Creating Opportunities : Canada Financial & Investment Advisors for High Net Worth Entrepreneurs in Toronto, Ontario

Last week, we hosted another of our Inside the Tent events (a series of evenings where we invite some of our clients and special guests to hear from other successful entrepreneurs and thought leaders from our network on topics of mutual interest).

Our theme for the evening was art appreciation and insight from the perspective of three different entrepreneurs in the art world: gallery owner, art consultant and artist.

The event was held at the fabulous gallery of our friend and neighbour, Nicholas Metivier. Art consultant, Robin Anthony offered advice on how to start building a collection. And special guest of the evening, John Hartman, one of Canada’s best known contemporary artists, thrilled us with an advance look at his new works (the official exhibit opened Thursday May 27th and runs until June 19).

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

What does it take to succeed as an entrepreneur?

It’s a question that one third of Canadians are contemplating apparently.

That’s how many dream of running their own business according to a recent Angus Reid poll.

What’s the appeal? The main reason, according to the survey, is so they’ll have greater control over their own destiny. Other reasons include not having to work for someone else, and being able to make more money than working on a salary.

But what about passion?...

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

The Canadian Association of Family Enterprise GTA held its annual Family Business of the Year awards dinner on Thursday. What an inspiring evening of success stories from families who have overcome not only the usual host of market and competitive challenges, but real adversity and often personal tragedy to achieve prosperity and longevity for their companies. It was just the inspiration we all needed on a cold grey night at the end of winter at the end of a recession.

There were three presentations from award nominees (more about this in a future blog) and keynote address from Derek Oland, Executive Chairman and fifth generation owner of Moosehead Breweries Limited.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (1)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

I blogged a couple of weeks ago about the entrepreneurial thinking of money manager, Tye Bousada in my post, How entrepreneurs -- and smart investors - really succeed. I was inspired by a New Yorker article written by Malcolm Gladwell, entitled The Sure Thing.

The premise of the article being that successful entrepreneurs are not really risk takers, as the conventional view suggests. Rather, an entrepreneur's strength is in "occupying a ‘structural hole'”, a niche that gives him a unique perspective on a particular market” and acting decisively to take advantage of it.

Here’s a related story of a seasoned entrepreneur who stands to profit from this great recession – not in spite of challenging economic times, but rather because of the turmoil and his ability to take advantage of it.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Late 2008 and early 2009, financial markets were in crisis and the world was in deep economic recession. 

The prevailing wisdom was to invest in 'obvious survivors'. Food, pharmas and other non-discretionary goods that penny pinching consumers couldn't live without.

Good strategy.  But as investors stampeded into those stocks, the relative upside became less attractive.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link