Welcome to our final episode of The Finance Cafe for 2025! In this special year-end wrap-up, co-founders Shauna Frederick and Shannon Pestun reflect on the lessons of the past year and share practical habits to bring into the year ahead.

In this episode, Shauna and Shannon dive into a topic every entrepreneur can relate to: you don’t have to go it alone. Entrepreneurship is often celebrated as independence, being your own boss, doing it all, but that can make it feel heavy when it comes to managing your finances. As they discuss, it’s completely normal to feel confused or overwhelmed, especially when many of us were never taught how to navigate business finances in the first place.

They also explore the importance of building a strong inner circle to support your business, including relationships with bankers, bookkeepers, accountants, and lawyers. Using the FLOW framework, they break down how to evaluate these relationships to ensure they are:

• F – Relationship Friendly
  

• L – Learning Centered
  

• O – Ongoing
  

• W – Without Judgment
  

Through relatable stories and real-life examples from their work with entrepreneurs, Shauna and Shannon encourage listeners to lean on trusted advisors and peers, ask questions, and embrace learning as an ongoing process.

Whether you’re reflecting on your 2025 wins or planning for a financially confident 2026, this episode is packed with insights to help you strengthen your support system and make your business thrive.

Tune in and finish the year strong!

In this episode of The Finance Cafe, Shauna Frederick sits down with Julie Dimitri, National Manager for TD Women in Enterprise, to explore how women entrepreneurs and women-led businesses can thrive with the right banking support.

Julie brings over 20 years of professional experience spanning business development, sales leadership, startup operations, and talent management. After moving from Montreal to Toronto to open the Ontario operations of a business she co-founded, Julie quickly became known for her passion for professional development and networking, founding a women’s group to connect like-minded professional women early in her career. For the past seven years at TD, she has been instrumental in empowering sales teams, coaching for performance, and now leads the Women in Enterprise segment in Business Banking.

During the conversation, Julie shares how TD Women in Enterprise supports women-led businesses of all sizes, from startups to corporations, and emphasizes the importance of building strong, trusting relationships between entrepreneurs and their bankers. She discusses how women founders can feel confident approaching their banker for guidance that goes beyond financial products, including support for scaling their business, a concern many women now prioritize even more than funding. Julie also highlights how TD takes a holistic approach to empowering women, providing opportunities outside of finance that contribute to professional growth and long-term success.

Tune in to learn how women entrepreneurs can leverage strong banking partnerships to elevate their business, and why cultivating that relationship can be a game-changer for growth and confidence.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliedimitri/

Website: https://www.td.com/ca/en/business-banking/small-business/women-in-business

Thinking about incorporating your business? Before you file the paperwork, make sure you understand what’s really at stake. The decision between a sole proprietorship, partnership, or incorporation can shape everything from your taxes and liability to your long-term financial success.

In this episode of The Finance Cafe Podcast, we sit down with Ronke Omorodion, principal lawyer at Lexion Legal and widely known as “the entrepreneur’s lawyer.” With more than 13 years of experience supporting founders and startups, she breaks down what every business owner should know before choosing a legal structure — and why this decision is one of the most important you’ll make as an entrepreneur.

The conversation explores the pros and cons of each business type and what those choices mean for your personal protection, taxes, and growth potential. You’ll hear how the right structure can set your business up for success — and how the wrong one can create legal and financial challenges down the road. She also emphasizes the importance of getting legal advice early, reminding founders that they don’t have to figure it all out on their own. The right guidance can save time, money, and unnecessary stress while giving you confidence in the path ahead.

At Lexion Legal, the team helps Alberta entrepreneurs tackle their legal needs with energy, innovation, and authenticity. They’re not just a law firm — they’re trusted partners committed to getting things done, and getting them done right.

Beyond her practice, Ronke holds leadership roles with the Canadian Bar Association Alberta Branch and dedicates her time to mentoring teens and supporting not-for-profit organizations. When she’s not advocating for business owners, she’s enjoying family adventures, nature walks, or a good crime movie with her partner and sons.

Whether you’re launching your first venture or thinking about restructuring your business, this episode will give you the clarity and confidence to make informed legal and financial decisions that align with your goals.

Website:https://lexionlegal.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronke-omorodion-56b68370/