JFKsWorld Podcast

Ryan McNeill turned a love and passion for sports and sharing athlete stories from side hustle to full time job. As the founder of the Athletes Unfiltered Podcast and now new podcast Unfiltered Conversations, Ryan and James take a trip down memory lane as Ryan shares his journey from receiving Toronto Raptors media credentials, to being a teacher with a pretty cool side hustle, to making the jump to full time sports reporter/ story teller. Ryan has found a niche in “micro-pods” format to bring his stories to the world, and we did the interview just as he had celebrated his first full year as a full time entrepreneur… 15 years in the making. For aspiring entrepreneurs Ryan gives some great advice on how effort, a good accountant, and a commitment to your craft can help any passion become a sustainable and rewarding business. From partially tearing his ACL while covering an NBA tryout, to literally having to start over due to a house fire, Ryan’s story and perspective on faith, effort, and chasing your passion can be so rewarding, for anyone who sticks with it.

La Toya Bedeau… or MsToya as she is known to her students and in the dance industry, is a Dancer, Choreographer, Instructor, and Co-Director (with her talented husband Ron) of In Tha Groove Productions. In Tha Groove is a company created out of their passion and experience in the entertainment industry that caters to all areas of entertainment. MsToya can also be found teaching dance classes and workshops… oh and she is also currently the Head Coach of the Toronto Argonauts Dance Team. To say it was fun catching up with MsToya is an understatement. For aspiring entrepreneurs MsToya gives some great advice in following your passion, as well as utilizing skills and contacts you pick up along the way to help navigate a business venture. Having performed on stage in over 20 countries with some of the biggest names in the music industry this self proclaimed “plant-mom” continues to live her dream of sharing dance with the world!

The JFKsWORLD Podcast is back!  In this episode I sit down with Humble & Hungry Founder Vivek Mehmi and his Co-Host/ Partner Dante Waechter as they are gearing up to host Humble & Hungry's first live event in over two years.  Vivek - the first - 2 time guest of JFKsWorld gives us an update on his personal growth as an artist since we last spoke (Episode 001).  Dante - who while working a full time job has joined Humble & Hungry as a side hustle, explains what being part of Humble & Hungry means to him, as well as an update on what Humble & Hungry has been up to over the past year.  The main focus of the episode is to highlight the upcoming show, how it came to be, and the work behind the scenes that the team is preparing for - a live concert @ the MSC Amphitheatre on September 23rd, 2022.  

Audra Esper is a founding partner at Esper Innovative Solutions.  Simply put, Audra helps businesses creatively communicate.  Audra and I met working on cruise ships, a job that we both jumped into right out of University.  As you will see from this episode, Audra is the definition of positive energy, and in our time working together I got to witness first hand her ability to have a positive impact on everyone that she came into contact with.  Fast forward over a decade later and Audra has combined her knowledge of the Cruise Ship industry, her love of soccer, and her passion of visual storytelling into an entrepreneurial endeavour that was truly born out of her desire to help people.  For aspiring entrepreneurs Audra shares her philosophy of doing something for the right reasons, and the ability to find the solution to a void for companies or customers is the foundation of an entrepreneurial mindset.

Shannon Kapitor is the co-founder and owner of Bloom Skincare Co, a family run business based on providing small batch, , natural, high quality ingredients in all of their skincare products. Shannon is a friend that I met through my wife, and when I found out that she had recently launched a new website for Bloom, I knew I wanted to have her as a guest. Currently, much like my podcast, Bloom is a side hustle for Shannon, and one of the topics covered is the balancing act of a successful career, a side hustle born out of a passion for skincare, and a busy family life. Aspiring Entrepreneurs will get some great advice on the steps Shannon took to start her business, following your passion, and not being afraid to succeed. Another first for the podcast is that Shannon offers a special promo code to any JFKsWORLD listeners who place on order on the Bloom website by May 31, 2021!!

Tamara Shelly is a Juicepreneur - the founder of Classic Juice Co, a Smoothie & Juice Bar located in the East End of Toronto, Ontario.  Tamara and I went to high school together, and thanks to social media have reconnected over the past few years.  When asked to summarize what Classic Juice Co. is, Tamara responds “Classic Juice Co. is a wellness company best known for handcrafted, small batch, cold-pressed, raw, natural, 100% juice elixirs made with purpose and passion. Our mission is to support individuals on a self-care journey while motivating them to seek and serve their purpose in their daily lives.”  In this episode Tamara shares her journey from testing out her own juice blends at catering functions, to opening a store front that has been embraced by her local community.  Aspiring entrepreneurs will benefit from Tamara’s experience and words of advice, and everyone will be inspired by Tamara’s passion for health, community, and all things Juice!

Sean O’Connor is a chef and co-founder of Spruced Food, a food delivery and catering service located in Burlington, Ontario.  To quote Sean and his partner Ryan, they are “your tastebud tacticians for all things food.”  Sean and I used to work together while he was still in school, and I have been following his journey to become a chef ever since he first told me that is what he wanted to pursue.  In this episode Sean shares his education and culinary journey to becoming a chef, the circumstances that led to launching Spruced Food… during a pandemic, and his passion for “food drops” and bringing the magic of food from farm to table.

Jeff White is a Realtor located in the Niagara Region. I was lucky enough to meet Jeff when he interviewed and hired me to join his retail staff 11 years ago. For me, Jeff was someone whom I learned a lot from, mostly about how to lead highly successful teams, and also about always staying true to yourself. In this episode we dive into Jeff’s long and successful corporate career, his love of health, fitness, and travel, and a decision to bet on himself and pursue his passion for real estate. Jeff brings tremendous value to entrepreneurs through his ability to share thoughtful advice and ideas based on experiences ranging from the corporate world to riding some of the world’s craziest waves.

Junior Rodriguez is the co-founder and co-owner of PRB Contracting Inc. A General Contracting company servicing residential and commercial clients in the Greater Toronto Area. I have known Junior for about 10 years, and was lucky enough to cover a wide range of topics - from growing up in the Dominican Republic, gaining technical skills, learning how to become a problem solver, and the importance treating your clients like family. Junior shares some advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, the importance of family, having passions outside of work, and as an entrepreneur always looking to grow and improve your business mindset.