About
Much of human activity is rooted in fundamental business principles such as value creation, resource allocation, negotiation, and collaboration. These principles provide an essential framework that guides decision-making, fosters cooperation, and drives progress across nearly every domain of human endeavour. When preparing young people for career success, it is sensible to equip them with a strong foundation in business knowledge.
Simply put, no education is truly complete without a grounding in business fundamentals. One of the most effective ways to help careers flourish is to integrate the language of business with other career-specific skills. For example, combining law or engineering with an MBA opens up entrepreneurial opportunities, while pairing business acumen with carpentry skills paves the way for a thriving business enterprise. In a society where everyone engages with business — whether as a consumer, employee, or innovator — it is essential to understand core concepts such as marketing and sales, operations, supply chains, and finance.
Leadership by Design’s course in basic business is called Pursue Business. Workshops offered through Pursue Business are led by experienced practitioners. Below is a brief overview of selected Pursue Business sessions.
Pitch Competition — Developing Entrepreneurial Skills
- Venue: Ted Rogers School of Management, Toronto Metropolitan University
About: The purpose of the pitch competition was to cultivate essential entrepreneurial skills in students by encouraging them to conceive, develop, and articulate innovative business ideas. Students worked collaboratively in teams to develop their business ideas. Through the process of preparing and presenting their pitches, students learned to analyze market needs, craft compelling value propositions, and communicate their ideas effectively to a panel of judges and an audience. The competitive format, with feedback and evaluation from the judges, offered students an opportunity to refine their presentation abilities, think critically under pressure, and respond to questions with confidence and clarity. These experiences fostered teamwork, creativity, and resilience, while helping students understand the dynamics of real-world business decision-making and the importance of persuasive communications in entrepreneurial success.
Judges:
• Adrian Harvey, at the time Global Account Manager, BMO Bank of Montreal, Cisco Systems Canada
• Stacey Oree, at the time Head of Wholesale, Non-Financial Risk, HSBC Canada
• Gitanjali Verma, at the time Manager, Business Risk Management, Wealth & Personal Banking, HSBC Canada
Field Visit: A Day at PepsiCo Canada’s Head Office
- Venue: PepsiCo Canada, 2095 Matheson Blvd. East, Mississauga
About: Students in Pursue Business spent a day of discovery at the head office of PepsiCo Canada. The day’s program included the following elements:
— Discussion of PepsiCo’s value proposition — the relationship between the company and its customers, the company’s product lines and the unique benefits they deliver, and how the company gives customers reasons for selecting Pepsi’s products,
— Review of the key functions of PepsiCo Canada’s head office,
— A mentorship exercise in which PepsiCo’s staff talked business and careers with students using the ‘mentorship-circle format.’
— Description of the human resources function at PepsiCo, presented by the Vice-President of Human Resources.
— A tour of the PepsiCo Canada office.
PepsiCo’s Hosts:
Jennifer Duncan, Finance Control & Reporting, PepsiCo
Simone La Ronde, Manager, Shopper Marketing, PepsiCo
Shawnakaye Vassel, Global External Communications, PepsiCo
Business Symposium: Supply Chains
- Venue: In-person, Sidney Smith Hall, Faculty of Arts & Science, University of Toronto
About: This symposium provided students with three major learning segments:
An exploration of Logistics & Supply Chain Management
Tobi Sogbesan, Process Engineer & Team Supervisor, PepsiCo Canada
Market Research & Data Analytics
Juliann Ng, Executive Vice-President, elements54
Case Analysis
Using a methodical approach, students worked in teams to examine a real-world scenario.
Business Symposium: Experiences of Two Entrepreneurs
- Venue: Daphne Cockwell Health Science Complex, Toronto Metropolitan University
About: This symposium presented the business trajectory of two entrepreneurs, plus a financial literacy workshop.
Keynote 1: My Entrepreneurial Experience
Gilles Tchianga, Founder & CEO., Taltis Foods Inc., Toronto.
Originally from Cameroon in Central Africa Gilles Tchianga pitched his case for financing to the Canada-based Dragons’ Den. It was a remarkably emotional occasion which saw Mr. Tchianga winning financial support from Wes Hall. What was the pitch experience like? How did he prepare for his ‘pitch moment’? How has his food-production company fared since receiving the support of a funding Dragon? This presentation was an eye-opener to the audience of LBD students.
Keynote 2: My Entrepreneurial Experience
Orlando Prendergast, Founder, Zuka Sound (Electronics Manufacturing), Toronto
The entrepreneurial journey has moments of promise, learnings, opportunities and experiences. Orlando Prendergast is in the business of producing premium in-ear and head stereos. He described his entrepreneurial journey to students.
Workshop
About: “A money mindset encompasses our thoughts, feelings, and attitudes toward money and wealth. It shapes our financial decisions, behaviors, and outcomes, influencing how we earn, spend, save, and invest our money.”
Presenter: Harprit Gill, Founder of Affluence Creators Group (ACG). Ms. Gill is a Financial Advisor, Educator, Community Leader, and Entrepreneur. She has combined her passion for community work and entrepreneurship with her love for educating people on financial literacy and providing financial solutions.
Business Symposium: Intellectual Property
- Mode: Online
Overview: This symposium provided Pursue Business students with a comprehensive overview of the essential elements of intellectual property, focusing on patents, trademarks, and the broader framework of intellectual property rights. It explained how patents protect innovative inventions by granting exclusive rights to inventors, thereby promoting technological advancement and rewarding creativity. The significance of trademarks was discussed, highlighting how they distinguish brands and products in the marketplace, build consumer trust, and safeguard business identities.
Presenter: Louis-Pierre Gravelle, Partner at Dipchand LLP
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