Not So Average

Canadian Created Inc.
  • 5.0 (2)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED DAILY

"Not So Average" celebrates relatable success stories from everyday people proving you don’t need to be a billionaire or celebrity to be extraordinary. Hosted by start-up junky and world traveler Alistair Shipley, each episode dives into the journeys of community shakers—people redefining what success looks like through their unique paths. Through candid conversations and real insights, Not So Average reveals lessons, struggles, and triumphs, reminding us all that success is never one-size-fits-all. Let’s get into it!

  1. #29 - Cheese and Community - Isaac Bignell

    MAR 16

    #29 - Cheese and Community - Isaac Bignell

    In this episode of Not So Avg, Isaac Bignell, owner of Say Cheese Fromagerie in Calgary’s Crossroads Market, shares how a simple cheese counter turned into a full community experience. From wheel openings and curated dinners to his tabloid-style print project The Daily Rind, Isaac has built more than a shop. He has created a gathering place where food, storytelling, and connection come together. This conversation goes well beyond cheese. Isaac walks through the history of cheesemaking, tracing it back to Bedouin travel and early rennet discovery, while exploring the traditions and regions that continue to define the craft today. 🧀 What You’ll Hear in This Episode: 🌍 The global regions shaping great cheese today, from Quebec’s Eastern Townships to Italy, France, Switzerland, and Spain 🐑 A rare cheese called Rebel Historico, produced through nomadic valley herding and field production 🤝 Why building relationships with cheesemakers and experts matters more than chasing trends 🏡 How Say Cheese Fromagerie became a hub for community through events, storytelling, and shared meals 💡 Isaac’s perspective on leadership, mentorship, and what success actually looks like For Isaac, success is not measured by scale. It is measured by happiness, treating people well, and building something that gives back, including raising more than $5,000 for food insecurity through his work in the community. Show Notes: Say Cheese Fromagerie Website - https://saycheeseyyc.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/saycheeseyyc/ 🎧 Listen now and discover how craft, curiosity, and community can turn something simple into something truly Not So Avg. #NotSoAvg #IsaacBignell #SayCheeseFromagerie #CheeseCulture #CalgaryFoodScene #CraftFood #CommunityDriven #FoodStories #SmallBusinessLeadership #CrossroadsMarket

    1h 12m
  2. #28 - Losing What You Built - Nick Thompson

    MAR 9

    #28 - Losing What You Built - Nick Thompson

    In this episode of Not So Avg, Nick Thompson pulls back the curtain on the realities of entrepreneurship. The parts people rarely talk about. An entrepreneur, coach, and author, Nick shares the story behind building and scaling a Canadian branded merchandise company through mergers and acquisitions, growing it into a culture-driven organization recognized for developing its people. But the journey did not follow a straight line. After a U.S. merger and major structural changes to leadership and governance, the culture that once defined the company began to unravel. What followed were lawsuits, personal hardship, and ultimately Nick losing both his role and ownership in the company he helped build. 💡 What You’ll Hear in This Episode: 📈 The strategy behind merging five companies and acquiring twenty more 🏗 Why building people, not just profits, was the foundation of their culture ⚠️ How leadership changes and aggressive cost-cutting can dismantle a company culture 🧠 Nick’s battle with depression and the role community played in his recovery 🤝 The difference between mentoring and coaching in leadership development 🎯 Why true success comes from the positive impact you have on others Nick’s story is a powerful reminder that entrepreneurship is not just about the wins. It is about resilience, humility, and the people who help you rebuild when everything falls apart. 🎧 Listen now and hear the unfiltered truth behind building, losing, and starting again. Show Notes: Die with Zero - Bill Perkins https://www.amazon.ca/Die-Zero-Getting-Your-Money/dp/0358099765 Fractional remote staffing https://astrateams.com/ nickthompsonbooks.com Nick Thompson’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/astrateams/ #NotSoAvg #NickThompson #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #StartupLessons #Resilience #BusinessCulture #Mentorship #ExecutiveCoaching #CalgaryEntrepreneurs

    1h 4m
  3. #27 - Jabs, Grit, Growth - Kealan Bailey

    2025-11-30

    #27 - Jabs, Grit, Growth - Kealan Bailey

    In this episode of Not So Avg, Kealen Bailey takes us through a career path that’s anything but traditional. Starting as an interior designer and competitive equestrian, evolving into a Muay Thai fighter, and now leading the charge at Rumble Boxing as VP of Training & Development, while also growing PRML as a managing partner. This episode dives into how Kealen has become a culture architect. Building powerful, people-first environments that blend discipline, fun, and purpose. 🏋️‍♀️ What You’ll Hear in This Episode: 🔄 How reinvention shaped her personal and professional journey 🥊 The foundations of Rumble Boxing’s dynamic team culture🌍 Scaling with intention and keeping community at the core ⚡ What it means to lead through connection, energy, and example 💬 Her honest take on persistence, pressure, and personal growth Whether you're building a team, a brand, or yourself, Kealen's story reminds us that Not So Avg success is rooted in authenticity, adaptability, and showing up with heart. 🎧 Tune in and find out what happens when intensity meets intention. Show Notes: Kealen Bailey Instagram - kealanb Rumble Boxing Instagram - rumbleboxing https://rumbleboxing.com/PRML Instagram - prml_social https://www.prmlsocial.com/

    1h 1m
  4. #26 - Roots and Risks - Danijel Slisko

    2025-10-28

    #26 - Roots and Risks - Danijel Slisko

    In this episode of Not So Avg, Danijel Slisko opens up about what it really looks like to build, fail, and build again. Sharing the highs, lows, and hard-won lessons from founding six companies across multiple industries. Raised in an entrepreneurial household, Danijel reflects on how his father’s influence shaped his mindset early on, from financial literacy to calculated risk-taking. But this episode goes beyond business. It’s a conversation about resilience, relationships, and following what feels natural. 💬 What You’ll Hear in This Episode: 💡 The early ventures that sparked Danijel’s entrepreneurial path 📉 Knowing when to let go in business 💬 Why resilience is the real currency of entrepreneurship 🏡 The role family, friendships, and community play in staying grounded 👨‍👧 The values he’s now passing on Danijel’s journey reminds us that success isn’t a single destination, it’s the compounding result of experience, support, and staying in the game when things get hard. Show Notes: Where to find Danijel: Personal Site - https://danijelslisko.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danijel-sli%C5%A1ko-1639a61b/ Referenced in this Episode: The REAL Secret to Success video  https://youtu.be/M7dUIXEzPfg Strategies for Life Success – John Spence’s Workbook https://johnspence.mybigcommerce.com/strategies-for-life-success-workbook-pdf/ 🎧 Listen now and get inspired by the long view of what it means to build a Not So Avg life.

    56 min
  5. #25 - The Burnout Badge

    2025-10-10

    #25 - The Burnout Badge

    In this solo episode of Not So Avg, we get real about something too many of us face but rarely talk about—burnout. Recognized by the World Health Organization as an occupational phenomenon, burnout is no longer just a buzzword. It’s a reality for healthcare workers, tech professionals, creatives, and especially young people navigating high-pressure careers. Drawing from my own experience in the tech world and beyond, we open up about what burnout looked and felt like —and how it nearly broke everything that was built. More importantly, we shares the six strategies that helped me pull back, reset, and rebuild: 🛑 Set boundaries that protect your energy 😴 Make rest non-negotiable 💪 Return to the basics of physical and mental health 📦 Reframe how you think about productivity 🤝 Strengthen your social circles 🎯 Reconnect with your why This is not a glorified story of hustle—it’s a real conversation about the cost of ignoring your limits, and how to start doing things differently. 🎧 Listen now if you’ve been running on empty and need a new way forward.

    40 min
  6. #24 - Game Plan: Reinvented - Cameo Hanlon

    2025-09-26

    #24 - Game Plan: Reinvented - Cameo Hanlon

    From varsity basketball courts to building brands across North America, Cameo Hanlon has never been afraid to go full tilt into her next chapter. In this episode of Not So Avg, she shares how the same mindset that fueled her in sport - resilience, discipline, and a healthy dose of stubbornness became the foundation for her life in entrepreneurship. She takes us behind the scenes of Best Marketing Co., her creative agency built from scratch, and the creation of Bender Extender, a hangover supplement brand with personality. But this conversation is about more than business. It’s about the real work of choosing your own path, navigating the tension between ambition and lifestyle, and figuring it out one decision at a time. What you’ll hear isn’t a polished highlight reel, it’s an honest reflection on: 🧠 The mindset shift from athlete to entrepreneur 🥴 What no one tells you about launching a supplement brand 🌵 Starting over in Arizona and finding rhythm across borders 📉 What to do when the plan changes 💬 The gap between what people see online and what’s really going on If you’ve ever chased big goals, hit walls, or questioned if you’re doing it right, this one’s for you. 🎧 Tune in now and hear what it really takes to build bold when no one hands you the playbook.

    1h 7m

  7. 2025-09-12

    #23 - Social Innovation - Jordana Armstrong

    In this episode of Not So Avg, Jordana Armstrong unpacks what it really means to drive social innovation—and why it’s critical for solving global challenges like climate change, inequality, and migration. With experience spanning from Innovate Calgary to advisory roles in Maryland and D.C., Jordana brings a sharp, purpose-driven perspective on how community-led, integrated solutions can fuel real, lasting change. 💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:🌍 Why social innovation is the key to sustainable impact🏗️ How startup ecosystems and universities can better support changemakers🤝 The importance of diverse voices in economic development🔑 Jordana’s approach to leadership, mentorship, and defining success📈 The realities of navigating innovation across sectors and system. This conversation is packed with insight for anyone building with purpose, leading with intention, or trying to create impact beyond the bottom line. 🎧 Listen now and explore what it means to innovate with heart and vision

    1h 3m

  8. 2025-06-20

    #22 - Sweet Success - Master Chocolat - Bernard Callebaut

    In this episode of Not So Avg, master chocolatier Bernard Callebaut shares the highs, lows, and lessons from a lifetime in the chocolate industry. With family roots in chocolate dating back to 1911 in Belgium, Bernard built a thriving business in Calgary, only to lose it and rebuild not once, but twice. Through hardship and reinvention, Bernard’s story is a powerful example of resilience, craftsmanship, and passion. 🍫 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 🌱 What makes high-quality chocolate. From cocoa bean to final product. 🤝 The importance of ethical sourcing, organic ingredients, and fair-trade practices. 🔥 How to bounce back from major business losses and start again. 🏗 The role of community, values, and reinvention in long-term success. 💡 Why curiosity and continuous learning fuel lasting creativity. Now at the helm of Master Chocolat, Bernard is still pushing boundaries with handcrafted, small-batch chocolate rooted in quality and care. His journey proves that even after setbacks, it’s possible to rebuild something meaningful. Maybe even sweeter than before. 🎧 Listen now and discover what it takes to stay Not So Avg in business and life. Where to find Bernard Callebaut: https://www.masterchocolat.com/

    53 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

"Not So Average" celebrates relatable success stories from everyday people proving you don’t need to be a billionaire or celebrity to be extraordinary. Hosted by start-up junky and world traveler Alistair Shipley, each episode dives into the journeys of community shakers—people redefining what success looks like through their unique paths. Through candid conversations and real insights, Not So Average reveals lessons, struggles, and triumphs, reminding us all that success is never one-size-fits-all. Let’s get into it!

Information

  • Creator
    Canadian Created Inc.
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Canadian Created Inc.
  • Show Website
    Not So Average