Elizabeth English, a Senior Principal at Mercer, sheds light on the evolving trends in employee compensation in Canada, drawing on data from Mercer’s recent compensation planning survey in her recent interview with the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Despite a decrease in both merit and total increase budgets for 2024, the rates remain above inflation and are higher than pre-pandemic levels, indicating a nuanced shift rather than a drastic drop. Elizabeth explains the critical distinction between merit increases, which are performance-based, and total increases that encompass a broader ra ..read more

Brian Veloso, Managing Director at SAP Concur Canada, discusses with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine the intricate challenges Canadian businesses face with rising expense transaction costs amid inflation. He highlights how technological advancements and globalization have increased transaction volumes and complexities, complicating expense management. With a notable 34% increase in the average expense transaction cost since 2019, primarily in sectors like transportation and entertainment, the urgency for businesses to adapt and manage escalating costs is clear. Brian emphasizes the benefit ..read more

In an insightful interview with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, Matthew Burlak, Head of Canada GTM at Stripe, highlighted several groundbreaking features introduced at Stripe Sessions 2024, emphasizing their transformative potential for Canadian businesses. Particularly impactful are the 17 upgrades to Stripe Connect, which facilitates financial services for users on platforms like Shopify and FreshBooks, enhancing functionality for SMEs and startups. Matthew also introduced Radar Assistant, an AI-driven component that enhances fraud prevention by allowing businesses to create customized ..read more

Facing a two-decade decline in new startups, business leaders must foster mindset shifts and community support to reignite innovation and economic growth. By Jeremy Dawn, CEO of SNFLWR Corporation Over the last two decades, a quiet crisis has been unfolding within the Canadian economic landscape: the sharp decline in the rate of new entrepreneurs. This trend is particularly alarming given the pivotal role that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play in our economy, generating 98% of all jobs and acting as the backbone of both local and national economic structures. Recent reports from B ..read more

Ideal MarTech Stack for SMEs Learn to optimize your SME MarTech stack with strategic tool selection and legacy tech management for future-proof marketing success. Navigating the complexities of technology can be overwhelming for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) aiming to stay competitive. With over 13,000 marketing technology (MarTech) tools available in 2024, and marketers averaging the use of 120 tools to carry out daily tasks, the challenge for SMEs lies in constructing a MarTech stack that aligns with business objectives while ensuring seamless integration and support for robust m ..read more

Quality sleep is vital for business owners and their employees but achieving it requires proactivity and specific approaches By: Taís Araújo, Psychologist and Clinical Director at HALEO  Are late nights and early mornings consuming your life as a small and medium business owner? Your sleep is crucial for productivity, decision-making, and overall health and well-being, yet SME owners and their employees often find it challenging to get the rest they need. In Canada, it is estimated that about 25% of adults are dissatisfied with their sleep, and 10% to 15% report symptoms of insomnia. Thes ..read more

You could be forgiven for thinking that HR’s role is limited to hiring and firing. But there’s a lot more to it than that. And by a lot, we sure do mean A LOT.  In celebration of International HR Day on May 20th, global HR advisory Peninsula Group has put together the top 10 wild and wacky calls received by its advisors over the last year, to shine a spotlight on HR professionals everywhere.  Kiljon Shukullari HR Advice Manager at Peninsula Canada says, “One of the best things about working in HR is that no two days are ever the same, and you never know what you’re going to hear next ..read more

In an interview with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, Kayla Ciaschi, Associate Vice President (Client Services) at Talk Shop Media and Rachael D’Amore, Associate Vice President of Growth at Talk Shop Media, shared their career journeys and the influences that have shaped their leadership styles. Kayla’s transition from in-house roles to a leadership position in PR was driven by her desire to leverage her deep understanding of client perspectives and sales funnels, fostering a people-first culture within her team. Rachael’s shift from journalism to PR capitalized on her storytelling skills ..read more

In an interview with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, Nesreen Abusultan, owner and co-founder of WÜD Chocolates and Gifts, shared the personal and heartfelt story behind her venture. The concept of WÜD was born out of her desire to recreate the flavors and traditions of her Middle Eastern heritage in Canada, particularly during the joyous occasion of her son Jad’s birth. This endeavor evolved into a business that not only celebrates cultural heritage through unique chocolate flavors like rose and pistachio but also supports refugee integration and economic success. Nesreen’s journey from c ..read more

In an interview with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, Iryna Andriushchenko, Co-Founder of Handy.ai Inc., shared her journey from a high-ranking position at a major Ukrainian media company to pioneering the tech startup world. Her decision to launch Handy.ai was driven by the transformative potential of Generative AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to enhance operational efficiency in non-tech industries. Handy.ai stands out for its commitment to “ethical AI,” focusing on augmenting rather than replacing human efforts. The platform provides comprehensive AI-driven solutions that simpl ..read more