Conference Program

Conference Program

2023 CONFERENCE CHAIR

Mark Brodkin

Private Equity National Head, Roynat Capital

Welcome to the 7th annual Business Transitions Forum in Toronto

"We are bringing together entrepreneurs and experts sharing their insights and stories about the process of 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."

Enjoy the conference!

This conference is also recognized by the Family Enterprise Canada for 7 hours of professional development for FEA designations.

All Days VIP Welcome Reception Conference Workshop

MAY 8, 2023 | VIP WELCOME RECEPTION FOR BUSINESS OWNERS

MAY 9, 2023 | CONFERENCE PROGRAM

7:15AM - 8:00AM

Registration, Networking & Continental Breakfast

8:00AM – 8:10AM

Welcome & Forum Overview by Conference Chair

Introduction by: Jerome Hamilton, Director, Growth and Transition Capital, BDC

Chair: Mark Brodkin, Private Equity National Head, Roynat Capital

8:10AM - 8:40AM

Economic Outlook and Impacts for Entrepreneurs

The decisions you make today will ultimately impact your business in the future. This session will provide insights into both a macro view of the economy, as well as cast a lens on regional and industry sector differences. You will walk away with:

An overview of the current economic conditions and market trends that business owners need to consider when thinking about your business.
An understanding of how these trends impact your business.
Insights into the current M&A environment, such as industry consolidations, leading acquirers and other factors which might affect the future of your business.

speaker:
Matt Macdonald, Managing Director & Head, National Client Group /Vice-President, Ontario Commercial & Private Banking, National Bank of Canada

8:40AM – 9:10AM

You Gotta Let Me Know: Should I Sell or Should I Grow

Factors business owners should consider for the best long-term value for their business

As a business owner, it is important to have a plan to maximize the overall return you achieve on the capital, time and energy you invest in your business. Deciding whether and when to sell all or a portion of your business will help determine your success. Key considerations include (i) the number of years you are willing to commit to the future management of the business; (ii) the depth of your management team; (iii) your personal appetite for risk; and (iv) the marketability and scalability of your business. During this session we will explore each of these topics and review:

Alternative transaction structures and approaches, including sales to a strategic buyer, management buy-outs and private equity sponsored deals
Tips for increasing financial sustainability for the long term (for you or a future buyer) through diversification, greater market share, potential synergies and cost reductions
Red flags that will set potential investors or partners running
How the current environment (economic uncertainty, supply chain issues, talent shortages, high interest rates, etc.) might affect your analysis and the potential timing of each alternative transaction structure.

speaker:
Rob Normandeau, President, SeaFort Capital

9:10AM – 10:00AM

Growth or Exit Strategies that Provide the Greatest ROI

Quickly expand your business today … and attract future investors or buyers

The best time start growing your company was yesterday. Every entrepreneur has dreams and ideas to expand their business, but the big question is knowing the right time to jump… where and how high? 

Business growth plans such as developing new products or services, expanding customer markets, increasing sales initiatives, opening new locations, increasing revenue streams, automating work processes and acquisitions are all exciting plans.  Before rushing into expansion, however, business owners need to assess if they are ready for growth. When business starts to scale up, systems can begin to crack under the pressure. Weaknesses can be exposed that can’t always fix them once the journey’s started.   

This session will: 

Compare different “textbook” growth strategies and help you surface which ones are the best and most practical for you
Help you understand the difference between business growth and scaling
Help you create objectives as part of developing a strategy for growth

Moderator: Angela Blake, Partner, Bennett Jones

Panel:
Don Montgomery, President, M&A Advisor, True North Mergers & Acquisitions
Mike McIsaac, CEO & Managing Director, Baker Tilly Canada Corporate Finance
David Simpson, Director, Ivey Business Families Centre, Ivey Business School, Western University

10:00AM – 10:45AM

Networking & Coffee Break

10:45AM – 11:45AM

Concurrent Breakout Sessions on Business Growth

Taking (Some) Chips Off the Table: Exploring Alternative Options

Are alternative financing options for growth, minority investors or MBO/ MBIs right for you?

The pandemic has prompted a surge in non-traditional M&A deal structures, accelerated deals and rapid changes in business needs and opportunities. After this rollercoaster ride – perhaps you want to re-risk your business, while still maintaining control?

There are a number of transition options 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: 

Strategies for MBO/MBI or investors 
Different types of financing options to increase cash flow and growth opportunities 
Factors to consider in an alternate financing structure can help you grow 
Trends in alternative deal structures that don’t require a total sale of your business

Moderator: Karen Fisman, Director, Business Development, Origin Merchant Partners

Panel:
Waldemar Halek, President, Transworld Business Advisors
Pamela Miranda, Founding Partner, MIII MSP

Growth By Acquisition: What You Need to Know Before Buying a Business

Implementing an outbound M&A strategy at your company is a high-value, high stakes game. How can you establish your M&A Mindset? The M&A process is intensive, with many steps – it can often take many months to identify acquisition targets, initiate and close transactions – all while you’re still operating your business. Learn how to operate and run your business while embedding processes that will improve M&A outcomes.

Identifying and comparing acquisition strategies for your business
Various forms of capital to finance acquisitions
Real life lessons learned from both successful and failed acquisitions

Moderator: Loren Rafeson, Partner, Growth Equity Partners, BDC Capital

Panel:
Michael Crawley, CFO + CCO, Private Equity, KV Capital
Matthew Langsford, Wealth Management, Senior Investment Advisor & Portfolio Manager, GC Wealth Canada
Ravi Ramharak, Founder, MSP Corp

Can Your Business Run Without You?

Whether you want to sell some or all of your business, or simply step away from day-to-day business activities – you should be asking if your company can run by itself or it’s time to step aside to hire a CEO to replace yourself.

Why would you want to do this? Understanding your strengths (and weaknesses) is the key to the success of your business. This session will help you better understand the steps to ensuring your team and business can run by itself, and if it’s time to consider stepping out of the way of a new CEO to position your business for greater growth, a longer legacy and/or a more successful transition.

Pro-tip: A business that can run by itself is usually more appealing to acquirers.

This session will help you better understand:

Practical steps to remove yourself from the day-to-day operations of your business
The process of management and leadership succession planning – and its impact on the value of your business
Determining if it’s time to consider stepping out of the way of a new CEO to position your business for greater growth, a longer legacy and/or a more successful transition.
Tips for hiring the right team and/or CEO successor to help grow your business

Moderator: Jacoline Loewen, CEO, Loewen Capital Partners

Panel:
John Hotson, Partner & Marketing Strategist, Business Transition Alliance
Julie Ellis, CEO and Founder, Julie Ellis & Co
Richard McCammon, President, C6 Launch Systems Inc.

11:45AM – 12:45PM

Networking Lunch

12:45PM – 1:15PM

Doing Deals Differently Today – Breaking Biases to Build Your Competitive Advantage

Hear how Kleo Landucci, at Ashcroft Terminals, took an unconventional but highly successful approach to finding strategic partners and leading her family business organization through two transitions/transactions.

Ongoing struggles with supply chain issues, staffing shortages, inflationary pressures and other challenges offer a great opportunity to think differently about how we run, grow, and transition our businesses. Organizations are being forced to be agile and many are assessing the fundamental ‘who, what, where and why’ questions for their businesses. It’s time to think big for where your business could drive the most value, and if traditional routes won’t take you there, be brave enough to break biases in terms of how business is traditionally driven. This “case study” fireside Chat will help you think about your business differently going forward.

Moderator: Pamela Ruebusch, Founder & CEO, TSI Group.com

speaker:
Kleo Landucci, CEO & President, CrescentView Investments Ltd. & Former Managing Director, Ashcroft Terminal

1:25PM – 2:15PM

Concurrent Breakout Sessions – Planning for Transition

Your Closet, Your Skeletons: Avoiding Due Diligence Pitfalls

Common due diligence red flags when buying or selling a business

 Mergers and acquisitions typically have extensive due diligence by the buyer. Tackling due diligence during an M&A transaction can be an overwhelming task, but essential for closing a successful, equitable and efficient deal. Before committing to the transaction, the acquirer will want to ensure that it knows what it is buying and what obligations it is assuming, litigation risks and intellectual property issues, liabilities, problematic contracts, and more.  

Understand what buyers will be looking for, and what sellers need to have prepared for the due diligence process and the key information a company must uncover from their target before moving forward with a deal: 

Legal (intellectual property, compliance and regulatory matters, contracts, licensing, EH&S, etc.)
Financial (including taxes, company’s financial statements & projections, working capital, etc.)
Human Resources (HR) (outstanding stock options, retention plans, employee agreements, culture, bonus structures, benefits, etc.)

Moderator: Terry Chan, Partner | Transaction Diligence, Kalos LLP

Panel:
Michelle Alphonso, Partner, National Lead for Transaction Advisory Services & Private Equity, Grant Thornton LLP
Ian Black, Managing Partner, Rundle Partners
Alan Chettiar, Partner, M&A Advisory, FirePower Capital

Structuring Your Business to Sell: Are You Ready?

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. Have you considered what life looks like after the close? The ability to shift from an entrepreneurial mindset to a capital management position requires planning and the right preparation and time to implement appropriate strategies. 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:

How to structure your company well in advance of a potential sale or recapitalization
What options to consider to reap the benefits and avoid pitfalls
Tactics to avoid common post-sale surprises (… and unexpected tax bills)
Wealth management tips and managing former business expenses post-transition
Preparing for the emotional rollercoaster of transition

Moderator: Stephanie Hickmott, Vice President, Portfolio Manager, Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd.

Panel:
Axel Christiansen, Partner, Relay Transition Partners
Miles Faulkner, Principal, Faulkner Consulting
David Fidler, Managing Director, Crosbie & Company Inc.

Negotiation Tactics For Both Buyers and Sellers

Buyers and sellers sit on the opposite side of the same coin but with the same goal of ‘getting the deal done’. Skillful negotiation of best deals and terms is an essential component of any deal process – it’s not just about the money.

Learn key negotiating tactics and techniques that can help any buyer or seller work towards success when trying to close a business investment, growth capital, or M&A transaction. This panel will also 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: 

Why price isn’t everything 
How to decide on the breadth and nature of a sale process 
Why timing and deal tension matters, and how to create it 
Which terms have an impact on price, and which do not 
The roles an advisor can play through the sale process, and when and how to manage them.

Moderator: Zamira Aliko, Partner & Senior Managing Director, Deloitte Corporate Finance

Panel:
Reena Chaudhary, Managing Partner, Sia Partners
Troy MacDonald, Partner, Advisory Services, Grant Thornton LLP

2:15PM - 2:45PM

Afternoon Networking & Coffee Break

2:45PM – 3:15PM

What’s Your Company Really Worth?

How an acquirer will determine the value of your company

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.

speaker:
Conor Snape, Director, Growth & Transition Capital Greater Toronto Area, BDC Capital

3:15PM - 4:00PM

Transition Stories: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Hear from a panel of business owners who have gone through transition with their business and now have the opportunity to share their tales from the trenches. Hear what advice they would give fellow entrepreneurs and what they would change, if anything, if they were to do it all again.

Panel discussions include insights on:

What they wish they had known at the beginning of their transition journey and what would they have done differently
Did they get the price they asked for based on timing and deal terms
Key learnings they have brought into their next endeavors
The personal side of post-transition

Moderator: William Huk, Regional Vice President, Ontario East, Roynat Capital

Panel:
Patrick Bermingham, Principal, Bermingham Studio Inc.
Jarred Knecht, President of ProEV™ and Promark Electronics
Victoria Sopik, CEO & Co-founder, Kids & Company

4:00PM – 5:00PM

Cocktails & Conversation Networking Reception

Program, Schedule, and Speakers Subject to Change Without Notice

MAY 10, 2023 | ENTREPRENEUR WORKSHOP (ADD-ON OPTIONAL)

Masterclass Workshop – A Deeper Dive

(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.)

8:00AM - 8:30AM

Continental Breakfast

8:30AM – 9:15AM

Creating & Working Through the Transition Checklist

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:

Define overarching goals – Self-assessment of primary reasons for transition: When is the right time to transition or otherwise exit?
Plan for successors
Explore tax opportunities and maximize retirement income
Effectively communicate your succession plan
Build a contingency plan

9:15AM – 10:00AM

Value Creation for your Business

Value assessment: What is your company worth? Common methods of assessing value will be addressed.
Operational and financial bootcamp. What areas of your business should you focus on to increase value + surprising areas of your business that can destroy value.
What buyers are looking for and why some businesses are considerably more attractive than other businesses.
The competitive sale process: Learn how a competitive sale process works, and why it is the best way to maximize price and terms of an eventual sale.

10:00AM – 10:30AM

Refreshment Break – Network With Other Business Owners

10:30AM – 11:15AM

Do I need an Exit Team and 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.

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.

11:15AM – 12:00 PM

The Due Diligence Process & Why Sellers Should Care

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.

Program, Schedule, and Speakers Subject to Change Without Notice

MAY 9, 2023 | CONFERENCE PROGRAM

7:15AM - 8:00AM

Registration, Networking & Continental Breakfast

8:00AM – 8:10AM

Welcome & Forum Overview by Conference Chair

Introduction by: Jerome Hamilton, Director, Growth and Transition Capital, BDC

Chair: Mark Brodkin, Private Equity National Head, Roynat Capital

8:10AM - 8:40AM

Economic Outlook and Impacts for Entrepreneurs

An overview of the current economic conditions and market trends that business owners need to consider when thinking about your business.
An understanding of how these trends impact your business.
Insights into the current M&A environment, such as industry consolidations, leading acquirers and other factors which might affect the future of your business.

speaker:
Matt Macdonald, Managing Director & Head, National Client Group /Vice-President, Ontario Commercial & Private Banking, National Bank of Canada

8:40AM – 9:10AM

You Gotta Let Me Know: Should I Sell or Should I Grow

Factors business owners should consider for the best long-term value for their business

Alternative transaction structures and approaches, including sales to a strategic buyer, management buy-outs and private equity sponsored deals
Tips for increasing financial sustainability for the long term (for you or a future buyer) through diversification, greater market share, potential synergies and cost reductions
Red flags that will set potential investors or partners running
How the current environment (economic uncertainty, supply chain issues, talent shortages, high interest rates, etc.) might affect your analysis and the potential timing of each alternative transaction structure.

speaker:
Rob Normandeau, President, SeaFort Capital

9:10AM – 10:00AM

Growth or Exit Strategies that Provide the Greatest ROI

Quickly expand your business today … and attract future investors or buyers

The best time start growing your company was yesterday. Every entrepreneur has dreams and ideas to expand their business, but the big question is knowing the right time to jump… where and how high? 

This session will: 

Compare different “textbook” growth strategies and help you surface which ones are the best and most practical for you
Help you understand the difference between business growth and scaling
Help you create objectives as part of developing a strategy for growth

Moderator: Angela Blake, Partner, Bennett Jones

10:00AM – 10:45AM

Networking & Coffee Break

10:45AM – 11:45AM

Concurrent Breakout Sessions on Business Growth

Taking (Some) Chips Off the Table: Exploring Alternative Options

Are alternative financing options for growth, minority investors or MBO/ MBIs right for you?

This session will cover topics such as: 

Strategies for MBO/MBI or investors 
Different types of financing options to increase cash flow and growth opportunities 
Factors to consider in an alternate financing structure can help you grow 
Trends in alternative deal structures that don’t require a total sale of your business

Moderator: Karen Fisman, Director, Business Development, Origin Merchant Partners

Panel:
Waldemar Halek, President, Transworld Business Advisors
Pamela Miranda, Founding Partner, MIII MSP

Growth By Acquisition: What You Need to Know Before Buying a Business

Identifying and comparing acquisition strategies for your business
Various forms of capital to finance acquisitions
Real life lessons learned from both successful and failed acquisitions

Moderator: Loren Rafeson, Partner, Growth Equity Partners, BDC Capital

Can Your Business Run Without You?

Pro-tip: A business that can run by itself is usually more appealing to acquirers.

This session will help you better understand:

Practical steps to remove yourself from the day-to-day operations of your business
The process of management and leadership succession planning – and its impact on the value of your business
Determining if it’s time to consider stepping out of the way of a new CEO to position your business for greater growth, a longer legacy and/or a more successful transition.
Tips for hiring the right team and/or CEO successor to help grow your business

Moderator: Jacoline Loewen, CEO, Loewen Capital Partners

Panel:
John Hotson, Partner & Marketing Strategist, Business Transition Alliance
Julie Ellis, CEO and Founder, Julie Ellis & Co
Richard McCammon, President, C6 Launch Systems Inc.

11:45AM – 12:45PM

Networking Lunch

12:45PM – 1:15PM

Doing Deals Differently Today – Breaking Biases to Build Your Competitive Advantage

Moderator: Pamela Ruebusch, Founder & CEO, TSI Group.com

speaker:
Kleo Landucci, CEO & President, CrescentView Investments Ltd. & Former Managing Director, Ashcroft Terminal

1:25PM – 2:15PM

Concurrent Breakout Sessions – Planning for Transition

Your Closet, Your Skeletons: Avoiding Due Diligence Pitfalls

Common due diligence red flags when buying or selling a business

Legal (intellectual property, compliance and regulatory matters, contracts, licensing, EH&S, etc.)
Financial (including taxes, company’s financial statements & projections, working capital, etc.)
Human Resources (HR) (outstanding stock options, retention plans, employee agreements, culture, bonus structures, benefits, etc.)

Moderator: Terry Chan, Partner | Transaction Diligence, Kalos LLP

Structuring Your Business to Sell: Are You Ready?

This session will look at real-world examples:

How to structure your company well in advance of a potential sale or recapitalization
What options to consider to reap the benefits and avoid pitfalls
Tactics to avoid common post-sale surprises (… and unexpected tax bills)
Wealth management tips and managing former business expenses post-transition
Preparing for the emotional rollercoaster of transition

Moderator: Stephanie Hickmott, Vice President, Portfolio Manager, Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd.

Panel:
Axel Christiansen, Partner, Relay Transition Partners
Miles Faulkner, Principal, Faulkner Consulting
David Fidler, Managing Director, Crosbie & Company Inc.

Negotiation Tactics For Both Buyers and Sellers

Through an interactive discussion you’ll learn: 

Why price isn’t everything 
How to decide on the breadth and nature of a sale process 
Why timing and deal tension matters, and how to create it 
Which terms have an impact on price, and which do not 
The roles an advisor can play through the sale process, and when and how to manage them.

Moderator: Zamira Aliko, Partner & Senior Managing Director, Deloitte Corporate Finance

Panel:
Reena Chaudhary, Managing Partner, Sia Partners
Troy MacDonald, Partner, Advisory Services, Grant Thornton LLP

2:15PM - 2:45PM

Afternoon Networking & Coffee Break

2:45PM – 3:15PM

What’s Your Company Really Worth?

How an acquirer will determine the value of your company

This session will explore key value drivers that require immediate attention in order to maximize the salability of your business.

speaker:
Conor Snape, Director, Growth & Transition Capital Greater Toronto Area, BDC Capital

3:15PM - 4:00PM

Transition Stories: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Panel discussions include insights on:

What they wish they had known at the beginning of their transition journey and what would they have done differently
Did they get the price they asked for based on timing and deal terms
Key learnings they have brought into their next endeavors
The personal side of post-transition

Moderator: William Huk, Regional Vice President, Ontario East, Roynat Capital

Panel:
Patrick Bermingham, Principal, Bermingham Studio Inc.
Jarred Knecht, President of ProEV™ and Promark Electronics
Victoria Sopik, CEO & Co-founder, Kids & Company

4:00PM – 5:00PM

Cocktails & Conversation Networking Reception

Program, Schedule, and Speakers Subject to Change Without Notice

MAY 10, 2023 | ENTREPRENEUR WORKSHOP (ADD-ON OPTIONAL)

Masterclass Workshop – A Deeper Dive

(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.

(Only 50 seats available. Business owners only. Workshop is an additional charge.)

8:00AM - 8:30AM

Continental Breakfast

8:30AM – 9:15AM

Creating & Working Through the Transition Checklist

Some general key points to include:

Define overarching goals – Self-assessment of primary reasons for transition: When is the right time to transition or otherwise exit?
Plan for successors
Explore tax opportunities and maximize retirement income
Effectively communicate your succession plan
Build a contingency plan

9:15AM – 10:00AM

Value Creation for your Business

Value assessment: What is your company worth? Common methods of assessing value will be addressed.
Operational and financial bootcamp. What areas of your business should you focus on to increase value + surprising areas of your business that can destroy value.
What buyers are looking for and why some businesses are considerably more attractive than other businesses.
The competitive sale process: Learn how a competitive sale process works, and why it is the best way to maximize price and terms of an eventual sale.

10:00AM – 10:30AM

Refreshment Break – Network With Other Business Owners

10:30AM – 11:15AM

Do I need an Exit Team and Why?

11:15AM – 12:00 PM

The Due Diligence Process & Why Sellers Should Care

Program, Schedule, and Speakers Subject to Change Without Notice

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