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Her time has come Balance InStyle founder Amanda O’Reilly hopes personal concierge firm’s deal with Costco is springboard to expansion > PAGES 6-7

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May 11, 2015 Vol. 18, NO. 13

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Purple power All-natural soap company gaining traction in growing market for additivefree products. > PAGE 4

Setting the pace Journalist and entrepreneur Mark Sutcliffe is on quite a run, as Bruce Firestone finds out.

Top executives Niall Gallagher, Doug Bellinger and Bruce Linton have Martello Technologies striding confidently toward the future. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

Martello leads list of fast-growing firms

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Kanata software company’s close partnership with Mitel is paying major dividends

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Tips to Maximize your Real Estate Investment Legal advice is key to avoiding additional costs

etting the most out of an investment property means having a clear picture of the risks involved and knowing how to best navigate them. Understanding the fine print of your purchase is extremely important. Legal advice is key to avoiding additional costs, says LMR’s Crystal Sun.

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

“People need to understand what the possibilities are so they can assess whether these are risks they’re willing to take and so they’re prepared and have contingencies set up,” says Sun, a member of the Low Murchison Radnoff Real Estate Law Group.

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Maximizing your investment, she adds, begins with a good look at the sale price. You may be told that it’s all-inclusive, but only if you or immediate family members will be residing in the property. If it’s an investment property, you don’t qualify for an HST rebate that’s built in to the price.

Tax clarity

“There is additional HST that has to be paid on top of that at closing,” Sun explains. “It’s important people ask their lawyers about this.”

Investors can benefit from a different rebate program offered by the Canada Revenue Agency: the New Residential Rental Property (NRRP) Rebate, she adds. “It’s important to let your lawyer know from the beginning that you plan to use it as an investment property.”

“Maximizing your investment begins with a good look at the sale price.” -Crystal Sun

Unavoidable delays

Sound legal counsel can also help buyers be fully prepared for those unexpected delays that can occur. When buying a re-sale property, a mutually satisfactory closing date is built in, but things change significantly if the property is new construction. In those cases, delays can last a year or more and the buyer has little recourse. “No builder wants to delay a closing but where it can’t be avoided,” Sun says, “it’s

important for the buyer to carefully review the Tarion Statement of Critical Dates with a lawyer and ask questions.” Long delays can hamper real estate investors in several ways. For example, closing may be pushed back to less temperate times of the year when prospective tenants are less likely to be looking. A buyer’s recourse may be limited in this context, Sun adds, but consulting with a lawyer will reveal potential remedies, including delay compensation.

Walking away

“There’s also a window for walking away from the deal and getting all of your deposit back investors should be aware of. That window is exactly 30 days; another reason it’s important for investors to work with a lawyer.” New condos also present challenges that a lawyer can help you navigate. Closing most new condo purchases is a two-step process: interim closing and final closing. At the time of interim closing the buyer will receive the keys and can occupy the property but does not yet formally

own it and must still pay associated fees. Final closing occurs once the condo is legally declared and the title has been transferred. If it’s an investment property, the builder agreement may have a clause precluding you from renting the property prior to final closing without builder consent. As with delays, the interim period is variable and can last over a year, delaying returns on your investment. “If the investor is looking to make a quick sale of the unit they may be barred from doing so. Part of the reason is that the builders don’t want to create competition if they have remaining units to sell in the building. That’s also something to address with a lawyer who will review those lengthy agreements in detail.” Maximize your real estate investments with Crystal Sun as your guide. For more information: csun@lmrlawyers.com lmrlawyers.com

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“There’s no compromise on the ingredients used in these products, so we don’t want to go into a place just for the sake of getting in there. We want to make sure that whoever we work with aligns with our values.” — NADER SHUREIH, PURPLE URCHIN’S DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING

From left, Clayton Powell, Nader Shureih and Rebecca Pereira are building Purple Urchin into a local business force. PHOTO BY ADAM FEIBEL

Handmade soaps awash in popularity Purple Urchin’s all-natural bath and body products gaining momentum among environmentally conscious consumers BY ADAM FEIBEL

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

adam@obj.ca

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little soap startup in Chinatown is cleaning up in the Ottawa market and is now looking to grow outward with the help of one of North America’s largest organic supermarket chains. Purple Urchin is an all-natural, locally produced artisan bath and body company located at the corner of Somerset and Preston streets. The company sells soaps, moisturizers, scrubs and other products handmade on site without any synthetic additives. It’s a business mindset that’s part of

a growing consumer movement that favours natural and environmentally friendly products made with locally and ethically sourced ingredients. “Back in 2006, not too many people cared about it,” says Rebecca Pereira, founder and owner of Purple Urchin. “Now it’s a lot more mainstream to want natural (products) … People are more educated and there’s more of a demand.” Ms. Pereira has been making soaps on her own for almost 10 years. She moved to Ottawa in 2011 and opened the company’s first storefront with the help of a family loan. The company locked down its first wholesale account in 2012 and incorporated at the beginning of 2014.

Purple Urchin has now racked up 30 wholesalers, including what could be a breakthrough deal with the Ottawa branch of Whole Foods, the American organic supermarket chain that the Wall Street Journal recently called “the ultimate gatekeeper” for startups looking to sate a “growing hunger for natural and organic fare.” Whole Foods has been selling Purple Urchin’s bar soap unpackaged in bulk since the chain opened its location at Lansdowne Park in November. “People are apparently going crazy for it,” says Ms. Pereira. According to Angela Buttrum, a team leader with Whole Foods Ottawa’s bath and body department, Purple Urchin is one of the highest-selling product lines in the department, and the Ottawa store has done so well with the line that the company’s Toronto stores have picked it up as well. An in with Whole Foods – which now

has 10 stores in Canada, with plans to add another 25 to 30 – could be a turning point for Purple Urchin and other small organic producers looking to grow their brand in the rest of Canada and the United States, where the chain has more than 400 locations and notable influence on what other similar retailers carry. Purple Urchin has its sights set on slowly expanding across the continent. “It’s going to be done carefully, it’s going to be scaled in a way that works closely with our partners … companies that fit with our brand and support the natural product industry,” says Clayton Powell, the company’s director of finance and human resources. Expansion will mean a lot of things for the small manufacturer, but a major part is determining which of its products will be most successful and where. For example, liquid soaps have been heavily favoured in many parts of the world in recent years, but the good oldfashioned bar – Purple Urchin’s claim to fame – has been making a comeback. Mr. Powell is mindful that what sells well in one market might not excite consumers in another. “Here we have bath salts and bath balms, but in certain markets they prefer bath butters,” he says. “We know we have the means to produce this stuff, but how far are we going to take it to get into that market?” Amid no shortage of competition from big-name synthetic soap makers, small producers like Purple Urchin face a number of challenges in their attempts to gain more market share – namely, meeting quantity demands without sacrificing product quality. And of particular importance, working with new wholesalers is also accompanied by the issue of finding like-minded retailers that share Purple Urchin’s same business ethos. “There’s no compromise on the ingredients used in these products, so we don’t want to go into a place just for the sake of getting in there,” says Nader Shureih, the company’s director of sales and marketing. “We want to make sure that whoever we work with aligns with our values.” As the company grows, he says, it’s crucial that it keep its hands clean. “It’s really easy to make a small moral compromise in order to achieve economies of scale somewhere along the line,” Mr. Shureih adds. “But you take that to its logical conclusion and all of a sudden it’s not the business that you built.”

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Welcome to the latest instalment of OBJ’s LaunchPad, a monthly section dedicated to local startups and entrepreneurs. Story ideas and other suggestions can be sent to adam@obj.ca.

for seed funding and get a chance to meet with L-Spark partners such as Google, IBM, Microsoft and Mitel.

CHANGE LOG GYMTRACK ADDS ALGONQUIN TO LIST OF FITNESS CENTRES Local fitness startup Gymtrack has partnered with Algonquin College to bring its mobile-connected workout tracking technology to the school’s fitness centre. Users can borrow a Gymtrack bracelet that sends stats from their workout to their smartphone. Three months ago, the young firm raked in $2.5 million from its first round of seed funding. Since then, the startup has doubled its staff to 30 employees and established the “foundation” for building out its tracking system at Algonquin and “proving to investors that this thing works,” according to Gymtrack sales and marketing manager Jeff Ralphs. LIFESTYLE BRAND PARTNERS WITH KENYAN COMMUNITIES An Ottawa-based online clothing brand wants to turn apparel sales into donations to for a Kenyan youth charity. Bootstrapped startup The Hunger Republic has raised roughly 47,330 Kenyan shillings, or about C$600. Co-founder Danika Gagnon says the amount is “a humble number … but it has already made a difference” for the Gatina Youth and Empowerment Program. Ms. Gagnon says the seven-month-old company is hoping to expand its visibility, ideally by finding retail carriers, and to boost its contributions to Gatina and eventually other youth initiatives over time.

VCs, Angels, Banking and Financing Monday, May 11 from 6 to 9 p.m. bitHeads Theatre, 1309 Carling Ave. Info and registration at eventbrite.ca Highlights of the 5th Canadian Conference on Social Enterprise Wednesday, May 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. West End Well, 969 Wellington St. W. Info and registration at meetup.com/ Ottawa-Social-Entrepreneurs TiE Ottawa Networking Dinner Tuesday, May 19 from 6 to 9 p.m. Urban Tandoor, 2194 Robertson Rd. Info and registration at ottawa.tie.org Creating and Developing a Great Business Model Tuesday, May 26 from 6 to 9 p.m. Centurion Centre, 170 Colonnade Rd. Info and registration at ottawa.tie.org Startup Finance Bootcamp Wednesday, May 27 from 5 to 8 p.m. Kivuto Solutions, 151 George St. Info and registration at eventbrite.ca Meetup with Mike Weider Thursday, May 28 from 6 to 9 p.m. CanvasPop, 6 Hamilton Ave. N., Suite 4 Info and registration at l-spark.com/events How to Start a Home-based Business Thursday, June 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. Ottawa Public Library – Manotick, 5499 South River Dr. Info and registration at biblioottawalibrary.ca

A Valley Of Its Own Accord

eople have been comparing the two areas for decades. “Silicon Valley North” is still thrown around boardrooms and dinner tables in Ottawa. Different cities have also tried to claim the moniker.

Yet there’s a growing consensus that entrepreneurs can grow their businesses from anywhere in the world. Cities should compete on their strengths, rather than copy one another. Andrea Blaylock, who keeps an eye on the software sector for Invest Ottawa, recently traveled to California to see how the two Valley’s stack up today. How has the Valley changed since your last visit? It’s been years since I visited. I met with more than a dozen local companies developing software and applications in the e-commerce, SaaS and “big data” space; currently hot areas in the Ottawa software community. The “players” are young, work long hours and have ambitious plans for growth and success. Anecdotally, funding seems easy to get and entrepreneurs have a positive and ambitious mindset. Take us through the work environment, the typical office culture: Cubicles have been replaced with long tables and vibrant colored open work areas, all designed to promote creativity and collaboration. Bike racks are abundant, dogs roamed freely and kitchen areas were focal points. Most had free candy dispensers! There’s an

informal contest to be the coolest place to work—from office layout, to flexible schedules, to “team building”—everyone wants to be “Googlesk”. They want the ability to compete for talent. One challenge companies seem to be facing is a lack of loyalty and soaring salaries. How do businesses in SV see the Ottawa ecosystem? Ottawa is not well-known but many of our companies are (i.e. Shopify). Ottawa was popular during the telecom days but in the new reality of tech centers, not so much. The positive news is there are lots of things Ottawa offers that mirror what is transpiring in the Valley. We have multiple world-class software companies, a high level of innovative and entrepreneurial energy and a talent pool with the skill sets to help businesses flourish. What are some of the strategies Ottawa software firms can adopt to compete for talent? Ottawa has a legacy of strong and loyal talent. We need to promote all the positives including affordability, low costs of running a company, overall business-friendly atmosphere and that it’s a great place to live and raise a family. Our software companies have to embrace an atmosphere of a “cool”, casual and a fun place to work. Our R&D is strong and second-tonone. So it comes down to marketing and promotion, telling the story of #WhyOttawa!

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L-SPARK PICKS SIX STARTUPS FOR INCUBATOR L-Spark has narrowed 300 applicants down to six successful startups that will join one of Ottawa’s newest business incubators. Advantage Connect Pro, Cliniconex, Mydoma Studio, Punchtime, Target Fuel and Zination were selected from a short list of 13 startups that pitched their ideas in late March. Each startup will receive expert mentorship, pitch

CALENDAR

Andrea Blaylock, Business Development Manager of Software.

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

RIP N GO MOVING INTO INCONTINENCE MARKET A product invented by an enterprising Ottawa mother to solve bed-wetting has expanded its business with a break into the adult health-care and incontinence market. In a February update in OBJ, Rip n Go was looking to roll out the adult version of its successful line of detachable, waterproof, machine-washable pads designed to keep mattresses dry. Since then, the startup has been picked up by two major Canadian retailers: Motion Specialties, an Ottawa-based home health-care chain with 27 retail locations across the country, and AgeComfort.com, an incontinence e-commerce site. According to Rip n Go business development manager Tarique Khan, the firm is also in talks with three long-term care facilities about institutional trials.

LUNCHBOX CATERS TO OFFICE SET A new web-based catering service hopes its gourmet salads and sandwiches will appeal to Ottawa workers who are tired of the same old brown-bag lunch. Launched in April by Eric Koch and Will Porter, both of whom have worked in restaurant kitchens since 2010, LunchBox is a self-financed startup that takes food orders from its online menu and delivers them to workplaces. Mr. Koch says keeping the orders online-only has allowed the company to cut overhead costs by only having to rent kitchen space, but the founders hope to one day open a storefront. The startup is aiming to generate $1,200 in revenue every four-week period within the first year.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP Her time to shine Tech manager-turnedpersonal concierge Amanda O’Reilly has found a lucrative niche helping busy people get things done BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

t’s the age-old gift-buying dilemma: what do you get for the person who has everything? Amanda O’Reilly believes she has the answer. The Ottawa native is one of the city’s few dealers of a resource that is always in limited supply and can’t be fabricated or recycled: time. “It’s the most valuable asset, it’s the most precious commodity, and we all just don’t have enough of it,” she says. “We can all use a little bit more of it.” Ms. O’Reilly’s company Balance InStyle offers personal concierge services to clients who are too busy to do the tasks themselves. As long as the request is “legal, moral and ethical,” she says, she and her staff will do their best to get the job done. “The possibilities are endless in terms of what we do,” she says. “It’s an avenue to really help support people that are busy.” And it’s become big business. Globally, the concierge industry is worth more than a billion dollars, and Balance InStyle’s annual revenues have grown from $12,000 when Ms. O’Reilly started out eight years ago to more than $1 million. She now has a staff of three full-time employees plus about 10 “runners” who help out when needed, as well as 150 licensed vendors

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Amanda O’Reilly’s company, Balance InStyle, provides services “from glamour to janitor” for time-starved clients. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

“I understand the women who say, ‘Nobody can do it as well as me.’ I say, ‘Well, you’re right, but we can come in a close second.’” — AMANDA O’REILLY, OWNER OF BALANCE INSTYLE such as plumbers and landscapers. The former high-tech manager recently received news that she hopes will take her enterprise to another level. In late April, she inked a deal with Costco under which the big-box retailer’s customers will be able to buy gift cards in store and redeem them for her company’s services online. When representatives from the warehouse club first called her with the offer in January, “my heart stopped,” she says. “I was like, ‘Wow.’ When Costco calls

you, you step up and you answer.” The cards will be available at Costco’s three Ottawa locations starting in a couple of weeks. The arrangement might expand to more of the chain’s stores down the line, but Ms. O’Reilly says her long-term goal is to franchise her business in other major Canadian cities. “For us, it needs to be the right partner, the right mentality as well,” she says. Her clients now number in the hundreds, she says, “99 per cent” of them repeat customers. Most are busy

professionals, but Ms. O’Reilly is hoping the new agreement with Costco will expose Balance InStyle to a broader spectrum of potential clients. “I think it’s going to be a whole other demographic,” she says. “We’re going to see all kinds of scenarios. It’s going to create total brand awareness. And I think it’s going to shift people’s mentality where they’re going to understand that, get rid of your to-dos so you can focus on your love-to-dos.” A winner of OBJ’s Forty Under 40 award

in 2011, Ms. O’Reilly, now 42, carved out a successful career in the tech sector, including serving as manager of business operations at Nortel, before taking her career ambitions in a completely different direction. Since founding Balance InStyle in 2007, she’s “done it all” for time-starved clients, she says – everything from making sure a customer’s dogs had all the proper blood work to make it through customs on their way to Australia (“That was like a covert CIA mission”) to breaking up with a boyfriend on behalf of an executive who wanted out of the relationship. “She was a CEO and said, ‘I just don’t have time for this,’” Ms. O’Reilly explains. As a self-confessed “control freak” herself, she says she feels particular empathy for her many female clients, who often feel heavy social pressure to excel as parents and professionals. “I understand the women who say, ‘Nobody can do it as well as me,’” she explains. “I say, ‘Well, you’re right, but we can come in a close second.’” Along the way, she’s watched competitors come and go, but most wouldbe concierges just don’t appreciate the complexities of the job, she says. “They’re excited about the glamour of it, but they’re not so thrilled about the janitor aspect,” she says. “And really, we

do (everything) from glamour to janitor. People will get into the industry and say, ‘Oh, well, I can do that – I run errands for people all the time.’ But they’re not thinking about liability insurance, they’re not thinking about all the other things that come along with running a business. They just don’t have the staying power.” A licensed wedding officiant, in 2009 Ms. O’Reilly launched a pair of complementary companies, Weddings InStyle and Events InStyle. For several years, they operated out of a shop on Murray Street in the ByWard Market, a 2,000-square-foot space that hosted weddings and social gatherings. Eventually, however, she felt pigeonholed because more and more clients were opting for larger venues such as the Brookstreet Hotel in Kanata. She eventually gave up the space in the Market and consolidated all operations at her south-end office. “It was great for five years, but it was next-level time,” says Ms. O’Reilly. “That’s allowing me to focus on the bigger things.” Although some questioned her decision almost a decade ago to abandon the world of tech for an uncertain venture, she clearly has no regrets. “At the end of the day, I know that we make a difference in people’s lives,” she says.

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Business Growth Survey Breakfast • Be the first to hear the survey results from an exciting, new comprehensive survey of hundreds of local businesses • Gain valuable insights into economic trends and growth sectors • Complimentary copy of the survey results

Keynote: Audit

Tax

Accounting

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Consulting

CEO, Abacus Data Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Expert Panel:

The Shaw Centre, Trillium Room

Individual Tickets:

$35 + HST (Members) $50 + HST (Non-Members)

Corporate Tables of 8 with Signage: $245 + HST (Members) $350 + HST (Non-Members)

Moderator Partner, Welch LLP

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Jeff Westeinde

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Jim McConnery Cyril Leeder

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

700 am: Registration and networking 745 am: Buffet breakfast 800 am: Presentation

COMMENTARY Great River Media 250 City Centre Ave., Suite 500 Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 6K7 obj.ca

Making his mark on the capital

PUBLISHER Michael Curran, 238-1818 ext. 228 publisher@obj.ca SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT OF SALES Don Mersereau, 238-1818 ext. 286 CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Terry Tyo, 238-1818 ext. 268 EDITOR, PRINT CONTENT David Sali, 238-1818 ext. 269 david@greatriver.ca EDITOR, ONLINE CONTENT Tom Pechloff, 238-1818 ext. 291 editor@obj.ca

Journalist and entrepreneur Mark Sutcliffe’s dedication to his career and community runs deep

COPY EDITOR Krystle Kung CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tanya Connolly-Holmes, 238-1818 ext. 253 creative@obj.ca ART DEPARTMENT Jamie Dean, 238-1818 ext. 278 jamie@greatriver.ca

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

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e all know Mark Sutcliffe as a ubiquitous presence in Ottawa’s media scene. The tireless journalist and entrepreneur wears many hats – he hosts a radio talk show on CFRA, writes a regular column for the Ottawa Citizen, co-owns Great River Media, which publishes OBJ, and hosts a Sunday morning running show and podcast on TSN 1200 as well as a national political show, The Week, on CPAC. When he’s not doing all that, he is also known for his charity work and his Q&Astyle hosting of celebrity events such as Malcolm Gladwell’s appearance at the National Arts Centre. But I felt it was time to turn the lens around and find out more about Mr. Sutcliffe the person. I only partially succeeded. What did I find out? Well, Mark is a handsome, super-fit 46-year-old with three children, two girls and a boy. He lives in West Wellington, so all his commutes are short. He works 60 hours a week and says he still manages to have family time since much of his writing and some management obligations can be taken care of from home. An avid runner, he has written a book on his favourite athletic pastime called Why I Run. He has participated in 22 marathons, including this year’s Boston Marathon, which he finished in a time of 3:42:37. He loves everything about Ottawa except its winter weather. A die-hard Senators fan, his secret dream as a younger man was to be a sports announcer, but it wasn’t a career conducive to having a family, so he abandoned that path. Yet even after spending more than an hour interviewing him, I wasn’t sure I was any closer to solving the enigma that is Mark Sutcliffe. Perhaps the closest I got was when he acknowledged that his many different professional interests were motivated by a fear of financial failure. As a host who talks to people involved in breaking news – the most interesting part of his job, he says – Mr. Sutcliffe understands, in a way most of us can’t unless we ourselves are part of the media business, how

Regan VanDusen, 238-1818 ext. 254 regan@obj.ca ADVERTISING SALES Wendy Baily, 238-1818 ext. 244 wbaily@obj.ca Kimberley Allen-McGill, 238-1818 ext. 299 kimberley@obj.ca Alison Stewart, 238-1818 ext. 226 sales@obj.ca Susan Salsbury, 238-1818 ext. 229 ssalsbury@obj.ca

Long-distance running is one of Mark Sutcliffe’s many interests. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

dangerous and unpredictable the world can be. He views CFRA, the Citizen, OBJ and his other business interests as his clients; thus, his sources of income are diversified. If one goes down, the others can pick up the slack. He is, perhaps, the consummate telecommuting knowledge worker. As a prelude to asking about the future of his media interests, I mention Aloe Blacc, the marvelous singer-songwriter who penned and performed on Avicii’s 2013 tune Wake Me Up! Though the song was streamed 168 million times on Pandora and Spotify, it generated less than $4,000 in the United States for Mr. Blacc. No one – with the possible exception of Taylor Swift – can actually make any money writing and recording songs, and Ms. Swift had to remove her catalogue from Spotify before she could manage the trick. In short, both the music and publishing industries are going through calamitous times, a fact Mr. Sutcliffe knows all too well. Still, “I feel good about OBJ,” he says. “I’d rather be in this (free publication) niche than be a paid subscription daily newspaper, which has many more challenges.” When I ask him to elaborate, he says, “Look, paywalls, with rare exceptions such as maybe the New York Times, won’t last. The future of the Internet is free. They have to look for more innovative solutions. Our job at OBJ is about organizing a community – a business community, which wants to

present their ideas to their stakeholders. We help with that. Events are also a big part of our future, as is providing end-to-end marketing solutions and custom publishing for clients.” I ask him whom he admires and, without a second’s hesitation, he says former astronaut Chris Hadfield. “I learned from him the perspective one gets by leaving this planet,” Mr. Sutcliffe says. “But Chris is also a marketing genius. What he did from the international space station with Twitter, video, music and personal branding was amazing. I could not name a single other astronaut or cosmonaut who has been to the (International Space Station).” A proud civic booster, he believes Ottawa has a bright future, but says the city should focus on what’s realistic for a second-tier urban centre that can’t compare to other G8 capitals that are older and much larger.

CORRECTION

OBJ published an article titled “Lorraine Mastersmith, 2015 Businesswoman of the Year nominee” in its March 30 issue. The article should have stated that Ms. Mastersmith was the lead general counsel for BreconRidge, negotiating a significant acquisition with a large team of lawyers from Nortel. In its April 27 issue, OBJ ran a photo on page 13 that was incorrectly identified as Ms. Mastersmith. OBJ apologizes for the error.

MARKETING & SALES CO-ORDINATOR Cristha Sinden, 238-1818 ext. 222 cristha@greatriver.ca INSIDE SALES SUPPORT Marc Nordemann-Keller, 238-1818 ext.259 marc@obj.ca CAREER ADVERTISING & MARKETPLACE ADVERTISING SALES 238-1818 ext. 251 VICE-PRESIDENT OF OTTAWA BUSINESS EVENTS Susan Blain, 238-1818 ext. 232 susan@ottawabusinessevents.ca FINANCE Jackie Whalen, 238-1818 ext. 250 jackie@greatriver.ca SUBSCRIPTIONS/DISTRIBUTION 238-1818 ext. 248 subscribe@obj.ca PRINTED BY Transcontinental Qualimax 130 Adrien-Robert, Parc Industriel Richelieu Gatineau, QC J8Y 3S2

Ottawa Business Journal is published by

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Mark Sutcliffe PRESIDENT Michael Curran All content of Ottawa Business Journal is copyright 2015. Great River Media Inc. and may not be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher. Publisher’s Liability for error: The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with any advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of monies paid for the advertisement. A guaranteed minimum of 14,000 copies per week are printed and distributed.

and present:

Mr. Sutcliffe says Ottawa’s priorities should include promoting tourism and building around a few fast-growing tech companies such as Shopify while focusing its marketing and branding efforts on what a great place the capital is to bring up a family. He also thinks the city needs to do a better job of creating special events that generate sustained economic spinoffs year after year. “It’s great that we are getting the Grey Cup, the Brier, FIFA (the Women’s World Cup) and we hosted the world juniors,” he says. “But I’d take Ottawa Race Weekend over hosting five Junos anytime. The former is an Ottawa event, it’s sustainable and repeatable and it fills every hotel room in the city. In fact, one of the bands we booked for the event had to stay in Kingston. That’s good news in a way.” When it comes to transit, Mr. Sutcliffe believes the new LRT system scheduled to open in 2018 isn’t worth the $2-billion price tag. Like former regional chair Andy Haydon, he thinks the city would have been better off finishing and expanding its bus transitway system rather than building a costly light-rail line. Having said this, he believes that now that the LRT is on its way, the city should build the next phase immediately. He also believes downtown Ottawa can and should be more tourist-friendly,

featuring way-finding signage and multiple attractions. As a fellow hockey fan, I ask him: “If you were NHL commissioner for a year, what would you do?” His answer is blunt. “I’d get rid of fighting,” he says. “It’s time. The league’s values are out of line with society’s. Look, after one girl was killed, in Columbus I think, by an errant puck, the league strung nets up in 30 arenas. It’s only a matter of time before a player dies in a fight. Why wait for that?” Does he ever worry about his personal safety or take some of the criticism inevitably aimed at a high-profile person to heart? “Well, the death of (former CTV Ottawa sportscaster) Brian Smith does cross my mind from time to time,” he concedes. “As for criticism, I never read anything that is anonymous, but I will engage in debate with people who will stand behind what they say and, most of the time, public discourse in this country is pretty civil. But sometimes people do forget that public figures are human beings and have feelings too.” Bruce M. Firestone is founder of the Ottawa Senators and a broker at Century 21 Explorer Realty. Follow him on Twitter @ProfBruce.

ENSURING CANADA’S GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN ICT

Sean Yang President of Huawei Canada

Thursday, May 28, 2015 7:00 am - 9:00 am

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E-mail info@ottawabusinessevents.ca to receive weekly updates on all our events.

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

09 OBJ.CA

SPONSORED CONTENT

This is about developing relationships and deciding which opportunities represent the best use of our available resources.

Bread, butter and champions willing to stand up Ottawa Tourism banks region’s convention future on building partnerships in niche markets

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

OBJ.CA

id more, win more, host more—it’s become a mantra of the City of Ottawa in its efforts to bring more world-class events to the nation’s capital. But while the focus may often be on big sporting events, such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup or the Olympic curling trials, Ottawa’s “bread and butter” in fact lies with meetings and conventions. These may not get big headlines, but they do fill local venues and drive visitors to local businesses In a highly competitive North American market, where cities are all vying to be the destination of choice, a scattergun approach to marketing and promotion to attract these kinds of events just doesn’t cut it anymore. “We must take a narrow, strategic look at each opportunity,” said Glenn Duncan, Senior Vice-President at Ottawa Tourism. “This is about developing relationships and deciding which opportunities represent the

best use of our available resources.” Part of that process is finding local champions—individuals within an organization who are willing to go to bat for Ottawa to bring its events here.

Tapping inTo oTTawa’s high-Tech rep wiTh ieee Take, for example, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). This non-profit professional organization has about 440,000 members worldwide. This includes about 17,000 in Canada and 2,200 in its Ottawa Section, which also includes Gatineau. Most of the IEEE’s members are “engineers, scientists and researchers who play a role here in the high-tech industry, government and academia,” said Wahab Almuhtadi, a professor in Algonquin College’s School of Advanced Technology and an active

member of IEEE’s Ottawa section. The IEEE is divided into 39 technical societies that represent specialized fields of interest. Nineteen of these societies have chapters within the Ottawa Section. The Ottawa Section itself is one of the most active. This creates a wealth of opportunities for Ottawa to not only host IEEE Ottawa Section events, but to work with local contacts like Almuhtadi to bring other national and international IEEE events to the nation’s capital. In fact, the IEEE Ottawa Section has signed an MOU with Ottawa Tourism, the Shaw Centre and area businesses to work together for this purpose. In 2012, after a four-year process, this joint effort won the competition to host in Ottawa the IEEE International Conference on Communications. The 2012 event brought 3,200 delegates to Ottawa, which generated $20 million in local economic activity.

In May, Ottawa will play host to another international IEEE event that Almuhtadi co-chairs, the 2015 International Symposium on Integrated Network Management. Other IEEE events are on the calendar for Ottawa through next year. “This has been a dynamic and rewarding relationship,” said Almuhtadi. “It’s a fantastic team with a lot of vision.”

Leveraging economic aLignmenT “The IEEE represents a gold mine of opportunities we really haven’t tapped into,” said Duncan. “This is the future of the convention industry – building relationships with organizations that will partner with us by focusing on niche industries that align with our local economy. A big part of that is doing a better job of identifying the people with whom we need to work, like Wahab (Almuhtadi).” Lesley Mackay, Director of Convention Sales at Ottawa Tourism, agreed. “When you are looking at these vertical markets, we have to help decision makers in different areas of expertise such as engineering or healthcare understand we are here to help them bring their event to our city,” she said. “At Ottawa Tourism, we offer that comprehensive service that includes putting together bid documentation, presentations and all the rest of it.”

Learn more

To discuss how your organization can work with Ottawa Tourism, please contact Lesley Mackay, Director of Convention Sales, at LMackay@ottawatourism.ca, or call 613-237-5150, ext. 122.

2015 OTTAWA’S

MARKET LEADERS

“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat” — Sun Tzu

OTTAWA’S MARKET LEADERS LEADING STRONGER, AIMING HIGHER

BULLFROG POWER COMMISSIONAIRES DELTA OTTAWA CITY CENTRE PALLADIUM INSURANCE PCL ONSTRUCTORS UNPOSED PHOTOGRAPHY WESTERN UNION

May 11, 2015 Special Supplement to the

2015 OTTAWA’S

Page 2 • obj.ca • Monday, May 11, 2015

MARKET LEADERS

“The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same.” — Colin R. Davis

“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.” — Herman Melville

2015 OTTAWA’S

MARKET LEADERS

Zubair Siddiqi

A world of opportunity Delta Ottawa City Centre embraces its Global connection

www.deltaottawacitycentre.com

obj.ca • Monday, May 11, 2015 • Page 3

Zubair Siddiqi, General Manager of the Delta Ottawa City Centre hotel, is unabashed in describing his reaction to news that the venerable Canadian chain would be acquired by Marriott Hotels. “I was so happy that it was hard to contain my emotions. Being part of a world-class hotel organization presents many opportunities. Going from a family of 38 hotels to 4,100 hotels in 79 countries around the world, expands our reach to the global customer.” The fact that Marriott embraced the Delta Brand seeing no need to change the name speaks volumes about the latter’s success in this country, and Siddiqi says the two corporate cultures blended seamlessly. “Marriott, being who they are, really understood our organization well and understood how this brand could help them expand as well. We have a very solid brand to begin with. Now that our parent company is a world-class organization, it’s going to take Delta to an even greater height.” Associates at the Delta Ottawa City Centre have barely noticed the change, says the GM. In fact, the “elevated opportunities” that now exist

are even increasing morale, which trickles down to heightened employee engagement. This is due to what Siddiqi calls the “people first” culture that Marriott shares with Delta. “It’s great for our employees for growth. It creates opportunities for them to travel. It’s a great change for us. The world is an opportunity for us. Both these companies put people first. The growth and the well-being of the people is very important to us.” Fifteen of his 25 years in hospitality have been with Delta. With nine months in Ottawa behind him, Siddiqi says he’s feeling quite at home following a stint at the Delta Prince Edward Hotel in Charlottetown. “I like the community. The hotel community is engaged with it. I have the opportunity to work with an amazing senior team. I’m originally from Toronto, so this is coming back to my home province.” Siddiqi came into the Delta Ottawa City Centre with a history of strong leadership, having overseen the opening of the convention centre now adjoined to the Delta Prince Edward. “The PEI convention centre has some of the best views in Canada,” he explains. “That is a phenomenal product enhancement for the province. It allowed the province to extend the tourism season. I was glad to leave the hotel in a position to move forward.” Charlottetown may be a small market

compared to the Ottawa region, but Siddiqi says he values the high-level experience he gained in the provincial capital; experience that makes him uniquely suited to working in the nation’s capital. “I was fortunate to be part of the Hotel Association of Canada as one of their board of directors. That allowed me to be able to contribute on a national front on tourism issues. That allowed me to work with my counterparts in the government because that’s how things happen. We hosted the premiere’s conference in August 2014, which was a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase the convention centre.” Siddiqi credits many of his former mentors for cultivating the leadership and interpersonal skills that are key in his work, and that of his colleagues. “I’m fortunate to have been surrounded by the right people who actually took the time and invested in me. Leadership is all about getting results by working with and through people. This industry is unique; it’s all about offering a home away home while creating memorable experiences for our guests. You can only do that when you have the genuine passion and desire to do it.”

2015 OTTAWA’S

MARKET LEADERS

“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” — Thomas Jefferson

together we build SUCCESS

PCL celebrates the past and builds the future. We strive to be solution providers, bringing a PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE to every project. Our goal is to DELIVER BEYOND THE EXPECTED and to provide an outstanding experience for our clients, consultants, trade contractors, suppliers, employees, and communities. SHARING YOUR VISION. BUILDING SUCCESS.

services & DIVERSITY

work PORTFOLIO

We’ve established a culture that adds value, beyond the scope of construction.

We are a local builder, with strong ties throughout Eastern Ontario and Quebec. We have a reputation for being a solution provider, a trusted advisor, and for accomplishing client goals with the highest ethics, service, and quality.

We apply solution-provider thinking to meet the diverse challenges inherent in our multi-sector markets: commercial, industrial and institutional. We have also been instrumental in delivering conference and secure facilities, as well as heritage restorations. To the benefit of all team members, we form collaborative relationships with clients, consultants, suppliers, and trade contractors. These relationships have evolved to include financiers, developers, and operators, as we increasingly adopt innovative project delivery methods, such as public-private partnerships (P3’s).

Our pride in building the communities in which we live and work is forged into every project we undertake, including such Ottawa landmarks as the Canadian Tire Centre, the Canadian War Museum, the Passenger Terminal Building at the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, and the Shaw Centre.

Canadian Tire Centre

Canadian War Museum

Shaw Centre (formerly Ottawa Convention Centre)

Passenger Terminal Building, Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport

Page 4 • obj.ca • Monday, May 11, 2015

Our reputation for doing whatever is required to meet even the most demanding schedules has contributed to our ongoing success.

safety. QUALITY. sustainability. DIVERSITY.

PCL.com

“Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.” — Chris Grosser

PCL Ottawa:

celebrating

currently UNDERWAY

2015 OTTAWA’S

MARKET LEADERS Performance Court - 150 Elgin Street Redevelopment

25 Years

Long Term Accommodation Project - CSEC

2014

Algonquin College Student Commons

Quinte Courthouse

2012 West Block Rehabilitation

Rideau Centre Retail Expansion

2011

Deloitte Tower

Victoria Memorial Museum Building Rehabilitation

Ottawa Hospital Regional Cancer Centre

2011

2010 Bayshore Shopping Centre Retail Development

Government Conference Centre Rehabilitation

our HISTORY The PCL family of companies, now in our second century of operations, is Canada’s largest contracting organization. PCL became 100 percent employee-owned in 1977, and we remain wholly employee-owned today. Employees have a vested interest in the success of our organization.

The Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat

2009

•

• •

•

• • •

181 Queen Street

2006 University of Ottawa Student Residence

2004

Nortel Carling Campus

2001 1999

East Memorial Building Rehabilitation

National Archives Canada Preservation Centre

1996

1998

La cité collégiale Ottawa Campus

Supreme Court of Canada Renovation

1995

World Exchange Plaza

Ottawa City Hall

1992 1990

Many thanks to all for contributing to this successful legacy!

passionate. HONEST. dependable. PROACTIVE.

obj.ca • Monday, May 11, 2015 • Page 5

Today, we have more than 200 construction professionals in our Ottawa office. PCL Ottawa was instrumental in helping to secure a National Hockey League (NHL) franchise for Ottawa. Completed in 1996, the Palladium project (now known as Canadian Tire Centre), was the first state-of-the-art NHL arena of its kind. This project became one of PCL Ottawa’s signature projects. In 1995 we completed the La cité collégiale Ottawa Campus. This campus was the first francophone college of applied arts and technology in Ontario. In 1996 the National Archives Canada Preservation Centre in Gatineau became PCL Ottawa’s first major project in Quebec. This facility, designed for a lifespan of approximately 500 years, is utilized to process and preserve archival materials. In 2003 PCL Ottawa delivered the new award-winning Passenger Terminal Building at the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport. At the time, it represented the largest single contract ever in the city of Ottawa. One of PCL Ottawa’s proudest achievements is the completion in 2005 of the Canadian War Museum, which houses some of the most important military artifacts in the world. In 2011 PCL Ottawa undertook one of our most complex rehabilitation endeavors to date — the historical restoration of the West Block of Parliament Hill. In 2014 PCL completed the new Long Term Accommodation Project for Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC), built to house Canada’s national cryptologic agency.

Saint Vincent Hospital Addition & Renovation

2008

We began adding to the Ottawa skyline in 1989 with the construction of the World Exchange Plaza. The success of that project led us to establish a permanent district office here in 1990. Some other interesting facts and figures: •

Queen’s University, Queen’s Centre, Phase 1

Bank of Canada Head Office Renewal

2015 OTTAWA’S

MARKET LEADERS Market Leader OBJ_Layout 1 2015-04-22 11:59 AM Page 1

NEED FINGERPRINTS? We take care of the process: digital fingerprinting services, criminal background checks, pre-employment screening We can come to your location: mobile fingerprinting capabilities for VIP or group processing We accommodate remote or out-ofcountry fingerprinting requests: ink-to-digital fingerprinting conversion for electronic processing

RISK AND LOSS PREVENTION WORKPLACE PROTECTION SECURITY SOLUTIONS

613-231-6462 www.commissionaires-ottawa.on.ca

Page 6 • obj.ca • Monday, May 11, 2015

NEED THREAT RISK ASSESSMENTS? Whether you are organizing a trade show, a festival or a special event, we provide threat risk assessments, contractor or VIP security escorts, traffic and parking control, and a reliable, vigilant security presence. Our security experts also conduct threat risk assessments in the workplace to protect your people, property and information.

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” — Walt Disney

“Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” — Winston Churchill

2015 OTTAWA’S

MARKET LEADERS

Crime Prevention and Identity Protection Are Just a Fingerprint Away FINGERPRINTS DON’T LIE How well do you know the job applicant you’re about to hire? Who has access to your confidential information? Is your child’s daycare provider or coach exactly who they say they are? These are valid questions in a world where identities can be hidden, changed or stolen. Criminal background checks are a key part of the hiring process and mandatory for many industries. Two methods exist: the traditional option is through name and date of birth verification (CPIC check) and the emerging standard is a certified criminal record check with fingerprints. Given that some individuals could have variations in their names or more than one ID, fingerprinting is considered the most accurate method for determining a person’s true identity. Above and beyond pre-employment checks, fingerprints may also be required for other application and screening processes including: • Volunteering and co-op positions • International adoption • Name changes • Security clearances • Immigration and citizenship applications • Foreign travel or visas • Record suspension (pardon) applications • US Entry Waivers

COMMISSIONAIRES OFFERS DIGITAL FINGERPRINTING

GET RESULTS FASTER AT COMMISSIONAIRES At Commissionaires, capturing digital fingerprints takes about 20 minutes. If no criminal record is found, the RCMP will issue a certificate in as little as 72 hours. There are currently three Commissionaires offices serving the National Capital Region and dozens more nationwide. Each location offers a confidential setting where your rights are protected and your privacy is assured. For VIP or group processing, a mobile service is available. Commissionaires can also assist customers based in Canada or a foreign country who have existing ink and roll fingerprints but require an ink-to-digital conversion service. With a growing number of application processes requiring digital fingerprints, Commissionaires offers the all-in-one convenience of processing criminal background check, record suspension (pardon) or US Entry Waiver submissions. Commissionaires even helps employers with pre-employment screening: fingerprinting, criminal background checks, and credit, employment history and reference checks.

MODERN-DAY COMMISSIONAIRES PROVIDE MUCH MORE THAN SECURITY From workplace investigations and threat risk assessments to non-core policing and event security, demand for Commissionaires’ specialized services keeps growing. What kind of security solution do you need?

Here in Canada, the RCMP no longer accepts civil ink and roll fingerprint submissions. Instead, fingerprints are captured electronically using state-of-the art technology and submitted through a secure link directly to the RCMP.

Commissionaires Ottawa (HQ/QG) 24, ch. Colonnade Rd Ottawa (ON) K2E 7J6 Tel: 613-231-6462, ext. 451

Commissionaires Ottawa (Centretown/Centre-ville) 100, rue Gloucester Street Ottawa (ON) K2P 0A4 Tel : 613-288-0721

Commissionnaires (Gatineau) 721, boul. St-Joseph Gatineau (QC) J8Y 4B6 Tél : 819-776-0004, poste 2 ou 5

Please visit www.commissionaires-ottawa.on.ca or call 613-231-6462 to learn more.

obj.ca • Monday, May 11, 2015 • Page 7

If you thought fingerprints were only captured at police stations, think again. Demand for digital fingerprints across Canada has grown so much that the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires, an active partner with the RCMP in the Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification System since 2006, now processes tens of thousands of civil fingerprint submissions every year.

2015 OTTAWA’S

MARKET LEADERS

“It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop.” — Confucius

The Thesmiles smilesare aregenuine genuineatatUnposed UnposedPhotography Photography It’sIt’s easy toto telltell a photograph taken byby Unposed Photography; easy a photograph taken Unposed Photography; the smile is is genuine and the image is is full ofof life and energy. the smile genuine and the image full life and energy. looking intointo patenting some of our businesses, a session cancan be be a great For For most of us, ourour picture looking patenting some of our businesses, a session a great most of having us, having picture approaches. They really are unique.” team-building activity. taken is an uncomfortable experience. team-building activity. taken is an uncomfortable experience. approaches. They really are unique.” “We recently shot a group of of Originally an engineer, Robin At Unposed Photography, it’s it’s “We recently shot a group Originally an engineer, Robin At Unposed Photography, home builders,” Robin says. “They anything but. This unconventional was working for Nortel in London, home builders,” Robin says. “They was working for Nortel in London, anything but. This unconventional notnot sure what to to expect, then portrait studio takes a radically England when thethe tech sector went arrived sure what expect, then England when tech sector went arrived portrait studio takes a radically left beaming from ear to ear. The different approach. into decline and she left to study left beaming from ear to ear. The different approach. into decline and she left to study A return to Canada brought them together.” “Never, everever tell tell anyone to smile,” experience brought them together.” “Never, anyone to smile,” photojournalism. photojournalism. A return to Canada experience andand Robin launched herher sayssays Unposed Photography founder Unposed Photography founder followed, followed, Robin launched thethe team (top to to bottom) own photography business on on a partRobin Andrew. “It never works.” Meet team (top bottom) own photography business a part- Meet Robin Andrew. “It never works.” Tracy Lamb, Paul Nichols, Robin Robin basis while stillstill working as aastech Instead, she she andand her her team get get creative. time basis while working a tech Tracy Lamb, Paul Nichols, Instead, team creative.time Andrew, Stephanie BebrisAndrew, Stephanie Bebris“Our shoots are are funfun andand highconsultant. consultant. “Our shoots highMarissa Deschamps Monachan, Marissa Deschamps Unposed took off off andand Robin waswas Monachan, energy,” Robin explains. “We“We givegive energy,” Robin explains. Unposed took Robin - and callcall us us @ 613-693-0111. and @ 613-693-0111. doing photography full-time. people things to do then capture people things to and do and then capture soon soon doing photography full-time. what happens.” Her team now includes four more what happens.” Her team now includes four more They’ve done everything from members (not counting studio catcat members (not counting studio They’ve done everything from instigating pillow fights to having Mojo). AllAll areare dedicated to making Mojo). dedicated to making instigating pillow fights to having people climb intointo the the rafters of their portraits funfun andand easy, business portraits easy, people climb rafters of their business making family portraits unforgettable spacious studio. TheThe photos are are making family portraits unforgettable spacious studio. photos andand providing original alternatives to to fresh andand genuine, notnot to mention fresh genuine, to mention providing original alternatives photos for for commercial clients. unexpected: a fara cry from stiffstiff poses unexpected: far cry from poses stock stock photos commercial clients. Another reason Unposed hashas andand pained grins. pained grins. Another reason Unposed off off is that people enjoy thethe “There’s method in our madness,” taken is that people enjoy “There’s method in our madness,” taken www.unposed.com experience as well as the results. ForFor she she says,says, “In “In fact,fact, we’ve been experience as well as the results. we’ve been www.unposed.com

Business Golf Tournament Tuesday, August 26, 2014 Tuesday, September 1, 2015 8:30 am – 5:00 pm 9:00Clublink’s a.m. - shotgun start Greyhawk Golf and Country Club GreyHawk Golf Club 4999 Boundary Road, Ontario 4999Cumberland, Boundary Road, Cumberland, ON Don’t miss out!

double-shotgun tournament For a•• limited time: continental breakfast

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fun contests

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Don’t miss this fun-filled day on the greens! Cost Individual Players tournament • Double-shotgun Early Bird: $179 + HST (ends June 30, 2014) Ottawa Chamber Member: $199 + HST • Fun contests Non-Member: $249 + HST & great prizes! Foursome • Networking cocktail reception Early Bird: $716 + HST (ends June 30, 2014) Ottawa Chamber Member: $796 + HST Non-Member: $996 + HST

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Page 8 • obj.ca • Monday, May 11, 2015

Registration Fees: Individual Players

Ottawa Chamber Member: $200 + HST Non-Member: $250 + HST

Foursome

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LEAD SPONSOR

“The biggest risk is not taking any risk... In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” — Mark Zuckerberg

2015 OTTAWA’S

MARKET LEADERS

From LEFT: Aurimas Putrius (Operations), Michael Walsh (Business Development), and Darcy Sears (Senior Corporate Trader)

Visibility, Certainty and Efficiency Western Union Business Solutions Helps Make Your worlwide Payments Simple

To learn more about how the Ottawa team can serve your foreign exchange and international payments requirements, please visit http:// business.westernunion.ca or call 613-287-0801.

TESTIMONIAL Making a difference in the developing world

Ryan’s Well Foundation is a Canadian charitable organization founded by one visionary seven-yearold, Ryan Hreljac. Since 1999, the foundation has helped build hundreds of wells and latrines in developing countries to provide safe water and sanitation to nearly 790,000 people. Western Union Business Solutions helps the foundation overcome the logistical challenges

business.westernunion.ca

obj.ca • Monday, May 11, 2015 • Page 9

Western Union Business Solutions is a name backed by Western Union, a company with 160 years of history. It’s a brand recognized worldwide for both stability and innovation to address the ever-changing needs of its clientele. It’s also a local name that Ottawa-area businesses can trust for their foreign exchange and international payment requirements. “What differentiates Western Union Business Solutions from every other provider is the holistic and consultative approach that we take with each respective client” said John Wanat, Ottawa Branch Manager. Unlike retail financial institutions such as chartered banks, Western Union Business Solutions is strictly focused on foreign exchange and mitigating clients’ exposure risks. This singular focus allows it to provide proactive service – its traders watch and respond to what’s happening on global markets on an almost minute-by-minute basis. The local branch’s traders each manage hundreds of millions of dollars in trading volumes

each year. “While clients can’t always emerge on the winning side of a market swing, they can manage their risks and with proper planning protect themselves from the adverse impact of changing exchange rates,” said Darcy Sears, Corporate FX Dealer. “It starts with getting to know my clients on an almost personal level, taking their exact requirements and developing a strategy catered to their specific needs,” he said. “That’s my forte.” This personal commitment is backed by Western Union, a Fortune 500 organization with locally licensed affiliates in 18 countries, access to over 120 currencies and a global financial network spanning more than 200 countries and territories. Western Union Business Solutions has extensive experience working with clients in a variety of sectors, including import and export, wine and spirits, agriculture, mining, and nonprofit. It also offers customized solutions for legal, financial and educational institutions. “Listening to our clients is paramount to understanding their goals, needs and what is particularly important to them. Product offerings do not even come into play until we fully understand the pain points the client is facing whether it be currency risk or industry related,” said Wanat.

2015 OTTAWA’S

MARKET LEADERS

“It’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen.” — Scott Belsky

OTTAWA’S BIGGEST & BEST CELEBRATION OF BUSINESS EXCELLENCE CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2015 RECIPIENTS Obaid Ahmed

Marie-Claire Holland

Steve Schmalz

F. Shawn Argue

Jonathan Hughes

Denise Siele

Steve Beauchesne

Neil Kennelly

John-Philippe Smith

Tim Beaulieu

Martin Krátký-Katz

Martin St-Onge

Brian W. Boucher

Alice Lafferty

Jenna Sudds

Yanick Brule

Shawn Lamarche

Rebecca Trueman

Greg Burwell

Paul Lem

Gordon Wadley

Roberto Campagna

Adam Mallory

Brandon Waselnuk

Ian Capstick

Jennifer McAndrew

Amy E. Yee

Ian M. Charlebois

Derek Miller

OAK Computing

Argue Construction Ltd. Beau’s All Natural Brewing Maplesoft Group

Lee Valley Tools, Ltd. Acquadrain Fusebill

Roca Homes MediaStyle

RE/MAX Citywide Reality., Brokerage

Michael Crichton Gowlings

Gyneya Dicks

Lago/Hooley’s/Booster Juice

Andrew Emmans

Corporate Housing Interiors Limited

Brittany Forsyth Shopify

Pat Gilbert

OPIN Software Inc.

Santé Universelle

Assent Compliance

PCL Constructors Canada Inc. Equal Voice

First Aid 4 U Inc

Smith & Barber - Sculpture Atelier Inc.

MicroMetrics

Canada Post Corporation

Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall LLP/s.r.l. Kanata North BIA

Lamarche Electric Inc.

Algonquin College

Spartan Bioscience

DREAM REIT

QNX Software Systems

FORTY UNDER

Tattoo Hero

Mastermind Events

Nonlinear Creations

NextGenerationHKY

Aydin Mirzaee SurveyMonkey

Joelle Parenteau Epic Perks

Natalie Raffoul

Clancy P.C. + Brion Raffoul

Andrew Reeves Linebox Studios Inc.

Charles-Antoine Rozon KPMG LLP

#ott40

Network with the city’s rising business stars! Forty Under 40 Gala | Thursday, June 18, 2015 @ Hilton Lac-Leamy. For ticket info, email info@ottawabusinessevents.ca or call 613.236.7029 ext.135

2015 SPONSORS

Page 10 • obj.ca • Monday, May 11, 2015

Individual Tickets: $175 Ottawa Chamber Members $195 Non-Members Corporate Tables of 10: $1575 Ottawa Chamber Members $1755 Non-Members

“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”

2015 OTTAWA’S

MARKET LEADERS

— Vince Lombardi

2015 marks

THE 2015 OTTAWA

GREEN INDEX

of Bullfrog Power advancing renewables in Canada

BULLFROG POWER RECOGNIZES ITS COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS FOR THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP. VISIONARY | >50,000 MWh or >350,000 GJ or equivalent combination* 6 ON shopping centres (common areas), 1 NS shopping centre (50% of common areas), 2 AB shopping centres (35%), 1 BC shopping centre (35%) and 1 BC office property (35%) and the Toronto regional office

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Staples Canada Head Office, Staples Advantage Head Office, 4 Staples Copy and Print Production Centres and 10 stores in B.C., AB, ON, QC and N.S.

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STEWARD | 1,000 - 4,999 MWh or 7,000 - 34,999 GJ or equivalent combination*

MOKSHA YOGA Stores in North Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Burlington, Barrie and Ottawa Langley, London, Toronto and Halifax stores

18 ON locations, 5 B.C. locations, 5 AB locations, 2 N.S. locations, 1 SK location, 1 MB location, and 1 NL location 1 MB location 2 B.C. locations and 2 ON locations

Vancouver, GTA and Ottawa real estate offices and global headquarters (common employee amenities)

14 stores

5 ON locations, 4 B.C. locations and 2 AB locations

Toronto, Ottawa and Calgary offices

Brewery

All Canadian offices New mailing system installations

National office

Toronto, Markham and Kanata offices

10 years

HERALD | 500 - 999 MWh or 3,500 - 6,999 GJ or equivalent combination*

LEED 35% for Performance Court, Ottawa, TransLink Logistics Centre, Regina, 11th Avenue Place, Calgary, 2240 Argentia Road, Toronto

2 ON locations and 1 AB location

Meeting rooms and lobby

ENVOY | 100 - 499 MWh or 700 - 3,499 GJ or equivalent combination*

Lobby and Elevators Fireplace

Ottawa office

Common areas of 1580 Merivale and 1111 Price of Wales, Ottawa

Ottawa office Winnipeg office

Entire operations

10 years

CaGBC Ottawa and Vancouver offices

Eastern Canada production centre

ADVOCATES | 1-99 MWh or 1-699 GJ or equivalent combination* Angela’s Bed and Breakfast Anick Bauer Design Arborus Consulting Blue Green Communications Byward Fruit Market Canadian Public Health Association Canadian Wind Energy Association Canadian Solar Industries Association Chapter One Studio Church of the Ascension Climate Action Network Canada DGS

Downtowne Ice Cream and Candy Shoppe Ecovox EnergyMobile Studios Inc. Envirocentre Evergreen Concepts Exposure Gallery Family Chiropractic Centre Fancy Free Island Cottage FoTenn Consultants Inc. Gibbons Family Farm Gibson Timber Frames Inc. GreenPath Sustainability Consultants Inc.

HUB Ottawa Il Peloton Imperial Coffee and Services iSolara Kerry Lynn Armstrong, CA leSoigneur Little Stream Bakery Magpie Jewellery Nobel Women’s Initiative OpenConcept Consulting Inc. Oresta Organic Skin Care Apothecary Ottawa Riverkeeper

Paula Meier Associates Powerevolution.ca Presh Floral Project X Productions Queensway West Animal Hospital Religious Society of Friends Sogge & Associates Practice in Psychology Soshal Group SPG Digital Solutions Inc. Student Organic Gardeners T-Base Communications Inc terra20

TerraChoice Environmental Marketing The Natural Step Canada TRM Technologies Inc. Tucker House Vanessa Dewson Photography + Design Vrtucar Wellness with Moira Windmill Development Group www.MyEcoEducation.com Yoga Town - Ottawa

indicates green natural gas product

indicates both green electricity and green natural gas products

10 years

indicates bullfrogpowered for 10 years

bullfrogpower.com 1.877.360.3464 * Annual megawatt hours (MWh) or gigajoules (GJ) of green power purchased. Bullfrog Power, bullfrogpowered, and the Bullfrog Power logo are registered trademarks of Bullfrog Power Inc. All other brand names and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners and are used with permission.

obj.ca • Monday, May 11, 2015 • Page 11

Except where noted, all facilities of the organizations listed are bullfrogpowered with 100% green electricity.

2015 OTTAWA’S

MARKET LEADERS

“There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.” —Sam Walton

Partners from left to right – Cory Villeneuve, Tim Snelling, Greg Strahl, Monique Oliver, & Sylvie Forget-Swim

Palladium Insurance is the truly independent choice

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Recent growth hasn’t changed their personal touch Palladium Insurance has, since its founding over 50 years ago, strived to be a very different, more personal insurance provider than most. The response from clients in the Ottawa area has led to substantial growth at Palladium; a clear demonstration that they’re succeeding in that mission. In addition to adding new staff, Palladium has an impressive new partner in Greg Strahl, who brings with him a wealth of experience in the area of commercial insurance. This includes time as a VP at Marsh Canada, one of the world’s largest commercial brokerages. His additional experience as director of risk management and claims for Canada Post, a role in which he purchased insurance for the corporation, was a valuable opportunity to also see things from a buyer’s perspective. “That’s a unique aspect to my resume that no other broker in this city has,” Strahl says. “I have 25 years experience and have done everything from billion dollar companies to a small contractor that’s one man and a hammer. I was attracted to joining Palladium because of what they had built before I arrived. They’ve put together what I think is a unique offering with a broad depth of experience.”

“We’re growing,” Strahl adds. “We’re taking market share. We’re excited.” Partner Tim Snelling notes that high levels of expertise are par for the course at Palladium. The company is staffed by specialists in their respective areas, all accessible at a single point of contact. Those specialties span an impressively wide range from boutique personal policies for the home or cottage to commercial and life insurance, employee benefits and estate planning. Every enterprise has unique insurance requirements. Palladium understands one size fits all isn’t the best approach to insurance and they’re uniquely equipped to provide the right services and advice to businesses large and small. “We’re not generalists,” Snelling says. Palladium may be in a high growth phase, but that hasn’t made it any less personal or accessible. As partner Sylvie Forger-Swim says, they remain “call centre-free. We’re about developing a relationship with the client. That’s how you get to know them and get the insurance they need in place. So it isn’t only about the price, it’s about getting the coverage you need.” “We are locally-owned and operated,” Snelling adds. “We have a very unique service offering in that we focus on small- and medium-sized enterprise. We wrap our arms around the business owner and the staff. Our clientele ranges from the small, mom-and-pop shop right up to the multi-million dollar international business.”

All the Palladium partners stress the importance of really knowing your insurance provider. A vital question to ask is whether it is a truly independent broker who will advocate for your needs or if it is affiliated with a particular insurance company. Palladium is a true independent, says Stahl, created in “the classic brokerage model. We represent our clients’ interests in the insurance marketplace, as opposed to the carrier’s interest. If, as a broker, you’re owned by an insurance company, how truly independent can you be? We offer an array of insurance companies. We represent the best of the best insurance companies in Canada today.” “There is really no interest for us in choosing one insurance company over another. We really do look at the unique needs of the client, both from the price and, more importantly, the coverage aspect,” he adds. “We’re here for the client longterm.”

www.palladiuminsurance.ca

2015 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES MARTELLO TECHNOLOGIES

Martello, Mitel a perfect match YEAR FOUNDED: 2009 LOCAL HEAD COUNT: 25 KEY MARKETS OR CUSTOMERS: MITEL SERVICE PROVIDERS AND RESELLERS PRODUCT OR SERVICE: MARWATCH – FAULT AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SOFTWAREAS-A-SERVICE PLATFORM FOR MITEL BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SOLUTIONS THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH:

602.4%

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, the old adage goes. But for Martello Technologies CEO Bruce Linton, a single huge basket containing a lot of eggs – read: one major business partner with a lot of clout – is just fine by him. “Is it an issue to have a close partner? The answer is that it’s an advantage,” Mr. Linton says.

Martello Technologies’ MarWatch software platform is aimed at Mitel service providers and resellers, allowing them to find and fix problems on their cloud-hosted business communications networks. It’s a line of business that has led to a particularly close and fruitful relationship between Martello and its much larger Kanata cousin. “The assumption is that unless you have 10 companies – which could all be competitors – that you’re working with to get somewhere, that’s not a good strategy,” Mr. Linton says. “That’s kind of true in some textbook, but if you actually really, really want to become the partner, the vendor and get to all the clients, you should really put as much focus as you can with that one partner.” By working side-by-side with a single collaborator, “they know they can trust you, they

know they can turn to you and you’re already in the accounts working with them,” he says. Mitel, of course, has experienced its own share of rapid growth and made a number of recent acquisitions. It’s also in the process of shifting towards solely offering a cloudbased business communications platform and away from a combined hardware and software product. Mr. Linton says that has only benefited Martello, which provides software-as-a-service solutions in the cloud. “To get growth, you need at least a couple of points of leverage,” he explains. “Those are two things that really work in your favour when you’re their software partner for network management and quality service. That’s what it’s about, that’s why we’re here and that’s why next year doesn’t look like much more than an extension of

Niall Gallagher, Doug Bellinger and Bruce Linton. the curve at the current rate.” In fact, he says, the company’s ascent has “only just begun.” But he knows growth doesn’t just come from partnerships – it also requires a quality product. While Martello is “is solving a problem for a terrific vendor,”

Mr. Linton says, “the problem is in the eyes of its end client.” That means that Martello has to not only work with Mitel and have a deep understanding of its products, it also has to research how Mitel’s clients are operating those networks and providing service to their own

PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

customers, says Niall Gallagher, Martello’s chief technology officer and co-founder. “We try to spend time in Mitel’s end customers’ shoes and try to see what their pain points are when they’re operating Mitel networks,” he says. — By Jacob Serebrin

HEALTHWAVE

Natural choice for health care professionals YEAR FOUNDED: 2011 LOCAL HEAD COUNT: 17 KEY MARKETS OR CUSTOMERS: NATUROPATHIC PRACTITIONERS, OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS PRODUCT OR SERVICE: SOFTWARE-AS-ASERVICE PLATFORM FOR PRESCRIBING NATURAL HEALTH PRODUCTS AND INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH:

569.55%

HealthWave’s Chris Wise and Brad Dyment. a lot of learning lessons about what the opportunity really was,” he concedes. “Once we caught on to what the vision would be and what we wanted to create, I think it became a lot more clear and things moved a lot quicker.” While the platform currently lets doctors prescribe supplements, nutrients and herbal products that are then delivered to patients, Mr. Braatz wants to take it further and focus on integrative health care, which he describes as a “more personalized approach to care.”

PHOTO MARK HOLLERON

“We’re evolving to focus on the entire integrative e-prescription, so when practitioners go to prescribe anything from pharmaceuticals, to nutraceuticals, to diet, exercise, lifestyle changes … they can do that through our platform.” It’s a market with huge potential, he says, particularly in the United States, where HealthWave sees the majority of its growth and opportunity. When reached for this interview, Mr. Braatz was in Southern California – a

region with a particularly large number of naturopathic practitioners – developing the business. The United States also has stronger e-pharmacy networks and a more developed electronic healthcare records industry, he notes. As the platform evolves, Mr. Braatz says he only sees it growing further. Right now, about 3,000 prescriptions a week go through HealthWave. By the end of the year, Mr. Braatz 11 expects that number to rise to 10,000. — By Jacob Serebrin

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He says he wants that to change. HealthWave’s co-founder Brad Dyment is married to a naturopathic doctor, and the pair looked to her for inspiration. “We looked at one of the challenges she faced, which is dispensing supplements and nutraceuticals,” Mr. Braatz says. She dispenses professional-grade products that are not available in stores, meaning practitioners like her always had to keep large inventories of those supplies available in order to keep whatever a patient may need on hand. It also means that if a patient needs their prescription refilled, they have to make an appointment. “We decided to build a tool that allows them to ‘e-prescribe’ these nutraceuticals and then allowed patients to fill them, and then we’d help manage patient adherence around that,” he explains. “Our first year, there was

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

For Kyle Braatz, the CEO of HealthWave, passion is what propels him forward in business. “My co-founder and I, we’ve done some other businesses together,” Mr. Braatz says. “They were successful in their own right, in different ways, but we kept losing passion for them.” When launching HealthWave, an online system for prescribing natural health

products, he says he wanted to do something he felt would truly make a difference for customers. “We said, ‘At the end of the day, we love building companies, but we have to get into something we want to do for the rest our our lives,’” he says. “I think when most companies start, they have a big vision and you take small steps towards that vision slowly. The interesting thing about us was we didn’t start with a big vision per se of what we were building and what we wanted to accomplish. All we started with is, ‘Hey, the health-care system doesn’t make any sense to us.’” Mr. Braatz notes he sees a lot of problems in the way medicine is delivered, such as a focus on treating symptoms rather than underlying causes of illness and a compensation model that encourages practitioners to see as many patients as possible.

2015 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES FUSEBILL

Software that fits the bill YEAR FOUNDED: 2011 LOCAL HEAD COUNT: JUST UNDER 20 KEY MARKETS OR CUSTOMERS: SOFTWARE-AS-A-SERVICE COMPANIES, E-COMMERCE PROVIDERS, OTHER INTERNET BUSINESSES PRODUCT OR SERVICE: BILLING SOFTWARE-AS-ASERVICE THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH:

475.21%

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Billing isn’t boring, says Tyler Eyamie. Honest. As the CEO of Fusebill, a software-as-a-service platform for billing, Mr. Eyamie might be expected to feel that way. However, he knows a lot of his customers would respectfully disagree. “Billing is typically something that’s shipped off on an island in a back corner of an office,” he says, “and nobody

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thinks about it.” Mr. Eyamie speaks from personal experience. He and his co-founders used to work at a company where it took six to eight weeks to update the billing system when changes were made to pricing plans. “It was a very inflexible system,” he says. But with the growth of software-as-a-service and other subscription-based business models, that approach just doesn’t cut it nowadays, he explains. “Now clients want the best-of-breed continuously on a monthly basis. They want updates as they happen, but they also want to pay for that either as they consume it or as they use it on a monthly basis,” Mr. Eyamie says. Under those models, billing systems must have the ability to be modified on the fly. Mr. Eyamie says that thanks

to Fusebill, customers can “quickly adjust the pricing plan, press ‘save,’ and salespeople can be selling it and marketing people can be marketing it within seconds as opposed to days or even weeks.” He says the shift to subscription-based sales models has created more work for some businesses, particularly if they’re also charging for usage. Now, instead of sending out a single invoice, they have to send 12 bills a year. Mr. Eyamie says many organizations are still consolidating and sending out those invoices by hand. “A platform like ours actually automates that entire process,” he says. “It really lets companies put their resources into building their business as opposed to billing their clients.” Mr. Eyamie wants to be working with “that company

Tyler Eyamie and Greg Burwell of Fusebill. that is looking to scale their business. They’ve looked back at their internal processes and realized that how they’re performing their billing and invoicing and managing their product catalogue is really limiting their growth.” For Mr. Eyamie, achieving strong growth hasn’t been just about identifying a good

PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

opportunity – it’s also been a product of hard work. In a small company, that means wearing a lot of different hats. “Not only am I the CEO, I’m the main salesperson here, I handle all the HR, all the payroll, all the financials, all the board reporting,” he says. “The biggest thing that our company needs, as a smaller,

younger company, is new sales,” adds Mr. Eyamie, who estimates he spends 70 to 80 per cent of his average workday seeking ways to build his customer base. And when he succeeds, not only is billing not boring, he says, it’s exciting. — By Jacob Serebrin

2015 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES HAZLOLAW

‘Personal service’ key to firm’s success YEAR FOUNDED: 2011 LOCAL HEAD COUNT: 9 KEY MARKETS OR CUSTOMERS: ENTREPRENEURS, OWNER-MANAGERS OF PRIVATELY HELD FIRMS WITH REVENUES UP TO $100 MILLION PRODUCT OR SERVICE: BOUTIQUE BUSINESS LAW FIRM WITH A TAX LITIGATION PRACTICE AND INTERNATIONAL FOCUS THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH:

191.41%

Building relationships is key to the growth of HazloLaw – Business Lawyers, says Hugues Boisvert, the firm’s managing partner and CEO. “I’m a firm believer that people are craving more personal service,” he says.

For Mr. Boisvert, that includes things such as answering clients’ e-mails quickly and providing highquality legal advice. But it’s also about really getting to know his customers. “When I talk to you and I open up to you,” he says, “you’re actually a genuine person, you’re not just another billing code.” It’s an approach that even has HazloLaw billing differently from most other law firms. “Oftentimes we bill for projects,” Mr. Boisvert says, meaning clients are quoted a set price up front rather than billed by the hour. “We want to take clients who are dissatisfied and disengaged with their (current) law firm,” he adds.

Mr. Boisvert notes clients often get frustrated after receiving bills from lawyers that include charges for items such as photocopies and longdistance phone calls. “At the end of the day, at the rate we charge as lawyers, you shouldn’t get charged 25 cents for photocopies,” he says. “I just listened to the marketplace, and I did what I thought was right. We’re really redefining the model.” Much of the firm’s strong growth came earlier this year, when it added a tax litigation practice that serves both sides of the Ottawa River. “Revenu Québec are rather difficult and Gatineau is a good market for us,” Mr. Boisvert says. The expansion allows

Hugues Boisvert, CEO of HazloLaw — Business Lawyers. HazloLaw to diversify the services it offers its target client base – entrepreneurs and owner-managers of privately held companies with revenues of less than $100 million. “We’re really servicing the entrepreneur community,” he says. “We do everything for them.” That includes guiding businesses through every stage of development, from

incorporation to market exit, or helping them expand internationally. “We try to be as international as possible but serving the local market,” says Mr. Boisvert. Representing entrepreneurs makes sense to Mr. Boisvert, who says he sees himself as business owner first and a lawyer second. “I run a business; we

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provide legal services,” he says. While Mr. Boisvert wants to continue growing his firm, he doesn’t want that to happen at the expense of the unique culture he’s created. “We’re not in this game to just grow for the sake of growing,” he says. “I never want to lose that exceptional level of service and responsiveness.” — By Jacob Serebrin

Salute the top ten! Martello Technologies HealthWave Fusebill HazloLaw – Business Lawyers 360pi Napkyn You.i TV NetFore Systems Dual Code SupportMyMac

produced and presented by

lead sponsor

partners

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Wednesday, May 20, 2015 5:00 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. The Annex (Kivuto) 151 George Street

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Join us at an awards reception to celebrate and honour this year’s winners and their business accomplishments. Find out how these companies achieve success through an informal panel discussion.

PHOTO BY COLE BURSTON

Congratulations to the 2015 Fastest Growing Companies!

2015 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES 360pi

Selling retailers on price intelligence

THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH:

175%

Alexander Rink, chief executive of 360pi, points to three factors when explaining what drives his company’s impressive growth. “No. 1, it starts with the market that you’re in,” he says. “It has to be a market with what I call tailwinds.” He compares growing a business to cycling: it’s a lot easier to ride with the wind instead of against it.

“We happen to be focused on a market, the overall retail market, that is undergoing a lot of change and disruption. That’s our starting point,” he says. “Then, to serve that market, you need to have a great solution, and I believe we have that.” The third piece of the puzzle? “You need to have an excellent team,” Mr. Rink says. Still, that doesn’t mean the company’s path to success has always been smooth. “I think any kind of sales process is a challenge. Nothing’s ever a gimme in business,” he says. “It’s in doing that, especially against strong competition, that you become a better competitor, a better performer.” 360pi has found success in the fast-growing market of price intelligence – in which retailers are eager to see

what their competitors are offering and at what price – by serving large brands such as Ace Hardware and Best Buy Canada. “Those are the ones that tend to have the most sophisticated requirements, and we are very strong in the quality of our intelligence that we provide to them as well as our service. That tends to be valued more by the largest retailers and brands,” Mr. Rink says. Manufacturers of fastmoving consumer goods, a varied category that typically includes high-volume, lowmargin items and ranges from packaged food and drinks to toys and cleaning products, are a new focus for 360pi, and the company recently added a new product aimed at those brands. “I’d say one of the keys to our growth has been our

flexibility and our adaptability,” Mr. Rink says. “We’re just starting down the path in that space, but that’s an indication of our willingness to listen to the market, see where the opportunities are and to modify our path accordingly.” No matter what, the solution has to be top-notch, he says, and rigorous quality control plays a big role in ensuring that. “What our customers are looking for is the best solution and the best service, the highest level of reliability,” he says. “That’s what we’re completely focused on.” But he remains far from satisfied. “As proud as we are about our accomplishments, at the end of the day, I don’t think we’ve really accomplished anything yet,” Mr. Rink says. “This is a long path. Success is a journey, not a destination, so

Woman of the year Your business is her honour

The partners of Collins Barrow Ottawa LLP are pleased to announce that fellow partner Rosa Iuliano, M.Acc., CPA, CA, has been named Businesswoman of the Year by the Women’s Business Network of Ottawa. Now in its 32nd year, this award is presented to outstanding female leaders, who hold a professional designation and are responsible for growing a business practice.

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Trusted Collins Barrow advisers like Rosa, are here to ensure that you achieve your goals. Whether you’re a multimillion-dollar enterprise or an entrepreneur on the road to success, we will help you create value for your business. For objective, actionable advice and a powerful dose of clarity, turn to Collins Barrow.

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For more information on expert audit, tax and advisory services, contact: Collins Barrow Ottawa LLP 301 Moodie Drive, Suite 400 Ottawa, Ontario K2H 9C4 613.820.8010 collinsbarrowottawa@collinsbarrow.com

Alexander Rink, CEO of 360pi. this is a really nice milestone marker along the way. But we’re completely focused on serving our customers as well as we

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possibly can, because we know if we do that, then everything else is going to come.” — By Jacob Serebrin

Become a Community Champion! The Community Champions Program invites businesses to invest in City of Ottawa facilities and programs in return for year-round marketing opportunities.

Exclusive Business Opportunity Naming rights are ideal for any company to: • • • • •

Increase brand awareness and loyalty Reach customers in unique environments Demonstrate corporate values and commitment to the community Create a point of differentiation in the Ottawa marketplace Recruit employees and build morale

The City is accepting Expressions of Interest from businesses of all sizes. Available naming rights include: • Lansdowne Park, Ottawa’s 18‐acre urban park – Aberdeen Pavilion, Aberdeen Square, Horticulture Building, Skating Court, Basketball Court and Children’s Water Plaza and Play Area with skate board ramps • Centrepointe Theatres – building and two theatres • Minto Recreation Complex - Barrhaven –aquatic centre, fitness centre, gymnasium, two ice arenas and eleven hockey arena change room doors • Nepean Sportsplex – building, aquatic centre, athletic and fitness centres, one ice arena and two ball diamonds • Ray Friel Recreation Complex – wave pool, fitness centre, gymnasiums, two arenas and sports fields

Call Richard Barton at 613-580-2424 ext. 25632 or visit ottawa.ca/Corporate Partnerships to find your perfect Community Champion opportunity.

201503-501

YEAR FOUNDED: 2008 LOCAL HEAD COUNT: 40 KEY MARKETS OR CUSTOMERS: ACE HARDWARE, BEST BUY CANADA, OVERSTOCK.COM PRODUCT OR SERVICE: PRODUCT AND PRICE INTELLIGENCE

2015 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES

Napkyn is on track to double its revenues in 2015.

PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

NAPKYN

Napkyn cleans up in consulting field YEAR FOUNDED: 2009 LOCAL HEAD COUNT: 13 KEY MARKETS OR CUSTOMERS: BARNES & NOBLE, BEATS BY DR. DRE, LA SENZA PRODUCT OR SERVICE: ANALYTICS CONSULTING THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH:

150.77%

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days. The company’s budding reputation has been encouraging to its chief executive. “Now, we work exclusively with the biggest companies in digital,” Mr. Cain says. “And they call us. Our smallest client is probably doing just under a billion dollars a year in revenue.” The firm is now turning its attention to aggressive expansion. Just within the last 90 days, the deals it has landed have put the analytics company on track to double its yearly revenues once again. Ninety per cent of Napkyn’s contracts are with companies based in the United States. In the near future, however, Mr. Cain says he’s looking to bring more of the company’s work closer to home. “A big part of our growth plan for the next year or two years is to take everything that we’ve learned with large American companies and finally start to sell it at home,” he says. “I’m looking forward to Ottawa’s reputation continuing to grow as a centre of excellence for digital marketing. There’s a lot of neat shops in town.” — By Craig Lord

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

By providing valuable analytics to billion-dollar digital companies, Napkyn is turning the consulting industry in North America on its head. Not bad for an operation CEO Jim Cain started in his living room six years ago. “We’re a little bit disruptive in the analytics consulting space because the majority of our revenue is actually recurring, because the analyst program is an ongoing, value-as-service initiative,” he says. The analyst program is the flagship initiative at Napkyn. The program allows the company to provide clients with a continual assessment of web-based marketing initiatives through Google Analytics or similar software, rather than just a one-time evaluation. “Any kind of consulting company sells time and

materials work,” Mr. Cain says. “So you say, ‘I wanna build a house’ and they go, ‘Well, here’s how much the lumber is and how long it takes to build it.’” Napkyn, he notes, has a very different approach. “We’re saying, ‘Well, you want to build a house and you’re going to need materials, but, as we’re building we should be continuously having conversations about bungalow vs. three floors, what do you think about these windows,’ you know.” The result is a tailored analytics solution and maximized value for Napkyn’s clients. “A lot of times when people want to buy software, it’s because they want to solve a problem,” Mr. Cain explains. “And it’s normally more of a people, a process, an expertise kind of problem. Which we solve.” This approach has been key to Napkyn’s success. Eighty to 90 per cent of its revenue is recurring, and Mr. Cain says he’s never had to lay anyone off from a lack of work. When Napkyn sought to expand into becoming a reseller for Google Analytics’ premium package, the process was fast-tracked into a week rather than the standard 40

2015 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES YOU.i TV

Pushing all the right buttons FOUNDED: 2008 LOCAL HEAD COUNT: 120 MAJOR CUSTOMERS: ADOBE, CORUS ENTERTAINMENT, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCT/SERVICE: USER INTERFACE SOFTWARE THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH:

140%

Jason Flick’s business has become so successful he’s soon going to have to quit hiring people. That might sound strange. But as anyone who knows the local serial entrepreneur will tell you, his company You.i TV is far from your average business. The Ottawa-based firm, which makes user interface software that helps people interact with media devices

such as TVs to tablets, has experienced such rapid growth since it was founded in 2008 that its Kanata office is bursting at the seams. “We’ve added almost 100 people in the last year and a half,” says Mr. Flick. “We just can’t keep up that pace.” What’s fuelling You.i’s meteoric ascent is its congruent interface, which companies can use on applications across multiple platforms from iPhones to Xboxes. Its patented technology also combines the standard Adobe tools needed for lighting, motion and other elements whenever a person touches a screen or clicks a remote. You.i’s technology does all this in a way that is visually pleasing, Mr. Flick adds, describing the company’s philosophy as “artists and

scientists working together” to design a product that is as attractive as it is functional. “I don’t think we’ve ever sat down with a customer where at some point in the meeting their jaw doesn’t kind of fall open,” he says. “We have wicked technology. The stuff we show them is gorgeous – it takes their breath away. The products are awesome to use, but they’re also beautiful.” Major media companies have taken notice. You.i recently announced it will be providing the user interface software for Sony Pictures Entertainment’s digital streaming subsidiary Crackle, which is making a push to challenge industry giant Netflix, and Toronto-based Corus Entertainment, which owns more than 20 specialty TV channels, including Disney Channel Canada, Treehouse

You.i TV founder Jason Flick. TV, YTV and HBO Canada’s western operations. Mr. Flick says Sony Pictures Television recently previewed You.i’s interface at its 2015 conference to announce its programming schedule, where it received rave reviews. “People were like, ‘Wow.’ It’s a very different way of

PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

viewing content. It’s going to blow people away when it officially launches.” The deal with Crackle, which is headquartered in California, is also You.i’s first significant contract with a company south of the border. “You really have to have a validation in the States, so that’s been huge for us,” Mr.

Flick says. More big-name customer wins are expected to be announced soon, he adds. To keep up with the surging demand for You.i’s software, Mr. Flick is now seeking to form partnerships with app developers who will incorporate it into their products. “The world’s becoming more fragmented,” he says. “There are more platforms, more devices. I don’t want to be a thousand-person company doing service work. I want to have a thousand companies with a hundred people all working for us around our product.” Quickly approaching 130 employees, You.i doubled its office footprint last year and expects to expand its space by another 50 per cent in the next few months. It’s enough to make any CEO’s head spin, but Mr. Flick isn’t complaining. “It’s exciting times, for sure,” he says. “I love it.” — By David Sali

NETFORE SYSTEMS

Putting software plan into action FOUNDED: 2010 LOCAL HEAD COUNT: 19 MAJOR CUSTOMERS/ MARKETS: TELECOM, NON-PROFIT, CHARITIES, POLITICAL PARTIES PRODUCT/SERVICE: SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY CONSULTING THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH:

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

133.92%

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After making a name for itself in technology consulting, NetFore Systems is now on a mission to strengthen the other half of its business platform: software development. Chief executive Ken Workun and his team believe they’ve found the perfect market for the firm’s latest product, a platform called foreAction. With Ottawa being a government town, NetFore’s target clients aren’t surprising: non-profits, charities and, of course, political parties.

“We’re trying to take a lot of the energy that we’ve put into our services and drive that into a product launch,” says Mr. Workun, who founded NetFore five years ago with Allen Carpenter, a former colleague at Sonus Networks. “That’s exciting for us.” The new software allows groups such as charities and political parties to gather data on their supporters from a wide range of sources, including surveys and donation forms, and consolidate it all in a single system. Users can then analyze and interpret the information to find common characteristics and preferences, allowing the groups to more effectively target supporters with specific fundraising campaigns or appeals for action. The software can even suggest specific activities to engage target groups in the most effective way using the most appropriate method of

delivery, such as e-mail, direct mail or telephone. While foreAction is still in its beta testing stage, the company says feedback from a handful of users has been overwhelmingly positive. NetFore expects to officially launch the product in late summer or early fall. “A lot of this is about activism and trying to get people engaged who are interested in your cause and … using that as a way to either drive membership or drive donations or drive further advocacy,” Mr. Workun says. Expanding NetFore’s product lines is a top priority for the company in 2015, he says, adding he and his team felt it was time to use the profits and experience they had gained on the consulting side of the operation to beef up the software development division. “I think it’s all just about executing on strategy,” he explains. “(Software) is still

Ken Workun and Allen Carpenter of NetFore Systems. a pretty small percentage of our overall revenue, but it’s something that we are looking for growth from over the course of the next two to three years.” This is the second consecutive appearance on the fastest-growing companies list for NetFore, which has 19 full-time employees plus a handful of part-timers and is planning to hire several more people in the near future.

Mr. Workun says the firm, which is 100 per cent bootstrapped, is hoping to continue its steady, organic growth over the long haul. He is projecting annual growth of 30 to 35 per cent on the services side for the next several years. “Our services business isn’t going anywhere,” he says. “A lot of our growth is being driven off of the back of that. If we can keep the pace we’re going at, we’ll be pretty

PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

happy.” That means continuing to work closely with clients every step of the way. “We’re small enough that we’re agile,” Mr. Workun explains. “We’re easy to work with. We like to be responsive, we like to take a lot of initiative in terms of understanding what the customers want up front. We take on meaningful projects and deliver them end to end.” — By David Sali

2015 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES DUAL CODE

Prescription for health-care e-learning YEAR FOUNDED: 2008 LOCAL HEAD COUNT: 12 MAJOR CUSTOMERS: HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS PRODUCT/SERVICE PROVIDED: DEVELOPING, DESIGNING AND INSTALLING LEARNING MANAGEMENT SERVICES USING THE MOODLE PLATFORM THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH:

131.77%

Many businesses could learn a thing or two from Dual Code. It’s all part of the company’s work. The business-to-business enterprise develops, designs and hosts customized e-learning services for the health-care industry, government programs and universities.

Dual Code works on an open-source platform called Moodle, a free online learning management system that lets users host courses online for their students or employees. Dual Code’s success comes from adapting Moodle to its clients’ needs. “We help with the installation, configuration, customization of whatever they want,” says CEO and founder Luc Richard. The company specializes in e-learning solutions for hospitals and non-profit health-care organizations. While Moodle is an impressive platform on its own, tailoring its capabilities to the needs of medical clientele is where Dual Code shines. “If they adopt our solution, it’s not software we’re just giving them,” says Mr. Richard.

“They’re joining a community of hospitals and non-profit organizations and other healthcare providers. We’re creating partnerships where we all work together to try to improve learning management services in the health-care sector.” Dual Code’s success, he adds, can largely be attributed to this collaborative approach. “It might be the fact that we closely work with our clients. We’re not just pushing a solution on to them. For the most part, they approach us… Most of our sales are from word of mouth,” Mr. Richard says, noting the firm has built a strong reputation in the health-care sector and has led the charge in helping the industry modify Moodle to suit its needs. “We’re definitely getting into that niche,” he says.

Dual Code founder Luc Richard. As the cloud-based software company forges ahead into 2015, it finds itself both branching out and staying close to its roots. Currently headquartered in the city’s south end, Dual Code is looking to move to

PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

expanded offices in the tech hub of Kanata in the near future. And as the company continues to serve the healthcare sector more and more, it’s keeping its eyes open for other opportunities in the capital. “Government as well, being

in Ottawa, having bilingual administration, there’s a lot of growth in (that) sector,” notes Mr. Richard, adding the company is developing e-learning modules for both French and English users. — By Craig Lord

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2015 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES presents

The Women’s Business Network celebrates this year’s recipients of the Businesswoman of the Year Awards.

Professional Category sponsored by

Rosa Maria Iuliano

Partner Collins Barrow Ottawa LLP

Entrepreneur Category sponsored by

Caralyn Tierney

President/Owner Caralyn’s Hair & Wig Design Inc.