Shows
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 72 Bear Necessities: Coffee, Entrepreneurship, and Sustainability W/ David Schneiderman
Join us as we explore the journey of Two Bears Coffee, a Canadian brand dedicated to crafting moments and embracing sustainability. From humble beginnings in a basement to becoming a leader in the specialty coffee space, this podcast dives into the world of slow coffee, innovation, and environmental stewardship. Featuring David Schneiderman 20 years of entrepreneurial experience, we’ll discuss how Two Bears is redefining coffee culture by promoting clean products and connecting with eco-conscious consumers across North America. Perfect for coffee lovers, entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking inspiration in business and sustainability.
https://www.twobears.ca/
2024-10-0846 minBuilding Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 71 Building Tomorrow: Conversations on Family, Health, and Innovation W/ Suzanne Mason
In this episode, we sit down with Suzanne Mason, COO and co-founder of Sprout Family, a trailblazing virtual care platform helping Canadians navigate the diverse and deeply personal paths to building a family. Sprout partners with Canadian employers to offer modern family-building benefits that reflect the evolving needs of today’s workforce.
Suzanne shares how Sprout provides a holistic approach, covering everything from surrogacy and adoption to fertility care, supported by expert advisors, financial guidance, and invaluable resources. As Canada lags behind the U.S. in offering comprehensive family-building benefits, Suzanne and her team are on a mission to br...
2024-09-3031 minBuilding Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 70 The AI Pipeline Coach - Mastering Sales with Patrick Monnot
In this episode of our podcast, we sit down with Patrick Monnot, Founder & CEO of Pod, to explore the intersection of AI and sales. With a background in advising startups at McKinsey & Company and leading product teams at Zinier, Patrick brings a wealth of experience in product development, go-to-market strategies, and growth operations. We dive into how AI is reshaping sales, boosting productivity, and empowering reps to close deals smarter and faster.Join us as we discuss Patrick's journey from consulting to startups, the challenges of AI in business, and actionable insights for improving sales performance. Whether you're in...
2024-09-2344 minBuilding Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP 69: How Healthy Is Your Team? The Team Health Score Quiz with Katie McLaughlin
For the first time ever, we welcome back a returning guest to the podcast! Join us as we sit down once again with Katie McLaughlin to explore the art of building a vibrant team-based culture. Katie has recently developed a powerful new assessment to help teams understand their health, addressing challenges before they become toxic and finding opportunities for continuous improvement.
In this episode, we dive into Katie's innovative approach that integrates theater into workshops, helping teams reconnect, have fun, and build lasting relationships rooted in empathy and collaboration. Forget the traditional team-building events—Katie’s method goes beyond trus...
2024-09-1647 minBuilding Blocks With Brendan HerjavecRevolutionizing Mental Health: Insights from PlaySpace CEO Matt Cohen
Join Brendan Herjavec on Building Blocks as he delves into the entrepreneurial journey with Matt Cohen, CEO of PlaySpace. PlaySpace specializes in customizable, secure playrooms designed for therapists working with children and teens. In this episode, they explore the genesis of PlaySpace, inspired by the challenges therapists faced during the pandemic's shift to virtual therapy sessions. Matt shares his personal journey with mental health and how it led to the creation of PlaySpace to make care more accessible.
Key Takeaways:
Origins of the Idea: Discover how the concept of PlaySpace evolved, driven by the need to replicate the engaging...
2024-04-2443 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecIdeation to Publication: Entrepreneurship, Creativity, and Overcoming Challenges W/ Sam Paisley
Dive into the captivating world Sam Paisley has created, a seasoned sales rep, a masterful storyteller, and now the visionary Author behind "The Elements of Time," the compelling first installment in a riveting three-part series.
Drawing inspiration from both classic and modern science fiction and fantasy, Sam weaves a tale enriched with timeless themes of destiny and personal responsibility. "The Elements of Time" beckons to all who yearn for an escape into a world that is not only rich and deep but also profoundly resonant. With influences from iconic works like Star Wars (the Original Trilogy), Avatar: The Last...
2024-01-1851 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 66 From Garage Project to Podcast Powerhouse: The Zencastr Story with CEO Josh Nielsen
Join Brendan Herjavec in this episode of Building Blocks as he sits down with Josh Nielsen, the visionary CEO of Zencastr. Dive deep into the world of entrepreneurship and discover the incredible journey of building a company that has become a podcasting game-changer. From unexpected pivots to solving real problems for creators, learn how Zencastr evolved to empower podcasters worldwide. Gain insights into the challenges of transitioning from a solo venture to leading a growing team, and explore the future of podcasting, including the rise of short-form content and the quest for true audience engagement. Don't miss...
2023-12-0732 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 65 From Ironman to Entrepreneur: Unveiling the Mushrooming Success with Parker OlsonJoin us in this captivating episode as we dive deep into the entrepreneurial odyssey with Parker Olson, a dynamic individual who seamlessly transitioned from conquering Ironman challenges to steering the helm of a successful functional food company, FORIJ.
In our conversation, Parker reflects on the startup journey as a profound adventure, emphasizing the importance of self-focus and passion. Discover how his dedication to health, manifested through intense Ironman training, unexpectedly heightened his productivity and focus in business. Parker shares insights on the invaluable lesson that results, not just effort, matter in the business world.
From building a Twitter following...
2023-11-3031 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 64 A Deep Dive into Content Creation and Monetization W/ Sy Greenberg
🎮 Dive into a special episode as a guest to explore the fascinating intersection of gaming, content creation, and money-making strategies! 🌟
Join us as we unravel the secrets behind the gaming and content industry, drawing parallels between traditional business models and the rapidly evolving landscape of online content. Sy, the Meme Master, The Gold King, Terraria Fact Guru, and the charismatic host of Past The Pixel, shares insights from his unique journey — transforming from an MBA and thought leader to a thriving content creator.
In this episode, discover the powerful synergy between startups and content creation, exploring how a simple idea can...
2023-11-2644 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 63 Unlocking Innovation: A Dive into Design, Tech, and Entrepreneurship with Pete Sena
Join us in this riveting episode as we delve into the dynamic world of marketing, branding, entrepreneurship, design thinking, and the cutting-edge realms of tech, including Web3, AI, and the metaverse. Our special guest is Pete Sena, the Co-Founder of Digital Surgeons, a global innovation and design experience consultancy.
Pete, a design-led entrepreneur with nearly two decades of experience, shares his insights and expertise in partnering with forward-obsessed founders, entrepreneurs, and business leaders to unlock new possibilities and foster growth. Having built and led cross-functional teams for ventures spanning from startups to Fortune 50 companies, Pete's wealth of experience is...
2023-11-1644 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 62 Assembly: All In One Modern Intranet with Jonathan FieldsAssembly believes that a powerful intranet is the heartbeat of any thriving team. Join us in this episode as we delve into the world of modern intranets with Jonathan Fields, the visionary behind Assembly. Assembly is on a mission to unite teams by creating seamless spaces where information flows effortlessly, communication becomes second nature, and genuine connections among employees flourish. Discover how Assembly's platform not only streamlines day-to-day operations but also fosters a culture of celebration and mutual success, transforming the workplace from a task-oriented environment to a community-driven hub.
🌐 Jonathan's Journey: From ZipRecruiter to Building Assembly
...
2023-09-2845 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 61 From Day Zero To Greatness W/ Bernie LiAntler is the investor backing the world’s most driven founders, from day zero to greatness. Founded on the belief that people innovating is the key to building a better future, they partner with people across six continents to launch and scale high-potential startups that address meaningful opportunities and challenges. Antler has offices in 25 cities, including Austin, New York, Toronto, London, Berlin, Stockholm, Bangalore, Jakarta, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, and Sydney. The global community backs people from the beginning with co-founder matching, deep business model validation, initial capital, expansion support, and follow-on funding. Antler has created and invested in more th...
2023-06-0145 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 60 Your Car Is Worth More Than You Think W/ Mike WoodToday we connected with Mike Wood, the Co-founder of MintList. MintList is a platform that makes hundreds of dealers compete for your business aka your car. You can sell your vehicle to any dealer who makes the best offer, and you can use the offer as a trade-in to save you thousands. Because MintList allows you to use the value as a trade-in you only pay tax on the difference.
Mike Wood has been in the automotive industry for more than 30 years and has accrued $500 million in auto sales. He has worked the gamut from large auto gr...
2023-05-0444 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 59 Accessible For Everyone And Inclusive Of All W/ Lee-Anne Reuber
Lee-Anne Reuber is the Founder of Sekond Skin Society. Sekond Skin Society is a health and fitness app designed to be accessible for everyone and inclusive of all. It allows those with vision loss, hearing loss and other physical disabilities to access health and fitness in a way that works for them. The content is designed so people with disabilities/older adults and their family/friends/caregivers can participate in wellness content together, while still meeting each individual's needs.
Lee-Anne Reuber has worked in the developmental services sector for more than 20 years, supporting people with d...
2023-03-3045 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 58 Organizing Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAO) W/ Arda ErturkArda Erturk is the Founder of DAOhub, a platform that is Empowering Decentralized Communities with AI-Powered Data Insights and Advanced Governance Tools. Arda has had success since his first startup, Roll Technologies Inc. which is the leading Canadian-owned, developed, and operated shared e-scooter and e-bike company.
Arda has participated in TechStars and founded his first business while an undergraduate at the University of Toronto. On this podcast, we talk about the differences between being a first and second-time founder, the challenges with growing a business within a bleed-edge industry, and how people are able to turn a pas...
2023-03-0941 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 57 Bikes, Next 36 and now Revolutionizing Healthcare W/ Giorgio DelgadoGiorgio Delgado is the Founding Engineer at Caribou. Giorgio has been involved with entrepreneurship for over a decade! He has taken part in the Next 36, Setter, and created BykMe during his undergrad. Bykme is a sustainable form of bike sharing in the Waterloo region. In his role as the founding engineer at Caribou, he has applied his early learning and experience. He has scaled his team, and raised an early round funding.
Caribou is a comprehensive healthcare planning and navigation solution for financial advisors. They recently raised seed funding to help expand their mission within healthcare. We...
2023-02-1642 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 56 How The Canadian Ecosystem Creates Unicorns W/ Matthew LombardiOneEleven is a hub that offers vital missing-middle support to help ventures grow from seed to Series A, including flexible office spaces and online programming. Some of the most notable companies that have been a part of the program include Wealthsimple, Maple, Koho, Humi, and many others.
Matthew Lombardi is the Managing Director at OneEleven. Matthew spent his career at the intersection of the private and public sectors, living and working in Rome, London, and Toronto to design and deliver business solutions that drive social impact.
In this episode, we speak about the Canadian identity...
2023-02-0946 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 55 Cutting-Edge Tech and Paradigm Shifts W/ Mariam BrianMariam is a global speaker on Human Machine Futures, strategic consultant to start-ups around the world, a neuro-tech philosopher focusing on the future of humanity and a quantum-analog artist nonlinear thinker, she offers unique transdisciplinary systems perspectives.
The focus of her work is on systems thinking, the development of human potential and creative leadership. Mariam incorporates insights from neuroscience, social psychology, quantum physics and futurism in her practice and enjoys designing innovative environments for strategically aligned, purposeful action, and artful play.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
1. The Future of Art...
2023-01-1350 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 54 The Ultimate Hub for Starting a Startup W/ Eric RafatBeing an entrepreneur can be lonely
Founders Beta is Global Tech Community for Founders to Connect with Talent, Funding, and Resources. It allows members to get connected with marketers, designers, developers, and others to work on something epic.
Whether you are trying to discover startup jobs, events, or courses, or just want to have coffee chats, Founders Beta is developing the community.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
1. How a Community can aid your growth
2. Why Entriprunship can be lonely
3. How you can form a service...
2023-01-0538 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 53 Bye Burnout, Hello Happiness W/ Abbas SafdariVork is a mental health wellness software to help managers and employees analyze and combat job burnout. Managers can increase their team's mental wellness by using Vork to manage and assess their team's job burnout.
Vork integrates with the user's work calendar (currently Google Calendar), task management system (i.e. Notion, Jira, Trello, etc.), Slack, Email, and other work tools to analyze their day (assigned tasks, meetings, etc.) for job burnout and suggest ways to structure their day to keep job burnout low.
Abbas Safdari is the co-founder of Vork and an entrepreneur at heart an...
2022-12-0138 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 52 Perfecting Performance W/ Rob FraserSocks are how we inspire and express ourselves. Outway set out to create a pair of socks that meet the technical demands of professional athletes, paired with premium design and comfort for any occasion.
Rob Fraser is the CEO and founder of Outway. Robs is a Former pro cyclist and 5 Time team Canada Downhill MTB National Team Athlete. Having the approach of a pro athlete he bet on himself and knew the activewear market was developing but socks were being left behind. As a biker, socks were a way of expression and Rob knew he could add...
2022-11-2444 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 51 Live Healthier & Happier W/ Nathan FarrishIt's tough to balance the work grind, relationships, your health, and all your other hobbies. Health usually falls off first, because it's not an issue yet. You're young, right?
Nathan Farrish is the Owner of Ripple and Surge Training and a Studio Account Executive at Trainerize which is the #1 coaching platform and mobile app for fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle.
Nathan helps men aged 25-45 in corporate jobs fix their posture, shed fat, get rid of brain fog, and live healthier, happier lives BEFORE their health becomes an issue. And with the move to a more di...
2022-11-1734 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 50 Helping Traders Find Their Edge W/ Sean RyanMost traders lose sleep because they don't know what tomorrow holds. Predicting Alpha provides you with game changing education, powerful options analytics and the community you need to trade with confidence.
Sean Ryan is the CEO and one of the founders of Predicting Alpha, the new where the next generation of traders will come from.
Predicting Alpha is a platform we all wish existed when we started trading. PA is built off hard work, so everything you get is directly applicable to your trading. Big Funds with billions of dollars can afford to pay $100,000+ for dat...
2022-11-1143 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 49 Earn Rewards For Paying Your Rent W/ Abtine MonavvariIt’s your money, make it work for you.
Abtine Monavvari is the CPO and one of the co-founders of Chexy, the new standard for paying rent.
Chexy is the first tenant-facing payments platform that allows renters to earn rewards & build credit on rent, all while bringing rent payments into the 21st century.
We know renting can be hard. Month after month, an eye-watering sum leaves your bank account leaving you very little to show for it.
Unlike your everyday purchases, when it comes to rent, you don't benefit from travel incentives or th...
2022-11-0341 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 48 How Voiceform Is Changing The Way We Collect Customer Insights W/ Philip BrookIn a world of online surveys and customer feedback, one company is changing the game by making it easy for customers to speak their mind, literally.
Here's a breakdown of what is covered:
[00:00:13] - The power of ai and voiceform.
[00:01:37] - Who is philip.
[00:19:48] - The importance of accelerators.
[00:25:57] - 6 months to build a product.
[00:29:47] - How did you build collective voice.
[00:32:35] - How do you collect feedback.
[00:34:13] - Can you create surveys using voice.
[00:40:09] - What does the future look like...
2022-08-1942 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 47 How to Evaluate Trillion Dollar Disruption W/ Brian MosoffEthereum is a once-in-a-generation asset that will power the future of finance and the internet (Web3). Today we speak with Brian Mosoff, CEO of Ether Capital. Ether Capital is a publicly-traded company (NEO: ETHC) that offers an access point to Ethereum through the capital markets. Whether you are interested in entering the world of DeFi, or are an expert on the subject, this is a great conversation to listen to. We speak with Brian about where he thinks the industry is heading, how to evaluate projects and how his story all started with a used iPad from Craigslist. Hope...
2022-06-0946 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 46 Making difficult workplace conversations Easier W/ Fatir Ali & Ling WengAlleviate Labs uses live actor simulations to help you Master Advanced Interpersonal Skills! Their mission is to help individuals become a more empathetic and human version of themselves, one conversation at a time. In this episode, we speak about they were able to test hypotheses and get a paying customer in only a few weeks to ensure they were solving a real problem. Hope you enjoy this episode and look at improving your own interpersonal and speaking skills.
2022-05-2745 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp 45 Data and the Rise of Esports W/ Tim SevenhuysenEsports has been one of the fastest-growing industries over the past years, attracting 100’s of millions of dollars of investment from some of the largest companies. Today we speak with Tim Sevenhuysen about how he was able to start and grow a career in esports which includes starting Oracle's Elixir, becoming a content creator, and consulting. Since its creation in 2015 Oracle's Elixir has been used by professional coaches, analysts, broadcasters, writers, daily fantasy competitors, and hardcore fans. Analytics provided by Oracle's Elixir is routinely featured on professional broadcasts around the world and used in coverage from ESPN Esports, Dot Esp...
2022-05-1941 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 44 African Ethnic Foods in North America W/ Femi JodaFemi founded dodo in 2020 with the conviction that getting access to healthy and nutritious West African ethnic foods in North America shouldn’t be difficult. Growing up in Lagos Nigeria, Femi was accustomed to eating delicious plantains 3 to 4 times a week, all year round, without having to wait a day for them to get ripe enough for consumption. When he moved to Canada, sadly that was not the case. We speak about how he started the business over the past few years and the challenges and success of bringing a loved food to the Toronto market.
...
2022-04-2843 min
Trndsttrs Media PodcastF*CK "Professionalism", Be YOU | Building Blocks Podcast w Brendan HerjavecOn today's podcast episode, Jake shares the building blocks that have created Trndsttrs and what it means to be a Gen Z in the professional world.
Thank you to Brendan Herjavec for hosting - be sure to check out the Building Blocks podcast on all podcast platforms!
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/trndsttrs/support
2022-04-1949 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 43 Gen Z Isn't Just OTW, We're Already Here W/ Jake BjorsethThe future is here, where are you? Gen Z is no longer just a talking point - they are real consumers, creating drastic change, and driving brands to do better. Today we speak with Jake Bjorseth the founder of Trndsttrs a Gen Z Ad Agency focused on working with Fortune 1000 companies to connect with the next generation. We speak about how Jake was able to use his youth to his advantage by not only connecting with his demographic but by being able to think differently compared to the tenured corporate employees. Hope you enjoy the episode and learn how y...
2022-04-1450 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 42 Web 3.0, NFTs and Laid Back Llamas W/ Jesse GalatiWith any new space, the ability to rely on experience is a must. Today we spoke with Jesse, one of the cofounders of the NFT Agency and Laid Back Llamas. We speak about the development of web 3.0 NFTs and how important it is to stay ahead of the curve when becoming an expert in new domains. We go over how he and the NFT agency have been working with some of the biggest brands and how important it is to build a community, especially with discord. Hope you enjoy this episode, learn more about web 3 and NFTs, and keep...
2022-04-0752 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 41 On a Mission to Stop Workplace Hurt W/ Katie McLaughlinToday we speak with Katie McLaughlin about how a background in the theater with a mix of corporate experience has allowed her to create the Mclaughlin Method to help put an end to boring, theory-based training. We go over the value of developing a strong culture and the benefits it brings. As well as how important it is to experiment and grow to push the boundaries in developing better teams. At the end of the day, a company is really just a group of people and the better they can communicate the better the company and culture will be...
2022-04-0142 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 40 Building Tomorrow's Brands Today W/ Zachary RonskiToday we speak with Zachary Ronski, the cofounder of InHouse Creative. InHouse Creative is Toronto based creative marketing agency working on Building Tomorrow's Brands Today through top-tier brand strategy, creative design, & digital advertising for innovative clients with trendsetting goals. We speak about the importance of building relationships and treating every customer with respect to ensure that a connection is always made to bring more value. Hope you enjoy this episode and learn how to grow a revenue generation business from the ground ups to compete with the titans in any industry.
https://inhousecreative.ca/
2022-03-2447 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 39 Text, Voice and Digital Humans ConversationHEALTH W/ Lexi KaplinToday we speak with Lexi Kaplin the cofounder of ConversationHEALTH. ConversationHEALTH uses best-in-class conversational AI technology and medical expertise, they help global Life Sciences companies deliver medical conversations at scale, through text, voice and digital humans, across markets and languages. We speak about Lexi’s journey from developing caffeine strips with Lumos Energy Strips to entering the world of tech and transferring her knowledge of the medical space from one venture to the other. Hope you enjoy this episode and hear from another entrepreneur running a fast growth startup.
https://www.conversationhealth.com/
2022-03-1736 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP 38: Juniper- For the world’s largest influencers W/ Nikita KopotunOver the past few years, we have seen the rise of the content creation industry. Individuals are getting more attention, having higher viewership and creating better content than traditional media outlets. But like with any industry as the money grows so does the ecosystem. Merch is a polarizing word with many viewers picturing an itchy tshirts. Juniper is breaking this mold allowing content creators to develop high-quality merch that is custom to them. Juniper helps with the ideation all the way to the creation of the item ensuring the content creators are able to focus on what they do...
2022-03-1045 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP 37: A Bright Idea to Make Rooms Darker W/ Mark CoombsClose your eyes and relax, but that damn streetlight is shining in your eyes. Having a dark room is one of the keys for getting a good night sleep and light leak is an annoyance many of us face. Today we speak with Mark, the co-founder and Ceo of Sleepout the world's best portable blackout curtain.
Mark and Hannah started sleepout over a year ago during the benign of covid, like many others they wanted a change and saw a problem they believed they could fix and bring innovation to. On today's episode we go over how...
2022-02-1035 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 36 Health and Wealth Through Smoothies W/ Chelsie HodgeToday we speak with Chelsie Hodge, the CEO and Founder of Blender Bites. Blender Bites are 100% organic superfood pucks for smoothies with National distribution across Canada in both retail and foodservice. She created her first prototypes in her kitchen and then moved manufacturing to a rented popsicle shop in North Vancouver, where she had the help of her family to make every bag of blender bites by hand for the first 3 years. We get to learn about how Chelsie went from the corporate world and built experience that helped launch the successful publicly traded company Blender Bites is today...
2022-01-2738 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 35 Serial Entrepreneur and Artificial Intelligence W/ Ron GlozmanHaving one success is impressive but having multiple shows a skill. Today we speak with Ron Glozman who has started ventures such as Chisel AI, Knote, and Freeingmusic. We chat about some of the uses of AI and when it may be smart NOT to include it in a product. We talk about the wild journey Ron has been on since we met at Next 36 and how he came up with the idea of Chisel AI. Just like many entrepreneurs, the journey can be just as unique as the destination. Hopefully, you enjoy this episode, learn more about what...
2022-01-2046 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP 34: From PhD to Hot Sauce to Mozart Data W/ Peter FishmanThe journey of life is never as linear as it seems. Going from getting a PhD in behavioral economics, starting a bacon-flavored hot sauce company to starting Mozart Data, Peter has had a unique journey. Today we speak about how his diverse experiences can be extremely beneficial when it comes to starting a business. We touch on how covid was the impetus for change and talk about some of the challenges that come with founding a company. Hope you enjoy the episode and learn more about Peter’s journey and how Mozart data allows you to go from siloed and...
2021-12-101h 00
Love. Lead. Excel. with KristinEpisode 11 - Lotus Flower + The Mountain with Sean PatrickIn this episode of the Love Lead Excel podcast, we’re talking all things
From red carpets to conference stages, corporate parties to convention floors you can find Sean Patrick entertaining thousands all across the globe at both Live and Virtual Events! The worlds biggest companies bring him in to make sure their events are above and beyond expectations. Disney, Google, Amazon, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and The NFL just to name a few!
Sean Patrick has brought his hosting and other talents to numerous Hollywood World Premieres including: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Ad Astra, Captain Marvel and most re...
2021-12-081h 01
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP 33: Turn your stories into content that connects & converts W/ Deirdre TshienHelping Entrepreneurs capture their audience's attention and emotionally connect people to their brand is Capsho’s mission. In today’s episode, we learn how Deirdre went from making Australia's best lava cakes to developing software to help entrepreneurs become the ultimate sloth bosses. We learn how Deirdre went from the hospitality business to the software business including the learning curves and challenges along the way. Some of the key takeaways from this episode, besides the term “sloth boss”, is the importance of developing an effective MVP to get feedback from your customers and not requiring a large development team or large...
2021-11-2646 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 32 Animated Virtual Reality W/ Dusan Simic & Filip MilinkovićOver the past few years, we have seen a change in how media has been consumed. However, not much has changed in regards to the medium even with the rise of mobile devices and their gyroscopes. Today we speak with 2Immersive4u to learn how they produce 360°/180° animated videos optimized for mobile devices with no VR headset needed. They have worked with musicians, show creators, and marketers to allow individuals to venture into the forms of media to take the viewing experience to the next level.
In today's episode, we speak to Dusan Simic & Filip Milinković about how...
2021-11-1855 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 31 Helping startups scale from $0 - $100 MM W/ Joshua FairbairnHaving had success in the early days of Kickstarter, Josh became very family with the challenges of creating and developing a product overseas. He knew that he wasn’t the only one and the growth of crowdfunding would create a high demand of entrepreneurs attempting to develop products in China. From here, he developed MorphoMFG, a product designed to collaborate with your team through every step (design, prototyping, sourcing, mass production, shipping & logistics, etc.) until it arrives at your doorstep.
Today, MorphoMFG is aiming to build the Rolls Royce of products in China. MorphoMFG is focused on pr...
2021-11-1249 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 30 Livestream For Finance, Investing and Trading W/ Tobias Francis HeaslipOver the past few years, we have seen a shift of individuals wanting to take more control over their finances, this is no more apparent than with the rise of retail investors and crypto. We have also seen a shift in how media and learning is consumed with the ever-growing interest in live streaming and content creation. Trading.tv looked to combine these worlds to allow financial content creators to have a platform built for them while also having a place for individuals looking to gain financial knowledge. We speak about some of the challenges of founding a startup...
2021-10-2141 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 29 Making Dough with Dough and How To Be A Solo Entrepreneur W/ Erica RankinTurning a passion into a business is always challenging, especially when you are solo in this journey. In this episode I connect with Erica to learn how she turned tasty treats into healthier alternatives, creating Bro Dough. We learn about some of the challenges that come with being a solo entrepreneur and how to navigate the complex world of entrepreneurship. We hear about how Erica started in business and overcame challenges such as having to use a balcony as a fridge and a dining room as a conference room. If you are interested in how to start a CPG...
2021-10-1440 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 28 Building a Business and Dashboards W/ Dave HurtData has become a part of everyone's role, no longer is it just a single team who works with numbers, the whole company and especially business teams need to learn how to harness and derive insights. Today we connect with Dave Hurt the Co-founder of Verb Data: Dashboards made easy for your SaaS platform. We speak about how Dave went from the 9-5, to developing a service business that focused on creating custom software solutions, all the way to co-founding Verb data. We hear his stories of the differences between a product and service business as well as the...
2021-10-0753 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 27 Entrepreneurial Dinners and International Business Retreats W/ Karan NijhawanNetworking is not fun and is often ineffective, what it misses is the ability to connect on a deeper level and have a candid conversation in a low-stress environment. What Karan learned was that hosting dinners not only allows for a better networking environment but also provides a catalyst for better conversations. Karan took this format and developed a successful coaching business along with hosting a variety of international business retreats. Today we speak about how and why he switched from his successful 9-5 to pursue JUBE and other entrepreneurship endeavors as well as how his new entrance into...
2021-09-2349 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 26 Attention Economy and Growth of TikTok Marketing W/ Adam SilvermanWith the ever-changing world of social media, what is “hot” can change year over year. Keeping up with trends can not only be intimidating but risky for organizations. Adam saw this and wanted to make an avenue for content creators and organizations to connect for mutual benefit. Adam started Hot Media, which has been acquired by Wondr Gaming where he now is the Head Of Media. One of the big takeaways was that while others may have looked down at TikTok Adam realized that the retention and viewership were high and at the end of the day no matter what...
2021-09-1648 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 25 Travels Tutorials Vlogs - Making Money While Traveling W/ Mark HarrisonToday we speak with Mark Harrison, a content creator, YouTuber, and growing social media star. When Mark posted his first videos he did not expect much except to share his moments with friends and family, however, when one of his videos got picked up by the algorithm and reached over a quarter of a million views opportunities started to come. With the growth he had organizations reaching out to license his content and this is when things clicked, he could make money and a living from being a content creator. Mark quit his job and decided to dedicate his t...
2021-09-0939 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 24 A Boys Club But For All The Women W/ Monday GirlNetworking is often challenging because 25 or more people are competing for the attention of one VP and inquiring about the same employment opportunities. Only the extroverted people speak and the loudest people seem to be the only ones heard and remembered. Guests leave with little to no value unless they are one of the lucky few to get a coffee chat to network after the networking event.
Rachel and Istiana have a similar perspective on networking and wanted to create an event they would want to attend. It started with a small event over brunch then grew...
2021-09-0252 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 23 How You Can Use LinkedIn to Get More Clients W/ Saarim AsadyToday we speak with Saarim Asady, the founder of Influence Digest Media. Saarim has not only created a success page averaging 50,000 readers a month but also has created a successful coaching business. Saarim works with individuals using the power of digital marketing to help coaches and consultants get more customers.
In today's episode, we speak about how Saarim has never worked a typical 9-5 workday and how he has always found ways to be a successful entrepreneur. Going over the origin story of influence digest and how a school project to earn one dollar created a chain...
2021-08-1955 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP: 22 Rumie - From Wall Street to Free Innovative & Authentic Learning W/ Tariq FancyToday I speak with Tariq Fancy, the former Chief Investment Officer for "Sustainable" Investing at BlackRock (2017-2019). BlackRock is a financial services firm with over $9 trillion in investments. After trying to improve Wall Street’s "green" initiatives from the inside, Tariq realized the idea of “green” was exploited for marketing and there was little social impact happening. Now Tariq is ready to blow the whistle about greenwashing. He founded Rumie - an ed-tech nonprofit startup (2013) that provides effective and scalable ways to close the learning gap. In May 2020, Rumie 2.0 launched. Rumie 2.0 is a new suite of learning solutions, evolving to mee...
2021-08-1251 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 21 Care About Your Skin with Skin Theory W/ Caralyn HaleOur skin is happiest when we are happy, so let’s start there! Caralyn is a Registered Holistic Nutrition Practitioner RHNP™ and Acne Expert. As a holistic skin coach, she empowers her clients to listen to their bodies and make tweaks to their lifestyle, skincare routine, mindset, and nutrition to clear their skin naturally. In this episode we talk about how Caralyn was able to make this business her full-time job and how she has been growing as a solopreneur handling and learning all the business functions. Hope you all enjoy this episode and wear your sunscreen.
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2021-08-0546 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp 20: Live Shopping in an Online Store, and Creating a Repeatable Startup Process W/ Amer Abu-KhajilToday I speak with Amer from TTT Studios. With the help of his team at TTT Studios, Amer launched Shop Studio Live. This Shopify App empowers brands to foster meaningful relationships with their customers while supercharging conversion rates through engaging live videos. Amer and I discuss how he developed a repeatable process to create new startups for his organization and how he brought Shop Studio Live to market. This is a fantastic episode if you want to know more about how Amer got a product on Shopify and how your business can bring more innovation and creativity while running...
2021-07-2953 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp:19 Liebs & Co - Help Employers and Employees Better Understand Disability W/ Max LiebermanIn this episode I had the opportunity to speak with Max Lieberman to learn more about his story and his mission “We believe that education and empathy create a better workplace for all” . When entered the workforce he quickly realized that many companies lacked the knowledge on how to accommodate people with disabilities. Just like many entrepreneurs he saw a challenge he wanted to solve.
Many companies refused to accommodate his learning disabilities, which made it difficult to climb the corporate ladder. He realized there must be other people facing similar challenges. Max created Liebs & Co. to ensu...
2021-07-2249 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 18 Combining The Worlds of Art and AI W/ Ben KovalisMath and beauty may not always go hand and hand, but Art AI has made this happen by training AI to develop art as if a human created it. Art AI that creates “Art made by Artificial Intelligence that Captures the Eye & the Mind” has allowed people, like me, to add one-of-a-kind artwork to their collections. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ben, one of the three founders of Art AI. Ben, who alongside Eyal and Guy, have developed a new unique form of art. Ben and I speak about how their idea came to be a...
2021-07-1544 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 17 Birdhill Studio - Creating photos + videos that grow brands W/ Josh Carn-SafersteinA picture can be worth a thousand words... or dollars. In this episode, we speak with Josh Carn-Saferstein from Birdhill Studio. Josh explains how he transformed a camera and hobby into a brand-focused business that works with some of the most exciting CPG companies. We speak about the differences between a professional shoot and an iPhone shoot and when to use each. The creative process may seem like a black box of secrets, but Josh breaks it down and describes his process. Josh explains how he approaches a project as well as the openness he shares with his customers. On...
2021-07-0858 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 16 What Is Building Blocks And Why Did It Start?You may be wondering what Building Blocks is or curious about why I started it. On this special long weekend episode, I share a bit about me, how I got to where I am today, and what the future holds for the podcast. If you have been enjoying the podcast and have a guest recommendation feel free to send drop a message or leave a comment below.
2021-07-0212 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 15 Let's Talk Career W/ Adolphus BasseyThis is a special episode as we speak with Adolphus Bassey, one of my best friends, one of the most hard-working people I know who not only promotes happiness but also elevates everyone around him. Growing up in Odukpani, Cross River State, Nigeria Adolphus found cybersecurity when trying to look for a niche to focus in as a software engineer he found consulting where he became the youngest manager within his Deloitte office, from there he wanted to take steps in being more business focus where he went to UBC to attain his MBA from here he has interviewed...
2021-06-241h 08
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 14 Upcycling - Making Cookies from Beer Waste with Susgrainable W/ Marc WandlerThe rumor is you can't have your cake and eat it too, but Susgrainable has figured out a way to drink your beer and eat it too. Susgrainable transforms beer "waste" into premium baked goods, including cookies, waffles, and banana bread. This beer “waste” should not be called waste at all as it’s the healthiest part of the grain; it is high in fiber, protein, and minerals.
In this episode with Marc, we talk about his career decisions and journey. Marc was a former nutritionist, who worked with people wanting to improve their diet, however, most eventu...
2021-06-1847 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp:13 Kicksaw W/ Kenny GoldmanKenny has started a variety of companies and organizations that include Kicksaw and SalesTO. Our conversation covers a variety of topics including unpaid internships, how to get the most out of a job, how to grow in a career, and how to better prepare to start a business. Most importantly we speak about how he was able to progress and build the skill needed to run a successful company. Our discussion explores ideas that you don’t need to start a business to start something and with a focus on being realistic, you can ensure that your effort is pu...
2021-06-1051 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 12 Mid-Day Squares W/ Jake KarlsThis is a tasty episode! I spoke with Jake Karls from Mid-Day Squares to hear his story; his business has the potential to disrupt a billion dollar industry by making the First FUNCTIONAL Chocolate Bar.
Running a business has become much more about branding along with the fantastic product. Jake goes over how he was able to build a viral brand that not only has helped the Mid-Day team grow, but has started a movement. Not only has he spoken about the importance of brand, he goes over specifically how he has developed it and continues to...
2021-06-0346 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp:11 Wickens Wicked Reptiles W/ Adam WickensIt’s a bird, it's a plane, it's actually a reptile. During COVID many people were looking for companionship due to social isolation. From what I witnessed, COVID led to growth in the pet hobby industry, including exotic animal husbandry. I, myself, purchased a reptile during the lockdown. I learned quickly that one of the best YouTube channels to learn about reptiles is Wickens Wicked Reptiles; Adam’s videos have been a huge help in ensuring I provide proper care of my leopard gecko (her name is Ember). In the podcast, we spoke about the process of starting a YouT...
2021-05-2742 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEP:10 Ava W/ Chase AndoCreating a healthy lifestyle can take money, time, and skill. At first thought, healthy eating and growing your own food sounds like a simple and easy idea, until you try it. From experience, I’ve tried buying the 5 dollar herb plants to make fresh sauces, but end up throwing the plants out after one use, as I was unable to keep them alive.
Ava Byte, the smart garden, allows users to grow plants on autopilot all year round, and reduces the challenges of growing food yourself by simply adding water to the planter once a month and mo...
2021-05-2034 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp:9 Gecko W/ Ben KennedyIn this episode we take a trip across the world to connect with Ben down in Australia. Ben started a company called Gecko, this company allows individuals to rent items for events, photo shoots and parties from people who have event items on hand (umbrellas, tents, speakers, etc). Therefore, people with event items or photo props on hand can make some extra cash. Ben and I spoke about how he was able to grow Gecko from the ground up to the successful business it is today. We discussed building a business in Australia as compared to the process in...
2021-05-1348 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp:8 Thrashed W/ Chris SoutsosMusic transcends time and culture, as well as connects communities of people. By developing a self brand, you can turn any passion into a career and a living. When you think of networking, you may think of a suit and tie event with small appetizers and people shoulder bumping their way towards a VP of a company to engage in a brief conversation that may lead to an interview, if you say the right things. Chris took a different and some people may say better approach to networking; he networked where he would share common interests with people, and...
2021-05-0638 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp:7 Apex Keyboards W/ Vince LaiOver the past few years, the mechanical keyboard hobby has exploded in popularity, due to platforms such as Twitch, Discord, and Reddit. Today I had the chance to speak with one of the leaders in the Canadian Mechanical Keyboard market, Vince, the founder of Apex Keyboards. Vince has made this hobby more assessable to people in Canada by taking his passion and developing not only a keyboard company, but a logistics company that helps individuals enter group buys with creators all around the world. If you are a gamer, or you enjoy a buttery smooth typing experience this is...
2021-04-2933 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp:6 Komo Comfort Food W/ Jeffrey MaPlant based food is one of the fastest growing business in North America. If you were to have asked me 5 years ago what industries I thought would bring some of the biggest technological innovations, I would be hard pressed to predict it would be food related. With some of the most exciting IPOs coming out from plant-based companies, this podcast was a unique conversation of not only how Jeffery got into this industry, but why its so dynamic and changing. We speak about how food is made to share, and his goal is to bring plant-based diets to everyone...
2021-04-2234 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp:5 Real Estate W/ Tyler SellarsFinancial independence before 30, sounds like magic? What started off as one unit became over 60 units, a construction company, real-estate investments, as well as many other companies. Tyler opened my eyes to the benefits of running everything like a business despite the potential risks, as there are ways to mitigate risks. If you are someone looking to invest in real-estate (not only to live), but as a supplemental income this is a great conversation to open your eyes to the possibility in a short period of time.
2021-04-1527 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp: 4 Biohacking W/ Brittany FordBiohacking has been on fire in recent years with the growth of tech billionaires and influencers looking for ways to optimize their lives and health. In my chat with Brittany, we discussed many topics ranging from starting a brand, optimizing one’s health, as well as how she has used her following to develop a product to protect women from the harms of radiation. While becoming a thought leader within the biohacking world she has been able to change many of her clients' lives. One of her new projects has been developing EMF underwear for women to better help prot...
2021-04-0836 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp:3 Ocean Regenerative W/ Matthias KempeIn This episode we speak about how seaweed can help the world, or as I have labeled it “kelping the world”. Since I have known Matthias he has been looking at ways to better utilized the ocean and its resources to help the environment. In this episode we go over how he started from a single Idea and pivoted to another through his work getting closer to the problem. By utilizing the literal weed of the sea (seaweed) Ocean Regenerative is looking to help the environment both in the ocean and on land. If you are interested in new indu...
2021-03-3140 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp:2 Hash Beasts W/ Jon McTavishA dynamic conversation about art the future and the benefits of the new hype of NFT’s. Jon is a unique artist who has worked with chainsaws, fire, reclaimed wood as well as canvas and digital. Being dynamic allowed him to explore all means of expression when he came across NFT’s. With all this hype around NFTs this conversation was eye-opening to see what the future brings from the artist's view. A great conversation with an old friend to understand what the future of art can be.
2021-03-2433 min
Building Blocks With Brendan HerjavecEp:1 Smash Bash Cakes W/ Mira LevineThis episode was a smashing good time speaking with Mira about how she took a small craft for a friend’s birthday and has transomed it into Smash Bash Cakes. In little less than a year with a mold and a tiny hammer, she has been able to sell over 100 cakes to very excited and happy customers all across the GTA. This goes to show that Mira is not only breaking cakes but breaking the bank by turning something that is fun into a growing side hustle that is run like a real business.
2021-03-1733 min
The Generation Hustle PodcastGHP #3 - Addressing Mental Health with Tech and being the son of a Shark Tank Star with Brendan HerjavecBrendan Herjavec is an experienced business strategy and development professional with a background that spans seed funded startups to multinational corporations. Brendan has been a part of some of Canada’s fastest growing companies with a deep love for entrepreneurship. He had the opportunity to take his creativity around the globe ranging from working in a traditional Japanese Bonsai Nursery, to helping create business plans in England through the EY Young Entrepreneurship program, to assessing blockchain viability in Hong Kong for GeoSwift.
He is currently involved in the intersection of the tech and mental health space, all wh...
2020-07-031h 20