Entrepreneurs Exposed

Fatima Zaidi is the co-founder and CEO of Quill, Inc. the world’s first one-stop marketplace and agency dedicated solely to podcasters, and brands interested in launching a show. In this episode, we discuss podcast industry stats and major trends; M&A activity including Spotify's acquisition of Gimlet, Anchor, and the Joe Rogan Experience; challenges related to monetization, and more. EP Sponsor:...

In this special episode, we're checking in again with my colleague Adam Mutschler, who is based in Washington to get his take on what's happening one week after the US election. Adam is a Partner at The Kedar Group, and has a tremendous understanding of how leaders work in high stakes environments ranging in scope from startups to Fortune 100’s. He is also a go-to for anything related to US politi...

Dan Demsky is the co-founder of Unbound Merino - a clothing brand that has its nailed positioning around product quality, and lifestyle. In this EP we discuss Unbound's success with Facebook ad buys, why top entrepreneurs wear a "uniform", whether Amazon is going to move fast into luxury goods, and more.  EP Sponsor: RBC Call your RBC Advisor or contact the RBC Advice Centre at 1-800-ROYAL20   EP...

Brian Mosoff is the CEO of Ether Capital (ETHC). In this EP, we discuss the recent bull run and the run-up in the value of both Etherium and Bitcoin; we also chat about Bitcoin and Etherium as safe-haven assets; the role of major exchanges; access points where individuals can invest in cryptocurrency, and more.   EP Sponsor: RBC - to open an RBC deposit account remotely or learn more about solutio...

Adam Mutschler is a Partner at The Kedar Group, and has a tremendous understanding of how leaders work in high stakes environments ranging in scope from startups to Fortune 100's. He is also a go-to for anything related to US politics. In this episode, we discuss the Presidential debates, Trump's COVID19 diagnosis, what election outcome increases the probability of major civil unrest, the possibil...

(In dedication) - John Ruffolo is the founder of OMERS Ventures and the co-founder of the Council of Canadian Innovators. He has invested over $500 million of capital in over 40 technology companies including Shopify, Hootsuite, Wattpad, and others. John also sits on the board of Canopy Rivers, Continuum Residential REIT and Ether Capital. In this EP, we discuss Canada's response to COVID19, and t...

David Priemer is widely recognized as a thought leader in the area of sales and sales leadership. Often referred to as the "Sales Professor", David helps organizations drive revenue growth, people development, and winning cultures by infusing the core principles of science, empathy, and execution into their sales operations. In this deep dive into sales, we discuss why people buy, objection handli...

This episode was recorded back in early March 2020, with Satish Kanwar, the current GM, and VP of Product at Shopify. Because things were developing so quickly related to the Coronavirus, we never did get a chance to release it, so here it is! Satish oversees the development of eCommerce, retail, and multi-channel shopping for over one million merchants globally. He previously co-founded Jet Coope...

Isaac Langleben, is the co-founder of Open Farm Pet Food, one of North America's fastest-growing premium pet food companies. In this episode, we discuss the growth of the pet industry, and how Millenials have changed the entire market for pets and related products; we also discuss how shopping behavior has changed during the pandemic; Isaac's plan to crystalize the customer experience online; work...

Steven Holmes is the President of GOBA Sports group, and the co-founder of Springfree Trampoline. In this one, we discuss how the virus has impacted Springfree's business, in particular, how it's bolstered demand for trampolines in every major market across the globe; how the company has responded to this shift to backyard play; GOBA's supply chains, Chinese manufacturing, why preserving quality i...

Brian Smith, is the founder of Ugg, one of the biggest global footwear brands. He is back on the show for a second time to discuss his pivot out of public speaking in the wake of the pandemic, and his latest start-up; we also discuss key lessons from Brian's book, The Birth of a Brand; his experience navigating through recessions; why Brian ultimately decided to sell UGG in 1995, and more. "It tak...

Bruce Linton is the former Chairman, Founder, and CEO at Canopy Growth. In this EP, we discuss his departure from Canopy, and what he plans to do next; his philosophy around the 3 P's, and why each is critical to hypergrowth; the role of leader, vs. CEO; the commercialization of Cannabis both in Canada and in the US; the role of psychedelics as therapeutics, and much more. Learn more about your ad...

Philip McKernan is one of the most sought after executive leadership coaches globally. He is also in demand in the world of entrepreneurship as well as sports where he works with individual athletes as well as professional teams. In this interview, we discuss the difference between control and influence; the state of relationships in the wake of the pandemic, why working parents are often more pat...

John Ruffolo is the founder of OMERS Ventures and the co-founder of the Council of Canadian Innovators. He has invested over $500 million of capital in over 40 technology companies including Shopify, Hootsuite, Wattpad, and others. John also sits on the board of Canopy Rivers, Continuum Residential REIT and Ether Capital. In this EP, we discuss Canada's response to COVID19, and the first phase of...

Marc Antoine Bovet, is the co-founder and CEO of Oatbox. Focused on delivering healthy breakfast cereal products to consumers in North America, Oatbox delivers direct to subscriber doors on a monthly basis. Things have changed in a big way as a result of the pandemic. In this EP, we discuss Oatbox's demand crunch, how team culture has improved despite working remotely, challenges related to hiring...

Vanessa Iarocci is the CEO & President of McCarthy Uniforms, Canada’s largest public sector school uniform manufacturer & distributor. With schools closed due to COVID-19, McCarthy has pivoted to manufacturing PPE at scale, serving custodians in the workplace and on the front lines. We discuss how Vanessa's company has executed this phenomenal shift, what manufacturing PPE at scale looks like, the...

Jay Berard is the founder and CEO of Jagger, a modern headhunting firm that works with companies to help them find the right people to accomplish their goals. In this EP, we discuss who is hiring, and the state of recruiting during COVID-19; how companies are onboarding new employees (virtually), how to land a job in today's market; whether big ticket salaried jobs are still being filled, what you...

Shant Mardirosian is the founder of The Burger's Priest - which sold to Recipe Unlimited in 2017. Shant's new restaurant initiative, called the Fourth man in the fire, is taking shape in ways he couldn't have imagined in a food scene plagued by a global crisis. In this one, we discuss Fourth Man's unique business model, the death of the food critic, why many restaurants will never open again, and...

Ilana Ben-Ari is a multiple-award-winning design entrepreneur, TEDx Speaker, and founder of 21Toys; a company that has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, and Bloomberg, ... her invention, The Empathy Toy was praised by TIME magazine as a “technology that is reshaping the future”.  In this conversation, we discuss how 21Toys has gone from a company running in-person training, and workshops all...

In this first episode of our special series focused on businesses and their founders navigating these unchartered waters, we are in conversation with Founder/ CEO of Kognitive Marketing Josh Singer. In this conversation, we are focusing on how Kognitive has gone from millions in revenue to near zero, and from 546 employees down to 20 as a result of the pandemic. And despite this new reality, Josh...

Chris Ronzio is the founder and CEO of Trainual, a leading SaaS company helping fast-growing businesses automate their onboarding and training by documenting every process in one simple system. In this episode, we get into the origins of the Trainual, whether a start-up's geographical location matters, the concept of tool overload, email hacks such as getting to "inbox zero", why deleting your ema...

Lisa Owen, is the co-founder at one of Canada’s most promising e-commerce businesses, Rent Frock Repeat. Lisa's team is turning the retail model on its head, and leading the sharing economy while ensuring women across Canada of any age, race, or economic status have the opportunity to access amazing fashion while also reducing their collective carbon-footprint. In this episode, we dig into the bur...

Ben Gallacher is the Chairman, and co-founder of Performance Phenomics — a health care company at the edge of stroke and concussion research. Drafted to the NHL in 2010, Ben played Division I NCAA hockey, before graduating from the University of Massachusetts and then subsequently pivoting away from a career in hockey in favor of entrepreneurship. We hit on the company's big pivot after a target m...

Scott Marcaccio is the Co-Founder and CEO of the budding lifestyle physical therapy brand, Myodetox. Through the power of a brand-first approach and an industry-leading social media strategy, Myodetox has forged partnerships with global brands including Nike, Equinox, and Lululemon. In this EP, we discuss the pull of Instagram as a customer acquisition tool, the explosion of boutique fitness, buil...

Shant Mardirosian, is the founder of The Burgers Priest - arguably the biggest Canadian burger success story in recent memory, and a chain that has changed the entire culture of the food scene. Shant, a dedicated Christian, went from pastoral ministry into entrepreneurship, and his story is unbelievable. In this episode, we get into Shant's journey, which begins with his desire to find purpose, hi...