Lunch & Learn: Scaling Your Venture, From Capital to Coaching

​About the event:

​Growing a business takes more than ambition, it takes capital, clarity, and the right people around the table. This Lunch & Learn is built for entrepreneurs who are ready to move from surviving to scaling.

​You'll hear directly from a BDC entrepreneurship leader and banking experts on how business financing really works: what lenders look for, how to structure your ask, and when advisory support can be the difference between stalling out and breaking through. This isn't theory. It's the practical playbook founders wish they'd had before their last funding conversation.

​Come with your questions. Leave with a clearer path from where you are to where you're trying to go.

​Bio:

​Duy Le
Duy Le is the Manager, Entrepreneurship Centre for GTA North at BDC, with more than 20 years of experience helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into successful, growing businesses. He leads a dedicated team focused on supporting Canadian entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey, from startup to growth and expansion. Duy is passionate about both client success and employee development, working closely with his team to build capabilities, foster collaboration, and create meaningful impact for the businesses they serve. Through his leadership and expertise, he continues to champion entrepreneurship and support the success of both entrepreneurs and future business leaders.

​Natalie Lin
Natalie Lin is a seasoned financial professional with a strong foundation in banking, accounting, and strategic business development. As a commercial banker, she specializes in empowering small business owners across Canada by delivering customized financing solutions and actionable guidance tailored to each stage of growth. With an MBA from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University and over a decade of experience in the financial sector, Natalie brings a unique blend of analytical rigour and relationship-driven insight. Her expertise spans financial analysis, strategic planning, and credit advisory, enabling her to help entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of funding and build resilient, scalable operations.

​
​About the Host

​About the City of Markham

​The City of Markham is one of the most vibrant, diverse, and rapidly growing communities in the Greater Toronto Area. Home to more than 365,000 residents and a thriving business ecosystem of over 10,000 companies — including 1,500 technology firms — Markham is recognized for its forward-thinking urban planning, dynamic entrepreneurial spirit, and strong pro-business environment.Through the Markham Small Business Centre, the city provides dedicated support to entrepreneurs and small business owners. A team of passionate business advisors offers personalized, one-on-one consulting and access to essential resources, helping local businesses launch, grow, and succeed in today’s competitive marketplace. www.markhambusiness.ca

​About YSpace

​YSpace is York University’s pan-university entrepreneurship and innovation hub supporting startups and entrepreneurs from a variety of sectors and communities. Our programming spans across scaling innovative technologies through customer and investor capital to scaling agri-food businesses into mass retail to diversity-focused initiatives like **ELLA powered by Desjardins** for women-led businesses and Black Entrepreneurship Alliance (BEA) for Black-led businesses. Additionally with our Start-Up Visa program, we are building a robust ecosystem, driving positive change and empowering entrepreneurs to shape the future. We are also home to two physical hubs in the City of Markham and the Town of Georgina.