Wendy Murphy lost the use of her legs in a car accident. What she found was her life’s calling. Prepare to be inspired by the remarkable story of Wendy Murphy, who transformed personal tragedy into triumph and used positivity for the benefit of society. Powerful lessons for all await. Wendy takes us on a heartfelt journey through her life, which began as someone who approached life three steps at a time. In 1984, at seventeen, her life changed instantly due to a tragic car accident. Wendy lost h...
May 19, 2023•43 min•Season 4Ep. 126
In honour of Mother's Day, I'd like to share the inspiring story of Dr. Suzanne Vickberg. Despite divorcing her husband twelve years ago, she still lives with him, their children, and his new wife - not as a 'Jerry Springer' spectacle, but as a testament to the idea that divorce doesn't have to be devastating and that family comes first. For Dr. Vickberg, her divorce wasn't a failure but an opportunity to find a new way forward. She refused to limit herself to the binary choice of staying or lea...
May 12, 2023•45 min•Season 4Ep. 125
This an extraordinary success story with so much added value if you are involved with Brands, Marketing, Media, an Entrepreneur, and even a Parent or Consumer. Joe Gagliese, the co-founder and CEO of a digital and social innovation agency, Viral Nation, is one of the most impressive entrepreneurs I have ever talked with. Joe is innovative, insightful, informative, and inspiring. In seven years, his agency has become a global disruptor in the marketing world. Viral Nation has raised $250 million ...
May 05, 2023•49 min•Season 4Ep. 124
' My Mom was at home when I left .' I have two asks. The first is that you stay with this interview as it unfolds. There are so many layers, and out of the ashes rises a remarkable human spirit. My second is that as you listen, imagine you are my guest, Shelly Edwards Jorgensen. You are the child driving up to your family home after a high school basketball practice, and you see it being consumed by fire. And at that moment, you know that your mom is dead, inside the home, and not by fire but by...
Apr 28, 2023•45 min•Season 4Ep. 123
My chat with Siila Watt-Cloutier so moved me, and she made me think differently. For example, she believes that the trauma we are going through as a Planet and Human Species are the same, and so is the path to healing. If she were sitting down with me today, I would ask: If everything on this Planet is interconnected, does that mean we all feel the loss when a species goes extinct, or a fire consumes a forest? You will also have many questions as Silla Watt-Cloutier will open your mind to our pl...
Apr 21, 2023•49 min•Season 4Ep. 122
Looking for a better life, Timea Nagy is lured by an international sex trafficking ring. Timea Nagy was 20 years old and hoping to escape a childhood of trauma and abuse. She answered a newspaper ad in Budapest, Hungary, calling for young women to work as babysitters and housekeepers in Canada. On the flight over, her dreams were big, and her hopes soared. But from the moment she landed in Canada, her story went from bad to worse. The ad was a front for international human sex traffickers. The a...
Apr 14, 2023•46 min•Season 4Ep. 121
This episode with one of today’s most influential thinkers will leave you thinking more. Professor Steven Pinker is the Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. He is also an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, a Humanist of the Year, a recipient of nine honorary doctorates, one of Foreign Policy’s “World’s Top 100 Public Intellectuals” and Time’s “100 Most Influential People in the World Today.” Profess...
Apr 07, 2023•46 min•Season 4Ep. 120
This story has all the markings of Rocky, the story of a struggling, small-time boxer and debt collector, Rocky Balboa, who gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fight the world's heavyweight champion and when he wins, finds himself, and becomes the symbol of hope and inspiration. In this case, instead of boxing gloves, it was drumsticks. As a child, James Laughlin didn't fit in. He grew up in Northern Ireland with parents of opposing religions and a world he dreamed of escaping each time a p...
Mar 31, 2023•45 min•Season 4Ep. 119
A sold-out event at the Toronto Hunt Club, ending with a loud and sustained standing ovation for my guest Steve Paikin, the anchor of the flagship current affairs program, The Agenda. I was so happy with this interview that I brought it to Chatter that Matters. Steve Paikin is a recipient of the Order of Canada, an author, a documentary producer, and one of Canada’s most admired journalists. We cover so much ground and with so much laughter. We learn about Steve’s upbringing, the values he learn...
Mar 24, 2023•50 min•Season 4Ep. 118
In the blink of an eye, the unthinkable can happen, an event in your life that cause you to ask - why me? Jane Enright survives three life-altering and tragic events in the span of a year, including a severe and sudden brain injury that left her almost speechless. This is Jane's story of how she used acceptance to acknowledge her fate and gratitude to reclaim her love of life. These moving stories are powerful lessons on managing grief, stress, loss, stagnation, indecision, and recovery. Today, ...
Mar 17, 2023•45 min•Season 4Ep. 117
I couldn't be happier with how my International Women's Day Episode turned out, as I want it to be remarkable. My Mother was my rock, my two daughters are my inspiration, my three sisters are my remaining family, and my wife rocks. I am breaking my Friday format and bringing it out today, as this is every women's day of honour and celebration. I begin with a personal story that I share not for pity or applause for how far I have come but for context why I chose my guest and why she matters to th...
Mar 08, 2023•44 min•Season 4Ep. 116
After conquering his addictions, Tim Stewart changes his world and others for the better. Tim Stewart's substance abuse began at an early age. Growing up on his family's farm, which included a bar and a hotel of dubious repute, Tim abided by the family code that put work ahead of everything, including play and education. Tim's influencers were adults who introduced him to tobacco, alcohol, pot, and prostitution. Over time, the drugs and alcohol consumed his life, and Tim enlisted in the Air Forc...
Mar 03, 2023•45 min•Season 4Ep. 115
After growing up amidst the worst of humanity, Dr. Emmanuel Taban models the best of humanity. My guest today is Emmanuel Taban. He was born in Sudan, one of the most impoverished countries in the world. He had little and lost it all before overcoming his circumstances and changing his world and ours for the better. Listen generously as his accent differs from yours, but his message is universal, powerful and inspiring. Emmanuel Taban was among five children raised by a single mother in an envir...
Feb 24, 2023•45 min•Season 4Ep. 114
I am so happy about how my interview with Jesse Palmer, the host of the Bachelor, went. Jesse is engaging, intelligent, funny and gracious, offering so much in this episode on how to make the most out of the opportunity including believing in your biggest dreams and surrounding yourself with people who believe in you. Many of you will know Jesse Palmer from the Bachelor, others from his work on Good Morning America, and sports fans will see him as only the second Canadian ever to be a starting q...
Feb 17, 2023•46 min•Season 4Ep. 113
Chatter that Matters is a show that counters the storm of negativity and a growing sense of impossibility. I share inspiring stories of people who overcome their circumstances to chase their dreams and, for some, to change our world. My guest is Dr. Talia Varley, whom I first met at the Economic Club of Canada Conference I was hosting. I was blown away by her insights and intelligence for a good reason. Dr. Varley has a Master of Public Health from Harvard University, an MD from McMaster Univers...
Feb 10, 2023•41 min•Season 4Ep. 112
Jean Muenchrath should have trusted her gut when it told her something terrible would happen during her and her boyfriend Ken’s winter trek to cross-country ski on very rugged terrain, cross the 220-mile John Muir trail from Yosemite Valley to o the summit of Mount Whitney, which is the highest point in the contiguous United States at 14,505 ft (4,421 m) above sea level. To do so requires climbing and navigating 14 mountain passes. On their final day, a week ahead of schedule, Jean and Ken are c...
Feb 03, 2023•42 min•Season 4Ep. 111
I interviewed Ted Nolan at a conference I hosted for the Coffee Association of Canada. I could see how moved the audience was by his life story, as was I. Thankfully our conversation was recorded so I can share this incredible story with you. Ted Nolan was the third youngest of twelve children in a house without plumbing or electricity on the Garden River First Nation in northern Ontario. Ted's first pair of hand-me-down skates were so big he had to stuff his rain boots inside to wear them. The ...
Jan 27, 2023•47 min•Season 4Ep. 110
Fennella Bruce was the 2022 Businesswoman of the Year and one of the 100 Most Accomplished Black Canadian women in 2020. In this episode of Chatter That Matters, Fennella shares her incredible climb to the highest ranks of television as a writer, editor, and producer. With humour and grace, Fennella takes us deep inside the world of news and morning television glamorized in the Apple TV hit "The Morning Show." An immigrant who, at university and early in her career, often found herself as a mino...
Jan 20, 2023•43 min•Season 4Ep. 109
In this special edition of Chatter that Matters, taped in front of a live audience, I chat with David Chilton, author of The Wealthy Barber and The Wealthy Barber Returns. You will soon hear why David Chilton is a beautiful human being with a fantastic sense of humour and a gift as a storyteller. Learn how he became one of Canada’s best-selling authors, a sought-after speaker, venture capitalist, mentor and one of the most popular Dragons. David takes you into the Den and shares some behind-the-...
Jan 13, 2023•47 min•Season 4Ep. 108
A riveting story of defying all odds, three miracles, and the power of love. Danielle Kaplan is my guest, and we tell her story in three parts. We begin by talking about her roots, a South African growing up in a life of privilege but living with the guilt of apartheid, and why she and her husband came to Canada. The second part is when Danielle Kaplan's thrill-seeking husband, Steve Kaplan, crashes his motorcycle on a solo trip that has taken him from Toronto to a deserted road in the Yukon. St...
Jan 06, 2023•51 min•Season 4Ep. 107
Best-selling author and acclaimed thinker Kim Scott provides the framework for giving and receiving exceptional feedback and having more meaningful conversations. What was the worst feedback that you ever received? I remember working part-time at a drugstore when I was in my teens, and my boss told me I was useless. I had an English Teacher who told me repeatedly that I would never amount to anything. I would like to know if these attacks were why I was horrible at giving feedback. For most of m...
Dec 30, 2022•55 min•Season 4Ep. 107
I saved this episode for the holidays, as it is an excellent time for reflection. If you do listen and feel the way I do about Dany's message, please share it with others. The best way to lift and unite Canada is through our collective spirits. First and foremost, we are not East or West, left or right, gay or straight, Liberal or Conservative. We are Canadian. Together we can make this the greatest country on Earth for generations to come. So what is this episode all about? Imagine, for a momen...
Dec 23, 2022•47 min•Season 4Ep. 106
What does it take to win on the court? Preparation, Perseverance and Perspiration. What does it take to win off the court? Curiosity, Compassion, Charisma, and Connections. In 1988, Milos, Mila Pospisil, and their two sons unlawfully drove from Czechoslovakia to Austria to escape the Communist regime. The family worked long hours at low wages to save money to move to Canada. Here, Vasek Pospisil was born. If you enjoyed the movie King Richard, where Richard Williams is determined to see his two ...
Dec 16, 2022•41 min•Season 4Ep. 105
Ken Wong on Teaching our Children Well. Ken Wong is one of Canada’s most acclaimed educators. To better appreciate his impact on academia, I posted a tribute on LinkedIn when I heard he was retiring. Overnight, it garnered over 50,000 impressions and an outpouring of love from all over the world. This is Ken’s incredible and inspiring story, and, as you would expect, it's packed with many life lessons for building your career and brand, combined with what we must do as a society to teach our chi...
Dec 09, 2022•45 min•Season 4Ep. 104
The 'GOAT' is how fans and broadcasters describe the greatest athlete of all time. It's also the fuel that has fired debate since sports began. I can certainly make a case for my guest this week, Canadian soccer phenom Christine Sinclair being in that exclusive club. No male or female on the planet has scored more international goals, and she is the second footballer of either sex to score at five World Cup editions. Her legacy is a testament to her athleticism and perseverance: five FIFA Women'...
Dec 02, 2022•41 min•Season 4Ep. 103
Have you noticed the bright yellow and magenta book in bookstores titled Swagger - Unleash everything you are and become everything you want? Grab one before they are gone. The author Leslie Ehm is the undisputed Queen of Swagger who has discovered the secret to tapping into your authentic self and turning it into a superpower at work and in life. And no, this is not the old Swagger—that show-off, in-your-face, arrogant kind. This brand-new Swagger is unshakable, unstoppable, and utterly irresis...
Nov 25, 2022•44 min•Season 4Ep. 102
Mitch Joel is a renaissance man with much to say about the relentless digital disruption and how it impacts you. His opinions have been shaped by a nomadic career that began when computers were rudimentary and the internet was the domain of a handful of universities. Add Mitch's insatiable appetite for reading, observing, writing, music, creativity, design and speaking — combined with being a serial entrepreneur — and you have someone who not only decodes the future but helps you map yours. Mitc...
Nov 18, 2022•44 min•Season 4Ep. 101
A Canadian woman who flew for her country in combat brings her leadership skills to the private sector to champion the underserved. Why are no women at the altar if God made us equal? This was the question teenager Natalie Marchesan wrote to her Bishop. His response was you are equal but different, and that answer didn't sit well with Natalie. In fact, it began her lifelong quest to level the playing field, to create equal opportunity for all. Why are no women serving at the altar if God made us...
Nov 11, 2022•40 min•Season 4Ep. 100
What started on a shoestring became Reebok, the biggest shoe brand in the world. This is the inspiring and against-all-odds story about how Joe Foster and his brother Jeff, with borrowed equipment in a falling-down factory in Northern England that also served as a home, created Reebok. In their day, it surpassed both Adidas and Nike in sales. So many life lessons- family, business, marketing, and sales- are woven into a fantastic story of achievement. Para-athlete, Meghan Hines, the President of...
Nov 04, 2022•44 min•Season 4Ep. 99
Do the right thing. These four words have been the compass for Jim Estill since his first business at age fourteen. Today he is one of our country's most successful and admired entrepreneurs. Learn about Jim's secrets to success, the daily habits that power his intellectual, emotional and financial wealth and how he has applied all of the above to help refugees create a new home built on purpose and pursuit. Some fantastic insights into how to do more with less and to lead by example....
Oct 28, 2022•40 min•Season 4Ep. 98
