TheBREWCAST

Yes, BREWCAST listeners, you read correctly - this is the last episode in this season. Don't worry, I'll do a wrap up next week to let you know what's coming next. With all this discussion about MBAs, it’s time to talk about another option when it comes to educating yourself – the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program. I’d like to welcome Bryan Dawley to the show to share his knowledge about the CFA! Bryan recently completed the program, and I was keen to chat to him about how he made the decision to take his CFA, how he worked through the massive amount of content, and some of the tactics he used to get through the program successfully. Bryan is a P.Eng with a bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering. And yes, like the other engineers I have had on the show, he tracked the hours he put into the program via spreadsheet…surprise! We talk a lot about the differences and similarities between the two programs. A few highlights from the show: • How the CFA is 100% self-directed whereas the MBA is very group focused - the time commitments are structured differently, and we discuss how this changes the dynamic of the program • The considerations in terms the time and energy sacrifice required to complete an MBA or a CFA are quite similar. On the contrary, we also talk about how the delivery of the programs are very different • We talk about the difference in cost between the two programs and how it serves as a major differentiator • Tactics Bryan used for motivation and discipline to get through the program • How completing either a CFA or MBA improves your performance at work I have a new appreciation for the CFA Program, and I think it is a great alternative to an MBA. It could also compliment an MBA if you are just a little bit crazy - you know who you are! There is one last comparison that I think is worth noting between the two programs. And that is the pass rate. I realize we aren’t comparing apples to apples here, and certainly the barriers to entry for starting the programs are miles apart, primarily due to the cost. It’s hard to not be fully committed to an MBA with the price tag, whereas with the CFA, there may be many that are just testing it out. Here are the pass rates for the CFA: • Level 1: ~45% of candidates that sit for the exam pass • Level 2: ~45% of candidates that sit for the exam pass • Level 3: ~55% of candidates that sit for the exam pass Congratulations to Bryan for finishing his CFA (all three levels) successfully, and a big thanks to him for being on the show. If you have more questions about CFA’s, send me a note and I will put you in touch with Bryan.

This episode features Farouq Datoo – one of my favourite humans. Farouq gave me a lot of advice and perspective on “the bigger picture” throughout our year together (still does!) and I’m excited that we can share some of it with you. We talk about some of the main considerations for an MBA in terms of program selection and the criteria Farouq used which was primarily based on the term of program, the percentage of the curriculum that was online (or more importantly, that wasn’t online) and the school ranking. It was also interesting to hear some of the reasoning Farouq had around selecting a part-time program vs. a full time. Farouq also talks about his progression through a sales career and how the MBA program has supported this. Hint – it wasn’t exactly what I expected. One of the outcomes from the program that Farouq discusses was how people started to notice how his approach to problems and conversations changed (for the better, of course). We discuss the cost of MBAs, and how Farouq thought about the heavy investment and how he kept his mind focused on the long-term benefits of the program, everything he was learning, and reminding himself that it was “only” 1 year. I like his mantra of “if you are investing in yourself, you can’t go wrong.” Farouq talks about some of the advice he received from his mentors – and how the feedback and direction around the decision to go ahead with an MBA weren’t exactly clear. Building on Episode 9, we also discuss some of the conversations he had leading up to the program. These included his wife (that’s a big one!), friends, family and colleagues. Finally, Farouq leaves us with one last quote that I will definitely be using in the future: “The MBA is a key to a door…. make sure it’s the right door!” Thanks to Farouq for being on the show! Enjoy.

Greetings BREWCAST listeners! I’m back in Australia after a trip to the US to go riding with the SHITHAWKS (our new biking gang - see photo). You can check out my Instagram (thebrewcast) for a few videos of the adventure. First, a big THANK YOU to everyone that has reached out and got in touch with me about the podcast. I literally had someone tell me they despise MBAs and to stop convincing people to do them. I told him to go do a CFA…haha (just kidding – sort of). But in all seriousness, my intention with this series is not to convince people to do an MBA. It is to provide the information and perspective to help YOU make the best decision. Speaking of CFAs, I have a guest coming on the show soon who has his level 3 CFA - it will be super interesting to talk about the differences and similarities between this path and an MBA. Please keep getting in touch with me via my website, Instagram or LinkedIn! In this episode, I talk about some of the conversations I think are critical to have during your decision process to take an MBA or any other further education. The four categories of conversations I discuss: • Being strategic with your boss • Getting support from your significant other • Set the expectation with your family • How to deal with your friends and the inevitable FOMO! Keep the comments coming and tune in to the great conversations I have coming up on TheBREWCAST. Cam

This is an exciting episode for me because Dave was one of the key people that helped me through the decision process when I was considering my MBA, and I’m pumped to share some of his knowledge with you. Dave has an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering, a master’s in petroleum engineering and has over 10 years of work experience as a petroleum (reservoir) engineer. He talks about how doing an MBA is “finishing school for an engineer.” We talk about the EMBA program he completed in terms of the structure, and the value proposition of getting two MBAs (Queen’s and Cornell). Not only does this add a US component to the expansion of the network, it never hurts to have an Ivy league school on your transcript! We dive into my favourite topic and one of the most critical for the decision to take an MBA - opportunity costs. I’m glad another engineer came on the show to back-up Raphael (Episode 2), and Dave calls me out for “tech shaming.” Fair enough! Throughout the program, Dave tracked every hour he put into his MBA. At the end of the program, this ended up being about 21 hours per week on average. If you are thinking about an MBA, consider where the 21 hours a week are going to come from. What are your trade-offs going to be? This discussion is also a great follow up to the previous episode on the cost, because we really get into the value and investment: • How much of the return on investment is real and how much of it is intangible? • The often vague the correlation between career progression and completing an MBA can be in the first few years. However, we do agree that it is directly correlated to your performance. Some other highlights from the episode: • Dave talks about the three questions you will likely be asked, especially in an EMBA: Where’d you do it? Why’d you do it? And who paid for it? • The 5 major things Dave got out of his EMBA • We explore the idea of creating your own MBA • Why Dave is an advocate for having more work experience before doing an EMBA. Finally, some of the best advice from Dave when considering an MBA is to think about these 2 questions: 1) Why you are doing it and 2) What is the end game? A huge thanks to Dave for being on the show and sharing some of his wisdom. Talking with Dave was extremely helpful for me when I was going through the decision process, and it’s great to have some of these thoughts out on TheBREWCAST for you to listen to as well. Enjoy the show!

Let’s talk about the cost of an MBA. For a lot of the episodes I’ve done, it feels like a bit of the elephant in the room because I think the cost is the number 1 barrier to entry for taking an MBA. Here’s 3 examples: • Queens Accelerated MBA for Business Grads: $82,000 • Ivey One-Year MBA: $107,950. • Queens EMBA Americas: $139,865 Check out the opportunity cost calculator on the Ivey website. We have talked about this before. There is opportunity cost in terms of your time sacrifice which I talk about that a lot with my various guests, but this calculator is purely on the trade offs between working while doing your MBA or not. By the way, a Harvard MBA (two-year program) is $237,000 USD, not including any opportunity cost. While this is interesting, and as much as I like the idea of the opportunity cost calculator, I think it is not the right way to look at the value of an MBA. In this episode I talk about 3 things that will help you think about the cost, and if it is worth it for you. • Redefining “Value” • Get creative with your financing! • Pay attention to what portion of the program is “tuition” and which is “other fees”. Deciding if the cost is worth it is not a simple question and therefore not a simple solution. I can’t give you the answer. But if you start to redefine value, get to work on creative ways to finance your program, and do the research on what you are paying for in the program, I think it will get you closer to your answer. As always, please get in touch with me if you have questions, thoughts or suggestions. There is another great episode coming up for you in a couple days. Talk to you then – and thanks for listening to the BREWCAST! PS: The picture is my recording studio in Brisbane. This is where all the magic happens

This episode features Mark Mackay, who is a just a few months into his MBA adventure. It’s important (and fun) to hear from someone who is right in the thick of things! Mark and I spent the last 4 years working together and being gym buddies where I would show him who is stronger every lunch hour. He listened to me talk about the highs of my MBA, and he also got to hear about the days when I just wasn’t having it. Incredibly, after all that, he ended up deciding to do one himself. There is some great “banter” in this episode as they say here in Brisbane… Here’s some highlights from the show: • Mark talks about what pushed him towards taking an MBA, and why he wanted the “full package” rather than just piecing different training together. • Who he talked to about the decision (other than me), how he explored different programs and learnt about what different people were getting out their MBAs. • Some of the reasons he considered not going (have I mentioned the time commitment?) This also includes some candid commentary about potentially not being able to compete with the people in the program…turns out this isn’t the case. However, questions like, “Is everyone extremely smart?” and “Am I good enough?” are all part of the experience. • Our thoughts on the cost and how to think about the VALUE of the MBA. It’s almost mandatory to get an undergrad degree these days, but you don’t NEED an MBA. • Mark talks a bit about how he is lonely without me in the gym. This is my favorite part. • The shock effect in the first few months of school, and how he has coped with it. Time management essentially comes down to one thing: cut out the bullshit! • The lack of “structure” in MBAs that is built in by design, and how to deal with it. • And of course, Marks advice to people looking at MBAs: o 1) Having crucial conversations (hint, this is different depending on if you’re single or in a relationship) o 2) Research the institution and consider the timing. o 3) Decide if its something you REALLY want to do. Don’t take an MBA just to take it. Mark also takes the opportunity to ask me some questions about my MBA experience and what the heck I’m doing with all my free time now. By the end, I’m not sure who was interviewing who. As always, a fun chat with Mark and some great insights. I can’t thank him enough for joining me on TheBREWCAST. Let’s wish him luck throughout his MBA experience….perhaps a follow-up episode is needed!

Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of TheBREWCAST. For those that haven’t listened before, my goal with this season called the Truth About MBAs is to give you the information, tips, and exposure to different people that will help YOU make the right decision about taking an MBA. It’s been a great season so far, and I have lots more great content coming to you. Again, I’m planning to release episodes with a new guest every weekend, and then a mini episode during the week on some of my thoughts. But first, a quick reminder about my coaching program. I am currently in the process of getting this up and running, and if you are interested, check out www.cambrewington.com. Why do I want to start this program? 1) I have a passion for coaching 2) I’ve helped many people so far in their career though mentorship and coaching (wait and see the testimonials coming soon). I have personally benefited so much from having a great coach. 3) I want to help you up your game and help you achieve success. If you are interested, fill out the form on the website, and get in touch with me. I think there are some key things you should consider when exploring the options for further education. In the first few episodes, there was quite a bit of focus on the 1 year, accelerated program that was designed to be done while still working. So today I’d like to take a step back and talk about some of the different options by talking about these 3 topics: -Is a MBA right for you? Or is it something else? -Choose a program with a structure that works for YOU. Are you going to keep working?! -Institution is important, but it’s not everything. Comments? Questions? Violent disagreement? Comment on the blog post! I’ve got another great episode coming this weekend I hope you check it out. Thanks again for listening in, and see next time on TheBREWCAST.

Greetings BREWCAST listeners! I’m pumped to welcome Krysten to the show this week. Krysten and I were on the same team during our MBA program. I thought I won the award for “Most Travel During the Program” until she found out she had been accepted into a talent development program for high potential individuals at her company and travelled the world – all while still doing her MBA. Taking an MBA first crossed Krysten’s mind during her undergrad, and after a prompt from her boss she started to accelerate her plan to take an MBA. We discuss some of the conversations she had to prepare the people in her life for the intense year she was about to start – her husband, boss, coworkers and friends. Krysten describes why making the decision to take an MBA can be selfish initially but ultimately worth it in terms of the value of opportunities in the future. We talk about Krysten’s high and low points, including pitching a business idea to a group of angel investors and how she stayed focused when some unexpected life events happened, and also how she helped me get through my cynicism about the idealistic environment for developing a high performing team. Most importantly, she gives some fantastic advice to people considering an MBA – including spending time thinking about what you want to get out of the program and what’s the plan for afterwards. It’s really not about the letters… I’d like to give a huge thanks to Krysten for being on the show and sharing her thoughts. Enjoy the show!

Welcome back to TheBREWCAST! It has been super fun getting the show up and rolling again. For those that haven’t listened before, my goal with this season called the Truth About MBAs is to give you the information, tips, and exposure to different people that will help YOU make the right decision about taking an MBA. Once a week, I will also be releasing a “mini-episode” and the idea is to answer more specific questions people have. I know these questions are relevant and important because I get asked them all the time. For this week I want to share the top 5 things that I got out of taking my MBA. Before we get started, I want to talk about my individual coaching program. Growing up as an athlete, I experienced some amazing coaching in my life and I saw first hand effect that this had on my performance and the other people around me. When I started my career outside of skiing, for the first 6 years, I didn’t have a coach! I had great mentors, and great bosses that gave me feedback, fantastic colleagues, but it wasn’t until this past year when I got an executive coach. I cannot say enough about how instrumental having a coach has been for my career and in other things I am doing, like this podcast. I also have a passion for coaching. I’ve coached sports and many young professionals, and I absolutely love it. I want to help you work on your career, up your performance, find what motivates you and how to turn all those things into success. Go to www.cambrewington.com to learn more. Here we go! The top 5 things that I took away from the MBA experience. Listen in to hear details. 1) How to Really work with people 2) Motivation 3) Strategic Thinking 4) How hard you can push yourself 5) Perspective I hope you enjoy the show! Leave me a comment or feedback on the episode blog post, I’d love to hear from you. This weekend I have another great episode with a fantastic guest. Until then, get after it! Cam.

“The more you know, the more you know you don’t know” – Aristotle / Raph Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to introduce the first guest of the season! Raphael (or Raph as we came to know him) offers some of his thoughts on his path through the decision to take his MBA. For those of you with a technical background considering business school, this episode is for you. Raph completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Calgary in Chemical Engineering and a minor in petroleum engineering. After that, he earned a masters in Operations Research and Industrial Systems Engineering. I can remember asking him at one point – Raph, why do you even need an MBA? Give the rest of us a chance… Raph talks about how once upon a time he never saw himself having an interest in business until one of his roles offered a peek outside of the technical world. This accelerated his desire to take an MBA as part of his career and personal development. We talk about how Raph worked with his mentors to explore the decision to start his MBA. One of my favorite parts of the episode is the discussion around opportunity cost. How does an Engineer think about opportunity cost? With Excel of course! Just kidding…sort of. And why does Raph think that entrepreneurship, marketing and philanthropy are the key skills to being an exceptional business leader? You’ll have to listen to find out. I can’t thank Raph enough for being part of this episode, and for the fantastic shout out for my coaching program! Enjoy the show.

The Truth About MBAs is about providing the tools, tactics and perspective to help YOU decide if an MBA is right for you.

Season 1 took an extended break when the cold, hard Canadian winter (aka ski season) set in. Now that the grass is green, the days are long and my list of potential guests keeps growing, it’s time to dig out the microphone, invite myself over to people's kitchens and start recording some episodes! I’m pumped on season 2….here we go!!! Welcome to my conversation with Jake Stika, the Executive Director and Co-Founder of NextGenMen, a nonprofit organization focused on building better men through youth and peer engagement, education and empowerment. Jake describes him as a change maker, an equity leader and a disruptor. I was curious about what each of these meant, what exactly NextGenMen is and what it is trying to accomplish and Jake’s insights to his entrepreneurial journey so far. Episode highlights: -All things NextGenMen: How Jake started the organization from both the business and the personal side, why it is important to him, and how the “vision” is actually delivered to young men. -How some of Jake’s personal, athletic and career background led to the creation of NextGenMen. -What vulnerability, masculinity, disruption and being intentional actually means. -Advice from Jake for people with an idea, a vision or a budding startup.   References from the show: Nextgenmen.com info@nextgenmen.com - If you want to get involved, learn more or support! “The Mask You Live In” - Documentary from 2015 - Available on Netflix. “StrengthsFinder 2.0” - Tom Rath - Published 2017 - I immediately bought this book on Amazon after our chat. Thanks to Jake for inviting me to his kitchen, giving me an IPA and having a great conversation. ...here we gooooo!

This week the tables turned and I was a guest on the world famous Canadian Connection Network with Joe Doenz. Check out his website and youtube channel for tons of sweet content… http://www.canadianconnectionpodcast.com It was great to sit down with a fellow podcaster/interviewer and chat about TheBrewcast, some of the things I’ve learned since starting up the show and we get into my ideas around personal development. I also have a whole new respect for my guests now… Enjoy!

2017 is starting off with a bang for TheBREWCAST. Fresh intro music, a show sponsor and some awesome guests lined up...I'm excited. Travis Dawson is the star for the first episode in 2017. Trav and I have been best friends for the majority of our lives. We met when we were 12 years old in the hot tub in Whistler, did some cannonballs and decided we should experience Sushi for the first time together. The rest is history. Trav is an aspiring geologist, University of Vermont Catamount alumni and avid outdoorsman among many many other things. He also has a sick beard. Some highlights from the conversation: -Our New Years resolutions and thoughts around setting short term goals vs. focusing on the core principles of life. Trav talks about being proactive socially and living simply... -Career highlights, forerunning the Olympics in Vancouver, his ski career on the Canadian Ski Team and racing NCAA -Grad school, his trip down the Grand Canyon and much, much more. This weeks Episode was made possible by: -Sassy Kitty Music. Check them out on Soundcloud. -Shotski.ca - The Great Canadian ShotSki company. Custom made shotskis to support Canadian Athletes. As always, a huge thanks to Trav. Enjoy the show!

That's right, this weeks BREWCAST is coming to you from Harvard. Well, half from Harvard. Terra was there, I was in my kitchen... Terra is a retired ski racer, Montana State University alumni and current student at Harvard University, where she is taking a Masters in Design Engineering, a new program which we discuss at length. In terms of transitions in life, Terra has navigated (and excelled) through many: Athlete to student-athlete to starting a career and now back into the world of academia. Nice. A couple highlights: -Life and culture at Harvard. -How does somebody actually get into Harvard?! -The decision around opportunity cost of leaving a career job to go back to school. -Career anxiety: Our thoughts around why setting goals and staying motivated is so much more difficult in a long term career than it is in athletics or in University. -The hardest part about Terra's transition from working back to school... Thanks to Terra who took time out her insane schedule to chat with me! I'd also like to thank Pete Irwin who helped me out with the audio for this episode. He is an audio engineer, and put lots of time into editing out some audio glitches, and is going to steer me in the right direction to achieve audio quality supremacy in the future.... Enjoy the show. Cam.

First of all, Paul and I did take a BREWCAST selfie after we finished with our chat, and although it was cute, it wasn't nearly as cute as the picture of Stella Grace Stutz wearing her Dads goggles... This week, Paul and I chat about his transition out of a long and successful ski career into "real life". A few highlights from the discussion: - The final stretch of Paul's career and his decision process around retirement and contributing factors -His transition into being a realtor and how he used skills and traits from his athletic career -How not being "over" a sport is like not being "over" an ex... -Becoming a Dad (uncharted territory for theBREWCAST) -The advice "semi-old and wise" Paul would give to 20 year old Paul. Enjoy the show! Cam.

Welcome back to another episode of TheBREWCAST. This week, I welcome my first female guest to the show, Kelly McBroom! Following last weeks theme with Dan Berry around entrepreneurship and developing ideas into successful side-projects, I really wanted to dive into the story of Kelly's budding startup company. Enter BigDumpPlungers. How does somebody actually grow a successful plunger business using recycled ski poles? And how does an idea like this even start? What is the strategy behind marketing plungers? These are just some of the topics we discuss. Check out the website: www.bigdumpplungers.com Kelly is also a retired ski racer, and we dive into the journey of her career. Some highlights: -Her decision around either continuing to pursue her career on the Canadian Ski Team, or make the transition to Montana State University to race NCAA. -How Kelly dealt (and continues) to deal with some awful injuries, and how they shaped her perspective and attitude. -Our common feeling of being "broken-hearted" by a sport we love. -Using coaching as a way to stay connected to the community, share knowledge and help with the transition out of high level athletics. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Christmas is just around the corner...Plungers for everyone!!! Enjoy the show. Cam.

TheBREWCAST welcomes Dan Berry to the show! This week we explore the thoughts of a part-time entrepreneur. Whenever I have the chance to catch up with Dan, I like to ask him, “what are you working on these days?” Dan always has interesting “side-projects” on the go. I wanted to explore this idea of entrepreneurialism, where Dan gets his ideas, and pick his brain around how he takes ideas and turns them into reality. We also discuss his path through athletics. One email to the British Ski Team “info line” led to the further pursuit of his ski career in Europe. Some highlights from the show: – Dans Movember moustache. -The story of The Aqualillies, a business started by Dan and his girlfriend Sam Larose that features live synchronized swimming performances at high profile events across Canada. -How a $5 dollar investment at an auction turned into one of Dans most profitable side projects. -How Dan would define success for a side project and entrepreneurship in general. I can’t thank Dan enough for sharing his thoughts! Enjoy the show. Cam.

TheBREWCAST welcomes Sam Lindsey for episode 2! Sam and I were lucky enough to navigate student life together at the University of Alaska. Through the endless laughs, costume theme parties and "shirtless sunday" workouts, we developed an incredible relationship. I constantly bounce ideas off Sammer around nutrition, workout programs, life in the real world and just about anything else you can think of - and I'm excited to share some of this insights with you. Some highlights from the show: -Sams transition into and out of student athlete life. -What "career burnout" felt like to him, and what he did about it. -How Sam stays motivated and energized through a heavy work schedule, and how he balances relationships and life. -The key to surviving "fall darkness" -Almost getting arrested by 3 Alaska State Troopers while dressed as Smurf. Enjoy the show, and a huge shout out to Sammer for sharing his thoughts! Cam.

Ladies and Gentlemen – The time has finally come. I could not be more excited to release the very first episode of TheBREWCAST, and I could not have asked for a better first guest. Meet Graham Black, my 22 year old cousin from Saskatoon. Graham is a textbook example of a high performing individual who is going through a major change in his life. Graham is currently pursuing a new athletic endeavour as a bobsledder. How does a 22 year old from Saskatchewan transition from being a star track athlete to piloting a rocket ship down the Olympic bobsled track in Calgary? Tune in to find out. Some highlights of our conversation: The bobsled story – turns out it’s pretty easy to crash one of these things… School vs. Athletics – can school wait? Funding for amateur sport in Canada – how Graham raised money to pursue his dream. How to put on SERIOUS muscle – Grahams philosophy for bulking. Supplementation – What works and what doesn’t. Tips and tricks to increase self-awareness Why our family is so damn athletic… I can’t thank Graham enough for his time and thoughts – you’re the man Big Cuz! Enjoy the show…