Shows
The Profit or Pivot PodcastThe Untold Truth About Becoming a VC Investor & Launching the 'YC' for VCs, Coolwater CapitalEpisode Partner - hiredonna.com find elite executive assistants (use my link below for discounts)
Ever wonder how someone becomes a venture capitalist?
Winter Mead is the founder of Coolwater Capital, the YC for VC funds. He's invested in over 90 funds and has helped launch hundreds of VC firms. Venture operates in circles of trust. Those circles aren’t arbitrary, they’re built over decades. Ecosystems compound relationships the same way companies compound capital.
But the deeper insight is this: VCs are also fundraisers.
Every venture firm answers to limited partners. They...
2026-02-2650 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastWhy Toronto is Failing & What it Will Take to Fix It | James PasternakEpisode Partner: hiredonna.com - find elite offshore executive assistants with Donna. 30% off for first 3 months for my listeners. Links below.
Everything is degrading in major cities like Toronto.
Violent crime has skyrocketed, homelessness is rampant, living is increasingly unaffordable, and we are paying more in taxes & receiving worse services. In the latest episode of The Profit or Pivot Podcast I am joined by Toronto City Councilman James Pasternak to discuss these myriad issues Toronto is facing.
One story I simply cannot wrap my head around.
A few months ago, a g...
2026-02-1252 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastHow to Land Your Dream Job in VC or PE | Tips from a $1.7B AUM Fund ManagerJim Ferry, a Partner at Volition Capital with $1.7B AUM, recently posted a VC analyst role and received 2,500 applications in one week.
That number alone says everything. In this episode of The Profit or Pivot Podcast, we unpack what that level of competition really means, why traditional career advice is broken, and how hiring managers actually think when they’re flooded with applicants who all look the same on paper.
If you’re trying to get hired into a competitive role, this episode will force you to rethink your approach. This conversation isn’t about polish...
2026-01-2152 min
The Profit or Pivot Podcast4 Easy Steps to Master in Person Networking as an Introvert | Solo EpisodeWho you know in business is critical to your success, especially as a startup. And meeting the right people whether its best employees, partners, customers, and investors often requires networking and meeting new people in person.
But what if you're an introvert like me and dread networking and meeting new people in person?
There are a few simple and easy steps you can implement to overcome your fear, get out of your comfort zone and start meeting new people.
This advice is not limited to business events, but can be implemented more broadly...
2025-12-2408 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastMy Partnership with Waka Flocka Flame, The Business Behind Cultural InfluenceMax Abergel signed one of the most influential rappers in the world without an intro, a résumé, or permission. He literally slipped past security and walked into a green room.
That moment led to a long-term partnership with Waka Flocka Flame, an artist with diamond-certified records, collaborations with Nicki Minaj and Drake, and a brand that stretches far beyond music into business, philanthropy, and politics.
But this episode isn’t about celebrity. It’s about the operators behind the scenes, the people who turn influence into a business.
And Max didn’t come fro...
2025-12-181h 00
The Profit or Pivot PodcastBranding & Leadership Lessons From Heinz, SodaStream, & Pepsico | Rena NickersonEvery brand is trying to influence you but only a few succeed. Why? Because great brands understand human psychology better than their competitors.
In this episode of the Profit or Pivot Podcast, I sit down with Rena Nickerson, the General Manager of the Quaker and Sabra brands in Canada, who has spent her career understanding how people think, what motivates them, and how to turn that into real business growth.
We go deep into the mechanics of brand building, behavioral influence, and the subtle line between persuasion and manipulation. How do you shape perception? How...
2025-12-1055 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastQ&A with Matan: What VCs look for, what we do with failings startups, how to raise VC & other great questionsMatan joins the founders at the York Entrepreneurship Development Institute to answer their many questions about building startups, raising money, and standing out.
Q1 What do I look for in a startup when investing
Q2 Thoughts on "impact investing"
Q3 What do I do when a company is failing
Q4 How to break into VC
Q5 How would I redo my career / life if given the option
Q6 Dealing with failed founders trying again
Q7 Differences between Canadian and Israeli founders
Q8 Options for a failed business
Q9 SAFEs vs equity deals
Q10 How much control do VCs want and nee...
2025-12-0327 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastRebuilding 30+ Companies in Post-Soviet Russia & Building the #1 Ranked Incubator in the WorldEver wondered how the Russian oligarchs were made? This episode gives you a glimpse into that world… through someone who lived it, built through it, and survived it.
In this episode of The Profit or Pivot Podcast, Matan speaks with Marat Ressin, an entrepreneur who built and bought over 30 businesses after the fall of the Soviet Union, escaped the rising control of the KGB to Canada, and went on to build the #1 ranked university-linked business accelerator in the world.
Marat shares his unbelievable journey:
Becoming the 22-year-old director of a government venture before the US...
2025-11-2646 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastWhat Startup Founders Get Wrong About Scaling & Other Important Lessons | Ryan HenryBy his mid 20's, Ryan Henry became Head of Engineering for a fast growing mobile game developer. It was his first exposure to scaling a tech company, which he later leveraged at Freshbooks, a Canadian "unicorn" startup (over $1 billion valuation). At Freshbooks, Ryan hired 100 engineers in 1 year, a real rocket ship. He shares his insights on scaling a business, hiring the best people, how AI will change the tech landscape, and other important learnings.
Ryan also launched a startup and now runs a VC fund, Sand Hill North, where he invests in Seed stage companies in Canada...
2025-11-1954 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastProlific VC Investor: What Every Startup MUST Do to Raise Money SuccessfullyGeoff became an accidental entrepreneur building a 150 employee business and becoming a prolific angel investor with investments that include a $500 MILLION exit.
Geoff's journey illustrates the unpredictable path of entrepreneurship, highlighting the importance of adaptability, continuous learning, and being open to unexpected opportunities. Geoff and I discuss how to build a business, the many tough choices one has to make, and the big mistakes entrepreneurs make in their journey.
We also discuss how to more effectively raise venture capital, pitfalls to avoid, and whether or not VCs rely on luck or skill to succeed themselves...
2025-11-1248 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastHow Mastering Sales as an Introvert Made Me Rich | Alex SiplyarksyBy age 22, Alex Siplyarsky failed in his 1st business, was $40,000 in debt, and had his 1st child on the way.
Life looked bleak and he didn't know how to dig himself out of this deep hole. However, Alex defied the odds. Initially struggling with sales, he transformed his life by understanding what makes buyers tick and how to overcome an initial "no" and influence people to buy.
Starting with the humble beginnings of selling chocolates in middle school, Alex honed his sales skills through telemarketing and even selling diamonds. These experiences taught him how to...
2025-11-0547 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastWhy the Housing Crisis is Getting Worse & Product Lessons from a $100M Startup Exit | Mark Freedman🏠 Is Canada’s dream of home ownership officially dead?
In this episode of the Profit or Pivot Podcast, I sit down with Mark Freedman, entrepreneur, investor, and former Head of Product who helped lead a startup to a $100M+ exit, to talk about building and scaling businesses, product leadership, and why real estate in Canada and other major cities is becoming increasingly out of reach.
Mark shares how he helped grow a SaaS company from $600K ARR to over $10M and what those lessons taught him about value creation, conviction, and execution. Now, as a partn...
2025-10-2955 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastHow I Built & Exited 2 Startups Without ANY Venture Capital | Jeremy ZukerJoin me as I sit down with Jeremy Zuker, a seasoned entrepreneur who has successfully built and sold multiple marketplace startups.
In this insightful conversation, we'll delve into: Growth Strategies: Learn how Jeremy scaled WagJag to 180 employees and $50 million in revenue.
Bootstrapping Success: Discover why Jeremy chose to avoid venture capital and the benefits of bootstrapping.
Overcoming Challenges: Hear about the tough decisions and setbacks that every founder faces.
Building Strong Teams: Learn the importance of company culture and team dynamics.
Angel Investing: Gain insights into Jeremy's perspective on investing in early-stage startups.
Don't miss...
2025-10-2244 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastMelissa Lantsman on the Downfall of Canada, the 2025 Election Loss & the Meteoric Rise of Anti-Semitism🇨🇦 Canada is not the country it once was.
Economic stagnation, failing institutions, rising crime, a massive brain drain, a housing crisis, and a political class unwilling to confront the growing divisions and hatred. In this episode of The Profit or Pivot Podcast, I sit down with Melissa Lantsman, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, to discuss what’s gone wrong in Canada and what it will take to fix it.
Melissa offers a candid look at the erosion of Canadian values, the failure of leadership, and how antisemitism has become normalized in our streets...
2025-10-1655 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastHow AI is Breaking VC, Why Most Startups Will Become Obsolete, & Why Israel is Winning in Startups | Sion Balass of The Group Ventures
How do you build a venture capital firm in a market that isn’t mature? And what does it mean to be an entrepreneur shaped by experiences in Iran, Israel, and Canada?
In this episode of The Profit or Pivot Podcast, I sit down with Sion (Zion) Balass, co-founder and Managing Partner of The Group Ventures, a Toronto-based VC firm. Sion shares his remarkable journey, born in Iran to Iraqi Jewish parents, moving to Israel after the revolution, building a startup in computational drug discovery (AI before “AI” was cool), and eventually co-founding one of Canada’s most con...
2025-10-0158 min
The Profit or Pivot Podcast250 Years of Business Wisdom in 21 Min | Powerful Advice CompilationAre you an entrepreneur feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or questioning if you should keep going? You’re not alone. In this 21-minute compilation, we've pulled together the most powerful insights from guests of The Profit or Pivot Podcast, founders, investors, and business leaders who have faced struggles just like you.
This episode is packed with real talk and actionable strategies to help you:
Push through doubt and failure
Build resilience in tough times
Find mentorship and guidance
Stay focused on what really matters
Whether you’re in the early grind of a startup, running a small busi...
2025-09-1721 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastReviving My Failed Startup & Becoming Top 10 on the App Store | Jonathan Shiff of PAPRJonathan built a successful news app that reached the top 10 on Apple's app store and decided to let the startup fail. In this video, Jonathan and I discuss his winding journey as a startup founder, the challenges he faced, why he let his startup fail, and why and how he ultimately revived it.
Also, we discuss how he made a lot of money trading stocks, why he is bullish on crypto and why he thinks Ethereum is the future of money. And unlike most of my guests, he is a family office investor with insights into how...
2025-09-1052 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastReligion, Faith, Making Money & Finding Purpose | Rabbi Josh KallerHow can ancient Jewish wisdom guide the way we live, work, and build businesses today?
In this episode of the Profit or Pivot Podcast, I sit down with R. Josh Kaller who is an entrepreneur, attorney, real estate investor, and community leader, to explore the intersection of Judaism, spirituality, and business. In addition to being a real estate attorney and investor, Rabbi Kaller is building a nonprofit like a business, where he can impact the community in a sustainable way.
Josh shares how his Jewish values shape his approach to leadership, decision-making, and self-improvement, and...
2025-09-0353 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastTiming is Everything & Other Lessons From a Billion $ Exit | Michael DuranceTiming is everything when building a startup. It can make the difference between a billion dollar exit and utter failure. Its why one of the most important questions a venture capital investor will ask startups is "why now". What changed about the market that allows you to create significant value and build a hyperscale business NOW.
Michael Durance of xiVentures joins me to discuss his successful career in big tech, building successful startups, and VC investor. A theme that runs through our discussion is how market timing impacted his decisions, and how it made building a successful...
2025-08-2746 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastAdvising $23 Billion in Assets | Mo Lidsky of Prime QuadrantHow do billionaires really manage their money? What’s the difference between creating wealth and actually preserving it across generations?
In this episode of The Profit or Pivot Podcast, I sit down with Mo Lidsky, a serial entrepreneur, author of five books, and co-founder & CEO of Prime Quadrant, a leading family office advisory firm serving over 250 ultra-high-net-worth families with more than $23B in assets under advisement.
Mo’s entrepreneurial journey started at just 17 years old, when he launched his first business by accident and sold it two years later for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Sinc...
2025-08-201h 02
The Profit or Pivot PodcastHow to WIN Against 30,000 Competitors | Mark Halpern of WEALTHinsurance.comEntrepreneurs focus on how to create wealth but most DON'T think about the day after exit. How do they use their wealth, plan for the future, protect their legacy, and invest in their community. Mark Halpern, the Founder of WEALTHinsurance.com, became the most famous insurance broker in Canada by focusing on answering these questions for Canada's most successful business leaders.
In this episode, we dive into Mark's journey from aspiring journalist, middling insurance broker at a large agency, to one of Canada's top life insurance providers (and its most famous). Today, his clients include successful business...
2025-08-1444 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastBuilding a $150M Corporate Venture Fund | Talia Abramowitz & Deloitte VenturesShould you leave your steady corporate job to start a business?
In this episode of The Profit or Pivot Podcast I speak with Talia Abramowitz, a partner at Deloitte, the largest professional services firm in the world ($70B in revenues) and the founder of Deloitte Ventures, a $150 million corporate venture capital fund.
Talia shares how she carved out entrepreneurial opportunities within the corporate giant, built a 500-person AI practice from scratch, and what it really takes to launch a corporate venture fund. Whether you're a founder raising capital, an investor seeking insight into CVC strategy...
2025-08-0647 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastYou Can Scale a Startup WITHOUT Venture Capital | Mark NashmanMark Nashman shares his journey from successful entrepreneur to successful venture capital investor. We learn about Mark's incredible story building Clarity Systems, a financial software business that he grew to over $50 million in revenues before selling to IBM. We also discuss Mark's perspective on investing in startups, what he looks for, red flags and some advice for entrepreneurs.
Mark is a rarity amongst entrepreneurs today. He never relied on huge financing rounds to build his business. His insights into finding product market fit, building a business, and decision to sell will be helpful for any startup founder.
2025-07-3038 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastWhy Startup Founders Fail at Sales (And How to Fix It) | Sonya MeloffIn this episode of The Profit or Pivot Podcast, I sit down with Sonya Meloff, co-founder of one of Canada’s most successful sales recruitment agencies. She helped thousands of companies, from startups to enterprises, hire top-performing salespeople and scaled her business to 8-figure revenues before exiting.
If you're a founder hiring your first sales rep, scaling your go-to-market team, or just want to sharpen your sales skills, this is a masterclass.
We dive deep into:
Sonya’s accidental entry into sales and how she became a natural closer
Her time at Monster.com and...
2025-07-2358 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastAdapting to Rapidly Changing Business Environments | Michael MillarIn summer of 2020, at the peak of chaos in the healthcare industry, Michael raised a venture capital "Seed" round for his healthcare software startup. How did Michael turn a crisis into an opportunity, grow his business, and set himself on the path to success?
Some of the topics covered:
Michael's background, how and why he started Verto
How he developed an innovative solution in healthcare that few people could create and implement
How Michael adapted, grew, raised money and thrived as a healthcare software when customers stopped buying new software during a pandemic
When to pivot...
2025-07-161h 17
The Profit or Pivot PodcastThe Journey to a $1.6 Billion Exit | The Wind Mobile Story with Brice ScheschukIn this episode of The Profit or Pivot Podcast, host Matan Hazanov interviews Brice Scheschuk, a trailblazing entrepreneur who co-founded Wind Mobile and sold it for $1.6 billion. Bryce takes us behind the scenes of his journey, from his early days in Saskatchewan and the naval reserve to disrupting Canada’s telecom oligopoly with Wind Mobile. He shares heart-pounding moments, like securing a $200M deal with an Egyptian billionaire just days before a critical deadline and navigating a near-bankruptcy crisis that led to a massive exit.
Now a seasoned investor with stakes in 50 venture funds and 130 direct startup in...
2025-07-091h 22
The Profit or Pivot PodcastWhy I Left a $100 Million Business to Build a Startup | Avi AbramsAvi Abrams shares his journey from aspiring VC to one of the 1st hires in a high growth startup raising $50 million, and how he eventually leaves to pursue his goal of building a business from 0 to 1. We dive into Avi's time at Humi, a high growth SaaS startup, where he led product development during the company's incredible growth. He shares his lessons for building and selling products, understanding customer needs, and being a "mechanical Turk".
We also delph into his decision to leave soon after the $25 million Series B raise to start his own business. But his e...
2025-07-0236 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastFrom $0 to $10M: Marketing Lessons Every Startup Founder Needs | Igor SorokinIn this episode, Matan Hazanov sits down with Igor Sorokin, the marketing mastermind behind One Core Media, an 8-figure boutique marketing firm driving results for global giants like Canadian Tire, Kijiji, Cisco, and even Floyd Mayweather. With over 25 years in the game, Igor shares battle-tested strategies for startups and growing businesses to stand out, scale smart, and avoid common marketing pitfalls. From the power of strategy to the impact of AI on marketing, this episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, investors, and founders looking to scale their business.
What You’ll Learn:
How to differentiate your bu...
2025-06-2552 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastThe Blueprint for Building Startups at Scale | Chris CarderChris Carder shares his incredible journey as an aspiring journalist to successful entrepreneur, academic, and builder of startups at scale. He is currently the Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Schulich School of Business, often ranked the #1 business school in Canada.
The position is one he created as a result of building a startup community at Schulich from the ground up, tapping into the entrepreneurial drive of many students and alumni of the school. Chris' insights from building and selling multiples business, investing and advising many startups, to community building is invaluable to those looking to start or...
2025-06-1849 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastFrom Startup to $660M Exit: The Wattpad Story | Allen LauJoin host Matan Hazanov for an incredible discussion with Allen Lau, co-founder of Wattpad, the global storytelling platform that sold for an astounding $660M USD.
From his roots as a software engineer to scaling Wattpad to 100M users, Allen shares hard-earned lessons on finding product-market fit, navigating startup challenges, and the critical role of timing in building a powerhouse business. Now a venture capitalist at Two Small Fish Ventures, Allen reveals common mistakes founders make when raising capital, insider tips on hiring and leadership, and why he chose to build Wattpad in Canada instead of Silicon Valley.
2025-06-111h 24
The Profit or Pivot PodcastWhy Israel is the "Startup Nation" | David Shore of OurCrowdOn October 7, 2023, Israel was brutally attacked by Hamas terrorists resulting in the worst single day massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust. With the country now at war, how does civil society cope with 10-15% of its labour force being called up to military reserve duty?
David Shore, a Partner at OurCrowd, the most active venture capital investor in Israel joins me to discuss the situation in Israel and how startups he invested in continue building and succeeding.
Israel is one of the largest startup ecosystems in the world, consistently punching above its weight given...
2025-06-0441 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastHow We Invest $800 Million on Behalf of Canada's Wealthiest Families | Neil NiskerNeil Nisker is a legendary Canadian entrepreneur who built and sold three wealth management businesses. Now running "Our Family Office" managing $800M for Canada’s wealthiest families, Neil shares his incredible journey, from his early days as a “gopher” on the Toronto Stock Exchange to cold-calling Sir John Templeton, sparking a 35-year mentorship.
He dives into contrarian investing principles, his 75x venture capital return, and why he’s exploring VC again. Neil also discusses becoming a contrarian investor and upending our understanding of risk analysis throwing away the "Sharpe Ratio".
In this episode, Neil reveals:
How...
2025-05-281h 24
The Profit or Pivot PodcastSocial Media Expert: How to Effectively Use Social Media to Build Your BusinessTamar Lyons quit her "dream job" in media making $40k/year to build a social media marketing agency and is now doing over $500k in revenues in just a couple of years and growing rapidly.
By her mid 20s, Tamar was married, depressed, and living a life that she didn't want. She was not living authentically. After realizing how much money she was leaving on the table, and some tough love from her mentors, Tamar decided to quit, and rebuild her life into the life she wanted to live.
In this discussion, we discuss how...
2025-05-2155 min
The Profit or Pivot PodcastOur Revenues Went to $0 Overnight | How I Rebuilt My Startup StrongerThe stark reality for building a startup: the unexpected can happen at any moment.
Just 3 months after closing a $1M Seed round, COVID restrictions hit, resulting in a fast growing business reduced to $0 revenues. Eropa's strategic pivot with a very low cash burn while increasing the team & revenues was nothing short of a miracle.
It's a lesson in resilience and the power of quick, decisive action in times of crisis.
2025-01-2730 min
Tech Uncensored - An Altitude Accelerator PodcastEpisode 4: What VC's Don't Tell You: Things You Have Always Wanted to AskFunding from venture capital is a critical financial resource for tech startups. But do you know why venture capital companies pass on a company? How do they VCs evaluate startups? In this discussion, our host, Sam Husain, invited two VC partners, Matan Hazanov and David Harris Kolada, who have been working with startups for years. Watch the discussion and get the “myths” of VCs busted. Subscribe to Tech Uncensored on YoutubeSubscribe to our Weekly Tech Uncensored, LinkedIn Live NewsletterRegister and gain access to advisors, programs, and our extraordinary networkFollow us:
2023-02-2829 min
Impact Investing with Jeffery Potvin - Exploring Investing with PurposeEp. 74 – Matan Hazanov, Vice President at Verstra VenturesMatan Hazanov, VP for Verstra Ventures, joins (JP) Jeff [...]
2021-09-2958 min