When you go west, young man

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• When to stop explaining and start selling

  Meghan Kraemer & Cameron Stark March 5, 2025

  Launch your own agency with blood, sweat, and pee. Meghan and Cameron reveal how they built Hard Work Club with Post It notes and a dream. Plus, they unpack work for Knix and Doordash.

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• When you started from the bottom (now we’re here)

  Francesco Grandi February 26, 2025

  Francesco (Fran, if you’re buds) on his ascension from lowly intern at Ogilvy to the CCO throne. Plus, the Dove campaigns he’s worked on for the last 2 decades.

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• When being kind is the best advice

  Luc Du Sault February 5, 2025

  Luc talks about his “Mad Men” roots and why advertising and design in Quebec are so unique. Plus, he shares how work for the government can get you on the international stage. C’est malade!

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• When everyone says no, don’t give up on your dreams

  Krystle Mullin January 29, 2025

  Krystle’s story slash soon to be a Netflix series is a gripping tale of tenacity, eagles, and vodka roulette. From a master’s degree to scrappy (Windex-y??) career starts, she goes from being told she’s not good enough to becoming that agency’s CCO. This episode is unignorable.

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• When work is on fire

  Ron Tite January 22, 2025

  “What’s the deal with advertising??” Ron’s set takes us on a wild ride, from stand-up, to account guy, to creative, to owning his own agency. Plus, how his side hustle turned full time.

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• How to edit your career

  Graham Chisholm December 19, 2023

  Our 50th episode extravaganza! Graham Chisholm, this year’s Mick Griffin Best Editing Award Gold winner, gets candid about his career. From not knowing what he wanted to do, to working in Montreal to Toronto to LA, to launching a business, Graham talks about his career as an editor, the ups and downs, never giving up, and his process for great work. His incredible stories from the cutting room floor will leave you inspired and fired up.

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• How to Disney + the truth

  Derek Blais December 5, 2023

  Derek unpacks the Missing Matoaka project, and the true story of Pocahontas. He very candidly speaks about his family and his connection to the work as an Indigenous Canadian.

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• How to burn books

  Caroline Friesen & Robbie Percy November 21, 2023

  Caroline and Robbie talk about burning The Handmaid’s Tale (or rather, trying to burn it, with a flame thrower… and Margaret Atwood) as well as work for IKEA that got trolled.

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• How to design your life

  Stephanie Yung November 7, 2023

  Stephanie opens up about the power of design and its role in not only our industry but in making the world a better place. She also discusses how she used her design expertise to map her journey to motherhood (Project Junior) as well as work to combat unconscious bias with The Micropedia. It’s a personal, beautiful, incredibly inspiring interview.

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• How to work with celebrities

  Diti Katona & John Pylypczak October 24, 2023

  Have you ever wondered how to present ideas by carving a potato? Find out the answer with Diti and John! They are THE power couple of all things design, creative, and cool. Plus celeb gossip! Hear the inside scoop on working with Halsey, Lenny Kravitz, and The Fat Jewish.

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• How to be a Serial Entrepreneur

  Amin Todai September 5, 2023

  Amin teaches himself how to launch an agency at age 22, befriends the Raptors, starts a “Pimp My Ride” business, gets into the restaurant game, almost goes bankrupt multiple times, sells his ice cream franchise for like a bazillion dollars, is now into AI – oh, and still runs a successful agency. If you remember C-Lounge, this episode is for you.

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• How to make a billionaire mad

  Erin Kawalecki August 22, 2023

  Let’s get paid to play video games! Erin teaches us how to hack the system and get a bazillionaire to help fund local communities. Plus, how to launch your own agency.

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• How to and your next job in advertising

  Hemal Dhanjee & Steve Ierullo August 8, 2023

  Steven Hemal discusses their upcoming memoir “Bananas & Coffee: how to thrive as a creative.” Plus, they unpack KFC "Fixed It" and Nescafe “Jars”. Also… is this one person or two? Find out!

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• How to work in la Belle Province

  Xavier Blais July 25, 2023

  Xavier talks through the creative process for Heinz A.I. Ketchup and Decathlon Ability Signs. Plus, he talks candidly about living, working, and creating in Montreal. And reminds us not to trip on the flowers on the carpet.

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• How to love advertising

  Denise Rossetto July 11, 2023

  Denise Rossetto shares new work for Kruger that shows how messy love can be. And how messy working in advertising can be. But we love it anyway. And how messy starting an ad agency can be. But she did it anyway. And loves it.

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• Lights! Camera! Lions!

  Scouts Honour December 15, 2022

  Director Mark Zibert, and EPs Simon Dragland & Rita Popielak from Scouts Honour reveal what happens on the production side of things on huge award-winning campaigns such as SickKids and ROM. Plus how a great agency / client / production partnership can bring beautiful ideas to life.

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• Moving boulders for creativity

  Andrea Cook November 29, 2022

  Andrea Cook (CEO, Performance Art) as our first CEO guest! An economist who once set her sights on becoming the next Gordon Gekko, she rose through the ranks of advertising, leading the charge in the digital, data, and CRM space. Now the work she “moves boulders for” wins Lions and is the benchmark for world-class, data-rich thinking. Plus, find out why her old boss threw the entire contents of a wardrobe at her.

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• Liquid lunch at Noodles, anyone?

  Cynthia Heyd November 1, 2022

  Cynthia Heyd (Executive Producer, The Deli) brings us through the evolution of the role of producer since the ‘90s. She talks candidly about the “mad men years”, sensational set stories, why she became an entrepreneur, and ageism in the industry.

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• It (the strategy) belongs in a museum!

  Jay Chaney & Kristy Pleckaitis October 18th, 2022

  Jay Chaney & Kristy Pleckaitis (Broken Heart Love Affair) talk about why great strategies allow creative minds to get crazy and the way they uncover human insights.

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• This gets weird fast.

  Mikey Richardson September 27th, 2022

  Mikey Richardson (Co-Founder/Co-ECD, Jacknife) talks design language for YTV, and how they won the pitch with a garbage bag of ideas. Plus, how he and partner Mike Kelar launched a studio right out of OCAD and it’s still going strong 26 years later.

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• Sweet Dreams, Sweet Jesus

  Steve Miller September 10th, 2022

  Steve Miller (ECD, FUSE Create) talks about the Sleep-Eze campaign that had everyone in a dream state. Plus, how rock’n roll can help you break into advertising, and the story behind La Carnita + Sweet Jesus ice cream.

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• If the world ends, do we get our money back?

  Natalie Armata & Alanna Nathanson July 19th, 2022

  Natalie Armata and Alanna Nathanson (Giants & Gentlemen) dig into Harvey's and reveal the drink of summer. Plus, how they launched their own agency with a ton of ambition (and zero clients) and have transformed it into the gentle giant it is today.

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• Beer me, Barry!

  Barry Quinn July 5th, 2022

  Barry Quinn (Founder/Chief Creative, Quake) talks Miller Lite, GoodFood, launching and growing Juniper Park, and his new adventure, Quake.

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• Casting Call

  Shasta Lutz June 21st, 2022

  Shasta Lutz, casting director and owner of Jigsaw Casting, talks about the talent that brings scripts to life. Hilarious, honest, and candid, Shasta takes us on her career journey, how the industry has evolved, and where we are going today.

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• Billion Dollar Baby

  Lori Davison June 8th, 2022

  The client side of the SickKids VS. story! Lori Davison (Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, ROM) shares what it takes to be a bold, hugely successful marketer and a true agency partner. Hear how, as a client, fostering creativity and trusting your gut leads to game-changing results.

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• Let's move to Sudbury!

  Dhaval Bhatt May 24th, 2022

  Dhaval Bhatt (CCO, Courage and former Partner/CD, Rethink) talks about the importance of diversity and inclusion in advertising, and the story behind work for IKEA, Scotiabank and Molson. Plus, Dhaval’s journey from India to the Canadian advertising world, and how one signature changed his life.

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• Sending the Right Signal

  Graham Lang May 10th, 2022

  Graham Lang (former CCO at Juniper Park\TBWA) talks about how a social media campaign on TikTok saved lives around the world.

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• Rock ‘n Roll Holiday Spectacular

  Tom Westin December 15th, 2020

  In the season 2 finale, Tom Westin (Partner, Creative Director at Grayson Music) talks about a career in the music business, rock ‘n roll, and how one dinner can change your whole life. Plus, he unpacks the craft behind campaigns for Rogers and DoorDash and how the audio business, like our industry, is rapidly evolving.

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• Singing, Dancing, and Tampons

  Rica Eckersley December 8th, 2020

  Rica Eckersley (Creative Director at UNION) talks about her longtime partnership with Adam Thur and unpacks two incredible campaigns they did for Interval House (Broken Bride Registry & Freedom Tampons). Plus, Lyranda reveals how influential Rica has been on her career.

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• This Episode Has No Name

  Mo Bofill December 2nd, 2020

  Mo Bofill (Partner & Creative Director, Design at 123w) talks about her work on No Name, why design is more important than ever, and why people don’t quit their jobs (they quit their bosses).

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• How to get a job in advertising

  Patrice Pollack November 24th, 2020

  Patrice Pollack, Creative Director at FUSE Create, talks about work for Reel Start, which empowers underrepresented youth to change their world through film. Plus, how she couldn't get a job in advertising, so just went off to win a Lion instead.

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• Food Waste and Beautiful Courage

  Brian Murray November 3rd, 2020

  Brian Murray (CCO of Ogilvy Canada) on how they visualized the impact of food waste for Hellmann’s and how a campaign for Dove that celebrates front line workers made it to the cover of the New York Times.

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• It’s Halloween! Let’s talk Monsters.

  Mike Dubrick & Joel Holtby October 27th, 2020

  Mike Dubrick & Joel Holtby, Partners and Creative Directors at Rethink, talk about Ikea Stuff Monster and Lamp 2.

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• BLEEPS, BEEPS, and Sober October.

  Lance Martin October 20th, 2020

  Lance Martin, Chief Creative Officer at UNION, goes behind the scenes for work on Viagra and Mini Cooper. Special Sober October edition!

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• Lady brands. Like cars and beer.

  Christina Yu October 13th, 2020

  Christina Yu, former Managing Partner/Creative at Rethink and EVP, CCO at Red Urban on work for Volkswagen, Stella Artois, and on being the “token female in the room.”

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• Follow The Raptors to Bring Back the Bees

  Peter Ignazi October 6th, 2020

  Peter Ignazi (Global CCO, Cossette) talks about how to crack globally recognized creative work for huge multinational clients like McDonald’s and General Mills.

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• Fast Cars & Bionic Bodies

  Brent Choi September 29th, 2020

  Former DDB Canada CCO / CEO Brent Choi on work for BMW Canada with a client who cashed in every chip to make it happen. Plus, work for Northwell Health that changed lives. He also discusses his experience as “the only non-white person” when working in certain areas of the USA post-Trump.

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• Oh no, I cursed the Raptors!

  Neil Walker-Wells September 23rd, 2020

  Neil Walker-Wells (Group Creative Director, Juniper Park\TBWA) talks about the greatest basketball team ever and their partnership with GoDaddy. Was it a blessing… or a curse?

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• Dream Job vs Your Actual Dreams: listen to your gut

  Jordan Doucette September 15th, 2020

  Creative Powerhouse Jordan Doucette talks about her tenure as CCO of Leo Burnett Chicago, and what it was like to move her whole family during a global pandemic to accept a partnership at her dream agency, No Fixed Address.

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• Don't Cry Over Broken Bread

  Hubert Davis & Joseph Bonnici September 8th, 2020

  A special two part episode for our Season 2 premiere. Director Hubert Davis and Joseph Bonnici (CCO, Bensimon Byrne) talk about their unique creative partnership, friendship, and about major issues facing our industry (and the world). An important, must-hear episode.

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• Our Food. Your Questions,

  Ian Mackenzie March 3rd, 2020

  Ian Mackenzie (Chief Creative Officer at FCB/SIX) sinks his teeth into how the world-famous McDonald’s 'Our Food. Your Questions' platform came to be. Plus, he shares the story behind the powerful campaign 'Go Back to Africa'.

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• This calls for a Bud Light

  Dave Chiavegato February 25th, 2020

  Dave Chiavegato (Partner, Creative at Grip Limited) talks about a small challenger brand called Bud Light and how The Institute was created. Plus, how a client with a dream for how things could be done differently helped form the agency Grip is today.

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• Opening an Agency: For Dummies

  Zak Mroueh February 11th, 2020

  Zak Mroueh (Founder, CEO, and Chief Creative Officer of Zulu Alpha Kilo) talks about creating his own agency - and admits he had no idea what he was doing, and no clients, when he went for it.

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• Quaaludes and Cured Meats

  Stephen Jurisic February 4th, 2020

  Stephen Jurisic (Dean at Miami Ad School Toronto) shares the hilarious tale of a TV shoot gone sideways for Maple Leaf Foods.

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• Fast cars and propaganda

  Vanessa Eckstein January 28th, 2020

  In this special design-focused episode, Vanessa Eckstein (Founder & Creative Director at Blok Design) shares her passion for design, her love of craft, and how always pushing for the best led her to designing race cars.

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• Make my cease and desist a double double

  Alexis Bronstorph & Kelsey Horne January 21st, 2020

  Alexis Bronstorph and Kelsey Horne (Executive Creative Directors at TAXI) share the crazy adventure of how they brought a working Tim Horton’s into someone’s home in a quiet Alberta neighbourhood. Plus, they reveal the story behind the powerful #UNIGNORABLE campaign for the United Way.

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• The Evolution of Dove (and Dove Evolution)

  Janet Kestin January 14th, 2020

  Janet Kestin (Co-Founder and Partner of Swim, a creative leadership lab) talks about how a beauty brand became a global movement.

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• The Beer Fridge

  Aaron Starkman January 7th, 2020

  Aaron Starkman (Managing Partner, Creative at Rethink) opens the fridge door to the iconic Molson Canadian campaign, and shares stories from his podcast “It’s Only Fucking Advertising.”

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• Tigers, tears, and tenacity: the SickKids VS story

  Carlos Moreno December 17th, 2019

  Carlos Moreno (Global CCO at Cossette) opens up about Post It note meetings, tigers, and the emotional toll of creating truly groundbreaking work for SickKids.

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• A Diamond Shreddie in the Rough

  Nancy Vonk December 10th, 2019

  Nancy Vonk (Co-Founder and Partner of Swim, a creative leadership lab) talks about flipping the cereal category on its head, and reveals how from pressure comes diamonds, especially when you’re the intern.

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• Sexy sumos and suds: how Subaru got its groove back

  Andrew Simon & Matt Antonello December 3rd, 2019

  Andrew Simon (CCO, Edelman Canada) and Matt Antonello (one of Canada's top freelance writers) talk about how to push the envelope with conservative clients to create memorable, damn sexy work that drives results.

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• Sweat, swear words, and success

  Nancy Crimi-Lamanna November 26th, 2019

  Nancy Crimi-Lamanna (Co-CCO, FCB Toronto) opens up about the incredible success, and controversy, that spans four years of work for the Canadian Down Syndrome Society (CDSS).

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• LG2 Legit 2 Quit on a big idea

  Nellie Kim & Chris Hirsch November 19th, 2019

  Nellie Kim and Chris Hirsch (Partners, VPs, ECDs at lg2 Toronto) reveal how the underground Korean media network got them to gold and celebrate Chris’s success as an international meme.

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• Cook This with Ketchup

  Anthony Chelvanathan November 12th, 2019

  Anthony Chelvanathan (SVP, Creative Director at Leo Burnett Canada) talks about his work for Ikea and TSN, opening up about how they built up his pain threshold, both professionally and personally.

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• Pink Ponies & Death Threats

  Angus Tucker October 29th, 2019

  On our very first episode, Angus Tucker (CCO at john st.) talks about his agency’s self-promo work and the worldwide reactions that resulted.

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