Entrepreneurs Exposed

Strategyzer is a content beast, with best-selling books, technology platforms, an app, online training, in-person workshops and of course, the Business Model Canvas itself, which is used by millions of entrepreneurs and enterprises around the globe. Strategyzer's books, Value Proposition Design, and Business Model Generation have sold over 2 million copies in 40+ languages. In this episode, the company’s co-founder Alan Smith, discusses how he went from a design guy in the agency world, to an entrepreneur offering arguably, the most simple, practical, and effective business tools in existence today.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dean Brauer is the Co-founder and EVP, of UK-based goHenry. goHenry is an innovative consumer internet and FinTech business with a mission to help millions of kids understand and manage money. There is some amazing discussion on GoHenry's emotional connection to the two most important things in many people's lives - money and children. We also talk about how that's helped the company build and foster a connection with its community of customers - which in 2016, culminated with a world record equity crowd funding raise of 4 million GBP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrea is a Scale Expert, a Multi-Exit Entrepreneur, with over 25 years of experience in technology - She has built three start-ups from zero to successful exit, including Proponix, which grew from O to $175 million in just 24 months. Andrea is also largely credited for helping one of the biggest telecom companies in Canada navigate through Y2K. In this wide ranging episode, we talk with Andrea about the keys to scaling up, her multiple exits, why hiring for mindset trumps skillset, the importance of balance to avoid burn out, the failure of Google Health, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Thouin is the Co-Founder and CEO of LowestRates.ca, one of the fastest growing companies in Canada. Justin calls LowestRates.ca "the expedia of personal finance”. The site compares prices on things like mortgages, car insurance, and credit cards. In this episode, Justin discusses Fintech, Canada's lack of financial literacy, and why Canadians typically don't comparison shop for financial products; the media's love and obsession with start-ups that raise capital vs those that bootstrap, starting something on the side vs. jumping in with lazer focus, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex has co-founded several businesses (Luxy Hair, Five Minute Journal, Productivity Planner) and also runs a creative agency called Dreamers & Creators, based in London, UK. He shares all of his entrepreneurial and life activities with his wife and business partner, Mimi Ikonn, who is by all accounts, a major online celebrity. Alex and Mimi are also angel investors in great companies like Calm, and Tradesy. In this episode, we discuss Alex’s businesses, the serendipity that is the "Tim Ferriss Effect", growing a company through organic content, the difference between a lifestyle business and a real business, the importance of knowing one's purpose, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ami is the Co-Founder and CEO of Peekapak. The company's content is designed with early childhood education experts, teachers, and parents, with the help of students themselves. The former Procter & Gamble marketer, is now committed to the education space; helping children become successful, compassionate, and caring citizens. In this one, Ami and talk about the evolving education space, and what skills are critically important for kids as they learn and grow. We also talk about funding strategies, what investors tend to look for in a team, and Ami's experience in Silicon Valley with Imagine K12.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Louis Felix Boulanger, is the co founder and COO of the budding Canadian-based fashion eyeglass retailer Bon Look. What started as a business online selling direct, has grown into an omni channel retail model with 22 stores, 300 employees, and growing. In this one, we talk all about the business of eyewear and Bon Look's start online before piloting a kiosk, then rapidly expanding with physical stores; how to get store expansion right, other cool eyewear disruptors like Ollie Quinn and Warby Parker, and why listening to what your customer demands can be pivotal to a company's success.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Hyatt is the co-founder of BlueCat Networks, which was sold to Madison Dearborn Partners, of Chicago, IL.  He serves as a board member and director of BlueCat, and ranks as one of Canada’s top entrepreneurs. Michael also sits on the Board of Advisors of Georgian Partners, one of Canada’s leading venture capital firms and was a recipient of the Top 40 Under 40 award.  In this episode, Michael and I discuss various experiences at Bluecat, the birth and sale cycle of companies and capital, entrepreneurship with a sibling, Michael's perspective on money, finding one's purpose, and more. Enjoy!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lesley Stowe, a true Canadian food entrepreneur, and the founder of the infamous artisan crackers – Raincoast Crisps. The crackers are so popular, they’ve been featured on Oprah’s list of favourite things and in Martha Stewart Living magazine. They’ve also been served in the White House. In this short chat with Adam, Lesley shares stories about how she funded the venture early on, the importance of being in the right environment for your passion, and why she sold to Dare Foods, a family owned private company vs. a private equity firm. Enjoy!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Bosworth, has been a thought leader within the field of sales for decades. He has designed several sales training programs for a number of fortune 500 companies, and is a seasoned author, speaker, entrepreneur, and sales philosopher. In this conversation, we hit on the power of stories and use case selling, what signals to look for to know whether a prospective buyer is warming up to your offering, how to relax buyer scepticism, the Hollywood story approach, and what it means when you hear a prospective client drop the F-bomb! (hint, it's a good thing). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices