Fine Tune with Corby Fine (Corby Fine)

There is no question that digital technology is impacting all verticals and businesses, affecting both the customer experience and how organizations make money. The sports industry in particular, is undergoing rapid change and unlocking all kinds of opportunities for growth and new business models.

Joining me in this episode is Christina Litz, the Chief Brand & Commercial Officer at True North Sports and Entertainment who are the owners and operators of the Winnipeg Jets (NHL), Manitoba Moose (AHL), the Canada Life Centre, Bell MTS Iceplex and other venues. A lawyer by background, Christina has been at the front of digital transformation for brands including Corus, Rogers, Telus, The CFL and Woodbine Entertainment Group.

Listen in as Christina and I discuss;

• How has digital sports transformation been affecting consumers and fans?
• What makes a sports fan in the new world of digital engagement?
• New revenue streams and business models including sports data: real-time stats and numbers.
• Is data the core element of future monetization?
• Are sports gambling and the betting ecosystem the future?

Michael Roberts, CMO of MetLife, believes in outcomes, so much so that in the organizations he has had a chance to lead as a senior marketing executive, he has changed team structures and operating models to focus on outcomes based marketing.  One of his key principles, is that if you can't find a pattern of things NOT working, then it means that things are completely out control. So how do you find ways to consistently make things better, whether they were already broken or perhaps even doing quite well?  Listen in as Michael shares a few personal tips from his incredibly successful career.

Michael is a senior operating executive and business leader with 18 years of experience serving financial institutions/professional services companies, leading teams of up to 150 people and product P&Ls of $1B+. Currently he is the CMO of MetLife running global brand and marketing for the organization. An operationally-focused business partner, his expertise spans strategic partnerships & M&A activities; strategy development; marketing, product management & technology; organizational re-structuring and process improvement. His exceptional communication, leadership, collaboration and relationship building skills inform all his work, as does his ability to identify/remove complexity in order to standardize/simplify. 

As marketing teams change their focus from successful campaign launches to measuring outcomes in an agile operating model, there is a fundamental shift requiring significant trust from the rest of the organization taking place. As Meghan Nameth describes, it is probably the biggest leap of faith that an organization can take, as most people, especially in senior executive positions, are used to seeing everything before it happens. In an agile, outcomes based world, things are very different.

Listen in as Meghan and I discuss many of the issues and opportunities facing marketing teams and CMOs today including the effectiveness of creative, placement and message, the effectiveness of AI models versus simple triggers, and how complacency is the enemy of progress. Meghan gives some incredible examples and her established opinions on these and other topics.

Meghan Nameth is the former and most recent SVP of Marketing for Loblaw Companies, having led the marketing organization to grow and strengthen some of Canada's most iconic brands from Shoppers Drug Mart, Presidents Choice, No Name, Loblaws, No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, Maxi and more...  

Meghan joined Loblaw in 2021 from Hudson’s Bay Company, where she was CMO and prior to HBC she held several executive positions in brand management, digital marketing, data & analytics and product innovation for PwC, TD Bank & TD Insurance, Mars Canada, and P&G. 

It takes a strong leader to be vulnerable and ask their teams, "can we do it this way?" and if it doesn't work, admit that it's okay. It takes an even stronger leader to speak with all new hires as they come on board, empowering and encouraging them to be reckless. Imagine starting a new job and having you leader tell you to use your first 90 days to try and do things your way, and to break and change things as you see opportunity, without fear of repercussion.  That's the kind of leader that Shilpa Arora is, and DoorDash is benefitting from her leadership. As Shilpa states, "I think that's where a lot of the energy comes from, and that's where a lot of the will to do something different and think about something from a fresh perspective comes from, and it leads to better debates, better discussions, and better outcomes".

Shilpa Arora is the General Manager of DoorDash Canada, responsible for overseeing overall business strategy, operations and growth. With an international career spanning almost two decades and several industries, Shilpa has held leadership roles across financial advisory, mergers & acquisitions, corporate strategy and innovation as well as digital transformation. Before joining DoorDash, Shilpa led CIBC’s personal banking and client connectivity strategy and operations. Most recently, she was Senior Director of Transformation at CIBC, responsible for the bank’s digital enablement and business optimization initiatives. Shilpa is a trained architect, holds an MBA from Indian School of Business and is a certified business valuator (CBV). As a female leader in technology, Shilpa is an avid advocate for diversity and inclusion and
intersectional representation in the workplace and is passionate about mentoring emerging women leaders and mentors newcomers and early-career women.

You don't need to consistently look for big, humongous changes in your organization. According to Tanbir Grover, Chief Marketing and Digital Officer at Pet Valu, thinking about and focusing on the edges is critical as most things in your business are usually working quite well. The challenge is in getting alignment and support to work on making those things better. The trick according to Tanbir, is to figure out who you can ally with and gain alignment on a common vision to take things forward, and gain investment in making the good even better. Listen in as Tanbir and I discuss this as well as how Pet Valu has been transitioning itself into a digitally enabled, neighborhood partner in the health and wellbeing for pets of all kind. Oh, and learn that the movement of focusing on overall "wellness" isn't just for humans any longer!

Tanbir Grover is the Chief Marketing and Digital Officer of the Pet Valu, having responsibility of the Company’s omni-channel marketing, e-commerce and marketing analytics, including the Company’s loyalty program. Prior to joining Pet Valu, Mr. Grover served as Vice President, Digital at the Co-operators Group Limited from January 2020 to November 2020. Prior to that, he held a number of different roles at Lowe’s Canada from 2011 to 2020 where he most recently served as Vice President of e-commerce and Omnichannel. Mr. Grover also held senior digital and marketing positions at the Hudson’s Bay Company and Sears Canada. He is also a graduate of the Not for Profit Directors Education Program at the Institute of Corporate Directors at the University of Toronto.

Many of us strive to work at the intersection of really smart people, really strong technology advancement and differentiated thinking. That combination of elements ultimately leads to better results. Sean Downey, President, Americas & Global Partners at Google lives at that intersection.

As Sean explains, you have to have a really innovative culture that has tremendous amounts of psychological safety, where people feel like they can come in and contribute ideas and that they belong. Only then will they feel really comfortable pushing the envelope on how to innovate and make things better. Oh, and he never punishes failure. As Sean states, "I love a healthy dose of failure and it's something that as long as we learn something, we can fall forward on it."

Sean believes that innovative organizations strike a healthy balance between innovation and doing the common things commonly.  He states that "we're here to invent status quo." What does this mean? Well, Sean likes to innovate on the edge, and he has a cycle that starts with incubation as an idea in the form of a test, which then he proves works. Then and only then does Sean think about growing it, along with a handful of other things that were also successful. And then, he thinks about scaling it. Once scaled, it become the new common and the new starting point for the cycle to start over. 

As President of Americas & Global Partners at Google, Sean leads the company’s advertising business in North and South America. Before this role he served as the Vice President of the Google Marketing Platform for the Americas, helping Marketers, Agencies and Partners leverage data and technology to advance their Digital Marketing Maturity and buy and measure media more efficiently. Prior to joining Google in 2008, Sean was the Vice President of Buy Side Sales at DoubleClick, where he led their agency and advertiser business. Sean has also worked in various ad technology and software startups, and over the course of his career has brought various evolving advertising technologies to market such as rich media and programmatic buying and analytics.

Successful leaders have a number of common attributes. Some of them include having a sense of humility and humbleness, to be able to say that they don't have all the answers, that they have made mistakes, and that they are human and vulnerable. One of the most important characteristics is that they try to surround themselves with people who can teach them as well.

Cindy Wahler understands that no single human is successful all by themselves. We all require mentors and advocates. A mentor is someone that's going to help you with a certain skillset that you want to achieve, whether it's presentation skills or executive presence. On the other hand, an advocate is somebody that's willing to risk their own reputation and career to be your voice at the table. Listen in as Cindy and I discuss these and other important leadership and development topics including how everyone at one point or another faces common challenges like imposter syndrome.

Cindy is a leadership consultant with broad based experience in positioning organizations for success, within both the private and public sectors. She works with senior executives at the CEO, EVP and SVP levels developing leaders who can execute organizational strategy and drive business results. She offers a wide range of corporate leadership programs, including leadership assessment, executive coaching, succession planning, and talent management. Cindy is a regular contributor to Forbes, Huffington Post, CNN, and Chief Executive Officer and an author of a
recent book on leadership entitled 20 Effective Habits for Mastery at Work.  She can be found at https://www.cindywahler.com/.

Helping organizations embrace emerging technologies so that they can have a better relationship with their customers, unlock growth and build their brand is the goal of  Forum3. Co-founders Adam Brotman and Andy Sack know a thing or two about each of those goals, which is why they started the business in the first place, and the emerging technology of focus, Generative AI.

Adam is the former Chief Digital Officer at Starbucks, where he was responsible for building the brand’s Odyssey loyalty platform, Mobile App and led the company through its massive digital transformation. Andy is a seasoned tech entrepreneur and venture capitalist who recently spent 7+ years advising Satya Nadella on new product innovation and digital transformation. Together, they seek to connect the flywheels between new technology, brands and customer engagement.

As Adam and Andy discuss, organizations, brands and leaders have to get over their fear of new technologies like Generative AI, and just start experimenting. The trend line that's going on with this technology is so fast that brands need to start now with experimentation. They need to start thinking about how to incorporate it in their workflow, how to introduce it to their customer relationship strategy, if not directly to their customers, because if they don't start to experiment with it, Adam and Andy are confident they will be left behind. 

To help with this, the two started Forum3 and their initial product Hive3, a competitive AI league where top creators compete for cash prizes and rewards from leading consumer brands. They provide a platform for AI creators to showcase their talent and compete against fellow innovators.  As the two co-founders put it, "We have our own community of a couple of thousand of what we call, super prompters, providing intelligence as a service."

So listen in on how AI is going to change everything, how to best take advantage, and how to not get left behind.  Oh, did I also mention they are writing a book with Harvard Press to be released soon?  What can't they do?

In this episode, I welcome two respected experts in the digital advertising space, Ben Wise and Jeremy Freedman, to explore the evolving landscape of digital advertising and the future of agency structures.

We start by discussing the current definition of digital advertising, noting its evolution beyond traditional online ads to encompass various channels like billboards, audio, and even in-video game ads. Ben suggests that dropping the term "digital" from advertising could benefit the industry, as advertising increasingly permeates all aspects of modern life.

The conversation turns to the role of chief digital officers in organizations, with Ben and Jeremy advocating for a shift towards a more consumer-centric approach rather than focusing solely on digital channels. They emphasize the importance of understanding consumer behavior and meeting them where they are, regardless of the platform.

Programmatic advertising is highlighted as a solution to simplify the complexities of reaching consumers across multiple channels. Jeremy explains that programmatic technology streamlines media buying and offers a more efficient way to target audiences.

Data-driven targeting is recognized as a powerful tool in advertising, but both guests stress the importance of creative messaging. They emphasize that while data can optimize targeting, effective creative remains essential for engaging consumers and driving results.

In the end, Ben and Jeremy assert that a balance between data-driven targeting and compelling creative is key to successful advertising campaigns. They highlight the need for continued innovation and adaptation in the ever-changing advertising landscape.

Listen in to hear the whole discussion.

In this episode, seasoned industry experts Kevin Krossing and Jeff Dack gather around the virtual table to dissect the ever-evolving landscape of creative agencies. Buckle up as we unravel intriguing insights, heated debates, and fresh perspectives on what lies ahead for these dynamic entities.

1. Art vs. Agency Work: The Great Debate

🎨 Artistic Boundaries: Is agency work truly an art form? We delve into the delicate balance between creativity and client briefs. When does a piece transcend mere commercial intent and become a masterpiece? Prepare for a lively exchange of ideas!

📜 The Brief Dilemma: Imagine a canvas where client requirements meet artistic expression. We explore the tension between fulfilling briefs and pushing creative boundaries. Can an agency’s work be both functional and soul-stirring?

2. Maximizing Client Budgets: The Alchemy of Value

💰 Stretching the Dollar: Kevin and Jeff spill the beans on their secret sauce for maximizing client budgets. Discover ingenious strategies that transform limited resources into impactful campaigns. Sometimes, it’s not just about doing more with less—it’s about doing better.

🔍 The Hidden Equation: Ever heard of “one plus one equals three”? Dive into the magic of synergy. A well-crafted creative product can amplify results beyond expectations. We decode the alchemy behind stretching those client dollars.

3. Navigating the Digital Frontier

🌐 Digital Disruption: The digital age has reshaped agency-client dynamics. From social media campaigns to immersive experiences, we discuss how agencies adapt to this brave new world. Buckle up for insights on data-driven creativity and the power of storytelling in pixels.

🚀 Agencies as Innovators: Beyond ads and billboards, agencies now wield tech-savvy tools. We explore AI-driven insights, virtual reality escapades, and the fusion of content and code. How do agencies stay ahead in this digital arms race?

4. The Human Element: Creatives, Clients, and Collaboration

🤝 The Dance of Collaboration: Creatives, suits, and clients—how do they tango? Our podcast unveils the delicate choreography required for successful collaborations. From brainstorming sessions to client pitches, we peek behind the curtain.

🌟 The Agency Renaissance: Amidst automation and algorithms, the human touch remains irreplaceable. We celebrate the storytellers, designers, and strategists who breathe life into brands. After all, pixels need poets too.

Join us as we unravel the Future of Agencies. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer, a curious student, or an agency aficionado, this podcast promises inspiration, laughter, and a dash of creative magic. 🎧✨

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ye7BOgwo4C0?si=GVkB6ZrfyLgPtHWb

 #AgencyInsights #CreativeAlchemy #FineTunewithCorbyFine #AdvertisingAgencies

This episode features a dynamic discussion with Brad Bettinson, VP of Enterprise Solutions at JAM Direct, focusing on the evolution of email marketing and the role of AI in modern marketing strategies. The conversation delves into whether email is becoming obsolete akin to outdated technologies like the fax machine, or if it's adapting and thriving in a world dominated by instant communication channels.

Brad brings over 20 years of experience in email and marketing automation, offering insights into the shifting landscape of customer engagement. He emphasizes the importance of personalized, data-driven approaches in email marketing to cut through the noise of overloaded inboxes. While acknowledging the challenges posed by AI's black box nature, he highlights its potential to streamline processes and enhance relevance in customer interactions.

The episode covers emerging trends such as AI-driven personalization, send time optimization, and the integration of various channels within a cohesive omni-channel strategy. Brad stresses the significance of prioritizing customer-centricity and relevance over sheer volume, citing successful examples like Toyota's commitment to delivering value to their subscribers.

You can expect to gain valuable insights into the evolving role of email marketing, the impact of AI on marketing strategies, and practical approaches to enhancing customer engagement in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

Today, Corby welcomes Jon Finnie, the head of international sales for Yahoo Ads. With a rich background in Canadian marketing, advertising, and media, Jon shares his insights on driving revenue across Yahoo's diverse consumer properties, including Yahoo News, Yahoo Sports, Yahoo Finance, as well as its demand side platform, Yahoo DSP.  

Tune in to hear Jon discuss the evolving landscape of digital advertising, the importance of empowering buyers with control over their campaigns, and how Yahoo is navigating privacy regulations and the shift to a cookie-less environment. Discover how AI is revolutionizing campaign optimization and audience targeting, and get a glimpse into the future of marketing in 2025.

Don't miss this engaging conversation filled with industry expertise, practical advice, and a touch of nostalgia as Corby and Jon reflect on the past and look forward to the exciting opportunities ahead. Subscribe now and stay ahead in the ever-changing world of digital marketing! 🚀

Tired of being overlooked? Ready to own your niche? Join Corby Fine and the Expert Authority Coach, Christine Blosdale – a 5-time #1 Amazon bestselling author with 25 years of experience in branding and media, who went from writing viral columns for AOL and hosting radio shows to helping global leaders claim their space. Learn to ditch imposter syndrome, master your message across any platform (yes, even TikTok!), and turn your unique experience into influence and income. Concrete tips, powerful insights. Find Christine at expertauthoritycoach.com. Don't miss EP50!

You can find Christine at https://www.christineblosdale.com/

Everyone is a population of 1.

For me, that is no more evident than in my career path. Over 20 years, I have gone from coding databases to selling Viagra to running a 2MM customer digital bank.

I have decided to launch this Podcast, FineTune with Corby Fine, for those of you who are looking to 'Fine Tune' your business, your team or yourself.  I am going to offer innovative ideas, opinions and examples to address all kinds of different challenges, while identifying opportunities to help you innovate and succeed using my two decades of experience. You will hear and learn from the best interviews, case studies and ideas in marketing, digital transformation, analytics and leadership.  I promise you that in every episode, there will be those one or two nuggets that you can action...not just theory, but challenges for you to tackle head on. Ready to learn something new...then let’s go...

For today’s initial Podcast. I wanted to give a little bit of context to who I am, how I think, and why you should keep listening after this initial pilot episode...and there is no better way to start than to try and give you some context as to my leadership style and how I approach teams that work with me.  How you manage people is a good sign of how you think and act in other areas of your life as well.

No matter the economic conditions, it is still possible to do something risky and succeed. No matter the time, environment or challenges you face, if you have an idea you believe is ready for the world, why not give it a shot and go for it. 

Today, we have the opportunity to speak with Amy Davies, an entrepreneur in Toronto who started her business well before the current Covid-19 situation. Ironically, the service she built and is offering happens to be perfectly aligned to what is happening around the world.

Amy Davies is the founder and CEO of First 30 Incorporated (https://first30ready.com), an innovative technology company that has developed an online and mobile-friendly outplacement program, offering 30 days worth of coaching videos and resources that businesses can offer to their employees affected by restructuring and layoffs. Amy is also the author of A Spark in the Dark: Illuminating Your Path to a Brilliant Career in a Reorg World.

Our discussion focuses on the things every entrepreneur faces, challenges, risks and opportunities. Listen in as Amy and I discuss her business, while giving real world advice on how to succeed no matter how bad the challenges in front of you.

Small-to-mid-sized businesses (SMEs) which includes startups, now represent just under 90% of employment in North America.  They are hungry for talent but often lack the revenue base to support having highly qualified, experienced employees work for them – especially at the leadership level.

Along comes Fractional Employment.

So what is fractional employment?

The term “fractional employment” has been around for several years, but it is emerging as the new model for employment – especially in SMEs and startups.

Under the fractional employment model, an employee spends a discrete amount of time out of each week with multiple employers.  In its ideal form, it could be 2 days each with 2 different employers plus one day to spend with a third company.....this would net out as a full work week for the employee.

Well, today, I have the luxury of having two seasoned executives to talk about their transition from corporate, full time employment to the new world of the fractional employment, as fractional executives. Rory Capern (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorycapern/) and Chris Hodgson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherhodgson/) both ex-Google executives, join me to discuss their own transitions while giving great advice on how to make the jump if you are considering fractional work for yourself.

Key to their collective advice:

1. Focus on the impact you can make for your clients
2. Set expectations with your clients to focus on the output or risk spending too much time measuring the inputs (like time, etc.)
3. Know yourself, and therefore the kinds of companies you want to take on as clients to ensure the best chance at success
4. Leverage your network, trusted connections make it a lot easier to find that first client

Remember to subscribe to this Podcast and visit me at https://www.corbyfine.com.

I recently posted a single question on Linkedin and Twitter asking a very simple question. What’s your number one tip for staying motivated while working at home? It was a popular post and I wanted to dig in further, so I recruited a panel of 5 executives to discuss the topic and at the same time, answer some fun and embarrassing questions along the way.

If you are looking for motivation to get out of bed in the morning, ideas on how to work from home with teams scattered across locations, or just a good laugh to questions like "have you taken a conference call into the bathroom", or "what's your most embarrassing moment so far working from home", then listen in.

My panelists include:

Alex Panousis – CEO, Carat
Gabe Dunlop – CMO, Diply.com
Mark Jordan – Former VP Brand Strategy & Chief Communications Officer, Kids Help Phone
Daniela Dighi - Director, Analytics Innovation Program, Enterprise Analytics, CIBC -
Luvleen Sidhu - Co-Founder & CEO, BankMobile

Remember to subscribe to this Podcast on your favorite platform and visit me at http://www.corbyfine.com

For fourteen years Erica Ehm has been developing her craft as an entrepreneur and CEO, after spending the first part of her career as an icon in Canadian television and music.  From interviewing rock bands, to informing and educating parents on being their best, Erica has used her skills as a creator, innovator and disruptor to turn all of her endeavours into incredible success stories.

In this episode, Erica gives us tips and advice on how to be successful in whatever it is you want to do. Some of the fundamentals in her arsenal include never take "no" personally, always listen to your staff, your customers, your competitors, your numbers and your heart....and be persistent until you find your yes! All you need is one yes to be successful.

Oh, and never ignore those random Tweets or messages on social media. For Erica, it led to a new partnership, a government grant and shout outs from Senators!

Don't forget to watch Kurt Cobain and Erica Ehm as well in her self declared favourite interview - https://youtu.be/PDgP4hN4OA4 (PS listen to the last 15 seconds - it's very timely)

I consider myself a "power user" on the LinkedIn platform, having had my profile used in sales pitches by LinkedIn sales representatives over the years. I love the platform, it's power and it's ability to maintain my professional identity. I have used it to get jobs, make meaningful and valuable connections, to help others in their own career endeavours, among many other useful purposes. 

I had the opportunity to speak with Diana Luu, Head of Marketing Solutions Canada & Business Services North America at LinkedIn about LinkedIn and some useful tips and tricks we can all use (and should).  Here is a quick synopsis of some of our discussion.

Tip 1 - Update your profile as you accomplish things, your LinkedIn profile should always be changing.

Tip 2 - Accept anyone credible even if you haven’t met them - you never know when you might need that connection.

Tip 3 - Have a completed profile (don’t forget the pic as it makes you 21 times more likely to get a view).

Tip 4 - Personalize the background image - it says something about YOU!

Tip 5 - Add personal elements to your summary and see what happens (PS I like funky socks). 

And the NEVER do’s

1. Don’t lie - this is your professional identity of record.

2. Don’t have an incomplete profile.

3. Don’t overshare (and make what you share relevant).

4. Don’t share for the sake of sharing, have an opinion even if it isn’t that of others - be authentic.

5. Don’t be negative and derogatory

 …and don’t forget my tips on using LinkedIn as a business development and research tool - listen in for the secrets.

It was 1999 and I was early in my career, VERY early in my career. I had started as a product manager at a "stealthy startup" and found myself working for a really smart and charismatic individual, Michael Tamblyn. Michael was in charge of product and I was there to learn.

Flash forward a decade or two, and I now sit at my computer with a microphone and headphones, and in my screen is a slightly more mature Michael Tamblyn in a much different role. This time, as the CEO of Rakuten Kobo, Michael and I sit down to talk about his experiences leading and growing a Toronto startup through a global expansion and acquisition by a not so likely suitor. Not a venture fund, not a valley power-house, not a wealthy family...but the largest e-commerce player in Japan, Rakuten.

Michael gives some great tips for leaders in any business to consider. First, use your competitors as your distribution channel. Imagine, books being sold electronically through retailers that sold the traditional print versions of the same product. Second, remember it is a lot easier and cost effective to find a market adjacency for your existing customer base than to build a new customer base from scratch. Third, taking the physical out of the mix of your business can simplify and create new opportunities for expansion. And fourth, if you can get your customers to build your product and content...well the outcomes are obvious.

How would Michael's tips from his experience at Kobo apply to your business? Why not listen and try to figure it out.

Listen to the rest of my podcast as well and let me know what you think buy subscribing to my email list. I hope you enjoy listening. If you have any ideas for other interviews or topics, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

A recent poll posted to 2,200 Americans by Statistica asked one simple question to try and see the impact of the coronavirus on consumer sentiment about going back to the gym. The results weren't all that surprising. 69% of respondents said they were much less likely to go to the gym and a combined 75% somewhat or much less likely.  That's a pretty scary set of numbers for studio owners.

Given those numbers I decided to ask someone in the industry how they are preparing for a post coronavirus world. That someone is Jonathan Fagg, head of Digital and Media for GoodLife Fitness, the largest fitness company in Canada and the fourth largest in the world with 1,500,000 members, over 400 clubs across Canada, and over 13,000 associates.

Jonathan and I discuss the convergence of digital and physical in the new world of fitness, and how the definition of a customer is changing and will include members that might never step foot inside one of their studios. This digital only customer is a new phenomenon for GoodLife, but not for companies like Peloton and newer entrants like Tonal.

As part of GoodLife's initial foray into a more digital first approach, they have launched a new digital gym called #GoodLifeAtHome to help Canadians discover new and different ways to live a healthy life and stay #CanadianStrong while staying in. As part of this initiative, all Canadians will have access to the weekly schedule of free workouts, wellness tips and free live classes on GoodLife’s social channels (@GoodLifeFitness), designed to keep everyone active from the safety of their own home. Check them out at www.goodlifefitness.com.

Find the story at https://corbyfine.com/gym-post-coronavirus/

It’s completely natural to be nervous when starting a new job. New people, new office, new commute, new culture... new coffee. But in the age of the pandemic, more and more people are starting their new jobs from home. Alone. With no direct connection to their new team other than through screens.

So what happens when your first day is remote? What if many days, weeks and even months after that are also remote? What if you aren’t able to meet your boss, your colleagues and your own team for a while? How will you get to know your coworkers, get up to speed on how to do your job, or even know who to contact when you have questions?

Remote work and remote onboarding are the current norm and it just might be that way for the long term. In this episode I talk about my own experience starting my new job in March, and also speak to two others who went through their own remote onboarding experiences. Len Ball and Dean Guest have some great insights and recommendations on succeeding through a remote job start. Key to remember, you aren't the only one adapting to the new way of work. It's important to remember that your team, your boss and your customers are too.

I also had the chance to speak to Evan Hallward, co-founder of a new startup, Aboard, which is focused on assisting organizations in creating virtual onboarding programs. Given the current transition of the workplace, they just might be onto something big!

Listen to the rest of my podcast as well and let me know what you think by subscribing to my email list. I hope you enjoy listening. If you have any ideas for other interviews or topics, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

If you are in Canada then you have probably spent a good portion of your grocery, drug and other living expenses at a store owned, operated or franchised by Loblaw.

Loblaw Companies Limited is the largest Canadian food retailer operating under 22 different brand banners (including Loblaws), as well as pharmacies, banking and apparel. They are massive. With over 136,000 full-time and part-time employees they are the second largest employer in the country. They also have their own private label products under brands include President's Choice, No Name and others.

So other than their size, what makes them so interesting? Well, they are in the middle of a massive transformation, helping millions of customers transition from using a shopping cart in their stores, to using a different kind of shopping cart from their homes, work or anywhere on their phone.  Yes, we are talking about migrating from those metal and plastic shopping carts used in physical stores, to the digital carts on the different e-commerce websites for each of the brands.  How big of a transformation?  Well they hit $1 Billion in e-commerce revenue, in 2019, doubling from their 2018 results.

In order to handle this transformation, the digital team has to manage changing customer expectations, massive performance needs and incredibly complex relationships with their retails stores, distribution centers and supplier partners.  Lauren Steinberg, VP Product, UX and Digital Marketing spends some time with me talking about all of these challenges and how Loblaw is changing the face of retail in Canada, and getting noticed around the world.

Ivan Pehar is the Country Manager for Spotify Canada. After spending a number of years at another digital goliath, he made the move to conquer one of most people's passions, the music business. In this episode, I talk with Ivan about the Spotify platform, and how it has become such an important and influential player in Canada's digital media and content landscape. It is not just for music creators and music lovers, rather it is a place for all kinds of audio content both for those who want to consume it, as well as for those that want to build a business with Spotify using audio as a key tactic.

Spotify has a few sides to its business. One is obviously tied to consumer entertainment and streaming of content, with the other being focused on advertisers and marketers trying to reach specific audiences. We discuss how Spotify thinks about these two sides of the business and how content producers, like myself, can take advantage of the platform to help build a business with Spotify. It's not just for music producers anymore.

If you are a business, a content producer, or just a fan of great music and audio content, you must listen in!

Listen to the rest of my podcast as well and let me know what you think by subscribing to my email list. I hope you enjoy listening. If you have any ideas for other interviews or topics, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Tony Chapman won a multi-million dollar agency pitch with 40 pictures and a monologue. I was there to witness it, and ever since, have marveled at this marketing guru who is also one of Canada’s leading communication experts and one of the youngest members inducted into the Marketing Hall of Legends (2008). 

In this episode, Tony and I discuss the best ways to succeed, whether you are a large multinational or a small, local entrepreneur. Some of Tony's most important pieces of advice resonate across all verticals and businesses. He has many insights and thoughts on culture, the role of digital, and which brands are winning in today's world competing for customers and their constant attention.

Some highlights of Tony's advice include:

"Stop telling your story, become part of theirs" 

"Give the customer more of what matters to them, their life, their livelihood, their family, and do it with less friction"

"I think you can, especially with digital nowadays, have an incredibly purposeful career that will bring profit to you versus a profitable career that lacks purpose"

Listen in to Tony Chapman as he shares his stories and opinions as an authority on how to build brands and sell strategically and profitably in today’s volatile marketplace. Then, listen to the rest of my podcast and let me know what you think about it by subscribing to my email list. I hope you enjoy listening. If you have any ideas for other interviews or topics, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, digital, data, UX, and technology solutions could not be more critical to an organization’s overall strategy, growth, and success. As an executive leader, Shawn Mandel transforms organizations and drives positive, lasting change to position those organizations as both industry and market leaders. A leader at the intersection of business and technology, his career encapsulates a blend of expertise in product and software development, business transformation, digital, data, and IT development and operations. Oh, and he likes Malcolm Gladwell too.

With strengths that transcend industries, he has led some of the most transformative initiatives for Canada’s top brands, including TELUS and Rogers. Now, he tackles one his biggest challenges. Modernizing and transforming Cineplex, the leading film and entertainment company in Canada. As theaters shut down, how has Shawn set himself and Cineplex up for the future? His broad experience across the technology, telecommunications, e-commerce, retail and media & entertainment sectors might be just what they, and we as consumers, needed.

Listen in to Shawn as he shares his stories and opinions as an authority on how to transform organizations, hire top talent and redefine the role of the CDO (all from the confines of my backyard). Then, listen to the rest of my podcast and let me know what you think about it by subscribing to my email list. I hope you enjoy listening. If you have any ideas for other interviews or topics, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Every once in a while I come across  an organization that I had no idea existed, you know, we've all had that experience where we're looking up a stock symbol, we're watching a financial news show, we find out one of our friends or colleagues or neighbors work somewhere. We ask them what they do, and it's like, what the heck is that? I didn't even really know that existed!

Well, last year I was in Vancouver and I was speaking at a session for one of my favorite technology companies, Adobe, and I had an opportunity to meet an individual, Manoj Jasra, who was exactly in one of those situations, working for an organization in this really cool role that I seriously had no idea existed. The company is Northland Properties, and I had never heard of them.

What I did know were all of the brands and assets that roll up into it. So it was just this weird, interesting conversation. And so I asked Manoj to join me on the podcast to talk a little bit about himself, a little bit about his really interesting role and a little bit about his really interesting company, Northland Properties.

Recognized throughout Canada as one of the most trusted names in hotels, restaurants, sports, and construction, Northland Properties Corporation is the force behind such brands as Sandman Hotel Group, The Sutton Place Hotels, Moxie’s Grill & Bar, Chop Steakhouse & Bar, Denny’s Restaurants, the Dallas Stars, and Northland Asset Management Company. Proud to be 100% Canadian-owned and operated, with over 50 hotels across Canada, the UK, Ireland and the USA, they have head offices in both Calgary and Vancouver, and employ over 12,000 talented individuals across the world.

In the role of Chief Digital Officer and Chief Marketing Officer, Manoj is tasked with transforming this legacy business, building out internal marketing agency and digital capabilities, while growing revenues and enhancing the customer experience across all of their properties and brands.

Listen in to Manoj Jasra as he shares his stories and opinions as an authority on how to transform organizations, build internal agency capabilities and redefine the role of the CDO and CMO. Then, listen to the rest of my podcast and let me know what you think about it by subscribing to my email list. I hope you enjoy listening. If you have any ideas for other interviews or topics, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

ExecThread isn't a recruiting firm. It is a platform, a community, a marketplace, trying to do something that's paradigm-shifting in the executive recruiting market by using a unique crowdsourced approach to bring much-needed transparency to the ‘hidden job market’. ExecThread has amassed ~15,000 retained executive searches to-date, and made them available on the platform to their members.

When Joe Meyer decided to test the waters for a new executive-level role after his time spent at Apple following the acquisition of his last start-up, he found the process excruciatingly inefficient. A large part of that frustration lies in the fact that the vast majority of executive-level job opportunities that you often want to pursue aren’t publicly-posted, and hence are hard (if not impossible) to access.

These are often the confidential job opportunities worked on by retained executive search firms, though the only chance you have of finding out about them is if you're directly approached by the recruiter, or someone in your network tells you about them.

And the chances of that happening are pretty slim. Even if you are well-pursued by executive recruiters, you're still only finding out about a sliver, a microscopic sliver of the opportunities out there. So Joe decided to solve that problem by bringing more transparency to these much sought-after opportunities.

What he built was ExecThread, a close-knit exclusive network where members help each other by sharing career opportunities, vetting other applicants for membership, and breaking down the traditional barriers of the executive search ecosystem

What also came out of the build-out of this highly curated network was another remarkable outcome.

Nearly half of the ExecThread’s 50,000 members come from underrepresented groups (which over-indexes the national average at the executive-level by over 2x), an unintentional outcome driven by ExecThread’s underlying value-proposition of bringing much-needed transparency & access to confidential exec-level jobs. Not only is ExecThread breaking down the $40-50 Billion executive search industry, but is doing it with inherent bias’ removed as well, and as a result is leveling the playing field.

Oh, and did I say that all member referrals are automatically granted access. So, let me know if you want in by sending me an email through the form on my website, or apply on your own at ExecThread.

The best brands in the world ultimately have a crystallized point of view. They know why they exist, whether you call it purpose or experience, it doesn't really matter. The point is that, whatever you call it, there is consistency. It is recognizable and it is explainable. Inside an organization, somebody has to be the keeper and the ambassador of the brand and to keep it top of mind across all initiatives and endeavors. Ultimately, everybody in the organization should own it. That is what 

Livia Zufferli, Partner, Customer Marketing & CMO Program Leader for Deloitte defines as the B to E to C model. In her model, the business has to engage and empower the employees to then pass that brand message and experience (or purpose) down to the customer so that everyone is aligned. The best brands must first make sense of and resonate the experience with their employees, to then be able to resonate it with their consumers. That means no matter who is standing there representing the brand, an employee, the CEO, even the brand's agency, everybody should be an equal owner in the story with a crystallized view.

In this episode, Livia joins me to discuss this and other important aspects of what makes a brand relevant in the age of digital and performance marketing. Livia brings her experience from both agencies and organizations where she has held such roles as SVP Brand for Rogers Communications and VP, Head of Marketing for Target Canada where she lived the incredibly fast rise and fall of that iconic brand in the Canadian market. She might just talk a little bit about that experience and what every marketer should know when it comes to being able to have all departments in an organization take accountability for the brand's success.

When you are done this episode, then listen to the rest of my podcast and let me know what you think about it by subscribing to my email list. I hope you enjoy listening. If you have any ideas for other interviews or topics, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

It doesn’t matter whether the drain in your kitchen sink gets clogged, the toilet backs up, or the shower stops working: any plumbing problem brings with it a state of high urgency. For most people, the first course of action is to quickly look up the contact details of their local plumber, assuming of course they can navigate the complexity of choices and options shown with every Google search. Then the question is, can you get a service provider to come and resolve your issue quickly?

As the leading North American plumbing and water cleanup service, Roto-Rooter has been a household name for many of us for decades. However, over the years it became increasingly important for Roto-Rooter to modernize their website and digital platforms so that they could continue to provide the best customer experience, both online and offline.

The company’s platform had to understand the location of the customer in relation to the nearest service technician. It has to load quickly and make it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for, otherwise they will search elsewhere.

Roto-Rooter engaged with Microsoft and Architech, a Toronto based company who are experts in software development and digital transformation to take on the project. What they built was a new cloud-based solution that not only improved the customer experience, but also boosted the site's overall SEO, cut page load speeds, and allowed Roto-Rooter to scale reliably into the future. In fact, this solution was recognized by Microsoft on the global stage, winning the Global Partner of the Year Award for open-source solutions on Azure in 2020.

Listen in as Sally Bayer, Vice-President of Marketing for Roto-Rooter, David Suydam, CEO & Founder of Architech, and Stephen Tanaka, GM Microsoft Partners, Microsoft Canada, discuss the state of digital transformation and the project that helped Roto-Rooter become even more capable of maintaining their market position as a leader in their industry.

When you are done this episode, then listen to the rest of my podcast and let me know what you think about it by subscribing to my email list. I hope you enjoy listening. If you have any ideas for other interviews or topics, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

While considered a success in her career, Alyssa Atkins had ended a long term relationship and witnessed some of the people, women in particular, in her life going through challenges with regards to getting pregnant and having kids. What she was witnessing triggered her thoughts and desire to one day have kids, all while not "in the perfect situation" with the right partner, the right job, the right house... She decided to at least start her own process with a fertility test.

And that's where it all fell apart.

Delays. Waiting. Complex information and results. It's a gong show of a process for women and couples trying to navigate it all. So, like many good entrepreneurs do, Alyssa set out to solve her own problem, but not just for herself... Also for women and couples en mass, and with that Lilia was born (no pun intended... well, maybe).

As I speak to Alyssa about her foray into entrepreneurship, she shares so many incredible and valuable tips that anyone can apply to their work, whether as an entrepreneur or someone working in a small, medium or large organization, at any level. One area of discussion focused on the fact that entrepreneurs are constantly making decisions with about 40% of the information available. Of course we all wish we had 100%, but often, if we were to wait we would miss opportunities. And so the job of Alyssa and anyone in business is to make good decisions with imperfect information. You just have to try to be right most of the time. A few other basic tips include;

• "Just give people what they want"
• "Listen to your users, no really, REALLY listen to them"
• "Don't assume you know who your investors or your customers will be"
• "Avoid your inner saboteur"

Alyssa is also full of really simple and tactical tips like committing to non-zero days. You don't have to accomplish everything in a day, so focus on a couple of things and just move the needle forward. Maybe one day it is just sending an important email, as long as it can be considered progress, consider it a success.  One other tip is the rule of three things. Just put down three things on a "Post-it" note each day, just make sure they are the highest value things you can achieve. If you complete those things they should move your business forward. Sounds simple.

When you are done this episode, then listen to the rest of my podcast and let me know what you think about it by subscribing to my email list. I hope you enjoy listening. If you have any ideas for other interviews or topics, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

SkipTheDishes is growing, and FAST! In the third quarter of this year the number of orders rose by 98% to 23.5 million when compared to the same period in 2019. Canadians have long had a legacy of picking up food but pushed by the Covid restrictions and cooling weather, things are changing. 

SkipTheDishes was founded in 2012 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and eventually moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba to set up the tech company’s head office. During their first few years of existence, the company was bootstrapped and raised a small round of seed capital from angel investors. They then raised additional capital from private investors, as well as four prominent venture capital firms - Golden Venture Partners (Toronto, Ontario), Founder Collective (New York, New York), Felicis Ventures (Menlo Park, California), and FJ Labs (Cambridge, Massachusetts).

In December 2016, they were acquired by Just Eat for $200M becoming one of Canada's best technology startup success stories. SkipTheDishes remained a subsidiary and separate brand from Just Eat, with its Canadian headquarters remaining in Winnipeg.  Soon after, in 2018 the company brought on Kevin Edwards as their CMO. Within that same year, Kevin was promoted to CEO, a role he still holds today.

In this episode, Kevin and I discuss a number of topics including the natural shift of consumer behaviour to include more self-serve and digital experiences. We also talk about growing a company in a smaller market (Winnipeg) and how culture and trust in your team can go a long way to help your success. Did you know that SkipTheDishes has 2,500 employees in a city of 750,000?  Neither did I. Listen in as Kevin and I discuss these and many other interesting topics that are sure to make you want to open the app and order some food. 

At The Big Push, Sharon Zohar and team challenge the traditional accelerator model by tapping into a collective of business and technology executives ready to provide hands-on services and support to create actionable and measurable growth plans to help lift women-led companies to new heights.

Sharon herself is a serial entrepreneur and investor with more than twenty years experience founding, investing, advising, and operating technology, internet, and digital media companies. She is driven by her passion to identify new innovative technologies and business models that have the potential to disrupt traditional markets and are designed to improve the human condition.

As founder and CEO of the Big Push, Sharon has developed a unique “Service for Equity” business model dedicated to accelerating the growth of women-led start-ups and preparing them for Series A financing. She leads a diverse group of professionals with years of experience in the areas of finance, design, law, technology, research, sales, and marketing dedicated to supplementing women founders’ own expertise during the critical startup phase.

Sharon and I talk about the challenges facing entrepreneurs, specifically women. Sharon shares examples of pitches gone wrong, businesses who don't even know how to progress to the next level, and how her team was able to support numerous entrepreneurs to get through their biggest challenges and move forward to success.

Ghassan Halazon’s entrepreneurial journey started at the age of 25. Over the past decade, companies founded or acquired by Ghassan and his partners have saved Canadians close to $1 billion, hired 350 employees, and raised capital from over 150 global investors. 

Earlier in his career, Ghassan had the opportunity to sell one of his first ventures to a large Telecommunications firm, but he chose not to.  As we chat in this episode, Ghassan offers this to my listeners; "I think we should have back then, because I think every founder, when you're young and you start your first venture, if you happen to be sexy, even if it's for 30 minutes and someone gives you an outrageous offer for what you were, you should take it."

Ghassan Halazon is a serial e-commerce entrepreneur with a decade of scaling some of the
country’s most coveted digital brands. For his success, he was recently recognized as one of Canada’s Top 40 under 40 honourees for 2020, presented by BNN Bloomberg and National Post.

Ghassan is the Founder and CEO of Emerge Commerce Inc., an acquirer and operator of niche
e-commerce assets with 2 million members across North America. EMERGE has also been recognized as a winner on the Startup 50, and Canada’s Top Growing Companies by the Globe and Mail.  As Ghassan says, they ACQUIRE, INTEGRATE and ACCELERATE e-commerce brands from coast to coast.

They say that lightning doesn't strike twice, but this time I think they might just have that wrong. Andrew Chau is a co-founder of SkipTheDishes, the largest food delivery network in Canada which he helped expand to over 110 markets and millions of customers, with over 2,500 employees headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Acquired by Just-Eat in 2016 for $200M and merged with Takeaway (2019) and Grubhub (2020), his startup helped to create one of the largest food delivery companies in the world.

Now, Andrew is on to his next venture, along with a strong team out of Calgary, Alberta, they are  building Neo Financial from the ground up to give Canadians the most rewarding spending and saving experience - the way it should be. Focused on client experience and solving for the technology challenges other banks have, Neo Financial is being built to solve for Canadian's most challenging issues in banking, with great features, high interest rates and amazing experiences.

Listen in as Andrew talks about his experiences as a successful entrepreneur, tackling the needs of consumers with global leading technology solutions. He discusses what it takes to be successful, and why he is doing it all over again. Maybe lightning will strike twice for this incredible entrepreneur!

Jeff Greenspoon thinks that the future of agencies is really in driving total customer experience.  He says that this can be accomplished by bringing together the right people at the right time to solve the right problems, while being focused on the need for speed, agility and simplification. He is passionate about being client and idea first, and an agency second. This thought leadership has given Jeff a unique role in the Canadian agency landscape. Listen in as Jeff and I discuss the role of agencies in today's ever changing landscape, and how dentsu is adjusting to meet the needs of it's clients and the market as a whole.

Jeff is currently the President of the dentsu Solutions Group in the Americas and the CEO of dentsu Canada. Previous to joining dentsu, via a merge with Isobar, Jeff was co-founder and CEO of SPOKE, a leading digital creative firm based in Canada. He has managed international campaigns for clients including Nestle Nespresso, Entertainment One, General Motors, Coca-Cola, Hilton Hotels, Disney, and LEGO. He was awarded PROFIT Magazine’s Young Entrepreneur Award and has been nominated as Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young. He is often called upon as a lecturer by the likes of Google, UofT, Ivey and several international business forums for his perspective on insight-led agency engagements and topics including Marketing, Advertising, Entrepreneurship and the Management of Professional Service Firms.

Jed Schneiderman is a proven entrepreneur, and executive in the marketing, media and technology space.  When I think of Jed, I think of someone who is known for his thought leadership on topics ranging from marketing and technology, to being an entrepreneur and  building successful businesses in the mobile, streaming, broadcast and internet technology spaces, and in "connecting the dots" having been at the forefront of major consumer tech trends and events, and by leveraging strong marketing experience across multiple global brands.

Jed was the Co-Founder and President of Tapped Mobile, a leading North American mobile media company which was acquired by EQ Works in 2018 and before that, Jed was the On-Line Business Group Lead at Microsoft Canada where he was responsible for driving the business and marketing strategies for the Windows Live, Search and the Mobile Services businesses.  This is where I met him - as the lead on his agency doing a bunch of cool and innovative digital marketing campaigns...

So - the reason I asked Jed to join me today is that I find he is the most tagged LinkedIn profile I know of when people want someone's opinion on a variety of topics...and so my big theme of the day is, how is anyone expected to stay on top of all the fast moving and developing information or marketing, technology, business and digital transformation...

People always ask me, how do I seem to stay abreast of the latest and greatest...FOLLOW JED ONLINE!  Simple right....

Here are a few highlights of Jed's wisdom from our discussion and below, a list of the sources Jed referenced as his go to destinations for staying on top of our ever changing digital and marketing environments:

"We live in a world where there is so much content that at some point curation becomes one of the most important things"

"Machine learning is good for pattern recognition, but I don't think it's good for insight"

"Maintain curiosity"

 "Don't underestimate the power of asking great questions"

General
The Message  https://the-message.ca/
The Peak https://www.readthepeak.com/
Media in Canada https://mediaincanada.com/

Marketing
Mark Evans - https://www.marketingspark.co/

Tech
https://techcrunch.com/

Ad Tech
https://www.adexchanger.com/

Data / Charts
http://www.emarketer.com/
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/
https://www.chartr.co/

Fun
https://patentdrop.substack.com/ - shows new patent filings

Podcasts
How I built this - https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this
Reid Hoffman Masters of Scale - https://mastersofscale.com/
Work Life with Adam Grant - Org Culture - https://www.adamgrant.net/podcast/
Fine Tune with Corby Fine - https://www.corbyfine.com/

Newsletters
Tim Dolan Kickframe - https://www.kickframe.com/blog/
Ben Evan - https://www.ben-evans.com/
Tomasz Tunguz - SaaS focused - https://tomtunguz.com/
Daniel Eckler - Sapcecadet - Innovation and

Your customers have so many options, so many different ways that they can relay feedback to you. Sometimes they call you, other times they fill in surveys. If you're like me, sometimes you just go to Twitter and shout it out publicly and hope that the company is monitoring it. The ways in which your customers can provide feedback has never been more complex.

Customers are communicating with businesses. They're providing unparalleled insights to inform  brands, organizations, the companies that they deal with, with all kinds of information. Now, the question is, are you as someone working in that business truly listening? Sometimes you actually think you are, but are you really? Do you really know how to listen to all of those different channels of feedback?

Shannon Katschilo is the GM and Vice-President of Medallia in Canada. She has a long career focused on all kinds of different verticals and industries where she has spent her time helping organizations understand what their customers are telling them. Shannon provides us with a great list of five things that leaders and businesses need to do to really understand their customers.

1. Listen before you lead
2. Leverage your employee insights
3. Pulse check your ego
4. Place power in the positive
5. Ask the right questions

Listen in as Shannon and I discuss what these mean and how you can apply them in your business so that you don't miss out on what your customers are trying to tell you.

What is the future of loyalty?

Capturing and rewarding consumers for their time, money and thoughts.

When Derrick Fung thinks about Drop as a company, ultimately the big vision is to build both the world's most personalized rewards program and the largest transaction data set in market. To get there, one of the the biggest decisions they had to make in the early days of the company was to go directly to the consumer to get the data and not go through merchants as many other loyalty providers do.

Derrick explains that Drop's consumers, especially the younger generations, will give up everything, as long as they're getting value back.  And that's where the world of loyalty is going. Cutting the consumer in on the money, on the deal...that's the future.

Oh, and did we talk about Data?  Well as Derrick says, "I'd say data before was a good to have. Now it's a must have. You know the analogy and the saying, it used to be a vitamin and now it's a painkiller."

Derrick Fung is the CEO and co-founder of Drop, one of the largest mobile rewards products in market with 4m users, hundreds of top retailers and merchants and $40 billion+ in transaction volume. Drop was named LinkedIn's #2 top start-up in Canada, as well as a member of the Deloitte Fast 50. Oh, and Derrick and was a Forbes 30 Under 30 winner in 2014.

Consumers spent $861.12 billion online with U.S. merchants in 2020, up an incredible 44.0% year over year. That’s the highest annual U.S. ecommerce growth in 20 years and It’s also nearly triple the 15.1% jump in 2019.

With more and more people shopping online, retail media just makes sense.  But what exactly is a retail media network?

A retail media network is when retailers set up an advertising platform on their website, app, or other digital platforms within their network. This allows the store, and other brands, to advertise to customers on sites like Walmart.ca. It’s a form of in-store advertising in a digital format.

Dana Toering is a digital media and technology veteran with over 20 years of experience in high growth industries. In his current role as Vice President of Walmart Connect Canada, Dana is responsible for leading and transforming the business into the number one destination for omnichannel advertising solutions (aka Retail Media). Before being named Vice President in 2020, Dana held leadership roles in leading digital media and technology-based companies including AOL Canada, Adobe, and Accenture Interactive.  Listen in as Dana and I talk about the growth of the Walmart Connect Canada retail media network.

Paul Burns is the Managing Director of Twitter Canada. Did you know that 1 in 5 North Americans use Twitter and 500 Million tweets are sent every single day? It is a platform with scale and is designed to generate conversation. As Paul states, "Twitter is look at THIS platform. It's pointing to a thing, an event, something that's happening in the world and people are talking about that thing rather than themselves." Other social platforms are designed as look at me, but not Twitter.

As brands try to figure out how to engage in the platform, the first step is for them to identify the conversations that they want to be made aware of before engaging. It is important to know that the conversational intelligence within Twitter exists on a few different dimensions, one at a brand level, one at an industry level and one at a more macro economic level. If done right, Twitter is a platform where a brand can actually become a conversational brand. 

Listen in as Paul and I discuss this opportunity to become a conversation brand, along with some other key topics, including;

• Can purpose and profit co-exist, can Twitter be a platform that actually improves the quality of public conversation in the world and generate revenue and profit?
• How can a brand become a conversational brand authentically?
• Do we honestly believe that conversation is the way to solve many of the world's problems?

Oh, and if you want to take over Twitter for a day, they have some pretty cool advertising products that allow you to essentially become the most talked about brand in the country for a day.

The Canadian healthcare system is typically ranked as either the lowest ranked or second lowest ranked performing healthcare system of all developed world nations. Our physicians are great. Our procedures, world class. Then why such a low ranking?

According to Dr. Brett Belchetz, the reason why we are so far behind in the rankings is access.

Only about half of Canadian doctors work full-time. That is one of the main reasons why Canadians wait so long for care. The perception is that there simply are not enough doctors. In fact, it's because we're not using our doctors properly.

Dr. Brett Belchetz is trying to tackle this exact issue. He is the CEO and Co-founder of Maple, Canada’s leading virtual care provider connecting patients and healthcare providers like doctors and therapists for online medical visits in minutes. He’s also a practicing physician in Toronto, and a Senior Fellow at the Fraser Institute. In addition, Brett’s passion for healthcare communication and policy have led him to work as an on-air medical expert for CTV and Global News, as well as a contributor to outlets such as the National Post. Previously, Brett worked as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company.

It is estimated that about 70% of the visits that people are making to clinics, hospitals and their family doctors can be digitized. Maple is out to enable that. As Maple continues to evolve, it is moving to a proactive model, where they can let patients know the frequency of visits that they need to have. They will tip you off when you need a screening test done or an intervention done. They will have resources available between those healthcare visits. So it's not just see a healthcare provider and you're kind of on your own until the next visit in a month or three months. It's an entire program. 

Best of all, Dr. Belchetz wants to make this made in Canada healthcare IP the basis of healthcare systems around the world.

For anybody who is not familiar with it, there is a real productivity crisis in the pharmaceutical industry and they have even given it a name, which is Eroom's law, the opposite of Moore's law. Moore's law states that every 18-24 months, the amount of transistors you can get for the same or lower price doubles. In pharmaceutical, R&D is the opposite. Every 18 months, the price of getting a new drug to market DOUBLES!

The goal of BenchSci is to help bring new medicine to patients 50% faster by 2025. They are solving the problem that about 80% of preclinical R&D experiments in pharma are unnecessary. Why is this important? Well, upwards of 1% of the global economy, and 10% of the G7's economies as measured in GDP are tied to pharmaceuticals, and it is growing faster than inflation. They are trying to solve it by using machine learning to read scientific literature like a Ph.D. scientist, then use the knowledge to guide scientists to run more successful (and therefore fewer) experiments.

There aren't a lot of companies like BenchSci that are saying, well, we're not really trying to help find new biological targets or generate new drugs or optimize clinical trials. What they do is help scientists run better experiments, to move more quickly from having novel targets to testing that novel drug and getting it into the clinical environment.

Simon Smith is the Chief Marketing Officer at BenchSci, where he oversees all of their marketing including commercial marketing, product marketing, employer branding, communications, events, and creative and content. He joined the company when it was just about 19 people and a few hundred-scientist users; they are now at nearly 200 people, and over 41,000 scientist users. Prior to BenchSci, Simon was the SVP Strategy at Klick Health, where he led digital strategy for a portfolio of pharmaceutical products, including the US launch of two novel drugs. His career spans over two decades working at the intersection of technology, life science, and communications. His passion about applying emerging technologies to improve human health, longevity, and wellbeing is what makes me so excited to have him on the podcast today.

Oh, and did I say BenchSci is backed by F-Prime, Gradient Ventures (Google’s AI fund), and Inovia Capital. The platform accelerates science at 15 top-20 pharmaceutical companies and over 4,300 leading research centers worldwide. They are a CIX Top 10 Growth company, a certified Great Place to Work®, and top-ranked company on Glassdoor.

In a world where consumers are moving their banking transactions online and leaving branches as remnants of the past, how does one bank differentiate themselves from the other? According to Maja Neable, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Banking at BMO Financial Group, it is a combination of what consumers think about as a perceived convenience, and the distinctiveness that a bank can create to try and convince consumers that they are really different.

The balance for automation and self-service, along with the need for timely advice, is something that banks are trying to figure out. The young Generation Z client believes that they will probably never set foot in a branch, though as their financial needs evolve and they mature in their financial journey, they often realize the need to ask for and get human advice.

Therefore, for those value-adding conversations, banks like BMO need to figure out why people should choose to stay with them, and it is mostly a result of being able to simply provide the right advice and truly help them. As we know, many things happen in life and we often need help. That help may not happen physically in the branch. Consumers can choose to talk to somebody on the phone, through video chat or perhaps even text chat. There is a lot of assistance and advice that can be delivered through digital channels.

Listen in as Maja and I discuss these and other topics around the future of banks.
 
Maja Neable is well recognized as an innovative, action-oriented marketing leader with strong digital background. Prior to her current role, Maja was VP Digital Marketing at BMO and prior to BMO, Maja held successively more senior roles across the US, Canada, and Europe in a variety of industries, including technology (Microsoft and Expedia) and telecommunications (Rogers and Telenor).  Maja is a mathematician who loves creativity, and this combination of left & right brain is what has guided her career. Her 20+ years of experience include digital marketing, design & product development, business & brand strategy and sales & service leadership.

Maja sits on the Board of Soulpepper theatre and is Vice-Chair of the Board at Skills for Change. She holds B Math degree from the University of Waterloo, and an MBA from IMD, Switzerland. She lives in Toronto with her husband and two sons, and enjoys skiing, running, and reading.

Most companies don't bother spending time thinking about how they can create their own flywheel. The flywheel that comes from digitally transforming their business, and finding ways that one new business model or revenue stream can feed off the other. 

John Boynton is an executive with over 30 years experience and a passion and track record of turning companies around and delivering high growth rates in highly competitive industries in Canada, USA and Europe.  He is continuously transforming businesses and finding those new models that open up growth and opportunity. He is a master at identifying the flywheel. His passion for building teams with his unique coaching/teaching style drives contagious enthusiasm. I know...I worked with him.

Listen in as John and I discuss a few interesting topics. We discuss how consumer trends are shaping the way large and small organizations alike are having to transform themselves. We also talk about digital transformation and how large and small organizations need to adapt.

As John states, "Consumers are looking for simplicity, service delivered in an effortless way. People are looking for certainty, especially in the digital world as other things in their life become more complicated. They're looking for fairness, a fair price for a large volume of good services. They're looking for quality to over what's widely available for free out there. And there's something about unrestricted access easily facilitated by the subscription economy."

One final tip from John, don't forget to institutionalize your information consumption because information consumption is competitive and if you aren't doing it, someone else is.

Ever hear of The Peak? Well if you haven't it's time to change that. The Peak is a daily newsletter covering the latest Canadian and global business, finance and tech news in a fun and informative daily email. Over 42,000 Canadians start their day with this email and I am one of them!

Brett Chang is co-founder of The Peak, starting the business after a number of roles including working at Uber. As Brett explains in our discussion, The Peak is designed for the modern Canadian business leader. Mostly urban young professionals between the ages of 25 to 35 working at big companies like Shopify, Uber and Deloitte, across a range of different disciplines from marketing, to finance, to operations, and they're fairly senior in their roles.  The goal of The Peak is to work backwards when preparing content, thinking what do our readers want to know that  will help them through their day?

How have they been so successful? Well, as Brett explains there are peaks and valleys in terms of growth in any business. Listen in as he explains tips on growing your digital customer base including how to get success from LinkedIn, really compelling content and the effective use of giveaways, especially when partnered with different businesses focused on the same target audience.

Oh and monetization?  Yeah Brett has some incredible advice on that one too!  Don't miss this tactical and educational discussion (and it's less than a 20 minute commitment).

Don't forget to sign up for yourself: http://readthepeak.com?rcode=Aa8-_uGdnHE

Candice Faktor is on a mission to help creators make a living teaching what they love by re- imagining the future of learning through her platform, Disco.  She believes the future is learning live together and Disco's vision for learning leaves the industrial age behind and looks to a world of lifelong learning, that's live, with peers, led by trusted creators and accessible from anywhere.

Prior to Disco, Candice has held various positions including Global GM and Head of Business at Wattpad, one of the world’s largest storytelling communities, which sold for US$660MM. Her love of learning led her to create cohort based courses years ago and the Gamechanger.co learning community both of which inspired her to create Disco.

Listen in as Candice and I discuss learning 1.0 which was all about content and the ability to share it, mostly through prerecorded platforms, digitally or in written form, and how we are moving into the era of learning 2.0, which is all about experiences. The ability to actually facilitate experiences along with others, and that is really hard to make happen without synchronous video. So along comes Disco.

As Candice says, "Disco is next level, just watch what is able to happen when you create the space and a container for learning to occur."

Pinterest is not really social media in the traditional sense, it's more personal media. As the "ultimate discovery platform", Pinterest is just in its very nature, a place where people feel hopeful when they are thinking about the future. As Erin Elofson describes in our discussion, "when using Pinterest you're fundamentally happy, reflecting on the past is a harder emotional process, and that's what happens often in social media, you're sort of being compared to others. Kids for example are probably thinking, why wasn't I invited to that party?" That's not what happens on Pinterest.

As people start planning for milestones in their lives using Pinterest, not only does the platform get early indications, but that offers signals to advertisers of things like wedding planning, moving homes or even having a baby. All happy and future based events. Listen in as Erin and I discuss the business and consumer use of Pinterest. By the way, did you know that nine out of the ten people who use Pinterest to plan their happy future come with commercial intent? Often they don't know what brand or product they need to get there. What an opportunity for advertisers.

Given Pinterest in focused on the future, they have also become experts in predicting trends.  They call their annual insights on trends 'Pinterest Predicts'. Simply put it's Pinterest's way of saying what's going to happen, and 80% of the trends they reveal in the annual Pinterest Predicts report are correct.

The future is happy and Pinterest is helping their 400 million users get there!

When Daniel Dubois did the research, he realized that it takes an average of 27 years for the typical first-time Canadian urban home buyer just to save up for the recommended 20% down payment. That's when he and his co-founder decided to do something about it. They launched Key, a patent-pending two sided marketplace with a co-ownership model allowing people to move in and start building home equity, without being locked into a mortgage. Oh, it only takes $15,000 to start.

Growing up in Vancouver his entire life Daniel knew how unaffordable real estate could be. He saw it first hand living in a co-op in False Creek and his parents would often talk about a woulda, coulda, shoulda situation of getting into the market.  It hasn't gotten any easier. Young people are stuck on the proverbial rental treadmill where their income isn't going up at the same rates as housing prices and they're locked out of being able to build wealth with home ownership. 

As Daniel discussed with me, Key sets out to offer a new option, a model where someone can have most of the benefits of owning, but with the freedoms and flexibilities of renting. They call it "homeownership as a service". It's a new form of home ownership where one can consume real estate incrementally. If a condo is worth $600,000 in downtown Toronto, one can become a co-owner with just $15,000 down and every month in their app, choose to purchase more of the home. After three years the buyer has the option to purchase 100% of it. So anyone can own a home years sooner, continue to build equity, have the freedoms of renting, and after three years have the option to purchase it.  Oh, and at any time, the purchaser can give a couple of months notice and leave and buy a house somewhere else, or move to a new city for a job opportunity. Total flexibility.

According to Nic Beique, the payments space is generally boring, but his goal is to build a payments company that is loved by his customers and that can be the heartbeat of their customers success. Nic tells me that it would be enough of a differentiating point for Helcim to have built the brand that they have already built, one based on processing billions in payments per year with a human touch. But in an industry notorious for bad practices, he's going even further. 

Nic Beique is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Helcim, a payments company that makes it faster, easier, and more affordable for businesses to get paid.  Helcim is a payments company who believes in giving small businesses every possible edge to thrive and enrich their communities, delivering an easy, smart, and affordable payment experience with a human touch. They serve thousands of businesses in Canada and the US across 800 different industries, processing billions in payments each year.

In our chat, Nic discusses how the legacy players in the payments space have enjoyed their monopolies and it is the new entrants and fintechs forcing a customer service first approach to the industry. "A lot of companies see their customer service as a place for bottom of the barrel employees, and it's like, no, no, they are the touch point for our customers, they have the single most impact to our brand. We need to treat them very differently." 

We also discuss how the data at the core of the payments industry can paint of picture of the health of the economy. Through their platform they are seeing a huge shift to omni-channel commerce, not just online transactions. And on the technology side we discuss how anyone entering the payment space has to have a huge technology stack with a focus on uptime, security, and simply getting payments right.

The point is, being successful in the payments space is really, really hard.