The Entrepreneur Podcast

This week, The Entrepreneur Podcast is featuring one of our fellow podcasts from the larger Western ecosystem, Ivey Academy Presents: Leadership in Practice, which discusses critical issues in business, unpacks new research, and talks to industry leaders about the latest trends. In this episode of Leadership in Practice, I spoke to Ivey HBA '06 alumni Erik Mikkelsen, who is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Auxo Management LP - one of Canada's first successful search funds, and the President and Chief Revenue Officer of Stealth Monitoring Inc., a leading North American video monitoring and security company with over 1600 employees. Mikkelsen shares his journey through entrepreneurship, including the detours within his career where he found new avenues for opportunity.For more information on the Leadership in Practice Podcast, visit: IveyAcademy.com/blog

Melissa Sariffodeen has a number of roles and titles on her profile. One of them is "lifelong student."  And it's fitting. As Co-founder and CEO of Ladies Learning Code and Canada Learning Code, lifelong learning is integral to her founder's journey. Since 2011, over 700,000 Canadians from all walks of life have had the opportunity to learn critical skills and build up the confidence to become builders - not just consumers - of technology in an increasingly digital world. In this episode, Sariffodeen joins fellow Ivey alum and Director Internal of Morrissette Entrepreneurship, Deniz Edwards, to share her story and her passion for entrepreneurship, education and technology.

Silicon Valley Legend is a prized descriptor, and few fit the term as well as Guy Kawasaki. A renowned author, marketing specialist, angel investor, and tech evangelist, Kawasaki has a storied career in the Valley - including a major role at Apple marketing Macintosh computers in the early 1980s. Today, Kawasaki is the chief evangelist for Canva, the Australian graphic design platform, and the host of his podcast and passion project, Remarkable People, speaking to the likes of Jane Goodall, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Marc Benioff and more. In this special episode of the Entrepreneur Podcast, Kawasaki joins Eric Janssen to discuss his career, the importance of sales, how to be an effective employee in an early-stage start-up, family and fatherhood.

For Rick Cytrynbaum, the entrepreneur life can feel like a game of snakes and ladders. Yet rolling the dice, doesn't have to be a game of chance. Through years of hard work and hustle, Cytrynbaum has built a diverse and innovative career in the fashion space, where he has developed footwear for New Balance, co-founded House of Harlow 1960 with Nicole Richie, worked with celebrities like Kanye West and Heidi Klum, and owned multiple brands like Modern Vintage, Champion, and Kendall & Kylie. He was also an influential player in the rise of the direct-to-consumer model that brought a wide range of celebrities into the fashion industry.Cytrynbaum joins Eric Morse to share various aspects of his journey; from finding the white space in an industry, and cultivating one's gut feel, to the critical role failure plays in the life of an entrepreneur.

“The reward for taking out Bose, Panasonic, and Samsung was getting to play against Amazon, Google and Apple.” That's a common joke at Patrick Spence's Santa Barbara-based audio giant, Sonos; which is chiefly responsible for the rise of the smart speaker. An HBA '98 grad, Spence joined the company in 2012 and took over as CEO, five years later. But Sonos wasn't Spence's first rodeo in the fast-moving world of consumer electronics. For 14 years, Spence was an integral part of RIM/BlackBerry, serving a number of roles before ultimately becoming the Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. During that time the company grew from $50 million in revenue to more than $20 billion, and from 150 people to more than 17,000. In this episode, Spence shares lessons from the highs and lows of his career, his philosophy on technology and innovation, Sonos' legal battles with Google, and the different outlooks of entrepreneurs on both sides of the 49th parallel.

Jake Karls, BA'16, exudes the enthusiasm that one would expect of an entrepreneur. But the co-founder of Mid-Day Squares is not playing a part. He is a true believer that their chocolate bar will become the modern-day Hershey's bar. After the failure of his clothing brand, Karls was invited to join Mid-Day Squares by his sister and brother-in-law, Lezlie Karls and Nick Saltarelli; to bring his enthusiasm to the fore of a brand with a big vision. From instituting weekly therapy sessions to showcasing their entire journey (the good, the bad and the ugly) on social media, Karls and his co-founders took a unique approach to build a brand that has sold $8 million in chocolate bars.In this episode, Jake Karls joins Ivey Faculty Larry Plummer to discuss the rise of Mid-Day Squares, covering a range of topics including the importance of authenticity, various funding sources, the complicated world of retail and how he balances family and business while forging a chocolate empire.

This Summer, the Entrepreneur Podcast is back! Featuring the likes of Jake Karl of Mid-Day Squares, the Montreal-based chocolate company that's taking the world by storm, Patrick Spence from the innovative audio giant Sonos, and Rick Cytrynbaum, a true trailblazer in the direct-to-consumer fashion industry. Follow The Entrepreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast player or visit entrepreneurship.uwo.ca/podcast for our season kick-off on August 3, 2022.

The path of an entrepreneur is rarely a straight line, but some paths are more unconventional than others. Since the age of 15, Michelle Kwok was working in research labs. When she joined Western University to pursue a degree in Medical Science, everything seemed set for a future Dr Kwok. But then she started to wonder… and then wander… soon she was helping companies with social media marketing, working with founders on their startups, and even co-founded one that was acquired in 2021. Today, it's come full circle with Kwok working with biotechnology startups at San Francisco-based accelerator, On Deck Longevity Biotech. In this episode, Kwok joins Eric Janssen to share her conventional journey as well as some nuggets that could light the way for other aspiring entrepreneurs.

From East Side Marios, Fionn MacCool's and Bier Markt to Swiss Chalet, and The Keg, millions of Canadians have celebrated their special moments in John Rothschild's world.  Graduating as one of the youngest MBA students in 1983, John Rothschild didn't take the obvious entrepreneurial path. He built his career as an accountant, and then an investment banker who soon discovered how much he enjoyed working with small owner-operator businesses. From there, it was a small step to becoming an owner-operator himself, as the founder of Prime Restaurants.  In this episode, long-time friend and ally of entrepreneurship, John Rothschild shares his love for business, food and celebrating good times.

This can often feel like a throwaway line to make something seem more important than it really is. But Jocelyn Mackie, HBA '03, is a believer.   In fact, she lives it every day as the Co-CEO of Grand Challenges Canada, an innovation platform that has supported over 1300 innovations in 90 countries. Joining the Entrepreneur Podcast, Mackie shares many of their great success stories and breaks down the nonprofit's selection process, and funding model for innovative ideas.   Join Eric Janssen on this important episode and discover Mackie's personal journey, and how Grand Challenges Canada is changing the world, one innovative idea at a time.

“Those who can't do, teach.” If you enjoy dispelling popular myths, this episode is for you. MBA '64 Bob Nourse was in his element when teaching in the classroom. After completing his doctorate at Harvard, Nourse began a nine-year teaching career at Ivey. But in 1976 that world was upended when a private equity firm came knocking for his expertise to turn around some struggling companies. From airlines and soft drinks to building water slides, Nourse eventually found a New Orleans-based mail-order business called the Bombay Company, which he grew to over 400 stores across Canada and United States. In 1993, Nourse was voted Entrepreneur of the Year by Inc. Magazine, which called Bombay, “America's hottest company.” In this episode, Nourse shares his entrepreneurial story, including the ups and downs of the company he took from obscurity to the New York Stock Exchange.

Adversity is an essential part of great stories, and few things spell adversity like muscle damage, broken bones, shoulder and chest injuries. Arriving at Western in the 1970s, David ‘Patch' Patchell-Evans, BA'77, LLD'12, was all set to pursue a degree in business before a horrific motorbike accident intervened. As he took the long road to recovery, Patch discovered the life-changing power of physical health and therapy. Today, as the head of one of the largest health clubs in the world, Patch is helping people across Canada (and beyond) find the good life.

The demand for sustainable products has never been greater – and perhaps, never been more necessary. From climate change to the creation of vast trash islands, more and more consumers are realizing that real change is needed to protect and preserve our environment. For Jayme Jenkins, HBA '07, and Jessica Stevenson, HBA '07, real change wasn't just about making a donation or changing their buying habits. Leaving their established careers, Jenkins and Stevenson are reimagining the beauty industry with Everist, which provides concentrated forms of traditional hair and body care products, reducing the industry's typical reliance on plastic bottles and packaging. Since its launch, Everist has been featured by Chatelaine, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and Men's Health, and was voted by Vogue and Time magazine as one of the best innovative products of 2021. Jenkins and Stevenson join Eric Janssen to discuss their passion for problem-solving, being the change they want to see, and how their careers in sales and marketing helped lay the runway to launch their own brand.

With the increasing encroachment of the digital world on our personal and professional lives, we are in desperate need of guides. Cal Newport might be one of them. Newport is a professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University, and a New York Times Best-selling author of seven books, which include So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion In The Quest For Work You Love (2012), Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World (2016), Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World (2019) and his latest, A World Without Email (2021). He is also a regular contributor to The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Wired, and is the host of popular podcast, Deep Questions. On this episode of the Entrepreneur Podcast, Newport shares his thoughts on how to stay focused in a world of digital distractions, the benefits of being impatient, and the fallacy of following your own passion. It's an episode full of honest reflections and practical takeaways from a world class teacher, and writer.

Above all these accolades, Zita Cobb is a community builder. After a fast-paced career in the technology space, Cobb, retired in her early 40s before founding the in 2013, based in her hometown Fogo Island, in Joe Batt's Arm Newfoundland. Shorefast has a mission to create a diverse economy on Fogo Island through a variety of social businesses, including the , a luxury hotel, outfitted by local craftspeople, and featured in international media outlets like National Geographic, GQ, and CNN.

Fast Company called her one of the most creative people in business. Business Insider named her as one of the Silicon Valley's top 100. And Ad Age says she's one of the women to watch. And why not? Sukhinder Singh Cassidy has had quite the career. Most recently, she was the President of StubHub, prior to which she co-founded a number of companies, and held senior roles at Amazon and Google. At Google, she was responsible for launching Google Maps and eventually leading Google's international operations in Asia Pacific and Latin America. In another special episode of the Entrepreneur Podcast, Eric Janssen sits down with Sukhinder Singh Cassidy to discuss her incredible journey, and the importance of prioritization (and how that changes in startup and large company contexts).

Spin Master is one of the great Canadian success stories. Go to any corner of the world, and you will find young girls and boys playing with Spin Master toys. Ben Varadi, HBA '94, was there at the beginning, running manufacturing (despite having little expertise in the area). Today, Varadi is the company's Chief Creative Officer, and his unique strengths have found a perfect home in the art of toy making. In this special episode of the Entrepreneur Podcast, Varadi joins Eric Janssen, HBA '09, MBA '20, to share his fascinating journey from leaving university to helping create one of the biggest toy companies in the world, and the lessons learned along the way.

The mention of Tequila often induces a strong reaction, and Eric Brass was no exception. “I had the same misconception that most people have about tequila — that disgusting shot in a seedy bar at a horrible hour of the night. It's the most misunderstood and misrepresented spirit in the world.” But something happened on a study trip to Mexico that changed Brass' career trajectory, leading him to co-found a premium tequila brand with just a backpack and $10,000. Today, Tequila Tromba is one of the fastest growing premium tequilas in North America. Together with his entrepreneurship professor, Eric Morse, Brass walks through his entrepreneurial journey: from discovering real tequila, and leaving the world of finance, to creating a modern brand with traditional techniques.

Ivey Lecturer and Serial Entrepreneur David Simpson, MBA '88, sat down virtually with David Bentall to discuss his latest book, “Dear Younger Me,” where Bentall discusses important lessons for next generation leaders through his personal journey, as well as those gleaned from mentoring and supporting advisors, and prominent Canadian business families. For over two decades, David Bentall worked for the family business, which included a seven year stint as President and CEO of Dominion Construction. Bentall co-founded the Business Families Centre at UBC's Sauder School of Business, where he served as founding chair for five years. Bentall is also a mentor, advisor and founder of Next Step Advisors. Prior to his latest offering, Bentall authored the award-winning book, “The Company You Keep: The Transforming Power of Male Friendship.” David Simpson is an entrepreneur and Director of the Ivey Business Families Initiative and Faculty director of the Family Shift program.

Since graduating in 2007, Nicole Verkindt has had quite the ride. From her first job as the ‘hot walker' at the Woodbine Racetrack, to learning sales on the fly with a Belgium firm, Verkindt founded OMX (Offset Market Exchange), a powerful procurement platform for various complex supply chain industries. Working with major International players like Lockheed Martin and British Aerospace, Verkindt became a prominent fixture in major boards, and government discussions, as a major proponent for innovation across Canadian industries. In this latest episode, Verkindt speaks candidly about her journey out of business school, her view of innovation, and why it is vital to Canada's place in the global economy.

Rachel Zimmer is the General Manager of Entrepreneur First, a $140M fund that bets on people first, and then coaches them to find their breakthrough ideas. Zimmer understands this process well because it's exactly how she started her company, 5Crowd (acquired by sgsco). In this episode, Rachel walks us through her own ideation process, the criteria that she used to filter her business ideas, and the uncomfortable process of leaving her job at Johnson & Johnson to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams with business partner Bram Warshafsky. Since the acquisition of 5Crowd in 2016, Zimmer has continued to help professionals discover their entrepreneurial potential with the added safety net through her work at Entrepreneur First. She shares what she's discovered about the qualities, personalities and combinations that make the best entrepreneurial teams.

The word ‘entrepreneur' conjures a very specific image. Picture a white male from Stanford, or Harvard, who is bold, brash, and ready to change the world – and you're halfway there. From the icons of the 1980s like Larry Ellison, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, to today's Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, to name a few, the legend of the entrepreneur has outgrown its former confines. But are they reflective of the true face of entrepreneurship? Do they capture the wide variety of lifestyles and philosophies that lead people to start their own businesses? Canadian journalist David Sax doesn't think so. In this episode, Sax shares the thesis of his latest book, The Soul of an Entrepreneur, which dissects the myth of the modern entrepreneur, and its impact on the accessibility of entrepreneurship. Sax is the author of the best-seller, The Revenge of Analog, which was on Michiko Kakutani's Best Books of 2016 in the New York Times. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, Bloomberg Business Week, The New York Times, Saveur, NPR, GQ and Toronto Life.

In our latest series, you're invited to sit in on Eric Janssen's Hustle & Grit course, taking place virtually at the Ivey Business School. Each episode explores an entrepreneur's journey, their key learnings, and questions from our eager, aspiring student entrepreneurs. In this episode, Andrew D'Souza Co-Founder and CEO of Clearbanc shares stories and lessons learned as he transitioned from a career in consulting, to tech sales, then tech executive, and finally to founder of a now iconic Canadian scale-up. D'Souza addresses: why consultants make great entrepreneurs, what sets apart the people who cash paycheques from the people who write them, and how to build a world-class team.

Chatham local Colin Chrysler, was on his way to the Island of Palau for a few weeks of surfing and brewing beer, when some visa complications left him stranded in British Columbia. With few days to kill at the epicenter of Canada's growing craft beer industry, Colin decided to make the most of his time and sought out a meeting with fellow Chatham natives, Alf and Doug Hunter, who had created a formula for building breweries across the Province. That conversation culminated with the creation of Chatham's first craft brewery, Sons of Kent. On this episode, Eric Janssen sits down with half of the co-founders of the Sons of Kent, to discuss beer, business, and the impact a brewery can have on community and culture.

Inc.com called her one of the “10 Greatest Salespeople of All Time.” For 13 years, Erica Feidner was a sales representative (later elevated to Executive Sales Representative) at the prestigious high-end piano maker, Steinway & Sons., where she sold over $40 million worth of instruments. Feidner's fascinating journey has been spotlighted across print and visual media, featured in Forbes, Canadian Business, Smart Money, Men's Health, A&E, The Food Channel, CNN, and The Hallmark Channel. In this special episode, Eric Janssen speaks with Feidner about her long love affair with music and her approach to the art of sales.

This isn't anyone's Plan A. We are living through a live case study of an unprecedented global pandemic, and many of your colleagues who had their dream jobs lined up after graduation have found the rug pulled out from under them. COVID-19 has forced hundreds of thousands of new grads to change their plans entirely — and not to their Plan B ‘fall back option' but to something entirely different. Something they weren't considering in the first place. They have been forced to pursue Option C. Graduations have gone virtual, and offers are delayed or rescinded but Option C can be a blessing if you allow it to be. In a special edition of the Ivey Entrepreneur Podcast, Eric Janssen talks to four Ivey students who have pursued non-traditional paths and made boulders their blessings. This episode features Jacqueline Scott, Allora Athletics (www.alloraathletics.com), Natalie Diezyn, Marlow (wearemarlow.com), Chloe Beaudoin, Apricotton, and Jack Jelinek, Crank Lite (www.cranklite.com).

There is no shortage of descriptors for Ron Close, HBA '81: a seasoned entrepreneur, leader, educator, coach with a small ‘c', board member, investor etc. A graduate from one of Ivey's most 'entrepreneurial classes (1981),' Ron was the co-founder and CEO of Netcom Canada, one of Canada's earliest and most successful Internet companies. After selling Netcom, Ron spent a number of years in executive roles across the telecommunications, and technology industries. A deep thinker who is eminently quotable, Ron shares some of his most important learnings, from starting up, leading teams, and coaching some of Canada's top young entrepreneurs and executives, on the latest episode of the Ivey Entrepreneur Podcast.

David Ciccarelli started his entrepreneurial journey when he opened his own independent studio. He ended up partnering with his first customer (now his wife), and building the world's largest library of voice talent: Voices.com. Voices.com has grown exponentially since raising $18M USD from Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital and the organization is continuing on an aggressive growth trajectory with everyone rowing in the same direction. In this episode, David does a deep dive into the importance of setting clear goals, how to write a one-sentence job description, how he sets up employees for success (and keeps them on track), and the specific process that Voices.com uses for performance reviews. This is a playbook for onboarding new employees, and setting them up for success in a high-growth company.

Last fall, Eric Morse sat down with three impressive entrepreneurs to discuss their journey, and lessons learned on resourcing for high growth, shaping culture, and learning from past mistakes. On the latest edition of the Ivey Entrepreneur Podcast, Eric Brass, HBA '05, Founder of Tequila Tromba, Debbie Fung, Co-Founder of Yoga Tree Studios, and Anton Rabie, HBA '94, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Spin Master, discuss high-growth and its unique challenges.

Flashfood has become well known across North America as a grocery app that helps you save money and reduce food waste. With massive grocery partners like Loblaws, Farm Boy and Meijer, Flashfood is quickly becoming a household name. All too often, entrepreneurial success stories skip the messy middle: the details, mis-steps and failures along the way to their ultimate success - in this episode Josh Domingues, Founder & CEO of Flashfood spares no details. With specific examples from early failures, to conducting interviews with early users, and rolling up his sleeves to generate his first sales, Josh highlights how authenticity is a competitive advantage for entrepreneurs.

Clark started College Pro Painters out of desperation in 1971 when he was only 17 years old. He needed to pay for university and realized his summer job wasn't going to cover his tuition, so he went door-to-door to sell his first painting job…without knowing how to paint! Clark landed his first job, and learned quickly how to deliver on his promise to customers. He went on to expand the business to 500 franchisees, and over 5,000 painters when he ultimately sold the business in 1990. In this episode, Clark uncovers how to overcome fear and doubt as a first-time entrepreneur, how to make the first sale, and how to set up the systems, processes, and cadence to grow your business.

Despite all the buzz about diversity and inclusion, few companies make it a true investment priority. We need to start bringing intention, rather than just good intentions to the process.   The fact that critical decisions are being made without the perspective of half of the population is particularly concerning in tech because of the ever-increasing role that machines in general and AI in particular play in our lives.   Jodi Kovitz, a lawyer, turned tech executive, founded #movethedial, an organization to advance the participation and leadership of women in tech. In this episode, we talk about her entrepreneurial upbringing, how she navigated her early career, and the nudge she finally received to start her own company, and global movement.   In the wake of COVID-19, Jodi made the difficult decision to pause operations at #movethedial. In doing so, the aim is to preserve the company and support the movement in the long term. We are all deeply optimistic that #movethedial 2.0 will emerge as a strong, and resilient organization.

Staying at home has created an opportunity for many to learn new skills; whether it is a new language, how to code, or make bread. Before you start your next learning opportunity, wouldn't it make sense to learn HOW to learn so that the process is more effective, efficient, and fun? On this weeks podcast, Eric Janssen is joined by Andre Neagoie, a software developer, turned entrepreneur, and currently lead instructor at his own company, Zero to Mastery (ZTM): the highest-rated programming course on the web that has graduated over 200,000 students. Andrei shares his wild entrepreneurial journey that has taken him from launching his own adventure races, teaching surfing in Nicaragua, and finally to Silicon Valley and Toronto, where he worked as a Senior Software Developer before founding ZTM. Before you spend the next few months burning countless hours learning a new language, or skill, spend some time learning how to learn the right way.

With millions forced to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the concept of Work from Home (WFH) has gone mainstream. Working from home has its benefits: Reduced commutes, added convenience, increased family time, and has made it far more acceptable to wear sweatpants to "work". At the same time, this new working dynamic has created complexities in how we communicate, especially as we add more people to the virtual space. Conducting meetings, delivering presentations, and teaching classes virtually can be challenging, and often requires new tactics and communication tools to make the best of this new communication dynamic. Eric Janssen welcomes back Eric Silverberg and Eli Gladstone of Speaker Labs to share their wisdom on how to be better communicators in the new WFH world.

Each year, a third of all HBA2 students get to hear Dave Simpson's Top Ten, a collection of personal business stories that speak to how even the best laid plans can come apart through foreseen circumstances. As the coronavirus continues to impact businesses across the globe, many of Dave's former students have reconnected to share their frustrations of opportunities lost, and how they have been reminded of one of the stories from Dave's Top Ten, The Hundred Year Flood. In this episode, Ivey alum, lecturer and serial entrepreneur Dave Simpson, MBA '89 shares the story of The Hundred Year Flood, hoping to remind entrepreneurs the importance of staying calm and carrying on, because entrepreneurs more than anyone understand that existential crises happen all the time.

Early this year Janet Bannister, HBA '92, became the first woman to lead one of Canada's largest early-stage VC firms. Janet has built her career on quickly figuring out what matters, and then becoming the best in the world at those things. She has had a diverse career, with roles at Procter & Gamble (P&G), McKinsey & Co., and eBay, which led to her founding the online marketplace, Kijiji. On this episode, Janet talks about her entrepreneurial beginnings, why a career in management consulting is great training for life as an entrepreneur, and how to cut through the noise to focus on what really matters in your start-up or scale-up.

Mona Sabet is a technology sector deal maker, an entrepreneur, a diversity advocate, and a community builder. With over 20 years of experience in driving inorganic growth for technology businesses from startup to public company, Mona has cultivated an expertise in formulating, structuring and negotiating strategic initiatives that power corporate growth. She has negotiated hundreds of technology deals and nearly 50 acquisitions from $10M to $500M in valuation. Mona joins Ivey professor Janice Byrne to talk about challenges women entrepreneurs still face in the world of startups, the importance of community and networks, and what men and women need to do better to bring balance to entrepreneurship.

Wealthsimple is building the world's most human financial services company. Yes, the company most well known for raising near $300M to disrupt traditional financial services companies by leveraging 'robo-advisors' is on a mission to be more human. The brainchild of Ivey HBA '09, Michael Katchen, the company today, manages almost $7 bllion in assets, and employs more than 300 people. Katchen sat down with long-time friend, Eric Janssen, to talk about his journey; from leaving management consulting to working in the start-up world and building a disruptive company in an industry he had never worked in. In this episode Katchen uncovers how he thinks about hiring, and getting the most out of his team, as well as his outlook on the future of great Canadian companies.

Entrepreneurship is a journey, not a destination, and few have been on that journey as long as the Oland and Stanfield families. In this episode, Eric Morse speaks to QuantumShift alums Andrew Oland, CEO of Moosehead Breweries, and Jon Stanfield, CEO of Stanfield's Ltd, on how the long history of their business impact how they view, and handle the current disruptive landscape. Listen to the fascinating histories of two pre-Canadian institutions, and how they continue to balance history, innovation, business, and family.

Brent Choi learnt the importance of being indispensable the hard way. Fired from his first four jobs, Brent began his recovery by relying on his work ethnic, and passion to find solutions. “I'm not as talented as my competition, and so I have to outwork them,” said Brent. In our latest episode, Brent Choi, the CEO and Chief Creative Officer of DDB Canada, talks about the source of innovation, and creativity, and how it can be developed through passion and a desire to fix problems.

Why is it that people in seemingly great places — good careers or relationships, leave to pursue ‘more'? In 2015, Alan Gertner was working his dream job at Google. Growing up, Alan was the type of kid who preferred computer camp to sports camp, and at only 30 years old was an executive at Google, living in Singapore. He'd dedicated his 20's to winning at work and realized he wanted the next chapter to be different – so he left. He went on to start a company in the cannabis industry, Tokyo Smoke, which he eventually sold to Canopy Growth Corporation for a reported $250M. But his systematic process to do the self-work required to figure out what to do next was key to his success. Alan shares that process, and more on the first episode of our new series Hustle & Grit.

For the first episode of 2020, Eric Janssen speaks to Sarah Sklash, HBA '07, co-owner of The June Motel, a 16-room boutique motel in Prince Edward County. Find out how a New Years Resolution helped Sarah take the leap from side hustle, to full-time entrepreneur, who together with her business partner, chose to transform the ‘diviest motel you've ever seen,' into one of Ontario's most Instagrammable experiences.

If Bridgit rings a bell, you have probably read one of the many articles on the tech company's rise on the Globe & Mail, BetaKit, Forbes, or the Financial Post; Two young female entrepreneurs, making waves in the construction industry. In this episode of the Ivey Entrepreneur Podcast, Eric Janssen speaks to Mallorie Brodie, HBA '13, and Lauren Lake, B.E.Sc '13, about their journey of discovering entrepreneurship, starting a company through Next36, raising money, the challenge of hiring, and pivoting to stay relevant in a competitive industry.

For the past decade, Scott Butler, QS '16 has been the founder and CEO of HighStreet Ventures Inc. In today's episode of the Ivey Entrepreneur Podcast, Scott retraces his entrepreneurial journey, from leaving WestJet, and becoming a real estate developer in one of Canada's hottest markets.

Don Bell is one of founders of WestJet Airlines. He is widely respected as the owner of culture at WestJet, which still remains one of the company's key strategic advantages in the space. In this episode, Don discusses the founding of WestJet, and the importance of culture in the workplace.

Matt Phillips is the founder and CEO of Phillips Brewing and Malting Co. in Victoria, British Columbia. After years of working for other brewers, Matt decided to start up his own brand as craft brewers across the industry were shutting shop in the early 2000s. Almost two decades later, Phillips is not only still standing, but thriving as BC's Biggest Little Brewery.

This week's Ivey Entrepreneur podcast features Corey Shelson, MBA '12, founder of 44 North Digital Marketing. After serving with the Canadian Forces for nine years, Corey joined the Ivey MBA program and launched a start-up soon after. While his first foray into entrepreneurship didn't pan out the way he hoped, the itch never left him. In this episode, Corey talks about his journey, as well as the growing importance of marketing in an expanding digital landscape.

This week's Ivey Entrepreneur podcast features Emily Lonetto, HBA'16, founder of GrowthTO, the largest community of growth and product practitioners in Canada. Emily's career ambitions have ranged from Rockstar (she literally sang in an alternative rock band in Toronto), to promoter, to entrepreneur and growth marketer.  Her experiences on the growth team at Tilt (acquired at AirBnB) kick-started her career in growth, and she has since held positions at numerous high profile start-ups and scale-ups such as PartnerStack, Clio, and Voiceflow.  In this episode, Emily helps us understand what growth really is, how to spot talent for your growth team, and uncovers the tactics behind several well-executed growth initiatives that she has participated in.

This week's Ivey Entrepreneur podcast features a New Yorker who quit his corporate job and moved to Egypt--all for the sake of the perfect t-shirt. Guest, Rami Helali shares his experience starting KOTN--an ethically sourced t-shirt company that specializes in using a transparent manufacturing process that meets the highest standards in both ethics and quality.  He chronicles the hustle, drive, and determination that it took to grow a brand from a backpack and a dream four years ago, to having a strong online presence in addition to several retail stores in multiple countries today. His insights are applicable to anyone looking to make the jump from employee to entrepreneur and pull it off successfully.  

We all know those people. The people that won't stop talking. The people that never seem to be quiet long enough to hear what is ACTUALLY being said. They're too interested in what they THINK is being said. Unfortunately, this is the category that most entrepreneurs get lumped into. Loud. Obnoxious. Won't shut up long enough to take a breath. Bobby Besant is not one of those entrepreneurs. He's anything but.

What do you do when everyone says no to your can't-miss idea? You change your clothes, have a drink, and quickly reposition. Peter Machalek, currently the COO at TREC Brands, shared the mogul-filled story of how he started Adbloc Media right out of college. He couldn't wait to share his idea for advertising on ski chairlifts at a trade show. He entered in his suit. The attendees were in ripped tee shirts and sandals. Fortunately, he'd brought some casual clothes. His pitch was a sure thing. Would you like to make hundreds of thousands of dollars without lifting a finger or spending a dime? Everyone said no. Machalek was dumbfounded, perplexed. Who turns down free money?