Careers Under Construction

When Todd Burns took over his dad’s company in 2011, it was a one-man operation running out of a basement.Today, Cypher Environmental sells green infrastructure products in more than 50 countries and Todd is on a mission to replace toxic road salts with better alternatives.In this episode of Careers Under Construction, Todd shares:Why he refused to compete on price and focused on building better productsHow he spent seven or eight years grinding before his breakthrough around 2019Why he stopped chasing the public sector and focused on mining and forestryThe project that saved nearly $6 million and 934 million litres of waterHow a competitor who bragged about putting another company out of business indirectly helped Cypher gain market share in ChileWhy Cypher donates up to 5% of project value back to local communities through its Green Roads programBecause sometimes the breakthrough comes right before you're ready to fold.

Three weeks after Nicole Dubé left CTV Morning Live, the role she had just left was eliminated.She didn't know it was coming. She just knew it was time.After 20 years in broadcast journalism, Nicole bet on herself and launched DUBÉ MEDIA, where she helps leaders communicate with clarity, whether it's on stage, on camera or in the conversations that matter most.In this episode, Nicole shares:• How “embarrassment resiliency” as a kid shaped her career• What it took to leave Hamilton and build a career in Winnipeg• Why she walked away from a job she loved• How she built a business despite having no sales background• Why communication skills will become even more valuable in an AI-driven worldSometimes the right time to leave isn't the time that makes the most sense on paper.

It started with a beer ad during a Jets game.Taiv co-founder & CEO Noah Palansky was at a bar when he noticed the TV was advertising a competitor’s cheaper pint. He realized restaurants had zero control over the screens on their own walls — and built a solution to fix it.A few years later, Taiv is in over 5,000 locations across North America, with around 100 employees and more than $20 million USD raised. Noah made the call to build it all from Winnipeg — turning down repeated pressure to move to Silicon Valley.In this episode of Careers Under Construction, Noah shares:The bar idea that turned into a North America-wide businessWhy he moved to Miami for nine months to land his first customersWhat it really took to get into Y Combinator and raise $20 million+Why he stayed in Winnipeg when everyone told him to leaveHis goal to build Winnipeg’s first billion-dollar tech company

Most people don't bet their career on a city.Jim Ludlow did.As President of True North Real Estate Development, Jim has helped shape downtown Winnipeg — the MTS Centre, the return of the NHL, True North Square, and now the $1 billion redevelopment of Portage Place and the Bay.In this episode of Careers Under Construction, Jim shares:What it really meant to be "the first hire" at True NorthThe Phoenix deal that almost happened and why Atlanta turned into the JetsHow True North ended up taking on Portage Place when no one else wouldWhy he believes Winnipeg is undersold and underestimatedWhat it really takes to rebuild a downtownIt's about playing the long game — one inch at a time.🎙️ Watch the full episode on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

He started a landscaping company in his early 20s. One year later, he was diagnosed with stage three melanoma.Matt Bell is the founder of Gellers — a luxury design-build landscaping company in Winnipeg — and co-owner of Shelmerdine Garden Centre. In this episode, Matt opens up about:Going from mowing lawns to running a 200-person companyBeing diagnosed with cancer at 25 Beating stage four melanoma and having a son, doctors said would never existWhy he acquired Shelmerdine Garden CentreHis people-first culture and why a 97% staff retention rate is no accidentHow clinical trials literally saved his life and why giving back is non-negotiableWhat started as $15 lawn cuts is now a 200-person operation.But the business story isn't the only story here.Matt shouldn't be alive. His son shouldn't exist. And somehow, through all of it, he built a company where his people come first, every single time.

Katie Hall Hursh walked away from law just three years in.Not because she couldn’t do it — but because she wasn’t fulfilled.Today, as Board Chair of the Health Sciences Centre Foundation, Katie is helping drive real healthcare innovation across Manitoba, including surgical robotics and advanced technology that are improving patient outcomes, reducing recovery time and helping people get home faster.In this episode, she shares:Why she walked away from her law careerHow innovation is changing healthcare in ManitobaHow investing can shape stronger communitiesHow she balances motherhood and leadershipFrom raising $40K as a teenager for cancer care to now helping lead major healthcare and investment initiatives — inspired by her own mother’s battle with cancer — Katie’s story shows how small actions can turn into real impact.

At 21, Maddie Thompson dropped out of architecture school. Today, she runs MAD Social Agency with a team of 30+ and works with 400+ brands.We sit down to talk about:• The moment she decided to drop out • Why taking risks is easier when you’re young • How she went from $80/month clients to $5,000/month• Why personal brand and outbound is the “cheat code” for growth• How she built a fully remote team based on trust• Why emotional content is what actually drives views and sales🎙️ Watch the full episode on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts

Meet Jasmin Laine:Former Winnipeg morning radio host (Energy 106) turned independent political commentator.When things didn’t go as planned, Jasmin Laine had to make a career pivot. Most people would’ve been terrified to talk about politics publicly, especially as a conservative woman.She did it anyway.In this episode, Jasmin shares:What it really takes to grow onlineHow she broke into a male-dominated spaceHow she lands interviews with high-profile politicians in Canada and the U.S.How she became a speaker at the 2026 Conservative ConventionWhat’s happening right now in Canada’s political landscapeWatch and see how a Winnipeg voice is making waves nationally.

What actually makes a great leader — and why do so many get it wrong?Allana Schmidt began her career in clinical social work, working directly with individuals and families before moving into business, operations and organizational leadership.Over the past two decades, she has led large-scale workplace transformation and global people strategy across complex, people-intensive industries, including healthcare and technology. Today, as Vice President of Global People Strategy & Solutions at IntouchCX, Allana leads people strategy for 35,000+ employees across 14 countries. She’s also the author of The High-Performing, Human-Centered Workplace, where she stresses that leaders don’t have to choose between performance and work-life balance.If you care about becoming a better leader — or working for one — this episode is worth your time.

From being born with a cleft lip and palate to becoming one of the most relentless linebackers in CFL history, Adam Bighill has built a 15+ year professional career, playing over 200 games and winning 3 Grey Cup championships.Today, Adam is both a CFL linebacker and Investment Advisor at Pejovic Bighill Private Wealth, helping families and individuals build long-term wealth off the field.In this episode, Adam shares:• The underdog mindset behind his success• Lessons from winning and losing Grey Cups• Why discipline beats talent over time• The financial mistakes many pro athletes make• Why wealth is built slowly, not overnight• What it means to be a 3× Grey Cup Champion• What it takes to become a 3× CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player

Melissa Cattini is one of Canada’s go-to advisors on franchise law. In this episode of Careers Under Construction, Melissa shares how she went from a criminal justice student to a corporate lawyer, built a national franchise law practice from the ground up and became a law firm partner in just eight years.She opens up about mentorship, imposter syndrome, what big law is really like (not the TV version) and why empathy can be a powerful leadership skill in high-pressure careers like law.Melissa Cattini is a Partner in corporate and commercial law at MLT Aikins LLP, the founder and head of the firm’s Franchise Practice Group, a nationally recognized female trailblazer and a trusted advisor on M&A and franchise matters.

Sande Higgins survived a plane crash while serving in the RCMP — an experience that changed everything.Years later, struggling with PTSD, she turned to an unconventional path she never thought she’d take.After 15 years in the RCMP, Sande Higgins was carrying the invisible weight of trauma.In this episode of Careers Under Construction, Sande shares her experience with PTSD, the stigma around mental health in law enforcement and the unconventional path that helped her begin healing.We talk about:– The plane crash that changed the course of her life– Why she was hesitant to explore psychedelic therapy– What a guided psychedelic retreat actually involves– The difference between stigma, legality and reality– What recovery looks like after the uniform comes off

What does a full life actually look like?In this episode of Careers Under Construction, we sit down with Grant White, Managing Partner at Endeavour Wealth Management, for a thoughtful conversation about money, freedom and the moments that matter most.Grant is a Winnipeg-based wealth advisor and entrepreneur who has spent his career helping individuals, families and business owners make decisions that support the life they actually want to live.This episode is a reminder that success isn’t measured by what you accumulate — it’s measured by how you live, who you impact and the moments you create along the way.