Navigating Today's Job Market featuring Rob Thomas (Aplin)

Another kind of red flag is not putting actual metrics and/or successes in your job histories. Anything that shows not just WHAT you do there but HOW you did it well.

April 8, 2025

Additional Articles

What are Strategic & Tactical Dashboards?

Managing a business without effective operational dashboards is like navigating a journey without a reliable map.

April 1, 2025

Small Business

Navigating Today's Job Market featuring Steph Gillies (Destination Dream Job)

The key with an employment gap is to be able to explain why you have a gap and what you did during that time.

March 25, 2025

Additional Articles

Stick the Landing

Employers are looking to find a SWAN in the person they’re interviewing – someone who’s Smart, Works Hard, is Ambitious, and Nice

March 18, 2025

Additional Articles

Navigating Today's Job Market featuring Sean Baker (Modern Recruitment)

I’ll be honest: cover letters aren’t my favorite thing. They’re a bit old-school.

March 11, 2025

Additional Articles

Your PATH to True Wealth

We catch up with Dr. Cora Pettipas, former President of the National Exempt Market Association.

March 4, 2025

Additional Articles

Navigating Today’s Job Market featuring Michael van Olm (MacDonald Search Group)

Recruiters spend their entire day on LinkedIn sourcing candidates.

February 25, 2025

Additional Articles

The Power of Meditation and Mindfulness for Children

Meet Natalie, a mother of 4 who created TATE for her children after becoming the 29th person in Canada to be diagnosed with Covid-19.

February 18, 2025

Entrepreneurial Journey

Navigating Today's Job Market featuring Martina Sarro (Verve Recruitment Group)

A personal brand is who you are as a person. What are your morals/values? What do you enjoy doing? What are you passionate about?

February 11, 2025

Additional Articles

Margin of Safety / Margin of Error

Margin of Safety refers to the difference between an asset's intrinsic value and its market price.

February 4, 2025

Small Business

Revolutionizing Women's Intimates

Post-breast augmentation, Jessica Johnson’s personal struggle to find bras that are comfortable and stylish led her on her entrepreneurial journey to create Figiura.

January 28, 2025

Entrepreneurial Journey

Is the Client Always Right?

Not every client will be a perfect fit for your business, and that’s okay.

January 21, 2025

Small Business

Builder, Contractor, TV Host & The Private Markets

TV personality Mike Holmes, along with Seth Atkins and Michael Del Bel from Holmes & Associates Realty Trust (H.A.R.T.) joins Craig Skauge on Educate & Explore to discuss why they launched their real estate fund and why they chose the private markets.

January 14, 2025

The Private Markets

Why Canada Does Not Have an SEC

The IIROC-MFDA merger demonstrates that coordination and streamlining are achievable within Canada's current system.

January 7, 2025

Insightful Opinions

Lessons Learned, Challenges Faced, and Insights for CPG Founders

Steve shares why he exited his business, tips on surviving entrepreneurship, and how he won’t shy away from building another business.

December 17, 2024

Entrepreneurial Journey

Words Matter

Whether we realize it or not, language is part of creating stigma and reducing stigma.

December 10, 2024

Insightful Opinions

Using the Past to Guide the Future

Could the Acme Corporation, with its endless range of products, have paved the way for a company like Amazon?

December 3, 2024

Insightful Opinions

A Taste of Jamaica in Canada

Entrepreneurship is about the journey not a destination; so pace yourself and take care of your mental health. With good mental health, you’re better equipped to handle the challenges and appreciate the ride.

November 26, 2024

Entrepreneurial Journey

How to Be a Standout Candidate in Your Job Search

The FASTEST way to get noticed in your job search is to ditch the old-school functional resume.

November 19, 2024

Insightful Opinions

Should an Issuer Be Its Own Dealer?

I argue that as an investor, it should not matter if the issuer or dealer is the same or not.

November 12, 2024

The Private Markets

Taking Ginger to the Next Level

From a successful pitch on Dragon’s Den to new flavours in the works, Bren and Megan have their eyes on bringing Gingerbug into the United States.

November 5, 2024

Entrepreneurial Journey

Issuer's Corner featuring Avenue Living

Avenue Living is a vertically integrated real-estate owner and operator with over C$6 billion in assets under management (AUM).

October 29, 2024

The Private Markets

Calgary Fintech Business Flourishes

At just 23 years old, Nic Beique started a payment company. Fast forward to 2023, Nic's company, Helcim, has processed nearly $4 billion in payment volume and is anticipated to double that in 2024.

October 22, 2024

Entrepreneurial Journey

Issuer’s Corner featuring Centurion Asset Management Inc.

It is getting harder and harder to be a small capital raiser.

October 15, 2024

The Private Markets

The Bones of a Solid Resume

Just like a house, if your resume doesn’t have a solid foundation, it will likely cause problems, and we don’t want that to happen.

October 8, 2024

Additional Articles

Issuer’s Corner featuring Trinity Hotels

Overall, the reporting regime has matured in the last few years and while I believe that it is a good thing for the market, it needs to be more efficient so that it is less expensive in time and capital for the issuers.

October 1, 2024

The Private Markets

The Cost of Comfort

Perhaps the most daunting of lifestyle creep stories involve the D word - divorce.

September 24, 2024

Additional Articles

Issuer’s Corner featuring Scott McGillivray Real Estate Fund

Going public adds a lot of bureaucracy and inefficiencies that add no real value to the investors in my opinion.

September 17, 2024

The Private Markets

Taste Buds that Take Flight

Juliana Casale launched Balloon 🎈 when she couldn’t find the sparkling water flavors she wanted to drink in Canada.

September 10, 2024

Entrepreneurial Journey

Issuer’s Corner featuring Pier 4 Real Estate Investment Trust

Our overarching objective is to establish ourselves as the top choice for investors seeking opportunities in the low and mid-rise multi-residential asset class within the Canadian real estate market.

September 3, 2024

The Private Markets

Hey Entrepreneurs! More Revenue Won’t Save You Forever

 A universally accepted rule in the financial planning space is to have three to six months of emergency savings on hand.

August 27, 2024

Small Business

A Letter from One Generation to Another

EBITDA is indeed a prevalent metric, but it’s essential to look beyond it to gauge the true health of our business.

August 20, 2024

Small Business

Modernizing Agriculture with Drone Technology

Charter Beselt tells us how a football scholarship to Regina led to building a business in modernizing agriculture.

August 13, 2024

Entrepreneurial Journey

Time for a Human Resources Professional?

Sound human resources practices will assist your business in running smoothly.

August 6, 2024

Small Business

The Future of Fashion Retail

Building a company instills a deep sense of purpose, driven by the mission we are committed to achieving.

July 30, 2024

Entrepreneurial Journey

Isn’t Everyday Self-Care Day?

Ask a peer or a professional for help with your mental health

July 23, 2024

Additional Articles

Demystifying Debentures

Debentures stand out as a versatile tool for accessing capital with features that are attractive to both investors and the issuer.

July 16, 2024

Small Business

"A Private Matter?”

Let's dive into the big question: should we make the leap and go public?

July 9, 2024

Small Business

The Million Dollar Baby

As the policy allows for tax-efficient loans against the cash value, it presents a controlled environment for your grandchild to learn about borrowing.

July 2, 2024

Additional Articles

Cultivating Healthy Relationships in Our Organizations

Instead of self-preservation, separation, and isolation, we need to cultivate one-on-one relationships in organizations.

June 25, 2024

Small Business

The Unexpected Entrepreneurial Journey

Please do not take this journey alone, it is more fun, and you have a better chance of success with a team.

June 18, 2024

Entrepreneurial Journey

How To Do A Career Pivot…Without Getting Dizzy

“80% of resumes are rejected in less than 11 seconds.” - Financial Post

June 11, 2024

Additional Articles

Navigating the Shift

After 13 years of evolution and integration into the Canadian financial landscape, the Exempt Market Dealership model, offering private capital opportunities combined with access to public assets and life insurance has evolved to a sophisticated platform tailored to address the full suite of client needs.

June 4, 2024

The Private Markets

Humble Beginnings to 9 Figure Exits

Mike is authentically himself and a self-proclaimed “recovering entrepreneur”.

May 28, 2024

Entrepreneurial Journey

12 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started My Business

Even if you have mentally checked out of your comfy day job and think you’re ready, take five minutes to consume this first.

May 21, 2024

Entrepreneurial Journey

The Battlefield of Business

Sun Tzu's teachings in "The Art of War" about deception, indirect tactics, and strategic foresight have striking parallels in the corporate world. Similarly, the gameplay in "Survivor," characterized by forming and dissolving alliances and anticipating opponents' moves, mirrors the intricate social maneuvering often required in business.

May 14, 2024

Small Business

How Mortgages Can Enhance an Investment Portfolio

Even with a relatively modest allocation, mortgage investments can significantly enhance a portfolio's risk-adjusted returns.

May 7, 2024

The Private Markets

Public Company in Need of Funding?

Join us for an invigorating morning of learning how public companies can access capital through the combination of everyday Canadians’ RSPs and prospectus exemptions

May 2, 2024

The Private Markets

The Art of the Offer Letter

In the absence of a termination clause, the employee’s severance entitlement is governed by two sources, first, the Alberta Employment Standards Code (the “Code”), and second, the common law.

April 30, 2024

Small Business

A Day in the Life of a Dealing Representative featuring Imran Tahid

The clients don’t typically come to you, like they are going to the banks, at least for the first several years in the industry.

April 23, 2024

The Private Markets

Wealth Purpose

Good fortune comes to those that know why they seek wealth. This good fortune is available to everyone intentional enough to discover it.

April 16, 2024

Insightful Opinions

A Day in the Life of a Dealing Representative featuring Iannick Fallu

Ultimately, whether navigating the public or private investment sphere, prudent risk management involves seeking diversification within portfolios, steering clear of undue concentration in a single product or issuer.

April 9, 2024

The Private Markets

Bootstrapping to Success

Calgary's own small business, Local Laundry, is built on principles of quality-made Canadian clothing, reducing carbon footprint and giving back to the community. Dustin Paisley, co-founder of Local Laundry, shares how $50 blossomed into a $5 million company that continues to steadily grow. Listen to Dustin tell us how their design was copied by a retail giant, what the future of Local Laundry looks like and how they continue to triumphantly bootstrap their business.

April 2, 2024

Small Business

A Day in the Life of a Dealing Representative featuring Peter Wickwire

We are emotional. This aversion to loss is powerful and all too often reflects itself in significant negative long-term consequences. These mostly stem from short-term emotional decisions made from a lack of confidence.

March 26, 2024

The Private Markets

Incentives and Outcomes

In crafting a due diligence process, it is crucial to uncover not just the present state of a potential partner's financials, legal standing, or operational efficiency, but also to understand the incentive structures that drive their strategies and behaviors.

March 19, 2024

Small Business

A Day in the Life of a Dealing Representative featuring Alexandre Galasso

For a product to be successful, low cost of capital, good management and a solid business plan are all required.

March 12, 2024

The Private Markets

Advertising for Candidates and the Interview Process

Every decision we make is based on some form of discrimination. Discrimination is not always a bad thing.

March 5, 2024

Small Business

Altering the Legal Playground

Brett Colvin, CEO and co-founder of Goodlawyer, isn't your average entrepreneur.

February 27, 2024

Entrepreneurial Journey

Creative Destruction

It’s easy to fall prey to the frog in the water syndrome, whereby the poor frog doesn’t realize that the water is gradually heating up until it boils to death.

February 20, 2024

Insightful Opinions

A Day in the Life of a Dealing Representative featuring Adam Gignac

A stock market investment can be just as risky if no one is willing to pay more for those shares.

February 13, 2024

The Private Markets

10 Cool Ways to Ace Your Video Job Interview

Video job interviews were once a rarity. Since the pandemic, they are now just part of the regular interview process. And, they won’t be going away anytime soon.

February 6, 2024

Small Business

Acid Test the Health of Your Sales Funnel with These 6 Questions

Every team member could be lead generating if they know who an ideal client is for your business.

January 30, 2024

Small Business

Sweet Success

Mid-Day Squares co-founder, Jake Karls, joins us for an exclusive interview on their business savvy story-telling technique.

January 23, 2024

Entrepreneurial Journey

Ways To Help Protect a Small Business Without Breaking The Bank

Recent statistics reveal that smaller businesses have become the main target of cyberattacks due to the lack of security measures in place to protect them.

January 16, 2024

Small Business

A Day in the Life of a Dealing Representative featuring Michelle Sausik

There are some very unique and lucrative investments available.

January 9, 2024

The Private Markets

The Entrepreneurship Roadmap for Newcomers in Canada

The holistic approach to entrepreneurship, along with the connections we foster through this training, significantly benefits our participants when they seek financing—a major hurdle for many newcomers.

December 19, 2023

Small Business

A Day in the Life of a Dealing Representative featuring Steven Blasiak

Ask questions, be curious, compare with other investment opportunities, learn what exactly the exempt market is.

December 12, 2023

The Private Markets

Beyond Casual Friday

Mental toughness, broadly defined, is how we can use our own self-knowledge to approach difficult situations and learn from both our successes and relative failures.

December 5, 2023

Additional Articles

A Day in the Life of a Dealing Representative featuring Brandon Renault

I meticulously examine the fund's history, the caliber of its management team, and their alignment with growth objectives. It's crucial to ascertain whether they have a personal stake in the game, and what the structural framework looks like.

November 28, 2023

The Private Markets

The Power of Industry Collaboration

Industry collaboration is centered around uniting key industry players, including clients, professionals, and even competitors, to work together in addressing common challenges.

November 21, 2023

Additional Articles

A Day in the Life of a Dealing Representative featuring Dale Rabbie

Perhaps the most important message we need to get out is that “everybody can” and perhaps, almost everybody should own a little piece of Private Wealth in their portfolio.

November 14, 2023

The Private Markets

Crafting a Successful Exit Strategy

Making the most of your business's value pre-exit, like profitability enhancements, customer base diversification, operational efficiency improvement, intellectual property protection reinforcement, and management team upgrading, can be a game-changer.

November 7, 2023

Small Business

A Day in the Life of a Dealing Representative featuring Michelle Julien

Private Equity is a game of patience and diligence which can be very rewarding to those able to exercise both.

October 31, 2023

The Private Markets

Accounting Advice for Your Start-Up

Cash is considered the hardest item to maintain and manage during the founding years of a start-up.

October 24, 2023

Small Business

A Day in the Life of a Dealing Representative featuring Jeff Toews

Calls for more transparency, more in-depth due diligence, clearer reporting standards and professional advisory ethics have all created a much healthier marketplace for investors to operate in today.

October 17, 2023

The Private Markets

Up, Down & Sideways

It is critical for a DR to understand that lacking data for what an investment is worth over its holding period does not warrant them stating it is low volatility, nor low correlation to a certain benchmark.

October 10, 2023

The Private Markets

A Day in the Life of a Dealing Representative featuring Jaclyn Wu

True diversification = Public + Private Market

October 3, 2023

The Private Markets

What Does the Story of “The Tortoise and the Hare” Have to Do with Business?

A workforce comprised of Hares and Tortoises will complement one another, leading to a more balanced and capable team.

September 26, 2023

Insightful Opinions

A Key Must Have Mindset for Your Business in 2023

Inbound marketing aims to draw people in naturally and establish a relationship with them, leading to increased brand awareness, engagement, and ultimately, conversions.

September 19, 2023

Small Business

Sustainable Finance: Understanding the Risks and Opportunities for Entrepreneurs and Investors

Investing is no longer just about crunching numbers and analyzing balance sheets; sustainability factors are playing an increasing role in investment decisions.

September 12, 2023

The Private Markets

The Real Challenge Behind Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives

Companies that have embraced diversity and inclusion have seen gains across the board financially and in performance.

September 5, 2023

Small Business

Financial Empowerment for Women

In a society that often imposes negative stereotypes and limitations on women's financial prowess, it is essential to break free from these constraints and make money our thing!

August 29, 2023

The Private Markets

Embrace the Evolution

While AI continues to redefine art, design, and marketing, embracing its capabilities with an open mind is vital.

August 22, 2023

Additional Articles

Key Questions for Potential Investors

Engaging with the investment process and seeking clarity on crucial aspects is key to making informed decisions and maximizing your investment potential.

August 15, 2023

The Private Markets

Are You Guilty of These Job Interview MISTAKES?

The job market throughout Canada is hot.

August 8, 2023

Small Business

Are Pure Alternatives the New Standard in Portfolio Construction?

Investors can leverage alternatives to help avoid some of the volatility seen in the public markets while also potentially providing more consistent and higher returns than traditional fixed income.

August 1, 2023

The Private Markets

My Story to Entrepreneurship

I had the same self-doubt that plagues all entrepreneurs at some point: could I actually do this? Was I actually good enough? Will people trust me?

July 25, 2023

Entrepreneurial Journey

Anti-Money Laundering & Anti-Terrorist Financing Compliance Program Requirements

Money laundering (ML) is an umbrella term to describe the processing of funds obtained from criminal activity to disguise the source, thereby converting “dirty” money to “clean” money.

July 18, 2023

Additional Articles

Unlocking Growth

Alberta IoT is a non-profit member-based association that supports organizations with a vested interest in IoT and emerging technologies.

July 11, 2023

Small Business

Early Entrepreneurial Lessons Learned

Even though it was terrifying, I had a clear vision of working for myself.

July 4, 2023

Entrepreneurial Journey

What's Happening in Downtown Calgary

With the 2005 to 2018 development cycle providing Calgary with numerous new skyscrapers, the current high vacancy rate has many people asking if (or when) we will again see a new downtown office tower.

June 27, 2023

Additional Articles

Don’t Be TeRRIFied of RRIFs

If you hold multiple RRIFs, another option is to transfer cash from one RRIF account to your RRIF account that holds the EMS investment(s).

June 20, 2023

The Private Markets

What’s in a Rate of Return?

If you had to boil it down to the simplest attributes, we could say that a rate of return usually has these properties: it is measured in terms of percentage, it is often expressed in annual terms and, needless to say, when it comes to investing, we always prefer a positive return over a negative one.

June 13, 2023

The Private Markets

Expert Perspective featuring Robert Sinclair

The right balance between capital formation and investor protection for non-sophisticated investors in the Canadian Private Markets should prioritize investor protection without completely restricting access to investment opportunities.

June 6, 2023

Insightful Opinions

Culture is the Invisible Key to Organizational Success

What we know from business research is that organizations that focus two thirds on corporate culture and one third on financial performance are higher performing than those who focus on finances alone.

May 30, 2023

Small Business

What is the Exempt Market?

May 23, 2023

The Private Markets

Investing in an Arms-Length Mortgage using a Registered Plan

There are other lesser-known investments that are qualified to be held in registered plans under the Income Tax Act, including arms-length mortgages.

May 16, 2023

The Private Markets

Helping Women Succeed in the Workplace

Empowering Women as Leaders (EWL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting non-traditional aged women in financial need achieve their highest potential through scholarships, mentoring, and networking.

May 9, 2023

Entrepreneurial Journey

Expert Perspective featuring Tommy Baltzis

Capital invested is based on trust, so if investors feel that they cannot trust the organization or the rules to protect them, there is no capital formation.

May 2, 2023

Insightful Opinions

The 6 Most Important Financial Planning Considerations for Small Business Owners

Owners can take control of their finances and secure the future of their company by ensuring they are on track in all areas of planning for their business.

April 25, 2023

Small Business