In this conversation, James Keirstead shares his entrepreneurial journey, detailing his experiences from founding Levven to navigating market challenges and achieving significant milestones, including a partnership with PulteGroup. He emphasizes the importance of resilience, understanding customer value, and the collaborative efforts of his team in driving innovation and change in the smart home technology sector. Key Takeaways James Keirstead is driven by a passion for entrepreneurship and comm...
Jun 25, 2025•47 min•Season 1Ep. 20
In this conversation, Brent Lakeman, the executive director of the Edmonton Region Hydrogen Hub, discusses the importance of clean energy and hydrogen in addressing climate change. He highlights the current state of hydrogen applications, the establishment of the Edmonton Hydrogen Hub, and the collaborative efforts required to build a successful hydrogen ecosystem. Brent emphasizes the need for strategic vision, community engagement, and operational strategies to promote hydrogen development and...
Jun 18, 2025•41 min•Season 1Ep. 19
In this engaging conversation, Dr. Allen Lycka shares his remarkable journey from being a successful cosmetic dermatologist to becoming a renowned speaker and podcaster after facing a life-altering ALS diagnosis. He discusses the challenges he faced, his transformation, and how he pivoted to reach millions through his podcast, spreading messages of positivity and empowerment. Dr. Lycka emphasizes the importance of living life to the fullest, overcoming adversity, and the impact of sharing inspir...
Jun 11, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 18
In this conversation, Rebecca Goldsack, COO of DieselTech Industries, discusses her journey in the hydrogen sector, the importance of networking, and the innovative technologies her company is developing to decarbonize the transportation industry. She emphasizes the need for collaboration within the hydrogen ecosystem and shares insights on the operational and strategic aspects of bringing new technologies to market. Rebecca also highlights the recognition her team has received and the importanc...
Jun 04, 2025•44 min•Season 1Ep. 17
In this conversation, Chris Vasiliou shares his inspiring journey as a young entrepreneur and president of CTK, an electrical and security contracting company. He discusses the challenges he faced, including a toxic partnership and a significant lawsuit, and how he developed resilience and an unbreakable mindset to overcome these obstacles. Chris emphasizes the importance of reputation, ethical business practices, and personal growth in achieving success. He also highlights the key players in hi...
May 29, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 16
In this episode, Gordon Sheppard interviews Dale Plett, the Business Development Manager at Unlimited Medical Clinic. They talk about the Executive Medical and how it can help help busy executives prioritize their health. Dale shares insights into the Unlimited Medical Clinic's approach, which combines occupational health with a focus on preventative medicine. The conversation covers the strategy behind the executive medical, the operational highlights, and the importance of a scoring system tha...
May 14, 2025•45 min•Season 1Ep. 15
In this conversation, Colin Harms shares his entrepreneurial journey, highlighting his diverse background, the importance of mentorship, and the challenges he faced while transitioning from corporate life to owning a manufacturing business. He emphasizes the significance of values-driven leadership, customer-centric innovations, and the need for operational improvements. Colin reflects on the importance of listening to customers, solving real problems, and playing the long game in business. He c...
May 07, 2025•56 min
In this conversation, Dan MacDonald shares his entrepreneurial journey, detailing his transition from working at The Brick to founding BIS Safety Training, a company focused on online safety training. He discusses the challenges faced during the 2008 financial crisis, the importance of building a strong team, and the strategies that have led to his company's growth. Dan emphasizes the significance of continuous learning through reading and the value of finding the right people to drive success. ...
Apr 30, 2025•48 min•Season 1Ep. 13
In this conversation, Jodi Abbott, President and CEO of the University Hospital Foundation, discusses her journey in transforming philanthropy into a business model that focuses on health system innovation. She emphasizes the importance of hope and purpose in healthcare, shares a compelling case study about donor engagement, and outlines her strategic planning approach that prioritizes community health. She also highlights the cultural shifts within her organization, the need for operational fle...
Apr 16, 2025•43 min
In this conversation, Mike Schoenberger, CEO of Sunco Communications, shares insights into his journey of leading a successful acquisition that transformed his company from a regional player to a national telecommunications provider. He discusses the importance of curiosity, strategic planning, and cultural integration in achieving business growth. He also emphasizes the value of strong leadership, employee engagement, and the need for clear communication during transitions. The conversation als...
Apr 09, 2025•35 min
In this conversation, Terri Davis shares her inspiring journey from working in recruitment to becoming an entrepreneur with her company, Profound Talent, and the upcoming launch of her new technology, Oolu. She discusses her core values, the importance of authenticity in business, and the innovative strategies behind Oolu's development. Terri emphasizes the significance of building a resilient team and navigating operational challenges while maintaining a positive outlook. The conversation highl...
Apr 02, 2025•50 min
In this engaging conversation, Petros Kusmu shares his journey from a diverse background to becoming the founder and CEO of Alpine Business Capital. He discusses the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship, particularly in raising funds for business acquisitions. Petros emphasizes the importance of confidence, relationship building, and having a clear vision in achieving business success. He also highlights the significance of creating a supportive environment for employees and the unique ap...
Mar 26, 2025•43 min•Season 1Ep. 9
In this conversation, Kelly Kennedy, a business development coach, shares insights on the importance of consistency, mindset, and strategic approaches in achieving success in business development. He emphasizes the need for a structured process, the role of digital introductions, and the significance of using a CRM to track progress. Kelly also discusses the importance of building relationships and managing expectations throughout the business development process, ultimately highlighting that su...
Mar 17, 2025•51 min•Season 1Ep. 8
In this episode Trevor Kloeck, President of Plantae talks about how proud he is of helping to build a team that can thrive as they go through the ups and downs of building a technology driven company. He emphasizes the importance of team culture, values, and continuous improvement in driving the company's success. Trevor shares insights on the challenges of building a business during COVID, the significance of having a strong mission, and how they measure success beyond just profitability. The d...
Mar 10, 2025•35 min
In this episode, Alvin Pyke shares the story of how he raised 25 million dollars to buy a screw piling business because he had a vision about how to grow the company from 10 to 50 million dollars in revenue. He also shares his early experiences with business, the transition from engineering to entrepreneurship, and the perseverance he demonstrated to get this acquisition done. Throughout you’ll hear about Alvin’s emphasis on being patient, getting the right advice and how to be innovative when n...
Mar 03, 2025•48 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In this episode, Kelly Mottet, COO of Mach32, talks about how to bring an innovative medical device to market in the United States. She shares insights into the journey of securing a significant government contract with BARDA, the strategies employed to navigate the medical device landscape, and the importance of team dynamics and stakeholder engagement. The conversation highlights the operational challenges faced by a small startup and the values that drive their mission to save lives. Key Take...
Feb 17, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 5
If you were a Chief Administrative Officer, and you knew that you had to find a better solution for a major infrastructure project, what would you do? In this episode of the Executive Wins Podcast, Jodi Brown, the Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of Bon Accord, talks about how she and her team found an environmentally friendly solution for a mandatory stormwater drainage project. From a leadership perspective Jodi shares the importance of maintaining a strong network, and not being afra...
Feb 10, 2025•29 min•Ep. 4
Are you an Executive who wants to save their company a lot of time and money? In this episode of the Executive Wins podcast, Chelsea Yarmuch, Director of Finance at McKillican, shares her journey of transitioning the company from asset-based lending to traditional financing. She discusses the significant cost savings and operational efficiencies gained through this change, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder buy-in and strategic decision-making. Chelsea also highlights the challenges faced...
Jan 27, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 3
As a leader, do you really care about how your staff is feeing at the beginning of the day? If so, how do you show that you care? In this episode you’re going to learn how to improve attraction and retention of top talent by doing a wellness check-in at the beginning of every meeting. That’s because our guest is Co-Founder Karen Unland from Taproot Publishing in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Karen is a values-driven leader who shares a best practice that she has implemented in her company. At the b...
Jan 20, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Welcome to episode 1 of the Executive Wins Podcast! In this introduction you’ll find out why senior leaders who listen will be able to grow themselves and their businesses. That’s because podcast host Gordon Sheppard explains the format of the show which is to interview highly accomplished executives and help them share their biggest wins so you can learn from them and improve your own leadership skills and grow your company. Wins include improving profitability, processes, communicating more ef...
Jan 14, 2025•6 min
