Program Archives

Program Archives

This is the Program Archive for the Vancouver Business Transitions Forum.

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NOVEMBER 23, 2022 | CONFERENCE PROGRAM

7:15AM - 8:00AM

Registration

7:15AM - 8:00AM

Networking & Continental Breakfast

8:00AM – 8:10AM

Welcome & Forum Overview by Conference Chair

Introduction by: Constantine Hatzipanayis, Partner, Growth Equity Partners, BDC

Chair: Andrew Kemper, Partner, Capital West Partners

8:10AM - 8:40AM

Opening Keynote: Economic Outlook and Impacts for Entrepreneurs

What do economic conditions and market trends look like in a world recovering from COVID? How will a post-pandemic future impact supply chains? What are the outlooks for interest rates, unemployment, recessionary impacts and more? 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.

speaker:
Pierre Cléroux, Vice President Research & Chief Economist, BDC

8:40AM – 9:30AM

Your Guide to Creating a Saleable Business

These strategies will help you operate a better business that is more attractive to future buyers and investors – even in turbulent times!

One of a business leader’s goal’s is to create shareholder value while keeping options open to sustain, grow, and protect your organization and the choices available to you. While you may have no plan to sell in the near term – operating and growing your business as if you are getting ready for an acquirer will help you add considerable value AND reveal a multitude of options you may not have considered. You never know if, or when, there may come a knock on your door.

This session will help you understand the areas in your business that can make it more interesting to acquirers or potential investors and identify which growth strategies will yield the highest ROI. We’ll also help you understand risk areas – allowing you to prioritize which parts of your business need attention now. You will walk away with:

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
Practical tips for creating a saleable business in a turbulent economy and the best positioning to investors
How the current environment is impacting PEs approach to investing (supply chain issues, talent shortages, high interest rates, etc.) and how it may impact the future saleability of your business.

Moderator: Natalie Michael, CEO Coach & Succession Advisor, Waterfront Partners

Panel:
Michael Bains, Managing Director, Transactions, Grant Thornton LLP
Mark Brodkin, Private Equity National Head, Roynat Capital
Tom Kramer, President & CEO, Smith Cameron Group

9:40AM – 10:20AM

The Impact of People on Growth and the Value of Your M&A Deal

The one thing you need to get right whether you are buying, selling, or growing your business is the human factor. The core of any successful business is innovation and building a team that is strong and agile enough to drive a business forward. This session will help put your business on the track to optimize your team to attract future investors, buyers or talent!

You will learn:

Strategies for recruiting and retaining key staff to maximize your human capital ROI
Assessing if you have the optimal number of staff and the right people in key roles to meet your ever changing business needs
How to create a business that can run without you
Why defining a company’s purpose can increase employee engagement, productivity and motivation while helping to reduce the costs and lack of efficiency associated with high employee turnover

Moderator: Debby Carreau, CEO & Founder, Inspired HR Ltd

Panel:
Manu Varma, External Relations, Uncommon Purpose
Derrick Emsley, CEO, Co-Founder, Tentree

10:20AM – 10:50AM

Networking & Coffee Break

10:50AM – 11:45AM

Concurrent Sessions: 1A – 1C

Taking (Some) Chips Off The Table

Eligible for 1 CPD BC Law Society credit

Exploring Management Buyouts, Partnerships with Minority Investors and Partial Divestitures

COVID 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 de-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 minority investments
Different types of financing options to increase cash flow and growth opportunities
Factors to consider if an alternate financing structure can help you grow
Trends in alternative deal structures that don’t require a total sale of your business

Moderator: Mike McIsaac, CEO & Managing Director, Baker Tilly Canada Corporate Finance

Panel:
Derek Strong, Regional Director, Roynat Capital
Vladimir Kovacevic, CEO, Inovatec
Cameron MacCarthy, Partner, Lindsey MacCarthy LLP
Duncan White, President, Seaside Paper Products Ltd.

Growth By Acquisition: Considerations for 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 processis 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: Diana Noble, Business Coach & Consultant, Noble Choice Coaching

Panel:
Rob Normandeau, President, SeaFort Capital
Alroy Chan, Director, Finance Special Projects, Westland Insurance Group Ltd.
Anthony Yates, Vice President, Business Development, Mainroad Group
Christian Gauthier, Partner, Bennett Jones LLP

Determining the Value of Your Company and How to Increase It

Every business owner should be building to maximize the value of the business. Most, however, spend too little time considering the true drivers of long-term value creation while operating in the firefighting day-to-day. Do you really know what your business is worth? What do buyers or investors look for when considering a deal? Where can you add the most value to your organization? What areas of growth will provide the greatest return? Every successful business will experience a transition of ownership at some point and most business owners don’t get nearly what they should because they weren’t prepared

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.

In this session you will learn:

Common (and uncommon) value drivers
How the most successful companies plan for growth
Understanding why future growth strategies impact valuations more than past sales

Moderator: Tara Landes, Founder & President, Bellrock Benchmarking Inc.

Panel:
Don Montgomery, President, M&A Advisor, True North Mergers & Acquisitions
Constantine Hatzipanayis, Partner, Growth Equity Partners, BDC
Rob Nazer, Owner, Total Restoration

11:45AM – 12:45PM

Networking Lunch

12:45PM – 1:15PM

Luncheon Keynote: How Vancouver Based SmartSweets Landed One of the Sweetest Private Equity Deals of 2020!

Hear how Canadian low-sugar confectioner SmartSweets grew revenue to over $100 million per year before selling a majority of their stake to TPG Capital for $360 million in 2020.

Judy Brooks, Smartsweets Executive Chair and transaction lead, will take us through what was important to the team and Founder Tara Bosch as they navigated transaction, what the deal looked like and how SmartSweets continues to innovate on the mission to Kick Sugar

Moderator: Paulina Cameron, CEO, The Forum

In discussion with:
Judy Brooks, Executive Chair, SmartSweets

1:20PM – 2:10PM

Concurrent Sessions: 2A – 2C

Structuring a Deal and Negotiation Tactics

Top Things You Need to Know Before Buying or Selling a Business

The structure of a deal is as or more important than the price paid for the business. The structure specifies the conditions, financial terms, and process for successfully completing the transaction – and everything is up for negotiation! 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 and key negotiating tactics and techniques to maximize value.

Key takeaways include:

Why price isn’t always the most important thing and which other deal terms have the greatest impact on the results of a transaction
Walking through the basics of an M&A process
Key negotiation tactics and techniques

Moderator: Mackenzie Regent, Partner | Transaction Diligence, Kalos LLP

Panel:
Jim Crooks, Managing Director & Partner, PwC
Phil DeSerres, President, Joto Imaging Supplies
Grant Foster, Partner, Fasken

Are You Ready to Sell?

Effectively Structuring your Business, and Preparing for the Emotional Rollercoaster, of Transition

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
Tips for shifting from an entrepreneur mindset
Wealth management tips and managing former business expenses post-transition

Moderator: Cindy Huang, Portfolio Manager, Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel

Panel:
Kevin Shaw, President & Managing Director, Baker Tilly Canada Corporate Finance
DJ Devries, Former President & General Manager, Dozyn Dezyn Properties
Prentice Durbin, Partner, Harper Grey LLP

Your Closet, Your Skeletons

Eligible for 1 CPD BC Law Society credit

Common pitfalls during the due diligence phase 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: Axel Christiansen, Partner, Relay Transition Partners

Panel:
Emily Savage, Lawyer, Miller Titerle + Company
Brian Lau, Vice President, Krystal Growth Partners
Mark Funk, President, Big Box Outlet Store

2:10PM - 2:40PM

Afternoon Networking & Coffee Break

2:40PM – 3:15PM

The Rollercoaster Ride of the Strategic Process

The strategic process is a roadmap of specific objectives that will help meet the future goals of your business. While you may have no plan to sell – operating and growing your business as if you are getting ready for an acquirer will help add considerable value whatever stage your business is in. In order to do this entrepreneurs must solidify key strategic objectives and figure out how to get them done. Working with new partners, cleaning up your data room and finances, preparing for the psychological impact of disassociating yourself from daily operations, selecting your advisors, determining what potential buyers or investors will want to see in your business are all challenging steps of the entrepreneur journey. There is no set process that works for every business so at the end of the day, it is up to the business owner to make the tough decisions and ensure the work is completed. Hear from one entrepreneur to another considerations that can help prepare you for the ups and downs of business growth and transition such as:

The psychology and human impact of the strategic process (whether it be for growth or transition)
Identifying key barriers in your operations and processes that may be depleting value and need cleaning up (data room, shareholder loans, contracts, etc)

How to find a buyer and determine what they will be looking for
What it’s really like working with new partners

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

3:20PM - 4:00PM

Closing Keynote: Transition Stories The Good, The Bad & The Different

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? How much growth did their business experience prior to selling? These business owners will help build and broaden your frame of reference by sharing their own stories and tales from the M&A trenches.

Moderator: Andrew Kemper, Partner, Capital West Partners

Panel:
Gary Powers, President, Promac Group
Bill Tucker, CEO & President, Omicron
Shannon Walker, Founder & President, WhistleBlower Security Inc.

4:00PM – 5:00PM

Cocktails & Conversation Networking Reception

Program, Schedule, and Speakers Subject to Change Without Notice

NOVEMBER 24, 2022 | BUSINESS OWNERS 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.)

speakers:
Jim Crooks, Managing Director & Partner, PwC
Grant Foster, Partner, Fasken
Calle Johnson, Managing Director & Partner, Corporate Finance, PwC
Samuel Li, Partner, Fasken

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
Value assessment: What is your company worth? Common methods of assessing value will be addressed.
Confidentiality and effectively communicate your succession plan
Protecting shareholders
Explore tax opportunities and maximize retirement income

Build a contingency plan

9:15AM – 10:00AM

Value Creation for your Business

Who would want your business and why – what differentiates you?
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.
Key management retention (involvement and ownership?)

10:00AM – 10:30AM

Refreshment Break – Network With Other Business Owners

10:30AM – 11:00AM

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.

Learn how a competitive sale process works, and why it is the best way to maximize price and terms of an eventual sale.

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.

11:00AM – 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

SUBSCRIBE FOR UPDATES

Mark Brodkin

Axel Christiansen

Julie Afanasiff

Pierre Cléroux

Constantine Hatzipanayis

Kleo Landucci

Michael Bains

Judy Brooks

Paulina Cameron

Debby Carreau

Alroy Chan

Jim Crooks

Phil DeSerres

DJ Devries

Prentice Durbin

Derrick Emsley

Grant Foster

Mark Funk

Christian Gauthier

Cindy Huang

Calle Johnson

Andrew Kemper

Jacoline Loewen

Steve Chen

Tom Kramer

Vladimir Kovacevic

Tara Landes

David Allardice

Brian Lau

Samuel Li

Kristi Miller

Mike McIsaac

Cameron MacCarthy

Adam Mallon

Don Montgomery

Natalie Michael

Diana Noble

Gerry Bellerive

Charles Chang

Rob Nazer

Nick Boyd

Kathy Bright

Rob Normandeau

Cameron Burke

Kathy Butler

Steve Duyvewaardt

Catherine Dahl

Jay Dargatz

David Diebolt

Mackenzie Regent

Shane King

Chad Garrod

Amir Ghahreman

Gary Powers

Rick Gendemann

Chris Hardwick

Robyn Hooper

Ryan Norton

Emily Savage

Ilan Jacobson

Kevin Shaw

Derek Strong

Keith Brown

Dylan Brown

Victoria Brown

Delna Bhesania

Mike Burtch

Julie Campbell

Scott Bodie

Janet Davie

Nicholas Drake

Darrell Ert

Silvana Facchin

Brendan Le Nobel

Taylor Gemmel

Ryan Giles

Brad Hill

Dave Bustos