GRIT EDITION THREE - Flipbook - Page 10
20
20
NEXT LEADERS
CLASS OF 2020
LAUREN DESOUZA
Founder of Ace; Next 36
Co-founder and CEO of Ace, Lauren is a recent graduate
of Wilfred Laurier University where she completed her
Honours Bachelor of Business Administration.
Ace’s interview preparation platform allows users to complete mock
interviews and provides personalized, automated feedback on their
content, communication, and confidence.
WHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP? To create opportunities for others that
aren’t otherwise there. Creating something out of nothing is extremely intriguing; what’s even better is creating something that will have a
real, global impact and knowing you possess the ability to do so.
IN FIVE YEARS... I envision Ace to be a widely-adopted communication skills training platform that has expanded beyond interview
preparation and is making a real impact on people’s lives.
WHAT MAKES A GREAT FOUNDER? Part of being a great founder is
having the support of your peers. I am so thankful for and inspired by
the friends and connections I’ve made throughout all our experiences
in the program and know they will be lifelong friends - cheers!
AILEEN AGADA
Founder of BeBlended; Next 36
ELISE TASTET
Aileen is currently studying Environmental Engineering at the
University of Waterloo. She has a passion for engineering, solving
systemic problems, and inspiring women to be their best selves.
Co-founder of Tastet; Next AI - Montreal
Co-founder and CEO Elise has a background in communications and a passion for food and people.
Founded by Elise and Olivier Tastet, Tastet is the #1 interactive
guide of the best local eats and drinks in Montreal. Their AI-powered recommendation engine matches over 2M annual users
with their ideal establishment in one of the top foodie cities
of the world.
WHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP?
Being an entrepreneur allows you to have a real impact on
societal, environmental and economic issues. It gives you a
voice and the power to enact change whilst allowing you
to decide the course and the way in which you work on a
daily basis.
IN FIVE YEARS... We would like to see Tastet in all major
cities and hope to continue to have a positive impact
on the local economy and small businesses.
10
GRIT
Black women in North America are constantly turned away from hair salons
because hairstylists don’t know how to work on their hair texture. BeBlended
is a SaaS enabled marketplace that connects Black women with
tailored hairstylists while providing hairstylists with the tools to
efficiently run their businesses.
WHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP? Entrepreneurship pursued me!
I found a personal problem worth solving and decided to do
something about it.
ANY ADVICE FOR OTHER ENTREPRENEURS? Never ignore
the numbers. Always try to calculate the LTV to CAC ratio!
IN FIVE YEARS... I see myself revolutionizing the Black
haircare industry by working full-time on BeBlended with
an amazing team! Perhaps you might see me on Forbes 30
Under 30 too ;)
AILEEN AGADA
HEPBURN VALEDICTORIAN AWARD
GRIT
11