In this episode, discover what it takes to build a health-tech business in Calgary with Lisa Krzyzewski, Founder of Aeon Future Health. Now in its third year of business, Aeon is Canada’s premier longevity and health optimization clinic. But what does that mean, exactly? Aeon offers health care that falls outside of traditional health care, like AI-based fitness technology, psychedelic medicine for mental health, nutritionist work, red light therapy for recovery and lymphatic drainage. This episode will help you understand our health care system and the businesses, like Aeon, that supplement what Canadians get from their universal coverage while diving deep into the realities of starting a health business during a pandemic and building it.

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In this episode, hear from serial problem solver Sepehr Shoarinejad. He founded his first company while in university - NuAutomations - a home automation provider. While wearing multiple hats and lamenting the challenges of being a founder, he wanted an all-in-one solution to help manage his many tasks. Unable to find the ideal solution, he built his own — Koridor. This opened up the chance to learn about challenges from other founders so Sepehr doubled down to help them deliver MLPs (most lovable products) and increase their chances of success.

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In this episode, get a behind the scenes look at an Alberta success story with Shawn Freeman, Founder and former CEO of TWT Group. It was acquired by Fully Managed in 2020, which was acquired by Telus in 2022. He shares the complete journey from scrappy start-up to seven figure exit deal, and the considerations of a successful acquisition. He details how to maintain ownership and shares in the new company, how to align the decision with values and culture, and why he has turned his focus to the community in his age of ‘retirement’.

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In this episode, hear from negotiations expert Scott Tillema, Partner at The Negotiations Collective, as he unravels the universal art of negotiating. Scott explains different negotiation applications, from managing conflicts to leveraging influence. With a sharp focus on self-awareness, he underscores the importance of understanding our responses under pressure, advising self-control over trying to control others. Scott provides a blueprint for respectful conflict resolution and stresses the transformative power of culture change, linking it directly to profit growth, employee retention, and attracting top talent.

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In this episode, immerse yourself in the ever-evolving world of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) with Jenna Kaye, Co-Founder and CEO of Odyssey Trust Company, the first woman to pioneer a federal financial institution. Odyssey Trust, as transfer agents, has the dual responsibility of diligently tracking the ownership of shares and bonds in publicly traded companies and ensuring timely dividend distribution to investors. Jenna's keen business acumen identified a golden opportunity within the Canadian landscape, which was dominated by two major non-native players. Her entrepreneurial zeal propelled her to secure the largest seed funding round a female had ever received at the time in Alberta—a substantial $3.5M—in 2017. Jenna candidly shares her journey through the intricate process of building a trust company in Western Canada while simultaneously inspiring listeners to devise solutions for industry-wide problems within their ecosystems.

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In this episode, Mark Korthuis President and CEO of the Glenrose Hospital Foundation shares how they diversified revenue streams through the challenges of raising significant donations during COVID-19, including innovative technologies to drive greater impact for their mission to mobilize resources to accelerate advances in human ability. Mark explores the wonder of AI, and the possibilities of a future of brain-computer interface and proposes using Bitcoin to address societal issues. Don't miss this thought-provoking episode and the chance to collaborate for a better future with the foundation's cutting-edge research and initiatives in Calgary, making innovation the best advantage for Alberta.

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In this episode, hear from real estate development veteran and RNDSQR President Alkarim Devani. Alkarim transforms everything from residential real estate to inner city development, giving life to his passion for design and architecture. Unearth why Devani was inspired to create the flourishing company, RNDSQR, and its pivotal role in repopulating Calgary’s inner city with mixed-density properties. He also unpacks the significance of stewarding the land, sharing historical city narratives and the pressing need to integrate technology in ways that uplift society. Alkarim underscores the crucial role of affordable housing for multigenerational living and the hurdles he faces in championing this model in the face of his unwavering commitment to aligning stakeholders for accessible housing. This episode highlights the transformational potential of the real estate industry in fostering inclusive communities and sustainable development. Your journey into the future of housing starts here.

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In this episode, learn about the realities of community impact from Melissa From, CEO of the Calgary Food Bank. Unfortunately, the reality is this: almost 6M Canadians (including 1.4M children) lived in food-insecure homes in 2021. When you don’t know when your next meal might be, there are significant impacts on your physical and mental health and your job or school performance. The Calgary Food Bank is driven by a community-centric mission to create a hunger-free Calgary that addresses root causes. Melissa is new to her CEO role, and she’s laser-focused on transforming the organization’s resilience to meet the growing demand and shares insights on the non-profit world.

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In this episode, get a perspective on entrepreneurship in the next generation from Taitt Geekie, Student Ambassador with Junior Achievement Southern Alberta. His role is to travel around Alberta and promote Junior Achievement, which has given him plenty of hands-on sales experience. As someone close to graduating high school, Taitt has plenty of knowledge to share on the choices individuals must make about attending university and their career afterwards, such as what factors to consider when choosing a company to work for. This episode will inspire you to get out there, try everything, and explore the opportunities that come your way.

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In this episode, we welcome Erik Allan back on the show to discuss his new pivot, Co-Founding Budo Brothers. As an engineer by trade, Erik has undergone serious personal and professional growth and he highlights the importance of embracing vulnerability and learning from failures. Erik opens up about his struggles and setbacks, including a failed app development venture that drained him financially. He shares how he faced depression and had to rebuild his life, ultimately finding inspiration to contribute to the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Calgary. Explore Erik’s belief in the value of bridging different perspectives and creating win-win situations, as well as his commitment to helping others realize their potential through martial arts.

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In this episode, get an insider’s look at industrial automation with Nannette Ho-Covernton, Sustainability Leader at Spartan Controls. Spartan Controls was founded in 1963. Nannette has been with them since 1995 in various roles, from inside sales to account management to sustainability, giving her a ringside seat to innovation in Western Canada. Discover the reality of innovation in the energy sector and how it will fuel organizations that need to meet their net-zero commitments.

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In this episode, learn about how one Calgary software and consultancy company, Closure Liability Management, is helping energy producers clean up after themselves when well-sites become inactive. Albert Lee, the CEO, joins the show to help you understand the after-effects of energy production and how Closure’s decades of industry experience are helping companies assess risk, appraise liabilities of well-sites, and assist with the proper closure of abandoned and depleted resource sites.

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In this episode, gain an insider’s perspective on early-stage investing and the current economic cycle with Venture Capitalist Teruel A. Carrasco. As Venture Partner at Tangible Venture Partners Inc., Teruel brings a wealth of investment insights to the episode. You’ll gain clarity on the current economic cycle’s impact on early-stage investing and the importance of collaboration between investors to reduce risk and accelerate innovation.

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In this episode, welcome Bobbie Racette, Founder of Virtual Gurus, back to the show to discuss the competitive world of virtual talent, the highs and lows of raising funds, as well as Bobbie’s leadership journey. She explains the lessons learned from growing her company from 2 employees to 50, emphasizing the need for strong leadership when scaling up. She also talks about finding the right partner for developing proprietary technology as a non-technical founder and how Virtual Gurus takes a different approach to its talent than other firms. This episode will inspire you to take bold risks and get comfortable with failure.

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In this episode, Terry Rock rejoins the show to provide an update on what Platform Calgary is up to since his last appearance in December 2019. Platform Calgary is on a mission to create a front door to Calgary’s innovation ecosystem by driving faster connections between talent, ideas and capital. By facilitating these connections and removing barriers, Calgary-based businesses will have greater access to many of the tools they need to succeed, scale and flourish.

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In this episode, learn about the unique world of wealth management and corporate mergers and acquisitions advisory services tailored to an entrepreneur’s point of view from fellow entrepreneur Gilbert Bong, CPA. As the Founding Partner and President of Zelos Investment Counsel, Gilbert has lived experience as an entrepreneur as well as the financial expertise to help founders get the correct strategies, frameworks and practices in place to ensure longevity and liquidity into the future. This episode will give you a lay of the land as well as specific, actionable insights you can take back to your business.

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In this episode, hear from Toast Co-Founders April Hicke and Marissa McNeelands, as they discuss how their member-based search-firm organization aims to flip the hiring dynamic in favour of women in tech. Many senior technology roles skew towards men, although newer organizations face greater pressure from VCs and the public to have diverse, inclusive teams. This episode will encourage you to examine your own internal biases, both conscious and unconscious, and consider how your organization approaches diversity, equity and inclusion.

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In this episode, hear from Liz MacRae, Head of Partnerships at Village Wellth, a Calgary tech startup on a mission to make business acquisitions accessible. Many Canadians who dream of entrepreneurship aren’t aware of the possibility of buying an established business. Liz explains how Village Wellth uses a subscription/membership model to connect buyers and sellers on their platform. Their platform also serves as an equalizer; since most businesses are not publicly listed for sale, they provide more opportunities for an exit path to smaller business founders. If you’re interested in learning more about the ins and outs of buying or selling a business, this episode is a must-listen.

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