Listen Now

In this episode of the Time to Thrive Podcast Jill Valentine, founder of UGO Impact and Leigh Mitchell, Founder of Women in Biz Network discuss the power of living your values and finding your purpose in your profession. Most importantly we discuss how you can level up with mentorship and accountability in your life to create more impact and joy in your business life.  Guest Bio:  On this episode of the Time to Thrive Podcast our guest Jill Valentine (Women in Biz Network Mentor) discusses the hidden secrets to success through finding mentorship and levelling up your impact and accountability as a business owner so you can reach your goals with a sense of purpose and direction. Jill is the co-founder of UGO Impact and founder of Dare to be a Dandelion.  She is a leading Transformative Travel & Impact Coach who harnesses the innate power of travel and volunteerism to create and inspire Changemakers around the globe. Leveraging her skills as a transformation coach and extensive background in the local and global charity/non-profit arena, she’s the creator of ‘The UGO Method for Change Model’ helping current and aspiring changemakers create profound personal and global change.   A passionate humanitarian, volunteerism specialist, disability sport consultant, and world traveller, she lives by the words “Make it happen!”  

Social entrepreneur and former Tiger-Cat football player Orlando Bowen shares his powerful story on his wrongful conviction, how he got started in public speaking and what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. What is so striking about Orlando is his capacity for forgiveness and using his gifts for the greater good. Orlando is a keynote speaker focused on equipping people to get off the sidelines and become difference-makers on their teams and in the lives of those around them. He is a highly sought after speaker and trainer who works with corporations, small businesses and non-profits. When it comes to building teams, creating momentum and employing winning strategies, Orlando is the real deal. He is also passionate about youth leadership. As a result of that passion, he founded One Voice One Team Youth Leadership Organization to inspire and to teach resilience, leadership and teamwork to youth. Empowering people to overcome adversity, find their passion and to use their gifts to serve is the reason Orlando breathes. This gift has placed Orlando on hundreds of stages, boardrooms and in presentations across North and South America and has garnered him numerous awards. From our interview you will learn about: His wrongful incarceration story  How he was drafted to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats How he started his not for profit organization Why a greater purpose can lead us to overcome our fears What a positive mindset can accomplish in life and business Advice to get started in public speaking Adapting to working online          

On this episode of the "Time to Thrive Podcast" Leigh and Ronan Mitchell spoke with rapper, speaker and socially driven entrepreneur Duane "D.O" Gibson. D.O discusses his journey in business as a musician, author and a speaker in schools. We dive into the process of getting signed to a record label and getting music published to streaming services and CDs. D.O gave advice, insight and tips for fellow entrepreneurs and anyone looking to enter a field similar to his.  You can find D.O on Instagram and twitter @iamdogibsonand at websites www.iamdogibson.com   www.staydriven.com  www.onthisgrind.com More on D.O Gibson:  D.O. Gibson has defied the odds as a rapper from Canada, becoming a certified international artist, a successful record label executive and a socially active community ambassador.  He set a Guinness World Record when he freestyled for nearly nine hours in 2003, sold tens of thousands of CDs, hit #1 on U.S. College Hip Hop Radio charts and travelled the world performing for sold out crowds; D.O.’s success is defined in his own terms. In addition to extensive Canadian tour schedule, Gibson has lived up to the nickname “MrInternational” as he has toured the US, Europe and Asia.  In the summer of 2016 he headlined shows in France, the Netherlands and performed at Fresh Island Fest in Croatia alongside Wiz Khalifa, Chris Brown and DJ In between recording, Gibson founded the Stay Driven program that launched in 2001.  Stay Driven is based on D.O.’s own life experiences where he addresses relevant topics such as anti-bullying, peer pressure, and literacy. Gibson has spoke and performed at over one thousand schools reaching hundreds of thousands of students.  In 2012, he released the book Stay Driven.  Somewhere between Tupac (in terms of social consciousness), Fresh Prince (in terms of appeal with youth) and Jay-Z (in terms of business sense), stands D.O., a man who is bounded only by the hours in a day.  

Founder of  Women in Biz Network Leigh Mitchell chatted with actor, writer and comedian Jessica Holmes on how depression can affect life, work and business. Leigh's reflections: As someone who has struggled with depression and anxiety throughout my adult life I was drawn to Jessica's book: Depression: The Comedy because it was the first book that I personally read that discussed what it is like to deal with depression while being self-employed. I was acquainted with Jessica as she was a speaker for Women in Biz Network, but her latest book really goes deep into her story and ultimate recovery. Her honesty about her marriage, life as a parent and being a performer while in the throes of depression really touched me. I am so glad that Jessica has gone on to become an incredible advocate for people who are experiencing depression. Her work around reducing depression stigma can be found in her social media and her keynotes. We hope that employers and loved ones will learn from this interview what is helpful and most importantly what is harmful. Learn about Jessica Holmes: Jessica Holmes has brought the house down with her unique brand of comedy, opening for giants such as Ellen DeGeneres, Russell Peters, Jerry Seinfeld, and Oprah Winfrey. Combining stand up, music and improvisation, she honed her skills at Just For Laughs and the world-famous Second City before moving on to television. Her Carol Burnett-style series The Holmes Show and her knack for skewering celebrities like Nikki Minaj, Britney Spears, and Celine Dion have made her a favourite with audiences across the country. Also a wellness advocate, Jessica is known for speaking candidly about her experience with depression. She mixes comedy with a validating message about life’s challenges, and has become a celebrated voice in fighting the stigma surrounding mental health issues in her keynotes. In 2018 she became an ambassador for the Bell Let’s Talk campaign and wrote the hilarious and touching memoir Depression The Comedy. A mother of 2 (and wife of 1), Jessica’s passion is finding the humour in life's imperfections, and turning embarrassments into punchlines.

Founder of  Women in Biz Network Leigh Mitchell chatted with actor, writer and comedian Jessica Holmes on how depression can affect life, work and business. Leigh's reflections: As someone who has struggled with depression and anxiety throughout my adult life I was drawn to Jessica's book: Depression: The Comedy because it was the first book that I personally read that discussed what it is like to deal with depression while being self-employed. I was acquainted with Jessica as she was a speaker for Women in Biz Network, but her latest book really goes deep into her story and ultimate recovery. Her honesty about her marriage, life as a parent and being a performer while in the throes of depression really touched me. I am so glad that Jessica has gone on to become an incredible advocate for people who are experiencing depression. Her work around reducing depression stigma can be found in her social media and her keynotes. We hope that employers and loved ones will learn from this interview what is helpful and most importantly what is harmful. Learn about Jessica Holmes: Jessica Holmes has brought the house down with her unique brand of comedy, opening for giants such as Ellen DeGeneres, Russell Peters, Jerry Seinfeld, and Oprah Winfrey. Combining stand up, music and improvisation, she honed her skills at Just For Laughs and the world-famous Second City before moving on to television. Her Carol Burnett-style series The Holmes Show and her knack for skewering celebrities like Nikki Minaj, Britney Spears, and Celine Dion have made her a favourite with audiences across the country. Also a wellness advocate, Jessica is known for speaking candidly about her experience with depression. She mixes comedy with a validating message about life’s challenges, and has become a celebrated voice in fighting the stigma surrounding mental health issues in her keynotes. In 2018 she became an ambassador for the Bell Let’s Talk campaign and wrote the hilarious and touching memoir Depression The Comedy. A mother of 2 (and wife of 1), Jessica’s passion is finding the humour in life's imperfections, and turning embarrassments into punchlines.

“Every breath you take Every move you make Every bond you break Every step you take I’ll be watching you.” Every step we take leads somewhere. Over the summer my steps led me to stay silent and still. You haven’t heard much from me as I had little to say. I even stayed off social media for the most part which made more time for what I needed. I am back at it again full swing, and happy to be home but a string of bad luck did visit this week, the good news is I realize this happened for a reason and lessons were learned. I’ll explain more about that in a minute. First I want to talk about my Summer. It was delicious.   I read a lot. I bonded with my family and sat around a lot of campfires. One of the books, Hardwiring Happiness by Rick Hanson taught me a lot. What I learned from this book is our brains are hardwired to hold onto negative experiences and feelings. It is a caveman thing. To feel happier, calmer and more confident we need to hold onto positive experiences and reframe negative ones. I found myself doing this consistently. There is a whole process in the book and it works. Back to this week: My son got six stitches on his chin, and I broke a rib resulting in two trips to the emergency room in three days. I felt frustrated and weepy at first as I have no time for this. But maybe I did need this injury… Doctors orders were to schedule deep breaths once an hour. I found an app that does this and now each hour I hear a little cough from the app as a reminder to take ten deep breaths. If I don’t do this, I could end up with Pneumonia.  My ribs hurt a lot and when I can’t get comfortable, the exercise of taking breaths calms me down and for each inhale I think of something positive. Gratitude is a big part of my journey these days. The next six weeks my body will be recovering. How I spend my time will be very intentional. I am excited by this. I didn’t intend to break a rib to get a little more “me time” but I will take it for what it is. WIBN Events to Attend: Thrive Mastermind – Online –Wednesday, September 26th

This episode: We help you to understand your blocks around money, why we fear or avoid our challenges in managing finances. We address specific challenges as related to being women, parents, and spouses and how business ownership impacts money management, especially when dealing with emotions and decisions. Karen is a Certified Money coach, a Time To Think Facilitator, a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, non-profit leader, and spiritual seeker. Her passion is helping individuals, families, couples, social entrepreneurs and mission-based organizations wake up to their value and talents so that they can contribute their very best to the world.  Karen gets people to address their goals by releasing the suffering and tension around their relationship with money. Many years experience in nonprofit leadership & fund development – combined with her own glorious messiness and vulnerability uncovering her truth around money – make her intimately familiar with the struggles that people and organizations face. As a money and life coach with over 20 years experience practicing and teaching meditation, she has worked extensively with big blocks such as fear, dissociation, and betrayal that are common in people’s consciousness around money. She has lived and worked in Europe, Japan, Brazil and North America giving her a rich cultural and global understanding of money issues. Seeing the pain these cause – and the great difference people can make when free of them – has made her fiercely committed to helping people come to a place of flow and empowerment around money.   Links related Podcast: https://www.naropa.edu/academics/alc   http://www.clearskycenter.org   https://www.akasavisionconsulting.com   https://www.amazon.com/Dharma-you-Dare-Living-Abandon/dp/0998588601 Visit Karen online http://themindfulmoneycoach.com Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/karenawaken

Thrive in My Life Podcast is all about thriving and living your very best life. It has been described as one of the top inspirational business podcasts for women. Our podcast focuses on 4 pillars Leadership & Learning Spirituality & Healthy Living Fun & Financial Well-Being Compassion & Community   About our Podcast Guest: Lolly Daskal is one of the most sought-after executive leadership coaches in the world. Her extensive cross-cultural expertise spans 14 countries, six languages and hundreds of companies. As founder and CEO of Lead From Within, her proprietary leadership program is engineered to be a catalyst for leaders who want to enhance performance and make a meaningful difference in their companies, their lives, and the world. Based on a mix of modern philosophy, science, and nearly thirty years coaching top executives, Lolly’s perspective on leadership continues to break new ground and produce exceptional results. Of her many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Experts by Inc 100 Great Leadership Speakers for Your Next Conference and Speakers at your next event by Inc. magazine. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Lolly’s proprietary insights are the subject of her new book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness, and is available now. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. About Lolly's Book: Do people see you as the kind of leader you want to be? Are your strongest leadership qualities getting in the way of your greatness? After decades of advising and inspiring some of the most eminent chief executives in the world, Lolly Daskal has uncovered a startling pattern: within each leader are powerful abilities that are also hidden impediments to greatness. She’s witnessed many highly driven, overachieving leaders rise to prominence fueled by well-honed skill sets, only to falter when the shadow sides of the same skills emerge. Now Daskal reveals her proven system, which leaders at any level can apply to dramatically improve their results. It begins with identifying your distinctive leadership archetype and recognizing its shadow: ■ The Rebel, driven by confidence, becomes the Imposter, plagued by self-doubt. ■ The Explorer, fueled by intuition, becomes the Exploiter, master of manipulation. ■ The Truth Teller, who embraces candor, becomes the Deceiver, who creates suspicion. ■ The Hero, embodying courage, becomes the Bystander, an outright coward. ■ The Inventor, brimming with integrity, becomes the Destroyer, who is morally corrupt. ■ The Navigator, trusts and is trusted, becomes the Fixer, endlessly arrogant. ■ The Knight, for whom loyalty is everything, becomes the Mercenary, who is perpetually self-serving. Using psychology, philosophy, and her own experience, Daskal offers a breakthrough perspective on leadership. She’ll take you inside some of the most cloistered boardrooms, let you in on deeply personal conversations with industry leaders, and introduce you to luminaries who’ve changed the world. Her insights will help you rethink everything you know to become the leader you truly want to be. Tell us about your business Lead From Within is a global leadership consultancy firm. What is your best advice to have a life and business based on the Thrive philosophy? 1. Find out what matters to you. 2. Don't compromise what is important to you. 3. Choose greatness in every decision. Links referenced in the podcast: http://www.lollydaskal.com Connect on Twitter @lollydaskal and at http://www.lollydaskal.com and at http://www.facebook.com/lolly.daskal

Nadine Moffat is passionate about making women feel good. She is co-founder and owner of Dress Mavens, an online custom dress store. After working in the beauty, fashion and wellness industry for over a decade, she had twins and didn’t return after her maternity leave. With the desire for a flexible schedule, she started a personal styling business that in turn highlighted the need for custom professional clothing which organically developed into Dress Mavens. With strong business acumen, and growing up in an entrepreneurial home - Nadine is a born go-getter. Having nearly 20 years of business experience that includes a strong retail background, training and development, styling, and spa/business consulting, she's built on passion, and driven to succeed. Dress Mavens has created an online community where women are choosing to love their bodies. Whether you’re petite, tall, slim, curvy or plus size, ordering these tailor-made dresses is just a few simple clicks away and voila another woman owning her figure. You can customize the color, neckline, sleeves, and hemline to suit your individual taste. And the fit, well it’s always a perfect match, but we should warn you that a boost of confidence may occur, and we invite you to embrace it, maybe even strut it out a little to get the full effect. We want women to forget their size: it’s just a number. Size should not define us. A customized fit is where the magic happens. We want you to join our #dropthesize body movement and be part of the quest towards body acceptance by all women everywhere.

"My best advice to have a life and business based on the Thrive philosophy is to aim at balance in all areas of wellness." According to Melissa's Relational Wellness Wheel, there are eight areas of wellness: Physical, Emotional, Social, Vocational, Sexual, Environmental, Spiritual, and Financial. The goal is not to be perfect in every single area of wellness, because nobody is perfect. However, the goal is to strive towards a balance in these various areas of wellness, and to be mindful of when you feel out of balance so that you can make efforts to remedy that.   Biography: Melissa Johari is a Registered Social Worker with a Bachelor of Arts in Honours Psychology and a Master of Social Work. She started The Couple Wellness Expert, a counselling business, in 2012 and became a wedding officiant in 2014 at which time she started her officiant business called Couple Wellness Weddings.   Melissa works with couples, specializing in premarital work. She loves doing the preventative and proactive work of premarital counselling. She works with couples at any stage of their relationship, and also works with individuals, children and youth.       Connect on Twitter @melissajohari and at www.couplewellnessexpert.com and facebook.com/couplewellnessexpert  

Episode Description: Dr. Pamela Fergusson shares her wealth of knowledge and the importance, benefits of a whole food 30 day cleanse.  She loves listening to podcasts and shares her philosophy and inspiration with our guests. Biography Dr. Pamela Fergusson is a Registered Dietitian and registered Public Heath Nutritionist with a PhD in nutrition. She is an avid traveler and has visited over 50 countries and worked as a Dietitian in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. She is fascinated by nutrition and has a passion for sharing her knowledge with others.  She eats a whole foods, plant-based diet and loves to cook and bake with her four children, teaching them about food and nutrition through shopping for and preparing colourful, healthy family meals together. Fitness brings joy to her life; She is a runner and speed walker and has completed five half marathons and one marathon. She believes in the power of activity to help improve our mental and physical health. She loves working with clients to help them to achieve their wellness goals. If you are looking to lose weight, learn more about healthy eating for you or your family, she can help you do it in a healthy way, and keep it off too. Connect on Twitter @DrPamelaRD and at http://www.pamelafergusson.com and facebook.com/DrPamelaRD

Leadership involves being able to tackle new situations and deal with failure, because we don’t always lead others into the known. If your burning desire is to maintain the status quo, go ahead and stick with the safe. But if you want to move the world or even better your organization, you need know how to navigate the uncharted and the scary, so you can bring others confidently with you. That kind of leadership takes gumption, and one way we can get it is by pushing beyond what we think of as our boundaries in all kinds of ways. Dressing differently, traveling solo, jumping out of a plane, learning to sing – they can all make a person a better leader. By giving ourselves proof of our own courage we give ourselves the confidence to lead others.   Shelagh has spent a lifetime balancing family, work, and pets with her need to do adventuresome things. Learning to fly small planes, riding horseback across the Mongolian steppes, living in the UK, Italy, America, and back to Canada (with kids and pets), and drastically changing her career several times led her to believe she knew something about making adventures happen. Then she started investigating just how she and other women managed it, and realized there were other acts of daring-do – such as singing in a rock band, or wearing pink, or indeed creating Gumption – that were way scarier. The creation of Gumption has therefore been a very personal journey, as well reflecting the intrepid experiences of all those lovely women whose contribution of wisdom and know-how has made it all possible.

Episode 7 - Making friends with Money with Karen Collacut  Leigh Mitchell of Women in Biz Network and Thrive Consulting interviews Karen about struggles with money mindset and how to find peace and prosperity with the relationship one has to their finances and small business risks. Biography Karen Collacutt, CFP®, TNLP, MTLT, MCHt CEO and Founder of ProsperologyU™ Karen Collacutt connects other Practical Divas with their Prosperity, Passion and Power. She helps women make friends with their money and themselves to build amazing and prosperous lives. Certified Financial Planner®, Internationally designated Trainer in Neuro Linguistic Programming and Hypnosis, Karen launched ProsperologyU™ to connect women with their Inner Mastery of Money - the wealth programs and the skills, tools, resources for real Prosperity. Karen has been a featured personal finance expert in Money Sense Magazine, Chatelaine, Globe and Mail, CBC Radio, Toronto Star, and Rogers TV. With her straightforward strategies, world-class mind-body tools, and tell-it-like-it-is approach, Karen delivers a fresh perspective on Prosperity. For more about Karen Collacutt, visit www.karencollacutt.com. Tell us about your business Karen Collacutt works with Practical Divas through one-on-one, group and events to claim their prosperous life. CEO and Founder, Karen's ProsperologyU(TM) is the place to learn the inner Mastery of Money and the powerful and practical tools to reclaim your life. Practical Divas connect with their prosperity, passion and power for an amazing life. Prosperity is an inner game. Make friends with your money and claim your prosperous life. Connect on Twitter @karencollacutt and at http://www.karencollacutt.com/ and at https://www.facebook.com/KarenCollacuttCoaching

Jessica Kline is on a mission to support and empower women in the motorsports industry. In 2012, she created Backwoods Promotions, a marketing agency that specializes in motorsports event staffing. Since this time, Jessica has grown the company, and worked closely with a number of large corporate clients.With a particular focus on supporting women in the motorsports industry, Jessica has also worked closely with several women racers while participating in numerous women’s motorcycle and snowmobile rides across North America. Jessica is also a motorsports journalist, with published articles written for Snowmobile.com, Motorcycle.com, American Snowmobiler Magazine and more. It is Jessica’s strong interpersonal skills and hands-on approach to business that have been commended by many industry leaders. She believes that a combination of passion, motivation and hard work are essential to earning respect and becoming a successful woman in business. Jessica’s business is Backwoods Promotions - a staffing agency that specializes in motorsports event staffing. Owner, Jessica Kline, is an entrepreneur who took a big leap and started a company that is focused on her passions in life: motorsports, events, and people. She is a leader in the industry, working with many younger people to support their dreams.       

Leigh Fowler is a Content Marketing and Community Engagement Strategist at Rise Media + Design and is a kicking off her 4th year as a solopreneur – working with heart-centered leaders and fellow entrepreneurs who want to build community around their brand and inspire, connect and engage with their audience with purposeful content marketing strategies, structure, routines + systems. She’s been able to take her expertise and help authors, small to medium sized businesses take their online marketing to the next level. She says “It has been absolutely thrilling to help other people get more comfortable around digital media – and ultimately make it work for them!”

Ingrid is the founder of Women Building Wealth and Social Club, a fun & inspiring women’s club focused on building holistic wealth. We make conversations and about money cool and fun, and we guide and inspire you to build wealth your way.   In 2009, Ingrid founded Jolt Marketing, a premier marketing and training boutique for the Real Estate and Mortgage Industry. 

Shannon is a certified financial planner teaching the new school of finance in a grassroots way. She helps everyday people survive the new economic climate through personal finance, barter and small business advice! She founded the New School of Finance to provide unbiased financial advice to clients via financial planning consulting, speaking engagements, workshops and webinars. Shannon has been a guest on Cityline, Metro Morning and has contributed to Canadian Living, the Toronto Star, the National Post and Today's Parent.