Andrew Young's Fantastic Talks with Remarkable People

Mike Mulligan is the founder of Moving Forward Rehabilitation and Wellness Center. In June 1996, Mike sustained a spinal cord injury in a car crash. Since then, Mike has done everything an able bodied person would do, including earn a University degree, get a great job, buy a house, and travel throughout the United States and Australia. He was very happy with his life and the accomplishments he had made but he never gave up on the goal of one day walking again.

Mike’s primary motivation for founding Moving Forward is to ensure that he and others can have access to the tools, facilities and support required for them to continue Moving Forward with their recovery right here in London.

Mike Mulligan Episode 8 Audio Mike Mulligan Episode 8 Transcript

Andrew Young: My name is Andrew Young. You may recognise me from the Internet. I love my life, my cats, my job, and my community. I'm taking up your time today because on this journey of life, I've met wonderful people who make our city better, and I want you to meet them, too. This is Andrew Young's Fantastic Talks with Remarkable People.

AY: Modest. Magnanimous. A masterclass in motivation. Our guest has transformed a cataclysmic event into an opportunity to affect countless lives. His energy is infectious and his laugh contagious. Let's unleash the awesome that is Mike Mulligan. Mike, welcome to the show, man.

Mike Mulligan: Thanks for having me. I really appreciate it.

AY: Aw dude, thanks for coming by. I really appreciate it, man, and every time that we get to hang out, it's, it's always a pleasure. So I'm looking forward to kind of cracking this nut open and getting some, some really great answers from you, okay?

MM: Sweet.

AY: Often when we're faced with tragedy, we have a decision to make. You can become half a man or a man and half, right? You've chosen the latter route, alright? You now have an incredible business: Moving Forward Rehabilitation and Wellness Centre. What, what motivated you to turn the accident that you experienced into something unbelievably inspirational and a vehicle to help other people?

MM: Well, it really came down to- for me, it was... I had my accident when I was 16 years old, and I, I promised myself I was going to walk by the time I was 40, and as years went on, I did my, I did my stretches. I did my therapy. But I realised, probably about 15 years in, that I wasn't going to walk if I really didn't take that step to actually do it. And so, I found a facility out in California and went down there and just saw the amazing things that they were able to do with someone of the quad- that was a quadriplegic and didn't really move a whole lot, similar to me, and being able to stand for the first time and look at someone in the eye, ride a bike, being able to get on the treadmill. It was those things that I was like, maybe this is possible, and maybe it can happen. It was when my parents came down too that, you know, them seeing me walk on the treadmill for the first time and my mom crying. It was like, you know, this doesn't just affect me, this affects families. So that's why when I came back home to London, I realised something like that needs to be done, and I decided to open up Moving Forward to help other people and other families and make people reach their goals, set goals, and, you know, one day hopefully walk again.

AY: Absolutely. I've, I've gone on your Web site and I took a look, and I just love how you celebrate the people that come to your business and through your business. That's, that's obviously important to you and important to them.

MM: It really is, because...

Matthew Santagapita is a licensed realtor specializing in the city of London and surrounding area. Matt's hard work, sensitivity, and professionalism, as well as his personal interest in investment properties, have helped him to become one of the top producing agents in the area.

A family man, Matthew believes in the value of community and has co-founded locorum.ca to highlight and promote the best and most exciting parts of local businesses, food, community, and events.

In addition to his professional commitments, Matthew is a strong believer in giving back to the community, and supports various charitable causes.

Matthew Santapagita Episode 7 Audio Matthew Santapagita Episode 7 Transcript

Andrew Young: My name is Andrew Young. You may recognise me from the Internet. I love my life, my cats, my job, and my community. I'm taking up your time today because on this journey of life, I've met wonderful people who make our city better, and I want you to meet them, too. This is Andrew Young's Fantastic Talks with Remarkable People.

AY: Unabashedly honest. Unapologetically altruistic. Uniquely analytical. This episode's guest will move you literally and figuratively. He has brought our community closer. He has a beautiful mind and challenges you to think about things on many different levels. I am proud to be sitting down with Mr. Matthew Santagapita. Matthew.

Matthew Santagapita: Thanks for having me.

AY: Thanks for taking the time today, man. Are you having a good day?

MS: Awesome.

AY: Yeah. You got strong sock game.

MS: So do you. Yeah, we match.

AY: I really appreciate that. We didn't even talk about it. It's going very well so far.

MS: I know.

AY: The Santa Sells Houses team.

MS: Yep.

AY: Santa Knows Best.

MS: Yep.

AY: Monday Market Update. Business of the Week. Finally, Locorum.

MS: Yep.

AY: You've built an amazing real estate team, and you keep pushing the real estate market forward and increased the amount of business and the quality of business. You've created a stronger community because of your efforts by highlighting independent businesses on top of everything else that you do. Why have you selected these independent businesses, and what are you trying to achieve by doing it?

MS: Why? So generally... It's kind of a tough question for me, and really, I guess what it- to summarise it in maybe a quick and easy way, it's that not enough is being done for small and medium businesses. That's what it really comes down to. You know, major corporations, they can afford lobbyists. They can afford, you know, multi-million dollar ad budgets and things like that, but... Which is great, and I'm not knocking big business because you need big business, but when you look at entrepreneurism, you know, small business owners, medium business owners, I mean, it's a grind. It's a struggle. So, you know, oddly enough, you know, this love of entrepreneurism and kind of like, you know, the local hustler and grinder stemmed from a few conversations that... Some conversations with you and kind of with some other people where... A lot of people think London is boring. And, you know, as a realtor, you know, my profession, my career, my job, we're supposed to know the city. And through these conversations, I started kind of scratc...

Jill Wilcox is the founder of Jill’s Table, a specialty food and kitchenware shop in London, Ontario. She opened her business in 1999 with the vision of creating a central destination for food lovers built on her passion for gathering around a table with family and friends to enjoy a well-prepared meal. This richness of experience stems from her customers’ appreciation for the joy of cooking and eating with family and friends.

In the spirit of giving back to the community, Jill has chosen to establish the Jill Wilcox Foundation. Her hope is that the work of the Foundation will nurture the lives of women and children who in turn will discover the richness and joy that comes from sharing a well-prepared meal with family.

Jill Wilcox Episode 6 Audio Jill Wilcox Episode 6 Transcript

Andrew Young: My name is Andrew Young. You may recognise me from the Internet. I love my life, my cats, my job, and my community. I'm taking up your time today because on this journey of life, I've met wonderful people who make our city better, and I want you to meet them, too. This is Andrew Young's Fantastic Talks with Remarkable People.

AY: Changemaker. Culinary Contessa. Community Queen. Entrepreneur, employer, mentor. Community advocate. Philanthropic patron. When you're in the presence of our next guest, you're in the presence of greatness. She is the very definition of a leader, whether it's sharp knives or her sharper wit, Jill's Table will win you over after your first visit. I am honoured to spend time with the Queen of King Street, Jill Wilcox.

Jill Wilcox: Thank you, Andrew. Wow, that was quite the introduction.

AY: You deserve every single word of it.

JW: Thank you.

AY: Thank you for joining me today.

JW: It's my pleasure.

AY: I know you're used to being on stage teaching people how to cook.

JW: Yes.

AY: Now you get to sit back and spend some time with me. So that's-

JW: I'm looking forward to it.

AY: -That's kind of nice. As am I. My kitchen is filled with the products from Jill's Table. I made a stew yesterday, and I was laughing because everything I put in there has your name on it. So I will- I'll guess I'll bring you some stew and you can see how I-.

JW: I would like to try it, yeah.

AY: Okay. You've, you've done such an amazing job filling your shop with amazing products and even better people.

JW: Yes.

AY: I've been shopping at your store for 20, 20 years. As long as I can remember. You've had a lot of, a lot of the same people.

JW: We have. We're very grateful. We have a fabulous team. We're now up to twelve people, and yes, many have been with me a long time, just like our customers.

AY: Absolutely. So, you know, that being said- I wanted to make the what's the recipe for success joke, but that's not fair. You know, what's your secret for making and keeping your staff happy?

JW: Well, I think we have to always understand their value. You can't do it alone. You have to have a good team, and you need to surround yourself with people with the same core values, and once you do that, it's very easy to stay together, work together as a team, and we make sure that we do things like trade shows together. I have a chance to share with them places I g...

Robert (Bob) Siskind QC, LLD, practiced law for 15 years with a prominent London Ontario law firm before deciding to concentrate full time on real estate development in 1981. Among his community work, he has been the Chair of the Board of Western University, Chair of the London Health Sciences Centre, and Chair of the successful capital campaign for Fanshawe College. In addition to various institutional and governmental honourary degrees, Bob was recently inducted into the London Business Hall of Fame.

Bob Siskind Episode 5 Audio Bob Siskind Episode 5 Transcript

Andrew Young: My name is Andrew Young. You may recognise me from the Internet. I love my life, my cats, my job and my community. I'm taking up your time today because on this journey of life, I've met wonderful people who make our city better, and I want you to meet them too. This is Andrew Young's Fantastic Talks with Remarkable People.

AY: Charismatic. Catalyst. Community developer in every sense of the word. This man could light up a dark room with simply his smile. He's one of the most genuine and thoughtful human beings I've ever had the pleasure to meet. Let's get to know this locavore legend. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Bob Siskind. Bob, thank you for gracing us with your presence.

Bob Siskind: I didn't know who you were talking about, Andrew. Thank you, it's a pleasure to be here.

AY: It's you, it's you. Oh my god, today is all about you. So I really, I really appreciate your time today. I just want to get into it, and I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna spout off a couple of things people have said about you or the positions that you've held, okay? So these are things that you've been called over the years and it's all positive.

BS: That's good.

AY: So it's going to be great. Board chair. Chairman. President. Consultant. Counsel. Hall of Famer. All really, really great titles to have, but in the short time that we spend together, it's not why you're doing what you're doing and not why you've done what it is that you have done in the community.

BS: Not at all.

AY: So, why have you, why have you given so much time and invested so much time in the community? What, what is it that prompts you? And what is it that drives you to give back?

BS: It doesn't happen in a shot, that all of a sudden you change from A to B. Background, I grew up in a loving family where my mother and father were involved. Very early on, I was invited to participate. A man named Claude Pensa, who is a revered lawyer, called me when I was just a young lawyer practise- just starting law on Waterloo Street. Asked if I would come and help him on the cancer campaign. So I moved outside of the Jewish community fundraising and involvement into the general community.

AY: Okay.

BS: Then later on, through a lucky stroke, I got asked to sit on the board at Western. And there I met a man named J. Allyn Taylor, who was the head of Canada Trust. We took a shine to each other. We- I really liked that man, and all during his aging years, I would visit him once a month. And he would encourage me if, if I was finished with a board, almost the next day, he would call up and say, "Hey, Bob, I've been thinking about this. Why don't you do this or why don't you do that?" So, all my life I've been lucky enough to have people moving me into community work. That's how it starts.

AY: Of course, I did some research about you as well. And you, and you, and you've passed- like passed on that mentorship, s...

With nearly 20 years of experience in financial services with RBC and as a partner in the Finucci Janitis Wealth Group, Eric Janitis has a deep passion for helping individuals and organizations realize their full portfolio and planning potential.

A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Eric has held a variety of roles with RBC, shifting from branch management to RBC Dominion Securities in 2004.

When not at work, Eric and his wife Monica are very engaged in the community in the areas of education, healthcare, and the welfare of children, and enjoys a home life shared with their cat Jinx.

Eric Janitis Episode 4 Audio Eric Janitis Episode 4 Transcript

Andrew Young: My name is Andrew Young. You may recognise me from the Internet. I love my life, my cats, my job, and my community. I'm taking up your time today because on this journey of life, I've met wonderful people who make our city better, and I want you to meet them, too. This is Andrew Young's Fantastic Talks with Remarkable People.

AY: Impressively intellectual. Impeccably individual. Idealistically involved. Our friendship has spanned decades. My respect for him will live on forever. One of the most driven and purposeful individuals that I know. Every moment spent with this gentleman is an investment in happiness. The real deal, Mr. Eric Janitis.

Eric Janitis: That's very kind, very kind.

AY: Thank you for joining me today. I really appreciate your time.

EJ: Thank you.

AY: Thank you so much. Mr. Janitis, we've known each other since 1992.

EJ: Correct.

AY: It's been a lot of fun watching you become such an impressive human being. I truly admire your involvement in the community, and I've modeled a lot of my involvement after you. From education to the health care and wel- welfare of children, what inspired, you to give back to your, to your community.

EJ: I think having parents that weren't born in, in Canada, you sort of tick that 'I won the lottery' box at the first level of just being born here, and then coming back to my parents, but also having parents that were very driven and actively involved in our lives and cared and nurtured and drove us for a positive outcome. And I don't know that if you don't have those things, that it's- that, that you don't tick the box because there's obviously a lot of wonderful stories of coming from challenging roots. I'm just saying, that's not me. I came from a life of really wonderful privilege, and from that standpoint, I think that you owe it to yourself, I think that you owe it to your community to give back, and ultimately, it's a big part of what to drives me professionally, but also as a citizen of London and the greater area.

AY: Wonderful. Now, both your parents were educators. Do you think that's part of your legacy, giving back to education and giving time back to education?

EJ: I think with having parents in the house that were educators and where there was such an importance placed on academics was more just a diversification of the diversity of our upbringing, that we had such a variety of interests and those were nurtured. We grew up in a, in a rural setting where there was no, no cable TV. Certainly reading and trying to absorb as much of the broader world was a big part of, of, of our upbringing, and also travel and seeing other cultures and interests, which really I think drove a broader interest in what was out there. And also, I think really what came down to an appreciation that there is a need in so many different fields, so you've mentioned gi...