I’ve Never Seen Anything Like This
This fall fundraising season has been unprecedented in terms of both the quality and quality of companies trying to raise capital.
Lessons from 250 Blog Posts
I never thought I’d actually write for this long, so I thought I would take some time this week to reflect on it. Here are some of the lessons I learned from writing 250 blog posts.
Before You Start Fundraising, You Need to Get Acclimated
Founders trying to raise Seed or Series A funding from Silicon Valley VCs need to change their approach now.
Building in Public: Founders Day Edition
Over the past year, we rebuilt Founders Day from the ground up, added a bunch of new features and unleashed version 3.0 to the world. How did it go?
Humility vs. Hubris
A lot of the magic that happens in Startupland™ takes place at the intersection of humility and hubris.
Changing Founder Metabolism
Announcing Game On, a program designed to accelerate Canadian founders and help them build meaningful connections to Silicon Valley.
Why Do 99% of Startup Accelerators Fail?
Why do 99% of startup accelerators fail to live up to their expectations?
Much Ado About Nothing, H-1B Edition
What does the announcement of a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas mean for startups in the U.S. and tech ecosystems around the world?
Anatomy of an Ecosystem
Let’s look at the evolution of Vancouver’s startup ecosystem through the lens of BC Founders Day..
Want to Hire the Best? Stop Paying Local Wages
If you raise Silicon Valley funding or are generating revenue primarily from US customers, there is fundamentally no reason why you can’t pay employees Silicon Valley salaries.
Why Won’t VCs Here Invest in Napkins?
Are Silicon Valley VCs really more willing to invest in ideas than VCs in other ecosystems?
How to Be a Community Instigator
To many people, the idea of planning an event is overwhelming, so I’m going to show you how to do it. Here’s how you can be an instigator for your community.
Don’t Slam the Door on Your Way Out
If you successfully fundraise from Silicon Valley VCs, be careful about how you tell the story. You could end up accidentally burning bridges.
American VCs Aren’t the Reason Your Startups are Leaving
Instead of blaming American VCs for “taking” their high-potential startups, ecosystems should stop and look in the proverbial mirror.
Canada is pissed. So what?
This weekend, the U.S. shattered the trust of an entire nation. And Canadians are pissed.
Where are the Builders?
Why does it seem harder to find communities of technical founders in some ecosystems than in others?
10 Tips for UK Founders Going to San Francisco
If you’ve never been to San Francisco before, where do you start?
Here are 10 resources for UK founders landing in San Francisco for the first time.
10 Tips for Canadian Founders Going to San Francisco
If you’ve never been to San Francisco before, where do you start?
Here are 10 resources for Canadian founders landing in San Francisco for the first time.
Let’s Celebrate Risk-Taking!
One of the biggest cultural differences between the US and other countries is the degree to which Americans value and celebrate risk-taking.
The Times They Are A-Changin’
Ecosystems around the world have been evolving, adapting and reconfiguring themselves post-Covid.