13 December 2017
Episode 322
30 minutes
Jack Bensimon is the founder and president of Canada’s largest independent advertising agency, Bensimon Byrne. Founded in 1993 by Bensimon and longtime friend Peter Byrne, the agency has been responsible for some of the most memorable ads in Canadian history. The Toronto-based agency is one of few in the world to ever buy itself back from a multinational holding company. Here Bensimon tells us the story of the company, the ideas behind some of its major campaigns and why independence is so important to them.
13 December 2017
Share episode
DownloadWant more radio episodes like these in your inbox?
Sign up to Monocle's email newsletters to stay on top of news and opinion, plus the latest from the magazine, radio, film and shop.
The Entrepreneurs - latest episodes
Virtuo
Karim Kaddoura is co-founder of Virtuo, the French start-up that’s shaking up car hire. It offers no-nonsense rentals of premium Mercedes not only from airports and train stations but in city centres across France and the…
Eureka 161: Now Then
Andrea Salinas is the founder of eco-swimwear brand Now Then. While the landlocked Spanish capital of Madrid is the unlikely nerve centre for a women’s swimwear brand, Andrea’s savvy decision to base there has allowed her…
Bright Network
James Uffindell is the CEO and founder of Bright Network, a UK-based platform launched in 2013 that matches more than 200,000 graduates with jobs at more than 300 global businesses, including Bloomberg, Dyson, Goldman Sachs…
Eureka 160: Yswara
Swaady Martin is the founder and CEO of Yswara, a line of ethically grown African teas and accessories. Based in South Africa, the brand was launched in 2012 and is now carried in 30 retailers across 17 countries. Its tea…
Supplycompass
Flora Davidson and Gus Bartholomew are co-founders of Supplycompass, a platform launched in 2015 aimed at creating a trusted and transparent supply chain for the fashion industry. From sourcing materials to manufacturing…
Eureka 159: Florentine Kitchen Knives
Tomer Botner is the founder of Florentine Kitchen Knives, the Barcelona-based company he runs with his wife, Noam Blumenthal. The brand is named for the Florentin area of the couple’s native Tel Aviv. Botner started the…
Dishoom
Cousins Kavi and Shamil Thakrar are the co-founders of Dishoom. Their seven restaurants across the UK are a love letter to the old Irani cafés of Bombay (now Mumbai): perfect meeting places in a bustling diverse city. The…
Eureka 158: Lexxola
Zane Saleh is the founder of Lexxola, the London-based sunglasses brand he was inspired to start after a trip to Los Angeles. Disappointed by the quality of what was accessible to him on the market, Saleh gave up his day…
Mark Gainey, Strava
Mark Gainey is the co-founder and chairman of Strava, the rapidly growing social network used by more than 40 million people in 195 countries. From gold-medal efforts to weekend jogs around the park, Strava allows users to…
Eureka 157: Hexr
Jamie Cook is the founder and CEO of Hexr, a London-based company behind what may be the safest bicycle helmet ever created. For decades, there has been almost no innovation in foam cycling helmets, beyond them becoming…
Raeburn
Graeme and Christopher Raeburn are the brothers behind Raeburn, the east London fashion studio whose “remade, reduced, recycled” ethos is a benchmark for sustainable design. After a decade as head of design at cycling brand…
Eureka 156: Cape Byron Distillery
Eddie Brook is co-founder and CEO of Cape Byron Distillery, which launched near Australia’s Byron Bay in 2016. Legendary whiskey distiller Jim McEwan invested in the venture and agreed to mentor Brook after learning about…
Café du Cycliste
Rémi Clermont is co-founder and creative director of French cycling-fashion brand Café du Cycliste. After a career as a professional kayaker he took an IT job in Nice where, as an avid cyclist, he discovered the dream roads…
Eureka 155: Billy Tannery
Jack Millington and Rory Harker are co-founders of Billy Tannery, a company based in England’s Midlands that’s helping to revive the region’s rich leather-making history. Launched in 2017, the company produces leather goods…
Avi Meir, TravelPerk
Avi Meir is the co-founder and CEO of TravelPerk, a Barcelona-based company aimed at streamlining business travel courtesy of a platform for doing everything from booking flights to simplifying expenses. In the past four…
