While serial entrepreneur Allen Lau knows first-hand how difficult it can be to build a startup, he also knows how rewarding the lessons brought with the highs — and the lows — can be. “The number-one thing that stops people from starting a business is hesitation,” says Lau. “If you can overlook this, you can enjoy the journey. Many startups will fail, and it’s only natural, and it’s actually okay. The lessons that you learn through success and failure will be life-changing.” Lau is the co-founder and CEO of Wattpad, a Toronto-based social story sharing app that connects readers and writers from around the world. Wattpad users can access multimedia stories from a variety of genres. If users can’t find exactly what they’re looking for, the app gives them the power to write and share that story themselves. In this episode of Startup Canada Podcast, host Rivers Corbett chats with Lau, who is also an angel investor, about the keys to startup success, why Canada is the best place to start a business, and the importance of perseverance in the face of startup hardships.