The First Step

Our June Book Club pick is Behind the Red Door by former First Step co-host Louise Claire Johnson! This book covers everything from women in the workforce, coming of age in a big city, travel, being a boss, and paving your way in the world of beauty and business. It's such an inspiring, well-researched story that Sarah and I had so much fun discussing in this episode. 

It's all about Influencer Relations and being a Businesswoman in this episode of the First Step. We talk with Ali about starting her own company at a young age, what the influencer landscape looks like right now and into the future, advice for those in the influencer field, and lastly, why you should have multiple revenue streams. 

For our May book club, I am joined by my new co-host Sarah, also known as @she.gets.lit.erary. We discuss our reviews of Dominicana, what it was like to be an immigrant in 1965, historical fiction books, the power of character development in a story, and family duty. 

Summer is just around the corner, and instead of stressing about looking good in a bathing suit, we should be finding a workout routine that we love. In today's episode, Rachel Garrett, a personal trainer, and kinesiologist joins me to discuss fitness, healthy eating, and a healthy mindset for summer. 

Today we're talking all about poetry with the author of the She Book Vol.1 and 2, Tanya Markul. Tanya shares how she got into poetry, what her writing process looks like, the road to publication, and why the best way to be a writer, is to just write. 

This month's book club pick was all about feminism, and in this episode, Louise and I dig deep about the positive and negative sides of the topic. We touch on popular books, controversial figures, and what we can do as human beings to better fight for equality. 

This episode is all about fashion! I'm joined by personal stylist Adorah Raylene, to discuss clothes for spring, the power of thrifting, what to splurge on, avoiding trends, and why skinny jeans are not out of style. It's such a fun episode that you don't want to miss. \r\n

This week we are joined by Professional Volleyball Player Shanice Marcelle to talk about the life of an athlete. We discuss how she got into the sport, recovering from injuries, traveling the world to play, and why women need to speak up for themselves and say no. \r\n

Our March Book Club pick is The Push by Ashley Audrain. This book is a wild ride. It follows the story of Blythe, a young mother who has a troubling relationship with her daughter and struggles with the ups and downs of motherhood over the years. Covering themes of family dynamics, parenting,  and female voices, it's the psychological thriller that everyone's discussing, and we couldn't miss out!\r\n

Today we are joined by Shreya Khanna, Producer for Entertainment Tonight and Host at Live Nations. In this episode, we get into all the behind-the-scenes of working in this industry. We discuss what a day in her life looks like, challenges overcome, and advice for those looking to get into the field. \r\n

Today we are joined by Melodie Reynolds, the founder of the vegan and cruelty-free makeup line, Elate Cosmetics. She shares with us why she decided to launch her own makeup brand, her goal for making waste-free makeup, and diversity in the beauty industry.

It's everyone's new favourite exercise, and here to tells us all about it is PWRHOUSE Fitness founder Courtney Zelter. Courtney started the online platform during COVID, and now she is here to tell us how a rebounding class works, the health benefits of the workout and how to grow an online fitness platform.

This week we are joined by Vancouver-based Jewelry designer Sarah Mülder. She shares with us how she started designing and creating her own pieces, how she went from selling in markets to having her products in over 80 stores across Canada. As well as what a day in the life of a jewelry designer looks like. 

For February, we decided to read a romance novel, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver, but after reading it, we realized it wasn't the romance we thought it would be! In this episode, Louise and I share our Goodreads reviews, what we liked and didn't like, and discuss debut novels vs. second novels. We also touch on romance as a genre and the different types of books within the space. 

Michelle is a WIZ when it comes to everything brand design and social, named by Yahoo Finance as a top ten brand designer, and having worked with companies such a Hotel Lobby Candle. Now she is here to share all her expertise. We discuss the best ways to build a brand, specifically a podcast, how she became a full-time brand designer, dealing with difficult clients, and advice for those entering the field!

The world of online dating can seem very daunting, which is why this week's guest is here to break it all down for us. Heather Hopkins is the CEO and Founder of the Graze App, an online dating platform, as well as the host of "The Hookup" podcast. In this episode, we get into the do's and don'ts of online dating, how the algorithm works, and whether you should pay for a subscription or not. 

Today we are joined by local Vancouver based artists Joy Kinna to talk about her journey to becoming a freelance artist. She shares how she got started selling her work, her process of painting, working with galleries, naming her work, and advice for those entering the field. 

Our January Book Club pick is Off Script: Living Out Loud by Marci Ien. You may know Marci Ien from her time as a co-anchor on Canada AM or from the Social. In her memoir, she shares memorable stories, interviews, and career experiences. From being the first Black woman in Canada to co-host a national morning show, to the pressure she felt to stay "on script" over the years. In this episode, we have so much fun discussing the powerful and inspiring woman, that Marci Ien is. 

Finding the right birth control should be easy, right? It is healthcare, after all. Yet, so many women struggle to find one that works for them. Today's guest is the founder of Reya Health, a platform that is working to make finding the right birth control easy. No more weight gain, mood imbalances, or acne? Sign-us up. To learn more about Reya Health, visit www.reyahealth.ca. 

Gregory Funk is the partner and lead designer at Interiors by Peridot, and he is here to share his expertise on all things design! We discuss what a career in interior design looks like, how to style your office like a pro, and even thoughts on your favourite design shows, such as Million Dollar Listing and Selling Sunset.