Making Your Mark Podcast

Mark Bundang
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🎙️ Making Your Mark Podcast with Mark Bundang What does it take to truly make your mark? This podcast shares real career stories from professionals across business, entrepreneurship, public service, healthcare, trades, and more. Each episode explores how guests navigated challenges, grew through change, and defined success on their own terms. Designed for early to mid-career professionals, Making Your Mark offers clarity, courage, and purpose — whether you're building a business, mastering a craft, leading a team, or shaping your impact in your community. New eps or clips every two weeks

  1. 16 hr ago

    How to Manage Up — And Lead When You Don’t Have Authority | Five with Mark

    Managing up is the first real leadership skill — and most people only learn it when they’re suddenly accountable for outcomes they don’t fully control. It’s the moment you discover that leadership begins with influence, not authority. In this episode, I share a story from early in my Business Transformation career, when I was leading a cross‑functional project and a tough sponsor called me out for a delay I didn’t even know about. I talk about what that moment revealed about influence vs authority, why managing up feels uncomfortable, how it changed the way I communicate with leaders, and the advice I’d give to anyone learning to lead from the middle. EPISODE CHAPTERS 00:00 — Introduction 01:03 — Q1: “Mark, do you have an experience where you had to learn how to manage up?” 05:13 — Q2: “What did that experience teach you about influence vs authority?” 08:33 — Q3: “Why does managing up feel uncomfortable for so many?” 09:39 — Q4: “How did that moment change how you communicate with leaders?” 10:58 — Q5: “What advice would you give someone who wants to get better at managing up?” 14:26 — Closing thoughts and engagement DISCOVERY OPTIMIZATION This episode is ideal for early and mid‑career professionals navigating leadership without authority, managing expectations, building influence, and learning how to communicate upward under pressure. It highlights the emotional and practical realities of leading from the middle.

    How to Manage Up — And Lead When You Don’t Have Authority | Five with Mark

  2. 18 Oct

    Career Opportunities Start with Relationships — Not Applications | Five with Mark

    Opportunities rarely come from applications alone — they come from people. Relationships open doors that job boards never could, whether by chance or by intent. In this episode, I share two stories that shaped how I see opportunity. The first was purely serendipitous — a chance meeting in a café that led to my first chemistry job. The second was intentional — reconnecting with a former colleague on Facebook after burnout, which helped me rebuild confidence, finish my MBA and PMP, and launch my transformation career. Both remind me that real opportunities come from relationships. EPISODE CHAPTERS 00:00 — Introduction 01:03 — Q1: “Mark, do you have an experience where a relationship opened a door an application never could?” 08:07 — Q2: “What did that experience reveal about how opportunities really work?” 09:46 — Q3: “Why do people over‑rely on job boards?” 12:18 — Q4: “How did that moment change how you build relationships?” 13:44 — Q5: “What advice would you give someone who wants more relationship‑driven opportunities?” 15:37 — Closing thoughts and engagement DISCOVERY OPTIMIZATION This episode explores how real career opportunities emerge through people — not applications. Ideal for early and mid‑career professionals who want to understand how relationships shape opportunity, build meaningful connections, and create momentum in their careers.

    Career Opportunities Start with Relationships — Not Applications | Five with Mark

  3. 4 Oct

    How Reputation Is Built at Work — Even When You’re Not There | Five with Mark

    Reputation isn’t built by what you say — it’s built by what others say when you’re not there. Consistent behavior, trust, and delivery shape how people experience you long after you’ve left the room. In this episode, I share a story from my time at Weir, leading a massive ERP implementation that tested my credibility and forced me to earn trust in high‑stakes environments. I talk about how an advocate helped open the door, how small wins built momentum, and how reputation transforms from “Can he deliver?” to “Can I get him on my project?” — even when you’re not in the room. EPISODE CHAPTERS 00:00 — Introduction 00:49 — Q1: “Mark, do you have an experience where your reputation was shaped in rooms where you weren’t in?” 04:46 — Q2: “What did that moment teach you about how reputations are formed?” 06:13 — Q3: “What do people misunderstand about how others perceive them?” 07:54 — Q4: “How did that experience change how you manage your presence?” 09:28 — Q5: “What advice would you give someone who wants to build a strong reputation?” 10:42 — Closing thoughts and engagement DISCOVERY OPTIMIZATION This episode explores how reputation is built through consistent behavior, trust, and delivery — often in rooms you’re not in. Ideal for early and mid‑career professionals who want to strengthen their credibility, earn trust, and understand how others experience their work.

    How Reputation Is Built at Work — Even When You’re Not There | Five with Mark

  4. 20 Sept

    Career Confidence Comes From Doing Hard Things | Five with Mark

    Confidence isn’t something you’re born with — it’s something you build through action. In this episode, I share the story of my first big break in business transformation at Brother Canada, when I had to present a 180‑day project plan to a room full of executives. I was nervous, inexperienced, and sweating through the pressure — but that moment taught me what confidence really is: showing up, doing the hard thing, and learning to trust yourself through the reps. EPISODE CHAPTERS 00:00 — Introduction 00:45 — Q1: “Mark, do you have an experience where you had to act confident even when you didn’t feel confident?” 08:05 — Q2: “What did that moment teach you about what confidence actually is?” 09:13 — Q3: “Why do people misunderstand confidence as a personality trait?” 10:19 — Q4: “How did that experience change how you build confidence today?” 12:22 — Q5: “What advice would you give someone who wants to build real confidence?” 13:57 — Closing thoughts and engagement DISCOVERY OPTIMIZATION This episode explores how real career confidence is built — not inherited. Ideal for early and mid‑career professionals learning to lead, present, and perform under pressure, even when they don’t feel ready.

    Career Confidence Comes From Doing Hard Things | Five with Mark

  5. 6 Sept

    The Emotional Patterns You Don’t Notice — But Everyone Else Does | Five with Mark

    Emotional reactions shape careers far more than technical skills — and most people only realize it after they hit a wall. Emotional patterns influence confidence, communication, reputation, and how people experience you at work. In this episode, I share a story from early in my career, right after graduating in 2000, when I took a lab‑support job that bruised my ego and exposed emotional patterns I didn’t know I had. I talk about how insecurity showed up as arrogance, how that affected my reputation, what the experience revealed about emotional habits, why people misunderstand them, how I changed my approach, and the advice I’d give to anyone whose emotions are getting in the way of their growth. EPISODE CHAPTERS 00:00 — Introduction 01:28 — Q1: “Mark, do you have an experience where you learned your emotional patterns mattered more than your technical skills?” 05:59 — Q2: “What did that experience reveal about the emotional patterns you were carrying?” 08:00 — Q3: “Why do people underestimate emotional patterns?” 09:45 — Q4: “How did that experience change how you show up today?” 11:44 — Q5: “What advice would you give someone whose emotional patterns are holding them back?” 13:27 — Closing thoughts and engagement DISCOVERY OPTIMIZATION This episode explores how emotional patterns shape your career, influence your reputation, and affect how others experience you at work. Ideal for early and mid‑career professionals looking to build self‑awareness, improve communication, and grow into stronger leaders.

    The Emotional Patterns You Don’t Notice — But Everyone Else Does | Five with Mark

  6. 17 Jun

    Design Your Own Career: Human-Centric Leadership with Caroline Samne

    What happens when your early career path doesn’t fit, your strengths pull you in a different direction, and the work you’re “supposed” to do no longer aligns with who you’re becoming? For Caroline Samne, the turning point came when teaching, human‑centric leadership, and organizational development revealed a clearer path than the one she originally studied. Reinvention wasn’t a detour — it was the beginning of building a career rooted in clarity, purpose, and conscious work. Caroline shares how early uncertainty, teaching breakthroughs, government bureaucracy, and the leap into entrepreneurship shaped her understanding of people, systems, and leadership. Today, as co‑founder of The Pillars, she helps leaders navigate culture, change, and human‑centric transformation. Her story is a grounded look at choosing fulfillment, designing a life that supports your values, and leading with humanity at the center. She opens up about: • Leaving psychology for human systems intervention • How teaching shaped her understanding of human behavior • Why capability isn’t about age — it’s about doing the work • Navigating government bureaucracy and choosing fulfillment • Redesigning life to support entrepreneurship • Building The Pillars with the right partner • Mindfulness, wellbeing, and conscious leadership --- Episode Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Caroline Samne 02:25 Career Journey: From Social Services to Organizational Development 05:47 First Job After Undergrad 07:58 A Master’s in Psychology Wasn’t for Her 09:09 Discovering Human Systems Intervention 10:42 Field Supervisor Sparks Teaching Career 14:18 Lessons Learned Through Teaching 17:35 User‑Centric Approach to Teaching 20:47 Age vs Capability in Career Growth 24:33 Finding the Right Organizational Fit 29:42 Navigating Government Bureaucracy 34:42 Leaving Job Security for Fulfillment 36:21 Choosing Self‑Employment 38:59 Redesigning Life for Independent Work 42:15 Mental Preparation for Entrepreneurship 46:38 Building a Business vs Being Self‑Employed 53:33 Choosing the Right Business Partner 57:45 Navigating Partnership Challenges 01:04:24 Mindfulness and Wellbeing in Leadership --- Discovery Optimization This episode explores teaching, human‑centric leadership, entrepreneurship, career reinvention, organizational development, and the realities of choosing fulfillment over security. Ideal for listeners interested in leadership growth, early‑career clarity, and building a values‑aligned professional path.

    Design Your Own Career: Human-Centric Leadership with Caroline Samne

  7. 3 Jun

    When Work Stops Feeling Right: Psychological Safety with Nogol Madani

    What happens when the career you worked so hard to build no longer feels aligned with who you are? For Nogol Madani, leaving engineering wasn’t a setback — it was the beginning of discovering her mission around culture, leadership, and psychological safety. After completing her master’s in engineering at McGill, Nogol spent nearly six years in the field. Early on, she experienced facilitative leadership that energized her. Later, directive leadership environments left her drained and disconnected. That misalignment pushed her into deep self‑reflection and ultimately toward creating Glee Factor in 2017 — long before psychological safety became a mainstream leadership topic. When COVID reshaped workplace culture and removed the serendipity of in‑person connection, leaders became more open to new approaches. Nogol transformed Glee Factor from a research project into a business helping middle managers build psychologically safe teams. In the final third of the episode, she and Mark explore AI, the future of work, and the human skills people will need to thrive. She opens up about: • Facilitative vs. directive leadership • Losing yourself in a misaligned career • Leaving engineering after deep self‑reflection • Glee Factor’s origins as a 2017 research project • Discovering psychological safety early • Why leaders resisted psychological safety pre‑COVID • COVID’s culture gap and new openness • Turning Glee Factor into a business • How AI is reshaping leadership • Why human skills matter more than ever Episode Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 03:24 Iranian and Familial Influences on Early Career Choice 06:13 Not Knowing Herself Early; Soul Searching at 31 08:37 Cultural and Leadership Influences Leading Her Out of Engineering 11:04 Contrasting Leadership Styles in Engineering Roles 14:40 Leaving Engineering and Discovering Culture and Engagement 19:45 Birth of Glee Factor in 2017; Discovering Psychological Safety 22:50 What Psychological Safety Is 27:01 Challenges Promoting Psychological Safety in 2019 32:45 COVID’s Impact on Workplace Culture 35:39 Intentional Culture‑Building vs. Pre‑COVID Serendipity 37:17 Readiness to Learn Psychological Safety Post‑COVID 38:25 Turning Glee Factor into a Viable Business 42:42 Iterative Transition from Project to Business 44:29 Structural Differences Between Project and Business 45:53 Learning the Craft and Business Simultaneously 50:06 Supporting Leaders Through AI‑Driven Change 56:01 Reskilling and Upskilling for AI 57:47 Overcoming Fear of AI 01:01:41 Developing Social Skills AI Can’t Replace 01:05:37 Advice for Professionals 01:07:01 Contact Info and Close Discovery Optimization This episode explores psychological safety, leadership styles, career misalignment, culture‑building, and the future of work in an AI‑driven world. Ideal for listeners navigating career transitions, leading teams, or building human‑centered workplaces.

    When Work Stops Feeling Right: Psychological Safety with Nogol Madani

  8. 20 May

    Integrity Over Opportunity: Entrepreneurship with Antoine de Brabant

    What happens when your business is growing, the opportunity is huge, but your values are no longer aligned with the people beside you? For Antoine de Brabant, co‑founder of Wordans and later Jobbook, the turning point came when success and identity no longer matched. Walking away wasn’t failure — it was the beginning of rebuilding a career rooted in clarity, integrity, and long‑term purpose. Antoine shares how early entrepreneurial wins, partner dynamics, burnout, and a surprising health scare forced him to rethink what he wanted from work and life. Today, he’s building a recruitment agency grounded in values, while exploring a tech project that brings him back to the creativity and speed he loves. His story is a candid look at choosing the right partners, navigating stress, and reinventing yourself without losing your entrepreneurial fire. He opens up about: • Co‑founding Wordans and early lessons in product‑market fit • Why misaligned values pushed him to walk away • Building Jobbook with family and choosing the right partners • Burnout, stress, and developing an allergy to marijuana • Why 2026 should be a year of learning, not rushing • How AI and technology are reshaping the job market • Rebuilding a business grounded in clarity and long‑term purpose Episode Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Antoine de Brabant 04:11 Co‑Founding Wordans and Early Entrepreneurship 10:02 Pivoting Toward Strengths in the Business 18:13 Leaving Wordans Over Misaligned Values 24:57 Starting Jobbook with Family and Partners 30:10 Lessons on Choosing Business Partners 36:32 Mentorship, Advisors, and Learning from Experience 41:44 Burnout, Stress, and Developing a Marijuana Allergy 44:58 Balancing Speed and Strategy in Entrepreneurship 48:43 Why 2026 Should Be a Year of Learning 52:38 Embracing Technology and AI in the Job Market 56:00 Moving On from Jobbook and Starting a Recruitment Agency 59:25 Building a Values‑Based Foundation 01:03:57 Keeping the Passion for Entrepreneurship 01:06:31 Advice: Try, Fail, Believe, Repeat 01:09:07 Gratitude and Closing 01:10:31 The LinkedIn Rule: 3s, 33s, 333s Discovery Optimization This episode explores entrepreneurship, values‑driven decision‑making, misaligned success, partner dynamics, burnout, and rebuilding a career with clarity and purpose. Ideal for listeners interested in startup lessons, career reinvention, and the realities of choosing values over opportunity.

    Integrity Over Opportunity: Entrepreneurship with Antoine de Brabant
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About

🎙️ Making Your Mark Podcast with Mark Bundang What does it take to truly make your mark? This podcast shares real career stories from professionals across business, entrepreneurship, public service, healthcare, trades, and more. Each episode explores how guests navigated challenges, grew through change, and defined success on their own terms. Designed for early to mid-career professionals, Making Your Mark offers clarity, courage, and purpose — whether you're building a business, mastering a craft, leading a team, or shaping your impact in your community. New eps or clips every two weeks

Information

  • Creator
    Mark Bundang
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    58
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Mark Bundang
  • Show Website
    Making Your Mark Podcast