#StartupChats - Startup Canada: Recent Episodes
#StartupChats – Startup Canada
On Monday, October 30, we hosted our final #StartupChats of the year, where we discussed mental health and building healthy habits for entrepreneurs! This chat was hosted by Startup Canada’s marketing and communications manager Jocelyn, with special guests Hailey Hechtman, Executive Director of Unsinkable, and Darren Anderson, Founder/Director of Love, My Mind Initiative Inc. Unsinkable is a charitable organization focused on mental health advocacy for youth and families through the power of storytelling. Love My Mind Initiative is a non-profit founded in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. They raise funds to promote and spread awareness for mental health and fund smaller projects related to suicide prevention, addiction, and other related illnesses that affect the lives of our loved ones.
This #StartupChats was presented by our partners at Mastercard.
Check out these highlights from our discussion:
Darren: Speaking from the business and entrepreneurship side of things, especially during and after the pandemic, it is really important to take time for yourself and away from your business. It’s essential to take a step back and keep your business at arm’s length to protect your mental health and the health of your family and loved ones.
Hailey: There is a lot of romanticization in this space about freedom and flexibility, and all of those things can be possible, but there is also a lot of hard work that comes into running a business. It’s important to look at what is achievable in a day to help break things down into manageable steps and avoid burnout.
Darren: As an owner and manager, supporting our team starts with being accountable for our own mental health. If we get ourselves in a great space as a leader, we can get our team there and even our clients! Sometimes, this starts with beginning every call with an open and honest conversation about life and sharing stories.
Hailey: As a leader, an important part of caring for your team’s mental health is modelling. Showing how you deal with your own mental health and well-being and making space for those vulnerable conversations so that your team feels comfortable coming forward and speaking out when they are in need.
Darren: It’s challenging to ride those waves of negative emotions. You have to stay connected. Having those support people to talk to when you are on those low waves is very important. A lot of the time, they are going through something similar, and you can ride those waves together.
Hailey: Stacking habits is a good way to build daily health habits. If you’re already doing something else, like commuting to work, you can add something to it, like using that time to listen to a podcast episode. There is also a lot of power in connection and building a community of people you can reach out to and talk to.
Resources & Tools
- Unsinkable Mental Health Digital Resources: https://www.weareunsinkable.com/mental-health-digital-resources
- Love My Mind Mental Health Resources: https://lovemymind.ca/pages/resources
- Canadian Mental Health Association: https://cmha.ca/find-help/find-cmha-in-your-area/
- BDC Entrepreneur Mental Health Survey: https://www.bdc.ca/en/about/mediaroom/news-releases/entrepreneurs-mental-health-has-decreased-significantly-compared-to-last-year-warns-new-survey-results-from-bdc
- 100 Ways to Change Your Life by Liz Moody: https://www.lizmoody.com/100-ways-to-change-your-life-book/
- Professional Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi Jones: https://luvvie.org/books/professional-troublemaker/
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The post #StartupChats | Mental Health and Building Healthy Habits first appeared on Startup Canada.
On Monday, September 25, we hosted a #StartupChats on income stability and entrepreneurship! This chat was hosted by Startup Canada’s marketing officer Nadia Ladak, with special guests Helen Huang, Chief ‘Helen’ Officer and Co-Founder of Join Co.Lab and Jarrod Goldsmith, Founder of eSAX (The Entrepreneur Social Advantage Experience). In this chat, we discussed the financial uncertainty of being an early stage entrepreneur and ways to manage your finances for income stability!
This #StartupChats was presented by our partners at Mastercard.
Check out these highlights from our discussion:
- Jarrod: The ideal time to pay yourself would be at the beginning. It doesn’t have to be a lot, just a small percentage to get you into the mind frame and realize that it’s okay to start paying yourself.
- Helen: All of us have these differing needs, and that’s why when you take financial security or insecurity out of your mind and start paying yourself, even if it’s something small. This helps you to not think about your financial issues and instead focus on delivering a good experience or products for your customers because that’s what will lead to a sustainable business.
- Jarrod: Never take for granted that income will be stable. You might have a bit of a cushion and realize at that point, your industry’s income has become stable. But never take it for granted. Always look to the future. Go grab a coffee, then start again.
- Helen: You need to make strategic moves when looking at the numbers. In your emergency fund, are you investing that money somewhere specifically that is secure and still growing?
- Jarrod: The idea of processes is so important from the very beginning. If you dissociate yourself from the company, will it still run, can it still run?
- Helen: If there is one resource you should find, it’s a good accountant. Ask them questions, hear, and learn from them. That is an invaluable resource that helps set up a system and look at numbers to know how much to pay yourself.
Watch the recording
Missed the chat? Click below to watch the full recording!
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Register for our upcoming #StartupChats by clicking here.
The post #StartupChats Recap | Income Stability and Entrepreneurship first appeared on Startup Canada.
On Monday, August 28, we hosted a special version of #StartupChats, where we discussed government relations tools and resources for Canadian entrepreneurs. This #StartupChats discussion was presented by our partners at Mastercard.
This chat was hosted by Natasha Morano, President of NHM Connect and Corporate & Government Affairs Director at Startup Canada, and Brad Vis, Member of Parliament for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon and Shadow Minister for Small Business Recovery and Growth!
Check out these highlights from our discussion:
- Brad: Canadian officials, especially members of parliament (MP) have unique access to other ministers in parliament and an array of officials and departments. For example, if you’re a small business owner and having trouble connecting with the CRA, your local MP can help expedite your case!
- Brad: If you want to connect with your local MP, simply give your local constituency office a call! You can come to your MP’s office to learn more about what support public officials can offer. Find your local MP at https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en
- Brad: As an MP, I have a unique tool to demand info from a government department that an average citizen wouldn’t have access to and use it to advocate for small businesses. As the shadow minister, I work to find out what small businesses want and work to develop policies to improve the business climate for entrepreneurs across Canada.
- Brad: For entrepreneurs, I’d recommend checking out the Business Grants and Financing page on the Government of Canada website to see what is available to you: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/business/grants.html. I also recommend checking out the Trade Commissioner Service, they have trade officers located all across Canada to help you connect with local markets.
- Natasha: Lobbyists have some different tools we use, you can check some of them out in our Startup Gov toolkit for entrepreneurs at https://bit.ly/startup-gov!
Watch the recording
Missed the chat? Click below to watch the full recording!
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Don’t Miss Out!
Register for our upcoming #StartupChats by clicking here.
The post #StartupChats Recap | Government Relations for Entrepreneurs first appeared on Startup Canada.
On Monday, July 31, we hosted a #StartupChats discussion tips and resources...
The post #StartupChats Recap | Kickstarting your Fundraising Round first appeared on Startup Canada.
Nearly 50% of TikTok users said they’d purchased something after seeing it...
The post #StartupChats Recap | Demystifying TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Video Content Marketing first appeared on Startup Canada.
On Monday, May 29, we hosted a special AccessAbility Week edition of...
The post #StartupChats Recap | AccessAbility Week: Making your online business more accessible first appeared on Startup Canada.
On Monday, March 27, we hosted a #StartupChats discussion on best practices for businesses looking to hire students and new grads and resources and advice for students looking to kick off their careers by working at a startup or small business!
Hosted by Startup Canada’s Marketing Officer, Nadia Ladak, we were joined by Aaron Brown, Partnerships Lead, Venture for Canada; Nisreen Rawdah, Senior Manager, Program Engagement, Magnet; and Pat Chaisang, Co-Founder and CEO of Isempower.
Our panel of experts offered incredible tips and resources for how to hire students and new grads and how to get hired! Some key insights included:
- Nisreen: Knowing about a program is one thing – but knowing how to use a program to your advantage is another! Magnet offers students and employers pathways to get the most out of their work placement experience and vice versa. They provide a $7,500 wage subsidy to businesses to hire students through their Student Work Placement Program. You can use this to your advantage when pitching your dream workplace on an internship opportunity!
- Pat: A lot of international students are not eligible for government student wage subsidy programs – platforms like Isempower help connect international students with work opportunities.
- Aaron: Finding a job in the lead-up to graduation can be really nerve-wracking for students. Programs like Venture for Canada’s Fellowship program help prepare new grads for the workforce and alleviate some of that worry. It’s also the perfect opportunity to explore entrepreneurship and work for a startup.
- Nisreen: It’s important for businesses to remember that youth have so much to offer to your company! Yes, businesses can pass their knowledge onto student employees, but also, youth can pass knowledge upwards. It goes both ways!
- Pat: It’s important for companies to remember that many students come from diverse backgrounds and have never worked in a Canadian office before. Investing in the onboarding process and creating a 30-60-90 plan for a new hire can help measure and define what a success plan would look like for a student.
Resources for Students and Grads:
- Magnet:
- Outcome Campus Connect: https://outcomecampusconnect.ca/Register
- Jobs for Recent Graduates: https://magnet.today/job-seeker/graduates/
- Self-serve job seeker: https://magnet.today/job-seeker/career/
- Venture for Canada:
- Fellowship Program: https://ventureforcanada.ca/programs/fellowship-program
- Intrapreneurship Program: https://ventureforcanada.ca/programs/intrapreneurship
- Internship Program: https://ventureforcanada.ca/programs/internship-program
- Isempower:
- Career Launcher Bootcamp: https://isempower.com/bootcamp/
Resources for Businesses:
- Magnet:
- Magnet Business Growth Portal: https://magnet.today/business/
- Venture for Canada:
- Fellowship Partner Program: https://ventureforcanada.ca/employers/fellows
- Hire an Intern: https://ventureforcanada.ca/employers/interns
- Intrapreneurship program: https://ventureforcanada.ca/employers/intrapreneurship
- Isempower:
- Meet 30,000+ International Students And Graduates: https://isempower.com/employers/
Watch the recording
Missed the chat? Click here to watch the recording!
Don’t Miss Out!
Register for upcoming #StartupChats by clicking here.
The post #StartupChats Recap | Finding Your Summer Star: Best Practices for Hiring Students & New Grads first appeared on Startup Canada.
The first #StartupChats of 2023 kicked off on Monday, February 27, and for the first time, the live Q&A was hosted on Instagram! This chat was presented in partnership with Mastercard.
This month’s topic was Exploring eCommerce and Online Payments. We were joined by Blair Forrest, founder of DTC Toronto, and Nadia Ladak, co-founder of Marlow.
Key Takeaways:Blair and Nadia offered some great insights into starting and growing your business for eCommerce. Some key advice included:
- Nadia: If using social media to promote your business, have a link to your website in your bio to help drive traffic back to your product.
- Blair: Research the eCommerce platforms of your top 5 to 8 competitors to better understand their buying processes and post funnels.
- Nadia: For Marlow, TikTok videos and blogs like How to insert a tampon for beginners have been great marketing tools for driving customers to our website.
- Blair: LinkedIn is an excellent tool for people looking to get started in eCommerce. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people, especially founders!
- Nadia: Lemlist is a great tool for CRM and email marketing.
Watch the recordingMissed the chat? Click here to watch the recording.
Don’t Miss Out!Register for upcoming #StartupChats here.
—About #StartupChats#StartupChats is a monthly learning series produced by Startup Canada to connect entrepreneurs to support organizations and Canada’s community of entrepreneurs. This program nurtures a vibrant entrepreneurial community while building awareness around the resources, programs, and organizations available to entrepreneurs from coast to coast to coast. Hosted through live video on Startup Canada’s Instagram page, entrepreneurs can register to learn and connect with real entrepreneurs and support organizations. For more information, visit https://www.startupcan.ca/learn/startupchats/.
Presenting Partner
The post #StartupChats Recap | Exploring eCommerce and Online Payments first appeared on Startup Canada.
On Wednesday, September 28, we hosted #StartupChats to talk about Failures and...
The post #StartupChats Recap | Failures and Knowing When to Pivot or Quit first appeared on Startup Canada.
The post #StartupChats Recap | Failures and Knowing When to Pivot or Quit appeared first on Startup Canada.
On Wednesday, August 31st, we hosted #StartupChats to talk about Digital Transformation...
The post #StartupChats Recap | Digital Transformation for Entrepreneurs first appeared on Startup Canada.
The post #StartupChats Recap | Digital Transformation for Entrepreneurs appeared first on Startup Canada.
On Wednesday, July 27th, we hosted #StartupChats to talk about Income Stability...
The post #StartupChats Recap | Income Stability for Entrepreneurs first appeared on Startup Canada.
The post #StartupChats Recap | Income Stability for Entrepreneurs appeared first on Startup Canada.
On Wednesday, May 25th, we hosted #StartupChats to talk about building a...
The post #StartupChats Recap | Building a Resilient Supply Chain first appeared on Startup Canada.
The post #StartupChats Recap | Building a Resilient Supply Chain appeared first on Startup Canada.
On Wednesday, June 22nd, we hosted #StartupChats to talk about diversity and...
The post #StartupChats Recap – Diversity and Inclusion for Startups first appeared on Startup Canada.
The post #StartupChats Recap – Diversity and Inclusion for Startups appeared first on Startup Canada.
On Wednesday, April 27th, we hosted #StartupChats to talk about why pitching...
The post #StartupChats Recap – Tools and Tips to Pitch Your Business and Sell first appeared on Startup Canada.
The post #StartupChats Recap – Tools and Tips to Pitch Your Business and Sell appeared first on Startup Canada.
On Wednesday, March 30th, we hosted #StartupChats to talk about what it...
The post #StartupChats Recap – Building an Online Presence, Marketing and Storytelling first appeared on Startup Canada.
The post #StartupChats Recap – Building an Online Presence, Marketing and Storytelling appeared first on Startup Canada.
On Wednesday, December 8th, we hosted #StartupChats to talk about The Art...
The post #StartupChats Recap – The Art of Hiring and Keeping The Best Talent first appeared on Startup Canada.
The post #StartupChats Recap – The Art of Hiring and Keeping The Best Talent appeared first on Startup Canada.
On Wednesday, December 1st, we hosted #StartupChats to talk about Diversity and...
The post #StartupChats Recap – Reflecting on Leadership in 2021 first appeared on Startup Canada.
The post #StartupChats Recap – Reflecting on Leadership in 2021 appeared first on Startup Canada.
On Wednesday, November 24th, we hosted #StartupChats to talk about (and to)...
The post #StartupChats Recap – Voices for Canadian Entrepreneurs first appeared on Startup Canada.
The post #StartupChats Recap – Voices for Canadian Entrepreneurs appeared first on Startup Canada.