Michele Romanow on startup funding
From Entrepreneurship Journey | Clearco · · TechTO
“I remember thinking like why are founders using the most expensive capital in the world to do something that has a fixed return right? I mean equity is extremely expensive you give up a piece of your company and you give up control of your company and you never get it back once you give it away.”
On , Michele Romanow, CEO & Co-Founder at Clearco, spoke about startup funding during Entrepreneurship Journey | Clearco on TechTO.
About Michele Romanow
Michele Romanow appeared on the podcast *Between Two Brunettes* on May 24, 2026, after a full day of filming *Dragons' Den*. She discussed Clearco's mission to make entrepreneurship accessible by automating access to capital using data from digital platforms, noting that the company has grown to face global competitors. Romanow also commented on the venture capital market, stating that fewer exits have occurred because companies stay private longer, and predicted that many software companies will fail. During the interview, Romanow offered several opinions on entrepreneurship. She argued that the common advice "do not quit" is "terrible advice" and that founders need to know when to move on to their next iteration. She described Canada as having "100% tall poppy syndrome," where successful people are torn down rather than celebrated. Romanow also emphasized that a business's repeat customer rate is the most reliable metric, and cautioned that raising more capital can reduce a founder's control over their company's destiny.