Starting a business is one thing, but how do you keep going when the going gets tough? This episode of The Start-up Cycle explores the topic of perseverance. We hear about new research from professor Jana Raver on the relationship between resilience and entrepreneurial success (yep, they're related) and get a final dose of motivation from Jeremiah Brown, author of The 4 Year Olympian. We will also hear about learning from failure. Your host is Meredith Dault. This episode refers to the following research: F. He et al, "Keep calm and carry on: Emotion regulation in entrepreneurs’ learning from failure” in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice (2018) 42(4), 605-630 Y. Liu, "Narcissism and learning from entrepreneurial failure” in Journal of Business Venturing (2019) Vol. 34 (3) 496-512Special Guests: Alan Morantz , Jana Raver , and Jeremiah Brown .

Too many start-ups hit the ground running, and then sputter out before their time is up. Don’t let it happen to you. This episode focuses on finding ways to sustain your business as it grows. We learn about lean innovation from professor Barry Cross (hint: it’s about focusing your efforts on the stuff that really matters). We also talk to professor Anthony Goerzen about the challenge of maintaining your competitive advantage when you are expanding internationally and get some advice on staying focused from 437 Swimwear founder Adrien Bettio. Your host is Meredith Dault. All music sourced from Free Music Archive. Special Guests: Adrien Bettio , Anthony Goerzen , and Barry Cross .

One of the challenges when you are growing your business is finding the right balance: do you grow the leadership team first, or focus on the sales force? And how far into the future should you be casting your gaze? We tackle these questions and more as we explore the subject of scaling with Eva Wong, co-founder and COO of Borrowell, and professor Jim Hamilton, an expert in sales management who has plenty of his own experience growing start-up companies. We will also hear the management evidence on what makes great entrepreneurial teams tick. Your host is Meredith Dault. This episode refers to the following research: T. Yu-wen Huang et al, “Which matters more? Group fear versus hope in entrepreneurial escalation of commitment” in Strategic Management Journal (2019 early publication online) L. Jin et al, "Entrepreneurial team composition characteristics and new venture performance: a meta-analysis” in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice (2017) 743-771 Y. Dai et al, "The direct and indirect impact of gender diversity in new venture teams on innovation performance” in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice (2019) Vol. 43(3) 505–528Special Guests: Alan Morantz , Eva Wong , and Jim Hamilton .

You know your business idea is worth a million bucks – now you just have to convince someone to give you the cash to make it happen. But while some say it is easier than ever for start-ups to raise money, one question remains: what’s the best way to do it? We get advice from angel investor Jess Joss, Executive Director of York Angel Investors, as well as from Shyam Ramchandani, an entrepreneur with experience securing VC financing. We will also hear about the unique challenges and opportunities facing female entrepreneurs when it comes to finding funding. This episode refers to the following research: S. Poczter and M. Shapsis, "Gender disparity in angel financing” in Small Business Economics" (2018) 51:31–55 L. Balachandrain et al, "Don’t pitch like a girl! How gender stereotypes influence investor decisions” in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice (2019) Vol. 43(1) 116–137 C. Leitch at al, "Women entrepreneurs’ financing revisited: taking stock and looking forward” in Venture Capital (2018) 20:2, 103-114Special Guests: Alan Morantz , Jess Joss , and Shyam Ramchandani .

Shari Hughson was already a seasoned entrepreneur when she gave it all up to pursue her dream of living off the land in the Canadian wilderness. Unsurprisingly, she knows a thing or two about risk-taking. Now the director of the Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation program at Smith School of Business, she shares some of what she has learned along the way, along with the mantra she believes every young entrepreneur ought to know when it comes to risk. We will also hear from Smith entrepreneurship coach and mentor JP Shearer on the risks every entrepreneur needs to be aware of when starting a business (like the risk of becoming complacent!) and hear insights into how risk perception impacts entrepreneurial success. Your host is Meredith Dault. This episode refers to the following research: M. Boermans and D. Willebrands, "Entrepreneurship, risk perception and firm performance” in Utrecht University School of Economics Discussion Paper Series 17-04 E.S. Dolarslan et al, “Bats are blind? Cognitive biases in risk perception of entrepreneurs" in Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (2017) Vol. 22, No. 3 O. Thomas, "Two decades of cognitive bias research in entrepreneurship: What do we know and where do we go from here?” in Management Review Quarterly (2018) 68:107–143Special Guests: Alan Morantz , JP Shearer , and Shari Hughson .

What does it take to make it as an entrepreneur? And what does it take to get your idea off the ground? In this first episode of The Start-up Cycle, we explore the question of finding your feet as an entrepreneur, looking at everything from the ideal temperament, to the role between passion and perseverance. Featuring guests Elspeth Murray (Associate Professor and Associate Dean of MBA and Masters programs, Smith School of Business); Dave Jackson (President, Hydropool Hot Tubs and Swim Spas); Matthias Spitzmuller (Toller Family Fellow of Organizational Behaviour, Smith School of Business); and Erica Pearson (CEO, Vacation Fund). Your host is Meredith Dault.