Land A Job You Love

This week Natasha Lao returns to the pod but this time, with a brand new venture!We talk about her recent shift into entrepreneurship, her perspective on branding and mix in health, beauty and fashion too. Natasha Lao is a multi-hyphenate brand strategist and Founder of Studio Giorg, a brand strategy and creative consultancy, helping brands unlock their potential  and create lasting cultural impact. Known for bridging the gap between data and storytelling, she brings deep expertise in brand strategy, marketing, and creative direction.

We're back baby!!This week I sit down with Vishar Yaghoubian, CEO and Co-Founder of Toothpod (U Corp), a dental smart gum designed to clean teeth when brushing isn't an option. We talk about:- Meeting at a poker tournament and the benefits of putting yourself in random rooms - SOLID tips on how to craft a pitch that best represents you (Vishar has earned 6 figures for her business through 1st place prizes in pitch competitions so she is someone to learn from!)- Towards the end of the episode she shares her experience undergoing hypnotherapy and the benefits she's uncovered from it (many successful Founders have spoken about exploring this and it is fascinating to hear about!!) Enjoy!

I got some great takeaways from the last episode with Palak and incorporated them into my daily life since we recorded. In this episode I want to share what I incorporated, the impact it's had and the resources that helped. Links to Resources Shared (not sponsored or affiliated): Book: Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza Night Stretches: Liz Tenuto's work Her IG: @thworkoutwitch_ Oil Pulling: Here is what I use You can find Palak's work and philosophies on IG @paldave

This episode was one of the most impactful for me this year, so much so, that I'm releasing it on video and making it a 2 part special. Palak is the Founder and CEO of ⁠Embiria⁠ {experience}, a speaker, investor and author of the newly released book ⁠Beautiful Everydays: A Guide to Living in the Here and Now⁠. Through her work, she inspires a shift away from digital distractions toward embracing in person experiences, gatherings and the beauty of living life in the present moment. In our conversation, Palak catches me in a tough moment where I acknowledge how little time is spent (after work, sleep, chores, errands) on cultivating true joy. She teaches me the importance of and how to find the joyful moments in the little everyday things. In part 2, I'm going to share some real takeways I implemented from this episode and their impact along with a resource guide on what has helped me cultivate more joy. Links: Human Design Quiz: https://ahumandesign.com/ Palak Website: embiria.ca Palak Instagram: @paldave

If you're hoping to be inspired with new career energy, this is the episode for you! Margaux has done it all - she is a global community builder, speaker/event host/emcee, podcast host, TEDx speaker, voice actor...and more! Margaux has spent her career exploring her creative interests and integrating them into her work life and gives incredibly practical tips on how you can do the same.

I asked Sarah everything we've ever wanted to know about her remarkable, trailblazing career, including the time she got mentioned in a podcast with Monica Padman, Kristen Bell and Kim Kardashian! Sarah is a 16 year creator, writer and host and shares the real and personal moments of her journey through body image, divorce, motherhood, self-discovery, and the pursuit of love. This episode is supported by: Design Shop (Interior Design Services): design--shop.com Melanie Auld Jewelry: melanieauld.com SPARK15 for 15% off at checkout Riverdale Skin Co.: riverdaleco.ca SPARK15 for 15% off facials for Toronto based listeners

Allana Schmidt is a seasoned leadership and strategy expert with a diverse professional background spanning psychology, clinical social work, business operations, marketing and HR. As a global people strategy executive, Allana's knack for cultivating strategies that foster company growth, employee development and inclusion has garnered acclaim, including recognition as one of Canada's Top 100 Black Women to Watch 2024 by CIBWE. We talk about all things leadership and career growth, enjoy!

The last episode was a big one and I wanted to take you through the full experience from my perspective as well as tips on how to connect with your dream creators

This moment will stay with me for a lifetime - the 1 year mark, the 30th episode, the dreamiest guest and a raw, emotional, deeply honest conversation about the cost of 'having it all'. Jillian Harris is a mother, fiancé, storyteller, and quintessential busybee who currently leads three highly successful businesses. She is the Founder of Jillian Harris Design and The Jilly Academy, Co-Author of Fraiche Food Full Hearts and Fraiche Food Fuller Hearts and Co-Founder of The Jilly Box. I can't wait for you to hear this one, I think it's a message we all need. For career coaching inquiries, you can reach me at info@sparkcareerco.com

We just crossed our one year mark! Thank you SO much for listening and I cannot wait for you to see what's to come ❤️

This is a story about landing, then leaving your dream job and facing the optics that come with that decision. I'm joined by Sabrina Atwal, Founder of Sabrina Atwal Communications, a healthcare-focused public relations and communications consultancy. Sabrina shares how she landed her dream job as Press Secretary to Canadian Federal Ministers, why she left it and what she's doing now. She also shares the importance of having your elevator pitch ready and how her's came in handy when she landed an interview while walking her dog.

This week I sit down with Debbie Golub and Amanda Minuk, Co-Founders of Design Shop, as we explore how this dynamic duo started and grew their business and announce not one but TWO new exciting business ventures! Respected in the Winnipeg design scene (and beyond) for their fun-loving, boundary breaking design solutions, and avante garde taste, Debbie and Amanda are both creative risk takers and innovators - lots of great career lessons in this episode on resilience, creativity and building a brand. Enjoy!

In this episode, I beam at the opportunity to ask Rashel Hariri, host of the She's Interesting podcast, the one question on everyone's mind - how do you get an audience interested?? Rashel is an an award-winning marketer, consultant, and startup advisor with over 15 years of experience leading marketing strategies and teams at global powerhouses like McDonald's, Shopify, and ING Direct. In 2023, Rashel furthered her mission by founding She's Interesting, a digital media company dedicated to closing the entrepreneurial gender gap. Through her podcast, Rashel provides a platform for unfiltered conversations with 7-figure female founders, investors, and change-makers, offering invaluable insights and tactics for success. 

The 25th episode!! This week I sit down with the Co-Owners of Jenna Rae Cakes, Jenna Hutchison and Ashley Kosowan to talk about what it really looks like to run their business, sibling dynamics and the importance of YOLO'ing through life. Ashley and Jenna have spent the last decade building their company and their brand, Jenna Rae Cakes, together. They have three (soon to be four!) bakery locations in Winnipeg, have written a best selling cookbook (with 2 more in the works!), are judges on the Food Network's Wall of Bakers, and have been featured on NBC, CTV, Globe & Mail, the Hallmark Channel, Martha Stewart Weddings magazine and more.

Happy Siblings Day! This week I explore the history of this holiday, the magic in being a middle child and what my siblings mean to me.

This week I sit down with Chinwe Asagwara, Registered Dietitian and Women's Health Coach to explore something I think a lot of people deal with but we don't talk enough about - emotional eating. Chinwe takes us through the science and cycles behind eating for reasons outside of being hungry in this informative and insightful episode. Enjoy!

I turned 36 last week and it was a tough one. Putting this out in the hopes that if you feel this way, you don't feel alone

This week I sit down with Nicola Loewen, Founder & Principle Buyer of Mad About Style. Nicola opened the doors to her first retail location in Winnipeg, at the age of 21 and hasn't looked back since. We talk about starting a business before the social media era, Mad About Style's brand strategy and letting passion guide you in the face of obstacles. I hope you enjoy this episode! You can book a 1:1 career coaching session with me here: https://calendly.com/info-discovery-call/spark-discovery-call

This week I sit down with Rachel Wong - Co-Founder of Monday Girl, Canada's leading network and newsletter for professional women. We talk about the absolute rocket ship they are on, what it took to get here and why networking for women is so important.

This week I sit down with Hannah Sung, Co-Founder of the award-winning Media Girlfriends, a production company led by journalists of colour who prioritize inclusion in media. We talk about her days as a MuchMusic VJ, her most memorable interviews, why representation matters and what she's up to now.

Jo Koy hosted the Golden Globes and I had some thoughts! I left them in this episode and would love to hear yours. DM me what you thought about my take (agree or disagree?) and what your thoughts were on his Taylor Swift joke.

Welcome to 2024! In this first episode of the new year, I sit down with Margot Bragagnolo, holistic nutritionist and Founder of The Middle Method to discuss her journey as a Founder and the importance nutrition plays on our daily well-being.

This week I sit down with the owners of Hella Design Studio - Rehanna Hartung and Breanna Lukacsy to talk about the real truth behind starting a business - the good, the bad and the ugly. If you're thinking about going off on our own, this one is for you!

I often refer to Taralyn and Yibei as 'my gen z friends' to other people and this week they joined me on the pod to talk about what it's like to be a gen z in today's working world - from entering work into a pandemic to shifting to remote work to the immense comparison anxiety that can be felt on social media, we dig into what it's been like for this generation. We also connect on their exciting work in tech partnerships.

This week I sit down with renowned Author, Speaker, Media Personality and Money Expert, Melissa Leong (who also happens to be my best friend's older sister). Melissa shares a ton of valuable career insights - the value of asking for feedback, how to reverse engineer to get to your goals and creating for fun (which can lead to landing great opportunities later!). I also reveal that I used to borrow her going out tops. Enjoy!

I can't really begin to put into words how much this one means to me. This week I sit down with Montana McBirney, an absolute dream guest. Montana has worked for Erin Foster and Sara Foster since 2018, assisting them across all their ventures: television development, Favorite Daughter clothing line, their podcast, and their investment firm, Oversubscribed Ventures. We talk about what it's like to work in the Entertainment Industry, having badass bosses and how we see the magic in others before seeing it in ourselves.

I'm so excited about sharing this one! This week I sit down with Cassie Ademola: ex-Amazon HR Leader and Founder of My Professional Agenda - as 2 women with several years of hiring experience under us, we give you a backstage pass on our side of the hiring process - what candidates have done to stand out to us, questions candidates asked that stuck with us and how to make a lasting impression on an employer. With a remarkable following on social media, Cassie's mission is to launch professionals into their career destiny, helping them confidently step into their career calling with excellence - I'm so grateful she joined me for this important conversation!

This week I sit down with Founding Director and Head of Marketing at Plannin, Natasha Lao. Natasha is a creative brand marketer skilled in bridging the gap between brand and performance marketing.

This week I sit down with Komal Minhas, Founder of Karseva and contributor for Fortune Magazine and CTV News. Komal is an interviewer, business strategist, resilience educator and investor, and was named to Oprah Winfrey's Super Soul 100 list for this work. We talk about the ups and downs of founding a company, how to deal with self doubt and I get ALL the details on how she self-pitched Mrs. Michelle Obama and landed herself an opportunity to interview the former First Lady in a room of 8,000 people.

This week I sit down with best-selling author, TEDx speaker, and award-winning mindset and wellness expert Sonia Jhas to talk about careers, following your intuition and living life with intention. Oof this one gets real as we both dig into our histories, anxieties and how we followed our intuition to create meaningful work.

This week on the podcast Raju Gill, RN takes us through her journey from Emergency Nurse to District Manager for Cook Medical. Learn how she successfully designed her dream career by integrating her passion for healthcare with her instinct for business and how you can navigate a career transition too.

This week I sit down with Danielle Demi, Co-Founder of Growth Focus Co. - a company that specializes in teaching others how to build their own businesses from home through virtual assisting. We talk about what a virtual assistant is, how to become one and how this career path can help create the personal and professional freedom so many of us are looking for.

This week I do a solo episode where I share what I think is the worst question a candidate can ask in an interview, why and what you can ask instead. Enjoy!

This week I sit down with Samantha Hicks - Managing Director at Shine Talent Group. Samantha and her team represent some of the world's biggest influencer talent, including the one we all know and love - the bird's papaya, Sarah Nicole Landry! We talk about what it means to be a Talent Manager, what it takes to succeed in this role and how to get started in this career path. There are a ton of great career takeaways in this episode, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

This week I sit down with Tina Cable, Owner of Myuz Artistry and, in my eyes, ultimate style icon. We all know Tina as an incredible voice of influence in skin and make up and this week we talk about starting from scratch, building from there and blocking out the comments along the way. This one was a really special one for me as I needed to hear a lot of the words she shared, I hope you find it as valuable as I did.

This week I sit down with Virgin Radio Host and I Heart Media Correspondent Shannon Burns to talk about what it's like to work in radio and interview major talent. If you love pop culture as deeply as we do, this is the episode for you!

This week, I sit down with Jane Helbrecht - a leadership development and people & culture expert, and Founder of Uplift Engagement.  We talk about the qualities of a strong leader, balancing expectations between employers and employees and discuss practical steps to finding joy at work.

This week I sit down with blogger, fashion icon and marketing powerhouse Quinn Cove to learn how she turned her love of fashion into an incredibly successful blog and later channeled that experience into marketing for one of Canada's fastest growing start ups.