You Run Like A Girl

Today's episode is a pretty special one. I had the chance to sit down and chat with entrepreneur Sienny Thio. Sienny is the founder and creative director of The Mood Lab, a minimalist branding studio for bold and creative visionaries. She is the one who designed the brand identity for the You Run Like A Girl podcast, which is why I'm extra excited about having her on the show. We talk about how she went from working at the UN to running her own business, discuss what a brand is and isn't, hear her tips on using exercise for maintaining physical and mental health and get her advice on what business owners looking to start a new brand should think about. We also got real and talked about the struggles that come with building a new brand and launching any new endeavour. Although I met Sienny through working together on this project, I now consider her a friend and am proud to have her as my guest today. Enjoy!

My guest today is Dana Bookman, the Founder and CEO of Canadian Girls Baseball, a  national non-profit development league for girls aged 4-16. A former television producer and journalist, Dana's pivot to CEO all started because she couldn't find a girls team for her young daughter. Rather than let it stop her from playing altogether, Dana decided to create what was missing. One thing led to another and the organization that Dana started in 2016 has now gone national, with chapters across Canada, tournaments featuring international teams, coaching programs and free community initiatives that introduce newcomers and girls from underserved communities to baseball. Throughout it all, Dana has stayed true to her mission of wanting to empower and inspire girls through sport. We talked about what a typical day looks like for her, discuss her career before she made the move to Founder and CEO, and hear about the person that inspires her. Dana is an exemplary leader and a wonderful example of what one can achieve when they put their mind to something.

Today's episode has been a long time coming. I chat with Sylvie Tetrault, a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Strength Coach, and Podcast Host based in Toronto. Hailing from the East Coast, Sylvie moved to Toronto after earning a degree in kinesiology and promptly rose up the ranks of a busy city gym. However, she couldn't quiet a long-standing desire to work with pro athletes. So she took a leap and ended up at a high performance gym owned by former Toronto Maple Leafs player, Gary Roberts. A little while after securing a spot there as a Strength and Conditioning Coach to top NHL players, Sylvie took another leap of faith and followed her passion for nutrition back to school, eventually becoming a holistic nutritionist. We chatted about the fears that come with moving to a big city, how Sylvie handles setbacks (she was sidelined with a severe back injury a few years ago), and some of the myths about strength training and nutrition for females. Sylvie also shares a bit of insights into the podcast she hosts with her partner, Adrian, called Championship Lifestyle. Down to earth and hugely inspirational, Sylvie's commitment to continuing education and pushing herself are proof that with hard work, it's totally possible to make your dreams a reality. 

The Olympics always has its fair share of controversial topics and while these do shift over time, it's a pretty safe bet that every four years, people who watch figure skating will be divided over one thing: the costumes. In today's episode, I speak with Jan Longmire, a figure skating costume designer to the stars. Jan went from designing costumes for her kids skating shows and competitions to being an in-demand designer for World and Olympic champions. We chatted about how she got her start, that infamous Vera Wang dress Nancy Kerrigan wore and why most elite costume designers are self-taught. This episode is also part-memoir, as I reflect on a few of my own skating dresses growing up. 

When Verna Volker laced up a pair of running shoes in 2009, her endgame wasn’t to build a huge online community for Indigenous runners or to become a global ambassador for a prominent athletic brand - she simply wanted to do something for herself and her health. But what began as one half-marathon escalated into a world-wide movement. Now an ultra marathoner, Verna (who is also a wife, mother and teacher), talks to me about how she fits running into her busy days, her online community (Native Women Running), and how individuals and companies can go beyond performative allyship to truly create lasting, sustainable change in Indigenous communities.

In today's episode, we're talking to Kat Bitove, Founder of xoxo sports, an athlete branding, sponsorship and marketing agency. Named after an Olympian and raised in a sports-loving family, it's no surprise that Kat eventually combined her passion for athletics with expertise in business and marketing to launch her own company. Kat dives deep into the events that helped shape her childhood, shares why working at a restaurant as a teen was instrumental to helping her run her business today, and gives us a behind the scenes look into major sporting competitions like Wimbledon and the Olympics. A master at helping athletes shape their personal brands and maximize sponsorship opportunities, Kat also shares helpful tips on branding, positioning and storytelling. The entrepreneurship path is never a simple one but through hard work and determination, Kat is living proof that dreams can come true. 

In today's episode, I chat with Special Olympian Kristen Hudson, her sister Megan, and their mother Laurel. Born with a rare genetic abnormality, Kristen overcame the odds to excel in cross country skiing after seeing Megan compete in the sport. In 2017, Kristen qualified for the World Special Olympic Games where she won gold. Listen in to hear how this family rallied together to help their kids excel at sport and in life, and how sport can be a positive influence in the lives of those with developmental delays.

What would you do if you had a successful track and field career, were on target to make the national team, but came up just shy of a spot at the Olympic trials? Most people would call it quits. But most people aren't Simidele Adeagbo. In today's episode, you'll meet a Nigerian-Canadian woman who became Africa's first athlete in the sport of skeleton at the 2018 Olympics. You'll hear how Simi managed a successful career in corporate marketing while training up to 7 hours a day, what happened when an unexpected opportunity arose for her to realize her dream of being an Olympian, and why a belief in yourself — and not what others think about you - is crucial to achieving your goals. 

Hey there and welcome to the trailer for 'You Run Like A Girl', a podcast that gives a voice to women and girls in sports. Season 1 is dropping soon and features, among other guests, a Nigerian track and field star turned Winter Olympian, a designer who creates costumes for some of the top-ranked skaters in the world and an entrepreneur who took her love of sports and turned it into a full service branding and sponsorship agency for athletes. I hope these episodes remind you that your luck can turn when you least expect it, that setbacks are often the fuel you need to spring forward and that you should never, ever, give up on your goals. Let's dust off those dreams and get it!