From Trauma to Triumph

The story of my guest this week is something we see in movies, yet this was her actual life!  Vickey Evans tells the story of love gone very wrong and found herself in a different country, alone with her baby boy and suddenly having to pack up and go back to her home country. And all the legal fallout that came after that was like navigating a mine field. Hear about how Vickey managed through it all and came out the other side better for it. She then took what she learned and is helping parents facing the same types of challenges to secure a more solid future for their children.

Vickey Evans is a dedicated single mother of one son, with an entrepreneur spirit. She is an experienced and knowledgeable financial advisor, ready to work with you to ensure your family’s financial future. She has obtained her Life Licence and Mutual Fund (MFDA) in March 2015, along with her RSP Scholarship Certificate in February 2016.

After 20+ years working within the Life Insurance industry, (Life Insurance, Critical Illness, Disability Insurance, Small Group Benefits and Investments) her exceptional customer service skills, administrative and new business operational experience prompted Vickey to make the decision to start her own venture in January 2017.

Reach out to Vickey to learn more about how she can help you at: https://protecting-our-children.com/

You can find Vickey on social media at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickeyevans; on Facebook and Instagram: @VickeyEvans

Sometimes we end up having experiences and events in our lives we could never have imagined. And sometimes those things lead us to discover who we really are at our core. My guest this week is Alana McClure and she knows this trajectory all too well. She had a series of opportunities and then some difficult experiences that had her having to pivot and redefine who she was until she finally was able to live life as her authentic self. And she now coaches and teaches others to do that as well and to create the future they truly want.

Alana is a divorced mother of 3,  former -air traffic controller turned serial entrepreneur. She has walked the path of, self-sabotage, divorce, abuse, imposter syndrome, success, motherhood, self-loathing, self-love and connected spirituality all to earn the wisdom to coach high performing, driven, intelligent women through transition. Using her “Ph.D. from the School of Hard Knocks” plus a unique blend of psychology, universal wisdom, and empowerment coaching, she shows you how to embody a deep sense of personal authority, peace, and joy and help you redefine your future.

Please reach out to Alana at: https://alanamcclure.com and on social media: https://www.facebook.com/alana.mcclure; Instagram: @alanalm; Linked In: @AlanaMcClure

I am particularly excited to have our guest Rhonda Armour this week as we are going to be talking about something very near and dear to my heart -health and lifestyle. I know all too well the importance of nutrition, exercise, stress management and other lifestyle components, not just because I know how much mental health is affected by these things, but I also know what an integral part this all is of living a life of joy and peace. Rhonda will share her own mental health journey and will be sharing some of the things she has found to help herself and now in her work, helping others. I really love Rhonda's approach of being kind and gentle with yourself while making significant changes for your life.

As a Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach, as well as a Personal Trainer, Rhonda understands the demands on time for today’s woman feeling torn between career and home life. Nutrition and exercise often fall last on a long list of priorities. She once lived this life and understands it’s not easy putting yourself back on the priority list, especially if you have struggled with programs and diets that have left you feeling frustrated and confused. Rhonda wants her clients feeling empowered and back in the driver’s seat!

She develops a partnership with her clients and, together, they develop habits and strategies to implement those habits, that are meaningful and easily fit into their unique lifestyle. There is no one-size fits all approach. The approach is custom and it’s all about her clients needs. Rhonda wants to end that roller coaster and the shout of internal voices that question your willpower, capability, and commitment from programs that simply haven’t supported your life.

Rhonda's full life coaching style allows clients to partner with her in a holistic approach that satisfies external pressures and personal goals. She enjoys working with the motivated, but stressed-out woman who is ready to live their best life and understands that it’s not a straight line to success. Rhonda's greatest desire is to empower women and restore that flame of confidence, competence, and control!

You can learn more about Rhonda at her website: https://rhondaarmourcoaching.com or on Social Media: @rhondaarmourcoaching. Make sure to take advantage of Rhonda's Complimentary Consultation.

Even though many things have opened up and some of the pandemic anxiety has subsided, there are still a lot of things in the world right now causing stress, overwhelm and anxiety. Rising costs of almost everything, shortages, tragic events, divisions among many groups, and lots of individual challenges and stressors.

For some, it still feels like they are just surviving and getting by and can't imagine how they could ever get to  place of thriving.

Go to: https://www.lifelessons.ca to get your free T.H.R.I.V.E.R. Manifesto!

This week's episode will hit all the feels. My guest this week is Jody Swain and she is here to share a tragic event that for every parent is a worst nightmare. Have your Kleenex ready. Jody is so incredibly vulnerable and real as she speaks about this most difficult time in her life. Her courage and strength to navigate the trauma and to now be doing work that is so meaningful for families is a testimony to the work she did to get from surviving to thriving. 

Jody Swain is the Founder of HIRE and FIRE your KIDS. A Gamified Parenting App, that reduces family friction and helps moms, dads & more connect, and digitally communicate with their children and teens while preparing them with household responsibilities, money management and life skills for a successful future.

Jody is a Canadian mom of a blended family who was fed up with cleaning up after her kids and battling behaviors. She created a game of ‘hire and fire’ that leveraged her 20-year leadership experience and began her own technology start-up called Hire and Fire Inc.

She recently oversaw the latest version of ‘Hire and Fire your Kids’ and launch to the App Store, Google Play and most recently Amazon! As a first-time entrepreneur, she won the H.U.B Inc “Game Changer of the Year” entrepreneur award, named "One to Watch" with Mompreneurs Canada, named Top 50 with Canada's Total Mom Pitch, had four offers on CBC’s Dragons’ Den and reached #1 in the Lifestyle section of the App Store.

Jody’s passion for business and success are matched only by her commitment to family. A perfect set-up for the genesis of her mobile app. Jody lives with her husband and children in Whitby, Ontario.

Please visit Jody's website for more information about her and her fantastic business: https://hireandfireyourkids.ca. You can find Jody on social  media @hireandfireyourkids.

On this week's episode I am speaking with Suzy Tamasy about how we often go from experiencing trauma and very challenging circumstances to turning it all completely around and then being able to use those experiences to help others in very profound ways. Suzy's history and past reads like a novel, which she actually does write about in her book "Empowered in Heels". This compilation book also features other women who have lived through their own difficult experiences and have risen beyond them to become empowered.

Suzy Tamasy is a serial entrepreneur, award-winning mentor in finance and business, and a leader in advocating for entrepreneurship as a way of creating positive empowerment transformation. Suzy is the founder of SuzyQJewels, Frugal Divas, Empowered in Heels and Biz & Fashion Magazine, and Women on Biz, an initiative to radically transform how we support, celebrate and finance empowered female entrepreneurs. She is also a blogger and event producer.  Look out for her upcoming fashion shows to support the SuzyQJewels women and children program.

An entrepreneur and woman of style from an early age, Suzy understood from very early on that if she wanted something, she had to work for it, and it’s that knowing that has helped her break the barriers and tenaciously pursue a love of fashion. Suzy started as a jewellery designer using recycled items and has evolved to her mini-empire with a virtual consignment shop and new clothing line under SuzyQJewels and Frugal Divas. Her clothing line donates a portion of its sales to women shelters across Ontario. Suzy also has two magazines – Empowered in Heels and Biz & Fashion Magazine. 

To give back to the community, Suzy hosts a yearly Swap, Sell and Donate event and fashion show with her signature trademark walk showing the cycle of abuse and stopping the violence .Suzy strives to build relationships with her clients, encouraging them to never give up on their dreams because she believes that when we are open to the light of kindness, we can accomplish anything!

Suzy is currently based in Oshawa, Ontario with two lovely sons. Check out her website: http://suzyqjewels.com to learn more about the beauty, brains, and business-savvy of Suzy Tamasy. Also, you can find Suzy on Social Media @suzytamasysuzyqjewlsfashion on IG or @Suzytamasy on FB. You can also visit https://empoweredinheals.co to learn more about the book and to order it. Also available on Amazon.

I have noticed that intolerance seems to be something that is happening more and more. Not just around the big things like race, gender, sexuality, religion, politics, pandemic. But I’m noticing a train of thinking that basically says “if you’re different from me or what I think is right – you are wrong”. This way of thinking seems to be causing conflict, stress and even dissolution of relationships at rising rates. 

Tune to learn why this may be happening more now and the solutions we can all apply every day to help us focus on our own lives and success, no matter how anyone else is living their life.

I will lead the listeners through an exercise from Byron Katie's book: "Loving What Is". You will be able to apply this strategy to so many different things in your life. It can change your way of thinking deeply which will then impact how you live your life in profound ways.

This week we are exploring Resilience again. I've talked about this before and this week I have a wonderful guest who truly embodies Resilience. Karina G. Sanchez has had many challenges and experienced deep trauma in her life and each time was able to not only bounce back but to rise way above her adversity and create an amazing life and career. Karina is inspiring so many and today we get to be inspired by her incredible wisdom and experience.

Karina has recently released her fantastic book "Leadership for The New Female Manager", available on Amazon. For our listeners though, Karina has kindly offered her book for free. If you would like a copy, please email: [email protected] and mention you heard the offer on this podcast or direct message Karina through any of her social media platforms.

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This week my guest is Lisa Carberry, owner of Your Empowered Solutions. Lisa and I had a very interesting conversation about how we can use all of our experiences to not only accept the lessons that they bring if we pay attention. but also to have them be the guide for us to embrace and create changes that can transform our loves.

In her book “Transform Your Life, Transform Your Teaching: Book One: Soul Speak’ Lisa takes the individual on a personal, authentic, intimate, and revealing journey into the depths of the minds creations, to expose the truth of who and what we are as well as the infinite power that lies within to envision, create, and manifest our best life and all that is possible when we are real with ourselves and others.

For Lisa, her work is an exciting adventure through which she enjoys guiding people on their journey towards a deeper sense of self and witnessing the creative power this releases.

Learn more about Lisa and her services at: http://www.yourempoweredsolutions.com or on Social Media: Instagram: @theyescoach; @rainowtransitions; On Facebook visit Lisa's group: @YourEmpoweredSolutions. Or email Lisa directly at: [email protected]

My guest this week is Barb Takeda. We will be discussing some of the experiences and traumas that led Barb to the wonderful ways that Barb now helps others with her very spiritual and inspirational practices.

Barb is also a published author and her most recent book "Fall in Love with Your Flawsomeness: Healing and Transforming the Wounds of Trauma to Create Your Exceptional Life" is now available in eBook form on Amazon and about to be released in hard copy. Barb will be having a launch and book signing on Saturday, April 30th between 1:00 and 3:00 at The Lauft, 20 Pugsley Court in Ajax, Ontario.