We lift up those who are lifting up the world.
Questio is profoundly committed to supporting small Impact/purpose-driven businesses. We believe that...
- the survival of upcoming generations of humans and all other species depends on what we do now.
- small business is an immensely powerful tool to effect change, and possibly our greatest hope for a positive future.
In this time of unprecedented intersecting challenges (ranging from local to global), our world needs everyone to take responsibility to help co-create "the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible" (Charles Eisenstein).
These are stories of challenge and success from small businesses that are a force for good.
There is a growing community of entrepreneurs that find inspiration, meaning and success by using business as a force for good. Many of them identify as impact, social ventures, or mission-driven business owners and they are out to build a better future for us all... and make a healthy living doing it. This podcast is a collection of interviews with small business owners sharing their stories of hard-won lessons, relatable inspiration and actionable insights.
Nina Perez is the founder of Thrive Today, and a Somatic Connection coach. She’s also a master Latin dance instructor, a best-selling author of The Musical Imprint, and a proud mother of two. She has dedicated herself to helping people become skillful in the dance of connection so they can create the epic relationships and the fulfillment they deeply desire. You will typically find this self-identified shy woman facilitating large and small groups of people. She’s equally at home on stage, in a workshop, a dance class or group coaching environment. She creates engaging & interactive experiences that get the whole room on their feet… smiling, feeling and moving… all of this in service to learning how to relate more deeply and effectively to themselves, each other and the world. In this episode, Nina shares her experience with Uplevel Whiplash, which is a form of resistance that can arise as we reach for the next step in realizing our dreams.
Kemp Edwards has been dedicated to supporting, growing and consulting businesses on a path to sustainability. He has taken several businesses from launch to become multi-million dollar enterprises and, in so doing, have negotiated partnerships and/or developed programs for globally recognized Companies such as COCA-COLA, TELUS, The UNEP, The IOC, FIFA, and DISNEY. More recently, Kemp has become the Chief Development Officer of Food Security Structures Canada. This is an organization that aims to help end food insecurity and world hunger by providing controlled environment growing systems, equipment, and support, and to empower people to grow fresh, nutritious, affordable food locally, 365 days a year, regardless of location or climate. 14 years ago, he was able to set his mission apart from others by virtue of having a strong ethical and environmental dimension to his offering. These days, there are SO MANY hot topics and an incredible amount of competition for attention in the marketplace, Kemp will share his recent experience with attempting to Cut Through the Noise.
Hey there change makers. I hope you’ve been enjoying this podcast series as much as I have. It’s been amazing to meet so many incredible people. The interview I planned to share with you this week didn’t go as planned. Understandably, people’s schedules can be unpredictable at times. So, instead of leaving a gaping hole in this series, I thought I’d share a spoken word piece that has been meaningful to me for over 20 years. The original work was written by Rob Brezsny, of Free Will Astrology fame. Back in 2001 he wrote a few versions of this piece in response to the 9/11 tragedy. I discovered it later that year and read it to a group of friends at a potluck, and it resonated powerfully with us all. I have since revised it and added my own touch, and I typically share it with good friends at special occasions. Sadly, 20 years have passed and it is even more relevant today. I offer it to you to console, connect and affirm our commitment to what we know is true… together we will rise, and that our collective efforts can create “the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible."
Karley Cunningham is a big thinker as well as the Creative Strategist & Growth Accelerator at BigBoldBrand. She is inspired by entrepreneurial creativity, ingenuity and sheer grit. She aims to inspire and support those leaders who strive to grow their businesses and change the world while they do it. She’s written for well-respected publications and is a sought-after speaker and mentor for several national and international businesses, and she’s a dedicated community builder who lives the “giver’s gain” philosophy on a daily basis. In this episode Karley shares how her personal journey of Building from the Inside Out has provided a powerful template for supporting business leaders to create the alignment that fosters success on all levels.
Jonathan Varkul is a facilitator, coach and advisor who helps senior leaders and leadership teams. His work integrates his senior-level business experience with his study of the science behind our thought patterns and his 25-year mindfulness practice. He helps clients fish what’s relevant out of their ocean of highly complex situations so they can find clear next steps and make practical progress. In this way, Jonathan helps leaders access their deeper wisdom with greater ease to address some of their toughest challenges. Today we’ll hear Jonathan share a story that served as one of his pivotal learnings around the critical value of equanimity.
Shivani and Jessica are the dynamic duo behind Pathfinder. They are currently eight years into their work on innovative approaches to global development and they continue to choose to see themselves as a startup. In this episode they were willing to talk about the thorny but all too familiar topic of "imposter syndrome." While they insist that the path to self-realization and confidence is a arduous one that is paved mostly through hard work and diligence, it became clear to me that the major ingredients in their secrete sauce has been their resolute determination and the strong chemistry of their partnership. Together we explore the experience of imposter syndrome.
Jacinthe is the founder of Koddo & Co., a business financial literacy and fractional CFO service provider. She’s also a serial business owner, was trained as an interior designer and learned business finance the hard way over the last decade. Seeing the same pattern of money stress and shame in dozens of her clients has fueled her passion for financial literacy for small business owners, especially for women and creatives. Jacinthe is also a long-time yogi and meditator. This, along with her personal and professional development efforts, has been part of her toolkit to stay present, minimize the emotional dips, and lean into the lessons on the entrepreneurial roller coaster as they inevitably come up. Listen in on what she's learned as she busts some 6-figure myths.
Kristy O'Leary is a co-founder of Decade Impact, which is a boutique consulting firm that helps businesses measure and improve their social and environmental impact. Her expertise lies in designing impact business models, and defining purpose and future actions for businesses that drive positive change. Before co-founding Decade Impact, she worked in various fields related to sustainability and social impact, ranging from impact measurement in the cacao supply chain to campaigning for community investments for wind farms. Kristy has been a B Corp power user since 2013 and continues to deepen her dedication to the B Corp movement. Guided by a sobering recognition that we live in times where our choices are shaping whether future generations will have a livable future, Kristy has drawn upon allies she found when she moved to Vancouver BC from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. That and her own “pig-headed stubbornness” has helped to claim her calling… to play a significant role in supporting the sustainability revolution. Listen to Kristy’s story and discover how your epic failures can be super valuable, and can transform into your greatest strengths especially when you’re committed to getting back into the game.
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