Why Founders Are Terrible at Talking to Government — And What Actually Works
Summary
*StartWell is the best place to bring your company for meetings and events: https://startwell.co
In this episode, we're joined by Morva Rohani, a lobbyist for Canada’s tech industry, to break down what most founders miss about government, regulation, and “public policy.”
We unpack why the “tech sector” is often a misleading label, why startups need to integrate into the industries they’re disrupting (not just mingle inside the tech bubble), and how smart teams treat regulation as a competitive advantage - not a last-minute hurdle.
Morva also demystifies how lobbying works in Canada (and how it differs from the U.S.), why “who you know” matters less than what you bring to the table, and why we’re firmly past the era of “launch first, apologize later.”
If you’re building in fintech, crypto/web3, health, procurement, mobility, housing, or any regulated space - this is your Public Policy 101.
Chapters: 0:00 - Build for People 0:34 - Canada vs U.S. Lobbying 1:28 - The Pan-Canadian Perspective 3:02 - What Is “Tech”? 5:15 - The Tech Bubble 7:19 - Learn the Industry 9:59 - Public Policy 101 14:34 - Regulation as Advantage 26:07 - How Lobbying Works 49:04 - Canada’s Risk Problem