EP 329 Strategic Partnerships and Real Estate Insights
The Cash Rich Exit Podcast
In this episode of The Cash Rich Exit Podcast, host Colleen O’Connell-Campbell sits down with Ashley Hopkins, President & CEO of Paradigm Commercial Group, and Sarah Vandenbelt, Broker of Record & Founder of Paradigm Commercial Real Estate. Together, they share how their unexpected journeys into real estate led to a powerful partnership under the Paradigm brand. We discuss: The winding career paths that brought them into real estate. Why building strategic partnerships and strong networks is critical in a male-dominated industry. How property management is more than...
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EP328 Intentionality, Identity, and the Exit Journey
The Cash Rich Exit Podcast
What happens when your exit strategy is about more than just money? In this episode, host Colleen O’Connell-Campbell talks to April Harbottle, a highly experienced M&A advisor and business transition specialist. April has spent years helping small and mid sized business owners unlock the value of their companies and transition successfully, whether through exits or by scaling with new partnerships. Together, they explore how values, identity, and leadership evolution shape the founder journey - especially when it's time to let go. 🔍 Key Highlights Start with an...
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EP327 Rethinking Succession - Why Employee Ownership Might Be your Legacy Move
The Cash Rich Exit Podcast
With over $2 trillion in business assets at stake and 91% of Canadian business owners without a succession plan, we’re facing a real crisis. In this episode, host chats with Charlie Iscoe, whose venture - CommonShares - is flipping the script on business exits. Charlie brings Wall Street investment experience and a mission to keep Canadian businesses local by transitioning ownership to employees. He explains how their model allows retiring owners to receive fair market value while protecting their teams and communities. If you’re a founder who says, “I’ll deal with it...
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EP326 Identity, Reinvention and Entrepreneurial Grit
The Cash Rich Exit Podcast
In this candid and energizing episode of ‘The Cash Rich Exit Podcast’, host sits down with author, educator, and tech entrepreneur . From academia to publishing to leading a fast-scaling SaaS platform, Lindy shares her story of transformation and what it really takes to walk away from one professional identity to build another. Together, they dig into what motivates bold career pivots, the value of knowing your numbers (and knowing your worth), and how to preserve optionality - especially as a woman founder in Canada. 🔑 Key Highlights Why letting go of sunk cost...
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EP325 A Scenic Exit - How Peter Deitz Turned an Eight-Year Journey into Shared Prosperity
The Cash Rich Exit Podcast
In this episode, host chats with Peter Deitz, social entrepreneur and founder of Canada’s first-ever employee ownership trust (EOT) transition at Grantbook. Peter shares how his scenic, eight-year exit journey created space for new ventures, empowered employees, and protected the company’s B Corp values. The episode is a roadmap for any founder looking to exit with both financial return and community impact. 🔑 Key Highlights The Long Game: Peter’s exit took 8 years - twice the time he spent actively running the business. He stayed in a governance role and planned a...
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EP324 Community Impact and Resilient Legacies Through Employee Ownership
The Cash Rich Exit Podcast
In this final segment of a powerful three-part conversation, Colleen O’Connell-Campbell and Jennifer Williams explore the community-level impact of employee ownership for Canadian business owners - beyond the dollars and deal terms. If you're a founder who wants to leave behind more than just a net worth number, this episode offers compelling reasons to consider how your exit plan could strengthen your community, not just your portfolio. Key Highlights 💼 Employee-Owned Companies = Stability During Volatility Data shows these businesses are more likely to retain staff...
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EP323 The Tax-Smart Exit - Why Employee Ownership Trusts Are Gaining Ground
The Cash Rich Exit Podcast
In part two of this three-part series, Colleen welcomes back to explore the financial power behind Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs). This isn't just a values-based feel-good exit. EOTs now offer significant tax advantages that can rival, and even exceed, traditional business sale routes. From how to qualify for the new $10M lifetime capital gains exemption to why Canada introduced this legislation, Jennifer breaks it all down - plus, the importance of doing it right with guidance from experts. ✨ Key Highlights and Timestamps 🕓 02:35 Why the federal government introduced...
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EP322 The Case for Employee Ownership (Part 1)
The Cash Rich Exit Podcast
Host: Colleen O’Connell-Campbell Guest: Jennifer Williams, Founder of Firefly Insights In part one of a three-part series, Colleen sits down with , a passionate advocate for employee ownership and founder of Firefly Insights. This episode explores how business owners can transition their companies to employees - preserving their legacy, values, and community roots - expanding their options beyond the default of private equity or selling to competitors. Jennifer shares why employee ownership is gaining traction in Canada, how it can stabilize businesses post-exit, and why it’s...
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EP321 Employee Ownership could be your Best Exit Strategy
The Cash Rich Exit Podcast
👋 at RBC Dominion Securities In this episode, host Colleen O’Connell-Campbell, Wealth Advisor, sits down with , CEO of , and a pioneer in bringing Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) to Canada. Tiara explains how EOTs offer a compelling, tax-efficient option for business owners who want to protect their legacy, empower their employees, and still achieve full value in an exit - without selling to a third party or private equity. Tiara shares how she helped champion Canada's EOT legislation, inspired by robust models in the US and UK, and outlines how Canadian business owners can now...
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EP320 Valuing Digital Assets for a Smarter Exit
The Cash Rich Exit Podcast
Welcome back, Self Made Nation! In this episode, I reconnect with , co-founder of seoplus+, to explore a topic that’s fast becoming essential to business exit strategy: how to identify, measure, and maximize the value of your digital assets. Brock shares how seoplus+ developed a proprietary Digital Asset Valuation program designed to help business owners understand the true value of their online presence - think websites, social media, ad accounts, email lists, and more. Why does it matter? Because overlooking these digital touchpoints can impact your exit multiple...
info_outlineWelcome to The Cash Rich Exit Podcast, where we discuss the entrepreneurial journey from inception through to a successful exit. I’m Colleen O’Connell-Campbell, your host and Wealth Advisor at RBC Dominion Securities. Today, we're joined by Sheena Brady, the dynamic founder of tease, a company that’s redefining wellness with its unique tea and botanical-infused essentials.
🌿 From Hospitality to Health: Sheena shares her body of work from a decade-long career in hospitality to discovering the potent world of tea and functional botanicals. This pivot was a career change and a personal health revelation that inspired the foundations of tease. Sheena discusses how early challenges and a serendipitous introduction to tea sommelier training sparked her entrepreneurial spirit.
💪 Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: A passionate advocate for women in business, Sheena talks about founding the Founders Fund, an initiative that supports underrepresented women entrepreneurs through funding, education, and mentorship. This effort reflects her commitment to creating opportunities for women, mirroring her own journey of overcoming the obstacles to success.
🌱 Sustainability and Impact: Tease isn’t just about tea; it’s about creating a sustainable and impactful business. Sheena delves into how Tease has integrated sustainability into every aspect of its operations, from product development to community engagement. Her approach not only enhances the brand's market appeal but also sets a new standard for ethical business practices.
🔗 Key Takeaways for Entrepreneurs:
Understand Your Wealth Gap: Sheena emphasizes the importance of knowing what resources you need to maintain your lifestyle without your daily business operations.
Invest in Protection: She encourages considering safeguards to protect against unforeseen health issues that could impact personal finances and business operations.
Plan for Non-Sale Exits: Sheena’s story highlights the need for alternative exit strategies that ensure both financial security and legacy preservation.
📢 If you’re contemplating your exit strategy, or how to infuse more purpose into your entrepreneurial ventures, let’s connect. I offer a complimentary one-on-one wealth gap analysis to help you navigate your options and plan effectively. Reach out on LinkedIn or email to book your session.
Thank you for tuning in to today’s episode. If Sheena’s story has inspired you or sparked ideas for your own business journey, I’d love to hear from you. And remember, building a business is about crafting a legacy - not just for financial gain but for community impact. Until next time, keep striving towards your own cash-rich exit.
TTFN, ta-ta for now!