Chatter that Matters

Jean-Louis Brenninkmeijer is from an iconic and wealthy European Family. After a successful career in the family business, he has the means and experience to live anywhere and do anything. What makes Jean-Louis so remarkable is that he has invested millions of dollars in reminding the world of the magic Canada offers.

Jean-Louis has created Little Canada, Our Home and Miniature Land at Yonge and Dundas in Toronto. I met him there. I have no vested interest, I am not getting paid to promote his venue, so I can say from my heart that Little Canada is one of the most exciting attractions I have visited anywhere in the world. Everything is on a 1/87 scale, which means you are about three-quarters of an inch tall. When you see the imagination, creativity, and attention to detail that captures everything, and I mean everything in miniature, combined with moving cars, trains, people and even chickens, it will be time well spent. When you leave, you feel Canada's extraordinary, diverse and yet unique.

So how did Jean-Louis come about to invest millions of his dollars to create it? You will have to listen to my Canada Day special to find out.

And some great takeaways:

How their iconic family business passes on its values and company from one generation to the next by creating accountability and responsibility.

Why time that is well spent between parents and children matters most.

How those impacted by wealth can affect others in magnificent ways.

Phil is an advocate for human rights and a survivor of residential school abuse. He shares his experiences there and how he turned his anger into positive change. Phil served three terms as the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, the first being when he was only 28. He was also among the first to openly talk about the abuses in residential schools and twice visited the Vatican seeking an apology.

Phil Fontaine's contribution to our country deserves to be honoured, as are his beliefs that the First Nations communities continue to be an integral part of the fabric of this land. Phil also views self-determination as key, leading to a First Nation Economy where the best education is pursued, culture preserved, and wealth created.

Listen to the incredible story of Ed Hajim, a man who overcame adversity to become a wildly successful entrepreneur. His continued resilience, hard work, and positivity inspires the self-starter within us all.

I love stories involving the 'hero's journey, someone who goes on an adventure, is victorious regardless of circumstance or crisis, finds mentors or believers along their way and becomes changed or transformed in the process. When the story is true, it roars through my spirit and lifts my belief in the power of the human being. This story, I promise, will do the same for you.

At age three, Ed Hajim is kidnapped by his father, driven from St. Louis to Los Angeles, and told that his mother is dead. His father soon abandons him to seek employment—mostly in vain—leaving his son behind in a string of foster homes and orphanages. Ed's life weaves into a pattern of neglect and desertion that continues for his entire childhood, forever leaving its mark. From one home to another, the lonely boy learns the value of self-reliance and perseverance despite his financial deprivation and the trauma of being an orphan. What does Ed do with his life? He embarks upon a hero's journey of epic consideration. It must be heard to be appreciated, believed and applauded.

Society cannot afford to leave our young behind. Mark Beckles, Vice President of Social Impact and Innovation for RBC, joins me at the show's end to talk about Future Launch and what they are doing to help youth find and pursue their path in life.

Amber Mac is a tech analyst, brand advisor, and business coach with a burning desire to make the digital revolution easier to digest for everybody, everywhere. Learn about the opportunities and solutions that come with emerging technologies.

Early in her successful broadcasting career, Amber Mac identified an unmet need. Technology was one of, if not the central force of change in society; it was often complex, making choices and applications difficult. She believed that people would respond to someone who could help them demystify all that was new.

Amber risked all by leaving a promising broadcasting career as a 'hired hand' to talk tech to create her own media platform where she had full editorial and publishing control. Her courage continues to pay off. Amber is a best-selling author, a sought-after speaker and an interviewer; her content is viewed all over the world. Amber shares her back story in this chat and what it takes to own a lane and drive a business forward.

Alecia Aquino joins me from RBC to discuss their support of women-led businesses in Canada.

#women #womenentrepreneurs #technology #chatterthatmatters #podcast

Scott Morrison joins the podcast this week to talk about how the Summit Series changed Canadian hockey forever. Additionally, Scott discusses lessons on leadership, strategy, parenting, and more.

I love this story because I was there, attacking my nails every game as a fan, and my standing ovation wasn't for a team; it was for Canada.

Fifty years ago, a goal changed hockey forever and helped to unite a fractured nation. It was the 1972 Summit, the first time that NHL Players competed against the best from the Soviet Union. It was supposed to be a cakewalk for Team Canada. It wasn't.

Scott Morrison, who just released his book, 1972, The Series that Changed Hockey forever, joins me on Chatter that Matters to talk about what many consider to be one of the most significant sports events in history.

Scott is one of the most knowledgeable hockey authorities in the world. He shares some incredible 'behind the bench' insights on the eight games that changed hockey forever and united a divided nation. Scott also offers lessons on leadership, strategy, parenting and why sports matter.

Scott Morrison a champion storyteller.

To order Scott Morrison's book: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/1972-the-series-that-changed/9781982154141-item.html?ikwid=scott+morrison&ikwsec=Books&ikwidx=0#algoliaQueryId=8b8d4b7af6437c584d33b11d19542c8b

What do you do when you're out of care options for your aging loved-ones? This week's guest, Nectari Charitakis, built a platform that empowers seniors and their families to find affordable care without having to move them out of their homes.

There are two stories in this episode, and both involve Nectari Charitakis, a wonderful human being. Nectari has a career that jets him all over the world, but as an only child he must come to terms with his ageing parent's rapidly deteriorating health and all the emotional baggage that comes with this reality.

His mother, with Dementia, moves into a long-term care facility but her disease erases her command of the English language. His father became isolated during the pandemic in a long-term care home. Both are no longer alive.

The second story is about Nectari leaping off of a widely successful career path to become an entrepreneur, intent on lightening the load for others in similar circumstances.

Nectari creates uCARENET to empower aging seniors to stay in their own homes longer while receiving affordable, quality care and also alleviating everyday stresses on both families and healthcare workers.

Amy Deacon returns to the show as I love how she thinks. Amy is the Founder and CEO of Toronto Wellness Counselling, and she provides some powerful insights and ideas for ageing parents and all who love them.

This week I had an opportunity to interview one of television's biggest stars, Bryan Baeumler, in front of a live audience. We were both there to celebrate the launch of The Founders Journey, a free online, eight-module course to help entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality.

Bryan shares many funny stories combined with powerful insights and advice from his incredible journey from hammering nails to hammering out international television deals. We discuss how he and his wife, Sarah, managed to do it all. They have four children, create compelling television, and have 17 businesses, including a resort on the Island.

His significant insights include information about:

1. How to recognize your value

2. Say what you mean, do what you say.

3. Do the research

4. Build at the right pace.

5. Stay focused.

6. Understand your future customer and employee.

All aspiring entrepreneurs, or those wanting to grow their business, I encourage you to check out The Founders Journey - https://www.thefoundersjourney.ca

Carl Dixon's life-changing and almost-ending head-on collision left him in a coma for ten days, with a broken neck and 51 other injuries. Carl shares his journey back from the accident, reclaiming life, music, and his new path as a motivational speaker.

Carl Dixon credits a squadron of guardian angels who looked after him through several surgeries and rebuilding his broken body, combined with his family and burning desire to perform again. Carl offers you some incredible lessons on what matters most. Sasha Braganza joins the show to talk about what RBC is doing with RBC X music, Virtual Voices and more to help aspiring Canadian artists find the audience their talent deserves.

My guest today is Neill Dixon, a character with great character. He is singing proof to follow your passion when building your career. In his twenties, Neill had a cafe called Grumbles, frequented by the who's who of music. He managed the rock band Triumph, and his legacy is crafting and staging Canadian Music Week, one of the world's most influential music conferences and festivals. It turns 40 this year. Neill shares some amazing stories and great lessons on combining passion with pursuit.

Stephanie Lupinacci returns to Chatter that Matters to talk about Virtual Voices, RBC's incredible partnership with Canadian Music Week.

This week, Robert Mazur, an ex-federal agent who infiltrated the money-laundering, mob-connected network of Pablo Escobar, sits down with Tony Chapman to talk about his high-risk mission.

Robert Mazur is directly responsible for one of the biggest busts against the Pablo Escobar Medellin Cartel in the 1980s. In 2009, he published "The Infiltrator," a memoir about his two years undercover, and in 2016, the book was made into a film starring Bryan Cranston. Mazur is also the author of The Betrayal, a memoir about his infiltration of the Cali Cartel and underworld figures in Panama.

In this riveting episode of Chatter That Matters, Robert Mazur takes listeners along his high-risk journey of pulling off one of the most extensive undercover operations in history and bringing criminals and a corrupt bank to justice. Robert Mazur successfully infiltrated Pablo Escobar's Columbian drug cartel by pretending to be Robert Musella, a money-laundering, mob-connected businessman from New Jersey.

Adam Evans, Vice President of Cyber Operations at RBC, joins me to talk about how and why cybercrime is now bigger than all other crimes combined.

To connect with Robert Mazur:

Website: www.RobertMazur.com

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-mazur-29341016

FB: https://www.facebook.com/RobertMazurOfficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/robertmazur