GrantMatch is the leading expert in securing government grant and incentive funding, working with organizations from the food processing industry to the aerospace industry, and everything in between. RBC has established an exclusive partnership with GrantMatch to help RBC clients uncover government funding opportunities that they may be missing. We recently got the chance to chat with Dieter Eisbrenner, President of GrantMatch North America. Dieter is leading the Business Beyond Banking partnership with RBC, creating the right space for the commercial account managers to offer Grant Management Solutions to their key clients. Dieter is a results-driven executive with over 25 years of experience in government funding, including tax credits and government grants and incentives. Dieter’s skill set spans all operational areas with a core focus on maximizing the clients' government incentives strategy nationally across a variety of programs. In this podcast, Dieter explained the role of the GrantMatch company in the small business community, RBC's new partnership with GrantMatch and how is it going to impact the grant-seeking community. He also shared the eligibility requirements and different ways to avoid the common mistakes people make when applying for grants.

With Diversity & Inclusion as core values, Futurpreneur supports young Canadian entrepreneurs from all backgrounds, helping them launch and grow successful businesses. They launched this tailored version of their core Startup Program specifically to help address some of the barriers to success faced by many aspiring Black entrepreneurs face. This program is funded by RBC, with additional loan financing from BDC.We recently got the chance to sit with Mona-Lisa the Director of futurpreneur's Black Entrepreneur Startup Program. A lawyer by trade, she also gained experience in entrepreneurship, human resources and economic development through her diverse career. She is very involved in her community, she is the President of the Women’s Young Chamber of Commerce of Québec and sits on multiple other boards. A proud ambassador of the importance of inclusive governance, she is also involved with different organizations promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.In this podcast, she discussed the inspiration behind the launch of this program, and how has the program helped black entrepreneurs in Canada start and grow their businesses, she also shared some of the other exciting initiatives Futurpreneur has launched in support of Black entrepreneurs.

During a time of rapid digital transformation brought on by the pandemic, Xero recently established its new product and tech hub in Toronto and has been working to support small and medium businesses with its intuitive cloud accounting solutions. We recently got the chance to chat with Anna Curzon, As the Chief Product Officer at Xero, Anna Curzon leads a global product team across product development, design, management and marketing to make a macro impact on the lives of small business owners and their advisors around the globe. Driven by the power and potential of technology to solve real-world problems, Anna leverages more than 20 years of experience in finance and technology to deliver strategies that enable a more inclusive and resilient economy through digital technology. Before becoming a member of the APEC Business Advisory Council for New Zealand, Anna served on the Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Council from 2018 to 2020. In 2017, Anna was named among the Top 25 Women Leaders in SaaS by the global SaaS Report.In this podcast, Anna discussed the distributed future of work, the Benefits of Open Banking and Xero experience, more opportunities to increase diversity and how it benefits the business and why our educational systems will have to adapt to the pace of technological change.

You'll never be able to find true fulfillment without taking the time and effort needed for self-reflection. The journey you take from where your life is now, all of those experiences accumulated throughout it - these will help guide what path or direction might lead towards a more fulfilling future!We recently chatted with Roula Badis, Founder, of Roula Badis Coaching. As a life and business coach in Montreal, she believes that we all have the power to tap into the greatness within ourselves and that each one of us has the right to happiness and fulfillment in all areas of life. Her guiding principle is that a burning desire for self-transformation and an active commitment are the keys to living the new reality you’re seeking.In this podcast, Roula shared her success story from being a person who didn't believe in themselves to becoming a successful life and business coach, the services they offer and what is the process of working with her. She also added personal tips or tricks that have helped her in her journey as a woman entrepreneur.For more information about how she can help you tap into your greatest fulfillment, visit https://roulabadis.com

Canadian businesses have a wealth of international growth opportunities available to them. The country itself offers an extensive market with growing populations across its borders. There are several different ways to enter these markets without having any direct competitors in other countries - this makes it easier than ever before for small companies like yours! To talk about international growth opportunities for Canadian companies, we had the chance to chat with Michele Romanow, Serial Entrepreneur, Co-Founder & CEO of Clearco, Dragon on Dragons' Den. Michele is a serial entrepreneur who started six companies before her 35th birthday. She previously co-founded SnapSaves, which American tech giant Groupon acquired. She also co-founded Buytopia.ca, which acquired ten competitors and is now Emerge Commerce. In 2015, Michele became the youngest Dragon on Dragons' Den. A prolific investor, Michele has been named Fortune's 40 under 40, a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, one of Canada's Most Powerful Women and Canada's Angel Investor of the Year. In this podcast, Michele discussed her partnership with google for the first-ever Think Global International Growth event, the key strategies for succeeding in foreign markets, the tools and insights that helped her scale Clearco internationally, and shared her advice for entrepreneurs who are looking to expand their business into new markets.

Startups have a good chance of using cloud technologies. For smaller startups, hosting their data and applications in the cloud can be an affordable option that grows with your business as needed - it's not just for large enterprises anymoreWe had the opportunity to chat with, Jason Allan, the Cloud Practice Lead for CDW Canada who has been working in the IT industry for the last 25+ years, working around the world and in many different industries, helping businesses discover what it means to leverage the right technology to meet their business goals and ensure great technology service experiences for their customers. Jason specializes in leading innovative Information Technology engagements, based on years of experience designing & building world-class, public and private cloud solutions, with a keen focus on application modernization & data protection. In this podcast, Jason discussed what works and more importantly doesn’t work when designing and building technology outcomes and shared this unique experience and knowledge with regard to cloud technology for SMEs.

The world of entrepreneurship is a tough one, but it doesn't have to hold you back. If starting your own business has been on the agenda for some time now and there's only one problem - that being how difficult things can be in an industry traditionally dominated by men- then this interview will provide all relevant information needed regarding what needs doing next! we chatted with Adrianne Fekete. Adrianne is one of the first women to venture into running fully licensed, private investigations and security businesses in Canada. She is, certainly, the lady with the longest tenure in the role to date. She has led her agency to success repeatedly as a straight-talking, transparent and compassionate leader committed to ensuring safety and uncovering compelling evidence that reflects the truth. In this podcast, she discussed the challenges she faced being a woman starting up in what is assumed here to be an industry with pretty much only men working, and what she did to overcome them and she also shared some of the ways that she’s had to adapt over the years to stay successful in her field.

eCommerce trends in Canada have been on the rise for years and it's not slowing down any time soon. The recent pandemic is only going to make things more popular, with consumers turning away from brick-and-mortar stores at an alarming rate. We got a chance to chat with Anne De Aragon the Vice President and Country Manager for GoDaddy Canada, the company that empowers everyday entrepreneurs. In this role, she is responsible for all GoDaddy operations in Canada, leading the charge on business strategy and growth in Canada. Anne De Aragon joined GoDaddy in 2015 bringing her expertise in the small business and entrepreneurial landscape in Canada to the team. In this podcast, Anne discussed the 2022 eCommerce trends in Canada for SMBs, the Increase in online sales throughout the pandemic (how consumers want to shop now) and what solutions GoDaddy offers to SMBs.

Indigenous peoples can increase their ability to access funds for investment purposes, especially when it comes to owning businesses, starting new businesses, or producing art. But the question is how?We recently got a chance to chat with Susan Anzolin, Special Advisor, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Office of the President, at the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. As the Director-General, Susan worked with businesses across southern Ontario to be more innovative, and productive and to help scale-up efforts; support community development and diversification; support companies impacted by COVID-19 through the delivery of the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund. Susan was also responsible for all of the programming delivered by the Agency to support inclusive growth, including the Women’s Entrepreneurship Strategy; the Black Entrepreneurship Program; and the Economic Development Initiative.In this podcast, Susan shared the knowledge of some programs and business development offerings Feddev has in place for the growth of indigenous-owned businesses and how these create opportunities for economic security and financial resilience for Indigenous Peoples. She also shared her advice for Indigenous entrepreneurs moving forward.

The key to success for any business is being able to find a good strategy and perfect it. The right pivot will greatly improve your chances of becoming successful, as long as you know what needs improving on the old way of doing things before making changes with this new direction in mind. We recently had a chat with Kyle Kotack, the President of Skylar Media Group, a powerhouse integrated digital agency, Kyle leads a team of over 25 to build strategic plans and creative branding for forward-thinking clients. In 2001, Kyle joined his father’s print business while still in university, to assist with Skylar’s rapid expansion. After working under his father’s mentorship and guidance for 10 years, Kyle took on a leadership role in the business. After the recession of 2009 through till 2012, Kyle took the instrumental risk to pivot the business away from print which began Skylar’s evolution. Through multiple pivots, Skylar ultimately has become a full solution digital agency that is dynamic by design, ideal for our rapidly changing world. In this podcast, he discussed, How the landscape for SMEs will change in the next few years and what are the signs that it might be time for a business to pivot. He also discussed the challenges and strategies that should be avoided during a pivot.To learn more about Skylar Media Group, visit; https://www.skylarmedia.ca/

Marketing strategies are constantly evolving to stay relevant in this ever-changing world of technology. One way that small and medium-sized businesses can ensure they remain competitive is by implementing a digital-first marketing plan into their business model, which will allow them the ability not only to target potential customers but also build trust among existing ones with personalized content tailored specifically for each individual's needsTo learn how we got the opportunity to chat with Eric Fletcher, Eric Fletcher was appointed the VP of Marketing at Ricoh Canada in 2012. Since then, he oversees the Ricoh brand and manages services and product portfolio marketing teams, marketing communications, demand generation, public relations and corporate social responsibility initiatives. As part of the Executive Management Team, Eric works with leadership to strategically align Ricoh’s transformation to a digital services-led organization.In this podcast, Eric discussed the importance of having a digital-first marketing strategy for SMBs, where should an SMBs start from, and how can Ricoh help SMBs make the most impact with their digital marketing efforts.To learn more about Ricoh Canada, visit: www.ricoh.ca

While Canada has a rich tradition of entrepreneurship, it is home to an ever-growing number of obstacles for founders. In this interview, we will discuss some common legal hurdles faced by entrepreneurs in Canada and what you can do about themWe had the opportunity to speak with Brett Colvin, Co-founder & CEO of Goodlawyer. Brett has overseen Goodlawyer’s growth from inception to a 25+ person team. Brett was a corporate lawyer for 4+ years, and he experienced firsthand that most business owners can't afford the legal help they need. So, he quit the big firm, teamed up with a developer and a designer, and got to work on building something better.In this podcast, Brett discusses the legal hurdles faced by founders and SMEs in Canada today, why are these legal hurdles so difficult for them to overcome he also emphasized the importance of access to legal services for SMEs and founders, what are some of the ways that Goodlawyer helps founders succeed. To learn more about Goodlawyer visit goodlawyer.ca

The world of finance is one that's often considered to be largely anonymous, but it shouldn't have been like this. The financial industry has had more than its fair share in terms of scandals and problems thanks largely due to RPA who were able to provide assistance during times when few others could or would go.We got the opportunity to speak to Mr. Zubair Choudhry, CMA (Australia), RPA, APACertified Accounting Practitioner. Zubair is a visionary, a thinker, an entrepreneur and a motivator. He has been involved in many national, international and professional organizations in Canada. In 2019, he was elected as President of The Society of Professional Accountants of Canada when he pledged that he is going to reform and improve the RPA designation, one of the oldest accounting designations in Canada that will give the choice and hope to future accountants in Canada and around the world to succeed and shine as a most respectable profession in the world.In this podcast, he highlights the RPA designation to future accountants who are ready to assist the business leaders in making an important business decision with a cognitive approach and who are trained in applying new technologies using data analytics that will accelerate the business growth and profitability in post-covid-19 economic recovery. To learn more about The Society of Professional Accountants of Canada, please visit www.rpacanada.org

It is a time for celebration and we should take this opportunity to reflect on how much has changed since the first women’s day back in International Women's Day events have grown from humble beginnings into an international movement that spans every continent. The goals set out by such celebrations as achieving equal rights or just basic dignity can now be seen everywhere - even if they're not fully implemented yet, these advances are still significant steps forward! In today’s women's day special, we chatted with Adrianne Fekete. Adrianne is one of the first women to venture into running fully licensed, private investigations and security businesses in Canada. She is, certainly, the lady with the longest tenure in the role to date. She has led her agency to success repeatedly as a straight-talking, transparent and compassionate leader committed to ensuring safety and uncovering compelling evidence that reflects the truth. In this podcast, Adrianne discussed the obstacles female entrepreneurs face when growing up, the challenges that she faces as a CEO of a business and how the landscape for female entrepreneurs is changing.

With the pandemic still looming, small businesses are struggling to keep their heads above water. One theme that emerged as we observed this struggle is a lack of proper IT resources and while many admit they have faced at least one challenge since its onset 32% say it's not really been on their priority list with regards to how much investment there has actually been in terms for improving technology across departments or sites.We recently had a chat with the CDW team where Mike Grayston, Shoaib Naqvi and Dave Steinberg shed light on Why IT is more important than ever for small businesses. CDW’s robust team of small business experts helps you learn how to migrate, manage, and improve your overall IT infrastructure. CDW offers a lot of benefits to small businesses. In this podcast, they discussed the factors that contribute to small businesses' lack of IT resources, the role of technology in facilitating collaboration between teams, cybersecurity threats and protection and how does CDW helps organizations focus on their full business potential.

Women have the power to do anything they set their minds towards, and that includes running a successful business. As long as you are willing to take risks then there's no limit on what kind of success you can achieve! The sky is not the limit for this woman with an entrepreneurial spirit.We are chatting with Carmen Sandor, the founder and CEO of Green Owl Vodka, one of the only female-owned and led spirits sold at the LCBO. Green Owl is Ontario's best-selling flavoured vodka and is infused with green tea extract from Japan. Carmen started her career as a reporter for CTV News and TSN. She then switched gears and started working as a portfolio manager for RPIA, a Toronto-based investment management firm and was the youngest person to be promoted to Vice President at the firm. Last May, she honed in on her financial industry expertise, her entrepreneurial spirit and her passion for clean ingredients to launch Green Owl Vodka in May 2021. In this podcast, Carmen shared her journey transitioning from the corporate world into manufacturing beverages and her interesting perspective on diversity and inclusion tied to women in the industry.

Microsoft Canada is unveiling findings from a new survey exploring whether leaders are effectively leveraging data to drive growth and innovation, stay competitive and improve the customer experience. To learn more about the keen findings of the survey we had the opportunity to chat with Henrik Gütle. Henrik Gütle is the General Manager of Microsoft Azure responsible for leading the commercial Cloud business for Microsoft Canada. In this podcast, Henrik shared his thoughts on the future of customer experience, his take on the importance of technology investment in modern organizations and how do you stay up-to-date on new technology and trends in order to continue providing a cutting-edge product or service for customers.

International Women's Day was officially declared in March 1911 with the backing of more than a million people who called for an end to discrimination and for women to work, vote, hold public office, etc. Today it is celebrated by millions worldwide as a time to reflect on advancement and honour women, advancing the movement for gender equality. As we commemorate International Women's Day 31 years later and celebrate this throughout March, we are moving into an uncertain future. We all know that businesses can be fragile, but what's less well-known is how to create one with the right mindset. The following advice will help you avoid common pitfalls and build your own resilient business from scratch!We spoke to Johanne Leduc, A Resilient Business Owner. The Cookstown Foodland isn't new, but the owner is. With years of experience as an Orangeville grocery store owner, Johanne Leduc was quite comfortable taking on ownership of the 24-hour Foodland. She purchased the store so she could provide customers with matchless offers and irresistible deals. Johanne’s father has always been her mentor and inspiration. When she entered the Tottenham Foodland store in 2012, she used the lessons she learned from her father to embark on a new journey. One towards building a grocery store that not only reflected her community but increased its overall value by becoming a shopping hub to encourage people to shop locally.Even after 25 years, Johanne is just as dedicated to the Sobeys company. She currently owns two stores, the one in Tottenham and the Foodland in Cookstown that she recently purchased. While operating two stores has come with a lot of challenges, it’s also been very rewarding for Johanne.In this podcast, Johanne shared her career journey into the grocery industry, how she overcame stigma working in a male-dominated industry and what career success means to her.

When it comes to marketing and design, Canadian small businesses are at a crossroads. The future of these industries in Canada relies on the decisions that will be made today - what kind? What's trending now could completely change over time! Here is how you can tell if your company has an outdated perspective or notWe had a chance to speak to Erin Shea, Erin Shea is the Head of North America Marketing at Vista, the design and marketing partner to millions of small businesses around the world. Prior to that, she focused her career on customer strategy and CRM.In this podcast Erin discussed the marketing and design trends small businesses in Canada should be considering in 2022, how important are marketing and design when it comes to the success of a small business and the business solutions that Vista offers that Canadian small businesses should know about.

Recently Google Canada announced a $1.5 million commitment to Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) to support Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs across the country. To learn more about the announcement we got the chance to speak to Tabatha Bull. Tabatha is Anishinaabe and a proud member of Nipissing First Nation near North Bay, Ontario. She is the President & CEO of Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business working with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal businesses to help strengthen a prosperous Indigenous economy and Canadian market. Also, a member of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce board, Tabatha is committed to working with members to improve business competitiveness across all industry sectors. Prior to her current role as CEO, Tabatha joined CCAB in the fall of 2018 as Chief Operating Officer.In this podcast, Tabatha discussed how CCAB attempted to bridge the digital divide with the help of Google Canada’s $1.5 million commitment to the (CCAB) to support Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs across the country and what programs and business development offerings CCAB have in place for the growth of indigenous owned businesses.

For over a decade, TD has proudly supported programs and events during Black History Month that amplify Black voices and stories and reinforce its dedication to eliminating barriers that impede equal access. To learn more about the bank's progress addressing systemic racial inequity, and the active, intentional, and consistent efforts needed to make true progress in the months and years ahead we spoke to Al Ramsay, VP, LGBTQ2+ and Black Customer Segments: As leader of LGBTQ2+ & Black Customer Segments, Al and his team are focusing on creating better relationships with Black communities and businesses in which TD Black leaders, managers and financial advisors across Canada are being trained to provide elevated advice and a tailored customer experience for Black Customers, all backed by a research-based approach. This strategy is focused on accelerating the Bank’s Diversity & Inclusion journey which they have been building over the last twenty years to better support individuals from Black communities. In this podcast, Al discussed the unique challenges that Black people face when it comes to banking and finance, the strategies used by TD to accelerate the Diversity & Inclusion journey which you have been building over the last twenty years to better support individuals from Black communities and how can we focus on creating better relationships with Black communities and businesses.

A national survey recently conducted by Environics for CERIC — a Canadian charitable organization that advances education and research in career counseling and career development — reveals that the majority of Canadian executives (81 per cent) are having difficulty finding people with the right skill set to fill positions and 78 per cent agree there is a skills gap in their respective industry.To find the keen insights into the results we spoke to John Horn, Director (and Past Chair), CERIC Board (Victoria, BC) John has served on CERIC’s committees and board for over 10 years and shares his career development expertise as Founder of ThePotentiality.com. Leveraging his visionary people and culture capabilities, John has spent his career preparing individuals and organizations for the future of work by enhancing leadership, communication and cooperation within individuals and teamsIn this podcast, John discussed how career development is an essential strategy for recruiting, developing and retaining productive and satisfied employees, and why there is a need for companies to build best-in-class recruiting strategies. He also shared his key advice to employers to attract and retain the right talent during this challenging time.

Every February, people across Canada participate in Black History Month events and festivities that honour the legacy of Black Canadians and their communities.The 2022 theme for Black History Month is: “February and Forever: Celebrating Black History today and every day,” which focuses on recognizing the daily contributions that Black Canadians make to Canada. Black History Month is a critical time for reflection, for compassion, for improvement—but it is not and must not be the only time. We can always do better, and we can always do more.We recently got a chance to speak to Michelle Meghie, the president of the Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce. (CBCC) Michelle joins the CBCC with an established track record of improving member/customer experiences in a broad range of organizations and sectors. Michelle brings extensive experience in government, governance, and non-profit institutions. Additionally, Michelle brings relevant expertise that supports the CBCC as it navigates through the complexities of a nation-wide post-pandemic world that is challenging the black businesses sector.In this podcast, Michelle discusses the importance of taking the time of BHM to reflect, and think back, and celebrate Blackness in all of its forms, what are some professional development workshops being offered this year by the Black Chamber of Commerce and she shares her special advice to black women entrepreneurs during this challenging time.

The hardworking female entrepreneurs are the backbone of every society. They work tirelessly, never taking a single day off and putting in more hours than anyone else could ever imagine!Similarly, we had the opportunity to speak to a female entrepreneur just like that. When someone is as driven, passionate and fiercely independent as Adrianne Fekete, owning a business is a natural career choice. Adrianne is one of the first women to venture into running fully licensed, private investigations and security businesses in Canada. She is, certainly, the lady with the longest tenure in the role to date. She has led her agency to success repeatedly as a straight-talking, transparent and compassionate leader committed to ensuring safety and uncovering compelling evidence that reflects the truth. She supports individuals and corporations as they are forced to face their truth and the impact that it brings into their life. Her company, Star Quality Private Investigations, is award-winning. Adrianne credits this recognition to her dedication to helping others, her intense work ethic and her entire team, which is composed of former police detectives.In this podcast, Adrianne discussed the trends and the future of private investigations, how innovation has helped her company's investigative process, she also shared her key advice with fellow female entrepreneurs.

Women have been making major strides in the business world, and it's time for them to take center stage. According to 50% of all startups, today are started by female entrepreneurs; however, access to these equitable funding resources remains a consistent barrier that Keeps many women afloat when faced with financial difficulties or setbacks. Their needs be mentorship programs established around topics like crisis management because sometimes life throws us curve balls we never expected- this can lead one down an unhealthy path if not dealt with properlyWe recently had a chance to speak to Anna Sinclair, Founder and CEO of Total Mom Inc. which is a community organization & Media company taking moms from overwhelmed to supported both personally and professionally. Third annual Canada’s Total Mom Pitch, produced by Total Mom Inc., returns to support mom entrepreneurs navigating the changing world of business. Presented by The Scotiabank Women Initiative and powered by GoDaddy, the start-up competition and business summit is a community for entrepreneurs who are mothers. In this podcast, Anna shares her inspiration behind The Total Mom Pitch (TTMP) and how it poses unique opportunities for mom entrepreneurs in today's economy. She discussed the biggest challenges facing mom entrepreneurs and how we can encourage more moms to start their own businesses. Having Anna on our podcast was a lot of fun. As a consultant to +350 Enterprises with a global vision to provide support, opportunities and education to women everywhere while driving impact, Anna’s expertise in strategic partnerships, event production and program production allows her to create meaningful campaigns, events and programs for her clients with a heart-centred approach. We hope you enjoyed it. 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

The most successful organizational pivots are those that focus on changing the mission, vision and values of an organization. This can be done through a strategic re-evaluation or by creating new strategies in line with changing market conditionsI am joined by Mike Fast who was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Ricoh Canada in April 2021. With over 30 years of Ricoh experience, Mike leads the Canadian team in their mission to Empower Digital Workplaces and has played an integral part in the company’s growth. Drawing from experience across numerous functional areas within Ricoh, Mike has deep knowledge across Technical Services, Marketing, Managed and IT Services, Product Management, Contracts, Billing and more. Mike is squarely focused on ensuring that all areas of Ricoh Canada continue to drive innovation that improves the experience of Ricoh’s employees and customers. In this podcast, Mike shared his experience, and lessons learned over the past 18 months as he assumed his role as CEO at Ricoh midst pandemic, he gave some examples of successful organizational pivots and discussed best practices for entrepreneurs, business owners and other SMB leaders.

Jim Lambe is the Managing Director of Google Cloud Canada and today we are so excited to fill you in on the work Google Cloud has completed with a giant and huge participant in the Canadian economy CN Rail.Today you’ll hear they are transforming CN's supply chain as part of digital scheduled railroading, delivering new customer experiences, and modernizing its technology infrastructure in the cloud. And you’ll want to hear about the conversations happening at the dinner table about - of all things - supply chain!Thank you again Jim for taking the time to share with us about the generational investment and progress Google Cloud is making to impact our present and decades to come.

With the recent changes in government, Canada is looking out for small businesses. In a move to better serve Canada's small businesses, the Canadian government announced that it will be adapting its measures.We recently chatted with Hon. Mary Ng, P.C., M.P. Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development. From promoting Canada to the world as a great place to do business to help our entrepreneurs and businesses stay competitive and access new markets to ushering in an inclusive and sustainable recovery from COVID-19 – Minister Ng is focused on helping Canadians succeed. She has done some remarkable work to empower women entrepreneurs and is truly an inspiration. In this podcast, Minister Ng highlighted the most pressing needs and challenges of small businesses and how will proactive government policy affect Canada’s economy moving forward, she also shared what should Canadian SMEs be doing to prepare for the next economic down cycle

The transition from entrepreneur to a corporate professional is not always easy. The first step in this process requires you to identify your goals, set up a plan for achieving them and commit yourself 100% towards those tasks which will lead directly toward success on the other side!We got to learn more about Suzanne Trusdale’s journey while recently talking to her. Suzanne Trusdale is the Vice President of TELUS Small Business Solutions. With her results-driven and inclusive leadership style, Suzanne has a passion for seeing her teams succeed and seeking out new opportunities for development. She is invested in TELUS recognition programs to develop talent that spreads throughout the organization.In this podcast, Suzanne shares her journey from being an entrepreneur to her successful corporate career, what does “one team, one goal” means to her and as a strong advocate of diversity, her thoughts on businesses and organizations that offer mentorship programs specifically for minorities.

The LGBT+ community is still facing many challenges even after a lot of progress has been made. Integrity-based businesses are more successful when they have an inclusive culture. Every day, the LGBT+ community makes significant contributions to our economy and society in many ways—from being leaders of communities across industries, including finance or technology; creating new media content that reaches audiences worldwide online through social platforms such as Facebook pages and YouTube channels; working hard at making Canada a better placeWe were recently joined by Darrell Schuurman. Darrell is an advocate of effecting social change through the economic empowerment of LGBT+ entrepreneurs. He is the co-founder and CEO of the CGLCC, Canada’s LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce, a national not-for-profit organization with a mission to expand the opportunities and advancement of the LGBT+ business community in Canada.In this podcast, Darrell discusses the challenges that you see for this industry in Canada why it is important for LGBT+ businesses to be recognized in Canada, the role of CGLCC to help small business owners in the LGBT+ community. He also shared what it takes to be a successful company in the LGBT+ community and his advice for the LGBT+ business community in Canada for 2022.

The global economy is facing a pandemic. Small and medium-sized businesses should be aware of the trends concerning consumers during this time period as it may impact their business in some way, shape or form. We were recently joined by Shenela Tavarayan. Shenela Tavarayan is the Retail Commerce Senior Manager in charge of the Small Business portfolio at Interac. Her responsibilities include Merchant acceptance and usage, growth of new products and Interchange pricing controls and processes. She is also a co-lead and co-founder of the Women's Employee Resource Group at Interac Corp. In this podcast, Shenela shared her practical advice to small business owners about the future of payments and the value of omnichannel experience. She also discussed how Interac is supporting SME owners in Canada and how their products are relevant for small business growth and recovery.

Working remotely changed your company culture during Covid 19. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance has been the topic of conversation for many businesses over recent years. But what does this mean? What practices should you implement in order to make sure that people are happy at their desks every day and not feeling like they need an escape from distraction or meaningful interactions with others at any given moment?"We recently had a chat with Daisy Rajaratnam, Director of Human Resources and Employee Experience at Ricoh Canada. Accomplished leader with 20+ years of experience in building high-performing teams. She’s an agile HR Business Partner supporting complex business sectors including Contact Center, Branch Banking, Finance & Risk.In this podcast, Daisy shared how working remotely changed the company culture at Ricoh, some remote HR trends she is leveraging in her own work and shared her tips, experiences when it comes to building HR relationships across the company in this new world of work.

The 2021 holiday retail season in Canada is here and it's shaping up to be an exciting one. Canadian shoppers are showing more interest than ever before on Twitter, which could prove good news for businesses looking at how they can get ahead of this trend this holiday season!I am joined by Michelle Slater, Head of Business Marketing at Twitter Canada. Michelle Slater is an award-winning marketer, with 20 years of leadership experience in strategy development, consulting and execution within social, digital and traditional marketing disciplines for both B2B and B2C audiences. As the Head of Business Marketing at Twitter Canada, Michelle leads the strategic planning and execution of cross-channel marketing campaigns to drive awareness and adoption of Twitter with Fortune 100 brands in Canada.In this podcast, Michelle discusses new insights for the 2021 Holiday retail season in Canada, based on a Twitter Canada study, the general retail trends and holiday-specific retail trends Twitter is seeing with a focus on SME/SMB relevance and what new platform features can do for SMEs and how they can utilize them in their marketing strategies to maximize their Twitter profile. She also gave her advice to entrepreneurs looking to innovate and market their business(es) on Twitter.

Canadians are calling for a return to the good old days when your purchases were handled in person and you could see exactly what was being sold. The recent KPMG survey shows that two-thirds (66%) Canadians feel frustrated by online shopping experiences, missing out on this personal touch as well as increased pressure from retailers who risk losing loyal customers if they don't step up their game or go back into hiding!I am joined by Katie Bolla, Katie is Partner, Management Consulting, Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Consumer and Retail Industry Lead at KPMG. Katie has extensive experience in new market assessments, diversification strategies, acquisition target assessments, innovation and customer strategy.In this podcast, Katie highlighted some key findings from the report, she discussed some of the issues facing retailers today and what are some ways that retailers can use technology to their advantage.

Marketing in the SMB segment is an ever-changing, fast-moving environment. Microsoft has grown with your needs to offer you every opportunity for success on their platform!I am joined by Hilary Zaborski, SMB Customer Segment Lead for Microsoft Canada. Responsible for delivering on our growth aspirations in the SMB, Canada's fastest-growing segment, across all of Microsoft's divisions: Modern Workplace & Devices, Intelligent Cloud and Business Applications. In this podcast, Hilary shares her thoughts on mapping the customer journey for SMB accounts, and why marketing is an absolute necessity for business growth and she also discusses how marketing is becoming more data-driven in the future.

Since 1925, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce is the only national organization that connects businesses of all sizes, from all sectors of the economy and in every federal riding across the country to advocate for public policies that will foster a strong, competitive economic environment that benefits businesses. We recently got the chance to chat with The Honourable Perrin Beatty, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the 200,000-member Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canada’s largest and most representative national business association. Perrin is the principal spokesperson advocating the policy positions of the chamber’s members to the federal government, international organizations, the media and the general public. Prior to joining the Canadian Chamber in August 2007, Perrin was the president and chief executive officer of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME).In this podcast, Perrin shared his thoughts on the impacts of the pandemic, what has gone right and gone wrong with this outbreak, what role did the Canadian Chamber of Commerce play during this pandemic and why. Perrin also shared his advice about what we can do to minimize risks and maintain profitability for businesses.

In February 2021, Phase 5 partnered with B2SB agency Cargo and surveyed more than 2,000 Small Business Owners (SBOs) and decision-makers across Canada and the US. Their research explored drivers of SMB purchase and loyalty behaviour in general, as well as in specific industry sectors including financial services, tech & telecom, logistics, and software. It also investigated what SMBs currently fear, forecast, want, and need from the large enterprise brands that serve them.I am joined by Stephan Sigaud, Phase 5’s EVP of Marketing. Stephan is passionate about partnering with clients to address their challenges and opportunities around customer-centricity. In this podcast, Stephan highlighted the takeaways from the research by discussing the barriers that stand in the way of a business growing more quickly, trends in the world of digital marketing, and how the digital revolution will transform marketing.

The importance of customer experience cannot be overstated. It is the single most important factor in retaining clients, and these days people are much more likely to leave if they have a bad first impression of your business or productA well-run company will always provide outstanding CX because it creates an environment where customers feel valued which resonates back through all levels as employees know their worth too!I am joined by Marcelo Souhami, VP of sales, for SAP Customer Experience in Canada. Who is so passionate about Customer Experience. Strong technical background facilitating the establishment of trust and buy-in with business development and sales initiatives that require engineering-level understanding and superior presentation skills. Sought after to facilitate client presentations for other business groups.In this podcast, Marcelo discussed the biggest issues/pivots SMEs are realizing for successful CX and what CX technology investments are seeing SMEs considering. He also shared his advice to SMEs planning for 2022.

Staples Canada commissioned a survey of 624 small business owners across Canada to better understand the impact the pandemic had on their businesses. As the Working and Learning Company, Staples Canada supports businesses of all sizes across Canada, fueling this passion for growth, equipping businesses to deliver for their own customers and get back to business.I am joined by David Boone, Chief Executive Officer, Staples Canada. David is responsible for over 10,000 associates and the company’s retail and online operations, overseeing more than 300 stores and Staples.ca, which carries over 250,000 products.In this podcast, David highlights some of the key findings from the survey, shared his thoughts around what more could be done for them in order to nurture and grow entrepreneurship and what are some of the ways Staples Canada has continued to expand its support for small businesses.

Montreal innovator earns award for the breakthrough device to help women  suffering from pelvic organ prolapseNegin Ashouri is on a mission to elevate women’s quality of life, one medical device at a time. Even the challenges of a global pandemic haven’t stopped the up-and-coming entrepreneur from advancing the first-of-its-kind technology that is enabling her to do just that. Ashouri is one of five winners of the Mitacs Entrepreneur Award who are being recognized for their efforts to turn their research into an innovative business that impacts the lives of Canadians.I am joined by Negin Ashouri herself along with Jesse Vincent-Herscovici. He has been a member of the Mitacs Business Development team since 2009,  As Vice-President, he is responsible for strategy and leads a large national business development team.In this podcast, Jesse shares how Mitacs help foster innovation in Canada and what are the upcoming trends in innovation that will change the way Canadian businesses operate, while Negin shared her inspiration and motivation behind the launch of FemTherapeutics and what she's hoping to accomplish through it

Today’s small businesses are faced with a new normal. Some have continued to operate as usual, including restaurants and retail shops, while other businesses have had to close up, with employees moving to a work-from-home model. As a hybrid workplace appears, companies are looking for solutions to allow them to effectively communicate with both customers and employees, modernizing the experience with state-of-the-art technology. We recently had the opportunity to chat with Mary Peterson, Vice President, Enterprise Business Division, Samsung Electronics, where she provided an overview of the innovative digital display technology that Samsung Canada has available to small businesses, be it for customer communication or staff use in office/in-store. Samsung Canada offers a variety of digital display solutions, from kiosks to interactive displays, to help small businesses leverage modern technology to better serve their customers and employees. In this podcast Mary shared her thoughts on the current state of women in technology and why the advancement of women in technology is important as well as how small business owners can leverage innovative display technology to transform their business. 

The need for more racial and gender equality has never been more relevant than it is now. In order to continue providing jobs that benefit society as a whole, we must ensure an environment where all can succeed according to the skills they bring with them on their journey through lifeI am joined by Sean McEwen, Consultant at Hire for Talent which is a project aimed to increase employer awareness about how people with disabilities are a talented part of the workforce. Sean McEwen is a Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Consultant and a Director at RealEyes Capacity Consultants. Over the past 22 years, Sean has been designing and overseeing Employment Inclusion and Entrepreneurship services for people with disabilities while providing leadership and coaching to teams of Career Practitioners serving job-seekers and employers. Through RealEyes Capacity Consultants, Sean has co-developed Employment Inclusion Training for organizations facilitating employment services for diverse groups of job-seekers.In this podcast, Sean discussed how small businesses can be more intentional about creating cultures where all their employees belong and What kind of accommodations can be made to ensure people with disabilities are successfully employed.For more details about Hire for Talent visit  https://hirefortalent.ca/on

Future-proofing your business is essential to its success.  The world has changed drastically in just the last few years with technology exponentially evolving, and many aspects of society transforming faster than ever before - it's impossible for businesses not to be impacted by this constant change! A strong idea backed up by sound planning can keep you afloat when all else fails; however, running headless into uncertainty isn't wise either because there are too many factors outside anyone’s control that could lead them down an unexpected path...The future belongs to those who prepare now to make sure of any changes comingWe recently got a chance to learn more about some solutions offered by CDW to achieve this for organizations big and small by speaking with Kale Johnson and Shoaib Naqvi. Kale Johnson is a senior sales manager at CDW Canada. He develops small, medium and enterprise sales teams to be experts in IT solutions in order to support a variety of customers from coast to coast. And Shoaib Naqvi is a sales manager at CDW Canada. His team provides customized IT solutions and services to start-ups and small businesses across Canada. In this podcast, they also discussed some ways that companies can start digitizing their life or product and what digital tools have been the most beneficial to your company's success. They also both shared their key advice to small business owners to run their business smoothly during these challenging times

The Coordinated Accessible National (CAN) Health Network provides Canadian health innovation companies with an integrated and receptive marketplace by removing the most common access barriers that prevent businesses from growing and scaling to their full potential through a network of health operators. a new partnership between CAN Health and RBCx. This represents our first financial services partner, providing companies working with CAN Health with access to RBCx’s full-service banking platform designed to accelerate the entrepreneurial journey and help create a stronger Medtech marketplace in Canada.We recently got the opportunity to chat with Dr. Dante Morra, regarding the partnership and what this means for Canadian Medtech SMEs.  Dr. Dante Morra is a transformational leader who serves as the Chief of Staff and  President of THP Solutions at Trillium Health Partners, one of Canada’s largest academically affiliated hospitals serving Mississauga, West Toronto and the surrounding communities. Dr. Morra is a specialist in internal medicine and also holds a Master of Business  Administration. He is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, and an Adjunct Professor at the Rotman School of Management.

In July, LifeWorks examined the impact of potential workplace-mandated vaccines on Canadians’ mental health, finding that 47 percent of respondents want mandated vaccination policies implemented by their employers. We recently got the chance to chat with Paula Allen, Global leader and SVP, Research and Total Wellbeing at LifeWorks. In this role, she manages the research agenda for LifeWorks, which includes primary research, exploratory data science, research collaborations and meta-analyses. Given her focus on industry-leading research, Paula also leads LifeWorks’s thought leadership and is co-chair of the organization’s product and innovation strategy.In this podcast, Paula shared the key findings from the report and further suggested what employers should be aware of as they consider their return-to-workplace plans and policies. 

We recently got the chance to chat with Andrew Chau co-founder and CEO of Neo Financial. a technology company that is disrupting Canada’s finance oligopoly for the first time in over 20 years - with fully digital, everyday consumer banking products that not only earn members up to 30 times more than Canada’s Big Five banks, it also connects consumers to local businesses without the hassle of multiple loyalty/member cards. Andrew’s background runs deep in entrepreneurship. Prior to starting Neo Financial, In 2014, Andrew left his corporate job to pursue SkipTheDishes —Canada's leading food ordering and delivery platform. Similar to how Skip changed the way Canadians ordered food, Andrew has set out to create a cultural shift in how Canadians bank. Today the Big Five control over 90% of the market share, and as a result, Canada has seen a lack of innovation and choice compared to other countries.In this podcast, Andrew dove into a conversation about open banking through a consumer lens, exploring why there is a lack of innovation in this sector and the impact it is having on Canadians.

With World Entrepreneur Day celebrated late last month, we wanted to reach out and offer three female entrepreneurs Dorothy Spence, Jane Wang and Stephanie Korour, to discuss what being an entrepreneur means to them, as well as how they navigate the business world and support other women entrepreneurs. We recently got the chance to speak to Dorothy Spence Dorothy Spence is an engineer, serial entrepreneur, author, speaker, and the founder of Imaginal Ventures and The Purpose Led Business School. Dorothy’s 20-year experience as a skilled business and leadership advisor has helped countless companies catalyze profitability and asset growth. Jane Wang Jane Wang, MBA, is a serial health tech entrepreneur, University Professor, Cancer research fundraiser, and Founder/CEO of Optimity, a popular wellness app that rewards users for integrating healthy habits into their lifestyle to reach their health and financial goals and Stephanie Korour. Stephanie Korour is a speaker, writer, Peak Performance Expert and founder of Breakthrough To Brilliance Method™ which redefines fulfillment and sincere happiness by focusing on mind-body alignment and synergy in all areas of life. In this podcast, they discussed how can women better enable each other instead of competing and what needs to be done to change their opinion.

To recognize and celebrate Indigenous-owned businesses, CCAB officially launched the #WeThrive: Indigenous Business Buying Guide. Until August 30th, Canadians saw shoppable ads from Shopify, on Facebook and Instagram, featuring products from Indigenous-owned businesses across Canada. Once the ad appears in your feed, you can click on the Shoppable Buying Guide to view products from featured Indigenous-owned businesses and purchase them directly from their Shopify Store.We recently got the opportunity to chat with Paul-Emille McNabb, Director of Business Development at CCAB. Paul-Emile re-joined the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business on October 31st, 2016. Prior to that, he was active in the field of Research, Consulting and Business Development for fifteen years. In 2007, he completed his honours degree in History, Political Science and Canadian Studies at the University of Toronto. In 2010, he completed his Masters in Environmental Studies at York University with a focus on Indigenous knowledge and a Major Research Paper titled The Traditional Rights of Ways on the Walpole Island First NationIn this podcast Paul- Emile discussed the unique challenges faced by indigenous entrepreneurs and how can they overcome them, he also shared the benefits that come from supporting indigenous businesses.