In this episode of The Founder Mindset, Leah speaks with Remi Schmaltz, serial Founder and CEO of Brilliant Harvest, an AI-powered help desk for farm equipment dealers. From a childhood of deal-brokering snowmobile trades at 13, to selling his last company to TELUS, Remi’s journey is a study in entrepreneurial instinct, deep industry knowledge, and building lasting relationships. He shares how his latest company was born during recovery from a river rafting concussion and how Brilliant Harvest is helping dealers and farmers streamline repairs through custom-built knowledge bases.

Remi also reflects on the impact of burnout, the value of a strong board, and his approach to mentorship and early-stage investing through Koan Capital. You’ll hear what it really takes to build scalable AgTech, why hiring for cultural fit matters, and how startup culture must remain symbiotic to thrive.

About Remi Schmaltz

Remi Schmaltz is the Founder and CEO of Brilliant Harvest, a Calgary-based startup building AI-driven customer experience platforms for equipment dealers. A third-time Founder with a deep background in agriculture and technology, Remi previously led Decisive Farming, which was acquired by TELUS in 2019. He’s also the Founder of Koan Capital, an early-stage venture fund focused on AgTech, and an active mentor and investor across the Canadian startup ecosystem.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Creative Destruction Lab (CDL)
• Thrive Agrifood Accelerator
• Swagger & Sweat: A Start-up Capital Boot Camp (Shawn Abbot - Contributor)
• Koan Capital
  
   

The Founder Mindset is Sponsored By:

• ATB
• API
• Artemis
• OCIF

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Contact Thin Air Labs: 

• Website: ThinAirLabs.ca
• LinkedIn: Thin Air Labs
• X: Thin Air Labs
• YouTube: Thin Air Labs

Contact Remi Schmaltz: 

• Website: Brilliant Harvest
• LinkedIn: Brilliant Harvest
• LinkedIn: Remi Schmaltz

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