Behind Greatness by Inspire North

Welcome back to Behind Greatness. Today we are speaking with Mark Cecchetto. Mark acts as the President of Nestle Canada’s Confectionary Division and lives in Toronto. Mark grew up in a healthy family environment where he was encouraged to explore and where the expectation for a successful future path was also not negotiable. Originally wanting to have a career in sports management – with the ultimate ideal as the GM of the Blue Jays – Mark saw a different path emerging as he became a young professional. We discuss several “oh crap” moments through his life and his need to look for rougher waters. We discuss at length his passion for mentoring and helping those younger than him and the angst and fear he sees in many as a reflection of his past worries. We learn about what “A” word best defines his expectation for his two children. And what we’re really curious about is what he’s trying to cleanse when we discuss his non-professional life. And staring at water … To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: https://behindgreatness.org. As a charity, tax receipts are issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north Mark, LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markcecchetto/  

We are joined by Dean Radin at his home in Idaho. Dean is the Chief Scientist at the famous IONS in California. IONS was founded by Astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell 50 years ago after the Apollo-14 mission. Mitchell had a mystical experience as he found himself in space and walking the moon that he started this Institute when he returned to Earth to study our interconnectedness with the universe. And Dean has certainly taken on those reigns. Contemplating existential questions at a very young age, he was often ribbed for having an extra “why” chromosome when he was merely a boy. Dean became fascinated early about tackling the problem of figuring our how the brain knows it’s aware. We learn about his upbringing both in the South and in the North, playing violin as an aspiring professional musician, the magic of the banjo, a mystical event in Scotland and a Thunderbird experience. We discuss his term “presentiment”, his experience with psychic espionage at the Stargate program, the cracking of belief systems, building evidence of psychic phenomena and using science to study from the INSIDE, and what his scientific research points to about our psychic abilities.   We recommend the listener to reference episode 80 with Russell Targ re his leadership in the CIA’s Remote Viewing program.   To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: https://behindgreatness.org. As a charity, tax receipts are issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north Dean, Website: www.deanradin.com TW: https://twitter.com/deanradin LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-radin-9417877/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/DeanRadinsPage/ Books: https://www.deanradin.com/books    

Welcome back to Behind Greatness. Today we are joined by Thomas Verny at his home in Stratford, Ontario. He is one of the world’s leading experts on the effects of prenatal and postnatal environment on personality. Dr Verny shot to international fame after the publication of his book entitled “The Secret Life of the Unborn Child” in 1982. But fame was never a driver for Thomas. Searching the truth suited him better. We speak to a man today who has had his own private practice for many decades, has published several books, articles, short stories and poems and now who also hosts his own podcast – “Pushing Boundaries with Dr. Thomas R Verny”. But, we also learn about Thomas the Boy who was separated from his parents during the Nazi occupation, who was jailed to be shipped to a concentration camp and who was blessed with people close to him of miraculous love. We learn about the hardships his parents endured also after the War and as new immigrants to North America. And, we learn about the boy who became fascinated with the works of Sigmund Freud at age 13.   With a lifelong interest in memory and mind, Thomas soon went on to help establish the science of Pre & Perinatal Psychology. We discuss his work on cellular intelligence and the central role of the cell membrane vs the nucleus and the importance of the body vs the brain. If that isn’t enough, we also discuss his personal experience with a psychic and an illuminating Out of Body experience that became a very informative episode in his life – and possibly an informative one for our host.   And what matters most to Thomas? The teaser says it all.   His is a life lived. And it seems like he’s only getting started.   To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: https://behindgreatness.org. As a charity, tax receipts are issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north                Thomas, Website: http://www.trvernymd.com Recent Book (2021): The Embodied Mind https://www.amazon.com/Embodied-Mind-Understanding-Mysteries-Consciousness/dp/1643137999/ref=sr_1_1?crid=D8CV2ZKKT48H&keywords=the+embodied+mind&qid=1662511995&sprefix=the+embodied+mind+%2Caps%2C199&sr=8-1 Podcast: “Pushing Boundaries” - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1628669415 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tverny/  

Rick joins us from his home outside of Toronto. He is perennially and lovingly known as “Rick the Temp” in his home country. He is a long time national TV & Radio host and a long time friend to Inspire and Behind Greatness. As a shy kid growing up in Hamilton, Rick knew he had something in him. Armed with the love of music and art, a positive life-energy and a heavy commitment to preparation, Rick created the opportunity for himself to become a national video jockey for Much Music in the 1990s. And he never looked back. We learn about throwing Christmas trees off buildings (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSYvZdqapZw), microphones in microwaves and note-filled footballs. We discuss being cognizant of the nostalgia that he represented for millions of viewers across the country. And we also learn about being ok with facing new experiences with little confidence, high anxiety and lack of polish and how the commitment to learning and pushing has always been the key for Rick. He also stresses the importance of staying approachable and the pact he had with his family members when he first started his journey.   Rick’s positivity is contagious – and real. Listen for yourself.   To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: https://behindgreatness.org. As a charity, tax receipts are issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north   Rick, Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-campanelli-05832231/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/rick_campanelli/?hl=en TW: https://twitter.com/rickacampanelli Z Mornings: https://z1035.com/z-mornings-rick-campanelli-sandra/  

Doug joins us from his home in the Hamilton area, Ontario. Doug is a serial entrepreneur, owning several brick & mortar companies that together employ over 20,000 people. After high school, he decided that university wasn’t for him and began exploring how he could create his own path. And like an artist, create is what he did. We discuss several themes that are important to him: the influence of his family and his parents in his life, having a healthy dose of an inferiority complex, the desire to be underestimated and over-prepared, how to own the coin flip and refusing to accept “no”. Doug charms us with his boyish attitude towards exploration and seeing the magic of creating in the moment. He also shares his experience of being on his death bed in his 20s and how that changed his view on short term vs long term living.   To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: https://behindgreatness.org. As a charity, tax receipts are issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north     Doug, Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-putman?originalSubdomain=ca Globe & Mail: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/rob-magazine/article-doug-putman-profile-toysrus-hmv-putman-investments/  

Jeff joins us from Houston. He is the current Associate Dean of the Faculty and Graduate Programs in the School of the Humanities and the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University. He is also the Associate Director of the Center for Theory and Research at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. In this conversation we explore the “3rd space” that Jeff occupies and a wide array of topics therein and all connected to the esoteric: a term that is important to Jeff. We discuss Jeff’s position on the physical world vs the immaterial world, Belief vs Beliefs, the importance of the Humanities and the porosity of the human being. We delve immediately into the Paranormal and learn how old religious heterodoxy allowed what we could accept and what we should ignore and linked to how many scientists (social and otherwise) are “in the closet” about these experiences. We discuss how our culture is trying to change itself today as we share our experiences without the societal / cultural shackles of our recent ancestors. We learn more about his thoughts on religion as a mechanism to tap into paranormal forces and then attribute to an external deity. We discuss being in your own story, creating your own story versus believe that you are your own story. We talk about religion as an art, the self, reincarnation, the importance of acting, the persona – and the Friendly Neighbourhood Spiderman.   Soo much to talk about and too little time!   To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: https://behindgreatness.org. As a charity, tax receipts are issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north   Jeff, Website: http://jeffreyjkripal.com Books: https://www.amazon.com/Jeffrey-John-Kripal/e/B001IODIT2%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share    

John chats with us from his place in Toronto. John comes from a family – like many of us – that left their country in poverty to make a better life in a new place. John tells us about growing up, living and working in a cocoon of a 2km radius … until he began to poke a hole in his bubble. In the 90s, John worked relentlessly for his firm fulfilling his billable hours, but spending 1000 hours / year trying to build a business with future tech-giants like Microsoft and Oracle. But before they were giants John bet his future on this space, perplexing all of his superiors … until the tech space exploded and he became the authority in the country in this industry. We discuss being on top of the world … until his firm became embroiled global scandal and he lost everything. We discuss in detail a horrific accident, near-death, his comatose state … until Pavarotti, a stage, a white light and the perennial chip on his shoulder brought us to this conversation. Talk about piercing holes in the universe….   To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: https://behindgreatness.org. As a charity, tax receipts are issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north   John, Website: https://www.maverixpe.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joruffolo/ TW: https://twitter.com/ruffoloj

Orlando joins us from his home city of Miami. In a followup to last week’s scintillating talk with Luis Zuniga, we continue with Orlando in talking about living under a totalitarian regime and the peoples’ fight against the same. Orlando’s family lineage in Cuba traces back to 1492. Orlando explains how he and his Organization are trying to pierce through the communist armour of Cuba’s regime to get the message of hope, liberty and democracy to the Cuban people on his home island. We discuss infiltration of radio airwaves, the “escape” story of his own family, the grave political dangers of pork, evictions, the sacrifices of his parents and grandparents and the humiliating and punishing treatment of those who simply try to leave and those who rise up against. Orlando also stresses with us how tourism dollars into Cuba are directly deposited into military bank accounts and not necessarily into hospitals and schools and for the general welfare of the people. We learn from Orlando how the ideological cloak of the regime has started to wear and tear in modern times and how a continued push to show those living under crushing communist rule that beliefs are stronger than many think them to be. To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: https://behindgreatness.org. As a charity, tax receipts are issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north Orlando, Website: www.directorio.org Assembly of the Resistance website: www.republicadecuba.org Personal website: www.gutierrezboronat.com

Luis joins us from Miami, Florida. Luis is a former Plantado. Born and bred in Cuba, Luis was a young teen during Fidel Castro’s revolution against the military dictatorship in Cuba at the time. However, he found out as a young university student just how oppressive Castro’s version of “liberation” was (and is) living under his communist rule starting in the early 1960s. Refusing “political integration” as a university student, Luis brings us through his harrowing story fighting back against Castro’s totalitarian regime. Fighting meant that he was imprisoned for his beliefs for almost 2 decades of his life. He describes the appalling conditions, the tortures, the beatings, the “re-education” programs, the solitary confinement, the maimings, the escapes, the mine fields, and the rescue attempts. And none of this affected his resolve. Today, at 75 years young, he continues the fight against communism through The Assembly of Cuban Resistance. We discuss the current conditions in Cuba and the continued stranglehold that the government has on its people and that the military has on the entire tourist industry. Sensitive ears, beware. Luis brings us hard truth – and enlightening lessons.   A very special thanks to Torchia Communications https://torchiacom.com/.   Luis, FB - Assembly of Cuban Resistance: https://www.facebook.com/cubaresist FB- Directorio: https://www.facebook.com/directoriodemocraticocubano Media Release: https://www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca/index.php/events/1035-july-10-statement-of-the-canadian-cuban-friendship-association-toronto-   To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: https://behindgreatness.org. As a charity, tax receipts are issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north    

Santiago joins us from Vienna. He is from Bogota, Colombia and spends his time between Austria and his native land. He is a founder and director of Jaguar Siembra – a not for profit outfit in Colombia dedicated to preserving Indigenous knowledge and sharing indigenous wisdom through film about this supremely unique place on the planet in northern Colombia: “La Linea Negra” in Santa Marta. This conversation is packed with what’s important to our guest – and to our podcast. Santiago warns us about the travails from our disconnection from our food sources, he explains the sacredness of the Jaguar (see episode with Amy Jo Johnson for more) and the community in music. He also educates us on ancient places on earth and their connection to sound and to ancient wisdom. We discuss his mission in communicating through art and why it’s important for him to use the power of film cut through the noise to share the sacred knowledge from a piece of the earth that has been untouched by modernity since forever. And yes, Metallica once again makes a cameo in this discussion.    To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: https://behindgreatness.org. As a charity, tax receipts are issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north   Santiago, Website: www.jaguarsiembra.com IG: @jaguarsiembra FB: https://www.facebook.com/jaguarsiembra