Chatter that Matters

For decades, David Berez answered a familiar question with two familiar words: "I'm fine." He wasn't. At 14, David joined a rescue squad to escape his toxic home. By 16, he was an EMT. His work would take him into death investigations, more than 20 years in policing, and the devastation of Ground Zero on September 11. But while responding to other people's crises, he was living with his own. One morning, minutes before he planned to end his life, he received an impromptu good-morning call from his 12-year-old son. The call interrupted his plans. Recovery took much longer. David, author of A Resilient Life: A Cop's Journey in Pursuit of Purpose, joins me to talk about the pain behind "I'm fine," the experience of trauma, and the work of rebuilding a life. We talk about: Growing up in a home where love and fear shared the same rooms. His memories of Ground Zero, and why it took 20 years to find the words. Looking beyond "I'm fine," and asking directly about suicide. Helping first responders prepare for trauma and recover their sense of self. I also share a story about suicide in my own family, and the questions I regret asking. If "I'm fine" is an answer you give,or one you hear from someone you love, this conversation offers a reason to pause and listen more closely. Content note: This episode touches on suicide, childhood sexual abuse and trauma. To buy David's Book: A Resilient Life: A Cop's Journey in Pursuit of Purpose https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJHCRXMS To learn more about Six4 Consultants: https://www.six4consultants.com/     To buy David's Book: A Resilient Life: A Cop's Journey in Pursuit of Purpose https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJHCRXMS To learn more about Six4 Consultants: https://www.six4consultants.com/  

What happens when Arlene Dickinson and Brett Wilson believe in your dream before you do? Sunshine Tenasco, an Anishinaabe entrepreneur, author, and mother of four, knows that feeling. When she appeared on Dragons' Den with her handmade baby moccasins, Arlene and Brett Wilson opened doors she never imagined possible. Sunshine decided to open doors for others. She founded Pow Wow Pitch, an organization helping Indigenous entrepreneurs across Turtle Island turn their ideas into businesses through mentorship, funding, and community. RBC was one of its earliest supporters. Sunshine also shares her mother's extraordinary influence, her fight for clean drinking water in Indigenous communities, and why love and joy guide everything she does. Our conversation left me thinking about the challenges facing so many young Canadians. They have dreams and ambition, but face growing uncertainty about their future and where they fit in today's economy. In my closing thoughts, I explore why our youth need a hand up, not a lifetime of handouts. Why mentorship, financial literacy, and opportunity matter. And why believing in someone's potential means little unless we help them realize it. We cannot simply tell young Canadians to dream big. We must help them turn those dreams into reality. Stay tuned for news of a series titled Canadian Youth Matters in 2027. To find out more about Pow Wow Pitch: https://www.powwowpitch.org To find out more about Her Braids: https://sunshinetenasco.com/pages/her-braids      

Thirty-eight years in business. No salespeople. How does Jody Steinhauer do that? By building a team of problem solvers and being a high achiever. As a child, Jody led the country in Girl Guide Cookie Sales. At 14, Jody talked her way into a job at a women's fashion chain and became the region's top salesperson. Her approach? Instead of selling merchandise, she sold into the moments her customers were dressing for. She started The Bargains Group with $1,000 and repurposed her dining room table as her office. Nearly four decades later, she still runs her business on what people need. That instinct also shaped how she responded when her heart broke. She had learned that a man froze to death in a Toronto bus shelter. Jody asked: How do we fix this?  That question became Kits for a Cause, a not-for-profit that connects organizations and individuals who want to give with charities that need support. So many takeaways from someone who deeply cares about her employees and their collective outcomes. You'll hear how to: • Turn a sales conversation into a problem-solving conversation. • "Mine the gap"—find opportunities to add value instead of cutting your price. • Make giving back useful for charities, meaningful for employees, and part of how you do business. At 37:58, I share my idea of the week: Fuel and Friction. Those two compass points can help you navigate a business, brand or career.  CHAPTERS 00:00 Head, heart, hands—and closing the say–do gap 03:05 Meet Jody Steinhauer 03:19 A top salesperson at 14: "I wasn't selling anything" 04:50 Honest advice that earns lasting loyalty 05:18 Building a company of problem solvers 06:01 Kindness, family, and a drive for efficiency 07:04 Fashion school and an unexpected salary offer 08:23 From high fashion to the discount business 09:39 Starting over with $1,000 10:27 Why suppliers backed a 21-year-old 11:45 Overachievement: superpower or kryptonite? 12:19 A health crisis forces a business rethink 14:06 Motherhood, delegation, and a nursery at work 15:38 Be authentic, be consistent, and give back 18:25 A message from RBC and Futurpreneur 19:50 What charities actually need 20:59 Making donation dollars go further 24:37 The death that demanded a response 25:39 Rethinking how businesses give back 28:29 500 calls in 83 days: building Kits for a Cause 30:16 No salespeople, no advertising—and Amazon 31:13 Giving employees time to give back 33:58 Advice for dreamers and doers 35:03 Write your eulogy—and learn to delegate 35:45 The impact Jody wants to leave 37:58 Tony's idea of the week: Fuel and Friction 40:41 Thanks for listening

What would you risk to build something remarkable? Andrew Black sold sunglasses from under his bed at Queen's, built a million-dollar business before graduating, and sent his résumé to 500 headhunters before Nike USA gave him a shot. Andrew learned from Phil Knight, joined LEGO when it was struggling, and launched Virgin Mobile Canada after Richard Branson hired him. Today, his firm, BrandProject, has backed 44 consumer brands. Andrew is a winner. Andrew shares why challengers win by championing the customer, why investors back people before ideas, and what the best builders do when things get hard. You'll also hear Phil Knight's unforgettable parting advice and how Richard Branson once knocked Andrew out of a sailboat to win a race. His message is simple: "You have to bet on yourself. You only get so many at-bats, and you better make them count." If you're building a company, considering a career leap, or wondering whether to take your next big swing, this conversation is for you. Stick around to the end.  I share my three takeaways and a secret: what most successful entrepreneurs do that you can easily follow.

"Go through your day, find something that pisses you off, and fix it." That might be the best definition of entrepreneurship I've ever heard. It comes from Julie Cole—a "recovered" family lawyer, mom of a growing family and co-founder of Mabel's Labels. For Julie, necessity truly was the mother of invention. And it served her twice. First, Julie noticed parents labelling their kids' belongings with masking tape and markers, only to have those labels fall off in the wash, disappear in the dishwasher, or fail somewhere between school and summer camp. At the same time, Julie's eldest son, was diagnosed with autism at age three. With a toddler and a newborn also at home, she realized a traditional career couldn't bend to meet her family's needs. So she built one that could. Together with her sister and two best friends, Julie began making labels in her sister's basement long into the evening. Twenty-three years later, Mabel's Labels has been recognized twice by the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards, and Avery successfully acquired the business. I then end the episode sharing my small-business tip of the week:  This is Episode 3 of Small Business Matters, a five-part conversation series running throughout October, thanks to the support of RBC. Next week: Andrew Black.