Chris McLellan is Principal at Friends Electric, a GTM consultancy focused on marketing knowledge bases, AI optimization (AIO), event marketing, content engines, marketing agents, and custom-built lead magnets. In 2016, he founded AskAI.org, a nonprofit dedicated to showcasing Canadian AI innovation and helping professionals navigate AI in the workplace through interviews, short videos, and free guides. A multi-time founding marketer at startups backed by Sequoia, Union Square Ventures, and Sir Richard Branson, Chris volunteers at the Digital Governance Council of Canada as co-author and Technical Committee Lead for the Data Collaboration Framework, a Canadian and international AI and digital innovation standard, and serves on the national AI Committee at the Canadian Marketing Association. FULL VERSION Chris McLellan has spent 15 years helping startups and scaleups grow, delivering 50+ launch campaigns for companies backed by Sequoia Capital, Union Square Ventures, and Sir Richard Branson. He founded Friends Electric on a simple conviction: AI chatbots and agents are fundamentally rewiring the buyer journey, and the businesses that thrive will be the ones that approach go-to-market differently. The consultancy helps startups and small to mid-sized businesses do exactly that, building the marketing systems, content engines, and AI optimization strategies that make them visible and competitive in the new landscape. He saw AI coming relatively early. In 2016 he founded Ask AI, a Canadian nonprofit dedicated to artificial intelligence and the future of work, building one of the country's earliest communities around the topic before it was mainstream. He is a co-author and Technical Committee Lead of the Data Collaboration Framework, an open standard published by Canada's Digital Governance Standards Institute and the International Standards Organization. He also serves on the national AI Committee at the Canadian Marketing Association. Chris holds the Certified Chartered Marketer designation and has deep roots in demand generation across enterprise SaaS and consumer marketplaces. He specializes in AI optimization, marketing knowledge bases, content engines, and growth apps. On many weekends you will find him with hands in the dirt at Plum Hollow Farms, a regenerative agriculture project in Eastern Ontario.

Deep Marketing Experience

I earned my stripes as the founding marketer at cutting-edge B2B and B2B tech companies backed by some of the best VCs in the world, including Sequoia, Accel, and USV, most recently serving 6 years at a multi-award-winning enterprise data management startup. This hard-won experience is the foundation I bring to

AI-enabled marketing services today.

Marketing Strategy

As a first marketing hire in high-growth startups, I’ve built end-to-end marketing plans fully-aligned with core business objectives.

Product Marketing & GTM

I’ve delivered 50+ cross-team campaigns spanning brand launches, product launches, and market expansions.

Demand Gen Programs

I’ve driven market awareness and category growth through content, PR, and thought leadership programs.

Demand Capture Programs

I've designed campaigns, growth programs, and referral loops that turn demand into qualified leads and revenue.

Credentials & Roles

Chris McLellan is a Certified Chartered Marketer

Career Snapshot

Cinchy - Marketing Director

Founding marketer at pioneering startup building Data Collaboration Platform for the enterprise. Lead product marketing and category development. Backed by Mars Ventures and Techstars.

Ask AI Podcast - Founder / Head of Content

Founded Ask AI nonprofit in 2017 to showcase innovation and support everyday professionals as they navigate increased AI adoption. I continue to volunteer as content producer.

Lyft - Canada Launch Manager (Contract)

Launch marketer (contract) responsible for all driver recruitment, passenger recruitment, and key partnerships for Toronto/GTA launch of the major rideshare service.

VarageSale - Head of Launch Marketing

Founding marketer at B2C mobile marketplace. Delivered 25+ community launches and managed team of 8. Backed by Sequoia, Lightspeed, and Real Ventures.

Hailo - Head of Marketing

Founding marketer responsible for flagship launch (London, UK) plus 8 major city launches in North America. Backed by Sir Richard Branson and Accel Partners.

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Sample Work Portfolio

I approach AI marketing from a foundation of hard-earned skills gained by launching cutting-edge companies across 3 continents. Best viewed on desktop👍

Chris McLellan, growth and AI marketing portfolio

Chris Mclellan is the Pricipal at Friends Electric, the AI marketing consultancy

Tim Houghton

Operations Director, OpenDoor

"Chris is a forward thinker who builds genuine relationships and creates opportunities for growth."

[I reported to Tim, the Country Manager, while spearheading the Canadian market launch of Lyft, the SF-based rideshare operator and Uber rival]

Andrew Sider

EVP Global Festivals, Ticketmaster

“Chris connects big picture strategy with hands-on execution in a data driven environment."

[I reported to Andrew, the CEO, while heading the Launch Marketing team at VaragSale, the secondhand marketplace backed by Sequoia and Accel Partners]

Dan Demers

Data & AI Pioneer

“Chris brings a whatever it takes mindset, adapting quickly and driving success through any challenge.”

[I reported to Dan, the CEO, while employed as founding marketer and subsequently Product Marketing Manager at Cinchy, the enterprise Data Collaboration Platform]

Tammy Exner

Sr. Product Marketing, Acumatica

"Chris is passionate about tech and the responsible application of it, and has many great ideas on how to leverage quality content, AR, and PR for brand building and community engagement."

[Tammy and I were colleagues while I was Marketing Director at Cinchy, the pioneering Data Collaboration Platform for the enterprise]

Celina Zamora

Sr. Community Mngr, ServiceNow

"I can attribute my overall confidence in being able to tackle various marketing tactics and solutions to Chris. He really valued our team and was genuinely interested in our personal success."

[I managed Celina while heading up the Launch Marketing team at VaragSale, the Toronto-based secondhand marketplace backed by Sequoia and Accel Partners]

Rachel Lemkow

Marketing Director, Honk

"Chris ensured all team members were fully equipped to succeed, provided guidance when necessary, but otherwise let his team run with their own projects. He's data and metrics driven and instilled the same mentality in the team."

[I managed Rachel while heading up the Launch Marketing team at VaragSale, the Toronto-based secondhand marketplace backed by Sequoia and Accel Partners]

Bobby Hennessy

Head of ads, Pinterest Canada

"Chris dreams big. He looks for large scale opportunities and turns them into bite-size tasks and does an excellent job being hands-on and getting his team excited about executing."

[Bobby and I were colleagues while I was heading up Launch Marketing at VaragSale, the Toronto-based secondhand marketplace backed by Sequoia and Accel]

Yousef Reyyes

Director Growth Marketing, Clutch

"I got the privilege of seeing Chris take the City Launch team from an ambitious idea to a fast-moving, data-driven marketing and business development SWAT team."

[I managed Yousef while heading up the Launch Marketing team at VaragSale, the Toronto-based secondhand marketplace backed by Sequoia and Accel Partners]

David Scharbach

Founder, Toronto Machine Learning Society

"Chris is an invaluable leader in the Canadian AI ecosystem working tirelessly to represent Canadian research and innovation in the various fields of AI. "

[I collaborated with Dave while volunteering as Founder at the Ask AI nonprofit which has been actively producing content since 2017}