Coffee With Convery

Welcome to Coffee With Convery, the podcast that’s yourlaunchpad for career inspiration.Today’s guest is a powerhouse in the world of human resources, a certified coach, and a master at building high-performing leadership benches. Please welcome Tiffany Smye,  Founder and Principal Consultant at TCSTalent Consulting and former Senior Director of Talent, Learning & Development at MLSE. Tiffany’s career is a masterclass in evolving within the talent space. She has led massive recruitment and development portfolios for global giants like RBC and Deloitte,managing everything from campus programs for over 650 annual hires to overseeing HR for banking operations with more than 9,500 employees.  Today, she uses that deep expertise to help organizations solve business challenges through a people-and-culture lens, focusing on leadership effectiveness and talentinnovation. Whether you’re a student navigating your first campus recruitment cycle, a professional looking to pivot your career, or a leader trying to build a culture of trust and performance, Tiffany’s insights will change how you think about talent.

Welcome to Coffee With Convery, the podcast that’s your launchpad for career inspiration.Today’s guest doesn’t just work inside systems -- he questions them, rewrites them, and asks who they were actually built for in the first place.Colin Belcourt is an author, certified sustainability practitioner, award-winning DEI & belonging leader, business intelligence professional, and a queer systems thinker.Colin’s career didn’t start with a title or a straight line.It started at the front desk…and moved through administration, HR, recruitment, project management, DEI leadership, international talent, public-sector innovation and now into technology, AI governance, and authorship.His journey is proof that your first job doesn’t define you - but how you learn, adapt, and stay true to yourself absolutely does.

Welcome to Coffee With Convery, the podcast that’s your launchpad for career inspiration.Today’s guest understands something most people don’t realize until much later: careers aren’t ladders — they’re stories.Ella Weatherilt is the Director of Talent Acquisition at Medcan, with leadership experience at Walmart Canada, Spin Master, and across agency recruiting.But beyond titles, Ella is a storyteller at heart - an English Literature grad who turned narrative thinking into a career helping people move from one chapter to the next.She doesn’t just hire talent.She helps people make sense of their futures.

Welcome to Coffee With Convery, the podcast that’s your launchpad for career inspiration.Today’s guest is someone who didn’t just notice a broken system, she chose to stand between families and it.Christine Lai is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Special Education Legal Fund.Since 2018, her work has helped provide over $1.3million in grants and thousands of hours of legal support to families navigating special education, families who too often feel unheard, overwhelmed, or alone.Christine’s journey spans Wall Street to nonprofit leadership, but this conversation isn’t about titles.It’s about advocacy.About translating skills into meaningful impact.And about building systems that protect families when they need it most.

Welcome to Coffee With Convery, the podcast that’syour launchpad for career inspiration.I’m your host, Brien Convery, and around here we believe success isn’t just about climbing the corporate ladder - it’s about building your own jungle gym.Each episode, we share real stories from all kinds of careers and all levels, to help you design a careerportfolio of sorts that fits you and your passions.Let’s dive into today’s conversation.Today’s guest is someone who reminds us that careers don’t start in boardrooms, they start with people.Adam Castle is a developer and growth coach, mental health ambassador, and the Director of Venture Services & Partnerships at WEtech Alliance. But before startup accelerators, innovation programs, and ecosystem building - Adam’s career began in social work, youth services, recreation, and community care.

Welcome back to Coffee with Convery, where we caffeinate your curiosity with bold stories, real conversations, and fresh perspectives on how you define success - in work and in life.Today’s guest represents something I love spotlighting on this show: drive without entitlement, ambition with humility, and discipline with heart.Kofi Boateng is a second-year Commerce student-athlete atMcMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business, a Defensive Lineman for the McMaster Marauders, a former Commercial Banking Analyst Intern at BMO, an award-winning entrepreneur, and a young leader who’s already built impact across finance, community, and business.From founding a lawn care company that served seniors and earned youth entrepreneur awards…to interning at BMO and KPMG…to leading corporate relations for Black in Business and representing firms like ICON Talent Partners and KPMG on campus…Kofi’s story isn’t about having it all figured out - it’sabout showing up, stacking reps, and building optionality early.

Welcome back to Coffee with Convery, where we caffeinate your curiosity with bold stories, actionable insights, andreal conversations about building meaningful careers. Today’s guest is someone who embodies purpose-driven leadership in higher education and in talent development.Kelly Hart is a strategic higher education leader, a driver of successful outcomes, an advocate for equity and inclusion, and a connector who has spent nearly two decadesshaping how employers engage talent and how students prepare for meaningful work. From staffing firms to corporate recruiting at Aramark, from managing 400+ employer partnerships to now overseeing student and employer engagement at Temple University’s centralized Career Center, Kelly’s career journey has been amasterclass in collaboration, strategic thinking, and creating opportunities at scale. She’s an educator, a mentor, a bridge-builder, and someone who believes deeply in empowering young people to step into their confidence and their careers.

Welcome back to Coffee with Convery, where we caffeinate your curiosity with bold stories, real conversations, and fresh perspectives on what it means to build a career —and a life — with purpose.Today’s guest is someone who embodies reinvention, creativity, and the power of community:Jon Levesque - global community builder, AI and automation evangelist, keynote speaker, YouTube creator, and founder of Seeq, the world’s first Experience Network.Jon has built massive global communities at Microsoft and DocuSign, spoken on international stages, architected award-winning engagement programs, mentored over 130 MVPs, and helped millions learn how to turn technology intopossibility.  And now?He’s building Seeq — a platform designed to kill “save-and-forget” discovery and turn curiosity into action.Jon’s story is a masterclass in following your creativity, betting on yourself, and building communities that actually care.

Welcome back to Coffee with Convery, where we caffeinate your curiosity with bold stories, actionable insights, and fresh takes on how you can define and design your own success.Today’s guest is a career professional turned coach who is helping high-performing men reset, rewire, and reclaim control of their lives. Please welcome Gareth Hellen — Certified Life & Accountability Coach, founder of EvolvedMen Coaching, and experienced financial services professional.Gareth’s career spans over a decade across roles at Deloitte, Capita, Huntswood, and the Development Bank of Wales. From managing financial risk and compliance, toleading client engagement and conflict resolution, Gareth has worked at the sharp end of finance where trust, problem-solving, and resilience is essential.These experiences gave him a front-row seat to how stress, pressure, and burnout affect professionals — and inspired him to create The Reclaim Method, his 12-week coaching framework helping men reset their nervous systems, rewire their habits, and reclaim their sense of purpose.Whether you’re a student exploring a career in finance, an emerging professional balancing ambition with well-being, or someone looking for practical lessons on resilience and leadership, Gareth’s story will spark ideas for your own journey.

Welcome back to Coffee with Convery, where wecaffeinate your curiosity with bold stories, actionable insights, and fresh takes on how we define and design success.Today’s episode is all about breaking the mold —deconstructing the old ways of hiring and reimagining what recruitment can look like in an age of ethical AI, human connection, and smart technology.My guest is Nick Mastromattei, Co-Founder and ChiefTechnology Officer at Picsume — the Windsor-based tech company transforming how employers and job seekers connect.Nick is a seasoned technical product leader, solutionarchitect, and AI advocate with over 15 years of experience leading digital innovation for global organizations — from Ticketmaster to Harvard and Steelcase.At Picsume, Nick is the architect behind the platform’spowerful, bias-reducing AI — proving that when you combine technology with empathy, you don’t just build better systems, you build a better way to connect people and work.

Welcome back to Coffee with Convery, where we caffeinate your curiosity with bold stories, actionable insights, and fresh takes on how we define and design success.Today’s episode is extra special — we’re shining a spotlight on one incredible student from the University of Windsor, winner of the 2025 Rising Star Award.This award celebrates students who have excelled during their co-op placements and demonstrated the qualities that make them true leaders of tomorrow.Cameron Anderson, a third-year mechanical engineering student whose curiosity and initiative turned a co-op at Stellantis into a journey of technical discovery and personal growth.Cameron story remind us of the power of work-integrated learning, resilience, and the courage to ask questions. Whether you’re a student just beginning to explore your career options, or a professional reflecting on your own journey, their insights will inspire and challenge you to keep growing.

Welcome back to Coffee with Convery, where we caffeinateyour curiosity with bold stories, actionable insights, and fresh takes on how we define and design success.Today’s guest is a leader in AI innovation, a keynotespeaker, and an advocate for mental health and resilience. Please welcome TJ Walia — creator of the PWR-AI Framework, former Microsoft leader, and passionate mentor helping professionals and entrepreneurs thrive withoutburning out.TJ’s journey is one many can relate to — after 15 yearsof corporate success, he hit rock bottom in 2021 with severe burnout and anxiety that forced him to completely rebuild his life. From that moment, he transformed his struggle into a system — one that now helps thousands harnessAI, protect their mental health, and accelerate their careers and businesses sustainably.Whether you’re a student entering the workforce, a youngprofessional feeling the pressure to always be “on,” or a man navigating the unspoken challenges around mental health, this episode offers real talk and real tools.

Welcome back to Coffee with Convery, where we caffeinateyour curiosity with bold stories, actionable insights, and fresh takes on how we define and design success.Today’s guest is the definition of homegrown innovation.From small-town beginnings in Blenheim, Ontario to leadingone of Canada’s most exciting tech startups — Picsume, Jordan Goure’s journey proves that big ideas can be built anywhere.Jordan is a serial entrepreneur, ethical AI advocate, andco-founder and CEO of Picsume — the Windsor-based company transforming how employers and job seekers connect. He’s also a creative force behind severalsuccessful ventures in hospitality, manufacturing, real estate, and winemaking.Whether he’s crafting a bold new business model or a bottleof wine, Jordan has one mission: to make work — and life — more human, connected, and meaningful.

Welcome back to Coffee with Convery, where wecaffeinate your curiosity with bold stories, actionable insights, and fresh takes on how we define and design success.Today’s guest Steve Jaffe is a seasoned advertisingand marketing executive, author, and resilience advocate. Steve’s book The Layoff Journey: From Dismissal to Discovery is reshaping how we think about job loss, recovery, and renewal.Steve’s professional career spans decades in advertising,media, and marketing leadership. But behind the polished campaigns and successful boardroom pitches, Steve—like many of us—faced unexpected career turns, including layoffs. Rather than letting those setbacks define him, he reframed them intodiscovery. His book draws directly from those lived experiences, offering a deeply personal yet practical roadmap for navigating job loss.The Layoff Journey walks readers through the seven stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, reconstruction, and renewal—reminding us that careersetbacks are not just about losing a paycheck, but about losing identity, routine, and stability. Through relatable stories, actionable strategies, and real-world exercises, Steve shows how each stage can be transformed into astepping stone toward growth.If you’ve ever wondered how to move from dismissal todiscovery, from grief to growth, and from uncertainty to renewal—this episode is for you.

Welcome back to Coffee with Convery, where wecaffeinate your curiosity with bold stories, actionable insights, and fresh takes on how we define and design success.Today’s guest, Vijay Rajendran, is a venture builder, founder, UC Berkeley Certified Executive Coach, and author of TheFunding Framework: Secure Startup Funding with Confidence. Vijay helps leaders scale not only their startups but also themselves. Vijay has spent over 20 years at the intersection ofentrepreneurship, venture capital, and leadership. From building fintech and ecommerce startups to leading portfolio value at 500 Global — a venture capital firm with $2.7 billion under management — to mentoring founders in over 80countries, his career has been about helping great ideas find the leadership they need to thrive.Whether you’re a student dreaming of your first startup,a job seeker eager to break into venture, or a professional ready to turn your vision into reality, this conversation will give you the roadmap to start.

Welcome back to Coffee with Convery, the podcast where purpose meets passion, and every episode serves up a hot dose of inspiration for students, emerging professionals, and leaders navigating the future of work and life. Now, today’s episode is truly something special. If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to blend decades of corporate leadership with down-to-earth entrepreneurship—or how a childhood in New Jersey can turn into a mushroom-powered mission in Texas—then you’re in for a treat. My guest today is Keri Hissim, a dynamic executive leader who’s driven multi-billion-dollar business growth, innovation, and high-performing teams at one of the world’s most recognized companies—AT&T. But that’s only part of the story.Keri is also the co-founder of Millbrook Mushrooms, a premium mushroom farm she built alongside her husband and high school sweetheart, Kyle. From Lion’s Mane toKing Trumpets, they’re growing gourmet fungi that fuel everything from fine dining to cognitive health. She’s a mom, a mentor, a marketer, a mushroom whisperer—and one of the most grounded and inspiring leaders out there. Keri’s journey is a beautiful blend of faith,family, and fearlessness, and today we’re digging into how she did it all—and what advice she has for you.

Welcome back to Coffee with Convery, where we caffeinate your curiosity with bold stories, actionable insights, and fresh takes on how we define and design success. Today’s guest Aidan Brannigan is not your typical founder, not your typical marketer, and definitely not your typical career story. He is the creative force behind No Boring Brands, the agency making memes and skits forsome of the biggest B2B brands in the world, generating over 1 million organic views a day! Aidan has built a career that mixes comedy, content, and a little bit of chaos. He’s spoken at SXSW about memes, helped grow The Marketing Millennials to a million-plus followers, run campaigns for brands like Palo Alto Networks,ClickUp, Semrush, and even Gillette—and somewhere along the way, he lost $500k in crypto, lost a spam-eating contest to Joey Chestnut in front of 14,000 people, and got doxxed for launching a fake software called LayoffBot that actually turned into a lead magnet. But here’s the kicker—Aidan’s story is one of making your own lane. He’s proof that you don’t have to wait for the perfect job posting, the perfect timing, or the perfect title to make a name for yourself. Whether you’re a student, a newgrad, or a job seeker wondering how to stand out, this episode is packed with lessons on creativity, resilience, and building a career that doesn’t just pay the bills—but gets people talking.

Welcome back to Coffee with Convery, where wecaffeinate your curiosity with bold stories, actionable insights, and fresh takes on how we define and design success.Today’s guest is known as The Food Professor — aglobal authority on food distribution, policy, and supply chains. Please welcome Dr. Sylvain Charlebois Senior Director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, professor, award-winning researcher, and trusted voice in thefuture of food systems.For over nine years, Sylvain has been advancing foodtraceability, security, and sustainability through research that doesn’t just stay in the lab — it influences policy, empowers industry, and helps consumers make better choices. He’s been recognized with international awards, advised oncritical challenges in food systems, and continues to mentor the next generation of leaders in the food and agriculture sectors.Whether you’re a student wondering where food innovationcareers are headed, a professional curious about how analytics and policy shape what ends up on our plates, or just someone fascinated by the future of food, this episode has something for you.

Welcome back to Coffee with Convery, where wecaffeinate your curiosity with bold stories, actionable insights, and fresh takes on how we define and design success.Today’s guest is a dynamic legal mind, mentor, andaward-winning thought leader in appellate and judicial review litigation. Please welcome Marco Falco — Partner at Torkin Manes LLP, distinguished University of Toronto alumnus, and champion for diversity and mentorship in thelegal field.Marco is more than a lawyer — he’s a storyteller whotranslates complex legal battles into compelling narratives that resonate inside and outside the courtroom. As Chief Editor of Torkin Manes LegalWatch, his insights have shaped conversations on civil and appellate litigation nationwide. Recognized as a Lexology Legal Influencer multiple times and winner of the Mondaq Thought Leadership Award in Public Law, Marco’s influence extends far beyond his cases.Equally important is his dedication to the next generation. Through his mentorship roles at the University of Toronto and his leadership in diversity and inclusion initiatives, he is opening doors for students, emerging professionals, and underrepresented voices in law to thrive.Whether you’re a student exploring law, a young professional navigating your early career, or someone curious about the impact of appellate advocacy, this conversation promises to inspire and inform.

Welcome back to Coffee with Convery, where wecaffeinate your curiosity with bold stories, actionable insights, and fresh takes on how we define and design success.Today’s guest is a talent acquisition powerhouse, diversitychampion, and connector of people and possibilities. Please welcome Jessie Penman—Talent Acquisition Advisor at BDC, passionate advocate for inclusive hiring, and living proof that empathy can be a competitive advantage.Jessie doesn’t just fill roles—she builds futures. With acareer spanning financial services, business development, and recruitment at some of Canada’s most recognized organizations, Jessie has made it her mission to create safe spaces where every candidate feels valued, respected, and free from judgment. And as someone living with an invisible physical disability, she brings a personal perspective to breaking down barriers and driving change.If you’ve ever wondered how empathy, transparency, and asharp eye for talent can transform careers and companies—this episode is for you.