In this episode of the Canadian Entrepreneurs Podcast, Pat interviews Julia O’Grady, founder of ITM Events, a national event management company specializing in association and corporate conferences across Canada.
Julia shares how she went from working in government to launching her own business with no formal background in events, driven by a desire to build a career more aligned with her personality and goals. She opens up about the messy early years of entrepreneurship, taking on any opportunity she could find, learning difficult lessons about pricing and profitability, and eventually discovering her niche in conference and association event management.
The conversation explores how attending a single industry conference in 2017 became a turning point for her business, helping her connect with the right people and reposition ITM Events for long-term growth. Julia also explains how COVID unexpectedly gave her the opportunity to slow down, rebuild systems, strengthen her financial knowledge, and prepare the business for its next stage of growth.
You’ll also learn:
- why entrepreneurs need to ask for help and stop trying to do everything alone
- how understanding financials and implementing Profit First changed her business
- why flexibility and adaptability are critical when building a company
- the realities of entrepreneurship, including burnout, stress, and mental health
- how resilience and continuous learning helped her grow ITM Events into a national business
This episode is ideal for entrepreneurs, founders, and business owners looking for honest insights into the realities of entrepreneurship, building resilience, and creating sustainable long-term growth.
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