Unconventional Mindset

Glenn Stewardson is a certified financial planner with over 30 years of experience helping people experience joy in their retirement.Today Glenn explains the common mistakes people make with their RRSPs, why most Canadians don’t have a financial plan, and the importance of having purpose in life and in retirement.Today Glenn will cover:🔹 The financial belief that quietly destroys wealth🔹 Then number one mistake people make in their retirement🔹 Three things you can do with money: spend, give it away, or pay taxes🔹 The importance of taking risks to build the life you want🔹 Teaching our youth about money the right wayFollow Glenn:🌐 Website 👉 https://advisor.assante.com/Glenn-Stewardson/🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenn-stewardson-cfp-fma-mfa-p-1769044/⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 Financial beliefs that hurt people00:03:28 When to take money out from RSP00:04:48 Tax planning around different TFSA vs RSP00:07:13 Introduction to Glenn00:08:55 Only three things you can do with money00:09:30 Benefits of giving money away00:14:01 Looking at schedules to find ways to minimize taxes00:15:49 Think in 5 year cycles00:17:41 Finding purpose in work and in retirement00:22:46 Glenn’s relationship with money and getting into finances00:28:08 Financial advisors deal in hope00:30:34 Early struggles as a financial advisor00:35:56 The importance of building trust with your customers00:37:20 Opening yourself up and letting people in00:40:46 Writing Your Joyful Retirement book00:42:10 Why “Joy”?00:43:25 Building the Joyful Retirement course00:48:14 Business lessons from building an course00:53:55 Why focus career on helping people with retirement00:56:40 Lessons from people that retire as millionaires00:57:25 Problem with today’s small business owners00:58:13 Younger generation doesn’t want to buy businesses01:02:13 Teaching younger people about money and finances01:07:05 Is opening a TFSA as a teenager the best strategy?01:08:47 Young people need to learn how to build good saving habits01:13:58 Too much access to our financial information01:15:24 How to think about life insurance01:17:57 Personal question about Odum’s life insurance01:21:03 How to talk to family about inheritance and a family will01:24:32 Does debt transfer to children upon parents death?01:25:47 Don’t get stuck with a big tax bill upon death!01:29:18 You need to have some kind of plan on paper01:30:16 Make sure your to protect your digital assets too01:29:18 You need to have some kind of plan on paper01:32:13 How to build good credit01:34:16 Make your life what you want it to be!

Sean Williams is a 30-year marketing veteran and is the founder of Dashboard Marketing.If you care about building a meaningful career or resilient business with a brand that truly delivers this episode is for you.Today Sean will cover:🔹 What people look for when hiring🔹 How to keep yourself open to opportunity🔹 Understanding that careers evolve over time🔹 The importance of using AI to augment your ability🔹 How brand is a promise that you need to deliver onFollow Sean:🌐 Website 👉 https://dashboardmarketing.ca/🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanwillliams/⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 Speaking to students about getting a job in marketing00:01:41 Be open to other roles in the industry00:02:40 It’s hard to be good at sales 00:04:30 Be valuable to potential employers00:07:29 Biggest issue when finding a marketing job today00:09:05 Using AI in school vs. in the real world00:10:24 How to use AI to improve your skills and value00:12:42 Differences between personal and business social media use00:14:11 How to deal with negative customer interactions00:17:53 Where is the responsibility to learn customers success?00:19:48 Understanding your strengths00:21:01 Sean’s background00:22:53 Why marketing?00:25:19 Getting laid off and starting a business 00:27:58 Influence parents had on becoming and entrepreneur00:30:17 Finding a sense of purpose in work00:33:33 What has change in marketing over the years00:35:36 How companies get brand wrong00:37:29 The immense damage of not caring for your customers 00:40:14 Don’t forget to focus on customer retention00:41:43 Preparing for a job interview00:43:24 Biggest problems customers are trying to solve00:46:04 Think about your brand early on in your business journey00:47:25 What can entrepreneurs do to help with their marketing 00:49:12 You have to network 00:51:28 LinkedIn is important for business and job hunting00:54:24 Getting into business with your spouse 00:56:17 The importance of partnering with someone the complementary skills00:57:24 Finding balance as an entrepreneur00:59:25 We have different seasons as our businesses grow and evolve01:02:49 Other things that employers look for in new hires01:03:46 Businesses often don’t fully understand brand01:06:53 It’s not about you, it’s about the customer01:08:52 Final takeaway message

At 17 years old Clément dropped out of school because he saw something that most people miss: the gab between theory and real life.Clément Roy is the founder of Nukleo, a digital agency that helps small and medium sized create their digital and AI ecosystems.Today Clément will cover:🔹 Taking the time to learn about yourself🔹 Finding the right people to build a great team🔹 The importance of failing and learning from failure🔹 Importance of philanthropy and giving back to your communityFollow Clément:🌐 Website 👉 https://nukleo.com/🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/clement-roy/⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 Why drop out of school00:03:22 Meditation to find yourself and find purpose00:09:08 Becoming and entrepreneur00:12:14 Entrepreneurship is risky00:13:35 Starting and failing in business00:14:25 What I learned from failure00:21:30 When is the right time to fire someone00:23:08 What to look for when hiring00:26:34 Current work at Nukleo to build digital ecosystems00:28:07 How AI is disrupting the digital space00:41:36 Small businesses are the real heroes00:42:17 Giving back to the community00:50:02 Advise to young entrepreneurs: don’t be afraid to fail

Dave Culligan breaks down the lie we’ve been sold: work hard, be a good employee and you’ll be able to buy a house, live a comfortable life and be happy.Dave Culligan is the found of threesixfive, a creative studio located in the heart of downtown Halifax that specializes in creative story telling for ambitious brands.Today Dave will cover:🔹 Redefining happiness beyond money🔹 Using social media the wrong way🔹 Authenticity, AI, and the future of online trust🔹 Leadership and the cost of people-pleasing🔹 The power of doing the hard inner workFollow Dave:🌐 Website 👉 https://www.threesixfive.ca/🌐 Personal Website 👉 https://www.daveculligan.com/🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-culligan/🔗 Company LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-culligan/🔗 Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/dave.culligan/🔗 YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ2TlP_ul9bDFBFEHP1uG8g⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 What leads to happiness00:01:04 Navigating materialism in society00:08:00 Balance between authenticity, professional and AI00:14:00 Overcoming adversity and learning how to help others00:15:22 Desire to be loved00:20:00 Losing friends throughout life’s different seasons00:24:38 Changing level of professionalism00:30:07 We need to tell better stories00:42:37 Project 365 and making one video everyday for a year00:49:18 Mindset going into project 36500:55:21 How to change your mindset if you’re not where you want to be (yet)00:58:33 Importance of mentorship and being a mentor01:03:35 Challenges facing our youth today01:14:11 What can “I” do to help?01:19:26 Provoke change through powerful storytelling01:23:08 Finding common ground as Canadians01:28:20 Advice to our youth to help them navigate through life01:32:18 What will be the legacy for Dave?

Dennis Dixon is the founder of Oquli, a lean and bootstrapped team working to build custom software tools designed to solve real-world problems.We sit down to have a candid conversation on failure, validation, and why the most successful founders learn to deeply understand real problems before trying to solve them.Today Denis will cover:🔹 The danger of building in isolation🔹 The importance of validating ideas quickly🔹 Progress comes from listening more and building less🔹 Learning when to walk away from ideas you’re attached to🔹 How to look for problems that people actually want solvedFollow Dennis:🌐 Website 👉 https://codiii.com/🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisod/🔗 Oquli LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/oquli/⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 Takeaway from this episode00:00:35 Introduction to Dennis00:01:47 What’s it like teaching adults as a teenager00:04:15 Falling in love with an idea00:08:14 Learning from people within your industry00:11:46 Finding actually problems from the noise00:14:47 Learning to let go of your ideas and changing your mindset00:19:50 Finding solutions after you identify a problem00:25:12 The hidden dangers of building software00:29:00 Importance of getting feedback from users00:31:50 Bootstrapping00:37:33 Canada vs. United States for selling software00:42:00 Mindset shift for growing business after validation00:45:26 Don’t be ignorant to AI, even if you don’t use it00:48:02 Putting aside ego to grow00:53:24 Thoughts on when to quit a business00:57:10 What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?

Entrepreneur Amin Tran takes us on a journey from being kicked out of school, holding 37 jobs, not fitting into traditional roles, to building a portfolio of companies which is tracking to generate 9 figures of revenue in 2026.Amin Tran highlights the current opportunity we have for acquiring businesses, particular in the construction industry.Today Amin will cover:🔹 The biggest productivity killers today🔹 The importance of trusting your gut🔹 How to find opportunities to buy businesses🔹 Developing strength through hardship🔹 Why strong leadership is more critical than ever⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 Buying businesses and starting with cash flow00:10:58 Being fired from many jobs00:16:24 The entrepreneur mindset00:19:42 When to continue or pivot00:21:16 Our education system00:24:12 Top productivity killers and a lack of strong men00:29:09 How do we help young men00:36:42 Learning about mergers and acquisitions00:40:19 Growing and scaling businesses to over 8 figures in annual revenue00:44:47 What’s on the horizon for Amin00:46:49 Unlocking new skills00:51:10 Growing from your past00:55:50 Importance of having purpose00:57:42 What it means to be a good leader01:01:58 Managing clients01:11:55 Women make better project managers01:14:17 Settling down with a family01:16:52 Navigating social media with kids01:21:21 Amin staying away from social media01:27:31 Leaving legacy behind to children01:29:02 Don’t make New Year resolutions01:34:15 Advice to break free from the 9-501:38:11 How to look for mentors

Luke Morgan is a passive income investor who has built his portfolio to over $2 million in assets providing him with $28,000 in monthly income.Today Luke breaks down all the investing mistakes he made, including losing $500,000 in a span of a few months. He gives us a blueprint into building wealth intentionally, how to avoid common pitfalls, and most importantly how to change your mindset to help you attain true financial freedom.Today Luke will cover:🔹 Mindset needed for long-term investing & wealth generation🔹 Real-estate and the hidden costs of homeownership🔹 Pitfalls of chasing status and material possessions🔹 How to get started with passive income investing🔹 How to navigate risk⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 How to change your mindset 00:04:15 Introduction to Luke and passive income investing00:07:37 Building a $2,000,000 portfolio with $28,000 monthly passive income00:10:12 Growth mode with passive income00:11:10 Enjoying money now00:14:21 Path to investing: real-estate & cannabis00:19:52 Early wins in investing leading to a dangerous mindset00:24:36 Learning to be content and staying away from greed & envy00:30:43 Simplest way to get started with investing (don’t lose $500,000 like Luke)00:38:51 Simple investment strategy to make your kids millionaires00:44:04 Social media’s negative effects on our perception of finances for our youth00:49:40 Using social media with intent and purpose00:52:54 Just start today00:55:00 Understanding that Real-estate is a liability01:06:17 Wealthsimple & Questrade for investing in Canada01:12:41 Turning liabilities into assets

Sarah Hart is the found of Hart & Co., a creative agency that helps founder-led B2B brands build memorable, attention-grabbing visual identities.Today Sarah breaks down how to stand out in today’s attention economy, and how to use simple psychology principles to hijack people’s brains so your brand stops being ignored.Today Sarah will cover:🔹 What it means to be the glitch🔹 Psychological principles that drive attention🔹 Why so many brands look the same🔹 Understanding the attention economy🔹 The importance of having a vision as a founderFollow Sarah:🌐 Website 👉 https://hartcocreative.com/🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahhartcreative/🔗 YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@SarahHartDesign⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 “Be the glitch”00:02:45 Introduction to Sarah00:07:08 Changes in brand industry00:10:23 Psychology behind design00:15:41 Dealing with clients00:18:25 Tying design to the buyer’s journey00:19:45 Finding happiness in work00:23:46 Navigating clients as an entrepreneur00:25:42 Psychology and design principles00:29:42 Using AI to create assets00:32:11 Hijacking brains00:36:32 Finding balance in standing out00:39:41 Tips on branding Unconventional Mindset and getting clarity00:44:23 Challenges and joys of entrepreneurship00:46:30 Sarah’s entrepreneurship journey and making over $100,000 early00:52:23 Getting back into education00:54:37 Personal growth as a business owner01:01:34 What’s next

Most companies don’t lose customers to competition, they lose them because they don’t really understand them.Melissa Hughes is the owner of Marketing Mile where she helps clients from all over the world truly understand their customers.Today Melissa will cover:🔹 Asking the right questions🔹 How to avoid making assumptions🔹 Understanding the customer journey🔹 Using data effectively without getting overwhelmed🔹 Better marketing through a better understanding of your customerFollow Melissa:🌐 Website 👉 https://marketingmile.co/🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissahughes/⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 Key takeaway from today’s episode00:02:05 Introduction00:06:14 Working with big clients00:10:32 How to avoid making assumptions00:13:49 Why entrepreneurs often don’t think about their customers00:17:02 Melissa’s transition to entrepreneurship00:22:10 Odum’s transition to entrepreneurship00:25:51 Starting point to understanding your customers00:32:07 Understanding pain points of customers’ day00:35:10 Customer journey00:46:30 Making data-driven decisions00:48:53 Run intentional experiments00:50:03 Example of great customer understanding00:52:47 Is AI helpful for understanding customers?00:58:30 How to nurture customers to keep them01:01:47 Marketing mistakes by small businesses01:05:34 Last word to entrepreneurs

Taylor McMaster is the founder of DOT & Company, a leading agency providing client account management for digital marketing agencies.Taylor breaks down step by step how to properly onboard clients so you can build long term, loyal customers that keep coming back for more.Today Taylor will cover:🔹 Where people go wrong in client retention🔹 The importance of focusing on a singular pain point🔹 How to communicate effectively with clients🔹 What to do in the first 24 hours of a sale🔹 Why clients leaveFollow Taylor:🌐 Website 👉 https://www.dotandcompany.co/🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylormcmaster/🔗 YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@UC9_2hri1R1uaNTGeZr0Oyxg ⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:00:51 Why is it important to keep clients happy?00:02:31 Why people don’t get it right00:05:32 Getting started with account management00:10:45 Finding pain points that stick00:12:00 Being fulfilled in your work00:14:28 Why people fail to retain clients00:16:21 Learning to understand your clients’ needs00:18:59 The work starts when you sign the contract00:21:28 Taylor walks me through giving great podcast experience00:24:40 Don’t be afraid to over-communicate00:26:00 How to maintain and grow client relationships00:27:15 Taylor’s biggest mistake in business00:28:50 Things to look for in great account managers00:34:05 Letting employees think for themselves00:35:13 Taylor’s early entrepreneurial days00:38:00 Learn to let go of things in your business00:39:44 Where are you in 5 to 10 years?00:41:56 Desire to be the best00:45:05 A one person business is still a business00:47:00 Finding your purpose00:50:57 Never lose sight of the human experience

Robert Newcombe is the founder of AI-First Consulting, a firm that helps businesses implement AI into their daily processes to improve performance, productivity, and collaboration.Driven by curiosity, Robert discusses how he got started with AI, the importance of embracing this technology, and offers his reflections on how AI is reshaping the workplace and the future of work itself.Follow Robert:🌐 Website 👉 https://www.ai-first.ca/🔗 LinkedIn (Personal) 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertnewcombe/🔗 LinkedIn (Company) 👉 https://linkedin.com/company/ai-first-consultingToday Robert will cover:🔹 How to get started with AI🔹 How AI can save you hours of work🔹 Finding pain points in your life that AI can solve🔹 Privacy concerns with data🔹 Building AI agents🔹 Organizing information inside ChatGPT⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:03:29 Lean Six Sigma process00:08:38 Improving government efficiency00:10:22 Getting in the field of AI and starting a company00:18:44 Going all in on AI00:20:48 Putting together a team00:23:43 How AI can help do better work00:28:01 Businesses struggling to keep up with AI00:29:26 How to get started with AI00:31:19 Privacy and data security00:34:43 Using AI to help create this podcast00:36:50 Making custom GPTs and organizing information in ChatGPT00:43:54 Look for small wins when starting with AI00:46:32 Learn AI to make you more valuable in your job00:49:15 AI agents and how to implement them to solve pain points01:00:07 Is AI hurting our ability to learn?01:03:95 Future of work and AI01:08:39 Just get started so you don't get left behind

Curtis Scaplen is the founder of Action Consulting. A proud father of two, Curtis focuses on helping businesses plan and achieve long term success.On today’s episode Curtis walks us through his journey from a corporate career working in the tobacco industry, learning how to be a leader, and eventually coming home to Atlantic Canada, helping small businesses grow and transition.[Follow Curtis:🌐 Website 👉 https://action.ca/🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtisscaplen/Today Curtis will cover:🔹Working in a controversial industry🔹How to be a great leader🔹How to prepare to sell your business🔹Gaining strength through family🔹Being kind vs. being nice⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:04 Parents influence on entrepreneurship00:02:48 Moving away from home00:05:01 Working in the tobacco industry00:10:18 Building relationships with customers00:15:11 Learning how to be a leader00:19:48 Focus on what you can control00:25:30 Moving back home to Nova Scotia00:31:11 Learn how to communicate authentically00:34:37 Working with clients00:36:51 Accountability in business00:43:00 Having goals in business00:44:28 Biggest mistake in leadership00:47:16 Can ego driven “leaders” change?00:49:51 Being nice vs. being kind00:53:37 Taking over the family business01:00:29 Opportunity to buy businesses01:02:38 How to get a succession plan ready01:08:30 Should you buy a business?01:14:05 You can learn business as you go01:15:18 Dealing with mother’s stage 4 cancer diagnosis01:21:26 Importance of opening up01:23:14 How to deal with difficult times

Mike Morrison is the founder and president of SocialNext, Canada’s largest and most influential marketing event organization.His mission is to make marketing education and networking accessible and impactful for everyone, creating spaces for people to learn, grow and share ideas.Follow Mike:🌐 Website 👉 https://socialnext.ca/🔗 YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@SocialNextEvents🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikelmorrison/🔗 Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikesbloggity/Today Mike will cover:🔹Why you should always tell the truth🔹The importance of building relationships🔹Always deliver value to your customers🔹How to think about pricing🔹The importance of budgeting⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:43 Why start SocialNext?00:05:26 Mike’s different approach to business 00:12:40 Staying away from phycology hacks00:18:42 Setting up business for long term success00:21:56 Hosting a podcast00:27:46 Relationships are the most important thing in business 00:26:45 Balance between creating content and distribution00:34:25 Pay your dues00:43:21 Giving everyone the same experience at conferences00:48:39 Know the problem you are trying to solve00:55:20 Reaching sustainability and stability in business00:59:34 Just do the work as a new business01:03:45 Know when to go against the common business narrative01:10:17 The importance of representation01:14:32 Looking at data and understanding why decisions are made01:18:08 Advice on teaching your skills01:27:15 Losing $80,000 in one event01:32:44 Don’t forget to eat chips everyday01:33:54 Advice to new entrepreneurs01:45:39 Breakdown of Piixel’s marketing01:52:02 Know when to keep going or to give up on your idea

After a successful 33 year career in public service, Earl Hoeg shares his insights on leadership, self-awareness and entrepreneurship.Earl is the president of PeopleFirst, an organization dedicated to teaching people how to be great leaders.Today Earl will cover:🔹The importance of self-awareness🔹Treating others how they want to be treated🔹The Insights Discovery and colour personalities🔹The role of AI in leadership development🔹Great leadership is learned🔹It's never to late to reinvent yourselfFollow Earl:🌐 Website 👉 https://peoplefirst.ca🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/earlhoeg/⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:02:20 Experience in the public sector00:06:16 How to put people first as a leader00:11:48 Why start PeopleFirst after retirement00:18:37 It's never too late to pursue your WHY00:21:37 Advantage of starting entrepreneurship later in life00:23:54 What is leadership00:28:45 What to look for in employees early on00:31:14 How to build trust in your team00:35:15 What it means to put people first00:37:45 Insights Discover00:51:31 Breaking down Odum's Insights colour personality00:56:09 Understanding how to deal with different personalities01:03:42 Using Insights to increase results01:07:09 How to encourage personal growth in people01:13:05 How will AI disrupt how people lead01:16:48 Biggest fears around AI01:20:10 Leadership as a continual learning process01:22:00 Leadership is a skill that anyone can learn01:23:53 Setting big, scary goals

Will Yang is a gifted storyteller, specializing in short-form video and today he breaks down what you can do to tell better stories today, even with no experience.Will Yang is the CEO and creative director of Differo Marketing where he helps brands and businesses tell authentic stories, driving awareness and connecting audiences around the world.On the podcast today, Will shares his story of turning his creativity into a full-time sustainable business, along with the challenges and rewards found along the way.Today Will will cover:🔹Start before you’re ready🔹Focus beats perfection🔹Do boring things really well🔹Stop obsessing over gear🔹Protecting your creativity🔹Your phone is a powerful storytelling tool Follow Will:🌐 Website 👉 https://www.differo.ca/🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/willyanghfx/🔗 Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/willyanghfx/⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:02:00 Music as a universal language00:02:32 Immigrating to Canada and life in China00:10:26 Lessons learned from early days of business00:12:37 Being a storyteller00:16:06 Challenges faced in business and how to overcome them00:23:39 Avoid busy work00:25:08 How to know when to upgrade your gear00:28:00 Building a sustainable business00:32:38 Do the boring thing so good you have to get noticed00:34:34 What does Differo do now?00:35:08 Will's thoughts on AI in the creative industry00:41:15 The importance of being curious00:45:12 Being a people pleaser00:46:51 Dealing with out-of-scope client requests00:49:02 Advice for creatives going into entrepreneurship00:51:28 How to get clients as a creative00:57:08 How to tell good stories01:05:15 Exploring Will's creative process01:11:49 How to keep the creative passion alive01:14:32 Is there such a think as work life balance?01:18:18 What do people get wrong about content creation?01:24:06 Will's last words

Greg Dobson discusses his journey from working with Red Bull, navigating personal tragedy, and building a career centered around people, purpose, and meaningful connection.Learn how to survive and transform grief into impact, how to build strong professional relationships, and how small businesses can compete for top talent without big budgets.Follow Greg:🌐 Website 👉 https://www.humankind-recruitment.com/🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwdobson/🔗 Email 👉 [email protected] Greg will cover:🔹The value of networking and building long term relationships🔹Coping with grief, loss and going from tragedy to legacy🔹Understanding what a brand is🔹How to hire and keep top talent🔹How to maximize your chances of landing a job⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:14 Working with Red Bull and learning sales00:05:02 Going to school to study marketing00:08:30 Passing of younger brother00:14:28 Turning tragedy into legacy00:18:24 Working with big brands00:22:29 Building people skills00:24:51 How to do marketing without a big budget00:32:29 What do people get wrong about branding?00:40:00 Mission and vision at Humankind00:45:25 Human side of recruiting00:50:05 How to attract top talent to your company00:59:56 The importance of creating a network in your community01:03:05 How to stand out when applying for a job01:10:31 Don’t be afraid to ask – shoot your shot!

Sean Meister is the founder of Global Bluenosers, a grassroots community of Nova Scotians coming together driving economic impact for the province.In this episode Sean shares how his upbringing, travels, and professional experiences have led to the creation of Global Bluenosers. We also dive into entrepreneurship, the power of community, and how identity can help shape purpose-driven careers.Follow Sean:🌐 Website 👉 https://globalbluenosers.ca/🎙️ Podcast (Spotify) 👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/1BPKHrFrw8U5lS81E1C84y🎙️ Podcast (Apple) 👉 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/global-bluenosers/id1682535772🎙️ Podcast YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@globalbluenosers 🔗 Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/globalbluenosers/🔗 LinkedIn (Sean) 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanmeister/🔗 LinkedIn (Global Bluenosers) 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-bluenosers/Today Sean will cover:🔹Differences between community and network🔹Why founders need peers who challenge, not flatter🔹The importance of understanding your market and validating your idea🔹Using community to drive economic growth⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:01:31 Growing up in rural Nova Scotia00:05:12 Power of food to make connections00:09:20 Nova Scotia and its strong pull home00:12:12 Finding “home” abroad00:16:16 Confidence and mental challenges of entrepreneurship00:22:07 Returning to Nova Scotia00:24:59 Finding meaning in work00:26:29 Experience working with entrepreneurs00:29:47 Don’t fall in love with your idea00:37:56 What is Global Bluenosers00:39:49 Entrepreneurial journey of Global Bluenosers00:46:21 Importance of value in the community00:58:09 Global Bluenosers as an engine for economic growth01:02:47 Why a not-for-profit company01:09:31 The Global Bluenosers membership platform01:11:55 The importance of talking to your customers01:16:01 Pitfalls to avoid with a community or membership platform01:22:01 Using LinkedIn to build an authentic brand01:27:53 Building trust and personal connections01:33:16 What’s next for Global Bluenosers

Joshua Counsil a co-founder of Good Robot Brewing and a highly sought after keynote speaker.Joshua studied mechanical engineering with a goal to become a Disney Imagineer, but eventually he channeled that passion into the hospitality industry, creating amazing experiences for his guests within some of the most popular beer gardens in Nova Scotia.Follow Joshua:🌐 Website 👉 https://www.joshuacounsil.com/🌐 Good Robot Brewing 👉 https://goodrobotbrewing.ca/🌐 The Beverage Factory 👉https://www.thebeveragefactory.ca/🔗 YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@UCVrSKOUu9HxPtRubeklq7og🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuacounsil/Today Joshua will cover:🔹The importance of creating experiences🔹How to start with the customer, not the brand🔹How successful brand evolve through iteration and feedback🔹Solve a clear problem🔹What he looks for in his staff⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction00:00:34 Joshua’s upbringing00:05:00 The magic of Disney00:11:01 Founding Good Robot00:24:17 Growth of Good Robot00:32:30 Thoughts on quality00:42:29 “Overnight” success00:44:08 Future of Good Robot manufacturing00:45:56 Future of Good Robot00:49:15 Hospitality00:53:54 What’s next for Joshua01:00:35 How to become successful as an entrepreneur

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers - it’s about knowing yourself, staying consistent, and connecting deeply with your team.Ange MacCabe from Intuity Performance breaks down what it really takes to lead effectively, especially as an entrepreneur navigating growth, uncertainty, and human dynamics.Follow Ange:🌐 Website 👉 https://www.intuityperformance.com🔗 YouTube 👉  @intuityperformance4839 🔗 Facebook 👉 https://www.facebook.com/IntuityPerformance/🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/intuity-performance🔗 Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/intuity.performance/00:00:00 Introduction00:02:20 Intuity Performance00:03:13 Ange’s background00:04:47 Getting into leadership coaching 00:09:03 Misconceptions of leadership00:12:40 How entrepreneurs should approach leadership00:22:52 Where do leaders get stuck 00:26:08 Vulnerability in leadership00:29:26 How Intuity coaches and facilitates leaders00:31:26 The importance of self-awareness00:37:02 Daily habits for leadership00:37:53 Where should you start to become a better leader?00:39:23 Emotional intelligence on a daily basis00:42:17 Odum’s experience00:53:18 Biggest breakthrough for Ange in becoming a leadership coach00:59:20 Final thoughts

Ross Simmonds is a leader in content marketing and today he breaks down what we need to do to be seen after we hit publish.Ross Simmonds is a leading voice in B2B marketing, widely known as the king of distribution. He is the founder of Foundation and Distribution.ai and is a bestselling author of Create Once, Distribute Forever.Today Ross will cover:🔹Putting aside doubt to pursue your dreams🔹How to experiment to move your business forward🔹Putting out value out in the world🔹Good content is the bare minimum🔹How distribution gets your content to the right people🔹Learning from people further along than you🕒 Timestamps00:00:00 Introduction00:02:04 Ross’ background00:04:00 Overcoming doubts00:07:39 Growing Foundation00:10:17 Being aware of trends00:11:29 Marketing advice for new entrepreneurs00:18:20 Content and distribution00:26:45 Balance between creating content and distribution00:28:00 Re-purposing old content00:30:33 Knowing if content is good00:36:40 Analyzing data00:41:06 What is Ross excited about00:47:22 Experimenting as an entrepreneur00:52:03 Lessons learned from building software00:55:24 Striving for excellence01:00:24 Investing in startups01:02:20 What’s next for Ross01:05:01 Advice for new entrepreneurs

Julian is a start-up coach at Propel, an Atlantic Canada business accelerator. He works with companies in tech that are looking to validate, grow and scale their businesses.Julian comes from an entrepreneurial family; his grandfather was a co-founder of Pizza Delight. Julian has always been interested in film making since he was young and has made multiple documentaries.🌐 Propel 👉 https://www.propelict.com/🔗 Instagram 👉 http://instagram.com/propel_ict🔗 X 👉 https://twitter.com/propelict🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/propel-accelerator/🔗 Facebook 👉 https://www.facebook.com/propelict/❤️ Looking for more inspiration? Join the 1% newsletter 👉 https://odum.caCHAPTERS00:00:00 Introduction00:04:52 The process of making his first documentary00:16:15 Using lessons learned to create more films00:23:52 Encouraging young entrepreneurs 00:25:59 Characteristics of successful entrepreneurs00:30:24 A successful mindset00:31:59 Characteristics of unsuccessful businesses00:33:45 The importance of being coachable00:36:52 The Idea vs the person00:39:39 What was it like coaching Odum00:43:41 Losing passion and burn out00:47:43 Creativity vs. Implementation00:50:40 Opportunities entrepreneurs should be looking at00:58:43 Skills to work on as an entrepreneur01:04:50 What does he wish entrepreneurs knew01:07:23 Advice to struggling entrepreneurs

Nick Stana is the founder of Grandway Marketing and he joins us today to share his valuable insights about freelancing, starting and scaling a design agency, and how to leverage sales to grow sustainably.🌐 Grandway Marketing 👉 https://grandwaymarketing.com/🌐 Nic Stana 👉 https://nicstana.com/🔗 YouTube 👉 http://youtube.com/@nicstana🔗 Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/nic.stana/🔗 X 👉 http://x.com/nicstana🔗 LinkedIn 👉 http://linkedin.com/in/nicstana🔗 Facebook 👉 https://www.facebook.com/nicstana/❤️ Looking for more inspiration? Join the 1% newsletter 👉 https://odum.caCHAPTERS00:00:00 Introduction00:00:27 Immigration to Canada00:03:55 Landing on web design as a business00:05:07 Education and learning about yourself00:09:42 Starting out as a freelancer00:11:05 Fixing weakness and personal development00:13:51 Focus on what’s working to grow00:15:33 Importance of leadership skills00:17:04 Finding web design clients00:22:32 Doubt when going out on your own00:24:39 Success and expectations00:27:41 Enjoy the journey, not the destination00:29:29 Building a team and being a boss/owner00:37:28 Going fully remote00:40:59 How to attract clients to a web design business00:48:43 The importance of having a niche industry to serve00:53:44 AI and how it will affect the web design industry00:59:25 Don’t be complacent or you will be replaced01:02:39 Businesses won’t replace web designers with AI01:03:48 Personal lessons from being an entrepreneur01:08:51 Most important skills for a web designer to have01:14:45 If I had to restart my web design company today01:19:18 Using WordPress as the primary website building tool01:22:23 Don’t let fear stop you from trying to reach your goals

The Honourable Kent Smith is the current MLA for Eastern Shore, elected in 2021.Kent joins us today to talk about entrepreneurship, business, politics and how they've all fit together.❤️ Looking for more inspiration? Join the 1% newsletter 👉 https://odum.caCHAPTERS00:00:00 Introduction00:02:30 Common thread through all of Kent's endeavors00:06:03 The role his father’s business played in growing up00:10:15 What it was like working with family00:16:24 Selling the family business00:27:09 Consulting business00:31:08 Real estate00:36:48 Advice for younger self00:40:43 Running for public office00:43:11 Shifting mindset00:46:16 Seeing things from the other side00:53:00 Single valuable skill set00:54:22 Plans after politics00:57:10 Advice for entrepreneurs00:59:56 Get in touch with Kent

Corey Dubé is personal trainer who specializes in helping people achieve their fitness goals.Today we talk about his approach to personal training and the mindset required to stay motivated, break plateaus, and how we can turn fitness into a lifestyle that fuels personal and professional success.🔗 Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/eating_wise_with_corey🔗 Facebook 👉 https://www.facebook.com/share/19EuJE7iBx❤️ Looking for more inspiration? Join the 1% newsletter 👉 https://odum.caCHAPTERS00:00:00 Introduction00:04:20 Community approach to training and helping people00:09:13 What it's like working with a personal trainer00:14:19 The important of motion00:17:07 How to know how hard to push clients00:24:49 Personal accountability with clients00:29:32 Problems with our food and overconsumption00:32:50 Guiding beginners on proper nutrition00:34:59 Business side of personal training00:44:26 Importance of nutrition in a healthy lifestyle00:47:27 Tips on where to start for beginners00:57:11 Mistakes beginners make and how to avoid them01:05:05 How can we avoid our increasingly unhealthy lifestyle01:08:09 We need better food education01:10:32 Analysis of my plan to lose 50 pounds in 100 days 👉 https://youtu.be/Z-rop5wTsJw01:21:55 Fasting and rapid body transformations01:29:43 Training to improve athletic performance

🎁 Use promo code "Odum" and get your first year of membership for free! Offer valid until March 31, 2025 👉 https://itstimeforchange.ca/Walter Deagle is the Founder and Executive Director of It’s Time For Change, a new platform dedicated to driving meaningful Indigenous economic inclusion and engagement to benefit all Canadians.Today we talk about how It’s Time For Change is in position to disrupt the Canadian economy with how we recruit talent, fill positions, do procurement, and source federal and provincial funding.🌐 It's Time for Change 👉 https://itstimeforchange.ca/❤️ Looking to better your life? Join the 1% newsletter 👉 https://www.odum.ca

Charlene Currie was recently nominated for 2025 Halifax Business Awards: New Business of the Year award!Today we talk about the struggles that many businesses face when it comes to their day to day activities and how entrepreneurs can leverage technology to optimize their time and take back control of their business.🌐 Optimize Business Solutions 👉 https://www.optimizeyourbusiness.ca/🔗 Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/optimizebusinesssolutions/🔗 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/optimize-business-solutions-and-services/🔗 Facebook 👉 https://www.facebook.com/OptimizeBusinessSolutions/❤️ Looking to better your life? Join the 1% newsletter 👉 https://odum.ca

Rick Scott joins us today to talk about his purchase of a local company called Driver Dave’s and how he plans on innovating in the transportation field by integrating hydrogen conversion into his fleet.Today we’ll learn about how to think about structure deals to purchase businesses, recognizing our limitations, surrounding ourselves with good people and much, much more.🚐 Diver Dave’s 👉 https://driverdaves.com/❤️ Looking to better your life? Join the 1% newsletter 👉 https://odum.ca

Mike MacDonald joins us today to talk about his invention M.U.L.E, the importance of defining a Minimal Viable Product, how reactive programming is changing the way we build application and more.❤️ Looking to better your life? Join the 1% newsletter 👉 https://odum.ca

Stephanie Folahan is the founder of Premier Accounting & Tax Inc. with a mission to help small businesses succeed.Today you’ll learn why many small businesses fail, how to keep moving forward, how to plan for business success and so much more.🔥 Stephanie Folahan 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mrs.folahan/❤️ Looking to better your life? Join the 1% newsletter 👉 https://odum.ca