We’re thrilled to welcome a very special guest to the podcast today: Jennifer Hosten, who made history as the first woman of colour to be crowned Miss World in 1970. Her victory took place during the height of the women’s liberation movement in the United Kingdom. Jennifer’s remarkable journey is brought to life in the feature film Misbehaviour , which will be screened this month in celebration of Black History Month by the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton . In this episode, we have the ...
Feb 11, 2025•22 min•Season 5Ep. 6
On this episode we’re joined by Justin Pellicciotta and Eddie Jurinic, founders of Pine Glen Homes. Justin and Eddie are childhood best friends turned business partners and they’re here today to discuss their entrepreneurial journey together, their best advice for business partners, and what the future has in store. Learn more about Pine Glen Homes: www.pineglen.ca
Nov 19, 2024•43 min•Season 5Ep. 5
On this episode we’re joined by Darrell Keezer, Founder & CEO of Candybox Marketing to discuss all things AI and marketing, including key benefits, common misconceptions, exciting developments, and more. Learn more about Candybox Marketing: https://www.candyboxmarketing.com/
Nov 12, 2024•48 min•Season 5Ep. 4
On this episode we’re joined by Séamus Kealy, Executive Director of Oakville Galleries, to discuss the various ways that art contributes to a community, and how Oakville Galleries is doing so right here in our Town. Learn more about Oakville Galleries: https://www.oakvillegalleries.com/
Nov 05, 2024•24 min•Season 5Ep. 3
On this episode we're joined by Moatassem Moatez, Founder and CEO of MYcourier Inc, an award-winning last-mile delivery company based right here in Oakville. Moatassem's entrepreneurial journey, from moving to Canada months before the pandemic to landing Amazon as his first client, contains countless lessons that he is here to share today. If you've had the privilege of meeting Moatassem in person, you know his positive, motivating, inspiring energy. Listen in to hear his story, how he stays mot...
Oct 29, 2024•33 min•Season 5Ep. 2
It's BDC Small Business Week! To kick off Season 5 and celebrate this incredible week, we’re joined by Navjot Chhinzer, Small Business Advisor at the Halton Region Small Business Centre. On this episode we’re discussing the various services the Small Business Centre provides, emerging trends, success stories, and more. Learn more about the Halton Region Small Business Centre: https://www.halton.ca/For-Business/Halton-Region-Small-Business-Centre
Oct 22, 2024•13 min•Season 5Ep. 1
We have a very special episode today, as we are joined by Connor McKiggan, Business Development Manager of the Rainbow Registered Program at Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce, or CGLCC. Today we are talking about the Rainbow Registered Accreditation Program — what it is, why it exists, and why it may be a great initiative for your organization to be a part of.
Jul 15, 2024•19 min•Season 4Ep. 19
April 15 – 19 is National Tourism Week! To celebrate, Visit Oakville is here to discuss how businesses, residents, and visitors can participate in the week, how businesses of all sizes can leverage the resources that Visit Oakville provides, trends they’re seeing in the tourism industry, and more. Join us in welcoming Rebecca Edgar, Executive Director, and Councillor Sean O’Meara, Chair of the Board of Directors of Visit Oakville. Learn more about Visit Oakville: www.visitoakville.com...
Apr 12, 2024•34 min•Season 4Ep. 18
Today we have a very special episode brought to you in partnership with the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton. We are so excited to welcome Melissa Davis, Owner & President of Ugly Dukling and Ugly Dukling Beauty to the podcast today. Beginning with a pop-up sneaker boutique in 2009, to working with massive industry names like Barbie, DC Comics, and Space Jam, Melissa is an entrepreneurial powerhouse. Listen in to hear how she got started, the vital lessons she’s learned along the way...
Feb 13, 2024•30 min•Season 4Ep. 17
On our final episode of the season, we’re joined by George Anastasopoulos of Leadership Fundamentals. Today’s discussion is all about taking yourself from associate to leader, strategies and techniques to help you once you’re there, and tactics that you can start implementing right away. If you’re ready to level up your career and make that move into a leadership position, or if you’re already there and just want to improve, this episode is for you. Learn more about Leadership Fundamentals: http...
Nov 20, 2023•45 min•Season 4Ep. 16
Members of the Chamber core season continues! On this episode we’re joined by Tyril Froese, Business Advisor & Partner at MNP, and Soumya Ghosh, Director at MNP Digital. Today we’re talking about Accounting 101 for entrepreneurs and business owners, including terms & concepts to be familiar with, best practices for staying organized, key tax considerations, and more. We also discuss the Canada Digital Adoption Program, or CDAP, as MNP is an approved CDAP advisor. If you’re an entrepreneu...
Nov 13, 2023•44 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Welcome to the final episode of our Moving Energy Forward series! A series of special edition episodes where we sit down with esteemed professionals from all facets of the energy sector, in an effort to gain expert knowledge, share that knowledge with all of you, and to join the important discussion on the future of energy. Thank you to our partner Bennett Jones for making this series possible. Today our series host, Wayne Steffler of Future Energy Oakville, is back and is joined by Danial Hadiz...
Nov 03, 2023•24 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Welcome to Episode 6 of our Moving Energy Forward series! A series of special edition episodes where we sit down with esteemed professionals from all facets of the energy sector, in an effort to gain expert knowledge, share that knowledge with all of you, and to join the important discussion on the future of energy. Thank you to our partner Bennett Jones for making this series possible. Today our series host, Wayne Steffler of Future Energy Oakville, is back and is joined by Sam McDermott, Techn...
Nov 02, 2023•26 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Welcome to Episode 5 of our Moving Energy Forward series! A series of special edition episodes where we sit down with esteemed professionals from all facets of the energy sector, in an effort to gain expert knowledge, share that knowledge with all of you, and to join the important discussion on the future of energy. Thank you to our partner Bennett Jones for making this series possible. Today our series host, Wayne Steffler of Future Energy Oakville, is back and is joined by Diego Mandelbaum, Se...
Oct 31, 2023•24 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Welcome to Episode 4 of our Moving Energy Forward series! A series of special edition episodes where we sit down with esteemed professionals from all facets of the energy sector, in an effort to gain expert knowledge, share that knowledge with all of you, and to join the important discussion on the future of energy. Thank you to our partner Bennett Jones for making this series possible. Today our series host, Wayne Steffler of Future Energy Oakville, is back and is joined by Marshall Eidinger, P...
Oct 30, 2023•26 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Welcome to Episode 3 of our Moving Energy Forward series! A series of special edition episodes where we sit down with esteemed professionals from all facets of the energy sector, in an effort to gain expert knowledge, share that knowledge with all of you, and to join the important discussion on the future of energy. Thank you to our partner Bennett Jones for making this series possible. Today our series host, Wayne Steffler of Future Energy Oakville, is back and is joined by Kareem Mirza, Chief ...
Oct 27, 2023•51 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Welcome to Episode 2 of our Moving Energy Forward series – a series of special edition episodes where we sit down with esteemed professionals from all facets of the energy sector, in an effort to gain expert knowledge, share that knowledge with all of you, and to join the important discussion on the future of energy. Thank you to our partner Bennett Jones for making this series possible. Today our series host, Wayne Steffler of Future Energy Oakville, is back and is joined by Andrew McLean, Glob...
Oct 26, 2023•24 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Welcome to Episode 1 of our Moving Energy Forward series – a series of special edition episodes where we sit down with esteemed professionals from all facets of the energy sector, in an effort to gain expert knowledge, share that knowledge with all of you, and to join the important discussion on the future of energy. Thank you to our partner Bennett Jones for making this series possible. We are excited to announce that this series will be hosted by Wayne Steffler, Interim Executive Director of F...
Oct 24, 2023•39 min•Season 4Ep. 8
BDC Small Business Week 2023 continues! In honour of the occasion, we are excited to share this special edition episode all about Strategic Communications for Small Businesses. Thank you to our partner Scotiabank for making this Small Business Week episode possible. Jim Gray, Strategic Communications Advisor, Coach, and Writer is here to explain what strategic communications is, why it’s crucial for the success of small businesses, key elements of a successful communications strategy, and how to...
Oct 20, 2023•7 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Happy BDC Small Business Week 2023! Small businesses come in many different shapes and sizes. One group that can often be left out of the small business conversation is incorporated and self-employed physicians, specifically when it comes to pension plans. Scotiabank and MD Financial Management are tackling this problem through their newly launched Medicus Pension Plan. Medicus gives incorporated physicians a unique opportunity to access all the benefits of a multi-employer pension plan — includ...
Oct 18, 2023•12 min•Season 4Ep. 6
On this episode, we’re talking all things cybersecurity! Joe Apps, from Joe Apps Technology Support, is here to break down what cybersecurity is and what parts of your business it effects, how to enhance it on your own and what to expect if you outsource, key red flags to look for, and the latest cyber attack trends. So if you haven’t already, go initiate your software updates, and then let’s get into it. Learn more about Joe Apps Technology Support: https://www.joeapps.ca/...
Oct 10, 2023•27 min•Season 4Ep. 5
On this episode, we’re diving into the digital world of social media marketing. Benoit Mercier from Bloomtools is here to tell us the basics that every business should have on social media, how to have a more impactful presence without using up all of your time and resources, what to expect when you outsource your social media efforts, and if paid social media advertising is really worth it. Learn more about Bloomtools: https://www.bloomtoolsmississauga.ca/...
Oct 02, 2023•25 min•Season 4Ep. 4
On this episode we’re talking all about how entrepreneurs and business owners can get their business involved in their community, and how to create a community of their own. Nancy Fornasiero of ACE Coworking is here to share how she’s created a dynamic and involved community of coworkers, her experience with external partnerships such as local artists, co-op programs, and event sponsorships, and how coworking is paving the way forward with reduced carbon emissions, a strong digital presence, and...
Sep 25, 2023•37 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Welcome back to Members of the Chamber Season 4! This season we’re shaking things up a bit with a brand new topic every week, and expert guests to accompany them. On this episode we are diving into the world of networking. If you’ve been to any of our networking events such as Business After Hours or Good Morning Oakville, there’s a pretty good chance you know today’s guest, Brent Stevens of Global Citizen Uniform and Promotional Products. Brent is here to walk us through every step of the netwo...
Sep 18, 2023•26 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Season 4 is here! This season we’re shaking things up a bit with a brand new topic every week, and expert guests to accompany them. On this episode we’re diving into the many ways that you can use food & wellness to regulate your energy throughout the work day, how to defeat that 2PM crash, why we crave carbs and sugary foods, and how caffeine actually works. Bonnie Flemington, Certified Nutritionist, is here today with some easy tips & tricks to work into your routines, and a simplified...
Sep 11, 2023•37 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Happy International Women's Day! On this special episode of Members of the Chamber we're sitting down with Chris McMartin of The Scotiabank Women Initiative® – a program that breaks down barriers to help increase economic and professional opportunities for women to be successful now, and in the future. Keep listening to hear more about the tools and resources that are available to businesswomen across all industries and career stages, how Scotiabank is building an empowering and impactful commun...
Mar 08, 2023•24 min•Season 3Ep. 11
The Oakville Chamber of Commerce is excited to present this special episode of our Members of the Chamber podcast! In this episode, we're joined by Donald Guse Salah, Program Manager at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, to chat about the Discover Ability Network - a free online portal that helps employers connect directly with job seekers with disabilities. Listen in to hear Donald debunk some myths about hiring people with disabilities, tips for employers at every stage of the process, and why y...
Feb 16, 2023•29 min•Season 3Ep. 10
On this episode we’re joined by Tim and Jon Root, the father-son duo behind two local business: Look Local and Treehouse Creative. Listen in to hear how they used their backgrounds and skillsets to dive into business as a team, and how they hustled to develop the new skills necessary to scale the business.
Sep 06, 2022•26 min•Season 3Ep. 9
On today’s episode, we’re joined by Kristin Courtney, and her children Melody & Aaron. Together, their family business is Access Abilities, a medical devices establishment with locations in Toronto and Oakville. Listen in to hear how their strong family bond, and sense of family values, have established Access Abilities as a staple in their community.
Aug 22, 2022•29 min•Season 3Ep. 8
On today’s episode we’re joined by mother-daughter duo Bianca Tino and Melissa Gaetani of Tino, Gaetani & Carusi Chartered Professional Accountants. Bianca started the firm 28 years ago, and Melissa joined the business 17 years later. As accountants, Bianca and Melissa help entrepreneurs with intergenerational transfers of business & wealth everyday. Carry on listening to hear their best advice, as well as their own experience working in a family business.
Aug 15, 2022•25 min•Season 3Ep. 7
