Tell Us Your Story. What motivated you to start your business? Why are you passionate about what you do?

Founded in 2017, Tandem Innovation Group started with the understanding that entrepreneurs need more than finance & accounting support – they need co-creators and community. Its two founding consultants, Tania Lo and Sean Hodgins, each had thriving consulting practices supporting entrepreneurs in their finance journeys, but they were frustrated. They envisioned a new way of collaborating – one that addressed their own capacity constraints while also creating a peer/mentor learning space for new consultants. Inherently community-oriented, they found others who shared their vision and built a curated network of like-minded practitioners who could offer wraparound support to emerging business leaders. It was a beautiful place for Tandem’s journey to begin. With a focus on entrepreneurship and collaboration, Tandem attracted a network of independent consultants – CFOs, Bookkeepers, People & Ops leaders, Digital Specialists and others – seeking both autonomy and community while doing meaningful work with impactful companies. By 2024, there were more than 400 members in the network servicing more than # businesses. In 2024, Renee Mitchell stepped into a co-CEO role with Tania Lo and together they initiated a new era for Tandem. With a focus on supporting scaling purpose-driven businesses and not-for-profits, Tandem has shifted away from a networked model of service delivery to one that sees a dedicated, in-house team working closely with SME leaders in diverse industries to build more sustainable, resilient organizations by transforming their operations and teams to be more effective and inclusive for enduring, regenerative impact.

Describe and demonstrate, including metrics, your community support. How do you support and uplift your community, and how do they show that support in return? Minimum 25 words, maximum 2500 characters.

Equity, diversity, inclusion, and sustainability are core tenets of how we operate and the services we provide at Tandem. We are dedicated to our path toward reconciliation, better stewardship of the land, and fostering a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive culture. Our team and clients reflect a multitude of social identities across race, gender, class, marital status, faith, sexuality, disability, socio-economic background and age. This diversity enriches our perspectives and drives innovation in our work. We integrate these values into every aspect of our business and extend them to our clients through tailored EDI support, policy development and accountability measures. We aim to inspire other small to medium-sized businesses to create meaningful, positive impacts in their communities. Our strategic initiatives for 2024-2025 include pursuing B-Corp status and collaborating with the BC Centre for ESG Excellence to self-report our impact using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework. We believe that measuring our impact is essential for continuous improvement. Individually, our team members actively contribute to the community through volunteerism with various organizations, including Capital Rainbow Refuge, Crossroads Hospice, and the End of Life Doula Association of Canada. One of our major goals that we hope to achieve over the next year is the creation of space on our team for an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper to be hired into our organization. This role will facilitate greater understanding and support our desired state beyond reconciliation to reconcili-action." At Tandem, we believe that fostering an inclusive and supportive environment not only strengthens our business but also contributes to a meaningful impact and a more just and sustainable world. We are proud of the progress we've made and are excited about the future as we evolve and strive to create lasting and transformative outcomes.

Why do you deserve to win the Business Impact award?

Tandem Innovation Group stands out in the consulting industry through our unwavering commitment to creating regenerative impact. Unlike traditional management consultants, we position ourselves as co-creators, working hand-in-hand with our clients to navigate the complexities of scaling. Our approach is truly unique and rooted in our vision of creating an economic system that operates as an ecological system, where businesses act as communities and leaders serve as stewards. This perspective shapes our services and interactions, fostering deep relationships with our clients connected by our shared sense of belonging and responsibility. Our specialization areas are designed to provide wraparound support to purpose-driven businesses. We don’t just provide advice; we embed ourselves in our clients' journeys, ensuring that their strategic goals align with their purpose and well-being. Our track record with clients like Arbutus Medical, a global medtech company specializing in affordable surgical drill kits for socio-economically challenged countries, is another example of our work to support sustainable and impactful businesses. Arbutus Medical became a Tandem client with the goal to enhance its financial expertise. By working with one of our CFOs, Arbutus obtained comprehensive financial statements, a robust financial model, and an effective financial strategy. This pivotal shift enabled the company to secure $5 million in their pre-Series A round, along with several medical grants, Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) funding, and Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) support. Additionally, Arbutus Medical achieved a 5X revenue growth following the launch of a new add-on product, leveraging the newly acquired funding streams. “Tandem’s consultants have become an integral part of our leadership team, enabling us to make efficient decisions and drive our business forward. Their guidance and support have played a significant role in our growth over the past two and a half years, helping us achieve 5X revenue growth and about $5M in capital raised.” Lawrence Buchanan, CEO

Tell Us About Your Culture. How are you creating a sustainable and healthy workplace where everyone feels welcome? Provide examples of leadership you show in interactions with clients, vendors, contractors, staff and others.

In September 2023, we engaged Purppl to help us develop a Theory of Change, connecting our business activities to tangible impacts on people and the planet. In May 2024, Amal Alhuwayshil joined our team as our People & Culture Manager. Amal brings her lived experience as an intersectional feminist, writer, speaker, avid reader, dancer, artist, healer, space holder, community lover, and cultivator of connection to her work at Tandem. She has spent the past four years addressing systemic issues, supporting organizations in building and nourishing diverse teams, and creating a culture of psychological safety, inclusion, and belonging. Amal has also provided transformative coaching to over 100 women and non-binary leaders, helping them unlock their full potential for power, pleasure, and impact. Together with our leadership team, Amal has crafted a yearlong internal training program for our employees. The seeds of this work started with an in-person training in the Spring, linking the effects of colonization to some of the major challenges of our time. We will continue to facilitate sessions throughout the year with the desired outcome of learning and unlearning, in an effort to further nourish our organization’s foundation for equity, diversity, and inclusion. In order to foster a supportive and inclusive workplace, we implemented a mentor and buddy system for our employees, ensuring equitable support and guidance. Additionally, we offer flexible holidays to accommodate the diverse cultural and religious backgrounds of our team, allowing employees to celebrate significant days according to their personal beliefs and traditions. Our compensation philosophy reflects our commitment to creating a business that brings value to the community, environment, and economy. We believe in pay transparency and rewarding teams who consistently demonstrate and embody our values. By offering competitive compensation packages, we ensure that our team feels valued and motivated, which in turn drives our collective success and impact.