AJ Palladino is a Sr. Manager on the Small Business Marketing team at Canada Post. In this role, AJ helps Small Businesses start and grow by providing access to insights, business solutions and expert partners. Through his 8-year career at Canada Post, AJ has gained extensive experience in Product Marketing, Product Management and Ecommerce Strategy. He’s worked with global ecommerce merchants, platforms and marketplaces like Amazon, Shopify, Ebay and Etsy to design, deploy and market industry leading solutions. His deep knowledge of the ecommerce ecosystem combined with his passion for Small Business offers entrepreneurs a unique expertise to help them achieve their goals.

Albert Tsou is a Border Integrity Compliance Officer with the Border Centre West of Health Canada. Albert is involved in regulatory compliance enforcement and verification of health products at the border. Albert joined Health Canada in 2012. and started his career at the Inspectorate Program of Health Canada. He has a degree in science from Simon Fraser University.

As GOOD BUDS Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder, Alex does a lot more than making 10-year plans. He brings over a decade of experience in management consulting, strategy and finance to the GOOD BUDS management team. An avid learner, Alex is always flexing new muscles, and proudly wears many hats as chief strategist, salesman, fundraiser, and sober second-thinker. Alex champions a disciplined, researched approach decision-making, which has helped the company cut through the market noise, and ultimately remain true to its core values and people-first approach.  Today, Alex and his brother Tyler have launched Canada's first legal outdoor craft grow on Salt Spring Island, BC, and are leading the charge in making award-winning, organically-grown, all-natural hash and rosin. Follow their journey on Instagram @goodbudsco or visit goodbudsco.com for more information.

Alex is the Senior Manager, Underwriting within the Small Business Insurance team at BCAA. Alex assisted in the design and creation of BCAA’s Small Business Insurance. He works closely with a team of Commercial Advisors and Underwriters to meet the unique needs of BC Businesses. Alex has been involved in commercial insurance underwriting since 2012.

Amenda has worked in the field of mental health for over 10 years, working for both government and private organizations. Prior to joining WorkSafeBC in 2014, she worked as a psychiatric social worker and forensic case manager for the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). She has been involved in mental health from providing support to adults with mental health issues, to working with family members who have lost a loved one in a workplace accident. Amenda has worn several hats at WorkSafeBC, including working as a Case Manager in Claims, Investigations Officer in Fatal and Series Injury Investigations, and currently as an OHS Consultant for Mental Health Injury Prevention.

Amenda graduated from UBC with her Master of Social work and outside of WorkSafeBC, also practices as a registered social worker/therapist at a Vancouver clinic specializing in support for adults struggling with anxiety and other mental health issues.

To build a thriving business, it’s not enough to be great at what you do. You need clients.

Ami has helped over 430 business owners connect with millions of prospects online. His team at The Uncommoners Club have placed over $3 million in advertising on behalf of their clients.

Amin Yazdani is a software architect and the director of technology of A.Y. Technologies Inc. Amin has more than 15 years of experience in software development and has helped many startups grow to their true potential using software systems. He is an expert on helping startups find the right markets to approach and solve the right problems for their customers.

Amy Robinson, LOCO BC, is a small business sustainability consultant. Amy founded LOCO BC because of her perception that BC undervalues the economic and social pillars of sustainability that strengthen communities, build resilience and foster innovation. She started LOCO to connect, support and promote local businesses while advocating for increased local spending by consumers, businesses, and institutions.

Andrea is the Co-Founder and Operator of Village Bloomery. Andrea is a serial entrepreneur with  an education in Design & Display for the retail environment .  Throughout her career, Andrea has worked in front line retail with a focus on design and management and has had the pleasure of working for forward-thinking retailers such as IKEA, The Body Shop, and Womyns Ware Inc. She is an entrepreneur who has followed her heart when in the visioning process and her intuition while in the growth phase. Data is a language she is learning to appreciate.

Andrea finds most of her joy in exploring what cannabis means to women.

Andress Lee, Regional Product Safety Officer at Health Canada, has been working in various positions at different departments within the federal government for over 10 years. She started at the meat hygiene program of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) as an inspector. In 2007, she worked at the fish import program with the CFIA as an inspector conducting audits and inspecting importations of fish and seafood products. In 2013, she worked at the shellfish program with the CFIA as a specialist monitoring the marine bio-toxin program and providing recommendations on the opening and closure of the shellfish harvest sites along the pacific coastline. In 2016, she joined the consumer product safety program at Health Canada as an officer researching, assessing and collaborating in the management of the health risks and safety hazards associated with many consumer products, that Canadians use daily. She has worked with businesses to help them understanding legislative requirements.

 

Andress received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of British Columbia. After graduating, she worked in multiple food manufacturing facilities starting from a quality control technician to a quality assurance manager for over 5 years before joining the federal government.

Chief Scientific Officer in Research and Development at Terramera

Ashley “WriterGal” Doan is a content copywriter, public speaker, published author, and online marketing consultant. Through her business, WriterGal Marketing Services, she shows entrepreneurs how to make content marketing easy, profitable, and fun so it helps to grow their business. Her specialties include writing SEO web content, blog articles, and social media posts.

Ashley Teister has been with WorkSafeBC for 5 years and started as an Occupational Safety Officer in the construction industry. She is currently the Supervisor for Prevention Field Services for the asbestos team. Prior to joining WorkSafeBC, she was in the rebar industry.

Barinder  is the co-founder of HAVN Life Sciences Inc., with the goal of empowering people to achieve their potential and thrive, from a foundation of evidence-informed research.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving Mainland B.C. is a non-profit organization focused on helping consumers to find and recommend businesses and brands they can trust. With over 100 years of experience as a leader in consumer support services including complaints, customer reviews, advertising and education, more persons continue to rely on BBB for our Business Reviews, available for free at www.bbb.org.

Beth Cougler Blom, MEd, is a learning designer and facilitator who works with clients across all sectors to help them design and facilitate great meetings and learning events, both face-to-face and online. She is the author of Design to Engage: How to Create and Facilitate a Great Learning Experience for Any Group. Learn more about Beth at bethcouglerblom.com.

Betty is a career executive with core competencies in business development and strategy across a broad range of industries.

Creative and self-directed, Betty is skilled in analyzing opportunities and developing, implementing, and achieving both short-term and long-term strategic business plans and goals. Technically savvy with the ability to drill down any project into the most minute detail allowing others to execute and accomplish with ease.

Betty has deep experience and acumen in both the creative and solopreneur world having worked with Joel Berman Glass Studios, Circle Craft Artist Co-Operative, The Railtown Design District, the Craft Council of British Columbia and the Comox Valley Arts Council.

An articulate communicator known for building highly motivated teams who has a career-long record of developing focused organizations, negotiating complex relationships and producing results. She is also the co-founder of MyCEO.ca.

Bill Erichson is a noted business trainer, consultant and business planner. He has over thirty years of experience helping small and medium sized business owners grow and develop their businesses.  Bill's approach blends the development of the Marketing, Operational, Financial, and Human Resource aspects of the business.  Unlike the 'specialist' approach of many business advisors, Bill determines the next strategic direction required for the development of the business and plans around the Key Business Sector as developed through a detailed business diagnosis.

Braeden Ralla founded Purpose Smoothie Company in Steveston, in 2017. 

As the owner of a smoothie and health food store, Braeden has been forced to quickly pivot his business approach in the face of COVID-19. Braeden had to take creative steps to evolve his business and stay resilient during this time of challenge and uncertainty.

Brian E. Rudy (B.Sc. McGill 1989, LL.B. UBC 1994) is a founding partner of Synergy Business Lawyers LLP. He is an experienced corporate lawyer who practices corporate commercial law, with a focus on privately-held corporations and entrepreneurs.

Bronwen is the HR Practice Manager at the Entreflow Consulting Group.

She is an experienced Operations Administrator and Recruiter working in the financial industry as well as with start-ups. She is highly skilled in Microsoft office and various cloud-based applications.

Caitey Gilchrist is an award-winning entrepreneur, speaker and creative for life. As the founder of a successful brand strategy business, Caitey has built kick-ass brands for a wide range of companies and entrepreneurs, including coaches, marketers, financial advisors and more. With clients raving about her thoughtfulness and breadth of knowledge, Caitey is passionate about helping businesses and individuals uncover their authentic brand identities. She is dedicated to connecting human beings to their purpose, power and people, and empowers entrepreneurs to use their core message to create freedom in their lives and businesses.