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You’re busy. We know! We cut through the BS and give you straight talk advice whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out. Small Business | Big Insights dives straight to the point on key topics and features interviews with industry experts and successful small business owners who share their deep insights. Tune in each month to gain new ideas and inspiration for your own business.
Hosted by Eric Saumure, CPA, CA (https://ericsaumure.com)
Send us any questions you've got to (podcast@zenbooks.ca)
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30 Episodes
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Send us a text In this episode of Small Business Big Insights, Eric Saumure welcomes Mayor Mark Sutcliffe to explore the intersection of leadership, politics, and entrepreneurship. From his early days as a broadcaster and business coach to his current role as mayor of Ottawa, Mark shares candid reflections on authenticity, resilience, and the challenges of public life. He opens up about how small business values shaped his leadership style, why civility in politics matters, and what entrepren...
Send us a text In this episode of The Small Business Big Insights Podcast, host Eric sits down with Nishant Raina, Vice President of Product Management at Mastercard in Canada. Nishant shares how Mastercard is helping small business owners tackle some of their biggest challenges. You’ll hear about the crucial role small businesses play in Canada’s economy, the pain points they’re facing right now, and how Mastercard’s programs and tools are making a difference. 00:00 Introduction and G...
Send us a text In this episode of Small Business Big Insights, Eric Saumure sits down with David Perry and Paul LaBarge—two champions of Canadian innovation—to dive deep into a bold proposal that could reshape the future of early-stage business funding. Drawing inspiration from Canada’s mining sector and successful UK policy, they explain how adapting flow-through share structures to tech startups and small businesses could ignite local investment, drive job creation, and help homegrown compa...
Send us a text In this episode of Small Business Big Insights, Eric Saumure sits down with Ottawa connector and storyteller Sam Laprade to explore how she co-authored Ottawa Made, a book celebrating local innovation and entrepreneurship. Sam shares the full behind-the-scenes of writing and launching the book—from managing self-doubt and editing challenges to finding time to write amid a busy life. She also dives into the sales side of authorship, explaining how thoughtful distribution, event-...
Send us a text In this episode, Eric Saumure welcomes Monique Goffinet, seasoned board leader and governance expert, for an energizing and insightful conversation about board leadership, governance trends, and how business owners can use board involvement to grow professionally. Monique shares the realities of board service, demystifies common misconceptions, and dives into leadership lessons from her years as a CEO and board member. From emotional intelligence to modern succession planning a...
Send us a text Today, Eric sits down with Albert Labelle, partner at PearTree and a pro in strategic philanthropy. Albert breaks down flow-through shares—a powerful but often overlooked tax strategy that can help small business owners and individuals boost their charitable giving while lowering after-tax costs. They dive into how flow-through shares work, the tax advantages for Canadian donors, and how PearTree helps make it all happen. Albert also clears up common concerns around compliance...
Send us a text This special episode is part of the Podcasthon initiative, a global movement harnessing the power of podcasts to drive conversations around important causes. Podcasthon brings together creators, thought leaders, and change-makers to amplify voices that matter. Learn more at Podcasthon’s website. Meet Robert Rhéaume, Board Chair of the Montfort Foundation. He shares his pride in the community-funded Mental Health Emergency Zone (MHEZ) and the Montfort Hospital’s vital role in mu...
Send us a text In this episode, Eric chats with David Burden, Director of Sales and Biz Dev at Arketek, a leading Salesforce consultancy. David drops some great tips on smart sales strategies, using tech to grow your biz, and avoiding common small business pitfalls. They cover everything from the (fading) future of cold email to how AI and automation are changing the sales game. Plus, David shares practical ways small businesses can streamline their sales process and use CRM data to find more...
Send us a text In this episode, Eric sits down with Shawn Stratton from Schooley Mitchell, a business optimization pro who helps small businesses cut costs—on average by 28%—without sacrificing quality. Drawing on his background as an expedition leader, speaker, and author, Shawn shares practical tips on auditing expenses and negotiating better rates on things like telecom, waste, and merchant services. He breaks down common myths around cost-cutting and explains how Schooley Mitchell h...
Send us a text In this episode of the Small Business Big Insights Podcast, Eric welcomes Tara Robertson, a senior accountant at Zenbooks. Tara shares valuable insights on business taxation, her journey in the industry, and even some tax horror stories. They discuss the critical role tax accountants play, share tips for small business owners, and address common myths about business taxes in Canada. 0:30 Introducing Tara Robertson: A Journey in Accounting 1:34 The Cyclical Na...
Send us a text Steve Parr shares his journey from founding and selling a vacation rental company to starting his own law firm, Parr Business Law. In this episode, he breaks down the essentials of business succession planning. Steve highlights why it’s so important to have a solid business structure, clear legal agreements, and backup plans in place for the unexpected. After all, every business partnership ends eventually—it’s just a matter of when. 0:22 Introducing Steve Parr 5:...
Send us a text In this episode, Eric interviews Kayla Rochkin, the Chief Growth Officer at Bond Bakery Brands. Bond acquires family and founder-run bakeries without succession plans, helping them continue their legacy. Kayla dishes on everything from keeping quality top-notch to building a company culture that’s as warm and welcoming as fresh bread. She also shares tips on getting that B Corp certification and how to balance profits with purpose. 0:28 Introductions 2:20 Bond Bake...
Send us a text Drew Millington is the co-founder of Nmbr, Canada’s first embedded payroll provider. With deep expertise in SaaS and startups, Drew offers insights into key metrics that startups and small businesses should monitor, including the distinction between regrettable and non-regrettable churn. As a sales guru who has successfully scaled multiple tech startups, Drew shares invaluable advice on optimizing sales processes and effectively pitching to investors. 0:00 Introduction 0...
Send us a text Shrad Rao is the CEO of Wagepoint, a payroll software designed for small businesses in Canada. The company, known for its friendly team, aims to make payroll simpler and less intimidating. Wagepoint serves over 25,000 customers and processes payroll for more than 200,000 employees each month. Under Shrad’s leadership, the company has grown to over 100 employees and is committed to diversity and inclusion. Shrad prioritizes a human-first approach and focuses on finding smarter s...
Send us a text In this episode, we dive deep into the world of business acquisitions with Brian Lee Shields, a seasoned business development and acquisition expert based in LA. With 15 years of experience, Brian has a rich background in private equity and has been involved in over $4 billion worth of investments across more than 15 industries. Listeners will gain valuable insights into business restructuring, turnaround strategies, and managing burnout. Brian and Eric cover a range of crucial...
Send us a text Alex Hadjisophocleous is a fee-only/advice-only financial planner at Forest Financial Planning Inc., helping individuals and business owners grow wealth through financial literacy. His unbiased advice is a refreshing contrast to financial advisors who charge substantial annual fees, particularly in Canada. In this episode, he shares a wealth of financial wisdom, including tips on insurance, paying installments, and how to withdraw a salary or pay yourself in a small business. He al...
Send us a text What are the key attributes of a polished brand? To tackle this question, Eric invites Robert Smith for an insightful conversation on branding. Robert, a branding expert, Adjunct Professor, author, and Chief Creative Officer at Greenmelon Inc, has a wealth of experience in crafting successful brand identities. Having worked with numerous major companies in Canada, Robert prioritizes frequency, consistency, and quality in his approach. He shares invaluable tips and advice tailore...
Send us a text Growing and scaling a small business takes strategy, innovation, and above all, great leadership. Zach Montroy, the Founder & CEO of The Intention Collective—a group of consultants specializing in small business growth and scaling—is a Harvard-educated strategist focusing on organizational psychology and development. In this lively discussion, they delve into team motivation, vision, values, goals, and systems. In an unpredictable world, like during the COVID-19 pandemic, h...
Send us a text Starting a small business involves various legal considerations, many of which can be conveniently addressed online. Shane Murphy, the CEO of Ownr, brings a legal background to the table and shares his entrepreneurial journey, including successfully starting and later having his business acquired by its major competitor. Ownr, an all-in-one platform, has assisted more than 125,000 small businesses in their initial stages by facilitating tasks such as registration and incorporat...
Send us a text Small businesses should not shy away from new technology, but rather use it as a secret tool to drive employee and customer satisfaction and engagement. Jeremy Irving is the Managing Director and Senior Technical Analyst of IC 360 Solutions, a technology firm that helps small businesses. He is also a certified PMP (project management professional) and a cloud technology and digital transformation expert, with over twenty years of hands-on IT experience. Today, he sh...
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