COVID-19

Karim Ben-Jaafar Has 15 Years Experience Scaling Rapid Growth Tech Startups, and Is One of the Most Sought After Speakers, Coaches and Leaders in the Tech Space

Karim Ben-Jaafar, President of Beanworks, talks about his company’s success onboarding the highest number of clients since inception during COVID crisis, and strategies for business owners to consider in a ‘bear market’ (recession) considering cashflow and anticipated recovery timeframe.

With 15 years experience scaling rapid growth tech startups, Karim is a sought-after speaker, coach and leader in the tech space. He focuses on growth, marketing, sales and customer experience, leadership training, Stage 1, 2 and 3 SaaS companies. Karim has raised over $100M in funding as of May 2018, building predictable revenue engines through rapid growth – i.e. 20% month over month. Karim teaches SaaS Growth Engine, Saas Sales, Hypergrowth 2.0 at BC Tech. As a speaker, he talks about Coaching vs Training, Effective Leadership, Arguing over the dishes (breaking down the silos that divide us), and Group think – how to spot it and avoid it at all cost.

Visit www.ebay.ca/upandrunning by August 22nd.

Peter Legge, Iconic Community Leader, Speaker, Businessman and Canadian Media Guru

This iconic community leader, speaker, businessman and Canadian media guru sees the trends in media & publishing; and offers both pragmatic and insightful advice for Canadian entrepreneurs to be resilient.

Peter Legge lives his life dream as an internationally acclaimed professional speaker, a bestselling author and as Chairman & CEO of the largest, independently owned media publishing company in Western Canada – Canada Wide Media Limited.

Controlling a network of over 25 magazines, in addition to providing a diverse range of media services and products with over $15 million in annual sales, Peter is a living legacy of one of Canada’s true entrepreneurial success stories.

Peter travels worldwide speaking to organizations of varying industries. His presentations are based on his everyday experiences as a community leader, husband, father and CEO. Toastmasters International voted Peter “Golden Gavel Award Winner” and “Top Speaker in North America” and both the National Speakers Association and the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers have inducted him into the Speakers Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the prestigious Speakers Roundtable, an invitation-only society comprising 20 of North America’s top professional speakers.

Peter is the recipient of two honorary doctorate degrees presented to him in 2003 by Simon Fraser University and in 2009 by Royal Roads University. Peter also received an Honorary Doctorate of Technology in 2010 from the British Columbia Institute of Technology and in 2013 was presented with an Honorary Fellow by Douglas College.

Peter has published 23 bestselling books; the latest is Under The Influence. Other notable titles include The Runway of Life, The Power of Tact, Lunch with Joe and The Power of Tenacity, The Courage of Leadership and the Strength of Character. His books have motivated thousands of people towards positive change.

Visit www.ebay.ca/upandrunning by August 22nd.

Jackie Porter, Award Winning Financial Planner Discusses The Importance of Business Finances During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Jackie Porter is an award-winning financial planner who has been in the financial industry for the past 22 years serving thousands of families, established businesses, and professionals in the Greater Toronto Area. Her practice focuses on cash flow management and tax planning strategies.

Jackie is one of Canada’s most recognized financial planners. Her advice and financial strategies have been featured in top financial publications such as, Forum, Wealth Professional, Investment Executive and The Globe & Mail. Many have benefited from her sound and actionable financial advice offered at business conferences, radio interviews, podcasts and television programs such as CBC, Sun News and BNN. Jackie has also been awarded winner of the Mackenzie Investments Award for ‘Female Trailblazer of the Year’ category in the 2019 Wealth Professionals awards.

Jackie co-authored “Single by Choice or Chance, the smart woman’s guide to living longer better”. Raised by a single mom who passed away when Jackie was in her teens led Jackie to learn important lessons about becoming financially independent very early in her life. Since she had to become financially independent at such a young age she was hungry to learn the principles of real wealth and saw the profession as her golden opportunity.

Jackie now shares her journey on how she created a 7-figure net worth out of very humble beginnings. She shares insights and real-life stories on how to build a financial fortress in this age of uncertainty by learning the basic principles of real wealth. Click here to learn more!

Bonnie Lewtas’ TurtlCo is Helping “Hotels” Restructure as Local Essential Infrastructure

Bonnie Lewtas helps islands around the world become self-sufficient and resilient against climate change. She specializes on innovative energy, waste, water, food, and conservation solutions for hospitality. Her work has taken her to many different islands like BVI, Grenada, Dominica, Barbados, Antigua, Azores, Madeira, Sicily, Swedish Islands, Dutch Islands and more. Through her company TurtlCo, Bonnie works with the government of Friesland on the EU-Interreg Islands of Innovation project and several other organizations that support island sustainability. TurtlCo recently partnered with Island Growers to bring the first-ever hurricane-resistant hydroponic greenhouses to Caribbean resorts.

Bonnie is a contributor for “The Tipping Guide: Strategies for creative local & regional innovation policies aimed at organizing “probing and learning” projects and programs for the future pathways of islands”. The Guide can be used to compare the status quo with a desired future “the dream”, create a new or revised policy program with a focus on engagement-oriented projects; and build innovation and teams to develop multi-sector action plans on topics like energy, water, transport, agriculture, circular economy, tourism, emerging technology, and more. You can download the guide at innovationislands.com

Angela Podolsky Discusses Staying Positive and Inspired When Working Remotely During COVID-19

Angela Podolsky, is a serial award wining entrepreneur with most recently being nominated for an RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur award. She founded Kinesics Consulting, where she helps companies and individuals master their non-verbal communication skills, which is crucial to any successful business relationship. She is the only Paul Ekman Associate operating in Canada.

Vince Guzzo, Dragon from Dragons’ Den, Discusses Being an Entrepreneur, Advice for Success, and Dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic

Vince Guzzo is a well-known entrepreneur based in Quebec who is owner and President of Cinémas Guzzo. He also owns a pizzeria and construction company. Guzzo, who is also a dragon on the popular Dragons Den CBC TV series, talks about being an entrepreneur – advice for success – and about dealing with the current COVID-19 crisis.

Sean Reid, President of Arrowhead Coaching, Discusses What Entrepreneurs Should Be Doing When in Isolation, Like During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Sean Reid is the President and Head Coach of Arrowhead Coaching and Facilitation Solutions, based in West Niagara, Ontario. Arrowhead provides coaching and consulting solutions that help leaders lead with clarity and confidence. They work with individual business and community leaders and with organizations seeking to establish their own internal leadership development programs.

Sean Reid has nearly two and a half decades of experience leading and growing high-performance organizations, and helping other leaders lead at all levels of the enterprise.

In his career, Sean has worked in politics, high tech, government bureaucracies and start-up not-for-profits. He’s worked for companies with 100,000 employees and companies with 3 employees. He’s had lousy bosses and wonderful bosses, great relationships with co-workers and not-so-great relationships with co-workers, high-performing staff and low performing staff. He’s made a ton of mistakes and experienced some major successes too. He has learned, and grown and become the coach he is today, because of all of these experiences.

Jim Estill, President and CEO of Danby Appliances, Discusses the Appliance Industry and Dealing with the Unknown as an Entrepreneur During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Jim Estill is currently CEO of both Danby Appliances and ShipperBee.

Danby Appliances manufactures and distributes over 2,000,000 appliances per year, such as bar fridges, freezers and microwaves. Danby is being transformed by their newest product Parcel Guard– a smart mailbox for consumers that stops parcel theft.

ShipperBee is a new venture that is ready to revamp outdated shipping channels into a system that is better for consumers, retailers and the environment.

Jim started a computer distribution business from the trunk of his car while in university. He grew that business to $2 Billion in sales.

Jim has invested in, mentored and advised many technology companies including Blackberry. He joined their board before they went public and served for 13 years.

Over the past few years, Jim Estill has been involved in sponsorship efforts to settle refugee families in Guelph. The Financial Times, BBC News, The Guardian, and Toronto Life have all covered his story.

Jim’s most recent endeavour is as Co-founder of Ventilators for Canadians, (V4C) a growing team of philanthropists and entrepreneurs who have come together to find solutions to help Canadians through the COVID-19 health emergency.

Jim was awarded the Order of Ontario, the provinces highest honour, in 2017. He was Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 Ontario and has been awarded an Everyday Heroes Award by the Global Hope Coalition. In 2018 Jim Estill was awarded the Order of Canada. Jim lives in Guelph Ontario.

Rebecca Rochon Discusses the Trends in Industries That Pivot & Pilot Creative Serve During COVID-19

Food, wellness & personal beauty care is essential Five years ago, Rebecca Rochon founded Pivot & Pilot Creative, a boutique design agency in Vancouver that specializes in branding, packaging design, advertising, and website creation. Pivot & Pilot helps clients in the food, beauty and wellness space capitalize on their first impression. Aside from running her agency, Rebecca is actively involved in the business community in Canada and leads talks and workshops frequently. Pivot & Pilot runs a quarterly “Conversations” panel where Rebecca hosts a conversational interview with business leaders in Vancouver. Some past topics include “Launching Your Brand with Kickstarter”, “Working Creatives: Making Creative Your Full-Time” and “Ecommerce vs Brick and Mortar”. She also hosts Pivot & Pilot’s YouTube channel where she interviews experts and speaks about the way design influences consumer behaviour. In her spare time she’s on stage doing stand up comedy, at an art gallery or dancing with her dog, Bernie.