Writing

Ensure Sufficient Funds for a Successful Business Launch and Sustained Growth Beyond the First 3 Months

Jennifer Layman has worked as a marketing consultant with businesses and entrepreneurial-minded organizations since 2006 and found they often face some common issues. This led her to publish my first book – Forward Thinking for Your Business – to reach a broader business audience.

As a business owner, she understands the responsibilities of running a business and the time constraints that come with it. If marketing advice is going to be impactful, it needs to be succinct and easy to implement without a tremendous requirement of resources. Her book focuses on maximizing marketing opportunities that can help scale your business.


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Unconventional Lessons for Becoming an Unstoppable Entrepreneur

Mike Fata co-founded Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods in 1998. From 1998 to 2016, he ran all aspects of the company as Chairman of the Board and CEO. In February 2019 Mike helped guide the strategic sale of Manitoba Harvest to Tilray for $419 million dollars.

Mike has dedicated over 25 years studying and practicing natural health, starting in 1995 when he made the life changing decision to lose over 100lbs, and go from 300lbs to his current 180Lbs. He has gained an excellent knowledge of human anatomy, diet, nutrition and natural health lifestyle. Mike is a best-selling author, a keynote speaker, and has been featured on various media countless times regarding natural health, nutrition, hemp foods, organic agriculture, sustainable business, entrepreneurship and mentorship.

Mike has won numerous awards;

  • Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2004)
  • Socially Responsible Business Award (2006)
  • The Lorax Award (2006)
  • Top 40 under 40 (2008)
  • Company of the Year (2010)
  • CHFA Organic Achievement Award (2010)
  • Spirit of Winnipeg Award (2014)
  • Nutrition Business Journal Education Award (2014)
  • CME Emerging Business Award (2014)
  • EY Entrepreneur of the Year (2014)
  • MFPA Presidents Award (2016)
  • OTA Organic Rising Star Award (2016)
  • Top 100 Health Influencers (2017)
  • John Holtmann Leadership Award (2021)

In February of 2022, as Chairman of the Board Mike completed his third nine figure exit deal with the acquisition of Sol Cuisine by Plant Plus Foods for $125mm cash.

Mike is currently Chief Executive Officer of Fata & Associates, Chairman of the Board of Nuts For Cheese, Global Growth Advisor for Mid-Day Squares, Lifetime Member (Past Chairman) of the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA), Lifetime Member (Past Chairman) of Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and investor/advisor to a portfolio of companies.

Mike is a homeschooling father, certified holistic health coach and avid backyard organic farmer. In his free time he enjoys coaching and mentoring natural products industry entrepreneurs. In 2021 Mike launched www.fatafleishman.org a free mass mentorship toolbox for CPG entrepreneurs.

Mike hosts the Founder to Mentor podcast (a top 5% global podcast), connecting you with world class founders to inspire your personal and professional growth. https://www.mikefata.ca/podcast.

Mike’s best-selling book Grow: 12 Unconventional Lessons for Becoming an Unstoppable Entrepreneur released in March 2023.


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When is an intrapreneur an entrepreneur?

With a 10x growth from 40-400 franchises in the past decade Cathy Thorpe CEO of NurseNextDoor is a classic example of a founder bringing in a driven entrepreneur to build a business. Cathy Thorpe brings over two decades of leadership experience in the retail industry to Nurse Next Door. Cathy joined the company in 2014 with the mission of growing the business across North America. Cathy has achieved her goal by pushing boundaries to deliver measurable results and by disrupting the home care space. Cathy has been recognized for delivering strong results in the business community across North America. Nurse Next Door was awarded Canada’s most admired corporate culture by Waterstone in 2018 and was ranked #50 on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list for 2018.


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Former Speech Therapist Revolutionizes Children’s Book Publishing with AI: Meet the CEO Changing the Game!

Karen Richard is a recovering pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist, kid-lit lover with a nerdy heart, and the CEO and co-founder of Made Live. Based out of Vernon, BC, Made Live is an AI-assisted end-to-end children’s book publishing platform dedicated to simplifying the publishing process for aspiring authors. Transitioning from a career in speech-language pathology, where books were pivotal tools for developing language skills, Karen ventured into writing and self-publishing her own work. Confronted with the complexities, inefficiencies, and gatekeeping prevalent in the industry, she was inspired to forge a new path and the creation of Made Live.


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The art of storytelling is key for communications and media industries

Gary Lamphier, Principal of Lamphier Communications, was a business journalist for 34 years at various major international, national and regional newspapers. He covered virtually all major industries and key companies in Canada. He’s been a corporate communications consultant for more than 10 years. He explains the importance of storytelling in both these industries and discusses the Alberta economy.


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On a mission to connect, inspire and empower one billion women

Monica Kretschmer is the Founder and CEO of the Universal Womens Network™️️ Inc, Women of Inspiration™️️ and SupportHER™️️. Her mission is to connect, inspire and empower one billion women. Monica is a visionary, global influencer and disruptor with passion and an unwavering commitment to drive change for women to be seen, heard and valued. Her personal story of resilience of the “The Seven Year Journey” in the court system with 4800 hours litigation, 22 days led her to her bigger purpose to create the Universal Womens Network and the Women of Inspiration™️️ Awards to recognize the achievements of women who lead, inspire and motivate. The Women of Inspiration™️️ Awards have grown from single award honoring one woman to celebrating over 1,000 women from diverse industries, ages and stages of life reaching 5 continents. Monica believes every woman has a story. Your story does not define you; it empowers you.

Since 2015, Monica has built a recognizable brand across North America. The Universal Womens Network™️️ is a media company committed to the advancement of women and inspiring change for equality by unlocking the ripple effect to advance women, to strategically partner with companies committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, to welcome men to the conversation as allies and SupportHERs.

She is the creator of SupportHER™️️ (elevating male allies as champions for women in their networks, workplaces, and communities), the host of the Women of Inspiration™️️ Podcast, publisher of the UWomen Magazine™️️ and Women of Inspiration Driving Change Book Forbes Contributor and 2022 LinkedIn Top Voice for Gender Equity.

During the pandemic, Monica published the first edition of the Women of Inspiration – Women Driving Change book featuring 100 inspiring women from diverse industries which coincide with the launch of graphics trucks with the faces of contributors across North America. The second edition of Women of Inspiration™️️ Changemakers will be released in the spring of 2024. Monica is a native Calgarian, proud mom to her son and future SupportHER, dog momma and believes in living life to the fullest.


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.

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Journalism and storytelling with Elisa Birnbaum

A journalist for over 15 years, Elisa Birnbaum has carved a strong niche as a storyteller of social impact. Most recently the author of In the Business of Change, profiling social entrepreneurs around the world and their lessons learned, Elisa is the publisher & editor-in-chief of SEE Change Magazine, a digital publication of social entrepreneurship that she co-founded over eight years ago – and currently hosts its podcast.

Elisa has been a regular columnist on matters of social entrepreneurship for a national newspaper in Canada, the National Post and has been published in the Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, Reuters, Zoomer, Elle Magazine, among other publications. Elisa also works as a communications consultant, helping businesses tell their stories more effectively for greater impact.


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Why All Entrepreneurs Should Consider Stepping Into Thought Leadership with Nicky Billou

Nicky Billou is the #1 International Best Selling Author of the book Finish Line Thinking: How to Think and Win Like a Champion, and The Thought Leader’s Journey: A Fable of Life. He is an in-demand and highly inspirational speaker to corporate audiences such as RBC, Lululemon, Royal LePage, and TorStar Media. He is an advisor and confidante to some of the most successful and dynamic entrepreneurs in Canada. He is also the co-founder of eCircle Academy where he runs a yearlong Mastermind & Educational program working with Coaches, Consultants, Corporate Trainers, Clinic Owners, Realtors, Mortgage Brokers and other service-based Entrepreneurs, positioning them as authorities in their niche. He is the creator of the Thought Leader/Heart LeaderTM Designation.

As the host of the #1 podcast in the world on Thought Leadership, The Thought Leader Revolution, Nicky has interviewed over 200 of the world’s top Thought Leaders, including:

  • Astronaut Chris Hadfield
  • George Ross of the Hit TV Series The Apprentice
  • Barbara Corcoran from Shark Tank
  • Supermodel & Business Mogul Kathy Ireland
  • Ivan Misner — Founder Of BNI
  • Graham Weihmiller — CEO of BNI
  • John Maxwell — World’s #1 Leadership Author
  • NYT #1 Bestselling Author Seth Godin
  • Marie Forleo — Oprah’s Coach
  • Jack Canfield: Author Of Chicken Soup For The Soul
  • Scott Adams: Creator of Dilbert

Click here to download a free copy of his book.

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.

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Nancy Wood is a creative writer who has written five non-fiction essays, prose and books for little kids and recently published The Magical Power of Color

Nancy Wood was a senior business communications specialist in Toronto for several years. In her “rewirement” years in B.C. she has toiled to transform her business-style writing into more creative writing – non-fiction essays, prose and books for little kids. She has written five books for kids, but it was not until an interesting opportunity came her way last year, that the first one of her books, The Magical Power of Color was published.

Nancy prefers writing to marketing and so getting the book in the hands of kids has been a bigger challenge. If anyone thinks it is a piece of cake to write a short book for kids, Nancy has learned that the old adage, “If I had time, I would have written a shorter letter,” really applies when it comes to books for kids.

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Chelene Knight is a Prolific Author, Having Published Work in Various Canadian and American News and Literary Publications

Chelene Knight lives and writes in Vancouver. She has published essays in the Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, and in various Canadian and American literary magazines. Chelene’s work appears in many anthologies including Making Room, Love Me True, Sustenance, The Summer Book, and Black Writers Matter. Chelene‘s literary career includes being managing editor at Room magazine, the Programming Director for the Growing Room Festival, and CEO of #LearnWritingEssentials

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