Pathways to Growth: Small businesses are the heart of our community, and every contribution matters. Bridges is your half-day learning event to gain practical insights, share ideas, and discover strategies that help your business—and our local economy—thrive.
Event details:
📅 October 22nd, 2025
📌 Ramada by Wyndam, 805 Brookdale Ave. Cornwall ON
⏲️ 8:00am - 12:00pm
Agenda:
- 8:00 am Doors Open (Breakfast Buffet Served)
- 8:45 am Welcome
- 9:00 am Keynote Speaker: Andrew Patricio - Pathways to Growth
- 9:45 am Q&A
- 10:00 am Networking Break (Refreshments Served)
- 10:30 am Workshop #1 - Cristian Urroz - Roadmap to building a brand
- 11:00 am Workshop #2 - François Bruyère - Buying for Growth: Mastering the Business Acquisition Journey
- 11:30 am Workshop #3 - Nel-Kevin Junior Dubois - Automating Engagement: From First Contact to Client in Minutes
- 12:00pm Wrap Up
Your ticket gets you a delicious breakfast buffet, energizing breaks with tasty snacks, 3 dynamic workshops, and the chance to hear from our exciting guest speaker—all while networking with the best of our local business community!
Meet this year's guest speakers:
Andrew Patricio, Founder & CEO of BizLaunch
Andrew Patricio is an internationally recognized small business expert, entrepreneur, and author. He is the founder of BizLaunch, a global training company that mentors and supports entrepreneurs. With over 25 years of experience, Andrew has started seven businesses, written two books, and delivered seminars, webinars, and workshops on business planning, financial management, marketing, and leadership. He has trained and inspired small business owners across Canada and in 24 countries worldwide, sharing practical tools and advice to help them grow and scale successfully.
Cris Urroz, Co-Owner Urroz
Workshop: Roadmap to Building a Brand.
Cristian Urroz is the co-founder of Urroz, a brand studio based in Cornwall, Ontario, helping the ambitious build memorable brands from strategy through execution. Since launching in 2020, he’s partnered with a wide range of clients—approx. 90% local to Cornwall and the SDG Counties—delivering everything from logos and visual identities to websites and launch campaigns. Cristian loves working as an extension of his clients’ teams, supporting their vision and bringing it to life with practical, high-impact design.
In this quick, practical workshop, Cristian Urroz shares a clear roadmap to building a brand people remember—what it is, why it matters, and how to focus on the essentials. We’ll cover the key components, common gaps to tighten, and how audience perception shapes everything. You’ll leave with simple brand and marketing basics, a focused starting point, and an easy review rhythm you can adapt as your goals evolve.
François Bruyère, Desjardins Commercial Account Manager
Workshop: Buying for Growth: Mastering the Business Acquisition Journey
François Bruyère is a Commercial Account Manager with Desjardins, the largest credit union in Canada. He works primarily with commercial operating businesses across Eastern Ontario, supporting entrepreneurs and business owners through every stage of growth. With extensive experience in business acquisitions, François has helped individuals become entrepreneurs by acquiring existing businesses, as well as supported companies pursuing strategic acquisitions as a pathway to expansion. He is committed to working collaboratively with clients’ professional advisors and financial partners to help bring business projects to life.
In this workshop, discover how acquiring an existing business can be a powerful way to expand and scale. This workshop will guide you through identifying the right target, knowing when to engage your lender, and structuring a successful deal. Learn the key roles of professional advisors, common pitfalls to avoid, and winning strategies to ensure a smooth and rewarding acquisition process.
Nel-Kevin Junior Dubois, Founder & Owner Lifet Media
Workshop: Automating Engagement: From First Contact to Client in Minutes
Nel-Kevin has been in the digital circle for nearly a decade, 9 years of experience to be exact. He is the founder of LiFet Media, he has helped hundreds of businesses save an average of 125 hours per year by streamlining their processes through AI-powered automation. His solutions enable companies to respond to clients within the first 60 seconds, reducing client no-shows by up to 80%, boosting productivity, and increasing revenue by an average of 25% due to optimized operational efficiency. Through his company, LiFet Media, he continues to innovate in digital marketing and automation to help businesses scale confidently and efficiently.
In this session, you will discover how responding to an inquiry within five minutes can make you 100 times more likely to close a new client. You will then experience this speed firsthand through a live, hands-on demonstration of our intelligent automation system, receiving an instant, human-like response after acting as a prospective client. Prepare to leave with a clear strategy to slash your response times, dramatically increase conversion rates, and make your business future-ready.