What do I do?

Executive Leadership

My education, expertise, and experience culminate in Executive Leadership. I have spent the better part of 16 years in strategy development and execution, including Industry and market assessments and analyses, value proposition development, feasibility analyses, marketing planning, operations planning, financial planning, resource allocation, and validation. I excel at crafting and executing Vision Mission and Values, and fostering innovation, collaboration, and loyalty.

Consulting & Management

At the crossroads of entrepreneurship, project management, critical thinking, and leadership, is Consulting. With a background in entrepreneurship and research, I can quickly absorb and understand complex industry, market, and competitive data, perform assessments to identify causal relationships, pain points, and new opportunities to reduce risk, reduce cost, increase revenue, and better position a firm for competitiveness.

Entrepreneurship

I am not just trained and educated as an entrepreneur, I have decades of practical experience succeeding and failing. I have been coaching and advising entrepreneurs in various industries and at different levels, from pre-seed to post-revenue. Business Planning, Investor Readiness, Pitching, Data Rooms, Projections, Research, Value Propositions, Business Models, there’s little I can’t do well.

Experience

Personal Training Bodybuilding & Nutrition

Retail Procurement & Luxury Fashion

I.T. Hardware & Web Development

Education Coaching & Training

Consulting Speaking & Leadership

Volunteering Social Work & Philanthropy

Expertise

Planning

Strategy, marketing, innovation management, operations, finance,

Consulting

Management, Executive, Diagnostics, strategic optimization, Coaching

Entrepreneurship

Education, Design Thinking, investment readiness, Pitching

Strategy

Research & Analysis, Strategy Crafting, opportunity Validation, Turnaround & Change

Education

Undergraduate & Graduate Education Completed
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Case / Pitch Competitions Judged
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Certifications, Degrees, & Designations
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Experiential Learning Success

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Personal Trainer

2000 to 2010 (Part Time)

Kinesiology OAC

I started my professional journey with small jobs in retail, but my passion stemmed from a 1-year OAC course (University-level) in Kinesiology. I learned about more than just anatomy, I learned to analyze movement, energy, work, and the interwoven relationships between these elements to become a personal training specialist.

Personal Training Specialist

While working on my bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship, I also earned my PTS certificate. I spent a large part of my 20’s as a personal trainer with a ‘no nonsense’ attitude, strict discipline, science-based approach, and a laser-focus on safety. I stood out in two major ways: My prioritization of safety over performance made it clear to clients that I wanted what was best for them, and not for myself; I was not there to sell them on something they didn’t need, or that was unsafe, or untested. I also stood out by honing my skills in research and analysis to best understand the underlying principles behind training, avoiding fads, hype, and marketing-driven methodologies that were only interested in increasing sales; I was there to help clients reach their goals, not to maximize revenues.

Advanced Training

I took my training career to the next step when I was approached by the first professional athlete to become my client. It was more than an honour, it was a validation of my knowledge and ability to work at a high level. In the professional world, performance and safety must be delicately balanced, and I took on the challenge with a zeal. The experience helped develop my critical thinking, interpersonal communication, teaching/training, and problem-solving skills. The success of my clients filled my heart with both wonder and joy, and making a positive contribution to just one person’s life was more than enough to bring me a deep feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment.

Bachelor of Commerce

2003 to 2015 (Part Time)
Honing my I.T. skills
Earning a Bachelor of Commerce degree
Launching my first start-Up

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

I attended Canada’s top University for Entrepreneurs, Ryerson University (now known as Toronto Metropolitan University). I was very lucky to study under some of Canada’s and North America’s top Entrepreneurship professors including Dr. Gedeon, Steve Tissenbaum, David Schlanger, and Neil Wolff.

I was taught Entrepreneurship with a rigorous, detailed, and highly analytical mindset. Innovation, Design Thinking, Business Planning, Industry and Market Analyses, Projections, Validation, and Scale were all focused on, and complementary courses like Critical Thinking and Psychology were there to round out my education.

Pursuing a Childhood Passion

From my first experience with a Personal Computer in the 1980’s to this very day, I am still passionate about computers, I.T., gaming, and PC building. From the days of the 486 CPUs onward, I built my own PCs, troubleshooted hardware and software, learned new software suites, and made it one of my lifelong goals to stay up to date with technology.

Taking that passion into the professional world, during my undergraduate degree, I offered I.T. services to small businesses as a means to supplement my personal training income.

I am now also an audiophile and videophile, and enjoy the dynamic and exciting home entertainment industry.

Entrepreneurship: GO!

My first foray into Entrepreneurship was in the Solar Energy industry, in which I pursued an opportunity in decentralized urban solar farming; a concept ahead of its time and optimized for widespread adoption of solar energy.

I spent several years in researching and analyzing the Energy and Renewable Energy industries, spotting meaningful opportunities at the industry, market, and planning levels, and developed a full (internal / external) business plan which was turned into a start-up!

My experience working with engineers in developing the micro-technologies required to make decentralized urban solar farming viable was invaluable, and despite having to pivot away from it when the provincial government halted their support for the industry, it helped me sharpen my strategy-crafting, research, and entrepreneurship skills.

Awards

Master of Science in Management

2015 to 2017 – Full Time
Earned a Masters degree that focused on Research, Strategy, and Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

I studied Entrepreneurship in greater detail in my Masters Degree, spending considerable time on Branding, Innovation, Opportunity Spotting, and Business Planning, as well as specialized research in Entrepreneurship itself.

Academic Research

The difference between the MScM a and the MBA degrees is research. We attended and completed the same Quantitative and Qualitative research courses as the PhD students. I now have the honour of mentoring PhD and Masters students in research.

Strategy

Entrepreneurship may be driven by passion, but it is guided by strategy. As such, I made sure to build on my existing education and experience with carefully selected courses like Social Responsibility and Strategy in International Business.

Interpersonal Trust

My thesis looked at a novel model of Interpersonal Inter- and Intra- Organizational Trust, in which I tested the model’s parsimony, effectiveness, and efficiency in measuring, managing, and repairing trust at various levels.

CMC

Certified Management Consultant

2018 to Present

What is a CMC?

The Certified Management Consultant (CMC) designation is the profession’s only international certification mark, recognized in over 40 countries. It represents a commitment to the highest standards of consulting and adherence to the ethical canons of the profession.

The Canadian Association of Management Consultants (CMC-Canada) fosters excellence and integrity in the management consulting profession. CMC-Canada administers, and its provincial Institutes confer, the Certified Management Consultant (CMC) designation in Canada. CMC-Canada is a founding member of the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI), now CMC-Global

Why CMC?

I was introduced to the CMC organization by a Professor S. Tissenbaum at the Toronto Metropolitan University. He had been a member of CMC for years and spoke highly of their acumen, professionalism, ethical focus, and standing in the consulting industry. I was immediately drawn to the organization and its incredible members, and having been a consultant for various businesses throughout my 30’s, I had the experience, education, and expertise to apply for the designation.

I passed all the required tests, as well as their course on ethics in consulting, and earned my CMC designation in the summer of 2018. Since then, I have been an active member of the Greater Toronto Area Board of CMC Canada, later being named the Professional Development Chair, and FCMC Ontario Nomination Committee Member, all three roles I still hold today.

Roles & Contributions

Start-Up Projects

2006 to Present
I love Entrepreneurship, and am an active member of several start-ups

KnowQuest – Feedback Disrupted |We Build Trust|

The Big Leaf – Executive Consulting Firm

I am always growing my network

If you believe that we can collaborate on a project, if you wish to start a conversation, if you want to learn more about what I can do, please reach out by connecting with me on LinkedIn by clicking the button below.

Skills

Technical

I have been building, upgrading, and experimenting with personal computers, and their software applications since 1993!

I have experience in the purchasing and manufacturing sectors, and have a deep understanding of production, supply, and distribution methodologies and trends.

I stay up to date with most consumer technology, science news (especially in Physics, Healthcare, Engineering, Biology, Number Theory, and History), and various industries.

Software: Adobe Photoshop, Blackboard, D2L, i3, Linux, Microsoft Office Suite, Odoo, PC and Server Hardware Management, Audacity, KDen Live, Discord, Remedy, Riipen, SPSS, Trello, CRM Tools, Windows (3.11 to 11), WordPress, XMind

Consulting

As a seasoned Certified Management Consultant, I represent the top echelon of consulting world-wide. Having sat on the Greater Toronto Area CMC Chapter’s Board for more than 5 years, and held the roles of Professional Development Chair and FCMC Ontario Nomination Committee Member for 3 and 2 years respectively (as of 02/2024), I am at the forefront of consulting and the consulting industry.

Skills: Research, Analysis, Diagnostics, Value Proposition Assessment, Industry Analysis, Market Analysis, Validation, Marketing Plan Development, Operations Plan Development, Financial Plan Development, Business Planning, Opportunity Spotting, Optimization, Innovation Management, Risk Reduction, Competitive Positioning, etc.

Leadership

I have had the honour and privilege of leading several start-ups, organizations, and committees in for-profit and not-for-profit environments. I understand that leadership is in large part, the ability to bring out the best in others through clear and collaborative communications, strategy development, setting of a vision, and trust.

Leadership Skills: Vision/Mission/Values Crafting, Budgeting, Management, Coaching & Mentoring, Training, Ethics and Ethical Planning, Forecasting, Business Modeling, Public Speaking, Risk Mitigation, etc.

Management

Managing initiatives, departments, businesses, and collaborative projects is second nature to me. Understanding the vision set by leadership, and what the implications and impacts of available resources and constraints  are, and how to navigate each project to see it carried through to successful completion is the culmination of my career as a consultant and entrepreneur.

Management Skills: Project Management, People Management, Recruitment, Onboarding, Delegation, Project Planning, Operations Management, Incident Management, Time & Resource Allocation and Management, etc.

Entrepreneurship

My education has always focused on Entrepreneurship at its core. My capstone course included starting a new venture, and I have been researching, validating, launching, and running new ventures since 2006. The unique set of skills, education, experience, and expertise that I have are best exercised in two areas: Strategy and Entrepreneurship, and the latter is essentially an application of the former.

Entrepreneurship Skills: Research, Analysis, Industry/Market Analyses, Opportunity Spotting, Business Planning, Strategy Crafting, Fundraising, Investor Readiness, Professional Presentations, Pro Forma Financial Projections and Modeling, Value Creation, Fostering Innovation, etc.

Research & Analysis

As a trained researcher I took the same Qualitative and Quantitative Research courses as PhD students in my graduate degree program. I wrote a full thesis on Interpersonal Inter- and Intra- Organizational Trust, and have honed my research and analysis skills throughout the last 18 years of my professional career, using one or both of the skill-sets for each role I took on.

Research Skills: Searching, Qualification of Data/Information, Bias Reduction, Communication of Complex Ideas, Simplification of Complex Ideas/Concepts, Organization, Collation, Sourcing and Source Validation, Various Methodologies, Identification of Best Practices, Crafting and Testing of Hypotheses, Copy-writing and Editing, etc.

Certifications & Designations

CMC

Certified Management Consultant. The top consulting designation worldwide.

2018 to Present

Startup School

Ryerson Entrepreneur Institute’s 15-week modular program in launching a start-up.

2015

Design thinking

Strascheg Centre for Entrepreneurship’s course in Design Thinking and Strategy.

2014

Ethical Behaviour

CMC Canada’s required certification course in Ethical Consulting Practices.

2017

CMC MAS Training

Management Advisory Services certification from CMC-Canada and the Government of Canada.

2020

TCPS 2

Tri-Council Policy on Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans.

2016

ASIST

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training Program by the Livingworks organization.

2022

PTS

Personal Training Specialist via Can Fit Pro, specializing in science-and evidence- based training.

2009 to 2011

Philanthropy & Volunteering

I am passionate about doing my part and contributing where I can

Doing What I Can

I follow the simple philosophy of doing my part to make this world a better place for future generations.

Experiential Learning

In 2020, I launched one of the largest Experiential Learning Programs for College and University students worldwide, in which they take part in real-world projects. To date, I have managed 2,200+ students from 94+ schools via www.thebigleaf.com.

The Big Leaf

World Marketing Summit

For the last two years, I negotiated with the Kotler Impact organization to donate 2 Million tickets to higher education students, to the largest marketing conference in the world, the World Marketing Summit, with a total value of $98M! This was via www.thebigleaf.com.

York University

In 2023, I donated $6,000 in-kind advisory and consulting services to York University’s students as part of the I-WIL Venture’s Placement program at York University, and the philanthropy department at The Big Leaf.

NFIH Entrepreneur Donations

As part of The Big Leaf’s philanthropy department, which I launched in 2020, we donated over $6,000 to Pitch Competition Winners and Women-Entrepreneurs. The initiative was designed to both celebrate and encourage entrepreneurs.

UR Worth More

I support non-profit organizations that help those that need it most, and the UR Worth More program helps children in need with events, education, and empathetic support. I gladly donated $500 to support the organization.

Toronto Metropolitan University

Through my start-up www.KnowQuest.net, I arranged for $5,000 in donations to outstanding students at the Toronto Metropolitan University. The donations went to students that were nominated by their peers for their academic achievements.

Public Talks

I have offered my pro-bono publico services to several non-profit organizations such as TheGAAP.net and CMC, including giving public talks on subjects ranging from Consulting, to Entrepreneurship, to Business Planning, to Artificial Intelligence, Personal Growth, and more. To date, I have given more than 25 public talks.

Case & Pitch Judging

For the last 5+ years, I have judged more than 27 Case / Pitch Competitions, including international competitions, at Universities and Colleges across Canada at the Graduate and Undergraduate levels, including University of Toronto, York University, Concordia University, Brock University, Toronto Metropolitan University, and more.