From Risk to Retirement: Smart Strategies for Business Owners

As a business owner, your journey involves risk, growth, and planning for what comes next. This half-day finance-focused mini-conference is designed to give you the strategies and insights needed to protect what you’ve built and prepare for the future.

Co-Hosted with the Chamber by Crowe MacKay LLP and RBC Dominion Securities, this session brings together experts covering key topics that matter most to entrepreneurs today.

You can attend all sessions or just the ones most relevant to you.

Agenda and timeline to come!

Topics Covered:

• Incorporation: the pros and cons, and when it makes sense
• Retirement and succession planning
• Selling your business to descendants, management, or third parties
• Business valuations: how to add value before selling
• Investments and wealth management strategies
• Insurance: when life insurance makes sense for business owners

This practical, content-rich afternoon is designed for entrepreneurs at every stage—from those just getting started to those preparing to transition. Leave with actionable tools to guide your next steps, whether you’re focused on growth, stability, or succession.

CONFERENCE AGENDA:

1:00 - 1:45 - Moving from sole proprietor to more tax efficient entities
Presented by Kynan McIntyre, CPA, partner at Crowe Mackay LLP in Whitehorse, this presentation will deliver the following topics:

• When is it appropriate to incorporate, share structures, holding companies
• Tax deferral within corporate structure, using RRSP and investing within the holding company
• Using trusts to unlock and multiply lifetime capital gains exemption

1:45 - 2:30 - Retirement and succession planning
Presented by Kaiden McIntyre, CPA, Senior Manager at Crowe Mackay LLP in Vancouver, this presentation will discuss the following topics:

• Estate freeze to limit your tax liability on death and pass growth onto children
• Comparison of an asset vs. share sale when selling your business
• Transferring your business to your children and accessing the lifetime capital gains exemption

2:30 - 3:15 - Wealth management for business owners
Hosted by Ivan Kostyuk, Investment & Wealth Advisor, RBC Dominion Securities Inc.

Learn how to turn today’s business success into long-term financial security. In this session, you’ll discover how to:

• Make the most of surplus cash inside your company instead of letting it sit idle
• Build a retirement plan that works without relying on a traditional pension
• Minimize the tax drag when investing corporate profits so more growth stays in your pocket
• Transfer wealth to the next generation in a tax-efficient way while protecting your legacy

3:15 - 4:00 - Life insurance for business owners
Hosted by Brett Henderson, Estate Planning Specialist, RBC Wealth Management Financial Services Inc.

Join us for a practical session designed specifically for entrepreneurs and business owners. Discover how life insurance can do more than protect your family – it can strengthen your business, create tax tax-efficient strategies, and support your long-term vision. In this session, we’ll cover:

• When life insurance makes sense for your personal and business needs
• How to determine the right amount of coverage without overpaying
• Policy types explained clearly so you can choose with confidence
• Estate and corporate planning strategies that unlock the hidden power of life insurance

4:00 - 4:45 - Business valuations
Presented by Daniel Sturgess, CPA, CBV, partner at Crowe Mackay LLP in Vancouver, this presentation will address the following topics:

• Typical valuation approaches used for corporate reorganizations and business acquisitions
• Value drivers of a business and how to improve them
• Mergers and acquisitions divestiture

Wrap up with us over drinks and networking!

Interested in other exciting sessions happening during Small Business Week?

Also check out other Business events in Whitehorse, Conferences in Whitehorse.