My guest this week is an incredible visionary! Pierre Legault has spent his entire life helping society’s most marginalized. At a time when social economy and entrepreneurship were pretty much unknown to most people, he founded what is arguably one of the most important organizations in Québec - Moisson Montreal – which helps distribute over 90M$ worth of non-perishables and other food items to Montreal’s needy families every year! Having felt a sense of accomplishment, he resigned and went on to create yet another significant organization – Renaissance – which, not only has paved the way for social entrepreneurship in Québec, but more importantly, through its mission to provide affordable clothing and other essential items to Montreal families, it helps the unemployed get all the necessary resources to reintegrate the job market. I hope you enjoy this conversation!

My guest this week is an absolute hero! For over 20 years Pina Arcamone has been at the head of the Missing Children’s Network; A non-profit organization that works tirelessly in sensitizing the population to the disappearance of children but also assists parents in the search of their missing child. We discuss about her early involvement with this organization as well as the mental and emotional challenges of doing what she does. Enjoy the conversation!

I cannot be more excited about this week’s guest! For many Canadians, but especially for Montrealers, Bruny Surin is a sports icon and an Olympic legend! On this episode we talk about his journey as a very young immigrant from Haiti; his ambition and struggle to become a professional athlete; his exceptional accomplishments as a 4-time Olympian, gold medalist, world champion, Canadian Olympic Hall of Famer and Sports Hall of Famer. We also talk about his continued involvement as a mentor and philanthropist, as well as his very successful transition to entrepreneurship. I also let you all in on a little secret I’ve kept for a long time about his near jump into politics! Enjoy the conversation!

My guest this week is Maximilien Roy. I met Max while he was starting out his career in politics and witnessed him quickly climb the ranks all the way to the office of the Prime Minister of Canada. Today, he is the CEO of the Association of Youth Chambers of Commerce of Quebec (RJCCQ). We reminisce and discuss a little bit about politics but mostly, we talk about business and entrepreneurship in Quebec. The many challenges and constant changes in the economic/innovative/tech landscapes and the impact they have on both government policy and business sustainability and development. I hope you enjoy the conversation!

My guest today is one of my oldest friends, Nectar Economakis. He is a top executive who runs his very own successful business through which he has helped some of the biggest companies achieve success through his management, marketing and growth strategies. He is one of the smartest people I know with an unbelievable track record in his industry. We talk about his exceptional professional journey and also about some technological trends that are already or will be impacting our lives. I hope you enjoy the conversation!

My guest today is my very good friend Francesco Miele. Frank and I went to College together and as long as I can remember, among his most ambitious aspirations, becoming a lawyer and politician were at the very top of his list! Well, he's done both those things! He became an immigration lawyer and, in 2010, he was elected for the very first time as a Montreal City Councilor for the district of Côte-de-Liesse. He has since been re-elected in 2013 and again in 2017. We discuss the challenges of running for office as well as other hot issues in the Montreal political landscape. Enjoy the conversation!

As you all know, I created this podcast to share conversations with interesting individuals that have a profound desire to contribute to society. My guest today has gone above and beyond just contributing. Nicolas Macrozonaris is a professional athlete and a former Canadian sprinter who went on to represent Canada at two Olympic Games (Sydney 2000; Athens 2004) and many world championships. In this episode we talk about his incredible journey and everything that he has done since in order to remain an active and, more importantly, a valuable citizen in our country. Enjoy the conversation!

When it comes to answering the question "What's it like to work in politics?", Harold Fortin is probably the best person to ask. Couldn't be happier to have him on the podcast and to talk about his impressive 14-year career. Despite his very young age, he was among the most revered senior staffers, occupying the positions of communications advisor and deputy chief of staff to many cabinet ministers in the Quebec government. We also talk about the last 4 years during which he was Quebec Premier's right-hand man, serving as his communications director and later as director of his international relations department. Frankly, it doesn't get more "backstage" than this! I hope you enjoy the conversation!

On this episode I talk with my very good friend Mary Deros. I grew up watching her grow into politics! And by the time I started my career, she had already established over a decade in public service. Today she is one of the longest serving municipal councilors in Montreal with over 20 years of service! We discuss about how it all began, the things she's most proud of and other hot topics currently in the landscape of Montreal. Enjoy the conversation!

On this very first episode I welcome my good friend Pantelis to The Backstage Podcast. He's a stand-up comic out of Montreal whose career has completely exploded in the past two years. We talk about how it all started, the different collaborations that have impacted his growth, what he’s currently working on and what he has in store for the future. Enjoy the conversation!