East Tower Toronto Dominion Centre 
Schulich Masterclass Certificate in Venture Operations
Level Up with IZABELLA GABOWICZ, VP of Operations at Q2
Scale with confidence through Venture Operations. Learn to design and lead operational systems that enable startups and scale-ups to grow efficiently. Gain strategies and connections to turn operations into a competitive advantage.
Access private content, tips and tricks from Izabella Gabowicz,Vice President at Q2, a leading provider of digital banking and ex-COO & Co-Founder at Sensibill (a Canadian fintech success story). While you’ll get the need-to-know details of organizational functions, metrics, and systems, you’ll also have a backstage pass to the secrets of success in Venture Operations. Make an impression with an industry leader and learn what exactly you need to do and know to make your mark.
Izabella Gabowicz brings over 20 years of experience working in client services and success for enterprise clients in Telecommunications, Financial Services and Airlines. Read more about Izabella here.
Limited scholarships available.
May 2, 2026
- Location:
- Online
Schulich Masterclass Certificate in Venture Operations
- Programs
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- Schulich Masterclass Certificate in Venture Operations
Your Backstage Pass to Levelling Up in Venture Operations
In a word, a successful Operations professional is a generalist. Is that you—do you know how to structure unstructured problems? How to surface what is working and what isn’t or identify where to focus limited resources? Well, you can learn from a leading star in the industry.
Meet Izabella Gabowicz, VP of Operations at Q2 and join her in 30 hours of online study, to network, meet the right people and bolster your Operations toolkit.
Knock the necessary practical knowledge out of the park with modules on the responsibilities and key performance indicators of functional areas within a business, critical processes and systems, internal and stakeholder communications. Don’t worry, you’ll cover all the relevant topics, such as income statements and estimating the impact, value, risk and accountabilities of actions.
But don’t stop there: this program is a backstage pass to the secret steps on achieving executive-level positions in Venture Operations and meeting an established leader in the industry.
The Schulich Venture Scholars Program
Each cohort, there are a limited number of students who are accepted as Schulich Venture Scholars. This scholarship empowers high-potential venture leaders to access SVA’s programming. Ideal for founders, startup executives, and ecosystem enablers driving innovation, it supports those committed to scaling ventures with impact.
Want to know if you are eligible for one of our limited Venture Scholar spots? Contact Shivam Sharma, Assistant Director, to learn more.
Email: ssharm16@schulich.yorku.ca
Cell: (647) 779-308
Program Overview
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Review common organizational structures in venture-backable companies and the roles of the various functions.
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Learn some of the hats that an operator may be expected to wear in a smaller company, such as contract negotiation, HR coordinator, or regulatory SME.
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Explore the basics of the Income Statement and service-level agreements, and challenge learners to consider the cost of decisions made.
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Discuss roles and responsibilities and how they fit within a performance management system. Then, touch on the complementary topics of cadence and communications to enable continued alignment and empathy.
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Think about what decision-making, planning, and prioritization processes should look like before they become political or bureaucratic – while also thinking about how to right-size them with speed. Discuss the concepts of time span and altitude as a framing mechanism to focus on the right level of detail.
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Receive a primer on the commonly encountered goal-setting framework of objectives and key results (OKRs).
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Celebrate your program graduation with Program Instructor Izabella Gabowicz, Senior Leaders in the Venture Ecosystem and Leaders from the Schulich Startups Community. An opportunity to make in-person connections with top professionals and network for future job opportunities. Hosted in downtown Toronto at Schulich ExecEd.
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Spring 2026
Schulich Masterclass Certificate in Venture Operations
Course Dates Time Module 1: Generalists and Cross-Functionality 3/28/2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Module 2: The Grown-Up in the Room 4/4/2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Module 3: The Story Behind the Numbers 4/11/2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Module 4: A Well-Oiled Machine 4/18/2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Module 5: Build for Success 4/25/2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Module 6: Row Together 5/2/2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Get Training in Marketable Skills
Organizing Teams & Resources
Business Analysis
Collaboration Skills
Operational Planning
Organization Skills
Process Improvement
As a veteran COO, and someone who built a startup from incubation through acquisition, I will be sharing my knowledge and passion for structuring a young company’s Operations in order to scale effectively and thrive in the tech industry.
Izabella Gabowicz
Program Director
Who Will Benefit
Founders & Startup
Leaders
Learn how to design scalable systems, optimize operations, and align teams so your venture can grow efficiently, sustain momentum, and attract investor confidence.
COOs, Product Managers & Growth-Stage Operators
Gain proven frameworks to manage complexity, strengthen cross-functional collaboration, and turn operations into a competitive advantage during rapid growth.
Ecosystem Advisors & Innovation Leaders
Build the operational expertise to guide portfolio companies through scaling challenges, improve their efficiency, and prepare them for long-term success.
4 Reasons to Enrol
Exclusive Venture Operations Insights
Learn from Izabella Gabowicz (VP Operations, Q2), an operations leader who has scaled teams and systems in fast-growth ventures.
Design Scalable Operational Models
Apply Izabella’s frameworks to optimize processes, align teams, and enable sustainable scaling.
Learn from the Pros
Gain practical, actionable strategies from Izabella, grounded in real-world venture operations experience.
Expand Your Strategic Network
Join a curated community of founders, executives, and ecosystem leaders. Build relationships that drive opportunities, collaborations, and venture growth.
What Difference Will You Make?
Faculty
What You Get
After completing the Schulich Masterclass Certificate in Venture Operations, you'll receive an authentic digital badge from the #1 business school in Canada that employers will recognize.
As more and more companies look for candidates with specific skills, this badge on your CV will be a credible assurance of your achievements and expertise, allowing the right roles to find you faster.
Masterclass Certificate
You’ve completed a series of unique, high-level modules, which constitute a Masterclass Certificate.
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Use this program as we designed it, or alter it to fit your company’s needs. Either way, we can help you improve your organization's talent pipeline. Get in touch with our custom programs team today.
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