Inspiration (FML)

Rob Brady and his family have suffered incredible ordeals just to get here. As an immigrant who's eyes were open to the beauty of Canada (including his future wife), to the trials of surviving desperate financial troubles, debilitating sicknesses, harsh business conditions and the worst of the worst, suicide, Rob is a testament to resilience and never ending optimism. Please join us as we talk to...

This isn't about building houses, which is something Ian Cook does and does well. This is about how people build boxes for themselves. As the founder and president of Cook Homes in Waterloo, Ian managed to create one of the most successful businesses in the region. But he wasn't done. As the lead singer in the band The Ian Richards Project and the creator and proprietor of Rupert Street Recording,...

People start businesses for different reasons. Bill Fox had an epiphany that took incredible courage and commitment to execute, during the worst time in his life. Timing may have sucked, but with determination and friends he made it work. Join us for Bill's inspiration journey and see that it's not only possible, it's necessary.

This episode we dive into the life of one of the most innovative Blues musicians around, having created his own Blues style he calls Twangadelic Bluesophunk. We welcome the inspired and inspirational Gary Cain to the studio. Gary talks to us about how he initially got inspired and his unusual journey to creating his own style of music, building his own brand, and managing the difficult side of mus...

After an incredible season one with the Founders Music Lab, we return with a new vision, a new name, and a new hope! We took an incredible hit in the off season and debated whether we could get back up 'off the mat'. The decision was easy. Our passion for lifting others up is strong and the need to continue is even stronger, and our focus continues to be 'inspiration'. So now.....we are INSPIRATIO...

It is not easy to make a living as a musician, but when you have a passion and you're a self professed weirdo, anything is possible. Donnie takes us through a masterclass of what it takes to make it. Unwavering perseverance, self awareness that gets challenged, and no one telling him he couldn't, all enabled the development of a rich and rewarding life. What makes this even more enlightening is ho...

An FML without a safety net. She’s had quite a few, but always with a safety net. In this episode we go through her last FML that didn’t have one. And it’s a critical perspective that we can all learn from. Martha shares how she hit rock bottom and how she crawled out. Great lessons on what it takes and the Aha point. The strength of self reflection and the power of embracing a hard decision. We a...

Do not judge a book by its cover. Martha, at first glance, seems like a sweet, happy go lucky person. Au contraire! While she is sweet, this powerful, driven woman seeks to understand, is driven by knowledge and is relentless and thorough at solving problems. What an incredible inspiration! In the first of her TWO episodes we talk about parenting, discovery, influence and determination. We talk ab...

You want authentic? You got it! Brian Bourke has been a voice in the region for over thirty years. Despite his bulldog exterior, just underneath is a heart that truly cares. A heart that has raised millions for local charities, has been a voice for those in need, and a loyal friend to Kitchener/Waterloo (and his old radio mates). Another thing that has been consistent amongst all our guest, Brian...

We’ve never gone deep on the ‘Why’ of Founders Music Lab. We’ve touched on it, but we’ve purposefully left it on the back burner. Internally it has always been our driver, however, externally we have kept it pretty close to the chest. For Founders and Musicians, the ‘Why’ is the critical part. It’s the nucleus of any creator and most fail. In this episode we touch on our journey to date, and we do...

Creativity and innovation need fuel.  Today’s guest was part of Waterloo region's most successful and revolutionary Startups, Research in Motion.  As employee 52, straight out of the University of Waterloo, Sassan was immediately surrounded by a sea of fellow innovators.  In this episode we dive into what it takes to be creative and innovative.  What enables companies to not on...

A big focus of ours is ….  community.  In our minds, community, or the lack of it, is at the center of most of the Mental Health issues.  You’ll notice we keep bringing it up.  It is also core to our mission for the Founders Musicians Lab. Key figures that help drive community building are our local media personalities, and you’ll notice we have featured a fair number.  Th...

A big focus of ours is ….  community.  In our minds, community, or the lack of it, is at the center of most of the Mental Health issues.  You’ll notice we keep bringing it up.  It is also core to our mission for the Founders Musicians Lab. Key figures that help drive community building are our local media personalities, and you’ll notice we have featured a fair number.  Th...

Alan Quarry is a marketer, a leader, an historian and a teacher.  Whenever you find yourself in his company, you can count on Alan’s remarkable ability to engage, entertain and educate.  In this episode, that brilliance plays out beautifully.  While we try to dig deep into what made Alan Quarry, he masterfully changes the subject to guide us, and you, into a lesson that is both enli...

We are all built differently, some more than others.  While we may have a lot in common, we don’t always think, feel or react the same way.  It took a while, but today’s guest had to hit some troubling times before he realized why he was so different. When you finally understand how and why you are different, it makes it easier to come to terms with how and why you need to act differentl...

When you meet Angie Hill….you get Angie Hill!  There is no pretense there.  It’s true authenticity through and through.  She’s opinionated.  She’s direct.  She’s funny.  She’s smart as hell.  And she cares!  Often, what you get on air isn’t what you get off air.  Is it any wonder why she has survived an industry that has been rife with cuts and reinvent...

The art of sales is as specialized and necessary as breathing when it comes to life. You’d think a teacher and musician wouldn’t know or need to know how to sell. You couldn’t be more mistaken. Kevin learned the value of having people believe in him, which led to a confidence and a freedom to pursue whatever dream he had. There are great lessons in parenthood, creative environments, rejection and...

Jacqui Murphy has been instrumental in the successes of some of the fastest growing tech companies in North America.  She joined PixStream when it had less than 40 employees and less than two years later it was sold to Cisco in what is deemed one of the largest technology acquisitions in Canadian history.  She was a VC, a business instructor, an advisor and then joined a new company call...

Leadership evolves from self awareness, developing others, enduring impact, vision and stewardship.  Isabel Cisterna is the full package.  In this, the second of two episodes featuring Isabel, we witness the embodiment of true leadership and graceful humility. Join us to hear how Isabel manages to drive her ambitious vision, lead a remarkable team and deliver experiences that impact the...

Isabel Cisterna is truly an innovator, a founder and an artist.  If anyone can talk to the road from F’ My Life to Fix My Life to Find My Life, it’s this amazing woman.  A target of human trafficking, an escape from a Communist Dictatorship and a commitment to rebuilding communities truly defines this local leader. In the first of two episodes with Isabel, we learn who Isabel Cisterna is...

Some people just lead by example.  They’re quiet, they’re purposeful and they’re gracious.  While everyone is trying to lead lives dictated by others, the truly happy ones lead lives dictated by their hearts.   Andy MacPherson is a big deal in the music world. He’s also a big deal in the education world.  It was never about the love of the institutions; it was always about...

A big failing with men is that they were, and are typically, not allowed to be human.  It was seen as weakness to need help, to shed a tear, to fail and to fall.  Thankfully, the world is changing. The fact is, the strongest men on earth are the ones who seek help.  To hear from one of Canada’s greatest sports media icons, like Dan O’Toole, describe how he fell, and what it took to...

Ken Seiling dropped out of a promising teaching career for a life in public service. That leap of faith was daring and, some would say, ill advised at the time. When you know your passion though, you really must serve it, and that’s what Ken did. He served the Region of Waterloo for almost five decades, building one of the most successful regions in North America. We could classify him as a founde...

You lose your dream job, your amazing income, and your self esteem. How do you turn that F’ML around? It’s happened to most of us, and the psychological battle is debilitating. Join us as we talk to Bob Mathers about how he did it, and the amazing revelations he made as he did it.

When you see others overcoming tremendous hardship, it makes it easier to see how you can too. We are joined today by an honour student turned convict, turned business success. Emily O’Brien is the founder of Comeback Snacks, a motivational speaker and the creator of a foundation that is helping hundreds of ex convicts fix their lives and find their lives. We go through the ten less...