Shows
Big Idea Big MovesFrom Burnout to Balance: Tasha Star's Wellness PhilosophyIn this inspiring episode of Big Idea Big Moves, host Jamie Allison sits down with Tasha Star, a former competitive show jumper and bodybuilder turned wellness advocate and fitness entrepreneur. Tasha opens up about her transition from the equestrian world to coaching women on health, fitness, and hormone balance. She shares how her background in psychotherapy has shaped her holistic approach to wellness, emphasizing balance, sustainability, and mental resilience. Jamie and Tasha dive into the complexities of health, exploring gut health, mental wellness, and the power of lifestyle changes in achieving long-term well-being. Tasha also reveals her...
2025-03-1131 min
Big Idea Big MovesEntrepreneurial Grit & Growth with Emily LyonsIn this episode of Big Idea Big Moves, host Jamie Allison sits down with Emily Lyons, a dynamic entrepreneur who has built multiple successful businesses from the ground up. Emily shares her inspiring journey—starting from her first promotional modeling agency, Femme Fatale, to expanding into the luxury market and beyond.Jamie and Emily dive into the key strategies for business growth, including branding, customer feedback, goal setting, and managing the challenges of entrepreneurship—such as legal issues and stress. Emily reveals her resilience-building habits, her approach to stress management, and the importance of adapting and pivoting in business. She...
2025-03-0430 min
Big Idea Big MovesMastering Movement: Francheska Martinez on Functional Fitness & LongevityIn this motivating episode ofBig Idea Big Moves, Jamie sits down withFrancheska Martinez, a movement enthusiast and functional fitness expert. FrancheskaFit shares her journey from a childhood filled with dance and movement to discovering weight training and ultimately embracingfunctional fitness. She dives into theimportance of movement, efficiency, injury prevention, and holistic wellness, explaining how she helps clients manage chronic pain by addressing the root causes rather than just the symptoms.Jamie and Francheska also explore thepower of community, discussing how surrounding yourself with like-mindedindividuals can fuel both personal and professional growth. Francheska opens up aboutbalancing life, business...
2025-02-1329 min
Big Idea Big MovesStart 2025 Strong: Margaux Alvarez on Habits, Fitness, and MindsetBig Idea Big Moves is kicking off 2025 with an episode designed to inspire your whole-life transformation!
In this inspiring episode Jamie Allison sits down with Margaux Alvarez—a 7-time CrossFit Games athlete, NBC Titan Games contestant, 2X American Ninja Warrior, entrepreneur, fitness coach, and winemaker—to explore her journey of resilience, passion, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Together, they dive into topics like resilience, goal-setting, authenticity, and building good habits for success in fitness, personal growth, and beyond.
Margaux shares how she uses her late sister's memory to inspire her, actionable tips for staying consistent and acco...
2024-12-2733 min
Big Idea Big MovesStart 2025 Right: Transformative Goals for Work, Wellness, and LifeSet Your Whole Life Goals for 2025 with Jamie Allison
Ready to make 2025 your year of transformation? In this special episode of Big Idea Big Moves, host Jamie Allison—entrepreneur, consultant, author, and seasoned podcast host—shares a proven formula for whole-life success. Drawing from six seasons of conversations with world-class guests, including astronauts, CEOs, pro athletes, and entrepreneurs, Jamie presents a step-by-step approach to intentional life design.
You’ll discover how to:
Reflect on and celebrate past accomplishments.
Create 10X SMART goals in health, career, relationships, and more.
Break big dreams into actionable steps.
Cultiv...
2024-12-1823 min
Big Idea Big MovesFrom Courtroom to Hyrox: Kayti Simonson’s Journey to SuccessIn this inspiring episode of Big Idea, Big Moves, Jamie chats with Kayti Simonson—a lawyer, former NCAA athlete, and professional hybrid competitor—about her impressive journey navigating both high-stakes sports and a demanding legal career. Kayti shares her experiences from semi-professional soccer to racing at the Hyrox World Championships, offering insights into her rigorous training, mental resilience, and strategies for setting and achieving goals. Together, Jamie and Kayti discuss what it takes to balance intense athletic pursuits with a professional career, all while maintaining focus on broader life goals.
Be sure to tell Jamie and Kayti what...
2024-11-1130 min
Big Idea Big MovesGRIT, Goals, and Game-Changing Training: A Conversation with Olympian Jessica O’Connell & OCR Pro Faye StenningIn this powerhouse episode of Big Idea Big Moves, host Jamie Allison dives into the high-octane world of athletic training and wellness with two inspiring athletes and coaches, Jessica O’Connell and Faye Stenning, co-founders of GRIT Athletic Coaching. Jessica, a Canadian Olympian and Exercise Physiologist, and Faye, a pro Obstacle Course Racer and strength specialist, share their personal journeys from competing at the highest levels to launching a transformative online coaching program. Discover the principles that drive their training philosophies, how they tailor strength and endurance training for diverse athletic needs, and the life lessons they’ve learned from...
2024-10-3044 min
Big Idea Big MovesMindfulness for Kids: Cynthia Arscott on Building Resilient FuturesIn this episode, Jamie is joined by Cynthia Arscott, a leading kids' mindfulness expert and the CEO & Founder of Goldminds, a new app offering research-backed meditations, sleep stories, and mindfulness classes for children. Cynthia shares her journey from corporate sales and marketing at companies like Uber and Pepsi to launching Goldminds—a platform designed to help kids manage stress, regulate emotions, and improve sleep.
Together, Cynthia and Jamie discuss how teaching mindfulness at an early age can reduce anxiety and empower kids with vital coping tools. They also explore building a community through vulnerability and overcoming the ch...
2024-09-1930 min
Big Idea Big MovesDancing Through Adversity: Alayne Wadsworth’s Journey of Resilience
In this episode, Jamie sits down with Alayne Wadsworth, a professional dancer, model, and scoliosis advocate, whose journey from a challenging diagnosis to becoming a world champion dancer is nothing short of remarkable. Diagnosed with scoliosis in middle school, Alayne wore a brace for five years before undergoing life-saving spinal surgery. Her determination to not only walk again but to excel in the demanding world of ballroom dance showcases her warrior spirit. Throughout the conversation, Jamie and Alayne delve into Alayne’s illustrious dance career, the challenges and triumphs she faced with scoliosis, the importance of goal setting, and th...
2024-08-1029 min
Big Idea Big MovesJamie Allison: Goalsetting for 2024 : Lessons from High PerformersIn this episode of the podcast, entrepreneur, consultant, author and host of the Big Idea Big Moves podcast, Jamie Allison, works though the steps for setting whole life goals. Drawing from the high performance habits of our past guests that include astronauts, CEOs, pro athletes, and entrepreneurs, Jamie outlines the process for being intentional in our life design.
Listeners will learn the importance of setting a positive environment and mindset, remembering and recognizing our past accomplishments, setting 10X SMART goals in key areas of life, breaking them down into smaller actions, and then holding ourselves accountable.
Tune in to this epis...
2023-12-1623 min
Big Idea Big MovesChristmas Abbott: New Businesses, Blended Families and Creating OpportunityWe are happy to have Christmas Abbott back for a new episode. Lot's of change has happened for Christmas since her last appearance including new ventures, some health challenges and her marriage to Big Brother co-star Memphis Garrett. Jamie and Christmas talk about it all.
If you don't already know Christmas, she been a team CrossFit Games competitor, competitive weightlifter, national best selling author, fitness influencer, entrepreneur and talent agency owner, reality TV star and also NASCAR’s first-ever female pit crew member.
In this episode Jamie and Christmas talk about:
- her approach to risk-taking and creating opportunities
- ho...
2023-05-0535 min
Big Idea Big MovesHunter McIntyre: The Drive to Win, Studying Your Competition and Constant ImprovementThis episode was first released in 2021 and has proven to be one of our all-time most popular episodes. It has tons of action items and insights.
Hunter McIntyre is one of the most decorated (and polarizing) multi-sport athletes in history. On top of being a mainstay in the sport of Obstacle Racing with 6 World titles to his name, he is a CrossFit Games competitor, has held the "Murph" World Record and Hyrox World Record, has been the Hyrox World Champion, was featured on both editions of the Spartan Games, and is undefeated on CMT's popular TV Show Steve Austin's Broken S...
2023-03-0926 min
Big Idea Big MovesDesigning Your Life: A Blueprint for Setting Whole Life GoalsIn this episode of the podcast, entrepreneur, consultant, author and host of the Big Idea Big Moves podcast, Jamie Allison, works though the steps for setting whole life goals. Drawing from the high performance habits of our past guests, such as astronauts, CEOs, pro athletes, and entrepreneurs, Jamie outlines the process for being intentional in our life design.
Listeners will learn the importance of setting a positive environment and mindset, remembering and recognizing our past accomplishments, setting 10X SMART goals in key areas of life, breaking them down into smaller actions, and then holding ourselves accountable.
Tune in to this epis...
2023-02-1623 min
Big Idea Big MovesBrooke Ence: Redefining Success, Family First and Training Motivation (2022's Top Episode)This episode was first released in 2022 and proved to be the top episode with our community last year.
Brooke Ence is a fitness icon. You probably know Brooke originally from her strong showing with two event wins and a Top 15 finish in the 2015 CrossFit Games. She had an immediate rise to celebrity status as a Games athlete. She has also had strong showings across regional and team events, but all that took a turn when she suffered a back/neck injury that resulted in surgery.
Since then she has been a role model for redefining her own vision of success. She h...
2023-01-031h 14
Big Idea Big MovesWhitney Jones: Champion Mindset, Multiple Business Streams and Family-FirstWhitney Jones is a 3x Ms. Fitness Olympia who has competed in a total of 35 Pro shows, never placing outside the top 10 in the world. She has been invited to compete in 16 Arnold Classic International events and has qualified for the Fitness Olympia for the past 9 years in a row. She is also a mom to two teenagers, the owner of Pro Physiques, the largest personal training gym in the state of Arizona, a personal trainer, fitness routine choreographer and contest prep coach to athletes who compete across the country.
In this episode Whitney talks with host Jamie Allison about...
2022-08-0942 min
Big Idea Big MovesLauren Johnson - Elite Mental Conditioning, Transitions and Finding Your Passion (Favorite episode revisit from July 13, 2020)Rebroadcast from our favorites list (original recording July 13, 2020)
Lauren Johnson is an athlete-turned-mental performance coach, who is highly motivating, and relatable with a passion for developing the minds of the elite. Lauren trains professional athletes, military personnel and business professionals through national speaking engagements, educational training workshops and consulting.
Prior to opening her own consulting practice (https://www.laurenjohnsonandco.com), Lauren served as the Mental Conditioning Coordinator for the New York Yankees (the role she was in when this interview occurred). She received her Masters Degree in Performance Psychology from National University.
From the playing field to the boardroom, Lauren...
2022-07-0738 min
Big Idea Big MovesLauren Weeks: Training During Pregnancy, Balancing her Studies and her Competitive MindsetLauren Weeks is an elite obstacle course racer and hybrid athlete. She was HYROX World Champion in both 2020/2021 and was the champion of Spartan Games 2.0. She has competed in CrossFit regionals, Deka and Tough Mudder X events.
She recently finished 9th at this year's HYROX world championships all while pregnant. In this episode Lauren and Jamie Allison talk about competing while pregnant, balancing her nursing studies with athletics and her competitive mindset.
Be sure to tell Lauren and Jamie what you think about this episode by leaving a review and rating. It helps us get the message out there!
Refresh and...
2022-05-3127 min
Big Idea Big MovesCarmel Rodriguez: Training for Life, Ninja Mom and Building an Online EmpireCarmel Rodriguez is a personal trainer, fitness model and influencer, and successful online entrepreneur. She is the creator of the YG12 bodyweight workout series and her knack for perfecting acrobat-level handstands and inversions earned her a spot as one of Instagram’s Top 10 New Female Fitness Gurus. She has been featured in Oxygen Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Optimyz Magazine, Muscle and Fitness and Inside Fitness Women. Her unique barefoot workouts and signature handstands have helped her build a large, supportive online fitness and wellness community built on "healthy bodies and healthy minds".
Carmel is also a busy mother and wife.
In this epis...
2022-05-2536 min
Big Idea Big MovesRylie Matthews : Pushing for Team USA, Charting a New Path and Coaching OthersRylie Matthews is a developmental bobsled brakeman for Team USA and has successfully competed in the North America Cup as part of that journey. Before jumping into bobsled, Rylie was a NJCAA Division 1 All-American in javelin, and NCAA Division 1 track and field athlete. After her collegiate career finished she set her sights on bobsleigh and the Olympics.
She is a Strength and Conditioning Coach, has a Master’s in Professional Communication and is a Certified Performance Enhancement Specialist.
In this episode Rylie and podcast host Jamie Allison talk about her development journey with USA Bobsled, her scary first experience in a s...
2022-05-0529 min
Big Idea Big MovesKris Rugloski : Mental Toughness, Loving Life and Spartan Games 2Kris Rugloski is an elite obstacle course racer completing over 40 of them and racking up more than 30 podium finishes. After not participating in sports throughout high school or college like most of her peers, she is now enjoying being a true hybrid athlete. She has completed nine 100 mile ultra runs and is quickly becoming a HYROX World Competition favorite. She was a competitor on the Rock’s The Titan Games and went up against some of the top athletes in her sports on the recently released Spartan Games 2.
In this episode she talks with host Jamie Allison about how she has...
2022-04-2828 min
Big Idea Big MovesSara Villani: The Olympic Experience, Saying Yes to Opportunity and Being a Role ModelSara Villani is fresh off of an appearance at the Beijing Winter Olympics where she and her partner placed 12th in the 2-woman bobsleigh event. She made her IBSF World Cup debut in January 2021 and with pilot Christine de Bruin, she achieved a career-high fourth-place finish. During last year’s World Cup season and the Olympics, she was reunited and paired with driver, Melissa Lotholz.
Before bobsleigh she won the Canadian junior title in the heptathlon in 2015 and went on to finish sixth at that year’s Pan Am Junior Championships. In 2016, she won the OUA title in the pentathlon. In he...
2022-03-2931 min
Big Idea Big MovesJodi Barrett: Navigating Life Changes, Kettlebell Kickboxing and Creating OpportunityJodi Barrett is CEO of Kettlebell Kickboxing Canada and a Master Trainer with a BA in PAS with a major in Fitness & Lifestyle. She has built the practice through her own programs both in-person and online workouts, seminars and certifies other trainers in the practice as well. Her programs and workouts have been featured in Optimyz Magazine and she was named a Top Fitness Instructor by Impact Magazine. In this episode Jamie Allison talks with Jodi about being a mom moving through a divorce, taking a risk in building a strong business and seeing opportunity in the crisis of t...
2022-03-0827 min
Big Idea Big MovesAlim Dhanji: Leading at Adidas, Career Transitions and InclusionAlim Dhanji is the president of Adidas Canada where he is responsible for the retail, ecommerce wholesales business from business development and brand strategy to operations for both Adidas and Reebok across Canada.
Before that, he was the SVP Global Talent and Head of HR for Global Brands. He has worked for other big brands like Kik Interactive TD Bank and Citi Bank and has an MBA from Royal Roads University.
He was recently recognized on the 100 Outstanding LGBTQ+ Executives Role Model List.
In this episode host Jamie Allison and Alim talk about taking over as Adidas President during a...
2022-02-2226 min
Big Idea Big MovesSam Cournoyer: Values and Training, Individual vs Team Sports and RoutinesSam Cournoyer is making waves in the sport of CrossFit. After an an accident ended his hockey career, Sam found CrossFit and hasn't looked back. He trains as part of Rich Froning’s Mayhem team and is coming off of a huge 3rd place finish and All-Canadian Men's podium at Wodapalooza – a big lead-in to the sport’s start of it's competition season. Sam has steadily been climbing the ranks and showing that he is a strong contender to make big impact this year.
In this episode, Sam and Host Jamie Allison talk about his Canadian roots, how he is balancin...
2022-02-0130 min
Big Idea Big MovesBrooke Ence: Redefining Success, Family First and Training MotivationBrooke Ence is a fitness icon. You probably know Brooke originally from her strong showing with two event wins and a Top 15 finish in the 2015 CrossFit Games. She had an immediate rise to celebrity status as a Games athlete. She has also had strong showings across regional and team events, but all that took a turn when she suffered a back/neck injury that resulted in surgery.
Since then she has been a role model for redefining her own vision of success. She has thrived in a number of areas like building and supporting multiple business from a ski...
2022-01-251h 14
Big Idea Big MovesKatie Knight : Mind over Fatigue, Training Others and the Important Role of Support TeamsKatie Knight is the 2021 World’s Toughest Mudder Champion. Katie has really powered herself onto the Obstacle and Ultra Racing elite scene, also coming in 3rd at the Spartan Ultra World Championships. She has been a qualified Fitness Coach since 2014 and has worked as a personal trainer, a qualified CrossFit coach and a corporate Health and Wellness trainer, so she has a unique connection to whole life success. Katie is a former collegiate hockey player and an entrepreneur who is building her online fitness and training business.
In this episode Jamie Allison and Katie talk about her quick rise to the to...
2022-01-1823 min
Big Idea Big MovesAlexis Woloschuk: Building THELINEUP, High Performance Sports and BusinessAlexis Woloschuk is a member of Team Sonnet of the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association. She previously was a member of the Markham Thunder in the Canadian Women's Hockey League. She has played in the Swedish Women's Hockey League and was a standout at Boston University.
Outside of hockey Alexis is an Associate at Kaizen Sports and Entertainment and has been a fitness trainer and strength and conditioning coach. Now she is adding fitness entrepreneur to that impressive resume and has just launched an online members training and wellness club called THELINEUP.
In this episode Jamie Allison talks with Alexis a...
2022-01-1123 min
Big Idea Big MovesMindi O'Brien: Competition Success, Goalsetting and Building Supportive TeamsMindi O'Brien is a world-class athlete, fitness coach, wellness expert, and a champion of health and lifestyle improvement. With over thirty years of hands-on experience, Mindi has been shaping the lives, minds, and bodies of people across the globe. Mindi is a legend in the space with a professional IFBB career spanning multiple decades. She has multiple first-place and top 3 finishes, and has appeared at both the Arnold Classic and The Olympia. Her dedication to championing a healthy lifestyle continues as a coach, trainer and also a Competition promoter
In this episode Jamie Allison talks with Mindi about her quick ri...
2022-01-0430 min
Big Idea Big MovesAshley Horner: Transforming Yourself in 2022, Building a Business and Train Like a BadassAshley Horner is a fitness celebrity, hybrid athlete, professional fitness competitor, ultra-runner, triathlete, entrepreneur, and mother She has authored and sold over 1 Million copies of her different training programs
In addition to being a massive influencer in the fitness world, Ashley’s entrepreneurial side is equally impressive, as she owns multiple businesses in Virginia Beach. She’s the owner of world-class fitness facility American Sled Dogs, a children’s fitness community called Sled Pups, and local favorite American Brew, a coffee shop, whiskey bar, and restaurant. She also has her own clothing line.
In this episode Jamie Allison talks with Ashley...
2021-12-2834 min
Big Idea Big MovesTeresa Greco: Steps to True Happiness, Being Present and Living with IntentionTeresa Greco is the author of the book Steps to True Happiness, and the co-author of the best-selling books The Decision to Heal: Pathways from Suffering to Love, and Business, Life and the Universe: Vol 4. She is an educator and educational technologies consultant with a master’s degree from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is the editor and senior writer at two Canadian lifestyle magazines. Teresa is also a happiness coach and the TV and radio host of a weekly show called “The Steps to Happiness Show With Teresa Greco.” As a coach and reiki master, she does public speaking, holds worksho...
2021-12-2140 min
Big Idea Big MovesApril Hutchinson: Addiction, Recovery and Smashing Lift RecordsApril Hutchinson is a powerlifter who overcame addiction to go on and set competitive records in deadlift and squat competitions. April shares her inspiring story of pulling out of the depths of addiction and thoughts of suicide to successful recovery and gratitude. In a short time her success now includes both the unofficial powerlifting Canadian Squat Record and the the World Record Holder for Deadlift in her division. She is heading to Nationals in spring 2022. April shares with host Jamie Allison how she approached her amazing mind & body transformation in just 16 months from recovery to smashing power lifting records...
2021-12-1431 min
Big Idea Big MovesHeather Monahan: Overcome Your Villains, Creating Confidence and Success from AdversityHeather Monahan is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, entrepreneur and founder of Boss In Heels. Having successfully climbed the corporate ladder for nearly 20 years, Heather Monahan is one of the few women to break the glass ceiling and claim her spot in the C-suite. As a Chief Revenue Officer in Media, Heather Monahan is a Glass Ceiling Award winner, named one of the most Influential Women in Radio in 2017 and Thrive Global named her a Limit Breaking Female Founder in 2018. She has recently been named to the Real Leaders Top 50 Keynote Speakers List of 2021.
Heather’s first book Confidence Creator shot...
2021-12-0731 min
Big Idea Big MovesVincent De Haître: 2 Olympics, 2 Sports, 180 days = Winning Mindset, Goalsetting and Grit2 Olympics, 2 different sports in only 180 days. That is the incredible feat Vincent De Haître is attempting to add to his already impressive resume.
The cyclist Vincent de Haitre competed at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games this summer and placed 5th in Team pursuit. The speed skater Vincent de Haitre is now attempting to make it to the 2022 Beijing Winter Games in February. He is already a two-time Winter Olympian from Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018.
In this episode host Jamie Allison talks with Vince about the mindset and dedication required to be an Olympian, how he keeps balance in his life, the c...
2021-11-2938 min
Big Idea Big MovesElizabeth Manley : Olympic Icon, Mental Health Advocate and Life CoachBoasting more than 30 years in both amateur and professional figure skating, Elizabeth Manley was the first Canadian female to successfully land a triple-double combination jump in competition. She has participated in two Olympic Games, six World Championships, and has won three National Titles. She is probably most famous for having the performance of her life at Calgary 1988 to win the Olympic silver medal in women’s figure skating. She followed up a few weeks later with another silver at the world championships. Elizabeth is now an advocate for Mental Health and has spoken to over 700 schools on the importance of...
2021-11-2042 min
Big Idea Big MovesDr Vanessa Bohns: You Have More Influence Than You Think, How We Underestimate Our Power of Persuasion and Why It MattersDr. Vanessa Bohns is a Social Psychologist and Professor of Organizational Behaviour at Cornell University. She holds a PhD in Psychology from Columbia University and an AB from Brown University. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times and Harvard Business Review and her research has been featured by the Wall Street Journal and New York Times.
Her new book You Have More Influence than You Think - How We Underestimate Our Power of Persuasion and Why it Matters is an investigation of our hidden power to persuade and how to wield it wisely.
In this episode host Jamie A...
2021-11-0931 min
Big Idea Big MovesSola Sigurdardottir : Balancing Athletics and Education, Icelandic Roots and Overcoming Moments of StruggleSola Sigurdardottir is a CrossFit athlete from Iceland who is currently based in the UK for her studies. She has twice been a CrossFit Games team athlete and competed in the European Regionals. Back in October she took the Madrid Championships for her first high profile championship win as an individual.
Sola is in university to become a chiropractor and is a Nike Training athlete.
In this episode Jamie Allison talks with Sola about how she balances high level athletics with her education and social life, how her Icelandic roots have influenced her competitive spirit and outlook on gender equity, an...
2021-11-0231 min
Big Idea Big MovesStacey Leawood: Youngest NBA Player Agent, Growth through Caring and Impacting LivesStacey Leawood has recently become the youngest certified NBA Player agent in Canada. Herself a varsity Track and Field athlete in university, Stacey has also spent time as a Director of Player Personnel with the Guelph Nighthawks and as an Assistant Coach for both the Memorial University Men's Basketball Team and the Newfoundland Rogues Professional Basketball Team.
In this episode host Jamie Allison talks with Stacey about her early success as a player agent, how she genuinely cares about the success of her athletes and uses that approach to set herself a part from the competition and her approach to se...
2021-10-2132 min
Big Idea Big MovesDigit Murphy : Connecting Athletes to Business, Challenging the Status Quo and CoachingIn this special Crossover episode with Bill Banham, host of the HRchat Podcast, Jamie talks with legendary Brown University Coach, Cornell University Athletic Hall of Famer and current Premier Hockey Federation (formerly NWHL) Toronto Six franchise president Digit Murphy. Digit's newest entrepreneurial venture, Ruth is working to help level the playing field for women athletes and help high performers leverage the skills they’ve developed through high-level sports to transition into careers with top companies. Digit's became the winningest coach in NCAA Division 1 Women's Hockey during her time at Brown, has coached pro hockey in the US, Canada and Chi...
2021-10-1428 min
Big Idea Big MovesRea Kolbl: Endurance Racing, Eco-Challenge and Tackling an Eating DisorderRea Kolbl is a well-rounded athlete who started her athletic pursuits in gymnastics and is now focused on obstacle racing, ultra running and ski mountaineering. She has been on the podium at the Spartan US National Series, has twice won the World's Toughest Mudder (a 24 hour obstacle race) and triumphed at the Spartan Ultra World Championship.
She also finished second on a team at the Eco-Challenge Figi and was invited as one of the top athletes on the 2020 Spartan Games
Rea has a Degree in Physics and Astrophysics and a Masters in Science and Engineering from Stanford University.
In this e...
2021-09-2334 min
Big Idea Big MovesCorinna Coffin: Fueling Your Body, Avoiding Burnout and Hybrid Sports DominanceCorinna Coffin is a professional obstacle course racer, registered dietician and fitness coach. As an accomplished multi-sport athlete she has stood on the podium at the 2020 Spartan Games, Tough Mudder X, Spartan World Championships and Spartan Stadion. She has been a CrossFit Games team competitor, triathlete and college lacrosse player.
She is also the last female reigning champ on the television show Steve Austin's Broken Skull Challenge.
In this episode host Jamie Allison talks with Corinna about her journey through multiple sports and athletics challenges, how she uses nutrition and balance to avoid injuries and burnout, and her plans to win...
2021-08-2741 min
Big Idea Big MovesKat Leone : Entrepreneurial Sacrifice, Work Ethic and Funding Female OrganizationsKat Leone is an entrepreneur as both the owner and designer of Vull Sport athletic apparel. She is a 5X CrossFit Regional athlete and is seen as one of the hardest workers in both her sport and the sports apparel business. Kat attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in both LA and San Francisco. What began as an effort to make clothing that stood up to her hard driving lifestyle has become a nice business success story.
In this episode Jamie Allison talks with Kat about the sacrifices of being an entrepreneur, the inequities in investment funding for f...
2021-07-1737 min
Big Idea Big MovesMike Wardian : How to Run 263 Miles Without Sleep, Pickleball and Whole Life BalanceMike Wardian is a legendary marathoner and ultra-marathoner. In addition to a lengthy list of podium finishes at marathons, half-marathons, 50k /100k and 100 Mile races, Michael has set numerous world records including the World Marathon Majors (7 Marathons in 7 Days) and Israel National Trail Crossing. He was a featured competitor on the Spartan Games, In 2020, Wardian won the Quarantine Backyard Ultra, running nearly 263 miles over the course of 63 hours without sleeping in a repetitive neighborhood loop to follow social distancing guidelines
He has held records for fastest marathon time while pushing a stroller and fastest marathon on a treadmill.
In this e...
2021-07-0737 min
Big Idea Big MovesShannon Ferguson: The Start-up Life, Resilience and Not Giving UpShannon Ferguson is the CEO and Co-Founder at FanSaves, a sports sponsorship technology company. She is a fellow in the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative and her company has won or been featured in numerous start-up list and pitch competitions.
She is the host of the Living the Start-up Life podcast and, before FanSaves, Shannon spent time as a talk show host and journalist. After creating her first small business in marketing and events, one of her key clients was the Federal Hockey League where she learned the business of sports sponsorships and game day operations. It is there wher...
2021-06-2230 min
Big Idea Big MovesJenn Lofgren: Leadership, Self Awareness and the Power of CoachingJenn Lofgren is the Founder of Incito Executive and Leadership Development. She is one of only 60 recipients of the esteemed Master Certified Coach (MCC) designation in Canada and 5% of coaches worldwide. Jenn is a partner with the Women’s Executive Network, contributor to the Forbes Coaches Council, MBA mentor through the Haskayne School of Business, and member of numerous boards, councils and committees.
She was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women (WXN) in 2018, as an oustanding Alumni by Mount Royal University in 2019, and named Entrepreneur of the Year through Distinctive Women’s Magazine (2014). Among these accolades, one of h...
2021-06-1534 min
Big Idea Big MovesJennifer Berson: How to Get Featured in Media and Lawyer to Entrepreneur - Leaving Corporate LifeJennifer Berson is the President and Founder of Jeneration PR, a public relations and social media marketing firm specializing in promoting lifestyle brands. Her clients range from multi-billion dollar brands to small and medium-sized growth organizations. She is also the creator of the Agency Accelerator where she helps teach other entrepreneurs how to grow and scale a profitable marketing agency. Jennifer has been featured in the New York Times, Forbes, Inc.com, Business Insider and many more. She was also featured on Babble.com as one of the 10 Mompreneurs Who Made it Big! In this episode, host Jamie Allison tal...
2021-06-1439 min
Big Idea Big MovesChristmas Abbott: Pushing Through Fear, Motherhood, Hard Work and Big BrotherChristmas Abbott went from reckless teenager to top fitness and nutrition influencer. She first discovered her self-worth and passion for life in her contracting years in Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom. She went on to compete in the CrossFit Games, USA Weightlifting Nationals and made history as the first female pit crew in NASCAR.
She is a national best-selling author, seminar and lifestyle educator, and many listeners will know her from her two stints on the hit television reality show Big Brother.
In this episode host Jamie Allison talks with Christmas about how she has tackled tough personal challenges to l...
2021-05-1831 min
Big Idea Big MovesAlicia Bell: Competitive Coaching, Sharing Authentically and Building a Personal BrandAlicia Bell is the Founder and CEO of Train It Right personal training and competition coaching, is an IFBB Figure Pro, a Kinesiologist, has been a national level track athlete herself as well as a university track and field sprint coach and sports nutrition expert. Alicia has appeared on numerous magazine covers and has been featured in countless publications. She has trained and coached many IFBB competition winners, the NBA's Dwight Howard and even Drake's mom.
Alicia has a large social media following as a fitness and wellness influencer and has worked with numerous international brands ranging fro...
2021-05-1338 min
Big Idea Big MovesKels Kiel : Workout Grit, The Power of Strong Female Role Models and Learning to Push a SledKels Kiel is multi-sport athlete. She is a 3X CrossFit Games Team athlete and top individual competitor. She was a two-time all conference soccer athletes and is now in the USA Development Group for Bobsled. She is a performance nutrition expert, fitness influencer with a large Instagram following, entrepreneur and personal trainer.
Her ability to transfer from one focus area to another and to do it in a completely different sport is impressive. Her ability to "pivot" is pretty relatable for high performers across industries and fields of expertise - especially in 2020-21.
In this episode, Jamie Allison talks with Kel...
2021-04-2740 min
Big Idea Big MovesHunter McIntyre: The Drive to Win, Studying your Competition and Constant ImprovementHunter McIntyre is one of the most decorated (and polarizing) multi-sport athletes in history. On top of being a mainstay in the sport of Obstacle Racing with 6 World titles to his name, he is a CrossFit Games competitor, holds the "Murph" World Record, the Hyrox World Record, was featured on the 2020 Spartan Games and is undefeated on CMT's popular TV Show Steve Austin's Broken Skull Challenge.
He was named to the Top 50 Fittest Athlete's List by Sport's Illustrated and has been featured in numerous magazines like Men's Health and Men's Journal, has been a guest on other top podcasts like...
2021-04-2030 min
Big Idea Big MovesPatrick Sweeney : Fear is Fuel, Overcoming Tragedy and Raising Courageous KidsPatrick Sweeney is a millionaire entrepreneur and the best-selling author of Fear is Fuel. He has worked with over 500 global CEOs, actors, pro athletes, Navy SEALs and corporations. He has spoken at large conferences and has keynoted both in-person and virtually for some of the most influential events on personal development.
He was the Founder and CEO of four technology companies and is an angel investor to many more. He is a recognized athlete placing 2nd in the Olympic trials in rowing and is the only person to summit Mt Elbrus, Mt. Kilimanjaro and Everest base camp by bicycle. He is...
2021-04-1337 min
Big Idea Big MovesJoan Kelley Walker: Real Housewives, Fashion Discussions with Cindy Crawford and Giving BackJoan Kelley Walker has been a reality television personality, entertainment show host, model, voice-over actor, fashion designer and is very active in humanitarian work. She has worked with BTV, CTV Sportsnet, The Shopping Network and Homesense. Joan has also served as the host of Red Carpet Diaries for many years.
Joan has been awarded the the Women of Inspiration Global Impact Award, the Mother Theresa Award, the Queen's Jubilee Medal and the highest award from World Vision for her devotion and contribution to volunteer and humanitarian pursuits.
In this episode, host Jamie Allison chats with Joan about her varied career and...
2021-03-2328 min
Big Idea Big MovesKristen Bujnowski : Power, Pushing and Eyeing the Olympic PodiumKristen Bujnowski was recruited to the Canadian Bobsleigh team in 2017 after successful stints in Track and Field and Rowing. Kristen had been building on her power through a regular CrossFit program when she went to testing camp in 2017. Just two weeks later she was in Calgary training at the Ice House. She has already been to the Olympics as an alternate and is now one the of the top brakemen in the program. She quickly has drawn comparisons to some of the legends of the sport. She has multiple World Cup circuit medals and is consistently in the medal con...
2021-03-1628 min
Big Idea Big MovesJenny Fisher@fitfishmom : Get Salty, Personal Balance and Being a Fitness InfluencerJenny Fisher, or @fitfishmom to her thousands of followers across social media is a working mom of two who has now built up her own fitness brand and company. Her fitness program and app, Get Salty with Jenny Fisher, focuses on helping to make healthy living tools accessible broadly. Her personal training background helps with her live and recorded workouts while her engaging and down-to-earth style allows her to build deep connections with her online community. That ability to connect has also translated into multiple brand partnerships.
In this episode, host Jamie Allison talks with Jenny about how she balances he...
2021-03-0932 min
Big Idea Big MovesPhil Buckley : 44 Ways to Survive Workplace UncertaintyPhil Buckley is a change management expert. He has over 25 years experience enabling leaders and their teams through transformations across global businesses in Canada, the U.S and the U.K. Phil co-lead the global change management for the $19.6B Kraft Foods acquisition of Cadbury which involved a team of 40 change leaders across 60 countries. He is the author of Change with Confidence and his work has been featured in Forbes, Business Week and the Globe and Mail. He is also an engaging public speaker, facilitator and consultant. He is the host of the Change on the Run Podcast and has now...
2021-03-0227 min
Big Idea Big MovesAlyssa Gialamas : Adapt to Overcome, Winners Mindset and InspirationAlyssa Gialamas is a Paralympic swimmer and has competed primarily in backstroke and freestyle. She has taken part in two Paralympic Games in London in 2012 and 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. She is a 21X American record holder and is now building her own fitness program, AMG Fitness, that is focused on helping people adapt to workouts that will fit any ability. In this episode Alyssa talks with host Jamie Allison about how she overcomes adversity, how she develops and maintains a winner’s mindset and where she finds her inspiration.
Tell Alyssa and Jamie what you think abou...
2021-02-2322 min
Big Idea Big MovesAshley Docking : Networking in a Competitive Industry, Tenacity and Equality in Sports CoverageAshley Docking is an award-winning, all-Canadian, mulit-sport athlete-turned broadcaster. She has been a fixture on television, radio and digital sports content for years now. Ashley has worked with the NHL's Edmonton Oilers, NBA TV Canada, CHCH Television and with the National Lacrosse League. She recently co-hosted the morning drive show on Sportsnet's Fan 590 in Toronto and is now focused on training the next generation of broadcasters as an educator.
In this episode, host Jamie Allison chats with Ashley about the power and challenges of networking in a competitive industry, how more coverage and discussion of women's sports can grow the over...
2021-02-1638 min
Big Idea Big MovesSaman Munir - Sport Hijabs, Fashion, Fitness and Building Your InfluenceSaman Munir is a fitness and style influencer and certified personal trainer. She has amassed such a large following that she is an affiliated Under Armour athlete and has multiple fashion and beauty brand partnerships.
She has been featured in numerous fashion and fitness media from Running Magazine, Sportsnet and the CBC to Fashion Magazine, Brown Girl Magazine and Toronto Life. She has recently helped Under Armour design their first UA Sport Hijab.
In this episode Host Jamie Allison talks with Saman about her transition out of her corporate job to spend time focusing on her family and then building her...
2021-02-0926 min
Big Idea Big MovesLindsay Webster : Growing Fame, Inspiration, High Performance Habits and Quarantine HobbiesLindsay Webster is one of the most recognizable and highly decorated OCR athletes in the world. She is a 2X Spartan Race World Champion and has never missed a podium in 22 USNS races with 13 career wins. In the 2019 Lake Tahoe World Championships she actually "willed" her way into second place while racing on a fractured foot. She is arguably the world's greatest obstacle race athlete.
Recently, Lindsay was one of the featured athletes on the first Spartan Games where they brought a cross-section of competitors from different sports and backgrounds (triathletes, obstacle racers, former NFLers, CrossFit Games "Fi...
2021-02-0237 min
Big Idea Big MovesCaleigh Rykiss : Tough Decisions, Renewal and CourageCaleigh Rykiss is the Founder and CEO of BOLO, a gym/cafe/salon combo that has been forced to re-group in a COVID-ravaged industry and focus on transforming their one-stop shop for wellness in an online format. Like most entrepreneurs Caleigh has had to change how she ran her business, tackle heart-wrenching decisions with courage and move forward with a learning mindset.
In this episode host Jamie Allison chats with Caleigh about the huge impact the pandemic has had on her business, how she and her community got through those difficulties and her positive outlook on what is to come. Her...
2021-01-2641 min
Big Idea Big MovesCaroline Tutakiewicz: Career Courage, Innovation and Removing Barriers to EqualityCaroline Tutakiewicz is the Director, Product Strategy and Innovation with RBC Ventures where she helps early stage ventures build and scale. Before that, she worked in the bank's Terrorist Financing and Organized Crime departments.
Caroline has been named one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women's Executive Network and was recognized as a LGBT+ Furure Leader Role Model by InvolvePeople.org. She is a strong advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and have given back to many causes including serving as Vice President of the Toronto chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Caroline is currently on the Board of Dir...
2021-01-1229 min
Big Idea Big MovesCrystal McFerran : Making Your Brand Memorable, Storytelling and Digital Content PlanningCrystal McFerran is the Chief Marketing Officer for The 20, a business development group for managed service providers. She has been a marketing leader in various industries with over 18 years experience in agency development, brand marketing, digital content and public relations.
Crystal is the Associate Producer of, and a participant on, the Social Movement: Season 2 and is a member and contributing writer on the Forbes Communications Council.
In this episode, host Jamie Allison speaks with Crystal about her own unique and leading edge career path, digital marketing strategies, building a brand through storytelling and sure-fire tools and tactics.
Tell Crystal and Jamie...
2021-01-0735 min
Big Idea Big MovesShawn Matthias: Remembering World Juniors Gold, Navigating the Journey out of the Pros and Building a Personal Brand(Revisit of Recording from Dec 2019)
Shawn Matthias played 10 years as a professional hockey player in the National Hockey League. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, Vancouver Canucks and Colorado Avalanche. He also played for Canada at the 2008 World Junior Championships and helped his team win the Gold Medal.
A couple of seasons removed from leaving the sport that consumed most of his life he has reinvented himself and is building a new career and life on his terms. He has founded a hockey content and development company called 4ourthperiod.com.
In December of 2019, host Jamie Allison...
2020-12-2935 min
Big Idea Big MovesMax Fennell: Million Dollar Mile, Spartan Games, Creating Change and EntrepreneurshipMax Fennell was on the path to professional soccer when he suffered a devastating knee injury that derailed his plans. That is when he turned to triathlon where he excelled and became the first African American professional athlete in the sport. He has since been a featured athlete on the CBS game show Million Dollar Mile and is currently one of the twelve male competitors on the 2020 Spartan Games series. Yet another big statement of Max's well rounded abilities is that he is both a successful coffee business entrepreneur and aspiring politician.
In this episode host Jamie Allison speaks with Max...
2020-12-1531 min
Big Idea Big MovesTia-Clair Toomey - Switching Sports, Making History and CrossFit Games DominationTia-Clair Toomey was favoured to win the 2020 Crossfit Games. She did that in dominating fashion as she was again crowned the Fittest Woman on Earth. She won 9 of 12 events outright and smashed records along the way. She became the first female competitor to win 4 CrossFit Games titles - she has managed to win every year since 2017. She has also set new markers of success in her sport with 6 consecutive event wins and all time event wins with 24.
Her husband Shane is her coach, her training partner is the Fittest Man on Earth Mat Fraser and she is the author of the boo...
2020-12-0839 min
Big Idea Big MovesAnnie Thorisdottir : 2X Fittest Woman on Earth, Motherhood and competing in the 2021 Crossfit GamesAnnie Thorisdottir is a two time Fittest Woman on Earth - the first woman to accomplish that feat. She is an 11 time Crossfit Games qualifier with 5 podium finishes. On top of being one of the most revered and recognizable superstars in her sport, she is now a mother with her eyes on a return to the Games.
"Iceland Annie" is a co-owner of her own Crossfit gym in Reykjavik where she has paved the way for an amazing amount of young women and men to rise to the top of the sport.
In this episode host Jamie Allison talks with Anni...
2020-11-2430 min
Big Idea Big MovesStacie Mistysyn: Degrassi Fame, Mental Health and Physical FitnessStacie Mistysyn is best known for her time as the character Caitlin Ryan on Degrassi. She grew up alongside an entire generation of fans through multiple iterations of the incredibly popular hit show. Now a mom of two busy kids, Stacie has transitioned her love of learning, fitness and wellness into a coaching and online training business.
In this episode, podcast host Jamie Allison chats with Stacie about her inspirational journey through dealing with being a young celebrity, her struggles with anxiety and an eating disorder and her journey to wellness through fitness and friends.
Tell Stacie and Jamie what you...
2020-11-1832 min
Big Idea Big MovesRyan Atkins: Racing the World's Toughest Race, Multi-sport Training and Moving MeditationFrom world championship ultra-running and wrestling NFLers in the Spartan Games to representing Team Canada on Amazon Prime's World's Toughest Race: Eco Challenge Fiji, Ryan Atkins does it all in sports. He is the winningest obstacle racer of all time and is married to another legend in the sport - Lindsay Webster.
Ryan is a two-time winner of the Spartan North America Championships and two-time winner of the Spartan Ultra World Championships. He is also a World Champion Uni-cyclist - so he does, in fact, do it all.
In this episode, Host Jamie Allison talks to Ryan about his experience on...
2020-11-1030 min
Big Idea Big MovesJoe De Sena - Ripping People off their Couches, Raising Resilient Kids and EntrepreneurshipNot long before COVID turned the world on its head, host Jamie Allison sat down with Joe De Sena to talk about leadership, perseverance, raising resilient kids and achieving BIG goals.
Joe de Sena, Founder and CEO of Spartan has appeared with, or been interviewed by, everyone from Joe Rogan, Richard Branson and Tim Ferriss to Grant Cardone and Gary Vaynerchuk.
Joe has demonstrated his entrepreneurial drive since his pre-teens. After building a multimillion-dollar pool and construction business in college, and creating a Wall Street trading firm, De Sena set his sights on ripping 100 million people off their couches by creatin...
2020-11-0328 min
Big Idea Big MovesNatalie Spooner: Women and Girls in Sport, Team Personalities, Tenacity and Olympic PreparationNatalie Spooner is a member of the Team Canada National Hockey team and is the first player to compete for the National Women’s Team, the National Women’s Under-22 Team and the National Women’s Under-18 Team. She competed in her first Olympic Games at Sochi 2014 where she scored the first two goals in Canada’s 3-1 semifinal victory over Switzerland en route to the gold medal. She was also a member of Canada’s silver medal-winning squad at PyeongChang 2018. In addition to her hockey pursuits, she has been a contestant on both Amazing Race Canada and Battle of the Blades. She...
2020-10-2730 min
Big Idea Big MovesFirst Anniversary Special - Lauren Johnson, Heather Monahan and Nina PurewalWow! One year already? Little did we know when this all started what an important and engaging project Big Idea Big Moves would turn out to be. The "destination for high performers" took on new meaning as we all dealt with the changes and challenges of 2020. The more people had to overcome, the more they leaned on the advice, stories and experiences of our guests. In our inaugural season we spoke with athletes, CEOs, rocket scientists, cancer survivors, ultra runners, pop stars, mindfulness experts, adventure racing legends, investors, fashion designers, financial experts and Olympians. All high performers making big moves in the...
2020-10-2031 min
Big Idea Big MovesSangita Patel : Connecting with People, The Rock and being a Role ModelSangita Patel an engaging entertainment reporter for ET Canada who has interviewed world-class celebrities from Julia Roberts and George Clooney to Helen Mirron to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. She is also the host of HGTV Canada’s high stakes show Home to Win. Whether hosting on-stage, sharing her personal story, or acting as a brand spokesperson, Sangita infuses everything she does with passion and professionalism. She was named one of HELLO! Canada magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People”, and is the Canadian spokesperson for Covergirl’s Simply Ageless Collection. She has also taken on cameo roles in feature films and television...
2020-10-1329 min
Big Idea Big MovesDani Doucette - Finding Your Passion, Songwriting, Small Towns and Building ResilienceDani Doucette is a rising star on the pop and R&B scene. Her sound is all her own, but she has drawn comparisons to artists like Halsey. She is a proud songwriter, has recently recorded new music, is in the middle of producing an international music video and been featured in a unique "quarantine" drive-in concert event.
Dani is also an international fashion and fitness model and has worked with some of the most acclaimed designers in the world. In this episode host Jamie Allison talks with Dani about how she found her way to music and the importance of...
2020-09-2933 min
Big Idea Big MovesBruce Croxon: Investing during a Crisis, Entrepreneurship and CelebrityLong before “social networking” became a buzzword, Bruce made his mark as a digital pioneer by co-founding Lavalife in 1988. Under his direction, this early tech start-up grew into the marquee brand in online dating with over 2,000,000 users (and countless successful marriages!). After its spectacular rise and with the support of his partners, he led the sale of the company for a stunning 180 million dollars.
Bruce is now taking his expertise to a new level; he currently helms Round13 Capital, a company dedicated to investing in growth-stage digital companies. He also holds personal investments in the health & wellness sector, owning Vida, a chain of hig...
2020-09-1430 min
Big Idea Big MovesHannah Huesman : Fear of Failure, Building Trust and High Level PerformanceHannah Huesman is a Mental Skills Coach in the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball organization where she works with their athletes on improving performance using evidence-based techniques. She has worked with business executives, firefighters and first responders, actors and athletes of all ages. She has a social media series called Mental Sweat Mondays with a one minute weekly session on how to work on your mental game.
In this episode, host Jamie Allison and Hannah talk about building trust, failure as the path to personal improvement and the secrets to high performance and your own version of success.
Tell Hannah and...
2020-09-0735 min
Big Idea Big MovesSamanah Duran: Connecting with your Purpose, Brand Mission and the #BEYOUROWN movementSamanah Duran is a successful fashion entrepreneur, a Forbes 30 under 30 most influential individual in retail and e-commerce as well as a digital media powerhouse. She built and leads the highly successful "indulgent streetwear" brand Critics Clothing and has branched out to launch the media and news company Be Your Own. The #BeYourOwnUK brand is focused heavily on supporting, empowering and highlighting women entrepreneurs. She has a podcast of her own, is a sought after speaker and a media personality.
In this episode, host Jamie Allison and Samanah talk about her entrepreneurial journey in the competitive world of fashion and retail, con...
2020-09-0135 min
Big Idea Big MovesBridget Case: Building Confidence, Finding Success and Being a Woman in a Male Dominated FieldBridget Case is a sports journalist, the host of the popular After Orange Slices and Turbo Talk podcasts, a retired NFL Cheerleader and former NBC and CBS sports anchor. In this episode, host Jamie Allison talks with Bridget about her varied career and journey into digital sports media, how she found confidence in her abilities, and the challenges and biases women in male-dominated professions deal with everyday.
Tell Bridget and Jamie what you think about this episode by leaving a review and rating. It helps us get the message out there!
Download your own FREE BIG MOVE PLAN TEMPLATE - Knock 202...
2020-08-2533 min
Big Idea Big MovesNicole Pollock and Jorie Brown : Meaningful Connections, New Event Landscape and BrandsNicole Pollock and Jorie Brown are the co-founders of Cotton Candy Event Staffing , a promotional staffing, event management and creative concept company that has worked with top brands like Nike, Canada Goose, MLSE and Google. Nicole and Jorie both began their journeys as young competitive dancers, followed by many years as ambassadors and performers for the Toronto Raptors Dance Pak and the Toronto Argonauts. The amalgamation of their creative performance backgrounds and life-long interests led them both into entrepreneurial success and personal fulfillment.
In this episode, host Jamie Allison talks to Nicole and Jorie about their start-up journey, the challenges t...
2020-08-1830 min
Big Idea Big MovesTim Shauf - Authentic Leadership, Learning "on the Fly" and Community ConnectionTim Shauf is the President and CEO of The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group. Tim started his career with Algoma Mutual Insurance Company in 1992. In 1999 Tim took a position with the former Farmers’ Mutual Insurance Company and was thrust into senior leadership early in his career . His 23 year involvement in the mutual insurance industry has also included sitting on a variety of Committees and Boards.
Currently, Tim is the Past Deputy-President of the Governing Council of the Insurance Institute of Ontario, Past Vice-Chair of his local Hospital Foundation and sat on the NAMIC Board of Directors and served on their Membership Commit...
2020-08-1230 min
Big Idea Big MovesRyan Silver: NHL and NBA Bubbles, Keeping Pro Sports Virus Free, Equipment Managers and Occupational SafetyAs sports leagues open up, sanitation and safety will be key factors in keeping athletes, coaches and staff safe.
Ryan Silver is the Director of Global Operations for Sani Sport. That is an organization that is heavily involved in the the Health and Safety protocols for return to play in the NHL, NFL and MLB.
Sani Sport uses ozone technology to clean equipment and shared-space areas like locker rooms and therapy spaces. They service sports teams, military and law enforcement. Recently, their equipment and expertise have found new uses during the pandemic for things like hos...
2020-08-0223 min
Big Idea Big MovesPooja Handa: Tenacity, Connecting and Media SuccessPooja Handa is an award-winning broadcaster who most people would recognize as the co-host of Toronto's #1 morning show, CP24 Breakfast. Pooja has been a news anchor, reporter, traffic reporter and entertainment host. She has covered everything from politics to entertainment and hosted many large events ranging from the Toronto International Film Festival and Toronto Pride Parade to the Toronto Raptors NBA Championship Parade and the 40th Annual JUNO Awards. She is also a repeat guest on shows like The Social. Before joining CP24, she worked as a traffic reporter and entertainment host for Global Morning News in Toronto.
On this epi...
2020-07-2830 min
Big Idea Big MovesBianca Cefalo - Rocket Science, STEM and Demolishing Stereotypes“It’s not rocket science”. 🚀
In the case of Bianca Cefalo it actually is!
Aside from working on cool projects like the NASA/JPL InSight Mars Mission and working on Next Generation Telecommunication Spacecraft for Airbus Defence and Space, Bianca is on a personal and professional mission to smash barriers and long-held stereotypes around rocket science and STEM. Bianca Cefalo is a Space Systems Thermal Product Manager who enables Airbus Defence and Space UK to create and implement disruptive thermal management solutions for Next Generation Telecommunication Spacecraft.
Bianca has contributed to the delivery of multiple Science and Commercial Telecoms Missions sponsored by...
2020-07-2036 min
Big Idea Big MovesLauren Johnson - Elite Mental Conditioning, Transitions and Finding your PassionFor the past four years, Lauren Johnson has been a Mental Conditioning Coordinator for the New York Yankees. She has consistently focused on pushing the limits of high performance. Lauren herself is an experienced University soccer player and she has used that athletic experience, her schooling and a passion to improve performance through mental toughness to build her own rewarding career path. She works with elite athletes, military personnel, business leaders and, of course, the New York Yankee baseball players, staff and prospects.
From the playing field to the boardroom, Lauren helps top performers develop mental toughness so they can be t...
2020-07-1338 min
Big Idea Big MovesMonica Kretshmer - Gender Equality, Tackling Adversity and AlliesMonika Kretshmer is the CEO and Founder of The Universal Womens Network™ , a global platform committed to gender equality by raising the bar to advance women in their networks, communities, and workplaces. The organization connects, celebrates and recognizes women along with men who SupportHER™ to empower women to succeed personally and professionally.
In six short years, Monica has built a recognizable brand and spearheaded partnerships with government agencies, non-profits, venture capitalists, and women’s organizations. In 2015, Monica created the Women of Inspiration™ Awards . Monica’s own personal story of resilience was the fuel to create the awards to honour a woman who helped h...
2020-07-0732 min
Big Idea Big MovesChris Gronkowski - Football to Business, Shark Tank Success and FamilyChris Gronkowski is an entrepreneur and inventor of the Ice Shaker - an insulated protein shaker bottle that alleviated many of the problems Chris noticed as an elite athlete.
Before this venture, Chris built a career for himself as a professional football player. He played for the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos. He comes from a high performing family dating back to his Olympian grandfather and now his own brothers, all high level professional athletes. Vanity Fair called the Gronkowski family the "First Family of Jocks"
Chris was on ABC's Shark Tank and secured a $150,000 investment from Dallas Maver...
2020-06-2835 min
Big Idea Big MovesSaijal Patel - Financial Wellness, Re-evaluating and Behaviour ChangeSaijal Patel is the Founder and CEO of Saij Elle, a financial consulting and education platform with a mission to help client create financial independence and security. She also works with companies to build effective financial wellness and inclusion programs for their employees.
Saijal is a CFA with over 20 years experience in the financial industry in both North America and Asia. She is a former business anchor and correspondent for Business News Network and CNBC Asia. She has been named one of the most influential South Asian Women Executives in the Media and Entertainment industry.
She also led Manulife's public rela...
2020-06-2334 min
Big Idea Big MovesCharlie Engle: Running the Sahara, Prison, Resiliency and Defining MomentsCharlie Engle is one of the most accomplished ultramarathon runners in the world, winning or placing in many of the most punishing endurance races across the globe. Charlie competed . In 2007 Engle's historic and record setting effort to be the first person to run across the Sahara Desert was documented in the film Running the Sahara which was narrated by Matt Damon and directed by James Moll (both Academy Award Winners). He was joined by two other runners: Ray Zahab of Canada and Kevin Lin of Taiwan. This transcontinental run through deep sand and politically unstable countries remains one of the top...
2020-06-1639 min
Big Idea Big MovesDavid Liu - Entrepreneurship, Communication and Managing CrisisDavid Liu is the founder and CEO of Deltapath, a leading communications company whose innovative technology helps businesses collaborate internally and with customers in a work culture that increasingly revolves around smartphones and other personal devices. Under David’s leadership, Deltapath’s solutions have been adopted by brands such as Campbell’s, Volkswagen and Nokia in 94 countries.
At 14, David began exploring telecom technology with his home telephone and hi-fi radio. He connected the two to mimic enterprise system features such as music-on-hold, call recording and radio broadcast over the telephone line. As the internet grew in significance, he was determined to bridge trad...
2020-06-0841 min
Big Idea Big MovesJana Webb - The Business Pivot, Breaking Barriers and Reality TV StardomIn this episode, Jamie talks with Jana Webb about how she quickly changed her business model during the COVID-19 quarantine, how she broke down barriers and stereotypes in pro sports and yoga and how being on a reality show impacted her. Always an athlete, Jana Webb is the founder and CEO of Joga, a unique blend of yoga and sport that has revolutionized how people, including elite athletes, strengthen their mind and bodies. Joga was fuelled by Jana’s personal journey of rehabilitation after a car crash left her severely injured.
Before this chapter of her life, Jana was a su...
2020-05-3034 min
Big Idea Big MovesRobyn Benincasa - Leading a Comeback, Building A Winning Mindset and Overcoming AdversityRobyn Benincasa is a Winner. She is the founder of World Class Teams, an adventure racing world champion, a CNN Hero, former corporate sales expert and a firefighter who advises organizations on building World Class Teams of their own. One of the highest-rated, female motivational speakers who regularly shares the stage with world leaders and business icons, her customers include many Fortune companies like Starbucks and Fast Company to Boeing and Microsoft. Robyn is the Founder of the Project Athena Foundation (Survivors to Athletes!), she holds 3 Guinness World Records as a Long Distance Paddler, is a New York Times best sellin...
2020-05-2334 min
Big Idea Big MovesJairek Robbins - Save Thousands for Your Business, Stress in Crisis and Brain ConditioningJairek Robbins is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, a successful performance coach and speaker. At just 23 he was awarded the Congressional Award from the US Congress. He has worked with business owners, executives and leadership teams to help optimize their personal performance and business growth. He has been a featured speaker for clients ranging from Coldwell Banker and Remax to Mercedes and United States Olympic Team. In this episode host Jamie Allison talks with Jairek about a system businesses can use to save thousands on their bottom lines, how we can alleviate fear and stress through physical and brain conditioning and how...
2020-05-1237 min
Big Idea Big MovesMichaela Alexis - Authenticity, Personal Brand and the impact of Remote WorkMichaela Alexis has quickly become an influential personal brand expert and sought after speaker. Back in 2016 she wrote an article about landing her dream job and it went viral on LinkedIn. Since then, she has authored dozens of articles receiving millions of reads on CNBC, Buzzfeed, Success.com, Inc. and more.
Michaela has managed the online presence of more than 100 businesses worldwide, has partnered and starred in brand campaigns with Crowne Plaza and K-Swiss, built her own online community to over 160,000 followers on LinkedIn, starred in an Amazon Prime reality show called "The Social Movement" and co-wrote a book. She is an...
2020-05-0535 min
Big Idea Big MovesPhil Buckley - Navigating Massive Change, The Imperfect Leader and Tough DecisionsPhil Buckley is a change management superstar. He has over 25 years experience enabling leaders and their teams through transformations across global businesses in Canada, the U.S and the U.K.
Phil co-lead the global change management for the $19.6B Kraft Foods acquisition of Cadbury which involved a team of 40 change leaders across 60 countries. He is the author of Change with Confidence and his work has been featured in Forbes, Business Week and the Globe and Mail. He is also an engaging public speaker, facilitator and consultant.
In this episode Jamie Allison talks with Phil about navigating change in a time...
2020-05-0333 min
Big Idea Big MovesChristopher Hummel- Start-up to almost 10M in Yr 1, Resilence, Simplicity and ExecutionIn this episode host Jamie Allison talks with FITTEAM Global Founder and CEO, Christopher Hummel about how he built his multi-million dollar healthy lifestyle company, how simplicity and action can define a successful venture, and how he keeps his distributed workforce and brand ambassadors connected to his mission.
After leaving the US Air Force, Christopher spent time learning sales and entrepreneurship in real estate. Following the recession in 2008 he turned his eyes towards new ventures and spent a good portion of time learning about the health and wellness space to prepare for the launch of FITTEAM Global. Since that company's la...
2020-04-2826 min
Big Idea Big MovesDanielle Sabrina - Grit, Entrepreneurship, Branding and Crisis CommunicationIn this episode host Jamie Allison talks with Danielle Sabrina about her unique path to success, how she builds and develops the personal brands of CEOs, celebrities and influencers and how she approaches crisis communication in today's environment. Danielle Sabrina is a celebrity publicist and the founder of Tribe Builder Media (link www.tribebuildermedia.com), an award-winning boutique PR firm. Before founding her agency she started her career on Wall Street at just 19 years old becoming one of the youngest traders in the industry. Known for her media and brand strategy, her results-oriented reputation through the years has gained the tr...
2020-04-2442 min
Big Idea Big MovesChester Elton - Leading with GratitudeIn this episode host Jamie Allison talks with Chester Elton about the power of leading with gratitude. People want and need to know their work is appreciated. Showing gratitude to employees is the easiest, fastest, most inexpensive way to boost performance. New research shows that gratitude boosts employee engagement, reduces turnover, and leads team members to express more gratitude to one another—strengthening team bonds. Studies have also shown that gratitude is beneficial for those expressing it and is one of the most powerful variables in predicting a person’s overall well-being—above money, health, and optimism.
Despite these benefits, few exec...
2020-02-2439 min
Big Idea Big MovesJill Bunny - Fitness Guru, Author, Business Owner, MS and Cancer Fighter - A Story of Perseverance.Host Jamie Allison talks with Jill Bunny about her mission to improve mental health and fitness worldwide. Jill is an advocate for total body health with her extensive background in Functional Nutrition, Psychology and Body Composition Training. Jill's road to understanding health and fitness on a deeper level began with her own health crisis. At the age of 30, she went from being the highest ranked IFBB Competitor (with two Arnold & Olympian Titles) in the world and internationally renowned cover model to an MS and Cancer fighter. Her journey through MS and Cancer, has taught her that we are all unique when it...
2020-02-1738 min
Big Idea Big MovesKris McCarthy - Start-up Life, Disrupting a Traditional Space and Building an Advisory BoardJamie Allison chats with Kris McCarthy about the rollercoaster life of a start-up entrepreneur, entering and winning pitchfests, customer segment pivots, building an advisory board and disrupting a traditional and relatively change-averse market. Kris is a Co-Founder and COO of FanSaves, a sponsorship and marketing app. After a career in professional hockey was derailed, Kris turned to sports management as a new career. In that field he saw an opening for a new business and has moved quickly to change how sponsorships in general show ROI..
2019-11-0237 min
Big Idea Big MovesNina Purewal - Bestselling Author of " Let That Sh*t Go" on Finding Peace and HappinessNina Purewal faced an unexpected childhood tragedy which inspired her mindfulness and meditation journey twenty years ago. After climbing the corporate ladder for nearly a decade, she took a year sabbatical and moved to California to completely unplug and continue her pursuit for happiness. Since then she has dedicated her work to helping others in that pursuit. She founded Pure Minds, a company that conducts mindfulness and meditation workshops for the public and corporate sector. She also co-wrote the massive hit book "Let That Sh*t Go"
In this episode, host Jamie Allison asks Nina to talk about her own pa...
2019-10-0136 min
Big Idea Big MovesHeather Monahan - Creating Confidence through Authenticity and CourageJamie Allison chats with Heather Monahan about how she built her own confidence after leaving her executive role in the corporate world, how social media can feed negative personal perceptions and her real-life tips on building the life you really want to lead.
She has just launched her own successful podcast and has appeared with people like Steve Harvey, Sara Blakely and Gary Vaynerchuk.
Heather is a best-selling author, keynote speaker and entrepreneur. Having successfully climbed the corporate ladder for nearly 20 years, Heather Monahan is one of the few women to break the glass ceiling and claim her spot in the...
2019-09-0435 min
Big Idea Big MovesJoe De Sena CEO and Founder of Spartan on Passion, Resiliency and HealthPodcast Host Jamie Allison sits down with Joe De Sena – Founder and CEO of Spartan, the world’s largest obstacle race and endurance brand to talk about leadership, perseverance, raising resilient kids and achieving BIG goals. Joe has appeared with or been interviewed by everyone from Richard Branson and Tim Ferriss to Grant Cardone and Gary Vaynerchuk.
Joe has demonstrated his entrepreneurial drive since his pre-teens. After building a multimillion-dollar pool and construction business in college, and creating a Wall Street trading firm, De Sena set his sights on ripping 100 million people off their couches by creating the...
2019-09-0431 min