What does it take to go from running a Student Works summer management job at university to leading high-performing teams across industries? In this episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Chris Thomson sits down with proud Student Works Management Program alumnus Bob Repovs, whose leadership journey began as a student entrepreneur and evolved into decades of executive experience. Bob shares how the lessons learned in the program, from managing people and projects to making tough calls, beca...
Aug 19, 2025•44 min
What happens when two siblings challenge themselves to grow as leaders together? In this episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, host Chris Thomson sits down with Adriana and Cole Benoit, two exceptional student leaders who have thrived in the Student Works Management Program. What started as a summer job turned into a transformational journey of self-discovery, confidence, and leadership development. Adriana opens up about how the program helped her overcome shyness, develop independence, a...
Aug 12, 2025•58 min
How do you go from being a shy, technically minded student to owning a wedding photography business that shoots over 250 events a year? In this episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Chris Thomson speaks with Peter Bendevis, a Student Works Management Program alumnus whose story is a masterclass in personal transformation, entrepreneurial thinking, and taking bold risks early in life. Peter opens up about his early struggles with confidence and communication—skills he began to develop throu...
Aug 05, 2025•52 min
What does it take to break through personal limitations and unlock your full leadership potential at a young age? In this inspiring episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast, Chris Thomson sits down with Justin Huschilt and Ben Marysiuk, two high-performing young leaders who are thriving in the Student Works Management Program. Both Justin and Ben reflect on their transformational journeys as operators, highlighting how Student Works gave them the tools, mindset, and systems to push beyond fear...
Jul 29, 2025•38 min
What if a summer management job could become the foundation for a global career? In this inspiring episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Chris Thomson sits down with Dan Desmarais, a standout alumnus of the Student Works Management Program, who has gone on to build a thriving virtual company that serves some of the world’s largest retailers. Dan shares how his time with Student Works in 1989–90 helped him break free from unfulfilling hourly jobs and set him on a path of leadership, ownersh...
Jul 22, 2025•54 min
What does it take to grow from frustration and failure to focused leadership in just one year? In this episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Chris Thomson is joined by Louis Boivin and Joey Vari, two student entrepreneurs in the Student Works Management Program, who return for a second season with a powerful story of personal growth and business transformation. Louis and Joey share how their first year in the program was defined by poor habits and lack of direction—and how those struggles ...
Jul 15, 2025•49 min
What happens when two young entrepreneurs commit to becoming the best versions of themselves through structure, humility, and relentless effort? In this episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Chris Thomson sits down with Zach Weiler and Vincent D’Angelo, two returning operators in the Student Works Management Program. They reflect on their journeys from chaotic first seasons to running high-performing painting businesses—and the personal growth that fueled it. You’ll hear Zach and Vincent u...
Jul 08, 2025•41 min
How does a student entrepreneur evolve into a global executive leading billion-dollar projects? Jason Haelzle shares the mindset and milestones behind his rise from Student Works to the world stage. In this episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Chris Thomson sits down with Jason—now Principal and Vice President at GHD—to explore how he balanced academics, competitive hockey, and running a Student Works business as a teen, and how those early experiences shaped his leadership style today. J...
Jul 01, 2025•40 min
In this episode of Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Chris Thomson chats with Ben Dorey, a standout participant in the Student Works Management Program. Ben reflects on his remarkable journey of growth and discovery, sharing his early struggles and the lessons he learned in the program. From juggling the pressures of team management to overcoming personal habits and embracing delayed gratification, Ben’s story is one of transformation. He opens up about his rookie year challenges, the shift in mindse...
Jun 24, 2025•43 min
How do you go from painting homes as a student to becoming a top-producing real estate professional clients trust for life? In this episode of Leaders of Tomorrow, Chris Thomson sits down with Greg Kuchma, a successful real estate broker whose entrepreneurial journey started with the Student Works Management Program. Greg shares how he built confidence through hands-on leadership, developed strong client relationships through consistent follow-up, and applied the lessons of service, integrity, a...
Jun 17, 2025•46 min
What if your biggest missteps turned out to be the foundation of your success story? In this powerful episode, Chris Thomson has an inspiring conversation with Joe MacLean, a successful finance professional and lifelong learner. Joe reflects on the pivotal role that the Student Works Management Program played in shaping his mindset and career—pushing him to take risks, own his blind spots, and lean into challenges with resilience and curiosity. You’ll hear how running a painting business as a st...
Jun 10, 2025•57 min
What does it take to completely shift your view of yourself, your goals, and your potential—all before finishing school? In today’s episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast, Chris Thomson welcomes Ella Hall-Smith, a standout participant in the Student Works Management Program, to share her remarkable story of growth, challenge, and leadership. As a full-time nursing student and business owner, Ella managed to run a six-figure painting business while balancing hospital shifts, exams, and the em...
Jun 03, 2025•39 min
What does it take to turn early leadership experiences into a foundation for long-term success—and why is "adding real value" the real goal behind every great career move? In today’s episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast, Chris Thomson sits down with Mitchell Lowry, a standout alumnus of the Student Works Management Program, to dive into the habits, mindset shifts, and leadership lessons that shaped his journey. From mastering punctuality and tough conversations at Student Works to excellin...
May 27, 2025•55 min
What do elite sports and elite entrepreneurship have in common? More than you might think. In today’s episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast, Chris Thomson sits down with Landon Roberts, a former varsity hockey player and standout participant in the Student Works Management Program, to dive into the mindset, habits, and leadership skills that drive success in both arenas. Landon opens up about the challenges of balancing a heavy course load, varsity sports, and running a six-figure business ...
May 20, 2025•53 min
How does a Western University student become a leader in biotech venture capital, with over 50 approved products under her belt? In this episode, Chris Thomson sits down with Michele Doig, partner at Omega Funds, to unpack the winding road from her early days at Student Works to becoming a key investor in life-saving medical breakthroughs. With authenticity and wit, Michele shares the inflection points that shaped her remarkable career—highlighting the mindset shifts, personal values, and strate...
May 13, 2025•53 min
What does it take to go from feeling lost and unconfident to becoming one of the top performers in a national leadership program? In this episode of Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Chris Thomson sits down with Nikos Violetis, a fourth-year Western University student and standout participant in the Student Works Management Program. Nikos opens up about his difficult start in the program, the self-doubt he struggled with, and the learning curve that nearly made him give up. But instead of walking awa...
May 06, 2025•46 min
What does it take to build a thriving international finance career—and still make time to give back? In this episode of Leaders of Tomorrow, Chris Thomson sits down with Neil Johnson, a proud Student Works alumnus who went from summer painting manager to CEO of Duke Capital, a publicly traded firm based in England. Neil shares the pivotal lessons from his early Student Works days—leading a team of 200 at just 22 years old, burning out after his first summer, and learning to work smarter the seco...
Apr 29, 2025•57 min
How do you go from being a shy student with no standout achievements to one of the top-performing operators in the Student Works Management Program. In this powerful episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Chris Thomson is joined by Esfar Sarker, who shares his inspiring journey of transformation, grit, and growth. Esfar didn’t arrive with a long resume of accolades. In fact, he was initially rejected from the program. But instead of giving up, he doubled down—working under another operator,...
Apr 22, 2025•33 min
What does it take to transform a history and English major into a global finance leader? In this episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Chris Thomson chats with Zack Kembar, a Student Works alumnus who has scaled incredible heights in the world of finance. From his beginnings at Western University to holding top leadership positions at firms like Goldman Sachs, BNP Paribas and Burke Norris Investments, Zack’s journey is a masterclass in adaptability, resilience, and curiosity. Zack reflects...
Apr 15, 2025•54 min
How far can structure and self-discipline really take you? In this episode of Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Chris Thomson sits down with Jadan Hauser, a standout second-year operator in the Student Works Management Program who's rewriting what’s possible as a young entrepreneur. After working as a window cleaner under a top operator, Jadan stepped into the program already knowing how demanding the role would be. His first season brought in an impressive $160,000 in business, all while transformin...
Apr 08, 2025•24 min
How do you go from managing your first business as a student to becoming a top leader at one of the world’s most prestigious consulting firms? In this episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Chris Thomson reconnects with Tina Pan, an associate partner at McKinsey & Company and one of our successful alumni. Tina shares how her experience in the Student Works Management Program laid the foundation for her remarkable career, teaching her essential lessons in leadership, problem-solving, and...
Apr 01, 2025•41 min
What does it take to rise from burnout to breakthrough? In this powerful episode of Leaders of Tomorrow, Chris Thomson sits down with third-year Student Works Management Program operator, Jordan Pereira. Currently leading as the top operator of 2025, Jordan is on a mission to scale his business to $600K this season—and he's well on his way. Jordan opens up about his early struggles with discipline, burnout, and self-sabotage during his first year in the program. From overwhelming Netflix binges ...
Mar 25, 2025•50 min
What does it take to turn ambition into impact? In this episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Chris Thomson sits down with Chris Reynolds, an accomplished entrepreneur, former McKinsey partner, Founder and Managing Partner of Venn Growth Partners. Chris’s story takes us from his early days in the Student Works Management Program, where he first honed his leadership skills, to the heights of venture capital, where he helps build iconic Canadian brands. You’ll discover how grit and persevera...
Mar 18, 2025•57 min
Every year, the Leaders of Tomorrow podcast highlights the top rookie operators in the Student Works Management Program—the ones who sell the most by the start of March. In this episode of Leaders of Tomorrow, Chris Thomson sits down with Callum Lawlor and Mihai Oboroc, the top two rookie operators for 2024. Callum and Mihai open up about the biggest challenges they've faced and the transformational lessons they’ve learned along the way. From developing time management and organization skills to...
Mar 11, 2025•39 min
How do you transform a record-breaking summer into the foundation for a multimillion-dollar business? In this episode of Leaders of Tomorrow, Chris Thomson sits down with Amer Abu Shakra, a dynamic entrepreneur and alumnus of the Student Works Management Program. From breaking a $500,000 business record in the program to founding Contracting.com, a multimillion-dollar business that empowers contractors, Amer’s journey is a testament to resilience, vision, and the power of mentorship. Amer reflec...
Mar 04, 2025•55 min
How do you push past your limits and unlock your full potential? In this episode of Leaders of Tomorrow, Chris Thomson is joined by two remarkable senior operators from the Student Works Management Program—Ariana Varas and Brandon Skubel. Ariana is in her third year with the program, having started as a painter, crew chief, and production manager before stepping into the role of a mini coach. Brandon, now in his fifth year, leads a high-performing team and aims to break the all-time record for r...
Feb 25, 2025•49 min
Ever wondered how vision and perseverance can shape a billion-dollar career? In this episode of Leaders of Tomorrow, Chris Thomson speaks with Jamie-Lee Bongard, a successful entrepreneur and a Student Works Management Program alumni. Jamie-Lee shares how her experience as a 17-year-old in the program laid the foundation for her remarkable journey to owning three Keller Williams franchises and leading over a billion dollars in real estate transactions. Jamie-Lee discusses the essential skills sh...
Feb 18, 2025•50 min
What separates good leaders from truly exceptional ones? In this episode of Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Chris Thomson sits down with Quinton Carroll and Angela Lister, two standout senior coaches in the Student Works Management Program, to uncover the lessons that transformed them from top-performing operators into influential mentors. Quinton and Angela discuss the pivotal moments that shaped their leadership journeys, from stepping outside their comfort zones to pushing their limits as entrep...
Feb 11, 2025•48 min
What does it take to turn adversity into success and build companies that make a positive impact on the world? In this inspiring episode of the Leaders of Tomorrow podcast, Chris Thomson sits down with Payam Zamani, entrepreneur, investor, author, and proud alumnus of the Student Works Management Program. Payam shares his extraordinary journey from escaping religious persecution in Iran at 16 to co-founding AutoWeb, the first online car marketplace, which went public with a $1.2 billion IPO. He ...
Feb 04, 2025•46 min
How do you go from a disorganized student to a thriving director in mergers and acquisitions? In this episode of Leaders of Tomorrow, Chris Thomson speaks with Will Malouf, an inspiring alumnus of the Student Works Management program. Will shares his journey from running a Student Works franchise to becoming a Director at Valsoft, one of the most prominent players in the software acquisition space. His story demonstrates how the skills learned in the program—organization, communication, and lead...
Jan 28, 2025•44 min
