
To support entrepreneurs navigating the COVID-19 crisis, IG has pulled together this series of online sessions to help you maintain momentum, continue innovating and leverage opportunities. We’ve tapped on the shoulders of mentors, experts and experienced leaders in our network to help lead the way forward during these uncertain times.
This new series will be presented (via Zoom – no software download required). Attendance is complimentary, registration is required.
Watch video recordings of our past sessions:
*Past Event*
Finding the Business Opportunity in a Time of Crisis
Presented by: Brad Fitzsimmons
April 1, 2:30pm-4:00pm
In this session, Brad will talk about the importance of taking a breath and considering the opportunities created by COVID-19 for your business. Businesses will die, survive, or thrive. Brad will show you how working on your business through times like these will determine whether your business dies, survives or thrives. He will show you how this is a great time to build new habits that should continue past the COVID-19 crisis to mature your business and increase its long-term value. Brad will discuss the current financial offerings from the Federal and Provincial governments and will explain the potential implications on your business.
*Past Event*
Maintaining Calm & Resilience Amidst the Coronavirus, COVID-19 Storm
Presented by: Paul Radkowski
April 3, 11:00am-12:30pm
Given all the COVID-19, Coronavirus concerns and uncertainty, there is certainly a lot of stress we’re all facing right now which can lead to a feeling of overwhelm.
We all like a degree of control and certainty/predictability in our lives and with this virus its kind of like watching a train wreck happening in slow motion without being able to do anything about it (low control) AND not sure exactly how it’s all going to play out in the near (or distant) future.
This workshop will help you better recognize the mental/physical signs of stress, its effects on mental health, the vital importance of self-care and what can be done to reduce stress and increase your resilience during challenging times.
- Identifying your personal “Stress Signature” and how to mitigate its effects
- The vital importance of knowing how to keep your “Life Accounts” topped up
- Knowing your “Sphere of Influence” and determining the limits of what you actually have control/influence over etc.
*Past Event*
Product Development in a Crisis (Continuing the Innovation)
Presented by: Don Thompson, P.Eng., PMP
April 7, 2:30pm-4:00pm
Eventually, the COVID-19 pandemic will pass. With that in mind, it is important that you do not lose momentum on the projects your company is working on. These may be existing initiatives or new pivots resulting from the change in the current marketplace. Join Don to review project management tools, communication strategies and then brainstorm innovative ways to keep your business moving forward.
- Review project management communication strategies – who does what, by when
- How to communicate strategy to your team and gain momentum & buy-in
- Takeaway – tactics for creating a strategy, tools to help with pivoting and communicating challenges and direction with your team
- Share with others – discuss current issues and explore potential business-to-business collaboration ideas with others on the call
*Past Event*
Effective Leadership and Virtual Team Building During Crisis
Presented by: Christy Pettit, BA, MBA
April 9, 2:30pm-4:00pm
The COVID-19 crisis has moved the world from complexity to chaos, and people are feeling it everywhere. Business leaders are under tremendous pressure to make and remake plans and to help staff who, in turn, are also under tremendous pressure. Building on information from the other experts in the Leaders Helping Leaders series, effectiveness and virtual collaboration expert Christy Pettit will help Leaders map out a strategy that allows for managing the day-to-day work while being nimble and responsive to constantly emerging challenges and opportunities.
This interactive session will cover:
- Strategies for cultivating employee engagement and positive work culture in a virtual environment
- Setting priorities and finding the balance between focus and flexibility
- Creating a system to support yourself, the people and the business
- The leadership effectiveness checklist – a step-by-step process to pace yourself and maximize capacity to deliver results while managing expectations
*Past Event*
PR Strategy during COVID-19
Presented by: Melissa Durrell
April 15, 2:30pm-4:00pm
Need help creating a PR strategy plan, communicating a significant change initiative within your organization, or developing key messages to deliver to your clients and employees? Innovation Guelph’s PR Strategy Talk with Durrell Communications founder and media training coach Melissa Durrell, will share with you experiences and insights on how to develop and execute a PR strategy that will help your organization weather today’s COVID-19 crisis.
- Attending the PR Strategy Talk will enable you to:
- Create a strong PR strategy for crisis comms, media, and content
- Learn how to handle deliver quick, clear and confident responses
- Become comfortable responding to complaints over the phone and online
- Learn best practices and build key messages around your company values
- Utilize the correct media channels to get your message out
- Gain valuable content (press releases, posts, messages) and writing skills
- Gain an understanding of who should be speaking to the media, and when
*Past Event*
My Experience Navigating a Business Through Crisis
Business Leader Panel
April 17, 2:30pm-4:00pm
Sometimes the best way to learn is by availing ourselves of the knowledge and experience of people who have walked a similar path. This panel session presents inspiring business leaders who’ve been there, done that! They’ve led their companies through crisis while navigating unique challenges that have resulted in growth, learning and wisdom! Join us for a discussion born from 9-11, government policy change, dot.com decline and more.
You’ll learn about:
Resiliency
Perseverance
Transparency
The importance of actively seeking information
Choosing the right actions to take, and
More!
Panelists Include:
Tina Brisbin // Business Owner Mambella’s Italian Kitchen
Joe Canavan // CEO of NEXT Canada
Reda Fayek // Current President of Kimitek Inc. and Past Executive of Virtek Inc.
Eric Solowka // Management Consultant and Former Co-CEO of Atlantis Aerospace
Managing Through Turbulent Times
Presented by: Steven Karpenko & Brad Fitzsimmons
May 7, 10:00am – 11:30am
Together with the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade (MEDJCT), Innovation Guelph is proud to present a special edition of LEADERS HELPING LEADERS. The session on Thursday, May 7th from 10 – 11:30 am is called “Managing through Turbulent Times” and will be co-presented by Steven Karpenko, Senior Export Advisor, Business Capacity and Readiness Branch (for Ontario) and our own Brad Fitzsimmons, IG mentor and serial entrepreneur.
In the 90-minute session, you will learn valuable tips from Steven to help you take your business temperature, look at your competition and finances and ask yourself some tough questions. Brad will then introduce you to an amended Business Model Canvas that he created for COVID-19 and will walk you through the key changes and considerations. We will share this resource with you after the session is over. A very valuable session for key decision makers at startups through scaleups, no matter what the sector. We hope you can join us.
There will be plenty of time for questions, so please come ready to have a discussion.

Rebuilding the Post COVID-19 Supply Chain
Presented by: Steven Karpenko , Andrey Bolgov & Gemma Duley
June 2, 10:30am – 12:00pm
The COVID-19 pandemic struck global trade and investment with extraordinary speed and force. Companies worldwide faced an initial supply shock, followed by a demand shock as more and more countries ordered people to stay at home. Governments, businesses, and consumers abruptly struggled to obtain basic products and supplies and were forced to confront the vulnerability of the current supply chain. In response, the Ontario government launched the Ontario Together Fund; a fund and information platform to help firms and organizations supply emergency products and innovations to support COVID-19 response and relief. This initiative removes barriers allowing Ontario’s manufacturing sector to redeploy capacity towards the production of essential equipment, and to supply innovative solutions to help businesses re-open safely.
In this this hour-long virtual session of Leaders Helping Leaders, we will discuss not only the Ontario Together Fund and how to apply – we will also talk about the expected changes to the global supply chain post-COVID and share some hands-on experiences. The critical need to design smarter, stronger, and more diverse supply chains has been one of the main lessons of this crisis. Join Innovation Guelph, the City of Guelph’s Economic Development team, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade and Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for a thorough presentation and Q&A session.
