Canadians are more important, powerful and innovative than the world gives them credit for…you just didn't know it.
From the head of fashion labels to Fortune 500 tech companies and everything in between, Secret Canadians uncovers the Canadians behind the ideas and stories shaping the world.
So, why is it that so many Canadians decide to build abroad, can’t return home (despite wanting to) to create the next big thing and how has current politics changed everything.
Hosted by award-winning technology and business journalist Takara Small, this is the show about the Canadians you didn't know were changing the world.
Tell us about the Canadians you think the world should know about.
Subscribe to Secret Canadians and follow along as we uncover the people proving that you don't have to come from a big country to have a big impact.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
]]>Canadians are more important, powerful and innovative than the world gives them credit for…you just didn't know it.
From the head of fashion labels to Fortune 500 tech companies and everything in between, Secret Canadians uncovers the Canadians behind the ideas and stories shaping the world.
So, why is it that so many Canadians decide to build abroad, can’t return home (despite wanting to) to create the next big thing and how has current politics changed everything.
Hosted by award-winning technology and business journalist Takara Small, this is the show about the Canadians you didn't know were changing the world.
Tell us about the Canadians you think the world should know about.
Subscribe to Secret Canadians and follow along as we uncover the people proving that you don't have to come from a big country to have a big impact.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
]]>In this episode of Secret Canadians, Jacie takes us from Kingston, Ontario, where hockey was simply part of growing up, to Toronto, where she and her cofounders launched The Gist.
She shares what it was like pitching a sports media company about women when investors and industry executives questioned whether women were valuable enough and how that skepticism became fuel to prove them wrong.
Today, The Gist has now grown from a startup into a sports media and community brand with partnerships including Nike, the NFL and the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Jacie explains why the sports industry is finally recognizing the value of female fans, how The Gist created a safer space for women to talk about sports, and what it means to build a company around an audience that was always there but often overlooked.
Plus, Jacie’s connection to Bianca Andreescu, celebrity investments, Toronto's new WNBA team, and the Canadian hockey legend who helped make girls' hockey feel like a natural part of growing up.
In this episode we discuss:
Hosted by award-winning journalist Takara Small, Secret Canadians uncovers the Canadians behind the stories you thought you knew and introduces you to the ones you've never heard of... yet.
Tell us about the Canadians you think the world should know about.
Subscribe to Secret Canadians and follow along as we uncover the people proving that you don't have to come from a big country to have a big impact.
Instagram: @SecretCanadians
TikTok: @SecretCanadians
Threads: @SecretCanadians
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
]]>In this episode of Secret Canadians, Jacie takes us from Kingston, Ontario, where hockey was simply part of growing up, to Toronto, where she and her cofounders launched The Gist.
She shares what it was like pitching a sports media company about women when investors and industry executives questioned whether women were valuable enough and how that skepticism became fuel to prove them wrong.
Today, The Gist has now grown from a startup into a sports media and community brand with partnerships including Nike, the NFL and the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Jacie explains why the sports industry is finally recognizing the value of female fans, how The Gist created a safer space for women to talk about sports, and what it means to build a company around an audience that was always there but often overlooked.
Plus, Jacie’s connection to Bianca Andreescu, celebrity investments, Toronto's new WNBA team, and the Canadian hockey legend who helped make girls' hockey feel like a natural part of growing up.
In this episode we discuss:
Hosted by award-winning journalist Takara Small, Secret Canadians uncovers the Canadians behind the stories you thought you knew and introduces you to the ones you've never heard of... yet.
Tell us about the Canadians you think the world should know about.
Subscribe to Secret Canadians and follow along as we uncover the people proving that you don't have to come from a big country to have a big impact.
Instagram: @SecretCanadians
TikTok: @SecretCanadians
Threads: @SecretCanadians
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
]]>In this episode of Secret Canadians, Alessandra takes us from waitressing while figuring out her career, to publishing, to an indie press in Toronto and eventually to an application for a new platform called Wattpad. She shares what it was like starting as a community engagement specialist and building her way up to Head of Content over ten years, watching the platform evolve from a niche writing community into a place where the next bestseller (and the next movie franchise) often shows up years before publishers or Hollywood catch on.
Alessandra explains how her team spots trends before they have names, from the rise of "new adult" fiction to the current roman-tasy boom, and what it actually takes to turn a Wattpad story into a film or TV deal.
Plus, the great Canadian Caesar-versus-Bloody-Mary debate, her love letter to Toronto, and the Wattpad statistic that might genuinely surprise you.
In this episode we discuss:
Hosted by award-winning journalist Takara Small, Secret Canadians uncovers the Canadians behind the stories you thought you knew and introduces you to the ones you've never heard of.. yet.
Tell us about the Canadians you think the world should know about.
Subscribe to Secret Canadians and follow along as we uncover the people proving that you don't have to come from a big country to have a big impact.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
]]>In this episode of Secret Canadians, Alessandra takes us from waitressing while figuring out her career, to publishing, to an indie press in Toronto and eventually to an application for a new platform called Wattpad. She shares what it was like starting as a community engagement specialist and building her way up to Head of Content over ten years, watching the platform evolve from a niche writing community into a place where the next bestseller (and the next movie franchise) often shows up years before publishers or Hollywood catch on.
Alessandra explains how her team spots trends before they have names, from the rise of "new adult" fiction to the current roman-tasy boom, and what it actually takes to turn a Wattpad story into a film or TV deal.
Plus, the great Canadian Caesar-versus-Bloody-Mary debate, her love letter to Toronto, and the Wattpad statistic that might genuinely surprise you.
In this episode we discuss:
Hosted by award-winning journalist Takara Small, Secret Canadians uncovers the Canadians behind the stories you thought you knew and introduces you to the ones you've never heard of.. yet.
Tell us about the Canadians you think the world should know about.
Subscribe to Secret Canadians and follow along as we uncover the people proving that you don't have to come from a big country to have a big impact.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
]]>In this episode of Secret Canadians, Aurora takes us from her childhood in Toronto to New York's fashion scene, where she discovered traditional African footwear and built Brother Vellies from the ground up. She shares what it was like convincing customers that African craftsmanship belonged in the luxury conversation—and the unexpected assumptions she encountered along the way.
Then, in 2020, a note in her phone became the 15 Percent Pledge, a movement that challenged some of North America's biggest retailers to rethink who gets space on their shelves. Aurora explains what happened after she posted the idea online, how quickly it grew, and what it means to fight for that space when the political and business landscape has changed.
Plus, the story behind Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's "Tax the Rich" Met Gala dress, the Canadian name that almost became Nunavut, and Aurora's strong feelings about Guelph.
In this episode we discuss:
Hosted by award-winning journalist Takara Small, Secret Canadians uncovers the Canadians behind the stories you thought you knew and introduces you to the ones you've never heard of... yet.
Tell us about the Canadians you think the world should know about.
Subscribe to Secret Canadians and follow along as we uncover the people proving that you don't have to come from a big country to have a big impact.
Instagram: @SecretCanadians
TikTok: @SecretCanadians
Threads: @SecretCanadians
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
]]>In this episode of Secret Canadians, Aurora takes us from her childhood in Toronto to New York's fashion scene, where she discovered traditional African footwear and built Brother Vellies from the ground up. She shares what it was like convincing customers that African craftsmanship belonged in the luxury conversation—and the unexpected assumptions she encountered along the way.
Then, in 2020, a note in her phone became the 15 Percent Pledge, a movement that challenged some of North America's biggest retailers to rethink who gets space on their shelves. Aurora explains what happened after she posted the idea online, how quickly it grew, and what it means to fight for that space when the political and business landscape has changed.
Plus, the story behind Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's "Tax the Rich" Met Gala dress, the Canadian name that almost became Nunavut, and Aurora's strong feelings about Guelph.
In this episode we discuss:
Hosted by award-winning journalist Takara Small, Secret Canadians uncovers the Canadians behind the stories you thought you knew and introduces you to the ones you've never heard of... yet.
Tell us about the Canadians you think the world should know about.
Subscribe to Secret Canadians and follow along as we uncover the people proving that you don't have to come from a big country to have a big impact.
Instagram: @SecretCanadians
TikTok: @SecretCanadians
Threads: @SecretCanadians
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
]]>Canadians are more important, powerful and innovative than the world gives them credit for…you just didn't know it.
From the head of fashion labels to Fortune 500 tech companies and everything in between, Secret Canadians uncovers the Canadians behind the ideas and stories shaping the world.
So, why is it that so many Canadians decide to build abroad, can’t return home (despite wanting to) to create the next big thing and how has current politics changed everything.
Hosted by award-winning journalist Takara Small, Secret Canadians uncovers the Canadians behind the stories you thought you knew and introduces you to the ones you've never heard of.. yet.
Tell us about the Canadians you think the world should know about.
Subscribe to Secret Canadians and follow along as we uncover the people proving that you don't have to come from a big country to have a big impact.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
]]>Canadians are more important, powerful and innovative than the world gives them credit for…you just didn't know it.
From the head of fashion labels to Fortune 500 tech companies and everything in between, Secret Canadians uncovers the Canadians behind the ideas and stories shaping the world.
So, why is it that so many Canadians decide to build abroad, can’t return home (despite wanting to) to create the next big thing and how has current politics changed everything.
Hosted by award-winning journalist Takara Small, Secret Canadians uncovers the Canadians behind the stories you thought you knew and introduces you to the ones you've never heard of.. yet.
Tell us about the Canadians you think the world should know about.
Subscribe to Secret Canadians and follow along as we uncover the people proving that you don't have to come from a big country to have a big impact.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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