Breaking Brave with Marilyn Barefoot

If you like what you hear, get in touch and stay connected with Marilyn here:

Direct from Emily, in her own words:

I went to prison on a mission. A mission to change myself and a mission to make a difference. I didn't know how I’d make a difference at the time, but I knew I would find something I cared about that would benefit from a purpose driven face-lift.

Coming to prison as a first-time offender was unnerving, and I felt so much anxiety at first. If you think its hard on the outside to eat a healthy diet, being in prison brings that challenge to the next level. I think most people I shared my time with would attest to the fact that food is often a way to combat anxiety and depression. Maintaining a healthy balance is difficult, and when this poses a challenge to your self image it just makes an already depressing situation worse, like adding insult to injury. 

It was only a month or so in when I noticed that some of the women were making their own popcorn recipes with the ingredients possible within the food budget. I was instantly struck by how really smart and creative it was. Popcorn was like this simple blank canvas for women of all backgrounds to express themselves through different mixes of spices and other flavours.

A lot of people love popcorn, and it is cheap to buy and goes a long way. It's also so much healthier than baked goods and most of the junk food that was available in the canteen. It is one of those snacks you can eat a lot of when you feel restless and bored and not feel super guilty about it. It’s also a social snack. You usually make a giant bowl of it for you and your friends to share over some conversation, games or watching something on TV. You can also just eat one kernel at a time, the bowl can last for hours, and you do not have to worry about gaining weight. Well…not as much!

So it all sort of all came together at once: I would start a popcorn company that uses quality ingredients and offers unique flavour, some inspired by the very ones we made inside prison. Most of all, one that attempts to remove some of the stigma associated with having a prior conviction, and one that has fun and a sense of humour about itself. The company can give offenders the opportunity and confidence to gain and maintain pro-social employment, keeping the community safer by helping ex-cons refrain from returning to their old ways. It just seemed like all the stars had aligned and overnight it became my mission to build this company. Comeback Snacks - made with conviction!

Note: Our company used to be called Cons & Kernels, so you may see it referenced in some of the materials below and out there on the internet!

For more from Emily please connect via

her website: https://comebacksnacks.com/

Instagram: @emz.obrien

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As always, thanks so much for tuning into Breaking Brave! If you like the show, please subscribe, review, and/or send us your suggestions or questions via the platforms below!

For more from Marilyn Barefoot or to get in touch with her directly, please connect via:

Marilyn's website: https://marilynbarefoot.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynbarefootbigideas/

Twitter: @MarilynBarefoot

Instagram: @marilynbarefoot

ABOUT Marilyn Barefoot, the Host of Breaking Brave:

Breaking Brave is Hosted by Marilyn Barefoot, one of the foremost business coaches & creative ideators in North America - Marilyn gets hired by several of the world's biggest brands, companies, and organizations (the NHL, McDonald's, Deloitte, Coca-Cola, MTV, Viacom, The CFL, Forbes Magazine; to name just a few) to help them get unstuck and generate big, creative ideas.

It helps us so much to have your feedback which goes a really long way in helping us shape the future of Breaking Brave and host the guests you're most interested in hearing from! So if you have the time, please subscribe, review, and connect with Marilyn on social media or through her website! And as always, thanks so much for tuning in!

Dr Joe Dusseldorp is a Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon. He completed his specialist training through the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, and graduated with Honours from University of Sydney Medical School. 

Joe didn’t always know he wanted to be a surgeon, but when he unexpectedly discovered more about his family history, you can see it’s not so surprising that he has found a deep sense of purpose in medicine.

For more from Joe, please visit his website: https://www.joedusseldorp.com/

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As always, thanks so much for tuning into Breaking Brave! If you like the show, please subscribe, review, and/or send us your suggestions or questions via the platforms below!

For more from Marilyn Barefoot or to get in touch with her directly, please connect via:

Marilyn's website: https://marilynbarefoot.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynbarefootbigideas/

Twitter: @MarilynBarefoot

Instagram: @marilynbarefoot

ABOUT Marilyn Barefoot, the Host of Breaking Brave:

Breaking Brave is Hosted by Marilyn Barefoot, one of the foremost business coaches & creative ideators in North America - Marilyn gets hired by several of the world's biggest brands, companies, and organizations (the NHL, McDonald's, Deloitte, Coca-Cola, MTV, Viacom, The CFL, Forbes Magazine; to name just a few) to help them get unstuck and generate big, creative ideas.

It helps us so much to have your feedback which goes a really long way in helping us shape the future of Breaking Brave and host the guests you're most interested in hearing from! So if you have the time, please subscribe, review, and connect with Marilyn on social media or through her website! And as always, thanks so much for tuning in!

CLAUDIA CHAN is a Chinese woman who came to Canada from Hong Kong when she was 11. She never thought she'd stand on global stages to speak, let alone winning an international speaking competition. Claudia is a life coach now, who specifically caters to other Asian Women.

For more from Claudia and to get in touch with her directly, please connect via socials and:

Her website: https://claudiachan.co/

Other links: https://claudiachan.co/links/

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As always, thanks so much for tuning into Breaking Brave! If you like the show, please subscribe, review, and/or send us your suggestions or questions via the platforms below!

For more from Marilyn Barefoot or to get in touch with her directly, please connect via:

Marilyn's website: https://marilynbarefoot.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynbarefootbigideas/

Twitter: @MarilynBarefoot

Instagram: @marilynbarefoot

ABOUT Marilyn Barefoot, the Host of Breaking Brave:

Breaking Brave is Hosted by Marilyn Barefoot, one of the foremost business coaches & creative ideators in North America - Marilyn gets hired by several of the world's biggest brands, companies, and organizations (the NHL, McDonald's, Deloitte, Coca-Cola, MTV, Viacom, The CFL, Forbes Magazine; to name just a few) to help them get unstuck and generate big, creative ideas.

It helps us so much to have your feedback which goes a really long way in helping us shape the future of Breaking Brave and host the guests you're most interested in hearing from! So if you have the time, please subscribe, review, and connect with Marilyn on social media or through her website! And as always, thanks so much for tuning in!

As a passionate speaker, 2x best-selling international author, cancer survivor, and results-focused strategic life and business coach, Leisse Wilcox works with purpose-driven leaders and executives who are ready to close the gap between self-worth and net-worth.

As an industry expert who turns self-sabotage into success in each of those foundational areas, Leisse combines the best of strategic business coaching and therapeutic life coaching tools to simplify, strategize, and scale sustainably. As an integrity-driven leader, she is living proof of how to realistically build a life-centered career that sustainably reflects your purpose while respecting the constantly changing - and often elusive - balance and blend of life and work.

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As always, thanks so much for tuning into Breaking Brave! If you like the show, please subscribe, review, and/or send us your suggestions or questions via the platforms below!

For more from Marilyn Barefoot or to get in touch with her directly, please connect via:

Marilyn's website: https://marilynbarefoot.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynbarefootbigideas/

Twitter: @MarilynBarefoot

Instagram: @marilynbarefoot

ABOUT Marilyn Barefoot, the Host of Breaking Brave:

Breaking Brave is Hosted by Marilyn Barefoot, one of the foremost business coaches & creative ideators in North America - Marilyn gets hired by several of the world's biggest brands, companies, and organizations (the NHL, McDonald's, Deloitte, Coca-Cola, MTV, Viacom, The CFL, Forbes Magazine; to name just a few) to help them get unstuck and generate big, creative ideas.

It helps us so much to have your feedback which goes a really long way in helping us shape the future of Breaking Brave and host the guests you're most interested in hearing from! So if you have the time, please subscribe, review, and connect with Marilyn on social media or through her website! And as always, thanks so much for tuning in!

Carol’s artistic focus is the rendering of a contemporary landscape: modern in its simplified, barren approach. The work evokes an abstract and interpretative quality created by the disparity between starkness and hyperrealism, with a specialty in geological forms of Georgian Bay, including Killarney, La Cloche Mountains and the North Channel, Lake Huron.Carol’s love of art and nature nurtured her as she obtained a degree in Science from University of Toronto. However, as a self-taught artist she transformed her career into artistic endeavours and began painting professionally over 15 years ago becoming a full-time artist in 2003. Prior to becoming a painter, she worked prolifically in graphite medium, winning many awards for her work since 1983. Carol’s work can be found in numerous Private and Corporate Collections throughout North America.

Her work has been exhibited in the Art Gallery of Sudbury, The Temiskaming Gallery, and the Museum of Northern History in Kirkland Lake.

Stuart Leggett and Carol Currie started their collaboration as artists in 2000 as CLAUSTRO.

Their work has been exhibited in many group shows such as the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, The One of a Kind Show, The Toronto Art Expo, The La Cloche Country Art Show, Willisville Mountain Project, and the McMichael Gallery Fall Art Exhibition.

Their collaborative works are a part of the public collection of Arcturus Gallery, and Fogler Rubinoff LLP

For more from Carol, please visit her website:

https://www.claustro.ca/carol

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As always, thanks so much for tuning into Breaking Brave! If you like the show, please subscribe, review, and/or send us your suggestions or questions via the platforms below!

For more from Marilyn Barefoot or to get in touch with her directly, please connect via:

Marilyn's website: https://marilynbarefoot.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynbarefootbigideas/

Twitter: @MarilynBarefoot

Instagram: @marilynbarefoot

ABOUT Marilyn Barefoot, the Host of Breaking Brave:

Breaking Brave is Hosted by Marilyn Barefoot, one of the foremost business coaches & creative ideators in North America - Marilyn gets hired by several of the world's biggest brands, companies, and organizations (the NHL, McDonald's, Deloitte, Coca-Cola, MTV, Viacom, The CFL, Forbes Magazine; to name just a few) to help them get unstuck and generate big, creative ideas.

It helps us so much to have your feedback which goes a really long way in helping us shape the future of Breaking Brave and host the guests you're most interested in hearing from! So if you have the time, please subscribe, review, and connect with Marilyn on social media or through her website! And as always, thanks so much for tuning in!

Amal Masri is a purpose-driven executive with 15 years of experience driving business growth strategies in the financial services industry.

She is also the Founder of #FixTheBrokenRung, the only campaign that addresses the combined impact of racial and gender bias in the workplace by targeting the first level promotion.

In both roles, Amal mobilizes teams to anticipate the needs of underserved markets and deliver first-mover solutions.

Amal is also a nationally recognized keynote speaker, author, and industry expert featured in Investment Executive.

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As always, thanks so much for tuning into Breaking Brave! If you like the show, please subscribe, review, and/or send us your suggestions or questions via the platforms below!

For more from Marilyn Barefoot or to get in touch with her directly, please connect via:

Marilyn's website: https://marilynbarefoot.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynbarefootbigideas/

Twitter: @MarilynBarefoot

Instagram: @marilynbarefoot

ABOUT Marilyn Barefoot, the Host of Breaking Brave:

Breaking Brave is Hosted by Marilyn Barefoot, one of the foremost business coaches & creative ideators in North America - Marilyn gets hired by several of the world's biggest brands, companies, and organizations (the NHL, McDonald's, Deloitte, Coca-Cola, MTV, Viacom, The CFL, Forbes Magazine; to name just a few) to help them get unstuck and generate big, creative ideas.

It helps us so much to have your feedback which goes a really long way in helping us shape the future of Breaking Brave and host the guests you're most interested in hearing from! So if you have the time, please subscribe, review, and connect with Marilyn on social media or through her website! And as always, thanks so much for tuning in!

In 2017 Luan Lawrenson-Woods was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was absolutely devastated to learn she needed a mastectomy. She had no idea about the different types of reconstruction and didn't know anyone who'd had a reconstruction.

As a result, Luan created a community that supports and empowers women who want to know more about reconstruction after a mastectomy so that they can feel confident in their choices.

"Hearing about reconstruction options gave me hope that I could be 'me' again, and in 2019 I had a DIEP flap reconstruction when tissue was taken from my tummy to reconstruct my breast."

Deciding what reconstruction is right for you can be overwhelming, the medical terminology can be confusing and just plain scary. And lonely. But you're not alone.

Luan talks with leading surgeons about all aspects of reconstruction, including the latest techniques that they're developing to help improve women's quality of life after a mastectomy. As well as healthcare professionals who can help with practical advice to support mental, physical and emotional wellbeing after reconstruction.

Luan also talks to the wonderful women who generously and bravely share their stories to help inspire and raises awareness of life after breast cancer and reconstruction.

Helping women make a holistic, informed decision that's right for them so that they can have a say in how they re-write their story after breast cancer and reconstruction is Luan's mission.

For more from Luan or to get in touch, please visit her website:

https://www.luanlawriewoods.com.au/

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As always, thanks so much for tuning into Breaking Brave! If you like the show, please subscribe, review, and/or send us your suggestions or questions via the platforms below!

For more from Marilyn Barefoot or to get in touch with her directly, please connect via:

Marilyn's website: https://marilynbarefoot.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynbarefootbigideas/

Twitter: @MarilynBarefoot

Instagram: @marilynbarefoot

ABOUT Marilyn Barefoot, the Host of Breaking Brave:

Breaking Brave is Hosted by Marilyn Barefoot, one of the foremost business coaches & creative ideators in North America - Marilyn gets hired by several of the world's biggest brands, companies, and organizations (the NHL, McDonald's, Deloitte, Coca-Cola, MTV, Viacom, The CFL, Forbes Magazine; to name just a few) to help them get unstuck and generate big, creative ideas.

It helps us so much to have your feedback which goes a really long way in helping us shape the future of Breaking Brave and host the guests you're most interested in hearing from! So if you have the time, please subscribe, review, and connect with Marilyn on social media or through her website! And as always, thanks so much for tuning in!

Catherine Choi is the founder of SoYoung, a heart centred consumer products brand which offers beautiful and functional bags for life on the go. What is unique about SoYoung is that it has also become a voice for healing and transformation, where Catherine shares her story of turning pain into purpose, starting with her recovery from drug addiction over 25 years ago to now living a life that is purposeful, intentional and peaceful. SoYoung’s brand message is about having the courage to continuously hold a higher vision for oneself and then every day taking small steps in that direction. When this is done for long enough, and consistently enough, transformation happens - and the story of SoYoung is truly a testament of this.

For more from Catherine Choi, please connect via:

Website: https://ca.soyoung.ca/

Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soyounginc/

Personal Brand Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherine.soyoung/

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As always, thanks so much for tuning into Breaking Brave! If you like the show, please subscribe, review, and/or send us your suggestions or questions via the platforms below!

For more from Marilyn Barefoot or to get in touch with her directly, please connect via:

Marilyn's website: https://marilynbarefoot.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynbarefootbigideas/

Twitter: @MarilynBarefoot

Instagram: @marilynbarefoot

ABOUT Marilyn Barefoot, the Host of Breaking Brave:

Breaking Brave is Hosted by Marilyn Barefoot, one of the foremost business coaches & creative ideators in North America - Marilyn gets hired by several of the world's biggest brands, companies, and organizations (the NHL, McDonald's, Deloitte, Coca-Cola, MTV, Viacom, The CFL, Forbes Magazine; to name just a few) to help them get unstuck and generate big, creative ideas.

It helps us so much to have your feedback which goes a really long way in helping us shape the future of Breaking Brave and host the guests you're most interested in hearing from! So if you have the time, please subscribe, review, and connect with Marilyn on social media or through her website! And as always, thanks so much for tuning in!

Francine is the Founder and Strategic Leader of Mothers to Daughters (M2D), a for-impact organization focused on helping bridge the intergenerational gap between younger women and more experienced women and spark lasting personal and professional relationships among them. Launched in 2020, the organization has hosted over 30 virtual events and offers two flagship programs that support all self-identifying and newcomer women in Canada. Francine devotes some of her time to mentoring newcomers with Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) since 2020 and sits on the Youth Committee for Woodgreen Community Services (formerly JobStart), where she helps develop mentoring solutions for Youth. She is among the 2020 Top 100 Women to Watch in Canada, was recognized by the CivicAction Leadership Foundation as a Black Rising Leader, was honored with the Legacy Award from Volunteer Toronto for her contributions to the local community, and was recently a Mentorship Finalist with Women Empowerment Awards. Francine is fluent in English and French and has a strong penchant for community-focused activities, supporting small businesses, reading, meditation, and physical wellness.

For more from Francine or to get in touch, please connect via:

LinkedIn: Francine Mbvoumbo

M2D Instagram: Mothers to Daughters 

M2D LinkedIn: Mothers to Daughters 

M2D Youtube: Mothers to Daughters

M2D Website: https://www.motherstodaughters.ca/

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As always, thanks so much for tuning into Breaking Brave! If you like the show, please subscribe, review, and/or send us your suggestions or questions via the platforms below!

For more from Marilyn Barefoot or to get in touch with her directly, please connect via:

Marilyn's website: https://marilynbarefoot.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynbarefootbigideas/

Twitter: @MarilynBarefoot

Instagram: @marilynbarefoot

ABOUT Marilyn Barefoot, the Host of Breaking Brave:

Breaking Brave is Hosted by Marilyn Barefoot, one of the foremost business coaches & creative ideators in North America - Marilyn gets hired by several of the world's biggest brands, companies, and organizations (the NHL, McDonald's, Deloitte, Coca-Cola, MTV, Viacom, The CFL, Forbes Magazine; to name just a few) to help them get unstuck and generate big, creative ideas.

It helps us so much to have your feedback which goes a really long way in helping us shape the future of Breaking Brave and host the guests you're most interested in hearing from! So if you have the time, please subscribe, review, and connect with Marilyn on social media or through her website! And as always, thanks so much for tuning in!

On July 10th 2023, Steven Matthew Clark will be the first person to start a PhD program from a maximum-security prison. Since he was first incarcerated, Steven began taking responsibility for the choices that landed him in prison; Steven's been involved with education and programs that have transformed his life. He has earned an Associate's degree and two Bachelor's degrees, graduating at the top of the class. Steven is currently finishing a master's degree in Positive Psychology. He has kept a 4.0 GPA while maintaining his volunteerism and helping many others achieve their goals, all from maximum security prison. Please enjoy this in-depth, wide-ranging conversation with Steven, which he recorded remotely from his prison cell via Zoom.

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As always, thanks so much for tuning into Breaking Brave! If you like the show, please subscribe, review, and/or send us your suggestions or questions via the platforms below!

For more from Marilyn Barefoot or to get in touch with her directly, please connect via:

Marilyn's website: https://marilynbarefoot.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynbarefootbigideas/

Twitter: @MarilynBarefoot

Instagram: @marilynbarefoot

ABOUT Marilyn Barefoot, the Host of Breaking Brave:

Breaking Brave is Hosted by Marilyn Barefoot, one of the foremost business coaches & creative ideators in North America - Marilyn gets hired by several of the world's biggest brands, companies, and organizations (the NHL, McDonald's, Deloitte, Coca-Cola, MTV, Viacom, The CFL, Forbes Magazine; to name just a few) to help them get unstuck and generate big, creative ideas.

It helps us so much to have your feedback which goes a really long way in helping us shape the future of Breaking Brave and host the guests you're most interested in hearing from! So if you have the time, please subscribe, review, and connect with Marilyn on social media or through her website! And as always, thanks so much for tuning in!