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Island Thrive: Conversations with Business and Community Leaders.
Covid-19 rushed into our lives. For some business leaders, the impact was immediately devastating; operations ceased and layoffs were initiated. For others, the experience was manageable but required speedy innovation.Our vision is to create a space where local leaders can have frank conversations about the ups and downs of doing business on Vancouver Island. Our focus in the first season will be about navigating both the opportunities and challenges that the pandemic presents but as time moves forward our focus will shift as businesses evolve. And to be clear, this isn't a podcast just about technology, it's more about business, specifically business on the Island.
Episodes
31 episodes
Recruiting with Microsoft Teams
At Smart Dolphins IT, we use Microsoft 365 apps like Bookings, Teams and OneNote to enhance our efficiency during recruitment. In this podcast, we share how these tools have streamlined this process.
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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8:07
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What your small business needs to know about Microsoft’s New Commerce Experience
Microsoft is making two significant changes which are getting conflated: price changes to seat-based subscriptions and the launching of the New Commerce Experience (NCE). In this brief session, President Dave Monahan and COO Jesse Smith summari...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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7:40
Leading with values: A conversation with David Logan of Duttons & Co.
In this episode, Paul and Dave talk with Co-owner David Logan of Duttons Property Management & Boutique Real Estate Sales, a Victoria-based firm located in the heart of Fairfield. The three engage in conversation about workplace culture, le...
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54:28
Risk management and maintaining a strong security-minded culture at your small business
In this episode, Paul Holmes, and fellow Smart Dolphins employee, Ty Hedden, introduce listeners to Aaron Kraus, information systems and cloud security trainer and consultant. The three of them talk about cybersecurity through the lens of risk ...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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1:05:18
Resilience and collaboration within the downtown Victoria business community
In our first episode of Season 3, Paul Holmes, chats with Jeff Bray executive director of the Downtown Victoria Business Association (DVBA). Despite the ongoing challenges due to the pandemic, Jeff draws attention to the resilience and collabor...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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30:43
In conversation with Eric Jordan
In our final episode of Season 2, we talk with Eric Jordan CEO of Codename Entertainment. Eric shares with us some business and industry highlights from the past year, emphasizing the significance of “discovery” and internal marke...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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1:04:10
Talking business and journalism with Tess van Straaten
In this episode, Dave and Paul chat with award-winning journalist Tess van Straaten about her role at CHEK News and as a columnist at Boulevard Magazine. She shares the origin story of how CHEK News became North America’s only employee-owned TV...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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35:12
Uncovering your X-factor with Isabelle Mercier-Turcotte
In this episode of Island Thrive, Paul and Dave chat with Isabelle Mercier-Turcotte about tried and true practices to business success. Isabelle shares her insights on the timeliness of education-based marketing. She recommends business leaders...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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1:00:25
Advancing sustainable business: A conversation with Jill Doucette
In this episode, Paul and Dave talk with Jill Doucette, founder of Synergy Enterprises and Synergy Foundation — two separate organizations with the same mandate: to get business leaders to reduce their carbon emissions.Jill highlights s...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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46:23
Defending the human firewall: a conversation with The White Hatter
In this episode, Paul and Ty chat with Brandon Laur of The White Hatter. They talk about security awareness training and the human firewall, drawing attention to social media phishing. They also chat about how different generations...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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1:09:49
Recovery and rebuilding: The United Way of Greater Victoria Covid-19 Response
In this episode, Paul and Dave chat with Chief Executive Officer, Mark Breslauer, of the United Way of Greater Victoria (UWGV). Mark shares how their organization quickly pivoted at the start of the pandemic to narrow their focus to provide imm...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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52:10
Scaling up Starfish Medical: Leadership Insights from Scott Phillips
In our final episode of 2020, we speak with Scott Phillips president of Victoria-based Starfish Medical — one of Canada’s leading medical device design service providers. Scott shares some stories from their 21 years in business, outlining how ...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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44:25
Resilience and collaboration on the road to recovery: A conversation about civil society with Carol Hall
In this episode, we chat with Carol Hall Director of Strategic Initiatives about the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on both the Victoria Foundation and more broadly on Southern Vancouver Island.Carol describes the abrupt shift in th...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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39:03
Prosperity, sustainability and diversity: Reflections on business around Greater Victoria with Bruce Williams
In this podcast, Paul Holmes talks with Bruce Williams, CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. Bruce’s longstanding career in broadcasting and his passionate commitment to driving engagement in the region has well-positioned him t...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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41:45
How Mayor Young's 28-year tenure in politics has shaped Langford, BC
In this episode of Island Thrive, Paul and Dave chat with Mayor Stewart Young of Langford. Young shares how he continues to shape British Columbia’s fastest growing city. He talks about some of his accomplishments throughout his 28 years ...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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34:10
Workplace culture, succession and scaling up at Megson Fitzpatrick
In this episode we chat with Laura Bolster, president of Megson Fitzpatrick Insurance (MFI). Laura started working at MFI at the age of 19 and became president just this year. In this podcast, Laura shares how MFI is navigatin...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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43:51
In conversation with Dan Gunn: Social capital and technology innovation around Greater Victoria
In this episode of Island Thrive, we chat with Dan Gunn, executive director of VIATEC. He shares his thesis of the city of Victoria, referring to it as a magnetic city — a place that has a remarkable quality of life and offers exceptional oppor...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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1:06:06
Stability and optimism in the Southern Vancouver Island commercial real estate market: A conversation with Ty Whittaker
In our first episode of Season 2, Paul and Dave chat with Executive Vice President, Ty Whittaker about the real estate market on Southern Vancouver Island. Ty shares his optimism concerning the economic stability of the region citing increasing...
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44:36
Adapting to the 'new normal' with Rosalind Scott of the BBB
In our final episode of Season 1, Paul and Dave talk with Executive Director Rosalind Scott of the Better Business Bureau. Rosalind shares how local businesses are being innovative in their efforts to navigate the challenges that the pandemic h...
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52:21
A return to sport under the new normal: A conversation with Jill Shaw of KidSport Greater Victoria
By mid-March 2020, all organized sporting activities for kids came to a sudden stop. KidSport Greater Victoria, a local not-for-profit organization that provides grants to help cover the costs of registration fees, paused funding.In this...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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41:58
Riding out the storm: A conversation with Ryan Burles, President of Black Ball Ferry Line
The coronavirus pandemic has had an extensive and varied impact on local businesses including those in manufacturing, legal, accounting, retail as well as hospitality — some have been impacted negatively, while others positively. In this episod...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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30:55
Where privacy collides with technology: backtracking the work from home rush
Covid-19 rushed into our lives. Many business leaders had to make significant operational changes immediately. Technical decisions that generally take months to plan and implement were made in the matter of days. And in this rush to stay produc...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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1:09:17
Peer groups, success and heightened IT risks in the small business market
Are you considering joining a peer group in your industry or city? Well, we think it's a good business idea.President of Smart Dolphins IT Solutions, Dave Monahan, has been in one peer group or another for over 15 years. Participation in...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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48:58
Microsoft, hidden risk and the modern workplace
Do you know Jesse Smith? Jesse is our chief operations officer. Throughout his 16-year career at Smart Dolphins he has witnessed a dramatic evolution in how we use and embrace technology in the workplace. In this episode, Jesse unpa...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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51:22
A conversation with Andy Spurling: Leading a business through a pandemic, generational change and work-life balance
In Episode 7, Dave Monahan and Paul Holmes talk with Andy Spurling president of Proline Property Management. During this podcast, Andy shares his experience of growing up and then leaving the Island to pursue a law ...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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56:37