Natalie Michael
CEO, Next Chapter
CEO, Transitions & Talent Succession
VANCOUVER CONVENTION CENTRE WEST
Grow Your Business. Increase Its Value. Transition On Your Terms.
Every owner is working toward the same three things: a business that grows, a business that’s worth more, and the freedom to transition it when you’re ready. They aren’t separate goals. Growth builds value, and value is what makes a good transition possible.
BTF was built for all three, because the same owner needs all three, often at the same time.
Two days with Canada’s leading owners and advisors. You’ll learn how to:
- Grow to your next stage without becoming the bottleneck
- Build a business buyers want, and know what it’s worth today
- Run a sale or acquisition without leaving money on the table
- Decide if, when, and how M&A fits your plan
- Make every decision add to the value of what you’ve built
2026 Conference Chair
She’s Spent A Career On The Question You’re Starting To Ask
For twenty-five years, Natalie Michael has sat across from entrepreneurs at the moment the question changes, from how do I grow this to what is it worth, and what happens to it next. As Managing Partner of CEO Next Chapter and co-author of Your CEO Succession Playbook, she’s helped owners through the whole arc: building the leadership that lets a company grow beyond them, raising the value of what they’ve built, and handing it on without losing the business, or themselves, along the way.
She doesn’t study this audience from a stage. She’s in the room with them every week, chairing peer groups of CEOs and owners at MacKay CEO Forums and Tiger 21 Vancouver, the same people who fill BTF. After hundreds of those conversations, her conviction is the one this whole event runs on: the business you can finally walk away from is the one that’s worth the most, grows the best, and hands over the cleanest. That’s the BTF she’s building for 2026.
Get The Latest From The Experts
“We wanted all of our employees to act like owners… every quarter we would present to our team, here’s what our P&L looks like, here’s what profit’s looking like.”
Justin John
(Sold The Woods)
Featured speakers
Learn From The Best In The Field
Hear from business owners and experts and learn from their experiences.
Hear From BTF Alumni
What I love about BTF is that it’s really that one stop shop for an entrepreneur.
I wished I had of participated in something like this before we transacted.
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.
BTF is a great place for business owners to potentially find people to buy their business.
I know I made a lot of mistakes and I wish I went to something like this in the past.
I know I made a lot of mistakes and I wish I went to something like this in the past.
November 18, 2026 • Vancouver Convention Centre West
Early Bird Sale!
SAVE UP TO $400!*
*With 2+ Entrepreneurs
What We're Talking About
The BTF Insider
Gain expert insights, success stories, and practical resources to drive business growth and navigate transitions.
Justin John & Eric Velez-Chua On Building Businesses That Can Grow Beyond Their Founders
Justin John & Eric Velez-Chua (Sold The Woods)
Building a business often looks straightforward in hindsight. Growth milestones, new locations and successful exits tend to become the visible markers of progress. Justin John and Eric Velez-Chua know the view from the inside usually looks different.
Read Article
Building Through Cycles: Lessons From The Energy Transition Every Owner Can Use
Brenda Slauko (BDC) & Joel Vorra (Tidewater Renewables)
Some industries force clarity. Energy is one of them. Cycles move quickly, capital is unforgiving and decisions have long consequences. For entrepreneurs operating in that environment, the margin for error is smaller and the feedback is immediate.
Read Article
Acting Earlier: Véronique Dorval On Growth, Transition & Building Stronger Canadian Businesses
Véronique Dorval
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, BDC & 2026 BTF Toronto Conference Chair
For many business owners, transition has traditionally been something left for later, tied to succession or a future moment when the timing felt right. That approach is shifting.
Read Article
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