This is the Program Archive for the Alberta Business Transitions Forum.
Gain access to free articles and periodic BTF news. We'll never share your info and you may unsubscribe at any time.
As Managing Director and Head of Roynat Equity Partners, Mark is responsible for leading all aspects of the investment process,... Read More
Alan Chettiar leads FirePower’s M&A Advisory team and sets its strategic direction. As a former principal at a boutique investment... Read More
Wilson is a serial entrepreneur and 4x tech start-up founder with an extensive background in M&A, capital markets, venture building... Read More
Relay Transition Partners is dedicated to the sale of small and medium businesses in Canada (SMBs). Our partners understand the... Read More
Julie Afanasiff’s experience in corporate finance, accounting and transaction engagements spans over 14 years. In that time, Julie has led... Read More
Darren Benson is the Managing Director & Co-Head of the National Client Group’s M&A advisory team. Darren has over 25... Read More
Andrew Burt is a banking & finance lawyer in Fasken’s Calgary office advising a wide range of borrowers and lenders... Read More
As the CEO and President of Clear North Capital, Cody is extensively involved in creating value for lower mid-market Canadian... Read More
Pierre Cléroux was appointed Vice President, Research and Chief Economist at BDC in 2012. Pierre leads a team of experts... Read More
Scarlett Crockatt is VP & Head of Business Lending at Roynat Capital (wholly owned subsidiary of Scotiabank). Her national business... Read More
Pamela Draper is the President and CEO of Pateno Payments Inc., a firm that provides development solutions in the payments... Read More
Having successfully started, operated, and sold various businesses, has led Anne to her current roles are as an advisor for... Read More
John Evans is the Founder of EverLine Coatings and Services – a parking lot line striping and pavement maintenance brand... Read More
As Executive Director of the Alberta Business Family Institute at the University of Alberta School of Business, Shauna is a... Read More
Kelly R. Ford advises on private equity transactions, public and private mergers and acquisitions and corporate and securities matters. Kelly... Read More
Ryan Giles joined TriWest Capital Partners in 2006. Prior to joining TriWest, Ryan was an Associate with Onex Corporation, where... Read More
As a Transactions Partner, I provide expert advice and guidance to privately held companies and business owners on mergers, acquisitions,... Read More
Georgia is an Advisor at BFL Canada, the largest independent insurance brokerage in Canada. The BFL M&A team is a... Read More
Constantine Hatzipanayis is Partner, Growth Equity Partners in our Vancouver office. Constantine aims to support Canadian entrepreneurs through their growth... Read More
Jon leads the operation of KV Capital’s private equity team to form new business partnerships and the leadership of our... Read More
Jalal has over 15 years of capital markets and corporate strategy experience in both public and private markets. He began... Read More
Matthew Kellow is the Vice President, Growth and Transition Capital at BDC Capital, and is based in the Calgary office. With more than 10 years’ experience as a senior debt, mezzanine and equity provider, Matthew has structured mezzanine investments, equity infusions and helped manage major transactions in fields such as construction, energy, manufacturing and technology.
Matt is the Executive Director of the Alberta Business Family Institute responsible for developing and delivering research, education and programming... Read More
Kleo Landucci is the CEO & President of CrescentView Investments Ltd. (CVI), a familyinvestment company. In 2004, Ms. Landucci joined... Read More
Meghan Bell is a senior associate in our Litigation and Dispute Resolution group based in Edmonton, practicing extensively in corporate commercial matters... Read More
Creator, builder, innovator, and community advocate. President of Calvert Home Mortgage, Board Chair of Simplicity Global Solutions and volunteer board... Read More
Debby Carreau is a proven leader helping businesses become inspired workplaces. She is highly regarded globally as a human capital... Read More
Randy Koroluk is an entrepreneur who has owned and sold several businesses. During the late 90s, Randy tried to sell... Read More
Jim Crooks is a Corporate Finance Partner and Managing Director at PwC Canada working in the Vancouver office. Jim has... Read More
Chris is a risk taker, communicator, and entrepreneur. Many entrepreneurs strive to leave a personal legacy behind in business and in... Read More
Welcome to the 7th annual Business Transitions Forum in Vancouver. We are excited to be back to in person events and thrilled to have an excellent conference program with over 40 entrepreneurs and experts sharing their insights and stories about companies that have achieved strategic growth and faced acquisition. You will learn from experts and connect with peer groups who will offer valuable insights to help you with transition strategy – whether you’re just beginning to think about it or well-advanced down the path.
Steve is passionate about creating long-term relationships with our clients and helping them to overcome barriers to growth. An entrepreneur... Read More
Tom acquired Smith Cameron Process Solutions in 2011 along with equity partner Krystal Growth Partners. Tom subsequently completed 6 strategic... Read More
Dino DeLuca joined TriWest in November, 2015 as Chief Operating Officer, a newly created position with the launch of Fund... Read More
Shane leads EY’s Strategy and Transactions practice for Western Canada and is a Partner in the M&A advisory practice at... Read More
As President, General Manager, and Co-Founder of Fidelity, Jeff has more than two decades of experience as a mould maker... Read More
Matt is engaged in a wide variety of investing activities including originating, evaluating, executing, negotiating, and managing investments and prospective... Read More
Tabreez Lila is Managing Director, Growth & Transition Capital in our Edmonton office. Tabreez has worked in the investment and... Read More
Paul Barbeau has extensive experience in capital markets law and securities offerings, public and private mergers and acquisitions (M&A), asset... Read More
Rob is the perfect definition of a successful entrepreneur. He has founded multiple companies since his birth in 1972; ranging... Read More
Welcome to the 3rd annual Business Transitions Forum in Edmonton. We are excited to be back to in person events and thrilled to have an excellent conference program with over 40 entrepreneurs and experts sharing their insights and stories about companies that have previously sold. You will learn from experts and connect with peer groups who will offer valuable insights to help you with transition strategy – whether you’re just beginning to think about it or well-advanced down the path.
Ted began his journey 25 years ago with Xerox and IBM. He discovered his passion for entrepreneurship acquiring an unprofitable... Read More
Shannon Chmelyk has over 20 years of experience finding business opportunities and getting deals done. His career began in market... Read More
Kristi has been providing mid-market businesses with relationship-focused, strategic financing for over twenty years. As National Managing Director, Kristi leads First West Capital across Canada and delivers tailored subordinated-debt, mezzanine and equity financing solutions for growth, acquisitions and transitions. Prior to First West Capital, Kristi spent ten years with Vancity Capital, another B.C.-based subordinated debt fund. She has also worked with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and the Small Enterprise Equity Fund of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Eric Colberg is a Domestic Tax Partner in BDO’s Red Deer office. He is known for his background in oil... Read More
Chad is a Senior Managing Director at TriWest Capital Partners, a Calgary-based private equity firm that has raised over $1.25... Read More
Ms. Delwo is a local small business owner/operator turned startup entrepreneur who’s sold Alberta-made products in 37 countries and counting.... Read More
Based in Vancouver, Geoff is responsible for deal origination and execution, investment analysis, and ongoing portfolio management. Geoff is passionate... Read More
Born and raised on a grain and livestock farm in Swan River, Manitoba, instilled many of the values which provided... Read More
Welcome to the 5th annual Business Transitions Forum in Calgary. We are excited to be back to in person events and thrilled to have an excellent conference program with over 40 entrepreneurs and experts sharing their insights and stories about companies that have previously sold. You will learn from experts and connect with peer groups who will offer valuable insights to help you with transition strategy – whether you’re just beginning to think about it or well-advanced down the path.
P.Eng., MBA, is a serial entrepreneur & business coach that has been growing organizations for over 13 years as a... Read More
In today’s highly competitive marketplace, how can an entrepreneur or small-business owner get a competitive advantage? By enlisting the proven... Read More
Mike is an entrepreneur at heart. He has built, acquired and sold his own private businesses and guided 100+ entrepreneurs... Read More
As a Partner at Sequeira Partners, Kira leads the Edmonton valuations practice. Kira brings more than 12 years of experience... Read More
Mick MacBean joined TriWest in 2010 as a Senior Managing Director and brings a wealth of operations, governance and financial... Read More
Ceilidh Hemmati has a general corporate and commercial practice with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, financial services, and private... Read More
Ashley Hoffer is Owner and Director of Operations at Electrogas Monitors Ltd, a gas detection and safety product company servicing... Read More
Ray is a healthcare professional and serial entrepreneur passionate about health & wellness, technology and the creation of projects that... Read More
HCI Filtration Inc. is a company established to acquire, improve and grow N American businesses operating in the industrial filtration... Read More
Julia Loney is a partner in McMillan’s Calgary office. As a transaction-focused lawyer, she represents clients on a variety of... Read More
Based in Calgary, Jerry joined Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel in June 2011 to expand the practice in Alberta. He is... Read More
Tina Di Vito, CPA, CA, CFP, TEP, FEA, is a Partner and National Leader of Family Office Services, part of... Read More
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Located in Edmonton, Adam is a Managing Director with BDO Canada Transaction Advisory Services focusing on Mergers &... Read More
Josh Matthews is a Managing Director with PwC Corporate Finance and leads its Alberta team. He is primarily focused on... Read More
David is a Partner with the Calgary office of Baker Tilly, a professional services firm that provides accounting and assurance,... Read More
Tyler is the President & CEO of Lithion Power Group. In the late 1990’s, Tyler started his involvement in the... Read More
Don’s deep and passionate belief that he has the opportunity to positively impact and change people’s lives by providing a... Read More
Kevin Campbell is co-founder and former CEO of Policy Works, Canada’s leading software provider for commercial insurance brokers. Policy Works... Read More
Based in Calgary, Jerry joined Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel in June 2011 to expand the practice in Alberta. He is... Read More
Serial entrepreneur Diana Noble stumbled into the world of entrepreneurship by accident at the tender age of 24. Since then,... Read More
Rob is President of SeaFort Capital, a private equity firm based in Halifax. Prior to co-founding SeaFort in May 2012,... Read More
Christopher G. Micetich is an accomplished Author and Serial Entrepreneur with over three decades of experience founding and running businesses.... Read More
Lynne Fisher, BA Econ., is the National Team Leader of MNP’s ExitSMART™ service. Located in the firm’s Edmonton office and... Read More
Vaughn acts as CEO at ICI. Prior to working with ICI, Vaughn completed a career with BMO Nesbitt Burns as... Read More
Ms. Delwo is a local small business owner/operator turned startup entrepreneur who’s sold Alberta-made products in 37 countries and counting.... Read More
Experienced banking leader with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services sector. Skilled in leadership, product management, sales,... Read More
Jason is a Partner & Senior Managing Director in Deloitte’s Corporate Finance practice and leads the prJason is the Chief... Read More
Mackenzie Regent is the Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Kalos LLP, an internationally recognized financial due diligence and valuation CPA... Read More
Jamie Schwitzer holds the office of Vice-President with the Manager. Mr. Schwitzer has over 20 years of investment management experience during... Read More
As a Managing Director with Grant Thornton, Ryan advises clients on transactions in a variety of intricate and dynamic situations... Read More
With a university degree and a few years of public sector experience, Vern bought a used computer from a classified... Read More
Josh Remai grew up immersed in the construction industry. He started sweeping floors on his father’s construction sites in the... Read More
Over the last 10 years Iggy has led the transformation of Tundra into an innovative $140-million industrial equipment integrator with... Read More
Previously led MuniSight as it’s company President, transforming it into one of Alberta’s fastest growing companies, and a leader in its category.... Read More
Chris is responsible for leadership of the investment group within AIOC. The investment group’s function includes evaluating projects presented to... Read More
Evelyn is a Vice President with Ernst & Young Orenda Corporate Finance Inc. with over 10 years of public practice... Read More
Jesse Douglas is the founder, director, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wolverine Energy and Infrastructure. Wolverine has grown quickly... Read More
Erick is the CFO of Leder Holdings Ltd., an Alberta based private holding company and family office with investments in real estate, steel fabrication, hospitality, energy production, and public/private equities. His primary responsibilities include investment management, strategic capital allocation, and the oversight/governance of operating companies. Since August 2019, Erick has also served as Interim President focused on leading specific operating company initiatives & developing the leadership capabilities of our family executives as part of the succession plan.
Dalyce Seitz joined Leith Wheeler in March 2020, after eight years with Scotiabank and Scotia Private Investment Counsel. She is responsible... Read More
Kayla’s passion for entrepreneurship and its ability to create immense value and impact in the world led her to join... Read More
Trishi has over 10 years of public practice and industry taxation experience. Prior to joining Grant Thornton, Trishi spent time... Read More
Ilan Jacobson is responsible for leading FirePower Capital in all its endeavours, setting its strategic direction and providing top-level guidance... Read More
Ian Reynolds specializes in private equity, corporate finance and mergers & acquisitions with a focus on private capital markets. Ian... Read More
Ben was born and raised on a farm in Paraguay. He is an avid linguist. He grew up speaking Low... Read More
Welcome to the 1st annual Business Transitions Forum in Winnipeg. We are excited to be back to in person events and thrilled to be expanding the conference to Winnipeg! We are bringing together entrepreneurs and experts sharing their insights and stories about the process of selling, growing, and transitioning businesses. You will learn from experts and connect with peer groups who will offer valuable insights to help you with transition strategy – whether you’re just beginning to think about it or well-advanced down the path.
Ryan Vestby is the CEO of CompuVision, one of Canada’s largest IT managed service providers. Ryan started with CompuVision as... Read More
Bryan Haynes has nearly three decades of experience in commercial transactions and business law, with a focus on private mergers... Read More
Allan Sawiak joined Kingston Ross Pasnak LLP in 2000. Allan specializes in the area of taxation with a focus on... Read More
Evan Siddall joined AIMCo as Chief Executive Officer in July, 2021. Previously, Evan served as President & Chief Executive Officer... Read More
As Managing Director of Dynamic Legacy Inc, Ms. Fulford provides independent and objective advisory services for Family Offices [Single, Multi... Read More
Ryan is a graduate of the University of Guelph, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Economics. With... Read More
Jeff Aplin is President & CEO of David Aplin Group, a position he has held since 2011. Jeff earned an... Read More
Scott Bodie advises on tax issues relating to corporate reorganizations, mergers, acquisitions and dispositions, public market debt and equity transactions,... Read More
Donald Cranston has over 35 years experience as a businessman and co-owner of Nutter’s Bulk & Natural Foods Inc. In... Read More
David’s aviation career started with commercial flight training in 1983 during which time he joined Viking. David holds various Pilot... Read More
Bill Darling, a native Calgarian, has worked in the oil patch for 41 years. He has started, grown and sold... Read More
Mr. Erasmus is the president of the Werklund Family Office (WFO) and Werklund Ventures Ltd. (WVL). Prior to this role,... Read More
Ted Kouri is the Founder and President of Incite, an Edmonton-based boutique M&A advisory firm that supports clients with market... Read More
Grant J. Kook is Founder, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chair of Westcap. Mr. Kook is the co-founder and President... Read More
Justin Ferrara’s main practice is in securities law, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. Mr. Ferrara has... Read More
Jackie has worked exclusively in Mid-Market M&A for the past 20 years. Prior to joining RBC in 2016, Jackie began... Read More
Sharon Gray CPA CA CBV FEA is the Founder of RDT Valuations Group Inc., a boutique consulting firm focusing on... Read More
I’m an Engineer by background (don’t hold that against me) with the better part of a decade of international experience... Read More
Grant has over two decades of experience in investment banking and corporate finance. He has managed many divestiture and M&A... Read More
Francesca Donati is a Director in the Corporate Finance group of PricewaterhouseCoopers, based in the Edmonton office. Francesca has extensive... Read More
Josh is Vice President at Spruceland Millworks and was a shareholder when Spruceland sold to Millar Western Forest Products in... Read More
Guiding his senior management team, Ron Brown provides leadership and strategic direction for Shippers Supply ULC. Ron founded Shippers Supply in 1975... Read More
Jeff is a partner in our advisory services practice based in Toronto specializing in corporate finance and mergers & acquisitions... Read More
Mr. Vern Malcolm, CFA is a Director of Growth & Transition for BDC Capital where he is responsible for equity... Read More
Erin has over 20 years of professional event management experience, and a passion for conferences and tradeshows. Her creativity, attention... Read More
As a Vice President with Sequeira Partners’ Edmonton office, Scott brings nearly 10 years of accounting and finance experience and... Read More
Paul Anderson is a Calgary entrepreneur. He founded a number of companies included SpeedTheory (bicycle and triathlon retail stores), Ironman... Read More
Jeff joined TriWest Capital Partners at the inception of Fund II in 2003 from Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company Inc.,... Read More
Logan Day is a Partner in EY’s Transaction Advisory Services practice in Edmonton. He has over 17 years of experience... Read More
Mario Nigro is a partner in the Toronto office of Stikeman Elliott and a member of the firm’s M&A/Private Equity... Read More
Sarah Gingrich practices corporate/commercial law with a focus on corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, cross-border and private equity transactions. Acting for... Read More
Mike Steele is a seasoned business leader with expertise in strategy, finance and marketing-communications. Steele has developed global teams (Americas,... Read More
Jordan has over 12 years of client advisory experience in corporate valuations, financial opinions, fair value for IFRS and US... Read More
Dave Mason has been in the investment industry for over 30 years. His career began in 1988 as an investment... Read More
Its Darryl’s mission to help businesses fulfill their strategic vision. Through innovative junior capital solutions, and a collaborative approach, he... Read More
Matthew Wilkins is a tax lawyer in our Fasken’s Calgary office whose practice is also focused on mergers, acquisitions and... Read More
John Carvalho is the President of Stone Oak Capital Inc,. a mid-market M&A advisory firm. John has spent his entire... Read More
Craig’s practice covers a wide spectrum of indirect tax, income tax, resource tax, personal tax planning, and dispute resolution. In... Read More
Jonathan Piurko is the Co-Founder and CEO of Monarch Bridge Financial Corp. Mr. Piurko is responsible for all executive functions... Read More
Tracey McVicar is Partner at CAI Capital Partners, a mid-market private equity firm. She is a former investment banker (RBC... Read More
Jerico was born and raised in St.Paul, Alberta, a small town of 6000 residents in north-east Alberta. He is the... Read More
Amanda is Senior Director, Business Advisory, ATB Value Accelerator with ATB Financial. Amanda is focused on providing tailored advice to... Read More
Greg is a Business Law and M&A Partner at McMillan LLP. His practice focuses on complex transactions including international and... Read More
As team leader, Alf always has his focus on you. It’s your merger, your acquisition and your divestiture—it deserves his... Read More
Chris Wolfenberg practises business law, focusing on public and private corporate and securities transactions in energy, mining and technology. He... Read More
Wild Rose Holdings is the parent company of two operating entities: Uncommon Wine Rooms a company that specializes in the... Read More
Christoffer Mylde is Senior Vice President, Corporate Development at Sproule, a leading global independent energy consulting firm. Chris has over... Read More
Carmen is a Senior Wealth Advisor with BDO Wealth Advisory Services Group servicing clients in Alberta. She has over 17... Read More
Andrew Ramsay is a Senior Vice President and Co-Head of Transaction Risk Solutions at Gallagher, a global insurance and risk management consulting firm. Andrew has 12 years insurance experience with a focus on Private Equity, Asset Managers, Upstream/Midstream Oil and Gas, and Infrastructure. Andrew has worked extensively with both buyers and sellers to utilize Transaction Liability, including Representations and Warranties, Tax, and Environmental to help facilitate deals. Andrew also sits on the Board for Make-A-Wish.
Eric started his career as one of the first employees at the Edmonton-based social networking startup, Nexopia.com (which Facebook later... Read More
When Lorna Johnston leads, transformation follows. For her, business is never just about business – there is always a human... Read More
Katherine Prusinkiewicz is the knowledge lawyer for the Calgary office, working to leverage the practice’s collective wisdom to ensure efficiency... Read More
Heather is a member of Dentons Canada LLP’s Technology and Corporate Commercial Groups. Heather has experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating... Read More
Douglas is an Partner in Deloitte’s Corporate Finance Advisory group. He specializes in the delivery of strategic advice to clients... Read More
With 30 years’ experience in the financial industry, George provides mid-market businesses in Alberta and Saskatchewan with tailored subordinated debt,... Read More
Vince’s focus is on creating value and providing guidance to business owners looking to sell, raise capital, acquire or merge. His... Read More
Bernie Moore was the President and CEO of Edmonton-based CCI Thermal Technologies Inc. when it was sold to Thermon, Inc.... Read More
Richard is a serial entrepreneur having started and successfully exited from a number of companies in the technology and environment... Read More
Kim G C Moody FCA, TEP, Director, Canadian Tax Advisory is aChartered Accountant, Registered Trust and Estate Practitioner anda tax... Read More
Dan Duffy started Trans Tech Contracting Inc. with three partners and one heavy haul trailer back in 1996. With the... Read More
Mark has been a leader in the conference and tradeshow business for over 25 years with a proven track record for success. As a... Read More
Perry Feldman practices corporate/commercial law in Calgary with a focus on M&A, corporate finance and securities regulation. Bringing a wide... Read More
Jeff Polovick is the Founder of TDF Group Inc., which operates DRIVING FORCE, one of Canada’s largest independent vehicle rentals,... Read More
I am the managing director of Transactions for Northern Alberta with over 10 years’ experience in corporate finance and financial... Read More
Jeremy has been a partner with Felesky Flynn LLP since 2012 and is currently managing partner for Edmonton and Saskatoon.... Read More
At ATB, Todd spends the bulk of his time sharing the story of Alberta’s economy in clear-eyed and energetic talks... Read More
Mr. Howie is President and CEO of Coast Appliances Inc., a leading independent supplier of major household appliances with operations... Read More
Glenn Huber is Founder and Managing Partner of Chrysalis Acquisition Partners Inc. and President of Chrysalis Capital Advisors Inc. Since... Read More
In the last 20 years of Harry’s 37 year working career as well as running operations, he has been involved... Read More
Doug Kinsella, a Canadian national, began his career with Baker Hughes in 1995 after graduating with a technical degree of... Read More
Tim practices in all areas of taxation law with an emphasis on estate/succession planning, corporate and personal tax planning and... Read More
Greg Abtosway is Vice President of Corporate Development at Tundra Process Solutions Ltd. Prior to joining Tundra, Greg was COO at... Read More
Harold Kunik is the President, Director and co-founder of Calgary-based Mosaic Capital Corporation, a publicly traded private equity investment business.... Read More
James Robertson is Director, Growth & Transition Capital in our Edmonton office. James joined BDC in 2014, bringing with him 17 years... Read More
With over 20 years of experience, Leanne has played a crucial role in the development of F12 including the launch... Read More
Ryan has over 10 years’ experience in financial services, real estate development and acquisitions. As First West Capital’s Regional Director,... Read More
Roberta is the 2nd generation of family running the Filter Shop and took over the reins of President from her... Read More
Ian Meier, CPA, CA, is a Partner in MNP’s Edmonton office. Working closely with his clients, Ian delivers a full... Read More
Randy has worked in the financial and estate planning industry for over three decades. As founder and president of Capital... Read More
Larry Benke is currently a Director for WorleyParsons Limited, The Calgary Airport Authority and CEDA International. Prior to his retirement in... Read More
Stuart has close to 25 years of financial advisory and investment experience, led the Calgary Corporate Finance group for an... Read More
As a designated Family Enterprise Advisor, Cindy helps individuals, family enterprises, business owners and family offices navigate the complexities and... Read More
Charles co-founded Kluane Partners in 2014. Prior to starting Kluane Partners, Mr. Bougie served as Senior Principal at Alberta Teachers... Read More
Gordon Cameron is a Partner in McCarthy Tétrault’s Business Law Group in Calgary. His practice focuses on corporate finance and... Read More
As Vice President, Business Advisory & Succession Planning, Todd Coleman advises high net worth private business owners in transition with... Read More
Mr. Donald Chapman is President and CEO of Kent Imaging Inc., a privately held medical device company headquartered in Calgary,... Read More
Claude started out in the HVAC business in his teenage years, working with his father at Furnaceman in the Sheet... Read More
Jean-Philippe, LLM, LLB/LLL is a corporate and tax law partner with PwC Law LLP. He regularly provides corporate and tax... Read More
Originally from Edmonton, Miles earned a BA majoring in Psychology at the University of Alberta. After graduating, he started with... Read More
Mike Reynolds, CFA, is a Managing Director of MNP Corporate Finance Inc., in MNP’s Calgary office where he advises on... Read More
Sanjaya is a member of EY Law LLP. Sanjaya’s practice covers a wide range of taxation matters, including domestic and... Read More
Douglas Gray is the Founder and President of Graycon I.T. He is a recognized leader in the IT industry and... Read More
Brian Gronberg is the CEO of CanaDream, a Canadian company that was recently acquired for over $35 million. From the... Read More
Prior to joining SCF, Chad was the Founder and Managing Director of Resource Merchant Capital, a boutique merchant bank focused... Read More
Jamie is a Partner in Deloitte’s M&A Advisory group who leads the M&A transaction services practice in Alberta. Jamie has... Read More
With more than 30 years of hands-on experience in the glazing industry, Cathie Saroka has extensive experience in products, operations... Read More
Edmonton has been home for Erin Rayner nearly all her life; completing all her schooling here including earning a Comprehensive... Read More
Andrew is the Director & District Manager for Roynat Capital in Southern Alberta and has more than 25 years’ experience... Read More
“If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at the family business, now is the time” was the phone call... Read More
Andrew has a history of improving financial results through optimizing the collaboration of teams and developing more effective senior leaders;... Read More
Aroon Sequeira is the founder and Chairman of Sequeira Partners, one of Western Canada’s leading M&A and Valuation Advisory firms... Read More
Being part of a family business that spans four generations, Kathy offers a wealth of personal insights on the importance of transitional roles for each generation. Her first-hand experience with evolving responsibilities... Read More
Devin leads the Transactions practice for Grant Thornton in Alberta and is also the Western Region Transactions Leader for the... Read More
Robert is the National Leader of Corporate Finance, the Global Co-Leader of Debt & Capital Advisory and is also on... Read More
Teresa Melton started out her career as a Registered Dietitian, working in Health Care for 10 years, before making the... Read More
Matt is the Chief Canadian Equity and Structured Note Strategist for RBC Capital Markets. Prior to this, Matt ran the... Read More
Toews graduated from Beaverlodge Regional in 1985 before completing his Business Degree at Red Deer College (RDC) in 1990. Beyond... Read More
Talbot is the President and CEO of IBV Capital. IBV Capital is a boutique investment management firm with a long... Read More
Chris is a graduate of the University of Lethbridge with a B.A. in Kinesiology and Marketing. Mr. Buckman was most... Read More
Justin is the co-founder and CEO of Dynacorp Fabricators Inc. Justin started his career in the oil and gas industry... Read More
Terry Stephenson founded and became President and CEO of Vertex, a leading North American provider of environmental services, in 2005.... Read More
As a Business Owner Specialist, High Net Worth Planning Services, Coady, together with the relevant primary RBC advisor, helps business owner... Read More
Troy has nearly 20 years of experience in the private equity business, spending much of that time as Vice President... Read More
Lori Ell is a CPA by training and has over 25 years of broad-based executive experience working with multi-billion dollar,... Read More
As owner and founder of GRB Engineering, Rick grew GRB to over 80 professional staff, successfully executing capital projects in... Read More
Robert Hagerman is a partner in Gowling WLG’s Calgary office, practising in the areas of estates, trusts and tax law... Read More
Alex leads the Transaction Services team in Calgary. Alex has specialized in transaction services-related work for over 15 years, assisting... Read More
Warren is RayQuest Holdings’ president and CEO. His involvement is to lead strategic planning and marketing efforts, as well as... Read More
Joined Peters & Co. Limited in January 2009. Jeff is a Principal & Director* in the Corporate Finance group, and... Read More
Jeff is a Director and Senior Investment Counsellor with Grayhawk Investment Strategies, an outsourced Chief Investment Officer service. He has... Read More
Janie splits her practice between Calgary and Vancouver, and leads McMillan LLP’s Financial Services Group in Calgary. Janie acts for... Read More
Alberta Enterprise (AEC) promotes the development of Alberta’s venture capital industry by investing in VC funds that finance technology companies.... Read More
Greg has over 15 years of experience in commodity trading and private equity. As a director, was responsible for corporate... Read More
Brent McLean, founder of McLean & Partners, created a vision to build Canada’s most respected wealth management company. This vision... Read More
David has been leading investors and clients through mergers & acquisitions, debt & equity financings and general financial advisory for... Read More
Chad Niehaus is a born and raised Calgarian. Having attended Mount Royal and SAIT he has worked in the oil... Read More
Alex Webb is the CEO of F12.net, a Canadian business technology provider he founded in Edmonton in 1996. Through product innovation and numerous acquisitions, Alex pushed F12 to become the predominant provider of unique offerings such as managed hardware-as-a-service, geo-redundant Canadian private cloud, and subscription-based IT.
While still in grad school, Basil co-founded Nexus Engineering. Nexus grew to seven companies with over 300 employees with operations... Read More
Dave has been fortunate to live an entrepreneur’s dream. He has worked in a multinational corporation as a Partner &... Read More
Tony Smith, CA, is a Partner in MNP’s Calgary office. A member of the firm’s Assurance Services team, Tony also... Read More
Craig Story is a partner in Stikeman Elliott’s Calgary office and is a member of the firm’s Partnership Board. Mr.... Read More
As the head of Tax Advisory Services at Scotiabank, Kevin Tran oversees Tax Advisory Services on a national basis, serving... Read More
John Warrillow has been helping companies understand and market to the SME segment for more than two decades. He has... Read More
Anthony Strawson is ranked one of the best tax lawyers in Canada by bestlawyers.com and is a partner of Felesky... Read More
Trevor is a partner in BDO’s west region, with over 22 years of professional experience providing taxation and business advisory... Read More
Gordon Wusyk, B.Ed., TEP, is the Founder and CEO of Predictable Futures Inc. – The Business Family Centre and the... Read More
Mark is a Vice President with KPMG Corporate Finance Inc. in Calgary, specializing in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and financing transactions.... Read More
Invite Only
How does the current mergers and acquisitions environment in Alberta recalibrate when the Energy sector continues to look for upward momentum? How does the current cycle impact business owners that are thinking of transitioning in the coming years? How will financial markets, interest rates and/or the Canadian dollar impact potential transition outcomes and your ability to sell some or all of your business in the short term or long term? How does today’s market environment affect details like terms and multiples?
What trends are set to impact the biggest transaction of your life?
Whether the sale of your business is on the horizon or many years away, most experts agree that it can take years to optimally structure a company to increase the probability of a successful sale, especially in today’s tougher market. Whether you’re approaching retirement or still in the game, currently thinking about selling or not, who’s to know if and when a knock may come at your door? What exactly should you be doing now in order to get your business ready?
This presentation will provide a high-level overview of the process of selling a business and the things that can help enhance value so that you can start preparing, mitigate risk, improve upside and ultimately secure the reward you deserve when the time is right.
Recurring revenue is the holy grail for an acquirer and the secret sauce for driving up the value of your business. If you can demonstrate that your sales will continue long after you’re gone, an acquirer will pay more to buy your business today.
In this ground-breaking session, John Warrillow, the Author of The Automatic Customer and Founder of The Value Builder System™ will reveal:
If you’re keen to maximize the value for your business, don’t miss this unique opportunity to see how you can create automatic customers no matter what industry you’re in.
You’re contemplating ways to turn years of hard work into cash, but what are your options? Should you look to your senior management team as potential investors, assuming they are interested and able to invest in your business? Should you look outside your firm for strategic buyers? Could private equity, traditional and non-traditional lenders or other entities provide liquidity opportunities? In this session a panel of experts will help you learn what distinguishes different classes of buyers, depending on your size of business, and what other options are available to you to generate capital. A variety of scenarios will be specifically addressed, including the pros and cons of options to “go liquid.”
If you have been a beneficiary, trustee or creator of a family trust – or have been thinking about putting a family trust in place – you likely have found your experiences and discussions about family trusts to create more confusion than clarity. Family trusts often hold a significant amount of a family’s wealth – especially if the trust owns (or owned) shares of a family business. Yet the beneficiaries may be (or may be perceived to be) ill prepared to receive vast amounts of wealth. This situation, as explored through real life examples, can have unintended outcomes. In this session, the speaker will provide an introduction to family trusts in the context of family businesses and share examples where things can go sideways. Against this background, thought leadership in trust governance will be explored to illustrate how trusts can prepare the rising generation to further your family’s financial, social and personal goals in the context of a family business.
This session runs at the same time as Session A2.
While the idea of providing unfettered access to confidential information pertaining to your business may sound scary, it is standard operating procedure when it comes to transitioning your business to an outsider. While you will only go through this process with a buyer who is qualified, committed and has agreed in writing to keep the information confidential, many deals collapse at the due diligence stage. The buyer will be on the lookout for red flags or trouble spots or try and grind value. This is your opportunity to learn about the major deal-breakers so that you can prepare for them, protect your price and maintain momentum during this crucial phase.
This session runs at the same time as Session A1.
Join Conference Chairman Cody Church in a “fireside” chat with Jeff Polovick, as they discuss the unique sale of DRIVING FORCE, one of Canada’s largest independent vehicle rentals, sales and leasing companies, which Jeff founded in 1978.
When you sell or transition your business you may face a significant tax bill. Your tax obligations could be complicated by many factors such as: tax obligations in more than one jurisdiction; the desire to use certain exemptions or rollovers; a plan to gift shares; a sale of assets versus shares; the tax attributes of your company; owning passive investment assets in your corporation; cross-border activity; and much more! Fortunately, there are a number of opportunities to reduce or even eliminate tax, with the right preparation and enough time to implement. The moral of the story? Establish your structure and get your “tax ducks in a row” well in advance of a potential sale or transfer of your business and reap the benefits. The presenters will discuss real-world examples of proper versus improper planning related to the transition of your business so you can avoid pitfalls.
This session runs at the same time as Session B2.
You’ve spent all your time and energy on building and selling your business and now it’s time for the hard part. That is, ensuring your family, legacy and financial success remains intact and continues to prosper. Our assembled panel has worked with business owners and family offices around the globe and will share positive experiences, some common challenges, your endless options, and immediately actionable best practices one must undertake before and after selling their life’s work.
This session runs at the same time as Session B1.
It’s often possible to sell your business for much more if you do everything right. Unlike selling shares on the stock exchange, or a home in the residential real estate market, the market for selling your business is described as “inefficient” by economists. In an inefficient market, the price you receive can be significantly affected by the selling process. Plan and execute the process well and you could increase the price of your company by as much as 50%.
You’ll learn why:
The successful sale of a business involves many moving parts, making it the largest and possibly most complicated transaction of your life. You can’t do this alone, you will need a team of professionals to help you successfully sell your company. The right team will get you the best price, terms and most importantly, ensure that the transaction closes. Different sizes and types of organizations will require different specialized advisors.
After attending this session, you will understand what the ideal exit team looks like for your business, and how to select the best advisors. You’ll also learn what your exit team will cost and how they’ll be paid.
How does the current economic trend in Alberta impact the biggest transaction of your life? How will financial markets, interest rates and/or the Canadian dollar impact deal terms and multiples? This macro view of the economy and the M&A environment in Alberta will put things into perspective so that you can plan for a successful transition.
The process of selling or transitioning a business is complicated and uncertain. This session provides a bird’s-eye view of the transition process so that you can build your own roadmap when the time is right to exit your business. You will learn where to start, and what areas of the process provide the most opportunity and risk so you can successfully exit your business with confidence.
Do you really know what your business is worth? Many business owners are disappointed when they don’t receive the valuations they expect. As a business owner, it’s imperative to focus on the specific areas of your business that drive value, even if you have no immediate intention of selling. This session will outline key value drivers that require immediate attention in order to maximize the saleability and value of your business.
It took years to build your business and now you are ready to turn your hard work into cash, but what are your options? Should you look to your senior management team as potential investors? Should you look outside your firm for strategic buyers? What is the best option for you and your business? In this session, a panel of experts will discuss a variety of liquidity options and what distinguishes different classes of buyers based on your type and size of business. This session will help attendees prioritize which of the following breakouts to attend (A1, A2, A3).
There are many reasons to look outside the ranks of your firm or family to find a potential suitor for your business. Depending on the size and type of business you operate and your own personal circumstances – marketing your company to strategic, financial or other buyers, including private equity, might be your most lucrative exit strategy.
That said, the values discussed in any potential offer for your business will vary significantly depending on the type of potential third party buyers approached; and even moreso, by how potential buyers are approached.
The panel will elaborate on best practices that will help you optimize and strategize a 3rd party transition – with the goal of ultimately finding and securing a buyer at a fair price. Through an interactive discussion you’ll learn:
While a transition within the senior ranks of your business or to a business partner may be the best option, there are risks and potential missteps to avoid. The panel will identify opportunities that could impact your successful MBO, as well as diverse ways to finance the transaction. They will cover:
Transitioning a business can be a complicated process – especially when family is involved. The Melton Family’s diverse business interests span 4 generations of family history. In this session, you will hear first-hand experiences related to the growth and evolution of this family enterprise. The family members will share their unique perspectives on how to successfully plan for family business transition.
Join conference chairman Harold Kunik in a “fireside” chat with Claude Cloutier, President, Ambassador Mechanical
When you sell or transition your business you may face a significant tax bill. If you’re not careful, you could find yourself with less than half of the sale price in your pocket. Fortunately, with the right preparation and enough time to implement, there are a number of opportunities to limit or even eliminate tax. However, you need to consider more than just the tax bill when planning a restructure. We will look at how to structure your company well in advance of a potential sale or recapitalization, including real life examples. This session will also review in detail the new proposed tax regulations that will impact all private businesses.
Leaders say, ‘people are our most important asset’ but lack a cohesive understanding of human behavior. You can’t influence what you don’t understand; so to truly leverage the human side of business, it behooves you to develop some expertise. This session will offer a simple concept to address a complex topic – people, culture and the bottom line.
Business owners and advisors will have an advantage if they have knowledge of human behavior and the skills to put that knowledge to work. You’ll learn in this session something that will be useful for the rest of your life – and certainly, it will impact the successful transition of your business.
The sale process of a business involves many complicated moving parts. To successfully sell or transition your company, you need the right team of professionals to get the best price, terms and peace of mind.
After attending this session, you will understand the benefits of having an exit team, how to select the best advisors for your business, what your exit team will cost and how they’ll be paid. Post-transition plans will also be addressed.
Hear from a panel of business owners who have gone through a transition with their businesses and now have the opportunity to reflect on the process in the rear view mirror. What would they change if they were to do it all again, if anything? Would they negotiate differently? Would they identify different strategic consultants or would they second guess their decision to sell? Panelists will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing their own war stories and tales from the trenches.
Many deals collapse at the structuring or due diligence stage. Buyers and Sellers often have differing needs and objectives. And while the idea of providing unfettered access to your confidential business information may sound scary, it is standard operating procedure once a letter of intent is signed. This panel discussion will highlight key areas of tension and risk for sellers. You’ll learn ways to maintain control of the sale process without impeding success.
You will hear first-hand stories that outline what owners and advisors have experienced during the transition journey. Buyers and their advisors will be on the lookout for red flags and trouble spots. This is your opportunity to learn about common “deal breakers” so that you and your advisors can prepare for them to ensure you maintain deal momentum during your transaction.
*The conference has been approved for the following continuing education credits:
– Alberta lawyers may consider including this course as a CPD learning activity in your mandatory annual Continuing Professional Development Plan as required by the Law Society of Alberta.
– FEA designates may earn 7 hours of CE for the entire conference.
– CPAs may include this content as verifiable CPD credits.
Introduction by Matthew Kellow, Vice President, Growth and Transition Capital, BDC Capital
The decisions you make today will ultimately impact your business in the future. What are the current economic conditions and market trends that business owners need to consider when thinking about transition? How will the current political climate impact the economy? How will interest rates and/or the Canadian dollar impact Canadian businesses? This macro view of the economy and the M&A environment will put things into perspective so that you can plan for the biggest transaction of your life.
Performance, leadership and culture are key factors to consider in order to increase the valuation of your business. Understanding how strength in these areas drive value is critical. This session will outline a number of factors that require attention in order to maximize growth, professionalization and saleability, even if you have no plans to sell.
There are different types of buyers: strategic, private equity, management and family among them. Understanding your potential buyer universe will help clarify your objectives for selling and what you want success to look like. In learning about the different classes of buyers and capitalization options, you will quickly see that it isn’t a one size fits all game. It’s about the best fit for your type and size of business. In this session you will hear from different buyers and what influences their purchasing decisions. This session will help attendees prioritize which of the following breakouts to attend (A1, A2, A3).
There are many reasons involved in looking outside the ranks of your firm or family to find a potential suitor for your business. Depending on the size and type of business that you operate and your own personal circumstances, positioning your company to strategic, financial or other types of buyers including private equity, might be your most lucrative exit strategy. This session will dive into the mechanisms of selling your business to a third party for the best price and terms.
Through an interactive discussion you’ll learn:
When considering a Management Buyout (MBO), how do you equip your management team to become a potential purchaser for the business? How is your leadership team positioned to perform? Have you effectively replaced yourself with the right skill sets and integrated your best people into the company’s operations, so they are prepared to become owners? Is the team aware of the risks and opportunities involved?
This session will cover:
If intergenerational transition is right for your business how are you professionalizing a family owned and operated firm? How are you supporting this shift in leadership? How are you putting governance in place? Perhaps one of the most complicated change-over options emotionally, as it often involves tough conversations. Building capacity in the next generation needs to begin early on, and you may also need to consider outside, non-family executives.
In this session presenters will share their unique tools and perspectives so that you can successfully plan for your own family business transition.
Tyler and Jeff have been through many business transitions over their careers, as buyers, sellers, owners and management. Each transition presents its own challenges, particularly in managing human emotions, vendor’s remorse and balancing the needs of different ownership groups. In this session, we will hear from two seasoned veterans in some of the strategies they have used in, and lessons learned from, past business transitions including the recent investment by TriWest in Lithion.
When you sell or transition your business you may face a significant tax bill. If you’re not careful, you could find yourself with less than half of the purchase price in your pocket. Fortunately, with the right preparation and enough time to implement, there are a number of opportunities to limit or even eliminate tax.
This session will look at real-world examples:
The successful sale of a business involves many moving parts, making it the largest and possibly most complicated transaction of your life. You can’t do this alone, you will need a team of professionals to help you successfully sell your company. The right team will get you the best price, terms and most importantly, ensure that the transaction closes.
After attending this session, you will understand what the ideal exit team looks like and how to select the best advisors for your business. You’ll also learn what your exit team will cost and how they’ll be paid.
Long-term thinking about your business is an enormous endeavor, the process of a sale can throw that thinking into chaos. One of the most important elements that gets lost is what happens after the deal is signed. Having a post-closing plan to ensure that team, customers, vendors and operational systems are integrated into the new regime is essential so as not to disrupt the company’s performance and integrity.
Through an interactive discussion you’ll gain:
Join Lynne Fisher, Senior Manager, MNP as she sits down with an entrepreneur that has experienced the ups, downs and complexities of a business transition.
Hear from a panel of business owners and experts who have gone through transition with their businesses and now have the opportunity to reflect on the process in the rear view mirror. The panel will share insights on what they wish they had known at the beginning of their transition journey and key learnings they have taken into their next endeavours. What would they change if they were to do it all again, if anything? Panelists will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing their own war stories and tales from the trenches.
A not-to-be-missed educational workshop for business owners who are serious about maximizing the proceeds of an eventual sale.
In this two-part, half-day workshop we’ll take a deep dive into operational and financial engineering that can take years to execute – guaranteed to increase the value of your business and improve the probability of finding buyers when the time is right. We’ll show you which areas of your business buyers value most (and why), and explain how to manage personal and corporate risk.
How could the current economic and political cycle in Alberta impact the biggest transaction of your life? How will financial markets, interest rates and/or the Canadian dollar impact deal terms and multiples? This macro view of the economy and the M&A environment in Alberta will put things into perspective so that you can plan for a successful transition.
Introduction by Matthew Kellow, Managing Director, Growth & Transition Capital, Prairies, BDC
The process of selling or transitioning a business is complicated and uncertain. This session provides a bird’s-eye view of the transition process so that you know exactly what you should be doing in order to get your business ready for sale. The speaker will guide you through a roadmap of where to start, what areas of the process provide the most opportunity and how to mitigate risk so you can ultimately maximize the reward and successfully exit your business with confidence
You’re contemplating ways to turn years of hard work into cash, but what are your options? Should you look to your senior management team as potential investors, assuming they are interested and able to invest in your business? Should you look outside your firm for strategic buyers? Could Private Equity, Family Offices or other entities provide liquidity opportunities? In this session a panel of experts will help you learn what distinguishes different classes of buyers, depending on your size of business, and what other options you have to generate capital. The panel will discuss various liquidity options including:
For many business owners, a management buyout is the best transition option available. While a transition within the senior ranks of your business may be the best option, there are risks and potential missteps to avoid. The panel will identify opportunities that could impact your successful MBO, as well as diverse ways to finance the transaction. They will cover:
There are many reasons to look outside the ranks of your firm or family to find a potential suitor for your business. Depending on the size and type of business you operate and your own personal circumstances – marketing your company to strategic, financial or other buyers, including private equity, might be your most lucrative exit strategy.
That said, the values discussed in any potential offer for your business will vary significantly depending on the type of potential third party buyers approached; and even moreso, by how potential buyers are approached.
The panel will elaborate on best practices that will help you optimize and strategize a 3rd party transition – with the goal of ultimately finding and securing a buyer at a fair price. Through an interactive discussion you’ll learn:
Transitioning a business can be a complicated process – especially when family is involved. What impact will the transaction have on your family, your emotions and on your lifestyle? The discussion will help bring order to chaos by providing tools and perspectives so you can successfully navigate your family business transition. Examples of real life situations will be highlighted in this case study to illustrate what other business owners and their families have done to effectively prepare for the biggest transaction of their lives.
Join Conference Chairman Aroon Sequeira in a “fireside” chat with Dan Duffy, former President of Trans Tech Contracting and Vice President of NCSG Crane and Heavy Haul TRAN Tech Inc. Dan Duffy started Trans Tech Contracting Inc. with three partners and one heavy haul trailer back in 1996. With the help of Aroon Sequeira at Sequeria Partners Inc., Dan sold the company to North West Capital in January 2009, and subsequently reselling to Tri-West Capital several years later. Today, Dan is the Vice President of NCSG Crane and Heavy Haul TRAN Tech Inc.
When you sell or transition your business you may face a significant tax bill. If you’re not careful, you could find yourself with less than half of the saleprice in your pocket. Fortunately, with the right preparation and enough time to implement, there are a number of opportunities to limit or even eliminate tax. We will look at how to structure your company well in advance of a potential sale or recapitalizations This session will also review in detail new tax changes that will impact all private businesses.
When is the right time to start thinking about your post transition plan and what does it look like? What impact will the transaction have on your family, your emotions and on your lifestyle? Hear a panel of experts review a case study of a real transaction and discuss the internal and external steps required. This discussion will include how to handle the transition from wealth creator to wealth manager, and the role of the family trust advisory.
Hear from a panel of business owners who have gone through a transition with their businesses and now have the opportunity to reflect on the process in the rear-view mirror. What would they change if they were to do it all again, if anything? Would they negotiate differently, would they identify different strategic consultants or would they second guess their decision to sell? Panelists will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing their own tales from the trenches.
The sale or transition of a business involves many moving parts. Whether you’re conducting a management buyout or running a process to find a third-party buyer, you’ll inevitably require support from tax and legal experts as well as investment bankers and other M&A professionals to close the deal successfully.
After attending this session, you will understand the benefits of having an exit team, what skill sets to look for and how to select the best advisors for your business transition. This session will also examine advisor fees and compensation.
The LOI is signed. Great – but challenges lie ahead that must be carefully navigated to avoid collapse or changes to the negotiated deal, after-all, buyers and sellers often have differing needs and objectives. While the idea of providing unfettered access to your confidential business information may sound scary, it is standard operating procedure once a letter of intent is signed. This panel discussion will highlight key areas of tension and risk for sellers. You’ll learn ways to maintain control of the sale process without impeding success.
This is your opportunity to learn about common “deal breakers” so that you and your advisors can prepare.
Common challenges that will be discussed include:
A not-to-be-missed educational workshop for business owners who are serious about maximizing the proceeds of an eventual sale.
In this two-part, half-day workshop we’ll take a deep dive into operational and financial engineering that can take years to execute – guaranteed to increase the value of your business and improve the probability of finding buyers when the time is right. We’ll show you which areas of your business buyers value most (and why), and explain how to manage personal and corporate risk.
*The conference has been approved for the following continuing education credits:
Introduction by Kristi Miller, Founder and National Managing Director, First West Capital
The decisions you make today will ultimately impact your business in the future. What are the current economic conditions and market trends that business owners need to consider when thinking about your business? How might these trends impact your business? This session will provide insights into both a macro view of the economy, as well as provide insights on regional and industry sector differences. You will also get an understanding of the current M&A environment and factors which might impact it in the future.
Whether the sale of your business is on the horizon or many years away, most experts agree that it can take years to optimally structure a company to increase the probability of a successful sale. Who’s to know if and when there may come a knock on your door? What exactly should you be doing now in order to get your business ready?
This session will provide you with an understanding of the extensiveness of the process and how much advanced planning is required so that you can build your own roadmap with exactly what you need for a successful transition.
What do buyers look for when assessing a potential acquisition? Growth prospects, financial health, management team and strategic fit are just a few of the considerations.
In this panel strategic buyers and private equity purchasers will discuss the metrics that matter most to them, lessons they have learned along the way and what to consider if you are just looking for liquidity options (ie, you just want to take some cash off the table).
Negotiating the sale of your business can vary significantly, not only between bidders but also with any particular potential buyer. The process selected and terms dictated by the seller in a transaction will impact the “price” paid. It is fundamental to understand how the selling process will impact what you receive for your company.
The panel will discuss and elaborate on best practices, industry myths and misconceptions, and alternatives for consideration in designing a process to structure your transaction for a fair price. Through an interactive discussion you’ll learn:
In order to attract a wide range of financial and/or strategic buyers, you must identify the areas of risk within your business well in advance. Potential buyers and their advisors will be on the lookout for red flags and trouble spots once an offer is on the table; this is your chance to learn about “deal breakers” that work within your business so that you and your advisors can prepare. Common challenges that will be discussed include:
Family businesses are unique in that transitioning them to the next generation is a complex, often deeply emotional, endeavour. How do you prepare for a generational business that is resilient, while keeping the legacy you have built intact. Building capacity in the next generation needs to begin early on, and you may also need to consider outside, non-family executives.
In this session presenters will share their unique tools and perspectives so that you can successfully plan for your own family business transition.
Bring your burning transition questions to our group of experts. This is your opportunity to meet and obtain advice from Canada’s leading and most reputable experts on the subject of transition-strategy.
In this Fireside Chat, you will hear the stories from a business owner who has gone through a transition of their business and now has the opportunity to reflect on the deal. How has the transition affected their personal and professional life? What would they change if they were to do it all again? Would they negotiate differently, work with different strategic advisors or would they second guess their decision to exit?
A management buyout can be an excellent succession strategy and an opportunity for senior managers to become owners. When considering a Management Buyout (MBO), how do you equip your management team to become a credible bidder for the business? How is your leadership team positioned to perform? Have you effectively replaced yourself with the right skill sets and integrated your best people into the company’s operations, so they are prepared to become owners? Is the team aware of the risks and opportunities involved?
This session will cover:
When you sell or transition your business you may face a significant tax bill. If you’re not careful, you could find yourself with less than half of the purchase price in your pocket. Fortunately, with the right preparation and enough time to implement, there are a number of opportunities to limit or even eliminate tax.
This session will look at real-world examples:
Putting an emphasis on systematically growing your business could be your trojan horse to attracting the right type of buyer for your business. Increasing revenues, market share or scaling operations will help make your business that much more attractive to potential acquirers.
This session will explore the necessary steps to maximizing business value before you engage the sales process including strategies, tactics, and metrics you can put to work right away that will have both immediate impact as well as set your company up for greater future success.
Do you really know what your business is worth? Most business owners don’t get nearly what they should because they weren’t prepared, and this can gravely affect the value of your company. As a business owner, it’s imperative to focus on the specific areas of your business that drive value, even if you have no immediate intention of selling. Furthermore, a successful sale for your shareholders can be very different from what you, the business owner, defines as a success. From the get-go you should understand the levers you need to “push or pull” in order to optimize the results you are looking for.
This session will explore key value drivers that require immediate attention in order to maximize the saleability of your business.
Hear from a panel of business owners who have gone through transition with their business and now have the opportunity to reflect on the process in the rear view mirror. This panel will share insights on what they wish they had known at the beginning of their transition journey and their key learnings for their next endeavours. What would they change, if anything, if they were to do it all again? These business owners will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing their own war stories and tales from the trenches.
A not-to-be-missed educational workshop for business owners who are serious about maximizing the proceeds of an eventual sale.
In this two-part, half-day workshop we’ll take a deep dive into operational and financial engineering that can take years to execute – guaranteed to increase the value of your business and improve the probability of finding buyers when the time is right. We’ll show you which areas of your business buyers value most (and why), and explain how to manage personal and corporate risk.
*The conference has been approved for the following continuing education credits:
– Alberta lawyers may consider including this course as a CPD learning activity in your mandatory annual Continuing Professional Development Plan as required by the Law Society of Alberta.
– FEA designates may earn 7 hours of CE for the entire conference.
– CPAs may include this content as verifiable CPD credits.
Introduction by Tabreez Lila, Director of Growth and Transition Capital at BDC Capital
The decisions you make today will ultimately impact your business in the future. What are the current economic conditions and market trends that business owners need to consider when thinking about transition? How will interest rates and/or the Canadian dollar impact deal terms and multiples? This macro view of the economy and the M&A environment will put things into perspective so that you can plan for the biggest transaction of your life.
Performance, leadership and culture are the building blocks of all successful businesses. Understanding how strength in these areas drive the value and potential salability of your business value is critical. As a business owner you need to focus on “growth” in all three areas to ensure you have the right team in place, even if you have no plans to sell.
There are different types of buyers: strategic, private equity, management and family among them. Understanding your potential buyer universe will help clarify your objectives for selling and what you want success to look like. In learning about the different classes of buyers and capitalization options, you will quickly see that it isn’t a one size fits all game. It’s about the best fit for your type and size of business. In this session you will hear from different buyers and what influences their purchasing decisions. This session will help attendees prioritize which of the following breakouts to attend (A1, A2, A3)
There are many reasons involved in looking outside the ranks of your firm or family to find a potential suitor for your business. Depending on the size and type of business that you operate and your own personal circumstances, positioning your company to strategic, financial or other types of buyers including private equity, might be your most lucrative exit strategy. This session will dive into the mechanisms of selling your business to a third party for the best price and terms.
Through an interactive discussion you’ll learn:
When considering a Management Buyout (MBO), how do you equip your management team to become a credible bidder for the business? How is your leadership team positioned to perform? Have you effectively replaced yourself with the right skill sets and integrated your best people into the company’s operations, so they are prepared to become owners? Is the team aware of the risks and opportunities involved?
This session will cover:
If intergenerational transition is right for your business how are you professionalizing a family owned and operated firm? How are you supporting this shift in leadership? How do you put the right governance in place? Professionalizing your family business is perhaps one of the most complicated change-over options emotionally. Building capacity in the next generation needs to begin early on, and you may also need to consider outside, non-family executives.
In this session, presenters will share their unique tools and perspectives so that you can successfully plan for your own family business transition.
In this fireside chat, you will hear from business owner, Joe Murphy, President of Fireball Equipment, about the critical moments surrounding his company’s succession plan – in the transition of leadership and transition of ownership.
In order to attract a wide range of financial and/or strategic buyers, you must identify the areas of risk within your business well in advance. Potential buyers and their advisors will be on the lookout for red flags and trouble spots once an offer is on the table; this is your chance to learn about “deal breakers” that work within your business so that you and your advisors can prepare. Common challenges that will be discussed include:
The successful sale of a business involves many moving parts, making it the largest and possibly most complicated transaction of your life. You can’t do this alone, you will need a team of professionals to help you successfully sell your company. The right team will get you the best price, terms and most importantly, ensure that the transaction closes.
After attending this session, you will understand what the ideal exit team looks like and how to select the best advisors for your business. You’ll also learn what your exit team will cost and how they’ll be paid.
Long-term thinking about your business is an enormous endeavor and the process of a sale can throw that thinking into chaos. One of the most important elements that gets lost is what happens after the deal is signed. Having a post-transition plan to help manage the impact this monumental change will have on your family, your emotions and your lifestyle is vital.
This session will provide helpful insights into what internal and external steps you should consider in order to handle the change from wealth creator to wealth manager.
Join Josh Matthews from PwC as he sits down with a business owner to discuss how transactions impact the business owner, executive team and staff.
Hear from a panel of business owners and experts who have gone through transition with their businesses and now have the opportunity to reflect on the process in the rear view mirror. The panel will share insights on what they wish they had known at the beginning of their transition journey and key learnings they have taken into their next endeavours. What would they change if they were to do it all again, if anything? Panelists will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing their own war stories and tales from the trenches.
The business decisions you make now during the COVID transition period will ultimately impact your business tomorrow and into the future. This opening session will provide real insights into a macro view of the economy while better understanding economic impact from this pandemic, how organizations can prepare for the future and how to mitigate risk. This session will also address the expected timeline for different sectors to recover.
Which critical steps should you take to achieve maximum value? With the global economy devastated by COVID-19 and related lockdowns, valuations are generally on a downward trajectory. However, not all businesses and industries are created equal. Widespread panic in markets can, more than ever, yield “gems” to the GP that “does their homework”. Modelling of the probable recovery of specific industries, lining up flexible lenders, detailed analysis of synergies, and forecasting possible “retooling” opportunities, amongst other things, can lead to returns that far outstrip what was possible in the previous bull market.
How has the role of an investment banker, lawyer and accountant changed post COVID? Will your advisory team help you streamline your business prior to selling and ultimately gain a bigger selling price at the finish line? This session will help you better understand the role each advisor plays and where they can make the difference as you look to transition.
A management buy-out can be an excellent succession strategy and likely a more common approach to succession post COVID. When considering a Management Buyout (MBO), how do you equip your management team to become a credible bidder for the business? How is your leadership positioned to perform going forward and engage in a potential MBO? When should you start looking at senior management team for potential transition?
How will the new normal post COVID work environment permanently affect how you run your business? This discussion will look at key considerations for optimizing your leadership, team, and business environment both today and in the future.
Private Equity, institutional and private money, is currently sitting on $1.2 trillion and looking to invest over the next 6 to 24 months. What is investment looking for today when looking for businesses to acquire and how does this compare to private or institutional investment?
COVID-19 has not just changed the world but also the DNA of our workplace ecosystem in many ways. What are the key steps you need to take to effectively adjust, re-build, and grow your team and business? How open and transparent have you been with your team during the pandemic? This session will address numerous questions that entrepreneurs are asking themselves today and provide practical and proven approaches for how they can be effective leading their teams to renewed success.
In this Fireside Chat, you will hear the stories from a business owner that has gone through a transition of their business and now has the opportunity to reflect on the deal. Nancy MacKay will join Darcy Kernaghan in discussion on how the sale affected their personal and professional life? What would Darcy change if he were to do it all again? Would he negotiate differently, work with different strategic advisors or have they second guessed the decision to sell?
While COVID-19 caused a dramatic slowdown to the deal making boom of the last several years as many businesses were forced to put transactions on hold and instead focus on shoring up operations, we expect to see a resurgence in M&A activity as dry-powder from financial sponsors searches for returns and strategic buyers look for opportunities to adapt, take market-share and take advantage of a new perspective on future prospects. How do buyers get comfortable completing deals in a non- face-to-face environment? How is due diligence being conducted? How are deals being financed? What technologies and solutions are being used to overcome logistical obstacles? This panel discussion will consider these questions and more on how to get a deal done during COVID-19.
How has the pandemic affected family business and what strategies has your family initiated to manage the heightened emotional rollercoaster? Family businesses can be challenging to manage at the best of times. Some see these difficult times to make the necessary structural changes to allow the business to prosper for many years to come. This session will discuss many strategies that should be considered to effectively position your business post COVID.
Negotiating the sale of your business can vary significantly, not only between bidders but also with any particular potential buyer. The process selected and terms dictated by the seller in a transaction will impact the “price” paid. It is fundamental to understand how the selling process will impact what you receive for your company. The panel will discuss and elaborate on best practices, industry myths and misconceptions, and alternatives for consideration in designing a process to structure your transaction for a fair price.
Hear from a panel of business owners who have experienced COVID -19 but also previous business downturns including GFC and 9/11. The group will share real life experiences from the trenches and how they navigated through different market downturns. The panel will also share the personal side of how they managed themselves through COVID-19.
What do economic conditions and market trends look like in a world recovering from COVID? How has the pandemic affected your business and will the economy rebound to pre pandemic numbers? This session will provide insights into both a macro view of the economy, as well as provide insights on regional and industry sector differences. You will also get an understanding of the current mergers and acquisitions environment and factors which might impact it in the future.
Whether the sale of your business is on the horizon or many years away, most experts agree that it can take years to optimally structure a company to increase the probability of a successful sale. Who’s to know if and when there may come a knock on your door? What exactly should you be doing now in order to get your business ready?
This session will provide you with an understanding of the extensiveness of the process and how much advanced planning is required so that you can build your own roadmap with exactly what you need for a successful transition.
What do buyers look for when assessing a potential acquisition? Growth prospects, financial health, management team, COVID impacts and strategic fit are just a few of the considerations.
In this panel, strategic buyers and private equity purchasers will discuss the metrics that matter most to them, lessons they have learned along the way and what to consider if you are just looking for liquidity options (i.e. you just want to take some cash off the table).
Negotiating the sale of your business can vary significantly, not only between bidders but also with any particular potential buyer. The process selected and terms dictated by the seller in a transaction will impact the “price” paid. It is fundamental to understand how the selling process will impact what you receive for your company.
The panel will discuss and elaborate on best practices, industry myths and misconceptions, and alternatives for consideration in designing a process to structure your transaction for a fair price. Through an interactive discussion you’ll learn:
In order to attract a wide range of financial and/or strategic buyers, you must identify the areas of risk within your business well in advance. Potential buyers and their advisors will be on the lookout for red flags and trouble spots once an offer is on the table; this is your chance to learn about “deal breakers” that work within your business so that you and your advisors can prepare. Common challenges that will be discussed include:
Family businesses are unique in that transitioning them to the next generation is a complex, often deeply emotional, endeavour. How do you prepare for a generational business that is resilient, while keeping the legacy you have built intact. Building capacity in the next generation needs to begin early on, and you may also need to consider outside, non-family executives.
In this fireside chat, Russell Love will share his unique story about building a family business with his father and brothers so that you can successfully plan for your own family business transition.
Tracey McVicar will sit down with Kleo Landucci in a fireside chat to discuss the exciting journey of a family-owned business who cast a global net to find the right strategic partner for their unique infrastructure business. Kleo and her family have completed two separate transactions in three years and still own a percentage of the business today. Hear what led the family to seek a strategic partner and how they approached the strategic process. Discover how they find the right partners and what they would change if they were to do it all again.
A management buyout can be an excellent succession strategy and an opportunity for senior managers to become owners. When considering a management buyout or buy-in (MBO/MBI), how do you equip your management team to become a credible bidder for the business? How is your leadership team positioned to perform? Have you effectively replaced yourself with the right skill sets and integrated your best people into the company’s operations, so they are prepared to become owners? Is the team aware of the risks and opportunities involved?
This session will cover:
Knowing if you can afford to sell, and when you are ready to take the leap is the most difficult decision for many business owners. In addition to building a comprehensive succession plan and ensuring your organizational structure will not leave you with a giant tax bill, it is important to address the other factors to ensure a happy and prosperous life after the close. The ability to shift from an entrepreneurial mindset to a capital management position requires planning and with the right preparation and enough time to implement. There are a number of opportunities to maximize the money in your pocket and ensure your financial success long after the close.
This session will look at real-world examples:
Putting an emphasis on systematically growing your organization could be your secret weapon when looking to attract the right type of buyer for your business. Increasing revenues, market share or scaling operations will help make your business that much more attractive to potential acquirers.
This fireside chat will share the necessary steps to maximizing business value before you engage the sale process including strategies, tactics and metrics you can put to work right away that will have immediate impact as well as set your company up for greater future success.
Cultivating, negotiating, finalizing, and communicating a successful cross-border merger between two entrepreneurial companies is no small task. Is a merger, versus an outright sale, an option that should be on the table for your company to add value for shareholders?
With the January 2022 announcement still fresh, and the merger between Canadian-based Compuvision and US-based VC3 closed – entrepreneurs are invited to join Compuvision CEO, Ryan Vestby, and Incite President Ted Kouri, to explore why they brought these two companies together. We’ll explore lessons learned from the deal, and future growth plans. In addition to “taking a few chips off the table,” what were the factors that brought these two companies together, and what can other business owners take away from this deal?
Hear from a panel of business owners who have gone through transition with their business and now have the opportunity to reflect on the process in the rear-view mirror. This panel will share insights on what they wish they had known at the beginning of their transition journey and their key learnings for their next endeavours. What would they change, if anything, if they were to do it all again? These business owners will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing their own war stories and tales from the trenches.
What do economic conditions and market trends look like in a world recovering from COVID? How has the pandemic affected your business and will the economy rebound to pre pandemic numbers? This session will provide insights into both a macro view of the economy, as well as provide insights on regional and industry sector differences. You will also get an understanding of the current mergers and acquisitions environment and factors which might impact it in the future.
Both buyers and sellers recognize that human capital is one of the most important assets in a company, but will it be preserved during the transition of a merger or acquisition? Strategies for talent retention, HR due diligence, structuring deals to keep people post deal, communication to staff, surviving general HR trends (like the Great Resignation) should be addressed long before a deal hits the table. It takes time to build a strong corporate culture and an acquirer wants to know that it is resilient enough to fit into a new mother ship and talent won’t peel off with a sale?
This session will cover issues such as:
What do buyers look for when assessing a potential acquisition? Growth prospects, financial health, management team, COVID impacts and strategic fit are just a few of the considerations.
In this panel strategic advisors and private equity purchasers will discuss the metrics that matter most to them, lessons they have learned along the way and what to consider if you are just looking for liquidity options (ie, you just want to take some cash off the table).
Negotiating the sale of your business can vary significantly, not only between bidders but also with any particular potential buyer. The process selected and terms dictated by the seller in a transaction will impact the “price” paid. It is fundamental to understand how the selling process will impact what you receive for your company.
The panel will discuss and elaborate on best practices, industry myths and misconceptions, and alternatives for consideration in designing a process to structure your transaction for a fair price. Through an interactive discussion you’ll learn:
In order to attract a wide range of financial and/or strategic buyers, you must identify the areas of risk within your business well in advance. Potential buyers and their advisors will be on the lookout for red flags and trouble spots once an offer is on the table; this is your chance to learn about “deal breakers” that work within your business so that you and your advisors can prepare. Common challenges that will be discussed include:
Family businesses are unique in that transitioning them to the next generation is a complex, often deeply emotional, endeavour. As a young family owner, aspiring to one day take the reins, how do you prepare for such a monumental responsibility. As an exiting parent (or other family member), how do you impart years of experience and knowledge and ensure younger family members are successful, yet able to chart their own path? For all parties, the goal is to create a business that is resilient, while keeping the legacy intact. Building capacity in the next generation needs to begin early on, and you may also need to consider outside, non-family executives.
Josh Matthews sits down with Ben Sawatzky, founder of Spruceland Millworks. In this Fireside Chat you will hear from a successful Alberta business owner who completed a sale in 2018 to Millar Western Forest Products, which was subsequently acquired by Canfor in 2022. Hear Ben’s perspective on the two deals, his experience staying involved in the business after the first transaction closed, and advice that potential sellers should consider before finalizing a transaction.
COVID has prompted a surge in non-traditional M&A deal structures and accelerated deals. There are a number of transaction structures that aren’t reliant on a large amount of cash, and can take a variety of different forms, such as a management buyout or buy-in (MBO/MBI), acquiring minority stakes or entering cooperative arrangements through joint ventures, alliances, or partnerships as a success strategy.
This session will cover topics such as:
Knowing if you can afford to sell, and when you are ready to take the leap is the most difficult decision for many business owners. In addition to building a comprehensive succession plan and ensuring your organizational structure will not leave you with a giant tax bill, it is important to address the other factors to ensure a happy and prosperous life after the close. The ability to shift from an entrepreneurial mindset to a capital management position requires planning and with the right preparation and enough time to implement. There are a number of opportunities to maximize the money in your pocket and ensure your financial success long after the close.
This session will look at real-world examples:
Putting an emphasis on systematically growing your organization could be your secret weapon when looking to attract the right type of buyer for your business. Increasing revenues, market share or scaling operations will help make your business that much more attractive to potential acquirers.
This session will explore the necessary steps to maximizing business value before you engage the sale process including strategies, tactics and metrics you can put to work right away that will have immediate impact as well as set your company up for greater future success.
Do you really know what your business is worth? Has COVID affected your company’s valuation? Most business owners don’t get nearly what they should because they weren’t prepared, and this can gravely affect the value of your company. As a business owner, it’s imperative to focus on the specific areas of your business that drive value, even if you have no immediate intention of selling. Furthermore, a successful sale for your shareholders can be very different from what you, the business owner, defines as a success. From the get-go you should understand the levers you need to “push or pull” in order to optimize the results you are looking for.
This session will explore key value drivers that require immediate attention in order to maximize the salability of your business.
Hear from a panel of business owners who have gone through transition with their business and now have the opportunity to reflect on the process in the rear-view mirror. This panel will share insights on what they wish they had known at the beginning of their transition journey and their key learnings for their next endeavours. What would they change, if anything, if they were to do it all again? These business owners will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing their own war stories and tales from the trenches.
(add-on, half day workshop for entrepreneurs)
“How to Maximize The Selling Price of Your Business and Protect Yourself In The Process”
A not-to-be-missed educational workshop for business owners who are serious about maximizing the proceeds of an eventual sale.
In this two-part, half-day workshop we’ll take a deep dive into operational and financial engineering that can take years to execute – guaranteed to increase the value of your business and improve the probability of finding buyers when the time is right. We’ll show you which areas of your business buyers value most (and why), and explain how to manage personal and corporate risk.
(Only 50 seats available. Business owners only. Workshop is an additional charge.)
The secret to succession planning success is to be ready to sell, even if your business is not for sale. By being proactive, you’ll maximize the value of your business when the time, buyer and terms are right. Selling or otherwise exiting a business is, by far, the most complex transaction that most entrepreneurs will ever undertake. Detailed planning is instrumental and ideally begins long before any decision to sell. Starting your transition checklist is key to the end result.
Some general key points to include:
The successful sale of a business involves many moving parts, making it the largest and possibly most complicated transaction of your life. You can’t do this alone. You will need a team of professionals to help you successfully sell your company. The right team will get you the best price, terms and most importantly, ensure that the transaction closes.
After attending this workshop, you will understand what the ideal exit team looks like and how to select the best advisors for your business. You’ll also learn what your exit team will cost and how they’ll be paid.
While the idea of providing unfettered access to the confidential information pertaining to your business may sound scary, it is standard operating procedure when it comes to transitioning your business to an outsider. Learn about ways to maintain control of process without impeding success. While you may only go through the process with a buyer who you believe is qualified and fully committed to completion, many deals collapse at the due diligence stage. Buyers and their advisors will be on the lookout for red flags and trouble spots. This is your opportunity to learn about common “deal breakers” so that you and your advisors can prepare for them and maintain momentum during this crucial phase.