Capital Ventures Steven Hughes

Big three Takeaways: 1. Canada’s Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) or SHRED program can be a fantastic financial resource to help entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life. Naren’s team at Grant Thornton helps companies navigate the complex process of applying for SR&ED credits. 2. Tracking activity is important when it comes to SR&ED applications. The lesson here is to create systems that can scale...

Big three Takeaways: 1. Take action, when you notice a trend with business potential. Josh admits later in the interview that he has said yes to too many things in the past, but his default mode is to take action and he creates opportunities for himself with this mindset.2. The other side of that coin; Be careful what you say yes to. Choose the topics you want to focus on and the people you want to work with carefully. Time is your most...

Big three Takeaways: 1. With the cost of failure as low as it is in ecommerce, launch well before you fully understand everything and trust that you’ll fill in the blanks as you build.2. Be consistent, with your product and marketing. People should know what to expect when they do business with you.3. To build a lifestyle brand, you have to find ways to consistently share your brand's values. Other Takeaways for entrepreneurs 06:18 – You can launch before you understand everything.0...

Big three Takeaways: 1. Using a mission to drive decision making, helps build a culture. For Right Way, the mission is more than just creating better basketball players. 2. When coaching or running a team, don’t micromanage. Let players figure things out on their own as much as possible. 3. On pricing: Price your service at a level to attract the clients you want. In a services business, particu...

Big three Takeaways: 1. For owners planning for an eventual transition of the business to the next generation, it’s important to establish what your ideal outcome is, as opposed to selecting particular assets to leave certain individuals.2. When rules change, like 2016/2017 with the introduction of Tax on split income (TOSI) rules, having a team of professionals becomes even more valuable because they can help you make necessary changes to adapt.3.&...

Big three Takeaways: 1a) Large scale changes in an industry force companies to evolve. This will often lead to failures when transitioning to new way of doing things. Having a growth mindset using failures as a learning experience separates companies that become stronger when industries shift from those who are left behind. You don’t want to be a dinosaur when a meteor is about to hit. 1b) Change takes a lot of energy. Transitioning younger employees to leadership keeps energy high and i...