Episode 62.  A good career always starts one way and ends another. As you get older, not everything comes about moving up and more money, eventually the goal of legacy becomes the focus.

Brenda Ha began her career in the corporate world, but when she started a family and started craving more flexibility, she decided to start her own business—a concierge service called Check Box Services. Building a business that suits her personal life has helped her create the kind of balance in her life that she values.

The topic of legacy is something that has come up often in Brenda’s work. During the episode, she discusses what she’s learned about her own legacy and values since starting her business. She also shares great tips for those people in the initial stages of growing their career and how the older clients she has today are all striving for legacy and impact in their work.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• Brenda’s educational background and the experience she had in consulting and IT before starting her own company.
• How her life changed when she had kids and what she realized she needed to do.
• What they do at Check Box Services and who their typical client is.
• Why she’s made the intentional decision to keep her team small.
• How she becomes like family to her clients and why it matters.
• How working for yourself differs from working for another business.
• Why legacy is important to Brenda and what it inspired her to get involved with.
• The importance of having role models who resemble you when you’re young.
• The most translatable skills you can have in the workplace and how Brenda used them.
• Opportunities that you should keep your eyes open for as you start your career.
• Brenda’s advice for figuring out what you want to do for work if you aren’t sure.

Episode 61.  How do you know you should start a business, and how do you put the pieces of your life together to do it and be successful?

Richa Gupta is a food entrepreneur who founded Good Food for Good, a fantastic lineup of sauces, condiments and related food products sold in grocery stores across North America. Richa’s experience in becoming a mom combined with her desire to do something meaningful influenced her journey in bringing Good Food for Good into the world. In this episode, she shares the story of her journey into entrepreneurship and shares her tips for other people who are looking to build a meaningful career for themselves too.

On top of all that, Richa has now transitioned into an advising role for similar businesses and is the Vice President of Partnerships and Development at the Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) and discusses how this next step will help her make an even bigger impact.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• Where her career started, and the role Richa is filling today.
• Why Richa says she was always a believer and how that has helped her career.
• Where you should go if you don’t know which career path is right for you.
• What Richa’s (first) midlife crisis pushed her to pursue and where it led.
• Why insight is important in entrepreneurship. 
• What sets Good Food for Good apart from other food companies.
•  What she wishes she’d done first before starting her business.
• The model of business that became her saving grace.
• The role she still plays in Good Food for Good after stepping away.
• The goal of CFIN and what they’re on a mission to help food manufacturers do.
• How having several mentors has helped Richa find the success she has today.
• How leaning into your journey can help you get through the challenges of your career.

Episode 52. Nick Goblirsch started his career in the HR (Human Resources) industry. He was in charge of hiring people and building organizations. Over time he became more successful by doing the jobs other people didn’t want to do, like driving efficiencies and layoffs. Then one day he decided he needed to do something completely different and quit. 

Today Nick is the owner of I Heart Painting LLC, a house painting company. If that sounds like a big switch, well it is, and the full story is even better. Today, Nick inspires others as a speaker and coach of change, guiding others towards happiness and fulfillment through career transformation. Nick emphasizes that changing careers isn’t always easy, but it’s worth it to find your purpose and become happier in your everyday life.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• Nick’s original ambition while he was at school and how he ended up in HR.
• What lessons he learned during his experience in sales.
• What inspired Nick to start a podcast and what it’s about.
• How he found his passion for painting and what made him jump into it as a career.
• What originally turned Nick off from entrepreneurship and how he changed his mind.
• What he would tell himself if he could go back in time.
• What happens when people lose their purposes, and what to do about it.
• How to overcome anxiety and get out of a rut in your professional life.
• The importance of servant leadership and what makes someone a good fit for HR.
• How powerful it is to validate yourself versus seeking validation from others.
• The question his son asked that helped him dig himself out of career uncertainty.
• How to find your worth and communicate it to your clients and customers.

Episode 51. Rick Jordan is a keynote speaker and podcast host of the All-In podcast with Rick Jordan. He is the CEO & Founder of ReachOut Technology, a cybersecurity firm that recently went public. He’s been featured on TV segments with all the majors channels - ABC, NBC, Fox, Bloomberg and more. 

Rick started his career at the bottom, without much of an education and only his drive. Over the years he was able to build a personal brand which helped build a company that’s a platform for all the more he wants to achieve. 

With host Greg Martin the two discuss his journey, how to enjoy your job, branding, education and lots of advice for everyone in their career.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• The industry Rick works in and his previous job roles.
• Why he decided to go public with his IT consulting firm.
• The importance of having a personal brand and emphasizing your values.
• The 30/70 rule Rick tries to live by and how it improves his efficiency.
• How perfection is actually an ego problem.
• What his first career choice was and why he decided to pivot to tech.
• What you should be doing in your twenties (and what to avoid).
• Why you need to be “findable” and what that means in today’s world.
• Why it’s important to be all in when you decide to do something.
• How opportunities will show up for you in real life if you’re open to them.
• The goal of Rick’s podcast and what his mission is as a host.
• How he approaches his goals and why it’s the best way to actually accomplish them.

Episode 50. For a special 50th episode, host Greg Martin shares his story of his early career in investment banking, through entrepreneurship and to today. He then covers some of the major takeaways from his own career and from his experience interviewing guests on the podcast. 

Throughout the episode he shares the journey beginning his career at Genuity Capital Markets, through the acquisition by Canaccord Genuity and starting the boutique firm Origin Merchant Partners. He then discusses the founding of Farm’r, the farm to table restaurant and catering business, through to rejoining Origin Merchant Partners after the pandemic.

The lessons learned cover tips and ideas for how to start your career (and know where to start), along with some general takeaways around having a fulfilling career and how to enjoy your job more.

Key Career Takeaways

• Advice for starting a career. Where do you start?
• Is investment banking a good place to start a career?
• Career as a form of self expression
• Moving forward at all times
• The value of money
• Being passionate about the job
• What to do if you feel stuck in a job or career
• Personal attitude at work
• If you hate your boss, know that you probably can’t change them
• Advice on taking a big career leap into something new

Episode 49. What are the options for starting a career in marketing? What are the options across in-house, agency and everything in between?

In this episode, host Greg Martin interviews co-founder of Wild Coffee Marketing, Amy Anderson. Amy began her career working in New York in media and an account executive in the early days of digital media. She continued with a few in-house marketing roles before co-founding her current firm which today handles everything for their clients strategy to execution. 

Amy loves that marketing allows her to merge creativity with data-driven decisions, and co-founding her own company has made space for greater flexibility with her family. During the episode, she gives her tips for being successful in today’s marketing space and what really matters when it comes to metrics.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• How she’s utilized her education background in art history and English in marketing.
• The part of marketing Amy found was really important to her and why.
• How marketing owns the whole digital experience in today’s world.
• The catalyst that led Amy to decide she was going to start her own business.
• The diversity of skills required to be successful in marketing today.
• How the agency model can be cost-prohibitive for small or mid-size businesses.
• The secret to standing out in today’s marketing space.
• What you need to know first about your leads before you can hook them.
• The mistake Amy made early on in her career and what she learned from it.
• The boundaries set at Wild Coffee Marketing to promote a healthy work balance.
• Where innovation comes from and how company culture can support it.
• How the approach to leadership has changed, especially after the pandemic.

Episode 48. Lots of what determines whether we’ll be happy with our job and thus our career, is tied to attitude. When you listen to this week’s guest, you’ll see she has a positive energy that makes “work fun”. Nicole Greer is an executive coach, consultant, and recruiter, but what's really interesting is her journey of finding work, taking a long break to raise her kids, and then coming back into the business world. She’s got a lot of energy, which she credits for landing her in leadership positions.

In this episode, Nicole and Greg  explore the strategies and systems designed to help you thrive professionally and enjoy the journey. She explains the importance of balancing strengths and weaknesses, plus the need to harness the six vital energies: physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, social, and financial.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• Why harnessing the six vital energies is the key to success.
• How a healthy work culture impacts employee satisfaction and productivity.
• The role of leadership, adaptability, and maintaining a positive mindset amidst the pandemic.
• Why post-COVID job hunting requires strategic resume building and maintaining a "victor mentality."
• The significance of networking and content promotion in the digital age.
• How a positive attitude, extra effort, and energy can lead to career advancement.
• Why balancing strengths and weaknesses is crucial in leadership roles.
• How harnessing vital energies can attract opportunities and create a positive vibe.
• The impact of culture on employee satisfaction and productivity in the workplace.
• The necessity of a positive attitude and proactivity in finding a fulfilling job.
• How a circa vitae transforms your resume for career success.
• The role of self-awareness and confidence in your resume.

Episode 47. Knowing who we are today helps us figure out the future, how we grow, and what our future holds. Iliana Oris Valiente is a futurist who heads innovation at Accenture Canada and is well-versed in the world of blockchain and AI. Her career accomplishments have been grand, but she truly learned about herself in 2021 when she suffered burnout, forcing herself to assess who she was and what she needed to succeed in her career.

In this episode, Iliana shares her journey with host Greg Martin about today, where she understands how to embrace her personality to enjoy her working life. She has lots of advice on AI, how we can embrace the future, the future of work and how all this can help us become the person we want to be.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• Why her background and career trajectory are non-traditional.
• What she thought when she entered the world of blockchain and cryptocurrency. 
• How her travel experiences influenced her interest in cryptocurrency.
• How her perspective as a CPA influenced the way she viewed crypto. 
• Why Iliana always thought she would become an engineer and why she didn’t.
• What led Iliana to burnout was the moment she broke down as a result.
• The importance of prioritizing your mental health and why it really matters.
• Why she describes herself as more of a “potted plant” than a “digital nomad.”
• How the “potted plant” analogy helps individuals find where they can truly thrive.
• The unique and exciting AI project Iliana is a part of right now.
• How Iliana sees the future of work and what’s going to matter years from now.
• Why it’s important in her role to be comfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity. 
• How organizations are responsible for preparing their teams for the future.

Episode 46. We all get stuck in our careers and in our jobs sometimes. Part of getting through it is attitude, another part is awareness, and another part is just making decisions that match with your age and experience. 

In this episode, host Greg Martin discusses career paths across Wall Street, Silicon Valley and everything in between with Karthik Suresh. Karthik is the Co-Founder & CPTO of Ignition, an AI-powered platform for end-to-end planning, execution, and measurement for marketing and sales teams. He has had quite the career journey which included witnessing his company lose $400 million in 30 minutes on the trading floor, working as a PM at Facebook and of course the life of a career in tech.

Karthik shares the details of his experiences leading up to starting his own business, including his time working in finance in New York and through the startup ecosystem. He also highlights how these experiences helped him build skills that came together to help him be successful in his business today along with lots of takeaways for young people with aspiring career ambitions.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• Where his career started and how he ended up at Facebook.
• The pros and cons of his experiences on Wall Street in a high-frequency trading environment.
• The unfortunate trading loss he encountered at a previous company.
• His experiences in New York in comparison to his friends in the Bay Area.
• What brought him to London Business School and what he learned.
• The highlights of his time working at Facebook.
• The gap Karthik identified that inspired his vision for Ignition.
• How Karthik connected with his Ignition co-founder Derek.
• How the individual skills built throughout his career came together to his advantage.
• What to do when your likelihood of failure is higher than success.
• How startups are being approached in Silicon Valley today and what’s changed. 
• The advice Karthik would give his past self if he could go back in time.
• The benefit of taking risks, especially when you’re young.

Episode 45. What does it take to build the technology behind the leading software companies of today? The simple answer is a good CTO (Chief Technology Officer), which is the expertise and experience of Benjamin Johnson.

Ben is the CEO and Founder of Particle41, a global software consultancy that offers end-to-end product development services. If you’re a business looking to develop technology, they are the engine behind it, whether that be across software/app development or building the tech stack for your operation.

Ben is skilled at taking complicated technology and simplifying it for people who aren’t as well-versed in the nuances of software. Not only does he know the industry well, but he’s also connected with some of the most talented individuals within it. This has allowed him to navigate and find success in the tech space by focusing on finding great matches first. In this conversation with host Greg Martin, they dive into the world of technology.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• How Ben found his way into the world of software consultancy.
• What Ben excels at the most and how it helps him fit into unique spaces in businesses.
• Why he emphasizes stage-appropriate discussions and holds back from “geeking out.”
• Finding balance between building a business and product development.
• What Ben looks for before he commits to a partnership as a co-founder.
• The unique origin of Particle41 and how Ben came to join as a co-founder. 
• Common barriers of technology and how Particle41 helps businesses overcome them.
• Signs it’s time for a business owner to reach out and invest in third party support.
• How discovering a company's core values helps you find the right professional fit.
• How the landscape of the workplace has changed over the last decade.
• The core evidence that makes Ben feel fulfilled and successful in the work he does.
•  Why he chooses to focus less on their offers and more on their client’s unique needs.
• The most efficient way to solve a problem—and the approach that doesn’t work as well.

Episode 44. The world of work has changed materially over the last several decades, morphed by everything from technology, to culture to big events like the pandemic. Jose Palomino is a veteran with lots of experience across the board in corporate worlds and in entreprenership.

In this episode Jose discusses with host Greg Martin all about his history through the working world and how he’s come to love and embrace the concept of process and systems in a business, to where he focuses on that today. As the Founder & CEO of Value Prop where he helps business owners get unstuck and start growing again by developing their strategy, plans, and processes to reach their full potentia

During the episode, Jose shares his mission and how it drives the work he does with business owners. He also talks about the way he’s seen the work environment change throughout his career, including the good and the bad, and reveals his top tips for people starting in the world of work and new business owners alike.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• How Jose gained experience and credibility as a business consultant.
• Why he describes the journey in his career as a bumpy road.
• How the world of work has changed since the beginning of his career.
• The positive and negative ways COVID transformed the workspace.
• How to navigate the modern pressure to be “on” at work all the time.
• Why Jose loves being an entrepreneur and what connects him to his work.
• The support owners today are missing and why they need it.
• The podcast Jose hosts, what it’s about, and why he started it.
• The importance of identifying common themes and questions among business owners.
• What inspired Jose to go back to school for an advanced degree.
• How owners see their business versus the actual issues in their business.
• How Jose helps owners look at their whole business before breaking down the pieces. 
• What Jose says new business owners need to know before they get started.

Episode 43. Many of our workplaces lack diversity. Whether it be across the company, in a particular meeting or at the leadership level, it is rare to see a group of people that match the ethnic and gender diversity of our communities. So, what does it feel like when you look different?

Brenda Harrington, the author of a book called Access Denied, a compilation that explores discrimination and disparity in the workplace. Whether this subject personally resonates with you or not, this episode will teach you a lot about business culture and open the door to understanding new perspectives.

Brenda believes that when you know where you excel and what you enjoy, you can pivot to a career that feels fulfilling and purposeful. Brenda focuses on emphasizing diversity in the workplace, and during the episode she shines a light on her own personal experiences as well as what being inclusive really looks like.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• Brenda’s career journey and what lead her to start Adaptive Leader Strategies 
• Why she refers to her path as non-linear as opposed to a journey.
• The importance of knowing what you’re good at, what you like, and what you don’t.
• Why waiting for Friday, week after week, is not the answer to a satisfying career.
• How to show up in your work in a more purposeful way and why it matters.
• The secret of using open questions to communicate more dynamically.
• Why being vulnerable beats having all the answers.
• The settlement Brenda received over an incident with a previous employer. 
• Why inclusion is a leadership imperative. 
• What the research shows about diversity.
• What the reader will discover inside Brenda’s book Access Denied.
• The course Brenda is piloting right now and what it addresses.
• Being equitable in the workplace and where holding people accountable comes in.
• Why we’re often blinded to the instances of exclusion or even aggression in our own workplaces.

Episode 60.  Check out this unique and really cool episode of the Lifetime at Work podcast, though it’s a bit different than the others.

Instead of our host, Greg Martin, asking the questions, this episode features an interview that Greg did as the guest on another podcast. The show is called Own Your Role with Dino Watt and it highlights leaders in the field of business sharing advice to guests.

This is a great interview which is why we’re replaying it here covering Greg’s story and career, advice from his career and podcasts experiences and lots of other good nuggets along the way.

Episode 42. The path to becoming an engineer may appear easy to some, but it’s not. It takes good grades, practice, reading and lots of time. Eventually you hit the world of work and it isn’t quite as easy as your favourite math, physics or programming challenge. Zach White was on a leading path to the top of his company as an engineer, just like he always wanted and hoped. Then he realized it wasn’t what he wanted anymore, but didn’t know why or what it meant.

This set him on a journey to find out what was “wrong” with him, so he could like work better. Today he hosts The Happy Engineer, a podcast that helps engineering leaders reach the next level without suffering burnout. He also founded Oasis of Courage, a coaching company that specifically supports leaders in engineering. 

As Greg and Zach discuss on this episode, it isn’t always easy knowing what you want - lots about the world of work and your happiness is in your head…but it’s not always easy to understand.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• Where Zach started his professional career.
• The strategy he learned early on for success and why it led to burnout.
• How Zach stumbled upon coaching and the way it impacted his career today.
• The types of people drawn to his business outside of engineers.
• The experience that led Zach away from a business degree and towards engineering.
• The surprising way he ended up with an internship at Whirlpool.
• What the hardest parts of an engineering job actually look like.
• The emotion that primarily led Zach in the first half of his career and why.
• Why showing up with the right energy in the workplace matters.
• Common symptoms and contributing factors of burnout.
• Why engineering leaders are overwhelmed and what they can do about it.
• How to let your personal definition for success guide you in your career.

Zach’s Background

• Educational background is in Mechanical Engineering,  with a BS from Purdue University and a Masters of Science from the University of Michigan
• He built his career over many years at Whirlpool.
• Today acts as the CEO & Founder of Oasis of Courage
• Currently hosts a podcast called The Happy Engineer and on Linked-In

Episode 41. It’s hard to know what you want to do in your career long-term. Often times you start somewhere and see where it takes you. If you ask Zachary Novak, he says you have to find your thing, and it just takes time.

With host Greg Martin, Zachary shares his beginnings in investment banking to how he discovered the idea of getting into the field of technology. Before jumping into the tech world, Zachary was hesitant to go into a field he wasn’t an expert in. That is, until he realized that you don’t need to understand technology on an expert level to understand what it does for people.

Today he runs an organization called Careers in Technology and Innovation which helps diverse professionals find and grow fulfilling careers in tech. The application of technology across various industries is disruptive and innovative, making it an exciting place to be for professionals today.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• The biggest learning experiences he had after years in investment banking.
• How he opened up to opportunities for self-reflection and where that led him.
• The problems Zachary got stuck on when he changed careers.
• The beneficial aspects of working in banking, as well as the difficulties.
• Zachary’s unique gifts and strengths along with how he’s embraced them.
• Why getting away from your ego and trusting your gut is crucial for success.
• What to do first if you feel drawn to exploring entrepreneurship.
• What it takes to make the leap into the tech industry and why people do it.
• The community manager’s conundrum and Zachary’s take on it.
• How online communities were “whiplashed” after COVID.
• How the online community landscape is shifting today and what it’s moving towards.
• Pillars to consider before creating your own community.

Synopsis

Episode 40. Sharekh started his career studying computer engineer and living/working in the Middle East. But over time he realized he wasn’t a coder, and he didn’t want to work for someone else in the middle east anymore. So he came to North America and began the journey starting a company of his own.

He’s still in the middle of this journey, but has founded and built a great company called CleverX, an audience discovery platform designed to help research teams conduct online surveys and interviews with professionals in the workspace. He’s filled with advice on the differences between being a founder in Silicon Valley and one elsewhere in the world. He also has lots to say on building an expertise in the corporate world and translating that to becoming a founder, and then of course on building a company. 

In this episode with host Greg Martin, he covers plenty on the world of work, the founder world and where he’s found his place in the corporate landscape.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• Who CleverX was made for and what it’s designed to do.
• What makes building a startup in Silicon Valley different.
• Variances in the ways people perceive entrepreneurship across the world.
• What changed to Sharekh when he moved to North America.
• What he realized about writing code as he was in the midst of studying it.
• Why it’s important to find what you love and what you’re good at.
• How networking early on can pay off later in your career, no matter your industry.
• Where he learned where research happens at scale, and the gap he identified
• The strategies Sharekh had in place when starting his own business.
• Why and how founders need to set expectations with investors.
• Tips for identifying your right customers and how to connect with them.
• What Sharekh wishes he’d known before starting a company in hindsight.
• How big the online research industry actually is and who uses it.
• Sharekh’s goals for the future and the areas of growth he’s excited for.

Episode 39. It’s hard to be bold and stand out. There’s a part of us that wants to fit in, find your people and be accepted. But other times you need to stand out and put yourself out there.

In this episode Greg Martin interviews Ryan Hanley. Ryan is an insurance guy (not sexy as he admits), but he’s also a business owner, podcaster, and speaker who believes insurance is the best industry every created. He is the CEO and Founder of Rogue Risk, a national, digital commercial insurance agency. 

Ryan has been told “no” thousands of times, and now he’s at a place where a no can’t stop him. Not being afraid of rejection is freeing, and emphasizing this with his team helps relieve pressure. People call him crazy, but who cares. He’s good at it, and he’s a great interview. 

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• Falling in love with digital marketing.
• Ryan’s traditional career experience and how it led him to start his own business.
• Past experience working in the fitness industry and what he learned when it ended.
• Why insurance is the bedrock of the economy.
• How being okay with a “no” can help you be successful.
• The secret to rapidly building a deep amount of trust.
• The future with AI and what Rogue Risk is currently utilizing AI tools for. 
• When Ryan started podcasting and what his podcast looks like now.
• The two types of ambitious people and the ones he likes hiring.

Episode 38. This episode is a special one, digging into the takeaways and lessons from the HBO hit Succession. 

To reflect on the show through 4 seasons, Greg Martin interviews Dan Scott, who runs the firm Spotlight Advisory Group. He helps wealthy individuals and families find creative outlets, discover their purpose, and deal with succession (the real life kind). 

The episode is all about purpose, greed, money, power and the good, bad and the ugly of what the show can teach us as Dan draws parallels—and plenty of contrast—between his clients and the wealthy family portrayed in the “Succession” TV show.

Episode 37. The route of franchising is a path we don’t consider, certainly not as often as the thought around owning your own business. But when you begin to realize, there are many franchises out there (beyond just restaurants) that are available to us. Starting up requries some capital and paying an ongoing royalty, but also comes with lots of support and a proven model. 

In this episode Greg interviews Anna Brambilla, a career transition coach who helps her clients find fulfillment through exploring the option of business ownership as a franchisee. Anna herself explains the struggles she had in the corporate world and never finding her place or feeling like she could achieve. 

Franchising presents a lot of benefits that could enhance the professional lives of so many people who are eager to make a change. As Anna explains, when you start a franchise, you’re in business for yourself, but not by yourself.

Episode 36. We’re all getting older, technology is replacing jobs, employers want to hire younger people and layoffs are happening everywhere. What does that mean for the rest of us?

In this episode Greg interviews Julie Noonan. Her expertise is all about managing big changes within organizations - she’s helped with dozens of M&A transactions, reorganizations, restructuring, new systems and just about everything else. Big change is hard. On top of all this, she’s been laid off more than once and had to re-invent how she approaches her work. 

Today Julie is an executive coach, change strategist, and consultant. In this episode they discuss many of the changes happening out there, the creep of ageism and how to evolve as a professional as you get older and older throughout your career.

Episode 35. It’s an incredibly challenging step to leave a career or a well paying job to start your own business. The leap is huge. It’s risky. But many of us do it. Why start your own business? How do you get the most out of the experience? How do you be really good?

In this episode host Greg Martin joins William Buist to share stories about taking the leap and starting a business. Both Greg and William have done it themselves and work everyday with entrepreneurs who have times where they love and hate their choice.

William began his career in the insurance industry, but eventually left that industry to work with small businesses as a business mentor. The journey of mastery is at the core of what he does—a passion which led him to author his book “Intentional Mastery: Step Beyond your Expertise and Build Better Business.” William uses his skills to help entrepreneurs confidently build a better business.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• Where his career began the pivot he made 20 years ago.
• What William has observed in his role as a business mentor.
• The journey of mastery and how it relates to his book.
• Indications that someone is on a journey towards helping more people.
• Why people are drawn to entrepreneurship and how to know if it’s for you.
• How finding what you love can help you in your small business journey.
• Why no experience—good or bad—is ever wasted.
• The other skills you need to hone when you become an entrepreneur.
• The freedom of choice starting your own business offers.
• What collective decision making is and why it can be important.
• The shift to mastery and what businesses do to hit their stride.

William’s Background

• William began his career spending 21 years in an insurance underwriter role.
• He eventually decided to change industries and moved into a role as a business mentor.
• William wrote “Intentional Mastery: Step Beyond your Expertise and Build Better Business.”

Episode 34. What do you know about the insurance industry? Diving in quickly you learn that it can be a tremendous place to learn about the world of business and make money as someone new, young or old. The role of brokers is perhaps the most fun.

With guest Stanislav Kojokin, co-founder and CEO of KASE Insurance, he tells us all about his journey through the industry and co-founding the company and the great culture they have today. At over 2,000 clients on their roster, his team works alongside companies as they navigate what can be the complicated world of insurance, while offering his employees an invaluable opportunity to learn about insurance and the business world.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• Background in the industry and building KASE Insurance.
• Why he was drawn to working within the insurance industry.
• Examples of entry level jobs in insurance.
• What makes KASE Insurance different from their competitors. 
• The biggest challenges he faced in becoming successful in the insurance industry.
• How confidence builds once you start gaining more wins.
• Advice for those considering a career in insurance.
• Stanislav’s personal goals and what he’s striving for now.
• How the insurance industry has changed, especially with increasing use of the internet.

Episode 33. There are many reasons we work hard at our jobs. Sometimes we work too hard and sometimes we work without really thinking why.  Hamza Khan is an international keynote speaker, author and business owner who has been through the trenches working the long hours he needed to prove himself. Unfortunately when you do that, you can burnout, without even recognizing what happened.

In this episode host Greg Martin speaks with Hamza about his book The Burnout Gamble, along with his theories around work, millennials and how we are sometimes motivated by fear and other times trying to prove something to ourselves and our parents. 

Hamza is an expert in modern leadership, purposeful productivity, and navigating change with resilience. His TEDx talk "Stop Managing, Start Leading" has been viewed over two million times. He introduces his clients to new ways of being so they can get out of their fear cycles and begin to thrive in a sustainable way.

Episode 59.  Bill Vlaad is a well known name across Bay Street and the Canadian capital markets. He’s one of the most important connectors in the business because as a recruiter, him and the team are forever trying to put the best people at the best companies.

In this episode, host Greg Martin talks with the CEO of Vlaad and Company as he brings in-depth knowledge about the financial services industry and also discuss his previous experience as an investment banker and corporate development director.

Professional cadence is a high value yet often overlooked skill in the finance world. Professional cadence encompasses someone’s energy, methods, and the way they like to do things. As Bill explains, aligning a person’s cadence is critical to finding that place in the working world where you belong and thrive.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• What a valuable mentor looks like and why they aren’t easy to find.
• The mentors who had the most significant impact on Bill’s career.
• The services offered at Vlaad and Company and what makes them an industry leader.
• How they support students in learning about their industry and the finance market.
• Why Bill says he wasn’t the best investment banker.
• The number-one thing Bill looks for in finance professionals and why.
• Why you shouldn’t fake your way into a role (even if you really want it).How the finance industry offers brilliant careers for the right person.
• What firms could do a better job of in order to attract unique new candidates.
• The challenge Bill was expected to face in the industry that hasn’t really impacted him.
• What the future looks like for Vlaad and Company as informed by their model.
• Who Bill counts on for new ideas to help him build a sustainable firm.
• Why being flexible in your tools and methods is important to your career evolution.

Episode 32. Our working habits have changed, but not everyone thinks that should stay. Many employers out there feel like everyone working from home right now should head back to the office. Others thing embracing the work from home or the hybird lifestyle is here to stay.

Adam Pekarsky works in the recruitment industry and has witnessed employers grappling with this issue. Is work from home dead, dying, or here to stay? Adam emphasizes that a career is a contact sport. He believes those who return to the workplace will have advantages over those who don’t. That said, working from home has not led to decreased performance, and it’s important to lead your people with as much flexibility as you can. The debate rages on…is the work from home dying, or here to stay?

Episode 31. Katie Jefcoat is an expert on happiness. She has read all the books, reviewed all the studies and has been on the hunt to help people bring more happiness to their lives. It starts with understanding what makes us happy. 

A former lawyer, Katie is the host of the Everyday Happiness Podcast, she is also a best-selling author, public speaker, and entrepreneur. When the pandemic hit and she saw the way it impacted the world, Katie found herself researching everything she could about happiness.

Katie took the information she was collecting daily and began sharing it on her podcast. There are so many different factors you have control over that can increase your level of happiness. Sometimes its not about changing something to become happier, sometimes it’s about mindset, and all the happiness we need is right there today.

Key Takeaways

• Over the course of the episode, Katie takes us through her journey from being an intense work-all-the-time lawyer, to having her children and the pandemic transform her professional life
• As she discusses all the theories around happiness, we cover:
  • Happiness is a responsibility no matter what the state of the world is
  • The media you consume and the way you engage with it matters
  • Which factors (such as genetics and environment) contribute most to your happiness.
  • Where long-lasting happiness actually comes from
  • Why satisfaction is elusive and how to create it in your life
  • How your social interactions influence your happiness.
  • Small ways you can work in a gratitude practice every day.
  • What the research says about money and happiness.
•  We also cover Why being happy all the time isn’t realistic and Katie’s recipe for increased happiness

Katie’s Background

• Katie originally pursued a career as a lawyer after graduating from Mitchell Hamline School of Law
• After having kids, she realized becoming a lawyer wasn’t really her passion, a few months into the pandemic, Katie started researching happiness
• Katie now shares information on all things happiness on the Everyday Happiness Podcast

Episode 30. Tricia Timm hid who she was for years as she climbed the corporate ladder as a lawyer, aspiring to be better and better eat each step. But, what did better mean and what was the top? Throughout much of her career she hid that she was Latina and in other cases hid that she was a mother. 

At a certain point she decided to stop hiding and to out herself. Rather than being ashamed of her background, she decided to come out and talk about it. To tell her store and inspire young Latina women, she decided to write a book.

With host Greg Martin, this interview covers her story and how many of us feel in the workplace, not totally comfortable with revealing who we are, but also not comfortable sharing our true selves. It wasn’t something she even knew, but once it dawned on her that she was hiding, she decided to reclaim her identity and began advocating for inclusivity and diversity in the workplace.

Yes, the culture of white males tend to dominate many places of professional work - but to break-in we must advocate for inclusivity and diversity in the workplace.

Key Takeaways

• Tricia’s vast personal and professional accomplishments, absent of knowing her cultural background
• How not seeing people like her in the corporate world impacted her
• Why diverse thoughts, perspectives, and people create better companies
• The moments that brought up inner conflict during her career
• Why she decided to “out” herself in a LinkedIn post
• When Tricia feels like an imposter and how she navigates fear
• Signs your work environment is inclusive and ways to be inclusive while respecting a diverse team
• How to build your support network in the workplace
•  How storytelling helps build bridges between people
• The obstacles Ttricia faced as a new mom in her career, including secretly breastfeeding in parking garages
• How and why she started her own firm—and why she left it

Episode 29. Company culture is the focus of managers, owners and employees alike, but the question around what we’re all looking for isn’t always easy. Speaker, author, and business transformation expert Steven L. Blue discusses his background and why he’s an expert on company culture. Through experiences at different levels of an organization and his roles working to improve and fix the internal workings of different businesses.

With host Greg Martin, the interview covers topics including the divide between blue collar and white collar culture, rooting out problems within a company, trusting and respecting employees and interacting with subordinates.

Key Takeaways

• Steven got his bachelor’s degree when he was 40. He pursued his goals ruthlessly and was always willing to take on the assignments no one else would. This has made him an expert problem solver—a skill he uses now in his own business to identify issues from the top down.
• Other topics discussed include:
  • The benefits of pursuing education at a later age.
  • #1 trait employees are looking for from their job is “RESPECT”
  • How you can use education to distinguish yourself in a blue-collar industry.
  • Why it’s important to pursue your goals with everything you’ve got.
  • The secrets to creating and delivering a great speech.
  • How to cultivate a respectful team environment.
  • What people really desire to have in their work.
  • How to deal with internal growth limitations in the workplace.
  • Top tips for improving company culture, and where to start.

Episode 28. Investment Banking is one of the most intense place to start your career, but every year thousands of new recruits join the junior ranks of banks from Goldman Sachs  to Merrill Lynch to Greenhill to a tiny boutique nobody has heard of. They work all night on powerpoint and excel, pitches and models, selling companies and raising money. The experience is amazing, but everyday is intense.

In this interview we dive deep into the true life as an investment banking analyst. Throughout the episode host Greg Martin shares what it was like in the mergers & acquisitions group of a major Canadian boutique, while Linda Wan shares her experience with a large global bank.

The interview goes beyond the comps, slides and deals into the ups and downs, career meaning and the doors that open after accomplishing two great years. If you’re interested in a career in finance, are curious about what investment bankers do every day or have ever felt like you spent too much time at work, this is a great episode for you.

Key Takeaways

• Investment banks help advise companies on strategic decisions and in raising capital, while an analyst performs lots of analysis and creates presentations to communicate ideas to clients (the decision makers)
• The emotional and mental toll of working 14+ hour days is intense, while certain mental strategies will get you to overcome the idea of an all-nighter
• Compensation is a large appeal to the job, typically starting around $150,000/year and going up
• Many banks in the industry are missing out on developing good talent right from an analyst, and instead burn them out and hire MBAs
• Part of the motivation that gets you through is the team environment (many others are doing it), but also the amount you learn, the gratitude and accomplishment of doing good work
• The thought of quitting can happen often, but most of the time doesn’t seem like an option
• Keys to getting on a recruiters good side are solid grades, making a connection with the interviewer and asking good questions
• The industry experience is unlike most other careers, as is the access to board of director meetings, CEOs and top level executives from early in your career (early 20s)
• There are many paths and career doors that open after completing 2 years as an investment banking analyst including private equity, corporate strategy, asset management or even working at a startup

Episode 27. Keynote speaker and author Chris Clews is the guest. Chris grew up in the 80’s and has gained over 20 years of experience in corporate marketing. His book series "What 80’s Pop Culture Teaches Us About Today's Workplace" merges together these two worlds he knows very well.  

We’ll hear from Chris about the highlights and struggles of workplace culture through the lens of 80’s culture. He also shares important (80’s-related) lessons that can help you no matter what industry or organization you work in.

Key Takeaways

• Chris draws on 80’s culture because even years later its authentic influence remains
• 80’s pop culture was about experimentation and valuing what people actually wanted
• 80’s music and movies were based largely on simple stories and character development
• Through a variety of movies including Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Goonies and Coming to American (among others) we learn:
  • Entrepreneurship has no guarantees—no matter how great you feel your business is
  • True leaders share the stage of success; rulers keep others below the stage
  • Encouragement doesn’t cost a thing, and you can do it every day
  • Saying “I don’t know” is okay and can display strength, confidence, and character
  • Often disengaged people are actually smart people—you can’t judge a book by its cover
  • Inclusivity is crucial in the workplace and may reveal hidden capabilities within the team
  • Helping others to help ourselves
  • Confident people question themselves; Arrogant people question others

Episode 26. A 40 year legal career is an incredible thing. Our guest this episode is Bill Ainley. Bill worked for decades in the world of law, mostly in corporate M&A. Right out of university, he joined a firm called Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg and became the head of M&A. After 40 years, Bill retired. He now sits on the Origin Merchant Partners advisory board. 

In this episode, Bill dives into his career and shares the aspects he loved about working in M&A at Davies and the key reasons he found working in corporate law fun, exciting, and empowering.

Key Takeaways

• When Bill started at Davies, there were 19 lawyers. By the time he left, there were 245
• The key aspect that led Bill to stay for so long was the team atmosphere at Davies - for Bill, the longer you stay in law the more exciting it gets
• Involved in some of the largest transactions in Canada
• Davies emphasizes empowering its young lawyers early in their career
• One of Bill’s mentors taught him to be a duck: paddling furiously underwater but appearing calm on top
• There are fantastic lawyers in every firm—you can differentiate using interpersonal skills
• When hiring new lawyers, Bill tried to look for creative individuals with life experience and introspective qualities
• Feels he was lucky to have the career he did and accomplished everything he wanted to in his career

Bill’s Background

• Holds a BA and LLB from University of Cambridge and a BCL and LLB from McGill University
• Had a successful 40-year career at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg and played a role in some of Canada’s largest and most significant transactions
• Retired from his career after 40 years

Synopsis

Episode 25. After a short hiatus from the podcast, we’re back with David Rosell for episode 25. David’s entrepreneurial journey began when he was 15, and he’s now the Founder & Chief Prosperity Officer at Rosell Wealth Management. He and his team help clients learn how to manage their money in the most beneficial way possible. 

Today, David shares more about the businesses he’s created in his life and the lessons he learned along the way. He also discusses why he chose a less traditional career path and decided to follow what he was passionate about—and why you should too.

Key Takeaways

●       We don’t learn core financial lessons in school. We learn them from our parents.

●       Following your passion instead of sticking to a typical career path can make you a better person to be around.

●       Money is intended to give you freedom, and sometimes it can support happiness too.

●       The tougher and more disciplined you are on yourself today, the better off you’ll be in the future.

●       Instead of retiring as young as possible, David wants to follow his passions independent of a paycheck.

●       If you can follow your bliss and trust your gut, you can find what you’re truly passionate about and increase your potential to generate a higher income.

●       When you’re planning for retirement, you need to account for inflation.

David’s Background

●       Started and grew his first company as a teenager and sold it 10 years later.

●       At 19, he started funding his IRA and learning about finances.

●       He’s the Founder & Chief Prosperity Officer at Rosell Wealth Management.

●       David has written books such as “Keep Climbing” and “Failure is Not an Option” as resources for those who want to learn more about money management. Learn more here.

Episode 24. Adrien Beyk is an engineer and entrepreneur on a mission. Instead of a down payment on a home, he started a business and never looked back. 

The company he created is working hard to revolutionize socks and gloves, with an app that controls their temperature. But, his goals are beyond that. He thinks you don’t learn enough with a typical degree at university and the true way to get ahead in the world is starting something and learning by doing. The world is moving too fast and all the knowledge is right there, but how you learn it makes all the difference.

Technology and engineering should be about being different, thinking in new ways and changing the way we do things. This episode is all about that. With host Greg Martin, Adrien discusses his philosophy on how to combine your passions and love to make money and enjoy what you do.

Episode 23. Right out of business undergrad Sandra fell in love with the corporate world. She was good at her job and moved up quick, though the business world consumed her - until one day she had to quit.

Overwhelmed by the anxiety she left to find a “cure” and that was in the world of consulting and coaching. Today, she works with entrepreneurs to help them balance work and life while launching new businesses - often while still working a full time job.

In this episode, Sandra talks with host Greg Martin about what drives people to want more out of their everyday corporate work life and how they can achieve their dreams without all the perceived risk. Leaving the safety of the job in the world you know and love can be hard, but it’s a big leap you sometimes can’t ignore. 

Episode 58.  We all complain about our jobs sometimes, its a part of the world of work. But much of our enjoyment comes from the culture within the organization we work for and can make a huge different in our personal job happiness and satisfaction.  

This episode guest is Chris Dyer, an entrepreneur who started his business and found himself leading a culture that wasn’t perfect. After selling his business he realized that many of the things that make a great company is a great culture and he was determined to understand the ingredients for this success. Chris took everything he learned and put it in his book “The Power of Company Culture: How Any Business Can Build a Culture that Improves Productivity, Performance and Profits.”

He uses his knowledge to teach the fundamental things companies can do to improve their company culture to not only impact their bottom line, but to also become a business where people are happy to work.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• The accidental titles Chris identifies with and how being curious led to that.
• Why he decided to leave the world of HR to pursue something new.
• How Chris showed his entrepreneur skills from a young age.
• How his business became unscalable and what he did to fix it.
• The biggest challenge he faced after selling his business.
• The word that made him realize his true passion for keynote speaking.
• How Chris became an expert in company culture and why he teaches it now.
• The seven pillars Chris teaches in his book and why it works for any business.
• What most CEOs are good at versus what they tend to need help with.
• Signs of a great company culture (and signs that it’s not so great).
• What your perspective about your team really means and why it matters.
• Why yearly surveys are not the answer to better company culture, and how to do better.
• The responsibilities of a leader and how they can prevent problems before they start.
• Why some people don’t love their job and what their next move should be.

Episode 22. Did you ever dream ridiculous careers when you were young? Hockey player, famous actor, or a rock star? Tyler Schwende had that dream too, and lived it. He worked hard as a musician and songwriter and has toured across North America as a music artist. He lived that dream. Now he’s a mortgage agent and loves that dream too. 

Today he balances a part time career as a musician under the name BRANT and a career as a mortgage agent in the Greater Toronto Area. He creates music when he has the time and helps people buy houses during the day.

In this episode with host Greg Martin, Tyler discusses his journey through the music industry and creating a business for himself in the mortgage industry. Today he lives the new dream of balancing work and family while finding the time to play and write music.

Episode 21. When you want to learn, school isn’t always the best option. An alternative is to start a business that doesn’t require a lot of capital investment and see what happens.

Brianna Coon lost her job in the fall of 2019 which was hard. She tried to get a new job but quickly decided a better next step was to start a company of her own. Her business today is all virtual, and she helps small businesses with being online through digital marketing, administration, sales and other remote work. As she works and build her company she is becoming an expert in all of those areas and in just over a year she’s built a support team of 5 people to help and learn from and works with lots of clients around North America. It was the right place at the right time, not only for her business, but also for Brianna.

In this episode, host Greg Martin discusses how Brianna started her business along with the current and future world of virtual work and finding the job that’s right for you. As we spend more and more time online through all the work we do, there’s an increasing opportunity for people like Brianna to learn and make a living at the same time.

What do we want to leave our children? Definitely things like good lessons, inspiration, knowledge and maybe something to remember you by. We also want to leave them a world that isn’t overly polluted or full of garbage.

Shane Harker is the go-to guy when it comes to recycling your waste and keeping it out of landfill. It’s a dirty job at times (well most of the time) but he’s about making sure waste goes to the right place and if it can be recycled in some way or another, it does. Too do that, he had to leave his career in the waste and transportation industry in search of better ways to deal with waste.

In this episode, host Greg Martin discusses what Shane had to give up to make the impact he wants and needs in the waste industry and the challenges he faces trying to do things differently.

Episode 19. What happens when you have to give up a career you always wanted? How do you find a new career and the fulfillment you need when it’s time to start something new?

EB Sanders always wanted to be a college professor, and she became a college professor. Though she loved what she was doing, it eventually became clear to her she needed a new career to pay her bills. It was hard to “divorce” her old career and find a new one, but now she works as a career coach to bring her people confidence and direction towards the things they want in life.

In this episode, host Greg Martin discusses everything careers with EB Sanders. They discuss the experience of finding a job, leaving a job and trying to find your way in life. Part of it is confidence, part of it is understanding where you want to go. In the end we learn sometimes the dream of your career don’t match up with the reality of life.

Episode 18. Joan Fisk is learning a whole lot as a non-profit CEO of the United Way in the Waterloo region. It has given her a unique perspective around the “underbelly” of the community and a chance to see all the people who fall through the cracks differently.

Joan’s career is full of great stories. In the 1970s and 1980s, she battled stereotypes and sexism in her position, while the fashion industry was being transformed as China built up its industry to eventually take-over. Still, as President of Tiger Brand Knitting she ran a successful company for many years until eventually when the company had to be sold.

In this interview with host Greg Martin, she describes the state of the charity sector in Canada along with the thirst for talent, money and all the people in need. Joan calls the current job at the United Way as a “giving back” role. What’s best and rewarding - it allows her to have an impact on the community in a completely new way.

Episode 17. Phil Winters began his career trying to change the world. After leaving his work with community and political campaigns and a career in the solar industry he bought a farm with his wife and began to grow hops. Now he brews some of the best beer in Ontario at the family farm in Caledon through a brewery called Goodlot. Their tagline is farm-raised beer.

In this episode, host Greg Martin discusses how Phil moved from job to job through his career trying to make an impact on the environment and climate change. It eventually brought him to the decision to settle down outside of the city and a new career in the beer world.  The two discuss the beer industry, local food movement and some of Phil’s favourite Ontario beer styles.

As Phil and his family try to make a positive dent in the beer world, they’re also promoting organic and local agriculture. On top of this, they’re doing it while challenging the big beer companies and carving a niche and home for themselves in the community. It’s a fun story.

Episode 16. One of the big tradeoffs we make as parents is how much time to spend with kids and how much to focus on work. In many cases that means a career taking a back seat to the new family, but not always. 

In this episode, host Greg Martin discusses how Jason switched careers upon the birth of his first daughter in hopes that his new line of work would give more time and flexibility for his kids. The tradeoff never ends. As a salesperson and someone growing a brand, he has the constant tradeoff between kids and work.

Throughout the episode the two discuss the things we want for our children and how they see us as parents and people that “work”. Lots of our world changes when we have kids. When you focus on work and you focus on kids there are always dilemmas and it doesn’t leave much else.

Episode 15. Jordan and Chelsea run an outerwear fashion brand called CAALO. The two are life partners who also run a business together. 

Starting and running your own business is never easy and brings lots of challenges, but the couple is driven trying to build a brand they can be proud of that looks great is made sustainably. In this episode, host Greg Martin talks with the couple about the ins and outs of the fashion industry and how they were able to create their brand to be carried in stores around the world. 

The three get into the pros and cons of starting your own business versus the stability and predictability of the corporate world. In the end, starting a business is a passion and there’s never the perfect time.

Episode 14. Khalid Pasha is a cardiologist who found himself working at a hospital in New York City in early 2020 when Covid-19 hit. He could never have predicted what would then happen, but the journey to get there and to have the opportunity to save people was grueling.

Doctors go through lots of school, lots of test, lots of practice, lots of good and lots of bad to get where they are. Over the course of the interview Khalid talks about how naive he was entering the medical field in the first place, and how much he’s learned along the way. As tough as it is to be a doctor, there are few things as hands on and gratifying as saving people.

Together with host Greg Martin, the two discuss why Khalid chose his path, the ins and outs of medical school, choosing his specialty and what it was like to transform a hospital in New York in the early days of the pandemic. 

Episode 13. A solo episode to start the new year where host Greg Martin discusses his new Youtube channel and the start of a multi-part series on the experience of starting a new business. 

There is lots to say and tell around owning a restaurant amid covid-19, this is the start of telling that story. In the episode he also talks about the art of storytelling and some of the inspiration for starting the series.

Episode 57. There are lessons to be learned from everywhere in life, and they’re really fun when coming from a former fighter pilot.

This episode’s guest is retired fighter pilot and business consultant Jim Murphy. After his dream of being in professional baseball disappeared Jim went into sales, but didn’t love it. Inspired by the movie Top Gun he joined the Air Force, where he retired after 12 years. Afterwards Jim turned to business and today is the founder of Afterburner Inc, a business consulting firm. While in the military, Jim went through training that resonated with him in a very powerful way. Now, he brings those same principles to the consulting world through his signature framework Flawless Execution. You can apply this framework to your business, career or anything in between.

Jim truly believes in the power of planning. When done well, you can align all levels of an in both culture and mission. While he’s stepped away from working inside Afterburner Inc’s day-to-day operations to focus on Afterburner Capital, he’s proud of building a business that has stood the test of time.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• How he got into management training and consulting.
• What inspired Jim to become a fighter pilot.
• The signature framework he came up with and what it teaches.
• Qualities and personality traits that make for a good fighter pilot.
• The importance of culture inside businesses of any industry.
• Why Jim decided to move on from the US Air Force and what he did next.
• How his parents helped instill a strong work ethic in him.
• How his “dream team” encouraged his journey into entrepreneurship. 
• The role that helped Jim learn to sell, and how it helped him prove his model.
• Why you need simple and standardized planning for a successful execution.
• How to inspire and compel people in your organization to take action.
• The book that helped Jim scale his business (and why he reads it every year).
• Why he decided to pivot his focus from Afterburner Inc to Afterburner Capital.
• How to apply the Flawless Execution framework to grow your career.

Episode 12. What are the career options for lawyers when they want to move on from a big firms? Two options we explore in this episode include corporate in-house counsel and of course, the entrepreneurial route.

Adam Armeland started his career working at a big law firm working long hours on major real estate transactions. Despite being absorbed by that world, after 3.5+ years he left and decided to explore an industry job. As the pace slowed down his mind kept racing towards even more alternatives, including the idea of starting his own business.

The world of law is complex, as is the choice of where to work. Host Greg Martin and Adam talk about what it was like at each stage of his law career. Throughout this episode they also discuss the good and bad of the world of law, the path Adam took, what he gets out of being a business owner he couldn’t from practicing law and we follow what drives him to do what he does today.

Episode 11. Andrew Poje is a 3 time Canadian champion, 3 time world medalists and 2 time Olympian in ice dancing with his partner Kaitlyn Weaver. After spending decades in the figure skating world, he’s working towards a new career. A next step.

In this episode, host Greg Martin talks with Andrew Poje about his career as an athlete. He’s already achieved his childhood dream of going to the Olympics, twice - but since then he’s developed new dreams and new ambitions outside of the skating world.

The two discuss how the emptiness Andrew was feeling made him decide he wanted to pursue a second career - “I don’t want to be just this all my life”. Despite all the opportunities and doors that his past can offer him, there are still challenges in defining himself along this new path.

Andrew and Greg talk about what to do next, leaving a career and the opportunity new ideas and future aspirations can bring. With any new job or career pivot there is lots to fear and manage challenges and leaps to overcome, but when dedication and hard work bring you to the biggest stage in the world, there isn’t much else that can get in your way.

When we’re consumed by work, our mental health in the workplace can become all that’s important. If we live for work, we better be happy there - or at least create the right environment for everyone. 

In this episode, host Greg Martin talks with Michael Stroh, a psychotherapist who works with K-12 education and workplace mental health, about what it means to be in control of your own health and be able to recognize troubling signs in others.

Over the episode they talk about what companies do and don’t do to support the needs of employees, while Greg shares a story of his burnout in the world of investment banking. Meanwhile, Mike’s passion for the field of mental health came from his own struggles with addiction through a large chunk of his life and caring for his brother who lives with schizophrenia. 

They key to the episode is being open to vulnerability and understanding there is a lot more to learn and understand about mental health in the workplace.

Being laid off from a job you love can be a tough. It especially hurts when it’s in the career field you’ve always wanted and dreamed about succeeding. It’s even worse when it happens twice.

In this episode, host Greg Martin talks with Dyonne Fashina about what she did after losing two corporate jobs in the interior design industry. She now owns and runs her own design firm called Denizens of Design, and in many ways the drive, inspiration and concept was driven out of losing her job.

In this episode, the two talk about what its like to work for a big firm versus your own firm in the design industry, they share stories about being laid off (Greg was laid off too in 2010) and the benefits and challenges of a job done on your own terms, your own way.