Category: Blog

Despite not pursuing any scientific proof, I have long believed that pain is the most powerful motivator for humans.

Entrepreneurs often become adversaries of pain because they believe they can solve a problem better than anyone else. Frequently, those entrepreneurs are solving the most personal issue they face; at times, they are the only individuals who recognize it.

Volunteers volunteer to help tackle the ills they see. Coaches coach to ensure that local kids can play. Trainers train to help those who struggle with their fitness.

Social justice leaders battle for those who are unfairly discriminated against or compelled by the pain they witness in their community and their kind, often at significant consequences to themselves.

Are you at your strongest as an individual when fighting back against the fiercest situations in your life?

What happens to you when you face the longest odds?

When I sat for a final-day presentation at Cannes, I did not expect to receive a masterclass in motivation fueled by angst. I did know that the many motivating worlds of pain would collide on stage in the form of Felipe Simi, founder of Soko (now Droga5, Sao Paolo).

Simi is one of the most admired advertising leaders in Brazil. In fact, in 2023, he was named the most admired advertising professional in the country. For good reason, he founded his agency, Soko, in 2016. Through a unique blend of innovation, leadership, and commitment, he has grown it into a force of over 300 people, culminating in an acquisition by Accenture Song to join the Droga5 family. One of the key principles Felipe deploys is creative collaboration, founded on the belief that every person in the agency is innovative and contributes to the ideation process.

Another powerful innovation is Soko’s ability to connect brands with people and culture. Revolving around their unique and visually intriguing storytelling, which is akin to the people, society, and culture, Soko captivates its audiences and increases social media engagement. Soko believes in a “collaborative creative process and that no creative company can prosper without a broad repertoire of experiences that reflect the proportionality of the population.” In addition to great creativity and a client-centred approach, Soko is well known for leveraging cutting-edge technologies and pushing boundaries.

Back to Felipe on stage at Cannes. I cannot translate his message perfectly, but I will start with his closing message when asked to deliver a final jolt of inspiration to the audience. Perhaps a more fitting opening would be to tell you that the audience broke into a joyful dance to custom music from the agency, with the moderator’s encouragement. I may even begin with the story Felipe shared, accompanied by a too-sweet video of him dancing to Madonna as a young child, when he first felt shame for who he was.

The collision that Simi referenced fuels many entrepreneurs’ daily efforts. It is the collision of your professional world with something powerfully personal, the flame inside that gets you out of bed, standing tall, and ready to conquer the day’s challenges. It is our fuel. It is the true origin of your superpower. It is your most precise definition of why.

However, I have never heard this recipe presented in the way Felipe shared. In his concoction, the core ingredient to include first is the deepest pain you have ever encountered. In his case, I assume it was the shame that society, and perhaps people close to him, made him feel for his sexual identity. (Cue the childhood dance video.) The impact of his perspective is that Felipe embraced the shame he felt and turned it into his rocket fuel as he navigated the advertising universe, where he encountered a dearth of diversity at every turn. For example, he mentioned having worked with only one Black person in a country that is over 52% Black. In addition, he never worked with someone who was trans. These challenges led to the launch of Soko.

Soko became his revenge project, a platform to demonstrate the power of diversity—the power of having differing voices in a room to create different stories, the power of seeing diversity not just in backgrounds but also skill sets—a diversity that he had not seen in his years of advertising work.

He describes Soko as living somewhere between chaos and cause.

His closing message was, “We will take this shit over!” His reference is for all those who have been underestimated to realize that the conventions of the advertising industry can be broken.

His mantra for his collaborators is powerful and worth endlessly repeating: “We were doomed to be invisible, so we had to become undeniable.”

Felipe Simi, I can assure you that many heard you and they will take this shit over.

MH3

In the five years since George Floyd was murdered, there has been a violent clash over DEI.

A clash that, on paper, some might assume the modern-day version of the moral majority has won. Internationally, DEI is being castigated, weaponized, and vilified. Those three letters are now the bullseye for funding cuts, policy pressure, and legal wrangling.

Reading the headlines of the day could demotivate any advocate, beneficiary, or supporter of basic human decency.

However, if you, like me, believe that the underestimated cohorts of people still deserve to be supported and empowered to succeed, you should read on. Because beneath the clouds, away from the rain, and far from the thunder, there is a different story to be told that is still being written.

Specifically, the script that is authored by the dozens of Capital B Black community organizations that emerged, or were turbocharged, from the fiery global protests after Floyd’s brutal demise.

For every major corporation that pledged to change and improve its treatment of Black associates and customers, a similar number of new Black-led organizations emerged. Unlike the corporate bandwagoners who have fled from DEI as if chased by ghosts of their past, these community organizations remain standing, continue to fight, and in many cases, are thriving.

Who am I talking about?

ADVANCE – Canada’s Black Music Collective, Black Opportunity Fund, Black Founders Network, Black Talent Initiative, Foundation for Black Communities, Tribe Network, Afro-Canadian Contractors Association, Accelerate Auto, Lady Ballers Camp, Nia Centre for the Arts, BrAIDS for AIDS, Parting the Roots, the Accomplice Project, and more.

Last week, I held a BTI community meetup to reflect on George Floyd’s murder. One of our earliest volunteers issued a powerful statement that, because of Floyd’s murder and the creation of community groups such as the Black Talent Initiative, she is now able to live her life as a Capital B Black person.

Capital B will endure because these groups, along with many others I could add to the list, are creating three power structures that will outlast the enemies of DEI.

The Power of Community: This is the superpower of any social movement, brand, religion, political party, or nation-state—people bonding over a common purpose and values, getting to know new collaborators and partners, meeting individuals with shared challenges, and finding comfort in building friendships. Although an unscientific litany, I believe these are the benefits of building your network, your relationships, and your tribe, which I think are the result of community building. Its fabric is made of steel. The murder of George Floyd has permanently motivated us to build community among Black people.

Power of Belonging: The emergence of Black Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) in the workplace and their continued evolution have given people a voice to express their feelings to leadership, build connections internally, champion rising talent, and engage with external stakeholders in a new light. There is ample evidence that ERG participation builds power.

Power of Entrepreneurship: Working for oneself is not merely a financial accelerator, but it is also an income generator, a self-management developer, and a role model. Black people all across this country have been able to unlock their desire for self-control through collaboration, funding, sponsorship, and empowerment. Meeting other Black entrepreneurs, finding funding sources, and having doors open to new customers are all part of the endeavour that these entrepreneurs have gained from the many Black-led community groups of today.

This list is far from exhaustive, and these pillars are by no means exclusive.

Their cross-pollination and extension to all facets of Black life in Canada should provide motivation and assurance for those feeling exhausted by the attack on DEI that there is more than hope. We have a five-year track record of success.

We have a five-year cycle of innovation. We have five years of calluses on our hands. Yes, there is more work to be done, but the rewards that come with it are worth it.

The first enslaved people came to Canada almost four hundred years ago, so let’s be realistic about it, yet celebratory at what has been done in the last .01 of our Canadian history.

MH3

To hear more on this topic, have a listen to my radio interview on Metro Morning with David Common – May 27, 2025: How have businesses changed in the five years since the death of George Floyd?

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-39-metro-morning/clip/16148586-how-businesses-changed-five-years-since-death-george

Last week, T1, known at various times as Trojan Sports Marketing, Trojan Sports & Event Marketing, TrojanOne, and TrojanOne Integrated Brand Activation, turned thirty-one. 

I did not intend to have as many names as candles on our corporate birthday cakes, but we have had a few rebrands since I launched the agency. The Trojan origins came from my high school football team, the Trojans of the now-defunct Park Street Collegiate Institute. The progression to T1 was easy, as it was the nickname our clients and colleagues referred to the agency by. 

However, this is not a story about the evolution of our agency name, but rather a story about Leadership. For better or worse, when you are in business for a long time, you get asked a lot about leadership. Today, I thought I would share thirty-one leadership lessons with you that I have learned over time without any Artificial Intelligence, except my own, which is primarily made up. (* Resorted to use AI for the image.) Hopefully, I have thirty-one to share. Otherwise, I am going to have to redo the setup entirely. 

Here goes. Thirty-one years of entrepreneurship translated into thirty-one leadership lessons.

1. I believe passion is the most important trait a team member can have. 
2. A client once told me our agency meetings were the best hour of his day. Translate that into every meeting you participate in. 
3. Write down the three successes about your day, every day, and you will train yourself to find the daily wins. 
4. Always have one more deck, proposal, speech, script, or answer than you need to, no matter the meeting. 
5. The earlier you share bad news with people, the more likely you will be forgiven. 
6. Don’t be afraid of the truth; the facts are the facts. 
7. Routines eliminate low-value work for leaders. 
8. Routines also create comfort for teams.
9. I am learning from my team to do a much better job of celebrating the little wins. 
10. The better things are going, the more likely they will worsen if you don’t pay attention. (Perhaps this is too autobiographical!)
11. You don’t work for a company, you work for a person. 
12. Anyone who says they are an open book is an abject liar.
13. Practice in sport and business should always be more difficult than the game. 
14. A powerful story is more impactful than an argument. (Although I should argue a little less.) 
15. Learn what keeps people up at night—this is my only skill. 
16. Every business is a people business. 
17. Success does not require Agreement
18. The most important sale you make every day is to yourself. 
19. In business development, I remind sellers that no means not yet. 
20. Starting a new venture is not nearly as scary as leaving what is comfortable. 
21. Every story has three sides: mine, yours, and the truth. 
22. Believe you can always work your way out of any jam. (This may seem redundant when you come to # 26.)
23. I have often been accused of changing my mind too frequently, a right I don’t relinquish. I believe it is the right of the individual who has the most information about a situation. You may not. 
24. More importantly, being consistent in approach is essential for a manager. 
25. Befriend the ‘janitors” in an organization to understand how it works. 
26. Deal from strength. As a friend shared with me, conduct yourself as you would if you were the head of state. 
27. Body language is the language of business. 
28. Leadership is a brand. What is your brand? When people say your name, what is expected, and do you deliver? 
29. Self-management is a choice that leaders make. 
30. I trust myself, because I doubt myself. I challenge myself (and others) every day.
31. Life is too short to be little. 

Are you looking for a cool, I mean super cool, new gig?

The City of Toronto is about to appoint its first-ever Night Mayor. Technically, the job title is “Manager of the Night Economy,” though I think the nickname is cooler. Night Mayor. (Not Nightmare for the record!) 

Technically, there is a need for a changemaker—someone who looks beyond the clubs and partying and focuses on all elements of the night economy, including businesses, culture, services, etc. So, the WANT AD could read as a call for a culture-shifting, business-boosting, safety-advocating, community-building leadership role that could help redefine the 416’s appearance after dark.

While this might sound new in a Canadian context, it’s a global trend that has been gaining steam for over a decade. Does your city have a night mayor? Do you know?

Amsterdam is where it all started. What a shock! In 2014, Mirik Milan was appointed the city’s first Night Mayor. His mandate wasn’t to shut things down but to open things up. Under his leadership, Amsterdam introduced 24-hour venue licenses, streamlined mediation between residents and nightlife operators, and even turned abandoned buildings into cultural hubs. Milan did more than protect the club scene —he professionalized it, helping the city see nightlife as a strategic asset rather than a nuisance. He also helped launch the Night Mayors Summit, now a global gathering of urban leaders focused on nighttime governance.

In Dublin, Ray O’Donoghue—formerly the Sea Sessions music festival director—was appointed the city’s first Night-Time Economy Advisor in April 2024. O’Donoghue’s strategy focuses on safety, transport, mobility, and cultural activity. Initiatives under his leadership include the implementation of security guards on Dublin Bus services, plans for “safe waiting zones” for public transport, and expanding 24-hour bus routes. Additionally, cultural events like the Nocturnal Beats Music Trail have extended cultural events until 2:30 am in multiple venues, showcasing efforts to expand Dublin’s nightlife offerings.

Philadelphia’s Night Mayor, Raheem Manning (pictured below), brings an economic development lens. Manning has focused on making nightlife more inclusive, especially for LGBTQ2+ and BIPOC entrepreneurs, artists, and event producers. He’s been instrumental in creating new pathways for small business owners to access late-night permits and support. Manning uniquely emphasizes empowering communities historically pushed to the sidelines after dark.

Meanwhile, in Ottawa, a city long labelled as not the most fun (sorry to my sister and her family), Mathieu Grondin—appointed as the city’s first Night Commissioner—has taken cues from his experience leading MTL 24/24 in Montreal. Grondin’s tenure in Ottawa is focused on balancing cultural vibrancy with urban planning. He’s working to reimagine how office-heavy downtown cores can host events, pop-ups, and performances at night. He’s also tackling nighttime safety and pushing for greater integration of public transit service with after-hours events. 

In Venezuela, despite political instability, informal Night Mayor initiatives led by cultural organizers and community leaders in Caracas aim to reclaim public spaces through music, markets, and late-night storytelling events. These efforts are hyper-local and often grassroots, but they show how critical the night can be in fostering cultural identity and community resilience.

All these leaders understand that the night economy isn’t just about clubs and concerts. It’s about jobs, safety, creativity, and inclusion. It’s about transforming cities into places that work for everyone, regardless of the hour.

This brings me to my point: municipalities need to consider sponsorship as part of the playbook if we’re serious about unlocking our cities’ full potential at night.

We know how successful brands partner with food festivals, music tours, sports leagues, and business conferences. Why not the night? And no, I don’t mean plastering logos across nightclub flyers. I mean innovative, purposeful partnerships.

The financial sector could sponsor initiatives for after-hours entrepreneurs. Tech companies could pilot public safety apps tailored for night settings. Mobility providers could fund free or subsidized transit from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Telecom brands could support real-time cultural experiences that bridge live and virtual participation. Insurance companies could provide back-of-house safety training for venue operators and staff. All of this builds relevance, equity for the brand, and actual infrastructure for the city.

Let’s also not forget the massive potential for event-based sponsorships tied to the night. Think of city-sanctioned late-night markets, rooftop cinema series, street food programs, and even all-night art crawls. With the right policies, office towers could host cultural events on their unused floors. Downtown buildings could become galleries by night. City parks could double as safe, curated nighttime destinations.

So whether you want to secure the role as Toronto’s new night mayor or are happy where you are, share your ideas for how sponsorship can be a key part of the future state. For this movement to thrive, it can’t rest on municipal shoulders alone. It needs investment. It needs advocacy. And it needs brands that want to build something bigger than a campaign.

The cities that act now, by integrating sponsorship into the DNA of the night economy, will be the ones that shine the brightest.

Let’s stop seeing the night as the end of the day.

Let’s see it as the start of something new.

My condolences to the Filipino community in the wake of the unimaginably horrible tragedy of the past weekend at the Lapu Lapu festival. 

For all of you passionate about community building, events, and fostering belonging, this is your worst nightmare. 

The assault on values, families, friends, and cultural moments, resulting in lives lost and life-altering injuries, let alone those who must go on without those they adored, leaves one speechless. 

Where does a moment like this leave you?

Today and the immediate future are a time for mourning, reflection, and emotional recovery for those impacted. For those of you at a distance, your heavy hearts and support for those involved are undoubtedly significant and uncompromised. Your emotional reflections are probably paired with your intellectual assessment of how this scenario can be prevented in the future. 

Do you look at structural opportunities to improve our planning around safety and security at events? Are all event organizers, government officials, and stakeholders adhering to recommended approaches? Or do we live in a world where budget or other factors challenge the implementation of these protocols?

We all know that tragedy often has the impact of snapping us out of complacency. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is. 

While raising these points may seem insensitive soon after this weekend, saving lives is never too soon. Especially as we head into the busy festival season across the country, we all should double down on procedures and processes to reduce the likelihood of such events repeating themselves. 

That will undoubtedly be our immediate and natural reaction, although is it enough?

Given reports about the attacker’s mental well-being, there is also a broader societal issue that we need to address. This points to foundational problems in our society related to health care, addiction, food, and housing insecurity, not to mention equipping our various public services with the training, tools, and mandate clarity. 

No amount of barricades or processes will stop someone intent on harming people at an event, although you hope to mitigate as best you can. It may also be the case that no amount of upstream prevention or downstream treatments can solve the mental health tsunami we are in today. 

However, I don’t believe that. 

We can all see firsthand the challenges in the world regarding mental illness. We can’t sit back and do nothing, and we can acknowledge a massive need for solutions in our schools, medical systems, and more. 

We can no longer live in a new state where these things don’t happen in Canada. They do. While we have not seen this sort of attack at an event, our land is not immune to mass murders, such as the 2018 van attack in North York, Ontario. This weekend’s events were probably a trigger point for the victim’s friends and families from that dark moment, which I am sure rekindled the pain of the past and future. 

I know our community will bond together in support of the Filipino community. I know our community will discuss ensuring this doesn’t happen again. I understand that the attack on an event feels personal for all of us. 

I hope it does. 

How was your weekend?

I strategically chose to cast my ballot in the advance polls of our federal election first thing yesterday (Sunday) morning for two reasons. First, it was the best time given the record turnout on Friday and Saturday, and second, the location was right next to our grocery store, so it seemed like a perfect stacking of weekend duties.

Of course, I didn’t factor in the holiday weekend, so the grocer was closed, and I ended up with one item unchecked off my list.

At 8:53 a.m., the soon-to-open polling station had a short line of keeners. At 8:59:50, an enthusiastic electoral official opened the door and energized us with a countdown from ten to one, announcing our official admittance. She was in great spirits as she talked about the weekend rush. The massive turnout energized her. Who doesn’t want to have meaning in their work?

I hope the massive early voting turnout continues until the official election day of April 28th. The global stage and the reshaping of the party leadership have energized Canadians to cast their ballots. This isn’t as much a national election as a referendum on our sovereignty.

Let’s not lose this moment, Canada.

The other day, I was chatting with an acquaintance who is a leading activist in the challenging world of food insecurity. This was only our third meeting and just the second 1:1 we had, and he is as entrepreneurial as any business person you will meet. The difference is that rather than leading a startup to an IPO, he applies his innovation from launching a local food bank to inventing a national non-profit to tackle massive societal issues.

He also educates me without knowing he is, which is copasetic as my admiration for him is off the charts. So, in our last chat, I asked for some advice. I want to know how I can make an actual change. I am proud of my charity work and volunteerism, but hearing this leader talk makes me anxious to do more that results in an enduring impact.

His simple advice is that I need to talk to my politicians. Elected officials are the beginning, middle, and end of policy change. Suppose we want solutions to housing, health, food, truth and reconciliation, diversity, education, and an economy robust enough to stand up to backstabbing bullies. In that case, I need to exercise my democratic rights to get informed and active.

He is right.

We all need to do more than vote. We must vote, congratulate the winning candidates, encourage others to stay involved, and then do the same. The government should not be a us-versus-them game. We are all part of the system, and the system needs to work for all of us.

My head start on voting now gives me a head start on getting ready to talk to our new federal leaders. In the interim, I will hone my approach by letting our municipal and provincial officials know what matters most to me and my community.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.

This blog is not about my FOMO of not finding a way to New Orleans to attend Super Bowl LIX.

Despite the lopsided score, I wanted to be there for the experience, networking, and sports marketing mastery on display. I tried a few avenues with the league, but some sponsors and some teams didn’t happen. So, if you went to the Big Show, I would love to hear all about it. 

That doesn’t mean I didn’t learn a lesson or two from my minor ego bruises, which I suspect will be far less painful than the physical and psychological ouches Patrick Mahomes is dealing with this morning. I am going to take some direction from Mahomes and learn from my “losses.” I will also take lessons from the victorious Philadelphia Eagles, who turned their team around by radically reimaging their coaching staff, pursuing talented players in free agency to fill key positions on the field and sticking with their talented coach despite an ugly season in 2023. 

To be clear, this is not a sports blog, just as it is not a FOMO blog. This is a blog about pursuing the grand prize. The grand prize? 

What is the Vince Lombardi Trophy you are seeking in 2025? Heading into 2025, what was the transformational opportunity you were pursuing? What was the gold medal or headline moment you set a series of New Year resolutions to achieve? 

What about these resolutions? Did you know many people give up their proclamations by the second Friday of January, dubbed “Quitters Day”? Even worse, research indicates that by February 1st, some 80% of people abandon their New Year’s resolutions, according to the Baylor College of Medicine. 

I think that today is a perfect day for a reset. Just as every NFL team and fan wakes up today, the morning after the Super Bowl, with a belly full of optimism that their team will win in 2026, you can use today as a reset. Regardless of your end game, you can bring that prize back into focus and ensure you reach that super stage in 2025 or 2026.

If you want an educated approach to resetting your year, I highly recommend you read Stefanie Fernandez’s article in Harvard Business Review, “Will You Make Good on Your New Year’sResolutions?” (https://hbr.org/2025/01/will-you-make-good-on-your-new-years-resolution).

If you prefer the less scientific version, I have a few ideas. However, don’t forget I failed in my goal to be in New Orleans. Now I know what it feels like to be a Cleveland Browns fan forever. So, what am I going to change to ensure that I reach my goal of having a business role in the 2026 Super Bowl?

Well, number one, I have already started, and that is to start early. I often commit the sin of starting new initiatives far too late. It drives my collaborators nuts, diminishes the runway for experimentation, and usually results in last-minute fixes that cost more than they are worth. I have been on the SB LX train for a few months!

Number two is that I am ensuring that I have options. This Super Bowl train is not just a train. It’s a plane, a boat, and a bus. I am forging multiple routes with multiple options. More importantly, I am being pretty direct about the destination I want to reach. 

Number three is that I am prioritizing marketing over sales. What do I mean by that? Well, I am not walking around with a sales pitch that requests a one-directional relationship. No, I am taking an approach of ensuring that I bring value to the table that hopefully ensures my ask becomes an invitation.

Will it work? We will all find out in a year, won’t we?

Will it work for you? That’s the real mission of my missive today: to give you some time to mull over your FY25 and ensure it will come to fruition. Whatever you are chasing in 2025, take this week to check the score and ensure you have what you need to succeed, and if you need some tips, follow the experts or the flopper writing this note. 

Now, about that quarterback for my Pittsburgh Steelers.

I am sure you would forgive me if this message to commemorate the beginning of Black History Month were steaming with anxiety. 

How could it not be?

The recently super-powered bigots of the world, supported by influential leaders, are dismantling social justice and spewing nonsense to the point of suggesting DEI is causing tragic plane crashes. Business have followed their lead. Businesses that make billions of dollars from Black and other diverse customers often monetizing the works of Black and other diverse innovators, are denying equity to those customers and creators.

Pardon me. Not diverse. Underestimated.

The vocal support of podcasters and opinion leaders with massive online followings, the rants and attacks on social media by venomous characters, and the anger of those who have had it all granted to them based on the colour of their skin can make the potential return to a segregated existence seem almost inevitable. 

However, there are so many powerful forces that will ensure that equity and equality do not slide into a deep, dark hole. These forces have me convinced that they will not be swayed and will not be undone by the betrayal of others. 

These forces vary in shape and form. Some are high-profile corporations that are unafraid of backlash, even from investors and customers, and are steadfast in their support of DEI. Other companies, NGOs, and communities are outwitting the evil ones by retooling their approaches to continue entrenching societal equity. Many levels of government are following suit. So many lawmakers are standing up for organizations denying lifeblood funding vital to global advancement. 

Inside these organizations are brave people of all ethnicities, races, and genders who will not be broken. Their strength is incomparable, and their tenure will outlast those on the racist offensive. These courageous fighters will not be silent in their campaigning for the right for what is right. 

Waves of new-generation changemakers are on their way behind these fighters. These highly educated and empowered will soon unleash their influence in a manner that established bad actors arrogantly underestimate. The coming generations of reinforcements keep the front-line workers engaged in the fight.

I will not allow myself to ruin Black History Month by focusing on the troubled waters. Nor am I naive enough to believe that ignoring the choppy wake caused by those who love to label those who want equity as woke is a plausible path. My Black History Month will be a celebration of strength—the strength I see in my Black community, my Collaborator community, and my Black being. 

Team BLK needs you this month and forever. Can we count on you?

Lessons from Google Canada’s Demo Day.

Last week, I was in awe at Google Canada’s Demo Day, surrounded by some of the country’s most innovative startups. Fourteen companies took the stage, ten leveraging AI and machine learning to make you wonder if we’re already living in the future. But beneath the cutting-edge tech and polished pitches, what struck me most were the timeless lessons every business leader needs to hear—whether you’re running a startup or a legacy brand.

Here’s what stayed with me:

1. Be Customer-Obsessed.

Too many businesses focus on their tech, people, or processes. But here’s the thing: your customers don’t care about that. They care about their own needs, their problems, and their wins. The most impressive startups weren’t bragging about their tech; they were showcasing how their solutions directly change their customers’ lives. Think about that the next time you’re obsessing over internal metrics that no one outside your building will ever see.

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Be Boring.

Yes, boring. What problem do you solve every day that nobody notices? That little thing you’re so good at that has become invisible? That’s your gold. One founder shared how their business thrives because they solve a fundamental, repetitive problem better than anyone else. We’re all chasing shiny objects when sometimes success is about perfecting the unsexy basics.

3. As a Leader, the World Wants the Best of You—Not What’s Left of You.

Leadership is hard. The grind is real. But Demo Day reminded me that running on empty doesn’t serve your team, business, or customers. When you’re depleted, you don’t make good decisions, inspire, or innovate. The WorldWorld doesn’t need your burnout—it needs your best.

Some standout companies blew me away: Aya Care is transforming employee benefits; Deeplite is making AI more efficient; and BioTwin is creating digital twins to predict health outcomes. But what united all these companies was their clarity of purpose. They weren’t just showing off technology—they were delivering outcomes.

Google’s Demo Day wasn’t just a showcase of cool tech but a masterclass in focus. The startups that stood out didn’t complicate things. They were clear, customer-focused, and purposeful. If you’re running a business, the question differs from what shiny new thing you can build. It’s this: What problem are you solving, and are you solving it better than anyone else?

Startups at Google Canada’s Demo Day

1. Aya Care (Toronto, ON) – Payment solutions for employee benefits.
2. Deeplite (Montréal, QC) – AI model optimization software.
3. PulseMedica (Edmonton, AB) – Non-invasive diagnostic tools for retinal diseases.
4. Defang (Vancouver, BC) – Cloud application development tools.
5. BioTwin (Québec City, QC) – AI-driven predictive health diagnostics.
6. Envision.ai (Montréal, QC) – Visual content analysis powered by AI.
7. EZee Assist (Toronto, ON) – AI-powered customer support solutions.
8. Handy.ai (Toronto, ON) – Personal assistant technology using AI.
9. OkRx (Mississauga, ON) – Prescription management and cost optimization.
10. OPTT Health (Toronto and Kingston, ON) – Digital mental health therapy solutions.
11. runQL (Waterloo, ON) – Database performance optimization tools.
12. Streamline (Kitchener, ON) – Project management software.
13. Transitional Forms (Toronto, ON) – AI-driven creative content production.
14. Vaultie (Toronto, ON) – Secure digital identity verification.

When did you last have a “what was I thinking moment?” Or better yet, what was I not thinking?

That was my last Friday night when a friendly Air Canada agent told me I was NOT getting on my plane to France. Not until I had a new passport that expired at least three months from my day of departure. 

Stunned like a wounded boxer in the ring, I stammered, “Why not?” Quickly, I learned that valid travel documents to Europe meant a passport that did not expire for ninety days. Mine was coming due September 9. Do the math. 

The gate agent empathetically told me that this happens every day to her. People like me (aka know-it-alls) don’t understand the details of their travel documents to know that every country you traverse has different rules. The French government, nary the EU, care two craps about what my Canadian passport reads. They are not letting you in. 

My panicked mind raced. Today was August 2; I was to land on August 3. My conference starts on August 7. I must be there on August 6, or my colleague Matt must slide down the fire pole responding to the 911 call and grab the mic as our new emcee. He would have done a great job, but needless to say, the personal credibility loss and the lifetime of self-loathing I would endure was not landing well with me. 

The options raced through my mind. Ontario’s Civic Holiday could cost me a day. How does one get a passport if the government is not open? I searched online for emergency passport offices, but they are there to help people who land in Canada. My wife found a number with Global Affairs to call. I got through on the first ring, and they kindly walked me through the process and sent a follow-up email with action steps.

That night, I got photos at 10:30 PM, and until midnight, I was in my office typing out a new passport application form. Of course, this would happen the week of our office move, so a printer still needs to be installed. I will solve that later. I collected names and numbers of people who could be my references all this time. Thankfully, I didn’t need them to sign anything.

I woke up angry on Saturday but restrained as I knew my family wanted the dog to be alive when they returned. More calls and emails. The passport emergency duty officer first, followed by neighbours to print forms and friends to ensure my references were ready. I kept the house/cat/dog sitter on standby. Several flights were under consideration, based on many contingencies, including the date of a new passport issue (wishfully thinking), departure city, and my budget tolerance to spend my way out of this mess. Legally. 

9:16 AM. The emergency passport duty officer calls. They were unbelievably helpful. Next thing I know, I am heading to Mississauga for a noon appointment. The interview went fine. Then, I went off to sit in the mall and fidget while the government called my references and checked my file for speeding infractions and unpaid bills. A couple I met at the passport office with their travel issues wandered over for a chat. 

12:45 The passport officer comes out and calls both our names. The couple go first. They have relieved smiles. Then I am up. I can barely walk, let alone breathe. 

With a new passport in hand, I gleefully requested a ride to the airport and just fifteen hours later, I cleared customs in France. 

The SPX Show will go on!