Behind the Grind - Personal Stories of Entrepreneurship

In the final episode of season 1 of Behind the Grind, I interview Tyson Hepburn, Co-founder and Executive Producer of Mayhem Entertainment and the producer of multiple hit unscripted television shows. Tyson walks us through his dynamic career as film producer - a path that's taken him all over the world. Plus, he opens up about some difficult personal experiences along the way —such as the loss of his best friend and business partner, John Driftmier in 2013.Tyson holds the distinction of being the youngest person ever to create a hit unscripted series on the Discovery Channel. His show, Cold Water Cowboys, premiered at the third-highest ratings ever for a Discovery Channel premiere. Tyson is also the executive producer of Rust Valley Restorers, on Netflix in over 160 countries around the world and the History Channel Canada.Join me for an eye-opening conversation about the film and television industry, succeeding in the unscripted space, and about mindset and entrepreneurship.Show Notes:0:00:00 - Intro0:03:33 - Tyson's story0:05:13 - Going into the unscripted TV space0:14:37 - The development of Jacked!0:20:14 - Making Cold Water Cowboys0:27:11 - Losing John 0:33:30 - John Driftmier's legacy and moving forward with grief0:37:55 - Mayhem Entertainment and the creation of Rust Valley Restorers0:47:14 - What it takes for a show to be a hit0:49:42 - The type of personality it takes to succeed in film & television0:51:50 - Advice for people wanting to start a business0:53:42 - When is the right time to start a business?▶️ Connect w/ Our Guest (Tyson Hepburn):Website: http://www.mayhemtv.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyson_hep1/Rust Valley Restorers (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/rustbrosrestos/Rust Valley Restorers (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/rustvalleyrestorers/▶️ Connect w/ Me (Julianne Keu):Website: https://juliannekeu.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliannekeuTwitter: https://twitter.com/juliannekeuFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliannekeu▶️ Behind the Grind on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX5dOa7FBWhm7nUFqcNxI9g

The Best Advice for Emerging Content Creators (ft. Alicia Haque of GoLiveExplore) // This interview was originally filmed in February of this year but the themes on what it takes for both content creators AND brands to thrive in the influencer marketing space have not changed. Our guest today is Alicia Haque, founder of the travel and lifestyle brand GoLiveExplore (https://golivexplore.com/). Alicia has been growing her community organically since 2014 and in 2017, took her passion full-time. Despite only having a combined following of 45,000+, Alicia has partnered with brands such as Google, Fairmont Hotels, Telus, Hong Kong Airlines, and more. She has even been featured in an original video campaign with L’Oreal Professional. Alicia offers a wealth of insights on:How to get quality brand sponsorships as smaller creatorHow to pitch quality > quantity and the importance of having an engaged communityWhat savvy brands should look for when it comes to choosing an “influencer” to work withThe trend of brand ambassadorshipsI (Julianne) pitch in with:What I believe are some of the biggest mistakes brands make when approaching influencer marketingHow content creators have to educate the brands they work with – or else they (the content creators) lose Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro2:55 - How Alicia’s career began as a professional content creator10:19 - What it’s like being a full-time content creator (/ “influencer”)15:22 - How to succeed as a new content creator23:30 - How to decide which brands to align with (and what it means)28:36 - Misconceptions about influencer marketing31:20 - Trends in influencer marketing (2020)37:07 - How businesses should approach influencer marketing (do’s and don’ts)47:13 - The changing role of social media in our lives54:53 - Alicia’s advice to her younger self Follow Our Guest (Alicia Haque):Website: https://golivexplore.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXt8Z3T2JzwOhu8F6YK_YUAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/alicia_haque/Twitter: https://twitter.com/alicia_haqueFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/golivexplore/ Follow Our Host (Julianne Keu):Website: https://juliannekeu.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliannekeuTwitter: https://twitter.com/juliannekeuFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliannekeu

Kelsi Sheren is an Afghanistan war veteran who served with the Canadian Armed Forces until she was medically released in 2011 after sustaining a critical and permanent injury. Lost and confused, Kelsi began to turn to art therapy, and in 2014, her company Brass & Unity (https://brassandunity.com/) was born.Picture this: fine jewelry made from empty bullet casings and a commitment to supporting veterans worldwide through each sale. What started on Kelsi’s kitchen table years ago has now blossomed into a globally loved brand on a mission. Brass & Unity’s products have been spotted on celebrities such as Ellen, Michael Buble, Jenna Dewan, and Kevin Hart.In 2021, Kelsi will be coming out with a memoir with a foreword written by Jim Treliving of Dragon’s Den and Boston Pizza fame. Please join me for this very special interview —the longest of our series so far (and for good reason). Welcome Kelsi Sheren to the show.Show Notes:0:00 - Intro4:21 - Kelsi Sheren’s story7:38 - A discussion on women in the military (including Kelsi’s experience as one)9:33 - The older female veteran who changed Kelsi’s life13:55 - How Kelsi handles sexism (professionally and in life)15:00 - What the process of military training is like27:21 - Deployment to Afghanistan in 200929:42 - Day-to-day life on the front lines of war36:26 - Kelsi’s injury39:11 - A glimpse into the psychological toll of war42:21 - Getting diagnosed with PTSD in Kandahar47:35 - Coping with the end of her military career50:17 - Recovering from trauma: expectation vs reality58:31 - The founding story of Brass & Unity1:03:46 - Why Kelsi has made it her life’s calling to continue to support veterans and first responders1:04:57 - Kelsi’s struggles with her insurance provider (and a bigger-picture discussion on veterans falling through the cracks of the system)1:08:27 - The moment Kelsi realized the Brass & Unity was going to be much bigger than she had anticipated1:16:02 - What is the true value of celebrity endorsements of your product?1:20:40 - The parallels between military training and competitive sports (and the shared qualities veterans and pro athletes have that prime them for entrepreneurial success)1:27:00 - How Kelsi got her book deal —and meeting Jim Treliving of Dragon’s Den1:37:29 Kelsi’s message to her 18-year old selfFollow Brass & Unity:Website: https://brassandunity.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brassandunity/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brassandunity/Follow Kelsi:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelsie_sheren/Follow Julianne: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliannekeu/Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliannekeuFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliannekeu/Follow Behind the Grind:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btgglobalTwitter: https://twitter.com/btgglobal + Check out our YouTube Channel for full episodes, highlights, and more!

Todd Embley is a co-founder of Chinaccelerator (the first-ever startup accelerator to launch in Asia), a partner at BoostXLabs, a director at the Vancouver Chapter of Founder Institute, and the host of the Negotiation Podcast on iTunes. This is the story of his trailblazing career. Would you believe that it began (in many ways) in obscurity at the height of the Global Financial Crisis of 2009?Show Notes:2:39 Todd Embley’s story5:17 Todd’s involvement with Chinaccelerator7:33 Creating opportunities with no plans while in a foreign country9:13 Becoming an entrepreneur in a foreign country11:48 East vs West: entrepreneurial ethos15:26 How constraints breed innovation21:30 The changing attitudes around entrepreneurship in China25:20 Cultivating an ecosystem of support and mentorship in China33:26 Getting diagnosed with ADHD at 45 years old44:30 Tips for people who have ADHD49:40 Todd's advice to his younger self***Follow Todd Embley:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddembleyTwitter: https://twitter.com/toddembleyBoostXLabs: https://www.boostxlabs.comThe Negotiation Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...Other Links:Founder Institute: https://fi.co/Chinaccelerator: https://chinaccelerator.com/Follow Our Host:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliannekeuTwitter: https://twitter.com/juliannekeuFollow Behind the Grind:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btgglobalTwitter: https://twitter.com/btgglobalFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/behindthegri...+ Check out our YouTube Channel for full episodes, highlights, and more!

Tegan Cochrane is a 3x Canadian national cycling champion who is no stranger to life on the fast track. In 2016, she was selected to join Team Canada for track cycling and spent the next two years training at the nation's highest levels. In 2018, she made the difficult decision to leave Team Canada —effectively ending her Olympic dreams.In her interview with Julianne for Behind the Grind, Tegan opens up about the emotionally taxing process of letting one dream die and starting over on a new, more purposeful path.Show Notes:0:16 Tegan Cochrane’s story4:06 How Tegan fast-tracked her way into competitive sports9:04 A day in the life of a track cyclist on Team Canada13:32 On leaving Team Canada17:19 Dispelling the myth of “sunk costs”19:29 The parallels between succeeding as an athlete and succeeding as an entrepreneur22:44 A major head injury and new beginnings29:16 On mental health in athletes32:00 Transitioning into a new chapter as a management consultant38:38 What's next for Tegan and her business?***Follow Our Guest:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tegancochraneWebsite: https://tegancochrane.comFollow Our Host:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliannekeuTwitter: https://twitter.com/juliannekeuFollow Behind the Grind:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btgglobalTwitter: https://twitter.com/btgglobalFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/behindthegrind.ca+ Check out our YouTube Channel for full episodes and highlights!

Graeme Barlow sold his first tech company at the age of 16 for a million dollars. At 21, he co-founded RocketOwl, a game development company behind some of the most popular titles on Facebook. Unlike his first company, however, RocketOwl did not end in a successful exit. When its investors pulled out, a 25-year-old Graeme was suddenly faced with the grim reality of having to lay off all 20+ of his staff.Graeme speaks candidly to Julianne about the failure of his second company and the period of "rock bottom" that followed suit. Also discussed: how failure became one of Graeme's greatest teachers and the lessons he carries with him in his newest chapter as the CEO of Iversoft, one of the leading tech consultancies in the country. Show Notes:1:41 Graeme Barlow’s Story6:45 How Graeme sold his first company at just 16 years old14:52 How one event and one incident led to something unexpected - Graeme’s second company, RocketOwl23:32 The reality of startups and is failure more beneficial than success in the long run?28:33 A debate on the rationality (or lack thereof) of entrepreneurship29:35 Insights on solving the problem of “boredom” for consumers31:46 Bouncing back from rock bottom and into a role at Keshet Technologies43:46 Iversoft’s origin story and Graeme’s role in it1:02:13 Graeme’s message to his 25-year old self***Follow Iversoft:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wemakethatappLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iver...Website: https://www.iversoft.ca Follow Our Host:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliannekeuTwitter: https://twitter.com/juliannekeuFollow Behind the Grind:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btgglobalTwitter: https://twitter.com/btgglobalFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/behindthegri...+ Check out our YouTube Channel for full episodes and highlights!

James Nguyen is a man of many titles. He is the son of refugees who fled to Canada at the height of the Vietnam War. He is a former banker with over 10 years of experience in finance and investor relations. Today, he works at the forefront of two companies with massive disruption potential: as the Chief Investment Officer of Graphoid Inc, and as the CEO of Quantropi, a Canadian technology startup that is developing the infrastructure to protect us from tomorrow's greatest cybersecurity threats. In this episode of Behind the Grind (originally filmed Nov 2019), James joins Julianne for a candid chat about some of the things he's working on plus his advice to aspiring young entrepreneurs.Show Notes:2:03 James Nguyen’s story6:58 Leveraging criticism to your advantage10:23 What is Quantropi? What big problem(s) does it solve?11:35 How did James transition from finance to the CEO of a tech company? 16:52 Factors that play into the valuation of a company18:49 James’ advice to young and/or aspiring entrepreneurs25:49 What are James’ weaknesses?28:04 Advice to aspiring entrepreneurs29:39 How Quantropi manages to execute on/ahead of its timelines***Follow Our Guest:LinkedIn: /jamesnguyen28Website: quantropi.comFollow Our Host:Instagram: @juliannekeu Twitter: @juliannekeu Follow Behind the Grind:Instagram: @btgglobal Twitter: @btgglobal Facebook: @behindthegrind.ca + Check out our YouTube Channel for full episodes and highlights!

Kathleen Reid is the Managing Director of Switchboard PR, one of Western Canada's leading tech PR agencies. She also has an awe-inspiring story of cultivating grit from disability. Topics discussed: Kathleen's story of vision loss, challenges of life with an invisible disability, and finding strength in the things that set you apart.Show Notes:1:51 Kathleen Reid’s story3:01 The founding of Switchboard PR (and the appeal of specializing in tech)7:30 Life with Stargardt’s disease13:10 How Kathleen came to terms with losing her vision25:50 How do you develop grit?27:21 Why Kathleen decided to share her story and her message about people with invisible disabilities 29:29 How to stay positive in a media landscape that skews negative31:52 The art of “turning off”33:52 What’s next for Switchboard? What’s next for Kathleen?***Follow Our Guest:Instagram: @kathleen.reidInstagram: @switchboard_prWebsite: switchboardpr.comFollow Our Host:Instagram: @juliannekeu Twitter: @juliannekeu Follow Behind the Grind:Instagram: @btgglobal Twitter: @btgglobal Facebook: @behindthegrind.ca + Check out our YouTube Channel for full episodes and highlights!

This episode features a conversation with Ben Glassco, a co-founder of a startup who left at the height of its growth to bike across Southeast Asia in the pursuit of a wildly different dream. Topics covered: why Ben took his leap of faith, what he's learned from it, and what he wants every aspiring entrepreneur to know.Show Notes:1:40 Ben Glassco’s story8:28 Why Ben left his tech startup: Enroot Meals on Demand15:28 The story of “Ben’s Big Ride” (8 months on a motorcycle in Vietnam)19:18 Is “Van Girl” a YouTube plant?21:16 What happened after Ben’s big motorcycle crash?29:30 The fastest way to maximize a new skill37:02 What’s more important? Vision or experience? 44:53 Advice to those on the verge of taking a leap of faith***Follow Our Guest:Instagram: @ben.glasscoWebsite: www.benglasscophoto.com Follow Our Host:Instagram: @juliannekeu Twitter: @juliannekeu Follow Behind the Grind:Instagram: @btgglobal Twitter: @btgglobal Facebook: @behindthegrind.ca + Check out our YouTube Channel for full episodes and highlights!

The first episode of this series features Julianne Keu getting candid about her journey building 3 businesses, selling 2, and closing the third due to burnout. Julianne is interviewed by her close friend Rebecca Rochon, Founder of Pivot & Pilot Creative. Topics covered: Julianne's story, the power of "why," and entrepreneurship as a catalyst for personal growth.Show Notes:2:33 Julianne’s story12:33 The silver lining of being at rock bottom14:24 Julianne on the hardest part about closing her last business 20:00 The importance of emotional fortitude in entrepreneurship 22:30 What are Julianne’s plans for Behind the Grind?31:17 Answering audience questions***Follow Our Guest:Instagram: @rochon.ca Instagram: @pivotandpilot Website: pivotandpilot.com Follow Our Host:Instagram: @juliannekeu Twitter: @juliannekeu Follow Behind the Grind:Instagram: @btgglobal Twitter: @btgglobal Facebook: @behindthegrind.ca + Check out our YouTube Channel for full episodes and highlights!