Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas - the Rainforest podcast

In this high-energy episode of Leaders, Innovators, and Big Ideas (LIBI), host Rea Hailley welcomes Julie Cole, the "recovered lawyer" and co-founder of the iconic brand Mabel’s Labels. Julie shares the 22-year journey of her business, which began in a Hamilton basement as a solution for parents tired of losing expensive children’s gear. The conversation explores the advantages of founding a company with friends and family, the importance of proactive communication to avoid "recovery mode" in partnerships, and Julie’s unique approach to fostering innovation by allowing employees the "freedom to nerd out". Julie also provides a candid look at her personal life, discussing how she managed to raise six children while scaling a multi-million dollar company, her perspective on entrepreneurial privilege, and the productivity hacks that kept her sane—and ultimately became a bestselling book 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: Julie Cole — a dynamic entrepreneur, recovered lawyer, and mom of six who traded in her legal career to co-found Mabel’s Labels, the award-winning company that transformed from a basement startup into a multi-million dollar industry leader.As Senior Director of Mabel’s Labels, Julie has helped revolutionize the durable label market while becoming a recognized voice in entrepreneurship, parenting, and women’s leadership. She’s an award-winning businesswoman, best-selling author, and in-demand speaker and media contributor, having appeared on major media outlets including NBC’s The Today Show, HLN’s Raising America, The Marilyn Denis Show, CNN, CP-24, and Breakfast Television. Her written work has been featured in The Huffington Post, The Globe and Mail, Profit Magazine, Today’s Parent, and more.Julie’s achievements have earned her notable recognition, including the RBC Women of Influence Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship, YWCA Women of Distinction Award in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Iris Award in Entrepreneurship, to name a few. Beyond business, Julie is deeply committed to community engagement, mentoring emerging entrepreneurs, and advocating for women’s rights. Whether she’s keynoting a conference or navigating the chaos of family life, Julie brings authenticity, humour, and heart to everything she does.Follow Julie for inspiration, real talk, and expert insights into entrepreneurship, parenting, and the power of building something meaningful from the ground up. Show Links: Mabel's Labels  Show Quotes: "I joke, I'm a recovered lawyer... I wanted to have a little bit of flexibility that I didn't think the traditional workforce probably wouldn't be able to provide."  "If you stop micromanaging, that's where the magic and the innovation will happen, and you let them do that stuff."  "Courage is—I always say when life gives me lemons, I make a gin and tonic." Credits...This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea MachineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer: Al Del Degan  

This episode of Leaders, Innovators, and Big Ideas (LIBI), host Rea Hailley sits down with Dawn, a veteran registered nurse turned entrepreneur, to tackle the "big, ugly, audacious goal" of fixing the nursing workforce crisis. With over 18 years of experience spanning critical care to clinical education, Dawn reveals a shocking gap in the healthcare ecosystem: the lack of a standardized, portable way for nurses to track their complex skill sets. They dive deep into the transition from clinician to "nursepreneur," the psychological weight of the profession, and how a collaborative digital platform can reduce fear for new grads while improving patient safety. From the impact of AI on clinical decision-making to the enduring power of professional relationships, this conversation is a masterclass in how nursing expertise is the ultimate foundation for healthcare innovation. 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: Dawn Leadbetter A registered nurse in Alberta, and a proud alumnus of both the U of A (BScN ’07) as well as the U of C (MN ’24), Dawn has gained extensive knowledge and experience from her clinical RN roles in adult intensive care, teaching clinical courses at MacEwan University in the undergraduate program. Gathering significant system level knowledge in her zone role as a CNE, her passion was focused on utilizing process improvement and change management skills. Since obtaining her MN, with certificates in Healthcare Innovation and Design and Leadership for Health Systems Transformation, Dawn was inspired to take the leap into her own consulting business Nurse Matrix Systems Inc. and began developing a platform aimed at solving one of the most complex workforce and retention problems, understanding and tracking nursing knowledge and skills attainment. Show Links: Nurse Matrix Systems Inc.  Show Quotes: "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. That is really where the healthcare ecosystem lives—we fail more often than not when we’re not collaborative." "A nurse is not just a nurse. Even moving from one ICU to another, there is a learning curve. We need to understand transferable skills to help people function safely and grow over time." "Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something is more important than that fear." Credits...This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea MachineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer: Al Del Degan  

In this insightful episode of LIBI, host Peter Beaudoin sits down with Jim Flett, the Managing Director of Sturgeon River Utilities. As a 100% Métis community-owned energy marketer based in St. Albert, this trailblazing entity is rewriting the script on indigenous economic development. Jim shares the rigorous, year-long journey of community engagement and democratic voting that led to the company’s launch, highlighting how the venture isn’t just about electricity and natural gas—it's about creating "own-source revenue" to fund local housing and accessible jobs for an aging membership. Whether you are interested in the mechanics of the Alberta energy market or the inspiring path toward community self-sufficiency, this conversation illuminates how local leadership and cultural pride can fuel a thriving, competitive business. 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: Peter Beaudoin manages strategy and partnerships for an innovative alliance of energy companies committed to reducing environmental impacts through collaborative R&D efforts. Peter worked for more than 20 years in Asia building and investing in a variety of businesses. His most recent role outside of Canada was with the World Wildlife Fund, where he was the Chief Executive Officer of WWF China, based in Beijing. Prior to that, Peter lived in Hong Kong for 15 years working in the technology industry. Guest: Jim Flett is the Managing Director of Sturgeon River Utilities, bringing over 15 years of experience in banking and finance to his leadership role. He has years of experience reflecting expertise in financial strategy and governance. In addition to his executive responsibilities, Jim serves on various boards, contributing strategic insight and strong oversight across multiple organizations. Show Links: Sturgeon River Utilities  St. Albert Metis District  Utility Consumer Advocate  Show Quotes: "Everything we do is community focused. The structure itself is owned a hundred percent by the St. Albert Métis district." "If we believe in ourselves enough as Métis community members to start something that will build for opportunities for more Métis people in the future... people will sign up and use those services." "The ability to make friends and these connections with other Métis people throughout the province is just so important." Credits...This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea MachineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer: Al Del Degan  

In this insightful episode of Leaders, Innovators, and Big Ideas (LIBI), host Rea Hailley sits down with Terri Davis, the visionary founder of Profound Talent and oolu. With 25 years of recruitment expertise, Terri shares her journey of transforming a traditionally manual, labor-intensive industry into an agile, AI-driven experience. The conversation dives deep into the rise of the "fractional workforce"—senior-level experts who provide strategic leadership without the full-time price tag—and how Terri’s new platform, oolu, is bridging the gap for scaling companies. Beyond the tech, Terri offers a candid look at the hurdles of being a non-technical founder, from managing international development teams to the financial grit required to fund a dream. It is a masterclass in resilience, market pivoting, and the courage to "work differently." 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: Terri Davis is a connector at heart—of people, purpose, and possibility. As the founder of ProFound Talent Inc. and oolu, she brings over 25 years of executive recruitment experience in helping businesses scale by finding the right talent to lead their growth.  A disruptor, Terri is redefining the future of work through oolu—a one-of-a-kind, AI-assisted platform that not only matches businesses with fractional leaders but manages contracts, payments, and support services in one seamless solution. It’s a disruptive shift in how we hire, how people work, and how organizations access critical leadership, faster and smarter. Think, swipe right to find your next leader.   With a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA, she’s combined deep business acumen with a genuine passion for helping people thrive—whether through traditional executive search or transformative tech. Her legacy is about more than placements; it's about building strong organizations and better lives through meaningful work. Show Links: oolu.ai  Show Quotes: "I want you to dream big, be extraordinary, and be profound. Know you can do it. You are amazing as a human being, so go build your dream." "Fractional is a part of the changing workforce that's happening. You get an executive leadership level experience that can hop in, work at the level you need, and take it off your plate as a founder so that you can move your business forward." "Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart, but it's also incredibly invigorating. You definitely have to be dedicated, you have to have a vision, and you have to have resilience." 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 chats with Daniella Jasper-Okumagba, the founder of The Bridge, a catering concierge service dedicated to making ethnic food everyday food. Daniella is on a mission to save the corporate world from "treacherous charcuterie boards" by connecting mainstream events with authentic multicultural caterers. She opens up about the steep learning curve of entrepreneurship, sharing her personal "24-hour rule" for processing setbacks and why she believes that every "No" is just one step closer to a "Yes." Tune in to hear how she turned a student athlete mindset into business success, and stay for the "wild story" about a breakfast catering nightmare that became the defining moment for her company's quality standards. 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:  Daniella Jasper-Okumagba is the founder of The BRDGE, a catering concierge service dedicated to a singular, bold mission: making authentic ethnic food as accessible as ordering a pizza. Recognizing that talented chefs often struggle to reach the mainstream market, Daniella built The BRDGE to connect food lovers with incredible home-style meals while supporting local businesses. She specializes in solving the catering challenge for corporate gatherings, weddings, and conferences, helping organizers source high-quality, diverse menus that satisfy multicultural teams and complex dietary restrictions alike. By delivering convenience without compromising on authenticity, Daniella is working to make international food "everyday food"—building bridges one meal at a time. Show Links: The BRDGE  Show Quotes: "I found that there was a lack of ethnic food representation when it comes to events in schools and industrial areas... and that we're saved from the treacherous charcuterie boards and dry sandwiches at every conference that we attend." "I have a 24 hour rule for myself. Whenever I face a rough day in general as an entrepreneur, I take that day. I feel all the feelings, I get sad, do whatever I need to do, but the next day I just jump back right back into it." "There can't be another you... yes, someone can replicate that, but when it comes to a brand or people's connection to a brand, there's nobody that can replace how you make them feel." Credits...This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea MachineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer: Al Del Degan