Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas - the Rainforest podcast

In this episode host Rea Hailley continues her series called "five questions and one wild story fempreneurs to watch for". In this compelling episode host Rea Hailley sits down with Nyasha Katedza, a Medical Laboratory Assistant turned "Healthpreneur" and founder of BioInsight DNA and Blood Services. Driven by the stark reality of rural healthcare, where neighbors drive hundreds of kilometers just for blood work, Nyasha is on a mission to democratize access to care for marginalized communities. Together, they peel back the curtain on the unglamorous side of entrepreneurship, discussing the relentless workload, the bias against founders over 30, and why "necessity" is the ultimate driver for innovation in low-resource settings. The conversation culminates in a jaw-dropping "Wild Story" involving a winter ravine crash, a suspicious rescue attempt, and a shocking run-in with the RCMP that serves as a chilling reminder of why safety protocols are non-negotiable for female founders. Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast where we showcase fascinating people who are Leaders, Innovators, and have Big Ideas!Host: Rea Hailley Driven by a deep-seated belief in the power of entrepreneurship, Rea leads New Idea Machine in empowering businesses with innovative digital solutions. Having witnessed the grit and triumph of her parents building a business from scratch, Rea is passionate about enabling significant revenue growth and seamless operations for startups and Small/Medium Businesses, ensuring their dedication translates into tangible success. Guest: Nyasha Katedza, a CSMLS- and BCSLS-certified Medical Laboratory Assistant with a CMLA from Camosun Colege and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Emory University. After working in both public hospital labs and private diagnostics, she saw firsthand how access to care can shape outcomes. That experience inspired her to found BioInsight DNA & Blood Services, a specimen collection company dedicated to bringing high-quality, equitable diagnostics to every community, especially the disabled and home-bound.  Nyasha’s work bridges science, compassion, and innovation - all driven by a belief that everyone deserves a health system that challenges disparities and provides equitable access to care. Show Links: BioInsight DNA & Blood Services Inc.  Show Quotes: "We wanna think about flowers and butterflies when it comes to entrepreneurship, but a lot of times as a female entrepreneur, you have to consider safety... taking some courses in self-defense is not such a bad idea either.""I think most people would be surprised to learn that I'm not a spring chicken... A lot of funding is focused on youth entrepreneurship and there needs to be a conversation about that as well. It's like once you reach 30 or older, then you have no ideas and you have no vision.""If you ever meet an entrepreneur from a rural or remote area, they're building and they're building without funding... what drives them is necessity for themselves and for their neighbors." Credits...This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea MachineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer: Al Del Degan  

In this episode host Rea Hailley continues her series called "five questions and one wild story fempreneurs to watch for". Rea Hailley sits down with Debbie Van Camp, founder of Connected Business Women Network (CBWN), to explore 16 years of building a community where female entrepreneurs come together as collaborators rather than competitors. Debbie shares why women network differently than men and why creating a safe space to ask for help—something many women struggle with—has been central to her mission. From the fulfillment of entrepreneurship to the faces in the room that keep her motivated through challenging times, Debbie opens up about resilience, tenacity inherited from her Dutch immigrant father, and the surprising adventures she's embraced later in life—including a heart-pounding NASCAR ride along at 200 miles per hour.  Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast where we showcase fascinating people who are Leaders, Innovators, and have Big Ideas!Host: Rea Hailley Driven by a deep-seated belief in the power of entrepreneurship, Rea leads New Idea Machine in empowering businesses with innovative digital solutions. Having witnessed the grit and triumph of her parents building a business from scratch, Rea is passionate about enabling significant revenue growth and seamless operations for startups and Small/Medium Businesses, ensuring their dedication translates into tangible success. Guest: Debbie Van Camp has been the owner of CBWN for over 16 years. Under her leadership, the organization is dedicated to bringing together business women and entrepreneurs through distinct monthly luncheons and special events. Show Links: CBWN  CBWN on LinkedIn  Show Quotes: "I believe that it's really important to have women collectively in a room sharing ideas, sharing success, even sharing unsuccessful stories, learning personally and professionally.""We think asking for help is failure, and we can do it all. We're expected to clean the house, shop the groceries, keep the baby happy, and run the business. I think it's quite the opposite actually.""We've heard so many times about the time you're going to give up is about the time you're gonna have your greatest success. Hope is life—and without hope, without stepping back and taking a breath, it's never give up." Credits...This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea MachineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer: Al Del Degan  

In this episode host Rea Hailley continues her series called "five questions and one wild story fempreneurs to watch for". In this moving and insightful episode of LIBI, host Rea Hailley sits down with Cindy Sim, the CEO and Founder of Team CarePal. Cindy’s journey into tech entrepreneurship wasn’t planned—it was born out of necessity at the bedside of her loved ones. From caring for a premature infant to navigating end-of-life care for grandparents, Cindy experienced the crushing burnout that 1 in 4 Canadians face today. She channeled that struggle into building a "connected care ecosystem" that bridges the gap between families, communities, and healthcare systems. Cindy gets incredibly raw about the realities of being a female founder, why "ignorance" was her greatest asset in launching a tech company without a tech background, and the vital importance of co-designing solutions with the people who actually use them. Plus, you won't want to miss her "wild story" involving a snowboarding tow rope and a mechanical disaster!  Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast where we showcase fascinating people who are Leaders, Innovators, and have Big Ideas!Host: Rea Hailley Driven by a deep-seated belief in the power of entrepreneurship, Rea leads New Idea Machine in empowering businesses with innovative digital solutions. Having witnessed the grit and triumph of her parents building a business from scratch, Rea is passionate about enabling significant revenue growth and seamless operations for startups and Small/Medium Businesses, ensuring their dedication translates into tangible success. Guest: Cindy Sim is the CEO and Founder of Team CarePal, a company she established based on her personal caregiving experience to support the millions of family care partners caring for loved ones. Cindy is building more than just an app; she is building a connected care ecosystem. Her vision is to provide one integrated pathway where care partners, families, and neighbors use a single platform to navigate the journey from hospital to home, community, and senior care. Through Team CarePal, Cindy has co-designed specific programs—Together Going Home, Together We Care, and Together in Care—that bridge the gap between families and the healthcare organizations they rely on. By streamlining communication and delivering tailored services, Cindy’s work focuses on preventing burnout and ensuring families remain connected and supported throughout the care journey. Show Links: Team CarePal  Show Quotes: "I found myself burning out in levels of distress, crying between vehicles and parking lots and just feeling so lost and unseen. So Team CarePal was actually born at the bedside of my loved ones and grew from there.""I think that ignorance was my superpower that allowed me to take the first step and start going because I didn't really understand or fully get what I was walking into.""We don't make a move. We don't add anything. We don't build anything until it comes from that lived, true, authentic experience. And they guide us through what we're doing and where we're going." Credits...This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea MachineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer: Al Del Degan  

In this episode host Rea Hailley continues her series called "five questions and one wild story fempreneurs to watch for". In this powerful episode Rea sits down with Intuitive Healing and Breakthrough Coach Kirstey Jane for a logical, no-fluff guide to mastering your inner world. Kirstey reveals why so many high-achievers get stuck in cycles of self-sabotage, emotional reactions, and chasing approval. She shares her unique, logic-based model for cutting through the "stories" we tell ourselves, helping clients achieve massive breakthroughs in hours, not months. This episode is a must-listen for any leader ready to stop being controlled by their emotions, turn their triggers into triumphs, and finally unlock the abundance that’s waiting for them.  Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast where we showcase fascinating people who are Leaders, Innovators, and have Big Ideas!Host: Rea Hailley Driven by a deep-seated belief in the power of entrepreneurship, Rea leads New Idea Machine in empowering businesses with innovative digital solutions. Having witnessed the grit and triumph of her parents building a business from scratch, Rea is passionate about enabling significant revenue growth and seamless operations for startups and Small/Medium Businesses, ensuring their dedication translates into tangible success. Guest: Kirstey Jane specializes in helping men cut through the patterns that hold them back—fast. Her approach is free of fluff and "therapy talk," offering direct, results-driven breakthroughs that empower clients to get back in control of their career, relationships, and life. Whether through a one-time reset or ongoing support, Kirstey meets clients where they are, helping them reconnect with clarity, focus, and confidence.   Show Links: Kirstey's Website  Show Quotes: "Life is actually very, very simple. We just overcomplicate it with all of our stories, our feelings and our emotions and we get so lost.""A trigger is a gift. And that's the thing. People don't see that. When we get triggered, that's showing us where we need to pay attention. What is our thinking doing?""Life is always evolving and you have to go with it. So growth is always going to be there somewhere. And the more you avoid, the more it's going to hit you in the butt.""If your going through hell, keep going. You don't want to be stuck there." Credits...This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea MachineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer: Al Del Degan  

In this episode host Rea Hailley continues her series called "five questions and one wild story fempreneurs to watch for". Rea brings you the story of Kristen Carrier, the "Chocolate Scientist" and co-founder of 7 Summit Snacks. Kristen reveals why selling chocolate is surprisingly one of the hardest jobs in the world, even when 80% of people love it. She dives into the "nerdy" science of how high-quality chocolate provides not just physical fuel but an essential emotional lift for life's marathons. But the heart of this episode is the unbelievable, wild origin story behind her brand — a story born from a high-altitude tragedy on Mount Everest that became a final, beautiful gift of inspiration. This is a conversation about resilience, intuition, and building a legacy. Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast where we showcase fascinating people who are Leaders, Innovators, and have Big Ideas!Host: Rea Hailley Driven by a deep-seated belief in the power of entrepreneurship, Rea leads New Idea Machine in empowering businesses with innovative digital solutions. Having witnessed the grit and triumph of her parents building a business from scratch, Rea is passionate about enabling significant revenue growth and seamless operations for startups and Small/Medium Businesses, ensuring their dedication translates into tangible success. Guest: Kristyn Carriere is a food innovator and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience developing some of the world’s best-known chocolate brands. During her career in Europe, she worked with global leaders including Cadbury, Milka, Green & Black’s, and Godiva, where she honed her expertise in product development and global market launches. In 2019, Kristyn returned to Canada and co-founded 7 Summits Snacks with her sister, Leanna. What began as a vision to merge performance nutrition with premium chocolate has since grown into a women-owned Canadian brand fueling active and adventurous lives and redefine the role of chocolate in functional nutrition. Show Links: 7 Summits Snacks  Show Quotes: "Chocolate gives you this emotional lift like a carbohydrate gel or a Clif Bar is never going to do for you.""A lot of the times women want to have all the answers before they even start something... you know what, you might as well just start.""This wave of inspiration that I had received was like a gift from him in his final moment." Credits...This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea MachineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer: Al Del Degan