Mission Critical with Lance Chung

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Behind every great company, every groundbreaking idea, and every game-changing innovation, there’s a leader on a mission. Welcome to Mission Critical with Lance Chung—the show where we break down the blueprints, the bold moves, and the battle-tested playbooks of today’s most impactful leaders. From CEOs and founders to artists, designers, and athletes, we’re talking to the visionaries who build, innovate, and lead.

  1. Rachel Zimmer (CEO, Simple Ventures): Why is Canada Is Producing Fewer Entrepreneurs?

    3D AGO

    Rachel Zimmer (CEO, Simple Ventures): Why is Canada Is Producing Fewer Entrepreneurs?

    Canada has world-class talent, capital, and infrastructure—so why are we producing fewer entrepreneurs than we did 20 years ago? In this episode of Mission Critical, Lance sits down with Rachel Zimmer, co-founder and CEO of Simple Ventures, to unpack the paradox at the heart of Canada’s innovation economy. From declining entrepreneurship rates to the realities of “brain drain,” Zimmer offers a candid, systems-level look at what’s broken—and what it will take to fix it. Drawing from her experience as a founder, investor, and venture builder, Zimmer challenges the way we define innovation today, arguing that it’s not just about technology but about creating real value, jobs, and durable businesses. She also breaks down why the traditional venture capital model doesn’t work for most founders, and how Simple Ventures is rethinking company creation from the ground up. At its core, this episode asks a bigger question: What kind of country does Canada want to be—and who is willing to build it? Key Takeaways & Highlights Why Canada has 100,000 fewer entrepreneurs than 20 years ago (and what’s driving the decline).The real reasons behind brain drain.How Rachel Zimmer defines innovation, and why most people get it wrong.The difference between venture capital vs. venture building (and who each model actually serves).The importance of traction, real customers, and willingness to pay in validating ideas.How Simple Ventures is creating a “de-risked path” to entrepreneurship.The role of AI and global uncertainty in shaping Canada’s innovation future.Why Canada’s greatest opportunity might be its untapped white space, not its competition. About the Guest Rachel Zimmer is the co-founder and CEO of Simple Ventures, a Canadian venture builder focused on creating the next generation of standout companies. Through a model that combines ideation, validation, founder pairing, and capital, Simple Ventures builds businesses from the ground up—backed by leading investors including TD Innovation Partners, Sun Life, Sobeys, and top Canadian founder-operators. Prior to Simple Ventures, Rachel led Entrepreneur First in North America, a globally recognized venture studio backed by Reid Hoffman and the Collison brothers. She is also a former founder and investor, and has been recognized as an Emerging Entrepreneur by the Toronto Board of Trade. In just 18 months, Simple Ventures has launched multiple companies and created over 150 jobs across Canada—positioning Rachel as a leading voice in the future of Canadian innovation.

    49 min
  2. Meghan Chayka (CEO, Stathletes): How Sports Analytics Is Changing Hockey, AI, and Fan Culture

    MAR 19

    Meghan Chayka (CEO, Stathletes): How Sports Analytics Is Changing Hockey, AI, and Fan Culture

    On this episode of Mission Critical, Lance Chung speaks with Meghan Chayka, co-founder of Stathletes, about the rise of sports analytics, the future of AI in hockey, and what it means to build a category-defining company in a rapidly changing industry. Chayka explains how Stathletes grew from a startup focused on hockey data into a major sports technology company powering teams, leagues, media, and betting platforms. She also shares her hot takes on AI, why most people underestimate how hard tech is to operationalize, and why the next chapter of sports may be shaped as much by emotion and storytelling as by data. From women’s sports and fan culture to scaling a Canadian tech business without chasing an exit, this is a candid conversation about innovation, resilience, and building what comes next. Key Takeaways: Meghan Chayka started early. Stathletes began before sports data was fashionable, when analytics in hockey still faced real skepticism.Tech is not magic. One of Chayka’s sharpest points is that AI and automation are much harder to operationalize than most people think.The future of sports analytics is more immersive. Data is no longer just tables and dashboards. It is becoming visual, interactive, and embedded into entertainment.The best organizations do not choose between instinct and information. They use data as an additive tool, not a replacement for human judgment.Sports fandom is changing. Fans are increasingly following players, personalities, and storylines, not just hometown teams.There may be a backlash to always-on AI. Chayka predicts a growing appetite for stripped-back, more human experiences with less algorithmic interference.Women’s sports are a major growth story. Better data, better storytelling, and better infrastructure could help accelerate that momentum even more.Scaling a tech company is relentless. Her view is refreshingly blunt: it does not get easier, you just get better. About the Guest Meghan Chayka is the co-founder of Stathletes, a Canadian sports technology and analytics company that provides data, insights, and software tools to teams, leagues, media companies, sportsbooks, and other partners across the sports ecosystem. A longtime leader in hockey analytics, Chayka has helped push the industry forward by turning data into actionable tools for player evaluation, development, storytelling, and fan engagement. In addition to her work as an entrepreneur, she is also a sports media analyst, appearing across major broadcast platforms including ESPN and TSN. Her work sits at the intersection of sport, technology, business, and culture.

    40 min
  3. Colin Lynch (Co-founder, Black Opportunity Fund): Inside the Mission to Fund Black Entrepreneurs

    MAR 11

    Colin Lynch (Co-founder, Black Opportunity Fund): Inside the Mission to Fund Black Entrepreneurs

    For decades, conversations about inequality have focused on income. But according to Colin Lynch, co-founder of the Black Opportunity Fund, the deeper issue is wealth (and who has access to capital.) In this episode of Mission Critical, we explore the economic infrastructure required to close Canada’s racial wealth gap. Colin shares how the Black Opportunity Fund was built to scale impact by directing capital into Black-led businesses, nonprofits, and community initiatives across the country. We also unpack the launch of BOF Capital, a new investment platform designed to support entrepreneurs and help more families access homeownership, one of the most powerful drivers of generational wealth. From venture capital and entrepreneurship to housing access and economic innovation, this conversation explores why expanding opportunity isn’t just a moral imperative, it’s an economic one. Key Highlights and Takeaways • Why wealth inequality (not just income inequality) drives opportunity gaps. • How the Black Opportunity Fund helps scale Black-led businesses and nonprofits across Canada. • Why access to capital is one of the biggest barriers facing Black entrepreneurs. • The statistic behind the problem: Black-led businesses receive less than 1% of venture capital in Canada. • How the launch of BOF Capital is helping fund startups and growing companies. • Why homeownership remains one of the most powerful tools for generational wealth creation. • How a shared-equity housing model can help more families enter the housing market. • Why diversity and economic inclusion can drive innovation, productivity, and long-term economic growth. About the Guest Colin Lynch is the co-founder of the Black Opportunity Fund, a national initiative dedicated to advancing economic opportunity and wealth creation for Black Canadians. Through philanthropy and investment, the fund directs capital to Black-led businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations across the country. Lynch also helped launch BOF Capital, an investment platform supporting entrepreneurs and expanding access to homeownership through innovative financing models designed to build long-term generational wealth.

    49 min
  4. Brandi Leifso (CEO, Evio Beauty): From Trauma to Triumph, the Making of a Beauty Founder

    MAR 2

    Brandi Leifso (CEO, Evio Beauty): From Trauma to Triumph, the Making of a Beauty Founder

    At 21 years old, Brandi Leifso was living in a women’s shelter in Vancouver with $15 and a laptop. Today, she is the founder and CEO of Evio Beauty and the author of Fearless Choices. In this episode of Mission Critical, Brandi shares the unfiltered story behind building Evio Beauty from a shelter safe house to building a booming beauty empire. But this conversation goes deeper than entrepreneurship. Together, Lance and Brandi explore the psychology of decision-making, the myth of fearless leadership, and why power is something you practice through choice. From "cringe" bootstrapping moments to landing a 215,000-unit purchase order she nearly fumbled, Brandi reflects on the messy reality behind resilience, and why rewriting your personal narrative can be more powerful than rewriting your résumé. She also opens up about: The stigma surrounding domestic violence shelters.How the beauty industry has evolved from rigid standards to inclusive innovation.Why resilience is romanticized, and why we’re collectively burnt out from it.The 35,000 decisions we make daily, and how that realization reframed her lifeThis is a conversation about agency, leadership, trauma, capitalism, authenticity, and the choices we make to become who we are. About the Guest Brandi Leifso is the founder and CEO of Evio Beauty, a purpose-driven beauty company focused on reducing the effects of stress on skin through hydration and science-backed formulations. She launched the brand at 21 while living in a domestic violence safe house in Vancouver, bootstrapping it with pre-sold product concepts and relentless determination. Today, Evio Beauty is carried by major retailers including Shoppers Drug Mart and has raised over $500,000 for shelters across Canada. Brandi is also the author of Fearless Choices, published by HarperCollins Canada, a memoir-driven self-help guide about reclaiming personal power through decision-making.

    49 min
  5. Deanna Wong (Executive Director, Reel Asian): Protecting the Future of Asian Cinema

    FEB 17

    Deanna Wong (Executive Director, Reel Asian): Protecting the Future of Asian Cinema

    Toronto is known as a city of film festivals. But for nearly 30 years, the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival has done more than screen films. It has built a cultural home. In this episode of Mission Critical, Lance sits down with Deanna Wong, Executive Director of Reel Asian, to explore what it really means to steward a platform that shapes how Asian stories are told, funded, and remembered in Canada. From growing up searching for a single non-stereotypical Asian face on television, to witnessing the global impact of films like Crazy Rich Asians, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Turning Red, Deanna reflects on the long arc of representation (and why progress still feels fragile.) This conversation is about how culture gets built, protected, and passed forward. It's about breaking the “model minority” narrative and trusting audiences to embrace nuance without explanation. And, ultimately, why the work is far from finished. Key Highlights How the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival evolved from a grassroots gathering into Canada’s largest pan-Asian film festival.Growing up in the ’70s and ’80s searching for dignified Asian representation on screen.Why films like The Joy Luck Club felt like breakthroughs (and why the doors didn’t immediately stay open.)The double standard Asian actors face in Hollywood (and why one “box office failure” can’t define an entire community).Why the real work happens behind the scenes: funding, mentorship, grant writing, and sustaining community year-round.Reel Asian’s Unsung Voices program and its role in launching emerging filmmakers (including early-career stories connected to Simu Liu).The importance of below-the-line representation: from hair and makeup to production design.Why the ultimate privilege in storytelling is being able to tell culturally specific stories without having to explain them.About the Guest Deanna Wong is the Executive Director of the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, Canada’s largest pan-Asian film festival. Under her leadership, Reel Asian has expanded its year-round programming, mentorship initiatives, and community impact, celebrating nearly three decades of championing Asian and Asian diasporic filmmakers. As Reel Asian approaches its 30th anniversary, Deanna stands at the intersection of legacy and innovation — protecting the stories that shaped a generation while pushing the next wave of filmmakers forward.

    52 min
  6. Worth Knowing: Hetta

    FEB 11

    Worth Knowing: Hetta

    Worth Knowing is your shortcut to the Canadian small businesses shaping culture and changing how we live. In this episode, we spotlight Hetta, the Vancouver-based furniture brand founded by the team behind Sundays. Grounded in tradition and designed for modern living, Hetta creates timeless pieces meant to grow with you—and eventually be passed down. Inspired by the old English name Etta, meaning “keeper of the hearth,” the brand is built around the idea that home is where connection happens across families, friendships, and generations. With decades of industry experience, the founders prioritize craftsmanship, high-quality materials, and comfort, designing furniture that looks to the past while functioning for today. Pieces range from sofas and chairs to tables, beds, and storage solutions, all created to bring people together and make furnishing a home feel effortless. As more consumers move toward buying fewer, better things, Hetta reflects a growing shift toward durability, heritage design, and future heirlooms. That is, furniture rooted in story rather than disposability. If you’re tracking design trends, thoughtful entrepreneurship, or standout Canadian brands redefining home, this is one business worth knowing.

    3 min
  7. Nouhaila Chelkhaoui (CEO, Scale Without Borders): The Future of Work Is Immigrant-Led

    FEB 9

    Nouhaila Chelkhaoui (CEO, Scale Without Borders): The Future of Work Is Immigrant-Led

    At a time when immigration is dominating headlines across Canada and the United States, the real story often gets lost: immigrants aren’t a threat to the economy; they are a critical component of it. In this episode of Mission Critical, Lance sits down with Nouhaila Chelkhaoui, Founder and CEO of Scale Without Borders, the largest network for immigrant tech talent in North America. From arriving in Canada alone at 17 to building a platform that has supported more than 7,000 immigrants in tech, Nouhaila shares what resilience actually looks like. Together, they unpack the hidden barriers facing immigrant professionals, why “Canadian experience” is still quietly gatekeeping opportunity, and how networking (not skill sets) is often the real gap preventing newcomers from succeeding. Key Highlights: Why immigrants are often used as economic scapegoats (and who benefits from that narrative.)The “network gap” holding back highly skilled immigrant talent in Canada.Why “Canadian experience” still functions as an invisible barrier.How cultural nuances and code-switching impact immigrant entrepreneurs.The resilience advantage: what immigrant founders understand about risk.The disconnect between immigration policy and employer needs.Why immigrant entrepreneurs are statistically more likely to found high-growth companies.How Scale Without Borders is helping newcomers access jobs, capital, and community.About the Guest Nouhaila Chelkhaoui is the Founder and CEO of Scale Without Borders, a North American platform connecting immigrant tech talent with employers, investors, and resources. Originally from Morocco, Nouhaila moved to Canada at 17 and later rebuilt her career as a newcomer navigating the Canadian tech ecosystem. After experiencing firsthand the systemic barriers facing immigrants (particularly around networking and access) she launched Scale Without Borders to close the gap. Since its founding, the organization has supported over 7,000 immigrants in tech, expanded partnerships across Canada, and is now entering the U.S. market. Nouhaila is a leading voice on immigrant entrepreneurship, workforce development, and the future of inclusive innovation.

    38 min
  8. Worth Knowing: Alter

    FEB 4

    Worth Knowing: Alter

    Worth Knowing is your shortcut to the Canadian small businesses shaping culture and changing how we live. In this episode, we spotlight Alter, the Toronto-based sauna and ice bath studio at the center of the growing contrast therapy movement. Built on the belief that intentional discomfort builds resilience, Alter is redefining modern wellness through heat, cold, and community. As recovery culture continues to rise, Alter signals a broader shift toward ritualized self-care and connection — and why this centuries-old practice feels more relevant than ever. If you’re tracking wellness trends, emerging entrepreneurs, or standout Canadian brands, this is one business worth knowing.

    4 min
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Ratings & Reviews

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About

Behind every great company, every groundbreaking idea, and every game-changing innovation, there’s a leader on a mission. Welcome to Mission Critical with Lance Chung—the show where we break down the blueprints, the bold moves, and the battle-tested playbooks of today’s most impactful leaders. From CEOs and founders to artists, designers, and athletes, we’re talking to the visionaries who build, innovate, and lead.

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