Drown the Noise

Vitina is living the entrepreneurial dream. She's figured out how to combine her love of travel and wellness and make a career out of it. Cool, eh. But that wasn't always the case. She basically had to have a breakdown of sorts - or breakthrough - in order to see that the life she was living for years, wasn't fulfilling her any longer. At the time of this transformation, she had been working in advertising in the music industry - working over 80+ hours a week - and consistently going to the best events and parties in town. To a lot of outsiders, she was living a dream life even then. But it's true - if you're doing something that doesn't align with what your soul craves, then there will be an end point. Her journey to co-founding a wellness business, Wanderwell, and her own blog, WanderfulSoul, mirrors a bit of an Eat, Pray, Love storyline. She left the hustle of city life behind, for a month in an Ashram and five months of travel. It's also where she got to know herself again and her true desires and passion. And somewhat serendipitously, around the same time, she met her co-founder. In this episode, you'll hear how you too, can get back to your own passions, quiet the noise, and create a life that is fulfilling and profitable, so you can continue to do what you love without compromise.

They believed in their business so much so, that they packed up their family and moved around the world to bring their vision to life. Founder of social enterprise and global lifestyle brand, Thankful, Kim McDonnell and her husband spent many years just trying to trademark the concept. Their mission: tapping into the science of positive psychology, Thankful creates opportunities to provide Thankful Moments via an innovative business model that merges a product licensing program, global cause awareness campaigns, and a nonprofit arm. Creating the first multi-product, multi-cause social impact brand capable of spreading thankfulness and measurable impact. Thankful donates a percentage of their profits to their non-profit foundation, and then re-distributes the money to other non-profits around the world. After years of working in the advertising world and for major brands, they realized that their skills and expertise could come together to make a positive and lasting impact. Not just in dollar form, but for people and the planet. Consumerism isn't going anywhere. But if we can have a say in how our dollars are spent, who they go to, and have a positive impact on someone else- wouldn't you want to be a part of that movement?

It’s amazing to see couples blend their creative talents to create a thriving company, while still maintaining their own interests. JP and Kirsten McCrea have managed to do just that as partners in business and life. When they met, they were both working on their own creative pursuits – Kirsten had her own business as a muralist and artists, as well as founding Papirmass on her own, while JP was a teacher, design professional and writer. When they got together, JP was really intrigued by what Kirsten started with Papirmass, that he knew he wanted to help it grow. What started out as a passion project with 100 subscribers in its first year, has now grown to upwards of 1500 people who look forward to their monthly curated art collections from around the world. They still do their own things and follow various creative pursuits - but together, they saw the hole in the art world and decided to fill a niche market. If there's one key takeaway from this one, it's that if you have a passion, follow it. You don’t need millions of subscribers to make an impact. You just need that unique idea to gain a loyal audience. 

Clinton Bopp knew from an early age that he loved art. It was almost as if he was born with the talent. But he never thought he'd make a career out of being an artist. It just wasn't practical. And to be honest, the career kind of happened a bit by chance. He couldn't afford to go to art school, so he decided to take a job teaching art in America. Which was a far cry from his New Zealand roots. Once he got to the states, he just never left. Something about his surroundings kept keeping him there. Over time, he's become one of the most sought after muralists and street artists in L.A; but his success didn't happen overnight. He spent many year perfecting his craft, working with other professionals, and often blending many different types of art together to create a unique masterpiece. That includes everything from painting, to drawing, digital, sculpting, wood, stone and many more. And he uses his art to express the inter-connectedness of the world and people around him. He may appear as more of a street artists to the naked eye; but he's really inspired by the art of the ages, and often invokes a sort of renaissance approach, with a modern twist.

Before founding her own sustainable fashion company, Kirsten Dickerson was working as an art director in the film world, as well as holding various jobs within the global non-profit leadership realm. Raven and Lily's origins began with Kirsten calling together some of her friends in the L.A design scene to create a non-profit focused on offering women a more sustainable livelihood within the fashion industry. They wanted to help guide and train these women to create garments that people all over the world would desire and seek out, and provide them with security and a sustainable living. Once Kirsten saw the joy and need the non-profit was creating, she quit her job and pursued this work full time. The company is now a certified B-corporation, that employs over 1500 marginalized women in countries like Kenya, Cambodia, Guatemala, Pakistan, just to name a few. They offer these women a fair trade wage, access to a safe job, sustainable income, healthcare and other tools that help them thrive. As Kirsten believes, "when women move forward, the world moves with them" - African Proverb.  

Do you think that if you lived with less that you would be happier? This was the questions Cait Flanders posed to herself a few years back. Not one to shy away from setting personal challenges, she decided to do a self-imposed shopping ban for a year. All she could buy were necessities, like groceries, toiletries and gas for her car. Everything else - including coffee- were off limits. And she will be the first to tell you that it changed her life for the better. It definitely wasn't easy. And the self-development/reflection that came up throughout the year was extremely difficult at times; but she finally felt a renewed sense of purpose and fulfillment. She no longer turned to things to feel happy. In her book, The Year of Less, Cait documents how she managed to get out of the vicious cycle of want, buy, rinse, repeat - that we all so often fall victim to - and the steps she took to stay accountable. She not only got rid of belongings, but she liberated herself from the constraints of consumerism, and all the guilt that follows.

These two were destined to create positive and lasting change in the world. They may not have always been personally aligned; but essentially, their values and morals were the same. Cassandra worked in development, while Edison toiled away in investment banking and consulting for companies working in developing regions. Eventually, they realized that their visions were intertwined, and what was once a friendship, blossomed into a romantic relationship and an eventual life partnership. Now, they work on their own NGO, Justice Rising, where the goal is to empower communities affected by war through proper education and continuous support and guidance. They aren't about a bandaid solution. Everything they do is about sustainability, proper training on the ground and consistent support. Educating children living in war zones empowers them to break the cycle of war and build a culture of peace.

Ben Brown wasn't always super political. He was political in the sense that he got out to vote, but that was about it. He wasn't one to vocalize his political opinion to friends or family. Until one day he couldn't get this idea out of his head. He recognized that there wasn't a lobbying voice out there for young Americans, and so he began thinking about what that might look like if there was an group that would fight for youth on issues that affected them. Like student debt, climate change and criminal justice. What would the future look like if the 3 billion dollar lobbying industry was disrupted by young people? How would the world look in twenty years if this type of organization existed? And so, he left his clean-energy job to start up the Association of Young Americans (AYA). They are getting close to having 10 thousand members. Have created partnerships with brands that align with their vision and are holding politicians accountable to their word, by having consistent engagement with legislators on issues that youth care about. They lobby on behalf of young Americans and make it easy to stay informed.

Mary Neely grew up in the entertainment industry. Not only is she a native of L.A; but both of her parents also worked in the industry. So she's no stranger to the glitz and glam of it all. From an early age she wanted to be an actress. She got her B.A. in acting + Scandinavian culture from UCLA's School of Theater, Film & Television, wrote a screenplay that became a top 40 finalist in The Academy's Nicholl Fellowship and then wrote, directed, produced, edited, and starred in her first short film THE DRESSER. The thing about Hollywood, is that you could wait your whole life to be 'discovered' or be given that perfect script. And Mary wasn't willing to wait for someone to find her. When she has an idea, she tests it out. That's how she's built her resume with so many accolades and accomplishments in such a short time. Including having her latest short film selected for SXSW. Mary is a self-taught director, who recognized the gap in strong female characters and decided to create a reality where they exist.

Samatha Paige has had her fair share of 'bad' things happen to her in her lifetime. Enough to make a person ask "why me?" over and over again. But instead of dwelling on that, Samantha has turned her own heartache and trauma into something that's released her truth and vulnerability. After being diagnosed with cancer at 21 and then told she had the BRCA1 gene in 2008, Samantha decided to take matters into her own hands. Those experiences were tough and created a lot of change in her life; but they shaped her worldview and showed her how to literally and figuratively make those 'last cuts' in ones life. She looks at these last cuts are those decisions we are faced with in our lives, that we're too scared to make; but know are necessary for us to live in line with our essence.  These health challenges have helped Samantha to rise stronger and release her artist within, focusing on raw conversations with others and herself with the Last Cut Project. She's now a role model and thought leader who shows others how to engage in vulnerable self-inquiry to live a connected, fulfilled life that feels like one's own.

Ashley didn't always want to be a baker. In fact, her pastry class in college really frustrated her. She actually wanted to be a chef. But life had other plans for her and her creative heart. After working for many years as a line cook and sous chef, she realizes that her creative side was being stifled. So she tested out her abilities at a chocolate shop, and eventually at various high end dining establishments around Toronto as a pastry chef. Finding she had a bigger love for the sweet side of food, and having an idea in her back pocket for the better part of a year, Ashley decided to try something on her own. Initially, she didn't quit her day job, as many would suspect. Instead, she began making dessert (mostly doughnuts) for her friend's food establishment. Not surprisingly, they were a hit. And ultimately, what started out as a passion project and wholesale business, Glory Hole Doughnuts has now morphed into a physical establishment, with staff and an array of uniquely flavoured round treats! 

Not dissimilar to a lot of health professionals, Meghan found nutrition and a love for cooking slightly out of necessity. When she was in her early 20s, she was headed down the corporate path, and pretty stressed out. At that time, her doctor also diagnosed her with crohn's disease. Armed with the knowledge that she would never be rid of the disease - according to Western medicine - Meghan decided to do her own research and investigation. That led her to sign up for nutrition school and subsequently, she went from not really knowing how to cook, to learning how to properly nourish her body. Because of the changes she infused into her life, she no longer suffers from crohn's. That experience taught her that food is our natural healer, and if we learn how to create meals that work on an individual level, we can heal ourselves from the inside out. She's now released two popular books, been in business for over 10 years, built up her company from a solopreneurship to one that has multiple employees and has one of the most successful culinary programs on the internet with thousands of students signing up each year. To say she's found her calling, is an understatement. 

When you have the travel bug, it's almost impossible to shake it. For Tracy Komlos, her love for travel began at an early age, thanks to her parents who valued experiences over things. At the age of 19, she took off on a solo-volunteer trip to India and immediately realized that she wanted to build a life around travel. But how? She studied communications and history in University, quickly coming to the conclusion that she didn't want to work for anyone else but herself by the time she graduated. Armed with a love of photography and content creation, she began reaching out to brands around the world and building partnerships that would be mutually beneficial. Her production company created the content for these brands and ultimately, she was able to build a life that was on her terms. She could now go wherever and whenever she wanted. This was way before we even knew what the word "influencer" meant or even digital nomad. Tracy was a bit of a trailblazer, without even knowing it. She built her dream life by a lot of persistence, trial and error and sheer determination. Find out how you can, too!

There are those of us that do good in the world and then there are those who make it their life mission to invoke positive change by creating movements. We known them as change-makers. Alexis Jones is one of those people. She knew from an early age that she wanted to be an activist. She may not have known how or what that would look like; but that didn't matter. In University, when she felt like her female friends and her didn't really share their true fears and emotions with one another, she asked if others would be interested in coming together in a safe space. What started out with ten friends, quickly grew to a packed house. And thus, I Am That Girl was born. Fast forward to 10 years of empowering young women and creating a movement that span the country, helping countless females uncover their passions and live up to the truest versions of themselves, she's shifted gears. With ProtectHer, Alexis is revolutionizing sexual assault prevention and educating young men on what #manhood truly means, and how they must respect the girls and women in their own lives. She's a force to be reckoned with and she's just getting started.

Melanie always wanted to be a doctor. She was going down that path, studying for hours and focusing all her energy on getting into that profession. But as life often does, she was thrown a few curve balls and her plans changed, setting her on a different path. And she's thankful it did. She had been volunteering and doing placements in hospitals, and what really struck her was how stressed out and exhausted everyone was. Even though she knew this, she was seeing the results first hand and it triggered something inside her. From there, an interest in mindfulness, meditation and figuring out how the brain connects to happiness and healthy living began to take shape. She wanted to know how to help others live their best lives and stay mindful in a world that is often extremely chaotic. Realizing that no one is perfect, she works at creating experiences that are welcoming to everyone - whether you've meditated before or not. As she focuses on completing schooling in a psychology based program, she gives talks to school kids, hospital practitioners and host meditative workshops at yoga studios. The desire to bring mindfulness education to the forefront of our everyday lives is what keeps her motivated.   

Negative self-talk can take you down a dangerous and toxic path, if you let it. It can lead you to meet the wrong people. Open the doors to jobs that don't serve your highest self. And make you think that you're unworthy of happiness and love. That's exactly what happened to Gillian B. But she found the strength within herself through yoga, meditation, spirituality and mentorship, to make the necessary positive changes in her life, which ultimately set her up on her own path of healing and teaching. She now spends her days in nature, studying spirituality, and mentoring others as a transformational and self-love coach. Through one-on-one coaching, workshops, writings and her monthly love notes, Gillian's current mission is to teach others how to love themselves, accept their faults, embrace the messiness of their past and push through their own limiting beliefs. Only through understanding, willingness to change and acceptance will positive transformations take place.

Life has a funny way of working out. When you have a passion and a desire to learn and grow, it's amazing who we get connected to and the opportunities that present itself. In Taylor's case, he never really dreamed of becoming a famous surf filmmaker. He just loved to surf and hang out with his buddies. He realized at an early age that he probably wasn't going to make the surf tour; but that he passion lied in documenting the experience. Armed with that desire to work on his creative craft, and a determination to create something unique, he traveled around with his surf buddies as they made a name for themselves on the tour, and began filming their sessions. What may have started as a hobby, quickly turned into a career. His production company, Poor Specimen, played a role in launching many popular bands careers like Blink 182, Pennywise and Jack Johnson, as well as many surfers in their early days. You may not find him at the beach these days; but Taylor is always focused on exploring new creative outlets, moving around the world every seven years, and getting out of his comfort zone. Ask yourself- what are you doing to feel younger?  

Do you worry about money and your future? Are you constantly blaming yourself when you work hard, but then go and splurge on something you probably didn't need? I'm sure this is everyone. And the blame game, guilty conscience is a real thing when it comes to our finances. There's the whole 'work hard, play hard' mentality; but that could be dangerous if taken literally. You may not have enough money to live in the end. Especially in a volatile economy. But it's important to also remember that if all you do your whole life is save, then you aren't really living. And that's not ideal either. That's why Shannon created The New School of Finance after leaving her corporate job. She wanted to address our money worries and provide advice and training for those who weren't really benefiting from the traditional advisor system. The New School of Finance is a pay-as-you go model, where entrepreneurs, and Canadians of all walks of life can go to get their finances in order. And what she's building is a game changer for us all! 

Life doesn't always turn out how we plan. And that's OK, because everything we do is a learning experience. When Christina Hug moved from Toronto to San Francisco to work in the tech and startup field, she hustled to land a 'dream job.' The experience and knowledge she gained from that career opportunity was invaluable; but it was also leading to burnout and a lack of social life. To counter that feeling, she made a pack with herself to get out once a week and have a 'date night' with herself, forcing her to get in touch with her creative side, which would ultimately bring out her inner maker. She signed up for drawing classes, paint nights and DIY programs that taught her a new skill. The opportunities were endless. However, upon returning to Toronto, she knew that she wanted to continue with being apart of a maker community; but it wasn't so clear how to do that. So she researched, spoke to local makers to find out their needs and launched Makers Nation - an online platform that designs resources to expose people to cool maker communities around the world, as well as unique events that bring together innovators, thinkers and doers to collaborate and learn together.

You know those people who have always wanted to be an entrepreneur? Those people who only talk about the businesses they've built or are building? Well, Tim Cormode was never that guy. This was not the path he thought he'd be on. He always wanted to help people and make an impact in some way. He knew he wasn't destined for a shiny office or the corporate world; but beyond that awareness, he didn't really have it figured out. With a deep love for nature and everything having to do with the outdoors, Tim volunteered for an outdoor adventure program in the States. And it was during that time, that the idea for what we now know as Power to Be, was born on a mountain ridge. He came home, got a grant from the government, reached out to relationships he had built in the past, and launched the first ever program to help people living with a disability or barrier access nature. Hear how Tim's grown as a leader; why it's key to hire on intuition and drive, over credentials; how their programs are transforming lives and where he hope to see Power to Be in five years! This is impactful.

What's a growth hacker, anyways? Unless you are familiar with the tech lingo, you may not know what a growth hacker is, little own what they do for a living. This isn't your typical marketing job. Growth hackers are basically creative, data driven individuals, who love looking at the numbers in order to see where and how a company can improve. They think fast and fail fast. And Sarah is one of these experts. She didn't ever think she'd end up in this line of work. She actually turned down a high paying corporate PR job at the start of her career, and took a chance working at a startup. Keep in mind, this was at the beginning of the startup craze - over ten years ago. So her choice wasn't the "cool" one. People thought she was nuts. But she loved the idea of being able to test out ideas with minimal supervision. In this episode we discuss everything from taking chances, failing fast, learning how to read data and understand its meaning, growth hacking tips and tricks, taking an unconventional path and how to set out on your own as an entrepreneur! This one is packed full of insights if you have a tech business or work in the tech/marketing field.

Samantha Skelly didn't always have a great relationship with food or her body, for that matter. For years she struggled in silence. Hiding her binge eating from friends and family, and masking it with over-exercising and fitness. It was only after a life situation forced her to leave England and move back home to Canada, that she really started to face her own demons. Years of hard work, getting to know herself again, peeling away deep problems and facing them head on, has led her to where she is now. She's strong, focused and driven more than ever to flip the weight loss industry on it's head, and help women take back their power, while gaining a positive relationship with food and their bodies. She didn't set out with this mission and we find out how she's been building her mini-empire in this episode. First lesson -food is not the enemy here, folks.  Through one-on-one coaching, events, her own podcast, a book and speaking engagements, Sam is spreading the message loud and clear. Love yourself first.

It's so easy to take our health and body for granted. Many of us go through life rarely having to fight any type of ailment, except for the common cold or flu. So when we do get sick, or get diagnosed with something, it can easily come as a huge shock. For wellness expert, gluten free chef and author of The Wellness Project, Phoebe Lapine, finding out that she had a thyroid disease sent her spiraling into a state of denial. Even though she was working in the food and wellness industry and training others to put healthy foods in their bodies, she was being given conflicting view points of how to treat her condition and just thought that if she didn't deal with it, then it 'may' just go away. She'll be the first to tell you she was wrong. And when things went from bad to worse, she knew she needed to take action. From what started as a project of documenting her health experimentations over the course of a year on her popular blog, Feed Me Phoebe, it has now turned into a second book. We talk about natural ways to heal yourself; finding what works for you; blogging as a career; making a name in the food and wellness industry and so much more.

Leadership coach, Karlyn Percil, has always been on the track of motivating people and helping others live their best lives. But she wasn't always living hers. It wasn't until a chance opportunity forced her to confront her own internal demons, that she really started to analyze how she was showing up in the world. One question she often asks is are you living authentically. If someone asked you today if you were doing what you love and living your best life, what would your answer be? And for Karlyn, she had hit her own ceiling within the corporate world. It was no longer fulfilling her highest purpose, and she knew she needed to make a big change. But like many of us, she wasn't exactly sure what that looked like, and stepping away from a full time job was a scary thing. But, even though she didn't have a clear direction, she up and quit her job, took some coaching courses and found what she had loved all along - teaching and coaching others to re-program their brain and focus on things that will help them create a life they love. Take a listen to this episode to see how you can re-train your own brain, learn to focus more, and build a fulfilling life.

Have you ever been bored of your life? Like you know there's something bigger and better that you're meant to do? Everything in your life just feels comfortable... Well, Matt Dajer and his friends were all experiencing those exact feelings. So, to spice things up, they decided to start a 30 day project. Do something unique and different for 30 days and film it! They shared their project on YouTube and the response was phenomenal. Not to mention, they were all hooked on the challenge and wanted to keep living their lives by pushing past their comfort zones. They quickly realized that the only way to grow is to seek discomfort. From that 30 day project, they morphed it into a successful YouTube Channel, known as Yes Theory. They turned their passions into careers and get to collaborate and work with amazing people all over the world - not to mention, they are all best friends! Each day is different. Each experience unique. And the journey, fulfilling. Hear how they built up their following; how they find guests to collaborate with; why they believe their channel resonates with so many people; the power of serendipity and where they want to take it! This one is for all the content creators and dreamers.

Is that feeling of overwhelm creeping up on you again? Not sure how you're going to be able to get all that stuff done on your to-do list? Well, author, women and girls advocate and leadership expert, Tiffany Dufu, has a lesson for us to learn. It's time that we drop the ball in our lives, so we can actually do more by doing less. Tiffany has always been an overachiever. She's a woman who kept rising up the corporate ladder, pushing the envelope and her own limits further than most of us would even think possible. Until one day - after returning from maternity leave - that her idea of the "perfect wife, mother, daughter, life, etc" came crashing down around her. It was a turning point, where she finally realized she may not be able to "do it all"...but what did that mean, anyways? In this episode, Tiffany and I discuss the ideas of perfection; how the world won't crash down around us if we can't get everything done by a certain time; why it's key that we learn to delegate; the importance of reframing ideas, and figuring out what really matters to you, and so much more. Tiffany is wise, insightful and to-the-point and her advice is exactly what is needed if you want to get more done by doing less.

Perry Grone has known what he was meant to do for years now! He uncovered his passion for filmmaking, before most of us even knew what hobbies were! When he was a teenager, his friends and him would make their own 'Jackass' inspired videos, and through experimentation, he learned video editing, storytelling, special effects and directing. It was almost as if he was destined for this type of career. Fast forward twelve or so years and he's well on his way to making a name for himself. He's built up incredible relationships with travel brands, NGO's, famous YouTubers and companies like Snapchat and Red Bull. A lot of his success has to do with his talent for the craft; but he also explains that you have to hustle and work hard for everything that you want in life. Through years of dedication, risk taking and an understanding that you often have to say "yes" to an opportunity before you're ready; Perry's been able to carve out a career that he's not only proud of, but it's one that he loves.

Have you ever gone on vacation, only to return with way too many selfies and blurry photos? Well, that almost happened to the founder of Flytographer, Nicole Smith. She was a few days into her trip with her best friend in Paris, when they both realized that their photos weren't properly depicting the great time they were having. Instead of taking more selfies, and settling for horrible images, they asked a friend to come along for the day to take some candid shots. That's when it hit her. This was a time when experiences and photographic memories were so important. Why wasn't there a travel company offering this type of service? Once home, she researched the topic and realized there was a hole in the market. So she started small, by offering photography sessions as gifts for friends that were on vacation, in order to test out her idea. And the rest is history. Take a listen to see how Nicole bootstrapped her vision, while raising little kids and turned her dream into a reality. It wasn't easy; but her story proves that was your can dream, you can achieve with a lot of hard work and dedication. 

It's hard to understand why you can feeling so unhappy, when on paper, it looks like you have it all going for you. A successful career by 25 that many people work years to create. A long term relationship. Living in one of the most coveted cities in the world. But for some reason, you still feel empty. That's how Lauren Biegler felt, before her life took a complete 180. She was always an overachiever and she enjoyed her job- let's set that straight. But it wasn't fulfilling anymore. So instead of continuing on that path, she left the cushy life and set out to live the nomadic startup experience with a company she's now a co-founder of, called We Journey. We Journey creates impactful travel experiences for international and domestic destinations. Their projects range from building homes and skate parks, to renovating schools and working with women's collectives. It's about adventure. Doing good. And giving back. Lauren and I cover a lot of topics; but there's a strong focus around finding purposeful work. How to create balance with instability. Building startups and the culture that follows. And the direction she wants to take We Journey. You don't want to miss it!!

Ann Shoket had a dream career that many women only dream of. She worked her way up in the publishing world to become the Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen Magazine from 2007-2014. In a lot of way, it probably seemed like she had it all and was already living the big life. But what does that mean? How do you find work-life balance and or does that even exist? Can you really have a dream job, do what you want, have a fulfilling relationship and love yourself at the same time? These are questions that Ann sought answers to and part of the reason why she started her Badass Babes Dinners. For months she's been hosting dinners at her NYC apartment with around 6 millennial women at a time (from all walks of life), where they eat frozen pizza and drink a lot of rose. These women network, commiserate, discuss their life musings and all their struggles. From that, she wrote her first book titled The Big Life, that is designed to serve as a guide for millennial women to help them navigate the unchartered waters of our current world - career, love, money, relationships and all the messiness that comes with these topics!

Do you ever find that some people have a smile that is so contagious, it makes you smile? That's how I felt when I came across Cassie Day on Instagram.  A bunch of people I knew were connected to Cassie, and immediately I felt like I needed to know more about her. She's a personal trainer, holistic nutritionist, and corporate wellness expert. This hasn't always been her reality. Although she played competitive hockey for over 13 years, she didn't always work in fitness. Before this path, she worked for a large brand in digital marketing. And although she'll be the first to tell you that she liked her job, she knew deep down that it wasn't where she was meant to be. Only after going through an unthinkable family tragedy and her own personal slump, did she decide to go after her own dreams. And in just over a year, she's launched her own personal fitness brand, connected with big companies to provide wellness training, held weekly bootcamps and offered wellness retreats with a friend in exotic locations. To say she's on a roll to making a name for herself, is an understatement. We talk about personal growth, body image, loving what you do and how to build a business that encompasses your values and interests. It's possible, and she'll tell you how!

It's funny how your life can change in a instant. Charles 'Chaz' Hutton, also known as Insta Chaz, was working as an architect when he started uploading his stick drawings to Instagram. He didn't really think anything of it. Just that his friends liked his cartoons. All of his drawings cleverly depict his own life musings. He originally was drawing for his friends amusement, which he would post in a chat group while bored at work - it was never meant to be a launching pad for a new career.  Within months, he had gained a massive cult-like following. Something he never thought was possible, growing up on a farm. But the internet is a powerful tool. At the time, he had moved from Australia to England and decided to give the whole cartoonist life a go. Publishers approached him for a book deal, and he's now a published author. He didn't even think books still existed (joking). What's awesome about Chaz, is he doesn't sugarcoat how difficult being a freelancer is; but he's also figured out how to make this whole 'life' thing work, in an unconventional way. If you want to laugh a lot and hear how you can take a hobby and hopefully turn it into a paying gig, then you'll want to hear this one!

I love coming across stories of people who are giving back to their communities. And that's exactly what a group of friends in Melbourne are doing with their unique social enterprise known as HoMie. The idea for the not-for-profit actually arose based on one of the Co-founders sheer curiosity in wanting to know the stories of those he saw on the streets. From there, Marcus and Nick started a Facebook page called Homelessness in Melbourne and began sharing pictures and stories of those they would meet. The following grew online and they knew they were onto something. Armed with a new awareness of the issue and wanting to help change others perception of homelessness, the friends launched a Street Store where people could donate gently used clothes and good, with the idea that the homeless community could come and select what they wanted. Through partnerships, an online store and now a brick and mortar store, the Co-founders have been able to provide job training, VIP shopping experiences once a month and other opportunities to the homeless community in Melbourne. Take a listen to find out how you can support this awesome organization! Because they're just getting started.

Sometimes 24 hours in a day is just not enough time to get everything done. And after a full days work, and other commitments, the last thing you probably feel like doing is hitting up a busy grocery store for food. That's exactly how Julian Gleizer - founder of Instabuggy- felt after working 12-15 hr days while building his business. He felt he could create a better and more efficient experience for shoppers and so he launched a 1hr delivery service. All customers have to do, is type in their postal code, and up pops a list of places to buy from. Starting Instabuggy isn't Julian's first pass at creating and launching a business. It's in his blood, as he says. Growing up with a father who ran his own business, he learned the entrepreneurial ropes fairly early on in life. He already publicly sold one company- DealTicker- before starting Instabuggy, and hasn't shown any signs of slowing down. For him, this business is all about customer convenience, speed and value and getting into the online grocery market early, has proven to be an extremely smart decision for him and his team. Check out how he built it in this interview.  

Leaving a cushy paying job that you like and jumping into the unknown, is probably one of the hardest things to do. No longer do you have stability or a paycheque. It's all up to you to succeed. There were times at the beginning that Danielle would hide her side hustle from the world. Packing the gum boots and shipping them to customers in the evening or on her lunch break, while still working her 9-5 job. She wasn't a hundred percent sure what was going to come of Merry People; but she knew she loved doing it. And she recognized there was a hole in the market. Instead of shying away from what she didn't know about entrepreneurship and business, she found people around her to mentor and guide her. And played to her strengths. Like many other entrepreneurs, ignorance can be bliss - it's often what allows a person to make the mistakes and try different things, because they don't know what the downfall will be. She knew she wanted more fashionable rain gear and gum boots, so instead of waiting for someone else to make them, she set to work. Take a listen to hear how she created Merry People, a company designed to make us embrace the rain and enjoy the elements. Get outside, no matter what the weather!

Imagine feeling like you just didn't belong or that your stories weren't being heard? You'd almost feel invisible and ultimately, that would leave you with a sense of disconnect to your community. For Gracia Dyer Jalea and her six co-founders, they wanted the Toronto Ward Museum to accurately share stories of immigrants who moved to Toronto and helped build the multi-cultural landscape that exists today. Having come from immigrant backgrounds, they understand the challenges and disconnect all too well. While Toronto only accounts for 8% of Canada's total population, it is home to 36% of all immigrants living in Ontario and 20% of all immigrants living in Canada. It is their hope, that the 'museum without walls' serves as a bridge to strengthen our understanding of immigration history, through innovation and public engagement.  Not only are they shedding light on so many untold stories; but they are opening up the conversation by having immigrants co-develop and co-deliver a lot of the museums programming! Take a listen to how these change-makers are leaving a lasting legacy.

Make sure you have dreams that are bigger than yourself. Live passionately and chase after them with everything you have. Those are just some of the beliefs that Cam Greenwood expressed in this epic interview. As the founder of one of the fastest growing surf brands in the world, he lives his life with no limits and is constantly trying to push himself past what he thinks is possible. At only 18, he quit school to pursue his 'hobby' full time, of designing and building surf boards. With a big dream, and a desire to give back, he created Monsta Surf . The brand can now be found in over 40 countries and counting. His story just goes to show what is possible when you keep persevering. There were even a few times that he thought he might have to pack it all in, because things weren't going as planned. But with the support of friends and family, and a vision that was bigger than himself, the Monsta brand survived and is now thriving. It's Cam's mission to grow the tribe around the world, creating a lasting movement where people are inspired, empowered to lead and positively impact the world.

Ever thought of packing it all in and starting a completely different life, that goes against everything society ever expected from you? Well for Kit and J.R of Idle Theory Bus, they've definitely decided to take the road less traveled. And they've rarely looked back. After working long hours at jobs they sometimes liked and other times loathed, they decided it was time for a big change. Something that would shake up the very foundation they were taught to believe in. It's almost been six years since they set out on the open road in their orange van called Sunshine, to work, travel and explore the U.S.A. They're your modern day hobo or migrant worker. They've been through the red rock deserts of Utah, and the lush greenery of the Northwest, exploring what it actually means to find balance of the mind, body and spirit. They give new meaning to the gig economy seeker, working on farms, exploring creative pursuits and all in all, uncovering a bit of an idle lifestyle, with a mobile existence. Ultimately, we dive into what it truly means to live a balanced life and how they've been able to redefine their relationship with both work and play and why they now believe the two can harmoniously exist.

Rosa Halpern grew up drawing and designing things as a kid. So going into fashion wasn't a stretch of the imagination. But instead of going the traditional route of studying at Parsons or FIT, Rosa decided to go to the Art Institute of Chicago. The interdisciplinary nature of her education encouraged a more conceptual approach to design and fashion, which helped to launch her unique brand known as Namesake. Like a lot of my guests, Rosa didn't set out to be her own boss right away. She actually had an assistant designer position lined up for her when she graduated, only to find out it fell through because the company suddenly dissolved. It forced her to move back home, and figure out her next steps. When a friend asked her to design/create a leather jacket for her, she agreed. And from that point on, friends started to take notice, and then their friends. And the rest as they say, is history. Namesake is built around women who left a powerful imprint on society. As a designer, Rosa wants everyone to be able to express their individuality and edginess and wear their story with pride. We talk business, fashion, design, solopreneurship and the importance of creative expression.

Elise got her first taste of travel on a Contiki tour and never looked back. She was bit by the travel bug. But that also meant that she wasn't suited for the 9-5 lifestyle and being chained to a desk job for the rest of her life. The travel bug meant that she needed to figure out how to create a life that incorporated her passion for travel, while also sustaining her financially. And that wasn't easy. But like most driven individuals, she was determined to succeed. And when a friend of hers put a post on FB looking for a social media expert - Elise pitched herself and became his go-to person. She didn't know everything about social media (and she still doesn't); but she was willing to learn and work hard. And what began as a side hustle, quickly turned into a full fledge business. Not long after starting her freelance career, and working late into the nights after her full time job was done - Elise took the plunge and set out on her own. Since her parents were entrepreneurs in their own right (in real estate) they were supportive of her endeavours. We talk about how to build a social media consultant business. What that even entails. How to find clients and keep them. How to create a 'virtual' team and where the best places are to work remotely.  

Jonathan Phair never really got the whole "yoga" thing. That was until his wife, Queenie, suggested he give it a try. And at first he didn't like it. He makes it very clear that yoga - like anything else- takes time to get good at. It doesn't happen overnight. For Queenie, her journey to becoming a yogi was a bit different. She was never a very active individual. She couldn't even touch her toes. But when a family member opened up his own yoga studio, she started practicing on a regular basis and slowly fell in love with the way it made her body and mind feel. These two yogi's connected while living abroad in Asia, and fell in love while exploring the world. After many stints with government organizations and jobs that he didn't love, Jonathan took the plunge and completed his own yoga training to join his wife in the teaching field. They are well known around the city of Toronto and the online yoga community, and most recently launched their own retreats around the world under the umbrella of Phair Yoga, called focus:retreats. For this powerhouse couple, it's all about balance, cultivating gratitude and creating space for what is and will be. They've faced up and downs in their lives together that many couples don't experience until much later in life; but it's made them stronger and more appreciative for what they have.

Mary was always interested in fashion. She was often looked at as a bit of an outsider growing up, because when everyone was interested in sports or playing outside, Mary was designing her own clothes and interested in everything having to do with fashion. Fast forward a few years, and Mary now has her own signature line of lingerie and loungewear for women under her own brand - Mary Young. She's fairly new on the fashion scene, having only been around for three years now; but she is definitely one of Canada's up and coming designers to watch. Her whole focus is to create fashionable, yet functional clothing. And she is all about creating lingerie that empowers women to embrace their individuality and refuse contortion into industry definitions of sexy. She believes women should love themselves, no matter what size and shape. We talk about breaking into the fashion industry; how she's been able to build her own brand so fast; what the most challenging parts have been as a solo-preneur; what keeps her up at night and where she hopes to take the brand in the next five years. 

From a chance encounter, to building an international brand; Stephanie Ciccarrelli has made a name for herself in the Canadian entrepreneurial space. Partly by accident. She was looking to get a vocal demo tape done after University, as she was hoping to one day break into the music scene as a recording artist. But instead, the sound engineer that ran the recording studio her mother had found in the local paper, ended up becoming her future husband and ultimately, business partner. Together they have built up a successful international brand called Voices.com, that connects businesses around the world with professional voice talent. They've been written about in the New York Times, Forbes Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine and The Wall Street Journal, just to name a few. But they almost hit rock bottom at one point - living paycheque to paycheque just to keep the company going. We talk about starting a business on the internet before online companies were all the rage. How they built up a great company culture. Their secret to making it all work as a couple, both in business and in life and what they believe their secret to success is.

Have you ever met someone in your life that just leaves such a profound impression on you? Someone who you feel could probably move mountains? Well in my opinion, Erik Weihenmayer is one of those people. At an early age, Erik went completely blind due to a rare condition and it changed the course of his life. He had to re-learn how to do practically everything- while starting high school. There were tough times and struggles along the way; but he remained determined and pushed through any limitations. It wasn't an option to quit. Years later, he got into rock climbing competitively and with the support of his wife, pursued a career as a professional adventurer. He's now climbed all of the world's seven highest peaks - that includes Mt. Everest- and most recently challenged himself to kayak the Grand Canyon (solo). And if that's not impressive enough, Erik co-founded an international organization called No Barriers, designed to unleash the potential of the human spirit so that people can contribute their ultimate best to the world. His story is beyond inspiring and a true testament to what the mind and body can achieve when you believe in having no barriers.

I'm sure we've all at least done one internship in our lifetime. But imagine doing 15 internships - while still in University. That's exactly what Lauren Berger did and her friends coined her The Intern Queen. Which subsequently led her to start her own business. After taking on so many intern roles with a variety of communications, PR and media companies, Lauren gained her fair share of knowledge and experience. She learned how to make a name for herself, network with others, stand out from the crowd and gain invaluable skills that you just don't get taught in school. Realizing that a lot of young people don't take advantage of internships or maybe don't know exactly how to get in with the company of their dreams, Lauren set out to create an online platform where potential employers could list their company's internship opportunities, in order to connect them with the best intern candidates. She didn't have any idea how to start a company or have a back-up plan. She could barely make rent a month after starting her business; but she was determined to make it work and succeed. A couple of book deals later, and a company that's been around for eight years, we discuss the struggles, how she runs a part remote/ part local team, her business model and where she wants to take Intern Queen in the next five years.

Have you ever hated being singled out in a big group? Now imagine you have a learning disability or something that makes you so different from other kids growing up, that they bully you or tease you because you aren't "normal." Peter Joynt experienced this a lot as a kid. Luckily he says, he was a big kid, who didn't let bully's push him around; but there's no doubt, words hurt and they're hard to forget. He used humour and a love for music to build relationships with others and vowed to never let his 'difference' stop him from doing anything he ever wanted. And he's stuck to this belief. After years of working on his own music, and releasing albums, he finally had a few songs go viral. One in particular, called Capcity, that celebrates the awesome aspects of Canada's Capital, Ottawa.  Because he never gave up his passion, he's been able to collaborate with the Ottawa Senators, rapped for the Governor General of Canada and become a well-known speaker in the Ottawa school system on bullying and acceptance. This one's all about empathy; gratitude; why you need to continue your passion, even if it doesn't return the accolades right away; why there's strength in pushing through hard times and how to leave a lasting legacy that withstands time. 

Did you know what you wanted to be when you were younger? I definitely did not. One day I wanted to drive a school bus, the next day I wanted ten kids and a limo. For Erin Bury, Managing Director of Eighty Eight Agency, she always knew she wanted to be in marketing and complete a journalism degree. From an early age, she would have discussions around the dinner table with her mom about marketing strategies and different campaign ideas. When it came time for Erin to graduate from University, she was convinced she could land a career on her own - she had a prestigious degree under her belt, some amazing work experience and a lot of personal drive. But she quickly found out that it wasn't enough. That's when she learned the power of introductions and networking. And she's built her career around it. One handshake at a time. We talk about the importance of having a vision for your career; being open to nepotism and taking introductions; navigating internships and building up your personal brand; failures and how to turn them into your greatest success stories and why you need to be willing to take risks in order to get ahead.

Have you ever started a fitness routine, only to fall off a few weeks - or heck- a few days later? And don't you just want to find others who can help you stay motivated and accountable to your personal fitness goals? Well, now there's an App that can help make all your wishes come true. Laura Davidson is the founder of the social fitness app known as Whistle. She created it out of her own personal struggle to stay motivated with her fitness goals. She always found herself getting obsessed with routines, only to fall off a few months later. And she didn't want to have to pay the expensive gym memberships to get in shape; but she wanted the community. Her solution - create a tinder-like app, where people can find like-minded fitness enthusiasts to work out with in their own cities. She's just in the beginning stages of the business; but so far the response has been incredible. She's hoping to roll it out over Canadian cities first, with the plans to expand on a global level. We talk about what it takes to create and launch an app; how she's dealt with her own body and weight issues; what tips have helped her stay balanced with a full time job, while creating her own business and what you must have for your business to thrive. Funny thing, she never thought she'd be an entrepreneur. But her unique work environment forced her to interact with entrepreneurs on the daily, and thus, making her want to create something of her own. 

Komal Ahmad didn't set out to be the CEO of a company destined to change the world. She always wanted to help others and make an impact; but in a completely different way. She was actually studying to be a naval doctor, when her world was thrown upside down- in a great way. One day, as she was walking to the University of Berkeley's campus, she noticed a man sitting on the side of the road begging for food. This struck a chord with her and instead of giving him money, she decided to take him for lunch. His story set her life on a completely different path. In that very moment, she made it her mission to try and end the systemic problem of hunger in not only America; but around the world. And so, she began a not-for-profit while still in school, which in turn morphed into a for-profit company that is now called Copia. A technology to save money, reduce waste and feed communities in need. All companies have to do is download the app, and they too, can help end world hunger.  Komal and I discuss everything from growing up in Pakistan and moving to the States; what it was like to never experience homelessness in America until her University years; how she got started as a one-woman shop; her big vision; why she sees Copia as so much more than an app to end hunger and how she stays grounded while building this life-changing company.

Let's get real for a moment. None of us REALLY know what we are doing with our lives. But the ones who look like they're having the most fun, took risks to get to where they are. Lauren McPhillips is one of those people. If you follow her on social media, you'd think she's got this dream life. All the perfect pictures. Gallivanting all over the world. Eating at the best restaurants and consuming copious amount of coffee. It's true, it looks perfect. But it hasn't been easy. Before starting This Renegade Love - a lifestyle and inspiration blog- Lauren saw herself climbing the corporate ladder in PR and even becoming an editor and chief one day. But at some point, her career aspirations shifted and she decided that her true love was writing. That's where she finds the most joy. In this episode we talk about investing in yourself; how to build a personal brand; social media tactics she used to grow her following in the first year; where she see's herself in the next five years and what legacy she hopes to leave behind. There's a lot of juicy information and tips and tricks for bloggers and wanna-be bloggers, so you don't want to miss it!

More often than not, we spend a lot of our early adult years trying to figure out what we want to do with our lives. But it really wasn't until Jared Sternberg began studying law in his mid-twenties, that he realized there was a bigger passion inside of him. One where he could travel and share his passion for helping historically underrepresented peoples and their environment with others. He made the difficult decision to leave a law degree in human rights and the environment, so that he could launch his own travel company and embark on an entrepreneurial path.  Today, his company is known as Gondwana Eco-tours. They exist to offer a positive, meaningful and relaxing travel experience that benefits both the traveler and the destination. You can join them on multiple adventures in Alaska, explore the natural beauty of Ecuador, discover the Northern Lights with like-minded adventurers, watch wildlife roam on their Tanzanian safari experience and immerse yourself in the beauty and community of your surroundings.  We discuss everything from the pressure one feels to succeed as a new business owner; how hard it is to stand out from other travel companies; how Jared plans on building his brand; where he hopes to be in 5-10-15 years; dealing with naysayers and why entrepreneurialism is hard, but extremely rewarding.