About Us

Advanture offers sustainable solutions with measurable results around talent and culture.
We are passionate about leadership development, improving collaborative practice, making employees part of the solution, culture-shift, and post-merger integration management.
We are always seeking the perfect blend of humanity and business performance.

WHo WE ARE

Our CEO's Story

Joel Shapiro, PhD, founded Advanture in 2001. He has educated 1,000s of leaders in his open enrolment programs and has designed and implemented customized leadership and organizational development programs for many national and international organizations on three continents.

In his first HR Executive role, beginning in 1996, Joel led the post-merger integration for six companies that came together during massive industry consolidation. He helped the companies gel together as one team, and realigned the combined culture with the new corporate strategy and market realities. This company grew from 70 to 600 employees, becoming #1 in its space in Canada, edging out Jim Pattison’s The News Group. We changed almost every aspect of the business, and Joel led dozens of change and transition mgt. projects; developed a new “competitive advantage through people” HR strategy; designed and facilitated an 18 month blended LD program for managers at all levels; and updated almost every HR and OD system, process, and practice (other than compensation & benefits).

Unique Experience

  • Former member of the Canadian National Freestyle Ski Team
  • Ph.D. with Distinction in Philosophy. Lived, worked and studied in Europe for eight years: speaks German and French (rusty)
  • Former Adjunct Assist. Prof., Master of Workplace Learning, University of Calgary
  • Former Assoc. Faculty, Vancouver School for Narrative Therapy
  • Pro-bono work for non-profits: gender, environmental, ethnic, and government employees
1,000+
Clients Served

Joel has educated 1000’s of leaders in Advanture’s open enrollment programs.

3
Continents Served

In addition to serving clients across Canada, Joel has worked for clients in the US, Argentina, and the North Sea, UK.

25+
Years Of Strategic HR

Joel grew up in a family business and has subsequently worked as an HR executive, consultant, leadership educator, and coach for 25 years.

Customers

Notable Clients

lafarge logodirect energy logotelus logoburnco logocpa logowestjet logoenmax logoatco logoroyal bank of Canada (RBC) logobc hydro logofortis bc logoapache oil logo
Our Values

Getting The Job Done
and Doing it Right

Coming from a 100-year-old family business we recognize that our values are integral to our performance and brand. Advanture’s clients return because we generate measurable results with integrity and heart, and with a passion for making our clients successful. Real-world, human development with no attitude, ego, or posing.

  • Generate sustainable, measurable results for clients
  • Be a trusted advisor by earning it
  • Honesty and integrity in everything we do
  • Ethical, collaborative working relationships
  • State-of-the-art ideas, tools, and methods
  • Follow our own advice: lead by example

Mission

Building leadership capacity, improving collaborative practice, making employees part of the solution, post-merger integration management, and aligning culture with strategy. We are not the biggest but we are truly exceptional — and offer the best balance between humanity and business performance.

Vision

Seeking the perfect blend of humanity and business performance. Building talent to achieve your vision and create competitive advantage through people. Aligning talent and culture with strategy.