
Behind Greatness by Inspire North
Bringing you curious minds and profound ideas. Your weekly dose of real conversations. We chat openly with industry and thought leaders from all walks of life, exploring the “what ifs” and “why nots”.
Latest episodes

Mar 17, 2021 • 43min
46. Kelly Murumets – Former CEO, Tennis Canada / Public Speaker – Finding Passion with the Peace
Growing up in Ontario, Canada, Kelly attended 10 different schools as a child until settling in Welland (Niagara region) for highschool. She lived in a chaotic household but lived it the best way she could – with a heightened sense of responsibility, “buttoned-downness” and an acute need for high-achievement in school and sports. Breaking out to get an education in another part of the country, she found her freedom to explore. As her professional life took shape, she found a seemingly natural fit with the corporate environment and her innate desire to achieve. After years of successfully transforming businesses and organizations in the not for profit space, Kelly decided to step back – twice. We discuss belief in self, integrity, humility (lessons from her dad that she holds dear) and the need for “authentic passion”. We also discuss the importance of a soul content and her continued exploration of the power of just being. To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast. Tax receipt issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north. Behind Greatness website: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast Behind Greatness IG: inspire_north Behind Greatness TW: inspire_north

Mar 10, 2021 • 57min
45. Anthony Di Iorio, pt 1 - CEO & Founder of Decentral & Jaxx / Co-Founder of Ethereum – Seeing the Nobility in Serving Others
As a youngster growing up just outside of Toronto, Anthony lived in an entrepreneurial environment. His father, an inventor, instilled in him the importance of being curious, asking questions and breaking through. With authority never sitting right with him as a boy, he chose to explore his own path as a young man after a brief stint in the family business. His path was not short of probing, stumbling, succeeding, learning, and resetting. And, in 2011/2012, he found that the emerging crypto-space spoke dearly to his natural inclinations and talent. And he dove right in. Being one of the pioneers in the field he learned first hand what the world really needed – and that he could be at the forefront of real change and (compounding) impact. We learn how he is currently forging ahead and we get a small glimpse of how he plans to serve others – something that ultimately matters to him above all else. To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast. Tax receipt issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north. Website: www.decentral.ca TW: @diiorioanthony Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonydiiorio1/ Behind Greatness website: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast Behind Greatness IG: inspire_north Behind Greatness TW: inspire_north

Mar 3, 2021 • 54min
44. Dr. Marjorie Woollacott – Neuroscientist / Author / President, AAPS – Having the Courage NOT to be Relevant
Marjorie joins us from Sedona, Arizona. She grew up in a family where the wonder of music, art and literature defined much of her existence as a young girl. Armed with a natural intellectual curiosity and a profound admiration of both musical expression and scientific exploration, Marjorie embarked on both early on in her studies. As a young scientist she was inculcated by the materialist dogma of her field, until she became open to a specific experience. From that point on things changed for her – forever. We discuss self-affirming loops, mind-wandering networks and meditation, non-linear perspectives, the mystical realm, the mystery of dreaming and the near death experience. We examine the significance of having the courage to push through and explore what is new or defined as unpopular by conventional standards. A conversation with an accomplished scientist who also leads a movement in the advancement of post-materialist science … sooo much fun. To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast. Tax receipt issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north. Website: https://marjoriewoollacott.com Website: Academy for the Advancement of Postmaterialist Sciences (www.AAPSglobal.com) Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marjorie-woollacott-a5407a30/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marjorie.woollacott Behind Greatness website: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast Behind Greatness IG: inspire_north Behind Greatness TW: inspire_north

Feb 24, 2021 • 50min
43. Matt Rizzetta – Founder, North Sixth Group / Entrepreneur / Investor / Author – Being Fueled By Your Anxieties & Your Fears
Matt grew up in New York in a close-knit family who encouraged him to both dream big and to keep his eye on the pragmatic. We discuss his proactive search for his passion as a young man as he bobbed and weaved through a brief but explosive stint as an aspiring boxer, an early marketing career working in Times Square and with a side-hustle as a sports agent. When the dust settled, he sat down with his pregnant wife and got her blessing to start a PR firm from scratch. Eleven years later he sits with us to share some of the lessons he’s been learning. Still under 40, he is a successful entrepreneur, agency founder and soccer club owner. He continues to commit to his new adventures with the hunger of a creator both humbled and fueled by his anxieties, uncertainties and fears. Matt pays deep tribute to his hardworking immigrant family, with particular attention to all the matriarchs in his life – including the bright light that was his sister. To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast. Tax receipt issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north. Pragmatism has its place in Matt’s world – but dreaming big is where he plays. Website: www.northsixthgroup.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-rizzetta-b878803/ Club Website: www.cbstyle.shop Club IG: @sscampobasso Behind Greatness website: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast Behind Greatness IG: inspire_north Behind Greatness TW: inspire_north

Feb 17, 2021 • 35min
42. Alison Coville – Former President, Hudson’s Bay Company – Always Probing With Questions Like Somebody “New”
We sit with Alison Coville, in Toronto. Alison was born and bred in Ontario, Canada. She found her passion in the retail business as a teenager. Se dove head first into this journey until she reached the pinnacle of her industry. Undeterred by the fact that she was navigating within a professional world that lacked female mentors, she drew from her experience living in a family where gender didn’t play a part in defining her ambitions. Instead, we learn from Alison that the big picture took priority for her and that seeking the perspectives of others, being open to new ideas and asking questions as the perennial “new person” were the actual keys to her success. What else? Vulnerability, authenticity, kindness, humour, reliability … and painting. Ahhh, painting… To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast. Tax receipt issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-coville-retail-executive/ Behind Greatness website: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast Behind Greatness IG: inspire_north Behind Greatness TW: inspire_north

Feb 10, 2021 • 48min
41. Dr. Elisabet Sahtouris – Evolution Biologist / Futurist / Author – Collaboration Is Key for Individualism & Creativity
Dr. Elisabet Sahtouris joins us from Honolulu, Hawaii. Elisabet grew up in Athens, New York and as a child was actively encouraged to explore the biological world around her. She went on to attain a Masters in Fine Arts, History & Languages and then a PhD in Evolution Biology. For decades, she has been an internationally known evolution biologist, futurist, professor, author, speaker and consultant. We discuss the living earth and how our sense of economics and capitalism in Western culture veered away and detached itself from the natural rhythms of our biological reality. We learn her thoughts on how we need to remarry philosophy with science and how we need to be more comfortable with not knowing, so that we can maintain a healthy curiosity of the unknown. Both creativity and building community around creative endeavours are key messages from the discussion. And this also provides a good segue to the last part of our discussion - one that brings us to hypotheses about beyond time and space. So much fun. To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast. Tax receipt issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north. Website: www.sahtouris.com Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahtouris/ TW: @sahtouris Book - Gaia’s Dance: The Story of Earth & Us: https://www.amazon.com/Gaias-Dance-Story-Earth-Us-ebook/dp/B00QFK4C1C Behind Greatness website: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast Behind Greatness IG: inspire_north Behind Greatness TW: inspire_north

Feb 3, 2021 • 47min
40. Josh Cassidy – 3x Paralympian / Champion Racer / Speaker / Artist – Accepting that Failing & Losing Is Just Learning
Joshua Cassidy is a 3 x Paralympian and is preparing for his 4th Paralympic games in Tokyo. He is a 31 x racing champion with world record times at the 2012 Boston Marathon. The oldest of 10 children, he spent his first 5 years in hospital fighting a non-congenital cancer – and won. Having a family where affection and love mattered as much as discipline and finding your own way, Josh faced the world with a tenacity unparalleled. Having had mentors who helped him along the way, he found a love and passion for racing, even if he had to bleed internally to prove it. But Josh has another muse and we explore this as well. And we expect that he will be spending the “passion, the dedication and the time” when post-world champion Josh finally retires his racing gear. To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast. Tax receipt issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north. Website: https://joshcassidy.com/ IG: @joshcassidy84 TW: @JoshCassidy84 FB: JoshCassidy84 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-cassidy-3b55b6194/ Behind Greatness website: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast Behind Greatness IG: inspire_north Behind Greatness TW: inspire_north

Jan 27, 2021 • 36min
39. Julie Yoo – Entrepreneur & Curator / CEO of the Year (2020): Small Businesses - Listening to Your Inner Voice
Today we chat with Julie Yoo in Toronto. Julie is the owner of I Miss You Vintage and was recently chosen for the front cover of a national business magazine as representative of all small business owners: all dubbed “CEO of the year”. Julie catapulted the scope of her business from local to global as an adaptive response to the pandemic in early 2020. A lover of art and history, she married these passions into an early career working in museums and art galleries. But, she had other passions always close, whispering. We discover a young, keen Julie grow her curiosity about things antique and pre-owned. Turning this curiosity into a side-hustle she reminisced about morphing this into a life of entrepreneurism. Julie discusses her affection for stories and of artistic creation - and the “feelings” side of her work. But listening, as the title suggests, is the source of her greatest strength. To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast. Tax receipt issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-yoo-256472117/ Website: https://imissyouvintage.com/ IG: imissyouvintage & imissyouman Behind Greatness website: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast Behind Greatness IG: inspire_north Behind Greatness TW: inspire_north

Jan 20, 2021 • 38min
38. Rob Zepp – Former Professional Hockey Player / Manager, NHLPA - Being Relentless in Your Pursuit
We are joined by Rob Zepp. He currently works at the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA). Before this, Rob was a professional hockey player in both Europe and in the NHL, taking the crown as the oldest rookie in the NHL since 1927 to win in his debut. Rob brings us through his journey as a young boy with a dream to be a professional athlete and then living this dream on another continent – before he returned to join the NHL back in North America. But, he never let the sport define him. Always with an eye on exploring multiple passions, he worked hard at studying business while grinding away as a professional goaltender, living his boyhood dream. His success, achieved in large part through the support of his spouse and their commitment to the journey together, is a story too good not to be told. To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast. Tax receipt issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-zepp-704889103/ Behind Greatness website: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast Behind Greatness IG: inspire_north Behind Greatness TW: inspire_north

Jan 13, 2021 • 40min
37. Marc Trestman – Professional Football Coach / Author - Living Transformationally, not Transactionally
We sit down with Marc today and talk about his journey from his native of Minneapolis to law school and then to living out a professional coaching career in 14 different cities in the US and Canada. We discuss how he viewed himself and his accomplishments until he hit an inflection point at 50. We discuss his thoughts on the importance of humility and self-awareness. He shares his thoughts on leading by authenticity, consistency, relentlessness – and by love of others. We uncover what humility truly means to him and why we must truly care about and serve those around us. Recalling what he has learned from his dad and from his wife – he reminds us that we never achieve alone. To DONATE to the Behind Greatness podcast, please visit here: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast. Tax receipt issued to donors. Behind Greatness IG: @behindgreatnesspodcast & @inspire_north. Behind Greatness website: www.inspirenorth.com/podcast Behind Greatness IG: inspire_north Behind Greatness TW: inspire_north