An Exciting Evening with Entrepreneurs In Action!

On November 2nd, 2022, AMA-Toronto was thrilled to hold its first Legendary Leadership Series event of the season- Entrepreneurs In Action! The event was hosted by renowned author, speaker, teacher and Marketing Hall of Legends Inductee, Dr. Alan C. Middleton (Ph.D.), and included 4 incredible Marketing Hall of Legends inductees: Ian Rosen – President & COO at Harry Rosen, Sharifa Khan– President and CEO of Balmoral Multicultural Marketing, Bryan Pearson– Former Chief Executive Officer of LoyaltyOne Co., and Les Mandelbaum– President and Co-Founder of Umbra.

This stimulating panel discussion touched on key insights from the Legends, the importance of small- and medium-sized enterprises and how they can be promoted more effectively. The event also included the official launch of Dr. Alan C. Middleton’s book, Marketing Matters For Small & Medium Enterprises: Now More Than Ever!

The evening consisted of an introduction session from Alan C. Middleton where he asked each panelist a series of questions. The panelists discussed how they built their businesses, the problems they faced along the way and how they overcame them. They also discussed the key trends to look forward to in the new year as well as strategies they’ve used to amplify their marketing, engage customers, and increase sales. Their words of wisdom, humorous stories and heartfelt words about their journey to success were truly inspiring.

Following the panel discussion, Dr. Middleton discussed the importance of SMEs in Canada. He highlighted the fact that small and medium enterprises currently represent approximately 51% of the nation’s GDP for goods and 55% of the majority. He also emphasized the 3 key success factors for SMEs – financing, marketing, and managerial talent, and how Canadian startups struggle with the third one, primarily due to the unavailability of enough talent for the growth and transformation required.

The event concluded with Dr. Middleton conveying the significance of understanding the life events that shaped the successful journey of the panelists. He explained how important it is for marketers to stay close to their target audience and engage with them on a personal level.

He also advised budding entrepreneurs to look for opportunities geographically, outside of their immediate environment, with the help of digital media. He strongly advocated that they stick to their core principles and beliefs, which is the mission and vision of their brands. He also stressed the importance of businesses clearly understanding what customers want from them.

It was a truly energizing evening, and one of many in-person events that the AMA-Toronto looks forward to hosting this year.

AMA-Toronto would like to thank The Globe & Mail Media Group, Media Partner, Lulu, Creative Partner and Q One Tech, Data Technology Partner for their incredible support.