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In this episode of Canada Now, host Ashley Smith sits down with Arman Mottaghi, founder and CEO of Properate, to explore what it really takes to build companies that last — in climate tech and beyond.

Arman shares how Properate grew into one of Canada’s leading home energy assessment platforms by focusing on long-term value, real revenue, and system-level thinking — rather than chasing Silicon Valley hype cycles.

The conversation spans:
* Why homes are one of the most underestimated climate levers
* Why indoor air quality may be a trillion-dollar industry hiding in plain sight
* How Canadian founders may need a different innovation and funding model
* Why bootstrapping, cash flow, and trust matter more than pitch decks
* What Canada risks losing by importing U.S. startup playbooks wholesale

This episode is a thoughtful look at climate innovation — and a compelling case for a distinctly Canadian approach to entrepreneurship.

(all links available in show notes - coming soon, see Canada Now at https://canadanow.beehiiv.com to subscribe)

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AI is everywhere — but leadership hasn’t always caught up.

In this episode of Canada Now, host Ashley Smith is joined by Karen Olsson, tech entrepreneur, fractional CEO, and principal at Atomic47, for a grounded conversation about what the AI moment actually demands of leaders — beyond hype, tools, and experimentation.

Karen brings a rare, on-the-ground perspective from working with organizations across highly regulated and operationally complex sectors, including healthcare, energy, and government. Together, they unpack why AI isn’t a speculative bubble, but an operational shift already reshaping how work gets done — and why governance, adoption, and leadership matter just as much as the technology itself.

This conversation explores:

• Why AI should be viewed as infrastructure, not novelty
• How organizations can “lose the tedium” without losing people
• What responsible AI governance looks like in practice — not theory
• Why leadership alignment matters more than pilots and point solutions
• Canada’s opportunity to lead through adoption, sovereignty, and trust
• How founders, workers, and executives can prepare for what’s next

Rather than focusing on flashy use cases, this episode centers on the unsexy — but essential — questions that determine whether AI actually creates value: accountability, data integrity, decision-making, and human judgment.

If you’re a founder, executive, board member, policymaker, or operator trying to make sense of AI in a real-world context, this episode is for you.

🔗 Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Atomic47 Labs
• Karen Olsson’s Substack
• Innovation Governance Program (Council of Canadian Innovators)
• Canadian AI Sovereignty & Innovation Cluster

(all links available in show notes - coming soon, see Canada Now to subscribe)

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In a world flooded with AI-generated content, endless platforms, and “perfect” branding, what actually builds trust?

In this episode of Canada Now, Ashley is joined by Brady Dahmer — brand strategist, author of Blind Spots, and founder of Tropoly — for a wide-ranging conversation about brand, trust, community, and why human connection matters more than ever.

Brady has spent over 25 years working at the intersection of design, storytelling, and strategy, supporting everyone from early-stage startups to global brands. He’s also played a major role in shaping Vancouver’s creative and innovation culture, as the former Marketing Director of TEDx Vancouver and co-founder of the Projecting Change Film Festival.

Together, we explore:

• Why “perfect” branding is starting to backfire
• How trust is really built in the age of AI
• The blind spots that quietly cost founders time and money
• The rise of fractional leadership and the future of agency work
• Why in-person events and real community still matter
• What Canada — and Canadian businesses — should be paying attention to next

This conversation moves beyond logos and taglines to ask a bigger question:
How do brands, leaders, and communities stay focused — and human — in a distracted world?

📚 Blind Spots by Brady Dahmer linked in the show notes

Check the show notes for a full breakdown and guest info:
canadanow.beehiiv.com 👈 (coming asap)

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Send a text to Canada Now! 💬

How does a Canadian tech company go public before it has a finished product — and then scale to more than 160 countries?

In this episode, Tom Rossiter, Co-Founder and CEO of RESAAS, shares the remarkable story behind building a global technology platform from Vancouver and navigating the uniquely Canadian path to going public pre-product.

Ashley and Tom dive into:
- The unconventional route RESAAS took to become a public company before revenue
- Why this was possible only in Canada — and what that reveals about our innovation ecosystem
- The reality of running two companies at once: the business and the public market entity
- How RESAAS scaled its reach to 160+ countries
- What global data patterns reveal about real estate before headlines catch up
- The mindset required to build (and survive) as a Canadian founder
- Leadership lessons from scaling through multiple market cycles
- What Canada must do next to compete globally in technology and innovation

Tom brings clarity, candor, and a uniquely global perspective on what it really takes to lead a Canadian tech company from prototype to public markets — and to build a platform used around the world.

Near the end of the episode — Tom and Ashley dive into some real estate market banter, exploring where the industry is heading, how data is reshaping decision-making, and what realtors, agents, brokers, and consumers should expect from the next cycle. It’s a fun add-on for listeners curious about proptech, global housing trends, or the intersection of real estate and innovation.

A must-listen for founders, innovators, investors, and anyone curious about Canada’s place in the global tech landscape.

Check the show notes for a full breakdown and guest info:
canadanow.beehiiv.com 👈

00:43 – Who is Tom Rossiter? (RESAAS, global proptech)
05:19 – What RESAAS is today – global network, 700k agents
07:18 – Private-label platform
08:50 – Why RESAAS went public early – the Canadian “venture” mindset
11:17 – Public vs private – liquidity, everyday investors & access to capital
15:10 – Running the business vs the public company
17:31 – Hiring, talent & advisory: building the team in Vancouver
20:21 – Remote work, productivity and early AI efficiency gains
22:00 – Going global – scaling to very different markets
25:23 – Product market fit, feedback loops & using data/AI to decide what to build
29:59 – Where AI fits – picking lanes, committing, and quality-checks
33:47 – Industry readiness, breakout year & commercial real estate
35:55 – Saying no (and yes) – how RESAAS found new growth
40:32 – Why Canada is a powerful base for tech... SR&ED/SHRED, talent, incentives
44:05 – Making Canadian stock globally accessible
47:14 – Strategy in uncertain times – removing barriers
49:57 – Bonus real estate segment – what RESAAS data reveals about trends
1:04:05 – The AI era, innovation in downturns & why Ashley created Canad

Love the show? Help it grow!
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Meet the host, Ashley Smith! 🙋‍♀️
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Send a text to Canada Now! 💬

Cyber attacks aren’t just rising — they’re transforming. And most Canadian companies aren’t even close to ready.

In this eye-opening conversation, cybersecurity expert Dominic Vogel breaks down the new reality facing Canadian organizations as we head into 2026. From AI-powered attacks to skyrocketing ransomware incidents to the shocking fragility of our digital systems, Dominic explains why cyber risk is no longer a technical issue — it’s a leadership issue.

We cover:

• Why attackers don’t need your data to be valuable — only valuable to you
• How AI is supercharging cybercrime at a scale we’ve never seen before
• Why Canadian SMEs and SMBs are now prime targets
• The truth about cyber insurance (and why claims are increasingly denied)
• The confidence gap between what leaders think they’re protected from and what’s actually happening
• The three moves every organization should make before 2026
• Why “one wrong click” can bring a business to its knees
• How to build cyber-resilient culture without fear or overwhelm

This is a must-listen episode for founders, executives, boards, public-sector leaders, and anyone building or leading an organization in Canada.

Cybersecurity isn’t optional anymore. And after this conversation, you’ll understand why.

Want to explore this more deeply?
Check the show notes for a helpful breakdown & to learn more about the guest!
canadanow.beehiiv.com 👈

Love the show? Help it grow!
→ Subscribe, Review, and Share 🍁

Follow Canada Now for bold ideas and real conversations shaping what’s next in Canada. 🇨🇦
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Meet the host, Ashley Smith! 🙋‍♀️
→ Ashley's links (social, website, + more)

Send a text to Canada Now! 💬

The future of work is changing fast — and few people have a better vantage point on global leadership, talent, and purpose than Jay Rosenzweig.

Jay Rosenzweig is a successful investor and internationally renowned social impact entrepreneur, humanitarian, and CEO of Rosenzweig & Company. Across North America and beyond, he advises global corporations, high-growth founders, and purpose-driven organizations on building world-class leadership teams. He also chairs the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights and is the creator of the annual Rosenzweig Report on women in leadership.

In this wide-ranging and deeply thoughtful conversation, Jay and Ashley explore:

• The future of work, talent and leadership
• AI’s impact on creativity, ethics and global security
• The rise of fractional and portfolio leadership
• Why wellness is becoming a strategic imperative
• Canada’s opportunity in AI, clean energy, and global scale-ups
• DEI backlash, ESG maturity, and what boards need to understand in 2026
• How young leaders can find purpose in an uncertain world
• The difference between legacy and ego — and what truly endures

A grounded, meaningful episode for anyone thinking about the future of work, Canada’s innovation economy, and leadership in a world that’s changing faster than ever.

What is ESG?

This episode touches on ESG — a framework that helps companies evaluate their Environmental, Social, and Governance responsibilities. In practice, it’s about long-term resilience, ethical leadership, transparency, and how organizations navigate risk in a fast-changing world.

Want to explore this more deeply?
Check the show notes for a helpful breakdown & to learn more about the guest!
canadanow.beehiiv.com 👈

Love the show? Help it grow!
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Send a text to Canada Now! 💬

Factory-built homes are back in the spotlight in Canada — but are today’s modular homes actually good enough to help fix the housing crisis and be places people truly want to live?

In this episode of Canada Now, Ashley sits down with Rohan Kulkarni (Co-Founder & CEO, Rohe Homes) and Salik Z. Khan (Co-Founder & Chief Experience Officer) to unpack how factory-built, modular homes can speed up construction, cut costs, and still deliver beautiful, high-quality spaces.

They get into:

• Why modular ≠ “mobile home,” and how Rohe’s building envelopes unfold on-site in 4–6 hours
• How laneway homes, multiplexes, and “missing middle” infill can unlock intergenerational living and wealth
• The real “cost of chaos” in traditional construction: delays, weather, labour shortages, and hidden expenses
• How an AI lot-feasibility tool helps homeowners understand what they can build on their property in minutes
• Rural and disaster-rebuild use cases — including rebuilding after wildfires in B.C.

Whether you’re a homeowner, builder, policymaker, or just curious about the future of housing in Canada, this conversation demystifies prefab and modular construction — and shows how factory-built homes can be more affordable, more convenient, and genuinely beautiful.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The difference between manufactured, prefab, and modular homes
• How Rohe’s foldable building system works — from factory to finished home
• Why modular can save up to 30–40% in time and reduce hidden costs
• How multiplexes and small-scale infill can help solve Canada’s “missing middle”
• Where factory-built housing fits into rural, remote, and disaster-affected communities
• How Canadian homeowners can start thinking like micro-developers on their own lots

Guest links:
Rohe Homes → rohehomes.com

Want to explore this more deeply?
Check the show notes for a helpful breakdown & to learn more about the guests!
canadanow.beehiiv.com 👈

Love the show? Help it grow!
→ Subscribe, Review, and Share 🍁

Follow Canada Now for bold ideas and real conversations shaping what’s next in Canada. 🇨🇦
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→ YouTube
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Meet the host, Ashley Smith! 🙋‍♀️
→ Ashley's links (social, website, + more)

Send a text to Canada Now! 💬

What if a major housing unlock is hiding in plain sight?

This week, Ashley sits down with Laura Fortey — co-founder & COO of Reitium — to unpack how churches, hospitals, and other nonprofits can raise capital (donations, debt, or equity) to build affordable housing while keeping ownership of their land. No bulldozers-for-condos script. Instead: preserve the community anchor, add the homes, and make the math work with modern crowdfunding infrastructure.

They also dive into founder realities — burnout and reset, when to pivot vs. persist, what accelerators actually provide, and why the next era of building in Canada is more human, more in-person, and more collaborative.

In this episode:

• The “sleeping land” opportunity: why church & nonprofit sites matter
• How Reitium structures community-owned development (donations / debt / equity)
• Keeping the land vs. selling out: long-term income for nonprofits
• Policy, mayors, and moving faster by working with (not against) regulation
• Founder lessons: first-mover advantages, timing markets, and agile pivots
• Burnout, boundaries, and the rise of fractional/portfolio careers
• Why IRL rooms still beat DMs — and how serendipity changes outcomes

Topics: housing innovation · community-owned development · crowdfunding · founder resilience · fractional leadership · Canada’s next-gen builders

Find the full episode show notes — with Laura’s podcast and accelerator program mentions — at Canada Now HERE! 👈👈

Also, subscribe to the Canada Now newsletter for updates (and vip perks)!

🎧 Timestamps:

01:15 — Laura Fortey joins: A founder’s journey from burnout to purpose
03:30 — What is Reitium? Crowdfunding affordable housing through community ownership
05:45 — The church land model: keeping ownership while creating homes
08:20 — How donations, debt, and equity fuel nonprofit-led development
10:40 — Tokenization, regulation, and why timing the market matters
13:15 — Lessons in agility: pivoting while staying true to your mission
15:40 — Accelerators, mentorship, and learning from ecosystems abroad
18:20 — Why in-person connection still beats remote networking
21:30 — The rise of fractional and portfolio careers for founders
24:00 — Building sustainable companies without losing yourself
27:10 — Generational shifts: younger builders, new priorities
30:05 — Real-world optimism: the future of housing and impact in Canada
33:00 — Networking events and building Canada’s tech ecosystem
36:00 — Women founders, capital gaps, and fundraising realities
39:30 — Advice for new builders and lessons from global accelerators
43:00 — The future of work, balance, and purpose-driven leadership
46:15 — Outro: hope, community

Love the show? Help it grow!
→ Subscribe, Review, and Share 🍁

Follow Canada Now for bold ideas and real conversations shaping what’s next in Canada. 🇨🇦
→ All Links (including socials)
→ YouTube
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Meet the host, Ashley Smith! 🙋‍♀️
→ Ashley's links (social, website, + more)