E409 – Follow the Money – Darcy Tuer, Navigating VC Funding and Financial Wellness through the ZayZoon Growth Story
In this episode, the CEO of ZayZoon, Darcy Tuer, reflects on the strategic aspects of raising capital, the hurdles of securing investment, and the need for a disciplined approach to business growth. He shares his insights on balancing growth and risk in the business, navigating the challenges of being a Western Canadian company when engaging with VCs, and the significance of enterprise value creation post-Series B funding. If you’re curious about the intricacies and challenges of raising capital, tune in for an overview.
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E408 – Current & Critical – Tracey Bodnarchuk, Canada Powered by Women: Insights on the Energy Conversation across Canada
In this episode, understand women’s critical role in shaping energy policies with Tracey Bodnarchuk, CEO of Canada Powered by Women, which is on a mission to create trusted spaces for women to participate in national energy transformation conversations and to represent their points of view to influence public perception, policymakers, and government. Tracey highlights the significance of seeking common ground and nonpartisanship in critical energy conversations, addressing the challenges of extreme voices and emphasizing the need for psychological safety in a landscape where attacks are common.
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E407 – Current & Critical – Jenny Lemieux, Future of Farming: Integrating Technology and Tradition in Specialty Crop Agriculture
In this episode, dive deep into the world of precision agriculture with Jenny Lemieux, Co-Founder and CEO of Vivid Machines, an ag-tech company backed by Calgary-based venture capital fund, Tall Grass Ventures. From the challenges of introducing technology to analog industries and overcoming cultural barriers in the food supply chain, Jenny explains how technologies, including machine learning, robotics and computer vision, can improve everything from soil health to monitoring and management of farms. Agriculture is one of the most tech-driven industries due to the scope and scale of industrial farming, such as historical issues of accurately assessing crop yields in real-time. This episode is a must-listen if you’re curious about digital transformation, agriculture, or technology.
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E406 – Current & Critical – Tara Langan, Embracing Neurodiversity: How To Create an Inclusive Workplace
In this episode, explore neurodiversity in the workplace with Tara Langan, Owner of Career TLC. Tara provides career professionals in transition with coaching and supports neurodivergent individuals in finding comfort and success in their current work environments. She also works with organizations to educate them on neurodiversity and help them incorporate it into their social responsibility plans. Tara highlights important opportunities to create more inclusivity, such as the need for awareness of different learning styles during the recruitment and interviewing process and day-to-day work. By embracing diversity of thought, companies gain a competitive advantage.
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E405 – Current & Critical – Doug Hayden, Bridging the Gap Between Technology and Construction
In this episode, see how innovative companies like Arthroto are transforming underutilized commercial spaces into thriving residential communities with President, CSO and Founder Doug Hayden. With a pressing housing crisis looming across Canada, addressing this need is crucial to sustainable, long-term success. By bringing together the housing industry and technology, the business community can navigate the financial impacts of office space devaluation while contributing to a stronger city.
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E404 – Current & Critical – Keara Gillis and Sarah Mateshaytis, How to Build Resilience in your Start-up Culture
In this episode, take a stop at the important intersection of mental health and entrepreneurship with Co-Founders of Collectively Tangled - Keara Gillis and Sarah Mateshaytis. They emphasize the need for a culture shift to prioritize mental wellness in the startup ecosystem. They offer tangible solutions and support services for founders and their teams online and in person. In the winter of 2023, Collectively Tangled was accepted into Innovate Calgary’s Research to Social Innovation Incubator, which is designed to support innovators in developing, validating, and scaling social impact.
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E403 – Current & Critical – Caroline Berglund, Psychological Safety: The Key to Authentic Leadership
In this episode, enjoy a compelling exploration of the human aspects of effective leadership and team development in today's dynamic workplace with Caroline Berglund, Principal at Talk Talk. She emphasizes the vital importance of psychological safety, kindness, and shifting from ego-driven to purpose-driven leadership in creating healthy, high-performing teams and sustainable company cultures.
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E402 – Follow the Money – Sandi Gilbert, The Rise of Venture Capital in Alberta
In this episode, unpack the investment ecosystem in Alberta with the Founder & CEO of DealPoint Capital and CEO of Intergen, Sandi Gilbert. As a self-professed, passionate ecosystem advocate, Sandi explains how Intergen and DealPoint Capital match entrepreneurs and business leaders while providing the support to build and scale businesses. Her balanced approach highlights the benefits and drawbacks of both seeking capital investment and scaling without external funding. She explains the competition and collaboration of the venture capital market in Alberta, and the increase in corporate VC activity. If you want a no-nonsense look at the VC landscape in Alberta, this episode is a must-listen.
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E401 – Current & Critical – Jenn Lofgren, The Five Distractions of a Leadership Team - What You Don't Know is Holding You Back
In this episode, hear from Jenn Lofgren, Managing Partner and Executive Leadership Coach at Incito Executive & Leadership Development. She unravels the intricate world of leadership, sharing valuable insights and practical strategies. Jenn highlights the Five Distractions of a Team and how these hinder the ability to go from siloed to unified, especially when humans get caught up in the drama. From transitioning from an individual contributor role to leadership to navigating the uncertain economic landscape of Alberta, this episode is filled with thought-provoking ideas and actionable takeaways.
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E400 – Current & Critical – Jay McNeil, How to Balance Innovation & Tradition with the Calgary Stampeders
You don’t have to go long to enjoy our 400th episode with Jay McNeil, Vice-President of Business Operations for the Calgary Stampeders (and former Stamp himself)! Whether you’re a fan of the CFL or work in the sports industry, this episode will give you an insider’s look at the challenges and future of the Stampeders and sports. Jay highlights changing fan behaviours, including a 35% decrease in season ticket holders since 2015. To combat this shift, Jay and his team are finding new ways to engage existing fans through pre- and post-game activities and also attract the next generation of Stamps fans. The Stampeders also help make Calgary a better city by focusing on community and social responsibility. Players will exceed 250 appearances in partnership with more than 50 charitable organizations. Jay explains the strategies this team is experimenting with, and they might inspire your next strategic session!
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E399 – Current & Critical – Käthe Lemon, Calgary's Media Landscape: Exploring the Dynamics of Media, Business and Community
In this episode, get a behind-the-scenes look at one of Alberta’s most successful and storied media companies, RedPoint Media, with President and Co-Owner Käthe Lemon. From the history of Top 40 Under 40 and Avenue Magazine to the shifting media landscape that is evolving from print to social connections, Käthe helps you understand the important role of media in supporting small and local businesses. Whether you get your news from an old-fashioned paper or on an app, RedPoint Media demonstrates how to diversify media authentically and endure in changing and challenging times.
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E398 – Current & Critical – Christa Hill, Product Management - A Roadmap to Career Success
In this episode, hear from trailblazer Christa Hill about her journey in tech. As the Co-Founder of Tacit Edge Product Leadership, she brings a commitment to creating an equitable global standard of practice for product management. Her journey serves as a testament to the power of resilience, adaptability, and a visionary mindset in driving innovation and transformation in the tech world. This episode will help you understand the opportunities within Calgary’s tech ecosystem and what it takes to seize them.
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E397 – Follow the Money – Mark Blackwell, A Venture Capital Perspective
In this episode, hear from Mark Blackwell, General Partner at Builders VC. He explores the impact of growth and profitability in late-stage, pre-IPO and IPO companies. Against the backdrop of a rapidly changing ecosystem in Western Canada, Mark highlights how Builders VC focuses on investing in antiquated industries experiencing disruption, such as healthcare, agriculture, food, industrial and construction. If you’re curious about how Calgary’s many unicorns have given our ecosystem an advantage and what Mark predicts is on the horizon, don’t miss this episode.
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E396 – Current & Critical – Brent Arnold, The Evolving Cyber Security Landscape - Ignore At Your Own Risk
In this episode, gain a legal perspective on cybersecurity with Partner, Data Breach Coach and Technology Litigation Sub-Group Leader at Gowlings WLG, Brent Arnold. As an experienced litigator, Brent knows the importance of cybersecurity for businesses. This conversation explores the different aspects of this rapidly evolving landscape and reminds employees to be trained and vigilant in the face of rising attacks and changing technologies, including artificial intelligence. Get cyber-ready with today’s episode.
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E395 – Current & Critical – Kent Chapman, Navigating the Mortgage Landscape
In this episode, get a no-nonsense look at the realities of the mortgage market in Canada with Kent Chapman, Broker-Owner of Mortgage Tree. For decades, Kent has provided expert residential lending services and helping clients navigate the complexities of mortgages and find the best option for their needs. Kent explains the factors driving the influx of buyers to Alberta, the hidden costs of low-rate interest mortgages, and the potential future of mortgage amortizations.
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E394 – Current & Critical – Shannon Phillips, Redefining Innovation - How to Build Models that Work
In this episode, hear from Shannon Phillips, Director of Unbounded Thinking, to learn about the world of change management, innovation and problem-solving in today’s complex organizations. Unbounded Thinking helps organizations undertake and advance innovation with a human-centered approach, turning it from a buzzword into science. Shannon will unpack what this means, challenging traditional approaches and demonstrating practical strategies to manage and drive innovation forward.
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E393 – Current & Critical – Jared Sarbit, How to Build a Value Proposition that Stands the Test of Time
In this episode, Jared shares his journey from working in the restaurant industry to founding his own commercial cleaning company with his partner, Aaron. They started focusing on treating their employees with respect and professionalism, creating a strong company culture that sets them apart from others in the industry. But their path was not without its challenges. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Jared and his team faced the daunting task of navigating through an uncertain landscape. They quickly adapted their services, offering free disinfection for seniors' homes and becoming a crucial part of the fight against the virus.
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E392 – Current & Critical – Megan Lee, Quantum City - Creating Integration & Impact for our Ecosystem
In this episode, hear from Megan Lee, Managing Director at Quantum City, a quantum innovation hub at the University of Calgary. She explains the world of quantum computing and explores its potential use cases, including quantum optimization, quantum chemistry, and quantum machine learning. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of quantum technology, its impact on various sectors, and the efforts being made to bridge the gap between academia and industry in the quantum industry.
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