How I Became...

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Discover the remarkable stories behind successful startups on 'How I Became...'. Join me, Kelly Yefet, as we dive into the journeys of extraordinary founders, marketers, investors, and industry experts. Uncover the breakthrough moments, challenges, and strategies that propelled their ventures to greatness. Each episode delivers inspiring narratives and practical insights for entrepreneurs of all stages. Get ready to be captivated by the untold tales of innovation, resilience, and triumph in the world of startups. Tune in now to fuel your own entrepreneurial journey. Interested in marketing and growth support for your business? https://www.kellyyefetconsulting.com/

  1. #30 - Suzanne Mason [Confident], Co-Founder & COO, Sprout Family

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    #30 - Suzanne Mason [Confident], Co-Founder & COO, Sprout Family

    Ready for a deep dive into the world of entrepreneurship, fertility, and breaking barriers? On this episode, we’re joined by Suze Mason, co-founder and COO of Sprout Family, as she takes us through her inspiring journey of launching a company with a mission to make fertility, surrogacy, and adoption care accessible to all Canadians through employer benefits. Suze saw a glaring gap in fertility care coverage in Canada and set out to tackle the financial barriers that hold so many people back from starting or growing their families. She shares the pivotal lessons she’s learned about building meaningful relationships, the power of open communication, and why it’s time to bring reproductive health into the spotlight. But we’re not sugar-coating it. This episode touches on some vulnerable and real stories about fertility struggles, so please be mindful of the trigger warnings. Key Takeaways: Sprout's Mission: Making fertility, surrogacy, and adoption care accessible across Canada through innovative employer benefits packages.Canada vs. The World: Fertility coverage in Canada lags behind, with only 2% of employers offering it—compared to 50% in the US.Entrepreneurship Lessons: Building relationships and effective communication are key to validating demand and aligning stakeholders in any business.Breaking the Silence: Open conversations about reproductive health are essential to break stigma and support those on their fertility journeys.Men in Fertility: Men play an active role, and male factor infertility needs more attention in the conversation.Changing the Landscape: More companies are waking up to the importance of fertility coverage, recognizing that reproductive health is critical for employee wellbeing.Founder's Mindset: Being a founder doesn’t mean being a rebel—it’s about leveraging skills from your past roles to create meaningful change.This conversation will leave you empowered, informed, and ready to reframe how we think about reproductive health and entrepreneurship. Tune in!

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  2. #28 - Jaimie Harris [20 year, over night success], Founder and CEO of This Is J

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    #28 - Jaimie Harris [20 year, over night success], Founder and CEO of This Is J

    Jaimie Harris, the brilliant mind behind This Is J, a female-founded, made-in-Canada pajama and loungewear brand. If you’re not familiar, This Is J specializes in crafting ultra-soft bamboo pajamas, robes, loungewear, and cozy accessories that redefine comfort and style. The brand recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, and was proudly recognized as one of Canada's Fastest Growing brands in 2022. This Is J is a favourite of everyone from Emily Blunt to our very own Meredith Shaw – the latter of whom declared just last month on Breakfast Television that This Is J is her “absolute favourite pajama brand.”   Given the remarkable journey and impact of This Is J, I believe it's high time to shine the spotlight on the visionary behind the brand. Jaimie Harris's story is one of passion, perseverance, and innovation, and I'm eager to share her story with you!    Takeaways Family support and influence can play a significant role in an entrepreneur's journey.Learning from both wins and losses is crucial for personal and business growth.Networking and mentorship are valuable resources for entrepreneurs.Celebrity endorsements and securing deals with renowned stores can be exciting milestones in a business.Pivoting and adapting during challenging times, like the COVID-19 pandemic, can lead to growth and success. Pivoting a business to e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic requires being already set up for online initiatives and having a strong team in place.Balancing work and family life as a CEO and mother requires support at home and at work.Launching a business doesn't require everything to be perfectly planned; learning and growth come from interacting with customers and adapting to their needs.Success is often the result of years of hard work and continuous growth.

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  3. #26 - Laura Gabor [Canada vs USA Investing], Co-founder & COO, Ecologicca; Founder, What in the Tech

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    #26 - Laura Gabor [Canada vs USA Investing], Co-founder & COO, Ecologicca; Founder, What in the Tech

    In this episode of How I Became, I spoke to Laura Gabor. She is the co-founder & COO at ecologicca, the founder of What in the Tech, and avid investor and loves community building.  We discuss her fundraising experiences in the US and how it compares in Canada, noting differences in risk tolerance and capital availability. She shares her journey with ecologicca, a company focused on improving indoor air quality and predictive health modeling, inspired by her co-founder's struggles with poor air quality. We also explore her side project, What in the Tech, which provides resources and support for tech founders. Being a founder is not easy, nevermind spending time trying to understand resources, tools, and the lingo. This is what she's working to unlock. Take Aways Fundraising in the US is often easier and faster compared to Canada, where investors are more risk-averse and have less capital available.The Canadian tech ecosystem tends to focus on B2B SaaS companies, while the US is more open to different industries and hardware startups.Ecologicca is a company that focuses on indoor air quality and uses IoT technology to monitor and improve air quality in buildings.The company's products produce hydroxyls, which are responsible for fresh air outdoors, and have been used by NASA.Ecologicca aims to provide clean air for everyone, regardless of their location or financial means. Ecologicca creates hydroxyls to improve indoor air quality and reduce the spread of diseases like COVID-19.What in the Tech is a side project that provides resources and support for founders in the tech industry.Data and technology play a crucial role in both Ecologica and What in the Tech.Laura is passionate about advocating for underrepresented founders and creating a more inclusive and diverse innovation ecosystem.

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  4. #25 - Anjali Dhaliwal [Shroomz & Business Planning], Co-founder & CEO @ Avo.

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    #25 - Anjali Dhaliwal [Shroomz & Business Planning], Co-founder & CEO @ Avo.

    "You determine what your life is. Everyone is going to be dealt bad cards. It's your choice on how you handle those." Anjali, co-founder of AVO, shares her journey in entrepreneurship and the founding of AVO, a copy trading platform for cryptocurrencies. She discusses the importance of financial literacy and how her upbringing and parents' emphasis on financial education influenced her. Anjali also talks about the challenges of coming from a tough high school and how she overcame them to succeed. She emphasizes the importance of networking and cold outreach in getting opportunities and shares tips for founders in navigating the VC space. Anjali also discusses the importance of falling in love with the problem, not the solution, and the role of customer discovery in shaping the direction of the company. She dispels the myth that founders make money quickly and highlights the need for passion and commitment to the problem. Finally, she shares her perspective on being a delusional CEO and the importance of conviction in building something impactful Takeaways Financial literacy is crucial for personal and professional success.Networking and cold outreach can open doors and create opportunities.Customer discovery is essential for understanding the needs and pain points of your target audience.Fall in love with the problem, not the solution, and be open to pivoting.Building a successful company requires passion, commitment, and conviction.

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حول

Discover the remarkable stories behind successful startups on 'How I Became...'. Join me, Kelly Yefet, as we dive into the journeys of extraordinary founders, marketers, investors, and industry experts. Uncover the breakthrough moments, challenges, and strategies that propelled their ventures to greatness. Each episode delivers inspiring narratives and practical insights for entrepreneurs of all stages. Get ready to be captivated by the untold tales of innovation, resilience, and triumph in the world of startups. Tune in now to fuel your own entrepreneurial journey. Interested in marketing and growth support for your business? https://www.kellyyefetconsulting.com/