What Are You Driven By?

In this episode, we sit down with coach and entrepreneur Adam Roach for an inspiring conversation on career pivots, mentorship, and building thriving coaching communities. Adam shares his incredible journey from growing up the son of an Olympic swim coach to scaling real estate operations to generate $2 billion in sales—and why he ultimately walked away in 2019 to serve coaches across four contine...

Diondra sits down with keynote speaker and coach Darren Mann to talk career pivots, resilience, and authentic leadership. Darren shares his journey from 30 years in IT to full-time coaching, his "Fail Forward Formula" for turning setbacks into momentum, the "I Can" networking principle, and why authenticity beats having all the answers as a leader. Plus: the story behind hosting Erin Gruwell (Free...

Are you feeling held back by limiting beliefs or trapped in a cycle of self-sabotage? In this episode of What Are You Driven By, we sit down with Inner Expansion coach and speaker, Jacqueline Francis, to explore how to reclaim your personal power using the life-changing principles of The Four Agreements. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, The Four Agreements offers a roadmap for navigating the digita...

Are you struggling to transition from subject expert to effective team leader? In this episode, we sit down with Gillian Bilton, Director of Talent Services at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), to explore sustainable leadership strategies. Gillian shares her "coaching-based" model for leadership development, proving that you don't need a massive budget to drive cultural change. We...

This episode offers actionable insights on building inclusive cultures, navigating imposter syndrome, and the philosophy of "passing the torch" to the next generation of leaders. We explore the intersection of human judgment and artificial intelligence with Linda Iriah, SVP and Head of HR at Ipsos Canada. We dive into her framework for integrating "HI and AI" to clarify control boundaries, the str...

In this episode, we sit down with Katrina Sinclair, founder of Healthwise Benefits, to explore how companies can move beyond basic compensation packages to build a truly supportive workforce culture. We discuss the critical role of proactive communication strategies and how aligning benefits with employee needs fosters lasting trust. Learn how leveraging data—by cross-referencing insurance claims...

In this episode, Diondra Filicetti sits down with Amy Stevenson, Communications Management Professional and internal communications leader at Deafblind Ontario Services, to explore how organizations can create meaningful connection across a dispersed workforce. Amy shares her journey from wedding planning to communications, the challenges of engaging deskless frontline teams, and how empathy, stor...

Leadership and team development speaker Michele Vaz advocates for a service-based leadership philosophy that distinguishes leading (people and vision) from managing (tasks), prioritizing supported autonomy, transparency, and caring for the "whole person" to foster high team engagement and retention.

Diondra and Lynsey Redman. explores how empathy, data-driven insights, and adaptive leadership can transform workplace engagement and empower employees to thrive.

Faith Tull, Chief Human Resources Officer and independent consultant, joins Diondra Filicetti on the Driven By… Co. podcast to discuss her extensive HR experience across organizations of all sizes and cultures, highlighting the importance of cultural awareness in global leadership. She shares the core traits of effective leaders—competence, confidence, charisma, and storytelling—and recounts how s...

Director of Operations Nikita Garner, who made the unbelievable pivot from holistic nutritionist and receptionist to a top executive role, reveals the radical leadership playbook that powered her explosive career growth. In this interview with host Diondra Filicetti, author of Engagement Economics, Nikita dives deep into the non-negotiable qualities of effective leadership: from radical transparen...

Britt Holmes went from high-pressure corporate advertising to a full-body burnout that forced her to rethink everything. Today, she runs Merit Media, a values-first agency built for creativity, autonomy, and sustainable leadership. In this episode, she breaks down her journey, her business philosophy, and the boundaries every new leader needs to build healthy, high-performing teams.

On this episode of What Are You Driven By, Diondra Filicetti sits down with Princella Lewis Seymour, a powerhouse with 35 years in elder care, founder of Complete Elder Solutions, and author of Everything You Need to Know About Me. Princella pulls back the curtain on the real, often unpredictable world of caregiving, revealing what families don’t know they need until they’re in crisis. She shares...

In this episode, Diondra Filicetti sits down with Mike Parkinson — founder of Billion Dollar Graphics and 24 Hour Company — to explore the principles that shape his leadership journey. Mike shares the core characteristics he believes define great leadership, including clarity of vision, positivity, creativity, and strong communication. From navigating distractions to building trust through authent...

In this episode of the What Are You Driven By? podcast, we sit down with Naime Khan, a dynamic leader from Bangladesh, to explore the personal journey that fuels his leadership. Naime shares the motivations that drive him, the values he leads with, and the challenges he's faced along the way. This conversation offers an inspiring glimpse into the mindset of a purpose-driven leader committed to mak...

In this episode, we sit down with Tan Chrissis, founder and CEO of CognitiveVerse, to explore how leadership rooted in empathy, emotional intelligence, and human-centered design can revolutionize learning and growth. Tan shares his deeply personal journey—from over a decade in corporate tech and finance leadership to mentoring in personal development following the loss of a close colleague.

In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode of What Are You Driven By, Diondra sits down with Dr. Deena Kara Shaffer—educator, learning strategist, best-selling author, and founder of Awakened Learning. Together, they explore what it means to lead with empathy, trust, and relational care in a world often driven by hustle and hierarchy. Deena shares how her work is rooted in creating access, re...

Tune into our chat with Angelica Goncalves, a professional award-winning podcaster (🏆12x🏆Latin Podcast Award 2023,2022, 2021 & 2020 Winner - CEV winner23,22,21) and small business owner. She shares her inspiring story about growing up with a learning disability and battling the pressure she has placed on herself for years. She shares with our listeners how to she learned to discover that she is...

Learn about Yasmin Khan's unique journey as a research consultant with a unique background in strategic planning, learning and procurement, and how curiosity has led her into new professional adventures.

In this episode, we talk about Jess Takimoto, the Founder of SHINE, a recent university graduate, full-time entrepreneur, retired dancer, and coffee lover. Jess shares her journey of quitting competitive dance at 16 and feeling lost without her team, fun activities, and stress relief. She discusses how joining a gym led her into the toxic fitness culture, causing struggles with confidence, body im...

In this episode we have a conversation about labels and not letting them define you with Damion Murray from Simple Touch Solutions. Damion Murray is a seasoned sales professional with over 20 years of experience, including a notable 7-year tenure at Samsung. Having owned multiple businesses, Damion's passion for branding has emerged as a driving force. With a keen eye for aesthetics and a commitme...

In this episode we dive into Sonia Sheechoria's journey from a career professional to a small business owner and a career coach. Learn about how the negative advice of a professor that she looked up to weighed on her and slowed her down. Once she learned to listen to her gut, everything changed.

Meet Shallima Maharaj, Reporter and Anchor for Global News who shares her career and personal journey through doubt and challenges as she travelled across Canada exploring her potential. Shallima Maharaj is an award-winning journalist with Global Toronto. She joined the team in 2017, after reporting extensively throughout western Canada. She has provided comprehensive pandemic news coverage over t...