• 4:02-4:31: How exactly Collabstr works

• 4:32-6:17: How Collabstr monetizes

• 6:18-7:42: The biggest problems that Collabstr is solving for brands and influencers

• 7:43-9:17: How Collabstr differs from other platforms

• 9:18-11:41: The journey that led to founding Collabstr

• 11:42-14:05: Where Clayton’s entrepreneurial drive comes from

• 14:06-15:57: Why Collabstr started out and continues to focus on micro-influencers

• 15:28-18:28: Collabstr’s journey from figuring out its MVP to launching

• 18:29-23:01: How Collabstr acquired its first users

• 23:02-24:17: Collabstr’s experience in League of Innovators’ 12-week accelerator

• 24:18-25:58: How League of Innovators helped Collabstr figure out how to scale—converting more brands and increasing repeat usage

• 25:59-27:28: The most rewarding stories of how Collabstr has helped brands and creators

• 27:29-28:18: The biggest challenges that Collabstr faced—bootstrapping the business without any venture funding and standing out and earning trust in a competitive space

• 28:19-30:28: Motivations that helped Collabstr keep going during the difficult times

• 30:29-32:43: What mindset and actions were pivotal to Collabstr continuing to scale

• 32:44-34:42: Metrics brands should pay attention to when looking to collaborate with influencers

• 35:43-36:26: What can be expected next from Collabstr in the coming months—creator management, AI-generated content, deeper ROI tracking

• 36:27-38:13: Advice for early stage founders looking to build an industry-leading product

• 38:14-39:20: Predictions on the future of influencer marketing

Late one night in their dorm, BCIT computer science students Clayton Rannard and Kyle Dulay were scrolling Reddit when they realized they should post about the latest product they built: an app that analyzed Instagram accounts for fake followers and engagement. The next morning, they woke up to a spike in traffic and the start of a costly server bill. The thread went viral: 10,000 audits in seven hours.

“That’s when we realized there’s clearly demand for better tooling in the creator economy,” reflects Rannard. “It opened our worldview up to say this tool we made is only really solving one piece of this much larger puzzle that brands are working through to [collaborate] with a content creator.”

Six years later, following that signal led to building Collabstr, the world’s largest influencer marketplace connecting brands with creators. It has over 900,000 registered users across more than 120 countries and is used by leading startups to organizations and Fortune 500 companies. And while fully bootstrapped, the company has grown to eight figures in revenue, 14 full-time employees, and an office in Vancouver’s Yaletown.

What’s been pivotal to Collabstr’s growth is its mission of accessibility. That started with a bet on the rise of micro-influencers. Compared to other creators, they typically have stronger engagement because of their authenticity and earnestness in building community, and their costs make it more possible to invest in multiple campaigns instead of one-offs. Yet, there weren’t any platforms that focused on helping them be discovered by brands and grow without agencies.

Solving for these gaps in the market inspired Rannard and Dulay to build Collabstr. And over time, it led to the platform evolving to serve more than micro-influencers. Today, it equips creators across all segments to turn side hustles into full-time careers, and brands of all sizes to achieve their goals without massive teams or budgets. Some creators have earned the equivalent of an annual salary from a single deal, while brands have launched and introduced new products.

In contrast to competitors today, Collabstr flips the traditional “closed off” approach, says Rannard. Many have websites that require filling out a form for information, then going back-and-forth with customer reps and account managers. In many cases, they’ll gatekeep access until a contract is signed, which can mandate five to six figures upfront and a long-term commitment. Hidden fees for onboarding, training, implementation, or core features often follow.

Collabstr eliminates this friction with an open model. Everything is made public and users can get started right away with a subscription. There are three tiers—basic, which is free, pro at $299/mo, and premium at $399/mo—and any can be cancelled at any time. The only other fees outside its plans come from deal transactions. Depending on which is selected, the platform charges brands 5% or 10% of the amount, while 15% is taken from what creators receive.

This setup’s only part of what differentiates Collabstr. The platform makes it simple for creators to promote themselves and gives them control over their earnings. Once they’re approved, they can create a profile listing their services and share it publicly with a custom link. They can also set their own rates instead of having them dictated by algorithms. And for every service delivered, brands must compensate them with payment instead of gifts.

As for brands, Collabstr offers tools to streamline the workflow across outreach, coordination, and reporting. They can explore a database of vetted users, create campaigns and specify demographics, share their brief, requirements, and assets, and directly communicate with creators. Payment is required upfront for a collaboration, but funds are held in escrow until deliverables are approved. Brands can then pull up a dashboard to track post analytics and generate reports—eliminating the need for manual tracking and updating spreadsheets.

Now, Collabstr’s working toward becoming the “operating system” for influencer marketing. “We want to widen the product for anyone looking to collaborate with content creators,” shares Rannard. “So that means expanding beyond finding and hiring influencers to include things like creator management, AI-driven content generation, and deeper ROI tracking.”

This is the story of two classmates-turned-co-founders, driven by the pursuit of financial freedom on their terms, who pivoted and iterated over and over again to turn a viral moment into a business and went from sending countless cold DMs and emails to becoming a leader in their industry.

Turning Traction Into a Business

Rannard and Dulay didn’t set out to “own influencer marketing overnight.” They focused on building out one product at a time and making it simpler than what was already out there before expanding. That started with creating a tool that let users connect their socials and generate media kits with analytics to share with brands. Then, they built the first version of what would become Collabstr and convinced creators to join through cold DMs and emails. They used that traction to persuade brands the same way.

“On that side, you don’t need a ton at the start to kick off,” shares Rannard. “Because one brand can service up to 10 creators or more. […] It’s unlike other marketplaces, [like] Airbnb. One rental can service one person at a time. But one brand can service multiple creators.”

To drive organic traffic, Rannard and Dulay turned to SEO. They started by learning the basics on their own, then hired consultants for a few hours to guide them. Their strategy focused on long-tail keywords like “find a food influencer in Dallas, Texas,” which became a “big catalyst” in onboarding brands, says Rannard. Collabstr was among the few platforms that could surface those results with accuracy. Brands could sign up to search their database of creators for free, then narrow down by category and location. Currently, they can also filter by followers, gender, age, ethnicity, and language.

Coming into the space as “disruptors, the young guys,” Rannard says, scaling was the next obstacle. They had each other to lean on, but recognized that surrounding themselves with other founders and finding mentors who’d already been through that stage would push them to “think bigger.” So, during their final year at BCIT, Rannard and Dulay joined a 12-week virtual program run by League of Innovators (LOI), Canada’s largest accelerator for founders under 30 that doesn’t take equity from participants.

The program helped Rannard and Dulay navigate the complexity of running a two-sided marketplace like theirs: bringing on creators requires a B2C strategy, whereas landing brands requires a B2B one, and the latter has typically been tougher across the industry. LOI supported the founders in quickly finding patterns and running tests to convert more brands and increase repeat usage.

“We built Collabstr entirely without any venture funding, so every dollar that we earned from the beginning was reinvested back into the product,” highlights Rannard. “We didn’t have a big team. We had no big marketing budgets. There was no room for wasteful experiments to spend on. It made things harder in the short term.”

He adds: “I think progress is slower at the start when you do it that way. But every decision mattered more. In the long term, it allowed us to be extremely focused and disciplined. It forces you to essentially create a very sustainable business.”

Credibility as the Growth Engine

As Collabstr scaled, it continued “standing out and earning trust in a crowded space” by leveraging data to educate users, says Rannard. It publishes comprehensive reports on market stats and trends, brand spend and creator rates, and industry predictions, plus practical guides and blogs on collaboration strategies and tips as well as pricing and performance benchmarks.

The platform also offers tools beyond just analyzing Instagram and TikTok accounts for fake followers and engagement. Based on over 150,000 influencer rates, it provides a calculator that can estimate how much one should charge or pay for sponsored content. It even has additional ones that can estimate Instagram and TikTok accounts’ average engagement rate, likes, and comments.

Collectively, these resources brought greater transparency to the industry and aided brands and creators in making more informed decisions. In turn, that created a flywheel of organic mentions and backlinks that drove brand awareness. From there, Collabstr built on the momentum with media coverage around its creator economy insights, landing placements across major publications like Forbes, The New York Times, and BuzzFeed.

Asked what kept Collabstr going through the lows before the wins came, Rannard emphasizes not only having a co-founder he can trust to always show up, but also someone who’s like-minded in some ways and challenges him in others. One way their similarities come through is how they approach setbacks: “iterating instead of catastrophizing.”

He explains: “When something breaks, a feature flops, or growth slows, we treat it as a lesson you learn, a data point we can use to further iterate on. What can we learn from that? What’s the next experiment we can do that moves us forward?”

For Rannard, what’s shaped that resolve is his upbringing. He grew up in a middle class family where “money wasn’t in abundance” and attaining financial freedom became a throughline for him. He never imagined that would one day lead to creating a company that helps others get there, too. He always enjoyed the process of building things on his own, starting with hobbies turned side hustles as early as elementary school. And in hindsight, he habitually explored taking his pursuits further having watched his grandfather run his business for over 40 years.

Looking back on what else has been a constant in his success, he reminds of the startup adage of starting simple and shipping fast. “The quicker you can get to market the better,” he adds. “Nobody has a crystal ball [...] Our earliest version of Collabstr was extremely basic [...] Having it in the hands of real customers is something you can’t replace with any amount of planning.”

Tune into the full interview for more behind-the-scenes above or on Spotify or Apple

• 00:00–4:14: Show, episode, and guest intro

• 4:15–5:00: What is Cache Depot

• 5:00–7:40: The aha moment that inspired Cache Depot

• 7:41–10:47: How Ivan and Kaya Yiu’s career pivots prepared them to start Cache Depot

• 10:48–15:34: How Ivan and Kaya Yiu created and tested their MVP before going all in on the idea

• 15:35–16:47: How Cache Depot’s first customers helped them identify what was needed to build trust

• 16:48–19:30: How Cache Depot has garnered and maintained five-stars across all its Google Reviews

• 19:31–21:22: How exactly does Cache Depot differ from traditional self-storage providers

• 21:24–23:17: Why the City of Vancouver investigated self-storage facilities and what its amended zoning bylaws entail

• 23:18–23:58: The hidden fees imposed by traditional self-storage providers

• 23:59–25:12: Why Ivan and Kaya Yiu believe no one had yet to provide an alternative like Cache Depot

• 25:13–26:54: Nearly 70% of Cache Depot customers are first-time storage users who say they likely wouldn’t have used storage otherwise

• 26:55–28:41: The trial-and-error process of developing a pricing structure that was simple and easy for customers

• 28:42–30:41: How exactly Cache Depot’s system works once customers bring in their items

• 30:42–35:02: The biggest problems that Cache Depot is solving for cities, customers, and even businesses

• 35:03–39:45: Early lessons pivotal to Cache Depot’s growth, from driving website traffic to finalizing branding

• 39:46–42:08: Cache Depot’s development plans for its app and expansion throughout Vancouver

• 42:09–43:41: Advice for other early stage founders

When Ivan and Kaya Yiu were looking for storage in Vancouver, they found themselves visiting multiple facilities just to accommodate a single four-seater. It was a frustrating and expensive experience. Companies suggested placing the couch on its side—which wasn’t even possible—or disassembling it. So, the couple ended up renting a 5x10 unit, costing around $300 a month, all for one piece of furniture.

With more than half the unit sitting empty, the Yius considered adding more belongings but didn’t want to force it. Ivan then had the idea of storing the couch at the warehouse where he worked, since they were downsizing and had extra space. It hadn’t been done before, but the owners agreed.

That greenlight sparked another idea from Kaya. Sensing they weren’t the only ones in need of an alternative—especially with how active platforms like Facebook Marketplace are for selling or giving items away—she suggested letting others benefit from their arrangement.

“I was a little hesitant,” admits Ivan. “My first thought was no one’s going to trust us [...] Kaya mentioned Airbnb, and obviously, I know what it is, but I never really thought about the fact that you’re paying to stay in a stranger’s home or vice versa, right? I was like, you know what, if people are okay with that, this is definitely a step down. People would be okay with this.”

What also convinced Ivan was knowing how little had changed in the self-storage industry over the past few decades. Most providers in Vancouver still follow a model built in the 1950s, where customers are boxed into renting units priced between around $150 and $475 a month (5’x5’–10’x15’)—the highest range per square footage in Canada. And that’s just the base cost. Extra fees often pile up for setup, move-in dates, and even the unit’s placement—whether it’s on a certain floor, near an elevator, or positioned to the left, center, or right.

Market snapshot: From “risky niche” to “hot commodity”

As self-storage rental rates remain unregulated, prices have soared as the business shifted from a “risky niche” to a “hot commodity” for its high returns and minimal overhead.

In 2019, the city began to investigate the impact after a record surge of facilities opened across Metro Vancouver. Two and a half years later, the city confirmed they pose a threat to land that could be used for purposes more vital for communities. It amended the zoning bylaws, banning new projects in industrial areas near transit.

While the aim was to prevent inefficient land use and price escalation, a report in 2024 on the storage boom across Western Canada showed the regulations didn’t curb development in Vancouver; they pushed it into the city’s southern neighbourhoods, where many facilities already existed.

Another report in 2025 highlighted that B.C. is building more new storage than any other province in Western Canada, with projects continuing into 2028. A month after its release, an analysis found that B.C.’s supply had already far exceeded demand.

Cache Depot would discover the gap in Vancouver wasn’t because there was less of a need for storage. It was that the traditional model doesn’t work for many.

To test the demand for an alternative, the Yius created a landing page as their MVP and shared it through Craigslist ads. They found that locals were searching for more affordable and flexible storage. Like the couple, they didn’t want to pay for unused space, were offered options that weren’t ideal—like having kayaks stored outside even during poor weather—or were simply turned away by other providers. So, the Yius founded Cache Depot: a self-storage service that ditches the traditional model.

The company operates from a renovated climate-controlled warehouse. Imagine IKEA: extremely organized, clean, and modern, but private from the public and equipped with security cameras and sensors throughout the space. Every item is categorized, QR-coded, and placed on industrial shelves, racks, or pallets, then wrapped if needed. Instead of being boxed into units, customers can choose between paying per item, starting at $30/mo, or for the space their belongings actually take up, starting at $100/mo. Either plan can be canceled at any time. Pick-up and drop-offs can also be arranged through its moving service.

This is the story of a former warehouse director for brands like Canada Goose and Arc’teryx and a game designer behind a top 10 App Store hit are reinventing the storage industry, and their journey of finding customers on Craigslist and convincing them to meet in back alleys, to now growing its users by over 150% and monthly revenue by over 152% compared to last year, while maintaining five-stars across all its Google Reviews.

From Craigslist to a Custom App

Launched in 2023, Cache Depot has come a long way from its scrappy days. The self-funded startup is now developing an app to streamline the intake and retrieval process. Customers will be able to receive instant quotes, view their belongings, manage subscriptions, and schedule pick-ups and drop-offs.

Cache Depot also plans to expand across the city by renovating warehouses instead of building new ones. The goal being to grow slowly without risking their capital while minimizing their urban footprint.

“Permits to build new storage facilities were heavily restricted because they take up valuable land that could be used for housing, employment opportunities or other essential urban development,” underscores Ivan. “Any new facility needs to be mixed use, with the ground floor being used for other things like retail, food, or drink instead of storage.”

Those regulations have inadvertently made Cache Depot more attractive. The warehouse sits on the ground floor with drive-up access through a bay door. Vehicles can pull up directly, and the team handles drop-offs and pick-ups at no additional cost. Meanwhile, other providers require navigating long hallways and multiple floors, and charge higher rates for units closer to entrances. The Yius predict those with drive-up access will increase their prices as there will be “less and less of them” because of the city’s policies.

When asked why no one else had yet to offer a solution like Cache Depot, Kaya explained that many providers are owned by real estate investment trusts. Because they make money by owning and leasing property, their focus is typically on maximizing value rather than improving the customer experience.

“A lot of the time when we’re talking to customers, they would say things like, ‘If we didn’t know about you guys, I don’t think I would have even used storage in the first place,’” says Kaya. “There’s an emerging market that’s very much underserved.”

She adds: “Another thing is, what we found through talking to customers is that 60 to 70 percent of them are first-time storage users. That further validates the fact that there are a lot of people out there who would use storage, but they don’t want to use it as it is now.”

Beyond personal belongings, some are starting to look to Cache Depot for their business needs as well. One entrepreneur was in need of a unit to plug in a fridge for their food products but couldn’t find any with an outlet. Leasing a warehouse wasn’t possible either, as they were still getting their venture off the ground. The company’s model let them get out of the “catch-22” of starting a venture with limited funding.

“Luckily, even though the building doesn’t look like much from the outside, because of what was stored there previously, there’s been a lot of care taken on security, energy, and electricity, and everything. So, it’s very well positioned to serve [food products] as well.”

Pivots That Prepared Them

Reflecting on Cache Depot’s growth, the Yius credit their first customers, especially the hesitant ones. Their feedback helped quickly identify what was needed to build trust, like showing them the warehouse so they could see every item was handled with care. Following up on whether they had additional questions was also valuable. It created more chances to explain how the business works and help people feel more at ease with the new concept.

The couple’s career pivots also played a key role in preparing them to start Cache Depot. Ivan, who pursued fashion design out of a passion for streetwear, over time realized he didn’t enjoy making clothes as much as he thought. When his employer needed support at their warehouse, he stepped in and worked his way up to becoming a director. It ended up partnering with major brands from Canada Goose to OVO and Arc’teryx. And while Ivan described the experience as “hectic,” he loved managing all aspects of what he felt was such a “slept-on area.”

“In clothing manufacturing, the warehouse is often completely overlooked,” he shares. “I always felt like the general attitude was, ‘The warehouse will figure it out,’ without much thought given to how complex and high-stakes that really is. We were holding goods worth millions, and it was up to us to keep everything organized, safe, and moving behind the scenes.”

Ivan adds: “That’s why I think it deserves far more attention and credit than it usually gets. We were always the underdogs, just quietly keeping things from falling apart. I liked that. It’s the same feeling now with Cache Depot: we’re small, doing things differently, and trying to prove there’s a better way.”

As for Kaya, her career began in programming, specializing in natural language processing (NLP). She moved from Vancouver to New York to intern at Morgan Stanley, where she built large-scale financial systems. Afterward, she joined Bloomberg to develop sentiment analysis algorithms—tools that categorize text by detecting the underlying emotion. She eventually decided to return to Vancouver and get into game design, as most opportunities in NLP at the time were research-based and required staying in the U.S. to advance. Notably, one of her projects reached the top 10 in the App Store with over 200,000 downloads, which, she says, transferred to knowing how to build other products.

“Whether it’s a game or storage platform, the goal is to make people feel something before they even become a user—or not,” she explains. “You have to also keep in mind you don’t have much time to capture the attention of your target audience. Potential customers scan, not read, web text in the same way players skip boring trailers or game tutorials. Short-circuit the distance between action and feedback whenever you can.”

Early Lessons & Takeaways

Looking back on lessons learned from building Cache Depot, the Yius began with underestimating marketing, initially believing that “if you build it, they will come.”

“When you’re building a game, you have certain platforms that will help you, like Steam or the iOS store,” shares Kaya. “If you get posted on the App Store, you’re pretty much all set. When it comes to marketing, your game will either pick up or not, and you will know immediately. Whereas with [Cache Depot], marketing yourself is a constant effort. You constantly have to adjust and teach people.”

Creating a visually strong brand through the website was also tricky, as the Yius didn’t have the experience to know what “good” looked like. They kept making a change, waiting a few weeks, and then iterating again. The couple admits they’ve had to remind themselves to commit to a design and let it breathe to see how customers respond before going through the process again.

What also went through many versions was figuring out the pricing structure. At first, Cache Depot let customers choose individual items to add to a basket, but that created ongoing work for the Yius and decision fatigue for customers. So they shifted to having people select by item size—regular, large, and extra large—and introduced bundles, like five regular items for $55.

“A regular item would be anything you can carry yourself, just to simplify it,” explains Kaya. “So if it’s a box or a bike, you don’t really need to sit there and be like, ‘Okay, I need to measure out my box or bike,’ or check how much it weighs. It was one of those things where heuristic, I think, plays a good role in this.”

When asked what advice the Yius would give to founders starting or growing their business, Kaya encourages trying things without knowing exactly where they’ll lead: “Everything unfolded in a very specific way where if you asked me, what would I be doing today, five years ago, I would have no idea. So maybe give yourself some freedom to experiment. I think that’s important. If something’s on your mind that you really want to try, just do it [...] If it doesn’t work, what’s the worst thing that can really happen?

Ivan reminds others of the advantages that come with being a startup: “When we first started, I was very self-conscious that we’re this small company [...] As we grew and I talked to customers, my confidence grew with it [...] My advice would be to take ownership that you’re small, because you can do things that really put yourself in a different league. You can literally do anything you want. That would be my biggest advice because that was my biggest fear.”

Editor’s note: I remember the first time I looked into self-storage providers in Vancouver in 2019. I needed an option that would let me store three to four bins. I searched through several websites and couldn’t find a single one that shared prices online.

They all required submitting a form then getting on a call for a quote. I remember thinking, “It’s not like I’m buying enterprise software. Why is it so difficult to get a price?” I ended up speaking with one provider and chose not to go with them, since it would cost around $100 before additional fees. Fortunately, I was able to keep my stuff at a friend’s place.

Years later, I looked into options again. I hoped that by then there would be more affordable and flexible ones and Googled something along those lines. That’s how I found Cache Depot.

I loved how their website was simple and transparent about pricing, how they operate, and how they differ from traditional providers. By this time, it was six or seven in the evening. I called to ask a few questions, and Ivan answered with the kind of support you hardly receive these days. The only reason I didn’t move forward was because someone else had offered to keep my stuff.

Thinking it over, I felt more comfortable leaving it with Cache Depot. The cost alone was worth giving it a try. It was nearly 9:30 p.m. when I made the decision. I texted Ivan to ask if it was still possible to store my stuff the next day, even though it was a holiday. He responded within minutes and booked me in.

We met for the first time when I dropped off my items. I immediately thought, “There’s a story here” and asked if he’d be open to an interview.

In journalism, you’re not supposed to pursue an idea unless it has legs, meaning there needs to be an angle that can grow into a story that readers actually care about. You’re expected to do some research and talk to a few people to figure out what that is and if it holds up to be true. But as I did with many other companies I’ve featured that have since taken off, I went with my instincts; I knew I wasn’t the only one to have had such a difficult experience and wished there was an alternative.

Over the past nine months, Ivan and Kaya and I had many conversations leading up to and after our interview. The more I learned about their story, the more I couldn’t help but dig deeper into the problems with the self-storage industry and how they affect communities. I was really trying to trace Cache Depot’s journey and how the industry got to where it is today. I never expected that, in finding those answers, I would discover how it’s become more problematic and that no one had yet followed up on the reports and analysis I found.

What Cache Depot has built is more than just a new model and app that makes self-storage affordable and flexible. It provides a lifestyle amenity that’s intentionally designed to be accessible, rather than a luxury that exploits how much people are willing to pay. The latter is what, again, the industry has done for decades, as many turned to storage in the aftermath of major life events like death or disaster. Cache Depot proves there’s a better solution not only for these individuals, but also for those navigating the realities of rising costs and densification.

BuildnChill, a retreat for founders, is launching its first women-only edition to bring Gen Z female builders in Canada together.

Between Jan. 8–11, the event will take place at a luxury lakefront cottage in Gooderham, Ont., with all expenses covered. The goal being to give guests a space to “show up as their most authentic selves,” “swap real feedback and resources without posturing,” and “leave with catalytic kinds of connection.”

Applications were made public and 15 founders will be selected, all of which have either achieved $250K+ ARR, raised $500K+, or exited a company, and ultimately, are looking for community.

The team behind the initiative are community builders Sarah Simionescu, Julia Fedorin, Maya Lekhi, and Anjali Dhaliwal. Simionescu co-founded and sold sales coaching tool Salesbop, Fedorin is a content creator, writer, and filmmaker, Lekhi is a scout at pre-seed venture fund Afore Capital, and Dhaliwal is the founder of personal branding agent tool Gelee AI.

The idea came together after the organizers shared their experiences of being invited to hacker houses and recognizing that there are few of such spaces curated for women.

Early Stage Journal found that only three female hacker houses exist globally, all of which have launched in the past two years. In San Francisco, HackHer House launched in 2024 and FoundHer House followed in 2025, while London’s Lumina House opened in 2025.

While BuildnChill’s women-only edition—part of a series founded by entrepreneurs James Zhao and Tuan Le—will offer a four-day getaway rather than a shared residential space, the aim is to recreate the kind of experience hacker houses are known for, while taking a more thoughtful and intimate approach—particularly when it comes to comfort and safety.

“As women who are founders, there’s some struggles that only we can truly empathize with each other about,” points out Simionescu. “It allows us to create sisterhood, which is its own special kind of friendship that we really value. So we thought, why not create a space for exactly that?”

Throughout the event, planned activities are set up for less than a third of the time, with the rest left to whatever the founders prefer to explore on and around the private property—from yoga and meditation rooms to hiking trails and the nearby Catchacoma Marina. Through research and talks with major organizers in Toronto, Simionescu found that a common takeaway in creating the impact they envisioned was giving people unstructured time and setting the tone early.

“If you think about how your most recent friendships have formed, you likely stayed up talking for a really long time, and then it’s three in the morning, right?” says Simionescu. “We’re literally giving you space to do that.”

Simionescu adds: “In almost every community, there’s these sort of underlying rules of how you behave. It’s psychology. With BuildnChill, we’re being very specific about what the goal is. We’re attracting a certain kind of person that wants this. We are giving you permission to do this.”

Ultimately, BuildnChill’s women-only edition aspirations extend beyond its debut. From documenting their journey to hosting more gatherings, the initiative is determined to spotlight more Gen Z female builders in Canada.

“We don’t just want to support the women in the room, but also be loud about it and inspire other young women who are watching,” highlights Simionescu. “And that’s why storytelling is so important and cannot be overlooked.”

Taking chances

For Simionescu, that exposure to other Gen Z female builders changed the “entire course” of her career.

In her third year studying computer science at McMaster university, the founder was a year into building Salesbop. At times, she’d skip class to finish assignments and free up more time for her startup. She’d code alone in her dorm room, on the Go Train to her internship in Toronto, and even during another internship in New York.

Working what felt like nonstop, “every day blurred into the next,” and “it was incredibly lonely,” shares Simionescu. Then, she would come across an opportunity that would pull her out of the day-to-day.

While browsing Luma, she came across a pitch competition for female founders in Toronto. Something in her told her to go, even though Salesbop wasn’t planning on fundraising and it was a two-hour trip by car and train. There, Simionescu encountered another female founder close in age for the first time and it happened to be Dhaliwal.

Inspired by Dhaliwal’s confidence and presence on stage, Simionescu thought to herself, “I’m going to grow into the kind of founder who belongs in rooms like that.”

One year later, Salesbop was acquired by revenue enablement firm, FliteHouse. However, an exit “wasn’t in the cards,” reflects Simionescu. There were moments when she felt stuck and even considered giving up. But as she’s done all throughout her life, she figured out her next step by following her curiosity.

As early as the fifth grade, Simionescu started learning how to program. Her father introduced her to the fundamentals through Scratch, a language designed by MIT to teach children how to create interactive stories, games, and animations. Then, she’d fall in love with filmmaking after attending a summer camp that required her to produce and edit a video for a project.

In high school, Simionescu discovered her neighbor also had a passion for filmmaking. The two paired up for competitions and then started a videography company. When business wasn’t picking up, they pivoted to a niche: weddings. That took off, so they decided to continue into university.

While a junior, Simionescu would then team up with her partner and now fiancé, Nikos Dritsakos, to build Salesbop. The goal was to create a product that gave individual professionals their own sales coach. It would review their calls to provide personalized feedback, from ways to improve communication to how to handle objections.

Dritsakos identified the need while growing his marketing agency. He realized how manual and time-consuming sales coaching can be because of the many hour-long sessions involved. It’s also typically inaccessible for most given the cost for employers and the industry’s high-churn culture: reps are often hired quickly and dismissed just as fast.

Simionescu was scared, she admits, having never worked at a startup, but didn’t hesitate. Her videography company becoming a success after struggling at first reminded her of what she’s capable of. And she recognized that Salesbop was not only a great concept but a chance to create an impact.

“We wanted to create something that would give people the opportunity to have more control over their fate, to have the advice and the feedback to get to work on their career, and give them more support, essentially,” emphasizes Simionescu.

Following the signal

The duo were committed to making the product the best it can be. So, they recruited a third co-founder, Jason Huang, Simionescu’s classmate, to help with infrastructure since processing video recordings then analyzing them with AI was resource-intensive.

After months of work, Simionescu, Dritsakos, and Huang were ready to share the tool with the public. The reaction was quiet. But it wasn’t because they didn’t understand the value of the concept. The team were building off their own vision alone, rather than alongside people who would benefit.

From then on, they focused on speaking to as many people as possible. They also asked questions that were open-ended, instead of those that elicited a simple yes-or-no, to better understand their day-to-day work and them as a person on a deeper level.

“We tried not to impose our biases,” recalls Simionescu. “We would not introduce the product because we wanted to know what they thought it was. For example, we’d be like, ‘What do you think Salesbop does?’ Or we would not even talk about Salesbop at all and ask, ‘Do you coach your sales team? Why or why not? How were you coached when you started your role? What was your job progression like?”

What also impacted the quality of the answers was the way they showed up. They made it clear to those they spoke to that their intention was to get their opinion, not sell them anything, and that they took the time to learn about their background—connecting it to the reason why they chose to reach out to them specifically.

The team doubled down on the approach when they joined the Forge, McMaster’s startup incubator. They were paired with mentor, entrepreneur and investor Ingrid Polini, who helped them rethink their strategy. That included doing cold outreach on LinkedIn for more feedback. It’s how they first connected with Dan Liska, the founder and CEO of FliteHouse, who loved the product so much that he became a white label partner and power user long before making an offer.

Building relationships with customers would guide Salesbop to evolve in more ways that it otherwise might have missed.

Through discovery, the team found that there was much more interest from B2B enterprises, as the platform was better suited to them because of its breadth of functionality and customization.

One of the capabilities that won over customers was its scorecards. The feature came up after Liska mentioned that he was doing them manually and that it would be a relief to have the work automated. It was “unlike anything on the market,” says Simionescu, since the feedback could be tailored to any organization’s best practices.

“We learned that teams want control over what the best practices look like, right?” she explains. “Because it’s different for every industry, every team, and for every product. We actually let organizations upload their own resources so that we could tailor the model’s outputs to their team’s methodologies.”

Looking back on the journey, Simionescu highlights three things that were pivotal to her, and later, to Salesbop’s success. Besides following her curiosity, she points to pursuing what genuinely excited her and being willing to iterate as many times necessary to solve the problem.

When asked what advice she’d share with other early stage founders today, she reminds: “If you’re just starting, you have everything you need in you already. Sometimes the full picture is blurry, but when you zoom in and just focus on the next step, you’ll figure it out.”

Editor’s note: I remember when I first started working in tech, I used to constantly check if MAKERS had any new videos out, and if not, I would just replay my favourite ones. It was the only platform that I could find at the time that was interviewing so many inspiring women across different fields and asking them thoughtful questions that explored their backstory. Looking back now, it was that exposure that helped to plant that seed that I didn't have to follow the same footsteps as my brother to be in this industry, take up space, and embrace my different talents, rather than just focus on one, like many told me to, to get better opportunities.

Later, I'd be very fortunate to come across renowned journalist, TV host, and producer Barbara Balfour—whose work has taken her all over the world and been featured in many major publications—who gave me my first shot at producing as her assistant after I pitched to her an episode about women in tech in Ottawa. I learned so much from her in what should be the standard of research and preparation for every show and the level of thoughtfulness and care toward your guests and team. She showed me how to not only do the work exceptionally well, but also the impact of leading by example and with empathy.

Remembering how frustrated I was by the lack of stories online of underrepresented innovators, and the difference that Barbara made in my career, are just a few of the many reasons why I immediately knew that I had to write about Sarah's story. There's so much more to it beyond what I could fit in the subheading of her journey leading up to starting BuildnChill's women-only edition.

I'm grateful to have had the chance to spend a lot of time getting to know Sarah and learn about how following her curiosity led to discovering her technical and creative talents, and how leaning into both as she grew up led her down the entrepreneurial path. It truly is a beautiful story of the outcome of what happens when you carve out your own path and “feel the fear and do it anyway.” And it’s a testament to how powerful it can be to find a community of allies who, as Sarah shares from her experience, “can change the entire course of your career” and help you realize you had it in you all along to achieve your dreams.

• 00:00–3:58: Show, episode, and guest intro

• 3:59–5:00: The moment Felix and Rudy decided to found what would become Triple X.O.G

• 5:01–6:16: Why they decided to take the risk to pursue the idea

• 6:17–7:42: Why they believe no one had yet to pursue the idea

• 7:43–8:39: Being in the “very early innings” of celebrating Asian culture outside of Asia

• 8:40–11:48: The first six months of navigating how to create the product

• 11:49–15:42: The process of finding and working with a formulator

• 15:43–18:57: Why they went with their intuition over feedback to finalize the recipe after 35 iterations

• 18:58–20:53: The process of finding and working with a manufacturer

• 20:54–22:15: Building a community of fans / discovering the Dragons’ Den audition

• 22:16–23:42: Being persistent in getting people to try the product

• 23:43–26:05: How they got into their first retail store and how that led to getting into their first chain

• 26:06–27:00: The impact of building in public over in stealth

• 27:01–31:31: What keeps them grounded during challenging moments

• 31:32–34:17: What happened after the Dragons’ Den episode and what’s coming up in the year ahead

• 34:18–37:30: Advice for other early stage founders

Behind any innovative idea with the potential to become a household name is rarely a single “a-ha” moment, but a trail of experiences long before what outsiders see as overnight success happens.

For Felix Chen and Rudy Pham, one of those moments was an eight-to-ten-hour trek through Hanes Valley, B.C., where they tossed around business ideas as they tried to find their way back on the right path. Once they reached the top of the boulder field, they landed on one they knew was worth pursuing and, to their surprise, hadn’t been attempted before: modernizing a concoction Chen had mixed for Pham weeks earlier at a friend’s rooftop party.

Three years later, they would innovate a new category born from an East-to-West staple, catch the attention of major retailers and sell their products in 100 stores across the province, and build a community of fans rallying behind them like ambassadors. The duo would also appear on the popular Canadian reality TV show Dragons’ Den, where they received multiple investment offers.

That idea? Triple X.O.G., the world’s first ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail of its kind, ranked among the top sellers in B.C. It blends French cognac, jasmine green tea, and Canadian honey with light carbonation. At 5% ABV, Triple X.O.G. was crafted to offer both an elevated and accessible beverage for any occasion—from intimate gatherings to public events—and to cater to a spectrum of palates: those who seek depth of flavour or lean toward something lighter. Finding that middle ground was crucial, as it reflects the founders’ different preferences.

Ultimately, Chen and Pham’s mission for the brand goes deeper than an experience that’s “unlike anything on the market.” It’s intended to represent Asian heritage, culture, and connection.

Triple X.O.G. pays tribute to the concoction’s origins in Hong Kong, where it became a quintessential cocktail in karaoke lounges in the 2000s before making its way across Asia, Australia, and North America. And it’s a nod to an adapted version found in Vancouver that carries the nostalgia of enjoying the drink with family and friends while singing classics—from Chinese hits like “Tong Hua” to Western ones by the Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls.

This is the story of two best friends turned business partners with no background in the beverage industry but infectious energy and relentless hustle, who went from searching Google and YouTube on how to start their venture to trusting their intuition to get the recipe right after 35 iterations—even when feedback was all over the map—and stayed true to their vision for two years as they bootstrapped the company before launching.

Driven to bridge East and West

Once home from the hike, Chen and Pham started researching the market. Although the concoction was so popular it was dubbed the “Asian gin and tonic,” they found there wasn’t a single product—not even anything that came close—that brought the cocktail onto shelves.

“We decided to pursue it because it was one of those moments where you see—and it doesn’t happen very often—a true gap in the market of something just not existing,” shares Chen. “Human history’s already gone this far, and it’s hard to come by something that hasn’t already been tried or out there.”

The founders add that taking the risk to be the first wasn’t just business. It was an opportunity to propel a shift still in its “very early innings”: celebrating Asian culture outside of Asia. They were motivated to drive that momentum with an experience that bridges East and West.

Market snapshot: The rise of Asian beverages globally

Asia is now regarded as the “cocktail capital” of the world after years of being overshadowed, according to luxury and lifestyle magazine Condé Nast Traveler. Over the last decade, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Singapore have become increasingly known for innovation in mixology by bringing together regional spirits and ingredients with cultural traditions. They’re also recognized for their sustainability focused on zero-waste, where every part of an ingredient is used—from “leaves and flowers to peels and stems.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. is seeing a rise in Asian alcoholic beverages, as reported by Cold Tea Collective, a media platform and community focused on the Asian diaspora in North America. These brands are leading in bringing new experiences to American consumers through a variety of RTD products, shown in an analysis of major U.S. food and beverage launches from the first half of 2025.

In Canada, fewer of such companies are found on the market. In B.C., there’s Vanmak, which offers Korean rice wine (maekgoli) in varieties apart from its original taste, including strawberry, peach, and mango. There’s also Tao, a line of hard seltzers featuring nostalgic Asian flavours, like HK Lemon Tea, Lychee Fizz, and Green Grape.

Over the next six months, Chen and Pham tried to figure out on their own how to start an RTD brand. Between looking up information on Google and watching success stories on YouTube, they became “mad scientists” in Chen’s kitchen, mixing various teas, alcohol, and honey to come up with their own distinct formula.

They would eventually settle on French cognac and jasmine green tea, then add Canadian honey and carbonation—setting it apart from the versions found in Hong Kong and Vancouver lounges.

In Hong Kong, the cocktail often consisted of Scotch whisky and bottled green tea pre-sweetened with a blend of sugar and honey—which softens the edge of the spirit with fresh, herbaceous notes. When it reached Vancouver, whiskey was replaced with cognac. Cognac’s notes of vanilla, spices, and floral undertones made for a smoother experience than whiskey’s smoky, peaty profile.

These roots are honoured in Chen and Pham’s decision to name the brand Triple X.O.G. Triple reflects elevating the quality and ingredients of the cocktail. And X.O.G. stands for “Extra Old,” a higher-quality grade of cognac, and “Original,” a tribute to its origins.

“In general, [RTD cocktails] are still a relatively new thing,” says Pham. “It’s only been around maybe seven to eight years where it really got popular [...] A big focus was heavily on all these vodka-based beverages, and then it slowly transitioned into tequila-based. And now you’re seeing some that are gin [...] But there’s still nothing that is cognac-based, and I think that’s where we have a pretty big advantage right now.”

He continues: “It just comes in these cycles, so we’re definitely way ahead of the curve [...] Because we didn’t have experience in beverage, it’s given us time to learn over these last couple years about the industry, what works, what doesn’t work, how to plan for the future, and what’s next.”

Finding allies and trusting their instincts

After many trials and errors, Chen and Pham felt they had a working recipe. Getting it into production was the next challenge. It wasn’t until putting it out there that they’d get introduced to Andrew Lavigne, co-founder of Kits Beach Beer, who would point them in the right direction. Coincidentally, like Triple X.O.G., it was also founded as an homage to the past and celebrates community and identity. Lavigne informed them they’d need to work with a flavor house, which creates and supplies ingredients for food and beverages.

Chen and Pham were then referred to a formulator to develop the recipe. They went through several rounds where they were given four to five samples and a list of questions, like what they liked or didn’t like, and whether they wanted the tea to be stronger at the beginning or end of the sip. There were times when they’d share samples with friends who all had different opinions. But after 35 iterations, they decided to go with the version they were aligned on and intuitively felt was right.

Chen reflects: “You can do all the research and pull up all the numbers you want. They can paint any picture you want it to paint. The same set of data can tell five different stories. But you gotta come down to what’s your gut saying? Because regardless if it’s a right or wrong decision, at least if you have the conviction, you’ll have the ability and perseverance to see it through.”

“That’s ultimately the most important thing,” he adds. “If you’re going to give up halfway because, all of a sudden, you don’t believe in it, then for sure you’re going to fail. The only way to really see if you can succeed is if you follow through. And the only way to follow through is if you have that belief in whatever it is you’re doing.”

After finalizing the recipe, it was time to find a manufacturer. Fortunately, like with the flavor house and formulator, Chen and Pham were referred to different options. They ended up choosing the one who turned their call from an interview into exploring ideas that “opened their mind to new possibilities.” The others, by contrast, left them feeling the opposite.

The entire journey of bringing the product to life came with a steep learning curve, but the duo’s perseverance started to pay off when their first production run was finally complete. On that same day, a friend who works at Yaletown Liquor Store suggested they drop off cans of Triple X.O.G. for his team to try. They got a text shortly after that the chain wanted to carry their products. Then, a couple of months later, they’d receive their next big and unexpected offer.

At the Hopscotch Festival, which showcases spirits, whisky, and beer, Triple X.O.G. ran a booth and were giving out samples. One of the event goers who they handed one to turned out to be James Franey, the director of procurement for JAK’S Beer Wine Spirits.

“We’re at the middle end of November, and from a lot of people I had spoken to, everyone closed for basically the rest of the year,” recalls Pham. “No one’s making decisions, right? But because he and his wife liked it so much, he’s like, ‘We’ll put it in all of our stores.’ Within a couple of weeks, they had all 11 stores place orders. And then we went from the one store that we were in to 12.”

More opportunities soon followed, though not by luck alone. Chen and Pham never hesitated to let people know what they were building or needed help with. And whether they were pouring samples at events or doing in-store tastings, they were persistent in getting people to try the product and understand the story behind it.

“You gotta be loud, you gotta be proud, you gotta be excited,” highlights Pham. “You almost have to be just overflowing with this infectious positive energy when you meet every single person. Especially if it’s something new. A lot of people are really scared to take that leap [...] You know, go from something that they love, right? To even have a chance to be open their mind to try something new, you have to bring that kind of energy.”

He adds: “We’ve had so many events where people just hang out with us for the last two to three hours, and it feels like they’re working with us. Just full-on ambassadors. They’re rallying everyone over towards us. It ends up feeling like we’re having a crew just hanging out [...] That’s just a really cool experience that we’ve gotten to have through this whole process.”

Local momentum turning into global demand

Beyond intuition, perseverance, and showing up, seizing opportunities—even when Chen and Pham felt unprepared—was pivotal to Triple X.O.G.’s momentum.

One weekend, they were working separate events. At both, different people told them the same thing: they should audition for Dragons’ Den. They hadn’t even considered it—they didn’t know the team was in Vancouver—but after enough encouragement, they decided to give it a try. The duo had only 10 minutes to prepare to make it in time. They practiced in the car and even had to buy their own product from a store before walking in.

The last minute choice would open the door to a deal of a lifetime and reaching millions globally.

Triple X.O.G. would not only make the cut but fly to Toronto to pitch to the dragons. Chen and Pham opened their story by highlighting the culture before the market gap and stayed calm while being critiqued and questioned.

They would walk away with multiple investment offers: one from Wes Hall, widely known as the “King of Bay Street” and for supporting BIPOC entrepreneurs, and the other from Manjit Minhas, a beverage industry leader who co-founded one of the top 10 largest breweries in the world. The duo would partner with Minhas and are currently in the due diligence stage, as discussing the final deal terms can continue after the initial conversation shown on-air.

“No matter how likeable someone might be, the success of a product in my industry inevitably comes down to taste,” says Minhas. “Triple X.O.G. was love at first sip. I didn’t put my cup down. The more they shared about their story, success to date and plans for the future, I knew I wanted to work with them to help Triple X.O.G. grow.”

After the Dragons’ Den episode went live on TV and social media, Triple X.O.G. brought in around 20 percent of their overall online sales within four days. Their popularity also took off within Canada and beyond. Viewers reached out asking where they could buy the product or when it would be available in their area—including across B.C., Quebec, Ontario, the Netherlands, Australia, and Asia.

Now, Chen and Pham are focused on expanding the line. They’re developing new flavours, a non-alcoholic option, and a 7% version alongside the 5%. In addition, they’re working on distribution across Canada and preparing for their next funding raise.

The foundations that shaped them

Looking back on the journey, Chen and Pham reflect on the influences, experiences, and perspectives that kept them grounded as they spent two years to build the formula and business before launching.

Chen emphasizes his family’s different “superpowers.” His father, of Taiwanese descent, left a stable job at Coca-Cola to start a recycling business—which Chen helped with as early as five-years-old. Watching his father’s entrepreneurial pursuit pushed him to keep exploring what he’s capable of, going from working as an engineering consultant to working alongside his dad, and co-owning a restaurant with his brother, then a strength and conditioning gym with a friend.

“He can create opportunities out of anywhere,” says Chen of his father. “You drop him anywhere in the world and this guy can come up with 10 business opportunities and actually execute on them [...] Growing up, every time we would travel, he’d always turn it into a business trip, like literally drive through an industrial area, poke around, and then just be like, ‘Hey, let’s go talk to these guys.’ We’d be all embarrassed and shy. He’d be like, ‘No, no, no, come,’ and then next thing you know, we’re eating dinner at these people’s houses. It’s just really crazy what he’s been able to do [..] So I definitely really look up to him.”

Like Chen, Pham’s family, of Vietnamese and German descent, instilled in him the values of hard work, resilience, and ambition. That would lead to establishing a career in insurance sales. Pham worked his way up to being consistently ranked in the top 1% in North America, while mentoring new professionals in the space to meet their potential. Recognizing that adaptability matters just as much as persistence has been key to his personal, and later, Triple X.O.G.’s success.

“Being in that atmosphere, it forces you to become relentless in what you do,” Pham underscores. “No matter what obstacle you’re faced with, there’s always a moment where you can take a second to pause and be like [...] ‘How do we pivot from what’s going on?’ There’s always a way around it, but you gotta be able to take a step back and look at the different angles. Because sometimes it’s just about the approach. There’s a million ways to get to the same point, but you just have to be able to realize that there are different doors that you can go through.”

On advice for other early stage founders, Pham reminds to not hesitate to lean into the people supporting you or walk away from those who, say, write off your ideas as “crazy.”

“When you’re in the building stages and you still don’t know what you’re creating, you gotta make sure you have the right kind of network and circle around you,” he highlights. “We’ve been very fortunate that we’ve had really good friends and family support us all the way through this process.”

Chen encourages others to not be afraid to try—explore the ideas that interest you—even if past ones never took off. What didn’t move forward doesn’t shape the outcome of what’s ahead.

“If you were to see my computer, I have this folder of all these different ventures that I’ve tried to pursue,” he shares. “[They’ve] all failed at different stages—whether it’s just the initial point where I was just looking into it or actually got halfway down. There’s a lot of failed opportunities, but that’s just the name of the game.”

Editor’s note: Long ago, my siblings opened a bubble tea and snack shop in Ottawa. At the time, it was the second in the city and the first to bring over Purikura, the custom photobooths that became a social phenomenon in Japan starting in the early 1990s.

It was unexpected to me for a few reasons beyond Ottawa being decades behind in catching up to, say, Vancouver and Toronto. My brother, in his early 20s, had just graduated from engineering and started his first tech company, while my oldest sister, close in age, was still studying at university. Neither of them had any experience in running such a business or even working in restaurants.

In between work and school, they somehow managed to renovate the building, go back and forth to Vancouver to source supplies, ingredients, and the machines, and then grow from having only their friends come by to being packed with new customers on some days.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I’d watch my sister-in-law and her sisters start making tea bombs and treats with ingredients like oolong, chrysanthemum, and butterfly pea. Because of the lockdown, they sold them through Facebook Marketplace, then Instagram. That started to change after they went viral on TikTok.

Once restrictions were lifted, they’d start doing markets throughout and outside of Ottawa. Then they expanded into wholesale for boutique, and eventually, larger retailers, making them, as far as I know, the first to get their tea bombs on shelves. Despite trending, it still took many years and all-nighters of coming home a few hours before I’d leave to work for them at the markets. I still do whenever I can. And to this day, I get questions about not only how the product works, but also what the ingredients taste like.

These experiences helped me understand how much it can take to build a brand and educate at the same time. It also showed me the extent of support that’s needed to get business off the ground running or keep it going, especially when you’re introducing something that requires teaching about the concept and taste.

All that to say, I love seeing more businesses like Triple X.O.G. celebrate Asian culture through their products (despite once being told to dial it back!). It’s exciting to witness and inspiring to have learned about how they didn’t let any person or obstacle stop them in turning their dreams into reality.

While juggling demanding careers, Felix and Rudy prove what’s possible from, like I mentioned earlier, a combination of intuition, perseverance, showing up, and seizing opportunities. But it’s also an example of how being patient with, rather than rushing the process, can lead to timing working in your favour.

They spent six months trying to learn how to start an RTD brand, and two years to build the formula and business before launching. That gave them a chance to observe “what works, what doesn’t work, how to plan for the future, and what’s next.” Like I’ve highlighted in the opening, what can look like “overnight success” is, in reality, the outcome of many trials and errors over months or years.

I believe that these brands create more opportunities for people to generally learn about and try something new before it’s offered on every corner or blows up online. And as they grow and introduce more people to experiences and ingredients close to home, it could in some way encourage people to support other businesses, like choosing to buy from a family-run store in Chinatown or being open to trying another brand modernizing another tradition in a new way.

Tune into the full interview for more behind-the-scenes above or on Spotify or Apple

• 00:00–4:35: Show, episode, and guest intro

• 3:30–7:30: Han and Jenny’s family roots in health

• 6:39–8:08: Jenny’s entrepreneurial drive

• 8:09–10:39: OHME!’s origin story

• 10:49–11:53: How OHME! innovated its yogurt crunch line

• 11:54–14:06: How OHME! grew from pop-ups to retail

• 14:07–17:12: How OHME! prepared for retail

• 17:13–19:13: Why OHME! has taken off

• 19:14–22:31: Taking risks and overcoming the challenges

• 22:32–24:29: Finding the right partners to work with

• 24:30–26:49: What’s been pivotal to OHME!’s growth

• 26:40–27:49: Jenny and Han quitting their 9-to-5s

• 27:50–30:35: Reflections on entrepreneurship

• 30:36–32:00: Advice for other early stage founders

For Jenny and Han Yue, their journey in building one of North America’s fastest-growing freeze-dried snacks began when a break-in turned into an opportunity.

During the pandemic lockdown, the Yues were navigating the stress of working from home late into the night while adjusting to life as first-time parents. Like many, they turned to their pantry to cope. That is, until they noticed how much it had taken a toll on both their mental and physical health.

To the couple, maintaining their wellbeing is more personal than a mere practice. “It flows in our genes,” the Yues say, as both come from families with backgrounds in Western and Chinese medicine.

Wanting to return to their roots and set a better example for their son, they set out to improve their health in small, sustainable steps. They started with oatmeal for breakfast, but over time, found it hard to sustain. They tried switching it up with toppings, though the options were either overly sweet, stripped of the benefits, or simply didn’t satisfy their cravings.

So, they began freeze-drying their own fruit. Compared to dehydrating, it retains 95% of nutrients instead of 60%, offers a light, crunchy texture rather than chewy or leathery, and keeps the color and freshness closest to the original.

Making it themselves also allowed them to enjoy more variety since products in stores were typically limited to imported blueberries.

Market snapshot: Why there were few local options compared to other countries

At the time, in Asia, freeze-dried fruits were already having “their moment.” For instance, in China, consumers were especially drawn to the snacks for being convenient, nutritious, and clean—natural and free from artificial colours or flavours. Restaurants, cafés, and smoothie bars turned to them to add more vibrant colour and texture to their offerings and reduce food waste that would otherwise end up in landfills. China’s vast manufacturing base made it easy for companies to scale quickly to meet the growing demand, while e-commerce and live streaming platforms expanded brands’ reach and made their products more accessible.

In the U.S., freeze-dried fruits were becoming popular as a daily, on-the-go snack. With a shelf life that can last years, they found their way into emergency kits and outdoor activities like hiking, camping, and backpacking. They were also being widely used for breakfast as toppings for oatmeal, yogurt, and smoothie bowls. Then TikTok trends, like pouring milk over the fruit like cereal, made them go viral. Meanwhile, major retailers like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods helped make them more mainstream as they expanded their offerings.

As for Canada, freeze-dried fruits started becoming more known for the same reasons as elsewhere. However, consumers didn’t have the same advantages. They often had to pay premium prices for imported options or find them through specialty retailers. This is mainly because Canada lacks the large-scale facilities, advanced technology, and efficient logistics systems that make operations smoother abroad—making it far more complex and costly for local companies to launch and compete.

The Yues started with strawberries, then experimented with other fruits like bananas and even durian.

It was a hit with their biggest food critic—their son—and with their family and friends too.

So, when a friend suggested putting their products on the market, they decided to test demand in an unlikely location: an e-scooter store called Urban Machina.

At the time, the owners invited the public to use their space as a pop-up for free while it underwent repairs after thieves crashed their vehicle through the window.

Many shoppers had never heard of freeze-drying, yet they kept coming back to the stall for more.

Then, popular cafés The Federal Store and Mah Milk Bar DMed the Yues on Instagram to carry their products.

They never planned to be in retail. They thought sharing their freeze-dried fruits would just be a fun weekend activity.

Still, they decided to give it a try. It was a small part of their day that made a difference in improving their health and they hoped that it could do the same for others.

The brand is now known as OHME! Foods.

Founded in 2023, the company’s freeze-dried snacks use fruits and yogurts from farms across B.C. They’re also made in small batches to ensure every bag “tastes fresh and real.” No added sugar, artificial colors, or preservatives.

Along with offering a variety of fruits like dragon fruit and mango, the company has expanded by innovating a yogurt coated version—which won a Good Housekeeping Best Snack Award.

OHME! has now grown to more than 450 stores across North America in cafés, boutiques, grocers, and even chains like London Drugs, Healthy Planet, and Urban Outiftters. And running OHME! is now the Yues’ full-time job, as both quit their 9-to-5 this month to meet the growing demand.

This is the story of a family who started with a stall, then drove around Vancouver to 10 stores and were rejected by all of them, to getting approached by their dream retailers and growing revenue by over 300% year over year.

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Learning everything on-the-go

At every step of the way, the Yues had to rely on themselves to learn how to start a venture.

Neither had the “traditional qualifications,” says Jenny. No academic background in business, industry connections, or even friends with their own companies. They also didn’t look to any outside of funding, bootstrapping it with just a few thousand dollars.

When asked how they first got started, the Yues shared that beyond tuning into podcasts and searching on Google, they took every opportunity to ask around about what they should know and for recommendations.

In the case of packaging, the couple consulted the owners of the commissary kitchen they were in who introduced them to an expert in compliance with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency—a government department that enforces food safety and labeling regulations. The Yues also made frequent trips to one store after another to compare what information popular snacks were emphasizing and what they should consider.

What was also key to creating early traction was pivoting fast.

In the first two weeks after launching, the Yues used clear acrylic boxes to package their freeze-dried fruits. But a friend pointed out that the fruits would get “mushy” after about an hour.

Realizing it was because the boxes weren’t airtight, they switched to pouches instead, ensuring the products could last between two to three years.

A few months later, the couple found themselves facing another challenge that wasn’t as simple as swapping materials.

Many shoppers thought the brand was offering oat products since the original name was OATME—an ode to all the oatmeal bowls they ate that inspired them.

So, the Yues decided to change the name to OHME!, a reminder to customers to focus on themselves.

“It was scary,” says Jenny, as they were still trying to establish themselves on the market.

They chose to take the risk anyway after considering that as they grew, it would become more difficult to educate customers like they were able to at pop-ups.

Ahead of the rebrand, the Yues informed their community of the change through email, social media, and events.

The response following the rollout was extremely positive and not just from customers.

OHME! started getting more opportunities to collaborate with brands, like superfood beverage company Blume, and offers to expand further into retail, catching the attention of Urban Outfitters.

The couple shared that the company’s reported revenue has “grown by over 300% year over year.”

On lessons learned from the experience, Jenny reflects, “Your brand will evolve as you evolve, even just a few months in. Don’t resist the change.” And that “momentum can be rebuilt when you’re rooted in purpose.”

Driven by passion, perseverance, and community

Like with any startup expanding, not every day felt like a win.

Jenny recalls there was a time when she drove around the city, visited 10 stores asking if they’d be interested in carrying OHME!, and was rejected by each of them.

The Yues didn’t give up and found more pop-up markets to set up at. Although nervous as some cost a few hundred, the couple continued as they found themselves building a community with their customers.

Overtime, OHME! spread through word of mouth.

To keep up with demand, the couple moved production into a local facility. But meeting that momentum soon came with difficulty.

Costs had risen to the point that it was putting the company at a loss.

Rather than call it quits, OHME! found a new manufacturer that kept operations running smoothly. No more bottlenecks, just “great quality products consistently rolling out,” shares Jenny.

They Yues now treat partnerships like signing a marriage prenup.

Otherwise, Han says, it’ll be harder to have the necessary tough conversations if and when issues arise. He adds that setting clear standards, boundaries, and guiding principles is just as important to ensure who you work with uphold your values.

Jenny emphasizes carefully reading the “fine print” in contracts to avoid surprises, like sudden increases. And to not be afraid to ask as many questions as needed, even about the worst-case scenarios. “Once you get all the ugly things over with, you’ll be able to find a partner you can work together with long-term.”

Looking back on what’s been pivotal to OHME!’s growth, the Yues highlight listening to their customers feedback and suggestions.

It didn’t just help them narrow down which offerings to focus on, but also validated how versatile they can be. Regulars often shared the different ways that they used the products beyond toppings or on-the-go snacks—inspiring others to enjoy them in more ways, like baked goods, craft drinks, charcuterie platters, or with their pets.

Along with valuing feedback from their fans, the Yues remain intentional about which opportunities to pursue, rather than holding onto the notion that they need to say yes to every one to scale.

“There’s never a cookie-cutter approach, especially when it comes to CPG,” says Han. “It’s nice to hear perspectives from other people, but also, you know your company best [...] what works, what doesn’t, and your gut feeling [...] Lots of opportunities may arise, but you have to know which one is good and which may not be at that time.”

On advice for aspiring founders looking to pursue their own brand, Jenny encourages them not to hold back on whatever idea they believe could work.

“I’ve had many other side gigs and businesses. They all failed, and it’s okay because you learn from the journey. There are always key takeaways from everything that you do. So don’t be afraid to just go for it, and maybe one day it will become the next thing.”

The Indigenous Venture Challenge (IVC) is leading a movement to put more capital into Indigenous-led ventures—using an approach that is solving a centuries-old problem in a “novel way.”

The IVC is calling out to founders to compete for a minimum $50,000 investment from Indigenous angel investors. Following final due diligence and the acceptance of terms, the funding will be made available through a shared earnings agreement (SEAL)—a model designed to protect founders from predatory terms while creating shared upside for both sides.

Those who are shortlisted will be invited to pitch live at the Indigenous Tech Conference—taking place in Richmond, B.C., on January 20, 2026—with all expenses paid. Leading up to the event, founders will receive mentorship from experienced Indigenous founders and investors, support navigating venture terms and understanding SEAL agreements, and access to capital

The initiative is led by serial entrepreneurs and angel investors Ryan St. Germaine and Richard Tuck. St. Germaine is also the founder of the Indigenous Tech Circle, a non-profit to support current and future Indigenous leaders, and Tuck is the CEO of the Wakopa Financial Workers’ Co-operative, which provides financing and mentorship for atypical entrepreneurs.

“The word ‘challenge’ was chosen very specifically,” highlights St. Germaine. “We want to challenge our investors to say, ‘Listen, we need to become better angel investors, and we need to start finding ways to create generational wealth by supporting our companies.’ For the founders, we want to say, ‘This is your cousins, aunties, and uncles who are investing in your business, and we have a shared vision and mission for what this means so that we create this generational wealth.’”

Setting out to provide an alternative to “dominant forms of capitalizing new ventures.”

The idea to start the IVC has been a long time coming, says St. Germaine. Through working with the Indigenous Tech Fund—a $20 million fund to support Indigenous-led tech ventures—he witnessed how, oftentimes, institutions, foundations, and organizations are “locked into systems” in “how they can go about doing things.”

“The traditional venture capital model is broken and misaligned with most ventures, especially Indigenous-led and impact-driven ventures,” he wrote in a post. “It chases hypergrowth while ignoring businesses that grow moderately even if they could become great long-term, profitable companies providing good employment opportunities to hundreds of people. Moreover, most VC funds have 10-year lifespans even though, on average, it takes longer to see success, which means they are incentivized to over-capitalize 1 or 2 lottery winners and kill off the rest.”

He adds: “Debt is also a colonial construct that concentrates power within very few financial institutions, which have historically harmed and excluded Indigenous people. All debt instruments come from investor-centric thinking, which means that every part of the model benefits the investor first, causing an unfair and disproportionate power dynamic.”

St. Germaine goes on to note that, ultimately, the IVC aims to get away from “dominant forms of capitalizing new ventures.” That’s why, he says, it’s taking an Indigenous approach to capital that is rooted in reciprocity, shared success, and what’s best for the venture to succeed.

The IVC chose the SEAL model as it reflects Indigenous ways of knowing and doing business most closely, according to research by Wakopa Financial. The team is also working with Métis lawyer Yvonne Guy Laroche to create an Indigenous version of the structure.

Notable investors and partners willing to make bets

Investors and partners who have committed to the initiative include trailblazers across different fields. This includes Bobbie Racette, the founder of talent marketplace Virtual Gurus and recognized as one of Canada’s most powerful leaders in innovation, and Josh Nilson, the founder of video game company Maskwa Games and was BC Tech’s 2022 Person of the Year.

For founders looking to apply, IVC says it’s seeking Indigenous-led ventures with scalable growth or revenue potential, a clear pathway to profitability, and a commitment to lasting impact. However, it highlights their willingness to take bets on those who can demonstrate their abilities to achieve their goals.

“That’s in any venture, not just Indigenous ones,” says St. Germaine. “We are looking at the team. We are looking at their hypothesis around revenue [...] and then we know they are going to change direction. We are okay with that. We want to know that we are aligned in how we are thinking about revenue [and] want to ensure that this is creating opportunities for Indigenous folks.”

Navigating grants in Canada is often a complex and time-consuming process. Outdated information, unclear eligibility criteria, and government jargon can make it difficult for any founder to even start.

And finding the right partner can be another challenge in itself. That’s how Stephanie Sang’s career took a turn. Growing up, she imagined herself working in corporate but became an entrepreneur after she kept getting recommended for support with grants. Sang started building the expertise when a company she worked for was transitioning into a new sector and the support that they brought in weren’t meeting expectations.

Now, the entrepreneur’s known as “Canada’s Grant Angel.” Her firm, Granted Consulting, has an over 92% success rate and has helped over 800 companies secure more than $100 million in funds—from hiring to training to market expansion and R&D. Sang has also been building her own platform, Get Granted, which will soon rename as Elivated. It aims to support more small- and medium-sized businesses with the same support they’d receive from a consultant. And its next version will tap into its nearly 15 years of data to not only match businesses with grants but suggest options like Spotify would with playlists.

“We understand that AI is being used a lot with grant writing right now, but a lot of it is slop because there are no grant databases out there,” highlights Sang. “The government doesn’t disclose this information and we only work on government grants [...] We have a database of about 18,000 applications. So we can build how we want the writeup to be done, what the voice of it is, and how much research needs to be done.”

She adds: “Hopefully that will help businesses be able to access them with greater needs faster with more guidance, but without handholding [...] That’s the goal: to get grants in the hands of businesses.”

Turning an unexpected challenge into a foundation of expertise

As a child, Sang told herself she would never become an entrepreneur. Coming from four generations of them and seeing her family work non-stop was enough to convince her that corporate was the path for her.

After graduating from SFU’s Beedie School of Business, she moved to Taiwan for work—a country she had never lived in and had no family roots. She eventually became the VP of business development for an original equipment manufacturer expanding from the automotive to medical field.

The growth required hiring more talent, training staff overseas to learn new technology, and establishing a facility. Sang and her team managed to secure a $3 million USD grant from the government, but they were left to handle the process on their own despite bringing in a consultant.

When Sang returned to Vancouver, one friend after another asked for help with grants for their businesses. Word spread beyond her circle, and she quickly became known as the go-to person, encouraging her to found Granted Consulting. Within its first four years, it had over a thousand clients. But with a team of five, they needed to scale to meet the demand for their services. It was then that Sang decided to build Elivated.

Along with matching and suggesting grants to businesses, Elivated will guide users through drafting and refining applications—including marking them and flagging any missing information or areas to strengthen. The platform is now in beta and expected to launch in the coming months.

“Grants are tricky,” says Sang. “They don’t teach you grants in school for a reason—they change all the time. Whether it’s educating your community on what matters or helping them access tech that supports them, if you can pay for a subscription and gain $10,000 in grant funding as a result, that return on investment speaks for itself.”

What early stage founders should consider ahead of seeking grants

For early stage founders looking to explore grants for the first time, Sang encourages a few considerations ahead of leveraging any support.

The first is to not start by searching for options. Instead, assess whether your business is doing “grant activities” that meet the needs of the government. These include creating jobs, upskilling Canadians, and increasing revenue that contributes to economic growth.

“Are you doing something innovative and unique that the government would want to put a stamp on you and say you’re a Canadian business, so that shows the world what we are capable of?” points out Sang.

She adds that operational needs like opening a new location aren’t identified as an activity. They are also likely to be regarded as risks the government is not willing to take.

Among other misconceptions Sang sees is founders assuming they qualify for grants based on identity alone. While some programs prioritize, say, underrepresented entrepreneurs, eligibility still depends on demonstrating business impact through growth or innovation.

Sang suggests trying Granted Consulting’s grant calculator to help determine if a business qualifies and how much it may receive. It’s designed to provide insight based on a series of questions, similar to what you would expect with a mortgage.

Advice for early stage founders looking to apply for grants now

As for founders ready to apply, Sang highlights that grants aren’t a one-off. Funding cycles change throughout the year, and new programs open as government budgets renew. Even if there are few options at one point in time, several more can become available within months.

She also reminds that grants aren’t retroactive. Applying after making a hire or purchase where funding was needed is too late. It’s why, she says, it’s important to stay up-to-date through a platform like Elivated to plan ahead.

When it comes to using AI, Sang advises against relying on the tech to write out applications. Reviewers can immediately tell when responses are AI-generated and, as a result, have become more selective. They’ll also question whether the content reflects the business and whether the plan can actually be executed.

Another best practice is to be realistic when selecting a grant. That means choosing one that aligns with your current goals rather than shifting your roadmap—like suddenly moving into AI—just to receive funding. Sang has seen that approach move businesses in directions they weren’t aiming to go.

“I think it’s important to have your strategy first—what are your business goals on a quarterly or monthly basis—and then identify grants that will match and support those goals?” she explains. “The only way you can do that is if you have a strong research team who can help you identify those opportunities, or you use a tech like what we have that will send you notifications when those grants change, close, or open to keep you informed about what you need to know.”

Pawsible Ventures, a venture capital firm and incubator, today announced the launch of its $10 million Fund I to back and co-build the next generation of animal-wellness companies.

“Pet health is one of the fastest-growing industries on the planet, but early stage founders are starved for capital and support,” highlighted Alex Chieng, the firm’s co-founder and CEO. “With Pawsible, we’re not just investing, we’re building. From diagnostics and AI-powered tools to emotional wellness and compounding, our companies will have the capital, IP, and distribution to move fast and make an impact.”

According to Pawsible, even as “pet spending now surpasses baby spending in many households,” the health infrastructure that supports it—from diagnostics and insurance to clinical access—remains broken. A shortage of veterinarians and surge in patient demand have made care “reactive instead of preventative,” while early stage founders looking to innovate in the space continue to face “systemic barriers to funding and scale.”

Pawsible led by an expert, veteran team with a stellar track record

The urgency to build Pawsible now came from Chieng’s own experience. In 2020, he co-founded Vetsie to transform how veterinary professionals delivered care during the pandemic—after waiting three weeks for a clinic appointment for his French Bulldog. Vetsie was accepted into an accelerator run by Mars Petcare’s Leap Venture Studio and became one of North America’s first veterinary telemedicine and AI platforms. In 2024, the company was acquired by Inspire Veterinary Partners, a nationwide network of veterinary practices. Looking back on the journey, Chieng recalled how few resources, mentors, or support networks existed for founders like himself.

Partnering with Chieng to fill that gap is Shafin Diamond Tejani, founder and CEO of Victory Square Technologies, a publicly listed venture capital firm and accelerator. Victory Square has built a global portfolio of more than 40 startups that have generated over $1 billion in shareholder value. This includes Hydreight Technologies, one of North America’s fastest-growing digital health platforms. Tejani’s work building and scaling ventures has earned him recognition as EY Entrepreneur of the Year and Canadian Angel Investor of the Year.

“We’ve built the pipes that connect innovators to patients in human health—now we’re opening those pipes to animal health,” said Tejani. “The next billion-dollar pet health company won’t be born in isolation. It’ll be born inside a studio like Pawsible—with capital, infrastructure, and distribution from day one.”

Capital, hands-on support, and access to distribution

Over the next three years, Pawsible will invest in 15–20 startups, deploying initial checks between $100K and $500K and setting aside reserves for follow-on rounds. Beyond early-stage capital, portfolio companies will have the opportunity to co-create and validate products directly with veterinarians. It’s a way to address what the firm sees as a common mistake among founders in the space—overlooking the needs of both pet owners and veterinarians.

Portfolio companies will also gain access to Victory Square’s extensive distribution network. This includes more than 3,000 nurses and doctors across North America, a national pharmacy and compounding network, clinics and direct-to-consumer telehealth channels, and integrated lab systems supporting diagnostics and preventative care.

Pawsible is now accepting applications for its first cohort, with the goal of laying the foundation for “the next decade of pet health infrastructure.” The fund will target innovations across veterinary care and practice management, diagnostics, biohealth and insurance, AI and automation tools, behavioral and emotional wellness, and personalized pharmaceuticals and wellness products.

“Targeting the $250B+ global pet care economy, Pawsible Ventures is igniting the next wave of innovation at the intersection of AI, biotech, and compassion, powering the founders who will define the future of life with pets,” the firm highlighted in a press release.

Subscribe now and stay tuned for our upcoming exclusive feature and podcast interview with Alex Chieng on his personal journey as a founder and VC. Plus, email us or DM us on X to join our Discord and submit questions you’d like us to ask!

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Tune into the full interview for more behind-the-scenes above or on Spotify or Apple

• 00:00–3:35: Show, episode, and guest intro

• 3:35–7:40: Identifying what will become a new phenomenon

• 7:40–17:07: The origin story behind AllScale

• 17:07–19:44: Why other companies have yet to solve the problem AllScale is tackling

• 19:44–27:00: How exactly AllScale’s invoicing, payroll, and social commerce products work

• 27:00–28:30: Rewarding stories from AllScale’s clients

• 28:30–32:00: Biggest problems faced in building on AllScale

• 32:00–34:25: Three things that Shawn believes in that’s been pivotal to his success

• 34:25–35:30: What can be expected next from AllScale in the coming months

• 35:30–37:00: Reflections on Vancouver’s innovation ecosystem

With stablecoin transforming payments by cutting out the middlemen, delays, and fees, experts predict its effect will mirror breakthroughs like the iPhone, WhatsApp, and ChatGPT and one B.C. company is building toward leading the way for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

The cryptocurrency essentially acts like a digital stand-in for cash. It’s designed to maintain a stable value by being tied to a traditional asset in reserve, like USD, EURO, or gold. That means if you hold a stablecoin worth $1, the issuer must keep $1 in reserve so you can instantly cash it out when needed. Running on blockchain infrastructure, stablecoin allows for moving money quickly and around the clock at a fraction of the typical costs.

According to research from venture capital firm a16z, sending money to an individual in another country could cost about $0.01 compared to $12.13 through traditional systems. For companies, profitability could increase as much as over 60% from reducing or eliminating credit card fees.

In Latin America, Asia, and Africa, stablecoin has already become essential for those who are un- or underbanked or lack access to services. Many rely on the cryptocurrency for sending money internationally, preserving the value of their long-term savings, and avoiding daily currency and inflation swings in everyday transactions.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., corporations are tapping into stablecoin for new customer services and to manage internal finances, like SAP and Visa. Tech giants from Uber to Amazon and financial institutions like JPMorgan and Bank of America have announced plans to follow, and more are expected with the U.S. passing the GENIUS Act. The legislation allows banks, fintechs, and credit unions to obtain licenses to distribute or issue stablecoins.

As momentum builds, products are being built to cater to the growing demand from both individuals and large companies. That’s left a gap in the middle for those who often lack the necessary tech talent and budget to stay up to speed with their counterparts: SMBs.

Recognizing this, Vancouver-based serial entrepreneur Shawn Pang founded AllScale. The fintech startup is creating stablecoin solutions that are more accessible, intuitive, and compliant for SMBs—from invoicing to payroll to social commerce—to help them scale more efficiently.

Leading AllScale alongside Pang are co-founders Ruoyang Wang and Jun Li. Collectively, they bring a wealth of experience in product, compliance, and legal at major firms spanning crypto, finance, and tech—Kraken, Block, Capital One, OKX, and TikTok.

The trio founded AllScale in February of this year and raised $1.5 million in pre-seed funding last month to accelerate the development and adoption of its products. Participating investors include venture capital firms Draper Dragon, Amber Group, KuCoin Exchange, Oak Grove Ventures, y2z Ventures, Cyberport Hong Kong, and angel investors Gracy Chen, Tony Chen, Shun Ma, and Jedi Lu.

This is the story of how a series of pivots led to a breakthrough that started with an MVP running on spreadsheets and soon processed about half a million each month.

The pivots before the breakthrough

The journey that led to creating AllScale started when Pang studied computer science and business at Western University. It was there that he first got into hackathons, even sneaking in if he didn’t make the cut.

“It was a lot of fun,” he recalls. “That’s actually how I discovered cryptocurrency. Back then, not many people were talking about it. I got involved because [...] if you developed any app related to crypto, you were more likely to get a prize.”

Eager to keep building with new technologies, Pang founded different apps throughout his studies. After graduating, he became a product manager for payment fraud and risk management at Capital One, then TikTok, where he was the first to hold that role in Canada. At the same time, he co-founded HashMatrix when an investor asked him to help launch and grow their portfolio ventures. Working in corporate, his biggest motivation was to stay in the startup game and up-to-date with the latest developments.

That determination would lead to HashMatrix becoming the agency behind popular AI products from tech giants Alibaba, ByteDance, and Insta360 and fast-growing startups like Rabbit R1, Pix AI, and Kling. Pang would then leave TikTok to work on the agency full-time, expanding the team to over 25, and doubling revenue “almost every quarter to high seven figures.”

Building the product at the perfect time

As HashMatrix grew, it came up against the same problem repeatedly—one that it saw big tech and startups had yet to solve: payment. Across their clients, it was often an issue when expanding overseas. Vendors, talent, and contractors in emerging markets that they wanted to work with often requested—or could only receive—stablecoin because of the shortcomings in traditional systems.

“Number one, their account could be frozen very easily,” Pang explains. “And, in many cases, actually, they can’t get the payment from you. It doesn’t go through, or it’s going to take a really long time. That’s when I realized there are way more people than we expected who want to take stablecoin. Also, even for those who never tried stablecoin before, once they use it, they’ll be like, ‘Hey, Shawn, in the future, can you always pay me with stablecoin?’”

Seeing how stablecoin was helping clients grow internationally, HashMatrix developed an MVP payroll system to handle payments in the cryptocurrency. What started out as running on spreadsheets soon processed “nearly half a million dollars each month.” Its early users were HashMatrix’s closest partners.

Outside HashMatrix’s circle, there was a lot of stigma around stablecoin, but that started to shift as new laws were introduced, says Pang. Three days after the U.S. advanced the GENIUS Act, Hong Kong passed its own measure, the Stablecoins Ordinance.

“We were doing research in Hong Kong,” Pang recalls. “We saw a lot of people be like, ‘Once the U.S. government will allow people to work on stablecoin, the Hong Kong government will follow right after.’ [...] Things came up a lot earlier than we expected.”

How AllScale works

Currently, AllScale offers an all-in-one platform for invoicing, payroll, and social commerce. It remains in beta as they work on safeguarding “top-level security” for their users.

From a single dashboard, users can create and send invoices, request payments with a link, and track their status. Recipients can pay with their preferred method, whether stablecoin, wire transfer, crypto wallet, or credit/debit card. Payments are processed and settled instantly—rather than in days or weeks—and senders can choose to receive them in stablecoins.

Payroll can also be managed and automated across borders with real-time alerts. Users can fund their account via wire transfer, run and approve payments, monitor funds at a glance, and more. Additionally, they’ll soon be able to communicate with their team and access live support inside the platform.

AllScale also lets users create a personalized profile to promote and list offerings and accept payments, like a landing page and storefront. Once published, a public URL can be shared on social platforms, bios, or directly with clients. Visitors can submit order requests that generate pre-filled invoices that owners can approve and get paid on. Upcoming features include ratings and reviews, service bundles, and real-time chat or message requests.

“We want to serve other SMBs who [...] can simply benefit from the new paradigm brought by stablecoin, but [avoid] the complexities of blockchain,” Pang highlights. “That’s our focus here.”

Advice for other early stage founders

When asked what keeps him going during the most challenging times, Pang highlights three lessons that have carried him throughout his startup journey.

Keep hustling: “Other dots will be connected in the end, but you have to keep hustling. You need to take failure as a norm. Success is actually the rare thing. Failure is actually what you see every single day. If you don’t fail a couple of times a day, I think it means you’re not doing enough every day [...] Once you do things enough—sometimes it’s a numbers game—you will win.”

Stay in the game: “When you start something, people will challenge you a lot [...] People are like, ‘How do I know you can build a fintech solution?’ ‘Do you actually understand the complexities here?’ ‘Do you understand the risk here?’ You need to stay in the game. Staying in the game helps you build reputation, helps you expand your network, and helps you see how the dots could actually be connected. Once you leave the game, those dots could likely no longer be connected.”

Be relentlessly resourceful: “If you really want to do something, you might be like, ‘I don’t have this, so I can’t do this.’ No. The way you need to think is, ‘I want to get this done, but I’m missing these criteria. But those are the things that I can do. Those are the people that I can reach out to to have the conditions met.”