Gain YOUR Edge!
- Mar 31, 2023
- 17 min read
Updated: Oct 27, 2024
For the past few years, I’ve been highlighting and celebrating people who have gained their edge; clients, colleagues and change makers who are doing meaningful work and having an impact in their industries and communities. It’s been a joy to share their words of wisdom with all of you, and shine a spotlight on their projects, companies and products.
After a dozen Gain YOUR Edge profiles, I’m struck by the unique perspectives - and common themes - the participants shared. The importance of teamwork and community; the value of a positive attitude; the focus on kindness.
Thank you to everyone who participated, sharing their stories and insights with us. Scroll down to see the whole series! And if there's anyone you'd like to see profiled, let's chat!
First up is a brilliant line from the incomparable Kareim R. Cade. Kareim is full of positive energy and has an open, inclusive, collaborative mindset. I adore him! He was one of my first clients when I launched my coaching practice in Michigan and remains a huge supporter. He is also THE client on various graphics and images throughout my website and beyond.
This quote from him is a favourite of mine...it came from a podcast appearance he gave, and it's stuck with me. It's all about choice. You can choose to have a good day or a bad day: it all comes down to your mindset.
To learn more, check out the full interview, or connect and follow Kareim on LinkedIn.
Cheryl Appleton and I first met when I was working for Campbell's Foodservice in 2009. I was instantly impressed with her industry knowledge, professionalism and collaborative approach. Over the years our paths continued to cross and a wonderful relationship was created based on mutual trust and respect.
Cheryl has been a role model and mentor to many. It is so inspiring to watch her thrive, living a life of purpose. She shared the impact coaching has had on her, explaining that “Thanks to your coaching, I 'Gained My Edge' to live my life authentically, which means I can bring my whole self into all that I do, create, and dream for Canadian Women In Food. “
In CWIF, Cheryl has developed a phenomenal resource and support network for the industry. She describes it as “The place where women in food who crave connection come to grow themselves and their businesses through collaboration and mutual respect. We’re living in a world of rapid change, and the best way to navigate that change is to be part of a community like Canadian Women In Food. It’s a place to come together, to build new skills and practices that help you navigate the day with more resilience and perspective.”
If you’d like to support women-owned businesses, check out CWIF’s “Gifts of Goodness!” They curate incredible boxes that are perfect for any occasion. Every box tells a story, supports a woman in food, and 10% of the profit helps to build community.
Meg Daly and I met 10 years ago in coaching school, where I felt connected to her instantly! Over the years our relationship has evolved and grown on a foundation of shared values and mutual respect. You may have heard us chatting about topics, books and concepts close to our hearts on one of her podcasts, where I've had the pleasure of being a guest. She is fantastic... so insightful, intuitive and inspiring.
Meg supports highly sensitive and empathic people in calming their bodies and minds by providing an inspiring sanctuary within her Live More Drink Less Community and Tranquility Talk Podcast, as well as the 30 Day Reset program.
Learn more about Meg here!
Linda Martin is North America’s leading team enablement expert. We met more than 20 years ago, when we were both working at E. & J. Gallo Winery. What's wild is that we actually grew up just a few miles from each other, taking the same bus to the same school...just not at the same time. She has been a mentor, a role model and a friend, and I'm always grateful for the chance to talk with her (about anything and everything!)
In addition to being absolutely brilliant, Linda has a calm, kind presence. She applies her unique skillset to help business' maximize potential by building stronger teams.
As Linda puts it, "We really don't get up to much on our own". Deep down, humans are social creatures. We all want to be heard, understood, and appreciated. We want opportunities to reach our goals and expand our horizons. We want to collaborate: to be part of a team built on mutual respect and common values.
It may sound elusive, but with the right tools and support, it's absolutely possible to build an extraordinary team. From there, anything is possible!
I strongly encourage you to learn more by visiting her website. I'm so grateful for Linda's guidance and support over the years, and for this opportunity to celebrate her!
Ainsley Moir and I met at the CWIF Full Tilt Conference in 2019, and discovered we both worked for Campbell Soup Company, just not at the same time.
Ainsley is passionate, professional and fun! She's also extremely knowledgeable, and her energy is absolutely contagious. On top of all that, she really wants you to succeed, and is a great person to have in your corner!
With her drive to help others, her role as President of Healthy Food & Beverage Group is a natural fit! In her own words:
"I help food founders take their great food recipes and turn them into great food brands and businesses. A great recipe really only is one ingredient to having a successful food business. The Healthy Food & Beverage Group works with founders who have a great recipe and a real passion behind their product and helps these founders create a sustainable business that gets on store shelves and into shopper's homes.
I started the Healthy Food & Beverage Group because there are so many great food founders out there that are struggling to make the impact they really want to make. I know that with the founder's recipe and passion and the right blueprint to success, not only can these food founders change their life by having a successful food business, they can positively change the lives of people who buy their products as well."
To learn more about Ainsley and how she can help you launch or grow your packaged food business visit her website.
Sometimes you don't know the full impact of a moment until long after it's over. In 2019 I participated in a fabulous conference by CWIF, where I had the good fortune to meet some incredible people, including Kristi. Since then, Kristi, Ainsley Moir, Janice Bartley, Paula Cooper and I have created our own little 'mastermind' group to share ideas and support each other as we learn and grow.
I so admire Kristi's ability - and dedication - to talk the talk AND walk the walk. She is brilliant, creative and fun! She's built a wonderful company, and I truly love what and why Mother Raw was created. I’ve often heard Kristi say that the dressing needs to be as healthy as the salad it’s going on. These products are delicious and good for you!
(Sidenote: I'm not alone in my appreciation of Mother Raw...just check out Lizzo's social media to learn more about the Queso!!)
As Kristi puts it:
"At Mother Raw, we are building a brand with a simple, yet powerful purpose and that is to encourage more people to eat more real, whole foods and specifically plants. Why? North Americans don't consume enough vegetables and fruit s, which contributes to poor diet and health. Eating a plant-based diet is also better for the planet and animal welfare. Our ridiculously delicious organic Dressings, Dips and Condiments are made with nutrition rich ingredients (not lab made) and make it easy and fun to eat more plants. I love our brand purpose and our amazing team."
Stacey Cruise is the Co-founder and Director of Kindred Foundation - an incredible Canadian organization dedicated to helping children, adolescents and young adults within the areas of cancer, mental health and physical health…and helping their communities through initiatives pertaining to palliative care and food security. It’s important, challenging work, and Kindred approaches it with kindness and compassion.
As if that wasn’t enough, Stacey is also the co-founder and director/officer of Tecasy Ranch. Tecasy strives to provide an ideal location for a variety of impactful, non-commercial functions and usages. They’re dedicated to: Connecting People to Nature · People to People · People to a Greater Cause
Stacey and I met at Wellspring Cancer Support Foundation, where she was volunteering. As you can probably tell, she keeps busy supporting a wide range of causes, and pursuing a variety of interests: from hockey to travel, to writing and photography. Oh, and she has degrees in Computer Science and Biomechanics! Talk about well rounded!
She is so kind, generous, funny, authentic and humble. The real deal! The more time I spent with her, the more I learned about her charity and the positive impact it has on our community. We need more people like Stacey in the world!
In Stacey’s words:
“Volunteering and raising dollars for worthy causes has been a mainstay for me. When it became possible to elevate the role I could play in the charitable sector Kindred Foundation was created.
Kindred Foundation came from the desire to not only give back but to do charity differently. Our foundation is based on an endowment model and our due diligence in giving is extremely thorough. Furthermore, our corporate partnerships are symbiotic and 100 percent of donations go towards charitable purpose.”
I encourage you to learn more about Kindred Foundation, and consider supporting their initiatives.
I met Desirée Bombenon when she was completing her Executive MBA through the Smith School of Business at Queen's University. I was instantly awed by her! She is so impressive; Desirée has strong business acumen, innovative customer approach, and authentic people and leadership skills. On top of all that, she’s incredibly active with board and philanthropy work. Desirée is passionate about making a difference, and she lives that value every day.
Desirée Bombenon is the leader of SureCall, an organization putting purpose over profit. SureCall thrives on culture! What forms the basis of the culture is their commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility through the GoodCall™ program. #GoodCall™ launched in 2016 and continues to evolve as they find multiple ways to give back to the community.
As Desirée explains, "what started out as a local endeavour to assist organizations that are non-profit or registered charities by giving back a percentage of revenues as a donation each year, has evolved into something much more purposeful. This program has every transaction our team does, contributing to a corporate social responsibility fund. We truly believe we are ‘Doing Good with Every Call’. The GoodCall™ program also supports HeroGirls™, an endeavour to educate girls in underserved and developing communities around the world, in order to raise the prosperity of the entire community."
Over the past 3 years, Hero Girls™ has provided over 500 girls and women with scholarships for education, a segment on entrepreneurial business models, mother’s programs, and innovation projects, impacting over 5000 people within the communities they live in. With the help of SureCall, last year, they were able to provide over 100 bikes to the students for safe travel to and from school. The program is designed to assist women to gain confidence and self-efficacy, and give them the opportunity to build a business to support the community they live in. Over the next few years, the Hero Girls™ will be tackling Human Trafficking in Sri Lanka.
Desirée believes that we are all connected: "What we do with our lives and our businesses has significant impact on the greater community, even the world. When I focus on sustainable business practices, and doing well by doing good, then with every choice I am making a difference, and with every difference I am helping someone else to have a choice.”
A coaching colleague introduced me to Karen Wright, and I immediately liked and respected her. Karen is a Master Certified Coach (MCC) and a leader in the field of corporate coaching. She is authentic, lives a life of integrity, and is also such fun to be around! She has an incredible ability to connect, support and empower those around her. Working with Karen and being part of the Parachute Executive Coaching team is an honour. This week I am thrilled to highlight Karen, and the amazing company and community she has created.
As a coach and business owner, Karen she sees herself as having a couple of jobs. One is to help companies access trained, skilled, high-quality coaches, who understand both the value and boundaries of coaching, and are able to communicate both to their clients. Coaching is a leadership development resource. It's not about 'fixing problems'; instead, it's about facilitating learning and growth within a motivated participant. And connecting the right coach with the right client is essential!
Another important component of Karen's work is to help coaches focus on what matters: serving clients, and bringing their best to every engagement. Most coaches would rather spend their time on coaching, instead of chasing business and invoice payments. So by taking responsibility for these tasks, Karen and Parachute Executive Coaching allow coaches to truly focus their energy on their clients.
This simple and powerful philosophy seems to be working as Parachute has been growing steadily since Karen founded the company! Parachute Executive Coaching is known for being responsive and easy to work with, but most importantly they are known for getting results. Karen believes that when you love what you do it's pretty easy to do great work.
Visit Parachute Executive Coaching's LinkedIn page to learn more!
Christina Greenberg and I met during a Pursuit Values training. Throughout the day, we had the opportunity to share, reflect, learn and grow, which was an immediate bonding experience. I loved her instantly. She creates a safe place, is positive, experienced, insightful, direct, creative and empathic. I am grateful that she includes me in her programs supporting women leaders as they uncover and live their unique and authentic leadership styles. Christina and her programs have huge impact.
See for yourself!
Christina Greenberg is a passionate trainer and coach, committed to developing well rounded, authentic leaders, building on their strengths, gaining confidence and striving for balance and wellness in work and life. Her genuine desire to see people achieve their best and reach their full potential as leaders has put many people onto a positive path of self-discovery and growth.
Christina has long been an advocate for women leaders, recognizing the unique challenges they face as they advance in their careers. In 2010, she set out to solve this problem by launching Scala Network, an organization offering innovative leadership training programs for women.
Scala Network promotes success "on your own terms", supporting women to be the best version of themselves, leading from a place of inner strength. Scala also believes in the importance of giving back: in each program, one spot is reserved for a woman in career transition, and one woman new to Canada.
If you're interested in learning more about Scala, visit their website, or reach out to Christina!
Sandy Harvey, MBA, CDP, President & Chief Strategist at Exodus Consulting Group, LLC.,is a skilled strategist with over 25 years of human resources, organizational development, leadership, and diversity and inclusion experience. She is the President & Founder of Exodus Consulting Group, a transformational people and process firm. She is a Certified Diversity Professional and expert DEI strategist, speaker, and facilitator working with organizations in developing and implementing a cultural-centered diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy.
I had the pleasure of meeting Sandy through Kareim R. Cade ; I always appreciate when he introduces me to someone in his inner circle, as they are always amazing human beings like him...and Sandy is exceptional! I love her work on creating a culture of inclusiveness.
In her own words, Sandy explains: "I help normalize and infuse diversity, equity, and inclusion into organizational cultures. I know that creating more inclusive workplaces positively impacts organizational culture and increases profitability."
I met Sanja Ristanovic in 2019 through Cheryl Appleton, when I was looking to redo my website, and we clicked instantly. She asked great questions to learn about me and the work I do, and then turned what she discovered into a beautiful website. She is professional, creative, reliable and so much fun to work with!! I am so excited to highlight Sanja, and to recommend her.
Sanja is the Co-Founder of OMAI Creative, a remote, full-service, creative branding and UX design agency that works closely with B2B/B2C clients to develop memorable user experiences across all touchpoints. OMAI’s goal is to bring heart and creativity into every detail and design as they aim to build brand recognition and loyalty that is thoughtful and full of impact.
Sanja oversees all OMAI projects from inception to completion, providing creative direction and guidance in branding, graphic & web design, as well as digital marketing and photography. She has a genuine love for supporting and working with female run businesses, which is why she founded BIZ Sassy and works closely with Canadian Women in Food as their Marketing Director.
She is a proud mom of 2, and a happy wife to her equally creative husband Gamal, the other half of OMAI. When she isn't behind the camera, with a client or with her family, she is busy loving life, traveling the world and helping stray animals. She’s also likely in the kitchen, cooking up something totally Instagram-worthy.
To learn more about Sanja and OMAI Creative visit her website or email Sanja at hello@omaicreative.com
Dane Jensen is the CEO of Third Factor. I have had the pleasure of working with Third Factor since 2016, first as a TAIS Consultant at Smith School of Business at Queen's University, and then as part of their Coaching Roster. In this time, I've come to know Dane as an incredible leader and a wonderful, kind human being. He leads by example. He is approachable, authentic, and genuine. I am always grateful for the insightful and thought provoking conversations I've had with Dane over the years.
I love his book, The Power of Pressure. It is research based, and full of practical and useful tools to understand, harness and optimize pressure to thrive. As he says in his book, ‘Pressure can give us superpowers if we know how to use it.’
In his own words, "I help individuals and leaders use the energy under pressure to fuel personal growth – for themselves or for those who they coach and lead. Pressure is an essential input into high performance AND it has a dark side. How we navigate our highest pressure moments has a huge impact on how much we achieve and whether we enjoy the journey. I want to help people achieve more and enjoy it along the way!"
To learn more about Dane or Third Factor, please visit www.thirdfactor.com, or check out Dane’s recent episode of the "Chatter That Matters" podcast.
This is a Gain YOUR Edge highlight 25 years in the making! I'm SO pleased to introduce George Hantziagelis of ENHANTZ Coaching!
George was first a client when he worked for the Kelsey’s Group of Restaurants, and I worked for E. & J. Gallo Winery. Our paths continued to cross throughout our days and years in the hospitality industry. George then became a neighbour, a coaching client, and now a coaching partner…as well as a dear friend who I respect deeply.
George is full of life … he is very aware, kind, generous, strategic, brilliant and A LOT of fun, which you can probably tell from his picture!
I am so grateful for the evolution of our relationship, and I truly value our regular collaboration sessions. It has been a privilege to watch George grow and evolve, and I am so thrilled for him to be offering his many talents as a coach.
Get to know ENHANTZ:
At ENHANTZ we inspire, support and care about helping our clients discover their authentic selves. ENHANTZ Coaches help clients discover a deeper awareness of themselves through Four Pillars: Their Strengths, Values, Preferred Skills and Personality.
Everyone is unique. We help people discover their individual greatness and how to communicate and utilize these traits in their personal and professional journey with purpose. This awareness helps our clients build confidence in themselves, and gives a better understanding of the ideal career and relationships they will thrive in. We help adults and youth balance their personal, social, and academic/professional lives which in turn reduces stress and increases happiness and enjoyment.
Our coaching approach can be distilled into these basic principles:
Encourage people about their situation and move them into action
Coach what you know. Offer different coaches expertise when needed
Care deeply about the work
Build trust and respect
Meet clients where they are at and help them discover possibilities
Ultimately, George believes his purpose is to help people discover and unleash their individual greatness.
Learn more about George and ENHANTZ at enhantzcoaching.com
I met Dr. Floyd Spence through Parachute Executive Coaching. I immediately loved his calm, confident energy. His approachability makes him easy to work with, and I appreciate his humour and humbleness.
Coaches coach to what they know and Floyd knows about performance. I respect him for his professionalism and passion to support others to dream it and achieve it.
Read on to get to know Dr. Floyd, then head to his website to learn more!
Dr. Floyd Spence is a coach, speaker, and expert on mindset and high performance. Over three decades ago, he had to repeat the tenth grade in high school due to poor academic performance. His below-average performance resulted from self-doubt and limiting beliefs that impeded his success.
To learn more about himself and what helps people become their best, Dr. Floyd became a student of the mind, motivation, and human behavior. Today, he's a respected authority on the relationship between the mind and success. Through coaching and speaking, Dr. Floyd helps business leaders and high-achievers become more confident, effective, and fulfilled.
He is driven by the belief that "the possibilities are endless," and that is why he sees his purpose as living his best life possible and helping others to do the same.
I met Michael Rossi when he joined Parachute Executive Coaching; I was immediately inspired by his perspective and approach. He is able to deliver great insight with kindness and respect. Michael is experienced, professional and credible, and has a skill for cutting through the noise to get clarity. Whether it’s 1:1 coaching with emerging and established leaders, working with leadership teams in facilitated workshops, or inspiring audiences through keynote speaking, Michael lights up when he has a chance to share his curiosity, compassion and experience with those he serves.
GET TO KNOW MICHAEL:
While on sabbatical in 2019, 15 years into his time with adidas, Michael made a bold decision – to begin planning his transition out of a dream job as President of adidas Canada, and into his next chapter as an Executive Leadership Coach. As a leader over his 20+ years in the corporate world, Michael always felt most alive when leading teams and inspiring talents to learn and grow. Driven by the belief that “everyone has a voice,” he founded Voce Leadership (Voce is Italian for ‘voice’) to fuel his passion for inspiring and guiding others.
With a unique blend of CTI experience (Co-Active Training Institute) and real-world “battle scars” from his own corporate career, he brings a balanced perspective that clients value. And despite his extensive corporate background, Michael firmly believes in coaching the whole person, not just the executive, helping leaders to find and use their unique voice in all aspects of their lives.
Always thirsty for knowledge, in just over 2.5 years as a coach, Michael has become a Certified Sparketype Advisor, a Certified Guide in the Pursuit Values Operating System, and a Certified Evaluator with The McQuaig Institute, bringing a diverse set of assessment tools and frameworks to his coaching and facilitation work. Regardless of what direction a coaching conversation takes or what tools might be involved, there’s simply no more fulfilling moment for Michael in his work than when a client lights up with insight & resolve to move forward in a new direction. Watching others fully step into using their voice is what Michael loves doing most.
Learn more at www.voceleadership.com
Jacquie Chapman and I met through Nick Evans Evans...and when Nick makes an introduction, I always know it's going to be a great connection! I love the conversations that we have had, and the chance to learn and grow from each other.
GET TO KNOW JACQUIE
Jacqueline Chapman is the Founder of Valeo Leadership: a leadership development firm focused on fusing organizational psychology and performance science to forge resilient, high-performance leaders. She has assembled a diverse, multi-disciplinary team of PhD’s and Doctorates in organizational psychology and performance science, former top-tier management consultants, experienced executive coaches with MBAs and decades of corporate success as well as experts in sleep, movement, nutrition and mindfulness to bring the best of both worlds together to help her clients address critical leadership challenges.
Valeo offers leadership and team development programs and workshops, organizational effectiveness consulting and leadership and performance coaching. Their unique value comes from the ability to integrate the most relevant and impactful insights and tools from multiple fields while offering agility, flexibility and bespoke solutions to drive measurable impact for their clients.
Valeo is latin for “thrive” - which is at the heart of what they do - help organizations, teams and individuals thrive!
Learn more at www.valeoleadership.com
Brenda Farrugia is the Founder of So Brilliant, a transformational practice that for over 15 years has masterfully blended life coaching with intuitive quantum energy healing. Brenda combines that with her 25 years of corporate acumen to help individuals achieve profound personal transformation in all areas of life.
Brenda has had a powerful gift since she was 4 years old. She now uses it to clear energetic blocks and dissolve negative beliefs, enabling clients to regain clarity and access their innate brilliance. Whether helping clients clear trauma (darkness), overcome burnout, realign with their authentic selves, or build resilience and confidence, Brenda nurtures the whole person—emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually.
Brenda’s passion also extends to supporting fellow coaches and healers who serve humanity. She helps them clear their energetic fields from years of secondary traumatic stress, reconnect with their personal power, ensuring they can be at their best for their clients, their families and themselves.
Recently, Brenda has started to support teenagers and is filled with hope at how easily they can break free from limiting beliefs and emotional blockages to achieve success and reach their full potential.
Brenda's dedication to her client's success is unwavering. It is fuelled by her love for humanity, her exceptional gift and a strong belief in a bright collective future. Her greatest joy is to witness her clients' strength, growth and evolution as they step into their brilliance.
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