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; if you wore a Cotton Ginny or Beaver Canoe t-shirt in the '80s, you were likely wearing a piece of Joan's legacy.

As the current CEO of the United Way, Joan is now focused on strengthening the fabric of our community. I was curious to have this conversation because, like most people I know, I understand what the United Way is and I can recognize its logo, but I didn’t fully understand its unique funding model and the many ways it can help a community.

Joan explains it as this: United Way is a little bit from a lot of people to make a difference for people that you don't even know.

Links and Resources

Joan’s LinkedIn

The United Way



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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, Dare to Lead—flip to page 205 to read Natalie’s words of wisdom.

In our conversation, Natalie shared her wisdom on the keys to great communication, active and present listening, the art of asking better questions, and even why silence can be your most powerful tool. We also explored how to quiet what she calls the “itty bitty shitty committee,” the role of vulnerability in leadership, and the importance of emotional awareness.

Links and Resources

Natalie's Website

Dare to Lead by Brené Brown

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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 cooked calamari and never looked back. What began as a shared love of food and teaching grew into a business built on connection, community, and curiosity.

In this episode, we talk about why food is so much more than fuel. And how it creates memories, brings people together, and even saves marriages. Jody and Kirstie talk about their duelling chicken noodle soup recipes and the three of us share memories we had cooking with our grandmothers.

This conversation was more than a behind-the-scenes look at what happens in their online cooking class. Jody and Kirstie share what it takes to build and grow a business as partners, the lessons they’ve learned through entrepreneurship, and how being lifelong learners has shaped their journey.

This conversation was an inspiring reminder that the kitchen isn’t just a place for cooking. It is also a place of joy, connection, and creativity.

Join us every other week for stories that inspire. Hear leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.

Connect with Jody and Kirstie

Culinary Studio Website

Instagram

Facbook

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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. The book explores how our interactions influence our personal development. Caroline, influenced by figures like Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama, shares her thoughts on the impact of encounters on our lives. The book encourages the reader to recognize their potential to overcome past challenges and succeed in all aspects of their life, armed with new perspectives and a willingness to grow.

Join us every other week for stories that inspire. Hear leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.

Caroline opens up about:

• Her transition from corporate leadership to a life of artistry and authorship
• How art chose her during her Élite course at the École d'Entrepreneurship de Beauce. She never thought she'd experience such a turning point in her life. A revelation that became a revolution.
• What it was like to meet Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama, and the lasting impressions those moments left
• How she uses vision boards as a tool for self-direction and creativity
• The evolving nature of her non-negotiables and the importance of leading with authenticity
• The role of mental health in leadership and the power of embracing our uniqueness to create meaningful impact

In addition to her book, Caroline offers coaching for entrepreneurs, creative team-building experiences, and development workshops; all with the goal of helping individuals transform their lives through inspiration and connection.

Whether you're navigating a career change, seeking greater authenticity in your leadership, or curious about the power of human connection, this episode will leave you reflecting on the encounters that have shaped your own story.

Connect with Caroline (Aro):

Caroline Website

Aro Website

Caroline's Book: The Sum of My Encounters

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LinkedIn

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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 podcast production company that works with everyone from ambitious entrepreneurs to household-name brands. But Ginni doesn’t just produce podcasts—she produces perspective. Her work helps people and companies tune into their frequency and amplify stories that might otherwise go unheard.

She’s also the voice behind The Ginni Show, now in its seventh season. A show that, like its host, keeps evolving. This season, she describes it as her personal masterclass, an exploration of the ideas, questions, and curiosities that have been occupying her mind.

This conversation left me inspired to pay closer attention to those in-between moments and to stay curious about where they might lead.

Join us every other week for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.

Links & resources

Ginni Media Website

Ginni Media Instagram

The Ginni Show Podcast - Apple - Spotify

Metro Podcast Studio

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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 anyone navigating the world of entrepreneurship, ownership transition, and planning an exit strategy.

Join us every other week for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories.

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:

• The Genesis of a Business: Discover how Dana started her catering business with just IKEA bags and the subway, eventually evolving it into a thriving retail store. Learn about the crucial role of mentorship from family and professionals in shaping her path.
• Building a Brand with Purpose: Dana emphasizes the importance of quality food and a clear pricing strategy in attracting and retaining loyal customers. She'll share how she overcame early skepticism about her age and stuck to her convictions to build a business known for excellence.
• The Full-Time Job of Selling a Business: Dana pulls back the curtain on the often-overlooked realities of selling a business. She shares how the business sale process felt like "another full-time job" and the critical need to maintain business operations as if you weren't selling.
• Navigating the Emotional Journey: Selling a business you've poured your heart into – what Dana affectionately calls her "third baby" – is an incredibly emotional experience. Hear how she navigated these feelings and ensured a positive transition for everyone involved, preserving the legacy she built.
• Key Advice for Entrepreneurs: Dana offers invaluable insights for anyone considering their own exit strategy. From understanding your business's true value to the power of "If you don't ask, you don't get," her advice is practical and empowering.

Beyond the Business: Explore Dana's exciting new creative pursuits and future aspirations. She shares how her journey has highlighted the importance of family time and the freedom to explore new passions, reminding us all to "test our passions before committing to them."

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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 and barrooms alike?

Melissa is already a leader and teacher in the drinks space. But like so many entrepreneurs, she saw a gap—between what was on the shelf and what she wanted to drink. Clean, flavourful, high-quality hard seltzers and spritzes without the synthetic aftertaste, the hidden chemicals, or spoonfuls of sugar.

So, she created DAME—a Canadian-born beverage brand that’s as much about taste as it is about purpose. She calls it her baby business. But that baby? It’s growing up fast. Today, you can find DAME in the LCBO, sitting on shelves beside legacy brands, standing tall in its bright, elegant cans.

But this isn’t just a story about what’s in the can.

It’s about leadership, and what it takes to found something from nothing. It’s about setbacks, long nights, and moments of doubt. And it’s about mentorship—because while Melissa is crafting crisp Italian spritz cocktails, she’s also helping to build bursaries and educational programs for women looking to break into the beverage industry.

This is a conversation about grit. About vision. And about why, sometimes, the best way to shake up an industry… is to simply pour something better.

Melissa Pulvermacher is the Portfolio Director at Cru Wine Merchants and the Founder of DAME Beverage.

Links and Resources

DAME Website

DAME Instagram

Melissa’s LinkedIn

Cru Wine

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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 in Tech Global Conference, a mentor at the Founder Institute, and the author of Chief in Tech.

This isn’t just a conversation about getting a seat at the table. It’s about building your own and inviting others in.

Together, we talk about what real leadership looks like, the joy of mentorship, the bias that still hides in plain sight, and why amplifying the voices of women in tech is urgent, vital work. Anna shares why she wrote Chief in Tech, what she’s learned from interviewing over 50 C-level leaders, and how data and lived experience together can drive real change.



If you’ve ever wondered how to move from entry-level to executive, or how to lead with generosity and vision, this one’s for you.

Connect with Anna

LinkedIn

Website

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Anna’s Book: Chief in Tech

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