You Don't Have to Build Your Business Alone
Entrepreneur-in-Residence Program
Running a business can feel isolating. Our Entrepreneur-in-Residence program connects you with an experienced business coach who can help you work through challenges, strengthen your plan, and move forward with greater confidence.
What Can You Work on With a Business Coach?
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Business planning
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Cash flow and financial projections
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Marketing and customer growth
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Pricing and profitability
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Operations and productivity
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Preparing for financing
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Working through business challenges
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Planning for growth or succession
How much does the program cost?
Get focused, one-to-one support from an experienced business coach for only $200. This subsidized program includes six hours of personalized coaching, plus a complimentary one-hour introductory meeting so you and your coach can get to know each other, clarify your priorities, and make sure the fit feels right. That means when your paid sessions begin, you can skip the introductions and get straight to the work that matters most.
How Do I Register?
Getting started is simple.
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Complete the registration form below to tell us about you, your business, and what you're looking to achieve.
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Take a few minutes to explore our coach bios. If there is a coach you feel would be a good fit, you're welcome to include your preference on the registration form. While we can't guarantee a specific coach, we'll do our best to accommodate your request.
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Once we receive your registration, your assigned coach will contact you directly to schedule your complimentary introductory session. This first meeting is an opportunity to get to know one another, discuss your business goals, and ensure the coaching relationship is the right fit.
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If you and your coach decide to move forward, we'll send you an invoice for the program. Once payment has been received, you and your coach can schedule your remaining coaching sessions at times that work for you.
Meet our Coaches
Katharine Chernyak
Specialties: Operations | Human Resources | Change Management | Team Development
Katharine brings more than 27 years of experience in operations management, human resources and change management, with experience from both sides of the table as a business owner and employee. She has worked across diverse industries, helping organizations strengthen teams, improve customer experience, navigate change and build more resilient workplace cultures.
Katharine particularly enjoys helping entrepreneurs manage periods of transition while creating the structures, processes and teams needed to move from where the business is today to where they want it to be.
Best for: Business owners working through staffing challenges, organizational change, team development, operations or growth.
Brady Calancie
Specialties: Entrepreneurship | Innovation | Operations | Growth Strategy | Market Expansion
Brady is an experienced entrepreneur who has founded businesses in robotics manufacturing, food processing and consulting. His hands-on experience gives him a practical understanding of the challenges involved in launching, operating and growing a business.
He enjoys helping entrepreneurs solve problems, identify opportunities and adapt to changing markets. Whether a business is looking to improve operations, explore a new market, expand domestically or internationally, or turn a new idea into a workable strategy, Brady brings an innovation-focused and practical perspective to the conversation.
Best for: Entrepreneurs exploring new ideas, innovation, operational improvements, market expansion or business growth.
Kenny Mohammed
Specialties: Finance | Cash Flow | Financial Strategy | Profitability | Business Systems
Kenny is a Strategic CFO, Chartered Professional Accountant and business advisor with more than 20 years of experience helping entrepreneurs better understand and manage the financial side of their businesses. As founder of Synced-CFO, she works with business owners to strengthen financial foundations, improve cash flow and create practical systems that support sustainable growth.
Kenny helps turn financial information into something business owners can actually use. Her approach focuses on developing clear financial roadmaps, improving tracking and helping owners move from reactive decision-making toward more proactive financial management. She also holds an MBA from Vancouver Island University.
Best for: Business owners who want stronger cash flow, better financial systems, clearer projections or more confidence understanding their numbers.
Adrien Stewart
Specialties: Finance | Strategic Planning | Business Growth | Accounting | Financial Management
Adrien is a Chartered Professional Accountant and entrepreneur with more than a decade of experience in financial management, strategic planning and business advisory services. He is Founder and CEO of Tideline CPA Inc. and Redwood Business Strategies, giving him experience in both professional accounting and entrepreneurship.
Adrien takes a practical, strategic approach to helping business owners understand their financial position, identify opportunities and connect financial decisions with broader business goals. His community leadership and board experience also bring a strong governance perspective to his work with entrepreneurs.
Best for: Business owners looking for help with financial strategy, planning, growth decisions, accounting or understanding the financial implications of their next move.
Colleen Janssen Hood
Specialties: Marketing | Communications | Brand Storytelling | Customer Engagement | Strategy
Colleen is a communications professional, entrepreneur and educator with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations tell their stories and connect with the people they want to reach. Her career spans corporate communications, non-profit governance, entrepreneurship and post-secondary education.
She holds an MBA from Royal Roads University and is an accredited member of the Canadian Public Relations Society. Through her consulting and teaching work, Colleen brings both strategic and practical experience to marketing and communications challenges.
Best for: Business owners who need help clarifying their message, strengthening their brand, reaching customers, developing a marketing strategy or communicating what makes their business different.
Rob Regner
Specialties: Leadership | Strategy | Operations | Team Development | Executive Coaching
Rob is a Certified Executive Coach with extensive experience leading businesses and teams in Canada and internationally. His career began with a family-owned start-up, where he gained hands-on experience across virtually every business function, before moving into senior leadership roles in the energy and forestry sectors.
Today, Rob combines that broad operational experience with executive coaching to help entrepreneurs and business leaders tackle difficult questions, strengthen leadership skills, build high-performing teams and turn ambitious goals into practical plans. His coaching style is strategic, results-focused and designed to respectfully challenge business owners to think differently.
Best for: Entrepreneurs and leaders working through growth, leadership challenges, team development, strategic decisions or significant business change.
Gerard Janssen
Specialties: Finance | Growth Strategy | Governance | Risk Management | Financial Structuring
Gerard is an experienced finance executive, entrepreneur and board director with more than three decades of leadership experience in the energy and financial services sectors. As founding partner and CFO of Response Energy Corporation, he has helped guide the company from start-up through significant growth.
His experience includes financial strategy, operational improvement, governance, compliance, investment and risk management. Gerard holds an MBA in Finance, a CPA-CMA designation and advanced degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics.
Best for: Established businesses dealing with financial strategy, growth, risk, governance, investment decisions or more complex financial challenges.
Amir Tabatabaei
Specialties: Marketing | Sales | Operations | Negotiations | Business Intelligence
Amir is an entrepreneurial business professional with more than 23 years of experience working at regional, national and international levels across a wide range of industries. His background includes business development, marketing, operations, sales, corporate communications, account management, procurement, team leadership and business intelligence.
Since moving to Vancouver Island in 2019, Amir has established several businesses, worked with a number of corporations and most recently served as Executive Director of the Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce. His broad business experience and strong understanding of the Island's business environment allow him to provide practical, informed guidance to entrepreneurs at different stages of their journey.
Best for: Entrepreneurs looking for support with business growth, sales and marketing, operations, strategic planning, relationship building and navigating the Vancouver Island business landscape.
Support & Resources
Start Your Business
How do I register a business?
The BC Business Registry provides information and online services to help you choose a business name, register your business and complete other provincial registrations.
What licenses or permits are needed to operate my business?
BizPaL, a service provided by the federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal government, streamlines your business permit and licensing experience.
Learn & Build Your Skills
Looking for free online workshops and webinars?
myCommunityFutures offers free online business training, practical workshops, expert advice, and resources to help you build your skills and strengthen your business.
Small Business Solver is an online resource designed to make practical business advice easier to access. It offers self-assessment tools, templates, videos, and more than 130 training modules covering business planning, strategy, marketing, sales, and finance. Whether you're starting out or working through a business challenge, the platform can help you identify what needs attention and find practical tools to move forward.
Grow Your Business
Export Navigator provides free, one-on-one support to help B.C. businesses explore opportunities beyond their current markets. Experienced Export Advisors can help you assess your export readiness, navigate the process, and connect with the right resources. Whether you're considering exporting for the first time or looking to expand into new markets, Export Navigator can help you take the next step.
Specialized Business Support
Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program (EDP) provides free, personalized support for B.C. entrepreneurs with a disability or ongoing health issue who want to start or grow a business. The program offers business planning assistance, training, one-on-one coaching, and access to financing opportunities. EDP helps entrepreneurs build the skills, confidence, and resources needed to create a strong, sustainable business.
Buy or Sell a Business
