Jesse Hirsch is one of the most unbridled, unrestrained, intelligent, and entertaining individuals I know, and he doesn't disappoint in this interview. Jesse makes you think, laugh, question, and lean in all at once, on subject matter that is near and dear to all of us.

We also talk about his early hacking arrest, which made him question authority; his warnings about the rising power of platforms; how our education system needs a major reboot; and his decision to leave the mainstream media behind and build a very different life through farming in rural Eastern Ontario. Jesse calls his farm the Academy of the Impossible, an experimental, high-speed fibre-connected, wired-up space that researches the intersection of agriculture, media, technology, and culture.

I don't stray far from the farm to invite Lisa Ashton from RBC's Thought Leadership Team to talk about Canada's potential to become a food superpower.

If you have ever doubted the power of art to change lives, this episode will make you think again. It is a reminder that movement can be medicine, joy can be transformational, and community can be as important as any treatment plan. Above all, it shows how one person's calling can become a lifeline for thousands of others.

What if dance could do more than move the body? What if it could unlock joy, restore confidence, build community, and become a vital part of brain health? In this moving episode of Chatter That Matters, I sit down with Sarah Robichaud, founder and CEO of Dancing With Parkinson's, a program that is changing lives everywhere. What began with one class and one big idea has become a powerful national movement, helping people with Parkinson's and others reconnect with their bodies, their minds, and each other through music, imagery, storytelling, and dance.

Sarah shares her journey, from a young girl who knew she was meant to dance, to an artist and teacher who discovered a profound calling to help others find freedom through movement. She explains how dance can bypass limitations, spark new neural pathways, elevate mood, and create a sense of belonging that many participants describe as life-changing.

Later in the episode, Wayne Bossert joins the conversation to discuss the importance of brain research, the role Brain Canada plays, and why supporting brain health matters to you, to me and to RBC.

To learn more about Dancing with Parkinson's. https://www.dancingwithparkinsons.com/

To learn more about Women's Brain Health - https://www.rbcwealthmanagement.com/en-ca/insights/why-women-need-to-be-more-proactive-with-their-brain-health

John Beyer grew up amidst chaos. His parents were alcoholics. By his mid-twenties, both parents had passed away, grief weighed heavily, and alcohol took over his life. In this episode, I speak with John about the moment he finally confronted that truth and the long journey that ensued.

The conversation covers addiction, recovery, family, and the quiet strength of rebuilding a life step by step. John shares how he found sobriety, started a business, became a husband and father, supported a son with autism, and kept moving forward through profound personal and health challenges.

What makes this story so impactful is that it is shared from experience, scars, gratitude, and a sincere desire to help not only himself but others, and the book he authored, Live a Little Better.

To buy John's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Live-Little-Better-Survival-Sobriety/dp/1637634013