Toronto-based entrepreneur Andrew Hendry says Canadian founders should think beyond national borders from the moment they launch a business, arguing that experience, sales skills and human connection matter more than ever in a rapidly changing economy.
Hendry, the founder and chief executive officer of Ignite Connections, said he deliberately launched his company in the United States despite being based in Toronto because of his prior experience and network in the U.S. real estate market. He said entrepreneurs face long odds when starting out and should look for any advantage they can control, including familiarity with a specific market and customer base.
Ignite Connections operates primarily in the U.S., where it supports real estate agents by generating sales opportunities through direct phone outreach. Hendry said his background working with a similar real estate technology company gave him a clear understanding of client needs south of the border, making the U.S. a more practical starting point than Canada.
Hendry said Canadians considering entrepreneurship should adopt a global mindset early, noting that market opportunity does not always align with geography. He pointed to Canada’s highly educated workforce as a competitive advantage, especially when paired with access to U.S. revenues that convert favourably back to Canada.
He also emphasized that sales skills are foundational to entrepreneurship, describing sales and entrepreneurship as inseparable. According to Hendry, founders must sell their ideas long before they have a product, whether to investors, employees or partners, and many strong ideas fail simply because their creators lack sales confidence.
On artificial intelligence, Hendry said technology should be viewed as a tool rather than a threat. He argued that AI is well suited to handling routine administrative work, freeing people to focus on relationship-building, communication and trust — areas where humans still outperform machines.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Hendry said aligning a business with personal values is critical to enduring the emotional and financial challenges of building a company. He added that founders should accept that selling is a permanent part of the job and learn to embrace it early.
Mario Toneguzzi
Mario Toneguzzi is Managing Editor of Canada’s Entrepreneur. He has more than 40 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist, and editor. He was named in 2021 and 2024 as one of the top business journalists in the world by PR News. He was also named by RETHINK to its global list of Top Retail Experts 2024, 2025 and 2026.
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