt and Growth Equity financing solutions to mid to later-stage technology companies across North America. Vistara's typical investment size ranges from $10M to $30M per investment for companies that have scaled or are scaling past $10M+ in revenues. In this episode, we discuss his time at Discovery Capital Corporation a Vancouver-based venture capital firm with investments like Sierra Wireless, working at Beedie Capital and uncovering a gap in the tech space, misconceptions people have about debt, common mistakes growth stage companies make, how debt and equity deals differ and what makes a great board member.

My podcast supporter!

⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Chris O'Neill is a technology leader, board member and advisor. His resume is extensive, currently, he is the Chief Growth Officer at Xero, a Board Member at Gap Inc., a GP and Advisor at Portage and an angel investor. Previously he was Chairman and CEO of Evernote, Managing Director of Google Canada with a stint at Google X (now X), Board Member at Tim Hortons and much more.

In this episode, we discuss Chris's upbringing in his family's Canadian Tire business, learnings from launching Google Glass with Sergey Brin and Astro Teller at Google X, being on the board of Tim Hortons during the 3G Capital acquisition, leading a turnaround of Evernote, why the perception that Canadians don't take risks is BS and his passion for cleantech.

Chris's Twitter

My podcast supporter!

⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Scott Stevenson is the CEO and Co-Founder of Spellbook. Spellbook uses GPT-4 and other large language models to review and suggest terms for lawyers' contracts, right in Microsoft Word. In this episode, we discuss Scott co-inventing a new instrument, how to run experiments when building product, how they are converting their waitlist to raving customers, nuances to building a co-pilot product, utilizing GPT versus creating your own LLM and his blog post "Lego Mindset versus Woodworking Mindset".

Follow Scott on Twitter, he is an excellent follow
His blog post "Lego Mindset versus Woodworking Mindset" and other writings
His instrument creation the Mune
A written interview with Scott by Ben Yoskovitz (previous podcast guest)

My podcast supporter!

⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Chris Neumann is a Partner at Panache Ventures. Panache Ventures is Canada's most active seed-stage venture capital fund. Panache is led by a team of experienced operators, with a strong angel investor track record, years of institutional VC experience and a strong network in Canada, in Silicon Valley and worldwide. In this episode, we discuss building and selling his first company DataHero, what makes a great accelerator, why we need more venture funds and what they should look like, why Canada and Canadian cities should stop comparing themselves to Silicon Valley and his fantastic blog The Quiet Part Out Loud that gives founders great insights.

Chris's website

Chris's Twitter

Pitch Chris

The Quiet Part Out Loud blog

Patrick Monnot is the Founder and CEO of Pod. Pod is the ultimate AI copilot for B2B sellers. In this episode, we discuss Patrick's time at Fuel by McKinsey, how Pod competes in a busy sales tech market, what it is like to sell to salespeople, solo versus multi-player user experience, how to have focus when building product and the strategy behind their last raise from Bling Capital and GTM angels.

My podcast supporter!

⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Hamza J Alamtab is the Co-Founder of Tamba. Tamba is a product and digital solutions studio specializing in outstanding user interface & user experience. In this episode, we discuss Hamza's business acquired by Tiny, companies that are AI proof, what makes Victoria's tech community so great, meeting Andrew Huberman which led to the start of his new business Routines and the best advice Hamza got from Andrew Wilkinson.

Tamba's website
Routine's website
Hamza's Twitter
Tamba's Ambassador Program

My podcast supporter!

⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Arsham Ghahramani is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Ribbon. Ribbon is a professional social platform centred around verified achievements and ownership. They empower managers, leaders, and HR teams to effortlessly and publicly celebrate their team’s work by sending lasting verifiable awards and credentials. In this episode, we discuss his background in machine learning and data during his Ph.D. and working at companies like Amazon, how social networks should think about verification, the hack LinkedIn used to kickstart their network and how Ribbon is looking to shake up the professional social space.

My podcast supporter!

Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada.

Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!

Ben Yoskovitz is the Founding Partner of Highline Beta. Highline Beta is a hybrid corporate venture studio and VC firm that evolves the traditional management consulting model to put things into action, not just strategize in the clouds. In this episode, we discuss how to participate strategically in the tech ecosystem, what makes Highline Beta unqiue, how large companies should think about innovation and corporate venture capital, the recipe and ingredients they use to build companies and why great companies can be built with solo and multi founder teams. Ben's fantastic newsletter "Focused Chaos"!!

Rami Alhamad is the Founder of PUSH which was acquired by WHOOP in 2021. PUSH was a leader in the wearable sports tech space with a focus on biomechanics and movement analytics. Founded in 2013 with the goal of revolutionizing the way athletes train, PUSH grew to support over 150 professional sports organizations as well as thousands of athletes across the college and high school markets. In this episode, we discuss Rami's unique mechatronics degree at Waterloo, PUSH's acquisition by WHOOP, the importance of reducing the footprint of hardware while increasing the footprint of software, what it was like to work with pro sports teams and how Canada can bridge the gap between researchers and entrepreneurs.

Rami's article "Bridging the Gap: Connecting Researchers and Entrepreneurs in Canada's Innovation Ecosystem"!

Cato Pastoll is the CEO and Co-Founder of Loop. Loop offers tailor-made products including CAD/USD corporate cards, interest-free spending, corporate-level purchasing power, no-fee global payments, accessible growth capital and real US dollar accounts to help businesses grow. In this episode, we discuss the pivot from Lending Loop to Loop today, why word of mouth is one of their fastest growth channels, why caring about your customer is the ultimate flywheel and where we need changes in our banking regulations. Loop's new site!!!!

Nadia Ladak is the Co-Founder and CEO of Marlow. Marlow is a menstrual health brand that has created the first-ever lubricated tampon. In this episode, we discuss how Marlow originally started as a university project, why there is a stigma in the menstrual health space, their DTC and new retail strategy, how they got 50M+ views on TikTok and their micro-influencer strategy.

Arun Iyengar is the CEO of Untether AI. Untether AI provides ultra-efficient, high-performance AI chips to enable new frontiers in AI applications. In this episode, we discuss why chip companies need to raise close to $400M, what part of the AI market they are targeting, Untether's chips versus GPUs, the cost and importance of manufacturing and the importance of IP remaining in Canada.

Boris Wertz is the Founder and General Partner of Version One Ventures. Version One invests in mission-driven founders at the earliest stages. Founded in 2012 and with $250M+ in AUM across 6 funds, they have backed over 100 start-ups. They invest in SaaS and marketplaces as well as emerging technologies and industries such as crypto/Web3, bio/healthcare, energy/climate, AI and robotics. In this episode, we discuss why your fund size is your strategy, why branded categories are too late to invest in, his Coinbase investment, and his anti-portfolio.

Boris's Twitter
Version One's anti-portfolio

Jason Silver is a startup trainer and author. In this episode, we discuss what the term startup trainer actually means, his time at Airbnb, decision-making frameworks for individuals and startups and why scaling doesn't mean a startup slows down. Go preorder Jason's book "Quietly Crushing It" at www.quietlycrushingitbook.com or www.qcibook.com and get 40% off.

Ty Wilson is the Co-Founder & CEO of Tab Commerce. Tab is reinventing expense control for the restaurant industry. Tab is building a suite of data-driven products to help restaurant groups maximize profitability, optimize cash flow, and always have complete control over every dollar they spend. In this episode, we discuss Ty's upbringing in the restaurant world, the gap he saw in the restaurant tech space, how he thinks about growth and sales, and how he keeps his edge as a first-time founder.

Josh O'Kane is a reporter at The Globe and Mail covering the Business of Arts and Entertainment and is an author of Sideways: The City Google Couldn't Buy. In this episode, we discuss what it takes to be a great reporter, what it is like to write a book, how he uncovered the real story about Sidewalk Labs and our mutual love for Fred Again.

Josh's Twitter

Josh's personal website

Josh's book Sideways: The City Google Couldn't Buy

Josh's book Nowhere with You: The East Coast Anthems of Joel Plaskett

Naman Budhdeo is a General Partner at Antler Canada. Antler is the investor backing the world’s most driven founders, from day zero to greatness. In this episode, we discuss Naman's background founding businesses in the travel tech space, what makes Antler unique, what Antler looks for in founders, and how Antler attracts founders to their platform.

Robert Price is the Founder and CEO of Bōde. Bōde is a radical shift in how real estate is bought and sold. It finally empowers everyone to buy and sell their own home. Making the process simple, transparent, and more economical. In this episode, we discuss the dynamics of the current home-buying process, myths around buying real estate, the importance of data and the importance of neighbourhood pricing data over city pricing data. Check out Roberts's stuff

Bōde's marketplace to buy, sell, view sold data and Prō Marketplace

Check out Evan's Stuff

Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency Cold Start sales newsletter Personal website Twitter LinkedIn

Tyler Dyck and Brandon Goode are the Co-Founders of Outro Health. Outro is the first digital healthcare solution dedicated to safely discontinuing psychiatric medications, starting with antidepressants. In this episode, we discuss their background at Field Trip Health, why are there so many antidepressants prescribed, why there is a gap in assisting people getting off antidepressants and the strategy behind their business model.

Check out Outro's stuff

The Outro Library

Check out Evan's Stuff

Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
Personal website
Twitter
LinkedIn

Daryl Louie is the Co-Founder of AntiSocial Media Solutions (acquired by Thinkingbox) and a marketing expert. In this episode, we discuss his entrepreneurial roots going back to his great-grandfather, how digital marketing strategies shifted, how to stay on top of marketing trends and would he start an agency today.

Isaac Souweine is a Partner at Pender Ventures. In this episode, we discuss Isaac's product roles at Frank and Oak and Sonder, his previous investing roles at FounderFuel, Real Ventures and Front Row Ventures, building tech communities, the impacts of generative AI on B2B SaaS and find out his favourite bagel place which isn't Fairmount or St-Viateur.

Check out Isaac's stuff

His personal site
Front Row Ventures
His Twitter

Check out Evan's Stuff

Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
Personal website
Twitter
LinkedIn

Manica Blain is an Investor and Advisor at Top Knot Ventures. Manica has over 15 years of experience in investment banking, private equity and venture capital. She now works directly with passionate founders as they build, grow and scale the iconic consumer brands of the future. In this episode, we discuss Campfire Capital a fund she co-founded with lululemon executives, her learnings there during the wind-down and investments in companies like FIGS and Cotopaxi and nuances to investing in the consumer space.

Check out Manica's stuff

Twitter
Confessions of a pregnant venture capitalist piece in The Globe & Mail

Check out Evan's Stuff

Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
Personal website
Twitter
LinkedIn

Ilya Brotzky is the Founder & CEO of VanHack. VanHack is a network of the world’s top software engineering, design, and digital marketing talent - available on demand to relocate to help companies grow. In this episode, we discuss how VanHack landed its first customers, the complexities of hiring engineers from abroad, trends in hiring and what makes a good hiring process.

Check out Ilya's stuff

Women in Tech event
Twitter

Check out Evan's Stuff

Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
Personal website
Twitter
LinkedIn

Jevon MacDonald is the Co-Founder of Tier. Tier is everything a developer needs to create and manage software pricing and billing. In this episode, we discuss how two of his companies were acquired by Salesforce and Snyk, founding StartupNorth and early tech scene days in Toronto, and why the timing is right for Tier.

Check out Jevon's stuff

StartupNorth
Twitter

Check out Evan's Stuff

Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
Personal website
Twitter
LinkedIn

Stephanie Wood is a Vice President at Alate Partners. Alate is a leading proptech investor in Canada. In this episode, we discuss Stephanie's shift from CPP Investments to the venture world, nuances to proptech, strategies for growth in proptech and her work with Proptech Collective.

Check out Stephanie's stuff

Proptech Collective

Check out Evan's Stuff

Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
Personal website
Twitter
LinkedIn

Michael Kravshik is the Co-Founder and CEO of LumiQ. LumiQ is a native podcast app where engaging conversations with business leaders count as verified CPD/CPE for CPAs. In this episode, we discuss why unlearning is important, how it took Michael and his co-founder 10 ideas to land on their current business, the unique way he got Jim Balsillie (RIM/Blackberry) to do a podcast episode and the balance between entertainment and education in content.

Check out Michael's stuff

Jim Balsillie's rejection piece

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Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
Personal website
Twitter
LinkedIn

Jim Orlando is the Managing Partner of Wittington Ventures. Wittington Ventures is a venture capital firm investing in the e-commerce/retail, healthcare and food sectors. They invest in companies throughout North America and at all stages of the start-up lifecycle. In this episode, we discuss Jim's journey through BCE Ventures and OMERS Ventures, Wittington's close ties to brands like Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaw, what it is like to manage other investors and Jim's musical and game coding talents.

Check out Jim's stuff

Twitter
Jim's musical talents
Jim's old-school games

Check out Evan's Stuff

Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
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Twitter
LinkedIn

Eva Lau is the Founder and General Partner of Two Small Fish Ventures. In this episode, we discuss how she grew Wattpad's community to millions of users, how to not get caught in FOMO as an investor, the nuances of raising capital for a fund versus a startup and areas where we could improve Canadian tech.

Check out Eva's stuff

Twitter
ASSET Framework article and video

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Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
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Twitter
LinkedIn

Ania Wysocka is the founder of Rootd. Rootd is an app for individuals suffering from panic attacks and anxiety. It offers a refreshingly engaging design, interactive exercises, tools, and lessons focused on helping people manage panic and anxiety attacks as they occur and a guided process toward lifelong relief. In this episode, we discuss how Ania grew Rootd to millions of users, and has remained bootstrapped despite FOMO and making an engaging and impactful product.

Check out Ania's stuff

Twitter
Download Rootd

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Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
Personal website
Twitter
LinkedIn

D'Arcy Coolican is an early-stage investor and was previously investing at Andreessen Horowitz. In this episode, we discuss D'Arcy's founder journey starting Frank, his time spent at Andreessen Horowitz, the nuances of investing in consumer businesses and how he keeps his edge as an investor.

Check out D'Arcy's stuff

Twitter
His personal site
His Substack

Check out Evan's Stuff

Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
Personal website
Twitter
LinkedIn

Daniel Debow is the VP of Product focused on Demand at Shopify. In this episode we discuss Daniel’s thoughts on a successful M&A process, what demand means at Shopify, if there is a difference between product market fit at a startup versus a large company like Shopify and Daniel’s love of good music.

Check out Daniels's stuff

Twitter
How to sell your startup article by Daniel and First Round

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Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
Personal website
Twitter
LinkedIn

Benjamin Alarie is the Co-Founder and CEO of Blue J, a Professor & Osler Chair in Business Law at the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto and co-author of The Legal Singularity. In this episode, we discuss how Blue J started at the U of T, the results of Benjamin letting his students use ChatGPT and the impact of AI on law.

Check out Benjamin's stuff

The Legal Singularity
Twitter

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Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
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Twitter
LinkedIn

Joshua Goodfield is the Executive Director of VC Platform. The VC Platform Global Community is the largest dedicated group of platform professionals in the venture capital industry. In this episode, we discuss Joshua’s time at C100, why is the platform function at VCs growing, what it truly means to build community and what KPIs you should track.

Check out Joshua's stuff

2022 Global Compensation Survey we discussed
Twitter

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Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
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LinkedIn

Gui Laliberte is the CEO and Founder of Integral. Integral empowers web3 organizations in crypto accounting through revenue recognition, NFT collection management, cap gain/loss calculations, audit-compliant reports and more. In this episode, we discuss Gui’s background in founding Setter and its acquisition by Thumbtack, how and why founders should think about markets when building businesses and why he is building a picks and shovels company for web3.

Check out Gui's stuff

Twitter
Integral's site

Check out Evan's Stuff

Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
Personal website
Twitter
LinkedIn

Tobi Oluwole is the CEO and Co-Founder of The3Skills. In this episode, we discuss how Tobi has gotten millions of impressions on his content, how to create great content and balancing his different business ventures.

Check out Tobi's Stuff

3Skills
Paid in Full newsletter

Check out Evan's Stuff

Cold Start, fractional and advisory sales agency
Cold Start sales newsletter
Personal website
Twitter
LinkedIn

Mark MacLeod is a CEO coach and advisor or better yet a CEO whisperer. In this episode we discuss Mark’s time as Shopify’s first CFO, investing at Real Ventures, what he means when CEOs change altitude and Mark’s DJ skills.

Mark's website

Mark's SoundCloud

Chad Bayne is the Co-Chair and Partner of the Emerging and High Growth Companies practice at Osler. Osler is a leading Canadian business law firm with 500 lawyers working together from offices across the country. In this episode, we discuss how Chad built a practice that does 50% of all Canadian tech financings, his journey from Waterloo computer engineering to being a lawyer and the impact of AI on law.

Alex Tong is a Principal at Information Venture Partners. Information Venture Partners is a Toronto-based venture capital firm focused on early-stage, B2B SaaS applications for the financial services industry. In this episode we discuss Alex’s time spent in corporate development at Hootsuite, what makes a great board member and the importance of founder-led sales.

Pablo Srugo is a Partner at Mistral. Mistral is a seed-stage venture capital firm and typically is the first institutional investor in their portfolio companies. In this episode, we discuss Pablo’s time as a founder, his thoughts on VCs being money managers, not company builders and we break down one of Mistral’s latest investments.

Pablo is also the host of a great podcast called The Product Market Fit Show, go check it out.

Alex Norman is a partner at N49P Ventures and co-founder of TechTO. N49P is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on Canadian start-ups and Canadian founders. In this episode, we discuss his first business in collectibles, how to build a strong tech ecosystem and advice to founders on how to think about raising capital.

Avi Goldfarb is a Professor at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, the Rotman Chair in Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare, as well as the co-author of two bestselling books on AI and its economic impact. In this episode, we discuss Avi's books, the impacts of AI and his work with Creative Destruction Lab.

Avi's personal site with links to his books and work.

Matthew Lombardi is the Managing Director of OneEleven. OneEleven is home to a community of high-performing technology scaleups, providing unparalleled access to peer networks, investment capital and on-demand services and strategic support. In this episode, we discuss Matthew’s impactful initiative during the pandemic, what it means to build community and what makes OneEleven unique.

Tate Hackert is the Founder and President of ZayZoon. ZayZoon provides Wages On-Demand so employees can access their earned wages before payday and a financial wellness platform that teaches employees how to use those wages wisely and efficiently. In this episode we discuss Tate’s time in Hong Kong, his RV tour across the United States and the major impact ZayZoon creates.

Salim Teja is a Partner at Radical Ventures. Radical Ventures is a venture capital firm investing in entrepreneurs applying deep technology to transform massive industries, with a primary focus on machine learning and artificial intelligence. In this episode we discuss Salim’s background as a founder, he gives me a history lesson on AI in Canada and we discuss where the AI space is going.

Check out Radical's fantastic newsletter.

Sheryl Song is the co-founder and CEO of Ryna. Ryna is an apartment rental marketplace with the mission to make renting & living easier, safer and more attainable for the new generation of renters. In this episode, we discuss Sheryl’s original focus when starting Ryna, how it has changed and what the future of Ryna looks like.

Mila Banerjee is the founder of Pronti AI. Pronti recommends retailers' products to the right customer, giving them the right type of exposure. Their apparel products get merchandized with users’ closet items. In this episode, we discuss Mila’s early days in pharma and the difference between machine learning and AI.

Matt Hollingsworth is the founder of Align. Align is a remote-first executive recruitment that gives you qualified candidates without wasted effort. In this episode, we discuss Matt's early days at Tiny, strategies founders can use to hire effectively and the discuss the ongoing debate between remote and in-person.

Mallory Greene is the co-founder and CEO of Eirene. Eirene provides a modern and caring approach to cremation services. Arrangements can be made from the comfort of your home with the support of their funeral directors, online or over the phone. In this episode, we discuss Mallory’s days as an early employee at Wealthsimple, what inspired her to start Eirene and what it’s like building a business in an emotionally charged space.

Jared Henriques is the Founder of Renga. Renga is a group of creative thinkers & makers that build brands the future can be proud of. In this episode, we discuss how Jared started Renga, what he means by brand therapy and how founders should think about brand.

John Ruffolo is the Founder & Managing Partner of Maverix Private Equity. Maverix is a private equity firm focused on technology-enabled growth and disruption. They look for great entrepreneurs interested in globally scaling their business and looking for a financial partner to invest at least USD $50M to $75M in the business. In this episode, we discuss how John started OMERS Ventures, the story behind his big investment in Shopify and his thoughts on the Canadian tech space.

Vivek Ramaswami is a partner at Madrona. Madrona is a seed, early stage and acceleration-stage investor. Investing for over 25 years in startups in the Pacific NW, now investing across the US in machine learning, AI, marketplaces, devops, biotech and across the technology spectrum. In this episode, we discuss Vivek’s investing career which has included stops at Goldman Sachs, Redpoint Ventures, Steadfast Capital and now a focus on early-stage investing at Madrona.

Check out Vivek's newsletter on AI.

Jesse Rodgers is the co-founder of Eigenspace. Eigenspace makes investments with a combination of money, time and network access. They are investing in, building and connecting University of Waterloo students and alumni builders. In this episode we discuss Jesse’s journey through Velocity and CDL, co-founding his own company and why Canada needs more early-stage investment.

Michael Hyatt is an active investor and entrepreneur. In this episode, we discuss Michael's first venture, what founders he likes to invest in, the founding of Creative Destruction Lab and a look at the Canadian tech space.

Simon Sokol is a Vice President at Relay Ventures. Relay Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in passionate entrepreneurs disrupting and creating new markets through mobile technologies. In this episode, we discuss Simon’s path into venture, why he co-founded his own fund Gambit Partners and his thoughts on the Canadian venture space.

Matias Marquez is the founder of ethos. ethos is a white-label digital asset platform on a mission to accelerate the world’s mass adoption of digital assets by facilitating rich experiences for both brands and their customers. In this episode, we discuss the NFTs, crypto and blockchain and how brands are leveraging NFTs and the ethos platform to create a better customer experience.

Saud Aziz is the co-founder of Vault. Vault is a banking platform built for global Canadian businesses. In this episode, we discuss Saud’s time at KOHO and Revolut, why he started Vault and the Canadian banking landscape.

Alyssa Atkins is the founder of Lilia. Lilia makes the end-to-end egg-freezing process feel fast and easy, working with top egg-freezing doctors and saving you thousands. In this episode, we discuss the impact Lilia has had on women’s lives, tactics on how to test initial business ideas and what the Y Combinator experience was like.

Rob Fraser is the founder of Outway. Outway makes performance socks for the pursuit of personal bests. In this episode, we discuss why Rob decided to focus on socks, how he thinks about cash flow and the nuances of designing an apparel product.

Daniel Eberhard is the founder of KOHO. KOHO is a Fintech company rooted in the belief that better financial solutions for all Canadians exist. In this episode, we discuss Daniel’s early days starting a renewable energy company, why he has focused on helping Canada’s underbanked and how views on building a great team.

How Daniel used $1000 to raise $1M.

Jason Warner is a Managing Director at Redpoint Ventures. Since 1999, Redpoint Ventures has partnered with visionary founders to create new markets and redefine existing ones. In this episode, we discuss Jason’s time as CTO of GitHub, how he has built his career while working remotely and his move into early-stage investing.

Jim Pattison is the Chairman and CEO of The Jim Pattison Group. The Jim Pattison Group is a multi-industry conglomerate with sales of over $12B a year and more than 50,000 employees, The Jim Pattison Group is one of the largest private companies in Canada. In this episode, we discuss Jim’s early days selling cars, how he looks at talent and his philanthropy.

Ameet Shah is a partner at Golden Ventures. Golden Ventures is a leading seed-stage venture capital fund, based in Toronto and investing across North America. In this episode, we discuss Ameet’s early career, how he got into early-stage investing and what he looks for in founders he wants to invest in.

Dave Wessinger is the co-founder of PointClickCare. PointClickCare is the market leader driving the transformation of healthcare vulnerable and complex populations through a broad, connected care network powered by deep insights. In this episode, we discuss how Dave and his brother started PointClickCare over 20 years ago and have turned it into a multi-billion dollar business with thousands of employees.

William Johnson is the founder of Vancouver Tech Journal (now part of Overstory Media Group). Vancouver Tech Journal uncovers and tells the stories that matter in Vancouver's tech ecosystem. They have a daily and a twice-weekly newsletter. In this episode, we discuss how William started Vancouver Tech Journal, their acquisition by Overstory Media Group and what William thinks about monetizing media.

Subscribe to Vancouver Tech Journal here.

Subscribe to Victoria Tech Journal here.

Subscribe to Calgary Tech Journal here.

Check out what brands Overstory Media Group owns and how they are changing the media landscape in Canada.

Zain Manji is the co-founder of Lazer Technologies. Lazer is a digital product studio designed to help successful enterprises bring ideas to market faster and more successfully. In this episode, we discuss Zain’s early work experience at Yelp, Google and Instagram, how he and his co-founders came up with their first venture Fiix (acquired by Wrench) and Zain’s thoughts on building great products.

Jim Murphy was the co-founder of Boltmade which was acquired by Shopify. In this episode, we discuss Jim’s extensive tech background, the Waterloo tech scene, and what it is like being acquired by Shopify, Jim’s view on investing and why he decided to buy a farm.

Check out Jim's brewery, Elora Brewing Company.

Justin Herlick is the co-founder of Pine. Pine is transforming the Canadian home financing process by creating a new digital-first, direct-to-consumer and low-rate process for their clients. In this episode, we discuss Justin’s background that led to starting Pine, he also gives a crash course on the mortgage industry in Canada and why it is ripe for disruption.

If you are looking for a mortgage, Pine is currently available in BC, Alberta and Ontario. Apply here.

Andrew Arruda is the co-founder of Flexpa. Flexpa is improving healthcare for everyone by building developer-first infrastructure. In this episode, we discuss Andrew’s first venture ROSS Intelligence, what it is like building an API business and why Andrew chose health tech for his second venture.

Jason Goldlist is the co-founder of Venue. Venue is the platform powering internal meetings that inspire and engage remote-first teams like Shopify and Wealthsimple. In this episode, we discuss Jason’s early days at Wealthsimple, the power of people and what makes Venue different in a busy video conferencing space.

Jason is also a co-founder of TechTO. TechTO is a technology community that wins together. We help tech founders, leaders, and their teams meet, learn, and grow. If you are in the GTA area feel free to follow them and attend events!

My guest today is Aaron Upright the co-founder of Zenhub. Zenhub helps teams ship great code faster with time-saving agile automations, less meetings, & more visibility in GitHub. In this episode, we how Aaron came to co-found Zenhub, the impact that Zenhub has on teams building software and why Aaron's favourite books are not business books.

Brandon Waselnuk is the co-founder of Codex. Codex is an IDE extension that allows any engineer to attach comments, questions, notes or any kind of content to specific lines of code. In this episode, we discuss Brandon’s first venture TattooHero, Brandon’s extensive product background and the unique way he and his team created Codex.

Cameron Service is the co-founder of Kulin and Oddit. Kulin helps DTC eCommerce brands scale revenue through smart strategy, Google ads, paid social, email/SMS and creative. Oddit provides UX teardowns for websites looking to boost long-term conversion & strengthen brand loyalty. In this episode, we discuss Cameron’s history in the branding space, starting 3 different companies and what brand really means.

Brandon Li is the co-founder of Power. Power is the most patient-friendly platform for clinical trials. They are making it easy for all patients to discover promising clinical trials and get in touch with the researchers directly. In this episode, we discuss Brandon’s entrepreneurial background, obsession with marketplaces and how the clinical trial process needs to be disrupted. Read about Power's seed round in BetaKit. Read about Power's seed round in Axios (sub required).

My guest today is Marc Campagna. Marc is the co-founder of oxio. oxio is an internet service provider without the big telco bullsh*t. In this episode, we discuss how Marc started oxio and then I got a crash course on the Canadian telecom space.

Check out oxio's website to enter your address to see if you can switch today!

Ted Spare is the co-founder of Neat. Neat is a unified inbox for work notifications. Currently focused on GitHub and Linear for software engineers. In this episode with Ted, we discuss Ted’s first dip into entrepreneurship at McGill, building tools for developers and Ted’s framework to interview customers.

Teams from Lego, Microsoft and Twilio use Neat for their notifications. Go to Neat.run to download!

Gavin Dove is the co-founder of Fluent. Fluent is a Chrome extension that helps you practice new languages. Fluent translates select English words to the language you are practicing as you browse the internet. In this episode, we discuss Gavin’s background, why Fluent focuses on immersion and how Fluent monetizes.

If you want to start practicing a new language today, hit this link to add Fluent to your Chrome browser!

Daniel Baum is the co-founder of Sleek.

Sleek saves you time and money when shopping online. Checkout with just 1 click at Best Buy, Zara, Gap and all your favourite stores. Plus, earn cashback on top of your credit card rewards. In this episode, we discuss Daniel’s Y Combinator experience, the checkout landscape and the future of Sleek.

Check out Sleek's Product Hunt page.

Check out TechCrunch's coverage of Sleek.

Add Sleek to your Chrome browser.

Myles Shedden is the Co-Founder of Chroma. Myles spent time at RBC Capital Markets, TriWest Capital Partners and SkipTheDishes. Chroma is Canada's first and only financial services platform for renters. Their industry-leading rent now, pay later product makes paying rent more convenient and helps you build your credit score by paying on time.

Spencer is a mechanical engineer who left the industry to engage with his values for environmentalism and his passion for food.

He founded Bessie, a farm-to-table grocer that delivers healthy food from growers to customers. All hyperlocally, people to people. No shipping required. It expanded across Alberta to 14 different municipalities and has served thousands of customers during good times and pandemic times.

In this episode, we discuss Spencer’s background, the growth of Bessie and the hard part of being a founder.

Please enjoy my conversation with Spencer Kerber.

Roach Capital is an investment firm focused on early-stage internet companies. In this episode, we discuss Fahd’s investing style, how he vets investments and find out why he is obsessed with roaches.

Check out Roach Capital's website to learn more!

Float’s vision is to deliver an end-to-end business spending platform for small and medium-sized businesses. We want this platform to enable businesses and teams to focus on investing in their growth and eliminate the need to use different banking and software tools to make day-to-day payments.

In this episode, we discuss the founding story of Float, how Ruslan has brought together a top-notch team and more.

Brett Chang is the co-founder of The Peak. The Peak Daily is fast Canadian business news. They help you get up-to-speed quick with a fun and smart breakdown of the three biggest Canadian and global business stories in less than 10 minutes. Enjoy my conversation with Brett!