In the podcast "Beyond the Family Business," sponsored by BMO Private Wealth, Luke Hansen-MacDonald goes beyond the headlines with fellow leaders in family businesses and family offices to explore lessons they have learned and their successes and challenges.

This week, Luke sits down with Ben Hertzman, the second-generation leader of a 100-year-old packaging company, which counts among its customers top high-end retailers in Canada and the U.S. He is also the president of Gather Packaging, a Toronto-based maker of high-quality paper shopping bags.

In his conversation with Luke, Ben shares how one of his father’s first customers—the team behind the smash-hit board game Trivial Pursuit—provided a launchpad for growth. He also talks about how, as a global manufacturer based in Canada, his company has navigated tariffs and geopolitical disruption.

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Investing in stressed and distressed companies can offer a chance to reap high returns

The idea of investing in distressed credit markets may sound daunting—it requires expertise in evaluating companies whose balance sheets are at risk. But some funds, such as the Pender Credit Opportunities Fund, see opportunities where others see trouble.

Pender’s view is that in a global economy where the only certainty seems to be that there is likely to be more uncertainty, it can be worth considering the potential upsides to often-overlooked investment areas like distressed credit. 

“We invest where others step away – in companies that face temporary balance sheet stress but have tangible paths to recovery,” says Parul Garg, associate portfolio manager at Pender and a specialist in distressed credit investing. 

This story is brought to you by PenderFund Capital Management Ltd.

‘Talent isn’t enough’: Fostering a living, breathing team is key for this former CFL running back

The asset class is projected to finish 2025 with returns in the high single digits. Can investors expect the same for 2026?

With lots of froth in the markets, it’s easy for investment executives to ignore why risk management exists