We know you want to hear from people like you.

For this episode we interviewed Allen Lau, Co-Founder and CEO at Wattpad, an online storytelling community where users post written works such as articles, stories, fan fiction, and poems.

We discuss battling internet trolls, building online communities, and swallowing rejection from potential funders.

Prior to Wattpad, Allen was the co-founder of FeedM8, a mobile advertising company that was acquired in 2008. In 2001, he co-founded Tira Wireless where he helped leading brands optimize content for mobile delivery. Inspired by his love of reading, Allen began Wattpad with Co-Founder Ivan Yuen, in 2005 and now leads Wattpad's efforts to transform the way people around the world discover and share stories. Allen has helped turn Wattpad into the world's largest community for readers and writers.

Feel free to connect with Allen on Twitter http://bit.ly/2kv5RR1

Produced by: MaRS, www.marsdd.com/
Music by: Broke For Free, http://brokeforfree.com/

XXVII

EPISODE 2: Allen Lau battles trolls and funding woes

We know you want to hear from people like you.

For this episode, we interviewed Lily Tse, Founder and CEO at Think Dirty, an unbiased product-comparison app for personal and skincare products. Think Dirty empowers and educates the consumer on the cosmetics industry by allowing them to make informed decisions.

We talk about how to hire great people, build your brand and make money while also saving the world.

Lily moved from a career in advertising and design to develop her own app, Think Dirty, due to her personal journey trying to understand the truths in the beauty industry. Due to family history of cancer, Lily decided to research the many causes behind breast cancer, including "toxic" ingredients in cosmetic and personal care products. Lily's entrepreneurial journey took off after winning the "It's a Start Competition Grand Prize" by Digifest Toronto. Lily launched Think Dirty in the summer of 2013, which now has over 350,000 products in its database.

Lily hopes to take back consumer's power to vote for products that are safe, clean and not "Dirty." 

Feel free to connect with Lily on Twitter http://bit.ly/2kOION2
Produced by: MaRS, www.marsdd.com/
Music by: Broke For Free, brokeforfree.com/

EPISODE 3: Lily Tse talks branding advice and being nice

We know you want to hear from people like you.

For this episode, we interviewed Dan Jacob, an entrepreneur and current Growth Manager at Breather. Breather is a network of beautifully designed meeting and work spaces that are perfect for getting work done, hosting meetings or simply taking a moment to focus. 

Dan discusses the importance of storytelling, treating customers as humans, and provides insight into Breather's "donut" strategy to marketing and selling.

In 2009, Dan Co-Founded Canada's largest ideas conference, TEDxToronto and subsequently chaired the conference for 5 years. As someone who has always had an affinity for building connections and working in teams, Dan took on the role as Growth Manager at Breather in 2016. Always on the lookout for innovative ways to market and sell products, Dan and his team have developed hyper-local ways to sell Breather spaces. Including working with social influencers and local restaurants.

Feel free to connect with Dan by email at dan@breather.com and book your Breather space today at https://breather.com/. 

Produced by: MaRS, www.marsdd.com/
Music by: Broke For Free, brokeforfree.com/

EPISODE 4: Dan Jacob explains storytelling and how to start selling

We know you want to hear from people like you.

For this episode, we interviewed Jessica Weisz, Chief Customer Officer at SoapBox. SoapBox, a Toronto startup, provides software solutions that help organizations adapt to the needs of a changing workforce by creating a feedback loop between employees and leaders.

We discuss how founders can create a "nurturing" management environment that allows employees to flourish and grow; as well as ponder a simple but telling anecdote regarding the assumed role of women in the workplace.

Before joining SoapBox in 2013, Jessica lived in the world of banking and corporate business. After graduating from the University of Western Ontario, Jessica joined BMO Financial Group in 2008 and left as a Senior Manager for Productivity in 2013. Now at Soapbox, Jessica focuses on ensuring customers get value from their Soapbox program by leading a collaborative and engaged team that guides their customers from initial sale to renewal and growth.

Jessica is also a prominent advocate for women in tech and business, particularly focused on challenging the normal “culture” of the business-world in order to foster individual growth and diversity. She believes that collaboration and nurturing management are key to a successful business.

Feel free to connect with Jessica by twitter @Jess_at_SoapBox and check out SoapBox's blog here, https://soapboxhq.com/blog/

Produced by: MaRS Discovery District
Music by: Broke for Free, http://brokeforfree.com/ CC license 

For more content like this, visit https://www.marsdd.com/

EPISODE 5: Jessica Weisz challenges gender norms and management forums

The Advanced Energy Centre (AEC) brings you the latest offering as part of our Going Global Market Insights series. This podcast offers insights into the energy systems of international markets, for export-ready Cleantech companies and is complimentary to our Going Global reports. 

In our first podcast, your co-hosts Jesika Briones and Pallavi Roy give you an introduction of the role of the Advanced Energy Centre and Ron Dizy, Managing Director for the AEC, interviews a Chilean energy expert to who talks about the past, present, and future of the Chilean electricity market. To learn more about the AEC visit www.marsdd.com and https://www.marsdd.com/systems-change/advanced-energy-centre/going-global-market-insights/

In our first podcast we look at the opportunities present in the Chilean energy sector. Some key themes discussed were:
•	The history of the spot prices in Chile and their evolution over the past 10 years.
•	The development of renewable energy technologies in Chile
•	The issues with transmission and future plans for the Chile Electricity grid
•	The role of innovation in development of a sustainable electricity system in Chile

Guests:
Ron Dizy - Interviewer
The Managing Director of the Advanced Energy Centre is focused on two priorities. First, working with a diverse group of public and private sector partners to assist utilities, energy users and energy innovators to adopt new technologies faster. Mr. Dizy is passionate about making our energy system more cost effective, more resilient and more reliable. Second, he is driving international opportunities for Ontario and Canadian energy innovators by leveraging our domestic successes and experiences outside of Canada.

Juan Carlos Araneda - Interviewee
Planning & Development Director in CDEC-SING (the system operator for the norther grid in Chile), where has the mission to lead the planning studies and development of the Interconnected System of Norte Grande de Chile, including the development of the transmission system, interconnection with electrical systems. He is also the President of the Chilean Committee of CIGRE (Council on Large Electric Systems). Mr. Araneda is an expert in the Chilean electricity system having worked in the sector for more than 30 years. 

Hosts: Jesika Briones, Manager-International, Advanced Energy Centre | jbriones@marsdd.com 
Pallavi Roy, Associate, Advanced Energy Centre | proy@marsdd.com

Production: Jacob Zimmer & Adjacent Possibilities

Theme:  Разговор by Pavlove on the Free Music Archive

AEC EPISODE 1: Chile

The Advanced Energy Centre (AEC) brings you the latest offering as part of our Going Global Market Insights series. This podcast offers insights into the energy systems of international markets, for export-ready Cleantech companies and is complimentary to our Going Global reports. To learn more about the AEC visit us at http://www.marsdd.com/systems-change/advanced-energy-centre/

In our 1st podcast, we discussed the Chilean electricity sector. In the 2nd podcast we take you to Colombia and discuss the electricity sector there, identifying opportunities for Canadian cleantech innovation. Some key themes discussed were:
•	Colombia as an attractive destination for Canadian cleantech
•	The opportunities for development of renewable energy technologies in Colombia
•	Tips for entrepreneurs interested in exporting to the Colombian electricity sector

Guests:

Ron Dizy, Managing Director, AEC - Interviewer
The Managing Director of the Advanced Energy Centre is focused on two priorities. First, working with a diverse group of public and private sector partners to assist utilities, energy users and energy innovators to adopt new technologies faster. Second, he is driving international opportunities for Ontario and Canadian energy innovators by leveraging our domestic successes and experiences outside of Canada.

Roger Morrison, CEO Founder, dTechs – Interviewee
CEO and founder of dTechs, a software company focused on reducing technical and non technical losses in the electricity grid. Using highly accurate medium voltage sensors coupled with a robust software platform, dTechs addresses the last-mile gap in grid monitoring

Diana Cantillo, ProBarranquilla – Interviewee
ProBarranquilla is the Investment Promotion Agency of Barranquilla and the Atlantico Region in Colombia. It is a private non-profit organisation funded by the local government and more than 80 sponsoring-companies focused on promoting the economic development of the region.

Hosts: Jesika Briones, Manager-International, Advanced Energy Centre | jbriones@marsdd.com 
Pallavi Roy, Associate, Advanced Energy Centre | proy@marsdd.com

Production:  Adjacent Possibilities

Theme:  Разговор by Pavlove on the Free Music Archive

AEC EPISODE 2: Colombia

Located in the heart of Canada’s largest and the world’s most diverse city, MaRS is uniquely placed to lead change. We bring together educators, researchers, social scientists, entrepreneurs and business experts under one roof. Founded by civic leaders, we have a mission that is equal parts public and private — an entrepreneurial venture designed to bridge the gap between what people need and what governments can provide. 

MaRS is not just about creating billion-dollar companies, but touching a billion lives. We are creating a vanguard of entrepreneurs working to improve society for future generations and making a difference beyond our borders.