Small Business Expo 2022

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

SMALL BUSINESS EXPO 2022 GUIDE A Free Two Day Virtual Small Business Conference

29-30 JUNE, 2022

STARTS AT 9:00 AM

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Empowering Canadian Small & Medium Enterprises 29-30 June, 2022

CanadianSME Small Business Magazine's aim is to equip SMEs with expert knowledge and insight from industry leaders on all things business.

CanadianSME Business Magazine incorporates compelling content that is both practical and tactical to meet the business needs of the small and medium enterprises with solutions in one well-resourced portal by

providing them with a solution to all their queries, all under one roof.

CanadianSME Small Business Magazine aims to engage, educate and empower SMES to feel supported, fuel scale and find community. www.canadiansme.ca

Why attend: As a small business owner, you want to know and discover the best

strategies to implement during and

after the Covid-19 pandemic. In this

expo, you will learn The Tech adoption

for Small Businesses through Covid-19 and beyond. Managing cash flow during a period of crisis, small

business leadership in the time of

crisis, and women entrepreneurship challenges.

This expo will help you get the top

technology tips, business tips, and the best available resources to keep your small business on track post-Covid19.

Who should attend At CanadianSME’s Small Business

Expo, we welcome everyone from

small business leaders, Owners, CEOs, Business consultants, Finance, and HR

managers to IT decision-makers from small and medium enterprises who

face challenges to adopt innovative technologies.

Small Business Expo 2022

CanadianSME Business Expo 2022 The CanadianSME Business Expo 2022 is the podium where business owners will get an unmissable chance to connect with over 2,000 industry professionals from across the country. That’s not all! With so many big and successful names from several industries, all under the same roof, everyone will get the opportunity to share innovative ideas, knowledge, insights, as well as showcase their best services and craftsmanship to Canada and the whole world. We will have business expert workshops, keynote sessions hosted by industry leaders, and a live Q&A from expert CEOs so everyone can get all of their queries answered.

Those are just some of the many wonderful things on the agenda for this exclusive event. Trust us when we say you don’t want to miss this one!

AGENDA DAY 1 - JUNE 29, 2022

01

9:00 am - 9:15 am - Opening remarks

02

Shiraz Siddique, Media Host and Consulting Editor at CanadianSME and Founder of Leverage Consulting

03

9:20 am - 9:25 am - Welcome remarks

The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade

04

Steve Apostolopoulos and Jason Sawyer

9:40 am to 9:45 am - Welcome remarks

Rocco Rossi, President & CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce

07

09

10:35 am to 11:05 am - KEYNOTE

D irector, Small Business, UPS Canada

06

09:45 am to 10:30 am - Panel Discussion

The credit you deserve: Underserved SMEs are the hottest segment in fintech

08

11:15 am to 11:45 am - KEYNOTE

What matters most to you and your business

International Trade Insights and Solutions.

By Tony Chapman, Branding Expert – Media Personality - Podcaster

By Paul Gaspar, Director, Small Business, UPS Canada

12:30 pm to 1:15 pm - Panel Discussion

10

3:00 pm to 4:00 pm - Panel Discussion

Digital Transformation

01:45 pm to 2:30 pm - Panel Discussion

Creating an Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs and Momprenuers

11

9:30 am to 9:35 am - Welcome remarks

By Paul Gasper,

C o-Founders of Caary Capital

05

9:15 am - 9:20 am - Welcome remarks

12

2:30 pm to 3:15 pm - WORKSHOP

Procurement Assistance Canada’s Seminars and Support in Ontario Region

AGENDA DAY 2 - JUNE 30, 2022

01

9:00 am - 9:15 am - Opening remarks

02

Shiraz Siddique, Media Host and Consuting Editor

03

9:10 am - 9:15 am - Welcome remarks

9:15 am - 9:17 am - Welcome remarks

Michelle Meghie President Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce

04

9:15 am to 9:20 am - Short break

06

10:15: AM - 11:00 am - Panel Discussion

Paul-Emille McNabb, D irector of Business Development at CCAB

05

9:30 am to 10:00 am - KEYNOTE

Entrepreneurial Resiliency and lessons learned

The Power of Small Business: The Road to Collective Prosperity is Paved with Courage and Trust

By Duncan Sinclair, Chair of Deloitte Canada and Chile

07

11:15 am to 11:45 am - KEYNOTE

08

Canada’s new Cybersecurity Standard: What you must Know and should Do

12:15 pm to 1:00 pm - Panel Discussion

Exploring New e-Commerce Trends

Join this live and interactive keynote with Sai Huda, the Chairman and CEO of CyberCatch.

09

1:00 pm - 1:30 pm - KEYNOTE

10

How to use software to help your business overcome operational challenges

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm - Panel Discussion

Cloud & Tech for SME's - Tech adoption for Small Businesses through Covid-19 and beyond.

Eleanor Pitcher, Canadian Market Specialist at Capterra

11

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm - KEYNOTE

Keynote on Indigenous businesses by Darian Kovacs, Co-founder & Editor of IndigneousSME Business Magazine

12

03:15 pm to 4:00 pm - WORKSHOP

How to resolve issues with a federal contract: Helping you get back to business Workshop by the Office of the Procurement Ombudsman

Panel Discussion CanadianSME Small Business expo will welcome numerous experts sitting on an esteemed panel to conduct a meaningful discussion on a variety of topics. Some of the topics that we will be covering include the role of women entrepreneurs, digital transformation and its importance, cloud technology, small business leadership, and the future of e-commerce and retail. All the panellists are an expert in their respective fields with the aim to provide detailed information and help small business owners. Attending these sessions will be highly beneficial for all entrepreneurs especially those who are still finding their feet in this industry. In addition, you will get an amazing opportunity to have an up-close discussion with fellow business professionals while growing your network at the same time. Who knows, maybe this is what your business always needed! Create an opportunity for yourself and grow with us!

Panel Discussion Topics; Creating an Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Women Entrepreneurship Digital Transformation for SMEs Entrepreneurial resilience during challenging times Cloud & Tech for SME's Exploring New e-Commerce Trends The credit you deserve: Underserved SMEs are the hottest segment in fintech

Panel Discussion

The credit you deserve: Underserved SMEs are the hottest segment in fintech Despite their criticality to the Canadian economy, small and medium-sized businesses have long been underserved,

particularly in financial services. Access to credit, capital and

tailored professional services (accounting, consulting and tax) has not only been expensive, but it’s also often been

unattainable. Now, as federal pandemic relief dries up, small and medium-sized businesses need advice, access and

support more than ever. Leveraging new research and industry insights, this expert panel will discuss the “stay awakes” for this segment, the new models emerging to appropriately serve them and the opportunities and challenges of new and emerging fintech solutions.

29 JUNE, 9:45 AM TO 10:30 AM

Sean Stanleigh (Moderator)

Head of Globe Content Studio

John Mackinlay CEO of Caary

Michelle Miller

Corinne Pohlmann

Vice-President for Core Services at MNP

Senior Vice President, National Affairs and Partnerships for CFIB

Panel Discussion

Creating an Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Innovation is a certification of a dynamic society as is quite often best seen in the form of entrepreneurship. In Canada, a long

history regarding unequal access to resources and strategic

refusal to invest (like sexism and systemic racism) have created profound disparities in the ability to accomplish the Canadian dream of well-being and prosperity. Levelling the playing field requires leaders to take action to back inclusive entrepreneurship.

An inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystem efficiently connects

people, institutions, programs, and policies, eliminating barriers and providing equal access to the resources and tools

entrepreneurs need when it comes to creating, building and scaling new businesses successfully.

Creating an inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystem is rapidly

changing economic development strategy. So far, little work has been done to make sure that this strategy includes people of

colour as well as their communities. In a time of demographic

Eleonora Andretta

in any economic development strategy. Inclusion is especially

Certified Life and Executive Coach

change in Canada, it is essential to include diverse communities important for building an environment of communities of colour

(Moderator)

Fatima Zaidi CEO and Founder of Quill Inc.

since entrepreneurship can create job opportunities and close the racial wealth gap, thus fuelling local economic growth.

While building a diverse ecosystem that backs diverse

entrepreneurs has become a significant economic development strategy and working to create an ecosystem that truly

promotes inclusion is the need of the hour. Creating inclusive

entrepreneurship by providing access to capital and the market is vital to growing the Canadian economy and maintaining the economic viability of its communities.

Graham Wong

Founder & CEO of LAUFT

Ron Benegbi Founder & CEO @ Uplinq

This panel discussion will talk about the necessity of creating an all-inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem and provide some

robust equity-related activities that can support and promote every dreamer, doer, and maker to thrive successfully since businesses are set up by these aspiring and innovative

entrepreneurs are critical to local and national economies.

Creating a good deal of opportunities for minority entrepreneurs encourages diversity and enhances everyone's experience.

JUNE 29 - 01:45 PM TO 2:30 PM

Danish Yusuf

Shadi McIsaac

CEO and Founder at Zensurance

CEO & Co-Founder of Ownr

Panel Discussion

Women, Entrepreneurs and Momprenuers Small businesses make a notable contribution to Canada's economy by creating jobs. Until recently, most of the

entrepreneurs were male because of the social, traditional culture, political, legal and educational barriers faced by

women. However, over the past 20 years, Canadian women have gained more and more access to the resources and

tools, enabling them to start and run their own businesses.

Today, one-third of self-employed women in Canada are

women, and it is expected to rise dramatically where women will be owning half of all businesses in Canada. In short, Canada's women-led SMEs are at the apex of a major

breakthrough. They have gone through the beginning stages of growth and now are ever ready for the next stage of success.

Despite their valuable contribution to the Canadian economy,

women entrepreneurs face numerous obstacles to success in

Adrianne Fekete (Moderator)

Founder and CEO, Star Quality Private Investigations

Maria Luisa Boyce UPS Vice President of Global Public Affairs

a variety of fields. In addition to systematic discrimination and gender bias, most women entrepreneurs struggle when it

comes to accessing funds, support and services still now.

These problems are expedited by female entrepreneurs

coming from underrepresented groups like Indigenous and

racialized women, women with disabilities, or those identified as LGBTQ2S+. They are faced with several societal and

political factors that are acting as roadblocks to success.

Despite the many challenges faced by Canadian women

entrepreneurs, they have continued to demonstrate resilience, tenacity, and ingenuity. They are leaving their mark beautifully

Tracy Bell

Laura Williams

Co-Founder + CEO Millennia TEA

Founder and Principle of Williams HR Law

on the world and leaving impressive footprints. But to make Canada a supreme entrepreneurial country, women, along

with men, should be supported equally irrespective of gender and race so that they can bloom to their full potential.

Women's entrepreneurship is very important to Canada's

future. They gradually close the gender gap by ensuring that all women have as many opportunities as men. In this panel discussion, we have specially brought in top-notch women experts to help aspiring women entrepreneurs succeed efficiently and instill confidence to conquer challenges.

Carmen Sandor Founder and CEO of Green Owl Vodka

Roula Badis Founder of Roula Badis Coaching

JUNE 29 - 12:30 PM TO 1:15 PM

Panel Discussion

Ecommerce; Exploring New e-Commerce Trends Following two disruptive years that increased the speed of

digitalization, retailers are acting on the eCommerce imperative and launching their digital transformation programmes.

However, many small business owners cannot speed up with the growing trends in the eCommerce landscape of Canada, hence are losing customers.

The CanadianSME Small Business Expo 2022, held virtually on

June 29-30, 2022, will feature panel discussions from Canada's leading business executives and entrepreneurs. This year, our panellists will be discussing the hottest eCommerce trends

Shiraz Siddique

taking place across Canada and helping small business owners

(Moderator)

Founder, Leverage Consulting

explore the best strategies for their businesses to run seamlessly.

This expo will provide small business owners and entrepreneurs with excellent eCommerce ideas to keep businesses on track.

This panel discussion will help small business owners learn about the methods that set leaders in commerce and customer

experience apart from the pack. This business expo will also help them explore specific initiatives that can be taken to guarantee that their e-commerce investments are producing the desired outcomes while preparing them for future growth.

With rising technology, business concepts, and trends, the eCommerce industry will have a brighter future in 2022.

Anne De Aragon Vice President and Country Manager for GoDaddy Canada

David Nagy

Founder at eCommerce Canada

This panel discussion will talk through the newest eCommerce

trends in the Canadian market and how implementing them can provide matchless shopping experiences to end-users, ensuring tremendous growth and a maximized ROI for your business. In

addition, our panellists will provide detailed information on each of the 14 eCommerce mentioned above trends for you to better understand the consumer journey and purchasing patterns.

JUNE 30 - 12:15 PM TO 1:00 PM

Aviva Klein

Sylvia Ng

Payments Evangelist, MasterCard Canada

CEO of ReturnBear

Shobhit Khandelwal

Founder of ShyftLabs and Minoan Experience

David Gens CEO of Merchant Growth & Tabit

Panel Discussion

Digital Transformation for SMEs Digital transformation is a trend that's growing at a faster rate

for most businesses around the world. It is totally changing the way organizations operate. Processes, systems, workflows, and cultures are part of this overall process. This drastic

transformation impacts all levels of the organization and

integrates data from disparate areas to collaborate more

effectively. By harnessing the power of advanced processing

and workflow automation like AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning), organizations are connecting dots beautifully on the consumer journey in ways previously unimaginable.

Organizations that have made the most of digital

transformation over the past few years can quickly adapt by

relying on modern security protocols, cloud architectures, agile corporate cultures, and a full range of business technologies to assist a wide range of new telecommuting environments. as well as new interactions and virtualized business

transactions. However, many SMEs are lagging behind digital

Miki Velemirovich (Moderator) Founder and Principle of 1919 Strategy Group

Faye Pang Country Manager, Canada at Xero

initiatives and are struggling to adapt to this swiftly changing social and economic ecosystem.

According to data from around the world, the success rate of digital transformation is still 20%. SMEs (Small and medium-

sized enterprises) face very specific challenges when it comes to digitizing their business. The main challenges are their lack of digital and online strategy and presence in such an

economic position where business survival is paramount.

Small businesses tend to adapt better to new developments because of their scale, which provides a certain level of

Shenela Tavarayan Senior Manager in charge of the Small Business portfolio at Interac

Lissa Ricci

Head of Sales, Small Business Solutions at Cisco

flexibility. But its size also translates to more limited resources and finances. For this reason, small and medium-sized

businesses are often characterized by reduced innovation

activity, decreasing efficiency and low technological adoption rates.

The major discussion topics in the panel sessions are the

challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises as a result of digital transformation and also the benefits they

can bag if embraced. Business leaders across Canada will be providing an overview of this present digital transformation trends since these trends will affect the way how SMEs are

Eric Huang Founder and CEO Advanced Analytics and Research Lab

Tessa Anaya Content Analyst at Capterra Canada

going to be disrupted in the coming years.

JUNE 29 - 3:00 PM TO 4:00 PM

Panel Discussion

Pandemic Proofing your Small Business Entrepreneurial Resiliency Aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders tend to bounce back from ambiguity and launch a business under difficult

circumstances. Resilience and self-belief are the main drivers that made these entrepreneurs sail through the storm

seamlessly. A strong and resilient entrepreneur acts as a role

model and lifeline for their employees who can look forward to times of support and encouragement.

In wake of the unprecedented global pandemic generated by COVID-19, resilient entrepreneurs have successfully made it

through the post-corona era through their innovative thinking and forward-looking practices. Kudos to their psychological resilience and their ability to thrive or adapt in the face of

uncertainties and life adversities. These entrepreneurs are

notable trainers of economic resilience in times of economic crisis. When COVID-19 struck the world, many resilient

entrepreneurs drove possible recovery when the crisis subsided, and protected against such economic shocks, maintaining the country’s economy to a huge extent.

Robert Gauvreau (Moderator)

Founding partner of Gauvreau & Associates CPA

Nunzio Presta Founder & CEO BuyAndSellABusiness.com

COVID-19 has provided businesses with the opportunity to

become more entrepreneurial and has pushed them out of their comfort zone to be agile to challenges. Whether it’s a social entrepreneur offering humanitarian aid to communities, a

business using an entrepreneurial mindset to transform business and help in difficult times, or aspiring tech entrepreneurs

creating simple solutions to key social problems, they are

making a real difference and creating the long-term economic

impact experienced during the global pandemic. They know how to make critical business decisions and self-manage during

these uncertain times to make the most. These entrepreneurs

Shrad Rao CEO of Wagepoint

have been resilient during difficult times to sail through the hardest of storms without any worries.

Christelle FrancoisPang

Vice President of Operations at Federation of African Canadian Economics I Founder at Untold & Co Agency

In this panel, successful CEOs and entrepreneurs from around

the world will discuss how aspiring entrepreneurs can steer their businesses forward in uncertain times. This particular panel will

teach entrepreneurs how to make fruitful business decisions and build entrepreneurial resilience inside and outside. This will also provide knowledge on social responsibility, brand awareness, and how to deal with customers and employees, and adjust efficiently to the changing environment.

JUNE 30 - 10:15 AM - 11: 00 AM

Elke Rubach President of Rubach Wealth

Nicholas Reichenbach

Founder and CEO, Flow Alkaline Spring Water

Panel Discussion

Cloud and Tech for Small Business Owners Today, every sector understands that there is no rest without

the adoption of digital technologies. Those who miss the bus will either be shot to death or face a loose schedule. The

ongoing pandemic has been the evolution of various SME

sectors, and digitization will strengthen their hands and help them cope during difficult times. Sectors ranging from

neighbourhood grocery stores to SMEs are beginning to

embrace digital transformation. SMEs need room for digital transformation across their entire business strategy. This requires investing in finding the right goals, consulting, planning and investment in order to digitize them.

As SMEs explore and embrace digital technologies, they face

barriers that slow or delay progress. From tight budgets to lack of experience and know-how, legacy hindrances, safety, and many other issues, the challenges are manifold.

Tom Kirkham

(Moderator) Founder and CEO of IronTech Security

Chandrashekar LSP Canadian Evangelist, Zoho Corp.

SMEs in Canada play a dominant role when it comes to

creating jobs mainly for marginalized and young communities.

Their resilience and survival totally depend on the adoption of disruptive technologies in the form of cloud computing, data mining, Big Data, etc.

IT and tech professionals across Canada will talk about

technology adoption for small businesses and how these

technologies can benefit them and drive seamlessly even if

the road is rough. The panellists will also talk about the most important and state-of-the-art technologies trending in the

KJ Burke

Max Nokhrin

Principal Technology Strategist, Hybrid Cloud at CDW Canada

Senior Partnerships Manager, Canada, Xero

global arena. They will be discussing how to effectively

manage employees who work remotely and how to solve this problem in a creative way.

Being a business owner, it's essential to know how to use the latest technology for business. The Top leaders in the IT industry will be discussing all the accurate tools small

business owners need to get moving in the right direction. With the right tools and technical expertise, a small business can grow and expand further.

Josh Weinberger Chief Legal Officer at Goodlawyer

Marcelo Souhami VP of sales, for SAP Customer Experience in Canada.

JUNE 30 - 1:30 PM - 2:15 PM

Exclusive Keynote

The Power of Small Business: The Road to Collective Prosperity is Paved with Courage and Trust

By Duncan Sinclair Chair of Deloitte Canada and Chile

JUNE 30, 9:30 am to 10:00 am

Register Now

www.smeexpo.ca

Exclusive Keynote

International Trade Insights and Solutions

By Paul Gaspar

Director of Small Business for UPS Canada

11:15 am to 11:45 am, June 29

Register Now

www.smeexpo.ca

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Exclusive Keynote

Canada’s New Cybersecurity Standard: What You Must Know and Should Do SAI HUDA

Founder, Chairman and CEO, CyberCatch

11:15 am to 11:45 am, June 30 Register Now

www.smeexpo.ca

Keynote Sponsor:

Exclusive Keynote

How to use software to help your business overcome operational challenges

By Eleanor Pitcher Canadian Market Specialist at Capterra

JUNE 30, 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm

Register Now

www.smeexpo.ca

Exclusive Keynote

What Matters Most to You And Your Business 29 June, 10:35 am to 11:05 am

Tony Chapman, Host of the radio show and podcast

Chatter that Matters

Workshop

How to resolve issues with a federal contract: Helping you get back to business

Workshop by the Office of the Procurement Ombudsman

JUNE 30, 03:15 pm to 4:00 pm

Register Now

www.smeexpo.ca

Workshop

Procurement Assistance Canada’s Seminars and Support in Ontario Region Delores Sui

Supply Specialist

Roni Khalil

Procurement Specialist

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) – Procurement Assistance Canada – Ontario Region

JUNE 29, 2:30 pm to 3:15 pm

Register Now

www.smeexpo.ca

Tyler Vandonk

Procurement Team Leader

Exhibitors

Exclusive offerings

UPS Small Package Shipping 50% Savings on UPS Small Package Shipments Visit the UPS booth in the expo area to access the code

GoToMarketers is giving away $250 gas cards and $5000 worth of marketing services

CG Technologies is giving away a Lenovo Laptop, visit their booth to learn more

If you sign-up in their booth at CanadianSME, you will receive an exclusive 20% OFF of your package.

They have experts Live in the booth, who can help you get signed up and into compliance.”

UPS Small Package Shipping 50% Savings on UPS Small Package Shipments Visit the UPS booth in the expo area to access the code

Accounting businesses, businesses: days, then month!

software for small and Canadian Try Xero free for 30 get 30% off for 6

FAQs Have any questions? Check our FAQs Do I have to pay to attend?

No, this event is 100% free!

I am not a small business owner. Can I still attend?

Yes, all are welcome to join. Register here for Expo 2022.

Will the content be shared afterward?

Sure thing, after the event, we will send you a code and link to the VOD page.

How do I watch sessions?

All the sessions will be broadcast via Zuddl video on the main event platform, details will be shared before the event.

Can I join just for one session?

Yes, pop in and out of the event as you like.

Who do I contact for more information?

Please contact this email: info@canadiansme.ca How can I register as an exhibitor?

You can visit the exhibit now tab from the menu, if you have any questions, you can contact us as well.

I am interested in speaking at the event?

Thanks for your interest in speaking at the event, please submit your query here Upon receipt, your application will be reviewed by the CanadianSME team.