For founders, scaling a startup can feel like juggling while riding a unicycle. There’s never enough time, bandwidth or expertise to tackle everything that needs to get done. But yet, the clock is always ticking. At DMZ, we know this struggle all too well. That’s why our Experts-in-Residence (EiRs) are one of the most valuable resources we offer to founders.
These hand-selected mentors are professionals with expertise in sales, revenue growth, product design, pitch coaching, marketing, HR and much more. They don’t just provide advice, they provide boots on the ground support to founders, helping them execute the strategies needed to grow.
Here’s how EiRs provide hands-on support to help DMZ founders scale, plus tips on how to make the most of fractional expertise.
Elevating your brand for global success.
Flowjin, an AI video repurposing tool, started its brand transformation from a product strategy session led by DMZ’s Product Design EiR, Jenn Nguyen. Jenn uncovered that branding was a key barrier to resonating with their target audience and competing globally.
The solution was a rebrand aligned with Flowjin’s shift from Gen Z content creators to B2B marketing teams. And the result? A modernized logo, inviting colours and fonts, messaging centered on their value proposition “Content that converts,” and visual design updates for the product. “As we shifted our focus to a B2B audience, we needed a brand identity that reflected a more modern, corporate vibe,” said Sheida Mirjahani, Co-Founder and COO of Flowjin.
Before: After:
With DMZ’s support offsetting costs exceeding $10K, Flowjin is now measuring the impact of these changes. “We expect these changes to drive stronger engagement and conversion among B2B clients,” Mirjahani added.
Strengthening financial foundations.
Financial clarity is key to making confident, strategic decisions for any startup, which is why financial modelling is such an important pillar. Syzl was able to connect with EiR Irene Lee for hands-on guidance to help Syzl build a clear, data-driven financial framework. She worked closely with the team to refine revenue projections, optimize cost structures and develop a scalable financial strategy. The outcome? Syzl can make informed decisions that drive long-term success.
“We were having trouble packaging the complexity for our stakeholders and investors who were having trouble making it past our data room, ” said Adrian Savin, Co-Founder of Syzl. “Irene’s support has helped us to move 10X investors through our due diligence pipeline to a point where they’re confident with our business model in a fraction of the time. She’s fantastic at harnessing the investor perspective and challenging us to tell the right story using historic performance and forward looking projections.”
Perfecting your pitch.
Known as Canada’s best pitch coach, DMZ EiR Frank Erschen has reviewed 7,000+ pitches to help founders tell their stories with clarity. When Handy.AI Co-Founder Iryna Andriushchenko prepared to pitch at DMZ’s Women Innovation Summit in 2024, she faced the added challenge of presenting in a new language after leaving Ukraine and relocating her business to Canada.
“Thanks to Frank, I walked onto the stage prepared and empowered. He helped me refine my story—making it clear, structured and impactful. Beyond pitching he guided me through a clean-up process: identifying inconsistencies, simplifying complex ideas and ensuring every element—from our slogan to our competitor analysis—was understandable,” said Iryna Andriushchenko, Co-Founder of Handy.AI.
“Frank not only shaped our pitch but taught me a structured methodology: how to test my messaging for clarity, ask the right investor-style questions and evaluate whether our business model, competitive positioning and value proposition were truly compelling. His coaching didn’t just prepare me to pitch—it gave me a skill I’ll carry with me for every opportunity ahead.”
How to maximize fractional support as a founder.
Fractional support, whether it’s through an EiR at DMZ or another mentor, gives you specialized expertise without the full-time cost. Mastering how to maximize fractional support is crucial, so we’ve outlined our top tips for how to get the most out of it.
- Identify your priorities. Before meeting with fractional support, outline your top challenges. Are you struggling with customer acquisition? Does your product need refining? Be clear about where you need the most help.
- Set clear goals. Define specific, actionable goals for each session. For example, “Create a pitch deck that secures investor meetings” or “Design a customer feedback loop to improve retention.”
- Be open to feedback. Fractional support is designed to guide you, but that means being open to tough love and critiques. They’re not your cheerleaders. They’re accountability partners who will push you to deliver on your vision.
“FSL played an instrumental role in supporting The GIST’s early-stage growth by providing us with education and access to a network of Canadian industry leaders. Their forward-thinking approach helped us identify key opportunities to expand our reach and refine our brand strategy, said Ellen Hyslop, Co-Founder of 
“Working with FSL has been truly impactful for our business. It’s the place to be for anyone in sports products or tech in Canada. Throughout programming, I had access to impactful programming and the opportunity to develop and pitch my business to the top leaders in Canadian sports,” said 
Returning for a second year on the Women Innovation Summit Steering Committee, Moshe Mikanovsky is a dedicated mentor and product strategist committed to helping founders adopt a product-first mindset. With extensive experience in guiding entrepreneurs, he continues to play a key role in shaping the summit’s impact. 
Courtney brings incredible expertise to the table, having made her mark as a key member of Humi’s executive leadership team. She focuses on nurturing a positive workplace culture and driving talent development, which is essential for any thriving organization.
As co-founder of newkid, a branding studio dedicated to fostering innovation, self-expression, and community, Alex Avendano is passionate about helping founders showcase their unique talents with confidence. She brings this same expertise to the Women Innovation Summit Steering Committee, where she works to amplify the voices and impact of women founders.
With ReInvestWealth’s innovative accounting tools now integrated into Hostaway’s platform, property managers can automate tedious financial work, reducing manual labour and saving time. “The integration seamlessly syncs a Hostaway user’s revenue, expenses, and all other business transactions with ReInvestWealth, eliminating manual data entry entirely,” explained Dermeni.
