Panel Discussion with Pulse Law, RBCx, BDO and BrightIron

​Every startup faces defining moments. The difference between those that scale and those that stall often comes down to a handful of critical decisions.

​Join us for an honest, founder-focused conversation with leaders who have collectively advised hundreds of startups through fundraising, hiring, scaling, legal challenges, and financial growth. Rather than telling you what should happen, we'll share the real patterns we see every day—the costly mistakes founders make, how to spot them early, and what you can do differently.

​You'll hear from:

• ​Robert Bowness – RBCx

• ​Radhika Vaidyanathan – Pulse Law

• ​Alex Hardy – BDO

​Moderated by Shawn Chance, Partner and head of Go-To-Market services, BrightIron and former VC.

​We'll tackle questions like:

• ​What are the biggest mistakes founders consistently make—and why do they keep happening?

• ​Which problems start small but become incredibly expensive if ignored?

• ​When is the right time to engage legal, finance, banking, or HR partners?

• ​What separates the startups that scale successfully from those that struggle?

• ​If each panelist could give every founder one piece of advice, what would it be?

​Whether you're raising capital, hiring your first team, or preparing for your next stage of growth, you'll leave with practical insights you can apply immediately—and a chance to ask your own toughest questions during an interactive discussion.

​We are official event hosts with Waterloo Tech Week 2026, a celebration of what’s been built here, and what’s still to come. We’re building something great together. September 12-17, 2026. waterlootechweek.ca