CanadianSME Small Business Podcast
Welcome to the CanadianSME podcast, a podcast for Canadian Small Businesses. In our podcasts, we interview Canadian experts and entrepreneurs to give small business owners access to expert knowledge that helps them grow their enterprises. Our mission is to empower Canadian small and medium enterprises and help them reach a bigger audience through our platform. Calling upon some of the most successful subject matter experts in the industry, the small business podcasts aim at identifying issues and finding solutions, all this while helping the business owners.
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Beyond the Urban Incubator: The Virtual Blueprint to Launching 1,200+ Businesses Across Rural Places
<p>Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Great business ideas can come from anywhere, but opportunity is not always equally accessible. Today, we explore how rural entrepreneurs are turning local ideas into real ventures through innovation, mentorship, and community support.</p> <p>Joining us is Andrew Button, Founder and CEO of Mashup Lab. With over 15 years of rural economic development experience, Andrew has built a virtual incubator supporting thousands of entrepreneurs across hundreds of rural communities.</p> <p>Key Highlights</p> Rural Entrepreneurship: Unlocking overlooked opportunities in small communities. Idea Validation: Why testing business models...
The Conversion Premium: Why AI Web Templates Fail High-Growth Startup Trust
<p>Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. A website is no longer just a digital storefront—it is where trust, credibility, and customer decisions begin. Today, we explore how storytelling, strategy, and thoughtful design create digital platforms that truly connect.</p> <p>Joining us is Derrick Boddie, Senior Web Developer and Executive Director at Mango Innovation. A Toronto-based web strategist and developer, Derrick helps startups and organizations transform complex ideas into high-trust, conversion-focused digital experiences.</p> <p>Key Highlights</p> Story-First Design: Why authentic brand stories outperform generic website templates. Discovery Strategy: How deep conversations un...
The Autonomy Premium: Why Founder-Led Over-Management Fails to Scale Modern SMEs
<p>Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore leadership alignment, operational excellence, and transformation strategies that help growing companies move beyond founder dependency. SMEs in 2026 must implement scalable systems to unlock long-term growth.</p> <p>Joining us is Thierry Allegrucci, Certified EOS® Implementer at Stratégium Conseils Inc. With over 30 years of global leadership experience and a mechanical engineering background, Thierry helps Canadian SME leaders improve accountability, implement structured processes, and drive operational efficiency.</p> <p>Key Highlights</p> Founder Bottlenecks: How SME founders get trapped in daily operations and shift to strategic le...
Beyond the Merger: The Operational Blueprint to Engineering Human-Digital Credit Union Scale
<p>Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore community-driven banking, purpose-led capital, and human-digital business models supporting local enterprises.</p> <p>Joining us is Diane Dou, Chief Operating Officer at Libro Credit Union, sharing insights on scaling community impact, financial transformation, and supporting Ontario’s local business ecosystem.</p> <p>Key Highlights</p> Local Business Impact: Why community enterprises remain essential to economic growth. Purpose-Driven Banking: How community credit unions support local businesses with impact-focused solutions. Strategic Mergers: Expanding community reach while maintaining B-Corp values. Financial Transformation: Using human-digital models to strengthen business gr...
Kitchen Table to Commercial Media: Scaling a Full-Service Multi-Account Agency
<p>Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Today, we explore experiential marketing, event production, and creative strategies that build powerful brand ecosystems.</p> <p>Joining us are Theresa Place, President and CEO, and Devyn Maybee, Director of Marketing at Theresa Place Media Inc., sharing insights on scaling creative teams, media production, and multi-channel marketing.</p> <p>Key Highlights</p> Event Production: The operational strategies behind successful corporate events. Marketing Architecture: Building unified campaigns through data-driven channels. Creative Scaling: Maintaining innovation and excellence while growing teams. Media Storytelling: Combining film and editorial design for niche audiences. ...
The Exit Blueprint: How Mid-Market Founders Protect Their Valuation
<p>Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast hosted by Maheen Bari, where we explore strategies for mid-market business growth and exits. Today, we focus on navigating mergers and acquisitions with preparation, valuation, and execution in mind.</p> <p>Joining us is Andrew Kemper, Partner at Capital West Partners, a Chartered Professional Accountant and Chartered Business Valuator. Andrew has guided over 40 transactions exceeding $4 billion and mentors founders on successful exits.</p> <p>Key Highlights</p> M&A Trends & Valuations: Canadian business owners must understand shifting mid-market deal dynamics. Preparation for Market: Founders need clear documentation and process readiness before going...
The AI Governance Premium: Why Unchecked Automation Destroys Enterprise Trust
<p>Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. AI adoption is accelerating, but trust, visibility, and control will determine who succeeds. Today, we explore how businesses can build secure AI strategies while protecting critical data and operations.</p> <p>Joining us is J.Paul Haynes, CEO of Cinchy. A 35-year cybersecurity veteran and former eSentire leader, J.Paul shares how organizations can govern AI actions, strengthen data foundations, and move toward responsible AI adoption.</p> <p>Key Highlights</p> AI Data Visibility: Why understanding data access is critical for successful AI adoption. Scaling AI Strategy: Moving...
Scale with Soul: How to Grow a Service Business Without Losing Heart
<p>Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore scaling service businesses through operational excellence, empathetic leadership, and culture-driven growth.</p> <p>Joining us is Loren Maisels, CMP, Founder and President of LOMA Agency, sharing insights on building a North American agency while keeping human connection at the core.</p> <p>Key Highlights</p> Scaling with Heart: Building a service business without losing culture and connection. Event Growth Strategy: How SMEs can use events to drive measurable growth. Event ROI: Proving the business impact of successful event strategies. Team Connection: Using events to strengthen...
The Founder Signal: Why Generic AI-Generated Content Is Destroying B2B Brand Trust
<p>Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Today, we explore founder-led content, thought leadership, and B2B asset strategies that help professional service firms stand out in 2026.</p> <p>Joining us is Daniel Francavilla, Founder of Clarity Content, sharing insights on capturing expertise, building trust online, and scaling purpose-driven organizations.</p> <p>Key Highlights</p> Founder-Led Content: Why executive visibility drives growth and B2B sales. Capture Systems: Producing high-quality content without full-time creation. Trust in AI: What builds credibility in an AI-driven content landscape. Strategic Communication: Scaling multi-sector ecosystems for lasting impact. <p>Special...
The Visibility Premium: Why Outdated Content Strategies Fail Against AI Search Engines
<p>Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Brent Edwards. The future of hospitality is being shaped before guests ever walk through the door. Today, we explore how hotels can increase direct bookings, reduce dependency on third-party platforms, and stay visible in the AI-driven travel landscape.</p> <p>Joining us is Nicki Graham, Chief Marketing Officer at Cendyn. With nearly 20 years of global marketing experience, Nicki leads strategies for a hospitality technology platform powering over 32,000 hotels worldwide and helping properties turn digital engagement into revenue growth.</p> <p>Key Highlights</p> AI Visibility: How hotels can stay discoverable...
