"Go through your day, find something that pisses you off, and fix it."

That might be the best definition of entrepreneurship I've ever heard. It comes from Julie Cole—a "recovered" family lawyer, mom of a growing family and co-founder of Mabel's Labels.

For Julie, necessity truly was the mother of invention. And it served her twice.

First, Julie noticed parents labelling their kids' belongings with masking tape and markers, only to have those labels fall off in the wash, disappear in the dishwasher, or fail somewhere between school and summer camp.

At the same time, Julie's eldest son, was diagnosed with autism at age three. With a toddler and a newborn also at home, she realized a traditional career couldn't bend to meet her family's needs. So she built one that could.

Together with her sister and two best friends, Julie began making labels in her sister's basement long into the evening. Twenty-three years later, Mabel's Labels has been recognized twice by the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards, and Avery successfully acquired the business.

I then end the episode sharing my small-business tip of the week:

This is Episode 3 of Small Business Matters, a five-part conversation series running throughout October, thanks to the support of RBC.

Next week: Andrew Black.

For decades I've admired Bruce: his integrity, his personality, his intuition and his drive. He helped build Lavalife before most of us trusted the internet, became one of Canada's best-known Dragons on Dragons' Den, and co-founded Round13 Capital. Few people have had a front-row seat to nearly four decades of disruption. Fewer still are this honest about what it takes.

This isn't an interview. It's a masterclass woven into a podcast. Hard-won lessons from someone who will tell you that anyone who claims to bat a thousand isn't telling the truth.

We will also learn about 13th Round: Fight for Life, which has brought 700 kids into the boxing ring for discipline, belonging and self-esteem and then my Tony Takeaway: My lesson in life for all who dream and do.

Episode 2 of Small Business Matters, honouring our Small Business heroes, and presented by RBC.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Three kinds of people: who makes things happen
02:57 Curiosity at 65, and what never changes about success
05:21 Lessons from his father: grade eight, $50 and humility
06:50 Dragons' Den: the fame, the brand and why he left
08:43 Lavalife: building trust before anyone trusted the internet
10:19 Why founders fool themselves, and the feedback loop
11:32 Passion vs. introspection: what Bruce looks for first
12:38 The pitch every investor dreams of
14:06 Billion-dollar valuations, AI and getting back to basics
15:39 The 51/49 rule, and Bruce's Achilles heel
19:18 Taking the emotion out of investing
20:25 Why Canada is the best place to build a business
22:52 Celebrating entrepreneurs like hockey players
24:01 13th Round Fight for Life
25:35 The letter Bruce hopes to receive
26:33 Tony's three takeaways
28:15 Stand for something before you try to stand out

If this episode moves you, share it with one person who's building something. A business, a brand or a career.

Round13 Capital: https://round13.com/
13th Round Fight for Life: https://13thround.life
RBC Small Business: https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/business/index.html

What if the greatest threat to your business isn't what's broken but what's working beautifully? To launch my five-part Small Business Matters series, I sit down with Sid Paquette, Head of RBCx for a powerful conversation about building enduring businesses and Canada's new economy.

Sid explains why entrepreneurs must disrupt themselves before someone else does, how unexpected value turns customers into advocates, and why passion, resilience and execution are essential to attracting exceptional talent. He also explores the importance of embracing failure, hiring people who complement your weaknesses and creating a culture where bold ideas can thrive.

The conversation then turns to Canada's defining economic opportunity: helping homegrown technology companies secure the capital, expertise and connections they need to scale here—and compete everywhere.

I close with an essential lesson for everyone: Attention is the oxygen of every endeavour. In an age of relentless noise, earning attention begins by listening generously and becoming part of your customers' stories, not simply telling your own.

Whether you're growing a business, building a team or reinventing your career, this episode will challenge you to disrupt what's working, create value no one expects and turn attention into meaningful engagement.

Chatter That Matters is presented by RBC.

To learn more about why RBC Small Business banking works as hard as you do: https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/business/index.html

To learn more about RBCX Ventures: https://www.rbcx.com/portfolio/

RBCx $1.4 billion growth fund: https://www.rbcx.com/investments/rbcx-growth-fund/