Amplify Your Business

Amplify Your Business: A Little Off The Top

For Episode 122 of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Danielle Cherewyk—Founder & CEO of The Headroom.
 
As a second-generation stylist who loves both the hands-on aspects of the job and the gloves-off side of business ownership, Cherewk’s story takes some interesting turns. Instead of hearing about hair spray and toner, we’re going to be talking about shares, employee buy-ins, and the complexity of retaining great hires for life. Not because Lance is bald, but because it’s more interesting. We promise.
 
0:00 - Intro
1:52 - What is The Headroom?
3:40 - What makes The Headroom unique?
6:04 - Employee ownership at The Headroom
16:35 - Lessons in employee ownership
19:26 - Clockworking your business
25:34 - Finding business efficiencies
28:19 - Implementing a new methodology
32:21 - Outro

Amplify Your Business: Riding Out The Green Wave

For Episode 121  of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Keenan Pascal—CEO and Founder of Token Naturals.
Don’t be fooled by the steady tone of voice and authoritative understanding of the cannabis space. Keenan Pascal is still very much eyeing the future eagerly as Token Naturals expands, pivots, and continually shifts to meet ever-changing market demands. From bitters to cannabis to whatever else Edmonton needs, this smart group of even smarter owners are helping businesses across Canada take their products from idea to the commercial stage.
 
0:00 - Intro
0:50 - What is Token Naturals?
4:00 - Drawing on past experience
8:54 - Using an advisory board
10:51 - Realizing new opportunity
14:09 - Refining your processes
16:27 - Navigating cannabis regulation
18:53 - Growing a product offering
23:54 - Learning from your mistakes

Amplify Your Business: Your Virtual Budtender

For Episode 120 of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Peter Kasper —Founder & CEO of Terpli.Biochemistry is complex—what isn’t is your own sense of “yuck” or “yum.” That’s the simplicity behind Terpli and their AI-driven cannabis database. Users can input desired traits, reviews, and any other considerations they have towards their cannabis choices and Tepli will scan the market using their E-commerce tools to find you the perfect fit. We’ll be blunt—this is pretty neat stuff. We hope you enjoy the story!
 
0:00 - Intro
0:34 - What is Terpli?
1:38 - Navigating complex regulations
4:35 - Finding opportunity in uncertain times
9:48 - Every startup has its challenges
14:52 - Securing the right financing
18:23 - Building (and using) an advisory board
22:00 - Effectively transitioning a business model
29:29 - Bringing Terpli to Canada/Outro

Amplify Your Business: Their Grains, Our Gain

For Episode 119  of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Marc Wandler of Susgrainable—an ethical food company that straddles the line between friendly bakers and mad scientists.
 
The problem of beer waste doesn’t begin with finding a place to recycle cans and bottles. Every day, 450 tonnes of spent grain is generated by Canadian craft breweries alone, creating costly barriers for both consumers and brewers who want to live ethically. What better way of solving two problems at once than by converting “waste” into nutrition? Susgrainable has created a solution for everyone, and we couldn’t be more excited to have them on the show to share the process and story.
To learn more about their sustainable mixes, visit them online!
 
0:00 - Intro
0:36 - What is Susgrainable?
2:19 - How Marc gets spent grains
5:30 - The business model of Susgrainable
7:24 - Finding the right marketing mix
11:03 - Perfecting the recipe
13:28 - The challenges of starting up in an unfamiliar space
16:32 - Finding the right investors
19:27 - Opening a new facility 
20:19 - The keys to success (so far)
25:54 - Improving performance
28:27 - Outro

Amplify Your Business: Growing Protein

For Episode 118 of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Jamie Draves, President and CEO of Quinta Quinoa—an all-Canadian quinoa producer whose benefits are as shocking as their story.From health challenges came an important discovery—that quinoa has the potential to stave off even life-threatening conditions for some Canadians. Draves then took his life-affirming attitude to an even further conclusion by establishing a country-wide program for growing, packaging, and delivering local nutrition like no one has experienced before.
 
0:00 - Intro
1:06 - The backstory of Quinta Quinoa
2:25 - Why is quinoa so healthy?
6:47 - Growing the seeds of Quinta Quinoa
10:02 - How do you make a tasty quinoa?
11:54 - The challenges of the quinoa business
15:52 - Planning for the future (of quinoa)
21:17 - Balancing brick-and-mortar and online sales
25:45 - Outro

Amplify Your Business: Bigger Tables, Smaller Fences

For Episode 117  of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Dan Flatt of Naborino—a synthesis of e-commerce, social media, and hyper-local communications.
As the first few months of the pandemic made life feel smaller (sometimes down to the size of a single room), the connections we kept were made all the more important. By leveraging that feeling of local connection, Flatt’s team is developing a multi-utility application that allows group buys on products and services, meaning more local goods (and memories) for less cost. What’s not to love?
To learn more about Naborino’s development, visit them online!
 
0:00 - Intro
0:49 - What is Naborino?
3:58 - Building communities
6:38 - Growing two sides of the same business
14:03 - Building the minimum viable product
19:30 - Operating in two markets at once
26:26 - Get in touch with Naborino

Amplify Your Business: Managing Expectations

For Episode 116 of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Salim Dharssi of Managemate—a comprehensive tool for turning everyday condo board owners into high-powered decision makers. There is no shortage of project management tools out there, but Managemate finds a niche where few others go. Inside today’s episode is a success story about listening to an underserved market and setting out to create the best tool possible. And isn’t that just the heart of entrepreneurship?To learn more about Managemate and to schedule your demo, visit them online!
 
0:00 - Intro0:37 - What is Managemate?2:22 - What sets Managemate apart?5:16 - Discovering a unique opportunity6:56 - Starting an entrepreneurial fire9:24 - How hands on is Salim?11:25 - Building a business off the side of your desk13:21 - Learning to take risks19:52 - Getting to the next stage23:14 - Setting the right priorities24:46 - Overcoming marketing challenges

Amplify Your Business: Generating Electric Personalities

For Episode 115 of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Lindsay White of High Voltage Leadership. If she is magnetic over the phone, just wait until you see how she activates, empowers, and ultimately inspires leaders to be the resource their team needs the most. HR might be a dirty word to many, but as Lindsay shows, a people-focused strategy can still be about your business as a whole.
 
To learn more and to start activating your people, visit High Voltage Leadership online!
 
0:00 - Intro
0:46 - About High Voltage Leadership
3:45 - What it means to be a People Operations Expert
5:45 - The secrets to becoming a High Voltage Leader
7:21 - Navigating leadership development
11:32 - Executing on HR improvements
13:34 - The Positive Intelligence Program
16:05 - A strategic approach to training