Why are entrepreneurs driven to do what they do? Put in endless hours and endure countless failures in pursuit of their dreams. Ilan Jacobson is one of those entrepreneurs. He's built businesses in sectors ranging from finance to axe-throwing. He's endured his share of failures, but he, and the entrepreneurs he interviews each week, wouldn't go down any other path. Hear their stories: how they conceived of their ideas, cleared hurdles, endured failure, and ultimately, achieved success, on A Dealmaker's DNA with Ilan Jacobson.
How does a person become an entrepreneur in the entertainment verticals? Today’s guest can share his experience. Allen Lau is the executive advisor for WEBTOON and Wattpad. He’s a serial entrepreneur, a speaker, and an authority on entrepreneurship, the innovation economy, and the benefits of a diverse workforce. He’s also a leader in Canada’s tech community.
Listen to the episode to hear what Allen has to say about how an introvert can succeed as an entrepreneur and leader, how Wattpad came to be in the first place, and what lessons Allen has learned about very high growth.
Topics Discussed in This Episode
Allen’s origin story and what led to his entrepreneurial journey
How an introvert can be a leader or entrepreneur
What Allen’s startup journey looked like
What happened after Allen left IBM
How Wattpad came to be
What network effect means and what people get wrong about it
When Allen transitioned Wattpad from a mobile reading app
The first lessons Allen learned about really high growth
Why some people are great at storytelling but others are not
Related Links
Allen Lau
17 May 2022
Episode 60: John Asher
There are a lot of buzzwords out there. One that you may or may not be familiar with is “proptech” what does it mean? You’ll learn more about it by listening to today’s guest, John Asher. John is the president and co-founder of Konfidis. Listen to the episode to hear what John knows about self-teaching, what brought him to the world of startup tech, and what Konfidis is all about.
Topics Discussed in This Episode
John’s origin story
How John’s childhood growing up on a farm shaped him
How John was taught to self-teach
Why John decided to study accounting
When John concluded that accounting wasn’t for him
What big companies do well
Why John decided to move into the world of startup tech
What Konfidis is all about
The big goal for Konfidis
What John is seeing gain traction in the proptech world
Sorting through the different factors that affect housing
Shifts in who owns residential real estate in Canada
Related Links
John Asher
Konfidis
Quotes From the Show
“You’ve got to put in the work if you ever actually want to see output.”
“This company is my midlife crisis, how about that?”
“Whatever happens in the U.S. seems to find its way to Canada eventually.”
10 May 2022
Episode 59: Michael Brown
Why are you working? That’s something that Michael Brown has been thinking about lately: what he’s working for and what his legacy is going to be.
In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Michael Brown, the CEO and co-founder of Swept. Michael has a somewhat unusual background as an entrepreneur and has managed to do many different things with it. Listen in to hear what Michael has to say about where he got the motivation and determination to hustle, why he decided to go into the kinds of companies he chose, and what his background as a mechanic has to do with his entrepreneurial career.
Topics Discussed in This Episode
Michael’s origination story
Where Michael’s hustle came from
Understanding the value of a dollar
What Michael did after high school and studying abroad
Why Michael decided to go into the kinds of companies he did
Whether Michael’s background in mechanics impacts his entrepreneurial career
Michael’s purpose right now
What Michael wants his legacy to be
Related Links
Michael Brown
Quotes From the Show
“My summer was very different from everybody else’s”
“It’s very rare to have a professor who’s actually done it, successfully, who is teaching you. One of her classes is: You have to start a business for $10”
“I want to work hard so I can give more.”
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