Business

Creating a Culture for Success

Marcus New is a pioneer in the pre-IPO asset class, with a career that spans over three decades in the private and public financial markets. He is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of InvestX, a firm headquartered in Vancouver, that delivers access and liquidity to the growth equity asset class and empowers the sell-side to invest and trade in institutional quality private equity. Marcus is also the Founder and Chair (and previously CEO) of Stockhouse Publishing – one of North America’s leading online financial communities and a global hub for accredited investors. Prior to launching Stockhouse, Marcus built Stockgroup Media, an online information company whose client base consisted of the top Canadian brokerage firms, global institutional sales desks, and hedge funds.

Marcus is passionate about entrepreneurship and has made it his life’s mission to be at the forefront of innovation and leadership in the financial markets. He has served as the past President of the Vancouver Chapter and Canadian Conference Chair for the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) and was a finalist for Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” Pacific Region. Marcus is an alumni of MIT’s “Birthing of Giants” program and holds a B.A. with a Business Major from Trinity Western University.


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Improving social outcomes and launching products into underserved markets

Justin Sweeney is a social entrepreneur who uses the tools of business and finance to improve social outcomes and launch products into underserved markets. He leads an eco-friendly cosmetics company (alongside his wife, Judith) that specializes in healing salves and great-smelling daily-care products for eczema and sensitive skin. On the finance side, he has managed the social finance activity of Kaleidoscope Social Impact since 2018 and has grown their pool of capital from a few hundred thousand well into the millions, catalysing 100’s of affordable housing units and over a dozen social enterprises in the process. He lives in Kings County, New Brunswick, where he and his wife raise their two children close to nature.


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Emphasizing safety and service in the trucking business

Matthew Halstead is president of Sharp Trucking Services, joining the company in 2020 as general manager. He began his career in logistics and transportation in 1994.

He has extensive management and leadership experience in specialized bulk transportation, serving the mining, industrial, and commercial and retail oil and gas sectors. Having led a variety of transportation and transload operations across western Canada and Ontario, Matthew has always taken a safety-first approach to daily operations – ensuring consistent client satisfaction and, most importantly, that the people he leads go home safely every day.

To provide great service, Matthew follows a core strategy that anticipates market needs, solves problems and exploits opportunities.

Matthew has a Bachelor of Arts from St Mary’s University and a supply chain & logistics diploma from Sheridan College. He lives in Edmonton with his wife and their two dogs.


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It helps to know that someone is in your corner to help solve challenges

Helen Huang is the Co-Founder at Co.Lab, an online school focused on helping non-traditional technologists gain confidence, credibility, and community. As an earth scientist turned product manager turned startup founder Helen has a unique perspective to tackle entrepreneurship as a whole. After leaving her mark at companies such as Zynga, Microsoft, and Github, she now leads Co.Lab! Since 2020, Co.Lab has graduated over 700+ non-traditional tech learners globally through our experiential learning programs, with the majority being woman-identifying and people of colour. The Co.Lab focus uproots the traditional learning system today, taking a unique hands-on, collaboration-centric approach.

May is Asian Heritage Month. Learn more at https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/asian-heritage-month.html


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Believe in Your Vision

Having been raised from a bloodline of great artists and musicians from Germany, Andreas Kunert’s unique artistic talents and ability to perceive the Fibonacci Sequence, informed his perception of the world. Observing this pattern in nature, people and stone has greatly influenced his life and work.

When Andreas started K2 Stone Quarries on Vancouver Island in 1992, he was the youngest-ever Canadian commercial quarry owner. When the simplicity of quarrying became unfulfilling, he embraced his deep desire to create beauty with stone, shifting to a career creating stone artworks.

In 2009, Andreas and his wife Naomi founded Ancient Art of Stone. Together, they help people find balance, wholeness and connection through creating soulful stonework in their Vancouver Island studio.


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A passion for transformational businesses

Robert Price is a founder and the CEO of Bōde, an online real estate marketplace that launched in Alberta in 2019 and recently expanded to Toronto, Greater Vancouver and the Okanagan. A member of Avenue’s Top 40 under 40 Class of 2022, Rob has brought together an all-star team that is turning the traditional real estate industry upside down. Bōde directly connects buyers and sellers to work out a deal on their own time, their own schedule and on their own terms, while saving them tens of thousands in commission fees. Previously, Robert was a senior executive at telecom leader and disruptor Axia, which provided next generation fibre-based networks to customers in Canada, the US, France, and Singapore. Robert is also an Advisor to one of Canada’s fastest growing tech companies, Symend, and has a land development partnership building high tech, sustainable communities. Robert has a passion for transformational businesses that empower customers with choice through exceptional experiences.


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Supporting Staff for Success

Tammie Hunter was raised on Vancouver Island and as an adult lived in several communities around BC before settling in Nanaimo near her family. After exploring a few careers, she discovered later in life that being an entrepreneur is the most rewarding and engaging. She often says she wishes she had known what being a business owner was like earlier on in life.

As an artist she has had a very successful career selling her art in several galleries and art shows over the past 20 years. Since she started LegArt Apparel her art has taken a backseat. But she’s itching to get back into her studio to continue her lifelong dream of being a serious artist.

Tammie started LegArt Apparel in 2014. Since then, it has grown to be one of the top apparel companies in Canada in its particular style of clothing, mainly leggings. The company has grown from the original box of 100 pairs of leggings in the basement to over 4,000 pieces of inventory in a large warehouse and storefront in Nanaimo.

After almost 10 years in the industry, Tammie has gained much experience, having learned mostly through trial and error what it takes to be successful in the apparel industry. Through many ups and downs, hard work both mentally and physically, and learning with a team of dedicated employees and mentors she feels it’s time to implement an exit plan that will set her successor up for further success. The next three years will bring new challenges but she is up for it!


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Using video and social media to raise a business profile

Multi-award-winning Television Producer Jesse Schewchuk is the Founder and CEO of a thriving Video Training Agency, Modern Muse Media. With over two decades of television experience, Jesse is now focused on helping industry professionals build their brand with intention and capitalize on the tangible impact of video as the premier medium for business promotion and marketing. Her achievements led to a Cover Feature in Avenue Magazine’s “Top 40 under 40” and a nominee of a Canadian Screen Award for Best Dramatic TV Series (this is the Emmy of Canada, Folks!). Jesse is currently the President of the Edmonton Business Association and is Past Vice-President of Women in Film and Television Alberta (WIFTA). Her passion is to educate, empower and elevate people through the power of story and video every single day.


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Réussir dans la réadaptation intelligente en moins de 3 ans, un des succès de Sarah Lambert et Ora Médical

Révolutionner la réadaptation physique à domicile, voici la mission de Sarah Lambert, Présidente et Cofondatrice d’Ora Médical. Durant ses études en physiothérapie, Sarah a observé le manque dans l’accessibilité des soins pour ces patients avec des difficultés à la marche. Elle a ensuite poursuivi ses études en génie mécanique afin de développer des outils connectés de nouveau genre qui permettent aux patients de s’exercer à la maison, tout en restant en communication avec leur personnel de soins. Aujourd’hui, l’équipe d’Ora Médical est composée de 8 professionnels déterminés à avoir un impact positif dans la société.


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When vision and finance unite: great things can happen

Born and raised in Vancouver, B.C., Serge Biln entered the workforce with a job in the mail department at a banking institution. From here, he swiftly rose to the executive level, eventually culminating in the position of vice president at Canadian Western Bank.

After a rewarding career in finance, Serge ventured into the community pharmacy retail space. He built and opened his first Pharmasave in 2005, followed by six new locations, and two years on the board.

Serge’s serial entrepreneurial spirit kicked in once again when cannabis became legal in Canada. In 2019 he co-founded Inspired Cannabis with his cousin, Jesse, creating a family-run, independent cannabis retail business. Since launching its first location in Courtenay, Inspired Cannabis has grown to 16 stores nationwide, with its most recent flagship location on Robson Street in Vancouver.

Adopting a unique approach to traditional cannabis retailing, Inspired Cannabis recently introduced the House of Brands, an interactive gallery experience in its flagship store. Here, customers can experience Canada’s top brands like never before with pop-up greenhouses, product showcases and other interactive elements that promote much-needed education in this emerging industry.

With further growth expected in 2023, Inspired Cannabis launched an online store and delivery service, connecting customers across the Lower Mainland with a range of products that can be delivered to their doorstep between 9am-11pm daily. Inspired Cannabis’s 16 stores include seven locations in BC, two in Saskatchewan and seven in Ontario. Additional store openings will be announced in the coming months.


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