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 economi...
Jan 19, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 12
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 ...
Jan 12, 2022•54 min•Season 1Ep. 11
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 hi...
Jan 05, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Most people use filtered water to make good cup of coffee… but in this episode, we learn how our entrepreneurial guest uses coffee to make clean water - particularly in service of remote reserves in Canada where some Indigenous communities lack proper water filtering systems. Mark Marsolais-Nahwegahbow, who is Ojibwe and a Band Member of Whitefish River First Nation, was frustrated that basic necessities were not being provided in his community, so he launched Birch Bark Coffee Co. with the goal...
Dec 29, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 9
From Granada to Canada comes a superfood like no other… sea moss. Turns out this algae, sourced responsibly from the Caribbean, is a nutrient dense, affordable, natural remedy with a variety of health benefits. Join Fred and Derek as they dive in and learn more from Dezie and Clinton, a real life couple and co-founders of Toronto-based business, The Sea Moss Guy. We’ll hear how their hustle mentality during the pandemic led them to take something they’ve used for years growing up in Caribbean ho...
Dec 22, 2021•46 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Bet on Yourself is back with another incredible innovator, as Fred and Derek are joined by Tammy Yiu Coyne; she's the co-founder and CEO of Partial, an online art platform and marketplace for collectors to discover and elevate outstanding Canadian and BIPOC artists. Going back to the start of her journey, Tammy shares that while working as a graphic designer, she always knew that she wanted to run her own business. When Tammy was unexpectedly laid off from her job, she saw an opportunity to purs...
Dec 15, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Clarence Ford started out as an athlete; first as a competitive hockey player, then transitioning to dance as a choreographer for the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil. After seeing the power of community-building first-hand within Cirque du Soleil, Clarence embarked on a journey of creating circus programming for underserved youth in Toronto. He launched a non-for-profit called Square Circle, with a mission to “help students develop communication, interpersonal, artistic, and physical skills in a...
Dec 08, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Joining "Bet on Yourself" this week is Ben Corbier, a real estate broker for Engel & Völkers in Pickering, Ontario. Ben shares his professional journey with Fred and Derek, from studying architecture, to becoming a real estate franchise owner, to breaking glass ceilings within his industry. Ben shares how he fought hard to get to where he is as a branch owner for his luxury real estate company, and talks through his personal experience with discrimination and nepotism. In Ben’s own words, “t...
Dec 01, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 5
This week on Bet On Yourself , Fred and Derek sit down with Veneise George, founder of Yawdi’s: Jamaican-inspired marinades, mustards, pepper jellies, and more. As a busy wife and a mother of two, Veneise’s main motivation is to help families reduce time spent preparing great tasting meals that are healthy, without artificial colours or flavours. Coming from a non-for-profit background, Veneise’s measure of success for her business looks a little different; in her eyes, supporting other BIPOC en...
Nov 24, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 4
In this episode, we get to know Shante Bartlett, the incredible creator behind Baked By Té, delicious handcrafted vegan cookies in Toronto. Shante works as a registered nurse, but would like to transition her baking business to a full-time venture. Shante shares the story of her Jamaican roots and how baking rum cakes with her mom inspired her journey to develop the perfect plant-based cookies. Fred and Derek offer Shante guidance into finding confidence as a new business owner, while also cover...
Nov 17, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 3
In the second episode of Bet On Yourself, Fred and Derek meet with financial entrepreneur Harprit Gill, and listen in on her journey from social work to social change, inspired by her own path to financial independence. They dig into her passion for educating and empowering everyday people when it comes to their money and finances. Change your financial literacy, change your life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 10, 2021•53 min•Season 1Ep. 2
On the debut episode of Bet On Yourself , Fred VanVleet and Derek Folk sit down with Ottawa Redblacks wide receiver, Nate Behar, to discuss his cutting-edge influencer marketing app, FireWork. They dig into his entrepreneurial journey and how his platform allows athletes of all types, from hometown heroes to international icons, find game-changing partnerships with brands. Find out more about FireWork at www.thefirework.app . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 03, 2021•53 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Fred and Derek know that the last year and a half hasn’t been easy for anyone, but especially for diverse entrepreneurs who have had to rethink the future of their business and do whatever to survive these tough times. Each episode, we’ll listen as Fred VanVleet and Derek Folk (Fred’s Financial Advisor) help struggling or up-and-coming BIPOC entrepreneurs shape their business, revamp and sometimes relaunch it altogether. "Bet on Yourself" is all about finding companies that present Fred and Dere...
Oct 25, 2021•1 min
