Interviews

There’s nothing more satisfying than landing your dream job and loving what you do everyday. And Mike Bartlett, Senior Director, Corporate Responsibility, MLSE & Executive Director at the MLSE Foundation has done just that. Mike’s job is the perfect example of a career that combines passion, business and philanthropy and demonstrates that you can …

Most people would agree that it’s tough to be an entrepreneur (and maybe even a bit tougher to be a social entrepreneur). It takes a special kind of person and Jenise Lee, the Founder & CEO of  CertClean is no exception. We love her motto of “fail fast, and learn faster” because it …

It’s no secret that we’re all about jobs with a purpose and a paycheque. But what we love most is discovering the interesting companies and people making a difference with their work. This week, we meet Alexandra Snelgrove, the Director of Social Impact at LIFT Philanthropy Partners, a not-for-profit that takes a venture philanthropy …

Career switcher, Susan Heaney, shares advice and her story about switching from the corporate sector to nonprofit. From a decades long corporate career at Avon to the Director of Marketing, Communications and Development at the Sustainability Consortium, Susan Heaney transitioned almost seamlessly from the corporate world to the nonprofit sector. For …

From a policy advisor in the Federal Government, Valery Navarrete wanted to explore other ways of engaging in social change. Looking for opportunities with more direct community impact, Valery moved back to her hometown of Toronto and landed a job at one of the most iconic nonprofit brands, the YMCA. More than a gym, the YMCA …

From a very young age Maria Pineros Murillo knew she wanted to be a designer. What she didn’t know, was how she could use design as a force for good… until she met the folks at social good consulting company Joint Development Consultants. With a shared vision, Maria joined the team and is …

From a program coordinator for the Muscular Dystrophy Association to a full time minister- Shane O’Connor has had a non-traditional career path. What started as a night job at a FedEx operations facility has turned into a fulfilling career as a CSR leader. His story is a good reminder that there’s no …

If you’ve ever wondered whether you should work in non-profit, business, or government, you’re not alone. But Coro Strandberg’s career story reminds us that there’s no one path to success. And that having experience in all three can make you the ideal social impact professional; understanding and speaking the language …

Kendra LaFleche may appear to be a typical consultant at Deloitte, but her focus on Social Finance makes her anything but typical. Kendra’s story shows us that you can find impact jobs in unexpected places and reminds us that sometimes all you have to do is ask. Learn more about …

Despite a traditional background in economics and an MBA, Shama Ahmed’s job is anything but. On the cutting edge of Social Finance and Impact Investing, Shama leverages her deep skill set and experience at TD to take on the role of Manager of Financial Education and Social Finance. As part …

Alina Racoviceanu was a traditional engineer who transformed herself into a Purple Sheep.  A holistic and analytical thinker, Alina used her desire to ‘save the planet’ one act at a time to pursue a career in corporate social responsibility. Sustainability experts like Alina are secret weapons within companies, helping employees connect the …

We met Maricel Ramos at an Ecobabes networking event where we heard about her using her accounting skills for good. Troubled by a lack of financial literacy and an avoidance of the topic among Canadians- Maricel started Good Financial Choice. Intrigued by her passion for finance we learned more about …

Steve Croth is one of the most forward thinking CEO’s we’ve ever met- but not in the way you might expect. At his grandfather’s funeral, Steve Croth was inspired by his legacy as a community man. Steve Croth thought backwards about what he wanted to be remembered as and the …

We recently met Kristy O’Leary at the Social Finance Forum in Toronto and immediately felt a kindred spirit. As a fellow social entrepreneur, we admired her vision and passion for social impact creating Scout & Burrow, a non-traditional agency. Kristy’s career story is a good reminder how career paths in the …

In addition to demonstrating your passion, the message of developing your skill-set is one that we continue to emphasize at Bmeaningful. Like the sports analogy “there’s no I in team”, Blair Smith’s career story and advice reminds us that as top talent, the key to success is focusing on the …

One of the most exciting things about working in the impact economy is seeing the rise of cool social enterprises like Mealshare, taking the buy one give one model to the culinary world. Andrew Hall is the co-founder and co-mastermind behind this budding West Coast based organization. From consultant to …

Experts in Career Switching: From Executive Vice President of TELUS to CEO of the Arthritis Society, Janet Yale has completed her transformation to Purple Sheep. Janet leveraged the knowledge and skills she gained over 25 years in the corporate sector and successfully “career-switched” into not-for-profit. Janet’s career story reminds us …

In pursuit of a path Ari Cohen thought he was supposed to take, financial success, the corner office and status- Ari slipped further into addiction until he hit rock bottom. His transformation to Purple Sheep is so inspiring because it reminds us of the power of resilience. One of the …

Experts in Social Finance Series: Joanna Reynolds’ story is a great example of a career in the impact sector, seamlessly transitioning from the arts and nonprofit to social finance. Joanna is at the forefront of impact investing and a trailblazer in the field- we need more Purple Sheep like her!

It’s hard to say what we love most about the progress that has been made in social impact related careers over the last few years. But the concept of community is a big part of what inspires us and gives us hope for the future. Thanks to professionals like David …