The Hard Part with Evan McCann

Rami Alhamad is the Founder of PUSH which was acquired by WHOOP in 2021. PUSH was a leader in the wearable sports tech space with a focus on biomechanics and movement analytics. Founded in 2013 with the goal of revolutionizing the way athletes train, PUSH grew to support over 150 professional sports organizations as well as thousands of athletes across the college and high school markets. In this episode, we discuss Rami's unique mechatronics degree at Waterloo, PUSH's acquisition by WHOOP, the importance of reducing the footprint of hardware while increasing the footprint of software, what it was like to work with pro sports teams and how Canada can bridge the gap between researchers and entrepreneurs. Rami's article "Bridging the Gap: Connecting Researchers and Entrepreneurs in Canada's Innovation Ecosystem"!

Cato Pastoll is the CEO and Co-Founder of Loop. Loop offers tailor-made products including CAD/USD corporate cards, interest-free spending, corporate-level purchasing power, no-fee global payments, accessible growth capital and real US dollar accounts to help businesses grow. In this episode, we discuss the pivot from Lending Loop to Loop today, why word of mouth is one of their fastest growth channels, why caring about your customer is the ultimate flywheel and where we need changes in our banking regulations. Loop's new site!!!!

Nadia Ladak is the Co-Founder and CEO of Marlow. Marlow is a menstrual health brand that has created the first-ever lubricated tampon. In this episode, we discuss how Marlow originally started as a university project, why there is a stigma in the menstrual health space, their DTC and new retail strategy, how they got 50M+ views on TikTok and their micro-influencer strategy.

Arun Iyengar is the CEO of Untether AI. Untether AI provides ultra-efficient, high-performance AI chips to enable new frontiers in AI applications. In this episode, we discuss why chip companies need to raise close to $400M, what part of the AI market they are targeting, Untether's chips versus GPUs, the cost and importance of manufacturing and the importance of IP remaining in Canada.

Boris Wertz is the Founder and General Partner of Version One Ventures. Version One invests in mission-driven founders at the earliest stages. Founded in 2012 and with $250M+ in AUM across 6 funds, they have backed over 100 start-ups. They invest in SaaS and marketplaces as well as emerging technologies and industries such as crypto/Web3, bio/healthcare, energy/climate, AI and robotics. In this episode, we discuss why your fund size is your strategy, why branded categories are too late to invest in, his Coinbase investment, and his anti-portfolio. Boris's Twitter Version One's anti-portfolio

Jason Silver is a startup trainer and author. In this episode, we discuss what the term startup trainer actually means, his time at Airbnb, decision-making frameworks for individuals and startups and why scaling doesn't mean a startup slows down. Go preorder Jason's book "Quietly Crushing It" at www.quietlycrushingitbook.com or www.qcibook.com and get 40% off.

Ty Wilson is the Co-Founder & CEO of Tab Commerce. Tab is reinventing expense control for the restaurant industry. Tab is building a suite of data-driven products to help restaurant groups maximize profitability, optimize cash flow, and always have complete control over every dollar they spend. In this episode, we discuss Ty's upbringing in the restaurant world, the gap he saw in the restaurant tech space, how he thinks about growth and sales, and how he keeps his edge as a first-time founder.

Josh O'Kane is a reporter at The Globe and Mail covering the Business of Arts and Entertainment and is an author of Sideways: The City Google Couldn't Buy. In this episode, we discuss what it takes to be a great reporter, what it is like to write a book, how he uncovered the real story about Sidewalk Labs and our mutual love for Fred Again. Josh's Twitter Josh's personal website Josh's book Sideways: The City Google Couldn't Buy Josh's book Nowhere with You: The East Coast Anthems of Joel Plaskett

Naman Budhdeo is a General Partner at Antler Canada. Antler is the investor backing the world’s most driven founders, from day zero to greatness. In this episode, we discuss Naman's background founding businesses in the travel tech space, what makes Antler unique, what Antler looks for in founders, and how Antler attracts founders to their platform.

Robert Price is the Founder and CEO of Bōde. Bōde is a radical shift in how real estate is bought and sold. It finally empowers everyone to buy and sell their own home. Making the process simple, transparent, and more economical. In this episode, we discuss the dynamics of the current home-buying process, myths around buying real estate, the importance of data and the importance of neighbourhood pricing data over city pricing data.