The Business of your Business – TechConnex Podcast

The business of your business is a podcast that focuses on the great companies and people within York Region. We want to highlight exciting tech companies and the impact they’re making in their community. These raw and uncut sessions are designed to provide quick but high level discussions on education, key topics and challenges that people and companies are facing. We also want to have fun with our guests, so we hope that you will listen!!

The Importance of SEO to your Marketing Campaign

On the first episode, we talk with Kevin D’Arcy, CEO of ThinkFuel Marketing.
In this session, we will discuss the top 3 digital marketing tactics and how they have changed in how they need to be implemented.

LISTEN to our first episode

The Importance and Future of Smart Cities and the Technology Behind Them

In this session, we talk with Rakesh Tiku, Founder and CEO of inField Solutions Inc., a Markham based Tech Company.
Rakesh discusses the future of Smart Cities, technology and adoption!!  We also discuss Brexit.

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Mark Petznick

Canadian Commercial Real Estate: What you Need to Know

In this session, we talk with Mark Petznick, SVP and Principal of Devencore, a Toronto based Commercial Real Estate Company. Mark discusses the current state of Canadian Commercial Real Estate, unknown risks potential tenants should know and some of the challenges facing the current market and landlords.

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Making the Case for GRC

In this session, we talk with Mike Gibbs, CEO of SureStep Risk & Analytics, a Durham based GRC Company.
We discuss the importance of GRC no matter the size of the company, but also the future and how technology will impact GRC.

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Managing Your People and Business in Our Changing Reality

In this session, our expert panel of Frank Bilotta, Maureen Campbell, Dan Condon and Marion Yoshida share their perspectives to help you manage through the challenges of this difficult and ever-changing situation; protect your business, customers and support your employees.

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Rosanna Berardi

This is a quick conversation with our great friend Rosanna Berardi of Berardi Immigration Lawyers.

To give an update on the state of the American / Canadian Border.  Is the government allowing people to apply for work permits?
How are you advising companies that want to do business in the US?  How is Buffalo, NY doing during this stressful times.  Thank you Rosanna for your continued dialogue and we will check in with you in a few weeks.

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How Organizations Can Do More by Slowing Down

In this session, we talk with Desi Narayanan, Partner at Building Perspective Inc.  Desi discusses taking a step back to evaluate your business and its processes. Desi will provide valuable insight to keep your business going while staying cash and mentally positive.

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How to start a podcast with Sergey Ross…

In this session, we talk with Sergey Ross of Rangle. IO and the Sergey Ross Show about what it takes to start a successful Podcast.

Enjoy the session and the practical information for you future Podcasters!!

Sergey Ross Show is an interview series that explores how thought leaders in business, sports & entertainment think, the psychological side of their success. https://www.sergeyross.live/

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Valuation Theory and Investor Presentations 

The presentation includes an introduction to valuation theory, including an overview of fundamental valuation approaches, valuations of early-stage companies and differences between price and value in a transaction.

There is also an introduction to investor presentations, which are a crucial element of raising financing. It will include an overview of the content that should go into investor presentations, considerations for a robust analysis, and tips to capture investor attention.

Presented by Marco Lamanna, Manager, Valuation and Economics, Transaction Advisory Services and Fraser Voll, Manager at Ernst and Young.

Sponsored by: E&Y

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TechConnex Lunch & Learn Recorded Session

In this uncertain time, we are all worried about how we will continue to run our businesses as well as support our people as best as we can.

With more information every day and different things to think about while running your business going forward, hear from our expert panel and get different perspectives to help you manage through the challenges of this difficult and ever-changing situation; protect your business, customers and support your employees.

Our panel and topics to be addressed:

Government Economic Relief – Frank Bilotta – Partner, Tax, SBLR LLP
Cyber Security – Dominik Kawnik, President, Websdepot
Protecting your Business’s Balance Sheet against Bad Debt and Employment Practices Liability during COVID-19 – Peter McCabe, Technology Practice Leader, PROLINK

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Exploit Disruption to Build a Resilient Business – Especially in a Crisis 

Applying the hindsight that could have saved Kodak, Polaroid and Blockbuster –

Over the last 100-days, every business has been disrupted. While a few are feasting, many are fighting the threat of famine. The fates of Polaroid, Kodak and Blockbuster are all too familiar. The good news is that their experience provides us with 20-20 hindsight.

In this session, Graham Binks, CEO, primeFusion Inc., offers advice and exercises for leveraging the principles of disruption as a tool to survive the crisis and come out stronger. Aided by real-world examples, he will walk through some exercises to help you recognize new opportunities, adjust your response and navigate the course to success. By the end, you’ll be equipped to apply these lessons to your business immediately. www.grahambinks.com

This session is facilitated by Ray Gilbert and Jamal Shah of Causal Effects.

LISTEN HERE

Feeling overwhelmed at times, and faced with worries about where all this could go?  Have you observed associates, family, or friends who are expressing a high level of anxiety?  Targeted at putting you in the driver’s seat to learn and grow strong through this challenging time, our workshop, presented by Danielle Besseling and Peter Meyers, provides four accessible strategies to move you from worry to wellbeing. In addition, we cover ways to productively support others who are experiencing the kind of worry that gets in the way of living the life we want. www.portagesales.com

LISTEN HERE

With workplaces slowly and gradually returning to work, what are the key matters that employers will need to consider as their employees return to the physical workplace?
This session, presented by Dan Condon, Employment and Labour Lawyer, Wilson Vukelich, LLP, discusses what employers need to address when restarting their operations and having more employees return to the physical workplace.   Employers will need to be aware of both their rights as well as their obligations as the return to the physical workplace will require employers to review their current workplace policies and to prepare new policies and procedures.

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In this episode of the TechConnex Business to Business Podcast, I talk with Akshay Kalle, CTO of Pathway Communications and Elastic Care.
Akshay and I openly discuss Covid-19 and its effect on society, Racism in the workplace, Politics, Education, and the Resilience of Mankind.
The opinions expressed in this conversation are not meant offend any listener but there is a lot going on in the World and the uncertainty is very scary. A lot of important issues are being addressed in society and it is important to discuss with your friends and colleagues. 
We hope you enjoy this episode.
Welcome to our 2nd Season of the TechConnex Podcast..
In this episode we talk with Mark Morissette CEO & Co-Founder of Foxquilt.
We discuss the origins of Foxquilt, the future of insurance within Canada and Around The World, VC Funding and plenty more.
Foxquilt is a Canadian-based financial technology company using data and technology to empower small businesses and business networks to save on Small Business Insurance. Leveraging their Insurance-as-a-Service platform and creating unique products, Foxquilt makes it easy for customers to buy insurance online and access group purchasing power. Foxquilt customers achieve savings upfront on premiums, reduced deductibles and are rewarded with further savings at renewal. For more information, visit www.foxquilt.com
Aligning your team to increase the predictability and profitability of your business:
Business leaders know that predictable results are difficult to obtain. Alignment issues in performance management, leadership behaviors and conflicting values systems conspire against predictability and improved profitability. Performance and cultural alignment is the leader’s ability to optimize the performance of the team, to make their business more profitable and predictable.
To understand how to align your team, you need to analyze three concepts: Numbers, Behaviours and Beliefs.
There are three objectives for this ONLINE session that tie in perfectly with the ongoing trend to focus on improving a company’s culture to get long term, sustainable results.
  • Point out areas in all organizations where some degree of misalignment exists
  • Introduce a concept called the Management Performance System, which begins to align the expectations of all employees towards the company’s singular goal
  • Give participants strategies and ideas that they can apply to their business to bring about greater alignment, leading to greater predictability and profitability
Our speaker, Andrew Rush, Vice President, Carpedia International mixes humor, story telling and research, so that the learning is fun, but the points hit home.
In this episode of the TechConnex Podcast, I have the pleasure of speaking with Terry Mocherinak Founder of Apex Capital Advisors. 
Apex is a boutique investment bank and strategic advisory firm founded by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs.  They have built, operated, invested in and sold technology businesses and understand the  pain points and objectives of business founders. https://apexcapitaladvisors.ca/
Terry and I talk about the current M&A market within Canada and the United States, What companies and advisory firms should look for in a client and Terry’s Top 3 Tips for a successful sell.
Please join us for this engaging conversation
Thank you.
LISTEN HERE
M & A Fundamentals – A Practical Guide to M & A Transactions for Founders
The goal of this Lunch & Learn is to provide Founders/Owners of small to mid-sized technology companies with a strong fundamental understanding of the M & A process and how it might relate to their businesses
• Are you considering exit options for your business? • Wondering what your company might be worth? • Are you considering a succession plan? • What does the current market look like in Canada and around the World?
Terry Mocherniak
Founder and Managing Director
Terry Mocherniak is the Founder and Managing Director of Apex Capital Advisors. He has over 25 years’ experience in the tech sector and is a serial entrepreneur having founded and grown several businesses with two successful exits including one to global giant Siemens. Terry also has extensive M & A, venture capital and corporate advisory experience and has raised over $20 million in venture capital for his own enterprises. Vertical expertise includes cleantech, energy, software, e-commerce, B2C marketplaces, marketing, and media. www.apexcapitaladvisors.ca
Terry currently serves as a Director of York Angels, Senior Advisor at EACL Consulting, Cleantech Advisor at MaRS, Director of Qeatech Inc. and previously Executive Director at York Angels. Terry is a corporate lawyer and has an LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School.
“It’s not wanting to win that makes you a winner; it’s refusing to fail.”  Peyton  Manning.
I had the pleasure of speaking to Randy Bergeron and discuss his  First Business Book; Rise and Shine: 50 Real World  Lessons.  It is an easy playbook for anyone who wants to drive their business to the next level.
Randy and I discuss the process of creating a book, the lessons  learned and what it  takes to drive business growth. This book is very inspiring and a go to for anybody starting out in business or seasoned veteran.  There is always something to learn.
We hope that you enjoy our conversation and thank you for all of  your support.
Ryan
Shameless Plug: Rise & Shine: 50 Real World Lessons: James, R. Norman: 9780228836292: Books – Amazon.ca and what people are saying about this great book. 
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for growing entrepreneurs
Reviewed in Canada on February 8, 2021
Love the Real World Lessons, both the stories and the Lists! Written from real experience, small business owners should read this to understand what it will take to become bigger. There are no shortcuts, but foresight is hugely helpful.
In this interview, I speak with Boris Martin, CEO of Engineers Without Borders. 
EWB Canada is a charitable organization that is focused on the investment and training for Tech Start-Up Companies in Africa.
Boris and I discuss the EWB, technology in Africa over the last, emerging markets, what the future holds and much more!!!
A brief history on EWB:
With humble beginnings and a bi-weekly meeting in George’s parents’ living room, the dream slowly grew into reality. By the end of the year 2000, the initiative was supported by over 1000 members and a handful of chapters around the country. In 2001, our first volunteer left for a four-month internship in India.
Today we develop leaders by investing in people. We spark innovative businesses and support entrepreneurs by investing in startup ventures. We create policy and institutional changes that influence corporate and government practices to improve global living conditions and access to basic needs by advocating for change. Get Involved – EWB Canada 
In this episode of the TechConnex Podcast, I have the pleasure of speaking to Sehrish Mahmood Founder of Dialogue Room.
We discuss perseverance, entrepreneurship, and how to overcome failure. Plus Sehrish worked at the UN, how cool is that!!
Dialogue Room:
We are driven by our desire to promote intellectual curiosity through captivating dialogue. We bring together learning communities from multiple disciplines and cultures. Dialogue Room is an open and healthy social space that offers opportunities for learners to build Core Life Competencies for both their personal and professional development. Our aim is to encourage collective social well being. Homepage – DialogueRoom
Thank you for listening!!