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
Experiential Learning Success
Career
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.
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.
Awards
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.