Matt Diederichs

INDOCHINO Sets Their Sights on Data Driven Brand Development as Pathway to Accelerating Growth. The addition of Ryane Askew as Vice President of Marketing is an exciting investment in this next phase of profitable growth. VANCOUVER, BC, Dec. 11, 2024 /CNW/ - INDOCHINO, the global leader in made to measure apparel, is excited to announce its strategic focus on brand development as a key driver for growth in 2025. The company is committed to expanding its presence in the retail industry by enhancing its brand story and customer journey. In line with this ambition, INDOCHINO has appointed Ryane Askew as the new Vice President of Marketing, a move that signals the company's commitment to deepening its connection with consumers and accelerating its growth trajectory. "INDOCHINO has experienced remarkable growth over recent years, and we are now entering a new chapter where brand development will be central to our continued success," said Drew Green, Chief Executive Officer, and President of INDOCHINO. "Ryane Askew brings a wealth of experience and a forward-thinking approach to marketing, making her the perfect fit to lead our efforts in shaping the future of the INDOCHINO brand. We are confident that her leadership and deep understanding of analytics and data will help us forge deeper connections with our customers and bring our vision to life in a bold and compelling way." Ryane is a seasoned and dynamic growth leader with over 15 years of experience delivering impactful growth for globally recognized brands. Ryane's most notable results during her time at Pier 1 Imports, Blue Nile, and Nordstrom were driven by her unwavering customer focused leadership style. Throughout her career, Ryane has built and scaled high-performing teams across a variety of functions, including marketing, e-commerce, analytics, and technology. "I am thrilled to join INDOCHINO at such an exciting time in the company's journey," said Ryane Askew. "The INDOCHINO brand has always stood for quality, craftsmanship, and personalization, and I look forward to leading the team in building a stronger connection with our customers. Together, we will elevate the brand experience and create new opportunities for growth as we approach 2025 and beyond." As INDOCHINO looks toward the future, the company's focus on brand development is expected to encompass a variety of initiatives, including refining its digital presence, expanding marketing efforts across channels, and enhancing the overall customer journey. With the appointment of Ryane Askew, INDOCHINO is confident that these initiatives will not only strengthen its position in the market but also solidify its reputation as a leader in custom apparel. Matthew Berglass Ryane Askew Vanessa Pillay (CA)SA, CPA BC Alex Buhler Sean Wrenn Morgan Whitney

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Some more thoughts on why we think SecondShop.com is one of the more ambitious investments we've made.

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Trolley isn’t just making moves—it’s rewriting the playbook. $23 million in Series B funding just landed, courtesy of Wavecrest Growth Partners leading the charge, with Pace Capital and GreenSky Ventures in the mix. Tim Nixon, the mastermind CEO and founder, is steering this Toronto-born powerhouse into uncharted territory, turning payouts and tax compliance into an art form. The kind that businesses don’t just appreciate—they can’t function without. This isn’t your standard “look, we got funding” story. Trolley is scaling the mountain of cross-border payments, dragging outdated systems kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Billions in annual payments, 2.5 million recipients, 210+ countries served—it’s global domination with a side of razor-sharp precision. They’re taking the internet economy’s wild west of payouts and whipping it into shape, slashing compliance costs by 35%, keeping 99.99% uptime, and moving money so fast, even banks are taking notes. And let’s not ignore the tech flex here: fraud prevention that catches what others miss, ID verification to keep things clean, tax compliance across 200+ jurisdictions, and parent-child account management that scales like it’s 2050. Toss in NetSuite integration, and Trolley isn’t just building a platform; they’re building the infrastructure for how global business gets paid. It’s no wonder heavyweights like Envato, Downtown Music, and GoTo have hitched their wagons to this rocket. But this is just the warm-up. With this fresh $23M injection, Trolley is gearing up to plant flags in even more territories, scale their go-to-market teams, and keep innovating where it matters—compliance and efficiency. Tim Nixon and his team aren’t just running a company; they’re orchestrating a global takeover with a fintech symphony that’s as ambitious as it is effective. This is the kind of momentum that doesn’t just shake up the industry—it reshapes it. For every startup eyeing global growth or every #Fortune500 chasing efficiency, Trolley’s making it clear: there’s a new standard in payouts. It’s faster. It’s smarter. And it’s here to stay. Tim Nixon, take a bow. The internet economy just found its backbone. #Fintech #Payments #TaxCompliance #IDVerification #Compliance #Efficiency #Technology #Innovation #TechEcosystem #VentureCapital #StartupFunding #StartupEcosystem #Startups

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Important fact about most startup (and VC) success stories. It is convenient to overlook this, but the best companies and products are not built on any specific timeline. The best people win, and that is the only thing that has consistently and repeatably truly won over the test of time.

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There have been three pivotal times in Vendasta’s journey when I knew we had something extraordinary on our hands, and this is the most powerful yet. ⚡️ AI has reached a point where it’s not just a tool but a transformative force, and I can’t wait to share how it’s shaping Vendasta’s vision for agencies. On November 14, I’ll be presenting live (I'm coming back from speaking at a conference the day before, because I don't want to miss it!🌍), showing you the product in action and how our AI tools are opening doors for agencies to scale, capture leads, and drive revenue like never before. We’re putting groundbreaking power into your hands—and it’s truly something special. 💡 Don’t miss this chance to see what the future holds. Join us and 1,000+ of my closest friends ;) 👉 https://lnkd.in/gZqiix5d #VendastaConnect #AI #AgencyInnovation #ProductVision #FutureOfWork

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Last week I attended NEXT Canada's Venture Reveal event, where I was fortunate to witness some of Canada's most promising startups pitch their innovative companies to an audience of investors, academics, and fellow entrepreneurs. For those unfamiliar, NEXT is a powerhouse tech incubator committed to nurturing the next wave of impactful Canadian entrepreneurs. With an impressive track record of launching unicorns, facilitating over $2B in capital raises, and supporting countless entrepreneurs in their journey to improve Canada's competitiveness, they are highly valued in the early-stage tech community. Reflecting on the event, a few key insights resonated with me: -"There will be 100 problems in a startup, the ones who end up surprising us aren't always the ones who sparkle the most. They are the ones who keep crawling through." Ajay Agrawal's perspective on the nonlinear nature of startup challenges underscores the importance of resilience and adaptability. -As John Kelleher aptly put it, "The game of building successful tech startups is a game of outliers. Every year of the 130k businesses are started, 4,000 are capable of building and securing venture funding. Of those, 200 will raise funding from a top-tier VC and only 15 will generate almost all venture returns. -Despite Canada's GDP per capita experiencing a decline of 1/2% annually since 2020, it's imperative we foster an environment that cultivates high-growth ventures. Amidst these takeaways, I'm inspired by the resilience and dedication exhibited by entrepreneurs tackling real-world problems head-on, especially amidst today's challenging climate. Special kudos to my mentees, Nicole Baranowski at Hairstrong and Matthew Stevens & Mathew Chan at Tailwind, for their commitment to bringing their innovative offerings to market. Here's to celebrating the bold visionaries shaping Canada's entrepreneurial landscape. Onward and upward!!! #CDNtech #entrepreneurship #growth

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Love hearing about Canadian startups gaining interest outside of the country specially in the high growth market south of the border. Good article and inspirational for those looking to grow business outside of the great north. 🇨🇦 Us included #evolutiondata #growth #innovation #business #startup

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You could be saving $500,000-750,000 in Shopify storefront management fees this year. If your store is: → Built on an expensive headless solution → Requires an agency to make any changes → Built on a cobbled together custom theme → Requires 10+ expensive 3rd party applications to operate → Is currently being managed by 3rd party developers or contractors Then you're likely (and unnecessarily) spending many 5-figures a month to manage a storefront. All those costs eat into your profits and kneecap your ability to re-invest into growth. What you need is a storefront that is: → Scalable → Cost-effective → Reduces your dependency on 3rd parties → Empowers your team to make changes, whether they are technical or not That's exactly why we built Platter. We have a number of case studies in the pipeline that demonstrate how 8-figure brands have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars by switching to our theme & app bundle. Interested to learn more? Drop me a DM and we can provide you with a free storefront audit.

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Behind the scenes at #Elevate2024 - speaking at the biggest tech conference in Canada re: #VentureCapital investing in deep-tech. Joined by Janet Bannister (Staircase Ventures), Eva Lau (Two Small Fish Ventures), Chris Neumann (Panache Ventures), we covered: - what types of companies are exciting to VCs (hint: moonshots), - specialist vs. generalist VC funds (founders: while it’s wonderful to meet a specialist VC that knows your domain really well, that is currently the exception, not the norm - so the art of telling your story to a broader investor base is crucial) - how VCs construct their portfolio to meet LP expectations (as a founder, you need to understand what motivates the investors you’re interacting with) Glad Creative Destruction Lab assembled this epic panel on the Moonshots stage ! Elevate Sonia Sennik #FutureTech #Innovation #IOV

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"It's table stakes for merchants to be everywhere customers are" - Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify Finally a definition of omnichannel that I agree with -- from the lens of the consumer. Shopify & Target announced a partnership to allow select merchants to offer their products on Target Plus, the retailer's third-party marketplace. Why is this such a huge announcement? 1️⃣ It is a stamp of support by two of the largest commerce players that omnichannel is the future You need to be wherever your customers are. 2️⃣ Target brings the power of discovery to Shopify merchants. While Shopify has incredible enablement tools -- it is in the best interest of the merchants to support discovery channels outside of the extremely expensive Meta. Otherwise Amazon will continue to be the beneficiary of brands seeking discovery for their products. 3️⃣ For Target, this partnership provides their consumers with access to top brands that have cemented their success in the DTC world like True Classic & Caden Lane 4️⃣ DTC should not be thought of as separate to retail. They are both shopping experiences for the consumer that should speak to one another. 5️⃣ It cements the importance of marketplaces for both retailers and brands as key growth channels going forward. --- If you still think omnichannel is just a buzz word, you're wrong. If you still think retail & DTC should be thought of separately, you're so behind. Omnichannel is now and the future of how consumers will shop. Brij is building the solution that will help you connect consumer touch points across every channel you sell through. #shopify #target #omnichannel

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Who are the best Trusted Advisors in Mid Market M&A in Canada?  Tag their name below in comments - we would love to talk to them! I'm working on my new start-up. We’re building an AI Co-Pilot that is revolutionizing value creation and M&A strategies, while redefining what it means to be a Trusted Advisor. Looking to connect with  #Bankers #Accountants #M&A #Valuation Experts #Advisors #PEs #VCs

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Awesome news! Check out how vision turns into reality turns into results & recognition!

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I had a great conversation with Evan M. about my career and entrepreneurial journey, including getting into the venture capital industry and why I founded Staircase Ventures with a unique philosophy and approach. Some quotes: "We benefit in Canada from terrific technical talent. In addition, we are seeing more repeat entrepreneurs and more experienced start-up leaders than we did 5 to 10 years ago... The other thing is that US investors want to invest in Canada. Ten years ago, US investors were reluctant to invest in Canadian companies and if they did, it would be on the condition that they move to the Valley. That is no longer the case." "I started my own fund not for the sake of starting my own fund, but because I wanted to devote my time to working with entrepreneurs and to serving them, helping them to build impactful companies. I had some ideas about how venture could be done differently and I wanted to put those ideas into action. That is what led me to start Staircase Ventures... There's three unique aspects of Staircase Ventures. The first is our founder development platform which is designed to help accelerate founders' development and help them perform their best every day." "Life is long and how you treat people and how you perform really, really matters in the long run. Life is not a short-term game; it is what you do and how you show up, day-after-day, over a period of many years that will determine your future." Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gpHprCt8

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Ever wonder what it was like to be one of the first 25 employees of Uber? In our latest episode on the Unstacked Startups Podcast, I had a great conversation with Andre Charoo, Uber's 25th employee and now founder of Maple VC. From launching Uber in major cities to backing resilient Canadian founders, Andre’s journey is jammed with lessons on grit, ambition, and spotting hidden talent. Here’s what you’ll learn: - How Uber's early culture thrived by hiring underdogs with “Founder DNA” - The unique strengths of Canadian founders—and why they’re shaping global tech - Tips on building a durable technology company Watch the episode below. It won't disappoint!

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As someone who used to work in marketing and communications, and still uses those skills in my new business, I shake my head at folks who think ignoring their own process is a good idea. Part of the anti-spam law in Canada includes an opt-out / unsubscribe option on emails. Why? Because it's fine and dandy to reach out to someone about a business opportunity but it's equally fine if that person isn't interested. Things might have changed, they might already be working with someone, life happens - whatever it is: they don't want to hear from you. They are dandy with not hearing from you ever again. Accept it. Move on. Burn incense. Use scream therapy. Channel your inner child, throw a tantrum but get over it. Give me the finger through your screen if you feel the need. But for the love of all that is holy do not include an option to be taken off your mailing list and THEN DON'T FOLLOW IT. And then don't follow it repeatedly! Someone has been reaching out to me since 2023 about a service they offer. I have told them nicely through phone and email that I'm not interested. I've told them specifically through email to take me off their list. I've followed their process and replied with the unsubscribe wording they include at the bottom of their emails. Today? Today another email. Now am I not only NEVER going to use their service but I'll likely end up sharing with others about this experience. Such as this post right here though I won't name names. In the meanwhile, I've sent them a tart reply pointing out the error of their ways and taken steps to block them. Could I have done this from the beginning? Absolutely. But I like to give folks a chance. I share this because if you are in a sales position, do not think that repeatedly ignoring an unsubscribe from someone will lead to you wearing them down and doing business with you. It will not. In fact, most folks won't take the steps of letting you know you've ticked them off. They'll just tell their network how annoying you are and decrease your sales funnel in other ways. While also giving you the finger through their screen ;) #sales #advice #fridayfuntimes

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There are some events that fundamentally shift trajectories. In 2017, the Canadian tech sector rallied in response to the Trump travel ban, defining itself as place that embraced innovators with open arms. Last night, the BetaKit Town Hall ushered in another momentum shift in Canadian tech as some of the sector's biggest names gathered in reaction to the Canadian budget and how to approach the current challenges facing productivity and innovation. My takeaways: FOR GOVERNMENT Tobias Lütke continued his criticism of changes to the capital gains tax, which he described as a clumsy and misguided move that "taxes innovation the way we tax cigarettes" and will serve as the same disincentive of behaviour. But Lutke's overall assessment of the budget may be a bigger problem for Ottawa, as he called out the discrepancy between "what the government says it wants and what it shows it wants." No one likes a hypocrite, and it seems that capital gains has focused the sector's attention on a government innovation and spending narrative that may not hold up to scrutiny. FOR INVESTORS AND INDUSTRY Ivan Zhang from Cohere pointed out that of all the companies and founders in the room (and there were a lot) almost none could claim a Canadian as their first customer. Courage is required to back new ideas and new products, and the room seemed to agree that courage is in short supply in Canada. FOR BUILDERS When asked what he would love Canadian tech to be the best at, Lutke said "craftsmanship." It was one of the most surprising moments of the night for me, and I love the idea of defining ourselves around building beautiful and truly unique products - not just the idea, but the implementation. "If you build something great, it sells itself," he said. FOR EMPLOYERS Jocelyne Murphy had the mic drop moment of the night, and may have single handedly changed the tech sector's approach to hiring when she talked about the negative impact that drawn out recruitment processes and repeated layoffs are having on her isolated generation. FOR BETAKIT The energy and interest in the room is yet another proof point that storytelling matters. People are looking for a centre of gravity for Canadian tech and innovation and somewhere to convene around the issues that affect their lives. BetaKit aspires to be that place. Big thanks to everyone involved, especially Satish Kanwar Arati Sharma Douglas Soltys Lauren Arnold Category Communications eThereLIVE.com

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🚀 TechPOS: Paving the Way for Retail Success Across Canada 🚀 In a rapidly changing industry, TechPOS is proud to be the trusted partner for cannabis retailers from coast to coast, providing advanced technology that addresses today’s unique retail challenges. With a portfolio spanning over a thousand stores, our mission is simple: to deliver a seamless omnichannel experience that puts our retailers’ success first. Our team combines the best of technology leadership and cannabis expertise to drive real, lasting results. Here’s how TechPOS is empowering retailers 👇 🌐 Unified Omnichannel Experience TechPOS connects online, in-store, and mobile shopping into one smooth journey, offering features like click-and-collect and curbside pickup. This flexibility makes it easier for customers to shop where and when they choose, enhancing convenience and boosting loyalty. 📊 Data-Driven Decisions for Greater Profitability Through deep analytics, TechPOS gives retailers insights into customer preferences, purchasing trends, and inventory optimization. 🏆 Loyalty Programs That Build Lasting Connections Our integrated loyalty programs reward customers across channels, keeping them engaged and coming back. With mobile app integration, customers receive exclusive offers and reminders that make every shopping trip worthwhile. 🎥 In-Store Digital Displays that Drive Engagement Dynamic digital signage allows retailers to capture attention and promote key products in real-time. TechPOS technology keeps promotions and inventory in sync, creating an engaging in-store experience that aligns with real customer demand. 🔍 Advanced Demand Forecasting for Optimal Inventory TechPOS’s advanced technology ensures high-demand products are always available, reducing excess stock and avoiding costly shortages. This approach means less waste and maximized sales, tailored to customer needs. 🔮 Next-Level Immersive Shopping with AR & VR As technology evolves toward virtual reality, TechPOS is poised to lead. With a team that has collaborated with Microsoft’s AR experts, we’re bringing immersive shopping experiences to the forefront. Imagine visualizing products before purchase – that’s where retail is heading, and we’re excited to set the course. 🤖 24/7 Intelligent Support with Chatbots Our smart chatbots provide round-the-clock assistance, ensuring that staff have the support they need when they need it. TechPOS is at the forefront of an industry transformation, combining advanced technology and deep cannabis expertise to empower retail stores with the tools they need to scale successfully. We’re here to create real solutions for real challenges, prioritizing our retailers' growth and profitability. Ready to elevate your store? Partner with TechPOS and join us on the journey toward the future of retail. 🌱💼 #TechPOS #CannabisRetail #RetailInnovation #CustomerFirst #DataDriven #IntegratedPayments #RetailSuccess #Omnichannel #AdvancedTechnology #CannabisIndustry #Canada

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Storytime- We acquired #UnderPar, Canada’s #1 golf experiences marketplace, in November 2019. At the time, the business was printing ~$2M/ year in cash flow, and had grown consistently for 10 years since its founding during the “Great Recession”, when most businesses were in dire needs of attracting new customers. During our first due diligence visit to the UnderPar offices, things just seemed TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. A tight team of around 9 staff members working out of the founder’s property, which we jokingly referred to as “The Cottage”. The team was gathered around the fireplace, sipping on fine wine on a late Friday afternoon, casually debating the upcoming schedule of golf courses to feature on the site. Cottage, fireplace, afternoon wine? What? Business was not meant to be that easy. But it actually was for the UnderPar crew. The first 4 months following our acquisition went exactly as planned.. and then COVID-19 struck, of course. While most other e-commerce brands sky rocketed, benefiting from the “stay-at-home” mandates, the pandemic had the exact opposite effect on our golf tee-times business. Everyone and their mother was suddenly playing golf. In Canada, the sport of golf was even deemed “essential” and was pretty much the only “experience” available. You’d think all of this attention and growth in golf was a good thing for us at the time, right? Wrong. There was one problem- Golf courses didn’t need us to drive customers anymore. They were SOLD OUT. The result was UnderPar sales shot down ~90%, and with golf’s popularity surging, there seemed to be no end in sight. As the pandemic dragged out, we simply couldn’t afford to wait anymore. We figured if we could no longer secure as many deals for customers to play golf, then we needed to find other ways to monetize our ~300,000 golf customer database to replace most of the lost revenue. We figured it makes sense to sell golf equipment & apparel offers to customers to capitalize on the sport’s sudden resurgence. At the time, #JustGolfStuff (JGS) was a small $500K/ year “side business” for us. Leveraging UnderPar’s 300,000+ captive golf database audience, the HQ/ UnderPar team would go on to grow JGS by 10x over the next ~4 years, with practically no additional hires or capital investments. Fast forward to 2024, and the cooling economy appears to finally be reversing the pandemic’s artificial effect, as golf courses return to the UnderPar marketplace platform with a vengeance. As a result, UnderPar is having a break-through year so far, and so is JGS. While we’re not yet at 2019 revenue levels, we’re definitely on the right track. Not time to hang around the fireplace and sip wine again yet, but sure feels like the storm is winding down, as we make our way back to “The Cottage”! (Give The Gift of Golf- Check out #UnderPar and #JustGolfStuff this holiday season - Links in comments) EMERGE Commerce (TSXV: ECOM) #UnderPar #JustGolfStuff truLOCAL Carnivore Club

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