CanadianSME Small Business Podcast

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore middle management, corporate execution, and leading teams under dual pressures. Joining us is Parm Chohan , founder of Conquer Leadership Inc. , sharing how he helps managers translate core values into daily operational behaviors. Key Highlights Middle Management Challenges: Leadership hurdles as businesses...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore how SMBs can build resilient, cost-efficient cloud infrastructure without overcomplicating systems. Joining us is Amir Abolhasani , Founder and Technical Director at Namira Software Corporation , an AI architect with over 15 years of experience designing scalable platforms across multiple industries. Key Hi...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Today, we explore strategic insurance opportunities for real estate professionals in 2026, focusing on leveraging market shifts to improve coverage and reduce risk. Joining us is Sarah Thompson , Associate Vice President of the Real Estate Practice at HUB International , who shares actionable insights on navigating soft mark...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore the evolution of purchasing power and the rise of crowd-purchasing, a model turning individual "wants" into collective wins in 2026. Joining us is Joe Rubini , founder of Razzall Inc. and the Rally Group of Companies . Joe shares his journey from building a logistics empire to creating a tech-driven communi...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore how North American manufacturers can overcome operational traps and build an integrated digital backbone for real-time productivity in 2026. Joining us is Robert Jolliffe , President of Sabre Limited , who shares insights on modernizing manufacturing operations, implementing AI on the shop floor, and buildi...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore how branding goes beyond visuals to earn trust, create loyalty, and drive growth for businesses in 2026. Joining us is Nancy Ripton , President of Silver Lining Marketing , who shares insights on positioning, storytelling, and leveraging strategic networks to elevate brand impact. Key Highlights Branding Be...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we dive into the strategic world of digital authority, showing how backlinks and high-quality online relationships drive search visibility and AI discovery for businesses in 2026. Joining us is Saurav Subham , Head of Link Building Growth at Marveta , who shares practical insights on off-page SEO, securing quality bac...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore how autonomous cloud infrastructure and feature management are transforming modern software delivery, enabling teams to safely scale AI-driven production workflows. Joining us is Andrew Norris , Principal Product Manager at Dynatrace , who shares insights on active control planes, mitigating AI code risks,...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Today, we’re exploring the strategic mechanics of data architecture monetization, automated compliance, and AI governance scalability. In 2026, unlocking the value of enterprise data requires structured foundations, unified storage, and predictive risk systems that turn hidden assets into measurable cash flow. Joining us is...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Today, we explore how heritage, discipline, and long-term thinking are helping brands stand out in a market driven by short-term trends and constant consumer shifts. Joining us is Nicholas Reichenbach , entrepreneur, investor, and the force behind the relaunch of Formosa Springs . Nicholas shares how a 155-year-old Ontario l...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Today, we explore how AI, financial technology, and consumer behaviour are transforming the way Canadians make decisions about spending, borrowing, and managing their money. Joining us is Natasha Macmillan , Senior Business Director of Everyday Banking at Ratehub.ca . Natasha shares how innovative tools and data-driven insig...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore how franchising can transform a successful local business into a scalable brand, creating new opportunities for growth across regions and markets. Joining us is Steve Beagelman , Founder and CEO of SMB Franchise Advisors . Steve shares lessons from more than three decades in franchising, helping entrepreneu...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore how the rise of AI, digital infrastructure, and energy demand is reshaping the future of sustainable power and economic growth. Joining us is Dr. Richard Lu , CEO of PowerBank Corporation . Dr. Lu shares how clean energy, battery storage, and AI-driven operations are transforming the way modern infrastructu...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Today, we explore the economic realities shaping Canadian small businesses and what recent data reveals about navigating uncertainty, declining sales, and regional resilience. Joining us is Ashalee Mohamed , Canada Country Manager and Head of GTM at Xero . Ashalee shares insights from the latest Xero Small Business Insights...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore the modern digital workplace, examining how secure, purpose-built platforms help regulated and distributed teams stay connected and compliant in 2026. Joining us is Rob Nikkel , CEO of Intranet Connections , who shares insights on aligning remote workforces, rebuilding legacy platforms, and the future of AI...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Today, we explore how the definition of talent is changing as AI reshapes hiring, recruitment, and workforce expectations. Joining us is Sarah Doughty , Vice President of Talent Operations at Talentlab . Sarah shares how businesses can attract adaptable talent and how professionals can stay competitive in a rapidly evolving...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore how B2B companies can unlock growth with a modern CRM that connects sales, operations, and customer success in a single unified platform. Joining us is Craig Crawford , Founder and CEO of Rolldog , who shares insights on overcoming CRM failures, enabling collaboration, and leveraging AI for trusted business...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Today, we explore why Canada continues to produce innovative startups yet struggles to build globally dominant companies that retain talent, IP, and long-term economic value at home. Joining us is Adam Froman , Founder and CEO of Delvinia . Adam shares a candid perspective on Canada’s scale-up challenges and the practical sh...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Today, we explore how AI adoption is becoming the next major driver of productivity and competitive advantage for Canadian businesses. Joining us is Véronique Dorval , Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at BDC . Véronique shares how the new LIFT initiative is helping SMEs move from AI hesitation to meaningf...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Today, we explore how modern financial systems and cloud technology are helping businesses move from confusion to clarity. Joining us is Depo Ogunruku , Chartered Professional Accountant and Founder of Outsourced Finance . Depo shares how SMEs can use smarter financial systems to improve cash flow, reduce stress, and scale c...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Today, we explore how modern financial tools, smarter banking solutions, and founder-focused products are reshaping the way Canadian entrepreneurs manage and grow their businesses. Joining us is Christine Robson , Senior Director of Product at Wealthsimple . Christine shares how Wealthsimple is challenging traditional busine...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Today, we explore how visionary leadership, ownership culture, and disciplined expansion can transform a company into a global powerhouse. Joining us is Jamie Prickett , Co-founder of Experior Financial Group and Co-CEO of AOG . Jamie shares how building an ownership-first organization helped scale Experior across North Amer...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore how late payments are quietly limiting growth and how automation is changing the way businesses manage cash flow. Joining us is Sia Ghazvinian , Co-Founder and CEO of Abivo . Sia shares how AI-driven systems are transforming accounts receivable into a streamlined, predictable process. Key Highlights Broken...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore how technology, transparency, and advocacy are reshaping the mortgage experience in Canada. Joining us are Rahul Kambhampati and Pavit Paul from Cashly Inc . Together, they share how AI-driven tools and client-first thinking are transforming private lending. Key Highlights Private Lending Simplified: Rahul...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore how business performance is deeply tied to human behavior, mindset, and engagement. Joining us is Kim F. Hoyer , Founder and CEO of Factor X Solutions Inc. Kim shares how neuroscience and structured systems unlock higher levels of execution and growth. Key Highlights 1. Breaking the Plateau: Kim explains wh...