Meet Brian Owens, the Artistic Director of the Calgary International Film Festival. The CIFF is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and there are endless events around Calgary for everyone. Brian was most recently the Artistic Director of the Nashville Film Festival where he was able to double the size of the festival!
In this chat, Brian explains what can be expected at the CIFF and how to make the most of the exciting week. Also, you will learn how Brian found his way into film and a few of his favourite flicks!
Calgary International Film Festival
September 18-29, 2019
Reuben and the Dark is a Calgary-based IndieFolk band and the lead singer Reuben Bullock is going to be in Calgary between June 17 - 19. He can chat about how the band was recently chosen to contribute their musical talents to various soundtracks for some of TV’s most compelling high profile dramas (Handmaid’s Tale, Grey’s Anatomy, The Highwayman, etc. - see full list below). They also recently announced a new song, You and I and also just announced that they will be doing a special performance at the Coca Cola stage at the Stampede this year - for the first time ever they will be playing at the Stampede in their hometown - officially opening the Stampede music festivities on July 4th.
Amber Romaniuk is an Emotional Eating, Digestive and Hormone Expert who helps professional women achieve optimal health through mindful eating, self-care and overcoming self-sabotage with food. Her podcast “The No Sugarcoating Podcast” has over half a million downloads and she has appeared on local TV 50 times in the last three years alone.
Amber overcame her own emotional eating after gaining and losing more than 1000 lbs and spending over $50,000 on binge foods and spending 5 years balancing her hormones and digestion. Now she helps others achieve Body Freedom™ so they have the confidence and health to create amazing lives.
Reach out to Amber
Podcast "The No Sugarcoating Podcast" www.amberapproved.ca/podcast
Follow me on Instagram @amberromaniuk
Meet Jenny Malcolm and Vanessa Slobogian. These awesome Calgary entrepreneurs developed a topical wellness company specializing in hemp-derived Cannabidiol ("CBD") products. Their start-up story is something many Calgarians can relate to - (aging) fitness enthusiasts and small business owners always on the hunt for a way to boost mental and physical recovery in the most natural way possible. With years of expertise in the hemp industry, they knew the potential benefits that CBD could offer for athletes and for those wishing to balance the stresses of everyday life.
Their products offer a natural and effective way to optimize athletic recovery. Since the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) placed CBD on the ‘approved’ list for athletes in competition, we've been on a mission to share the benefits of CBD. Their goal is not only to share our products but also to provide education related to the potential benefits and applications of CBD for athletes and professionals alike.
This is not a topic that many people are able to find clear and concise information on, as every news or information channel seems to provide an overload of indecipherable information bogged down by scientific jargon.
Enjoy this chat with Jenny and Vanessa!
Shayleen McHugh is a female entrepreneur and owner of The Light Journey. Her goal is to provide women in Alberta with natural and therapeutic self-care that they can enjoy in the comfort and privacy of their own home.
Her company offers a variety of holistic products and services that encourage mindfulness and self-awareness which help women feel healthy, balanced and whole.
Shayleen McHugh has been a professional Reiki Practitioner since 2016 and has been working with women in the community of Calgary. Using a variety of relaxation techniques, guided intuition, and healing touch, it is Shayleen's goal to provide women with an alternative to conventional health and wellness practices.
In this episode, Shayleen shares her inspiring journey and provides a clear explanation of how Reiki works. She also provides a number of fantastic resources for everyone living a busy life. Enjoy this chat with Shayleen, a Calgary based female entrepreneur and all around amazing person!
Reach out to Shayleen
thelightjourney8@gmail.com
Salima Stanley Bhanji is the founder and CEO of Humainologie - an organization that uses art, including film, to spread empathy, increase inclusion, and reduce discrimination. They have just opened the Humainologie retail store (in the 17th Avenue district), which is an interactive space that promotes empathy and inclusion through a media gallery and local merchandise. All of the carried brands have a social conscience/initiative.
Be sure to join in on the fun at Empathy Week (June 1 -8, 2019)
To watch some of our films: humainologie.com/films
Instagram: @spreadempathyYYC
Facebook & Twitter: @humainologie
To see the full program of events for Empathy Week (June 1-7), go to humainologie.com/empathyweek
To volunteer with Humainologie, get in touch: hello@humainologie.com
Jen Carlson’s new 100% natural skincare line for teens, Thirsty Naturals, launches as her second business since Canada’s leading baby food brand, Baby Gourmet. Carlson’s entrepreneurial drive has grown with her children’s age - first ignited through her baby food brand when they were infants, and now through her teen-specific hygiene line today as they journey through adolescence.
Jen Carlson’s entrepreneurship began 13 years ago when she saw a gap in the market for healthy and flavourful baby food for her own daughter. Thus, Baby Gourmet was born - an organic, gourmet baby food line that helped develop the palate of little ones. As her children grew, so did Carlson’s recognition of the lack of quality products for their age and stage of life (see her blog post on this here). Her children are now young teens, and are the reason that Thirsty Naturals has come to fruition.
Jen is knowledgeable on talking about all things entrepreneur, raising children, and dealing with the often sensitive topic that is teen hygiene
Meet Calgary's JD Gagnon. After running several successful startups and businesses, JD founded Scotch and Ramen Media in 2017. With a background in digital, social, and commerce marketing, he saw there was a major gap in the market place for medium-sized companies who needed the in-house experience from an outside team. Passionate about processes, systems, and optimization, he is the champion of this carefully selected team of marketing and branding experts. In addition to being a successful entrepreneur, he is a husband, father of three and official “rainmaker” of Scotch & Ramen.
Sponsor:
Inventures 2019 (Use Code 19INVITE for 50% off your ticket)
Calling all entrepreneurs, start-ups, and investors! Don’t miss your chance to attend the premier conference of the year! Inventures 2019 is a tectonic shift in the innovation landscape – surfacing new opportunities that shape and create the future. Taking place June 5-7 at the Telus Convention Centre.
Meet Calgary’s Alex Putici, Founder of Work Nicer Coworking. Alex is an entrepreneur, community builder, charity group co-founder, investor, and advisor. Alex is an amazing Calgarian and he has built Alberta’s largest coworking space. Work Nicer has grown to 4 locations across Alberta, spanning both Calgary and Edmonton. Alex and the members of Work Nicer have created an environment that inspires entrepreneurs, builds community, and helps businesses grow. In this episode, you will learn all about the growth of Work Nicer Coworking and Alex provides some fantastic advice for those that are growing a business. Also, you will learn all about Alex’s other ventures as well as his thoughts on the future of coworking. Don’t miss this awesome chat with Alex Putici.
Meet Jason Smith - he is an entrepreneur and the founder of Bow Developments, a community-minded development company currently developing the first multi-family building in the historic and sought-after neighbourhood of Scarboro, Scarboro 17.
What you will learn from Jason Smith:
How he harnessed his entrepreneurial spirit and took the scary but necessary leap.
How he dealt with the fears and naysayers and make his passion his career.
How to choose a team wisely without letting one's ego get in the way.
How his negative experience with his original business partner led to a positive growth in his entrepreneurial spirit and drive.
The daily practices Jason uses to function at the efficient and effective level that his business demands.
Don't miss this chat with Jason Smith!
Twice beating cancer inspired tech CEO Bruce Fikowski to take a calculated leap of faith and launch Get Assist, Inc. GetAssist is the 100 percent private social network that connects individuals with one another and with local businesses to share information, advice, ideas and the sort of help that improves everyday life.
“We’re all a little tired of connecting for the sole purpose of connecting,” Bruce says. “These days online users want connections that lead to results. They could include private message boards among parents for youth hockey teams, professionals collaborating on projects or simply finding contractors to fix stuff around the house.”
He embodies all of the great qualities of true leaders, including empowering employees to solve problems, supporting failure, prioritizing family first, leading by example, paying staffers to volunteer in the community and providing financial assistance to associates when needed (even as far as buying a salesperson a car when her own broke down.)
In this Calgary podcast, you will meet Nathan Chan. Nathan is a proud single intended parent. He is a 33 year old single dad by choice via surrogacy and egg donation. It took him 8 years to finally meet his child Nanette who is 6 months old and was born via Nathan's 6th gestational surrogate.
In this episode, you will learn all about Nathan's journey to fatherhood and Nathan offers some great advice for anyone looking to embark on the journey to becoming a parent through surrogacy and egg donation.
Learn More:
- http://proudfertility.com
- http://proudfertility.com/2017/04/28/fulfilled-family-dreams-surrogacy/
- http://proudfertility.com/2018/11/29/the-best-things-about-being-a-single-dad-by-choice/
- http://proudfertility.com/in-the-news/
Follow Proud Fertility: @proudfertility
On this week's episode of Ideas and Stuff, you will meet Dave Byrns. Dave runs The Introverted Networker and he is a speaker, trainer, and author.
We all know the importance of networking in business and in life but what do we do if we are on the introverted side? In this chat, Dave Byrns provides some actionable strategies for you to start networking on your own terms.
You will also hear Dave's amazing story about how he founded The INtroverted Networker.
Learn more about Dave:
On this week's Calgary podcast episode, you are introduced to Adam Legge. Adam is a speaker, author, Calgary leader, also the Director, Global Business Futures Initiative at the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership in the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary. Adam has more than two decades of leadership experience and he is the author of Making Remarkable: How to Deliver Purpose,
Inspire People, and Build a Platform for Exceptional Results.
Adam is well known for his role as the 18th President and CEO of The Calgary Chamber of Commerce where to transformed this organization into a dynamic and aware winning entity.
In this chat, Adam Legge shares his leadership journey. You will learn how he overcame the challenges associated with making large-scale changes. He also dives into some highlight from his fantastic book.
Reach out to Adam today!
https://www.adamlegge.com/
On this week's Calgary podcast episode you will meet Lorena Prakash, owner of Duzu Dates. Duzu Dates are a delicious modern twist on dates and they will keep you coming back for more. There are such flavours as pistachio dates, ginger dates, chia dates and others all wrapped in Master Chocolat (Bernard & Sons) chocolate.
These amazing treats are created by an inspiring Calgarian, Lorena Prakash, brought the idea of these dates back to her hometown after a trip to Dubai.
In this chat, you will learn all about Lorena's idea and some of the challenges she had to overcome to bring this product to market.
Learn more about Duzu Dates and Lorena Prakash
https://www.duzudates.com/
On this week's Calgary podcast episode you will meet Nicolas Beique, Founder and CEO of Helcim Inc. Helcim is a payment platform for small businesses all the way up to large international corporations. They have developed a great model where the customer pays fantastic rates and they have an integrated commerce platform. Plus they are a transparent business that stays true to their values and beliefs.
Nicolas is an inspiring and very successful Calgary entrepreneur. In this chat, you will learn where his idea for Helcim came from and he explores some of the challenges he had to overcome in scaling his successful business. He chats about the startup scene in Calgary and provides some fantastic tips for entrepreneurs. Don't miss this great episode with Nicolas Beique of Helcim Inc.
https://www.helcim.com/ca/
On this week's Calgary podcast episode you will meet Jade Alberts. Jade is a Small Business Strategist who focuses on Business Development, Marketing, Social Media & Digital Strategy, Content Creation and Business Plans. His motto is "Telling It Like It Is" and you can contact him if you would like honest advice.
In this episode, you will learn about Jade's journey and how he continues to build his thriving business. You will hear about Jade's connection to sports in Calgary and how he uses athletics to connect with those in his database. You will also gain a ton of insight on how to build a business in Calgary.
Reach out to Jade Alberts:
http://jadealbertsconsulting.com/
On this week's Ideas and Stuff Calgary Podcast, you will meet Don Tse and I hope you are thirsty. Don is a beer writer and enthusiast. He began exploring craft beer long before we saw the explosion of the craft beer movement, so he has watched this trend unfold. One of the amazing things about Don is his dedication to documenting the beers he has tried over the years. Tune into this episode to hear the mind-blowing number of beers in his database. Don also enjoys scotch tasting and he is passionate about fitness.
In this chat, Don shares his story of how he came to be a beer writer and he dives into the motivations behind his beer tasting and writing.
Learn more about The Don of Beer
http://www.beerstoyou.ca/
With the 9th Annual Enbridge® Ride to Conquer Cancer® wrapping up, this week you will meet Gillian Thomas, a rider with one of the most unique and inspiring ways of raising money for this amazing cause.
Gillian has participated in The Enbridge® Ride to Conquer Cancer® for a number of years and just wait until you hear the amount she has been able to cumulatively raise.
Often times we would love to participate in these important events, however, we are unsure of how we are going to be able to raise the funds or prepare for a 2-day road bike ride. Gillian Thomas has the answers for you.
Featured this week is the inspiring and interesting Calgarian, Gillian Thomas.
On this week's episode of Calgary's Ideas and Stuff Podcast, you are introduced to Megan Stanley. Megan runs one of Calgary's most successful pet training businesses with two locations and she even has programs for dog trainers looking to get accredited. If that isn't enough, Megan is the Chair of the Board for the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, a mentor for Junior Achievement and the Rotary Club Stay in School program, and is the founder and President of The Guinniss Foundation.
In this chat, you will learn all about how she built her business and her plans for the future. Megan explains the need for regulation in the pet care industry, and she shares some lovely stories about her own experiences with her pets.
Megan is interesting, fun, and full of life. Don't miss this chat with Megan Stanley.
https://www.dogmatraining.com/
On this week's Calgary podcast, you will meet the successful entrepreneur, author, and speaker, Shawna Curry. Shawna's business is Your Lifestyle Strategy and she has helped countless people by employing a whole lifestyle strategy for their health including fitness, sleep, nutrition, self-help and overall lifestyle strategies.
In this episode, Shawna shares her amazing story and her own path to health. She shares a number of inspiring stories that most can relate to, and she provides actionable strategies to help everyone.
Learn more about Shawna
https://yourlifestylestrategy.com/
On this episode of the Ideas and Stuff Calgary podcast, you are introduced to Philip Setter. Philip is a Calgary based entrepreneur with amazing energy and a zest for life.
He is a managing partner at Business Critical. Business Critical is a unique team of advisors who are dedicated to maximizing your net worth. They do so by using a multi-discipline approach to financial strategy by combining forces with such fields as tax advisory, legal counsel, insurance products and more.
In this episode, you will learn how Philip found his way into his position. He explains some of the challenges he faced and how he propelled his business to success.
Enjoy this fun chat with Philip!
Have a quick look at Philip's Q and A:
If you could tell everyone in Calgary one thing, what would it be?
Meet Kim Kilback, Owner of Central Bark Doggy Daycare in Sunalta, Calgary. Central Bark Doggy Daycare is not your everyday dog daycare and Kim isn't your everyday owner. The funky space is located in Sunalta and can't be missed with the stunning dog mural on the exterior wall. At Central Bark Doggy Daycare, your dog has the option of attending the Bark Park, Zen Den, or Dog Lodge. There are a number of cool services including Canine Massage by a Certified Canine Massage Therapist, grooming, events, painting with your dog, and DOGA (yes, yoga with your dog!)
Kim is an inspirational business owner. In this chat, she openly discusses her inspiring story in entrepreneurship and shares both the excitement and challenges.
Enjoy this chat with Kim Kilback!
https://www.centralbarkdogs.ca/
Meet Vu Nguyen, the man behind EvolutionVN and the inventor of the Evolution Fitness Machine. This sophisticated home fitness machine makes a fit lifestyle attainable for anyone. Vu understood that gyms aren't for everyone. Whether it's a lack of time, knowledge, or confidence, many people avoid these places. He saw a need for a more versatile, practical, and compact home fitness alternative to the gym and the current personal fitness equipment.
Vu has an inspiring story. In this episode, you will hear about where his interest in fitness comes from and why he left engineering to embark on an entrepreneurial journey. You will learn how he spends his time and he shows how dedicated he is to health and fitness.
Enjoy this episode with Vu Nguyen.
https://www.evolutionvn.com/