Cross-polliNation

 Serge Wacka international sales expert, has worked in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America & the Middle East. His journey has taken him from philosophy & private banking to sales along a route of adaptability, vision & persistence. Serge chats on: why the current reordering of international trade offers great opportunity, as well as unpredictability what businesses need to know about selling into global markets what it means to practise servant leadership in sales why sales is first about listening reasons Serge doesn't work with sales quotas why developing trust in sales relationships is still essential in a digital world gaining the attention of sales prospects even through missteps & competition Serge's approach to sales rests on servant leadership and leadership that comes from the middle as well as the top. In his book, Sales Mastery Guide: Strategies for Success, he shares the lessons he's learned firsthand, from the sales process to mindset, resilience, service and leadership.  Find Serge on social media channels at Strategies by Serge.          

Garrett Wasny knows people & companies have hesitations about AI. He's a tech enthusiast & award-winning educator on a mission to address hesitations, explain its benefits & how to utilize AI in smart, ethical & practical ways at work & outside.  Garrett chats on working smarter with AI introducing it in companies with clear guidelines the reasons employees are key starting with a beginners' mindset & why now is the time to get to know the robots Garrett Wasny is an AI Skills Advisor and longtime management consultant specializing in technology & the accounting industry. He's an expert at new technology application & implementation in the workplace, recognized by MyCPE One with a Top AI & Technology Educator award.  In the episode, Garett gives an example on aspirational modelling with AI using this prompt: Based on the provided [resume/company profile], create a comprehensive AI aspirational model for [Individual/Company Name]. Develop three distinct personas: Real (current state), Aspirational (ideal future state), and Contrarian (critical perspective). Identify innovative capabilities and initiatives that push beyond current boundaries. Consider ethical implications of growth. Craft a strategic [ 5-year] plan with short, mid, and long-term goals. Simulate a conversation between the personas discussing optimal growth strategies. Conclude with a practical implementation roadmap. Throughout this analysis, balance ambition with practicality, aiming to uncover and leverage untapped potential while remaining true to core strengths and values. [resume/company profile = copy and paste here],

What do dogs & wolves have to do with AI? How can AI help or hinder accessibility & how it can be trained well? Dr. Mahadeo Sukhai, VP of Research at CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) chats on understanding the lived experiences of people with disabilities, systemic barriers in an ableist world & what's needed to make tech & the world more accessible. Episode transcript Highlights Dr. Sukhai's career as a geneticist, a unicorn and a transition to research on health services outcomes, public health and systemic barriers Defining disability - what is a disability? What are interventions that can help reduce barriers to employment and education?  The accessibility benefits of AI when well trained and the pitfalls when it's not Why including persons with disabilities in the design process can help mitigate biases in AI training and technology design What technology designers should consider when it comes to accessibility Links: CNIB, Dr. Sukhai's book on accessibility and higher education in the sciences and his thoughts on universal design, assistive technology and why we're all users of it in the article  Good Ingredients for Assistive Technology.

Ever wonder what art is for? Artist Agnieszka Matejko has. She talks about art that serves communities and the wonder of giant monuments under a vast prairie sky. This episode is about roadside art with a sense of humour that's helped restore cultural pride, put small towns on the Guinness Records map and draw tourists on cross-country road trips. Matejko's article on this topic,  Big Art, Big Smiles & artist website Episode transcript 

How can organizations prioritize resources & choose their next steps? Cheryl Lockhart works with organizations to plan, activate & execute strategy. She talks being creative with KPIs, supporting growth with systems & creating buy-in. Episode 41

Layne the auctionista invented their own career category to become a professional auctioneer who's raised millions for charity as a philanthrotainer while entertaining audiences. The former financial advisor is also a DEIB trainer sparking workplace change in a style that's never dull, a speaker and a soon-to-be-memoir author. Layne chats on the nuts and bolts of developing a career no one was previously paid to do and how they learned to become an auctioneer. The cross-pollinator and changemaker tells us what it means to define your own version of success, chart your own course, the practicalities and confidence needed to get there and why we can all use a little more humanity in our lives.  

How do art, business, culture, history & family combine? Entrepreneur Breannen Allison on how coming to know her Cree & Métis heritage led to Thimbleberry Designs, honouring her grandmother's life & supporting resurgence for the future. Episode 40

How can companies do better at retaining engaged employees? Jessica Ketwaroo-Green is an award-winning social policy expert & consultant. She chats on the ELAT framework she created to help organizations & companies move from diversity to inclusion & equity. Episode 39

How to navigate through uncertainty & ambiguity? Janice Francisco, founder at Bridgepoint Effect, talks about quieting fear & anxiety, getting comfortable with newness & moving forward with purpose in an uncertain world. Episode 38 Part 2

How to be creative & innovative at a time of uncertainty & big change? Janice Francisco, founder at Bridgepoint Effect, talks leadership, remote collaboration & ways we can move forward when we can't clearly see the next bend in the road. The skills & thinking we need. Episode 38 Part 1

Education as you know it is old school. Educational designer Natalie Vardabasso talks innovation & education. She tells us how education can better prepare students for the future & what changes are driving a need for new, more creative, equitable & practical approaches in education. Episode 37

Want to be a pirate? Dr. Tendayi Viki chats on his new book Pirates in the Navy, intrapreneurship & what companies & corporate innovators need to know to survive & stay viable before, during & after the pandemic. Episode 36

Heard of a rare albino moose? Entrepreneur Connie Stacey chats on the power of unconventional perspectives & outside ideas, growing her business, Growing Greener Innovations, & a vision to bring energy to the world. Episode 35

Diversity at work – the business case or moral case? Co-hosts of (Ex)clusion podcast & equity, diversity & inclusion pros Marcie Hawranik & Alicia Bjarnson chat EDI, inclusion & supporting innovation, better workplaces & social policies. Episode 34.

Omar Mouallem started Pandemic University to support writers & journalists during the pandemic. The award-winning writer chats on creating a niche platform that builds community & revenue in a new world for writers. Episode 33.

Chrissy Gow chats on how Eventmobi, an event management software company, pivoted to help fight "Zoom fatigue" durind the pandemic & serve customers with a new business model to make online events more interactive, & engaging. Episode 32

Mark Philpott left a global corporate career to work on social enterprise. He chats on cross-pollinating skills to new fields & global adventures from pro sports to sailing, film & podcasts & developing projects at a global scale. Episode 31

Diane Mulcahy wrote the best-selling book, The Gig Economy. She chats independent work, professional portfolio careers & what that looks like when traditional careers aren't traditional any more. Episode 30.

Thinking of taking on new projects? An adventurous childhood inspired Mario Rigby to cross Africa by foot & Canada by bike. He shares the most unexpected things he learned & what's coming next. Episode 25

Muraly Sriniarayanathas is a global serial entrepreneur, strategist, author, Third Culture Kid (TCK) & optimist. He chats on his TCK, story, his early ventures abroad, his current ventures in and beyond Canada, including Computek College, 369 Global & Three magazine. He also talks about his EIA - embed, interpret, act - method to develop cross-cultural connections, the value of Canada's global diaspora in growing international trade, and Canada's global opportunities. He tells us about his recent book, Between Borders, Beyond Boundaries, and an article from his blog on Canada, trade and BRICS.