Canada’s Entrepreneur

Pierre Cleroux, Chief Economist with BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada), talks to Canada's Podcast about the devastating impact COVID-19 (coronavirus) is having on small businesses across the country, how the bank is helping out and advice for entrepreneurs to survive this crisis.

With a partial BCIT degree, investing 7 months working in the corporate world with Rogers, several years working hospitality with the Vancouver Canucks, Evan Gilbert set his mind on living life as a Digital Nomad traveling around the world while engaging technology to establish a niche helping real estate professionals invest wisely in their online content, presence and sales process. He is on a mission to revolutionize the advertising industry by delivering the best online resources for you to succeed in paid traffic! Within his digital marketing agency in Vancouver, he is also developing an education and training program to help other business decision makers & entrepreneurs get started with their own successful advertising campaigns on social media. Learn more about his business on the Block E Media website.

Sean Shaeffer is CEO of Zoomaway Travel. He has spent the last 30 years in the Gaming and Hospitality industries. He has worked in various areas of the hospitality sector including hotels and large casino operations. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to create his own companies that specialized in technology that assisted hotels and the resort community in better engaging their clientele. In his previous work he has helped pioneer technologies that have changed how booking rooms and activities benefit customers and the hospitality industry as a whole.

Andrew Gordon is a shareholder of Kiaro, which is a cannabis retail brand, and derives from the Italian "Chiaroscuro", meaning to emerge from darkness into the light. He currently serves as Senior Vice President of Retail Operations and Community. He specializes in organizational development, public affairs, community partnerships and industry performance. Andrew has a degree in Political Science from UVIC, and is a graduate of BCIT’s Non-Profit Management Program. Andrew has successfully led the community integration efforts for a number of private retailers across Canada, and has worked with a diverse array of patients, consumers and regulators to build accountable, community-responsive and financially sustainable cannabis retail models. Galvanized by the prospects of cannabis legalization in Canada, Andrew is passionate about working with community stakeholders across the country to help reduce social stigma, and abate pharmaceutical drug dependence within communities.

Shrad Rao is CEO at Wagepoint – Simple Payroll Software backed by the World’s Friendliest Team. He is focused on “building the kind of company I’ve always wanted to work at.” In fact Shrad has always known he would be an entrepreneur. And he has been really successful — building a startup in Canada into an international operation, He has some great insights — especially regarding positive approaches to building businesses in tough times like the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Jordan Lewis is the co-founder and CEO of Stable.work, an online marketplace for Sales Professionals. Prior to Stable.work, Jordan was the co-founder and CEO at Biddwell, an end-to-end property rental platform. Prior to Biddwell Jordan was the interim CEO at Spacelist, Canada’s leading Commercial Real Estate platform, where he oversaw the redevelopment of the company’s short and long-term strategy. Jordan holds a Bachelor of Technology Degree in Network and Security Application Development and Administration, as well as a Computer Systems Technology Diploma in Data Communication and Internet working from The British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Saif Ajani is the co-founder and CEO of the Toronto-based startup Keyhole, the world’s leading hashtag analytics tool, where he is responsible for the company’s vision and execution. Before launching Keyhole, Saif worked extensively in the technology space, most recently at a VC-incubated digital media startup. For more than ten years, he has been helping marketing executives at brands and agencies make key decisions by analyzing and measuring social media data. As a founder in this space, he really tries to learn from customers. Not always easy, but always learning! Saif has an honors degree in Computer Science from the University of Waterloo, and an MBA from Cornell University.

Brian Kingston, Vice President of Business Council Canada speaks to Canada's Podcast about the issues business are dealing with as a result of COVID-19, government's response to the crisis and BCC's position & recommendations.

COVID-19 is challenging and impacting entrepreneurs across Canada. Many of us are wondering how our businesses will make it through the weeks and months ahead. Canada's Podcast will be introducing new items and opinions from some of Canada's leading entrepreneurs, past guests and our own team. We can learn from each other by sharing our experiences and learning from each other. As a community, we are in this together. Today, Calgary host Bonnie Elgie chats with Leandro Dumlao and Philip Bliss, the two gentlemen behind Canada's Podcast and its parent company, Perceptible Group.

Grant Lawrence has participated in an IPO, experienced a buyout and the integration challenges that go with this; he is an active Angel investor is a Founder of Valhalla Private Capital and as President of Valhalla Angels Kelowna and Co-President of Valhalla Angels Vancouver Grant contributes to building the tech community. He also mentors and guides startups through business operations and sales. Grant has over 22+ successful years in the software industry both in startups and establish companies; holding a number of different senior positions in sales and marketing and proven track record in building and managing teams in the areas of strategic alliances, indirect and direct sales channels in complex B2B environments domestically and internationally throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

Dan Kelly, President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) talks about the impact the coronavirus (COVID-19) is having on Canadian entrepreneurs, the government response and what still needs to be done.

Doug Van Spronsen is a Partner at Versett a product design and technology company.

Kelsey Reidl is a Business Coach, Podcast Host & Sales + Marketing Consultant. After being let-go from 2 of her dream jobs in her twenties, she decided to take her power back and ditch the 9-5 in pursuit of building her own brand and business. Now, she teaches other women to follow that inner voice that keeps nudging them. You know, the one that says "you’re capable of more!" Her signature online coaching program called The VISIONARY METHOD ™ has helped 100’s of aspiring and startup entrepreneurs gain the confidence they need to have a thriving coaching or service-based business, by showing them how to explore their gifts, develop an offer, create innovative sales & marketing strategies to get their service into the hands of those who need it, and to cultivate community each step of the way. Kelsey also hosts a Top Podcast on the Canadian Entrepreneurship Chats, called Visionary Life. In each weekly episode, she chats with visionary humans about the journey that got them to where they are today. Kelsey lives in Toronto with her husband and rescue pup, Abby. She loves to explore the world in search of the best coffee shops, the most stunning nature, and the wildest experiences (sleeping in the Sahara desert & jumping through canyons are some of her favourite adventures to date).

Chau Lui is co-owner of Paris Jewellers, which began as a small location in St. Albert, Alberta and today has stores across Canada. Lui talks about the company's humble roots and how it has become a national retail success story.

Born and raised in Squamish BC, Mike Schwarz went on to graduate from UBC Sauder School of Business with his Bachelor of Commerce degree (Marketing) in 1999. Since then, Mike has been self-employed, working on internet start-ups for over 18 years. Mike now has a rich history of successful dot-com exits including Clubvibes.com, Techvibes.com, The Massive Tech conference, DiscoverVancouver and clubZone.com. Mike's current focus is building out myZone Media, who's mission is to help event promoters operate more efficiently. Subsidiary businesses of myZone including myZone Printing, myZone Marketing, myZone Web Development, myZone Ticketing (aka ticketZone.com) and myZone Merch. Mike loves to travel and spends several months per year on the road working remotely. His latest start-up is his growing family including a wife & son. Recognized in 2005 as a BIV top 30 under 30, Schwarz has also spoken at numerous conferences and is passionate about building creative work environments that enable both work-life balance. In this episode, Mike discusses "why it's essential to find out what part of your business is virus proof", and stresses the importance of pivoting your business offerings online during this tumultuous time. Mark also talks about how his businesses thrives within a remote work-from-home culture, and offers insights and tools he uses to connect with his domestic and international team members. Mark sheds light on the impact COVID-19 is having on the event industry specifically. With the current outlook, which is changing daily, Mark anticipates events should be postponed until at least the Fall, if not the Spring.

James Connolly is the co-founder and CEO of VoxNeuro based in Toronto. VoxNeuro provides the world’s first objective concussion and acquired brain injury assessment that steps beyond diagnosis.

Darren MacLean is one of Canada's top-rated Chefs. He's Executive Chef and Owner of Shokunin in Calgary.

Dan Pontefract is the Chief Envisioner of the TELUS Transformation Office, where he helps organizations and leaders improve all facets of the ‘future of work’ including employee engagement, leadership development, collaborative behaviours and organizational purpose. He is an international keynote speaker, an Adjunct Professor at the University of Victoria's Gustavson School of Business and the author of three books, including his latest, Open to Think: Slow Down, Think Creatively, and Make Better Decisions.

Cissy Chen is founder of Rumble Boxing Studios which offers "a one of a kind, badass, fitness experience" as it brings together a high-intensity boxing workout with the powerful platform of group fitness.

Tracey Bissett's on a mission to redefine the economic future of the world by addressing financial literacy of young adults and entrepreneurs. She does this through her weekly podcast, Young Money - the advice show for millionaires in the making, teaching and delivery of financial courses, coaching and consulting. A native of Nova Scotia, she holds a BCOMM, MBA and is a CFA Charterholder. She LOVES her golden retriever (Rosie), roller coasters and music, especially live concerts! Download your money meeting agenda from www.bizmoneycoach.ca.

Andrea Sesum is a founder of Ontario College of Business & Law, co-founder of Technology Factory, founder of Women’s Paralegal Association of Ontario, passionate & innovative entrepreneur, educator, board member, author, keynote speaker and winner of 2015 City of Toronto Access, Equity & Human Rights Constance E. Focusing on the advancement of women in the legal profession & career advancement of immigrants in Toronto, Andrea was noted as the CSPN’s Leader in Diversity & Inclusion.

Chris Simair is managing director of Harvest Builders in Calgary. The venture builder's objective is to elevate innovation across the Canadian Prairies. Simair is the former co-founder of SkipTheDishes.

Annee Ngo is the co-founder and CEO of Startup League, an educational gaming platform for students to learn creative problem-solving through competition and play. She is a serial entrepreneur whom scaled global ed-tech company into more than 30 cities across 12 countries in under 3 years with clients like Adobe and Stanford. She exited her first startup in 2016, returning 3x to her investors. Annee is also the proud recipient of Women Tech Founders’ Award for Gaming/AR/VR and BC Business’ 30 Under 30.

Michael McNaught is the Founder of RVEzy, Canada's Largest and Most Affordable RV Rental Marketplace that connects vacationers with RV owners across the country. In 2016, Michael was injured while on duty at the Ottawa Police Service. After suffering this injury, he saw an opportunity to build upon his idea to create a market place, similar to airbnb for RV owners and vacationers. Exactly one year later, he was pitching this business on Dragon's Den. Fast forward to present day; Michael is now operating a highly successful, national company where keeping up with annual growth is his biggest business challenge. Michael's advice to entrepreneurs is to take calculated risks and pursue measurable results. Listen & watch this chat to get inspired to act on your big idea.

Cam Armitage is a professional firefighter and side-hustle CEO of CamArmitage.com. Author, speaker, entertainer, motivator. Cam's "work" is sharing the message that you can be a "bad-ass" while doing good work, with primary audience of 13-18 year olds who are at a critical pivot point of life choices.

Sky McLean is owner of Basecamp Resorts in Canmore, Alberta. She talks about being a woman in the male-dominated accommodation industry.

Daniela Kelloway is a veteran PR and communications professional (http://clutchpr.com/), writer, and tech startup founder. She has spoken at conferences around the world, walked A-list celebrities down red carpets, and broken world records. Kelloway is a yogi, has three children and splits her time between Toronto and Prince Edward County. Her latest venture BooknBrunch, a tech platform for book clubs, is on a mission to reconnect the world in real life through books and food.

Shelley Kuipers is co-founder of The51, an investment platform for female entrepreneurs.

Carmen Darley is an artist, mother, motivator, and an advocate for mental health and positive thinking. After years of having a sought-after corporate role at American Express, Carmen realized that her life needed to shift in a different direction. She had been painting and exploring art since she was a child, but never pursued it. Through life experiences and learning, in 2016, Carmen decided to take the leap and pursue a career as an artist, and founded Carli’s Paintings. She found solace in her art, and found her calling as an entrepreneur. Carmen creates "shatter-proof", original, and unique, resin décor that has become very popular in Toronto and is sold in over a dozen stores across the province, as well as online on Etsy. Carmen has an entrepreneurial mindset and is constantly on the lookout for new opportunities and where to grow her business next. She is a popular motivator and influencer in Toronto, with a passion for empowering other female entrepreneurs. Carmen was recently a keynote speaker at the Toronto Business Babes Conference 2019, telling her story about her struggles, at times difficult, and how they shaped the person and entrepreneur she is today. Her mission is to continue to create beautiful pieces that transform into functional and versatile home décor, as well as to empower other dreamers to pursue their life-long aspirations.

Christopher Wells, co- fondateur de Piecemeal, est un opérateur, gestionnaire et formateur du domaine de la restauration avec plus de 25 ans d'expérience. Après avoir travaillé plus de 20 ans pour des entreprises telles que Boston Pizza, McDonald’s et divers commerces indépendants du secteur, il a co-fondé Piecemeal en 2018. Avant de fonder Piecemeal, il a travaillé comme consultant et formateur pour l'industrie de la restauration au cours des 10 dernières années. Il a développé une boîte de consultation et a travaillé avec plus de 125 restaurants au cours de cette période. Il a aidé à coacher et à former plus de 200 propriétaires et exploitants et plus de 1000 employés de restaurant. Précédemment il a travaillé comme directeur général de restaurant, partenaire de développement commercial pour une entreprise technologique dans le domaine de la restauration, ainsi que formateur dans le secteur des ventes et de l'expérience client. Après des années dans l'industrie entouré de collègues passionnés, il s'est formé une passion en tant qu'œnophile et épicurien toujours curieux et avide de découverte. Piecemeal est une plateforme gratuite pour la gestion de restaurant qui utilise l'intelligence artificielle pour automatiser plusieurs des tâches normalement effectuées manuellement telle que la gestion des inventaires, des horaires, des achats, de la préparation de nourriture et de la gestion des coûts de menus.

Neil Gruninger is Founder and President of Kidoodle TV - a safe streaming platform with content hand picked by parents.

Dr. Ken Keis is President and CEO of Consulting Resource Group International, which has served thousands of companies, associations, industry groups, and leaders in over 30 countries. In the past 29 years, Ken has personally conducted more than 3,000 presentations and 10,000 hours of coaching and consulting. He is a highly sought-after author, speaker, trainer, podcast host, TV and media guest. His latest books include: Why Aren't You More Like Me?, Deliberate Leadership, and The Quest For Purpose.

Aric Johnson is co-owner and general manager of Folding Mountain Brewing located near Jasper National Park in Alberta.

James Wu is CEO & Founder of Innerspace Technology Inc. He is also an experienced start up veteran, with a keen understanding of what it takes to develop a team, product and company from Zero to One. James has over 15 years of experience in UX design and usability, including 8 years of leadership and senior management experience with UX teams. At InnerSpace, James is involved in all aspects of the business, from fundraising and finance, to operations, to product and development. At Kobo, James was the conceptual visionary for their unique and award winning tablet user experience and primary inventor on over 30 patents related to user experience design. James managed several teams of exceptionally talented experience designers, interaction architects, industrial and mechanical designers, researchers and prototypers who delivered the world-class Kobo reading experience across all platforms.

Kirsta Franke is founder and owner of Wild Heart Collective which has succeeded in Edmonton by creating from the heart. Offering mindfully curated community events like the 124 Grand Market, All is Bright and the Winter Shake-Up Festival & Market, as well as high level dynamic celebrations like Edmonton's first Nuit Blanche.

Sheenah Rogers-Pfeiffer is founder and chief strategist at Anstice Communications. She talks about being a survivor in a very competitive industry and how she differentiates what she does from others.

Balaji Gopalan leads business development and strategy as the Co-Founder and CEO at MedStack, a digital app platform for the healthcare industry. As an expert in product management and software platform ecosystem design, Balaji is a well-respected start-up educator, advisor and mentor. He is an advocate for the role of ecosystems in industry transformation and in tackling tough problems like improving healthcare. Prior to co-founding MedStack, he launched the BlackBerry BBM service and led platform strategy at D2L, Nymi and EventMobi.

Hugo Bonjean is President of Spirit Hills Winery which makes its honey based wine in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies in Millarville, Alberta, just outside of Calgary.

Annette Smith is the Founder of Lip Service Beauty, an all-natural, plant-based beauty company based out of Grimsby, Ontario but with a presence across the GTA. After suffering a grand-mal seizure 5 years ago, Annette decided to detoxify her life, and started making her own beauty products. Annette wholeheartedly believes that INGREDIENTS MATTER in all aspects of life and business!

Connor Curran is one of the co-owners of Local Laundry, a Canadian made garments company that uses clothing as a vehicle to build community. Connor started Local Laundry four years ago after Googling: 'How To Start A T-Shirt Company' and watching a YouTube video. Now Connor works on Local Laundry full time with a commitment to donate over $1 Million to local charities across Canada. Local Laundry can be found in over 20 stores across Canada and is heralding the importance of supporting Canadian manufacturing.

Eric Fournier is a dynamic, strategic visionary with a long history of creating value for businesses. In his role as Partner and Executive Producer at Moment Factory, he has strategically overseen the growth of the studio while also providing proactive leadership and direction on major projects. Under his guidance, Moment Factory now operates in Tokyo, New York City, Los Angeles and London and soon Toronto. Creative and curious, Eric excels at identifying opportunities that will fully activate Moment Factory’s unique and diverse collection of expertise. Eric holds an MBA from McGill University and a BBA from the Université du Québec à Montréal.

Steve Mesler, CEO and Founder of Classroom Champions, a non-profit that brings together children and the world’s best to mentor and teach kids the skills they need to succeed in and out of the classroom. After winning an Olympic Gold Medal in bobsled at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, Steve was inspired to bring the values, lessons, and experiences he and his fellow Olympic and Paralympic athletes had gained through sport into classrooms. Since creating Classroom Champions, over 180 athletes have taught more than 1 million students about goal setting, perseverance, and teamwork to support their mental health, wellness, and academic achievement. Listen in as we chat with Steve about being a social entrepreneur!

Victoria Pelletier (victoriapelletier.me) is a corporate executive with over two decades of executive experience. She is a visionary and innovative leader serving as an executive for a global Fortune 50 global organization and as a board member for several organizations and an entrepreneur owning several businesses. She is also a published author, in-demand public speaker and appears regularly on national TV.

Matt Lowe is co-founder and CEO of ZeroKey which produces transformational IoT sensor technology that provides wire-area, real-time, and millimetre-level 3D tracking across large spaces and buildings.

Marc Lafleur founded truLOCAL, an online marketplace that connects health conscious consumers to local suppliers, giving them a more convenient way to access clean, locally raised meat products. All orders are placed online with the ability to select everything from box size to frequency of deliveries, including the contents of each box. truLocal ships Shipping all across Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, truLOCAL is a game changer to the relatively slow-moving meat industry. Marc is an Honours grad in Health Sciences from University of Waterloo.

Paul Bain is the Tea Captain at JusTea, the first farmer-direct tea partnership between Kenya and Canada. Born and raised in Vancouver, Paul is passionate to connect tea drinkers with the small-scale farmer who made their cup possible. JusTea’s healthy new Purple Tea won the top food and beverage award in BC in 2018: Gold Medal for "Product of the Year".

In 2013 Lauren Shirreffs founded 2Social after recognizing an opportunity in the market to connect consumers with celebrated brands and multi-locational businesses though online communities. In 2017, 2Social opened its second office in Santa Monica, California, to focus on growth in the American marketplace and continue to best service our American clients. Lauren is passionate about community, and exploring ways to utilize social media to communicate positive messages and shed light on meaningful conversations. Lauren now divides her time between Toronto and Los Angeles and is fuelled by an insatiable drive for success (And coffee. So much coffee).

Merissa Myles is the Co-Founder of Tree Island Gourmet Yogurt. Based in the Comox Valley, she is sending waves from Vancouver Island and shaking up the yogurt aisle at grocery stores with her grass-fed, gourmet products. She studied Communication & Community Economic Development at SFU. Her lifework is focused on building healthy communities through business. At Tree Island Yogurt she works with stakeholders throughout the food system from farmers to production staff, customers and chefs. Merissa is a Top 40 Foodie Under 40 and recipient of the BC Food Processors Product of the Year award.

John Evans is the millennial Founder and President of EverLine Coatings and Services. He started his first business at age 21 and was the first-ever to win the International Franchise Association’s NextGen in Franchising - a global competition for young entrepreneurs.

Peter Richmond is President of the 49th Parallel Grocery Group which includes 4 community-minded grocery stores, a flower shop, 2 dollar stores and a print shop. Peter, along with his sister, their children and other relatives, represent the second and third generations in the family business his parents founded in 1977. The 49th is passionate about serving our community and we continue to focus on our customers, our employees and the needs of our community. In an industry that is extremely competitive, we have managed to succeed through listening to our customer and adjusting our instore experience accordingly. We are fortunate to live in a beautiful part of the world and we take that into account in all of our daily decisions At the 49th, we will always play a big part in our communities. Peter graduated from UBC with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1986 and obtained his CA designation while working for Ernst & Young, Chartered Accountants in Vancouver. After four years in the Internal Audit department of Canadian Forest Products Ltd., he returned to the island in 1996 to help the family business expand from one store to two, a doubling of service area and employees.