Power of Why with Naomi Haile

Murdock ( @amurdock_ii ) is a purpose-driven, action-oriented, servant-leader and proud product of Indianapolis, Indiana. He graduated from Butler University in 2017 and is currently a Juris-Doctorate candidate at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. He’s passionate about leveraging the power in his story and other Black stories to create opportunities for economic & commun...

She’s the President & Co-founder of Hyperion Global Energy — the world’s first industrial carbon recycling system. But this impact-focused entrepreneur wasn’t always a carbontech leader. From marketing, to advertising, and even hospitality, Heather Ward’s knack for identifying emerging trends and connecting the right people to address them has helped this impact-focused entrepreneur and creative s...

I had $300 in my pocket after I got laid off, and now my business is valued at $22 million. In the midst of losing her job, Bobbie Racette set out to build a platform that would economically empower others. As the Founder and CEO of Virtual Gurus, this Cree-Metis champion for Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities is doing just that through her inclusivity-first talent and services solution. Today,...

Tecla Kalinda is on a mission to solve Canada’s trillion-dollar problem – starting with our kids. I’m not materialistic. But when you don’t have anything, you see what money can do for you in your life. With an eye to ushering a new generation of financially empowered youth, Tecla Kalinda, a Senior Analyst at the Bank of Canada, founded ZalaSmart : a financial education company geared to helping k...

“Everyone thinks you're competing with them, but you're really in competition with yourself.” She raised $1.4 million and co-founded Black Women Talk Tech along the way. Today, Esosa Ighodaro-Johnson wants to help you get out of your own way. From banking executive to tech founder, Esosa has learned the power of community. With Black Women Talk Tech and Roadmap to Billions, she unites Black women...

Makini Smith is an award-winning entrepreneur and the founder of A Walk in my Stilettos . As a mindset coach and Proctor Gallagher certified consultant, Makini helps you turn your goals into accomplishments. Not only does she share her message through her coaching practice, she also speaks at events, conferences and live functions where she deeply connects with people + their stories. Makini has s...

Lola Plaku is the founder and CEO of Lola Media Group – a firm focused on artist management and brand development. And she is also the founder of Girl Connected - a mentorship program for women looking to build in the music and entertainment industry. You’ll learn: How Lola put on her first show in the music industry How to build rapport, relationships, and creative brands Knowing your shit and co...

Stephanie Harrison is the Founder and CEO of The New Happy – a platform that is focused on lasting happiness and how we can actually focus on changing the world for the better. Stephanie is focused on delivering the best content and does so every week, on Sundays. You can check out her newsletter here . You can expect writings and research where she will help you to redefine happiness (for yoursel...

Subscribe to the Power of Why on Apple Podcasts . Welcome to a special *recap*episode of the Power of Why. We are officially wrapping up season 3 of the show with some conversations that we’ve had this season with creatives, executives, business operators. These are all conversations captured on the Power of Why with guests who are so focused, brave, creative and thoughtful. Here they are: Joanne...

Mark Goudie is the President and CEO of the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG). He’s had quite the corporate career, formally educated as an accountant. Mark has advised clients on value creation strategies with PwC Canada. And with time, he moved into the sports and entertainment industry as CFO and Vice-president of Finance & Administration with the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and...

Ben Branson-Gateley is Founder and CEO and founder of Charlie HR . Charlie HR is a market leading Human Resources Information System (HRIS) platform for small businesses in the UK. Ben has experience building 3 companies during his working years and then started Charlie HR , alongside his 2 co-founders back in 2015. Ben is also the host of the Culture Ops podcast where he speaks to founders, opera...

By day, Dennis Mathu is a Senior Consultant at Deloitte, where he advises clients on operations, strategy, and finance transformation. By night and on weekends, he is a content creator on YouTube with his girlfriend Steph. He is your go-to for personal finance and career-related topics. Fun fact: Back in 2013, Dennis and I actually went to the same university for our undergraduate studies. We were...

Reagan Bradley is a brand strategist who helps businesses connect with their customers through the power of thoughtful storytelling. Her brand strategies help people market authentically online, so they can do more of what they love. Reagan has five years of agency experience. She’s also built brands and websites for clients in the cannabis, professional education, cybersecurity, and creative indu...

Erin Blaskie is a fractional CMO and marketing advisor to startups and scaleups. In 2004, Erin founded one of the first virtual assistance businesses in Canada, served over 300 business across North America and entered the technology space. As a voracious learner, Erin made a name for herself in the industry, took on many challenges and built a brand as a marketing expert. Through Erin’s interview...

For some folks, finances present some level of friction, sometimes even anxiety. We both believe that there is an interesting opportunity to reimagine what one’s relationship to money even looks like. In this episode, Tembeka shares how she focused on her financial goals in the face of distraction, while helping other women do the same.  Tembeka Pratt is a lifestyle finance expert who has bee...

“If you do something for long enough, it sort of just becomes a part of who you are and what you do”. Mussie shared how growing up with compassionate, disciplinarian parents who demanded the best from you, translated to strong work ethics. Juggling multiple priorities, Mussie discussed his approach to building systems and structures in his work and life that take a long-term view. Mussie Hailu is...

Julian shared some of the important investments that he made into himself, which gave him the confidence to start a company and really tune into his why. Ultimately, this conversation is about how to create work environments where people can thrive. Julian Cook is the co-founder and CEO of a London-based tech company called Howamigoing . They are on a mission to prevent 1 million people from havin...

“If I wanted to be successful and grow in the industry, I had to take matters into my own hands.” Mari Galloway is the master of her fate. As CEO and founding board member for the Women's Society of Cyberjutsu (WSC) — one of the fastest growing non-profit communities in this space — Mari is propelling the next generation of women and girls in cyber security, helping them take the small, critical s...

“Supporting mothers in supporting their child helps build strong and resilient leaders.” Pivots are just a part of the process for Julia Slanina. A graduate of the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs , she shifted careers from the foreign service to build stronger communities through connected, human-centred healthcare. As Founder and CEO of Treehouse Medical , she does just that — emp...

“Women tend to look at the world as one big community.” Nita Tandon is changing the world, one household at a time. A seasoned sustainable health expert, Nita brings more than two decades of experience as a pharmaceutical and biotech professional to her work as the founder and CEO of Dalcini Stainless , an award-winning maker of safe, simple and sustainable storage containers and housewares made f...

“Where there is help, there is hope.” Joanne Bezzubetz is on a mission to de-stigmatize mental health and substance abuse. Drawing on 20 years of leadership experience in healthcare organizations across Canada, Joanne serves as President and CEO of The Royal – among Canada’s foremost mental health care and academic health science centres. Committed to community-centred treatment, Joanne has led cl...

Vanessa has created many distinct opportunities for greater learnings and growth by saying YES, and figuring out the details later. As the co-founder of Gift Better Co., Vanessa is focused on building a corporate gifting service that empowers businesses to build & strengthen relationships while fuelling social impact. Vanessa graduated from Carleton University’s Communications Studies program...

Aim as high as you can because that's the only way you'll get anywhere. Sem Ponnambalam refuses to settle on her dreams. The President and Co-founder of XAHIVE, Sem drives the businesses global operations, fuelled by her mission to empower people, businesses and nation-states from the devastating repercussions of cybersecurity breaches. Sem has mobilized relationships with industry-leaders around...

“Creating boundaries has been empowering, because when I show up, I do so with better, more positive energy.” Sunshine Tenasco believes your business can positively transform your community. A First Nations mommy from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, this visionary social entrepreneur and author is committed to strengthening her community — by cultivating a culture of entrepreneurship within it, and draw...

“I believe that we can hold onto what we believe in one hand, and shake with the other.” Nasrin Sadeghianpour wants you to do the thing that scares you most. A Senior Smart Grid & AI Scientist at BluWave-ai , she has dedicated her career to overcoming climate change by leveraging artificial intelligence — predicting the patterns of renewable energies so humanity can master this earth-saving re...