Power of Why with Naomi Haile Naomi Haile

"We've been told that achieving our own success will make us happy. But happiness comes from helping other people to live happier lives."

⁠Stephanie⁠'s childhood joy revolved around self-expression —corralling her siblings and neighbors to put on musicals, performing with a voice-altering karaoke machine, reading, and making things. 

It's what shaped a lot of her early years.

For many years, she "lost" that self-expression and only started to re-discover it again in her late 20s.

What she learned is that acceptance of the creative process is a rejection of everything that she had been conditioned to believe: 


"You have to be perfect."
"You can never make mistakes."
"You have to follow this set path."
"You have to know exactly where you're going."

These are lies.

Creativity has none of that. You must let go of those ideas to do things according to your creativity. 

Today, Stephanie Harrison is an expert in the science of happiness and the creator of The New Happy philosophy and company. Founded in 2018, ⁠The New Happy⁠ has revolutionized how people understand and pursue happiness.

The New Happy reaches millions of people worldwide every month through resources and tools. On May 14, 2024, she will be coming out with a new resource – A book called ⁠"The New Happy: Getting Happiness Right In A World That's Got It Wrong."⁠ It's described as "the definitive guide to happiness."

Connect with Stephanie


Pre-order Book: The New Happy
Website: The New Happy
Instagram: The New Happy
LinkedIn: Stephanie Harrison

Connect with Naomi


Website: ⁠⁠⁠naomihaile.com⁠⁠⁠


Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@naomiahaile⁠⁠⁠


Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠@naomiathaile⁠⁠⁠


LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠Naomi Haile

I'm curious: do your passions and hobbies — seemingly unconnected to your career — give you an unexpected professional edge?

Growing up, Mona loved nothing more than donning her dad's old headphones and immersing herself in his record collection for hours. She had a deep affection for the arts, theatre, and the craft of writing.

Nevertheless, she decided to pursue a career as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Fortunately, for the business world, she infuses her creative gifts in every room she enters, whether it be…

Negotiating multi-million dollar merger and acquisition deals.

Serving as CFO and COO for Knix Wear — an incredible Canadian success story.

And today, as a Partner with the Thrive Venture Fund at BDC, she plays a vital role in the $300M Fund, which invests in women-led technology companies tackling some of the world's most pressing issues.

Learn how your creative edge and unique skills can help you approach problems differently and offer new perspectives.



This episode is for you if:


You’re bringing business ideas to fruition with limited time and capital.


You want to leverage your creative skills to diversify your income streams.


You’re eager to learn fresh and abundance-focused negotiation approaches that result in win-win.

Connect with Mona

LinkedIn – Mona Minhas

Connect with BDC

LinkedIn – BDC Capital (Canada)

Twitter – @bdc_capital

 

This episode is brought to you in collaboration with Invest Ottawa, Ottawa’s lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries, and with the critical support of BDC Capital’s Thrive Venture Fund, the title sponsor of International Women’s Month. We teamed up to produce this special series to celebrate women leading in Ottawa for International Women’s Month.

In support of its Women Founders and Owners strategy, Invest Ottawa offers programs and services that enable and accelerate the growth and success of women entrepreneurs from every walk of life. Visit www.investottawa.ca/women to learn more!

When you plant a seed, you wait to reap the benefits.
In some cases, you don't see it for years. But does that mean you shouldn't plant that seed? ⁠Jennifer⁠ disagrees.
From her teenage years juggling multiple part-time jobs to studying accounting— though not her passion—it provided the exposure and access to creativity she lived for. At 18, she worked at the Biological Sciences Institute, immersing herself in labs with passionate scientists and researchers. Her curiosity drove her to continue learning despite understanding only a tiny fraction of their work.
Today, Jennifer, CEO, and Co-founder Geoff MacKay are building ⁠The Aggressive Good⁠, a technology solution that revolutionizes how people stock their pantries. Their goal? Eliminate single-use plastic packaging.
Jennifer is ideating and building for the long term, focused on advancing humanity and caring for our planet. 
Here's how she keeps her 'why' at the center.
This episode is for you if:

You want to leverage your diverse portfolio of experiences to drive personal and professional growth.
You love the intersection of technology, business and environmental conservation.
You want to build meaningful partnerships and ventures with like-minded individuals.

Connect with Jennifer
LinkedIn – ⁠Jennifer Look-Hong⁠
Website – ⁠The Aggressive Good (TAG)⁠
Connect with BDC
LinkedIn –⁠ BDC Capital⁠ (Canada)
Twitter –⁠ @bdc_capital⁠
This episode is brought to you in collaboration with⁠ Invest Ottawa⁠, Ottawa’s lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries, and with the critical support of BDC Capital’s Thrive Venture Fund, the title sponsor of International Women’s Month. We teamed up to produce this special series to celebrate women leading in Ottawa for⁠ International Women’s Month⁠.
In support of its Women Founders and Owners strategy, Invest Ottawa offers programs and services that enable and accelerate the growth and success of women entrepreneurs from every walk of life. Visit⁠ www.investottawa.ca/women⁠ to learn more!

“Never give up on yourself” – 
These were the words Angela Ashawasegai repeated to herself for years. They became her mantra, helping her find and build her inner strength.
Angela was removed from her mother at birth and was placed into the child welfare system. Throughout her tumultuous childhood, she had no safe place to call home. From surviving abuse and homelessness, Angela emerged as her hero, crediting her survival to education, spirituality, and art.
Today, Angela leverages her decades of training and expertise to help others empower themselves. She consults with organizations on workplace wellness, puts pen to paper on her forthcoming book, and coaches individuals on overcoming their trauma. 
Here is how she identified her inner strength and resilience in adversity.
This episode is for you if:

You want to reclaim your identity in the face of adversity.

You’re looking for practical insights to navigate your own healing journey and empower others in their journey.

You want to explore how creativity can be a tool for resilience.


Connect with Angela

LinkedIn – Angela Ashawasegai
Website – coming soon.

Connect with BDC

LinkedIn –⁠⁠⁠⁠ BDC Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Canada)
Twitter –⁠⁠⁠⁠ @bdc_capital⁠⁠⁠⁠

 Connect with Naomi

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠naomihaile.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@naomiahaile⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@naomiathaile⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Naomi Haile⁠⁠⁠⁠

This episode is brought to you in collaboration with⁠⁠⁠⁠ Invest Ottawa⁠⁠⁠⁠, Ottawa’s lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries, and with the critical support of BDC Capital’s Thrive Venture Fund, the title sponsor of International Women’s Month. We teamed up to produce this special series to celebrate women leading in Ottawa for⁠⁠⁠⁠ International Women’s Month⁠⁠⁠⁠.
In support of its Women Founders and Owners strategy, Invest Ottawa offers programs and services that enable and accelerate the growth and success of women entrepreneurs from every walk of life. Visit⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.investottawa.ca/women⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more!

In a landscape where barriers often overshadow opportunities…

Mary Yazdani is curious about impactful results.

Drawing insights from those who have successfully carved paths before her, she studied their strategies and implemented the advice that worked. At the age of 32, she started a new life in Canada with her family.

Leveraging her expertise and resourcefulness in navigating unfamiliar terrain, she established a business aimed at propelling others.

Leading two innovative ventures – as the Founder and CEO of GenesisLink and Co-founder and CEO of RoboSafety –  Mary is committed to empowering individuals to navigate the complexities of transitioning to a new country, securing employment, and launching businesses.

This episode is for you if:


You want to apply results-driven strategies for job search as an immigrant in Canada.


You want to formalise your business by leveraging what you already assist people with.


You are a leader aiming to invest in people, potential and purpose.



Connect with Mary


Website – GenesisLink
LinkedIn – ​​Mary Yazdani

Connect with BDC


LinkedIn –⁠⁠⁠ BDC Capital⁠⁠⁠ (Canada)
Twitter –⁠⁠⁠ @bdc_capital⁠⁠⁠

 Connect with Naomi


Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠naomihaile.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@naomiahaile⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@naomiathaile⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Naomi Haile⁠⁠⁠

This episode is brought to you in collaboration with⁠⁠⁠ Invest Ottawa⁠⁠⁠, Ottawa’s lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries, and with the critical support of BDC Capital’s Thrive Venture Fund, the title sponsor of International Women’s Month. We teamed up to produce this special series to celebrate women leading in Ottawa for⁠⁠⁠ International Women’s Month⁠⁠⁠.

In support of its Women Founders and Owners strategy, Invest Ottawa offers programs and services that enable and accelerate the growth and success of women entrepreneurs from every walk of life. Visit⁠⁠⁠ www.investottawa.ca/women⁠⁠⁠ to learn more!

Relationships are key. Through experience, you've sharpened your problem-solving skills, infused love into your creative self, and deepened your leadership acumen. Yet, these strengths may not always be apparent on paper…

It's about transforming your most vital skills to your next opportunity.

Keira Torkko⁠ has consistently demonstrated this throughout her 25-year career across various sectors. When Keira least expected it, her relationships enabled her to navigate unconventional career paths and build a compelling narrative. How can you create your own non-traditional and extraordinary opportunities? Keira shares insights on where to begin.

This episode is for you if:


You want to improve how you give and receive feedback for maximum growth.
You’re a leader looking to embed your values in everything you do.
You want to position yourself as a problem-solver where you are today.

People and Resources Mentioned in This Episode


Breaking Career Growth Stereotypes
Bonusly.com – Peer Recognition Tool
Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance (CWHHA) Program

Connect with Keira


LinkedIn –⁠⁠ Keira Torkko

Connect with BDC


LinkedIn –⁠⁠ BDC Capital⁠⁠ (Canada)
Twitter –⁠⁠ @bdc_capital⁠⁠

 Connect with Naomi


Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠naomihaile.com⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@naomiahaile⁠⁠⁠⁠
Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@naomiathaile⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Naomi Haile⁠⁠

This episode is brought to you in collaboration with⁠⁠ Invest Ottawa⁠⁠, Ottawa’s lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries, and with the critical support of BDC Capital’s Thrive Venture Fund, the title sponsor of International Women’s Month. We teamed up to produce this special series to celebrate women leading in Ottawa for⁠⁠ International Women’s Month⁠⁠.

In support of its Women Founders and Owners strategy, Invest Ottawa offers programs and services that enable and accelerate the growth and success of women entrepreneurs from every walk of life. Visit⁠⁠ www.investottawa.ca/women⁠⁠ to learn more!