New BDC Web series showcases inspiring entrepreneur stories

November 15, 2018, Montreal—As part of this year’s advertising campaign, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is launching today Beyond Business, a new Web series that showcases inspiring, relentless entrepreneurs and the challenges they overcome to successfully grow their companies.

The first three episodes of the Web series feature entrepreneurs across Canada as they wonder how they can take their business to the next level and face growth challenges while staying true to their values. The three-minute videos will be broadcast on social media and focus intimately on the people behind the business, making them highly relatable to entrepreneurs. The series aims to touch entrepreneurs by portraying unique, authentic experiences and demonstrating that successful business growth is inspiring.

“At BDC, we understand where entrepreneurs are coming from, whether they are starting or growing a business,” says Michel Bergeron, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Public Affairs at BDC. “This year’s focus is on inspiring entrepreneurs to partner with us in becoming more competitive. We want them to see how BDC can meaningfully contribute to their journey and accompany them in developing their business.”

“Understanding entrepreneurs goes beyond understanding their business. To really connect with them, the series portrays unique and authentic experiences from their peers, demonstrating that successful growth is inspiring, but it’s also hard work”, says Chris Bergeron, Vice-President, Content and Experience at Cossette, BDC’s agency of record which led the creation of the series.

The first three episodes feature inspiring Canadian businesses:

• Fair Trade Jewellery Co., North America’s first Fairtrade certified jewellery store. This Toronto-based company designs, manufactures and commercializes ethical jewellery and has achieved multiple certifications for its high ethical and environmental standards. It is a global pioneer in working with artisanal miners, sourcing ethical diamonds and improving traceability in the mining industry. Cofounders Ryan Taylor and Robin Gambhir used BDC financing to create a ¸spin-off company, Consensas, that digitizes the supply chain paper trail for precious metals in conflict areas.
• Kin’s Farm Market, a family-owned fresh produce retail chain in the Vancouver area. Kin Wah Leung and his family had little money and no business experience when they started a produce stand in 1983. They’ve since expanded to 30 produce stores. They work hard to give back to the community, helping newcomers with advice and offering employees a franchise program and other opportunities. The company has enrolled in BDC’s Growth Driver Program to strengthen its management team and further its expansion.
• Green Beaver, a quickly growing maker of natural and organic skin care and cosmetics products in Hawkesbury, Ontario. Husband-wife partners Alain Ménard and Karen Clark were inspired by the birth of their son to create their wildly successful line of all-natural products. Through the Growth Driver Program, BDC helped them create a business plan, a new vision and a marketing team to launch their next phase of growth and expand internationally.

The Web series builds on the achievements of BDC’s annual advertising campaigns, which demonstrate the close connection between the Bank and entrepreneurs by showcasing its deep understanding of their reality. Entrepreneurs take centre stage in this year’s national multichannel advertising campaign, led by Cossette. The campaign launched earlier in September also includes TV spots, radio messages, out-of-home and airport ads, and digital media.

CREDITS

Advertiser – Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) Michel Bergeron Annie Marsolais Andres Suarez Roxanne Romani

Agency – Cossette Strategy and Creative: Mikael Cossette-Lebleu, Chris Bergeron Product: Benoit Chapellier, Nicolas Girault, Mathilde Givern-Héroux Media Agency: Cossette média Media: Pascal Desrosiers, Olivier Gilbert Production house: Cossette Studio Director: Bruno Florin DOP: Alex Carignan Producer: Alexander Bain

About BDC

BDC is the only bank devoted exclusively to entrepreneurs. It promotes Canadian entrepreneurship with a focus on small and medium-sized businesses. With its 123 business centres from coast to coast, BDC provides businesses in all industries with financing and advisory services. Its investment arm, BDC Capital, offers equity, venture capital and flexible growth and transition capital solutions. BDC is also the first financial institution in Canada to receive B Corp certification. To find out more, visit bdc.ca.

—30—