Business

David Alston headshot
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Lessons from a serial tech and marketing startup entrepreneur

Business, Coaching & Consulting, Marketing & Advertising 00:53:48

David Alston is a repeat tech and marketing startup entrepreneur, founder and coach at Marketswell Solutions’ CMO Accelerator program, a former volunteer Entrepreneur in Residence for the New Brunswick Government, cofounder of Brilliant Labs, an advisor to many startups in the Atlantic region, Radian6’s former CMO and Salesforce.com’s former Marketing Cloud Chief Adoption Officer.

David received KIRA Award’s Industry Champion for 2015, a Forbes top 50 CMO in social media, co-winner of a 2014 EY Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Atlantic Canada, 2015 winner of Entrepreneur of the Year and co-winner of Enterprise Promotion for the Atlantic Region from Startup Canada and the winner of the Greater Saint John Community Foundation’s 2018 Community Service Award.

David is the past co-chair of LivingSJ, a movement to support and create a path for all those living in poverty in his home city, a member of BCAPI and a former board member with his regional United Way.

David currently sits as an independent director on the board of Envision Saint John: The Regional Development Agency, as a commissioner on the board of Saint John Energy, and as an advisor on Venture for Canada’s national advisory board.

David has been involved with two social impact documentaries, Code Kids, which followed the journey to get coding back in the classroom, and The Millennial Dream, a documentary questioning whether the values of “The American Dream” have now been replaced by those more aligned with the passions of the Millennial generation.

David has been a mentor at NomadicMentors.com where he has keynoted and advised close to 50 startups in countries such as Spain, Portugal and Greece.

David, his wife, Mary-Gwen, and team also own and run a treetop aerial adventure park in Dominion Park called TimberTop Adventures, one of the largest of its kind in Canada and which is currently the number one ranked aerial adventure park in Canada on TripAdvisor. Their latest adventure is the creation of Climb 1884, soon to be NB’s newest and largest indoor rock climbing gym built inside an historic church erected in 1884 with heights up to 42 feet.

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Faye Pang headshot
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Putting a Human Face on Tech with Faye Pang

Business, Tech 00:35:37

Faye Pang is the Canada Country Manager for Xero, the global small business platform with more than 2.7 million subscribers worldwide that’s dedicated to making business beautiful. Faye brings nearly 15 years of experience building businesses from the ground up. Prior to joining Xero, Faye helped launch Uber Freight into the Canadian market. She also helped launch the Uber Eats app in Toronto in December 2015, scaling the business from 80 restaurants on launch day to 20,000 partners by the end of her tenure.

As a leader, Faye prioritizes growth above all else, and practices authenticity, transparency, and empathy in the way she manages her team. She strongly believes that we all have a set of values that we have to live by at all times (rather than keeping our work and personal lives separate), and keeps this consideration top-of-mind when championing her team’s growth, both personally and professionally. She is passionate about creating systems that lift women up, while tackling the hierarchical barriers that have disproportionately affected women in the workplace.

Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

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Drior Etcion headshot
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How The PIVOT Project Helps Canadian SMEs Future Proof Their Business for a Changing World

Business, Coaching & Consulting, Starting A Business 00:21:40

Led out of McGill University, The PIVOT Project is an action research project that uses social media to bring small business owners across Canada together to share their climate action goals, struggles and achievements and shift Canadian perspectives on our country’s green future.

We will be interviewing PIVOT participants over the next few months. We love this kind of initiative. In this interview we talk with Drior Etcion an Associate Professor at McGill and one of the drivers of the initiative.

PIVOT is an action-research project that amplifies the action of small business owners across Canada as they transition to the low-carbon economy. PIVOT harnesses the power of stories to document the growing movement of SMEs that are future-proofing their businesses and setting themselves up for success in a changing world.

PIVOT is spearheaded by the Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill but is collaborating with many other departments including biology, informational science as well as external stakeholders like the National Film Board of Canada The project is funded by the McGill Sustainability Systems Initiative.

Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Alykhan Jetha headshot
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Learn why resilience is important for entrepreneurs

Business, Tech 00:23:45

In over 20 years running a Canadian software company, Alykhan Jetha (AJ) has weathered a lot of storms – from the dot-com bust, to 9-11’s blow to business confidence, right up to the sales hit of the Covid-19 pandemic. But the biggest threat he’s ever seen to his business, is how his pipeline for software engineers has utterly dried up. See this recent Financial Post story that quoted AJ at https://bit.ly/3m36bV0 and https://bit.ly/3s1kLjn

AJ is CEO of Marketcircle Inc., the Markham, ON-based developer of award-winning Daylite CRM for Mac-based small business of 1-100 people. Daylite powers small business teams to handle more clients, close more deals, and execute more projects.

Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

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Caterina Papadakos headshot
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What makes SVB a unique capital partner for Canadians

Business, Economics, Finance 00:43:30

Caterina Papadakos leads the Technology Banking efforts in Western Canada, building new relationships and managing the bank’s portfolio in the region. She thrives on serving energetic entrepreneurs who are challenging the status quo and disrupting traditional industries, and she’s dedicated to providing them with the strategic capital, advice and connections they need to scale and compete globally.

Caterina has been an active member of the local tech scene for more than a decade; before joining SVB in 2020, she served as a Director at Espresso Capital, where she led venture debt financing for tech companies in Western Canada. In this role, she also managed existing client and partner relationships and opened new US markets for the firm. Earlier in her career, Caterina served as a Director for the Technology and Innovation group at BMO, where she launched the bank’s technology lending program in British Columbia. She has also held roles at Trade and Invest BC, where she helped businesses in the province develop their export and foreign investment strategies. Caterina holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Victoria and an MBA from the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business.

In her free time, Caterina volunteers as a member of the CARE Canada Vancouver Council, which supports projects in developing countries that help lift women and girls and their families out of poverty and crisis.

Caterina lives in Vancouver with her husband and son. Together, they enjoy taking advantage of everything the area has to offer — whether snowboarding in the mountains, stand-up paddle boarding on local waters or simply trekking on foot through the great outdoors. Further afield, Caterina and her family love experiencing the culture, food and landscape of global destinations; their most recent adventures include trips to Japan and South Africa’s Kalahari Desert.

The Silicon Valley Bank team in Canada can help you take your next step. Find out more about the bank that has nearly 40 years of global experience supporting venture-backed tech and life science companies and their investors. We’re in Canada to help leading innovators reach the next stage, faster. Visit www.svb.com/canada/connect. Silicon Valley bank, helping you move your bold ideas forward, fast.

Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Virginie Fisette headshot
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Faire sa place dans le monde des artistes du Québec

Art & Culture, Business, Communications, Fashion & Garments, Retail 00:20:23

Virginie Fisette, pour Tamélo boutique. Nous sommes établis à Montréal. Après mes études en art dramatique au Cégep Marie-Victorin, j’ai complété un certificat en Histoire de l’art à l’UQAM, puis on BAC en communication également à l’UQAM. Je me suis ensuite investi dans la mise en place du projet de centre d’art Le Livart à Montréal, j’y suis restée environ 3 ans à titre de directrice des opérations. À cette époque, ma soeur Mélodie et mon amie Tamara avaient lancé Tamélo Boutique et m’ont demandé de me joindre à l’aventure. Depuis maintenant 4 ans, je m’occupe notamment des communications (internes et externes), du marketing, de la publicité, des partenariats, collaborations et de toutes autres tâches connexes !

L’équipe de la Banque Silicon Valley au Canada peut vous aider à faire avancer vos idées audacieuses – rapidement.

En apportant une expertise mondiale aux fondateurs, investisseurs et innovateurs.

Visitez svb.com/fr/canada pour en savoir plus.

Les entrepreneurs sont l’épine dorsale de l’économie canadienne.

Pour soutenir les entreprises canadiennes, abonnez-vous à notre chaîne YouTube et suivez-nous sur Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn et Twitter.

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Nicole McLaren headshot
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Canada‘s rich and diverse Indigenous economy is on the rise

Business, General, Indigenous, Retail 0:22:00

Nicole McLaren is a multi-award-winning Métis entrepreneur from British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Her extensive knowledge of industry supply chains and economic development coupled with a passion for supporting fellow Indigenous entrepreneurs allowed her to transform a small book club into Raven Reads, the world’s first Indigenous subscription box.

Through her hard work and ambition, Raven Reads has grown exponentially, with thousands of subscribers across Canada, the US, and Europe. Once a sole proprietor, curating and packaging boxes in her garage, Nicole now manages an elite team and operations out of their Kamloops warehouse and distribution centre.

Nicole is the recipient of Startup Canada’s National Indigenous Business of the Year (2018) and the BC Achievement Foundation’s Indigenous Business of the Year (2020). She was also a finalist in the Small Business BC’s Premier’s People’s Award (2021) and the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s Business Resilience Regional Export Plan of the Year (2020).

Through the incredible success of Raven Reads, Nicole has invested over $250,000 back into the Indigenous economy, and donated over $2,000 to literacy programs for Indigenous children and youth. She is the Founder and Chair of the Indigenous Women’s Business Network, an organization that she created to provide coaching and mentoring to other Indigenous women business owners.

Nicole holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Saskatchewan, and will complete her Masters of Business Administration in 2023 from the University of Illinois’ Gies School of Business. She currently resides in Logan Lake, BC with her husband and two young children.

Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Kieran Macleod headshot
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What if we could end paralysis?

Business, Health and Wellness, Tech 00:41:50

Sparked by a paralyzing bike crash in Phuket, Kieran Macleod has joined forces with friends in the blockchain ecosystem to source funds for a Robotic ExoSkeleton. This will allow Kieran to regain a level of functionality you can only imagine: from being stuck in a wheelchair every day and walking 2-3 hours per year, to near-full personal autonomy again!

Together, Kieran and his friends’ massively transformative purpose is to Enable Augmented Human Purpose. And, their moonshot is to support 1 million people with mobility issues transform their lives to a better future. Introducing ExOSkeletons to people experiencing paralysis in communities in Canada and around the world would:

  • Help people with paralysis experience first-hand the next-generation technology that can transform their lives to a better future;
  • Save billions of dollars in public healthcare spending;
  • Fast-track the adoption of ExOSkeleton and related technologies so ‘access’ takes on a whole new meaning

Kieran invites you to make an impact – start by sharing your ‘ideas’ for ambassadors, manufacturers, health professionals, health product distributors and community leaders that would love to see the adoption of ExOSkeletons happen!

The Silicon Valley Bank team in Canada can help you take your next step. Find out more about the bank that has nearly 40 years of global experience supporting venture-backed tech and life science companies and their investors. We’re in Canada to help leading innovators reach the next stage, faster. Visit www.svb.com/canada/connect. Silicon Valley bank, helping you move your bold ideas forward, fast.

Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Alison Taylor headshot
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How being a Canadian company is a huge advantage

Business, Health and Wellness, Tech 00:26:43

Alison Taylor is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Jane, an online platform for healthcare practitioners that delivers a unified approach to online booking, charting, scheduling, video services and payments. Alison, who is based in Vancouver, built Jane with her Co-Founder and Co-CEO Trevor Johnston after running her own practice and finding that she needed an all-in-one solution for her practice’s needs. Now, Jane helps thousands of practitioners across the world with the business side of their practice, so they can focus on what they do best — helping their clients. Alison’s company has gotten here by pushing the envelope and challenging tech industry norms. Jane doesn’t have a sales team, in fact, Alison calls herself the antithesis of sales, and lets the product speak for itself.

The Silicon Valley Bank team in Canada can help you take your next step. Find out more about the bank that has nearly 40 years of global experience supporting venture-backed tech and life science companies and their investors. We’re in Canada to help leading innovators reach the next stage, faster. Visit www.svb.com/canada/connect. Silicon Valley bank, helping you move your bold ideas forward, fast.

Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

Geneviève Provencher headshot
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La fidélisation des employés en passant par le féminisme

Business, Health and Wellness, Tech 00:38:04

Geneviève Provencher est la co-fondatrice et PDG de Jus DOSE. Malgré qu’elle ait grandi bien trop loin de la civilisation, à Rouyn-Noranda, Gen a presque fait le tour du monde. Elle a déjà vécu dans quatre pays différents, a travaillé comme bénévole au Costa Rica et a appris l’anglais en Nouvelle-Zélande. Avec son diplôme en Finances de l’Université McGill en poche, elle a mis à profit sa connaissance du « retail » et du commerce électronique – seulement pour attraper la piqûre de l’entrepreneuriat après un an chez nos amis de Frank and Oak. Munie d’une perspective de la vie teintée de son expérience internationale, d’un sens aigu des affaires et d’un don pour mettre en équilibre pragmatisme et créativité, elle a transformé sa passion en carrière, et est en train de s’entourer d’une équipe du tonnerre. Aujourd’hui, Genevieve est PDG et guide DOSE dans la prochaine phase de sa croissance. Son plus grand accomplissement? Sa fille, Rose, laquelle elle souhaite inspirer à se faire confiance, être « fearless » et indépendante comme nous nous le devons tous d’être.

L’équipe de la Banque Silicon Valley au Canada peut vous aider à faire avancer vos idées audacieuses – rapidement.

En apportant une expertise mondiale aux fondateurs, investisseurs et innovateurs.

Visitez svb.com/fr/canada pour en savoir plus.

Les entrepreneurs sont l’épine dorsale de l’économie canadienne.

Pour soutenir les entreprises canadiennes, abonnez-vous à notre chaîne YouTube et suivez-nous sur Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn et Twitter.

Vous voulez rester au courant des derniers podcasts et actualités #entrepreneur? Abonnez-vous à notre newsletter bimensuelle.

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