Professionalizing the industry one business at a time.

With extensive experience as a consultant, executive, and owner in the construction industry, Jennifer has a wealth of expertise in the entire journey of the trades entrepreneur. Over her career, she has owned and operated three companies. The most recent was a Design + Build construction company, which Jennifer founded from the ground up and operated for nine years, focused first on extensive renovations before branching out into new construction and spec homes. Her practical experience in transforming businesses from concepts to profitable ventures is a priceless gift to the BTA community, which she fervently supports. 

Jennifer's remarkable career would not have been possible without her unwavering drive and commitment. For her, the aim has always been clear, to help others succeed and realize their full potential. In her international journey, Jennifer has taken every opportunity to focus on raising up those around her and helping them to grow beyond what they thought possible. This service-oriented and giving approach is ideal for the BTA team and truly embodies our core value of "genuinely care about people."

As you might expect from a job that has taken her all around the world, Jennifer loves to travel, and she shares this passion with her three incredible children and three wonderful grandchildren. When she is at home, she also loves spending some time in nature, hiking or cycling, or exercising her continued love of service by volunteering in her community.

Jason Alcott brings over a decade of entrepreneurial and leadership experience to his role at Breakthrough Academy. As a seasoned operations professional, Jason has a proven track record of driving business growth and optimizing processes across various industries.

Most recently, in his General Management role at Weatherguard Gutters, Jason demonstrated his ability to transform businesses and achieve remarkable results. He and the amazing team he supported increased top-line revenue by 30% and net profit by 20% over a five-year period. His expertise in operational efficiency led to reducing lead times from 8 weeks to just 1 week, while also increasing average job size by over 50%.

Jason's diverse background includes experience in sales leadership, business development, and project management. At Miracle Ear-Canada, he successfully managed a network of 20 locations and led a team of 50 staff members. His strategic approach to business challenges is evident in his achievements, including the successful relocation and rebuilding of a call center team from Minneapolis to Vancouver. 

With a Bachelor of Business Administration from Trinity Western University and additional training in professional sales and public speaking, Jason combines academic knowledge with practical business acumen. He is passionate about empowering entrepreneurs and their teams to reach their full potential through effective systems and leadership development.

When he's not coaching great businesses, Jason enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife and three little girls exploring the great outdoors in beautiful BC. He’s also an avid reader and enjoys creating content to share what he is learning with others. 

Tell Lee he can’t do something, and he will show you he can! Case in point: 20 years ago, while living in Scotland, he was headhunted by Aramco Services Company to become site manager in Saudi Arabia, overseeing the development of health services throughout several compounds. His friends told him there was no way a Scottish lad could cope in a dry country…  60 days later, he was on the plane. Lee has global experience in helping companies navigate their way through rapid growth strategies. As regional corporate director at Steve Nash Sports Club in Vancouver, he was involved in the company’s mass expansion – growing from 1 club to 18 in five years. Lee also has extensive expertise in developing & implementing franchising strategies and new market programs, and a deep understanding of the tech realm. He co-authored the book ‘How To Sell In ANY Economy’ – a must-read for business leaders and owners who want to sell without selling out.

Prior to joining BTA, Lee ran FSQ Consulting alongside four business partners, working with companies of all sizes, in all sectors, to find their purpose and create processes that led to measurable profits and performance. Today we are lucky to have Lee as a Business Coach at BTA. His passion lies in helping business leaders attain their Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGS). Whether that dream is to spend 6 months a year on a beach, or have more time with the family, he is dedicated to get you there (and probably quicker than you ever expected).

Scotland-born Lee now lives on Vancouver Island – the perfect place for him to explore his passions of surfing and mountain biking. As a dedicated family man he understands the importance of switching off from this fast-paced tech world and heading back into nature to recharge, often camping out with his wife Marlene and their three kids, Colin, Jack, and Olivia. Lee is a firm believer in the value of doing something that scares you for personal growth; he once decided to train to become a boxer – this was grueling both physically and mentally. Two rounds in the ring and he said never again. It just goes to show he’s not afraid to give anything a go.

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Craig hails from modest roots and is a self-confessed former workaholic who has finally discovered the joys of work-life balance. He started work at a very young age and went on to juggle three jobs to put himself through school before joining the automotive sector (he studied Business Admin, Accounting at Sheridan College and Business Operations Management at DeVry University). At the age of 26 Craig was running an automotive plant and overseeing 300 people. Throughout his 20+ year career, Craig has taken a number of businesses on explosive growth journeys: one being a structural steel firm that went from $15 million to $100 million in sales. While at the company he managed to penetrate an untapped market in Canada with interlock bricks mold repair and in 2.5 years increased sales of the company from 0 to $4 million through the careful implementation of management systems and processes. In his first year of running his own company (ACS All Canadian Sorting & All Canadian Safety – one of six he was running at the time), he brought in $7.5 million in sales.

Mentoring business leaders to success is a true passion for Craig. As a Business Coach he has a deep understanding of what it takes to grow a business, from training to new product launches and beyond, and has seen success after success. Craig will humbly admit that he fell into the entrepreneurial trap of work, work, work, but finally saw the light. His experience really is second to none. It allows him to see things differently. He loves nothing more than taking those hard-knock business lessons as well as his successes and helping other entrepreneurs live the life they dream of.

Ontario born and bred, is an outdoor enthusiast. Craig passed his love of the outdoors down to both his daughters, Jessica and Christina. After hanging up his dirt biking boots, he took to ATVing and racks up 1000s of miles a year. When he’s not braaaping it up, you will find him enjoying the outdoors, or even fishing up in Northern Ontario year-round. He’s also a city boy at heart. He and his girlfriend love socializing, going to shows and the theatre, watching his friends DJ at the local clubs, and going to restaurants. Don’t tell him we told you this, but he’s a bit of a chef himself, too. If you’re lucky, he may just invite you round for his signature prime rib special!

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Kevin provides a wealth of experience to BTA and the Members he trains, having held positions in the government, Fortune 500 organizations, technology startups, and his own company. Over the last 25 years, he’s had prominent positions with SabMiller, AB Inbev, and Heineken Canada, as their Director of Sales. He is the ideal complement to our formidable coaching staff because of his real-world experience managing sizable teams at multinational corporations, building and scaling companies, as well as operating his own business.

Kevin was once told by a mentor that “the true measure of one’s career is the amount of people you have helped and supported in their growth along the way.” He has taken this philosophy to heart and looked for opportunities to build high performing teams, creature learning cultures, and always looking for ways to make a positive difference in his community. Kevin knows the importance of building strong systems and processes for long term success of a business. As a previous owner operator of his own small business, he knows firsthand the dedication, passion, and hard work needed to build a successful company. Kevin is most looking forward to leveraging his diverse experience to help Members take their business to the next level, freeing up their time to pursue passions, and help them make a difference in the communities they serve.

You will often find Kevin, his wife Sarah, their daughters Greta and Wilhelmina, and their dog Sydney, sailing, swimming, or paddleboarding out to drop crab traps after recently relocating to a tiny coastal community in British Columbia. Kevin and the family also take every opportunity to explore the hiking trails or hit the powder at their local mountains. It’s safe to say Kevin loves coaching. He not only spends his days mentoring BTA Members, but he also spends his weekends teaching the next generation of athletes Alpine Ski Racing.

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With a life spent entirely in the builder space, Matt knows construction bumper to bumper. He has worked for both small and midsize businesses as well as major multinational corporations, gaining first-hand knowledge in operations, sales and marketing, customer service, logistics, business development, ERPs, and project management. With such vast insight and expertise, it’s easy to see why Matt excelled in running his consulting firm and he is excited every day to bring that knowledge to our BTA Community, to help fuel their own growth and achievement.

Although Matt’s career has been characterized by a high-performance culture, his true driving force is his love of forming enduring connections wherever he goes. He understands the value of having a trusted advisor to support a business and he strives to fill that role dutifully for every Member he connects with. He can reach a wider audience and have a more significant impact, as part of BTA’s high-performing team, than would ever be possible on his own and, with his constant drive to improve the lives and businesses of those around him, he has found a perfect place in our Community.

Living out in Ontario’s stunning cottage country, Matt has an incredible corner of the world to share with his wife, their two kids, and the glue of any family, their Golden Retriever, Gibson. Their family fills the weeks with outdoor activities and adventures, so they make sure to spend their downtime reconnecting with each other and enjoying some much-needed recharging time. Matt also happens to be an amazing baker. So much so, that there is now an exciting and sometimes exhausting tradition of creating elaborate and delicious cakes for every birthday in their house. I’m waiting on my slice but I’d be happy to add you to the waitlist as well.

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With a career spanning construction management, business development, and strategic operations, Matt has built a reputation as a hands-on leader who doesn’t just oversee projects—he’s right there on-site, steel-toed boots on, doing framing checks and ensuring every detail is done right. From sweeping the floors to driving operational excellence, he’s worked at every level of the industry and understands what it takes to run successful construction projects and businesses. Matt is putting that wealth of experience to work for the BTA Community and helping guide our Members exactly where they want to go. 

Over the years, he has played a pivotal role in scaling companies, managing large-scale developments, and building strong partnerships across Western Canada and beyond. Whether leading multi-million-dollar projects, optimizing business processes, or mentoring teams, he thrives on finding practical solutions that drive efficiency and long-term success. 

When he’s not on-site or strategizing the next big project, you’ll find him outdoors—camping, ATVing, and spending quality time with his kids. A true adventure seeker, he never turns down a weekend motorcycle road trip, always chasing the next great ride.

The depths of experience in Michael’s varied and impressive history are intense. He holds an MBA and has experience as a project manager, electrician, and electrical engineer. Not to mention holding C suite executive positions at two different consulting firms. With a background in fiscal and project management concepts, a career centered on establishing a benchmark for operational excellence, and experience working with diverse, inclusive, and multicultural groups across four continents, he is the ideal person to assist the BTA Community in navigating the challenging journey of entrepreneurship.

No matter where he has been applying his skills, the common driver has been an ethical leadership approach, focused on mentoring the next generation to achieve results through persistence and resilience. Following an illustrious career characterized by steady success, Michael joined Breakthrough Academy out of a desire to give back to the community by mentoring others and sharing his extensive experience to help them thrive in this demanding environment.

To match his business achievements, Michael has also built a remarkable balance with his family life. With his wife, two adult boys, a grandson, and an Aussie Labradoodle, he can often be found enjoying a healthy lifestyle and hiking in the beautiful Canadian wilderness. He is also an avid golfer. So, I’m sure he’d welcome some fresh company out on the greens.

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You would be hard-pressed to find a person more passionate about learning and personal growth than Nick. His voracious problem-solving and drive to improve the lives of those around him are two of the many reasons that he is perfect for BTA.

With his experience systemizing and restructuring large scale multi-location operations to establishing the required foundation to successfully scale contracting businesses, he is a vital source of insight for the BTA Community.

The thread of rapid ascension and driving systemic change is constant in Nick’s history.

After being quickly and repeatedly promoted from dispatcher all the way to working with the CFO of Trimac Transportation, Nick was able to design and implement a program to completely overhaul their heavy-duty mechanic shops and wash racks. As a result, profitability doubled three years in a row, and they reached $200M+, becoming an important profit center for the business!

His genuine care for people and innate understanding of success through a process led him to support small businesses as well. He brought a local contracting company from $1M in revenue and struggling to sustain profitability to $3.5M in revenue with Canadian and US operations, supporting all 3 owners, and allowing them to pursue other goals.

Nick is thrilled to bring his experience transforming businesses to the BTA Community. He is ready to leverage his knowledge to help transform our members lives from working themselves to the bone to having the kind of work-life balance everyone deserves.

Nick is a constant learner. Although born and raised in Vancouver, he’s managed to maintain fluency in French. That comes in handy because his amazing wife Blandine is from France! When he is enjoying his free time, you’ll find him doing anything outdoors. Hiking, fishing, and kayaking are often on the docket. Furthermore, Nick always has several carpentry and mechanical projects on the go at his off-grid cabin in the Fraser Canyon. He is in the process of lifting an old Suzuki Sidekick and building a new woodshed and has a long list of what’s next! You won’t stop this man from taking on a new project!

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Vicki-Lyn is a champion of fostering growth in those around her and pushing organizational excellence through systemization. With rich experience driving projects and implementing standards at higher education institutions, such as Trinity Western and York House School, she has a well earned ability to manage large numbers with her finely attuned attention to detail. Vicki-Lyn even took her skills on the road, as an integral part of a US tour, for the music group Hillsong. With that wealth of knowledge and planning skillset, you can see why she is a perfect fit at BTA.

At Breakthrough Academy, Vicki-Lyn is able to put her genuine care for people to work every day. She brings her all to every project and interaction, fueled by a need to show that determination and drive have rewarding results. In her role as Administrative Coordinator, she collaborates directly with our Director of Training and Development to eliminate barriers and facilitate meaningful content creation for our incredible Members. Vicki-Lyn has found a home at BTA, where she can deliver her high end results, surrounded by a team moving at her speed, focused on making a difference in the lives of our community.

When she is away from her desk, Vicki-Lyn is connecting with her community at Church, enjoying some music with one of the DJ’s she manages, and the people that drive her excellence most, her four amazing children. It’s unsurprising that her kids, spanning from 24 to 14 years old, share her passion for achievement. They are high-end athletes, crushing it in football, basketball, and cheerleading! You can also find her surrounded by her three adorable dogs, Coco, Chanel, & Milky. If that doesn’t keep her busy enough, you may also see her fly by on her motorcycle from time to time. Like the wind flying past her bike, she is a force of nature.

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Daria lives every moment focused on the BTA Value of genuinely caring for people. At digital agencies like Domain7 and CBTW, she created and instituted processes that made those companies sought-after destinations for employees due to their people-focused development and performance strategies, along with competitive total rewards strategies aligned with the needs of their people. People around her have produced their finest work as a result of her emphasis on developing career pathways that support teams in growing and realizing their greatest potential. Daria is an absolute wizard at recognizing and removing barriers that keep teams from being their best and most fulfilled selves, creating People & Culture processes, systems, and frameworks that empower growth and support.

Daria had the opportunity to collaborate with a worldwide team at CBTW that supported business acquisition and integration into their ecosystem and community. This allowed her to work with large teams of business leaders and team members going through massive change, supporting them with the genuine care they needed. She brings her wealth of knowledge to elevate the experience of working at BTA even further, partnering on engagement initiatives, and finding ways to celebrate and grow our people in both small and big ways.

Daria enjoys traveling whenever she can and spending time with her loved ones, especially her husband and her rescue dog, Pirate. She is also passionate about health and fitness, enjoying tennis, yoga, and learning new fitness techniques. As a lifelong learner, she is constantly developing her skills in new areas. Lately, Daria has been tapping into her passion for design and applying a ‘less is more’ philosophy in her world. She never passes up the chance to increase her knowledge.

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When Benji was just a teen, he exhibited his parents’ flair for entrepreneurship by founding a profitable small business. Later on, he built a highly successful franchise with College Pro Painters, earning accolades for having the most productive staff in the franchise network (and eventually generating over $1-million in revenue). His ability to find the right people and put them in the right place made him a natural for the Marketing team at Breakthrough Academy, which he joined in 2017.

As an Content Lead (as well as co-host of the Contractor Evolution podcast), Benji has demonstrated a talent for distilling vast amounts of information to address the root of any problem so that contractors can work on their business instead of just in it. Consequently, he has assessed more than 1,000 trades companies and helped them get on the path to scaling.

When Benji isn’t working his magic at BTA, he’s at home in Kelowna, B.C., bombing down trails on his mountain bike or tearing up the asphalt on his motorcycle.

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