Canada Market Entry Blueprint
6–8 weeksChannel strategy, landed-cost pricing, a top-50 account list, agency vs. direct plan and a launch calendar.
$8,500–15,000
Wholesale & market-entry consulting · Vancouver, BC
Canadian wholesale, done right.
I help lifestyle brands enter Canada, go national and build wholesale that lasts — drawing on 30+ years as a store owner, sales rep, brand manager and country manager.
Brands I've built in Canada
Billabong
Vissla
Sisstr
Corkcicle
Vessi
Finisterre
Free Fly
Canada isn't just a bigger US state.
Great brands stall here for avoidable reasons: a price structure that ignores duty and currency, the wrong first accounts, reps who don't fit the brand, and sell-in programs buyers can't act on.
I've sat on every side of that table — placing orders as a retailer, carrying the sample bag, running a brand's Canadian business, and owning an agency and distribution company. I know how buyers at MEC, Sporting Life, Simons, SoftMoc and the independent specialty shops decide.
Services
Fixed scope. Clear price. Real outcomes.
Fractional Head of Sales
3-month minimumSenior sales leadership, part-time: reps, key accounts, sell-in, forecasting and monthly reporting.
$5,000–9,000 / month
Wholesale Channel Audit
3–4 weeksA hard look at your account mix, pricing, terms, rep performance and sell-through, with prioritized fixes.
$4,500–7,500
Wholesale Launch Program
6 weeksFor DTC brands: wholesale price sheet, terms, line sheet, target accounts and your first sell-in pitch.
$6,500–10,000
Sales Agency Build
4–6 weeksTerritory map, rep recruitment and contracts, a commission plan that rewards the right behaviour, onboarding kit.
$5,000–8,000
Strategy Session
2 hoursOne focused working session on your biggest wholesale question, plus a written action plan.
$450
Prices in CAD. Every engagement starts with a free 30-minute Discovery Call.
Who I help
Lifestyle brands at a turning point.
Entering Canada
US, Australian and European brands with momentum at home and no Canadian accounts, reps or pricing yet.
Going national
Canadian brands strong in one region and stalled everywhere else.
Adding wholesale
DTC brands ready for retail who want to protect margin and reputation from season one.
Apparel · surf and outdoor lifestyle · eyewear · drinkware · accessories
About
Sean McMillan
Thirty-plus years in Canadian lifestyle retail, from owning a store to leading a brand's national business. Based in Delta, BC, working with brands across Canada and North America.
Today I lead North American sales for a footwear brand, run Avenue Sales — a Western Canadian agency and distributor — and take on a small number of consulting clients through True North Wholesale Consulting.
- 2026–now VessiNorth American Sales Manager
- 2019–now Avenue Sales & DistributionFounder & Principal
- 2020–2024 Stokehouse (Vissla / Sisstr)Country Manager, Canada
- 2017–2022 CorkcicleCanadian brand launch, Canadian Sales Manager / Western Canadian sales agency
- 2010–2017 Lucky Surf and SkateOwner, surf and skate retail store
- 1999–2020 Billabong CanadaWestern Canadian Brand Manager
Thinking about Canada? Let's talk.
A free 30-minute call to look at where your brand stands and what it would take to grow Canadian wholesale. No pitch deck required.