Launch AMA
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Launch AMA is hosted by Sam Chan, VP of Programs at Launch, where we bring on mentors, founders, investors and business leaders and other startup experts and ask them anything and everything.
Available episodes
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Oct 27, 2023
Grounded in Canada, Grown Globally: Stories and Tips from Alex Benjamin, Partner at 4A Capital
Meet Alex Benjamin: An Entrepreneurial Powerhouse with Global Vision.
Alex Benjamin is not just any entrepreneur; he's a testament to resilience, innovation, and the true spirit of global entrepreneurship. Through the twists and turns of the Start-Up Visa Program (SUV) in Canada, Alex not only built a successful business but did so with flair and determination.
đ Building a Successful Business: Having thrived under the Start-Up Visa Program, Alex offers invaluable insights into how he scaled his venture amidst the unique challenges and opportunities presented by the SUV. đ Life Under the SUV: Beyond the business strategies, listen to Alex as he delves deep, recounting personal anecdotes and heartfelt stories, painting a vivid picture of the realities of working within the Start-Up Visa framework. đ Global Reach from the Heart of Canada: Alex's journey is a masterclass in how to grow a company in Canada that doesn't just cater to the local market but spreads its wings across the globe. đ° Investor's Perspective: With hands-on experience in business, Alex now also wears the hat of an investor. Gain a sneak peek into what catches his eye when scouting for the next big startup and learn about his current investment preferences.
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business person looking for global expansion tips, Alex Benjamin's experiences and insights are a treasure trove of knowledge. Don't miss out!
Find out more at https://launch-ama.pinecast.co
This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-cc5b6f for 40% off for 4 months, and support Launch AMA.
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Aug 2, 2023
Embrace the Stretchy Pants Philosophy: Lessons in Adaptability | Darrell Kopke, Executive Director at Creative Destruction Lab, former GM of Lululemon
Welcome to the AMA podcast episode featuring Darrell Kopke, Executive Director at Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) Vancouver, Adjunct Professor at UBC Sauder, and former General Manager at Lululemon. Join us as Darrell shares invaluable insights on entrepreneurship, social impact companies, and the transformative power of CDL.
Discover Darrell's inspiring journey from Lululemon, where he emphasizes the importance of building a strong brand with a positive impact to attract and retain loyal customers. Learn how storytelling in marketing connects with customers on a deeper level and drives success.
Unveil the philosophy of "stretchy pants" in entrepreneurship, embracing adaptability, innovation, and openness to change. Explore how successful entrepreneurs thrive in uncertainty, take calculated risks, and learn from their mistakes. Learn about the growing importance of social impact in businesses, particularly for younger consumers who prioritize companies addressing the climate crisis.
Understand the essence of CDL as a mentorship program for pre-seed and seed ventures. Darrell clarifies that applicants can choose from different CDL sites and streams based on their technology and mentorship preferences without the need to physically relocate.
Darrell's passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and social impact shines through, making it an inspiring and informative listen for aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders. Tune in to gain valuable knowledge and motivation to drive positive change in the business world.
Are you a tech startup founder and want to get involved? Learn more about what we do at launchacademy.ca
Find out more at https://launch-ama.pinecast.co
This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-cc5b6f for 40% off for 4 months, and support Launch AMA.
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Apr 19, 2023
How to Build a Great Co-Founder Relationship | Tanis Jorge
Tanis Jorge is a serial tech entrepreneur and a leading advisor on entrepreneurship and building successful co-founder partnerships. Her successes culminated with her most recent venture, Trulioo, which she co-founded in 2011. Trulioo is one of Vancouver's most successful startups to date!
Today, Tanis is one of the go-to voices and experts on the co-founder relationship. Author of The Cofounder's Handbook and Founder of The Cofounder's Hub, her work focuses on how co-founders can function in an open, productive, and symbiotic way to ensure continued and long-term business success. Listen in to learn her tips and tricks to hire and expand an executive team and maintain a great co-founder relationship.
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Mar 15, 2023
Story of Reza Sanaie and His Company's $106 Million Exit
Today our guest is Reza Sanaie, who was the co-founder and CTO at Beanworks, an accounts payable (AP) automation company. His contribution led to Beanworksâ CAD 106 million acquisition by global giant, Quadient, in 2021. The acquisition marks one of the largest tech exits for a Vancouver-based start-up.
In this episode, Reza, currently Interim CTO at Craver Solutions and Launch mentor, talks about what it was like to have one of the largest tech exits in Vancouver, what mistakes brands make when talking to customers, and how companies can combine in-person and remote work for the best results.
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Mar 1, 2023
How to Grow Your Brand Over Social Media | Ali Adab, SoleSavy
In this episode, you will meet Ali Adab, Chief Content Officer at SoleSavy, an end-to-end sneaker platform where he oversees Marketing & Content, drives Web3 and NFT strategy and leads strategic business development initiatives. Ali has built, led and grown ventures at the intersection of entertainment and technology for nearly two decades, helping both startups and enterprises find success in the explosive creator economy, and now shares his vision on growth in the digital age.
Listen to his advice on growing your brand over social media and finding your niche, audience, and digital content creators to partner with.
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Jan 4, 2023
Marketing Tips That Will Help Your Company Thrive | Vik Kambli, Diaspora Ventures
Vik Kambli is a SaaS, digital media and eCommerce operator with 20+ years of experience. He provisions advisory services and capital to technology companies through Diaspora Ventures. Most recently, he was the Chief Marketing Officer at Clearly, a D2C division of EssilorLuxottica. Previously, Vik served on the Canadian executive team of Facebook/Instagram as Head of Western Canada, where he built the commercial business and team in the region. He led the retail, eCommerce, SaaS, FinTech, tourism, and education verticals during his tenure. Before Facebook, he led Strategy at Mobify and was VP of Marketing and Strategy at Monexa.
In this episode, Vik explains two jobs that your marketing needs to do, why most startups die, and what marketing strategy the company should choose if it plans to expand into the North American market.
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Nov 2, 2022
Keys To Successful Fundraising | David Abbey and Maria Osipova, Penny AI
David Abbey and Maria Osipova are CEO and CMO of Penny AI, a global leader in data-driven social commerce enablement. In this episode, they share what helped the company to raise $27 million in the Series B after 62 ânoâsâ from investors. They'll also talk about what is the most effective approach to building a network when fundraising, and how Penny AI enables thousands of small businesses scale sales through AI.
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Oct 5, 2022
Building a Telehealth Platform in NYC | Amit Klein, Monument
Amit Klein has worked with a wide variety of startups and international brands to bring new products to market, find early traction and scale growth. He is currently helping people change their relationship with alcohol as the Co-Founder and CPO at Monument. Previously he was head of product at Nexar in Tel Aviv and co-founded a product studio which was acquired by Samsung. In this episode, Amit talks about Monumentâs story, building startups in New York, and the power of community.
Find Amit on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amitjklein/
Connect with us online! Twitter: https://twitter.com/launchacademyhq LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/launchacademyhq/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/launchacademyhq/
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Sep 28, 2022
Journey From Web1 to Web3 | Charles Ilya Krempeaux, Railtown & Sparkscience
Charles Ilya Krempeaux is the CEO at Railtown and Sparkscience. He has over 25 years of professional experience in tech and has created more than a dozen startups. Some of these startups are now well-known and valued close to $1 billion. Others ended up being sold to the largest well-known, top 100, companies in the world. He talks about the history of Vancouver tech, starting from the early 90s to web3 nowadays, and his long-term journey in tech.
Find Charles on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesiliyakrempeaux/?originalSubdomain=ca
Connect with us online! Twitter: https://twitter.com/launchacademyhq LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/launchacademyhq/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/launchacademyhq/
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Sep 7, 2022
How to Build and Scale Online Communities | Sanket Chauhan, Dots
Sanket Chauhan is the Co-founder of Dots, the command center for communities, helping automate tasks and understand member insights. He shares how he left McKinsey to work on his first project, what itâs like to build a team with friends and colleagues, how to start an online community and which mistakes to avoid.
Find Sanket on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanketchauhan/
Connect with us online! Twitter: https://twitter.com/launchacademyhq LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/launchacademyhq/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/launchacademyhq/
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Jul 6, 2022
Running a School and Startup at the Same Time | Khurram Virani, Lighthouse Labs
Khurram Virani is the Co-founder & Chief Education Officer of Lighthouse Labs, one of Canada's first coding bootcamps. In this episode, he talks about what it's like being a pioneer in the field, his personal journey back to education, and how they utilized Launch Academy as their accelerator.
Find Khurram Virani on LinkedIn.
Connect with us online! Twitter: https://twitter.com/launchacademyhq LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/launchacademyhq/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/launchacademyhq/
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May 4, 2022
How To Pitch Like a Pro | Raymond Luk, Hockeystick
Raymond Luk joins us for Launch Ask Me Anything. Raymond Luk is the founder of Hockeystick, a matchmaking system for startups and funders; Flow Ventures, a financial consultancy for startups; Year One Labs, an early-stage micro-VC fund, and others. He is passionate about entrepreneurship and removing barriers to raising capital through technology. Raymond is also the author of Pitching a Leap of Faith, a free ebook on how to pitch. He also hosts 'Pitch Lab', an online webinar where entrepreneurs practice their pitches and gain valuable feedback from others.
Find Raymond Luk on LinkedIn.
Connect with us online! Twitter: https://twitter.com/launchacademyhq LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/launchacademyhq/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/launchacademyhq/
Find out more at https://launch-ama.pinecast.co
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Apr 6, 2022
How to Build the World's Greatest Startup Network | Lloyed Lobo, Boast.AI
Launch's VP of Programs Sam Chan interviews Lloyed Lobo on what he thinks makes a great startup network.
Lloyed Lobo is the Co-founder of Boast.AI, a fintech platform that automates access to billions in R&D tax credits and government funding to help innovative companies fuel their growth. He also co-chairs Traction, a non-profit community of +100k innovators where leaders from the fastest growing companies share learnings on building, growing, and scaling companies via weekly webinars, regular meetups, and conferences. Lloyed has been covered in Forbes, TechCrunch, Fox Business, SF Biz Journals, and VentureBeat. He has also been featured on reputed podcasts including Entrepreneurs on Fire, Marketing School, Mixergy, SaaStr, 1Mby1M, Business Infrastructure Podcast, Martech Podcast, Minority Report, Leveling Up, and Rocketship.fm.
Connect with us online! Twitter: https://twitter.com/launchacademyhq LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/launchacademyhq/ Instagram: https://www.instâŚ
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Mar 2, 2022
Web3 and the Future of Work | Michael Lazar, McKinsey & Company
Michael Lazar is a Partner at McKinsey & Company where he provides management consulting services to the firmâs clients, with a focus on strategy, growth, and transformation for clients in the tech and public sectors. Outside of work, he has spent time building the NFT space and looking at how traditional brands can use Web3 to deliver on community engagement and value creation.
Find Michael on LinkedIn.
Find out more at https://launch-ama.pinecast.co
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Feb 2, 2022
Keys to a successful startup team and network | Bernd Petak, Northmark Ventures
Episode Notes
Do you have questions about the Vancouver tech ecosystem? Fundraising in the Americas? An insight what industries established advisors and investors are looking into?
In addition to being a long-time friend of Launch Academy, Bernd Petak is an investment partner and co-founder at Northmark Ventures, a VC firm investing in tech-driven growth companies throughout the Americas. Bernd is a multi-time startup founder and CEO, CFO, COO in a number of companies ranging from FinTech to gaming, SaaS and many more. Not only is he a former software engineer, Bernd is also an active advisor and mentor for companies of all sizes. Bernd will be answering all your questions on these topics and more during this session.
Bernd Petak's Twitter and LinkedIn
Find out more at https://launch-ama.pinecast.co
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Dec 21, 2021
How to Attract Investorsâ Attention | Shafin Diamond Tejani, Victory Square Technologies
Serial entrepreneur and investor Shafin Diamond Tejani joined us recently for our âAsk Me Anythingâ session. As the CEO of Victory Square Technologies (VST), Tejani has pioneered a unique venture-build model to support startup growth â offering not just funding, but his unique expertise and leadership advice. Tejani has won numerous awards including Prime Minister's Volunteer Award, EYâs Tech Entrepreneur of the Year, Person of the Year by BC Tech Association & Canadian Angel Investor of the Year.
In this AMA session, Tejani shared his entrepreneurial journey and answered questions from Launchâs Maple Program members about venture capital, funding, public markets, and Web3.
Twitter & LinkedIn: @shafindiamond
Find out more at https://launch-ama.pinecast.co
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Dec 7, 2021
Simplifying Data Infrastructure for Wider Adoption of Blockchain | Ganesh Swami, Covalent
Ganesh is the CEO of Covalent, which is a Blockchain company that started out at Launch Academy a few years ago. Ganesh and Covalent are on a mission to solve the data infrastructure problems preventing the blockchain industry from growing and becoming widely adopted. Some of their biggest milestones lately: a billion-dollar valuation and the recent launch of their DAO.
Social Media: Twitter: @gane5h @Covalent_HQ
Follow Launch Academy on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram for more start-up content.
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Oct 18, 2021
Networking in a Post-Pandemic World | Kelly Hoey, Build Your Dream Network
Networking expert, J. Kelly Hoey is the author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World (Tarcher Perigee/Penguin Random House) and hosts the Build Your Dream Network podcast.
A frequent speaker and source for networking insights, she has been lauded from Forbes (â1 of 5 Women Changing the World of VC/Entrepreneurshipâ) to Fast Company (â1 of the 25 Smartest Women On Twitterâ) to Business Insider (â1 of the 100 Most Influential Tech Women On Twitterâ) and Inc. (1 of â10 Most Well-Connected People in New York Cityâs Startup Sceneâ).
Empowering A Billion Women By 2020 included her on their list of the â100 Most Influential Global Leaders Empowering Women Worldwideâ. Not bad for a former corporate lawyer. Sheâs a LP investor in two emerging tech funds, advisor to New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, and can frequently be found on Twitter @jkhoey.
Connect w/Kelly Hoey
Follow Launch Academy on Twitter, LinkedIn, and InstagrâŚ
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Oct 4, 2021
Surviving and Thriving in Developer Communities | Tony Blank, Agora for Startups
Tony Blank is the Director of Agora for Startups (a public company in the States well know for their audio technology â they run the technology behind ClubHouse). Prior to Agora, Tony led the startup programs at Twilio and Sendgrid.
He has a lot of experience in developers programs and on how to create meaningful relationships with Tech Giants. Tony is deeply rooted in the startup ecosystem and has delivered hundreds of workshops, mentor sessions, and speaking engagements to help startups grow.
Connect w/Tony Blank
Follow Launch Academy on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram for more start-up content.
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Sep 20, 2021
How Decentralized Workspaces are the Future for Startups | Greg Gunn, Commit
Episode Notes
Greg Gunn is CEO and Co-founder of Commit, a professional network for Startup Engineers. His passion to help software developers led to the creation of Commit in which they provide a collaborative community that provides them tools, resources and connections to help them build their future.
Prior to Commit, Greg was an EIR at Inovia. He was the first business executive at Hootsuite where he launched Hootsuite Enterprise. In this episode, Greg will be answering all your questions about his journey as an entrepreneur, fundraising, early-stage hiring, creating a company culture, building a community and more.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gunnr/
Find out more at https://launch-ama.pinecast.co
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Jun 30, 2021
How to Take Your Startup Public | Rob Goehring, Think Technologies AI Solutions
Rob is a serial entrepreneur with over 20 yearsâ experience founding and running private and public software and hardware companies in telecom, marketing, financial services and artificial intelligence. He is currently the CEO of Think Technologies, a developer of cutting edge AI solutions for enterprise risk management and prediction. Previously, he was CEO of RewardStream, a leader in referral and loyalty marketing (acquired by Buyapowa Ltd.) He was also the Chief Marketing Officer of TIO Networks (TNC.V acquired by PayPal) and the co-founder of Contigo Systems, an award-winning telematics company (acquired by Vecima Networks). Rob has an MBA from Simon Fraser University in Marketing and MIS, is an advisor to technology growth companies, and speaks on marketing technology trends. Rob is also the founding director of the AI Chief Executive Council for the BC Technology Industry Association.
Connect w/Rob Goehring
Follow Launch Academy on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram for more sâŚ
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Feb 26, 2021
Retention is the New Acquisition | Kelsey Gernert, Hubspot For Startups
Interview with Kelsey Gernert
Kelsey went from running her own Juice Company to running a 4000+ partnership networks at Hubspot. Follow her journey on how she overcame being new to the tech industry, her best tips on how to do cold reach, when to say no to a sale, and her thesis on why customer retention is more important than ever.
Connect w/ Kelsey Gernert
Follow Launch Academy on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram for more start-up content.
Find out more at https://launch-ama.pinecast.co
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Jan 26, 2021
Where Focus Goes, Energy Flows | Kevin Ho, Wishpond
Hear from Kevin and learn how WIshpond grew to a 100+ company while competing with 800 pound gorillas in the same industry. Learn how to develop a sales team, carving out your product niche, knowing when to pivot, and building long tail marketing strategies.
Connect w/ Kevin Ho
Follow Launch Academy on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram for more start-up content.
Find out more at https://launch-ama.pinecast.co
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Jan 25, 2021
Why Sales is Actually About Helping People | Michael Wei, Galvanize
Michael Wei (Since the recording, is now a Senior Sales Development Manager at Galvanize) shares quick tips about how businesses should be thinking about sales, deeper dives into how involved founders need to be in sales development, and how to hire your first SDR (Sales Development Representative). If you're struggling with sales, this is the episode for you.
Connect w/ Michael Wei
Follow Launch Academy on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram for more start-up content.
Find out more at https://launch-ama.pinecast.co
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Jan 24, 2021
Why Your Apps Should Be on Apple Before Android | Ian Mackinnon, Later
Ian MacKinnnon (Co-founder of Later.com) leaves no rock unturned as he gives his thoughts on a couple of burning questions startups have about initial traction, why he thinks your app shouldn't be on Android (until you absolutely have to) and why Native > React Native.
Connect w/ Ian MacKinnon
Follow Launch Academy on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram for more start-up content.
Find out more at https://launch-ama.pinecast.co
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Jan 23, 2021
Building Your Network in a COVID World | Caroline Lewko, WIP
Known in the industry as 'the connector', Caroline Lewko talks about how tech communities in different places can be completely different, and yet the same. She also talks about how life has become different in a world where conferences are now online and no longer live, and how to grow your network in these trying times.
Connect w/ Caroline Lewko
Follow Launch Academy on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram for more start-up content.
Find out more at https://launch-ama.pinecast.co
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Jan 22, 2021
How to Turn Ten Dollars Into A Million Dollars | Jason Bailey, East Side Games
Interview with Jason Bailey
Jason Bailey, one of the OG's of the Vancouver Tech Ecosystem joins Sam to talk about his startup journey, from growing up in a trailer park to building multiple multi-million dollar businesses, and his drive to keep 'beating his own high score'.
Follow Launch Academy on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram for more start-up content.
Find out more at https://launch-ama.pinecast.co
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Jan 21, 2021
Why Your Company Needs A Podcast | Aidan Hornsby, DoubleUp & Supercast
Sam is joined by podcasting guru, Aidan Hornsby, co-founder of DoubleUp and Supercast, who shares his journey becoming a start up founder, the differences in doing business with different cultures, and finally, how marketing has changed and podcasting needs to become part of the strategy.
Connect with Aidan Hornsby.
Follow Launch Academy on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram for more start-up content.
Find out more at https://launch-ama.pinecast.co
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Dec 5, 2020
The Insider Secrets of What Investors Are Really Looking For | Bernd Petak, Northmark Ventures
Bernd Petak, Investment Partner and Co-founder at Northmark Ventures joins Sam to talk about building multiple companies around the world. They also dissect different strategies to build a global company and discuss why Vancouver is still his choice of residence. Finally, they dive deep into Northmark's investment strategies and the best way to pitch to Bernd himself.
Bernd Petak is a longtime friend of Launch Academy, and joins Launch AMA as it's first ever guest. Bernd is a former software engineer, ex-consulting partner with Deloitte, and multi-time company founder, CEO, COO and CFO. Bernd is investment partner and co-founder at Northmark Ventures, a high value-added venture capital firm investing throughout the Americas and focused specifically on advanced technology, SaaS and Fintech businesses. Bernd is an active advisor, mentor and board director. In Canada, Bernd acts as board chair for Beanworks Solutions and is also a corporate director for Screenscape Networks and Proskida.âŚ
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