Why to the Way

Dina Barazza has a controversial take on HR: she fundamentally disagrees with having an HR person inside your organization — because who pays them determines who they protect. After 35 years in HR consulting, she has spent her career on the outside of organizations for exactly that reason, and the results she has driven from that position are hard to argue with. This episode is a masterclass in what leadership actually requires right now — and most leaders, she says, are getting it wrong.

In This Episode, host Sarah Jeanneault and Dina unpack:

• Why Dina believes having an internal HR person is structurally compromised from day one — and what the alternative looks like when you bring in someone whose loyalty isn't already pre-determined by a paycheck from the company
• The four levels of psychological safety developed by Dr. Timothy Clark — inclusion safety, learner safety, contributor safety, and challenger safety — and why most organizations fail at level four, which is exactly where innovation lives
• The transformation story of an international food industry company with angry employees, high turnover, and widespread burnout: how Dina's team used a learning needs analysis, a layered leadership program, and simple stay interviews to reduce turnover and increase productivity within 18 months
• Why the adult learner needs to hear or see something seven times before they can retain it — and what that means for leaders who think sending one email counts as communication
• The 30-60-90 day framework every new leader should walk in with — including why the first conversation should be asking "what are my measures of success?" before assuming you know what you're there to fix
• Why cutting the training budget in hard economic times is exactly backwards — and why Dina is seeing organizations flood back to coaching and training post-COVID after years of cutting training budgets.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Why HR Gets Distrusted

00:16 - Podcast Setup

01:13 - Meet Dina HR Consultant

02:12 - Hiring Strategic HR

03:14 - Anxiety Talking to HR

04:03 - Independent HR and Trust

05:28 - Leader Reality Check Metrics

06:54 - New Leader 30 60 90 Day Plan

08:36 - Empathy and Modern Workforce

10:37 - Leading Across Teams and Culture

14:31 - When Leaders Resist Feedback

18:32 - New Leader Pressure and Success

20:29 - Transformation Story Training ROI

24:23 - Building a Leadership Legacy

26:50 - Handling Toxic Teams

28:28 - Hiring for Skills And Culture Fit

29:20 - Building High Performing Teams

31:07 - Training And EQ Skills

33:00 - Strengths Based Development

34:56 - Where To Find Dina - The Talent Consortium

36:29 - Gut Check On HR

41:03 - Balancing Results And People

46:09 - DISC And Adapting Styles

48:38 - Wrap Up And Call To Action

Resources Mentioned:

• Now, Discover Your Strengths — book by Marcus Buckingham; includes an online assessment that identifies top five strengths and provides a development report
• Dr. Timothy Clark — researcher behind the four levels of psychological safety framework
• The Talent Consortium — Dina's consulting practice; thetalentconsortium.com
• DISC — psychometric assessment tool Dina uses as a baseline in leadership coaching; referenced in the episode for understanding motivational styles and team dynamics

Dina Barazza is the President and Chief Learning Officer of The Talent Consortium, a consulting practice specializing in human resources, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness. With over 30 years of experience working with organizations ranging from startups to Fortune 500s, she is known for her work in building high-performing cultures, leadership coaching, and custom training design. She is also a professional speaker on leadership, learning, and organizational culture.

Connect with Dina Barazza:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dinabarazza/

https://www.thetalentconsortium.com/

Connect with Us!

http://www.whytotheway.com

[email protected]

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This show is produced by Twisted Spur Media Ltd.

Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during Why To The Way Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Sarah Jeanneault, Twisted Spur Media Ltd. and/or her affiliates. Sarah Jeanneault, Why To The Way Podcast, and Twisted Spur Media Ltd. are not responsible for and do not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

Amy Baryshnik spent nearly two decades working for other people's businesses — investment banking in LA, private equity in New York, investment management in Toronto, Chief of Staff at Knixwear — learning everything she could about how companies are built, broken, and grown. She knew the whole time she wanted to build something. She just kept waiting until she felt ready. Then one month of being woken up at 3am by the same idea finally made her honest with herself: she was never going to feel ready, and that was exactly the point.

In This Episode, host Sarah Jeanneault and Amy unpack:

• The career arc that took Amy from Ivey Business School to investment banking in LA, to Apollo in New York, to 12 years working directly for three founder CEOs — and why she describes all of it as deliberate preparation for the day she would finally bet on herself
• What happened at Knixwear that no one else in the organization was equipped to handle: Amy led the sale of an 80% stake in the business to Essity, a global CPG out of Sweden, and spent a year leading the integration — because she was the only person in the room with an M&A background
• Why she left Knixwear at 40, set out to buy an existing business, and instead kept getting woken up at night by a decade-old idea — and what finally made her commit
• The Estate Kit origin story: her father's brain tumor diagnosis, being named decision-maker in a hospital hallway moments before surgery, and the realization that most families face that moment completely unprepared
• Why Amy believes the biggest unlock for Estate Kit isn't product — it's breaking down the taboos that keep people from engaging with the topic at all: mortality, money, family dynamics, and end-of-life wishes, all in one conversation
• Her chapter title for right now: "Let's talk about death and all the other topics that make you the life of the party".

Episode Highlights:

00:00 - Choosing Before You’re Ready

00:30 - Podcast Intro

00:42 - Meet Amy and Her Story

01:21 - From Banking to Operating

03:51 - Owning Decisions and Friction

06:35 - Leveraging M&A Background

09:15 - Culture Energy and Growth

12:30 - Hiring for Growth Mindset

14:11 - Estate Kit; Building Trust Around Death

16:19 - The Personal Origin Story

19:23 - Betting on Herself and Overcoming Fear

21:51 - You Will Never Feel Ready

23:30 - Leading as CEO

26:02 - Breaking Death Taboos

28:38 - Gut Check After the Interview

34:55 - Ideas Focus and Fulfillment

44:21 - Wrap Up and Call to Action

Resources Mentioned

• Estate Kit — Amy's company; free 12-question estate planning assessment available at estatekit.com
• Knixwear — Canadian D2C brand where Amy served as Chief of Staff; she led the sale of an 80% stake to Essity
• Essity — global CPG company based in Sweden; acquired an 80% stake in Knixwear during Amy's tenure

Amy Baryshnik is the founder and president of Estate Kit, a platform that helps families organize and securely share the documents, contacts, and instructions their loved ones will need when it matters most. She brings nearly two decades of leadership experience across investment management and retail, including roles as Chief of Staff at Knixwear and Partner and COO at Alignvest Management Corporation. A board member at NEXT Canada and trustee at the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto, Amy holds an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School and an HBA with distinction from the Ivey Business School at Western University.

Connect with Amy Baryshnik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybaryshnik/

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http://www.whytotheway.com

[email protected]

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This show is produced by Twisted Spur Media Ltd.

Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during Why To The Way Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Sarah Jeanneault, Twisted Spur Media Ltd. and/or her affiliates. Sarah Jeanneault, Why To The Way Podcast, and Twisted Spur Media Ltd. are not responsible for and do not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

Dominique Gruber had built everything she wanted: a mixed-animal veterinary practice in rural Montana co-owned with her husband, three kids, a team she loved, and a community that depended on her. Then everything shifted — not because of a decision she made, but because of a loss she didn't choose. What followed wasn't a planned pivot. It was survival, and then slowly, something unexpected: a clarity about what actually matters that she couldn't have found any other way.

In This Episode, host Sarah Jeanneault and Dominique unpack:

• How Dominique managed three simultaneous identities in the aftermath of loss — grieving mom, business owner keeping her team afloat, and solo decision-maker figuring out her financial limits — and how she learned to prioritize the most important three decisions and let everything else fall away
• Why she chose to accept help for the first time in her life, even though her instinct had always been to prove she didn't need it, and what finally made vulnerability feel like strength instead of weakness
• The decision to stop overthinking and let her gut lead: how she went from running late-night projections on every scenario to asking "what would a day feel like a year from now?" — and getting an immediate, visceral answer
• How Dominique sold the practice, moved her three kids from Montana back to Canada, chose Victoria on a feeling (having visited only twice), and describes it as the best decision she has ever made
• Her current chapter — "Grace and Space" — and the framework she now uses: identify what you're truly holding, give yourself permission to let the rest drop, and add back only what you can genuinely handle
• The role of somatic therapy in helping her recognize joy in her body in real time

Episode Highlights:

00:00 - Life Is Short

00:37 - Meet Dominique

03:04 - Vet Career Origins

03:52 - Tragedy And Priorities

07:31 - Three Identities To Manage

12:14 - Growth Through Grief

14:15 - Stop Overthinking Decisions

18:31 - Redefining Success

22:16 - Somatic Joy Practices

25:04 - Future Goals And Balance

30:50 - Grace And Space

32:47 - Gut Check Debrief

44:28 - Closing and Final Takeaways

Dominique Gruber is a veterinary professional and mother of three who co-owned and operated a mixed-animal practice in rural Montana alongside her late husband for a decade, leading teams, supporting clients and patients, and building a meaningful life rooted in service and community. After his unexpected passing, she navigated grief, single parenthood, and the sale of their practice simultaneously — before relocating her family from Montana to Victoria, BC, a city she had visited only twice before choosing it entirely on instinct. She now works in veterinary consulting and safety leadership, and is building a life rooted in presence, boundaries, and what she calls grace and space — the practice of holding what truly matters and letting everything else go.

Connect with Dominique Gruber:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominique-gruber-4a296386/

Connect with Us!

http://www.whytotheway.com

Email: [email protected]

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This show is produced by Twisted Spur Media Ltd.

Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during Why To The Way Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Sarah Jeanneault, Twisted Spur Media Ltd. and/or her affiliates. Sarah Jeanneault, Why To The Way Podcast, and Twisted Spur Media Ltd. are not responsible for and do not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

What if the first sign of burnout isn't exhaustion — it's resentment? Dr. Erin Wiley, a naturopathic doctor who works with high performers, says the moment you catch yourself thinking "I'd be happier if I just got paid more" is the moment to pay attention.

This episode is about energy, capacity, and the uncomfortable truth that growth and burnout often start with the exact same feeling.

In This Episode, host Sarah Jeanneault and Dr. Erin Wiley unpack:

• Why resentment — not exhaustion — is the first hallmark sign of burnout, and what Erin says to do the moment you notice it in yourself
• The "energy wheel": how movement, nutrition, and recovery work together in a circle, and why being lopsided in any one area shrinks your capacity instead of growing it
• The check engine light analogy Erin learned in naturopathic school back in 2006 — and what happens if you put tape over the warning light and keep driving
• The story of a client who came in for hair loss in her 40s and, ten years later, was running races against women a decade younger and hitting major career goals
• Why Erin left her brick-and-mortar clinic in Toronto for a virtual practice — and the fear of "what are you going to do when it's just you, the computer, and the camera?"
• The difference between internal and external validation, and why connecting to what's internally validating is essential when building sustainable health habits

Episode Highlights:

00:00 - Burnout Resentment Sign

00:24 - Podcast Intro

00:49 - Meet Dr Erin Wiley

03:20 - What Naturopaths Do

04:06 - High Performer Patterns

06:00 - Defining Energy Capacity

09:26 - Strategy Starts With You

13:36 - Burnout Warning Signals

16:28 - Check Engine Light Analogy

20:53 - Internal Validation Over External

24:19 - Big Move From City To Countryside

26:19 - Nature As Energy Source

27:53 - Personal Energy Hacks

28:59 - Confidence When It Clicks

29:26 - Grow Your Energy Takeaway

30:14 - Creative Explorer Chapter

31:28 - Small Town Doctor Life

32:22 - Career Redo Curiosities

37:22 - Regrets and Pivotal Moments

39:35 - Destiny And Generations

45:03 - Time as the Ultimate Value

46:18 - Impact And The Podcast

48:24 - Closing Reflections

Dr. Erin Wiley, ND is a naturopathic doctor with over 18 years of experience helping high-performing individuals — including senior executives and leaders across Toronto — optimize their energy, metabolism, and hormone health. She is Clinic Director at the Integrative Health Institute, and works with clients to build sustainable capacity so they can perform, lead, and live at their highest level. Her approach focuses on aligning with the body's natural systems — nervous system, metabolism, hormones, and digestion — to expand capacity without simply pushing harder, with particular attention to those navigating major life and career transitions.

Connect with Dr. Erin Wiley - erinwiley.com - where listeners can book a discovery call

Dr. Erin Wiley’s LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/erin-wiley-24a4b25

Connect with Us!

http://www.whytotheway.com

Email: [email protected]

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This show is produced by Twisted Spur Media Ltd.

Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during Why To The Way Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Sarah Jeanneault, Twisted Spur Media Ltd. and/or her affiliates. Sarah Jeanneault, Why To The Way Podcast, and Twisted Spur Media Ltd. are not responsible for and do not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

Most people treat imposter syndrome as a problem to solve. Dr. Andrea Wojnicki — executive communication coach, podcaster, and author — thinks that's exactly backwards. In her view, imposter syndrome is proof you're pushing yourself, and the people who never feel it are the ones who stopped growing. Host Sarah Jeanneault sits down with Dr. Andrea to reframe confidence from something you either have or don't, into something that follows naturally once you get clear on who you actually are.

In This Episode:

• Why Dr. Andrea says imposter syndrome should be celebrated, not overcome
• The confidence continuum: paralyzing anxiety on one end, arrogance on the other, and the "perfect equilibrium" in the middle that comes from a true growth mindset and doubling down on your unique strengths
• Why Dr. Andrea tells her 22-year-old son not to think about his personal brand yet — and what she tells a 55-year-old CFO instead, and why the advice for each is almost the opposite
• The chapter from her upcoming book called "Unique is Better Than Better" — and why the number one mistake people make with personal brand is not fear of self-promotion, but copying others and conforming to what others expect
• The four levels of listening — passive, active, generative, and not listening at all — and why generative listening, where two people together create something neither could alone, is the most underrated communication skill in business
• How Sarah first encountered Dr. Andrea at a YPO women's-only event at a turning point in her own career — and why Dr. Andrea's talk on that day is part of the reason this podcast exists.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 - Imposter Syndrome Reframe

00:17 - Podcast Premise Intro

00:41 - Meet Dr. Andrea Wojnicki

01:39 - Why People Need Prep

02:53 – Dr. Andrea’s Podcast Origins

03:45 - Narrowing The Podcast Niche

05:06 - What Clients Really Need

08:28 - Clarity Builds Confidence

10:41 - Branding By Career Stage

13:07 - Unique Over Better

14:55 - Introductions And Identity

15:51 - Sarah Personal Story

17:38 - Personal Branding Myths

19:10 - Celebrate Imposter Syndrome

22:52 – Dr. Andrea Career Backstory

23:13 - Teaching to Coaching Pivot

24:33 - Energy and Delegation

26:09 - Boundaries and Time Off

27:11 - Rethinking Strengths

29:27 - Leadership Shift to Communicating and Listening

32:19 – Dr. Andrea’s Life Chapter Title: Hitting Your Stride

34:01 - Where to Find Andrea

34:47 - Gut Check Reflections

36:45 - Imposter Syndrome Talk

40:04 - What We Want Clarity and Impact

45:09 - Doers and Promotions

47:36 - Final Takeaways and Outro

Resources Mentioned:

• Talk About Talk — Dr. Andrea's podcast and coaching practice; talkabouttalk.com
• Let Me Introduce Myself — Dr. Andrea's upcoming book
• Write a Must Read — book by AJ Harper
• The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women - 1978 research paper by two social psychologists; Pauline Rose Clance & Suzanne Imes
• YPO — Young Presidents' Organization

Dr. Andrea Wojnicki is an executive communication coach, speaker, and the founder and host of the Talk About Talk podcast, now with over 200 episodes. She holds an MBA and a Doctorate of Business Administration from Harvard Business School, where her research focused on consumer psychology and interpersonal communication, and has served on the faculty in the MBA program at the University of Toronto. Her 2023 Harvard Business Review article, "A Simple Way to Introduce Yourself," was one of the top three most downloaded articles on HBR.org that year. Her upcoming book, Let Me Introduce Myself, brings together her frameworks on self-introduction, personal branding, and professional identity into a single guide for ambitious professionals.

Connect with Dr. Andrea Wojnicki at: talkabouttalk.com or on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/andreawojnicki

Connect with Us!

http://www.whytotheway.com

[email protected]

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Linked In- Sarah Jeanneault

Linked In - Heather McPherson

This show is produced by Twisted Spur Media Ltd.

Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during Why To The Way Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Sarah Jeanneault, Twisted Spur Media Ltd. and/or her affiliates. Sarah Jeanneault, Why To The Way Podcast, and Twisted Spur Media Ltd. are not responsible for and do not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

Martha Malloy built a successful career in advertising, got promoted fast, worked on marquee accounts — and then quietly fell out of love with it. What came next wasn't a straight pivot; it was a side quest into UX research, a freelance experiment during the pandemic, a training session in New York that made her realize an entirely new profession existed, and eventually a coaching practice she built from scratch with a self-imposed one-year deadline.

The throughline across all of it is a question she keeps coming back to: do you love your Mondays?

In This Episode

• How Martha went from studying car design in England to automotive advertising at BMW Canada — moving from coordinator to account director in four years — before realizing advertising wasn't personally sustainable long term and pivoting entirely into tech and UX research
• The pandemic moment that pushed her to leave a full-time director of design role
• The two books — Designing Your Life and Designing Your Work Life — that helped her plan her off-ramp without burning bridges, and the specific exercises she did to decide whether to redesign her role or leave
• How she discovered product discovery coaching at a "Coaching the Coaches" training in New York with Marty Cagan — 50 coaches from around the world — and realized for the first time that it was a legitimate full-time profession
• The business coach advice that shaped her first year as a solopreneur: time-box your commitment, give it your heart and soul, and avoid diluting your energy by interviewing for full-time roles at the same time
• How she structures her embedded coaching engagements — from light-touch workshops to joining teams two to four days a week — and why the moment companies choose the "large" option was her clearest signal the business was working

Episode Highlights:

00:00 - Finding Monday Joy

00:12 - Podcast Premise Intro

00:38 - Meet Martha Malloy

01:27 - Early Career Chapters

05:37 - Bosses Vs Mentors

07:14 - Leading With EQ

10:45 - Reinvention At Work

11:38 - Morning Routine Mastery

16:46 - Pandemic Pivot Consulting

18:59 - Product Discovery Coaching

21:54 - Solopreneur Doubts Wins

27:29 - Embedded Coaching Approach

31:32 - Root Causes, Problems, and Outcomes

32:30 - Industry Agnostic Work

36:04 - Fighting Shiny Objects

37:39 - Parenting Tech Passion

39:08 - Reinvention Mantra

40:14 - AI Meeting Pressure

43:56 - Too Many AI Options

48:42 - Kids Career Reframe

51:56 - Productivity Without Tools

55:25 - Efficiency As A Love Language

56:36 - Future Jobs Unknown

57:32 - Wrap Up And Thanks

Resources Mentioned:

• Designing Your Life — book by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
• Designing Your Work Life — book by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
• Willful — Canadian estate planning company; Martha's first freelance client
• Marty Cagan — product management thought leader; Martha attended his "Coaching the Coaches" training in New York
• Product Bets & Jams — Martha's coaching practice; https://www.betsandjams.com/
• BMW Canada — Martha spent nearly five years on this account on the agency side

Martha Malloy is a product coach, startup advisor, and angel investor with 20+ years of experience helping technology teams — from early-stage startups to Fortune 500s — build products people actually want. As founder of Product Bets & Jams, she helps founders and product leaders replace gut-feel decisions with evidence-based practices that stick. She's worked across product, design, research, and marketing, and is an active mentor and investor in women-led companies.

Connect with Martha Malloy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martha-claire-malloy/

Connect with Us!

http://www.whytotheway.com

Email: [email protected]

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This show is produced by Twisted Spur Media Ltd.

Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during Why To The Way Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Sarah Jeanneault, Twisted Spur Media Ltd. and/or her affiliates. Sarah Jeanneault, Why To The Way Podcast, and Twisted Spur Media Ltd. are not responsible for and do not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

Tammy Janes spent nearly 15 years at Unilever, built a global transformation practice from a team of two to roughly 30 people, and then was told her role was being eliminated — not because she failed, but because she succeeded so completely that the organization no longer needed her. What do you do when doing your job well is the thing that ends it? And what does it take to rebuild, network from scratch, and lead a team through a redundancy you didn't choose — all at the same time? This is that story.

In This Episode:

• How Tammy went from wanting to be a lawyer to spending six years in management consulting across three verticals — CPG, financial services, and pharma — before finding a home at Unilever for nearly 15 years, holding 10 or 11 different roles in that time
• What it actually felt like to tell her team their roles were being eliminated — and how she coached half of them into other positions inside the organization while processing her own exit at the same time
• The six-month sabbatical she took after Unilever: why she chose to stop, what she did with the time (a personal trainer, five books, and time with her then-toddler daughter), and why she says she would tell anyone going through the same thing to do the same
• Why networking is the one career investment Tammy says she neglected when she felt safe — and the specific coffee chat tip her career coach gave her that made every meeting less about asking and more about giving
• Her personal purpose statement developed through a full-day Unilever workshop: "To be perfect enough to raise the bar" — and what the "perfect enough" qualifier means for how she avoids analysis paralysis
• Why organizational transformation fails when it's either rushed (60 days) or too slow (endless meetings), and the phased, win-by-win approach she believes actually sticks

Episode Highlights:

00:00 - Redundancy and Pivoting

00:19 - Podcast Premise

01:00 - Meet Tammy

01:41 - Law to Business Pivot

03:35 - Consulting Beginnings

05:28 - Choosing Unilever And Purpose

09:21 - Proudest Wins At Unilever

10:27 - Agile Ways Of Working

13:24 - Team Made Redundant

16:06 - Sabbatical and Networking

21:10 - Empathy Led Leadership

23:36 - Purpose and Motivation

26:28 - Transformation Advice

27:30 - Timelines That Stick

29:59 - Career Vision Flexibility

31:20 - Life Reimagined Mindset

33:06 - Impact Beyond The Job

34:21 - Gut Check Corporate Return

36:08 - Networking Anxiety Trust

45:12 - Energy Regeneration And Balance

50:56 - Learning Through Podcasting

52:30 - Questions After Layoffs

53:37 - Closing and Call to Action

Resources Mentioned:

• Unilever — multinational consumer packaged goods company and Tammy's employer for nearly 15 years
• Sofina Foods — one of Canada's leading manufacturers of primary and further processed protein products and Tammy's current employer
• Leaders Eat Last, book by Simon Sinek
• Next Up — Toronto-based women's professional organization
• Schulich School of Business at York University — where Tammy completed her undergraduate business degree
• Knorr What's for Dinner campaign — in-store marketing campaign Tammy worked on during her Canadian trade marketing role at Unilever
• Dove Self-Esteem Program — Unilever's self-esteem workshops for young girls; Tammy delivered workshops in schools
• Paul Polman — referenced as Unilever CEO during Tammy's early years; credited with embedding purpose into the business

Quotes:

“ If you do your job well, you should make yourself redundant in the hope that you go onto the next thing. “ - Tammy Janes

“ So I took about six months off, sabbatical, just took a break. You know, I figured I'm not gonna get this time back with my daughter. I got a personal trainer, I read five books. Like, it was just a good break that I needed.” - Tammy Janes

“ Why is, why are we all so scared to talk about this when it happens to people all the time?” - Sarah Jeanneault

“ A really good tip of just do some quick homework before you meet with the person. Find out what they're working on, what's going on with them, and, you know, offer up, "Hey, I might know someone that does this, and would you be interested?" Or even asking the question of, "Is there any way I can help you? Thank you for your time.'" - Tammy Janes

“ Come out with a purpose statement. And mine was, "To be perfect enough to raise the bar."” - Tammy Janes

"People don't fear fear, they fear the unknown that fear brings." - Tammy Janes

Tammy Janes is a transformation and strategy leader whose career spans management consulting, nearly 15 years at Unilever in 10-plus roles, and her current position as Director, Business Performance at Sofina Foods. At Unilever she built and led the global agile ways-of-working practice, growing a capability team from two people to approximately 30 before the function was successfully embedded into the organization. She is known for leading with empathy, driving continuous improvement, and building teams that outlast her.

Connect with Tammy Janes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammy-janes/

Connect with Us!

http://www.whytotheway.com

[email protected]

Instagram

YouTube

Linked In

Linked In- Sarah Jeanneault

Linked In - Heather McPherson

This show is produced by Twisted Spur Media Ltd.

Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during Why To The Way Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Sarah Jeanneault, Twisted Spur Media Ltd. and/or her affiliates. Sarah Jeanneault, Why To The Way Podcast, and Twisted Spur Media Ltd. are not responsible for and do not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

Jennifer Blackburn has held roles at Unilever, Nando's, Canadian Tire, Skip, and is now CMO of Clearly Canadian — and not one of those moves was a straight line. The pivot that surprised her most wasn't a bold leap toward opportunity; it was a quiet moment doing virtual homework with her three-year-old daughter at 3am from a different time zone, realizing the right role at the wrong time in your life is still the wrong role.

This episode is for anyone who's ever wondered whether ambition and a good life can actually coexist.

In This Episode

• Why Jennifer left a successful six-year run at Canadian Tire to join a hyper-competitive tech company — and how walking into an interim CEO, a new CEO, and two different bosses in her first six months taught her more than any stable role could
• The Nando's lesson: how a global brand with deep purpose and a dream job on paper became the clearest signal that career decisions can't be made without factoring in where you are in your personal life
• Why Jennifer puts almost no weight on how long someone stayed at a company when she's hiring — and what she looks for instead (hint: it's not the polished pitch)
• How Jennifer thinks about the career ladder versus the career zigzag — and why she believes knowing your north star matters more than following a prescribed path upward
• What it actually takes to revive a nostalgic legacy brand like Clearly Canadian for a generation that never grew up with it — and why that challenge is the one she's most excited to unlock
• The interview process at Nando's that included a five-hour psychology assessment in London with jet lag — and what Jennifer says she learned about herself from it

Episode Highlights:

00:00 - Reviving a Legacy Brand

00:25 - Podcast Premise and Intro

00:50 - Meet Jennifer Blackburn – Clearly Canadian CMO

01:42 - Nostalgia Stories and Brand Magic

04:56 - From Doctor Dreams to Marketing

06:19 - Unilever Training Ground

08:36 - Marketing Then vs Now

10:26 - Pivot to Tech at Skip

12:23 - Risk Support and Overwhelm

13:35 - Choosing Growth Together

16:02 - From Skip to Clearly Canadian

16:51 - Wrong Turns in Life

21:52 - Hiring Mindset on Short Tenures

23:26 - Interviewing for Authenticity

25:41 - Most Intense Interview Experience

27:00 - Working Parenthood and Energy

27:57 - Work Life Balance Lessons

29:18 - Career Pivots And North Star

30:47 - Transition Season At Home

32:31 - Favorite Clearly Canadian Flavor

33:09 - Gut Check On C Suite Paths

35:16 - Switching Industries And Growth

39:10 - Travel For Work Reality Check

42:25 - Remote Work And Productivity Debate

44:04 - Sleep Time Zones And Car Rules

46:58 - What We Missed And Wrap Up

48:09 - Podcast Wrap Up

Resources Mentioned:

• Clearly Canadian — the brand Jennifer currently leads as CMO; https://clearlycanadian.com/
• SkipTheDishes — Canadian food delivery tech company
• Canadian Tire — Canadian retail company
• Nando’s — global restaurant brand
• Unilever — global consumer goods company
• PepsiCo — multinational food and beverage corporation, referenced as a training ground for CPG marketers alongside Unilever
• Kroger — US grocery retailer

Quotes:

“And I think there’s tends to be scrutiny on that versus why stay longer if it's not working for you?” - Jennifer Blackburn

“ Doing virtual homework with my daughter at three in the morning buy time. And she's like, mommy, why is it dark where you are? And it's bright where I am.” - Jennifer Blackburn

“ I think sometimes you think the trajectory must go straight up at all times or else I'm not achieving.” - Sarah Jeanneault

“ It is really kind of looking internally first to say like, what do you want, like what's your north star in what your career, and this might be a stepping stone to your end. It may not be, you know, the, the, the whole way there.” - Jennifer Blackburn

“ It's not just about the job, it's not just about the company. It's also about how does this fit into your, your lifestyle and what tradeoffs are you able or willing to make or not.” - Jennifer Blackburn

“ People being honest and genuine versus trying to be pitchy and selling of their experience. I really try and look for that humbleness, that authenticity.” - Jennifer Blackburn

Jennifer Blackburn is the CMO of Clearly Canadian, where she leads the work of evolving a beloved legacy brand for the next generation of consumers. Her career spans CPG, retail, foodservice, and tech — including brand leadership roles at Unilever, PepsiCo, Nandos, Canadian Tire, and SkipTheDishes. Known for building high-performance teams and revitalizing iconic brands, she brings an entrepreneurial mindset to every organization she joins, whether it's a multinational or a private equity-backed startup.

Connect with Jennifer Blackburn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-blackburn-9b5958a/

Connect with Us!

http://www.whytotheway.com

[email protected]

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This show is produced by Twisted Spur Media Ltd.

Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during Why To The Way Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Sarah Jeanneault, Twisted Spur Media Ltd. and/or her affiliates. Sarah Jeanneault, Why To The Way Podcast, and Twisted Spur Media Ltd. are not responsible for and do not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

Carolyn Lawrence walked away from her dream job — Global DEI Leader at Deloitte — not because it wasn't working, but because she could no longer see what was next. What followed was a masterclass in exactly what she'd spent her career teaching others: how to read a system, resist the urge to fight it head-on, and move through obstacles with strategy instead of force. If you've ever felt the fire to change something but watched it fizzle the moment you walked back to your desk, this episode is the one you've been waiting for.

In This Episode:

• Why pushing hard for change inside an organization can backfire — and what to do instead (the "what we resist persists" principle Carolyn learned the hard way at Deloitte)
• The exact tactic she used to get a skeptical senior leader to voluntarily open up their hiring process — and how that single conversation unlocked 19 of 20 DEI KPIs moving in the right direction over four years
• How Carolyn embedded inclusion scores into annual performance reviews tied to variable compensation — and why the COO sitting in on those reviews changed everything
• The four maturity levels of organizational inclusion, from "checking a box" to "this is just how we do business" — and what it looks like when a company truly doesn't need a DEI strategy anymore
• What it actually felt like to leave a dream job at Deloitte Global: the fear, the six months of community conversations, the third-of-asking-price first client, and the pivot to "impact strategist" that changed how she talks about her work
• Why equity at home directly creates equity at work — and the Deloitte study that proved men carry hidden burdens too

Episode Highlights:

00:00 - Change That Backfires

00:30 - Podcast Premise Intro

00:56 - Meet Carolyn Lawrence

02:51 - Purpose And Career Path

03:58 - Early Equity Awakening

05:26 - Role Model Eureka Moment

07:53 - From Inspiration To Systems

09:25 - Curiosity Over Confrontation

12:46 - Deloitte Strategy Story

17:47 - Accountability That Works

22:10 - Coaching Passionate Teams

23:58 - Finding Your Voice

27:41 - Leaving Deloitte To Leap

31:20 - First Pitch To New Positioning

34:00 - DEI Maturity Levels

35:26 - DEI Maturity Integrated

36:36 - Equity Starts At Home

38:18 - Flexible Work Inclusion

39:41 - Hybrid Work Preference

40:31 - Sport For Wellbeing

42:19 - Meditation For Clarity

43:55 - No Regrets Lessons

45:06 - Leaping Over Obstacles

46:12 - Where To Find Carolyn

46:39 - Gut Check Debrief

48:24 - Building Teams Mentorship

53:28 - Podcasting Career Path

59:28 - Purpose And Impact

01:01:53 - Question We Missed

01:03:43 - Final Sign Off

Resources Mentioned:

• Heather Reisman — CEO of Indigo Books & Music (referenced as Carolyn's early inspiration)
• Deloitte — the global consulting firm where Carolyn led DEI strategy and global people leadership
• Women of Influence — the social enterprise Carolyn previously led
• A Clear Path — Carolyn's own company - https://clearpathtoimpact.com/

Quotes:

"If I want to inspire change, resisting or fighting it is actually going to strengthen it. Like what we resist persists." - Carolyn Lawrence

“So I tracked the numbers at Deloitte. I was in that role for four years. Our numbers on literally 19 out of 20 KPIs that we measured. In the right direction. So that method works and I can prove it.” - Carolyn Lawrence

“I was very afraid and thought multiple times that I perhaps had lost my mind because here I was global diversity, equity and inclusion leader for Deloitte. Where do you go from there?” - Carolyn Lawrence

“You can't go from a great inspiring talk and then go and stand in a boardroom and yell off the top of your lungs. Hey everybody, I am completely inspired. I'm gonna change everything. Everybody come and listen.” - Sarah Jeanneault

“This year I’ve been looking at obstacles a little differently and trying to think about them as stepping stones and that I'm leaping over them, not with effort and strength, but with this internal lightness and power within.” - Carolyn Lawrence

Carolyn Lawrence is an Impact Strategist who helps leadership teams eliminate the invisible barriers blocking results. With a decade at Deloitte — where she built Canada's inclusion consulting practice and served as its first Global DEI Leader — plus firsthand experience as a purpose-driven business owner, she's a sought-after advisor for organizations navigating growth and change.

Connect with Carolyn Lawrence: https://clearpathtoimpact.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-lawrence-619bb16/

Connect with Us!

http://www.whytotheway.com

Email: [email protected]

Instagram - Why To The Way

YouTube - Why To The Way

LinkedIn - Why To The Way

LinkedIn - Sarah Jeanneault

LinkedIn - Twisted Spur Media

This show is produced by Twisted Spur Media Ltd.

Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during Why To The Way Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Sarah Jeanneault, Twisted Spur Media Ltd. and/or her affiliates. Sarah Jeanneault, Why To The Way Podcast, and Twisted Spur Media Ltd. are not responsible for and do not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

Why to the Way is hosted by Sarah Jeanneault. Each episode explores a real dilemma, crossroads moment, or personal crisis that forced someone to make a defining choice. Together, they unpack what happened, what the guest ultimately chose, and the deeper reasons behind that decision. Then Sarah and Heather weigh in themselves, debating what they would have done if faced with the very same situation. This is a podcast about perspective, decision-making, and the moments that shape who we become. Every episode invites listeners into the tension with one central question: What would you have done?

Connect with Us!

www.whytotheway.com

[email protected]

Instagram

YouTube

Linked In

Linked In- Sarah Jeanneault

Linked In - Heather McPherson

This show is produced by Twisted Spur Media Ltd.