If youβve ever wished social media felt human again β youβre going to want to bookmark the latest episode of Canada Now.
After two decades of algorithms, outrage, and endless scroll, Jess Glowacki decided to build something different.
Sheβs the founder of EH! β a Canadian social network reimagining how we connect online. No algorithms. No bots. Just real people, local discovery, and a mission-driven approach to bringing community back to digital life.
In our conversation, Jess shares how sheβs flipping the script on modern social platforms by focusing on connection over clicks β and why data privacy, Canadian values, and authentic relationships are at the heart of EH!βs design.
π What We Talk Aboutβ¦
How social media lost its way β and what it takes to fix it
Why EH! keeps your data in Canada (and your feed chronological)
How AI can protect users rather than exploit them
Why mission-first startups might define the next era of tech
The early-user advantage for creators, small businesses, and communities
What it means to build a kinder internet β one city at a time
I donβt want to be a billionaire. I want to do something good in the world and hopefully inspire positive change.
π§ Why This Matters
In a time when social feeds often amplify outrage more than understanding, EH! offers a glimpse of what the internet could feel like again β personal, safe, and community-centered.
For founders, tech enthusiasts, and anyone questioning the status quo, this episode is a reminder that innovation doesnβt always mean more β sometimes it means better.
π§ Tune In To The Full Episode!
π YouTube β
π Apple Podcasts β
π Spotify β
π All Audio Players β
or, listen in browser HERE β
π₯ Episode Chapters
(Jump straight to the parts you care about.)
β° Timestamps
01:00 β Meet Jess Glowacki & the Idea Behind EH!
03:00 β Algorithms vs. Connection: Rethinking Social Media
05:00 β Privacy & Data in Canada: A Different Approach
10:00 β AI for Safety (Not Engagement)
15:00 β Mission-First Business Models & Rethinking Monetization
18:00 β Advice for Founders & Early-Career Builders
24:00 β Product Growth, Partnerships & the Q4 Roadmap
27:00 β Early-User Advantage for Creators & Small Businesses
30:00 β AI, Authenticity & Critical Thinking Online
35:00 β The 24-Month Vision: Building a Kinder Internet
39:00 β Optimism for Canadaβs Digital Future
π Learn more about EH!: https://ehnow.ca
π¬ Follow Canada Now: https://canadanow.beehiiv.com/links
π Final Thought
Social media doesnβt have to divide us β it can reconnect us. When we design for belonging instead of engagement, we rebuild the web the way it was meant to be: human.
β Subscribe to Canada Now for new episodes each week β and help shape Canadaβs next chapter.
π€ About The Guest
Jess Glowacki is the founder and CEO of EH!, a proudly Canadian social-network built to put real people and communities first. After more than 20 years leading engineering and product at companies such as Lululemon and Reddit, Jess came back home to launch a platform that reflects Canadaβs mosaic and protects its culture.
Driven by the belief that the internet should connect rather than broadcast, Jess and her team built EH! with no manipulative algorithms, no bot-spam, and data hosted in Canada. Her mission: bring humans back to βsocial,β help local businesses thrive, and create a meaningful, neighbour-first online experience.
Find her building the future of connection β Canadian style. π¨π¦
About EH! | Find Jess on LinkedIn

Be sure to subscribe on your preferred podcast platform so you donβt miss the episodes to come. And if you like what you hear, sharing the show with a friend goes a long way in helping us grow.
Weβre writing the next chapter in Canada β and it starts now. π
If youβre a fan of Canadian innovation and curated Canadian content, check out some of my other favourite newsletters on Beehiiv! ππ
β Ashley Smith (@ashleysmithnow)

