Table Talk with ABFI

What does a family business look like from the family that didn't start the company? In Episode 24 of ABFI Table Talk, host Matt Knight sits down with father-daughter duo Ken Barry and Bianca Barry of RGO Office Products Edmonton, a family business story that doesn't fit the usual mould. In 1996, Ken left a corporate role at Steelcase Canada in Toronto, moved his young family to Edmonton on a hand...

What do you do when you're wealthy, surrounded by specialists, but still can't get a straight answer to what your family should actually do? That frustration sparked one of Canada's most influential wealth management stories. In Episode 23 of ABFI Table Talk, host Matt Knight sits down with Tom McCollough, founder and chair of Northwood Family Office, author of three books on wealth, and often cal...

Ted and Sean LeLacheur join Matt Knight for a rare father-and-son conversation about leading a fourth-generation family business that has been moving Canadians across western Canada since 1906. Ted shares the story of restarting Western Moving from an empty warehouse in 1995 and the relationships that helped rebuild the company from scratch. Sean reflects on leaving to try his own ventures before...

He quit his job, sold his house, and moved his young family into his parents' home to build a brewery with his dad. Beau's All Natural Brewing became one of Canada's most recognized craft beer brands — and then Steve Beauchesne and his father had to sell it. Steve joins Matt Knight for a candid conversation about what it really takes to build a business with family: the governance lessons, the emp...

Innovation strategist and keynote speaker Shawn Kanungo joins Matt Knight for a candid conversation on disruption, succession, and what the AI era means for business families. Shawn shares the personal story of stepping into his late father’s accounting practice during tax season and the lessons it taught him about systems, continuity, and why succession planning matters before you think you need...

What began around a kitchen table in 2000 is now a national integrator keeping 16,000 Canadian businesses online, secure, and talking. In this Table Talk episode, host Matt Knight sits down with Sean Schoenberger , President (and former summer-student cable-runner) of Sunco Communications & Installations , to unpack a 25-year growth story powered by technology, family, and “radical love.” Sean...

A startling fact shapes this episode: just one in four business families has a written legacy plan. Geoff Badger, wealth advisor, family enterprise researcher and leader of Badger Investment Group at Canaccord Genuity, joins host Matt Knight to unpack why so many families hesitate and what advisors can do to spark progress. Geoff traces his 31-year career from Bay Street to Edmonton, the ICU phone...

What does it take to execute not one, but two successful transitions in a family business? In this episode of Table Talk , Matt Knight speaks with Jason and Ryan Collins, brothers and second-generation leaders of Collins Steel. After joining the company and working alongside their father, Jason and Ryan led the business through its first major transition: succession from their parents, who started...

In this thought-provoking episode of ABFI Table Talk, host Matt Knight sits down with Dr. Vikas Mehrotra, Dean of the Alberta School of Business, to challenge fundamental assumptions about what truly defines a family business. Dr. Mehrotra brings insights from research spanning continents, revealing how traditional definitions based solely on ownership percentages may be fundamentally flawed. His...

In this dynamic episode of ABFI Table Talk, host Matt Knight sits down with Russell Hay, CEO of Scandinavian Building Services (SBS), who shares the remarkable journey of transforming a small Edmonton janitorial company into a national powerhouse that cleans over 160 million square feet daily with more than 8,000 cleaners. Founded in 1956 by two Scandinavian brothers, SBS was purchased by Russell'...

In this episode, Matt Knight sits down with Malcolm Burrows, founder and executive director of Aqueduct Foundation, Canada's 13th largest foundation with over a billion dollars in assets and $900 million granted to charities across Canada. Malcolm shares his 35-year journey in philanthropy, from his early days at the University of Toronto to his current role helping business families transform wea...

In this enlightening episode of ABFI Table Talk, host Matt Knight sits down with Angela Santiago, co-founder and CEO of the Little Potato Company, to explore her remarkable journey from a small family venture to a North American agricultural powerhouse. Angela shares the surprising origin story of how, fresh out of university and with no agricultural background, she reluctantly agreed to help her...

In this insightful episode of ABFI Table Talk, host Matt Knight speaks with Franco Lombardo, founder of Veritage, about his transformative journey from financial advisor to emotional governance coach for business families. Franco shares how an ABFI event many years ago sparked his interest in family businesses, leading him to discover that even financially successful families often struggle with e...

Join us for an engaging episode of ABFI Table Talk featuring Kevin and Jason Miller of ServiceMASTER Restore of Edmonton. When catastrophic events strike – from the Fort McMurray fires to the recent Jasper wildfires – these brothers lead and support a dynamic organization that scales from 100 to 1,400 employees virtually overnight to meet community needs. In this episode, discover how the Miller b...

Join us for a compelling episode of ABFI Table Talk featuring George Cantalini, President, CEO and Owner of Cantiro , formerly known as the Beaverbrook Group of Companies. In this episode, George shares his remarkable journey from a CA who "wasn't really cut out for accounting" to leading one of Western Canada's most innovative real estate enterprises. Discover how George transformed a struggling...

Join us for an insightful episode of ABFI Table Talk featuring Bill and Steven Knight , the father-son duo behind Mosaic Home Services . They share their remarkable journey from running a successful demolition company to building a multi-brand home services franchise operation spanning from Halifax to Vancouver. In this episode, discover how Bill built B&B Demolition from a $7,000 loan into Ed...

Join us for an inspiring episode of ABFI Table Talk as we sit down with Teresa Spinelli of the Italian Centre Shop . In Episode 8, Teresa shares her remarkable journey of unexpectedly taking over the family business after losing her brother and father and her journey of transforming a single store founded in 1959 into a thriving community enterprise with five locations and 672 employees across Alb...

Join us for a compelling episode of ABFI Table Talk as Matt Knight hosts a deep-dive discussion with three experts in family business succession and wealth transition: Tom Deans, best-selling author of "Every Family's Business," "Willing Wisdom," and "The Happy Inheritor"; Jane Halford, president of Halford Consulting specializing in governance and leadership transitions; and Bob Hahn, partner at...

Join us for an inspiring episode of Table Talk as we sit down with Rohit Gupta, President and CEO of the Rohit Group . In Episode 6, Rohit shares his remarkable journey of stepping into the family business in 2002 and leading it to new heights. From beginning with 16 employees to a diversified enterprise of 260 team members, the Rohit Group has made significant strides in land development, new hom...

Join us for a captivating episode of ABFI Table Talk as the Sunner family from Durabuilt Windows & Doors shares their personal and professional journey and how they built Durabuilt with grit, determination and passion. In Season 1, Episode 5, Joe, Harry, and Henny Sunner share their 29-year journey at Durabuilt and unpacking the layers of their experiences from immigration hurdles to business...

In episode 4, Matt Knight is joined by Tim Latimer, the founding visionary, and Lindsay Dodd, the first non-family CEO who is leading Cashco Financial into a new chapter. We discuss the transformative story of how Cashco has become a champion of financial inclusion and the remarkable leadership transition from founder to non-family CEO. Tim and Lindsey share the inside story of their leadership tr...

For episode 3 of Table Talk, Matt Knight is joined by Justine and Kendall Barber, founders and co-CEOs of Poppy Barley, a luxury fashion brand known for its sustainably and ethically made shoes and accessories, share their entrepreneurial journey. They discuss the inspiration behind the venture, the evolution of their brand from custom footwear to a diverse fashion company, and the challenges and...

On Episode 2, ABFI's Executive Director, Matt Knight , is joined by 4th generation leaders of VETS Group , Sean Rayner , President & CEO, and Erin Rayner , Marketing & Communications, who discuss the history of VETS and the Rayner family. VETS Group is a 102-year-old industrial ventilation and HVAC company based in Edmonton. Sean and Erin provide the company's history, starting when it was...

On EP1, ABFI's Executive Director, Matt Knight , is joined by Sarah Baptist, 2nd generation President and CEO of ArrKann Trailer & RV . In this episode, Sarah discusses the history of ArrKann, which began as a family-owned hardware store. She shares her professional journey and how she joined the family business and eventually took over as leader. Sarah also provides valuable insights for busi...

TABLE TALK with ABFI - a new and exciting podcast coming soon from Alberta Business Family Institute. Matt Knight is your host. Here's a quick look ahead!