Fearless Women Podcast By Janice McDonald

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enJune 18, 2021

Leadership and Listening with Coach Boyd - Gee-Gees Women's Rugby at uOttawa

My guest today knows how to win! Jen Boyd is an inspiring coach that I wish I had the chance to be coached by in my earlier days - but I’ve never played rugby, only watched it.

Coach Jen Boyd’s rugby career stretches over three decades during which time she played club, provincial, and Canadian national level rugby. For the 2017 season, Boyd was made a full time coach with the University of Ottawa, making her the first full time female rugby head coach in Canada!

At 11:13 min in Coach Boyd shares what she wishes she knew earlier

"The power of empathetic listening - really listening to understand. I didn't do that till probably my 40's -cause I though it was about me, and leadership, mentorship, coaching, teaching - it's not about you. It's about everyone else, and that has been my greatest learning. I wish I knew that sooner. I wish someone would have told me to listen more..."

Check out the book! - Fearless: Girls with Dreams, Women with Vision

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enJune 11, 2021

Catherine Cano - Founder and CEO of CanoVision

My guest today is Catherine Cano - Founder and CEO of Canovision. So much has happened in her career since she joined me on show back in 2019, when she was the CEO of CPAC.

In this episode Catherine talks about leadership in times of crisis, through her experiences as a fearless COO of a large global organization. We also discuss what the future of work needs to look like, as more people are vaccinated around the world, and slowly some countries are beginning to open up. It's great to think about the lessons learned so far from these challenging times.

At 6:02 min in, hear Catherine Cano share the experience of Covid 19 becoming a global pandemic.

"Ya, I'd been actually traveling for three weeks, and landing in Burkina Faso, a little small country in the west of the continent. They took our temperature, and gave us hand sanitizer. And it was funny for me because I had just spoken to the headquarter in Paris, where things were good, ya know, we had one or two cases... there was no sense of emergency. And then suddenly in those countries they were actually careful, preventive. So it told me that their instincts were right, And so, I came back to Paris and decided to create what we call a crisis cell."

Check out the book! - Fearless: Girls with Dreams, Women with Vision

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enJune 04, 2021

Ellie Fields - Chief Product & Engineering Officer at SalesLoft

This weeks guest joins us from Seattle! It's Ellie Fields, who is the new Chief Product and Engineering Officer at SalesLoft . It's a company that is frequently recognized for its award winning culture, and a company that combines the art of selling, with the science of technology to help sellers build trust and make meaningful connections with buyers - even when the worlds gone digital.

Ellie has an Undergraduate Degree in Engineering and also holds an MBA from Stanford. As a women in tech she has lots to share from her very impressive career. We'll hear about that and more!

At 9:53 hear Ellie share what she's learned about the world of work

"I think that there's just so much variety out there. I really didn't know much about the world of work when I entered it, and I spent a lot of my first few years learning , but I didn't realize how many ways there were to approach problems... how many different companies, how many different paths there are out there. I think I had a much more rigid view of what the world was, and I think today I see... ya know I see kids come out of college... and I think there's a lot more awareness of different paths you can take, and different patterns. I'd encourage people to investigate that and look at that and if a standard career ladder doesn't work for you, just switch it up and see what you can do to do something different."

Check out the book! - Fearless: Girls with Dreams, Women with Vision

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enMay 28, 2021

Kirstine Stewart - Head of Shaping the Future of Media, at the World Economic Forum

This weeks guest has a bio that's so impressive, and she continues to dazzle - it's Kirstine Stewart! If her name sounds familiar it might be because she is a high profile media executive and author of the bestselling book: Our Turn.

She is currently the Head of Shaping the Future of Media at the World Economic Forum. She was formerly the Head of English language services at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Vice-President of Media at Twitter, and President and Chief Revenue Officer of TribalScale...to name a few.

Kirstine is married to the Honourable Zaib Shaikh, the former star of Little Mosque on the Prairie, and the current consul general of Canada in Los Angeles.

At hear 17:35 Kirstine Stewart share a story about the right way to handle a sales deal.

"One of my earliest sales opportunities was to sell The Raccoons to Saudi Arabian television. They were willing to buy it site unseen, the BBC had just bought it, France 2 had just bought it, it was selling wildly globally, and it's a kids show - so should be relatively safe. But when I warned them that, ya know, given that they're a Muslim country, and that some of the main characters were pigs.... that they shouldn't be buying the same site unseen. That might want to consider that before doing so. I could have in that pitch made that sale immediately, but it was not the right deal to close. They said thank you very much, they did not buy the show, they came back later and bought a whole lotta other content afterwards anyways. So understanding what you client or audience needs is so important, and the authenticity means you're giving them what they need and what they want - and exactly that."

Check out Kirstine Stewart's book! - Our Turn

Check out the book! - Fearless: Girls with Dreams, Women with Vision

The World Economic Forum

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enMay 21, 2021

Fatima Zaidi - Founder & CEO of Quill Inc.

My impressive guest today is Fatima Zaidi. She is the CEO and Co-Founder of Quill Inc. - the world’s first one-stop marketplace, where podcasters can find pre-vetted expert freelancers! She is also the owner of the Listen In Conference, held in LA, that supports brands moving into podcasting.

Fatima is a member of the National Speakers Bureau, a commentator for BNN Bloomberg,. and a contributor to The Globe and Mail. She has won two Top 30 under 30 awards, the Young Professional of the Year by Notable Life, and one of Flare Magazine’s Top 100 Women. See? Impressive!

At 19:02 hear Fatima share her current thoughts on the pandemic

"Oh my goodness, everything is bugging me right now, I'd love to ya know, see my family again.... I cannot wait to walk down an isle and hear those magical words this is your captain speaking...lol. I think when all of this is over I'm gonna do a reverse quarantine, which mean, I'm not going home - ever! I think about all the plans that I used to turn down before all of this, and regret it , and I'll longfully... willfully think about those days, summer patio days and days at the cottage, but I would say right now I'm more or less feeling very grateful that this is almost over. I'm glad that all my friends and family are all healthy. That I think is the most important thing."

Check out the book! - Fearless: Girls with Dreams, Women with Visio

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enMay 14, 2021

Claire Haidar - CEO and Founder at WNDYR

I’m excited to welcome this weeks guest, Claire Haidar. Claire is Co-founder and CEO of WNDYR and Pattyrn: two companies focused on shaping the world of work, through AI-driven data analysis of how and where teams work. Pattyrn is transforming organizations to work in ways that were inconceivable a mere few years ago.

Claire is also a Board member of UNICEF, talkSTEM and AccelerateHer - organizations that are making a monumental impact in working environments around the world, for humanity at large. We have so much to talk about!

At 8:36 hear Clair Haidar describe the girl that grew into the woman she is today!

"My little daugher recently called me an "earthotologist" - she literally made the word up in the moment, and she couldn't have been more accurate. Like, if you go back to my 9... 10 year old self, than I am the epitome of an "earthotologist." I hated wearing clothes. I had a fish pond in the back garden, and a huge huge avocado pear tree. And, I used to spend every waking hour, that I could, under this tree and in this fish pond. And I would climb this tree as high as I possible could to see how strong the branches were before they would start cracking."

Check out the book Claire Haidar references: Out of Many 1

Check out the book - Fearless: Girls with Dreams, Women with Vision

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enMay 07, 2021

Amy Kiernan - Sector Lead At Twitter and Professional Coach

My guest today is Amy Kiernan. She’s sector leader at Twitter, leading a sales team. Amy's a professional coach, and a self described game addict, who says that walks among trees makes her happy. She’s going to tell us about that and so much more!

At 6:12 min in, Amy's shares her thoughts on handling the "keyboard courage" of others.

"It doesn't sit well, it's unfortunate that that happens, across all platforms. What I would say is, don't be silenced, continue sharing your message, that's the most important thing. Focus on what it is that your purpose is, and don't' be silenced - don't listen"

Check out the book - Fearless: Girls with Dreams, Women with Vision

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enApril 30, 2021

Jackie Danchek, OFX Head of Corporate Clients - North America

My guest this week is Jackie Danchek. Jackie is Head of Corporate and eCommerce Dealing for North America at International Fintech Company, OFX.

According to Jackie, the finance and tech industries have always had many obstacles for women looking to make their way into a leadership position. She says, Although it’s a step toward breaking down barriers into the Wall Street - boy’s club, the recent news of Jane Fraser’s appointment to CEO at Citigroup is only a small victory. Jackie has many insights to share from her career as an expert and leader in the complex high stakes area of finance, that is international currency exchange - where she helps businesses move money across borders. She’s going to tell us more about being in finance and tech and so much more. .

Hear Jackie recall her thoughts about the 2016 election at 23:06min

"I can remember... I mean the election in 2016 was a real turning point in my life. And, I was angry, I was sad. I can remember going to the polls that day, with my cousin, we were both so excited, we were like, this is the day we've been waiting for, that a women's going to be President. I'm so proud that I'm voting in this election. And then, it just all came crashing down and went the other way, and at the time it felt like, oh my gosh, how did this happen. Her book being titled "What Happened" is so appropriate, - that's exactly what I was saying. And I think that was kind of the point in my life where I was like, ok, just because I'm a women in finance that doesn't mean that I need to be held back."

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enApril 23, 2021

Diversity and Women in Tech, With Laura McGee - Founder and CEO of Diversio

I have a very exciting Fearless guest for you today! If you look up impressive in the dictionary, you’re going to find her name. I'm talking about Laura McGee. She's the founder and CEO of Diversio, a tech startup that uses AI to help organizations become more inclusive. Diversio works with clients in 30 countries around the world, and has been featured at global events like the G20 and Davos.

Prior to Diversio, Laura was a consultant at McKinsey & Company - with a focus on economic growth. She was named a Top 25 Women of Influence in 2017, and currently serves as Co-Chair of Canada’s Expert Panel on Women Entrepreneurs. Her board positions include ArcTern Ventures, Global Citizen, University of Waterloo, Ted Rogers School of Management, and, she is a David Rockefeller Fellow with the Trilateral Commission!

At 22:24 hear Laura's #1 advice for people thinking of becoming a tech entrepreneur

"Number one, don't listen to any of the conventional wisdom. So... anyone can become an entrepreneur, that's not something that you're born with or without - in my opinion. So if you think you have an idea, and you think you wanna take the leap, just do it, commit. Try it out for six months, if it doesn't work the world is not over. Everyone has a backup plan, and I know that's said from a place of privilege and not everyone has the same backup plan as others. But I really do believe if you're passionate and crafty you'll work it out."

enApril 16, 2021

Laxmi Parthasarathy - Chief Operating Officer of Global Press

My guest today joins us from Washington DC! She has many accolades in her very impressive career. She wears tons of hats, including: COO, author, mentor, founder, speaker, and passionate advocate. It's Laxmi Parthasarathy, Chief Operating Officer of Global Press.

She leads global operations across each Global Press brand, spearheads the global expansion strategy to build new bureaus, and develops new partnership strategies to bolster the organization's reach and long-term sustainability. Over her career, she has led initiatives at the intersection of media and development in Canada, India, Rwanda, Mexico, Spain, Argentina and the UK. And that’s just a small sampling of her many achievements!

At 17:59 Laxmi shares a story about her humble beginnings into the business world

"Ya know, when I was 10 I was doing all sorts of strange things. I started a leaf raking crew - is what we called it. I would gather everybody on our street and we'd start racking leaves and be so excited when we got five dollars. I'm not sure I knew what I was doing back then, but it was a fun way to be with friends and try to gather people together. and do something productive"

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enApril 09, 2021

Ending Energy Poverty With President of Growing Greener Innovations, Connie Stacey

I have an incredible guest to share with you today! She is on a mission to end energy poverty globally. She's designed a modular battery powered generator. It is her response to the loud, noxious, combustion engine generators that currently dominate the market.

I'm talking about Growing Greener Innovations President, Connie Stacey. And her job just got a little easier. She is the 2021 winner of the Pitch For The Purse program from The Forum - which included a $50,000 dollar prize. We'll talk about that and much more.

At 10:30min in, Connie recounts her Pitch For The Purse!

Janice "You pitched in front of an audience of almost 2 thousand viewers, and ultimately won the 50 thousand dollar purse. Tell us about that experience?"

Connie "Ya know I think the very last thing I ended up saying, was on a questions, they asked me... why you, why now? And I said, well, I believe what we have built is truly the cell phone of power. And like the cell phone brought communication to every corner of the world, we're gonna bring energy" - mic drop

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enApril 02, 2021

Jaime Leverton - CEO at Hut 8 Mining Corp.

I have an exciting Fearless guest for you today! I’ve been a fan girl since I first met her - years ago - when I was Board Chair of Women in Communications and Technology in Canada, and she had already stacked up a ton of well deserved accolades. I’m talking about Jaime Leverton.

Jamie is the CEO of the publicly listed bitcoin mining company HUT 8. She's been a driving force behind the operational re-imagining of some of Canada’s most important tech companies, with senior executive roles at; eStruxture, Cogeco Peer 1, National Bank, BlackBerry, Bell Canada, and IBM Canada. She’s an avid runner, a mom, and a volunteer serving on boards including: Stratford Festival, Technation and more!

Hear some wisdom from Jaime Leverton at 15:54

"What I realized was, I had never done any networking. I didn't have relationships outside of that IBM bubble. And really, I felt alone a bit. And I had to think of myself and my career in a whole new way, and in a very self centered way. And so, rather than thinking about how I'm going to get the next promotion, and having that world view be how other people look at me, I flipped it, and all of the ownership became my own, and how was I going to drive myself to the new opportunity, and have people want me on their team and want me in a leadership role."

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enMarch 26, 2021

Lauren Kelly - Chief Marketing Officer at ThoughtExchange

I have an exciting Fearless guest for you today. Let me tell you all about this inspiring leader. Lauren Kelly is Chief Marketing Officer at ThoughtExchange. Prior to her current role, she held senior executive positions at PepsiCo, Dell, and Irvine Company. She's been recognized as a rising leader by numerous organizations including: the California Diversity Council, Internet Marketing Association - and that's just some of her accolades.

She has a passion for disruptive tech, global branding and go-to-market innovation. And, Lauren's attended the prestigious Harvard University - where I was on the Women’s Leadership Board - Harvard Kennedy School WAPPP . We'll talk about that and so much more!

At 22:23 hear Lauren talk about what she wishes she'd known earlier

"I wish I had known earlier that , there wasn't a single prescribed career path. I would say, I sent a few years trying to mold my own career moves and plan around the backgrounds of others. And that's not a bad approach at the beginning, but it has it's pitfalls... If you're looking at someone who's already made it to maybe, a place more senior and more advanced than you, their information is ten, to fifteen, to twenty years old - in terms of how they got there. So, you're modeling yourself after an older model, and presuming that what you're destined to do is entirely similar to what they're destined to do, and that what the world needs in the future , is what it needed in the past."

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enMarch 19, 2021

Lisa LaFlamme - Chief Anchor and Senior Editor of CTV News

Welcome to the Fearless Women Podcast. Season Three!

My guest today is Lisa LaFlamme, an important and trusted voice in Canada. She’s the Chief Anchor and Senior Editor of CTV National News.

She has an impressive career, and has covered many international events and conflicts, such as: the September 11th attacks , the War in Iraq, the Arab Spring in Cairo, and Hurricane Katrina.

She has also covered every Canadian Federal election since 1997, and every Olympic Games since 2006. She covered the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 2012, and the royal weddings of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, and Prince Harry and Meaghan Markle.

Hear Lisa talk about why she covers these important events at 23:45min

"On the ground, when you're doing these things, and you're driving through these cities...and check points.. and there's insurgents behind every cover in your brain, but you think, I am on my way to a school right now to interview a bunch of girls who are brave enough to go to school under these circumstances, so I am brave enough to go to their school and talk to them, so that Canadians can see... there is hope, even in Afghanistan at it's darkest Taliban days - there is hope."

enMarch 12, 2021

Radically Change Your Relationship to Fear - With Fear Expert Kristen Ulmer

My guest today is a thought leader, high performance facilitator, and a fear & anxiety expert - who when you look up the word fearless in the dictionary - her picture is right there!

This remarkable women is in the the Hall of Fame as the most ‘fearless’ woman extreme skier in the world - a record she held for 12 years. Kristen was also voted the most fearless woman athlete in North America, by the outdoor industry, beating out all other women athletes (specially women extreme athletes).

She is the author of: The Art of Fear: Why Conquering Fear Won’t Work and What to Do Instead. A book which radically challenges existing norms about this misunderstood emotion.

At 12:08 Kristen shares the first 3 (of four) levels to becoming intimate with fear. "See fear as a person, like a roommate in your life. You know, if you're in resistance to that roommate, you're going to have issues at home - right - and home being your body. If you accept that, ok they're going to be a part of my life, there's nothing I can do about it, ya know, it's a step in the right direction... but it's still offensive to fear. The third level, is where it gets really interesting, cause now you're no longer dealing with your fear intellectually, you're now dealing with it emotionally and physically, as you embrace your fear. Now, imagine if you embrace the roommate, you're no longer in your head, you're no longer thinking, you're now in your body, and having a physical experience."

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enMarch 05, 2021

Speaking Up and Including Others - With How She Hustles Founder, Emily Mills

I am so excited to welcome my guest today! A few words from a long list to describe her: trailblazer, changemaker, and inspirer.

I’m talking about Emily Mills, who has been recognized by WXN Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women, 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women, and Ryerson University’s Alumni Achievement Awards - to name a few.

Emily has brought women from the "How She Hustles" community to meet former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, and hosted a roundtable with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau - to highlight a few. Emily founded "How She Hustles" in 2010 - and since then, she has created one of Canada’s leading social networks for diverse professional women – from entrepreneurs who are making their mark in the start-up ecosystem, to corporate professionals who are changing the leadership landscape.

Hear Emily share a beautiful message of gratitude at 29:23min.

"I've had some amazing things happen, some of them you mentioned - of course our time lines don't tell the whole story, our digital bios don't tell the whole story... but if I look at the sum of my life, I am so grateful. Man, there have been so many things, even the things that were hard as hell. I feel like my steps were divinely ordered. And I don't say that with arrogance, but with the utmost humility. Like, my life was designed for a reason - all of our lives were designed for a reason. And I guess I just feel even more aware of that - now more than ever."

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enFebruary 26, 2021

At The Table - With Principal Nathalie Des Rosiers

My guest today is Nathalie Des Rosiers - the Principal of Massey College, at the University of Toronto. She is a former member of the Provincial Parliament for Ottawa-Vanier, and prior to entering politics, was the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Common law sector at the University of Ottawa (2013-2016). More recently, Nathalie was selected as a 2020 mentor with the prestigious Trudeau Foundation.

In addition to these impressive roles - and many more that we discuss in the interview, she has received the Order of Canada, and the Order of Ontario!

At 17:13 hear Nathalie Des Rosiers share some important wisdom about applying ourselves

"I applied to many jobs that I did not get, I call that the back of the CV... ya know the front of the CV is all the great things... you need to have applied to others things that you can't get. And you can't get a front of the CV unless you have a back of the CV. So, you apply, you get an interview... or not, but when you get interviewed you learn from that process... but I remember the first time that I applied to something that was a little bit beyond my reach... it's because a guy in my class had applied for this, and I thought, if he applied... why shouldn't I? It was my sense of... he has confidence, why don't I? And then pushed myself a little bit to do it."

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enFebruary 19, 2021

Having the Courage to Dream and Trust - With CEO Anna Crowe

I'm so excited to welcome entrepreneur extraordinaire Anna Crowe. She is Founder and CEO of Crowe PR , an Amazon bestselling author and adjunct Marketing Professor at University of San Diego. She has numerous awards and achievements in her fascinating career, and I’m excited to get her insights on what’s she learned from working with iconic brands in New York, LA and San Diego, and so much more.

Hear what Anne wished she knew earlier at 23:22 min, "Well, this is gonna sound a little woo-woo, but I honestly wish I trusted the Universe more... earlier in life. Sometimes things don't work out as you intended, and you get disappointed, right, or you have a hard time dealing with it, or keeping your belief. But, I find that time and time again the Universe shows you the reason why something didn't work out. So, letting go of something when it didn't work out, sooner, not dwelling on it, and believing that something better - or different, is meant to be, or is intended for you, and it's right around the corner.... it's kind of like that old classic song ""Que Sera Sera "" what will be will be, right."

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enFebruary 12, 2021

Getting Naked - With Author and Entrepreneur Joel Primus

My guest today is an inspiring person who has had tremendous success. Joel Primus is an author, speaker, award-winning documentary filmmaker, serial entrepreneur, and a man behind a premium underwear company Naked. Joel co-founded Kosan Travel , which launched one of the most successful Kickstarter apparel products of all time — reaching over $1M in sales in 30 days. He appeared on CBC’s hit show Dragon’s Den, was one of the inaugural BCBusiness 30 Under 30 entrepreneurs, and is also the author of a brand new book, Getting Naked.- The Bare Necessities of Entrepreneurship and Start Ups.

Here Joel tell the story of a massive stumbling block his company overcame at 11:42 min in.

"We got this order from Holt Renfrew, and I'm like, oh my gosh we're gonna be huge! Ya know fast forward, I get a call and somebody's like - I now know why you call the underwear naked, because it doesn't stay on when you were it. And I'm like, what do you mean? He's like, it falls right off. And obviously the feeling where your heart goes into your stomach - and sure enough, we had not design the product correctly for a number of the size categories, and the underwear just shot right off. - ya know, our waistband less theory had failed, and I had to retract 19,000 pairs of underwear I had to figure out how to turn the business around with this thing, and like, failure asks you the question - do you wanna keep going?"

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