Host: Carrie Tuttle

Guest: Tony McGrath

Most entrepreneurs treat failure as something to hide. Tony McGrath lives his life around embracing and learning from it.

Tony McGrath, an entrepreneur, business leader, speaker, and strategic advisor with experience spanning financial and legal services, business development, and the arts in Canada and the United Kingdom, joins Carrie for a deep conversation about building, losing, and rebuilding, and why he believes good people, not perfect plans, make a business work.

A former senior banking executive and past CEO of Calgary's The Grand theatre, Tony has led organizational transformation and helped build high-growth businesses, including Arch Title, a significant player in the Canadian title insurance market, and today, he is founding partner of Surge Strategies Group.

Tony shares the ride of building a Canadian title insurer with his wife Marcy, from landing major pension fund backing to watching the stock market collapse weeks later. From there, they co-founded Fuckup Nights Kelowna, where local entrepreneurs gather and break the taboo of failure!

We dig into ego as the biggest obstacle to good decisions under pressure and how 28 years in recovery from alcohol addiction taught him to spot denial in life and in leadership, and the important role of mentorship.

Whether you're leading your first team or carrying every decision on your own shoulders, this conversation is an honest reminder that asking your team for input is part of the job, and that people notice whether you walk the talk.

QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS:

• “If you can put yourself and your ego to one side, you're going to get a more informed process to help you with decisions.”
• “Learn the lesson or you get to relearn the lesson.”
• “I've always been of the opinion that if I hire really good human beings and find a job for them, our business thrives.”

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

• Sharing failure stories builds real community among entrepreneurs.
• Hiring for character first opens doors for people who don't interview well.
• Luck and timing play a bigger role in entrepreneurial success than most founders admit.
• Ego and the need to know everything weaken a leader's decisions.
• Consulting your team lowers the odds of failure, even when the leader makes the final call.
• A leader's silence can cause as much damage as harsh words.
• Pressure and crisis erode attention to detail and lead to costly snap decisions.
• Stress is not a performance advantage, and denying it harms health and relationships.
• Leaders earn trust by walking the talk on wellbeing and behaviour.

LINKS FROM EPISODE:Tony McGrath on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonymcgrath/

Fuckup Nights Kelowna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fuckupnightsylw/

Mentioned in episode:

Barn Owl Brewery, Kelowna https://www.barnowlbrewing.ca/

The Grand YYC https://www.thegrandyyc.ca/

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Host: Carrie Tuttle

Guest: Ben Smith

Most leaders are trained to lead from the neck up. Ben Smith spent the first half of his career doing exactly that.

Ben Smith, a seasoned President and CEO with over 20 years of executive leadership experience, joins Carrie for a deep conversation about leading beyond the mind, and how learning to listen to more than just his intellect changed the way he leads.

Now focused on board and executive advisory work, Ben has led organizations through growth, complexity, and transformation, managing large portfolios, major budgets, and diverse teams across Canada and internationally in the new home real estate development industry. He split his career between running his own consulting firm and serving as CEO of a VC-backed software company.

Ben shares what happened when his industry fell off a cliff, his clients dropped to a tenth of their previous volume, and how he held a senior leadership team together while people were being let go. He explains his framework for “four intelligences”: the mind that thinks, the heart that emotes, the body that senses, and the soul that knows, and why integrating all four helps leaders build trust and make steadier decisions.

Carrie and Ben dig into what it really means to “embody” leadership, how to build psychological safety so teams tell you the truth, and why he believes business should exist to serve people, not the other way around.

This episode is a must-listen for leaders who want to thrive through the inevitable uncertainty of business.

QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS:

• “If you don’t get the outcome you want, would you still be happy with what you did along the way?”
• “The mind thinks, the heart emotes, the body senses, and the soul knows.”
• “I don’t see business as something that we’re serving. I see that business needs to serve the humans.”

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• Emotions are intelligence, and they produce data points leaders can use in decisions
• Descartes' “I think, therefore I am” and how 400 years of prioritizing the mind has left leaders under-using their other intelligences
• The four forms of human intelligence (mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual) and why leaders are only trained to trust one
• How Ben's software company shifted from “grow at all costs” to conservation mode when the real estate market dropped 210%
• Why honesty and consistent “rhythms” (like never rescheduling meetings) build trust during a crisis
• The difference between hard truths and surprises, and why teams can handle the former but not the latter
• Understanding and regulating emotions can help leaders navigate challenges effectively
• Why AI is pushing leaders to develop the human capacities machines don't have
• A story of trusting an employee's gut feel over the data, and what happened when the team finally listened to it
• Redefining leadership: the business exists to serve the humans in it, not the other way around
• Embracing the concept of embodiment enhances decision-making
• It's important to ask team members for their insights and feelings to foster open communication
• A missed deadline can signal misalignment rather than poor performance

LINKS FROM EPISODE

Ben Smith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bensmithinc/

Website (Soulful CEO): https://www.soulfulceo.org/

Leading your first sales and revenue team? Learn more about the Lead With Engagement program.

Tell us a topic you'd like to hear more about in the comments.

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Host: Carrie Tuttle

Guest: Luticia Miller

Do you wait for permission before taking on something big or do you go for it? Today’s guest really goes for it!

Luticia Miller is President and Managing Partner of DRIVE Workforce Lodging, an award-winning camp company serving major projects across Canada. She started as a welding apprentice in northern Alberta, became a project controls leader on a billion-dollar industrial build, and moved into executive strategy, capital, and governance after completing her Executive MBA at Queen's University.

Luticia is a multi-startup founder and co-founder, an advisor in clean energy and Indigenous industry participation, and sits on the board of Alliance Trust Company. For more than 20 years, her answer to almost every opportunity has been the same: say yes, then figure it out.

This episode digs into shifting from high-context communication to being more direct, the discipline of over-communicating so people can act with confidence, and her two non-negotiable team rules.

Luticia is candid about the moment she had to raise her hand and stop a founder she was advising, even when she was the only one in the room with doubts.

This conversation holds great advice, contextual stories, and a reminder that trust is built when a team takes accountability together.

QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS

• “Much of what I’ve accomplished in my career is by virtue of not knowing that it wasn’t possible. So I did it.”
• “’It’s not my job’ does not belong in our vocabulary. We don’t get to say that.”
• “When we can all together as a team take accountability, that’s where the gold is at. That’s where we build trust.”

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• Being direct delivers more value than high-contextcommunication when the stakes are high.
• Assuming best intent lowers defences and lets feedback actually land.
• The best advice comes from lived experience, not theory.
• Initiative and autonomy drive the biggest gains, but onlywith clear communication behind them.
• Leaders have to over-communicate so their teams can act with confidence.
• “It’s not my job” and blame-shifting have no place on ahigh-trust team.
• For women in male-dominated industries, focus on the work, not the gap.
• Shared accountability is where trust gets built and where the real gold is.
• Reframing the story, from recycling to green manufacturing, is what makes people’s eyes light up in her world.
• Adapting your style for team members who need more guidance is a growth opportunity, not a compromise.

LINKS FROM EPISODE

Luticia Miller on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luticia-miller-emba-2a160a36/

Drive Workforce Lodging - finalist, Emerging Scale Up of theYear (Mount Royal University - Scale Up program): http://www.drive-mod.com/

Atmos Renewable Recycling: https://atmosgroup.ca/

Mentioned in episode:

Atlas Shrugged — Ayn Rand

Brené Brown — referenced on standing your ground

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Host: Carrie Tuttle

Guest: Mike Cameron

Most leaders learn to manage tasks long before they learn to manage emotions, and some never really learn. Mike Cameron believes the gap is costing companies more than anyone realizes.

Mike is a three-time TEDx speaker, Canadian author, ultramarathoner, and a leader with more than 30 years of experience, including 16 years as a CEO. After the murder of his girlfriend in 2015, Mike walked away from the company he built to focus on what he now considers the most underestimated threat to organizational performance: the emotional disconnection of men in leadership.

Mike joins Carrie to talk about the difference between emotional intelligence and emotional competence, and why theory means little without practice. They dig into practical experiments any leader can try, like the two-word check-in, the SOAR framework, and asking people whether they want strategy or empathy.

As the founder of Connect'd Men, a community built around emotional connection and men's well-being, Mike has his own experience with burnout and what it really means to move from success to significance.

Whether you lead a team, a family, or just yourself, this conversation offers grounded frameworks, honest stories, and a reminder that connection starts with how you show up for yourself first.

QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS

• “If you want to support a dude who’s struggling, set him up to support somebody else.”
• "We’ve got artificial intelligence. We don’t need more intelligence. What we need is more competence."
• "The most powerful gift I can give to any audience is for them to look at me and say, he’s just like me."

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• Emotional intelligence is theory; emotional competence is the practice that changes how leaders actually show up.
• The two-word check-ins give teams a release valve and give leaders a quick read on the room.
• SOAR — slow down, observe, accept, reconnect — is a simple way to ground a meeting before the work begins.
• Asking “do you want strategy or empathy?” stops leaders from fixing what people only want heard.
• Supporting your people rarely means fixing their problems; often it just means holding space.
• Men are not born emotionally disconnected; they are conditioned into it, and reconnection starts with self.
• Toughness worn as a badge is often fear in disguise, not courage.
• Admitting you don’t have all the answers is one of the biggest gifts a leader can give a team.
• AI should serve connection, not replace it, freeing people to spend more time with customers and each other.
• The shift from success to significance starts with asking why the work matters.

LINKS FROM EPISODE

Mike Cameron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikecameron-ca/

Connect'd Men: https://connectdmen.com

Email Mike: mike@mikecameron.ca

Mike Cameron's website: https://mikecameron.ca/

Mentioned in episode:

Don't Change Much podcast: https://menshealthfoundation.ca/dont-change-much-podcast/Canadian Men's Health Foundation (Mike is co-host) June is Men's Health Month

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Host: Carrie Tuttle

Guest: Courtney Johnston-Naumann

Can you name someone who has mentored 10 or more people? I can.

Courtney Johnston-Naumann is the founder of Weave Strategy and a fractional chief marketing officer (CMO) who has led brand and marketing teams at Edmonton Economic Development, Service Credit Union, and CashCo Financial. She helps organizations move from scattered marketing efforts to focused, purpose-driven growth.

Some leaders treat marketing as an art form. Courtney has spent her career proving it's also math. Courtney explains how she built a bridge between marketing and sales, why she says every strategy starts with intention before it touches a spreadsheet, and what it really takes to lead a team through a founder-to-management transition.

The juiciest part of this episode is when Courtney shares her approach to mentorship, including the concept of a personal mentorship board. She sets the expectation that mentees own the relationship before they start and believes in having a framework.

You’ll walk away with a clearer picture of how to lead people through ambiguity without losing them, and why the words you choose at work matter more than you think.

QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS

• “I find mentees who want to work harder than I'm going to work for them.“
• “There’s a lot of math in marketing. When you really look at your pipeline and your growth objectives, you have to reverse engineer it and then connect it with what’s the story we’re trying to tell.”
• “If you’re on my team, I will train you to take my job. Because at some point that’s going to happen and that’s okay.”

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• Marketing is both head and heart.
• Strategy starts with intention, then reverse-engineers tometrics.
• Build a strong sales–marketing partnership to align on shared organizational goals.
• “Words matter” and miscommunication often happens when we assume others share our definitions.
• Create a personal mentorship board: peers, seniors, experts, and people younger than you all have a role.
• How Courtney structures mentorship relationships: ground rules, a starting package, and the expectation that mentees own the pace.
• Trust and know how much “gray” each team member can handle.

LINKS FROM EPISODE

Courtney Johnston-Naumann on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjohnstonnaumann/

Brené Brown — brenebrown.com

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Host: Carrie Tuttle

Guest: Rebecca Wood

Most leaders are handed the keys to their first team without a roadmap. Rebecca Wood has been there. She is a leader with over 25 years of experience as a former National Director of Sales and a Director transforming membership models at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. Now, the founder of Romeo Whiskey Consulting, Rebecca has built teams from scratch and coached executives navigating the real loneliness that comes with senior leadership.

She joins Carrie to talk about what it takes to build a dream team. They dig into the key ingredients, like trust, communication, clarity, mindset, and the courage to have hard conversations before things fall apart.

Rebecca shares a practical approach to using communication tools like DISC to help leaders adapt how they deliver messages, and she's candid about the moments her own high-D drive got in the way of the very results she was chasing.

Whether you're stepping into your first people leadership role or a seasoned leader who has lost momentum with your team, this conversation offers real frameworks, honest stories, and a grounded reminder that you don't have to figure it all out alone.

QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS

• "It's not about you and succeeding. You now have to get that team to where you need them to be. "
• “I don't need all the credit. I want other people to be able to step up into their own and have the confidence to make the decisions they need to make.”
• "Be vulnerable and get some support, because you don't have to do it alone. And it can be very lonely."

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• Trust is the foundation. Without it, everything stays surface level.
• Knowing your own communication style is the first step to adapting it for the people around you.
• Clarity on goals and alignment on direction are what keep a team rowing the same way.
• A quarterly action plan only works if the team actually refers back to it.
• Hire for mindset and attitude — skills can be taught, but mindset is harder to shift.
• Have the hard conversation early. Letting it build is harder on everyone.
• Momentum comes from investing in people, celebrating milestones, and leading with energy over fear.
• Self-awareness is the prerequisite to leading others — know your own pace before you set it for your team.
• You don't have to figure it out alone. A mentor or coach is one of the most effective tools a new leader has.

LINKS FROM EPISODE

Rebecca Wood on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccawoodyyc

Rebecca Wood's website: https://www.romeowhiskey.ca/

Books mentioned:

Radical Candor — Kim Scott

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team — Patrick Lencioni

Start With Why / other titles — Simon Sinek

Extended DISC — mentioned in episode. See also: Suits & Sneakers Episode with Markku Kauppinen https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ZA79RJWfrTZCtROBE7LHw?si=mwmt_9i2SQicxuoA5Ai_ZA

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Host: Michael Dargie
Guest: Carrie Tuttle

What does AI mean for leaders — and what does it not replace?

Carrie Tuttle, founder of Team Mojo, invites Michael Dargie (Make More Creative / RebelRebel podcast for entrepreneurs) to host.

We keep this one short and sweet, with Carrie sharing how technical founders are embracing AI, why revenue teams should consider using it to draft messaging sequences and communication templates, and exactly where it falls short.

She also talks candidly about her own use of AI in her coaching practice, including the honest admission that first drafts aren’t her strongest suit! With AI changing so fast, it’s hard to keep up. So much so that her business use has changed in the months between recording and publishing this episode. Send her a note if you want to compare notes on what else she is using AI for with revenue teams.

Walk away with some ideas of what AI can carry for you and what still needs a human leader in the room, specifically around empathy, challenging blind spots, and keeping your team accountable.

Listen up for when Carrie reframes the AI speed conversation entirely and makes a case for humans to slow down and think. Enjoy!

P.S. Check out similar topics, like “Data Therapy First, Then AI with Ian Tell” and “Succeed at Recruiting in an AI World with Serge Boudreau”.

QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS:

• “What if we framed it as: let’s let AI go do all those repetitive things so that we can take a step back and have some thinking time to do creative work?”
• "Having AI say ‘great job’ is different than having another human say, I really like what you did there, and here’s why.”
• "Learn everything you can about how AI works now, because now is the foundation for the future."

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• Technical founders are broadly embracing AI, some dedicating full resources to governance and implementation.
• AI gets you 85% of the way there, but a human still needs to review it.
• AI augments coaching; it does not replace the human relationship.
• Leaders still need humans for genuine empathy, real feedback, and real accountability.
• AI is a strong starting point for revenue team communication templates and outreach sequences.
• Building AI literacy now makes future adaptation easier.
• Sales and marketing team misalignment is an underestimated gap.

LINKS FROM EPISODE

Carrie Tuttle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/1carrietuttle/

Team Mojo website: https://www.teammojo.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carrieatuttle/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@teammojo_ca

FREE Ultimate Delegation Playbook: ⁠https://lp.teammojo.ca/ultimate-delegation-playbook⁠

Michael Dargie website: https://makemorecreative.com/

The RebelRebel Podcast : https://rebelrebelpodcast.com/

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Host: Carrie Tuttle

Guest: Guillermo Salazar

Carrie sits down with Guillermo Salazar, Industry Principal at Vendoroo, an agentic AI maintenance coordinator for property management. He’s the former CEO of IrisCX, and a four-time founder with three exits. He's also the host of the LinkedIn Live show Getting to Hell Yes!

In this episode, Guillermo unpacks what he's learned growing three companies from $0 to $2MM+ and why those wins all share the same engine. He explains the four-point framework he uses to cut through noisy ideal-customer profiles, and why technical founders unintentionally hold their teams back when talking about technology instead of the buyer's problem. He also shares the prioritization rubric he runs teams on.

You might appreciate when Guillermo gets candid about his own leadership edges. He admits he doesn't have it all figured out, and talks about why he pursues the discomfort of growth on purpose. Listen for the moment when Guillermo admits he'll create chaos on purpose when things get too repetitive and why that's actually a leadership asset when you know how to hand off.

Whether you're a first-time founder or a leader trying to get your team pointed in the same direction, this episode has gold to get you thinking about revenue, scale and aligning on key priorities.

QUOTE-WORTHY MOMENTS:

• “Listening is the plan. Not having the answers is okay.”
• “I’m constantly pursuing the discomfort of growth.”
• “Listen to the market, listen to your customers, and they will pull you to where they want to go next.”

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• Evangelist customers compound growth in a way ad spend can’t match.

• Pull-based go-to-market makes each new customer easier to acquire than the last.
• Technical founders often hold teams back by emphasizing the solution over the buyer’s problem.
• A sharp ICP comes down to four points: the problem, why it’s unavoidable, the options considered, and their limitations.
• Clear expectations are the prerequisite to coaching andfeedback.
• Prioritize work by stopping what hurts you, staying good enough at table stakes, and be best-in-the-world at what makes you different.
• Start / stop / continue is a simple cadence for cascadingpriorities without micromanaging.
• Saying “grateful” with intention lands differently than acasual “thank you”, especially on remote teams.
• Listening is the plan. Not having the answers is okay.
• Founders who listen let the market pull them to the realopportunity.

LINKS FROM EPISODEGuillermo Salazar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/1guillermosalazar/

Getting to Hell Yes! (LinkedIn Live show): https://www.linkedin.com/events/7440854704177397760/

Vendoroo: https://venderoo.ai/

Resources mentioned:

Reframe newsletter and The Power of Pull — Rob Snyder (forthcoming, July 2026)

Dan Sullivan — Strategic Coach

Gino Wickman — Traction / EOS

Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) newsletter

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