Lee Waltham unpacks how Brandish Agency scaled from a small Winnipeg start-up into a national brand-building partner by betting on culture first. He traces the early stumbles, the moment the team swapped top-line targets for metrics that actually move margin, and why serious brand work begins long before a logo is even sketched. Lee also walks through the math and the mindset that convinced him a four-day work week could boost profitability rather than dilute it. The result is a set of hard-won lessons and immediately actionable insights for anyone determined to build a brand that really sticks.

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Building Manitoba is a podcast for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and community builders who care about creating something that lasts. Hosted by Nathan Maertins, the show explores the decisions, trade-offs, and systems behind real growth in Manitoba.

Want the key insights without re-listening? The Building Manitoba Review is a monthly newsletter with takeaways, links, and ideas from recent episodes. Subscribe at https://buildingmanitobapodcast.beehiiv.com/

From a pool-table “lab” in Winnipeg to mine sites and customers in almost 50 countries, Todd Burns shares the playbook that turned a small one-man dust-control business into a world-class cleantech exporter. We dig into cash-flow squeezes that forced invention, the R&D boost unlocked by a partnership with RRC Polytech, and the systems Todd uses to scale without losing Manitoba roots.

Support the show

Building Manitoba is a podcast for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and community builders who care about creating something that lasts. Hosted by Nathan Maertins, the show explores the decisions, trade-offs, and systems behind real growth in Manitoba.

Want the key insights without re-listening? The Building Manitoba Review is a monthly newsletter with takeaways, links, and ideas from recent episodes. Subscribe at https://buildingmanitobapodcast.beehiiv.com/

Manitoba has historically been underrepresented when it comes to early-stage venture capital. That’s starting to shift.

In this episode, I sit down with Iain Crozier, founder of Trillick Ventures, to talk about why he’s building Manitoba’s first dedicated early-stage venture fund — and what that could mean for founders here.

We talk about the lessons he carries from growing up in a family business, what Trillick actually looks for when backing a founder, and why recent updates to Manitoba’s Small Business Venture Capital Tax Credit could meaningfully improve access to early-stage capital for Manitoba founders. We also explore what Manitoba can learn from ecosystems like Calgary and Newfoundland when it comes to building a durable startup flywheel.

If you care about capital, founders, and the long-term growth of this province, this is a conversation worth digging into.

Support the show

Building Manitoba is a podcast for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and community builders who care about creating something that lasts. Hosted by Nathan Maertins, the show explores the decisions, trade-offs, and systems behind real growth in Manitoba.

Want the key insights without re-listening? The Building Manitoba Review is a monthly newsletter with takeaways, links, and ideas from recent episodes. Subscribe at https://buildingmanitobapodcast.beehiiv.com/