Welcome to Marketing Corner Talks!
Marketing Corner Talks bridges the gap between classroom learning and the real world of marketing. Hosted by Douglas College professor Dave Keighron and produced by students, the show brings together educators, industry professionals, and emerging marketers to discuss how theory meets practice in today’s evolving digital landscape.
He Opened Vancouver's First Escape Room, Then Took It To Dragon’s Den
In this episode of Marketing Corner Talks, host Dave Keighron is joined by entrepreneur, marketing instructor, and escape room founder Chris Ricard for an in-depth conversation on creativity, resilience, and learning through real-world hustle.
Chris traces his entrepreneurial journey from early sales experiences such as working the paper routes, telemarketing, and door-to-door selling, to building and scaling SmartyPantz Escape Rooms, downtown Vancouver’s first escape room business. The discussion unpacks how marketing fundamentals such as identifying the ideal customer and testing for a minimum viable product are put into practice. Chris also shares behind-the-scenes insights into SmartyPantz’s guerrilla marketing, and earned media such as his memorable appearance on Dragon’s Den. The episode also discusses the challenges of scaling across provinces, managing risk, surviving during the early COVID pandemic, and knowing when to exit a venture.
The episode concludes with a student Q&A featuring MCT producer Neehaa Kannamreddy. She asks questions around buyer behaviour, entering business partnerships with friends, building operational safety nets, and cross-province expansion.
About Chris Ricard
Chris has always had the entrepreneurial bug which has led him to start, operate and sell a number of businesses. He is currently teaching marketing at Douglas College and providing marketing services through Sharp End Marketing.
His most recent venture was an escape room business called SmartyPantz. They had locations in Gastown, Edmonton and Calgary. They were the first of this type of business to open in Vancouver. Since 2018, he’s been teaching Marketing at Douglas College and says that he “thoroughly enjosy sharing wisdom with the next generation and learning a few things from them too”.
Connect with Chris Ricard
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-ricard-4b36497/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-ricard-4b36497/)
Email: chris@sharpendmarketing.com (mailto:chris@sharpendmarketing.com)
Website: www.sharpendmarketing.com (http://www.sharpendmarketing.com)
Connect with Marketing Corner Talks
Website: marketingcornertalks.com (http://marketingcornertalks.com)
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/marketing-corner-talks/id1729155917 (https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/marketing-corner-talks/id1729155917)
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SMydeR2hyVPvZaGf7plMu (https://open.spotify.com/show/1SMydeR2hyVPvZaGf7plMu)
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingCornerTalks (https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingCornerTalks)
Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn: @marketingcornertalks
Interested in being a guest? Email: info@marketingcornertalks.com (mailto:info@marketingcornertalks.com)
3 Dec 2025
Holistic Marketing: The Mindset Shift Every Founder Needs with Lili Molavi
Host Dave Keighron interviews Lili Molavi, CEO of Molavi Consulting Group, about her human-centered approach to building resilient businesses through mindset alignment and personal well-being.
12 Nov 2025
Teaching Marketing by Bridging Academia and Industry with Dr. Gabriela Birnfeld Kurtz
Host Dave Keighron interviews Dr. Gabriela Birnfeld Kurtz, Assistant Professor at the University of the Fraser Valley, about bridging academia and industry to prepare students for an AI-driven marketing future.
Who has been a guest on Marketing Corner Talks
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Lili Molavi
Dr Gabriela Birnfeld Kurtz
Javier Lavalle
Pascal Zirn
Sabrina Horlyck
Podcast Authority Score: 38 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
64
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
27
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Books guests
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Questions about Marketing Corner Talks
Who hosts Marketing Corner Talks?
Dave Keighron and Host host the show. Published by David Keighron.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Marketing Corner Talks take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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