Happy New Year to our Vita Talks Listeners. Starting 2026 off with our first episode, host Gianna Ricciardi sits down with Cristelle Sary, lawyer and managing partner at Messier Sary & Consultants. With over 15 years of experience in pension, benefits, and employment law, and registration with both the Quebec and Ontario bars, Cristelle brings a legal lens to one of the fastest-growing realities in today's workforce: employees working past age 65.

Cristelle explains how longer life expectancy, financial pressure, and shifting retirement norms are colliding with benefit and pension systems that were designed decades ago. Drawing from recent case law, she highlights where employers may face legal risk, where flexibility is possible, and why age-based employee benefit cutoffs are being increasingly scrutinized.

• Employers & Business Leaders managing employees who work past age 65
• HR & Benefits Professionals navigating age-related plan design and compliance
• Pension & Benefits Advisors supporting aging or multigenerational workforces
• Legal & Policy-Minded Professionals interested in employment, benefits, and human rights law

Mentioned Links:

Cristelle's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristelle-sary-7192b1102/?originalSubdomain=ca

Stay Connected to Vita Assure: Insurance and Workplace Benefits

Vita Talks Podcast | https://www.vitaassure.com/podcast/ LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/vita-assure/ Website | https://www.vitaassure.com/

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In this episode of Vita Talks, host Gianna Ricciardi sits down with Cory Brewer, Founder of Beyond Landscaping and Co-Founder of Market Hill Agency. Cory shares how he grew his North Vancouver landscaping company while tackling one of today's biggest business challenges: finding and keeping strong people.

He discusses the turning point that led him to rethink how his office operated, ultimately building a fully virtual back-office team overseas. Cory also opens up about how Beyond Landscaping keeps field staff engaged through culture, year-round work opportunities, and better structure. His experience eventually inspired a second business supporting entrepreneurs with trained remote executive assistants.

Whether you manage field teams, hybrid teams, or a growing small business, this episode offers practical ideas for building a more resilient and efficient workforce—without giving everything away.

• Entrepreneurs & Small Business Owners – especially in trades, construction, or services, struggling with hiring and retention.

• Operations & HR Leaders – looking for real-world examples of hybrid teams (field + fully remote office) that actually work.

• People Managers in High-Turnover Industries – interested in building a stronger culture and engagement with frontline teams.

• Founders Feeling Overworked – who want to understand how remote executive assistants can help them reclaim time and focus.

Mentioned Links:

• Connect with Cory on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/corybrewer/?originalSubdomain=ca

• Connect with Cory on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/corybrew/?hl=en

Stay Connected to Vita Assure; Insurance and Workplace Benefits

• Vita Talks Podcast
• LinkedIn
• Website

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In this episode, Gianna sits down with Scott Dedels, Co-CEO of Block Rewards, to explore how Canadian employers are incorporating Bitcoin into compensation and benefits programs.

Scott shares how Block Rewards helps organizations diversify their savings offerings by giving employees the option to invest in Bitcoin alongside traditional group RRSPs. He discusses the evolution of Bitcoin sentiment in the workplace, how one Alberta-based green energy company saw extraordinary returns, and why this new approach appeals to today's multigenerational workforce.

Whether you're curious about digital assets, employee benefits innovation, or the future of workplace compensation, this conversation offers valuable insight into a fast-evolving space.

• Benefits Advisors & Brokers – looking to bring fresh, modern options to employer benefit portfolios.
• HR Leaders & Business Owners – curious about integrating Bitcoin or alternative assets into compensation packages.
• Finance & Payroll Professionals – interested in understanding how Bitcoin savings programs function alongside traditional group RRSPs.
• Forward-Thinking Employers – eager to attract and retain talent through innovative, tech-forward employee perks.

Mentioned Links:

• Scott Dedels LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottdedels/

• Block Rewards Website https://blockrewards.ca/

Stay Connected to Vita Assure: Insurance and Workplace Benefits

• Vita Talks Podcast
• LinkedIn
• Group Employee Benefits

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In this episode of Vita Talks, host Gianna Ricciardi is joined by My-Linh Diep, founder of Sante Continuum and a recognized facilitator with the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Together, they explore how one large, unionized organization moved beyond surface-level mental health initiatives by implementing a structured, layered training strategy that resonated with executives, managers, and team leads alike.

Through a compelling case study, My-Linh reveals how tailored training—focused on early warning signs, communication skills, and referral support—can equip leaders with the confidence to address mental health challenges effectively, without overstepping professional boundaries.

This episode offers actionable insights for businesses of all sizes on how to:

• Make mental health training practical and role-specific
• Create psychological safety through structured yet authentic conversations
• Understand the ROI of a workplace mental health strategy
• Leverage community resources and low-lift tools—even in smaller teams

Whether you're a leader, HR professional, or business owner, this conversation is a must-listen for building healthier, more connected teams.

🎧 Who Should Listen?

• HR professionals looking to design or refresh mental health training
• Business owners and executives committed to building psychologically safe workplaces
• Managers and team leads who want to better support employee well-being
• Learning and development teams focused on human-centred leadership
• Small businesses seeking practical ways to support staff mental health without large budgets

🔗 Mentioned Links:

• My-Linh Diep | LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/my-linh-diep-61b15717/?originalSubdomain=ca
• Website https://santecontinuum.com/

Stay Connected to Vita Assure: Insurance and Workplace Benefits

• Vita Talks Podcast https://www.vitaassure.com/podcast/
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/vita-assure/
• Group Employee Benefits https://www.vitaassure.com/

Ways to Support This Podcast:

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In Episode 15 of Vita Talks, host Gianna Ricciardi is joined by Rita De Luca, Partner and Senior HR Consultant at DRH Solutions, to explore the foundational role company values play in building scalable, high-performing organizations.

Rita shares a compelling case study of a 1,000-person company that, despite its size, lacked clarity and consistency—resulting in disengagement, poor accountability, and internal conflict. Her discovery? The root of the problem was a lack of clearly defined organizational values.

In this conversation, Rita outlines how values aren't just words on a wall. When defined with intention and embedded across hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, and leadership, they become the operating system of a company's culture—a concept she calls "The Legacy Effect."

This episode is essential listening for founders, people leaders, and HR teams looking to build resilient cultures, especially in fast-growing or scaling environments.

💡 Key takeaways:

• How values influence behaviour and accountability
• Case study: Fixing disengagement with a values-first approach
• Embedding values into recruitment and performance
• The role of managers in modelling values
• What "The Legacy Effect" means in HR strategy

🎧 Who Should Listen?

• Founders and business owners scaling their teams and looking to build a strong, sustainable culture
• HR professionals and consultants tasked with implementing or refreshing company values
• People leaders and managers aiming to align behaviour, performance, and culture across departments
• Recruiters and talent acquisition teams interested in hiring for cultural fit, not just skill
• Organizations struggling with engagement, accountability, or internal conflict and seeking a foundational reset

🔗 Mentioned Links:

• Rita De Luca | LinkedIn Profile
• DRH Solutions

Stay Connected to Vita Assure: Insurance and Workplace Benefits

• Vita Talks Podcast
• LinkedIn
• Website - Group Benefits for Employees

Ways to Support This Podcast:

💡 Share this episode with colleagues and leaders in your network ⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 🔔 Subscribe for future conversations about benefits, leadership, and workplace wellness

In this episode #14 of the Vita Talks Podcast, host Gianna Ricciardi welcomes Elissa Shorrock, Founder and Senior HR Consultant at ZOLERNA HR Consulting, for a candid look at how communication—when not managed intentionally—can derail even the most promising organizations.

Elissa shares a case study from a growing marketing agency that introduced multiple collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, Monday.com, and email in hopes of improving team efficiency. But without clear guidelines, these tools created confusion, delays, and misalignment, especially between remote and in-office staff.

What began as a simple tech fix turned into a deeper investigation into how communication habits were impacting culture and performance. Elissa explains how her team diagnosed the issue using employee surveys, then co-created a communication strategy and playbook that brought clarity to the chaos.

This episode is a must-listen for HR professionals, team leads, and business owners navigating growth, hybrid models, or internal friction. Learn how to unify your communication approach, prevent silos, and build stronger collaboration across distributed teams.

🎧 Key takeaways:

• What causes miscommunication across hybrid or scaling teams
• How to build a simple but powerful communication playbook
• Why performance issues often stem from poor messaging, not poor talent

Who Should Listen?

• HR leaders at small to mid-sized companies experiencing growth
• Team managers struggling to align remote and in-office employees
• Operations leaders looking to reduce friction and missed deadlines
• Founders and executives aiming to improve internal communication
• Anyone building a hybrid team or scaling their collaboration infrastructure

Mentioned Links:

• Elissa Shorrock, Founder & Senior HR Consultant
• Website: https://www.zolernahr.com/
• Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elissa-shorrock-crha-chrp-04158314/

Stay Connected to Vita Assure: Insurance and Workplace Benefits

• Vita Talks Podcast
• LinkedIn
• Website - Group Employee Benefits

Ways to Support This Podcast:

💡 Share this episode with colleagues and leaders in your network ⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 🔔 Subscribe for future conversations about benefits, leadership, and workplace wellness

In Episode 13 of Vita Talks, host Gianna Ricciardi is joined by Sophie Babinski, Principal Consultant at Pli & Repli and Co‑Founder of Manella, to explore how fast-paced organizations can better support employees through their parental leave experience.

Sophie shares a compelling case study from a pre‑IPO SaaS company of over 1,000 employees. Despite strong parental leave policies and DEI values, employees returning from leave often encountered vastly changed roles, emotional disorientation, and unclear expectations, especially in a culture built for speed.

Sophie and Gianna discuss how the consulting process uncovered discrepancies between policy and lived experience, and how interventions—like manager toolkits, intentional re‑onboarding, and new "empathy guides"—helped bridge those gaps. They outline practical changes, including comp-review cycles for returnees, manager check-ins during leave, and enhanced employee communication strategies. Sophie emphasizes that these improvements are low-lift but high-impact in terms of retention, trust, and employee well-being.

Who Should Listen?

• HR professionals seeking to improve return-to-work experiences after parental leave.
• People managers navigating how to better support employees during and post-leave.
• DEI and culture leads looking to bridge policy with real employee experience.
• Leaders in fast-paced or scaling companies aiming to retain talent during life transitions.
• Founders or HR teams at early-stage companies designing or rethinking parental leave policies.

Mentioned Links:

• Sophie Babinski's LinkedIn
• Pli & Repli LinkedIn

Stay Connected to Vita Assure: Insurance and Workplace Benefits

• Vita Talks Podcast
• LinkedIn
• Website

Ways to Support This Podcast:

💡 Share this episode with colleagues and leaders in your network ⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 🔔 Subscribe for future conversations about benefits, leadership, and workplace wellness

In Part 2 of this two-part series, Vita Talks host Gianna Ricciardi welcomes back John Cochrane, Founder of JD Consulting, for the conclusion of a deep dive into group insurance funding models and risk evaluation.

Building on the foundational conversation in Episode 11, this episode breaks down the real-world results of a comprehensive benefits audit for a 600-employee organization. The outcome? A $350,000 cost reduction, enhanced control over reserves, and a shift to a customized ASO (Administrative Services Only) model, without adding undue risk.

Hear how the client, previously on a refund accounting model for over two decades, was guided through a detailed analysis of historical claims, pooling levels, and risk tolerance. John explains how organizations can assess whether they're paying too much for too little flexibility—and how pooling levels, third-party administrators, and hybrid approaches all play a role in optimizing a benefits strategy.

The episode concludes with a clear takeaway: Every organization deserves a full understanding of its funding model options and the confidence to choose the one that aligns with its risk profile, size, and goals.

Who Should Listen?

• HR and finance professionals managing employee benefits

• Employers considering changes to their plan structure

• Advisors looking for deeper insights into funding model strategy

• Business leaders aiming to improve cost-efficiency without compromising employee experience

🎧 Listen to Part 2 now and revisit Part 1 for the full story.

Mentioned Links:

• JD Consulting
• John Cochrane's LinkedIn

Stay Connected to Vita Assure: Insurance and Workplace Benefits

• Vita Talks Podcast
• LinkedIn
• Website

Ways to Support This Podcast:

💡 Share this episode with colleagues and leaders in your network ⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 🔔 Subscribe for future conversations about benefits, leadership, and workplace wellness

In Part 1 of this two-part series, host Gianna Ricciardi is joined by John Cochrane, Partner and Founder of JD Consulting, to explore the often-misunderstood world of group insurance funding and underwriting arrangements.

Drawing on over 25 years of experience in employee benefits consulting, John outlines the three primary funding models—fully insured, refund (retention) accounting, and administrative services only (ASO)—and explains how each structure allocates risk between the insurer and the client.

Listeners will hear a real-world scenario involving a 600-employee organization that has managed its plan directly with an insurer for over 20 years without advisory support. After agreeing to a confidential audit, the company uncovered significant inefficiencies in its funding model.

📆 Part 2, airing next month, will unpack the audit findings in more detail and share actionable insights for employers considering a funding model shift.

Who Should Listen?

• 🎯 HR and payroll professionals managing group insurance plans
• 🎯 CFOs and finance leaders focused on cost containment and plan ROI
• 🎯 Employers with growing teams and evolving risk profiles
• 🎯 Benefits consultants and advisors seeking clearer ways to explain funding models

Mentioned Links:

• JD Consulting
• John Cochrane's LinkedIn

Stay Connected to Vita Assure: Insurance and Workplace Benefits

• Vita Talks Podcast
• LinkedIn
• Vita Assure Website

💡 Share this episode with colleagues and leaders in your network ⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 🔔 Subscribe for future conversations about benefits, leadership, and workplace wellness

In this episode of the Vita Talks Podcast, we sit down with Giovanna Buscemi, Executive Coach and Founder of Clareo Institute, to explore how executive coaching empowers leaders—especially women navigating complex leadership roles—to thrive through transition, overcome internal blockers, and lead with confidence.

Giovanna brings decades of experience in HR, leadership development, and counseling to her work with high-performing executives. She shares a compelling case study based on a composite of real clients—a seasoned female executive who reaches the C-suite only to be met with resistance, isolation, and self-doubt.

We explore what happens when traditional success strategies no longer work, and how coaching helps leaders unlearn old habits, develop managerial courage, and redefine what success looks like at the top.

If you've ever felt stuck in your leadership journey or are supporting someone navigating change in a high-impact role, this conversation is full of wisdom and practical guidance.

• Female Executives Navigating Leadership Transitions
• HR Professionals supporting Senior Leaders
• Business Leaders and Founders Scaling Their Organizations
• Anyone interested in executive coaching, emotional intelligence, or personal leadership growth

Mentioned Links:

• Clareo Institute Website
• Connect with Giovanna on LinkedIn
• Clareo Institute LinkedIn Page

Stay Connected to Vita Assure; Insurance and Workplace Benefits

• Vita Talks Podcast
• LinkedIn
• Group Insurance and Group Retirement

💡 Share this episode with colleagues and leaders in your network ⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 🔔 Subscribe for future conversations about benefits, leadership, and workplace wellness