Grounded Thinking for Complex Decisions
We were built on a simple conviction: that business owners and leadership teams deserve clear-headed counsel from people who genuinely understand the Alberta context.
Back to HomeFounded in Calgary, Built for Alberta
chinookisww Strategy was established in 2011 by a small group of former corporate strategists and operational advisors who had spent years working within large Calgary-based enterprises. The founding team recognized a clear gap: small and mid-market organizations in Alberta — family businesses, professional practices, growing founder-led companies — were underserved by the consulting options available to them.
The large firms were designed for corporations with sizable procurement budgets and long engagement timelines. Freelance advisors often lacked the structured methodology that complex transitions demand. Neither model fit well for an owner preparing to hand over a business built over thirty years, or a leadership team that needed to make a clear-headed decision about their market position before the next fiscal year.
Our practice was designed to fill that space — with a level of rigor usually found in larger consulting engagements, delivered at a scale appropriate for the businesses we work with. We have operated out of downtown Calgary ever since, and our work remains focused exclusively on the Canadian market.
Year Founded
Engagements
Canada Only
Our Mission
To provide Alberta's business owners and leadership teams with the structured thinking and candid perspective they need to navigate pivotal decisions — delivered by people who have done this work themselves.
Our Values
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Candor
We share what we observe, including information that may be uncomfortable.
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Precision
Our work is thorough and specific — not broad-stroke or generic.
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Discretion
Confidentiality is a professional standard we hold firmly in every engagement.
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Accountability
Our deliverables are written, documented, and designed to outlast the engagement itself.
Our Consulting Team
Every engagement at chinookisww Strategy is led by a senior consultant — not delegated. The team you meet at the outset is the team that does the work.
Margaret Bourke
Principal, Succession Practice
A former CFO with 20 years in Alberta's energy and professional services sectors, Margaret leads succession and transition engagements. She brings a methodical approach to preserving institutional knowledge during ownership changes.
Daniel Lam
Senior Consultant, Competitive Intelligence
Daniel spent over a decade in market research and strategic planning before joining chinookisww Strategy. He leads competitive positioning reviews, with particular depth in professional services, construction, and distribution sectors.
Sandra Reimer
Lead Facilitator, Strategy Retreats
Sandra designs and facilitates the strategy retreats at chinookisww Strategy. With a background in organizational development and executive coaching, she creates the conditions for leadership teams to have productive, well-structured conversations.
How We Conduct Our Work
Every engagement at chinookisww Strategy adheres to a consistent set of professional protocols — regardless of scope or timeline.
Written Engagement Letters
Every engagement begins with a written letter defining scope, deliverables, timeline, and fees. No work begins until both parties have signed.
Mutual NDA as Standard
A mutual non-disclosure agreement is included in every engagement letter. Your information — and ours — is protected from the first conversation.
Conflict of Interest Policy
We screen all new engagements for potential conflicts before proceeding. We do not work simultaneously with direct competitors in the same market segment.
Secure Data Handling
Client materials are stored in encrypted systems with access limited strictly to the consulting team on your engagement. Data is deleted according to the terms agreed in the engagement letter.
Membership: CMC Canada
Our practice adheres to the professional standards of the Certified Management Consultants of Canada, including its code of professional conduct and ethics.
Post-Engagement Review
We conduct a structured debrief at the close of every engagement, giving clients a formal opportunity to provide candid feedback on process and outcomes.
Business Consulting Rooted in the Alberta Market
Alberta's business environment carries characteristics that don't always translate through generic consulting frameworks. The province's economy reflects a distinct mix of resource-sector cycles, a strong family business tradition, a growing professional services community, and a municipal centre — Calgary — that functions as both a regional hub and a national player in specific industries. Understanding this context is not something that comes from reading industry reports. It comes from years of working directly within it.
chinookisww Strategy was built by practitioners who had senior roles inside Alberta organizations before they became advisors. The transition from operator to consultant shapes how we approach an engagement: we focus on what is observable and actionable, not on theoretical frameworks that look better in a presentation than they function in practice. Our methodology is structured without being rigid, and our deliverables are designed to be used, not filed.
For succession and transition engagements, this means that we understand the relational dynamics that often complicate ownership transfers — particularly in family businesses — and we build our process around protecting those relationships while still achieving the clarity the transition requires. For competitive positioning work, we rely on publicly available market data and direct client interviews, avoiding speculative conclusions. For strategy retreats, we design sessions that produce decisions, not just discussions.
Our client base includes construction and engineering firms, health and wellness practices, professional service providers, agricultural operations, and technology companies at various growth stages. The common thread is that these organizations are led by people who take their decisions seriously and want a consulting partner who does the same.
Work With Consultants Who Know Alberta
If what we've described resonates with what you're looking for, we'd be glad to have an initial conversation. No commitment required — just a direct exchange.
Get in Touch