What we cover : “If we all create a daily habit of giving? Holy Hell, we’ll change the world.” – Jacqueline Way On her son, Nick’s 3rd birthday, Jacqueline Way decided to consciously turn her back on the idea of wrapping up a bunch of “stuff” and adding to piles of toys, and instead came up with an idea for she and he to embark on a one-year challenge: Every day, for 365 days, they would commit to one simple act of giving. Long story short, she blogged about the experience, about watching her so...
Mar 14, 2017•1 hr 6 min
What we cover : “No matter what happens, I have me.” – Jody Vance I have loved Jody Vance for the better part of a decade. She was instrumental in introducing me to my first regular role in an on-air segment with a Vancouver radio station, the ShoreFM where she was host of The Jody Vance Show . From there, she would go on to become the 5-year co-host of this city’s morning show, Breakfast Television , where she had me on as a guest in the realm of animal welfare, at least half a dozen times. And...
Mar 07, 2017•1 hr 26 min
What we cover : “You cannot synthetically produce passion.” – Brent Johnson Part Two in a Three-Part Series Every once in a while, you have a conversation with someone who is legitimately hilarious. Legitimately insightful. And legitimately fascinating. And you want to bottle it and crack the formula and then multiply it and sell the patent. But since you can’t, instead you pop it onto the cyberwaves and you call it a podcast episode. Brent Johnson. There aren’t a lot of names in Vancouver that ...
Feb 28, 2017•1 hr 5 min
What we cover : “You cannot synthetically produce passion.” – Brent Johnson Part Two in a Three-Part Series Every once in a while, you have a conversation with someone who is legitimately hilarious. Legitimately insightful. And legitimately fascinating. And you want to bottle it and crack the formula and then multiply it and sell the patent. But since you can’t, instead you pop it onto the cyberwaves and you call it a podcast episode. Brent Johnson. There aren’t a lot of names in Vancouver that ...
Feb 22, 2017•1 hr 24 min
What we cover : “You cannot synthetically produce passion.” – Brent Johnson Every once in a while, you have a conversation with someone who is legitimately hilarious. Legitimately insightful. And legitimately fascinating. And you want to bottle it and crack the formula and then multiply it and sell the patent. But since you can’t, instead you pop it onto the cyberwaves and you call it a podcast episode. Brent Johnson. There aren’t a lot of names in Vancouver that are more, or even as, synonymous...
Feb 16, 2017•55 min
What we cover : “Don’t let age get in your way.” – Betty Jean McHugh Betty Jean McHugh was born in 1927 in small-town Canada, never knowing that after a childhood that took place in the depression, teen years that took place during World War II, a career that began in Toronto as a nurse, and then after raising four children on the west coast, that – in her 50s, strictly out of the need to kill time while her daughter’s swim team trained, she would quite literally stumble into life as a runner. A...
Feb 07, 2017•1 hr 8 min
What we cover : In the seven months that this series has been my Labour of Love – my Love Child – we’ve been fortunate to chat with a number of those fine human specimens who fall under the “Olympian” banner. What I love about these conversations, is that these people undeniably rank as the best of the best. There is no question; it’s not up for debate. But in sitting down for tea with each of them, they’ve all proven one thing: Beneath the shiny hardware and accolades and the glory, are people....
Jan 31, 2017•1 hr 11 min
What we cover : “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?” – Marianne Williamson Michelle Tremblay is poised and zen and calming and self-assured. But she wasn’t always this way. She was once shy, uncertain, insecure, and scattered – as she puts it. Then, after the tragic...
Jan 24, 2017•1 hr 24 min
What we cover : For those of us who watched the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and sat glued to our television sets for the Opening Ceremonies of the 31st Olympiad, there was a feeling -- just like there is at every Games -- that what we are seeing is a collection of the world’s beautiful people. The fittest, shiniest, most glowing versions of human potential anywhere on the planet march through one arena under one roof carrying hundreds of flags – all at one time. There’s an excitement in the air, to b...
Jan 17, 2017•1 hr 25 min
What we cover : The one thing we all have in common is that no one is immune. We will all go through periods of adversity. That fact is the great equalizer. What sets us apart however, is how we choose to handle the adversity. Today’s episode might just be one of the most important conversations I’ve had. Not just in terms of this podcast, but in the bigger picture as well. We all have a choice – every day – to be the kind of person who squeezes the juice out of the gift of life that we have all...
Jan 10, 2017•1 hr 54 min
What we cover : On May 23rd 2016, Liz Rose became the 17th Canadian woman to climb Mount Everest, the 2nd youngest Canadian overall to summit, and she’s on track to becoming the youngest Canadian to climb all Seven Summits – which is to say she’ll aim to tackle the highest peak on each of the seven continents. She’s surprisingly humble, not at all arrogant, and just generally likeable and accessible, and very human. And at just 25 years old, she is already most-assuredly a titan. This is a conve...
Jan 03, 2017•1 hr 39 min
What we cover: What's it like to transform from a non-athletic background as a serious punk rocker with multi-coloured hair in the 1980s to a trailblazing visionary in her adult years? What does that look like, what does that feel like, where does the motivation come from, what drives her? Jenn Dawkins is a fire fighter – one of about 80 women fire fighters out of approximately 3900 career fire fighters in the province of British Columbia. She’s a mentor and the creator of the very forward-think...
Dec 27, 2016•1 hr 17 min
Part Two of Two: The quest for authentic greatness may mean a complete reinvention. A close examination of your perception of self, of your belief in what you’re capable of, in who you fundamentally are. It may mean asking the tough questions: Who do you spend your time with, how do you invest the hours of your days, what do you decide to focus on? It may mean that in order to make a quantum leap in the direction of positive personal development that you leave your old self and parts of your old...
Dec 21, 2016•1 hr 26 min
Part One of Two: The quest for authentic greatness may mean a complete reinvention. A close examination of your perception of self, of your belief in what you’re capable of, in who you fundamentally are. It may mean asking the tough questions: Who do you spend your time with, how do you invest the hours of your days, what do you decide to focus on? It may mean that in order to make a quantum leap in the direction of positive personal development that you leave your old self and parts of your old...
Dec 13, 2016•56 min
I have admired Annie Wood for the better part of a decade. She exemplifies the commitment to rising after a setback, and to continually moving forward. She’s as dedicated to the process of living an authentic life as anyone I’ve ever met -- and then some. You may know her from memorable appearances in movies like Good Luck Chuck with Dane Cook, and My Sister’s Keeper with Cameron Diaz and Abigail Breslin. But when I think of Annie, I think so much more. She’s as prolific a creative person as the...
Dec 07, 2016•1 hr 21 min
What we cover: “If you don’t take a chance, you haven’t got a chance.” – Jillian Murray Actor Jillian Murray is an awesome example of someone on her authentic path. She knows where she wants to be, and she’s not deviating from it. One of the stars of the People’s Choice nominated CBS medical drama Code Black, Jillian’s star is shooting skyward and beyond. When Jillian and I met at the sweet little cottage I was renting in LA, she brought someone with her, and that someone was her longtime beau, ...
Nov 29, 2016•1 hr 5 min
What we cover: “Failure doesn’t move us back. It moves us forward. Failure tells us what is no longer working.” – Jen Grisanti As a VP of CBS Paramount, overseeing Current Programming, Jen Grisanti was exactly where she wanted to be, or so she thought. Then, one day, the unthinkable happened, and without warning, she suffered a big crash when her professional reality was turned on its head and she was let go. The ladder she had been climbing collapsed from underneath her. But guess what she did?...
Nov 22, 2016•1 hr 24 min
What we cover: Autumn Reeser knew at a very young age exactly who she was meant to be – an actor. But despite this clarity, she has learned to face a sometimes cruel industry -- the rejection, the heartbreak, the dashed hopes – with grace and perseverance. In the process of her journey, she has realized that the key to it all is learning, quite simply, to be kind to ourselves. You may know her as Taylor Townsend from the hit series The OC , or as Lizzy Grant from her two seasons on Entourage , o...
Nov 15, 2016•1 hr 3 min
What we cover: Despite being groomed to take over the family business, Italy’s famed Grand Hotel of Rimini, Peter Arpesella knew life had other things in store for him. But what kind of courage does that take? To face not only your family, but more importantly, yourself – and say some version of: “Thank you for loving me. But thank you, more than anything, for respecting my need to be free.” After getting a degree in business and finance and working as an investment banker, he would ultimately l...
Nov 08, 2016•1 hr 26 min
What we cover: “The people who get on in this world are the ones who get up and look for the circumstances they want. And if they can’t find them, they make them.” – George Bernard Shaw After 27 years of being subjected to sometimes soul-destroying auditions, the often-ridiculous expectations of wardrobe fittings, and the continual yearning for that role that would be her “ticket”, actor/comedian/writer/producer/TV personality Morgan Brayon took the power back. In her outstanding (read: equal pa...
Nov 01, 2016•1 hr 36 min
What we cover : I have had an on-again, off-again relationship with melanoma for more than half of my life. And one of the things that most frustrates me is how blasé people are, generally speaking, when they think about skin cancer. There are three types of skin cancers, and melanoma is the one that kills. You might be one of the people right now, walking around living your life, knowing you have a suspicious mole that you’ve been “meaning to get checked out”. Something that itches a little. Or...
Oct 25, 2016•1 hr 49 min
What we cover : Despite being a one-time pack a day smoker, Ray Zahab decided on New Years Eve 1999/2000 that it was time to be truly happy. And that quest for happiness ultimately led him to the open road. In this case though, the term Open Road is a loose one, at best. This is a guy who has run across the Sahara Desert. He’s run across the Gobi Desert. And he’s traversed the South Pole – and he was the first person to do it entirely on foot and snowshoes, and not on skis. So there’s that. In 2...
Oct 18, 2016•1 hr 7 min
What we cover: Gina Mollicone-Long knows a thing or two about greatness. After all, when you're co-founder of an organization called The Greatness Group, it just sort of comes with the territory. Gina's not only someone committed to seeking out greatness in her own life, however. Not even close. This is a woman who has a degree in engineering, and who segued into a career in marketing with some of the biggest names in branding excellence – like Proctor and Gamble and Molsons Breweries, for examp...
Oct 11, 2016•1 hr 29 min
What we cover : “I just wish people would realize that anything’s possible if you try. Dreams are made possible if you try.” – Terry Fox In March 1977, when Terry Fox was just 18 years old, doctors confirmed that what he had thought was a sore right knee on account of a previous injury, was in fact cancer. Six days later, Terry had his right leg amputated six inches above his knee. However, the night before the surgery, a coach showed him an article about the first above-the-knee amputee to run ...
Oct 04, 2016•1 hr 41 min
What we cover : In 2006, my husband Chad was preparing for his first Ironman event when someone gave him a copy of a documentary called The Distance of Truth . The Distance of Truth fast became Chad’s favourite go-to during long rides on his trainer. The film chronicles ultra-runner Ferg Hawke on his quest to complete Badwater, which at 135 miles or about 216 kms, is said to be the toughest foot race on earth in the hottest place on earth: Death Valley, California. To have Ferg as a guest on thi...
Sep 27, 2016•1 hr 49 min
What we cover : When you’re set to have tea with an 86-year-old nun, it’s a good idea to have things like cream, sugar, and perhaps crustless cucumber sandwiches on-hand. But of course, I did not. (#EpicFail) However, Sister Madonna Buder is not your typical 86-year-old nun. Dubbed the Iron Nun – as depicted in the recent Nike commercial that debuted during the 2016 Olympic Games – this force of nature has completed over 45 Ironman events, countless marathons, and more than 400 triathlons. As ac...
Sep 20, 2016•1 hr 30 min
What we cover : Every once in a while, you chat with someone who is truly unstoppable. And Tanner Gers is one such person. After a March 2004 car crash left him entirely blind, rather than resort to his former lifestyle, he completely reinvented himself. He weeded the Friendship Garden, he redefined and re-evaluated his priorities, and he carved out a life that included being a world class athlete. In fact, he would go on to represent the USA in the London 2012 Paralympic Games in long jump. Tod...
Sep 13, 2016•1 hr 5 min
“No need for sight. When you have a vision,” says Lex Gillette, four-time USA Paralympian and world champion long jumper. (Yes, this is a guy who can jump nearly 7 metres.) (Cross my heart.) But the thing of it all, is that by the age of just 9, as a wee boy, Lex lost his sight entirely. Did that stop him from living a big life? Not a chance. Inspired by the force that is his mom, Verdina, and the guidance of a very awesome teacher, Brian Whitmore, Lex was introduced in High School to the idea o...
Sep 05, 2016•59 min
What we cover : In 2006, my husband Chad and I got bitten terribly by the Ironman bug. The vibe, the paradigm-busting, the goals set and achieved. And all of this on a backdrop of the incomparable voice of Ironman Canada's long-time, much-adored announcer, Steve King. However, the more we got to know about Steve, the more we realized his contribution to Ironman was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. A decorated ultra-endurance athlete himself (we are talking world class race walker, ultra-m...
Aug 30, 2016•1 hr 36 min
In 1984, as a 12-year-old girl, I watched the Los Angeles Olympic Games in Avondale, Newfoundland, with my uncle Heath MacDonald. Sadly, he would die one year later. In 2009, I had the extreme good fortune of being part of the marketing team of one of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games' media sponsors. In that capacity, our goal was to create a language around the games. When we talked, as a group, about what the Olympics meant to us, I shared the memory of me and my uncle in 1984. But of all the eve...
Aug 23, 2016•1 hr 26 min
