Jackson McDonough Founder of Upwardly – Telling It Like It Is
0:00 and welcome to another Talent like is my name is Jade Alberts a partner at netsource Capital and founder of peer 0:05 guidance telling it like it is is here to share stories tell stories if you have any questions it is live ask away 0:12 if you’re watching this after the fact on um you know on on repeat put your question in there uh Jackson and I will 0:19 we’ll answer them I would like to thank our sponsor today the Canadian blockchain Consortium our Canadian 0:24 blockchain Summit is October 19th and 20th here in Calgary tickets are available the website will be up here 0:30 shortly in the comments section but you know what let’s not talk about that let’s get after uh let’s get after this 0:36 conversation with uh the founder of upwardly Jackson how are you today Jade I’m great it’s uh super exciting to 0:43 be on the show you know a year and a half ago when we we launched here in Calgary going on LinkedIn seeing social 0:50 media this was a show that I loved seeing great conversations happening with really cool people a lot of them 0:57 I’d reach out to after uh they were on your show so it’s great to be here today and thanks for having me well like you 1:03 said it’s it’s long overdue it should have it should have happened almost to the day after we met to be quite honest 1:10 you’re a busy guy you’re a busy guy but you know I’m happy to be here today to talk about upwardly you know we’re in a 1:17 really exciting uh time of our our young business career and um just super excited to get into it 1:23 today well you know what let’s talk about that right I mean you you you 1:28 I I love your story right when we met for coffee I think we penciled in an hour and it was like an hour and a half 1:34 if not longer and and I mean you moved away you went to you went to Austin you you had your career and you’re like you 1:40 know what I’m gonna come back home so why don’t you you share your story uh you know about your in a little bit about your career and then why you 1:46 wanted to come back to Calgary and and how that started with upwardly 1:52 yeah absolutely uh you know I’m a born and raised calgarian my family’s here uh 1:58 my other co-founder is actually my mother Jill McDonough uh so we have a really great relationship there and when 2:06 I was graduating University it was uh back in 2018 looking at Calgary we 2:12 hadn’t quite hit that Tech excitement in the city you know there was a little bit of a cloud over it to me and it felt 2:18 like if I didn’t take a job with you know some kind of connect or you had to know somebody to get in somewhere uh and 2:25 and people just weren’t as excited energy had taken a little bit of a hit obviously and uh I wanted to go 2:33 somewhere that that really embodied that energy and that excitement that Calgary was when my parents were graduating 2:40 University and so I researched a few different cities and I saw that Austin Texas was you know really doing some 2:47 Progressive things in the tech space people were flocking to that City it was a Melting Pot of people from all over 2:54 the place with different ideas and different perspectives and a lot of those people were new grads and young 3:00 people so I went there started my career in Tech with a really great company I 3:05 had an awesome career with them we went public on the New York Stock Exchange but what became clear to me was you know 3:12 the power of hiring for potential versus pedigree was was amazing for for that 3:18 City and that ecosystem and all the while I was getting articles sent to me by Jill 3:24 talking about you know the flight of young Talent here in Alberta for the first time we are graduating more folks 3:32 and and not hiring them at a high level and actually seeing more of them leave 3:37 than stay here in the province to work and something had to be done about that 3:43 so Jill and I put our heads together and we wanted to figure out what can we do to talk about the abundance of 3:49 incredible high potential Talent that’s here in Calgary that’s got those Tech 3:54 skills that’s got those really great X factors that they can bring into a business and communicate that with 4:00 businesses so that they see the value in hiring tomorrow’s leaders today and so we came up with the business plan of 4:06 upwardly over about a year uh launched it back in June of uh 2021 and uh here 4:14 we are today and it’s just been an amazing journey and I’m excited to talk more about it and and 4:21 I love the journey that you’ve taken right not not just because of uh you 4:27 know of of the industry that you’re in I mean we’ve all probably used recruiting agencies in the fact in the in the past 4:32 and I’m just going to say it most of them suck right they suck they just I stopped using them 15 20 years ago right 4:38 I just don’t didn’t feel comfortable with them and then and then when we sat down and you you explained your vision 4:43 to me and what you wanted to do and it’s more of a it’s not a transaction of the you know what I’ve got these people and 4:48 I got
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TealEV – Telling It Like It Is – Peer Guidance
0:00 Sharing knowledge and stories is why i started telling it like it is it is a live show if you have any questions plop0:05them in the comments section and we will answer them if you’re watching this after the fact put your questions in0:11there and we will get to them i have two sponsors and i’m excited about both of them startup tnt our cleantech finale is0:18tomorrow here at platform calgary starting at four pitches go live at five we’ll have a big networking event after0:24we’ll also have a satellite events going on in edmonton regina and saskatoon so go to startuptnt.com to get your tickets0:31they are free and of course we have the alberta technology symposium which is going april 20th and 21st here in0:38calgary we’re at 200 plus of tickets sold already we also have a big gala0:43wednesday night which we will have three alberta uh ministers here so you can come network and uh start meeting some0:50like-minded people but let’s start talking about electric vehicles today with sohil akbari how are you today i’m0:57doing great yeah thanks for having me having me here no i we had a really good conversation1:02and we kicked off our little sask sask month of of interviews and we had alex alex and jesse on and uh jesse was the1:09one that introduced us and and i’m extremely excited to hear your story yeah well thanks1:15yeah absolutely so why don’t we why don’t we get right into it so why don’t uh what you know everybody probably wants1:21to know and i would love to hear a little bit about your backstory on you know how why you started uh tlev and and1:29and why in saskatoon like that that that that’s really intriguing to me yeah yeah well it’s um i graduated exactly 101:36years ago from a master’s degree in uh mechanical engineering here here at u of s1:42and uh you know i was born and raised in a family of automotive enthusiasts and i started you1:48know an alden with a business in town here i continued that business for seven1:53years and then at seven years ago i decided to pivot and do something different and uh when i got into teal1:59um and you know all my resources all my you know i was2:05quite settled here all my resources were here and for me kind of relocating from saskatoon was something really tough to2:12do at that point and i decided to um you know start a business here and um2:17i definitely don’t regret it i got um you know great people here that are working with me i love the kind of work2:23ethics and um you know saskatchewan people in general um the2:29biggest challenge has been you know the smaller economy here and um you know2:35very tough um to raise funds um and also talent acquisition remains a bit of a challenge in saskatoon but2:42other than that you know anywhere in prairies basically is a great uh place for the type of technology we’re2:47developing because we’re focused on cold climates and you know uh here you get a full six2:52months the year that you could you know test your technology and make sure you bring it up uh to a level that’s uh2:58that’s acceptable for for the industry so so i guess you know3:04you have an obviously an automotive background i mean but what made you kind of pivot into electric vehicles is that3:10kind of just it was a hot topic or something that really interest you or did did you think you could do something different yeah no actually um you know3:17i’ve operated um electric vehicles and electrified vehicles for nine years i’m totally aware of the challenges they3:22have uh in the wintertime we have a lot of issues with heating a lot of you know range loss and those3:28challenges um you know my engineering background i knew there is a solution for it and that’s kind of what we focused on uh as a part of the teal to3:36bring an innovative you know solution to to improve the performance and uh reliability of electric vehicles in cold3:42climates and that was basically the triggering point that um you know really helped to3:49build a technology that serves a real purpose well i think that’s an interesting concept so why don’t we just touch on3:55that a little bit like the difference everybody talk i mean i see tesla’s driving around here things along those4:00lines i have friends that have them but what’s the difference between creating one that will work in california or4:06texas or wherever compared to saskatoon edmonton calgary well yeah4:12the real short answer is the difference are in details it’s um you know technology nowadays uh what makes a big4:18difference is those fine details that how they’re built and how they’re kind of wired and connected to each other and4:24um it’s no different difference for us um you know every single decision we’ve4:29made while we developed this technology was was about making a robust and reliable4:34solution for operating in harsh climates uh brings up all a couple you know4:40simple examples um uh you know up to this state all the4:45commercially available vehicles in the market they’ll rely on their batteries for providing heat in the winter time4:51and that’s one of the main causes of you know losing a lot of range4:57in the winter whereas our our technology relies on a heat storage system on board that has5:03nothing to do with the battery and as the temperature goes down the heat storage you know system charges off and5:08provides you directly heat uh from that whereas uh you know passenger vehicles their payload is very limited they5:14cannot have that extra you know space space and extra weight to to accommodate those kind of technologies and5:21again we’re in a commercial space um you know passenger vehicles for example tesla model 3 has 3 000 small kind of5:28cylindrical cells all glued to each other and it’s basically a non-serviceable system5:33the type of systems we’re building
Menz League with Jade Alberts
The “𝐌𝐚𝐧 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲” initiative is one way for men to begin normalizing some of the common issues we are faced with on a regular basis. 2 claps 👏🏾👏🏻 for our man Jade Alberts for stepping up for the fourth episode of Season 2, being vulnerable about talking about how his past has impacted his present. Thank you for your vulnerability and sharing your story. We are calling all men who strive to be better and support the movement. Our hope is that this helps stimulate change by getting a little vulnerable and sharing your story. Watch it Below
The Second Act Podcast – Jade Alberts
Super Entrepreneurs Podcast with Shazid Durrani
The Right Advice for Entrepreneurs In today’s episode of the Super Entrepreneurs podcast, I’m joined by Jade Alberts. He is an entrepreneur who, at some point, exited his startup business. However, he is now the President and founder of Peer Guidance, an ecosystem to guide and interact with entrepreneurs. Jade also runs a weekly Facebook live show ’’Tell it Like it is.’’ Jade explains his endeavor in helping businesses in their struggles right from inception to exit. He also gives an insight on how his podcast is a great networking place for different entrepreneurs. How Jades Alberts Helps Entrepreneurs After exiting entrepreneurship, people asked for Jade’s help in running successful businesses. That’s where he began his journey. Jade says that they focus on giving the right advice to entrepreneurs regardless of how much money they can afford. The team’s major aim is to guide entrepreneurs rather than making profits. Their joy as a team is sharing knowledge with the startups. Which Business Can Get Support? Jade clarifies that they help startups in any industry and from whatever levels. The main goal is to help your business to succeed. Jade believes that the efforts to start any business are all the same. Area of Operation Currently, Jade provides business support services in Canada, focusing on Alberta companies. Facebook Liveshow Jade talks about his weekly Facebook Live show, which is usually every Wednesday at 9:30 am. He brings startup entrepreneurs to the show and lets them share their stories with the rest. Connecting Businesses Jade says that they have a diverse network and always know someone who can help if their team can’t. On another end, the company connects like-minded people who further form business partnerships. Superpower Authenticity and honesty Tune in and listen to our podcast as Jade talks about: [00:39] Jade Alberts entrepreneurial journey [01:53] Type of startups dealt with [02:30] Industries that can get support [03:10] Regions where the company operates [04:12] Tell It Like It Is Facebook Live Show [07:00] What differentiates the company from the rest. [09:30] Any other businesses [13:18] Expanding the business [16:47] The actual listeners to Jade’s podcast. [19:31] Awards won Notable Quotes ‘’ Getting off the ground and starting your business, the guts of all businesses are the same.’’ ‘’ Networking and connecting is the straw that stirs the drink when it comes to growing and making your business successful.’’ ‘’ It is those little decisions that could cost you a lot of money.’’ Links Website – http://www.peerguidance.ca/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/PeerGuidanceCalgary Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jadealberts/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/peer_guidance Listen Below:
Calgary Business Podcast with Allen Wazny
Jade connects Calgary small businesses through his Facebook Live program (called “Telling It Like It is”) and with over 1 million downloads, it is not surprising that his show is booked up until March 2021. Jade also started the “Founders Coffee YCC” meetups and even though Covid has prevented many of the in person meetups in 2020, Jade ensures startups, founders and entrepreneurs continue to get help and guidance through Zoom and similar one on one calls. In fact, Jade emphasized the importance of such individuals to not be afraid to “ask for help”
STARTUP TNT / Rainforest with Zack Storms
Join us as Zack Storms and Jade Alberts share the story behind Startup TNT. Transcript 00:00 hi everybody welcome to lunch without 00:02 lunch 00:03 i am bridgette lego community manager in 00:05 calgary we have amber rowden here 00:07 community story retailer in calgary and 00:09 a few folks from our edmonton steering 00:11 committee who can give a wave um james 00:13 kirsten will be introducing us to all 00:15 things rainforest here in just a moment 00:17 but prior to doing so we’ll just take a 00:19 moment to reflect and acknowledge 00:22 the beautiful lands that we have to 00:25 enjoy across our country and whatever 00:28 area you might be in today for those in 00:31 the calgary region 00:33 we acknowledge um the lands of the sikh 00:36 sika 00:37 uh kainai pakani blackfoot confederacy 00:39 that suits cinna 00:41 estonia dakota nations the metis nation 00:43 region three and everyone who makes 00:45 their home within treaty seven and for 00:47 those in edmonton we acknowledge the 00:49 unseated traditional lands of the treaty 00:51 six territory of the cree danae 00:53 blackfoot salto nakota sioux as well as 00:56 the metis um again if you find yourself 00:58 in another area of the world um we ask 01:01 you to take a moment and reflect on the 01:04 traditional territories on which you’re 01:06 uh you’re sitting on 01:08 and so with that i’m gonna turn it over 01:10 to james to give us a 01:12 refresh on what is the rainforest 01:17 welcome everyone 01:19 i think we get a video up here talking 01:21 about the rainforest 01:23 really quick so i can spare you that 01:26 my explanation this one will be better 01:28 i’m sure 01:30 here we go 01:34 what does it take to realize an idea 01:36 or for a seat to sprout 01:38 at rainforest alberta we know the answer 01:41 is rooted in trust 01:43 traditionally albertans have cultivated 01:45 their ideas in established systems 01:48 inputs that don’t fit these systems are 01:50 weeded out 01:51 opportunities for growth are missed but 01:54 now albertans want a dynamic landscape 01:57 that can evolve organically 01:59 like a rainforest 02:00 at rainforest alberta we believe a 02:02 culture of trust is the fertile soil 02:04 where ideas grow 02:06 our budding innovation ecosystem is a 02:09 network of relationships pulling each 02:11 other up as they push forward in their 02:13 own field 02:15 trust breaks down barriers an open 02:18 inclusive network increases 02:20 collaborative innovation successful 02:22 breakthroughs inspire new ideas 02:25 a cycle begins 02:27 rainforest alberta is a movement to 02:29 amplify trust by cultivating honesty 02:32 inclusion and accountability 02:34 how our social contract holds us 02:38 accountable to demonstrate trust across 02:39 the province we need to have honest 02:42 conversations around collaboration this 02:44 leads to more inclusive spaces for 02:46 everyone to fearlessly build new ideas 02:49 together 02:51 by raising the standard of trust 02:53 alberta’s ideas talent and resources can 02:56 be evergreen 02:58 visit 02:59 rainforestab.ca to sign the social 03:01 contract and start growing together 03:07 right so we use six pillars to guide our 03:09 conversations and actions not our all 03:12 are weighted equally like any ecosystem 03:14 the right balance is crucial 03:17 these are measured each year through uh 03:19 our scorecard assessment and for those 03:21 of you from the edmonton region we just 03:23 launched the scorecard 03:26 assessment here in edmonton for 03:28 november because we wanted to get it in 03:31 our normal annual cycle so if you’re 03:33 from the edmonton region and you want to 03:34 fill out the scorecard 03:38 let me know i’ll drop a drop it into the 03:41 chat as well 03:42 30 percent is culture 20 leadership 03:46 we’re also looking at resources engaged 03:48 activities policy and infrastructure and 03:51 role models 03:55 next slide 03:57 so 03:58 tips for making the most out of lunch 04:00 without lunch introduce yourself in the 04:02 chat connect with individuals through 04:04 direct messages 04:06 put your camera on it’s always great to 04:08 see faces i know this is virtual but the 04:11 more we can interact with another one 04:13 another the easier it is for us to build 04:15 that trust 04:16 and create 04:18 that 04:19 connection 04:20 ask questions keep connecting on the 04:22 rainforest slack workspace and check the 04:25 lunch without lunch notes for capture of 04:27 today’s chat 04:28 and recordings are also posted on 04:31 youtube 04:35 we added this last week i forgot 04:38 well hey this is great so we’re talking 04:40 about one of the uh principal values in 04:43 the social contract today it’s about 04:45 free help 04:46 i understand that i receive valuable 04:49 help from others for free 04:52 yeah that’s the great thing 04:55 and i think we have to pay it forward as 04:56 another one which is i’m always ready to 05:00 help the community help others without 05:03 expecting anything in return 05:06 absolutely and that was kind of the 05:08 purpose of uh 05:09 of this exercise we started adding one 05:11 of the social contract values at the end 05:13 of this intro every week and we ask for 05:16 you to reflect on how you live this 05:18 value and if you’d like to share that in 05:20 the chat please feel free um or you can 05:23 just uh you know think about that on 05:25 your own um 05:26 i sometimes get feedback in the 05:28 rainforest uh 05:29 you know that um there’s lots of 05:31 especially like uh 05:33 not selling your wares but a lot of kind 05:35 of promo being had on our flat panel and 05:38 that sort of thing so um part of 05:40 flashing the
Rainforest with Al Del Degan
Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta. I am hosting this episode myself. I am a proven leader with over twenty-three years of diverse experience designing, delivering, and supporting software and technology projects. I believe in giving back to my community and I enjoy networking and helping to grow Alberta’s innovation ecosystem. Creatively you will find me pursuing my passions of podcasting, photography and wood working along with the occasional round of golf. Jade Alberts is the Founder of Peer Guidance and a Business Strategist / Entrepreneur / Connector / Investor that Tells It Like It Is. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Sometimes you have to let go to grow, so contact him to set up an Honest Meeting. Jade enjoys building trusting relationships with “Handshake Honesty.” He has a genuine passion for both people and businesses. Honesty, Authenticity, Networking, Connecting, and Sharing are the pillars of his belief system. Join Jade on his Facebook Live “Telling It Like it Is” Interview every Wednesday 9:30am MST. It’s a 15-minute discussion that shares Small Business Owners’ stories. Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts. We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show. Episode Summary: Krista is a talented drummer and music teacher, but she is also a magazine publisher. The story of how Community Now Magazine came to be is interesting enough, but what the magazine strives to do in the community is outstanding. Quotes: “We’re not talking to each other, we stay in our industry. Not-for-profits talk to not-for-profits, but they need business, education and innovation. Same for business, we need the not-for-profits and the community and education to make everything work.” “The Rainforest is one of the best community places you can go for business because it really truly represents helping each other, without expecting anything back. And it allows you to use your skills to help other people move forward.” “We all need to share everything to help each other grow… to support each other, and help inspire others to do really cool things.” Credits… This Episode Sponsored By: Community Now! Magazine Episode Music: Tony Del Degan Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan
OPN with Jeffrey Potvin
The Open People Network was founded by Jeffery Potvin in 2016. It is a group of like-minded entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and professionals with a desire to mentor, advise and provide practical, technical and tactical training and leadership to help set up future entrepreneurs and their businesses for success. Transcript 00:00 well jade just like we do in this 00:02 fashion we just like to jump right in 00:03 and uh and 00:04 just kind of keep going right so i want 00:07 to thank you for 00:07 joining us pretty excited to chat with 00:10 you today because 00:11 so much of what you guys are doing in in 00:13 the alberta space is really kind of 00:16 how the rest of the world really needs 00:17 to look at how to work with 00:19 and engage with startups in that early 00:20 community and it really 00:22 uh sits home with us well because these 00:24 are the types of things that we’re 00:26 working on 00:26 so maybe to start off we can get you to 00:29 give us a little bit more of a 00:30 background 00:32 from your uh beginnings where you came 00:34 from what you’ve been up to what you’re 00:35 doing today 00:36 and then kind of looking at where you’re 00:37 going and then if you can share one 00:39 thing about you that nobody would know 00:43 well a good question and uh and i really 00:46 excited to be here jeffrey thanks for 00:48 having me and um 00:49 i mean you know we connected via 00:51 linkedin and i think you and i are both 00:53 kind of 00:54 uh social media networking typhoons so 00:57 i’m glad we were able to connect and and 00:59 and i agree with you and 01:01 i guess uh i i always tell people i’m 01:03 just a small town cool guy that kind of 01:05 uh 01:06 i don’t even know how i got here and my 01:07 journey is all over the map but 01:10 um i was always in sales and i was 01:12 always a really good sales rep and i had 01:13 a chance to become an entrepreneur 01:15 15 or so years ago with my partners um 01:18 we purchased the rights to nathan’s 01:20 famous hot dogs in canada grew it to a 01:22 brand 01:23 um exited it and since then i’ve been 01:25 helping small businesses grow scale and 01:27 exit through a purpose before profit 01:29 mode 01:30 that really focuses on companies scaling 01:32 growing 01:33 exiting but not focusing on how much 01:36 they have to pay you so we really 01:38 believe in that purpose before profit 01:40 and um and then and again it it 01:44 it’s it really hits close to home and 01:46 i’ve seen too many people getting 01:48 taken advantage of so that that is 01:50 something that we’re really passionate 01:51 about 01:52 and and uh and it is working here in the 01:55 alberta ecosystem 01:56 and i guess the one thing 02:00 uh that people really don’t know about 02:01 me is i’ve swam escape from alcatraz 02:06 say that again i swam escape from 02:09 alcatraz yeah i jump in jump in 02:11 swim around the island come on back 02:12 didn’t get eaten by a great white so 02:14 i’m here to tell the story still so you 02:17 swam around the island you didn’t 02:18 actually swim 02:19 to the mainland from there did you you 02:22 there’s two way two 02:23 uh you had one you jump off at the 02:25 island and then you swim back and the 02:27 other one is where you go 02:28 start and go around and then finish back 02:30 on land so 02:32 okay so how did it that sounds pretty 02:34 exciting i need to explore this i 02:36 haven’t been to the alcatraz but my 02:37 brother did go and 02:39 found it pretty fascinating i had no 02:41 idea you could swim from alcatraz 02:43 i guess back to mainland is that the 02:45 idea yeah yeah i mean it was uh 02:48 actually it was like all good ideas it 02:50 started with a few uh few whiskies and 02:52 uh 02:53 we ended up having to lie through our 02:55 teeth i don’t condoned about lying but 02:58 we couldn’t find anybody we needed a u.s 03:00 open water swimming association number 03:02 and 03:02 couldn’t find it and then found a 03:03 private club in san fran and 03:06 he said yeah oh yeah well as long as you 03:07 pay your 150 bucks and just send me the 03:09 last uh 03:10 five races you swam in and i don’t know 03:12 you know i’m at the lake i swim in our 03:14 lake and 03:15 and i just picked five lakes in 03:16 saskatchewan and rope wrote open behind 03:18 him and he accepted our application and 03:20 the way we went 03:23 that’s awesome how long did it take well 03:25 yeah you thought it would take long but 03:27 literally it was 03:28 uh like from the island to the that that 03:31 time was um 03:32 33 minutes like i just sat there and 03:34 floated and took my time and relaxed and 03:37 backstroked and 03:38 it was a pretty easy swim they got away 03:41 all the documentaries they always made 03:42 it out like this was the most 03:45 worst swim in the world the waves were 03:47 huge the sharks would get you there’s no 03:49 way anybody would ever try to escape 03:51 and you’re like floating down lazy river 03:54 with a beer on your stomach getting to 03:55 the other end and you’re like i don’t 03:57 know what they’re talking about 03:58 yeah they got away there’s no doubt in