To open the series, Rory Mounsey-Heysham and Chris Corbishley are joined by Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify. Shopify is often seen as an e-commerce platform, but Harley describes it as something bigger: an entrepreneurship company. By lowering the barriers to starting and scaling a business, Shopify has helped millions of people turn ambition into independence.

In this conversation, Harley reflects on Shopify’s journey, why more entrepreneurs make the world stronger and more colourful, and how technology is reshaping what’s possible for founders. From lessons learned from iconic business leaders, to the right role for government, to the promise and pitfalls of artificial intelligence - this episode is full of ideas on how “big problems” can become “big business.”

Key TakeawaysWhy Shopify thinks of itself as an entrepreneurship company, not just a tech platformHow reducing barriers to entry has changed who gets to build businessesWhy small businesses, not large corporations, are the true drivers of economiesThe two forces behind entrepreneurship: passion and survivalWhat Harley has learned from great founders across industriesWhy government should set “guardrails, not gates” for businessHow AI is giving entrepreneurs new tools and levelling the playing field

Episode ID: 1000727148701

GUID: d67cd017-b69e-4a79-b671-51baf5d19165

Release Date: 17/09/2025, 05:00:00