SME Business Essentials: Intro Episode

Business leaders need to shift their organizational mindset to be able to steer in the right direction during these uncertain times. Small business owners need to think about the interrelated issues brought by COVID-19, from keeping your employees safe, staying financially afloat and liquid, to making major operational adjustments. This crisis demands business leaders to think creatively and strategically. 

We understand that in these challenging times, it's difficult to stay at least one step ahead especially when you're figuring things out in the new normal while also trying to operate business as usual. But you don't have to do it on your own. We're here to support you and provide you with essential insights to help you navigate through this crisis. 

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Systema Solutions, in collaboration with AXE IT Consulting bring you Small Business Essentials, a webinar series where small business owners like you share personal insights, best practices and tactical approaches to help you respond and thrive through COVID-19 and beyond. By attending our live webinars, you get to pick up lessons from the field and practical tips from our guest speakers that can help you reshape your current business strategies.   

Top 4 reasons why you shouldn't miss this webinar 

1. Learn the biggest challenges of an SME and what were the important lessons from the experience. 
2. Learn proven strategies and practical tips when building a resilient business. 
3. Discover the essential ingredients for SMEs to successfully navigate through a crisis.
4. Understand the important role of technology and its impact on staying resilient. 

Guest Panelist

Jamie L. Smith, CPA, CA, MPAcc, is a co-founder of Amplify Advisors. Amplify is an accounting consulting firm that provides Finance Leadership, Business Advisory and Connector services. Amplify provides strategic fractional CFO/Controller services to small and medium businesses. Amplify also works with all size entities on project consulting and placement of CPAs. 

Jamie currently works with Bearhill, an Amplify client, as CFO. Bearhill operates four brewpubs & has ten local craft beer brands as well as a distilling operation. Jamie works with Amplify on Connector services and her network of CPAs and public entities as well as medium and large organizations. She is Amplify’s Chief Experience Officer and leads the marketing, sales/business development & client experience as well as Human Resources. Jamie has worked at PwC and Deloitte as well as Finance Leader roles in the industry. She has two sons. Her husband puts up with her many hats and entrepreneurial spirit. Besides her clients' local craft beer & spirits, Jamie is a fan of wine, reading and pre-COVID socializing and entertaining. She is a volunteer for her children's independent school, as well as CPA. 

Your Hosts 

Abe Brown, MBA, CMCT, CPHSA is known as the Coach’s Coach, and is an Entrepreneur, Professional Speaker, International Best-Selling Author, and High-Performance Leadership Coach. He is also the President of the Certified Coaches Federation, the CEO of Wellness Innovate Corp, and the CEO of Momentum Coaching. 

Abe is a Leadership and Executive Coach and works with organizations globally around high performance, leadership development, strategic planning, and workplace wellness and mental health. In his career, Abe successfully led and turned around several multi-million dollar businesses that were struggling by driving cultural and operational transformation. His focus is business strategy and execution, driving revenue growth, human capital assessment and maximization, and facilitating full employee engagement. Abe has also spent several years as a non-profit executive and CEO. 

Abe is an impactful and collaborative business leader with successful experience in developing and executing strategic plans, cultivating leaders, building relationships with key stakeholders, and implementing operational results. 

With experience in both the not-for-profit and corporate sectors, along with government, Abe brings a valuable combination of financial and operational acumen, management of multi-disciplinary teams, and business coaching. Abe has also started, owns, and operates several businesses in multiple industries, and has coached thousands of leaders at all levels. Abe is a professional speaker, having spoken professionally in 4 continents and over 20 countries, with audiences of tens of thousands. 

Richelle Gatus, founding partner of Systema365 and Director of Implementation Services at Systema Solutions. Systema is an IT solutions provider and a Microsoft Partner based in Calgary helping small to medium-sized organizations harness the power of technology to modernize the way they do business. The company specializes in helping companies gain better financial and operational visibility through Microsoft Dynamics Business Central and NAV; empower informed decision making through self-service reporting and analytics; and gain proactive IT management and support. 

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Richelle is a Microsoft Certified IT Professional, a former finance executive/general accountant and functional consultant for one of the largest Microsoft Partners in the Philippines. This field experience has provided her with a strong technological background and business insight in helping SMBs embrace digital transformation in their financial operations. Richelle earned Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from Philippine School of Business Administration.

Today as one of the Directors at Systema Solutions, she is responsible for designing solutions for customers, managing projects and ensuring Systema's projects deliver its client's desired business outcomes. She leads overall operations and senior staff training/development, as well as leading the Sales and Marketing team. She is in charge with hiring and connecting with Dynamics Professionals from the Philippines and connections in Canada. Despite her multiple roles, as a leader, one of her goal and greatest satisfaction is seeing and helping individuals realize their full potential and talents with confidence. Bringing over 20 years of experience across a series of leadership roles in finance and consulting industries, she is continuously creating a strong, healthy and skilled leadership team.