Discussion Theme: The Technology Makeover Continues: Making SMBs Competitive

Learn what tools, programs & services are available to helping small & medium sized organizations become more efficient and competitive.  Government, service providers and your peers will discuss and answer questions on what technologies are being deployed to assist you in your sales & marketing, financial management to HR functions.  Put forward your questions to the panel and get unscripted answers not from one expert but by a complement of panelists in real-time.

Panelists:

• Honourable Harinder Takhar, Minister of Government Services
• Marty Gallas, Corporate Chief Infrastructure Technology Services, Ministry of Government Services
• Mark Graham, President & CEO, RIGHTSLEEVE.COM (Award winning SMB)
• Janice MacLellan, Director of Industry Relations, ADP Canada
• Kevin J. Peesker, VP & General Manager, SMB, Dell Canada
• Rick Spence, Columnist/Journalist, Financial Post & Profit Magazine

Registration: Sold Out

Location: SHAMBA Foundation, 48 Yonge Street, 12th Flr, Toronto, ON, M5E 1G6 www.shamba.ca

Time(EST):

• 11:15am-12-25pm Networking Luncheon
• 12:30pm-1:30pm: Panel Discussion  & Live Webcast
• 1:30pm-2:00pm: Networking

Backgrounder::

• IT's new economic reality is that strategy is dead today-it's about flexibility & speed: Article
• SMBs should outsource non-essential functions immediately. Let's them focus: Article
• Mobile increasingly important with 1-in-5 SMBs polled couldn't work without it: Article

Discussion Theme: Best in Business Class

We know that small & medium businesses create the most jobs.  Governments the world over recognized this and are putting forward efforts to stimulate their growth.  What do the candidates have to say about what they would do to make Toronto a place for entrepreneurship, small & medium businesses?

Candidates:

• Rob Ford
• Joe Pantalone
• Rocco Rossi
• George Smitherman
• Sarah Thomson

Media Questioners:

• Marcus Gee, Columnist, The Globe & Mail
• Julie King, Publisher & Managing Editor, CanadaOne.com
• Rick Spence, Columnist, Financial Post

Registration: Registration is 'free' on a first-come, first-serve basis at the door. Info

Location: Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. West, Toronto, ON  www.gladstonehotel.com

Time(EST):

• 5:00am-6-00pm: Networking & Complimentary Hors D'oeuvres
• 6:00pm-7:00pm: Panel Q & A and Live Interactive Webcast
• 7:00pm-7:05pm: Raffle of Prizes (Free to enter)
• 7:00pm-9:00pm: Networking

Backgrounder::

• Toronto has the highest small business growth rate 7.5% between 2008-09: national average is only 2.7%
• 240,000+ self-employed people in Toronto & at 17%, Toronto has the highest rate of self-employment in Canada  There are about 84,000 employer businesses in Toronto Toronto serves a constituency of about 300,000 micro-enterprises in Toronto (self-employed + businesses with fewer than 10 employees)
• 1-10 women are self-employed

Mayor Miller won with 332,969 votes in 2006.  It is a constituency that can certainly make a difference to a candidate.

A special thanks to our generous supporters:

                                                                               Rattailfilms

Discussion Theme: David & Goliath: Competing against the giants

Large companies beat you in terms of resources from the size of their marketing budgets, number of  sales, customer service staff, etc. but you can still slay the giants for history has shown us that.  Learn how to compete against the big guys and how other SMBs have done so and won.

Panelists:

• Anthony Lacavera, Chair, Wind Mobile
• Steve Abrams, Co-Founder, Mill Street Brewery
• Loudon Owen, Chairman, i4i
• Leyland Brown, VP, Business Segments, Commercial Business, HP Canada
• Julie King, Publisher & Managing Editor, CanadaOne.com
• Iain Marlow, Journalist, The Globe & Mail

Note: Other panelists to be announced.

Registration: Info

Location: Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. West, Toronto, ON  www.gladstonehotel.com

Time(EST):

• 5:00am-6-00pm: Networking, Giveaways & a drink ticket included with registration
• 6:00pm-7:00pm: Panel Q & A and Live Interactive Webcast
• 7:00pm-7:05pm: Raffle of Prizes
• 7:00pm-9:00pm: Networking

Backgrounder::

• How to get corporate clients. What SMBs should know & do: Article
• How to compete against the goliaths? Foreign partnerships!: Article
• i4i: Article
• Mill Street Brewery: Article
• Wind Mobile: Article

T

The Direct Engagement Show is proud to donate proceeds of this event to the Heart & Stroke Foundation

.

A special thanks to our generous supporters:

                                                                                                                               Rattailfilms

Discussion Theme:  Developing 'business' emotional intelligence.  Tools to take your company's performance to the next level.

The greatest leadership challenge is to fully leverage the collective strengths of employees.  Learn and understand what motivates different personalities and the predominant need that must be satisfied for them to achieve their potential and become who they are meant to be?  You have developed a technological & systems infrastructure for competitiveness.  How do you develop your people?

Panelists:

• Anne Dranitsaris,PhD, Corporate Therapist & Co-Founder, StrivingStyles.com; contributor to "O", The Oprah Magazine and rumoured protégé of Oprah Winfrey
• TBA, The Globe & Mail
• Julie King, Publisher & Managing Editor, CanadaOne.com

Note: Other panelists to be announced.

Registration: Not Open

Location: Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. West, Toronto, ON  www.gladstonehotel.com

Time(EST):

• 5:00pm-6-00pm: Networking & Giveaways
• 6:00pm-7:00pm: Panel Q & A and Live Interactive Webcast
• 7:00pm-7:05pm: Raffle of Prizes (Free to enter)
• 7:00pm-9:00pm: Networking

Backgrounder::

• Oprah.com "Who am I meant to be?" Article
• The Role of Emotions in Organizations: Article
• Building the Health of an Organization and its People: Article

Who are you meant to be? Take the quiz that appeared in 'O' Magazine:

Striving Styles™ assessment will help you determine your predominant need and provide insight into your motivations and behaviours based on who you are meant to be.  There are 40 questions to answer and will take approximately 15 minutes to complete: Quiz

A special thanks to our generous supporters:

                                                                                       Rattailfilms

Discussion Theme:  Why investors say no to good ideas

Why do VCs and angels say no to 'good ideas/? What are the financing options available from VCs, angels, banks to 'micro-lending'?  What do you need to know before you approach the one that is the best fit for your business?

Panelists:

• Minhas Mohamed, President & CEO, MMV Financial (Venture Capitalist)
• TBA, The Globe & Mail
• Julie King, Publisher & Managing Editor, CanadaOne.com

Note: Other panelists to be announced.

Registration: Not Open

Location: Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. West, Toronto, ON  www.gladstonehotel.com

Time(EST):

• 5:00pm-6-00pm: Networking & Complimentary Hors D'oeuvres
• 6:00pm-7:00pm: Panel Q & A and Live Interactive Webcast
• 7:00pm-9:00pm: Networking

Backgrounder::

• Why VCs say no to good ideas? Article
• Business Plan vs Business Model? Investors require a BP but models are dynamic: Article
• Micro-Lending: Article

A special thanks to our generous supporters:

                                                                                        Rattailfilms

Discussion Theme:  What makes a successful entrepreneur? Genetics? Passion?

So you want to start your own venture?  What is the formula for success? Where should you start and get help beyond just financial assistance?  Is entrepreneurship for you?

Panelists:

• Brett Wilson, Entrepreneur, Investor & CBC's Dragons' Den Judge
• TBA, The Globe & Mail
• Julie King, Publisher & Managing Editor, CanadaOne.com

Note: Other panelists to be announced.

Registration: Not Open

Location: Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. West, Toronto, ON  www.gladstonehotel.com

Time(EST):

• 5:00pm-6-00pm: Networking & Complimentary Hors D'oeuvres
• 6:00pm-7:00pm: Panel Q & A and Live Interactive Webcast
• 7:00pm-7:05pm: Raffle of Prizes (Free to enter)
• 7:00pm-9:00pm: Networking

Backgrounder::

• Is entrepreneurship for you? Article
• 8 ways genes affect our careers -Why entrepreneurs should care: Article
• Life plan before your business plan: Article