What happens when you stop performing the life other people planned for you and start trusting your own voice? For most women, that shift is the real leadership work. It is quiet, it is uncomfortable, and it changes everything.

In this episode of the ChangeMaker Leader Podcast, I sit down with Karoline Bourdeau, founder of KRB Consulting and one of the most compelling voices in accessibility and inclusion in Canada. Karoline arrived in this country at age 12 as a blind immigrant with no formal education. She went on to earn two Arts degrees and a Law degree from Queen's University, build a career in accessibility and inclusion with organizations such as Fable Labs and Access Labs, and launch her own consulting company, designing training and educational programs that actually work for everyone.

Karoline knows what it means to be handed a script for your life and to hand it back. In our conversation, we talk about how she learned to trust her own judgment when the world kept underestimating her, why resilience is built and not born, and how to tell the difference between what others want for you and what you actually want for yourself.

If you have ever felt the pull between the path expected of you and the one calling you, this conversation is your permission slip.

Connect with Karoline Bourdeau on LinkedIn and learn more about KRB Consulting.

The ChangeMaker Leader Podcast is hosted by Leigh Mitchell, Founder of Women in Biz Network and creator of the Own Your Imprint leadership framework.

We are Canada’s most welcoming community for women who love business and want to make positive change in the world together. We believe every woman deserves a place where she is welcomed before she is judged, encouraged before she is evaluated, and connected before she is expected to succeed on her own. Our job board is where opportunity meets belonging, with every employer vetted for benefits and culture that help women build a future they actually want.

What does it actually take to go from a side hustle to a full time business? In this episode of the ChangeMaker Leader Podcast, Leigh Mitchell sits down with David Kwok of YSpace, York University's pan-university entrepreneurship and innovation hub, to talk about what real support for founders looks like at every stage of the journey.

David has spent over a decade building the programs and partnerships that help entrepreneurs move from idea to mass retail, from local hustle to international opportunity. In this conversation, we get into what YSpace offers, who it is for, and how founders at any stage, including women stepping into business for the first time or scaling what they have already built, can access it.

What you will learn in this conversation:

• What YSpace is and how it supports founders across every stage, from side hustle to scaled venture
• How equity driven programs like ELLA, powered by Desjardins, are creating real pathways for women led ventures
• What it takes for agri-food and product based businesses to break into mass retail
• How sector focused initiatives like SmartTO are shaping innovation in mobility and automotive
• Why YSpace's three physical hubs across Toronto, Markham, and Georgina matter for entrepreneurs building locally and globally
• 
  

This conversation is for the woman who has an idea she has not acted on yet, the founder juggling a side hustle alongside a full time job, and the established business owner ready to scale with the right support behind her.

Connect with David Kwok: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkwokk/

Learn more about YSpace: https://www.yorku.ca/yspace/

Leigh Mitchell is a Trauma-Informed Leadership Brand Strategist, Founder of Women in Biz Network (35,000+ members), and host of the ChangeMaker Leader Podcast. She helps Women+ ChangeMakers own their imprint, unapologetically.

Learn more: https://changemakerco.org

Join WIBN: https://womeninbiznetwork.com

Subscribe for weekly leadership, branding, and AI insights for women in business.

Welcome back to the ChangeMaker Leader Podcast. Today is for The Art of the Possibility: Leading a Non-Linear Life with Christine Brooks-Cappadocia 

Your career was never supposed to look like a straight line. Women Changemakers are often rebuilding, pivoting, or finally giving themselves permission to lead differently. Here at Women in Biz Network, we support women in being themselves unapologetically and in leading from their strengths and values.

In this episode of the ChangeMaker Leader Podcast, I sit down with Christine Brooks-Cappadocia, Vice-President of Continuing Studies at York University, to talk about what it really means to lead with curiosity, navigate a non-linear career path, and reclaim joy without sacrificing effectiveness. Christine went from a fine arts degree to running one of the largest continuing education schools in North America, and the through-line was never a plan. It was a mindset.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why a non-linear career path is a leadership advantage, not a liability 
• How to stay connected to curiosity and creativity when institutional demands pull you toward convention
• What reclaiming balance actually looks like for a senior woman leader, beyond the polished version
• How lifelong learning shows up in real life, not just on a resume 
• Why the art of the possible is not optimism but a practiced leadership skill 

Christine Brooks-Cappadocia is a social intrapreneur, educator, and community builder whose career spans healthcare, the arts, social services, and higher education. She leads York University's School of Continuing Studies, serving approximately 6,000 learners annually, and has spent her career building ecosystems where opportunity is the point.

Christine hosts the Successfully Ambiguous Podcast across all major platforms.

Connect With Leigh Mitchell and Women in Biz Network

After 15 years of building Women in Biz Network (with 35,000+ supported and 1,500+ women mentored in Mentor Your Biz), I know this: visibility barriers are confidence barriers. The Own Your Imprint & Positioning Prism framework is trauma-informed for inner leadership and brand building, and the results are unapologetically real. Visit womeninbusinessnow.com to become a member today.

#ChangeMakerLeaders #WomenInBusiness #OwnYourImprint #LeadershipDevelopment #PodcastForWomen #PersonalBranding #WomenEntrepreneurs #ImpactLeaders #MentorCulture #BusinessGrowth

Suggested tags

women in business, leadership podcast, non-linear career, women in leadership, lifelong learning, ChangeMaker Leader Podcast, Women in Biz Network, Leigh Mitchell, Own Your Imprint, Christine Brooks-Cappadocia, York University continuing studies, career pivot for women, how to lead with curiosity, reclaiming balance as a leader, how to navigate a non-linear career path

The Brave Move That Changes Everything: Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone to Unlock Your Purpose

What if the thing you have been searching for is not ahead of you, but already inside you, waiting to be seen?

In this episode of the ChangeMaker Leader Podcast, host Leigh Mitchell sits down with Jill Valentine, founder of Ugo Impact and creator of the Ugo Triple Change Effect Model, for a conversation about purpose, identity, and what it really means to do brave things before you know where they will lead.

About This Episode

Leigh shares her personal story of joining a transformational trip to Costa Rica nearly a decade ago, not fully knowing what she was looking for, and walking away with the discovery that would reshape her entire career. Jill walks us through the three pillars of her framework and explains why transformation is less about changing who you are and more about returning to who you have always been.

What You Will Walk Away With

• A new understanding of why stepping away from the familiar is often the fastest path to clarity
• The three pillars of the Ugo Triple Change Effect Model: Change Yourself, Change Your Community, and Change Your World
• How purpose evolves across the decades of a woman's life and why that shift is something to lean into
• Why ego-driven ambition eventually gives way to something more meaningful, and what to do when it does
• How clarity about your values can reveal misalignments in your work and relationships you did not even know were there

Leigh Also Opens Up About

• Her personal experience on a Ugo transformational trip and what it unlocked in her
• Perimenopause, brain rewiring, and the science behind why midlife can feel like a turning point
• Releasing shame around failure and learning to roll with it
• Rebuilding Women in Biz Network on her own terms and what that taught her about owning her imprint

This Episode Is For You If

• You feel like you have drifted from yourself
• You are successful on paper but quietly wondering if there is more
• You need permission to say yes to yourself for once

Connect With Our Guest

Jill Valentine is the founder of Ugo Impact and creator of the Ugo Triple Change Effect Model. Visit ugoimact.com and follow Ugo Impact on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Nepal trip details for November are live on the website. Visit at: https://ugoimpact.com/

Connect With Leigh and Women in Biz Network

Join a membership community built for women who are ready to grow with purpose. Visit womeninbusinessnow.com to become a member today.

Fifteen years ago, Leigh Mitchell was building a business that required her to stand in front of rooms full of people, and she could barely get through a sentence without wanting to disappear. She studied the speakers she admired. She tried to become them. It was a disaster.

In this episode, Leigh gets personal about her journey from stage fright to keynote stages, university classrooms, and boardrooms. She breaks down the four decisions that changed how she shows up every time she speaks, and none of them have anything to do with faking confidence.

In this episode you will hear about:

• Why trying to be a "great speaker" was the thing that held her back
• The difference between performing and resonating
• A one-sentence exercise that stops rambling and commands the room
• Why silence is authority
• How to shift your focus from self-consciousness to service
• The nervous system truth about stage fright that nobody talks about

This episode is for any woman who has ever held back from speaking up, stepping forward, or taking the stage because she thought she needed to be someone else first. You don't. Your voice, your story, and your lived experience are exactly what the room needs.

Learn more about membership: changemakerco.org

Read the full article and get the resources mentioned in this episode: changemakerbusiness.substack.com

Subscribe to Own Your Imprint on Substack for weekly insights from Leigh.

Searches for "feel overwhelmed," "stress relief," and "burnout from life" are all at all-time highs in 2026 — and if you're feeling it too, you're not alone. This video gives you a science-backed, 20-minute nervous system reset routine you can do twice a day to regulate stress, reduce cortisol, and reclaim your calm.

This routine integrates vestibular (balance/inner ear), visual (gaze/tracking), and limbic (emotional regulation) techniques — the same tools used in trauma therapy and nervous system rehabilitation.

⏱ IN THIS VIDEO — YOUR 20-MINUTE ROUTINE:

Why your nervous system needs a daily reset

Phase 1: Limbic Grounding & Centring (5 min)

↳ Orienting to Safety

↳ The Voo Breath (vagus nerve activation)

↳ Self-Soothing Touch

Phase 2: Visual & Vestibular Coordination (10 min)

↳ Gaze Stabilization (VOR x1)

↳ Saccades — Rapid Eye Shifts

↳ Smooth Pursuit

↳ Head Nods & Turns (Eyes Closed)

Phase 3: Dynamic Integration & Proprioception (5 min)

↳ The Arch and Flatten

↳ Heel-to-Toe Stance

↳ Shaking Out Tension

Morning vs. Evening — how to use this routine

📊 WHY THIS MATTERS RIGHT NOW:

Search interest in cortisol has nearly doubled since January 2026 and hit an all-time high for the third consecutive month. "Burnout at work" and "burnout from life" are also at all-time highs. "Emotional flooding" has doubled in searches this year. Your nervous system is under more pressure than ever — this routine is your daily antidote.

🔗 RESOURCES & NEXT STEPS:

📥 Download Exercise Card Set

🌐 Join the Women in Biz Network Community

📺 Watch on ChangeMaker Leader YouTube Channel

What actually happens when ambitious women stop scrolling 

and start showing up?

In this episode, Leigh Mitchell sits down with Kim and Linda 

of My Creative Break for a conversation about the magic that 

unfolds when driven women gather in person — the spark, the 

stories, and the sisterhood that no DM can replicate.

"The most powerful thing we ever did was create a space where women felt safe enough to be ambitious out loud."

If you've been craving connection that goes deeper than a LinkedIn comment — this episode is your sign to show up differently. Leigh Mitchell, Founder of Women in Biz Network, sits down with Kim and Linda, the creative duo behind My Creative Break, to explore what truly happens when ambitious women meet face-to-face.

This is a conversation about more than networking. It's about what becomes possible when women feel seen, supported, and surrounded by others who get it. In this episode, we cover:

🔹 The story behind My Creative Break and why Kim & Linda knew women needed a different kind of space

🔹 What shifts emotionally when ambitious women gather in person versus online

🔹 Why creativity and community are deeply connected for women in business

🔹 The moments of belonging that neither of them expected — and never forgot

🔹 How to build a room where ambitious women actually feel free to be themselves

🔹 What Leigh, Kim & Linda have all learned about showing up — for others and for yourself

This is the conversation you didn't know you needed. Pull up a chair. You belong here. ✨ Women in Biz Network has been creating spaces like this since 2010 — because community isn't a perk.

Dr. Jim is a Generation-0 immigrant and lifelong revenue leader who now runs a GTM consultancy for stage-zero founders. He integrates sales, marketing, and partnerships into a single buyer-aligned motion to create frictionless, loyalty-building experiences.

We dig into why the old “more activity = more revenue” playbook falls flat in the attention economy — and how AI can actually help you become more human, not more spammy. From ditching funnels for buyer-journey “rivers” to embedding a content layer that educates and inspires, this episode is a masterclass in modern go-to-market, leadership, and values-driven brand building.

Critical Takeaways

1. Use AI to be more human, not more scalable. Automation that prioritizes volume over relevance tanks trust. Deploy AI to research, personalize, and reduce friction not to mass-blast your TAM.
2. Replace the funnel with the river. Align to the buyer journey, flow with their priorities, and collaborate rather than push them through stages. That shift turns resistance into partnership.
3. Embed a content layer to reduce sales friction. Earned media and consistent teaching create rapport at scale and let buyers pre-qualify you before the first call.
4. Lead with service; reputation takes care of itself. Treat every interaction as an experience. Own mistakes, fix them with the customer, and play the long game: customers for life.
5. Great leaders listen 3–4x more than they talk. Your job isn’t to clone yourself — it’s to discover team strengths and put people in positions to win.
6. Values are a strategy. Say who you serve (and who you don’t). Focus your brand, decline misaligned work, and super-serve the aligned audience.

Quotes

• “AI should make you more human — not more of the same spam.”
• “Stop forcing people through a funnel; align to their river.”
• “Content lets you have meaningful conversations with 100% of your market.”
• “Money is a byproduct of doing the right thing, over and over.”
• “As a new leader, listen more, talk less, and unlock strengths.”
• “State your values out loud — you can’t be all things to all people.”
• “Don’t be the mosquito of someone’s inbox.”

Episode Chapters

• 00:00 – Welcome & why “feet on the street” stopped working
• 03:20 – Dr. Jim’s origin story: from early entrepreneurship to GTM
• 06:40 – AI in sales: more volume ≠ more trust
• 10:00 – Earned media, authenticity, and the content layer
• 13:20 – Ditching funnels: the buyer-journey river metaphor
• 16:45 – Becoming a partner, not resistance: meeting buyers where they are
• 20:00 – Reputation as an outcome of service (and owning mistakes)
• 23:20 – Leadership 101: listen, ask, and play to strengths
• 26:40 – Values as filter: who to serve and who to avoid
• 30:00 – Platform choices, attention economy, and showing up
• 33:15 – Personal brand basics: rapport, trust, and credibility
• 36:30 – Work-life integration vs. balance; avoiding “pot-committed”
• 39:50 – Wrap and AMA

In an attention economy drowning in automated outreach, “more” is a race to the bottom. My mentor and ChangeMaker Leader Speaker, Dr. Jim, laid it out plainly: AI should make us more human, not more robotic.

The Problem

Legacy revenue models were built for a world where sellers controlled information. We don’t live there anymore. Buyers show up armed with research, peer reviews, and opinions — often more context than the average rep has. When we respond with volume tactics (auto-DMs, sequencers, zero-context LI pitches), we don’t look “proactive”; we look lazy. Worse, we burn the relationship before it starts.

The result: inbox fatigue on the buyer side, reputation damage on the seller side, and a pipeline that looks busy but converts like a desert.

What We Learned from the Conversation

Use AI to Be More Human

AI isn’t the problem; the way we use it is. If the goal is “touch more people,” you’ll ship noise. If the goal is “understand this person better,” you’ll ship relevance. I’m doubling down on AI for research, note-taking, pattern spotting, and content repurposing — the unsexy stuff that creates a better 1:1 experience. Automation should reduce friction, not trust.

Replace the Funnel with the River

I’ve taught funnels for years, and I still use the mental model — but Jim’s river metaphor hit home. Funnels encourage us to move buyers. Rivers force us to move with buyers. Practically, that means anchoring campaigns to the stages buyers actually experience (problem aware → options aware → change-ready), and measuring progress by buyer momentum, not our internal stage gates.

Add a Content Layer to Your GTM

Content isn’t a side quest; it’s the friction reducer. Teaching in public earns the right to sell in private. Earned media — the ideas people seek out without ad spend — compounds credibility. I see it every week: first calls feel like third meetings because people already “know” me from the feed. That’s pipeline acceleration you can’t manufacture with spray-and-pray.

How I’m applying it:

• Publish one deep, useful idea weekly (podcast or blog), then atomize it into shorts/snippets.
• Map content to buyer questions at each stage — not just features and benefits.
• Treat distribution like product: message-market-platform fit matters.

Reputation Is an Outcome, Not a Campaign

You can’t “protect” a reputation created by misaligned behaviour. The fix is boring and effective: give people a great experience, even if they never pay you. When you mess up, own it and make it right with the customer. Long term, that creates evangelists who sell for you when you’re not in the room.

Leadership: Listen 3–4x More Than You Talk

Most first-time managers were promoted for personal performance, then fail by trying to clone themselves. Your actual job: discover each person’s strengths and set the stage for them to win. That starts with questions and listening, not directives and dashboards.

Tactical moves I’m stealing:

• 1:1s that start with “What’s the obstacle I can remove this week?”
• Role design around strengths, not generic job ladders.
• Clear team agreements on how we decide, communicate, and recover from misses.

Values Are a Strategy

“Who do we want to be?” is a filtering question, not a brand vanity exercise. Say who you serve — and who you don’t. Declining misaligned work is scary in the short term and clarifying in the long term. Focus lets you super-serve your right audience and build a community that talks about you when you’re not around.

Platforms, Personal Brand, and the Attention Reality

There’s no perfect platform. Pick your poison, set your red lines, and show up where your buyers are. A personal brand isn’t about selfies and slogans; it’s portable credibility. When someone tells me, “I feel like I already know you,” that’s compounding trust.

My simple brand loop:

• Publish (teach something real)
• Converse (listen to the market)
• Iterate (tighten the POV)
• Repeat (weekly forever)

Work-Life Integration Beats Balance

Balance implies neat, equal slices. Real life is seasonal. Integration acknowledges that some weeks are family-heavy, some are ship-heavy, and your job is to avoid going “pot-committed” on a single lane for too long. I’m building guardrails: daily outside time, a hard stop twice a week, and one creative project that isn’t monetized… yet.

Key Takeaways

• AI is a force multiplier for empathy when used for research and personalization.
• Switch from forcing stages to flowing with the buyer’s river.
• Make content the connective tissue of your GTM; let teaching do the heavy lifting.
• Lead by listening; design roles around strengths.
• Say your values out loud and use them to focus your market.
• Build a portable brand that pre-loads trust.

Integrate work and life; don’t go pot-committed on one dimension.

If this resonated, share the episode with a founder who’s still “doing more” and getting less. Subscribe on your platform of choice, drop a review, and tell me one “river move” you’re going to test this week. I read every note.

Want more advice? Check out our ChangeMaker Leader Podcast Directory here. 

Membership Includes online leadership and personal branding course plus:

1. Podcast Interview: One interview on the ChangeMaker Leader Podcast, so our community can get to know you.

2. Transition Coaching Session with Leigh Mitchell, Founder & Brand Strategist for Leaders in Transition. 

3. Monthly Peer Leader Support: Regular In-person and online mentorship from Leigh Mitchell and team with your fellow members.

4. Courses & Membership Directory: You gain practical skills that strengthen your leadership and can connect with supportive peers through our member directory to grow your impact. 

5. Leadership Retreats: Members leave each retreat feeling renewed with clearer focus, stronger connections, and practical ideas they can bring back to their work and community. (member pricing)

6. AI Marketing Mastermind for Business Owners: Online AI Marketing Mastermind for Business Owners (preferred rates for members) with Susan Diaz

7. Preferred Rates for Go-To-Market Coaching: with Dr. Jim Kanichirayil

8. Leader DNA Branding & Tech Implementation Services: Preferred rate for Leigh Mitchell’s strategy and execution services including group training options. 

9. Private & Active WhatsApp Group for networking:  Connect with ChangeMaker Leaders to share resources and ask for advice, etc. 

10. Mentor Matching: Get connected with a short to long-term mentor to ease you through your transition (6 weeks, 3 months to 6 months )  

The ChangeMaker Membership is only $89 

You’re probably looking at this pricing and asking, “Can this really be true?”

I want to assure you that, as a social-impact, values-driven ChangeMaker Leader, my goal is to help you first, before any money is exchanged. I want to remain affordable and accessible for leaders in transition.

Will this pricing stay in place long-term? No, it is not sustainable forever. But for now, I want to support as many ChangeMakers as I can.

Before you sign up: Let’s have a phone call. I want to ensure this is the right fit for what you are currently tackling. 

Schedule a call with me here.

On the ChangeMaker Leader Podcast, we are speaking live with the author of Drink: The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol, a book named one of the year's top 10 by the Washington Post. Part memoir, part journalistic exploration, the book exposes the “pinking” of the alcohol industry.

Together, we will explore: How writing memoirs, personal essays, or even short reflections can help you process big life transitions, grief, burnout, or change your relationship with alcohol.

Ann Dowsett Johnson is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and psychotherapist. For more than 25 years, she worked at Maclean’s magazine, where she was perhaps best known as the chief architect of the Maclean’s university rankings. She worked as Vice-Principal (Development, Alumni and University Relations), McGill University. Since writing Drink, Ann has worked hard to destigmatize mental health and addiction, earning an honorary Doctor of Laws from Queen’s University for her efforts. She is also the recipient of a Transforming Lives award from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), the American Research Society on Addiction’s Media Award, plus the T. A. Sweet Award from the Ontario Psychiatric Association for helping address stigma related to mental health and addiction. Ann followed a dream to get a Master’s of Social Work program at Smith College and now has a psychotherapy practice specializing in working with women in life transitions.

Writing Drink was one of the happiest experiences of my life, and when the book was finished, I knew I had broken the taboo. 

Drink: The Intimate Relationship with Women and Alcohol

Ann is the bestselling author of Drink: The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol, named one of the 10 best books of 2013 by the Washington Post. 

Purchase

Writing Your Recovery: A Powerful Online Memoir Course

We all have a story—or stories—to tell. Excavating those narratives, finding the courage to give voice to our secrets, takes time. I believe writing is a process of discovery. At the heart of good writing is finding a compelling, authentic voice. To locate that voice, each individual must get in touch with what is most integral in their experience.

Learn More

Discover how Kaliyha De Sousa went from volunteering at Regeneration Toronto, a thrift store supporting homeless individuals and newcomers to Canada, to leading major iPhone campaigns at OMD. In this impactful episode, our ChangeMaker Kaliyha, who is an OMD Supervisor, shares her unconventional path into media planning, including how she grew the nonprofit's TikTok account to 30K followers, leveraged a data analytics internship with an Australian beauty and fashion startup while in university, and landed her dream job with one strategic LinkedIn message.

What makes this episode extra special is that Kaliyha is a student I taught at the University of Guelph Humber in the Media Studies program.

Learn the insider secrets to breaking into competitive marketing agencies without traditional experience, including:

• How to build a marketing portfolio through volunteer work and create compelling case studies
• The exact TikTok growth strategy that launched her career (hint: trend monitoring and testing)
• What media planners actually do: translating business objectives into media placements across social, streaming TV, and connected platforms
• Inside look at managing Apple AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, and iPhone 14-16 launches across Canadian markets
• Navigating Quebec's unique media landscape and French-language marketing requirements
• Agency vs client-side marketing: scope management, vendor relationships, and cross-team communication
• Real talk about hybrid work culture (3 days in office), summer Fridays, unlimited PTO, and work-life balance at top agencies

Episode Benefits:

Perfect for marketing students, recent graduates, career changers, and anyone interested in media planning, digital marketing, data analytics, or breaking into agencies like OMD, Publicis, and Starcom. Kaliyha also shares insights on her upcoming transition to Holt Renfrew as a supervisor, where she will manage luxury retail campaigns for Dior, Gucci, and Prada.

Featured topics: Consumer journey storytelling, KPI strategy, streaming TV evolution (Prime Video, Netflix ad tiers), career networking at university job fairs, and the transferable skills between tech and luxury fashion media buying.

Guest: Kaliyha De Sousa, Supervisor, OMD

Topics: Media planning careers, TikTok marketing, agency life, product launch strategy, data analytics, portfolio building, volunteer marketing experience

Featured insights: Data analytics for beauty brands, leading iPhone 14-16 launches, transitioning to Holt Renfrew luxury campaigns, and the power of social impact work in career development.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Patrick McCaully of PointMan! News Creation and Rachel Ott of Varger Girl Design—a husband-and-wife duo who've successfully built thriving businesses while sharing both a workspace and a marriage for over 25 years.

In this masterclass on business, creativity, and life, Rachel and Patrick share their journey from having zero business experience to becoming award-winning entrepreneurs. They open up about the early challenges—from quitting steady jobs to navigating financial stress—and the major world events (9/11, SARS, power outages) that tested their resolve.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How humour and boldness can transform your PR strategy
• Why "audacity trumps authenticity" in today's media landscape
• The real impact of AI on earned media and graphic design
• Behind-the-scenes stories of award-winning campaigns (including the "Post-Pandemic Primer")
• Honest advice about working with your spouse—including why separate workspaces matter
• Why sales skills are essential for every entrepreneur and social impact leader

Whether you're building a business, navigating a professional partnership with a loved one, or looking to stand out in a crowded market, this episode offers practical wisdom from two entrepreneurs who've mastered the art of collaboration, creativity, and resilience.

Connect with our guests:

• Rachel Ott:Varga Girl Design
• Patrick McCaully: Pointman News Creation

How do you stand out in one of the most competitive job markets in recent memory? What are hiring managers really looking for? And how can you break into your industry when everything seems stacked against new grads?

In this special episode for post-grad marketing students and emerging professionals, we’re joined by Courtney Sebu, HR executive and founder of Shastra Inc., to discuss how to navigate the early stages of your career with clarity, confidence, and strategy. With over two decades of experience in recruiting and leadership consulting, Courtney doesn’t hold back — offering honest, tactical advice on what works now when it comes to landing roles, building your network, and crafting a standout personal brand.

Whether you’re polishing your resume or networking your way into a new industry, this episode is your inside track to HR insights you won’t find in a textbook.

Key Takeaways

• It’s an employer’s market: With the job market saturated by experienced professionals post-pandemic, it’s tougher than ever for new grads to land roles — but not impossible.
• AI is gatekeeping your resume: Many companies use AI tools to filter applications. If you don’t include job-specific buzzwords, you may be auto-rejected in under 5 minutes.
• Tailor strategically, not endlessly: Instead of rewriting your resume for every role, build a core version with the right industry keywords to "manipulate" the AI in your favour — ethically.
• Networking is your superpower: Referrals and personal introductions are often the only way to get past automated systems and actually get seen by a human recruiter.
• Canadian experience bias still exists: Despite legal changes, many private companies still prioritize local experience. Volunteering, internships, and shadowing can help bridge that gap.
• Don’t dilute your resume too much: If you have international experience, don’t hide it. Focus instead on contextualizing it for Canadian employers and roles.
• Referrals don’t guarantee roles: Even strong recommendations can hit internal company politics or pre-decided hires, which is why persistence and presence matter.
• Certifications are optional, not essential: Courtney has built a successful HR career without formal credentials, emphasizing experience and relationships over letters after your name.
• AI writing tools are just a start: Use ChatGPT and others to brainstorm ideas, but personalize and humanize your content before submitting anything — static, robotic language is a giveaway.
• Your brand = your currency: How you show up online, how you communicate, and how others perceive you will open more doors than a polished resume alone.

What does it take to close Canada’s gender gap in leadership? In this episode, we sit down with Julie Savard-Shaw, Executive Director of The Prosperity Project, to explore the transformative power of the Rosie Mentorship Program — a free, bilingual, and virtual initiative designed to support mid-career women on their path to leadership.

Julie shares her personal journey, the inspiration behind Rosie, and the real barriers that women in Canada still face in the workforce — from bias and burnout to the lack of accessible childcare. We also discuss why mentorship is a two-way street, the critical role of workplace flexibility, and how corporate Canada can take a leading role in creating lasting change.

Whether you’re a mentor, a mid-career woman seeking support, or a ChangeMaker advocating for gender equity in Canada, this conversation is filled with insight, heart, and action.

Topics Covered

• The origin and impact of the Rosie Mentorship Program
• Why mid-career women often fall through the cracks
• Promotion bias, pay gaps, and the “leaky pipeline”
• Mentorship as leadership development — for both mentor and mentee
• How flexible work and advocacy are reshaping the future of equity
• Julie’s vision for a more inclusive Canada

🔗 Learn more or sign up at canadianprosperityproject.ca

Podcast Description:

In this episode, we sit down with Rebecca, founder of Detour Co., a natural skincare brand born from a personal need for clean, effective products. After relocating to Muskoka, Rebecca transformed her passion into a thriving business, guided by authentic customer feedback and a deep connection to community. She shares how she transitioned from crafting products at home to opening a studio space, her transparent pricing strategies, and her refreshing marketing approach that emphasizes human connection over trends. If you’re curious about building a meaningful brand that resonates with real people, this conversation is for you.

Join for Our Outdoor Connect & Reset Leadership Day

Want to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and reset your leadership mindset? Join us for our Future Leader Outdoor Connect & Reset Day. Experience a day of inspiration, reflection, and growth in nature. Details and registration at https://www.changemakerco.org

AI is Changing Media & Careers, Are You Ready?

In a world where AI is disrupting every industry, CBC News hired its first-ever AI Advisor — and it wasn’t a Silicon Valley technologist. It is CBC's Rignam Wangkhang, who is leading CBC into the AI era.

In this episode, Rignam shares how he carved out a role that didn’t even exist a year ago, the cultural challenges of introducing AI inside a legacy media organization, and why the future of journalism depends on adaptability, not coding skills. We’ll break down the AI tools every professional should master, how AI is reshaping job searches and entrepreneurship, and why you don’t need to be an “expert” to lead in this space.

Whether you're a student, a media professional, or just curious about how AI is transforming industries from the inside — this conversation is packed with practical advice and fresh perspective.

What You’ll Learn:

• How Rignam transitioned from journalism to AI leadership at CBC
• The cultural shifts AI is creating in traditional media
• The top AI tools you should be using right now (besides ChatGPT)
• How to future-proof your career in a world of AI disruption
• Why personal branding is more important than ever in the AI age
• Real talk: Why nobody is truly an AI “expert” yet

Ready to future-proof your leadership mindset?

Join us at our Future Leader Outdoor Connect & Reset Day — an immersive in-nature experience designed to help you disconnect from the noise, reconnect with your purpose, and lead with clarity in a disruptive world.

Register now

#AI #CBCNews #MediaInnovation #Leadership #OutdoorLeadership #FutureOfWork #CareerGrowth #ResetDay #PersonalBranding #Podcast

This episode will explore Khadija Natali inspiring journey from a small farming community in #India is becoming a voice for international students and young women. We'll unpack how setbacks, rather than roadblocks, have been catalysts for her personal growth, perspective shifts, and purposeful advocacy.

Tired of AI that makes you sound like a robot? This fast-paced, no-fluff livestream is your sneak peek into how to actually use AI to write with clarity, confidence, and alignment. You’ll get practical tips, real prompt examples, and a taste of what’s coming in our May 29 masterclass with AI strategist Susan Diaz.

In just 30 minutes, you’ll learn:

How to avoid the most common AI prompt mistakes

Easy tweaks to make AI write in your voice (not a tech bro’s)

3 plug-and-play prompts for emails, follow-ups, and pitches

This isn’t about automating away your voice — it’s about unlocking it.

🎯 Perfect for changemakers, entrepreneurs, and professionals who want their messaging to land and feel authentic.

👉 Register now for the full masterclass:

AI Prompts for Strategy, Sales & Impact

🗓 May 29 at 12 PM EST via Zoom - https://lu.ma/uuhz8glo

🎧 Podcast Episode: The Power of Vulnerability on Stage and Screen

What happens when the thing you once feared most becomes your greatest strength?

In today’s episode, we explore the power of vulnerability as both a personal tool and a public force. Our guest has spent a lifetime navigating the challenges of a stutter, only to transform that journey into a platform for global impact—through comedy, public speaking, and now, the documentary film Words Left Unspoken. As the film finds new audiences through ChangeMaker Co’s powerful community screening initiative, we sit down to talk about what it means to live—and speak—your truth, even when it’s hard.

🎤 Meet the Guests:

JOZE PIRANIAN

Global Keynote Speaker | Forbes & 5x TEDx | Disability & Mental Health Advocate | Stuttering Awareness | Corporate Comedian

From avoiding speaking for most of his youth to commanding stages across the world, Joze is a powerful voice on turning fear into empowerment—and now, a central figure in the new documentary Words Left Unspoken.

BOBBY UMAR

CEO of DYPB - Discover Your Personal Brand and the Thought Leadership Branding Club | 5x TEDx Speaker | Inc Magazine Top 100 Leadership Speaker | Best-Selling Author

Bobby joins the conversation as a seasoned expert on personal branding and leadership, adding sharp insight into the inner transformation that drives outer impact.

🎤 Your Host:

Leigh Mitchell is a dynamic personal and business branding leader, guiding small and medium-sized enterprises through Market Your Mission® Branding and her podcast, ChangeMaker Collective. As the founder of Women in Biz Network and the ChangeMaker Collective, she expanded the organization from a local group to a national community of over 35,000 members. Recognized by Statistics Canada for her diversity, equity, and inclusion expertise, Leigh holds an executive certificate in Marketing Leadership from Carleton University's Sprott School of Business and credentials in ethical leadership, DEI, inclusive design, and social-emotional learning. Her passion for equity spans mental health, business, education, and sports. Leigh teaches marketing, public relations, and business at York University, York Entrepreneurial Development Institute (YEDI) and the University of Guelph-Humber. She has collaborated with brands like Microsoft Canada, TELUS, and TD, and her insights have been featured in CBC & CTV News, The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal. Leigh is a proud mother of two, a dedicated mental health advocate, and an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys exercising in nature or at the gym.

📢 Let’s collaborate to create a brand, a strategy, or a training program that inspires action and delivers impact.

📧 leigh@leighmitchell.ca

🌐 https://wwwchangemakerco.org

🔗 Let’s connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchellleigh/

In this powerful episode of The Changemaker Collective, Leigh Mitchell sits down with Brandon B. Happy—artist, activist, and founder of the Cultured Collective—for a heartfelt and thought-provoking conversation on reclaiming identity, healing through service, and the radical power of imagination.

Brandon shares his deeply personal journey from generational trauma, addiction, and homelessness to launching a global movement that started with a single community fridge. Through music, storytelling, and grassroots activism, Brandon and his family have transformed their pain into purpose—offering emotional wealth, not just material support, to communities across the world.

Together, Leigh and Brandon explore what it means to redefine legacy, why lived experience is a form of expertise, and how dreaming itself is an act of resistance in a world that often robs us of it. This episode is a moving call to action for anyone ready to turn their story into service.

Struggling to hear back from job applications? Tired of being ghosted after interviews? In this high-energy and insight-packed episode, Izzy Piyale-Sheard joins us to drop serious knowledge on how to stand out in today’s crowded job market — with a little help from AI. As a job search strategist and brand builder, Izzy shares practical, no-fluff advice on how to use AI tools to tailor resumes, write compelling cover letters, and research roles like a pro. But it doesn’t stop there — we also dive into building a personal brand that actually gets noticed, networking in a way that feels human, and debunking job search myths that keep people stuck. If you're ready to go from overlooked to unforgettable, this episode is your new playbook.