Canada’s Indigenous small businesses face specific challenges in today's economy. With all businesses preparing their year-end filings, the unique legal and tax implications that Indigenous small businesses encounter make the process even more complex.As we head into the Tax season, we got the opportunity to chat with Tony McGregor. Tony McGregor, CPA, CA, is the Principal at FCR, a Sudbury, Ontario based accounting firm with a long history working with Indigenous business owners. Having been in the practice for 15 years, Tony is the head of the Indigenous Services Group, and through FCR, has supported Indigenous small business navigate the nuances of a complex tax system. In this interview, Tony discussed the positive impacts that digital tools can have on Indigenous small businesses, and how digital tools are revolutionizing support for Indigenous small businesses in Canada.

Google Cloud announced four new and updated AI technologies to help retailers transform their in-store operations and e-commerce experiences.We got the chance to chat with Amy Eschliman, Managing Director of Retail at Google Cloud. Amy is responsible for shaping our Americas Retail solution strategy. Before Google, Amy has extensive experience in retail, focused primarily on e-commerce and customer engagement. Most recently, Amy was at Sephora, where she served as the SVP of Client Engagement and previously as the SVP of E-commerce.In this podcast, Amy discussed the recent announcements and how retailers are using AI and machine learning to advance online and in-store shopping experiences for Canadians. 

Trying to find an IT company that has your best interest in mind isn't too hard to find.On today’s episode of The Small Busniess Podcast  I had the opportunity to sit down with the Founder and CEO of Rievax..  Chad Whittaker.We talked about what it takes to overcome the obstacles as a business owner of an IT company, IT Myths, and dreams outside of the business world. 

For businesses to succeed, having the right marketing and strategy are essential. A strong foundation of both can be key in helping small ventures realize their potential growth objectives.To help understand this better we had a chat with Usman Sheikh, founder and CEO of Web Worx Labs. He started the company over 7 years ago to help his friends while working in the corporate world full time in planning & analytics. He loves helping onboard new clients, setting & aligning on the strategy and ensure all projects and campaigns are set up for success. Before starting Web Worx Labs, he was leading organizations towards high growth with a focus on all things including planning, finance, strategy, branding, marketing & analytics.In this podcast, he shared his thoughts on the importance of marketing and strategy for small businesses, the biggest mistake that small businesses make when it comes to marketing and strategy and how can small businesses create a winning marketing strategy. 

Listen to this timely and invaluable podcast and hear Sai Huda, who helped author Canada's National Cyber Security Standard, reveal how to implement the Standard at your organization quickly and easily, so you can stay safe from cyber threats and be successful digitally. Sai is founder and CEO, CyberCatch and author of the best-selling book, Next Level Cybersecurity, and a frequent keynote speaker. You will walk away with invaluable, practical know-how, it is a must-attend podcast.  

Artificial Intelligence makes it possible for machines to learn from experience, adjust to new inputs and perform human-like tasks: In today’s episode of the Small Business Podcast I had the privilege of speaking with Monish Gandhi the Founder and CEO of Gradient Ascent AI. We discussed all about how SME’s should be incorporating and investing AI into their businesses. When it comes to AI  it isn’t rocket science it’s data science, stay tuned to find out how your small business can consider changing it’s ways to incorporate AI today 

The Internet has revolutionized the way businesses operate. These new technologies, which offer a variety of advantages to businesses, are supplementing traditional media. Due to the vast number of components of digital marketing, it is essential to determine what works best for the business.We chatted with Chloe Beaudoin, co-founder of Apricotton, who along with business partner Jessica Miao, built a TikTok community with over 10 million views and 70,000 followers.In this podcast, Chloe addresses the significance of social media. She placed a strong emphasis on conducting in-depth research on the presence of your targetted audience on the various social media marketing platforms available today. Chloe discusses her experience with Hootsuite and the enormous influence that using the platform had on the expansion of their brand.

When it comes to being an entrepreneur, it’s all about having the right mindset, whether you're in business or sales or starting your own business. The way you drive yourself in your career can change your whole perspective.  I got a chance to sit down with Pouya Haidari, Canadian entrepreneur and sales Professional - In this podcast we talked about Pouya’s journey through entrepreneurship, the ins and outs of a career level mindset, and so much more

While there has been a lot of recent talk about 5G in Canada on the consumer side, businesses have a lot to gain from 5G connectivity. Many SMEs aren't sure of the benefits 5G will bring to them, and how to make the best 5G investments – whether it’s for IoT, retail, manufacturing, mass transit, vehicles, or work-from-home – in order to identify the best path forward.We got the chance to chat with Jason Falovo, Vice President and General Manager, Canada at Cradlepoint. Cradlepoint Announces Availability of Zero Trust Network Access Solution for 5G and Hybrid Networks. Providing organizations with an easier way to identify, assign and manage user-to-application access using a fully integrated ZTNA solution. In this podcast, he discussed his thoughts on 5G in Canada, How can SMEs take advantage of 5G technology, and key advice for small business thinking to upgrade their network speed.

Canada's Indigenous business sector is making a powerful statement in the nation's commercial market, proving that their creative ideas and innovative approach can make an incredible impact.We had a chat with Michaelee Lazore, Founder + Creative Director at Sequoia Proudly Indigenous. Sequoia has come a long way from its humble beginnings in Michaelee's kitchen. When Michaelee first started out, she was also working as an engineer designing roads, sewers and ditches. Her passion for creating beautiful soaps drove her to quit her day job as an engineer. Now Sequoia serves customers all over the world with their indigenous inspired products.In this podcast, she discussed her passion, the most important values for indigenous entrepreneurs to uphold in order to be successful, and how did she find the strength to persevere in the face of adversity. 

The holidays are meant for shopping right? Well in this episode we take a deep dive into consumer trends, Black Friday Sales and Cyber Monday Deals as well as all things retail based for consumers and retailers during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.  I got a chance to sit down with Michelle Zorn, the Industry Account Executive - Retail & Financial Services at S-A-P.  In this new episode of the Small Business Podcast Michelle unpacks the hard hitting truth with retailers and consumers and what holiday spending looks like to the average shopper. We get an in depth look into research and data findings as we explore how inflation plays a big role in the economic marketplace.  

The question is about Supply chain complexity and the necessity for manufacturing industry integration.To dive deeper into this, we had the chance to speak with Dan Lionello, CEO, and co-founder of Omnae Technologies, Inc. An Entrepreneur, speaker, and facilitator with over 30 years of experience in the manufacturing industry.In this podcast, Dan explains the factors that contribute to the expansion of a technology company, with respect to Canadian strategic alliances. Additionally, he insists on the importance of having open and straightforward communication inside the organization and with clients. Dan describes the numerous steps involved in the management of the back end in order to provide a seamless workflow for end users.

Marc Shapiro asserts, "The world has changed, we have to change with it."Who knew that creating films might provide you the chance to be financially secure and develop a community regardless of your profession or culture? Well, TikTok did it!Today, we host Danielle Johnson, the Head of SMB Account Management at TikTok, and Connor Curran, the founder of Local Laundry, to discuss the rise of TikTok and the ways in which it has benefited not just thousands, but millions of SMBs.Danielle is a strategic, collaborative, and solutions-focused advocater. She has spent her career generating results for brands and businesses. In addition, she has prior experience in media planning for large-scale campaigns spanning television, print, digital, content, and web development. Local Laundry's founder and co-founders Connor Curran and Dustin Paisley bring experiences from their respective fields to cement the foundation of Local Laundry. They are on a mission to make clothing better and donate over $1 Million to local charities across Canada by 2030.In this episode, Connor discusses the significance of understanding which platforms resonate best with your brand values. Danielle offers some efficient marketing strategies that can help small businesses engage with clients online and achieve their goals. In addition, they both emphasize posting content consistently and revealing your true, raw personality.

"The human race is developing and adapting at a breakneck speed to the digital era. Access to a limitless amount of content has resulted in the creation of countless jobs, giving birth to various social media marketing firms with brands utilizing social platforms to spread their message.We had a chat with the Team lead of Social Marketing at Hootsuite, Brayden Cohen. Brayden is passionate about collaborative teams that help solve complicated problems by developing innovative ways to bring a brand's narrative to life through social media, content & influencer marketing.In this podcast, Brayden discusses the importance of harnessing social media for SMBs and the need of having defined, quantifiable, realistic, relevant, and timely business goals. In addition, he notes Hootsuite's freshly released instructive blog and trend report, which provides creative and strategic templates for small businesses to get started.

Inclusion and diversity in the marketplace is so important  these days to businesses and brands who work in the Digital Marketing field. It’s time we start the conversation and help bring awareness about Indigenous students fighting to get the same opportunities to advance their skills and knowledge in this new economy. I had the pleasure of speaking with Chris Penner, the Operations manager at Jelly Academy.  In this podcast you will learn all about the six scholarships that the  Business Development Bank Of Canada the BDC announced that they are  sponsoring at Jelly Academy. It’s an in depth look at how this positive change for the economy will empower students and entrepreneurs in their journey in Digital Marketing. For more information please visit: JellyAcademy.ca/PartnershipsWe would like to thank our exclusive banking partner RBC and exclusive shipping partner UPS, and exclusive  account software partner Xero Canada for supporting this initiative. Please do share the podcast and feel free to check out the other episodes, also don’t forget to subscribe to our magazine to stay up to date on all our upcoming events and get the top business insights from industry leaders.

Canadians now have access to Interac and Conscious Economics' joint Mindfulness & Money program- a revolutionary digital learning platform designed to foster financial confidence. This Financial Literacy Month, join the journey of Canadians propelling themselves towards increased fiscal awareness with this one-of-a kind resource!To learn more about this program, we had a chat with Aseel El-Baba from Conscious Economics. Aseel spent a decade working in the Canadian Financial Sector. She grew her career in Financial Planning managing a portfolio of $100M on Bay Street.  Aseel is the CEO of Holistic Optimal Wealth, a practice on a mission to explore and heal people’s relationship with money. She is a member of the Financial Therapy Association and the Canadian Association Of Psychodynamic Therapy. She is a thought leader, public speaker and advocate for holistic wealth.In this podcast, she discussed the details of the program, the top three financial barriers that Canadians face and ways to address these financial barriers. She also shared some important  resources that will help Canadians build their financial confidence.   

In 2018, FINCA Canada launched the Financial Inclusion Project, a five-year partnership with the Government of Canada that aims to increase economic prosperity and eliminate financial inequality in both Haiti and DR Congo. According to this year’s mid-year report, the project has provided 575,000 low-income individuals and entrepreneurs access to financial services, with 363,000 being women, in Haiti and DR Congo.  To get more details on this project we got the chance to chat with Drew Boshell, Executive Director at FINCA Canada. Drew has over 20 years of experience as a senior global development executive delivering high social impact programs including global health, poverty reduction, community development, education, youth development, and environmental initiatives in the U.S., Asia, Africa, Middle East, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.In this podcast Drew discussed, the work being done to help nations like Haiti during these trying times, including how FINCA Canada helps clients navigate the path to financial prosperity, the Financial Inclusion projects help promote financial literacy for women and men in developing countries, and tools and resources FINCA Canada has developed and executed to better the financial picture of men and women in Haiti. 

Canadians are changing their holiday shopping behaviours, with some of the top trending items on this Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Google Canada has revealed new insight into how Canadians buy gifts during major sales periods like these two days before Christmas or New Year's Eve. We got the chance to chat with Swathi Sadagopan, Strategic Insights Lead of Google Canada Retail to share more details about how retailers and shoppers can prepare for this year’s holiday shopping season.In this podcast, Swathi discussed major changes that retailers and shoppers can expect, trends in the industry that retailers and shoppers should be aware of, and the most effective way to appeal to holiday shoppers who are price-conscious. 

Let's face it: as homeowners, we must cope with a multitude of life's challenges. When it comes to the unexpected, there is no greater relief than knowing that a restoration firm is nearby and prepared to meet your requirements.Today we got an opportunity to have on board, the Senior Vice President of First Onsite Property Restoration, none other than Jim Mandeville. In this podcast, Jim shared the importance of planning and evaluation associated with disaster situations. He emphasizes the mindset people must adopt to anticipate and respond to mishaps. 

The recent pandemic has been tough on the business community in Saskatchewan.We recently had a chat with Prabha Ramaswamy, Chief Executive Officer of Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, Prabha merges business and passion as she drives the vision of entrepreneurship in Saskatchewan and beyond. At the helm of SK Chamber of Commerce, Prabha is responsible for the strategic and operations management. Leading an organization of over 500 plus members Prabha builds decisions on business acumen, resourcefulness, and a steadfast vision of what could be. Throughout her leadership and journey as CEO of various organizations, she has led and driven great change for business growth.In this podcast, Prabha discusses, the significant challenges faced by Saskatchewan business community, programs and business development offerings The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce has in place for the growth of Saskatchewan based businesses and the benefits of becoming a member of The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. 

It is true that many small businesses have adopted new technology, however there are still those who could benefit from utilizing digital tools to increase their productivity and profitability.To discuss this, we had a chat with KJ Burke - Principal Technology Strategist Hybrid Cloud at CDW Canada. KJ is an IT leader and change agent for over 20 years. Driven by solving problems for organizations by educating, innovating processes, and investing in new technologies.In this podcast, KJ discussed, the role of technology evolving in the coming years, the best way to get started with using digital technologies, the best way to manage IT security for a small business and the most important aspects of technology that you focus on when expanding your company.

Today due to high internet penetration, a cyberattack is inevitable. The cyber threat defense report submitted by CyberEdge Group discovered that 78% of Canadian organizations experienced at least one cyberattack in the previous 12 months. To dive deeper into learning the ways to operate securely in today's technological environment,We got an opportunity to have on board Tom Kirkham, CEO of IronTech Security, a cyber security expert, and a multiple-award winner.In this podcast, Tom discusses his new book  on the cyber pandemic and places an emphasis on the thought process that people need to adopt in order to anticipate and respond appropriately to cyberattacks.

The digital world has changed drastically over the past few years. Gone are the days where print media and television commercials were enough to get your message across, now we rely heavily on social networks like Twitter or Facebook for customer engagement!We recently had the chat with Twitter Canada’s Head of Marketing, Jen Bairos Hoffer.  Jennifer is passionate about delivering stories for one of the most influential brands in the world. Jennifer leads all marketing strategy, activations and brand communications for Twitter Canada including content strategy for @TwitterCanadaIn this podcast, she shares how entrepreneurs can optimize their Twitter presence, share some business profile tips, insight into careers in Canadian marketing sectors, and her overall experiences as a woman in the technology sector. 

Starting your own business is not easy, but it can be very rewarding. The first step you need to take in order for this process of starting and maintaining a successful company start-up with ease? Choose an idea that excites YOU!We got the chance to chat with Josef Azam. Josef Azam is the CEO and Co-Founder of Design Shopp, a Montreal-based multinational digital marketing agency. Josef is committed to philanthropy, investing in others, and giving back to disadvantaged youth through sharing his experience. He is a role model who dedicates his free time to helping disadvantaged youth develop skills to succeed in life and education. In this podcast, Josef, shared his journey, the challenges he faced and how he overcame them, and above all how he maintains motivation when things get tough. 

During an interview in 1995, Steve Jobs stated, "There's just a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in between a brilliant idea and a wonderful product." This helps to explain why every person under the umbrella of digital marketing is experiencing such a great deal of pressure to provide high-quality content. Well, This episode explores the logical standpoints in the field of content creation by, Ginni Saraswati, the Founder of Ginni media. Ginni discusses the importance of standing out from the crowd and providing the material that is worthy of attracting the attention of your target audience. In addition to this, she discusses the gravity of trust as a component in the development of a devoted community. The discussion revolves around concepts such as discipline, commitment, and patience, as well as their interconnectedness and the ways in which they are of utmost significance throughout the course of this entrepreneurial endeavor.

RBC conducted a survey recently that found three-quarters of young Canadians are more likely to leave their current job for one with better benefits.We got the chance to chat with Julie Gaudry, Head of Group Benefits at RBC Insurance. Julie leads a team with overall responsibility for the product development and strategic direction for RBC Insurance’s Group Benefits business.In this podcast, Julie discussed the key findings of the survey, the latest trends in the job market, how mental health affects the workplace, and the importance for employers to offer benefits packages that are both flexible and customizable.

Join us in celebrating Small Business Month this October with UPS, as we present the UPScale Podcast Series! Where we will be talking to small business owners about what it takes to have a successful and thriving company. We'll also get into some of their secrets for managing UPS as partners along with all these other topics that are key when you're running your own enterprise!For our last episode on this podcast series, we got the chance to chat with the Co-Founder and CEO of Smash + Tess,  Ashley Freeborn. Ashley spent the better part of a decade working as an educator before making the leap to corporate training and culture, where she worked in the finance sector for almost three years. Although she loved it dearly, she still felt the need for a fun and fresh creative outlet — enter Smash + Tess. After finding a void in the loungewear market, she attended the summer fashion program at Conde Nast in London, UK, and the rest is history!Ashley shares her inspiring journey and how she overcame many obstacles to reach where she is today. She tells us about the partnerships that helped make it happen, like UPS for example which really played an important role in helping Ashley succeed. 

Join us in celebrating Small Business Month this October with UPS, as we present the UPScale Podcast Series! Where we will be talking to small business owners about what it takes to have a successful and thriving company. We'll also get into some of their secrets for managing UPS as partners along with all these other topics that are key when you're running your own enterprise!For our third episode, we got the chance to chat with Jennylyn Pringle, Founder of Fusion Mineral Paint. Fusion Mineral Paint is a collection of specialty, eco-friendly paints. Jennylyn’s philosophy here is that anyone can paint it beautiful, so she developed a product that made upcycling as easy as could be. Open the container of Fusion, and paint! No top coat required, seriously! Zero VOC, over 50 colors in the range, including metallics and a whole host of other decorative finishes.Throughout her career, she has grown more passionate about giving back to the design community by mentoring the next generation of industry leaders.As one of the entrepreneurs who has successfully started a business and grown it to profitability, Jennylyn knows what it takes for an initial idea or concept in your mind not only become tangible but also something that can sustain itself over time. In this podcast she share s her journey as well as inspiration behind starting up while going through some challenges along the way-however these did not deter from how determined she actually is! And with partnerships like UPS helping out when needed most by providing high quality services at affordable prices.

When we think of high-growth, investment, and equity capital, we often think of young business owners. Today, however, we will learn about a mindset focused on establishing a business at a later age.This episode explores the reasoned perspective of Patrick Whalen, founder and CEO of Extension Marketing.Patrick shares his thoughts on starting a business later in life in this podcast. In addition, he discusses the significance of mental health and how drastically the passage of time has affected traditional marketing practices.

Join us in celebrating Small Business Month this October with UPS, as we present the UPScale Podcast Series! Where we will be talking to small business owners about what it takes to have a successful and thriving company. We'll also get into some of their secrets for managing UPS as partners along with all these other topics that are key when you're running your own enterprise!For second episode, we got the chance to chat with Ilana Ben-Ari, Founder of Twenty One Toys. Ilana Ben-Ari is a multiple-award-winning design entrepreneur, TEDx Speaker, Ariane de Rothschild Fellow, and Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 Female Founders of 2020. She has been working at the intersection of design and social innovation for over a decade. Her company Twenty One Toys has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Bloomberg, and her invention, The Empathy Toy, was praised by TIME magazine as a “technology that is reshaping the future”. In this podcast, Ilana shares her journey and inspiration to start a business while also sharing how she resolved the challenges during this time. She goes on explaining why partnering with brands like UPS are so important for any entrepreneur's success story as they helped Ilana resolve some of those obstacles in order to reach where she is today.

Join us in celebrating Small Business Month this October with UPS, as we present the UPScale Podcast Series! Where we will be talking to small business owners about what it takes to have a successful and thriving company. We'll also get into some of their secrets for managing UPS as partners along with all these other topics that are key when you're running your own enterprise!For our first episode, we got the chance to chat with Nita Tandon, founder of DALCINI™ Stainless. DALCINI™ Stainless was launched in 2015 and are the award-winning maker of Safe, Simple and Sustainable housewares.What started as a personal search for better food containers for her home became a mission to educate families on the threats of microplastics and hormone-disrupting chemicals on our bodies, the environment, and our communities. Out of this, Dalcini Stainless was born.We’ll hear more from Nita herself as in this podcast, she shares her journey and inspiration to start her business while also sharing how she resolved the challenges she faced during her journey. Nita also explains the importance of partnering with brands like UPS to upscale and support your business and how UPS helped her in her entrepreneurial journey.

Business owners have many responsibilities, and one of the most important is to provide for their families in case something happens. In this podcast, we will explore how life insurance helps business owners do just that!We got the chance to chat with Chantal Mackenzie, Regional Vice President of Canada Protection Plan. Where Chantal focuses on transforming and coaching advisors and general managing agencies with their business growth plans. With an impressive record of success in developing winning growth strategies and building effective teams, Chantal has set strategic direction for brokers and distributors through Canada Protection Plan's product solutions and tools.In this podcast, Chantal discusses the importance of life insurance for business owners, the most important factors business owners should consider when purchasing life insurance, and she also shares some tips for small business owners when it comes to protecting your business.

Best Buy Business has some exciting programs in place geared to help the Small Business community directly. We had the opportunity to chat with Greig Pothan, National Sales Leader and Glen Hubert a Small Business Consultant both with Best Buy Canada to discuss the full capabilities BBB has in place to help small Businesses from procurement to installation to maintenance and refresh of the units they need. In this podcast, they both described their roles within Best Buy Canada and the services offered by the BBB to small businesses. They also provided their guidance and advice to businesses considering joining their programs.

The modern distributed workforce paradigm demands a different type of technology that is flexible and fast to adapt. We got the chance to sit and chat with Derek Froese, IT Consultant and President of Koala Technology Ltd., who has a passion for entrepreneurship, and has helped a number of people start businesses. Derek is excited to be working with federal grants to help digitize small businesses, analyzing businesses top-to-bottom to find the most effective places technology can improve their costs, revenues, efficiency, and empowerment to make informed decisions.In this podcast, Derek discusses digital adoption and why it’s important for your business. How technology needs to change to adapt to the modern distributed workforce paradigm, and bootstrapping a new business with low-cost technology.

SMEs are under pressure to keep up with the latest technology trends in order to remain competitive. However, many small businesses lack the resources and expertise to evaluate and implement new technologies properly. As a result, tech adoption remains a top concern for SMEs.We had an exclusive chat with Mike Vrionis, National Manager, DX Initiatives for Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada) Ltd. Mike’s been working in the technology sector for over a decade. He has worked for Advance Business Systems, Toshiba Business Solutions, Xerox Canada, TAB, and Konica Minolta Business Solutions Canada. He is currently managing solutions, solutions implementations, managed print services, franchise operations, major global accounts, wide format and label divisions, and inside sales. He will be building their first business development team in the coming months. In this podcast, Mike described what digital transformation really is, the pandemic impact on business, why change is required, the importance of access to information, and picking the right navigator for your DX journey.

"Corporate freedom is recognizing the reality that you are also a steward of every aspect of your existence," In actuality, though, work-life balance is what sustains a company's overall growth.This episode explores the out-of-the-box perspective of Jim Frawley, Founder, CEO, and Executive Coach of Bellwether Hub.In this podcast, Jim shares his thoughts on understanding a business type, focusing on people development, re-evaluating the purpose of recruiting personnel, and whether they should be compensated based on value or duration.

October is Small Business Week! The perfect time to show your support and celebrate all of those small businesses across Canada. To honour the week, the Society of Professional Accountants of Canada will celebrate women's entrepreneurial spirit during this year’s Small Business Week Celebration in October 2022. In October, at a prestigious event organized by RPA Canada, accomplished women entrepreneurs will be chosen to receive the RPA Women Entrepreneurship Award.To learn more about the event, we had the President of RPA Canada, Zubair Choudhry, join us. RPA Canada (Registered Professional Accountants) members work closely with small and medium businesses in supporting their needs to create and implement professional and effective standards in their accounting and related activities.In this podcast, Mr. Choudhry explains the purpose, nomination process, and important steps towards becoming an award-winning entrepreneur of the awards.

It is important for SMEs to understand their legal responsibilities under OHSA laws to protect workers and have a formal Occupational Health and Safety Program in place. Workplace safety should be taken seriously to avoid potential accidents or injuries. Having a program in place will allow for a more proactive approach to health and safety concerns.We had a chat with William R. Matetich, President of WRM Safety Solutions Consulting, Inc. For over 13 years now, WRM Safety Solutions Consulting Inc. has been providing small and medium-sized businesses across Canada that special partnership of “with you every step of the way” specializing in Occupational Health & Safety Prevention and Systems Management. We also offer over 300 cost-effective online training courses across Canada in health and safety, human resources, environmental, wellness, home healthcare, long-term care, COVID and technology courses. To date, they have successfully trained many thousands of employees on our online training platform. In this podcast, William discusses how they work with SMEs, their Occupational Health and Safety Management System and its cost-effective benefits for SMEs, and how to access their 300 online training courses in various industries.

Export Development Canada (EDC) and Startup Canada have announced a multi-year partnership to help the country's budding business owners develop an international outlook from the outset. To dive deeper into the benefits of this tie-up,We had an opportunity to chat with the person in charge of business operations at Startup Canada, Kayla Isabelle.Kayla discussed the recent partnership between Startup Canada and EDC Canada in this podcast, as well as its emphasis on providing aspiring exporters and the SME community with well-resourced programs, global expansion, and advice for building resilient businesses.Startup Canada and EDC are here for small business owners and early-stage entrepreneurs to support building the global business of their dreams. Discover all of Startup Canada’s entrepreneur support programs and get plugged into the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem.Visit: https://www.startupcan.ca/

IKEA is expanding its support for the country's small businesses with the launch of IKEA Business Network, a free loyalty program designed with small businesses in mind. Members can enjoy access to exclusive benefits, like member-only discounts, quick-fix design tips, online learning with IKEA, and more. The loyalty program is the latest addition to the planning services and support that IKEA Canada already offers to Canadian businesses.We got the chance to connect with De'ana Torresan, Loyalty Leader for IKEA Canada and someone who brought this new program to life. De'ana is responsible for the strategy and performance of IKEA Canada's loyalty programs, including IKEA Family and the recently launched IKEA Business Network. Both programs are free to join and offer member rewards, discounts, and exclusives. De'ana is an accomplished loyalty marketer who brings more than a decade of experience working on the strategy, design, and implementation of loyalty and customer engagement programs for Canadian companies to the IKEA Marketing team.In this podcast, De’ana shared the features and benefits of this network program and discussed the future of IKEA and its relationship with small businesses.

The most recent Workplace Insight Survey investigated job satisfaction among Canadian workers. According to research, the majority of employees leave a company due to aggravation and continual friction with their supervisors or other team members.To learn more about this workplace trend, we chatted with Ed Yuen, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at ADP Canada. He leads business strategy, collaboration, and key strategic projects. In this podcast, Ed discussed the recent ADP Canada survey that explored job satisfaction among Canadian employees and factors that boost workforce preservation. He also explained how important it is for employers to move from “The Greatest Resonation” to “The Greatest Recognition.”We thank our exclusive banking partner, RBC, and shipping partner UPS for supporting this initiative. Please do share the podcast, and feel free to check out the other episodes. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to CanadianSME Small Business Magazine to stay up to date on all our upcoming events and get the top business insights from industry leaders.

CDW Canada’s 2021 Security Study found that the average number of attacks per Canadian organization has decreased significantly compared with 2020, while the cost of attacks has increased. The study results show an average of 419 attacks per organization per year, down from 514 in 2020, but the amount spent by Canadian organizations addressing cyberattacks rose yearly.We were joined by Noor Bains, Principal Field Solutions Architect at CDW Canada. Noor is passionate about helping organizations improve their Security Posture and programs. Noor's background ranges from working in different environments such as Security Operations Center (SOC), Security Advisor (Risk and Compliance), Leading Implementation Projects as a Professional Services Engineer, and Leading Technical Sales discussions as a Security Solutions Architect.In this podcast, Noor discussed the current state of cybersecurity for small businesses in Canada, the misconceptions that small businesses have about cyberattacks, and the most important aspect of developing a security plan for a business.

To support youth, Express Innovation Agency has been working hard to encourage young people and promote them to start their own companies in Hungary.We got the chance to chat with Krisztián Kölkedi, the Deputy CEO of the Express Innovation Agency. His field of expertise is youth innovation and startup ecosystem development. Following his studies, he founded several domestic startups, then started to work with newly founded businesses, developing their competencies and cooperation capabilities through training and mentoring. He has worked as a Youth Strategy Advisor for several corporate leaders in recent years. The main interests within his own field are youth innovation, leaders' personal development counseling, motivation and goal orientation, failure management, and conflict management. In this podcast, Krisztian shared his thoughts on the professional programs, value, knowledge, and network opportunities provided by Express Innovation Agency and the resources available to Canadian-based Hungarian startups and small businesses in Canada for their growth and development.

Cyber threats are growing faster than existing cybersecurity teams can handle. Attacks can cost businesses thousands, or even millions, of dollars in lost revenue, ransomware payments, and damage to their reputation. We had the chance to chat with the cybersecurity expert, Michael Castro, founder of the Canadian-based cybersecurity firm, RiskAware, who has led cyber security teams at some of Canada’s largest companies, including Loblaw and Canadian Tire, and currently provides Board of Director Security Consulting and virtual CISO services to a variety of organizations. He is a recognized thought leader in cybersecurity and is well regarded as a professional speaker and author specializing in cybersecurity education as it relates to the entire organization, from its systems to its employees.In this podcast, Michael provides our listeners with executive-level recommendations on protecting themselves and their businesses from cyberattacks.

People are always searching for ways to heal and grow, but sometimes they need an outlet that can offer them more than just emotional support. Adrianne Fekete’s passion for helping others heal and grow led to her certification by Tony Robbins as a Results Life Coach®.For over two decades, Adrianne has served as a certified Results Life Coach to thousands of individuals as they navigated through life-testing, difficult moments. Her expertise continues to evolve, in part, because of her amazing clients, who allow her the honour of guiding them on their personal path of healing.In this podcast, Adrianne discussed her top strategy for success, what the word "empowerment" means to her. and how coaching with her works.

Small businesses that want to work from home can find it challenging since they might not have enough customers or resources. While some offices are reopening, many employees still prefer to work from home for at least some time. The good news is there are ways around this!We chatted with Rob Silver, Regional Sales Manager for Lenovo Canada’s SMB business in Eastern Canada, and Brian Mignault, General Manager for Lenovo’s North American Smart Collaboration and Vertical Solutions business. With the ever-growing competition in today's business world, small businesses need all of their employees to work together, regardless if they are located near or far. These two executives from Lenovo discuss how work-from-home solutions can help your company grow by giving you more time for yourself and those who depend on it most - without sacrificing quality production!In this podcast, Shoaib Naqvi also made an appearance to highlight how a trusted partner like CDW can help to analyze your environment, identify your needs, and even help you install the new technology. They partner with leading brands, such as Lenovo to provide the right solutions for your hybrid workforce.

Many organizations are working hard to develop partnerships with Indigenous communities. These endeavours help make sure that the services offered will be culturally sensitive, which is critical for those who want their experience of care and treatment within these facilities or programs not just to reflect them but also to provide representation from all walks of life in one place at any given time!I am joined by Steven Vanloffeld. Steven is an Anishinaabe from Saugeen First Nation, ON, and has over a decade of experience in Indigenous/government/community relations. He is the Founder and CEO of esupply Canada Ltd., a leading distributor of office, janitorial, and industrial supplies; and he is also the owner and principal consultant of INDsight Consulting, a research and evaluation company.In this podcast, Steven shared his opinion on the development of engagement and collaboration with Indigenous communities and discussed strategies that need to be developed further in order to better work with/talk to Indigenous communities.

What does the future look like for jobs and how can small businesses gain access to innovation and top talent, especially during a time of economic hardship? These questions keep on coming up as new technology evolves at an increasing rate.We got the opportunity to chat with Dana Stephenson, the Co-Founder and CEO of Riipen, a future of work platform specializing in scaling access to collaboration opportunities for students and employers of all backgrounds and sizes. Riipen recently announced an expanded mandate around their Level UP program, which connects Canadian small businesses directly to student talent from higher education institutions across the country for 80-hour remote internships projects, at no cost to the employer.Recently awarded BC Business Top 30 Under 30, Dana's entrepreneurial journey started when he set out on a mission to end underemployment by ensuring that every learner has access to authentic experiential learning opportunities to better support their transition into the workforce upon graduation.In this podcast, Dana explained the Level UP program and how the Riipen platform works, helping businesses fund their remote internship opportunities and accelerate growth with student talent. He also shared his advice to aspiring business owners. For more details about the Level UP program, visit; https://www.riipen.com/levelup