A Dealmaker's DNA with Ilan Jacobson

By Ilan Jacobson

Why are entrepreneurs driven to do what they do? Put in endless hours and endure countless failures in pursuit of their dreams. Ilan Jacobson is one of those entrepreneurs. He's built businesses in se... more

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

FAQs about A Dealmaker's DNA with Ilan Jacobson:

How many episodes does A Dealmaker's DNA with Ilan Jacobson have?

The podcast currently has 62 episodes available.

A Dealmaker's DNA with Ilan Jacobson episodes:

October 20, 2020Episode 21: Sam Jacobs
How do curiosity and empathy combine to make you more successful at sales? Today’s guest has some thoughts on the subject. In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Sam Jacobs, CEO and Founder of Revenue Collective and host of the Sales Hacker podcast. Listen in to hear Sam discuss balancing the free market and regulation, how a Chief Revenue Officer fits into the C-Suite, and which tools sales people most need in their toolbox.
Topics Discussed in This Episode
Sam’s view of the connotations of being viewed as a sales guy
Go-to questions for new accounts
Sam’s childhood and how it shaped his curiosity and empathy
Balancing the desire for free market enterprise with protecting people
Sam’s early career
Where the CRO fits among more traditional C-level executives
The value of customer success
Tools that salespeople need in the toolbox
Sam’s view of nature vs. nurture
What The Revenue Collective does
Where you need to be in your career to join The Revenue Collective
Sam’s advice for listeners
Related Links
Sam Jacobs
[email protected]
Sam’s Podcast
The Revenue Collective
Quotes From the Show
“One of the fundamental aspects of success is true intellectual curiosity, and true empathy in sales, specifically.”
“The thing I learned from childhood was really ambition, and that was because I felt misunderstood for a lot of my life, and I felt like I needed to show the world something that was inside of me that I felt like hadn’t come out.”
“One of my mantras in my company is “I’m always going to be more invested in customer success than in sales.”
...more
40min
October 13, 2020Episode 20: Batia Stein
As a woman, is it possible to have a high-powered career and have children? And what’s the right way to accomplish that? Today’s guest is an example of what is possible for women who want both the demanding career and the rewards of motherhood. Listen in to the episode to hear from Batia Stein, a corporate immigration lawyer and partner with EY Law. In today’s episode, Batia discusses balancing motherhood and career, how adversity may help you succeed, and what Batia has learned about leadership and being a leader.
Topics Discussed in This Episode
Batia’s childhood
How having parents that were older and less involved played a role in Batia’s leadership qualities
Why independence could be a fault
What Batia does to help herself become more comfortable with less control
Advice for women in high powered careers who are looking for the right time to have children
The challenges of moving countries and transitioning from high school to college at 17
How much of Batia’s work ethic she thinks is a learned behavior vs. innate
Why Batia decided to go to law school
Why Batia decided to go out on her own as a lawyer at a young age
What Batia learned from waitressing
Why corporate immigration work appealed to Batia
What Batia thinks about the trend toward de-globalization
What Batia has learned about leadership
How to balance being strategic and authentic
Common trends that Batia sees in people who move up in their careers
Related Links
Batia Stein
Batia on LinkedIn
Quotes From the Show
“I really prefer to be self-reliant than to rely on other people.”
“I firmly believe that our children are given to us to challenge us.”
“Even with the adversity, you have to be grateful for what it gives you to be able to develop you.”
...more
41min
October 06, 2020Episode 19: Solon Angel
How does a lone wolf learn to effectively build sustainable teams? How does an Angel Investor learn to pick the winners from the losers when making investments? These are some of the questions that today’s guest will discuss. Solon Angel is a World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer with an interesting personal story. Listen in to today’s episode to hear what Solon has to say about how being an outcast can lead to being an entrepreneur, how to not just have vision, but separate the right vision from the wrong vision, and how to use your curiosity effectively.
Topics Discussed in This Episode
An overview of Solon’s career
Solon’s childhood and upbringing
What Solon’s parents did to harness his energy and put him on a path to success
Transitioning a lone wolf mentality to sustainable team building
How being an outcast can benefit an entrepreneur
How to take care of your children without coddling them
How to separate the right visions from the wrong visions
How to know when to move on from an idea that’s not working
Tools that can help you use curiosity in the best way possible
Solon’s view on the nature vs. nurture debate
The value of self-awareness
Whether people can change
Separating the winners from the losers as an Angel Investor
The best investment that Solon has made
Related Links
Solon Angel
Solon’s website
Quotes From the Show
“You have to shake me up to get the best from me.”
“If you have a kid who is high energy there’s only two outcomes – he can be very successful or wind up in jail.”
“I’m actually humble enough to know that I don’t know what is a good or bad idea. I just know I need to try that.”
...more
47min
September 29, 2020Episode 18: Kelsey Boyer
What is the role of a coach in your life? And how can a coach help you succeed? Today’s guest has some answers. Kelsey Boyer has spent the majority of her career in the technical recruitment space with her most recent role being a Partner at an AI Recruitment Start-up in Toronto. She obtained her life & executive coaching certification in 2016 and had been coaching on the side but earlier this year; Kelsey took a big leap and started her own leadership coaching business.
Listen in to hear how Kelsey overcame a difficult background to become a successful entrepreneur. In today’s interview, Kelsey discusses how to transition out of a job successfully, why manifestation works, how to convince people that they can manifest the results that they want in life, and why Kelsey thinks it’s so important to be a coach for women.

Topics Discussed in This Episode
Kelsey’s background
When Kelsey began to be motivated by her struggles
Mentors that helped steer Kelsey in the right direction
The role that Kelsey’s relationship with her brother played in her life
Kelsey’s involvement in sports
Kelsey’s university experience and early career
Kelsey’s experience with leaving jobs
How long it took Kelsey to decide to leave her position as a Partner
How to convince someone that manifesting something is actually real
What the role of a coach looks like
Why Kelsey focuses on coaching women
Common challenges that Kelsey sees with her clients
Trends among people who succeed in their careers
Whether Kelsey believes we are more nature or nurture driven
How to get people to become more self-aware
Why your why or your legacy is so important
How young is too young to have a coach
How to find a coach that’s right for you

Related Links
Kelsey Boyer
Kelsey on Instagram

Quotes From the Show
“I think I’ve just always been that kind of person who wants to do better and continue to move towards my best self.”
“As soon as I declare anything out loud it’s like yeah, I gotta do it now.”
...more
43min
September 22, 2020Episode 17: Heather Payne
What is the future of coding, and why is this skillset so important to the younger generations and those that will follow them? Today’s guest has some strong feelings about why it’s so important for all different types of people to learn these skills and have access to jobs in the tech industry.
Heather Payne is the CEO of Juno College. Listen in to learn about what Juno College does, why Heather believes it’s so important, and what led her to become an entrepreneur and found a college.
Topics Discussed in This Episode
What Juno College does
What Heather’s early life looked like
Heather’s time in China
Heather’s experience working for McDonald’s
What Heather tells other women who are looking for leadership roles
Where Heather’s self-awareness comes from
Why Heather thinks other women, in particular, may feel jealous or resentful
How Heather feels about supporting children without glossing over failures
What Heather gains from exercise
Where Heather sees the trajectory of coding careers
What parents should be doing with their children early on
Good decisions that Heather has made in her life
What Heather got from an executive coach and a therapist that she couldn’t have gotten from mentorship generally
Heather’s views on nature vs. nurture
What Heather expects Juno to look like in five years
Where listeners can find Heather
Related Links
Heather Payne on Twitter
Heather Payne on Instagram
Juno College
Quotes From the Show
“We’ve got deep McDonald’s roots in our family.”
“What I think has been great, especially in recent years, is that there’s a real movement that I have seen and it’s been visible, of women supporting women.”
“As soon as we have people at the table who represent different types of folks, different walks of life, different backgrounds, everything about our product has become better.”
...more
45min
September 15, 2020Episode 16: Bryan Gelman
Do you ask for things when you want them? Many people find it difficult to reach out and ask for something, but the people who can do it often find that they get what they asked for, and this contributes to their success.
Today’s guest is Bryan Gelman, one of the founders of Albert Gelman Incorporated. He’s built a business in the insolvency world, and he’s also the first guest on this podcast who reached out and asked to be on the podcast. Listen to the episode to hear what Bryan has to say about how he ended up working in insolvency, why he’s passionate about his work, and why people have such a hard time with the ask.
Topics Discussed in This Episode
Bryan’s background
Why the store that Bryan’s parents opened was so pivotal in his childhood
Why Bryan’s parents didn’t want him to go into business with them
Bryan’s interest in starting his own business
What attracted Bryan to the insolvency world
The correlation between authenticity and memorability
Bryan’s passion for both the process of building his business and the work he does
What Bryan thinks about nature vs. nurture
What Bryan thinks his parents did right
The early years of building Bryan’s business
Why people have a hard time with the ask
Building your team
How to think about hiring
What Bryan thinks the market will look like over the next year or so
Related Links
Bryan Gelman
Quotes From the Show
“I think it’s gotta be a combination, because you’re born with your parents’ DNA, and then they need to teach you things.”
“When you’re in a family with a small business, and you lose that business, it’s the dinnertime conversation.”
“If you’re an honest guy, and you do good work and good service, you can make a life for yourself.”
...more
42min
September 08, 2020Episode 15: Tamryn Jacobson
How important is it to have a competitive spirit – and to know when to be competitive and aggressive and when to reign it in? What’s the difference between mentorship and sponsorship, and how do these concepts affect your professional career?
In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Tamryn Jacobson, a partner in the Litigation Group at Goodmans, and a cousin of Ilan Jacobson. Listen to the interview to hear Tamryn discuss her upbringing and what effect it had on her career, what decisions and choices Tamryn made that benefited her career, and what Tamryn thinks about whether most people are generally good people.
Topics Discussed in This Episode
Tamryn’s childhood and when she moved to Canada
The things from living a different way that affected Tamryn’s success and character
Whether living under apartheid during childhood influenced Tamryn’s decision to go into litigation
What Tamryn’s upbringing looked like
Whether Tamryn experienced sexism in her career
What Tamryn thinks she did right in her career
Mentorship and sponsorship
Tamryn’s opinion on the importance of a competitive spirit
Tamryn’s thoughts on nature vs. nurture
How to motivate someone who has to work harder to keep up
How biases influence decision-making
Whether Tamryn believes that people are generally good
How to stay passionate in challenging situations
What people get wrong about negotiation
What percentage of the personality is nature or nurture
Related Links
Tamryn Jacobson
Quotes From the Show
“I think law, like most professions, certainly has – I’ll say a bias against women.”
“You build relationships with people, you build trust with people, and it’s not necessarily you asking them to do you favors, but by proving yourself to people you might be able to get them to want to advance your career.”
“I think typically men are more willing to ask for things than women.”
...more
48min
September 01, 2020Episode 14: Blaise Vas
Blaise Vas is the managing director of The Linen Cupboard Laundry. In today’s episode, you’ll hear about Blaise’s upbringing, how he came to Canada, and what he thinks about the DNA of the entrepreneur. Listen in to hear what Blaise has to say about the resourcefulness of his own parents and their influence on him, what it’s like to travel back and forth between Dubai and Canada, and when and how Blaise began to feel like an owner and take ownership of his business.
Topics Discussed in This Episode
Blaise’s background
The languages that Blaise speaks
Whether education was instilled in Blaise early on
Where the resourcefulness shown by Blaise’s father comes from
Whether attending college in the US was a culture shock for Blaise
Blaise’s view of himself as an outsider
How Blaise got to Toronto
The most uphill battle that Blaise wasn’t expecting
How long Blaise has been traveling back and forth between Canada and Dubai
The liberating feeling of doing something for yourself
When Blaise began to feel like he owned his company
What Blaise attributes to learned behavior or DNA
What Blaise thinks about the percentage of nature and nurture
Remembering the other people involved in your venture
Related Links
Blaise Vas
Quotes From the Show
“Language is just a tool for you to learn about culture.”
“Where other people see challenges, you see opportunity.”
“I didn’t want to keep putting roots down in a country that may one day allow me to call myself an emirate.”
...more
51min
August 25, 2020Episode 13: Randolph Mank
Randolph Mank has a fascinating background working in government as a diplomat. In addition to his expertise in government and global business, he joined the private sector in 2012 as the VP Asia for Blackberry. In 2014, Randolph founded MankGlobal Consulting. Listen to the episode to hear more about Randolph’s experiences as an ambassador, his entry into the private sector, and his thoughts on nature vs. nurture.
Topics Discussed in This Episode
Randolph’s background and how he ended up in Asia
How Randolph went to university without finishing high school
How being the youngest of seven factors into Randolph’s personality
What Randolph learned from his time in Ottawa
How Randolph got through frustrating times
What Randolph learned from his diplomatic role
What Randolph has learned about doing business around the world
The differences in doing business in different parts of the world
What ambassadorship really looks like
How to stay sane when dealing with catastrophe
Maintaining a relationship and family during many moves and in dangerous places
Randolph’s view of nature vs. nurture
Related Links
Randolph Mank
MankGlobal
Quotes From the Show
“You have to be a scrapper. And to some extent, your background feeds into that.”
“The other part that I learned is just how much trouble Canadians can get into when traveling abroad.”
“It does become personal. But in terms of human resiliency, you see it in the faces of children.”
...more
53min
August 18, 2020Episode 12: Rick Ekstein
Rick Ekstein started out in a family business. He’s known for having been the president and CEO of Weston Forest Products and founding Phaze 3 in 2016. Rick is interested in philanthropy and advocacy, politics and policy, and disrupting the status quo.
In today’s episode, you’ll hear Rick talk about his background, what it means to be a planner, and why self-awareness is so important. He also talks about the value of recognizing when you can’t solve a problem on your own and need to seek outside help, including therapy, when necessary. Listen in to hear what Rick has to say about teaching kids about the tools they need to succeed, the value of having a network, and whether it’s helpful to be motivated by a fear of failure.
Topics Discussed in This Episode
Rick’s history with Weston
The importance of not knowing that you have a ceiling
The categories of good leadership
What it means to be a planner
Why leaders are not always good teachers
How much self-awareness is nature and how much is nurture
Whether Rick’s work ethic was inherent or instilled
Accepting success
How parents can teach their kids to become successful
Being motivated by a fear of failure
The importance of your network
Philanthropy and advocacy
Maintaining relationships in your network
Lessons for driving success and avoiding pitfalls
Related Links
Rick Ekstein
Quotes From the Show
“I was brought up with this work ethic of hard work.”
“It takes a lot of courage to say we’re going to do something brand new.”
“I do believe to a very large degree that if you want to do something bad enough, you’ll figure out a way to do it.”
...more
53min

FAQs about A Dealmaker's DNA with Ilan Jacobson:

How many episodes does A Dealmaker's DNA with Ilan Jacobson have?

The podcast currently has 62 episodes available.