Founder In Progress

In episode 113, we sit down with Matt Aubin, who has been running Keen Creative for over two decades, to talk about his journey as a creative entrepreneur, business owner, advisor, and community builder.

Matt shares how his early days as a photographer shaped the way he sees business, creativity, leadership, and problem-solving. He also opens up about building culture, learning from failure, knowing when to close a business, and why entrepreneurs need strong communities around them.

We also dive into Matt’s work with Climbing for Change, a nonprofit built around doing hard things, raising money for local charities, and showing people what they are capable of. From exit planning to leadership, imposter syndrome, and the lessons that come with entrepreneurship, this conversation is full of honest insight for anyone building something meaningful.

LEARN MORE about Matt

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/keencreative/ - https://www.instagram.com/matt.aubin/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattaubin/ - https://www.linkedin.com/company/keen-creative/

Website - https://keencreative.com/

FOLLOW US on social media

Instagram - https://instagram.com/2cmadeit/

Facebook - https://facebook.com/2CMadeIt

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/2cmadeit/

Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/2cmediainc

Website - https://2cmedia.ca

Want to raise a ruckus? Send us a message at https://www.2cmedia.ca/contact

Episode 113 features Kristyn Carriere, founder of Seven Summit Snacks, a chocolate brand built for adventure, endurance, and everyday fuel.

In this episode, Kristyn shares her journey from professional figure skating with Disney on Ice, to working in chocolate science at Cadbury, to launching her own CPG brand after a life-changing moment. She opens up about building Seven Summit Snacks from the ground up, navigating manufacturing challenges, growing a loyal community, and redefining chocolate as fuel for athletes, adventurers, and anyone chasing something bigger.

We also dive into the realities of entrepreneurship, working with family, expanding into new markets, and why word-of-mouth and community are still some of the most powerful tools a brand can have.

If you’re a founder, athlete, or someone building through uncertainty, this conversation is full of honest lessons on resilience, product-market fit, and staying committed to the vision.

LEARN MORE about Kristyn

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/7summitssnacks/

- https://www.instagram.com/xtynspix/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyncarriere/

- https://www.linkedin.com/company/seven-summits-snacks/

Website - https://sevensummitssnacks.com/?view=abconvert-index-r07shVnb&_abr=1

FOLLOW US on social media

Instagram - https://instagram.com/2cmadeit/

Facebook - https://facebook.com/2CMadeIt

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/2cmadeit/

Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/2cmediainc

Website - https://2cmedia.ca

Want to raise a ruckus? Send us a message at https://www.2cmedia.ca/contact

In Episode 112, we sit down with Charles Wong, a Harvard graduate and founder of CarePros, to unpack how a side hustle built around culturally competent home care grew into a purpose-led care organization serving vulnerable children, youth, adults, and families across Alberta.

Charles shares the personal experience that sparked the business, the challenges of scaling in the care industry, and why culture, trust, and outcomes have to be built into care from day one. We also talk about Indigenous youth, trauma-informed support, building the right team, and what it really takes to grow a company without losing sight of the mission.

This conversation is honest, thoughtful, and a powerful look at what happens when entrepreneurship is driven by purpose, people, and long-term impact.

LEARN MORE about Charles

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/charles.wong89/ - https://www.instagram.com/careprosab/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-wong-icd-d-58ba4522/ - https://www.linkedin.com/company/careprosab/

Website - https://carepros.ca/

FOLLOW US on social media

Instagram - https://instagram.com/2cmadeit/

Facebook - https://facebook.com/2CMadeIt

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/2cmadeit/

Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/2cmediainc

Website - https://2cmedia.ca

Want to raise a ruckus? Send us a message at https://www.2cmedia.ca/contact

In episode 111, we sit down with Garvin, a serial entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience building, buying, growing, and exiting businesses.

Garvin shares the real side of entrepreneurship — starting with almost nothing, living lean in the early days, surviving “sky is falling” moments, losing a customer that represented 90% of revenue, and learning when it’s time to keep pushing versus when it’s time to walk away.

We also dive into the lessons that only come from years in the game: choosing the right business partners, knowing your numbers, leading through pressure, preparing a business for sale, and redefining success after an exit.

This conversation is packed with hard-earned wisdom for founders, business owners, and anyone trying to build something that last

LEARN MORE about Garvin

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/garvin-weber-42874113/

- https://www.linkedin.com/company/venger-group/

Website - https://vengergroup.com/

FOLLOW US on social media

Instagram - https://instagram.com/2cmadeit/

Facebook - https://facebook.com/2CMadeIt

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/2cmadeit/

Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/2cmediainc

Website - https://2cmedia.ca

Want to raise a ruckus? Send us a message at https://www.2cmedia.ca/contact

April Hickey, founder of Toast, joins us for Episode 110 to talk about burnout, leadership, and the pressure of building a company while trying to stay grounded.

As seen on TEDx, April shares her idea of “the box” — the labels we place on ourselves and others that can quietly limit what we believe is possible. She explains how those boxes show up in leadership, entrepreneurship, mental health, and even the way we define success.

In this conversation, April opens up about burning out in the first year of building Toast, what it felt like to lose excitement for the work she once loved, and why rest eventually became part of her strategy as a founder.

She also talks about setting real boundaries, balancing purpose and profit, leading with psychological safety, building a team with trust, and creating a work environment where people can perform in the way that works best for them.

This episode is an honest conversation about ambition, burnout, self-awareness, neurodiversity, and what it really takes to build a company without losing yourself in the process.

LEARN MORE about April

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/aprilhicke/

- https://www.instagram.com/try.toast/?hl=en

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilhicke/ - https://www.linkedin.com/company/trytoast/

Website - https://www.trytoast.ca/

FOLLOW US on social media

Instagram - https://instagram.com/2cmadeit/

Facebook - https://facebook.com/2CMadeIt

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/2cmadeit/

Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/2cmediainc

Website - https://2cmedia.ca

Want to raise a ruckus? Send us a message at https://www.2cmedia.ca/contact

In Episode 109, filmed in Monterrey, Mexico, Jorge shares the story of building Aldea, an education platform helping kindergartens focus more on children and less on administration.

He breaks down the early days of the company, from launching an MVP and losing customers, to taking the risk of continuing when the project was almost shut down. Through that journey, Jorge discovered that conviction, sacrifice, and a clear sense of purpose were what kept the company moving forward.

This conversation explores entrepreneurship, education, parenting, discipline, and what it means to build something that truly serves others. Jorge also shares why Aldea’s mission goes beyond software: helping teachers save time, giving parents peace of mind, and creating better experiences for children across Latin America

In Episode 108, filmed in Monterey, Mexico, Raul shares a personal conversation about entrepreneurship, perspective, and redefining success.

This episode goes beyond startups. Raul reflects on grief, divorce, failure, and the mindset shift that helped him move from constant pressure to building with more meaning.

He also shares his journey through multiple companies, his work in digital transformation for small and medium enterprises in Latin America, and why innovation often starts with seeing problems differently.

This conversation is for anyone building a business, chasing success, or learning how to enjoy the ride along the way.

LEARN MORE about Raul

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raulfernando/ - https://www.linkedin.com/company/zellship/

Website - https://zellship.com/

FOLLOW US on social media

Instagram - https://instagram.com/2cmadeit/

Facebook - https://facebook.com/2CMadeIt

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/2cmadeit/

Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/2cmediainc

Website - https://2cmedia.ca

Want to raise a ruckus? Send us a message at https://www.2cmedia.ca/contact

In Episode 107, filmed in Monterrey, Mexico, we sit down with Paola, the first Entrepreneur Agent of PR in Latin America and the United States, to explore the real meaning of visibility, trust, and connection in the entrepreneurial world.

Paola shares how she built her business during the pandemic, why PR is about more than social media, and how founders can use media, podcasts, events, and storytelling to build credibility in the real world. She also opens up about burnout, personal branding, intuition, and the challenges of building a company around your own name.

We also discuss Paola’s book, which dives into the Mexican startup ecosystem and the honest stories behind some of the country’s most important entrepreneurs. Throughout the conversation, Paola offers a grounded look at what it really takes to build trust, create meaningful connections, and stay human in a fast-moving business world

LEARN MORE about Paola

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paolavillarrealc/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paolavillarrealcarvajal/

- https://www.linkedin.com/company/paola-villarreal-entrepreneur-agent/

FOLLOW US on social media

Instagram - https://instagram.com/2cmadeit/

Facebook - https://facebook.com/2CMadeIt

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/2cmadeit/

Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/2cmediainc

Website - https://2cmedia.ca

Want to raise a ruckus? Send us a message at https://www.2cmedia.ca/contact

In Episode 106, filmed in Monterrey, Mexico, Stella Jimenez shares her journey as an innovation strategist, entrepreneur, designer, and builder who has spent her career creating at the edge of the unknown.

Stella talks about how intuition has guided her through business, leadership, motherhood, creativity, technology, and personal transformation. From falling in love with tech through design to building companies in AR, VR, AI, tourism, hospitality, and innovation strategy, she explains why the earliest stage of creation, going from zero to one, is where she feels most alive.

The conversation also explores the human side of entrepreneurship: knowing when to stop, protecting your energy, building trust-based partnerships, and using fear as a tool rather than letting it control you. Stella opens up about her 2023 cancer diagnosis, the uncertainty that came with it, and how that experience reshaped her understanding of legacy, relationships, and what truly matters.

This is a thoughtful conversation about creativity, resilience, intuition, and what it means to build something meaningful while staying true to yourself.

LEARN MORE about Stella

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stellajimenezinnovation

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-jimenez/

Website - https://www.stellajimenez.com/

FOLLOW US on social media

Instagram - https://instagram.com/2cmadeit/

Facebook - https://facebook.com/2CMadeIt

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/2cmadeit/

Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/2cmediainc

Website - https://2cmedia.ca

Want to raise a ruckus? Send us a message at https://www.2cmedia.ca/contact

In Episode 105 of Founder In Progress, filmed in Monterrey, Mexico, we sit down with Dagoberto Cedillos, founder of Punto, a mobility platform built for gig economy drivers. Dagoberto shares how he went from working in energy and electric mobility in London to returning to Mexico to build a company focused on solving real-world transportation challenges.

After COVID shut down his first startup, Dagoberto partnered with a local transportation group and launched Punto—starting with just 10 vehicles and growing to a fleet of 400+ serving thousands of drivers. By focusing on reducing costs, minimizing risk, and improving the driver experience, Punto has created a more flexible and sustainable way for people to earn income through platforms like Uber and Didi.

This episode dives into the realities of building in emerging markets, balancing growth with profitability, and navigating the operational complexity of a physical + digital business. We also explore partnerships, the future of mobility (including electric and autonomous vehicles), and what it takes to build something that actually works in the real world.

LEARN MORE about Dagoberto

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dagocedillos/ - https://www.linkedin.com/company/drivepunto/

Website - https://www.punto.app/

FOLLOW US on social media

Instagram - https://instagram.com/2cmadeit/

Facebook - https://facebook.com/2CMadeIt

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/2cmadeit/

Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/2cmediainc

Website - https://2cmedia.ca

Want to raise a ruckus? Send us a message at https://www.2cmedia.ca/contact