Chamber Updates & Local News

Most professionals were never taught how emotions actually work, yet we’re expected to lead, communicate, and make high-stakes decisions under pressure every day. The truth is: emotions aren’t automatic reactions. They’re constructed. According to Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett’s Theory of Constructed Emotion, your brain builds emotions using four components: body cues, learned concepts, situational context,…

2025 marks the 20th anniversary of our business, BmDodo Strategic Design. Over the past two decades, we’ve seen first-hand that the organizations that thrive are not always the biggest or the loudest. They are the ones that know how to stand out. Time and again, one factor has proven decisive: using design as a strategic…

For more than a decade, my days were defined by spreadsheets, quarterly targets, and the familiar hum of the office cubicle. Finance gave me structure, stability, and experience-but it also left me restless. I craved a project that blended my passion for sports, community, and hospitality. That spark grew into a bold leap: leaving the…

Why a Swiss chocolate maker’s $10,000 digital fix delivered more growth than million-dollar expansions-and what Canadian executives can learn from looking inward instead of outward. By Sai Srikar Desina – Sep 10, 2025 Text originally published at: Smith School of Business   Every executive’s objective is an uninterrupted period of growth. And when margins tighten and growth slows, their…

The MIND framework asks first-order questions to help identify internal strengths and gaping needs. By Alan Morantz – Oct 1, 2025 Text originally published at: Smith School of Business   You’ve just read about a startling digitally-powered corporate makeover, one that has redefined the customer experience for the better. You think, We can do that. Now, six months later,…

Even well-meaning coaches can do harm. The fix? Reframing coaching as a shared responsibility among coach, learner and the organization By Hari Chandana Chinni – Sep 16, 2025 Text originally published at: Smith School of Business   We often hear about coaching as a powerful development tool. Organizations pour billions into it every year. Usually, the story ends well,…

It’s a tough time to be building a business in Canada. A panel of entrepreneurial thinkers share what might make things easier By Deborah Aarts – Sep 24, 2025 Text originally published at: Smith School of Business   It’s never particularly easy to start and grow a business: Doing so almost always requires grit, ambition and a willingness to…

Unpacking the risks and rewards of using AI-powered tools as strategic advisors By Deborah Aarts – Sep 18, 2025 Text originally published at: Smith School of Business In boardrooms around the world, leaders are turning to a new source of strategic guidance: AI. Many executives are now supplementing and even replacing the expertise and counsel of…

When I first arrived in Kingston in August 2023, I had little idea of what to expect. Like many newcomers, I came with hopes, ambition, and a suitcase full of questions. I was about to begin a master’s program in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Queen’s University – with no real understanding of what Kingston could…

After years of working in environments where I struggled to feel seen or safe, I wanted to create a place where people could show up just as they are, take a deep breath, and feel better-body, mind, and spirit. That vision became Pedal Works Café & Studios, a warm, welcoming space in midtown Kingston where…