ISSUE NO. 41
MAY 2022
CANADIANSME Empowering Canadian Small & Medium Businesses
Banking partner
5 WAYS DATA CAN UNCOVER RETAIL TRENDS AND GROW YOUR BUSINESS By Diane Amato
PAGE:15
Raman Dua Man of the Quintessential Canadian Dream
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Our May issue is officially here, and we are very excited about all the great content we have included in this month's issue! We strive to be Canada's top magazine in providing exclusive insights, strategies, and advice to small business owners and entrepreneurs. Our mission is to include the best inclusive interviews and top business insights from reputable industry experts. Our team works very hard to deliver the most valuable content to our readers to ensure that you stay up to date on all the latest business trends. Empowering small and mediumsized businesses is our prime goal. This month, CanadianSME is focussing on Canadian Insurance Sector; we will feature top insurance companies and the latest trends in the insurance industry. This issue will also feature interviews and specialist advice from industry experts. Learn "The Digital Journey: Where Are Commercial Insurers in the Present Day" and "All You Need to Know About Business Interruption Insurance." Check out "Everything You Need to Know about Canadian Insurance Industry in 2022". In our special feature on Raman Dua and his success journey, see how Ayming Can help fund your innovation with SR&ED tax credits? By reading "Is SR&ED the right choice for your Business? An exclusive article from RBC "5 Ways Data Can Uncover Retail Trends and Grow Your Business," read our exclusive interviews such as Say hello to Sidekick Consulting, a new Mark Harrison venture with Mark Harrison and many more. We were proud to present the SMEAwards 2021 ceremony and celebrate small business excellence in Canada. This issue will feature winners of all categories and their special messages for fellow entrepreneurs! We extend a warm thank you to our exclusive banking partner RBC, shipping partner UPS and Award Category sponsors; KPMG, HP, Xero, GoDaddy, Zoho, Alexio, Mitacs and Nerds On-Site. for the support you honoured us for the CanadianSME National Business Awards 2021. Resilience, Recovery and Reinvention! The Small Business Expo in association with Caary, Platinum partner Xero, Silver partner Capterra and Deloitte is coming from June 29-30, and we can't wait to see you! Join us at the Biggest Gathering of Canadian Small and Medium Enterprises on Wed, June 29th, 2022, 10:30 AM – Thurs, June 30th, 2022, 4:30 PM EDT. This virtual trade show has been primarily organized for the benefit of small and medium-sized enterprises. We at CanadianSME Small Business Magazine understand that after pure chaos, small and medium-sized businesses need more support than ever before during this new year. These articles provide insights into the tools and resources available and 2022 insurance trends to keep top of mind this year. We hope that this month's issue will help give you the knowledge and information to stay ahead in the market. Don't forget to subscribe to our magazine to get the latest trends and stay up to date on all of our events Until next month, happy reading!
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IN THIS ISSUE Canadiansme small business magazine
11 Raman Dua Man of the Quintessential Canadian Dream
22
Say hello to Sidekick Consulting, a new Mark Harrison Venture
15 5 Ways Data Can Uncover Retail Trends and Grow Your Business
19 A Guide to Small Business Small Business Commercial Insurance in Canada
IN THIS ISSUE Canadiansme small business magazine
31
How Ian Weng Is Carving Out a New Foodservice Category with Spatula
34 Greg Young deep dives into crypto mining fraud and offer tips to mitigate threat
36
TELUS Health Acquisition Adds Leading Preventative Health Solution to its Ecosystem
CELEBRATING BUSINESS SUCCESS IN CANADA
The CanadianSME Business Awards is an important date on our calendars because it marks the day that we celebrate and congratulate those who have made a positive contribution to our country’s economy. Last year we had a very successful turnout with over 500 guests and celebrated over 500 diverse businesses from across Canada. This year we want to continue to show that same support and appreciation for our small and medium-sized businesses.
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News Visa Canada Celebrates 2022 Grant Recipients as Optimism Grows Among Small Businesses SMALL BUSINESSES
Government of Canada supports adoption of cuttingedge technologies with assistance for Boulons Éclair
Visa Canada announced the 10 recipients of the third round of its She’s Next Grant Program in Canada. The She’s Next Grant Program supports women entrepreneurship, empowering growth and innovation, through a grant of $10,000 CAD and oneyear of business coaching, in partnership with IFundWomen.
RPA Canada and CA Zambia to Sign MoU to Advance Mutual Cooperation
TECNOLOGY
The Government of Canada recognizes and supports businesses and organizations that are a source of pride in their communities. Quebec’s economic recovery relies on organizations with strong roots in the regional economy. They are major contributors to growth, as well as key assets in rebuilding a stronger, more resilient, greener, and more just economy for all.
ACCOUNTANTS
Zubair Choudhry, President & CEO of RPA Canada and Anthony Bwembya, CEO of ZICA, will be on hand to put their seal of approval on what is considered a very mutually rewarding partnership between two prestigious and renowned accounting bodies. Under the MoU, RPA Canada will provide scholarships for selected ZICA female students to attend RPA online study program in Canada.
Clutch Secures $150 Million Debt Funding to Build Inventory and Fuel its Expansion Across Canada PRE-OWNED VEHICLES
Over the past year, we have seen consistent growth and have accomplished so much, but we remain laser-focused on our ultimate goal of servicing 90 per cent of Canadians by the end of 2023,” says Dan Park, CEO of Clutch. “This funding will allow us to build our inventory and become the owner of the largest selection of quality pre-owned vehicles in the country.
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News Flow Beverage Corp. to Become Official Water Partner for World Leading Hospitality Group, Accor, in North and Central America BEVERAGE
Flow’s CEO, Maurizio Patarnello, said, “The agreement with Accor is a significant
milestone as it represents Flow’s entry into the food service customer segment on a large scale, which we have outlined as a key growth driver in our strategic framework.
Innovative program for world-changing teens raises over $1 million CAD in student bursaries EDUCATION
Toronto-based innovative education platform The
Knowledge Society (TKS) has, today, announced it has raised over $1 million CAD in financial aid to empower ambitious teens to drive real change and build the future of education globally.
Jelly Academy Partners with Black Business Association of B.C. to Provide Skills Training DIGITAL MARKETING
Digital Marketing program, Jelly Academy, is partnering with the Black Business Association of B.C. to award 10 individuals skills and business development funding to
enroll in their program for the year of 2022. The funding will cover the costs of the Jelly Academy digital marketing course, helping businesses learn the skills
needed to meet the demands of marketing in the digital age.
Making it easier to do business in Ontario must be an election priority BUSINESSES
Rocco Rossi, President and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), released a statement calling on all parties to commit to making it easier to do business in Ontario. All parties vying to be the next government in this election should keep in mind that viewing business as a partner has never been more important. After all, Ontario’s business community will play a critical role in the province’s economic rebound.
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Raman Dua Man of the Quintessential Canadian Dream Few people can realize their pursuit of becoming a successful entrepreneurs, turning the business into an empire. But, among those few persons, Raman Dua, the Founder and CEO of the celebrated real estate company, Save Max Real Estate Inc., has lived his dreams. 11 - CanadianSME - May 2022
Mr. Raman Dua is the CEO and founder of one of the most iconic brands in the Canadian real estate industry Save Max Group. The company has sold more than $10 Billion worth of real estate since 2010. Save Max's real estate company started in a modest basement office with a husband-and-wife team and a few neighbours. Under the expert guidance of Mr. Raman Dua, it has grown to a couple of 700+ agents with state-of-the-art corporate offices in Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Orangeville, and Calgary. The group has also successfully established a network of 63 franchisees all across Canada and progressing into expansion globally to India.
At Save Max, it is not just about buying and selling homes. Mr. Dua is a firm believer in "the
art of teaching someone how to fish so he can fish for life". He has mentored several hundreds of his agents and continues to impart knowledge, education, and mentoring to all who come to his door so they can make
a career in life and have the means to live well and help others do the same. A relationship-oriented person, Raman believes in building long-term associations
with his clients, realtors, franchises, and employees. Save Max upholds his belief and adds honesty, integrity and trust to its corporate values and work culture.
Beyond his professional success, Raman works hard to give back to the community. He has generously donated $2.5 million to Trillium Health Partners (Canada), demonstrating his dedication to the community. Save Max sponsored the naming rights to the former Brampton Soccer Centre, now known as the Save Max Sports Centre, demonstrating Mr. Dua's strong ties with the community. Raman is an avid reader, plays tennis, and uses meditation to maintain a work-life balance. In addition, he considers good health a priority. 12 - CanadianSME - May 2022
Raman Dua
CEO/Founder at Save Max Real Estate Inc.
Raman Dua was born to Madan Dua and Sushila Dua in 1975, hailing from the small town of Rohtak, Haryana. He is the youngest son among his three other siblings. Raman has an older brother and two sisters. Raman's struggle against adversity started early in his life. His father owned a small tea shop in Rohtak. Although the income from the tea stall was meagre, his father's addiction to alcohol and smoking aggravated the family's financial problems. Raman Dua studied up to the 7th grade at a Hindi medium school named Dhanwantari School, located in a temple
compound that the priest ran. Raman's mother requested the school priest to waive the monthly fee for all her children since she didn't have the money to pay for school fees.
Raman Dua joined Shiksha Bharti School, a medium-sized English CBSE school in class 8, and scored 90% on his Class X board exam. After that, he studied class XI at Vaish Intercollege. Finally, he studied class XII at Rohtak's University
College since he always wanted to study in a co-ed school. He then enrolled at University College, Rohtak, for BSc in Medical. Then something happened in Raman's life that completely changed him. He argued with someone during the Ramleela days, but none of his friends came to save him, just as he used to do for them. So he completely left their company. Raman's first job was at a renowned pharmaceutical company named GlaxoSmithKline, where he was positioned as a medical representative. In 1999, he shifted to Udaipur and moved to Jalandhar after two years. 13 - CanadianSME - May 2022
About Raman's Move to Canada During those days, many people from Punjab were shifting to Canada, and one of Raman's friends dragged him to WWICS Immigration Consultancy to help him with the overall immigration procedure. Since the fee was quite high, he applied independently and cleared the process. As a result, his father got emotional and happy to know that his son would live abroad. He was just aged 28 when he landed in Canada, not knowing
what he would do if nothing worked. Then, in September 2003, Raman Dua, set his foot in Brampton-Mississauga with a return ticket to India in his pocket, ready to leave the country. He struggled hard in Canada. He sold leather belts and
jackets in flea markets and worked as a security guard at Group 4. After that, he got a job at the local WWICS
Immigration Consultancy office. He used to handle the overall documentation process.
How Was Save Max Real Estate Inc. Started? n 2004, Raman Dua came to India and married a
Chandigarh-based girl, Nidhi. The couple flew to Canada in May 2005 and started their life in a basement home. Raman promised his wife that he would buy a house in just three months, and he kept his promise. He earned well at the immigration consultancy office. In 2007, he sold his home and made $40,000 from it. This deal was an eye-opener for Raman, and he soon got into the real estate business and saw its potential. His wife also entered the business with him, and they founded Save Max Real Estate Inc. in the basement of their home in 2010. After two years, they shifted into a 1500-square-foot office, and there has been no turning back since. On the contrary, they kept growing year after year. In 2018, Save Max had sales of CA$2 billion, and in 2020-21, it reached CA$3 billion. The couple recently began their Indian operations from Gurugram and had plans to expand it worldwide, starting with the USA, Australia, and Pakistan.
About Save Max Real Estate Inc. The company has sold more than $7 Billion worth of Real Estate since 2010. Save Max has grown leaps and bounds and grown to a team of 650+ professionals with state-of-the-art Corporate offices in Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Orangeville, and Calgary and also a network of 56 franchisees. Save Max doesn't just help people sell and buy homes. Instead, they believe in building lifelong relationships and giving back to the community that helped make them successful. Save Max is actively involved in sporting activities, cultural, social, and events like Raptors 905 games, Carassauga, boxing cards, and participates in the annual Brampton Santa Claus Parade. Save Max also funds a non-profit organization named Krish Hope Foundation, which supports 100 children each year by offering funds for sports/recreational activities, including equipment and memberships. Save Max Group is expanding its business in other sectors like Healthcare, IT and Hospitality and joined hands with major industry leaders. Kainos Hospital, Northumberland Spa and Wellness Centre and Workeefy are the new startups which come under Raman’s flagship. He has been honoured with many awards like “Pride of India”, and Philip Kotler Award for Creative Marketing and mentored many top real
estate professionals to become successful. Raman is actively involved in charitable work and adopts 100 underprivileged kids each year through his own funded charitable organization Krish Hope Foundation.
Image courtesy: Trilliumgiving.ca 14 - CanadianSME - May 2022
It goes without saying retail has undergone a transformation,
Before the pandemic retailers were re-imagining ways to respond to customers' changing purchasing preferences and patterns. They've pivoted even more to meet customer needs in the wake of rolling lockdowns and shifting capacity. Here's how data can help owners navigate the new retail landscape.
starting well before the pandemic. While the revolution started with online eCommerce, the industry saw shortened product trend cycles, increased customer experience expectations, and technological innovation that continue to challenge retailers, especially local small business owners. “Canadians have stayed loyal to their local retailers because most responded to changing needs like installing curbside pickup,” says Laura Davy, National Director, Retail and Healthcare. “Retailers realized how important it was to know their customer-base during lean times. As we start to turn the corner towards recovery, many retailers will need to find ways to stay competitive in order to attract new customers. ” This is where data comes in. There are several sources of data retailers can access to make informed business decisions.
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Easily accessible is a retailer’s proprietary data based on inventory and historical purchase transactions or even your customer database. This information can give you seasonal sales trends for
Here are 5 ways you can use data to help optimize and grow your business:
Maximize your marketing dollars
your business, average cost per sale, and what are your most popular products. Concepts such as store intelligence planning, which is an emerging school of thought in the retail community where equal importance is placed on
Small business owners have a lot to do, and these days, Canadian retailers are dealing with solving product, inventory, staffing and merchandising challenges. As such, many are pulling back on marketing and customer communications because they don’t have the bandwidth to do so. Davy feels
location as well as the customer. By taking a data-driven approach to understanding their retail
“It’s never been more important to keep the lines of communication open and target your customers— you need
understanding the physical store
this is the wrong thing to do right now.
locations and customers, business owners can make more informed decisions on how to tailor the
to let them know you’re there, you’re online, and how to access your service. We’ve also found throughout COVID-19 that a lot of people want to support small business. Why
preferences. Third-party, Location-based data,
With the right data in hand, retailers can get an overview of
omni-channel experience to their customers’ specific needs or
not help them do that?”
what their customers look like — including their income, age
not just their existing customers can also help owners identify emerging retail trends and
and what they’re buying — and use their marketing dollars accordingly. “If I know that my average demographic is
their business
policy,” explains Davy. “Without that information, I might
opportunities to create efficiencies across virtually every aspect of
people over 40, for example, and I know they spend a lot of time on Facebook, then I will advertise there and let them know about my website, my pick up process and my return
spread my money across channels my audience doesn’t use, wasting marketing dollars on initiatives that won’t reach my target market.” Investing in a CRM platform or application will allow you to leverage your customer data, enabling you to identify your most loyal customers, equipping you with the information you need to enhance their experience and interactions with your brand. For example, you could reach out proactively to your loyal customers, reward them with discounts and create a relationship with them that builds stickiness — so you’re their first thought when they need to buy something new. “We have seen companies use technology as a way of continuing communications with existing customers and creating new relationships,” says Davy, “Technology is the enabler that has helped them pivot their business.”
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Optimize your operations Customer traffic data can put you in a position to best support your customers while being purposeful with your staffing, hours, and other operations. Say your retail location is very busy between the hours of 10:00am and 4:00pm, Monday to
Identify store locations Physical stores are expected to continue to play
an important role in a consumer’s buying journey — whether as a traditional store front, fulfillment
Wednesday, and is less buy on Thursdays and Fridays (but because you don’t work at the store, you’re not seeing this traffic first-hand). Armed with supporting data, you can staff your location appropriately and maximize operating hours — potentially closing at 4:00pm to offset the operating expense of staying open longer and perhaps running the store yourself on light days.
centre or pick-up location — so they need to be in the right place to be in your customers’ path. “Choosing the wrong location can be the difference between your store doing well or not,” says Davy. “I’ve seen cases where one weak location has impacted the whole
business. Rent can be a huge fixed cost and is a decision you want to make sure you get right.” When you know where your customers live and how far they will travel to shop at your store, you
can plan the locations that match their patterns.
Re-imagine your business model Streamline your inventory Having data that provides insight into consumer buying patterns can help you make informed decisions in terms of stocking the right product at the right time and channel. Tracking your seasonal trends and knowing shelf life per product is key to keeping inventory fresh and moving. Because consumers are expected to shop across both online and offline channels, inventory management can become tricky. You want enough stock to fulfill online orders, but also need sufficient in-store inventory for inperson shopping.
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Over the last year, there have been many inspiring and exciting stories about businesses that have pivoted and changed their business model to align with the new needs of consumers. Wedding supply company Weddingstar — after seeing their sales take a nosedive as a result of COVID-19 — adapted their business model to mask making and leveraged technology to broaden their audience to a national scope. Through the development of online stores and savvy, target marketing tactics, independent retailers have been able to expand their base from a local community to a national audience.
Make informed decisions with realtime consumer data insights Bottom Line To succeed as a business, it’s vital to always be looking for ways to find value for people. By constantly innovating and using data, you can create better, faster and more
RBC recognizes not all small business owners have the capacity or the technical expertise to generate, extract and analyze consumer data. RBC Insight Edge for Small Business was developed to help businesses with retail stores understand the full picture when it comes to their customers, products, and locations.
seamless experiences.
Over the last 15 months,
business owners across the country have creatively and skillfully adapted to changing trends,
behaviours and policies. But it hasn’t been easy. Now, you can get help with
the decisions that will best move the needle for the business, setting you up for a future that’s promising,
fruitful, and well-informed.
It’s an easy-to-use digital dashboard that transforms credit and debit card transactions, along with demographic and location data, into real-time consumer insights for retail businesses
across Canada. The tool can help you see who lives and shops in the area so you can tailor your products and services, stay on top of changing shopping patterns and get valuable information that can help you streamline operations or explore new locations.
To learn more visit rbc.com/insightedge-sb or call the RBC Business Helpline at 1-888-788-8016 This article was originally published on RBC’s Discover & Learn blog.
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A Guide to Small Business
Small Business Commercial Insurance in Canada Insurance is a need for everybody who owns a
car or a property. It is a form of insurance for those times when things generally do not always go as planned, and it may save you a lot of money.
The majority of Canadians agree that insurance is vital, however not all company owners agree. In fact, insurance may be viewed as an unnecessary cost by self-employed freelancers or small business owners. Small business commercial insurance, on the other hand, may give your firm a number of assets that will benefit it in the long term.
Unforeseen incidents can occur in every sector, and it pays to get ready before they happen. Small business insurance may give owners the peace of mind that comes with knowing that their firm is protected in the event of a worstcase scenario. If a loss occurs, the coverage provided by a reputable insurance provider can assist to limit additional damage and keep your firm financially safe. In this informative article, we will discuss the necessity of investing in commercial insurance as a small business owner, as well as the several forms of coverage that will help shield your firm from legal concerns and financial downturns.
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Who Needs Small Business Insurance? When considering small company insurance, you may be wondering how it can benefit you. Although each policy has its own set of characteristics, you can still learn what to exactly look for in decent insurance coverage. Some small business insurance policies, like other forms of insurance, will cover more than others. However, excellent policies should cover some fundamentals. You won't need to worry about losing your business as a result of a lawsuit or another issue. You will be able to keep all things functioning while you tackle the problem. When you get insurance, you may obtain the following forms of coverage:
Commercial General Liability Insurance (CGL) CGL or Commercial General Liability Insurance is a must-have sort of protection. When someone alleges that your advertising is deceptive, CGL protects you. It's also helpful if a customer or employee trips and falls in your workplace or business. Brick-and-mortar firms should get the insurance that includes CGL coverage. Online firms, on the other hand, may gain from it. Otherwise, you'd have to be extra cautious while promoting your company to ensure that your advertising is clear and truthful.
Small Business Commercial Insurance Professional Liability Insurance Professional liability insurance, often known as errors and omissions insurance, is another important sort of protection. This insurance is best suited for business owners that offer consultations or other services. People may complain that your advice did not benefit them or that you did not complete a service. Such
claims can be avoided if you have professional liability insurance. This form of protection should be obtained by consultants, attorneys, accountants, and other such professions. Even if you perform your work effectively, you may inadvertently leave anything out, therefore you must protect yourself and your company.
Cyber Liability Insurance Cyber assaults have become increasingly widespread as the internet has grown in popularity. If you want to keep your company safe from hackers, you should get cyber liability insurance. This sort of coverage is useful if there is a data violation that exposes sensitive information. It is critical for eCommerce companies and online service providers. Legal and civil losses, crisis management costs, and company interruption can all be covered by cyber liability insurance. Even if your company isn't entirely online, you might want to obtain this insurance for peace of mind.
Product Liability Insurance If your firm includes the sale of a tangible
product, you should consider purchasing product liability insurance. This is especially crucial if your product has the potential to
cause property damage or physical harm. Someone may sue you if they are injured as a result of a defect in your goods. You may be held accountable for a greater portion of the
cost of damages if you do not have this protection. However, if you have this coverage, the insurance provider may assist you in
covering the expense. Then you will not have to spend as much money to assist your consumer.
Commercial Property Insurance Another sort of coverage to consider is commercial property insurance. If something occurs to your property, it can safeguard any of your company's assets. You may utilize this coverage to protect inventory, office furniture, and POS systems. After a theft, natural calamity, or vandalism, the insurance kicks in. Property insurance is essential for every business, whether you operate from home or elsewhere. If you conduct your business from home, though, you may require commercial property insurance and a separate home. 20 - CanadianSME - May 2022
Directors and Officers Insurance Directors and officers insurance is a sort of liability
insurance that can cover you and your business's other owners. It will explicitly safeguard your personal belongings if you are sued for your commercial operations. This is true if you are sued by an employee, a customer, or someone else. Having this insurance
might be especially beneficial if you are a solo entrepreneur with no other forms of protection. It is also
beneficial to any additional shareholders, directors, or executives. As a result, you can all protect yourself from future litigation.
Business Interruption Insurance Last but not least, there is business interruption insurance. In general, the insurance categories described above cover direct losses. A simple property insurance plan will cover the cost of shop damages, while basic cybersecurity coverage will cover credit tracking and consumer notifications. But what about the loads of money you lose when restoring your network or cleaning up after a natural disaster? Either situation can put your business out of operation for days, if not weeks! Business interruption insurance compensates for missed revenue, allowing you to avoid trying to make ends meet.
Who Needs Small Business Insurance? It's helpful to understand what small company
insurance covers, but it's also helpful to understand the two primary forms of coverage. Then, you may choose a policy that will give the protection you and your company require.
You may profit from small business insurance if you are a consultant, hairdresser, or sell a product. It
would help if you considered the distinctions between the many forms of small business insurance. Then you may select a firm that meets your requirements.
Professional Liability Professional liability insurance is essential for
service providers since it protects them from legal action. If your job causes your customer a loss, they may sue you for compensation. If you fail to satisfy a client's expectations, you may also require this insurance. This insurance can protect you if you miss a deadline or forget a critical detail.
Even if you do everything possible to avoid them,
mistakes can occur. Even if you missed a deadline unintentionally, the last thing you want is a lawsuit to harm your firm.
General Liability A general liability insurance policy provides CGL
coverage. When there is a problem with your business activities, finished operations, goods, or premises, this coverage can safeguard your company. In addition, you'll need this insurance if any of those things damage or injure someone else's property. For example, suppose an employee stumbles at work and requires medical attention for a fractured bone. If a product causes a consumer to become ill or destroys their property, you may additionally require general liability insurance. General liability insurance should be broad in scope to cover you against various risks.
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The Key Takeaway The search for commercial insurance can be a stressful experience, but it can provide you with peace of mind in the long run by controlling your company's risk. The cliché "better safe than sorry" applies nowhere more than in commercial insurance, so take the time to investigate the best choices for safeguarding your small business. Although small business insurance is not required under Canadian law, it may be beneficial. It would help if you considered what it does and does not cover and the different forms of insurance. As a result, you'll be able to choose a plan that meets both your demands and your budget. Soon, you'll be able to operate your business without worrying about anything going wrong.
Say hello to Sidekick Consulting, a new
Mark Harrison Venture
Co-founder of the T1 Agency
Mark Harrison is a lifelong volunteer and entrepreneur. As an experienced marketer, he launched the award-winning marketing agency, The T1 Agency, in 1994 and a global community of sponsorship practitioners, SponsorshipX, in 2005. Mark founded The MH3 Collective to align his ventures from advertising and sponsorship marketing to integrated communications and education. As part of Mark’s commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion in society, he founded the Black Talent Initiative to facilitate change, access, and connections to aspiring professional Black talent. In 2020, Mark co-founded Park Street Education, a non-profit offering experience-based, hybrid learning and worked to provide accessibility and remove all barriers to children’s education. Additionally, Mark is Board Chair at Big Brothers Big Sisters Toronto, a Fundraising Campaign Cabinet Member at CAMH Foundation, and an advisor to several ventures, including the Crankworx World Tour, Riff, and NFL Canada.
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What was your inspiration behind launching a new venture, "Sidekick Consulting"? And how are you planning to build an organization that any entrepreneur would want as a sidekick? In the next decade, "Entrepreneur" will be the most sought-after job globally and being "Entrepreneurial" will be the most sought-after trait by employers. We wanted to assemble a team that could help equip individuals and organizations who are coming into this role or have this trait. We will deploy our integrated tools, beginning with our Strategic Framework for Entrepreneurial Design™, encompassing Purpose, Passion, Profit and People, to truly be a sidekick to these individuals and organizations.
Sidekick is a team of purpose-driven strategy consultants working with passionate intrapreneurs and entrepreneurs to make their mark. How does this help the business owners to grow and develop their businesses?
Sidekick Consulting has an unrelenting focus on
By their very nature, entrepreneurial people have a great vision, sometimes so transformative that others
that energy combined with strategic thinking is the ultimate solution.
cannot see it. Sidekick will help translate that vision into understandable frameworks for all stakeholders. We will also ensure the dreamer's dreams get operationalized, making it easy for them to plan and execute the growth of their organization.
How does your company collaborate with entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs to address core business challenges faced by them? And how does this help in reaching their goals? Sidekick has intentionally designed an impactful array of 'kits' that address core business challenges and opportunities. In totality, the kits provide a menu of solutions to tackle any challenge an entrepreneurial or intrapreneurial team faces.
What is your opinion about Sidekick being the ultimate solution for building a scaling vision, business operations, employee experience or growth hacking for any business?
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harnessing an entrepreneurial passion for impact. When entrepreneurial passion gains focus through strategy, there is the power to grow an organization
beyond what is thought possible. The energy in people is their true superpower, second to none, and
Sidekick consulting is not only purpose-driven, but it also works with the clients hand-inhand, rather than just providing reports. How do you think this will help them achieve success? One of the defining features of Sidekick is that we will never hide our advice in a fancy PowerPoint deck. Instead, it is implemented hand-in-hand with the client in a manner where words become wisdom, and wisdom becomes a way of working. Staying right by our client's side, we roll up our sleeves and get stuff done.
What specific advice would you like to give to small business owners? Play the ball where it is. I don't golf (well), but when you think about the sport in its simplest form, every shot you take is from where the ball lays. It is the same in business. Don't fool yourself into thinking your ball is in a better or worse position. Take the best shot you can from where it lies.
The Digital Journey: Where Are Commercial Insurers in the Present Day The coronavirus pandemic caused a significant upheaval in working and living, and the insurance sector was no exception. Although, almost instantly, insurers were obliged to develop new working methods and virtualize their functioning, most successfully navigated. For over two years, businesses across sectors, particularly insurance, have been accelerating digital transformation efforts to adapt to remote access for staff and customers. As a result, many self-service capabilities, like digital payments, virtual inspections, and automated workflows, were prioritized by insurers. In contrast, investments in AI (artificial intelligence), IoT (Internet of Things), new user interaction technology, and several other cutting-edge technologies were also prioritized.
Nevertheless, as the global pandemic's impacts play out,
market action shows that commercial lines insurers are again prioritizing their technology-powered initiatives, with some programs moving forward while others have halted. In
addition, they are progressing on their digital journeys, propelled by client expectations and the global acceleration of digital capabilities.
Earlier in the industry's digital evolution, personal lines received all of the emphasis. As a result, commercial lines, particularly those covering more complicated risks, were left behind by the surge of InsurTech, mobile, and digital activity that swept the rest of the business. But that isn’t the case anymore.
The enormous potential of digitizing the customer experience and digitizing assets is now widely acknowledged, and change is well underway. However, owing to the epidemic, there have been some substantial modifications to digital project objectives during the last year. The shift to a lockdown/workfrom-home scenario, which happened almost quickly, showed critical weaknesses in insurers' capacities. Commercial lines businesses reprioritized projects to serve policyholders, agents, and employees wanting remote, digital capabilities beyond 2020 and 2021. These modified goals have been carried over into 2022, albeit initiatives for insurers at varying maturity for those focusing on small and large commercial (mid-market).
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Small Business Commercial Insurance
The Current Status of Digital Transformation Digital Transformation in Commercial Lines: Project Priorities for 2021, an SMA research paper published in 2021, provided specific strategies for small and mid/large commercial lines insurers relating to several digital initiatives. There are several parallels between the lines. For instance, contemporary core systems and ongoing asset digitization were the cornerstones of digital transformation. Although these initiatives may not have caused the considerable transformation, they were critical facilitators for a wide range of more revolutionary digital ventures. More information must be available in digital formats. The systems of record that manage critical transaction flows and data must be designed on current architectures that give the flexibility and agility required in the digital era.
In the present day, thirteen "transformational" technologies are collaborating with fundamental technologies, including portals, core systems, CRM systems, and several others, to usher the insurance sector of Canada into the state-ofthe-art digital-connected future.
Computer vision, machine learning (ML), robotic process automation (RPA), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual payments, and user interaction technology will keep on generating significant interest and have a substantial impact on commercial lines in the year 2022 and beyond. Nevertheless, some insurers have stated that they are slowing down their plans for particular short-term horizon technologies. Fifty-one percent of the commercial insurers last year claimed they were amid the new ML solution installations, while projections through 2022 show just 45 percent deploying, with Tier 3 and 4 firms leading the way. The coronavirus health crisis's circumstances are mostly to blame for the slowdown in developing ML potentialities for smaller insurers.
Transformational Technologies in P&C Commercial Lines:
Insurer Progress, Plans, and Predictions, a new SMA research paper, investigates these technologies and how
they will affect commercial lines insurers today and in the coming times. Commercial lines insurers are tackling AI-related and nonAI-related revolutionary technologies with varying degrees of investment and uptake. SMA has tracked these technologies throughout time, categorizing them into: Short-term Mid-term Long-term Computer vision, machine learning (ML), robotic process automation (RPA), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual payments, and user interaction technology will keep on generating significant interest and have a vital impact on commercial lines in the year 2022 and beyond. Nevertheless, some insurers have stated that they are slowing down their plans for particular short-term horizon technologies.
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Looking ahead, Blockchain, 5G/Edge computing, autonomous vehicles, and AR/VR (Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality) are projected to have a transformative influence on the sector. More commercial lines executives realize their capability in specific business categories than a year ago. For instance, as key wireless networks broaden coverage and more devices support the technologies, the capability for 5G/edge computing grows.
Small Business Commercial Insurance According to a 2021 SMA study, 24 percent of commercial lines insurers are watching and formulating first strategies circling 5G/Edge computing, up from 18 percent in 2020. In addition, 5G has the potential to change several commercial insurance sectors, including IoT, driverless cars, and several other new UI technologies. As a result, as the technology gets more generally accepted, it will most likely be a short-term horizon technology for insurers to plan with.
Despite the impact of the pandemic, the projections for 2022 indicate another year of progress in the digital journeys of commercial line insurers. As the decade unfolds, insurers will go beyond the initial stages of digitizing assets and allowing digital
interactions to position themselves for full digital transformation, which will result in more creative
products, new alliances, and new business models.
Those that effectively alter their businesses will gain a competitive advantage.
The Key Takeaway
All You Need to Know about
Business Interruption Insurance A tangible option for businesses is to depend on BI (Business Interruption) insurance to recuperate lost business income during this crisis. This coverage often compensates for standing charges, lost net profit, and a rise in operating costs to keep output constant throughout the indemnity (loss) period.
What Does Business Interruption (BI) Insurance Cover? After a covered risk has affected a firm, business
interruption insurance can assist protect against lost income. Theft, falling items, wind, fire, and lightning are commonly covered risks. Make sure to study your company insurance policy documentation so you know which risks your insurer will assist you in covering.
Revenue that your company would typically generate if it were open. Mortgage, rent, and lease payments for the location of Without the proper business insurance, running a business may be challenging. Business interruption insurance, also known as contingent business interruption coverage or business income insurance, is a type of coverage that most business owners require. In addition, it can assist restore revenue lost if you are unable to open temporarily due to a covered loss, such as property damage. For instance, if a tree goes down on your office roof and you must close for repairs, this coverage can assist cover the expenses of your lost revenue while they fix it. Your business income insurance policy may also cover a civil authority, such as a government-mandated road closure that impermanently closes your operation. 27 - CanadianSME - May 2022
your business. Loan installments that you must make within that period. Taxes, whether paid monthly or quarterly. Pay your workers' salaries. Relocation expenses if you are forced to relocate to a temporary or new location due to physical damage. Extra costs may arise if, for instance, you need to rent another location to conduct your business, following a covered loss temporarily. Employee training expenditures to learn how to utilize new machinery or equipment following a covered loss.
Coverage for Business Interruption Period of Restoration
What Is the Cost of Business Interruption Insurance?
The total restoration period of the interruption coverage of your business is the amount of time during which your insurance will assist in compensating for lost revenue. There is a 48 to 72hour waiting time before your insurance begins to pay out money in most circumstances. Check your policy to learn when your restoration period begins and finishes.
The total cost of your business income or business Interruption coverage is determined by a variety of factors, including: Industry Total number of employees The extent of coverage Costs may also differ based on your region and the likelihood of a covered hazard or loss. For example, if your company is located in an area
prone to wildfires, the cost of business interruption insurance may rise. If your company is located in a region prone to natural
catastrophes, such as hurricanes, you need to pay more for insurance than firms located inland.
Exclusions from Business Interruption Insurance How Much Business Interruption (BI) Insurance Do You Require? There will be a coverage limit in every business
interruption insurance policy. This is the total amount of insurance coverage you select to have in the event of a loss. It might be difficult to determine how much business interruption insurance you require. A solid rule of thumb is to forecast future profits and establish the appropriate level of coverage using your gross earnings and estimates. Remember that if your business interruption costs exceed the coverage maximum you select, you'll have to pay the difference out of pocket. Some questions you might ask yourself to help you evaluate how much coverage you require are as follows: How long would it take your organization to recover from physical harm or loss? Is your company's building equipped with up-todate fire alarms and sprinklers? Do you believe you could locate another site in your neighbourhood to rent as a temporary place to do business if you sustained a covered loss?
The following are not covered by business interruption insurance:
Items have been broken as a consequence of a covered occurrence or loss. Earthquake or flood damage will need the
purchase of a second coverage. Undocumented money that is not shown in your company's financial records. Utilities are often shut down when your firm shutters due to damage. Communicable illnesses can force your business to shut down.
The Key Takeaway An unforeseen occurrence that disrupts your usual operations might occur from any location. Consider the sorts of risks that your small business encounters, make sure your policy includes business interruption coverage, and consult with a certified broker to determine if there are any gaps in your coverage or if you want to expand your coverage levels.
Is SR&ED the right choice for your Business? Can Ayming help fund your innovation with SR&ED tax credits?
The Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) Tax Credit Program offers Canadian Businesses some of the most lucrative tax credits in the world. This program provides more than $3 billion to over 20,000 claimants annually, making it the single largest federal program to support innovation in Canada. Are you sure you’re claiming every eligible dollar you may be entitled to?
Developing a new manufacturing
Overseen by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), this tax incentive provides funding for companies performing Research & Development (R&D) work in Canada. These tax incentives come in three forms: an income tax deduction, an investment tax credit (ITC), and, in many cases, a refund.
Incurring costs related to a project,
Contrary to popular belief, almost any company of any size can qualify to receive SR&ED because R&D work can easily be integrated into everyday business activities. Your business may already be doing work that qualifies for SR&ED tax credits, such as:
Improving current technology.
process or product. Developing new software for your business or for your client. Focusing on improving existing products or processes. prototype or process that is incomplete because of technical problems. Improving your competitive advantage. Developing innovative solutions. Research & development. Activities relating to engineering, design, modelling, data collection, testing or new development work of any kind.
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Small Business
Why Ayming as your SR&ED partner?
1,100+ R&D experts serving our clients globally.
Ayming Canada’s team of SR&ED experts boasts over 200 years of combined experience. They are best positioned to ensure that you are not leaving any money on the table while submitting strong and defendable claims.
Ability to service companies of all sizes, including earlystage and start-ups with our proprietary SR&ED Express
Ayming offers flexible engagement options, giving you the ability to choose the best service that meets your needs. We can tailor our agreements depending on the level of involvement you require. Ayming secures $1.5 billion annually for its clients, and here are just a few more reasons why partnering with us can provide substantial financial benefits to your company:
We provide full support in the case of an SR&ED audit or review, at no extra charge.
offer.
Ayming Canada’s highly experienced delivery teams boast over 200+ years of combined SR&ED experience and over 50+ years of combined grants experience, meaning you partner with true subject matter experts who are invested in your success. With Ayming, clients do not have to wait for the government agencies to process their SR&ED applications in order to receive money immediately. Ayming has an exclusive fund of $150 million which provides accelerated access to your funding through our attractive financing offer. We are able to double the funding we bring to our clients with our combined SR&ED and grant offer. Our proprietary artificial intelligence (AI)-driven database of grants provides real-time access to thousands of programs, including a custom snapshot of all federal and provincial grants currently available to your specific business.
Readily available references from all industries.
The SR&ED program provides billions of dollars in support to Canadian businesses of all sizes and varying industries.
Are you interested in learning which SR&ED tax credits your business may be eligible for? Call us today to see how our Canadian team of experts with over 200 years of combined SR&ED experience can assist you. Contact Ayming at https://www.ayming.ca
30 - CanadianSME - May 2022
How Ian Weng Is Carving Out a New Foodservice Category with Spatula
Co-founder and CEO of SPATULA Foods
Ian Weng is co-founder and CEO of SPATULA Foods, an innovative gourmet meal subscription startup founded in Toronto, that delivers meals developed by local chefs that are flash-frozen at the height of freshness. SPATULA meals magically transform into restaurant-worthy creations after being cooked in a pan for 10 minutes. The idea for SPATULA struck Ian last year while he was studying for his MBA at a France-based business school, INSEAD. His busy schedule didn’t leave much time to prepare dinners from scratch. At the same time, Weng didn’t always want to order out. He discovered a solution the French have been enjoying for years – flash-frozen gourmet meals to satisfying their discerning taste for great food, prepared quickly. When he returned to Toronto, Weng teamed up with Michelin-trained chef and Top Chef Canada finalist, Wallace Wong. Together they cofounded SPATULA. Ian’s previous experience as Head of Strategy for Uber Eats Canada armed him with an intimate understanding of consumer needs and challenges around taste, convenience and affordability. With this invaluable experience, he and Wong developed a solution that meets the needs of today’s food-loving consumer that’s faster than any meal kit or food app on the market that starts at under $11.49 a plate.
What was the idea behind starting SPATULA Foods, and what are you aiming to achieve through this startup? The idea for SPATULA struck me last year while I was studying for my MBA at a France-based business school, INSEAD. My busy schedule
didn’t leave much time to prepare dinners from scratch. At the same time, I didn’t always want to order out. That’s when I discovered a solution the French have been enjoying for years – flash-frozen gourmet meals satisfying their discerning taste for great food that is also prepared quickly. When I got back to Toronto, I partnered up with Michelin-trained chef Wallace Wong and together we started to work on SPATULA. What do we want to achieve? We are on a mission to raise the bar for consumer expectations around convenience and taste. There’s nothing like SPATULA on the market in Canada. We deliver a delicious, restaurantworthy dinner solution with a 10-minute promise that’s ready at least three times faster than a meal kit and about four times quicker than delivery apps.
A Chef-to-Table Experience We also want to provide another revenue stream for chefs following the challenges many faced as a result of the pandemic.
What are the methods used by your company to make sure that people don't get a feel of frozen food? Are those methods helpful?
Our recipes are developed by some of Toronto’s most talented chefs and the dishes are what you would expect to experience at a top restaurant at a fraction of the cost — while also providing another revenue stream for local chefs.
Our meals are flash-frozen at the height of freshness, and they are specially engineered so you can’t detect they were previously frozen.
We’re carving out a new category in the foodservice sector with a huge runway for growth that has already been embraced by countries like France. SPATULA dishes can be heated in a pan with the stir of a spatula in under 10 minutes, allowing consumers to enjoy a foolproof, mouthwatering dish on weeknights or even special dinners at home. Our meals are made locally with high-quality ingredients and you can’t detect they were previously frozen because of our freezing technology.
Your company claims to deliver a restaurantworthy dinner solution with a 10- minute promise that’s ready at least three times faster than a meal kit and about four times quicker than delivery apps. What do you have to say about this? We’re offering a dinner solution that is at least 3x faster than any meal kit service on the market and
ready to eat up to 5x faster than any app can deliver food to your home. The quality of SPATULA is what you’d experience at a restaurant so we’re winning on convenience and quality. The average food delivery is 40-50 minutes. While meal kits promise meals ready in 30 minutes or less, the truth is that is a high bar to set for most people. Wallace and I have devised a winning formula of speed, convenience and taste that differentiates us from what’s available through meal kit companies, and food delivery apps. We’re raising the bar for busy consumers who are increasingly hungry for convenience and looking for the next best solution. SPATULA Foods is that solution and we’re seeing that through our repeat business and feedback from happy customers. 32 - CanadianSME - May 2022
If you’re serving up SPATULA to friends or family at home, they would never suspect they were previously frozen because the integrity of the dish is as it was intended by the chef that developed it. Nothing is compromised through the flash-freezing process. You’ve probably heard of this Tik Tok trend - ‘no one will ever know!’ SPATULA meals are just like that. We know from customer feedback that people are actually quite amazed and their skepticism is quickly diminished once they have a SPATULA
experience. They quickly learn that flash freezing in no way compromises the integrity of the dish. Consumers don’t realize that the flash freezing technology we use is very different, technical and sophisticated than what they experience when freezing something in their freezer.
In France, flash-frozen gourmet-style meals are a multi-billion dollar business. And if the French – being the food lovers they are – enjoy it then that's a great standard.
A Chef-to-Table Experience Whereas, we've already done all the heavy lifting. When a customer purchases SPATULA dishes, on top of amazing food, they’re buying convenience in a package that is ready-made and requires zero prep and minimal cooking. Meal kits are like IKEA where you have to assemble the furniture, and we are the fine piece of furniture that’s ready to go. SPATULA chefs have prepared and engineered everything so that all customers have to do is heat in a pan with the stir of a spatula, and everything will be ready in 10 minutes. Given this level of convenience, we consider this a new category of food with a new willingness to pay.
There’s nothing like SPATULA available to
Canadian consumers, and by the reaction and repeat sales we are receiving, we see a huge opportunity. When a consumer orders from SPATULA, they get speed, convenience,
Dishes made at SPATULA are internationally inspired to celebrate the diverse cultures and flavours that influence how Canadians eat and are created in each chef’s own, unique signature style. Is this special feature helpful in attracting your customers? Yes, absolutely! We’ve collaborated with some of Toronto’s most celebrated Chefs to create a deliciously diverse menu. At SPATULA, we are inspired by chefs and part of our success is the fact that they each bring their unique style and expertise to the table that allowing us to provide our consumers with restaurant-quality food that consumers can confidently and conveniently cook and be proud to serve to anyone.
With investors from leading meal kit companies, will SPATULA’s business model of local chef-developed recipes, ready in 10 minutes to be the next iteration of the meal kit - an industry already facing challenges in a post-pandemic world? Meal kits have dominated the market for so long. While they offer ingredients for recipes, it’s essentially pre-packed groceries. 33 - CanadianSME - May 2022
affordability, quality and restaurant-worthy dinner solutions that no meal kit or delivery app can compete with.
In addition, our business model also focuses on local chefs who receive a percentage of sales each time their recipe is sold. This acts as an additional revenue stream for these talented chefs who have witnessed the impact of the pandemic on the restaurant industry.
Has your experience as Head of Strategy at Uber Eats Canada helped you inspire the new company to address the challenges with 3rd party delivery? I have a deep understanding of the importance of providing consumers with convenience and how that dictates their purchasing decisions. At the same time, affordability and creating a magical experience are all key and we’ve created the perfect balance of all of those things with the launch of SPATULA.
Greg Young deep dives into crypto mining fraud and offer tips to mitigate threat
VP Cybersecurity at Trend Micro Greg is the global Vice President for Cybersecurity for Trend Micro, a 7000 employee, and a $2B security product company. Greg is one of the earliest pioneers in cybersecurity for Canada, with over 30 years of experience in the field. At Gartner, for 14 years he was Research Vice President and was the lead analyst for network security, threat trends, and cryptography where he authored more than 20 Magic Quadrants and was Conference Chair for many Gartner Security Summits. Greg headed several large security consulting practices and was CISO for the federal Department of Communications. He served as chief security architect for a security product company, was a commissioned officer in the military police working on the computer and technical security and counter-intelligence, and received the Confederation Medal from the Governor-General of Canada for his work with smart card security. Greg is the industry co-chair for the Canadian Forum for Digital Infrastructure Resilience (CFDIR), a Federal government public/private collaboration supporting critical infrastructure and a member of the CFDIR Supply Chain Assurance working group. The Government of Barbados cabinet recently appointed him as a probono advisor and member of their CyberSecurity Working Group. Greg is co-host of The Real Cybersecurity Podcast. He mentions too often that he was an extra in 2 episodes of Airwolf.
When did you start your career in the IT/Cybersecurity industry? Please share your experience with our readers. I started in the field of what we now call Cybersecurity, 33 years ago. I have worked for a
vast variety of industries including military, government, consulting, and product companies. I also have 14 years of experience as a Gartner analyst.
As cryptocurrency is slowly becoming common among individuals and business transactions, what are the risks associated with its use? Overall, the risk is high. Of course, that is contextual. Dealing with well-known exchanges using mainstream-coin types, and protecting your wallet is one of the lower-risk scenarios. But once you draw the comparison with online banking, the risk gap is so obviously wide. The procedural, operational, and technical security used by banks is a galaxy away from what I see in most crypto exchanges. Sure, the security behind a blockchain is solid, but that doesn’t impart any security to apps, exchanges, client machines, and the policies of the blockchain itself or the people being phished. It’s like a high-security unforgeable banknote in a cardboard box, with the owner’s name written in pencil by a dude wearing a clown mask who looks like he is about to run off with the box.
What would you like to say about the new report released by Trend Micro which focuses on cloud-based cryptocurrency-mining attacks, the most prominent groups in this space, their battle for cloud resources, and the impact attacks could have on organizations? Ransomware gets a lot of attention, and the bad guys know this so they can make money with little risk by crypto-mining your cloud resources. Then they can ransomware you later if they want.
Luckily, organizations are not helpless when it comes to defending their systems against cloud-based cryptocurrencymining attacks. How can we encourage them to strengthen the security of their cloud implementations? Give them the tools to see the resources and the billing. Ask the security leader
Resource consumption and cost are more commonly affected
by the cloud-based cryptocurrency-mining attacks on an organization, which leads to customer dissatisfaction. How can we overcome these problems? Get security access to performance and resource utilization data: ops teams probably haven’t been looking for crypto mining and security hasn’t been given the tools to start to make it part of what they watch.
What are the effective measures to be taken to stop the ongoing battle for cloud resources that will lead to the loss of victim servers? It’s the security basics – patch, backup, and watch your stuff. The big extra one is secure even test or training resources: a test server with no sensitive data nor connections to the internal systems is still a great crypto mining target.
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what they are doing in real-time to monitor crypto mining. We’ve all been
so focused on ransomware that the bad guys are increasing crypto mining where they can’t ransom (e.g. a test server) or don’t want to draw attention (east European groups fearing increased scrutiny during the Ukraine War).
TELUS Health Acquisition Adds Leading Preventative Health Solution to its Ecosystem How will you describe your inspiring journey with leadership experience in multidisciplinary fields such as healthcare, technology and media? Early in my career, I was a management consultant in the banking and retail sectors. I had the opportunity to observe advancements in technology, particularly in the digital space with new innovations that put control back into consumers' hands. But healthcare at the time was far behind in its use of digital technologies to benefit patients. I always thought to myself, what if we could apply the technological advancements being used by consumers in banking and retail to healthcare?
Daniel Martz Vice president, Virtual Care, TELUS Health
Fueled by his passion for leveraging leading-edge technology to transform healthcare and improve health outcomes, Daniel leads the team responsible for TELUS Health Virtual Care in their mission to make healthcare more accessible for all Canadians. With a career spanning over 21 years and with leadership experience in multidisciplinary fields such as healthcare, technology and media, Daniel joined TELUS Health following the acquisition of EQ Care where he served as CEO for eight years. Prior to joining TELUS Health, Daniel held leadership positions at Bombardier Aerospace, Accenture and AT Kearney. An active member of the start-up ecosystem, Daniel also served as CEO in the media and advertising industries. He is passionate about developing solutions that bridge healthcare and technology. He believes that to design the big picture, one must be being keenly aware of the details required to make the vision a reality. He holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University with honours, and a DEC in Health Sciences from Marianopolis College with honours.
I moved into the healthcare space around 2008 and this came at a time when digital solutions were coming into this industry with the launch of the iPhone. Over the next decade, the advancements in this technology grew steadily giving patients new ways to connect with their care providers through voice, text, and video. I joined EQ Care, which made its virtual health solutions available to people through their workplace benefits plan. I was then able to continue
my work with TELUS Health where my team leads a wide range of virtual care services for employees with a focus on care delivered
by empathetic, compassionate healthcare professionals who guide users through every step of their healthcare journey with personal,
human interaction. Ultimately, my interest and passion turned into a compelling career, and I am now committed to helping get highquality healthcare to as many people as possible.
What do you have to say about the acquisition of Sprout Wellness Solutions, which is a leading digital health and wellness service focused on preventative health practices? And what was the motive behind this acquisition? TELUS Health initially invested in Sprout Wellness Solutions back in 2015 as we recognized its potential to be an industry-leading holistic workplace wellness platform that could help improve the health and happiness of Canadian employees. The acquisition this year was an important next step in ensuring we are providing the latest innovations in employee health and wellness. As an established leader in digital health technology, Sprout and TELUS Health are a natural fit with closely aligned values. Canadians use TELUS Health digital tools every day to take control of their health whether at home, at work, or on the go. Likewise, Sprout’s platform encourages healthy behaviours through health risk assessments, wearable device integrations and activity tracking, health-based goals and challenges plus the integrated gamification of healthy active living among employees.
Data Center Services TELUS Health and Sprout share the objective of advancing the use of technology to expand access to high-quality, proactive health and well-being resources on demand. Our goal is to have this innovative digital solution help in advancing our virtual health “digital front-door strategy,” enabling a single point of entry to our employer-funded health solutions and creating an integrated virtual health ecosystem across preventative, proactive and primary care with enhanced capabilities.
Importantly, although the Sprout acquisition is quite recent, we have made significant strides already with integrating it into the TELUS Health platform so customers can begin experiencing the benefits.
With organizations seeking to embrace more digital well-being empowerment tools for their team members, will this acquisition turn out to be a great support for Canada’s workforce at every step of their health journey? Great question. Over the past five years, virtual care offerings for employees have grown rapidly and this was further accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are now in a period where virtual solutions are moving beyond primary care and
there is a focus on getting employees access to expanded health services such as mental health,
nutrition, and preventative health supports through platforms like Sprout. These preventative digital tools are a natural evolution and something we identified as vital to ensuring TELUS Health’s virtual care services could provide end-to-end employee care. By bringing Sprout’s technology into our ecosystem, we can now provide employers with a more fulsome spectrum of health supports to help increase employee engagement, but importantly, services that empower them to take control of their health and well-being.
How do you think that offering benefit plans to the employees are an effective digital tool to support their health? Will it be able to meet the needs of today's workforce? Virtual care and telemedicine started almost 30 years ago and the original model was intended to connect patients with a doctor in another location.
It was ideal for those living in rural or remote parts of the country. This technology, and its use of it, has evolved quite dramatically and digital formats are slowly becoming the first point of connection with healthcare and how it’s delivered to many Canadians today. As such, having benefits plans that provide virtual care solutions is a must; we are seeing employees using these services more often with highly positive experiences. The focus now is on simplifying the process of accessing these services and bringing them all onto one platform which is what TELUS Health has been prioritizing. We recognize that Canadians have demanded in the workplace along with family and other personal commitments. They require services provided through their benefits plans that give them the care and support they need in a timely manner but in a way that is easily accessible whether they are at home, at work, or on the go. What positive influence did the innovative health solution have on overall health and wellness that helped employees shift their mindset to more proactively focus on improving their overall health and happiness? The truth is in the numbers. Sprout Wellness Solutions was founded in 2012 but leverages more than 25 years of
academic research in the creation of its innovative digital services. The platform is now being used by top Canadian
companies and leading pharmaceutical and healthcare technology companies. The number of users continues to grow along with the positive feedback. Users note that the
platform is easy to use and has helped them better manage their physical, mental, and emotional health and wellbeing.
What impact will the acquisition of Sprout have on TELUS Health? And how will it support the growth of TELUS Health’s virtual care ecosystem? Bringing together our full suite of virtual care services with the new Sprout wellness and engagement program helps us further differentiate our virtual health offering, as employers now have access to even more employee support, all on a single platform. This acquisition is another example of how TELUS Health continues to grow its ecosystem to span every step of the health journey for employees, improving access to high-quality care and helping organizations support their workforce. This includes a suite of virtual and in-person health and wellness offerings including, virtual care, virtual pharmacy, medical centres of excellence, mental health support, and now digital employee wellness solutions through Sprout.
CELEBRATING BUSINESS SUCCESS IN CANADA
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CELEBRATING BUSINESS SUCCESS IN CANADA
The CanadianSME Business Awards is an important date on our calendars because it marks the day that we celebrate and congratulate those who have made a positive contribution to our country’s economy. Last year we had a very successful turnout with over 500 guests and celebrated over 500 diverse businesses from across Canada. This year we want to continue to show that same support and appreciation for our small and medium-sized businesses. We are thrilled to celebrate and recognize 31 winners from across Canada through this online red carpet gala. These businesses are making a huge impact in their industries and in our nation. On behalf of CanadianSME, I’d like to take a moment and thank our partners, and award category sponsors We extend a warm thank you to our exclusive banking partner RBC, shipping partner UPS and Award Category sponsors; KPMG, HP, Xero, GoDaddy, Zoho, Alexio, Mitacs and Nerds On-Site. for the support you honoured us for the CanadianSME National Business Awards 2021. All thanks to your support that we are able to successfully host this event for the third time in a row and make small businesses aware of the opportunities the Canadian economy provides them for a bright and successful future. It is with your support, we were able to highlight the importance of conducting such an event which is a great platform for small businesses from different industries to interact and learn from one another. In the future, we aim to organize more events of these kinds and we are hopeful that our platform will get stronger with time. We certainly will be happy to have your support in our future endeavors.
Entrepreneur of the Year Black Entrepreneur of the Year
Business Women of the Year
Thank you to all our judges for donating their time and expertise to judge the awards, after a meticulous review, this diverse panel has evaluated these outstanding businesses that we will be appraising and let's give them a virtual round of applause.
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SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 2021 Up to 10 employees
#SMEAWARDS
Small Business of the Year - Top 1 Up to 10 employees
Thoughts on winning the Canadian SME National Business Award We are honoured to be receiving the award for Small Business of the Year! This award represents the hard work and dedication to make Luxe Du Jour the brand it is today. Our dedication, persistence and perseverance is acknowledged by SME and RBC for this award and for that we are grateful. We want to make luxury affordable and attainable and do our best to contribute to circular fashion. Recovery looks different for all small businesses however it is essential in order to keep growing and getting closer to your goal. Never let adversity keep you from your dreams, things must fall apart before better things can come. Luxe Du Jour is a luxury consignment company offering an incredible selection of pre-loved, professionally
Tammy Phan CEO, Luxe Du Jour Tammy Phan is the CEO and Founder of Luxe Du Jour. Luxe Du Jour is a luxury consignment company offering an incredible selection of preloved, professionally authenticated designer handbags. Shoppers can choose to buy or sell pre-owned purses, rent bags for a short period of time, or send an item to the Luxe Bag Spa to be professionally restored by an in-house expert.
authenticated designer handbags. Shoppers can choose to buy or sell pre-owned purses, rent bags for a short period of time, or send an item to the Luxe Bag Spa to be professionally restored by an in-house expert.
Small Business of the Year - Top 2 Up to 10 employees
Thoughts on winning the Canadian SME National Business Award I have so much gratitude for my team, our clients who push us to grow, and the living breathing organization that Carmella has become. Winning the small business of the year award fills me with pride and confidence. Pride that the vision can make a difference and confidence that the struggles have been worth it. We are so so so fortunate to live and work in mountain towns and we endeavour to leave them a better place than we found them. I'd like to raise a glass to all those who have supported me and Carmella over the years, this award is as much yours as it is ours. Being recognized by Canadian SME Small Business Magazine is a great validation of our efforts to build our company over the past few years, especially the last 18 months through the pandemic. This has primarily been the result of the support of our Channel Partners and Customers and the extremely hard work and dedication of our entire team.
Stephanie O'Brien President of Carmella Marketing Entrepreneurial at heart, Steff always looks for opportunities to collaborate and elevate the status quo. With 13 years in business, two degrees, a strategic planning certificate, and eleven years focused purely on strategic marketing; your complex business challenges are her jam. She is a magnetic presence who leads from the front lines, Stephanie O'Brien is an accomplished keynote speaker, facilitator, CEO, business owner, event organizer, influencer, community ambassador, and investor.
Special message/advice to small business owners during challenging times Get. A. Coach. That's it, get a business coach. Get a certified business coach to help you, guide you, support you, and mentor you along your path. The tools and experience they have can really shortcut the painful process of becoming a sustainable, profitable, predictable, stable business that has an emotional connection." - Stephanie O'Brien, President Entrepreneurial at heart, Steff always looks for opportunities to collaborate and elevate the status quo. With 13 years in business, two degrees, a strategic planning certificate, and eleven years focused purely on strategic marketing; your complex business challenges are her jam. She is a magnetic presence who leads from the front lines, Stephanie O'Brien is an accomplished keynote speaker, facilitator, CEO, business owner, event organizer, influencer, community ambassador, and investor.
Small Business of the Year - Top 3 Up to 10 employees
Thoughts on winning the Canadian SME National Business Award We are extremely honoured and humbled to receive the Small business of the year (upto 10 employees). Thank You Canadian SME Business Magazine and RBC for the recognition. Winning this award validates the work of our bold, relentless team of international students who are extremely passionate about what they do and own every bit of it. They go above and beyond to support and guide every student who comes to EDUCATION CONSULTANTS CANADA (ECC)Inc. for solutions. Other than that, we are thankful for the support we receive from our partnered institutions, associates all over the globe, other channel partners and our teams in India, the Philippines and Vietnam. Last but not the least, Abhay Rai, (Founder) whose vision is to understand the unique need of every international student and make a mission to provide them with a "One-stop shop solution".
Special message/advice to small business owners during challenging times Pandemic taught us that we can absolutely blow something and then can come back stronger and resilient. Given the challenges faced by all during the pandemic, trying to make an impact by pivoting the business, creating jobs, and internship opportunities if and when possible along with volunteering time for mentoring is a great way to learn and bounce back slowly and steadily.
Sanchari Sen Rai Co-Founder & CEO, Education Consultants Canada (ECC) Sanchari Sen Rai is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of EDUCATION CONSULTANTS CANADA (ECC) Inc. As committed facilitators who build bridges between aspirations and achievements, ECC provides strategic consulting, including education plans & development for higher education abroad. Working with institutions in Canada, US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, ECC helps to guide international students on an academic journey towards a successful career path. Sanchari believes it is vitally important and a social obligation for businesses to give back to the community all that one has learned and earned when one is in a position to do so to create empowering teams and individuals.
Startup Business of the year 2021
Alan Tay Co-Founder | CEO, Delphi Technology Corp DELPHI TECHNOLOGY CORP Founded in 2020, Delphi Technology Corp is leading the digital transformation of adaptive training with virtual and augmented modalities, starting with the aviation and aerospace industries. With VR City, users engage in self-paced learning experiences and solutions in a Metaverse environment.
Thoughts on winning the Canadian SME National Business Award
Thoughts on winning the Canadian SME National Business Award
I am extremely humbled and grateful for this award which, to me, symbolizes the recognition of the entire team’s success, as well as of the founding team members. This award is a testimony to everyone’s hard work, dedication, incredible passion and deep belief in our vision. A vision that points to a future in which students benefit from engaging in learning experiences using an adaptive system, in a metaverse training environment, thus, providing a more inclusive and affordable teaching method. This award will motivate us to continue our work of contributing to a better tomorrow.
My advice to any small business owners, during this recovery phase is not to give up and to collaborate with each other and other partners. The past two years, although highly challenging, have offered us an opportunity to shift our perspective as entrepreneurs, on how we can contribute to positive change in this world, and in our communities. It all starts at our doorsteps. By adapting to new ways of working and new products and services, in particular in this tech-boom era, we can continue to re-invent ourselves through upskilling, collaboration and inclusivity. We now have the opportunity to transcend barriers that entrepreneurs from decades ago, wouldn’t have dreamed of. By embracing change and adapting ourselves to constantevolving technology and a world-inclusive culture, we can better understand our consumers’ needs and, therefore, set the foundation for a brighter future that we can be proud of.
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 2021 Up to 100 employees
#SMEAWARDS
Small Business of the Year - Top 1 Up to 100 employees
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award Thank you to Canadian SME for naming 1Milk2Sugars your 2021 Small Business of the Year. We’re humbled and proud to have our efforts and achievements celebrated in this way. In accepting this award, we’d also like to congratulate our fellow nominees and give a shoutout to the thousands of SMEs that have powered through the last two years with creativity and resolve. Canada’s small business community is fueled by inspiring doers and we’re proud to count ourselves among them.
Ruth Goudie VP-General Manager & Partner, 1Milk2Sugars Ruth oversees the1Milk2Sugars PR & Social Media divisions and manages daily operations in the Toronto office. Drawing on her 15+ years of experience in marketing and public relations, Ruth excels at building integrated campaign strategies that generate meaningful results. Her proven ability to scale new business, foster client relations and expand the skillset of her fellow Sugars has solidified Ruth as a leader and mentor on the team.
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times As the business world moves from triage mode to recovery, we must remember one key takeaway from the pandemic: to stay agile. The last two years have underscored how quickly the ground can shift from under us and upend everything we know about our business models, so it’s vital that SMEs stay vigilant and open to changing course as necessary. Speaking from our own experience, we reinvented our offerings amid the pandemic to focus more on virtual events and digital experiences knowing those were the best ways to service our clients in a socially-distanced reality. Staying nimble isn’t necessarily easy but it’s critical for ensuring prosperity when the unexpected strikes.
ABOUT 1MILK2SUGARS Proudly recognized as one of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies by the 2020 Growth List and a 2021 Best WorkplaceTM Managed by Women, 1Milk2Sugars is an award-winning agency specializing in influencer relations, digital marketing and media relations. Priya Chopra founded 1M2S in 2012 and has expanded its reach to include head offices in Montreal, Toronto and New York with an esteemed portfolio of top international brands that includes NIVEA, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Keurig, Canada Dry, Coppertone and Centrum. 1M2S also includes its partner agency, double shot, a talent management division aimed at amplifying BIPOC and underrepresented voices in lifestyle and influencer marketing.
Small Business of the Year - Top 2 Up to 100 employees
Fatima Zaidi CEO and Founder of Quill Inc. Fatima Zaidi is the CEO and Founder of Quill Inc. a full-service podcast hosting platform and production agency that supports brands in creating their podcasts, and CoHost a podcast growth and analytics tool. Fatima’s recognized as a valuable member of the tech and podcast landscape, winning two Top 30 under 30 awards, the Young Professional of the Year by Notable Life, Veuve Clicquot’s Bold Future Award, WICM Content Marketing award, and one of Flare Magazine’s Top 100 Women.
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award Quill is a full-service podcast production company and a hosting tech platform for professional podcasters. We are thrilled to have won the CanadianSME Small Business Award this year and are so proud of our team for everything we’ve been able to accomplish this year. We have navigated two pandemic years and come out the other side- and while raising capital is impressive there’s something to be said about bootstrapping a technology company that requires resilience, and hustle. Thank you again to the team at CanadianSME for giving us this recognition- we’re so incredibly grateful and proud.
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times Being a founder, especially a female founder brings a unique set of challenges to the table. It requires us to be resilient, hustle and creative in all aspects of our business. But aside from these traits, I think putting your team first is paramount to a successful business. We’re so incredibly proud of our team at Quill for navigating two pandemic years while still seeing so much success and growth. During uncertain times or moments of recovery, it’s your team that will help to carry the company forward. So my advice for small business owners is to focus on hiring the right people not just based on skills and experience but also on how they mesh with the culture and mission of your business. And then once you’ve hired those people, make sure that they know they’re valued and have an opportunity to grow as the business grows. Quill Inc. Quill Inc. is an award-winning podcast production agency, specializing in branded content. We produce podcasts for enterprise-level brands that are looking for content that achieves maximum impact and results. Through high-quality audio and strategic podcast marketing tactics, Quill helps to boost your company’s podcast ROI.
Small Business of the Year - Top 3 Up to 100 employees
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award It’s a privilege to be recognized as the Small Business of the Year (up to 100 employees). Today we are celebrating our work and the steps we’ve taken to make eLearning immersive and impactful. No one ever said learning had to be boring, we decided to prove that. Over the last few years, our client-partners and employees worked closely to bring impactful and engaging eLearning solutions to learners. Being awarded for that is a great accomplishment, and something we’ll deeply cherish.
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times Believe in the reason you started your business, and never lose sight of the human goals in the business metrics. Entrepreneurship is chaotic, difficult and risky. It is not for everyone. But it is also very fulfilling and rewarding to create something of value and impact many lives in the process. I have found that keeping eyes on the big, human goals enables you to tide over short-term issues every business must go through.
Garima Gupta Founder and CEO, Artha Learning Inc Garima Gupta, Founder-CEO of Artha Learning, strives to bring innovation to the eLearning industry through immersive and engaging learning. As an award-winning, end-to-end learning solutions company specializing in all forms of digital learning, Artha Learning strives to make learning more meaningful when learners connect to the material and associate it with the work they do in the real world. Our company's mission is to design engaging learning strategies that combine technology and design. In our team, we have been asking ourselves, "When we can learn so much from YouTube, gaming, Google, and even Tiktok, why does institutional learning design seem so unintuitive and uninspiring?". Artha Learning is changing that narrative by bringing pedagogically sound and visually stimulating digital learning to all learners.
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 2021 (100+ Employees)
#SMEAWARDS
Business of the Year 2021 - Top 1 (100+ Employees)
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award We are extremely grateful to receive the Small Business of the Year (100+ employees) title in the Canadian SME National Business Awards 2021. We placed top three in the Small Business of the Year (50+ employees) category in 2020 and it’s with pride and joy to be recognized with an even higher ranking this year as our business and team continue to grow. This award is a testament to all the hard work my wonderful team has contributed to Propelling Businesses Forward and we would not be where we are today without them. On behalf of all of us at The Answer Company, I would like to extend a warm congratulations to all my fellow award winners and a major thank you to the CanadianSME Magazine for celebrating business success in Canada.
Shawn Ostheimer Founder & President, The Answer Company Beginning in 1994, Shawn has spearheaded The Answer Company’s growth to become one of the largest Independent ERP and Accounting software implementation and consulting firms in Canada. Shawn works actively with top technology partners like Sage and Acumatica to bring their solutions to life with customers. With over thirty years of experience implementing financial and management software systems, Shawn has contributed to every facet of improving clients’ businesses. Taking an active role in the company’s operations, Shawn is focused on propelling clients forward with technology. His emphasis on delivering phenomenal customer service has been instrumental in the company’s success and has become a pillar in The Answer Company’s culture.
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times While many things changed over the last couple of years, our commitment to our team, clients and the greater community remained a top priority. Our People First approach continues to ring true today and has been the North Star in guiding our tremendous growth over the years. To other small business owners, while it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day, do not forget the people behind the technology, products and services you sell. As we enter into a phase of recovery, it’s important for us to stand together so that we all can emerge from this pandemic more agile, resilient, and stronger than ever.
Business of the Year 2021 - TOp 2
Business of the Year 2021 - Top 3
(100+ Employees)
(100+ Employees)
Paul Gaudette
Husein Rahemtulla
CEO, Dig Insights
COO, Co-Founder at Fresh Prep
A passion for strategy and innovation led Paul into consumer insights after finishing his degree in Strategic Management at EDHEC Business School in France. Paul currently spends most of his time focused on strategic growth opportunities, which includes investment opportunities with private equity and venture capital, acquisition opportunities for geographic and portfolio expansion, and additional revenue generating opportunities within Dig’s current operations.
Fresh Prep was started in the Winter of 2014 by childhood friends Becky Brauer, Dhruv Sood and Husein Rahemtulla who were all in search of an easier answer to the question “what’s for dinner?” For busy people they found there were too many obstacles to cooking a wholesome meal at home and that made it all too appealing to just grab fast food instead. They figured there had to be a better option and that’s why they started Fresh Prep.
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award We are so honoured and grateful to be accepting this award. It is truly down to the hard work of our team members at Dig Insights, the culture we’ve fostered across our company, and the projects our clients have partnered with us on. Thank you so much for the recognition!
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times Our message to small business owners in this period of change is to be open to pivoting quickly to meet the changing demands of consumers and the economy. While much has changed in the last couple of years, things aren’t slowing down; being able to adapt to this kind of uncertainty and bring innovative and creative solutions to your business and customers will be your competitive advantage. The best part? Small businesses are particularly nimble. They can be adaptable in ways that larger players cannot – so do take advantage!
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award Winning the 2021 Canadian SME Awards for Professional Services is like discovering that the cake came with icing. I have always felt proud of the dietitians who dedicated their heart space, time and energy to learning about eating disorders. It has been through connecting with these dietitians that have shaped ED for RDs into what it is today.
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times Since winning this award, it has added an extra layer of recognition that extends beyond dietitians and into the world of business. I'm thrilled and honoured that ED for RDs is now recognized as a model in business by the Canadian SME Awards.
Shawna Melbourn Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor, ED for RDs: Eating Disorder EDucation for Registered Dietitians
Shawna Melbourn is a non-diet Registered Dietitian, an Approved Supervisor through the International Association for Eating Disorder Professionals (CEDS-S), and a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. Shawna has dedicated her entire career of choice to supporting individuals and families to nurture recovery from eating disorders, disordered eating and chronic dieting. With almost 20 years of dedicating her career to this vulnerable and rewarding population, Shawna developed an online training course just for Registered Dietitians. Dietitians generally do not learn how to support eating disorders in school, which has left many dietitians underprepared to support in a caring and safe approach. In ED for RDs: Eating Disorder EDucation for Registered Dietitians online courses, Shawna shares her years of training, clinical experience and evidence-based approaches to eating disorder care. ED for RDs is a proud recipient of the 2021 Canadian SME Awards for Professional Services.
Best Professional Services award 2021
After he arrived in Canada to pursue his master’s degree in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, Martin realized the opportunity international students had at their fingertips, so he leapt at the chance to get his brothers involved.
Immigrant Entrepreneur Of The Year
As Martin began the process of helping his brothers, Meti and Massi, apply to school in Canada, they identified several problems. It was an overwhelming, complex process that made it difficult. In 2015, Martin, Massi and Meti fused their passion for building systems and websites with their passion for empowering international students by co-founding ApplyBoard. Martin, with his brothers, envisioned building a platform that could make education accessible to students all around the world. Martin’s passion and persistence fuel his mission to ensure every student who wants to pursue an education has that opportunity. Above all else, Martin wants to create sustainable change by empowering people to not only make a difference in their own lives, but in the lives of those around them. In his spare time, Martin loves to work on one of his many philanthropic initiatives, which have most recently included COVID-19 relief efforts in India and his home country of Iran.
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award “I’m so grateful and appreciative of winning the Immigrant Entrepreneur of the Year award. Being an immigrant entrepreneur where you have to learn a new country, language and culture, and at the same time, build a company from scratch is challenging, but also extremely rewarding. ApplyBoard wouldn’t be here without the immense support and hard work from all of our team members and of course, our students, school partners and recruitment partners. I want to congratulate all of the other amazing winners.” - Martin Basiri
Martin Basiri Founder, ApplyBoard
As the son of two educators, Martin’s instinctive passion for education and modest upbringing in Iran led him to value the pivotal role learning plays in creating opportunity. Long before setting foot in Canada, Martin made his name as a serial innovator. At a young age, he discovered that he had a talent for creating and building systems. At 16, he landed his first order for one of his inventions. During his undergraduate studies in Iran, Martin founded his first startup, where he invented and sold six different inventions. These inventions led to him winning the gold medal at the Geneva International Invention show in 2009.
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times “My advice to all entrepreneurs and small business owners is to reevaluate your company’s mission and the impact that it brings into the world. Ask yourself if your mission motivates you, and can that mission drive each and everyone one of your team members. There should be a unifying value that unites every team member. This is going to tremendously help to align your team and bring an impact-driven mindset, not just one focused on monetary gain.” - Martin Basiri
Inspirational Leader Of The Year
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award As a woman driven to make a difference in the male-dominated industries of security and finance, I am honoured and humbled to be named Inspirational Leader of the Year. I started the company with my husband over 25 years ago with a single armored courier truck – and today, we run a multitude of companies, across various industries, that we have grown into global leaders within their respective fields. As a Canadian company, I am particularly proud that we are able to support our local community right here in Canada. I have a personal mission to protect individuals and enact positive change in the world, so I hope this recognition helps inspire other entrepreneurs to strive to build a better tomorrow.
Margarita Simkin Founder, INKAS® Group of Companies
As co-founder and chairwoman of INKAS® Group of Companies, Margarita Simkin has been successfully building businesses and brands from scratch and bringing strategic direction to all divisions within the company. Margarita has been instrumental in building INKAS into a global brand known for continuous industry-leading innovations and leading multiple brands which have gone on to be acquired by major players in
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times I am no stranger to the unapologetic obstacles that entrepreneurs endure in creating sustainable businesses that can withstand the test of time and prosper through the toughest times. I know we’ve all faced unimaginable challenges in these past few years, and my businesses have been no exception. But with perseverance, we can overcome adversity and challenges. If there’s one thing I’ve learned being in business for over 25 years, it’s that you must always be ready to pivot. We must not look at challenges and be defeated by them, but instead allow them to spark the change and innovation that will ultimately help us succeed. You must not fear shifting direction. Sometimes its necessary to pursue new directions, because the world is constantly evolving and we must be willing to continue evolving with it, despite the obstacles we face.
their industries. Among her accomplishments are founding and serving as the President of INKAS® Security Services Ltd. for over two decades, where her vision and unwavering work ethic led the company to rapidly become one of Canada's top 3 Cash-in-Transit providers. She is pivotal to the strategic direction of the company and spearheads the expansion of the various divisions, both functionally and geographically, in order to drive the business to new heights.
INKAS® Group of Companies Description INKAS® Group of Companies is a Canadian organization whose divisions are global leaders that are renowned for their expertise in the fields of security, defense, manufacturing, finance, and environmental sustainability. As a forward-thinking company, INKAS strives to create a better and safer tomorrow by delivering an extensive range of industry-leading solutions on a global scale. Driven by continuous innovation and dedication to precision engineering, INKAS has developed some of the most innovative and cutting-edge security solutions within its industri90es today. For over 25 years, INKAS has been entrusted by governments, law enforcement agencies, corporations, and individuals worldwide to deliver solutions that meet their stringent security and quality requirements.
Fintech Business Of The Year 2021
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award This award recognizes Zensurance’s efforts to put business owners first as we simplify the insurance experience for entrepreneurs and self-employed professionals. It validates the innovative work we do to help business owners get the insurance they need and the respect they deserve. We started Zensurance with the aim of changing the status quo and making business insurance accessible to any company or independent professional. We will continue to focus on making the insurance buying experience for small businesses easy, quick, and transparent.
Danish Yusuf Founder and CEO of Zensurance Danish Yusuf is the CEO and founder of Zensurance, a Torontobased technology startup focused on commercial insurance products and distribution. Danish is a former leader in McKinsey & Company's Digital Insurance practice, supporting insurance clients globally in defining their digital strategy. Prior to McKinsey, Danish was a software architect and developer at IBM Canada. He earned a bachelor's degree in Software Engineering from the University of Toronto and has an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times There's never been a time when being an entrepreneur or small business owner didn't have countless challenges and unexpected turns in the road. The pandemic certainly exacerbated those challenges, but the Canadian small business community is resilient and has become stronger as a result. So keep doing what you've always done: be fearless and pursue your goals with unrelenting passion and determination. Take rejection as a positive sign: it may mean that you are challenging conventional thinking. Don’t give up. Keep learning, growing, and striving to achieve your goals no matter how long and hard the road ahead is.
The Fastest Growing Company
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award Thank you Canadian SME Small Business Magazine for awarding Properly with the Fastest Growing Company award. Our exponential growth has meant that more Canadians can buy or sell a home with confidence through a seamless, reimagined real estate experience. We’re grateful to be among such great companies in the small business community. Our team continues to grow and is motivated by the impact we’re making within the industry. We’re looking forward to continuing this momentum as we work to make real estate more customer-centric.
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times While building a successful business that’s measured by metrics like revenue performance and profit is a top priority for many business leaders, building a successful company should be of equal importance. Surrounding yourself with a diverse group of people that can push you and your colleagues to grow is so important, so ensure you’re building an environment that fosters growth and fulfillment early on. Your people are your biggest asset and most important stakeholder group.
Anshul Ruparell Co-Founder & CEO at Properly Anshul Ruparell is the co-founder, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Properly, a Canadian tech-enabled real estate brokerage that is making real estate customer-centric from ‘search’ to ‘sale’. Properly’s Sale Assurance enables Canadians to buy their next home before selling their current home, without stress or risk. Properly’s free digital products enable Canadians to search and discover new homes online and its AI-powered pricing models enable Canadians to instantly access and track the value of their existing home. Properly is headquartered in Toronto, has raised over $160 million from top investors, and is currently growing revenue over 50% per month. Anshul has been featured in publications such as the Globe & Mail and Financial Post, has appeared on BNN, and was recognized as one of the most influential Torontonians of 2020 by Toronto Life.
Exporter Of The Year 2021
Margarita Simkin Founder, INKAS® Group of Companies
As co-founder and chairwoman of INKAS® Group of Companies, Margarita Simkin has been successfully building businesses and brands from scratch and bringing strategic direction to all divisions within the company. Margarita has been instrumental in building INKAS into a global brand known for continuous industry-leading innovations, and leading multiple brands which have gone on to be acquired by major players in their industries. Among her accomplishments are founding and serving as the President of INKAS® Security Services Ltd. for over two decades, where her vision and unwavering work ethic led the company to rapidly become one of Canada's top 3 Cash-in-Transit providers. She is pivotal to the strategic direction of the company and spearheads the expansion of the various divisions, both
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award INKAS® is honoured to be named Exporter of the Year. As one of the largest manufacturers of armored vehicles in North America, we are proud to say that we generate a large part of our revenue from our export initiatives – which enables us to support the Canadian economy by creating new jobs and investing here locally within our community. For over 25 years, we have been dedicated to innovation within our field in order to help protect individuals whose lives are at risk due to the nature of their work, or the regions where they reside. Thus, serving the international market is at the core of our business model, and we are honoured to be recognized for our achievements in international trade.
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times The automotive industry was especially hard-hit during the pandemic, when lockdowns caused an unprecedented halt in vehicle production and a bottleneck in the global supply chain. But while other automotive companies were shutting their doors, INKAS continued to grow. This is because, in order to build a business that is sustainable in an ever-evolving world, it is critical that entrepreneurs focus on reimagining their business in the face of disruptions, broadening or modifying their offerings to create stability, look for new opportunities to remain competitive, and develop lean yet flexible operations by using a data-driven approach to evaluate what is actually working. Furthermore, global demand continues to be the driving force behind INKAS exponential year-over-year growth – so as the world begins to reopen, we hope to inspire other Canadian entrepreneurs to explore the endless opportunities that lay beyond our borders.
functionally and geographically, in order to drive the business to new heights.
INKAS® Group of Companies INKAS® Armored Vehicle Manufacturing is a global leader in its industry, specializing in the precisionengineering of vehicles that are designed to protect the lives of high-risk individuals. With over 25+ years of expertise in innovative technology and security solutions, INKAS is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of armored vehicles – delivering an extensive line of armored luxury cars, cash-in-transit bank trucks, special purpose law enforcement vehicles, and more. Renowned for its meticulous workmanship and its industryleading security features, INKAS vehicles are entrusted for the secure transportation of government officials, law enforcement teams, corporate executives, and high net-worth individuals around the world. INKAS vehicles are built to uphold the most stringent standards and are expertly-engineered to integrate leading-edge protection features that stand up to the ever-evolving threats in today’s security landscape.
Exporter Of The Year 2021
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award I am extremely humbled to receive this prestigious honour. Like so many entrepreneurs, my path has not been conventional. This award is proof that there are many roads to success and sometimes you just have to pave your own. But I didn’t do this alone. None of this is possible without the strength and dedication of the incredible team I have behind me. I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to our broker and investor partners, and to our dedicated CMI family, who are the lifeblood of our business. This is a true team achievement.
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times Canadian businesses have demonstrated incredible resilience in the face of countless challenges over the past two years. It’s a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of Canadians, and further proof that adversity inspires true ingenuity. Resilience is a defining characteristic of entrepreneurs and business owners. They’re unfailing optimists and relentless problem solvers. They persist and persevere where many others would surrender. My best advice to small business owners is to do what you’ve always done, and channel that same spirit of creativity and unconventional thinking. Remain fearless and never accept that something is impossible. Stay curious and never stop questioning how things could be done better. Anticipate change and challenge. Remain nimble and willing and able to pivot. Stay focused on the big picture. These are the constants that will continue to serve you as we enter this phase of recovery.
Bryan Jaskolka CEO, Canadian Mortgages Inc.
Bryan is the visionary behind CMI Financial Group. Under his leadership, CMI has grown from a family-owned brokerage to become Canada’s premier private mortgage lender and one of the fastest-growing companies in Canada. As a driving force in the Canadian private lending and mortgage financing industries, Bryan is recognized for his leadership and innovation. In addition to his vision, he brings expertise in residential, construction and commercial financing to the team. Bryan is passionate about the private lending industry and is committed to helping advance and streamline private lending practices across Canada.
Digital & E-Commerce Business Of The Year Award - 2021
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award What an honour to be named the Digital & E-commerce Business of the Year. Thank you to CanadianSME and Zoho for the recognition. Full credit to our amazing team for their continued efforts and tireless work to help our clients achieve their online marketing goals. We are truly blessed and grateful to be working in an industry that has thrived in such challenging times. The sky's the limit for our team and we hope to continue to have the opportunity to work with world-class organizations across Canada and beyond.
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times
Brock Murray Co-founder and COO of seoplus+ Brock Murray is the co-founder and COO of seoplus+. As the driving force behind this award-winning, fullservice digital agency, Brock's passion is to help businesses establish, grow, and maintain their online presence. With the help of SEO, PPC, social media, content marketing, and more, Brock and his team help clients of varying sizes and verticals, from small, local retailers to large, multinational enterprise companies.
Kudos to all the small business owners who have battled through unprecedented times and who have persevered. It has not been an easy road, and there is still much work ahead. The one thing that I've tried focusing on throughout the pandemic and on the road to recovery has been to lead by example. As a leader, our team looks to us for guidance, motivation, and support. At the same time, it's also important to make sure you take care of yourself first. Be your best self. Keep your physical and mental health in order so you can bring your best every day. Take time to recharge if you need it, and don't feel guilty for doing so. Small businesses are the lifeline of the economy and our community. Thank you for everything you do and wishing you success in the future.
Customer Service Excellence
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award It’s an honour to be the recipient of this beautiful award! On behalf of meowbox, thank you so much for choosing us. We are a small but very proud team of people and to be recognized like this means the world to us. Thank you.
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times During this recovery phase, my advice to small business owners is to be very mindful of where you invest your funds and where you save them. My philosophy is to always ensure you take off your team because they’re the ones who keep the doors open and the wheels turning.
Olivia Canlas Co-Founder & CEO at meowbox Aside from serving as meowbox's head of opurrations, Olivia is a world traveller, aspiring polyglot, and cat mom to office mischiefmakers Zac and Harvey. She never turns down ketchup chips or a good theme party.
BusinessWoman of the Year
Thoughts on winning the Canadian SME National Business Award To receive a CanadianSME National Business Award is a great privilege and a truly humbling experience. It is recognition of the often hard and gruelling work we entrepreneurs put into building a business. I am excited to know that CanadianSME Team and its sponsors are always paying attention, taking notes and working relentlessly to support and recognize the Canadian entrepreneurial community. I would like to congratulate all the nominees and winners of the 2021 awards. It's an honour to be included among such a great list of trailblazing Canadian entrepreneurs.
Andrea Sesum Co-founder, HER Digital Academy Andrea Sesum is a founder of HER Digital Academy, a global social
Special message/advice to small business owners during challenging times It's a great time to be an entrepreneur in Canada! There are so many opportunities, support systems and entrepreneurial communities that you can plug into as a budding entrepreneur. My advice is to keep the grind going, put yourself out there and form strategic relationships and networking opportunities. That's the smartest, leanest and a really effective way to create new business opportunities. Don't be afraid to reach out to people. The worst that can happen is that you dont ever hear back, but there is also an even bigger chance that you do get a reply and open a new door to growing your business.
impact school for women in tech. She had her start in an education industry 18 years ago and had since then build several higher education schools in Canada & globally. Today, she work closely with companies, institutions and governments on bridging the global skills gap by helping them deliver industry relevant programs. Although Andrea was born and grew up in former Yugoslavia during the civil war, Canada is her home now and where she lives with my husband and two girls. Experiencing a civil unrest as a very young person has taught her the fragility of society, and how education can be life-changing in the face of adversity. Education was the key to Andrea's empowerment and was instrumental in helping her build a successful career in a profession that not only she loves, but that also allows her to help others change lives.
Black Entrepreneur of The Year
Thoughts on winning the Canadian SME National Business Award I am thrilled and excited that CanadianSME is recognizing me as a black entrepreneur worthy of this honour. This category is needed because it is very common for black people to be invisible, unless something bad happens. I’m so pleased that I can be a part of helping everyone see black people as productive and contributing members of society. I am a proud Montrealer and former military spouse who moved around a lot and have constantly had to start from scratch to build my business. This award is proof that hard work pays off in the end.
Special message/advice to small business owners during challenging times
Marcia-Lisa Dennis Founder, Lisa's Holistic Rehab & Neurofeedback Lisa Dennis has been a rehabilitation professional since 1999 and is the founder of Lisa’s Holistic Rehab & Neurofeedback. She has struggled with personal experiences of her own brain-based disorders (trauma, concussions, anxiety, depression, poor attention, reading difficulties) and this drives her to find interventions to help heal brains so that people of all ages can live a productive, meaningful life. She is also a doctoral student at Boston University and offers various workshops to help her community such as a Racism Rehabilitation experiential workshop with teachers and Early Childhood Educators (ECE) to reflect and act on their racial bias so that black and aboriginal children don’t end up on the school to prison pipeline. Lisa’s Holistic Rehab & Neurofeedback is committed to providing cutting-edge interventions that change the brain’s ability to heal itself. They help people of all ages by offering comprehensive assessments and innovative treatment options from across the globe to those suffering from chronic symptoms of trauma, attention issues, concussions, reading difficulties, sensory processing difficulties, anxiety, depression, balance, walking, migraines, and light sensitivity. Lisa is an out-of-thebox thinker and provides a holistic, culturally competent, clientcentred service.
Life is short. There are no do overs. It is more important to live a life of meaning and passion then to get up each day doing a job that is not fulfilling. If you have a business idea, test the market, and see if people want your service or product. Be flexible and adaptable. Listen carefully and take a risk. It may mean that you only have $5 left (or negative) in your bank account! Use that to motivate you to continue. Get help from other people who love what they do so that you can continue doing what you love to do. Find mentors in your community. There are a lot of free resources and organizations that want you to succeed, so avail of them. You have a purpose, so get on with figuring it out so you can live your best life. There is no excuse.
Best Business Innovation 2021
Anshul Ruparell Co-Founder & CEO at Properly Anshul Ruparell is the co-founder, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Properly, a Canadian tech-enabled real estate brokerage that is making real estate customer-centric from ‘search’ to ‘sale’. Properly’s Sale Assurance enables Canadians to buy their next home before selling their current home, without stress or risk. Properly’s free digital products enable Canadians to search and discover new homes online and its AI-powered pricing models enable Canadians to instantly access and track the value of their existing home. Properly is headquartered in Toronto, has raised over $160 million from top investors, and is currently growing revenue over 50% per month. Anshul has been featured in publications such as the Globe & Mail and Financial Post, has appeared on BNN, and was recognized as one of the most influential Torontonians of 2020 by Toronto Life.
Thoughts on winning the Canadian SME National Business Award
Special message/advice to small business owners during challenging times
We’re honoured to receive the award for Best Business Innovation. We’re so proud of the work we do at Properly, as we support Canadians through one of the biggest financial and emotional transactions of their lives: buying and selling a home. The traditional real estate process can be stressful, so it’s been our mission to reimagine what real estate in Canada can look like. The innovative tools and services we’ve developed have been the product of hard work, grounding ourselves in our customers' reality and a shared passion from our team to make real estate customer-centric.
As leaders in the Canadian business landscape, we must continue to keep Canadians’ best interests at heart and stay grounded in their reality. Find ways to stay connected to your customer, whether it’s by listening to sales calls, investing in research or speaking to them directly, to understand their motivations, needs and pain points. Especially as Canadians recover from the past few years, we must create opportunities to change our industries from within to better the lives of Canadians.
The Best Business Support Organization
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award Since 2013, YEDI has sought to identify and propagate the leaders of tomorrow - free-thinkers and outliers that bring audacious and transformative ideas with them. When these innovative entrepreneurs are supported and encouraged, they grow into the passionate, dedicated and inspirational leaders the world needs. At YEDI, professors, instructors, and facilitators actively collaborate to pursue meaningful change that benefits everyone. The result is an economy rooted in innovation, leveraging the latest technology to inspire creativity and imagination to grow and thrive. We are deeply grateful for the recognition of CanadianSME in our continuous pursuit of bridging the gap between entrepreneurs and access to high-level education.
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times As Canadians begin to rebuild, my advice is to find meaningful problems in our changing society and bring forth innovative solutions. When your business is driven by the mission to help others, society will partner in your success. Speaking of partnerships, I think the best and fastest way to jump into the market is by developing strong relationships with organizations that may play a significant role in the execution of your business model. A new reality presents an abundance of opportunities and YEDI is committed to supporting Canadian entrepreneurs along the way. – Dr. Marat Ressin, YEDI President YEDI's mission is to educate, inspire, and nurture entrepreneurs and not-for-profit leaders with unrivalled programs, resources and mentorship that enable them to drive innovation and generate prosperity in Canada and around the world.
Marat Ressin President, Professor at York Entrepreneurship Development Institute (YEDI)
Marat Ressin has led an incredible 20+ year career as an internationally successful businessman in business and real estate development. Having completed his PhD in Economics with a specialization in “small business crisis management,” Marat Ressin has extensive expertise in growing small businesses that attract investment, and has successfully reinvented and rehabilitated over 30 businesses from a variety of industries. Marat personally believes in the importance of social impact and has volunteered his knowledge to many not-for-profit organizations to help them become more efficient and achieve their goals.
Indigenous Entrepreneur of the Year
Your thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award Chi Meegwetch, I am so honoured and humbled by this award. Thank you to the Canadian SME National Business Awards for taking the time to recognize Indigenous Business and manufacturing innovation. This award has deep meaning and so much impact on my journey as an indigenous woman entrepreneur. We are so thankful to our team and our clients, retail stores, IAPO and everyone believing in us.
Keri Gray Founder of Shades of Gray Indigenous Pet Treats Co My passion for pets and meat products can be traced back to my pre-professional days. I grew up with my father farming and my parents running a local butcher shop in the town of Lakefield, ON. I worked in the Butchershop after school and on weekends. Being a 4-H member in both the Beef and Dairy groups, hanging out with our dogs, cats and farm animals or riding horses with friends. I have always been involved with animals and lots of pets. The reason? Well, they bring us joy, support and most of all unconditional love and happiness. Right now, my passion is the health and wellness of pet treats and farming animals to produce high-quality Treats for pets so they can live their best lives. At 18, I left home for my education at the University of Manitoba. I enjoyed university very much and excelled on the university Track and Field Team. I also worked at the university while attending Agricultural classes. After university, I attended Red River College and completed a business program.
As an Aboriginal woman in a male-dominated sector, I hope by achieving these awards it helps to show our youth and really anyone seeking a new career that at any age you can be successful and build your own business.
Your special message/advice to small business owners during these challenging times When you try hard enough, there isn’t anything you can’t do. These encouraging words changed my life.
Excellence in Data Privacy & Security Award 2021
Alex Taimuri CEO and Co-founder, Capstone Industrial Training Solutions
Thoughts on winning the Canadian SME National Business Award We are honoured to have won the Excellence in Data Privacy and Security Award. The team has worked very hard to put processes in place to ensure data privacy and security are top priority at Capstone ITS and to drive success for our business, team, and clients. Congratulations to our team who have shown true dedication to cyber security.
Our Director of IT Systems and Data Management has dedicated time each week to keep up to date on the latest cybersecurity threats and data breaches, a practice which Capstone ITS highly recommends all small businesses invest some time into. Both literature and news inform Security Tuesday, a weekly newsletter sent out to our entire Capstone ITS team to communicate relevant cybersecurity practices and reinforce our culture of digital literacy. Security Tuesday presents summaries of recent data breaches, cyber-attacks, and relevant new methodologies to secure systems. Background information on practices and procedures is also provided to support our efforts to protect the Capstone ITS infrastructure and our team from threats.
A very special thanks to our Director of IT Systems and Data Management for all your hard work and unwavering passion for technology and training!
Special message/advice to small business owners during challenging times The COVID-19 pandemic was a major contributing factor to Capstone ITS becoming a remote-first company. As such, many practices were put in place in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic and ensured our team, clients, and our wider community were supported throughout. Capstone ITS' commitments at the onset of the pandemic remain in place to this day. The past two years have been a challenging time for all, but we are excited to be moving into the recovery stage and we have learnt many lessons!
Capstone Industrial Training Solutions
Capstone Industrial Training Solutions is a remote-first company that works alongside global energy businesses of all sizes as their training partner of choice. Their portfolio of services explores how best to establish scalable and costeffective training partnerships while remaining focused on driving value and exceeding clients' training needs. As a full-service training company, they specialize in delivering high-quality technical writing, custom training, and competency management solutions. Their team of experts consult with clients on all aspects of industrial training and process safety, offer cutting-edge technology expertise, and deliver agile project management methodologies towards unparalleled training solutions.
The Best Team Of The Year Award
Thoughts on winning the Canadian SME National Business Award "Speaking for the entire team here at Fox Flight Air Ambulance, I can say that we are delighted and grateful to be recognized by Canadian SME magazine with their BEST TEAM Business Award for 2021. Last year was a challenging one for everyone, but for our team, it presented us with the biggest challenge in the history of our company. As healthcare professionals, we are proud that we were able to play a part in helping the healthcare systems in several provinces get through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. To have our team recognized, through this award, for their incredible dedication and professionalism is especially gratifying."
Special message/advice to small business owners during challenging times
David Fox President - Fox Flight Air Ambulance David Fox has been an active healthcare practitioner for more than three decades and a leader in the international medical repatriation industry for more than 25 years. He holds a degree in Nursing and Health Promotion and has worked as a critical care nurse in Emergency, ICU and NICU units in major metropolitan hospitals in Canada and the US. He founded Fox Flight Air Ambulance in Toronto in 1997 specializing in aeromedical transport and commercial escort services. Today, Fox Flight operates a fleet of four Learjet air ambulances and employs an experienced staff of medical and aviation professionals engaged in bringing sick and injured travellers home from wherever they are in the world.
The COVID pandemic was hard on many small businesses. As an air ambulance company specializing in medical repatriation, the pandemic posed an existential challenge for our company as the global travel industry essentially disappeared. But by anticipating changes in the industry, being flexible and finding new revenue streams, our company was able to survive the crisis and emerge even stronger than before. I believe any small business that managed to survive deserves credit, but it is important that we learn the main lesson of the pandemic: that is you never know what challenge is coming around the corner. For that reason, it is important to stay ahead of trends in your industry, remain flexible in your business and always open to change.
Technopreneur Of The Year Award
Tara Milburn is the founder of Ethical Swag, a company that takes the guesswork out of sourcing sustainable promotional products. Having seen companies struggle to demonstrate their culture and values through their brand touch points, Tara started an e-commerce platform to make relevant, resonant, and responsible buying easy. She came to entrepreneurship in her 50s, determined to create a different kind of business–one in which profit, planet, and people coexist. Ethical Swag is impacting lives through meaningful work and using the power of business to enact lasting change. The result is two solved problems for each client: improved sustainability performance, and responsible, branded products that employees and clients can be proud to carry.
Tara Milburn President and CEO at Ethical Swag, Inc.
Your thoughts on winning the
Your special message/advice to small
CanadianSME National Business
business owners during these
Award
challenging times
Ethical Swag is honoured to be
This is a significant opportunity as we emerge
recognized for this award. The best
from the past couple of years. Corporations,
part is the acknowledgment of our
the government and our workforce are looking
use of technology as a means to
for ways to hit the reset button and avoid
reach our sustainability goals. It is all
some of the pitfalls of the pre-covid days. We
about solving our client's problems
can all play a part in the recovery, starting with
while leveraging business as a way to
how we measure success in business.
address some of our global issues.
Shareholder value, coupled with people and
We do that through our use of tech.
the planet, can and should be our new normal. As business owners/leaders, it is important
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with logos. Yes, we do that. The point
staff as we grow. It is clear; that they are
is that it is not what you sell, it is why
looking for a more positive impact. The
you sell it and the impact you can
opportunity exists to be on the leading edge of
have! Thanks to our use of
change and I encourage you to go there!
technology, we are able to amplify our impact and that of our clients.
Editor's Choice Award 2021
Thoughts on winning the Canadian SME National Business Award I am truly humbled to be recognized and receive the Canadian SME Editor’s Choice Award for Entrepreneurship. In today’s world, entrepreneurship goes hand in hand with risktaking, hard work, and being street smart. The real meaning of success for me is creating success for others and that is the true meaning of being successful for me. I am a true believer in giving someone fish to eat is great; but teaching them to fish is even greater as they will never starve. And I like to lead by example I would like to commend the SME Magazine on this year’s edition of Awards and the hard work they put in to recognize Canadian small businesses
Special message/advice to small business owners during challenging times
Raman Dua CEO/Founder at Save Max Real Estate Inc. Coming from a humble background, Raman Dua believes in converting every challenge into an opportunity. With an MBA Degree and 5 years of experience in a multi-national company, Raman moved to Canada in 2003, dreaming of becoming an entrepreneur. After a few hits & misses, he decided on Real Estate as a career and established Save Max Real Estate Inc in 2010, out of a basement in Brampton. He is presently the CEO of Save Max.
My advice to all new and small business owners in this recovery phase is simple clichéd but true phrase – ‘Never give up”. Many doors will be slammed in your face, you will be turned away by many, laughed at for your big dreams, but do not be disillusioned. Continue and keep working at your dream. Remember if you can dream it, you can achieve it. I started my business with a few neighbours and my wife from a basement in Brampton but never shied away from hard work and dedication and today I would like to say Save Max has become not only an iconic Canadian brand but also an international name. If I had stopped dreaming and become discouraged by what others told me, we would not have been where we are today with Save Max.
The Best Place To Work
Thoughts on winning the Canadian SME National Business Award It's an honor to be named the Best Place to Work by CanadianSME. There’s so much that goes into creating a great culture, and this award is reflective of the leadership team and the learning and development opportunities offered to all Uberflippers. By putting work culture first, followed by product and then revenue, the company invests in the growth and career success of their employees and we’re excited that it's paid off.
Special message/advice to small business owners during challenging times The past two years were difficult for all businesses around the world, but now that the dust has begun to settle the time has come to recover. Here at Uberflip, we live and breathe experiences. So when we had to adapt to a remote environment at the height of the pandemic, we had to be sure that engagement and connection was a top priority. The company was able to act and pivot according to company values when the world felt chaotic and uncertain. Uberflip’s advice for small business owners? Hold fast to your company values and the rest will follow.
Sara Thomas VP, People and Culture at Uberflip
Sara Thomas has over fifteen years of global experience leading people and culture at start-up, scale-up, and enterprise-level companies. She is an accomplished and empathetic leader who can connect with individuals at all levels of an organization with a focus on understanding what motivates and drives them. Her focus is to put the "human" back in human resources. Sara has proven results by partnering with leaders throughout an organization to become better people managers– ensuring they think strategically about their teams, plan for growth and retention, and minimize managerial blind spots.
Young Entrepreneur of The Year
Alex MacLean Founder & CEO at East Coast Lifestyle The DNA of East Coast Lifestyle is simple: it’s about being proud of where you’re from. East Coast Lifestyle acknowledges that we were established and operate in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People. In March of 2013, Alex MacLean, a senior Business student at Acadia University was asked to start a temporary business for an Entrepreneurship class project. With an $800 loan from his dad and a passion to rep his coast, Alex produced his first 30 East Coast Lifestyle hoodies and sold them to his closest friends. Using the proceeds from the first batch, ECL began distribution from the trunk of Alex’s car and on his mom's front lawn for several months until the birth of the popular anchor logo. Within weeks, ECL became a staple on social media with thousands of photos of East Coasters showcasing their pride from all around the world. The hype continued to escalate by the day as pictures of celebrities representing their coast made their way to social media. From hockey superstar Sidney Crosby to Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah and singing sensation Ed Sheeran, EastCoast Lifestyle solidified its place as the staple brand of the East Coast. Specializing in everything surf, snow and street, East Coast Lifestyle gives everyone an opportunity to wear their heart on their sleeve with fresh designs and high-quality clothing. East Coast Lifestyle allows you to bring a piece of home with you wherever you go – helping you connect with your coast from around the world.