Ready For Launch: How To Build A Startup

This week I'm talking with Ryan McKee, founder of Elemeno, a company that delivers healthy hassle-free kids lunches to Vancouver parents. We discuss what it's like to try and completely reinvent yourself and your career, while also building up a business from nothing. Topics: The benefits of an MBA Failed side hustles Benefits of customer research Reinventing yourself The slow pace of launching Having self-belief Staying nimble for the future. https://www.elemeno.co/

My guest this week is a veteran in the Vancouver agency world. JP Holecka, founder of PowerShifter. After 12 years building digital product for clients with his team. Now he's taken the plunge to become a product founder in the luxury watch space with his new business venture, Luxxee. We discuss what it takes to find product-market fit, attract a diverse audience, and how company culture keeps talent from walking out the door. getreadyfor.luxx.ee searchluxxee.com

My guest this week is Kendra Kawala, the delightful co-founder and COO of Maker Wines, the first Direct to consumer canned wine company, and leading premium canned wine company in the US. We discuss how it feels like to be somewhat of an outsider to the typical founder profile...developing episodic balance in your life... and the importance of making art out of scraps of yarn. www.makerwine.com https://www.instagram.com/makerwine/ https://twitter.com/MakerWineCo

This week I'm chatting with someone I have a huge amount of respect for as a friend, and a founder of Montreal-based agency Brit Klik - Alexis Nicolas. Brit Klik is a specialist in the Google platform Search Ads 360. He has a real passion for business, but uniquely uses that as a way to create the freedom to pursue the other aspects of his life outside of work in incredible ways. We talk about how the process of building a business really helps you believe that through hard work and process, you truly can turn your crazy ideas into a reality. https://britklik.com/

This week I chat with the fantastically talented Allegra Poschmann about how losing the best job she ever when her company was acquired by Glossier, led her slowly down the path of creating her own agency that specialized in Direct to Consumer eCommerce. We talk about the insecurity that comes with going out on your own, the skills required to lead a team, and the important traits to look for in a business partner. https://twitter.com/allegraposch http://workwithpact.com/

This week I'm talking to designer-turned tech-founder Pascal Barry about how becoming aware of digital privacy issues snowballed into launching a business for secure, privacy-focused messaging, cloud storage and collaboration. We discuss what it's like to leave your job when you have no ideas what you're building, the importance of testing your team, hiring great people, and why no matter what happens, the business will never be a failure in his eyes. https://akord.com/ https://twitter.com/AkordPrivacy https://twitter.com/pascal_jbarry

We chat with Podcast Host Tinah Ogalo about her journey to becoming a podcast host and getting to her 50th episode launch. https://www.instagram.com/tinah.ogalo/ https://www.instagram.com/inyourtwentys/