The Entrepreneur Podcast

The Entrepreneur Podcast is launching a new series, handing the microphone to women entrepreneurs doing exciting things in a wide array of industries.In this series, we hand them the microphone to share their stories, experiences, trials, tribulations and successes.And we kick it off with Bryn Davis Williams and Jessica Bosman, two Ivey HBAs, who’ve joined forces to disrupt the women’s undergarment industry. Their venture, DOUBL is driven by the conviction that women’s shouldn’t have to settle for “good enough.”With the help of technology, and recycled material, DOUBL offers women custom bras that are made to fit just right! Williams and Bosman talk about balancing their careers, reframing their brand to male investors, and the importance of a supportive community.Find out more about DOUBL's Kickstarter Campaign starting on April 30th at https://www.mydoubl.com/The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

Entrepreneurs are at the forefront of innovation. They change the way industries work and impact the global, the local and the personal.Christopher Misch embodies that innovator ethos. As the CEO of ChargerQuest, a pioneer in the electric vehicle industry in Canada, Misch is on a mission to change how Canadians travel and impact their world.In this episode, discover Misch’s surprising late entry into the world of entrepreneurship and how he has been able to tie his passion for sustainability and innovation to change the world, one charging station at a time.The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

Most kitchen experiments end up as unedible dead ends.But every now and then something new captures a niche and graduates to grocery stores all across America. That is the story behind Margaret Coons, founder and CEO of Nuts for Cheese. Coons, an English literature grad talks through her journey with Ivey faculty member Dave Simpson, on how a young vegan chef selling products at farmer's markets grew to managing Canada's leading artisan organic plant-based dairy manufacturing company, which recently became the second best-selling plant-based cheese in the United States.The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

Entrepreneurs often reflect their companies.That is definitely the case with Matt Phillips, founder of Phillips Brewing and Malting Co.! Phillips rejoins the podcast to dive deeper into the unique brand he has built over two decades, how and why he started a craft brewery while others were shutting their doors, and what the future holds for British Columbia’s biggest small brewery. The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

With the new season of The Entrepreneur Podcast just around the corner, here's a story from our upcoming episode with Matt Phillips, Founder of Phillips Brewing & Malting Company, on the creation of their popular ale, Blue Buck.

Mark Healy started his first entrepreneurial venture during his Ivey MBA in 2005. Through the years he has led established brands and started a variety of ventures in the marketing and consulting space. But most recently, Healy joined two other Ivey alums and acquired a horseradish brand in Norfolk County. And that right in the midst of a global pandemic. In this frank conversation recorded at the Desjardins Entrepreneurship Speaker Series, Mark shares the lessons he has learned from being an entrepreneur and working in larger firms, the challenges of running a product company, and what future trends entrepreneurs should explore in the coming years.The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

Attempting to forecast the future can be dangerous but this episode is all about that and more.Previously in our series on Entrepreneurship Research, we have explored the history of the field, its dramatic rise, and the variety of research areas that our faculty are currently engaged in… but what about the future? What are the unexplored areas of entrepreneurship research that will draw new scholars from around the world to better understand entrepreneurs and how they impact our economy and society?There are some common themes you will hear throughout this episode, including how new research might redefine what we know as entrepreneurship today - driven by the emergence of new industries, business models, societal changes, and technological advancements. The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

Despite its relative youth, a story we covered in our first episode, the world of entrepreneurship research has grown vast and wide.With the currents of economics, cognitive science, psychology, and various fields of business streaming in; entrepreneurship has been able to incorporate a whole host of frameworks and perspectives to forge its own identity.In part two of our series on entrepreneurship research, we discover more about the expertise and study interests of our Ivey faculty team, including some of the surprising findings they have come across in their work. The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

“Entrepreneurship” can often seem like a buzzword.Since the 1970s, there has been a strong narrative of the entrepreneur; a visionary leader, who is changing the way we live our day-to-day lives, and driving human innovation to the next level.But amidst the glamour and mythology, entrepreneurship also has a science to it. And the "scientist" that dissect and study the world of entrepreneurship are the focus of this series.In this first episode, we will discover the origins of entrepreneurship research, where it started, and how - like entrepreneurship itself - it grew rapidly to become a vibrant field of study combining economics, sociology, and psychology, to better understand this phenomenon that is shaping tomorrow’s world.You will meet our entrepreneurship research faculty at the Ivey Business School, and discover what drew them to this field, and how each of them are trying to draw a clearer picture of what entrepreneurship means to individuals, society, and place - all wrapped up in the human story.The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.To find out more about our Ivey faculty members, visit:https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/faculty/disciplines/entrepreneurship/Key characters mentioned in this episode include:Joseph SchumpeterFriedrich HayekLudwig von MisesImportant papers mentioned in this episode include:The promise of entrepreneurship as a field of researchS Shane, S Venkataraman (2000), Academy of management review 25 (1), 217-226Discovery and creation: Alternative theories of entrepreneurial actionSA Alvarez, JB Barney (2007), Strategic entrepreneurship journal 1 (1‐2), 11-26 How do entrepreneurs organize firms under conditions of uncertainty?SA Alvarez, JB Barney (2005), Journal of Management 31 (5), 776-793How entrepreneurial firms can benefit from alliances with large partnersSA Alvarez, JB Barney (2001), Academy of Management Perspectives 15 (1), 139-148Entrepreneurship and Epistemology: The Philosophical Underpinnings of the Study of Entrepreneurial OpportunitiesSA Alvarez, JB Barney (2010), Academy of Management Annals 4 (1), 557-583Organizing rent generation and appropriation: Toward a theory of the entrepreneurial firmSA Alvarez, JB Barney (2004), Journal of Business Venturing 19 (5), 621-635The entrepreneurial theory of the firm S Alvarez, JB Barney (2007), Journal of Management Studies 44 (7), 1057-1063Causation and effectuation: Toward a theoretical shift from economic inevitability to entrepreneurial contingencySD Sarasvathy (2001) Academy of Management Review 26 (2), 243-263Effectuation: Elements of entrepreneurial expertiseSD Sarasvathy (2008), Edward Elgar PublishingCreating something from nothing: Resource construction through entrepreneurial bricolageT Baker, RE Nelson (2005), Administrative science quarterly 50 (3), 329-366Entrepreneurial action and the role of uncertainty in the theory of the entrepreneurJS McMullen, DA Shepherd (2006), Academy of Management Review 31 (1), 132-152

Join us for a new series on the Entrepreneur Podcast that will explore the fascinating world of entrepreneurship research, from its origin and growth, to what the future holds, featuring our world-class Ivey faculty.The three-part series debuts next Thursday, August 3, 2023.To ensure you don't miss out on this series, subscribe to The Entrepreneur Podcast on your favourite platform or visit:https://entrepreneurship.uwo.ca/podcastThe Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

If the world of business is a sport, entrepreneurs are often the ones making the rules.That was definitely the case for Ivey MBA ’07 Trent Kitsch, who changed the men’s underwear industry forever with the introduction of Saxx Underwear.Born and raised in Kelowna, BC, Kitsch has always had the energy, passion, and determination that marks out the best entrepreneurs. Throughout his still young career, Kitsch has managed to not only reinvent age-old products but also score major wins in early, burgeoning industries.A serial entrepreneur, Kitsch joins the Entrepreneur Podcast, Legends Series, to share his journey of building a brand during his MBA, and how his ability to recognize opportunity has helped him be at the right place, at the right time.The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

If talking about the weather is Canada’s favourite past-time, Pierre Morrissette is the nation’s weatherman.Since 1989, Morrissette has been at the helm of Pelmorex Media Inc., the parent company of The Weather Network and MétéoMédia, which provides remotes towns, and major cities lined across the 2nd largest country in the world, with accurate, up-to-date weather information.In this episode of Legends, Pierre Morrissette joins me to talk about the evolution of Pelmorex Media, from its start in radio and television, to creating one of Canada’s earliest and largest online presences through the web and mobile app revolution. He also shares the impact of his MBA program at Ivey, the importance of trusted advisors and mentors throughout his journey, and his growing role in championing entrepreneurship across Canada.The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

This season, the Entrepreneur Podcast - Legends Series includes a sit down with Pierre Morrissette, discussing his journey of creating one of the most trusted brands in Canada, The Weather Network, and his role as a leading innovator in the rapidly evolving media space.You will also hear serial entrepreneur and founder of SAXX Underwear, Trent Kitsch, on revolutionizing the men’s underwear industry with an idea he developed during his MBA at Ivey.To ensure you never miss an episode, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player or visit entrepreneurship.uwo.ca/podcastThe Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

This week, The Entrepreneur Podcast is featuring one of our fellow podcasts from the larger Western ecosystem, Ivey Academy Presents: Leadership in Practice, which discusses critical issues in business, unpacks new research, and talks to industry leaders about the latest trends.In this episode, Erik Mikkelsen, HBA '06, co-founder and Managing Partner of Auxo Management LP, and the President and Chief Revenue Officer of Stealth Monitoring Inc., a leading North American video monitoring and security company, shares his journey through entrepreneurship and the detours within his career where he found new avenues for opportunity.For more information on the Leadership in Practice Podcast, visit www.ivey.uwo.ca/academy/blog/The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

Melissa Sariffodeen has a number of roles and titles on her profile. One of them is "lifelong student."And it’s fitting.As Co-founder and CEO of Ladies Learning Code and Canada Learning Code, lifelong learning is integral to her founder’s journey. Since 2011, over 700,000 Canadians from all walks of life have had the opportunity to learn critical skills and build up the confidence to become builders - not just consumers - of technology in an increasingly digital world.In this episode, Sariffodeen joins fellow Ivey alum and Director Internal of Morrissette Entrepreneurship, Deniz Edwards, to share her story and her passion for entrepreneurship, education and technology.The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

Silicon Valley Legend is a prized descriptor, and few fit the term as well as Guy Kawasaki.A renowned author, marketing specialist, angel investor, and tech evangelist, Kawasaki has a storied career in the Valley - including a major role at Apple marketing Macintosh computers in 1984.Today, Kawasaki is the chief evangelist for Canva, the Australian graphic design platform, and the host of his podcast and passion project, Remarkable People, speaking to the likes of Jane Goodall, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Marc Benioff and more.In this special episode of the Entrepreneur Podcast, Kawasaki joins Eric Janssen to discuss his career, the importance of sales, how to be an effective employee in an early-stage start-up, and fatherhood.The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

For Rick Cytrynbaum, BA'96, the entrepreneur life can feel like a game of snakes and ladders. Yet rolling the dice, doesn’t have to be a game of chance.Through years of hard work and hustle, Cytrynbaum has built a diverse and innovative career in the fashion space, where he has developed footwear for New Balance, co-founded House of Harlow 1960 with Nicole Richie, worked with celebrities like Kanye West and Heidi Klum, and owned multiple brands like Modern Vintage, Champion, and Kendall & Kylie. He was also an influential player in the rise of the direct-to-consumer model that brought a wide range of celebrities into the fashion industry.Cytrynbaum joins Eric Morse to share various aspects of his journey; from finding the white space in an industry, and cultivating one’s gut feel, to the critical role failure plays in the life of an entrepreneur.The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

“The reward for taking out Bose, Panasonic, and Samsung was getting to play against Amazon, Google and Apple,” That’s a common joke at Patrick Spence’s Santa Barbara-based audio giant, Sonos; which is chiefly responsible for the rise of the smart speaker.An HBA ’98 grad, Spence joined the company in 2012 and took over as CEO, five years later.But Sonos wasn’t Spence’s first rodeo in the fast-moving world of consumer electronics. For 14 years, Spence was an integral part of RIM/BlackBerry, serving a number of roles before ultimately becoming the Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. During that time the company grew from $50 million in revenue to more than $20 billion, and from 150 people to more than 17,000.In this episode, Spence shares lessons from the highs and lows of his career, his philosophy on technology and innovation, Sonos’ legal battles with Google, and the different outlooks of entrepreneurs on both sides of the 49th parallel.The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

Jake Karls, BA’16, exudes the enthusiasm that one would expect of an entrepreneur. But the co-founder of Mid-Day Squares is not playing a part. He is a true believer that their chocolate bar will become the modern-day Hershey’s bar.After the failure of his clothing brand, Karls was invited to join Mid-Day Squares by his sister and brother-in-law, Lezlie Karls and Nick Saltarelli; to bring his enthusiasm to the fore of a brand with a big vision. From instituting weekly therapy sessions to showcasing their entire journey (the good, the bad and the ugly) on social media, Karls and his co-founders took a unique approach to build a brand that has sold $8 million in chocolate bars.In this episode, Jake Karls joins Ivey Faculty Larry Plummer to discuss the rise of Mid-Day Squares, covering a range of topics including the importance of authenticity, various funding sources, the complicated world of retail and how he balances family and business while forging a chocolate empire.The Entrepreneur Podcast is sponsored by Connie Clerici, QS ’08, and Closing the Gap Healthcare Group, Inc.

This Summer, the Entrepreneur Podcast is back! Featuring the likes of Jake Karl of Mid-Day Squares, the Montreal-based chocolate company that’s taking the world by storm, Patrick Spence from the innovative audio giant Sonos, and Rick Cytrynbaum, a true trailblazer in the direct-to-consumer fashion industry.Join us on August 3, 2022 for our kick-off episode.