The Hard Part with Evan McCann

Shane Murphy is the CEO of Ownr. Ownr is an RBCx company. They are making it simpler and more affordable for businesses to start and succeed. They know that starting and running a business takes a huge effort. By simplifying and automating business formation and everyday legal work, they help SMBs thrive. Takeaways Ownr aims to democratize access to incorporation and provide ongoing support for small businesses. Building product within RBCx allows Ownr to leverage existing RBC products and create an embedded experience for users. Shane emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with good people, engaging in physical activity, and listening to customer feedback. The future of Ownr includes expanding services and addressing the needs of entrepreneurs at different stages of their business journey. The acquisition of Founded Technologies by Ownr/RBCx. Transitioning from COO to CEO. Shane's thoughts on competition. Hints of potential future products from Ownr. Chapters 00:00 Shane's Interest in Law 01:27 Master's Degree in Political Theory 03:24 Starting Founded Technologies 06:03 Transition to Owner 08:28 Acquisition by RBC Ventures 12:46 Transition from COO to CEO 13:22 RBCx and the Focus on Tech and Innovation 17:09 Democratizing Access to Incorporation 19:37 Building Product within RBCx 22:20 Gathering Feedback from Customers 24:01 Creating a Deeper Relationship with Customers 26:57 Competition in the Market 29:39 Growth and Partnerships 32:23 RBCx and its Focus 34:10 Future of Ownr 36:40 User Journey for Different Types of Businesses 39:07 Favorite Book: Scaling People 41:01 Excitement for the New Year 41:51 Dealing with Hard Times 42:53 Closing Remarks My podcast supporter! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada. Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns! 

Jesse Abrams is the Co-Founder & CEO of Homewise. Homewise is a national consumer end-to-end homeownership platform, centered around its digital mortgage experience that uses data intelligence to match and secure clients with their best mortgage from 30+ banks and lenders in minutes. Homewise then connects clients to their in-house Real Estate solution (Homewise Real Estate) and partners at each step of the process from there, such as insurance and real estate law. Homewise Real Estate Listings Jesse’s Twitter Takeaways Foundational skills in marketing and advertising can provide a strong base for a career in the tech industry. Identifying a gap in the market and taking the first step is crucial for starting a successful business. A vertically integrated approach can differentiate a company and provide value to customers. Pivoting to a B2B2C model can lead to scalable revenue growth and partnerships with other businesses. Balancing customer and investor feedback is important for making informed decisions. Baking education into the product can empower customers to make informed decisions and improve their overall experience. Providing advice and access throughout the home buying process can improve the customer experience and save money for customers. Launching a real estate listing site in-house allows for greater control over the customer experience and the ability to provide tailored information to clients. Being open to sharing ideas and collaborating with others in the industry can lead to valuable insights and opportunities for growth. Dealing with hard times as a founder and parent requires a supportive network, engaging in physical activity, and finding joy in personal interests. Building the industry and starting a company requires resilience, thick skin, and a passion for the work being done. Chapters 00:00 Foundational Skills in Marketing 03:21 Genesis of the Idea for HomeWise 06:12 Taking the First Step and Identifying the Gap 10:18 Vertically Integrated Approach 15:23 Capitalizing on the Digital Movement 21:12 Pivoting to a B2B2C Model 26:50 Balancing Customer and Investor Feedback 32:40 Unlocking Competitive Rates 38:20 Baking Education into the Product 43:03 Providing Advice and Access 44:15 Launching a Real Estate Listing Site 49:50 Favorite Books and Excitement for the Future 53:45 Dealing with Hard Times 57:04 Building the Industry and Starting a Company My podcast supporter! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada. Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns! 

Laviva Mazhar is a Principal at Luge Capital. Luge Capital is a fintech-focused venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies in Canada and the United States. They are on a mission to build fintech champions with amazing founders. In this episode, we discuss... Her journey from McGill, work in economic development, a startup studio and breaking into VC The first close of their $71M Fund II and what it is like raising a second fund Predicting if a market opportunity can grow Regulatory environment for fintech companies How she keeps an edge and levels up as an investor Unique areas to find strong dealflow Two areas in fintech she is interested in right now My podcast supporter! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada. Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns! 

Lisa Mattam is the Founder and CEO of Sahajan. Sahajan blends the power of Ayurveda, an integral part of Lisa's South Indian heritage, with clinical science to create clean skincare products. In this episode, we discuss... What "clean beauty" means How to start a skincare brand from ideation, manufacturing and distribution Launching with one product versus launching a collection on day one Their three-year 200,000 hotel room global deal with JW Marriott for the Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, St. Regis, and W Hotels properties and why these partnerships are so powerful Marketing strategy from micro-influencers to large publishers like Elle Designing a pricing strategy Post-purchase customer experience and how to design that Going from 8 years of bootstrapping to raising a round and how that changes things My podcast supporter! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada. Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns! 

Michelle Reid, VP of Partnerships & Growth at Z1, discusses her formative experiences, the importance of choosing the right company, Z1's unique studio model, balancing metrics and soft skills in sales, building curiosity, disqualifying potential customers, and creating a successful partnerships team.

Dan Balaban is the Executive Chair and CEO of Greengate, a leading Canadian renewable energy company.Greengate is focused on the development of large-scale renewable energy and next-generation net zero projects. To date, Greengate has successfully developed over 1 GW of operating and in-construction renewable energy projects in Canada, including the country’s largest wind energy and solar energy projects. These projects represent nearly $2 billion of investment, are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.7 million tonnes per year and produce enough renewable energy to power more than 400,000 homes. Dan's Twitter/X In this episode, we discuss... Having a successful exit by the age of 30 and what that unlocked for him The gap he saw in the market in 2007 to start Greengate Debunking misconceptions about renewables Why and how the debate around renewables has become so polarized Balancing renewables and fossil fuel production and usage Operating in regulatory environments on a provincial, federal and international level Greengate's unique model of developing renewable projects from raw land to large projects How we can improve energy literacy My podcast supporter! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada. Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns! 

Ian Whytock is the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Tidal Venture Partners. Tidal Venture Partners is a pre-seed to seed+ fund focused on the emerging ecosystem of Atlantic Canada. With conviction, they back small teams with high potential, who have detailed plans for achieving larger, later-stage milestones. In this episode, we discuss... Major exists in the ecosystem like Verafin (acquired for $2.75B by Nasdaq) and Radian6 (acquired for $326M by Salesforce) and how that is creating new startups in the region The nodes that make Atlantic Canada a strong tech ecosystem What it has been like raising a first-time fund focused on Atlantic Canada Thoughts on LP composition before raising and now while raising Fund I The different types of emerging managers popping up Unique challenges founders have in Atlantic Canada and ways Tidal helps them Their most recent publicly announced investments, Mimosa Diagnostics and Symbodi My podcast supporter! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada. Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns! 

Thomas Park is the Co-Founder and Lead Partner of the BDC Deep Tech Fund, a $200M VC fund focused on supporting Canadian start-ups developing “hard tech” such as quantum computers, photonics, and fundamental AI. In this episode, we discuss... How Thomas's experiences at the International Criminal Court, UN, The Gates Foundation, Dartmouth and Havard shaped him as an investor Why and how he launched the BDC Deep Tech Fund Nuances to investing in deep tech startups Areas where deep tech innovation is happening in Canada The impact BDC Capital has had on the Canadian tech and venture space Discuss their most recent publicly announced investment, Darwin AI His role as Co-Chair of the Global Defense Council and the impact deep tech has on the defence sector and in geopolitics How do we create more deep tech companies in Canada Impact of manufacturing and global supply chain on deep tech The Asian Canadian Venture Collective he co-founded My podcast supporter! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada. Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns! 

Corey Pollock is the Head of Product at Pixel Union and Co-Founder of numerous companies like Uptime (acquired by WeCommerce), ListingAI (acquired), Google Meet Enhancement Suite (acquired) and more. In this episode, we discuss... What he learned about building product from Robleh at Tiny Hearts What made Tiny Hearts unique when building product and the acquisition by Shopify His work at Shopify and helping launch the Arrive (now Shop) app Going from an Apprentice role to Lead and what it takes to scale as a product person Building solo, in small teams and large organizations The importance of timing when launching a product Why empathy is crucial as a product manager Why ideas are becoming so saturated My podcast supporter! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada. Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns! 

Peter Root is the Co-Founder of Wildfire Robotics. Wildfire Robotics leverages scalable robotics for complete wildfire containment - from initial attack to mop-up to monitoring.‍ The team has developed a self-propelled and remotely controlled robotic snake, called Firewall, that can be deployed in rough terrain, up to 10 km at a time, to offer rapid, fluid-based protection of communities, industry assets, critical infrastructure, homes, and sensitive ecological areas. In this episode, we discuss... Effective ways to commercialize technology Intraprenuer versus entrepreneur Utilizing drilling technology to fight wildfires Insights into how we currently deal with wildfires and other technology solutions How to scale robotics from a team and technology process standpoint Shifting attention from investors to focus on the wildfire space My podcast supporter! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasken's Emerging Tech and Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ practice is comprised of 80+ dedicated legal professionals across the Canadian market. We're deeply involved in the startup ecosystem and have worked closely with founders from startup to scale-up to exit. Our team is a leading Canadian law firm for VC financings and tech M&A and act for many of the best-in-class startup and scale-up innovation-based companies and entrepreneurs in Canada. Given this experience we understand market trends and can assist in guiding your company forward as you scale – we take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide the full suite of services including corporate, corporate finance, M&A, commercial, IP, data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond. We are excited to help the next generation of unicorns!