GRIT EDITION THREE - Flipbook - Page 42
CLASS NOTES
Over the past eight months, our Class of 2020 have been busily
building their ventures, hitting milestones, and learning from some
of the top academics and entrepreneurs in the game. Here are
some of their wins, advice and key takeaways.
“
COLLABORATION COMMUNITY:
The Key To Reopening Our Economy
Reflect on
your passions &
find a problem
within them.
Then, solve it.
BDC’s Michelle Scarborough joins
NEXT CEO, Joe Canavan, to discuss
the surprising upsides of COVID-19
disruption and new opportunities
for startups.
WAT C H
- AILEEN AGADA
Founder, BeBlended; Next 36
RAISING IN CRISIS
Tune into the Ask AI podcast
to learn how Next AI founder
Patricia Thaine balances life
as an academic, researcher,
co-founder and CEO.
TIPS FROM JORDAN JACOBS
(Co-founder & Managing Partner,
Radical Ventures)
1. Your biggest mistake would be to stop
doing anything.
2. If you need money right now, go raise.
Start with people you know. VCs are open
and doing business so if you do have access, you should go pursue it.
3. If raising isn’t essential, continue to build
on key metrics that increase your value.
If you an afford to wait, wait 6 months.
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GRIT
LISTEN IN
“
We have to step out of our
comfort zones. We have to do
more. We’re not going back to
where we were before.
- WES HALL
Chair of the Black North Initiative; Executive
Chairman, KSS Group of Companies
“
Entrepreneurship is a vector
for symbolic immortality.
- STEVE JURVETSON
Managing Director & Founder, Future Ventures
WHAT VCs LOOK FOR
“
Build trust with your
customers. Hustle,
surpise & delight, and
find your first reliable
distribution channel.
- MICHAEL KATCHEN
Co-founder & CEO, Wealthsimple
Via EY’s workshop on tax incentives,
SR&ED, valuations and cyber security
Exceptional team
Compelling value
Growing market
Go-to market strategy
UNLOCKING FUTURE
GROWTH AND
NURTURING TALENT
RBC’s Sid Paquette discusses
growth, responding to crisis,
and building companies for
future sustainable growth.
#TBT: Magna’s R&D team
joined the Class of 2020
for pitches and insights
on how founders can
work with large companies like Magna.
LEARN MORE
WAT C H
PITCH TIPS
FROM PROF. AJAY AGRAWAL
(Co-founder & Academic Director, NEXT)
MEET
KRISTI
SOOMER
Founder,
Encircled
WAT C H
“Entrepreneurship is
a great way to grow
because it’s about
learning how to fail.”
- Tim Price
NEXT Visionary
Supporter
1. Listen to people’s input, but don’t compromise
the integrity of what you’re doing.
2. Once you have clarity in your vision, the right
people will come to you.
“Remember, obstacles can
be remarkably valuable - you
learn a lot about yourself.”
3. Focus on driving home only your 1-2 most
memorable BIG points.
- REZA SATCHU
Co-founder & Co-Chair, NEXT Canada
GRIT
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