Mike Kessel - Living Long and Well
Chatter that Matters
Recorded in front of a sold out crowd at the Toronto Hunt, this episode captures the energy of a live audience and a message every Canadian needs to hear. We are living longer, and more of us will reach 100, yet our healthcare system is under strain and our daily choices matter more than ever. My guest, Mike Kessel, CEO of Cleveland Clinic Canada, brings a clear and practical view of what it means to live long and live well. He explains why lifestyle drives most of our health outcomes and how simple habits like movement, sleep, and lowering stress can add years to our lives. He takes us inside...
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David Chilton - Back to the Wealthy Barber's Chair
Chatter that Matters
A special edition of Chatter that Matters. Thirty-five years ago, David Chilton and his record-shattering best-seller, The Wealthy Barber, revolutionized Canadians' approach to money. Its profound impact was not just on the nation, but also on me. I cleared my credit card debts, paid myself first, and found peace of mind. I had the chance to sit with David to talk about the complete remake of his classic. We delve into why David returned to the barbershop, how he rewrote every lesson for a generation facing heavier financial pressures, and why the simplest habits still create the...
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Barry Avrich - Renaissance Man
Chatter that Matters
Barry Avrich is a Renaissance man, and his creativity knows no boundaries. From crafting brilliant advertising campaigns for Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, and Frank Sinatra’s final concerts to directing over fifty documentaries that expose the power, ego, and humanity behind fame, he’s lived by one lesson from his father—don’t blend in. In this conversation, Barry opens up about his unlikely path from Montreal to the Silver Screen, the thin line between ambition and addiction to power, and why storytelling is his calling. We explore the making of The Last Mogul,...
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Natasha Soregaroli - Becoming Me Again
Chatter that Matters
Many people are experiencing a growing sense of insecurity in an uncertain world. Every generation feels it, but for many young people, it’s hitting harder. They’ve endured a pandemic and now face a world that’s changing rapidly, along with high unemployment and a mental health crisis that’s even harder to confront. That’s why I wanted to share this story about a 16-year-old girl who was lost and then found her way back. At sixteen, Natasha Soregaroli was caught in a storm of self-doubt and comparison, her mind constantly echoing what she believed she wasn’t. At...
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Stewart Thompson - Man Enough to Heal
Chatter that Matters
I am breaking format and putting this show up on Monday, as Stewart has an event called Man Enough to Heal this Wednesday, that I want to support. Details and links below. This week on Chatter That Matters, meet Stewart Thompson, a man who turned unimaginable trauma into a mission to help others heal. For decades, Stewart carried the silence of childhood sexual abuse, numbing the pain through addiction and isolation. At fifty, he faced an unthinkable choice: end his life or ask for help one last time. Walking through the doors of The Gatehouse changed everything. Today, Stewart is a...
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Calissa Ngozi -Write Your Own Story
Chatter that Matters
“Everybody’s journey is unique, and we have the power to write our own story. We need to stop giving other people the pen.” Calissa Ngozi Calissa Ngozi’s life is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the choice to rise above. Born into hardship, labelled by a doctor as a child who would “never amount to anything,” and adopted into a world that didn’t mirror her reflection, Calissa faced sexual abuse, family mental illness, and later in life, the unimaginable loss of her twin sons. Yet at every turn, she refused to surrender her story. Now a mental health educator,...
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Perry Miele - Grit and Grace
Chatter that Matters
Perry Miele is someone I have admired since the first day we met many decades ago. Perry shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Thunder Bay as the son of Italian immigrants to becoming a serial entrepreneur, investor, and mentor to many. Perry's story is about resilience, optimism, and the enduring lessons that come with having both grit and grace. In this episode, Perry reflects on politics, entrepreneurship, and pursuing the Canadian Dream as individuals and as a country. Alan Depencier from RBC joins to share how small business owners are the engine of our economy and...
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Judy Lewis - What If?
Chatter that Matters
Many people dream of owning their own business and being their own boss, especially today when careers can be suddenly disrupted by tariffs or technology. I would encourage those who dream to also do. Judy Lewis is my guest this week, and she doesn’t follow paths; she creates them. An inductee into the Marketing Hall of Legends and co-founder of Strategic Objectives alongside her sister Deborah Weinstein, they have redefined what it means to build with purpose. Their campaigns have received every PR honour, as well as recognition from the United Nations for promoting social change. Judy...
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Scott Stirrett - The Uncertainty Advantage
Chatter that Matters
Scott Stirrett grew up in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, a hockey town where he never fit in. Bullied, struggling in school, and privately wrestling with his sexuality, he felt like a misfit destined to sit on the sidelines. Instead, those early struggles became the foundation for his life’s work. Scott left a prestigious role at Goldman Sachs to start Venture for Canada, raising more than $80 million and helping over 10,000 young Canadians embrace entrepreneurship. Now, with his book, The Uncertainty Advantage, he shows how to go beyond resilience to antifragility—how actually to thrive...
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Michele Romanow - All In
Chatter that Matters
This episode was taped in front of a live audience at Canavision, which is a fantastic conference made possible through the vision and creativity of Randy Rowe. My guest is Michele Romanow, one of Canada’s most fearless entrepreneurs, a Dragon, a disruptor, and a mentor who built seven businesses before the age of 35 and changes the way founders access capital. From launching a sustainable coffee shop at Queen’s University, to cold-calling chefs and starting a caviar company, to co-founding Clearco and providing over $5 billion in funding to 10,000 companies, her story is proof that...
info_outlineI encourage you to listen to this week's Chatter That Matters, featuring my guest, Dan Monaghan. Dan is a trailblazer, and his energy is infectious; his storytelling is excellent, and his approach to life, as well as his zest for it, is something we can all learn from.
Dan shares his journey from humble beginnings in Canada to building international ventures, including the innovative digital agency network WSI World. We discuss Dan’s creative approach to franchising, the transformative impact of AI, and the importance of curiosity and lifelong learning in managing rapid change.He is also a popular speaker around the world.
Dan offers many words of wisdom for individuals, businesses, and Canada, drawing on his own experiences as someone who radiates positivity and optimism.
I give you my personal guarantee that you will not be disappointed. Please share this with anyone who could use a boost of positivity and practical advice in their life.
And my special thanks to RBC for supporting small business owners and Chatter That Matters. https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/business/index.html