Summary of 2021 Invest Ottawa Partnership with the Power of Why
Listen to the Power of Why on Spotify / iTunes / Castbox / Stitcher / Google Podcasts
Listen to the Power of Why on Spotify / iTunes / Castbox / Stitcher / Google Podcasts
When Katie LeClair and I connected early in 2021 about highlighting leading women in Ottawa, a podcast series powered by Invest Ottawa, I was delighted to discuss how we would bring this to life.
For international women’s week this year, we had the opportunity to interview and hear from leaders in our community who are building with intention. From the start, the Power of Why has been focused on sharing stories that highlight what happens behind the scenes as they build companies, communities, products or services.
On the Power of Why, we are here to discuss what the beginning was really like.
As the producer, creator and host of the show, my why is to illustrate your power and agency through real life stories. And as we continue to grow this platform, I am committed to give guests a place to share their mission and learnings with us all.
This year, alongside Invest Ottawa, we spoke with 9 leaders who are building with intention:
Paula Whitelocke kicked off the series with her story and journey building Ottawa’s favourite hair salon, Curly Hair Designs. She started her business at the age of 18 and hasn’t looked back. If you have a hard time setting boundaries because you worry about letting others down, listen to Paula’s episode here: How to Set Boundaries & Develop An Abundance Mindset.
Sandra Ng brought her VC knowledge to our conversation and why she believes in the power of investing in women. Over the last 25 years, Sandra has empowered women and underrepresented groups through international development projects across 18 countries and public equities in Asia and North America. Sandra’s is also an investor with the Capital Angel Network. If you’re focused on growing wealth — for yourself, and your community, listen to Sandra’s episode here: Chart a Mission-Driven Path and Grow Wealth — for Yourself, and Your Community.
Nasrin Sadeghianpour has lived and visited many countries on our wonderful planet. A Senior Smart Grid & AI Scientist at BluWave-ai, she has dedicated her career to overcoming climate change by leveraging artificial intelligence. And she wants you to do the thing that scares you most. If you believe that the future of learning is holistic, borderless and accessible, listen to Nasrin’s episode here: How to Embrace Change and Actualize Your Dreams.
Joanne Bezzubetz is on a mission to de-stigmatize mental health and substance abuse. As an executive, triathlete, and champion for women in leadership, Joanne serves as President and CEO of The Royal – among Canada’s foremost mental health care and academic health science centres. If the pandemic has taken a toll on your mental health, listen to Joanne’s episode here: Stress and Recovery: Why Rest Is Critical to Your Success
Nita Tandon is a seasoned sustainable health expert, and brings more than two decades of experience as a pharmaceutical and biotech professional to her work as the founder and CEO of Dalcini Stainless. Dalcini Stainless is an award-winning maker of safe, simple and sustainable storage containers and housewares made from recyclable, toxic-free Stainless Steel. If you refuse to compromise on your values, listen to Nita’s episode here: Turn Your Values Into Action.
Mari Galloway is the CEO and founding board member for the Women's Society of Cyberjutsu (WSC) — one of the fastest growing non-profit communities in this space. With over 11 years in Information and Technology, Mari is propelling the next generation of women and girls in cyber security, helping them take the small, critical steps necessary to grow and protect their wealth along the way. If you want to make a career change but don’t know where to start, listen to Mari’s episode here: Time for a Change? How to Take Your Growth Into Your Own Hands.
Sem Ponnambalam refuses to settle on her dreams. As the President and Co-founder of XAHIVE, Sem drives the businesses global operations, fuelled by her mission to empower people, businesses and nation-states from the devastating repercussions of cybersecurity breaches. If you refuse to settle on your dreams , listen to Sem’s episode here: Don’t Settle On Your Dreams — Make Them A Reality.
Julia Slanina started a company focused on empowering maternal health care providers and mothers to raise the next generation of healthy, happy leaders. As Founder and CEO of Treehouse Medical, she shifted careers from the foreign service to build stronger communities through connected, human-centred healthcare. If you are curious about the advancements in femtech, listen to Julia’s episode here: Maneuvering Life Changes & Building a Business Focused on Maternal Health.
Sunshine Tenasco believes your business can positively transform your community. A First Nations mommy from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, this visionary social entrepreneur and author is committed to strengthening her community. As author of “Nibi’s Water Song”, and founder of Her Braids and Pow Wow Pitch, Sunshine is committed to keeping social impact at the heart of her work. If your community has an urgent need you’re determined to fill, listen to Sunshine’s episode here: Take Action, Build Community and Drive Change.
Thank you to all the OG Power of Why listeners and welcome to the new listeners who recently discovered these conversations.
We are delighted to have you here.
Naomi <3