Nevin Danielson took the floor to discuss all things affecting business. Common threads were tariffs and staffing.

Tariffs have brought logistics pain across the board, with direct impact being cost of goods sold and being able to ship/receive. The group was worried how long this would last.

Staffing affects us all. Many have problems finding people, or getting them to stay. Some ideas that came forward to ensure you find a fit:

- Hire from trade schools, co-op programs, and ask teachers who their top student is

- Screening: Storm Applied Technologies hides a filter right in the job application: "put the word 'imagination' in your cover letter". Lorne Drugs recommends viewing candidates' social media profiles.

- Passion: Don't hire the first you meet. Make sure they are passionate about what you do. For example, Driven Automotive asks their new hires what their project car is.

- Culture: Make sure you are providing a culture that makes them want to stay. It's not always about money.

- Investment: Nevin reminds us hires are an investment: it will take much longer than you expect to onboard.