Ari Pandes, Associate Professor of Finance and Associate Dean of Professional Graduate Programs at the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, is sounding the alarm on a troubling trend in Canada’s economy: the steady decline of operating companies listed on public markets, and the broader failure to scale up domestic businesses.

When we launched the very first Business Transitions Forum in 2015, it was driven by one idea: founders needed a better way to prepare for what’s next. Ten years later, that idea has grown into a national series of events and a trusted place for entrepreneurs, advisors, and investors to gather, learn, and connect.

After nearly two decades at the helm of Southwest Doors and Hardware based in London, ON, Chantal Hampson, a seasoned business leader and recent retiree, is reflecting on a journey defined by family legacy, grit, and smart succession planning.