In this episode of Aligned Ambition: Authentically Kate, Kate sits down with Sean Grixti, a leader working at the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and strategic growth.

Sean is passionate about building and scaling sustainable technologies and is widely recognized for his expertise in commercial strategy, technology commercialization, and developing strategic industrial partnerships. He currently leads business development at Torngat Metals, a rare earth mining company focused on the critical minerals shaping our future.

Previously, Sean served as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Cyclic Materials, where he established the company’s first commercial relationships, and led European expansion efforts for lithium ion battery recycling startup Li Cycle. His career reflects a deep curiosity for emerging technologies and a willingness to navigate uncertainty in fast growing, high impact industries.

Together, Kate and Sean explore
• Navigating unplanned pivots and uncertain career paths
• Leadership inside startup and scale up environments
• Making decisions without rigid timelines
• Managing ambition without burning out
• Risk, responsibility, and resilience in high stakes roles
• How wellness, travel, and boundaries support long term success

Sean holds an M.A.Sc. in Materials Engineering from the University of Toronto and a B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry from McMaster University.

This episode is an honest conversation about building a meaningful career while staying grounded, intentional, and aligned, even when the path forward is not always clear.

If this conversation resonates, subscribe and follow for more. Share this episode with someone navigating growth or a career pivot. Your support helps these conversations reach more people.

💫 Connect with Kate Hanson
🌐 www.katehanson.co
📸 Instagram: @xokatehanson
🎧 Listen to all episodes: katehanson.co/podcast
💌 Subscribe for insights on resilience, alignment, and ambition.

Donavan Robinson Feature

Welcome back to Aligned Ambition, the podcast where Alignment Guide and Connector Kate Hanson explores what it truly means to pursue meaningful goals while staying rooted in who you are. Each episode invites honest conversations about ambition, alignment, and the inner work required to build a life and career that actually feels good.

In today’s episode, Kate is joined by Donavan Robinson, a Red River Métis entrepreneur, ADHD advocate, and co founder of PopCoLab. Donavan’s work centres on helping organizations and communities strengthen creativity, connection, and culture through play based, purpose driven experiences.

Donavan shares his entrepreneurial journey across multiple industries and how discovering his ADHD helped him better understand how he works, leads, and creates. Together, Kate and Donavan explore why play is not something we grow out of, but something that keeps us present, innovative, and connected in both life and business.

This conversation dives into the realities of building something meaningful without burning yourself out. They discuss ambition that is guided by curiosity instead of pressure, the importance of environment and community, and how play can support mental health, leadership, and authentic connection. Donavan also reflects on balancing responsibility with joy, staying grounded through uncertainty, and redefining success in a way that honours both purpose and well being.

✨ This episode is an invitation to rethink what success looks like, to release the belief that ambition has to feel heavy, and to reconnect with the parts of yourself that thrive through curiosity, creativity, and play.

Episodes posted monthly. Subscribe now and continue the journey toward aligned ambition.

💫 Connect with Kate Hanson
🌐 www.katehanson.co
📸 Instagram: @xokatehanson
🎧 Listen to all episodes: katehanson.co/podcast
💌 Subscribe for insights on resilience, alignment, and ambition.

Kyle Hanson Feature

Welcome back to Aligned Ambition, the podcast where Alignment Guide and Connector Kate Hanson explores what it truly means to pursue meaningful goals while staying rooted in who you are. Each episode offers honest conversations about ambition, alignment, and the personal work required to build a life and career with intention.

In this episode, Kate sits down with someone especially close to her heart, her husband Kyle Hanson. With seventeen years at IG Wealth Management, Kyle supports executives, business owners, and medical professionals in building clarity and confidence around their financial futures. His work spans portfolio management, insurance planning, tax strategies, estate planning, and long term wealth transfer, always with a focus on the full picture.

Beyond his professional expertise, Kyle is one of the most grounded and thoughtful people Kate knows. Together, they reflect on their early days in corporate life, their individual and shared entrepreneurial journeys, and what it has taken to grow through seasons of uncertainty, risk, and change while staying aligned with their values.

This conversation explores the very real human side of building a business and a life together. Kate and Kyle discuss partnership, communication, money conversations, patience, and the importance of staying grounded through success. Kyle shares how his definition of success has evolved over time, how he recognizes when he is out of alignment, and the advice he would offer to those in the early years of sales, entrepreneurship, or business ownership.

✨ This episode is a candid look at ambition through the lens of partnership, humility, and long term growth, and a reminder that success is not just about numbers, but about values, relationships, and who you become along the way.

Episodes posted monthly. Subscribe now and continue the journey toward aligned ambition.

💫 Connect with Kate Hanson
🌐 www.katehanson.co
📸 Instagram: @xokatehanson
🎧 Listen to all episodes: katehanson.co/podcast
💌 Subscribe for insights on resilience, alignment, and ambition.