Speaking of Business

Trina Fraser is a co-managing partner at Brazeau Seller Law. Since 2014, her practice has been focused on Cannabis Law. She helps her clients negotiate contracts, develop business strategies, execute transactions and ensure they are complying with regulations. IN THIS INTERVIEW How It All Began Trina completed her business undergrad program at Queens University with an intention of moving forward into finance, accounting, or marketing. In her 3rd year, she took a business law course and felt pulled to pursue studying law further. The first 15 years of her law career, she practiced Corporate Business Law before moving her focus to Cannabis Law. Overcoming Adversity to Stick to the Vision & Mission Working with the ever-changing regulations as the governing organization develops them has been exciting and a challenge. As well overcoming the stigma that is attached to the Cannabis industry regarding the medicinal purposes and recreational use. Operational Wisdom When you are approaching a crossroads and need to make a decision, trust your gut. It is easy to become overwhelmed in the pros and cons and weighing every option, but when you trust in you, you discover that you know what path to take. Connect with Trina at: brazeauseller.com For more Speaking of Business Podcasts visit speakingofbusinessshow.com.  

Katherine Cooligan is the Regional Managing Partner at Borden, Ladner, Gervais LLP. Katherine is a practicing lawyer who specializes in family law.  Katherine has faced many adversities in her personal and professional life and her ability to overcome is inspirational and has helped her reach her goals.    IN THIS INTERVIEW:   How It Began  Katherine found her passion for Family Law while working at her uncle’s law office during high school and during under grad program.  She was exposed to many areas of the law but felt most connected to family law because of the personal connection with her clients.  Overcoming Adversity to Stick to the Vision & Mission  One of Katherine’s most challenging experiences was the loss of her five-month-old son on the day she became Partner at Gowlings Law Firm. The experience profoundly changed her life and brought a depth of compassion and understanding that has translated to her passion to help families during times of crisis and need. When Katherine started her law career, leadership positions in law where predominantly filled by men. There has been a considerable shift towards balance in more recent years thanks to women like Katherine who has become part of a select group of female leaders and partners in law.  Operational Wisdom Your path to what you call success does not have to be a straight line, most often it is not. Katherine encourages others to expect delays, expect bumps in the road. make the adjustments necessary, ask for support and step back if necessary but do not step out.    Connect with Katherine at: blghttps://blg.com/en/Our-People/Cooligan-Katherine Tedx Talk: Tackling Fear and Unleashing your Full Potential  For more Speaking of Business Podcasts visit speakingofbusinessshow.com.  

Jennifer McGahan is the owner and principle designer at Jennifer McGhahan Interiors, which specializes in high-end renovation or decor projects. Jennifer started her business in 2008 when she was a stay-at-home mom. She took courses at night to get her qualifications and acquire the tools she needed to be successful. In 2012, on the heels of her marriage dissolving she had to make a decision to jump in with both feet or find a new direction.    IN THIS INTERVIEW:   How It All Began  In 2015 Jennifer's business really started to accelerate, which meant she quickly needed to hire her first employee and then within six months, hired several more. Now, in 2019 the business has outgrown its current location and they are upgrading to accommodate their needs.   Overcoming Adversity to Stick to the Vision & Mission  Getting funding for the business as a women-owned business has been a big hurdle. Only 4% of venture capital money is going to businesses that are owned by women. Jennifer built a million-dollar business on a ten-thousand dollar line of credit.  Operational Wisdom New hires must be a good fit on the team to compliment and enhance the synergy between the team members.  The importance of finding your tribe, a mentor or a coach who can help to guide you when you are at a crossroads and need to make critical decisions.  When scaling your business, the areas that have the biggest risk often present the biggest opportunities.  Connect with Jennifer at: jennifermcgahaninteriors.com For more Speaking of Business Podcasts visit speakingofbusinessshow.com.  

Allyson Chisnall is the CFO & COO of MediaStyle - an impact communications company that serves clients who are focused on making Canada a better place through their campaigns, concepts and ideas. IN THIS INTERVIEW:    How It All Began  Allyson started her first business in 2005 as an independent Financial Controller for small businesses. In 2009, she met the founder of MediaStyle and became an advisor to the new company. When it came time for MediaStyle to scale up, Allyson was invited into the CFO position.  Overcoming Adversity to Stick to the Vision & Mission  In high school, Allyson was told she should not go into accounting because women should not be accountants, this sparked her "oh yeah, watch me" attitude.  Further in her career her ability was doubted simply because she was a woman in what was (at the time) a male-dominated industry. This fueled her and Allyson quickly earned the supervisor position at the accounting company at which she worked. Allyson's biggest challenge at MediaStyle was adapting to working with creative individuals and concepts where there can be many good choices as opposed to the one right way of accounting.    Operational Wisdom Constantly learning to bring new systems, and checks & balances into the business to improve function and efficiency. Have a board of mentors, not just a coach. A group where many different perspectives can come together and share ideas for you as you grow personally and professionally.    Building Culture Weekly Team Lunches Quarterly retreats with education and social activity Flex time and fitness benefits Encouraging feedback from team members on what they want and need to be successful and happy.    Connect with Allyson at: mediastyle.ca.  For more Speaking of Business Podcasts visit speakingofbusinessshow.com.  

Emily Bertrand has always had a passion for horses. She started riding at a very young age and fell in love with them immediately.  Being with horses helped Emily at various times throughout her youth and this was a catalyst for wanting to create Royale Equestrian Centre, a place where she could give back through horses.    IN THIS INTERVIEW:   How It All Began  Emily was searching for a barn that had all the facilities and qualities that she wanted. When she could not find one that was just the right fit she began to build her own. She started in 2007 with two horses and one paddock. She now have forty-two horses and many other animals. Overcoming Adversity to Stick to the Vision & Mission  Being dedicated to learning each detail of a new business is what Emily had to do - from hiring, stocking, building relationships with other companies to collaborate and how to manage cash flow.   Operational Wisdom Do not underestimate the amount of time things take and have patience when you are building your systems. Budget and plan in advance. Find a mentor who can help guide you to make informed decisions. Building Culture Have frequent meetings with staff, and develop a sense of community among the members of the team.  

Amy Friesen started in the retirement industry in 2004 working mostly in marketing and in several residences. While she loved her work, she began to feel like she wanted to have a bigger impact in the retirement community.  Since 2014, Amy has built two business to better serve the retirement community and continues to develop and grow Tea and Toast as well as thelocalsenior.com   Tea & Toast specialize in retirement living, long-term care and helps individuals and families find the right retirement home for their loved ones. The Local Senior is a community for businesses to come together and showcase their products or services to people who are looking for senior services. IN THIS INTERVIEW:   How It All Began  Early in her career in the retirement industry, Amy found herself running into a lot of barriers regarding how and where she could provide the type of service that the community was looking for.  Amy felt she had many ideas and skills that she could implement but felt stuck in the role and department she worked in. When she was caught up in a string of layoffs she saw her opportunity to start her entrepreneurial journey and implement her vision and mission. Overcoming Adversity to Stick to the Vision & Mission  The move from solopreneur to having many team members is difficult, but hiring the right people and trusting in their abilities is the key to success. Operational Wisdom The greatest lesson around being a mother and an entrepreneur - there is no perfect time or correct blueprint to follow, you need to find your own balance and practice being kind to yourself when thing don’t go according to plan.  Trusting your intuition to lead you in the right direction. Building Culture The cornerstone is having respect for each team member, encouraging open communication, having common goals and aligning the vision and mission. Connect with Amy at: teaandtoast.ca & thelocalsenior.com For more Speaking of Business Podcasts visit speakingofbusinessshow.com  .  

Following our interview with Sean MacGinnis of BuildAble (check out Episode 32), we scheduled a behind-the-scenes interview on what of his project sites. Sean and his clients were kind enough to show us what they did for a couple who needed to transform their home to make it accessible to their second-floor bedroom and master bathroom. In this interview, Sean takes us into the couple's home and showcases the work they did, including a full bathroom renovation and the installation of an elevator. Yes! An elevator! Thank you for sharing Sean! We love what you do! To get in touch with Sean and his team, go to their website at BuildAble.ca.   For additional episodes of the Speaking of Business show, visit www.SpeakingofBusinessShow.com.  

Sue Hameed is a mortgage broker & co-owner of Platinum Mortgages Ottawa. Sue grew up in an entrepreneurial family. She watched and then helped her parents build a business from nothing into a very successful venture. Through her experiences in the family business, becoming a mother and the desire to find balance in her life so she could care for herself, her family and her business, Sue learned to overcome adversity by keeping a strong mindset. In This Interview: How It All Began At a young age, Sue learned entrepreneurship as she worked alongside her parents in the family business co-managing the operations. Just several weeks before Sue was due to give birth to her first child, her father had a heart attack. In an effort to alleviate stress from him as he recovered, she went back to work soon after giving birth, bringing her newborn son into the office with her every day.. Overcoming Adversity When Sue became pregnant with her 2nd child she knew she had to make a change as she did not want to keep doing what she was doing and the way she was doing it. She had the vision of stepping into work where she could create her own hours, have no ceiling on her potential income and be there for her children, bringing more balance to her life. With little experience in the financial industry, and many hurdles to overcome, she applied herself and learned not to dwell in the negative but spend time and focus on improving her skills, her abilities and her education. Leadership Growing a team that now has eleven members, Sue started with the vision of growing organically, through leading by example, with smart branding and marketing. Her vision and dedication has earned her awards such as the CMP Young Guns Award - Top 55 in Canada and the Mortgage Alliance Network Top 5% Award The Future Sue is striving to achieve balance in her personal and professional life as she knows the importance of making herself a priority. Moving forward she continues to create a better customer experience through yourvirtualmortgage.com and grow the Platinum Mortgages Ottawa team where they provide guidance and education in many areas such as: • Residential • Commercial • First mortgages • Purchases • Renewals • Refinances • Bankruptcy • Proposals    Connect with Sue at:  platinummortgagesottawa.com and yourvirtualmortgage.com.   For additional episodes of the Speaking of Business show, visit www.SpeakingofBusinessShow.com.  

Tarah Sly is a child of parental divorce. She never expected to have gone through what she did but as a teenager who lived through the separation of her parents, she knew she wanted something difference for others, as children and adults.    Through her professional and personal growth, she has discovered a deep desire to make a difference in the lives of those affected by divorce. She is now the co-owner of the Clarity Divorce Centre, (formerly known as the Separation and Divorce Resource Centre), the Operations Manager and is the child and youth councilor at the centre.     IN THIS INTERVIEW:  How It All Began  Tarah shares her journey of being a child of divorce to finding her voice and her passion by helping those who struggle through the overwhelm, and often debilitating experience, of divorce.     You will also learn about the history of the Clarity Divorce Centre which lies in her parents’ divorce. Diane Valiquette, Tarah’s mother, started her business to help those struggling through divorce so that they could feel supported and not feel alone. Today, the Centre’s impact is far and wide.    Overcoming Adversity to Stick to the Vision & Mission  Running a separation and divorce centre is not easy. Tarah shares the struggles they have had to overcome building a business that has far reaches today in the field of divorce, and the services they have come to offer through their growth.    The future  The vision of the Clarity Divorce Centre is to have all services available under one roof that a person may need while going through a separation or divorce. They focus on collaborating with highly qualified and experienced practitioners in every field of service they provide such as:    Mediation  Legal advice  Family support  Child and youth counselling  Post-divorce recovery  Therapy/counselling  Financial counsel  Workshops/education    Connect with Tarah at: claritydivorce.com      For more Speaking of Business Podcasts visit speakingofbusinessshow.com     

Adriana Olvera is the General Manager of Thorncliffe Place Retirement Residence In Ottawa. Before she moved to Canada, Adriana worked in a Children’s Hospital Social Services Department in Mexico.   Adriana has been the General Manager of Thorncliffe Place for five years and has been a member of the Thorncliffe team for ten. Starting as the receptionist where she learned the foundation of how the residence operates she then moved into sales and marketing and now runs operations at Thorncliffe.    Challenges:  Adapting to and learning a new culture in Canada  Learning new business terminology and policies  Managing a team of 54 members    Operational Lessons:  How to trust and delegate to the Managers in each department of operations    Building Culture:   Helping team members grow personally and professionally through training    Daily staff huddle where concerns can be heard and positive experiences can be shared by each team member    Operational Wisdom:  Finding your work-life balance so you can be fully present and engaged    The happiness of your team is important; when you take good care of your people they will take good care of the business    Connect with Adriana at: ThorncliffePlace.com    For more Speaking of Business Podcasts visit: speakingofbusinessshow.com 

Terry Black, Regional Manager with Visavie, started her career as a Senior Living Advisor nearly four years ago. As the company grew, she felt the desire to move into a leadership role. Now she oversees other senior living advisors and helps them to grow their clientele, while running the operations of the company.    In her new role, she is learning to navigate the transition from being a colleague to a manager, and she is also learning how to improve communication while providing support to her team.    In this interview:   Moving from colleague to manager, how to navigate the change in role.  Learning new communication skills to assist and grow the team.  An impromptu tour of the suite gives you a behind-the-scenes look at what Terry and her team do as senior living advisors and what to look for when downsizing to a retirement residence.  A delightful interview with one of Terry’s past clients, a 90-year-old woman who shares her story of being reunited with her husband    Resources Mentioned:  Book: Radical Candor by Kim Scott  Book: Dare to lead by Brené Brown Connect with Terry at: visavie.com   For more Speaking of Business Podcasts visit: speakingofbusinessshow.com  

Stayci Keetch is the Owner and Operator of On Brand by Stayci Keetch. In just two years, Stayci went from being an employee in a media company, to an award winning business owner.  Stayci built her production skills and talent as a television producer for YTV, HGTV & The Food Network but after an illness, she refocused her priorities and transitioned into web development. While in this latter industry, video production kept calling her back which prompted her to start Eyes on Ottawa, which has grown and evolved into On Brand by Stayci Keetch.  The vision of On Brand by Stayci Keetch is to be the behind-the-scenes support for her clients not only in the production of their video content but also in their overall branding efforts.  Challenges:  • Recognizing when to bring on employees instead of doing everything yourself  • When it’s time to increase your fees while staying aligned with your value  Building Culture:  • Stayci is scaling her business by building a virtual team. The team members of On Brand by Stayci Keetch are located around the world. She focuses on the outcome of projects, not the process. Virtual team members are able to design their own workflow, and are free to be involved in other projects.  Operational Wisdom:  • Have strong systems in place to support each operation in your business.  • Be open to the opportunity when new team members “fall into your lap”.  • Hire people who share the same values and can integrate easily into the team.  • Hire for the workflow, this is what is great about the Gig Economy. This will reduce your overhead and allow you to be intentional with every client you take on.    Connect with Stayci at:  StayciKeetch.com

  Stayci Keetch is the Owner and Operator of On Brand by Stayci Keetch. In just two years, Stayci went from being an employee in a television production, to an award winning business owner.  Stayci built her production skills and talent as a television producer for YTV, HGTV & The Food Network but after an illness, she refocused her priorities and transitioned into web development. While in this latter industry, video production kept calling her back which prompted her to start Eyes on Ottawa, which has grown and evolved into On Brand by Stayci Keetch.  The vision of On Brand by Stayci Keetch is to be the behind-the-scenes support for her clients not only in the production of their video content but also in their overall branding efforts.    In This Episode – Take One    During the video interview of this podcast, two cameras stopped working. Ironic when you consider I was interviewing the expert, the videographer and television pro. Because the first episode recording was so good, I'm sharing it with you as it is worth sharing. Be sure to listen to the second interview (actually 3rd) too! It’s really good and we’d love to hear if you agree!    Connect with Stayci at  StayciKeetch.com

We recently had to let go of a long-time employee. When he first joined our team, he was an excellent employee and a stellar team member. This year, things started to change and issues in his personal life starting to affect his performance. We didn’t know the extent of the damage he was creating in our team culture and operations until an incident revealed the truth. What I share in this episode of Speaking of Business is how the realization of what was truly happening in our business caused us to reevaluate our systems and implement fundamental changes to support each team member. Here is the story.   Challenges:  When a star employee turns into a bad apple, how do you handle it? What can you do to support your team, the culture and your operations?  Building Culture:   Each employee is a member of the team. Building culture means ensuring each person is supported during challenging times and can be honest when things are not going as planned and expected.  Support for each member of the team has many layers. Ensuring that there are systems and processes in place to support your team is vital to your business success.   Operational Wisdom:   Having an open-door policy sounds is easy to say and yet, ensuring your team feels comfortable sharing their honest experience with you is the true test of your open-door policy. How can you test your open-door policy with your team?  Read the article that shares further tips and lessons learned on my blog at http://pierretteraymond.com/when-a-star-employee-turns-into-a-bad-apple.   For more Speaking of Business Podcasts visit: www.SpeakingofBusinessShow.com.  

Stephanie Allen is the COO of ecentricarts inc., a digital marketing agency. Stephanie has been with ecentricarts for seven years and has been the COO for the past two years. The company is based in Toronto and creates inclusive, purposeful digital experiences for organizations in the B2B and Not for Profit sectors.  Stephanie’s areas of focus are supporting the CEO in growing the company and overseeing the merger that ecentricarts is currently in the midst of. She is responsible for the health of the organization’s culture, financials, and project management in collaboration with seven department leaders in the organization.  Stephanie developed a passion for creating an exceptional customer experience as a young entrepreneur when she created, grew and sold her first company before she went to University. Through her dedication and hard work she developed an appreciation for what it takes to be a business owner and be in control of your success.  See recognized she loved to help owners grow their vision and positioned herself through education in business strategy and finance to be able to earn the role of COO as ecentricarts grew.  Stephanie’s future vision for ecentricarts is that after the merger is complete, the best aspects of both companies will have been brought together to move forward as a new stronger brand while continuing to improve and care for the culture. In this episode Moving from middle management to COO How shifting from being a doer with clearly defined roles and expectations to a leader that inspires and supports others to take action made a big difference in her new role. Leading by example with energy and intention, especially in difficult situations, helped her through challenging conversations. Building Culture How to develop an environment where teams can come together, discuss tough issues and create action plans that focus on utilizing everyone’s superpower in a way that supports the vision of the company and each member on the team. The on boarding and training framework that Stephanie developed which improved the on-boarding success rate of their team members. How the framework for the technicians helped them to move into leadership roles. How a scorecard for each department leader helped them to create stronger relationships with their executive team.  Operational Wisdom It is important to know where you are, where you want to go, how you want to be of service, and where you and the others around you need to be in alignment. Recognize when you feel frustrated, challenged or pushed and what the root cause is. Is your mindset focused on what is best for the business’s priorities or on your own agenda?  “When you put something in place, you have to give it time to come to life.”  Connect with Stephanie at: www.ecentricarts.com.  

Sean McGuiness is the president and managing partner of BuildAble. Sean, along with his co-founder and wife, Kyla Cullain have created an incredible business in their community as Ottawa’s premiere accessibility company, specializing in barrier-free and accessible home and business renovations with a team of registered health professionals and renovations experts.  Sean and his team have a big vision to make Ottawa inclusive by opening up the barriers in homes and in businesses so that those who face mobility challenges have access to safe and accessible spaces and environments.     Operational Lessons:  Cashflow - In construction, understanding the in-and-out flow of materials and labour.     Staffing - The importance of finding the people that are the right fit for the needs and vision of the company.     Building Culture:   Strategies for all staff to come together, voice concerns and brainstorm solutions.     Culture-building events for staff and their families    Ongoing – the benefits of keeping everyone on the team informed on the direction and vision of the company     How open communication is the cornerstone of building relationships with all staff and the success of their company.    Operational Wisdom:  When facing adversity, avoid overwhelm by stepping back and making a solid plan of action that involves all members of your team.      Connect with Sean at: buildable.ca .  

Welcome to the premiere episode of Speaking of Business, the podcast where COO’s and Second In Commands come for guidance, support and tips and strategies to grow their businesses, improve operations and build world class cultures.   Your host is Pierrette Raymond, who will take you behind the scenes with COO’s providing you with insight into their day-to-day operations, what is working for them and what they have learned through the challenges they have faced as well as how they continue to grow their company in the role of COO or 2nd In Command.   Through Speaking of Business, Pierrette will bring to you CEO’s and business owners who have a deep commitment to support their COOs and 2nd In Commands and showcase what they do to support them as they work together to grow their company, support their people and make an impact in the world, and in their communities.  Speaking of Business has its roots in The Living Fully Show. After 106 Episodes, the time to pivot into the next phase begun Pierrette opened up her private coaching and consulting practice to work with COOs and 2nd In Commands.     In This Episode  Listening to your own voice and trusting your intuition is key to your success and fulfillment.   Get recognition and affirmation from your results in these proven ways.  Map out the journey for the next 3 weeks, 3 months, 3 years.  Take deliberate and conscious action everyday.   Surround yourself with people who believe in you and will support you.      Connect with Pierrette at: PierretteRaymond.com   For more information about the COO Alliance visit: PierretteRaymond.com/groups .    

Heather Cameron is the owner of Ignite Your Market and she is a business coach for entrepreneurial women who are ready to step into their greatness, grow their businesses and give more to themselves, their business and their community.   After a twenty-year career in the IT sector, Heather went back to school and earned her Degree in Adult Education and Executive Business Coaching.   In This Episode:  Pierrette and Heather talk about times of transition, how to re-discover your vision, and re-introduce yourself into your business and your life after deeply challenging times.  How Heather came to decide to put her life and business on hold to take care of her aging parents.  What Heather discovered when she had to face the challenge of changing family dynamics.  How Heather had to learn to navigate the Healthcare system and advocate for her loved ones.  When she knew it was time to ask for help.  Lessons learned that she’d like to share.   What she felt after her world began to open up again after her taxing caregiving journey.  To learn more and connect with Heather, go to: igniteyourmarket.com. To connect with Pierrette, go to www.PierretteRaymond.com. 

Colleen Mooney is the Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa. Colleen oversees all operations that include after school, evening, weekend and summer programming for children and youth ages 6-18 living in vulnerable and at risk neighbourhoods.    Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa has been serving the community since 1923. The organization is built on these four pillars:   Education - Homework Club, Tutoring, Scholarships for post-secondary, mentoring.  Physical Activity and healthy Lifestyle - Free competitive sports league.  Creative Arts programs - Signing, Dancing, Art.   Leadership - Leaders For Life Program  The Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa is looking for Alumni from the past 95 years who have stories or photos to share to connect with bgcottawa.org to help be apart of the 100th year celebration.   To Support and connect with Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa go to: bgcottawa.org  Thank you Sally Guest for choosing the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa as her recipient in the One Million Ten Million Project and helping to raise awareness for this amazing program.  For more information on the One Million Ten Million Project go to: 1m10mproject.com.  

Pat Mussieux is an Author and Professional Speaker with an incredible story to tell about how she stopped compromising and took control of her life and business. Pat is also a Business Coach to new and experienced Entrepreneurs.  Pat’s new book,  Stop Compromising and Make All the Money You Want! A Do-It-Yourself Guide for Starting Up and Starting Over is for those who feel they are at a crossroad, feel stuck, or not as connected to their work and need to pivot. Pat’s first big pivot was ten years ago after a friend asked her, “When are you going to start living?” The realization that she was not happy was like a slap in the face. Pat picked up and moved across the country to start fresh.   Her next big pivot came recently after the passing of a very close friend. Pat was by her side as she fought a lengthy battle with cancer. Being with her throughout her experience and during her final days gave Pat the nudge she needed to shift focus so she could live fully. Pat began to implement five non-negotiable daily habits around health and wellness that she believes transforms your body, your business, and your life.   Pat’s advice when you are at a crossroad and/or need to pivot:   Be still and listen to your gut  Know your vision  Create your action plan and the 5 W’s:  Why am I doing this?  What do I want to deliver?  Who is the audience?  Where am I going to do it?  When am I going to do it?  To connect with Pat visit her website at  www.hirepat.com. For more information and to connect with Pierrette, go to www.PierretteRaymond.com.    .

Dr. Jamal Alsharif is the Founder and President of Humans For Peace Institution, a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to working with Canadians from all backgrounds to address social change.   He is the recipient of the Senate of Canada Sesquicentennial Medal, the Province of Ontario Volunteer Award, he has also received awards from the Council of Arab League Ambassadors in Canada and holds a PhD in Surgery.    His focus is on connecting families, children and community. Most recently, he brought together Syrian children together to create a beautiful initiative to give back to the community through different causes such as CHEO, the Canadian Blood Services, and The Ottawa Inuit's Children Centre. His drive and passion promotes social change, gender equality and empowerment of female immigrants as well as youth and children with PTSD.   To support and connect with the Humans For peace Institution go to: humanspeace.org. For more information about Pierrette, go to www.PierretteRaymond.com. 

Jessica Hansen is Kiva’s Global Engagement Manager. She strives to connect with people all over the world to share the Kiva vision and mission. Kiva is a platform where lenders and borrowers can connect to receive micro loans.  Kiva is an international nonprofit, founded in 2005 and headquartered in San Francisco, with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Kiva celebrates and supports people looking to create a better future for themselves, their families and their communities. Anyone can help a borrower start or grow a business, go to school, access clean energy or realize their potential. For some, it’s a matter of survival, for others it’s the fuel for a life-long ambition. 100% of every dollar lent on Kiva goes to funding loans. Kiva covers costs primarily through optional donations, as well as through support from grants and sponsors.   Thank you to Pat Mussieux for choosing Kiva as her recipient in the One Million Ten Million Project and helping to raise awareness for this amazing program.   To support and connect with Kiva go to: kiva.org   For more information on the One Million Ten Million Project go to: 1m10mproject.com

Kris Putnam-Walkerly is a Global Philanthropy Advisor. She helps high net-worth donors, philanthropic families and individuals, as well as grant-making foundations ensure their donations are making the greatest impact on the issue, cause or community that they care about.   Kris’s mission and vision was seeded in high school and her interest grew in college as she completed courses like Political Science and Anthropology. After graduating, Kris accepted a job in San Francisco as a Political Organizer where she worked on creating change in United States Policy and supporting Human Rights in El-Salvador. She then also completed a Masters Degree in Social Work.  An Evaluation course on how to assess the impact of social programs in her Graduate School program was the next step towards Kris’s vision and mission. Today, her impact is far-reaching as she continues to connect causes and endeavors that are important to those who can contribute and benefit the most.     In this Episode:  What Kris needed to do from within when she was stepping into her vision and mission as a consultant.   Community of support. Evolving knowledge and skills. Just go for it.  Overcoming Self-doubt  Marketing and offering value    Self-care  Structuring your work around what you want and need in your life  Advice for creating your vision and mission   Taking an inventory of your business and life; find what brings joy, and what takes it away, and focus on your efforts.     To learn more and connect with Kris, go to: putnam-consulting.com    Resources:    Confident Giving Book by Kris Putnam-Walkerly  Kris Putnam-Walkerly’s Live Stream Series  Million Dollar Consulting Book by Alan Weiss    

Rachel Bar is a Canada's National Ballet School Alumni, the Manager of the Health and Research Initiatives and the Sharing Dance With People With Parkinson’s program.   Sharing Dance With People With Parkinson’s is a program that is run at no cost to the participants. The combination of mobility, getting exercise and participating in a social setting has many benefits for people with Parkinson’s. The creative and artistic component also allows the participants to express themselves where they may have lost that ability in other areas of their life.     Thank you to Karlee Vukets for choosing Sharing Dance With People With Parkinson’s as her recipient in the One Million Ten Million Project and helping to raise awareness for this amazing program.      To support and connect with Sharing Dance With People With Parkinson’s go to: nbs-enb.ca       For more information on the One Million Ten Million Project go to: 1m10mproject.com 

In this episode, Pierrette speaks with three visionaries at Lara Wellman’s Inspire & Connect Event who are living their vision and mission in their life and in their business. They share from their experience some tips and tools for other entrepreneurs and talk about how their visions and missions have evolved through the years.     In this episode: Lara Wellman is the founder of Inspire & Connect. Lara works with small business owners to bring clarity and focus to their vision and mission, to help them build a business and life that are synergistic and that they love. Lara helps them to understand where they are, where they need to go, and what they need to do to get there.   “ I love to show people how to not feel like that they have to sacrifice what they love and what they want to achieve the goals that they think they should have.”  Connect with Lara: thebiz.studio    ————  Liz Raymond is a Business Organizer who helps Visionaries and Entrepreneurs understand their numbers, make sense of their financial reports . personal development   “ Get yourself organized, you will save so much of your time and money.”  Connect with Liz: lizmraymond.com  ————  Stayci Keetch Is the CEO and Creative Director of Eyes On Ottawa. Stayci helps Visionaries and Entrepreneurs clarify and deliver their message to their audience through video.    “ Not just a video because everyone else has one, we talk about what you need and create a video solution specific to you.”   Connect with Stayci: eyesonottawa.com To connect with Pierrette, go to: pierretteraymond.com 

Pamela Owunta, MSW, is the Director of Dress For Success Atlanta, a local branch of the international not-for-profit organization Dress for Success. This organization has been helping women in 150 cities across 30 countries. Through their programs, coaching and mentoring opportunities, including their personal branding experience, they have helped over a million women to reach their professional goals.  They encourage women who are unemployed or underemployed to tap into their resources, which builds self-confidence and enables them to secure long-term employment. Once they have found that employment, Dress For Success Atlanta continues to support them through ongoing professional development through workshops, courses and additional resources so they can retain that employment and reach their career goals.     Services provided:   Job Readiness Program - a nine-week job-ready bootcamp.  Suiting Program - Women receive the professional attire they need for the workplace, which includes clothing, jewelry, footwear and accessories.   Professional Woman’s Group: Employment retention program through a network of support.    Thank you to Deborah Hightower for choosing Dressed for Success Atlanta as her recipient in the One Million Ten Million Project, and for being such a generous supporter of their local work and programs.    To support and connect with Dress For Success Atlanta visit: atlanta.dressforsuccess.org    For more information on the One Million Ten Million Project visit: 1m10mproject.com 

Last August, while sitting outside on her back porch on a sunny afternoon, Pierrette started to dream about what would be possible if she could step into working with the people that could really use her guidance, support, and expertise, to elevate their lives and their legacy.    As she remembered her first big vision and mission, that of starting Women Moving Forward, an organization of over 1200 members, long before social media, from 2002-2008, she looked back wishing she had a visionary coach to help her. She felt so alone in how to grow her vision and mission, despite having a stellar advisory board. Neither of them had ever grown communities before, again, long before social media, and Pierrette had to learn through trial and many, many errors. In this episode, on the heels of a five-day writing retreat in the Canadian Rockies, she shares what she now does as her process when she is faced with opportunity that could potential take her vision and mission to a whole new level. How do you weigh a good opportunity against a bad one? She has learned through many bad mistakes what is right for her, and what is not, and she shares the process she uses to walk you through an opportunity which can then help you to decide if it’s a good investment, a good fit, or not.    In this episode:  Pierrette shares the six questions she always asks herself and how she used them to determine if the writing retreat was a good fit or not. Here are the questions to ask yourself:  What is piquing your interest around that opportunity?  Can you afford the opportunity, financially and energetically? Can you afford not to?  If you say yes to this opportunity, how will it help you reach your short and long-term goals?  Would you have regret if you chose not to invest in this opportunity?  What kind of support will you need to say yes to the opportunity?  Do you believe in yourself enough to say yes?  As you step into your own vision and mission, opportunities will present themselves. Saying yes to the right ones can support you in ways beyond measure.  Read the blog post that inspired this episode at, “Say Yes to Your Dream”.   To get your 14 Point Vision Strength Assessment and the 7 Steps to Create Your Vision & Mission webinar, go to pierretteraymond.com. 

Marc Hall-Jacquin is the executive Director of Shelter Movers, a non-profit moving and storage service for women and children who are fleeing abuse. Shelter Movers opened their doors in 2016 and have grown their services over a short period of time. Their ultimate goal is to have the ability to service every women’s shelter in Ottawa by the end of 2018.   Shelter Movers is driven by its volunteers and the other organizations that provide services to women and children leaving domestic violence and abuse. Shelter Movers coordinates moving vans, boxes, packing, storage and even private security during the move when it is needed.     Thank you to Michelle Thibodeau for choosing Shelter Movers as her recipient in the One Million Ten Million Project.     To support and connect with Shelter Movers visit: www.sheltermovers.com    For more information and to participate in the One Million Ten Million Project visit: 1m10mproject.com 

Do you feel like things have changed in your business, in your vision and mission? Are you at a crossroad or having to make a decision to uplevel, change or pivot? In this episode, Pierrette shares the changes that she is currently experiencing and what you she is applying as she pivots and moves into a new and more aligned direction.    What you will hear is that the Living Fully Show is going through its own transition. What used to be a good name for the show has evolved. It is no longer the focus of the show, although living fully will remain a theme.   As you listen to the episode, ask yourself what you can do to pivot and grow into the evolution of your own business, vision and mission. Use what she shares to guide you through your time of transition and growth. And be sure to leave a comment or questions if this subject resonates with you, and let us know what is shifting, changing and moving forward for you.    In This Episode:  Assess what is important to keep  What is shifting? What has changed?  How to roll it out to your community   Do what is best for you  Do not wait for the perfect time    Resources:  collaborationswithimpact.com  To connect with Pierrette, go to: pierretteraymond.com  

Kia Rainbow is the Executive Director of Interval House Ottawa. Kia is at the centre of the organization’s operations and is the liaison between the staff, board of directors and funders. Kia also teaches a Social Work program at Carleton University and has thirty years of experience working in the field of violence against women.      Interval House Ottawa is a shelter for abused women, their children and their family pets.    Interval House Ottawa has been in operation since 1976 started by a grassroots feminist organization with just four beds operating on donations from the community. Interval House Ottawa now has thirty beds, a transitional program and crisis helpline. They operate 24/7 to serve the community.      Thank you to Tania Tack for choosing Interval House as her recipient in the One Million Ten Million Project.    To support and connect with Interval House Ottawa go to: www.intervalhouseottawa.org    For more information on the One Million Ten Million Project go to: 1m10mproject.com 

Sally Guest has been moving forward through many of life's transitions. She has been stepping into being a visionary and an entrepreneur by listening to her own voice and taking action. It hasn't been easy but she's learned a great deal that she shares in this interview.    In this episode:    How Sally listened to her inner voice and decided to take action Getting over the big hurdles Letting go of limiting perspectives  Looking within to create a shift  Self-care and recharging   Writing down your vision to make it a reality     Sally Guest is a change facilitator, leadership coach, trainer, and founder of Women In Progress, a movement that started from deep desire to help other women step into their power and let go negativity that is holding them back.     Sally, alongside two colleagues has recently launched The Global Coaches Collective, an  organization that is committed to supporting, developing, training and connecting some of the worlds leading coaches, consultants, mentors and trainers.    To connect with Sally, visit her website at: sallyguest.com and for more information on the Global Coaches Collective visit: jointhegcc.com. 

Lindsey Barr is the Founder and Executive Director of World-Changing Kids, an organization she developed from her belief that it takes a village to raise a child, and her desire to be an integral part of her children’s community.   World-Changing Kids is an educational organization dedicated to character building, leadership development and community growth through acts of kindness and compassion.   World-Changing Kids started with a book, “Plant A Garden Of Kindness”, which is filled with acts of kindness that children can do in their community to make it a friendlier place.   A new program called “Learn More Do Better” is a subscription-based program for families sent via email, which serves as conversation starters and opens the dialogue and learning within the family around kindness, doing and being good, while contributing to their local communities.   In September, World-Changing Kids will host their Annual Kids Love Peace Festival - 2 days of free children's programming as part of the Ottawa International Peace Festival.  And all families in Ottawa are invited to attend!   To support and connect with Lindsey and World-Changing Kids visit worldchangingkids.ca   For more information and to join the One Million Ten Million Project, go to 1m10mproject.com

In this episode, Pierrette peels away the layers around how you can use collaborations to increase awareness around your vision and mission, expand your reach and add a source of revenue to support the work that you do. From her in-depth experience collaborating in over 30 different ways with other visionaries and entrepreneurs for the past 22 years in business, Pierrette’s first-hand experience around what works, what doesn’t and how to avoid common and costly mistakes and pitfalls is shared openly and honestly in this episode.   Listen and learn how you can use the power of collaborations to take your vision and mission to a whole new level, reaching more people and creating a bigger impact.    In This Episode:   How collaborations help you get out of your way and build your self-confidence and eliminate self-doubt. The best practices to use to ensure your collaborations are a big success for all. Common and hidden mistakes that derail some of the best collaborations. The top 3 collaborations to start with to maximize your time, money, and exposure. To connect with Pierrette, go to pierretteraymond.com. For more information on using collaborations to create your greatest impact, go to at collaborationswithimpact.com.

Nathalie Lafreniere is the Executive Director of The Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre, a wonderful organization that is focused on providing a range of supportive community services that empowers people in their community to live healthy, happy lives.     Started in 1979 by a grassroots group of people who wanted to give back to their community, the EORC offers counselling services for children and youth, individual and group counselling for women who are fleeing abuse, and support programs for seniors to enable them to live at home, amongst some of their programs.    The Eastern Ottawa resource Centre also works in partnership with other community organizations such as The Parkinson's Society, Sandy Hill Community Health Centre and CHEO through their Speech and Language program for children.    To connect and support the work of the the Eastern Ottawa Resources Centre, visit the website at https://www.eorc-creo.ca/EORC     For more information about the One Million Ten Million Project and to participate by sharing the recipient of your choice go to: 1m10mproject.com 

Deborah Hightower is a best selling author, speaker and life-elevator. Being a visionary and entrepreneur often comes from an experience you had and your desire to help others avoid what you had to go through. You seek ways to make a difference but sometimes you feel unsure and you doubt your own intuitive knowing that what you should do is the right thing. In my interview, Deborah shares her story of being a young mother and high school dropout, and the path of success and meaning she found.  The challenges she overcame, the lessons she learned and the desire to help others will inspire you to listen to your own voice and follow the calling that is pulling you forward.   In this episode:   The beginning: a young mother who dropped out of high school Poised, prepared and in hot pursuit You have to know what you are saying What to do when you are ready to move forward Having a sign of purpose Her definition of Living Fully   Deborah's Recommended Resources: Sue Monk Kidd, When The Heart Waits Thich Nhat Hanh, The Art Of Power Shawn Achor, The Happiness Advantage   Deborah Hightower is a Best Selling Author, Speaker and Life-Elevator. She has been featured in many publications such as Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Miami Harold, Inc, and Forbes.  Deborah has been featured in on, CBC, CBS, Fox, and ABC and many more   To connect with Deborah, visit her website at: deborahhightower.com

Rachela Brisindi is the founder of The Good Human Experiment, an fantastic organization on a mission to inspire us all to be more intentional about our day-to-day interactions. She believes that acting with more goodness, empathy, compassion, courtesy and patience will leave you feeling happier and fulfilled with a better sense of overall well-being. Not only does she think you’ll feel the physiological & emotional benefits, but the goodness you put forth will cause a chain reaction in others to do the same – which can profoundly change the world we live in.     In this episode:    Get Happier – It’s proven that being kinder in your daily interactions can increase your overall happiness & well-being.  Start A Chain Reaction - What if it could change the trajectory of someone else’s life?  Change The World - What if the impact of your kindness was even bigger than you can imagine?    Receive daily inspiration and take the Free 30 Day Challenge to get happier and change the world at TheGoodHumanExperiment.com, 

Linda Babulic know the power of staying true to yourself. She understands how we can be pulled in so many directions and struggle to know where to put our focus, time and energy, which can lead to overwhelm and feeling stuck. In my interview with Linda Babulic, we discuss what you can do to let go of what no longer serves you, and your vision and mission, so that you can step fully into the work you feel called to do.      In this episode:  Saying yes, and not knowing where you are going  Value of service  Alignment of values  Energy in or energy out  Having fun while you are living your vision & mission  Self-care means engaging with family    Linda Babulic is a Personal Business Strategist, speaker, Amazon #1 best selling author of  ZEST Your Life - A Taste of Inner Wisdom; certified Dream Coach® and she leads a monthly ZEST Wisdom Circle.    Linda Babulic is fiercely committed to guiding women and men to move beyond their perceived limits so that they can have the life and business of their dreams. She looks at your life, your challenges, and what steps you need to take. If you are looking for a proven professional who can guide you to address the frustrations, fear and doubt that stand in your way of lasting success, you’ve come to the right place. With over 25 years of experience working with people from all walks of life — from The Right Honourable Kim Campbell, first female Prime Minister of Canada, to federal inmates serving life sentences, her mission is to move you to a place of power, perseverance and joy.    To connect with Linda, visit her website at: LindaBabulic.com 

Janet Gray knows that every business owners needs to understand the money picture in their business. Money is the fuel to your vision and mission. Without it, you will burn out in so many ways. Janet Gray understands the challenges visionaries and entrepreneurs face when it comes to money and funding the work they feel called to do. In this episode, Janet & I discuss the common mistakes visionaries make and what you can do to avoid them.     In this episode:  Money, the oxygen for your business  Knowing your numbers  Good debt versus bad debt  Identifying needs and wants  Self-care means learning to say no    Janet Gray is a Financial Planner and Money Coach with Money Coaches Canada, who helps other visionaries and entrepreneurs create a plan to fund their vision and mission. With now twenty years of experience in financial services, Janet started in the field to inform herself and show others how they too could be successful by delivering her message in a way they could understand and resonate with.       To connect with Janet, visit her website at: MoneyCoachesCanada.caJanetG

Holly Warner has taken her personal health concerns and turned it into a mission to help those gain a better understanding of what being healthy truly is. As you step fully into your vision and mission, you will need a special resolve to get you through some of the most challenging times. Holly Warner is no stranger to what it takes to stay the course when you are challenged by outside forces. But her resolve, and strong belief in herself and the important work that she does, paves the way for her to live her vision and mission to help women feel better and live fully. In this episode, you’ll learn what makes Holly such an incredible force and how setting boundaries truly helps her, and can help you too, every day.    In this episode:  Holly’s personal health concerns and how it inspired her mission & vision  Medical system handcuffs, as she calls it, that she faced in her work  Treating others with medicine and heart  Building the right team  Following your passion  Self-care equals clear boundaries  Celebrate your failures as much as your successes    Holly Warner, FDN-P is a leading Functional Diagnostic & Stress Management expert, as well as a Board Certified Holistic Practitioner. She is living her vision and mission as the founder of HollyWarnerHealth.com an expert on Women’s Hormones, Adrenal health and the Human Microbiome. Holly is a member of the Trubalance Healthcare Physicians Network for Bioidentical Hormones and has helped thousands of patients across Canada & United States achieve better health.       To connect with Holly, visit her website at: HollyWarnerHealth.com 

Elizabeth B. Crook believes that you have natural gifts and talents and yet, you may not trust in yourself to honor them fully. She has been in the field of professional development for a long time and it was  when she started honoring her natural abilities did she fully step into the work that had the most meaning and impact. In this episode, you’ll be inspired to trust in your own voice, tap into your natural abilities and talents, and live your mission and vision fully by honoring all of who you are.       In this episode:  The greatest gift that was given to her at a most unexpected time  How to say yes to your own inner voice even when you may be thinking “I’m probably wrong but…”  The Triple J - Judge, Jury and Jailor voice that is in your head  The self-care strategies that work for her  How the love of reading has impacted her life    Elizabeth B. Crook is the CEO of Orchard Advisors and the best-selling author of Live Large: The Achiever’s Guide To What's Next. For over twenty years Elizabeth has helped CEOs, entrepreneurs and visionaries think and act strategically to grow their companies’ bottom line and have more satisfaction. Elizabeth has years of business experience in different industries, cultures and economic and social environments, her insights adds value in this ever-changing world.      To connect with Elizabeth, visit her website at: elizabethbcrook.com 

Pat Obuchowski, is an executive and leadership coach and the Author of Gutsy Women Win: How to Get Gutsy and Get Going. Pat brings to her business over 20 years experience in leadership in companies such as Visa Int'l and General Electric. From a very young age Pat recognized that she did not want to follow the expected path. Pat knows what it takes to take your vision, live your mission and make it come to life.   In this episode: What brought you joy as a child could hold the answer you seek. How support can help you fast track your results. What is sustainable self-care? What to do when it gets challenging.    To connect with Pat , visit her website at: gutsywomenwin.com. 

Ke Ellerbe is a Life Coach and Founder of redesignofu.com. She helps people to recognize, plan for and achieve their vision and mission and realize “you can also do a little bit more to get a little bit more.” Ke had the six figure job but she knew there was a bigger vision and mission calling her to take a leap and create something new.     In this episode: Taking the leap and building your wings on the way down. Building blocks, and how getting uncomfortable will work. Surrounding yourself with the right support is key. What to do when you are feeling depleted.   To connect with Ke, visit her website at: redesignofu.com.

Judith Cane is Canada’s Money Coach and has been working in financial services for almost thirty years. She built an extensive portfolio of experience in Life Insurance sales, Investments, and Financial Planning before having her own full-circle practice. In 2010, she felt it was time to move from something that was unfulfilling and  create her vision to help people build the financial lives they were longing to have. As Canada's Money Coach, she is doing just that.    In this episode:   The moment Judith realized and said to her husband, “I hate my job.” How to plan and step into your vision with financial stability. The tools you need to be successful. How your spending may hindering your success and how to turn it around.   To connect with Judith, visit her website at: judithcane.com.

As a visionary and entrepreneur your wellbeing should be at the top of the priority list. Carol Egan is an Executive Health Coach, and it was through her journey of chronic illness and chronic pain that she created her vision to help others on their healing journeys.   You will understand the impact that her experience has had and why now she has the big vision and mission to help executives and professionals feel better in their daily lives. Carol has been featured in such publications as Forbes, The Huffington Post, Better Connecticut, Bellamia Magazine and eWN Podcast Network. You will be inspired by what she has done to live her vision and mission helping others be and feel well.   In this episode: Save My Sass Incorporated.  The baseline to all healing.  Carol’s top 3 action items to improve your health. How to allow your body to rebuild, rejuvenate and radiate.   Her top recommendations for self-care.       For more information and to contact Carol, visit www.carol-egan.com.

Amanda Sterczyk is the Founder of The Move More Institute. An initiative to help people add more natural, non-exercise activity to their daily lives. She uses her background in Social Psychology to compliment how she guides her clients in changing their daily behaviour and improve their physical health.    In this episode:   The moment Amanda realized exercises at the gym was not the full answer. The catalyst to start the Move More Institute. How her own injuries opened her eyes to her new path. Applying Nudge Theory to change your behaviour.    To connect with Amanda, visit her website at: www.themovemoreinstitute.com.

Leading up to her 40th birthday, Rachela started to reflect on her professional life. She wished she had done something to make more of an impact. After learning about a health crisis of one of her family members and she becoming pregnant, she knew she wanted to leave a legacy, but struggled with the question of “what difference can one person make?” With a vision and mission of spreading, sharing and growing empathy and compassion, The Good Human Experiment was created.      In this episode:   What is Human Design Reading? The first 30 day challenge and the impact it made. Saying one thing can change everything. A challenge for mindfulness and connection.     For more information on Rachela and The Good Human Experiment go to: thegoodhumanexperiment.com.

Pierrette Raymond is your host and creator of the Living Fully Show, where visionaries and entrepreneurs like you tap into expert tips and tools, inspirational interviews and strategies to awaken your dreams, create your visions, live your mission and have the impact you know you are destined to make. Pierrette is a multi-business owner and visionary herself. She knows what it feels like to have a big vision, to feel called to bring it to life, and get stuck in overwhelm and self-doubt. In the Living Fully Show, Pierrette will teach you how to breakthrough obstacles and challenges that are getting in your way. She interviews other visionaries and entrepreneurs who share their stories and experiences, so that you can have avoid common pitfalls, learn to take better care of you and your overall wellbeing, and live the vision and mission that is calling you forward.   In this episode: The first vision and mission come to life unexpectedly. One million women, ten million lives. The realization that visionaries do not quit. How to fully step into your vision and live your mission. The goal of the Living Fully Show and the impact you know you are destined to make.   To connect with Pierrette, visit her website at: pierretteraymond.com.