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In this episode of Canada Now, I’m joined by William Johnson — Vice President of Strategy & Operations at Overstory Media Group and founder of Vancouver Tech Journal — for a wide-ranging conversation on what’s really shifting in Canada’s innovation ecosystem in 2026.

We unpack the current pragmatic reset in venture and startups, why Vancouver’s tech community feels both exciting and precarious, and why the next era of innovation may be defined less by hype… and more by trust, niche communities, and offline connection.

William shares a powerful thesis: as AI begins creating and distributing more of what we see online, the real moat for founders, brands, and media may be building in the real world — turning audiences into communities through meaningful convening.

If you care about Canadian tech, media, storytelling, or the future of community-driven business, this one is a must-listen.

We cover:

• Vancouver’s tech evolution since the last major growth wave
• What’s changing in venture capital and early-stage investing
• Why “community is the moat” in 2026
• The shifting media landscape in Canada (and the distribution challenge)
• AI, the “dead internet” theory, and what it means for creators
• Why micro-events and offline convening are becoming the new edge

Connect with William on LinkedIn, and follow his work through Overstory Media Group and Vancouver Tech Journal.

Episode feature article and show notes coming very soon (subscribe to https://canadanow.beehiiv.com for updates).

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In this episode of Canada Now, I’m joined by Matias Marquez, founder and CEO of ethos — a modern loyalty and membership platform helping brands move beyond transactional points and discounts toward something far more powerful: community, participation, and real customer connection.

Built for Shopify merchants and modern e-commerce brands, ethos is part of a new wave of tools helping online retailers turn customers into engaged communities — not just repeat buyers.

Matias previously founded Buyatab, a global digital gift card company acquired in 2019, and he’s now deep into his second act — building tools that help brands create loyalty programs that feel more like belonging than marketing.

We talk about how loyalty is evolving into a true customer engagement operating system, why user-generated content and experience-led memberships are becoming core growth levers, and how the best brands are turning loyalty into more than retention — even into a channel for new customer acquisition.

We also zoom out to the Canadian founder landscape: what it feels like to build from Canada right now, the headwinds entrepreneurs are facing, and why sustainable, community-led growth may be one of Canada’s greatest strengths.

If you’re building a brand, running an e-commerce business, or thinking about the future of customer relationships — this one’s for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• Loyalty beyond points: building brands people belong to
• Community-led customer engagement and modern membership strategy
• UGC, authenticity, and why real content outperforms traditional ads
• Loyalty as acquisition — not just retention
• Access, experiences, and the future of brand community
• How Shopify brands are using loyalty and memberships to drive growth
• Founder lessons from a second-time entrepreneur
• Building and scaling from Canada with a global mindset

Episode feature article and show notes coming very soon (subscribe to https://canadanow.beehiiv.com for updates).

Find Matias and Ethos:
https://linkedin.com/in/matiaspmarquez
https://heyethos.com

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We’re living through a moment of real uncertainty — geopolitically, economically, and technologically. The old playbooks are breaking down. The rules are shifting. And leaders are being asked to make high-stakes decisions without a clear map.

In this episode, I sit down with veteran executive and board leader Darlene Hyde to explore how governance, leadership, and decision-making must evolve in times of disruption.

Drawing on decades of experience across major institutions and sectors — including housing, finance, transit, telecommunications, and public interest governance — Darlene shares practical insight on how boards and executives can move beyond traditional oversight toward foresight and insight.

We discuss:

• Why today’s leaders must “read the world,” not just the room
• Governance in a period of geopolitical and economic rupture
• How boards should think about risk when uncertainty is the baseline
• Why silence and over-compliance can create hidden danger
• The growing importance of diverse and non-homogeneous boards
• Speaking up at the board table — especially for newer directors
• Technology and AI literacy as a shared responsibility — not a specialist silo
• Calculated risk vs. inaction risk
• Housing, infrastructure, and transit as long-term economic multipliers
• Where Darlene sees opportunity — and why she remains optimistic about the next generation of leaders

This is a timely, big-picture conversation about leadership under pressure — and how organizations can stay principled, pragmatic, and forward-looking when the environment is shifting fast.

Connect with Darlene Hyde on LinkedIn (link in show notes and feature article).

If you value thoughtful, future-focused conversations about leadership and decision-making, follow and share the show.

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Podcasting has changed — but it hasn’t lost its power.

In this episode of Canada Now, I’m joined by Brayden Dyczkowski, founder of Podfather Creative and the producer behind the studio where this show is recorded, for a behind-the-scenes conversation about the podcast medium itself.

We explore how businesses are actually using podcasts in 2026 — what’s working, what’s changed, and why podcasting continues to deliver real ROI when done with intention. From audio vs. video and discoverability on platforms like YouTube, to networking, thought leadership, and trust-building, this episode pulls back the curtain on what Brayden sees every day working with founders, CEOs, and teams across industries.

We also talk about the rise of professional podcast production, the tools lowering the barrier to entry, and why there’s still plenty of room for new voices — especially in the Canadian business landscape.

Whether you’re thinking about launching a podcast, refining an existing one, or simply curious about where this medium is headed, this episode offers a practical, grounded look at why podcasting still matters.

Episode deep dive & full show notes coming very soon. Subscribe to Canada Now (newsletter) for an update!

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In this episode of Canada Now, host Ashley Smith sits down with Arman Mottaghi, founder and CEO of Properate, to explore what it really takes to build companies that last — in climate tech and beyond.

Arman shares how Properate grew into one of Canada’s leading home energy assessment platforms by focusing on long-term value, real revenue, and system-level thinking — rather than chasing Silicon Valley hype cycles.

The conversation spans:
* Why homes are one of the most underestimated climate levers
* Why indoor air quality may be a trillion-dollar industry hiding in plain sight
* How Canadian founders may need a different innovation and funding model
* Why bootstrapping, cash flow, and trust matter more than pitch decks
* What Canada risks losing by importing U.S. startup playbooks wholesale

This episode is a thoughtful look at climate innovation — and a compelling case for a distinctly Canadian approach to entrepreneurship.

(all links available in show notes - coming soon, see Canada Now at https://canadanow.beehiiv.com to subscribe)

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Meet the host, Ashley Smith! 🙋‍♀️
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Send a text to Canada Now! 💬

AI is everywhere — but leadership hasn’t always caught up.

In this episode of Canada Now, host Ashley Smith is joined by Karen Olsson, tech entrepreneur, fractional CEO, and principal at Atomic47, for a grounded conversation about what the AI moment actually demands of leaders — beyond hype, tools, and experimentation.

Karen brings a rare, on-the-ground perspective from working with organizations across highly regulated and operationally complex sectors, including healthcare, energy, and government. Together, they unpack why AI isn’t a speculative bubble, but an operational shift already reshaping how work gets done — and why governance, adoption, and leadership matter just as much as the technology itself.

This conversation explores:

• Why AI should be viewed as infrastructure, not novelty
• How organizations can “lose the tedium” without losing people
• What responsible AI governance looks like in practice — not theory
• Why leadership alignment matters more than pilots and point solutions
• Canada’s opportunity to lead through adoption, sovereignty, and trust
• How founders, workers, and executives can prepare for what’s next

Rather than focusing on flashy use cases, this episode centers on the unsexy — but essential — questions that determine whether AI actually creates value: accountability, data integrity, decision-making, and human judgment.

If you’re a founder, executive, board member, policymaker, or operator trying to make sense of AI in a real-world context, this episode is for you.

🔗 Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Atomic47 Labs
• Karen Olsson’s Substack
• Innovation Governance Program (Council of Canadian Innovators)
• Canadian AI Sovereignty & Innovation Cluster

(All links available in show notes - see Canada Now to subscribe!)

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Meet the host, Ashley Smith! 🙋‍♀️
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In a world flooded with AI-generated content, endless platforms, and “perfect” branding, what actually builds trust?

In this episode of Canada Now, Ashley is joined by Brady Dahmer — brand strategist, author of Blind Spots, and founder of Tropoly — for a wide-ranging conversation about brand, trust, community, and why human connection matters more than ever.

Brady has spent over 25 years working at the intersection of design, storytelling, and strategy, supporting everyone from early-stage startups to global brands. He’s also played a major role in shaping Vancouver’s creative and innovation culture, as the former Marketing Director of TEDx Vancouver and co-founder of the Projecting Change Film Festival.

Together, we explore:

• Why “perfect” branding is starting to backfire
• How trust is really built in the age of AI
• The blind spots that quietly cost founders time and money
• The rise of fractional leadership and the future of agency work
• Why in-person events and real community still matter
• What Canada — and Canadian businesses — should be paying attention to next

This conversation moves beyond logos and taglines to ask a bigger question:
How do brands, leaders, and communities stay focused — and human — in a distracted world?

📚 Blind Spots by Brady Dahmer linked in the show notes

Check the show notes for a full breakdown and guest info:
canadanow.beehiiv.com 👈

Love the show? Help it grow!
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How does a Canadian tech company go public before it has a finished product — and then scale to more than 160 countries?

In this episode, Tom Rossiter, Co-Founder and CEO of RESAAS, shares the remarkable story behind building a global technology platform from Vancouver and navigating the uniquely Canadian path to going public pre-product.

Ashley and Tom dive into:
- The unconventional route RESAAS took to become a public company before revenue
- Why this was possible only in Canada — and what that reveals about our innovation ecosystem
- The reality of running two companies at once: the business and the public market entity
- How RESAAS scaled its reach to 160+ countries
- What global data patterns reveal about real estate before headlines catch up
- The mindset required to build (and survive) as a Canadian founder
- Leadership lessons from scaling through multiple market cycles
- What Canada must do next to compete globally in technology and innovation

Tom brings clarity, candor, and a uniquely global perspective on what it really takes to lead a Canadian tech company from prototype to public markets — and to build a platform used around the world.

Near the end of the episode — Tom and Ashley dive into some real estate market banter, exploring where the industry is heading, how data is reshaping decision-making, and what realtors, agents, brokers, and consumers should expect from the next cycle. It’s a fun add-on for listeners curious about proptech, global housing trends, or the intersection of real estate and innovation.

A must-listen for founders, innovators, investors, and anyone curious about Canada’s place in the global tech landscape.

Check the show notes for a full breakdown and guest info:
canadanow.beehiiv.com 👈

00:43 – Who is Tom Rossiter? (RESAAS, global proptech)
05:19 – What RESAAS is today – global network, 700k agents
07:18 – Private-label platform
08:50 – Why RESAAS went public early – the Canadian “venture” mindset
11:17 – Public vs private – liquidity, everyday investors & access to capital
15:10 – Running the business vs the public company
17:31 – Hiring, talent & advisory: building the team in Vancouver
20:21 – Remote work, productivity and early AI efficiency gains
22:00 – Going global – scaling to very different markets
25:23 – Product market fit, feedback loops & using data/AI to decide what to build
29:59 – Where AI fits – picking lanes, committing, and quality-checks
33:47 – Industry readiness, breakout year & commercial real estate
35:55 – Saying no (and yes) – how RESAAS found new growth
40:32 – Why Canada is a powerful base for tech... SR&ED/SHRED, talent, incentives
44:05 – Making Canadian stock globally accessible
47:14 – Strategy in uncertain times – removing barriers
49:57 – Bonus real estate segment – what RESAAS data reveals about trends
1:04:05 – The AI era, innovation in downturns & why Ashley created Canad

Love the show? Help it grow!
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Follow Canada Now for bold ideas and real conversations shaping what’s next in Canada. 🇨🇦
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Meet the host, Ashley Smith! 🙋‍♀️
→ Ashley's links (social, website, + more)