Gettin Chai Podcast

Most people don't find out about Kayla's Children Centre until they need it. Mira Lax is the director of marketing at KCC, a school, therapy clinic, and camp for children with disabilities and complex medical needs in Thornhill. They support over 450 families a year, from six weeks old to 21, and this summer they are opening Camp Lionheart, the first-ever Jewish overnight camp in Canada de...

Dr. Radha Kohly is a medical retina and cataract surgeon at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, a researcher in health equity, and a mother of four. She started as a dancer, followed her nose through Queen's and a PhD in visual psychophysics, and found her way into medicine the night before her match deadline. She joins us to talk about the eyes, the body, and the slow work of doing life on your ow...

What does it actually take to stay at the top for over two decades? Natasha Koifman is the founder and president of NKPR, one of Canada's most respected PR agencies with offices in Toronto and New York. A Ukrainian immigrant, a teenage mom, and a basement entrepreneur, she built something extraordinary from nothing and has spent years doing it entirely on her own terms. She's been named one of Can...

The conversations nobody wants to have are usually the ones that matter most. Marla Maislin is a pelvic floor physiotherapist and owner of Bloom Physiotherapy, a women's health clinic in Toronto that sees women at every stage of life. From birth injuries and urinary leakage to painful sex and perimenopause, she joins us to talk about everything the healthcare system tends to skip over. We get...

What if you've been thinking about longevity all wrong? Dr. Kevin Jardine is a high performance coach, chiropractor, and founder of FPR Longevity Gym, and he joins us to break down why chasing your "best self" in the future might actually be costing you your health today. From building seven health and wellness businesses to working with Olympians and elite athletes, Dr. Jardine has...

Anthony Rose, chef and restaurateur behind some of Toronto's most beloved spots, opens up about what really happened behind the scenes of building eight restaurants, losing four of them to COVID, and what it felt like to watch something deeply personal become very publicly discussed. He reflects on the moment a single review destroyed a restaurant overnight, why he stopped reading his own pres...

Devyn Olin is the founder of Cache, an influencer-led resale marketplace. She started out as a corporate lawyer, then set out to build a fractional investment platform for luxury fashion before pivoting into what Cache is today. We talk about how she figured out the real problem in resale wasn't fractional ownership but friction, why she started with in-person closet sales before building the app,...

Aja and Alexa are the co-founders of Duet, an event planning company. We talk about how they each came up in different corners of the hospitality and corporate events world before ending up at the same company and eventually deciding to build something together. They get into what it was like starting the business at 23 and 26 with no real credibility yet, why they put their heads down and had no...

Dani Kagan is the co-founder of Mave & Chez, a luxury ergonomic slipper brand designed for women. We talk about how the brand started from a real health problem she experienced during pregnancy, how she figured out manufacturing and product development with no background in either, and what it took to get from prototype to a Kickstarter that sold out in 12 hours. We also get into building in p...

Erin Kleinberg joined me to talk about what it takes to really build a brand  — the pivots along the way, trusting your instincts, staying creative, and having the confidence to ask for what you want. She shares what it really looks like to navigate change while continuing to build on your own terms. A thoughtful conversation about resilience, creativity, and evolving as a founder. 00:00 – Intro01...

Yasemin Emory and Whitney Geller are changing the condom landscape. In this episode, we talk about Jems and what it really takes to modernize protection while keeping the brand intentional and aligned. From navigating stigma to building trust in a sensitive space, this conversation gets into strategy, messaging, and how a small team can shift a big narrative. FOLLOW GETTIN CHAI Instagram: gettin_c...

This week on Gettin Chai, I’m joined by Alison Albright, who works in victim services on the front lines of crisis and care. We talk about what the work actually requires — making decisions under pressure, building trust in minutes, and carrying responsibility most people never see. 00:00 – Intro 02:04 – What Is Victim Services Toronto? 03:15 – The Range of Cases & Specialized Programs 07:00 –...

Samantha Diamond joins me to talk about building Bird&Be from personal frustration, lived experience, and science. We get into PCOS, pregnancy loss, why so much of fertility care still feels stuck in the past, and how empowering people with better data can change everything about how they move through the journey. 00:00 – Intro 04:16 – What Is Bird & Bee and How Did It Start? 05:38 – A PCO...

Ariel Swan joins me to talk about the evolution of her teaching, how Jaybird’s method came together, and the role music plays in shaping movement and focus. We get into alignment, energy, and what shifts when you stop overthinking and start moving with more intention. It’s reflective, honest, and grounded in real experience. 00:00 – Intro 05:26 – Feeling over fixing and why emotions need to move t...

Haley Bogaert didn’t build her brand by chasing trends; she built it by showing up, learning in real time, and doing things her own way. We dive into early hustle, hard lessons, and why slow-and-steady growth often feels better than constantly pushing for the next big thing. Haley shares what it’s really like to build over time, protect her energy, and grow something that aligns with who she is no...

This episode dives into the moment Eli Beer realized emergency response needed to change, and how that single realization sparked a movement that now saves thousands of lives a year. We talk about the early days of United Hatzalah, the creativity that led to the Ambucycle, and amazing Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druze volunteers, who show what unity looks like in action. It’s raw, insightful, a...

A candid chat with Zoë Paliare, former lawyer turned entrepreneur and transformational coach! She opens up about her journey of making bold career moves, staying authentic in a busy world, and building success on her own terms. 00:00 – Intro 05:01 – Dropping the GMAT, going to law school and practicing commercial litigation 09:00 – Reaching a point of no return and leaving law behind 13:23 – Disco...

In inspiring chat with Rick Campanelli, Canadian media icon and all-around good guy. We dive into his journey from MuchMusic superstar to radio and TV host, sharing the real stories behind his success and how he stays authentic in a fast-paced industry. 00:00 – Intro 06:18 – Entering the Much Music temp contest and winning 10:00 – Sweeping floors, answering phones and becoming an asset 14:47 – The...

Just dropped: an inspiring conversation with Dr. Michelle Solomon, holistic health expert and root-cause healer. We get real about why she chose to focus on functional medicine, and she’s spilling the truth on wellness trends, what's genuinely effective, and what’s just hype. If you’re tired of the wellness noise and want practical advice to feel your best, this episode is for you. Michelle al...

What can I say, this one hits differently. I sit down with one of my oldest and closest friends, who I couldn’t imagine doing life without. Osai is truly one of a kind. We get real about how, even coming from totally different backgrounds and life experiences, genuine understanding and connection can still thrive. We discuss the power of vulnerability, the strength of authentic relationships, and...

I'm so excited to bring you this episode with Jackie Prince— founder of Guests on Earth, the sustainable, refillable, and  stunning-on-your-counter  cleaning product line. But trust me, she’s so much more than a killer brand. With a background in corporate marketing, Jackie took a leap during Covid to fill a gap she saw in the industry — and this definitely isn’t her first bold move. She’s an...

I’m thrilled to take you behind the scenes with John Levy — a true industry pioneer and risk-taker. We explore his incredible journey, the legacy he’s built, and how he balanced it all while being a devoted father and husband. From the power of mentorship to redefining “retirement,” and yes — how he’s still the coolest grandpa around — we cover it all in this episode. You don’t want to miss it! 00...

My conversation with Dr Michelle Todorow was incredibly eye-opening. As a licensed child psychologist, we talked about how parents can create real change at home — by tuning into their child’s strengths, and knowing when and why to back off, amongst a variety of other pertinent topics that are plaguing us as parents. I know you'll come out of this one feeling more empowered and positive about...

I'm so excited to dive in with my good friend, journalist, creative producer, and all-around visionary boss - Yale Breslin. From ditching perfection, to turning 40 - and what it finally feels like to start trusting your own gut and leaning in. It's an honest convo about creativity, growth, and trusting the process, while having fun doing it. Instagram: @gettin_chai YouTube: Gettin Chai Pod...

We’re kicking things off with none other than Lori Morris — designer extraordinaire, lover of all things luxe, fierce entrepreneur, and all-around powerhouse. From bold interiors to bold life choices, Lori shares how she built her empire against the odds, broke the rules, and stayed true to herself every step of the way. Instagram: @gettin_chai 00:00 – Intro 04:05 – Forty years of building a desig...