CareerWise

Kirsten Paquette is the Vice President of People & Culture at Brane, a Canadian financial technology company, with a focus on blockchain technology and digital asset custody offering products and solutions that make this technology accessible, secure, and useful for everyone. As a human resources specialist with deep recruitment experience in this rapidly emerging technology space, Kirsten  discusses the fast growing emergence of career paths and employment opportunities within this sector and what it takes to transition into this new sector of automation. 

Matthew Gutknecht is a seasoned music licensing specialist and the Senior Director of Sports Entertainment at APM Music in the United States, where he skillfully negotiates the placement of music featured in top rated sports cable broadcasts with all of the major leagues, including the NFL, NBA and NHL and across all of the NCAA athletics programs. This episode captures Matthew's unique and holistic perspective on music and media, the entire sports entertainment landscape and how he serves up a winning client service experience, as a business development professional in the ever-changing entertainment business. 

Sponsorship opportunities: If you'd like to address a labour market or skills shortage topic by educating CareerWise audiences about job opportunities within your industry, you can contact the Executive Producer and Host of the podcast, Adam Kane, via email: adamkanefm@gmail.com 

Melanie Pump is a Chief Financial Officer based in Canada, with over 20 years of corporate experience. Her current role overseeing financial activities for the public company Plank Ventures has ensured that the company continues to invest and support the growth of tech entrepreneurs and their businesses. As we will learn from our conversation, Melanie's unique path to success in finance and accounting was far from conventional. Aligned with her professional experiences, she has recently authored a book titled Detox: Managing Insecurity in the Workplace and she has shared her learnings and experiences on the impacts of toxic work environments on CTV, FOX, ABC and Sirius XM. Melanie holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Professional Accounting Designation.

Marla Korpar is an experienced environmental engineer leading the energy efficiency movement with the implementation of solar energy across rural and metropolitan regions of the United States.  Coupled with the attainment of academic and professional certifications, Marla has dedicated her professional life working towards a vision of a world powered by clean renewable energy - that is sustainable for future generations to harness for the benefit and well being of this planet.  Marla is a Senior Development Associate at Oriden, a full-service renewable energy developer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and she previously led fundraising and development at Solar Energy International, an organization celebrating 30 years of solar training and renewable energy education.

John Arbour is an experienced cannabis industry strategist and the Director of Business Development at Treez - a leading enterprise cloud platform based in California (USA) at the epicenter of the cannabis industry, set up to streamline retail supply chain operations. John's forward thinking vision has seen him co-found a number of B2B technology platforms to date that have helped to accelerate the legal supply of cannabis for medicinal and recreational purposes across the USA. During this discussion, we learn more about the speed of which the industry is growing, the explosion of employment opportunities and how technology platforms are driving transactional growth.

Carl Black is an experienced investment professional currently working as the Chief Investment Officer of Deetken Impact Sustainable Energy. Carl is primarily focused on analyzing renewable energy projects and companies in Latin America and the Caribbean. On a daily basis, Carl works to deploy capital from Canadian and international investors for projects in these regions in an effort to help these companies generate a measurable, beneficial social and environmental impact, alongside a financial return. Carl is a well traveled Economist who holds a Masters of Science, Economics for Development degree from the University of Oxford.

Catherine Chlebak is a highly experienced Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant from Canada who looks at ways to reduce the impact of illness on those returning to work using rehabilitation techniques such as exercise, physiotherapy and counselling that can restore function, enhance other skills or abilities and compensate for more impactful functional losses. Catherine's 15 years of practical experience, combined with her academic credentials, has seen her take on fulfilling and affecting roles within health care and government run social services centres.  Catherine provides us with a fascinating insight into this rewarding high growth industry.

Tarley Jordan is an award-winning Communications Director from Australia currently residing in New York City, USA. Tarley has over 15 years of international experience in both consumer and business-to-business brands creating a broad portfolio of marketing, public relations and communications campaigns across retail, automotive, media, design and technology industries - most notably with clients such as Mercedes Benz and Audi. She has a passion for simplifying the marketing process with integrated programs that work, making her an invaluable asset to companies looking for results-driven and innovative solutions. In a world where everything and everyone is vying for your attention, Tarley shares with us how to cut through the clutter as a professional with impactful marketing strategies that draw our attention. Additionally, Tarley recently studied the topics of diversity and inclusion at New York's Cornell University, which she would like to integrate into her work. 

Israel Seoane González is a professional cinematographer from Spain creating thought provoking and emotional audiovisual content that promotes social issues around education, the environment, human rights, and social justice. Since 2005, Israel has collaborated on award-winning feature films, documentaries, TV series, music videos, video art projects and live event coverage, using various digital formats, cameras and styles in Europe, Africa and North America. Israel has mastered the art of capturing reality all the while ensuring that the dignity of his subjects on camera are always respected. In his world is it imperative to observe, to listen, and to find beautiful moments in the everyday behind the lens and in front of it.

Claire Elizabeth Williams is the Co-Founder and CEO of Foundations for Social Change (FSC), a charitable organization based in Canada whose mission is to advance social change through evidence-based research and innovation. She is the driving force behind the New Leaf Project, North America's first direct-giving pilot with people experiencing homelessness - which has made an impact on the global stage. Prior to developing the organization, Claire worked as an environmental consultant where she had the opportunity to collaborate with Indigenous Peoples, private sector companies and the government to promote environmental protection, corporate responsibility and sustainable land-use. In a world where affecting social impact initiatives are key to building equality in perpetuity, Claire discusses her journey into this fulfilling world of important charity work. 

Maya Wilson is a highly experienced certified Early Childhood Teacher (ECT) working with inquisitive children aged 3-5 years in Vancouver, Canada. Maya has a Bachelor of Arts undergraduate degree from the University of British Columbia concentrated on the study of society and human behaviour and relationships. During this informative discussion Maya discusses her journey into this fulfilling high growth industry while also appreciating that children are innately wise and we can learn from them every day.

Leon Harrison is a professional musician turned music tech entrepreneur. Hailing from Australia, Leon is the lead singer and frontman of the hugely popular hard rock band The Lazys, who are currently signed to Warner Music Canada. Leon has performed at countless festivals and sold out shows across North America, Europe, the UK and Australia and his band have enjoyed top 10 selling singles that have rocketed to the top of the charts across the world. Identifying the need to address the artist development challenges currently in the industry, Leon founded the online mentorship platform Bandwagon. Bandwagon is designed for artists looking for professional guidance with respect to writing, recording, touring and running a business from those with 20+ years of practical, proven experience in the music industry.  We hope you enjoy Leon's story and his philosophy with respect to music education and mentorship in the modern era.  

Dawn Chiang is a highly experienced, award winning lighting designer based in the United States. During her long and decorated career, Dawn has designed for a number of major stages including Broadway and the New York City Opera. Primarily tasked with creating the lighting, atmosphere, and visual framework for plays, opera and musicals, Dawn also navigates issues of visibility, safety, and cost. Please join us for an insightful conversation about the fascinating world of lighting design and what it takes to light up the stage! 

Dr. Lydiah Bosire is a Kenyan national and the Founder and CEO of 8B Education Investments, a financial and education technology platform specialized in lending to African students to attend world-class global universities and supporting them to succeed. Lydiah is on a mission to strengthen Africa's human capital by equipping the continent's future leaders and ecosystem builders to innovate, compete, and thrive in the knowledge economy of the 21st century. Prior to founding 8B, Lydiah worked at the United Nations, the World Bank, and leading global NGOs. Lydiah joins us from New York to tell us about her journey through the world of international relations, how she identified a systemic problem or need and has subsequently made a social impact by solving it.

Ian Hay is a highly experienced film and television producer currently working through the 2nd season of popular Netflix series Virgin River - which is available to stream worldwide on the service right now! Ian has decades of experience on and off the set producing dozens of big budget TV series and films and he has kindly taken some time out of his busy schedule today to break down what it really takes to be an effective leader in the fast paced, highly competitive and professionally rewarding world of creating commercial entertainment for the masses. 

Jeffrey Lee Campbell is a highly decorated and respected professional musician and author based in Manhattan, New York City.  Jeffrey has decades of high-level music performance experience touring around the world with the likes of Sting, in addition to playing sessions with legends in their own right, including Aretha Franklin and Jon Bon Jovi (to name but a few). Jeffrey's day job involves sitting in the orchestra pit of a series of long running and highly successful Broadway shows, including, Mamma Mia, School of Rock and Mrs Doubtfire, playing his beloved guitar.  On this episode, Jeffrey reveals what it takes to "make it" in the highly competitive world of commercial entertainment. As a side note, Jeffrey's book is “Do Stand So Close: my improbable adventure as Sting's guitarist" (Deeds Publishing). Grab yourself a copy on Amazon!

Jill Olson is a consultant occupational therapist with over 15 years of practical health science experience. Jill has skillfully helped hundreds of people to improve functional abilities, as well as overcome limitations or disabilities they are enduring through adaptive methods to ensure they can remain employable and enjoy their work and lifestyle again. Jill graciously took some time out of her busy schedule to talk to us from her consultative practice in Canada about the interesting path she has taken to achieve a fulfilling career as a healthcare professional in this modern era. 

Katie Schaeffers is a highly experienced Marketing and Brand Strategist who has skillfully built the public presence of a distinguished list of clients including TEDx, Electronic Arts, Genentech, The Juno Awards in Canada, and more recently O2E Brands - which includes fast growing international franchise 1-800 Got Junk. At O2E Brands, Katie oversees marketing and customer experience. Talking to us from Canada, Katie provides our audience with a wealth of invaluable professional knowledge and advice as it pertains to building a dynamic career in brand focused commercial marketing.

Thorodd Ommundsen is a highly experienced International Civil Servant, currently working as an Emergency Specialist with the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in Geneva, Switzerland. Drawing from his practical, life-changing experiences in strategic postings in conflict-affected countries around the world, Thorodd provides our audience with valuable advice on how to build a rewarding career in international relations.

Jeremy Berman is the Co-founder and CEO of Dream See Do, a fast growing, blended and remote learning platform based in the United States and serving the globe. In this episode, Jeremy discusses the excitement of starting a business in a dynamic high-growth industry as well as the day-to-day realities of being a tech entrepreneur, a forward-thinker and a dedicated Dad all at the same time. 

Renowned video game Art Director, Zach Schläppi (EA's Medal of Honor | Ubisoft's Far Cry 3 | Microsoft's Age of Empires: IV) offers valuable and practical advice on how to navigate your way to meaningful and creative work in the fast growing AAA (Triple A) video game industry. During our insightful conversation, Zach discusses industry trends, earning potential, career pathways and advancement opportunities, potential pitfalls and tips and tricks for achieving true job satisfaction working in the dynamic art department of a video game franchise. Zach and his team at Relic Entertainment in Canada are currently developing Age of Empires IV, a critically acclaimed, award-winning, Real Time Strategy (RTS) game with a legacy spanning over 15 years. 

CareerWise is a podcast series for anyone who is interested in learning more about today's most exciting careers. We'll focus on employment opportunities that offer professional and personal fulfillment and financial security. On this show, we will have insightful, honest and fun conversations with mentors, industry leaders and innovators who have successful careers in high growth industries such as digital media, tech, finance, entertainment and science. Our guests will provide you, our listeners, with valuable and practical advice on how to navigate your way to meaningful and creative work in these and other industries.During our structured conversations, our guests will tell you what it takes to “make it”. They will discuss industry trends, earning potential, career pathways and advancement opportunities, potential pitfalls and tips and tricks for achieving true job satisfaction.We believe this show will be of particular interest to anyone who is curious about the long-term opportunities and the day-to-day realities of certain careers - from recent graduates and "career transitioners" to fellow peers climbing the ladder as well people providing these folks with advice and support. Our conversations promise to be fascinating and you'll learn a lot along the way, so be sure to subscribe as new weekly episodes are released. I'm your host and moderator Adam Kane, thanks for tuning in, now let's get to work!