The Hard Part with Evan McCann

Robert Saunders is the Co-Founder and CEO of Ownright.Ownright simplifies real estate transactions with the perfect combination of expert legal guidance, a client-first approach, and efficient technology. Chapters00:00 Intro1:40 The Genesis of Ownright07:14 Navigating Regulatory Challenges13:14 Financial Hurdles in Real Estate Transactions17:28 Growth Strategies and Market Expansion20:50 Understanding Pricing and Unit Economics24:38 Leveraging AI for Efficiency32:11 The Future of PropTech37:23 The Rebranding Journey41:36 Finding Balance in Entrepreneurship

Brennan Spellacy is the Co-Founder and CEO of Patch.Patch combines technology and carbon markets expertise to help companies build and execute their carbon credit strategies from end to end, channelling capital into critical climate solutions.Chapters0:00 Intro1:40 The Evolution of Sonder: From Flatbook to Hospitality Innovator06:41 Transitioning to Patch: The Journey to Founding a Climate Solution11:07 Understanding Carbon Markets: The Role of Patch in Sustainability16:09 Navigating Complexity: Strategies for Chief Sustainability Officers20:43 Crafting Effective Sustainability Strategies: Insights from Patch24:21 Strategic Procurement in Carbon Credits27:49 Navigating Global Projects and Technology Risks31:28 Understanding the Global Carbon Market Landscape35:14 Pricing Dynamics and Industry-Specific Strategies38:58 Future Trends in Carbon Markets and Technology43:40 Resilience in Entrepreneurship45:44 Engagement and Community Building

Francois Lafortune, Co-founder and CEO of Diagram Ventures, shares his entrepreneurial journey, inspired by his work with Wealthsimple. He discusses how Diagram sources and validates ideas through a problem-first approach and outlines criteria for startups' success, including market timing and competition analysis. Francois emphasizes the importance of building strong founding teams and explains their strategy for maintaining a founder-friendly investment model. He also highlights emerging trends beyond AI, such as stablecoins and digital payments, providing insight into the future of business.

Rishard Rameez is the Co-Founder and CEO of Zown.Zown is a buyer-first real estate platform operating in both Canada and the U.S., built to reward and empower people to reach their homeownership dreams faster. Through their model, buyers receive up to $25,000 toward their home purchase — funded through the commission Zown earns. There’s no repayment, and buyers keep full ownership from day one. Chapters00:00 Podcast Introduction2:00 The Spark of Innovation: A Reddit Post04:43 Identifying the Gaps in Real Estate Services11:16 Transforming Home Buying: The Financial Impact13:23 Overcoming Traditional Barriers in Real Estate14:46 Expanding Horizons: Geographic Growth and Market Dynamics16:25 Understanding the Real Estate Commission Structure20:30 Leveraging Technology for Scalability23:12 Marketing Strategies in a Noisy Market25:51 Navigating Market Dynamics and Economic Factors30:23 Finding Purpose in Hard Times

Michael Serbinis is the Founder and CEO of League.Founded in 2014, League is the leading healthcare consumer experience platform, reaching more than 40 million people around the world and delivering the highest level of personalization in the industry. Payers, providers, and consumer health partners build on League’s platform to deliver high-engagement healthcare solutions proven to improve health outcomes.League has raised $285 million in venture capital funding to date, powering the digital experiences for some of healthcare’s most trusted brands, including Highmark Health, Manulife, Medibank, and Shoppers Drug Mart.Chapters00:00 Podcast Introduction2:00 Getting Shit Done: The Core Philosophy07:02 Healthcare Challenges: Access and Understanding13:20 The Agentic Era: AI in Healthcare19:30 Learning and Adapting: The Key to Success22:23 Partnerships: Transforming Healthcare Together26:18 League's Platform Approach: A New Era in Healthcare31:49 Balancing Family and Business: A Personal Journey36:18 Perseverance in Hard Times: Lessons Learned

Nicholas Chepesiuk is the VP of Innovation at Qualifacts.Nicholas was the Founder & CEO of OnCall Health, which was acquired by Qualifacts in 2022.Chapters00:00 Podcast Introduction2:00 Foundational Experiences in Early Roles07:21 Telehealth Surge: Impact of the Pandemic12:53 Post-Acquisition Insights and Growth Strategies18:06 Trends and Opportunities in Healthcare23:19 Building a Strong Company Culture28:21 Personal Resilience and Coping Mechanisms

Derrick Emsley is the Co-Founder of tentree and veritree.Chapters00:00 Podcast Introduction2:00 The Genesis of Tentree05:04 Lessons Learned in Entrepreneurship07:36 Transitioning to Veritree09:07 Navigating the Climate Tech Landscape12:07 Project Selection and Impact14:52 Building Partnerships and Verification17:37 The Importance of Trees20:24 Consumer Behavior and Local Impact23:12 Trends in Sustainability25:52 Metrics and ROI in Sustainability28:38 Learning and Growth as a Founder31:26 Team Dynamics and Culture34:09 The Role of Impact in Business37:01 Technology in Tracking Projects39:52 Overcoming Challenges in Entrepreneurship

Chloe Liang is the Co-Founder of Cocasa.Cocasa is revolutionizing travel and property ownership by allowing members to buy equity in luxurious holiday homes from €39,000/10% share.Chapters00:00 Podcast Introduction2:00 From Banking to Founding: Chloe's Journey10:31 Identifying the Problem: Cocasa's Mission21:08 Understanding the Cocasa Model35:25 Navigating Challenges as a Founder40:06 Engagement and Community Building

Kyle Norton is the Chief Revenue Officer at Owner.Chapters0:00 Podcast Intro2:00 Evaluating Companies: The Key Factors07:38 Building a Revenue Team: Initial Steps and Strategies11:39 Quality Over Quantity: The Importance of Revenue Quality15:49 AI in Sales: Internal and External Impacts20:42 Navigating the Changing Landscape of Outbound Sales26:58 Hiring for Success: Qualities in Sales Roles33:15 The Hybrid Work Debate: In-Person vs Remote38:47 Geographic Strategy: Where to Position Sales Reps44:09 Continuous Learning: The Benefits of Advisory Roles47:20 Resilience in Sales: Maintaining Drive Through Challenges52:31 Introduction to the Hard Part Podcast52:31 Engagement and Community Building

Benjamin Bergen is the President at Council of Canadian Innovators (CCI).CCI is a member-based organization reshaping how governments across Canada think about innovation policy and supporting homegrown scale-ups to drive prosperity.Chapters00:00 Podcast Introduction2:45 Reflecting on a Decade of CCI's Impact05:32 Understanding the Shifts in Innovation Policy08:10 The Importance of Effective Government Policies11:16 Building Stronger Industry-Government Relationships13:37 Navigating National Sovereignty in a Global Economy16:44 The Role of Government Procurement in Innovation25:10 Navigating Government Contracts and Policy Advocacy29:23 Capital Investment and Government's Role32:24 Tax Competitiveness and Brain Drain34:25 CCI's Mandate to Innovate36:02 Navigating Federal and Provincial Regulations38:29 Intellectual Property in the Innovation Economy42:08 Engagement Between Government and Industry44:07 Finding Purpose in Challenging Times