RyersonDMZ

“The people part of this business [entrepreneurship] is one of the most important things at the end of the day.” In this episode, Bruce Croxon, Managing Partner at Round13 Capital, discusses his entrepreneurial journey and explains how Telepersonals evolved into Lava Life to adapt to the digital age. Bruce also shares what founders tend to overlook when fundraising and the top 3 factors he evaluates before making any investment.

“Many Indigenous founders do not align with the definition of Silicon Valley entrepreneurship, meaning that it's not growth or revenue at all cost.” In this episode, Althea Wishloff, Head of Growth at Koble, describes the different barriers that Indigenous founders face within the tech industry and shares various programs supporting Indigenous founders. Also in discussion, Althea reflects on her time at Panache Ventures, where she made 30 investments in companies across multiple industries.

“What startups are realizing is that they can build organically or can acquire to help them scale”. In this episode, Konata Lake, Partner at Torys LLP describes which startups are the best fit for a merger or acquisition and how they should develop effective strategies. Konata also shares why an advisory board is an essential piece for every startup's journey.

“If you take your eyes off of the potential exit, it may not be there when you think it's there.” In this episode, Mike McKenna, CFO of LifeSpeak shares what a successful exit looks like and what companies tend to overlook when going through an acquisition. Mike also discusses his career journey and what led him to become the CFO at Likspeak - a premier mental health and wellbeing platform that provides expert advice and education.

“I think one of the big misconceptions is that the CTO at a tech company is just someone who writes the code”. In this episode, Abhijeet Sarkar, CEO of TypeSift discusses what motivated him to create TypeSift, a fully integrated data management and analytics platform that automates and simplifies business insights. Abhijeet also sheds light on the type of mindset that CTOs should have within both tech and non-tech startups.

“If you believe in the Pareto principle that 80% of the revenue comes from 20% of the audience, you should ask yourself where is that 20% and how can you find look-alikes”. In this episode, Doug Sutherland, Chief Technology Officer at Soundpays Inc discusses new technology that is connecting consumers and how Soundpays is innovating within the market. Doug also reveals his product launch framework and the common issues that companies encounter when launching a product.

EPISODE 16: Kevin Crigger, President of TRREB on How startups should navigate the Real Estate Sector “Any innovation that is going to see substantial adoption ultimately needs to be solving a problem or responding to a need”. In this episode, Kevin Crigger, President of the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) discusses what PropTech startups need to do to see better adoption and scalability. Kevin also reveals common misconceptions about the real estate industry and tips to improve client management skills.

“Make sure the market you are targeting is big enough for your idea to turn into a big successful business”. In this episode, Roya Kachooeii, Co-founder & CEO at Walletifai, discusses her entrepreneurial journey and how that led to the creation of Walltifai - a personal finance tool that foresees future spending. Also in discussion, Roya reveals tips to craft better business pitches, and the key factors to consider when turning a passion project into a business. If you're an aspiring entrepreneur, this conversation is for you!

“Fundamentally when you are a startup, you are not buying. You are selling”. In this episode, Guy Kawasaki, Chief Evangelist at Canva, discusses the benefits of evangelism marketing, what sets it apart from traditional marketing methods and why it is essential to scale your business. Guy also touches upon his time with Apple in the 90s as its Chief Evangelist and details what it was like to work under the famous Steve Jobs. If you're looking to better understand evangelism marketing, this episode is for you!

“You have to really believe in your business idea at a fanatic level, because no matter what happens it's going to be difficult down the line”. In this episode, Tariq Fancy, Founder and CEO of The Rumie Initiative, discusses how he pivoted his career away from the corporate world to create Rumie, a non-profit that provides free learning tools that are being used in over 140 countries. Tariq sheds light on the barriers that Rumie faced in the educational sector and how his team overcame them. Also in discussion, Tariq reveals tips for scaling your business and establishing strong global partners. If you're looking to take your business globally, this episode is for you!

“Let's take all the things people wish they had as a service and let's actually make it a reality”. In this episode, our very own executive director of the DMZ and CEO of DMZ Ventures, Abdullah Snobar, discusses how the pandemic uncovered inequity in the entrepreneurship and technology industries. Abdullah shares how in response, the DMZ quickly revamped its incubator model to be better personalized and suited for early-stage startups. Abdullah also touches upon the Angel Investor Program and how it was created to put more funds into the hands of early-stage founders. As a bonus, Abdullah also shares his insights on the key traits that the DMZ looks for in up-and-coming startups!

“By using problem solving capabilities and different frameworks you can create win win wins across the board”. In this episode, Anthony Di Iorio, Founder of Ethereum and CEO at Decentral discusses his involvement in the crypto space and how that in turn led to the creation of Decentral. Anthony also touches upon the future of blockchain and gives his advice to aspiring entrepreneurs for breaking into the blockchain industry and securing funding using non-traditional methods.

“I just looked at the mountain of plastic and I said, “there has to be a better way”. In this episode, Nicholas Reichenbach, Founder & Executive Chairman at Flow Alkaline Spring Water and Managing Partner at Evolver Ventures discusses the journey Flow took to disrupt the beverage industry through product innovation and sustainability. Nicholas emphasizes the key steps that Flow took to adapt and grow during the pandemic. He highlights the importance of creating lasting relationships with influencers. Nicholas also reveals key strategies that startups can use to develop their product innovation.

"People don't want to be pitched an idea, they want to be brought in on a problem and then co-create on the solution". In this episode, Rachel Zimmer, General Manager at Entrepreneur First and former DMZ Entrepreneur in Residence, discusses the value of a co-founder and highlights resources for finding one. Rachel also touches upon her insights of being a female founder in a traditionally male dominated space. Rachel highlights the necessity of problem solving and iterating to achieve successful scalability.

In this episode, Dr. Mohamed Lachemi speaks to his professional development as a kid growing up to becoming the President and Vice Chancellor of Ryerson University. Mohamed is celebrating his 5th year in this role and discusses Ryerson's 10 year plan towards a more equitable, diverse and inclusive institution. Mohamed offers his advice to aspiring entrepreneurs while marrying this topic to how Ryerson strives to foster young innovators. If you want to learn more about how Ryerson has made experiential learning one of its core pillars, this episode is for you!

Goodbye influencers. Hello creators! In this episode, Bryan Gold, Co-founder of #paid, details how #paid is disrupting the norm to eliminate the disorganization of connecting creators and marketers. Bryan reveals his best-kept secrets for start-ups with limited capital seeking to successfully leverage the creator marketing space. Also in this discussion, Bryan highlights the importance of vocalizing and celebrating the Black tech experience, detailing #paid's commitment to showcasing creators from underrepresented communities. If you’re a content creator, a start-up founder, or a marketing aficionado, this episode is for you!

“The reality is, the only thing sitting between you and an opportunity is you starting.” In this conversation, Marie Chevrier, Founder at Sampler, details her growth from passing out samples to strangers in grocery stores and on street corners, to growing a business with 2.5 million users. When asked for advice to the hopeful entrepreneur, Marie discloses her secret to tackling entrepreneurship; just take the first step. As a female founder, Marie discusses the positive impact of hiring a diverse team from both a business and consumer perspective. If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, this conversation is for you!

“As a first-time founder, you need to be a professional problem solver.” From humble beginnings to a $17M acquisition, Marc Lafleur, CEO and Co-Founder of truLOCAL discusses the importance of problem-solving to become a successful founder. Marc touches upon his experience as a Black founder and how POC possess the resiliency and tenacity needed to pursue business as a viable path. He underscores the importance of highlighting Black founders, CEO’s and other business moguls to inspire the next generation of Black entrepreneurs. This conversation also provides listeners with advice on homing in on establishing vital components of a successful business such as creating a relatable brand and consumer-focused customer service.

Do things, tell people – “If you have something to share with the world, if you have a gift, if you have time, if you have money, if you have particular experiences, I think it is really important to disseminate that and let others leverage those things”. In this episode Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify, touches upon the importance of mindfulness, mentorship and paying it forward. In this meaningful discussion, Harley reveals how he’s capitalized on these practices to not only elevate himself but his identity as an entrepreneur. Alongside these topics, Harley discusses the progression of the Canadian E-Commerce landscape and the importance of resiliency in navigating small businesses.

“This is a hard moment but it’s also a productive learning moment”. In this episode, we chatted with Sabrina Geremia, Country Director for Google Canada, during the first lock down in July 2020. Sabrina touches upon how Google has pivoted its operations to better support small businesses during the pandemic. This conversation speaks to the many resources Google has introduced for individuals and businesses to leverage the accelerating digital world. If your company has yet to shift its business model to capitalize on digital affordances, this episode is for you!

“I do not believe in moments in time stopping us, because when we let a moment in time stop us we actually limit ourselves from the opportunity.” We chatted with Arlene back when the pandemic first started in July 2020. In this episode, Arlene underpins the importance of recognizing opportunity despite uncertainty and doubt. Arlene outlines critical steps to capitalizing on the gift of time the COVID-19 pandemic has brought forth and how current and aspiring entrepreneurs can leverage this time to build scalable businesses.

“My work in the start-up world allowed me to learn to be versatile, agile and also know that learning is probably one of the most important skills in a career”. Listen as Claude Guay speaks to how IBM is navigating the pandemic through skills he inherited through his time in the start-up ecosystem. This episode is designed to guide you through capitalizing on lessons learned from the digital world, inspired by COVID-19, and marrying them with the familiar things in the physical world to better serve internal processes and ultimately external output.

Why your press release isn't news. Our media relations team, Sam Seo of Physicalytics and Anna Hu of Brizi discuss what PR is, past successes and how to avoid mistakes. http://dmz.ryerson.ca/