All Personal

In this episode, I talk to Alex Leon Flores. And I am going to tell you what he says about himself, so that you get an idea of just how fascinating this episode is going to be: ‘I am an ordinary human being, who considers himself perfectly imperfect. I want what any other individual wishes to have: I would like to fulfill the highest truest, expression of myself as a human being. I’m a deeply curious person who likes to understand more about our own existence. I’d like to lead a compassionate and kind life. My life mission is: “To live the best life I can. In Kindness & Acceptance. With Deep Understanding & Infinite Compassion”. My title -and purpose- in my career involves looking for potential in other human beings, while doing my best to provide them a place - a platform if you will - where they could develop. As a Professional Recruitment Specialist, I have always remained focused on the importance of building strong relationships with all stakeholders, clients and coworkers. Social Scientists have proven the correlation between relationships, success and our quality of life. As a Professional Administrator my goal is excellence. Attention to detail and perseverance are vastly needed to achieve excellence, if we're to meet any goals successfully, all while being compassionate to myself and those around me.’ Alex currently does his best work from within an incredible Marketing and Experience Design Agency. If you are looking for your next career move, please reach out to him! He will love to have a chat with you. I will also say that we connected on LinkedIn due to one of Esther Perel’s posts. We cover so much in this conversation, and still we could have kept going. Some snippets of our conversation:  Growing up in conformity countries and cultures and moving to freedom of choice Alex’s journey of coming out as ‘different from everybody else’ in his home country, Mexico, and how psychology helped him find answers to his relentless questions Why asking questions is such a crucial skill to have, especially as a leader, and how he applied his ‘investigative reporter’ skills in his marketing & advertising and talent acquisition roles How language matters and how it changes the way we relate to each other How employers need to realize that when you care for your people, people care about your business – and some horror boss stories and what not to do as a leader How soft skills are not soft at all, they’re essential and they’re human – and they do affect how we ‘do’ business OK, ready to take this a game-changing ride with us, from wherever you are? Buckle up, here we go. Book: How Emotions Are Made, by Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett Connect with Alex: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexleonflores/ Men’s Social Support Group: https://evryman.com/about/ Critical Mass Job Board: https://www.criticalmass.com/join

In this episode, I talk to Rachel Despres, a Career Coach for Rebels who, after successfully escaping her own cubicle, began helping others break free of their desk jobs and build unconventional careers that truly fit with who they are—from creative work, to side hustles, to starting a business. That word, rebel, is one that I found to be the magic key in your conversation. Which you will love, as she takes us through her journey of becoming a coach for rebels and a rebel herself, from ‘rule follower extraordinare’ as she calls herself at some point.  Sharing some nuggets of our conversation here: How she realized that she followed all the rules, did everything according to the rules, and she was so unhappy How asking the question ‘what else could be possible?’ can be a pivotal moment for many of us What were some of the strong skills muscles that helped her make the shift from corporate to business, and the skills muscles she had to work on growing How some corporations lose so much talent because they’re not flexible to make room for the various talents that people bring, and allow them to move where they fit best How we all want to contribute, make a difference and work with purpose, and realize there’s much more we can do Why passion, values and skills is the place where we can find the real magic – and how to do that So, get ready to make room for some ‘big magic’ in your life as you join Rachel and I in this episode!  Book recommended by Rachel: 'Big Magic', by Elizabeth Gilbert Where you can find Rachel: Website: http://racheldespres.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/racheldespres/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/racheldespres/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-despres-22201249/ To chat with me about emerging leaders, leading different and skills muscles, book a call here. Enjoy! Roxana @ All Personal

In this special Fourth of July episode, I’m talking to Tammy Gooler Loeb. In her 20 years as an executive career and executive coach, writer, facilitator and speaker, Tammy has inspired people to engage in work that is fulfilling, meaningful and satisfying. She provides a variety of services to individual clients and businesses in a range of sectors and industries, including executive and career coaching, group facilitation, training and speaking. This work focuses primarily on workplace communication, leadership strategies, and team development. Tammy hosts a podcast, Work From The Inside Out, which showcases the inspiring stories and practical lessons of people who have transitioned to more satisfying and meaningful work. Her expertise has been showcased in many publications, such as HBR Ascend, Forbes, Fast Company, The Boston Globe, Monster.com, The Ladders.com, and recently in the book, Stretched Too Thin: How Working Moms Can Lose the Guilt, Work Smarter, and Thrive by Jessica Turner. Her upcoming book, 'Work From The Inside Out: Break Through 9 Common Obstacles and Design a Career That Fulfills You', will be available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and through independent bookstores in September 2021. Tammy holds an M.B.A. from Boston University and is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach by the Coaches Training Institute. Snippets of our conversation: 'Coaching is the vehicle for my passion to help people, making their lives better.' As a young child she wanted to be a teacher of blind people, or people who had different abilities and ways of looking at the world Why defining the personal ‘why’ and the ‘what’ are important Why she loves coaching and why it is 'a vehicle' to her What makes a good coach and what to look at when you’re looking for a coach! How writing a book ‘is a good decision to make’ and also scary How some things can feel scary and exciting at the same time For those of you who want to write a book – some tips in here Book Tammy recommends and quotes from: ‘The Last Lecture’ by Randy Pausch Where to find Tammy: www.tammygoolerloeb.com www.tammygoolerloeb.com/podcast www.linkedin.com/in/tammygoolerloeb https://www.facebook.com/TammyGoolerLoebCoaching Twitter & Instagram: @tammygoolerloeb

My guest in this episode is Debra Joy Eklove. Debra is a consultant, an author, a musician, and a passionate teacher. For over 25 years she has worked with clients and students sharing the importance and the joy of better understanding and nurturing our mind-body and spirit.  Prior to concentrating on teaching, she had a private practice in body-centered psychotherapy and shiatsu. For over 15 years she is teaching  with the Art of Living Foundation, a humanitarian, educational, international not for profit. [Research has shown the outstanding effectiveness of the SKY Breath, and Sri Sri yoga, and the Art of Meditation, helping people worldwide with stress reduction.] Debra is Director of Product Development at Veda by Sonia and teaches Ayurveda at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition.  [She was the ayurveda consultant to Tetley Tea, Canada when they developed and marketed their successful Ayurveda Balance brand.  In addition to studying with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and other leaders in the fields of energy, ayurveda, and vibrational medicine Debra has a B.Comm. from McGill University and an M.Sc. from the London School of Economics, England.] Debra produced her CD of original music in 2003, and she continues to sing and create music, now exploring and sharing the beauty and impacts of vibrations and sound. Some of the wisdom nuggets Debra shares with us - I guarantee you will love this episode: ‘People is what makes it all happen’ ‘The capacity of an organization is set by the vision of the leader’ ‘Skills are a mixture of interests and gifts’ ‘Everyone is a genius in at least one skill’ ‘When you’re joyful and happy about something, you really wanna share it’ ‘Your experience is what matters, not mine’ – you'll see why this has everything to do with eating ice cream! Dead-ends are parts of development as well As we grow older, it’s the internal life that becomes more interesting The quote she shares at the end 'Make your smile cheap and make your anger expensive' from Ravi Shankar.  She also mentions the book 'Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind  Hardcover' by Yuval Noah Harari Links to Debra's courses: http://tiny.cc/SelfcareBreathJuly6 - July 6-8  10am - 1230 Pm EST. More info and on the program at https://www.artofliving.org/ca-en/happiness-program. Meditation program for the public now planned for June 22-24, morning: http://tiny.cc/MeditationJune Where to find Debra debrajoyeklove@rogers.com  https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-joy-eklove-6814772/ https://www.instagram.com/debrajoyeklove/ https://www.facebook.com/debrajoy.eklove - messenger

In this episode, I talk to Britt Skrabanek, who is the self-published fiction author of four novels: 'Beneath the Satin Gloves', 'Everything’s Not Bigger', 'Nola Fran Evie', and 'Virasana'.  She is a content strategist and the co-founder of Superneat Marketing, a long-time blogger, and the host of Love Your Enthusiasm, a self-empowerment podcast that inspires women to pursue their greatest passion. She is also a yogi, ballet dancer, cat mom, and life enthusiast. Britt is taking us on a story of becoming, and also of overcoming obstacles, time after time, and transforming them into opportunities! Find out: How she started her story as a writer, then content marketer, then podcaster, so many roles – in spite of her not feeling comfortable sharing her writing with others. How can you perform and be an introvert? It’s scary to put yourself out there – do I have anything to offer? Who am I, what do I know? How you can cope with criticism when you put yourself 'out there'. How she bounced back after being laid off and starting her consulting business. How she bounced back again to start her own podcast – and what the connection is between her podcast and yoga, introversion and starting a traveling business right before Covid! A few golden nuggets that Britt shares in this amazing story she's taking us on: 'When your passion finds you it’s easier to put yourself out there, but it’s also scary because it’s very personal, and very deep.' 'You’re putting yourself out there to have your work ripped to shreds, potentially. And everybody has an opinion that they want to share.' ‘For every person who doesn’t like us, or what we do, there is somebody else who does. For every critic, there’s a fan.’ Where to find Britt Skrabanek: Links https://loveyourenthusiasm.com/ https://brittskrabanek.com/ https://www.amazon.com/Britt-Skrabanek/e/B008P09DKA/ https://superneatmarketing.com/ Social Links Instagram – @loveyourenthusiasm/ @bskrabanek Facebook – @loveyourenthusiasm/ @brittskrabanek LinkedIn – @love-your-enthusiasm/ @brittskrabanek Twitter – @ly_enthusiasm / @brittskrabanek

My guest on this episode is Emanuel Petrescu.  He is a digital marketing specialist from Toronto, helping business enhance their online footprint through Search Engine Optimization (SEO), email marketing, paid ads, and social media.  Emanuel is a Business Administration alumni and before coming to Canada in 2017, he has worked in different fields, from government administration, media research, accounting, and some entrepreneurial endeavors.  He spends his time mostly working on digital marketing stuff, watching (too many) movies and series, reads, and, sometimes, writes.  Recently, he authored a chapter in the "Grow Together" book anthology published by the Immigrant Writer's Association, where he is the marketing manager. Snippets of our conversation: What differentiates successful people from the rest? What makes the difference in who we become along the way and in how we grow our skills muscles. Why learning, unlearning and relearning helps us both in personal and professional situations. What we can call ‘soft skills’ instead of ‘soft’ How he relearned to go to job interviews like a 20 year old in his early 30s How talking about the marketing of a movie and an article written by Seth Godin in a job interview can land you the job – especially when you’re applying for a marketing job! Why sharing stories about your experience can help others improve their experience, too. Here are all the links to the videos and resources that Emanuel mentioned during our chat: 'Learning to swim' from John Wayne  'Self-made man?' from Arnold Schwarzenegger: short version; full speech Constantin Brancusi quote: "I want to create shapes that give people joy'. Here is the statue photo, too.  To connect with Emanuel you can visit his website, follow him on Twitter, and connect with him on LinkedIn. You can also check his website at: www.emanuelp.com.  

This is a super special episode, the first one of Season 3! Starting 2021 with a topic that's so close to my heart: we talk about professional development – the revolutionary kind! My guest on this episode is Dennett Edwards, the Founder of the Corona Daze Professional Development (CDPD) Group.  After twenty years of working in local and international community development and education, she decided to use her skills and abilities to respond to record unemployment rates stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.  She is passionate about increasing professional access and representation of people of color, people from the LGBTQIA community, and other marginalized groups in all industries and employment spaces. Her passion and journey are absolutely inspiring! We talk about how she founded a professional development group due to the pandemic, how she nurtured and nourished it, and we also talk about her way of creating a development revolution. Tune in and check this out, it will definitely inspire you on so many levels! Some snippets of our conversation: How Dennett defines her superpower as a communicator How it took failure in certain areas for her to realize she doesn’t always need to be in control Why she believes everyone has a role to play – you have something to offer here; ‘you can remove me from the equation and we can still do well;’ How she wants to create the Google of creative development organizations How she made sure she built trust – ‘no one can call you out if you don’t have trust’ Here's where you can connect with Dennett and her amazing group: Corona Daze Professional Development Group  Dennett Edwards on LinkedIn coronadazepd@gmail.com 

This episode is part of the All Personal Podcast Limited Series ‘Home/Work Unlocked’ where we  discuss what work (from home) will look like as we get out of lock-down. In  this episode, I talk to Sam Miller, a Registered Psychotherapist M.A.  R.P. and President of Sam Miller Consulting, as he shares his view on  building a healthy 'future of work'. Sam is a resourceful Psychotherapist with extensive experience in Trauma Response and Treatment and Wellness Initiatives. He  has demonstrated strengths in leadership, coaching and communication.  Sam has worked with many organizations and corporations in creating  healthy, respectful, workplace environments as well as managing  work-related traumatic events. An experienced facilitator, Sam has  worked with a variety of organizations and corporations developing and  presenting seminars and workshops that cover a wide spectrum of Wellness  topics. In his psychotherapy practice, Sam has worked with a  variety of clients both privately and within many different workplace  settings. He has dealt with many different clinical issues ranging from  anxiety and stress to workplace change, conflict resolution and  management-employee relations. Sam holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Masters of Arts in Educational Psychology from McGill University. Connect with Sam here: https://workplacetraumawellness.com/about-sam-miller/

This episode is part of the All Personal Podcast Limited Series ‘Home/Work Unlocked’ where we  discuss what work (from home) will look like as we get out of lock-down. In  this video interview, I talk to Diana Medrea-Mogensen, Growth Mindset  and Life Management Coach, Founder of 'We Are Entrepreneurs DK'. She  lives in Denmark, one of the first countries to lock down and then  unlock.Diana shares her experience, emotions and thoughts on getting  down to work as things started to re-open, getting out of the house and  sending her kids back to kindergarten. You can find Diana here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-medrea-mogensen/ 

This episode is part of the All Personal Podcast Limited Series ‘Home/Work Unlocked’ where we  discuss what work (from home) will look like as we get out of lock-down. In  this first episode, I am talking to two virtual work visionaries:  Brittany Bairos and Joncarlo Bairos at Forge Recruitment, a boutique recruitment agency specializing in the search and placement of legal and accounting professionals into firms and companies across British Columbia and Ontario. I like to call them visionaries because they were already working virtually way before the crisis made us all remote workers. They were already managing things like keeping the team productive, motivated, engaged and in constant communication. A  confession: we’ve worked together on forming and norming their team as they were scaling, and it’s a privilege for me to have clients like them: leaders who know that building a great team starts with building yourself as a great leader! And yet, I am not subjective when I call them visionaries. Listen in and see why, sharing a few nuggets here: ‘We’re going to see more flexibility in the long run after this is finished’ ‘If  employers don’t adapt quickly or learn to manage virtually, I think  we’re going to see a lot of employees who jump ships to those who do.’ ‘You  might not get the traditional 9-5 that you want, but you have to ask yourself, is the work still getting done, and is what you expect of them getting done? And if it is, you can’t complain.’ You can find Brittany and Joncarlo at www.forgerecruitment.com and on LinkedIn. If you have questions related to home / work after crisis, please send them my way at all@personalskillscoach.com, as I will keep interviewing people on this topic. I’m also happy to have you as a guest, if you’d like to share your tips, ideas, experience on how workplace culture changes, what your teams are doing to stay motivated, how you are creating the future of work in your organization, what the home-work balance will look like, you get the  picture!

This is an almost unedited episode of the All Personal  podcast. It’s one of my absolute favourites so far, a ray of sunshine  that brings pure genius, joy, enthusiasm, passion, unconditional love,  power of connection and a super strong sense of community. I'm  talking to Catherine Chen, the founder of a tech startup called  MyShoperon. She spent her 20s in Washington DC, where she worked on some  high-profile international trade cases. Then she worked at one of the  largest global law firm in Toronto, and eventually became the first  non-lawyer leading a practice. In 2018, Catherine decided to leave  the corporate world to pursue her own dreams: being her own boss. She  believes that 'everyone lives a hundred lives, but only one is a life to  remember'. Catherine is a hustler, and nothing can stop her from  pursuing her dreams. Her favourite quote is from Michelle Obama, “For  me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I  see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach  continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.“ Give yourself the gift (and uplift) of listening to Catherine as she speaks about: - How she deals with assumptions and expectations about her being ‘a single woman in her late 30s’ - How she moved from Washington DC to Toronto, discovered her entrepreneurial muscles while working in the corporate world - How she created a start-up AGAINST ‘online shopping package theft’ and FOR creating a healthy community of neighbors!! - The self discipline of working from home and the challenges of social isolation even before the crisis - How she knew she was a natural problem solver and the role creativity plays in that! Find out more about Catherine and her community-building start-up: myshoperon.com/

In this episode, I talk to Jason Cutter, CEO of Cutter Consulting Group, about selling with empathy. Jason  sees himself as a sales success architect. Anything from training, to  scripting, to sales tech, he helps small businesses create scalable  inside sales teams. His newest program is called Authentic Persuasion  with the goal of helping sales people go from Order Taker to Quota  Breaker. Now, these are two words that we don’t hear next to each  other too often. Jason’s approach to sales is so human-centered and so  much needed from the perspective of building a future we’re proud of! Some snippets of our conversation: • When you work in sales, ‘your job is to be a consultant, almost like a  doctor: ask questions, figure out what they need, figure out how you can  help them and then present them with one or two solutions that have  been customized for their situations’. • ‘Everybody is always going through something in their life.’ • Hear what people say and not say • Sales and relationships – they’re the same, you need to be able to listen and show empathy • Diagnose, prescribe and move forward: I know I can help you and here’s how. • Use persuasion, not manipulation! • Empathy is huge, necessary and very much missing in sales and a lot in  life, where people don’t care what other people are going through. • If you don’t know what the right door is, test and check a lot of doors. Jason's Inspirational Quote: Zig Ziglar – ‘you can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.’ ‘It’s all personal, it’s not just business’. This time, I wasn’t the one saying that, it was my guest! Because  that’s right, to a client, it is going to be personal, it’s their life  and, as Jason said, we only get one of that! And what’s more personal  than life? Let’s use this as an exercise where we look at things  from this perspective, thinking ‘Everybody is always going through  something in their life’. How is that for an empathy boost? I  believe it’s simple exercises like that which, done regularly, build our  All Personal muscles of communicating with care, understanding, empathy  and kindness. Let’s test this door more often. Until next time. Jason’s Links: CCG Website: www.cutterconsultinggroup.com/ Authentic Persuasion: authenticpersuasion.com/ The Sales Experience Podcast: wavve.link/tsep LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jascut/ Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/authenticpersuasion/

In this episode of the All Personal podcast, my guest  and I are taking you on a journey, in a land far-far away (both  metaphorically and literally): the land of storytelling all the way from  Melbourne, Australia! Because I’m talking to Luke Buesnel, Content Director and Founder of Story League! His  story, in short, is that he started his media career as a commercial  radio broadcaster before returning to study journalism (and politics).  For more than 15 years Luke worked within journalism and media  communications. This is where he learnt the power of telling a good  story and the impact it can have.  In that time, he was a radio  broadcaster throughout New South Wales, produced many 774 ABC radio  programs, wrote feature stories for The Age and held media roles with corporates, the federal government and not-for-profits. Luke saw  firsthand how the ‘churn and burn’ approach applied to content creation  has failed businesses and he is on a mission to create content with more  impact and meaning. Story League was created out of a passion for storytelling and a genuine desire to improve the way we communicate. You can find Luke on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/luke-buesnel-46590250/ and at storyleague.com.au. Resources on the hero's journey: 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces' book by Joseph Campbell

My guest in this episode is Daniel Tanase, the first  fellow Romanian living in Romania I’m interviewing since this I started  this podcast.  Having worked in the corporate world for 10 years, in  banking & finance more specifically, Daniel was always interested in  new challenges, in continuously learning and training his skills, and  in helping others.  He left the corporate world to become an  entrepreneur, had a number of business initiatives and is now a  consultant, finance educator, writer, blogger and vlogger, podcaster and  public speaker, with an incredible personal and professional  transformation journey.  Listen in to hear Daniel talk about: - The ‘aha’ moment in deciding there is something more that he wanted to do - The practical side of building his skills muscles - How he improved his self awareness - The importance of mindset in everything he did - How having wanted to become a military pilot when he was a child influenced his entrepreneurial journey as a grown-up Find Daniel at danieltanase.com/ or on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danielvtanase/

In this episode, I’m speaking with Naphtali Hoff, President of Impactful Coaching & Consulting. He is an accomplished executive coach, organizational consultant, and sought after trainer and lecturer. He  earned his doctorate in human and organizational psychology, which  analyzes successful individual or organizational change and development.   Naphtali’s personal experience in the leadership field allows him  to understand leaders’ needs and craft solutions to help them optimize  their performance and success. He is the author of Becoming the  New Boss, a leadership book that helps new leaders hit the ground  running and enjoy sustained success. Get Naphtali’s book, “Becoming the New Boss: The New Leader's Guide to Sustained Success”: www.amazon.com/Becoming-New-Boss…ned/dp/1941870945 More about Naphtali at: www.impactfulcoaching.com/ Listen in and find out: - How leaders are both born and self-taught - The kind of leadership that today’s world needs: not just hands-on  top-down, but also an integrated collaborative approach that allows  people to grow - Why leadership means understanding culture and creating a value system that we all operate in - Why managing change means you have to be an emotionally intelligent leader - What makes feedback the ‘breakfast of champions’ - How creating healthy relationships at work helps leaders be connected rather than ‘lonely at the top’ - How important delegation is for the trial and error process - Life, leadership and learning as non-linear chapters

Glain Roberts-McCabe is the founder and President of The Roundtable, a company where leaders cultivate their leadership, together.  The Roundtable is best known for their group and team-based  coaching and mentoring systems that help organizations break down silos,  increase collaboration and accelerate business all while building  leadership capability.  In 2014, The Roundtable was awarded a Gold Award  by the Canadian Awards for Training Excellence in partnership with PepsiCo Foods Canada for their Roundtable for Leaders peer coaching and  mentoring program and in 2016 they were named Best External Consulting  Advisory in Canada at the Canadian HR Awards. In 2018, Glain was named  one of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurs of the Year. All experiences were  kind of like winning an Oscar but without having to wear sequins.  Glain  is the author of the Amazon best-selling book ‘Did I REALLY Sign Up for  This?!’, while her new book, 'The Grassroots Leadership Revolution',  will launch in April this year. Glain's personal mission is to  inspire ambitious leaders to connect to their bigger purpose and passion  so that work can be more fun and life can be more fulfilling. I  know I’ve said this so many times, and I’m happy Glain also liked the  analogy: our skills are just like muscles! So, know them, know what  muscles you’re counting on (maybe a bit too much?) and what muscles are  painful for you to use. And then, train them all, regularly, just like  at a skills gym. And just notice how you start to ‘think you are able’. Books Glain mentioned: Daniel Kahneman - 'Thinking Fast and Slow' Liane Davey - 'The Good Fight' More information about Glain and The Roundtable on their website, www.goroundtable.com.

Today I’m talking to Tim Alison about how his own skills muscles took  him where he is today, on his journey of defying conventional wisdom.  What do I mean by that? Well, Tim is a lifelong entrepreneur who advises  and mentors experienced leaders on how to create a Thought Leadership  business.  Tim is also a public speaker, author, and host of the  Screw the Naysayers Podcast where he has interviewed thought leaders  such as Seth Godin, Heather Monahan, and Corey Poirier. At the age of 31, Tim walked away from a six-figure job and moved, with his family, to  a tiny fishing village in Nova Scotia Canada. The naysayers laughed  when he started an educational software company. They stopped laughing  when his sales topped $10M. Thirty-one years later Tim still lives in  that same fishing village. His favorite saying is “Know the life you  want and have the courage to live it.” Links screwthenaysayers.com/ Tim's book: Screw the Naysayers!

Today we’re talking about a lot of skills muscles with Oscar Cecena.  Born and raised in Mexico City as the great-grandson of a Japanese immigrant, Oscar followed his ancestor’s example and migrated  to Toronto with his wife in 2013, pursuing their dream of living in Canada. With an Engineering degree and over two decades of  international experience in software, he works as a Senior Director of  Client Onboarding for a Fintech company and hosts the Immigrants of  Toronto podcast every week. Oscar started the podcast to create a  platform where immigrants could share their stories as he believes that  every journey that takes a person from one country to another is worth  telling. As you’ll hear him say in our interview: his goal ‘is to show  people that immigrants are basically normal people that just were born  miles away’. When not working or speaking on a microphone, Oscar  spends his time writing as it’s his preferred way to channel his  creativity. Tune in to see how creativity was a choice to Oscar, how  his artistic skills blended with his math skills, and how developing  public speaking skills helped him especially in client facing roles. Listen  to his journey from software developer to entrepreneur, and then a new  immigrant to Canada who started a new life and discovered new skills. ‘I think every time that I'm missing a skill, or if my path is going to take me to do something, I just need to learn it.’ Links 1. Website: www.immigrantsoftoronto.com 2. Apple podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/immi…08679?mt=2&ls=1 3. Instagram: www.instagram.com/immigrantsoftoronto/ 4. Facebook: www.facebook.com/immigrantsoftoronto/ 5. Twitter: twitter.com/immigrantsofto

For those of you looking for a job or making your next career move or  returning to the workforce, this will be a super episode to listen to!  Here’s why: Lisa Fenton is a Certified Supply Chain Management  Professional (CSCMP), Supply Chain Manager and an advocate of  championing women back to work with a focus on negotiating beyond  salary. Lisa enjoyed twelve years with her three boys at home in Bowmanville before going back to work. Passionate  about case studies, she took the challenge of getting back to work and  used the problem-solving formula and gap analysis to map her own journey  of getting back into the workforce. When Lisa attended her first  supply chain professional event upon deciding to return to work, she  told herself, “You are just like them. The only difference is your pass  doesn’t have a company listed under your name. Now let’s go get a job to  add to your pass.” Did I mention her business is called ‘propelled by  possibility’? Exactly right, let’s see how we can propel ourselves to  possibility. Lisa‘s website, www.propelledbypossibility.com,  features published articles on her journey back to work,an interview on  success strategies to return to work along with a link to a podcast  “Creating an Effective Return to Work Plan” with Lisa Fenton, CSCMP. How  often do we ‘take life in our hands’ so pragmatically, logically and  fearlessly? Sometimes maybe we do, but most of the times I think we  could do better. Remember: ‘one day’ or ‘day 1’, you decide! So make  your own plan, for your own life. If not you, who? And yes, please, do  make it All Personal. Until next time!

Let me tell you right off the bat, you will love this  episode!  Why? Because it’s about the power of your story! And I know  what I’m saying, hear me out.  My guest for this episode is Steffi  Black, who is a powerhouse storyteller and kindness teacher. Her story,  in short, is this: she is a former television personality, and featured  Author in ‘Ready, Aim, Thrive’ – an Amazon best seller on ‘Discovering  How To Flourish and Prosper from Today’s top experts’.  Steffi is a life  and career transitions coach and founder of women’s virtual networking  group, ‘Connection Corner’. As founder of ‘Spread the Kindness’, she  aims to share the importance and implement a plan for more kindness in  today’s workplace.  Her Keynote Presentation, ‘Why Kindness Matters  Today: How planning to incorporate kindness in the workplace creates  powerful and positive change’, includes a monthly curriculum outline and  concrete tools to create lasting change in the workplace. She aims to  share #spreadthekindness workplaces in Canada and abroad, and currently organizes  ‘spreadthekindness’ action plans during the International Random Acts of  Kindness Week. She is a prolific spokesperson and her kindness  program has been featured on CanWest Global Systems and many radio and  television outlets across the globe. And you don’t have to take my  word for it when I say you will love this episode, but please do. Steffi  will take you on a journey of : • How, as an introvert, she worked so many extrovert-related jobs in the media and marketing, and why she liked that • How astrology is, in fact, science, and a few fun facts about who applied it thoroughly in history • How she redefined failure as ‘outcomes that are necessary’ and why • Why kindness matters in the workplace and how it can be taught! • Why empathy is directly connected to non-judgment • What ho’oponopono is as a philosophy and how that connects to kindness • And how, most of the times, ‘when there’s a problem, we’re there’! Are you? Find Steffi here: www.steffiblackcoaching.com/connection-corner.html www.linkedin.com/in/steffiblackcoaching/

Welcome back to the All Personal podcast, where we turn  the good old saying ‘nothing personal, just business’ upside down, and  prove how, in fact, it’s all personal, nothing is just business. And this episode is THE proof that hey, it IS all personal, nothing is just business!! Today I’m talking to Candyce Costa.  Her  short bio says this: Candyce is a Digital Marketing and Social Media  Strategist and the founder of Digital Business Women, an e-Magazine for  promoting, inspiring and motivating digital and tech women around the  globe. Her 15 years’ experience in management, sales and marketing has  helped the likes of X-Box, Microsoft, Cisco, Xerox and more recently the  International Conference and Exhibition sector. She creates strategies  where Sales and Marketing would work together to become a very powerful  tools not only to generate new business opportunities and growth but  also to establish brands, create strong business relationships and  social media influence.’ And I’m telling you this: listen in to  discover an amazing story of an amazing ‘citizen of the World’, as  Candyce thinks about herself! Snippets of our conversation: • Business is not only about being on a beach and drinking daiquiris – it’s also about losing clients and sleepless nights • The amazing story of Candyce’ becoming, from ballerina to teacher of  classical Russian ballet, to a sales job in tech and to becoming a  digital marketing specialist! • How the lack of pre-conceived ideas about masculine/feminine assigned roles can lead to amazing growth! • It’s what you do regularly that helps you build your skills muscles! In  this case, teaching helped Candyce build her communication and people  skills muscles! • How moving countries, from Brazil, to Portugal and  England can be amazing as a 'citizen of the world', and how home is  where we are! Find Candyce here: www.linkedin.com/in/candycecosta/ digitalbusinesswomen.com/

Today, right in this episode, we go to prove that learning is not an event, but a habit. Because  I’m talking to Catalina Catana, a powerhouse professional and  entrepreneur, passionate about learning design, the future of work and  social entrepreneurship. Catalina wants to unlock people’s creative  potential, empower them to engage in a lifelong learning experience and  find their inner change-maker.  She has recently started her journey  at Taikonauten, in Berlin, Germany, as a creative strategist, focusing  on human-centered design, conceptualisation, workshop design &  delivery, and validation of UX solutions.  As a side project, she is  interviewing inspiring change makers around the world to share their  journeys, stories and learning along the way. Tune-in to find out: - How you can turn a frustration into passion and a life-mission! - How to build an educational startup! – the why, the how, the who - How it would be fantastic if we were taught, from an early age, to take a personal stand to learning - How understanding something comes from what you feel, not from what others tell you to feel - How, if you want change to happen, you have to be ready to let that change influence who you are - How the changes we start don’t necessarily have to have a completion during our life time! Find Catalina on a mission to inspire life long learning. www.catalinacatana.com info@catalinacatana.com | LinkedIn The Change Makers Podcast | Founder

Today, we talk about change. I don’t think we will ever  be able to speak enough about this topic, mainly because it’s all around  us! So, when you’re in doubt, ask an expert! And I did: I’ve had the  pleasure of having Jessica Everitt as a guest, and she is a change  expert specializing in personal and organizational transformations.  Jessica is known for adapting formal change management techniques for  personal success. You can definitely learn more about her on her  website, www.jessicaeveritt.com or find her on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaeveritt In this episode, we speak about: - how change is manageable in small steps - what are the four personalities towards change - what you can do if you are uncomfortable speaking in public (apart from working with me😊) - how your strong skills muscles as a child may define your career as a grownup. Instead of conclusion I  don’t know about you, but this talk right here reassured me that, well,  the fact that I choose different routes to and from work means I  practice change, bit by bit. Or that when I put myself out there every  day, and I feel uncomfortable in certain situations, that’s gonna help  me manage my reaction to change better. So I will also remember that  ‘Not all fears are the same and not all of them deserve the same  reaction.’ And I will forever remember that ‘it takes ten thousand  hours to become an expert. As Jessica’s inspirational quote goes, by  David Allen – ‘You can do anything, but not everything’. And I have one  quote I love from Jessica: ‘when you want something enough to invest  10,000 hours into it, you can excel at it. Even if you don’t think you  have any natural ability. Brandon Burlsworth is the perfect example. If  you haven’t heard his story, go check out the movie Greater, it’s on  Netflix right now.’ There, I have to go now, I’ll be busy watching this  movie, and, as usual, make it All Personal. How about you? Until next  time. Inspirational resources Jessica shared in this episode: - davidgoggins.com - Toastmasters – join them if you are uncomfortable speaking in public – or work with me to work out this skill muscle😊. - David Allen - Brandon Burlsworth – the movie ‘Greater’

My guest today is Flo Zurkinden, who, for nearly a decade, has been a  health and wellness professional, endurance athlete, certified personal  trainer and nutrition specialist. During this time, not only has she  learned the importance of taking care of others around you, but more  importantly taking care of one's own self.  She now wakes up each day  with a growing passion to teach, mentor and coach all those around her  the power of self care and emotional fitness. She specializes in showing  anyone who is ready for a real change, how easy it is to shift their  mindset and take the time to replenish their spirit so they can serve  others from the overflow and create the outcomes that they truly  deserve.  It’s a story of becoming, from stay at home mom to a  professional athlete, of how running can mean freedom, of how you  decide, in the blink of an eye, who you want to become, and how you get  to serve the same purpose in life you imagined as a kid, only a little  bit differently.  Find out about the definition of ‘emotional fitness’  and the top 3 emotional fitness skills that Flo discovered for herself  and which she believes in wholeheartedly. I found the discussion  today inspirational from beginning to end. This is, after all, a god  example of why it’s all personal, and nothing is just business. What I’m  taking with me is that yes, it’s possible to sit on a porch and decide  what you want to do with your life; that the roads we imagine as  children intersect, at some point, with the roads we travel on as  adults; that if, as a little child, you imagine yourself helping others  as a grown up, you don’t have to become a doctor… necessarily.  Life can offer alternatives, and it’s all about the choices that we make; that  failure is just a stepping stone to your success and yes, that sometimes  it does take an overwhelming breakdown to create a breakthrough.  Wishing you fantastic breakthroughs – All Personal, of course. Until next time. Connect with Flo on her LinkedIn account: www.linkedin.com/in/flo-zurkinden/

This is a very special episode. It’s the first time this podcast has had an award-winning author as a guest! I'm talking to none other than my fellow Romanian-born, Canadian-settled, Gabriela Casineanu.  She is an international award-winning author and professional coach, and she considers life a self-discovery journey worth exploring. These are not just words, here me out and you’ll see what I mean. Her professional path started in the technical field (engineering, IT, quality assurance), and was followed by an MBA.  You’d say, we’re pretty clear about the career path she’s chosen. Well, guess again. She had a slight career change to… coaching, after which the burnout she experienced a few years ago came as a strong wake-up call, revealing a new path to explore: an author journey!  What she enjoys the most is tapping into her broad background to combine concepts and techniques from different fields with a touch of creative spark. Whether she's coaching 1-on-1 or a team, leading an association, unfolding her entrepreneurial path, writing self-coaching books or letting her creativity thrive through artistic expressions ... she believes there's always a way when there’s a will!  Ready to take this journey with us today? Hop-on and let’s get going.  Book mentioned by Gabriela: 'Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking' by Susan Cain  Find Gabriela on any and all of the links below: www.GabrielaCasineanu.com; Amazon.com/author/gabrielacasineanu  LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielacasineanu/  Twitter: twitter.com/thoughtdesigner  Instagram: instagram.com/thoughtsdesigner/  Facebook: www.facebook.com/gabriela.casineanu  How to reach your potential  For me, this conversation reinforced the idea that yes, our skills and talents are there, inside each and everyone of us. And they find their way to the surface, one way or another, and then they take us places. And all that happens when we listen to ourselves, when we learn to see ourselves and work with who we are, rather than who others think we should be.  And, as Gabriela said, ‘‘Life is a self discovery journey – would you like to enjoy it?” I’d say, hey, don’t mind if I do. So I’ll just go now and make my life discovery, how else but, All Personal. Wishing you the same, until next time.

My guest today is Jennifer Trask, who is an  entrepreneur, mindset coach, and who since 2012 has been helping driven  entrepreneurs build powerhouse mindsets that enable them to take massive  action built on incredible courage, confidence and clarity that gets  big results.  After her first business failed, Jennifer overcame her own  limiting beliefs and was able to successfully create a full-time digital coaching and advising practice.  With clients on 5 continents, Jennifer is passionate about helping entrepreneurs who are creating positive  change for our people and planet. As an international speaker, she has  spoken in Canada, The U.S. and Australia. Jennifer has a Bachelor of  Commerce in Marketing and an MBA in International Business. She has been  featured in the Huffington Post, the award-winning book, 'Living  College Life In The Front Row' by celebrated coach Jon Vroman, in the  ‘Inspired Coach Magazine’ and the ‘Upwork Digital Nomad’ series. When  she is not traveling the globe (she’s been to 27 countries and  counting), Jennifer calls Toronto, Canada home. Resources Jennifer mentions: 'Grit', by Angela Duckworth 'Growth Mindset', by Carol Dweck To find Jennifer, check out her website: jennifer-trask.com/ This  conversation today reassured me that yes, when we have our mind set, we  can create that habit that we need to push us forward in our journey.  We can go beyond the usual excuses, ‘yes, but I’m just not good at that’  without even trying.  Or without trying more than just once before  giving up. I’ve learned that entrepreneurship is a skill that can be  learned, same as any other, yes, even if you’re not born into a family  of entrepreneurs.  That even intuition is a skill that we can work on.  That the results we’re getting are very much up to us. And that, well,  failure is not only human, but also relative and a powerful teacher.  So I leave you with Jennifer’s inspirational quote: ‘A bad quarter doesn’t make a bad entrepreneur’. I’d add: A bad day doesn’t make a bad person,  for that matter.  Until next time, good bye and, of course, please make it All Personal.

My guest today is Ronan Leonard and I have so many things to say about him, I’m not sure what to start with. The  first thing I was impressed with is that he was just 23 when he helped  rescue passengers and fellow staff when the cruise ship he worked on  sank off the wild coast of South Africa. For 9 years he continued to  work on cruise ships, sailing the world as a casino manager. His 1st business (a casino party company) grew from just 2 casino tables to over 50 and the largest gaming events company in Australia. With his casino background, he understands risk and reward and where the true value lies  in what you put your time and money into (and to give you a hint: it’s  not gambling!). Now, Ronan connects small business owners to  support groups through the innovative concept of virtual Masterminds. He  loves seeing the benefits that Mastermind groups have on each person  who participates and has helped 100’s of business owners increase  clarity, confidence and productivity by creating the support network for  them to achieve their true potential. Ronan believes we’ve lost  our connection to a “tribe“ A community that will help us solve our  problems and accelerate our learning. He believes that there is more  value in making real peer-to-peer connections than paying external  contractors who have no vested interest in our success. Passionate  about helping others, he is committed to giving away 1 in 6 spots on  the platform, to social enterprises and entrepreneurs from developing  countries, to create a truly global community. Now, words such as  tribe, community, learning and global spark my curiosity and enthusiasm  about the conversation we’re about to have. What I’m taking with  me today is the fact that, yes, usually, a near-death experience will  make us fast-forward our learning journey. What I also realized talking  to Ronan, is that everyday is equally important. That we can decide to  make it important, to make it a day that counts for us and everyone  around us. A day when we decide to stop putting off our happiness until  sometime in the future. And this is, of course, All Personal. Resources Ronan mentioned: - Jim Rohn: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” - 'Unique Ability' – by Catherine Nomura, Julia Waller, Shannon Waller - 'Psycho-Cybernetics' – by Maxwell Maltz Where to find Ronan: www.eccountability.io/ www.linkedin.com/in/ronan-leonard/ twitter.com/eccountability medium.com/@ronan_leonard/

Emma Sue Prince is a qualified teacher AND a management development trainer, author and business consultant.  Her  expertise lies in soft skills, trainer training, materials design,  qualification development and management development.  She provides employability, soft skills and education consultancy in emerging  economies all over the world working on large-scale projects in India,  Malaysia, Tanzania and in Bangladesh in partnership with the Department  of International Development and the British Council.  Emma Sue developed Unimenta, an organization that makes it easier for teachers and practitioners to deliver soft skills and personal development. She  is author of The Advantage, a book published by Pearson Business and  translated into eight languages.  The Advantage redefines soft skills as  personal competences we can all develop and nurture: adaptability,  empathy, critical thinking, integrity, optimism, being proactive and  resilience. For me, this conversation today re-iterated the idea that  soft skills are not soft at all, they are essential. Because when we  really start to work on our skills, we are, in fact, working on  ourselves, so we transform – and we bring self-awareness in our life.  And it’s self-awareness that leads to mindfulness, in any way we might  want to define it for ourselves. Because, after all, our lives don’t run by general recipes. We run them in moments and quiet thoughts which  make for our reality. So I leave you with Emma-Sue’s inspirational  quote: ‘Never be afraid to let go of the good in order to go for the  great’.  Until next time, good bye and, of course, please make it All  Personal. Where to find Emma-Sue: unimenta.com/home/ unimenta.com/the-book/ www.facebook.com/Unimenta/

If you think you're not the creative type, listen in and  think again!  In this episode, for the first time ever, we also have homework! Which, in good old creative fashion, is great, because homework just became a game! And one that helps us build our creativity skills muscles!  Tune in to find out more from my conversation with Bob  Sager, who is the founder of SpearPoint Solutions, LLC.  Bob’s  professional background includes experience in financial planning and residential real estate.  He is a Consultant and Trainer on Personal Achievement and Practical Innovative Thinking.  Among other accomplishments, Bob is the inventor of the innovative / creative ideas  game 'What's the BIG Idea?™', creator of the inspirational poster  'Impossible is an Opinion', author of the personal achievement book,  'Discovering Your Greatness: A Higher Level Thinking and Action Guide'  and curator of content for and contributing author to the book 'Living a  Wealthy Life: Stories of Gaining an Abundance in All Five Forms of  Wealth'. The buzz word for me? Creativity. So, let’s get creative today! Resources Bob recommended: - Michael Michalko - ‘Thinker Toys, a Handbook of Creative Thinking Techniques'. - The 'Homework' on developing creativity: www.linkedin.com/pulse/2014092517…re-not-creative/ You can connect with Bob here: YouTube Show 'What's the Big Idea?': https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbAAdYfyOMq7r3qVVdVn3JQ  - www.LinkedIn.com/in/bobsager - Twitter/Personal Account - @sagerbob - Twitter for 'What's The BIG Idea?' - @WTBIgame - Facebook Page for 'What's The BIG Idea?' - www.facebook.com/whatsthebigideagame/

Barbara Giamanco was CEO of Social Centered Selling. She was globally recognized as a leader in Sales.  She was also the co-author of The New Handshake: Sales Meets Social Media, a keynote speaker, sales and social  media coach, corporate webcast host to top technology companies and the host of the popular Conversations with Women in Sales podcast.  Barb was consistently a Top 25 Influential Leader in Sales, one of Top Sales World’s Top 50 Sales and Marketing Influencers, and recognized by Tenfold as one of the world's Top 65 Women Business Influencers alongside leaders like Arianna Huffington, Sheryl Sandberg, and Melinda Gates.  Visit www.scs-connect.com or follow Barb’s blog at www.barbaragiamanco.com. Some of the resources Barb talked about in this episode: - Vanilla Sky - the movie - Prince: Baby I'm a star - Henry Ford's 'Whether you think you can or can't, you're right'. I feel blessed to have interviewed Barb for the All Personal Podcast. Sadly, she passed in 2020, leaving us with her incredibly rich legacy!  To  me, this talk was such a great lesson on what good selling is and also on what it isn’t anymore.  And it also got me thinking that, well, we are  all natural born something, be it sellers, presenters, speakers,  marketers, singers, etc., which is what makes us great at it.  And then,  even if we don’t have that natural born ability, we can still become good at it. Maybe not great, maybe not perfect (and hey, nobody’s  perfect), but still good.  Because you don’t have to be a professional dancer to be able to dance at your own wedding, right? So, I leave you with a question: what is your natural born skill? My guess is, you will need to make it all personal to answer this. Till next time.

Carolyn Kiel is based in New Jersey, where she designs and delivers  learning and development programs. She has helped people at several large companies develop their talents, navigate change and achieve their business goals.  In 2018, Carolyn started a podcast called Beyond 6  Seconds. It features the extraordinary stories of everyday people who overcome challenges and make a positive impact on the world. You can find the podcast at www.beyond6seconds.com. Join in for this conversation on skills, from the perspective of a learning professional.  For me, it certainly was a wonderful talk about my favourite topic: learning.  And what I’m taking with me is that yes, it may take six seconds for us to create first impressions, but that only means we can  choose to use the rest of the time to create long lasting impressions. Because slowing down to discover each other may also hold the key to re-discovering bits of ourselves. Until next time, good bye and again, please make it All Personal.

My second guest in the All Personal podcast series is  Jo-Ann Hamilton, and she’s a Rare Bird – both figuratively and literally  – as Jo-Ann is the Founder of Rare Birds Magazine, formerly  SecretBirds. And I think I have an explanation for this – she sent  me her short description for this podcast and I found myself suddenly  taken into a journey of rare places and amazing cross-cultural  experiences! Hear me out, I’m sure you’ll agree with me!  Jo-Ann was born  and raised in St. Croix, Virgin Islands to parents from St. Kitts and  Nevis. She is a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C.,  Cass Business School in London and Kingston University also in London.   It gets better: her professional and cultural experiences span  continents, having worked in North America, the Caribbean, Europe and  Asia. Prior to starting Rare Birds, she worked in the corporate world in  the property and construction industry for a decade.  Alongside having a  full-time corporate career, she worked as a freelance writer and later  as an independent consultant to social enterprises. Jo-Ann is currently  teaching and guest lecturing at various academic institutions around the  globe and she is now in China! So there, was that a journey around the  world or what? Enjoy this rare talk and let me know what it left  you with. As for me, it was clear that distance is in the heart, not in  the miles, and there's no stopping us in creating meaningful connections  once we've decided to. Until next time, good bye and, again, please  take it All Personal. You can find Jo-Ann on secretbirdshq.com, at mainbirdsecretbirds@gmail.com, or on LinkedIn, IG and Twitter (Jo-Ann Alexandra Hamilton).

My first guest in the All Personal podcast series is Diviya Lewis! And  what better way to celebrate this first episode than by discussing  gratitude and the role it plays, or could be playing, in our daily  lives.  Before giving you her short bio, I have to say this. Diviya mentioned she made her website, www.choosegratitude.ca,  a bit more personal, which is just the phrase I needed to hear! And there, if you read the Founder’s Story, you find out many things about  her. What I found there was an answer to a question I had without realizing I did: where does her name come from. And I found the answer:  ‘My name, Diviya, is derived from diya, which is a lamp typically used in India and Nepal. They are lit during special occasions, such as the  Hindu Festival of Lights - Diwali - and the symbolic meaning encompasses  being a light in the darkness, or to illuminate.’  So let’s shed some light on where she comes from, before tuning in to what she has to say. Diviya  is the founder of Choose Gratitude - a company that is dedicated to  bringing gratitude to the forefront of our awareness, through corporate  presentations, workshops, and outreach through events. To date, she has  worked with the tech, law, finance and non-profit industries, as well as  with entrepreneurs, specifically women.  Previously, she worked at a  research firm (as a Project Manager and Research Associate), with a  wide range of industries (e.g. transportation, financial,  telecommunications, public affairs, and what we coin Custom - clients  range from universities, tourism organizations, to realty advisors). She  then transitioned to the wellness sector, but her work is heavily  informed by research, and she strives to take an evidence-based approach  to her work.  She has completed a Master of Arts in Counselling  Psychology, currently working at York University as an intern  counsellor, and is training with Dr. Diana Brecher at Ryerson University  on her Five Factor Model of Resilience. Diviya also volunteers as the President of Young Women in Business Toronto (ywib.ca/toronto/),  and has been conducting her own research on gratitude and resilience.  Now, that’s quite a research to make, it’s not everyday that we hear  research, gratitude and resilience in the same sentence.  Listen in to a thoughtful, illuminating and warm conversation which, I’m sure,  will leave you with thoughts, questions and choices. For me, it was a  question: if gratitude is a choice, who would I be once I’ve made it my  choice?