Have you wondered what it looks like to decolonize business - even your own? Then you will appreciate this conversation with our guest, Vanessa Lesperance. Vanessa is a mixed heritage Métis woman who is originally from Treaty 1 territory (Winnipeg, MB). She is a facilitator, instructor at the Justice Institute (co-teaching on power and privilege), and a speaker.After earning her master's degree in leadership from Royal Roads University with a focus on decolonizing business through workplace spirituality, she became interested in the potential benefits of labyrinths in the workplace.Vanessa recently started Vancity Labyrinth where she combines the medicine of the labyrinth with the power of sharing circles to offer her clients an ancient modality to create deep connections to self and others in the circle.Some of her previous clients include Google, HILTI North America, TELUS and various school districts and universities. In addition, Vanessa works with Indigenous women entrepreneurs from across the country with the not-for-profit, The Indigenous LIFT Collective.Find Vanessa at https://www.vancitylabyrinth.com/aboutLearn about the Life Collective here: http://liftcollective.ca/Subscribe and read show notes at https://Icandosomethingaboutthis.com

The way forward is through. There is no other path that will generate change in us and allow us to grow through it all. Meryl Cook knows this well - and has some great insights into how unlocking your creativity through art is invaluable...Colour, texture, joy and self-compassion say everything about Meryl Cook’s beautifully-crafted hooked rugs, her books about her journey from homeopath to artist and journal writer, and her journal writing practice. What began as a way of holding space for herself following breast cancer treatment has led Meryl Cook to a career as an artist and writer and to working with teams and individuals to reconnect with their joy and sense of purpose. Meryl is best known for her Wild Woman series of hooked mats, her use of the eight Chakra colours in her artwork and her recent class Wild Women at Sea on a schooner off the coast of Maine. She describes herself and her ideal client as ‘Renegade’. Since 2016 (and online since 2020) Meryl has spoken and facilitated creativity and wellness workshops throughout North America. Recent corporate clients include Adsum for Women & Children, Dalhousie University, EY, Landing Strong, and Get Hooked at Sea.Meryl is a Journal Council member of the International Association for Journal Writing. She is the author of two books, One Loop at a Time: A Story of Rughooking, Healing and Creativity (2016) and One Loop at a Time, The Creativity Workbook (2017). Her chapter “Journaling and the Reinvention of the Self One Loop at a Time” appears in Transformational Journaling for Coaches, Therapists and Clients by Lynda Monk and Eric Maisel (June 2021). Her chapter “Journaling and Design Inspiration” is in The Great Book of Journaling by Lynda Monk and Eric Maisel (June 2022). Meryl is a juried member of Craft Nova Scotia and a member of ART 1274 Hollis Gallery. Her artwork can be found in galleries as well as in private collections.Subscribe and read show notes at https://Icandosomethingaboutthis.com

Have you ever wondered how plastic is impacting our health? Our community? Even our social equity and accessibility?For our guest today, starting something simply out of curiosity has opened up a whole new world of awareness. Her insights are really fresh and she has a LOT of great ideas of how to take action where you are, with what you have.Lindura is an actress, model & co-founder of PlasticFree Toronto (@plasticfreeto), an educational hub about climate change through the lens of social justice & environmental racism.Lin & Toni have hosted workshops, webinars, and sustainable tours in Toronto, all with the hopes of normalizing discussions about climate, centering the BIPOC experience, and making complex issues more approachable. They show that dealing with hard topics is not all doom and gloom, and reclaiming joy & freedom is key to creating positive change. Lindura is also passionate about sustainable fashion, as it has huge potential for inspiring worldwide change. She enjoys highlighting brands that are doing the work to honour their workers, redesign our ideas of “waste”, and carefully consider the sourcing of their raw materials.  Lindura sits on the board of the Canadian Green Alliance, and the steering committee of ReusableTO. She has been featured in Toronto Life Magazine & Byrdie, and has written articles for Impact Magazine, Spring Magazine, Simpli Zero, Bare Market, and Good Space.When she’s not working, you’ll most likely find her in the trees, or at home having a dance party for no reason.  Find Them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plasticfreetoChristal Earle is the founder of Brave Soles. Https://bravesoles.lifeRafik Riad is the founder of Buy Good. Feel Good. https://buygoodfeelgood.comSubscribe and read show notes at https://Icandosomethingaboutthis.com

Sometimes  great ideas are able to get traction through building off of what is already there. Gavin's story of building Lucky Iron Fish is evidence of how that can look.Dr. Gavin Armstrong is a committed and award winning impact entrepreneur. He is currently serving as the Founder and CEO of Lucky Iron Fish Enterprise® (LIFe), a social enterprise dedicated to alleviating iron deficiency around the world using simple health innovations. Through this role he was a Fulbright scholar at Auburn University and was awarded the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 in the Social Entrepreneur category in 2016. In 2017 he received the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award and was named 'Social Entrepreneur of the Year' by EY Canada. In 2018 he successfully pitched his company Lucky Iron Fish Enterprise on CBC's Dragons Den where he was able to secure a deal with two dragons. In 2019 he was named Small Business Leader of the Year by the Canadian Gay Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC).A long-term advocate and activist against hunger and malnutrition, Gavin is the first Canadian to receive the William J. Clinton Award for international work against hunger and is the inaugural recipient of the international Michaelle Jean Emergency Hunger Relief Award. He has also helped the Lucky Iron Fish win multiple Cannes Lion awards including the Grand Prix and several Clio Design Awards including the Grand Prix in healthcare.In this episode, we talk about:Gavin's journey to discovering the concept of what would become Lucky Iron FishHow to listen and learn before making assumptions around what people need and wantThe challenges and wins that he and the team have experienced over the journey of bringing Lucky Iron Fish to the people that need it the mostLucky Iron Fish: https://luckyironfish.comChristal Earle is the founder of Brave Soles. https://bravesoles.lifeRafik Riad is the founder of Buy Good. Feel Good.  https://buygoodfeelgood.comSubscribe and read show notes at https://Icandosomethingaboutthis.com

When you open your heart to what is right in front of you, great things can happen.  Sitti Soap is proof that lasting impact is possible, even when the odds are stacked against you.Noora Sharrab is the cofounder of Sitti Soap, a social enterprise business committed to the self-reliance of refugee and displaced communities. In particular, they are focused on working with Palestinian refugees in Jordan, co-creating their products and brand. In this episode we discuss: how a search for ways to help resulted in seeing an obvious business opportunity.what it means for people who have lived in refugee camps for so many years and the extended families that they are seeking to supporthow Noora and her co-founder, Jacqueline,  started to build unconventional paths to profitability for Sitti Soapthe difference between building a true partnership and simply helping Sitti Soap: https://sittisoap.com/Brave Soles: https://bravesoles.lifeBuy Good. Feel Good: https://buygoodfeelgood.comSubscribe and read show notes at https://Icandosomethingaboutthis.com

Domestic Violence is so much more prevalent than we may care to admit. Although the path out of it is difficult and precarious, knowing there are people like Hannah Kay reminds you that you are not alone. -------------------------------------------Hannah Kay Herdlinger has been living her passion throughout her life -- connectingwith and helping others. Her career has taken her across many industries starting with serving in the United States Senate for Senator Mark Pryor. She was then recruited to join Facebook as a founding member of the Washington DC political office. Sheryl Sandberg connected with Hannah Kay during the period of time of the writing and publication of the book “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead”, which provided international exposure to the non-profit, Lean In – created to empower all women to achieve their ambitions. Hannah Kay became Head of Operations for that entire organization. She then connected with Arianna Huffington and took time to help herlaunch Thrive Global. Hannah Kay was born with the purpose of living her life connecting with others. Her passion is to help others build confidence in themselves, which fueled the creation of Thread Talk – a company with the purpose of supportingdomestic violence survivors. Hannah Kay lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.In this episode, we talk about:Hannah Kay's journey out of domestic violenceWhat she learned through talking with women's shelters about what they needHow we can follow the thread of what's working and create something work sharingRemembering why the world needs what we bring is vital to our successHow to never underestimate the power of simply starting wherever you are and filling in the details along the way.https://threadtalk.com/Christal Earle is the founder of Brave Soles. https://bravesoles.lifeRafik Riad is the founder of Buy Good. Feel Good. https://buygoodfeelgood.comSubscribe and read show notes at https://Icandosomethingaboutthis.com

When life does not go as planned we can be tempted to give up or give in. However, if  you are Luke Anderson, you make the decision, over and over again, to decide the kind of future you want for yourself and those who face the same hurdles.  Get ready to leave this episode different then when you first showed up. ------------------------------------After sustaining a spinal cord injury in 2002, Luke Anderson was all of a sudden introduced to a world that's not well suited for a wheelchair user. His frustration encountering access barriers led him to co-found the StopGap Foundation, which raises awareness about the importance of a barrier free and inclusive society. StopGap works with different community leaders across Canada delivering education and resources that inspire societal perspective shifts, the removal of barriers in the built environment, and policy change. Their iconic brightly painted ramps can be found in more than 60 communities all over Canada, helping ensure our society's collective understanding about the importance of accessibility and inclusion continues to advance and grow.Luke is a licensed professional engineer, a nature lover, an avid meditator, an aspiring harmonica virtuoso, and is the recipient of a Governor General's Meritorious Service Medal.https://stopgap.caIn this episode, Christal, Rafik and Luke discuss:How Luke's accident and subsequent paralysis altered the course of his lifeHow continually encountering physical barriers to access eventually opened his eyes- and mind - to possibilitiesLuke's daily choices that help him stay focusedWhat we mean when we talk about "accessibility"A fabulous explanation of what access intimacy really meansWhy StopGap matters and how to get involvedChristal Earle is the founder of Brave Soles. https://bravesoles.lifeRafik Riad is the founder of Buy Good. Feel Good. https://buygoodfeelgood.comSubscribe and read show notes at https://Icandosomethingaboutthis.com

Big visions that have the potential to dramatically make a difference in the lives of many people need the right partnerships to make it happen. Funto Boroffice knows all about this.-----------------------------------------------------Funto Boroffice is the founder/CEO of award winning Chanja Datti Ltd, (http://www.chanjadatti.com) a waste collection & recycling social enterprise. Chanja Datti is  dedicated to transforming the waste in their environment into value and creating jobs.She is also the founder of Quidroo, a fintech startup providing access to working capital for Nigeria SMEs, especially women-owned SMEs. Prior to starting Chanja Datti, she spent 3 years as a Senior Aide to Nigeria’s Honorable Minister of Power, covering Investments, Finance & Donor Relations.  Before that,  she spent 17 years gaining global financial, strategy and project improvement experience - 12 of those years she was a GE executive in the U.S, working in the largest GE Capital Americas business.She graduated with a Masters’ degree in Financial Management from Pace University’s Lubin School of Business in New York, and has a Bachelors’degree in Accounting and Finance from Northeastern University in Boston where she graduated cum laude (with honors).Funto is a founding member and Vice President of the Recycling Association of Nigeria (RAN), founder of Initiative for the Advancement of Waste Management in Africa (aka W.A.S.T.E Africa), a Fellow of the Waste Management Society of Nigeria,  and an alumni of the several prestigious local and international programs andsits on several boards. In 2021, Funto was recognized by Global Citizen.org as one of 11 Change-makingAfricans that the world needs to know about. She was also recognized by CNBC Rising Woman Africa series as one of 31 African women leaders in 2021. As well, she is a winner of the 2021 WE Empower UN SDG Challenge.In this episode, we talk about:Funto's insights gleaned through living between the U.S. and Nigeria.Her moment of inspiration about what would later become Chanja DattiHow she learned to find ways to engage the people who needed their help the mostSurprising projects and social change initiatives that Chanja Datti is spearheadingHow she stays motivatedThe 4 P's that Chanja Datti is built onThe unlimited potential of relationship buildingChristal Earle is the founder of Brave Soles. https://bravesoles.lifeRafik Riad is the founder of Buy Good. Feel Good. https://buygoodfeelgood.comSubscribe and read show notes at https://Icandosomethingaboutthis.com

Do you wonder how some people seem to be able to pivot and find new possibilities in places others may never be able to see? Angela has a lot to teach us about how her journey has created those possibilities, time and again.-----------------------------------Angela DeMontigny is an internationally-renowned, Native Canadian (Cree/Metis) designer, born with a “passion for fashion” that began when she was a young teen. A prominent leader of the Indigenous luxury movement in fashion design for over 2 decades, Angela is famous for her luxury brand of bespoke and ready-to-wear, all leather clothing collections, bold accessories and luxury, leather handbags. Her pieces have been sold in galleries and specialty boutiques (including her own), throughout North America and Europe, outfitting award-winning singers, performers, and other high-profile personalities from across Canada and the U.S.A consummate trailblazer, Angela has also produced some of Canada's most prestigious showcases and galas for Indigenous designers such as, FashioNation (Toronto’s L'Oreal Fashion Week), Fire & Fashion (Planet IndigenUs), From Culture to Couture, and Aboriginal Fashion Week (2010 Winter Olympics), and a featured designer in an all Canadian designer show 'Canada 150 Fashion Tribute' during Toronto Women's Fashion Week in October 2017.She designed and operated her beautiful, flagship brick & mortar store, DeMontignyBoutique & Gallery for 6 years in the heart of Hamilton's exciting art and fashion district, offering custom fitting and design services to her clientele. Angela now operates her boutique fully online through her website including her Indigenous wellness brand: LODGE Soy Candles. https://lodgesoycandles.com/In this episode, we talk about:Angela's journey to fashion that took her around the worldThe indigenous values and generational wisdom that is an integral part of all that she creates in the worldWhat it's like to pivot in business when you need to respond quickly to a situation beyond your controlThe power that art has to help teach and speak to us on many different levels of who we are, both personally and as a cultureChristal Earle is the founder of Brave Soles. https://bravesoles.life.Rafik Riad is the founder of Buy Good. Feel Good. https://buygoodfeelgood.comSubscribe and read show notes at https://Icandosomethingaboutthis.com

What do you do when you wish there was a camp for kids that you have incredible empathy for? Well, if you are Harry and Chris, even though it seems like a crazy idea, you simply start to create one.  -----------------------------Rainbow Camp® is a welcoming, inclusive, safe space for 2SLGBTQ+ youth ages12-18 to experience summer camp. Founded in 2012 and run by members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community (including many former campers), Rainbow® is committed to developing a camp community honouring creativity, individual choice, and social justice, while having fun. Situated in the pristine wilderness just East of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, Rainbow Camp® has welcomed over 700 campers from across North America since 2012. Over 70 percent of campers are subsidized based on financial need, to ensure that everyone can attend. Campers call it a life-changing experience, and in some cases, a life-saving experience. Husbands Harry Stewart and Chris Southin, were recently selected as recipients of the Governor General's Meritorious Service Medal for co-founding Rainbow Camp® and for their work in support of 2SLGBTQ+ youth. The camp is organized by the Welcome Friend Association, a registered charity that provides outreach to and support for people affected by gender and sexual issues. Welcome Friend Association’s Rainbow Camp® was the recipient of a $100,000 donation recently from celebrity Colin Mochrie, who had chosen it as his charity of choice when he won Laugh Out Loud’s Last One Laughing Canada in early 2022. They are online at: www.WelcomeFriend.caChristal Earle is the founder of Brave Soles. https://bravesoles.lifeRafik Riad is the founder of Buy Good. Feel Good.  https://buygoodfeelgood.comSubscribe and read show notes at https://Icandosomethingaboutthis.com