The Path Forward: What Lies Ahead for Canadian Business Owners?

One year after the onset of the pandemic in Canada, we are looking beyond the near term to identify what Canadian small and medium-sized businesses need to do to survive and succeed in a post-pandemic world. 

Join us for a conversation with Michael Denham, President and CEO of BDC, Canada's bank for entrepreneurs as we look back at how the past 12 months have changed the way we do business and try to answer these questions: 

• What are the trends that the pandemic created and that will stay with us once the economy reopens? 
• ​What do business owners need to do now to prepare for a post-vaccine normal? 
• What are the lessons learned over the past year that will help us build resiliency for future shocks? 

About Michael

Michael Denham is President and CEO of BDC, the bank for Canadian entrepreneurs. He leads a team of 2,400 people across Canada who work every day to help entrepreneurs by providing the guidance and financial support they need to build resilient growing businesses. A seasoned business leader with more than 30 years of senior management experience, Mr. Denham held senior roles at McKinsey, Bombardier, Accenture and AquaTerra before joining BDC. He is a strong supporter and promoter of small and medium-sized businesses, and the impact they are making to our economy and prosperity.  

 

Special Guests

Patricia Hines

Owner, Petland Kamloops
 

Trish Hines and her wife DelRae Cahoon have owned and operated their franchise Petland store since July 2014. Trish was an employee of Petland for nearly 18 years. She started out as a part employee while attending college, moved her way up to full time, then managing the store for 15 years before having the unique opportunity to become owner. Trish and DelRae experienced many financial challenges to move towards buying this store, but they haven’t looked back since. In fact, in 2018 Trish and DelRae with the help of BDC were able to purchase the building that their store is located in. The Covid epidemic was very challenging for Trish and DelRae however, with the help of their awesome team they managed to navigate the ever changing waters and come out better than before. 


Wayne Cochran
President, Axis Forestry Inc.

Wayne Cochran grew up in Barriere, surrounded by the Forestry Industry and had worked for a leading forestry equipment manufacturer for several years.  2010 was the turning point when he started Axis Forestry Inc in the garage of his house from the ground up.  With no roadmap in hand, he built an international parts manufacturing business to provide logging contractors with direct access to replacement parts and technical support. 

In 2017 Axis expanded into the US market by setting up a distribution warehouse in Ferndale, Washington which has made a significant improvement in product delivery and American customer perception.  The business has grown into a 50% tech company and a 50% traditional manufacturing company.  Axis has invented and made available for sale new "Cypress Robotics" computer control system to operate forestry equipment in a new and modern platform.  The past four years Axis has also been in a heavy R&D state to develop a new forestry attachment called the Rebel and is being released in July 2021.  Thanks to BDC in 2019, Axis has built a new factory on the north side of Kamloops to increase production capacity for their customers.  Visit www.axisforestry.com 


Jean-Philippe Ménard
Senior Vice President, British Columbia, North and Client Diversity, Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)

Jean-Philippe Ménard was appointed Senior Vice President, British Columbia, North and Client Diversity in June 2020, and is responsible for BDC’s financing and advisory services in those markets.