The first-ever has rapidly become a magnet for people with big ideas and a lot of hustle. This includes AV俱乐部 alumnus and Wind Mobile co-founder, Brice Scheschuk, who will be judging Thursday鈥檚 .
Born in Saskatchewan, Scheschuk arrived at AV俱乐部 in 1991 to pursue degree in finance and then headed to Toronto to work on Bay Street.
鈥淚n that era, business schools trained you for roles in finance, accounting, and marketing,鈥� says Scheschuk. 鈥淪o, I went from a traditional business school into a traditional job in corporate Canada.鈥澨� After completing his Bachelor of Commerce degree with honours in 1994, he started his career with Coopers & Lybrand 鈥� now PwC 鈥� where he earned his CA (chartered accountant) designation. 听
Earning a life MBA
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Despite this traditional career path, Scheschuk had an entrepreneurial mindset. While working at PwC, he co-founded his first company, an internet-based side-hustle, that turned into a full-time gig and rode the dotcom wave before crashing in 2001. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when I earned my 鈥榣ife MBA鈥� by doing and failing,鈥� he says.
Scheschuk returned to corporate Canada, but his entrepreneurial journey wasn鈥檛 over. A recruiter called and connected him with Anthony Lacavera, an ambitious telecom entrepreneur who wanted to partner with someone with finance expertise.
鈥淲e鈥檇 both had the entrepreneurship bug,鈥� Scheschuk says. 鈥淎fter our initial t锚te-脿-t锚te, Anthony and I are still working together, 21 years later.鈥澨�
Their early venture started with offering niche telecom solutions. Whether it was long-distance calling cards or telephone-operator services to hotels, Scheschuk attributes the company鈥檚 early success to talking with customers. 鈥淭he win for us in the entrepreneurial journey is building an understanding of the iterative nature of what you're doing, understanding the customer feedback loops, and understanding that failure is not a negative, it is part of our job description, to fail, stand up, fail again, and stand up a little higher."
Their big break came in 2007, when the Government of Canada sought to increase competition in the wireless market. Seizing the opportunity, they raised funds to acquire spectrum licenses and launched WIND Mobile. 鈥淲e outhustled the telecom oligopolies at every turn,鈥� says Scheschuk.
In 2016, they sold WIND to Shaw Communications for $1.6 billion. The deal was a big win, enabling them to launch Globalive Capital. Scheschuk continues to pursue his passion for entrepreneurship by mentoring founders and investing in startups. 听
Advice for student entrepreneurs
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As a Dal Demo Day judge, Scheschuk advises up-and-coming entrepreneurs to demonstrate their hustle: 鈥淚 want to see what actions they鈥檝e taken. What market research have they done? How quickly are they moving through customer discovery? How close are they to launching a minimum viable product? I want to see the hustle.鈥�
Scheschuk鈥檚 journey from student to entrepreneur and mentor highlights the power of learning from failure and giving back. His involvement in Dal Innovation Week not only nurtures the next generation of entrepreneurs but also strengthens his bond with AV俱乐部. 鈥淧art of my job is finding great investment opportunities, but really, it鈥檚 about reconnecting with a community that means a lot to me,鈥� he says.
A champion of AV俱乐部鈥檚 innovation ecosystem, Scheschuk frequently leads sessions on the founder mindset and how to build a business, inspiring students in Dal Innovates programs like and . Through , a mentorship initiative he co-founded, Scheschuk is improving the craft of mentorship and creating more resilient entrepreneurs. He is also an associate of the听, inspiring a new generation of student entrepreneurs.
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