Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas - the Rainforest podcast

Al Del Degan Hosts Ryan Hnetka (SaaS Headquarters) on the LIBI Podcast

From web developer to seasoned police officer and back to a focus on digital strategy and software solutions, Ryan Hnetka has travelled the world as a digital nomad. With his unique team of remote geniuses, Ryan remains passionate about helping companies take their idea and bring it to a successful reality. 

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.

Host: Al Del Degan I have been involved in software development for more than 25 years. I have started companies, lead companies and worked for companies - doing many different things. I am honored to be considered a leader in Alberta's innovation ecosystem, and I give back as much, and often as I can. When I am not working or podcasting, you will find me pursuing my passions of photography, crypto investing, and wood working along with the occasional round of golf.

Guest: Ryan Hnetka has been building websites and more since '96! That's over 23 years of experience of watching the technology and options grow into useful tools to build new ideas and solve business problems. During those 23 years, like most entrepreneurs, he went and got a side hustle to help pay the bills...unlike most entrepreneurs, his side hustle was being a Police Officer in Regina, Saskatchewan.

After spending most of the pre-pandemic time travelling around the world working on some amazing projects, his post-pandemic location is now Airdrie (Calgary) and focus has turned towards the startup and local community in Alberta.

SaaS HQ, which Ryan is the Founder & COO, offers a comprehensive range of digital solutions, including consultation services for SaaS platforms, mobile app and website development, Enterprise middleware integration services and support, as well as digital marketing services to help you effectively promote your business online.

He would love to join you on your next adventure from idea to a successful reality.

Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.

Show Links:

• The SaaS Headquarters
• Work Nicer 
• Running Remote Conference (digital nomads) 
• Time Doctor 
• Dan Martel 
• Digital Nomad conference 
• Arthur Digital 

Show Quotes:

"I call it a workcation. It's like a vacation, but there's always some work involved and work has to come first."   

"I felt like I was the car salesman on the lot. Someone walked onto the lot, said here's a brief case of $40,000. I want that car. I sell them the car and gave them the keys. They smashed it into the wall across the street and then they come back, tell me they didn't actually have a driver's license and it's my fault for selling them the car."

 

Credits...

This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea Machine

Episode Music: Tony Del Degan

Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan

 

Al Del Degan Hosts Debbie Butt (In The Know YYC) on the LIBI Podcast

Debbie is a passionate Calgary innovation ecosystem community member. Her curiosity and willingness to give back led her to building a valuable curated event calendar to help people get out of their comfort zone and experience the value of relationship building while networking.

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.

Host: Al Del Degan I have been involved in software development for more than 25 years. I have started companies, lead companies and worked for companies - doing many different things. I am honored to be considered a leader in Alberta's innovation ecosystem, and I give back as much, and often as I can. When I am not working or podcasting, you will find me pursuing my passions of photography, crypto investing, and wood working along with the occasional round of golf.

Guest: Debbie Butt is an accountant by day, YYC Tech community Builder and technology enthusiast by night. For the first 20+ years of her career she was an accountant in the oil/gas industry but 6 years ago she attended her first datathon hosted by Data for Good YYC and that set her on a path of attending events and meeting people in Calgary's Innovation Ecosystem.

She is the founder of  INTHEKNOWYYC, a website that informs technology & business owners, employees and enthusiasts of the popular tech, business and energy related events being held in Calgary. Debbie has earned her credibility by participating in 100's of technology and business events over the last 4 years. Her passion is communicating to interested parties the value and benefits in attending these events.

During the day she works as an accountant at Neo Financial and in the evenings she is uploading relevant events to her website. If you see her at an event please come up to say hello but be for warned.....she might talk your ear off about Calgary's Innovation Ecosystem or what it like to work at Neo Financial and how much she loves it.

Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.

Show Links:

• In The Know YYC
• Neo Financial
• Data For Good YYC
• Chic Geek
• Civic Tech YYC
• Calgary UX
• Product Calgary
• Platform Calgary
• Alberta Women Entrepreneurs
• Business Link
• InceptionU
• Rainforest Alberta
• NPower Canada
• ATB Entrepreneur Centre

Show Quotes:

"But the main thing I think that I didn't realize until years later is relationship building is so natural and so easy to me, and I never really understood the importance of it."   

"I really believe that Calgary has a gem of a city, and I totally believe that we are the place to live and to be. Especially if you want to be in this city and all the resources that we have and the people that are here that wanna help out."

Credits...

This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea Machine

Episode Music: Tony Del Degan

Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan

 

Al Del Degan Hosts Meghan Donohoe (Leadership Activist) on the LIBI Podcast

Join Meghan and I as we chat about how open conversation can help people be more aware of how they interact with others to make everyone feel safe and welcome.

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.

Host: Al Del Degan I have been involved in software development for more than 25 years. I have started companies, lead companies and worked for companies - doing many different things. I am honored to be considered a leader in Alberta's innovation ecosystem, and I give back as much, and often as I can. When I am not working or podcasting, you will find me pursuing my passions of photography, crypto investing, and wood working along with the occasional round of golf.

Guest: Meghan Donohoe has spent her career creating learning experiences that help leaders unleash the potential of their teams. She especially loves to reimagine the way we work, and has been afforded the unique opportunity to build and launch the full lifecycle of employee talent and development programs across Oil & Gas and Post-Secondary organizations. Propelled by a quest to find meaningful ways to transform the experience of work and learning, Meghan pivoted her career in 2021 from Human Resources to the world of advanced digital technology. She spends her time exploring ways for humans and technology to collaborate, to enhance the way we learn, lead, and live.
 
Meghan completed her MSc in Industrial Organizational Psychology at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, NS and is (endlessly) pursuing a PhD in I/O Psychology on the topic of leadership and well-being. In her spare time, Meghan engages leaders and entrepreneurs in developing the leadership characteristics needed for the future, is exploring facilitation in the metaverse, and also enjoys baking cookies and having dance parties in princess costumes with her two young daughters.

Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.

Show Links:

• Rainforest Circles 
• Industrial Organizational Psychology 
• James Rhee: The value of kindness at work 
• Organizational Citizenship 

Show Quotes:

"how do we make this environment more inclusive for all different types of people and so people feel safe and included and we're going to screw up sometimes and that's okay, but how do we make it a safe place for people to sit to share to say Actually this is not okay"   

"You can't just take cocoa and say you are going to act like salt today, like it just doesn't work"

Credits...

This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea Machine

Episode Music: Tony Del Degan

Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan

 

Peter Beaudoin Hosts Erin Pisko (The Innovation Asset Collective) on the LIBI Podcast

Peter has a conversation with Erin Pisko the VP of IP Strategy at the Innovation Asset Collective. They discuss the value of intellectual property and how founders should approach protecting their core differentiator. 

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.

Host: Peter Beaudoin Peter manages strategy and partnerships for an innovative alliance of energy companies committed to reducing environmental impacts through collaborative R&D efforts. Peter worked for more than 20 years in Asia building and investing in a variety of businesses. His most recent role outside of Canada was with the World Wildlife Fund, where he was the Chief Executive Officer of WWF China, based in Beijing. Prior to that, Peter lived in Hong Kong for 15 years working in the technology industry.

Guest: Erin Pisko is the VP of IP Strategy at Innovation Asset Collective, providing strategic leadership centered on innovation strategy to member companies with the objective of building intellectual property (IP) roadmaps aligned with business objectives.  Erin is an experienced IP Strategist and a registered patent agent with decades of experience working both in-house, building out ecosystems for innovation and at top-tier Canadian law firms, assisting companies from diverse industries in building/transforming their innovation strategy. Throughout Erin’s career, her passion has been to help companies of all sizes find value in going beyond the ‘a-ha’ moment of their initial discovery and building on that moment to drive value in the everyday aspects of the business. Erin also holds Master and Bachelor degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering and stumbled across IP while wrapping up her Masters degree and has never looked back.

Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.

Show Links:

• The Innovation Asset Collective 

Show Quotes:

"What we're really looking to do is use IP to build Canadian success stories and help drive the Canadian economy. We do this by supporting small to medium enterprises and scale them up when it comes to understanding and leveraging IP and developing IP strategy."   

"Where we fall down, I would say, are on those innovation outputs. So how are we turning those inputs into value propositions we can build on? And I think one of the huge opportunities we have available to us is to really build better understanding around intellectual property and the value it can provide amongst our business community."

Credits...

This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea Machine

Episode Music: Tony Del Degan

Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan

 

Al Del Degan Hosts Ezra Santos (Argyle Fox) on the LIBI Podcast

Growing up Ezra Santos wasn't interested in the traditional career options that his parents expected him to follow. Instead, his entrepreneurial mindset and passion lead him to join his friend to create a business that helps companies achieve their digital transformation goals using the Argyle Fox platform.

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.

Host: Al Del Degan I have been involved in software development for more than 25 years. I have started companies, lead companies and worked for companies - doing many different things. I am honored to be considered a leader in Alberta's innovation ecosystem, and I give back as much, and often as I can. When I am not working or podcasting, you will find me pursuing my passions of photography, crypto investing, and wood working along with the occasional round of golf.

Guest: Ezra Santos is a Devil’s advocate with a knack for discovering the obvious, intuitive and deceptively simple.

Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.

Show Links:

• Argyle Fox

Show Quotes:

"a lot of times we would run into a problem that required a tech solution and the solution didn't exist. So we'd create it, we'd build it from scratch."   

"I think we're gonna unleash the power of a lot of dreamers and entrepreneurs, and I think that's where the real power is, not the software itself, but unleashing the capability of dreamers and entrepreneurs to do what they want in this free economy that we have."

Credits...

This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea Machine

Episode Music: Tony Del Degan

Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan

 

Wunmi Adekanmbi Hosts Drew Thomas (Centre for Social Impact Technology) on the LIBI Podcast

Wunmi and Drew talk about the Centre for Social Impact Technology, a hub of private, government and community organizations solving wicked social problems that don't have owners - touching on digital equity, ethical AI, UN sustainability goals and how Calgary is tracking in these metrics.

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.

Host: Wunmi Adekanmbi immigrated 10 years ago from Nigeria where she was a post-secondary instructor and researcher, and led a youth empowerment non profit. Wunmi is passionate about people, information and solutions - in that order. She is a strategist and a connector. Her greatest motivation is creating coherent value streams across organizational functional units using a systems thinking approach. She strives to inspire confidence and intentionality in leadership, equip teams to execute from a big picture perspective, and harness community inter-dependencies. Wunmi is the Organizer and host of Immigrant Techies Alberta, a tech enthusiast group for skilled immigrants who are in or are interested in pivoting to tech careers and startups.

Guest: Drew Thomas is an engagement and community coordination professional with a broad background in cultural, social and issues-based communities. 

Drew is a focused and hardworking individual. He is happy to engage community members in any medium as he is deep diving into constituent management systems and ensuring the minutiae of measurement are managed.

Drew's experience in non-profit, governmental and community organizations has given him the opportunity to develop strong writing, copy editing, event planning, and project cycle experience.

Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.

Show Links:

• Centre for Social Impact Technology
• Future of Good
• All Tech is Human
• Canadian Center for Nonprofit Digital Resilience

Show Quotes:

"Social innovation is about taking a longer view and addressing how social issues develop in the first place."   

"Tech companies don't necessarily have to deliver social impact to be socially responsible."

Credits...

This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea Machine

Episode Music: Tony Del Degan

Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan

 

Al Del Degan Hosts Yeonsil Kang (Home Spritz) on the LIBI Podcast

After repeatedly being frustrated with the current offerings for residential home cleaning services, three friends decide to take matters into their own hands and set up an innovative marketplace boasting living wages and top notch quality cleaners. 

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.

Host: Al Del Degan I have been involved in software development for more than 25 years. I have started companies, lead companies and worked for companies - doing many different things. I am honored to be considered a leader in Alberta's innovation ecosystem, and I give back as much, and often as I can. When I am not working or podcasting, you will find me pursuing my passions of photography, crypto investing, and wood working along with the occasional round of golf.

Guest: Yeonsil Kang, MSW, helps manage the mission and vision of Home Spritz and their relationships with cleaners, clients, and investors. She ensures the company is growing and maintaining the core vision of the company. From an education and social work background she focuses on the social vision while managing a for-profit company in a challenging environment. She has been through the Alberta Accelerator by Global 500 and The Alberta Revenue Accelerator by GrowthX both powered by Alberta Innovates. She manages a team of over 40 cleaners, admin, and developers.

Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.

Show Links:

• Home Spritz
• Alberta Innovates

Show Quotes:

"So I remember we had about six different cleaners within the time period of two or three months. And I just simply wasn't comfortable cuz they all knew our door code into our house and their quality wasn't consistent."   

"So Covid was quite hard for many people and a lot of industries. But for cleaning a lot of residential cleaning companies went out of business because of that issue."

Credits...

This Episode Sponsored By: Home Spritz

Episode Music: Tony Del Degan

Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan

 

Al Del Degan Hosts Katia Milrad Segal (KMS Coaching) on the LIBI Podcast

Hot off the tail of last week's episode with Rea Hailley I have a conversation with Katia, who has been helping people figure out who they are, and what they want to be when they grow up.

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.

Host: Al Del Degan I have been involved in software development for more than 25 years. I have started companies, lead companies and worked for companies - doing many different things. I am honored to be considered a leader in Alberta's innovation ecosystem, and I give back as much, and often as I can. When I am not working or podcasting, you will find me pursuing my passions of photography, crypto investing, and wood working along with the occasional round of golf.

Guest: Katia Milrad Segal is an HR professional who has +10 years of experience in multinational & global companies. She leverages her international HR Expertise to help clients land their dream roles in Canada. As an HR professional & Career Coach, she is passionate about supporting clients to develop the skills needed to be successful in their careers. She does this by delivering high-quality training and providing meaningful advice. 

Through her career coaching program, she supports clients in identifying strengths, areas of development, growth mindset, gaining confidence, and enhancing self-awareness. As a result, clients can make meaningful changes in their careers.

She also uses her background in psychology to ask insightful questions, and her intuitive listening to help clients understand more about their blocks, fears, and unresolved issues so they can create shifts in their life and career.

She encourages clients to land jobs that are the right ones for them. Meaning, jobs that fit into their lifestyle, strengths & core values.

 

Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.

Show Links:

• Rea Hailley from last weeks episode (203)

Show Quotes:

"So the first thing that I attempted was creating a group of ladies from my Brazilian community here in Calgary. I was leading this group with two women, and we were creating workshops to discuss about personal development, career development, struggles with immigration. I mean how to fit in, and all this process of big changes in our lives."   

"we need to be happy now. Our life is short. We need to understand why we are here, right? We are here for a reason and we can't waste our time stuck."

Credits...

This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea Machine

Episode Music: Tony Del Degan

Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan

 

Al Del Degan Hosts Rea Hailley (Growth Strategist) on the LIBI Podcast

Not everyone thinks the same way.  Rea Hailley sees business from a different lens and is able to provide wisdom and creativity to help small to medium sized business grow and be more successful. More than that, she is a really interesting person to know and has a lot of amazing stories to share when you have a chance to have a chat with her.

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.

Host: Al Del Degan I have been involved in software development for more than 25 years. I have started companies, lead companies and worked for companies - doing many different things. I am honored to be considered a leader in Alberta's innovation ecosystem, and I give back as much, and often as I can. When I am not working or podcasting, you will find me pursuing my passions of photography, crypto investing, and wood working along with the occasional round of golf.

Guest: Rea Hailley  After studying Business Management at SAIT, Rea found herself drawn to roles where she could influence business success. As a growth strategist, Rea specializes in identifying growth opportunities and delivering results. Her experience includes establishing and leading a lucrative sponsorship division across three territories in the event space, growing strategic partnerships, and most recently, generating over $40M in revenue at Shopify. 

Rea's curiosity drives her to understand her clients’ unique challenges. Strong empathy helps her anticipate and address potential concerns before they arise. This helps Rea's clients feel confident that she has researched and considered multiple options and only recommended solutions that facilitate their growth and performance.

 

Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.

Show Links:

• Katia Milrad Segal - Career Coaching
• Safe 4 Life Self-Defense Class
• Ecstasy On Fire - Rea's story in more detail

Show Quotes:

"It was quite alarming. Coast Guard was not called in. Helicopters were flying above filming the fire. I knew it was pretty serious. Somebody was very late in pulling the fire alarm. I Considered jumping above board because nobody was deploying the lifeboats."

"smaller businesses often think that they need to spend thousands of dollars to get to the next level of growth. And they don't"

"I speak to business owners every day, all day. One of the biggest concerns is this potential recession that people are anticipating for this year. Don't let this cripple you. There's opportunity here."

Credits...

This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea Machine

Episode Music: Tony Del Degan

Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan

 

Val McCarty Hosts Angela Solano (Rimaco Greens) on the LIBI Podcast

Learn how Rimaco Greens combined their background in energy and a need for sustainable food production in every climate to come up with a fully sealed greenhouse with near zero energy use.

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by Rainforest Alberta. The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.

Host: Val McCarty is in the business of helping organizations visualize, communicate, and execute strategy in real time. Her studies were acquired at both University of Alberta and Grant MacEwan University, and encompassed Management, Education, and Human Services, with an aim to continue learning. Her previous experience includes the Financial Sector, Fitness Sector, and Early Childhood Education.  When Val is not at work you can find her outside with her grandkids, or looking forward to the next live jam.

Guest: Angela Solano is Co-Founder and CEO of Rimaco Greens, an Alberta-based cleantech agriculture company that has developed the world's first net-zero, fully-sealed greenhouse so that we can grow food locally in any climate using minimal land, water, and energy.

Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out. We are published in Google Podcasts and the iTunes store for Apple Podcasts We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.

Links:

• Rimaco Greens

Show Quotes:

"We must rethink existing food systems to address rising threats to our climate, economy, and health"    

"Growing food in the hydrologic greenhouse requires no pesticides, fungicides, or IPM"

 

Credits...

This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea Machine

Episode Music: Tony Del Degan

Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan