Episode 60. Check out this unique and really cool episode of the Lifetime at Work podcast, though it’s a bit different than the others.

Instead of our host, Greg Martin, asking the questions, this episode features an interview that Greg did as the guest on another podcast. The show is called Own Your Role with Dino Watt and it highlights leaders in the field of business sharing advice to guests.

This is a great interview which is why we’re replaying it here covering Greg’s story and career, advice from his career and podcasts experiences and lots of other good nuggets along the way.

Episode 59. Bill Vlaad is a well known name across Bay Street and the Canadian capital markets. He’s one of the most important connectors in the business because as a recruiter, him and the team are forever trying to put the best people at the best companies.

In this episode, host Greg Martin talks with the CEO of Vlaad and Company as he brings in-depth knowledge about the financial services industry and also discuss his previous experience as an investment banker and corporate development director.

Professional cadence is a high value yet often overlooked skill in the finance world. Professional cadence encompasses someone’s energy, methods, and the way they like to do things. As Bill explains, aligning a person’s cadence is critical to finding that place in the working world where you belong and thrive.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• What a valuable mentor looks like and why they aren’t easy to find.
• The mentors who had the most significant impact on Bill’s career.
• The services offered at Vlaad and Company and what makes them an industry leader.
• How they support students in learning about their industry and the finance market.
• Why Bill says he wasn’t the best investment banker.
• The number-one thing Bill looks for in finance professionals and why.
• Why you shouldn’t fake your way into a role (even if you really want it).How the finance industry offers brilliant careers for the right person.
• What firms could do a better job of in order to attract unique new candidates.
• The challenge Bill was expected to face in the industry that hasn’t really impacted him.
• What the future looks like for Vlaad and Company as informed by their model.
• Who Bill counts on for new ideas to help him build a sustainable firm.
• Why being flexible in your tools and methods is important to your career evolution.

Episode 58. We all complain about our jobs sometimes, its a part of the world of work. But much of our enjoyment comes from the culture within the organization we work for and can make a huge different in our personal job happiness and satisfaction.

This episode guest is Chris Dyer, an entrepreneur who started his business and found himself leading a culture that wasn’t perfect. After selling his business he realized that many of the things that make a great company is a great culture and he was determined to understand the ingredients for this success. Chris took everything he learned and put it in his book “The Power of Company Culture: How Any Business Can Build a Culture that Improves Productivity, Performance and Profits.”

He uses his knowledge to teach the fundamental things companies can do to improve their company culture to not only impact their bottom line, but to also become a business where people are happy to work.

Key Takeaways and Discussion

• The accidental titles Chris identifies with and how being curious led to that.
• Why he decided to leave the world of HR to pursue something new.
• How Chris showed his entrepreneur skills from a young age.
• How his business became unscalable and what he did to fix it.
• The biggest challenge he faced after selling his business.
• The word that made him realize his true passion for keynote speaking.
• How Chris became an expert in company culture and why he teaches it now.
• The seven pillars Chris teaches in his book and why it works for any business.
• What most CEOs are good at versus what they tend to need help with.
• Signs of a great company culture (and signs that it’s not so great).
• What your perspective about your team really means and why it matters.
• Why yearly surveys are not the answer to better company culture, and how to do better.
• The responsibilities of a leader and how they can prevent problems before they start.
• Why some people don’t love their job and what their next move should be.