CanadianSME Small Business Podcast

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore workflow automation and AI, and how Canadian SMBs can eliminate manual work, reduce operational friction, and scale efficiently without significantly increasing headcount. Joining us is Mohannad “Mo” El-Barachi, Co-founder and CEO at Wrk.com . Mo is a serial entrepreneur who scaled SweetIQ to acquisition an...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. In this episode, we explore how Canadian businesses can empower frontline employees, improve engagement, and enhance productivity using innovative digital tools. Joining us is Will Eadie, Chief Strategy Officer at WorkJam , the world’s leading digital frontline workplace. Will shares insights on simplifying operations, drivi...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we explore the strategic insights behind managing physical assets, a critical yet often overlooked driver of operational excellence and business value. Our guest is James Reyes-Picknell, Director and Principal Consultant at Conscious Asset , a Mechanical Engineer and author of Uptime - Strategies for Excellence in Mai...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. In this episode, we explore how technology and AI are reshaping residential property management to deliver smarter, more seamless customer experiences. Joining us is Jeff Hahn, CIO of FirstService Residential , one of North America’s largest residential property management companies. With decades of IT leadership, Jeff share...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. In this episode, we explore the transformative world of commercial insurance, focusing on how a leading Canadian brokerage is leveraging technology and innovative strategies to deliver tailored solutions for business owners. Joining us is Michael Malfa, CEO and Co-founder of Boardwalk Insurance Corporation . With over 15 yea...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. In this episode, we explore how financial advisory is evolving with technology, personalization, and purpose to help Canadians achieve long-term financial security. Joining us is Daniele Farinaccia, Senior Vice-President, Distribution and Channel Management at Sun Life Canada , who shares insights on empowering advisors with...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. In this episode, we explore the world of AI governance, focusing on the critical role of AI assurance and how companies can build trustworthy AI systems. Our guest today is Fion Lee-Madan, Chief Product Officer at Asenion . Fion brings extensive leadership experience and strategic vision in the AI governance field. Asenion,...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. In this episode, we explore how Andrew Lockhead , CEO and Co-founder of Stay22 , is disrupting the travel and entertainment industry with innovative monetization tools and a resilient startup journey. Andrew shares his insights on building strong company culture, navigating product-market fit, and leading through challenges...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. In this special AI for SMBs series, we explore how Artificial Intelligence is transforming the way Canadian small and medium-sized businesses operate, innovate, and grow. Joining us today is Howard Chang , Founder and Chair of The Turn Lab Inc . and CEO of Just Meeting Rooms. With expertise in marketing innovation, digital t...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we dive into the role of technology transformation in scaling businesses, focusing on how growth-driven companies can move from chaos to clarity through automation, AI, and scalable systems. Andrew Andreoli from Trajectory Group and Heather Gordon from Initus Technologies join us to explore the signs businesses should...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. In this episode, we dive into the bold world of Public Relations and explore how businesses can break through the noise to earn media-dominating coverage in today’s crowded news cycle. Our guest is Patrick McCaully, a former broadcast journalist and the founder of Pointman News Creation , an award-winning PR agency ranked in...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Darian Kovacs. In this episode, we explore the future of workforce development and how Canadian SMEs are central to talent growth, innovation, and economic resilience. Our guest is Mark Beckles, CEO of Palette Skills and Upskill Canada , a leader with over 25 years of experience driving transformative initiatives in financial services, n...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. In this episode, we explore the world of conversational AI and how Canadian businesses can leverage AI-driven solutions to enhance customer engagement and sales automation. Our guest today is Russell Ward, Co-Founder and CEO at Massively.ai . Russell’s journey spans leading marketing for brands like Teletoon, Cartoon Network...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. In this episode, we explore how data can help Canadian businesses better understand consumer behavior and capitalize on unique opportunities during major events. Joining us is Lacy Lauks, Head of Visa Consulting & Analytics (VCA) in Canada , who leads a team delivering impactful insights across the payment ecosystem. Lacy sh...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. Today, we’re exploring the strategies and insights that empower entrepreneurs to achieve global ambitions. We’ll focus on the unique advantages of establishing a business in Canada, the vital role of its support ecosystem, and how international entrepreneurs can seamlessly integrate into the Canadian market. Joining us today...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. In this episode, we explore how Canadian businesses can unlock the full potential of their data through analytics, AI, and smart data strategies. Joining us is Shanawaz Janmohamed, Analytics Director at Function Group Analytics , who brings extensive experience helping organizations centralize data, build analytics maturity,...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. In this episode, we explore how businesses can harness data, cloud, and AI to unlock growth, improve efficiency, and transform insights into strategic action. Joining us is Omar Kazi, Senior AI and Enterprise Solution Architect at MIR Digital Solutions , who brings over 25 years of experience in enterprise technology and AI....

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. In this episode, we explore how technology, AI, and data are reshaping the music industry, giving independent artists new tools to build sustainable careers. Joining us is Geoffry Cubitt, CEO of StrmMusic North America , a digital innovation leader with decades of experience in global transformation. Geoffry shares how StrmM...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. In this episode, we explore the crucial role of digital governance and standards in shaping Canada’s online future, and why SMEs must embrace them to stay competitive. Joining us is Keith Jansa, CEO of the Digital Governance Council , who shares how standards like AI ethics and cybersecurity empower businesses, why validatio...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. In this episode, we explore how technology is reshaping immigration, making the process more transparent and scalable for Canadian businesses, schools, and newcomers. Joining us are Jonathan Sherman, Head of Sales and Partnerships at BorderPass , and Michael Pietrocarlo, Head of Marketing at BorderPass . Together, they share...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. In this episode, we explore the evolving role of human resources and how research-backed strategies can transform workplaces and drive stronger business outcomes. Joining us is Maureen Cahill, Senior Managing Partner, Executive Services at McLean & Company . With 30 years of HR leadership experience across global organizatio...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. In this episode, we explore a debt-free financial model reshaping how Canadians can access home equity without monthly payments or added debt. Joining us is Shael Weinreb, Founder and CEO of The Home Equity Partners , who shares his mission to bring the Home Equity Sharing Agreement (HESA) to Canada, offering a proven altern...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast , hosted by Maheen Bari . In this episode, we explore how AI-driven financial tools are helping students build better habits through a simple, set-it-and-forget-it approach to money management. Joining us is Lewie Moodley , CEO & Co-Founder of Pocket Financial , a platform launched in 2025 to help students save more, spend smarter, and reduce the s...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. In this episode, we explore the essential technologies driving steady growth for small and medium-sized businesses, from modern websites to automation and AI. Joining us are Jacob Hodara, President, and Alex Rakhmilevitch, Marketing Manager at IDL Web , who share insights on website maintenance, CRM, automation, digital mark...

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Kripa Anand. In this episode, we explore how enterprise sales technology is transforming the quoting process, enabling businesses to move from manual spreadsheets to intelligent, automated revenue engines. Joining us is Daniel Kube, CEO of ServicePath , a Canadian SaaS leader recognized in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for CPQ Application Sui...