• TechTO
  • Posts
  • From Reflection to Execution

From Reflection to Execution

Peerscale leadership, founder journeys, and building with intention in 2026

You are receiving the Community Edition of today’s newsletter - upgrade to a Member to receive additional perks and experiences

Kick Off 2026: The Peerscale Quarterly Dinner

As we approach our first gathering of the year on January 15th, we wish to highlight what makes the Peerscale community unique and offer a rare opportunity for two new leaders to join our table.

What is Peerscale?

Peerscale is the "graduating class" of the Canadian technology ecosystem. We are not a traditional networking group; we are a confidential personal advisory board for CEOs, COOs, and CTOs navigating the complexities of high-growth companies.

Who is at the table? You will join over 100 seasoned leaders. Our members manage between $2M and $200M+ in ARR or funding. They meet monthly to share the unvarnished truth about scaling, hiring, and exiting.

The Spotlight: Andrew Norris (CEO, DevCycle)

At this dinner, Andrew Norris will pull back the curtain on his business sale process. This is not a polished PR story; it is a raw look at the emotions, the strategic hurdles, and the tactical lessons learned during an exit.

📢 Opportunity: Two Exclusive Guest Spaces

To help grow our community with the right leaders, we are offering two guest seats for this dinner free of charge.

We are looking for qualified technology founders ($2M+ in revenue or funding) who are ready to experience the Peerscale community firsthand. If you - or a founder you know - are a fit, we want to hear from you.

How to Apply: Please send an email to [email protected] with a brief note regarding your company and your role. If you meet the qualifications, you will receive an invitation to join us at NODO Liberty on January 15th as our guest.

Event Quick Facts:
Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026
Venue: NODO Liberty, Toronto
Requirement: Founders and Executives with $2M+ ARR or Funding
Deadline: Guest spots are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

FAQs: TechTO Memberships

Now that the first week of January is well underway, our focus has shifted from reflection to execution. We have talked a lot about memberships recently, but we want to flag all the benefits and perks of each tier, in case you missed it.

As a friendly reminder, this is the final week to secure our limited 20% discount on the Annual Insider Membership. This is the ideal time to invest in the resources and network required to accelerate your progress this year.

If you are unsure which option is right for you, consider the following:

1. The Insider Membership (Annual)

Standard Price: $249 / year | With code RESOLUTION: $199.20

Choose this if: You are a professional, an aspiring founder, or a tech enthusiast who wants to stay informed and connected to the pulse of the industry. This is for those who value consistent networking and continuous learning.

  • Unlimited Access: Attend all regular TechTO Together events throughout the year at no additional cost.

  • Private Slack Network: Join a dedicated channel with builders, operators, and investors for daily collaboration and support.

  • Exclusive Content: Access our digital library of past presentations and founder interviews to learn from the best in the business.

  • The Benefit: You will build your network and stay ahead of industry trends with a community that supports your long-term growth.

2. The Founder/Executive Membership

Price: $1,199 (One-time payment)

Choose this if: You are a leader scaling a company who seeks high-level peer support and wishes to make a long-term impact on the community. This tier is designed for those who require direct access to other founders and executives.

  • Permanent Access: Secure your place in the community with a one-time payment that provides permanent access to events and benefits. You will never have to worry about an annual renewal.

  • VIP Perks: Enjoy priority seating, access to members-only lounges, and early invitations to high-impact workshops.

  • Founder Strategy: Engage in high-level conversations with industry leaders and receive recognition as a founding community member.

  • The Benefit: You will fast-track your company’s growth by connecting with those who have already navigated your specific scaling challenges.

Exclusive Limited-Time Offer… Last days!

Do not wait to secure your spot in our community. Use the discount code below to start your year with a competitive advantage.

Use code: RESOLUTION

🎧 NEW EPISODE: FOUNDER JOURNEY FT. RON SPREEUWENBERG (CEO, SOCIET)

🚀 In this Founder Journey episode, we sit down with Ron Spreeuwenberg, CEO Societ, an entrepreneur who built, scaled, and successfully exited HiMama - and whose story starts long before SaaS, venture capital, or exits.

From selling firecrackers in the schoolyard in grade seven to leading one of Canada’s most well-known vertical SaaS companies in early childhood education, Ron’s journey is deeply personal, methodical, and grounded in values. This conversation explores not just how to build a company, but why founders choose to take the risk in the first place.

Sally is a rare kind of entrepreneur: someone who has built, scaled, and successfully exited a company, and then kept going. In this conversation, she walks us through her unconventional early hustle (renting buses, photocopying engineering books in college), her career as an Intellectual Property lawyer, and the pivotal lessons she learned as a founder at companies like Nortel and ATI.

She also shares hard-earned insights on identifying and nurturing talent, why understanding the law is a strategic advantage for founders, and what it is really like to raise capital in today’s Canadian market.

If you are building, scaling, or simply trying to make smarter decisions as a founder, this episode is full of practical wisdom.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHT Ron shares the deeply personal motivation behind becoming an entrepreneur - inspired by his father’s unrealized dream of building a business after immigrating to Canada - and how that sense of “I do not want to live with regret” shaped every decision he made as a founder.

MORE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE TALK

Entrepreneurship starts with personal drive
Ron’s motivation came from watching his father, a mushroom farm grower, lose both mobility and risk tolerance after a life-altering accident - and carrying the quiet regret of never starting his own business.

Lean validation beats assumptions
HiMama began with a simple insight from a parent conversation. Ron validated the idea by cold-calling daycares straight out of the Yellow Pages and conducting 50 in-person interviews - turning curiosity into proof before writing real code.

Focus is everything in vertical SaaS
HiMama earned trust by going all-in on early childhood education. Ron explains how even slight dilution - “if we had said we also do doggy daycares” - would have destroyed credibility and slowed scale.

Culture does not scale by accident
As the company grew, Ron made culture a non-negotiable, with the number one value being “be a good person.” He emphasizes that founders must personally onboard new hires and intentionally pass on the story, values, and passion behind the company.

Why it’s worth your time

This is a thoughtful, founder-first conversation about validation, focus, culture, and the emotional weight of building something meaningful.

If you are building a vertical SaaS company, thinking about scale, or navigating how to grow without losing your values, Ron’s journey offers practical lessons — and an honest look at what founders carry with them long after the exit.

Want to support the show?

If this episode resonates, here are three simple ways to help:

  • Hit Subscribe in your podcast app

  • Leave a rating or review

  • Share this with a founder or teammate

Thanks for being part of the journey. You can leave us your feedback for 2026, and share who you think should join us in studio next year at [email protected] 

Love what you heard?

🗓️ UPCOMING EVENTS

  • Together Toronto: Monday, January 12 @ 6:00pm - LAST TICKETS

  • Together Toronto: Monday, February 2 @ 6:00pm - EARLY-BIRD

Don’t forget to lock in your year of TechTO! Subscribe to our full events calendar

🎤 Know Someone Who Should Be on the TechTO Stage?

We’re always looking to spotlight founders, operators, and builders with powerful stories; the kind that inspire, teach, and move the Canadian tech community forward.

If you know someone whose journey deserves the mic - from early stumbles to breakout momentum - we want to hear from you.

Help us bring fresh voices and new perspectives to future TechTO events and podcasts.

Reply

or to participate.