Vegan Boss Radio

In this episode, I’m joined by Lindsay O’Donnell — a seasoned marketing strategist, intuitive business coach, and former agency founder with over a decade of experience helping bold, purpose-driven brands grow their impact.

As the founder of PQ Consulting, Lindsay worked with dozens of food, wellness, and lifestyle businesses across North America, and now supports entrepreneurs in uncovering the mindset blocks and brand clarity they need to truly thrive — not just chase success.

She blends sharp strategy with deep intuition to help business owners trust their gut, get clear on their messaging, and market in a way that feels both effective and aligned.

Lindsay is also a longtime vegan — vegetarian for over 25 years and fully vegan for the last 15 — and we had a great conversation about all things marketing, vegan business, effective ways to promote veganism, and what it really means to show up authentically in a world of constant content.

You can find Lindsay on Instagram at @pq.consulting and her website pqconsultinggroup.com.

_________________________________________________________________

 Need support with plant-based nutrition? I offer private consultations to help you build a balanced, sustainable approach. Check out synergynutrition.ca for details.

 Check out the Vegan Boss apparel line to spread the vegan message wherever you go — everything is on the website and @vegan_boss on Instagram.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you tune in.

In this episode of Vegan Boss Radio, I’m joined by Akash Patel (@_plantitude), an MD/MBA student at the University of Miami with a passion for nutrition, lifestyle medicine, and health systems transformation.

He is particularly interested in how evidence-based, integrative approaches that combine conventional medicine with lifestyle interventions can improve patient outcomes and enhance chronic disease care.

Akash runs an Instagram page where he breaks down nutrition research and combats misinformation in an accessible way. He is especially focused on the role of plant-forward diets, not only for their benefits to human health, but also for their positive impact on planetary sustainability and animal welfare — three interconnected issues where meaningful change can start with what’s on our plates.

Akash hopes to pursue a career in oncology while helping shape a healthcare system that facilitates prevention, empowers patients, and takes a comprehensive approach to supporting well-being.

In this episode we discuss:

Popular nutrition myths online, especially from the low-carb, keto, and carnivore communities

Carbs aren’t the enemy, and we don’t need to fear them

Persistent animal vs plant protein myths

And a deep dive into the Keto CTA study — a controversial paper that attempted to downplay the risks of elevated LDL cholesterol from keto diets by failing to report its own primary outcome

You can find Akash on Instagram:

@_plantitude

__________________________________________________________________

Need support with plant-based nutrition? I offer private consultations to help you build a balanced, sustainable approach. Check out synergynutrition.ca for details.

Check out the Vegan Boss apparel line to spread the vegan message wherever you go — everything is on the website and @vegan_boss on Instagram.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you tune in.

In this episode of Vegan Boss Radio, I'm joined by Sandra Nomoto — a book whisperer for authors with impact, a passionate vegan hype woman, and someone who’s been amplifying plant-based voices for years. She spent a decade running Conscious Public Relations Inc., one of the first B Corp–certified PR firms in Canada, and she’s the author of Vegan Marketing Success Stories — the first vegan marketing book in the world.

Sandra’s spoken at events like TELUS, Main Street Vegan Academy, Planted Expo, and the Vancouver Vegan Festival, sharing stages with incredible changemakers like Genesis Butler, Chuck Carroll, and Dr. Michael Greger.

She also co-hosts VEG Networking Canada — the country’s only vegan networking group.

In this episode, we talk about vegan marketing and practical ways to promote your vegan business — no matter your size or budget — all while staying aligned with your values.

Find Sandra online at:

Website

Facebook

______________________________________________________________

🌱 Need support with plant-based nutrition? I offer private consultations to help you build a balanced, sustainable approach. Check out synergynutrition.ca for details.

👕 Check out the Vegan Boss apparel line to spread the vegan message wherever you go — everything is on the website and @vegan_boss on Instagram.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you tune in.

In this episode of Vegan Boss Radio, I’m joined by Angela Crawford, Ph.D., psychologist, vegan educator, and author of The Vegan Transformation: A Journey to Heal Yourself and the World (Lantern, 2025).

Angela brings over 25 years of experience as a psychotherapist and shares how going vegan can spark emotional and spiritual healing, purpose, and personal growth. We talk about the deeper psychological impacts of this lifestyle, what inspired her to write her new book, and why so many people feel a profound inner shift when they go vegan.

💬 Whether you're newly vegan, plant-curious, or someone who's felt that deeper change yourself — this episode is full of insight and inspiration.

Find Angela online at:

Website

Instagram

________________________________________________________________

🌱 Need support with plant-based nutrition? I offer private consultations to help you build a balanced, sustainable approach. Check out synergynutrition.ca for details.

👕 Check out the Vegan Boss apparel line to spread the vegan message wherever you go — everything is on the website and @vegan_boss on Instagram.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you tune in.

In this episode, I’m joined by Carolyn Scott-Hamilton — holistic nutritionist, plant-based chef, cookbook author, and creator of the award-winning travel and lifestyle series The Healthy Voyager. Since 2005, Carolyn has been a pioneer in the world of healthy, eco-conscious living, helping people navigate travel, special diets, and green lifestyles with ease.

We talk about how The Healthy Voyager brand came to be, what it means to grow a purpose-driven business, and how to stay grounded in your values while navigating wellness, food, and media.

You can find Carolyn on all social media platforms as @thehealthyvoyager and her website, The Healthy Voyager.

_______________________________________________________________

Vegan Boss Radio is hosted by longtime vegan and nutritionist, Shawna Barker BSc., R.H.N. 

Instagram: @vegan_boss

Website: Synergy Nutrition

Clothing Line: Vegan Boss Apparel

In this powerful episode of Vegan Boss Radio, I sit down with one of the most legendary figures in environmental activism—Captain Paul Watson.

Captain Paul Watson is a marine wildlife conservation and environmental activist. Watson was one of the founding members and directors of Greenpeace. In 1977, he left Greenpeace and founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

A renowned speaker, accomplished author, master mariner, and lifelong environmentalist, Captain Watson has been awarded many honors for his dedication to the oceans and to the planet.

Among many commendations for his work, he received the Genesis Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1998, was named as one of the Top 20 Environmental Heroes of the 20th Century by Time Magazine in 2000 and was inducted into the U.S. Animal Rights Hall of Fame in Washington D.C. in 2002. He was also awarded the Amazon Peace Prize by the president of Ecuador in 2007. In 2012, Captain Watson became only the second person, after Captain Jacques Cousteau, to be awarded the Jules Verne Award, dedicated to environmentalists and adventurers.

In 2022 a hostile takeover at Sea Shepherd USA made most of the branches change their strategy from Paul Watson’s original mission and turn their backs to their founder. Only Sea Shepherd France, Sea Shepherd Brazil and former Sea Shepherd UK remained loyal and still work closely with Paul Watson.

At the same year, Paul Watson had also founded Captain Paul Watson Foundation where he runs active campaigns to this day. In September, 2024, The Perfect World Foundation announced that Captain Paul Watson was to receive The Perfect World Foundation’s Honorary Conservation Award for 2025. Captain Paul Watson will also be named The Conservationist of the Year 2025 by The Perfect World Foundation, highlighting his extraordinary contributions to the global conservation movement.

This episode dives into his decades of activism, the importance of staying true to your mission, and how every one of us can play a part in protecting our planet.

Find Captain Paul Watson at:

Paul Watson Foundation Website

Captain Paul Watson Instagram

_________________________________________________________________

🌱 Follow me on Instagram @vegan_boss for more plant-based nutrition tips and updates.

Aging Joyfully, Living Compassionately – with Victoria Moran

This week on Vegan Boss Radio, I’m joined by the incredible Victoria Moran, founder of Main Street Vegan, and author of 14 books including Main Street Vegan, Creating a Charmed Life, and her latest: Age Like a Yogi: A Heavenly Path to a Dazzling Third Act. 🌱✨

Named one of VegNews' Top 10 Living Vegetarian Authors, featured twice on Oprah, and recently inducted into the Vegan Hall of Fame, Victoria brings decades of insight, wisdom, and spiritual perspective to the vegan movement.

In this episode, we explore:

What it truly means to age like a yogi

How veganism fuels vibrant living at any stage of life

The connection between spirituality and plant-based living

Everyday activism and embracing a "charmed life"

Victoria can be found online at:

@victoriamoranauthor

@mainstreetvegan

🛍️ Looking for trusted, plant-based supplements?

👕 And don’t forget to check out the Vegan Boss Apparel Line — bold, tropical, and conversation-starting pieces made to help spread the vegan message. Find it all under the Shop section on the website.

🌿 For personalized nutrition consulting, visit the Services page.

Thanks for tuning in — let’s dive into this inspiring conversation with Victoria!

Vegan Boss Radio is host by vegan nutritionist, Shawna Barker BSc., R.H.N.

@vegan_boss

@synergy_nutrition

www.synergynutrition.ca

Vegan Boss Radio is back! 🎉 In this first episode of the relaunch, I’m joined by my longtime friend and fellow longtime vegan, Rhiannon Whitney — a vegan aesthetician and the founder of Willow's Skin and Laser Bar in Cochrane, Alberta. You can also find Rhiannon on Instagram @rhiannonadventures

We’ve both been vegan for over 20 years, and in this episode, we look back at what it was like going vegan in the early 2000s compared to today. We talk about how far the movement has come, how access to vegan food has evolved, and what we hope for the future of the vegan lifestyle.

💻 Learn more or book a nutrition consultation: www.synergynutrition.ca

Thanks for listening, and I’m so excited to be back with you!

In this episode of Vegan Boss Radio, Shawna interviews lauren Ornelas about how she started the Food Empowerment Project; how she got into veganism, animal rights, environmental rights, and social justice issues 30 years ago; and some of the main areas that the Food Empowerment Project works within.

lauren Ornelas is the founder and president of Food Empowerment Project (F.E.P.), a vegan food justice nonprofit that promotes veganism, fights for workers, and works on lack of access to healthy foods in Black and Brown communities. She has been an animal activist for three decades, during which she has launched numerous groups, investigated factory farms, run consumer campaigns, and helped stop the construction of an industrial dairy in California. Watch lauren’s TEDx talk on The Power of Our Food Choices. Learn more about F.E.P.’s work at www.foodispower.org, and our sister sites www.veganmexicanfood.com, www.veganfilipinofood.com and www.veganlaofood.com.

Connect with the Food Empowerment Project:

IG: @foodempowermentproject

Website: www.foodispower.org

Vegan Boss Hosts:

Shawna Barker, Synergy Nutrition

IG: @synergy_nutrition

Megan Barker, Megan Media Design

IG: @meganmediadesign

We're Now on Patreon! (Please see below for details)

In this episode of Vegan Boss Radio, we interview Registered Dietitian Rhyan Geiger about how she went vegan after watching Cowspiracy, her new vegan cookbook, as well as some of the top nutrition myths we see online, both in general nutrition and within the vegan community.

Rhyan is a registered dietitian and vegan author who specializes in vegan nutrition. She is the owner of Phoenix Vegan Dietitian where she helps others easily transition to vegan living. She has many years of experience in vegan nutrition and believes in positively impacting the world one bite at a time. Rhyan is an expert in this field and has been featured in Women's Health and Business Insider.

Connect with Rhyan Geiger:

IG: @phxvegandietitian 

Website: www.phxvegandietitian.com

Recipe Book: Vegan Slow Cooking for Two

Updates:

Learn to make Shawna's favourite taco recipe on Unchained TV:

Oyster Mushroom Tacos with Creamy Chipotle Sauce

Get on the waitlist to be notified when Shawna's new nutrition courses will be available online:

Learn About the Courses & Join Waitlist

We're now on Patreon!

If you'd like to support our work putting out these podcasts, we have two membership options to choose from:

Our Official Patron membership is $5/month and includes monthly recipes, bonus nutrition episodes, and 10% off our online vegan supplement store (shipping within Canada).

Our VIP Patron membership is $30/month and includes everything in the Official Patron membership plus a private 15 min nutrition coaching call each month. Also, you'll get 20% off our vegan supplement store instead of 10% off.

Join Our Patreon

If you enjoy the show, please give us a rating & review. Help us spread the word! You can also find us on Instagram: @vegan_boss

To apply to be a guest on the show or to become a sponsor, email us at [email protected]

Vegan Boss Hosts:

Shawna Barker, Synergy Nutrition

IG: @synergy_nutrition

Megan Barker, Megan Media Design

IG: @meganmediadesign