Leaders Breakfast Forums

Forums for business owners to ask direct questions to industry experts and gain perspective on all areas of business

A breakfast event with a crowd of people seated and standing, facing a large screen that reads 'Leader's Breakfast Forum' and has logos for RBC and other sponsors. There are framed animal head artworks on the wall, and a window showing the outdoors. The table in the foreground holds food items like muffins, packaged snacks, and beverages, along with coffee-making supplies.
Three people sitting at a table during a forum, with a large screen behind them displaying 'Leader's Breakfast Forum' and 'Building a Sales Engine That Runs Without You'. The left person is a woman with long dark hair in a white blazer, the middle person is a man with short gray hair in a dark blazer, and the right person is a woman with long curly blonde hair in a pink outfit, holding a cup and paper.
Business leaders and professionals attending a breakfast forum in a conference room, listening to a discussion on banking relationships and growth.
People gathered in a modern bar or restaurant, engaging in conversation and enjoying drinks. The bar area behind them features bottles of alcohol, decorative lighting, and the sign 'Rum O'Clock.'

Built to Last, Ready to Exit Series

Whether you're nearing a transition or just starting to think about it, this three-part series will help you build a business that's ready when the time comes.

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Part One: What Is My Business Actually Worth?

Watch our September 2026 Leaders Breakfast Forum featuring Devin Wagner, Managing Director at Doane Grant Thornton. Gain clear insights on what buyers and successors actually look for when they value a business. 

Submit your email to access the full recording

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Part Two: Built to Last, Without You

Watch our October 2026 Leaders Breakfast Forum featuring Bob Sartor, Senior Advisor at Stawowski McGill and Todd Millar, President of Millar Executive Development, for a practical moderated conversation on owner dependency, the single biggest value killer in private companies.

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Building a Sales Engine That Runs Without You

Watch our June 2026 Leaders Breakfast Forum featuring Gimena de Buen, CEO of Elefante On-Demand Sales + Marketing, and Jason Kawiecki, President of Jason Kawiecki Consulting Group. Gain clear strategies on how to build a strong, scalable sales function in a growing business. 

Key Takeaways:

​○ Set up your salesperson for success before you hire

​○ Hire for empathy and discipline, not smooth talking.

​○ Run a 30-minute weekly pipeline review as a coaching session, not an inquisition.

​○ Qualify hard. A shiny contract that's the wrong fit can cost you more than it earns.

​○  It takes 6–7 touches to close a deal, yet most salespeople give up after the first call.

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Understanding Your Banking Relationship For Growth

Watch our March 2026 Leaders Breakfast Forum featuring Sarah Romanuck, VP of Commercial Banking at RBC. Gain an inside look at how banks assess businesses, structure lending, and partner with growing companies.

Key Takeaways:

​○ Uphold transparent communication with your banker to avoid surprises.

​○ It's not deal-breaking to be offside covenants but it's very important to communicate an explanation and your plan to get back onside.

​○ General guideline: operational lending limits of 10-15% of annual revenues; up to 20% if significant growth is expected.

​○ 1 in 5 businesses has had a cyberattack, and 1 in 7 has lost money.

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Fractional CFO Guide

For over 25 years, Stawowski McGill has supported hundreds of CEOs and their teams.

Our Fractional CFOs simplify the financial jargon, enhance accounting processes and connect financial performance to strategic business goals.