In the season finale of Sage Advice, Hamza Khan sits down with the sage who gave him his call to adventure—leadership educator, TEDx icon, and personal mentor, Drew Dudley. This is the conversation years in the making: raw, revelatory, and deeply healing. Drew reflects on his meteoric rise, painful falls, and his ongoing journey to reclaim strength, clarity, and self-love. Together, he and Hamza explore the unspoken weight of seeking parental approval, what it means to misread where you are in your hero’s journey, and why some of the most powerful advice we receive is the advice we struggle to believe ourselves. The two longtime friends speak candidly about mental health, the fog of ambition, and how storytelling—when done with honesty—can become a tool for transformation. Drew opens up about the loss of his partner, his mother’s dementia, and the moment a stranger’s words allowed him to forgive the past. From his iconic “lollipop moment” to his newest reflections on grief and guilt, Drew shares the truths he’s fought hard to uncover. His three pieces of sage advice: 1) Grief is just love coming face-to-face with its oldest enemy, 2) It’s not your fault, and 3) Know the compliment you’ve been searching your whole life for. This episode is a full-circle moment. It’s about letting go of shame, embracing the mess, and realizing that wisdom doesn’t always arrive with answers, but with better questions. A storybook conclusion to Season 1.
In the seventh episode of Sage Advice, Hamza Khan sits down with best-selling author and strategist Adam Rodricks for a fast, funny, and heartfelt conversation about love, ambition, and becoming more human in the process. As National Director of Social Growth & Experience at KPMG Canada, Adam shares the lessons he’s learned on stage, in therapy, and at home with his wife and daughter. He and Hamza talk shop about public speaking, walkout songs, parenting while keynoting, and the tug-of-war between comparison and collaboration. Adam opens up about the influence of his late therapist, the power of choosing the right partner, and the courage it takes to actually feel your feelings. His three pieces of sage advice: 1) The most important decision you’ll make is who you partner with. 2) Don’t compete. Collaborate. 3) To heal, you’ve got to feel. This is an episode about letting go of ego and learning to lead with heart.
In the sixth episode of Sage Advice, Hamza Khan welcomes tech educator, entrepreneur, and AI adoption advocate Avery Swartz for a hilarious and heart-expanding conversation about clarity, kindness, and carving a human path through the digital world. As the founder of Camp Tech and co-lead of AI Skills Lab Canada, Avery is on a mission to demystify technology and make AI accessible for everyone—especially women and non-binary entrepreneurs. Together, she and Hamza explore what it means to lead with radical empathy in an age of algorithms. They riff on everything from the wisdom of Martha Graham to the quiet devastation of burnout, and from maternal loss to the surprising poetry of website planning. Avery shares how the best advice she ever received became even better once she reframed it—inviting us not to seize the day, but to pluck it gently. With humour and honesty, she challenges hustle culture, dismantles tech gatekeeping, and offers a more gracious, grounded approach to learning, leading, and living. Avery’s timeless advice: 1) Pluck the day, 2) Be where you are, and 3) Don’t be a dick. This episode is a masterclass in compassionate clarity—with some of the best one-liners in Sage Advice history.
In the fifth episode of Sage Advice, Hamza Khan welcomes renowned leadership author, speaker, and trainer Tim Arnold, for a deep and soulful conversation about tension, paradox, and purpose. From launching and selling a business to leading a homeless shelter, Tim’s leadership journey is marked by courageous pivots and profound introspection. Drawing from life-changing decisions—like saying yes to a Wyoming ranch, a blind date that led to marriage, and stepping into service work—Tim shares how these moments shaped his philosophy of “lead with and.” A master of making complexity accessible, Tim opens up about the spiritual influences that helped him embrace life’s polarities: striving and accepting, beauty and brokenness, tradition and progress. He and Hamza explore how leaders can become bridge-builders in a world that often demands sides. With clarity and humility, Tim challenges us to let go of approval addiction, manage tensions rather than solve problems, and build a life that balances ambition with grace. Tim’s timeless advice: 1) Live your life in total polarity—touch both sides at the same time, 2) You don’t have to choose between striving and accepting, and 3) Don’t waste your life’s energy on what most people think. This episode is a grounded and generous meditation on wisdom, maturity, and the paradoxical power of leading with both strength and surrender.
In the fourth episode of Sage Advice, host Hamza Khan sits down with his wife—and soon-to-be mother of their twins—Bailey Parnell (CEO @ SkillsCamp) for a heartfelt and visionary conversation on purpose, self-leadership, and the psychology of becoming. A globally recognized speaker, entrepreneur, and thought leader, Bailey opens up about the influence of her mentors, the transformative power of reverse-engineering success, and why leading with heart is her North Star. Drawing from wisdom like “act as if” and “fake it till you become it,” she explores how mindset shapes our reality and how we can step into our fullest selves. The episode also delves into matrescence—the profound psychological shift that comes with motherhood—and how it parallels the growth required of leaders. Bailey’s timeless advice: 1) Act from the place of the goal, 2) Expect the worst and hope for the best, and 3) Lead with love. This deeply personal episode is a powerful meditation on self-actualization, purpose, and becoming the leader your future needs.
In the third episode of Sage Advice, Hamza Khan interviews Janany Jayanthikumar—a trauma and attachment expert—for a soul-deep conversation about healing, identity, and inner leadership. Janany, a seasoned social worker and founder of the Centre for Social Work Education, opens up about her own experiences with childhood trauma and dissociation, revealing how these early wounds shaped both her personal and professional journey. Together, they explore the power of understanding attachment styles—secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized—and how these patterns influence our relationships, leadership, and sense of self. Janany shares how addressing past trauma through modalities like spirituality and internal family systems therapy can catalyze lasting transformation. In this episode, she offers the timeless wisdom she would pass on at the end of her life: 1) What happened is leading to purpose, 2) You are the creator of your world, and 3) Trust your truth. This conversation is a tender, insightful guide to honouring your lived experience and stepping into your full power. A reminder that healing isn’t just personal—it’s profoundly generational.
In this luminous second episode of Sage Advice, Dr. Deena Shaffer joins host Hamza Khan for an inspiring, soul-expanding conversation about purpose, learning, and the quiet rebellion of choosing joy. A bestselling author, TEDx speaker, and the visionary behind Awakened Learning, Dr. Shaffer has dedicated her life to transforming education into an act of compassion. But it was the profound loss of both her parents in her mid-20s that clarified her life’s mission: to reduce suffering through meaningful, inclusive learning experiences. In this episode, Deena shares the timeless wisdom she would pass on at the end of her life: 1) Go right when everyone goes left, 2) Live life as if everything is rigged in your favour, and 3) Move in the direction of aliveness. Together, Hamza and Deena unpack these vibrant truths, exploring what it means to design a beautiful business, practice ethical entrepreneurship, and align your work with your wonder. From learning strategies to legacy, this episode is a tender blueprint for anyone seeking to live—and lead—with curiosity, integrity, and joy. Because sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is choose what feels most alive.
In the premiere episode of Sage Advice, Dr. Samra Zafar joins host Hamza Khan for a moving and deeply human conversation about healing, resilience, and the courage to lead with love. A child bride who escaped a decade of abuse, Dr. Zafar went on to become a celebrated psychiatrist, bestselling author, and global speaker. Through her work and her charity, Brave Beginnings, she helps others unlearn limiting beliefs and reclaim their agency. In this episode, Samra shares the timeless wisdom she would pass on at the end of her life: 1) Hurting people hurt people, 2) Everything happens for a reason, and 3) Make love more powerful than hate. Together, Hamza and Samra explore how these hard-won truths continue to shape her life’s work, from trauma-informed psychiatry to inclusive leadership. This conversation is a masterclass in living with purpose—and a powerful reminder that hope is not just a feeling, but a force.
Joshna Maharaj is a chef, two-time TEDx speaker, and activist. She believes strongly in the power of chefs and social gastronomy to bring hospitality, sustainability, and social justice to the table. Joshna is a regular guest on CBC Radio, a passionate public speaker, and co-hosts “Hot Plate,” a food and drink podcast. She was the recipient of Restaurants Canada’s Culinary Excellence Award in 2018. Her recent book, “Take Back The Tray,” is about her work building new models for institutional food procurement, production, and service. This book is a movement to reconnect food with health, wellness, education, and rehabilitation in public institutions around the globe. It is a passionate story about how a chef tried to disrupt the institution in hopes for systemic change.
In this conversation, we talked about food insecurity, the power of values & purpose, system change, everyday activism, staying motivated through adversity, paying invisible taxes, and unlearning hustle culture.
Connect with Joshna:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joshnamaharaj
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshnamaharaj/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshna-maharaj-627772112/
Website: https://www.joshnamaharaj.com/
Declan Edwards is a thought leader in the field of happiness and the Founder of BU Happiness College–an award-winning social enterprise growing global happiness. An avid believer in the potential of people, Declan has seen firsthand that when people are equipped with the strategies to manage their minds and master their emotions, they make a positive impact not only in their own lives but also in the lives of those around them. It is this impact that he is passionate about spreading. As a published author, podcast host, and keynote speaker Declan is actively bringing the skillset of happiness back to the people and creating a world where people can thrive. When he isn't working, you'll find him hiking and spending quality time with his wife and their two dogs, or you'll find him playing either country music or acoustic covers of RnB classics on his guitar.
In this episode, we talked about mortality, the link between love & happiness, country music vs. R&B music, hedonic vs. eudaemonic happiness, ego death, transcending GDP as a measure of success, color coding calendars, and making decisions that align with our head, heart, and gut.
Connect with Declan:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/declan-edwards-bu-coaching/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bu.happiness.college
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bu_happiness_college/ AND https://www.instagram.com/declanedwards_bu/
Website: https://buhappinesscollege.com/
Alicia Robertson is a transformative life coach who helps people navigate massive change. She is the founder and CEO of Lemonade Life–a coaching business and community for women going through major life changes such as the loss of a loved one, career pivots, midlife uncertainty, divorce, and more. In just the past three years, Alicia has coached over 1,000 women and built a community of over 30,000 people. She is a sought after speaker and thought leader who has been featured on SiriusXM, Thrive Global and The Papaya Podcast. It's Alicia's mission to help empower people to thrive through change and build their best life.
In this episode, we talked about rebounding from a divorce, navigating difficult change (such as layoffs or career pivots), burnout, living out and through your values, operating with love & kindness, and being perfectly imperfect.
Connect with Alicia here:
Website: https://www.lemonadelife.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lemonadelifecoach/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lemonadecoach
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelemonadelifecoach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia-robertson-17ba5a210/
Victor Godinho is a serial entrepreneur and wealth management & strategic financial planning professional. His work and insights have been featured by the Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, HuffPost Business, Canadian Wealth Professional, Global News, CBC, and the Financial Post, among other notable media outlets.
Victor is the Managing Partner at Kismet Wealth Group, overseeing the firm's strategic growth in their Wealth Management and Family Office services. Victor holds Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Life Underwriter, and Chartered Investment Manager designations.
Victor is also a recently published author. His first book, “Enterprise Your Wealth: How To Manage Your Wealth Like A Business,” is now available on Amazon.
In this episode, we talked about the importance of paying it forward, growing up in Scarborough, wisdom from Jay Z, the hustler’s mentality, Parkinson’s Law, and doing whatever it takes to turn your dreams into reality.
Connect with Victor here:
Website: www.kismetgroup.ca
Instagram: @kismetgrp & @officialvtag
James Benham is a bootstrapped serial entrepreneur, corporate innovator, and investor focused on technology that transforms the world’s oldest industries. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of JBKnowledge, a multinational technology and consulting company founded in 2001 that develops industry-leading software for the largest insurance companies across the globe. He is also the Co-Founder of two insurance tech products: SmartCompliance and Terra.
Prior to being focused solely on insurance, James built multiple technology products for the construction industry. His most successful, SmartBid, became the leading construction bidding software for general contractors worldwide, culminating in a multi-million dollar acquisition in 2018. With over 9,500 followers on LinkedIn, James is a sought-after consultant and speaker at the forefront of innovation, technology, sales, and business leadership. He is the host of The InsureTech Geek Podcast and has spoken at over 400 conferences in the last 15 years. His first book, Be Your Own VC: 10 Bootstrapping Principles to Generate Cash and Keep Control, is set to release this fall.
James's first book: Be Your Own VC: 10 Bootstrapping Principles to Generate Cash and Keep Control, is set to release this Fall.
In this episode we talked about the pain vs. control, entrepreneurship, persisting through overwhelming fear, compassionate leadership, the power of checklists, and the discipline and focus it takes to land planes—metaphorically, and literally.
Connect with James here:
Website: https://jamesbenham.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbenham/
Twitter: @jamesmbenham
Instagram: @jamesmbenham
Courtney Watts is a human-centred design strategist at CGI, bringing human-centred systems thinking and mindfulness together to help design teams and global enterprises alike solve complex problems. She completed her masters in international business at Hult International Business School in 2014, splitting her time in the program between Cambridge, and Shanghai. She's spent most of the last 8 years in global IT consulting enterprises and startups, including a glorious few years in Toronto. She returned to her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and joined CGI back in October 2020. In addition to her work at CGI, she works with students at Carnegie Mellon University.
The universe truly aligned for this conversation to take place. In this conversation, Courtney and Hamza talk about the love of language. They pick apart the concept of love and how that relates to fear. Are you team love or team fear? They talked about identity, the importance of healing and mindfulness at work. Courtney and Hamza touched upon things like stress and burnout and the importance of creating human-centred systems. With notes on Formula 1 racing and spirituality, it was a conversation everyone should hear at least once!
Connect with Courtney here:
Hamza Khan is a Democratic Strategist & political activist based in the Washington Metro Region's Maryland suburbs. He is also a frequent guest on national & international news stations to provide analysis & commentary on topics ranging from the environment to immigration & developing markets. Hamza is the founder of The Pluralism Project, an organization working to empower everyday Americans hailing from diverse narratives in our political process. He has previously consulted members of Congress & the US Senate on outreach strategies to immigrant populations & minority voters. He is a keynote speaker who has spoken at dozens of social & political events across the country. Hamza also has a background in speech-writing, with clients including ambassadors, political candidates, religious leaders & Fortune 500 executives.
In this conversation, Hamza Khan and Hamza Khan discussed how their path crossed and what it is like to share the same name. They talked about an array of subjects such as Ms.Marvel, social justice, South-Asain identities, burnout, and believe it or not, infiltrating FoxNews. Ultimately ending on a very poignant note about the importance of creating empathy and how your life can change, just one breakfast at a time.
Follow Hamza here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hamzapolitics/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hamzaskhan
Newsletter: https://www.hamzakhan.me/subscribe
More: https://linktr.ee/HamzaSKhan
Herbert Lui is an editorial director and author. He has been writing since he was 15. His work has appeared in publications like Fast Company, Hypebeast, and Quartz, and he later joined Lifehacker as a staff writer. His company Wonder Shuttle has advised teams at organizations such as the City of Toronto, Shopify, and Skillshare on their writing and publications.
In this conversation, went deep into his latest book, Creative Doing and the impact it has had on both our journeys since the last time we spoke on the podcast. We also talked about generational trauma, death anxiety and what it means to have a “purpose” in life. It also wouldn’t be a conversation with Herbert if there wasn’t a little Kanye West in there as well.
Follow Herbert here:
Blog: https://herbertlui.net/
Newsletter: https://herbertlui.net/best-of-books
Twitter: https://twitter.com/herbertlui
Medium: https://herbertlui.medium.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/herbertlui
Earlier this year, I had the immense privilege of delivering a convocation address to the 2019 graduates of the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) in Toronto, Ontario. Inspired by The Toronto Raptors' crowning as 2019 NBA Champions, I urged graduates to contend with imposter syndrome and talk themselves into greatness. Here's the full audio for your listening pleasure. Links to the video and transcript are below.
Remember: Be great. Talk yourself into it.
FULL VIDEO: http://bit.ly/2J2eMme
FULL TRANSCRIPT: http://bit.ly/2x9gXze
David Ip Yam is the Project Director of Student Service Excellence at York University. He’s also the Co-Founder of Relationship Zen. By day, he’s an award-winning higher education practitioner and scholar with 10+ years of actively learning, facilitating, an co-creating personal, community, and professional mastery. And by night, he’s a martial artist and relationship strategist. He’s in many ways the perfect synthesis of all of the themes we’ve covered in the show thus far: multi-potentiality, self-awareness, confidence, perseverance, resilience, and discipline.
In this conversation we talked about being intentional in relationships, the hidden power of martial arts, and cultivating a beginner’s mindset. We also talked about knowing when to stop, managing energy to adequately show up, and staying locked on the end goal.
It was the perfect conversation to end this season, and I’m so glad you’re here for it.
NOTE: I know, I know—the audio quality for our last three intros is awful. Kwaku and I are working on a fix and will announce on the @iia_podcast Twitter account once it's been fixed. Thanks for your patience!
Blair Smith is a Professor of Marketing and Digital Media at George Brown College. He’s also a Learning Experience Designer and Instructor at the Canadian Marketing Association. On the MBTI, he registers as an INTP—a combination found in only 3% of the population. What does this mean? He’s an ingenious problem solver, an innovation architect, and “the secret weapon”. Over his storied career, spanning across Robert Half International, General Mills Canada, Evergreen Canada, and more, Blair has won awards for mentoring, marketing innovation, and content marketing. His goal is to cut through the buzzwords, clickbait, jargon, and endless stream of tactics and tools to demystify marketing and digital media at its fundamental parts.
In this conversation we talked about social media: the good, the bad, and the ugly. We also talked about slow and deep thinking, the importance of family, and rules for what goes into your calendar and what doesn’t.