What happens when grief becomes the teacher and storytelling becomes the way forward?

In this Faces of Atlantic conversation, I sat down with Teri Kingston, speaker coach, storyteller, widow, and guide for leaders learning how to show up more fully as human beings. Teri’s journey through anticipatory grief, loss, and rebuilding life after the death of her husband reshaped not only how she lives, but how she helps others find their voice.

We talked about why grief belongs in the workplace, how leadership begins with self-awareness, and why authenticity on stage and in life is what truly moves people to action.

In this episode:

→ Teri’s journey through anticipatory grief and what it taught her about presence, leadership, and love

→ Why grief is not a personal problem but a human reality that belongs in workplace conversations

→ The cost of ignoring grief at work and how organizations can better support their people

→ What makes a great speaker and why authenticity always lands more powerfully than performance

→ How storytelling becomes a tool for healing, influence, and meaningful change

→ Why not every story belongs on a stage and how to know when one is ready

→ The importance of serving the audience rather than performing for them

→ A life mantra that reframes loss and creates space for hope: being surprised by joy

Links and Resources:

Follow Teri Kingston: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terikingston/

Follow Real Impact Speaking: https://realimpactspeaking.com/

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TerriAnnRichards

Follow Faces of Atlantic on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/faces-of-atlantic

If this episode encouraged you to embrace more of who you are — at work, at home, or in leadership — share it with someone who needs that same reminder.

Subscribe, leave a review, and give yourself a moment today to consider:
What part of you have you been leaving at the door — and what would change if you brought it with you?

Let’s keep showing up with honesty, courage, and humanity, one conversation at a time.

• (00:00:00) - Faces of Atlantic
• (00:00:48) - Faces of Atlantic: The Widows
• (00:03:22) - Your Journey Through Grief
• (00:06:10) - How to Cope with a Caregiver's Alzheimer's
• (00:09:38) - The Need for Grief in the Workplace
• (00:17:16) - Disrupting HR: The Multiplying Human Body
• (00:19:11) - Toastmasters Canada Business Interview
• (00:25:51) - What Makes a Great Speaker?
• (00:29:14) - What Advice Would You Give to Public Speaking?
• (00:33:13) - Widow Moves From St. Andrews To Atlanta
• (00:35:29) - Q&A
• (00:35:43) - What is your happiness ritual?
• (00:36:09) - "Surprised by Joy"
• (00:37:14) - Faces of Atlantic: Terianne Richards

What happens when a leader decides that gratitude is not a soft skill, but a strategy for changing the world?

In this Faces of Atlantic interview, I sat down with Steve Foran, founder of Gratitude at Work, engineer turned global gratitude ambassador, and a leader whose mission is as bold as it is simple: 1 billion happier people.

We talked about the power of small daily practices, why gratitude is more than a feeling, and how choosing awareness over autopilot can reshape your life, your leadership, and the people around you.

In this episode:

→ The family roots, grandkids, and community that keep Steve grounded and remind him what really matters

→ The moment he realized his life was handed to him on a silver platter, and how that flipped his entire worldview

→ Why gratitude is the number one predictor of flourishing, and the surprising reason most people fail to maintain the practice

→ How a simple daily trigger can transform well-being, leadership presence, and the culture inside any organization

→ The unlearning Steve had to do around judgment, self-reliance, and seeing people through a more compassionate lens

→ The biggest opportunity he sees for Atlantic Canadian leaders today

→ His one piece of advice for leaders who want to shift their business in the next 12 months

Links and Resources:

Follow Steve Foran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveforangratefulceo/

Follow Gratitude at Work: https://www.gratitudeatwork.ca/

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TerriAnnRichards

Follow Faces of Atlantic on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/faces-of-atlantic

If this episode encouraged you to embrace more of who you are — at work, at home, or in leadership — share it with someone who needs that same reminder.

Subscribe, leave a review, and give yourself a moment today to consider:
What part of you have you been leaving at the door — and what would change if you brought it with you?

Let’s keep showing up with honesty, courage, and humanity, one conversation at a time.

• (00:00:00) - Faces of Atlantic
• (00:04:15) - What's Your Purpose in Your Work?
• (00:05:28) - Lessons in gratitude for your life
• (00:13:55) - One Simple Practice Can Make You Happier
• (00:16:37) - Steve Jobs on Being Judgmental
• (00:20:27) - MCACIO Atlantic Canada: The Big Picture
• (00:26:56) - Favorite Book of All Time
• (00:27:44) - What is Your Happiness Ritual?
• (00:28:22) - A Day in the Life With Teriann
• (00:28:58) - Faces of Atlantic

What happens when a leader finally gives themselves permission to show up as their whole, honest, human self?

In this Faces of Atlantic episode, Terri-Ann sits down with Colum Connolly, Founder of Bloom Funding, an organization helping companies access funding, measure what matters, and create meaningful social impact across Atlantic Canada.

Together, they unpack identity, leadership, and the emotional weight of building something that truly reflects who you are — not just what you do.

In this episode:

→ How Colum’s path from medical genetics to entrepreneurship reshaped his understanding of leadership, hard work, and purpose

→ Bloom Funding’s journey to returning $26M to clients — and how their work is strengthening communities through nonprofit fundraising, impact measurement, and initiatives like youth housing and urban heat resilience

→ The shift that changed everything: embracing authenticity, queerness, and the courage to show up fully in professional spaces

→ What Colum had to unlearn about leadership — including the instinct to overanalyze and assume negative intent

→ Why he believes Atlantic Canada is uniquely positioned to lead the world in empathetic AI

Links and Resources:

Follow Colum Connolly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colum-connolly-phd-bloom-funding/

Follow Bloom Funding: www.bloomfunding.ca

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TerriAnnRichards

Follow Faces of Atlantic on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/faces-of-atlantic

If this episode encouraged you to embrace more of who you are — at work, at home, or in leadership — share it with someone who needs that same reminder.

Subscribe, leave a review, and give yourself a moment today to consider:
What part of you have you been leaving at the door — and what would change if you brought it with you?

Let’s keep showing up with honesty, courage, and humanity, one conversation at a time.

• (00:00:00) - Faces of Atlantic
• (00:00:44) - The Search for Who Is Your Real Self
• (00:02:24) - What does Bloom Funding do for Canadians?
• (00:04:24) - St. John's First Aid
• (00:04:53) - Ontario Wealth Management's focus on nonprofits
• (00:05:20) - Local Business Leader
• (00:07:57) - The quest for leadership in the world
• (00:12:43) - In the Elevator With Leaders
• (00:13:57) - How to manage stress in the workplace?
• (00:18:21) - Bring Your Whole Self to Work
• (00:22:03) - Atlantic Canada's growth potential
• (00:24:38) - A Legacy of One Person