Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas - the Rainforest podcast Al Del Degan

In our latest episode, Peter Beaudoin sits down with experienced entrepreneur and sales expert Craig Elias, who shares his insights on building effective sales capabilities for startups in the Alberta ecosystem. Craig emphasizes the importance of proactive, outbound sales efforts - not just relying on marketing. He advises startups to focus on the lean canvas model to clearly define their problem, competition, ideal customers, and unique value.
Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.Host: Peter Beaudoin Peter manages strategy and partnerships for an innovative alliance of energy companies committed to reducing environmental impacts through collaborative R&D efforts. Peter worked for more than 20 years in Asia building and investing in a variety of businesses. His most recent role outside of Canada was with the World Wildlife Fund, where he was the Chief Executive Officer of WWF China, based in Beijing. Prior to that, Peter lived in Hong Kong for 15 years working in the technology industry.
Guest: Craig Elias is LinkedIn user number 3,956 of over a billion users and he has 10,000+ unsolicited endorsements - with over 1,000 of them for his favourite sales topic, lead generation. In both 2018 and 2019, Craig was chosen by LinkedIn as Canada's #1 B2B Sales Expert (#15 globally). Craig’s first startup went from initial launch to being funded by a Tier 1 US-based Venture Capitalist and was twice named by Dow Jones as one of the 50 most promising companies in North America in less than 24 months after launching. He is a Startup Mentor for the Alchemist Accelerator in San Francisco, on an advisory board for South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, a mentor for Techstars in Toronto and has been a National Growth Advisor for Goldman Sachs’ and Babson College’s 10,000 Small Business Program in Boston. Craig is the recipient of the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics Gold Award of Excellence in Entrepreneurship and, for the last nine years, has been the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Bow Valley College in downtown Calgary, where he runs Calgary’s Innovation Rodeo and spearheads initiatives like 150 Startups, MVP Mondays, Tech Sales Tuesdays, and Founder Fridays to help people from all walks of life become first-time entrepreneurs. He has an Executive MBA from the University of Calgary, specializing in New Venture Creation and Technology Commercialization and a cross-disciplinary BA from the University of Western Ontario.
Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.
Show Links:
Lean Canvas Model
150 Startups 
Show Quotes:
"so I'm one of those hardcore sales guys. I'm like outbound, pick up the phone, call somebody, go get customers.""I think if you start getting traction, once you get past 10 customers, you've now got some data."
Credits...This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea MachineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer: Al Del Degan
 

In this captivating episode, we follow the remarkable journey of Melvin Adekanye, who pivoted from his childhood dream of becoming a pilot to finding success as a thriving app developer. Melvin's story is a testament to the power of serendipity and perseverance, as he navigated unexpected life changes and discovered his passion for coding.
Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.Host: Al Del Degan is a software developer and tech leader in Alberta's innovation ecosystem. He is also a Web3 enthusiast and podcaster, sharing his knowledge and passion for emerging technologies with his audience. Al is the founder and CTO of New Idea Machine, a software company dedicated to helping new developers gain hands-on experience building real-world applications. With his commitment to giving back to the community, Al is always available to offer advice on technology and business. His passion for innovation and entrepreneurship is evident in everything he does, making him a respected leader in the tech industry.
Guest: Melvin Adekanye is a testament to the power of serendipity and perseverance. Born in Nigeria, his initial dream of becoming a pilot was redirected when his family moved to Canada. A chance encounter with a friend hacking websites sparked his interest in coding, leading him to create a YouTube channel where he shared tutorial videos and built a following of aspiring coders. This small decision profoundly impacted his life, transitioning him from a childhood dream to a successful career as a tech innovator. Melvin is now the founder of the Jam app, a platform revolutionizing networking through unique features like "Jam Bingo" that foster authentic in-person connections. With a team of marketing interns and a new developer from Brazil, Melvin is expanding Jam’s reach across Canada, emphasizing the importance of leveraging existing connections and resources. His journey highlights the significance of perseverance, creative thinking, and the impact of seemingly small decisions on achieving great accomplishments.
Show Links:
Jam The Social App 
Melvin's YouTube Channel
Show Quotes:
"I called my mom and I was like, Jam just made it's first buck""We thought, why don't we create a situation where people are forced to be in networking situations"
 
Credits...This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea MachineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer: Al Del Degan
 

Mario León y León, a finance professional from Peru, shares his journey to Canada and his passion for supporting startups and entrepreneurs. With a background in corporate finance, micro-lending, and small business lending, Mario found himself drawn to the vibrant startup ecosystem in Canada. He has leveraged his expertise to coach entrepreneurs on financial best practices, helping them navigate the challenges of building a successful business.
Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.Host: Al Del Degan is a software developer and tech leader in Alberta's innovation ecosystem. He is also a Web3 enthusiast and podcaster, sharing his knowledge and passion for emerging technologies with his audience. Al is the founder and CTO of New Idea Machine, a software company dedicated to helping new developers gain hands-on experience building real-world applications. With his commitment to giving back to the community, Al is always available to offer advice on technology and business. His passion for innovation and entrepreneurship is evident in everything he does, making him a respected leader in the tech industry.
Guest: Mario León y León Specialized in risk and finance, Mario has been evaluating enterprises—from corporate to small and micro—to help them access credit. He has also worked for several government enterprises to assist low-income families in gaining access to housing and agricultural resources. Now in Calgary with his family, as his wife is studying, Mario aims to contribute to the startup finance industry by increasing the level of success in their growth path and reducing their risk perception. He enjoys singing whenever he gets the chance and meeting different people to understand their cultures. Mario is passionate about learning more about the future of humankind and how technology can support this journey.
Show Links:
Startup Weekend Calgary 
Show Quotes:
"It's like giving a very little small amount of money with high interest because of the amount. But at the end, you foster people to grow"
 
Credits...This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea MachineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer: Al Del Degan
 

Mike Procee believes in the necessity for large organizations to innovate like startups by collaborating with the startup community. He emphasizes the importance of building a strong culture of innovation across organizations, cautioning against isolated "innovation teams" and advocating for a more integrated approach. Mike highlights the value of leveraging existing research, external partnerships, and community engagement to foster innovation. Additionally, he shares insights on maintaining psychological safety and a team-oriented mindset to navigate the complexities of corporate innovation.
Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.Host: Al Del Degan is a software developer and tech leader in Alberta's innovation ecosystem. He is also a Web3 enthusiast and podcaster, sharing his knowledge and passion for emerging technologies with his audience. Al is the founder and CTO of New Idea Machine, a software company dedicated to helping new developers gain hands-on experience building real-world applications. With his commitment to giving back to the community, Al is always available to offer advice on technology and business. His passion for innovation and entrepreneurship is evident in everything he does, making him a respected leader in the tech industry.
Guest: Mike Procee is an entrepreneur, intrapreneur, board member of SCN, and a corporate innovator. Pursuing his DBA with a focus on Innovation within large organizations, while having founded the Calgary Innovation Peer Forum, Mike Procee aims to build the innovation ecosystem in Calgary, and beyond.
 
Show Links:
Strategic Capability Network - Innovation Peer Forum
Creative Destruction Lab Rockies
Mount Royal University - Sessional Instructors 
All of Mike's episodes so far:
E274:Navigating Innovation in Highly Regulated Sectors: Lessons from a Corporate Innovation Expert
E269:Fostering Community Innovation: Lessons from Corporate and Grassroots Approaches
E268:The Challenger Mindset: Unlocking Innovation Through Collaboration
E267:Breaking Records, Changing Lives: The Inspiring Journey of the Hockey Marathon for the Kids
E266:Courageous Leadership in Energy Transition: Embracing Discomfort for Impactful Change
E264:How To Disrupt An Industry
E262:Unlocking Corporate Innovation: A Deep Dive with ChatGPT (Voiced by Ken Cameron)
E252:Mike Procee Hosts Francisco Peschiera (Bain & Company) on the LIBI Podcast
E246:Mike Procee Hosts Oleks Osiyevskyy (University of Calgary) on the LIBI Podcast
E244:Mike Procee Hosts Alexander Osterwalder (Strategyzer) on the LIBI Podcast
E240:Mike Procee Hosts Esther Gons (GroundControl) on the LIBI Podcast
E235:Mike Procee Hosts Gray Somerville (LaunchPath) on the LIBI Podcast 
Show Quotes:
"Nobody wants to be the next Kodak or Blockbuster. I'm sure we've all heard those examples. So I started focusing around that."
"We want to see people act like owners. So definitely the term intrapreneur is resonating right now"
 
Credits...This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea MachineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer: Al Del Degan
 

How can entrepreneurs get noticed and get the recognition they deserve? On the episode we explore with Jim James, the founder of the UnNoticed Entrepreneur, some of the marketing and communications tools and strategies available to help entrepreneurs to get noticed.
For those interested in making podcasting part of your business strategy, here is a discount coupon for Jim's podcast course:  https://www.jimajames.com/gifts 
Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.Host: Peter Beaudoin Peter manages strategy and partnerships for an innovative alliance of energy companies committed to reducing environmental impacts through collaborative R&D efforts. Peter worked for more than 20 years in Asia building and investing in a variety of businesses. His most recent role outside of Canada was with the World Wildlife Fund, where he was the Chief Executive Officer of WWF China, based in Beijing. Prior to that, Peter lived in Hong Kong for 15 years working in the technology industry.
Guest: Jim James has built businesses from a suitcase over the past 25 years using public relations. He started EastWest Public Relations in 1995 and has opened offices in Singapore, China, India, and the UK, serving over 500 clients. In China, Jim set up the business as the official importer of Morgan Motor Company sports cars, held the position of interim CEO of Lotus, was the founding president of the EO Network Beijing Chapter, established the British Business Awards, and was the vice chair of the Chamber of Commerce. He returned to the UK in 2019 and hosts The Unnoticed Entrepreneur podcast, is a published author under Wiley (NYSE:WLY), and is a coach to young, up and coming entrepreneurs.
Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.
Show Links:
Unnoticed Entrepreneur Podcast
Jim's podcast course
Show Quotes:
"AI (artificial Intelligence) gives the entrepreneur super powers"
Credits...This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea MachineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer: Al Del Degan
 

Join Mike Procee interviews Zoe Harrison, a seasoned corporate innovation expert. Zoe shares insights on driving innovation within highly regulated industries like banking and insurance. Despite the perception that these legacy organizations struggle with innovation, Zoe has navigated the complexities of fostering change in risk-averse environments for nearly 20 years across Canada, the UK, and Scandinavia. The discussion highlights the challenges of innovating in highly regulated sectors, where organizational structures, cultural attitudes, and a perceived need for stability often act as barriers to change.
Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.Host:  Mike Procee is an entrepreneur, facilitator, innovator and problem solver. Working in the Calgary Energy Sector, Mike strives to build the innovation ecosystem and community. From his volunteer position on the Strategic Capability Network, where he founded the Calgary Innovation Peer Forum, to pursuing his DBA in Winter 2024, focused on innovation, Mike is pushing the thinking on what it means to be a corporate innovation practitioner. 
Guest: Zoe Harrison is a corporate board director and innovation strategist. She has global experience working with major financial institutions. She has made her home in Alberta and is committed to growing the local innovation community and creating space for people of all backgrounds to innovate.
Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.
Show Links:
Innovation Management
Show Quotes:
"These cultures in these large companies there is a lot of structure and bureaucracy that's built up over time, and it's what perceived as keeping things stable"
Credits...This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea MachineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer: Al Del Degan