Explore the leaders and experts sharing insights on stage this year.
Halifax Convention Centre
Discover Actionable Growth & Transition Strategies from Top Entrepreneurs
Since 2015, the Business Transitions Forum has been guiding entrepreneurs through comprehensive growth strategies and ownership transitions, including opportunities for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to enhance shareholder value.
Join top entrepreneurs and North America’s leading experts to:
- Increase market share and shareholder value
- Identify growth and scaling opportunities
- Understand the acquisition and sale process
- Assess if M&A is the right growth path for your business
- Implement actionable strategies to elevate your business’s value at any stage in your transition journey
MAY 6, 2026 • Halifax Convention Centre
Introducing our 2026 Speakers
Dr. Lesley Steele
CEO & Founder
Steele Veterinary Group of Companies (Sold Eastern Passage Village Veterinary Hospital)
Paul LeBlanc
Founder & CEO
7th Wave Capital (Sold Coastal Communications, Arrivals+Departures & CMP Equipment)
Hear From BTF Alumni
I wished I had of participated in something like this before we transacted.
Natalie Benson
Partner & COO, Benson Cabinetry and Millwork
BTF has been amazing, and I mean that. I have met so many great people here today, and I will absolutely be back. I love what you have done here today.
William Donnellan
CEO & President, IRL Group
It’s a very welcoming conference, and a conference that anybody can just approach anybody and strike up a conversation.
Jalal Jetha
Managing Director, Cascadia Equity Partners
I think BTF does a great job of really setting the tone of community, connection and really making sure entrepreneurs feel supported.
Emily Savage
Principal Lawyer, Miller Titerle + Company
May 6, 2026 • Halifax Convention Centre
Early Bird Sale!
SAVE UP TO $400!*
*With 2+ Entrepreneurs
Stay Up To Date
Gain expert insights, success stories, and practical resources to drive business growth and navigate transitions.
Get updates on upcoming events, promotions, and the latest strategies and trends from industry leaders to elevate your business’s value and ensure a successful transition.
Explore the Latest Articles from The BTF Insider
Time For A Business Transition? The Right Connections Can Guide You To A Win
Are you contemplating a transition for your business? How well, or not, that process might play out could depend upon the quality of your connections, according to Nick Olsen, managing director of the M&A practice, Green Bay, Wisc.-based Cornerstone International. Olsen would know about making the right connections as Cornerstone averages 150 M&A deals a year.
read article
Been There, Done That: The Banker Who Was Also Founder & Seller
Entrepreneurs who work with investment bankers for their business transition can benefit from what that key piece of growth, or the actual exit, can bring to the table. Even better: working with someone who has actually been in their shoes. “I started and sold businesses before I got into banking, so I have that perspective in my approach with clients,” said Steve Laver, managing director at Santa Monica, Calif-based investment banking firm Montminy & Co.
read article
Hey Gen-X: Instead Of Moving On, Bolt-On
Is the spirit of “business transition,” from a generational perspective, best aimed at business owners in their 50s? That thinking would currently put Generation X entrepreneurs in the sweet spot. “Baby Boomers are exiting, and retiring,” said Nicolas B. Biancamano, managing partner of San Diego-based Pacifica Advisors. The market hasn’t fully transitioned into the next generation,” he said. “They don’t want to give up everything ꟷ they want to keep working.”
read article
Growing A Business From A Passion For Chocolates
A few years ago, Anne Sellmer decided to follow her passion and established cōchu Chocolatier in Calgary. Today, the business has grown so much that she is looking at the next step in its evolution. “We make boutique luxury chocolates that are award-winning. Since we launched, we’ve won 87 national and international awards,” said Sellmer. Along the way, the company has also won numerous medals at the World Finals. It’s been named 6-Star Grand Master Chocolatier and one of the top 10 chocolatiers in North America.
read article
Plan To Win
In a recent meeting with a veteran business owner, whose company we’ll call ChangeCo, the conversation quickly turned to his vision of significantly expanding his business over the next three years. This is not an unusual topic these days, as owners of a certain age decide they have one last big push in them to grow their business beyond its current boundaries.
read article
Navigating Four Possible Drivers Of Disruption For The Economy
Elevated oil prices these days are helping lift Alberta’s economy, not just in the energy sector but by extension to many other businesses throughout the province. “And we are seeing in Alberta some really nice diversification into that tech sector,” says Todd Hirsch, Economist & Director, Energy Transition Centre. “Alberta I think is in not bad shape at all business wise and economy wise.”
read article