In the season one finale of Bet On Yourself, Derek Folk and Fred VanVleet sit down with Boyd Reid, the Co-Founder and COO of Hopin, an app that helps mobilize transportation options and logistics - enabling employees to get to work efficiently and incentivizing them to commute during a pandemic when the popularity of remote work is skyrocketing.

Born and raised in Ajax, Hopin stemmed from the idea that transportation and commuting is a global issue that needs a solution and is rooted in economic development. With his high school friend Erich Ko, they developed Hopin, to help employers retain and attract talent to the workforce while minimizing any existing transportation barriers.

Acknowledging COVID as both a challenge and opportunity, Boyd chats with Derek and Fred and gains insight on how to grow Hopin from a local app to a global app. Setting his sights on expansion both in the States and beyond requires both financial and human capital, and Derek and Fred are there to offer invaluable insight and advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 11 of Bet On Yourself, Derek Folk and Fred VanVleet sit down with Baba Ajayi, the CEO and founder of andie.work - a live information app that uses artificial intelligence to help both businesses and customers. Andie.work enables user input settings to give suggestions on which restaurants to go to - all based on user preferences. The app drives more traffic and sales to the businesses, while eliminating unnecessary wait times for customers.

Born in Nigeria and raised in Toronto, Baba began his interest in business and tech at an early age by learning how to code. He always wanted to create something that would outlast himself as well as anyone can benefit from, so a few years ago came up with the idea of having chatbots and humans interact. With grit and perseverance, Baba is determined to grow and expand andie.work into a global app.

Derek and Fred chat with Baba about the challenges of being one of the few black men in the tech world, the importance of Black Lives Matter, and how the pandemic created an opportunity for andie.work. The trio dives into brand awareness and the importance of always having a strong support system in both human capital and the need to invest and mentor employees.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Born in the Congo and raised in Montréal, today’s guest both embodies and promotes the cultural diversity of her new hometown, Toronto, where she is the Director of The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Canada’s leading public gallery. 

Without a permanent collection, Gaetane isn’t bogged down by the past and instead keeps her finger on the pulse of the contemporary art world AND current issues in society. It is her job to find and present a wide array of diverse artists who often question history, challenge injustice and inequities while also producing works that transcend the mere materials being used.  

And when one exhibition is complete, it’s onto the next. She and the art presented at the Power Plant are always looking forward and staying relevant to the issues of interest to both artists and audiences alike, and in the process, prompting a more constructive conversation around cultural change. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.