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Founders Korner by Koridor

Founders Korner by Koridor

By Founders Korner

Welcome to the Founders Korner!
If you're interested in startups, then you'll want to tune in. Our host, Sepehr Shoarinejad, Founder of Koridor covers all aspects of what it takes to get a startup off the ground, from generating and developing an idea to pitching to investors and all of the nitty gritty details, fails, and successes in between. You'll hear (and hopefully learn) about common mistakes that startups make and how to avoid them. And if you're already running a startup, we'll provide useful tips and advice on how to take it to the next level.
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Where to Start With Your Business: Insights From Entrepreneurial Duo | Founders Korner

Founders Korner by Koridor Jan 05, 2023

00:00
32:10
How to Hire as a Non-Technical Founder

How to Hire as a Non-Technical Founder

Unlock the secrets to successful hiring for non-technical founders in our latest episode featuring Greg Griesemer, Founder & CEO of 1130.Works. Join us as we dive into the essentials: defining your hiring goals and mastering the hiring process. Learn how to pinpoint key roles vital for early-stage startups, ensuring your team not only shares your vision but also possesses the expertise needed to drive your venture to new heights. Don't miss out on this invaluable advice! 🚀

Apr 17, 202441:10
Show Investors Why You're the One!

Show Investors Why You're the One!

To secure investor interest, you must demonstrate why you're the ideal non-technical founder to invest in and why your business idea hold promise. This involves identifying a solvable problem where you hold a competitive advantage, building a user base for feedback, and refining your business model for scalability. Join us in this eye-opening podcast with Robert Hudges III, Manager Director at Citizens Bank as he shares his key insights on capture investor interest and building a successful business.


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🔗 Links Our Agency - https://www.koridor.io/

Join Our Newsletter - https://www.koridor.io/founders-korner Free SaaS Product

Playbook - https://www.koridor.io/saas-product-playbook


🗣 Follow Us

Instagram - / https://www.instagram.com/founderskorner/

TikTok - / https://www.tiktok.com/@founderskorner

LinkedIn - / https://ca.linkedin.com/company/koridorapp

----


Hosted by Sepehr Shoarinejad


With a seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries, Sepehr brings a wealth of startup experience to help founders build and launch a SaaS business. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. His primary passion to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success is the reason behind his Founders Korner podcast, and the workshops he runs across Canada and the US. So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Apr 04, 202401:00:53
Inside the World of Product Management

Inside the World of Product Management

In a startup, the Product Manager plays a crucial role as the bridge between the company's vision and its customers' needs. They are responsible for defining and executing the product strategy, ensuring that the product meets market demands, and driving its development from conception to launch. This involves conducting market research, gathering user feedback, prioritizing features, and collaborating with cross-functional teams such as engineering, design, and marketing.


Join us on our newest podcast episode with Rafiat Babayode, CEO and Co-Founder of Moremee Inc. as we explore the indispensable role of Product Managers in driving innovation and success.




Mar 11, 202443:08
Why Take the Leap into Starting a Startup

Why Take the Leap into Starting a Startup

Join us on our newest podcast episode with Ray Blakney, CEO/Founder of Rayvensoft Ventures, LLC, as we chat about the journey of building successful startups from the ground up. Did you know, behind every 'overnight success' story lies years of hard work and dedication? We're part of a culture that craves instant results, captivated by tales of overnight success that dominate our generation's narrative. In this podcast, we're breaking down the myth of overnight startup success, how to future-proof your business idea with mentorship, and more. Check out: https://www.rayvensoft.com/ ---- 🔗 Links Our Agency - https://www.koridor.io/ Join Our Newsletter - https://www.koridor.io/founders-korner Free SaaS Product Playbook - https://www.koridor.io/saas-product-playbook 🗣 Follow Us Instagram - / https://www.instagram.com/founderskorner/ TikTok - / https://www.tiktok.com/@founderskorner LinkedIn - / https://www.linkedin.com/company/koridorapp 🎧 Podcast Audio Spotify - https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/founders-korner ---- Hosted by Sepehr Shoarinejad With a seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries, Sepehr brings a wealth of startup experience to help founders build and launch a SaaS business. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. His primary passion to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success is the reason behind his Founders Korner podcast, and the workshops he runs across Canada and the US. So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Feb 22, 202452:13
Startup Stories For First Time Founders

Startup Stories For First Time Founders

Want to launch a startup or maybe you’re just starting that journey? But you don’t think you need AI in your product…. Think again. AI isn’t just for the big guys, so I encourage you not to be daunted. Join us for our latest episode with the one and only, Tyler Chisholm. Tyler is a serial entrepreneur, Co-Founder & CEO of Clearmotive Marketing, speaker, and host of the podcast YYC Collision. He brings a wealth of practical advice you can action on today and how to think about incorporating AI into your product. https://tylerchisholm.com/ https://www.collisionsyyc.com/ ---- 🔗 Links Our Agency - https://www.koridor.io/ Join Our Newsletter - https://www.koridor.io/founders-korner Free SaaS Product Playbook - https://www.koridor.io/saas-product-playbook 🗣 Follow Us Instagram - / https://www.instagram.com/founderskorner/ TikTok - / https://www.tiktok.com/@founderskorner LinkedIn - / https://www.linkedin.com/company/koridorapp 🎧 Podcast Audio Spotify - https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/founders-korner ---- Hosted by Sepehr Shoarinejad With a seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries, Sepehr brings a wealth of startup experience to help founders build and launch a SaaS business. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. His primary passion to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success is the reason behind his Founders Korner podcast, and the workshops he runs across Canada and the US. So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Dec 05, 202301:06:57
MVP Sales Strategies For Founders

MVP Sales Strategies For Founders

You've just launched a GREAT product and you're ready to start selling. But you're met with .....crickets.....


You're not getting traction. And you don't have feedback to tell you where you're going wrong - is it the positioning? is it the marketing channel?Tip #1, become a sales-led founder.


In the beginning, you're not going to use strategies that scale. You need scrappy 1:1 tactics.

But what if you're not a skilled sales person? You're not alone, most founders don't start off being great sales people. But how do you start getting your first few sales?This is one the top reasons founders fail at this stage.

Join us for our latest episode of Founders Korner with Christian Joergensen, Founder, Digital Wasabi. We dive into how to bootstrap and sell your MVP. Most founders believe that if they build something great, they'll slowly but surely grow users. But here's the truth...if you build it, they WON'T come. At least not at first.

Watch this episode to understand how to start generating revenue even BEFORE you launch. Learn how to succeed where thousands of startups fail.

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🔗 Links Our

Agency - https://www.koridor.io/

Join Our Newsletter - https://www.koridor.io/founders-korner

Free SaaS Product Playbook - https://www.koridor.io/saas-product-playbook


🗣 Follow Us

Instagram - / founderskor.

TikTok - / founderskorner

LinkedIn - / koridor 🎧

Hosted by Sepehr Shoarinejad With a seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries, Sepehr brings a wealth of startup experience to help founders build and launch a SaaS business. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. His primary passion to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success is the reason behind his Founders Korner podcast, and the workshops he runs across Canada and the US. So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Nov 21, 202338:20
An Honest Description Of Founder Life

An Honest Description Of Founder Life

Being a founder is a lonely job. And founders struggle to find the right support - both personally and professionally - to thrive. Join us for our latest Founders Korner podcast episode with Jade Alberts, Founder of Pure Guidance. Jade is an angel investor, founder, podcast host and startup coach. He's made it a mission to help founders succeed without burning out. And that's exactly what today's episode is all about. We dive into mental health, unrealistic expectations, and then how to navigate strategy and growth.

Nov 07, 202346:30
How SaaS Founders Find Product Market Fit & Secure Series A

How SaaS Founders Find Product Market Fit & Secure Series A

The majority of startups fail before achieving Product Market Fit. First-time founders in particular struggle to make it to their seed or series A investment. So how do you set yourself up to be one of the very few who make it to this milestone? Join us for our latest episode of Founders Korner with Pablo Srugo, Founder at Mistral Seed VC. He's a founder turned investor and the host of the podcast @pmfshow. We dive into what investors are looking for when they make Seed and Series A investments, 4 frameworks to find a startup idea that will succeed, and host of tips and tricks for early stage founders to take their startup from idea to revenue. ---- 🔗 Links Our Agency - https://www.koridor.io/ Join Our Newsletter - https://www.koridor.io/founders-korner Free SaaS Product Playbook - https://www.koridor.io/saas-product-p... 🗣 Follow Us Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/founderskor... TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@founderskorner LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/kori... Twitter - https://twitter.com/founderskorner 🎧 Podcast Audio Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3lXJ8ir... Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... ---- Hosted by Sepehr Shoarinejad With a seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries, Sepehr brings a wealth of startup experience to help founders build and launch a SaaS business. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. His primary passion to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success is the reason behind his Founders Korner podcast, and the workshops he runs across Canada and the US. So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Oct 24, 202341:40
How To Secure Pre-Seed Capital For Your SaaS Startup

How To Secure Pre-Seed Capital For Your SaaS Startup

Join us for another episode of Founders Korner podcast. We're joined by Eva Dobrzanska, Investment & Dealflow Manager at Block Dojo, a UK-based incubator. We dig into how AI is almost always misunderstood in the startup world. And Eva shares what she considers 'red flags' for startup investments, and shares what to realistically expect as you start your raising journey. . Connect with Eva - https://www.linkedin.com/in/evadobrzanska ---- 🔗 Links Our Agency - https://www.koridor.io/ Join Our Newsletter - https://www.koridor.io/founders-korner Free SaaS Product Playbook - https://www.koridor.io/saas-product-playbook 🗣 Follow Us Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/founderskor... TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@founderskorner LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/kori... Twitter - https://twitter.com/founderskorner 🎧 Podcast Audio Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3lXJ8ir... Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/founders-korner-by-koridor/id1652102599 ---- Hosted by Sepehr Shoarinejad With a seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries, Sepehr brings a wealth of startup experience to help founders build and launch a SaaS business. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. His primary passion to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success is the reason behind his Founders Korner podcast, and the workshops he runs across Canada and the US. So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Oct 09, 202349:23
What Venture Capital Firms Look For In Seed SaaS Deals

What Venture Capital Firms Look For In Seed SaaS Deals

Welcome back to the Founders Korner! Today, we have a packed episode, gaining invaluable knowledge from Arden, an Investment Manager at Yaletown Partners that invests in pre-seed to series A companies. Arden and Sepehr discuss the blunt truth about what venture capital firms are looking for in startups including team composition, revenue and product-market fit. Arden paints the picture of the true perspective behind what a VC sees when they first take a look at your startups’ pitch deck. This podcast episode will leave you knowing  the secrets that investors are looking for, what to say and ask when looking at VC money.


Connect with Arden here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ardentse/


TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction

04:30 Is investing a gamble?

05:00 Professional investors vs. just-for-fun investors

05:55 What is the VC’s perspective?

06:40 Angel vs. Venture Capital money

08:30 What is good governance for your startup?

13:00 What VC’s look for in pre-seed, series A companies?

21:25 How to find the best talent

27:50 VC’s need evidence to invest

29:00 What founders don’t understand about the VC world

32:11 What does a VC’s portfolio look like?

38:45 Ask a VC any questions!

40:30 Conclusion

Sep 26, 202342:01
Canadian vs. American Startups

Canadian vs. American Startups

Canadian startup world vs. American startup world? Which one is better? Welcome back to the Founders Korner Podcast, today we have a special guest from one of our workshops, Bob Seeman. Learn more about how Canadian government grants such as IRAP could be the downfall of your startup. As Bob is a tech startup mentor expert, he explains what he thinks are the keys to a successful tech company - things such as picking the right co-founder and being able to put yourself and company out there. Sepehr and Bob also discuss the importance of putting yourself in front of the right people - people who are going to be brutually honest with you. This episode gets into the truth about how to become a successful tech startup.


Connect with Bob here: 


TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction

2:00 From engineering to tech startups

3:00 The secret to a great startup from the beginning

4:01 How to choose a co-founder

8:50 You HAVE to find the right people that will listen to you

10:00 Canadian vs. American startup world

16:40 Angel vs. Government grants

21:20 The MOST important part of a tech startup

25:00 Timing in your startup is everything

27:40 You have to be a “YES Man”

30:10 Will Canada become a startup world?

34:55 Bob’s one piece of advice

36:00 Legal advice for startups from a lawyer

37:27 Conclusion

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🔗 Links 

Our Agency - https://www.koridor.io/ 

Join Our Newsletter - https://www.koridor.io/founders-korner 

Free SaaS Product Playbook - https://www.koridor.io/saas-product-playbook 

🗣 Follow Us

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/founderskor...

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@founderskorner

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/kori... 

Twitter - https://twitter.com/founderskorner  

---- 

Hosted by Sepehr Shoarinejad 

With a seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries, Sepehr brings a wealth of startup experience to help founders build and launch a SaaS business. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. His primary passion to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success is the reason behind his Founders Korner podcast, and the workshops he runs across Canada and the US. So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.


Sep 13, 202338:46
How to Pivot Your Startup Successfully

How to Pivot Your Startup Successfully

Welcome back to the Founders Korner podcast! Today, our guest is Ted Lau, CEO of Ballistic Arts who shares his startup experience, highlighting the number of pivots his company went through and how he survived. Ted touches on the tough decisions he had to make as a founder and even talks about how you should choose your business partner as someone who has gone through a breakup. Ted has now had his business for over 20 years and still growing and strong, who better to have advice from? Ted answers questions like "How do you know when it's time to pivot?" and, "How do I make a pivot?". Connect with Ted: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ballisticarts/ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 01:54 How Ted’s company started 05:50 Find your startup’s niche 07:55 How Ted pivoted his business 11:10 Pivot or die 14:30 Founders have to be able to do this 20:20 Your website is more important than you think 24:20 Advice from Ted 27:50 Learn how to deal with highs and lows 31:20 How founders should deal with 38:30 Your employees are like your children 40:00 Be careful about who you partner up with 48:30 Conclusion ---- 🔗 Links Our Agency - https://www.koridor.io/ Join Our Newsletter - https://www.koridor.io/founders-korner Free SaaS Product Playbook - https://www.koridor.io/saas-product-playbook 🗣 Follow Us Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/founderskor... TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@founderskorner LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/kori... Twitter - https://twitter.com/founderskorner ---- Hosted by Sepehr Shoarinejad With a seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries, Sepehr brings a wealth of startup experience to help founders build and launch a SaaS business. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. His primary passion to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success is the reason behind his Founders Korner podcast, and the workshops he runs across Canada and the US. So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Aug 29, 202350:40
B2B Marketing Strategies for Startups

B2B Marketing Strategies for Startups

Welcome back! In today's podcast we have Justyna McCaig, the founder of CultureLab Communications and tech marketing expert. After watching this episode, B2B founders will understand to fully connect and market to their customers. Justyna talks about different avenues for sales and marketing such as the product-led approach. Justyna emphasizes the importance of using your resources wisely as a startup and how to understand what specific product will sell. Sepehr and Justyna discuss how founders can use AI carefully to actually benefit your company. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 02:00 2 misconceptions about B2B marketing 03:50 How to pick the right sales and marketing strategy 05:55 You NEED to talk to your customers 07:35 Idea vs. Execution 08:40 Who are you selling to? 10:50 How to use your marketing budget 12:45 Free tip for founders 15:30 Product advisory board 17:30 18:30 Airbnbs play 19:15 Don’t make this common founder mistake 23:00 RideCo’s story 26:30 Learn from Uber’s tactics 29:00 Justyna’s startup 33:00 Does AI help marketing? 40:30 Buyer vs. user 41:40 Don’t do this your startup 43:00 Conclusion ---- 🔗 Links Our Agency - https://www.koridor.io/ Join Our Newsletter - https://www.koridor.io/founders-korner Free SaaS Product Playbook - https://www.koridor.io/saas-product-playbook 🗣 Follow Us Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/founderskor... TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@founderskorner LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/kori... Twitter - https://twitter.com/founderskorner ---- Hosted by Sepehr Shoarinejad With a seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries, Sepehr brings a wealth of startup experience to help founders build and launch a SaaS business. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. His primary passion to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success is the reason behind his Founders Korner podcast, and the workshops he runs across Canada and the US. So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Aug 18, 202344:53
The True Journey of a First Time Founder

The True Journey of a First Time Founder

Welcome to the Founders Korner Podcast. In this episode, Cindy Sim gives us the run down of her journey as a female Canadian software entrepreneur. Cindy is the founder of Team CarePal, an application to support caregivers. She discusses everything from finding funding as a Canadian and the struggles to find capital as a woman in the startup space. Cindy shares how she overcame other barriers when it came to building her minimum viable product and not having that technical expertise herself. Nonetheless, Cindy stands here today with here with all her knowledge about the journey she took - from idea, funding, and go-to-market strategy, Cindy shares it all. Connect with Cindy here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teamcarepal-cindy-sim/ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 01:19 Team CarePal introduction 03:18 Misconceptions about software startups 04:45 Resources for software startups? 06:06 How Cindy built her product 07:30 The importance of your product manager 08:50 How much money it took to build an MVP 10:00 Vision vs. Money 11:50 The #1 challenge of being a founder 13:07 Internal team vs. Agency 13:55 Pros and cons of a bank loan 18:55 Government resources for startups 24:25 What it's like to be a female founder 28:30 You need a rock when you're a founder 30:30 Her advice to founders 38:00 Conclusion ---- 🔗 Links Our Agency - https://www.koridor.io/ Join Our Newsletter - https://www.koridor.io/founders-korner Free SaaS Product Playbook - https://www.koridor.io/saas-product-playbook 🗣 Follow Us Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/founderskor... TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@founderskorner LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/kori... Twitter - https://twitter.com/founderskorner ---- Hosted by Sepehr Shoarinejad With a seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries, Sepehr brings a wealth of startup experience to help founders build and launch a SaaS business. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. His primary passion to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success is the reason behind his Founders Korner podcast, and the workshops he runs across Canada and the US. So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Aug 10, 202339:09
Mastering Grit and Strategies to Success for Startup Founders

Mastering Grit and Strategies to Success for Startup Founders

Welcome back to the Founders Korner Podcast. Today, we bring you an episode featuring Sangeeta Mulchandani, the renowned author of "Start Right: Bringing Your Ideas to Life." Sangeeta shares her expert insights on the elements that can be the making or breaking of a startup, and how to understand your customers' problems to be a success. Sangeeta touches on how to ensure success even before you start building your product which includes grit - commonly overlooked. Sangeeta and Sepehr discuss how you can plan in all ways to ensure your idea turns into a success, including how to build a product roadmap. Watch the full episode to gain insights from experts when it comes to dealing with entrepreneurs, it might transform your journey.


Connect with Sangeeta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sangeetamulchandani/?originalSubdomain=au


Check out Sangeeta’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Start-Right-winning-business-successful/dp/B09YYZFW4T


TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction

01:00 Sangeeta’s story

02:24 Corporate was not for her

02:40 Starting her first business

03:40 Fuck up nights

04:25 What does success mean to you?

05:00 What determines something as a failure?

05:26 Learn how to fail

06:40 Don’t be scared to start a startup

07:00 Top 2 reasons why startups fail

08:50 How much money do you put in your startup?

09:25 Start Right

10:08 Three pillars of success

10:20 Mindset

11:40 Grit

11:54 Clear objectives

13:15 You NEED a product advisory board

14:10 The fear of rejection

15:10 How to truly understand your customers’ problems

16:59 The easiest way to build a roadmap

19:58 Entrepreneurs sell themselves

21:30 How to tell if your startup will be a success

24:50 Passion is the biggest driver

25:41 4 keys to startup success

28:45 Don’t overspend on scaling

31:18 When should you be profitable?

32:50 Types of money for startups

36:14 You don’t need to be #1 in the market

38:30 Sangeeta’s main advice for founders

41:10 Ensure you’re a healthy founder

42:00 Conclusion

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🔗 Links 

Our Agency - https://www.koridor.io/ 

Join Our Newsletter - https://www.koridor.io/founders-korner 

Free SaaS Product Playbook - https://www.koridor.io/saas-product-playbook 

🗣 Follow Us

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/founderskor...

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@founderskorner

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/kori... 

Twitter - https://twitter.com/founderskorner  

---- 

Hosted by Sepehr Shoarinejad 

With a seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries, Sepehr brings a wealth of startup experience to help founders build and launch a SaaS business. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. His primary passion to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success is the reason behind his Founders Korner podcast, and the workshops he runs across Canada and the US. So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.


Jul 26, 202343:27
Keys to an Effective Early Stage Startup Team | Founders Korner

Keys to an Effective Early Stage Startup Team | Founders Korner

A successful startup always starts with the early stage team. Welcome to back to the Founders Korner, the podcast where we dive into the world of entrepreneurship. In this episode, we are thrilled to have Karl Swanepoel, a seasoned, serial entrepreneur as our guest. Listen in us as we explore the mindset it takes to be a successful entrepreneur and learn valuable insights on how to build an effective early stage startup team. Karl shares his wealth of experience and knowledge, delving into topics such as hiring the right people specifically for startups, the pros and cons of working with freelancers, and what investors are truly seeking in startup companies. Connect with Karl here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlswa/ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 00:23 Karl’s intro 03:00 Starting a business at a young age 04:42 What not to be driven by 05:06 Find out if you should be a founder 06:38 How to build a versatile startup team 07:15 What to do before you start hiring 08:05 Hire people who think differently 09:59 Hiring strategically as a startup 13:32 Mistrust in freelancers 15:25 Features of a good freelancer 18:22 Hire slow, fire fast 20:30 Software startup world advice 23:50 What investors really want 28:16 Defining a problem 30:11 Hustle to get luck 32:00 Karl’s book recommendation for startups 33:00 Learn from others’ mistakes 35:00 Conclusion ---- 🔗 Links Our Agency - https://www.koridor.io/ Join Our Newsletter - https://www.koridor.io/founders-korner Free SaaS Product Playbook - https://www.koridor.io/saas-product-playbook 🗣 Follow Us Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/founderskorner TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@founderskorner LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/koridorapp Twitter - https://twitter.com/founderskorner Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/koridorapp/ 🎧 Podcast Audio Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3lXJ8irLnSra7TYEpjfOiz?si=bacb0ca7f55741c5 Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/founders-korner-by-koridor/id1652102599 ---- Hosted by Sepehr Shoarinejad With a seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries, Sepehr brings a wealth of startup experience to help founders build and launch a SaaS business. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. His primary passion to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success is the reason behind his Founders Korner podcast and the workshops he runs across Canada and the US. So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Jul 03, 202335:39
How Startups Should use Inbound Sales and Marketing | Founders Korner

How Startups Should use Inbound Sales and Marketing | Founders Korner

Dejan Gajsek shares the keys to creating an effective dynamic between sales and marketing to ultimately close more deals. Through his experience co-founding Grow + Scale, offering Tailored Competitive Enablement programs for B2B Tech and SaaS companies, Dejan knows the in's, out's and common pitfalls that startups will face. In this episode, we discuss the secret to better leads and how to avoid amateur sales tactics that just don't work. He easily breaks down inbound sales and marketing step by step to ensure your startup's success to effectively garner better leads. Dejan goes on to tell us the best content marketing strategies in this day and age.

We're so lucky that Dejan also shares his knowledge about battle cards for sales to have in their back pocket, and even shares with us a free battle card template

Connect with Dejan

https://www.growandscale.com/


TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Introduction

(01:25) Dejan’s intro

(02:55) Marketing and sales should work together

(04:20) Sales are not closing leads

(04:47) The secret to better leads

(06:24) Communication to close more deals

(07:34) Go to market strategy

(08:14) Battle card approach09:55 What not to do in sales

(10:24) Good sales tactic

(11:41) How to add long-term value

(13:59) How to pre-sell your product

(15:53) Maintain sales relationships

(16:19 Dejan’s approach to content marketing

(18:00) Should your startup use an agency?

(19:39) How to create effective marketing content

(21:53) Find out your brand’s story

(23:02) Marketing with new social platforms

(25:55) Basic content produces conversions

(27:47) Importance of customer success

(29:45) Atomic Habits and Grit

(30:54) Free battle card template from Dejan

----

🔗Links

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

🗣 Follow Koridor

Instagram

TikTok

LinkedIn

Twitter

YouTube

📖 Resources

SaaS Product Playbook

----

Hosted by Sepehr Shoarinejad

Sepehr is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success. So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Jun 12, 202334:25
How to Recruit the Best Talent for Startups | Founders Korner

How to Recruit the Best Talent for Startups | Founders Korner

As a startup, how do you hire the right people? In this episode, we have a conversation with Nikki Adamson, CEO of Hustle Hunters, to uncover the ways to attract, support, and retain talent for your startup. Nikki draws upon her extensive experience in the Silicon Valley startup world, the birthplace of many of today's most successful startups, to highlight the importance of assembling the right team for your venture. She emphasizes that the people who make up your team is crucial to the success or failure of your startup, and explains how to avoid the mistakes of traditional recruitment strategies that could lead to downfalls for your team. Instead, we discuss the power and innovation that a team with shared values can bring to your startup. Whether you're an early-stage startup or established business looking to scale, learn more about what to look for when seeking out new talent to drive your success.

Connect with Nikki: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-adamson/

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Introduction

(1:36) Nikki's intro

(5:50) How to start looking for talent

(7:40) Defining your startup's needs and values

(9:32) Your startup team is a sports team

(10:09) Defining and targeting qualities

(10:30) Unconscious bias

(11:58) How to find a high quality candidate

(15:52) How to attract talent

(17:45) What NOT to do when recruiting talent

(22:36) How to sell your startup and build trust with candidates

(25:57) Questions to ask to determine if a candidate is able to take ownership

(28:48) Hiring for the long-term

(30:10) Role titles and their unimportance

(31:37) The next best hire(33:50) Qualities that make someone successful

(38:53) When to slow down and speed up

(40:45) Conclusion

----

🔗 Links

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

🗣 Follow Koridor

Instagram

TikTok

LinkedIn

Twitter

YouTube

📖 Resources

SaaS Product Playbook

----

Hosted by Sepehr Shoarinejad

Sepehr is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success. So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

May 24, 202341:59
Startup Legal Issues: How to Avoid Common Pitfalls and Raise Seed Money Quicker | Founders Korner

Startup Legal Issues: How to Avoid Common Pitfalls and Raise Seed Money Quicker | Founders Korner

Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast, where we discuss all things startups. 

In this episode, we feature Marco, an Associate at McCarthy Tetrault and a startup expert lawyer, who shares his insights and experiences about the legal aspects of starting a business.  In this conversation, Sep and Marco highlight the importance of having your legal documents in order when seeking funding. They emphasize the #1 pitfall of operating with ignorance, why you NEED to keep your companies minute book, and why doing it right the first time can lead to raising seed money quicker + avoid potential legal pitfalls down the line.  Moreover, Marco shares his #1 advice for startups: knowing when to incorporate and when to enter into a shareholder agreement with co-founders. 

He offers valuable advice for non-technical vs. technical founders and how to avoid problematic moments in the team when money gets involved.  For early-stage employees, Marco explains the difference between stock options and shares and how they can attract employees to join the startup. He also shares how to protect yourself as an employee in a startup and the difference between preferred and common shares. 

If you're a startup founder or entrepreneur and have legal questions, this episode is a must-listen. Marco can be reached at  mwai@ccarthy.ca for any startup-related legal inquiries. 

Don't miss out on this valuable conversation!  

====================  

Contents of this video: 

02:30 - #1 pitfall for new founders  

06:00 - What startups need to watch out for and when is a good time to incorporate or enter into a shareholder agreement with co founders  

10:30 - non technical vs technical founders  

13:20 - How do you avoid problematic moments in the team when money gets involved  18:00 How to attract early stage employees and what are stock options vs shares  

23:10 - How can you protect yourself as an employee in a startup  

29:10 - Difference between preferred and common shares  


Links

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

Resources

SaaS Product Playbook

Let's connect 

Instagram

TikTok

LinkedIn

FREE Monthly Workshop  

Apr 04, 202338:42
The Future of AI and Startups: Insights and Predictions from an AI and Expert | Founders Korner

The Future of AI and Startups: Insights and Predictions from an AI and Expert | Founders Korner

Welcome to our latest episode, where we dive into the exciting world of AI and startups. We feature Manuj, the founder of Tetranoodle Tech, a speaker, board advisor, startup mentor, and a lover of travel. He is also a 4x patent holder in AI/ML and a 2x author, with his expertise in AI and machine learning being recognized by him speaking at the UN for AI ethics.

In this conversation, Manuj discusses the impact and importance of AI in startups and how they can integrate it for their benefit. He explains AI in a nutshell and compares algorithms to AI, highlighting the key differences between the two. He also talks about AI and human bias, providing insights into how companies like Amazon use AI and the potential dangers of this technology.Moreover, Manuj shares his prediction for the future of AI and large language models. He breaks down ChatGPT, and how it is revolutionizing the way we interact with technology.

For startups, Manuj explains how they can use AI to benefit them, offering valuable advice and insights for entrepreneurs looking to incorporate AI into their business strategies.If you're interested in AI and want to learn more about how it can be leveraged for startup success, this episode is a must-listen.

Join us as we explore the limitless possibilities of AI and its potential to shape the future of business.

Connect with him through the link below;

https://www.linkedin.com/in/manujaggarwal/

==================== Contents of this video:

05:20 - Explain AI in a nutshell

09:25 - Compair Algorithm to AI

12:00 - AI and the human bias

13:32 - Amazon and AI

18:30 - Prediction for the future of AI and large language models

23:45 - Break down chatGPT

26:20 - How can startups use AI to benefit them ====================

Our Host Sep is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success. 

So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.  

Links

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

Resources

SaaS Product Playbook

Social

Instagram

TikTok

LinkedIn

FREE Monthly Workshop  

Mar 29, 202336:47
Unpacking Investor Priorities and Strategies for Startup Growth: Insights from a Seasoned Angel Investor | Founder Korner

Unpacking Investor Priorities and Strategies for Startup Growth: Insights from a Seasoned Angel Investor | Founder Korner

In this episode of Founders Korner, Kyle, an angel investor, VC, philanthropist, and consultant for early-stage businesses, shares his insights into what investors are looking for in 2023 and how founders can approach investors for seed-level funding.  Kyle emphasizes the importance of community outreach and going into the market to make an impact as a founder. He suggests that founders should be putting in 6 plus hours a day reaching out to the community because it is ultimately the key to success.  He also cautions investors against being in a rush and succumbing to the fear of missing out on the next big deal. Instead, he advises taking a step back and carefully considering each investment opportunity.  

As a founder, Kyle emphasizes the importance of stepping through the noise to make an impact and difference for investors. He also notes that meeting founders from their first time teaches investors a lot about them, and they will always learn from their first venture.  

With his sales and marketing background, Kyle has a wealth of experience raising money as a startup. In this episode, he shares his regular observations and suggestions for founders on how to approach investors.  Overall, this episode of Founders Korner provides valuable insights into the current investment landscape and what founders can do to succeed in 2023. 

Connect with Kyle through the link below;  

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-kanovsky-936b9b37/

====================   

Contents of this video:  

07:00 - What gets your attention as an investor 

12:30 - What is the checklist you use as an investor  

16:00 - Why you need to see the bigger picture as a founder  

27:00 - Why you have a luxury as an investor to wait.  

32:00 - Final advice for Start up founders  

====================   

Our Host Sep is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries. Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success. 

So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.  

Links

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

Resources

SaaS Product Playbook

Social

Instagram

TikTok

LinkedIn

FREE Monthly Workshop  

Feb 22, 202338:15
Startup Ecosystems and Communities: Navigating the Highs and Lows | Founders Korner

Startup Ecosystems and Communities: Navigating the Highs and Lows | Founders Korner

Welcome to the Founders Korner Podcast!  

Join hosts Sep and Amara as they dive deep into the startup ecosystems and communities, exploring the highs and lows of being a founder. 

With Amara, the CEO of EasyVC, the show focuses on highlighting the importance of supporting forward-thinkers and change-makers in creating a brighter future. Tune in to gain valuable insight on the startup community, learn about the faults and positives, and discover ways to get involved in your local communities.  

If you are an early-stage venture or investor, connect with her on LinkedIn. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amara-wynn/  

====================  Contents of this video:  ==================== 

03:00 - What they think the startup space could improve on  

15:00 - Canada vs USA Startup ecosystems  

21:00 - How money flows in the ecosystem  

23:15 - What is a founders first step to get into their community  

32:00 - How to approach a mentor   

====================

Our Host

Sep is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries! Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success.

So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Links

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

Resources

SaaS Product Playbook

Social

Instagram

TikTok

LinkedIn

Feb 15, 202340:57
The Art of Sales - How to Build a High Performing Sales Team | Founders Korner

The Art of Sales - How to Build a High Performing Sales Team | Founders Korner

Take a listen to "The Art of Sales: How to Build a High-Performing Sales Team"! 

As a non-technical SaaS founder, you're likely focused on developing and maintaining your product, and building a sales team may not be your area of expertise. But, building a high-performing sales team is essential for any business, and it's important for you to understand how to approach and onboard salespeople effectively. 

Our expert guest on this podcast has years of experience in building and leading sales teams, and he'll be sharing valuable insights on how to build a team that can drive your business to success. He'll be discussing everything from how to find and approach the right salespeople, to how to onboard and train them, to how to manage and motivate them once they're on board. He'll also be sharing tips on how to set goals and measure performance, and how to create a culture that fosters success. 

Whether you're just getting started with building your sales team, or you're looking to take your existing team to the next level, this podcast is a must-listen for any SaaS founder. Tune in and learn how to build a high-performing sales team that will help you grow your business and achieve your goals!  

Doug Mooradian is a sales professional and mentor who believes that the human element & integrity play a role in every deal. Four times in his career he has been brought in by up-and-coming companies to serve as their first sales hire. While all of those endeavours proved successful, Doug also learned a lot about what NOT to do when building out a sales team.  He has proven himself to be an adept networker who enjoys building relationships, learning the true needs of potential clients and closing deals. 

Doug shared that "Over the past 20 years I've learned from some tremendous mentors and worked in every capacity. My experiences in event management, sales, marketing, trade shows and content creation have provided me with some wonderfully entertaining stories and also prepared me to deal with almost any scenario that might arise. 

 ====================   

Contents of this video:  

03:00 - What Founders need to know when they bring on a sales person 

06:45 -  Why sales teams needs to be solely focused on SALES  

11:35 - Sales is about confidence first  

24:30 - Sales skills are LEARNED 

34:10 - The best way to hire for your startup to evolve  

====================   

Our Host

Sep is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries! Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success.

So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Links

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

Resources

SaaS Product Playbook

Social

Instagram

TikTok

LinkedIn

Feb 08, 202344:51
Top 4 Productivity Tips for Solo Entrepreneurs | Founders Korner

Top 4 Productivity Tips for Solo Entrepreneurs | Founders Korner

In this video, we're talking about the top productivity tips for entrepreneurs and business owners. 

These tips will help you make the most of your time, energy, and resources so you can achieve your goals and grow your business.  

The first tip is about time blocking. This involves prioritizing your tasks and blocking out time in your schedule to work on them. This can include setting up startup and shutdown rituals, such as planning your day the night before or reviewing your progress at the end of the day. By taking control of your schedule and focusing on the most important tasks first, you'll be able to make the most of your time and achieve your goals faster. 

The second tip is about self-care. Many entrepreneurs and business owners make the mistake of sacrificing their well-being for their business, but this is a recipe for burnout. Taking care of yourself is essential for staying productive over the long-term. This includes getting enough sleep, taking regular breaks, going for walks, practicing meditation, journaling, and other activities that help you relax and recharge. 

The third tip is about automation and tools. There are many tools and apps available that can help automate your tasks and make your work more efficient. Examples of this includes tools like Zapier, Motion, Canva, Trello, Pomodoro etc. By automating repetitive tasks and streamlining your workflow, you can free up time to focus on the most important aspects of your business. 

The fourth tip is about setting boundaries. As an entrepreneur or business owner, you're probably used to being pulled in many different directions. However, it's important to remember that you can't do everything. You need to set boundaries and learn to say no to tasks or projects that aren't aligned with your goals. This can be tough, but it's essential for protecting your time and energy so you can focus on what really matters. 

In summary, these productivity tips are designed to help entrepreneurs and business owners make the most of their time and resources. By focusing on time blocking, self-care, automation and tools, and setting boundaries, you can achieve your goals and grow your business more efficiently. Remember, work smart not hard. And also the mental capacity bank needs to be taken care of as well.

Feb 01, 202312:47
Navigating the Startup World: An Insider's Look from Koridor's Team | Founders Korner

Navigating the Startup World: An Insider's Look from Koridor's Team | Founders Korner

Jan 24, 202336:43
5 Secrets to Attracting and Retaining SaaS Customers | Founders Korner

5 Secrets to Attracting and Retaining SaaS Customers | Founders Korner

Attracting and retaining SaaS customers doesn't have to be a mystery. By focusing on offering a valuable solution, investing in customer success from the start, understanding your pricing model, creating educational content, and building a feedback loop, you can set yourself up for success in the competitive world of SaaS by following these 5 tips below.   

00:20 - Offer a valuable solution to a single customer 

  • You have limited resources, so avoid having more than one customer 
  • Focus on what they are missing 
  • Truly understand your customers and their needs, wants, desires, and fears  

01:50 - Invest in your customer success early 

  • Build customer success into your products today 
  • Understand the customer journey with your product 
  • Learn what success means to your customer and solely focus on providing that success  

02:50 - Understand your pricing 

  • The biggest mistake most startups make is they price themselves too low 
  • Understand what freemium means and how to leverage it to reduce friction, but how to get the customers to convert as they grow 
  • Understand your business goals and available resources to price correctly  

05:00 - Build a content house 

  • Content in today's social media is the key, people want to be educated not sold to 
  • This is your opportunity to show your potential customers you understand them  
  • Utilize interactions and engage with users to build a community  

07:40 - Create a feedback loop 

  • Always have a feedback loop with your customers so that you can continue supporting them 
  • Always ask questions and do not ever assume they're all happy 
  • Utilize the loop to get testimonials  

Our Host

Sep is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries! Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success.

So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Links

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

Resources

SaaS Product Playbook

Social

Instagram

TikTok

LinkedIn


Jan 18, 202311:36
Culture and Hiring: Insights from Successful Founders | Founders Korner

Culture and Hiring: Insights from Successful Founders | Founders Korner

In this episode of Founders Korner, Jon Hafichuk and Sep delve into the crucial topic of culture and hiring in business. As the founder of Symbol Syndication, a successful video production and digital marketing company, Jon shares his experiences building a positive culture and making strategic hires. 

Sep, the founder of Koridor, brings his wealth of knowledge and experience as a non-technical founder in the tech industry to the discussion. Tune in to learn valuable insights and advice on how to create a thriving culture and make the right hires for your business.  

Jon Hafichuk is the founder of Symbol Syndication, a successful video production and digital marketing company based in Calgary. Jon shares his journey from producing videos to traveling the continent for parkour competitions and eventually, to starting his own business.  

https://www.symbolsyndication.com/

====================  

Contents of this video: 

04:30 - What was your biggest struggle from the beginning of your startup 

09:35 -  What did you learn the most from starting your business  

16:00 - Hiring and Culture


Our Host

Sep is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries! Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success.

So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Links

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

Resources

SaaS Product Playbook

Social

Instagram

TikTok

LinkedIn

Jan 11, 202331:48
Where to Start With Your Business: Insights From Entrepreneurial Duo | Founders Korner

Where to Start With Your Business: Insights From Entrepreneurial Duo | Founders Korner

We are back in the Founders Korner to talk about all things entrepreneurship and business. Today we have a special treat for our listeners – we have Jana Boyko and Brad Boyko, the sibling duo behind the new guided journal for entrepreneurs, Bedside Business Plan.

In this episode, we dive into the stories and experiences that shaped their entrepreneurial spirits and explore why founders need to invest in themselves. We also discuss the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people and how to handle difficult conversations with business partners.

Join us as we cover the do's and don'ts of starting a new venture and learn how everything really does lead to something. Whether you're just starting out on your entrepreneurial journey or you've been running a business for years, this episode is sure to provide valuable insights and inspiration.

About our guests;

The two have always had a strong orientation towards entrepreneurship, following in the footsteps of their father and grandparents. Both Jana & Brad graduated from the Haskayne School of Business and currently work in a variety of entrepreneurial capacities. Jana has a private coaching practice, All of Her Business, where she supports women in holistically making the transition from employee to entrepreneur. Brad is a jack of all trades working in management consulting, running his photography and videography business, and working with Jana to run and grow Bedside Business Plan Ltd. The two are extremely passionate about making entrepreneurship for everyone and recently landed their journal in Indigo & Chapters bookstores across Canada!

https://www.bedsidebusinessplan.com/

====================  Contents of this video:

08:00 - How to introduce your humanity into your business plan 09:00-  What would be their number 1 advice to future founders

11:00 - Founders need to be sales people

15:60 - Partnerships in your business

17:25 - Hiring for your startup

19:00 - Be open to possibilities

23:00 - Why founders need to be patient with the process

Our Host

Sep is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries! Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success.

So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

Links

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

Resources 

SaaS Product Playbook

Social 

Instagram

TikTok

LinkedIn

Jan 05, 202332:10
Growth Hacking Tips and Techniques for Startups: A Marketing Perspective | Founders Korner

Growth Hacking Tips and Techniques for Startups: A Marketing Perspective | Founders Korner

On this week's episode of Founders Korner, where we delve into the importance of marketing for early-stage startups, and growth hacking tips and techniques - from a marketing perspective.   

Our guest is Emma, a B2B marketing leader with over 10 years of experience in the tech startup industry. Emma has worked at marketing agencies, Fortune 50 companies, and tech startups, and has a particular passion for go-to-market strategy, customer research, and storytelling for early stage startups.  Emma will also be discussing the importance of getting marketing and sales on the same page, the difference between the two, her thoughts on essential MVP building steps and how to tailor a go to market strategy. One of the highlights of the episode will be Emma's thoughts on product advisory boards (time - 18:00), including how they can be a valuable resource for businesses looking to fine-tune their product offerings.  

If you're a founder or aspiring entrepreneur looking to learn about marketing for SaaS products, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Tune in as Emma shares her expertise and insights on how to effectively market your SaaS product and drive growth for your business. This is an episode you won't want to miss! 

Our Host - Sep is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries! Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success.

So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

====================  Contents of this video:  ==================== 

03:15 - Why you need to take marketing into consideration of your product  

05:00 - Understanding your target market + ideal customer  

08:00 - Picking your niche and channel  

08:51 - Pricing your product  

13:47 - Sales vs Marketing 

18:08 - #1 Step you need to take developing your product **

============================================================

//Links//

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

//Resources//

SaaS Product Playbook

//Social//

Instagram

TikTok

Youtube

LinkedIn

Who is Koridor?

We turn founders dreams into a reality by being their dedicated technical team.  

Dec 21, 202225:57
The Opportunities of AI in Startups - From Idea to Reality | Founders Korner

The Opportunities of AI in Startups - From Idea to Reality | Founders Korner

Today in Founders Korner we sit down with Wish Bakhshi a Director of AI and discuss what he sees at the biggest opportunity in Tech and how startups can leverage AI to position themselves against the market. We will also be discussing the difference between what it means to have AI technology versus utilizing algorithms.

There are many potential opportunities for startups to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) technology in order to turn their ideas into reality. AI can be used in a variety of ways to help startups to improve their operations and processes, and to develop new products and services. For example, startups can use AI to automate tedious or time-consuming tasks, such as data entry or analysis, freeing up their employees to focus on more important tasks. AI can also be used to help startups to develop new products and services by providing valuable insights and predictions based on data. Additionally, AI can be used to help startups to better understand and serve their customers, by providing personalized recommendations and improving the overall customer experience. Overall, the opportunities for startups to use AI are vast, and can help to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and competitiveness of their operations.


====================  Contents of this video:  ==================== 

04:10 - What is the difference between an AI startup or SaaS startup  

06:22 - When to use AI vs Algorithm  

13:30 - What is a data engineer?  

23:00 - Real life startup AI misunderstanding examples 

33:40 - Where does Wish see the biggest opportunity for AI in startups


Our Host - Sep is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries! Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success.

So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

//Links//

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

//Resources//

SaaS Product Playbook

//Social//

Instagram

TikTok

Youtube

LinkedIn

Who is Koridor?

We turn founders dreams into a reality by being their dedicated technical team.

Dec 14, 202242:04
How to Start Your Software Business as a Non-Technical Founder | Founder Korner

How to Start Your Software Business as a Non-Technical Founder | Founder Korner

Today in Founders Korner we have our guest Eddie Irvin who is an app architect and tech advisor. He helps non-technical leaders get their vision out of their head and into a technical app blueprint, which enables them to tell developers in detail what they want to build. With Eddie they get the right system built the first time.

They discuss the technical logistics of starting a founders vision, how to prevent scope creep, the love the two share for app architecture, why simplicity is the ultimate sophistication and so many more nuggets of knowledge for future founders. We highly recommend you pay attention around minute 11:20 for the “Best advice to a founder who is starting their idea”.

Eddie Irvin

Software Accelerator Playbook: App Planning For Success

saplaybook.com

@saplaybook on Instagram

Contents of this video:

01:55 - Agency vs Founders

03:35 - Technological logistics of founders vision

07:10 - Why founders don’t need to over explain

11:20 - Best advice to a founder who is starting their idea 

16:00 - How to prevent scope creep


Our Host - Sep is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries! Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success.

So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

//Links//

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

//Resources//

SaaS Product Playbook

//Social//

Instagram

TikTok

Youtube

LinkedIn

Who is Koridor?

We turn founders dreams into a reality by being their dedicated technical team.

Dec 07, 202224:60
 How Mental Health Can Affect Entrepreneurs | Founders Korner

How Mental Health Can Affect Entrepreneurs | Founders Korner

Nov 29, 202232:50
Why Hope is NOT a Sales Strategy for Founders | Founders Korner

Why Hope is NOT a Sales Strategy for Founders | Founders Korner

Today in the Founders Korner we have our special guest Roderick Jefferson  here to drop some serious insight on the topic of sales, and why as a founder HOPE can never be your #1 strategy.

They discuss the topics of what is sales enablement, why you need to bridge the departments within your organization to sales, common first time founder mistakes, how to find the ideal sales person for your startup, when it’s crucial for you to just shut up and listen, plus more.

Roderick Jefferson is a Senior Executive with 20+ years of sales enablement leadership experience. He is also an acknowledged practitioner and keynote speaker in the sales enablement space that understands how to create bridges between internal organizations to empower sales to exceed expectations. Roderick is the author of the Amazon bestselling book, Sales Enablement 3.0: The Blueprint to Sales Enablement Excellence. Which can be purchased here.

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/roderickjefferson/

He is currently an Executive-in-Residence with VentureScale and one of the founding members of the Sales Enablement Society. Roderick is also a member of several Advisory Boards, including Capella University, Autobound.ai, Sales for the Culture, and Selleration Inc.

Take a listen and leave us any of the questions and comments you may have bellow!

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Our Host - Sep is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries! Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success.

So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

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Who is Koridor?

We turn founders dreams into a reality by being their dedicated technical team.

Nov 23, 202222:11
Why startup CAN'T afford to NOT do market research | Founders Korner

Why startup CAN'T afford to NOT do market research | Founders Korner

Today in the Founders Korner we are talking about research!

Research might be considered a boring topic BUT it is the most critical thing to do as a startup when it comes to the necessity of  understanding your users, before you get deep into product development.

Our guest Filip holds a masters degree in Sociology and has over 10 years of experience in qualitative and quantitative research. He helps companies of all sizes define problems and strategy, get a sense of the market and competition, and evaluate the solutions with users. He also teaches teams on where and how to implement research in the product development life cycle and best research practices so you can better develop your product or service.

They talk about the #1 drawback to not doing research, how assumptions are business killers, why selling value is more important then features, the importance of leading with the solution before understanding the problem AND why founders must always remember to measure twice and cut once.

Watch or listen as Filip blows Sep away with his research approach!

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Our Host - Sep is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries! Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success.

So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

//Links//

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

//Resources//

SaaS Product Playbook

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Instagram

TikTok

Youtube

LinkedIn

Who is Koridor?

We turn founders dreams into a reality by being their dedicated technical team.

Nov 15, 202225:37
How Marketing Can Save a Startup | Founders Korner

How Marketing Can Save a Startup | Founders Korner

So you developed a product! Congratulations. Now, wait. Uh, what? How do I market this thing?

Tune in to hear Sep and Bryce - Highbar Enterprises Growth and Marketing Director - Discuss some incredibly insightful topics about when startups meet marketing and how founders need to be a little crazy (when combined with curiosity and strategy) to thrive in this world.

They talk about why you need to get obsessed with solving problems and truly understanding the product, the most often forgotten ‘P’ of the 4 marketing P's, and some mind set aspects to consider when approaching marketing a new business venture.

You’ll want to take a listen.

Let us know what topics you want to see us cover in the Founders Korner next!

Our Host - Sep is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries! Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success.

So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

//Links//

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

//Resources//

Mini Product Playbook

//Social//

Instagram

TikTok

Youtube

LinkedIn

Who is Koridor?

We turn founders dreams into a reality by being their dedicated technical team.

Nov 08, 202233:23
Founders and Mental Burnout | Founders Korner

Founders and Mental Burnout | Founders Korner

Let's talk about burnout. If you’ve been feeling depleted, like you lost your spark or are unmotivated while running your business, you could be dealing with more than just a rough patch. The World Health Organization officially recognized burnout in 2019's International Classification of Diseases.

As founders and entrepreneurs, Bob (Koridor's VP of Sales) and Sep have been through every up and down you could imagine. In this podcast they share their experience as well as lessons learned to make sure future founders don't loose themselves during a burnout. Their discussion includes the reasons why founders experience burnout, the different types, and treatment suggestions for a person who is experiencing these feelings. 

Our Host - Sep is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries! Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success.

So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

//Links//

Koridor's Website

Founders Academy

Email Us

//Resources//

Mini Product Playbook

//Social//

Instagram

TikTok

Youtube

LinkedIn

Who is Koridor?

We turn founders dreams into a reality by being their dedicated technical team.

Nov 01, 202225:37
How to Survive (and Thrive) as a Startup: Founders Korner Talk Startup Denver
Oct 27, 202210:31
Founders First Time | Daniel Lee - From a First Time Technical Founder to a Principal Software Engineer at Neo Financial

Founders First Time | Daniel Lee - From a First Time Technical Founder to a Principal Software Engineer at Neo Financial

On this episode of the series 'Founders First Time' on Founders Korner, Daniel and Sep talk about his experiences as a first time technical co-founder, and in his recent role as a principal software engineer at Neo Financial. They cover topics like what founders can expect from hiring developers, how to approach devs, working with co-founders and the transition from a small scale to a large scale startup company.

They also discuss fun challenges, the do's and don'ts, loves and hates—and plenty of valuable pieces of insight that will help you make your startup experience more successful!

Our Host - Sep is the Founder of Koridor and has a colourful and seasoned history of entrepreneurship in various industries! Through his array of ventures, he has a balanced and realistic understanding of the skills and knowledge required to thrive as a non-technical founder in a technical world. Fortunately for us, his primary passion has always been to help drive like-minded entrepreneurs to success.

So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for ways to accelerate your growth, be sure to subscribe to the Founders Korner.

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Book a no pressure chat with our Startup Specialist HERE 

Koridor's Website 

Founders Academy 

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Mini Product Playbook 

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Who is Koridor?

Software services + Solutions

We provide you with agile software services and solutions by being your dedicated CTO, development team, product managers, and support on anything in the software development life cycle. Our team strives to make software development easy and affordable. 

Oct 25, 202237:16