Game Changers

We sat down with Alina to discuss how she got into tennis, the training and dedication required to compete at nationals from a young age. Additionally, we tap into her “championship mindset” which allowed her to persevere through tough times like injury, early losses and disappointment. Finally, we discuss the student-athlete lifestyle, why she chose the UofA over top American universities and how she plans to make tennis a more accessible sport at the grassroots level in the future.

Introducing our next guests: Anthony and Raj, co-founders of @spontivly, an Edmonton-based tech startup.
Spontivly aims to combat social isolation and loneliness that many younger generations face today by revolutionizing the way people connect. Spontivly allows you to create or join a nearby activities spontaneously and connect with new individuals who share similar interests.
Anthony Is a tech entrepreneur who recently left a 6-figure position to pursue Spontivly with co-founder Raj, an urban planning expert who moved from Toronto. Spontivly is partnering with universities such as University of Alberta (@ualberta), Macewan (@macewanu) and more, as they gear up for their launch soon.

Seerat is currently “living the dream” as an NBA reporter for Yahoo Sports. She has covered teams like the Toronto Raptors and worked with players such as Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler,  DeMarcus Cousins to name a few.

Seerat was born and raised in Edmonton. She attended the University of Alberta and graduated with a degree in political science. It was during her time at the U of A that she started to work on her craft and seriously pursue sports journalism as a career. Prior to being signed by Yahoo Sports, she freelanced as a sports writer for companies like ESPN and SBnation.

Her dedication, sustained self-belief and witty takes have allowed her to grow a following of over 40,000 followers on Twitter.

We sat down with Seerat to talk about her experience covering the Raptors surreal Championship run, how she got into sports journalism, the journey from freelancing to securing a full-time position, what its like being a woman in a male-dominated industry and much, much more!

Introducing our next Guest: OG Jonah
OG Jonah is an Edmonton based artist creating waves in the music industry. Since 2015, OG has put out 3 studio projects, 30+ singles and 20+ music videos. 
He has performed all across Canada and the USA doing shows with the likes of @lilmosey, @bhadbhabie and @wizkidayo to name a few. Perhaps even more impressive, he’s done all this independently and even established his own label: YEGMG (@yegmg_entertainment). OG set up YEGMG to put on for the city and provide a network for up and coming artists.

Timestamps:

2:20: Did you always have a love for music? 

3: Start of Rap Career 

5: How he broke into the music industry/early beginnings

7:15: How to get people to “buy in” to your potential when starting up? 

8:50: Importance of Confidence and belief in himself 

10:40: OG sharing stories of getting recognized in public

11:48: OG on his purpose behind pursuing rap career and actively looking to give back to community 

15:30: OG on how his upbringing fuels his drive today

18:20: Importance of giving support, being grateful and how it eventually comes back to you

20:40: OG shares story of when someone took a chance on him 

22:00: The personal side of OG

25:44: Inspiration behind YEGMG (OG’s music label)

28:00: OG’s Business Advice for upcoming  artists

30:40: Importance of networking and building a loyal fanbase

33:50: OG on what makes his unique as an artist

36:50: OG on how his life experiences cultivated his current mindset and helped him become more aware

41:40: Embracing your struggle

43:30: What does it take to be successful in the music industry? 

49:40: OG on his lowest moment and what motivates him to keep going

53:05: OG on how his childhood contributed to his toughness/resilience

55:50: How does OG deal with the hate?

56:30 - In my own lane and letting his actions define him

57:25: Upcoming album/shows

58:30 OG Jonah on the music scene in Edmonton 

62-63: Cultivating confidence 

63:55: OG on what makes a gamechanger

64:50 Be yourself

65:25: where to find OG Jonah on social media/internet

We are really excited to announce our first guest; Lali Toor! He is the founder of Apna Hockey and Apna Sports International. At 26 years of age, Lali has expanded Apna Hockey to 6 locations worldwide including Vancouver, Calgary, India, etc. Lali has taken Apna Hockey and Apna Sports International on a global level alongside Dampy Brar building a network of connections at the highest levels of sports including NHL players, VP of the NHL, and other top representatives of the South Asian community. With a network of this caliber, alongside Lali’s personal journey through top levels of hockey, he has created an organization that truly embodies what GameChangers believes in. Lali was able to accomplish all this and is also a full-time MBA student at UofA. Stay tuned for our first podcast to learn more about Lali’s extraordinary experiences and growth on a personal level and with Apna Hockey!