The Founder Mindset

In this episode of The Founder Mindset, James Lochrie, Managing Partner at Thin Air Labs chats with Leah about:

• what motivated him to become an entrepreneur then investor
• the complicated emotions he had around the acquisition of his company
• why he continues to support founders, rather than sit on a beach
• and more!

Welcome to the re-release of The Founder Mindset Season One!

If you’re ready to nerd out on startups and founders, you’ll want to listen to each conversation host, Leah Sarich, has with the featured founder. Then, stick around for reaction to the episode from James Lochrie.

James is an investor, tech entrepreneur and mentor. You can learn about him in his own episode of The Founder Mindset, James Lochrie 101.

And if you’re new to all this, well, even if you’re not, get ready to be inspired. Hear from the founders themselves about how it feels to build a company from nothing, then get the investor perspective. How do you decide who to invest in? What makes you take the risk? It’s all here.

Enjoy! And thanks for listening to The Founder Mindset.

Well that's a wrap on this miniseries and WOW what a response. You know what this means? We're going to do more episodes! Stay subscribed to this podcast because in the fall we'll re-release these episodes with reaction from our Managing Partner James Lochrie... find out why he invested in some of the founders we spoke to, and what he's inspired by and relates to in the others. And we’re starting work on the next series. If you’re a founder or you know of one who should be featured in an upcoming episode let us know!

Thank you so much for listening to The Founder Mindset and for your curiosity about these founders in the Alberta innovation ecosystem building globally competitive companies. We look forward to sharing with you more episodes celebrating founders as they #BuildWhatsNext.

In this episode of The Founder Mindset, Erik Westblom, Co-founder and CEO of Provision, chats with Leah about:

• Why he wants people to really understand the stress of being a founder
• How he thinks about shame as motivation
• Why he’ll always be obsessed with the bank balance

Join host Leah Sarich as we hear about Kyle Friedman’s entrepreneurial journey to success with his payment platform Quickly. Kyle makes it clear that there’s no linear path to success in business, but when you have a strong belief in yourself and the possible, great things can happen. Listeners will be inspired by Kyle’s resourcefulness and sheer audacity when it comes to following intuition. He’s also a great example of how to maintain a fierce commitment to family while running a business. He shares advice and wisdom on how to balance family life with entrepreneurial aspirations and finding the right community to help you through it all.

From discovering his entrepreneurial roots in small-town New Brunswick to growing a company he put together in an afternoon into one of the largest painting companies in the country, Kyle’s tale is about determination and a willingness to keep trying. He shares examples of his ideas that failed and how he found the courage to keep trying until he created a product that fit the market, even if it meant starting over.

Kyle also shares his biggest secret to success—creating a boundary between work and home and protecting his time to keep family a priority. Busy entrepreneurs will hear how finding a safe space with other business owners can help provide a safe space to celebrate success and discuss fear and doubt with like-minded people rather than bringing all your business trouble home. Whether you’re new to starting a business or have been a Founder for decades, there are valuable lessons to be learned inside this episode!

About Kyle Friedman

Kyle Friedman is a seasoned entrepreneur with over a decade of experience at the helm of innovative ventures. As the Co-Founder and CEO of Quickly Technologies Inc., Canada's foremost leader in Earned Revenue Access, he's pioneering a tech platform that empowers businesses to tap into their earned revenue on demand, fuelling their growth and efficiency.

Kyle's entrepreneurial journey spans diverse industries, including service, education, product procurement, and technology. His reputation for driving innovation, providing visionary leadership, and achieving remarkable growth is underscored by Zoom Painting's recognition as the 86th fastest-growing company in Canada in 2019.

Beyond business success, Kyle is an active member of the Entrepreneurs' Organization, where he's held the role of forum chair for the Calgary chapter. He's also lent his expertise to numerous Canadian non-profit organizations. Passionate about harnessing entrepreneurship and technology for positive social impact, Kyle is committed to making a difference in the world through his work.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Entrepreneurs’ Organization

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Contact Thin Air Labs:

• Website: ThinAirLabs.ca
• LinkedIn: Thin Air Labs
• X: Thin Air Labs
• YouTube: Thin Air Labs

Contact Kyle Friedman:

• Website: Quickly
• LinkedIn: kylemclaughlinfriedman
• Instagram: @helloquickly

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Transcript

Kyle 00:03

If I'm ever like, unsure or questioning myself, and I'm kind of in this like point of like weakness, like a low I, like, made a deal with myself a long time ago that I won't make a decision, so I just keep going with whatever decision I made before, because I think that I was probably in a better space when I made it.

Leah 00:23

Hi, thanks for being here. And welcome to Season Two of The Founder Mindset, brought to you by ATB. I'm Leah Sarich, your host, and I'm super excited to talk to more Founders about the human experience of being an entrepreneur. In this podcast, we're digging into what it really feels like to build a company from nothing. I was a broadcaster for over 20 years. So I've interviewed thousands of people, but entrepreneurs, not that many. And yet they have the best stories. They're solving big problems. And they're creating incredible impact. But it is hard work. So why would they do this? Let's find out. Joining me in studio today is Kyle Friedman, Co-Founder and CEO of Quickly, an early payment platform that ensures businesses can pay their vendors sooner while they maintain their working capital. Hey, Kyle, thanks for being here.

Kyle 01:20

Yeah, you have a beautiful voice.

Leah 01:22

Thank you. I'm in my happy place here in the studio. Thanks for sharing ...