Panel: Which comes first: Customers, Capital or Capacity?

Every founder hits the same wall at some point. You want to grow, but you are not sure what has to come first. Do you need more customers before you can justify the spend? Do you need capital before you can build the capacity? Or do you need the capacity in place before you can take on more customers at all?

There is no single right answer, and that is exactly why we are putting it to a panel.

Join YSpace York-Simcoe and Southlake Futures for a lively, interactive conversation with founders who have been through it and lenders who see it from the other side of the table. Hear how they made the call, what they would do differently, and what they look for when a business is ready to take the next step.

This is not a sit-and-listen session. Bring your questions. Bring your own situation. The panel is built around the room, so the more you ask, the more useful it gets.

Who should come: business owners and founders who are thinking about growth, funding, hiring, or scaling, and anyone curious about how those decisions actually get made.

Meet the panelists

Hollie Hoadley, Founder, Creative Solutions

Hollie is the Founder of Creative Solutions, a marketing communications agency for small and mid-sized businesses and not-for-profits. Her passion for human-to-human (H2H) marketing and strategic thinking helps solve real business challenges. Her career spans roles from Executive Assistant and Operations Manager to Strategic Planner and Fortune 500 National Marketing Manager. She is also a mentor, workshop facilitator, guest speaker, and Trustee for the Newmarket Awesome Foundation.

April Goode, Founder, WareShare

April is the Founder of WareShare, a marketplace that connects growing businesses with flexible warehouse space and helps warehouse operators earn revenue from space they aren't using. Over 15 years in startups and advanced tech, she watched companies outgrow their space fast, sign costly long-term leases, and end up paying for empty shelves once growth levelled off. WareShare gives founders a smarter, more flexible way to scale.

David Spadafora, Founder and CEO, Bert's Foods Inc.

David is the creator of Oh My Okra, an award-winning Canadian snack brand that turns whole vegetables into nutritious snacks. Since launching in 2019, he has grown Oh My Okra from a startup idea into a brand distributed across Canada and the United States. David speaks on product innovation, retail strategy, and scaling, and is passionate about mentoring founders through the realities of growth.

Mike Grube, Area Manager, Small Business Banking, TD Bank

Mike supports the Simcoe County and Muskoka markets for TD Bank. He joined TD in 1998 and spent nine years as a branch manager in Barrie, Angus, and Orangeville before moving into his current role 12 years ago. Today he leads a team of 12 account managers serving 30 retail branches, offering advice that helps local businesses grow and prosper.

📅 Wednesday, October 21, 2026

🕥 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

📍 EGPL at the HALP, The Learning Arts, Culture and Diversity Pod, 160 Jim Mortson Drive, East Gwillimbury, ON L9N 0S2

This event is free.

Presented by YSpace York-Simcoe in partnership with Southlake Futures, with support from the Town of East Gwillimbury and the Town of Georgina.