054: Philip Setter | Business Critical

On this episode of the Ideas and Stuff Calgary podcast, you are introduced to Philip Setter. Philip is a Calgary based entrepreneur with amazing energy and a zest for life. 

Philip Setter - Business Critical

He is a managing partner at Business Critical. Business Critical is a unique team of advisors who are dedicated to maximizing your net worth. They do so by using a multi-discipline approach to financial strategy by combining forces with such fields as tax advisory, legal counsel, insurance products and more. 

In this episode, you will learn how Philip found his way into his position. He explains some of the challenges he faced and how he propelled his business to success. 

Reach out to Philip:

http://businesscritical.info/

Enjoy this fun chat with Philip! 

Have a quick look at Philip's Q and A:

If you could tell everyone in Calgary one thing, what would it be?

Success is not a solo sport.

What is your favourite Calgary restaurant?

Modern Steak by far - Stephen has created a wonderful steak house that I never get tired of.

Where can people find you in Calgary?  

At Work Nicer or in the mountains.

What is your one piece of advice for obtaining success?

Don't work alone!

If you weren’t working with Business Critical, what would you like to do?

I'd be doing this, this is my jam!

053: Kim Kilback | Central Bark Doggy Daycare

Meet Kim Kilback, Owner of Central Bark Doggy Daycare in Sunalta, Calgary. Central Bark Doggy Daycare is not your everyday dog daycare and Kim isn't your everyday owner. The funky space is located in Sunalta and can't be missed with the stunning dog mural on the exterior wall. At Central Bark Doggy Daycare, your dog has the option of attending the Bark Park, Zen Den, or Dog Lodge. There are a number of cool services including Canine Massage by a Certified Canine Massage Therapist, grooming, events, painting with your dog, and DOGA (yes, yoga with your dog!)

Kim is an inspirational business owner. In this chat, she openly discusses her inspiring story in entrepreneurship and shares both the excitement and challenges. 

Enjoy this chat with Kim Kilback! 

https://www.centralbarkdogs.ca/

052: Vu Nguyen | EvolutionVN

Meet Vu Nguyen, the man behind EvolutionVN and the inventor of the Evolution Fitness Machine. This sophisticated home fitness machine makes a fit lifestyle attainable for anyone. Vu understood that gyms aren't for everyone. Whether it's a lack of time, knowledge, or confidence, many people avoid these places. He saw a need for a more versatile, practical, and compact home fitness alternative to the gym and the current personal fitness equipment. 

Vu has an inspiring story. In this episode, you will hear about where his interest in fitness comes from and why he left engineering to embark on an entrepreneurial journey. You will learn how he spends his time and he shows how dedicated he is to health and fitness. 

Enjoy this episode with Vu Nguyen. 

https://www.evolutionvn.com/

051: Shane Wallace | Culture Smith

Meet Shane Wallace, the Cheif Engagement Officer at Culture Smith. Shane has endless knowledge when it comes to building a culture and forging engagement. Shane also coaches some of Calgary's top entrepreneurs and companies.

In this episode, Shane breaks down the personality types and how one should look to engage with each type. He helps us understand what our own personality type might be and he dives deep into entrepreneurship.

Enjoy this episode with Shane Wallace

https://culturesmithinc.com/ 

050: David Taylor | Thinking Business Blog

Meet David Taylor, Business Executive Coach, Consultant, Author, Community Leader and professional engineer. David spends his time working with start-ups, small, and medium-sized businesses and non-profits. He works with business owners to narrow down a vision, implement strategies, improve cash flow, and increase the ROI in the business. 

His very popular blog has endless tips and he consistently puts out amazing content for his audience. 

In this chat, David explains the importance of vision and shows where some businesses may be coming up short.  He shares tactics on how to strategically improve your ROI and takes us through some of the most important parts to a business. Plus you will get an exciting look into David's life outside of Thinking Business. 

https://www.thinkingbusinessblog.com/

049: Zeina El-Sayed | Trusted Divorce Services

Meet Zeina El-Sayed, Owner of Trusted Divorce Services in Calgary. Zeina is a sharp independent paralegal, offering divorce solutions and mediation. Given her model, she can offer these services at very competitive rates and she has years of laser focused experience with divorce. 

This is a challenging time for most couples and there is no shortage of emotional turmoil, financial stress, and difficult conversations. Zeina is there for you throughout this process and she does so with care and professionalism. 

In this chat, you will learn about the divorce process in Alberta. If there are challenges to overcome, Zeina also explains the mediation process and how the overcomes some of these challenging hurdles. You will also get a glimpse into Zeina's life and she explains how she keeps work separate from her home life, especially when she works in such emotionally charged situations. 

Enjoy this chat with Zeina El-Sayed of Trusted Divorce Services in Calgary. 

https://www.trusteddivorceservices.ca/

048: Lindsay Sewall & Sherise Miller | Shift Psychological

Meet Lindsay Sewall and Sherise Miller, Therapists with Shift Psychological in Calgary. Shift Psychological has a brand new take on therapy sessions and they are using a fresh perspective on treatment. Helping everyone with their limiting beliefs and mindsets that hold us back, Shift is truly for everyone. 

In this fun discussion, Lindsay and Sherise explain limiting beliefs and where these thoughts come from. They discuss perfectionism, comparing yourself to others, shame, and many more mindsets that are holding us back. 

They provide real strategies for those that have hit a roadblock in life and they do so with modern day techniques. 

Serving both Calgary and Edmonton, Shift Psychological is the future of therapy for everyone. 

Don't miss this amazing chat with Lindsay Sewall and Sherise Miller

https://shiftpsych.com/

BONUS: Graeme Edge | Energy Disruptors Unite 2018

Bonus Episode: Energy Disruptors Unite 2018 is happening May 15-16 2018 and includes amazing guests such as Sir Richard Branson, Susan Cain, Michael Liebreich, Steve Williams, Dave Mowat, Holly Ransom and so many more. 

In this episode, we chat with co-founder, Graeme Edge and learn more about this unbelievable event. You will learn about the challenges one faces when organizing an event of this size and where this idea came from. 

Graeme discusses some of his favourite new energy technologies and tackles some challenging questions around where the industry has been and where it is headed. This event is born out of exponential thinking and from a place of seeing the biggest energy challenges as the greatest opportunities.

Graeme is a visionary, impactivist, and leader in Calgary. Enjoy this chat with Graeme Edge. 

Get your tickets:

https://www.energydisruptors.com/home

047: Alex Jackson | Hone Virtual Education

Meet Alex Jackson, an XR Industry Evangelist. No worries if the term "XR" isn't familiar to you because Alex explains this exciting technology in this fun episode. At Hone, Alex uses virtual reality and augmented reality to train primary care workers and first responders. He is using the world of VR/AR to "save lives by changing how people learn."

Not only that, Alex is the president of the VR/AR Association, Calgary Chapter and he is a Paramedic - talk about a long and impressive resume! 

In this chat, you will learn all about virtual reality and augmented reality and how Alex is levering this technology. You will learn where his idea came from and what he is doing to continue to build his business. 

Enjoy this chat with Alex Jackson. 

https://www.honevr.ca/

046: Yann Blanchard | Yann Haute Patisserie

Meet Yann Blanchard, the Co-Founder and Executive Chef at Yann Haute Patisserie. Yann Haute Patisserie is well known in Calgary for the fantastic macarons, cakes, confectionary, and baking. Yann and his wife/Co-Founder Jeraldine have built one of Calgary's most popular spots in Mission, and they are expanding next door to offer ice cream and chocolate. 

In this episode, Yann describes growing up in France and learning his trade from a young age. He explains what makes a great pastry chef and he emphasizes the importance of passion in business. He chats about the challenges of growing a business. Yann even gives us some tips that everyone can take to their kitchen.

Enjoy this fun episode with Yann Blanchard!

https://yannboutique.com/

045: Gursh Bal & Kai Fahrion | Virtuoso Energy

Meet Gursh Bal and Kai Fahrion the two amazing entrepreneurs behind Virtuoso Energy. Virtuoso Energy's business is to stop the ever-increasing damage to our environment by enabling society to live and work sustainably. Virtuoso Energy does this by providing accurate information through turn-key Solar Energy, Electric Vehicle Charging & Energy Efficiency installations.

In this chat Gursh and Kai discuss the story of where their idea came from. They dive into the importance behind this movement, and how they have been able to maintain such a strong business relationship. You will learn more about the technology how Gursh and Kai have been able to build their fantastic company.

Learn more about Virtuoso Energy

http://www.virtuosoenergy.com/

044: Dennis Plintz | Dennis Plintz & Associates

Dennis Plintz - Sotheby's International Realty in Calgary

Meet Dennis Plintz, from Dennis Plintz & Associates and Sotheby's International Realty. Dennis is a highly successful real estate agent in Calgary, an author, an entrepreneur, and speaker. Dennis is energetic, positive, and very creative. 

In this chat, Dennis takes you into his life before real estate and some of the obstacles that he and his family had to overcome. He takes you under the hood of his sale business and reveals what is most important in his business building. Furthermore, he walks us through his approach to fear and growth. 

For anyone interested in building a business where you need to connect with people, Dennis Plintz's approach is genuine and systemized. 

Learn more about Dennis

https://dennisplintz.com/

043: Desiree Bombenon | SureCall Contact Center

Meet Desiree Bombenon the president and CEO of SureCall Contact Center in Calgary. They are innovation and totally disrupters in the contact centre industry. Desiree has built this amazing business around her positive and fun culture. In this chat, you will learn all about how she has built this business and how she continues to grow. 

Desiree is also on the Board of Directors at The Calgary Chamber of Commerce. She is also on the board for Children First Calgary. 

Desiree is a true leader in Calgary business. Enjoy this chat with Desiree Bombenon. 

https://surecallcc.com/

Thanks to Richard Gedeborg of Sound By Richard for editing this episode. Reach out to Richard:

soundbyrichard@gmail.com

www.soundbyrichard.com

042: Vince O'Gorman & Brandon Karp | VOG App Developers

Meet Vince O'Gorman and Brandon Karp of VOG App Developers. VOG App Developers is a leading Calgary based development company and they have built some amazing apps for companies of all sizes. 

Have you ever had an app idea or thought "that would make a great app"? If so, this episode is for you! Vince and Brandon take you into what is involved with building an app and how you go from idea to finished product. They have some timeless advice for those that have a technology idea and they break down the details of what is required.

This is an amazing chat with some of Calgary's best app developers!

Reach out to Vince and Brandon of VOG App Developers on their website

https://vogcalgaryappdeveloper.com/

041: Nancy Lowery | The Natural Leader

Meet Nancy Lowery, The Lead People Whisperer & Founder of The Natural Leader. Nancy's company pairs business, leadership, and team building with horses. This unique concept came to Nancy in 2004 and she has been scaling her impressive business ever since. 

Nancy explains what horses and leadership have in common, and how the horses help move people out of their comfort zone. She dives deep into how she has built her business and the challenges she faced in going down the entrepreneurial journey.

This is a powerful and comprehensive chat, where Michael and Nancy discuss her horses, business, and life. 

Enjoy this episode with Nancy Lowery.

Reach out to Nancy

http://www.thenaturalleader.ca/

040: Teeka Drake | One Love Float

Meet Treeka Drake, owner of One Love Float in Calgary. If you haven't heard of floating, floatation tanks are sensory deprivation pods/tanks with water and several hundred pounds of Epsom salts. This allows you to float in complete peace. Many benefits come from floating including relaxation, natural pain management, stress relief, and chronic pain relief.

One Love Float is a home-based float studio that combines floating in a relaxing space where conversation and connection are encouraged. Treeka's approach to floating goes far beyond the tanks as you will hear in this episode. 

Treeka's story will take you from her first encounters with floatation to the building of her home-based business in Calgary. She dives into the challenges associated with building a business from the ground up and how she trusted the process. 

Part way through this episode, Misha White, owner of Amborella Floral, joins the conversation. Misha is an experienced floater and all around joy! She explains her experience with floating and the benefits that have come from her practice. 

Enjoy the episode with Treeka Drake and Misha White. 

Reach out to Treeka:

http://www.onelovefloat.com/

039: Michelle Berg & Michelle McNutt | Elevated

Michelle Berg

Meet Michelle Berg and Michelle McNutt from Elevated. This dynamic, Calgary based company is in the business of creating exceptional employee experiences that matter. They are reinventing human resources and creating a new way of looking at your team's culture, onboarding, training, performance management, wellness and so much more. 

Michelle McNutt

In this episode, both Michelle Berg and Michelle McNutt dive into some of the mistakes they see small businesses making when it comes to their employee experiences. They discuss some amazing tips to boost the company morale, and they even provide great insight into how to approach hiring. 

Take a look under the hood of this exciting and vibrant company while taking a peek into the lives of Michelle Berg and Michelle McNutt.

https://elevatedhr.com/

https://www.facebook.com/elevatedhr

https://www.instagram.com/elevatedhr

https://www.instagram.com/mmcnutt11

https://www.youtube.com/user/elevatedhr

038: Lucy Dunne | Dunnebells

Meet Lucy Dunne, founder of Dunnebells, an online personal training program designed by women, for women. Programs focused on burning fat and building lean muscle that will transform your body, mind and life!

Lucy is an Aussie living in Canada and she is building a thriving online business for women. Lucy has an amazing mindset and has a ton of insights for those looking to improve their fitness. In this real discussion about building a healthy lifestyle, Lucy gives us a peek at her path to fitness in her life and has some amazing tips for those looking to live a healthier lifestyle. 

In this episode, you will learn a number of tips to stay on track with your fitness routine and you will learn all about a day in the life of Lucy. Lucy and Michael even dive into her move to North America from Australia. Enjoy this discussion with Lucy Dunne. 

https://www.dunnebells.com/#body-mind-life

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dunnebellslucydunne/

https://www.facebook.com/dunnebells

037: Kevin Wilhelm | POD Marketing Inc

Meet Kevin Wilhelm, the Calgary entrepreneur behind POD Marketing. POD Marketing has a new and improved method of marketing by providing their clients with a true, full-service option for companies and they have maintained exclusivity with their clients.  

This approach to marketing gives Kevin and his team a high level of dedicated service with a strategic approach. 

In this episode, you will pull out some amazing tips on how to market your business in today's world and Kevin shares some of his current, favourite platforms. You will learn how Kevin was able to build a massively successful marketing company in a short period of time and he will fill you in on where many small and medium-sized are falling short. 

Finally, you will get a peek into this successful entrepreneur's lifestyle and how he executes every day.

http://www.podmarketinginc.com/

https://www.facebook.com/podmarketinginc

Bes sure to check out Kevin's FREE Marketing Breakfasts:

 http://webmarketingwednesdays.com/ 

036: Kristen Liesch | Blue Switch Consulting

Meet Kristen Liesch, Principal with Blue Switch Consulting. Kristen is a pro when it comes to talent optimization in the workplace, and she has an immense amount of research to back up her solutions. Her approach centres around increasing diversity in the workplace for a variety of reasons and, notably, to increase your profitability in business. She consults with companies of all sizes in Canada and New Zealand.   

In this episode, Kristen explains the importance of increased diversity, and she provides practical ways that employers can begin this process today. She reveals what implicit bias is and how we can catch ourselves if we are making unconscious judgements. You will also come away learning how Kristen found her way into this industry and hear about some obstacles one faces when building a business from the ground up. 

Enjoy this insightful episode with Kristen Liesh of Blue Switch Consulting. 

https://blueswitchconsulting.com/