We’re passionate about reducing the failure rate amongst startups.
SPEAKING FRANKLY.
What if we could reduce business failures by even just one percent with the creation of the Frank tool? Imagine the positive effect, not to mention the ripple effect, this would have on entrepreneurs, their families, their suppliers, lenders, along with the rest of the ecosystem that surrounds them; this is why we created Frank.
Small business is damn important; it innovates, employs, and pivots better and faster than any of the high profile mega businesses. It is essential to our economy, and has devastating impacts upon failure. Statistically speaking, every $100 spent at a local business, maintains 68% within their local economy. as opposed to 48% at a large business. We say “keep it in the family”!
Uncovering what you don’t know.
A strong business model, precise market timing, financial backing and successful entrepreneurial traits aren’t always enough to make it happen. A strong venture that is in direct conflict with the founder’s personal needs can be detrimental to overcoming the hardships of the entrepreneurial journey. Furthermore, conflicting values and needs may lead to misery and overall complications in business, leaving the founder feeling unmotivated, trapped and prematurely quitting or failing. Even in successful ventures, it’s not uncommon for founders to feel trapped in their businesses due to misalignment.
That’s why we created Frank; a diagnostic tool capable of measuring the alignment between the founder and proposed venture; ultimately building higher engagement, and insuring against burnout allowing the founder to be more resilient against failure.
Once you’ve committed to the venture, the wheels are already set in motion. You are investing valuable resources into the business, making it much harder to pivot later down the road. How are you able to know what you don’t know? The earlier you can identify your blind spots, the better you’ll fair in the long term. Think preventative medicine for the founder’s exciting business undertaking. It’s so easy to get overexcited about, and fall in love with, a new business idea for all the wrong reasons (and often based on partial information). Frank aims to eliminate as many blind spots as possible, as early as possible, by delivering results instantaneously.
“The price of failure is too high not to hear the Straight Goods about your idea”
— Team Frank
POWER GRID
Idea Astronaut
Gold Giver
Founder
Meet Geoff.
Geoff has seen entrepreneurship from both sides of the desk. With a lengthy career in commercial lending, he has seen what has worked and what has not inside thousands of businesses. He grew his business 10X, to over one billion dollars a year in revenues. He started (and co-started) and successfully exited three businesses - a construction company, a national law firm and small chain of barber shops. He also has made more mistakes in business than he can count. He’s involved in boards, commercial lending, business start-ups and investing today.
He started the Frank tool literally on a napkin, to help him decide where to participate and invest in new ideas. It has grown, with the help of some fiercely talented people, into something to help his favourite people on the planet – entrepreneurs – set themselves up for success and happiness in their new ventures.
Meet Chantal.
Operations Manager
Chaos Controller
Product Whisperer
Glitch Support
0 to 1; Chantal is passionate about executing venture vision from ideation, through MVP, to launch. Having spent a decade in the dynamic realm of tech startups, Chantal brings a wealth of expertise in optimizing operational efficiency, creating and streamlining processes, and supporting technical teams to deliver their best work; not to mention preventing the Founder from going rogue. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for problem-solving, she has overseen the seamless execution of various digital products, projects and productions, including a fitness app and concrete application; ensuring that no stone is left unturned, no team member is left behind, and that shit doesn’t hit the proverbial fan. From implementing agile methodologies to fostering cross-functional collaboration, Chantal is dedicated to driving continuous improvement and delivering results that propel startups toward success.
Software Developer
Meet Keegan.
Code Conjurer
Guardian of the System
Bug Buster
A versatile tech enthusiast with a knack for innovation. From crafting captivating digital landscapes with a self-built 3D terrain generator to delving into the intricacies of microcontrollers and embedded systems, his journey in technology is as diverse as it is impressive.
While tinkering with microcontroller projects, Keegan honed his skills in writing code and designing electronic circuits, leaving a lasting impact on clients, some of whom relied on his creations for years. His passion for game development has been a lifelong pursuit, with a focus on Unity and even the creation of a bespoke 3D game engine from scratch.
Professionally, Keegan has made a splash in the tech space. He spearheaded a comprehensive tech overhaul, consolidating workflows and devising a custom booking system from the ground up. His dedication to innovation and problem-solving underscores his ability to drive transformative change in any environment.
Head of Growth
Meet Dom.
Content Captain
Media Maestro
Podcast Pilot
Dominic is a right brained, left-handed creative stuck in a business suit who can’t draw. His talent is complete shit at holding down a typical 9-5 but insanely good at helping entrepreneurs connect their unique idea to their audience and market.
Dominic brings over two decades of expertise in brand strategy, digital marketing, and entrepreneurship, driving brand success and innovation. He’s worked the agency side as an account planner and researcher, and the client side as a director, head of marketing. He also has experience working in both B2B and B2C environments and is as comfortable working at the enterprise level as well as at the early-stage start-up. He has seen success and experienced failure. Currently, he runs the Cartelle Group that works with a select roster of clients who are involved in Fintech, Agtech, industrial noise tech, commercial aviation tech and of course FRANK. As one might expect, Dom has also started his own ventures with a couple currently on the go.
Meet Martine.
Legal & Strategic Advisor
IP Guardian
Lawsuit Limiter
Growth Guru
A lawyer, an entrepreneur, or both? Martine’s professional journey began as a Quebec lawyer for Canada’s then-largest law firm, specializing in banking and finance. She took her first step towards the business world accepting a role with General Electric as Associate General Counsel, supporting the business strategically and transactionally. After a successful career there, the lure of entrepreneurship couldn’t be ignored. She and Geoff teamed up to build, grow and sell Simplex Legal LLP, a national law firm. In the process, she added membership to the Ontario and Alberta bars to her original Quebec membership. She can draft in French and English, in civil and common law. She’s an active advisor to for-profit and non-profit companies and an active investor in, and passionate advocate for, small business.