East Trade Winds

Bernie Franzgrote
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  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Daily

Beyond networking. Forge alliances. East Trade Winds is a free weekly gathering for business owners, solopreneurs, coaches, creators, and entrepreneurs who are done collecting business cards and ready to build something real. Every Tuesday from 8 to 9 AM EST, we meet live on Zoom. One hour. Real conversations. Real introductions. No pitch decks. No pressure. The format is simple: bring one challenge you're working through and one introduction you can offer. That's it. That's the room. Since September 2023, ETW has been quietly building one of the most genuine B2B communities in Canada — and beyond. The people who show up aren't here to perform. They're here to connect, collaborate, and move forward. This podcast channel captures those conversations — the insights, the guest appearances, the real talk that happens when business owners stop posturing and start helping each other. Your hosts keep it grounded: ▸ Bernie Franzgrote — B2B connector, business strategist, and the architect behind the East Trade Winds ecosystem. Bernie has spent years building communities where introductions turn into collaborations, referrals, and revenue. ▸ Percy Barr of Percy Barr Consultancy — an AI consultant and trusted advisor with over 30 years in the tech industry. Percy helps business owners navigate key transitions — from moving operations online to integrating AI solutions that actually work. Practical. Honest. No jargon. ▸ Wayne Pratt of Motive8U — an author, life and business coach who helps professionals and entrepreneurs break through roadblocks, clarify their goals, and take real steps forward. If you're stuck, Wayne is the person in the room who sees the path. Together, they create a space that's warm enough to be honest and structured enough to be useful. ETW is free to attend. Always has been. The belief is simple — the right room changes everything, and access to that room shouldn't cost you anything to try. Come for one session. See what it feels like when a networking group actually works. Ready to be in the room? Register at easttradewinds.com and join us this Tuesday. --- Want to go deeper? Canada Growth Network is the next step — a $47 CDN/month membership that includes weekly Power Hour sessions, masterminds, real introductions, and a robust CRM platform that simplifies your entire tech stack. Find out more at canadagrowthnetwork.com. --- East Trade Winds. Every Tuesday. Free.

  1. 6d ago

    Old Patterns, New Results: Why You Must Change How You Think

    GROWTH PILLAR: Leadership & Ops WHO THIS IS FOR: SMB owners / Solopreneurs / Corporate escapees / Leaders building systems WHAT THEY'LL GAIN: A simple, honest framework for recognising when your thinking is the thing holding you back — and one shift that can change everything.   Willie Nicol spent 31 years as a police detective. Then redundancy hit, and with it came the stress, fear, and overwhelm that most people don't talk about out loud.  That experience is what makes him different. Willie is now a life coach, NLP practitioner, and hypnotherapist, and he works specifically with men who feel stuck, lost, or like they've run out of drive. In this East Trade Winds session, Willie brings one idea to the table: if you want different results, you have to change the way you think. Not your habits. Not your schedule. Your thinking. He uses the analogy of a smartphone operating system update to frame the human mindset — something that can be consciously upgraded when it stops serving you. He draws on Henry Ford and Benjamin Franklin to make the case that our thinking patterns create our reality. Same thinking, same results. New thinking, new outcomes. Topics covered in this session: Why change is inevitable — and why most people resist it anyway What metacognition is and why it matters for business owners The mindset operating system analogy — and how to run your own update Henry Ford's two quotes every stuck professional needs to hear Why one positive thought is enough to shift your trajectory Willie coaches men through major life transitions — job loss, retirement, career burnout, and the kind of stuck that doesn't have an obvious name. His free Get Your Mojo Back in 3 Days Challenge is a clean, low-stakes entry point. Connect with Willie: Willie Nicol Coaching LinkedIn Facebook YouTube Book a call with Willie Co-hosts: Percy Barr and Wayne Pratt Browse all episodes — K4B / ETW / CGN   — PARTNERS ON THIS EPISODE — East Trade Winds — Free weekly networking every Tuesday 8–9 AM EST. Bring one challenge, bring one introduction. Gentry Learning — Real estate education that builds real wealth, with Fred Crouch. WebIndexer — Turn your website into a 24/7 sales assistant. See it live on knack4business.com.   Next Steps Email: info@kreativinsight.com Join Canada Growth Network — $1 CAD first month, $47 CAD/month. Real tools. Real people. Subscribe to the K4B blog Search K4B episodes Register as a K4B guest Join East Trade Winds free — Tuesdays 8–9 AM EST Browse all past episodes Disclaimer: Please note that the East Trade Winds podcast episodes are meant solely for educational and general informational purposes. The information and opinions contained within are not intended to be professional advice on any subject matter. The thoughts, views, and opinions expressed by the participants are their own beliefs and do not represent the views of the podcast hosts or any affiliated organizations. It is important to note that this podcast is not a replacement for consulting with certified experts in your area who possess knowledge of your unique situation. The hosts of the podcast, along with any participants or affiliated groups, do not take responsibility for any actions taken or not taken based on the information presented in this episode. It is highly recommended that individuals seek guidance from their advisors in fields such as accounting, law, or other pertinent areas prior to undertaking any actions or making decisions that may impact their financial, legal, or other aspects of life.

    Old Patterns, New Results: Why You Must Change How You Think

  2. Aug 5

    Your Business Depends on You? That's the Problem

    GROWTH PILLAR: Leadership & Ops  WHO THIS IS FOR: SMB owners / Solopreneurs / Founders building teams / Leaders stuck in approval loopsWHAT THEY'LL GAIN: A clear framework for spotting the founder's bottleneck, a 90-day reset plan, and a real client case showing what's possible when you fix systems first.   Most founders blame the market when growth slows. The real ceiling is you. And until you fix that, hiring more people just adds weight to the one person who's already drowning. Natalie Hoop is a fractional COO who helps founders break free from the founder's bottleneck — the point where business growth stops because every decision, approval, and escalation runs through one person. In this East Trade Winds session, Natalie covers: The three warning signs your business has hit the bottleneck Why it's almost never a people problem — it's a process problem The real cost of staying stuck: margins, morale, and your mental space What a 90-day reset looks like in practice How a fractional COO helps you delegate with confidence Real numbers from a real client: 238% sales growth in 30 days, 68% margin increase, 71% shorter sales cycle — without replacing a single team member. Connect with Natalie: Natalie Hoop — Fractional COO LinkedIn Instagram The Ops Edge Newsletter Blog Browse all episodes   — PARTNERS ON THIS EPISODE — East Trade Winds — Free weekly networking every Tuesday 8–9 AM EST. One challenge. One introduction. That's it. Profit10™ — A free 10-question diagnostic built for coaches, consultants, and fractional advisors who want to turn discovery calls into real advisory conversations. Gentry Learning — Real estate education from Fred Crouch. Courses, active listings, Investor Club, and a free newsletter.   Next Steps: Email: info@kreativinsight.com Join Canada Growth Network — $1 CAD first month, $47 CAD/month. Real tools. Real people. Subscribe to the K4B blog Search K4B episodes Register as a K4B guest Join East Trade Winds free — Tuesdays 8–9 AM EST Disclaimer: Please note that the East Trade Winds podcast episodes are meant solely for educational and general informational purposes. The information and opinions contained within are not intended to be professional advice on any subject matter. The thoughts, views, and opinions expressed by the participants are their own beliefs and do not represent the views of the podcast hosts or any affiliated organizations. It is important to note that this podcast is not a replacement for consulting with certified experts in your area who possess knowledge of your unique situation. The hosts of the podcast, along with any participants or affiliated groups, do not take responsibility for any actions taken or not taken based on the information presented in this episode. It is highly recommended that individuals seek guidance from their advisors in fields such as accounting, law, or other pertinent areas prior to undertaking any actions or making decisions that may impact their financial, legal, or other aspects of life.

    Your Business Depends on You? That's the Problem

  3. Jul 29

    Conversational Debt: Cost of Avoided Conversations | ETW

    GROWTH PILLAR: Leadership & OpsWHO THIS IS FOR: SMB owners / Solopreneurs / Team leaders / Anyone managing people or driving changeWHAT THEY'LL GAIN: A clear framework for identifying avoided conversations, practical tools for resetting stuck dialogue, and the confidence to have the hard talk before it becomes a bigger problem.   Most teams don't fail because of strategy. They fail because of conversations nobody had. Steffan Surdek is a leadership coach and culture change expert who helps organizations close the gap between what leaders intend and what actually happens. In this East Trade Winds session, he introduces conversational debt, the accumulation of avoided conversations that quietly erode trust, accountability, and team performance over time. Steffan breaks down why people avoid hard conversations, what stories they tell themselves to justify the delay, and why the right time is almost always right now. He walks through real examples, the employee who always arrives late, the kickoff event everyone forgets by Tuesday, the leadership meeting that goes in circles, and shows how each one is a symptom of unaddressed conversational debt. He also shares a simple reset technique he has used with his own spouse for years: stopping a stuck conversation mid-stream, naming where both people are, and starting again from a cleaner place. It works in marriages. It works in boardrooms. Key topics covered: What conversational debt is and how it accumulates silently Why leaders wait for the "right time" that never comes How avoided conversations promote bad behaviour across teams The difference between powerless and powerful inner dialogue How to reset a conversation that has gone off the rails Why ongoing conversations — not kickoff events — are what make change stick Connect with Steffan Surdek: Website: surdek.com LinkedIn: Steffan Surdek Company: Surdek Solutions Blog: surdek.com/blog YouTube: Surdek Solutions X: @ssurdek Facebook: SurdekSolutions Free resource from Steffan — Five Key Skills of a Co-Creative Leader Handbook — a 10-page PDF with principles and a self-assessment. Worth grabbing. Co-hosts: Percy Barr and Wayne Pratt Browse all episodes   — PARTNERS ON THIS EPISODE — East Trade Winds — Free weekly networking every Tuesday 8–9 AM EST. Bring one challenge, bring one introduction. Community first, sales second. WebIndexer — Turn your website into a 24/7 client-facing assistant. See it live on knack4business.com. Profit10™ — Find out what's really holding your business back. Take the free Profit Snapshot — ten questions, no cost, real clarity. Next Steps Email: info@kreativinsight.com Join Canada Growth Network — $1 CAD first month, $47 CAD/month. Real tools. Real people. Subscribe to the K4B blog Search K4B episodes Register as a K4B guest Join free every Tuesday 8–9 AM EST: East Trade Winds Past episodes Disclaimer: Please note that the East Trade Winds podcast episodes are meant solely for educational and general informational purposes. The information and opinions contained within are not intended to be professional advice on any subject matter. The thoughts, views, and opinions expressed by the participants are their own beliefs and do not represent the views of the podcast hosts or any affiliated organizations. It is important to note that this podcast is not a replacement for consulting with certified experts in your area who possess knowledge of your unique situation. The hosts of the podcast, along with any participants or affiliated groups, do not take responsibility for any actions taken or not taken based on the information presented in this episode. It is highly recommended that individuals seek guidance from their advisors in fields such as accounting, law, or other pertinent areas prior to undertaking any actions or making decisions that may impact their financial, legal, or other aspects of life.

    Conversational Debt: Cost of Avoided Conversations | ETW

  4. Jul 22

    Are You Networking Wrong? Here's What Actually Converts

    GROWTH PILLAR:Networking & Community WHO THIS IS FOR: SMB owners / Solopreneurs / Newcomers to Canada / Leaders building referral systems WHAT THEY'LL GAIN: A four-step framework for building a relationship ecosystem that generates leads, visibility, and lasting business partnerships   Most people are networking. Very few are building something that lasts. Brent Edwards, Owner of BrentCanada Experiences, spent seven years at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce managing relationships with corporate members — and in that time, he watched three types of professionals consistently outperform everyone else in the room. Not because they had the biggest networks. Because they built the right ones. At East Trade Winds S3E044, Brent walks through four practical steps to build what he calls a relationship ecosystem — a network designed to take your business where you want it to go in the next five years. What you'll take away: Why a diverse network beats a large one — every time How to find the right rooms to be visible and credible in The difference between networking events that harvest leads and ones that just fill your calendar Why mentors, coaches, and community groups are the underused growth lever for solopreneurs How newcomers to Canada can bridge their existing social capital into the Canadian market Key topics covered: The farming vs. hunting mindset — Ivan Meisner's principle applied practically Four inputs every relationship ecosystem needs: organic network, visibility, personal growth, pipeline Where to find events worth your time — chambers, trade shows, alumni groups, referral networks How to assess whether your current network will take you where you want to be B2B vs. B2C networking strategy — what changes and what stays the same Connect with Brent: Website: brentcanada.info LinkedIn: Brent Edwards LinkedIn Company: BrentCanada Experiences Facebook: Networking For Newcomers YouTube: @BrentCanadaExperiences X: @brentedwardscan E-book — The Ultimate Guide to Professional Networking for Newcomers to Canada: Get it here   Browse all episodes   — PARTNERS ON THIS EPISODE — Canada Growth Network — Real business connections plus a Super CRM stack. $1 CAD first month, $47/month after. East Trade Winds — Free weekly networking every Tuesday 8–9 AM EST. Bring one challenge. Make one introduction. WebIndexer — Turn your website into a 24/7 client-facing sales assistant.   Next Steps Email: info@kreativinsight.com Join Canada Growth Network - $47 CAD/month. Super CRM tool. Real people. Subscribe to the K4B blog Search K4B episodes Register as a K4B guest Join East Trade Winds free every Tuesday 8–9 AM EST Past episodes Disclaimer: Please note that the East Trade Winds podcast episodes are meant solely for educational and general informational purposes. The information and opinions contained within are not intended to be professional advice on any subject matter. The thoughts, views, and opinions expressed by the participants are their own beliefs and do not represent the views of the podcast hosts or any affiliated organizations. It is important to note that this podcast is not a replacement for consulting with certified experts in your area who possess knowledge of your unique situation. The hosts of the podcast, along with any participants or affiliated groups, do not take responsibility for any actions taken or not taken based on the information presented in this episode. It is highly recommended that individuals seek guidance from their advisors in fields such as accounting, law, or other pertinent areas prior to undertaking any actions or making decisions that may impact their financial, legal, or other aspects of life.

    Are You Networking Wrong? Here's What Actually Converts

  5. Jul 18

    The 80/20 Rule Most Founders Get Wrong | Cut This Instead

    GROWTH PILLAR: Sales & RevenueWHO THIS IS FOR: SMB owners / Solopreneurs / Manufacturers / Leaders building systemsWHAT THEY'LL GAIN: A practical 7-lever profit framework, a decision-making reset, and a clear method for finding money already inside their business   Most business owners think growth means doing more. Mosongo Moukwa thinks that assumption is costing you profit. In this East Trade Winds session, Mosongo — author, coach, and manufacturing expert — walks through the three pillars of sustainable business growth: clarity of purpose, strategic focus, and sustainable leadership. The session zeroes in on focus. Not as a mindset habit, but as a decision with real financial consequences. Mosongo introduces seven business levers — leads, conversion, closing, retention, transaction value, frequency, and cost — and shows attendees how a 10% improvement across each compounds into a 54% profit jump. Push to 40% and profitability climbs 250%. The math is simple. The discipline is not. He grounds the framework in two real examples: a precision machine shop running at four million in revenue but losing ground on profit, and a cosmetic manufacturer who waited six months to raise prices and paid for it every day. Both businesses turned the corner not by working harder, but by deciding what to stop. The session closes with a live exercise — attendees map their own numbers against the seven levers and identify the one decision that has been sitting too long. Key topics covered: Why adding more products or customers can shrink your profit The 20/80 rule applied to leads, conversion, and revenue How seven levers compound when improved incrementally The cost of delayed decisions — in time, energy, and missed profit A live profit calculation exercise using your own numbers Real case studies: precision manufacturing and cosmetics Connect with Mosongo Moukwa: Website LinkedIn Blog Book — Be the Leader Free Webinar Free guide: "Find Money That Is Already Yours" — grab it at the QR code Mosongo shared during the session Browse all episodes   — PARTNERS ON THIS EPISODE — East Trade Winds — Free weekly networking where real business conversations happen. Bring one challenge, bring one introduction. Tuesdays 8–9 AM EST. Profit10™ — Ten questions. A clear read on where your profit is leaking. Take the free Profit Snapshot and see what your numbers are actually telling you. Gentry Learning — Fred Crouch's real estate education hub. Courses, active listings, an Investor Club, and a free newsletter. Listings | Investor Club | Free Newsletter   Next Steps Email: info@kreativinsight.com Join Canada Growth Network $47 CAD/month. Real CRM tools. Real people. Subscribe to the K4B blog Search K4B episodes Register as a K4B guest Join East Trade Winds free — Tuesdays 8–9 AM EST Browse all episodes Disclaimer: Please note that the East Trade Winds podcast episodes are meant solely for educational and general informational purposes. The information and opinions contained within are not intended to be professional advice on any subject matter. The thoughts, views, and opinions expressed by the participants are their own beliefs and do not represent the views of the podcast hosts or any affiliated organizations. It is important to note that this podcast is not a replacement for consulting with certified experts in your area who possess knowledge of your unique situation. The hosts of the podcast, along with any participants or affiliated groups, do not take responsibility for any actions taken or not taken based on the information presented in this episode. It is highly recommended that individuals seek guidance from their advisors in fields such as accounting, law, or other pertinent areas prior to undertaking any actions or making decisions that may impact their financial, legal, or other aspects of life.

    The 80/20 Rule Most Founders Get Wrong | Cut This Instead

  6. Jul 2

    Business Crisis Mode? This Is Exactly What You Need to Do | Diesha Cooper

    GROWTH PILLAR: Leadership & Ops WHO THIS IS FOR: SMB owners / Solopreneurs / Corporate escapees / Leaders building systemsWHAT THEY'LL GAIN: Actionable insights, hard-won lessons, real growth strategies   Most business owners can't see cash flow trouble until it's already a crisis. Diesha Cooper is the founder of Execuly, a fractional CFO/COO practice built around one job: walking into businesses in distress and getting them moving again. She bought her family's industrial company at 28, turned it around in four months, and grew it into a multi-million dollar operation before selling to her partners in 2021. In this conversation, Diesha breaks down the warning signs owners miss — profit on paper that hides negative cash flow, owner wages that are too low to reflect real market value, and operating systems that were never built to scale. She also shares how she's applying agentic AI training from Harvard to turnaround work, and how launching her own product, Siplux, taught her e-commerce and marketing from the ground up. Key topics covered: cash flow blind spots, paying yourself a reasonable wage, operational architecture, and what it actually takes to rebuild a business under pressure. Connect with Diesha: LinkedIn | Execuly | Execuly blog | Siplux | Siplux Instagram Co-hosted by Percy Barr and Wayne Pratt. Browse all episodes — PARTNERS ON THIS EPISODE — East Trade Winds — free weekly networking, community first, sales second Profit10 — take the free Profit Snapshot and see where your business is leaking Canada Growth Network — business connections plus GHL CRM, $47/ CAD month Next Steps: email info@kreativinsight.com Join East Trade Winds free every Tuesday 8–9 AM EST — https://easttradewinds.com/ Subscribe to the K4B blog — https://blog.knack4business.com/ Search K4B episodes — https://knack4business.com/ Register as a K4B guest — https://tinyurl.com/mcdm3hk6 Disclaimer: Please note that the East Trade Winds podcast episodes are meant solely for educational and general informational purposes. The information and opinions contained within are not intended to be professional advice on any subject matter. The thoughts, views, and opinions expressed by the participants are their own beliefs and do not represent the views of the podcast hosts or any affiliated organizations. It is important to note that this podcast is not a replacement for consulting with certified experts in your area who possess knowledge of your unique situation. The hosts of the podcast, along with any participants or affiliated groups, do not take responsibility for any actions taken or not taken based on the information presented in this episode. It is highly recommended that individuals seek guidance from their advisors in fields such as accounting, law, or other pertinent areas prior to undertaking any actions or making decisions that may impact their financial, legal, or other aspects of life.

    Business Crisis Mode? This Is Exactly What You Need to Do | Diesha Cooper

  7. Jun 24

    Outbound HQ's Social Media Automation Feature Is Insane

    GROWTH PILLAR: AI & Automation WHO THIS IS FOR: SMB owners / Solopreneurs / Corporate escapees / Leaders building systemsWHAT THEY'LL GAIN: A practical look at one tool that handles lead drip campaigns, social posts across six platforms, and a unified inbox — with a human still in the loop.   Most business owners don't have a lead problem. They have a follow-up problem. In this East Trade Winds session, Rahel Gunaratne walks the room through Outbound HQ; an AI co-pilot built for owners who tried to grow a brand, ran out of time, and stopped. Rahel shows the live setup. Add a team. Connect your domain and email. Drop in your leads. Build a drip campaign that sends five emails over thirty days. When a prospect books a call, they come off the list automatically. Then he flips to social media. Outbound HQ posts to TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter. It looks at your past content and writes new posts that sound like you. Nothing goes out without a human approval. Rahel grew a TikTok account to eight thousand followers using this exact workflow. Key topics covered: Why follow-up beats lead generation Setting up a team and lead group Drip campaigns with AI-written email Booking triggers that remove people from the list Social media campaigns across six platforms A unified inbox for every reply AI agents that connect to Claude Code and Claude Cowork Connect with Rahel: Outbound HQ: outboundhq.ca LinkedIn: Rahel Gunaratne YouTube: @WebIndexer TikTok: @webindexer.app Instagram: @webindexer.app Browse all episodes — PARTNERS ON THIS EPISODE — East Trade Winds — Free weekly networking that actually goes somewhere. Tuesdays 8–9 AM EST. Profit10™ — Take the free Profit Snapshot and see where your business is leaking profit. Final CTAs info@kreativinsight.com Subscribe to the K4B blog Search K4B episodes Register as a K4B guest East Trade Winds: Join free every Tuesday 8–9 AM EST Past episodes Disclaimer: Please note that the East Trade Winds podcast episodes are meant solely for educational and general informational purposes. The information and opinions contained within are not intended to be professional advice on any subject matter. The thoughts, views, and opinions expressed by the participants are their own beliefs and do not represent the views of the podcast hosts or any affiliated organizations. It is important to note that this podcast is not a replacement for consulting with certified experts in your area who possess knowledge of your unique situation. The hosts of the podcast, along with any participants or affiliated groups, do not take responsibility for any actions taken or not taken based on the information presented in this episode. It is highly recommended that individuals seek guidance from their advisors in fields such as accounting, law, or other pertinent areas prior to undertaking any actions or making decisions that may impact their financial, legal, or other aspects of life.

    Outbound HQ's Social Media Automation Feature Is Insane

  8. Jun 18

    I Built a Wiki-Based AI Operating System | Erica Layer

    GROWTH PILLAR: AI & AutomationWHO THIS IS FOR: Solopreneurs / Fractional executives / SMB owners / Corporate escapees building systemsWHAT THEY'LL GAIN: A real working model of AI as a teammate, not a chat tool — daily planning, a second brain, multi-agent intelligence, and the shift from prompt engineering to context engineering.   Most people feel behind on AI. Erica Layer felt the same way three months ago. Then she built something different. Erica is a fractional COO. She runs an independent consulting practice across small businesses, startups, and global health nonprofits. In this East Trade Winds session, she walks through the AI operating system she built to run her business — and shows it live. The system has four connected pieces. First, an AI executive assistant. Every morning she types "plan my day." Claude pulls her email, calendar, and meeting notes. It files messages, drafts replies, surfaces tasks, and blocks deep work into her calendar. By the time she opens her inbox, 80% of the work is done. Second, a portfolio dashboard. It tracks every client, every initiative, and every business development lead. It scores how she spent her time — work, exercise, sleep, family. It even replaced her CRM. Third, an Obsidian second brain. Over 100 LinkedIn posts, past publications, strategy documents, meeting transcripts, and weekly intelligence — all connected as a wiki. AI draws on this context every time she works. Fourth, a weekly intelligence layer. Three agents scan her podcasts, newsletters, and research every Sunday. A scoring agent ranks each piece. A synthesis agent writes a ten-page brief that lands in her inbox every Monday. The core shift is from prompt engineering to context engineering — giving AI deep context so it works with you and for you, not just beside you. Key topics: fractional COO model, AI executive assistant, Obsidian second brain, context engineering, multi-agent automation, weekly intelligence brief, Claude Code, Claude Chrome extension, business development pipeline, content pipeline. Connect with Erica: Website: The COO Solution LinkedIn: Erica Layer YouTube: @EricaLayer Substack: @ericalayer AI on Purpose cohort waiting list: Join the list Browse all episodes (K4B / ETW / CGN)   Next Steps Email Bernie: info@kreativinsight.com Join Canada Growth Network — $1 CAD first month, $47 CAD/month after Subscribe to the K4B blog Search K4B episodes Register as a K4B guest Join East Trade Winds free — Tuesdays 8–9 AM EST Disclaimer: Please note that the East Trade Winds podcast episodes are meant solely for educational and general informational purposes. The information and opinions contained within are not intended to be professional advice on any subject matter. The thoughts, views, and opinions expressed by the participants are their own beliefs and do not represent the views of the podcast hosts or any affiliated organizations. It is important to note that this podcast is not a replacement for consulting with certified experts in your area who possess knowledge of your unique situation. The hosts of the podcast, along with any participants or affiliated groups, do not take responsibility for any actions taken or not taken based on the information presented in this episode. It is highly recommended that individuals seek guidance from their advisors in fields such as accounting, law, or other pertinent areas prior to undertaking any actions or making decisions that may impact their financial, legal, or other aspects of life.

    I Built a Wiki-Based AI Operating System | Erica Layer
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About

Beyond networking. Forge alliances. East Trade Winds is a free weekly gathering for business owners, solopreneurs, coaches, creators, and entrepreneurs who are done collecting business cards and ready to build something real. Every Tuesday from 8 to 9 AM EST, we meet live on Zoom. One hour. Real conversations. Real introductions. No pitch decks. No pressure. The format is simple: bring one challenge you're working through and one introduction you can offer. That's it. That's the room. Since September 2023, ETW has been quietly building one of the most genuine B2B communities in Canada — and beyond. The people who show up aren't here to perform. They're here to connect, collaborate, and move forward. This podcast channel captures those conversations — the insights, the guest appearances, the real talk that happens when business owners stop posturing and start helping each other. Your hosts keep it grounded: ▸ Bernie Franzgrote — B2B connector, business strategist, and the architect behind the East Trade Winds ecosystem. Bernie has spent years building communities where introductions turn into collaborations, referrals, and revenue. ▸ Percy Barr of Percy Barr Consultancy — an AI consultant and trusted advisor with over 30 years in the tech industry. Percy helps business owners navigate key transitions — from moving operations online to integrating AI solutions that actually work. Practical. Honest. No jargon. ▸ Wayne Pratt of Motive8U — an author, life and business coach who helps professionals and entrepreneurs break through roadblocks, clarify their goals, and take real steps forward. If you're stuck, Wayne is the person in the room who sees the path. Together, they create a space that's warm enough to be honest and structured enough to be useful. ETW is free to attend. Always has been. The belief is simple — the right room changes everything, and access to that room shouldn't cost you anything to try. Come for one session. See what it feels like when a networking group actually works. Ready to be in the room? Register at easttradewinds.com and join us this Tuesday. --- Want to go deeper? Canada Growth Network is the next step — a $47 CDN/month membership that includes weekly Power Hour sessions, masterminds, real introductions, and a robust CRM platform that simplifies your entire tech stack. Find out more at canadagrowthnetwork.com. --- East Trade Winds. Every Tuesday. Free.

Information

  • Creator
    Bernie Franzgrote
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    81
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023 - 2026
  • Show Website
    East Trade Winds