Producing works of value and building relationships

Professional and Corporate
Written by Stuart McNish

Guest: Christy Smith (indigenous engagement professional)

For Christy Smith’s role in indigenous engagement in environmental consulting, fieldwork is what makes her thrive. She loves going out into the community to build relationships and understanding the nuances of each community. This is a far cry from her dreams of being an artist, which were put on hold after she became a mother; she realized that she wanted to produce a work of value for her child’s future. This led her down a path of self-discovery, both personally and professionally.

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Fundraising by selling impact and showing how to help
Fundraising by selling impact and showing how to help

How does the Kettle Society, a mental health and housing nonprofit, get its funding? That is the challenge that Michelle Vanderzon tackles, in her role as the director of philanthropy. This is often in the form of grant writing and applications, which relies on a variety of strategies, such as storytelling and building relationships with companies, family foundations, and those who care about the mission.

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Doing more than average to become above average
Doing more than average to become above average

As far as Scott Jacob is concerned, he has the greatest job he can have. As the CEO of Jacob Bros. Construction, he deals with ensuring that the company runs smoothly and clients get what they need, while his brother (and business partner) handles more of the safety and finance. Knowing and realizing the impact of what the company does is what drives him forward every day – he believes that doing more than average is needed to become above average.

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Cultivating a workplace where people are heard
Cultivating a workplace where people are heard

When people think of human resources, there is often a very narrow view of what it is. When Fit Foods hired Giselle Blackman as VP of People and Culture, this was something they wanted to change. How do you make people feel seen and heard? Addressing this is the key to cultivating a positive and healthy workplace – a place that isn’t afraid to ask allegedly “stupid questions” that could lead to innovations and ideas.

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Lumber and forestry business in his blood
Lumber and forestry business in his blood

When Ken Kalesnikoff was approached to form a task force around Canada’s lumber industry, it was a tall challenge but he was the right person for the job – it came shortly after his role as the principal leader of Kalesnikoff, a lumber company based in Castlegar, British Columbia. Lumber had always been in his blood, growing up in Thrums, an extremely small logging town between Castlegar and nearby Nelson.

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Stuart McNish
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Not being daunted by difficult or controversial projects
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An Inventor and entrepreneur who finds the fun in start-ups