In this special episode of The Business Leadership Podcast, Edwin Frondozo sits down with John MacRitchie, Assistant Vice President of Zone Learning and Strategic Initiatives at Toronto Metropolitan University, to reflect on five years of the Brampton Venture Zone and what it has unlocked for founders, researchers, and the broader community.

John was instrumental in bringing the Brampton Venture Zone to life and shares why Brampton was the right place to build a founder-first incubator — one grounded in community, persistence, and long-term investment.

We explore:

• Why Brampton emerged as a key innovation hub in Canada

• How BVZ differs from traditional incubators by focusing on place-based innovation

• The role of community in multiplying entrepreneurial impact

• What the Brampton Venture Expo reveals about ecosystem momentum

• How BVZ connects researchers, clinicians, and entrepreneurs as the School of Medicine launches

• What the City of Brampton’s renewed investment signals for the next five years

This episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how innovation ecosystems are intentionally designed — and sustained — over time.

This episode is a special collaboration with UpNext Global and the Brampton Venture Zone by Toronto Metropolitan University, produced in celebration of BVZ’s fifth anniversary.

🎥 Watch the full video interview on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/LDx9ASzzWmE

Guest:
John MacRitchie
Assistant Vice President, Zone Learning & Strategic Initiatives
Toronto Metropolitan University

In this special episode of The Business Leadership Podcast, Edwin Frondozo sat down with Sakeena Mihyar, Founder and CEO of SAVIN, as part of BVZ: Five Years Bold — a founder story series celebrating five years of the Brampton Venture Zone.

Sakeena is a refugee-led founder building a digital, neuroscience-based mental health platform delivering trauma care in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Inspired by her lived experience as a survivor of war, SAVIN uses evidence-based EMDR therapy principles to make trauma treatment accessible, culturally appropriate, and scalable across languages and regions.

We explore:

• How lived experience became the foundation for a global mental health platform

• Why neuroscience-based trauma care can outperform traditional talk therapies

• The challenges of building a HealthTech company as a refugee and Muslim woman founder

• How empathy and inclusion can be operationalized at scale

• How BVZ supported SAVIN in identifying blind spots, refining its pitch, and scaling impact globally

Today, SAVIN operates across Canada and internationally, including in post-conflict regions such as Syria, supporting communities affected by trauma with dignity and care.

This episode is a special collaboration with UpNext Global and the Brampton Venture Zone by Toronto Metropolitan University, produced in celebration of BVZ’s fifth anniversary.

🎥 Watch the full video interview on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/Gxhz-q0NRWQ

Guest:
Sakeena Mihyar
Founder & CEO, SAVIN
BVZ Launch Program Alum

Recorded live at Web Summit Vancouver 2025, this episode of the Business Leadership Podcast hosted by Edwin Frondozo features Paul Newton, creative producer of the Future Narrator miniseries, interviewing Parag Parekh, the Chief Digital Officer at IKEA Retail. 

Parag discusses IKEA's ambitious and human-centered digital transformation journey. He outlines the company’s three-tier transformation process: shifting from physical to omni retailing, moving from large store formats to smaller, city-center locations, and expanding services to meet broader customer needs like second-hand furniture and financial services, while also preparing for future AI advancements. 

Parag shares insights from his extensive 20 years of global experience and emphasizes the importance of curiosity, responsibility, and adaptability in leadership. The conversation also touches on the impact of COVID-19, the significance of sustainability, and the critical role of corporate responsibility in the digital age.

00:00 Introduction to the Business Leadership Podcast
00:36 Meet Parag Parekh: IKEA's Chief Digital Officer
02:12 IKEA's Digital Transformation Journey
06:37 Personal Insights and Leadership Journey
14:11 Future of Retail and Digital Innovation
19:37 Final Thoughts and Advice for Business Leaders
20:43 Conclusion and Farewell

Andrew Graham is an experienced leader who brings people and technology together to solve hard problems. He is co-founder and CEO of Borrowell, a financial

The post TBLP 145 | Andrew Graham: Fintech Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

JP Chauvet is the President at Lightspeed, a hands-on, forward-thinking executive with proven ability to implement change and drive growth. He has this in-depth understanding

The post TBLP 144 | JP Chauvet: Lightspeed Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Mike McDerment is the co-founder and CEO of FreshBooks, cloud-based accounting software that is used by 160 countries around the world and is currently ranked

The post TBLP 143 | Mike McDerment: Accounting Software Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Alfredo Tan is the chief digital & innovations officer at WestJet Airlines where he is responsible for building a culture of innovation. He is also

The post TBLP 142 | Alfredo Tan : Culture Innovation Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Carmine Cinerari is the President of Sharp Electronics of Canada Ltd. and guides the vision and strategic direction of the company’s operations in Canada. He

The post TBLP 141| Carmine Cinerari : Management Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

This is a special collaboration mini-series with Info-Tech Research Group co-hosted with Brian Jackson. Alan is responsible for spearheading the product strategy and vision Dealer-FX

The post TBLP 140 | The First 100 Days with Alan Fong first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

This is a special collaboration mini-series with Info-Tech Research Group co-hosted with Brian Jackson. Is it hard for a new CEO to transition both industry

The post TBLP 139 | The First 100 Days with Eric Wright first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

This is a special collaboration mini-series with Info-Tech Research Group co-hosted with Brian Jackson. Can a husband and wife run a startup together? Find out

The post TBLP 138 | The First 100 Days with Erin Bury first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

This is a special collaboration mini-series with Info-Tech Research Group co-hosted with Brian Jackson. Will trading roles help the organization head become better people and

The post TBLP 137 | The First 100 Days with Denis Gaudreault first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

This is a special collaboration mini-series with Info-Tech Research Group co-hosted with Brian Jackson. Previously BlueCat’s Chief Product & Technology Officer, Andrew Wertkin will share

The post TBLP 136 | The First 100 Days with Dave Penny & Andrew Wertkin first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

In this episode of the Business Leadership Podcast, Edwin Frondozo talks with Fred Zdan, co-founder of Ruby Loans, about revolutionizing the small business lending process with AI. Fred discusses the inefficiencies of the current lending system and how Ruby Loans aims to provide a borrower-driven digital experience. 

With over 30 years in the financial services industry, Fred shares insights on transforming a paper-heavy, labor-intensive system into a streamlined and customer-friendly process. He also touches on the future impact of open banking and the importance of making loan access easier for small business owners. Recorded live at Web Summit Vancouver.

00:00 Introduction to the Business Leadership Podcast
00:52 Meet Fred Zdan and Ruby Loans
01:15 Challenges in Small Business Lending
03:23 Fred Zdan's Background and Vision
04:35 The Concept of Open Banking
06:03 How Ruby Loans is Revolutionizing Lending
12:05 The Future of Small Business Lending
17:38 Advice for Startups and Final Thoughts

This is a special collaboration mini-series with Info-Tech Research Group co-hosted with Brian Jackson. With over 20 years’ experience in the technology industry, Susan understands

The post TBLP 135 | The First 100 Days with Susan Bowen first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

This is a special collaboration mini-series with Info-Tech Research Group co-hosted with Brian Jackson. Wayne Berger is the CEO of IWG Canada and Latin America,

The post TBLP 134 | The First 100 Days with Wayne Berger first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

I recently completed the Berlin marathon. I run because it helps me stay fit, help me train, and eat well. Berlin marathon is my fourth

The post TBLP133 | Breaking Through at the Berlin Marathon first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Transitioning to a management role can be challenging, especially if you are from a more technical and hands-on role. A  whole new set of skills

The post TBLP 132 | Matthew Tyrer: Marketing Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Most of the time, business owners are the best salesperson of the organization. But as leaders, they face the need to let go of their

The post TBLP 131 | Jeff Wiener: The Kickass Entrepreneur first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

There is a change happening in today’s IT industry. More and more organizations are seeing the value of working with small to mid-sized software development

The post TBLP 130 – Mark Rickmeier: Focus Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

  Providing clients with great user experience is very important for businesses. A positive experience can keep customers loyal to the product or brand. Because

The post TBLP 129 | Libby Maurer: User Experience (UX) Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Social media has greatly changed the landscape of business and markets in the past years. It has allowed companies to reach new prospects and customers.

The post TBLP 128 – Alyson Gausby: Research Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

  The advancement of today’s technology has been transformational for consumers. Unfiltered product reviews have changed the way people buy products online. By leveraging on

The post TBLP 127 | Robert Levy: Brand Insight Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

More and more businesses are transitioning to remote workforces for reasons other than cost reduction. The benefits of remote work for both employees and employer

The post TBLP 126 | Liam Martin: Remote Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

In this episode of the Business Leadership Podcast, recorded live at Web Summit Vancouver 2025, guest host Paul Newton interviews Lu Zhang, founder and managing partner of Fusion Fund. Lu shares her journey from an immigrant and tech entrepreneur to a venture capitalist supporting deep tech founders. 

She emphasizes the critical role of diversity and understanding in driving innovation and the importance of being adaptable in uncertain times. Additionally, Lu discusses the current and future landscape of AI-powered healthcare and offers valuable advice for early-stage founders navigating today's market.

00:00 Introduction to the Business Leadership Podcast
00:40 Meet Lu Zhang: Investor and Entrepreneur
01:53 Lu Zhang's Experience at Web Summit Vancouver
03:18 Fusion Fund's Mission and Achievements
04:59 Challenges and Solutions in Early Stage Investment
07:34 Lu Zhang's Unique Perspective on Diversity and Innovation
13:27 The Future of Tech and AI Innovation
18:02 Advice for Founders and Final Thoughts

Welcome to September.  I have decided to take part in a LinkedIn campaign called #10tips10days which was started by my good friend Kira Day, Founder

The post TBLP125 | #10Tips10Days: A LinkedIn Campaign first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Big data analytics is becoming a trend in today’s businesses. Together with artificial intelligence and machine learning, organizations can now uncover patterns, insights, and trends

The post TBLP 124 | Paul Rubenstein: Workforce Analytics Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Growing a business requires making smart decisions.  Some of those operating decisions can be very complex and beyond human capability. This is where artificial intelligence

The post TBLP 123 | Gary Saarenvirta: Artificial Intelligence Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Every business has its mission and vision. But it can only make an impact when everyone in the organization can see the value of that

The post TBLP 122 | Simon Ferragne: Vision Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Servant leadership is a concept that inverts the norm of being a traditional leader and focuses on the leaders empowering the employees. Combined with encouraging

The post TBLP 121 | David Lloyd: Servant Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Building and growing a creative and diverse team can give huge positive results to an organization.  But the questions of maintainability and scalability of these

The post TBLP 120 | Christopher O’Donnell: Product Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

“Empower” is a big buzz word in the industry nowadays. And it is for a reason. Allowing your team to make decisions and take ownership

The post TBLP 119 | Marc Staveley: Technology Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

As an emerging business leader, can you tell us your goal? Today with Edwin is Scott Wu, the Chief Technology Officer at Compass Digital Labs.

The post TBLP 118 | Scott Wu: Engineering Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

According to the numbers, it is clear that the healthcare industry needs to have diversity in leadership, may it be gender or race. In today’s

The post TBLP117 | Laurie McGraw: Healthcare Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Thanks to our wonderful episode sponsors Thanks to media sponsors IT World Canada and Startup Canada. Thank you for taking the time to listen to

The post TBLP116 | Championship Leadership first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

In this episode of the Business Leadership Podcast with Edwin Frondozo, recorded live at Web Summit Vancouver 2025, host Paul Newton speaks with Carina Kom, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Simply Suite Games. 

Carina discusses the mission of Simply Suite Games to create inclusive and emotionally resonant games that focus on positive language development and non-exploitative monetization. She also highlights the challenges faced by women in the gaming industry and the importance of creating psychologically safe and equitable working environments. 

The conversation touches on the significance of community support, resilience, and collaborative efforts in fostering innovation and inclusivity in the gaming sector.

00:00 Introduction to the Business Leadership Podcast
00:40 Meet Carina Kom: Championing Inclusive Game Design
02:33 Challenges in the Gaming Industry
04:47 Unique Perspectives and Leadership in Game Development
07:16 Creating Joyful and Meaningful Gaming Experiences
11:50 The Future of Inclusive Game Design
18:51 Final Thoughts and Advice for Founders

Do you know what does “productive disruptor” means? You will find out if you will listen in. Today on the show, Edwin sat down with

The post TBLP115 | Todd Unger: Productive Disruptor first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Robert Armstrong is the CEO of Appstem, the Leading Digital Product Agency based in San Francisco. He is a father to an almost two-year-old and

The post TBLP114 | Robert Armstrong: Mobile App Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

The Toronto Raptors are the 2019 Eastern Conference Champions!   But how did this happen?  What were the decisions that were made to change a perennial

The post TBLP113 | Masai Ujiri: Creating a Winning Culture first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

What is happiness and why is it important? Before you leave wondering whether this is a podcast episode about business, you’d better think twice. On

The post TBLP112 | Gillian Mandich: The Happiness Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

How can the loss of a loved one lead to startup success? You have to listen until to this episode to find out. Jeff Ruby,

The post TBLP111 | Jeff Ruby: Healthcare Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Are you a vacation rental property manager looking for a one all solution? This episode is for you. We have on the show, Marcus Rader,

The post TBLP110 | Marcus Rader: Rental Property Management Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Is unconscious bias eliminated in this time and age? Today on the show, we have Beth Wilson, Canada Chief Executive Officer at Dentons. Who is

The post TBLP109 | Beth Wilson: Force of Change Business Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Are you an emerging leader who is having trouble to delegate? In this episode, Edwin sat down with Taylan Pince, Mobile Team Lead and CEO

The post TBLP108 | Taylan Pince: Disruptive Business Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Do you know what forms the foundation of our freedom? Listen to this episode to find out. Today we have Ann Cavoukian, former 3-Term Privacy

The post TBLP107 | Ann Cavoukian: Privacy By Design Expert first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Do you find yourself checking your email regularly but still need to catch up on email? On this episode, Edwin share’s that he was continually

The post TBLP106 | Edwin Frondozo: Systemize My Inbox to go from Inbox Anxiety to Inbox Zero first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

In this episode of the Business Leadership Podcast, recorded live at Web Summit Vancouver 2025, host Edwin Frondozo is joined by Casey Lau, co-host of Web Summit. Casey shares his journey from co-hosting in Hong Kong to expanding Web Summit's reach to various global locations including Portugal, Qatar, Brazil, and now Vancouver. 

He discusses the challenges and opportunities of bringing Web Summit to new cities, the potential for economic and ecosystem development, and the importance of startups looking globally. Highlighting Vancouver's vibrant tech and startup scene, Casey emphasizes the city's rise on the global stage and its potential impact on fostering innovation and growth.

00:00 Introduction to the Business Leadership Podcast
00:36 Meet Casey Lau: The Connector of Global Tech
01:33 Casey's Journey with Web Summit
03:09 Vancouver's Growing Tech Ecosystem
04:48 The Global Impact of Vancouver's Tech Scene
07:01 Challenges and Opportunities for Canadian Tech
09:27 The Unique Appeal of Vancouver
11:39 Reflecting on the Impact of Major Tech Conferences
12:08 The Unique Role of Web Summit in the Tech Ecosystem
12:40 The Importance of Promoting Tech Events
12:52 Supporting Young Entrepreneurs and Startups
13:16 The Global Influence of Tech Conferences
13:32 Economic Impact of Tech Events on Cities
15:30 The Growth of Tech Ecosystems in Canada
19:57 Final Thoughts and Advice for Entrepreneurs

Did the idea of elegant parties, open bars 
and circulate with the rich and famous sound like a PR to you? Think again, as we

The post TBLP105 | Adrian Salamunovic: Public Relations Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

 Are there ways to help connect corporate Canada to innovators and entrepreneurs? This question has been on Michael Denham’s mind for a long time.

The post TBLP104 | Michael Denham: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.

Do you want to scale your organization? If the answer to this is yes, then you have to listen to this episode with David Ossip.

The post TBLP103 | David Ossip: Human Capital Management Leader first appeared on The Business Leadership Podcast.