Awaken The Awesome

It's so appropriate to launch this next episode into the Universe. Indeed, the will to serve, despite the fear and excuses that we might tell ourselves to not show up for our loved ones, colleagues, collaborators, clients or otherwise...is often a driving force that many of our guests have in common on this show. As I edited this episode, a renewed feeling of solid dedication and selfless commitment came rushing back as Russell Westcott 's wisdom, warmth and incredible wealth of knowledge reminded me why I do this. One of the nicest people I've had to privilege to have on this program, Russell is a full-time veteran Canadian-based real estate investor, author, inspirational public speaker, devoted husband and loving father who loves teaching and inspiring others to greatness. A small town Saskatchewan boy turned 18year+ Real Estate investing guru, Russell is as down-to-earth as they come. Our conversation was a real gem of sincere kindness. Russell's...

Working with family can be a shot in the dark sometimes as even the closest relatives can become damaging business partners. Fortunately, that was not the case for Dave & Dillon Mysliwiec , respectively CEO of The Upstate Sound & President of Upstate Management. From what I've learned, if want to build a successful business, be it an impressive record label carving its own path in the industry or a growing music management empire, will most certainly take time, patience, sacrifice and a solid sense of dedication. But if you're lucky enough to count on your family as part of your close circle of collaborators - that's a precious bonus. The palpable synergy and mutual respect that these two brothers shared during our exchange was surely only a glimpse of the tremendous bond between them: Dave being the infectiously energetic and fearless creative, and Dillon being the savvy & tactical Marketing expert, they're quite the dynamic duo. One o...

Welcome back Awesome Tribe! We've got an undeniable OG guest on the podcast this time around! I am pleased to roll out the virtual red carpet and set the stage for my good friend, Executive Chef Alain Lemaire . You always hold a special place in your heart for those individuals who, even with their incredibly busy schedules and not evolving in the same industry as yours, still found the time to show you support and believe in you and your crazy venture. So, for Alain to always accept to come back and share his insights on the podcast is not only a treat but also an honor. As accomplished as he is, you wonder how he does it all: Award-winning Executive Chef, Entrepreneur, Business Owner, Speaker, Mentor, Media Personality, Coach - and most recently featured as Head Chef on the premiere episode of the second Season of " Luda Can't Cook " (starring Chris "Ludacris" Bridges ) now airing  on Discovery+ . One cannot withhold the incredible ...

I don't know who coined it but I'm pretty sure many of you have heard about the often stated notion that public speaking ranks incredibly high on most people lists of greatest fears. I'm not too versed on the statistics but if we're going to take this as a fact, then we can agree that there's a particular category of public speakers that most certainly hold their own as modern day Spartans in this arena. I've always admired stand up comics. Not just for the sheer audacity and courage it must take to show your face to a group of people who whether they know it or not, are armed and able to skewer and decimate not just your material, but also your mental strength, resilience and self-esteem. It's a career path that by all comparisons, when you deconstruct it, could be considered lunacy. But, if you're a fan like me, you cannot set aside the incredible sense of pride one must have for the craft to literally put it all out on the line and...

Welcome back Awesome Tribe! I'm actually incredibly excited to share today's episode with you all. It sounds foolish but the humility and focus that goes into each of these episodes sometimes pulls me away from the obvious - when you do good and send kindness into The Universe, people do notice and incredible things tend to happen. This 'A.T.A' adventure started from nothing - yet, here we are. Still here. Still connecting with incredible guests, having deeper and more meaningful conversations, bringing you the knowledge and insights that I believe will best serve you...and of course being grateful for your amazing support along the way. As we near the end of 2021 and use this year-end tradition to reflect on the year that's been, you guys know it's never easy to decide who I'm going to willingly choose to hand over the 'keys to the Castle' to as I subject myself to the 'Hot Seat'. Fortunately, trust is something Erika Dar...

I'm going to say this outright even though know it'll raise a few eyebrows: Money matters. Coming from a country where the differences between the 'Haves' and the 'Have Nots' were so obvious, I was very well acquainted with the importance of setting yourself up for a proper financial future. Which is why, for this particular episode, I wanted to find someone that I believe would provide the proper vantage point as well as appropriate insight to help me drive this point home. Having emigrated from his native India to the United States with his parents when he was just 3 years old, Rocky Lalvani has seen firsthand what it looks like to build a wealthy lifestyle out of nothing through saving, investing, and spending wisely. Rocky serves as a Chief Profitability Adviser for business owners and is the founder of Profit Comes First . He teaches financial planning and growing one's wealth because that’s what he's done and he doesn't...

Today's guest is something of a powerhouse. Indeed, Petrona Joseph has carried numerous titles and prestigious positions to her name such as being the celebrated voice behind the SlayedItMontreal Fashion & Lifestyle blog. She also served as VP of Marketing for Montreal Caribbean Fashion Week while also being named one of Montreal’s 100 Most Influential Women. She is also a published Author and fierce Mental Health Advocate, demystifying mental illness in the Black Community. Because of the current context in which we find ourselves with the COVID-19 pandemic, border-crossing restrictions, social interactions slowly readjusting - I know that a lot of us are deal with their fair share of Mental overwhelm. Which is why I've purposely been talking a lot about Mental Health, Anxiety, Depression and related issues for a couple of episodes now. Petrona uses her influence to create an open and honest dialogue around destigmatizing mental health, making her one...

It's been a long time Tribe, and I hope you will forgive this necessary hiatus as I have had to handle some personal matters and take some needed time off the radar. Excited to be back in the lab, ready to bring you yet another powerful conversation with another Awesome guest. With a noticeably infectious energy and an explosive appetite to connect with his fellow human being, I could not help but just LOVE Robert Wise since our first conversation. Robert is one of those chaps that is SO full of genuine love, care and empathy, you can't it help but just be humbled and ready to reciprocate. Robert is the Founder and President of Robert Wise Coaching. As a high performing Sales & Mentor Coach, specializing Executive Coaching, Team Coaching, Sales Training and Company Wellness Workshops, he helps businesses (no matter how big or small) figure out the shortcomings of their current process and create a pragmatic action plan to help them achieve their goal...

I know I say often about all of my guests, but I cannot set aside how incredibly excited I am about today's conversation. This meetup was WAY overdue as my next guest and I had connected some years ago, even before the pandemic, and he has since become an incredible source of support, wisdom, kindness and inspiration.  Christopher Salador is not just an expert Realtor with a proven track record spanning almost two decades. He also stands out as a gifted trainer, speaker, consultant and prolific content creator.  His YouTube channel, which I highly recommend you subscribe to, is a worthy resource for both beginners as seasoned investors looking to get some useful and applicable tools to further their Real Estate knowledge. On this episode, Christopher brings some energetic and powerful perspectives on the audacity to dream, embracing the uncertainty, purposely shifting one's mindset...and so much more. You can connect with Christopher via his  Website ...

One of the recurring themes that has come out of this time off that the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed on us is that a lot of people have used this newfound free time to explore facets of their creative impulses that they otherwise wouldn't have. It's no secret that the those in the Creative Arts have been severely affected by current events. However, as my next guest has demonstrated, one cannot restrain the creative urge, pandemic be damned. Isaac Alvarez is a commercial photographer, director, and artist based in Los Angeles, California. His immense love of photographing people has lead him to work with some of the top public relations firms in Beverly Hills. Well known for his dramatic portraits that resonate emotions, his images offers viewers a powerful insight into the lives of his subjects. While his images are often on the edge of any situation, photographing the situation is not nearly as interesting as photographing the edges of human emotions. Isa...

© Richard Lecoin (IG : @richardlecoin_photography) - All Rights Reserved How far can your journey take you when you make no apologies for what you want, own up to who you are and lean into to your own sense of purpose? Turns out today's guest just might be able to shed some light on the topic. Jonathan Perry - aka J.Perry - is all about that and then some. With a love for music birthed from a very young age, growing up in his native Port-au-Prince, Haiti, J's passion and exploration of various musical styles were just of a series of incredible stepping stones towards some pretty awesome heights. With the help and support of his family as well as a host of various collaborators, from talented producers to a skillful management team, J rapidly made his mark onto the music scene not just in Haiti but abroad. Indeed, when your song, namely " Dekole ", gets chosen as the theme song for your country's National Carnival while subsequently ending up a...

"Grind while they sleep" "Don't stay in bed unless you can make money in bed" "Sleep when you're dead" How many of these memes, quotes or photos have you seen lately glorifying the almighty "Hustle"? I sure have. I've even shared a couple myself. You guys know I never set aside the importance of having to put in the work and sacrifice to achieve your intended success. Today's conversation however, gave me pause as it left me full of respect, humility and hope. Thing is, my next guest, Ian Farrar , had experienced the ups and downs of an incredible career in a way that very few people can truly understand. As a sales professional, entrepreneur and founder of Far North Ltd and Carpeway Ltd , Ian has over 20 years in global business development roles.  With a strong, global network of influential contacts to call on, Ian has founded, scaled and exited companies in his native North East.  Ian also has impressive e...

I believe there's a huge difference between collaborating with your significant other as spouses as opposed to running a business together. Some things just do not mix. Those are my own personal reservations and I'm sure I'm not the only one in that regard. But, there are those who subscribe to the other school of thought: with the emphasis that building and running a business with your spouse can be a welcome opportunity for creativity, team-building, resourcefulness and yes, even strengthened intimacy. I never shy away from the opportunity to admit what I don't know and to learn a thing or two. Which is what got me pretty excited when I linked up and invited my next guests, Liz & Philippe, to be on the program.  As the founders and owners of the amazingly inspiring and aptly-named Dueling Cups Coffee & Tea , this husband & wife dynamic duo were a gem to sit down and talk to. Indeed, getting the perspective from two people who took a dre...