CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT Consultant
Entrepreneur
Strategist
CMC
MScM
BComm

Rahi Tajzadeh is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and seasoned entrepreneur, specializing in strategy development, business innovation, and executive leadership. He is the founder and current leader of The Big Leaf, an executive management consulting firm known for developing leading experiential learning programs and impactful philanthropic initiatives in higher education and entrepreneurship. Rahi also served as CEO and Chair of the Board at KnowQuest Inc., where he spearheaded pioneering feedback platforms for academia and industry, and has provided consulting expertise across diverse sectors including retail, I.T. hardware, web development, luxury fashion, and social impact ventures.

Over the course of his career, Rahi has held several significant leadership positions on the Greater Toronto Area Board of CMC Canada, including Professional Development Chair and FCMC Ontario Nomination Committee Member. He has played a transformative role in launching one of the world’s largest Experiential Learning Programs for students, managing over 2,500 participants from 99 educational institutions. Rahi’s commitment to social responsibility is reflected in his leadership of philanthropic projects, including multi-million dollar educational ticket donations, advisory support for students, and initiatives to empower women entrepreneurs and children in need.

A passionate advocate for entrepreneurship and innovation, Rahi has coached, advised, and judged over 37 case and pitch competitions at leading institutions across Canada. His multidisciplinary expertise is grounded in both practical and academic credentials, with a Master of Science in Management (strategy and entrepreneurship focus) and a Bachelor of Commerce in Entrepreneurship from Toronto Metropolitan University. Rahi continues to influence industry best practices through public speaking, professional development, and research mentorship, and has started his journey into academia as a PhD Student at the University of Memphis.

Proven Leadership, Expert Consulting, Bold Entrepreneurship
  • I am a Certified Management Consultant and strategic advisor in the business transformation sector who delivers actionable strategies and mentorship. I support boards, executives, and founders who are navigating complex, fast-changing environments. I provide research-driven insight and practical roadmaps which allow organizations to grow, adapt, and innovate, so that they can achieve measurable success and lasting resilience.
  • I am a leadership and turnaround specialist in the non-profit and enterprise sectors who empowers clients to overcome stagnation and unlock new opportunities. I support organizations and teams facing organizational risk, change fatigue, or investor scrutiny. I provide tailored diagnostics, funding strategies, and growth frameworks which enable them to maximize performance and stability, so that they can create greater impact and sustainable value.
  • I am an educator and strategic consultant in innovation and entrepreneurship who guides startups and established organizations. I support leaders striving for investor-readiness, ethical growth, and market relevance amid disruption. I deliver skill-building workshops, market analysis, and leadership development which strengthen their capabilities and unlock new pathways, so that they can win stakeholder trust and drive breakthrough results.
  • I am a mergers and acquisitions facilitator in the corporate sector who builds alignment and ensures effective deal outcomes. I support organizations facing leadership transitions, integration risk, and stakeholder uncertainty. I provide transparent communication, performance metrics, and ethical governance which support smooth transactions and growth, so that they can achieve continuity and build long-term stakeholder loyalty.
Executive Leadership

I am an executive leadership specialist in the strategy and organizational development sector who advises companies seeking to define and realize their potential. I support leadership teams and organizations facing complex decisions about vision, planning, and execution. I provide expertise in strategy, market and feasibility analysis, marketing, operations, financial planning, and culture-building, which allows teams to innovate and collaborate more effectively so they can achieve lasting growth, loyalty, and impact.

Consulting & Management

At the crossroads of entrepreneurship, project management, critical thinking, and leadership, is Management Consulting. With a background in entrepreneurship and research, I can quickly absorb and understand complex industry, market, and competitive data, identify relationships, pain points, and new opportunities to reduce risk, reduce cost, increase revenue, and better position a firm for competitiveness.

Entrepreneurship

I am not just trained and educated as an entrepreneur, I have decades of practical experience succeeding and failing. I have been coaching and advising entrepreneurs in various industries and at different levels, from pre-seed to post-revenue. Business Planning, Investor Readiness, Pitching, Data Rooms, Projections, Research, Value Propositions, Business Models, there’s little I can’t do well.

Professional Experience

Retail, Procurement, & Luxury Fashion

4 Years

I.T. Hardware & Web Development

2 Years

Education, Coaching, & Training

20+ Years

Consulting, Speaking, & Leadership

19 Years

Volunteering, Social Work, & Philanthropy

8 Years

Expertise

Strategy

Research & Analysis, Strategy Crafting, opportunity Validation, Turnaround & Change

Planning

Strategy, marketing, innovation management, operations, finance,

Entrepreneurship

Education, Design Thinking, investment readiness, Pitching

Consulting

Management, Executive, Diagnostics, strategic optimization, Coaching

Education

Bachelor of Commerce:(Entrepreneurship)

Master of Science in Management

PhD in Management
(in progress)
Case / Pitch Competitions Judged
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Certifications, Degrees, & Designations
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Experiential Learning Program

I devised, planned, launched and managed an ethically focused Experiential Learning Program in 2019 for College and University students to gain real-world experience in a variety of fields including management, consulting, research, marketing, healthcare, strategy crafting, business planning, web and native development, graphic design, human resources management, and more!

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Personal Training Specialist

2000 to 2010

Kinesiology OAC

I started my professional journey with small jobs in retail, but my passion stemmed from a 1-year OAC course (University-level) in Kinesiology. I learned about more than just anatomy, I learned to analyze movement, energy, work, and the interwoven relationships between these elements to become a Personal Training Specialist (PTS).

Personal Training Specialist

While working on my bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship, I also earned my PTS certificate. I spent a large part of my 20’s as a personal trainer with a ‘no nonsense’ attitude, strict discipline, science-based approach, and a laser-focus on safety. I stood out in two major ways: the prioritization of safety over performance made it clear to clients that I wanted what was best for them; I was not there to sell them something they didn’t need, that was unsafe, or untested. I honed my skills in research and analysis to better understand the underlying principles behind training -avoiding fads, hype, and marketing-driven methodologies that focused on increasing sales; I was there to help clients reach their goals, not to take advantage of them.

Advanced Training

I took my training career to the next step when I was approached by the first professional athlete to become my client. It was more than an honour, it was a validation of my knowledge and ability to work at a high level. In the professional world, performance and safety must be delicately balanced, and I took on the challenge with a zeal. The experience helped develop my critical thinking, interpersonal communication, teaching/training, and problem-solving skills. The success of my clients filled my heart with both wonder and joy, and making a positive contribution to just one person’s life was more than enough to bring me a deep feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment.

Bachelor of Commerce

Developed New I.T. Skills
Earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree
Launched First Start-Up

Toronto Metropolitan University I.T. & Computer Gaming Solar Energy

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

I attended Canada’s top University for Entrepreneurs, Ryerson University (now known as Toronto Metropolitan University). I was very lucky to study under some of Canada’s and North America’s top Entrepreneurship professors including Dr. Gedeon, Steve Tissenbaum, David Schlanger, and Neil Wolff.

I was taught Entrepreneurship with a rigorous, detailed, and highly analytical mindset. Innovation, Design Thinking, Business Planning, Industry and Market Analyses, Projections, Validation, and Scale were all focused on, and complementary courses like Critical Thinking and Psychology were there to round out my education.

Pursuing a Childhood Passion

From my first experience with a Personal Computer in the 1980’s to this very day, I am still passionate about computers, I.T., gaming, and PC building. From the days of the 486 CPUs onward, I built my own PCs, troubleshooted hardware and software, learned new software suites, and made it one of my lifelong goals to stay up to date with technology.

Taking that passion into the professional world, during my undergraduate degree, I offered I.T. services to small businesses as a means to supplement my personal training income.

I am now also an audiophile and videophile, and enjoy the dynamic and exciting home entertainment industry.

Entrepreneurship: GO!

My first foray into Entrepreneurship was in the Solar Energy industry, in which I pursued an opportunity in decentralized urban solar farming; a concept ahead of its time and optimized for widespread adoption of solar energy.

I spent several years in researching and analyzing the Energy and Renewable Energy industries, spotting meaningful opportunities at the industry, market, and planning levels, and developed a full (internal / external) business plan which was turned into a start-up!

My experience working with engineers in developing the micro-technologies required to make decentralized urban solar farming viable was invaluable, and despite having to pivot away from it when the provincial government halted their support for the industry, it helped me sharpen my strategy-crafting, research, and entrepreneurship skills.

Awards

Dean’s List (2015)
Ted Rogers School of Management Award (2015)

Master of Science in Management

2015 to 2017
Research, Strategy, and Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

I studied Entrepreneurship in greater detail in my Masters Degree, spending considerable time on Branding, Innovation, Opportunity Spotting, and Business Planning, as well as specialized research in Entrepreneurship itself.

Academic Research

The difference between the MScM and the MBA degrees is research. We attended and completed the same Quantitative and Qualitative research courses as PhD students. I now have the honour of mentoring PhD and Masters students in research.

Strategy

Entrepreneurship may be driven by passion, but it is guided by strategy. As such, I made sure to build on my existing education and experience with carefully selected courses like Social Responsibility and Strategy in International Business.

Interpersonal Trust

My thesis looked at a novel model of Interpersonal Inter- and Intra- Organizational Trust, in which I tested the model’s parsimony, effectiveness, and efficiency in measuring, managing, and repairing trust at various levels of one or more organizations.

Awards

Ted Rogers Entrance Scholarship (2015)
Top 10 Alumni in the Last 10 Years (2019)
CMC

Certified Management Consultant

2018 to Present

What is a CMC?

The Certified Management Consultant (CMC) designation is the profession’s only international certification mark, recognized in over 44 countries. It represents a commitment to the highest standards of consulting and adherence to the ethical canons of the profession.

The Canadian Association of Management Consultants (CMC-Canada) fosters excellence and integrity in the management consulting profession. CMC-Canada administers, and its provincial Institutes confer, the Certified Management Consultant (CMC) designation in Canada. CMC-Canada is a founding member of the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI), now CMC-Global. 

Why CMC?

I was introduced to the CMC organization by Professor Tissenbaum at the Toronto Metropolitan University. He had been a member of CMC for years and spoke highly of their acumen, professionalism, ethical focus, and standing in the consulting industry. I was immediately drawn to the organization and its incredible members, and having been a consultant for various businesses throughout my 30’s, I had the experience, education, and expertise to apply for the designation.

I passed all the required tests, as well as their course on ethics in consulting, and earned my CMC designation in the summer of 2018. Since then, I have been an active member of the Greater Toronto Area Board of CMC Canada, later being named the Professional Development Chair, and FCMC Ontario Nomination Committee Member, all three roles I still hold today.

Roles & Contributions

Greater Toronto Area Chapter Board Member (2018 – 2025)
Professional Development Committee Chair (2021 – 2025) Fellowship of CMC (FCMC) Nomination Committee Member (2022 – Present) Pro Bono Publico Mentor (2022 – Present)
Oral Assessor (2024 – Present)

PhD at the University of Memphis

2025 +
Driven by my love of education, research, strategy, and entrepreneurship, I have been accepted into the PhD in Management program at the University of Memphis. Now I can properly marry my education, expertise, and experience, and give back to students, the research community, and the world!

Startups & Small Businesses

I love Entrepreneurship, and am proud to have been involved with the following start-ups

KnowQuest – We Build Trust

The Big Leaf – Executive Consulting Firm

CLUO

Certifications & Designations

CMC

Certified Management Consultant. The top consulting designation worldwide.

2018 to Present

Startup School

Ryerson Entrepreneur Institute’s 15-week modular program in launching a start-up.

2015

Design thinking

Strascheg Centre for Entrepreneurship’s course in Design Thinking and Strategy.

2014

Ethical Behaviour

CMC Canada’s required certification course in Ethical Consulting Practices.

2017

CMC MAS Training

Management Advisory Services certification from CMC-Canada and the Government of Canada.

2020

TCPS 2

Tri-Council Policy on Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans.

2016

ASIST

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training Program by the Livingworks organization.

2022

PTS

Personal Training Specialist via Can Fit Pro, specializing in science-and evidence- based training.

2009 to 2011

Philanthropy & Volunteering

I am passionate about doing my part and contributing where I can

Experiential Learning

In 2020, I launched one of the largest Experiential Learning Programs for College and University students worldwide, in which they take part in real-world projects. To date, I have managed 2,500+ students from 99 schools via www.thebigleaf.com.

The Big Leaf

World Marketing Summit

For the last two years, I negotiated with the Kotler Impact organization to donate 2 Million tickets to higher education students, to the largest marketing conference in the world, the World Marketing Summit, with a total value of $98M! This was via www.thebigleaf.com.

Kotler Impact

York University

In 2023, I donated $6,000 in-kind advisory and consulting services to York University’s students as part of the I-WIL Venture’s Placement program at York University, and the philanthropy department at The Big Leaf.

I-WIL Ventures’ Placement by York University

NFIH Entrepreneur Donations

As part of The Big Leaf’s philanthropy department, which I launched in 2020, we donated over $6,000 to Pitch Competition Winners and Women-Entrepreneurs. The initiative was designed to both celebrate and encourage entrepreneurs.

NFIH

UR Worth More

I support non-profit organizations that help those that need it most, and the UR Worth More program helps children in need with events, education, and empathetic support. I gladly donated $500 to support the organization.

UR Worth More

Toronto Metropolitan University

Through my start-up www.KnowQuest.net, I arranged for $5,000 in donations to outstanding students at the Toronto Metropolitan University. The donations went to students that were nominated by their peers for their academic achievements.

TMU

Public Talks

I have offered my pro-bono publico services to several non-profit organizations such as TheGAAP.net and CMC, including giving public talks on subjects ranging from Consulting, to Entrepreneurship, to Business Planning, to Artificial Intelligence, Personal Growth, and more. To date, I have given more than 25 public talks.

TheGAAP.net

Case & Pitch Judging

For the last 7+ years, I have judged more than 37 Case / Pitch Competitions, including international competitions, at Universities and Colleges across Canada at the Graduate and Undergraduate levels, including University of Toronto, York University, Concordia University, Brock University, Toronto Metropolitan University, and more.