We have an impressive roster of speakers often featured and celebrated in the media for their expertise and successes. Here’s a round-up of some select media coverage in December 2019 covering topics like budgeting, Family Feud Canada, and starting off the new year with optimism.
Preet Banerjee | Behavioural Finance Expert
Preet Banerjee broke down the high costs of using convenience services like Uber and Skip the Dishes with Global News.
Jeanne Beker | Iconic Fashion Journalist
The Kit sat down with fashion legend Jeanne Beker to talk about how, through finding her perfect cut, she found herself and her confidence.
“My haircut has become my signature, an emblem of authenticity in an era of image obsession. It represents my ultimate style edit and trumpets the fact that I’ve found a cut that not only looks like me but feels like me.”
David Chilton | Former “Dragon”, CBC’s Dragons’ Den | Bestselling Author, The Wealthy Barber
The Toronto Star published a Q&A with David Chilton that shows his “lighter side”, while talking about what he’s up to now post-Dragons’ Den and his new book.
What are the top three questions you get asked at cocktail parties, bank lineups and fast food outlets?
“Is Kevin (O’Leary, former fellow investor on “Dragons’ Den”) really an ass?” Pretty much, yeah.
“Should I pay down my mortgage or build up my RRSP?” I’ve truly had this question thousands of times. Ugh!
“Where are the stock markets going now?” I have no idea, nor does anyone else.
You’re often described as “endlessly affable” and “the world’s happiest person.” How happy can you possibly be?
I really am constantly upbeat. There are only two things that can get me to say “enough is enough”: the Detroit Lions and my sister’s non-stop picture taking at family gatherings.
Arnold Schwarzenegger will always be known as the cyborg assassin robotically warning “I’ll be back.” As the Terminator of Personal Finance, what’s your personal catchphrase?
“Pay yourself first!” A few years ago I pushed, “Pay the barber first!” but it never really gained traction.
How relevant is “The Wealthy Barber” in the digital age? Do people even read books anymore?
The basic teachings still hold. That said, the details and cultural references are woefully out of date. For example, ETFs and TFSAs, very popular products now, aren’t even mentioned. Amazingly, though, the author still looks like his cover photo of 30 years ago. Not.
Jessi Cruickshank | Television Personality
Jessi Cruickshank was named one of Refinery29‘s 2019 Canadian game-changers, culture-makers, and boys’ club-crashers! Coming in at 26, Jessi is the “cool mom” who landed one of the most coveted sit-downs this year on her digital show New Mom, Who Dis? — a one-on-one with Justin Trudeau, post blackface scandal.
Gerry Dee | Award-Winning Comedian | Star, CBC’s Mr. D
As the host of Family Feud Canada, which premiered December 16, Gerry Dee brought ET Canada along for a set visit to get the scoop on the Canadian twist of this popular game show series.
Chris Hadfield | Astronaut | First Canadian Commander of the International Space Station
Chris Hadfield wants to help us all start 2020 off right with his “Astronaut’s Guide to Optimism in 2020”.
Google Canada also shared that Chris’s term as the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station as one of the top trending moments of the decade.
Jamil Jivani | Award-Winning Activist | Lawyer
This month, Jamil Jivani was announced as the first ever Advocate for Community Opportunities for the Ontario provincial government. His position will help build bridges between vulnerable communities and the government to make sure funding is allocated correctly, and make recommendations when needed. Jamil is a well-known community organizer, lawyer, and bestselling author of Why Young Men: Rage, Race, and the Crisis of Identity.
“My entire career has been outside of government … and I’ve been learning from families who don’t feel like they have a voice with people in power,” Jamil told the Star. “I’m hoping to bring some of what I learned into government.”
Rosie MacLennan | Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist, Trampoline
Rosie MacLennan brought in another win for Canada, earning a bronze medal in women’s individual trampoline on Sunday at the trampoline world championships in Tokyo. Canada left the competition with an Olympic spot!
Dr. Samantha Nutt | Founder, War Child Canada and War Child USA
InStyle magazine profiled Dr. Samantha Nutt for their “Badass Women” series, which celebrates women who show up, speak up, and get things done. Samantha was recognized for her work in establishing humanitarian-aid program to benefit 420 million kids living in countries affected by conflict, as well as her non-profits, War Child Canada and War Child USA, that provide access to education, legal services, and job opportunities to people in places like Afghanistant, Iraq, and Uganda.
“In my 20s I used to be this self-righteous pain in the ass, yelling, ‘Don’t you know there are children dying in Africa?’ Then you realize you are running out of friends,” she jokes. “To bring people into the conversation, you start in a way that is light, relatable, and engaging. Then you take them through the full spectrum of emotions and they feel like they can take action.”
David Usher | Juno Award-Winning Musician | Creativity and AI Expert
The co-creator of the Climate Clock project, David Usher spoke at 4TH SPACE about the urgent action need to slow down global warming. The clock is updated once a year, often around the anniversary of the signing of the Paris Agreement, to show the real-time measurement of how long we have until the average global temperature surpasses 1.5°C — when global warming starts to become really dangerous.
David also joined Global News to talk about the inaugural Analog Conference Series, where he introduced audience members to his virtual being, Ophelia, who gets smarter through each conversation.
Samra Zafar | Human Rights Activist | Social Entrepreneur | Bestselling Author
CBC Radio profiled Samra Zafar for their “This Happened to Me” video series that explores the turning points in our lives.
Samra shared her courageous story escaping a decade-long abusive relationship. By the age of 18, she was married, pregnant, and living with her husband and his family in a brand-new country, having immigrated to Canada from Pakistan. She suffered a decade of abuse before carefully plotting her escape to freedom. Today, she is a bestselling author and founder of a non-profit that mentors survivors of abuse.
