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How to Reach Your Potential: An Interview with Rebecca Laramée

Rebecca Laramée (human resources leader, chair of the board of Future Sinai at Sinai Health System and performance manager at TEDxToronto) is taking part in the "How to Reach Your Potential" initiative, a series of 100 interviews with leaders who inspire Alex Rascanu and whose insights can help you reach your potential.

About Rebecca:

Rebecca Laramée’s passion for people and business has led her to help companies achieve their highest potential and profitable results through an approach that keeps “human” at the core of their business practices. Her breadth of experience has everything to do with people, including but not limited to: talent management, workforce planning, employee experience and retention, career management, accommodation, learning and development, coaching, HRM systems and analytics, policy development and compliance, corporate culture, and internal communications. Rebecca has held progressive leadership posts at government offices and a world-renowned teaching hospital and research centre.

Passionate about community building, Rebecca encourages others to live a life that is fully engaged and rewarding, and philanthropy plays a large role in that. As a young philanthropist, Rebecca has met some of the world’s most notable change makers and has worked alongside some of the most generous activists. After spending years supporting not-for-profits and starting her own, she decided to focus on building a culture of philanthropy among Millennials. Rebecca serves as Chair of Future Sinai within Sinai Health Foundation, which engages millennial professionals. In just over a year she has helped raise close to $500,000 and doubled the membership base.

Apart from her work across the Human Resources and talent ecosystems, Rebecca serves as Manager of Performance at TEDx Toronto and Manager of Partnerships at The Ultimate Health Podcast. In her free time, you can often find her in the far corners of the internet reading about human behaviour, researching new scientific discoveries, or brainstorming with startups on building game-changing talent and culture strategies.

Learn more about Rebecca by visiting www.rebeccalaramee.com. Connect with her on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Alex: What is your life’s purpose?

Rebecca: To inspire others to live a life that is fully engaged, energizing, and rewarding more than ever by encouraging them to dream bigger, to be present, and to give their time, talents and treasures to the world around them.

To help others get to where they want to be by providing them with the tools and resources to do this that can be passed down for generations to come.

In return, I ask that they do the same for others.

Alex: What are the three things you’re most passionate about?

Rebecca: Philanthropy, building community, quality education, healthy living, and living a faith-filled life chasing after God-sized dreams (oops, that’s five…)

Alex: How do you stay healthy? What’s your main health-related goal?

Rebecca: I started thinking of my health in terms of health span versus lifespan, which is crucial and a game changer. Your lifespan could be anything up to 100 years, but living a life that is healthy is more important than living a life that is simply long. Your health also determines the health of your emotional and mental wellbeing.

With that in mind, staying healthy for me includes taking care of my physical, mental and emotional health. Besides eating healthy, practicing gratitude, and exercise, I make sure my morning and night routines are in line with my health goals. I get in at least 8 hours of sleep which means lights out at 9:30pm, so I can get an early start at 5:33am. The first thing I do is hydrate (drink a glass of water), pray, exercise and then go over my goals for the day. I really have to protect my mornings -- just recently I started keeping my phone on airplane mode until I leave the house. My nighttime routine is just as important, which includes stretches, reading and journaling, goal setting for the next day, and prayer.

Alex: How do you build wealth? What’s your main financial goal?

Rebecca: I've been fortunate enough to have only worked for companies that have the best-defined benefit (DB) pension plans and buy back plans in Canada. Its money I don't think about or see but I know is there. It allows your investment growth to be tax-free and transferable should I decide to withdraw it earlier.

Millennials tend to not think this far out, but I believe it's crucial for building long-term wealth and stability. Diversification by investing in different vehicles and categories and using forced savings. 10% of my weekly income automatically gets deposited into my tax-free savings account. I also invest money in myself and experiences that money can't buy. I want to build wealth that will allow me to give back much more to those around me.

Alex: How do you balance work and family life?

Rebecca: Blocking out time in my calendar. By doing this, I make sure that every interaction is intentional and meaningful, so that I can remain present.

Coming from a European background, family time around a meal is very important, so Sunday lunches are typically dedicated to family time.

Alex: How do you enjoy spending time with family and friends?

Rebecca: Being outdoors and doing something active, serving the community/others, learning something new or sharing new experiences together… or simply conversing over a cup of coffee.

Alex: What has been the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had, or the most fulfilling project you’ve been involved with so far?

Rebecca: The role that comes to mind is serving as Chair of Future Sinai because of my first-hand experience seeing how the funds raised had an impact on women and infants’ health, the long-term impact it has had on providing the best patient care and experience for those who need it most, and improving how they serve the life-long needs of people living with and rehabilitating from multiple, complex health conditions.

Project-wise, it would be the non-profit I started several years back, Cotton Words, because of the feedback I received from those attending the workshops and events. By creating spaces for others to thrive in, it created a space for them to feel safe and vulnerable. It left a personal impact on them by empowering them to share their stories. Something I didn't expect. Two of the guests ended up pursuing writing as a career, which was pretty neat that I got to play a small role in their journey.

You’re the Key Campaign I initiated for Guatemala also comes to mind as a fulfilling project; seeing the warmth and smiles on the children and teachers faces was priceless.

And TEDx for being a part of helping others tell their story and share their idea on an international platform. Personally, it has been one of the most challenging, inspiring, engaging, and fulfilling experiences, having learned so much from the amazing team and speakers who went on the journey with us.

Alex: What’s one career planning lesson that has made a significant difference in your life?

Rebecca: Two-fold.

1) Networking is your net worth. It's important to surround yourself with a network of people who are inspiring, creative, strategic, and innovative who are willing to answer your endless stream of questions along the way. The invaluable insight you will receive by asking questions and being surrounded by role models and mentors will be the greatest education and inspiration for yourself. I've learned the power of nurturing these relationships, keeping them warm, and always asking how you can help them - never expecting anything in return. I'm always in that mind frame of helping others with no strings attached. People can see that. Humbly said, I have never had to search for a job… It just shows the power of your connections.

2) Putting a dollar value on your time. What is the value of your time worth? When you think in these terms, you will realize that it's best to be a master of a few areas rather than a jack of all trades. Focus on what you are really good at, what makes you stand out amongst the rest -- and give the things you aren't good at to those who are.

Alex: What would you like your legacy to be?

Rebecca: To be a quiet one that people rarely talk about. Secretly leaving a deep impact in the lives of the poorest citizens, helping the impoverished to become self-sufficient, and to bring quality education to girls without access to it. That my legacy will be the dreams that I inspire in others, along with my bold prayers that will come to pass in the generations after me.

Alex: Thank you, Rebecca, for taking part in this interview! Thank you for being so open and for sharing your insights!

Did you find one or more of Rebecca's thoughts helpful? Are there any ideas or resources that came to mind as you read the interview?

Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below, and consider sharing the interview with a friend via social media or email.

Also, consider checking out the How to Reach Your Potential interviews with Trina Boos, Hamza Khan, James Tjan, Vlad Rascanu, Drew Dudley, Alexandru Holicov, Andrew Mizzoni, Christa Dickenson, Louise Adongo, Sarah Chaudhery, Jake Nicolle, Andy McIlwain and Busola Akin-Olawore. Thank you.

[alexrascanu]

How to Reach Your Potential: An Interview with Busola Akin-Olawore

Busola Akin-Olawore (senior research executive at Ipsos in Lagos, Nigeria) is taking part in the "How to Reach Your Potential" initiative, a series of 100 interviews with leaders who inspire Alex Rascanu and whose insights can help you reach your potential.

About Busola I am a zealous market research and consumer behaviour specialist with just over about 7 years of experience conducting research in the Finance, Real Estate, FMCG, Healthcare, Education and Telecommunication sectors. I currently work at Ipsos, which is ranked the 3rd biggest market research company in the world. I conduct and oversee their media, advertising and branding research in Nigeria. I am also the founder of Busnailery, a snail farming company where our main goal is to make this cultural delicacy easily accessible and affordable, and Woof Arf Ruff, an ‘everything dog company’. We currently provide services which include advice columns, dog party and event planning, and dog walking. I have a couple other projects in the pipeline so stay tuned. :) I am Nigerian; was born and had my early years there. I moved to Canada when I was in grade 8 and lived there for 10 years. Shortly thereafer, I moved to Spain for a year for a masters in Market Research and Consumer Behaviour at IE Business School. After my masters program, I moved back to Nigeria to begin this adventure I am still on. When I am not working, I love exploring new cultures, reading, going out for a good meal, going to the beach and watching the sun rise and set. You can connect with me on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and SlideShare.

Alex: What is your life’s purpose?

Busola: My purpose in life is to use my gifts to develop people around me and my community at large. To use the things I do well to positively impact my society. I have come to realize that when I speak, people listen. This is one of the gifts I have been blessed with and I want to use it to make a difference in my society.

Alex: What are the three things you’re most passionate about?

Busola: I am extremely passionate about market research; ever since I can remember I have always been a curious cat. I have always wanted to know why; why are things the way they are, why are people the way they are, why do we do/ say something and then do/say the complete opposite. I am fortunate enough to build my career around my passion for market research.

I am also passionate about travel, this could be tied to my curious nature but I have always loved travelling. Exploring different cultures, ways of living and actually immersing myself in the culture for some days.

And then there is food, one of my first loves. Now that I think about it, I believe things I am passionate about goes back to the core of the kind of person I am; a curious cat. I love food, admiring it with my senses, cooking it, and of course devouring it.

Alex: How do you stay healthy? What’s your main health-related goal?

Busola: I am a firm believer that if you eat right, exercise and have a positive outlook on life you are able to perform at your optimal potential. So staying healthy for me encapsulates ensuring I eat a balanced meal rich in fruits, vegetables, dessert and wine :), ensuring I take daily walks twice a day, ensuring I spin/run once a week and do yoga once a week. To also try to keep my mind healthy, I consume positive content only. I don’t watch nor listen to damaging content. When I wake up, I give thanks for another day. I get ready for work and during my commute I listen to podcasts from all around the world from people who have built and are still building their empires.

Alex: How do you build wealth? What’s your main financial goal?

Busola: I define wealth as being financially free and I define this as being able to do what I really want to do in life, being able to be who I really want to be and not being dependent on one source for my daily bread. I strongly believe in having multiple sources of income. Yes, I have a 9-5, but I dabble in so many other things for two main reasons. Firstly, if I lose my job tomorrow I don’t want the burden of trying to figure out where my next meal or rent will come from. And secondly, I do not want to ever feel like I need to stay in an uncomfortable situation just because I need the money. The money I make from these other sources of income is not as much as my 9-5 but that is ok. So, as I mentioned, to build this freedom I own other businesses like Woof Arf Ruff and BuSnailery, and I also work on freelance research and consulting projects. To help build my savings account, every month, once my 9-5 salary has been deposited in my account, I have a standing order with my bank to deposit 15% in my Mutual Funds account and 25% in my monthly savings account. With these steps, I feel more confident and safe with my financial freedom.

Alex: How do you balance work and family life?

Busola: Work-life balance is extremely crucial to me. I feel very strongly about this because I believe your success is a combination of your performance at home and at work. For me, I make sure I make time for things/people and I do everything at the right time. So be it a weekday or weekend, I wake up and plan my day. Obviously things don’t always go as planned, many things do not get completed in the allocated time but I ensure once the time allocated to the task is completed, I move to the next task and I will have to finish the uncompleted task at another time. Also, as much as I love what I do, I actively disconnect from work once I leave the office. I don’t think about it, I just focus on living in the moment and enjoying what I am doing in my life outside the office.

Alex: How do you enjoy spending time with family and friends?

Busola: I love exploring my passions with family and friends. Mostly my passions for food and travelling. I am the person to call when you are looking for a travel partner! I am also the person to call when you are looking for good restaurants in town.

Alex: What has been the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had, or the most fulfilling project you’ve been involved with?

Busola: At an early stage in my career, I decided to move to Nigeria for 6 months to conduct a study on maternal mortality. I conducted an observational study in a teaching hospital in Lagos, and conducted focus groups and surveys around an area of Lagos. Up until now this has been the most fulfilling project I have ever worked on.

I started to understand that life is simplistic; black and white but when you entwine it with culture, the human element, that is when it starts to get complicated. So maternal health, might seem straightforward, take your prenatal meds, eat right, go to the doctor for regular checkups, do not do strenuous activities��� However, there are so many cultural elements that prevent people from following these simple steps the doctors have recommended. And the disconnect is that doctors do not take culture into consideration and patients do not take science into consideration. Truly this role was what reaffirmed my career path to me.

I also got to meet people from all walks of life, talk to them and appreciate their stories. I learnt a lot about myself, my past, my culture and I strongly believe that, this understanding is what has helped me develop a strategic plan for my future.

Alex: What’s one career planning lesson that has made a significant difference in your life?

Alex: Being flexible, having an open mind and always being ready to try new things. About 8 years ago I decided I wanted to be a researcher. The kind of researcher I wanted to be was always the part I wasn’t sure of. But I knew I was a curious cat and wanted to spend the rest of my life exploring the reasons why things are the way they are. When I finally figured out what type of researcher I wanted to be, I invested a lot of resources to become the best researcher in that field. And then I got the dream job - working for a top market research company in the world. But yet I am still not fulfilled, I am longing for more - I realized that what I wanted was not what I needed. So now I am back to the drawing board. My point is, as we progress through life, we change our beliefs and opinions, and this trickles into our careers. We change our minds on where we see ourselves in 5 years, what field we want to work in, how we want to work... but that’s ok. It is ok to change, change is good. Being flexible and open minded is good.

Alex: What would you like your legacy to be?

Busola: I was born and currently live in a country where the majority of girls are raised to believe that something has to give. You can’t have it all - the career and the family. And society has pushed us to believe that the family is important. I am not disputing the importance of the family but you can have both, it shouldn’t have to be a choice for women. I want my Legacy to be the ‘woman who had it all’ and who inspires generations of Nigerian women that they can have it all. I understand that to have it all means you will need help, means you will have those rare moments where something will give but those moments are the once in a while abnormalities and not the everyday norm. And I want to make this very clear through my actions and my advocacy.

Alex: Thank you, Busola, for taking part in this interview! Thank you for being so open and for sharing your insights!

Did you find one or more of Busola's thoughts helpful? Are there any ideas or resources that came to mind as you read the interview? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below, and consider sharing the interview with a friend via social media or email.

Also, consider checking out the How to Reach Your Potential interviews with Trina Boos, Hamza Khan, James Tjan, Vlad Rascanu, Drew Dudley, Alexandru Holicov, Andrew Mizzoni, Christa Dickenson, Louise Adongo, Sarah Chaudhery, Jake Nicolle and Andy McIlwain. Thank you.

[alexrascanu]

How to Reach Your Potential: An Interview with Andy McIlwain

Andy McIlwain is a technical marketer who handles content and community projects at GoDaddy, and a community builder who co-organizes initiatives such as WPToronto. Andy is taking part in the "How to Reach Your Potential" initiative, a series of 100 interviews with leaders who inspire Alex Rascanu and whose insights can help you reach your potential.

About Andy

I help individuals and small organizations do more with the web. It’s a hobby that evolved into a career. I started by building websites about video games as a teenager. Now I work for GoDaddy, one of the most recognizable internet companies around.

I grew up in central Ontario. I come from a blue-collar family of homebuilders, store managers, and support workers. We weren’t technophiles. We didn’t have a computer at home until 1999.

I remember when my parents made the purchase. It was a Compaq Presario from Future Shop, and it changed my life. I didn’t know it then, but that family PC created opportunities I wouldn’t have had otherwise. Learn more about me by visiting AndyMci.com and checking out my articles on GoDaddy.com. Connect with me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Alex: What is your life’s purpose?

Andy: I want to make a real, positive impact on communities across Canada. Communities like the ones I grew up in. Communities where manufacturing jobs are disappearing, low-wage retail or service jobs are ridiculously competitive, and career prospects are limited at best.

Building on that: How do we use technology to bring existing skills and talents into new markets at a practical, DIY level for non-techies? How does a laid-off factory worker in Peterborough turn his woodworking hobby into a small business, shipping products to customers in Burnaby and beyond?

Alex: What are the three things you’re most passionate about?

Andy: My first passion is self-education. I’m constantly trying to absorb new information, learn new things, and share what I’ve learned with others. Knowing how to teach yourself is probably the most important skill you can have for the 21st century. The world is moving so quickly that traditional colleges and universities can’t keep up.

My second passion is the act of creation, of making something out of nothing. The whole process, from inception through execution, fascinates me. I love watching behind-the-scenes documentaries and observing how others do what they do. The small decisions that get made, why they get made, the systems and protocols that help move things along… it’s so interesting.

My third passion is community. By that I mean bringing people together around a common interest and then trying to facilitate and support that community. It started with online usergroups and discussion forums when I was younger, then evolved into in-person events after I graduated from college.

Alex: How do you stay healthy? What’s your main health-related goal?

Andy: Up until this year I’ve mostly neglected my health. Poor diet, minimal exercise, not enough sleep, lots of stress… basically doing everything wrong. The big change happened when my girlfriend and I started focusing on improving our health together.

We started on the keto diet in the spring. We’ve eased up on the restrictions but still stick to a primarily low-carb, high-fat diet. It’s working well for us. Now we’re mixing in more physical activity (running, climbing, paddling, cycling, lifting) to build strength and endurance. Evening runs and daily workout sessions are the new normal.

Our overall goal is to live an enjoyable, balanced, and active lifestyle. Weight loss and strength gains are perks, and we certainly use them as milestones for progress, but they’re not the goals.

Alex: How do you build wealth? What’s your main financial goal?

Andy: Gist = Avoid debt like the plague. My short-term goal is to be debt-free by 30. That’s within the next seven months. It’s the top priority. Pay off the credit card in full every month and clear those student loans as quickly as possible. My long-term goal is to stay as debt-free as possible from then on.

After the debt comes the savings. Max out those TFSA contributions. I’m new to investing, but my gut is pushing me towards passive investments once the student debt is cleared. I’m basically subscribing to the financial-advice-that-fits-on-an-index-card guidelines.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. This is much easier to say now than when I was freelancing and struggling to make ends meet. But when you’re debt free and able to tuck money away every month with a bit to spare, don’t stress over the small indulgences like a morning coffee. Be on the lookout for additional revenue streams that align with your passions. It doesn’t need to be huge; even a bit of supplemental income on the side is always nice to have. A self-sustaining hobby that pays for itself (and leaves you a bit of money left over) is even better.

Alex: How do you balance work and family life? Also, how do you enjoy spending time with family and friends?

Andy: I work remotely from home and most of my colleagues are on the west coast. The three hour time difference means it’s only 3pm over there while it’s 6pm over here. Thankfully most of the people I work with understand the timing issue; I’m rarely on a call past 6pm. The time difference also gives me an entire morning of uninterrupted hours. 12pm in Toronto is only 9am in California. I’m grabbing lunch as my colleagues are rolling into the office. What’s worked for me is blocking out time on the calendar and being very protective of that time. Mornings are flexible; afternoons are blocked off; and evenings and weekends are for family and friends.

Alex: What has been the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had, or the most fulfilling project you’ve been involved with so far?

Andy: The role I’m in right now at GoDaddy is incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. As a member of the content team, specifically the team looking after the GoDaddy blog, my ultimate goal is to find new ways for content to help our customers succeed online. For example: What can we learn from customers who are already seeing success? What lessons of theirs can we pass along to others? What other expertise can we bring in? How do we make it all practical for a DIY business owner? I love working on these problems. It’s so perfectly aligned with my personal goals, my personal mission, that I can’t imagine doing anything else right now.

Alex: What’s one career planning lesson that has made a significant difference in your life?

Andy: Always. Be. Helping. Put yourself out there. Volunteer in a local community group. Offer to help someone by sharing what you know. It’s a great way to meet people and learn by doing. If you’re in school or just coming out of school, invest your time and show that initiative.

In my case, it was volunteering to help with WordCamp Toronto back in 2011. I had just moved to Toronto the year prior. I didn’t know many people in the city. Volunteering for WCTO changed that. I met people. I got deeper into WordPress. I became more active in other meetups. From those other meetups I met more people. New opportunities came my way. So on and so on.

None of that would’ve happened if I hadn’t volunteered.Alex: What would you like your legacy to be?Andy: I want my grandkids to remember me with pride. I want them to remember me as someone who did good work, who helped bring communities together, and who made a positive impact on Canada.

Alex: Thank you, Andy, for taking part in the interview and your inspiring thoughts!

Did you find one or more of Andy's thoughts helpful? Are there any ideas or resources that came to mind as you read the interview? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below, and consider sharing the interview with a friend via social media or email.

Also, consider checking out the How to Reach Your Potential interviews with Trina Boos, Hamza Khan, James Tjan, Vlad Rascanu, Drew Dudley, Alexandru Holicov, Andrew Mizzoni, Christa Dickenson, Louise Adongo, Sarah Chaudhery and Jake Nicolle. Thank you.

[alexrascanu]

How to Reach Your Potential: An Interview with Jake Nicolle

Jake Nicolle (partner at Rainforest Digital, co-founder of 180 Drums, host of Novel Podcast and international speaker) is taking part in the "How to Reach Your Potential" initiative, a series of 100 interviews with leaders who inspire Alex Rascanu and whose insights can help you reach your potential.

About Jake

Partner at Rainforest Digital and international speaker, Jake Nicolle serves as a product expert, directing the online advertising budgets of companies to the newest emerging platforms in tech, such as Instagram, Amazon or Snapchat. Jake is also the co-founder of 180 Drums, the online music education platform. Over the last 5 years, Jake has emerged as an expert in product development, marketing, business operations, and online branding strategy. In less than a year, he garnered an audience of over 200,000+ social media followers and 2M+ views through his unique online brand development strategy. Jake is also the founder of Novel Podcast, where he interviews top performers across various industries, including Forbes and Fast Company-featured entrepreneurs. Connect with Jake on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and check out his website JakeNicolle.com.

Alex: What is your life’s purpose?

Jake: To leave behind tools that will help others achieve their dreams while realizing that they should do the same.

Alex: What are the three things you’re most passionate about?

Jake: Living a life of faith, building community, and education.

Alex: How do you stay healthy? What’s your main health-related goal?

Jake: I wake up at 5:00 am every day (I try to get at least 7 hours of sleep) and hit the gym with my co-founders, followed by the sauna, a cold plunge and healthy food!

Alex: How do you build wealth? What’s your main financial goal?

Jake: Anti-diversification today, diversification tomorrow... I use forced savings, buy insurance policies that have returns, and invest money in my personal and professional development.

Alex: How do you balance work and family life?

Jake: I put it in my calendar in advance!

Alex: How do you enjoy spending time with family and friends?

Jake: Talking together or sharing a new experience together / learning.

Alex: What has been the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had, or the most fulfilling project you’ve been involved with so far?

Jake: Rainforest Digital is really exciting to me right now. We're helping companies truly understand what's happening on emerging platforms with an emphasis on Amazon. Novel Podcast has also been remarkably rewarding with over 70 interviews banked and amazing relationships having developed. 180 Drums features drummers around the world interact with an exciting online education that features the world's top drummers.

Alex: What’s one career planning lesson that has made a significant difference in your life?

Jake: The most significant career lesson I've ever received is to try and become a master in your 20's and avoid becoming too thin of a generalist.

Alex: What would you like your legacy to be?

Jake: A quiet one, that people rarely, if ever, hear about but has a deep impact in the lives of the impoverished, weak and less fortunate.

Alex: Thank you, Jake, for taking part in the interview and for your insights!

Did you find one or more of Jake's insights helpful? Are there any ideas or resources that came to mind as you read the interview? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below, and consider sharing the interview with a friend via social media or email.

Also, consider checking out the How to Reach Your Potential interviews with Trina Boos, Hamza Khan, James Tjan, Vlad Rascanu, Drew Dudley, Alexandru Holicov, Andrew Mizzoni, Christa Dickenson, Louise Adongo and Sarah Chaudhery. Thank you.

[alexrascanu]

How to Reach Your Potential: An Interview with Sarah Chaudhery

Sarah Chaudhery is taking part in the "How to Reach Your Potential" initiative, a series of 100 interviews with leaders who inspire Alex Rascanu and whose insights can help you reach your potential.

About Sarah

As a 6-year veteran of the Canadian National Rowing Team, Sarah Chaudhery’s (nee Bonikowsky) athletic career includes silver and bronze World Cup medals, two National Championship titles, a fourth place finish at the 2008 Olympic Games and a bronze medal at the 2011 Pan Am Games. Now practicing as a paediatric occupational therapist, Sarah is passionate about encouraging all people, regardless of age or ability to pursue their dreams both inside and outside of sport. Sarah recently published a book about her Olympic experience titled, “The Justified Jock: Faith and the Olympic Journey.”

Check out Sarah’s website and book at www.thejustifiedjock.com, and connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Alex: What is your life’s purpose?

Sarah: Above all else, I believe that every person was created for a purpose. The goal of my life is to find the ways I should be putting my beliefs and my faith into action. If I haven’t made a difference, lived in truth, loved others, and answered my callings, then I haven’t really lived.

Alex: What are the three things you’re most passionate about?

Sarah: At the core of my being, faith is what gives me my purpose in life. If we don’t have hope, we don’t have anything. Often people asked me how I got through Olympic training, competition, huge highs, and even greater lows. All I can say, is that training at that extreme level, broke me down to the point that I literally had to rely on God to get me through each day. It’s what brought me back to my faith.

Secondly, my family! Both my husband and daughter reinforce that purpose and drive. I feel so blessed right now!

Thirdly, I have always had this deep-seated burning desire for real justice and opportunity for people with different abilities. I grew up with a close family friend who has autism, and one of my first jobs as a teenager was working with a boy with Down Syndrome. Those two people changed my life forever!

Alex: How do you stay healthy? What’s your main health-related goal?

Sarah: Oh man… this is hard for me to answer right now as I re-develop this whole side of my life. Exercise used to be such an extreme for me. It bothered me that Olympians were praised for their dedication and commitment, but at the same time the level of activity is at such an unhealthy extreme. Exercise became something that was always quantified, judged, and measured (literally) to the minute. I had to record how many minutes each day I spent in different heart rate zones, and had to make sure I spent 18 hours a week at my base cardio level. That didn’t include sprinting workouts, weight training or pilates. When I retired from rowing, I struggled with really bad migraines. If I didn’t work out fairly regularly and intensely for the first 3 years, I would get these crazy migraines and not even be able to go to work (once for 3 days straight!)

Staying healthy for me has been finding the balance of new motivators; new sports (I have always been crazy about cycling… even before rowing!) and setting new goals that are healthy and appropriate. Then I had a baby and had to change all of that again. Now I’ve gone back to work and had to change it yet again… I’m still learning what healthy looks like with a little person and a job in the mix! I can’t just workout when I want to anymore. Everything has to be planned for! It took me a long time to accept exercise in little pieces. For a long time, if I couldn’t workout for at least an hour, it didn’t ‘count’ for me. And because it didn’t ‘count’, I couldn’t even get started. Now my mindset is like, “Okay. If we go to the park after work, I can put my daughter Zoë in the stroller and I can run there. Maybe today we’ll go to the further park.” I also use an activity monitor to track steps and stairs, something, which I used to think, was ridiculous. But I find it helps me make small choices about taking the longer route, or taking the extra stairs, or parking further away, and hopefully that counts for something, right?

Alex: How do you build wealth? What’s your main financial goal?

Sarah: I think the smartest thing I did was setting up an RESP for Zoë right away and shifting almost all of her baby bonus money into it each month. A little bit goes into our TFSA (we figured that buying a house was worth it for Zoë too!) It took me a long time to start my own RRSP, (I wasn’t eligible as an amateur athlete) but now that’s an automatic withdrawal too. I think if you can make it automatic, then you don’t ‘miss’ the money as much. We also believe strongly in giving at least 10% of our income back to church, and support other charities and causes that are important to us throughout the year. I worked for 3 years in a totally charitable organization, and I raised a lot of my own salary through donations. It taught me that there are different types of investment. At the end of your life, you want to know that you invested in other people. It’s really the best way to maximize your impact. We can’t all be the hands-on well builder in Africa, but think about the change you can affect in a whole community through those that are the hands and feet on the ground! So I guess what I’m coming around to again, is that sense of purpose. If I feel that I have been able to achieve my purpose, to take care of my family and to take care of others, than that’s money well invested!

Alex: How do you balance work and family life?

Sarah: Well… I’m sacrificing a bit of sanity right now, that’s for sure. I have a flexible work schedule, but my husband works the longer hours in the job with the steadier income and benefits. I really admire his ability to just do his job! He’s been at his company for 20 years now! I usually work from about 9:30 – 3:30 (I work in a lot of different schools) and then try to get Zoë early from daycare so we can have some quality time at home together. After she goes to bed, I do my paperwork each night from 9pm – midnight. Sometimes I feel like I’m burning the candle at both ends, but at the same time, I’m also the most productive and creative at night. I kind of enjoy the quiet of the house when everyone’s in bed.

Alex: How do you enjoy spending time with family and friends?

Sarah: My favourite day of all is Saturday morning! My husband Joe makes us breakfast, and we do the crossword together like a bunch of nerds, and Zoë sits on his lap and colours. Oh, and there’s lots of coffee. That’s heaven to me! Also, I grew up in the Mono Cliffs Provincial Park. My family does a lot of hiking together. The Cliffs are very central to us!

Alex: What has been the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had, or the most fulfilling project you’ve been involved with so far?

Sarah: Oh man… that’s a hard one to answer for me. The Olympics defined and changed my life forever in ways I could never have imagined. But at the same time, the experience and the end results were tough. We were fourth in 2008 by 0.72 of a second. Any one thing could have changed that day and we would be medalists.

Next I moved into a role that was definitely a calling and a passion project. I was the Director of Operations for More Than Gold, and facilitated involvement of hundreds of volunteers, churches and organizations in the 2015 Pan Am Games. That was fulfilling and immensely challenging. I learned so much that I will take with me forever. A Director of Operations has to know so many things! I felt vastly underprepared, but the outcomes were so amazing to see.

But now, I feel like I am really living out my dream. I’m finally satisfying that inward, burning desire to work with kids with different abilities that has always been inside of me. All of my kids are so unique and funny and different. Because I work in paediatrics, I see a lot of kids that are still undiagnosed. We are all trying to figure out how to help them be their best, and we aren’t limited by a whole lot of extra info or opinions. It’s a privilege to walk this part of a kids’ life with them.

Alex: What’s one career planning lesson that has made a significant difference in your life?

Sarah: When I retired from sport, all of my coaches were telling me how well set up I would be to find a job. Everyone was telling us that Olympians had all of these great qualities that would make them amazing candidates for any job. All of this is true, however it didn’t play out like that, and doesn’t for most athletes. We sacrifice a lot of real-world experience for sport, and many athletes have put off education as well. I was trying to move into the healthcare field, but I had spent two more years after I graduated, trying out for the 2012 Olympics, and had this gap of practical experience. No one cared about the Olympics… just that I didn’t have 3 – 5 years of direct experience. I put out 50 resumes and didn’t even get one interview.

I learned that careers are just like sports too. You have to build up from the bottom. It’s hard. Experience matters, and you have to earn it. There are no shortcuts. Within my career now, I am very excited about all of the professional development opportunities that are coming up. There’s so much room to grow, and I’m so passionate now about becoming a really good, confident and effective therapist. But they are all skills that need to be practiced!! It was really, really hard to come to terms with being at the very top of one part of my life, and then the very bottom of the next. But if you aren’t willing to acknowledge that, then you might not even get the opportunity to take that first step where you need to start.

Alex: What would you like your legacy to be?

Sarah: I hope the people that I’ve interacted with, and kids that I’ve worked with, will come away with a feeling of hope. I want people to think, “Wow, she really got me. She really listened.” I hope I can continue to start fresh with each person, and never be the person who limits their abilities, but instead lifts them up. I want them to have the same sense of hope and purpose that I’ve found!

Alex: Thank you, Sarah, for taking part in the interview! Thank you for your openness and insights!

Did you find one or more of Sarah's insights helpful? Are there any ideas or resources that came to mind as you read the interview? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below, and consider sharing the interview with a friend via social media or email.

Also, consider checking out the How to Reach Your Potential interviews with Trina Boos, Hamza Khan, James Tjan, Vlad Rascanu, Drew Dudley, Alexandru Holicov, Andrew Mizzoni, Christa Dickenson and Louise Adongo. Thank you.

[alexrascanu]

How to Reach Your Potential: An Interview with Louise Adongo

Louise Adongo has taken part in "How to Reach Your Potential" initiative, a series of 100 interviews with leaders who inspire Alex Rascanu and whose insights can help you reach your potential.

[Also check out our interviews with Trina Boos, Hamza Khan, James Tjan, Vlad Rascanu, Drew Dudley, Alexandru Holicov, Andrew Mizzoni and Christa Dickenson.]

About Louise:

Louise Adongo is Manager of Policy and Corporate Supports at Housing Nova Scotia. A social change agent with strong leadership and collaborative capacity, she has received a GoverNEXT Rising Star award, Minister’s and Premier’s Awards of Excellence, and a Woman of Influence peer-recognition award from the African Canadian Woman in Public Service. She currently sits on the Board of Credit Union Atlantic and the Steering Committee for Brilliant Labs NS. Previously, Louise volunteered on the Board of the Health Association of African Canadians and was a member of the Canadian Centre for Vaccinology’s Health Policy Translation Working Group.

Louise's multi-disciplinary academic background and diverse life and work experiences render her imperfect for siloes. Unafraid to try doing old things differently, she has worked on projects in program development for public and not-for-profit sectors in Nova Scotia and parts of Africa. During her first community development experience, she discovered her passion for social justice and equitable resource use. She has since worked in various research, policy and evaluation roles in provincial government for close to a decade.

An avid reader, traveller and gardener, Louise holds graduate degrees in Biochemistry and Applied Health Services Research. She is cautiously curious about how we might encourage the practice of difficult conversations at the interpersonal and community level, and agrees with the oft-quoted James Baldwin: 'Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.'

Connect with Louise on LinkedIn.

Alex: What is your life’s purpose?

Louise: I ask myself this question about once every 5 years. A friend of mine once called it my quarter-life crisis (which doesn’t quite work but let’s set aside the weird math). Smile. I am of Christian faith and often find the passage Philippians 4:8 great for helping me focus and get re-centered when I feel that I have lost focus for myriad possible reasons.

In my most recent go around with this question while I was out for a run training for a 10k race, I thought about what makes me happy, what motivates me and when I feel most confident. It drew me to the following statement which I hope while succinct captures the depth and breadth of how I want to live: “Honour myself by honouring others.”

Alex: What are the three things you’re most passionate about?

Louise: Collaboration, Inclusion and Innovation.

Alex: How do you stay healthy? What’s your main health-related goal?

Louise: I run, bike and hike as often as I can when the weather is accommodating and I also work out (love kettlebells at the moment). And my main health related goal is balance – body, mind and spirit.

Alex: How do you build wealth?

Louise: This is an interesting question or maybe just the timing is interesting. My friend Nnamdi Oranye is part of the African diaspora asking questions about how we might spur (more) innovation in Africa and see the benefits of disruptions found across the globe. As part of that he wrote an Op Ed: The Tipping Point for African Innovation.

[…] opportune time for African innovation … “the question is why? The answer often lies in our own understanding of ourselves and how we assess what we value." […]

- excerpt from Nnamdi’s Op Ed

In response to the question, “What do you think are the weaknesses of the African continent when it comes to making a difference in terms of innovation. Some say that the heavily reliance on a single commodity such as minerals. What could be other factors and what could be done about it?” that was posted in promotions for this Op Ed on LinkedIn, one commenter said something that really resonated with me:

“We need to understand the difference between 'making money' and 'creating wealth'. We tend to think that they are the same. And so, our business behaviour, from CEO to vendor is to grasp at the opportunity to 'make money'. This results in short-term thinking, which stands in the way of innovation. What is in the way is not education, a focus on minerals etc. It is our philosophical orientation to business and life that needs to change.”

Alex: What’s your main financial goal?

Louise: Another great question, I have had an opportunity to develop greater financial literacy as a member of the board of a credit union. But on a more personal level, in part as I felt the overwhelmingness of my student loans in times of under-employment, I have reflected on my relationship with money and debt. I love watching Gail Vaz Oxlade’s shows on TV. But probably the biggest eye-opener for me in my setting of financial goals was reading Kate Northrup’s book Money: A Love Story. (I mean she even encourages us to call our bills invoices for blessings already received!)

In short, my main financial goal is to continue to be curious about, and therefore hopefully continue to resolve my limiting beliefs about money. Whether it is earning it, spending it or investing it.

Alex: How do you balance work and family life?

Louise: Not well is the short answer, and it is something that will probably always remain on my “do better at” list as there is likely always going to more I can do to be present more both at work and with my loved ones.

However, recently at the FCI-CWI Women's Leadership conference, a speaker spoke of “work-life integration” rather than work/life balance which is quite mythical, if anything it is to be gleaned from the laughter I heard in the room when she spoke of not ever finding work/life balance and introduced the new term.

Alex: How do you enjoy spending time with family and friends?

Louise: Oh, so many ways but maybe the easiest way to talk about how I enjoy time is to consider that I love words and I love conversation. So, there is a sacred place for ‘snail mail’ in my heart and I am in a few book clubs. I also enjoy cooking meals with friends and sharing a laugh over after work socials. Sometimes when I have not connected with a friend in a while I like to go hiking, visit local markets (farmers' or craft) or spend way too long chatting at home on a comfy couch or in a café. I am also quite adventurous so my friends and family know I am often game to try out new activities with them.

Alex: What has been the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had, or the most fulfilling project you’ve been involved with so far?

Louise: It is difficult to just think of one. I have been fortunate to work on a number of great projects.

I am proud of work I did with Ann Divine, a great mentor and friend at the NS Human Rights Commission and in amplifying voices of Black and Immigrant Women through International Women’s Day (March 8th) events in 2008 and 2014.

In 2015, I worked with Chantal Brine to host an event for women and girls with Vicky Saunders, founder of SheEO. This was fulfilling because among many things I witnessed her ‘walking the talk’ regarding radical generosity when she responded to my ‘cold-call’ reach out on LinkedIn on a completely different project which led to that event.

I also felt proud of the contribution I made in my board role at CUA where I provided input to the 2016 Annual Community Impact plan and supported the proposed subcommittee name change from Governance and CSR to Governance and Community Impact.

I could say more in terms of conversations about needs to create opportunities to strengthen digital literacy among Black and First Nations youth, that led to my role on the Nova Scotia Brilliant Labs steering committee or “that one time,” smile when I advocated to another great friend and mentor Sylvia Parris to bring Kimberly Bryant to Halifax to speak to members of the African Canadian Women in Public Service, and cross-sectoral senior leadership, as a role-model for visibility in the ICT sector. All of these roles and projects have been quite fulfilling.

And I cannot wait to see the fruits of these efforts as I look to the future and think about work I would like to do to support the movement of having more women, and for me specifically diverse representation in boards across all sectors. I am inspired to do this by Kathleen Taylor's words at the opening plenary of 2017’s Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference, where she said, regarding increased diversity of boards, that “diversity on boards was not a supply problem…”. I am also motivated to see what might be in this work by the Deborah Gillis at the Oct 24th Nova Scotia Status of Women 40th anniversary celebration, shared about what change/progress is happening and is still to come.

Alex: What’s one career planning lesson that has made a significant difference in your life?

Louise: Again, I can’t only think of one but I promise to only share two. Smile.

Ann Divine very early in my career encouraged me to keep a record of my professional achievements and to track them by the leadership competencies I exhibited. I have since added contacts/ references who can verify what I document. It has been a very useful personal and professional record, especially on days when things don’t go as well as I might like. And it has also been a great confidence booster as I see my growth and trajectory.

My second lesson has been from Eleanor Beaton , who has a really great podcast that I would encourage anyone who wants to learn the ‘how tos’ of Fierce Feminine Leadership to subscribe to her podcast. Eleanor has a wealth of information on what holds women back from achieving their self-defined goals and she speaks from a place of personal and professional experience in a way that resonates with me at different times through any given year and leaves me with clear next steps and action items that don’t feel overwhelming to execute. My lesson from her was to be aware of the hot mess that happens when one up-levels. And recognize that it is part of becoming the person that I need to be at this new level experience.

Ok I might have one more.And that is FOCUS, to acknowledge that my sphere of interest versus my sphere of influence are not the same size. Many people tell me this.

Alex: What would you like your legacy to be?

Louise: If I think of legacy as what I want people saying about me when I am not in the room, or what would be written on my epitaph. Then I want my legacy to be “she persisted” [smile].

And "She had conversations with people and asked questions that shed light on what is possible were we to work in a "fresh" way. Once people saw the possible, it became actionable as people "yearned for the vast and endless sea"."

Alex: Thank you so much for taking part in this interview, Louise! You're such an inspiration! Your insights and openness are much appreciated.

[alexrascanu]

How to Reach Your Potential: An Interview with Christa Dickenson

Christa Dickenson is one of the 100 leaders who is taking part in the “How to Reach Your Potential” interview series.

About Christa

Christa Dickenson is President & CEO of Interactive Ontario (IO) and Chair of Canadian Interactive Alliance – Alliance Interactive Canadienne. Christa has developed strong relationships with domestic and foreign trade organizations and with government agencies and departments, refocused programs to more effectively meet the needs of IO’s diverse membership and is a tireless advocate for the interactive digital media industry. With her brand advocacy expertise honed over many years, she is a highly effective policy advocate. Christa has had a successful career spanning digital media, broadcast television, technology and telecommunications, she worked at CPAC, CTV and Rogers. Christa possesses an unparalleled talent for innovation coupled with a strong business acumen.

Connect with Christa on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Alex: What is your life’s purpose? Christa: To have contributed to society, even be it in some small way.

Alex: What are the three things you’re most passionate about? Christa:

Global citizenship

Continued learning and self-improvement

Stand-up for oneself and those who may not be able to

Alex: How do you stay healthy? What’s your main health-related goal? Christa: To be frank, the importance of health came to me at a late age. I fear that I’ve been one of those that has taken good health for granted in the first decades of my life. I’ve been remiss in exercising regularly until recently. I sleep better and am less stressed, thanks to more regular visits to the gym.

Alex: How do you build wealth? What’s your main financial goal? Christa: Patiently! Seriously, I think it is about ensuring that your wealth is diversified. That said, I’m a strong believer in the value of real-estate.

Alex: How do you balance work and family life? Christa: To remember that the small things matter sometimes the most and should be savoured with family. I put in the extra hours that my role demands, early in the morning, while the rest of the household is still sleeping. That way when the first family member wakes up, I’m able to share those special little moments with them over a cup of coffee… I work 7 days a week. However, when I go on holiday with my family, I unplug completely.

Alex: How do you enjoy spending time with family and friends? Christa: Now that our kids are teenagers, it is about constantly finding outings that we all can enjoy as a family. There are a ton of things for us to do together; especially in a great world-class city like Toronto, from walking through the Evergreen Brick Works to doing the CN Edge walk. We all our passionate of world travel as well. My husband and I love walking our dog, Russel.

Alex: What has been the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had, or the most fulfilling project you’ve been involved with so far? Christa: Work and life is a series of new experiences and roles. In the moment, I often feel that I’m at the height of my career or my personal life. But that thought-process is simply put quite naïve. I don’t think I’ve yet experienced the most fulfilling role.

Alex: What’s one career planning lesson that has made a significant difference in your life? Christa: There is no question, that the single biggest advantage in my career has been the willingness to take risks. Because of that attitude, I’ve taken an untraditional route which has proven to be unique and successful for my career. I love being distinct. I think we all are and should embrace our unique individual identity as an advantage.

Alex: What would you like your legacy to be? Christa: To be remembered by family, friends and colleagues as a strong clear and fair voice, no matter what the issue.

Alex: Any final thought? Christa: Yes, being a strong listener is both professional and one of the most beautiful qualities of a human being.

Alex: Thank you for taking part in this interview! You're an inspiration and your openness is much appreciated.

We encourage you to share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below. Alternatively, feel free to send us an email using the contact us form on the Rascanu.com website.

[alexrascanu]

How to Reach Your Potential: An Interview with Andrew Mizzoni

Andrew Mizzoni is one of the 100 leaders who is taking part in the “How to Reach Your Potential” interview series.

About Andrew

It's not often you meet someone who displays such quiet grace and inner fortitude in the face of immense personal hardship. Diagnosed with cancer when he was only nine years old, Andrew Mizzoni overcame the illness twice. He so bravely accepted his treatments, surgeries, and the loss of his left eye with a wisdom and maturity beyond his years.

Andrew's story has not gone unnoticed. The Have a Heart for SickKids radio-thon featured Andrew's story on three of Toronto's top radio stations, which set a North American record for funds raised.

He was named the Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year, 2015 Next Generation Award recipient by the Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association, and has been recognized as one of the five top individuals in Canada who are making a difference in the lives of Canadian children by Today's Parent Magazine. To date, Andrew's fund, The Andrew Mizzoni Cancer Research Fund, has raised over $500,000 to support paediatric cancer research at The Hospital for Sick Children.

Andrew now dedicates his efforts to his real estate business. As a decorated Real Estate Broker and Investor, Andrew helps hundreds of clients satisfy their property dreams along with his team, the KGM Real Estate Team. When he is not working, Andrew enjoys spending time with his wife, reading, writing, fitness and playing sports, coaching high school basketball, serving in the community, watching the Toronto Raptors, travelling, movies, and spending time with family and friends.

Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, or visit his real estate team's website at kgmteam.ca.

Alex: What is your life’s purpose?

Andrew: My life’s purpose is to make a difference! To leave this place better than how I found it. I was a blessed with a very unique life and have overcome many hardships growing up for a reason. It’s all apart of a master plan.

Alex: What are the three things you’re most passionate about?

Andrew: My faith, my family, fitness and my vocation…Oops that’s 4 things.

Alex: How do you stay healthy? What’s your main health-related goal?

Andrew: A lot of people have a choice whether they want to workout, eat well and live healthy lifestyles. I don’t! Undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments as a child has put me at a greater risk of having health issues as an adult. Every few years I have a brain MRI, and testing for my heart, hearing and thyroid before visiting my Oncologist at Princess Margaret Hospital for a follow up. For the last 10 years, I have been exercising 5 times a week, playing sports such as basketball and golf, enjoy leisure walks and eat organic and natural foods. I find that the key to receiving fitness results is having a specific goal of what you desire to achieve. I aim to have a healthy body inside and out, mind and spirit. It’s not always easy to get up and workout when hitting the snooze button sounds like a better option, but you have to push yourself. I am blessed to come from a family with generations of athletes. My father involved me and my two brothers in various sports and exercises as a child. I played competitive hockey and basketball along with golf, baseball and track and field. In grade 8 I was named “Male Athlete of The Year” like my father before me. I played basketball one week after losing my eye to cancer and played hockey as a goalie one month afterwards. Never Give Up!

Alex: How do you build wealth? What’s your main financial goal?

Andrew: I have always been intrigued with business, and when I was 12 years old I operated a car wash business in my neighbourhood. Today, I have a great career as a real estate broker, one of the top in my field. As one of the youngest people to receive their real estate licence I do work hard, sacrifice and do whatever it takes to succeed. Last year I received the diamond sales award for my sales volume, which correlates to satisfying many clients in the process.

One of my most recent transactions was one of the highest priced condo sales in Toronto's real estate history. Along with my team, KGM Real Estate team, I work with builders/developers and offer my clients first access to new developments. We have sold as many as 20 homes/condos in a weekend. But that is income, and income alone doesn’t make you rich.

I purchased my first real estate investment property when I was 19 with only $5,000 to my name. I didn’t know how I would make the rest of the payments, but I did. Today I am sole owner or partner in almost a dozen residential properties. How did I do it? I “bloomed where I was planted,” invested in what I knew, and learned from great mentors who have done it before me.

If you have ever seen the movie Forrest Gump, there is a part where Tom Hank’s character Forrest receives a letter from a fruit company that Forrest’s friend Lieutenant Dan invested in. The company was, in fact, Apple Computers and Forrest later got a call from them saying that “he doesn’t have to worry about money no more." Forrest responded, “That’s good, one less thing to worry about." That’s my financial goal, independence. Being able to give abundantly, travel, and invest freely.

Lately, I have been focusing on exciting opportunities involving commercial real estate and apartment buildings.

After beating cancer as a child, I have since felt that there is nothing that I cannot achieve, no dream too big!

Alex: How do you balance work and family life?

Andrew: For me, finding balance is key and always challenging. Working in the real estate industry my phone can ring at any time of the day, and I really mean it. In today’s world, you're constantly reachable through technology so I try to set certain times evenings or weekends to check my messages so I’m not distracted during family activities or date nights with my wife. I also take the time to clear my mind when stress builds up through personal yoga sessions, nature walking or playing basketball.

I set weekly goals in 5 fields: Health & Fitness, Spirituality, Vocation, Relationships, and Professional/Personal Development. This allows me to stay balanced.

Life at times will cause you to get unbalanced, which is natural but only for a season. It’s very important to get back to living a balanced life over the long haul.

Alex: How do you enjoy spending time with family and friends?

Andrew: I love spending time with family and friends, holiday’s and most recently hosting my loved ones. My family and friends are always close by. Firstly, my wife and I have date nights and enjoy planning weekend getaways and vacations. We typically see our families through the week, during planned dinners and get-togethers. A lot of our friends I see weekly at church services. On Saturdays, I organize breakfast with two of my best friends. And I catch a Toronto Raptors basketball game once a month with one of my mentors. So thankfully there's always someone there to turn to, learn from, and share experiences with.

Alex: What has been the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had, or the most fulfilling project you’ve been involved with so far?

Andrew: The most fulfilling times in my life are when I've worked in a team and achieved something great after overcoming hardships. Whether it be selling a multi-million-dollar property, missions trips overseas, or raising money for charity. I often think that I am difficult to work with or for, as I am very demanding, expect positivity, and have big dreams. Treating my co-workers with love and understanding of where they're coming from is something I try to improve on daily.

Alex: What’s one career planning lesson that has made a significant difference in your life?

Andrew: Some of my favourite lessons can be summarized in these quotes:

- “Success in real estate is all about building relationships”

- “Bloom where you are planted”

- “Always be able to close”

- “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” (Theodore Roosevelt)

Alex: What would you like your legacy to be?

Andrew: At the end of my days I would like to be known for the inspiration I left those after me, including the love I shared and my faith in God.

Alex: Andrew, thank you for taking part in this interview! Your openness and insights are much appreciated!

Did you find one or more of Andrew's insights helpful? Are there any ideas or resources that came to mind as you read the interview? Know someone we should interview? We encourage you to share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below. Alternatively, feel free to send us an email using our contact us form.

We encourage you to share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below. Alternatively, feel free to send us an email using the contact us form on the Rascanu.com website.

[alexrascanu]

How to Reach Your Potential: An Interview with Alexandru Holicov

Alexandru Holicov is one of the 100 leaders who is taking part in the “How to Reach Your Potential” interview series.

About Alexandru

Alexandru Holicov is the Founder & CEO of the educational technology platform Adservio, which operates in Romania and Republic of Moldova.

Alexandru graduated with a Business/Managerial Economics degree from Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Iasi, Romania.

While still in his teens, Alexandru started a leasing company. His next venture was in the real estate field. Adservio’s story started in 2008; this time he had by his side a partner, his cousin Ștefan Holicov. The company has grown to be leading solution in Romania's educational technology market by improving communication between students, parents, teachers and government authorities.

Alexandru is an inspiring colleague for his team, and a calm and determined leader. He treats his team members with respect, knowing that if you take care of your employees they will take care of your clients. He's also guided by the idea that it's worth investing time and money in hiring highly intelligent team members because they'll have the ability to organize themselves instead of needing to have someone tell them what to do.

Connect with Alexandru Holicov on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Medium.

About Adservio

Adservio is the online school management platform which connects all persons and institutions involved in the act of education by giving them access to school information (grades, absences, exemptions, observations, statistics, reports etc.) anytime and anywhere. Adservio has been implemented so over 100 schools in Romania and Republic of Moldova.

For over 9 years Adservio has been investing in Romanian education and positive effects can already be seen in schools where the solution is used every day:

All parties involved have become more responsible for the act of teaching;

Parents, teachers and students are more involved in the educational process;

In some schools there are up to 63% fewer absences;

The average per institution has increased by 1 point; and

The results of national tests have improved.

All these advantages promote Adservio as the number 1 educational management solution in Romania. The company’s main objective is to add technology in the educational process, to eliminate bureaucracy in schools and to easily give access to unified school info to parents, pupils and teachers.

Alexandru Holicov is looking to accelerate the business so it will reach its full potential and become an international company. They are seeking investors that will help them expand across borders. They are also looking to grow their team and hire new team members that will help them improve the platform and its related services. Learn more about Adservio at Adservio.ro/en.

Alex: What is your life’s purpose?

Alexandru: To conquer! Not the world, but happiness! My overall wish would be health and fulfillment! The achievement and the way we perceive happiness is a subjective matter, so for me professional fulfillment is essential and my family’s wellbeing is my main purpose in life.

Alex: What are the three things you’re most passionate about?

Alexandru: Entrepreneurship, travelling and tennis.

Alex: How do you stay healthy? What’s your main health-related goal?

Alexandru: To be honest, I barely eat; my schedule is so tight that I usually have one meal per day and I guess this diet is keeping me in shape. Soon, I’ll become like those who nurture themselves with just air and sunlight! I’m joking! As per health-related goals, I’d say that I would like to become vegetarian; I don’t fancy meat so much, so it won’t be difficult at all! I would also like to dedicate more time to exercising or practicing tennis.

Alex: How do you build wealth? What’s your main financial goal?

Alexandru: Work, work, work… pretty much, I’m working all day: managing our company, investing, venturing in a variety of directions and keeping the big picture in sight. All these key ingredients add up and create wealth. I wouldn’t say that I have a specific financial goal, as long as I end up building enough wealth to invest in the best education for my children, my personal development and why not, making this world a better place.

Alex: How do you balance work and family life?

Alexandru: That’s the biggest challenge and I have to admit I’m not always succeeding. Luckily I receive a lot of support from my family as I try to be pro-active in all the important matters and be next to them whenever they need me. One of my personal goals is to dedicate more time to my dear ones and I’m still searching for the optimal solution to balance these two aspects of my life.

Alex: How do you enjoy spending time with family and friends?

Alexandru: Exploring our wonderful country, cooking with my wife, practicing tennis with my son, playing interactive games to develop his creativity, going to football with my friends, and organizing BBQs.

Alex: What has been the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had, or the most fulfilling project you’ve been involved with so far?

Alexandru: Fatherhood! There’s nothing greater than the ability to shape and educate a human being! In my professional life, it’s quite the same; I dedicate the same passion to all my projects and I am fulfilled by every single one of them.

Alex: What’s one career planning lesson that has made a significant difference in your life?

Alexandru: Having a clear goal, putting a lot of passion and effort in achieving it, and believing in yourself.

Alex: What would you like your legacy to be?

Alexandru: A better education for Romania, thanks to our Adservio project, and two joyful human beings – my children!

Alex: Thank you for taking part in this interview! Your insights are much appreciated!

We encourage you to share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below. Alternatively, feel free to send us an email using the contact us form on the Rascanu.com website.

[alexrascanu]

How to Reach Your Potential: An Interview with Drew Dudley

Drew Dudley is one of the 100 leaders who is taking part in the “How to Reach Your Potential” interview series.

About Drew

Drew Dudley is the founder of Day One Leadership, which helps organizations around the world increase their leadership capacity. Prior to founding Day One, he served as Director of one of Canada’s largest leadership development programs at the University of Toronto. Drew has spoken to over 250,000 people on 5 continents, been featured on The Huffington Post, Radio America, Forbes.com, and TED.com. His TED talk has been voted “one of the 15 most inspirational TED talks of all time” and has been named by Time, Inc., and Business Insider Magazines as one of their “ten speeches that will make you a better leader”. Connect with Drew on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and visit his website DrewDudley.com.

Alex: What is your life’s purpose?

Drew: My life’s purpose is to share ideas that change people.

Alex: What are the three things you’re most passionate about?

Drew: The opportunity to have one hour of an audience’s time

The writing of Aaron Sorkin

Long drives that avoid all major highways

Alex: How do you stay healthy? What’s your main health-related goal?

Drew: I imagine that today is the first day of my life, and starting today, on Day One, I get to build myself into the person I want to be physically, socially, intellectually, and emotionally. I identify the key things I’d have to do on that first day to start becoming that person, and then I ensure I do those key things every day. They are non-negotiable – I have to make time for them.

In order to do that I adopt a philosophy that is tremendously at odds with the glorified “hustle culture” of today: I believe that if I work more than 40 hours per week I have failed myself. In order to make time for the things that make me healthy in the most important aspects of my life, work cannot take up more than 40 hours. That requires the perspective that in working more than that I’m disrespecting myself, and the discipline to stick to that.

Alex: How do you build wealth? What’s your main financial goal?

Drew: I don’t have a primary financial goal. Money and titles make terrible life goals because you’re not in charge of either one of them. How hard you work, and how well you work, will always play a role in how much money you make. But as long as you work for someone else (and most of us will spend most of our lives working for someone else), how much money you make is someone else’s decision. If you get promoted or more opportunities, it’s because someone else is in a position to deliver that to you. If we tie our life goals to someone else’s whims, it’s tremendously disempowering.

True personal leadership and success comes from recognizing that wealth, respect, and influence should not be goals in-and-of themselves. Rather, they are the natural by-products that come to people who find a way to add tremendous value in every single interpersonal interaction of which they are a part. I have no goal – financial or otherwise- except to do just that. That means the primary goal in my life is in no way dependent on anyone but me.

Wealth is not a goal, it’s a by-product. Since I adopted that philosophy my wealth, prestige, and happiness have increased exponentially.

Alex: How do you balance work and family life?

Drew: The woman I loved recently passed away suddenly, so currently I am single without children, so I don’t have a traditional “family life” to balance with work. The key balance I aim to strike right now is between activities that provide me with energy vs. those that take it from me. What’s interesting is that certain activities can be in either category at different times. Sometimes speaking, writing and travelling is tremendously energizing for me – I feel profoundly alive and healthy when I’m doing it. Other times it starts to wear me down and make me feel drained. The very same thing is true about spending time with friends, or working out, or spending time alone. The key is to be attuned to which category any given activity is in at any given time, and how it may be changing. Then you adjust the ratio of the various activities. “Balance” isn’t about how much time you spend working vs. not-working, it’s about how much time you spend in energy-gaining vs. energy-draining activities.

Alex: Sorry to hear about her passing... How do you enjoy spending time with family and friends?

Drew: I’m often on the road, so there are three key ways I aim to connect with my friends in a meaningful way: baseball games, walking/hiking, and road trips. Each one allows for a dedicated amount of time together where we’re doing something that entertains, strengthens, or educates us. When you share experiences like that with people, it connects you together more strongly.

Alex: What has been the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had, or the most fulfilling project you’ve been involved with so far?

Drew: The most important role any of us will play is as CEO of our own lives. A CEO is responsible for the day-to-day activities of an organization, and their primary responsibility is to ensure the organization’s health and growth. Most major organizations have a Board of Directors whose job it is to provide guidance and support to the CEO (our families, friends and mentors), but it’s our job as CEO of our own lives to make the decisions that keep ourselves happy and healthy.

Being CEO of my own life has been a profoundly difficult and rewarding experience for me. I’ve experienced some profound failures: I didn’t acknowledge my mental illness and seek help, I refused to accept that I was powerless over alcohol, and I consistently made decisions that led me to put on weight and remain tremendously unhealthy. It was during these failures that the Board of Directors I had chosen helped me recognize my mistakes and empower me to adjust course. Ultimately I was the one who determined and implemented the changes I was going to make, but it was my support system who made that possible.

Being CEO of my own life has been a powerful experience, and it is one that no one can avoid. I’ve come to realize that one of the most important steps you can take is to carefully select the Board of Directors with whom you surround yourself.

Alex: What’s one career planning lesson that has made a significant difference in your life?

Drew: I believe the key to achieving anything in life—health, business success, athletic accomplishments—is a particular philosophy: This Is Day One.

It emerged from my experience dealing with alcohol addiction: in recovery, you learn that if you don’t want to have a drink for the rest of your life, you have to choose not to have a drink today. That’s the single, foundational decision that has to be made on Day One. Then you have to treat each and every day of your recovery like it’s the first day. If you screw up, that’s okay, everyone screws up on Day One. If you’ve been sober for 20 years? Doesn’t matter – you have to treat today as if it’s Day One so you never get complacent.

I’ve had a lot of Day One’s in my life: Day One without alcohol, Day One running my own company, Day One publicly acknowledging I battle with mental illness, Day One of losing over 100 pounds. The key to success in each of them is to identify the key foundational decisions that have to occur on the first day of the journey, and making sure you live them each day. What you’ll be capable of on the 100th version of Day One will be significantly more impressive than on your 1st version, but each day must be treated like it’s the first. It allows you to forgive yourself and start over after a screwup and keeps you from becoming complacent and forgetting the foundational behaviours that got you there when you achieve some success.

“This Is Day One” reminds me not to worry about five-year goals, but instead focus on creating five-year momentum. There’s a lot of uncertainty in life and business, but unfortunately all too often, when we don’t know what the future holds, we tread water. We’re afraid to move forward for fear that it’s going to be in the wrong direction. However, it’s better to be decisive than certain in life. My work focuses on helping people figure out what they want to stand for as people each day, and making sure they engage in the foundational behaviours that help them live up to that, each day. In doing so, you are always moving forward, even if you aren’t certain where you’re going to end up.

Alex: What would you like your legacy to be?

Drew: When my name is spoken out loud in a room in which I’m not standing, I’d like the people who hear it to smile.

Alex: Thank you for taking part in this interview! Your candor and insights are much appreciated!

We encourage you to share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below. Alternatively, feel free to send us an email using the contact us form on the Rascanu.com website.

[alexrascanu]

How to Reach Your Potential: An Interview with Vlad Rascanu

Vlad Rascanu is one of the 100 leaders who is taking part in the “How to Reach Your Potential” interview series.

About Vlad

Vlad Rascanu is a veteran in the digital marketing space with nearly a decade of experience running digital marketing campaigns for some of North America's largest brands. Some of the more notable clients in his portfolio of over 100 brands that he has helped to date include Canada Revenue Agency, Expedia, The Keg, Postmedia, Second Cup, CDIC, and Easy Financial.

Vlad recently founded Digitally Savvy after successfully selling his first agency, 80 Proof Digital. Digitally Savvy helps companies from a wide range of industries to increase their visibility online in an effort to grow their traffic and leads/sales. In addition, through Digitally Savvy, Vlad is also managing a portfolio of its own websites.

Vlad graduated from University of Toronto’s Bachelor of Business Administration program in 2009 and lives in Toronto, Canada. When he’s not working on his clients or his websites, he can be found playing or watching football or hanging out with his friends. Connect with him on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Alex: What is your life’s purpose?

Vlad: To learn and grow every day and to be a better version of myself with each day that passes. That will allow me to always be the best version of myself regardless of whether it will be from the capacity of a friend, co-workers or husband.

Alex: What are the three things you’re most passionate about?

Vlad: Digital Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Sports. Digital Marketing because it’s a field I can experiment in and learn something new every single day. I’m passionate about entrepreneurship because I love meeting like-minded people and I find myself being able to connect with other fellow entrepreneurs the most. It’s a great community filled with ambitious people that are all trying to pioneer things in their own industries and that are often more than happy to share their own knowledge and resources and help out other fellow entrepreneurs. I tend to be very competitive in everything that I do and I think that trait partially came from being obsessed with watching and playing different sports. I primarily watch and play football (soccer), but will occasionally watch/play other sports as well.

Alex: How do you stay healthy? What’s your main health-related goal?

Vlad: I go to the gym twice a week, go for runs 1–2 a week, play football once a week and I eat as healthy as I possibly can. Health is very important so I like to put it as a priority. My goal would be to have time to play football more often.

Alex: How do you build wealth? What’s your main financial goal?

Vlad: Strictly online. I’ve tried investing in the stock market and in physical businesses in the past and failed every time. Ever since those experiences, I made a promise to myself to only stick to things that I know very well and that’s online. Ever since then I’ve kept true to my promise and things have worked out very well. My main financial goal is to have enough money to do the things I love the most as much as possible while working on the things I don’t enjoy as little as possible. My happiness in life comes from 3 things: health because without health you can’t enjoy anything, relationships with family and friends and freedom to do the things I enjoy doing. Becoming wealthy for me is not a goal, just an enabler that would allow me to have the 3 things that will make me happy.

Alex: How do you balance work and family life?

Vlad: Much more easily since I started Digitally Savvy. While building up 80 Proof Digital I used to work 14–16 hours a day and that was taking a toll on my health and relationships. Now I’m much more careful and balanced with my work life and personal life.

Alex: How do you enjoy spending time with family and friends?

Vlad: I love food and movies so as long as one or both these elements are involved I’m super happy and they usually are involved. Travelling to at least 2 new destinations every single year is another goal of mine and have been meeting this goal of mine for many years already. I always come back from my travels with more energy than when I left. It really helps me refocus on what’s important and refresh my mind.

Alex: What has been the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had, or the most fulfilling project you’ve been involved with so far?

Vlad: Founder of 80 Proof Digital, because I’ve only launched Digitally Savvy for 3 months so it’s still too early to be able to say that I’ve had any great milestones or noteworthy accomplishments. While at 80 Proof Digital I was able to jumpstart many people’s career in the industry and that was the most rewarding experience for me. I often hired people with very little or no experience in the industry, but who were very intelligent and eager to learn, and was able to teach them very quickly and give them enough experience in the digital marketing space that they would become proficient at their job very quickly.

Alex: What’s one career planning lesson that has made a significant difference in your life?

Vlad: I started at the bottom and always took everything step by step and always made very calculated changes in my career. I never chased money, but mainly experiences to continue learning and growing and that has proved to be essential in my career. I often see people trying to take shortcuts to the top, people changing companies for a few extra dollars, and people looking for instant gratification in their career. Nothing’s more gratifying and longer lasting then starting at the bottom in an industry and working your way up gradually and learning everything there is to learn along the way.

Alex: What would you like your legacy to be?

Vlad: I hope that people will look at the time we crossed paths at some point in our lives as a pleasant and enriching experience through which I was able to either inspire, help them or at the very least share a happy memory together.

Alex: Thank you for taking part in this interview! Your openness and insights are much appreciated!

Did you find one or more of Vlad’s insights helpful? Are there any ideas or resources that came to mind as you read the interview? Know someone we should interview?

We encourage you to share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below. Alternatively, feel free to send us an email using the contact us form on the Rascanu.com website.

[alexrascanu]

How to Reach Your Potential: An Interview with James Tjan

James Tjan is taking part in "How to Reach Your Potential," a series of 100 interviews with leaders who inspire Alex Rascanu and whose insights can help you reach your potential.

Meet James

James Tjan is the Founder and CEO of Mindful Snacks, a provider of healthy snacks and beverages servicing some of the most notable companies in Ontario and the East Coast, including Google, LinkedIn, eBay, and many more. The company is based in Mississauga and recently celebrated its fifth year milestone. Tjan founded Mindful Snacks following four successful years with Freshii, first as Director of Operations, and later as Vice President, Purchasing and Product Innovation, where he managed over $10 million in global purchasing annually. In his time with Freshii, he led menu development and franchising, and oversaw the rebranding of the company, helping it to grow from 8 to 50 locations in cities in Canada, the US, Austria and Dubai, with pre-sales of 300 franchises that will open over the next decade. James graduated from Ryerson University’s Hospitality program in 2003 and lives in Toronto with his wife, Alice. When he’s not out strategizing on building his business, he can be found trying new restaurant destinations in the city with his closest friends and family, or finding time to create new culinary dishes at home.

Alex: What is your life’s purpose? James: To live the fullest life possible. To have experienced cancer at the age of 21, and to have lost the ability to walk and feed myself on my own during that time was extremely frightening, but it served to remind me each day to never take things in life for granted. Be thankful for everything that has been given to me and to give back to the community whenever possible.

Alex: What are the three things you’re most passionate about? James: 1. Food – exploring new cuisines, ingredients and the latest upcoming restaurants. 2. Travel – checking our exotic destinations and learning about different cultures. 3. Music – I grew up playing the piano and trumpet, and I really enjoy listening to jazz

Alex: How do you stay healthy? What’s your main health-related goal? James: My goal is to strive to remain healthy, both physically and mentally, so that I never need to look back or worry that cancer may be a possibility again. I wish I had more time to hit the gym or get more exercise. The reality is that when you run a startup business that is fairly young, it can take up a lot of your time. However, I can’t say I sit in a chair all day. The business requires for me to get pretty physical ensuring operations is running smoothly in the warehouse, shipments are ready to move out, unloading skids of products from our vendors and distributors and constantly meeting with new clients or suppliers to ensure the business is growing and running smoothly. This requires a lot of energy and I’m grateful that I’m healthy enough with a very high metabolism. My wife and I live a busy lifestyle as entrepreneurs so coming home from work and preparing a healthy meal can also be challenging. However, we try to use as many resources as we can to eat healthy. We subscribe to a fantastic food service called HelloFresh that delivers freshly prepared ingredients with a recipe card for fully proportioned meals weekly. It’s very convenient and best of all, it’s healthy.

Alex: How do you build wealth? What’s your main financial goal? James: During my early childhood, my parents really set a good example and always reminded me, my brother and my sister to save and put money aside. I’m lucky to have started at an early age and I continue to do this. Building a new business can be one of life’s most challenging experiences and ensuring you have enough cash flow will either make or break you. Taking some of these values that my parents instilled in me has made me more disciplined in my personal spending and savings. Financially, on the business side, my goal is to continue to grow the company and eventually expand across the country. We have had tremendous growth in the last 6-12 months at Mindful Snacks. Being the Founder and CEO of the company, the success of the business will ultimately dictate the capacity of how much time I can spend doing the things I’m most passionate about. Being wealthy can only bring so much happiness in life. As long as I can incorporate food, travel and music into my daily life, I am satisfied.

Alex: How do you balance work and family life? James: As my wife works in the business with me, it can sometimes be tough trying to separate work from personal time. We dedicate many hours to work each day, but we try and our best to not talk about work once we are home. Early on when the business just launched, we would typically be at the office 7 days a week. Today, we ensure we take one full day on the weekend for ourselves.

Alex: How do you enjoy spending time with family and friends? James: Being able to spend time with family and friends over a great meal and wine, or traveling to a new destination and just kicking back and relaxing are my all time favourites. That’s probably when I’m most relaxed and able to enjoy myself.

Alex: What has been the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had, or the most fulfilling project you’ve been involved with so far? James: I would have to say now being a Founder and CEO of your own company is the most fulfilling role I’ve had thus far. There are ups and downs in growing a business and several moving parts that I have to manage on any given day. However, working with an amazing team and seeing where we can take the company is exciting. We just hit our 5-year anniversary and looking back to how Mindful Snacks started and where we are today is one of the most fulfilling experiences to date.

Alex: What’s one career planning lesson that has made a significant difference in your life? James: Volunteer work can really help to promote real life values and experiences that can be applied later in life and to any job. An example is when I had wanted to work in a kitchen as a cook but I didn’t have any chef accreditation or culinary training. All I knew was that I loved to cook and knew if I was given the chance, I could prove to be really good. I offered to volunteer over 250 hours to my university’s international conference center during my school years and continued to do so until the executive chef offered me a paid position. I learned so many new experiences and techniques over the next 3 years and if it wasn’t for that chef who provided me with an opportunity to prove myself, who knows if I would have continued to be in the hospitality industry.

Alex: What would you like your legacy to be? James: I hope the people who I have met throughout my life felt, in some small way, that I was able to inspire them or help them when they were in need, and that they too, will also do the same at some point in their life. In regards to my love for great food, I hope I will always be remembered for sharing great meals with wonderful people together. To me, it can’t get better than that.

Alex: Thank you for taking part in this interview! Your candor and insights are much appreciated!

Did you find one or more of James' insights helpful? Are there any ideas or resources that came to mind as you read the interview? Know someone we should interview? We encourage you to share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below. Alternatively, feel free to send us an email using our contact us form on the Rascanu.com website.

[alexrascanu]

How to Reach Your Potential: An Interview with Hamza Khan

Hamza Khan is taking part in "How to Reach Your Potential,” a series of 100 interviews with leaders who inspire Alex Rascanu and whose insights can help you reach your potential. 

Meet Hamza Hamza Khan is a multi-award winning marketer & entrepreneur. He’s the co-founder of both Splash Effect, a boutique marketing & creative agency, as well as SkillsCamp, a soft skills training company. Hamza has spoken at more than 50 events (including 2 TEDx events) across 15 cities and 8 countries, to more than 15,000 people. He is a faculty member at Seneca College and Ryerson University, teaching courses on digital marketing and social media. Through his consulting, writing, teaching and speaking, Hamza empowers people and businesses to transform ideas into reality. Learn more about Hamza at www.hamzakhan.ca. Buy his book The Burnout Gamble. And follow his adventures on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and/or Facebook.

Alex: What is your life’s purpose? Hamza: My purpose in life is to give my gift away. And I feel lucky to have discovered this gift quite early on in life: to empower people and businesses to transform ideas into reality. I achieve this primarily through my consulting, writing, teaching, and speaking.

Alex: What are the three things you’re most passionate about? Hamza: It’s difficult for me to narrow down the things that I’m most passionate to a selection of three, as my list is constantly growing. But as at the time of writing, I’m preoccupied with marketing, productivity, and social media. I could talk for hours on end about these things. And when they overlap (which they often do), I could go on for days.

Alex: How do you stay healthy? What’s your main health-related goal? Hamza: Staying healthy comes down having respect for my body. As a guiding principle, that means doing things today that my future self will thank me for. This includes a number of daily imperative actions such as following through on a challenging fitness routine, eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water, and getting a good night’s sleep. My main health-related goal is to optimize my energy. While the time afforded to me is fixed (like everyone else, I have the same 168 hours in a week) — the energy that I can generate within that time is not. And when I’m healthy, I can multiply my success in all aspects of life.

Alex: How do you build wealth? What’s your main financial goal? Hamza: I build wealth by putting money to work through a diverse portfolio of investments: currencies, stocks, equity, mutual funds, etc. Almost 80% of my earnings are immediately invested in these areas. And while my wealth is generating more wealth, I’m focused on increasing my earning potential by improving my craft, broadening my reach, and delivering value to every person in my orbit. I’m a big believer in Zig Ziglar’s words: “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” With that said, my main financial goal is to achieve freedom — freedom from debt, freedom from worry, freedom from constraints, etc. I don’t quite desire to be rich. I simply desire to never be poor.

Alex: How do you balance work and family life? Hamza: As someone who has burned out in spectacular fashion multiple times in my career, I’ve had to learn the hard way the importance of slapping constraints on my productivity. I make time for my family life by clearly defining when to stop working. At the start of any project I establish an end state that looks like one or more of the following:

TIME-BASED DASH: I stop working when the clock stops. For instance, my workouts never exceed an hour. And so if I’m idly checking Facebook between sets, I risk my workout being incomplete. Similarly, I structure my work in 25-minute distraction-free waves (see: The Pomodoro Technique) with breaks between them. The countdown induces fierce focus.

UNIT-BASED DASH: If I complete my entire workout within the hour allotted for it, I leave the gym. Similarly, if I complete everything on my to-do list before the clock strikes 5 pm, I leave the office. By defining what “complete” looks like for any project, and by establishing clear milestones, you’ll become aware of your progress based on the units required to achieve a finished state.

ENERGY-BASED DASH: Especially when I’m feeling sick or tired, I hang up my gloves when my body says to. There’s no point of pushing through work if you don’t have the energy for it, as you’ll be more susceptible to errors and illness (which will only produce a cascade effect of more work, fatigue, and delays down the line). Don’t just manage your time — manage your energy as well.

RESULTS-BASED DASH: This dash is very similar to the unit-based dash; however, I spin it by anchoring it in externally-defined results. Since I work in an agency setting, the results in question which I often pursue are typically defined by clients. While they may not always be perfect for me, they’re usually perfect for my clients. When confronted with a torrent of timelines for client projects, I switch on the “f*ck it, ship it” approach to getting things done.

FEELING-BASED DASH:This isn’t for everyone, and doesn’t apply to most types of work. It’s especially risky in projects where there’s a lot at stake, or if there are multiple dependencies. Saying “I’m done” because you feel like it comes with either a lot of privilege and/or proportional consequences. Therefore, I relegate this approach to my art and various solo projects.

According to Parkinson’s Law, work expands so as to fill the time allocated for its completion. If we’re not slapping constraints on our workday, we’ll burn out. At the same time, imposing timelines and clear parameters raises the difficulty level on our work just enough that we naturally end up working harder and smarter to get things done. Therefore, knowing when to stop working is a win-win approach to getting things done.

Alex: How do you enjoy spending time with family and friends? Hamza: I love movies. My go-to activity is to explore other worlds through the art of cinematic storytelling. I’m also rediscovering my love of video games. Advances in gaming technology are offering levels of immersive storytelling that can sometimes rival that of the most masterfully crafted films. For me, one of the most enjoyable parts of the process is discussing the media with family and friends following the experience. We bond over the shared experience by remembering moments, unpacking themes, discovering hidden meanings, and more.

Alex: What has been the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had, or the most fulfilling project you’ve been involved with so far? Hamza: The most fulfilling role I’ve ever had was Co-Founder of Splash Effect, a role which I still occupy at the time of writing. It continues to bring me the highest-of-highs, tempered with the lowest-of-lows — and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Every day has been (and continues to be) a challenge. It’s an adventurous cycle comprised of growth, success, failure, reflection, and recovery, where I’m regularly compelled to step outside of my comfort zone. Building a business is creatively and intellectually stimulating, and I always feel like a beginner. However, there is a different sort of fulfillment that comes from long-term dedication to a single project/product. As the Digital Community Facilitator at Ryerson University, a pioneering role in higher education, I was able to immerse myself in the development of a product (RU Student Life) that helped establish the institution — Canada’s leader in innovative, career-focused education — as a national leader in online student engagement.

Alex: What’s one career planning lesson that has made a significant difference in your life? Hamza: A career planning lesson that has made a significant difference in my life was auditing my happiness. Growing up as the son of hard-working immigrant parents, I got caught up with the notion that hard work was the only path to success, and that success was linear (defined by specific milestones, including an oddly specific income target). And it didn’t help that I idolized successful rappers, movie stars, and basketball players, all of whom were millionaires. For most of my life, I felt a crushing performance pressure induced by these external definitions of success; they were other people’s dreams. Inspired by Tim Ferris’ “The 4-Hour Work Week”, I took things back to the drawing board and designed the perfect day in my life, projected a few years into the future. And then I started adding prices to this vision. Once I adjusted for inflation, lo-and-behold, the actual amount of money that I needed to be at my optimal happiness was significantly lower than what I was chasing. In one sitting, I had liberated myself from the tyranny of warped & external definitions of success. And finally, I began to chase my own dreams.

Alex: What would you like your legacy to be? Hamza: I want to be remembered as someone who maximized his potential. I want to exemplify the power of discipline and purpose when it comes to making things happen. I want my value proposition of “transforming ideas into reality” to be true for as many people as possible. I want to have been relied on to take any idea, regardless of scale, from idea to execution. If it can be said that that I added value everywhere — that I significantly improved the world for everyone around me — I will feel as though this was a life well-lived.

Alex: Thank you for taking part in this interview! Your insights are much appreciated!

Did you find one or more of Hamza's insights helpful? Are there any ideas or resources that came to mind as you read the interview? Know someone we should interview? We encourage you to share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below. Alternatively, feel free to send us an email using our contact us form on the Rascanu.com website.

[alexrascanu]

How to Reach Your Potential: An Interview with Trina Boos

"How to Reach Your Potential" is a series of 100 interviews with leaders who inspire Alex Rascanu and whose insights can help you reach your potential.

Meet Trina Trina Boos is regarded as one of the best-connected figures in the Canadian marketing, digital, creative and advertising industry and is the President and Founder of Boost Agents, a recruitment agency in downtown Toronto. Since 2011, Trina and her team have matched hundreds of talented, world-class candidates in the marketing, advertising, creative, and digital industries with some of the most leading-edge, innovative organizations across North America. Trina’s 10 years of experience in business development, marketing, digital strategy, account management, and customer experience roles helped lay the foundation for the success of Boost Agents.

Trina speaks regularly at advertising, digital marketing, and HR industry conferences, colleges, and universities, and has been featured in the Toronto Star, Financial Post, Women of Influence and RBC’s “Life & Money” series. She is also the founder of Ad Lounge, sits on advisory boards for the Roger’s Small Business Advisory and TAAFI.ca, and coaches technology entrepreneurs at Ryerson’s DMZ.

Alex: What is your life’s purpose? Trina: To bring people together. It’s what gives me energy, and absolutely brings purpose to my life.

Alex: What are the three things you’re most passionate about? Trina: Outside of connecting people? :) 1 – Entrepreneurship, and the constant learning that comes along with it 2 – Motherhood and raising kids while growing a thriving business (and finding other mothers who I can connect with that are going down a similar path). 3 – Creativity in its many forms. I love art, and moved to Toronto to study fine art as a painter – a path I didn’t end up following. I adore music, and used to play classical guitar and sing quite regularly. My creative outlet now is in the form of events, which is something that I’ve figured out how to use to benefit my business.

Alex: How do you stay healthy? What’s your main health-related goal? Trina: With three kids (1, 3 and 7), and being an owner of a very demanding business this is the one thing I’m forever challenged with - finding “me” time. I have goals I’m working towards, and they’re small to begin with. I’ve reduced sugar intake, I’m conscious to eat a balanced meal, and when I eat out I seek out the healthy option on the menu. I stretch regularly (because my physiotherapist demands that I do), and I find time daily for a brief walk. I want to start back my spin classes again, so that’s also on the list in the coming months.

Alex: How do you build wealth? What’s your main financial goal? Trina: We’ve focused on simplifying our lives, and not buying a lot of crap unnecessarily so as to focus on our long term goals. We live on the same street as the kid’s school and daycare, and two minutes walk from my office so we’re not spending on unnecessary commuting. We’re quickly paying down our mortgage while also investing smartly. I’ve taken the risky (but very rewarding) entrepreneurial path. In the coming years, we’ll be focusing a little on real estate. Our main goal is to be able to have a comfortable retirement that allows much room for global travel while being able to fund our children’s education.

Alex: How do you balance work and family life? Trina: Living two minutes from the office, and having the kid’s school across the road really helps. I’ve hired a nanny / housekeeper to help us with everything in the home, and it’s exceptional to have that kind of support. As an entrepreneur, I’m too occupied mentally and physically to be able to come home and have to focus on three kids, thoughts from the day I just had, cooking, cleaning AND laundry. Each weekday, I can simply focus on the kids (while coming home to a nice home-cooked dinner and clean home).

Alex: How do you enjoy spending time with family and friends? Trina: We live in a condo, which means the entire city is our backyard (because, well… we don`t have one). Whether we’re at an arts festival, at the park having a picnic outdoors, cottaging, vacationing at a local farm, or camping we really like to spend as much time with the family outdoors as possible. I’m born in the Caribbean – it’s in our blood to be outside socializing with family and friends any moment you can get.

Alex: What has been the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had, or the most fulfilling project you’ve been involved with so far? Trina: I used to work in marketing with a not-for-profit called Street Kids International, which began my interest in working with young people in need. I then found a charity in Toronto called SKETCH, which called out to me due to my love for art and desire to work with street-involved youth. I launched a project with them called “Art from the Unexpected”, where I worked with 20 CEO’s to create art and pitch their concept to 300 of their peers in a silent auction event. We raised $30K each year we did it (two years), which helped SKETCH buy much of the equipment they needed to continue their awesome art programming for their youth. Such a satisfying project, and I was proud to create this with them as the beneficiary.

Alex: What’s one career planning lesson that has made a significant difference in your life? Trina: Don’t chase the money. Chase the opportunity to learn, and to be part of a team that you feel are going places. The money will come. Making decisions based on money alone oftentimes doesn’t end in happiness. I’ve seen it time and time again.

Alex: What would you like your legacy to be? Trina: A creative business leader and community builder who sees potential and opportunity at every turn. A mentor who has made a positive impact on people`s lives. A loving wife and mother who showed family that almost anything is possible with confidence and determination.

Alex: Thank you for taking part in this interview! Your candor and insights are much appreciated!

Did you find one or more of Trina's insights helpful? Are there any ideas or resources that came to mind as you read the interview? Know someone we should interview? We encourage you to share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below. Alternatively, feel free to send us an email using the contact us form on the Rascanu.com website.

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