It's Time for Success: The Business Insights Podcast

Mental health challenges aren’t always obvious. Sometimes the people carrying the heaviest load are still your highest performers. In this episode of It’s Time for Success: The Business Insights Podcast, Sharon DeKoning sits down with Matt Martens to talk about burnout, workplace mental health, resilience, and how business owners and leaders can recognize when someone may be struggling. Drawing from his years in oil and gas, leadership experience, personal journey, and work as a facilitator with Empowering Minds, Matt shares why noticing changes in behaviour can be an important first step. Matt and Sharon discuss the subtle signs of burnout, including changes in appearance, communication, mood, work habits, and behaviour. They explore why leaders don’t need to become therapists or have all the answers. Their role can simply be to notice, ask thoughtful questions, listen without immediately trying to fix the problem, and help connect someone with appropriate resources. Matt also explains the importance of creating space for recovery, setting boundaries around work and technology, developing self-awareness, and understanding that resilience isn’t about pretending everything is okay. The conversation also turns the lens toward business owners and leaders themselves. Who watches out for the person who is watching out for everyone else? Matt shares his own experiences with counselling, personal challenges, burnout, and recovery, and explains why taking care of your mental health can be preventative maintenance, not simply something you address during a crisis. For entrepreneurs, managers, employees, and anyone carrying a heavy workload, this episode is an important reminder to pay attention to the people around you while remembering to put on your own oxygen mask too. About Matt Martens Matt Martens is a facilitator with Empowering Minds and a featured presenter for the You Make the Difference Foundation, where he is helping communities build greater awareness around mental health, suicide prevention, and becoming a “first identifier” for someone who may be struggling. Before stepping into this work, Matt spent much of his career in Alberta’s oil and gas industry. A journeyman in welding, steamfitting, and gas fitting, he went on to work as a consultant and later spent 18 years with a midstream company, eventually moving into leadership. Matt’s passion for mental health advocacy is deeply personal. His experiences with burnout, isolation, counselling, major life challenges, and his own mental health journey helped shape his desire to support others. Today, he is focused on helping people recognize changes in those around them, start difficult conversations with compassion, and connect people with the resources they need. Matt and his wife are also building Martens Pet Cremation Services. Resources discussed in this episode: Empowering Minds You Make the Difference Foundation 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline (Call or text 9-8-8 in Canada for suicide crisis 24/7) — Contact Sharon DeKoning | It's Time Promotions: Website: itpromo.ca LinkedIn: Sharon DeKoning Facebook: It’s Time Promotions Google: It’s Time Promotions Contact Matt Martens | Martens Pet Cremation Services : Website: Martens Pet Cremation Services LinkedIn: Matt Martens

In this inspiring episode, host Sharon DeKoning welcomes Lisa Dublin, executive coach, speaker, founder of Optimum Success Strategies, host of Basement Chronicles, and performance poet. Lisa shares her journey from Saint Lucia to Edmonton and how she combined coaching, speaking, writing, and entrepreneurship into a career centred around helping people live and lead with confidence. Together, Sharon and Lisa explore the realities of entrepreneurship, including imposter syndrome, failure, making money, finding your strengths, and having the courage to keep going when something doesn’t work the first time. Lisa introduces her powerful three-question postmortem framework: What worked? What didn’t work? What will I do differently next time? She explains how this simple process turns mistakes into practical learning opportunities while preserving what is already working. The conversation then moves into public speaking and commanding a room, where Lisa encourages entrepreneurs to shift their attention away from themselves and toward the people they are there to serve. From sales calls and presentations to podcasts and social media, she reminds listeners that speaking is ultimately a conversation and that confidence grows when you focus on your message, your audience, and the value you can provide. Sharon and Lisa also dig into the authentic advantage and why filtering your personality can limit your influence. Lisa explains that authenticity reveals your values, naturally attracting people who connect with what you stand for while repelling those who don’t, and that can be a good thing. They discuss finding your unique voice, accepting yourself without placing yourself above or beneath others, building relationships through the principle of “know + like + trust = buy,” and finding work that sits in your zone of genius. Lisa’s message for entrepreneurs is clear: learn from what doesn’t work, communicate with confidence, embrace what makes you uniquely you, and pursue the work you genuinely love. About Lisa Dublin Lisa Dublin is an executive coach, speaker, trainer, certified life coach, founder of Optimum Success Strategies, host of Basement Chronicles, author, and performance poet. Originally from Saint Lucia, Lisa moved to Edmonton in 2013 and has built her work around helping people live and lead with confidence. Through coaching, speaking engagements, writing, and her signature Speak with Confidence program, she helps individuals strengthen their communication skills and step more confidently into their leadership. Lisa describes her approach as rooted in “cringey honesty”—the belief that the vulnerable, uncomfortable, and imperfect parts of our stories can become some of our greatest assets. Her work combines communication, personal development, authenticity, creativity, and a deep commitment to helping people discover and pursue their calling. Resources discussed in this episode: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill Master of One by Jordan Raynor Key Moments: [00:02:12] Lisa Dublin’s Story & Entrepreneurial Journey [00:06:25] Learning from Failure: The Three-Question Postmortem Framework [00:10:04] Knowing Your Strengths & Learning What to Delegate [00:11:25] How to Command a Room with Confidence [00:17:36] Shift the Focus from Selling to Serving Your Customer [00:19:01] “Know + Like + Trust = Buy” [00:20:10] The Authentic Advantage: Why Being Yourself Builds Influence [00:27:24] Finding Your Unique Voice & Owning Your Values [00:40:09] Creativity, Performance Poetry & Returning to What You Love [00:45:27] Speak with Confidence, Getting Unstuck & Lisa’s Coaching Approach Contact Sharon DeKoning | It's Time Promotions: Website: itpromo.ca LinkedIn: Sharon DeKoning Facebook: It’s Time Promotions Google: It’s Time Promotions Contact Lisa Dublin | Optimum Success Strategies : Website: lisadublin.com LinkedIn: Lisa Dublin Podcast: Basement Chronicles

In this inspiring episode, Sharon sits down with Chanelle Chalazan, a young entrepreneur who started her jewelry business at just 13 years old. What began as a hobby and a few listings on Facebook Marketplace quickly gained traction, leading Chanelle into trade shows, e-commerce, billboard campaigns, media appearances, and a Canada-wide tour, all while attending high school full-time. She shares how passion, affordability, product quality, and a willingness to put herself out there helped turn a small idea into a growing Canadian brand. Chanelle gets practical about the realities of entrepreneurship, from bootstrapping and testing customer demand to choosing social media platforms, building a professional website, working with suppliers, and deciding where to invest in advertising. She explains why entrepreneurs can’t simply wait for opportunities to find them and shares her experiences reaching out to media outlets, pursuing trade shows, experimenting with radio and billboard advertising, and overcoming assumptions about her age. Throughout her journey, networking, consistency, and building credibility have been essential to continued growth. The conversation also highlights the importance of mentorship and having the right people in your corner. Chanelle credits her dad as her biggest mentor and supporter while emphasizing the value of surrounding yourself with knowledgeable professionals and learning from other business owners—even your competitors. With ambitious plans to continue expanding her brand across Canada and beyond, Chanelle’s message to entrepreneurs of any age is clear: start small, know your goals, keep learning, build a strong support system, and don’t be afraid to ask, “What’s next?” About Chanelle Chalazan Chanelle Chalazan is the young entrepreneur behind Chic & Charmed Boutique, a Canadian jewelry brand she began at just 13 years old. Starting by making jewelry herself and selling through Facebook Marketplace, Chanelle quickly discovered demand for affordable, waterproof jewelry and began expanding the business through trade shows, e-commerce, advertising, and media exposure. Her entrepreneurial journey has since taken her to events across Canada, while her story and business have attracted attention from major media outlets. Now 16, Chanelle continues to manage much of the business herself—from online orders and customer communication to social media, advertising, product design, and trade show planning—all while attending high school. With plans to grow the brand throughout Canada and potentially into international markets, Chanelle brings an impressive combination of ambition, curiosity, confidence, and a commitment to continuous learning. In this episode, you’ll hear: 00:00 – Meet Chanelle Chalazan: Building a Business at 16 02:39 – From a Love of Jewelry to a Growing Business 04:21 – Trade Shows, Customer Demand & Expanding Across Canada 06:45 – Networking, Media Exposure & Building Brand Awareness 13:34 – Mentorship, Family Support & Learning from Competition 15:45 – Scaling Production & Finding the Right Suppliers 19:32 – Social Media Strategies for Growing a Business 21:25 – E-Commerce, WordPress & When to Invest in a Website 24:14 – Bootstrapping, Reinvesting & Building a Business Team 27:38 – Overcoming Age Assumptions & Building Credibility 29:42 – Billboards, Radio & Marketing That Gets Attention 34:07 – Balancing School, Future Growth & Chanelle’s Advice for Entrepreneurs Resources discussed in this episode: Facebook Marketplace WordPress (WordPress.org) WooCommerce (WooCommerce) Zeal Media — this is the Saskatoon-based agency Chanelle referenced. (Zeal Media Inc) PATTISON Outdoor Advertising (Pattison Outdoor) Global News CTV News CityNews Retail Insider — Contact Sharon DeKoning | It's Time Promotions: Website: itpromo.ca LinkedIn: Sharon DeKoning Facebook: It’s Time Promotions Google: It’s Time Promotions Contact Chanelle | Chic & Charmed Boutique: Website: chicncharmedjewelry.com Instagram: @chicandcharmedbychanelle Facebook: Chic & Charmed Boutique by Chanelle

In this energizing episode of It’s Time for Success: The Business Insights Podcast, host Sharon DeKoning sits down with high-performance coach and author Jill Payne to explore one of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs and high achievers: managing their energy. Jill explains why constantly working harder isn’t necessarily the answer and introduces her “Be a Dime” philosophy, using a scale of zero to ten to become more aware of the energy you bring into your work and life. Through her practical BFD framework (Body, Focus, and Dialogue) Jill shows how small shifts in posture, attention, and self-talk can change how we experience even the most stressful situations. Jill and Sharon dig into the pressure business owners put on themselves, from worrying about payroll and deadlines to feeling responsible for employees, customers, and everyone around them. Jill explains why high achievers can also be their own harshest critics and how negative self-talk quietly drains capacity. They discuss shifting from worry toward the ideal outcome, validating difficult emotions before trying to solve them, and replacing the constant internal urgency of “hurry up” with a calmer, more sustainable approach. Jill also explores self-regard and why caring for yourself means not only knowing what you need, but actually responding to those needs. The conversation expands into leadership, relationships, and workplace culture as Jill explains that “how you lead yourself is how you lead others.” Rather than lowering your own energy to meet someone on a negative channel, she encourages leaders to manage their own energy first and give others the tools and space to manage theirs. For entrepreneurs who are used to running at full speed, this episode offers a practical reminder that feeling better isn’t something you earn after the work is finished. Taking care of your energy can help you become a more resourceful, confident, positive, and effective business owner, and enjoy the life and business you’re working so hard to build. About Jill Payne Jill Payne is a high-performance coach, speaker, author of Be a Dime, and creator of an energy management framework designed to help people intentionally shift how they feel and show up. Originally from Nova Scotia and now based in Victoria, Jill has spent approximately 15 years coaching and speaking about performance, energy, and personal development. Her work has reached high performers ranging from Olympic athletes to organizations including Google and NASA. Through her “Be a Dime” philosophy, Jill teaches people to evaluate their energy on a scale of zero to ten and use their Body, Focus, and Dialogue to consciously move toward a better channel. Her approach combines self-awareness, self-regard, emotional intelligence, and practical energy management strategies that can be applied in business, leadership, relationships, and everyday life. Resources discussed in this episode: Be a Dime by Jill Payne Key Moments: [00:01:20] Meet Jill Payne: Why Energy Matters for Business Owners [00:03:35] Be a Dime: The 1–10 Energy Scale [00:05:04] Body, Focus & Dialogue: The BFD Energy Framework [00:09:55] How Your Energy Changes the Way You See Problems [00:13:59] Feeling Drained? Tend to Yourself Before Your Work [00:18:33] Stop Outsourcing Your Self-Worth [00:23:34] Bringing Better Energy to Stress, Sales & Financial Pressure [00:29:34] Managing Other People’s Energy Without Losing Your Own [00:39:15] Redefining Your Personal Marker of Success [00:41:27] Managing the Noise, Staying in Your Lane & Protecting Your Energy [00:48:36] Are You Actually Tired—or Just Low on Energy? — Contact Sharon DeKoning | It's Time Promotions: Website: itpromo.ca LinkedIn: Sharon DeKoning Facebook: It’s Time Promotions Google: It’s Time Promotions Contact Jill Payne | Be a Dime: Website: jillpayne.ca Instagram: @be_a_dime YouTube: Jill Payne LinkedIn: Jill Payne

What happens to your business when you're ready to walk away? Whether retirement is years down the road or an unexpected life event changes your plans, having an exit strategy is something you begin planning years in advance, not building at the last minute. In this insightful episode, Sharon welcomes Jeffrey Cullen, an Accredited Senior Business Broker with Sunbelt Business Brokers and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor. Jeffrey explains why most businesses aren't actually ready to sell, why confidentiality is critical during the selling process, and why waiting until you're burned out can significantly reduce the value of everything you've worked so hard to build. He also shares what buyers truly look for, how business brokers determine a realistic selling price, and why understanding your financials, customer concentration, and operational systems can dramatically impact your company's value. Throughout the conversation, Sharon and Jeffrey dive into the importance of building a business that can thrive without the owner. They discuss creating documented systems, developing strong leadership teams, reducing owner dependence, diversifying customers and suppliers, and preparing financially and personally for life after business ownership. Whether your exit is five years away or fifteen, this episode provides practical guidance to help you build a stronger business today while preparing for a more successful transition tomorrow. About Jeffrey Cullen Jeffrey Cullen is an Accredited Senior Business Broker with Sunbelt Business Brokers in Edmonton and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA). With a background as a mechanical engineer, MBA graduate, management consultant, and university business instructor, Jeffrey has spent decades helping entrepreneurs build stronger businesses, navigate succession planning, and successfully transition ownership. Today, Jeffrey specializes in confidential business sales, business valuations, and exit planning strategies. He works with owners across Alberta to maximize the value of their businesses, avoid common selling mistakes, and guide buyers and sellers through the complex process of business transitions with confidence and professionalism. Resources discussed in this episode: Sunbelt Business Brokers – Edmonton Exit Planning Institute (EPI) Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) Business Valuation Services – Sunbelt Edmonton Finish Big by Bo Burlingham Your Baby's Ugly by Justin Goodbread — Contact Sharon DeKoning | It's Time Promotions: Website: itpromo.ca LinkedIn: Sharon DeKoning Facebook: It’s Time Promotions Google: It’s Time Promotions Contact Jeffrey D. Cullen, MBA, CEPA | Accredited Senior Business Broker: Website: sunbeltcanada.com Instagram: @bizbrokerjeff Facebook: Jeffrey Cullen LinkedIn: Jeffrey Cullen Phone: (780) 469-3535