In this episode of the Inflection Point I have an insightful conversation with Kyle Jackson. Kyle is a CHIR Vanier Scholar and senior PhD Candidate at McMaster University studying Bioengineering. His research explores the use of genetically modified bacterial viruses and engineered proteins as therapeutic strategies for Inflammatory Bowel Disease and other gut-based diseases. He has published 14 peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations, and raised over $1.5 million CAD in non-dilutive research funding. Kyle has a keen interest in synthetic biology and its applications in modern medicine. Prior to starting his PhD, Kyle did an undergraduate degree at McMaster University in the Biomedical Discovery & Commercialization Program. Outside of academia, Kyle is the Ontario Director of Investments at Front Row Ventures, Canada’s leading student-focused VC firm, and is also a Senior Fellow at HaloHealth, Canada’s largest MD-Angel Investor syndicate. When not working, you can often find Kyle at the golf range, listening to podcasts, or reading a good book. Hit that play button and dive right into the world of student VC in Canada.

In this episode of The Inflection Point, I dive into a musical conversation with Lauren Carson. Lauren is a Toronto-based indie musician. She released her debut EP, Earl St., in summer of 2022 and has since been touring it at venues across south-eastern Ontario. She has played at iconic venues such as the Rivoli, Cameron House, and Live! On Elgin, and opened for esteemed Canadian artists such as The Honest Heart Collective and Ryland James. Her schooling occurred at Queen’s University and consisted of a Bachelors in Physics and another in Education before setting her sights on the world of startups. As a growth lead at social events app, Bounce, she is all too familiar with the incredible effect live events and connections have on young people. What sets Lauren apart is her ability to intertwine her passions and skills to create a profitable and fulfilling career. She believes that our passions should not only drive our personal lives but can also fuel our professional ones. Hit that play button and dive right into Lauren's world of music!

See you all next week!

In this episode of The Inflection Point, I dive into an amazing conversation with William. William is the founder and principal benefactor of the  Fellowship of amazing young talented people from major Canadian universities since 2011. Adding approx. 25-30 Fellows every year from all disciplines of study: engineering, economics, businesses, political science, life & social sciences with the objective of creating and fostering leaders of tomorrow.  Over 215 Fellows (as of 2023) are enjoying much accelerated challenging and rewarding careers around the world, including running their own startups. Cansbridge Fellowship has been self-administered by Fellows since 2014 with an acceptance rate of about 2.4% - 3.5% . The Fellowship is supported and sponsored by University of Alberta, McGill University, Queen's University, University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, Western University, University of Waterloo, McMaster University, Simon Fraser University and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Hit that play button and dive right into our conversation to learn more about William and his ambitions with The Cansbridge Fellowship!

In this episode of The Inflection Point, I dive into a reflective conversation with the President & Vice Chancellor of University of Alberta - Bill Flanagan. Bill Flanagan became the 14th president and vice-chancellor of the University of Alberta in July 2020. Born and raised in Alberta, he has been recognized for his transformative and entrepreneurial leadership. As soon as he was appointed, President Flanagan launched the most ambitious program of academic and administrative restructuring ever undertaken by a Canadian university. With a vision for the University of Alberta for Tomorrow (UAT), he set the goal of turning the university’s financial pressures into a strategic transformation, repositioning the U of A for long-term success. From spending time in Paris as a student to leading one of he top universities in Canada, President Flanagan shares his journey of how we started out as a young kid in Alberta to impacting the lives of millions of students in his time in academia. Hit that play button and enjoy the episode!

In this episode of The Inflection Point, I dive into a kind conversation with Dr. Rob Deltombe. Dr. Deltombe owns and operates a Chiropractic, Massage and Acupuncture just off campus in College plaza. He Graduated from Western States Chiropractic College in Portland Oregon in 2007. After short stints in clinics located in Morinville and RedDeer he decided to purchase an existing practice in Edmonton and has been working there ever since. He also started a mud run obstacle course for the Alberta Cancer Foundation that ran for seven years and raised over $400,00 for cancer research at the cross cancer institute.  Hit that play button and learn more about how Dr. Deltombe bought a place close to the UofA North Campus and began his own entrepreneurial journey in the world of massage therapy.

Anna is about to begin her fourth year pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Alberta. She is majoring in Computer Science and has chosen Business and Economics as her minors. Throughout her academic journey, Anna actively engaged in various student clubs, school projects, and national/international case competitions. She founded Poke Diary, which is a WeChat website that helps aspiring post-secondary students access relevant educational resources in China. Currently, she is working as a Data Scientist and Networking planning intern at Canadian National Railway. In her position, she applies data automation techniques to improve the North America train schedule planning process. Alongside her academic and professional pursuits, Anna is a skilled Latin dancer with eight years of experience. She also enjoys casual running and has a great passion for exploring the outdoors and discovering new things.

In this episode of the Inflection Point I dive into a peaceful conversation with Yegor Musechka. Yegor is  part of our most recent ASOB grads finishing with a major in Operations Management and a minor in International Business. During his UofA years, Yegor was a part of the Alberta International Business Competition (AIBC), Alberta JDC West and Pi Kappa Alpha. His main drivers in joining these groups were to ensure that the University experience was more than just the classroom and to leave his mark on both the school and the surrounding community. Ever since BUS 201, Yegor has had a passion for cases and has participated in dozens of competitions both internal and external. In doing so, Yegor made the natural transition to Consulting and will be Starting with Accenture in May 2024 as a Strategy Analyst. In the Meantime, he is focusing on his contracting work with the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), spending time with family and friends and figuring out how to properly use his putter. Hit that play button and learn more about how taking action will lead you to reach far greater heights than just setting goals.

You can check us out at https://www.the-inflection-point.com/. Please leave us a comment with your thoughts and please send your questions to [email protected] so that I can ask those questions to our guests and spark insightful conversations around entrepreneurship. You can also follow us on instagram @theinflectionpointwithshaan and if you leave today with one message, I hope it's this - “Change is inevitable. Embrace it if you can”.

In this episode of The Inflection Point, I dive into a heartwarming conversation with my lovely friend Victoria Hryniw. Victoria is going into her final semester of her Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Alberta with a major in Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Innovation (SEM) and minor in Operations Management (OM). Victoria was first exposed to entrepreneurship after joining Enactus, a club that promotes entrepreneurship on campus which prompted her to explore various entrepreneurial opportunities. Last year, Victoria spent the summer in Calgary working for Neo Financial, a Canadian Fintech startup where she had hands-on experience  working in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment. Currently, she is working as a NetSuite Consulting Intern with RSM Canada and leveraging her technical skills to best serve clients. Victoria will be finishing her final semester abroad in Vienna, the capital of Austria, where she is excited to learn how business practices vary across the world, as well as explore many different countries while she is abroad. She is also an avid hiker and is actively involved in the Ukrainian community here in Edmonton. Victoria is still on the hunt for the best poke bowl in the city, but she has not yet found one that beats SUBs (UofA campus) very own Hula Poke, specifically the Tiki bowl. Hit the play button and learn more about Victoria's experiences as a student leader and a the founder of a small business that she started during the onset of the pandemic.

You can also check us out at https://www.the-inflection-point.com/. Please leave us a comment with your thoughts and please send your questions to [email protected] so that I can ask those questions to our guests and spark insightful conversations around entrepreneurship. You can also follow us on instagram @theinflectionpointwithshaan and if you leave today with one message, I hope it's this - “Change is inevitable. Embrace it if you can”.