Discover Your Mad Skills: Unbarred Conversations

What if the skills that actually matter in your career, time management, critical thinking, adaptability, communication, and the courage to take safe risks, are built more outside the classroom than inside it? In this raw Unbarred Conversations episode, Cam Welsh sits down with Sonia Mellema, former case team member, JDC West captain during COVID, Director of Operations at a Calgary startup, Rotar...

What if winning international case competitions has almost nothing to do with slides, templates, or even analysis — and everything to do with trust , team bonding, and leadership under pressure? In this raw Unbarred Conversations episode, emeritus prof Cam Welsh sits down with Mats Urde from Lund University — championship coach at John Molson MBA International Case Competition — who compares coach...

Join Tash Marshall-Bean , fitness instructor and entrepreneur, in conversation with Cam Welsh as they explore student engagement, mentorship, and adaptability in teaching . From transitioning to online learning during COVID-19 to fostering purpose-driven motivation , Tash shares practical strategies for educators, trainers, and aspiring entrepreneurs. Discover how language, connection, and observa...

In this episode of Discover Your Mad Skills , Cam Welsh is joined by Ismail Qadry, a former student, leadership consultant, and co-host of The Emotional IntelliiGents podcast, for a deep dive into emotional intelligence and why it may matter more than IQ in the real world. Ismail shares his journey from business and technology into leadership coaching, explaining how he eventually realised that hi...

Most organisations don’t fail because they lack ideas. They fail because their strategy never gets executed. In this episode of Discover Your Mad Skills , Cam Welsh sits down with Rocco Matteo , founder of E3 Consulting (Envision. Engage. Execute.) , to unpack what strategy really means—and why 70% of strategic plans never get implemented . With 30 years of senior leadership experience across reta...

What really makes entrepreneurship work? In our upcoming episode, Michael Kerr cuts through the noise and gets practical. We dig into: 👉 Why every venture needs a clear call to action (and what happens when it doesn’t) 👉 How team dynamics can make or break execution 👉 The often-missed difference between creativity (ideas) and innovation (ideas that actually work) 👉 Why non-profits need an entr...

In this episode, financial advisor Stefano Francescut shares valuable insights on financial planning tailored specifically for young professionals and students. He addresses the barriers that often prevent young people from engaging in financial planning and underscores the importance of financial literacy education. Stefano discusses effective strategies for managing student debt and emphasises t...

What if the news you consume is shaping your worldview more than reality itself? In this raw Unbarred Conversations episode, Cam Welsh sits down with Lisa Sygutek — owner of the Crowsnest Pass Herald and President of the Alberta Weekly Newspaper Association — for an honest talk about media bias, social media distortion, and why critical thinking matters more than ever. Lisa shares: Her eye-opening...

Soft skills aren’t soft — they’re the hardest skills to teach and the most valuable ones students actually need. In this raw Unbarred Conversations episode, Cam Welsh sits down with Astrid Eckstein, educator and Fusion program leader, to talk about how to move beyond lectures and actually build transferable skills like critical thinking, communication, adaptability, and creativity. Astrid shares:...

How do you turn education into real-world career success? In this inspiring conversation, Rachel Hughes , HR leader and Haskayne School of Business alum, shares her journey from business studies to thriving in the HR world at ATB Financial — and the power of seizing opportunities along the way. 🎯 What You’ll Learn in This Video How to identify and pursue opportunities that accelerate your career...

What makes a team truly successful? How does leadership shape performance, culture, and results? In this Leadership & Team Success conversation, Cam Welsh sits down with Jeff Peterson , founder and president of Blue Monarch Management, to explore the key principles that drive strong teams and effective leadership. From developing mad skills to fostering trust, accountability, and growth — this...

How do we truly bridge the gap between education and industry? In this episode of the Discover Your Mad Skills Toolkit , Cam Welsh sits down with Samie Ly to explore how students, educators, and employers can better align learning with real-world industry expectations. Together, they unpack: Why the education–industry gap still exists The skills employers actually look for beyond grades How experi...