Voices of Leadership | Leadership Stories | Women Leadership | Female Founders

Today, we're joined by an individual whose roots in our community run as deep as her impact: Joan Fisk . This past May, Joan was the recipient of the 025 Oktoberfest Women of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award. Joan is a powerhouse leader. Her incredible career began right here at her family's business, the Tiger Brand Knitting Company . It’s a place that holds a surprising bit of fashion history...

Today’s guest, Natalie Dumond, is someone who knows that leadership isn’t just about strategy and results—it’s about courage, vulnerability, and authenticity. Natalie is a leadership coach, speaker, and certified Dare to Lead facilitator. Her journey began as an HR professional, where she developed her own unique feedback framework, which led to her contribution to Brené Brown’s bestselling book,...

Listen to Jody and Kirstie's podcast! Listen to Chef Over Your Shoulder on all major podcast platforms! In this episode, I’m joined by two dynamic chefs and educators who have turned their passion for food into a thriving business and a lasting friendship. Red Seal qualified chefs Jody O'Malley and Kirstie Herbstreit are the co-founders of The Culinary Studio. Together, they bonded over properly c...

In this episode of Voices of Leadership , we talk with Caroline Bergeron, an international painter known as Aro, a professional speaker, author, and former corporate executive. Caroline shares the transformative journey that led her from the corporate world to a life centred on creativity, personal growth, and inspiring others. We dive into the core themes of her book, The Sum of My Encounters . T...

My guest today is Ginni Saraswati-Cook. A successful entrepreneur in the podcasting space. However, this story isn’t just about podcasting or entrepreneurship. It’s about airports, Knicks games and cats. My favourite parts of this episode are the stories Ginni tells about how the most meaningful moments often happen when you’re least expecting them. Ginni is the founder of Ginni Media , a global p...

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Dana Shortt , the visionary entrepreneur who built a beloved business from the ground up, transforming it into a true community staple.  Dana shares the remarkable story of her journey, from her humble beginnings in catering to the emotional and strategic process of successfully exiting her business. This episode is packed with valuable lessons for a...

Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.  What does it take to build a beverage company from scratch? Not just any beverage company—but one that is unapologetically female-founded, obsessively focused on ingredients, and determined to carve out space in an industry long dominated by men in boardrooms...

Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.  Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. In this episode, I’m joined by Anna Radulovski, founder of WomenTech Network , a global community of over 150,000 members across 179 countries. Anna is also the powerhouse behind the Women...

Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.  Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact.  Shop Hot or Just Me? and get 10% off using the code LEADERSHIP What kind of person builds a whiskey brand from scratch, launches it on Kickstarter, gets it on shelves everywhere… and the...

Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.  Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. What makes a good impression?  Can the right packaging—a perfectly folded, beautifully designed box—turn a simple donut into something special? Can the feel of a burger wrapper, or th...

Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.  Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact.  Have you ever really thought about your kidneys? About what they do? About what happens when they fail? They are two small organs, quietly filtering waste, balancing fluids, and keeping...

oin us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.  Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. Have you ever punched someone in the face? Not out of anger. Not in self-defence. But because, for one night, you chose to step into the ring? Most people would never willingly put themselv...

oin us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.  Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact.  We’ve been taught to recognize abuse. A black eye. A broken bone. The obvious signs.  What if abuse isn’t just about what you can see? Today, my guest is Stefanie Peachey, Founder of...

Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.  Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. When the headlines no longer dictate your day, how do you write your next chapter? Today I talk with Lisa Drew. For more than three decades, Lisa’s voice was the one that greeted Waterloo...

Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.  Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact.  Money isn’t just about dollars and cents—it’s the story we tell ourselves about what’s possible. In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Wendy Brookhouse, founder of Black St...

Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.  Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. Dinah Davis is no stranger to firsts. She’s built her career—and her life—on a series of them. As a mathematician and cryptographer, she stood out as one of the few women in a field domina...

Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.  Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. What happens when we blur the boundaries between art and science? What might that look like? Perhaps you could give students in Nigeria the opportunity to put their innovations on display...

Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.  What does it mean to lead?  This season on Voices of Leadership, we’re stepping into the stories of women who are redefining success and thriving on the edge of change.  Join us for candid conversations with trailblazers in women's leadership that w...

In this inspiring episode, we embark on a beautiful spiritual journey with the extraordinary Patricia Gagic. Patricia is a renowned contemporary artist celebrated for her beautiful work and contributions to the art world.  But her story extends far beyond the canvas. She's a passionate drummer, humanitarian, author, and Certified Meditation Specialist who has dedicated her life to inspiring o...

Today, we are joined by Sadiqa Reynolds, a remarkable civil rights leader, attorney, and former judge who has dedicated her career to championing mental health and advocating for access for all. As a pioneer in various leadership roles, she has consistently broken barriers, becoming the first woman to hold significant positions throughout her career. Our conversation explores her experiences of be...

On today's episode, you'll hear a story of resilience, transformation, and groundbreaking change in women's health. Our guest, Ellyn Winters-Robinson, is a breast cancer survivor, entrepreneur, best-selling author, and an advocate for women's health. Before the book and advocacy, she was a woman diagnosed with breast cancer. Who felt alone and angry. Ellyn took her anger and tu...

On today’s episode, we talk with  Cynthia Mickens Ross, a spiritual leader, author, executive coach, and keynote speaker whose mission is to help people unlock their potential and live with purpose. From facing the loss of loved ones to navigating major life transitions, Cynthia takes us through the highs and lows of her personal journey with a blend of humour and wisdom, revealing how she discove...

Can your skin heal itself naturally? Join us as we talk with Dr. Erin Yuet Tjam, an entrepreneur, scientist, and co-author of Skin Sobering , who is on a mission  to disseminate the truth about skin health and beauty. In this episode, Erin deconstructs the myths perpetuated by the beauty industry, explaining how reliance on chemical-laden skincare products may be contributing to a hidden skin epid...

On today's episode, we welcome Karen Coviello, a dynamic leader with a wealth of experience across multiple sectors. Karen is currently the Vice President of Affiliate Success at Habitat for Humanity Canada and also serves as the President & Chair of the Board at the YW Kitchener-Waterloo, advocating for women's issues and championing equity.  We discuss the pivotal role of partnersh...

On today’s episode, we welcome Trish Barbato, the President and CEO of the Arthritis Society and the Co-Founder and Director of the Menopause Foundation of Canada. Trish is passionate about giving a voice to these often overlooked and underfunded causes and the people they impact. Trish shares her deeply personal journey, detailing the severe symptoms and inadequate medical responses that ignited...