My guest today is Diane Young, the CEO and Co-founder of The Drum - a leading global publisher for the marketing and media industries. During our conversation we cover everything from learning about good marketing to learning from your mother. Other topics include: The difference between branding and marketing Things you can do to  become a better leader How to sell value to your clients Why self-promotion is important for building your brand I hope you enjoy our conversation and...

My guest today is Jessica Janzen, the Co-Founder of The Love for Lewiston Foundation - a charity focused on treatments and finding a cure for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Jessica is an advocate for rare diseases, mental health, women empowerment and most of all joy. She’s also a Keynote Speaker, Author and Coach. During our conversation we cover everything from pity parties to policy changes. Other topics include: How to use pain as rocket fuel for change The importance of grit when creating a...

My guest today is Megan Golightly, the CEO & Founder of GoSimplified - a professional organizing business that changes lives by changing environments. During our fun conversation we cover everything from building a brand to building connections with celebrity clients. Other topics include: Why it’s great to reinvent yourself How fear cripples us Why it’s important to ask lots of questions The value of brand advocates How to make your clients the hero in your story What it takes to rise...

My guest today is Dr. April Elliott  - an award-winning medical doctor, executive coach, consultant, writer, and speaker.  Dr. Elliott has been the Section Head (and program founder) of Adolescent and Emerging Adult health in a leading Canadian hospital for the past 21 years. And last, but definitely not least, I am proud to say she is one of my oldest (in years not age) and dearest friends. During our conversation we cover everything from working with adolescents to working on your...

On today’s episode of Branding Matters I’m sitting down with world-renowned comedien Kevin Bozeman.  You might recognize the name, as Kevin was a semi-finalist on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing”.  He has also appeared on Comedy Central, NBC, CBS and FOX. During our fun conversation we cover everything from parenthood to cancel culture. Other topics we discuss include: How speaking your truth makes you more relatable Why it’s important to be be flexible  The value of pushing boundaries  How to...

My guest today is Lavender Morantz - Bestselling author, international TEDx speaker, successful business woman and proud mama to two spirited daughters.  During her 20 year career, Lavender has founded multiple start-ups. She’s also a certified nutrition and wellness specialist who educates children and families about the importance of the mind, body, and soul connection. One way she does this is through her latest project which is a collection of children’s books she wrote and illustrated,...

My guest today is Adam Rodricks - an award winning keynote speaker & bestselling author who is known as Canada's top expert at growing brands through digital marketing & social media.  Adam is also the best-selling author of Trigger Fingers (#1 on Amazon in 5 categories) And his work as a social media influencer has been featured on CBC, CTV, Yahoo, BNN, and nintendo.ca just to name a few. I invited Adam to be a guest on my show to talk about branding on social - specifically...

On today's show we talk about what it means to get NAKED. That is, Emotionally naked! My guest is William Branum - a Navy SEAL veteran who shares how the challenges of military training helped him change his life by changing his mindset and how he has turned this mindset into a business.  William talks about why is it important to have a purpose when building a brand, and how exposing your fears is one of the best ways to conquer them. We also touch on the importance of branded merchandise in...

In celebration of Giving Tuesday I'm taking this opportunity to ask for your help! Last month I entered the International Fab Over 40 competition and I'm excited to share I've made it to the 1/4 finals! If I win, I’m donating $10,000 to GEMS FOR GEMS - a charity I’m involved with that helps victims of domestic abuse get back on their feet. And recently, I found out that through the Gem’s scholarship program, the Esthetic Institute will match my donation - making it $𝟐𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎! This would mean...

Today we are talking about Instagram and Reels! The transition to video-focused content on social media platforms has been a big change for a lot of brands. My guest has all the tips on how to keep your brand authentic through this content transition. Meet Stephanie Rose, Creative Director & Founder of Westrose Media - a photography/videography company that helps entrepreneurs and business owners revolutionize their brand. Genumark 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. From...

In this episode of Branding Matters, I sit down with 2 people I used to watch every morning on TV. They are Dave Kelly & Tara McCool, and the shows I’m referring are ‘The Big Breakfast’ and ‘Breakfast Television’. Today Tara is the Chief People Officer at Foundation Auto. She’s also the co-host of Calgary Next - a popular podcast that discusses the exciting and forward-looking programs and initiatives in Calgary. Dave is a writer, producer, MC and the co-founder of Kelly Brothers...

My guest today is Suzie Yorke - the Founder and CEO of Love Good Fats  - the #1 Top Growing company in Canada in 2021 in Globe & Mail Report on Business. A former triathlete, Suzie created this delicious line of snacks so North Americans could eat and enjoy "good fats" on the go.  And in just over 3 years, her rocket ship food start-up exceeded $100mil in revenue. I invited Suzie to be a guest on my show to talk about her mission. I wanted to learn why a single mom with a well-paying...

My guest today is Paddy Gilmore - the Founder of Studio Gilmore. Paddy is known around the world as “The Humour Consultant” because he helps brands use humour as a way to become more profitable. With more than 20 years experience in advertising, and a Master’s degree investigating humour, Paddy has worked with numerous brands including Barclays, Three, Epson and Getty Images just to name a few. I invited Paddy to be a guest in my show to talk about the role humour plays in branding. I wanted...

My guest today is Shama Hyder, the CEO of Zen Media – a global marketing and digital PR firm.  Shama is known around the world as  “a visionary strategist for the digital age”.  She’s a web and TV personality, a bestselling author, and has been named the “Zen Master of Marketing” by Entrepreneur Magazine and the “Millennial Master of the Universe” by FastCompany.com. And as if that’s not impressive enough, Shama has also been honoured at both the White House and The United Nations as one of...

My guest today is Margaret Glover Campbell, COO of Virtual Gurus - the largest and most trusted virtual assistant marketplace in North America. What began as a small start-up in 2016, has skyrocketed into an award-winning business that puts diversity and inclusion at the forefront of everything they do. A self-confessed science and ‘technology-geek’, Margaret has built some of North America’s most phenomenal, high-performing teams, and has worked closely with development groups to build...

My guest today is Alan Weiss - one of the world's most highly sought-after consultancy experts. Alan's impressive list of clients include such well-known brands as Mercedes-Benz, Merck, Hewlett-Packard, New York Times and over 200 others.  Alan is also a best-selling author of 64 books. One his most famous books - “Million Dollar Consulting” - has been through five editions and appears in 12 languages around the world. I invited Alan to be a guest on my show to discuss how to build a thriving...

My guest today is Carrie Schiffler - the author of the new book “From The Corner of Bad And Ass”. As an actor who writes and a writer who acts, Carrie is best known for her critically acclaimed, one women show called Tabitha; A Girl and Her Box, which was produced by Ground Zero Theatre in Calgary, Alberta Canada. Carrie received an honourable mention for ‘Lemon Opera’ in Lorian Hemingway’s short story contest. And her first collection of poetry, Umbilicus - earned myriad positive reviews as...

My guest today is Bobby Lehew the Chief Content Officer at commonsku. As an industry leader, Bobby has won multiple PPAI - Promotional Products Association International awards.  And, as a former distributor, he ranked three times on Inc. Magazine’s fastest growing private companies in the U.S. Bobby has also appeared on Dale Denham’s #Online18 - a list of the promo industry’s most Influential Social Media Voices. Bobby also co-hosts a podcast with Mark Graham called skucast - the  #1...

My guest today is Amanda Russell, an award-winning brand strategist, author, keynote speaker, Olympic-level runner and former model. She’s a PhD who has taught at some of the top schools in the world, including Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management, London Business School, Harvard Business School, The Wharton School and Stockholm Business School. Amanda is also an advisor to top global brands including Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.  Cedars-Sinai International and Lionsgate...

My guest today is Mitch Freed, the new CEO at Genumark  - one of North America’s most trusted branded merch makers for over 40 years.  Mitch isn’t the first Freed to be on my show. You may remember his dad Mark Freed who I had the privilege of interviewing on one of my very first episodes. Since then, Mark has stepped down as CEO, passing the torch on to his first born son. I Invited Mitch to be a guest on my show to talk about succession plans. I wanted to learn what finally led him to...

My guest today is Faryl Morse, the Founder and CEO of Faryl Robin Shoes - a global independent footwear brand committed to empowering women. Faryl has been a leader in the footwear industry for more than 20 years. Her passion for empowering women with the best footwear is what fuels her purpose. She believes all women should have access to footwear that makes them feel confident and beautiful regardless of age, identity, ethnicity, size, physical limitations, financial means & fashion...

My guest today is Danny Tomsett, a tech visionary and the Founder and CEO of UneeQ - a real-time technology platform that built and launched the first AI-powered digital human project. Today, digital humans are considered a main ingredient for brands who want to automate and scale immersive customer interactions in the Metaverse. Danny’s entrepreneurial track record includes developing games at the age of eight and founding a Telecommunications company he started at 25. He has earned several...

My guest today is Jessica Higdon; Co-Founder of The Higdon Group - the number one network marketing training company that provides personal branding and marketing strategies for home-based entrepreneurs. Featured in Inc. 5000 as one of America's fastest growing companies, The Higdon Group stands apart by always giving back. Jessica is also the co-author of “Time Money Freedom” - a book she co-wrote with her husband Ray, her partner in business and in life. In it they provide 10 simple rules...

My guest today is Dale Denham, President and CEO of the Promotional Products Association International - better known as the PPAI. Dale’s also the man behind #Online18 - a list he created in 2014 highlighting the most influential social media voices in the Promotional Products Industry. And I'm excited to share, I made the list this year thanks to my podcast! I invited Dale to be a guest on my show to talk about #Online18. I wanted to know what inspired him to start this prestigious list. And...