CanadianSME Small Business Podcast

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, where Kripa Anand brings you conversations with leaders shaping Canada’s business and infrastructure landscape. What happens when a transformative rail project opens new doors for businesses across the country? Today, we explore the economic opportunities, procurement pathways, and partnerships emerging around Canada’s high speed rail future.

Joining us is Denis Andlauer, Deputy Project Director at Cadence. With extensive experience across SNCF, Keolis Canada, the Lyon Metro, and Montreal’s REM, Denis brings a global transit perspective to the development of the Alto High Speed Rail project and its potent...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, where Kripa Anand brings you conversations with leaders helping businesses build smarter foundations for growth. Scaling is not just about adding more products or markets; it is about creating systems that can support long term success. Today, we explore how technology, processes, and global experience come together to drive productivity.

Joining us is Prashant Tipnis, Managing Director at TINNOVAT Group Inc. With over 30 years of international experience across multiple regions, Prashant helps businesses improve operations through enterprise solutions, ERP integration, process optimization, and a global productivity mindset.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore independent digital broadcasting, audience retention, and cross-generational distribution models. Media brands in 2026 must move beyond surface-level posting to build rigorous content channels and multi-platform engagement frameworks.

Joining us is Wyatt Sharpe, Host and Founder of The Sharpe Exchange. Wyatt is a top Canadian political journalist, known for interviews with world leaders and appearances on CBC, CTV, Fox News, Global News, and NewsNation. His platform delivers direct, unedited conversations that drive civic engagement.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, where Kripa Anand brings you conversations with innovators building solutions for Canada’s future. Agriculture is facing complex challenges, from climate pressures to labour shortages, but the next generation of solutions starts by connecting ideas with real world testing.

Joining us is Marilou Cyr, General Manager at Zone Agtech. With nearly two decades of experience in clean agricultural technologies and strategic planning, Marilou leads Canada’s first agtech innovation zone, helping companies move from research to market through collaboration and commercialization support.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, where Kripa Anand brings you conversations with leaders turning years of experience into smarter business decisions. When answers take weeks to uncover, opportunities can disappear just as quickly. Today, we explore how AI can put clearer insights and faster decision making within reach.

Joining us is Raj Bulland, Founder of BuildAI Digital. Drawing on 30 years across corporate finance, budgeting, and operations, Raj has built AI powered dashboards designed to turn complex business data into clear answers and actionable recommendations.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Technology should do more than solve today’s problems; it should help businesses prepare for what comes next. Today, we explore how leaders can evaluate IT performance, strengthen cybersecurity, and make technology decisions that support real business outcomes.

Joining us is Shawn Bedard, President of JIG Technologies Inc. With more than two decades of experience across technology leadership, Shawn helps small and mid-sized organizations move from reactive IT support to proactive strategies built around security, efficiency, and growth.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, where Kripa Anand brings you conversations with leaders turning marketing into a connected engine for growth. With customers discovering businesses across search, social, reviews, and AI, scattered marketing can quickly become a missed opportunity. Today, we explore how SMEs can bring strategy, technology, and customer journeys together.

Joining us is Adam Abdulraheem, Marketing & Growth Lead at BAGE Group. With more than eight years of international experience and over 400 digital projects, Adam brings a practical perspective on growth strategy, acquisition, analytics, CRM, and helping Canadian SMEs make smarter marketing decisions.

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, where Kripa Anand brings you conversations with founders transforming industries through innovation and technology. Success under pressure is often difficult to measure, but what if performance in critical moments could become actionable data? Today, we explore how sports intelligence is creating new opportunities beyond instinct and observation.

Joining us is Dan Connerty, Founder, President, and CEO of NTangible Inc. A former professional baseball player turned entrepreneur, Dan combines sports experience, finance, and technology to build data driven tools that help organizations understand performance under pressure.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, where Kripa Anand brings you conversations with leaders turning focused strategy into measurable growth. Sometimes, the fastest way forward is not doing more, but knowing exactly who you are building for. Today, we explore how sharper positioning, lean AI powered growth, and market opportunities can reshape a software business.

Joining us is Zach Yuzdepski, Head of Marketing at TeamLinkt. Zach leads brand, demand generation, revenue operations, and go to market strategy while helping TeamLinkt grow from $1M to approximately $4.5M in ARR and serve more than 4,000 sports organizations worldwide.

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. When founders become the answer to every question, growth can quickly turn into exhaustion. Today, we explore how smarter delegation, remote support, and financial clarity can help entrepreneurs build businesses that work without depending on them for everything.

Joining us is Amanda Mungal, Founder, CEO, and Certified Professional Bookkeeper at It’s Your Time Business Services. With more than a decade of experience supporting businesses across Canada and the United States, Amanda helps entrepreneurs simplify operations, understand their numbers, and create stronger remote teams.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Growing a business should not mean shrinking your personal life to make room for it. Today, we explore the shift from overworked founder to confident CEO and the systems that make sustainable growth possible.

Joining us is Maggie Perotin, Business & Leadership Coach at Stairway to Leadership and Host of the Diamond Effect Podcast. After moving to Canada more than 20 years ago and building extensive executive management experience, Maggie now helps service providers scale with greater structure, focus, and balance.

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Welcome to today’s episode of the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Technology is no longer just an internal support function; it can become one of the strongest drivers of business growth. Today, we explore how leaders can strengthen cybersecurity, adopt AI with purpose, and turn IT decisions into strategic advantages.

Joining us is Shawn Freeman, Partner at Always Beyond Corp., Founder of Impactful MSP, and Chapter President of Entrepreneurs’ Organization Calgary. With experience building, scaling, and advising technology companies, Shawn brings practical insights into cyber risk, digital transformation, and creating smarter IT strategies.

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. True inclusion is not created through statements alone; it requires reflection, accountability, and changes that reach how organizations operate every day. Today, we explore what meaningful equity leadership looks like in practice.

Joining us is Michael Bowe, Principal of Bowe and Associates Inc. With over 25 years of experience in equity advocacy, executive coaching, and organizational change, Michael helps leaders align policies, culture, and decision making with authentic inclusion.

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Welcome to today’s episode of the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, where Kripa Anand brings you conversations on protecting the people, decisions, and strategies behind successful businesses. Financial threats are becoming more sophisticated, but the right systems and awareness can make all the difference. Today, we explore how families and leaders can approach wealth with greater confidence.

Joining us is Brooke M. Dean, SCFP, RRC, TEP, CIM/Senior Financial Planner at BMD Financial Ltd. with Raymond James Ltd. A Certified Financial Planner, Registered Retirement Consultant, Trust and Estate Practitioner, and Chartered Investment Manager, Brooke brings more than tw...

Welcome to the Indigenous SME Podcast, where Kripa Anand brings you conversations with Indigenous leaders using innovation to shape stronger communities and economies. What if leaders could test the future before making decisions that affect millions of people? Today, we explore how synthetic intelligence can make complex risks easier to understand and plan for.

Joining us are Myrna Bittner, CEO and Co Founder, and Dean Bittner, CTO and Co Founder of RUNWITHIT Synthetics Inc. Together, they are advancing sovereign AI and synthetic environments designed to help leaders model climate, health, infrastructure, and economic scenarios with greater precision.<...

Welcome to a brand new episode of the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Cyber threats are no longer a distant IT concern; one overlooked vulnerability can bring an entire operation to a standstill. Today, we explore how businesses can strengthen their defenses before a crisis puts everything on the line.

Joining us is Stéphane Auger, Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, and CISO at Team Microfix. With more than 25 years of cybersecurity experience, Stéphane helps Canadian organizations strengthen security, navigate crises, and protect critical operations with specialized technology and governance.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. What does it take to build a technology company with a vision that stretches far beyond the next growth cycle? Today, we explore organic expansion, practical AI adoption, and the leadership principles behind building for the long term.

Joining us is Kevin Crowe, Chief Operating Officer at Long View Systems. With experience spanning technology, philanthropy, and ultra endurance, Kevin has helped guide Long View from a three person startup to a 1,400 person North American IT company while advancing its AI transformation journey.

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Welcome to today’s episode of the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. When a business knows its subject but struggles to explain its value, even great ideas can disappear in the noise. Today, we explore how clearer language, stronger storytelling, and better listening can turn expertise into connection.

Joining us is Alison Copeland, Founder of Copeland Creative. An award winning creative leader with experience shaping thought leadership for brands including Accenture Song, BDO Canada, Deloitte, IBM, and Workday, Alison brings a refreshingly human approach to making complex ideas easier to understand.

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Welcome to today’s episode of the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Hiring the right people is only one part of building a strong team; keeping them engaged, growing, and committed is where the real challenge begins. Today, we explore what separates successful talent strategies from costly hiring mistakes.

Joining us is Freddy Rawji, President at Torus Talent. With experience scaling recruitment operations and helping organizations across engineering, finance, construction, and technology, Freddy brings practical insights into finding, developing, and retaining top talent.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, where Kripa Anand brings you conversations on the ideas shaping the future of Canadian businesses. AI adoption is not just about having the latest tools; it is about knowing where technology can create real value. Today, we explore how SMEs can adapt, experiment, and grow without enterprise-level resources.

Joining us is Mark Patterson, Executive Director at Magnet. A leader in workforce innovation, Mark helps employers, workers, and communities navigate economic change while exploring how emerging technologies like AI are reshaping skills, jobs, and business strategy.

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Welcome to today’s episode of the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Taking a business across borders is about far more than finding a new market; it takes trust, preparation, and the right local relationships. Today, we explore how Canadian SMEs can build stronger commercial bridges with Africa.

Joining us is Ali Soumah, Founder, President and CEO of ALI SOUMAH BUSINESS CENTER (ASBC). With a multicultural background spanning Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Canada, Ali brings a unique perspective on trade, investment readiness, due diligence, and international business development.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. AI should make a business better, not simply add another layer of complexity. Today, we explore how companies can fix inefficient processes, automate the right work, and build technology systems that genuinely improve the bottom line.

Joining us is Adam Bowles, Partner and CEO of ACT360 Web & IT Inc. Since 2009, Adam has helped more than 500 businesses across Central and Southern Ontario modernize their technology, combining hands on IT experience with practical automation, integration, and data protection strategies.

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Welcome to today’s episode of the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. What happens when citizens have more ways to speak, but institutions still struggle to hear what is real? Today, we explore how AI and digital public infrastructure could reshape civic engagement and rebuild trust in a connected world.

Joining us is Moustafa El Dahhan, CEO at Boulai. Combining machine learning, software engineering, and public engagement experience, Moustafa is building an AI powered civic platform designed to connect citizens, services, and real time feedback in one place.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. What if building generational wealth starts with buying the right business rather than starting one from zero? Today, we explore acquisition entrepreneurship, responsible owner transitions, and what happens after the deal is signed.

Joining us is Afam Elue, Managing Consultant at The Fugleman Group. An acquisition specialist and author of From Legacy to Dynasty, Afam brings experience across banking, wealth management, M&A, and technology to help entrepreneurs navigate deals and strengthen acquired businesses.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Going from $1 million to $100 million is not simply a bigger version of the same business. Today, we explore the leadership, culture, talent, and capital decisions that determine whether ambitious technology companies can truly make that leap.

Joining us is Chris Hodgson, Partner, Growth at Maverix Private Equity. With more than 30 years across engineering, entrepreneurship, executive leadership, and investing, Chris brings firsthand experience scaling major technology businesses and now works with growth stage leaders across North America.

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Welcome to the Indigenous SME Podcast, where Kripa Anand brings forward conversations celebrating Indigenous entrepreneurship, leadership, and community impact. What if building a successful business meant working with your energy instead of constantly pushing against it? Today, we explore a more intentional way to grow.

Joining us is Nicole Denbow, Owner of Arrow Photography YXE and Business Advisor with the Gabriel Dumont Institute. A Métis entrepreneur and professional photographer, Nicole combines hands on business experience with community focused guidance for Indigenous entrepreneurs.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. A sponsorship can be a logo on a banner, or it can become the start of something much bigger. Today, we explore what makes brands, events, and communities worth partnering with.

Joining us is Jacquelene Jackie Clarke, Founder and CEO of The Well Connected. With 15 years across PR, entertainment, and experiential marketing, Jackie has built a career around finding the right people, ideas, and opportunities to bring together.

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Welcome to today’s episode of the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. What if the equipment sitting unused in your yard is actually working capital waiting to be unlocked? Today, we explore how secondary markets, smarter valuations, and AI pricing tools can help industrial businesses put idle assets back to work.

Joining us is Mark Le Dain, Chief Revenue Officer at Fuelled. With experience spanning cross border M&A, fintech, and high growth technology, Mark brings a unique perspective on turning overlooked industrial assets into opportunities across energy, power, and mining markets.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, where Kripa Anand brings you conversations with leaders shaping the future of Canadian business. What really happens between a great business idea and a lender’s final decision? Today, we unpack the credit signals, risk thinking, and financial preparation that can make that difference.

Joining us is Tonia Omenyi, Manager of Commercial Credit and Enterprise Risk at Alterna Savings and Co Founder of WomEconomics Organization Inc. An economist and risk professional with experience across central banking, commercial lending, and economic development, Tonia brings a practical perspective on building financial confidence an...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, where Kripa Anand brings you conversations with leaders navigating the next wave of business technology. Your IT team may know what is connected to the network, but what about everything running quietly behind it? Today, we explore AI, hidden applications, and the visibility businesses need to stay ahead.

Joining us is Steve Petryschuk, Vice President of Corporate Strategy at Auvik. With over a decade of experience across IT leadership, security, technical sales, and product strategy, Steve shares how Auvik is helping organizations bring greater intelligence and visibility to increasingly complex...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. What if the biggest barrier to business growth is not a lack of opportunity, but a credit system that fails to see the full picture? Today, we explore how alternative data, community trust, and AI are reshaping access to capital.

Joining us is Jonah Chininga, Co Founder and CEO of Woveo and Board Director of the Canadian Lenders Association. Drawing from his own experience with credit barriers, Jonah is building technology that helps financial institutions understand underserved businesses through richer data and smarter lending models.

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. A great idea is only the beginning; turning it into a fundable, scalable business takes validation, structure, and the right connections. Today, we explore what early stage founders need to move confidently from innovation to commercial growth.

Joining us is Pam Banks, Executive Director at Altitude Accelerator. With more than two decades in Ontario’s innovation ecosystem, Pam helps technology ventures strengthen market readiness, prepare for investors, and connect with angel capital through programs and funding initiatives.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. AI is changing marketing forever, but better technology does not replace better thinking. Today, we explore how businesses can combine artificial intelligence, human expertise, and strategic creativity to build stronger brands.

Joining us is Robert Burko, CEO at Elite Digital. With over 20 years of digital marketing leadership, Robert has built a leading agency serving global brands and developed AI-powered solutions that help businesses make smarter marketing decisions.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Great businesses are not built by chasing every trend—they grow by knowing their value, audience, and purpose. Today, we explore how mission-driven organizations can build stronger brands, price with confidence, and stay visible in a changing digital world.

Joining us is Alethea Robinson, Founder of See Girl Work Marketing & Branding. With nearly two decades of experience leading marketing and communications for leading health and nonprofit organizations, Alethea helps purpose-driven brands create meaningful connections and sustainable growth strategies.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today’s episode brings four powerful perspectives to one conversation about ambition, visibility, leadership, capital, and wellbeing. In this special roundtable, we explore what women truly need to move from inspiration to meaningful action.

Joining us are the Founding Four of the Vanguard Impact Summit: Andrea Chase, Lynn Gaudet, Erin Sisko, and Tyler Skinner. Together, they unpack the realities behind modern success, from building stronger communities and securing capital to navigating visibility, confidence, and sustainable growth.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. A machine rarely announces its failure before it happens, but the right data can. Today, we explore how wireless sensing and AI are helping industrial teams spot problems earlier and keep critical operations moving.

Joining us are Jay Crum and Mark Cooper, Senior Sales Managers at Treon. Together, they bring hands-on expertise in predictive maintenance and industrial digital transformation, helping companies turn equipment data into smarter maintenance decisions.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Business travel is changing, from where employees go to how companies manage every booking, expense, and safety concern. Today, we explore the trends shaping Canadian corporate travel and the technology making it easier to manage.

Joining us is Kristen Hrycoy, Director Channel Sales Executive at SAP Concur. With extensive experience across the travel industry, Kristen brings insights from SAP Concur’s 8th Annual Global Business Travel Survey and shares how Canadian businesses can balance employee needs, costs, and smarter travel management.

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Welcome to the Indigenous SME Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. As digital threats become more sophisticated, protecting community wealth starts with knowing what to look for before a scam, breach, or harmful interaction happens. Today, we explore digital safety, financial literacy, and stronger pathways to community empowerment.

Joining us is Darion Ducharme, Founder of Teqare and an Indigenous entrepreneur from Lac Seul First Nation. With more than a decade in technology, Darion focuses on helping individuals and communities build practical skills around scam prevention, cybersecurity, financial literacy, and responsible technology use.

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Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Brent Edwards. Today, we explore how high-performance technical apparel and footwear are engineered for extreme conditions.

In 2026, scaling a heritage consumer brand requires moving past boardroom assumptions to implement rigorous product validation, climate-rated material testing, and multi-channel expansion strategies. Joining us is Mark Hubner, Managing Director at Baffin, a third-generation brand leader and extreme explorer.

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Welcome to today’s episode of the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Technology should make business simpler, not force businesses to adapt around it. Today, we explore how leaders can balance innovation, cybersecurity, AI, and compliance while keeping technology aligned with real business needs.

Joining us are Ted de Vos, Founder and President, and David Klauser, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at SIMNET Inc. With decades of combined technology leadership, they share practical insights on digital sovereignty, infrastructure modernization, cybersecurity, and building resilient technology foundations.

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