The Storytellers Podcast

If you're not listening, you're not learning. In Episode 10 of Storytellers, we sit down with Katie Chapman, owner of The Fox and Hound Canine Retreat in Bright's Grove, Ontario. Katie's journey started at a young age, growing up surrounded by dogs. This formed a love for the industry which has kept her motivated during the road blocks of opening her own business. Structure has played a major role in the overall success of The Fox and Hound Canine Retreat, and Katie has learned to stay calm and let go a little for the sake of her "pack"

It's not about the abundance of money you have to give, the intent behind giving is passion. In Episode 9 of Storytellers, we sit down with Kathy Alexander, Executive Director at the Bluewater Health Foundation in Sarnia, Ontario. Kathy has always known she's wanted to do something to improve the lives of others around her, starting her career as a social worker. Through her years of working in fundraising Kathy has learned a thing or two about generosity, feeling passion towards what you do and how to manage a work-life balance.

Life is all about the decisions you make, and our guest on Episode 8 of Storytellers, Jim Pumple, is totally responsible for his own life – there is no one else to blame.

All investment is a calculated risk, you must do your homework and know the product, or you are doing your clients a disservice. After 44 years as a broker in the Sarnia area, Jim definitely knows a thing or two about the local real estate market. He specializes in commercial, industrial sales and leasing, and has a diverse background in real estate development, investment financing, and construction. Jim enjoys the creative aspects of the development side and brings a unique perspective to the brokerage business with the ability to customize solutions for each client's specific needs.

In addition, Helen is also a contributing author to the International bestseller, "Dreaming Big, Being Bold", where she shares her experiences of both the trials and successes she's encountered in her career. She encourages those around her to reach out and follow their dreams, and live the life they want to live.

Meet Richard Beland, our guest on Episode 06 of Storytellers.

Richard is a music photographer. His extensive body of work, which dates back to 1986 includes live performance photographs as well as studio portraits. From photographs of Coldplay to The Tragically Hip, Richard's images of international stars and Canadian icons reveal his passion for his craft, his keen sense of composition, and his steadfast commitment to detail.

Today Richard is also Professor and Coordinator of the Photography Program at Lambton College in a town very close to where he grew up.

In the fifth episode of the Storytellers podcast, we meet Paresh Thakkar, owner and chef at Personal Touch Eatery.

Thakkar comes from a strong background in economics, but when it came time to start a career, he was drawn to the kitchen - a passion that was instilled in him as a boy.

Listen to how Paresh mixes business with pleasure - running his own restaurant and catering business while observing tight business practices that will likely ensure long term success.

In the forth episode of Storytellers, we sit down with Jenn Crawford, owner and operator of Caryl Baker Visage at Lambton Mall in Sarnia.

Jenn has dedicated much of her life to making her clients look and feel great. Formerly a retail manager of another cosmetics shop, she purchased the Caryl Baker Franchise 17 years ago. Since then she's built a thriving business, with a motivated staff and a reputation known well throughout the city.

In the third episode of Storytellers, we sit down with Don Anderson, general manager of the Sarnia-Lambton Business Development Corporation. In his role at the SLBDC, Don has made it his personal mission to see local businesses and start-ups grow.

But he's also observed when these young enterprises go down the wrong path. Watch as Don shares his wealth of experiences and interactions in what will truly be a valuable episode packed with advice for any budding entrepreneur.

In the second episode of Storytellers, we're joined by John DeGroot, President of Sarnia-based DeGroot's Nurseries. Even as a youngster, John was involved in the family business, but only in his 20s did he decide that this was going to be his career. DeGroot embraces a humble and kind approach to running the Sarnia garden and landscape centre – and it seems to be working.

He prioritizes relationships over power, and is a major contributor to the Sarnia-Lambton community. Listen as CR Creative Co. founder Matt Pasut sits down with John to learn what it's like to seize the reins of a long-established family enterprise – and grow it even more. Enjoy!

In the first episode of Storytellers, we sit down with Tara Duff-Cloes, president of John Duff Ltd. – a Petrolia-based custom metal fabricator.

Initially, Duff-Cloes planned to go into marketing but knows now this is what she was meant to do. Her nearly 30 years experience at John Duff has been full of challenges, successes and interesting situations.

It hasn't always been easy, she admits, but the experience she gained along the way can be appreciated by anyone who hopes to steer a business to success. Enjoy!