The Part-Time Jungle Podcast: Recent Episodes

View Details

In this episode, Susanne Fox joins me to talk about embracing discomfort, thought leadership, owning your message and building your unique audience.  Susanne is someone who you immediately feel comfortable with. She puts you at ease, keeps it real, and openly shares her stories and experiences. After listening to this episode you will have some concrete tips and strategies in your pocket to step into your thought leadership, get up in front of your audience, and be authentically you.  Susanne is the founder of Susanne Fox Communications, a consulting and coaching business. She has 20+ years of award-winning journalism, PR and marketing experience. She's the former co-host of CityTV's Breakfast Television and The Morning News on Global Calgary, followed by her role as Director of Marketing and Communications at Canada's largest craft brewery, Big Rock Brewery.  These days she helps clients find their UNIQUE voice and hone their thought leadership - from the boardroom to media scrums, to branding and marketing campaigns. Her superpower is her constant curiosity and candidness. She lives in Calgary with her husband Andrew, two kids (Bode, 11 and Katherine, 15) and golden retriever Olive.  She volunteers her spare time with UNICEF Canada, acting as co-chair for The UNICEF Water for Life Gala and also raising awareness for Canadian Blood Services (blood, plasma and stem cell donations).    Listen in as we talk about:

Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. Susanne emphasizes the value of embracing discomfort, remaining open to learning and personal growth, and the rewarding outcomes it has led to throughout her career. Empowering individuals to embrace their uniqueness. Susanne passionately mentors and guides individuals, especially women, to confidently embrace their distinctive qualities and stand out in their careers and lives. Thought leadership and unleashing your unique perspective. Susanne emphasizes the importance of thought leadership in marketing, urging individuals, especially women, to share their unique perspectives and challenge conformity for increased visibility and impact. Earned vs. paid media. Susanne differentiates between earned and paid media, highlighting earned media's trust-building potential and advocating for a balanced approach. Building our own audience vs. borrowing audiences. We explore the strategic choice between building one's own audience and borrowing existing ones, citing real-world examples and emphasizing the importance of this decision in marketing initiatives.

Connect with Susanne:

Website: https://susannefox.com Instagram: @susanne_fox LinkedIn: Susanne Bratton Fox Twitter: @SusanneFox

Connect with Tiana:

Website: https://tianafech.com LinkedIn: Tiana Fech Instagram: @tianafech  Facebook: @tianafech  Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course 

GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH THE UNCOMFORTABLE Susanne emphasizes the value of being open to learning and personal growth, highlighting that this mindset can lead to unexpected and rewarding opportunities. She acknowledges that this journey can involve discomfort and uncertainty but stresses the importance of taking one step at a time.  Susanne shares her pride in embracing discomfort throughout her career, noting that it has consistently led to positive outcomes and new, unforeseen experiences. She also mentions how our minds tend to exaggerate challenges, but once overcome, these challenges often appear less daunting in hindsight. Susanne's approach is characterized by a willingness to charge forward without regrets and adjust course as needed.  

EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS TO EMBRACE THEIR UNIQUENESS “Always challenge yourself to know who you're speaking to, and find the stories that they can relate to.” Susanne is passionate about helping individuals discover and embrace their unique voices, and build confidence, credibility, and visibility in their careers and lives.

View Details

In this episode, Dana Fulwiler Volk joins me to talk about positive psychology, well-being, and transforming the narrative in our minds and lives. Dana and I connected in a community for female entrepreneurs and I am so grateful that our paths have crossed. In our conversation, I appreciated Dana’s openness in sharing her own personal well-being journey and her “Ah-ha” moments along the way. She has a wealth of knowledge and strategies that you will be able to easily implement into your day-to-day without having it be something extra that you need to check off before you head to sleep at night. This episode will inspire you to be more curious, both inwardly and outwardly, and will get you thinking about purpose, hope-mongering, positive disruption and how these ideas fit into your own life and journey.  Dana is dedicated to helping people and communities thrive. Dana is the founder of Well Ed, an initiative supporting well-being in education, and co-founder/host of the Teacher Fan Club, a well-being hub and podcast. Dana holds a Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from the University of Pennsylvania where she studied with global leaders in well-being science, and a Master of Education from the University of Saskatchewan where she conducted award-nominated research on sustainable whole-school well-being. She has served as an Assistant Instructor in the MAPP program at UPenn, and is an Instructor in the first mandatory school well-being course in a Canadian Bachelor of Education program at the University of Calgary. Dana has also co-authored book chapters on well-being and anti-racism in education and served as an expert consultant with the government. Dana applies her expertise in well-being science across different industries, including as an advisor for a tech start-up and consultant for local and global clients, like the International Coaching Federation's Thought Leadership Institute. Dana’s previous career seasons include classroom teacher, international student coordinator, and mental health specialist.   Listen in as we talk about:

Finding comfort in change and transformation. Dana shares how we can approach big life changes with a different perspective, as well as some tools to help during that transition. The power of language when it comes to well-being. We discuss the buzzwords used nowadays, and what well-being means in real life terms. The curation of happiness. Dana talks about the curation of your ‘best life’ and challenging the focus of what happiness should really look like. Finding freedom and humanity in self-compassion. We talk about what self-compassion means, and how to find freedom and acceptance in our challenges. How to shift from negativity. Dana gives us her best tips to avoid getting sucked into the negativity that may surround us.

Connect with Dana:

Websites:

https://teacherfanclub.com https://well-ed.com https://lifeaboveneutral.com

Instagram:

@danafulwilervolk  @teacherfanclub_  @lifeaboveneutral

Facebook: @teacherfanclub  Podcast: Teacher Fan Club 

Shared by Dana:

Via Institute on Character: https://viacharacter.org Purpose Mindset: https://purpose-mindset.org Book: Emotional Agility by Susan David

Connect with Tiana:

Website: https://tianafech.com LinkedIn: Tiana Fech Instagram: @tianafech  Facebook: @tianafech  Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course 

FINDING COMFORT IN CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION Dana explains that her decision to leave teaching was not due to unhappiness, but rather a desire for change and adventure. She emphasizes her love for learning and how it led her to explore positive psychology. She clarifies that positive psychology is not about constant positivity or minimizing suffering but focuses on building what goes right and proactively fostering well-being. Dana believes these principles are applicable in various fields, including education and organizations,

View Details

In this episode, Stacey Watts joins me to talk about building your online presence and community.  Stacey is a heart-centred entrepreneur whose journey has been all about community and curiosity. In this episode, you will hear a personal story about how Stacey went above and beyond with helping me with a social media crisis and how committed she is to always learning and supporting and guiding her people.  Stacey is a social media coach and content strategist with over 10 years of experience in social media management. She is the founder of Stacey on Social and the #BehindtheContent Social Club, where she helps businesses and individuals improve their social media presence and create engaging content. With a passion for community, connection, and communication, Stacey has worked with a wide range of clients, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. She has been a coach for the past 4 years, sharing her knowledge and expertise with those looking to take their social media and content strategy to the next level. Whether you are new to social media or a seasoned pro, Stacey can help you develop a powerful and effective social media and content strategy that will help you connect with your audience and achieve your business goals.   Listen in as we talk about:

The significance of building relationships. Stacey explains why and how building strong and meaningful relationships is of the utmost significance for business success and personal growth. Why the ‘one size fits all’ approach doesn’t work. Stacey shares why this approach to teaching and learning doesn’t work and how to tailor your message accordingly. Repurposing content. The same messaging and information can be shared in a variety of ways to reach and connect with a wider audience. Tips to help you protect your social media accounts. Whether or not you have been a victim of attacks on your social media accounts, Stacey shares her best tips for keeping your content safe. Stop worrying about the algorithm. Trying to beat a complex math equation is not the best use of your time on social media! Instead, find out what your people are interested in. 

Connect with Stacey:

Website: https://staceyonsocial.com

Instagram: @staceyonsocial 

Facebook: @StaceyonSocial 

Twitter: @StaceyonSocial 

YouTube: Stacey on Social 

LinkedIn: Stacey Watts   

Connect with Tiana:

Website: https://tianafech.com LinkedIn: Tiana Fech Instagram: @tianafech  Facebook: @tianafech  Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course 

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS “It takes a village to raise a business.” Stacey considers relationship building to be of the utmost priority in her work. For her, it’s not just about creating a community of clients, but also about connecting people and facilitating the growth of their networks.  Having grown up in a close-knit community, she recognizes the value of collective support in achieving common goals, whether it was obtaining resources for the town or building a successful business. Stacey believes that as a solopreneur, having a supportive community is crucial to combat feelings of isolation and to foster personal and professional growth. She emphasizes the importance of learning from her community and views her peers as valuable collaborators rather than competitors.  Stacey's approach to relationship building involves taking the time to get to know individuals, offering coffee chats to understand their needs, and providing guidance even if it means connecting them with someone else who can better serve them. Through her emphasis on meaningful connections, Stacey aims to create a supportive and collaborative network that extends far beyond her own business.  

WHY THE 'ONE SIZE FITS ALL' APPROACH DOESN'T WORK “An interactive and curiosity-based approach can create an amazing and impactful experience.” Stacey emphasizes the importance of personalized coaching and avoiding a one-size...

View Details

Kailey and Jilaine are an incredible team whose partnership, which you will learn in this episode, started at horse camp many years ago when Jilaine was actually Kailey’s camp counsellor! Community, connection, accessibility, and inclusivity are their foundation for creating a space and place for people to move, learn, and grow.

Kailey & Jilaine are friends, family, and lovers of movement, people and deep connection. They believe in goodness, growth and that everything is better in community. They are both Mommas, each with two beautiful little humans, who are their reason to be better and to do better everyday.

Together they co-own Junction 9 Yoga & Pilates, a studio located in Calgary, Alberta, that was born out of a desire to create a space that focused on an inclusive community and on different people coming together with common goals, to connect, share and move together. Both movement teachers, Jilaine and Kailey share a love for encouraging others and helping people believe they are capable of so much more than they believe possible.

Listen in as we talk about:

• Teaching and learning at Junction 9. Kailey and Jilaine share how teaching and learning have impacted their business, growth and mission.
• The importance of core values. They share the importance of knowing your core values and how that has influenced the ways in which they teach movement.
• The power of connection. Kailey and Jilaine share their experience with the power of connection and making people feel welcomed and supported in their space.
• There is no one in the world like you. In a world full of different influences and perspectives, it’s important to discover your own special voice.

Connect with Kailey & Jilaine:

• Website: https://junction9.ca
• Instagram: @junction_9
• Facebook: @junction9
• Twitter: @Junction_9
• TikTok: @junction_9

Connect with Tiana:

• Website: https://tianafech.com
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech
• Instagram: @tianafech
• Facebook: @tianafech
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course

TEACHING AND LEARNING AT JUNCTION 9Kailey and Jilaine have learned a lot about teaching and leadership through their experience running a yoga studio. They believe that the expected challenges, such as teaching and getting everyone on the same page, are natural learning curves. However, they were surprised by the leadership role they had to take with their staff, front desk team, karma cleaning team, and contract teachers. They had to learn how to encourage people to engage with their business and be on the path with them while never losing their learning capacity and inquisitive nature.

Despite feeling like new business owners in their first few years, they had to step up and lead their team, which was something they could not have prepared for. They had to find a formula that worked and a vision that people wanted to be a part of. Overall, this experience has been a blessing, allowing them to bring their vision to life in a different way beyond just teaching classes.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CORE VALUESThe guiding force behind the decision-making at their studio is accessibility, inclusivity, connection, and community. Kailey and Jilaine want everyone who steps through their doors to feel supported, welcome, and included. Taking that first step to try something new is a big deal, and they want to make it as easy as possible for people to do so.

Inclusivity and accessibility may sound like buzzwords, but the studio wants everyone to feel like they belong. They understand the feeling of being nervous and anxious when trying something new and want to make sure that once people make it through the front door, they feel cared for and included. Creating a community where everyone looks out for each other is essential to their core values. Ultimately, they want to encourage people to develop a wellness routine and come back to their studio by offering a welcoming and supportive environment.

THE POWER OF CONNECTION“What we have created is an incredible community and watching that community band together and support one another makes us realize that our success is so much greater.” ~ Kailey Beddoe

Kailey and Jilaine discuss the importance of connection and community in their fitness classes. They believe that when people feel seen and connected with, they work harder and show up differently for themselves and others. They credit their teachers and front desk staff for making the effort to get to know the community and create a welcoming atmosphere.

They also discuss the rewarding experience of being a teacher and helping people see their strength and potential. They believe in assuming the best intent in their students and clients and looking for the best in them. They see this as an opportunity to create a positive and supportive environment that encourages growth and development.

THERE IS NO ONE IN THE WORLD LIKE YOU“There is no one in the world like you. Identify the things that make you tick and that inspire you to the place where you have the confidence to speak about them.” ~ Jilaine Beddoe

In a world full of different influences and perspectives, it’s important to discover your own special voice. We get inspired by different people and see ways to make the world better and connect with others more effectively. Your voice might not sound like what your teacher taught you, but this different insight gives you a fresh perspective and a new way of looking at things.

When we find a catalyst that shapes everything we do in a way that’s unique to us, that’s what people will want to see. They don’t want us to take things from others and pretend they’re our own. We can take inspiration from others, but our own voice is what really connects with people. If it doesn’t, they’ll look for someone else who does. When we work towards finding our own voice, we can help people when they need it and find help when we need it. We can do this by using our unique gifts.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do?*

+ Jilaine: Pottery
+ Kailey: Midwife

• What is a place that is at the top of your travel bucket list?

  • Jilaine: Iceland
  • Kailey: Philippines

  • What is a book, podcast, or TV show that you have enjoyed recently?

  • Jilaine:

    • TV Show: Ted Lasso

    • Podcast: The Skinny Confidential

      • Kailey:

    • Podcast: Pilates Elephants

    • Book: Impossible Odds by Jessica Buchanan
    • If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone that you would love to learn from, who would it be?

  • Jilaine: Carolyn Myss

  • Kailey: Raphael Bender

TIMESTAMPS1:00 Meet Kailey and Jilaine

2:40 Kailey and Jilaine’s story

9:20 Kailey and Jilaine share how teaching and learning have been a part of the work that they do at Junction 9 in both expected and unexpected ways

18:55 Kailey and Jilaine talk about their core values and how these influence the way they teach movement

29:05 Kailey and Jilaine discuss how teaching movement is the same as and different from more traditional styles of education

35:40 Kailey and Jilaine reflect on their favourite teachers

42:05 What Kailey and Jilaine are most proud of looking back on their journeys so far

48:55 Kailey and Jilaine answer some rapid fire questions

54:25 Kailey and Jilaine’s words of wisdom

View Details

In this episode, Andrea Krones and Kelley Gibson share their story of how they became an incredible team who are celebrating 5 years of being in business together. Their relationship-centered approach to branding and website design truly sets them apart along with their incredible expertise and interest in always being curious and learning more.

Inkling Design was born out of a passion for helping clients take their ideas from an inkling to completion. Kelley and Andrea bring together their expertise in all areas of graphic design, website design and website development. They specialize in building WordPress websites for female entrepreneurs that are beautiful, functional and easy-to-maintain.

When Andrea steps away from her computer you will find her exploring the neighbourhood around her downtown Guelph home, enjoying the nearby parks and trails, or escaping to the Ontario wilderness with her partner and two young children. And – When Kelley is not hard at work on client projects or toiling away on her latest personal venture, she loves experiencing life through the eyes of her two daughters, running, trivia nights and endless games of fetch with her Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Phoenix.

Listen in as we talk about:

• Why long-term client relationships are the best indicator of success in business. Andrea and Kelley give us insight into their relationship-centered approach to business.
• Teaching and learning as part of branding and website design. We learn why and how teaching and learning is a crucial part of the branding and website development process.
• The importance of transparency and honesty in business. It is better to say that you don’t know when you don’t know.
• Common mistakes when it comes to branding and websites. Kelley and Andrea share the common mistakes and oversights that happen during the branding and website development process.

Connect with Andrea & Kelley:

• Website: https://inklingdesign.ca
• Instagram: @inkling.design

Connect with Tiana:

• Website: https://tianafech.com
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech
• Instagram: @tianafech
• Facebook: @tianafech
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course

WHY LONG-TERM CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS ARE THE BEST INDICATOR OF SUCCESS IN BUSINESS“We are all aligned. We all have the same goals. We are excited to work together to achieve those goals.” ~ Kelley Gibson

Andrea and Kelley believe that customer satisfaction is crucial in any customer-based business. They take pride in their work and want their customers to feel proud of the work produced for them. They strive for long-term satisfaction and view it as the best compliment they can receive, along with word of mouth referrals. They aim to align with their clients’ values and become invested in their success, seeing themselves as partners in their clients’ journeys.

They emphasize the importance of a team approach in business, especially for solopreneurs or those working in larger teams. They value the opportunity to see how larger teams work and believe that a team approach can provide a supportive environment for entrepreneurs, who may often feel isolated. Overall, Andrea and Kelley value the relationships they build with their clients and see success as a collaborative effort between them and their clients.

TEACHING AND LEARNING AS PART OF BRANDING AND WEBSITE DESIGNAndrea and Kelley prioritize learning and keeping up with changes in the industry, particularly in new technology and trends, to provide the best experience for their clients. They aim to provide training and tools to empower their clients to manage their websites independently. They find joy in helping clients overcome their intimidation of the development and content management side of things and seeing them succeed.

They offer training calls and specific documentation for each website project to ensure their clients have the resources they need to manage their site moving forward. They believe it’s important to not just hand off a website to clients but to teach them how to use it effectively, to avoid making clients feel locked in for maintenance. Andrea and Kelley value the teaching component of their work and take pride in seeing their clients successfully manage their website updates on their own.

THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSPARENCY AND HONESTY IN BUSINESSIt is better to say that you don’t know when you don’t know. Early in her business journey, Kelley felt hesitant to admit when she wasn’t sure how to do something. She would spend hours of her time trying to figure it out and would stress about it. Now, she confidently embraces the idea that you don’t need to know everything.

If someone comes to her with a question about a platform that she hasn’t worked with before, Kelley doesn’t pretend that she knows about it. This doesn’t make her less of a web developer or less qualified because she hasn’t worked with one particular technology. Instead, Kelley says that she doesn’t know but she is happy to take a look. She has the skills to understand what is going on and to bring that understanding to the process. Somebody with expertise knows where to start looking and knows the questions to ask.

COMMON MISTAKES WHEN IT COMES TO BRANDING AND WEBSITES“Know who you are talking to and what you want to say.” ~ Andrea Krones

Andrea and Kelley suggest that businesses should focus on speaking to a specific audience and having a clear goal in their marketing materials instead of trying to say too much to please everyone. They advise against overwhelming customers with too many features or messages on a website, as people usually have a short attention span and may leave the site if they are confused.

They recommend that businesses analyze websites and brands they admire to see what elements they like and why, and use that information to make more informed decisions about their own brand. Additionally, they stress the importance of having clear calls to action that are easy for customers to find and use.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do?*

+ Andrea: Design a garden
+ Kelley: Sign language

• What is a place that is at the top of your travel bucket list?

  • Andrea: Costa Rica
  • Kelley: Iceland

  • What is a book, podcast, or TV show that you have enjoyed recently?

  • Andrea: Book – Run From The Danger by Sarah Polley

  • Kelley: Podcast – Smartless and TV Show – Beef

  • If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone that you would love to learn from, who would it be?

  • Andrea: Jane Goodall

  • Kelley: Brene Brown

TIMESTAMPS1:00 Meet Andrea and Kelley

3:05 Andrea and Kelley’s story

5:40 Andrea and Kelley share why long-term client relationships are the best indicator of success in business

8:40 Andrea and Kelley talk about how teaching and learning are a part of the branding and website work that they do

17:30 Andrea and Kelley outline the most common mistakes or oversights that people make when it comes to their branding and websites

19:40 Andrea and Kelley provide their top tips when it comes to branding and websites

23:20 Andrea and Kelley reflect on their favourite teachers

29:55 What Andrea and Kelley are most proud of looking back on their journeys so far

33:00 Andrea and Kelley answer some rapid fire questions

37:10 Andrea and Kelley’s words of wisdom

View Details

This episode is a solo episode with me, where we talk about what relationship-centered teaching is. I use a relationship-centered approach when it comes to all things teaching and learning and in my work as a course development consultant. And – I was recently asked, what exactly is relationship-centered teaching and learning?

I felt this episode would be a great opportunity to explain what it is, to talk about what can happen when this approach isn’t used, and to share 3 key strategies that you can use in the development of your own learning experiences – be it an online course, a training program, a webinar, a workshop, and more.

Listen in as we talk about:

• What is relationship-centered teaching and learning? I take you through my definition and the key points to remember when it comes to this approach.
• What can happen when a relationship-centered approach isn’t used? I talk about the impact of not using a relationship-centered approach and touch on why it’s so critical to consider.
• Three key strategies. We cover my top three strategies that you can use to implement a relationship-centered approach

Connect with Tiana:

• Website: https://tianafech.com
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech
• Instagram: @tianafech
• Facebook: @tianafech
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course

WHAT IS RELATIONSHIP-CENTERED TEACHING & LEARNING“Relationship-centered teaching and learning focus on the “who” — the people involved at the heart.”

Relationship-centered teaching and learning is an approach that prioritizes the people involved in the process of education. Rather than focusing solely on the content and subject matter being taught, this approach recognizes that people are at the heart of teaching and learning.

As a teacher who has taught various subjects to students of different ages, I have learned the importance of building strong connections with my students. By fostering relationships among teachers, learners, and content, we can create a more engaging and meaningful learning experience for everyone involved.

WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN A RELATIONSHIP-CENTERED APPROACH ISN’T USEDWhen a relationship-centered approach is not used in teaching and learning, it can have a negative impact on the learners. People can feel either overwhelmed or underwhelmed, as they may not have the necessary support and guidance to succeed. This can lead to disengagement, where learners lose interest and don’t care about the course or subject matter.

In online courses, this can result in a failure to complete the program or achieve the desired outcomes. When learners do not feel valued or connected, they may struggle with confidence in their knowledge and skills, hindering their ability to succeed in future endeavors.

Without relationships as a focus, learners may struggle to connect with the content and may not be motivated to learn.

THREE KEY STRATEGIES YOU CAN USE TO IMPLEMENT A RELATIONSHIP-CENTERED APPROACHI share with you my three key strategies to help you implement a relationship-centered approach in your own teaching and learning journey.

Firstly, when creating content, it is essential to distinguish between “need to know” and “nice to know” information.

Secondly, in designing the learning experience, it is essential to use scaffolding, which involves breaking up the learning into chunks and providing support for each segment. Using the “I do, we do, you do” approach can help learners to engage more actively and effectively with the content.

Lastly, it is crucial to give learners time to process and reflect on the information they receive actively. This is achieved by providing opportunities for active engagement with the content, allowing learners to “breathe in” and “breathe out”.

TIMESTAMPS1:50 What is relationship-centered teaching and learning?

3:00 A couple of questions for you to reflect on

4:35 What can happen when a relationship-centered approach isn’t used?

5:15 Three key strategies you can use to implement a relationship-centered approach in the development of your learning experiences

View Details

In this episode, Margo Purcell joins me to talk about InceptionU, and all the ways in which we can become a better, more rounded human being on this planet.

She shares deep and pivotal insights into what we can do to learn in a more significant way.

Margo is a compassionate and thoughtful leader who is helping to cultivate a community of learners that are deeply connected and driving economic growth in Alberta and beyond.

As a co-founder and CEO of InceptionU, Margo is responsible for the overarching success of learning programs and corporate offerings. She works closely with her co-founders, industry, and government partners to develop accessible programs that reflect the needs and opportunities that exist within Calgary’s innovation ecosystem. She is also one of InceptionUs Essential Skills facilitators.

Margo is a long time entrepreneur, a graduate of Leadership Calgary, a licensed Lumina Learning Practitioner and certified Lifepath practitioner. Since 2004, she’s operated her own consulting company, Open to Possibilities, and worked across a wide variety of industries delivering leadership and career development.

In November of 2019, Margo traveled to Mauritius where she was an Expert in Residence at the African Leadership University, an experience she will never forget.

Margo has a slight addiction to HGTV, enjoys water polo, spicy food and takes great enjoyment in watching her two kids grow into amazing young adults.

Listen in as we talk about:

• The experience people get when working with InceptionU. Margo takes us behind the scenes of the organization’s approach and principles.
• Embracing diversity in teaching and learning. Margo talks about how it ultimately drives deeper, richer learning as well as better learning and tech outcomes.
• What it means to be ‘future fit’. How do we become future fit? Margo shares key insights into how to adopt this important mindset shift.
• Why ‘essential skills’ are so hard to learn. Margo differentiates between hard and soft skills, and shares why ‘essential skills’ are so important.

Connect with Margo:

• Website: https://www.inceptionu.com
• LinkedIn:
  • InceptionU
  • Margo
• Twitter:
  • @InceptionU
  • @margopossible
• Instagram:
  • @inceptionu_ltd
  • @margopurcell

Connect with Tiana:

• Website: https://tianafech.com
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech
• Instagram: @tianafech
• Facebook: @tianafech
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course

Mentioned by Tiana:

• Book: Think Again – The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant

THE EXPERIENCE PEOPLE GET WHEN WORKING WITH INCEPTIONUInceptionU’s approach is to create an environment for learners to take their learning as far and as deep as they want to, with the facilitators first helping them identify any barriers they may be encountering and finding their way through. Margo talks about the key point of ‘unlearning’ – unlearning the conditional and linear thinking pattern we’re used to, as it is not reflective of how our brains learn or how life is.

Margo talks about the adaptability of the program, offering choice for learners in their own learning path. There are revisit opportunities for those who need to ask questions, deep dives for those who want to explore more, and “choose your own explore” for those who want to venture into other areas of interest. The program is based on the foundation of agile principles and critical, creative, and systems thinking, setting the foundation to learn how to learn. Industry experts are also brought in to offer additional knowledge on topics that appeal to the cohort.

EMBRACING DIVERSITY IN TEACHING & LEARNINGDiversity is an integral part of teaching and learning. In the work that Margo does, people come with a diversity of backgrounds, education, age, culture, industry, and neurodiversity. It ultimately drives deeper, richer learning as well as better learning and tech outcomes.

It is so important to embrace and understand how other people might have seen or approached things. We need to get curious about it. If we are curious about the other person and other approaches, it reduces a lot of friction that can be encountered in trying to create something new. Rather than sticking with a position, find areas of shared interest.

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE ‘FUTURE FIT’“Future fit is being equipped with that ultimate rekindling — that curiosity we’re all born with.”

Margo explains the concept of being “future fit”, which means equipping oneself to be able to respond to rapidly changing conditions and being able to figure out something new even without knowing where to start or how long it may take.

As she shares in our conversation, future fitness is not about future proofing, which involves guarding oneself against the future, but instead building, creating, and producing something else with the energy that would have been spent on protection.

Becoming future fit is similar to physical fitness in that it involves starting small and gradually building up one’s abilities to take on greater challenges. It requires developing ultimate rekindling of the curiosity we are born with, building confidence in one’s own competence, and utilizing available resources to figure things out. Future fitness is about being equipped with the ability to figure things out, even in the face of uncertainty, rather than trying to predict and protect against all possible future scenarios.

WHY ‘ESSENTIAL SKILLS’ ARE SO HARD TO LEARNMargo shares the difference between hard skills and soft skills, which she prefers to call essential skills, as she believes they are not just nice-to-have, but need-to-have skills that differentiate humans from machines. Essential skills are about how you do what you do and include creativity, imagination, communication, curiosity, and the ability to learn from and with others.

As Margo says in our interview, essential skills are often undervalued in the workplace, and companies tend to cut training in these areas first during times of downturn. However, she argues that these skills are critical to success and differentiation in the workplace, and that humans possess unique abilities such as creativity, imagination, and the ability to communicate that machines cannot replicate.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do? How to be a better human * What is a place that is at the top of your travel bucket list? Space * What is a book, podcast, or TV show that you have enjoyed recently? Book: The Dawn of Everything – A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow * If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone that you would love to learn from, who would it be? Her Dad*

TIMESTAMPS1:00 Meet Margo

2:45 Margo’s story

9:35 Margo shares what teaching and learning look like at InceptionU

15:00 Margo describes the importance of diversity in teaching and learning at InceptionU

16:50 Margo talks about what it means to be ‘future fit’ and how we can embody this idea

20:05 Margo explains what is meant by the term ‘essential skills’ and why they can be so hard to learn

23:40 Margo describes how people can actively take part in the “new economy” of the tech industry

27:25 Margo reflects on her favourite teacher

31:40 What Margo is most proud of looking back on her journey so far

33:02 Margo answers some rapid fire questions

40:05 Margo’s words of wisdom

View Details

Madeleine Shaw (she/her) is a feminist entrepreneur and writer based on unceded Coast Salish territory (Vancouver, BC). She is best known as the co-founder of Aisle (formerly Lunapads), one of the first groundbreaking ventures in the world to commercialize reusable menstrual products. In her first book, The Greater Good: Social Entrepreneurship for Everyday People Who Want to Change the World, she offers encouraging tips and reflections for aspiring impact-based entrepreneurs. She is passionate about creatively deploying the tools of business in service of social change, drawing inspiration from natural growth patterns as ways to build regenerative organizations, and neo-sobriety culture and discourse.

Madeleine is incredibly creative, compassionate, and curious. She truly embodies what it means to be a lifelong learner. You will be inspired by Madeleine and her commitment to social entrepreneurship and her initiatives to support everyday people who want to change the world.

Listen in as we talk about:

• What is sustainable menstrual equity? Madeleine breaks down what this is exactly, and why it’s so important when it comes to social change.
• Why does this conversation matter right now? Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you need menstrual products and don’t have access to them? Madeleine shares how triggering this can be and why we need to address it.
• Why Madeleine wrote her book. We get a behind-the-scenes look at why Madeleine wrote her book, and the impact it’s making globally.

Connect with Madeleine:

• Websites:
  https://periodaisle.ca
  https://madeleineshaw.ca/
• LinkedIn: Madeleine Shaw
• Instagram:
  • @greatergoodbook
  • @periodaisle
• Medium: https://medium.com/@madeleineshawgreatergood

Shared by Madeleine:

• Satya Organic: https://satya.ca
• Book: Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by Adrienne Maree Brown

Connect with Tiana:

• Website: https://tianafech.com
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech
• Instagram: @tianafech
• Facebook: @tianafech
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course

WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE MENSTRUAL EQUITYMenstrual equity is a concept coined by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf in 2015 that advocates for the fair and equitable distribution of menstrual products, education, and information to those who need them. As we know, the menstrual cycle is a fundamental part of human reproduction, yet it is often stigmatized and shamed within our society. As Madeleine explains, menstrual equity aims to provide support and dignity for those who experience periods and require products, privacy, medication, education, and information.

It encompasses both material and mindset changes. Materially, it looks like free provision of menstrual products in public bathrooms. Mentally, it involves de-stigmatization and education. Sustainable menstrual equity considers the environment and long-term viability, aiming for a permanent, universal solution that is not disposable and doesn’t contribute to landfill waste. Madeleine also shares that disposables like pads and tampons take up to 500 years to biodegrade and are made of up to 90% plastic – an unbelievable statistic.

Menstrual equity is a crucial concept that values and supports a core feature of human biology. By providing fair and equitable access to menstrual products, education, and information to all parties involved, we can help to destigmatize periods, support those who need it, and contribute to a more sustainable future.

WHY THIS CONVERSATION MATTERS RIGHT NOWTo date, menstruation has yet to be normalized, despite efforts to improve the stigma. As Madeleine explains, legislation, such as that of the BC government, and countries like Scotland are beginning to declare menstrual products as necessary and should be made available for free to all citizens.

Also, universities in Canada have started providing reusable menstrual products for free to their students. As we discuss, this move is exciting because it demonstrates care and empathy to students who menstruate and shows that they matter. It also reflects that the administration cares about their attendance and participation in class and extracurricular activities. The use of reusable and sustainable products solves the problem of menstrual product availability permanently and sustainably, although disposable products should still be available for last-minute or bathroom solutions.

Having open and candid discussions about menstruation helps take away the shame and stigma, and allows for a more fluid and honest conversation about women’s needs.

THE ROLE OF EDUCATION IN THE SUCCESS OF SUSTAINABLE MENSTRUAL EQUITYIn our conversation, Madeleine explains why education is crucial in menstrual equity. Not everyone understands menstrual cycles and the education around them can often be abstract and unclear. There is a need for clear and inclusive education that is delivered in a way that helps people understand the biological and material aspects of menstruation, as well as the broader spectrum of gender identities that can experience it.

Education can help people understand the environmental impacts of menstrual products and the importance of menstrual equity. As well, there is a political aspect to this issue. Education can help people come together to discuss and address the problem of stigma around menstruation. The more we educate ourselves and normalize the conversation around menstruation, the less shame there will be and the more we can work towards a more equitable and sustainable future.

WHY MADELEINE WROTE HER BOOK“So much of what we do as social entrepreneurs comes down to how well we are able to create quality relationships with other people.”

Social entrepreneurship is a concept that puts social or environmental impact first, and it differs from mainstream entrepreneurship in its goals and priorities. Social entrepreneurs are people who have not necessarily gone to business school but have pursued a solution to a problem they see, with the aim of making the world a better place. They use structures, tools, and build relationships and community to make social and environmental impacts possible.

In “The Greater Good: Social Entrepreneurship for Everyday People Who Want to Change the World,” Madeleine shares about her 30-year career as a social entrepreneur and offers a manual to help people transition from their current story to the story they want to create for themselves. The book also features examples of other social entrepreneurs with diverse backgrounds who have a personal story that inspired their venture and mission. The book is not just about creating a social enterprise, but it’s also about personal transformation, leadership, and accessing creativity.

Social entrepreneurship is a form of leadership and creativity that is driven by personal stories, missions, and visions. The book offers a framework for people who want to create a social enterprise by showing how to transition from their current story to their new story, and it emphasizes the journey of personal transformation and leadership. The book is more than just a manual on how to create a social enterprise. It’s a collection of stories that inspire people to pursue their ideas and make the world a better place.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do? Botany & Biomimicry * What is a place that is at the top of your travel bucket list? Japan * What is a book, podcast, or TV show that you have enjoyed recently? TV Series: “Sort Of” on CBC Gem * If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone that you would love to learn from, who would it be? Holly Whitaker*

TIMESTAMPS1:00 Meet Madeline

2:30 Madeleine’s story

6:25 Madeleine talks about sustainable menstrual equity and why it matters now

16:44 Madeleine discusses the role of education in the success of sustainable menstrual equity

19:00 Madeleine describes social entrepreneurship and what inspired her to write a book about it

24:25 Madeleine shares some of the social entrepreneurs that she admires and the work that they are doing to change the world

29:00 Madeleine talks about our experience working together to create a curricular toolkit/workbook for her book – The Greater Good: Social Entrepreneurship for Everyday People Who Want to Change the World

32:45 Madeleine reflects on her favourite learning experiences and teachers

35:55 What Madeleine is most proud of looking back on her journey so far

39:50 Madeleine answers some rapid fire questions

47:40 Madeleine’s words of wisdom

View Details

In this episode, we discuss learning to support newcomers with my guest Anila Umar Lee Yuen.

Anila is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Newcomers in Calgary, Alberta. She has 28 years of experience in the settlement sector. Beyond traditional settlement services, Anila has spearheaded programming to include volunteer-led refugee supports; indigenous education for newcomers; LGBTQ+ supports, domestic violence, homeless and mental health support services and broadened vulnerable youth programming and social venture opportunities.

Anila holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology (Behavioural Neuroscience) and a BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Calgary and an MBA with distinction from Keller Graduate School of Management.

Her numerous awards for her contributions to her community include the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Person’s Case, UCalgary Alumni Arch Award, Top 40 Under 40 in Calgary, Women of Inspiration, Top 25 Women of Influence in Canada and Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada.

Listen in as we talk about:

• The current state of immigration in Canada. Anila gives us a behind the curtain look into what the current state of immigration is truly like right now in Canada.
• How teaching and learning are integral parts of the Centre for Newcomers. Teaching and learning happens in so many capacities, Anila shares how this is essential for the Centre.
• Key barriers faced when people come to Canada. There are many barriers and challenges newcomers face when they come to Canada. Anila shares her perspective on this in our conversation.

Connect with Anila:

• Website: https://www.trishtutton.com
• Instagram: @yycnewcomers
• Facebook: @centrefornewcomers
• Twitter: @yycnewcomers
• LinkedIn:
  • Centre for Newcomers
  • Anila Umar Lee Yuen

Connect with Tiana:

• Website: https://tianafech.com
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech
• Instagram: @tianafech
• Facebook: @tianafech
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21

THE CURRENT STATE OF IMMIGRATION IN CANADAThe government of Canada, whether Federal or Provincial, understands the value and importance of immigration. As Anila shares, almost 100% of our labor market growth and population growth are attributed to newcomers.

Truthfully, without immigration, we wouldn’t have any population growth and we certainly wouldn’t have any labor market growth. From an economic and sustainability perspective, it’s important to have immigration. Whichever government is in power works hard to ensure a steady stream of newcomers coming to Canada.

However, Anila explains how we don’t account for any acts of God, like war, floods, etc. Currently, we have a huge increase in Afghan refugees and people coming from the Ukraine. The government doesn’t refer to these Ukranians as refugees, they’re called ‘temporary residents’ because they are supposed to go back to Ukraine when it’s safe to do so. Nevertheless, in all aspects of their lives, they’re effectively refugees. The only difference is they’re coming here without any type of benefits or support the way refugees would.

As you’ll hear, the numbers are beyond anything we’ve ever seen before. This large influx of people coming into Canada has caused issues in the system because we don’t have the resources to be able to meet the needs of the community in a timely manner.

As such, Anila and her organization have been reaching out to the community, places of worship, and different groups that are able to provide them with some funding and sponsorship so that they can get some of these most vulnerable groups, including our Afghan and Ukrainian women, into programming very quickly.

HOW TEACHING AND LEARNING ARE INTEGRAL PARTS OF THE CENTRE OF NEWCOMERS“Lifelong learning is so important and integral to just being human.”

Lifelong learning is essential, regardless of where you live and which part of the world you’re immigrating from. It’s necessary in order to fully participate and take advantage of everything our world and society has to offer.

As Anila shares in our conversation, it’s important to provide educational opportunities not only for newcomers but also for the wider community to learn about social issues, including: systemic discrimination, cultural competency, cultural humility, anti-racism, and the experiences of marginalized communities such as LGBTQ+ and refugees. Without it, we become a society that is intolerant to other people, different cultures and opposing beliefs.

Understanding the intersectionality of identities and experiences is crucial in creating inclusive spaces and promoting a sense of belonging for everyone. After all, the goal is to ensure newcomers feel that sense of belonging when they arrive here.

How can we apply our learning skills? Active learning and constantly striving to want to learn more about those who may be different from ourselves is key in creating a barrier-free society.

Anila suggests that communities should work towards creating safe spaces and inclusive environments, not just in schools, but also in public places.

KEY BARRIERS FACED WHEN PEOPLE COME TO CANADAAnila highlights the systemic issues that exist in Canada, which are unfortunately often unconscious and unrecognized. She shares how immigrants face challenges in adapting to a new country, culture, and way of life. They come to Canada for a better lifestyle, better opportunities, education, freedom, and a better quality of life for themselves and their children.

It’s so important for Canadians to be welcoming, patient, and curious towards immigrants, especially children, who have the opportunity to learn about other cultures and ways of being. Having community members who are welcoming and willing to help can go a long way in making the transition easier.

She talks about how immigrants face significant changes in navigating new systems, like enrolling their children in school, workplace culture, entertainment, and social interactions. More often than not, the process can be overwhelming, and they often feel anxious and distressed as they try to adapt to the new environment.

Anila reminds us that immigrants have been successful adults in their home country, having spent their entire lives navigating their respective systems, fields of work, fields of study, and more. The transition to a new country requires learning a new set of systems, and it can be an overwhelming task to undertake alone. To ease some of this stress, having mentors, parents, teachers, or other support systems is essential for immigrants.

Anila gives Canadians tips and suggestions to help be a part of that support system – ensuring that newcomers feel included and valued.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do? Play guitar or speak Turkish fluently * What is a place that is at the top of your travel bucket list? Konya, Turkey * What is a book, podcast, or TV show that you have enjoyed recently? TV Show: The Peripheral * If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone that you would love to learn from, who would it be?* Maya Angelou

TIMESTAMPS1:00 Meet Anila

4:25 Anila’s story

7:40 Anila talks about the current state of immigration in Canada

11:40 Anlia discusses how teaching and learning is an integral part of the important work happening at the Centre for Newcomers

14:55 Anila addresses some of the barriers that newcomers face

19:55 With the current barriers and challenges that newcomers face, Anila explains what changes need to happen and why

27:55 Anila reflects on her favourite learning experiences and teachers

34:00 What Anila is most proud of looking back on her journey so far

36:30 Anila answers some rapid fire questions

39:45 Anila’s words of wisdom

View Details

Are mindfulness and meditation a part of your life? Are they something you have thought about or are curious about?

Trish Tutton joins me for this episode and she will make you feel inspired to learn more and maybe even just give it a try – I know I left our conversation feeling this exact way! She tells great stories, has the best analogies, and beautifully articulates the benefits of pressing pause and taking time to focus on our breaths.

Trish is a speaker and mindfulness teacher who has taught mindfulness to thousands of people across North America for the last decade. She is deeply passionate about empowering people to meet the challenges of their life with more peace and presence; to use the practice of mindfulness to reduce stress and anxiety, and create individual and team resilience.

You can find her as a teacher on the #1 free meditation app in the world, Insight Timer, and she is the author of the Mindful Mornings Journal. Trish is on a mission to help you be calmer, happier, and more effective.

Listen in as we talk about:

• Falling into yoga through stress. Trish recalls how yoga became such a crucial part of her life and was awakened to its power after seeing how stressed out everyone around her was.
• Teaching corporate and personal mindfulness strategies. Trish shares about the powerful transformation her work provides to her burnt out clients. She talks about why it’s so important to really think about what you want out of life.
• Tips for adopting meditation, even when it’s overwhelming. Have you tried meditation and found it doesn’t stick? Trish gives us practical and realistic tips to incorporate it into our lives.
• The paradox of not having “enough” time. Do we really not have enough time? Trish challenges us to think about this phrase from a different perspective.

Connect with Trish:

• Website: https://www.trishtutton.com
• Instagram: @trish_tutton
• Facebook: @TrishTuttonMindfulness

Connect with Tiana:

• Website: https://tianafech.com
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech
• Instagram: @tianafech
• Facebook: @tianafech
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21

FALLING INTO YOGA THROUGH STRESSStress has become a prominent issue in our society, and many people find themselves constantly battling its effects – oftentimes without realizing it. This constant state of stress can have a significant impact on our physical and mental health, including our immune system, cardiovascular health, and mental well-being.

Trish shares her deep and life-changing experiences with stress, and how her most critical and eye opening moment of how fleeting life is was when she lost her mother suddenly to breast cancer at the age of 55. This experience highlighted the importance of managing stress and taking care of our health.

Trish turned to yoga as a way to cope with her stress and found it to be a powerful tool for improving her overall health and well-being. By incorporating yoga into her daily routine, she was able to manage her stress levels more effectively, which had a positive impact on her mental and physical health.

Her experience is a reminder that taking care of our mental and physical health is essential, and incorporating stress-reducing practices, such as yoga, can help us to live a more fulfilling, balanced and healthy life.

TEACHING CORPORATE AND PERSONAL MINDFULNESS STRATEGIESTrish has learned a lot from teaching mindfulness techniques, especially when it comes to the pervasive grip that stress has on our society and culture. She observes that there is a prevalent belief that stress is necessary for success, and this can lead to a chokehold on our definition of what success really means. She invites people to pause and reflect on what is truly important to them, but often receives resistance from those who feel too busy to take a moment for themselves.

Trish understands the dangers of this kind of thinking all too well. Burnout is a common issue with her clients, and she shares how those who are constantly stressed are unlikely to be truly aligned with their values and priorities. Trish herself has experienced burnout in the past and understands that it can be a sign that one is not living in alignment with what truly matters.

Despite the hurdles she encounters, Trish remains committed to teaching mindfulness techniques as a way to help people find greater peace and fulfillment in their lives. She recognizes that her teachings run counter to cultural norms, but she knows firsthand the transformative power of pausing and taking a moment to reflect. Through her work, she hopes to help people let go of the belief that stress is necessary for success and find greater alignment with what truly matters.

TIPS FOR ADOPTING MEDITATION, EVEN WHEN IT’S OVERWHELMINGHave you tried meditation and found it doesn’t stick? Trish gives us practical and realistic tips to incorporate it into our lives.

Let’s face it, meditation often feels intimidating. But why? One common belief is that the goal of meditation is to clear or shut off the mind, which is impossible. Instead, the aim is to let thoughts become like the background characters and to focus on the present moment. Mindfulness meditation is the most scientifically studied practice, and it involves focusing on the breath as a tool to help the mind stay present.

The breath is always with us, and Trish shares how it’s an easy tool to use for meditation. Focusing on the breath helps the mind stay rooted in the present, and when the mind drifts, attention is brought back to the breath. It’s essential to remember that meditation is a practice that takes time and effort. It takes practice to develop the skills necessary to benefit from meditation, so you have to try it more than once to see how it works for you.

THE PARADOX OF NOT HAVING “ENOUGH” TIME“Live your life the way you want to live it, not just on autopilot.”

Trish speaks about the power of intentionality. It can be easy to fall into the trap of not trusting our gut because we worry about what people might think. It is all going to come to a head at some point. We are going to be the accumulation of all of our choices. A lot of us can feel like we don’t have a lot of choice about a lot of things. Living intentionally can remind us that we do have choices and every day we are making thousands of choices. Many of the choices that we are making are on autopilot. There is an opportunity every day to make conscious choices including about how to change things and how to improve things. Trish’s practice of mindfulness has helped her to be more aware of her choices. And – all the tiny choices that we make, do add up.

Many of the choices that we make are influenced by our thoughts about time. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we don’t have enough time. We feel like we’re too busy and have too much to do. One piece of advice Trish gives in our episode is that there are ways to work through this paradox of not having enough time.

Firstly, it’s important to realize that it doesn’t have to take a long time to create a new habit, such as meditation. Starting small, like with just one minute of meditation per day, can be an incredible way to make a new habit sustainable and long-lasting. The cultural mindset of hustle and stress can exacerbate feelings of not having enough time. The solution is actually slowing down and taking a break, even if it’s just for a minute. By slowing down, we can gain a sense of time “affluence” and feel wealthy with time.

Trish shares that we don’t even need a recording to meditate. By learning to meditate on our own, without the need for apps or recordings, we can practice for just a couple of minutes at a time. This is especially useful for those who live busy lives (aka – all of us)!

It’s possible to work through the paradox of not having enough time, and you do so by starting small and slowing down so that you can create new habits and space in your lives.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do? Sign language * What is a place that is at the top of your travel bucket list? Greece * What is a book, podcast, or TV show that you have enjoyed recently Podcast: Armchair Expert with Dax Shepherd * If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone that you would love to learn from, who would it be?* Oprah

TIMESTAMPS1:00 Meet Trish

2:30 Trish’s story

9:20 Trish shares what she has learned through teaching corporate and personal mindfulness strategies

14:50 Trish talks about why meditation is important in our modern world and how can it support our modern life

20:00 Trish describes what meditation can look like

24:45 Trish discusses some of the biggest barriers for people to learn meditation and things that can help people overcome these

29:45 Trish shares some of the biggest misconceptions and truths about meditation

33:25 Trish reflects on her favourite learning experiences and teacher

37:30 What Trish is most proud of looking back on her journey so far

42:05 Trish answers some rapid-fire questions

49:00 Trish’s words of wisdom

View Details

In this episode with Katie Dunsworth-Reiach, we talk about the biggest lessons we learn personally and professionally when growing a business and empowering a team.

Katie is passionate, curious, and as she says – does things her way – which has led to some pretty amazing experiences, opportunities, and success.

Katie is the founder of one of Canada’s largest independent communications agencies, Talk Shop. A journalist by trade, Katie began her career in PR and went on to co-found the money-mentoring business Smart Cookies and was featured on Oprah. That same year she also opened the agency that is now Talk Shop. In anticipation of the impending economic crisis she was among the first to focus on making financial information engaging and relevant to a female audience. Katie went on to co-host her own W Network series and co-authored the financial bestseller Smart Cookies Guide to Making More Dough.

Named among the youngest women to rank on the top 40 under 40, Katie also founded STEM Spotlight Awards, a student awards program recognizing skilled sector apprenticeships in the STEM sectors (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math). She owns a number of other creative and professional service businesses including If Communications. She is also a dedicated volunteer for Canuck Place, Habitat for Humanity Greater Vancouver and sits on The Forum For Women Entrepreneurs.

Listen in as we talk about:

• Teaching and learning as part of business growth. Katie shares how and where her team focuses their time and energy to up-levelling team members and encouraging them to continuously learn.
• The value of building a relationship-focused business. What’s the true weight and value of a business, and how can you leverage relationships for tangible growth? Katie shares her perspective with us.
• Top tips for a successful PR strategy. Katie talks about getting clear on your brand pillars and how creating content and messaging that connects to these is key.
• The importance of teaching people about money and finances. Katie talks about how her experience being on Oprah led to many opportunities and opened doors. She shares how it transformed the work she does helping people learn about finances.

Connect with Katie:

• Website: https://www.talkshopmedia.com
• Instagram:
  • @talkshopmedia
  • @katiedunsworthreiach
• Facebook: @TalkShopMedia
• LinkedIn:
  • Katie Dunsworth-Reiach
  • Talk Shop

Connect with Tiana:

• Website: https://tianafech.com
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech
• Instagram: @tianafech
• Facebook: @tianafech
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21

TEACHING AND LEARNING AS A PART OF BUSINESS GROWTH“Leadership means authenticity. It’s somebody who’s able to keep it real in terms of what needs to happen.”

Katie shares how and where her team focuses their time and energy to upleveling team members and encouraging them to continuously learn.

She talks about how as a leader, she has put a lot of energy into learning development and upskilling her team. She believes it’s really important for women in particular to have a strong foundation in financial literacy, which isn’t something many organizations put an emphasis on.

It’s important for Katie that women have a strong understanding of things like profit and loss, costs in and costs out, and how to read an income statement.

She and her team also create learning modules that teach on questions that most people have about finances and are scared to ask, as well as focusing on mentorship opportunities.

Lastly, Katie talks about why it’s so important to be at the forefront of adopting technology all the time and making sure that her entire organization is invested.

THE VALUE OF BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP-FOCUSED BUSINESSWhat’s the true weight and value of a business, and how can you leverage relationships for tangible growth?

Katie shares how her and her team focus on being “business-minded” as a core value. Another core value for her team is “get it” which speaks to the importance of continuous learning and being quick and capable in making the complex understood.

A third core value is “care wildly”. And this was a value that was suggested by her team. She talks about how valuable it is to have care at the top of their core values, as it encourages team members to always do the right thing. It sets them apart with their genuine connections among their people and clients.

Their fourth core value is “seek equity”. This speaks to the importance of investing in their people and community through their work in justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

TOP TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL PR STRATEGYKatie talks about getting clear on what your pillars and how creating content and messaging that connects to these is key. What is your brand position? What makes your brand unique?

Katie shares that for Talk Shop their PR strategy focuses on talking about what they do. This includes communication, PR, and marketing. For Katie’ personal brand, two of her pillars are financial literacy and working with small businesses so she spends a lot of time creating content around these.

To prevent overwhelm, Katie also recommends picking a social media channel to focus on that you are really going to nai by being consistent on it. For example, for professionals in a B2B market, be on LinkedIn. This platform really gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your “thought leadership”. Think about a topic that is important to your clients and you and write about it.

THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING PEOPLE ABOUT MONEY AND FINANCES“Be willing to adapt and know that not everybody receives information the same way. Sometimes, to make an impact, you may have to customize or adapt how you deliver information.”

Katie talks about how her experience being on Oprah led to many opportunities and open doors. She shares how it transformed the work she does helping people learn about finances.

What she wants entrepreneurs to learn the most is that it’s really about creating a community more than anything else. She shares why you want to try and meet people where they’re at when having conversations with them, and trying to find common ground to relate on.

By creating that sense of community, you can drive your point home with greater ease, while giving people the tools they need at the same time. As well, Katie shares how she learned just as much from the community she connected with as they learned from her. Other people would also have awesome tips on how they were saving money and doing things.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do? Play piano * What is a place that is at the top of your travel bucket list? France * What is a book, podcast, or TV show that you have enjoyed recently? Book: Spare by Prince Harry * If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone that you would love to learn from, who would it be? The founders of Airbnb*

TIMESTAMPS1:00 Meet Katie

3:15 Katie’s story

5:10 Katie talks about how teaching and learning have been of her journey in building a business and the growth and success of Talk Shop

10:35 Katie shares Talk Shop’s brand values and how they guide the work that they do

13:55 Katie outlines her top tips for a successful PR strategy for small business owners

18:15 Katie talks about her experience being on Oprah

24:25 Katie shares what she learned from her experiences teaching people about money and finances

26:40 Katie gives her her top tools and strategies for becoming more money smart

29:40 Katie describes what leadership and being a leader mean to her

31:40 Katie talks about what she has learned from her kids as she has been juggling mom life and entrepreneur life

35:38 Katie reflects on her favourite teachers

39:28 What Katie is most proud of looking back on her journey so far

40:15 Katie answers some rapid fire questions

41:40 Katie’s words of wisdom

View Details

In this episode with Nikki Takahashi, we talk about the power of storytelling for your brand.

This episode will give you great food for thought about your brand – whether you are looking to create one or you are looking to refresh your existing one – and having it authentically represent who you are and what you do. As well, you will be thinking about how you can make your brand unforgettable!

Nikki Takahashi is a Digital Media Designer and Brand Strategist who has helped over 300 entrepreneurs embrace and amplify what makes them unique. Nikki is founder and CEO of Fetching Finn – an agency that gets clients noticed in person, online, and in print. She also hosts the Square Peg Entrepreneur podcast, featuring industry disruptors and mavericks in business.

Nikki’s graphic and website design achievements earned her a Governor General’s Medal and the position as spokesperson for Tech 2000. With over twenty years in digital media, she has been featured in marketing articles and on podcasts such as Dissecting Success, Fearless and Successful, and The Business Society Podcast. Her keynotes on brand design and strategy have reached audiences around the globe.

Nikki’s an aspiring videographer and avid traveler who has spent over a quarter century mastering and teaching the art of karate. Her most recent adventures include skydiving over the Canadian Rockies and flying to Berlin for a tattoo. She resides in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Listen in as we talk about:

• Using storytelling to create a connection between your brand and the market. Nikki shares a very moving story about reconnecting with the love of her life and becoming a stepmom, and how it proves the power of storytelling.
• Always learning and growing. One thing that Nikki loves, in particular, about being a Digital Media Designer and Brand Strategist is the “deliciousness” of learning and growing despite it being difficult.
• Creating a brand essence. Nikki talks about the intentionality behind the components of your brand essence.
• Mistakes to avoid when building a personal brand. Do you know which common mistakes you should avoid making? Nikki shares all about which ones to look out for.

Connect with Nikki:

• Website: https://fetchingfinn.com
• Instagram: @thenikkitak https://www.instagram.com/thenikkitak/
• Facebook: @niktakahashi https://www.facebook.com/niktakahashi
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkitakahashi/

• Podcast: Square Peg Entrepreneur https://fetchingfinn.com/square-peg-entrepreneur

  • Podcast episode shared by Nikki: https://fetchingfinn.com/obsessive-joy-disorder-with-leona-devinne/

Connect with Tiana:

• Website: https://tianafech.com
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianafech/
• Instagram: @tianafech https://www.instagram.com/tianafech/
• Facebook: @tianafech https://www.facebook.com/tianafech
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21

USING STORYTELLING TO CREATE A CONNECTION BETWEEN YOUR BRAND AND THE MARKETNikki and I met in person at a conference, MamaCon, in Toronto. She shared an incredibly moving story about her one regret in life, which was not having children, and how she reconnected with the love of her life and is now becoming a stepmom.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

This segued into the power of storytelling and how important it is to understand the magnitude of your story and the impact it has. When you are confident in your story, your messaging resonates deeply with those who hear it, and it creates a ripple effect in the community.

ALWAYS LEARNING AND GROWINGOne thing, in particular, that Nikki loves about her industry is that you have to keep learning and you have to keep growing. Otherwise, you don’t have clients and you aren’t at the cutting edge anymore. Nikki talks about how this can become harder as we get older. We can get stuck in our ways or committed to a certain style or direction. Social media and brands are moving so quickly that it can be harder to keep up.

Despite it being difficult, Nikki says that there is some “deliciousness” to learning and growing too. It gives the opportunity to stop and say, what do I actually represent as a brand? What do I love about my brand? And – where do I feel comfortable? Then, it’s about having the confidence to just be that in a world where everybody is just trying to keep up with the trends, be accepted, and be the perfect ‘xyz’. Nikki says that sometimes it is cool to just say this is me, this is my brand, I do it well, and I am good with that.

CREATING A BRAND ESSENCECreating a brand essence with intention that effectively communicates who a person and brand is, truly helps them get noticed by their target audience.

Sometimes this can be challenging, and it’s often easier to do it for someone else rather than for yourself. Nikki shares how valuable it is to have an outside professional’s eyes helping you create your brand essence, and the ways in which it will drive your message and storytelling home.

When you bring expertise, care and insight to the process, it can be life changing work.

MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN BUILDING A PERSONAL BRANDThe most common mistake Nikki sees is entrepreneurs being really excited about getting a logo.

As she explains in the episode, that seems to be the starting point in people’s heads and that that’s where your brand begins. She shares how, in fact, you get a better result if you pause, take a look at what your brand style, personality, and messaging is. She talks about how important it is to lock that down first, and how it drives the look of your logo and the style of your website afterwards.

There’s a sequence that should be followed to create the best result and get the most return on your investment. So, jumping in and thinking that a logo or a website is a way to start, is likely putting you further behind.

WORDS OF WISDOM“Lean into your authenticity and have the guts to do it your way.”

Prior to recording this podcast episode, Nikki thought about her previous role as a martial arts instructor as well as her role as a “teacher” to her clients in terms of how to represent their personal brand. They are both very different. Nikki says the important thing is to do it authentically – you. There is so much editing right now. Everything needs to look so perfect and curated. Just be you.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do? Be a car mechanic * What is a place that is at the top of your travel bucket list? Cappadocia, Turkey * What is a book, podcast, or TV show that you have enjoyed recently?Book: The Art of Nonconformity by Chris Guillebeau * If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone that you would love to learn from, who would it be?* My grandmother

TIMESTAMPS1:00 Meet Nikki.

3:00 The “small world” story of how Nikki and I connected!

5:05 Nikki’s story.

10:45 Nikki shares her thoughts on the power of storytelling.

16:10 Nikki talks about how she supports businesses in discovering and communicating their personal brand’s edge and moving from being unseen to unforgettable.

18:10 Nikki shares the most common mistakes that people make when building a personal brand.

20:18 Nicky turns the tables and asks me to share my branding journey!

23:55 Nikki talks about which industries can benefit from leveraging a strong personal brand presence.

28:50 Nikki shares the story behind the name of her podcast, Square Peg Entrepreneur and what she has learned by engaging in conversations with industry disruptors and mavericks in business.

31:40 Nikki reflects on her favourite teacher.

33:50 What Nikki is most proud of looking back on her journey so far.

35:00 Nikki answers some rapid fire questions.

38:35 Nikki’s words of wisdom.

View Details

In this episode with Saira Remtulla, we discuss the benefits of learning through play and music – from babies to adults and everyone in-between!

An Ontario Certified Teacher of 15 years with the Toronto District School Board, Saira is passionate and devoted to children and teaching. As the Founder of ConnectED Start, Saira has developed a fun-filled program tailored to children ages zero-months to 5 years, which provides them the foundational tools necessary to achieve success in their educational journey. Making ‘connections’ with their caregivers, their surroundings, and each other are the keys to success!

Saira has a beautiful energy and enthusiasm for setting your kiddos up for success in the early years through high impact connections with caregivers using music and rhyme.

In our conversation, Saira shares how personal connections and engaging learning experiences are critical to building the brain’s neural connections in these early years. As well, she talks about the importance of developing confidence in our kids and creating safe spaces to make mistakes – as this is where some of the greatest learning happens!

Listen in as we talk about:

• How ConnectED Start came to be. Saira shares the events that led to creating her company and programs.
• Why building strong, positive connections is so important. Saira talks about the importance of building those strong and positive connections and how it impacts children in a significant way.
• The power in setting high expectations for our kids. Do you have high expectations of your kids? Saira explains why that isn’t always a bad thing and how it can impact our kids in a positive way.
• The benefits of using rhymes, music and play for learners of all ages. Saira talks about how using a combination of these three learning techniques benefits kids, teens and adults alike in their learning journey.

Connect with Saira:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/connectedstart
• Instagram: @connectedstart https://www.instagram.com/connectedstart/
• Facebook: @connectedstart https://www.facebook.com/connectedstart
• TikTok: @connectedstart https://www.tiktok.com/@connectedstart
• YouTube: Saira Remtulla https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2UuhQ0ftqgqWi1WqvwTccA

Connect with Tiana:

• Website: https://tianafech.com
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianafech/
• Instagram: @tianafech https://www.instagram.com/tianafech/
• Facebook: @tianafech https://www.facebook.com/tianafech
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21

HOW CONNECTED START CAME TO BEWhen Saira first began her new business after leaving her teacher job, she reached out to a mommy organization in the community and asked to run a music class for them.

To Saira’s excitement, they agreed, and that’s how ConnectED Start was born.

After its launch, the company continued to snowball and brought forth many new opportunities for learning, play and development.

WHY BUILDING STRONG, POSITIVE CONNECTIONS IS SO IMPORTANT“We have to feel comfortable being uncomfortable because that’s when we’re growing the most.”

Making connections and building a strong, positive connection is crucial right from the get-go, right from birth. In Saira’s opinion, it’s important for caregivers and parents to build strong connections with their babies.

She suggests doing this through music, through play, answering when they try to talk to you, etc. This leads to a positive wellbeing and strong mental health, even in adulthood.

Research shows that when you build that positive connection, you create a feeling of safety and comfort. Then, kids are more likely to make mistakes and feel confident that they can resolve them. This eventually leads to building confidence and resilience as an adult navigating life’s challenges.

THE POWER IN SETTING HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR OUR KIDSIt’s important to set high expectations for our kids because they can actually do the things you’re wanting them to do.

Setting high expectations allows new connections within the brain pathways, and builds that relationship between brain cells.

Saira believes that setting those high expectations will only lead to success for your children, better language and reading skills, and more.

Giving your kids the opportunity to learn on a deeper level will benefit them as they grow older.

DO WHAT YOU LOVEBeing a parent is a tough job. We provide support and guidance to our kids but at the end of the day, it is their journey. Saira says that to be successful, to be happy, and to have joy in life you need to love what you do. You don’t want to just wake up in the morning to go to a job. You want to wake up in the morning to do what you love.

As parents and educators, we can support our children and students to reach for the stars by encouraging them to have high expectations for themselves and to pursue the things that they love.

THE BENEFITS OF USING RHYMES, MUSIC AND PLAY FOR LEARNERS OF ALL AGESMusic, movement, and play are engaging for our little ones. It’s about choosing the activities that will set our kids up for success.

We learn through our senses when we’re little. And so giving children the opportunity to feel things, to hear things, is so important.

Teaching our kids how to repeat songs, sing out loud, dance or enjoy themselves builds upon that confidence piece, as well as their creativity and innovation. As we grow older, these are the skills that we continue to build upon as we evolve and mature.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do? Play the piano * What is a place that is at the top of your travel bucket list? Somewhere hot and with a beach * What is a book, podcast, or TV show that you have enjoyed recently? TV Show: Shark Tank * If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone that you would love to learn from, who would it be?* Maria Montessori

TIMESTAMPS1:00 Meet Saira

2:35 Saira’s story

8:40 Saira talks about the importance of building strong positive connections with younger kiddos

14:20 Saira discusses the importance of setting high expectations for our kiddos

27:00 Saira shares the benefits of using rhymes, music, and play with babies and toddlers and how these strategies also benefit older children and adults with their learning

39:10 Saira reflects on her favourite teacher (her guidance counselor)

43:20 What Saira is most proud of looking back on her journey so far

45:20 Saira answers some rapid fire questions

47:45 Saira’s words of wisdom
wisdom

View Details

In this episode with Kiki Lally, we talk about learning through creativity and art, especially when you’re feeling stuck.

We chat about learning environments that foster creativity, building community and connections, universal design principles to improve access to creative opportunities for persons with disabilities and so much more!

Kiki Lally is the owner and creative director of Pinnovate DIY Studio, an art school and events space for children and adults to create and connect.

Pinnovate opened its doors in 2017 with the hopes of filling the existing gap in children’s artistic programming in Calgary. Like many small businesses Pinnovate faced some big challenges in 2020 and had to face multiple studio closures. But with their small but mighty team they began virtual events and classes and even started another business called DIY Delivery. This business ships ready to go DIY crafting kits across North America and recently began a DIY Subscription service for all ages.

Pinnovate has been featured in the Globe and Mail, the Creative Industries International magazine, as well as countless other publications. Recently they were the recipients of the City of Calgary Access and Achievement award as well as the Between Friends outstanding contribution award for their charitable local work throughout our city.

Listen in as we talk about:

• Bringing together community, creativity and connection. Kiki shares how Pinnovate brings these three very important Cs together.
• Improving access for people with disabilities. Learn how Kiki and her team are implementing universal design principles to improve access for people with disabilities.
• Learning through creativity. How can we learn and grow through creativity? Kiki tells us why it’s so important to bring more creativity into our daily lives.
• Learning every day. This involves being self-reflective, admitting what you aren’t good at, and using failures as fuel to learn.

Connect with Kiki:

• Websites:
  • Pinnovate: https://pinnovate.ca
  • DIY Delivery: https://deliverydiy.com
• Instagram:
  • @pinnovate https://www.instagram.com/pinnovate/
  • @diydelivery_ https://www.instagram.com/diydelivery_/
• Facebook: @pinnovateyyc https://www.facebook.com/pinnovateyyc
• TikTok: @pinnovate https://www.tiktok.com/@pinnovate
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsX4vk79b-o2uj5AHo3EAgQ

Connect with Tiana:

• Website: https://tianafech.com
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianafech/
• Instagram: @tianafech https://www.instagram.com/tianafech/
• Facebook: @tianafech https://www.facebook.com/tianafech
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21

BRINGING TOGETHER COMMUNITY, CREATIVITY, AND CONNECTIONArt doesn’t have the same barriers or challenges when it comes to making connections in different spaces, especially for those who have disabilities or are newcomers to Canada, for example.

Everyone gets to be in the same creative space doing the same projects, and communicate through this shared language.

When you foster a loving environment and try to create projects for all niches, ages, demographics and wants. Through art, we have the capability to do something for everybody that doesn’t have barriers the same way as other things do.

LOOK WHAT I MADE!The minute you are proud of something that you have created you want to show it off to your partner or your friends. You want to hang it up in your house. Creating is a joyful experience. It can result in the release of endorphins. You use different parts of your brain when you are painting, drawing, or sculpting.

Kiki talks about how this creativity was lost in the previous generation. It was more about technology, IT, and the Internet. However, there is now a renewed interest and appreciation for creativity and the arts.

IMPLEMENTING UNIVERSAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES TO IMPROVE ACCESSDuring the COVID shut downs, it was really heartbreaking to see adults with disabilities being so socially disconnected, even more so than most demographics.

Kiki and her team reached out to the Between Friends Organization and donated DIY kits with all materials and supplies included.

They have since done many more initiatives supporting different groups.

The key is having a team that’s always thinking about how physically disabled adults or young children can still participate and get excited about the arts.

LEARNING THROUGH CREATIVITYKiki shares that she is not an artist, and gives us all permission to “mess up” when it comes to creativity.

She reminds us that creativity is so much bigger than an art studio. Anybody can be crafty and can put anything together, you just need to have the right instruction and the right materials, and the rest is simple.

It’s important to let yourself be creative, enjoy the process and let yourself flow. You will learn so much from the process and will become more confident in your artistic abilities.

LEARNING EVERY DAY Kiki has a lifelong learner mindset.

“We learn every day. As long as you are open to learning, you will.”

This involves being self-reflective, admitting what you aren’t good at, and using failures as fuel to learn. Kiki shares that there have been mistakes made in her business. There have been challenging times. They opened during 2017 when there was a recession. With being an event space, they experienced 2 years of shutdowns during Covid.

However, through the mistakes and challenges they evolved and changed and grew. What started as a creative bar, with a liquor license, has evolved into a children’s event space with some of the best art classes in the city of Calgary. As well, during the pandemic, Pinnovate pivoted by opening their DIY Delivery business. Kiki and her team have had to be open to changing their minds. They have had to really think about what they love, what they are passionate about, what they are good at, and what they are going to focus on.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do? Golf, technology, interior design * What is a place that is at the top of your travel bucket list? South America (Peru and Brazil) * What is a book, podcast, or TV show that you have enjoyed recently?Podcasts: Smartless, Diary of a CEO, The People Teaching People Podcast (Thanks Kiki!), YYC Sociables Podcast with Sarah Sociables * If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone that you would love to learn from, who would it be?* Oprah

TIMESTAMPS1:00 Meet Kiki

2:55 Kiki’s story

5:20 Kiki talks about creating a joyful learning environment that helps people to accomplish their creative goals

9:30 How Pinnovate brings together community, creativity, and connection as a DIY craft and art studio

12:00 How Pinnovate has implemented universal design principles to improve access for persons with disabilities

15:20 Kiki’s favourite ways to be creative and what she has learned through her own creative experiences

18:50 How Pinnovate aims to build self-confidence through creativity

21:43 Kiki shares her thoughts about challenges she has experienced as a business owner and what she has learned along the way

24:55 Kiki’s reflects on her favourite learning experiences

27:45 What Kiki is most proud of looking back on her journey so far

30:25 Kiki answers some rapid fire questions

35:05 Kiki’s words of wisdom

View Details

In this episode with Alayne Lebsack, we’re talking about why personal style is important, and why it’s so much more than simply the clothing you wear.

Can our style impact our self-expression? Our confidence? Our desire to show up more authentically in our lives, businesses, work, and relationships?

How does knowing our personal style affect our overall joy and fulfillment?

While her work can be categorized within fashion and lifestyle, the core of what Alayne Joy does is about cultivating authentic relationships, based on integrity, respect and openness.

A born and raised Calgarian, Alayne has always had an interest and love for style and fashion – often disregarding trends and rules, but rather focusing on what she loves and loves to wear. With two boys and a hilarious husband of almost 12 years, Alayne believes in living a joy-filled life of intention and following your heart.

Being a Personal Stylist and Personal Shopper was always in the back of her mind, but it took many different career paths until she felt like it was time. Her “just do it – what’s the worst that can happen?!” mindset propelled her to start her first style-focused business, Apostle Boutique which she has recently sold. Four years later, Alayne launched her Styling business, and the success was immediate.

Being featured in over six magazines, working on dozens of photoshoots, and styling over 100 clients, Alayne feels so fortunate that she’s been able to combine her values & passions into a career that helps men and women see themselves in a new confident & powerful way.

When Alayne works with her clients she wants them to feel comfortable like they are spending time with a friend, and that is exactly how I felt in my conversation with her.

We talk about what is really meant by the term ‘personal style’, finding your personal style, styling tips and tricks, and how relationships are at the core of the work that Alayne does with her clients.

Listen in as we talk about:

• What personal style really means. Personal style is so much more than the clothes we wear, the colours we choose, and the makeup we put on. Alayne shares the deeper meaning behind personal style.
• The challenges people experience when it comes to personal style. What are some of the most common challenges when it comes to personal style? Alayne sheds light on this.
• Nothing to wear? Try the ‘Closet Challenge’. If you feel like you never have anything to wear, Alayne created this challenge with you in mind and shares exactly how it works.
• The attachment and stories we have with our clothing. We all have an attachment to our clothes in some way, shape or form. Alayne talks about the significance behind this and why it’s so important to understand.
• Tips for dressing for your body shape. One of the most shared struggles we can have is dressing for our body shape. Alayne shares her best tips to help with this.

Connect with Alayne:

• Website: https://www.alaynejoy.com/
• Instagram: @alayne.joy https://www.instagram.com/alayne.joy/
• Facebook: @alaynejoystyling https://www.facebook.com/alaynejoystyling
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/styledbyalaynejoy/

Connect with Tiana:

• Website: https://tianafech.com
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianafech/
• Instagram: @tianafech https://www.instagram.com/tianafech/
• Facebook: @tianafech https://www.facebook.com/tianafech
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21

WHAT PERSONAL STYLE REALLY MEANS“Personal style is so much more than what you wear. It is influenced by how you stand, move, and hold yourself; your moods of the day; your life experiences; and how you feel about yourself.”

Personal style is so much more than the clothes we wear, the colours we choose, and the makeup we put on.

Alayne shares the deeper meaning behind personal style.

What’s involved with personal style is much more than what meets the eye – it’s about the way you were raised, who raised you, what their style was, and whether you liked it or not.

Your travels and cultural experiences also play a role in it.

Alayne explains how the way we feel also plays a role in the things that we choose to do, the way we feel about ourselves and our moods each day. It impacts our confidence and how we do (or don’t) show up in our lives.

Personal style is beyond simply the clothes we pick – it’s an expression of who we are from the inside out.

THE CHALLENGES PEOPLE EXPERIENCE WHEN IT COMES TO PERSONAL STYLE There are two points that Alayne sheds light on when it comes to challenges with personal style; understanding your personal style and finding pieces that fit your lifestyle.

Do you have an understanding of what your style is? When Alayne works with clients, she digs deep to find out what their style is and what they love to wear and why.

A consideration to take into account is your lifestyle and finding that connection point between your lifestyle and personal style. If you buy clothing that doesn’t fit your lifestyle, you will never wear it.

It’s about finding the pieces you love and styling them in a way that works for your body, in your own way. It’s about learning what works for your lifestyle, the pieces that you love and finding a connection between the two.

Alayne stresses that once you have that understanding about what you love, why you love it, why you love to wear it, and how it looks good on you, then you will end up with a closet that you’re inspired by.

NOTHING TO WEAR? TRY ALAYNE’S ‘CLOSET CHALLENGE’Alayne’s Closet Challenge came from the “I have nothing to wear and I hate my clothes” idea.

Each week, she sends participants a new challenge to do. The challenge is done in an hour and a half or hour time frame.

The idea is that you do a wardrobe edit and go through each piece individually and think about if it fits if you even still like it, does it align with the style you want and more.

If it doesn’t align, it’s something that can go. The goal of this challenge is to have clothes in your closet that you love and love to wear.

THE ATTACHMENT AND STORIES WE HAVE WITH OUR CLOTHINGOftentimes, we have stories attached to our clothing that we may not even be aware of. You can think about who gave it to you, where you were when you wore it, or remember if something significant happened when you did wear it.

But are these pieces really serving us? Are they empowering us or keeping us stuck? It’s okay to keep some key pieces, as Alayne says in our episode, but not everything needs to stay in your closet.

Alayne reminds us that we only want those pieces that actually make us feel good and that we genuinely like.

TIPS FOR DRESSING FOR YOUR BODY SHAPE One of the biggest challenges Alayne’s clients bring to her is dressing for their body shape

Firstly, Alayne encourages her clients to get out of the ‘body shape’ mindset and look at their bodies as a whole. Regardless, we’re never going to love every part of ourselves, and there will always be pieces or areas that we don’t want to showcase.

Alayne shares a few tips and tricks to help style your clothing to distract away from the areas you don’t want to highlight, while ultimately transforming your mindset about your body.

STARTING SOMETHING NEWThere is a lot of fear that comes with starting something and stepping out on your own. You might ask yourself “What if” questions. You might question whether or not the timing is right. However, even if you don’t know exactly how things are going to work out, you can always learn and you can always adapt.

Alayne says that there is never going to be a perfect time. Anytime you are going to start something big or new, the stars aren’t all going to magically align. However, if you have the passion and drive within you, you can make it happen.

Alayne is proud that she has started two businesses and that they have both been successful. With a lot of hard work, a lot of learning, and a lot of tears, laughter, and joy along the way, she made it work for her!

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do? Woodworking * What is a place that is at the top of your travel bucket list? Greece * What is a book, podcast, or TV show that you have enjoyed recently? Books: The Break and The Strangers by Katherena Vermette * If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone that you would love to learn from, who would it be?* Elvis

TIMESTAMPS1:00 Meet Alayne

3:35 Alayne’s story

7:50 Alayne discusses what personal style means to her

9:45 Alayne shares some of the most common challenges and questions have when it comes to personal style

17:10 The key concepts and strategies that Alayne teaches people as a personal stylist and shopper

24:50 How cultivating authentic relationships, based on integrity, respect and openness is key to Alayne’s work with her clients

29:50 Alyane’’s top tips when it comes to personal style and having a closet full of clothes that you actually love to wear

31:55 Alayne shares why showcasing and shopping Canadian and local brands and businesses is important to her

34:50 What Alayne has learned through her ‘giving back’ initiatives and what she hopes others might learn as well

40:10 Alayne’s favourite teacher/mentor

43:20 What Alayne is most proud of looking back on her journey so far

45:20 Alayne answers some rapid fire questions

51:00 Alayne’s words of wisdom

View Details

In this episode with Catherine McGuire, we talk about how and why she created WholeHearted and how she’s transforming the ways in which corporations and employees give back to the community – one experience at a time.

Catherine is a female entrepreneur; founder and creator at WholeHearted; an agency dedicated to enriching the employee experience through strategic programs that align with corporate values and community needs. She is best described as full of heart and action-obsessed. A true implementer, she fearlessly brings ideas to life with no detail left behind. With 10+ years experience in the events and hospitality industry, she is familiar with the logistics, nuances, and continuous evolution of in-person and virtual events.

What started as a non-profit initiative at the height of a global pandemic sparked a concept that now provides leaders a way to engage their teams and customers in unique ways that build meaningful connections, and in turn more productive workplaces. From strategic live event programming to thoughtful virtual experiences, WholeHearted partners with local businesses whenever possible and aims to make an impact both within the walls of the organizations they serve and throughout the communities they support.

Catherine is a new mom of a 7 month old who is juggling entrepreneurship with motherhood. You will love her story of seeing a need and an opportunity to make a difference in the world and just going for it without having all the details figured out, trusting her instincts, listening and learning along the way, and getting more clear on her boundaries. We talk about using events as a mechanism to make impact, perks and purpose when it comes to employee engagement and retention, how giving back can make an impact in the workplace, and so much more!

Listen in as we talk about:

• Giving back in times of crisis. Early on in the pandemic, Catherine and her husband felt helpless about the state of the world. They raised funds to help those in need have fresh meals and inspired her organization, WholeHearted.
• Educating through experiences. Catherine shares how WholeHearted is driven by social impact initiatives and the ways in which it helps companies give back to organizations they may not be aware of.
• Perks and purpose. We all want to work somewhere with perks and that gives back to a bigger purpose. Catherine shares how WholeHearted accomplishes both with its mission.
• How giving back makes an impact in the workplace. Catherine shares how giving back in the workplace is more than just a feel-good activity and talks about the many benefits it brings.

Connect with Catherine:

• Website: https://giveWholeHearted.com
• Instagram: @teamWholeHearted https://www.instagram.com/teamWholeHearted/
• Facebook: @WholeHeartedteam https://www.facebook.com/WholeHeartedteam
• LinkedIn: WholeHearted https://www.linkedin.com/company/WholeHearted/

Connect with Tiana:

• Website: https://tianafech.com
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianafech/
• Instagram: @tianafech https://www.instagram.com/tianafech/
• Facebook: @tianafech https://www.facebook.com/tianafech
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21

GIVING BACK IN TIMES OF CRISISCatherine shares how her organization, WholeHearted, came to life. Early on in the pandemic, it started with a non-profit initiative that Catherine and her husband had when they were stuck at home in quarantine and feeling helpless. They raised funds in their community to purchase healthy lunches from restaurants and event caterers who were struggling due to the different closures and limitations.

They then wrote handwritten notes on those healthy lunches and delivered them to frontline workers in their community to show appreciation and encouragement to them. The initiative was successful and a lot more than they expected it to be, and it really opened their eyes to the power of community.

At the end of that initiative, Catherine realized how much she didn’t want the initiative to end. They pilot tested the idea of WholeHearted.

EDUCATING THROUGH EXPERIENCES“Stay curious, be open-minded, and learn from your experiences.”

As Catherine shares in this episode, she always tells companies that her team are not philanthropic specialists or human resources specialists, but they are experience creators.

They have created an event-based culture shift that is driven by social impact initiatives and by creating awareness for causes that apply right in their backyard.

There are so many organizations that have a budget to give back, but there’s not enough time or resources to find the best places to apply that money in a way where it can really make a difference and make an impact.

WholeHearted helps companies find those small, grassroots organizations in their neighborhood where the company’s funds can make an even bigger impact.

A big part on the education side for WholeHearted is going into a workplace and opening their eyes to all of these issues that are happening around them, and helping them take that money and apply it differently than they may have originally.

PERKS AND PURPOSEWe all want to work somewhere with perks, and that gives back to a bigger purpose. Catherine shares how WholeHearted accomplishes both with its mission.

While employees want a lot of vacation days, flexibility, experiences and gifts, at the same time, a lot of research is showing the interest and the impact that an organization with purpose can have.

When a person is looking to accept or change jobs, they want to be a part of something bigger. This is where companies have an opportunity to give people a platform to bring awareness to causes that are important to them personally or to give them an opportunity to make an impact to some communities or some groups that are in need that maybe alone they wouldn’t be able to.

Catherine’s idea is to answer how we take the perks people are looking for, but add that layer of meaning and purpose to them, and make that the differentiator between the two.

MAKING AN IMPACT AS A LEADER“At the end of the day, people just want to feel seen and heard.”

Catherine believes that the #1 thing that leaders can do to make an impact is just to listen. When questions are being asked, sometimes we are hearing the questions but we aren’t truly listening and taking action. It’s not just having the conversation but, rather, it’s what you do with what you take from those conversations that will really allow you to make a difference in someone else’s experience.

HOW GIVING BACK MAKES AN IMPACT IN THE WORKPLACEGiving back makes an impact in the sense that it brings people together towards a common goal.

Research shows that when you do good, you feel good. And when you get to give back with other people and share in that experience, you’ve just bonded over something significant.

In turn, it magnifies that “feel good” feeling and engagement. When you look at engaged employees and passionate employees, they drive results, become more creative, and more productive. They come up with new ideas and they’re invested in your organization in a different way.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do? Play guitar * What is a place that is at the top of your travel bucket list? Greece * What is a book, podcast, or TV show that you have enjoyed recently? Love Is Blind * If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone that you would love to learn from, who would it be?* Martha Stewart

TIMESTAMPS1:00 Meet Catherine

3:10 Catherine’s story

6:15 How education is part of the experiences that WholeHearted provides companies

9:00 Catherine’s favourite experiences designed and implemented by WholeHearted

14:00 The influence of perks and purpose on employee engagement, passion, and retention

18:20 Catherine talks about how giving back can make an impact in the workplace

19:40 Catherine shares the number one thing you can do as a leader to make an impact

23:35 Catherine’s advice for leaders planning for the year ahead in this time of change

27:40 Catherine’s favorite teacher/mentor

33:05 What Catherine is most proud of looking back on her journey so far

35: 20 Catherine answers some rapid fire questions

39:00 Catherine’s words of wisdom

View Details

In this episode with Afton Brazzoni, we talk about the ins and outs of content marketing, and how to use it to illuminate your brand in a meaningful way.

Afton is the founder of Scribe National, a content studio that helps B2B companies and entrepreneurs catapult their sales with undeniable brand messaging, strategic content plans and impeccable writing.

With 12 years of experience in marketing and communications, Afton’s mission is to help her clients unleash their brilliance with the written word. She’s had the pleasure of working with over 50 clients worldwide during her three years as founder of Scribe National — the majority being repeat customers — including billion-dollar enterprises and others among Canada’s 50 fastest growing companies.

Afton is a passionate writer and storyteller who started perfecting her craft even in childhood. She talks about creating high value content, infusing storytelling strategies in your brand messaging, and shares some great tips and tricks when it comes to content marketing.

Listen in as we talk about:

• Using long-form content to effectively illuminate your brand. Afton shares the secret behind using long-form content to shine a light on your brand and overall message.
• The role storytelling plays in connecting with and teaching people about a brand or a business. How does the story behind your brand or business impact the person receiving the message? Afton shares how we can leverage storytelling to create more unity.
• Using content marketing to build meaningful connections with clients. How can we use content marketing to build meaningful relationships and connections with our existing and potential clients? Afton shares her best secrets with us.
• Key tips to improve your content marketing. In order to have an impact with your content and your marketing, there are key tips every business owner should implement. Afton sheds light on her must-know tips for improving your content marketing.

Connect with Afton:

• Website: https://www.scribenational.ca
• Instagram: @aftonbrazzoni https://www.instagram.com/aftonbrazzoni/
• Facebook: @scribenational https://www.facebook.com/scribenational
• LinkedIn:
  • Afton Brazzoni https://www.linkedin.com/in/aftonaikens/
  • Scribe National: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scribenational/

Shared by Afton:

• The Incubator with Eleanor Beaton https://eleanorbeaton.com/work-with-us/the-incubator/

Connect with Tiana:

• Website: https://tianafech.com
• LinkedIn: Tiana Fech https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianafech/
• Instagram: @tianafech https://www.instagram.com/tianafech/
• Facebook: @tianafech https://www.facebook.com/tianafech
• Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21

USING LONG-FORM CONTENT EFFECTIVELY TO ILLUMINATE YOUR BRANDWhat is long-form content, and how can you use it effectively to illuminate your brand?

In a world where peoples’ attention spans are becoming shorter, there is a lot of competition in terms of what’s out there for people to consume. In order to stand out from the crowd and grab your audience’s attention, your content has to be really good.

Afton talks about the power of long-form content, and what makes it successful. When she’s referring to long form content, she means long form blog posts, written customer stories, case studies and e-books. The power in this type of content is its longevity and the ability to educate on a profound level. That, and the ability to give readers depth and detail on a specific topic is what allows long form content to shine. You can give more context in longer pieces of content, which becomes more valuable for your reader.

THE ROLE STORYTELLING PLAYS IN CONNECTING WITH AND TEACHING PEOPLE ABOUT A BRAND OR A BUSINESS“People love stories. It helps build trust. It helps build recognition and quite frankly, it’s just a more interesting way of connecting with people.”

Consumers have a ton of choices these days. In order to build brand affinity, which is what is known as the “know, like and trust factor” in your marketing and storytelling, you need that fundamental trust. If people can’t trust you, they won’t buy from you. In order to create that connection with them, sharing a memorable story that sticks in their mind is key.

Telling stories is ingrained in our DNA. It’s a deeper way of connecting with people and is what will allow us to stand out. Storytelling is a great way to actually stand above the noise that’s on social media today.

USING CONTENT MARKETING TO BUILD MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS WITH CLIENTS“The purpose of content marketing is to educate people, to help them solve problems, or to do both. It puts the focus on what is good and beneficial for the audience, the reader, the person engaging with the content instead of this more self-serving idea of what’s going to promote our brand today.”

Content marketing is relationship building. When we look to build those meaningful connections with our clients, it’s fueling a fundamental desire to build a relationship with them. To break down those walls and barriers and allow them to see and learn about you on a more meaningful level.

KEY TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR CONTENT MARKETINGWhen it comes to online business and your brand, you have your messaging, your brand identity, and your strategy. When it comes to your content strategy, you want to do a competitive content analysis to understand what’s working in marketing, where the gaps are, as well as the opportunities.

By doing this, you can find topics and viewpoints that may not be commonly addressed in your specific niche, and approach your messaging in a new way.

Whatever industry you work in, there are things your competitors aren’t speaking about. Choosing to do a content analysis will identify those gaps and give you a key leg up when it comes to content marketing.

ALWAYS KEEP LEARNINGAlways keep learning. This has been key to Afton’s evolution in her business. When she looks at people who have been successful in their own businesses it’s because they never stop and think that they have all the answers. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be confident in yourself. It just means actively seeking knowledge, being curious, looking for a better way if there is one, and searching for new information.

However, Afton also points out how, on the flip side, we also want to filter this to an extent.

There is an overwhelm that can come from having shiny object syndrome. “It’s about constantly learning but doing it in a way that is discerning, that’s smart and that isn’t going to overwhelm you – that’s going to give you what you need when you need it.”

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do? Automation and funnels * What is a place that is at the top of your travel bucket list? Patagonia * *What is a book, podcast, or TV show that you have enjoyed recently ?* Podcast: Chill and Prosper with host Denise Duffield-Thomas * *If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone that you would love to learn from, who would it be and why? Kelly Roache

TIMESTAMPS1:00 Meet Afton

2:20 Afton’s story

7:10 Why Afton decided to create learning opportunities (a course and workshops) as part of her business and what she has learned along the way

13:00 Examples of long-form written content and how can it be used effectively to illuminate a brand

18:40 How storytelling plays a role in connecting with and teaching people about a brand or business?

22:00 How content marketing plays a crucial role for businesses in building meaningful connections with their clients

25:10 The questions Afton hears most often from her clients about content marketing

29:35 Afton’s key tips to help people improve their content marketing

33:55 Afton’s favorite teacher/learning experience

36:20 What Afton is most proud of looking back on her journey so far

39:10 Afton answers some rapid fire questions

44:05 Afton’s words of wisdom

View Details

In this episode with Simona Costantini, we’re exploring why podcasts can be a powerful teaching tool – in life, and both inside and outside of the classroom. We talk about creating online courses, starting a podcast, and podcasts as a tool for both teaching and learning. What value do we gain from consuming podcasts? How do they transform our mindsets? Simona is my amazing podcast editor who I have had the privilege to work with for almost a year now. She has been an incredible mentor and teacher for me in the world of podcasting.  Simona Costantini is the Founder and CEO of Costantini Productions, a full-service podcast production agency. She is also the Executive Producer and Host of two podcasts: Happiness Happens Podcast and As It Relates to Podcasting. She helps women entrepreneurs in the parenting, wellness and marketing spaces bring their personality, brand and passion to the mic by helping them launch, manage and grow their podcasts. Simona’s experience spans more than 10 years in marketing, communications, advertising and public relations. When Simona isn’t behind the mic, producing a show, or strategizing a game-changing podcast launch, you can find her at home in wine country with her husband Steven and their cockapoo puppy named Gus.     Listen in as we talk about:

How getting into podcasting caused a massive life shift. Simona talks about how stepping into the podcasting space changed her life completely. Building a podcast course from scratch. Simona shares why she started her podcast course, how she built it and for who, and which platform she uses to host it. The biggest questions people have when starting a podcast. How do you start your show? What technology do you need? How do you launch it? Simona shares the common questions and answers she gets from new (and seasoned) podcasters.  Creating a podcast to transform your mindset. Creating and hosting a podcast takes you through a journey of self discovery. It also helps you uncover hidden blocks about yourself that you may not have been aware of before. Podcasts as a teaching tool. Simona shares how podcasting is transforming the way in which people of all ages learn and the power podcasting brings to the classroom and beyond.

Connect with Simona:

Website: https://www.simonacostantini.com

Free Podcast Resources: https://www.simonacostantini.com/resources

Instagram: @simona_costantini https://www.instagram.com/simona__costantini

Facebook: Costantini Productions https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086276031659

LinkedIn: Simona Costantini https://www.linkedin.com/in/simona-costantini-25653a30/

Podcasts:

As It Relates to Podcasting: https://www.simonacostantini.com/asitrelatestopodcasting

Happiness Happens Podcast: https://www.simonacostantini.com/happinesshappenspodcast

Connect with Tiana:

Website: https://tianafech.com LinkedIn: Tiana Fech https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianafech/ Instagram: @tianafech https://www.instagram.com/tianafech/ Facebook: @tianafech https://www.facebook.com/tianafech Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21 

HOW GETTING INTO PODCASTING CAUSED A MASSIVE LIFE SHIFT “The more that we can realize that how we show up in this world is less about us and more so about how we make other people feel and how we can leave them better than we found them, the more we can be truly present in our lives every single day.” Oftentimes when we’re in hard moments or seasons of life, we don’t always understand why we’re in that particular moment and how it will bring us to our next uplevel. Simona talks about how her love for podcasting started when she was in a dark time of her life. Podcasting became a tool to help her move through her healing journey, and help others learn and heal in their own way at the same time. She shares how her life and business evolved and expanded into podcast production,

View Details

In this episode with Julie Van Rosendaal, we’re talking about what you can learn through cooking. You will get some great meal ideas, gain insight into the very real challenge of food insecurity in Canada, and see how teaching and learning opportunities are plentiful in the world of food and cooking.  Julie has been a go-to resource for me whenever the question comes up of “What’s for dinner?” She is someone who looks for ways to make a difference in the world and truly takes action. She is passionate about food and making it accessible and enjoyable.  Julie is the Calgary-based author of twelve best-selling cookbooks. She has been the food columnist on the Calgary Eyeopener on CBC Radio One for 17 years, writes about food for the Globe and Mail, and for the past twenty years has been a freelance food writer and columnist for other publications across Canada. Julie teaches, speaks and cooks at culinary schools and events across the country, and has a very engaged audience on her social media channels and website, Dinner with Julie. Listen in as we talk about:

The Kitchen Club. Julie wanted to bring kids across the country together to learn how to make delicious food. The rising cost of groceries and cost of living. Julie shares, amidst growing concerns around grocery costs and overall cost of living, how we can ensure we’re maximizing our dollar. Understanding where our food actually comes from. Julie can be known for digging into the real story and finding out where the food we consume actually comes from. Learning through cooking. I ask Julie her best tips to take some of the stress out of meal prep and cooking and how to make these fun learning experiences for ourselves and our families. 

Connect with Julie:

Website: https://dinnerwithjulie.com/ Instagram: @dinnerwithjulie https://www.instagram.com/dinnerwithjulie/ Twitter: @dinnerwithjulie https://twitter.com/dinnerwithjulie Facebook: @dinnerwithjulie https://www.facebook.com/dinnerwithjulie/ 

Connect with Tiana:

Website: https://tianafech.com LinkedIn: Tiana Fech https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianafech/ Instagram: @tianafech https://www.instagram.com/tianafech/ Facebook: @tianafech https://www.facebook.com/tianafech Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21 

THE KITCHEN CLUB “We all have so much to learn from each other, and that's one thing that I love about food. There's so much to know and it's impossible to know everything about food.” During the thick of the pandemic years, Julie knew kids were at home, bored with not much to do. She got the idea to start The Kitchen Club, which brought together kids all over the country virtually, to participate in what she calls The Kitchen Club – for free. Julie taught them how to make croissants, cream puffs, and other foods parents wouldn’t typically think about their kids having. The ingredients were what you generally already have at home. It brought families together and inspired kids to learn and want to learn how to do more than they thought they could.  

THE RISING COST OF GROCERIES AND COST OF LIVING “Knowing what to do with what you have is key.” It’s no secret that the rising cost of living and expensive groceries can make us worry about how we will pay our bill and keep nutritious food on the table. Julie explains to us in this episode how much food we tend to waste without realizing it, and why buying fresh food is actually cheaper than buying fast food. She also talks about the importance of learning how to make different meals out of what you already have in the fridge, so that when dinner time comes around, you aren’t left wondering what to cook for the 4th night in a row. Start with the ingredients versus the recipe.

UNDERSTANDING WHERE OUR FOOD ACTUALLY COMES FROM Where does our food come from? Over the years, Julie has asked and questioned this, as well as done her research into the foods we consume,

View Details

In this episode, Chelsea Broos joins me to talk about the power in teaching and learning through volunteering and exploring the great outdoors.  Chelsea was born in Edmonton and moved to Calgary just after graduating University. She worked for years in sales and marketing before deciding to stay home to raise her three kids. Although proud of her role as stay at home mom, she recently discovered the term "Family Coordinator" and feels that suits her better. She takes care of the house, although not always as well as she would like to. She volunteers at the school. She chauffeurs her three kids to their various sports. And during the last few years of Covid, she discovered two new passions: hiking and social media.      Listen in as we talk about:

The important role of family coordinator. Chelsea shares what a family coordinator is and how valuable it is as kids are growing older. Purposeful work in helping - as a volunteer. As a family coordinator, Chelsea has had the privilege to volunteer for many different roles over the years.  Teaching through hiking and perseverance. Chelsea talks about the value and connection hiking has brought her and her family, as well as the lessons they’ve all learned by experiencing it together.  Teachers are special. Chelsea learned from her parents, who were both teachers, that it takes a special person to be a teacher. 

Connect with Chelsea:

Instagram: @myownprivatebackyardo https://www.instagram.com/myownprivatebackyardo/ TikTok: @privatebackyardo https://www.tiktok.com/@privatebackyardo

Connect with Tiana:

Website: https://tianafech.com LinkedIn: Tiana Fech https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianafech/ Instagram: @tianafech https://www.instagram.com/tianafech/ Facebook: @tianafech https://www.facebook.com/tianafech Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21 

THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF FAMILY COORDINATOR Chelsea challenges the definition and role of stay at home mom, and debunks the traditional view of what stay at home moms do. After working in corporate for many years, Chelsea and her husband decided as a family it was ideal for her to stay home with the kids. She has three kids, and has become their family’s coordinator. This role requires detailed organizational skills, and balancing the calendars and lives of every family member.  Chelsea the tools she uses to keep her family organized, and tips for other parents to do the same.   PURPOSEFUL WORK IN HELPING From Special Events coordinator, to Kiss and Ride, Chelsea dives into the impact that helping and volunteering has on our kids and also our communities. While there are so many opportunities to volunteer in our lives, whether it be at our kids’ schools or for causes that are near and dear to our hearts, it brings a powerful level of support to the lives we touch. She shares how volunteering has helped to shape her life, as well as the lives of her kids, and the valuable lessons they have learned over the years through helping others. 

TEACHING THROUGH HIKING At the beginning of the pandemic, Chelsea’s kids’ activities started to get canceled, and her and her husband decided they needed a new family activity.  They took up hiking, and completed 52 hikes in 52 weeks together! For Chelsea and her family, hiking is a time to disconnect, to be present and enjoy nature to its fullest potential. She started to share her family’s adventures on social media, and teaches other parents how to share the love of the great outdoors with their kids.  In Chelsea’s “Get Outside Thursday” posts on Instagram she features an Alberta hike that she and her family have done. Her posts include eye catching photos, the length of the hike, the elevation, and, on average, how long it takes. Chelsea also includes a WHINE and WINE component to her social media shares. She shares the “whine” meter (a.k.a. how much her kids whined on that particular hike) and her “wine” meter (the glass of...

View Details

Joining me for this episode is Emilie Jane Fish. You are going to love this conversation with Emilie. She is so genuine, personable, and easy to talk to. She has such powerful messages to share about the importance in teaching and learning, of listening to our kids and making people feel seen, heard, and understood.  Emilie is a YYC mama to two lovely outgoing little boys named Beckett and Finley and a darling little baby girl named Sawyer. She is married to her best friend and adventure partner, Matt. Emilie splits her time between being a dedicated fun loving kindergarten teacher and a joy seeking content creator. Her superpower is creating cool transitions! Having always had a passion to create, Emilie shares different facets of her life on social media through the lens of fashion, dance and family, with a goal to spread joy and to inspire.   Listen in as we talk about:

Getting to help shape young minds. Emilie talks about her love for teaching and getting the chance to help shape young minds in the process. Having a positive, fresh school year. How can we help our kids look at school as something positive? How can we encourage their learning? Emilie shares her tips for parents here. Finding joy in creativity. Emilie shares her love for creating social media reels and using it as a creative outlet to bring in more fun, joy and learning.  

Connect with Emilie:

Instagram: @emiliejanefish https://www.instagram.com/emiliejanefish/  TikTok: @mrsemiliejanefish https://www.tiktok.com/@mrsemiliejanefish 

Connect with Tiana:

Website: https://tianafech.com LinkedIn: Tiana Fech https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianafech/ Instagram: @tianafech https://www.instagram.com/tianafech/ Facebook: @tianafech https://www.facebook.com/tianafech Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21 

GETTING TO HELP SHAPE YOUNG MINDS “It is such a gift to be the person that gets to lead the way.” Emilie talks about her love for teaching and getting the chance to help shape young minds in the process. She highlights how important it is for children to feel seen, heard and understood in the classroom, and how more often than not, the kids who may be most frustrating tend to be those who need compassion the most. She reminds us how we all have a role to play in the development and shaping of our kids’ journey and minds.     HAVING A POSITIVE, FRESH SCHOOL YEAR How can we help our kids look at school as something positive? How can we encourage their learning Emilie talks about the positivity factor, which she believes is critical for kids. Her advice to parents is to spread the positivity surrounding school. It’s about hearing how they’re feeling, validating their feelings, and helping them to turn the narrative around to focus on the good.   

FINDING JOY IN CREATIVITY “Don’t be scared to try new things.” Emilie shares her love for creating social media reels and using it as a creative outlet to bring in more fun, joy and learning. She reminds us that we have the power to learn something new, regardless of what other people may think or say about it. We get to find fulfillment in those little moments and bring to life our creative, energetic side.      YOU COULD BE THAT PERSON One of the biggest things that Emilie has learned as a teacher, is that the ones who are the hardest to love in your classroom are actually the ones who need the most love. You could be that person who changes their life or that they hold onto for the rest of their life as an impactful memory or as an impactful person. Emilie reminds us to not be short sighted. It can be hard and frustrating in the moment but know that giving your heart could change one child’s life.   

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

What is something that you would love to learn about or something that you would love to learn how to do? How to surf What is a place that is at the top of your travel bucket list? Australia What is a book, podcast,

View Details

In this very first official episode of the People Teaching People podcast, I’m joined by Jill Drader.  Jill has been a mentor for me since we connected in 2014 when we worked on building a curriculum together. Jill has an incredibly kind and generous heart and is someone who has inspired me to follow my heart and those nudges.  Jill Drader is a natural connector, teacher, visionary, and intuitive. She's launching her new venture - OwlSeek - where she will continue her executive coaching and leadership practice, and re-launch her retreat series in spring 2023.  Her non-for-profit Struggle Is Your Success, was partnered with Trellis this year, the largest NFP in Calgary, which supports youth initiatives. Jill's past education is varied - a degree in International Development and African studies where she studied in Ghana through the University of Calgary - a journeyman status in tile setting - and a degree in counselling where she does more spiritual care and spiritual direction.  Jill's past awards include being named Honorable Albertan by the Alberta Legislature, Distinguished Alumni by the University of Calgary, and Top 40 Under 40 by Avenue Magazine. Jill always operates from a heart of service - caring deeply about those who struggle and suffer with mental health or addictions, and gives her time to various Calgary agencies helping people.    Listen in as we talk about:

Looking at our vocation. Jill asks us to question what we’re told is our calling vs. what we actually want to do.

Struggle is your success. How do we look at success differently? Jill shares how she challenges the ideals around success and shifting young minds and perspectives in the process. Being guided through recovery and filling our own cup up. Jill talks candidly about her struggles with alcohol and drugs and how her path through recovery is what opened up her mind to new possibilities. She shares how she fills her own cup up first and what that looks like for her on a daily basis. 

Connect with Jill:

Instagram: @jilldrader https://www.instagram.com/jilldrader/  Facebook: @jill.drader https://www.facebook.com/jill.drader LinkedIn: Jill Drader https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-drader-74b0a453/ Websites: 

https://jilldrader.com  Struggle Is Your Success: https://www.siys.ca  Owl Seek: Coming Soon!

Book: Jill has a book coming out in 2023! Stay tuned! 

Connect with Tiana:

Website: https://tianafech.com LinkedIn: Tiana Fech https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianafech/ Instagram: @tianafech https://www.instagram.com/tianafech/ Facebook: @tianafech https://www.facebook.com/tianafech Book: Online Course Creation 101: Your step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21

LOOKING AT OUR VOCATION Jill shares about how she started to question her vocation. What was she being told was her calling? And what did she actually want to be doing instead? She talks about the power of changing our direction and embracing the unknown. She realized she loved working with people, teaching and continuously learning. By embracing her inner calling, she found her vocation and followed the path to where she is today.   THE IMPORTANCE OF CONNECTION  As we move forward, the importance of connection and looking for new ways to facilitate connection will be key. We need to be intentional in ensuring the wellbeing of both teams and individuals. Jill says that a safe work environment needs to be in place; one in which everyone feels heard and understood.   OVERDOING We need to reflect on the things that are challenging for us otherwise we bottle them up and things in our bodies become unbalanced. Jill talks about the importance of looking outwards by doing things like reading and listening (really listening!) to other people. Being caught in a cycle of overdoing and busyness can be connected to an obsessive and unhealthy mindset.

STRUGGLE IS YOUR SUCCESS  “When you enter into an environment that's a higher vibration environment,

View Details

Welcome to The People Teaching People Podcast. This is the place to talk about all things teaching and learning which can take place anytime, anywhere, and in a multitude of ways. The range of knowledge and skills to teach and to learn about are truly limitless. But.. at the heart of all teaching and learning experiences are the people. I am your host Tiana Fech. I’m a Calgary mom of three, an educator, a course development consultant, and a lifelong learner. On The People Teaching People Podcast you will have the opportunity, through personal reflections and conversations, to get inspired by and be curious about the who, what, when, where, why, and how of teaching and learning in a world where there is always more to discover. Education plays an important and integral role in all facets of our lives - how we work, do business, live, play, explore, and build relationships. It is so much more than what happens within the four walls of a classroom! How does teaching and learning play a role in your world? What is one of your most memorable learning experiences? Who was your favorite teacher? How do you learn best? What tools and strategies are people using these days in education? This is something that is changing all the time… If there is one thing that I have learned over the years, it is that there is always more to learn.  My vision is to have people at the forefront of all teaching and learning experiences in schools, businesses, and beyond. With this relationship-centered approach to education we have the opportunity to grow, to be empowered, to inspire, engage, and connect with others in meaningful ways, and to make a positive difference in our world. Please join us in the car on your way to work or while you are going for a walk in the beautiful outdoors! I can’t wait to explore all things teaching and learning together!   Connect with Tiana: 

Website: https://tianafech.com LinkedIn: Tiana Fech https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianafech/ Instagram: @tianafech https://www.instagram.com/tianafech/ Facebook: @tianafech https://www.facebook.com/tianafech Book: Online Course Creation 101: Your step-by-step guide to creating your first online course https://amzn.to/3BujR21

View Details

How do you become a great leader? Better yet, how do we help our kids grow into great leaders too? Being a leader is so much more than your personality type. It has to do with your qualities, values and characteristics. Joining me for this very last conversation on The Part-Time Jungle is Nicole North.

Nicole is the President and Founder of Whiteboard Consulting and has been leading large-scale leadership training initiatives with Whiteboard since its inception. Nicole’s formal education includes an honors BA from the University of Toronto and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University. She is also certified as a Coach and as a practitioner in Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessments and training, Method Time Motion studies, and Appreciative Inquiry.

She is the creator, designer, and lead facilitator of The Limitless LeaderTM program that creates leaders and teams that feel limitless to create and innovate - paired with accountability and grace. Nicole has been designing and delivering online and in-person human skills content for the last 10 years and is a top-rated facilitator for her engagement and passionate approach to delivery.

Listen in as we talk about:

Asking for time and space. As moms, we often cater to everyone first except for ourselves. Nicole shares her best tips for staying healthy and present for her family. How to be a limitless leader. Nicole has developed a methodology that encompasses the qualities of being a limitless leader that empowers their team. What leaders need right now. How do you define a great leader? Nicole gives us insight into what makes a great leader, and what all leaders need right now. Helping our kids become great leaders. For Nicole, it goes back to helping our kids learn how to speak clearly and kindly.

Connect with Nicole:

Instagram: @whiteboardconsult https://www.instagram.com/whiteboardconsult/ Facebook: @WhiteboardCons https://www.facebook.com/WhiteboardCons Website: https://www.whiteboardconsulting.ca Podcast: At the Whiteboard https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/at-the-whiteboard/id1210237741

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle Community:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

ASKING FOR TIME AND SPACE Do you ever take time out for yourself? Are you in tune with your desires, wants and needs and person and a mom? It’s no secret that we often cater to everyone first except for ourselves. Between busy kids, lives, jobs, activities, and more, it’s easy to put ourselves last on the ‘to do’ list/ Nicole shares her best tips for staying healthy and present for her family. This includes taking dedicated time on the weekend to relax, workout, and be present with herself. This helps her show up more fully as a mom, partner and leader.

However, Nicole stresses that: “There is no perfect answer. Parenting doesn't have to be done exactly the way that they say in the books.”

HOW TO BE A LIMITLESS LEADER “The foundational component of a limitless leader is one that communicates with clarity, kindness, curiosity, and grace and holds people accountable."

When it comes to leadership, Nicole believes that there are ways to become a limitless leader. She has developed a methodology that encompasses the qualities of being a limitless leader that empowers their team – and it’s so much more expansive than you may think.

Nicole talks about the very first and most important component, which is the ability to communicate clearly and kindly. She believes that the foundational component of a limitless leader is one that communicates with clarity, kindness, curiosity and grace and holds people accountable to what they say they’re going to do.

WHAT LEADERS NEED RIGHT NOW “There is artistry to leadership. There isn't a formula.”

What do our leaders need right now?

View Details

What is the best way to understand and communicate with our child? Sometimes it may feel like they are not listening or are trying to purposely make us upset, but that simply isn’t always the case. What is key is understanding our child's story. 

Joining me for this conversation is Sabrina Adair, M.Sc.O.T., a practicing occupational therapist, passionate advocate for parent empowerment, and the author of Understanding a Child the Occupational Therapy Way: Recognizing and Communicating the Unique Potential of a Child (2021). She is a mom of four beautiful children who have taught her patience, perseverance, and compassion and that we’re all wonderfully unique individuals with our own unfolding stories. 

Sabrina’s experience working with children has inspired her drive for innovation and inter-professional collaboration. In 2019, she founded Enabling Adaptations, a private therapy company focused on helping parents and caregivers to find ways to effectively understand and communicate their child’s needs in order to create positive environments where children can reach their greatest potential. 

Sabrina is an award-winning entrepreneur and shares her successful approach to improving children’s lives at speaking engagements, parenting workshops, and more. Sabrina holds a post-professional Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Dalhousie University and a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Sabrina resides just outside Toronto, Ontario, with her husband and children.

Listen in as we talk about:

Living by ‘the schedule’. Sabrina shares that with four busy kids, activities, and lives, living by their schedule is what keeps them on track every week. How to better understand your children and their stories. Sabrina explains how as parents, we need to start by understanding ourselves in order to understand our children. Being curious with your children. For Sabrina, the key is having this curiosity with our children. It gives us more time to pause instead of making rash and judgmental decisions. Strategies to help communicate your child’s story to other people. Sometimes our kids have things going on within them that other people can’t comprehend. When we can listen to our children and understand them better, we can help them communicate their stories to others.

Connect with Sabrina:

Instagram: @enablingadaptations https://www.instagram.com/enablingadaptations/ Facebook: @enablingadaptations https://www.facebook.com/enablingadaptations/ Website: https://www.enablingadaptations.com Book: Understanding a Child the Occupational Therapy Way: Recognizing and Communicating the Unique Potential of a Child by Sabrina Adair https://enablingadaptations.com/resources/my-book/

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle Community:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

LIVE BY THE SCHEDULE Sabrina explains, as most moms can relate, her kids have busy schedules packed with lots of activities! She shares how she lives by her family’s schedule that’s pre-planned out. This way, she knows who is doing what, who is going where, and when she has that schedule set up, she blocks her business into the gaps. She shares the strategy that works for her, which is to dedicate specific times for each specific task. This helps her batch her time and work as an entrepreneur, while still spending quality time with her kids.

HOW TO BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUR CHILD'S STORY “You need to start by understanding yourself in order to understand your children.”

Sabrina explains how as parents, we need to start by understanding ourselves in order to understand our children. Knowing where our own stories come from is essential to understanding that of our children. She shares how we each have stories that are ingrained in us,

View Details

Dr. Danielle Gordon joins me on my podcast to talk about balance, being an alternative leader, education and optometry. Danielle is an optometrist and the owner of Sphere Optometry, a full-scope purpose-driven optometric practice and optical shop in Calgary Alberta.

Sphere is all about kindness and connection, ocular and holistic wellness, and giving back to their local and global community. Also, the team at Sphere harbors a deep love for independent hand-crafted eyewear, and delivering intuitive and compassionate care. Sphere is also the home of the Fit to Read Project, a project that Danielle launched to connect books with kids in need.  

Danielle graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Optometry degree, both with honors. Since then, she has been passionate about helping her patients to live fully and joyfully, and creating positive impact in the world around her. Outside of work, Danielle loves to spend time with her husband and two young children, get her heart rate up with a good run, and relax with a good book and hot cup of coffee. Listen in as we talk about:

Finding grace in balance. Danielle shares how she’s still learning to find balance, and the importance of giving herself grace in the process. Being an alternative leader. Challenge the stereotypes around what it means to be a leader. Optometry for kids. As an optometrist, Danielle shares with us signs to look out for in terms of eye health, and how to find the right optometrist for your kids. Education as a tool. Danielle values education, reading and learning and speaks about the importance of access to books and how this led her to create the Fit to Read Project.

Connect with Danielle:

Instagram: 

@sphereyyc https://www.instagram.com/sphereyyc/ @fittoreadproject https://www.instagram.com/fittoreadproject/ @dckloepfer https://www.instagram.com/dckloepfer/

Facebook:

@sphereyyc https://www.facebook.com/sphereyyc

Website: https://sphereoptometry.ca/

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle Community:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

FINDING GRACE IN BALANCE “Am I doing the best with what I have? Am I doing the best that I can in this moment?”

It’s no secret that as moms, we welcome all the tips and tricks when it comes to finding balance between work, kids and everything else! I asked Danielle to share how she juggles it all, and she candidly tells listeners that for her, finding balance is definitely a work in progress. Her perspective is a permission slip for all parents who don’t have a ‘fail proof’ system in place (hint: almost all of us)! 

Danielle really tries to be fully present in whatever she is doing. In the motherhood and work juggle, you are wearing a lot of hats. When Danielle is wearing her ‘work hat’ she tries to focus on work. When she is with her kids, she tries to truly compartmentalize and put aside work. She tries to really enjoy her children for what they are bringing. They grow up so fast! When it comes to the idea of balance, she shares that for her and her family, it looks different in different seasons. And while her plate is often very full, she is now trying to learn how to schedule rest and blank space. 

BEING AN ALTERNATIVE LEADER What makes a good leader? How do we determine who is a “good” leader or not? Typically, we have an idea that comes to mind when we think of leaders in our lives – typically more extroverted. 

Danielle shares her take on leadership, highlighting how she is introverted, likes being by herself, and is curious and quirky. She had many doubts as a business owner that maybe her leadership style wasn’t a leader that other people were looking for. What she found is that this wasn’t the case. She believes that your skills can allow you to become the leader you w...

View Details

Do you ever wonder what it’s really like to be an influencer and to be chasing likes? What really goes on behind the scenes?

My guest Carlee Krtolica is a Calgary mom of 2 girls, a blogger, content creator, social media influencer at Styled to Sparkle, and the author of the book Chasing Likes. She is also a freelance interior designer and a sommelier with her WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) Level 2 Certification. 

Her blog and social media are a direct reflection of her daily life with her family, home projects, outdoor adventures, global travel, fine food, wine, and spirits and so much more. Carlee wants to share what makes her life easier in the hopes that it will make your life easier too!

Listen in as we talk about:

Chasing likes. Carlee gets real about her experience and success as an influencer.  Knowing your limits. Carlee gives us insight into how she ‘does it all’, and it comes with knowing when, and what, to outsource. Following your passions. When our passion runs deep within us, that’s when we know we’re living in our purpose. Carlee shares how she continues to follow her passions in her business and tapping into her wildest dreams by writing a book. Living in the ‘pinch me’ moments. You know those moments in life when it almost feels surreal to have the opportunities you have? Carlee gives us insight into her favourite

Connect with Carlee:

Instagram: @styledtosparkle https://www.instagram.com/styledtosparkle/ Facebook: @styledtosparkle https://www.facebook.com/styledtosparkle/ Website:  https://www.styledtosparkle.com

Blog Post: Carlee’s nursery for her second daughter Blog Post: Carlee’s kitchen

Book: Chasing Likes by Carlee Krtolica

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle Community:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

CHASING LIKES Are you thinking about being an influencer? Carlee asks, “Are you sure you want to do this?”. Being an influencer is a lot more work than you might think. There are many decisions to make about the content you are going to create in terms of what you want to share, how much you want to share, and how authentic you want to be. You need to really think about why you would want to get into this space. It might seem like you just snap some photos and get some free stuff but that is not how it works these days. 

KNOWING YOUR LIMITS “Not everything you see is real. Give yourself some grace and ask for help.”

On social media, it can appear that people have it all together, that they, themselves, are ‘doing it all’, and that their lives are perfect - almost too good to be true. Carlee gives us insight into how she ‘does it all’, and it comes with knowing when, and what, to outsource. She shares how important it is to know our limits, so that we have the time and energy to pour back into the things we love during the day; like spending time with our loved ones, working on projects that bring us joy, and filling up our own cup.

Carlee reminds us that there is no shame in asking for help to live a life that feels balanced. She shares two of her favourite ways to make her life easier: 

Instacart: Instacart is a grocery delivery company. This saves Carlee a trip to the grocery store and having to pack up her young girls. Sprout Society: Sprout Society is a Calgary based company that has a great variety of pre-made plant based meals that Carlee can have on hand in the fridge or freezer. Her family loves them!

WINE RECOMMENDATIONS Carlee loves and knows a lot about wine! She shares some of her favourites. 

Mission Hill Perpetua Chardonnay: Mission Hill is located in West Kelowna, British Columbia. Carlee recommends pairing this wine with popcorn topped with butter, truffle oil, and parmesan cheese.  Blue Mountain Pinot Noir: Blue Mountain is located in Okanagan Fall...

View Details

How does a project manager organize her family and home? And what are the benefits to having planned out systems in place when it comes to things like chores and household responsibilities? This episode is jam-packed with amazing tips to manage boundaries, workload, time and energy so you can spend more of your time doing what you love.

Joining me is Hilary Kinney, a project director with 18 years of experience at a Fortune 500 company. She is also the proud mother of an elementary school student. Her recent parenting accomplishments include teaching him to, among other things, plan his day independently, make dinner, and get his chores done without complaining - most of the time. Her career achievements range from facilitating a C-suite-sponsored customer recognition program across 7,000 Marriott properties globally, to directing special projects for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company President’s office. 

Hilary earned a B.S. in Hotel Administration from Cornell University. She holds a Project Management Professional (PMP)® Certification from the Project Management Institute, as well as a Change Practitioner Certification from the Prosci® Change Management Leadership Center.  She lives with her family in the Washington, D.C. area. Listen in as we talk about:

Prioritizing as a family. Hilary developed this concept based on the theory of constraints, which means managing to our limits. Creating ‘white space’. We discuss adding more space in our lives to just live and be present. Strategies to help families manage times of change. Hilary shares her best tips when it comes to helping families navigate change. Working together as a family team. There are ways to get our family on the same team, and Hilary talks about the ways that work for her family. Favourite organizational systems to use as a family. How do we get our family organized? Hilary teaches us how she keeps track of her family in her home.

Connect with Hilary

Instagram: @pmforparents https://www.instagram.com/pmforparents/ Facebook: @ParentsProjects https://www.facebook.com/ParentsProjects Website: https://www.projectmanagementforparents.com/ Book: Project Management for Parents by Hilary Kinney https://www.projectmanagementforparents.com/book

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle Community:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

PRIORITIZING AS A FAMILY Hilary developed the concept of prioritizing as a family based on the theory of constraints, which means managing to our limits. This can be a bit counter-cultural and different from what we're used to hearing, because we're used to thinking about how to maximize our time and get as much done as possible in the amount of time that we have. The project management theory of constraints flips that on its head and focuses on what our limits are and what we need to be restricted by.

CREATING 'WHITE SPACE' “No matter how organized you are, if you've got too much going on categorically, you're not going to be able to make it happen.” 

Creating white space is imperative for busy families. The idea is that it’s like a buffer of free time where you don’t have anything scheduled or planned. It’s when you get to relax and simply exist and be human instead of constantly doing. Hilary shares how she has implemented white space into her life and into her family’s routine, and the joyful moments that have come from this simple shift. 

STRATEGIES TO HELP FAMILIES MANAGE TIME OF CHANGE Hilary shares two important points about how to help families manage times of change. The first strategy is change management. It’s about analyzing and developing a plan to help support the change, as well as including all stakeholders (aka your family team) in the change management process. The second strategy is risk management.

View Details

How do we build healthier food choices when we’re busy, tired and overwhelmed? It isn’t always the first thing we want to do, even though we know it will make us feel better in the long run. What if there was a better way? An easier way? That’s what we’re talking about with Dr. Abha Sharma on this podcast episode.

Abha is a Health and Wellness Coach for Professional Working Moms. In her work, she helps working moms glow up through hormone health + living a holistic lifestyle. She combines wisdom from her personal journey AND the scientifically proven Precision Nutrition Methodology to guide women to truly radiate from within. Abha is also a Pediatrician, IBCLC, and the host of The Health Has No Finishline Podcast; a weekly podcast which dives into subjects such as body image, emotional eating, mindset, healthier living, and so much more.  Listen in as we talk about:

Creating more time. Abha talks about how to find more time in our days, and outsourcing the things that don’t light us up. Eating healthier and exercising. Abha shares the myths around both of these, and shares her best tips for incorporating more of each into our lives. Tips to have better food choices on hand. How we make better choices is through how prepared we allow ourselves to be. Abha shares her best tips for us. 

Connect with Abha

Instagram: @_healthhasnofinishline https://www.instagram.com/_healthhasnofinishline/ Facebook: @AbhaSharmaHHNFL https://www.facebook.com/AbhaSharmaHHNFL

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/healthhasnofinishline

Website:  https://healthhasnofinishline.mykajabi.com/ Podcast: Health Has No Finish Line https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-has-no-finishline/id1533022406 Radiate From Within Membership: https://healthhasnofinishline.mykajabi.com/

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle Community:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

OUR KIDS WANT LOVE We learn from so many experiences as moms. For Abha, the biggest learning experience has been to not get caught up in the little details and in trying to look perfect. We don’t need to fit in a box of what we think motherhood should look like. At the end of the day, our kids just want to spend time with us and feel loved. They don’t care about all the external details. 

CREATING MORE TIME Abha talks about how to find more time in our days, and outsourcing the things that don’t light us up. She shares the story of what life was like before her daughter, when she had ample time to dedicate to working and spending time with her partner. She talks about what shifted within her when she became a mom, and how she decided to shift her focus and career. Of course, that didn’t give her the time back that she was looking for, as we all know we end up being even busier when we start up a new venture. Abha shares why it was necessary for her to outsource the things that were bogging down her creativity, and how her life and business started to flourish.

EATING HEALTHIER AND EXERCISING “Be kind to yourself and remember that it's not about being able to do it all. It's about being able to do all that feels good to you.”

There’s a myth that we need to dedicate two hours to each day to our health and exercise habits. Abha shares why she feels that just isn’t the case, and gives listeners tips on which exercises to incorporate – even while playing with kids! We can incorporate healthier choices when we set ourselves up for success, and Abha gives us the tools we need to make small, yet significant and simple changes.

TIPS TO HAVE HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES ON HAND “If you can eat fresh cooked versus a frozen meal, that's always better. But… we are human. Have a frozen meal on hand because life can get challenging sometimes.”

When we prepare ourselves in advance,

View Details

Do you ever feel the overwhelm of trying to “do it all”? Or maybe you’ve been struggling on your parenting journey and are needing a bit of hope that it’s all going to be okay?

In this episode, Jenn Abbatiello joins me to talk about peaceful parenting and how it can help us build stronger relationships with our kids and ourselves.

Jenn is a mom of two young boys and a Certified Parent Coach. She is the founder of Your Transformed Family, helping parents end the anger, frustration, and guilt to find calm, confidence and ease in their parenting without yelling, threatening or punishing. 

As a former dominant parent, Jenn learned to become a peaceful parent and is dedicated to helping other parents transform their parenting too! Prior to founding Your Transformed Family, Jenn worked for 20+ years as a senior sales & marketing executive with companies of various sizes and across industries. She helped launch Microsoft Advertising in Canada, built and led the marketing team at Thinking Capital and spearheaded the growth of Reader’s Digest in Southeast Asia. When not working with families, she loves the outdoors skiing, hiking or running with her husband and two boys. One thing she can’t live without is her morning latte with oat milk.

Listen in as we talk about:

The struggle behind being a mom. Jenn gets honest and real about becoming a mom even if it wasn’t in her life plan.

Healing our trauma to help our kids through their big emotions. Jenn talks about her biggest parenting lesson, which is to do her own inner healing work so that she can help her kids.

Tips for prioritizing working on yourself. We can only show up as the mom we want to be when we take care of ourselves. Jenn shares her two tips on how to do just that.

Connect with Jenn

Instagram: @yourtransformedfamily https://www.instagram.com/yourtransformedfamily/ Facebook: @yourtransformedfamily https://www.facebook.com/yourtransformedfamily/ Website: https://www.yourtransformedfamily.com Quiz: What’s Your Parenting Style

I checked out Jenn’s "What's Your Parenting Style?" Quiz and learned that I am a “Balanced Parent”. Take the quiz to see what type of parent you are and receive tips and resources to support you along your parenting journey: https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/6230b3f2452f9b00188a8bd5

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle Community:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

THE STRUGGLE BEHIND BEING A MOM  When Jenn and her husband started talking about kids, Jenn felt it just wasn’t in her life plan. After a battle with cancer, she wasn’t even sure if she could have them. 

Jenn gets honest and real about becoming a mom, and how it brought up many fears and a battle with wanting to be in control. She talks about how she hit her breaking point, packed her bags and left. This is what led her to where she is now, helping people through their parenting journey. 

HEALING OUR TRAUMA TO HELP OUR KIDS THROUGH THEIR BIG EMOTIONS  “Parenting is about co-regulation. You cannot co-regulate if you yourself are not regulated.”

Our kids, like us, have big emotions. Just because they may be younger, it doesn’t discount how they feel, express and self-regulate. Jenn shares that her biggest lesson as a mother is taking care of herself and doing the hard inner healing work, because it’s so important in being able to show up and be the parent you want to be. When we take the time to work on ourselves, it helps us stay patient in those really hard moments, and gives us the ability to pause and take a step back so we can help our kids.

HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORKING ON YOURSELF “When you're triggered by your child, what's that story that you're telling yourself? How do you peel the onion of where it originated from so you can change it?”

View Details

Dr. Gillian is a mom of two and a chiropractor who has focused her career caring for moms and their children. She lost her own mother as she entered motherhood. This void, disconnection and loss has perpetually fuelled her passion to create an authentic safe space for women to be seen, heard and feel well taken care of in their motherhood journey. To reconnect to themselves and their body. The opportunity to walk with women through this sometimes horribly lonely, often joy filled, and always exhausting season has been a blessing. Each time another says, ‘same’, offers an assuring nod or let’s their shoulders down, her cup gets filled, the void gets smaller, and her drive strengthens. 

Listen in as we talk about:

Knowing our limits. As a mom and working full-time, Gillian shares that the biggest resource she has tapped into has been learning her limits. Building a practice that’s in alignment. Gillian worked in many different settings, and when she became a mom, her purpose felt even more clear – working with moms and kids. Tips to transition from work to home life. Gillian shares that this has been one of the hardest transitions in her day to day, and gives listeners tips on how to navigate it from her perspective. How to feel better in our bodies. There are a few core techniques Gillian recommends for moms to drop back into their bodies and the present moment.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Book: She Grieves 

Connect with Gillian:

Instagram: 

@drgilliansawyer https://www.instagram.com/drgilliansawyer/ @mamaandmechiropractic https://www.instagram.com/mamaandmechiropractic/

Facebook:

@drgilliansawyer https://www.facebook.com/drgilliansawyer @mamaandmechiropractic https://www.facebook.com/mamaandmechiropractic

Website: http://www.gilliansawyer.com

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

THE PERINATAL PHASE  The perinatal phase is anywhere from pregnancy to after you have had your baby. You could classify it as the four trimesters. There are the three trimesters of pregnancy and the fourth trimester is those few months after you have delivered your baby. 

What Gillian tells moms, though, is that “postpartum is forever”. “Going through pregnancies, deliveries and stepping into motherhood changes us forever.” So, perinatal is focused around the pregnancy time but really applies to women even long after they have had a baby.

Gillian finds that the perinatal phase tends to be a time when women are quite tuned into their bodies because of all the changes that are happening. When things feel off in their bodies, women recognize this. Gillian is able to help them with this through treatments, information as to why it is happening, resources, and in letting them know that they are not alone. 

KNOWING OUR LIMITS While working full-time and having a very busy practice, Gillian learned early on that in order to “do it all”, she had to prioritize her limits and pay attention to her energy levels. The biggest strategy that has helped her is trying to listen to where she’s at, so that she doesn’t push herself too far in either direction. While boundaries are important, Gillian shares how she prioritizes finding ‘flow’ over setting hard limits.

BUILDING A PRACTICE THAT’S IN ALIGNMENT Becoming a new mom changed the way Gillian operated within her practice, and the clarity she received throughout this time helped her build a business that was in alignment with her true purpose.

Gillian was clear on her purpose from the beginning, working with moms and kids, and she helps them in every step of their journey together. She also shifted her practice to a group-style environment, which creates the supportive community that she was always craving.

View Details

Are you connected to your intuition? Have you thought about the relationship between consciousness and intentionally choosing our actions? In every moment, we get the opportunity to create our reality, whether it be through our words, thoughts or affirmations. You’re going to love this episode’s guest, Anna Lozano, Co-Founder of Love Powered Co. and a coach to ambitious creators. Anna is raising 2 mindful girls in Kelowna and is passionate about all things health & wellness, and supporting women to reach their audacious goals!

Listen in as we talk about:

Raising kids mindfully. Anna talks about how much of a responsibility it is to have kids and why we should be having conversations about how we want to raise our kids before they’re born. Being connected to intuition. Anna shares about her connection to her intuition and how it’s been a guiding light for her in both life and business decisions. Why affirmations are important. The thoughts we have and words we speak have a profound impact on our mindset and self-talk.  Advice for female founders. Anna gives us her best tips and insight for female founders and entrepreneurs.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Everything Journal Collab with Jillian Harris

Connect with Anna

Instagram: 

@lovepoweredco https://www.instagram.com/lovepoweredco/ @_annalozano https://www.instagram.com/_annalozano/

Facebook:

@lovepoweredco https://www.facebook.com/lovepoweredco @annalozano11 https://www.facebook.com/annalozano11

Website: https://www.lovepoweredco.ca

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

RAISING KIDS MINDFULLY  Anna shares her beliefs around raising kids and says that she doesn't think many people really go deep into the conversations of ‘What is motherhood?’ And ‘What is parenthood?’ In addition, she suggests we should be having these conversations, especially if you want to raise them consciously and mindfully. We think about growing businesses and we have strategies and mentors in place but we get into motherhood and it’s a big transition without instructions.

BEING CONNECTED TO INTUITION  “It’s about being connected to intuition, getting the downloads and also being quiet enough to hear the answers. That’s how I move through motherhood and business.” 

All of us are intuitive beings, but with all the external noise, we don't necessarily tune into it, listen to it or pay attention to it. Anna shares that the more that we can listen to those little nudges and the more we can take that intentional inspired action, the more our life is going to flow. She is constantly connected and guided to her intuition, and taps into this energy in both motherhood and business. 

WHY AFFIRMATIONS ARE IMPORTANT  “You can start affirmations at any age. It’s a powerful, lifelong practice.” 

Affirmations are so important. Mindfulness is so important. What you speak in your mind is what you will speak into existence. Anna talks about how affirmations have transformed her self-talk and ability to shift negative thoughts quickly. Having a physical tool, like an affirmation set, allows you to bring focused intention into the words that you're speaking out loud and into the thoughts that you're programming into your subconscious.

CONSCIOUSLY MAKING CHOICES “Our subconscious mind is always working. When we are thinking our thoughts, when we are speaking our words, those are creating our reality.”

Anna says that if we can consciously choose our words and thoughts, we can consciously choose our reality. Rather than having things happen on autopilot, we can catch ourselves in a negative thought and turn it into a neutral thought, and then, a positive one. This can have a transformative effect on our entire life.

View Details

What is conscious parenting? How can we raise our kids in a way that’s aligned with their desires, beliefs and needs?

This episode with France Tailleur talks about conscious parenting, its relation to Human Design, and how we can support our kids in the way they need us to. France is a mom and certified Conscious Parenting Coach, who fuses Human Design & other modalities to guide you to parent your child the unique way they desire to be parented. She is here to make spirituality fun & easy, and to elevate the frequencies of consciousness, love, compassion & joy within families world-wide. She teaches you and your child to live in the most effortless, harmonious & creative way which will bring you all the success you desire. She is also an #1 Amazon best selling author for her reflective journal Sparkle Time. 

Listen in as we talk about:

Conscious Parenting. France shares about what conscious parenting is and how its focus is to raise our kids their way. Co-Parenting. How France is able to balance being a conscious parenting coach and a mom.  Human Design and Conscious Parenting as a match made in Heaven. France shares how these two modalities help us understand our kids more deeply, and how they were designed, to ultimately parent them the way they need it. Simplicity. France shares with us her four areas of simplicity when it comes to parenting and busy schedules.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Conscious Parent by Dr. Shefali Tsabary

Connect with France

Instagram: @thehdparentingcoach https://www.instagram.com/thehdparentingcoach/ Facebook: @france.tailleur https://www.facebook.com/france.tailleur TikTok: @thehdparentingcoach https://www.tiktok.com/@thehdparentingcoach Website: https://the-connect-parent-child-classroom.teachable.com/ Podcast: Intentional Parenting Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/intentional-parenting-podcast/id1579371631 Book: Sparkle Time: The Connected Parent/Child Journal https://the-connect-parent-child-classroom.teachable.com/p/sparkle-time

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

CONSCIOUS PARENTING  “Conscious parenting is about raising your child their way, based on what they need and how they’re uniquely designed.”

France shares that there are two ways of looking at conscious parenting. The first way is that you're raising your kids their way, which involves taking away our own beliefs of how you were raised. It also means that you’re taking away how society expects you to raise your kids. 

The second way is about raising yourself as well as raising your child. It’s about how you react or respond in tough situations, as your own fears, expectations and biases try to make their way in. The focus is on healing what comes up for you so that you can raise your kids their way.

HUMAN DESIGN AND CONSCIOUS PARENTING  “Human design allows you to be a more conscious parent because you don't have to guess.  How your child is uniquely designed is laid out for you, and then you start to understand it.”

For France, these two modalities, human design and conscious parenting, go hand in hand. When you understand your child’s human design, you are able to understand how they want to structure their day and the systems they need in place to function in a way that’s aligned with their design. It also helps you as the parent communicate with them more effectively, eases stress on both you and your child, and allows you to anticipate how something that’s out of alignment with their design may be the root cause of anger, friction or tantrums. 

SIMPLICITY  With busy schedules, kids in activities, family and friend commitments, and more, we may often wonder how we can simplify our lives so that it doesn’t feel so chaotic.

View Details

Do you celebrate life’s moments? Do you prioritize that joy and depth of gratitude as a family? If you’re looking for ways to celebrate the small things in life with more ease and grace, you will find this episode enlightening and empowering.

Amy, a mom of two teen boys, is one of Canada's go-to experts in event creation and production. No matter the type of event you are planning, if you are looking to level-up, Amy is your gal! She is a former in-house event planner for some of Canada’s largest charity organizations where she led teams to create and execute events that raised into the millions of dollars for those who needed it most. Amy followed her passion for creating life changing events and used her entrepreneurial instincts to open the doors to Beyond Fundraising Inc. to ensure non-profit organizations nation-wide had a loud and meaningful event voice. 

Recently, Amy co-founded The Pop-Up Event Co., to fill her cup with balloon & luxury event design, intimate wedding & event planning, and serving drinks out of The Bea Bar. Basically, all things events are her jam! Or her cup of tea, or her glass of wine!

Listen in as we talk about:

People as the passion behind her events. Amy’s vision is to always create a space where like-minded humans can come together and change the world. Creating memorable celebrations. Amy talks about how important it is to create events that are personalized to the person or organization she is creating them for. Favorite ways to celebrate. How Amy and her family celebrate holidays and other events as a family, and how they’ve made each experience unique to them.  Giving yourself grace. Parenting is hard and we doubt ourselves often. Amy reminds us why it’s important to remember that we’re doing the best we can, especially on the hard days.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

WeWork Podcast Series by Bloomberg You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero Effortless by Greg McKeown

Connect with Amy: Instagram:

@thepopupevent.co  https://www.instagram.com/thepopupevent.co/ @thepopupdecor.co  https://www.instagram.com/thepopupdecor.co/ @thebea_bar https://www.instagram.com/thebea_bar/

Facebook:

@ThePopUpEvent.Co https://www.facebook.com/ThePopUpEvent.Co @thebea_bar  https://www.facebook.com/thebeabar

Websites:

https://www.thepopupevent.co https://www.thebeabar.com https://www.startingbeyond.com

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

JUGGLING MOM AND WORK LIFE “Our kids picked us and we picked them. We are the right parents for them, regardless of our good days or bad days.”

Parenting two very different kids with two different parenting styles. Amy has two teenage boys who are very different and require different parenting approaches. Between learning how to support how they show up in the world and managing different anxieties, Amy knows that each of her kids needs something different from her. She also shares how her kids have helped her become a better person too.

PEOPLE AS THE PASSION “My passion for events is really the people. It's being able to create a space where humans can come together.”

In becoming an event planner, Amy has followed her passion for doing things for the greater good. She loves throwing amazing events that raise a lot of money in order to help people to get better, to do different things, and to really embrace life. When people come together that are like-minded or that have a joint goal, it is an opportunity to see people change the world.

CELEBRATING AS A FAMILY Celebrating each and every milestone as a family. Amy shares how her and her family host a lot of events and entertain often. She talks about how each day they are celebrating something special as a family,

View Details

Have you ever found yourself alone in your motherhood journey? Maybe you’ve wondered where your community was, and if there are other mamas out there going through what you’re going through?

Meet Shannon Christensen, my guest this week. Shannon was born and raised in Kelowna, BC and lives there with her husband of 9 years and 2 boys. Shannon is passionate about her friends, family and her community. 

With a BA in Psychology and Master’s of Counselling Psychology, she has a passion for working with marginalized populations and used this drive to start Mamas for Mamas; a registered non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the negative impact of poverty on low income mothers and their families. Shannon has been recognized as a top 40 under 40 recipient, A Woman to Watch, and was a top 3 finalist for Woman of the Year through The City of Kelowna Civic and Community Awards. Listen in as we talk about:

Kindness as an inspiration for the Mamas for Mamas movement. Shannon’s late father reminded her that she exudes kindness and she wanted to do something special in his memory. Building a community. How Shannon’s vision to serve and show up for every community spans farther than online presence and physical locations. We also touch on how to get involved with Mamas for Mamas. The power of a motherhood community. For Shannon, having a motherhood community is everything, as she didn’t have one and wasn’t welcomed into different motherhood communities in the past.  You are not alone. The motherhood journey can be lonely, but you are not alone. Shannon suggests finding like-minded mamas to offer you support and understanding, in both the hard and easy times. 

Connect with Shannon:

Instagram

@mamasformamas https://www.instagram.com/mamasformamas/ @shannonbigmama https://www.instagram.com/shannonbigmama/

Facebook: @mamasformamas.org https://www.facebook.com/mamasformamas.org Website: https://www.mamasformamas.org

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

KINDNESS IS OUR CURRENCY "A sense of belonging is the strongest predictor of mental health. Connecting versus transactions allows that to flourish."

Should kindness feel like a transaction or a donation? When Shannon was brainstorming how kindness would become a currency within the Mamas for Mamas community, the goal was to have money taken away from the equation. Not necessarily because of individuals struggling with poverty, but because we're all experiencing isolation based poverty as mothers. And when we take money off the table, the only currency we can use is kindness and connection, which Shannon believes is the missing link for moms. So in saying ‘kindness is our currency’, it means you will get anything you need for free from Mamas for Mamas. Showing kindness makes more of a difference in a mama's life than anybody could possibly imagine. 

MOTHERHOOD TAKES A COMMUNITY Motherhood is the most rewarding yet can be the most isolating and challenging experience we can go through. For Shannon, she recalls how she didn’t have a community of moms to lean on and support her, which fueled her desire even more to create an organization like Mamas for Mamas. She says to not be afraid to ask for what you're looking for in terms of support, find people who have the same interests as you, and gently reminds us that it's okay to be a different kind of mom.

FINDING YOUR COMMUNITY Finding your village, as a mom, can be tough. Shannon says "Just don't be afraid to be vulnerable".

Don't be afraid to ask for the support you are looking for. Remember that there are many different types of moms and this is more than okay. Find a mom that suits your style of parenting. Find people who share common interests with you.

View Details

Leah Davidson is a Certified Life Coach with The Life Coach School and founder of Leah Davidson Life Coaching. She is also the host of the Building Resilience Podcast.  Leah holds a MSc (A) in Speech Language Pathology and has spent over two decades as an SLP helping people rehabilitate and rebuild their lives following a traumatic brain injury. She is also a trauma informed certified EFT practitioner and Breathwork Facilitator. Leah is committed to helping people improve their emotional and mental health and create a joyful life by building resilience and focusing on the connection between the body, mind, heart & soul. Leah is also a wife, mom and step mom to a blended family of 5 kids (ages between 16-23). She loves to read, walk, learn, write and snap too many pictures of her family, her dog and the Toronto skyline, where she now calls home. She has a passion for travel, and she usually has multiple trips on the horizon. She loves sunrises and sunsets, poutine, sushi, and all things brain related. 

In this episode:

Parenting young adults. Leah describes this as switching from being the person who is flying the airplane to being in the watchtower instead. Your success guide as a mom. The importance of defining what this means to you.  Resilience is the ability to tolerate the challenges, to bend and be flexible, and to learn something along the way.  Strategies to raise more resilient kids such as helping them to be resourceful and reminding them that it is okay to have negative emotions. Building our own resilience as parents by working on the three pillars of body, mind, and heart and soul. 

Connect with Leah:

Instagram: @leahdavidsonlifecoaching https://www.instagram.com/leahdavidsonlifecoaching/  Facebook: @leahdavidsonlifecoaching https://www.facebook.com/leahdavidsonlifecoaching

Facebook Group: The Building Resilience Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebuildingresilienceclub

Podcast: Building Resilience: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/building-resilience/id1546750026 Website: https://leahdavidsonlifecoaching.com Free Download: Guide to Growth through Change and Adversity

https://leahdavidsonlifecoaching.com/adversity-guide 

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

THE IMPORTANCE OF RESILIENCE We are surrounded by adversity and nothing in life goes exactly as planned. Adversity if always around. It’s like your shadow. It might be big or small but it’s always going to be there. How can we deal with it? Ultimately, you have to come up with a plan to face it. 

For Leah, resilience is the ability to tolerate challenges and to get through the challenges. It is the ability to bend and be flexible but to not break while you are bending and being flexible. It is the ability to bounce back and to weather the storm. It is making it through the storm and coming out the other side having learned something. Whatever your challenge is, don’t compare it to something that somebody else is going through. What is happening to you is significant in your life. 

FEELING STUCK In her work, Leah helps people to build up their confidence and resilience and helps them when they are going through difficult times. These can be things that we classify as big things but it can also be those smaller, everyday things that can lead us to quickly reach our breaking point. We can feel stuck when we are focused on trying to change our circumstances. We can’t change an injury, an illness, a divorce, a job loss or a mental health challenge. 

COPING WITH ADVERSITY Victor E Frankl is a survivor of the Holocaust, a psychiatrist, neurologist, and the author of the book “Man’s Search for Meaning”. He looked at the situation in concentration camps and wondered what the difference was betw...

View Details

Katherine Earl has spent twenty years designing curricula and programs for children of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds. She has conceptualized and brought to life over 200 renowned arts based community development programs over the span of 15 years. Katherine is a consultant, certified teacher, program director, visual artist and mother of two. Her most recent accomplishment is creating My Life Playbook, an arts based mindset journal for kids promoting self awareness, self love and mindfulness. The book became the inspiration for her product based business - My Life Creative, which launched in April of 2021. My Life Creative focuses on products for kids that build resilience using creativity. Katherine has been featured on CTV News, CBC News and Global News providing tips on how parents can support their childrens' emotional wellness. Katherine’s life's mission is to use the arts to create fun and interactive experiences that promote resilience, emotional wellbeing and personal growth in everyone, but especially children.

In this episode:

Finding the right juggle for you. It can be a journey of trying different options and deciding what feels right with some bumps and detours along the way.  Take time to recognize and celebrate the little things both personally and professionally.  Strategies to manage the juggle include a routine with a mix of structured time, unstructured time, and connection time, self-compassion, and practicing mindfulness.  Creativity and resilience go hand in hand. Creativity promotes positive emotions and mindset, gives our mind a break, can be an outlet to channel our emotions, encourages problem solving, and normalizes making mistakes. Encouraging creativity in our children: Let them be bored, create an environment where creativity is available, step back and don’t interfere, encourage the mess, praise the process, and ask questions about the process. 

Connect with Katherine:

Instagram: @mylifecreativekids https://www.instagram.com/mylifecreativekids/

Check out Katherine’s Friday “Mood Boosting Activities”!

Facebook: @mylifecreativekids https://www.facebook.com/mylifecreativekids/?ref=pages_you_manage Website: https://www.mylifecreative.com

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

CELEBRATE THE SMALL THINGS Katherine talks about taking time to celebrate the small things and the small wins. “Right now, the successes are all about those small little things and that’s really helping me with my own mindset and also, just helping the general vibe in the house overall.”

As a mom, Katherine is celebrating:

Her kids being able to get their own snacks. Her older daughter being able to help our her younger daughter with virtual school.

In work, Katherine is celebrating:

Somebody reposting something that she has shared on Instagram. Being able to have an uninterrupted Zoom meeting.

Remembering to acknowledge and celebrate the small wins is definitely something that I need to be better and more intentional about.

MINDFULNESS “Mindfulness means checking in with yourself and knowing when you need a break. It means being aware of what you’re feeling and what you’re sensing and not judging yourself. It is taking a pause and taking the time you need.”

This can be looking out the window at the trees for a little while after spending the morning on Zoom. It might just be taking a few deep breaths. It might be going outside, leaving your phone inside, and drinking a cup of tea. 

Other strategies that are helpful to Katherine include: 

Having routine with a mix of structured time, unstructured time, and connection time with her family Naming self-compassion, practicing self-compassion, and teaching her kids about self-compassion

View Details

Chris Swail is a certified Life Coach and Health Coach and NLP Practitioner. She helps women who feel overwhelmed and stuck, feel confident and capable so they can live happier, less stressed lives. Chris is a mom to 3 young kids and understands the struggle and demands of motherhood and how it can feel hard to manage one's time and own needs. She found coaching and never looked back! 

In this episode:

Making decisions based on what is best for your own family and not based on other’s expectations.  Be a super mom in your own capacity and in your own way.  We get to choose how we show up. We are in control of our thoughts and feelings.  Habits are useful because they help our brains to use less brain power but… of course, we can have both good habits and bad habits.  Identity shifts, such as the transition to motherhood or a change in career, can be difficult and make us feel stuck.  Choose what matters and don’t be afraid to say no to the rest. 

Connect with Chris:

Instagram: @thisisalittlebitbetter https://www.instagram.com/thisisalittlebitbetter/ Facebook: @thisisalittlebitbetter https://www.facebook.com/thisisalittlebitbetter Website: https://www.alittlebitbetter.ca/ Podcast: A Little Bit Better https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/a-little-bit-better/id1524520825

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

LETTING GO OF THE "SHOULDS" “You can be a super mom in your own capacity and in your own way.” This will look different depending on the person. It can be hard to let go of the expectations that can be ingrained in us - whether it’s from our upbringing, society, a combination of both, or other places. We can hold ourselves to this really high standard and then, there can be a lot of negative self-talk or self-shaming if you feel like you’re not measuring up. 

We can feel like we should be the mom who always volunteers at the school, bakes the best cakes for birthday parties, and who puts her kids in all the sports. It can feel like there is a lot of judgement in motherhood sometimes. Being able to dial down on what really matters to you as a mother can be a big challenge to overcome. 

WE ARE IN CONTROL We are in control of our thoughts and feelings. Sometimes we can feel really out of control with our emotions. For example, “so-and-so” did this to me and made me feel this way. The reality is that we get to choose how we show up, including how we feel. It can be an internal battle to try and change our thinking if it's negative about a person or a situation. But - we can do it. Although it isn’t easy, that ownership piece can help us to stop feeling like we are out of control. 

CHOOSE WHAT MATTERS It’s your life. Live within your values and your purpose. Don’t worry about what everybody else says. Don’t worry if it looks messy. Life is messy and that’s part of what makes it beautiful. That’s part of how we grow. We learn through our experiences even when (and especially when) we make mistakes. Choose what matters to you and to your family. Stick with that. Own it. And - don’t be afraid to say no. 

BEG, BORROW, & STEAL FROM CHRIS

Go-to meal on a busy night: 

Breakfast for dinner OR “The Plowman” which involves pulling out whatever’s in the fridge and putting it on a cutting board/charcuterie board (e.g. vegetables, hard boiled eggs, deli meats)

Favourite family games: Risk and Pictionary Favourite family activity: Bike rides Favourite book: Becoming by Michelle Obama

View Details

A Toronto-based CPA, Jennifer Kapedani had spent 10 years in the Corporate world of Public Accounting. Working as a Business Advisor to both global, public corporations and small to mid-sized, owner-managed businesses, she had seen it all – the successes and perhaps more importantly, the struggles. It was during that time that she developed her passion for working with those owner-managed businesses and so, in 2020 launched her own practice – a full-service accounting & advisory practice, acting as a financial “one-stop-shop” for owner-managed businesses. Through her Virtual CFO, Business Coaching & Tax services, she provides a holistic approach to financial services for businesses and their owners. She is committed to changing the landscape for small business accounting – making the expertise of experienced CPAs more accessible to all, not just the big players! Jennifer, a proud "Mompreneur", lives in North Toronto with her husband (another CPA!) and two toddlers. She is an active supporter of women-owned businesses, a fierce advocate for women’s equality in the workforce, and an avid home chef!

In this episode:

Accounting best practices for both personal and business finances. Review your finances regularly and stay up to date on your taxes.  Saving money at tax time. Track your expenditures because even for personal taxes you can deduct medical expenses, tution, daycare, and even interest on some loans. And - pay your taxes on time!  There are different types of accountants. Depending on your financial needs you may need to seek the help of a bookkeeper, tax accountant, or CPA.  Important money lessons for kids. Credit cards, debt, interest, budgeting, and taxes! Allowances. Do you give an allowance? Do you connect allowances to household chores and responsibilities?  Your dreams matter. Do what you need to do to be happy and fulfilled and it will flow through to everywhere else in your life. 

Connect with Jennifer:

Instagram: @jkapedanicpa https://www.instagram.com/jkapedanicpa/ Facebook: @jkapedanicpa https://www.facebook.com/JKapedaniCPA Website: https://www.jkcpa.ca

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

YOUR DREAMS MATTER For a long time, Jennifer wasn’t happy in the career that she had. So, she made a jump and a change. She is grateful to her husband for supporting her in making this leap. When you are happy, it flows through to everywhere else in your life. Your kids want to see you happy. You can’t be the best mom you can be if you aren’t happy. 

It can be really hard to change careers, write a book, or create a product that you want to. Jennifer feels that it is really important “for your kids to see you doing something that you love and that is fulfilling because you would obviously want the same for them.” She doesn’t ever want her kids to put their dreams second. “Just effing do it.” If you need to tell your husband to start pulling more weight or hire a babysitter or work a night, then just do what you need to do to make you feel happy and fulfilled. Everything else will fall into place afterwards.

KNOW YOUR NUMBERS Jennifer stresses the importance of regularly looking at both your personal and business finances. This is something that we can avoid. It can be a scary thing to look at our numbers. Especially if you already have an idea that maybe they aren’t showing you what you would like to see. Jennifer always feels better knowing even if she doesn’t like what she is seeing. It allows her to feel in control. This allows us to be better positioned to pay off debt, save for a house, or look at the sales targets for our business. 

MONEY-SMART LESSONS FOR KIDS Both Jennifer and her husband are CPAs (Chartered Professional Accountants) and so I was curious about what she want...

View Details

Lisa Webb is an author, educator, entrepreneur, and mom of 2 who has lived on four different continents with her family. Her experience as a global citizen has taught her that women everywhere thrive when they have a sense of community, connection and belonging. This was the driving force behind her starting Wine, Women and Well-Being; which has expanded to 23 cities across Canada and has now launched internationally in France. Lisa believes that we are all stronger together and is passionate about making that a reality through Wine, Women and Well-Being events. She is also the host of the podcast “May Contain Wine” where she chats with women about all things community, entrepreneurship, wellness, and everyday life. 

In this episode:

Living the expat life as a global family. Lisa and her family have lived on four different continents and her girls were actually born in France! Bringing people together. Lisa has always loved connecting people from different areas of her life.  Being a part of a community. Being part of a circle, having a place, and feeling like you belong, can be life changing in the best way! Expat life can be both amazing and tough. There can be those “pinch me” moments along with those difficult and challenging times.  Considering the expat life for your family? Do your homework and learn the language. Learning opportunities facilitate connection. There’s so much value in enjoying a night out and learning something new.  You do not have to go it alone. Lean on those friends who you can just be your real self with.

Connect with Lisa:

Instagram: 

@lisawebbofficial https://www.instagram.com/lisawebbofficial/ @winewomenwellbeing https://www.instagram.com/winewomenwellbeing/

Facebook: @winewomenwellbeing https://www.facebook.com/winewomenwellbeing Websites: 

http://www.canadianexpatmom.com https://www.winewomenwellbeing.com

Podcast: May Contain Wine https://bit.ly/maycontainwine

From Lisa:

Book Recommendation: At Your Best: How to Get Time, Energy, & Priorities Working in Your Favor by Carrie Nieuwhof https://bit.ly/book_atyourbest

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

LEARNING TOGETHER Lisa Webb is an educator and a lifelong learner. She has been a classroom teacher and an assistant principal. She also has her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. She is all about personal development, learning, reading, podcasts, and audio books. Lisa says that “We connect better when we are learning new things together.”

Wine, Women, and Well-Being events are both a night out and an opportunity to learn something may it be from a hands-on activity or a listening to a speaker and learning from their experiences. You can enjoy a glass of wine and also get a takeaway. Learning makes us better people whether we are young, old, or anywhere in-between!

IT'S (MORE THAN) OKAY TO NOT HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS Lisa and her family’s recent move has taught her the importance of letting her kids see this. Moving back to France, from Calgary, her girls are now older and they understand more. They are also fully functional in French which, although she is doing amazingly well, Lisa is not. Lisa’s daughters have seen her practice what she preaches with Wine, Women & Well-Being. 

She often says things like:

You can do hard things.  Try your best and be brave. Try something new.

They see Lisa fumbling her way through conversations in French or figuring out where to go. This has been humbling for Lisa. However, she also knows that it is a good example to show her kids that their parents are real people. They don’t know all the answers and that is okay. It’s given her kids a very human side to this new experience. FINDING COMMUNITY & CONNECTION

View Details

Christina Whelan Chabot lives with her family on their beloved farm in Ontario. She is a best-selling co-author in the You’ve Got This, Mama series and juggles motherhood, a role at the family business and her Pilates business (Matters of Movement). Not to mention her brand new podcast of the same name. During COVID-19, she began a Move Better Feel Better campaign directly supporting women’s mental health. After graduating from the exercise sciences Master’s program at the University of Toronto, she went on to study Pilates, the Franklin Method® and the Oov, in an effort to help people find the freedom that a fit and healthy body and mind will provide.   In this episode:

The Double Shift. Working and mothering can prove to be difficult, especially when it seems like the work never ends. Christina talks about her double shift as a businesswoman and a mother. Healthier Habits. Change needs to be made in moderation, you can’t climb Mt Everest without learning how to hike. Movement and Accessibility. Reframing our mindset, approach, and expectations can help us to move better and feel better.  The Magic of Movement. Movement can positively impact so many facets of our lives including mental health, chronic pain, and anxiety. The Art of Change. This involves doing a visual sweep, getting clear on your “why’s”, and making a plan that works for you.  Overcoming Obstacles. If you think you need help, seek it out. Don’t struggle any longer than you need to, it’s okay to ask for help.

Connect with Christina:

Instagram: @mattersofmovement www.instagram.com/mattersofmovement Facebook: @mattersofmovement www.facebook.com/mattersofmovement Website: https://www.mattersofmovement.com Podcast: Matters of Movement https://www.mattersofmovement.com/blog

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

THE DOUBLE SHIFT Christina spends more time with her children than her husband does, this is because of his job. Along with Christina’s day job, she has the second shift of looking after her children, which can serve to be challenging as it appears to be a never ending loop of working and mothering. Despite this, she describes her home life as “the perfect chaos”, with a mix of work and interruptions. She also took her eldest daughter’s advice of being more present, as it is easy to be buried in work. So, Christina vowed to spend less time with distractions (such as her phone) and to be fully engaged while she’s in her mothering shift.  MOVEMENT The farm that Christina lives on is fairly big, so movement is a huge part of her life. She likes to stay active because it helps serve as a distraction for the things that spike her anxiety. Christina also teaches pilates, though she has to make sure her kids are watching TV otherwise she feels like she can’t do her movement. She mentions that she hires her children to babysit her youngest on the nights she teaches pilates, which is a great opportunity for her children to learn responsibility. Christina also says that she tries to move with the kids. It could be simply moving around the farm or throwing a dance party, but she wants movement to be a part of their lives. 

HEALTHIER HABITS Christina reminds us to be realistic whilst making and considering changes in our lives. She also says that we should start small and in moderation, then as we get more comfortable with completing our goals, we can start on the bigger, more daunting ones. You can’t climb Mt Everest without learning to hike. The mindset behind this is the feeling of accomplishment growing with each task you complete, it also helps us build skills we may not know we would need for our bigger goals. Christina gives us the important message that, if you want to change, you have to work for it.  METHODS OF CHANGE

View Details

Janet Castillo is a Dance and Performance coach, and TV Host and Producer of the WORK IT! TV Show. Her mission is to use dance as a tool to inspire and empower people to live with joy and on purpose. From beginner to professional, she has impacted hundreds of students with her energy, passion, and creativity. With over a decade of professional experience as a dancer and choreographer, she has worked with high-profile artists and brands including Jennifer Lopez, Christina Milian, So You Think You Can Dance, Much Music, the Latin Grammys, TEDx, Canadian and American Idol Finalists, PAN AM Games, the Olympic Committee, and was the dance captain of a touring musical co-produced by Tyler Perry and Cedric the Entertainer. Once Janet became a wife and mom, she stepped away from the dance industry to focus on her family and worked a stable 9-5 job. After years of feeling that something was missing, she stepped back into the dance studio and returned to her true calling. She then quit her job, became the host and producer of a tv show, and has been on a mission to share her love of dance and the power it has to transform lives both on and off the dance floor. Her WORK IT! dance courses and programs are helping women to step into their power, become fearless and live freely in the moment.  In this episode:

Communication is key in setting each week up for success. Have clarity on the schedule, expectations, and needs for the week ahead.  The paper vs. digital calendar debate! What is the strategy that you prefer to keep track of “all the things”? Or do you like using both?  Unleashing your passion can create a sense of joy and fulfillment that allows you to be the best version of yourself.  What is possible on the other side? If you are looking to make a change, do the research, have the conversations, and if it just feels right, take the leap!  Dance is a state of joy. We all have that favourite song or playlist that we can’t help moving to or dancing to when we hear it! The many benefits to moving your body! Taking even a few minutes can help with focus, clarity, productivity, and so much more! Don’t overthink it. Just get moving!  Know that you are worth it. Prioritize scheduling time for you in your day, be authentic by taking ownership of your feelings, and communicating clearly what you do and don’t want and need.  What does your family stand for? What are the words and values that your family wants to be in all that you do? 

Connect with Janet:

Instagram: @workitjanet https://www.instagram.com/workitjanet/ Facebook: @workitjanet https://www.facebook.com/workitjanet Website: https://janetco.live YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkItJanet

Mentioned by Janet:

Book: Feck Perfuction by James Victore https://bit.ly/feckperfuction

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

GIVING OURSELVES SELF-COMPASSION Janet talks about how sometimes despite planning, communication, and the best of intentions, things just don’t go as we wanted them to. We need to give ourselves self-compassion. It’s okay. We are going to be just fine. For Janet, she has come to peace with knowing that things are always going to be changing. 

We also chatted about paper calendars vs. digital calendars! I am ‘naturally’ on “team paper calendar” but have been really trying hard to use a hybrid approach and put things in our family’s digital calendar as well… my husband had resorted to taking pictures of our paper calendar to know what was going on each month! 

Janet prefers paper calendars as well - pen to paper is her thing - and her husband prefers digital just like mine. She has made the shift to putting things into a shared digital calendar as well - the high level things (not all the details) that are important to her family jug...

View Details

Danni Mcfarland and Christine Klassen are two 'almost 50' gals living their best lives. They met when their oldest boys became fast friends at a local park. A few dozen playdates, cases of wine, dinner dates and vacations later – the rest is history!  Over a glass or 2 of wine, they decided to create a blog, born from a desire to include the more established woman in the blogging sphere. They wanted to create a template that was relatable to a family that is starting to face the challenges of kids leaving the nest, “big kid issues,” aging, and the excitement and trepidation of this next stage. And the rest is history! In this episode:

Kids Learning Adulting. As their children enter the adult phases of their lives, Danni and Christine talk about the challenges they may face. Moments to Reflect On. With their kids' new level of maturity, Danni and Christine are able to have more meaningful conversations with their children, and see the paths they take guided by their decisions.  Vulnerability. Being vulnerable and real on social media is very important, but there’s a fine line between being vulnerable, and unintentionally hurting people. Words of Advice. Children should be afforded the opportunity to take responsibility for their actions.

Connect with Mojo and Moxie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mojo_and_moxie_/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mojoandmoxies Website: https://mojoandmoxie.ca

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

*Thank you to Emily Mc., my amazing professional student intern, who wrote the show notes for this episode!

KIDS LEARNING ADULTING Both Danni and Christine have kids who are young adults, and with the pandemic, they have been back at home. They’ve also been learning how to “adult” during these times, and they each follow their own individual schedules. Danni notes that a good analogy is giving the kids their independence as they learn adulting. On the other hand, Christine talks about how she does not make breakfasts or lunches for her kids anymore, and leaves them to their own devices until dinner. One of Christine’s children is away at school, so she speaks about how there’s an adjustment period when they arrive back home. Another thing that Christine touches on is the difference in maturity between her 17 year-old, and her 21 year-old. She notes that she sees her 21 year-old as a fully grown man, but cannot picture her 17 year-old being at that maturity level as of right now. SUPPORTING FROM AFAR Whilst recognizing that their kids are all grown up now, Danni says that the door does not automatically close on them when they turn 21. They are still welcome to come home or go to their parents for support, which a lot of kids forget whilst trying to prove their independence. They also give the reminder that it’s okay to stray from what you thought you were originally going to do.  MOMENTS TO REFLECT ON Christine describes her favourite part of this stage of motherhood as being able to see her children’s decisions and how their paths are being guided. She also finds comfort with knowing that she helped shape her children as people, and that she can help guide them as they get older. Danni enjoys being able to talk to her children as adults and have more meaningful conversations with them now that they’re more mature. She goes to say that, not that their conversations when they were younger weren’t meaningful, but with that new level of maturity, their conversations can go deeper. Danni reminds us that as we get older, we have a new level of understanding and appreciation for things we may have overlooked in the years before. BIGGER KIDS, BIGGER PROBLEMS Speaking on the choices her children make, Christine uses the term “bigger kids, bigger problems” which refers to the consequences o...

View Details

Avril Ewing is an ordained wedding officiant and celebrant who specializes in creating romantic and heartfelt wedding ceremonies for couples who are ready to take that next step in their lives together. She also coaches couples as they plan their weddings and coaches officiants who want to grow their business and crush their yearly goals! At the start of 2020, Avril started the year with a record number of bookings. In March, things all came crashing down. She watched her industry and business get wiped out and felt the devastating loss. At the same time, she was steering her 12-year-old son through all of the uncertainty, online school, missing his Grade 6 graduation, school trips, and friends. However, a simple shift in mindset from panic to calm created a roadmap that Avril used to guide both her family and her business to success.  In this episode:

Human Connection. Spending time with those with whom we allow ourselves to be close is vital to our many personal journeys. A Fantastic Book. Loving What Is by Byron Katie brings a new and positive perspective to the table about doing “The Work” to see how our troubling thoughts are often based on misunderstanding. The Right Path. If you are happy doing what you’re doing, nobody can tell you that you aren’t successful. Comparison Culture. Social media’s toxic side and something that should not be engaged with.

Connect with Avril:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Avril_Ewing_Officiant/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AvrilEwingOfficiant Website: https://avrilewingofficiant.com

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

*Thank you to Emily Mc., my amazing professional student intern, who wrote the show notes for this episode!

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 40 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

ADAPT, ADAPT, ADAPT Avril is an ordained wedding officiant, and things were looking good during March of 2020--Avril got a record number of bookings for that month--so when the pandemic hit in March of 2020, her dreams came to a screeching halt. Through this, Avril also had to navigate her son through the difficulties that came with online school and missing out on that personal connection that is so vital to the development of teens and pre-teens. 

GO WITH THE FLOW One of the biggest pieces of advice that Avril has to offer is to go with the flow, she explains that this is how her family has gotten through these difficult and uncertain times. Avril also speaks about the stress that she felt after her business vanished before her eyes. She also works from home, so it was difficult to separate her work stress from her home life, especially when her husband moved into her office. Avril speaks about how her son was able to survive a record five months in quarantine without becoming bored. She also notes that her husband was not easily bored, either.

KEEPING IT POSITIVE Avril talks about how pretending like nothing was wrong helped her, personally, get through the first lockdown. She adapted to her new daily life and figured that she should make the best out of it by keeping a positive attitude and spending time with her family. She notes that it felt like they were on summer vacation because of her mindset and because she looked ahead to weddings in 2021 when things had hopefully calmed down a bit. 

NEW LEVELS OF EXPERTISE After spending quarantine focusing on her business and learning new things, Avril received a letter from somebody. She was asked to verify something that the MPP said. With this new confidence and her business steadily growing, Avril gained more authority and trust among potential clients in her field. Because of her confidence, clients started to pick up on this and gain confidence in Avril as well.

View Details

Samantha Vlasceanu, The TikTok Coach, is on a mission to convince businesses and brands that TikTok is not just for our teenagers! She is an entrepreneur, mom of two, and full-time TikTok Coach. When COVID-19 hit, her business (Travelling Munchkin) had to shut down and she had to pivot  - FAST. That's when she realized that she'd been using TikTok all along and had grown her following to over 125k in just months. Fast forward to today, Sam works with parents, social media strategists, coaches, lawyers, fitness trainers - you name it! Sam ensures all her clients are using the app as a sales funnel in finding their target audience and converting them into ACTUAL paying clients. 

In this episode:

Staying Present. Making sure that we’re in the moment & present with those around us allows us to form stronger connections with others.

The Football Analogy. Think of your goals as the end zone & the journey as the football game. Keep taking the steps so you can get a touchdown.

TikTok Goes the Clock. Despite what many people believe, you cannot be “too old” for TikTok & it’s a valuable tool to have.

Marketing Pros. Given how unsaturated the app is, businesses can promote their goods & services without fear of the algorithm working against them.

Setting Boundaries. By separating work & home, we can recharge & dedicate time to ourselves.

Connect with Samantha:

Instagram: @thetiktokcoach Facebook: @TheTikTokCoach

Free Facebook Group: TikTok YOUR Business - For Entrepreneurs Ready to Grow on TikTok

TikTok: @thetiktokcoachsamv Website: https://www.thetiktokcoach.ca

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: @parttimejungle Facebook: @parttimejungle Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

*Thank you to Emily Mc., my amazing professional student intern, who wrote the show notes for this episode!

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 39 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

STAYING PRESENT Samantha describes her home life as chaotic, she has two young kids at home who are both doing online school whilst she spends her days working from home. One tactic that she came up with was setting boundaries to calm the chaos, and let her children know when she’s working. Samantha also speaks about the importance of being present. Children often pick up when they aren’t getting enough attention, and being kids, they aren’t afraid to call people out on that. Whether it be that somebody is on their phone or half asleep, children pick up on these cues and risk exhibiting them when they’re older. This is why being present and giving children the attention they desire is important, it also keeps them engaged and excited to have a connection with you. 

LEARN TO PIVOT At the beginning of the pandemic, Samantha’s travelling business came to a screeching halt, so it is no surprise that she is comfortable with adapting, or “pivoting”, as she describes it. In 2020, Samantha found it hard to find a COVID-friendly career that suited her, so she would use the TikTok app as a form of distraction. Samantha then realized that her new career had been right in front of her all along, TikTok. Her account had grown so much that she had 125,000 followers in only a few months. Now, Samantha works with parents, social media strategists, coaches, lawyers, and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. 

THE FOOTBALL ANALOGY Samantha describes her experience with pivoting and finding work as a football game. Every corporation or company has an end goal, which she relates back to a touchdown. She says that you’re moving forwards, but sometimes when it doesn’t work out, you have to take a few steps back. Taking steps back is okay, but remember to keep the end goal in mind. Also, keep in mind that not everything you accomplish will be a touchdown, but as long as progress is being made, that’s okay.

TIKTOK GOES THE CLOCK

View Details

Delphine Rule is a mother, wife, teacher and strong believer that all children have the potential to make a difference no matter how difficult their learning struggle might be. Something else worth mentioning, she is Dyslexic, a disABILITY her children share. Does it define her? Absolutely not. It is simply just part of her journey, one she's navigated proudly. Learning to navigate both her own learning disability and her children's has led her to create Access to Education - an educational consulting business that supports families in finding their roadmaps to success.

In this episode:

Learning differently comes with challenges, opportunities, & successes. All brains are wired differently. What works for one, doesn't always work for another.  When navigating learning challenges with your child, trust your gut & ask for help. Your child’s learning profile highlights their strengths & needs & can be created with insights from you, your child’s teachers, your child &, in some cases, a psychoeducational assessment.  Create a circle of support around your child. Build relationships & have open communication with your child’s teachers so that you’re all on the same page.

Connect with Delphine:

Instagram: @access2educationtoronto Facebook: @Access2EducationToronto Website: https://www.access2education.com/ Podcast: Access to Education

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:

Instagram: @parttimejungle Facebook: @parttimejungle Website: https://theparttimejungle.com

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 38 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

A LEARNING DIFFERENCE Delphine learned that she had a learning difference or learning disability when she was about seven or eight years old. This is mainly because she was put into a small class placement once she had a diagnosis of dyslexia. Prior to this, she moved around to different schools a couple of times. Different things were tried and things weren't working. This led to her parents having her assessed. With her diagnosis , Delphine’s parents were able to advocate for her, get her support, and put her on the right path.

HER DIAGNOSIS For Delphine, her diagnosis has almost always been a part of who she is. As a child, it wasn’t something that she wore proudly. When she was younger, kids made fun of her because she was in the small class. She had to come from out of area to attend the school. Delphine felt like it wasn’t okay to have her diagnosis be a part of who she was. 

THE GIFTS As Delphine grew up, she learned that there were a lot of gifts that came from her diagnosis. She learned that she had a lot of abilities because of her disability. As well, her disability gave her some advantages. For example, she got time and a half on exams. As well, she didn’t have to write her exams in the gym in university with 400 to 500 other people. She got to write her exams in a regular classroom with 15 or 20 people. For Delphine, this worked. So as much as people sometimes say, it's such a disadvantage, Delphine doesn’t see it that way at all. 

HER KIDS’ LEARNING DIFFERENCES Navigating the diagnosis of learning differences with her own kids was hard. The thing that was most hard about it was that Delphine initially felt that it was her fault because it was her genetics. She had a feeling that she somehow had to fix it. However, there wasn't anything to fix. Delphine had to remind herself that it was a bit of a gift and not a bad thing. If she could guide them in the right way, her kids could learn about their strengths, struggles, and the supports that could help them. 

FIRST CHILD It was especially tough for Delphine with her eldest. The understanding that something wasn't okay for him was hard emotionally. When we have our first child, we have all these visions and these goals and these dreams and these expectations as parents. We have expectations because people have expectations put on ...

View Details

Dina Ottoni Battistessa is a mom to 3 active boys. She is also a wife, educator, entrepreneur, author and self proclaimed minimalista! Dina has always had a passion for supporting parents and children through the early years and beyond. She graduated with a Double major in Liberal Arts and Women Studies and went on to complete a Bachelor's Degree in Child Studies and Development from Concordia University, Montreal.⁠ By day Dina is the co-owner at Akidemy Preschool located in Calgary, Alberta and Akidemy Playbox. By night Dina is busy sharing all her tidbits and experience about children, parenting, and simple living on her blog and Instagram.⁠ Nothing short of ambitious, her goal is to continue to connect, grow and always share!⁠

In this episode:

Carving out time. Creating structure & a routine allows us to have meaningful connection time with our kids & allows us to prioritize ourselves as parents. Kids need time to play. The skills and benefits will carry through with them throughout their lives. Sensory play encourages motor skill development, language development, scientific thinking, problem solving, & mindfulness.  Simple living involves everything having a place physically but also time management & a predictable environment. 

Connect with Dina:

Instagram:

@move.play.mom  @akidemypreschool @akidemyplaybox

Facebook:

@moveplaymom @akidemy

Websites:

https://moveplaymom.com https://www.akidemy.ca https://www.akidemyplaybox.com

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 37 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

FAMILY OF ENTREPRENEURS Dina feels like she was born into a family of entrepreneurs. Her dad had his own business when she was growing up that‘s been in their family for almost 80 years. Dina’s husband is also self-employed. When they met, he had his own brick and mortar retail space. There was just something about that life, including the flexibility and being your own boss, that always appealed to Dina. This is not something that happens often in the field of Education. Dina’s career in early childhood education has always been in the nonprofit sector.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?  In 2004, when Dina first moved to Calgary, she was sitting at a coffee shop with her fiance (now husband). She was working for a large non-profit at the time and 24 years old. Her finance asked her, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”. In the building where they were having coffee, there was a bay. She pointed to it and told him that she would want to open up her own preschool program in a bay in a little building like this right in the heart of a community. Then, she wouldn’t have the red tape of a board and change could happen more quickly. Her fiance told her that he hoped that she got that one day. Dina remembers walking away from that coffee outing feeling like she had just put her dream out to the universe.

10 YEARS LATER Who would have ever thought that 10 years later, that's exactly where Akidemy would open their doors! Dina and her husband moved into that community in 2006 and got to know all of the different retailers that are in the building, especially the owner of the liquor store. Dina and her husband are both Italian and love wine! The liquor store owner’s wife ran a day home and still does to this day. She and Dina often talked about working in the industry. Dina, at the time, was managing day homes. The liquor store owner and his wife knew that Dina’s dream was to open a preschool. 

AN OPPORTUNITY One day, they let Dina know that the chiropractor in the building was leaving and this was her chance to open her program! This was in January of 2014. Dina picked up the phone that night and I called her best friend Tristan who she had known, at that point, for six or seven years. Dina knew that this wasn't something she could do on her own. She is the big creative idea, programming,

View Details

Catriona Le May Doan has represented Canada in speed skating in 4 Olympic Games. She took her place in the Canadian Olympic history books at Salt Lake City 2002 where she became the first Canadian athlete to successfully defend an Olympic gold medal in an individual event. Catriona had been a double medallist four years earlier at Nagano 1998, winning 500m gold in Olympic record time and winning a bronze medal in the 1000m. She was also given the honour of carrying the Canadian flag at the Closing Ceremony.

Catriona was the world’s dominant female sprinter of the 1997-98 season. In November 1997 she became the first woman to break the 38-second barrier in the 500m, skating it in 37.90 seconds in Calgary. She lowered the mark five more times over the next four years, eventually setting the record at 37.22 seconds in December 2001, which stood until March 2007. At the 1998 World Single Distances Championships, she won gold in the 500m and silver in the 1000m. She was also crowned World Sprint Champion and was the overall World Cup champion in the 500m and 1000m.

That dominance continued as she won the 500m world title in 1999 and 2001 to go with a bronze medal in 2000.

With her impressive resume, Catriona was named Canadian flag bearer for the Opening Ceremony at Salt Lake City 2002, her fourth Olympic Games. She skated to another Olympic record – one that would not be broken until Sochi 2014 – to win her second straight gold medal in the 500m. She was named the 2002 recipient of the Lou Marsh Award as Canada’s Athlete of the Year and earned her third career (1998, 2001, 2002) Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canadian Female Athlete of the Year.

Since her retirement from speed skating, Catriona has been heavily involved in the community through such organizations as The Saskatoon Foundation and the Catriona Le May Doan Endowment for Children and Youth. She is also an ambassador for the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Canada, Right to Play and Special Olympics Canada. She served on the Board of Directors for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and is a Board member of the Canada Games Council and the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary. Since 2019 she has been the President and CEO of Sport Calgary.

Catriona was part of the broadcast team at five Olympic Games, earning a Gemini for Best Sports Analyst for her speed skating work at Vancouver 2010. She has received three honorary degrees from the University of Calgary, the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Regina, giving the convocation speech to their graduating classes. Catriona was inducted to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 2008 and appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Catriona served as the Lead Athlete Mentor for Team Canada at PyeongChang 2018 and will be Team Canada’s Chef de Mission at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. She is also a mom of two kids! 

In this episode:

There are times for intense focus & times to stop, look around, & soak it all in.  Behind the scenes. There are the highlights & the successes & then, there is the rest of the story.  Be real with yourself so that you can be real with your kids.  Follow your own path. Love what you are doing. Do what is right for you.  Find out what gives you energy and allows you to recharge. 

Connect with Catriona:

Instagram: @catrionald Facebook: @catriona.doan Sport Calgary: https://www.sportcalgary.ca

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 36 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

PRESSURE AS AN ATHLETE Catriona talks about how, as an athlete, it's a bit of a do or die and it's a little bit of life and death. You put that much pressure on yourself. People might not see it, but the nation puts pressure. The media puts pressure. There's so much, but you don't really acknowledge it at the time. For Catriona,

View Details

Chiara Fritzler is a 40-something single mom of a dynamo toddler who is feisty, loving, and hilarious... just like her mom. Chiara has found her passion and life’s purpose in writing, and is a ghostwriter, author, and blogger. Her eBook and workbook about supporting those going through a tough time sold out in 24 hours, and has since helped so many who struggle with the “right thing to say”. She is a contributor to Mama Brain magazine, is currently co-authoring two books that will be released in 2021, and is a consultant. She has an unhealthy obsession with Hawkins cheezies and gummy coke bottles, only drinks red wine, coffee and water, and loves playing soccer.  In this episode:

Unfortunate blessings are the challenging times & circumstances that can provide clarity & positive change. Successful co-parenting, for Chiara, is based on her daughter knowing that both of her parents love her. All of your baggage should be carry on. We all have baggage but have you dealt with it enough that you can manage it? Post-traumatic growth With the proper supports in place & the proper outlook,  we can discover things about ourselves that we wouldn’t know otherwise. 

Connect with Chiara:

Instagram: @carry_on_chiara Website: https://www.carryonchiara.com Facebook: @carry_on_chiara

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Chiara! We talked about unfortunate blessings, co-parenting, post traumatic growth, how all your baggage should be carry on, and so much more! 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 35 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

Full disclosure, Chiara and I have been friends since we were 7 years old and best friends for most of that time! We have literally been through all the ages and stages of life together. This episode doesn’t divulge the many adventures we have shared together or the memories we have made. That’s for another time. However, I know you will be inspired by Chiara and her story, her authenticity, and her heart of gold. 

A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE Chiara is a single mom and someone who works part-time and sort of full-time. Before becoming a mom, she never thought that if she had children, that she would want to stay at home with them. Chiara was so career focused and so oriented on climbing that ladder. She didn't understand why women would give up their careers to stay at home with children. Chiara felt that she always had the best advice and the most keen insight on being a mom and parenting before she actually became one. 

UNFORTUNATE BLESSINGS Chiara had some unfortunate blessings come through her life where she actually was headhunted by a company that seemed really great at the time. They hired her for a director position and then, they laid her off three months later. This was right when the oil and gas industry started to crash and work was really hard to find. At this time, Chiara and her now ex-husband were also going through fertility treatments. 

A LACK OF IDENTITY Chiara felt like she had no identity. She didn't have a career and she didn't have a child. Chiara plunged into a deep depression and didn't know what to make of herself. She calls this an unfortunate blessing because it forced her to figure out who she was, aside from all of the definitions and titles that we give ourselves and other people give us. Her husband would tell her that she was his wife and he loved her. For Chiara, that wasn’t enough. She didn’t want just that to be her thing. Chiara needed to figure out who she was aside from what other people said. 

BECOMING A MOM Chiara ended up getting pregnant and had a daughter who's now two and a half years old. At the time she was working part-time doing some consulting on and off in the field of occupational health and safety. Becoming a mom really changed her world and the person she thought that she wanted to be. 

PERSPECTIVE SHIFT All of a sudden,

View Details

Emily MacLellan is a creative. She co-owns Evyrose with her oldest friend and together they create florals that are unique, purposeful, connect their clients to nature and celebrate life in an extra special way! Emily enjoys chatting over a cup of tea or a large mug of coffee, embracing the ways that she can laugh and connect with her clients, and empower them to be their authentic selves in the design process. Emily is most proud of leading her business with an eco-conscious mindset; Evyrose now has a large seasonal growing garden and is adding new plants and flowers each year to use exclusively for their designs and events. As well as being a Mum of 2 small kiddos, Emily is the operations behind Evyrose. This role includes building their website, being the client communicator and all things admin, to running the numbers and keeping their books on target. She definitely wears many hats! 

In this episode:

Building a business with your bestie. Friendship and flowers have been a winning combination for Emily and her best friend Liana’s business! Flexibility in the workplace can be a driving force for creating a motherhood work juggle that works.  Creating opportunities for creativity in motherhood can be one way to have that important “me time” and also a way to connect with your kiddos.  An eco-conscious mindset can start with taking small individual actions that collectively lead to big changes and a world of difference. 

Connect with Emily:

Facebook: @evyrosedesign Website: https://www.evyrosedesign.com Instagram:

@evyrosedesignco @emilymacflorist

Eco-conscious brands recommended by Emily: Clothing:

KOTN - https://kotn.com Frank and Oak - https://www.frankandoak.com Mimi & August - https://mimiandaugust.com Franc - https://wearfranc.com Ten Tree - https://www.tentree.ca/

Other & Skincare;

Attitude - https://attitudeliving.com Elate Cosmetics - https://www.elatecosmetics.ca

Zero Waste Shopping:

The Bare Market (in Easton Toronto) - https://baremarket.ca

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Emily about building a business with her best friend that incorporates the flexibility and the creativity that they both value. We also discussed having an eco-conscious mindset and so much more!

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 34 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

It was so much fun to have this conversation with Emily! I loved the opportunity to get to know her better and to learn more about her story in motherhood and work. 

FRIENDSHIP AND FLOWERS Emily’s journey in building a business with her best friend, Liana, has been fun!  She and Liana have been friends since grade nine and they have always been creative together. Their business started when Emily and her mom, who is also a florist, did the flowers for Liana’s wedding in 2013. The two friends found themselves in this place where it was just sparking all of these creative ideas. At the time, they were running a separate business doing home decor. Flowers just became the new medium that they loved. This led them to a path of choosing flowers to be their creative place.

CHEERING EACH OTHER ON Emily and Liana have always been each other's cheerleaders through life and business. They find themselves saying more now than ever that they would not be doing this without one another. So many people told them in the beginning that you shouldn’t start a business with your friend. Everyone has horror stories of how hard it would be to maintain a friendship. 

FRIENDS FIRST Emily vividly remembers their first brainstorming session on Liana’s couch. The thing that came out of their mouths at the same time was that they wanted to be friends first. They have really stuck to that motto. Emily and Liana often have to pause their work conversations and ask, “Can I talk to you as my friend”?

View Details

Jane Kristoffy is an educational strategist who helps students find their academic direction. She motivates tweens and teens to unleash their potential by helping them develop their learning and life skills, and find their passions and strengths. Jane lives in Toronto, Canada with her Labradoodle and two teenagers and has been a teacher and guidance counsellor for over twenty-five years. Jane founded Right Track Educational Services in 2012, and works closely with students and families, virtually and in real life. She’s a popular speaker on a variety of education and parenting topics, as well as a regular guest expert on national television news programs. Jane is the author of Launch Your Kid: How to Promote Your Child’s Academic & Personal Success (without being a helicopter parent), which is jam-packed with no-nonsense tips for parents about how to get their kids through school and ready for the real world! In this episode:

Launching our kids. As parents, we can do little things each day to give our kids the learning & life skills that they need to be prepared to launch into the real world! Building resilience in our kids involves letting them face the consequences, normalizing failure & struggle, being a good listener, & providing opportunities for responsibility.  Nurturing 21st century skills prepares our kids for the changing world that they will be launching into. These skills include grit, growth mindset, self-advocacy, collaboration, communication, creativity, citizenship, character, & critical thinking.  There are three chapters in the motherhood journey but we often don’t think about or prepare for Chapter 3. Chapter 1: Before having your family; Chapter 2: Raising your family; and Chapter 3: Launching your kids.

Connect with Jane:

Instagram: @jane_right_track https://www.instagram.com/jane_right_track/ Facebook: @RightTrackEducationalServices https://www.facebook.com/RightTrackEducationalServices Website: https://www.righttrackeducation.ca Book: Launch Your Kid: How to Promote Your Child’s Academic & Personal Success (without being a helicopter parent)

https://www.righttrackeducation.ca/product-page/launch-your-kid

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janekristoffy/ YouTube: Career Stories

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL30tjlBKtji20-6vX2VmpfLgfbcH6Za4N

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Jane about her motherhood and work journey as a mom of two kids working in the field of education. She talked about launching our kids into the real world, strategies to build resilience in our children, the importance of nurturing 21st century skills, the three chapters in the motherhood journey, and so much more! 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 33 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

I really enjoyed my conversation with Jane. She is incredibly personable, warm, and engaging. I love how Jane gets us thinking ahead to that third chapter of our motherhood journey when we are launching our kids into the real world. With our oldest heading child heading into high school in the fall, suddenly this doesn’t feel too far off! Where has the time gone? 

MOM & EDUCATOR HATS It is hard to juggle the educator and mom roles. Jane says that our kids get annoyed by the “teacher voice” in anything to do with teaching. As a rule, she has outsourced a number of things. She also tries to model and not directly teach a lot of the time because it can become like that voice from the Peanuts cartoon when mom is teaching “again”. 

STAY-AT-HOME MOM When Jane first became a mother, she stayed home with her kids. She is currently divorced but at the time, she and her husband decided for the family's sake that she would stay home. This was a decision that she never looked back on and she loved every minute of it. When her kids were school-aged, she started going back into the educational system on a...

View Details

Carmen Mosquera, a lifelong serial entrepreneur, is the owner of Parent Crush, a baby gear detailing service company. Parent Crush will pick up, clean, and deliver your baby gear back to you! They are also certified car seat technicians so they can install your car seats upon delivery. Knowing how busy life can get as parents and how important your time is, Parent Crush wants to help parents by providing a service that is built on the values of trust, integrity, and commitment to safety. Along with a busy work life, Carmen also homeschools 2 of her 4 children, is a volunteer in her community, and is always looking for ways to empower women & mothers.

In this episode:

Investing time in planning & scheduling can allow your work to better fit with your family rather than have your family fit around your work.  Your connections, network, & relationships are key to success along with hard work. Being present for our kids means being both physically & emotionally present.  Making mistakes is inevitable. What we learn & take from these experiences is what is most important.   

Connect with Carmen:

Instagram: @parentcrush https://www.instagram.com/parentcrush/ Facebook: @parentcrush https://www.facebook.com/parentcrush Website: https://www.parentcrush.com

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Carmen about her journey as a serial entrepreneur. She shared how planning and scheduling is key to her motherhood and work juggle, the importance of building a network of support, being present for our kids both physically and emotionally, making mistakes and learning from them and so much more!

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 33 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

Carmen is incredibly strong and resilient. She has creatively found ways to juggle motherhood and work as an entrepreneur all the while focusing on building community and connections. Carmen also shares the sacrifices that she made along the way with her own health and her relationship with her kids. She has learned so much from these experiences which have ultimately changed the trajectory of how she prioritizes her time and makes decisions. 

PLANNING & SCHEDULING Planning is key to Carmen’s motherhood/work juggle because there are so many things that she needs to do in a day. Some things are hard to plan because of  the nature of her business. She doesn’t know when everything is going to come up. However, she can designate certain days for certain things, especially the important things. Then, she can schedule everything else around those things. 

SCHOOL DAZE Carmen’s juggle involves virtual learning for her oldest child, in-person learning for her second oldest, and homeschooling for her younger two. Her kids are 18, 17, 11, and 5 and a half years old. Sometimes, with the homeschooling, she feels like she may have bitten off a bit more than she can chew. Joining a fantastic homeschooling organization, reaching out and getting the support that she needs, has really helped. 

HOMESCHOOLING This is Carmen’s first time homeschooling her younger two kids. She previously homeschooled her second oldest when she was being bullied in grade 3. Carmen didn’t feel that she was getting the support that she and her daughter needed so she homeschooled her for almost 2 years. With homeschooling currently, a big challenge is that her younger two kids are so different from one another. Her youngest son is on the autism spectrum and her youngest daughter is not. 

SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR Carmen has been a serial entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship seemed like a great fit because she likes to be in control of everything. She has never really wanted to work for someone else. By being her own boss, Carmen feels like she can make a real difference with anything that she does. 

MLM Her journey in entrepreneurship started with working with an MLM (multi-level marketing comp...

View Details

Jessica Janzen Olstad is a motivational speaker, published author and a ‘serial-perneur’. She and her husband, Hot Ronnie, are the founders of the Love for Lewiston Foundation. After losing their son Lewiston just over 4 years ago she decided that she would stop wasting time and would get moving on her big dreams - speaking, writing and inspiring others to do the same. Her clothing line - The Lewiston Label - highlights the life lessons Lewiston taught her. The foundation is impacting lives across Canada and supporting critical research and medical needs for families fighting Spinal Muscular Atrophy. To date, in just 3 1/2 years, they have raised over $1, 000, 000. She loves spending time with family, soaking up sunshine, being by water -  and dreaming really big always with the daily focus to "run towards the roar".

In this episode:

Run towards the roar! The things that scare you the most and that are the hardest to do will be on your highlight reel. Bring the joy even in life’s most challenging moments and difficult times. Own your time from dusk until dawn. Evening and morning routines can set you up for success and the unexpected. Find the rhythm for the season of your life. There isn’t balance. Things are going to ebb and flow and be up and down.  You get to define your journey and write your story. You have to believe that anything is possible and then go after it.

Connect with Jessica:

Instagram:

@thejessicajanzen https://www.instagram.com/thejessicajanzen/ @loveforlewiston https://www.instagram.com/loveforlewiston/ @thelewistonlabel https://www.instagram.com/thelewistonlabel/

Website: https://jessicajanzen.ca/home/ Book: Bring The Joy

https://bit.ly/book_bringthejoy

STAY TUNED for Jessica’s upcoming virtual course: The Hard Work

https://jessicajanzen.ca/home/ A 6 week course with a gritty approach on how to turn your pain into rocket fuel for women who have experienced hurt, loss or grief and want to use it to find their life’s purpose.

Mentioned by Jessica:

Book: Through the Eyes of a Lion: Facing Impossible Pain, Finding Incredible Power by Levi Lusko

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had an incredibly inspiring conversation with Jessica about bringing the joy and running towards the roar. We talked about owning your time from dusk until dawn, finding the rhythm for the season of your life, and how you can define your journey and write your story.

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 31 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

Jessica is warm and engaging. She keeps it so real in terms of her journey, motherhood, work, and the challenges and success along the way. You will be absolutely inspired by Jessica's story, the lessons learned from her son Lewiston, and how she has turned pain into rocket fuel.

LIFE LESSONS FROM LEWISTON Jessica and her family have a clothing company called The Lewiston Label and it truly highlights the life lessons that her son Lewiston has taught them with these inspiring messages written on the shirts. For Jessica, one of the most valuable and important lessons, has been to run towards the roar. In fact, she has a tattoo with that very message on her forearm. 

THROUGH THE EYES OF A LION When her son Lewiston passed, she was gifted a book called “Through The Eyes of a Lion” written by Levi Lusko, a pastor out of Montana. In that book, he talks about the death of his daughter who unexpectedly passed away five days before Christmas due to an asthma attack. In one of the chapters of the books, he talks about the way that lions hunt and he brilliantly uses this as an analogy for our lives.

CIRCLE BACK AND RETREAT Female lions are the primary hunters in a lion pride. Male lions provide the pride with protection while the females provide the food. While hunting, the female lion chases the prey towards the male lion.

View Details

Stephanie Cohen describes herself as a “relationship builder.” It’s a quality that has made her an empathetic person and someone who is intrigued with the unique qualities of everyone. She believes understanding “what makes a person tick” is a key component in building a more constructive dialogue between people.  As a Human Resources Professional, she enjoys figuring out how different people can work together productively to improve performance, growth, and employee engagement. Stephanie was born and raised in Calgary, AB, and attended York University in Toronto, ON where she graduated with a degree in Human Resources Management. She’s obtained designations in the Human Resource field in both Canada and the US, including the Chartered Professional of Human Resources (CPHR), and the Senior Certified Professional (SHRM) designations. Stephanie was laid off and found herself desperate for activities to do with her kiddos during the pandemic lockdown. She's always had a relationship with confections (especially those with sprinkles) so she decided to take a risk and shift her focus from corporate to cookies! Steph created a small business called Yours Truly Cookies, and the concept is Paint Your Own (PYO) Cookie. It's the perfect combination of activity and snack -  an interactive and tasty treat for all ages! Each cookie is individually heat sealed and comes with a paintbrush and edible paint palette. With the business less than a year old, she has been fortunate to have gained traction quickly and this side hustle has quickly blossomed into a small business! Her hope is to bake the world a more interactive place!

In this episode:

Making a change requires taking a leap of faith especially when fear and imposter syndrome creep in.  Mentorship matters. When you are looking to do or you are doing something new or different, reach out, ask questions, and seek advice.  Go for it! There's always room in this world for good ideas or for ideas that make the world a better place.

Connect with Stephanie:

Instagram: @yours_truly_cookies https://www.instagram.com/yours_truly_cookies/ Facebook: @yourstrulycookies https://www.facebook.com/yourstrulycookies Website: https://yourstrulycookies.ca Email: orders@yourstrulycookies.ca

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a wonderful conversation with Stephanie about her journey from corporate to cookies! We talked about how making a change requires taking a leap of faith, the importance of seeking out mentorship opportunities when you are looking to do or doing something new, how there’s lots of room in the world for your amazing idea, and so much more! 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 30 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

Stephanie is practically my neighbour! It was so much fun to discover in our conversation that we live in the same community as one another and about 700m apart! You will love learning about Stephanie’s story of resilience and perseverance. She took a lemon and made it into lemonade in her journey from corporate to cookies!

BAKING WITH HER KIDS Stephanie’s business venture started around Father's Day when we were on lockdown. Her family was doing a lot of baking and her kids love to paint. She wondered if there was a way to incorporate the two. Stephanie and her kids started just doing watercolors on royal icing and then, this evolved into making designs. “Paint your own cookies” is not Stephanie’s original concept. It's something that's out there in the world but just hasn't really been explored here in Calgary.

SEEKING SOME EXTRA SUPPORT Stephanie’s family has been very supportive of this new adventure! To help with her juggle, she and her husband decided to bring a teacher on board to help them out part-time at their house with their kids. With this teacher’s support, Stephanie was able to keep up with baking, fulfilling orders, and also spending time with her kids.

View Details

Nicole de Larzac has over 20 years of marketing and consulting experience. She has worked with large global brands, such as Coca-Cola and Kraft Foods, where she built new brands and also scaled mature brands. In addition, she worked internationally in Australia where she started a new product business, growing it to $2 Million in sales. She is proud to have launched The Productpreneur Podcast, featuring inspirational female 'productpreneurs' and valuable marketing content to grow a product business.  Her podcast is charting in the top 200 for Business: Entrepreneurship on Apple Podcasts in Canada and Australia. On a personal note, she is a mom to three amazing children, which is her biggest accomplishment yet!  She is passionate about fitness, skiing and binges on self development and marketing content.

In this episode:

Starting a product business is a great way to challenge yourself, grow in many ways, and to build a flexible work/home schedule. The product pathway involves taking time to get clarity on the type of product, the type of business model, and the steps to move through to go from idea to action.  Our kids are watching us. They can be inspired by what we do and they can sense our happiness when we remember that we are important and that our dreams are important. 

Connect with Nicole:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoledelarzac/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledelarzac/ Website: https://nicoledelarzac.com

Check out Nicole's Online Course: The Product Pathway

The Productpreneur Podcast: https://apple.co/3jGNK7Q

Specific episodes mentioned by Nicole:

Episode 17: Nailing Your Product Idea Episode 5: Key Steps From Idea to Launch Episode 38: How To Come Up With a Winning Idea

Handout - How To Come Up With a Winning Product Idea That Sells: https://bit.ly/2YhqTHv

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a fantastic conversation with Nicole about her motherhood and work juggle, how a product-based business can be a great option for moms looking for more flexible and part-time work, and the product pathway that can take you from idea to action.

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 29 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

Nicole is someone that you immediately feel comfortable with. She is warm, kind, and so easy to talk to. It was fun to learn that we are both moms of three kids who are at very similar ages! 

FINDING HER GROOVE Nicole doesn’t feel that she has ever been able to find the right “balance” but feels that this is a common feeling for moms. She has struggled with the feeling of not doing enough for her career or not doing enough for her family. It has taken her time but now she feels that she has found that right sort of groove.

MOVING TO AUSTRALIA Nicole was pregnant when she and her husband moved to Australia. She was working full-time at Coca Cola in corporate marketing. Nicole loved her job but it was pretty grinding. The hours were tough, she was putting a lot into her work, and she couldn't see herself giving less than 150%.

LOOKING FOR MORE BALANCE When Nicole had her first baby, she felt this real tug to be there for her child. She didn’t want to go back to that corporate life where she felt like she was not going to be the greatest career person or the best mom. This led Nicole to ask herself what she could do to have that balance?

STARTING AN IMPORT BUSINESS For Nicole, she realized that starting a business would be a way to achieve this. So, she started an import business in Australia where she imported products from South America. She then sold these products to companies including big retailers such as Kohls and Woolworths. This was the start of Nicole’s entrepreneurial career. Nicole grew her import business to about 2 million dollars in sales. She was incredibly proud of herself because it really took her out of her comfort zone and forced he...

View Details

Like so many Canadians, Meaghan Mikkelson’s priorities are firmly rooted in a love for her family and teammates and respect for the game. A graduate of The University of Wisconsin’s hockey program, Meaghan led the team to back-to-back NCAA Championships, won the Olympic gold medal for Canada in Vancouver 2010 and followed that up with a win at the 2012 IIHF World Hockey Championships. In Sochi in 2014, Meaghan added an element of hockey toughness to her growing resume. Playing with a broken hand in the Olympic Final versus the USA, she assisted on the opening goal for Canada that sparked the comeback that will be talked about for decades. Meaghan joined teammate Natalie Spooner on Season 2 of The Amazing Race Canada winning an impressive 7 stages en route to finishing second in the finale. They were voted "Canada's Favourite Team" by fans of the number-one ranked show in the country. After Sochi, Meaghan took some time off from hockey to have a baby before returning to the team with the goal of representing Canada in Pyeongchang 2018. She was successful in doing so, and helped Canada bring home a silver medal. Following the 2018 Olympics, Meaghan and her husband Scott decided it was time to add another “player to their team” and Meaghan took another year off to have her second baby. Though it would be easy to put her skates away and retire now, she’s not done yet. With her sights set on the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, Meaghan is facing some of the greatest challenges she has ever encountered in her career as she balances motherhood and career. But that’s not going to stop her. 

In this episode:

Being a fearless parent, pursuing your goals and your dreams while raising human beings, is hard! Avoid comparisons and judgement, stay in your lane, and recognize the amazing things you are doing and the fearlessness this requires. Self-care and wellness does not involve a one size fits all approach. Do your research, try things out, and see what works for you.  It takes a village, in motherhood, in work, and in pursuing Olympic dreams! It’s important to recognize when and where we need help and to not be afraid to ask for it. 

Connect with Meaghan:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikkelson12/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeaghanMikkelson12 Website: http://www.meaghanmikkelson.com

Mentioned by Meaghan:

The 5 Minute Journal: https://bit.ly/3mTEcbv

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a truly amazing conversation with Meaghan about motherhood, hockey, the Amazing Race Canada, wellness and self-care, her challenges and successes, and strategies that have helped her along the way. 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 28 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

I was absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to have this conversation with Meaghan! However, I will admit that I was so nervous but…  this quickly slipped away as soon as we started chatting. Meaghan is down to earth, easy to talk to, incredibly warm and kind, and keeps it real when it comes to the juggle of motherhood and work. 

THE JUGGLE Being a professional athlete is a large part of Meaghan’s work and what she does. However, she sees herself as any other mom or any other dad or parent out there. She is trying to balance everything and to do all of the things. Meaghan is trying to be good at her job and also be the best parent she can be. 

CANADIAN NATIONAL WOMEN’S HOCKEY TEAM Meaghan is 35 years old, a mom of a five-year-old and a two-year-old, and is training full-time with the Canadian National Women's Hockey Team. She is hoping to play in her fourth Olympics coming up in 2022 in Beijing, China. As a female hockey player, it's not really a lucrative sport. The pay equity is not there and so Meaghan has to work on the side as well. Having said this, she knows that she is very lucky to do what she does. Meaghan does a lot of public speaking and event appeara...

View Details

Matt Beauchamp is a married father of two and a former stay-at-home dad, turned full-time work-from-home dad. His day job is working as a Creative Content Manager for a PR company, but he's probably better known as Dashing Dad through his blog DashingDad.ca and his social media accounts. As Dashing Dad, Matt has written for Calgary Child, appeared on CTV Morning Live, come runner up for Best Blogger in the Best of Calgary Awards and is featured in “Top parenting blogs you should follow” lists across Canada. Matt has carved out a niche talking about the best things to do with your kids in and around Calgary and partnering with local businesses and attractions to host giveaways.

In this episode:

Jumping in and figuring things out as you go is a big part of parenting including the journey of being a stay-at-home dad.  A creative outlet can be important as a parent and can also be a way to facilitate connections, growth, and new experiences! Reaching out to others can create a community of mutual support. If you ask, people are incredibly willing to help and to share their experiences and ideas.

Connect with Matt:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dashingdad_yyc/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dashingdadyyc Website: https://dashingdad.ca

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Matt about his journey as a stay-at-home dad and his transition to working from home full-time. We also chatted about his blog, DashingDad, and strategies that have helped him work successfully from home. Matt shared how reaching out to others and asking questions has been instrumental in his journey and in him being part of a community of mutual support.

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 27 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

It was so much fun to shift gears and change “the rules” to talk about the fatherhood/work juggle! Matt is incredibly nice and super easy to talk to. I appreciated how open and honest he was about the initial fears and uncertainty he experienced as a stay-at-home dad. 

THE BEGINNING Matt and his wife have two children; a daughter who's almost four and a son who's just over a year. His stay-at-home dad journey started right after his wife’s maternity leave with their first child. At the time, it just made sense that Matt would be the one that stayed home as he was working as a freelance writer. His wife had a full-time job and was making more money. Matt was able to still continue doing some freelance work while his daughter napped or in the evenings or on weekends. It was important to him and his wife that one of them stayed home with their daughter. 

ENJOYING BEING A STAY-AT-HOME DAD Looking back on that time, although it didn't come without its challenges, it was the probably the most enjoyable time Matt has had as a parent so far. He got to watch his daughter learn new things and he got to experience showing her new things as well. This was pre-COVID, of course, so they were able to get out everyday and go to places like the Calgary Zoo and Heritage Park. They also went swimming and to local parks. Matt says that it's hard to complain about getting out and going to do fun things with your daughter every day. He and his daughter created an amazing bond through this. 

SOME INITIAL FEAR When Matt reflected back on being a stay-at-home dad, he remembered that at first he felt afraid. This was during the initial transition of his wife being there all the time to his wife going back to work. He was worried that he would do something wrong. He wondered if his daughter was going to get bored. Was he going to get bored? What was he going to do when XYZ happened? Of course, what he found, just like everything in parenting, is that you just jump in and figure it out as you go. It ended up being amazing! Matt says that it's funny now, looking back on that, how nervous he was to be a stay-at-home dad.

View Details

Born in Panama, Jessica Velazquez studied Interior Design in Toronto, a field she combined with real estate. She became known as the realtor-designer. For years she helped expats, relocating to Panama, choose properties by helping them envision their potential and turning their investment into places they could call home. Jessica, her husband, and their 5 children, relocated to Calgary in 2011 and she opened Interiors by Jessica. But it wasn´t until 2018, after some soul-searching, that her niche was born. She is the First-Home Design Specialist. Her live Instagram show, “My Very First Home”, covers topics relevant to the homeownership journey, including ‘Rent Like a Designer’, ‘Expert Interviews’ and ‘Buyer´s Corner’. Her Design Pillars, Departure Points and Design Targets are tools she uses to coach first time homeowners. They are her why and she loves setting them up with an actual plan to renovate without buyer’s remorse.  

In this episode:

We can control our own decisions and actions but we can’t control the decisions, actions, and resulting consequences of others - both in motherhood and in work.  Start before you are ready and take that first step. There is so much learning and growth in confidence that will happen along the way. Living by design in our spaces and in our lives involves clarity, vision, and planning. 

Connect with Jessica:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interiors_by_jessica/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/designerjessicavelazquez/

Facebook Group: My Very First Home

https://www.facebook.com/groups/myveryfirsthome

Website: http://www.interiorsbyjessica.ca Email: jessica@interiorsbyjessica.ca

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Jessica about being mindful of our own decisions and actions, starting and taking that first step before we are ready, how the pillars of living by design - clarity, vision, and planning - apply to both the spaces in our homes and our lives, and so much more!

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 26 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

Jessica was an absolute joy to connect with! Her kindness, compassion, and love for her family and her work as an interior designer comes through so genuinely! Jessica is committed to helping others, particularly first time home buyers, by guiding them through a journey of  living by design! She is also a lifelong learner and I greatly admire her commitment to putting herself out there and trying new things. 

BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR & A MOM Jessica’s entrepreneurial journey started when her first child was about six to eight months old. She believes that her interest in becoming an entrepreneur comes from her Dad, who is a serial entrepreneur. There have been times when she has worked for somebody else. However, most of Jessica’s career, life and motherhood have been defined by entrepreneurship.

JUGGLING EXPECTATIONS Jessica shared that not all of her entrepreneur journeys or ideas were successful. Some of them were harder than others. What she learned the most through her experiences is that there is a careful balance to being both an entrepreneur and a mom. There are expectations to juggle with both. You have expectations to be successful as an entrepreneur and you have expectations to be successful as a mom as well. 

THERE IS A TIME FOR EVERYTHING Sometimes it's not the right time or it's not the right mix. Things vary with every stage of your life the ages and stages of your kids. There is a time for everything. For example, Jessica says that she doesn’t think that she could do what she is doing now when her kids were little.  She says that it is important to remember that she cannot do everything and be everything for everybody at all times. 

OUR CHILDREN’S MISTAKES ARE NOT OUR OWN Jessics says that it is important to be kind to ourselves too. As moms,

View Details

Jennifer Hargreaves is the Founder and CEO of tellent and a mom of two children. tellent is an online resource and technology platform dedicated to helping professional women and employers find, fill and create flexible work. She is on a mission to make work, work better for women and advocates with the government, business and industry to create greater, and more equal, access to opportunities. Jennifer was educated in Canada and launched her career overseas in International Business Development. She has lived and worked in New Zealand, New York and London and now calls Toronto home. 

In this episode:

The “idea” of being fully present in our work life & family life is much easier than the implementation. Flexibility in the workplace creates opportunities for a highly talented & often untapped group of women who want to be engaged & to lead in their careers. When looking for flexible work get clear on what you want, connect with your network, do your research, & be prepared. Leverage your existing network. Start with the people who already know, like, & trust you. 

Connect with Jennifer:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearetellent/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearetellent

Facebook Group: tellent - professional women pursuing career and life ambitions

https://www.facebook.com/groups/wearetellent

Website: https://wearetellent.com LinkedIn:

Jennifer Hargreaves: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferabarclay/ tellent: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tellent/

Email: jennifer@wearetellent.com Free Resource: Workbook - How To Negotiate Flexible Work

https://wearetellent.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/tellent-WORK-BOOK_Mar21.pdf

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Jennifer about the disconnect between the idea and implementation of being fully present in our work life and family life. We also talked about how flexibility in the workplace creates opportunities and Jennifer shared some strategies to implement when negotiating for more flexible work. We chatted about leveraging your existing network as part of your job search and a whole lot more!

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 25 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

Jennifer was so much fun to talk to! You can feel the joy and passion that she has for the work that does with her tellent community. Jennifer is committed to making work better for women! 

IT TAKES TIME Jennifer started tellent four years ago when both of her kids were at home. She said that she really struggled. It took her two years to figure out that she couldn't do both well. At the beginning, she tried to get work done while her little ones were napping or while they were playing quietly for 15 minutes. 

THE JUGGLE SUCKED AT THE BEGINNING! What Jennifer found was that her mind was never fully on what she was doing and she felt like she was failing at both work and parenting. She found it incredibly stressful. Even just sitting down to respond to an email, getting her thoughts in order, and communicating her message was so hard. Jennifer would get interrupted or would expect to be interrupted. If she was playing with her kids, in the back of her mind, she would be wondering if someone had responded to the email that she had sent earlier. The cycle of thinking about one thing while doing another thing led Jennifer to really not be present. 

BEING PRESENT From this struggle, the key learning for Jennifer was to not try to do both. Instead, she tries to just be very present with what she is doing. When her kids are in school, this works well. She can work while they are away at school and she can be with them when they're at home. This provides a nice, easy division. 

THEN, COVID... When COVID hit, though, Jennifer felt like she was right back to where she was before. She regressed in her business progression because she b...

View Details

Sara Blanchard helps communities build connections through conscious conversations, which she does as a podcaster, facilitator, TEDx speaker, writer, and consultant. Having worked at Goldman Sachs and having helped to teach positive psychology at Harvard, Sara speaks the language of traditional accomplishment. But for over 10 years, Sara has also pursued the science and techniques of well-being as a life coach, mother, and author of Flex Mom. In addition to emceeing events like the World Happiness Summit and facilitating meaningful panel discussions about race, Sara co-founded and co-hosts the award-winning social justice podcast Dear White Women, which eases listeners into uncomfortable conversations about race, racism, and how to be more anti-racist.

In this episode:

The three types of labour of moms: physical, emotional, and calendaring/logistical - the latter two being more invisible and exhausting.  We are all human. To see the humanity in ourselves and others we need to remember that there are so many different perspectives, experiences, and narratives in our world. Owning our own stories, who we are, what we need, and feeling a sense of self-worth can be supported by taking time to reflect on ourselves. 

Connect with Sara:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/sarablanchardauthor/ https://www.instagram.com/dearwhitewomenpodcast/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/sarayoko https://www.facebook.com/dearwhitewomenpodcast

Website: https://www.sarablanchard.com Dear White Women Podcast: https://www.dearwhitewomen.com   Book: Flex Mom: The Secrets of Happy Stay-At-Home Moms

https://www.amazon.ca/Flex-Mom-Secrets-Happy-Stay-at-Home/dp/168350559X

Tedx Talk: How To Be Happier: Ask Better Questions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0tGufVU  

Project: Voices From Next Door

https://www.voicesfromnextdoor.com   This project is a conversation that highlights the voices of our black neighbors who live in predominantly white areas to really bring humanity back to different narratives of life. It allows more people to easily access the real life stories about the ways that race plays a part in everyday life in America.

Book mentioned by Sara:

The Artists’ Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron https://amzn.to/2GIWbyA

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Sara about the three types of labour of moms; physical, emotional, and calendaring/logistical. We also talked about how in order to see the humanity in ourselves and others we need to remember that there are so many different perspectives, experiences, and narratives in our world. As well, Sara discussed the importance of owning our own stories, who we are, and what we need as well as the importance of feeling a sense of self-worth. 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 24 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

I first learned about Sara when I found her book “Flex Mom” at a local library and completely resonated with this third model of motherhood, somewhere between being a stay-at-home mom and a working mom. In her book, Sara describes the Flex Mom as “a mom who is the primary caregiver for their children but who is also deliberately creating a path that fuels their passions – leaving them fulfilled and confident”. In getting to know Sara, I learned that her husband is actually Canadian - from Winnipeg, Manitoba! 

THE WORK/LIFE JUGGLE When it comes to Sara’s work/life juggle, the key for her is being the primary caregiver. She is the mom of two children, one in upper elementary school and one in middle school. With school-age parenting, Sara realized pretty quickly that it wasn't just about being there on the timeline of when the kids are awake and before and after school. If one of her kids gets sick, she’s the one who picks them up from school.

View Details

Carrie Plesuk worked as a pediatric occupational therapist for seven years before welcoming her kids, now ages seven and five. Having always been a homebody and having dreamt of being a stay-at-home mom, she decided not to return to her job, instead staying home with her kids full-time. As her kids now reach school-age, Carrie is very gradually re-entering the workforce with a job that combines two of her passions…child development and the great outdoors. Working one half day per month as a TimberNook instructor and being able to bring her kids to work with her has been the perfect transition for Carrie. She is feeling ready for this next phase of life and is about to start the training program to become a TimberNook associate provider.

In this episode:

Choosing to stay home can involve intentional planning and decision making to make this option more feasible.  Helpful tools in managing a stay-at-home mom juggle include having a village, a schedule, and “me time”. Remember your why and what’s important to you and your family. Leaning into your choice for juggling motherhood and work can be tough when you are experiencing self doubt and other people’s opinions. 

Connect with Carrie:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carrie.plesuk Find out more about TimberNook of Greater Calgary:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimberNook-of-Greater-Calgary-196418557608088 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timbernookcalgary/ Website: https://www.timbernook.com/provider/timbernook-of-greater-calgary/

Magazine mentioned by Carrie:

Today's Parent: https://www.todaysparent.com

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Carrie about the intentional planning and decision making that went into her choice of being a stay-at-home mom. Carrie shared how having a village, a schedule, and “me time” have been helpful tools in managing her SAHM juggle. She also talked about how remembering why she chose to be a stay-at-home mom helped her to lean into her choice and navigate her own self doubt as well as other people’s opinions

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 23 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

Carrie is so warm and easy to talk to and I am so appreciative of her openness and honesty in sharing her journey in navigating being a SAHM. I really enjoyed our conversation and I know that you will too!

ALWAYS DREAMING OF BEING A SAHM Carrie has always been a homebody. She loves being at home. As well, Carrie shared that she always dreamt of being a stay at home mom since she was a little girl. She said that in this day and age, this may seem strange or different, but this was what she hoped to do for her future family. Carrie’s mom stayed at home with her and her sisters when they were little and she loved it and felt lucky to have her mom at home. 

MAKING A PLAN As Carrie got older, she thought about the reality of actually deciding to stay home and putting that into action as an adult. She thought about things like whether her future partner would agree and see value in it and also whether or not it would be financially feasible. Her desire to one day be a stay-at-home-mom even played into her decision to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Occupational Therapy. She was interested in the field and thought she would love it. However, Carrie also found it attractive that she could get a four year degree and come out and have a career right away, as opposed to continuing to go to university for a program that would take longer.

BEING INTENTIONAL Not long into dating her now husband, Carrie told him that she wanted to have two to three kids and that she really felt a strong, deep need to stay home and not go back to work when she had them, especially when they were young. He supported that decision and understood her need to do that. They are now married and have two children so he obviously didn't run...

View Details

Kinia Romanowska, the founder and CEO of Pros&Babes, transforms successful, leadership-minded women who are temporarily overwhelmed by new motherhood into confident parents, skilled leaders, and thriving moms, without them compromising family happiness or health. She helps mothers contribute their talents fully to our world, as professionals and parents and wants to eliminate the "motherhood penalty" and the million-dollar wealth gap. As a business owner, wife, and mother of two, Kinia has helped hundreds of women pursue leadership, develop stronger, more intimate relationships with their partners, bond more closely with their children, and take the right actions to consistently crush their goals.

In this episode:

Get clear on your core values to guide your decision making and actions and to allow yourself to be the mom that you want to be.   Be the CEO of your life by being focused on your vision, core values, and goals, and by designing the life that you want.  In motherhood, you can find so much joy and happiness in even the simplest of things when you live in a way that is true to your values and you take leaps of faith.

Connect with Kinia:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prosandbabes/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yycfempreneurs

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/prosandbabes

Connect with other moms Resources, worksheets, & weekly Facebook Lives

Website: https://momba.prosandbabes.com LinkedIn: Pros&Babes https://www.linkedin.com/company/pros-babes/ Article mentioned by Kinia:

Merrill Lynch - The Million Dollar Wealth Gap

https://www.ml.com/women-financial-wellness-age-wave.html

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Kinia about the importance of getting clear on your core values, being the CEO of your life, the “motherhood penalty” and the million dollar wealth gap, and so much more! 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 22 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

Kinia is incredibly committed and driven to support moms with their motherhood and work journey. I was incredibly inspired by our conversation and the passion that Kinia has for the work that she does and the community that she has created. 

HOW PROS & BABES GOT STARTED Pros&Babes started as a figment of Kinia’s imagination a couple of years ago. She had been involved in many leadership organizations for women but she was concerned that there were no child-friendly opportunities. When she was thinking about venues or even about making them accessible, she realized that it was really tough. This inspired her to come up with the idea of Pros&Babes and she decided to get the domain. She had a feeling that it would become something! 

HER FIRST COHORT When Kinia was pregnant with her first son, she created a curriculum with themes revolving around career and motherhood. She put it on Eventbrite, submitted it on some mailing lists, and the first cohort was born. She had about six participants who came and they spent eight weeks together discussing both career and motherhood challenges with a loose structure and a couple of ground rules.

CONNECT, LEARN, & GROW  Kinia really wanted this to be a meaningful networking opportunity and not a one off where moms would exchange business cards. She wanted this to be a time where moms could come together and forge relationships and grow. At the time, Kinia called it “Connect, Learn, Grow” and this really marked the beginning of Pros&Babes.

MOMBA Kinia continued adding programming, working with local organizations and incubators, and exploring how this could be her main occupation eventually, which it is now! During this time, Kinia went back to her job in corporate communications. She got pregnant again and was hiring people here and there to help her keep what she had started alive. Kinia had a lot on her plate with growing her ...

View Details

Lyndsie Barrie is a mom and the founder of YYC Fempreneurs where she shares her passion and expertise of social media with female entrepreneurs, tirelessly promotes community and collaboration, and is an instrumental part of turning mere ideas into viable and sustainable businesses. Lyndsie is also the owner of Barrie Financial Consulting Inc., where she shares financial concepts and strategies to enhance the way women earn, save and invest their money, as well as the author of two books “Money & The 39 Forever Mom" and “Find Your Voice on Social Media”.  

In this episode:

Recognize and celebrate the wins and milestones along the way - whatever your definition of success. Create your own team. If you are looking for a village of like minded women with a similar definition of success, you CAN build and grow a community! Get more consistent with your “Bs” - boundaries and batching - to help you to be more intentional and productive with your time. 

Connect with Lyndsie:

Instagram: http://instagram.com/yycfempreneurs Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yycfempreneurs Website: https://www.yycfempreneurs.com/

Where you can always find a FREE marketing tool! Find out about the YYC Fempreneurs Marketing School

A 6-week program that Lyndsie runs 4 or 5 times per year Gives you an opportunity to join the Fem Team Mastermind Group 

Fempreneur Marketing Podcast: https://bit.ly/36vq00a  Books by Lyndsie:

Money and The 39 Forever Mom: https://amzn.to/3tc4pDp Find Your Voice on Social Media: https://amzn.to/3jEI2Dn

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a fantastic conversation with Lyndsie about finding success in the journey. Lyndsie talked about the importance of recognizing and celebrating the wins and milestones along the way, creating a community of like-minded individuals, and implementing strategies such as batching and setting boundaries to allow us to be more intentional and productive with our time. 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 21 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

Lyndsie and I discovered that we share a few things in common including a love of popcorn and being moms to 14 year old boys who play hockey! She was so easy to chat with and we had a few laughs along the way.  

JUGGLING MANY HATS AS A MOM A strategy that has helped Lyndsie with her motherhood work juggle was a mindset shift around incorporating her son into her business versus separating him from it. She believes that this allows your kids to see what mommy's work actually looks like. Lyndsie is a youth leader at her church and volunteers at a summer camp and has found that when she asks kids what their moms do, they don’t even know! They hear that mommy's working or that she has work stuff to do. Lyndsie started telling her son specifically what she was doing and even attaching the actual dollar values that her work was bringing in. For example, this client pays me this much. Lyndsie gets really nitty gritty about it. 

INTEREST IN BEING HER OWN BOSS Lyndsie knew that she wanted to be her own boss from about the age of 18. When she graduated from high school, she moved out to Vancouver where she had older step siblings there. They worked with a company called Amway, the world’s largest direct selling company that manufactures and distributes nutrition, beauty, personal care and home products. So Lyndise was introduced to the idea of being her own boss and earning residual income - which means doing something once and continuing to make money off of it.

MARKETABLE PRODUCT: TEACHING SOMETHING THAT YOU’VE LEARNED From that experience, Lyndsie gleaned a lot of self improvement and personal growth and decided that she wanted to create her own business from her own brain, with her own products. What she eventually learned is that if you can learn something and teach others how to do it,

View Details

Lianne Kim, a mom of two children, is a renowned business coach and community leader with 20 plus years of sales and marketing experience. She is the founder and CEO of Mamas & Co., an incredible online community for mama entrepreneurs. Lianne helps women build profitable businesses that light them up so they can live their wildest dreams.  In this episode:

We all have to take those first few steps when we are dreaming big and wanting to make a shift or a change.  Prioritizing is key. When you have big goals and dreams, you are going to be forced to make choices all the time on where your time and energy goes. Start with a clear vision of the mom you want to be. When you head into anything with intention and the idea that you're going to work towards it, you start to see what you want to see. Design the business that fits your life and not the other way around.

Connect with Lianne:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mamasandco/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MamasandCo Website: https://www.mamasandco.com Podcast: The Business of Thinking Big https://apple.co/38B1B9n

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Lianne about dreaming big and how that starts by taking those first few steps. We also talked about the importance of prioritizing, starting with a clear vision of the mom you want to be, designing a business that fits your life and not the other way around… and a whole lot more! 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 20 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

Lianne is such a warm and engaging person to have a conversation with. I so appreciated the stories and incredible inspiration that she shared about dreaming big.

WE ALL HAVE TO TAKE THOSE FIRST FEW STEPS Lianne talks about when we are trying to dream big and we're thinking about where we want to be, it's so easy to look at somebody online and think that they've got it all together. We can think that they have always been living this life and going full tilt 24-7. It is easy to forget that everyone who might look successful to us still had to take those first few steps. Lianne has felt this way too when she has looked at other people at the next level. She reminds herself that they haven’t always been there. 

THE STEPS YOU DON’T SEE Lianne shared that a lot of people think that she’s been rocking her full-time business and motherhood thing for years. The truth is that it was only three and a half years ago that she quit her full-time job to really step into full-time entrepreneurship. What most people don't know is that she was hustling before that. There was a lot of stuff happening in the background before making that leap and in order to make that leap.

KEEPING HER BRAIN BUSY Lianne had her two children really close together. They are only 22 months apart. Even on her first maternity leave, she was so worried that she was going to be bored because she loves to work, to contribute, and to create. This led her to do an MLM because she thought that doing direct sales would help to keep her brain busy. She felt that it would be a little something interesting for her to do while on maternity leave. As if she didn't have enough to do! Of course, before you have kids, you really don't know. On her second maternity leave, she started a creative arts based business as a side hustle. 

A LOVE FOR RUNNING HER OWN THING What Lianne found through these experiences is that she really loves running her own thing. Neither one of those opportunities were the right fit for her over the long term. They were just sort of fun and interesting. Lianne only returned to her full-time job for 9 months in-between having her two children because they were so close together. Her colleagues used to joke that she was on the every other year plan. She would work for a year and be off for a year and then, come back for a year. After having her son, her second child,

View Details

Julie Cass is the founder of The Positive Change Group. She helps people create positive changes in their lives through business coaching and personal development. Julie, a wife and proud mom of 2 children and 3 stepchildren, is also a motivational speaker, certified health, mindset and business coach, and a yoga instructor. Julie has scaled and grown 7 & 8 figure businesses as well as coached hundreds of leaders and business owners to success. Julie's passion is to help ambitious women who are struggling with guilt and fear of growing to the next level. She helps them uncover a success road map to abundance without compromising their truth.

In this episode:

The importance of nurturing yourself as a mom so that you can be the best version of yourself.  Making you a priority in motherhood involves things such as setting boundaries, giving yourself grace, making self care non-negotiable, and remembering that it’s okay to say no.  Your relationship with yourself strengthens your connections with others. 

Connect with Julie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepositivechangegroup/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepositivechangegroup Facebook Group: Elevate Your Biz - Getting Beyond the Layers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/elevateyourbizbeyondthelayers A community of like minded business owners, leaders and aspiring business owners who are ready to elevate to the next level.

Website: https://thepositivechange.ca

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Julie of The Positive Change Group! We talked about the importance of nurturing yourself as a mom, making you a priority in motherhood, how your relationship with yourself strengthens your connections with others and… we even talked about Fortnite! Yes, we did! 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 19 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

I really enjoyed my conversation with Julie. It was like sitting down for a cup of tea or coffee with a dear friend who really has your best interests at heart. 

SELF SACRIFICE One of the first things that Julie learned, when she was in her 20s, is that when you sacrifice your own sense of self and you put yourself second, it eventually catches up with you. She used to feel that in order to be successful she had to work seven days a week. Julie did this for a year. This had a negative effect on relationships in her life and she also lost herself and who she was. 

PUT YOURSELF FIRST Julie is grateful that this happened before she became a mom because she learned that nothing is worth sacrificing yourself. You cannot possibly be the best version of yourself when you put yourself last or second. Julie grew up with a belief structure that when we as women put ourselves first that's actually selfish. She’s done a lot of her own work in really unpacking that belief. It doesn't actually make sense when you think about it. You should put yourself first so you have more to give to others. 

NURTURING INWARDS As women, we are awesome at nurturing other people. That is easy for us to do. When we turn that love and that nurturing inwards, you realize that doing that makes you a better version of you. You have more to give to your career. You have more to give to your kids. You have more to give to your husband or your partner. Ultimately, you are a happier person. The point of this life is actually to experience joy. We are here to experience joy and we shouldn’t feel guilty about that. The biggest thing for Julie is the importance of giving herself permission to take care of herself. 

MAKING YOU A PRIORITY IN MOTHERHOOD:

SELF LOVE: Self love involves self care in the sense of really working on your mindset. This is the mental chatter and dialogue that we have with ourselves where we love ourselves unconditionally. The mindset piece is probably the biggest thing because every other dot in your life co...

View Details

Allison Venditti is the Founder and Owner of Careerlove. She is a Career Coach & Return to Work expert with over a decade of experience in human resources. Her focus is on supporting women and mothers. Allison’s business is founded on the idea of kindness and support where she offers no nonsense advice to both companies and women. She is the mom to 3 boys and creator of Canada's first program to support mothers returning to work from maternity leave called “Ready to Return”. 

In this episode:

Supporting moms in returning to work after maternity leave with meaningful resources, conversations, and planning is a game changer!  Propose a job share or flexible work trial period if you are looking to try a shift in the way that you work and get the plan clearly laid out in writing.  It’s okay to not be okay. As moms, we can be incredibly hard on ourselves and feel like we have to hold it together all the time for everyone else. 

Connect with Allison:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/careerlove.ca/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/careerlove.ca Facebook Group - "Moms at Work": https://www.facebook.com/groups/MomsAtWork1 Website: https://careerlove.ca

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Allison of Careerlove! We talked about supporting moms in returning to work after maternity leave, proposing a job share or flexible work trial period, how it’s okay to not be okay and a whole lot more! 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 18 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

I really enjoyed my conversation with Allison. The tagline for her business is “Do what you love. Love what you do.” It is so evident that Allison is passionate about supporting the people that she coaches and works with to achieve this. 

RETURN TO WORK Allison’s children are eight, six, and two years old. Her professional background, even before having kids, involved creating return to work programs mostly around workers compensation and disability. She found it shocking that when she went off on maternity leave, they just gave her the paperwork. They told her to call them when she thought she would be coming back. The last five months of her maternity leave left her worrying about whether or not she should call or if were they going to call. She was trying to find daycare and get all the ‘things’ organized to head back to work. 

RECOGNIZING A GAP After her second maternity leave, Allison approached her boss to address why there weren’t any return to work programs for women on maternity leave? After all, their company’s business was all about getting paid to create these programs. He responded that there wasn’t any money in that. 

A TOUGH TRANSITION Allison’s oldest child has multiple anaphylactic food allergies. Returning to work after her first maternity leave and sending him to daycare was horrifying for Allison. She would drop him off at daycare, get on the bus with her coffee, and cry. This same thing went on for a couple of days. Finally one morning, she got on the bus and the bus driver had tissue ready. He told her that he had no idea what was going on but that it was going to be okay. Through tears she said that she was going back to work. The bus driver told Allison that he had three kids, that it would be fine, and that it takes a little while to build up. Allison said that you know that you are having a really tough time when the bus driver is noticing how hard things are for you. We can’t sugarcoat it. You just birthed a being and then being with them was all you have known for months on end. It is a big transition.

A LACK OF CONVERSATION Allison felt like no one wanted to talk about this transition with her. Some of her friends didn't go back to work after maternity leave. They didn't want to talk about it. Some of her friends went back to work early and they didn't want to talk about it.

View Details

Clementine Crooks is the co-owner of Resume Restoration. She and Erin Wallace, both Calgary moms of three children each, are Career Transition Experts and leaders in their field, specializing in writing and designing affordable resumes that reap powerful results. Their combined skill sets of Human Resources and Graphic Design experience ensure their job seeking clients receive professional, targeted and modern resumes that capture an individual's unique skills and expertise. The resumes that they create are professionally formatted using their custom designed, eye-catching templates. Clementine and Erin also specialize in and can provide support with Cover Letters, LinkedIn, and Job Interviews.

In this episode:

How to write an impactful and functional resume that tells your story by highlighting your transferable skills, key accomplishments, and your experiences beyond your professional experiences. Tips and ideas for moms looking to head back to the professional world including remembering that it takes a village, reminding ourselves that we can’t be everything to everyone, and embracing the adventure. Communication is key in ensuring that we are the same page, with our family members and network, and that we are asking for and accepting the help that we need. 

Connect with Resume Restoration:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resumerestoration/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/resumerestorationyyc Website: https://www.resumerestoration.ca Resume Restoration Podcast https://apple.co/3h0oibq

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Clementine! We talked about how to write an impactful functional resume that tells your story, tips and ideas for moms looking to head back to the professional world, and how communication is key.

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 17 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

I really enjoyed my conversation with Clementine. Both she and Erin are incredibly knowledgeable and action oriented as well as warm and personable. Their business clearly goes beyond creating impactful resumes and cover letters and supporting people with interview preparation and LinkedIn profiles. They value building relationships with their clients and providing incredible support and encouragement for them with the daunting, but also exciting, journey of seeking and applying for employment opportunities. 

THE BEGINNING Resume restoration was born in the spring of 2020 approximately two weeks before the Coronavirus pandemic started. It actually ended up being good timing for Clementine and Erin in that they were able to fully turn their business into a virtual business. 

HUMAN RESOURCES  Clementine’s background is in human resources. She has about fifteen years of experience working in HR. Clementine completed her Master’s degree in Leadership in 2012 and started doing consulting for organizations across Canada. Eight years ago, she and her husband moved to Calgary from British Columbia and she decided to become a full time HR consultant. Clementine’s work included providing career transition support to professionals when they were terminated from a position. Her support was part of their severance package. Clementine recognized how fantastic it was that these professionals would receive support to help them navigate the world of becoming a job seeker. This was often a world that they hadn’t been in for a long time. We're talking five, ten, fifteen, sometimes twenty years. She thought to herself that there had to be a way to offer these types of services in a cost effective and timely fashion to job seekers more universally. 

JOINING FORCES Clementine and Erin have been friends for the past seven to eight years. Erin has a passion for graphic design and really specializes in creating impressive design content. Erin and Clementine combined their skills sets in creating Resume Restoration.

View Details

Eva Klein is a proud wife and mother of two girls and a boy (who are all great sleepers) and lives with her family in Toronto. She is a Certified Infant and Child Sleep Consultant and is the founder of My Sleeping Baby. Eva provides individual sleep consultations, facilitates group seminars and runs an online sleep program and community called the Sleep Bible. Eva’s main goal is to help her clients establish healthy sleep habits for their children. 

In this episode:

Good sleep is a game changer. Quality sleep for us and our little ones, allows us all to be the best versions of ourselves.  Success strategies for quality sleep for babies and young children including an optimized sleep environment, a sleep schedule/routine, and teaching your little one to fall asleep independently.  Be protective of who is in your inner circle. Surround yourself with people who you bring up and who bring you up too. 

Connect with Eva:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mysleepingbaby/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MySleepingBaby Website: https://mysleepingbaby.com

Get Eva’s FREE Sleep Guide that you can download It will take you through Eva’s top 7 sleep tips that you can begin implementing IMMEDIATELY to get your baby, toddler or preschooler sleeping!

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Eva! We talked about how awesome sleep is for both parents and kids, success strategies for quality sleep for babies and young children, and being protective of who is in your inner circle or village. And… a whole lot more! 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 16 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

After experiencing the debilitating effects of chronic sleep deprivation from her middle child, Eva was inspired to help families overcome their sleep challenges. Eva truly empathizes with her clients’ sleep troubles and personally invests herself in their sleep journey.  She has helped over 2,000 families to date get themselves a champion sleeper for life. It was wonderful to connect with Eva! 

SLEEP IS AWESOME Good sleep is a game changer. Eva says that when you have the ability to wake up after having a proper night’s sleep, it means that you can wake up as the best version of yourself. When you are starting your day after having a broken night’s sleep, you are waking up feeling like you have been hit by a truck! This doesn’t fly on a good day and especially not in the thick of a global pandemic. It is physically and emotionally impossible to get through the day, day in and day out, on horrible quality sleep without something having to give in the process. That something will likely be your mental and emotional health. 

We all owe it to ourselves to prioritize our sleep and our little one’s sleep so that we can all be the best versions of ourselves. This will be crucial in helping us navigate this new normal. We all have a lot on our plates right now!! There is so much outside stress. The extra stress from sleep deprivation makes things almost impossible. 

Eva reminds us that good sleep is a game changer for us AND our little ones! All humans, regardless of age, are designed to need good quality sleep in order to thrive. Everybody wins!

SUCCESS STEPS FOR A GOOD SLEEP 1. A SLEEP ENVIRONMENT optimized for good quality sleep:

A DARK ROOM: Don’t worry about babies getting their days and nights mixed up. Get some heavy duty black out blinds in their room so that there isn’t sunlight streaming into their room during the daytime impacting their naps.  WHITE NOISE: White noise drowns out background noise and creates a calm and soothing sleep environment. For infants, it is easy for them to be woken up from background noise. For toddlers and preschoolers, oftentimes their imaginations start to run wild. They get scared when they hear noises such as creaky floors or gusts of wind.

View Details

Nathalie Amlani is the owner of Pictonat Photography and does family photography and personal branding for small businesses. She helps families capture joyful moments that light up their hearts and she works with women entrepreneurs to help them stand out online with content that connects. In addition, she is a proud mom of two children who are 4 and 6 years old.  

In this episode:

Reach out. The anxiety of making a career change can be alleviated by asking for help and guidance, intentional planning, and setting boundaries.  Show some love to ALL those images! Easy tips for creating lasting memories from all the photos we take with our smartphones. Business is human. Showing up for your audience and sharing your story on social media can ignite your brand and help you to shine online. 

Connect with Nathalie:

Website: https://pictonat.com Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/pictonatbrandingcreative/ https://www.instagram.com/pictonatphoto/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pictonatbrandingphotography https://www.facebook.com/pictonatphoto

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a wonderful conversation with Nathalie! We talked about how the anxiety of making a career change can be alleviated by asking for help and guidance, intentional planning, and setting boundaries. Nathalie shared easy tips for creating lasting memories from ALL the photos we take with our smartphones. She also discussed how showing up for your audience and sharing your story on social media can ignite your brand and help you to shine online. 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 15 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

I really enjoyed my conversation with Nathalie! She was so honest and open about the struggles and successes she has experienced in her motherhood/work juggle. Nathalie keeps it real and talks about the importance of sharing your story.

CORPORATE CAREER Nathalie talks about how you never truly know what you are going to be going though or experiencing until you are in it. She worked as a project manager in the financial service industry for about 15 years and poured her heart and soul into this role. Nathalie worked long hours on multi-million dollar projects. However, when she and her husband became parents, her perspective shifted. 

RETURNING TO WORK Returning to work after maternity leave, Nathalie tried to set a boundary for her work time by starting work earlier and leaving by 4 PM. This worked for the first couple of months. However, she felt like she wasn't doing as good of a job at work as she was before because she wasn’t staying as late as she used to. Nathalie used to be the one who would stay until 6 or 7 PM. 

SECOND PREGNANCY Nathalie started staying at work later and later. Then, she would rush home to make dinner. Both Nathalie and her husband were very stressed out. Nathalie felt very tired and found that her work environment wasn’t very supportive. Nathalie felt guilty for taking time off work for appointments or if her child was sick and she had to pick him up early from daycare. She found that she was frequently getting sick (often catching the bugs her son had) because she was running on empty. 

A PULL FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT Nathalie started realizing that she wanted more. There was something missing. Nathalie had always loved photography. She had taken courses and completed a photography certificate program. It was something that she enjoyed doing on the side, documenting her marriage and her children. Nathalie saw this as a way to make an impact on people’s lives. Working for a corporation on large projects, she never felt like she was making the impact herself. Nathalie wanted to become closer to the customer, to be more personal, and to make more of a direct connection.

TAKING SOME STEPS Nathalie’s daughter was a very relaxed baby who slept a lot.

View Details

Ahuva Magder Hershkop, a mom of almost three year old twins, is a Registered Dietitian, specializing in pediatric nutrition, and is the owner of Arm Yourself Dietetics. Her focus is working with families to reduce mealtime stress, supporting positive family mealtimes and supporting mothers in reducing the mental load of feeding their families. Her mission is to empower parents to create mealtimes that are spent fostering positive relationships with food, instead of counting bites, with the understanding that there is no right way to feed your family - there is only the way that works for YOUR family. 

In this episode:

Mealtimes can be a time of family connection but they can also create stress and overwhelm.  “Good Enough” family mealtimes are about division of responsibility and are not about perfection.  Having a list of “Oh No” meals in our back pocket, for those days when we realize that we have nothing planned for dinner, can be a game changer. 

Connect with Ahuva:

Website: https://armyourselfdietetics.com Instagram: @ahuvard https://www.instagram.com/ahuvard/ Facebook: @ahuvaARM https://www.facebook.com/ahuvaARM/

Join Ahuva’s Facebook Group: “The Busy Moms Guide to Feeding Your Family” where you will get valuable information from Ahuva and an amazing community of support from over 2000 members! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1683736265060869

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a fantastic conversation with Ahuva about the wins and challenges of family meals, “Good Enough” family mealtimes, and how having a list of “Oh No” meals can be a tool to alleviate stress and overwhelm when we realize that it is dinner time and that we don’t have a plan!

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 14 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

Ahuva is so relatable and easy to talk to. She and I had a wonderful conversation! Ahuva recognizes that we need to do what works best for us. I love that she keeps things real in talking about the challenges that we can experience with family meals as part of our mom life and work life juggle. Ahuva has some practical and easy to implement strategies that can reduce the overwhelm that many of us face when we are trying to come up with meal ideas and trying to get meals on the table. 

WHY CAN MEALTIME BE SO DIFFICULT FOR FAMILIES

Ahuva talks about how families are busy. Oftentimes, there just aren’t big windows of time to prepare meals. As well, in the age of social media, there is information overload about the “right” way to feel our families and many images of perfection. When parents do put in the time to make what seems to be an amazing meal, sometimes the kids don’t like what has been prepared. 

COVID-19 AND MEAL TIME With many parents now working from home, in some cases, meal times have been less hectic. Prior to COVID, one or both parents may have been working outside the home, or one parent may have worked long hours or travelled for work which meant that family dinners were limited to week-ends or even once a week or, in some cases, once a month. As well, with extracurricular activities on hold, families aren’t currently running around to dance classes, hockey practices, and music lessons. During this time, many families are having more family meals than they would have otherwise. This means that meals can be an opportunity for time together.

However, in families dealing with mealtime battles and picky eating, they might be finding that this time amplifies this. Stress tends to make things more challenging for families in general. As well, parents feel like they are spending all their time in the kitchen more than ever. This has impacted a lot of families negatively. 

“GOOD ENOUGH” FAMILY MEALTIMES Ahuva talks about how there is so much pressure out there to be perfect. We have access to information at the tip of our fingers.

View Details

Jennifer Singh is a former TV reporter turned PR strategist and media coach who specializes in storytelling, public relations, and marketing. Jennifer launched She’s Newsworthy Media to help female entrepreneurs and business owners increase media attention for their brands by pitching their expertise to the media. So far, she's helped over 35 women land media spots on all of the most popular TV shows (The Social, CP24 Breakfast, and Breakfast TV just to name a few!). She is also mom to two little boys Dominick and Marcus ages 5 and 2.

In this episode:

Layers of challenges with racism and inclusion in motherhood and work can be invisible and aren’t a part of our conversations and discourse.  Open dialogue about racism, anti-racism, discrimination, and inclusion in our work and with our families is needed.  Ongoing action for inclusivity and anti-racism in all aspects of business and the workplace including marketing is essential.  Share your expertise & story. The media is looking for fresh perspectives and voices to bring a unique angle to what’s happening in our world. 

Connect with Jennifer:

Instagram: @shesnewsworthy https://www.instagram.com/shesnewsworthy/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/shesnewsworthy/ Website: https://www.shesnewsworthy.com/

Get a FREE Media Pitch Template that you can download Find out more about “Media Success Coaching” - Jennifer’s most successful program that includes one-on-one time

20 people in that program have landed media spots so far! 

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had an amazing conversation with Jennifer about racism and inclusion in motherhood and work. Jennifer shared her story with the layers of challenges in motherhood and work as a woman of colour. She discussed the need for open dialogue about racism, anti-racism, discrimination, and inclusion in our work and with our families and how ongoing action for inclusivity and anti-racism in all aspects of business and the workplace including marketing is essential. Jennifer also talked about helping her clients share their expertise and stories because the media is looking for fresh perspectives and voices to bring a unique angle to what’s happening in our world.  

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 13 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

I am so appreciative to Jennifer for having this conversation with me about racism and inclusion in motherhood and work. The three values that she lives and works by are authenticity, transparency, and empowerment and these definitely came through in our dialogue. 

JENNIFER'S MOTHERHOOD & WORK JOURNEY: Starting in 2010, Jennifer had a position working in a secure job with benefits, being paid by the government, where she was providing transit updates on a TV station. Jennifer and her husband were trying to get pregnant for 3 years and shortly after becoming pregnant, she was laid off from this position. The timing ended up working out well though as Jennifer used this time as an opportunity to transition into being an entrepreneur. She built her website and got business photographs taken. Because she had suffered a recent miscarriage, she also suffered from anxiety during this pregnany so being at home prior to the birth of her first baby in 2015, was the best thing that she could have done. Ultimately, this led to Jennifer launching her business, She's Newsworthy Media, five years ago. 

LOTS TO LEARN Jennifer had no business expertise when she got started. She was literally starting from scratch. After having her second son, three years after her first, she fully committed to entrepreneurship, hired a business coach, and didn’t look back. Giving birth to two children and starting a business in three years, was A LOT to take in in a short amount of time. 

THE JUGGLE Jennifer talks about how the COVID pandemic feels like how she felt starting her business with her two ...

View Details

Rowena Sampang is a mom of two young boys, a Marketing/Communications/Digital Consultant, and the Owner of an adorable boutique based in Calgary and Okotoks called Pink Liberty, offering women cute, modern clothing at an affordable price.

In this episode:

Strategies for success as you carve your path and pursue your passions. Looking and feeling your best in clothes that fit. The winning formula for shopping for clothes online. Having fun and being authentic and vulnerable on social media. 

Connect with Rowena for fashion advice, style advice, and, even, life advice!

Website: https://shoppinkliberty.com/ Instagram: @shoppinkliberty https://www.instagram.com/shoppinkliberty/ Facebook: @shoppinkliberty https://www.facebook.com/shoppinkliberty/

From Rowena: 

Book: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron - The method that Rowena uses for her morning journaling is based on this book!

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had an amazing conversation with Rowena about carving her path, pursuing her dreams, and strategies that have helped her along the way. We also talked about looking and feeling your best in clothes that actually fit, the winning formula for clothing shopping online, and having fun as well as being authentic and vulnerable on social media. 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 12 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

Rowena and I had a fantastic conversation! She is genuine, kind, has an incredible sense of style, and has some pretty fantastic dance moves! Have you checked out her fun TikTok videos on Instagram? You should! Rowena’s words of wisdom: “Don’t forget yourself.” She built Pink Liberty as a haven for women to remember their inner fabulos-ity through fashion and style. Her mantra is—put on a little lipstick, a great outfit and take a deep breath, because YOU matter. She wants to help women look and feel their best.

PAYING ATTENTION TO THE NUDGES Rowena used to work full time in marketing and communications in the oil and gas industry. She had a comfortable position reporting to the president of the company she worked for. Rowena had a salary, benefits, and a car allowance. She enjoyed her job and the people that she worked with but she always knew that she would start a business at some point. Rowena had an itch that this would be something involving fashion. 

ASKING THE QUESTIONS So.... she proposed, to the company that she was working for, that she move from a full-time salary position to a part-time contract role. Because of the relationship that she had with them, they were fully supportive of this option! For the past three years, she has been juggling this part-time contract work along with building Pink Liberty. 

THE JUGGLE In general, making the transition from working full time with your work friends, bringing your lunch to work, commuting, having set office hours, having someone dictate your day TO being an entrepreneur and planning your own day, getting up, getting dressed, motivating yourself, and doing work for yourself has been challenging! When she first made this transition, it was especially tough. She went through somewhat of a depression, she had some regret, and she questioned things: “What did I do?”  “Why did I do this?”  ‘How am I going to do everything and manage the kids?” 

A BIG CHANGE Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she was let go from her part-time position and this was quite devastating. Her work in her part-time corporate contract had been a connection to the corporate world and corporate life. This position had been her safety net in taking on Pink Liberty. She still had her family obligations, mortgage, and car payments. Fortunately, Rowena has had fantastic support from her mom, who looks after her kids while she is working, and she has an incredibly supportive husband who also plays a very active role with Pink Liberty. Thankfully,

View Details

Suzanne Carpenter is a mom of 4 children, a Certified Nutritional Consultant, and the CEO and Founder of CarpenterOne80, a virtual nutrition education company, whose mission is to provide affordable and simple programs that can clear up food confusion so that people can win at losing weight.  

In this episode:

How our own personal growth and powerful stories can inspire action and positive change for others. Making our self-care, including health and nutrition, a priority sets an impactful example for our kids. Family meal ideas that are healthy, quick, easy, delicious and with a winning combination of protein, fat, and fiber.

Connect with Suzanne:

Website: www.CarpenterOne80.com Instagram: @weightloss.over.40 https://www.instagram.com/weightloss.over.40/ Facebook: @CarpenterOne80 https://www.facebook.com/CarpenterOne80/ 

From Suzanne:

On her website, get 7 Days FREE (test drive) SOS (Suz On Your Shoulder) 

Daily soundbites (3-4 minutes long) teaching you what you need in the right sequence so you gain control over food $15 a month if you decide it is a fit Use promo code JUNGLE to get 4 different types of grocery lists to make getting the right foods in your home in a doable, simple, and straightforward way

Book Suggestion: “The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery” by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a fantastic conversation with Suzanne about the key pivots in her motherhood/work journey, self-care when it comes to winning at health and nutrition, and practical tips and strategies for feeding our families. 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 11 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

I really enjoyed the opportunity to connect with Suzanne! She is incredibly warm and fun to chat with! She is the REAL DEAL! Right off the hop she talked about how she still turns the odd load of white laundry pink! And.... I love that being classroom teachers has been something that has been a part of both of our journeys! Suzanne’s words of wisdom: “Today is a really good day to start.”

PIVOTS, TRANSITIONS, & CHANGE Suzanne has had many moments of transition and change along her journey of swinging motherhood and work. She was a first grade teacher but found as a mom, although she loved teaching, that she wanted to be home more with her family. She left teaching and stayed home with her kids while her husband worked full-time at a job that involved a great deal of travel.

A BIG MOVE In 2009, there was a bit of recession with an impact in the auto industry which was the sector that her husband worked in. Looking for a more secure work opportunity given the economic circumstances, Suzanne’s family moved from Michigan to Mississippi. The move resulted in her husband  having a position where he could be home at night but also came with a 40% pay cut. This change in finances was not something that they talked about but it was an underlying source of stress and worry for both Suzanne and her husband. 

DIRECT SALES Suzanne went to the gym one day where one of her girlfriends mentioned an opportunity with a direct sales company selling nutritional products and coaching clients. Suzanne decided that this was something that she could do to earn some additional income while being at home with her kids. She enjoyed it, she felt like she was good at it, and it was an opportunity for Suzanne to develop her entrepreneurial skills and spirit. What she found, though, was that people were looking for magic diet pills which...just don’t exist. Suzanne started doing pro bono work in nutrition for her customers by coming up with meal ideas for them in her own kitchen. 

A BIG SECRET It was during this time that a “secret” that Suzanne had been struggling with for many years, since she was a teenager, came to the forefront. She was asked the question,

View Details

Vivian Rajic is a full-time working from home boss mom to 2 boys and the founder of REAL Biz Moms. Vivian's personal experience of isolation and her feelings of unworthiness as a mother is what led her to create a safe, supportive and empowering community where mothers can be REAL and where they can flourish in life and in business together.

In this episode:

The importance of being REAL (Recognized, Empowered, Authentic, and Loved) in motherhood and work How there are many ways to be a good mom; there isn’t just one way. Taking small steps can create a motherhood village with incredible connection and community. 

Connect with Vivian:

Website: https://www.realbizmoms.com Instagram: @realbozmoms https://www.instagram.com/realbizmoms/  Facebook: @realbizmoms https://www.facebook.com/groups/realbizmoms/ 

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a great conversation with Vivian Rajic about the importance of being REAL in motherhood and work, how there are many ways to be a good mom, and how taking small steps can foster connection and community in building a motherhood village. 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 10 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.   

I really enjoyed the opportunity to chat with Vivian! I have had the privilege to meet Vivian in person and when I did, she greeted me with a big hug. She is a warm and caring person who does an incredible job of facilitating connection and building community! Her words of wisdom: “Do what works best for you” and “Go at your own pace”. 

HOW REAL BIZ MOMS GOT STARTED When Vivian had her first child, she had this image of what being a mom “looked like”. This included staying at home, having fresh, home cooked meals three times a day, having a clean house, and constantly having activities planned throughout the day. However, she was not enjoying motherhood because she felt like she wasn’t doing the things that she SHOULD be. She was frustrated, angry, and unhappy. 

Vivian attended an event hosted by an organization supporting women entrepreneurs. She enjoyed it and left feeling empowered. However, Vivian wasn’t sure of her next steps which left her feeling overwhelmed. Many of the women at the event weren’t moms and that’s where the disconnect was for her. Vivian decided that there should be the same sort of group created for moms in order to ignite a flame in mothers. This is how Real Biz Moms came to be! 

WHAT DOES BEING “REAL” MEAN? REAL is an acronym that stands for Recognized, Empowered, Authentic, and Loved. For Vivian being “Recognized” means having moms recognize themselves and THEIR hopes and dreams. As moms, we often are thinking about everyone else and can lose sight of who we are and what we want to do and accomplish.

Being “Empowered” is about having a community that can uplift us, empower us, and get us out of a rut when we are having those hard times and when we are struggling.

“Authentic” addresses the importance of being who we are. With social media, we are constantly comparing ourselves to one another and we see all these amazing moms doing all these amazing things. Our real lives are filled with good times AND hard times and it helps to have a safe space to be our authentic selves.

Finally, it is important that we are “Loved”.  We need to love one another and be kind to one another so that we can do all of the incredible things that we dream of. 

THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO BE A GOOD MOM - NOT JUST ONE As moms, it can be hard not to compare ourselves to others. This has definitely been something that I have struggled with. From the outside looking in, it can look and feel like everyone else has it way more together than we do and are doing a better job. But there are lots of ways to be a good mom. There isn’t just one way. 

When Vivian first became a mom, she decided to stay at home because she thought that s...

View Details

Lisa Pedersen is a work from home mom of two children as well as a Social Media Mentor and Strategist and the owner of Lisa Pedersen Media. She teaches business owners how to use social media effectively and to create social media plans that are smart, simple and sustainable. 

In this episode:

The wins and challenges of working from home How a flexible work schedule in a corporate job and being a small business owner can fit well with a work/family juggle.  How paying attention to conversations and experiences (those signs from the “universe”) can take us in a new direction and lead us to great opportunities! 

Connect with Lisa: 

Website: https://lisapedersen.ca Instagram: @lisapedersenmedia https://www.instagram.com/lisapedersenmedia/  Facebook: @lisapedersenmedia https://www.facebook.com/lisapedersenmedia 

From Lisa:

Lisa's Favourite Planner - The Happy Planner: https://thehappyplanner.com

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a fantastic conversation with Lisa Pedersen about the wins and challenges of working from home, how flexible work in a former corporate role and now being a small business owner have been great opportunities that fit well with her motherhood and work, juggle, and how listening to the signs from the “universe” helped to get her to where she is today!

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 9 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

Chatting with Lisa was like having a cup of tea with an old friend! She is incredibly warm, kind, and “real” about the wins and challenges of juggling motherhood and work. Her words of wisdom: “Have boundaries. There is beauty in doing things for ourselves so that we can be the best version of ourselves.”

FULL TIME TO FLEXIBLE WORK Lisa has a background in marketing and design with a degree in design. After her first maternity, Lisa returned to working a full-time schedule in a corporate role for a small company while her daughter was at daycare. She found this so hard though - like her heart was being ripped out of her chest hard! The daycare that her daughter went to was a wonderful place but it meant that her daughter wasn’t with her and it was all day. Lisa thought that ½ day would have lessened that heart ache 

After about a year and a half, she asked about having a flexible schedule. Her employer agreed to this and she was able to fulfill all her responsibilities being in the office 3 days a week and working from home the other 2 days. Even though she wasn’t always in the office, she was accessible and experiencing success. 

Unfortunately, the work environment became toxic when a new manager came on board who didn’t like Lisa’s flexible work approach. She would be criticized for not being in the office for a meeting but, at home, she always made herself readily available to hop onto conference calls as needed. She felt like she was being pushed out of her job and she felt like she wanted to get out. She wasn’t happy and this wasn’t what she wanted for her family. 

FLEXIBLE WORK - IT’S A MINDSET Although what Lisa experienced in her corporate job happened 10 years ago, and businesses have come a long way, there still exists some lack of openness around flexibility in the workplace. One outlier, who doesn’t do their part or who takes advantage of the flexibility, can make this not work for a company. 

There are preconceived notions about what it means to be working in the office versus working at home. There are going to be times when you are fulfilling all of your responsibilities (and more) for your company but it is still not enough or it doesn’t look like enough from the outside. Lisa thinks that we as moms have to let go of the need for other people to understand. (I agree!) We carry this burden of worrying what others are going to think. We have to shed that. It’s not helpful for our mental well being and productivity.

View Details

Sabrina Greer, a mom to three boys, is the Founder of YGTMama Inc. and has two booming businesses - clarity coaching and a media/publishing company. She has 4-best selling books as well as a 5-star rated podcast called “You’ve Got This, Mama”.  In this episode:

The importance of courage and confidence in making change and propelling yourself forward.  Multitasking is not effective. We can be trying to do a million things but actually be getting nothing done. Sabrina shares strategies that can help us make the most of our time and manage our motherhood/work juggles.  Everything is a choice - what we think, how we deal with things, and how we react to things. We can choose to be intentional with how we spend our time in our work life and in our family life. 

Connect with Sabrina: (Note: YGTMama has now become YGTMedia Co.)

Website: https://www.ygtmedia.co Instagram: @ygtmedia.co https://www.instagram.com/ygtmedia.co/?hl=en Facebook: @ygtmedia.co https://www.facebook.com/ygtmedia.co Podcast: You’ve Got This, Mama

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/youve-got-this-mama-podcast/id1428179742

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a fantastic conversation with Sabrina Greer about how to find clarity in the chaos of juggling motherhood and work. 

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 8 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast. 

Sabrina is an all round beautiful soul and my coach and mentor! She is a role model for so many moms, a great listener, and a fantastic motivator. She has actionable strategies and sound advice for finding that clarity in the wonderful chaos and adventure of motherhood. Her words of wisdom: “You’re worthy of whatever it is you want. It is possible.”

IT TAKES COURAGE AND CONFIDENCE TO MAKE A CHANGE Sabrina has had an amazing journey which led her to become an entrepreneur. Courage and confidence have been so important to Sabrina in her own journey to get to where she is today. 

Sabrina talks about how it takes courage to make a change. It is often easier to stay stuck and to keep doing the same things. This can be more comfortable than the fears around making a change. To make a change, you also need to have confidence to keep propelling forward and that this may require you actively developing new skills and seeking out resources. As a clarity coach, Sabrina uses her own experience to support other moms in developing their courage and confidence.

Having children is the biggest change in our lives and children are our greatest teachers. Sabrina described how children really shine a light on what is important and what our priorities are and how they have changed when we become moms. This shift is inevitable. The only thing that is constant in life is change. If we are afraid of change and we are afraid to lean in - we are always going to feel stuck. Some women want to continue to work after having children. They are looking for a purpose outside of their children. There are lots of ways to do this and this might not be the career we had before becoming a mom. 

It is ok for your priorities to change. It is ok to want to do work that fulfills your soul. It might not be what you were doing before. And… That’s ok.

Sabrina knew that she didn’t want to spend her life building someone else’s dream and she knew that she had the courage and confidence to help others see that in themselves. 

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME Sabrina has a lot going on in her life and juggles many things - 2 booming businesses, 3 children, a puppy, and even chickens at her rural home! She reminds us that what we see on social media is the highlight reel and not the real deal. 

Pain points vary from person to person but for moms often include overwhelm, isolation and mom guilt. Sabrina offered some fantastic ideas and strategies to help manage these things. STOP MULTITASKING:  Multitasking ALWAYS leads to overwhelm because we a...

View Details

Dr. Carly Crewe, a mom to twin toddlers, is a small town family doctor and a mindset coach for aspiring mompreneurs. She is also a writer, blogger and the host of the podcast Mind Over Motherhood. In this episode:

The importance of advocating for and supporting maternal mental health. Strategies that can help moms take action to pursue their dreams in a way that is aligned with their own motherhood journeys. How an early morning routine, time blocking, and planning and preparation can be tools to juggle a wonderful and busy work life and family life.

Connect with Carly: 

Website: https://carlycrewe.com Instagram: @carlycrewe https://www.instagram.com/carlycrewe/ To learn more about mindset and motherhood, check out Carly's podcast: Mind Over Motherhood

https://carlycrewe.com/mind-over-motherhood-the-podcast/  You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Anchor!

On this episode of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, I had a fantastic conversation with  Dr. Carly Crewe about mindset and motherhood!

If you prefer to listen, check out Episode 7 of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast.

Carly was so easy to talk to. She has relatable ideas and sound advice. Her words of wisdom for moms: “Give yourself grace. Everytime you make a decision and it doesn’t work out, it’s not failure - it’s feedback.” 100%! You’ve got this, Mama! 

MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH Becoming a mom is a huge life change and it is tough! There are physical changes, hormonal changes, societal pressures and expectations, and an uncertainty of our sense of self along with our new identity as a mom. So many changes happen all at once! Thankfully, it is becoming more common to discuss mental health and specifically maternal mental health. 

Carly talks about the importance of making time to prioritize yourself (i.e. self care) and reaching out and asking for support because motherhood can be a very isolating experience. A starting point is thinking about the things that make you feel good and the things that make you feel like yourself and doing one of these things even just for 5-10 minutes. Carly refers to this as “mental health first aid”.

She also talks about the importance of developing an awareness of your thoughts and how to manage them. Our mindset can be a powerful tool in helping us to be more resilient and in helping us to keep things in perspective. Given that Carly is a mindset coach, this is one of her areas of expertise and I would highly recommend that you check out her amazing podcast Mind Over Motherhood to dive deeper into this topic and to get some fantastic tangible tools and strategies!

Carly shares how sometimes in social media and in society the motherhood experience is portrayed as being miserable and full of stress, worry, and overwhelm. Motherhood IS full of ups, downs, and in-betweens but we should be able to feel joyful and enjoy motherhood and we can also structure our life in a way that can help facilitate this. 

BEING A MOM & PURSUING YOUR DREAMS - YOU CAN DO BOTH! Carly talks about how mom guilt, anticipated fears and worries, a lack of clarity, and obstacles such as time management and self doubt can hold moms back from pursuing their dreams. She discusses strategies that can help moms take action in a way that is aligned with their own motherhood journey. These include:

Putting our fears and worries in perspective Clearing the mental clutter Identifying and finding those things that make you feel like you and that bring you joy

As moms, when we take the time to fill our souls and do the things we love, we can feel more aligned, happy, and ultimately we can be better moms for our kids. This makes me think of the expression “You can’t pour from an empty cup”. You need to find what works best for you. There isn’t one cookie cutter approach that works best for individuals or families and the way that we do things can shift and change overtime.

View Details

Tiana Fech talks about why she had to press pause during this crazy time of change and uncertainty due to the overwhelm with navigating emergency remote teaching as a university instructor and as a parent.  In this episode:

We have been and are all experiencing the global pandemic of COVID-19 in a variety of ways.   Right now education is not distance learning or online learning it is “emergency remote teaching”.  We are in this together. We are well intentioned. We are trying our best. We are going to make mistakes. It’s not going to be perfect. 

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle Community:

Website: http://www.theparttimejungle.com Instagram: @parttimejungle https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: @parttimejungle https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianafech/

View Details

Amber Pavey is a mom of three children and an educator with a specialty in mindfulness education. She helps individuals of all ages learn to press pause and empower themselves with mindfulness through her business Present Possibilities Mindfulness Education. In this episode:

What exactly is mindfulness? Ways that mindfulness can be used to create a sense of ease for children and adults during anxious and uncertain times. Sign up for an amazing and free 'Weekly Wellness Program' by heading to www.presentpossibilities.ca

Connect with Present Possibilities Mindfulness Education:

Website: https://www.presentpossibilities.ca Instagram: @present_possibilities https://www.instagram.com/present_possibilities/ Facebook: @presentpossibilities https://www.facebook.com/presentpossibilities/

View Details

Julie Freedman Smith and Gail Bell of Parenting Power are Canada’s Go-To Parenting Team. 18 years ago, they began bringing ‘Aha moments’ to parents, teachers and caregivers with a collection of practical, easy-to-use tools; simplifying their days and strengthening the connection with the children in their lives. In this episode:

How to talk to our children about Coronavirus (COVID-19) and tools to help alleviate their anxiety Tools and tips for families navigating closed schools and working from home Check out Parenting Power’s “Stay at Home Family Challenge”. For more information go to: Facebook.com/parentingpower

From Parenting Power:

“Learning at Home” by Alison Van Rosendaal: http://www.dinnerwithjulie.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Home-Schooling-Guidance.pdf

Connect with Parenting Power: (Note - Parenting Power is no longer in business)

Instagram: @parentingpower https://www.instagram.com/parentingpower/ Facebook: @parentingpower https://www.facebook.com/parentingpower/

View Details

Tiana Fech talks about how it is ok to not have your life figured out as a 41-year old mom and that you can still grow, explore, learn, and try new things including skating lessons with your name tag on your helmet!

In this episode: 

There are no age limits. You can always change things up, do things differently, and look for new adventures and opportunities. Honesty and openness can be powerful forces of connection. (3) There is often ease and comfort in predictability and routine. Change can be tough and uncomfortable.

Shout out to: 

YGTMama (You've Got This, Mama): https://www.ygtmama.com Mamas & Co: https://www.mamasandco.ca

Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle Community: 

Instagram: @parttimejungle https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: @parttimejungle https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Website: https://www.theparttimejungle.com

View Details

Devon Karchut, a mom of an almost six year old boy, is a pediatric physiotherapist with a passion for the great outdoors that she enjoys in her personal life and now in her professional life as the owner of TimberNook of Greater Calgary, a nature play program for kids.

In this episode: 

Taking an area of passion and making it into a dream job Boredom, unstructured, creative play, and downtime for kids amidst the juggle of school responsibilities and extracurricular activities Filling our buckets as moms with our own interests and pursuits outside of work and family life.

Connect with Devon and TimberNook of Greater Calgary:

Instagram: @timbernookcalgary https://www.instagram.com/timbernookcalgary/ Facebook: @timbernookofgreatercalgary

https://www.facebook.com/TimberNook-of-Greater-Calgary-196418557608088

Website: https://www.timbernook.com/provider/timbernook-of-greater-calgary/

View Details

The Part-Time Jungle Podcast is a place for conversation and community about ALL the ways to swing motherhood and work. There isn't a right way. There isn't a best way. In this episode, Tiana shares her story about how The Part-Time Jungle came to be and why conversation and community about motherhood and work have helped her to carve a path and manage a juggle that works best for her and her family. Let's keep the conversation going and the community growing! Tiana Fech, the host of The Part-Time Jungle Podcast, is a mom of three who has been navigating the part-time jungle - swinging motherhood and part-time work - since becoming a mom 13 years ago. In this episode, she shares her story about how "The Part-Time Jungle" went from idea to action and all got started! FIND TIANA & THE PART-TIME JUNGLE COMMUNITY:

Instagram: @parttimejungle https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/ Facebook: @parttimejungle https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle Website: https://www.theparttimejungle.com

View Details

Welcome to The Part-Time Jungle Podcast There are so many ways to swing motherhood and work. There is not one right way or one best way. Tiana, a mama of three, has been navigating The Part-Time Jungle, motherhood and part-time work, since becoming a mom 13 years ago. This is the path that works best for her and her family. However, there are 50 shades of green in the motherhood jungle and the variations in hue, intensity and brightness make the jungle awe inspiring, lush, strikingly beautiful, and at times wild. Let’s keep it real. Motherhood is an adventure with highs, lows, in-betweens, and all the bumps and detours along the way no matter how you swing it. Through personal reflections and interviews with other Mamas, Tiana will share observations, overheard conversations, solicited advice (the kind you actually ask for), wins, and #mommymessups. As you blaze your own trail through the motherhood jungle, The Part-Time Jungle will provide you with route markers, footprints, and travel companions that can encourage and guide you along the way.   Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle Community:

Website: https://www.theparttimejungle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/