Cancon Podcast

"There's this asterisk attached to everybody's answers right now, because they reserve the right to revise them all in a week." Raw Signal Group returns to discuss the evolving problems tech companies face as March's urgency became timeless uncertainty. Produced with support from TWG.

"Not only was there no time to prepare, we don't even know what are the consequences now of not being compliant." Luke Vigeant (Inkblot Therapy) and Brett Belchetz (Maple) join to share how their telehealth startups have changed before and after COVID-19. Produced with support from TWG. This episode originally aired May 2nd, 2020.

“I think the onus is on event organizers to figure out how to make themselves relevant to the community. For every event company, there is going to be an element of reinvention.” Rebecca Croll, Director of Content for Startupfest, joins to discuss cancelling the festival before quickly refactoring as a ‘hybrid’ event. We also asked her how an event known for its local character captures that magic in a new digital world. Produced with support from TWG.

"We want to be bold, we want to think big, but we want to be flexible and nimble as well." BetaKit speaks with Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, about the federal government's COVID-19 response plan for Canadian tech: what worked, what didn't, and what comes next. Produced with support from TWG.

"I get here at seven, I leave here at 11 or midnight. I've been doing that for the last 40 days and I wouldn't rather be doing anything else." Jeremy Hedges, President of InkSmith and CEO of The Canadian Shield, joins to discuss pivoting one business to produce PPE, and launching another to deliver 10 million units to the federal government. Produced with support from TWG. This episode originally aired May 6, 2020.

"We're not a business that a lot of Canadian VCs found sexy." Willful CEO Erin Bury, who longtime listeners might remember as a regular guest on BetaKit’s CanCon podcast, joins to explain what COVID-19 has made easier, and more difficult, for a business built to grapple with death. Produced with support from TWG.

"Wubba lubba dub dub!" To ease you into the holiday break, Black Swan producer Kattie Laur joins to help answer listener-submitted questions. Put your feet up, grab a cold beverage, and enjoy. Produced with support from TWG.

"We were witnessing the rapid decline of job opportunities available in the country, and also watching companies start to lay off employees en masse." Marianne Bulger, founder and CEO of Prospect, joins to discuss how The Help List went from a community-driven Google Sheet to a realtime database tracking COVID-19's impact on Canadian tech talent. Produced with support from TWG.

"Canadian investors don't back Black women-led startups. Let's talk about that." Amoye Henry (Pitch Better) and Danielle Graham (Sandpiper Ventures) join to discuss the underlying social problems that prompted Amoye's BetaKit op-ed "The horrifying truth about being a Black woman founder in Canada" and potential solutions. Produced with support from TWG.

"It's sad in the sense that we're dealing with this in 2020. But at the same time, it's pretty amazing that I'm able to be part of something like this." Canadian transplant Idil Omar (Uber) joins from SF to share her perspective on the Valley's response to COVID-19 and remote work, ongoing civil unrest, the racism she has faced in the US, and how it compares to the racism she faced in Canada. Produced with support from TWG.      

“Instead of crying, I started laughing.” Jordan Dutchak (Uniting the Prairies) on what it's like to pull the plug on your community-built event. Lisa Zarzeczny (Elevate) on planning for something that might not happen, and recreating a global event for local screens. Produced with support from TWG.

"How do we not lose the last decade of investment into the ecosystem?" Terry Rock (CEO, Platform Calgary) and Chris Rickett (Director, COVID-19 Business Mitigation and Recovery, City of Toronto) join to share how they're working to keep their tech ecosystems together. Produced with support from TWG.

"I get here at seven, I leave here at 11 or midnight. I've been doing that for the last 40 days and I wouldn't rather be doing anything else." Jeremy Hedges, President of InkSmith and CEO of The Canadian Shield, joins to discuss pivoting one business to produce PPE, and launching another to deliver 10 million units to the federal government. Produced with support from TWG.

"Not only was there no time to prepare, we don't even know what are the consequences now of not being compliant." Luke Vigeant (Inkblot Therapy) and Brett Belchetz (Maple) join to share how their telehealth startups have changed before and after COVID-19. Produced with support from TWG.

“When COVID-19 hit, I just had this clarity that I needed to go into this crisis mode of a Telehealth solution."   There are many Canadian startups offering their services for free, or additional support to those affected by COVID-19. But there are also the startups that have made a firm pivot to healthtech, not only to step up in a time of need, but to keep their business alive.   So we spoke to one: Pawzy founder Kerri-Lynn McAllister.   Produced with support from TWG.

"I don't know what matters anymore - I've lost my guideposts." It’s a hard time to be a boss. Right now, every tech company is scrambling to survive. How do the managers take care of their people when it’s so hard to take care of themselves? Raw Signal Group joins to discuss management in a crisis. Produced with support from TWG.

"Hope is not a strategy." Not many entrepreneurs have built a business during a global crisis. Canadian entrepreneur and investor Michael Hyatt has done it multiple times. He joins Black Swan to answer submitted questions and foster a new generation of 'wartime entrepreneurs'. Produced with support from TWG.

"You can cross your fingers and hope that the government will help. But if they don’t, then what? I think you have to be prepared for ‘if they don’t, then what’?" Additional details from the federal government revealed that most Canadian tech companies won't qualify for the 75% wage subsidy. But there are other measures for companies (and employees) to utilize. Tech-focused CPA LiveCA joins to walk us through each option. Produced with support from TWG.

"The next time they interview for a job they’re going to ask the company how they dealt with their employees during COVID."   Canadian tech companies are on pins and needles waiting for a support package from the federal government. As of this podcast, they’re still waiting. Which means senior leaders face tough decisions, and a lot of people are worried about their job.   Nora Jenkins Townson, founder of Bright + Early, joins to discuss the human side of business decisions.   Produced with support from TWG.

"Everything that happened over a four to five-month period in '08 has happened in a four-week period this time around." The Canadian tech ecosystem is facing a black swan event: extremely rare and extremely severe. BetaKit spoke with Matt Roberts, partner at ScaleUP Ventures, about the federal government's response to support Canadian businesses, and what entrepreneurs can do to ensure their companies survive.  Hosted by Douglas Soltys & Rob Kenedi. Edited by Kattie Laur. Produced with support from TWG.