Ingenious Thinkers

In this episode of Ingenious Thinkers, Ken Tencer speaks with Janice Gassam Asare about the widening gap between technological capability and cultural readiness. AI is advancing quickly. Organizational culture, governance structures, and equity frameworks often are not. Janice explains why leaders must critically examine how emerging technologies can reinforce existing inequalities, why inclusive...

Creativity is not a nice-to-have. It’s becoming one of the most valuable capabilities in business, leadership, and life. On this episode of Say Hi to the Future , Ken Tencer welcomes Fredrik Härén , an internationally known voice on creativity and ideas, for a conversation that encourages listeners to rethink how innovation actually happens. This episode isn’t about shortcuts or surface-level insp...

What if engagement isn’t something you demand, but something you design? In this episode, Diondra Filicetti joins Say Hi to the Future: Ingenious Thinkers to explore the quieter, often overlooked elements that shape strong leadership and meaningful work. Her perspective centers on clarity, connection, and the role intention plays in how people learn, collaborate, and grow within organizations. Rat...

We often assume that if a strategy is smart enough, it will succeed. But experience tells us otherwise. In this episode of Ingenious Thinkers , Hilton Barbour joins the conversation to explore why strategy so often breaks down after it leaves the planning phase. This episode takes a wider view of strategy as something shaped by people, culture, and context rather than documents and declarations. R...

Elizabeth MacBride and Seth Levine join us for a conversation that reaches far beyond the pages of Capital Evolution. Their work explores how economic renewal is unfolding at the ground level, through entrepreneurs, community builders, and innovators who often go unseen in traditional narratives. What makes their perspective powerful is its grounding in real experiences. They highlight the resilie...

In this episode of Say Hi to the Future , host Ken Tencer welcomes Carey-Ann Oestreicher, Executive Coach and CEO of Potential Unlimited, for a conversation about leadership, purpose, and the power of personal awareness. This is not a typical conversation about performance or productivity, it’s a reflection on what it truly means to lead from a place of authenticity. Carey-Ann has built a career a...

In this episode of Say Hi to the Future, host Ken Tencer welcomes Jeevak Badve, Chief Growth Officer at Sundberg-Ferar and a leading voice in global innovation, creativity, and business transformation. Jeevak brings a rare combination of technical expertise, cultural curiosity, and human-centered thinking. With experience spanning continents and industries, he has spent his career helping organiza...

Empathy. Innovation. Humanity. Three words that define the kind of leadership shaping the future of every industry, especially healthcare. In this episode of Ingenious Thinkers, host Ken Tencer speaks with Dr. Jane Speight, a leader who reminds us that progress is never just about technology or policy, it’s about people. Her work is a testament to how understanding human experience can drive chang...

Farrell Calabrese believes that sustainability is no longer a department — it’s a mindset that belongs at the very centre of strategy. As the Founder of FMC Impact, she’s spent her career helping leaders design businesses that grow through purpose, not around it. In this episode, Farrell shares how systems thinking and human-centred leadership can help organizations move beyond performative sustai...

John McCabe, Senior Design Manager for Watsonx at IBM, joins Ingenious Thinkers for a conversation on leadership, design, and the future of AI. John shares how his success has come from looking at problems differently than the rest of the market — blending creativity, technology, and human-centered design to create transformative experiences. Discover how he leads global teams, pushes boundaries i...

Jeff York, CEO of Altea Active, joins Ingenious Thinkers for an in-depth conversation on what it takes to build one of Canada’s most dynamic wellness brands. From his background in economics at Princeton to leading the launch of AVANT Yorkville, Jeff shares how Altea Active is creating communities where people feel supported, motivated, and inspired to thrive. This episode explores leadership, inn...

On this episode of Ingenious Thinkers , we’re joined by Nouhaila Chekouli , an inspiring leader and the founder of Scale Without Borders . Nouhaila’s work has become a lifeline for immigrant and international student entrepreneurs who want to build careers and companies in Canada’s fast-moving startup and tech space. Her journey is one of resilience, determination, and vision. Coming to Canada as...

In this episode of Ingenious Thinkers , host Ken Tencer sits down with Jason Finucan, founder of StigmaZero , to explore how we can move beyond outdated stereotypes and reshape the way society approaches mental health. Jason shares his personal journey, the inspiration behind his work, and why breaking down stigma is essential for building healthier workplaces and communities. Together, they discu...

Looking back on this year, we’re grateful for every inspiring conversation, every story shared, and every guest who brought their unique perspective to the table. Your voices have shaped Ingenious Thinkers into what it is today. Thank you for being part of this community — we can’t wait to bring you even more brilliant minds and game-changing ideas in 2026.

Joining us on Ingenious Thinkers hosted by Ken Tencer today is Mario Simon, consumer expert and growth-oriented leader, recognized for developing talent and highly engaged teams. In this episode, we discuss his professional journey and personal philosophy. Simon shares his academic background in behavioral economics and his career in consulting and brand valuation. He emphasizes his life's pur...

Joining us on Ingenious Thinkers hosted by Ken Tencer today is Alieu Jallow, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Specialist at the City of Mississauga. In this episode, we talk about his experiences founding Gambia's first business incubator, supporting numerous startups and small businesses, and his current role in Mississauga's economic development office. He highlights the various program...

Joining us on Ingenious Thinkers hosted by Ken Tencer today is Lisett Luik, Co-Founder of Arbonics, a company that aims to create high-quality carbon credits by using a data-driven approach combined with traditional forest knowledge, incentivizing landowners to plant and maintain forests. This episode highlights Luik's background and then expands on how Arbonics bridges the gap between landown...

Joining us on Ingenious Thinkers hosted by Ken Tencer today is Julie Smithson, Co-Founder of Metavrse, an open-source 3D creation platform for the spatial web. In this episode, we discuss her journey from hotel management to being recognized as a Top Woman of the Future, highlighting the evolution of her company from creating the world's first touchscreen DJ controller to developing immersive...

Joining us on Ingenious Thinkers hosted by Ken Tencer today is Sarah Lambert, Co-Founder of Ora Medical. In this episode, we discuss the development and purpose of their innovative walking aid for pediatric rehabilitation, highlighting its portability and body weight support system. Lambert also explains their new AI-powered application for remote physical therapy and the company's global expa...

Joining us on Ingenious Thinkers hosted by Ken Tencer today is Jennifer Cote, Co-Founder and CEO of Opalia Foods. In this episode, we talk about Opalia's technology which involves growing mammary cells in a lab to produce milk, and highlights the environmental benefits and potential of this approach compared to traditional dairy farming. It also touches upon the entrepreneurial journey of star...

Joining us on Ingenious Thinkers hosted by Ken Tencer today is Jason Elate, Founder of InsectFlux. In this episode, we discuss his mantra of creating the future through reverse engineering and how this philosophy led him to address global issues like the food waste crisis and population growth by focusing on the insect industry. Elate explains that InsectFlux is building a global B2B2C marketplace...

Joining us on Ingenious Thinkers hosted by Ken Tencer today is Aki Temiseva, President and CEO of United Nations Association Canada. In this episode, we explore his background, journey into the non-profit sector, and current role. Temiseva highlights UNA-Canada's mission to strengthen Canada by promoting UN values and programs domestically, focusing on gender equity, inequality, climate change...

Joining us on Ingenious Thinkers hosted by Ken Tencer today is Jesse Sharratt, Co-Founder and COO of LAUFT, the most flexible on-demand network of space designed for people with the freedom to work from anywhere. Sharratt discusses his background, the founding vision of LAUFT as a revenue-generating amenity for various property types beyond traditional offices, and their focus on creating experien...

Joining us on Say Hi to the Future: Ingenious Thinkers hosted by Ken Tencer today is Alan McLaren, Co-Founder of STRATA Originals an organization that helps CEO’s, entrepreneurs, founders and executive teams build authority and influence with clarity, conviction and authenticity.

Joining us on Say Hi to the Future: Ingenious Thinkers hosted by Ken Tencer today is Caitlin Begg, Founder of Authentic Social, an applied research lab at the intersection of sociology and technology.