Affordable expert assistance to help grow your business

Specialized business consulting and support services for Canadian SMEs

Our highly experienced business and finance consultants offer efficient, dependable and affordable consulting for successful growth of your company’s domestic or international business operations. Our team of subject-matter experts is available to help with all issues and challenges you may face in financing and expanding your business, both at home and in international markets.

How can we help you?

We put our client’s success and satisfaction at the forefront of our services. We work for you as your trusted business advisors.

Our goal is to offer objective, practical advice and helpful solutions to your various needs in relation to business expansion both in Canada and into foreign markets, especially when it comes to financial management aspect such as securing the best financing solutions.

We are also specialized in providing you with personalized support in your international sales, including affordable expert guidance in related financial instruments and working capital solutions not offered by your regular bankers.

About Us

Management and Advisory Board

Vincent Nguyen, CITP®, MBA

Based in Toronto - Canada's largest financial and economic hub, Vincent leads a team of highly experienced business and trade advisors to provide solutions-focused business consultancy and trade facilitation services. Holder of the elite Certified International Trade Professional (CITP®), a prestigious, industry-backed professional designation in Canada which stands as a symbol of both competency and credibility for global business professionals, Vincent has the professional background of an accomplished senior international banker, who has advised and assisted thousands of corporate and commercial clients in his international banking career that spanned almost 30 years. Vincent had extensive track records in business development and structuring complex, innovative financing solutions for international transactions at some of the largest global banks such as Deutsche Bank, ABN AMRO, HSBC, SMBC, as well as over 10 years of providing expert advice and solutions in international trade for hundreds of business clients at leading Canadian banks such as RBC Royal Bank and BMO Bank of Montreal. Vincent acquired extensive on-the-ground market knowledge through living and working in multiple international markets in Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America. He received his two Masters' degrees from French public universities, and speaks several languages including English, French and Vietnamese. With his strong network of business and financial connections in both Canada and ASEAN markets, Vincent is well positioned to help Canadian businesses successfully execute their business expansion at home as well as in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) fast growing markets.

Nick Cvetas

Recently retired from BMO after 30 years of service, Nick began his career in banking in 1988 as a teller while attending the University of Toronto. Throughout much of Nick’s career at BMO, he held various senior level positions in Retail Banking, National Mortgage Sales & Operations, Business Development Group, Commercial Banking, and Business Finance. Nick’s strengths lie in senior debt, where he has led over one billion in transactions. He then became Founder and President of StoneQuest Capital for one specific purpose - to help clients manage and navigate the complex world of business and real estate finance. StoneQuest was created to address the widening gap between commercial and corporate finance within the Canadian marketplace. Nick holds an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Rajeeve Perera

Rajeeve has over 20 years of professional finance experience ranging from investment banking to financial planning, analysis and governance. He is the Executive Partner of S3 Business Advisory. Over the past 15 years he has held numerous leadership positions across multiple industry sectors from big retail (Loblaw, Grand & Toy) to financial services (TD Bank Group, Foresters Financial). Rajeeve holds a Master’s of Business Administration from Boston University and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management and Finance from the University of Houston. In addition to Rajeeve's strong track record in operational finance he also has experience in vendor management. He is also a part time lecturer at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, where he teaches a course on Corporate Finance & Performance Analysis.

Casey Schlegel, CITP®|FIBP®

Casey Schlegel is a veteran Trade Credit Specialist providing Transactional Advisory and Leadership within the Nacora Trade Credit team. He was previously North American Director of Trade Credit at Nacora International Insurance Brokers, with responsibility for all Trade Credit and related Financial Insurance Products in North America. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the Kuehne+Nagel Group, one of the world's leading logistics companies in over 100 countries, Nacora is an independent commercial insurance broker specializing in risk consulting and commercial insurance solutions, with operations span 30 countries. Prior to joining Nacora, Casey had a fulfilling career at Export Development Canada (EDC), where he led both the development and delivery to the market of a significant new online Trade Credit product. Casey is also a Professor teaching International Finance in Ottawa, and has had the opportunity to provide management consulting to multinational corporate clients. As a graduate of the Telfer School of Management Executive MBA program, Casey also held the designation of Certified International Trade Professional (CITP), with a wealth of expertise and skills in structuring and managing international financial risks for mid-market and global companies.

Marcel Laneville

Marcel is a seasoned Canadian Trade Commissioner with over 30 years of experience helping Canadian companies explore, expand, and exploit global business opportunities. His foreign assignments have focused on the Asia-Pacific region, with postings in Taiwan (Taipei), South Korea (Seoul) and Vietnam where he served as Senior Trade Commissioner at the Canadian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. At headquarters in Ottawa, he served in policy, sectoral and geographic positions giving him a broad view of global business development practices. His close relationship with industry has allowed him to match government policy and programs to the evolving needs of the industries he served, most recently as Senior Advisor to the Canadian Association of Defense & Security Industries (2013-2016). Marcel has an honours degree (BCom – Cum Laude) from the University of Ottawa and a graduate certificate in Global Business from the Federation of Korean Industries’ International Management Institute.

Upasana Sharma

Upasana is the founder and CEO of IQ Canada. An accomplished Canadian lawyer with an entrepreneurial spirit, and an expert in Canada's Start-up Visa Program, Upasana has successfully launched several global start-ups companies in the Canadian market. Prior to founding IQ Canada, Upasana practiced law with expertise in law and venture capital, at some of the top Canadian law firms, including Lerners LLP and the Attorney General's office, where clients turned to her for negotiation and mediation expertise. Through combining her legal experience with her entrepreneurial acumen and in-depth understanding of regulatory and business requirements in various jurisdictions, Upasna has facilitated seamless, successful and effective entry of hundreds of entrepreneurs and corporations into the Canadian market. A tireless believer in delivering world-class service every single day, Upasana applies the same grit and hustle for her clients' success that made her a MacArthur Foundation Scholar and earned her a Master of Law (LLM) degree from the University of Toronto.

Phil Cohen

Phil Cohen is the founder and President of Strategic Element and Vice President of Altytude Advisors. Phil has a long history of developing businesses, business concepts and products, dating back to 1993. With a career that began in the manufacturing sector, and grew to include new developments in technology, Phil has progressively built up experience in the area of new business development with a focus on transforming ideas into viable business models for large public corporations, start-ups and everything in between. Beyond the development of business concepts, models and plans, Phil has taken a hands-on role in the launch of several businesses and business initiatives. In so doing, he has faced firsthand the realities and challenges encountered by new businesses. This experience has provided him with the insight and real-life exposure necessary to develop business concepts that work.

Anton Brunga

Anton Brunga, Barrister and Solicitor, is the Founder of Brunga Law Offices. Anton has been called to the Bar for the province of Ontario after completing his studies at York University in Toronto where he received his LL.B. Anton is also the holder of a Bachelor Degree in Civil Law (B.C.L). Initially, Anton developed his law practice in the areas of real estate and immigration. Since then, the firm has grown in size and scope and has expanded the practice areas to include business and corporate law, wills and estates, family law and related services.

Tony Costantino

Tony leads the Executive Team at Ariston Realty which collectively have over 100 years of first hand experience and expertise in Land, Retail, Development, Industrial, Investments, Management and Consulting. Since 1988 Ariston Realty has serviced and performed in all aspects of commercial real estate, from retail to industrial, from business to land assembly or from leasing to sales. The Ariston Team is filled with former Directors of Real Estate, Developers, Assessment Officers, Municipal/City Real Estate Consultants, Administrators, Arbitrators, Corporate Retailers, Professional Engineers, Accountants, Business Operators, National Chain Consultants who have an inside understanding of the industry that is unmatched.

Specialized consulting services designed to help you grow your business

Export and International Business Services