Land A Job You Love

This week Natasha Lao returns to the pod but this time, with a brand new venture!We talk about her recent shift into entrepreneurship, her perspective on branding and mix in health, beauty and fashion too. Natasha Lao is a multi-hyphenate brand strategist and Founder of Studio Giorg, a brand strategy and creative consultancy, helping brands unlock their potential  and create lasting cultural impact. Known for bridging the gap between data and storytelling, she brings deep expertise in brand strategy, marketing, and creative direction.

We're back baby!!This week I sit down with Vishar Yaghoubian, CEO and Co-Founder of Toothpod (U Corp), a dental smart gum designed to clean teeth when brushing isn’t an option. We talk about:- Meeting at a poker tournament and the benefits of putting yourself in random rooms - SOLID tips on how to craft a pitch that best represents you (Vishar has earned 6 figures for her business through 1st place prizes in pitch competitions so she is someone to learn from!)- Towards the end of the episode she shares her experience undergoing hypnotherapy and the benefits she's uncovered from it (many successful Founders have spoken about exploring this and it is fascinating to hear about!!) Enjoy!

I got some great takeaways from the last episode with Palak and incorporated them into my daily life since we recorded. In this episode I want to share what I incorporated, the impact it's had and the resources that helped. Links to Resources Shared (not sponsored or affiliated): Book: Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza Night Stretches: Liz Tenuto's work Her IG: @thworkoutwitch_ Oil Pulling: Here is what I use You can find Palak's work and philosophies on IG @paldave

This episode was one of the most impactful for me this year, so much so, that I'm releasing it on video and making it a 2 part special. Palak is the Founder and CEO of ⁠Embiria⁠ {experience}, a speaker, investor and author of the newly released book ⁠Beautiful Everydays: A Guide to Living in the Here and Now⁠. Through her work, she inspires a shift away from digital distractions toward embracing in person experiences, gatherings and the beauty of living life in the present moment. In our conversation, Palak catches me in a tough moment where I acknowledge how little time is spent (after work, sleep, chores, errands) on cultivating true joy. She teaches me the importance of and how to find the joyful moments in the little everyday things. In part 2, I'm going to share some real takeways I implemented from this episode and their impact along with a resource guide on what has helped me cultivate more joy. Links: Human Design Quiz: https://ahumandesign.com/ Palak Website: embiria.ca Palak Instagram: @paldave

If you're hoping to be inspired with new career energy, this is the episode for you! Margaux has done it all - she is a global community builder, speaker/event host/emcee, podcast host, TEDx speaker, voice actor...and more! Margaux has spent her career exploring her creative interests and integrating them into her work life and gives incredibly practical tips on how you can do the same.

I asked Sarah everything we've ever wanted to know about her remarkable, trailblazing career, including the time she got mentioned in a podcast with Monica Padman, Kristen Bell and Kim Kardashian! Sarah is a 16 year creator, writer and host and shares the real and personal moments of her journey through body image, divorce, motherhood, self-discovery, and the pursuit of love. This episode is supported by: Design Shop (Interior Design Services): design--shop.com Melanie Auld Jewelry: melanieauld.com SPARK15 for 15% off at checkout Riverdale Skin Co.: riverdaleco.ca SPARK15 for 15% off facials for Toronto based listeners

Allana Schmidt is a seasoned leadership and strategy expert with a diverse professional background spanning psychology, clinical social work, business operations, marketing and HR. As a global people strategy executive, Allana's knack for cultivating strategies that foster company growth, employee development and inclusion has garnered acclaim, including recognition as one of Canada's Top 100 Black Women to Watch 2024 by CIBWE. We talk about all things leadership and career growth, enjoy!

The last episode was a big one and I wanted to take you through the full experience from my perspective as well as tips on how to connect with your dream creators <3

This moment will stay with me for a lifetime - the 1 year mark, the 30th episode, the dreamiest guest and a raw, emotional, deeply honest conversation about the cost of 'having it all'. Jillian Harris is a mother, fiancé, storyteller, and quintessential busybee who currently leads three highly successful businesses. She is the Founder of Jillian Harris Design and The Jilly Academy, Co-Author of Fraiche Food Full Hearts and Fraiche Food Fuller Hearts and Co-Founder of The Jilly Box. I can't wait for you to hear this one, I think it's a message we all need. For career coaching inquiries, you can reach me at info@sparkcareerco.com

We just crossed our one year mark! Thank you SO much for listening and I cannot wait for you to see what's to come ❤️

This is a story about landing, then leaving your dream job and facing the optics that come with that decision. I'm joined by Sabrina Atwal, Founder of Sabrina Atwal Communications, a healthcare-focused public relations and communications consultancy. Sabrina shares how she landed her dream job as Press Secretary to Canadian Federal Ministers, why she left it and what she's doing now. She also shares the importance of having your elevator pitch ready and how her's came in handy when she landed an interview while walking her dog.

This week I sit down with Debbie Golub and Amanda Minuk, Co-Founders of Design Shop, as we explore how this dynamic duo started and grew their business and announce not one but TWO new exciting business ventures! Respected in the Winnipeg design scene (and beyond) for their fun-loving, boundary breaking design solutions, and avante garde taste, Debbie and Amanda are both creative risk takers and innovators - lots of great career lessons in this episode on resilience, creativity and building a brand. Enjoy!

In this episode, I beam at the opportunity to ask Rashel Hariri, host of the She's Interesting podcast, the one question on everyone's mind - how do you get an audience interested?? Rashel is an an award-winning marketer, consultant, and startup advisor with over 15 years of experience leading marketing strategies and teams at global powerhouses like McDonald’s, Shopify, and ING Direct. In 2023, Rashel furthered her mission by founding She’s Interesting, a digital media company dedicated to closing the entrepreneurial gender gap. Through her podcast, Rashel provides a platform for unfiltered conversations with 7-figure female founders, investors, and change-makers, offering invaluable insights and tactics for success. 

The 25th episode!! This week I sit down with the Co-Owners of Jenna Rae Cakes, Jenna Hutchison and Ashley Kosowan to talk about what it really looks like to run their business, sibling dynamics and the importance of YOLO'ing through life. Ashley and Jenna have spent the last decade building their company and their brand, Jenna Rae Cakes, together. They have three (soon to be four!) bakery locations in Winnipeg, have written a best selling cookbook (with 2 more in the works!), are judges on the Food Network’s Wall of Bakers, and have been featured on NBC, CTV, Globe & Mail, the Hallmark Channel, Martha Stewart Weddings magazine and more.

Happy Siblings Day! This week I explore the history of this holiday, the magic in being a middle child and what my siblings mean to me.

This week I sit down with Chinwe Asagwara, Registered Dietitian and Women's Health Coach to explore something I think a lot of people deal with but we don't talk enough about - emotional eating. Chinwe takes us through the science and cycles behind eating for reasons outside of being hungry in this informative and insightful episode. Enjoy!

I turned 36 last week and it was a tough one. Putting this out in the hopes that if you feel this way, you don't feel alone <3

This week I sit down with Nicola Loewen, Founder & Principle Buyer of Mad About Style. Nicola opened the doors to her first retail location in Winnipeg, at the age of 21 and hasn't looked back since. We talk about starting a business before the social media era, Mad About Style's brand strategy and letting passion guide you in the face of obstacles. I hope you enjoy this episode! You can book a 1:1 career coaching session with me here: https://calendly.com/info-discovery-call/spark-discovery-call

This week I sit down with Rachel Wong - Co-Founder of Monday Girl, Canada’s leading network and newsletter for professional women. We talk about the absolute rocket ship they are on, what it took to get here and why networking for women is so important.

This week I sit down with Hannah Sung, Co-Founder of the award-winning Media Girlfriends, a production company led by journalists of colour who prioritize inclusion in media. We talk about her days as a MuchMusic VJ, her most memorable interviews, why representation matters and what she's up to now.