DMZ Movers & Shakers

“Let’s take all the things people wish they had as a service and let's actually make it a reality”. In this episode, our very own executive director of the DMZ and CEO of DMZ Ventures, Abdullah Snobar, discusses how the pandemic uncovered inequity in the entrepreneurship and technology industries. Abdullah shares how in response, the DMZ quickly revamped its incubator model to be better personalized and suited for early-stage startups. Abdullah also touches upon the Angel Investor Program and how it was created to put more funds into the hands of early-stage founders.

As a bonus, Abdullah also shares his insights on the key traits that the DMZ looks for in up-and-coming startups!

“By using problem solving capabilities and different frameworks you can create win win wins across the board”. In this episode, Anthony Di Iorio, Founder of Ethereum and CEO at Decentral discusses his involvement in the crypto space and how that in turn led to the creation of Decentral. Anthony also touches upon the future of blockchain and gives his advice to aspiring entrepreneurs for breaking into the blockchain industry and securing funding using non-traditional methods.

“I just looked at the mountain of plastic and I said, “there has to be a better way”. In this episode, Nicholas Reichenbach, Founder & Executive Chairman at Flow Alkaline Spring Water and Managing Partner at Evolver Ventures discusses the journey Flow took to disrupt the beverage industry through product innovation and sustainability. Nicholas emphasizes the key steps that Flow took to adapt and grow during the pandemic. He highlights the importance of creating lasting relationships with influencers. Nicholas also reveals key strategies that startups can use to develop their product innovation.

"People don't want to be pitched an idea, they want to be brought in on a problem and then co-create on the solution". In this episode, Rachel Zimmer, General Manager at Entrepreneur First and former DMZ Entrepreneur in Residence, discusses the value of a co-founder and highlights resources for finding one. Rachel also touches upon her insights of being a female founder in a traditionally male dominated space. Rachel highlights the necessity of problem solving and iterating to achieve successful scalability.

In this episode, Dr. Mohamed Lachemi speaks to his professional development as a kid growing up to becoming the President and Vice Chancellor of Ryerson University. Mohamed is celebrating his 5th year in this role and discusses Ryerson's 10 year plan towards a more equitable, diverse and inclusive institution. Mohamed offers his advice to aspiring entrepreneurs while marrying this topic to how Ryerson strives to foster young innovators. If you want to learn more about how Ryerson has made experiential learning one of its core pillars, this episode is for you!

Goodbye influencers. Hello creators! In this episode, Bryan Gold, Co-founder of #paid, details how #paid is disrupting the norm to eliminate the disorganization of connecting creators and marketers. Bryan reveals his best-kept secrets for start-ups with limited capital seeking to successfully leverage the creator marketing space. Also in this discussion, Bryan highlights the importance of vocalizing and celebrating the Black tech experience, detailing #paid's commitment to showcasing creators from underrepresented communities. If you’re a content creator, a start-up founder, or a marketing aficionado, this episode is for you!

“The reality is, the only thing sitting between you and an opportunity is you starting.” In this conversation, Marie Chevrier, Founder at Sampler, details her growth from passing out samples to strangers in grocery stores and on street corners, to growing a business with 2.5 million users. When asked for advice to the hopeful entrepreneur, Marie discloses her secret to tackling entrepreneurship; just take the first step. As a female founder, Marie discusses the positive impact of hiring a diverse team from both a business and consumer perspective. If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, this conversation is for you!

“As a first-time founder, you need to be a professional problem solver.” From humble beginnings to a $17M acquisition, Marc Lafleur, CEO and Co-Founder of truLOCAL discusses the importance of problem-solving to become a successful founder. Marc touches upon his experience as a Black founder and how POC possess the resiliency and tenacity needed to pursue business as a viable path. He underscores the importance of highlighting Black founders, CEO’s and other business moguls to inspire the next generation of Black entrepreneurs. This conversation also provides listeners with advice on homing in on establishing vital components of a successful business such as creating a relatable brand and consumer-focused customer service.

Do things, tell people – “If you have something to share with the world, if you have a gift, if you have time, if you have money, if you have particular experiences, I think it is really important to disseminate that and let others leverage those things”. In this episode Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify, touches upon the importance of mindfulness, mentorship and paying it forward. In this meaningful discussion, Harley reveals how he’s capitalized on these practices to not only elevate himself but his identity as an entrepreneur. Alongside these topics, Harley discusses the progression of the Canadian E-Commerce landscape and the importance of resiliency in navigating small businesses.

“This is a hard moment but it’s also a productive learning moment”. In this episode, we chatted with Sabrina Geremia, Country Director for Google Canada, during the first lock down in July 2020. Sabrina touches upon how Google has pivoted its operations to better support small businesses during the pandemic. This conversation speaks to the many resources Google has introduced for individuals and businesses to leverage the accelerating digital world. If your company has yet to shift its business model to capitalize on digital affordances, this episode is for you!