Digging Deep with Mark Sutcliffe

Many people remember Erica Ehm as a pioneering television host. But she's so much more than that. She's a serial entrepreneur, a passionate storyteller, an award-winning songwriter, and the driving force behind a not-for-profit organization that’s finding new ways to empower youth. Erica has made a career out of reinventing herself as the world around her has changed and new opportunities have arisen. In this episode of Digging Deep, Erica shares the secret to success that she learned during a childhood standoff over pizza, and the tools she used to launch one new venture after another. There are people who may have thought, back in her MuchMusic days, that Erica Ehm would have her moment on TV and that would be the last we’d hear from her. But they couldn’t have been more wrong.

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Dr. Joanne Liu has a fascinating life story. She is currently a pediatric emergency medicine physician, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Montreal, and Professor of Clinical Medicine at McGill University. She is also the former International President of Medicins Sans Frontieres, or Doctors Without Borders. In this episode of Digging Deep, Dr. Liu shares her deeply informed perspective on the many lessons of the pandemic, including how we failed to unite globally in response to COVID-19 and how we might repeat that mistake in the future. She also shares remarkable stories about her childhood as the daughter of immigrants, her experiences providing care in some of the most devastated areas of the world, why you should be a giver instead of a taker, and how she set out with the goal of changing the world, but it was actually the world that changed her.

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There are likely very few people from Tisdale, Saskatchewan who have thrown out the first pitch at Wrigley Field or performed for Queen Elizabeth. Brent Butt has done both. In this episode of The Digging Deep Podcast, the writer, actor, and performer best known for his hit TV show Corner Gas talks about growing up the youngest of seven kids, his semi-competitive arm wrestling career, and how he pursued the only job he ever wanted. Through it all, he holds onto the belief that you don’t learn from success, and that you have to stumble, fall, and take some punches along the way. Brent also talks about his next venture – a novel that he says is not what people will be expecting from him. We learn why stubbing your toe is worse than being punched in the face, why The Catcher in the Rye is actually a comedy, and that life is gonna kick you in the teeth no matter what, so you might as well take the beating in pursuit of your dream.

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In this special Valentine’s Day episode of Digging Deep, Mark is sitting down to talk with his wife, Ginny Sutcliffe. Ginny is Chief of Staff to the President at Canada School of Public Service, and is a mother, who with Mark has three children. Mark and Ginny start off with some rapid-fire questions, like any other episode. Then, they begin to dig deep into the New York Times famous 36 Questions That Lead to Love, asking each other bold questions about life, death, and everything in between.

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The most decorated figure skater in Olympic history, world champion athletes and all-star Olympians dig deep as Mark revisits these record-breaking highlights. This special bonus episode of Digging Deep features gold-medalist Tessa Virtue, world champion Perdita Felicien, three-time national champion Elizabeth Manley, and Evan Dunfee’s refusal, and then redemption in his quest for a spot on the podium.

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If you have followed any of her high-profile cases, you know a little bit about Marie Henein, the prominent criminal lawyer. But there’s probably a lot you don’t know. In this episode of Digging Deep, Marie shares her fascinating life story, including her experiences as an immigrant and her special relationship with her uncle. We talk about her mother's fierce belief that women's lives and opportunities should be no different from men's. We discuss the harsh reaction she often gets for defending people accused of sexual assault and other crimes, and Marie's strongly held and thought-provoking views about the justice system. And as Marie says, we are all more than one thing. Beneath a tough, resilient, self-confident exterior, Marie also has a silly side and loves not just her work, but clothing and Christmas cartoons.

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Writer, historian, academic, and former politician Michael Ignatieff joins Digging Deep for a wide-ranging conversation on one of the most poignant and enduring aspects of human life: how we cope with loss. Drawing on his new book, On Consolation, Ignatieff shares how he lost both his father and mother within just a few years of each other, and how he came to accept that loss. He talks about how sometimes consolation isn’t possible and that it’s not always necessary to find meaning in tragedy. He provides a powerful reminder that human life has not changed as much as we think it has over the centuries, and that whatever we experience has been experienced by others over the centuries. He also talks about the changes he sees happening in the world and his hope in what he calls “the fiendish ingenuity of the human species.” Michael touches on his time as a politician, and shares some very candid opinions on the current state of politics. Listen in as we talk about dreaming big, the humbling experience that is life, and Michael's overarching message that we are not alone.

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Not every entrepreneur begins their career in the world of espionage, but that's where Matt Holland, the co-founder and CEO of Field Effect, got his start. Since then, he's taken his frustration with the state of cybersecurity and turned it into a successful business. In this episode of The Digging Deep Podcast, Matt tells the story of how he left his government job and went on to start two businesses. You'll hear a lot of great lessons about both entrepreneurship and cybersecurity, and we talk a lot about the role of a CEO, and how to build the best team. Matt also provides some tips on how to keep ourselves more secure online, including the one easy thing he says we can all do to get an extra layer of security. This episode is a conversation about trying to fix not just a problem, but a whole industry. It’s about being okay with failure, but trying not to fail big. It’s about quietly listening and learning from those around you, and creating an atmosphere where everybody gets to be the hero. And it’s about how the best bet you can make is a bet on yourself.

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On September 11, 2001, in the south tower of the World Trade Center, only 18 people at or above the point of impact survived. Brian Clark was one of those 18 people. More than 20 years later, Brian joins the Digging Deep Podcast to talk about how that day has shaped his life. He describes the thoughts and emotions he experienced that day, and how on-the-spot decisions affected his fate – and the fates of those around him. His story brings up many unanswerable questions about the choices we make, and Brian doesn’t have any answers to those questions. In fact, a key part of what he teaches us is that we shouldn’t even be asking them in the first place. He doesn’t linger in the past, and he doesn’t waste too much time worrying about the future, either. He tells us that things will unfold as they should, and all you can do is live well and love well.

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Former Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien made a career out of being underestimated. In this episode of the Digging Deep Podcast, Chrétien talks about how he became successful, why he was so competitive, and what principles he brought to leadership. He also talks about growing up as the 18th of 19 children, meeting the love of his life, and his first leadership role as the coach and general manager of his hockey team.....when he was just 12 years old. And, he shares insights into what it takes to be an accomplished leader, including under-promising and over-delivering, patience, forgiveness, and second chances. He talks about using conviction, rather than fear, to lead people. And with his 88th birthday approaching, we talk about what keeps him going and how he is as busy as ever.

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Writer, journalist, and expert parallel parker Chris Jones joins Mark to look back on some of the most impactful moments from the show so far. Mark and Chris reflect on the top takeaways from Murray Sinclair, Janice Dean, Ron Maclean and more in this year end special. From all of us at Digging Deep, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Thank you to Chris Jones for joining me, and his new book 'The Eye Test: A Case for Human Creativity in the Age of Analytics' comes out January 11, 2022!

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Author and podcaster Paul Myers wanted to be a rock star, not a journalist and storyteller. But his career has taken him to some amazing places. He’s written books about Long John Baldry, Todd Rundgren, the Barenaked Ladies, and The Kids in the Hall. He’s interviewed Elton John, and spent time in Alcatraz with Stevie Nicks. He’s working on a new book about comedian John Candy. And he's the host of the fascinating Record Store Day podcast. In this episode of Digging Deep, we learn about Paul's creative family, where his love of music began, and delve into the connection between music and memory. He also talks about luck, taking chances, and embracing change. Paul speaks candidly about his relationship with alcohol, and how a question from his wife more than 20 years ago put him on the path to sobriety. And, he tells the story of how an interview with the legendary Randy Bachman ended up with Paul joining him on stage for a concert and even getting an invitation to his wedding.

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Only a few years ago, Amanda Jetté Knox was living a relatively quiet existence with the love of her life and their three children. An email from her middle child changed all that. And then, only a year later, a conversation with her spouse in a Walmart parking lot brought about even more change. Now, Amanda uses the story of her family as a platform to help and inspire other LGBTQ families. In this episode, we talk about why she feels it’s important to share her journey, and the lessons she learned from years of living a life focused on making everyone else happy. She explains why it’s actually good to know things won’t work out the way you planned. And we talk a lot about changes that turn into something bigger than one person or one family – spreading a message of acceptance and inclusivity around the world.

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Jay Van Bavel is not your average Manhattanite professor, and this is not your average conversation. Jay explains how group identity shapes our minds and our behaviours – giving us common goals, but in some cases, driving deep divisions. He describes how being part of a group can make us better and healthier -- but also leaves us vulnerable to group-think. We talk about why choosing the right group is the most important decision you’ll make in your life, how identity shapes our response to tragedy, and how a piece of cubed cheese almost killed him, but also helped him form a much deeper relationship.

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How do you generate a big following on social media? What does it take to make a video go viral? No one knows better than Stewart Reynolds, whose videos have been viewed more than 600 million times. Better known as Brittlestar, Stewart is a prolific producer of online content, releasing videos that make people laugh but also carry a message. Stewart explains how, at the age of 43, he turned making videos online into a way to make a living. He admits that while luck definitely plays a role, it also takes focus, humility, and the ability to stay out of your own way. He also talks about acknowledging anxiety, and the importance of prioritizing your own mental health -- especially as the pandemic changes how we live and how we consume content. And, he shares a story that he says proves the world ended in 2012.  

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At 35 years of age, Kate Bowler was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, and was told she had a very small chance of surviving. She has outlived her prognosis, and now takes on mortality with wisdom, thoughtfulness, and humour. In this episode of the Digging Deep podcast, Kate shares how we can find meaning without everything being a lesson, and takes us past some of the cliches associated with life and death. She challenges a lot of assumptions, and shares her profound perspective about the fragility of life and the lack of control we have. Kate also displays her characteristic humour as she talks about her son’s giant eyeballs, about being poisoned by a snake, and even her cancer journey. 

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Thirty-five years ago, Rick Hansen wheeled his way around the world, covering 40,000 kilometres through 34 countries. The Man in Motion continues to inspire people every day with his outlook on life, his optimism, and his gratitude. In this episode of the Digging Deep podcast, Rick tells us how that optimism helped him move forward after he was paralyzed from the waist down at the age of 15. He also talks about how much of the stress and anxiety that holds us back comes from within, and how if we stop looking at loss and disability, then we can start looking at the future through the lens of hope and possibilities. Rick shares the milestones he wants to see when it comes to inclusivity for those living with disabilities, and what he believes will happen in the near future -- perhaps with the help of one of the world’s richest men. And he explains why he thinks a stickman in a wheelchair should not be the symbol of accessibility.

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You may know Vincenzo Guzzo best as “Mr. Sunshine” on Dragon’s Den but he has his hand in a lot of different projects. In this episode of the Digging Deep Podcast, Vincenzo shares his thoughts on giving things up in the name of success, the upside of failure, and why sometimes, you just have to admit that something’s not working and walk away. We also talk about his experience as a child of immigrants, and why he’s always a bit of an outsider, no matter where he is -- as well as the motivation he draws from that feeling. 

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In 2009, television host Michael Landsberg made a last-minute decision to share his story about struggling with mental illness. It launched him on a path that would redefine his life and his work. In this candid and inspiring episode of the Digging Deep podcast, Michael opens up about his childhood, his career path, and how advocating for mental health has turned into his life’s work. He also shares for the first time a story about how anxiety affected him as a child. Michael explains how failing made him take a chance and discover there was a place for him in the world, and has some words of advice for business leaders on how they can show mental health leadership in the workplace. He also talks about the lie he thinks some people tell about marriage, his obsession with the Second World War, and the day he congratulated a stranger who said he didn’t like him. 

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How can you do great work instead of good work, say yes and no to the right things, and choose the impact you have on the world? Michael Bungay Stanier, bestselling author of The Coaching Habit and founder of Box of Crayons, shares his wisdom and expertise. He talks about how you don't need to have your life planned out; in fact, a cancelled flight, a lost job opportunity, and getting fired led him to the career he has today. He explains his method for developing new habits, describes how he is striving to infect the world with the possibility virus, and shares why he is striving to be deeply defeated by ever-greater things. Plus, the story of his role in developing a whiskey that was once called ‘the worst single-malt in existence.’

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