Beyond Four Walls

What if your workout was designed to help you feel good — not punish you? Nat Harrison, founder of SOAR, built a movement and mental health studio that does exactly that.Nat Harrison spent over a decade in corporate marketing — working on brands like Gatorade and Nike Canada — before stepping away to raise her family. What followed was an unexpected journey: a backyard barre class that grew into SOAR, a 4,000-square-foot movement and wellness studio in Toronto's West End now drawing 10,000 visits a month.In this conversation, you'll hear about:📌 Why she believes movement should build you up — not punish you for what you ate📌 How SOAR survived opening one week before pandemic lockdowns shut gyms down📌 The three-tier model she built: from drop-in classes to workshops to one-on-one psychotherapy📌 Her sobriety journey and how it shaped her books and her approach to mental health📌 Why she thinks careers are scaffolding, not a ladder — and what that means for reinvention at any age0:00 - Intro1:59 - From Pepsi to Nike Canada: Building a Corporate Marketing Career2:22 - The Moment That Changed Everything at 187:22 - From Backyard Barre Classes to a Movement Studio10:18 - Why Most Gyms Get Fitness Wrong for Mental Health13:52 - The Secret Behind SOAR's Community and Culture16:11 - Opening Week One of the Pandemic — And Surviving It19:10 - Movement for Mindset, Not Aesthetics: The SOAR Philosophy27:37 - Retreats, Workshops & the Three-Tier SOAR Model30:26 - Writing Two Books and Sharing Her Sobriety Journey Publicly35:03 - Returning to School at 45 to Become a Psychotherapist36:33 - Why Careers Are Scaffolding, Not a Ladder

Brittany Gray is the founder of Fancy Face, a luxury beauty brand and brick-and-mortar studio built on the belief that "fancy is a feeling." A former professional performer who was cast in the Oscar-winning movie Chicago at age 15, Brittany has translated her background in theatre and dance into a beauty company known for its distinctive aesthetic and high-performance products.

The conversation covers her business evolution from a mobile wedding service to a brick-and-mortar location and product line. Brittany explains her strategic decision to remain a boutique brand rather than competing in mass-market retailers, and shares her insights on formulating makeup for "mature skin," which she notes begins at age 35.

00:00 Intro

02:34 Getting cast in the movie "Chicago" at 15

05:30 Transforming wedding makeup into a business

08:09 Scaling from a home studio to a storefront

10:37 Why Fancy Face stays niche vs. mass market

12:05 Defining "Mature Skin" (It starts at 35)

16:42 The reality of social media for founders

18:24 Kids and skincare trends

22:57 Entrepreneurship and work-life balance

24:45 Creating the "Starlet Kit" for dancers

29:36 Common bridal beauty mistakes

Melissa Gallagher is the Founder of AlmaCare, a company dedicated to revolutionizing the postnatal and family care industry in Canada. Previously the Chief Marketing Officer at Freshii, Melissa pivoted to entrepreneurship after experiencing a significant gap in support during her own postpartum journey.

Melissa joins the podcast to discuss the reality of the "fourth trimester" and why the standard medical advice of "see you in six weeks" is insufficient for new mothers. She explores the cultural differences in recovery (including the "confinement" method), the transition from corporate executive to founder, and how to build a "village" of support.

00:00 - Introduction

02:46 - The problem with the "6-week checkup" standard

04:40 - Why no one prepares you for the physical trauma

07:44 - What we can learn from Chinese "Confinement" (Sitting the Month)

10:58 - How AlmaCare works: Night nurses & holistic support

13:47 - Vetting caregivers and building trust in the home

18:04 - Transitioning from CMO of Freshii to Founder

21:02 - Advice for new moms: Build your village early

25:12 - The future of postnatal care in Canada

Sydney Robertson is a media industry veteran with over 20 years of experience leading high-performance sales teams at Twitter (now X), Google, AOL, and Yahoo. Currently a Video Partner Lead at Google, she is also the co-founder of Element, an organization dedicated to empowering women to invest and lead global change.

Sydney joins the podcast to discuss the reality of a non-linear career path. She opens up about moving from a traditional law background into the fast-paced world of digital media and shares her firsthand experience managing a team during the volatile Twitter acquisition and mass layoffs.

00:00 - Intro

04:58 - Inside the Twitter acquisition & layoffs

05:56 - Stepping up when leadership disappears

07:33 - Why you need to avoid Toxic Positivity

09:26 - Adapting to rapid changes at X Corp

11:16 - Creating mentorship opportunities for women

17:30 - How early-stage founders can get funding

19:19 - Letting go of external validation

21:25- Why rejection is actually redirection

Healthcare CMO Daniel Shearer reveals how Maple became Canada's #1 virtual care platform - and why Canada's aging population crisis demands urgent innovation in how we access medical care. From leading iconic campaigns like SickKids VS to scaling a healthcare startup, Shearer shares hard-won lessons on customer obsession, culture preservation, and building brands that solve real problems.

00:00 - Intro

00:49 - From Agency President to Healthcare CMO: Daniel's Journey from Cassette, Working with Google & SickKids, to Joining Maple as a Consultant Who Stayed

04:14 - Inside Maple's 10-Year Journey: The Three Founders' Story, Brett the Doctor-Consultant, Building Culture & Making Space for New Executive Voices

09:16 - Real Customer Impact Stories: Saving Trips to SickKids, 3AM Appointments, Doctor Shortages & How Maple Relieves Pressure on Canada's Healthcare System

12:01 - How Maple's Two-Sided Marketplace Works: The Genesis Story, Uber for Doctors & Patients, Not Hiring Doctors Out of the System & Managing Thousands of Providers

15:45 - Creating the Iconic SickKids VS Campaign: Making Kids the Heroes, When the Doctor Wanted It on His Scrubs & Raising $1.7 Billion by Disrupting Nonprofit Marketing

21:10 - Scaling Culture Without Breaking It: The 150-Person Rule from Taxi 2, Remote Teams, Rewriting Values in New York & Why "We Are a Team" Works Everywhere

28:20 - Marketing Healthcare Technology: Benefits Over Features, Customer Obsession Philosophy, Learning from Wealthsimple & Greenhouse & Why Users Don't Care About Your Algorithm

32:48 - Beyond Maple: Board Chair of The Bentway, G Adventures, The Power of BHAGs & How "End Poverty Through Tourism" Guides Every Single Decision

38:44 - Advice for Entrepreneurs & Founders: Solve Real Problems Not Fake Ones, Delight 100 People First, Don't Dilute Your Core Idea & The Right People Make Everything Work

43:03 - The Future of Canadian Healthcare: Staying in Canada For Now, Global Expansion Potential, The Demographic Pyramid About to Flip & Why the Next 20 Years Are Urgent

46:30 - Where to Find Maple: GetMaple.ca, App Store, 1.7 Million Five-Star Reviews & Creating More "Maple Aha Moments"

Jackie Prince shares how she built Guests on Earth from pandemic idea to retail success. Female entrepreneur tips, fundraising advice, DTC brand strategy, and work-life balance for moms in business.In this episode of Beyond Four Walls, host Natasha Penzo sits down with Jackie Prince, founder of Guests on Earth, a Toronto-based sustainable cleaning brand redefining the home care industry. From her background in brand strategy at agencies and TikTok to launching a product-based business with zero experience in chemistry or manufacturing, Jackie's entrepreneurial journey is packed with lessons for aspiring founders.

0:00 - Intro5:39 - Designing the brand and packaging11:38 - The reality of entrepreneurship and growth challenges14:39 - Evolving as a founder while scaling18:59 - Managing business and motherhood21:47 - Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs24:52 - Morning routines and daily life26:06 - Launching the laundry detergent line28:22 - Final Thoughts

In this episode of Beyond Four Walls, Natasha & Gabrielle sit down with Steph Gee, partner at Gee Beauty—the multi-generational beauty destination and product line with studios in Toronto and Miami. We talk about building a family business, the operations + HR systems behind a high-touch brows, facials, and makeup studio, and how the team keeps every touchpoint cohesive while expanding. Steph shares recruiting and onboarding lessons (no gatekeeping), why over-communication preserves brand standards, and how setting boundaries actually creates room for team growth.We also get into product development for Gee Beauty’s skin prep line—primers, eye care, a new mist—and how the brand balances retail partnerships (Nordstrom US, Holt Renfrew Toronto) with an in-studio, community-first model. Plus: Steph’s morning routine, faith, content workflow, and what’s next for Toronto & Miami studio expansion.

In this episode of Beyond Four Walls, host Natasha Penzo sits down with Ally Mamalieder, President and second-generation founder of Organic Traditions. We cover her leap from corporate communications to leading the family business, the rebrand (what to keep vs. evolve), and how she turned single-ingredient superfoods into everyday blends people actually use.

Ally breaks down “blends over trends” product strategy, tips for kid-friendly smoothies, and the brand’s push into U.S. retail while scaling e-commerce. We also get raw about motherhood + entrepreneurship, training for 29029, hitting 100KM after injury, and the mindset shifts that power founders through setbacks.

00:00 Intro01:23 Leaving corporate → joining family business04:28 From ingredients to blends + rebrand challenges08:50 Founder wellness, motherhood & leadership11:09 Trends vs efficacy + superfoods for kids14:19 Retail growth in Canada & U.S. expansion16:16 Signing up & training for 2902920:29 Community, resilience & mindset lessons24:59 Day 3 injury, 100KM pivot & business parallels32:08 Biggest takeaways + what’s next for Organic Traditions

Choosing the right school for your child can be really stressful, especially after everything families have been through in recent years. In this episode, Natasha talks with Jessica Diamond, founder of Diamond Education Consulting, about how to make school decisions easier and more thoughtful.

Jessica has worked in education for over 16 years, and now helps families figure out what kind of school is the right fit, public, private, or something in between. She shares practical advice on what to look for in a school, how to prepare for interviews, and what really matters when it comes to helping kids succeed.

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00:00 Intro

05:12 Learning struggles after COVID

06:08 Common mistakes parents make

09:03 When to start looking at schools

10:27 Do kids need to start early?

11:22 Why switching schools isn’t always bad

13:59 What to expect in private school interviews

18:08 Is private school really better?

19:45 How to get help in public school

21:35 What an education consultant does

26:54 Final thoughts

Kate Taylor Martin didn’t set out to be an entrepreneur. But when her work in hospitals opened her eyes to a broken food system, she followed a calling into holistic nutrition and eventually launched Nutbar, a superfood café rooted in quality, care, and healing.

In this episode, Kate shares how she opened Nutbar while pregnant with her first child, scaled her business through COVID, and stayed grounded in her values while building a growing wellness brand. She talks candidly about what real leadership looks like, how her morning routine keeps her regulated as a mom of three, and why “filling your cup” isn’t just a metaphor....it’s her business philosophy.

👉 Follow Nutbar: @nutbar.co

📌 Penzo Group:
https://www.instagram.com/beyondfourwallspodcast
https://www.instagram.com/thehomekin
https://www.instagram.com/thepenzoteam
https://www.instagram.com/urban_blueprint

00:00 Intro

07:11 Creating a Superfood-Focused Menu

13:07 Naming and Trademarking 'Nutbar'

20:11 Soft Power and Heart-Centered Leadership

27:04 Kate’s Wellness Routine as a Working Mom

34:59 Wellness Myth-Busting

36:18 Where to Find Nutbar