Early-Stage to Scale-Up: Practical Tips for Startups from FH&P Lawyers and Accelerate Okanagan

What do you get when a tech ecosystem leader and a lawyer walk into a podcast? A surprisingly honest, insightful, and inspiring look at what it takes to launch and scale a business in today’s Okanagan tech scene. In this episode of FH&P Lawyers’ Law Talk Podcast, host Clay Williams sits down with Brea Lake, CEO of Accelerate Okanagan, and FH&P associate Russell Peas to explore the real-world challenges—and opportunities—facing founders in the region.

From startup pitfalls and IP protection to funding pathways, mentorship, and the power of networking, this episode dives into how Accelerate Okanagan is helping tech entrepreneurs grow smarter, faster, and with the right support. Whether you’re a first-time founder, serial entrepreneur, or curious professional, this conversation offers valuable takeaways and proves why FH&P Lawyers is proud to be part of the journey.

Clay: Welcome to another edition of FH&P Lawyers Law Talk. I'm Clay Williams. I'm a partner at FH&P Lawyers. I'm here with two really interesting guests for our discussion today. First of all, Brea Lake and Russell Tse, welcome.

Brea: Thank you. I'm looking forward to today's discussion.

Clay: So, Brea is the CEO of Accelerate Okanagan. Tell us a little bit about Accelerate Okanagan. For most of the people listening or watching today, people know about Accelerate Okanagan. They know somebody who's been through it. It's a big deal. You're always in the news. Highlight what Accelerate Okanagan is all about.

Clay: What does it do?

What Is Accelerate Okanagan?

Brea: For sure. Accelerate Okanagan is here to help technology companies start and grow in our region and foster the technology industry. Over the past five years, especially since the pandemic, we've broadened the types of companies we support to not just tech companies at their core.

Brea: Most businesses nowadays have to have technology embedded directly in their business. So really, it's about fostering growth and connections in the tech community.

Clay: You've been the CEO of Accelerate Okanagan since 2019. You've been the CEO through a lot of this growth.

Brea: Yes, for sure. I joined our team in 2014. My role was initially as a community manager, helping to convince people that the tech industry was here in the Okanagan and here to stay. I got to grow alongside the community and the tech industry through an operations role, and then formally took on the CEO role in 2019.

We're located downtown at the Innovation Center. We were very intentional about being in that building and helping to get that building on the map in our region.

A lot of tech companies, even Disney, were behind closed doors. It was hard for the public to recognize that tech was here and growing. This building was built in 2017, and the focus was to put tech innovation on the map and help invite people in to see what is actually being built here.

Inside the Innovation Centre

Brea: It's full of tech and innovation companies.

Clay: And lots of social events too, right?

Brea: Yeah. It's a hub for that for sure. I know you've attended quite a few of our events.

Russell: It really is a welcoming space. You walk in, and you're not assaulted by somebody at the front desk asking where you're going. It feels super welcoming, like a community aspect to the Accelerate space. It really brings people together. It's built for networking.

Brea: It's interesting you brought up the staircase because that was very intentional. In the Innovation Center, there's a staircase right in the center of the building that draws you in. The idea was that you would bump into people on the staircase, stop, and have informal chats and hopefully get the help that you need.

Clay: Oh, that's very interesting. That's great. I'm going to get you to run through some of the things again. I got handed a really long list of all the things you do. A busy person, it looks like.

Clay: You do all these different things. Why don't you run through some of them? My list starts with 360 and all the different programs.

Brea: You guys have been great supporters of our programs. At our core, we're really wanting to help businesses with business mentorship. Being an entrepreneur is a lonely journey. It's hard to know what you should be doing and where to go next. We try to pair businesses up with the right education and mentorship they need to thrive and grow their ideas.

Mentorship, Validation & Real-World Support

Brea: A couple of the programs that FH&P Lawyers has supported are early-stage programs around Market Ready and Venture Validation. This is taking entrepreneurs who maybe have an idea through the process of validating—is it a good idea? Is there a market for this idea? Once they get to that stage of “yes, this is a good idea,” and we've gotten some customer feedback, they go into Market Ready, where they learn to launch it, refine their pitch, and get their first few customers. I know you've been a part of some of the demo days at the end of that, too.

Russell: Absolutely. Both of those programs are incredible. Venture Validation is inspiring because it's people who have these big, beautiful ideas. So often with Accelerate programs or other incubators, they're stifled at the door. They're told, “Your idea will never work.”

Russell: Whereas with Accelerate Okanagan, the idea is—yes, your idea might not be ready now, but we're going to meld this into something that works and still fits the passion or solution you're trying to create within the community or world.

Russell: Being part of the interview process is really unique. You're not getting the door slammed in your face. You're given tips like, “Come back next year and work on this,” or “You're fit for this program because you're teachable, and we can move you further ahead.”

Russell: Maybe not the same idea, but a grown version of that idea.

Turning Big Ideas Into Viable Startups

Brea: I don't know if you had the opportunity to meet the ATE team.

Russell: Yes, they're clients.

Brea: Oh, are they? That's so great. Zenate is one of the startups I love to highlight. They came into our program as two separate founders with different business ideas. They went through the program and realized neither idea was great.

Brea: They ended up meeting and starting a business together. They went through the next phase of our programs, validated that idea, and have since gone on to do multiple pitch competitions and been part of our other programs.

Brea: That's kind of the magic. Their first ideas didn’t succeed, but they still found value in working together and finding the right idea to move forward.

Clay: That's a great story. Really cool. So then what happens after that? You're validated—this list of programs seems to go on and on.

Brea: A couple of our other key flagship programs post-validation are the Okanagan Angel Summit and 360.

Brea: The Angel Summit is for companies looking to raise money. We found a big gap in our market—we have many wealthy individuals who call the Okanagan home but weren’t necessarily investing in local businesses. Over the past seven years, we've trained over 130 angel investors to deploy capital into startups.

Brea: For participating companies, they come in, learn how to pitch, and meet real investors over eight weeks. At the end, one company wins a check that gets invested into it. That program helps address the capital challenge that many early-stage companies face.

Brea: The 360 program is for later-stage companies that have traction in the market, revenue and are looking for wraparound support to help get over common pitfalls and scale.

Raising Capital and Scaling with Confidence

Clay: Okay. I'm just reading the notes here. So they’re actively scaling, making revenue, and already in the industry at that stage?

Brea: Yeah, exactly. Typically, what we see is that they’ve built their team up to about 10 to 20 people. But if they want to rapidly scale and become a going concern, they need support transitioning from a startup mindset to a growth company mindset.

Clay: Is there any other program you want to emphasize?

Brea: One we’re just launching—it launched softly last week—is called Market Diversification. It helps businesses access grant funding as they look to diversify markets.

Brea: We all know about challenges businesses face when they’re too dependent on one market, especially in the States. This grant program offers companies up to $10,000 to expand into new foreign or provincial markets.

Brea: And we're working with a local partner here called ETSI-BC, our local economic trust. It’s not exclusive to tech companies—any business that might be exporting can apply.

Helping Businesses Diversify Markets

Clay: I guess I should ask—is it just tech companies, or can a company introducing tech into their business benefit from Accelerate Okanagan?

Brea: Most of the core programs are for true tech companies that have unique IP or a product. But we also offer grants or workshops that any business-any—any Main Street business—can benefit from. We’re a welcoming place. If you're an entrepreneur looking for help, come through our doors and we’ll refer you to the right resources.

Clay: What about my business, for instance? We're really trying to be at the forefront of AI and incorporating processes through new computer programs. I think you came to one of Rocky’s talks?

Brea: Yes, we were on that together last week.

Clay: The one I went to was a couple of weeks ago. He came in, did his talk, and was on the podcast too. It was all about AI. Is there anything for businesses like ours through Accelerate Okanagan?

Brea: Definitely in our workshops and community events. We focus on leveraging expertise and best practices from our industry and unlocking them for many companies. We bring in people like Rocky.

Brea: Tomorrow we have a session called Offsite, bringing in a coaching firm, Roy's Group, to train on leadership principles. That’s open to the broader public and is sector-agnostic.

Clay: Sector-agnostic—I like that. I'm going to use that. So we’ve heard a lot from you. How about Russ? You’re involved with Accelerate Okanagan on the mentor side, right?

Russell: Somewhat on the mentor side. I'm there for the interviews for Market Ready and Venture Validation programs.

My other involvement is primarily a single day of mentorship—kind of like Reddit’s "Ask Me Anything." On those days, it's “Ask a Lawyer Anything.” People submit questions ahead of time, which I write out long answers for, or they ask me live.

The idea is to provide full and frank advice on the challenges their company is going to face. Because I'm part of the interview process, I understand what kind of red tape or specific legal issues their business might encounter.

Russell: That’s primarily my role—outside of hearing pitches, encouraging people, meeting them for coffee, and checking in, like with the ATE team, to see how their business is going.

Legal Guidance for Startups

Clay: That would be an interesting role. You’d have some people with no prior interaction with FH&P Lawyers, and some scaling up to $10 million in revenue and quite sophisticated. You’ve got to be on your toes.

Brea: Absolutely. It's an amazing asset to offer that to the community and the companies we work with. Many are intimidated by FH&P Lawyers or legal advice. They don’t always want to admit what they don’t know.

Brea: Having a low-barrier spot to ask questions helps build stronger businesses in our region because they get the right advice at the right time.

Clay: I always say you've got to build a team—legal, accounting, tax.

Russell: That's one of the things that always gets missed. Founders focus on the idea but forget to budget for accounting and legal.

Russell: Everybody comes from different backgrounds. Some have a lot of business experience, others have none at all. But they all start with an idea, and we nurture them from there.

Common Pitfalls Startups Should Avoid

Brea: Question for both of you: Do you see a lot of IP questions coming from startups?

Clay & Russell: Yes.

Brea: It's interesting. Over the past 10 years in tech, there wasn't a big push around IP protection early on. The mindset was just “build and launch.”

Brea: But now, there’s been a huge push—especially from the federal government—to protect Canadian IP. Because some ideas have been taken by other countries, there has been more focus on IP protection, even at the earliest stages. Have you seen that?

Russell: Absolutely. The biggest issue is demystifying IP. People hear IP and think trademarks or patents. But those are for later-stage companies with capital.

Russell: At the early stage—Venture Validation or Market Ready—a casual conversation without an NDA can result in leaked IP. One of the most important steps is assigning an IP to the company.

Russell: If three founders each own part of the IP and they break up, the company’s main asset can be destroyed. Investors want to see the company own the IP, not the founders. That early structure really matters.

Why IP Protection Matters—Even Early On

Clay: Listening to you, I was thinking—maybe it’s also worth separating IP from the operator who might be liable in some situations.

Brea: That’s classic for FH&P Lawyers—not always for tech entrepreneurs.

Clay: True. You probably see people at all levels—those just out of their parents’ basement, all the way to people who have run companies.

Brea: We really do. Some are repeat or serial entrepreneurs. They’ve had exits, gone through scaling, and they still come back to our programs because they’re so foundational. We get those “repeat offenders” and also the ones just budding with ideas.

The Power of Networking and Repeat Entrepreneurs

Clay: I love what you said about the stairways and meeting people. That’s great, and how those two people came together through one of your programs. What type of social events are you putting on?

Brea: We really try to be the convener and connector here through many different events. We do various meetups. One of our flagship ones is called Startup Drinks. It’s a networking social at the end of the day where we rotate to different tech offices so people can see what’s going on behind the scenes.

Brea: We do a lot of workshops and content-based events as well. And we have a few flagship events during the year—one being the Okanagan Angel Summit, where we invite close to 300 people to see final company pitches and connect with investors.

Clay: So, how do you access Accelerate Okanagan? I guess it might be different if I’m running a plumbing company with an idea, or just a young person—or an old person—with an idea and no money. How would someone plug in?

Brea: Obviously, online is the easiest—through our website. There, you’ll find a robust events page with not just our events but all tech and entrepreneurial events in the Okanagan.

Brea: But we also invite people to come down to our office space. It’s located at 460 Doyle, attached to the downtown library. We’re on the second floor. We have garage doors open, and people can just walk in. It looks a bit like a coffee shop. We’ll grab a cup of coffee, and our team is happy to sit down and figure out how to plug you in.

How to Access Accelerate Okanagan's Support

Clay: Is there someone you’d recommend people call beforehand, or just show up?

Brea: Just show up. Megan is at the front desk. Our doors are always open.

Clay: That sounds great. Okay, now Russell has given me some hard questions for you guys. Here we go. It’s kind of like an exam. What are some common pitfalls of tech startups?

Brea: We already touched on IP being a challenge. But the two biggest challenges we hear about—regardless of company size or stage—are access to capital and access to talent.

Brea: Capital is harder to get right now, given the economic climate. We help people understand different funding pathways—whether angel or venture-backed, or if they’re going to bootstrap by focusing on customer revenue. That’s one of the biggest barriers: figuring out where to get money and what makes sense for their path.

Brea: Talent is also an issue. One part is access to the right talent. A lot of companies here pull from post-secondary grads, but once they start scaling, it’s harder to find mid- to senior-level talent with deep tech expertise locally. So they often look at attracting people to the region or building remote teams, and navigating that can be tricky.

Clay: Do you keep running into the same people? If someone is really good at something a tech company needs, and one company doesn’t work out, do they move on to the next?

Brea: Yes and no. That definitely happens. When Disney was at its peak with about 350 people, it attracted amazing talent. When it downsized, that talent spread through the ecosystem.

Brea: That helped create a strong cluster of animation and gaming companies, which all trace back to Disney. We see that often, someone comes for one company but stays and joins another. That’s part of the secret sauce: having multiple companies in a sub-industry creates career safety nets and makes the whole sector thrive.

Clay: Finding talent is hard for everybody, not just in tech. Luckily, we found Russell.

Russell: Just to add on common pitfalls from a legal perspective—two things. One, people don’t set aside money for legal or accounting. Two, self-incorporation.

Russell: Tech companies are specifically tailored for scale and sale. It’s not like a local coffee shop. Investors look at everything—structure, articles, share setup. We often have to redo the incorporation for investor-readiness.

Russell: My number one suggestion is: have a lawyer who understands tech law do your incorporation. The corporate structure needs to support investment. Redoing it later can be expensive or impossible if shareholders don’t agree.

Brea: We’ve seen that time and time again.

Clay: I see that, too. People incorporate online for $300, but then they show up later when they want a bank loan or investor.

Russell: Tech investors always ask for a deal room, including full company documentation, share structure, articles—everything.

Brea: I’ve heard it often—they have to unwind things because they weren’t set up right.

Clay: So, would you recommend that people go to workshops and meet people first before starting a business? Because there are tax consequences, too, right?

Brea: Definitely. Come and get support so we can help guide you and give you options. Your involvement in the Market Ready and Venture Validation programs helps with that. We make sure people know when to talk to whom.

Russell: Totally.

Clay: Did you just answer the next question, too? It was: “What gaps do law firms need to bridge with startups?”

Russell: I think Brea touched on it. A lot of people hesitate to contact FH&P Lawyers because they’re scared they’ll be charged just for asking a question. But the bigger issue is that we need full transparency to help. If you leave something out, we can’t protect you.

Clay: But it sounds like people can come, have coffee, go to a workshop, and ask a lawyer anything. So the answers are there.

Brea: That’s why we’re intentionally trying to remove barriers. Otherwise, people turn to AI instead of real lawyers, which we know isn’t always accurate or contextually relevant.

Brea: What FH&P Lawyers is doing—showing up and lowering those barriers—helps us build stronger companies in the Okanagan. Otherwise, people build in silos and run into issues later.

Russell: At FH&P Lawyers, we have speaker series events. We could do more focused ones for tech, discussing AI or tech-related legal topics.

Clay: That makes sense. Rocky just did one on AI, and it was great.

Can AI Replace a Lawyer? Not Quite Yet.

Russell: At Web Summit Vancouver, I met a lawyer-turned-founder. A software developer joined our conversation and said, “Just ask AI. It’s ready.” Then walked away.

Russell: That’s how you know AI isn’t ready. People think that because it sounds right, it is right. But it might be pulling from all over the world—jurisdictions, systems, laws.

Brea: Even Rocky said: ask how certain the AI is, ask clarifying questions. Prompting matters. But still, a lot of trust is being placed in AI for something that lacks full context.

Clay: It’s good at specifics, but it doesn’t understand the full framework. You can ask it for a clause, and it’ll give you one—but does it fit? That’s dangerous.

Brea: Just a snapshot, not the full picture.

Clay: AI is something we need to embrace. At FH&P Lawyers, we use closed AI systems. But you still need someone to look at the whole context—the full factual matrix.

Clay: Okay. Next exam question from Russell: What makes a great founder?

Brea: At Web Summit, this was a big debate. There isn’t one great answer. I think it often comes down to passion and the problem they’re trying to solve.

Brea: The most successful entrepreneurs are solving a problem near and dear to their hearts. It resonates with them. They’re willing to pour years into building the solution. Not just an idea they stumbled on.

Clay: So, should a founder have life experience? Should the idea come from that? Or can it be someone fresh out of school?

Brea: It can be either. One of the first companies I met at Accelerate Okanagan was founded by Peter O’Brien. He created VO2 Master—a wearable VO2 monitor for elite athletes.

Brea: He was a first-year engineering student at UBCO. He built a prototype out of plywood and had his friend drive beside him while he wore the mask on a bike. Ten years later, they’re still operating, with a wearable product.

Brea: He was a performance athlete, so the idea resonated. He had life experience that made the problem meaningful to him.

Russell: That personal connection is key. Even at pitch events, a narrative is so much more compelling than bullet points.

Russell: Founders now integrate personal stories into their business pitches. It’s a strong differentiator.

Brea: One big question we get is: How do I find a co-founder with technical expertise? With AI and tech outsourcing, it’s less critical than it used to be, but it’s still about finding the right match.

Clay: Okay, I’m pretty sure you were expecting this one. It’s a softball. Every city I look at claims to have a thriving tech sector. Why the Okanagan? Why us?

Brea: One thing I haven’t mentioned yet is the size and scope of the tech sector here. The Okanagan tech sector has a $5 billion annual economic impact. There are about 800 tech companies and 32,000 people working in tech here.

Brea: I grew up in Summerland, and back then, you couldn’t really stay here for a career—it was a retirement destination. That’s shifted. You don’t need to move to Vancouver, Calgary, or Toronto.

Brea: If you build a company here, you can be a big fish in a smaller pond. You get more wraparound support. In larger centers, you can get drowned out by the crowd. Starting here gives companies a better chance of success.

Why the Okanagan Is a Great Place to Build

Clay: So we’ve got the right scale. And great summers.

Brea: And great winters!

Clay: Lifestyle matters. People want to live here. That helps attract and retain talent.

Brea: We have many successful entrepreneurs who choose the Okanagan because you can run a business and enjoy a great lifestyle.

Clay: Where else would you want to raise your family?

Brea: Exactly.

Clay: One more question, then we’re done. Are there any emerging industries tech companies should keep an eye on?

Clay: I’d heard power, because of AI. That’s what ChatGPT told me. Trying to preserve its own life, I guess.

Brea: That was a big discussion at Web Summit—power and how we’re going to grow with it in our province.

Brea: But here in the Okanagan, I’m really excited about agritech. Agriculture is the backbone of this region. We have lots of growers, producers, and farmers. We have an opportunity to build a globally recognized agritech industry.

Brea: Our farming is unique—orchards and vineyards, unlike the large-scale grain farming in the prairies. Kelowna could be a testbed for agritech innovation.

Clay: I’m aware of the Summerland Research Station. Do you work with them?

Brea: We’re starting to. It’s been a long-standing asset, and we’re working on integrating it more with the tech community.

We also work with the BC Beverage Technology Access Centre in Penticton at Okanagan College. They test alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages for safety and compliance. It’s a huge asset for local producers.

We want to play a role in helping organizations that already exist but may not yet be embracing technology, helping to bridge that gap.

Clay: Last chance—any final thoughts or pitch?

Brea: Just thank you for your support. FH&P Lawyers showing up and sharing your expertise really helps make this whole ecosystem work.

Clay: Thanks, Brea and Russell, for coming out. We’ll see you next time.

From validating your first idea to scaling with confidence, the path to business success is clearer when you’re surrounded by the right support. At FH&P Lawyers, we’re proud to collaborate with Accelerate Okanagan and the region’s startup community to provide practical legal guidance that meets founders where they are.

Join us at an upcoming speaker series event or connect with our team to learn how we’re supporting Okanagan entrepreneurs with trusted legal insight—every step of the way.

Disclaimer: This material is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. Consult with a qualified lawyer for advice on specific legal issues.