After two years of shifting and adapting to the challenges of the pandemic, it’s time to get back to the core of your business.  Learn the important role financial planning plays in growing your business, how to remain competitive in the current retail and food service space, and how to engage influencers in your marketing campaigns.

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to network, learn from industry leaders, and be inspired.

Agenda
10:00 AM –  Opening Remarks | Meat & Poultry Ontario
10:30 AM – David Girolami, BDC | Know How to Grow – How to Reboot and Boost Your Revenues Quickly
11:25 AM – TBA | Influencer Marketing in the World of Food & Beverage
12:10 PM – Networking
12:55 PM – Lisa Hutcheson | Future Proofing Your Retail Business
2:00 PM – Closing Remarks | Meat & Poultry Ontario

27 April, 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM

Financial Planning – Know How to Grow – How to reboot and boost your revenues quickly

Are your revenues stagnating or declining? Are you looking to take your growth to the next level?

Join BDC expert David Girolami, Senior Business Advisor, and Daniel P. Hurrell, Senior Client Partner, BDC Advisory Services, as they share strategies to take revenues quickly to the next level with a growth plan and an agile sales and marketing system.

You’ll discover:
·        How to create a growth plan for a 12-month period
·        How to prioritize your investments
·        How to have a digital-first strategy
·        Your market potential

Why a growth plan is essential:
·        Chooses the best opportunities for your business
·        Ramps up revenue in a specific 12-month period
·        Aligns your sales and marketing teams

27 April, 11:25 AM – 12:10 PM

Influencers and the World of Food & Beverage

From driving awareness and ecommerce sales to creating new digital content for your brand, partnering with influencers can prove an invaluable tool in your marketing strategy. In this session, Bob’s Your Uncle marketing agency leaders Cora Brady & Kathryn Easter will dive into the world of influencer marketing for food and beverage brands in a how-to-format. Jam-packed with actionable ideas and case studies, this session will cover:

• The state of influencer engagement for food & beverage marketers
• Techniques for engaging food & beverage influencers
• Best practices on building strategy and measuring success
• Q&A period

This session is suitable for those who are new to influencer marketing as well as those with more experience, who are simply looking for a bit of inspiration and best practices.

27 April, 12:55 PM – 01:55 PM

Future Proofing Your Retail Business

Retail and foodservice have been undergoing one of the largest transformations in history. Disruption is present in all sectors. While grocery has been doing very well, it is important to understand that remaining ‘the same’ compromises your business’s future. It is also a most exciting time in retail history for those that adapt to the change. Lisa’s talk will discuss overall retail trends and innovations along with insights and inspiration to look at your business in new ways to stay relevant and continue to grow in the years to come.

David Girolami, a Senior Business Advisor at BDC with 20 years’ experience in business development and marketing and sales communications, with an early focus on digital. David’s roles include business development, marketing execution, strategy, and leadership with SMB’s to enterprise level companies and brands across North America and Europe. He is currently focused on helping Canadian entrepreneurs optimize their growth potential via Growth Planning and Advisory Management for Canadian Entrepreneurs, managing BDC methods and teams, creating and delivering integrated technology-focused sales and marketing solutions. David has worked with a vast array of industry clients including in manufacturing, automotive, technology, professional services, events and education, consumer package goods, government, luxury/hospitality, food and beverage, non-profit and charity sectors.

Lisa Hutcheson is recognized as one of the top retail specialists in Canada. Lisa optimizes her experience as a successful entrepreneur, business executive and retail strategist to help clients create a remarkable experience for their customers and extraordinary profits for their stakeholders. After holding leadership positions within two of Canada’s leading retailers, Lisa joined the J.C. Williams Group team when she decided to put her knowledge and expertise to work to service retailers who wish to strengthen their competitive position. Since then, Lisa has worked on a variety of projects for many prestigious clients. In 2019, Lisa took on the role of Managing Partner with the firm. In addition to her extensive retail background and education, she has also earned a Certificate in Advanced Human Resources from the University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management. Lisa has authored two books in the Retail 4G series of digital books published by the Retail Council of Canada.

Dan Hurrell, Senior Client Partner, BDC Advisory Services, based in Kitchener-Waterloo as a member of the SWO Advisory Services business development team. With more than 25 years of experience, Dan is a strategic business leader with broad experience in business development and entrepreneurship. After graduating from the University of Western Ontario and thereafter completing post graduate study at Ohio University, Dan commenced his business career with Xerox and eventually Oracle which served as a solid foundation for his foray into entrepreneurship. As a founding partner of Conversys in 1999, Dan was part of a successful software company that was headquartered in London ON with sales offices in Toronto and Chicago. Conversys created the e-flyer platform, a marketing tool that would be used by all major retailers in Canada and the United States.

Kathryn Easter & Cora Brady, Bob’s Your Uncle
Kathryn and Cora have collaborated for over 15 years. As founders of the first Influencer Marketing agency in Canada they intimately know how far the industry has come – from mom bloggers to TikTok creators, they’ve witnessed the evolution firsthand. Cora is Partner and President at Bob’s Your Uncle, an agency focused on food and beverage brands based in Toronto. Kathryn leads the Influencer Engagement practice at Bob’s Your Uncle. Together, Cora and Kathryn continue to find innovative ways to leverage partnerships between brands and the world’s top social media personalities.