The Hard Part with Evan McCann

By Evan McCann

The Hard Part, hosted by Evan McCann, uncovers the stories, strategies, and playbooks of Canada’s most influential founders, investors, and leaders. While Canadian innovators often fly under the radar... more

· Business

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FAQs about The Hard Part with Evan McCann:

How many episodes does The Hard Part with Evan McCann have?

The podcast currently has 348 episodes available.

The Hard Part with Evan McCann episodes:

December 18, 2024Kyle Braatz from Fullscript
Kyle Braatz is the Co-Founder and CEO of Fullscript.

Fullscript believes in the power of whole-person care and is fully committed to helping all providers deliver it. They help create an ongoing cycle of whole-person care by giving providers a single platform that brings together industry-leading labs, clinically effective supplements, and an intuitive suite of tools to promote adherence and outcomes.

We discussed...
Kyle's early aspirations shaped his entrepreneurial journey.

Building a culture of impact.

The concept of "whole person care"

The future of healthcare lies in whole-person medicine

Sustaining growth over 10+ years

Cultural fit over technical skills

Aligning and refocusing the whole company and how to do that well

Capital efficiency - Kyle breaks down the capital infusion history of the company

Why Fullscript story is under-known

Kyle and his wife's impact on the Ottawa community and business community

Kyle shares a story about when Fullscript almost shutdown

The importance of independent thinking as a founder

Acquisitions + partnerships and doing them well

Building a startup mindset inside a company that has 1000+ people and almost $1B in revenue

Launching new products and business lines and how to treat them like startups within the business

Chapters
00:00 Kyle's Journey: From Firefighter Aspirations to Entrepreneurship
05:13 Whole Person Care: Redefining Healthcare
10:16 Cultural Integrity: Scaling with Core Values
16:08 Capital Efficiency: Achieving Billion-Dollar Milestones
22:02 Continuous Growth: Learning and Adapting
27:33 Transforming Healthcare: The Future of Whole Person Medicine
34:24 The Importance of Focus: Building a Sustainable Business
40:18 Community Impact: The Role of Philanthropy in Business
46:03 Startup Mindset: Building and Innovating Within Established Businesses

Keywords
entrepreneurship, healthcare, Fullscript, whole person care, capital efficiency, company culture, growth, Ottawa, acquisitions, leadership, healthcare, whole person medicine, business growth, entrepreneurship, community support, focus, resilience, innovation, technology, philanthropy
...more
48min
December 16, 2024Aswinkumar Rajendiran from Maple
Aswinkumar Rajendiran is the Co-Founder of Maple.

Maple is an all-in-one revenue management platform that streamlines sales-led and product-led billing workflows and tracks holistic revenue metrics as quickly as deals are signed without weeks of reconciliation.
Maple can be leveraged in no-code or low-code mode by enabling quick experimentation-ready basic, credits-based, usage-based or seat-based billing capabilities into your product with just a few lines of code.

Takeaways
Attending UWaterloo and working on side projects

Getting into YC and building his first company

Joining Rippling ($13.5B valuation) as the first employee

Learnings from Parker Conrad and the unique way Rippling builds product

The decision to move back to Canada and launch Maple

Why billing is such a problem and headache for companies

Billing processes have become increasingly complex in modern businesses

Working closely with early customers

Maple's product strategy and building a full stack solution for billing

Founder-led sales, how to do them well and for how long

Raising money

Building the right team - focusing on great engineers

Chapters
00:00 From Side Projects to Founding a Startup
05:56 Joining Rippling: The First Employee Experience
12:13 Building Maple: Insights from Rippling
18:12 Strategic Selling: Targeting the Right Customers
24:09 The Importance of Founder-Led Sales
30:00 Building the Right Team: Focus on Engineering
35:51 Raising Money: Aligning Vision and Funding

Keywords
startups, entrepreneurship, Y Combinator, Rippling, Maple, billing solutions, founder journey, product development, go-to-market strategy, team building
...more
40min
December 13, 2024Callum Woznow from Slate
Callum Woznow is the Co-founder of Slate.

Slate is building the next-generation mobile keyboard.

Takeaways
Working in different cultures (Singapore and Germany) provides unique insights into startup ecosystems.

The keyboard is an underexplored product with massive potential.

AI can revolutionize how we interact with keyboards and the purpose of keyboards.

Consumer behaviour around keyboards.

Lack of innovation in this space from T9 to BlackBerry Keyboards to the launch of the iPhone.

Chat about SwiftKey acquired by Microsoft for $250M.

Pivot from B2B to B2C.

Nuances to different global markets.

Monetization strategies differ significantly between iOS and Android.

The focus on "prosumer".

Why keyboard products need to be perfect from a UX standpoint.

Obsession around design and product.

Why are keyboards so interesting and available across all apps.

Chapters
00:00 Global Perspectives: Insights from Europe and Asia
08:21 Revolutionizing the Keyboard: Innovation and Consumer Behavior
15:03 Navigating the B2B to B2C Pivot: Strategies and Insights
21:12 Building a Keyboard: Challenges and Market Dynamics
26:29 The Balance of Speed and Quality in Startups
31:32 Navigating Remote Work Challenges
38:57 Personal Growth and Professional Excitement

Keywords
startup, entrepreneurship, global experience, keyboard innovation, B2B, B2C, consumer behavior, technology, AI, market dynamics, keyboard design, user experience, startup challenges, remote work, investment strategies, user feedback, product development, quality assurance, team communication, personal growth
...more
40min
December 11, 2024Paul Lee from Patlytics
Paul Lee is the CEO & Co-Founder of Patlytics.

Patlytics is a state-of-the-art patent intelligence platform powered by a generative AI engine. Their cutting-edge LLMs and advanced techniques are bespoke to intellectual property and drive 80% more efficiency for IP workflows including patent generation, claim charts, infringement detection, classification and more.

Patlytics recently announced $4.5M in seed funding led by Gradient, Google's AI-focused venture fund, with participation from 8VC, Joe Montana’s Liquid 2 Ventures, Tribe Capital, Vermilion Ventures, Gaingels, Alumni Ventures, Position Ventures and several undisclosed angel investors including select partners from premier law firms and Datadog President Amit Agarwal.

Takeaways
Starting his career working at Peter Thiel's Mithril with Alex Kolicich (previous guest), Joe Lonsdale and JD Vance

His founder experience and working at Google

Working in VC at Global Founders Capital and Tribe Capital

Starting Patlytics and why AI is transforming the legal tech landscape

How Paul raised $4.5M without a deck

Customer discovery process and building an understanding of a new market

Understanding IP and patents

AI's role in enhancing product value

Co-Founder relationships

Chapters
00:00 Paul Lee's Journey: From Silicon Valley to Founding Patlytics
09:54 The Shift in Legal Tech: Embracing AI and Innovation
14:54 Understanding Intellectual Property: Challenges and Opportunities
20:00 Building Trust: Assembling a Founding Team
25:01 Raising Capital: Focus on Business Over Decks
30:02 Customer Discovery: Learning from Conversations
35:09 AI's Role in Enhancing Product Value
39:45 Navigating Challenges: Reflections from a Venture-Backed Founder

Keywords
Paul Lee, Patlytics, venture capital, legal tech, AI, intellectual property, startup journey, customer discovery, founding team, fundraising
...more
42min
December 06, 2024Lars Leckie from Aspenwood Ventures
Lars Leckie is the Managing Director of Aspenwood Ventures.

Aspenwood Ventures is a SF-based venture capital firm specializing in early-stage investments, particularly from pre-seed to Series A.
It focuses on B2B software companies and is led by Lars Leckie and Steve Kishi, who previously worked at Hummer Winblad Venture Partners.
Aspenwood Ventures continues the legacy of Hummer Winblad, a prominent early-stage software investment firm focused on advancing innovative software startups.

Takeaways
Journey from founder to investor.

The partnership model in venture capital.

Staying consistent in investment strategy.

AI is a market expansion opportunity rather than a threat to enterprise software.

The VC landscape has shifted towards larger funds, but early-stage investing remains crucial.

The importance of capital efficiency in software companies.

The market for enterprise software continues to grow despite fears of saturation.

Companies should consider going public earlier to provide liquidity.

The future of public offerings may shift back to smaller companies as investor appetite returns.

Backing founders is about enabling them, not micromanaging.

Sales strategies - when to hire and scale.

Revenue milestones.

Hiring the right salespeople.

Chapters
00:00 From Founder to Investor: A Career Journey
05:57 The Shifting Landscape of Venture Capital
11:50 The Future of Enterprise Software in the Age of AI
17:49 The Dynamics of Going Public: A New Era for Startups
25:47 Backing Founders: The Role of Venture Capitalists
34:06 Sales Strategies: When to Hire and Scale
39:14 The Canadian Tech Ecosystem: Growth and Opportunities
45:09 Resilience in Adversity: Lessons from Sports

Keywords
venture capital, software innovation, enterprise software, AI impact, startup funding, investment strategies, founder journey, leadership transition, market trends, public offerings, venture capital, founder support, revenue growth, sales strategies, Canadian tech, resilience, fitness, personal development
...more
47min
December 04, 2024Patrick Chung from Xfund
Patrick Chung is the Managing General Partner of Xfund.

Xfund is an early-stage venture capital firm built to back entrepreneurs who think laterally and experiment across disciplines.
They are a pioneering partnership between some of the country’s most successful venture capital firms and some of the world’s best research universities in the United States and abroad.

Patrick's bio is fascinating!
Bachelor, JD and MBA from Harvard

Masters from Oxford

McKinsey

Founder of ZEFER which hit $100M annual revenue and was acquired

Partner at NEA

Takeaways
Patrick's journey from Harvard, Oxford, McKinsey and into venture.

Learnings from being a VC at NEA.

The genesis story behind Xfund and its focus.

Why founders are like artists.

Meeting Sam Altman 20 years ago and investing in his first company Loopt.

Cultural shifts are encouraging more graduates to pursue entrepreneurship.

University bias often leads to safe career choices and how to change that.

Providing term sheets upon graduation provides real choices for potential founders.

Talent over industry.

The importance of co-founders.

Navigating university policies on IP.

Chapters
00:00 Patrick Chung's Journey: From Harvard to Venture Capital
03:06 The Empathy of Founders: Insights from the Investor Side
06:04 Identifying Great Founders: The Xfund Approach
08:53 Cultural Shifts in Entrepreneurship: A New Generation of Founders
12:06 Navigating University Bias: The Challenge of Safe Choices
15:11 Creating Real Choices: The Experiment Stake Initiative
18:07 Finding Talent: Where to Discover Future Founders
21:09 Sector Focus: Talent Over Industry
23:56 The Power of Co-Founders: Trust and Collaboration
27:07 Selecting Schools: The Power Law of Startup Success
30:05 Unlocking Entrepreneurial Potential: Tools and Strategies
32:47 Commercialization and IP: Navigating University Policies
36:07 Personal Insights: Dealing with Hard Times

Keywords
Patrick Chung, Xfund, venture capital, entrepreneurship, founders, university startups, empathy, investment, startup culture, commercialization
...more
40min
December 02, 2024Saam Mashhad from EvenUp
Saam Mashhad is the Co-Founder and Chief of Product & Legal Operations at EvenUp.

EvenUp uses data and technology to help plaintiffs and attorneys achieve better legal outcomes.

EvenUp recently announced a $135M Series D which brings their valuation to over $1B. The round was led by Bain Capital Ventures, with participation from Premji Invest, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, SignalFire, and B Capital Group.

Takeaways
Saam's journey from commercial litigator to co-founding EvenUp.

Why the focus on personal injury law.

How EvenUp streamlines legal workflows.

How to build a product that seamlessly integrates into lawyers' workflow.

AI's impact on legal tech.

Designing a product that has to be 100% accurate and when to loop in humans on EvenUp's side.

Having an ops-heavy product.

Balancing market needs with automation.

Launching new products.

User feedback.

How the legal landscape is shifting with AI + tech.

Chapters
00:00 From Lawyer to Entrepreneur: The Genesis of EvenUp
06:01 Innovating Legal Workflows: The Role of Technology
12:02 Building a Product Team: The Importance of Diverse Expertise
17:55 Expanding the Product Suite: New Offerings and Features
24:03 Navigating Challenges: Personal and Professional Growth
30:06 Looking Ahead: Future Opportunities and Personal Reflections

Keywords
EvenUp, personal injury law, legal technology, litigation funding, AI in law, product development, user experience, legal workflows, startup journey, entrepreneurship
...more
31min
November 29, 2024Jonathan Bronfman from Monsters Aliens Robots Zombies (MARZ)
Jonathan Bronfman is the CEO of Monsters Aliens Robots Zombies (MARZ).

MARZ is an AI-enabled VFX company dedicated to democratizing the world of visual effects. They are the creators of Vanity AI and LipDub AI.
Some notable collaborations include The Umbrella Academy S3 on Netflix, Moon Knight and WandaVision from Marvel, Ms. Marvel, The Flight Attendant on HBO Max, Invasion on Apple TV+, Wednesday on Netflix, Carnival Row on Amazon Prime Video, Spiderman: No Way Home from Marvel and many more.

Takeaways
Where the name MARZ came from.

The film industry faces a gap between perceived market value and production costs.

AI should be seen as a tool to enable filmmakers rather than replace them.

The future of content creation and the Streaming Wars.

Movie industry insights and breakdown.

The impacts of LipDub AI on foreign and multi-language content.

Independent creators now have access to tools that allow for more creative storytelling.

AI can enhance the efficiency of content creation across various industries.

How MARZ's service business fuels the software side.

Mr Beast and creators impact on content.

Why YouTube is Hollywood's biggest competitor.

Balancing quality and timeliness in production.

Chapters
00:00 Jonathan Bronfman's Journey in Film Production
02:12 Identifying Challenges in Film Production
04:41 The Birth of MARZ and Visual Effects Innovation
07:38 The Impact of AI on the Film Industry
09:10 The Future of Content Creation and Streaming Wars
12:14 Localization and Language in Film
17:47 The Evolution of Content Creation with AI
21:56 MARZ's Positioning in the Film Industry
24:14 The Synergy of Service and Software
25:52 Building a Diverse Team for Innovation
29:17 Quality as a North Star in Content Creation
32:30 Balancing Quality and Timeliness in Production
36:19 Navigating Funding and Market Dynamics
44:00 Looking Ahead: Excitement and Challenges in Hollywood

Keywords
film production, visual effects, AI in film, content creation, streaming wars, localization, Hollywood, technology in film, service business, software, team composition, quality, content creation, funding, Hollywood, AI technology, production timelines, market dynamics
...more
46min
November 27, 2024Gaurav Jain from Afore Capital
Gaurav Jain is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Afore Capital.

Afore is a $300M fund to support product-oriented founders at the very earliest stage (pre-seed). Their sweet spot is the $1-3M round, where they can lead the pre-seed round as an institutional investor alongside high-value angels. They look for companies that are product-led and are built by founders with non-obvious insights and infectious ambitions

Takeaways
Gaurav's journey as an immigrant.

The co-op program at Waterloo was pivotal in shaping his career.

Founding Polar Mobile provided his first exposure to venture capital.

Afore Capital was created to address the gap in pre-seed funding.

Key traits of successful founders.

Investing in founders is more about the team than the idea.

Afore's investment process.

The importance of AI and future of investing.

Chapters
00:00 Foundational Journey: From Immigrant to Investor
04:12 The Birth of Afore Capital: Filling the Pre-Seed Gap
10:44 Identifying Winning Teams: Key Traits of Founders
14:00 Navigating the Investment Process: From Idea to Execution
20:21 The Future of Investing: Embracing AI and Personal Growth

Keywords
Gaurav, Afore Capital, venture capital, pre-seed investing, founder traits, AI, entrepreneurship, investment process, startup funding, technology
...more
25min
November 25, 2024Raymond Chik from Hepzibah
Raymond Chik is the Co-Founder and Board Chair of Hepzibah.

Hepzibah is a 'full-stack' AI compute architecture startup; full-stack as in "From Models to Metals".

Raymond's other work includes:
Co-Founder and Board Chair of Kapik Integration which has spun out Star IC , Hepzibah, Untether AI and other companies

Co-Founder of Untether AI which has raised $150M+ from Intel Capital, Radical Ventures and Tracker Capital

Active angel and advisor

Champion and supporter of Canadian hardware/hardtech

Takeaways
Genesis of Kapik and spinout companies.

Seismic shift towards AI computing in the semiconductor industry.

Should we build a semiconductor fab in Canada? What is the best option.

Canada's under-recognized semiconductor industry includes ATI (acquired by AMD), Untether AI, Star IC, Tenstorrent, Taalas, Astrus and many more.

Geopolitical trends in the chip space.

Fostering homegrown talent and keeping it in Canada.

Energy efficiency is becoming a key focus in AI chip development.

Emerging trends beyond AI in chips.

Edge computing is an emerging area with significant potential.

Lack of investment in hardware in Canada.

Investment landscape for chip companies.

Raymond's new venture.

Chapters
00:00 The Genesis of Kapik Integration
03:33 The Shift to AI Computing
07:45 Spinning Off New Ventures
12:08 Lessons in Entrepreneurship
15:06 The Debate on Semiconductor Fabs in Canada
20:11 The Semiconductor Landscape in Canada
25:21 Fostering Homegrown Talent and Companies
29:21 The Influence of Borders on the Semiconductor Industry
32:17 Emerging Trends Beyond AI
38:55 Investment Landscape in Semiconductor
42:08 Introducing Habsaba: A New Venture

Keywords
Kapik, AI computing, semiconductor industry, Canada, entrepreneurship, investment, edge computing, energy efficiency, technology trends, innovation
...more
46min

FAQs about The Hard Part with Evan McCann:

How many episodes does The Hard Part with Evan McCann have?

The podcast currently has 348 episodes available.