The Janet Lewis Show The Janet Lewis Show

PAOLA GIROTTI – ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SMALL BUSINESS IN CANADA, BENG PASSIONATE ABOUT CREATING CHANGE, AND FIINDING OPPORTUNITY IN EVERY DAYIn this episode we talk to talking to Paola Girotti the Founder, Owner and Operator of Sugarmoon Salon and one of the Co Founders of Beauty United. Sugarmoon Salon has been in business for over 20 years and is recognized as an industry leader in hair removal with multiple locations. What sets Sugarmoon apart is their commitment to professional, personable customer service and the use of ethically sourced, all-natural products.Paola is a true leader who demonstrates a passion for her craft and the well-being of her employees. She ensures her staff receives comprehensive training and are paid a living wage, which is uncommon in an industry known for exploiting workers.Paola’s resilient spirit has helped her overcome many challenges, including being shut down for 212 days during the pandemic, followed by operating at reduced capacity for another 407 days. Despite these obstacles, Paola rose to the challenge and navigated the turbulent times successfully.In response to the shutdown, Paola co-founded Beauty United to challenge the Ontario government’s decision to close beauty-related businesses due to the lack of a governing body. She led the charge to ensure the personal care industry was recognized and treated fairly.Paola is a problem solver who saw an issue and became the driver of change. She shares her life story, how she got to where is she today, who and what has influenced her, the challenges she has met along the way and what gives her energy to keep taking risks and move forward.During our conversation we talked about how our first jobs helped prepare us for entrepreneurship, small business in Canada, and why we both love helping women start and launch business and in particular some of the challenges of owning and operating a business before, during and after the pandemic.In this episode, Paola and I discuss the following:* How she ended up in the beauty industry and how Sugarmoon Salon started* How first jobs can set you up for success as an entrepreneur later in life* Experience of working in the film industry and how it was stressful to manage expectations* Importance of having a memorable business name that makes sense* Running a small business in Canada and how some policies, taxes or access to finances make it even more difficult* Why small business in Canada is important and how it helps to drive the economy* What you should do if you want to start a small business* Why you should treat your customers as guests* Why your company values are important* Benefits and challenges of implementing a fair living wage* Sugarman’s commitment to professionalism, customer service, and ethically sourced natural ingredients when developing products for her brand* Value of taking risks, learning from your mistakes, and getting out of your comfort zone* Recognizing your role in the company and how to grow when you don’t have the expertise or experience in house* Why it is important to know what type of business you want to own and operate* The role of time and energy required to grow a business while managing personal responsibilities* Challenges faced by Sugarman, including a 212-day shutdown during the pandemic* Paola’s role in founding “Beauty United” and why it was formed to challenge government decisions affecting personal care businesses* Impact of women owned and operated businesses during the pandemic and of women in the workplace in general* Importance of finding opportunity in every dayIf you would like more information on Paola, you can visit:Website – http://www.

JIM CARTER III – ON TRYING AND FAILING, USING AI TOOLS, AND GIVING MOREIn this episode we talk to Jim Carter the III CEO of Carter and Custard which is a purpose driven growth agency that helps make entrepreneurs fearless so they can have a bigger impact.Jim is what I would definitely call a serial entrepreneur and he is a self professed start up junkie which would explain why he has founded or been a cofounder to at least 9 companies over the last two decades.Jim is a “technologist” that is passionate about programming, coding, ai and well anything technology related BUT he is also passionate about helping others hence the latest venture into Carter and Custard.Jim shares his life journey, how he got to where he is today, who and what has influenced him, the challenges he has encountered and what gives him energy to keep moving forward.During our conversation we talked about why we both love start ups and everything ai! Jim shares some practical advice about being open to technology changes and maybe even some secrets about using ChatGPT.In this episode, Jim and I discuss the following:* Having a parent with cancer at a young age, being able to spend more time with them and how it impacts your perspective on life and on parenting* Importance of spending time on things that matter the most to you* Why you should try things, fail, learn, and try again* Challenges of downsizing a business* What happens when you chase money* Importance of showing up and unblocking yourself* What happens when you give yourself permission to make changes* A great example of how to use AI to save you time and money* The law of innovation and technology and how we are living through one of the biggest technology changes in our lifetime right now* Why it is important to lean into AI and how it can help your and your business* How you can create better AI prompts to get a better output* What Ai is and how we need to think about it* Different between feel good decisions and good business decisions* Challenges and ethics around the use of AI* Why Google won the search engine competition* Future predictions for the AI industry* Why we both love start ups and how exciting it is to be a new entrepreneur just starting out* The biggest lesson that Jim has learned* What you need to do if you have the right idea, but it is the wrong time* The three secrets to success* Why most new businesses fail* Why you should give more and give without any expectationsIf you would like more information on Jim, you can visit:Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/causehacker/Website – https://carterandcuster.com/Website – https://jimcarter.me/Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/causehacker/Listen to this podcast on Spotify, Google Podcast, iTunes or click play below to stream it.If you have a minute, leave a short review here, or send me an email to tell me what other guests I should have on the podcast.

VICTORIA MARSHMAN – ON FINDING THE RIGHT COFOUNDER, SHORTCUTS TO SUCCESS AND CREATING THE PERFECT PRODUCTIn today’s episode, we have the pleasure of talking to Victoria Marshman, an entrepreneur and the Co-Founder of Mave & Chez. Mave & Chez is a direct-to-consumer brand that specializes in offering ergonomic slippers for women who prioritize comfort without sacrificing style.Victoria shares her journey from working for others to taking the leap into entrepreneurship. Since 2015, she has successfully operated and scaled two six-figure companies while also playing a significant role in raising over $200,000 for local Canadian charities. Victoria is truly passionate about empowering and supporting women and creating purpose-driven brands.During our conversation, Victoria provides valuable insights into various aspects of business and entrepreneurship with practical advice and personal anecdotes based on her journey.In this episode, Victoria and I discuss the following:* Tapping into creativity at a young age, following your passions, and working part-time to gain valuable training opportunities* Profound impact of receiving an anonymous donation and how it can transform someone’s life* How Victoria met her co-founder and the dynamics of working with a business partner* Value of corporate experience and the lessons one can learn from working in such an environment* Importance of surrounding yourself with people who recognize and support your natural skill set, guiding you in the right direction* Recommendations for some insightful books that offer valuable lessons* Starting an event planning business and discovering which aspects of the business she truly loved* Reasons behind her decision to leave traditional employment and embark on her own entrepreneurial journey* Going above and beyond to exceed expectations, people-pleasing, and accomplishing tasks efficiently* Unique dynamics of starting a business with a best friend* Transition from the corporate world to entrepreneurship* Reality of networking and how it can be improved for better connections and opportunities* Understanding how different life stages can impact one’s readiness to dive into entrepreneurship* Exploring generational differences in funding and the difficulties of asking for investment when there’s no tangible proof of success* Normalization of seeking sponsorships as a stepping stone towards securing investment* Significance of working on your money mindset and how one’s upbringing influences their relationship with money* Factors that held her back in her initial business ventures and overcoming them* Common tendency among founders to overlook paying themselves for their hard work* Importance of establishing non-negotiables as a business owner* Dispelling myths surrounding business ownership and operation* There are no shortcuts to success* The Project management triangle and its three key elements: money, time, and quality* Impact of the pandemic on the events industry and how City Moguls, successfully transitioned from in-person events to online events and a membership program* Importance of networking and connecting with like-minded individuals striving for success* Benefits of online speed networking and its effectiveness for entrepreneurs* Perpetual need for mentorship and networking throughout one’s entrepreneurial journey* Comparing the experience of operating a business independently versus having a co-founder* Parallels between having a co-founder and being in a marriage, and the advantages it brings* Extensive time and effort involved in creating a new business, Victoria’s journey, and how it unexpectedly centered around slippers* Contrasting product-based an...

EPISODE 29 – JULIE COLE – ON HOW THE RIGHT BUSINESS PARTNERS CAN HELP YOU MOVE FORWARD, BEING COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE AND WHY YOU SHOULDN’T TAKE YOURSELF SO SERIOUSLYToday we are talking to Julie Cole, Entrepreneur, Co-Founder of Mabel’s Labels and Author of Like a Mother.Julie started out her career as a lawyer but made the leap into entrepreneurship with not one but three co-founders. In 2003, four mom’s that were frustrated by their children’s things getting lost, mixed up and leaving home to never return, designed, and developed the very best personalized waterproof name labels and tags. They wanted to make the lives of all mom’s and women easier.Mabel’s Labels started as a basement made business that included making labels until 2 am many nights, taking calculated risks and putting in a lot of sweat equity. These four women rolled up their sleeves and got to work making Mabel’s Labels an award-winning, market-leading company loved by moms in every neighborhood. They had grown to be such a player that in 2015 the most well known label maker in the world approached them and offered to buy them a meal. That dinner was the start of Mabel’s Labels being acquired by CCL (think Avery Labels) for over 12 million dollars. This is what many entrepreneurs dream of.Julie Cole remains as a Senior Director at Mabel’s labels but don’t kid yourself, this fierce say it like it is woman, who is the mom to 6 children and seems to have an endless amount of energy continues to blog and has been featured in The Globe and Mail, Profit Magazine, Today’s Parent, and countless other publications. She is a regular television contributor, keynote speaker, and an engaged community member that supports so many charitable causes. Julie has won many awards for her contributions and efforts in business including the RBC Women Entrepreneur Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship and Profit/Chatelaine W100 just to name a few.During the pandemic, when many were slowing down Julie decided to switch gears to put time and effort into writing that long awaited book, Like a Mother, where she shares her inspirational stories and lessons learned through parenting her lively crew of kids and building a multi-million-dollar business with her co-founders.I loved this discussion with Julie. She is so open and honest about all things business and shares practical information about what is really like to own and operate a business with friends and family. She also shares the journey of selling the business but choosing to stay on as an employee.I am sure you will find more than one or two things to take away from this podcast.In this episode, Julie and I discuss the following:* Benefits of growing up, working, and living in Nova Scotia* What it is like to start a business with your friends and family* Importance of getting the right documentation in place early in the process* Figuring out how to divide tasks among four founders and the benefits of starting a business with others* Challenges of starting an ecommerce business 20 years ago* How ecommerce has changed over time* Why you need to be comfortable being uncomfortable* The biggest challenges for entrepreneurs when growing a business to the next level* How to become and stay a market leader in your industry* How and why Mabel’s Labels pivoted during COVID* How to create an intrapreneurial team* Making the decision to sell your business and figuring out how to explain it to employees* Challenges of going through due diligence* Transitioning from being an owner and founder to an employee and how it can go really well* Making the decision to write a book during the pandemic and what the writing process was like* Tools that you can use to help you with blog writing and...

EPISODE 28 – MIKE LIGUORI ON KNOWING YOUR NEXT MISSION, CRAFTING A GOOD STORY AND RECOGNIZING IT IS NEVER TOO LATE Today we are talking with Mike Liguori, an Iraq War Veteran, Author and Founder of Live Your Truth Media.Mike started out his career in the United States Marine Corps and when he returned home from Iraq he was met with the challenge of participating in an unfamiliar society – a world that had changed so much, but he was also faced with returning as a different person then when he had left.  He suffered from PTSD, struggled to move forward, and hit rock bottom.Mike was able to overcome so many challenges and eventually started out his civilian career in sales and marketing and then launched his own business Live Your Truth Media in 2019.Live Your Truth Media focuses on what matters the most when it comes to content marketing and podcasting. They want to help people create the most powerful stories and provide the best possible experience for listeners. They help to brainstorm ideas, show you how to structure episodes, how to edit your audio and how to promote your show.Mike has worked on award winning teams, has been featured in the Huffington Post and has worked with some pretty big names in the podcasting world like The Steve Weatherford Show and Big Queen Energy just to name a few.Mike is a gifted storyteller and has written two books – The Sandbox: Stories of Human Spirit and War and The Road Ahead and the Miles Behind.Mike’s clients rave about his work ethic and how he has helped them move forward. I love that Mike believes in the importance of adding valuing and how he stresses the importance of knowing your customers and what they really need in order to best serve them.I can’t wait to share Mike’s story and how he overcame his challenges. Mike is very open about discussing mental health, challenges of moving from military life to civilian life and so much more.I am sure you will find more than one or two things to take away from this podcast.In this episode, Mike and I discuss the following:* Benefits of growing up, working, and living in Nova Scotia* Being drawn to be a part of something as an act of service to support your values and ideals* What it feels like when you return from war* How being in the military teaches you about accountability, responsibility, and ownership over your actions* The differences about making decisions based on what you “need” to do versus what you “feel” like doing* How the chain of command provides direction, alleviates decision making, and gives you clear instructions on what is expected* What happens when you leave the military and return to civilian life and the similarities to leaving a corporation and starting your own business* Some of the biggest struggles of being a new business owner* What happens when you lose your compass, and can’t find your true north* What happens when the fear of the ownership is combined with the fear of failure* How and why, it is important to show up to move through a challenge* How experiences influence your decisions, and why it is important for you to identify what works for you as a business owner* Importance of listening to yourself to know when there is something wrong with you and when to ask for help* Challenges of dealing with PTSD, how it can affect you in everyday life and the value of having a good support system* Why observing and listening is a critical skill in business* What sales teaches you* How storytelling allows you to connect and relate to people to build a foundation for a great relationship* How to tell a really good story in or...

EPISODE 27 – VANESSA HOLDING – ON BEING YOUR BIGGEST FAN, BEING A CONNECTOR, AND BEING CONSISTENT Today we are talking with Vanessa Holding Executive Producer and Co-Owner of Arc and Crown Media.Vanessa is a video production expert and loves to help her clients create video content that has an impact. She started out her career in marketing and communications and then went on to work for a corporate video production company for a couple of years and then decided to take a leap and start her own business with a co-founder.Arc and Crown Media was launched in 2015 and is an award winning video production company that has been helping corporate communicators, L&D and marketing professionals get across important, complex and sometimes even dull content in a way that gets attention.Arc and Crown offers Employee Engagement, eLearning Video Scenarios, Corporate Communication Videos, and Branded Content Videos. They have won 3 Audio Visual Arts Awards. They provide consulting services BUT also provide a lot of do it yourself content for those creators that want to take on producing their own video and you will often find Vanessa sharing her knowledge and expertise on Linkedin.Vanessa understands the power of using video to tell a story in order to capture the attention of the audience and is so passionate about sharing her knowledge and helping people get it right.I love seeing her content on Linked in and I can’t wait to talk with her today because she not only loves what she does, but her clients rave about her level of professionalism, attention to detail and her drive to take on any challenge and make it work.These are all qualities I love in working with others so I can’t wait to hear Vanessa’s story and how she developed or discovered her love of storytelling via video.There are so many things I love about Vanessa – she is open, honest, super authentic and we always seem to find so many things to talk about. We hit a lot of topics in this one!I am sure you will find more than one or two things to take away from this podcast.In this episode, Vanessa and I discuss the following:* Benefits of growing up, working, and living in Nova Scotia* Importance of trying different things to figure out what you are good at and what you want to do* Value of getting hands on experience, recognizing your own skill set and the skills that others bring to projects* Value of interning and how it can be a great experience* The pros and cons of working for a small tech company* How to recognize when a job or company is not the right fit* Importance of recognizing that you don’t need to know everything as an employee, presenter, salesperson or business owner* Challenges of “selling” a companies services vs running your own business and “selling” yourself* Why it is important to be a good listener and to ask good questions* Importance of being your own biggest fan and promoting yourself and your business* What is really happening with social media at a small business* Why your network is so important and how they can help you – and it’s not what you think it is (23:27)* Value of surrounding yourself with the right people that understand what you are trying to do and are super supportive* Why women make sly, side handed comments and how it reveals their insecurities* Value of a gratitude journal, how it helps frame things in your life and keep things in perspective* How comparison can affect you, your mindset, and your progress* Value of joining a business or networking group* Being a connector to bring people together to collaborate* Knowing when you should refer someone for business* Building your network is important regardless of what type of work you do (36:00)* Value of having a linked in profile with the...