What's your organization doing to help Canadian businesses grow? In a country where 1.2 million small businesses are struggling to remain competitive, and only 12% are using AI technology, the You.Scaled partnership has created a solution. Alison Simpson, CEO of the CMA, interviews Karla Congson, CEO and Founder of Agentiiv, to explore how this AI accelerator program evolved into a comprehensive partnership between CMA, Agentiiv, Staples, RBC Ownr, and CCNDR - awarding 500 grants to help SMEs and nonprofits harness AI to compete globally.

00:00:01:18 - 00:00:23:15 Presenter Welcome to CMA Connect, Canada's marketing podcast, where industry experts discuss how marketers must manage the tectonic shifts that will change how brands and businesses are built for tomorrow, while also delivering on today's business needs. With your host, CMA CEO Alison Simpson.

00:00:23:16 - 00:00:51:09 Alison In today's episode, we explore an exciting new program that the CMA is very proud to be a part of. The program provides much needed support to Canadian Small businesses and not-for-profits. The new you.scaled program, which just launched as part of SME Month in Canada, is an ambitious $5 million AI accelerator program that demonstrates what's possible when organizations unite around a shared vision of empowering our small businesses and not-for-profit communities.

00:00:51:11 - 00:01:17:14 Alison I'm very excited to welcome Karla Congson, the founder and CEO of agentiiv and the visionary who brought the initial idea of you.scaled to the CMA. What makes this story truly remarkable isn't just a really innovative idea. It's also how that idea has been transformed into a national program for the collective strength of strategic partnerships. The program you'll hear about today wouldn't exist without the unique contributions each partner brings to the table.

00:01:17:16 - 00:01:43:12 Alison The CMA is proud to provide the educational foundation through our generative AI training courses, along with significant AI thought leadership and resources, and membership benefits that will help businesses implement these tools effectively. Ownr brings essential business setup and legal expertise. Staples is contributing their extensive reach and business services network and CCNDR are ensuring that we're addressing the nonprofit sector with the same commitment we bring to SMEs.

00:01:43:14 - 00:02:15:03 Alison This partnership matters because the challenge we're addressing is massive. Despite a transformative potential, only 12.2% of Canadian businesses are currently using AI technology, while 73% of SMEs haven't even considered implementing it. Meanwhile, our 1.2 million small businesses, which employ almost 62% of Canada's private workforce and contribute 38% of our private sector GDP, are facing unprecedented pressures to modernize, just to remain competitive.

00:02:15:05 - 00:02:50:04 Alison Karla brings over two decades of experience as a marketing executive and business leader before pivoting into entrepreneurship and hands on AI development. Today's conversation is about much needed support for Canadian SMEs and NFPs. It's also about collective impact and how strategic partnerships can amplify individual innovation to create solutions that no single organization could deliver alone. So whether you're a Canadian small business or not-for-profit looking for ways to leverage AI so you can become even more competitive and deliver business results, or curious about how collaborative programs can help drive economic development,

00:02:50:06 - 00:03:00:13 Alison today's conversation will offer insights into partnership driven innovation that can help reshape how we think about supporting Canadian businesses. Welcome, Karla. It's wonderful to have you here today.

00:03:00:15 - 00:03:03:12 Karla Thanks so much, Alison. It's a privilege to be here.

00:03:03:14 - 00:03:23:04 Alison Now, I want to start with the idea and why it's needed so much. So we know that SMEs are the cornerstone of Canada's economy, and there's no doubt that they've had quite a challenging number of years, everything from the pandemic, challenging economic times and now political uncertainty and tariffs. So to say that they're in need of support is an understatement.

00:03:23:06 - 00:03:34:05 Alison And I know that's a passion for both of us in our organizations. So with that as the backdrop, I'd love you to share more about our newly launched Youth Scale program and how it benefits SMEs.

00:03:34:07 - 00:03:55:09 Karla You're absolutely right, Alison, about SMEs facing unprecedented challenges. I've watched friends and colleagues and these incredible businesses, the backbone of our economy, get hammered by everything from supply chain disruptions to labour shortages. And now so many people come to me and they're telling me that they're watching AI transform their bigger competitors, while they're feeling like it's out of reach.

00:03:55:11 - 00:04:12:20 Karla And the other part of this too, which I can fully relate to as a small business ourselves, is that a small business owner's most valuable commodity is time. We never have enough of it. And not enough time to get on top of AI trends, choose the right tools, invest in training. And that's where you.scaled and its partners come in.

00:04:12:22 - 00:04:41:09 Karla What makes you.scaled unique is the comprehensiveness of the program. Most AI initiatives focus on single solutions, but we envision addressing the entire business ecosystem that small companies need in order to scale. Agentiiv was the catalyst that got the program going, and it all began with an idea and a desire to really make a difference. We're giving away $4 million of market value of our own services to provide an enterprise grade AI platform with 100 specialized agents.

00:04:41:11 - 00:05:16:15 Karla And the CMA plays such a critical role in this by providing AI training, marketing education, distribution, robust thought leadership, and membership benefits. RBC Ownr handles all the business set up, the legal support and financial services. Staples provides operational backbone with business services, and CCNDR ensures nonprofit participants get specialized support. So when a small manufacturer in Saskatoon can suddenly compete with enterprise level efficiency, or a nonprofit in Nova Scotia can augment their donor communications to focus on mission critical work,

00:05:16:20 - 00:05:22:18 Karla W e're collectively building a Canada where small businesses can compete on a world stage.

00:05:22:20 - 00:05:41:22 Alison Building on that, when you first envisioned the you.scaled program at agentiiv, you realized that it could become something much bigger through partnership. So I'd love you to walk us through that evolution from when you first conceived the idea, to what made you realize that you needed partnerships to really make it scale to the degree that you hoped it would.

00:05:42:00 - 00:06:10:12 Karla Well the evolution of you.scaled really started with a fundamental question. Who else is as passionate about helping Canadian small businesses succeed as we are at agentiiv, being a Canadian small business ourselves? And I knew that for this to work, I needed partners who shared that core mission. And our first reach out was to the CMA. The Canadian Marketing Association was and is the perfect first partner because they have trust and educational credibility with the business community.

00:06:10:14 - 00:06:40:12 Karla When I approached the CMA, they immediately understood that AI literacy was becoming as fundamental as digital literacy was a decade ago, and they had already prepared several programs to that end. Staples brought something crucial - the physical business services and operational support that growing companies need. Their contribution evolved the program by supporting their broader operations through print services for marketing campaigns, discounts and office supplies for expansion, business services for operational growth.

00:06:40:18 - 00:07:06:09 Karla Staples filled the practical gaps and execution. RBC Ownr provided essential services that help businesses get started. They provide the incorporation or business set up done online, in minutes, at a fraction of the cost and complexity of going to a traditional firm. And CCNDR, the Canadian Council for Nonprofit Directors, which is a division of Imagine Canada, brought the nonprofit perspective.

00:07:06:15 - 00:07:29:05 Karla This partnership ensured we weren't just creating a program for small businesses. We're building something that strengthens entire communities. What's beautiful about how each partner's contribution made the others more effective was that the program evolved from just, you know, free AI access, if it had just been us, to comprehensive business transformation, something that none of us individually could have created alone.

00:07:29:05 - 00:07:38:13 Karla But together we built something that genuinely addresses the full spectrum of what Canadian SMEs and nonprofits need to thrive in an AI-driven economy.

00:07:38:15 - 00:07:58:01 Alison So it's clear that there are a robust array of benefits for the SMEs and the not-for-profits that are successful in obtaining the grants. It's also clear that this is a pretty complex partnership with quite different types of organizations. So what was the most challenging aspect of aligning such diverse organizational cultures around a single program and vision?

00:07:58:03 - 00:08:34:10 Karla Well, it's funny, orchestrating these different organizational partners has actually been easier than you might think. And here's why. We started with a group of organizations that shared a fundamental, common mission, putting their resources to work to help Canadian small businesses succeed. Each partner immediately understood their individual impact could be exponentially greater through collaboration. The most challenging aspect, and honestly, the only real challenge, was navigating the typical processes of large organizations. Legal approvals, partnership agreements, coordination mechanisms, and aligning just different operational timelines.

00:08:34:12 - 00:08:58:00 Karla But that effort has been absolutely worth it based on what we can achieve together. What we've created is something none of us could have built alone. A comprehensive support ecosystem where each partner's strengths amplified the others. When organizations generally share the same mission of strengthening Canadian small businesses, partnership architecture becomes about maximizing collective impact, and we were all able to move together.

00:08:58:02 - 00:09:20:06 Alison So you've shared a bit about the CMA contribution and so have I. I'd like to talk a little bit more about it. So agentiiv is providing the AI platform, which is absolutely the cornerstone of the you.scaled program. And then CMA is bringing educational foundation that helps make implementation successful, whether it's our generative AI training courses, our robust AI resources, or the thought leadership.

00:09:20:08 - 00:09:41:18 Alison They're all tools that can help businesses and not-for-profits, along with the distribution and membership benefits that we're providing, will really help the successful candidates be able to implement and leverage all of the tools successfully. So how does the partnership address what you identified as that 86% failure rate in meaningful AI implementation?

00:09:41:20 - 00:10:09:18 Karla Marketing is a critical component of the small business value chain, and that's why the CMA became such an essential partner for making this a successful program. For small businesses, marketing isn't just one department, it's often the primary growth engine and the foundation of their customer relationships. If they can't effectively communicate their value proposition, reach their target audience, or maintain brand consistency, no amount of AI capability will drive meaningful business results.

00:10:09:20 - 00:10:44:10 Karla And that's part of that, you know, high failure rate that you talked about, is people look at the tool and not the actual objective. CMA brings something irreplaceable to this partnership ecosystem, proven marketing education methodology and decades of experience helping Canadian businesses think strategically about customer engagement. Their AI literacy training isn't just about using the tools, it's about applying strategic marketing thinking to AI implementation, ensuring that these small businesses understand how to integrate AI into their broader marketing and communication strategies.

00:10:44:12 - 00:11:11:16 Karla When the CMA joined the partnership, it validated our comprehensive approach. The CMA's role as the marketing and strategic education cornerstone to the program makes the entire ecosystem more powerful and more likely to drive lasting transformation. This partnership directly addresses that 86% AI implementation failure rate that you mentioned by tackling the root cause, the gap between having access to AI and actually using it effectively.

00:11:11:17 - 00:11:20:21 Karla CMA'Ss generative AI courses, thought leadership, and ongoing support create that critical foundation that makes the technology adoption sustainable.

00:11:20:23 - 00:11:50:08 Alison So we no doubt have many listeners who might be small businesses themselves or not-for-profits. Or if they're not, they probably know some small businesses and not-for-profits that could absolutely benefit from the you.scaled program. Collectively, we are planning to award 350 grants to SMEs and 150 to nonprofits across Canada, and they will have amazing benefits that are provided by the you.scaled program, which is clearly quite an enormous opportunity for those businesses and not-for-profits.

00:11:50:10 - 00:11:57:11 Alison So I'd love you to share how interested parties can apply for the program and what's required for them to be successful.

00:11:57:13 - 00:12:25:23 Karla Absolutely. Applications are now open through you.scaled.com, and we're looking for organizations that demonstrate both need and readiness. We want businesses and nonprofits that are motivated to embrace change, have some basic digital literacy, and can commit to the learning process. The key requirement for success isn't technical sophistication. You don't need to be using AI right now. It's organizational openness and a clear vision for your goals for growth.

00:12:26:01 - 00:12:49:22 Karla We're looking for leaders who see AI as an opportunity to amplify what they already do best, not as a magic solution that requires no effort. Successful recipients typically have someone on their team that can serve as an AI champion or key point of contact. Not necessarily technical, but just curious and willing to experiment with this technology. We're also prioritizing applications that show potential for community impact.

00:12:50:00 - 00:13:01:20 Karla A rural nonprofit that could serve more families, a manufacturing company that could create jobs. Those multiplier effects are what makes this program transformational rather than just charitable.

00:13:01:22 - 00:13:21:11 Alison So we will include the link to the website in the podcast notes to make it easy for grant access. Now, the you.scaled program emphasizes authentic Canadian values, community support, collective progress, and regional representation are all key parts of this. So I'd love you to share with our listeners why this is an important part of the program.

00:13:21:12 - 00:13:53:06 Karla Well, Canadian values aren't just marketing language for us. They're operational principles around how we've architected the program and how we do the screening. We designed you.scaled to embody what Canada does best - collective problem solving, regional equity and building everyone up rather than leaving anyone behind. But there's also an urgent economic imperative here. ICTC research shows that AI adoption could boost Canada's productivity by 1.5% annually over the next decade.

00:13:53:08 - 00:14:23:04 Karla That represents up to $200 billion in economic opportunity for Canada. As Minister Evan Solomon emphasizes, AI represents Canada's economic destiny. The you.scaled program ensures that SMEs and nonprofits, which employ over 65% of Canadians, are participating in this productivity transformation, not watching it from the sidelines. Our selection process actively ensures meaningful regional representation across all provinces and territories.

00:14:23:09 - 00:14:50:07 Karla We're also ensuring that women-led, indigenous-led businesses and minority-owned businesses are proportionally represented because diverse leadership creates more resilient and innovative business solutions. Ultimately, you.scaled isn't just about individual business success, it's about ensuring Canada's economic transformation and ensuring that includes everyone, strengthening our national productivity while staying true to our values of equity and community support.

00:14:50:09 - 00:14:59:05 Karla When SMEs across Canada can compete globally using AI capabilities, we're not just helping individual businesses, we're securing Canada's economic future.

00:14:59:07 - 00:15:15:14 Alison So looking ahead, the you.scaled program could serve as a powerful model for how Canadian organizations collaborate to help address national challenges. So what lessons about partnership development and management do you think other leaders could apply in their own collaborative initiatives?

00:15:15:16 - 00:15:42:22 Karla The key lesson from you.scaled is that transformational partnerships require what I call complementary incompleteness. Each partner needs to bring something essential that the others can't replicate, but no single partner can solve the full problem alone. What makes partnerships create real impact versus just share costs is having a shared vision that's bigger than any individual organizational goal. We didn't start with how can we promote our brands together?

00:15:43:00 - 00:16:11:17 Karla We collectively started with, how can we solve a national economic challenge that no single organization can address? The difference maker is also having clear accountability for collective outcomes, not just individual contributions. We measure success by SME transformation rates, not by how many training courses, you know, the CMA delivered or how many businesses onboarded. When everyone's success is tied to the same outcome, you get real collaboration instead of coordinated self-promotion.

00:16:11:19 - 00:16:24:06 Alison I absolutely love your phrase complementary incompleteness. So I want to drill down on it a little bit more. What makes the difference between partnerships that create real impact versus those that are more around cost sharing?

00:16:24:08 - 00:16:43:12 Karla Again, it comes back to that shared mission and being something bigger than what each individual group can. When you share a common purpose, that's where motion meets meaning and everybody is motivated to put in 110% into that partnership.

00:16:43:14 - 00:17:07:09 Alison I couldn't agree more. And this has been a really great example of that. So Karla, before we wrap, I would love to switch gears and ask the question that I end each of my episodes with. You have an absolutely amazing career that spans agency leadership, big brands, and now founder and entrepreneurial roles. So I know our listeners would love to hear the one piece of career advice that you would share with people who aspire to follow in your footsteps.

00:17:07:11 - 00:17:38:14 Karla Wow. That's that's a big question. So the best career advice I can give is this. Your biggest competitive advantage today isn't what you know. It's how quickly you can learn what you don't know. Things are changing so quickly with AI, expertise is becoming commodified. And according to the CEO of Google DeepMind, Demis Hassabis, learning how to learn will be the critical must-have technical skill any of us can have today.

00:17:38:16 - 00:18:01:20 Karla I've had to reinvent myself multiple times, from corporate marketing to entrepreneurship to now, you know, AI engineer. And each time being willing to be a beginner again has been more valuable than any existing expertise. Also, never underestimate the problem of solving problems that everybody says are too hard or not worth it. That's exciting. And it's a big, hairy, audacious goal.

00:18:01:20 - 00:18:27:08 Karla And the realization that you can't do it yourself is actually key to bringing in your collective network to solve that big, hairy problem. And then finally, build for the people you want to serve, not the people who are easiest to sell. Again, that generates purpose. And as I mentioned, purpose is where motion meets meaning and is a driving force for everything that we do at agentiiv.

00:18:27:10 - 00:18:44:07 Alison That is absolutely brilliant advice and thank you so much for sharing. And Karla, I want to say a huge thank you for being the vision behind the you.scaled program idea and for reaching out to the CMA. It is an absolute pleasure for us to be part of this and to be actively supporting Canadian small businesses and not-for-profits.

00:18:44:07 - 00:18:45:21 Alison So a huge thank you.

00:18:45:23 - 00:18:55:00 Karla Ah, we're grateful back for your incredible partnership and your contributions.

00:18:55:02 - 00:19:07:15 Presenter Thanks for joining us. Be sure to visit theCMA.ca and sign up for your free MyCMA account. It's a great way to stay connected and benefit from the latest marketing thought leadership, news, and industry trends.