Chatter that Matters
Chatter That Matters is a weekly show about human possibility, the kind you can feel in your chest while you’re listening. Each episode, I sit down with someone who has faced real obstacles, kept moving anyway, and built a life, a mission, or a moment that changed their world, and sometimes ours too. Some guests are names you already know: Olympians, bestselling authors, Emmy, Grammy, and Oscar winners, Nobel Peace Prize Laureates and world-renowned thinkers. Others will be brand new to you, and they will move you in the same manner. These are not interviews built to impress. They are conversations built to connect. My hope is that you leave each episode with a little more perspective, a few practical lessons, and a stronger belief that your next chapter is still yours to write. Because the world can always use more positivity and more possibilities.
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Rock to Recovery - Wes Geer
03/19/2026
Rock to Recovery - Wes Geer
Wes Geer chased rock and roll the way some people chase salvation, all in, full volume, no brakes. Wes Geer went from a kid with a guitar and a dream to co-founding Head P.E., tearing through the chaos of the '90s rock scene, then playing with Korn, and living the kind of life that looks electrifying from the outside and destructive from within. Fame, excess, addiction, collapse, Wes lived every mile of that road. But this episode is not just about the rise and the wreckage. It is about what happens when someone survives the fire and comes back carrying a torch, or in this case, a guitar. Today, Wes is the founder of Rock to Recovery, using music not to fuel self-destruction, but to help others heal, reconnect, and find their way back. This is a wild, hard-living, soul-searching adventure through music, darkness, redemption, and the power of turning your greatest pain into a path for others. To learn more about Rock To Recovery: To purchase Wes Book:
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Follow Your Passion - Elysia Racanelli and Jonathan Roy
03/12/2026
Follow Your Passion - Elysia Racanelli and Jonathan Roy
My advice to anyone is this. If you can, follow your passion. Follow it to where it brings you intellectual and emotional rewards, a sense of purpose and place, and in this volatile world, always have a Plan B. This is why I am so excited to introduce my two guests this week. Elysia Racanelli is a family doctor by day and avant-garde singer by night, whose haunting voice and commanding stage presence will stop you in your tracks. Jonathan Roy is the son of Patrick Roy, one of the greatest goaltenders of all time. Jonathan worked hard to follow in his father's 'skates', but when the NHL was beyond his skill set, he chose to pursue music. I am glad he did, as I have fallen in love with his music. In these live interviews, both share the deeper reasons behind their pivots and the lessons they are learning along the way. Their stories offer a powerful reminder that finding your path in life is rarely linear and often requires the courage to step away from expectation to follow your heart. These conversations took place during the staging of Odience 360 by Montreal-based Summit Tech. This is the most immersive stage and retail technology I have ever witnessed. I have provided a link below: Check our Odience 360: Check out FirstUp by RBC X Music: Jonathan Roy: Elysia Racanelli:
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Is Sports Fixed? Declan Hill
03/05/2026
Is Sports Fixed? Declan Hill
Have you ever considered that the sports you are watching are fixed? This episode ois appointment listening for Sports fans, sports gamblers and concerned parents, and an eye-opening story for anyone interested in how pervasive organized crime has woven into our society. My guest this week is Declan Hill, Oxford-educated and author of The Fix. Declan is world-renowned as an investigative journalist who has infiltrated organized crime fixing rings to understand how the world of sports fixing actually works and why the extensive marketing efforts to encourage more people to gamble on sports have added more fuel to the fire. Sports thrive on uncertainty. The drama, the underdog, the last-second miracle, the feeling that nobody knows what comes next. But what happens when that uncertainty gets hijacked — when outcomes are fixed not just in final scores, but in moments you barely notice? In this interview, we dig into match-fixing and spot-fixing, prop bets and micro-bets, and why Declan believes a major American sports league is heading toward an existential crisis within five years. We also talk about how that 'casino in your pocket' is affecting athletes, fans, and young people's psychology. What happens when you move from playing with fun money to your house money, or worse, when gambling becomes an addiction equal to tobacco, alcohol or heroin? Sports fans, sports gamblers, concerned parents and friends and true crime followers, Declan Hill will not disappoint. Declan Hill is an investigative academic and journalist. He specializes in the study of organized crime and international issues. He was the first journalist to break the story of Asian match-fixing gangs linked to the multi-billion dollar gambling markets destroying international football in his book ‘The Fix: Soccer & Organized Crime’. It has now become a best-seller in 21 languages. In 2013, he published the academic version ‘The Insider’s Guide to Match-Fixing’ which is now available in English and Japanese.: If you are concerned about sports gambling, Declan encourages you to visit: https://www.gamblingwithlives.org
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Mansions to the left of Me, Tents to My Right.
02/27/2026
Mansions to the left of Me, Tents to My Right.
On occasion, I break format, step out of interview mode, and speak directly to you about what I believe matters to you, to me, and to our country. In this episode, I talk about Canada’s K economy and the growing, dangerous divide between those who have and those who have very little. I look at the human cost, the impact on our psychology and our society, and five things we can do to rebuild our economy. To grow our way forward, versus borrowing on the backs of future generations just to cover today's bills. I hope you can find ten minutes over the next few days to listen, and to share your thoughts. Thanks for listening to Chatter That Matters. Let's chat soon.
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Do it Yourself, But Do It. The k3 Sisters Band
02/26/2026
Do it Yourself, But Do It. The k3 Sisters Band
This week's podcast is for all who are dealing with the reality that their future will not look like the past. There will be no neatly paved road. No ladder with perfectly placed rungs. Instead, there will be relentless headwinds, industries reshaped by technology and marketplaces rendered by global forces. Jobs will collapse, and new ones will emerge. Which is why I invited The k3 Sisters Band to join me this week. Three sisters who chose to make their destiny a matter of choice, rather than leave it to chance. Homeschooled. Fourth-generation musicians. As children, on a flight home from Disney, they sketched the name of a band that did not yet exist. They kept the drawing, they kept dreaming, and they kept doing. They played in churches, fairs, school cafeterias, and nursing homes across Texas while other kids lined up at lockers. They did not wait for a record label to find an audience. They mastered streaming and social platforms like TikTok. Their songs have been played millions of times, and they have fans in 70 countries. They created a community built on positivity, anti-bullying messages, and songs written in their fans' languages. Fifteen years later, The k3 Sisters Band have released 15 albums, written over 170 songs, and just recorded 24K Gold live with no digital or AI modification. Their philosophy is simple. Do it yourself. But do it. In a culture that often feels dystopian, they chose a utopian view. In an industry obsessed with shortcuts, they chose craft. In a digital world addicted to filters and AI, they chose authenticity. This episode is not just for young people or music fans. It is for parents wondering how to prepare their kids for an uncertain future. And for anyone who feels the ground shifting beneath their feet. I have included some of their fantastic music. To learn more about The K3 Sisters Band: To find out more about RBC Future Launch to support Canadian Youth: To find out more about FirstUp by RBCX music, a program dedicated to providing emerging Canadian artists with a platform for exposure, funding, education and mentorship opportunities. https://www.rbc.com/dms/enterprise/music/first-up.html
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From Darkness Came Light - Carol Lee
02/19/2026
From Darkness Came Light - Carol Lee
Vancouver’s Chinatown was never built to be trendy. It was built because people had nowhere else to belong. Shut out of opportunity. Pushed to the margins. Told where they could and could not live. So they built anyway. Store by store. Family by family. A place that began to pulse and then became magnetic to all who lived in and visited Vancouver. And then slowly, the pulse weakened. Rising costs. Aging buildings. Poverty. Then the pandemic. The streets emptied. Businesses struggled to survive. Anti-Asian racism surged. Fear replaced foot traffic. Absence replaced community. This week on Chatter That Matters, you will hear the story of how one woman turned darkness into light. Carol Lee looked at decay and did not see failure. She saw a break in belonging. Carol's approach can be replicated by any struggling community. Joining the conversation are Martin Thibodeau, Regional President of RBC in British Columbia, and Carmen Stossel, Regional Director of Community Marketing and Social Impact at RBC. They share what makes Carol Lee special and why they got involved. If you care about your community and humanity. You will want to hear this conversation. Because sometimes lighting up a neighbourhood is really about lighting up belief. Hit play to Light Up Chinatown.
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Save the Rage for the Stage - Bif Naked
02/12/2026
Save the Rage for the Stage - Bif Naked
Some artists find a sound or a look. Others find the truth. Bif Naked found both. In this moving episode of Chatter that Matters, I sit down with the iconic Juno Award-winning artist and activist Bif Naked to unpack “I am who I am.” Born in New Delhi. Adopted. Raised across oceans, finding love in words and music. At 21, Bif met her birth mother, a moment that brought her story full circle. But identity is not formed only in comfort. At 36, Bif was diagnosed with breast cancer. Two years later, she suffered a stroke. Those chapters did not silence her. They fed her poetry and clarified what mattered. I loved every second of my time with Bif Naked. We discuss punk, poetry, feminism, and the discipline behind her philosophy: “save the rage for the stage.” There is wisdom in that line. Choose where your energy goes. Do not let the noise of the world steal your voice. Channel it. Own it. If you have ever felt different, silenced or enraged. If you have ever had to rebuild or renew. If you believe identity is something you own, not something assigned. This conversation is for you. (And her music and passion roars throughout)
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What happened to the Truth? - Gordon Pennycook
02/05/2026
What happened to the Truth? - Gordon Pennycook
What happened to the truth? I find myself fixated on a troubling realization. It feels remarkably easy to win over an audience with a slogan, a promise without substance, or blatant mistruths, even when those are wildly disconnected from the audience's reality. And even more surprisingly, they are not only readily accepted but also often repeated and shared. I wanted to understand why. Not from a political or media lens, but from a human one. What is it about human nature that makes us so vulnerable? That question led me to two conversations on Chatter That Matters. What ties them together is a sobering conclusion. Our minds have not fundamentally changed, but the tools used to target them have. Unless we become more intentional about how we think as parents, citizens and individuals navigating the uncertainties and complexities of life, it will remain dangerously easy to sell comforting narratives that drift far from reality. Gordon Pennycook, a highly regarded cognitive scientist whose journey from small-town Saskatchewan to a renowned thought leader at Cornell University gives him a rare lens on how ordinary people reason in extraordinary information environments. Gordon studies why we are so trusting, why misinformation spreads faster than truth, and why most of us are not irrational or malicious, just distracted. His research shows that people do not fail because they cannot think, but because the systems around them reward speed, emotion, and certainty over reflection and accuracy. We discuss why falsehood often outperforms truth online, how social platforms exploit attention rather than intention, why news has become opinionated, and why there is still hope. I then bring in Milos Stojadinovic, a cybersecurity and threat expert at RBC, who thinks like attackers, so the rest of us do not have to. Milos explains how cybercrime has become organized, global, and industrialized, from ransomware-as-a-service to AI-powered scams and nation-state involvement. His insight makes one thing clear. Trust is still our greatest human strength, but it has also become the easiest point of entry for those who want to exploit it.
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Robyne Hanley-Dafoe - From Broken to Becoming
01/29/2026
Robyne Hanley-Dafoe - From Broken to Becoming
Robyne was a high school dropout who believed she wasn’t worth saving. Then her car plunged through the ice, trapping her 20 feet underwater and changing everything. This is the story of how choosing hope became a strategy for survival and healing. I sit down with Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe, bestselling author and one of the most trusted voices on resilience. As a teenager, Robyne battled addiction, dropped out of school, and was hospitalized in an adult psychiatric ward. At 16, a near-fatal accident gave her a second chance she refused to waste. This is not a glossy comeback story. It is an honest conversation about becoming. Robyn shares why pain does not have to make sense to be real, why recovery is never linear, how stress can be worked with rather than feared, and what everyday resilience actually looks like. This episode is about hope, not as a feeling, but as a practice, and choosing to show up again when life feels overwhelming. To find out more: Hope isn’t just a feeling – it’s the key to rewiring your brain for resiliency and well-being, even in the toughest times. Get exclusive tools, strategies, and Everyday Resiliency—straight to your inbox.
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Jane Roos - Why am I still here?
01/22/2026
Jane Roos - Why am I still here?
What happens when the dream you are chasing, ends in a split second? Only to find a new one awaits. At 19, Jane Roos was chasing Olympic dreams, fast, fearless, and focused. Then, in a single moment, everything changed. A devastating car accident took her best friend’s life and ended the future she had trained for. What followed was pain, survivor’s guilt, and a question that quietly redefined her life: Why am I still here? From a hospital bed, with no roadmap and no safety net, Jane founded the Canadian Athletes Now Fund, an idea that would grow into one of the most important sources of support for Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Today, CAN Fund has helped fund thousands of athletes seek their podium dreams, not by chance but by belief. Jane also shares the quieter, equally powerful parts of her journey, including overcoming survivor’s guilt, choosing service over fear, and creating community through initiatives like Random Acts of Magic. Her perspective on gratitude, courage, and living fully feels both hard-earned and deeply generous. I then welcome Jacquie Ryan, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Foundation. We explore what it truly takes to get athletes to the starting line and beyond, and why long-term commitment matters. Jacquie reflects on the enduring role of partners like RBC and how investing in athletes is about more than medals; it is about identity, pride, and belief in what Canada can be. If you have ever questioned your path, your purpose, or what is possible after life takes an unexpected turn, Jane's story is a powerful reminder that the worst day can become the greatest gift, and that sometimes the most meaningful victories happen far from the podium. To learn more about the CAN Fund: https://canadianathletesnow.ca
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Ben Mulroney - Not in my Father's Footsteps
01/15/2026
Ben Mulroney - Not in my Father's Footsteps
Ben Mulroney has spent his life carrying a famous last name while choosing a different path on his own terms. That is why I wanted to share his story. We recorded the show in front of a sold-out room at The Toronto Hunt. Ben takes you behind his public persona and into the moments that shaped him, tested him, and surprised him. He shares wonderful stories that are funny, candid, and genuinely human, including what it really feels like to work on a red carpet and suddenly find yourself face-to-face with someone like George Clooney. Over the past year, I had the chance to join Ben on his national radio show, on Corus, and I have watched his rare ability to take complex, sometimes controversial issues, synthesize competing viewpoints, then land on a perspective with clarity, confidence, and courage. In this conversation, that same clarity turns inward, toward family, fatherhood, identity, reinvention, and what it takes to build a life in your own voice. If you like interviews that move fast, go deep, and leave you thinking, press play. And as always a big thank you to RBC and RBC Wealth for all you do to allow me to share weekly stories of people who overcome circumstances to chase dreams and change their world and ours for the better.
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Tim Cormode - The Power to Give
01/08/2026
Tim Cormode - The Power to Give
One of the greatest lessons I’ve been gifted as host of Chatter That Matters is seeing how much impact one individual can have when they choose purpose over comfort. This episode is a powerful reminder of that truth. At the centre is Tim Cormode, whose life changed during a moment of stillness alone on a glacier. That clarity led him to build Power to Be, using nature as a pathway to dignity, confidence, and possibility for people told their limits were fixed. Tim shares what two decades in the charitable sector taught him, not just about impact but about what is broken in how we give, from fear of risk to a scarcity mindset that holds good organizations back. That experience sparked his next chapter, Power to Give, a bold rethinking of philanthropy rooted in trust, shared resources, and treating generosity as the investment it truly is. From a kayak on the water to a small-town skate park that drew an unexpected visit from Tony Hawk, Tim’s story shows what becomes possible when imagination meets action. The conversation then widens with Andrea Barrack, Senior Vice President of Corporate Citizenship and ESG at RBC. Andrea shares how RBC’s new Purpose Framework is turning values into action. With a $2 billion commitment by 2035, RBC is focused on skills for a changing world and more equitable prosperity. If you believe impact is built by people, not slogans, and that purpose is found by doing, not saying, you will love this episode as much as I did making it.
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Brian Scudamore - Willing to Fail
01/01/2026
Brian Scudamore - Willing to Fail
I open my 2026 season with fireworks of positivity. One of the best Chatter that Matters yet. A human journey marked with humility, humour and extraordinary. Someone knuckles decided to knock on the door of opportunity. What does a Dragon, Best Selling Author, a McDonald’s drive-through, a beat-up pickup truck, and a simple multi-million-dollar question have in common? 1-800-GOT-JUNK? The one and only Brian Scudamore. Brian turned hauling junk into a $700 million empire by embracing a mindset he calls “WTF, willing to fail”. His story is more than a business case study; it is a profoundly human one, marked by courage, doubt, family pressure, leadership missteps, and the power of seeing possibility where others see nothing. Brian shares how firing his entire team saved his company, why culture is the ultimate competitive moat, and how systems, not people, fail. He opens about the moment his accomplished father said, “I’m proud of you,”. If you are an entrepreneur, a leader, a parent, someone young searching for their ladder to climb, or quietly wondering whether there is another path to follow, this conversation will stay with you long after it ends. A special thanks and love to RBC for continuing to support the sharing of human stories that matter. Stories of ordinary becoming extraordinary. As you listen, and if you have young adults around, listen together and then ask yourself two questions that changed everything for Brian Scudamore. What if? and Are you Willing to Fail? Happy New Year's, Everyone. Thanks for listening, and here's to a fabulous 2026.
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Canada - It's Now or Never
12/30/2025
Canada - It's Now or Never
Dear Canada. It is now or never. In this fifteen-minute podcast, I state that we stand at a crossroads. A century ago, the world emerged from the trenches of war and the shadow of a brutal pandemic. The optimism of the Roaring Twenties gave way to recklessness. We gambled our destiny, left it to chance, and crashed in 1929. Prosperity built on illusion never lasts. Today, we face another critical time. The first quarter-century of this millennium has not been gentle, from the shock of 9/11, to the 2008 financial collapse, to pandemics, October 7, Ukraine, and a steady erosion of our freedoms. While other nations seized their decade, Canada lost theirs. This is not partisan politics. It is our lived reality. Look around at food insecurity, job uncertainty, unaffordability, unchecked crime, and antisemitism spilling into schools, malls, streets, and places of worship, often met with a shrug by those in power. A feeling of impossibility, massive cracks in our confederation, and the Western Provinces squeezed, yet abandoned. A decade of scathing Auditor General reports, with most buried in the shadows, without a flashlight in sight. I end my podcast by saying our story is not over. I read a letter to Mark Carney. Why? There is no doubt in my mind that our footloose and party-free style of democracy will give the Liberals a majority. The pen remains in his and our hands. Canadians can still choose destiny over chance, but only with courage, unity, and conviction. Mark Carney has to make a choice. Continue more of the same and risk the fracture of this country, or earn his place among our greatest Prime Ministers by changing our course. In my letter, I offer my thoughts on how. Champion ideas over ideology. Restore critical thinking, law and order, and stand firmly against antisemitism and all forms of hate. Pursue smart immigration that welcomes those who will enrich our nation while sharing our values and respect for one another. Recommit to true reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and rebuild bridges with the West so all feel part of a united Canada. And practice fiscal stewardship, because we cannot borrow our way to greatness. I even derail a $100 billion plan to connect Montreal and Ottawa with high-speed rail in favour of connecting Canadian IP and our resources to the world. R&D, Patents, Refurbished ports, Pipelines and more. Mark Carney, don’t chase the comfort of ideology or the safety of a base. Choose Canada, all of Canada. If you do, history will remember your name. Canada, it’s now or never. Tony Chapman
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Dr. Stuart Gillespie - Food Fight
12/25/2025
Dr. Stuart Gillespie - Food Fight
Our global food system is feeding more people than ever, yet some argue it is also making more people sick, more unequal, and more vulnerable. How did we get here, and more importantly, how do we change course? In this timely and deeply human conversation, global nutrition expert Dr. Stuart Gillespie joins Chatter that Matters to unpack the forces shaping what we eat, who profits, and who pays the price. Drawing on decades of frontline experience across India, Africa, and within the United Nations, Gillespie blends memoir and manifesto to expose the structural realities behind ultra-processed foods, corporate power, broken policy, and the growing tension between undernutrition and obesity worldwide. This is not a theoretical discussion. It is a grounded exploration of food justice, political will, activism, and the difficult trade-offs facing governments, industry, and consumers alike. Gillespie challenges the idea that individual choice alone can fix systemic problems, and makes a compelling case for coordinated, courageous action. The conversation expands to Canada’s role in shaping the future of food, with insights from Lisa Ashton, Agricultural Policy Lead at RBC. She shares how Canada’s agricultural strength, innovation capacity, and collaborative ecosystems can help drive healthier, more equitable food systems at home and globally. If you care about health, sustainability, equity, or the future we are building through the food we produce and consume, this episode will change how you see your plate. Listen now, and join the conversation about what comes next. To purchase Dr. Gillespie's Book Food Fight:
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Pierre Mousseau - From the Ashes
12/18/2025
Pierre Mousseau - From the Ashes
In this profoundly moving episode of Chatter That Matters, I sit down with Pierre Mousseau to talk about loss, grief, faith, and the long road back to meaning after tragedy. During the height of the pandemic, Pierre lost his 20-year-old son, Parker, after weeks of surgeries, setbacks, and moments that felt like miracles, followed by an impossible decision no parent should ever have to make. To say there is no more, to say goodbye to their child. Pierre speaks openly about watching his son fight, signing the papers to let him go, the guilt that followed, and the silence that filled every corner of his life afterward. He shares how grief became both his armour and his prison, how depression nearly claimed him too, and how a moment on a dark country road forced him to choose between ending his life and continuing it for those who still needed him. From the Ashes is not just a story of loss. It is a story of what can rise from it. Pierre reflects on rebuilding faith after anger and doubt, on unexpected moments of spiritual connection, and on how love, purpose, and responsibility reshaped his marriage, his leadership, and his view of what truly matters. He also speaks candidly about masculinity, vulnerability, and why men, especially, need permission to talk about grief instead of carrying it alone. This episode is for anyone searching for light after darkness. It is a reminder that while grief may never leave us, it need not define the end of our story. Sometimes, from the ashes, something meaningful can still grow. To purchase the book: From the Ashes: A Father's Journey Through Grief, Grace and Faith
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Karla Briones - Dream Weaver
12/11/2025
Karla Briones - Dream Weaver
Some people dream. Others help weave those dreams. This episode is about two women who refuse to separate the two. It begins with Karla Briones. Raised in an entrepreneurial family in Chihuahua, Mexico, her first business was a schoolyard candy empire at six years old. Then the drug cartels arrived. Threats followed. Friends disappeared. At eighteen, her family dismantled their entire life and drove nearly four thousand kilometres to Canada with no safety net, no jobs, no guarantees. What followed was survival. Credentials did not transfer. Her parents fell into depression. Karla became a provider before she had finished becoming a student. Three jobs. A new language. University. Failure. Grit. Then entrepreneurship again. Pet stores. Restaurants. Retail. Some worked. Some collapsed. All of them taught her the same lesson: everyone can use and benefit from a helping hand. That lesson eventually became Immigrant Entrepreneur Canada to help weave the dreams of others. One of the many who benefited is Lina Asmah, the Hot Pepper Lady. From Ghana to Canada, Lina carried fire in both food and spirit. She works full-time. She farms. She grows over 160 varieties of peppers. Her turning point came at a last-minute event she almost skipped. Karla spoke. Lina applied. She entered Immigrant Entrepreneur Canada and found something rare, a system that did not talk about immigrants as numbers, but as builders. She found mentors. She found clarity. She found momentum. She found her dream. Lina also named something most people feel but rarely say out loud: we listen to accents before we listen to ideas. Inside that community, she found her voice again. Immigration Entrepreneur Canada and Karla Briones are helping newcomers weave their dreams. To find out more about Immigration Entrepreneur Canada: https://www.immigrantentrepreneurcanada.ca
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Gordon Lownds - Cracking Up
12/04/2025
Gordon Lownds - Cracking Up
I went in, and she was sitting there in a motel room with a kilo of cocaine on the bed and two bikers helping her break it down into smaller bags. That was the insanity I was living in. Gordon Lownds has lived multiple lives. He grew up in Toronto and clashed with his father and an older brother who bullied him until he finally fought back at sixteen. That was the moment he said, enough. He left home, hustled at carnivals, and learned some of the sharpest business lessons you will ever hear. He packed in a philosophy degree, then an MBA, and turned out to be a brilliant business mind. By his forties, he had co-founded Sleep Country Canada with Stephen Gunn and Christine Magee, and later Listen Up Canada. These companies reshaped how Canadians sleep and how they hear. At the height of his success, on his forty-eighth birthday in 1998, Gordon tried crack cocaine for the first time. It was day one of a thousand-day descent into hell that nearly destroyed everything he loved and all he had built and cost him over a million dollars in drugs. What happened after is a rare and remarkable story of recovery, resilience, reinvention and redemption. To buy Gordon Lownds' Book: Cracking Up: From Rising Star to Junkie Despair in 1,000 Days-An Unlikely Addict's Memoir - https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/cracking-up-from-rising-star-to-junkie-despair-in-1000-days-an-unlikely-addicts-memoir/9781990700798.html
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Debra Meyerson and Steve Zuckerman: Identity Theft
11/27/2025
Debra Meyerson and Steve Zuckerman: Identity Theft
As you listen to the show, I encourage you to step into Debra E. Meyerson's shoes. Debra had a dream life: a tenured professorship at Stanford, a reputation as a groundbreaking scholar on organizational change and identity, and big adventures with her husband, social finance leader Steve Zuckerman, including sailing across Europe with their three kids. Then, at 53, a stroke changed everything. In the first 48 hours, Steve watched the Debra he knew slip away. Her speech, her mobility, and everything she took for granted. After her medical leave expired, her academic career, one she had spent a lifetime building, was taken away. Debra and Steve sit down and share what happens when life happens in an unexpected manner. You will hear Debra struggle to form the sentences she wants to communicate, and Steve talk about what it means to rebuild lives that will never be the same. You will celebrate how they moved from crisis and almost depression to purpose as they create Stroke Onward to support the emotional side of recovery - how Debra found the strength to write her book Identity Theft, and why they took on a 4.500 mile tandem bike ride across America to raise awareness and funds. If you have ever faced a before-and-after moment or loved someone whose life changed in a split second, or you want to feel the power of human positivity, Debra and Steve’s story will stay with you long after the episode ends.
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Mike Kessel - Living Long and Well
11/20/2025
Mike Kessel - Living Long and Well
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 the future of virtual care and remote diagnostics and shows how rapidly medical knowledge is accelerating. His message is simple. We are each the CEO of our own wellbeing, and the small decisions we make today shape the life we get to enjoy tomorrow. Mike frames healthcare in the most human way possible, as the business of creating more meaningful moments with the people we love. After Mike, Leanne Kaufman, President and CEO of RBC Royal Trust, joins me to share why planning for the later chapters of life matters just as much as planning for your health. Because living longer only works when we prepare for it. A powerful and timely episode for anyone who wants to understand how to live not just longer, but better.
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David Chilton - Back to the Wealthy Barber's Chair
11/17/2025
David Chilton - Back to the Wealthy Barber's Chair
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 strongest foundations. We also discuss spending in the age of social media and tap-to-get, the affordability crisis surrounding home ownership, and why Wills and Estate Planning matter. David Chilton, with his humility, honesty, and unwavering commitment, remains a beacon of support for Canadians. Encountering someone who has reshaped a nation’s financial mindset is rare, but witnessing them do it twice is even rarer. So grab a seat on the Barber's Chair, and listen to my interview with David Chilton. To buy David’s book: To learn more about Wills and Estate Planning:
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Barry Avrich - Renaissance Man
11/13/2025
Barry Avrich - Renaissance Man
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, Prosecuting Evil, and The Road Between Us, and his belief that movies can still change hearts, minds, and even history. This year, Barry is being honoured with the 2025 Horatio Alger Award, one of Canada’s most distinguished recognitions. The award celebrates Canadians who have triumphed over adversity to achieve extraordinary success while giving back to others. For Barry, whose films often illuminate resilience and moral courage, the award feels like the story coming full circle.
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Natasha Soregaroli - Becoming Me Again
11/06/2025
Natasha Soregaroli - Becoming Me Again
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 eighteen, during the pandemic, she turned her journal of thoughts into a book titled Becoming Me Again, a raw and heartfelt memoir about learning to love yourself in a world that often profits from your insecurity. Now twenty-three, Natasha has transformed her private struggle into a message of hope for anyone feeling alone with their thoughts. She openly discusses journaling as healing, the trap of perfection, and the effort needed to make your inner voice your ally rather than your critic. This isn’t a story about fame or wealth. It’s about resilience, self-discovery, and the bravery required to come home to yourself. It might change how you speak to yourself or someone you love. To purchase Natalie's book: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/becoming-me-again/d883d2f3-3c47-3108-94c0-f00ae4da68f6.html
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Stewart Thompson - Man Enough to Heal
11/03/2025
Stewart Thompson - Man Enough to Heal
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 national advocate, leading Survivor Council Canada, and hosting a podcast with more than 300 episodes, empowering others to speak their truth. Stewart shares how he rebuilt his life from the ground up—through courage, community, and the hard work of healing. It’s raw, real, and deeply human. If you’ve ever struggled to find your voice or support someone searching for theirs, this is an episode you’ll never forget. To buy tickets to Man Enough to Heal, or to support Gatehouse:
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Calissa Ngozi -Write Your Own Story
10/30/2025
Calissa Ngozi -Write Your Own Story
“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, community leader, mother, and creator of The Oxygen Mask Mindset, Calissa teaches others how to breathe again, how to care for themselves before they care for others. Her voice is unfiltered and full of grace, reminding us that healing begins when we reclaim our power. Andrea Barrack, RBC’s Senior Vice President of Sustainability and Impact, reveals how RBC’s leadership in mental health is giving more Canadians the care, hope, and community they deserve.
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Perry Miele - Grit and Grace
10/23/2025
Perry Miele - Grit and Grace
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 all RBC does to fuel their dreams. A show about positivity and possibility and all things Perry Miele.
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Judy Lewis - What If?
10/16/2025
Judy Lewis - What If?
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 shares her story and how vision, grit, and a simple “What if?” mindset enabled her to leave the corporate world and establish one of the world's most respected public relations agencies. Stay tuned for my three key takeaways, and then ask yourself, What if I applied Judy's lessons in life to my own life? To find out more about RBC's Women of Influence Awards:
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Scott Stirrett - The Uncertainty Advantage
10/09/2025
Scott Stirrett - The Uncertainty Advantage
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 because of chaos. Scott shares how small wins build confidence, why wide and deep networks are essential, and how rethinking risk is the key to growth. His story is proof that the very things that make us feel different can become our most significant edge. And at the close, Alan Depencier, Chief Marketing Officer, Personal and Commercial Banking at RBC, will discuss their deep commitment to supporting Canadian entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and capital they need to succeed. To purchase Scott's book: To learn about RBC and Small Business:
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Michele Romanow - All In
10/02/2025
Michele Romanow - All In
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 entrepreneurship is less about waiting for the perfect idea and more about diving in, scrapping, iterating, and moving faster than the giants around you. Michele is all in. In this conversation, Michele opens up about resilience, speed, and scrappiness, the difference between ego and conviction, and why storytelling is the real currency of entrepreneurship. She also speaks candidly about becoming a mother and how that shifts her perspective on the world we’re building for the next generation. Alan Depencier joins the show to discuss small business and why it matters to you, to me and to RBC. If you’ve ever wondered what it truly means to go “all in” on your ideas, your business, and your life, this conversation will light your way.
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Jenn Harper - Dreams Matter
09/25/2025
Jenn Harper - Dreams Matter
I love the famous Walt Disney quote, Dream it and Do it. It is also the battle cry for Entrepreneurs and Artists as they seek sponsors, support and a paying audience. But what if an idea came to you in an actual dream, and that dream manifested into a destiny that touched your entire universe? In the rawest days of her sobriety, Jenn Harper had a dream of three Indigenous girls wearing lip gloss. Her subconscious became her living quest, one that allowed her to reclaim her indigenous roots, conquer her addictions, carry her through the heartbreak of losing her brother, and fulfill her dream by create Cheekbone Beauty. This business brings beauty to our world in so many wonderful colours-shades of survival, purpose, resilience, and purpose. To look at the creativity of Cheekbone Beauty and this extraordinary entrepreneur: To learn more about Jenn Harper, 2020 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards Ones To Watch Award Winner: To learn about RBC's Truth and Reconciliation Office:
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