Yan Simard

Your startup will take everything you give to it. Make it count

Building a startup isn’t just a career move; it’s a commitment that will demand your time, energy, relationships, and resilience. In this talk, “Your Startup Will Take Everything You Give to It. Make It Count,” Yan explores the reality behind entrepreneurship: the sacrifice, the pressure, and the personal growth that comes with building something from nothing. More importantly, this talk challenges aspiring founders to be intentional. If your startup will take everything you give to it, make sure it’s building something that truly matters. Yan Simard is an entrepreneur who has spent his career building technology where change is hard and resistance is real. He is a tech entrepreneur, executive, consultant, and investor with deep experience in product management, venture growth, and innovation across industries ranging from telecommunications and finance to education and government services. Through his work, he has seen firsthand that the biggest obstacle to innovation is rarely technology, it’s the status quo. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx