Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Digital transformation is not just about adding new technology; it is about creating better ways for businesses and customers to connect. Today, we explore how B2B companies can simplify operations, improve customer experiences, and unlock new opportunities through smarter digital platforms.

Joining us is Karine Simard, Director of Digital Studio and Inclusive Design at Ciao Technologies. With over 25 years of experience across technology, telecommunications, and industrial automation, Karine helps organizations modernize complex systems through digital strategy, e-commerce solutions, and inclusive design.

Key Highlights

1. Breaking B2B Barriers: Why businesses struggle with e-commerce adoption and how to move forward.
2. Beyond Sales Growth: How digital platforms improve efficiency, reduce manual work, and increase margins.
3. Complex Digital Solutions: How Ciao Technologies partners with businesses to solve unique challenges.
4. Inclusive Design: Why accessible digital experiences create better outcomes for everyone.
5. Building the Roadmap: The first steps businesses should take toward B2B e-commerce transformation.

Special Thanks to Our Partners:

• UPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWA

For more expert insights, visit https://canadiansme.ca/ and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age!

To learn more about how we are supporting the ecosystem, please visit the CanadianSME Small Business Foundation at https://smbfoundation.ca/.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, where Kripa Anand brings you conversations with leaders creating new pathways for talent and business growth. What if the real hiring challenge is not a lack of skilled people, but the barriers preventing businesses from seeing their potential? Today, we explore how inclusive recruitment can strengthen both organizations and communities.

Joining us is Tracy F. Barry, Founder and CEO of GROW Women Leaders™. A Workforce and Talent Strategist and social entrepreneur, Tracy has built an ecosystem supporting more than 26,000 women while connecting employers with skilled talent through competency based hiring and targeted workforce programs.

Key Highlights

1. The Opportunity Gap: Why talent shortages can also reflect barriers within hiring systems.
2. Pathways to Employment: How GROW connects recruitment, training, and workforce support.
3. Competency Based Hiring: Moving beyond traditional credentials to recognize real skills and potential.
4. Inclusive Growth: How SMEs can strengthen economic mobility through better hiring practices.
5. Removing Barriers: The key hiring areas employers should review to create fairer opportunities.

Special Thanks to Our Partners:

• UPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWA
• ADP Canada: https://www.adp.ca/en.aspx

For more expert insights, visit https://canadiansme.ca/ and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age!

To learn more about how we are supporting the ecosystem, please visit the CanadianSME Small Business Foundation at https://smbfoundation.ca/.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. The future of work may depend less on the titles people hold and more on the skills they can bring to changing business needs. Today, we explore how AI is reshaping hiring, workforce planning, and the way companies develop talent.

Joining us is Scott Morrison, Global HR Executive and Global Head of People at Beamery. With experience across SaaS, Fortune 500 companies, and nonprofits in more than 10 countries, Scott brings a global perspective on skills intelligence, internal mobility, and preparing people for an AI driven workplace.

Key Highlights

1. Skills Over Titles: How AI is changing the way organizations identify talent and potential.
2. Tasks Over Jobs: Understanding which parts of a role AI can automate, augment, or leave to people.
3. Hidden Talent: Helping SMBs discover and develop skills already inside their workforce.
4. Build or Buy: Deciding when to hire, upskill, or redesign roles as needs evolve.
5. AI Ready Teams: The first workforce step SMBs can take to prepare for change.

Special Thanks to Our Partners:

• UPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWA

For more expert insights, visit https://canadiansme.ca/ and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age!

To learn more about how we are supporting the ecosystem, please visit the CanadianSME Small Business Foundation at https://smbfoundation.ca/.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. Great architecture is not only about how a building looks; it is about how people experience and use the spaces around them. Today, we explore how thoughtful design, leadership, and long term planning shape institutions that serve communities.

Joining us is Robin Snell, Director at Parkin Architects. A Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada with over 30 years of experience, Robin brings expertise in healthcare design, employee ownership, and building sustainable architectural practices.

Key Highlights

1. Organic Growth: How Parkin evolved from a small practice into an employee owned national firm.
2. Consensus Leadership: Understanding how shared ownership shapes decision making and culture.
3. Healthcare Design: Creating spaces that balance evidence, function, and community needs.
4. Managing Costs: Navigating rising expenses in complex institutional projects.
5. Facility Readiness: The key audit institutions should perform to improve future planning.

Special Thanks to Our Partners:

• UPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWA

For more expert insights, visit https://canadiansme.ca/ and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age!

To learn more about how we are supporting the ecosystem, please visit the CanadianSME Small Business Foundation at https://smbfoundation.ca/.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, where Maheen Bari brings you conversations with leaders helping Canadian businesses navigate change and find new paths to growth. From trade uncertainty to rising costs and ownership transitions, today’s business environment demands both resilience and thoughtful planning.

Joining us is Jascha Jabes, Vice President, Business Banking Distribution at Scotiabank. With extensive experience supporting Canadian entrepreneurs, Jascha shares insights into changing business priorities, succession planning, personalized financial guidance, and preparing for the next stage of growth.

Key Highlights

1. Today’s Business Climate: What Canadian small businesses are experiencing across the current economy.
2. Building Resilience: How entrepreneurs are responding to trade uncertainty and rising costs.
3. Succession Planning: Preparing businesses for ownership transitions and their next chapter.
4. Personalized Advice: How changing expectations are reshaping financial guidance for entrepreneurs.
5. Growth Readiness: The financial areas owners should strengthen before their next stage of expansion.

Special Thanks to Our Partners:

• UPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWA

For more expert insights, visit https://canadiansme.ca/ and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age!

To learn more about how we are supporting the ecosystem, please visit the CanadianSME Small Business Foundation at https://smbfoundation.ca/.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, where Kripa Anand brings you conversations with leaders shaping the future of Canadian business. What really happens between a great business idea and a lender’s final decision? Today, we unpack the credit signals, risk thinking, and financial preparation that can make that difference.

Joining us is Tonia Omenyi, Manager of Commercial Credit and Enterprise Risk at Alterna Savings and Co Founder of WomEconomics Organization Inc. An economist and risk professional with experience across central banking, commercial lending, and economic development, Tonia brings a practical perspective on building financial confidence and creating opportunities for women.

Key Highlights

1. The Credit Reality: Why profitable businesses can still struggle to secure financing.
2. The 5Cs of Credit: How founders can approach lending decisions through a risk manager’s lens.
3. Breaking Bias: Creating stronger pathways for women in banking and enterprise risk.
4. From Classroom to Credit: Turning academic knowledge into practical underwriting experience.
5. The Power of Passion: How personal interests can strengthen resilience and leadership under pressure.

Special Thanks to Our Partners:

• UPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWA

For more expert insights, visit https://canadiansme.ca/ and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age!

To learn more about how we are supporting the ecosystem, please visit the CanadianSME Small Business Foundation at https://smbfoundation.ca/.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. A sponsorship can be a logo on a banner, or it can become the start of something much bigger. Today, we explore what makes brands, events, and communities worth partnering with.

Joining us is Jacquelene Jackie Clarke, Founder and CEO of The Well Connected. With 15 years across PR, entertainment, and experiential marketing, Jackie has built a career around finding the right people, ideas, and opportunities to bring together.

Key Highlights

1. Finding the Opportunity: Why Jackie created a new lane in sponsorship.
2. Partnership That Lasts: What makes a brand collaboration worth coming back to.
3. The Experience Factor: Turning an event into something audiences remember.
4. Building From Scratch: What entrepreneurship taught Jackie about creating her own path.
5. Ready to Partner: The first thing brands should fix before seeking sponsors.

Special Thanks to Our Partners:

• UPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWA

For more expert insights, visit https://canadiansme.ca/ and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age!

To learn more about how we are supporting the ecosystem, please visit the CanadianSME Small Business Foundation at https://smbfoundation.ca/.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

Welcome to today’s episode of the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. What happens when citizens have more ways to speak, but institutions still struggle to hear what is real? Today, we explore how AI and digital public infrastructure could reshape civic engagement and rebuild trust in a connected world.

Joining us is Moustafa El Dahhan, CEO at Boulai. Combining machine learning, software engineering, and public engagement experience, Moustafa is building an AI powered civic platform designed to connect citizens, services, and real time feedback in one place.

Key Highlights

1. Rebuilding Civic Trust: How Moustafa’s experiences shaped his vision for Boulai.
2. Smarter Cities: What digital public infrastructure could mean for everyday citizens.
3. Filtering Civic Noise: Using AI to identify bots and improve the quality of public feedback.
4. Canadian GovTech: Why Canada has an opportunity to lead the next generation of civic technology.
5. Better Engagement: A practical step leaders can take to create stronger two way public conversations.

Special Thanks to Our Partners:

• UPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWA

For more expert insights, visit https://canadiansme.ca/ and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age!

To learn more about how we are supporting the ecosystem, please visit the CanadianSME Small Business Foundation at https://smbfoundation.ca/.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.