Boiling Point Podcast

Growing with your Sustainable Brand  Introducing Derek Sabori    It is quite the journey when you start answering the phones for free and eventually progress to a vice president of global sustainability.  That is the path that Derek Sabori took though.  Derek works with the massive lifestyle and clothing brand, Volcom and has been with the company since 1996.  He comes to the Boiling Point by way of a chance meeting with Greg Hemming at the Sustainable Brands conference they both attended in June. Derek’s position has him managing all parts of Volcom’s business sustainability from fabric choice to land use, waste to compliance.   His message to young people entering the business world, it is okay to connect your inner values with your career.  Hear about Derek’s journey in this episode of the Boiling Point.   In this episode Derek tells us how he went from being an art major to a vice president of a major company. He tells us about how Volcom sees sustainability as a major part of their operation. D

Founding Story of a Change Maker   Introducing Justin Perkins The universe works in amazing ways.  By being observant and using your intuition the path of your life can become an amazing and impactful adventure.  One person that has followed such a path is Justin Perkins.  Justin is a native of Boulder, Colorado and is the senior director of brand engagement and business development with Care2.com, as well as the founder and president of the Olomomo Nut Company. Care2 was one of the first “social good” websites to emerge back in 1998 with 30 million members and has petitions signed by hundreds of millions of people.  Olomomo was a hobby business Justin started back in 2008 that is now getting national distribution throughout natural grocery stores in the United States and soon Canada.  Both companies are certified B Corps. Justin’s passion for social impact was sparked by a trip to Guatemala when he was a teenager.  It was a big shock for him to see how different the world was from mountainous paradise o

Bring on the Business Sustainability   Introducing Nick Aster For too long sustainability was a niche topic discussed mostly by activists.  However, now there seems to be a shift in the tides where business is coming to the table to make a real impact.  One of the reasons for this is due to the hard work of people like our guest this week on the Boiling Point, Nick Aster. Nick is the founder of TriplePundit.com, which is an online business sustainability publication he started as a passion project around 10 years ago.  After completing on of the first MBA programs in the subject of business sustainability, Nick wanted to get the word out on all he had learned and on some exciting people.  Five years later, Nick was able to quit his former job and work TriplePundit.com full time.  Nick has seen the evolution of business sustainability from a niche topic to a cautious optimism as large corporations are starting to buy in and make their own impacts.  No longer does it seem that business sees activists as ag

Wear your Label and Defeat Mental Health Stigmas   Introducing Kyle MacNevin and Kayley Reid Mental health has traditionally been a taboo topic to talk about openly.  This left many unable or unwilling to reach out for help and caused them to suffer in silence.  However, recently there has been a shift of opinion, which has allowed those with mental health issues to speak more openly and as a result those who hadn’t sought help are now more open to the idea. Kyle MacNevin and Kayley Reid were on the cutting edge of this movement when they launched their clothing line Wear Your Label.  Wear Your Label is a for-profit, social enterprise that puts mental health front and center while helping to obliterate mental health stigmas.  Best of all, part of the profits from each sale go to help out groups supporting mental health initiatives.  Mental health is not like any other illness or injury.  When you break your arm and have to get a cast, everyone understand that you are injured and on the way to recovery. 

The New Economy Introducing Amanda Hachey If 20th century capitalism was characterized as corporations maximizing shareholder value, a lot has changed with the beginning of the 21st century.  Early adopters are changing how business is now being done in the new economy.  Millennial entrepreneurs are looking to make real impact in the world AND make a tidy profit at the same time.  Amanda Hachey has been on the cutting edge in this shift in attitude.  While at school at the University of New Brunswick-Saint John, Amanda got to notice a paradox between some of her business courses and her political science classes.  In the business courses, all she would hear about is maximizing profit.  In the building next door, her poli sci classes were taking about how 20th century capitalism was ruining the planet.  What she couldn’t understand was why these two groups working so closely by each other couldn’t communicate to find a better answer. Amanda now works as a Sustainability Sherpa for Conscious Brands and her

What it Means to Care Introducing Clyde Wray Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our daily lives and future plans that we don’t take the time to stop and truly experience the moment.  Really, the ability to take in the moment is synonymous with taking the time to care.  Clyde Wray is a man who takes the time to feel the moment and truly care.  Clyde is an actor, director, poet, playwright, and author, who knows the true value of caring.  Originally from New York, Clyde eventually settled in Saint John, New Brunswick where he now works in the arts.  The need to care doesn’t just extend to those who work in the creative industries, teachers, healthcare workers, and clergy; it is also essential in business.  When you don’t care, it extends into everything you do in your business. Your employees and customers will get the feeling you don’t care enough, and they might mimic your attitude.   Too often, entrepreneurs spend their time hyper focused on the future that they forget those daily moments.  This is just a

Happy Birthday to the Boiling Point Podcast That’s right we made it to our first anniversary.  We have had so many amazing guests, insights, and opinions from which we have learned so much (and we hope you did to).  In this episode, Greg and Dave reminisce over the past year of podcasts and set the stage for the year to come. As always we thank you for tuning in and we promise you another year that will be worth remembering.    In this episode Greg and Dave reflect on their favorite episodes and the nuggets of information that they internalized the most. Both agree that the most memorable episodes where from the guests that just “dripped” with passion. Dave and Greg agree that moving forward the episodes will be theme based but will still have excellent guests. Greg and Dave talk about some of the books they have read/listened to over the last year. Greg appreciates the time that the podcast gives him with Greg and the discipline having the show has given him. Greg also loves the show is making an

Introducing Chris Durban You might think of translators as quiet people who sit in dark rooms writing somewhat verbatim from one language to the other.  Some of the time this might be true, but not nearly as much as you would think.  Chris Durban flies in the face of this stereotype.  Chris is an unofficial voice for the industry and has been doing the job for over 30 years. Translation is not nearly as dry as some would have you believe.  Which crisis situation erupt around the world, often a translator is brought in to do the job right.  Just think of the errors in context or understanding if you brought in the wrong translator in a hostage situation; the results could mean the difference of life or death.  For those in business, translation is also crucial.  When you are speaking to your clients or customers, you don’t want them put off by a faulty computerized translation.  Also to, translation becomes so key when looking to enter new markets.  Translation can often be an afterthought for those in bus

Introducing Jake Rothschild An entrepreneur is always plotting the next move for their business and to take it to the next level.  It also takes persistence to get everything just right.  Jake Rothschild knows persistence was the key to his newest invention that will soon make a big impact for sweet lovers.  Jake is the owner at Jake’s Ice Cream in Atlanta, Georgia a business that makes over-the-top and delicious ice cream—an Atlanta institution.  After opening 15 years ago, many of his customers were looking for flavors they could enjoy that would fit the criteria of their health concerns.  There is nothing worse than craving a frosty treat and not being able to have any because of health concerns like diabetes, gluten or dairy intolerance, etc.   Jake initially cringed at the thought of having to make “diet” versions of his product because his creams were supposed to be made with the “good stuff” and adding sweeteners would severely affect the taste.  However, Jake still tried, especially after being appr

Introducing Matt White It is always said that people should follow their passion when entering an entrepreneurial endeavor.  Of course, there are limitless things that someone could have a passion for and often the passion may not be typical.   Matt White is one of those people who took an unconventional passion and made a business out of it.  Matt is the founder of Sussex Beard Oil, a product that was developed out of his own need to manage his own facial hair.  He was having difficulty finding an all-natural product that didn’t result in dry skin or hair breaking.  Without being able to find the product he wanted, Matt decided he would make his own and was happily surprised with the result.  The oil eventually lead Matt to develop more products for the bearded person and now his items sell across Canada in stores, as well as internationally online.  Matt believes that everyone has a beard, but some only internally.  Matt wanted his product to connect more deeply to its users.  In order to make this connec

Introducing Derek Riedle Sometimes every entrepreneur needs a change.  It could be just a change of scenery, or a shift in mindset.  Derek Riedle recently made a change that involved both.  Derek and his wife Terri are the owners of the marketing and PR firm, Revolution Strategy, as well as the content creative company Talons of Venice, and also under their portfolio is a real estate business called Riedle Urban Spaces.  Derek and Terri had spent around 18 years working within and growing their businesses, but they were keen for a change.  The first step was for Derek to stop working within the business and to shift gears in order to work on the business.  This gave Derek the room to think and further develop the business.  It also gave him the idea that he wanted to develop a product that he could build and then sell multiple times.  Through the Talons of Venice and with our host, Greg Hemmings, Derek helped to develop a new television series “The Real Houses of…” using the freeing strategy he had used to

Introducing Lisa Hrabluk   Decision makers of all stripes will eventually find themselves in a bind.  They will come across a situation where it seems there is no answer that will be pleasing enough to all stakeholders and the result is a deadlock of argument.  Lisa Hrabluk and her company Wicked Ideas is just the person you need in such a situation, as she has a passion for finding a way forward.   Lisa is a veteran journalist who knows that way forward is through humility and asking the right questions to stakeholders.  As a journalist, Lisa was always interested in finding unique ways to tell a story and this interest has lead her company to teach organizations how to have a two-way conversation with their public.   Lisa teaches a niche marketing approach to organizations, who until recently had been treating public affairs as a “sales job”.  The public demands that it not be force fed ideas, but engaged.  When you are in a position where you need things done, Lisa contends you need to listen and ask the r

Introducing Tim Ryan There are times in business when the demand for your work slows down or even grinds to a halt.  These situations can sometimes be completely out of your control, like when your region begins an economic slump.  However, just because there may be a lack of business in your own neck-of-the-woods, it doesn’t mean you necessarily will have to make the hard decisions in relation to your workforce. Tim Ryan faced a very similar issue with Fundy Engineering when a number of their projects finished around the same time.  Tim is the principle at Fundy, and has worked with them for over 19 years.  During his time with the business, he saw the workforce build from five employees to 50 as a result of work primarily in the Atlantic Provinces.  As a number of significant projects came to a close, Fundy Engineering was seeing a drop in demand for their services and something had to be done to keep the company and it’s employees working. So, Tim had a mission to find companies to partner with out west

Introducing Aaron Emery Daniel Burnham, one of the fathers of the skyscraper, once said, "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood... Make big plans, aim high in hope and work."  This quote resonates deeply with this week’s guest Aaron Emery.  Aaron is a B Corp lead, who is responsible for all B Corp certifications in Canada.  As mentioned in previous episodes, a company with a B Corp designation is one who subscribes to a triple bottom line.  This means that the company isn’t just responsible to its’ shareholders, but also other stakeholders, the environment, and society in general. B Corp is a movement, which certifies that companies are effectively making positive impact across their supply chains, while also building a community of like-minded business leaders.  As Aaron would subscribe, the imagination of governments and non-profits pale in comparison to the imagination of business people and entrepreneurs to make change.  When you consider business interests control that 85% of glo

Introducing Craig Norris  There is a popular biblical analogy which says, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”  Perhaps there is something missing to this axiom however.  Our guest, Craig Norris would add, “Teach a man about fishing, and he’ll figure it out for himself.” Craig is an entrepreneur and filmmaker, who previously spent time in the world of big business, but left due to a conflict of ethics and lifestyle.  He now runs his production company, Video Band, and also an environmentally friendly daycare called Earthlings with his wife out of their home in Moncton, New Brunswick. Recently, Community Forests International approached Craig after their brain trust had seen a nature documentary that Craig had produced.  They wanted him to travel to Pemba, Tanzania in order to film a few instructional videos on agriculture, as well as a documentary about the work CFI was doing with the community there and their pursuit of sustainability.  Pemba

Introducing Curtis Kleisinger It is incredible how one woman from the other side of the world can inspire positive change in your own backyard. A number of years ago, a group of CEOs and businesspeople travelled to India and were granted an audience with the famed humanitarian Mother Teresa.  After hearing her speak, many in attendance were interested in how they could help her mission.  Mother Teresa was not interested in their money; instead she urged the group to return to their home community, identify a need, and to give their time and resources to inspire change.  Paul and Carol Hill were two of the people in attendance took this message to heart.  They returned to their home in Regina, Saskatchewan and started the process of creating a school in Mother Teresa’s name that would serve the province’s disadvantaged aboriginal community. This is where our guest this week enters the picture.  Curtis Kleisinger is the executive director of the Mother Teresa Middle School and a former schoolmate of our host

Introducing Don Fillmore Don Fillmore is in an industry where the only thing they don't deliver is babies. Don is in the trucking industry and is the president of Atlantic Pacific Transport and of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association. It has been a dream of many to hit the open road and live the convoy lifestyle. Surprisingly, however, Don finds it difficult to find staff. Though his business is located in a region with high unemployment, it seems many haven't thought of a career in the transport industry. Don started in the family business right out of high school and has since grown his company to over 40 trucks and close to 75 employees. Don has a passion for developing the business, as well as helping out his employees and the region in general. Could you see yourself piloting a big-rig? Check out this episode to find out.   In this episode • Don tells us how the trucking industry, like many other industries, is a people based business. • He explains his decision NOT to be a driver himsel

This week’s episode of Boiling Point is going to be a little bit different as we turn the table and our own Greg Hemmings is the guest. In conjunction with a group of New Brunswick thought leaders, Greg has recently started work on his newest documentary, “The Millennial Dream”. New Brunswick, like a number of rurally based economies, has a problem.  Many of it’s smart, and talented young people are moving away to “greener pastures” in order to retain good, well-paying jobs.  These young people come from a generation called the Millennials and they consist primarily of those who have grown-up during the Internet age. This out-migration is draining the province of not only population, but also skills, and tax revenue.  So, how does a community go about fixing this problem?  Greg’s answer is through better business. Millennials are leaving because of a lack of opportunity.  However, opportunity can take on alternate forms than just salary and career growth.  Millennials are also interested in making a real i

Introducing Ja-Nae Duane Ja-Nae Duane is the definition of the Renaissance woman.  She is an author, a public speaker, a nondenominational Christian minister, a university lecturer, a serial entrepreneur, and even an opera signer.  Her books include “How to Start Your Business with $100”, “How to Create a Revolution”, and “The Startup Equation” which was co-written by her husband and previous Boiling Point guest Steve Fisher.  Ja-Nae always had an eye for improvement and evolution.  As a young girl interested in singing, a teacher brought her to the Metropolitan Opera to inspire her.  Upon leaving, the teacher asked Ja-Nae what she thought about the performance, and she said it was the most boring thing she ever watched.  The characters just stood there and sung without any dramatics, and the performance seemed very antiquated.  However, the performance didn’t dissuade her from becoming a singer, in fact it inspired her to revolutionize how opera was performed.  Ja-Nae has a brain for exploring traditional

Introducing Janna Hare There comes a time for every entrepreneur when they would relish the opportunity to pick the brain of those who have come before.  Mentors give us the power of knowledge from experience that we do not personally have.  They also can give us insights, short cuts, and anecdotes that can save greener entrepreneurs an immense time, effort, and money.  Normally, a person would have to stumble upon a worthy mentor, or beg an experienced person to share a few moments together in conversation. Our guest this week, Janna Hare, is the executive director of an organization that is looking to simplify the process of people finding mentors and mentors finding mentees.  Janna helped to form the Mentra in 2014 with the help of 12 different leadership organizations.  Though they are currently only in beta testing, the plan is for Mentra to be a center of excellence for mentorship.  They seek to offer a sustainable community of credible and connected mentors through an online portal that will have soc