When Sharlene Bukurak set out to update her family’s wills, she never imagined the process would spark an idea for a business — or lead her to become a tech founder in Regina, Saskatchewan.
“I was thinking, ‘Oh, we really need to update our wills.’ The last time we did it, my kids were three and one — now they’re 25 and 23,” she said. “That happens to so many people. They don’t think about it until it’s too late.”
That realization led to the creation of Live In Peace Planning — a secure digital platform that helps families store, organize, and access all the critical details their loved ones need when someone passes away. From wills and bank accounts to life insurance, passwords, and final wishes, the platform brings clarity and peace of mind during an emotional and confusing time.
“It’s basically a storage place for everybody to put in all their stuff,” Bukurak explained. “So people aren’t having to figure it out and go try to track down things like where they bank or what their funeral wishes are. It’s all in one place.”
The Challenge of Building Something New
Bukurak’s idea was inspired by personal experience. When her husband became the executor of a relative’s estate, the process turned into what she described as “a nightmare.”
“He had stacks of unopened mail. We were finding out about land he owned with partners who had also passed away,” she recalled. “That’s when it hit me how much easier this could be if everything was stored in one place.”
With a degree in computer science and a background in project management, Bukurak had the technical foundation — but like many first-time founders, she quickly realized how much she didn’t know about protecting and scaling a business. That’s where ElevateIP, powered by North Forge, came in.
ElevateIP: Protecting the Foundation of Innovation
Through ElevateIP, Bukurak received specialized support and funding to trademark her brand in both Canada and the United States — a step that safeguarded the integrity of her company and gave her the confidence to grow.
“To be honest with you, I didn’t even know how important trademarking was,” she said. “If somebody had used our logo before, I wouldn’t have been protected. I would’ve had to redesign everything — even if I was first. Now that we’re trademarked in both countries, I know our identity is secure.”
That knowledge, paired with North Forge’s guidance, shifted how Bukurak viewed her role as a founder.
“For someone just starting out, you don’t even know what you need,” she said. “The people at North Forge were amazing — they walked me through everything, helped me understand what was possible, and connected me with the right experts.”
The ElevateIP program also introduced her to mentors who offered strategic marketing guidance to help bring Live In Peace to a wider audience. While family health challenges slowed her progress temporarily, Bukurak says ElevateIP’s support ensured her momentum didn’t stop.
“Even when life got hectic, they were still there,” she said. “That kind of support — especially for early founders — means everything. It gave me the tools and confidence to pick things back up when I was ready.”
Moving Forward with Peace of Mind
With her intellectual property secured, Bukurak is now focusing on scaling her platform and marketing Live In Peace Planning’s subscription-based service to families across North America.
“Now that my brand is protected, I can actually move forward without fear of having to start over,” she said. “That’s what ElevateIP did for me — it gave me peace of mind that my idea is safe, so I can focus on helping others find the same.”
The journey ahead is about growth — but for Bukurak, it’s also about impact.
“People always ask how entrepreneurs come up with their ideas,” she said. “It usually starts with something that frustrates you — something you want to fix. For me, that frustration turned into a solution that can help people through one of the hardest times in their lives.”
About ElevateIP
Through ElevateIP, North Forge helps Prairie-based startups like Live In Peace Planning identify, protect, and leverage their intellectual property. By supporting early-stage founders with expert guidance and funding for IP protection, the program ensures that innovative ideas are safeguarded — paving the way for sustainable growth and commercialization.
Learn more about how ElevateIP can help your business at northforge.ca/elevateip.
