Starting A Business

How The PIVOT Project Helps Canadian SMEs Future Proof Their Business for a Changing World

Led out of McGill University, The PIVOT Project is an action research project that uses social media to bring small business owners across Canada together to share their climate action goals, struggles and achievements and shift Canadian perspectives on our country’s green future.

We will be interviewing PIVOT participants over the next few months. We love this kind of initiative. In this interview we talk with Drior Etcion an Associate Professor at McGill and one of the drivers of the initiative.

PIVOT is an action-research project that amplifies the action of small business owners across Canada as they transition to the low-carbon economy. PIVOT harnesses the power of stories to document the growing movement of SMEs that are future-proofing their businesses and setting themselves up for success in a changing world.

PIVOT is spearheaded by the Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill but is collaborating with many other departments including biology, informational science as well as external stakeholders like the National Film Board of Canada The project is funded by the McGill Sustainability Systems Initiative.


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If it has to do with Facility Maintenance or Utility Data Management, Wayne Beamish is your go-to!

Wayne Beamish is a problem solver. As an Army Brat born in Marville, France, Wayne is no stranger to transition. His family moved a few times during his upbringing, but desiring his own adventure, ended up in Banff, Alberta after high school. Wayne worked in the booming restaurant/industry for a stint and ended up soon after in Lake Tahoe, California where became a Certified Millwright, husband and father. He then moved to Ottawa, Ontario, working in the cabinetmaking/millworking industry for over 10 years. In 2001, after energy deregulation occurred in Ontario, one of his clients asked him if he could prepare a white paper on the impact deregulation will have on the industry. Wayne researched, studied, and read up on the issue, yielding a document that landed him his first client. Powerhouse Management was born. It began as a consultancy firm, now it’s a facility maintenance and data utility management company with multiple national clients (Rexa ll, Staples, SmartCentres).

Wayne is a member of ConnexFM, a multi-site Facilities Management network bringing together FM’s as well as supplier professionals in North America. Wayne has contributed to their publications through articles and has been part of their ‘Daily Grind’ program.


Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada’s economy. To support Canada’s businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on FacebookInstagramLinkedIn and Twitter.

Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter