These are people I've worked with over the years, some of them for decades. Each of them did outstanding work for me and my team. I can only speak to what they did for us, so consider this a starting point for your own conversations with them. I receive no referral fees or other payment from any of them, and the choice is always yours.
Pivotal Integrated HR Solutions
Oakville, Ontario
Pivotal Integrated HR Solutions handles HR and payroll for SMEs, whether they have no HR department or an in-house team that needs more capacity. Owners bring Pivotal in to keep payroll and employment law compliance current across provinces, and to handle sensitive issues like terminations and investigations. Through its PEO and Employer of Record services, companies can also hire in new provinces or Canada without setting up a local entity.
Why I recommend themPivotal was ASL's HR function, and Mike Salveta was our outsourced CHRO for about 15 years. Mike and his team did a phenomenal job for us.
Self Management Group (SMG)
Ian Perrin, VP and Senior Consultant
Toronto-based Self Management Group has built assessments that predict a candidate's potential since 1979. Its POP (Predictor of Performance) measures how well a candidate is likely to perform in specific roles, such as management, sales, service and hospitality. Owners use it to see that potential before they make an offer, rather than finding out at the end of probation.
Why I recommend themFor decades, SMG's assessments were part of the hiring system we built at ASL. I believe a hiring system is something the CEO has to own. Normative and ipsative assessments both have their place, but for hiring I want the predictive power of a normative assessment, and that is why we chose SMG.
SMG one-pager (PDF)
Fractional sales leadership
Daryl Papoushek
Fractional and interim sales leadership
Daryl Papoushek leads sales teams on an interim or fractional basis, for owners who are between sales leaders or want to build up the team they have and grow revenue. He started at Xerox as a top performer and was selected to train its national sales organization. At TELUS he was one of the first 22 people hired to build its Central Canada business from the ground up, which grew past $350 million in five years. BlackBerry later recruited him to lead its sales transformation as the company moved from hardware to software and cybersecurity. He also teaches sales leadership in the Schulich School of Business executive programs.
Why I recommend himWhen I joined ASL nearly 30 years ago with no sales experience, the Xerox rep who sold us a new printer used a process much like the SPIN Selling I was studying. I was so impressed that I asked them to introduce me to their trainer, which was Daryl, and I have worked with him ever since.
Kim Piller, Sandler Training
Oakville and South Mississauga
Kim partners with business owners, executives, sales leaders, and organizations to improve sales performance, leadership, and organizational effectiveness. Before bringing the Sandler methodology to Oakville and South Mississauga in 2019, Kim spent more than four decades building and leading successful sales organizations throughout North America.
Why I recommend himI studied Sandler and believe it is a very powerful system. That is what led me to find and train with Kim, and Sandler is how I run my own business development.
