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      Turning ideas into competitive advantage

      The Entrepreneurs is a documentary-style video series produced by Oh Boy Productions spotlighting the ambition, resilience, and reinvention powering Canada’s private businesses. Through authentic storytelling, it follows founders and leaders who are building, scaling, and transforming companies across the country, often while navigating economic uncertainty and real barriers to growth.

      Episodes and insights

      Episode 7: How Rachel Mielke built Hillberg & Berk

      Rachel Mielke, CEO, Hillberg & Berk

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      Rachel Mielke, founder of Hillberg & Berk, shares her journey of building a purpose-driven Canadian brand.

      From being featured on Dragon’s Den to pivoting her sales strategy amidst severe economic headwinds, Rachel’s journey underscores the power of resilience, customer-led strategy, and long-term, values-based decision-making to scale sustainably in a volatile market.

      Considerations for your team:

      • How are you balancing the long-view with short-term priorities?
      • Are we deploying capital wisely during economic uncertainty?
      • How are your business ambitions aligned with your personal values?

      Episode 6: How Hugh Loomans built Sylvite

      Hugh Loomans, CEO, Sylvite

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      Hugh Loomans, founder of Sylvite, has built and sustained one of Canada’s last independent fertilizer businesses while navigating through extreme global volatility and intense multinational competition in a high-risk, commodity-driven industry.

      His story highlights that long-term success for private business owners comes from perseverance, adaptability, strong relationships, and the ability to stay nimble while scaling in uncertain markets.

      Considerations for your team:

      • Do we have the right governance and risk structures to support growth?
      • Are our planning and financial strategies built to manage volatility?
      • Do we have the leadership and operating model to stay agile at scale?

      Episode 5: How Connor Curran built Local Laundry

      Connor Curran, Co-founder, Local Laundry

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      Connor Curran shares how he built Local Laundry from a low-cost, experimental T-shirt startup into a purpose-driven Canadian brand through persistence, customer insight, and continuous iteration.

      His story highlights the realities of bootstrapping, the importance of strong partnerships, and how a bold shift to Canadian-made products helped unlock growth while giving back to the community.

      Considerations for your team:

      • Are you testing and iterating fast enough based on real customer demand?
      • Do you have the right balance of vision and operational discipline to scale?
      • Is your brand clearly differentiated with a purpose that resonates?

      Episode 4: How Allen Eaves built STEMCELL Technologies

      Allen Eaves, CEO, STEMCELL Technologies

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      This episode follows Dr. Allen Eaves’ journey from Canadian research and healthcare innovation to building STEMCELL Technologies into a globally scaled life-sciences manufacturer and exporter. It highlights the business challenges of funding innovation, competing and pivoting when markets shift, and scaling operations to meet stringent quality standards, linking these decisions to the capabilities owners need to grow confidently.

      Considerations for your team:

      • Are you investing enough in R&D and talent to keep innovating?
      • Where could disruption hit you next and how fast can you pivot?
      • If demand spikes, can your operations scale without sacrificing quality?

      Episode 3: How Ron Foxcroft built Fox 40 International

      Ron Foxcroft, CEO, Fox 40 International

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      Ron Foxcroft shares how a high-stakes moment as a referee exposed a simple but dangerous product failure – and how that real-world problem sparked the invention of the Fox 40 whistle. His journey highlights persistence through repeated design setbacks, disciplined product development, and the choices that helped scale a Canadian-made innovation into a globally trusted safety brand.

      Considerations for your team:

      • Have you adequately tested whether your product or service can “fail”? Do you have budget, resources and controls to prevent or mitigate this outcome?
      • How are you leveraging customer feedback and insights to continually refine your products and services / develop new ones?
      • What actions or behaviors inside your organization most directly shape your external reputation?

      Episode 2: How Amanda Hall built Summit Nanotech 

      Amanda Hall, CEO, Summit Nanotech

      Amanda Hall, CEO, Summit Nanotech 

      Watch

      Amanda Hall reflects on building Summit Nanotech. From starting with no formal business training to earning investor trust and navigating near failure while scaling breakthrough lithium technology.

      The episode highlights that innovation alone is not enough to sustain long-term success; Entrepreneurs must embrace resilience, confidence in your subject matter expertise, and commercial discipline are just as crucial.

      Considerations for your team:

      • What evidence proves your product, service, or technology works in real operating conditions, and not just a controlled demo?
      • Are you building a business that is commercially viable at scale?
      • Which do your investors and stakeholders believe in more: you or your idea?
      • What are the first three milestones that prove your idea is working?

      Episode 1: How Danny Sitnam built Helijet

      Danny Sitnam, CEO, Helijet

      Watch

      Entrepreneur Danny Sitnam shares how a single, unexpected decision sparked a decades‑long journey of innovation, resilience, and growth.

      His story underscores a critical insight: scaling a founder‑led business isn’t about avoiding risk, it’s about making disciplined, values‑driven decisions that build credibility, sustain confidence, and unlock long‑term growth.

      Considerations for your team:

      • Are you building for your current market, or the largest market available to you?
      • Are you leveraging strategic partnerships to support scaling and growth?
      • When was the last time you reviewed your pricing model?

      How we can help

      As Canada’s #1 private company advisor, KPMG Private Enterprise works with entrepreneurs through every stage of their business journey. With integrated capabilities across audit, tax, and advisory services, we help private companies, including family offices and portfolio companies, make confident decisions, manage complexity, and build long‑term value as they grow, scale, and transition their businesses.1

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      Helping private companies understand, plan and execute effective business and tax strategies.
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      Transforming the audit experience to power high quality audits.
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      KPMG’s deal advisory team helps organizations drive value through mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, private equity and transaction services.
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      Customized solutions to help you leverage your wealth and secure your – and your family's – ever-evolving goals.
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      Empowering the private capital sector to thrive in a changing economic landscape
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      Insights

      Canadian private business leaders hold to the long view.
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      Insights and resources to help optimize your business strategy and build resilience.
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      Why aligning the business cycle and market signals is key to a successful exit.
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      How to turn debt capital into a powerful tool for growth.
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      We’re here to help your organization thrive.

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      1. Source: Financial Post 800 Report for 2025 (August 2025) and LSEG Deals Intelligence Global Financial Advisory Review 2025, Number of Completed Deals (January 2026)