What does it actually take to go from a side hustle to a full time business? In this episode of the ChangeMaker Leader Podcast, Leigh Mitchell sits down with David Kwok of YSpace, York University's pan-university entrepreneurship and innovation hub, to talk about what real support for founders looks like at every stage of the journey.

David has spent over a decade building the programs and partnerships that help entrepreneurs move from idea to mass retail, from local hustle to international opportunity. In this conversation, we get into what YSpace offers, who it is for, and how founders at any stage, including women stepping into business for the first time or scaling what they have already built, can access it.

What you will learn in this conversation:

• What YSpace is and how it supports founders across every stage, from side hustle to scaled venture
• How equity driven programs like ELLA, powered by Desjardins, are creating real pathways for women led ventures
• What it takes for agri-food and product based businesses to break into mass retail
• How sector focused initiatives like SmartTO are shaping innovation in mobility and automotive
• Why YSpace's three physical hubs across Toronto, Markham, and Georgina matter for entrepreneurs building locally and globally
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This conversation is for the woman who has an idea she has not acted on yet, the founder juggling a side hustle alongside a full time job, and the established business owner ready to scale with the right support behind her.

Connect with David Kwok: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkwokk/

Learn more about YSpace: https://www.yorku.ca/yspace/

Leigh Mitchell is a Trauma-Informed Leadership Brand Strategist, Founder of Women in Biz Network (35,000+ members), and host of the ChangeMaker Leader Podcast. She helps Women+ ChangeMakers own their imprint, unapologetically.

Learn more: https://changemakerco.org

Join WIBN: https://womeninbiznetwork.com

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