Pitch Please

Rocket Fuel Ep #10 – Building Your Dream Team: Hiring for Startup Success In this episode of Pitch Please, Mike Thibodeau explores one of the most crucial aspects of startup growth: assembling your dream team. Joining him is Farial Karbasi, founder and CEO of HRXconnect, a seasoned expert in hiring and team-building for startups. Together, they dive into the strategies, challenges, and frameworks...

In this episode of Pitch Please, Mike Thibodeau sits down with Paige and Julie, co-founders of Benny, a health-driven brand reimagining energy drinks. Unlike conventional options, Benny’s products combine yerba mate and adaptogens to deliver a steady, jitter-free boost. Paige and Julie share how they transformed their passion for wellness into a purpose-led brand, creating a product that not only...

Rocket Fuel Ep #9 – Unlocking Non-Dilutive Funding with SR&ED Credits In this episode of Pitch Please, Mike Thibodeau dives into the world of non-dilutive funding with Kevin, co-founder and CEO of Humi, and Ali, an expert in SR&ED (Scientific Research and Experimental Development) credits. For Canadian entrepreneurs, SR&ED credits are a game-changer—allowing companies to unlock cash fl...

In this episode of Pitch Please, Mike Thibodeau sits down with Nadia Ladak, co-founder of Marlow, the innovative menstrual care brand known for launching the world’s first lubricated tampon. Nadia shares the journey of taking Marlow from a university capstone project to a Health Canada-approved product now available in Whole Foods, Healthy Planet, and on Amazon. Born out of a need for more comfort...

In this episode of Pitch Please, Mike Thibodeau teams up with Will Greenblatt, co-founder of OutLoud Speaker School, to unpack the art of pitching that takes founders from an elevator pitch to a successful exit. Will, with a background in acting and coaching startup founders, has helped companies raise millions by honing their storytelling and delivery skills. In this episode, he shares insider ti...

In this episode of Pitch Please, Mike Thibodeau sits down with Michelle Choi, founder of Bov Active, to discuss her inspiring journey of launching a women's golf athleisure brand from scratch. With no prior experience in fashion, Michelle turned her passion for golf and fashion into a business that’s empowering women to embrace the sport and feel confident on the golf course. Michelle shares the u...

In this episode of Pitch Please , Mike Thibodeau speaks with Ellyn Winters , co-founder of AskEllyn.ai , about her incredible journey from facing a breast cancer diagnosis to creating a groundbreaking AI companion for others going through the same experience. After undergoing treatment, Ellyn turned her personal experience into something positive by developing a platform that provides emotional an...

From Burnout to Balance: Mental Health Tips for Entrepreneurs and Startup Teams – In this special episode of Pitch Please, Mike Thibodeau sits down with Mike Stroh, founder of Starts With Me, to tackle the critical issue of managing mental health in high-pressure, fast-paced environments like startups. With World Mental Health Day approaching on Thursday, October 10, 2024, this conversation offers...

Scaling Healthcare Technology: Lessons from Mike Wessinger’s Journey with PointClickCare – In this episode of Pitch Please, Mike Thibodeau sits down with Mike Wessinger, co-founder and executive chair of the board at PointClickCare, Canada's leading cloud-based healthcare software provider and one of the country's most valuable HealthTech companies. Mike Wessinger shares his journey from starting...

Revolutionizing Employee Management: Kevin's Vision for Canadian SMBs with Humi – In this episode of Pitch Please , Mike Thibodeau sits down with Kevin , founder of Humi , to explore the all-in-one platform transforming employee management for Canadian businesses. Kevin shares his entrepreneurial journey from humble beginnings, running side hustles in high school to leading a venture-backed, YC-gr...

Empowering Female Founders: Closing the Funding Gap and Leveraging Resources – In this episode of Rocket Fuel , we five deep into the funding challenges faced by female founders with Landon Steele , founder of Steele Consulting Group . Landon shares her insights on the barriers to securing venture capital for women-led startups and practical ways to overcome them. Despite data showing that female-...

Revolutionizing Retail with Intelligent Solutions: The Story Behind Meerby – In this episode of Pitch Please, Mike Thibodeau speaks with Allan and Elizabeth, sibling co-founders of Meerby, an intelligent retail solution transforming the in-store customer experience. Drawing from their deep-rooted experience in the retail industry, Allan and Elizabeth developed Meerby to address common pain points...

HR Strategy for Startups: Building People-First Foundations with HRX Connect – In this episode of Rocket Fuel on the Pitch Please podcast, Mike Thibodeau speaks with Farial Karbasi, founder of HRXconnect , a fractional HR and recruitment firm that specializes in helping startups and SMBs build high-performing teams and strong company cultures. With over eight years of experience in HR and a passio...

Leveraging Marketplaces and Reseller Channels for SaaS Growth  – In this episode of Rocket Fuel on the  Pitch Please  podcast, Mike Thibodeau is joined by Alexandre Pascal from WeTransact to discuss how SaaS companies can strategically use marketplaces like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, along with reseller channels, to accelerate growth. If you’ve ever wondered when and how to tap into these sale...

Dive into the critical challenges and solutions in AI with this episode of Founder Stories on the  Pitch Please  podcast! Featuring Mike Thibodeau alongside Jai Mansukhani and Anthony Azrak, co-founders of OpenSesame, this discussion focuses on how companies can detect and manage AI hallucinations in Large Language Models (LLMs) to ensure reliable AI systems.  What are AI hallucinations?  Understa...

Legal Essentials for Startups: When to Hire In-House vs. Fractional General Counsel (Key Startup Legal Tips). Dive into the legal essentials every startup needs with this episode of Rocket Fuel on the Pitch Please podcast! Featuring Mike Thibodeau and Brett Colvin , CEO of Goodlawyer , this discussion focuses on the critical decisions startup founders face when choosing between external legal coun...

Who really owns your data in the age of AI?   Victor, Harry, and Chris share their insights on the blurred lines between user-created content and how it’s being used to train AI models. They discuss the ethical implications, the challenges of fairly compensating data contributors, and the potential role of blockchain in creating a more transparent and equitable system.  We also explore the tough q...

In this episode of Founder Stories, we sit down with Peter Deitz, founder of Unwrapit, the platform that's revolutionizing corporate gifting with a focus on sustainability and meaningful experiences. Peter takes us through his journey from a solo entrepreneur to establishing Unwrapit as a B Corp, committed to reducing waste through innovative digital gifting solutions. We explore the challenge...

Bootstrapping or Venture-Backed: What's the Smarter Move?  Dive into the essentials of bootstrapping and non-dilutive funding with our latest episode of Rocket Fuel on the Pitch Please podcast!   In Rocket Fuel Episode #3, we chat with Brianna Blaney, co-founder of Pocketed, to explore how startups can leverage alternative funding strategies to maintain control and accelerate growth.     In th...

Curious about the Future of AI Agents and Developers?  In episode #68 of Founder Stories, we sit down with Adam Silverman, co-founder of AgentOps.ai, to explore how AI agents are transforming the way businesses operate. Adam shares his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the importance of building relationships and learning from failures.  AgentOps is a powerful SDK designed to provide observabil...

Have you Ever Wondered: "What if there was an Airbnb for Commercial Spaces?"   Meet Alex, the founder of Quikspace, as he shares his journey as an entrepreneur and the inspiration behind his marketplace for commercial space.    In this episode of Founder Stories, we chat with Alex Hines who discusses his previous successes and failures, from building a clothing brand and a design agency...

Ever wondered how to identify when your product has truly hit the market sweet spot?  In this episode of Rocket Fuel, we sit down with Tim from Blossom Social to delve into the one of the most common founder hurdles: finding product-market fit. Tim brings a wealth of experience, from his days at Wattpad to founding Couply and now leading brand partnerships at Blossom.   Tim shares his insights on...

Ever wondered how augmented reality (AR) can go beyond just digital overlays and into detailed, hyper realistic experiences? Meet Glyph, the platform that's embedding code into the real world, transforming AR into something truly remarkable.  I sat down with Tahmeed Rahim, co-founder of Glyph, to discuss how their platform is redefining AR by allowing it to track deformation and provide realis...

Curious How Influencers can Help Local Business Thrive? In this episode of Founder Stories, we chat with Apostolos, co-founder of Eros, to explore their innovative approach to connecting influencers with small and medium-sized restaurants. Eros is transforming the way restaurants find and collaborate with influencers, focusing on authenticity and genuine connections. Apostolos shares his journey f...

Rocket Fuel Episode #1: Avoiding Cap Table Pitfalls for Startups  Dive into the essentials of cap tables with our first episode of Rocket Fuel on the Pitch Please podcast! Mike Thibodeau and Amit from Mantle break down the complexities and importance of cap tables for startup success.    In this episode, we cover:   • The basics of cap tables and why they're crucial for tracking ownership and...