Take The Leap

In this solo reflection episode, Ashlan and Tory unpack their conversation with returning guest Asmaa Methqal, exploring the themes that resonated most after the interview. They discuss why rest shouldn't be something we feel guilty about, the importance of creating intentional space for reflection, and how entrepreneurs can avoid constantly moving from one project to the next without process...

In this episode, we welcome back Asmaa Methqal for a powerful conversation about leadership, community, intuition, and what it means to move through transition with trust. Since her last visit, Asmaa has launched The Thread: Women + Tech Vancouver, an in-person community created to help women in tech build real connection, sharpen their skills, and practice showing up with integrity. Together, we...

In this recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their conversation with leadership coach Vicki Semanie and dive deeper into the role emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and consistency play in building successful businesses and careers. Drawing from their own experiences in corporate environments and entrepreneurship, they discuss why strong leadership starts with understanding yourself and...

In this episode, we catch up with returning guest Vicki Semanie as she enters year three of her business. Vicki shares how her work has evolved beyond coaching into consulting, speaking, and leadership development, and how embracing uncertainty has opened unexpected opportunities. We also dive into emotional intelligence, the power of purpose, and why trust, not control, is shaping her vision for...

In this recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their conversation with Peya and explore what it really means to build a business that aligns with your values, energy, and goals. They discuss the importance of letting go of work that no longer serves you, recognizing when clients or offers are no longer a good fit, and creating a business that supports your life instead of draining it. The conve...

In this return conversation with Peya Robbins, we talk about what it means to stop running your business from obligation and start building it around joy, boundaries, and actual capacity. Peya shares how intentional rest helped her clear space, release clients and commitments that no longer fit, and reconnect with the parts of her business that feel energizing instead of draining. This episode is...

In this recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their conversation with Lindsey Pope and explore the connections between entrepreneurship, resilience, health, and personal growth. Drawing inspiration from Lindsey’s experiences with strength training, business ownership, and community building, they discuss how failure can become a skill, why action creates clarity, and how sustainable success re...

In this episode, we sit down with acupuncturist and holistic nutritionist Lindsey Pope, founder of Instinctual Health, to talk about what it really looks like to build a business rooted in both passion and personal evolution. Lindsey shares how her journey started from a desire for more freedom, and turned into a winding path of rediscovery, pivoting, and ultimately finding her niche in sports and...

In this recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their powerful conversation with returning guest Elizabeth Doerr and explore what community care, civic engagement, and hope look like during uncertain times. They discuss the importance of taking meaningful action instead of getting stuck in doom-scrolling, why everyone has a role to play in creating positive change, and how community support can...

In this episode, Elizabeth Doerr returns for a third time, and the conversation goes far beyond business. From grassroots organizing in her local school community to launching a new creative project centered on national parks, Elizabeth shares what it looks like to stay engaged, hopeful, and impactful during uncertain times. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world (or stuck in...

In this solo recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their conversation with Marina Martinez-Bateman and unpack the realities of consulting, nonprofit work, professionalism, and building a business rooted in alignment rather than performative success. They discuss the disconnect between strategy and actual impact, how entrepreneurs can create businesses that reflect who they truly are, and why w...

In this unfiltered and wide-ranging conversation, Marina Martinez-Bateman returns to share what it actually looked like to survive one of the most volatile years many nonprofit professionals have ever experienced. From losing clients week after week to rebuilding her business from the ground up, Marina pulls back the curtain on resilience, burnout, and what it takes to keep going when the systems...

In this solo recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their conversation with writer and writing coach Sam Pollack and unpack the pressure entrepreneurs feel to constantly create content, stay visible online, and “play the algorithm game.” They discuss why data matters more than internet trends, how to build a marketing strategy that actually aligns with your energy, and why creativity thrives wh...

In this candid and refreshingly honest conversation, we sit down with returning guest Samantha (Sam) Pollack to talk about what it really looks like to navigate a business pivot in today’s ever-changing marketing landscape. From walking away from social media to doubling down on SEO and AI search, Sam shares the behind-the-scenes decisions, experiments, and mindset shifts shaping her next chapter....

In this recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their conversation with Michael Jonas and dive deeper into collaboration, community-building, networking, and the scarcity mindset that often shows up in entrepreneurship. They explore why values-aligned business relationships matter, how collaborative communities like Narwhal Pod are changing the way entrepreneurs connect, and why “bro marketing”...

In this powerful and wide-ranging conversation, we welcome back Michael Jonas for a candid update on his work, from launching innovative community-building tools like the Narwhal Pod to diving into big, uncomfortable questions through his new podcast, All American Why. What starts as a conversation about entrepreneurship and resource-sharing quickly expands into a deeper discussion about systems,...

In this recap episode, Ashlan and Victoria reflect on their powerful conversation with Naomi Hattaway about leaving well, workplace culture, sabbaticals, succession planning, and the reality that no one stays in a role forever. They unpack why so many organizations struggle with transitions, why healthy exits are still surprisingly rare, and how businesses can create better systems for both the pe...

In this conversation, Naomi Hattaway returns to talk about what it really means to design your work, your leadership, and your life with intention. From building a home meant for aging in place to preparing organizations for sabbaticals, leadership transitions, mergers, and meaningful goodbyes, Naomi brings a deeply human lens to what can often feel like operational or uncomfortable topics. This e...

In this solo recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their conversation with Eunice and the way she intentionally redesigned her business to support a more flexible, travel-centered life. They explore what it really means to build your business around the life you want instead of letting your business run the show. This episode is a reminder that big dreams rarely happen by accident. Whether you...

What happens when you stop waiting for “someday” and actually design your life around the things you say you want? In this episode, we sit down with returning guest Eunice Brownlee to talk about her bold decision to spend four months traveling solo across Europe and Asia, all while running a fully remote business. From house sitting on a farm in France to navigating trains, time zones, and mindset...

In this short solo update, Ashlan shares a quick behind-the-scenes moment from the Take the Leap team, along with an exciting announcement you won’t want to miss. While Tory takes some much-needed time to recover (sending all the good vibes her way), Ashlan walks listeners through a big shift in how Take the Leap is showing up for aspiring entrepreneurs. The biggest news? The Take the Leap course...

Thank you for tuning in to the Take the Leap podcast. Ashlan and Tory are taking a much needed spring break this week. But we have some asks from you. If you enjoy our podcast, please write us a review on Apple or Spotify. Here are the links:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/take-the-leap/id1735641469 https://open.spotify.com/show/4eMBeH8Ks4HGOKahnMD53U?si=72550a3612ee4df4 Or you can visit o...

In this solo episode, we’re breaking down our conversation with Nick Footer, founder of Intuitive Digital, and diving deeper into the real-world lessons behind building and scaling a marketing agency. From the risks of scaling too early to the evolving role of AI in marketing, this conversation highlights what actually works, and what can quietly derail your business if you’re not paying attention...

Nick Footer, CEO of Intuitive Digital and self-proclaimed “Cultivator of Happiness,” joins us to talk about building a purpose-driven marketing agency, navigating economic uncertainty, and why AI isn’t killing SEO, it’s reshaping it. From growing up in a family of entrepreneurs to leading a B Corp-certified agency, Nick shares honest insights about risk, scaling, and what it actually takes to sust...

After our conversation with Haley Cooper, we couldn’t stop thinking about one big question: what does it actually take to build organizations that support both the mission and the people behind it? In this episode, we’re unpacking the biggest themes from our conversation with Haley Cooper, from nonprofit burnout and reactive leadership to the real work of building sustainable fundraising strategie...