Joe Roberts - The Skid Row CEO

06/13/24 • 60 min

How do I follow up on last week's interview with Malcolm Gladwell? Joining me today is best-selling author and world-renowned speaker Joe Roberts. Joe shares his moving and incredible journey from homelessness and addiction to becoming an entrepreneur, CEO, and, today, an influential advocate for youth. Joe lives to inspire change and offers actionable steps for overcoming challenges, fostering resilience, and reclaiming dreams.

Andrea Barrack from RBC returns to the show to discuss their Purpose Framework and why investing $2 billion across three key pillars matters to you, to me, and to RBC.

Andrea Barrack from RBC returns to the show to discuss their Purpose Framework and why investing $2 billion across three key pillars matters to you, to me, and to RBC.

Previous Episode

Malcolm Gladwell - The Tipping Point

Malcolm Gladwell is an outlier in his own right, as a journalist, author and public speaker. His unique perspective and engaging writing style have made him a prominent sociology and popular culture voice. He has five New York Times bestsellers — The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, What the Dog Saw, and David and Goliath. In addition to his best-selling books, Malcolm co-founded Pushkin Industries and hosted the hit podcast Revisionist History.

Malcolm shares his journey and offers many insights and lessons on what it takes to stand for and stand out in today's world.

I then bring back an interview with Alan Depencier, CMO from RBC, which is even more relevant today.

Malcolm Gladwell is part of a series titled Legends Journey: Lessons in Leadership, which I am co-producing with the Toronto Chapter of the American Marketing Association. We celebrate the journeys of those who have been inducted into Canada's Marketing Hall of Legends. In my CTM library or the AMA's YouTube Channel, you can find our interviews with Joe Mimran, Angus Reid, Jeanne Beker, Miles Nadal, Arlene Dickinson, and Frank Palmer.

Next Episode

Derek Blais - A Tale of Two Peoples

You will soon hear why I found Derek Blais an exceptional guest. He has the spirit of youth but with the presence and insights of an elder. Derek's journey embodies the spirit of Chatter that Matters by sharing how he overcame circumstances to chase his dreams but change his world and ours for the better.

Derek speaks candidly about his struggles and triumphs, including the pivotal moment of embracing his Indigenous identity and the profound impact of a life-threatening and then-changing motorcycle accident.

I begin the interview by sharing Derek's mantra - "Be yourself. Everyone else is taken," setting the tone for exploring authenticity, truth and reconciliation. Derek's mother is a victim of the sixties scoop, where Indigenous babies and children were taken from their parents and communities and placed in primarily white and middle-class homes. Derek's Father is Canadian, and Derek draws upon the tales of his two peoples to help shape who he is, why he matters and how through storytelling he can bring about positive change.

Derek's international award-winning and groundbreaking project, Missing Matoaka, challenges the romanticized Disney portrayal of Pocahontas by telling the true story, a tale of tragedy and heartbreak, while also calling for justice in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

Today, at LifeLong Crush a boutique advertising agency, Derek is a creative leader who works with his team to tackle many societal and brand issues.

It is a fantastic tale of two peoples, with many lessons to be discovered and learned, all wrapped within his brilliant creative mind.

To learn more about LIFELONG CRUSH - https://www.lifelongcrush.com