Entrepreneur, early stage investor, and Founder of Relative, Mark Petch, joins me for an intriguing conversation on the podcast today. A consultancy that helps businesses with profitable growth, Relative is one of a number of companies that Mark has led over the years. As you will hear, his vast amount of experience in both leading and working for businesses has garnered him an extensive amount of knowledge, particularly in advising how to connect with customers in more engaging and meaningful ways, that he brings to this episode today. In this interview, Mark offers his marketing recommendations for entrepreneur business owners at this point in the pandemic, and introduces the Maple Network Exchange as well as Funnelytics and his involvement with them. He goes on to identify some common marketing strategy mistakes that business owners make, details his startup investments as well as other investments, how he protects his income, and his vision for the future of his businesses. As is the tradition here at the podcast, our guest concludes the interview with his definition of financial independence. Filled with the wisdom that his entrepreneurial experience has taught him, Mark has so much information and sage advice to share with all listeners here today.

Jean Desgagne, retired banking executive and CEO of Stablecorp, joins me on the podcast today.  Created as a partnership between 3iQ, Canada's leading crypto asset manager, and Mavennet, a recognized leader in the blockchain development space, Stablecorp is behind the issuance of QCAD, the first ever fully-compliant Canadian-dollar stablecoin designed for the mass market. Jean led the launch of QCAD by managing day-to-day operations and leveraging his deep network and expertise gained from three decades in Canada's financial services industry as President and CEO of The Canadian Depository for Securities Limited and several TMX Group companies. Currently, he is also a Board member of CAA and CPA Ontario. Our conversation begins with Jean offering an extensive explanation of blockchain and cryptocurrencies, how they work, as well as his description of QCAD. He then goes on to discuss Stablecorp's profit opportunity, his vision for the next 3-5 years, and his own investment strategy, particularly regarding the startups and AI in which he invests. Jean draws the episode to a close by sharing what he does with whatever time he has away from his work. While he may not be the typical interviewee for this podcast, Jean's vast experience both in business and in life will undoubtedly prove highly valuable for all listeners in today's informative episode.

Joining me on the podcast this week is Lamont Wiltshire, Chief Executive Officer at the Wiltshire Group, a group of companies that delivers construction, real estate and development in the GTA. Founded and headed by himself and his business partner, Odeen Eccleston, The Wiltshire Group is the parent company of its award winning subsidiary companies made up of Wiltshire Homes, a custom home builder, WE Realty, a full-service brokerage, and WE Developments, which delivers construction management, commercial and multi-residential projects and strategic land us. In today's highly informative interview, Lamont shares his perspective on a possible real estate bubble and crash, his recommendations to make homeownership more affordable for younger buyers, and the impact of the pandemic upon living and working in the GTA. He then goes on to describe his subsidiary companies and how they integrate together, their current projects, and how such projects are financed. Our conversation finishes up with Lamont describing his business partnership with Odeen Eccleston, what's next for his companies, and his definition of financial independence. Listen in as Lamont offers his uniquely insightful glimpse into the world of homebuilding, land development, and real estate here today.

My very special guest on the podcast this week is ChristianCafe.com President and Co-founder, Sam Moorcraft. After receiving his MBA, Sam engaged in a variety of occupations such as forest management, direct marketing, consulting, project management, and a number of entrepreneurial endeavors. Eventually, he joined forces with his brother and fellow MBA recipient, Philip, to found and build ChristianCafe.com into what is now the largest privately-owned Christian singles site online. Over the course of more than 22 years as a business, this site has helped untold thousands of singles connect, and is responsible for over 25,000 marriages! In our conversation today, Sam explains how he came to start this online dating service way back in the 1990's, what it looks like today, the premium service it provides its clients, as well as details about its subscription base and busiest usage times. He goes on to share the impact that the pandemic has had on the business, the fees it charges, how he keeps up with much larger competitors and evolving technology, and what is next for the company. Sam finishes up by offering his advice for young entrepreneurs, detailing his and his wife's savings and investments, and, as with all guests, revealing his definition of financial independence for him and his family. A remarkably successful entrepreneur, Sam Moorcroft shares his fascinating journey and experience-fuelled advice with Richard and listeners here today.

Founder and CEO of Hear Me Cheer, Elias Anderson, joins me on the podcast this week. Having left his university Engineering program to pursue entrepreneurship full-time, Elias has enjoyed great success with his current company, which was created as a response to the inability for fans to attend live sporting events during the pandemic. A true entrepreneur at heart, he is also the Founder of two other companies, ChampTrax and Sporting World, and, today, he shares his truly remarkable story of success in a very short amount of time with us all. In today's interview, we look at exactly what Hear Me Cheer is all about, the engineering that has gone into it, its rapid success, and how it makes money. We also discuss where its funding came from, what's next for it, what has surprised Elias during his journey, and the future of Hear Me Cheer post-pandemic. Elias finishes up by detailing his and his company's financial status and his advice for other entrepreneurs of his age group. Creating a product that so readily addresses a current need has proven not only successful in the short term but also holds great potential for the future, providing a valuable case study for other entrepreneurs to analyze, and Elias is only too happy to present it all in today's conversation.

Kevin Mako, President of Mako Design and Invent, joins me today for a fascinating discussion about his equally fascinating business and so much more. Built by Kevin completely from the ground up with no financing and no debt, Mako Design and Invent has grown to be the center of physical product design, turning great product ideas into booming businesses, nationally in the US and Canada, and is well on its way to do the same in England and China. Kevin is a true entrepreneur whose many other accomplishments include becoming a Fellow at the Brookfield Institute for Entrepreneurship, an advisor at Next 36 and Sage Canada, and the President of Mako Group, Inc., which specializes in investing in startups and scaling businesses. In this interview, Kevin describes how he came up with the idea for his rather unique business, his journey to his current position, what his business looks like today, and some of the difficulties he encounters when operating in both Canada and the USA these days. He also relates the story of one of his highly successful projects, how his company gets paid, the range for getting an idea to the final product, and the most surprising moment in his journey thus far. His low point and how he pulled himself out of it, what's next for him and his team, and some of his 'hacks' for scaling are also discussed. Kevin draws the episode to a close by sharing information regarding his income management as well as his definition of financial planning. With his mission to build positive world-changing businesses through his organically grown grass-roots company, Kevin is an entrepreneur whose immense faith in his work over the years has fostered a willingness to risk it all to ensure its growth and ultimate success, as you will learn here today.

My special guest on the podcast today is Stephen Worrall, founder of Integrated Clean Air Services, and industry expert in the field of HVAC hygiene and Indoor Air Quality. A former member of the Canadian Armed Forces and a veteran of the 1st Gulf War, Stephen is very much a lifelong entrepreneur with a keen interest in financial services who has written and spoken about cryptocurrencies and blockchain at several events. He also sits on several industry committees and is a member and Committee Chair with the Oakville Chamber of Commerce. In today's episode, Stephen shares how he got started in the clean air business, what he means by the 'golden quarter', what his company looks like today and how they attract customers. He also discusses the role his wife plays in the company and how they are growing the business, and offers an extensive exploration of crypto and blockchaining technology, his involvement in it, and his work with Consilium Crypto. Stephen goes on to reveal his plans for the future, the low points in his journey thus far and the lessons learned, and finishes up by describing his savings and investments as well as his definition of financial independence. Stephen's keenly entrepreneurial mindset is on full display here today as he recounts his own remarkable story, providing important information and advice for us all along the way.

Marc Wilson, Founder and Lead Advisor at Athletic Venture Advisors, a firm supporting the sports & sports technology industry by focusing on emerging startups, small business and investors, joins me on the podcast today. Within these industries, Marc and his team provide personal and company engagements, including, but not limited to, Business Development, Mentorship, Strategic Partnerships, Advisory Board Involvement, Investment Assistance, Deal Flow, Due Diligence, Recruitment, Venture Capital Involvement, Private Equity Assistance, Athlete/Entrepreneur Assessment, etc. In our interview today, Marc describes his company, the work in which it engages, including a case study of one of its clients, and the path he's taken to get where he is now. He also shares what has surprised him the most over his career, the low points and how he has rebounded from them, his income management and his definition of financial independence as well. He concludes our conversation by offering his thoughts on angel investing and investing in startups. Building a successful business in an area for which he so obviously has a passion, Marc's story here today is filled with information, advice, and inspiration for all.

Joining me on the podcast this week is Josh Kumar, Partner at Aird & Berlis LLP. A member of the firm's Tax Group, Josh's practice focuses on litigation and dispute resolution with the Canada Revenue Agency and Department of Justice, and also includes tax planning for private companies and individuals. He has extensive experience representing taxpayers in the Tax Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and he also holds a Chartered Professional Accountant designation. In today's interview, Josh shares what drives him to complete his goals, his current practice, the most common issues he encounters that require his tax expertise, and the expectations of a junior partner. He also describes a typical week for him, some traditional and alternative methods of charging clients, current challenges for the legal profession, and a low point in his professional journey. Our conversation draws to a close with Josh offering his advice for new lawyers, as well as reviewing his income management, financial planning, and his definition of financial independence. Combining his CPA and lawyer expertise, Josh's intricate knowledge in both these areas shines through brilliantly in today's remarkably informative episode.

Sara Erskine, Partner at Weintraub Erskine Huang LLP, is my guest on the podcast this week. Sara's practice is focused on commercial disputes, bankruptcy and insolvency, receiverships, proceedings under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA), securities law, labour and employment law, administrative law, constitutional law and class action litigation. She regularly represents clients before regulatory tribunals including the Ontario Securities Commission, Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and a broad range of professional disciplinary tribunals. Sara publishes papers in the area of securities law and class action litigation, is frequently invited to speak at legal conferences, and routinely presents to industry associations on managing the business risks associated with civil and employment disputes, and securities regulation. Today, Sara discusses starting her own firm, the type of cases they will handle, and her vision for it over the coming years. She also shares details about their marketing strategy to attract new business, the systems and processes she's developed, what an average day and week look like for her, and how they charge their clients. The current challenges facing the legal profession, Sara's advice for new lawyers, her financial planning and  income saving, investing, and protection are also addressed, and our conversation concludes with Sara's definition of financial independence. Armed with extensive professional knowledge and familiarity with the entrepreneurial experience of starting her own firm, Sara has so much to offer listeners here today.