LBMX Inc. brings businesses – and people – together

Hailey Edge started working at LBMX Inc. after a career spent mostly in the non-profit sector.

“I’ve always been really excited to do work that is giving back to the community and providing opportunities for young people,” says Edge, product information management analyst. “So coming here, I had the opportunity to do a different type of work and still have that fulfilment through LBMX.”

LBMX, a London, Ont.-based software company, provides a global business-to-business platform connecting independent businesses, suppliers and buying groups. It places a strong emphasis on supporting the community.

Edge is on the LBMX Place committee, which makes decisions about the administration of charitable funds for local organizations. LBMX Place focuses on initiatives related to music, education, youth sports and community organizations through investments, awareness, volunteering and partnerships. Recent support has included funding for the London Girls Rock Camp and the London Music Expo. The company also provides scholarships for information technology and software development programs at local colleges.

Soon after starting at LBMX, Edge made a request for funding on behalf of the Forest City Gallery, where she has been board chair for five years. LBMX provided funding for an experimental jazz workshop for young musicians. “It was so great to see my worlds colliding,” Edge says. “It was fantastic to be supported in both my charitable and creative endeavours.”

Edge was excited when the company also offered to send volunteers to the event. “There are a lot of opportunities within LBMX to volunteer in the community and have it be a fun thing to do with your co-workers,” she says. “It’s also a great way to show up for charities. We support a lot of kids’ sports and just getting people out to games and cheering them on is a fun way to show support.”

Greg Dinsdale, president and CEO, says the company’s community involvement is a large part of its identity. “I think you need to give employees purpose and support what is important to them,” he says. “When our people see us in the community, I think they feel a certain pride that the place where they invest their time and energy is trying to give back.

“Whether it’s music or sports or education, I think they can see the value of those things to their own families, and that’s important to them.”

He says this attitude ties into the work they do for independent businesses. “We spend a lot of time helping employees understand how important independent businesses are to society in terms of jobs they provide and the growth they provide, and their support of the local community and charities,” Dinsdale says. “They are doing more than writing a piece of code – they are helping to make a business down the block a success.”

In return, LBMX does all it can to support employees. “We don’t have a factory or a plant. The only thing we have of any value is smart people who are dedicated to wanting to improve the business and improve themselves,” he says. “So it’s a big deal for us to do the best we can to make it an environment where people want to come and work hard and feel like they are doing something important.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada's Top 100 Employers winners, published November 15, 2024 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.

LBMX fosters a fun and inclusive work culture

Supporting entrepreneurs is part of the mission for LBMX, which provides a global business-to-business platform connecting independent businesses, suppliers and buying groups. The London, Ont.-based software company now extends that idea to its own employees.

LBMX recently launched You Be the Entrepreneur, which will now be an annual event. It gives employees a chance to pitch a new or existing business idea in a Dragon’s Den-style competition for the chance to win $5,000.

The company selected four finalists to present at a company-wide meeting in front of a panel of external judges. Ahmed Gharib, account manager, LBMX OneRebate, OnePay, pitched his soccer academy, which he has been running for a couple of years. He shared how the academy has already helped many players, ages eight to 14. The panel loved it and Gharib took home the prize.

“I was nervous, but then it was all so positive,” he says. “Everyone was so motivating. It was a great experience to go up against colleagues who I don’t normally interact with, and I was the only participant from the sales department, so they were all rooting for me.”

Gharib says LBMX stands behind its word. “Some companies will say they create a great culture but then there are no actions to follow. LBMX is always taking steps to have an engaged culture and to motivate employees to do better.”

Candice Neil, director, human resources, also appreciates how the company takes care of its employees. “We don’t have physical assets at LBMX,” she says. “Our people are our biggest assets. So, we ensure that we are doing the right thing by them and giving them a sense of pride and purpose in their role.”

Neil says the entrepreneur competition is an example of how LBMX provides opportunities for growth, professionally and personally. Other ways it does this include tuition reimbursement, access to LinkedIn Learning for all employees and a 12-month mentorship program where employees are partnered with senior executives.

“We encourage people to follow their dreams. For example, if someone is in sales but dreams of a development role, we will help them get there,” she says. “There is a sense of loyalty to the organization when we're all working together and helping each other achieve bigger, better things.”

In addition, to growth and development, LBMX also strives for fun. Shortly after Gharib started with LBMX, president and CEO Greg Dinsdale took the whole company to a Detroit Tigers baseball game.

“He is an avid Tigers fan, so every year, he takes the entire company for Tiger Day,” Gharib says. “Everyone from leadership to new hires were all just at the ballpark watching the game. I think it’s a perfect example of how LBMX tries to foster a fun and inclusive work culture.”

Other company events have included skating at a local park and attending a local music festival where an employee was performing. “It’s all an opportunity to socialize,” Gharib says. “And the executives are all so down to earth. They are always wanting to chat, whether you are an account executive or a co-op student.

“From the executives and HR, down to each and every reporting manager and every direct report, everyone's looking out for your best interest and not just the end goal for the business.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada's Top Small & Medium Employers winners, published April 8, 2025 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.