Successfully Ambiguous?

What if your next career opportunity starts with the skills you already have? In this episode of Successfully Ambiguous , host Christine Brooks-Cappadocia welcomes Shiona Thompson, Conference Producer, Indigenous Affairs at The Canadian Institute, for a conversation about transferable skills, career adaptability, and finding opportunities in unexpected places. Shiona shares how looking at your exp...

What does it take to keep growing when the world of work keeps changing? In this special double-header episode of Successfully Ambiguous , Christine Brooks-Cappadocia is joined by two leaders exploring how workers, employers and educators can adapt to an evolving economy and workplace. Michelle Aarons, President of the Canadian Association of University Continuing Education (CAUCE), brings a conti...

What does it take to keep growing when the way we work keeps changing? Christine Brooks-Cappadocia sits down with Caroline Esterson, learning and development expert, Co-Founder of Poyntr and host of Unshakeable Her , to explore how individuals and organizations can build the skills, confidence and adaptability they need to move forward. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience in learning and d...

What if some of the best career opportunities arrive before you feel ready? Ahead of Season 2 of Successfully Ambiguous, Christine Brooks-Cappadocia revisits one of her favourite conversations from Season 1 with Laura Babcock, communications strategist, executive trainer, national media commentator, and host of The O Show. Laura reflects on a career shaped by unexpected opportunities, meaningful r...

What if the perspective that makes you different is actually one of your greatest advantages? In this episode of Successfully Ambiguous , Christine Brooks-Cappadocia speaks with Rahim Katchi about the value of seeing things differently. Drawing on a career spanning fashion, healthtech, entrepreneurship, and education, Rahim explores why founders and leaders can become too attached to their own ide...

How do you create opportunities in a world where careers are constantly changing? In this episode of Successfully Ambiguous, host Christine Brooks-Cappadocia sits down with David Kwok, Director of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at YSpace, York University, to explore why the best career opportunities aren't always the ones you find. They're often the ones you create. David has helped build natio...

What if the best leaders don't avoid conflict? They embrace it. In this episode of Successfully Ambiguous , Christine Brooks-Cappadocia sits down with mediator, facilitator, and leadership coach Oliver Martin. Drawing on more than two decades of experience helping individuals, teams, and organizations navigate workplace conflict, strengthen communication, and build healthier relationships, Oliver...

Career reinvention rarely begins with a perfect plan. More often, it begins with an unexpected change. In this episode of Successfully Ambiguous, Christine Brooks-Cappadocia speaks with Josie Ferry, who transformed an unexpected career setback into an opportunity to reinvent herself. After a workplace restructuring, Josie made the decision to invest in herself by returning to school through York U...

What does it really take to build a career, a community, and a sense of belonging in Canada? In this Canada Day special of Successfully Ambiguous , host Christine Brooks-Cappadocia brings together powerful stories and practical insights from newcomers, international graduates, and industry leaders who have navigated the realities of building careers in Canada. Together, they explore the challenges...

What if you're not falling behind at all? Christine Brooks-Cappadocia sits down with Joceline Kozhipatt, communications professional and intercultural engagement specialist, to discuss career transitions, relationship-building, and why every season of life can be an opportunity for growth. From arriving in Canada as a newcomer to becoming Student of the Year, Joceline shares how continuous learnin...

What if the best career moves aren't the ones you planned? Christine Brooks-Cappadocia sits down with Laura Babcock, communications strategist, executive trainer, national media commentator, and host of The OShow, to discuss how relationships, trust, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty can create opportunities you never saw coming. From journalism to entrepreneurship, leadership, media commen...

What if the reason you feel “not fully qualified” is exactly what’s holding you back? In this episode of Successfully Ambiguous, Christine Brooks-Cappadocia speaks with Michelle Aarons, Executive Director, Programs & Partnerships at the York University School of Continuing Studies and recent TEDxOshawa speaker, about non-linear careers, redefining success, and why no one truly checks every box...

Staying relevant in the age of AI is about more than technical skills. So what actually matters when everything is changing? In this episode of Successfully Ambiguous , Christine Brooks-Cappadocia speaks with Hashmat Rohian, Vice President, Enterprise Technology and Data at EQ Bank, about what it really takes to stay relevant in a world shaped by AI, automation, and rapid change. Drawing on his ex...

What if you could do everything right — and still not get the outcome you expected? And what matters more — what happens to you, or what you decide to do next? In this episode of Successfully Ambiguous, Christine Brooks-Cappadocia sits down with Richard Pinnock, President of Diversity of Thought Strategies and former Chief Diversity Officer at Export Development Canada. From being the first in his...

Most people try to plan their careers. What if that’s the wrong approach? In this episode of Successfully Ambiguous , Christine Brooks-Cappadocia speaks with Katherine Chong — product manager, startup coach, and cultural consultant on Pixar’s Turning Red — about how one decision to step away from a traditional career path led to unexpected opportunities, including working with Pixar. After experie...

Uncertainty isn’t temporary — it’s the new normal. The way we create value at work is changing. In a world shaped by AI, automation, and constant transition, stability isn’t something we wait for — it’s something we learn to navigate. In this episode of Successfully Ambiguous , Christine Brooks-Cappadocia speaks with Andrew Temes — Fractional CMO, Marketing & Revenue Leader, and Professor — ab...

What does success really mean? In this special Podcasthon episode of Successfully Ambiguous, we revisit powerful moments from past conversations where guests share why contributing to their communities has become an important part of their definition of success. Across industries and around the world, our guests have spoken about the causes they care about most — from helping students access educa...

How do you shorten time to competency without lowering standards? In Part 2 of this conversation, Christine Brooks-Cappadocia continues her discussion with Manja Horner, Founder & CEO of Boost LD, and moves from diagnosing slow training systems to designing a practical solution. With labour shortages and mass retirements reshaping skilled trades, construction, and manufacturing, organizations...

What if the biggest barrier to career growth isn’t effort — but the systems around learning? In this episode of Successfully Ambiguous, host Christine Brooks-Cappadocia speaks with Manja Horner, Founder & CEO of Boost LD, about why upskilling needs to happen faster, how careers are being held back by slow and sporadic training models, and what it really takes to become job-ready in today’s wor...

What if personal branding isn’t about performing — but about becoming more of who you already are? In this episode of Successfully Ambiguous , host Christine Brooks-Cappadocia speaks with Leigh Mitchell, founder of Changemaker Leader Podcast, about self-leadership, career growth, and authentic personal branding. Leigh works with high-impact leaders, laid-off professionals, and burned-out business...

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In this episode, Olatunji Saliu shares his journey of rebuilding his career in Canada, turning early setbacks into opportunities, and discovering clarity as the driving force behind creative and professional success. From navigating the barriers of “Canadian experience” to launching his own photography business and founding a charity that provides school uniforms to students in need, Olatunji’s st...

How do you build a successful career in Canada—quickly? When Ramiz Essani arrived in Canada, he secured a job in his field in just 53 days. In this episode, he shares the mindset shifts, job-search strategies, and practical steps that helped him make it happen. Ramiz opens up about staying motivated during unemployment, building an online presence that employers trust, and why “smart work” beats m...

Privacy matters — because trust is everything. In this episode of Successfully Ambiguous , host Christine Brooks-Cappadocia (AVP, Continuing Studies at York University) sits down with Peter Kosmala, global privacy expert and York instructor, to explore how data culture differs across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, revealing why protecting what’s personal has never been more important. From cybersec...

How do you build something meaningful when the odds are stacked against you? In this episode of Successfully Ambiguous, Olu Villasa, Program Manager at the Black Entrepreneurship Alliance (BEA), shares how lived experience, purpose and community can turn barriers into opportunities — and how BEA is helping reshape entrepreneurship in Canada. Plus, stay tuned for an exclusive offer for professional...