From selling bootleg software as a teenager to exiting a successful SaaS company, Anthony’s entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of fascinating. In this recap, we break down the hustle, the bold pivots, and the key lessons from his story—like why fearlessness in sales matters and how spotting the right opportunity can change everything. Plus, we debate whether entrepreneurs are truly 'born' or 'made.' Welcome to Startup Different!
Anthony shares his remarkable path from selling pirated software as a 12-year-old to building and exiting a 70-employee, bootstrapped e-commerce bundling platform. Now running Daily Body Coach, he explains how his entrepreneurial mindset helps executives maintain peak physical performance while managing demanding business lives. Welcome to Startup Different!
In this episode, we dive into the inspiring and unfiltered journey of Jess Chan, founder of Longplay. From navigating personal challenges to scaling an agency that champions retention marketing, Jess shares valuable insights, startup myths, and a jaw-dropping tale about an employee that sounds like it belongs in a crime-drama.
On the show today, we’ve got Jess Chan, founder and CEO of Longplay. She’s an expert in retention marketing who’s built an eight-figure business, and she’s here to share some seriously useful lessons for entrepreneurs. Oh and she also tells us one of the wildest HR stories ever. It’s Startup Different.
Last week we spoke to the fantastic Rob Levin, seasoned entrepreneur and investor. We deep dive on how he’s an accidental entrepreneur, how he asks for (and gets) money, and the age old debate of Toronto vs Des Moines. Welcome to Startup Different!
Robert Levin is a seasoned investor and operator with a robust background in strategy, growth and mergers and acquisitions. This week we talk to him about what it means to scale a startup worth tens of millions and how to manage the WFIO moments.
It's VC, funding, and pivots on Startup Different!
This week we go deep on our interview with Natalie Kaminski of JetRockets. We dig into the mighty middle, the Russian-Ukraine war, and taking all the work you can find. It’s Startup Different!
Today, we’re chatting with Natalie Kaminski, the founder and CEO of JetRockets. She’s a tech entrepreneur with a knack for empathetic leadership and a powerful story about moving her entire company to align with her values.
Today on Startup Different we talk to our old pal, Chris Memmott. He has over 15 years of sales and leadership experience within high-growth startups and has even had his own successful (albeit bumpy!) exit. We’ll cover his journey and what to watch out for when selling your business baby.
It’s acquisition time on Startup Different!
In this recap, we’re diving back into our chat with Catherine Bell, where she dropped some incredible gems about mixing purpose and profit as an entrepreneur. Whether it’s building a strong team culture or turning mistakes into growth moments, we’ve pulled together the best insights for you to level up your business game. Bonus: we also press Chris on his Boss-Hole past and is a hot dog a sandwich. It’s startup different!
Can you balance profit and purpose?
Today’s guest is Catherine Bell, founder of The Awaken Company, and she’s all about transforming how we think about business. From building healthy cultures to leading with self-awareness, Catherine shows how your company can be a force for good while thriving along the way. Welcome to Season 6 of Startup Different.
It’s Season Six of Startup Different! This season comes loaded with a bunch of crazy stories, like trying to close your latest round of funding the day the market has a historic collapse, a firefighter market flipped upside down, and a tinder swindling senior employee. It’s a wild ride.
We're Dave and Chris and this is Startup Different. We’re tracking down the craziest startup stories and paying it forward to entrepreneurs with a hype-free, myth-busting business blueprint. Find us wherever you get your podcasts and check out our new book to see how we can help you with your business!
More: https://www.startupdifferent.com
In this episode of Startup Different, we reflects on the journey of scaling businesses and the importance of exits, while debriefing our conversation with serial entrepreneur Matt Watson. The conversation delves into the significance of having a well-known product over just a good product, the necessity of execution, and the critical role of hiring the right talent at the right time. Additionally, the discussion touches on the interplay of luck and preparation in achieving business success, providing valuable lessons for entrepreneurs.
In this episode of Startup Different, Matt Watson, a serial tech entrepreneur, shares his journey of founding and exiting multiple startups, including a $150 million exit. He discusses the importance of execution, the challenges of scaling a business, and the role of timing and luck in achieving success. Matt emphasizes the need for product-market fit, the significance of key hires, and the complexities of offshoring development. He also addresses the impact of funding on scaling and shares insights on managing burnout as an entrepreneur. The conversation concludes with Matt's advice on being the best known in your field rather than the best at what you do.
In this episode of Startup Different, we recap our interview with Cynthia Arscott, the founder of Goldminds, an app designed to help children sleep better. The conversation explores Cynthia's journey from tech to entrepreneurship, the challenges of transitioning from in-person to digital solutions during the pandemic, and the importance of working smarter rather than longer hours. We discuss the unique features of the Goldminds app, its market validation through a minimum viable product, and the significance of niche marketing in achieving business success. The episode concludes with insights on engaging with influencers and the promising future of Goldminds.
In this episode of Startup Different, Dave and Chris interview Cynthia Arscott, the CEO and founder of GoldMinds, a mindfulness app for kids. Cynthia shares her personal journey from struggling with anxiety as a child to discovering the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. She discusses the evolution of her business from in-person mindfulness classes to a digital app, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation highlights the importance of creating engaging content for children, targeting different age groups, and navigating competition in the app market. Cynthia emphasizes the significance of consistency over hard work in entrepreneurship and the importance of profitability.
Are entrepreneurs in Canada less motivated than their US counterparts? Last week, Matt Reesor gave us his take and identified how Canadian firms need to compete. Today, Chris and I dig deeper into the complexities of the Canada versus US competitive landscape. Welcome to Start Up Different.
This week we're talking about entrepreneurship, Canada, and politics. Our guest is the fantastic Matt Reesor. Matt's expertise lies in understanding how the dynamics of interpersonal communication contribute to the success of plans and ideas. He has trained thousands of MBA and Masters students at Queen's University Smith School of Business in Canada and Nagoya University of Commerce and Business in Japan. Through his company, Reemark Communications, Matt has partnered with leading organizations, to provide communications consulting and training services.
Startup Different, Engage.
In this episode, we unpack our incredible conversation with Octavia Goredema, founder of Fire Memos. We explore themes of employee appreciation, the importance of stepping outside comfort zones, and the myths surrounding solo founders and technical co-founders. We also highlight the need for emotional support in entrepreneurship, the challenges of prioritization, and the innovative spirit of Fire Memos in celebrating achievements within organizations.
Octavia Goredema is the CEO and founder of Fire Memos, a software company dedicated to igniting careers. The platform empowers employees to record and recognize their work accomplishments with AI powered career coaching.
She’s also an acclaimed career expert: she’s the author of "PREP, PUSH, PIVOT: Essential Career Strategies for Underrepresented Women", the host of the Audible Original series "How to Change Careers with Octavia Goredema", and has been featured on CNN, Harvard Business Review, and Fortune.
Today we’re seeing stars on Startup Different!
