Between Two Brunettes

Thirty Two Media
  • 5.0 (13)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Welcome to Between Two Brunettes, a show dedicated to amplifying Canadian voices. Every other week, we dive into real conversations with entrepreneurs, operators, creators and leaders who are shaping what’s next. From scaling companies and raising capital to relationships, resilience and the moments that changed everything - nothing is off limits. New full-length episodes drop every other Wednesday, with clips and shorts throughout the week. Hit SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a conversation with Canada’s innovators. We hope you enjoy the show!

Episodes

  1. 6D AGO

    The Fight for Canada’s Digital Sovereignty: The Godfather of Canadian Tech

    John Ruffolo has spent decades helping shape Canada’s technology and venture capital ecosystem. From building Deloitte’s technology practice to launching OMERS Ventures and now founding Maverix Private Equity, John has been at the center of many of the country’s most important moments in innovation, investment and economic policy. Over his career, he has helped build and back some of Canada’s most important technology companies while advising governments and institutions on the future of the digital economy. In this conversation, we unpack the forces shaping Canada’s digital economy, the hard lessons that come with building industries from scratch and why this moment may be one of the most consequential for the country’s future. He discusses: The unlikely path from Deloitte partner to building OMERS Ventures and why many thought the idea would fail Why digital sovereignty is becoming critical to Canada’s economic future What we need to see more of from Canadian venture capital to build the next generation of tech champions The policy and talent shifts needed for Canada to compete in a digital economy The cycling accident that left him paralyzed and and how it reshaped his perspective on resilience and purpose His mission to make Toronto a global center for spinal cord and neurological research ___ Chapters 00:00:00 Growing Up Italian: From Jane and Finch to Bay Street 00:09:56 Arthur Andersen and Early Career 00:16:11 The Enron Collapse: Losing Everything and Finding Hope 00:25:40 Building the Tech Practice and Creating Omers Ventures 00:39:17 The Renaissance of Canadian Tech and Digital Sovereignty 00:48:40 Launching Mavericks 01:03:09 Investing in the Digital Economy: Why Entry Points and IP Rights Matter 01:12:14 The Cycling Accident 01:26:05 Recovery, Resilience and Walking Again 01:36:17 The Two Doors: Hope, Purpose and Never Wasting Time 01:42:08 Rapid Fire and Closing ___ Between Two Brunettes Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@betweentwobrunettes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweentwobrunettes Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@betweentwobrunettes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betweentwobrunettes X: https://x.com/twobrunettespod Samantha Miller Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthaj_miller Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthaj_miller LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthamiller111 X: https://x.com/samantha_btbpod Germana Kazazi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/germanakazazi Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@germanakazazi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/germana-kazazi X: https://x.com/GermanaKazazi John Ruffolo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joruffolo X: https://x.com/ruffolo ___ Produced by Thirty Two Media Inc.

    1h 47m

  2. FEB 25

    Performing When It Counts - Inside the Mind of an Elite Performance Psychologist

    Dr. Dana Sinclair is one of Canada's leading performance psychologists and author recognized for her work with elite athletes, high-level professionals, and executives. She is the author of the Globe and Mail bestseller Dialed In: Do Your Best When It Matters Most - giving practical lessons on how to deliver when the stakes are high. In this conversation, we unpack what actually separates top performers from everyone else and why talent alone doesn’t determine who wins. Dana shares the psychological skills that matter most, the common performance traps people fall into, and how mental rehearsal can literally rewire how you show up under pressure. This episode is for founders, leaders, athletes, and anyone serious about raising their level. She discusses: How to perform when the stakes are high, even if you don’t feel confident Why talent is required but never sufficient for success Why you can’t change your personality, only your behaviours The performance “flags” that signal interference The role confidence actually plays (and why it’s overrated) How individuals differ across performance traits The role of visualization and directed “daydreaming” in rewiring performance ___ Chapters 00:00:00 Early Awareness of Performance Under Pressure 00:03:38 Why Talent Doesn't Ensure Success 00:04:56 Red Flags in Performance Assessments 00:09:34 The Assessment Process: Identifying What Gets in Your Way 00:10:45 Debunking the Confidence Myth 00:12:59 Managing Tension and Finding Your Triggers 00:25:13 Parenting, Pressure, and Building Resilience 00:34:50 Breathing, Slowing Down, and In-the-Moment Strategies 00:37:52 Superstitions: Anxiety in Disguise 00:43:25 Performance Styles and Self-Assessment 00:57:36 The Power of Daydreaming and Imagery 01:02:17 Rapid Fire and Final Wisdom ___ Between Two Brunettes Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@betweentwobrunettes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweentwobrunettes Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@betweentwobrunettes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betweentwobrunettes X: https://x.com/twobrunettespod Samantha Miller Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthaj_miller Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthaj_miller LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthamiller111 X: https://x.com/samantha_btbpod Germana Kazazi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/germanakazazi Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@germanakazazi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/germana-kazazi X: https://x.com/GermanaKazazi Dana Sinclair Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdanasinclair LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-dana-sinclair-47a82811 ___ Produced by Thirty Two Media Inc.

    1h 5m

  3. FEB 11

    2 Million Canadians…An $800M Valuation: Here’s What It Took

    Dan Eberhard didn’t set out to build a fintech company, he set out to fix a system that wasn’t working for people like the family he grew up in. Raised by a single mother in British Columbia, Dan saw early how traditional financial institutions often fail the very people who rely on them most. After a mix of wins and hard lessons in prior ventures, he went on to found KOHO, one of Canada’s most successful challenger banks, scaling from zero revenue in 2017 to hundreds of millions of dollars today. In this conversation, we unpack what it really takes to build a company by solving the right problems, not the easy ones, and what Canada needs more of if it wants to produce the next generation of enduring businesses. Dan is the Founder and CEO of KOHO, a Canadian fintech company redefining how people manage their money. He discusses: Growing up with a single mom in BC, and how that shaped his view of money, systems, and opportunity Why traditional banks no longer work for modern Canadians The biggest structural challenges in how our government is set up Scaling KOHO from zero revenue in 2017 to an $800M valuation Why experience is overrated, and what he actually looks for when hiring and supporting A players Reflections on leadership, conflict, and fatherhood while building a high-growth company ___ Chapters 00:00:00 Growing Up with Agency: Early Life and Entrepreneurial Roots 00:02:09 First Venture: Wind Energy and Learning to Sell 00:06:20 Why Hard Problems Attract the Best Talent 00:08:29 Canada's Go-for-Bronze Culture and the GDP Problem 00:12:41 Government Bloat and the Cost of Bureaucracy 00:19:46 Starting KOHO 00:23:17 Experience is Overrated: Hiring for Horsepower, Warmth, and Humility 00:25:04 The KOHO 50: Managing Top Performers and Building Culture 00:39:05 Secondaries, 10-Year Options, and Treating Employees Right 00:45:10 Fatherhood, Identity, and Learning Self-Compassion 00:49:57 Money, Agency, and Building for Impact 00:53:15 Rapid Fire and Final Advice ___ Between Two Brunettes Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@betweentwobrunettes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweentwobrunettes Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@betweentwobrunettes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betweentwobrunettes X: https://x.com/twobrunettespod Samantha Miller Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthaj_miller Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthaj_miller LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthamiller111 X: https://x.com/samantha_btbpod Germana Kazazi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/germanakazazi Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@germanakazazi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/germana-kazazi X: https://x.com/GermanaKazazi Daniel Eberhard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieleberhard/ X: https://x.com/DanEbs ___ Produced by Thirty Two Media Inc.

    56 min

  4. JAN 28

    Scaling a Healthtech Startup While Living with Multiple Sclerosis

    Alex Oosterveen was in the middle of building a company when his life changed overnight. A former investment banker turned founder, Alex was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the very start of building Caribou - a moment that forced him to confront his health and the choices that led to this moment. In this conversation, we unpack what it really takes to scale a company while navigating uncertainty, chronic illness, and building a family. Alex is the Co-Founder and CEO of Caribou, a Canadian healthtech startup tackling one of the most overlooked challenges in healthcare: the caregiver shortage. Caribou is a caregiver engagement platform that helps home care companies better support and retain caregivers. He discusses: Being diagnosed with MS while building his company and how it reshaped his relationship with work, health, and ambition The lifestyle and environmental changes that transformed his health (spoiler alert: it wasn’t a drug) The deliberate path he took to gain the insight, experience, and credibility needed before entering the caregiver industry The pivotal decisions that accelerated Caribou’s growth Building a company with his wife, and how that choice strengthened both their partnership and the business How he thinks about work-life integration while raising their young boy ___ Chapters 00:00:51 The MS Diagnosis: A Life-Changing Moment 00:03:27 Taking Control: Treatment and Lifestyle Changes 00:11:15 The Origin Story: From Investment Banking to Caregiving 00:19:22 The Labor Shortage Crisis in Home Care 00:22:58 Building Caribou 00:55:07 The COVID Pivot: Adapting to Survive 00:31:42 Bringing on a Co-Founder 00:38:10 Working with Your Spouse 00:44:19 Becoming a Father 00:45:56 Defining Success and Future Vision 01:00:22 Closing Wisdom: Advice for Parents and Founders ___ Between Two Brunettes Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@betweentwobrunettes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweentwobrunettes Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@betweentwobrunettes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betweentwobrunettes X: https://x.com/twobrunettespod Samantha Miller Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthaj_miller Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthaj_miller LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthamiller111 X: https://x.com/samantha_btbpod Germana Kazazi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/germanakazazi Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@germanakazazi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/germana-kazazi X: https://x.com/GermanaKazazi Alex Oosterveen LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-oosterveen/ ___ Produced by Thirty Two Media Inc.

    1h 4m
  5. Starting Between Two Brunettes: Why We’re Doing This

    JAN 27

    Starting Between Two Brunettes: Why We’re Doing This

    In this first episode of Between Two Brunettes, we sit down together to introduce ourselves, our relationship, and why we decided to start this podcast. This episode sets the foundation for the conversations that follow.  We hope you enjoy the show! ___ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@betweentwobrunettes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweentwobrunettes Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@betweentwobrunettes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betweentwobrunettes X: https://x.com/twobrunettespod ___ Produced by Thirty Two Media Inc.

    15 min
  • 5 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Welcome to Between Two Brunettes, a show dedicated to amplifying Canadian voices. Every other week, we dive into real conversations with entrepreneurs, operators, creators and leaders who are shaping what’s next. From scaling companies and raising capital to relationships, resilience and the moments that changed everything - nothing is off limits. New full-length episodes drop every other Wednesday, with clips and shorts throughout the week. Hit SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a conversation with Canada’s innovators. We hope you enjoy the show!

Information

  • Creator
    Thirty Two Media
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Thirty Two Media Inc.

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