When Ivan and Kaya Yiu went looking for storage, they never imagined they’d end up reinventing an industry where little has changed since the 1950s.

After overpaying $300 a month to store a single couch, the couple realized how broken the self-storage model was, especially in Vancouver. For decades, the city has followed a system that sets the highest prices in Canada with hidden fees and builds on land that could otherwise be used for housing or employment. It had become such a problem that the City of Vancouver amended its zoning bylaws. But new reports show that the regulations didn’t curb development in Vancouver. It pushed it into the city’s southern neighbourhoods—where many facilities already existed—adding to B.C.’s supply far exceeding demand.

So Ivan and Kaya tested an idea: what if people only paid for the space their belongings actually take up, instead of being forced to pay for units with unused space? To find out, they created a simple landing page and posted ads on Craigslist. That experiment became Cache Depot, a self-storage service that operates from a renovated climate-controlled warehouse.

Imagine IKEA: extremely organized, clean, and modern, but private from the public and equipped with security cameras and sensors throughout the space. Every item is categorized, QR-coded, and placed on industrial shelves, racks, or pallets, then wrapped if needed. Customers can choose between paying per item, starting at $30/mo, or for the space their belongings actually take up, starting at $100/mo.

This is the story of a former warehouse director for brands like Canada Goose and Arc’teryx and a game designer behind a top 10 App Store hit are reinventing the storage industry, and their journey of having to find customers on Craigslist and convincing them to meet in back alleys, to now growing its users by over 150% and monthly revenue by over 152% compared to last year, while maintaining five-stars across all its Google Reviews.

00:00–4:14: Show, episode, and guest intro

4:15–5:00: What is Cache Depot?

5:00–7:40: The aha moment that inspired Cache Depot

7:41–10:47: How Ivan and Kaya Yiu’s career pivots prepared them to start Cache Depot

10:48–15:34: How Ivan and Kaya Yiu created and tested their MVP before going all in on the idea

15:35–16:47: How Cache Depot’s first customers helped them identify what was needed to build trust

16:48–19:30: How Cache Depot has garnered and maintained five-stars across all its Google Reviews

19:31–21:22: How exactly does Cache Depot differ from traditional self-storage providers?

21:24–23:17: Why the City of Vancouver investigated self-storage facilities and what its amended zoning bylaws entail

23:18–23:58: The hidden fees imposed by traditional self-storage providers

23:59–25:12: Why Ivan and Kaya Yiu believe no one had yet to provide an alternative like Cache Depot

25:13–26:54: Nearly 70% of Cache Depot customers are first-time storage users who say they wouldn’t have used storage otherwise

26:55–28:41: The trial-and-error process of developing a pricing structure that was simple and easy for customers

28:42–30:41: How exactly Cache Depot’s system works once customers bring in their items

30:42–35:02: The biggest problems that Cache Depot is solving for cities, customers, and even businesses

35:03–39:45: Early lessons pivotal to Cache Depot’s growth, from driving website traffic to finalizing branding

39:46–42:08: Cache Depot’s development plans for its app and expansion throughout Vancouver

42:09–43:41: Advice for other early stage founders

Behind any innovative idea with the potential to become a household name is rarely a single “a-ha” moment, but a trail of experiences long before what outsiders see as overnight success happens.

For Felix Chen and Rudy Pham, one of those moments was an eight-to-ten-hour trek through Hanes Valley, B.C., where they tossed around business ideas as they tried to find their way back on the right path. At the top of the boulder field, they landed on one they knew was worth pursuing and, to their surprise, hadn’t been attempted before.

Three years later, they would innovate a new category born from an East-to-West staple, catch the attention of major retailers, and sell their products in 100 stores across the province. They’d also appear on Dragons’ Den, where they received multiple investment offers.

That idea? Triple X.O.G., the world’s first ready-to-drink cocktail of its kind, ranked among the top sellers in B.C. It blends French cognac, jasmine green tea, and Canadian honey with light carbonation. At 5% ABV, Triple X.O.G. was crafted to offer both an elevated and accessible beverage for any occasion—from intimate gatherings to public events—and to cater to a spectrum of palates: those who seek depth of flavour or lean toward something lighter.

The brand’s mission goes deeper than an experience that’s “unlike anything on the market.” It’s intended to represent Asian heritage, culture, and connection. Triple X.O.G. pays tribute to the concoction’s origins in Hong Kong, and it’s a nod to an adapted version found in Vancouver.

This is the story of two best friends turned business partners with no background in the beverage industry but infectious energy and relentless hustle, who stayed true to their vision for two years as they bootstrapped the company before launching.

00:00–3:58: Show, episode, and guest intro

3:59–5:00: The moment Felix and Rudy decided to found what would become Triple X.O.G

5:01–6:16: Why they decided to take the risk to pursue the idea

6:17–7:42: Why they believe no one had yet to pursue the idea

7:43–8:39: Being in the “very early innings” of celebrating Asian culture outside of Asia

8:40–11:48: The first six months of navigating how to create the product

11:49–15:42: The process of finding and working with a formulator

15:43–18:57: Why they went with their intuition over feedback to finalize the recipe after 35 iterations

18:58–20:53: The process of finding and working with a manufacturer

20:54–22:15: Building a community of fans / discovering the Dragons’ Den audition

22:16–23:42: Being persistent in getting people to try the product

23:43–26:05: How they got into their first retail store and how that led to getting into their first chain

26:06–27:00: The impact of building in public over in stealth

27:01–31:31: What keeps them grounded during challenging moments

31:32–34:17: What happened after the Dragons’ Den episode and what’s coming up in the year ahead

34:18–37:30: Advice for other early stage founders

Getting into retail was never part of the plan for Jenny and Han Yue.

Two years ago, the couple first shared their freeze-dried fruits at a pop-up after family and friends kept coming back for more. They started making their own snacks while looking for ways to make their oatmeal healthier—only to find that store-bought options were too sweet, stripped of nutrients, or simply didn’t satisfy their cravings.

Unlike dehydrating, freeze-drying retains 95% of nutrients instead of 60%, delivers a light, crunchy texture instead of chewy or leathery, and keeps the color and freshness closest to the original.

What began as a weekend experiment soon expanded into retail as curious customers kept returning and cafés began reaching out on Instagram. With no background in business, industry connections, or even friends with companies, the Yues learned how to build OHME! Foods entirely through trial and error.

Today, OHME! is available in more than 450 stores across North America—from cafés and boutiques to grocers and major chains like London Drugs, Healthy Planet, and Urban Outfitters. The brand has since expanded with its yogurt crunch line—which earned a Good Housekeeping Best Snack Award—and its snacks are now enjoyed in countless ways beyond toppings or on-the-go bites, from baked goods and craft drinks to charcuterie platters and even treats for pets.

This is the story of a family who started with a stall, then drove around Vancouver to 10 stores and were rejected by all of them, to getting approached by their dream retailers and growing revenue by over 300% year over year.

00:00–4:35: Show, episode, and guest intro

3:30–7:30: Han and Jenny’s family roots in health

6:39–8:08: Jenny’s entrepreneurial drive

8:09–10:39: OHME!’s origin story

10:49–11:53: How OHME! innovated its yogurt crunch line

11:54–14:06: How OHME! grew from pop-ups to retail

14:07–17:12: How OHME! prepared for retail

17:13–19:13: Why OHME! has taken off

19:14–22:31: Taking risks and overcoming the challenges

22:32–24:29: Finding the right partners to work with

24:30–26:49: What’s been pivotal to OHME!’s growth

26:40–27:49: Jenny and Han quitting their 9-to-5s

27:50–30:35: Reflections on entrepreneurship

30:36–32:04: Advice for other early stage founders