In this episode, Megan Rafuse shares pivotal life and leadership moments that shaped where she is today in both business and life. With courage and a "why not" mindset, she discusses the stages, reasons and seasons she experienced and continues to navigate as a CEO bridging and building the intersection of tech and mental health, as well as a mother, a proud ADHDer, and woman. With a strong sense of community to thrive, she authentically discusses the importance of having alignment to self, she breaks down the notion of a progression noodle, and taking imperfect actions. 

In this episode, Chantal Carter shares how her love for fashion turned into a journey towards representation to love who you are in your skin regardless of its tone. With a mission to love the self, own your story, and to empower black women with their breast health, Ms. Carter walks us through her entrepreneurship journey, inclusive of the unexpected inflection points, the need to remain curious, the importance of managing her energies, and to stay grounded in faith. Ms. Carter states 'slow is sexy' recognizing when it is okay to slow down or stop, even when it is uncomfortable, and that fits within her definition of success. 

In this episode, Dr. Samra Zafar stores her story of courage, fear, and facing choices in the context of domestic violence, gender-based oppression, and pursuing education and a new life for herself and her two daughters. She discusses how choice is your superpower, and taking courageous steps leads to bold results. Samra breaks down her three pillars of courage, and talks about the importance of solitude to listen to your own voice. Her main message is the courage you seek is within you already.

In this episode, Jay Rosales shares his passions for blogging, fantasy sports, telling jokes and statistics. He details how, over time, he was able to combine his passions for sports, especially basketball, within the city he loves. Whether he is writing, podcasting or in the media, Jay's goal is to create an emotional connection with the listener. As such, Jay shares what worked for him within his communications and marketing career; that is, to make it memorable and to build relationships with others. To Jay, its never too late to find your passions and its important to balance work and life. In this way, Jay can take a "job" and turn it into a culture.

In this episode, Rahim Thawer (he/him) discusses the lulls and lows of leadership, and his relationship to misery.  He discusses his approach, and that of his mentors, to 'confront the lack' and to challenge the notion of 'always be doing' sense of achievement. He shares his journey with writing and his aims to create new reference points while confronting shifting dynamics as a social worker with lived and marginalized experiences. His goals with producing scholarship are to bring a queer and racialized view to the field of social work, recognizing there is another view to who is in the room and how things can be done. He discusses drivers of change and systemic arguments he explored when reflecting on the painful cycles he has endured and the sustainability of them, such as those towards alcoholism. He and I discuss the valuation of the self, taking care of your future self, and the power of organizational development group and family theories to address distribution of power, group dynamics and identity.

In this episode, Suzanne Zandbergen share her passion for social media platforms as a medium to spread positivity into community and with local businesses. She discusses how new connections and perspectives can be found with audiences using social media marketing by focusing on a Founder's story or that of the many faces of the business. To Suzanne, there is no need to be perfect to share your authentic self and to make a human connection. At its basic level, human nature is about communicating and that is what social platforms are creating. By doing what she loves and is good at, Suzanne shares in her experience of creating magical moments with other entrepreneurs at social gatherings and events, and now after a decade of being an entrepreneur herself. Suzanne send the message that if you are using social platforms for good, go check out its new features and do not fear them, stating 'you can't wreck the internet'.   

In this episode, Dr. Hsien Seow discusses the power of collective action and social change to drive ripple effects in the palliative care system. He shares his experiences with palliative care from an early age, defines what it is, why and how he remains committed to the field today. Dr. Seow speaks about the role of hope during the palliative process, as well as power and knowledge dynamics intertwined within healthcare system drivers which, unfortunately, is often experienced as the lack of continuity of care by many.  We discuss what can lead to change within the complex health system, the use of a patient's "CV", and honing in on and developing leadership skills have during these times, reinforcing the patient and the family are not invisible players in the process.

In this episode, Co-Founders Anika Chabra & Jennifer Siripong Mandel discuss their company Root & Seed and its mission to end the loss of tradition. As a social enterprise advancing intergenerational and culturally sensitive work, both Jennifer and Anika share what digging deep means to them and how the richness of their histories and its stories, along with those of the families they engage with, led them to where they are now both personally and professionally. While honouring the past and nurturing the future, the Co-Founders remind the audience to never stop exploring the past, to evolve, listen and lead without a solution in mind. Anika and Jennifer offer insight into the ongoing development of their start-up, noting there is value in purpose, feedback, perseverance, being grounded, and celebrating successes.

In this episode, Sana Askari unveils the many struggles she was faced with as an Afghan women, which makes  Afghan women beautifully resilient. She speaks to her journey and the risks she took and continues to take to resist the societal and gender norms to not give up and disappear. Sana discusses how education is the key to not lose a generation to darkness and how important it is to continue to amplify the voices of Afghan women so the world does not forget them. It is worth it to Sana to stand for her rights, and that for other Afghan women, and face the consequences. Sana shares how drawing became a form of self care in time when she needed - like many leaders do - to take a break from the fight and push through on your own. 

In this episode, Andrew Leroy Rudder takes a deep dive into what and who motivates him to practice catastrophic impairment law along with the approaches he takes to help his clients, inclusive of recognizing that the persons behind the case are worth the fight.  Rudder earns the trust of his clients, often Indigenous and living on reserves, through intimacy, openness and challenging the notions he holds. Andrew discusses how important, yet intimating, it was to start his own firm that enabled him to go above and beyond the call of duty for his clients and now look to serve those most in need. He speaks to the barriers his clients face as well as a specific case whereby provincial legislation was amended in favor of his young Indigenous client. Rudder wants to continue to influence and leverage change within catastrophic impairment law while making himself available for the next generation of black lawyers in Canada.

In this episode, Lisa Evans brings to the forefront the reason she is an entrepreneur drives her ability to pivot and make decisions when faced with  challenges. With a focus on the early years, she aligns her values with her actions while making the business work for her family life. Lisa shares her ups and downs over the past couple of years while holding the mindset that you cannot stay in a panic state. Constantly problem solving, taking calculated risks, and being scrappy to do what you got to do to get it done are methods that do not shut off the mind. Lisa leaves the audience with the message that there is always a solution and always a way to narrow down the problem to move forward. 

In this episode, Dr. Nicole Crimi discusses how her art is an expression of the unapologetic self,  a symbol of courage, and a representation of a complex story. Through both art and science, Nicole illustrates how she moved out of her typical character to move past perceived creative limits and out of her comfort zones to develop works such as "Two elephants" donated to Stop Poaching Now as well as Patty and the Pandemic. Through the synergies of her artistic and medical experiences, Nicole shares the importance of owning who you are, becoming the 'different' leader you are meant to be, and building stronger relationships with an ability to combine and communicate what you are good at. Nicole leaves the audience with a wish to push boundaries and think outside the box, while continuously looking for beauty in every day, to overcome the bumps in the road.

In this episode, Dr. Shira Brown shares her perspectives on health leadership as a source and function of renewal when making a difference in someone's life. She talks about the value of team, the role of leadership to serve said team, her special work family, and she is reminded of the human condition through the power of why and an inquiry towards how you are living. Dr. Brown discusses the pandemic's impact on health teams along with the key findings from the EMBA project she conducted pinpointing communication, strategy and emotional intelligence as key leadership qualities. Shira taps into the importance of community based research in the community, the intersection of medicine and the social determinants of health, and her vision for healthcare to include access to the right people at the right time and to the best access possible.

In this episode, a panel of Black women from diverse backgrounds and members of the Backpack Project discuss their experiences growing up in the Caribbean and Canada, the differences in the education systems from their lived experiences, and the impacts on equity deserving groups, specifically those in the black community. Melissa Enmore, who was introduced in episode 5, and I co-host the episode alongside panelists Alicia Sullivan and Michele Mitchell. Themes and topics that emerged from the discussion included: education as a means to find ways in and out; variability by location; school as hub; classism and racism; cultural sensitivity; degradation; guardianship; mentorship and coaching; representation; and entrepreneurship.

In this episode, Debbie Stanley brings awareness to life today asking "If today was my last day, would I be okay with that?".  Debbie discusses how to be compassionate, understanding and respectful to executors, grieving families and beneficiaries through a difficult time and a long process. Debbie details what estates are and what considerations are important when exploring your responsibilities. Debbie shares a page in her story leaving the audience with warmth and a readiness to celebrate today and plan for tomorrow. 

In this episode, Kristin Gross takes us on her journey of exploration with "on the job" learning in a complex health system. She discusses the significance of being your own experience, developing a business that becomes a "must have" for its target audience, and being ready to pivot when founding a start-up company. Kristin's strengths of grit, endurance, a love for learning, and a network of relationships has helped her to be apart of numerous incubators and accelerators while continuously striving towards breaking the viscous cycle that limits the advancement of health literacy and health equity within the healthcare system. Kristin's professional experiences as well as her journey as a patient and caregiver reminds us to be easy on ourselves, know that may takes time to see progress, and it is most important to pour into our minds what is positive and uplifting for us.

In this episode, Dave and Charmaine Draper discuss growing up in a hockey family and living a life in professional hockey on and off the ice. Dave and Charmaine share how they navigated through a professional hockey career, found their way and gave it their best. Dave discusses what talent was to him, how he went about scouting and coaching players, and what his approach was to meeting the needs of his team.  Dave and Charmaine give voice to their talented family members in the industry, including Kris Draper, and how incredible and difficult it was and is to make it for as long as they had in such a competitive industry.  Charmaine, acting as a sounding board to Dave, and Dave a coach and mentor to many, send a message to all professional athletes that with sensing and believing in yourself, even when it is tough, you can do it.

In this episode, Charles Agyemang speaks to the importance of black youth having exposure at critical times in their development to career stories and seeing themselves in a career before it becomes a past thought. By breaking the cycle of "what is cool", through the power in representation and having access to accurate and relevant information, more avenues that youth can tap into become visible. Charles speaks to the floating targets black youth face and the community being formed and paying it forward to shed more positive light into the world. In the context of the future of work, he shares the importance of highlighting and applying acquired skills in the workplace,  having accountability and being revered for your black girl magic. Charles  wants black youth to "always believe anything everything is possible...and you are not less than...None of this determines the outcome of your story."

In this episode, Elaine Uskoski shares her experience as a parent and caregiver of an adult aged son with a video game addiction. She talks about how important it was to take care of herself, lead with empathy and understanding, and take a holistic skills building approach to mental health recovery. Elaine discusses the journey of admission and how fulfilling it is step into what now feels like a social obligation to reconnect parents and their children in a purposeful way.

In this episode, Kru Yai Jenypher Lanthier discusses her love for Muay Thai and achieving your goals in a male dominated industry. She shares how she benefited from allies, the need to work hard before spotting talent and changing lives in the art of both beauty and brutality. Kru Jen sees "how you lead", purpose, empathy and the essence of being a women as vital to leadership. To Kru Jen, Muay Thai teaches a culture of respect, embodiment of Buddhism, consistent and daily growth, and knowing that in difficult times you will get through it.

In this episode, Augusta Ray speaks to the importance of loving yourself with confidence and living the life you want to live doing what you love to do.  She reminds you that you worked hard to be where you are and she talks about some of the good people she meet on the way. Augusta shares her journey with eating disorders (ED) and now as a ED recovery advocate. Gus is authentically herself on and off stage knowing who she is and recognizing her worth, and she share this message to other young women or ED sufferers.

In this episode, Melissa Enmore speaks to the importance of education and educators as catalysts supporting children to get closer to living their big dreams.  She describes the importance of learning and growing in world that is forever evolving and the need for the education system to reform and better equip bright minds to be adaptable and think differently. Melissa talks about the expectation to achieve in the Caribbean and the structural and systemic issues affecting learning and health. She advocates and wishes more people would listen and understand that leadership is not a one-size fits all model, data can help identify issues and work towards resolutions, and character can support us to accept and learn to love one another. 

In this episode, Vanessa shares what it is like to leave parts of you behind and have other parts of you be reborn when immigrating to a new country. She discusses the experience of obtaining citizenship as "It's not just a paper. It is a life.". Vanessa unpacks her views on the give and take relationship of what it means to be Canadian, and how these changes need to start from within.

In this episode Bernard Abarquez discusses the impact of Project 42 within and beyond the Toronto community. He speaks to his presence as a runner, what goal setting was to him and its connection to his artistry. To Bernard "..every step gets you to that goal.." and "..if you do not reach the goal it does not take away from every step you took".

In this episode Donna Thomson shares her experience with caregiving and how her journey has shaped her views on leadership. She speaks to the power of imagination, bravery and asking for what you need when leading a life as a caregiver. She references the need to have both power and love for self, for change and for the emergence of leadership.

An introduction to this podcast as described by your host Amanda Calzolaio. Learn more about Amanda and her views on leadership as an inclusive term.  Get a glimpse into the kinds of leaders you may hear from and what this means for you. Look out for key themes and learn how you can get involved and/or nominate someone you know to be featured on the show.