The Catalyst with Samantha Kris

Duku spent the first ten years of his life in a Ugandan refugee camp. He had no idea an entire world existed around him and that one day he'd be traveling across the globe in pursuit of his wildest dreams. Duku has proven that with a little creativity and sticktoitiveness dreams really do come true, even when the odds are stacked against you.  Connect with Duku on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and via his website.

At the age of 11, Aisha's life changed forever when child services took her and her siblings away from their parents. She learned early on that not all change can be planned for and not all forced change is bad. She shares how the adversity she faced taught her to lean in life's plan, choose herself first, and walk away from that which does not serve her. Connect with Aisha on Instagram or through her website.

A two month summer break turned into an unexpected five month hiatus but we're back... not exactly as we'd planned but hey, when has anything great gone according to plan?

In this episode, Mark invites listeners to challenge what others have assumed to be true and embrace their life journey as if it were a big, blank canvas, primed for creative energy. If you've ever felt beholden to someone else's vision for your life, fearful of what might happen if you allow yourself to step into your greatness, you're not alone. But if you're the slightest bit curious of what that greatness feels like, Mark helps you begin your journey within. Connect with Mark on LinkedIn and be sure to check out the Huddol Journeys app.

Mahalia's world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Amidst the chaos there was one thing that kept her grounded: Sisterhood. The women in her life served as her strength and supported her through her healing, re-evaluation of her life and career, and self-discovery when she needed it most. She shares how building a great community is essential to supporting us in times of strife, and guiding us in times of plenty. Connect with Mahalia on LinkedIn.

After a series of poor choices, Doug was incarcerated on felony drug charges and fell quickly into the depths of despair, unsure if he would live to see his 25th birthday. In an unexpected turn of events, his cellmate taught him a lesson that would change his life forever. Now Doug is paying it forward, helping people turn adversity into their advantage. Connect with Doug on Instagram, Twitter and via his website, and check out his podcast here.

Growing up, good grades and an active social life concealed the horrible self-concept Donovan experienced behind closed doors. Unable to cope, mental illness and substance abuse took over. He longed to be seen, heard, and to better understand himself but he didn't know how. Today, he is committed to stopping the cycle of self-disconnect among middle schoolers and dreams of becoming the Mr. Rogers of the next generation, empowering their social emotional learning.

Tania never envisioned having a family because she was so career focused and determined to help the planet by working with brands to operate sustainably. When her husband gave her an ultimatum she had some serious thinking to do. Could she really have it all? In this candid interview, Tania opens up about her decision, staying true to her values, and key considerations of having children for professional women.  Visit her website for more information about Pamper & Splurge. Connect with her on Instagram, LinkedIn and be sure to subscribe to her podcast, Sustainability is Sexy.

Becky isn't one for tradition, she never craved stability, and is always up to something new to keep boredom at bay. Like many millennials, Becky is designing her roadmap one turn at a time. There is no end destination, she is living life on her own terms and is letting her values, interests and self-expression lead the way. Connect with Becky on Instagram and be sure to check out her podcast, We Just Like to Talk.

Through a personal battle with depression, anxiety, and binge eating, Christine has learned to overcome her struggles by taking simple but powerful actions in movement, nourishment, and self-development. She shares her journey of hope and healing, and explains how to better listen to the messages of your body in order to understand what it truly needs. Follow Christine on Instagram, YouTube and learn more about her services via her website.

A lifetime of planning got Melina exactly where she wanted to be… only to realize that it made her miserable. This realization sparked a panic attack that would change her life. Melina shares her experience stepping away from a successful career in television to pursue her passion and how she discovered her purpose along the way. Connect with Melina on Instagram and via her website. Be sure to subscribe to her podcast, Don't Forget Your Lipstick.

Despite having a successful business, Shawn found himself unhappy in his life and in his career. Upon speaking to other business owners and leaders he realized he wasn't alone, so many people were chasing their dreams and feeling unfulfilled. He knew there needed to be a better way and sought to find it. In this episode Shawn shares his four laws of happiness and explains how they spark transformational change by strengthening your mindset, becoming more disciplined and enabling you to build better habits. Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn and via his website. Get more of Shawn's actionable tools by grabbing a copy of The Happy Leader here.

Dan's girlfriend landed her dream job and there was only one catch… it would require them to move across the country. The idea of being in a new state, working remotely and away from all that was familiar scared him but thanks to his improv community, Dan was taught to follow the fear. He shares how he made the big decision to start over in a new town and how he discovered what is truly important to him in the process. Connect with Dan on LinkedIn and via his website.

In this candid conversation, Laura Wizman opens up about becoming a new mom, making the difficult decision to leave a family business, finding the strength to pursue her own path and discovering herself through it all. Follow Laura on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and stay up to date on her latest events via her website.

Kern Carter's life changed forever when he found out he was going to be a father at the age of 18. After years of feeling ashamed and guilty for not giving his daughter the life he felt she deserved, he made a choice that would change everything, one he discovered he was actually preparing for his entire life. Kern reminds us that we are in control of our own story and our best chapters are yet to be written. Follow Kern's journey on Instagram, Medium and his website. Follow his work with Cry Magazine here. 

At just 11 years old, Solange Tuyishime escaped from war and genocide in East Africa, left everything she knew behind and started a new life in Canada. For years she ignored who she really was and silenced her biggest dreams in effort to belong. Today as President and CEO of Elevate International, a UNICEF Ambassador and Mrs. Canada World 2021, Solange empowers women and girls to become strong leaders and create environments in which they can belong and thrive in. Connect with Solange on Instagram or through her website.

Being busy is honored, encouraged, and expected, so much so that what we do has become the definition of who we are. Renée Dineen believes this crippling dependency on ‘doing' is triggering burn-out, damaging relationships, and is resulting in a loss of our sense of self. In this episode Renée shares the power of Authentic Inaction™ and reminds us that just because we can doesn't mean we should. Listen to learn how you can get ahead and feel happier by fighting the urge to ‘do'. Watch Renée's TEDx talk, Authentic Inaction: Undoing the Doing in a Do Crazy World, follow her on Instagram and LinkedIn, and learn more about her services via her website. Renée's book, The Art & Truth of Transformation for Women, is available on Amazon.

Rachel Weinstock was outcast and bullied most of her life. She was only 6 years old when she first had suicidal thoughts and even when the bullying stopped, the long-lasting trauma turned her against herself. Today she is a speaker and transformational coach who has dedicated her life to creating safe and empowering spaces for every child. In this episode she shares how we can rally to end bullying once and for all. Connect with Rachel on Facebook and Instagram. Get more information via her website and community page. Watch her viral speech here.

Matchmaker and Dating Expert, Kavita Ajwani, joins The Catalyst for a special Valentine's Day episode to talk about how dating has changed since the pandemic hit. Kavita shares tips on how to make the most of online dating, she offers tools to build your confidence, and she dishes on the absolute biggest dating faux pas. If you're looking for love this Valentine's Day, you've come to the right place. Follow Kavita and Dashing Date on Instagram and learn more about Dashing Date's services on Facebook or via their website. 

2019 Kentucky State Teacher of the Year, Jessica Dueñas was a pillar of strength and positivity in her community but behind closed doors, she was battling with addiction and fighting for her life. She chose herself and her sobriety above all else, which meant walking away from everything she knew and starting over. She shares her journey of getting sober to help others who are in a similar situation and in desperate need of change. Follow Jessica on Twitter, connect with her via her website and check out her article which was referenced in this episode here.

New York City teacher and softball coach from the Bronx, Christopher Astacio, is on a mission to change the lives of the most violent, forgotten and underprivileged youth. After seeing the impact his late sister had on the children in her community, coupled with the desire to create a better world for his own children, he committed to helping kids find their voice and break the cycle of poverty. Connect with Chris on Instagram and support The League for Fastpitch Softball here.

HR Professional, Sally De Rosa, is on a mission to normalize diversity and inclusion in the workplace. She believes the only way to bring values downstream is to live them and believe in them. While being inclusive is a great first step, in order to drive significant change, leaders must go the extra mile to break barriers and Sally explains how. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow HRWize on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Be sure to check out HRwize.com for full information.

Just because you're comfortable speaking doesn't make you a great communicator. Gasp! Workplace communications expert, Lindsay Lapaquette helps you to assess how effectively you're communicating with your team and what changes you can make to reduce conflict, facilitate cohesion and increase team performance.  Connect with Lindsay via her website, on LinkedIn, or on Facebook. Be sure to check out her YouTube channel and her podcast as well!

Retired hostage negotiator turned mental health strategist, Paul Nadeau, packs decades of experience, insight and tools into this 30 minute episode. Learn how to negotiate like a pro, resolve conflict in your personal and professional life, and break free from anything that's holding you back by mastering the hostage within. Connect with Paul via his website and be sure to check out his podcast, Inspire Us.

We were looking forward to 2021 all last year and if this new year has come with old stress, you're not alone. While everyone is focused on resolutions and setting goals, Heather Rider helps us get to the root of what so often derails our intentions: stress, anxiety, perfectionism and imposter syndrome. Don't fall into the same trap that gets you every year. Do the inner work to get the results you seek. Connect with Heather on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, and learn more about her work through her YouTube channel and website.

In this New Year's special, your host Samantha Kris, closes out 2020 by talking about the importance of energy management. She offers 5 game-changing questions to help you enhance, protect and replenish your energy to keep your goals in motion and ensure next year is your best one yet.

Emergency nurse, Melanie Jade, shares what it has been like being a frontline worker during the pandemic, how her own plans came to a crashing halt, and how her experience in handling life or death situations informed her business strategy for 2020. Go into the holiday season safely and informed by tuning into this week's episode. Connect with Melanie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or via her website. For health tips and information, follow Nomadic Nurse Agency on Facebook and Instagram.

Diane Boorman retired at the early age of 40 and it wasn't long before she realized she had so much more to learn and to give. She's dedicated her second act to helping entrepreneurs build their architecture for business growth. This year has been one of the best ones yet for Diane, who encourages entrepreneurs to stop using the pandemic as an excuse. Whether you are a business owner or an aspiring entrepreneur, you definitely want to tune in.  Get more business tips by connecting with Diane on Facebook, LinkedIn or via her website.

After 15 years of being in corporate law and a lifetime following her father's vision, Eloise Gagnon realized that she had to make space for her own voice. This required difficult conversations, life-changing decisions and cultivating an ecosystem of change. Find out how she let go of imposed success and how she found the courage to walk away from the life she worked so hard to build in pursuit of happiness. Connect with Eloise on LinkedIn or through her website and check out her online course for ore guidance.

Yael Geffen grew up in the male dominated industry of real estate in South Africa and she's on a mission to even out the playing field. In this episode she shares how she rose through the ranks by refusing the current rhetoric and leveraging her feminine energy. She is spearheading a revolution to help women step into their confidence and become their own, as well as each other's biggest champions. Connect with Yael on LinkedIn and learn more about Lew Geffen Sotheby's International Realty here.

The most important issues that divide us are those we yell at each other about online and avoid in person. The only place they get debated is in the media, which only deepens the sense that there is a right and a wrong, an “us” and a “them”. It is time we learn to have civil conversations about the topics that are tearing humanity apart and Sophie Tarnowska explains how. Connect with Sophie on LinkedIn and follow her work on Facebook, Instagram and her website. If you liked what you heard, check out her TEDx talk, How to do Something Good About Bad News.

Network marketing has a bad reputation and isn't necessarily a coveted career for many. Social marketing expert, Emma Wojtas, is on a mission to change that narrative, usher MLM's into the mainstream and change lives in the process. In this episode she debunks myths, shares how she overcomes objections and what she's doing to majorly stand out in a cookie-cutter market. Get to know Emma better by following her on Instagram and checking out her website.

Vesna Antwan shares her experience with extreme burnout and the steps she took to find her way back to herself. In what she calls her year of reckoning, everything had become too much to manage. She dealt with immense guilt, shame and strain on her mental health which ultimately caused her to crash at the end of 2016. She committed to turning inward and identifying the root of her pain, and was able to put herself back in the driver's seat and continue her journey in the right direction. Connect with Vesna on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or via her website. 

The speed of change is increasing. There is no room for complacency for today's businesses, which means leaders need to continuously adapt and reinvent themselves in order for their organizations to survive. In this episode, Michael Rubenstein dispels the belief of a brave new world being something of the future and shares practical tools that puts our new world immediately within reach.  Be sure to connect with Michael on LinkedIn for more information.

Calling all mothers! It's time to reclaim the power over your thoughts so you can live and enjoy life on your terms. LaWann Moses lost sight of her value outside of motherhood and knows firsthand that change is possible if you choose it. She shares what it's been like navigating being a parent, running a business and working full time during the pandemic, as well as 5 game-changing productivity tips to take back control of your life. Don't worry dads, you'll love these tips, too. Connect with LaWann on LinkedIn or via her website and be sure to check out her podcast, More than a Mother.

Kelly Bron Johnson is on a mission to help create greater opportunities for oppressed and marginalized people. As an autistic, hard of hearing, proud non-binary Black woman of mixed race, Kelly has lived through a number of challenges. Through her work she is determined to make the path easier for others, and in particular, for her two disabled racialized children. She is changing the future of work by helping companies become more diverse and inclusive, creating spaces where differences are not only embraced but sought after. Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn, Facebook and via her website where you can also grab a copy of her recently published book!

Ana Lovera had it all; an impressive career, her dream job, and a beautiful house but when things turned violent in Venezuela, she made the hard decision to leave it all behind in order to protect her family. Full of pain and anger, Ana learned to channel her energy into something positive and began to rebuild. This is her story of survival, strength and starting over.  Stay connected with Ana by following her on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or through her website.

Atena Sadegh was always a happy person but when her mother was diagnosed with a near fatal brain tumour, everything changed. The heavy burden of survivor's guilt coupled with the realization that she'd placed her worthiness into her mother's hands challenged her self-love in a major way. In this week's episode Atena shares how she let go of her guilt, how she learned to love herself unconditionally and how you can, too. Follow Atena's journey by checking out her website, connecting on Instagram or subscribing to her YouTube channel.

In a time where job security is shaky and self-reflection is at an all time high, Kirsty Bisset offers insight for today's aspiring entrepreneurs. She shares what it was like to be unemployed and desperate for work to owning 5 businesses and landing a spot on Fast Company's Top 30 Under 30 list. The secret sauce to her recipe for success is failure. Learn how you can turn unfortunate circumstances into your next big opportunity in this week's episode. Connect with Kirsty on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Learn more about her work on her website.

Despite being raised in an abusive home with an alcoholic father, being forced to grow up far too soon and losing his wife to breast cancer at just 40 years old, Robert continues to seek the beauty life has to offer. It wasn't always that way, however. Robert endured years of self-destruction before he realized that perhaps some of his best days were yet to come and that, if assembled, all his broken pieces could very well be his greatest masterpiece. Connect with Robert on LinkedIn, via his website or directly at coach@robertpardi.com.

Former radio host, marketing executive and founding member of Osheaga, Sandra Rinaldi made the huge decision to leave the rock and roll world after 20 years when she realized it no longer made her happy. She went back to school at 41 years old, embarked on a self-discovery journey and completely started over. Learn how she found her path, overcame her fear and developed an unwavering belief in her ability to succeed. Connect with Sandra on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and through her website.

Executive and life coach, Zahra Abdullah, explains appreciative inquiry, a positive strengths-based approach to change that leaders can leverage to promote more creativity, better problem solving and transformation. She also shares how this approach helped her navigate major changes in her personal life and career. Connect with Zhara on LinkedIn or through her website. If you like this episode please be sure to rate and review it. Hit the subscribe button to get instant access to our weekly releases!

In this episode, Samantha shares her latest career move, what sparked the major change and how purpose served as the compass on her road to fulfillment. If you're at a fork in the road in your life, this is a must listen! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode and if you liked this one, let us know in the comments! Connect with Samantha on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and join the Bossing Up community.

Lateisha landed her dream job at CNN News fresh out of college and started a new life in New York, but she had nothing to show for it. Major money blocks and limiting financial beliefs resulted in debt, fear and insecurity. She broke free from her toxic money story and now, as a licensed financial coach, helps people change their mindset to attract abundance and generate wealth. Learn more and earn more by tuning into this week's episode! Get more information on her website. For women looking for additional guidance and resources, check out Wealth and Wellness Network.

For years Dani conformed to people's opinions of who she should be, so much so that she lost sight of who she was. Today she is a powerhouse voice and leadership coach, helping women move courageously in the direction of their dreams, go bolder and own their “extra”. Discover how she put an end to her people pleasing ways, got comfortable with being her unapologetic self and how you can too. Connect with Dani on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and be sure to check out her website where you can order your very own copy of Get Off Your A$$ & Into Your Life.  

Nine days before her 17th birthday, Rose suffered a catastrophic injury. She went from an athlete to a quadriplegic overnight. Though life has completely changed, Rose has refused to let her circumstances define her. As a mother to three young boys, a successful business owner and best-selling author, she is defying the odds and is on a mission to dismantle ableism. Connect with Rose on Instagram and Facebook and join the movement for inclusivity.

Growing up in the Soviet Union, Marina was raised in the culture of censorship. She always felt a big voice inside her but using it was simply not an option. When she immigrated to Canada she was devastated to discover she still didn't have a voice, this time for very different reasons. In this episode, Marina shares how she learned to own her voice, scale its reach and use it to empower others. Connect with Marina on LinkedIn and if you like the episode please be sure to rate and review it. Hit the subscribe button to get instant access to our weekly releases!

Petrona Joseph led a very glamorous life on the outside. She was climbing the ranks in the luxury automobile industry, she was at every event and was making good money as an influence marketer but on the inside, it was a very different story. Crippling anxiety, depression and unresolved childhood trauma tormented her daily, which left her feeling empty and unworthy. In this episode she shares how she copes with PTSD, ways to free yourself from your past and the importance of vocalizing the need for help, especially in the black community. Connect with Petrona on Instagram and if you like this episode please be sure to rate and review it. Hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode!

In 2013 Craig Stanland was arrested by the FBI and sentenced to federal prison. He lost everything and plummeted to rock bottom at a rapid pace. Craig has spent the past several years reinventing himself and now helps others to own their past, take responsibility for their reality and make choices that are aligned with their desired future. Learn more about Craig through his website, his TEDx talk, and connect with him on Instagram and LinkedIn.

We have a tendency to use the words creative and artistic synonymously. Creative consultant, Stefano Di Lollo, believes creativity spans far beyond artistic abilities. It is human interaction, it's divergent thinking, it's problem solving, it's leadership and it holds the key to healing. Stop diminishing your creative power and learn how to use it to achieve your wildest dreams. Connect with Stefano on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  If you like the episode please be sure to rate and review. Hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode!

Empathy expert, Anita Nowak, has traveled to nearly 70 countries and has spent the last 10 years studying the innate trait that unites us in our shared humanity. In this episode Anita explains that we are facing a massive collective empathy deficit, which stands to get worse as the black lives matter movement, COVID-19, climate change and other global concerns rise. Find out how together we can leverage empathy at scale to heal the world and find greater purpose in our lives. Connect with Anita on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram and get more familiar with her work by checking out her website and YouTube channel.  If you like the episode please be sure to rate and review. Hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode!