A Wealth of Women’s Stories (hosted by Manjit Minhas)

Best Of Season Three

For our Best of Season Three episode we’re sharing unaired content from the inspiring women who got into authentic and relatable conversations with our host, award-winning entrepreneur Manjit Minhas.

This podcast was created with the goal of sharing experiences of empowerment, breakthrough and perseverance from women from all walks of life, and in this episode you’ll hear some of the most powerful and insightful conversations between Manjit and her season three guests:

• 1:57: CEO Paulina Cameron: She leads The Forum, a Canadian national organization that educates, mentors, and connects women entrepreneurs to thrive
• 10:08: Head of Financial Planning at IG Wealth Management, Christine Van Cauwenberghe: She reveals her experience in making a career change
• 15:25: Founder of The Seven Virtues Beauty Inc., Barb Stegemann: She advises on the importance of self-care, well-being and putting yourself first
• 22:20: Founder of Malvados, Jennifer Rainnie: She authentically reveals how it’s never too late to become an entrepreneur
• 27:00: Principal Educator for the IDEA Practice Inc, Camille Dundas: She articulates the positive impact of representation and knowing your worth
• 34:40: Explore Seasons 1 + 2

Narrated by Marissa Soragnese, this episode is a dedication of thanks to all our guests for joining us this season, and especially our host, Manjit Minhas, for all she has done to champion this forum that connects women in a fun, dynamic and safe way.

 

Presented by IG Wealth Management

Learn more at ig.ca/women

The views, information and opinions expressed are those of the featured guests, and not necessarily those of IG Wealth Management

Camille Dundas, on fostering success through allyship and representation

“Sometimes allyship doesn't look like stepping up, it looks like stepping back and inviting others to the table,” says Camille Dundas, Principal Educator for The IDEA Practice Inc. “Statistics show that industries across the board could make serious gains in revenue per year through diversity, inclusion, and belonging efforts, but despite throwing millions of well-intentioned dollars at DE&I programs, underrepresented groups struggle to get their foot in the door, and when they do, they almost never make it up in the ranks. Something doesn't add up."

Dundas joins host Manjit Minhas to discuss her journey and the power of diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I). She is a DE&I consultant specializing in allyship and anti-racism education, and also the Editor-in-Chief of Canada’s largest Black online magazine ByBlacks.com. Dundas has been named among the top 100 Black Canadian Accomplished Women, and her pursuit of truth as a journalist has led to years of research into the untold stories of Black Canadian history and the persistence of anti-Black racism in Canada. 

Topics they cover include:

• 0:00: Camille’s Story: “That's when I started realizing how important words were.”
• 8:25: Discrimination to determination: “I started noticing little things that I couldn't quite explain.”
• 13:35: Practicing allyship: “No matter your identity, you will need an ally at some point.”
• 27:50: Diversity, equity + inclusion in the workplace: “Nobody fits into one single category, and we're influenced by our socialization experiences, culture and background.”
• 33:20: Becoming an entrepreneur: “To see someone succeeding in a field that you didn't think was for you makes a big difference in your choices.”
• 43:20: Closing: “We have to be very transparent with younger women when they ask us for advice.”

Presented by IG Wealth Management

Learn more at ig.ca/women

The views, information and opinions expressed are those of the featured guests, and not necessarily those of IG Wealth Management

Jennifer Rainnie, on authenticity and loving what you do

Jennifer Rainnie took her favorite word when she was in her twenties and turned it into the brand name of her fashion forward business, Malvados. Women-owned and operated, and designed in Vancouver B.C., Malvados creates footwear “for the wild at heart, the thrill seekers and the courageous dreamers.” Rainnie was inspired by her love of music, adventure, and travel.

“Loving what you do will really lead to your success,” says Rainnie.

She joins Manjit Minhas on A Wealth of Women’s Stories to discuss her outlook on life, her path to entrepreneurship and her volunteerism. She’s raised more than $1.8 million for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and thousands more for other charities. She's one of the co-founders of Jewels for a Cause, raising funds for charities such as Kidsport, YMCA Camp, B.C. Cancer Foundation, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. Most recently, she served on the board of Small Business B.C. and is a regular guest presenter at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in the fashion design and marketing program, and also, has sat on their advisory board.

Topics they cover include:

• 0:00: Jen’s Story: “It doesn't seem like a natural path from competing in windsurfing and teaching snowboarding to a career in fashion retail.”
• 6:20: Experience as your key to success: “It's a really great way to become successful, to get paid to learn.”
• 12:30: Embedding your values into your business: “We all share a similar commitment to the brand and what it stands for.”
• 16:40: The importance of authenticity: “People are craving loyalty and trust, and they also seek things that align with their values.”
• 27:10: The impact of volunteerism + socializing: “The height of your success is equal to the depth of your gratitude.”

Presented by IG Wealth Management

Learn more at ig.ca/women

The views, information and opinions expressed are those of the featured guests, and not necessarily those of IG Wealth Management

Barb Stegemann, on empowerment and building her social enterprise

“I thought, ‘Wait a second. Women own the voting power. We own the buying power. Why aren't we harnessing that to reverse this ridiculous cycle of war and poverty?’," says Barb Stegemann, founder of The 7 Virtues, a company that sources organic, fair trade essential oils from nations rebuilding after war or strife. “We were a clean and social enterprise before there was a word for it, really. I felt if people are going to help me help these farmers, I'm not going to put harmful chemicals in their perfumes.”

Stegemann joins host Manjit Minhas and discusses her compelling story of overcoming adversity through the power of stoic wisdom. She has been named one of Canada's 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada. She won the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Emerging Category Award. She's ranked in Profit Magazine's Top 30 in Cool, Fabulous Canadian Entrepreneurs, and she's the author of the bestselling book The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen, as well as a subject of the feature-length documentary Perfume War.

Topics they cover include:

• 0:00: Barbs’s Story: “I didn't fit the cookie cutter as a woman.”
• 7:50: Rising above obstacles: “Realize it's never over. It's never over and also, never rest on your laurels.”
• 20:35: The 7 Virtues book: “If we're going to walk in those arenas as women, we do need to understand the language and then shape the language.”
• 28:55: Staying true to your beliefs: “Don't take criticism from people you would never go to advice for.”
• 37:25: Social entrepreneurship + well-being: “Don’t stay in motion; move to action.”

Presented by IG Wealth Management

Learn more at ig.ca/women

The views, information and opinions expressed are those of the featured guests, and not necessarily those of IG Wealth Management

Christine Van Cauwenberghe, on women, wealth, and financial planning

"Okay, well am I actually going to do this one thing for my entire life? Or am I going to spread my wings a bit more?” asks Christine Van Cauwenberghe, Head of Financial Planning at IG Wealth Management. Van Cauwenberghe joins Manjit Minhas to discuss career, wealth, and debunk misperceptions about financial planning.

Van Cauwenberghe is a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation, has her certified financial planner designation, is a registered retirement consultant, and is a trust and estate practitioner as certified by the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). She has previously served on the board of STEP Canada and is a recipient of a STEP Founder's Award. Christine was granted a King's Council designation by the Province of Manitoba in 2023 in recognition of distinguished service to the practice of law in Manitoba.

Topics they cover include:

• 0:00: Christine’s Story: “I think I really like helping people.”
• 5:25: Changing career direction: “I was sold that bill of goods by my mom too.”
• 12:30: Women in finance: “You don't have to be a math genius at calculus to be able to be a financial planner.”
• 17:45: Support for women in finance: “I think that what you get paid as a salary and benefits is only a small portion.”
• 22:25: It’s time to take the first step: “Solutions should come at the very end.”
• 36:15: Words of advice: “Look beyond the careers that you have specific training in.”

Presented by IG Wealth Management

Learn more at ig.ca/women

The views, information and opinions expressed are those of the featured guests, and not necessarily those of IG Wealth Management

Paulina Cameron, on championing women entrepreneurs

“Business can be such a tool for women being able to write their own destinies and be able to be economically and socially and impactfully empowered,” says Paulina Cameron, CEO of The Forum. We kick off a new season with an episode that highlights Paulina Cameron’s leadership at The Forum, a Canadian national organization that educates mentors and connects women entrepreneurs to thrive. Cameron has won numerous awards and has been recognized in the community by being selected as Business in Vancouver's top 40 under 40 and was awarded BC's Business Most Influential Women in Finance Award.

Cameron says The Forum activates “a tremendous community of supporters and champions to step into the work of providing women with all the different forms of capital, financial capital, wisdom capital, social capital, inspiration capital, that they need to succeed.”

Topics they cover include:

• 0:00: Paulina’s Story: “I don't know how to connect those dots for you.”
• 5:40: Support for women entrepreneurs: “Our job is to get out of their way, make sure they have what they need.”
• 15:30: Canada 150 Women: “It's really hard for a lot of us to toot our own horns.”
• 22:30: Women supporting women: “You can't be what you can't see.”
• 29:50: Youth entrepreneurship: “Treat others like they want to be treated.”
• 37:40: Words of advice: “Find your people. Start somewhere.”

Presented by IG Wealth Management. Learn more at ig.ca/women

The views, information and opinions expressed are those of the featured guests, and not necessarily those of IG Wealth Management

Best of Season Two

This podcast is where women’s stories of empowerment, breakthrough and perseverance are shared, celebrated, amplified and heard.

Join us to celebrate another incredible season of A Wealth of Women’s Stories with this special Best of Season Two episode. We share highlights and unaired content from the powerful and insightful conversations our host, Manjit Minhas, had with our guests this year. We also touch on the connections, the community and opportunities that come from supporting one another and celebrating one another’s achievements.

Thank you to all our guests for joining us this season: Vanessa Bowen, Erin Bury, Jenna Hutchinson, Ashley Kosowan, Taylor Lindsay-Noel, Beth Wilson, and especially our host, Manjit Minhas, for all she has done to champion this forum.

Best of Season Two:

• 0:00: Introduction
• 1:45: Erin Bury: Being an entrepreneur, CEO and a new mom
• 6:00: Jenna Hutchinson + Ashley Kosowan: Jumping into entrepreneurship
• 12:35: Beth Wilson: The confidence gap
• 17:00: Vanessa Bowen: The power of mindset
• 24:20: Taylor Lindsay-Noel: Disability + inclusion
• 30:50: Beth Wilson: The benefits of community involvement

Presented by IG Wealth Management

Learn more at ig.ca/women

The views, information and opinions expressed are those of the featured guests, and not necessarily those of IG Wealth Management

Jenna Hutchinson + Ashley Kosowan, on teamwork, well-being and leadership

“You need to have a team, nobody does it alone,” says host Manjit Minhas in the tenth episode of A Wealth of Women’s Stories. When it comes to witnessing the power of teamwork, look no further than twin-sisters Jenna Hutchinson and Ashley Kosowan, the owners of Jenna Rae Cakes. They’ve spent the last eight years building their company and their brand together. They have three bakery locations in Winnipeg, have written a best-selling cookbook, and have been featured on the Food Network, NBC, CTV, Globe & Mail, and Martha Stewart’s Weddings magazine. The duo also are judges on the Food Network show, Wall of Bakers.

“I can't imagine doing it solo. That would be really tough,” says Jenna Rae Hutchinson.

“I feel like we've always had each other to build off of so that's been very, very lucky,” says Ashley Kosowan. “So basically, you have to have a twin sister to start a business, that you can rely on. No, I don't think that's necessary. But it's been very, very helpful for us.”

Topics they cover include:

• 0:00: Jenna + Ashley’s Story: “I'm gonna try this just for fun and see what happens.”
• 14:40: Challenges faced by women entrepreneurs: “It's really, really hard to be taken seriously as entrepreneurs who own a bakery.”
• 28:20: Building a brand online: “I think people appreciate a less curated feed.”
• 46:14: Strength in family: “I feel like we attract family.”
• 52:40: Life is a balancing act: “I want them to see their mom working hard and going to work every day.”
• 58:40: Growing the business: “We’re too small to be big, but we’re too big to be small.”

Presented by IG Wealth Management

Learn more at ig.ca/women

The views, information and opinions expressed are those of the featured guests, and not necessarily those of IG Wealth Management

Vanessa Bowen, on money mindset and being worthy of wealth

“We are all worthy of wealth, we are worthy of abundance, that includes you, that includes me, that includes everyone,” says Vanessa Bowen, Founder of Mint Worthy in the ninth episode of A Wealth of Women’s Stories. Bowen is not your average money coach, and Mint Worthy is not just another personal finance coaching platform. She says there is more to money than just the numbers.

“I really wanted to create lasting financial change for my clients,” says Bowen. “I didn't want to just put a Band-Aid on it and say, ‘Here's your budget, here's your savings and investment plan, go run with it’. I wanted to make sure we got to the root of what created the financial life that they're living in today.”

As a Chartered Professional Accountant, Vanessa spent almost a decade in the accounting industry helping corporations in North America make sense of their numbers. She made the leap from corporate number crunching to personal finance for two reasons: One - she wasn’t built for a career of cubicles and calculators and, two - she knows first-hand how financial independence can change a woman’s life. She joins host Manjit Minhas to share her energetic and relatable approach to financial literacy and inspire women to live life on their own financial terms. Bowen has been featured as a money expert on CBC, Global news, Breakfast Television and the Toronto Star.

Topics they cover include:

• 0:00: Vanessa’s Story: “Entrepreneurship is the biggest self development course that you can take in your life.”
• 10:15: From CPA to holistic money coach: “I really wanted to create lasting financial change for my clients.”
• 16:37: A money mindset: “How we relate to money is truly a reflection of how we relate to ourselves”
• 21:35: Money + women: “I wanted to be the voice for other women who had been there.”
• 30:40: The pandemic: “There was definitely a huge financial shift of awareness.”
• 39:40: Rethinking finances: “It's about starting right where you are.”

Presented by IG Wealth Management

Learn more at ig.ca/women

The views, information and opinions expressed are those of the featured guests, and not necessarily those of IG Wealth Management

Taylor Lindsay-Noel, on resilience, perseverance, triumph, and tea

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is that there's so much life after tragedy,” says Taylor Lindsay-Noel in the eighth episode of a Wealth of Women’s Stories. She joins award-winning host Manjit Minhas, to share her story about triumph over tragedy, resilience that knows no bounds, and the choice to get up every day and live fully.

 The entrepreneur from Toronto, Ontario was an elite Canadian national gymnast who had a devastating accident at the age of 14, that instantly paralyzed her from the neck down.  Taylor persevered through adversity and paved a new path forward for herself, received a Bachelor of Arts in Radio and Television Arts from Ryerson University and is currently balancing being a motivational speaker, disability advocate, council member of the Premier’s Council on Equality of Opportunity, and a business owner. She is the founder of Cup of Té Luxury Loose Leaf Teas, which was featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things List in 2020. Taylor was recently named the  Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the Black Business and Professional Association Harry Jerome Awards, Canada’s most prestigious award celebrating black excellence.  

“I'm so proud of the person I am today,” says Lindsay-Noel. “I think we need to be more comfortable with saying that we should be our own biggest cheerleaders. I try to give myself a pat on the back as much as possible. Because if there's one person in this life you need to be proud of, it is yourself.”.

Topics they cover include:

• 0:00: Taylor’s Story: “I totally recognize I did not have a regular childhood.”
• 8:00: Facing life’s greatest challenges: “I was so terrified of feeling emotions deeply.”
• 19:30: Entrepreneurship + inspiration: “If they didn't want to sponsor me, I'll make my own tea”
• 28:30: Surrounding yourself with strength: “I am an only child. So my friend group is my sisterhood.”
• 36:20: Disability + inclusion: “I see it as an opportunity for education.”
• 46:44: Wellness + mental health: “Talk about it even to just one person that you trust.”
• 50:55: Triumph over tragedy: “I am tough, and I am very comfortable saying that.”

Presented by IG Wealth Management

Learn more at ig.ca/women

The views, information and opinions expressed are those of the featured guests, and not necessarily those of IG Wealth Management