Turning Point with Priya Sam

A Power Story is your unique story - it highlights how you're different. Your Power Story should include your passion, values, the themes from your life and career, and micro-stories. You don't just need this story in job interviews or for your website or speaker bio. You need these stories in every day life - especially at work. Your personal brand is being built whether you're doing it intentionally or not (but if I'm being real...you should be doing it intentionally). When you have this core story, it will lead to you being able to talk about yourself confidently and effectively. You'll build better personal and professional relationships and stand out in job interviews with ease. If you're ready to build your Power Story and to learn how to use it in the professional world, you can join my FREE Power Story Codes Workshop next week. More info here: https://priya-sam.mykajabi.com/the-career-confidence-codes

If you've been listening to the pod for awhile - you'll remember Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa from episode 24. She's the first repeat guest we've had!Chika was the only Black medical student in her class at the University of Toronto in 2016 and she became an advocate for more diversity and inclusion in healthcare. Since then she has accomplished A LOT - she was her class valedictorian in 2020, named one of Time's Next Generation leaders in 2021, and now she's a Mom of two and a published author. Chika's book Unlike the Rest: A Doctor's Story is a memoir that reads like a novel - it chronicles her childhood dream of going to medical school and the challenges and the successes she experienced along the way. It's raw, powerful, and insightful as Chika dives into topics including racism, disordered eating, body image, and finding her place when the odds were against her.  You'll get a behind the scenes look at how this book came to be in this episode. You can find Chika's book Unlike the Rest: A Doctor's Story here: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/unlike-the-rest-a-doctors-story/9781443466264.html

You have 7 seconds to make a first impression and what you wear is a big part of that.In professional settings like conferences, events, and job interviews, dressing the right way for YOU can help calm your nerves and support your confidence.You're going to learn exactly how to do that in this episode of Unleash Your Voice.We'll get 4 Styling Tips to Elevate Your Professional Presence from wardrobe consultant Stephanie Dervishi. Stephanie and I are both Fanshawe College Alumni and we are so thrilled to have Fanshawe Alumni as a sponsor for this episode.If you're a Fanshawe College Alumni - make sure to follow @fanshawealumni on Instagram so you can enter their Five Days of Giveaways contest starting December 9th. The first giveaway is a wardrobe consultation with Stephanie and a $200 gift card!

Hey friend! If you've been a loyal listener here - you know we've been going through a transition at Turning Point in the past few months and I so appreciate you bearing with me. I can now officially tell you that we're rebranding!! Turning Point started off as a stand alone passion project for me in 2020 - YES it's been FOUR years! During that time - I've gone through a lot of changes myself both personally and professionally. Since I started my coaching and consulting business, I've been trying to figure out how Turning Point fits in to the picture. It's been tough - I'm so passionate about the in-depth turning point stories but I'm also being pulled in this new direction as I work with people on uncovering their uniques and learning how to use them to advocate for themselves in the professional world. SO - welcome to Unleash Your Voice! This is the pod's new identity. The regular episodes will be focused on communication and how to stand out professionally AND you will still see Turning Point episodes in the feed - they'll be marked Turning Point so you can find them easily. Those episodes will still have the same format as what you're used to. What I realized through this process is that I've really been helping people to unleash their voices through my Turning Point interviews so having this umbrella name for the pod aligns with both my original mission and my new direction. I hope you continue to enjoy the interviews - and please feel free to share your feedback with me @priyasam on IG or Priya Sam on LinkedIn. 

Everyone deserves to have self-confidence and to believe in their own unique value. When you have that, you can ask for what you deserve and advocate for yourself in professional settings. If you're anything like the average person - you've struggled with confidence at tone time or another. If that time is now - this episode is for you. My guest is Gazal Amin - a Sales Consultant for teams and a confidence Queen. She shares three actionable tips for building your confidence at work. One of the analogies that really resonated with me is that building confidence is like building muscles at the gym - it can feel awkward, intimidating, and hard at first but after awhile it becomes routine, empowering, and rewarding. More on that and much more in this episode. You can connect with Gazzy on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/authenticgazzy?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

In this episode, I speak with my guest Jennifer Trask about how hustle culture affects women and three steps we can take NOW to get out of it. I'll be honest, I struggle with this one. It can be hard to set time boundaries around work for me. Sometimes I get an idea and I just want to run with it, even if that means working late. But in this episode - we get some tangible tips for setting boundaries and how to create a filter for making decisions (this was my favourite tip!) Jennifer Trask is a Business coach who helps women create more ease, joy, and results. You can watch her workshop on closing The Abundance Gap here: https://www.jenniferltrask.com/abundancegap 

In this week's episode, I'm joined by the lovely Joyel Crawford. Joyel is a leadership consultant and the author of the best selling book “Show Your Ask”. On our IG Live, Joyel shared her proven 4-step framework for advocating for yourself and it's SO good! I have to say, she also has the best energy - that magnetic presence and the ability to tell compelling stories - she's definitely unforgettable. Enjoy this week's episode and if you have any feedback on the series (other than the fact that we need some intro music, ha) send me a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn. And don't forget to join us for the episodes live on Instagram at noon on Tuesdays!

We all know that interviews start with some variation of, "tell me about yourself..." or "give us an overview of your career..." This is NOT a throwaway question - in fact, it is a HUGE opportunity to make a meaningful connection and differentiate yourself from other candidates. In this episode (recorded in my IG Live on August 6th), I share what NOT to do along with three tips for answering this question effectively.  If you're currently interviewing for jobs - ​The Unleash Program​ is calling your name! In this program, you will experience a transformation that will make you unforgettable - you'll become the candidate that employers NEED to hire and the person that makes a lasting impression at company events and during networking opportunities. That's exactly what happens when you learn how to use strategic storytelling in conversations and in job interviews. You can learn more about the program in ​this video overview. ​Want to book a quick chat to see if the program is right for you? Find a time in ​my Calendly here.​

Hello friend! It's been awhile and I have an update on the future of Turning Point in this episode. A huge thank you to all of you who have been with me for the past three years of Turning Point interviews. The content will be shifting a bit going forward but we're still going to be here. You'll see a mix of traditional Turning Point episodes and some recordings from my weekly IG Live series, Becoming Unforgettable: Modern advice for women about how to stand out at work. Today's episode is a recording from my August 6th IG Live with Jennifer Maxwell - How to Maximize your personality. Jennifer is a personality expert and a communication coach and she introduces us to the DISC personality assessment including sharing details of my own results! Jennifer also offers some tips for how to communicate with different personality types in the workplace especially when it comes to asking for raises and promotions. You can download Jennifer's free resource "Words that Convert" here - https://jennifermaxwell.ca/wtc/Want to catch these episodes live? Connect with me on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/priyasam/

Dondréa Erauw is an award-winning Music Supervisor who worked on shows including Degrassi and Netflix's Spinning Out.After 10 years in that industry, she left after experiencing severe burnout. After taking some time for herself, Dondréa knew that she had to follow her heart and get back to her first love - making music. She currently licenses music in the live sports broadcasting space across the U.S. and is a singer-songwriter. In this episode, Dondréa takes us on a journey from her music-filled childhood to her formative years at Fanshawe College where she first learned about music supervision. After landing a job in Toronto,, she had a successful 10 year career that eventually led her to move to Los Angeles. Finally, Dondréa is open and honest about the burnout she experienced and the toll it took on her physical and mental health. She takes us through her decision to leave a successful career and the happiness she has found on the other side. Dondréa and I both attended Fanshawe College and we are so thrilled to have Fanshawe Alumni as a sponsor this season. You can find out more about post-graduate programs at Fanshawe College here: https://www.fanshawec.ca/programs-and-courses/programs-type/graduate-studies

Mamta Chail is a results driven mental health advocate and the President/CEO of Youthdale Treatment Centres.Mamta's biggest turning point happened after she gave birth to her daughter. She experienced severe postpartum anxiety and she details the impact of this experience including the cultural stigma she faced. Mamta also shares her experience immigrating to Canada at the age of eleven and how Fanshawe College gave her a new perspective on education. We wrap up by hearing about Mamta's mental health work and what she's seeing first hand when it comes to youth and their mental health needs today. Mamta and I both attended Fanshawe College and we are so thrilled to have Fanshawe Alumni as a sponsor this season. You can find out more about post-graduate programs at Fanshawe College here: https://fanshawec.ca/postgrad

Based out of Brampton via Toronto, Haviah Mighty is a songwriter, vocalist, producer, and performer. Her music is complex and unique  with rap, song, and instrumentals transitioning seamlessly from hip-hop to soul to Afrobeats.  Haviah's biggest turning point happened in 2016 when she was part of a rap cypher that went viral. That moment gave her the confidence she needed to pour all of her energy into music and pursue it as a career. Haviah's next big milestone happened in 2019 when she became the first hip-hop artist and the first Black woman to win the Polaris Music prize. Two years later, she won a JUNO and made history again as the first woman to ever win the Rap Album of the Year category.  You'll hear more about those big moments and how Haviah's foundation at Fanshawe College helped pave the way for the success she continues to have today. This episode was recorded on IG Live on November 29th and we are so thrilled to have Fanshawe Alumni as a sponsor for this episode and a partner for this season of Turning Point. You can find out more about Fanshawe College's post-graduate programs here: FanshaweC.ca/postgrad

In 2018, Mike Shoreman was thriving. He had a successful paddle boarding business in Toronto and he had just returned from a trip to California full of new ideas for excursions he could add to his business offerings. Everything changed when Mike's chicken pox virus was reactivated and he ended up with Ramsay Hunt syndrome. This neurological condition left him with shattered nerves in the right side of his face, hearing impairment and severe reduction in his mobility. Mike needed help doing every day things like showering and he was forced to close his business and move back in with his Mom. The doctors told him he might never paddle board again. Mike fell into a deep depression. As he slowly recovered, Mike knew he wanted to raise awareness and critical funds for mental health programs. In 2022, Mike became the first person with a disability to cross all five Great Lakes on a paddle board and he did it all for jack.org, an organization that funds mental health programs for youth. You'll hear Mike's full story including more about his recovery and his documentary, "When Hope Breaks Through", in this episode. You can find out more about Mike on his website: https://mikeshoreman.com/A huge thank you to Fanshawe College for being one of our sponsors this season! You can find out more about Fanshawe's microcredential courses here: FanshaweC.ca/microcredentials

Tara MacLean is a singer and songwriter known for her hit songs, “Evidence” and “If I Fall”. She was discovered singing on a BC ferry (more on that in the episode!) and has toured with Dido, Tom Cochrane and performed at Lilith Fair.Tara recently released a new book called Song of the Sparrow where she shares her whole life story for the first time. Tara had a difficult childhood where she experienced abuse and instability until a massive fire at her home changed everything. Through it all music was her safe space and you'll hear more about that and her biggest turning points in this interview. 

Emm Gryner is an award-winning singer, songwriter, actor and best-selling author. Emm sang and played keyboard in David Bowie's band, and appears on numerous recordings with him. In this episode, we take a trip through Emm's biggest turning points including: getting her first record deal and being dropped by her label, touring with David Bowie, becoming a mother, getting divorced and finding new love and inspiration for her new album. Emm is down to earth and relatable and she shares valuable insight about what she's learned from each of her pivotal moments. Emm and I are both Fanshawe Alumni and we are so thrilled to have Fanshawe as a sponsor for this episode! If you're a Fanshawe alum who would like to share your story, you can find more info at fanshawealumnistories.ca

Meera Estrada is a radio host and the founder of Fusia Media, a company engaged in digital lifestyle publishing catered to South Asian Canadian Women.Her biggest turning point happened when she shared publicly that her family were part of the Dalit caste, also known as the untouchables or the lowest caste in the Hindu caste system. Meera found out that her family was in this caste as a teenager but it would be more than 20 years before she said anything about it publicly. Now, Meera uses her platform to raise awareness about the harm casteism causes around the world including in Canada and the US. You'll also hear about how Meera came to found Fusia Media and an exciting upcoming project related to her activism around casteism. You can find Meera on Instagram @meera.estrada 

Dan Shaikh is the co-founder of Speaker Slam, a speaker development agency and the organization behind North America's largest speaking competition. When Dan was a teenager, he developed a condition known as gynecomastia  which caused him to develop breasts. He hid away behind baggy clothes and tried to fade into the background in general to avoid drawing any attention to himself. Eventually, Dan realized he didn't want to live his life this way forever. He started saying yes to new challenges and opportunities and eventually had a life changing surgery. You'll hear Dan's full story in this episode from dealing with body dysmorphia to sharing his story to creating a platform for other inspiring speakers.

Julie Lawrence is the editor of the newly launched DEFY magazine. The publication focuses on validating the experiences women have with misogyny in the workplace and offers tips and tools from professionals for how to deal with it. Julie's biggest turning point was getting sober after years of drug and alcohol addiction almost took her life. Julie is raw and open about that period of her life in this episode. She shares that she was in and out of rehab, detox and hospital for years. At one point, her parents wouldn't even let her in their home unless she took a breathalyzer. She's now been sober for more than three years. In this interview, Julie also discusses becoming sober, learning to see the people around her as teachers and how her experiences with misogyny in the workplace led her to create DEFY Magazine.

Leroy Hibbert is a speaker, workshop facilitator and community educator. He delivers messages of anti-racism, anti-bullying, and cross-cultural conflict and understanding to community and civic organizations, police services, schools and businesses. Through his work, he hopes to help people understand how to identify racism, interrupt it, and take action to create a more inclusive community. In this interview you'll learn about Leroy's work and also about his personal experiences with racism and why he's passionate about the work he does. Leroy and I are both Fanshawe Alumni and we are so thrilled to have Fanshawe as one of our sponsors for this season of Turning Point. 

Farah Nasser was named Global National's weekend anchor in June, 2022. Shortly before that she was co-anchor of Global Toronto's 6:00 news. Towards the end of her time at Global Toronto, Farah ended up taking a leave of absence. She spent a large part of it going to therapy and unpacking her past including the death of her son. In this episode, Farah opens up about her mental health journey and taking the time to do intense therapy that changed her life. You'll also hear stories from her career including how she got her first job and more about her new role on the national stage. 

Bridget George is an an award-winning children's book author and illustrator. Their debut book is a dual Language, English and Ojibwe children's book, called “It's a Mitig.”In this episode, Bridget opens up about taking an unconventional path. As a teen, Bridget was experiencing mental health issues and was expelled from high school but was determined to get an education. They went back and got their GED and then went on to study Graphic Design at Fanshawe College. The idea for "It's a Mitig" came as Bridget was preparing for the birth of their son, Noah. They wanted Noah to be surrounded by positive Indigenous representation and to learn Anishinabemowin. When Bridget couldn't find the books they were looking for, they decided to write their own. You'll hear more about Bridget's journey to being an author along with how they started to reconnect with their Indigenous heritage in this first episode of Season 3. We are so pleased to have Fanshawe College as a sponsor again this season! Bridget and I are both Fanshawe alum and we are so thrilled to kick off the season with this interview. 

Mary Berg won Masterchef Canada Season 3 and has since written two cookbooks, hosted two cooking shows (Mary Makes it Easy and Mary's Kitchen Crush), and makes regular appearances on morning shows and talk shows around the country. I'm so thrilled to have her as a guest for episode 50 and the final episode of season 2.There have been many turning points in Mary's life but the biggest was a tragic accident; when she was just four years old, Mary's family was in a car accident and her father was killed. In this episode we hear about the lasting impact the accident has had on Mary's life and how cooking is a passion that both she and her father share. You'll also hear about Mary's big win on Masterchef Canada and how she made the decision to leave her job as an insurance broker. A huge thank you to Fanshawe College for being one of our sponsors this season. You can find out more about Fanshawe's microcredential courses here: FanshaweC.ca/microcredentials

Camille Dundas is a racial equity educator specializing in anti-racism and allyship and she recently released her first online course on inclusive communication. How she ended up doing this work is part of her turning point. It all started with a presentation on another topic that turned into a discussion about hiring diverse candidates during the post-presentation Q&A. After that, she began speaking and doing DE&I workshops locally, nationally and internationally. Camille also has extensive journalism experience (part of another turning point you'll find out about in the episode!) both in traditional media and as the co-founder of the online magazine ByBlacks. You can find about more about Camille and her online course on inclusive communication here: https://theideapractice.com/A huge thank you to Fanshawe College for being one of our sponsors this season! You can find out more about Fanshawe's microcredential courses here: FanshaweC.ca/microcredentials

Jennie Painter was one of the first people to talk about the idea of open adoption in Canada. She has spent her career counselling both birth parents and adoptive parents about the benefits of open adoption. In this episode, we learn about how she started working in this field and what changes she would like to see to the system in Canada. Before her career in adoption, Jennie was a teacher and her biggest turning point happened when she realized that what she loved most about her job was offering guidance to students. She went back to school while raising three kids to get a degree in social work and found her passion for working in the adoption space along the way. 

Ginella Massa is the host of CBC's Canada tonight and she is also the first TV reporter and anchor to wear hijab in Canada. She made history after her biggest turning point; leaving a full-time job behind the scenes to pursue her dream of being an on-air reporter.In this episode we also hear about how Ginella was always the chatty kid in class and why she reminds kids that what's pointed out as a weakness can end up being a superpower. Ginella also shares what it's been like to see her influence and impact continue to grow as she worked her way from a smaller market to the national stage. 

Dr. Alika Lafontaine's biggest turning point happened when he was in medical school. He was the only Indigenous student in his class and after some negative experiences, he was left feeling like he didn't belong. As he considered dropping out, two people came along who changed everything. Dr. Lafontaine is now the President-elect of the Canadian Medical Association and the co-founder of Safespaces Network, an organization that aims to address unconscious bias and racism among healthcare professionals by providing a safe space for patients to report their experiences. In this episode you'll also hear how Dr. Lafontaine was diagnosed with a learning disability as a child and how his parents chose home schooling and why he decided to specialize in anaesthesiology. 

“Sometimes that's all a person needs is to just know that somebody sees them…That little spark of hope can ignite a blaze.”This quote from Calan Breckon's episode is still on my mind. Calan is a life coach and his biggest turning point came from a low point when he didn't know how he was going to pay his rent. After hitting rock bottom, he got a job offer that changed everything: he moved to Dubai to be a flight attendant. Calan is also a co-host on the Gay Men Going Deeper podcast, and in this interview he talks about how he uses his own experiences along with his life coach training to work with a diverse group of clients. You can find out more about Calan on his website: https://www.discoveringyourtruth.com/

Dionne Sinclair is VP Clinical Operations and the Chief Nurse at CAMH, Canada's largest mental health teaching hospital. Her biggest turning point happened when she was laid off from her job as a nurse. At the time, she had two young kids and decided to move back in with her parents so she could go to university. She already had a diploma from Fanshawe College and getting her degree would open doors for her in healthcare leadership. In this episode, Dionne shares her story of moving around the province to gain the career experience that would eventually lead to the position she has now. She also talks about how the murder of George Floyd led to her working on improving diversity, equity and inclusion in healthcare. This interview was recorded at a live event sponsored by Fanshawe College. Dionne and I are both Fanshawe alum and Turning Point is thrilled to have the college as a partner this season. 

Everyone who knew Michelle Kwok as a child knew she wanted to be a doctor. She was already doing health research in high school and often talked about her dream of going to medical school. It wasn't until she started university at a school where no one knew about her childhood dream that she started to think about what would truly make her happy. As she started exploring different options by joining clubs and working on innovative projects and campaigns, she realized that business and entrepreneurship were calling her name. The biggest turning point came when she told her family about wanting to change the course of her future. You'll also hear how this 23-year-old founded and sold her first company and the advice she would give to anyone trying to find a career that truly makes them happy. 

Humza Mian is known in drag as Mango Lassi. In this episode, we start by hearing about Humza's childhood and the pressure he felt to be hyper masculine. It was meeting a queer, brown person who was living his life happily that changed everything for Humza when he was in his late teens. We'll also find out about Mango Lassi's rise to fame in the world of drag and how she made a splash by being one of the first Queens to do Desi drag. 

Vanessa Ferlaino was 23 years old when her father died from brain cancer. It was around the same time that she left an abusive relationship and decided to move across the country. The move to Calgary marked a major turning point in her life. One of the most impactful decisions she made after her move was to take acting classes, which is where she says she was finally able to start processing her emotions.In this episode you'll hear about how acting,  journaling, and gratitude helped Vanessa through her darkest moments and why she decided to write her book, Human, with the hope of using her experience to help others. You can find out more about Vanessa here: https://vanessaferlaino.com/

Daniel MacQueen was in his twenties and living in the UK when he started getting terrible headaches. The first time he went to the hospital, he was told he had vertigo and advised to get his eyes checked. He went to an optometrist and that appointment ended with Daniel being sent back to the hospital. Hours later, he was having emergency brain surgery. In this episode, you'll hear how that turning point changed the course of Daniel's life. He tells us how he stayed focused on recovery despite a major set-back, and how routine and ongoing goal-setting have helped him return to work and achieve new milestones. Daniel also has his own podcast which you can find here: https://anchor.fm/playlooselooktight/episodes/007-Life-before--during-and-after-a-traumatic-brain-injury-Part-12-e153c3l

Zeba Khan is the founder of Free Periods Canada and her biggest turning point happened after she watched a video showing the discomfort that people experience when they don't have access to menstrual products. It led her to buy and distribute pads and tampons to homeless shelters in Vancouver. Her next step; putting out a call to action on Facebook for others who wanted to do the same. Before she knew it, she was part of a coordinated effort to create menstrual equity, which eventually became Free Periods Canada.This grassroots initiative also changed the course of her education. In this episode you'll also learn more about her childhood in Bangladesh, her move to Canada, and why she's so passionate about making menstrual supplies accessible to anyone who needs them.

Erika Casupanan is the first Canadian and the first person of Filipino descent EVER to win Survivor. She's also the first woman to win in several seasons and in this episode we get all of the details about her strategy and what was going on behind the scenes and. It's no surprise that winning Survivor is Erika's biggest turning point. You'll also hear about other pivotal moments in her life including: the impact of growing up in an immigrant family, her experience being underestimated in her communications career, the decision to quit her job before competing on the show and if you're a fan, you'll enjoy hearing about how the hourglass changed everything. This episode was recorded at a live event on January 26th as part of Turning Point's partnership with Fanshawe College where Erika and I both studied. If you're a Fanshawe alumni and you have a story to share, you can submit it here: https://www.fanshawealumnistories.ca/

Inventor Erfan Nouraee is just 19 years old and his work is already being recognized by the United Nations; He received an award for his most recent invention in 2021. Erfan has been on the path of being an inventor since he was a child. He started with household items; one of his first creations was a pair of goggles with fans on the sides for his mom to wear when she was cutting onions. In this episode, you'll also hear Erfan explain why failure is so important to the invention process and why he focuses on encouraging youth to pursue innovative projects especially around sustainability. 

Dr. Jenny Liu has a new take on how we should define resilience. I found it refreshing that she doesn't limit her definition of resilience to innate qualities, but also connects it to external factors (more on that in the episode). Jenny's research on resilience started after one of her biggest turning points; reporting a man who had been cyberstalking her. It happened while she was a graduate student and the incident changed the course of her studies. In this episode, we hear about Jenny's childhood and how she had a tough time feeling a sense of belonging after moving to different countries, how she ended up in Canada, and how her turn to resilience research lead her to develop the Multi-system Model of Resilience (you can learn more about that here: https://msmrtool.com/)

Mani Jassal is a fashion designer who focuses on luxury evening and bridal wear inspired by South Asian fabrics and culture with a western twist. Her biggest turning point; the moment her father came around and decided to support her dream of being a designer. He initially hoped she would pursue engineering but after seeing how talented she was as a designer, he had a change of heart. The company became a family affair starting with a trip to India to source fabrics and find inspiration. You'll hear more about Mani's first home studio, her move to a bigger space when her collections started taking off and her reaction when celebrities like Ashanti, Madison Beer and Baby Rexha started wearing her designs. A huge thank you to Fanshawe College for being one of our sponsors this season! You can learn more about Fanshawe's post-graduate programs here: FanshaweC.ca/postgrad

Adrian Sutherland is a singer, songwriter and advocate from the Attawapiskat First Nation. His biggest turning point happened in 2016 when he left his position as CEO at a development company to pursue music and spend more time with his family. In this episode, Adrian shares the moment he made the decision and the challenges and rewards of making such a drastic change. We also hear about his passion for music and how he has used his platform to raise awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, the impact of residential schools and the ongoing water quality issues that some Indigenous communities continue to live with. A huge thank you to Fanshawe College for being one of our sponsors this season! You can find out more about Fanshawe's microcredentials courses here: FanshaweC.ca/microcredentials

Parween Mander is a Millennial Money Coach and her passion for helping others manage their finances comes from her biggest turning point; when she was 16-years-old, her family almost lost their home. Parween's parents didn't speak much English so she was going from bank to bank with them and relaying the information when their mortgage applications were denied. Eventually they were able to get the financing they needed but the experience stuck with Parween and motivated her to learn more about financial security. She now uses her experience and education to help other women of colour overcome their financial traumas and build generational wealth. You'll hear more about Parween's turning point and her trauma-informed approach to financial counselling in this episode. A huge thank you to Fanshawe College for being one of our sponsors this season! You can learn more about Fanshawe's post-graduate programs here: FanshaweC.ca/postgrad

Ayomide Bayowa is Mississauga, Ontario's Poet Laureate and in this episode we hear how poetry has shaped who he is today. It all started with a turning point in high school in Nigeria when he first felt a connection to poetry. Ayomide isn't afraid to take on tough topics either. After the death of Ejaz Chowdry, a man killed by Peel Police during a mental health incident, Ayomide wrote a poem dedicated to him and read it at a city council meeting. You'll hear the poem and more about why he wrote and read it in the episode along with how he became the poet laureate and what inspires his writing. A huge thank you to Fanshawe College for being one of our sponsors this season. You can find out more about Fanshawe's continuing education courses here: FanshaweC.ca/CE

Dr. Andrew Boozary grew up in a house where human rights and inequity were often topics of conversation. His mother was trained as a human rights lawyer and his father is a doctor who came to Canada as an Iranian refugee and went back to school in order to practice medicine in Canada.  Advocacy and a passion for equity in healthcare continue to be a big part of Andrew's life. He started his post-secondary journey pursuing a degree in economics but quickly realized that healthcare was his passion. That decision meant taking a detour and leaving university to go back and take high school science classes before pursuing his medical degree. His biggest turning point happened during the pandemic when he saw first-hand how seniors, the homeless population and racialized communities were being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Along with the work he does on the front lines, he's also been using his platform to highlight these inequities and you'll hear more about why in this episode. A huge thank you to Fanshawe College for being one of our sponsors this season. You can find out more about Fanshawe's continuing education courses here: FanshaweC.ca/CE

Perdita Felicien became a household name in Canada as a world champion hurdler in her early twenties. Recently, she shared her family's story in her book, My Mother's Daughter, where we learn that the hurdles that were part of her track and field career came after her family overcame some major hurdles of their own. Her mother Catherine came to Canada to be a nanny and earned minimal wages while being treated horribly by some of her employers. Perdita, her mother and sister also ended up in a women's shelter after fleeing her abusive father. You'll hear more of her story in this interview including her biggest turning point; when her mother was provided with a home of her own and was able to have autonomy over her life.We also discuss Perdita's incredible athletic career (including how life changed after her world championship win in 2003), her transition to sports broadcasting and what's next for her. A huge thank you to Fanshawe College for being one of our sponsors this season! You can find out more about Fanshawe's microcredentials courses here: FanshaweC.ca/microcredentials

Jodie Pappas is the founder of the vegan, cruelty free beauty company, Clean Kiss. In this interview, we go back to her twenties for her biggest turning point; discovering she had Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). She and her husband were trying to have a baby at the time and this lead to her needing fertility treatment. She was one of the lucky ones and ended up having a daughter and later twins. The next turning point for her came when she says she "took the wellness diet too far" and she developed an unhealthy obsession known as Orthorexia. She talks openly about how it impacted her life and how she sought treatment. We end with her latest turning point; creating her brand Clean Kiss. Jodie went back to school to become a certified plant-based Skincare Formulator and started creating her own products. Clean Kiss focuses on pro-aging messaging and you'll hear more about why that's important to Jodie in this episode.A huge thank you to Fanshawe College for being one of our sponsors this season. You can find out more about Fanshawe's continuing education courses here: FanshaweC.ca/CE

Keely Shaw was the first Canadian Paralympian to win a medal at the Tokyo Paralympics but her journey to this bronze medal wasn't easy. After some dark times dealing with an eating disorder, she credits cycling with saving her life. At the age of fifteen, Keely was an elite hockey player with Olympic dreams when she was injured in a freak accident after falling off her horse. She ended up in hospital in an induced coma and when she eventually came out she had lost mobility in the left side of her body.  While most of that came back over time, she wasn't able to play hockey at the same level. Over the next few years, Keely was hospitalized for an eating disorder and she describes these years as some of the darkest times in her life. That all changed after a major turning point in 2017 when someone suggested she consider competing in para-sport. She chose cycling and after her first race, she says her "inner-athlete was alive and well again." She began training for competition and a few short years later, she's on a new track with a renewed sense of hope. A huge thank you to Fanshawe College for being one of our sponsors this season! You can learn more about Fanshawe's post-graduate programs here: FanshaweC.ca/postgrad

Valerie Azinge has always loved cooking, baking and finding creative ways to make delicious and healthy meals. While her passion for food has been part of her life since she can remember, a life changing accident gave her a new perspective. Valerie was seriously injured when she and her friend were hit by a drunk driver, her friend was killed. During her recovery, Valerie was offered the opportunity to create a cookbook and despite the circumstances she said yes. In this episode, you'll hear Valerie's incredible story of resilience and determination and find out why developing the cookbook became both a healing journey and a labour of love.A huge thank you to Fanshawe College for being one of our sponsors this season! You can find out more about Fanshawe's microcredentials courses here: FanshaweC.ca/microcredentials

We're kicking off Season 2 of Turning Point with an episode we recorded at a live event as part of Turning Point's partnership with Fanshawe College. Cheryl Hickey is a Fanshawe alum who you likely recognize from ET Canada. She has been hosting the show since it launched in 2005 and in this episode you'll find out how late nights spent learning to edit and do camera work eventually lead to Cheryl getting her big break. You'll also hear about why she took a job as chopper reporter despite her fear of heights and what she's looking forward to in the next phase of her career.A huge thank you to Fanshawe College for being one of our sponsors this season. You can find out more about Fanshawe's continuing education courses here: FanshaweC.ca/CE

It's the last episode of Season 1 of Turning Point and it's time for me to share my own turning point. I've had so many guests ask me about my own story this season and I'm finally ready to tell it. All of the young women of colour who have asked me for advice really inspired me to share my experiences with racism and discrimination in journalism. In speaking with them, I always try to be encouraging and supportive but it's also important to be honest and I aim to do both in this interview. I'm so grateful to my dear friend Camille Dundas, co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at ByBlacks.com, for interviewing me with compassion and empathy. I'll add that I'm appreciative of many of the experiences I had in journalism, I wouldn't be where I am today without them. However, the industry is in need of major changes, especially when it comes to how women and people of colour are treated. 

Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa is in her second year of residency in psychiatry at the University of Toronto. When she started medical school, she was surprised to learn that she was the only Black student in her class. Not long after, she started sharing her story to help increase the number of Black applicants. Her work has been incredibly successful and she has become a role model for many but it hasn't always been easy. She has faced racism, discrimination, and even threats. In this episode we start with a big turning point for Dr. Oriuwa when her passion for medicine and her skills as a spoken word artist collided. 

Dr. Alyson Kelvin is a virologist currently working at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO). Her turning point happened in December 2019 when she got an email about a mysterious respiratory illness that left 30 people hospitalized in Wuhan, China. Not long after, she was packing her bags to move from Halifax to Saskatoon for what she thought would be a few weeks to work at VIDO on this emerging coronavirus. She's still in Saskatoon today and her research on COVID-19 and vaccines continues. In this episode, we also discuss her early beginning in science as a toddler in her father's lab  and how she's forged her own path in a male-dominated field and works to encourage other women in science. 

Many of you will know Brandon Gonez from his television career. He worked at stations across the country, including CTV's national morning show where we worked together. Brandon now hosts his own news show, the Brandon Gonez show, on YouTube. In this episode, we talk about one of his early turning points; pivoting from studying business and finance to pursuing journalism. We take a trip down memory lane through his journalism career and we also discuss why we're both loving having our own shows.                   

Xenia Chen is the founder of Threads, a direct to consumer tights company. She started the company while she was working in finance and in 2019, she took a leap of faith to pursue entrepreneurship full-time. That turning point led to some pivotal conversations, including explaining her decision to her Mom by comparing it to her parents' decision to immigrate to Canada. We also discuss pivoting the company during the pandemic and Threads' upcoming line of products for male customers. ***Threads also has a special treat for all Turning Point listeners! You can use the code TURNINGPOINT for 15% off you first order on both yourthreads.co (tights) and threadshelps.co (masks)***