On this week’s show, we spoke with Louis-Felix Binette, Executive Director @ Main QC.  Louis-Félix Binette is putting collaboration to productive use. As a creative strategist, he designs collaborative experiences that allow leaders to engage multiple stakeholders in their projects. After over ten years in strategic positions in the civil service, he decided in 2012 to focus his energy on the design and management of collaboration. He has helped well over a hundred clients leverage collective intelligence to define their strategy and achieve their goals. He also plays an active role in stimulating participation, mobilization and collaboration among his fellow citizens. He acts as Executive Director and is a founding member of MAIN, Québec’s first network of business accelerators and incubators. He helped create the Montreal chapters of CreativeMornings and Fvckup Nights movements. He also sits on several boards including those of l’Institut du Nouveau Monde, short-film distributor Travelling and chairs the foundation of the Centre des auteurs dramatiques. He is an active philanthropist, notably in academia (HEC Montréal), arts & culture (Théâtre d'aujourd'hui) and international development (Haïti).   On the show, we spoke about:  Founding of Main and its mission of improving the incubator & accelerator ecosystem How Mintzberg inspired Main’s strategy The Art of Gathering, by Priya Parker A key report: Survol de l'écosystème startup (2020) — Key Findings available in English — & Incursion dans l'écosystème startup des régions du Québec (2021), on MAIN's website Connect with Louis-Felix on LinkedIn. MAIN on LinkedIn, Facebook & Twitter   I was so happy Louis-Felix took the time to chat. It was a fantastic conversation!   Let us know what you think. What types of guests would you like to see on the show?  What topics interest you the most? Send me your thoughts at nectar@thepnr.com   Subscribe | iTunes | Google Play |Spotify | YouTube | Stitcher | 

Point of No Return podcast

Accelerating innovation with Louis-Felix Binette, Executive Director @ Main QC

On this week’s show, we spoke with Emmanuelle Coppinger, Managing Director @ Front Row Ventures Emmanuelle (Manue) is passionate about new technologies and the ability of startups to improve society. She mentors and sits on the advisory boards of different early-stage startups. Manue is also a community leader. She built the Canadian chapter and has been the Ambassador for Canada of Women in AI (WAI), a non-profit do-tank whose mission is to increase female representation and participation in AI. She spent the last 2+ years at Next AI Montreal as the Director of Ventures, mainly in charge of co-building the program from scratch, startups recruitment, portfolio management, and founders growth. Before that, she founded a travel accessories brand that she ran for 8 years and a non-profit to help promote blood platelets donation towards students. Manue holds an MBA from ESSEC Business School (Paris) and started her career in auditing in France, followed by 3 years in investment banking in Australia. As Managing Director of Front Row Ventures, she will practice her demonstrated passion for mentoring, community building, and venture investments. Manue’s vision for FRV is to make it THE foundational platform to build the next generation of Canadian tech talent. When she’s not pitching to investors or mentoring Canada’s next generation of entrepreneurs and investors, Manue loves to spend some time with her friends & family, travel, cook, and build DIY furniture.   On the show, we spoke about:  Front Row’s mission to help student founders Their proprietary deal flow Screening 800 companies per year  Impact investing within her portfolio The principles she talks about with her founders   Emmanuelle is a mission driven fund manager. She just started at Front Row and is poised to make a big impact. I hope that you enjoy the conversation!   Let us know what you think. What types of guests would you like to see on the show?  What topics interest you the most? Send me your thoughts at nectar@thepnr.com   Subscribe | iTunes | Google Play |Spotify | YouTube | Stitcher |

Unlocking student potential with Emmanuelle Coppinger, Managing Director @ Front Row Ventures

On this week’s show, we spoke with Martin Aubut, CMO @ nesto.  Martin Aubut is a marketing executive, e-commerce specialist and business transformation leader, with 20+ years of experience. He is known for transforming and growing organizations toward consumer centricity by leveraging data, digital capabilities and brand building. He is now acting as Chief Marketing Officer at nesto, which is one of the fastest growing Canada fintech companies. With technology, nesto seamlessly offers the best suited mortgage options so that Canadians can secure the best mortgage and save thousands in interest - no negotiation needed. He is leading all functions of the integrated marketing team to Establish nesto as No 1 Brand in Digital Mortgage Solution, enabling fast growth in a sustainable way. Martin Aubut was former Vice-President Marketing and E-commerce at COGECO Connexion, one of the Largest Canadian Telecoms. Martin is viewed as a growth engine, driving business objectives without compromising on team engagement and talent development into an Agile environment.   On the show, we spoke about:  Going back to the startup life The keys to mastering a digital transformation nesto’s ambition of being #1 in Canada  nesto’s new ad campaign The new book he’s writing   Martin is one of the best operators I know. He shared some great insights about growth and customer centricity. I hope that you enjoy the conversation!   Let us know what you think. What types of guests would you like to see on the show?  What topics interest you the most? Send me your thoughts at nectar@thepnr.com  

Electroshock with Martin Aubut, CMO @ nesto

On this week’s show, we spoke with Elizabeth Henry, CEO @ Adviso Marketing professional for almost 20 years, she came on-board with new media and, accordingly, had the opportunity to contribute to the digital shift undergone by a number of companies. Since then, she’s aimed to push the limits of traditional approaches, increase her understanding of the consumer, measure and optimize as part of an ongoing quest to create impactful and meaningful customer experiences and communications. During her seven years tenure in agencies: (Sid Lee, Saint-Jacques Vallée Y&R, Adviso) where she fulfilled the duties of Account Director, Interactive Strategist and Senior Digital Producer, she developed strategies, managed brand image and lead teams towards the delivery of several major campaigns, projects, some of which were recognized at the Boomerangs, CMA, MIA, DMA awards.   On the show, we spoke about:  The evolution of digital Taking over as CEO at Adviso and the transition  Being considering a business partner from their customers The threat and opportunity of internalization  The war for talent  Being a adaptive culture Their five year growth strategy    I had a blast meeting Elizabeth and learning about her vision for Adviso. I hope that you enjoy today’s conversation!  

Building an adaptive culture with Elizabeth Henry, CEO @ Adviso

On this week’s show, we spoke with JF Coté, CEO @ Sharethrough. With over 20 years’ experience in business, JF is an experienced leader and a born innovator: co-founder of district m, he is the chief architect of the company’s corporate strategy and provides leadership to sales and partnership initiatives. Awarded with EY's Entrepreneur of the Year in the Emerging Entrepreneur category, and recognized at the Arista Gala as Young Entrepreneur, JF is recognized in the industry and the market as a leader. He holds an executive MBA from UQAM and a bachelor’s degree in commerce with a specialization in Finance from University of Ottawa. JF is a CPA by training and serves as a member of multiple boards to support kids in their education and sports activities. Before Sharethrough, JF shared his expertise with multiple companies in different industries such as Pratt & Whitney (Aerospace), PricewaterhouseCoopers (Investment Banking) and Yellow Pages (Media), for which he co-founded the digital media division, Mediative.   On the show, we spoke about:  Launching DistrictM and building one of the largest exchanges in the world Pivoting their business model  The acquisition of Sharethrough and building their M&A competency  Acceleration during the pandemic Having to forego going public for the time being His thoughts on a cookieless world and how they will capitalize on it   JF is a world class entrepreneur right in my backyard and I’m happy that he took the time. I hope that you enjoy the conversation!   Let us know what you think. What types of guests would you like to see on the show?  What topics interest you the most? Send me your thoughts at nectar@thepnr.com  

Building a world-class franchise with JF Coté, CEO @ Sharethrough

On this week’s show, we spoke with Phil G. Joseph, Creator @ Rep Matters.    Phil is a young changemaker intent on leveraging technology and venture capital to create a better future for all. As a trilingual Haitian-Canadian-American who has lived and worked in Canada, the USA, and China, he is skilled at reaching across cultural and language barriers in order to identify pain points, and create innovative solutions to address them.  Phil is the creator and host of Rep Matters, an interview series that highlights Black entrepreneurs and investors in the tech ecosystem, with the goal of increasing accessibility to those spaces for future leaders. The series was launched in partnership with Real Ventures, one of Canada's most active early-stage VC firms, where he also works as an investment associate.  His background and passion for healthcare also keeps him well connected to his community. As a board member of the Black Health Alliance, Phil helps this community-led registered charity work to improve the health and well-being of Black communities across Canada. In addition, he volunteers as a mentor and coach for the Red Rush Basketball Leadership program.   On the show, we spoke about:  How he quit sports to join venture capital  The importance of diversity of thought His vision behind Rep Matters Building a community and creating a big impact  Advice to people that want to help but don’t know how to start   Phil is a mensch. I admire his accomplishments so early into his career. I can’t wait to have him back on the show. I hope that you enjoy the conversation!   Let us know what you think. What types of guests would you like to see on the show?  What topics interest you the most? Send me your thoughts at nectar@thepnr.com

Enabling real change with Phil G. Joseph, Creator @ Rep Matters | Associate @ Real Ventures

On this week’s show, we spoke with Janet Bannister, Managing Partner @ Real Ventures.  Since her first entrepreneurial venture as a teenager, Janet has used her boundless energy and focus to build and shape companies. Part of the Real Ventures team since 2014, she has led investments in over a dozen companies and works actively to help them accelerate growth and create meaningful impact. Janet’s experience as a founder, and her work with industry leaders like Procter & Gamble, McKinsey & Co. and eBay, have given her great insight and practical knowledge, which she passes on to the teams she mentors. Given her background transforming eBay from a Collectibles to a Mainstream marketplace and launching and growing Kijiji into one of the most visited websites in Canada, Janet primarily works with entrepreneurs in marketplaces, fintech, future of work, and AI in enterprise settings. A dynamic, high energy person, Janet has also competed internationally in triathlons and loves spending time in nature and with her family.

Developing Founders with Janet Bannister, Managing Partner @ Real Ventures

On this week’s show, we spoke with Tima Gros, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer @ Impak Finance and Paul Allard, Co-Founder & CEO @ Impak Finance.    Paul is a serial tech entrepreneur with a track record of achieving business results, through leadership, management, innovative problem solving, networking, financial engineering and M&A. He successfully led & managed multi-disciplinary teams in the UK, France, Canada, Mexico, USA. He has experience in various aspects of business: Finance, M&A, Sales, Marketing in industries such as Software, Marketing and Entertainment.   Tima is the co-founder and Chief Happiness Officer at Impak Finance. Impak is a Canadian and French start-up that has built impak IS², an impact assessment and scoring solution based on leading international standards, notably the Impact Management Project and the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.   On the show, we spoke about:  How they came up with the idea of impak finance  Moving from a financial economy to an impact economy  The concept of impact weighted accounting  Matching external and internal values  How their scoring system measures is useful for investors    This was a very timely conversation and I’m grateful that Paul and Tima took the time. Their mission is inspiring and they are only just getting started. I hope that you enjoy the conversation!   Let us know what you think. What types of guests would you like to see on the show?  What topics interest you the most? Send me your thoughts at nectar@thepnr.com   Subscribe | iTunes | Google Play |Spotify | YouTube | Stitcher | Breaker 

Responsible investing with Tima Gros, COO and Paul Allard CEO @ Impak Finance

On this week’s show, we spoke with Raymond Luk, Founder & CEO @ Hockeystick. Raymond is a serial entrepreneur and investor. He is the founder of Hockeystick (a matchmaking system for startups and funders), Flow Ventures (a financial consultancy for startups), Year One Labs (an early-stage micro-VC fund), and others. He is passionate about entrepreneurship and removing barriers to raising capital through technology. He lives in Toronto with his wife who is a fashion entrepreneur.   On the show, we spoke about:  How he started companies at a young age Needing confidence and capital  The Canadian ecosystem developed over the years How Hockeystick connects startups with funders Managing his attention and time The importance of the pitch deck   Raymond has been in the game for a long time and his experience shone through during the interview. I hope that you enjoy the conversation!   Let us know what you think. What types of guests would you like to see on the show? What topics interest you the most? Send me your thoughts at nectar@thepnr.com   Subscribe | iTunes | Google Play |Spotify | YouTube | Stitcher | Breaker  

Perfecting your pitch with Raymond Luk, Founder & CEO @ Hockeystick

On this week’s show, we spoke with Christine Dupuis, VP of Product @ Heyday  She is a passionate product and people leader with a track record of developing data-based strategies and driving measurable product growth and team engagement. Well-known for being analytical, structured and adaptable, she brings together the best of my varied and global experiences (Google, McKinsey, Nonprofits, Start-ups) to motivate teams and drive execution. Her personal mission is to equalize the field -- whether it's mentoring women in tech, or helping small businesses compete with giants. She is passionate about topics which relate to democratizing access to education and information. Recently, she co-founded APM Montreal, a community-based training program which aims to make product management more accessible for people of all backgrounds, based on the highly successful APM Toronto program.    On the show, we spoke about:  The role of a product manager Best practices for understanding the role  Leaving Silicon Valley and working for HeyDay The opportunities at HubSpot after the acquisition   Christine is so smart and yet humble. If you are interested in product management, you have to check out this episode.   Let us know what you think. What types of guests would you like to see on the show? What topics interest you the most? Send me your thoughts at nectar@thepnr.com   Subscribe | iTunes | Google Play |Spotify | YouTube | Stitcher | Breaker

Power to the product with Christine Dupuis, VP of Product @ Heyday

On this week’s show, we spoke with David Nadezhdin, Co-Founder & CEO @ MYR.  David Nadezhdin is a tech monkey. With over 15 years of experience, David is intimately familiar with all aspects of a project from concept to execution. Currently David is working on Master Your Rush (MYR), a point of sale company tailored for the limited-service restaurant industry. Previously he founded and operated a medical device company in the field of cardiology which holds today a very broad utility patent and a manufacturable Automatic Contactless ECG user experience prototype. David also serves as a board member of The Humanitarian University (humanitarianu.com), an online university dedicated to preparing first responders for humanitarian disasters around the world.

Mastering the rush with David Nadezhdin, Co-Founder & CEO @ MYR

On this week’s show, we spoke with Zach Laberge, Founder & CEO @ Frenter Zach is the 15-year-old founder and CEO of Frenter. He founded his first startup at the age of 10, an electronics e-commerce startup off Alibaba. At 12 he founded Bernie's Biscuits, an online dog treat e-commerce startup based on his dog Bernie who had 5k followers on Instagram at the time. At 14 he founded frenter, an online rental community that has since grown to thousands of users and thousands of items listed in 8 cities across Canada.  He has also founded other startups in the Blockchain, Fashion and Cryptocurrency space all of which he’s learned valuable lessons from that he’s been able to bring into my other business and he’s the youngest founder to join Newchip Accelerator and Propel ICT.   On the show, we spoke about:  Why he’s starting companies at an early age His sources of inspiration How he fell in love with the sharing economy Pivoting Frenter and their revised vision   I really enjoyed my conversation with Zach. He’s wise beyond years and I’m excited to follow his journey. I hope that you enjoy the conversation.    Let us know what you think. What types of guests would you like to see on the show? What topics interest you the most? Send me your thoughts at nectar@thepnr.com   Subscribe | iTunes | Google Play |Spotify | YouTube | Stitcher | Breaker

Next generation entrepreneurship with Zach Laberge, Founder & CEO @ Frenter

On this week’s show, we spoke with Valerie Pisano, President & CEO @ MILA.  Valérie Pisano has over 10 years of experience in talent, leadership, diversity and organizational dynamics. Appointed CEO of Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute – she joins an emerging group of women leading tech companies. She was previously Chief Talent Officer at Cirque du Soleil and cofounded The Mobïus Bias Project, an initiative focused accelerating the dialogue on female leadership roles by exploring unconscious bias. She began her career at McKinsey & Company after a Master Degree in Economics at HEC Montreal, and is the proud mother of three girls.   On the show, we spoke about:  How artificial intelligence technologies can help humanity  Fostering an environment of creativity at MILA  Maintaining MILA’s culture amid rapid growth The importance of talent in the role of science  Montreal’s ranking on the global stage     Valerie was generous with her time and insights. Her unique view on Montreal’s AI talent is fascinating. I hope that you enjoy the conversation.   Let us know what you think. What types of guests would you like to see on the show? What topics interest you the most? Send me your thoughts at nectar@thepnr.com   Subscribe | iTunes | Google Play |Spotify | YouTube | Stitcher | Breaker

Expanding creativity with Valerie Pisano, President & CEO @ MILA

On this week’s show, we spoke with Greg Rozdeba, Co-Founder & President @ Dundas Life.  Gregory Rozdeba is a Sales Director specializing in insurtech and wealthtech firms. He has consulted multiple seven-figure fintech businesses and founded Dundas Life, which is transforming how Canadians buy insurance. Gregory served as Director of Sales at a Toronto-based insurtech firm where he took the company from no product to raising over $7.6M+ in venture capital to transform the prospect to policy process in the insurance industry. After leaving the corporate world, Gregory has taken up cycling and in-depth study of Ancient Rome. He advises business leaders and enjoys helping salespeople refine their process.   On the show, we spoke about:  Defining the need for life insurance  Giving people the power to take charge of their life insurance with technology Thinking about the customer experience The potential of open banking  Remaining a service firm empowered by technology   I really enjoyed my conversation with Greg, he’s well spoken and extremely knowledgeable.    Let us know what you think. What types of guests would you like to see on the show? What topics interest you the most? Send me your thoughts at nectar@thepnr.com   Subscribe | iTunes | Google Play |Spotify | YouTube | Stitcher | Breaker

Simplifying life insurance with Greg Rozdeba, Co-Founder & President @ Dundas Life

On this week’s show, we spoke with Paxton Maeder-York, CEO & Founder @ Alife Health. Paxton Maeder-York is a proud member of the MBA class of 2019, Section G.  He deferred between his RC and EC years to complete an additional master’s degree in Computational Science. Having studied Biomedical Engineering as an undergraduate and worked as a Product Manager at Auris Health building surgical robotics to treat lung cancer, the intersection of medicine and technology was a deep interest of his prior to HBS. He is now the Founder and CEO of Alife Health, which uses machine learning to help assess the healthiest embryo to transfer during IVF.   On the show, we spoke about:  How he started his career in robotics  Tackling the huge challenge of fertility with Alife The enormous potential of machine learning in healthcare Potential future applications of their technology Raising funding from world class investors   Paxton is incredibly smart and hard working. I won’t be surprised if we hear much more about his company in the coming years. I hope that you enjoy the conversation!   Let us know what you think. What types of guests would you like to see on the show? What topics interest you the most? Send me your thoughts at nectar@thepnr.com   Subscribe | iTunes | Google Play |Spotify | YouTube | Stitcher | Breaker

Saving fertility with Paxton Maeder-York, CEO & Founder @ Alife Health

By the time you finish listening to this sentence, technology will have removed another obstacle between you and your vision. Exponential progress in technology is assured, however right strategy to execute is in doubt. Welcome to the point of no return podcast, a show about the intersection of technology, strategy and the how leaders can increase their velocity.

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Point of No Return podcast

hubhopper