Across the Desk

Communication Skills for Work

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 23:04:33 GMT

This episode explores neurodivergent communication styles, challenges, and strengths within a team. The hosts share personal experiences, practical tips, and insights on fostering understanding and effective collaboration. This episode explores the nuances of communication, neurodivergence, and the importance of understanding implicit cues in both personal and professional contexts. Hosted by Elizabeth, with insights from Maddie and Sydney, it emphasizes practical strategies for clearer interactions and building trust.

The Riff Raff: Minus Some Pirates

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 16:03:47 GMT

This episode explores managing social energy, self-awareness, and boundaries, especially for neurodiverse individuals, with practical tools and personal insights.

The Riff Raff: Getting Social. Or not ...

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:57:52 GMT

This panel explores the complexities of social engagement for neurodivergent individuals, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, self-care, and strategic social management. Participants share personal experiences, practical tools, and insights on navigating social situations while honoring their neurodivergent needs.

The Riff Raff: Alone vs Lonely

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:50:44 GMT

This podcast explores the nuanced differences between being alone and feeling lonely, especially within neurodivergent communities. The hosts share personal experiences, insights on social connection, and practical strategies for managing solitude and loneliness.

The Riff Raff: Workplace Communication (the not spicy kind)

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:14:37 GMT

This episode explores the intersection of AI and neurodivergence, highlighting practical tools, ethical considerations, and personal experiences. It emphasizes responsible AI use, the importance of data, and how technology can support neurodivergent individuals in productivity and mental health.

The Riff Raff: Looking for Help in All the Places

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:49:58 GMT

In this episode, we explore the nuances of asking for help, self-advocacy, and communication within neurodivergent communities. Our guests share personal stories and insights on navigating support systems, advocating for oneself, and understanding the importance of inclusive spaces. In this episode, we explore the importance of asking for help, how past experiences shape our willingness to seek assistance, and strategies to foster independence and trust in support systems.

The Riff Raff: Uncompliant Happy People

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:36:15 GMT

In this episode, we explore the nuances of communication, independence, and compliance within neurodivergent communities, emphasizing the importance of autonomy and authentic connection. In this episode, we explore neurodivergence, agency, and advocacy through personal stories and insights, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and intentionality in building independence.

The Riff Raff: Sensory Issues - All the Feels

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:33:27 GMT

The Riff Raff crew got together to share about their combined sensory issues, how they impact daily life and what it's like to realize after decades of tags bothering you that you're not SENSITIVE, it's sensory ;)

Who Is Qualified to Write for You?

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 01:20:03 GMT

As a health professional, getting online can be a challenge. After all - your job is to see patients and make them better. Not pin, post, tweet and tumble. So what happens when you want to get online but don't have time? Sometimes you ask staff to write for you. Big mistake. But only if they aren't qualified to discuss what they are writing about. If that's the case - DON'T DO IT! You are going online to build your reputation and if you let someone who is unqualified and uneducated in the topic you are taking a HUGE risk. It's not worth it. Take a listen for some tips on how to get your content online and keep risk to a minimum.

Across the Desk with Ken Jaques and the Gnome

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 20:48:21 GMT

It's not odd to see Ken smiling. In fact, it's how I most see his face. When he says hello, he's smiling. When you chat with him, his smile invariably creeps up on his face. His smile is infectious and just makes you feel better to be around. What Ken's smile hides is his battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis and the pain that can travel around his body like that rogue garden gnome.

Across the Desk: Don't Mix Peanut Butter with Tuna. Ever.

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 03:48:53 GMT

I think there is a very thin line between eccentric and eclectic. Both refer to the possibility of seemingly unrelated ideas coming together in ways people might not have considered before. Stepping over the line from eclectic to eccentric? Well that's when you try to put peanut butter and tuna fish together. Not a great idea. The benefits of being described as or acting like either eccentric or eclectic has its benefits and drawbacks. For me, the benefits are many. Having eclectic tastes allows me to talk to just about anybody at events and put together ideas that seem random to some. Until we talk about it further and they have the inevitable a-ha. Eccentric? That means I don't mind taking on weird challenges, fit right in with odd teams and seldom object to doing something out of the ordinary that most might run from. Interested in learning more about the benefits? Listen on, Macduff. Listen on ...

Across the Desk with Hazel van der Werken

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 20:01:43 GMT

I am a change management neophyte. Enthusiastic and firmly converted but a neophyte none the less. With Happy Melly Exploration Day coming up on October 19th, I thought it best to bring someone on Across the Desk who has more experience than me. Meet Hazel van der Werken. Since being involved with lean practices in Scotland in 1995 and adding change management in 2009 in the Netherlands, Hazel arrived in Canada in 2013 and found Silicon Halton. Thank goodness because it was through Silicon Halton that Hazel found Spark the Change Toronto where we met in 2015. While Hazel is unable to be at the Happy Melly event next week due to a work trip, she's a staunch advocate for all levels of an organization regardless of industry taking advantage of the Happy Melly Exploration Day. Why? Because Hazel is all about the right tools for the job and Happy Melly has a toolbox that will blow your mind. www.happymellyexplorationday.com

Turning Lists in to Banana Bread

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 31 May 2016 22:38:41 GMT

Do you write a ton of great ideas down and then losing money by not acting on them? Me too! So let's chat about how your brain creates great ideas and how your lack of process to use it, just sucks and makes you less banana bread.

Across the Desk with Canva by Canva

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 23:27:51 GMT

Is your online presence lacking verve? Colorless? Boring? Image impaired. Yikes! And to make matters worse, are you graphics skilled impaired? Does Adobe sound like a house you find down in Mexico? I've got a solution that even those with some graphics skills can make good use of. Canva is a resource that was recommended to me a few months ago and I haven't looked back since. I'm fortunate to have more than a passing acquaintance with with Adobe Illustrator. Canva makes it so easy to create social media headers, posts and resumes that you'd be nuts not to learn how it can up the verve factor for your online profiles. https://www.canva.com/

Across the Desk with Tree Ryde

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 19:49:09 GMT

Meet Tree Ryde. She's who I've nicknamed the Ambasadoress of Awesomeness for Health Local. Why the title? Because Tree is the voice of reason that you reach when you call Health Local to learn more about how being a part of Canada's largest health directory can help you business. Plus she is what her title says: completely awesome. Friendly, professional, knowledgeable and willing to go the extra mile to help health pro's across Canada. Who wouldn't want someone like that on their team?

Across the Desk with Karen Bradbury / Christopher Leadership course

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:58:40 GMT

Meet Karen Bradbury, a 15 year volunteer with the Christopher Leadership Course. A self-confessed once upon a time wallflower, Karen was encouraged to participate in the program offered by CLC to improve her public speaking skills. She was so impressed by the experience with CLC that she became an instructor and hasn't looked back since. Having worked with over 200 students, she's seen first hand how taking the time to invest in yourself can lead to opportunities you never imagined possible!

Across the Desk: Mindset, Putting Yourself on the List and Partnering

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 01:49:15 GMT

If you're in business, you're going to need help. As much as we'd all like to be able to solve our problems ourselves, we can't do it all. And we shouldn't. The worst thing you can do for your business is labor under the delusion that you've got all the answers to all the questions. From me to you: get over yourself. You don't. Nobody does. Sounds ballsy right? Well this week during our Ballsy Women in Business meeting we covered so many great topics that I can't help but admire the women who joined us and asked the questions. Why? Because admitting you don't know something or need help can be hard. Believe me - I wrote the book on not asking for help. And it has the same ending as anyone else who writes a similar book. I got over myself and asked for help and lived happily ever after. Well, not quite. That would be why Ballsy exists. Because we all need times during our business' iteration to address the new situations, questions and problems that crop up. Take a listen and find out the topics we covered and some answers that members are applying to their business!

CASDA - Deputy Grand Chief Walter Naveau

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 11 May 2021 18:39:43 GMT

It is my great honor to welcome Deputy Grand Chief Walter Naveau of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation to Across the Desk and the CASDA podcast series. Deputy Grand Chief joins us to discuss the growing concern about autism in the First Nations communities. We discuss how families need access to autism services which not only provide existing non-Indigenous learnings but to also incorporate traditional Nishnawbe healing ceremonies and medicines. We also focus on how geography and education create barriers to accessing services and what can be started to fix this problem. Halton as we know it today is rich in history and modern traditions of many First Nations and the Métis. From the Anishinabe to the Attawandaron, the Haudenosaunee, and the Métis - these lands surrounding the Great Lakes are steeped in Indigenous history. As we gather today on these treaty lands we have the responsibility to honour and respect the four directions, land, waters, plants, animals, ancestors that walked before us, and all the wonderful elements of creation that exist. We would like to acknowledge and thank the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation for sharing their traditional territory with us.

Know Your Pain Points

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 22:28:56 GMT

Are you either currently working with a service provider or about to hire one? Do you think you're the only one who should be prepared for meetings? Think again. If you want to maximize the time you have with a service pro and minimize the budget, then do your homework on your pain. Points that is. Take the time to understand what you want to accomplish, what you can take on and the best way you can support the service provider so that they give you the best bang for your painfully earned buck.

Across the Desk with Ken Jaques

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 20:19:10 GMT

Have you ever gone through a situation in your life where you've decided to make the huge decision not to accept status quo? Meet Ken Jaques, a successful Burlington businessman, who decided that the health care system didn't have enough wellness in it to overcome the amount of illness. In this two part intro, we'll meet Ken and discuss his time spent in IT consulting and knowing what it takes to grow a successful business and how he's taking on the current health care model.

Let's Go To The Movies

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 16:38:46 GMT

I firmly believe that part of business success is sharing part of your real self. That includes on social media. I cannot stand following people only to discover that they entire content consists of top 5's, webinar links and marketing messaging. Drives me clinical. So in that spirit - meet me and my penchant for superheroes, movie theaters and my magical moment with Christopher Plummer.

Education Improves Your Ceiling Height

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 01:27:07 GMT

I realize that for some of us, high school was a long time ago. I mean loooonggggg ago. But I for one still love learning. I love taking new courses and got quite excited when I signed up for my 3rd online course to learn how to teach online. Yep - I'm stepping back up to the front of the class! But if I didn't make education a priority, I wouldn't be in a position to improve my business, my knowledge base and my ability to earn a better living. Who doesn't want to do that? Sometimes stuff gets in the way of learning. Could be family. Could be an asshat boss. Or it could be the one person we rely on to make sure we're not only moving towards the glass ceiling but are ready to bust through it - ourselves. And that, my friend, is where you need to evaluate the priority you place on education as a means of getting ahead. So put your big kids pants on. We're going back to school!

Sounding Off About Ideas

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 17:40:57 GMT

Some of us might think we have the dream team of idea generation right in our own heads. After all - who's going to love our ideas more than we do right? This strategy has too many faults to mention though one does slip out in the previous sentence. Loving our ideas does not make them a good idea. In this episode of Entrepreneurial Entrails, I share my idea generating techniques as well as the suggestion that you make a new dream team. Include some colleagues or coaches that you trust who will give you the honest feedback your fantastic idea deserves!

Across the Desk With Mike Edwards

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Listen and laugh as Mike Edwards and I discuss his journey from tech guy to coaching guy and the evolution of that process. Mike strives to make his coaching sessions a safe and productive relationship and hear why hiding under a bathroom sink isn't the best way to get therapy ...

Wise Words with The Invisible Touch by Harry Beckwith

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 20:56:33 GMT

I love me some research. Why? Because when I'm reading a book, written by a person I've never met, I take what they say with a grain of salt. But when they add research and anecdotes to support their advice? Lordy that makes me happy. This is my second foray in to one of Harry Beckwith's books. The first was You, Inc. which I reviewed last year. I liked that one and this one didn't disappoint either. Written in 2000, some of references are dated (remember the colored clam shell Apple laptops???) but honestly, the advice still holds true. Understand the role of imagination. Underestimate the impact of data. Overestimate the amount of time and effort it takes to build trust with clients. It was 200 pages of a good read. Take a listen and see if it's worth turning a page or two ;)

SparkTO with Allison Graham - the Resiliency Ninja

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 23 May 2017 22:12:56 GMT

For over 10 years Allison Graham has been helping professionals grow their top line revenue. Her bestselling book, From Business Cards to Business Relationships: Profitable Networking & Personal Branding Made Easy is the foundation for her original work. She’s been featured as an authority on sales and networking in the media and worked with some of North America’s most influential brands. That’s her public Behind the scenes, she’s been dealt a series of difficult blows that magnify the collision between home and work. Her struggles have earned her the moniker, Resiliency Ninja. In her latest book, Married My Mom, Birthed a Dog: How to Be Resilient When Life Sucks! Allison makes people feel less alone in their struggles and gives them tools to ensure that tough times don’t have to dictate their level of success.

Across the Desk with Makin the Bacon's Karen Swyszcz

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 19:34:46 GMT

I'm joined today by the hysterical and madly skilled Karen Swyszcz from Makin' the Bacon. What do we chat about? Well, many things including why vowels are missing from her name, how she got started in the blogosphere and some crazy myths that businesses use to not blog. One of our shared passions is teaching businesses that there are better and easier ways to communicate for your business. And communicate you must. If you believe that building a website and occasionally putting up a blog post are enough to have you fending off the business offers, well, you're wrong. Very wrong. Join us for a fun filled, informative and snort inducing chat about the why's and wherefore's of makin' the bacon!

Entrepreflexible

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 15:17:44 GMT

Sometimes working from home can be great. Other times? People forget that working is as working does and working from home is still working. However, the great part can truly come in handy when life and family throw you a curve ball and you need to put on the Mommy hat and make the magic. Sound familiar?

Across the Desk: Badass At Making Money by Jen Sincero

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 21:34:38 GMT

I'd like to tell you this is an interview with Jen Sincero and I'm all fancy like that. But it's not. What I can tell you is that I've just finished reading her latest book, You Are a Badass at Making Money, and it's freaking awesome. Wise Words on Across the Desk is an opportunity to give honest feedback about some of the crazy number of books I read and either recommend or advise you to steer clear. It could be said I'm the cattle prod of book reviewers ... If Jen Sincero can be the cattle prod of motivational speakers and get rich, then hey, why not me too? Take a moment to get inspired to get your financial mindset under control. One day, when I'm feeling brave, I'll read you the letters to money that I wrote and you'll see what change is possible. Universal Intelligence: show me the money!

SparkTO with guest Laura Goodrich

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 14 May 2018 16:11:59 GMT

Does your knee act like a jerk when change happens? Would someone providing a new way of thinking be helpful? If your organization is experiencing some changes that have your team flipping out and the change stalling, perhaps you need someone like Laura to come in and give you some new ways to save your knees. Your business can't afford to cling to practices that could bring it to its knees.

Across the Desk with Halton Food For Thought and Glamjulz

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 18:54:21 GMT

I'm a firm believer in supporting local community groups as is my friend Monica Graves of Glamjulz. Why? Because we know that giving back is the BEST way to help a community grow and prosper. This chat Across the Desk we talk about the teachers' gift initiative Monica is doing to support Halton Food for Thought. Looking for a great way to say thanks to your kids teacher AND give back to the community? Win, win!

Build Buddy with Doug Osborne

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 20:16:33 GMT

No, this is not like build a bear. Trust me. What it is, is the sound advice of creating a relationship with a trusted colleague who will help you build your business. Not in a brick by brick way but by being someone who holds you accountable for goals and targets that might fall prey to the monster of procrastination if we don't use this strong tactic to keep it in check. Join me with Doug Osborne and learn his tips and tricks for getting your business ahead!

Across the Desk: Move Communications Up the List

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 02:48:56 GMT

Have you ever had a friend that you can go years without talking to but when you pick up the phone it's like no time has passed? What if they asked you to help them move? Still feeling chatty? Me either. That's what can happen if you don't communicate with your customers on a regular basis. When you have something to sell or an event for them to come to and you send out that invite? Chances are, they'll treat your invite much like you might react to the moving request. The conversation will be over. But if you take control of your communications and offer helpful content, keep in touch, and share some laughs, then when it comes time to ask, they'll be listening. If communications hasn't been on the top 5 of your businesses to do list, it's time to get it on there. Use 2017 as your goal year to take steps to keeping the conversation going. How? That's what we're going to chat about today. A simple solution to start a 3 month comms plan with an added bonus tip for your website. Take a listen and build your plan. You might be surprised what starts moving for you!

Across the Desk: Entrepreneurship and Innovation by Peter F. Drucker

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 18:37:20 GMT

People can get caught up in the myths and legends surrounding entrepreneurship. We see Oprah and Richard and Steve and Arianna and all the fancy folks and figure that will be us in a year. Nope. Nope it won't. Downer right? But wait! All of these people have something else in common - education. Continuous learning. Determination. Smart teams. Processes. All the behind the scenes stuff that we don't know about until we start looking. While we might think it's the present day business gurus like Tony and Simon and Gary who have cornered the market on success, they're actually standing on the shoulders of giants like Peter F. Drucker. Haven't heard of him? You need to. This week on WWW, I'm sharing the wise words from Druckers' famous book, "Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Practices and Principles." If you plan to be an entrepreneur and haven't read it yet, get it. I wish I had when I started and am so glad I have now. Knowledge is power peeps ;) And we all need more of that.

Across the Desk: Execution

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 20:33:18 GMT

Did you know that execution comes down to 3 main things? People. Strategy. Operations. Not those on their own but how the leadership abilities in charge of the organization engage with those three components. Is your leadership style to delegate and then completely step away? Yikes. Are you a micromanager who builds distrust and angst within your team. Oy vey. Or do you take the time to have real conversations, give honest feedback and encourage debate and idea generation. Yeah! Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan deliver a book on leadership and how it impacts an organization's success or failure on project execution. We're talking a few thousand dollars to a few billion per project. Either you have what it takes or need to learn it quickly if you want your organization to succeed. With this book in your tool kit, I think you've got a better chance of less butt-covering, more authentic engagement and an even greater chance of becoming a better leader.

Autistic Rambler - Expertise Comes In Many Valuable Forms

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 18:22:14 GMT

Ep 18 I had a GREAT description written and then Soundcloud messed it up! Now my expertise is in writing and crafting messaging but that doesn't mean I want to rewrite this one ;) Today we're talking about the value of lived experience and owning the title of expert if it fits you. It's a bit of a journey to get there but the other value is that if you can find a way to share your voice and expertise, then you make change happen. People who have no lived experience in some areas should NOT be in charge of creating policy, programs or other opportunities without folks with lived experience being involved. And much like how you can't pay an architect for their experience using gift cards, lived experience experts should also get paid. If you valued someone enough to ask for their opinion / expertise, then it's valuable enough to pay for ;)

Sneaky Shit - Not at Someone Else's Expense

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 10 May 2017 21:02:59 GMT

Have you ever sat and wondered what your mom might think of some of the decisions you make when it comes to business? We all know moms have the power to make us feel 9 with our hand caught in the cookie jar. Or maybe that's just my mom ;) But ultimately, if we use making our parents proud (or grandparents or favorite aunty)as part of the barometer for decision making, I think things might go differently in some cases. Today we talk about stepping over the line and forcing someone to be the loser in a situation isn't the best way to do business. It might work out short term (*cough Trump cough*) but it will catch up with you. Your reputation will begin to precede you and people will start to get that twist in their stomach when dealing with you. Like it or not, your shady side isn't as well hidden as you'd like to think. Relationships are not quick deal. They require time and effort and nurturing. You need to have a long term plan in your head ALL THE TIME so that when tempted to be not so awesome, you remember the plan. And that whatever decisions you make will have long term impact on you, your business, your relationships and your life. Consider this the finger wagging that your mom would give you if she knew what you were up to. And if you're keeping everything on the level? Then this can be your cheek pinch for a job well done :)

Across the Desk: So I Stalked This Guy Online. And found him.

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 16:06:00 GMT

Have you ever lost your wallet? Or had it stolen? That sucks right?! This weekend I got the chance to make it suck less for someone. How? Social media. In this day and age of mobile phones and mobile people, it can be hard to track someone down the traditional way. But thanks to social media, all we need to do is follow the breadcrumbs that get left online. My husband found the wallet in downtown Toronto while working but the address on the ID was in Burlington. It made sense for him to bring it home as we could return it quickly. With knowledge of the panic associated with losing your wallet, I wanted to get in touch with him sooner. So I went online. All it took was googling his full name to find the beginning of the trail. LinkedIn proved to be a bit of a bust but his Facebook profile provided some ideas. He'd listed his work as being at a pub close to where my husband found the wallet so I gave them a call. Sure enough, he works there. After explaining the situation, the staff agreed to contact him with my info. Interested in hearing how the story turned out? Take a listen ;)

Across the Desk: Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 02:50:28 GMT

Something I've come to realize after reading 30 or more business books, is that everything new is old again. That the vast majority of the current day guru's are standing on the shoulders of giants like Dale Carnegie. With each advent of technology, someone devises a new way to improve organizations, develop leadership and support change. But they use ideas developed 70 years ago to do it. It's true. So that's why I've been revisiting the masters. After all, Dale Carnegie wrote this book in 1936 and 80 years later, we're still talking about it. His ideas and strategies are still being taught in courses around the world. His suggestions for authentic persuasion and building relationships are being use in corporations today. His notions of fairness and consideration are coming back in to vogue because we went so far the other way the pendulum just had to swing back. I, for one, welcome the times back when people showed appreciation with no other motive than kindness. A time where the mere idea of tricking someone by using false flattery was considered low brow. A time when leading with compassion, thought and integrity meant something. Dale Carnegie - I think your time has come. Again.

Across the Desk: What Drives You?

Elizabeth Plouffe — Sat, 28 Oct 2017 00:58:02 GMT

Do you sometimes step back from your business and think, "What in the hell am I doing this for?" I have. Lots. And then I figured out why. I wasn't listening to what drives me. That little voice that says, "Hell yes! This is what I was born to do!" I was born to teach. Took me many years to figure that out. I was also born to solve problems and put out fires. I love it. Makes me do the Mambo when I get to do that. One way I feed that habit is by being an event planner. Nothing says run like a lunatic like being in charge of a team of people delivering an event with hundreds of attendees. It blows my kilt up in a big way :) But if you haven't found your drive, or at least what drives you on certain aspects of your business, maybe it's time to take a look at why. Or better yet - who can you give those jobs to that rob you of your drive so that you can get back on track! Interested? Listen on.

Growth, Why And The Message In Between

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 15:56:43 GMT

Ballsy in Review - this week was just the two of us (great song) but wow did we cover a lot of business topics. Not only did we manage to cover growth goals but also process creation for on-boarding and HR practices and targeted audience messaging. We explored how looking at your own experiences and education can help you create the job posting that will get you the employee you need and figured out a few new places to start looking. Get a couple of women entrepreneurs together and the solutions are endless it seems :)

CASDA - Mental health with Dr. Carly McMorris and Rebekah Kintzinger

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 18:30:06 GMT

I think we can all agree that COVID has put our mental health to the test. Imagine being in a situation where you are not only dealing with the stress of COVID but suddenly all supports for yourself or someone you care for who is autistic disappear. No warning. No other plan. Just gone. Dr. Carly McMorris and self advocate and parent Rebekah Kintzinger join us today to discuss what that looks like and how we can begin to recover.

Across the Desk - What's Your Story?

Elizabeth Plouffe — Sat, 17 Dec 2016 03:03:16 GMT

Have you ever thought about your story? Would you know what to say? Until recently I didn't know. Ironic for a writer / communicator who is also a Gemini (Yes, I believe in astrology. Don't judge me. It's my story.) When you've had some challenges in your life, they can become your story. I've had a few. More than a few. As they happened so close together, they became more of my story than I realized. It took a good friend telling me that they should be a part of my story for me to realize that I didn't want that anymore. It wasn't who I was. SO! I went in search of my story. After two months of coaching and journalling and all that good stuff - I found it. Ever since I found it, my life has changed in so many ways. My story now? I'm a teacher. It's not only what I do, it's what drives me. In business. In life. In friendships. In my family. It's what I need to do to feel like I'm contributing to society. If you aren't sure what your story is, I encourage you to find out. I can guarantee you, it's worth the search!

Lodestone Logic: Navigating Your Way Through Events

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 20:38:57 GMT

Learn more about how having the right event data can make the most of your marketing and events budget ! Why is this important? Case in point: A large company THOUGHT they were spending their events budget and attending / participating at over 400 events. Turns out it was only 120. Yikes! Tracking your own data and knowing the best events to attend, sponsor, showcase at and speak at is one the best ways to stop wasting money !

SparkTO with Luc Galoppin

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 23 May 2017 21:52:10 GMT

Meet Luc Galoppin - one of our great speakers at Spark the Change Toronto 2017! Organizational Change Practitioner and Author Luc Galoppin looks at organizations like communities that need development, not as machines that need fixing. He is the co-author of Managing Organizational Change During SAP Implementations, Guest Lecturer of Executive Education in Core Business Integrations of Sustainability (CBIS) at Harvard School of Public Health, and founder of the largest community of Organizational Change Practitioners on Linked In (50,000+ members)

Across the Desk with the Power Of Visual Storytelling by Ekaterina Walter

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 00:20:25 GMT

Wise Wednesdays - well aren't I wise every day? Some days more than others. WW is about sharing other people's wise words. This podcast is about the Power of Visual Storytelling by Ekaterina Walter and Jessica Gioglio. I can guarantee you I did NOT pronounce Jessica's last name correctly but points for trying. This is a great book for any business owner who needs to know more about how to share their business' story and the best way to do it. I also partly throw communication consultants under the bus by mentioning you might want to educate yourself before allowing someone you don't know to wield the pen or keyboard on behalf of your business. And yes - I'm a communications consultant ...

Across the Desk: Ballsy chats about backdoor politics, purging and keeping your compass straight

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 17:11:12 GMT

I like to believe that most people operate their business like they operate their life. For me that means honesty, transparency and healthy dose of sarcasm. It would never occur to me to shyst someone personally or professionally so when I run in to these backdoor politics in certain industries, it always hits me between the eyes. This month at Ballsy, we covered the most diverse range of topics yet. The legality of pot and implications on society. Purging out of date business practices. Setting your company's moral threshold and building an element of social community in to your product or service. Phew. I'm already exhausted ...

Across the Desk: How Developed Are You?

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 00:46:45 GMT

Did you know there's a difference between pursuing personal development and personal education? And that they each have incredible value to you as a human being and employee or entrepreneur? As someone who's always been a crazy dedicated learner, I never thought of the distinction. I just figured learning was learning. But it's finding that balance and making sure you don't mistake one for the other that creates the most benefit. Education does not equal personal development and focusing too much on your self and not enough on the other kind of smarts can be dangerous too. Excited to find out more? Romper bomper stomper boo ... I see Stevie and Mary and ...

SparkCafe with Nilesh Kulkarni

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 19:35:17 GMT

Spark Cafe welcomes Nilesh Kulkarni who is the winner of our Golden Ticket from Management 3.0 ! We were heart warmed to speak with Nilesh and discover the excitement and enthusiasm he's feeling towards coming to the first Spark the Change India! Sit down and take a few minutes to meet this lovely gentleman who is an agile coach in Pune and now a Spark advocate!

SparkTO with Sue Johnston

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 23 May 2018 15:21:35 GMT

Sue Johnston is really good at being curious. The great thing about this? She's even better at sharing what's she found on her adventures with curiosity. I've looked forward to having Sue across the desk since 2015 when we started working together on the Spark the Change Toronto team. With a diverse background including journalism, fashion, TV, coaching and communications expert, Sue brings an incredible breadth of knowledge to Spark. An event can't lose when you've got someone on the team. Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit. e. e. cummings

Strategic Mojo with Doug Osborne

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 23:18:20 GMT

Are you excited by the idea of having a business? Do you know what that feeling is called? Mojo. Having the energy, the enthusiasm, the conviction to make that idea a reality. Learn more from Doug Osborne about what mojo can do for your business!

Autistic Rambler - Big Boys Don't Cry

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 23:20:44 GMT

Why does society get to dictate how people express their emotions? Excellent question. Let's discuss ;)

Autistic Rambler - Shut the Should-ers

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 21:19:12 GMT

Ep 10 The word should is one that really grates my cheese. And not in a delicious mac and cheese way but in a ticks me off way. Should implies that what you're doing is wrong and the person who's saying it? Their way is better. Should creates limits when it becomes shouldn't. As the parent of an autistic individual I have banished should and my lovely co-host Maddy has done the same thing for their kids. Find out why should's are shitty and should be banished for good!

Across the Desk: Why Use the Word Hate?

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 02 May 2017 16:36:50 GMT

The older I get the less I use the word hate. I think I stopped liking it mostly because I realized the power of it. The power to demean someone. The power to change the dynamics of a situation. The power to influence decisions and thought processes and personal development. Used in passing, such as "I hate when that happens" isn't a huge deal. It's when it's used in a personal interaction that I shudder. We have no idea what that word might trigger in someone. We have no idea how much of a game changer it could be. Today's chat is about my boobs. Indirectly anyway. And no, I don't hate them. In fact, there isn't a single thing I hate about myself. Not one. I'm not a narcissist. I'm just a decent human being who believes that hate is reserved for a level of society to which I do not belong. I hope you'll take a listen and take hate out of your vocabulary. And even take it a step further to take it out of other people's as well. Once you listen, I hope you'll understand where I'm going with this. PS - I use the F word at the end of this podcast. I have a love / hate relationship with the F word. Mostly love ;) But for my mom who listens religiously - sorry Mom xoxoxo. I know you love me anyway!

Across the Desk with Monica Graves

Elizabeth Plouffe — Sun, 31 Jan 2016 00:37:25 GMT

Do you think you are the only one that struggles with business stress, dealing with women who judge your clothes and the pressures of making your dream come true? Think again. Join me for a candid discussion about the trials and tribulations of leaving the corporate life behind, embracing a business wardrobe built from Value Village and picking yourself up in the face of tragedy to make your business stronger than ever. Once upon a time a little girl went out on recess. During recess she saw a business opportunity that would change the way she looked at school forever. She saw pebbles. And from those pebbles and idea was born. If she could sell those pebbles, she'd have the money to help her family and go on trips. Pretty smart thinking for a 5 year old. Her name was Monica Graves and that pebble idea? Well that's become Monica's successful company Glamjulz.

Across the Desk: Wise Words with Make it Stick with Chip and Dan Heath

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 14:30:48 GMT

There aren't too many business books I read and immediately think: You know what? I could get more out of that. This book is one of them. Make it Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die is terrific. Not only can it help you tell your business' story better but it can help you communicate better period. Why is this book worth reading again? It's got so many good ideas for how to stand out, be real and reach your audience that I'd be doing my business a disservice if I didn't. It's that good. Take a listen and I just might be able to convince you too. Or at least save your kidneys ...

Across the Desk with Lean Change Management by Jason Little

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 18:50:57 GMT

People talk about change all the time. Talk. When you actually delve in to how difficult personal change can be, imagine trying to change an entire organization. Some days I have challenges picking out which funky socks to wear. Being a change agent for a whole organization? Yikes! Well now at least I've got some tools to get the conversation going. About change I mean. Not my socks. 2 years ago I met a guy. This guy had a big, audacious plan to have a conference in Toronto called Spark the Change. This was my first introduction to what agile, lean change management and the tools to make it happen. The guy? That's Jason Little. And as I've told him before, he changed my life. Lean Change Management is the book Jason has written based on his experience as an agile coach, researcher, change expert and disturber of the status quo. He doesn't want you to make change happen just for the sake of it. He wants to give you the tools so the change will have minimum blast radius, maximum insights and turn even the most negative manager in to a change agent and advocate. See me throwing around the lingo? Learning that organizations can be transparent, engage their employees and commit to conversation has changed my life. It will change the lives for employees of my business when I'm eventually lucky enough to hire some. Why? Because now I know better. Now I know how to facilitate conversations across the organization. Now I know that if someone is fearful, I need to find out why and help them through it. Now I know that you can't assume people realize they're doing a good job: you need to tell them. Often! Even though I still know very little, I now know a fantastic coach that I can call up and say, "Hey - you know in chapter 6 when you discuss options? Can we chat about the best one?". And soon you will too.

Across the Desk: Get To Know Me and my Goals

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 30 Dec 2016 21:32:01 GMT

Do you let your life or business happen to you? I used to. And for the most part I've been ok. But I've never been able to set goals and couldn't understand why. Now I know. Part of it was I didn't know what I wanted to do or achieve. I couldn't see a clear path. Since starting my business (which was also an accident), especially this year, now the path is clear. I'm sharing with you some of the tools I'm using to reflect, create and achieve the goals I'm setting for myself. Some are big, audacious, in your face goals. Some are smaller but equally kick ass goals. Some are short term. Some are long. But all of them are taking me down the path that I'M creating one goal at a time.

Taking on the Competition

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 25 May 2016 18:15:39 GMT

Are you tired of the BS? In this case BS stands for back stabbing or behind the scenes sabotage. I love working with other people, sharing ideas and building up success. For EVERYBODY! I play in the sandbox with the firm belief that if you like my shovel better you'll play with me but if that guys bucket is more to your liking, well, he'll be your buddy today. Same thing in business. So if you need help growing your business or solving a business problem, who do you share your angst with???

Across the Desk with Kelly Bentley

Elizabeth Plouffe — Sat, 06 Feb 2016 01:03:02 GMT

Join me and my guest Kelly Bentley as we discuss her plan to get you healthy and keep you healthy. That's her business after all. We discuss the evils of caffeine and how you can goof up health information EVEN when you supposedly know what you're talking about. Me, not Kelly.

Across the Desk with guest Christa Pepper

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 03:51:01 GMT

Christa Pepper is a personal trainer, coach and empowerment #badass which is why I invited her to have a chat with on Across The Desk. As ways of an introduction I asked Christa to tell me who she works with: "I work with women who've tried it ALL to lose the weight - the pills, the shakes, the crash diets, the do or die attempts and the voodoo magic, really, desperate times call for desperate measures, right?! I work with women who are ready for a different approach, a lasting change."

SparkCafe with guest Lalit Jagtiani

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 19:50:03 GMT

Lalit is a Business Transformation Specialist and a Thought Leader in Digital Strategy. He has led and managed organisational transformations for customers across the Asia Pacific region. Currently he works with the top customers of SAP to drive innovation and transformation that can create new business value. A strong believer in chasing his dreams, he has varied experiences that go beyond the typical corporate realm. A Diploma in Film Making led him to script and direct numerous videos. Lalit is the author of “When Change Happens” – a story of Organisational Transformation. “Change Management is not a practice where one size fits all. It needs to be adapted, improvised and then fitted to the needs and demands of the organisation. And my book does exactly that.”

Across the Desk: The 15 invaluable Laws of Growth by John. C. Maxwell

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 18:14:52 GMT

Have you ever wondered about how intentional you're being in your learning? Or do you figure you're past that stage? That learning shouldn't have to be a part of your business any more? That's pretty freaking short sighted if I do say so myself. My business coach recommended The 15 Laws of Invaluable Growth and it's impact will be felt on my family, my business, my volunteer activities and more. It strengthened my resolve to continue with learning in whatever capacity possible so that not only do I continue to grow but all those around me do as well. Works for me ;)

Across the Desk: Are Your Pants On Fire?

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 15:47:19 GMT

Can you whip off a white lie and not even blink? Do you commit to events or meetings and then bail? If your word is your bond, is yours crazy glue or sticky tack? If this got you feeling a bit cringe worthy, then take a seat. I did a poll a few years ago to find out what people thought of me. I was happily surprised to find that the top 3 consistent words were: Loyal, Trustworthy and Honest. Sounds boring to some but to me it was music to my ears. I broke a fibbing habit by age 24 that most people probably weren't aware of and have spent the rest of my days making sure that those 3 words are what I'm known for. If you think lying won't bite you in the ass at some point, you need to stop kidding yourself. And if you are over the age of 18, you need to grow up. Liars suck. I have stopped being friends and won't do business with people who prove to be liars. Even fibbers and story stretchers go on the shit list. My advice? Take a listen and see if your honesty habits need a tune up. If so, AWESOME! Get off your butt and make a commitment to a clean slate of honesty. If you listened and said Bah! I will never get got. Well karma can be a card carrying bitch my friend and I suggest you keep one eye opener for all the people you've screwed over. They might be listening to this podcast and thought of you ...

Autistic Rambler - Do NOT Boldly Go In To My Space

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 14:42:10 GMT

Ep 15 What do we ramble on about on this episode? When I listened back while editing, I had to message Maddy because we covered SOOOO much that all tied back to communication and personal space. We touch on how trauma influences how we engage in certain situations. How our lenses on life can contribute or get in the way of belonging. How personal space, a valuable pandemic lesson, needs to be remembered. And how if you're at a conference and you stop suddenly to check your farking phone that SOME people might view that as an opportunity to go Free Guy on your butt ;) Just sayin'.

SparkCafe - Meet Sunil Mundra

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 21:06:49 GMT

Sunil, working as a Principal Consultant at Thoughtworks, is a Pragmatic Agile & Lean Evangelist and Systems Thinker. He has extensive international experience in consulting with organisations on the path of Lean Transformation and Change. Sunil’s topic at Spark the Change: Infuse Life, Embrace Change Spark Theme: Disruption and Change

SparkCafe - Meet Karen Chovan

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 11:09:29 GMT

Karen’s mission statement: “To engage, educate and enable people working in projects and organisations, so that their individual efforts can make a positive impact.” Over the past decade, Karen has worked with various groups within the mining and project management sectors. Karen is a geological engineer, project manager, sustainability expert and change agent with 20 years of experience based out of Saskatoon in Canada; someone who believes that the greatest value can only be derived through common goals, healthy engagement and collaboration to reduce wasteful practices. Karen is a strategic forward thinker with strengths in binding together data, information and people, to identify risks and opportunities to solve complex challenges including leading teams through transformational change. Karen’s topic at Spark the Change: Design to engage and align for project success Spark Theme: Unleashing people

Across the Desk: How Bad is Your Ass?

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 17:40:42 GMT

Since becoming an entrepreneur, I've had a lot of learning to do. Not just about business but about myself. I've always been considered a bit of a "rebel" though not in the conventional sense. I don't have any desire to get a Mohawk and I don't have the body (any more) to rock some of the rebel fashions. Plus they look awfully uncomfortable and if it doesn't work for me, I don't wear it. That's where the rebel comes in. I speak my mind. I take chances. I do things most people in my circle wouldn't try. Like a podcast ;) 3 years ago, however, I was still transitioning from employee to entrepreneur. I was falling on my ass that's for sure. Getting tired of that pretty quickly, I turned to my trusty books. Diving in to business books, books on skills I wanted to develop and books on leaders helped me to dust my ass off and keep going. Jen Sincero's book is not only for where I was 3 years ago but where I'm heading for the next 30. If you'd like to turn your bruised ass in to a badass, take a listen.

Future Looks Good: Values and Amazement in Autism

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 17:15:03 GMT

Sometimes, in the best of both worlds, your business life and your personal life hit a patch of nirvana. Most times, as an entrepreneur anyway, your business life kicks the stuffing out of your personal life. Late nights. Missed dinners. That kind of thing. I took a chance last year while trying to help my son, who is on the spectrum, and reached out to an organization to offer my services. Why? Because it had been too damn hard to find them and I was tired of it being hard. That decision to volunteer turned in to what is one of my most rewarding client relationships. Take a listen and learn more about how connecting your core values to business decisions can lead to unexpected bonuses AND learn about http://itsaneurodiverseuniverse.ca/index which is an amazing event I get to be a part of.

Across the Desk: Intuitive Businesswoman by Judy George

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 19:38:11 GMT

I firmly believe that all entrepreneurs owe themselves the favor of investigating in to personal development. Quizzes and tests and conversations with people who know more than you do about the business of being you. Delving in to they why's and how's of your personality, brain patterns and work habits can only help to make you better at what you're trying to do. To that end, I'm a bit of a personal evaluation junkie. This week on Wise Words, I go back to a golden oldie with Judy George's Intuitive Businesswoman.

Across the Desk: Are You a Stubborn Jackass Too?

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 19:48:39 GMT

You hear the guru's spouting the catch phrase, "what's holding you back?" Once you find that out, your life and business will be as close to nirvana (not the band, though that would be cool) as is humanly possible. Or you could be a stubborn jackass, not ask for help and struggle along like a lunatic for months. Which I did. Until now. Today we touch on the power of getting the right coach, how that can lead to breakthroughs for your business and provide relief for your tired solopreneuring brain. And if you are also a She-Hulk, then here are some tips for finding your Wonder Woman and kicking nirvana's ass.

Sneaky Shit Explores Body Language

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 21:22:44 GMT

Ursula the Sea Witch knew what she was talking about. In the absence of our real voice, our body language will reveal many things we might not expect. Subconsciously you could be leveraging your assets or you could be influencing decisions being made about you without even realizing. Those assets can be problematic when you aren't aware of what they're up to. Eye contact, your chin up, stance, what plane are your hands in and staring someone down when you thought you were just paying attention. All of these can add up to more sneaky shit than you realized ...

Across the Desk - Pain is Knowledge

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 20:45:35 GMT

I don't have cable anymore. This is not a groundbreaking thing for most folks. For me, I've become dependent on Netflix and discovered Jerry Seinfeld again. Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is my addiction. And the wise words from this long standing comedian? Pain is knowledge rushing in to fill a gap. Blew my mind. Listen up and find out how you can live with less pain :)

Across the Desk: Entrepreneurs of all ages

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 03:04:00 GMT

This week was an eye opener for all the great members of Ballsy. Not in a shocking way but in a learning way. This was one of the reasons I decided to change the Ballsy Women in Business podcast theme to be Wonder Woman based. We are freaking awesome. The group of women coming out to Ballsy continue to impress and amaze me as to what we've accomplished and what we continue to build. We focused a lot last week on the impact of age on being an entrepreneur. The fire to succeed might be the same but is tempered by the many responsibilities that being a mature entrepreneur might include. Being a more mature entrepreneur (and by mature I mean older than 35 ;)), especially when you've tried it when younger, gives you a different perspective that I think will always be of value. We also talked about running in to obstacles in the form of ego centric men and wack job women. You are going to run in to both. You are going to have to stand in your confidence when dealing with both. And you will take the lessons learned from dealing with the crazy to be a better person and to protect your business. Last but not least - the I call bullshit clause. Interested in what that means? Give a listen ;)

Across the Desk: Is the ROI bigger than the PITA factor?

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 20:55:26 GMT

Return on investment. That's the key for most business people but when you are building a business, keeping the ROI in line with the PITA is key to success. Why? Well, sometimes social media can have a high PITA factor with low ROI. Before you think we're talking about sandwiches and dietary advice, I mean the pain in the ass factor. For some businesses, I recommend you lower the PITA factor by NOT using social media for your business. Yep. A consultant just said don't use my services please. Why? Because there are so many ways to negatively impact your business by screwing up your online presence that if you can't afford someone to help you or do it for you, then DON'T. That's not to say that you CAN'T. You absolutely can. But the time it will take to teach yourself the ins and outs of the social media platforms and tools, the creation of a content calendar and the way to engage contributes to the PITA factor exponentially and reduces your ROI more than businesses sometimes realize. Take a listen and find out if your business should be on social media, if you might need some help short term and when you should just say no to tweeting, posting or liking.

Across the Desk with Jason Little

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 23:02:43 GMT

Why are you happy at work? Good boss? Good team? Free coffee? Is it enough to make you get up in the morning and bounce out of bed with that "Yes! I get to go to work today!" feeling? That is awesome! Now, if you are in Canada, think about the 9.5 million people who are unhappy at their jobs. No bounce in their step. No fabulous boss. No team to rely on. In the US, that unhappiness amounts to .... Wait for it. $450 BILLION dollars per year. Yup. Billion. In general, asshat bosses who can't lead a team, don't know how to foster communication and team work and wouldn't know how to lead without fear are costing the economy billions of dollars every year. We can fix that. I'm joined by Jason Little, author of Lean Change Management and globe trotting coach, who has dedicated his working passion to helping employees become one thing: happy. How? You'll have to listen to find out!

Living Big and Partnering to Set Up for Success

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 23:23:34 GMT

There may or may not be the use of the word bullshit in this podcast. Just sayin. Sometimes in business, people can be loathe to partner with others. Why? I'm not sure. I'm a huge fan of partnering with others, combining forces and sharing resources. Not tooting my own horn but stating a fact. The fact is, your business is better off when you keep yourself open to opportunities. This week on an interim Ballsy in Review, we officially launched the partnership of Ballsy and Women in Tech. WIT is a group through Silicon Halton, a local organization that brings together entrepreneurs and small businesses to learn, train and support growth and development. The goal of partnering? To increase the value to the members. That's it. So what better way to add value than to embrace my love of partnering and kick off with an awesome mini-workshop with Carol Shulte? I can't think of a better way to set yourself up for success!

Boldy Go with Maximum Mileage

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 23:11:46 GMT

Are you set up to boldly go where your social media can take you? Yup. I'm was watching Star Trek blooper reels and outtakes from the movie just before recording this podcast and it was magical how it just came together. Deep space exploration and social media. That fits right? Let me explain. Most people work quite hard on their content. In fact, in honor of Labor Day, you could call it a labor of love. Now if you create crap content, don't take this advice because you want that crap to stay right where it is. But if you have put effort in, then make your social media channels work harder for you. Instagram is a sextuple threat that is worth getting to know. LinkedIn can be the filter you need to make sure some of your content is business audience friendly. And if you happen to suffer from "look at me" syndrome and are forever pushing out offers and email grabs, well, I've got some advice on that as well. What's the point of all of this? Make your social media work as hard as you do. Make sure your business accounts are hooked up to other accounts and if you don't have those accounts, then find out if you should and then hook them up. That way your content will boldly go much farther than it was going before.

Across the Desk with Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 15:56:14 GMT

Napoleon Hill. An author that walked this earth before I was a twinkle in my parents eye. In fact before my parents' were a twinkle in their parents' eye. In 1908 while interviewing Andrew Carnegie as a journalist for Bob Taylor's Magazine, a partnership and project was born to gather the experiences and wise words of 500 businessmen. Think and Grow Rich was born. Published in 1937, just after the stock market crash of 1929 and subsequent great depression, the insights offered on leadership and personal development are incredible. 79 years later you can see the full circle coming back to quality leadership and honorable business. This book has inspired me to recommit to my business in a way that I never expected. It's also reassured me that my dedication to not being an asshat business owner is absolutely the right thing to do. Not that it was actually in question but just sayin' ...

Why Thanks!

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 16:36:11 GMT

It will take 10 minutes of your time but the return on that investment can last for years. A thank you note. One of the most cost effective and authentic ways to promote your business and show your clients that you care. Are you already reaching for the stamps? Great!

Seek Out The Wise Words

Elizabeth Plouffe — Sat, 13 Aug 2016 01:15:41 GMT

Now a days most of us are so wrapped up in our own drama that we don't always pay attention to what is actually being said to us. The remembering part? Well, that can be a challenge too. Luckily, I've been able to recall some wise words from folks in my life whose opinions actually matter to me. Why is this important? Because those wise words can change your life if you pay attention and put them to good use. Now put the damn phone down and listen!

Get the Value Out of Networking

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 12:22:20 GMT

Still not on board with putting yourself out there? Get. Over. It. If you are in business then you are in the business of networking. Why? Because people are NOT going to magically find you and be drawn to your magnetic personality and think you are just the most awesomest person EVER! They need to meet you and then all those things happen. I'm back out in the networking world and over the past two weeks so many opportunities have come up because of it that's it's ridiculous. In this episode of Entrails, I'll give you some tips and tricks for putting your big kid pants on and getting your business out there! Or at least attending events for free... That's also awesome :)

Across the Desk - Moving On with Christie Ellinger

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 00:28:55 GMT

Christie Ellinger and I sit down to discuss the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur and a pilates instructor. Pun intended ;) Christie has to be one one of the most passionate instructors I've EVER met. She is committed to health, wellness, learning and feet. We didn't get to feet today but she'll come back to Across the Apothecary and discuss the amazing tool of shaking hands with your feet. Today though we focused on the entrepreneurial journey and the stages you go through in your career that can lead you to right where you need to be to start your own business. We also touch on the best parts of impacting someone's health in a positive way and the passion that drives health pro's to keep giving the best of themselves to their clients. Sometimes, you just have to leave it all on the mat.

Share the Load

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 20:39:44 GMT

Is it different being a female entrepreneur than a male? Well, never having been a male, I'm not sure of the answer. But having been a female for a very long time (as in always), I know what the experience is like for me. That's not to say that men don't share some of the same concerns and foibles of the entrepreneur life but I'm pretty certain that the roles at home are quite different. Yup, I went there. This week, The Ballsy Gang got together and talked about sharing. Feelings? No. Recipes? No. Clothes? Hell no. We talked about the load. The almighty load of stuff that women as entrepreneurs have added to their load because they've always carried that load so why drop the load now that you've taken on a bigger load. Did you get that? Take a load off and listen and you'll see what a I mean ;)

The Jobs That Made Me

Elizabeth Plouffe — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 18:28:35 GMT

So what have I done with my life? Some would say too much. Some would say not enough. I haven't saved the world so far but that's not to say it won't end up on my to do list at some point. Right now though I'm busy trying to use all the education, skills and experiences I've gathered in my varied and storied career to build a business. I've been: 1. An event security guard. 2. A pub security guard. 3. A medical office administrator. 4. An instructor. 5. A cashier. 6. A waitress. 7. A bartender. 8. A ticket agent at Toronto Pearson Airport. 9. A food demo lady. 10. A unit administrator. 11. A nanny. 12. An entrepreneur of a gardening business, a cake decorating business, a business centre and a communications business. I'm not sure if I'm done yet but it's sure going to be fun finding out :)

Across the Desk with Success Magazine by Lots of Folks

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 13 Jul 2016 20:38:49 GMT

Sometimes a book is just not in the cards as part of your learning style and that's just fine. Good thing there is Success Magazine. This resource is part self-help, part business building and part thought provoking. I've been a devotee for the past three years and have no plans to give it up any time soon. Check out their website: http://www.success.com/ and see for yourself :) Have a successful day!

Why Did I Make The Harder Choice

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 13 Jul 2016 14:57:38 GMT

I love being an entrepreneur but sometimes it sucks. Hard. Such as when you see people who have chosen the conventional path paying off their houses, going on vacations and just generally kicking up their heels. Meanwhile, you're wondering how to pay the bills and will this crazy ride ever calm down enough for you to also enjoy Tahiti? Or even Florida?

Does Guilt Drive Your Grind?

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 21:12:08 GMT

If you are an entrepreneur or small business owner you know what I mean by grind. Every minute your brain is working on ways to make your business better, your idea better, serving your customers better and just being better than the next business. And even when you are dead tired, you still keep moving at the grind. But does passion for your business always motivate your grind? What about the guilt when your business isn't quite performing the way you hoped? This week I'm on the grind train. I hope you'll hop on board ;)

Across the Desk with Glamjulz and Monica Graves

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 14:27:05 GMT

Are you a creative business owner? Is your scale a bit tipsy towards the creative vs the business end? Meet Monica Graves who combines both sides of the brain to make her custom jeweler business extremely successful.

Reducing the Churn in Your Business with Doug Osborne

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 13:56:05 GMT

Many small business owners get caught in the weeds of running their business. The small details that can mire you down instead of actually helping you move your business forward. Learn why the pain of churn is something you need to avoid when building your business and how adding the right strategies can help avoid this common pitfall.

Necessary Evils Of Networking

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 21:43:19 GMT

So have you had a setback that messed with your networking mojo? We've all had times where our business is going through a down and you still need to be able to get out there and promote. Or have you decided to pivot your business but the messaging just isn't quite there yet? Best way to fix both of these problems is to keep putting yourself out there and find a networking husband or wife who will drag you kicking and screaming and maybe kick in a beer while you get your mojo back on track.

Across the Desk with Hazel Van Der Werken

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 19:42:41 GMT

Making Change Happen can be hard. Hazel Van Der Werken is here to help you understand how to take your company from blah to wow by focusing on energizing your team and adding more value to your customers' experience!

Future Looks Good - Meet Jason Bean

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 22:33:54 GMT

On this episode of the Future Looks Good, we meet Jason Bean. Jason is one of the most resilient people and persistent learners I've ever met. Today we get to peel pack some layers of the onion that is Jason and find out how he made the transition from "you can't do that" to "I'll show you" without completely losing his Ogre in the process ;)

Autism Alliance of Canada: Meet Whitney Hodgins, Munson Award Winner

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 15:47:22 GMT

Meet Whitney Hodgins, an autistic Canadian who is a change maker and policy shaker! Learn more about the inaugural Jim and Jinette Munson Award winner who is absolutely a leader in the autism community and someone I plan to keep an eye for great things ;)

Autistic Rambler - Long live the Queen and How Grief Impacts Us

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 19:26:53 GMT

Ep 7 I am a proud Monarchist. I come from a long line of Monarchists. It's not for everybody and I respect that. What caught me unawares was the level of grief I'd feel at the death of Her Majesty. Of course Maddy and I went off on a bit of a tangent instead of our scheduled topic but we both see value in embracing the moment vs strictly adhering to a topic. So here's our chat on grief, the process, embracing your process and getting through the tough times.

Autistic Rambler - Chase That Pokemon

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 16:04:44 GMT

Episode 2 What could prompt you to get outside? Is the benefit of getting outside enough to prompt some movement or is there something creating a barrier? Today we chat about the benefits of looking after your mental health and your physical health and hopefully at the same time ;)

Future Looks Good with Courtney Weaver Employment Success

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 17:02:37 GMT

Everyone likes a success story. If you are a parent of an autistic person, success stories are extremely important. Meet Courtney Weaver who is a success story on many levels. A strong autistic self-advocate, Courtney's journey to employment has had many stages and phases that all driven people can relate to.

Autistic Rambler - Meet the Ramblers

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 01:16:44 GMT

So what does a rambler do? Well it can drive you from A to B. It can keep you cool in the hot sun. Or it can chat about all kinds of things under the sun which is what this Rambler does. I'm so tickled to introduce you to Maddy Dever who is one of the kindest, sweetest, perceptive, strong, intelligent and best advocate for others I've ever met. In episode one of the Autistic Rambler, we touch on experiential empathy, intersectionality of the ASD and LGBTQ++ communities, what schools could do better and a whole lot more. It's time to ramble on ;)

Across the Desk with Unmarketing by Scott Stratten and Allison Stratten

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 23:45:26 GMT

The Huffington Post ran an article last year on "11 Things We Fake in Our Social Media Lives" and I love it. As part of my business (and my inherently nosy personality) I love the peeking in on other people's lives aspect of social media. I love the stories they tell. I love connecting with people over similar interests. But what I don't love is the fakery and insincerity of some accounts on behalf of businesses. I just want to shake them and say, "Really? Are you sure about that?". I thought it was just me. Then I read Unmarketing by Scott Stratten and felt a huge sense of relief. I was not alone in my frustration on the fake factor. I've had Unmarketing on my shelf for a bit. I'm not sure why I held out but am so glad I got over whatever was holding me back. This book confirmed that the fake route, autotweeting, push marketing and all the other things that drive me crazy were in fact dumb. And bad for your business. And annoying. Thanks to reading this book I now have a deeper confidence in the slow but steady growth of my social media audience and the recommendation to my clients that they too embrace the WYSIWYG way. One of the many things I love about this book is how each section is a manageable length for marketing newbies and filled with enough insight and actionable items for those more long in the marketing tooth. The fact that it made me laugh out loud several times and managed to teach me so many great things? Well, that's a bonus worth passing on to others. If you're more of a video learner, then do yourself a favor and check out one of many of Scott's keynotes, the unmarketing podcast and other videos of amazeballs via: https://www.youtube.com/user/stratola/featured. Careful if you have a drink in your hand while you watch it. It's either coming out your nose or ending up in your lap at some point. Laughing or a forehead palm for the aha moments you'll have - keep it cold. You're welcome ;)

Across the Desk: Use Your P's and Q's - Damnit!

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 00:37:53 GMT

If you have ever been to a restaurant or event, you might be guilty of this: can you even remember the face of the server at the last restaurant you went to? At the last event you were at (wedding, gala, networking, did you thank the staff that cleared your plates and picked up after you all night? Chances are the answer is no. Sadly that seems to be more common these days. The ME generation has returned and the manners have left the building. We are so distracted by phones and noise and our problems and just US in general that we forget one important thing: there is a them behind the tidy table you are now sitting at. There is a them behind the beautifully arranged room you are enjoying. And them? They like to hear thank you. Quite frankly so do I. Why the rant? I've over rude people. I'm over staff at events feeling unappreciated and borderline maligned. I've coordinated enough events, been to enough events and worked at enough events that when I hear stories of rudeness - well quite frankly, I get a little farking snarky. As a business owner, you may have reason to hold small to large events on behalf of your business. Could be a workshop. Could be a celebration. Could be a staff appreciation. Whatever it is you're holding an event for, I'll give you the best tip you'll ever receive: BE NICE TO THE EVENT STAFF. That's worth gold right there. Because when shinola goes sideways during your event (and it will), the event staff will be the ones to save you. And if you've been an asshat? Well it might be their job to make you happy but believe me, a little appreciation and good old fashioned P's and Q's will hopefully make them want to go that extra mile for you. Otherwise - Aunty Mathilda's sitting at the kids table and your boss isn't getting his steak any time soon. Thanks for listening and please come again :)

Jimmy The Bull - Take A Chance On Weird Marketing

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 30 May 2016 15:41:07 GMT

If you are in a competitive market, you need to take chances on marketing yourself. For example - if there are five other coffee shops within swinging a cat you need to step it up. And if one of those shops happens to rhyme with Cartucks? You REALLY need to step it up. Product alone isn't going to get people in the door my friend. So - take a chance. Start with small weird things and build up to bigger weird things but for goodness sake try some weird things. Or the state of your business my friend are going to rhyme with ducked ...

Sharing Coffee

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 25 May 2016 01:59:15 GMT

Do you work from home? Does that suck sometimes? I agree. I feel like I've just graduated college and am back to living in my parents basement except it's my damn basement, which I guess is a step up. And since I have a strong dislike for conducting business in coffee shops, I thought my options were limited until a friend gave me a GREAT suggestion to solve my basement dwelling predicament.

Across the Desk with guest Teresa Baerg

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 24 May 2016 16:52:10 GMT

Guest Teresa Baerg is a recent success story out of the Corporate Communications program at Sheridan College. We met in 2012 and connected over the life of the mature student and how to handle term papers while getting dinner ready. Fast forward 3 years and now Teresa is using her education and passion for being involved in the local Burlington community, to carve out a career as a freelance journalist, editor for two local community platforms and promoter of local businesses. How's that for kicking ass and taking names?

Lost My Damn Mojo

Elizabeth Plouffe — Sun, 15 May 2016 19:04:24 GMT

You chose to be an entrepreneur. You chose this life. Did you know it was going to suck sometimes? I thought I did until this past week. Then the level of craptastic hit full steam and I realized I had no freaking clue about how much of the sucking would happen. Are there highs? Absofreakinglutely. It's coming out the other side that matters.

Across The Desk with Marguerite Zimmerman

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 21:06:11 GMT

Do you think that training your sales team isn't worth the time and effort? Well considering most companies end up investing $250,000 to train someone anyway, why not do it right? Otherwise what you might end up saving on will be things like rent and PR material for the business that you have to shut down. Take a listen to Marguerite Zimmerman and learn the value of training your sales team right! The first time.

Across the Desk: Mondays and Superheroes

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 18:02:03 GMT

What is there to not love about Monday's? New ideas. New week. New opportunities. Oh that's right. Your boss sucks. And they suck the fun out of Monday's. My boss is awesome and that's because I'm the boss. In this episode of Entrepreneurial Entrails, I chat about saying yes to change, putting the fun parts of you (don't be dirty) in to your business and making Monday's suck a whole lot less than they do right now.

Across the Desk: Ballsy Women Are Exhausted!

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 14:00:06 GMT

Sometimes it can take a bit of a set back to get you to look at your why. If you've been living under a rock then you might never have heard of Simon Sinek and the why talk. That's another podcast. Your values and your why are what makes your business run. Sometimes it's that simple. When one of those gets jerked around a bit it can cause a crisis of faith in your why. But there's a silver lining! Taking a look at your why helps you to see where you can improve. Where you can make your team stronger. Where you can create even more value for your customer. I'm telling you - we covered so much today at Ballsy that I think I need a nap ...

SparkTO welcomes Hazel van der Werken

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 30 May 2018 15:54:42 GMT

I had the good fortune of meeting Hazel van der Werken back in 2015 at our very first Spark the Change Toronto. She came to our conference but I forgot to ask her an important question at the time: why? Turns out the answer is exactly why we want people to come to Spark. Hazel thought so too and became a part of the team in 2016. So why did she come out on those fateful June days? She was, as it turns out, quite strategic about it. She wanted to expand her network, learn new things and meet people who were trying to create the type of change that excited her. Win/win!

Reading is Working

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 03 Aug 2016 14:29:56 GMT

Are you a reader? Or at least a learner? Or at least curious? Something? I'm a massive reader and while most WWW's are devoted to books, this week is devoted to why you should read books for your business. A friend told me she felt like she wasn't working on her business if she was reading about business. And I understand that - I do. BUT, you are missing a whole world of expertise and opportunities if you don't continue to learn about business! Andrew Carnegie himself (he was a huge bigwig) was a proponent of Master Mind groups. The value they provided. The skill gaps they filled. So here's an idea: think of reading, podcasts, videos and the like as your very own Master Mind group. Learn from people who've already succeeded much like you are trying to do now. Take advantage! This week - learn about how books can enrich your business relationships, improve your conversation and help you deliver the best possible service to your clients. After all - isn't that why you're in business in the first place?

Across the Desk with EMyth Mastery by Michael Gerber

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 20:13:48 GMT

If you are a passionate reader who isn't a fan of wasting time on crappy books, then Wise Word Wednesdays is for you. As an entrepreneur, part of my learning curve is learning from the experts and reading everything I can to help my business. This week we delve in to EMyth Mastery by Michael Gerber which provides a mix of story and practical advice on how to develop your business skills. Why? Because we all think that we probably have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. At least you do if you are considering being in the 10%. What we sometimes fail to realize is that taking the time to identify our skill weaknesses will make our business venture stronger in the long run.

Leadership - Often Imitated and Preferably Duplicated

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 17 Jun 2016 03:47:12 GMT

Are you just in the process of building your company culture? Noticing some employees are acting a bit like asshats? Maybe it's time to take a look at your leadership style and see if imitation isn't always the sincerest form of flattery. Some changes might be needed but your employees will respect you more. Isn't that what being a good leader is all about? Join me as we have a quick chatter about some leadership ideas to incorporate in to your business.

SparkTO with Paul Gibbons

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 30 May 2017 21:45:27 GMT

The Behavioral Revolution: How to change culture and behavior with 21st century science – Paul Gibbons Changing behaviors matters – what people say and intend has value, but without alignment of actions with words, results don’t happen. I provide insights from 21st century science (nudges, habit change) and offer leaders tools they can use to drive change – in business, and in society. Paul Gibbons is an author, speaker, and consultant. His “beat” is helping business leaders use science and philosophy to make better strategic decisions, implement change, innovate, change culture, and create workplaces where talent flourishes. His most recent book, The Science of Organizational Change has been hailed as “the most important book on change in fifteen years.” Between writing projects, he consults, coaches, and speaks with businesses such as Microsoft, Google, HSBC, KPMG, and Comcast.

Autistic Rambler - We're Talking About Big Feelings And F Bombs

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 19:34:02 GMT

Ep 20 Have you ever tried something brand spanky new? Something different than anyone else in your network? Something that causes you to feel uncomfortable? Good! The feelings that come along with that are a human response to doing something brave. Unless you are lying your face off, you are not an imposter. You are just kicking ass and taking names ;)

Across the Desk: The Autism Job Club by Michael S. Bernick

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 18:26:34 GMT

Can you remember the last time you sat across from someone for a job interview? Searching for words? Hoping the stress sweat didn't stink too bad? Wondering what surprise question was coming up? Now imagine being PERFECT for the job but not having the ability to convey that. Of dealing with a social disorder that makes the interview process 10x more uncomfortable than you could ever imagine. That's what happens when you're on the spectrum. The result? 85% of adults able to hold a job can't get one or keep one. That sucks and we need to fix it.

SparkCafe - Meet Rich Batchelor

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 21:06:41 GMT

Rich is an international Change Management Professional from Canada. He is also a founding member of the Association of Change Management Professionals. He has successfully delivered change for over 25 years globally. His legacy also includes developing the change delivery model for the UK government. Rich is an international speaker and has also been involved at Spark the Change in Toronto, his recent-most involvement being this year where I also had a chance to say hello to Rich over the Robot that I participated from at the Spark Toronto conference. 🙂

Across the Desk: You Can Change Your Mind

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 13:00:03 GMT

Do you ever stop and wonder how much your mindset directly influences your business? Could prejudices or scarcity be holding your business back? This is something that's fascinated me for years and after quite a few experiences left me scratching my brain in perplexity, I decided to chat about it.

Across the Desk and MentorAbility Meet: Brittany Williston and Kim Cooper

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 16:05:39 GMT

Have you ever had the chance to learn from or be a mentor? It's an amazing opportunity that MentorAbility Ontario is helping to make happen for folks with a disability. Why is that important? When you've already got some barriers up against you for successful employment, support is a very important thing. Meet Brittany Williston from Performance Plus Rehabilitative Care and Kim Cooper from Youth Culture who are part of the MentorAbility program. Hear their success stories in providing on the job learning opportunities and making mentorship a part of their company culture.

SparkTO with Ryan Burwell

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 23 May 2018 15:37:38 GMT

We sit down, well across from, Ryan Burwell who is the Director of Training and Facilitation for TwentyOne Toys. Sounds stuffy right? He's anything but. Passionate. Animated. Committed. Creative. But not stuffy. Ryan is our second guest for Spark2018 and the #sparkto podcast. We chat about how to tap in to the 4 year old you were once friends with. How catalyzing moments can create some of the best change. Using empathy to create better communication. And how leading the Epic Game Event at Spark the Change Toronto embraces everything we discussed. Join us!

Autistic Rambler - IEP and Leadership Skills

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 14:10:11 GMT

Ep 6 Have you ever had to work with a school to develop an IEP for your child? Was your child ever given an opportunity to be a part of the discussion? Mine wasn't and it didn't even occur to me to ask him because the school never said it was an option. But who better to influence how an IEP is developed that the person it's most affecting?? Join us as we discuss how the IEP process can help autistic individuals who need one to also develop leadership skills, advocacy skills and know their place at the table is valued and important.

Across the Desk: Noodling, Negotiation and Next Steps

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 23:57:44 GMT

If you're a woman and you've ever had to negotiate anything that involves money, you likely either paid too much or got paid to little. It appears to have something to do with biology. Men? Not so much. They apparently can negotiate like a surgeon. I'm thinking it's time we all had a little bit of medical school when it comes to negotiating. On this episode of Ballsy in Review, we touch on noodling (that's thinking not drawing) and how both negotiation and noodling affect our next steps.

SparkTO2019 welcomes Dave Dame

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 19:44:02 GMT

It's a funny thing that vulnerability got such a bad rap somewhere. Perhaps it's through misunderstanding what it really means. Perhaps it's the misconception that we are weaker for showing our vulnerable self. Perhaps we're full of horseshit and need to get over ourselves. Dave and I get down to the steps it takes to become a real leader, encourage vulnerability in an organization and how to create your "normal."

SparkTO2019 welcomes speaker Marcela Urteaga

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 28 May 2019 23:53:59 GMT

There are times in every organization where the ability to address issues that are undermining progress have to happen. Otherwise it's like trying to understand what an elephant looks by feeling when blindfolded. You won't be able to grasp the whole picture and find the right solution. Like staying away from the tail. The tail is definitely a no-go ...

SparkTO2019 welcomes speaker Marsha Shenk

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 21 May 2019 19:02:16 GMT

Do you or your organization struggle with change? Is it something that is so foreign to you that you can't see it's the same as some things you might be doing already? Sometimes it's our perception of a situation that gets in the way of understanding and applying tools. Sometimes it's the leg warmers.

Across the Desk with Freepik: Get Your Graphics On

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 17:06:23 GMT

Are you looking for graphics that you can use for Instagram, your website or marketing materials? Freepik is a fantastic resource that is worth paying for but there is also lots of fantastic free content. I don't read all the time ;)

SparkTO with Sarika Kharbanda

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 25 May 2017 16:00:41 GMT

Meet Sarika Kharbanda who is a globe trotting scrum master who embraces technology as a means of building teams, attending events and training organizations. How? Well for the purpose of this podcast, she uses a Kubi :) Find out how to use tech to create engagement, build opportunities and laugh with your full face and have it mean something to who your talking too!

Future Looks Good: The Power of Partnerships and Meeting Wayne Lamon

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 21:39:52 GMT

What are partnership and collaboration such amazing things for a business? Because they open up opportunities that you might not have been able to act on by yourself and they create opportunities that you could never consider. I was fortunate to be introduced to Wayne Lamon from the Work Based Learning Consortium almost 2 years ago. Not only are the staff training programs that WBLC provides for clients in advanced manufacturing exceptional but their willingness to collaborate on one of my crazy ideas is also awesome ;)

Across the Desk: Prove or Demonstrate Mindset

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 16:38:42 GMT

When you first start anything, you can be caught in the "prove it" mindset. It has a slight whiff of desperation and earnestness that is common to all people starting something new. Let's face it, if you're cocky right off the bat, people will pummel you at some point. But when the shift comes, and it will, from proving to demonstrating, there's no feeling like it in the world.

CASDA - Meet the CJAE editorial team

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 23:03:35 GMT

There is nothing worse than a situation where a group elects itself the voice of another group. Why? Because how then do we really know whose voice we're listening to? This is what makes the 200th episode on the Across the Desk podcast extra special. It's what the podcast is all about - giving folks a voice who might not otherwise have one. It's my honor to introduce you to some of the editorial team of the Canadian Journal of Autism Equity. Rebekah, Ryan and Mackenzie are all autistic adults who are sharing their voice as part of the editorial team. Their key role? To give a voice to other autistic Canadians who deserve to be heard.

SparkCafe with guest Stefano Tempesta

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 17:23:29 GMT

Stefano is a Microsoft MVP and Chapter Leader of CRMUG Switzerland. He is a regular speaker at international conferences including Microsoft Ignite, NDC, API World and Developer Week. Stefano is passionate about life experiences, technology and traveling. His interests span across Dynamics 365, Office 365 and AI related technologies. Stefano’s Spark the Change Topic at Pune: “Internet 4.0, the Age of the Blockchain” Spark Theme: Disruption & Change

CASDA - thestart of CASDA and the Canadian Autism Leadership Summit

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 16:05:43 GMT

I was fortunate to welcome Debbie Irish and Kim Ward to the CASDA podcast and learn more about how the Canadian Autism Leadership Summit got started and the steps in growth its taken to become more diverse and inclusive.

Autistic Rambler - Intersectionality Of ASD and LGBT

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 16:43:13 GMT

Episode 3 As the Queen of Soul once sang: R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Find out what it means to me. We're back with the indomitable Maddy Dever and a chat about the intersectionality between the autism community and the LGBTQ+ community. Maddy, who is non binary, uses the pronouns they / them. This was not an easy choice but one they felt they needed to live as authentically as themselves as possible. Do I do great with the pronouns? Nope! But I respect Maddy's choice and I make every effort to remember how important it is. That's honestly all that's needed when society needs to shift its perspective: effort. And respect. That Aretha - she was on to something ;)

Autistic Rambler - Channeling Gene Roddenberry

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 05 Sep 2022 16:40:25 GMT

Ep 5 Did Gene Roddenberry have any idea that when he created Star Trek in 1966 that he'd be influencing technology development, societal relationships, exploration and so much more for generations to come? He definitely boldly went where no one had gone before and has been inspiring people around the world ever since. Today, Maddy and I discuss the creative autistic and how, as the Vulcans say, there is infinite diversity with infinite combinations for how we can be creative, share it with the world and be bold in our own way.

Autistic Rambler - Allyship and Maybe Capes

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 22:35:33 GMT

Episode 4 We don't want to should on you but being an ally is part of being a good human. It doesn't have to be a huge action to count. It can be standing up for someone in a meeting. It can be acting through altruism vs ego. It can be shining a light on tokenism. Or any other ism. Being an ally isn't about you - it's about what you can do to make a difference. And if you choose to wear a cape? Well, you know what Edna says about capes ;)

CASDA - Information Systems

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 21:46:42 GMT

Join Dr. Stephen Gentles, Maddy Dever and Corey Walker as we discuss how the lack of data standardization and linking precludes the necessary complex analyses that could lead to significantly more efficient targeted care, and innovative environmental and policy modifications. As a result, Canada is far from achieving the improvements to quality of life for Autistic individuals and their families, and the benefits to Canada from greater inclusion and realizing individuals’ unique talents and productivity potential, which could be possible with the data that is available.

SparkTO2019 welcomes speaker Dr. Jen Frahm

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 22 May 2019 01:31:42 GMT

Have you ever sat down and thought about how bad communication creates risk in your organization? Or is it something that you figure you'll deal with when you have to? Today I chat with Dr. Jen Frahm who recognized back in 2001 that this topic was PhD worthy and has dedicated her studies and career to helping people change the way they communicate and improve their organization. Now grab a Chipwich, take a seat and let's get proactive.

Autistic Rambler - Capacity To Create Opportunity Out of Chaos

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 18:44:40 GMT

Ep 11 Do you get sick and tired of people treating your autistic kid or your autistic self as someone who's incapable of doing just about anything? It really grates my cheese when people make assumptions about my son's capabilities and Maddy's cheese is equally grated for themselves and their kids. Sometimes it's just about capacity and understanding the expansiveness of it and the reasonable constraints. And the new profile photos? I got to give Maddy a huge hug at the recent Autism Leadership Summit and we both agree that Drag Queens are the bomb. Since we forgot to get a picture taken together, I'm mixing it up ;)

CASDA - Autism and Employment

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 24 Dec 2020 21:57:11 GMT

CASDA is working hard to create a strong a National Autism Strategy to create opportunities for all autistic Canadians. Today's conversation is with Stephanie Cote and Vanessa Tomas. Two members of the CASDA team working on the National Strategy. Their focus is on employment with two projects: the Autism Employment Scan and the Autistic Voices Project. Visit: https://www.casda.ca/resources/ to learn more!

No Bad Bosses Allowed

Elizabeth Plouffe — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 20:20:23 GMT

Are you working in an organization where the boss just isn't quite the boss you'd like them to be? In fact, are they an asshat? Rude term for sure. But we've all had an asshat in our life that made working miserable. This week I'm part of Spark the Change where we try to turn asshats in to leaders that we want to work for, and dare I say, follow.

Autistic Rambler - The Data and the Story

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 23:37:22 GMT

Once again, we started a conversation, Maddy said something smart and then I said ... Shall we press record? And smart stuff just kept happening! We're into stories, why data is important, show that sharing builds connections and the importance of chocolate rocks.

Autistic Rambler - Relationships And Supports

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 20:41:34 GMT

Ep 24 - Sometimes life rolls us in to chaos. Sometimes we need support. Sometimes we have jerks in our life who create the chaos and create the need for support! Come roll along with us ;)

Across the Desk: Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 02 Nov 2016 23:52:45 GMT

Do you hate wasting time? I do. I even go so far as to plan out my driving route for errands so that I minimize travel time wasted. If I have to backtrack? That drives me bananas. So believe me - I don't waste time on books that will be bad for my business or get in the way of me achieve my goals faster. Gary Vaynerchuk has written three books specifically geared at helping business owners at all levels succeed. Despite the occasional appearance of the Salty V, I believe through watching and learning from him that he truly wants to help others. So I gave Jab, Jab, Jab Right Hook a shot. For someone who peruses used book stores and avoids paying full price, shelling out the $40 was hard. But was it worth it? It turns out it was. This book has been designed to help you navigate the choppy waters of social media and specifically how not to screw it up for your business. If there is any time to invest your time and energy, it's when it has to do with your business. After all, any return on investment when learning is directly related to the effort you put in. Covering the top 7 social media platforms that can benefit business relationship development, this book provides a decent overview of the platform. If you weren't familiar or comfortable before, this part of the chapter might encourage you to take the leap. At the end of each chapter is a review of content found online, the hits and misses and recommendations. I love this part of the book. Real life examples of the good, the bad and the yikes. This is one book I'm glad I've added to my business library. I just hope I don't one day end up under the don't section ;)

MentorAbility with Amy Widdows and Lisa Livingston

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 22:01:05 GMT

Join Across the Desk for our new series in partnership with MentorAbility Ontario. A national initiative that promotes the employment of people who have a disability in communities throughout Canada. MentorAbility is spearheaded by local Coordinators who facilitate a full or half day mentoring experience in which job seekers who have a disability are matched with individual mentors (employers) – to explore career opportunities and learn what they need to get ahead in their desired field of interest.

CASDA - CJAE Follow Up After Launch with Maddy Dever and Megan Krasnodemski

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 00:12:47 GMT

On April 6th the Canadian Journal of Autism Equity successfully launched its inaugural issue! Bringing together the voices of autistic Canadians from across the country, this journal is being created to amplify the voices of those who have always belonged in the conversation. Learn how you can add your voice to the conversation with the team from CASDA!

Across the Desk with MentorAbility: Meet Tiffany Drummond

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 14:02:40 GMT

MentorAbility is a program which focuses on connecting protégées with mentors in careers. One of the best ways to learn about a career is to talk to someone who is passionate about what they do and will show you the realities of a career choice. Today we meet Tiffany Drummond who is an entrepreneur from Ottawa. Her business, ProCare Family Center, focuses on providing an engaging and safe daycare environment for the kids of Ottawa's busy working parents. Tiffany will share her experience being a mentor, what she gained from the experience and the feedback she received from her protégée.

CASDA: Canadian Journal Autism Equity

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 00:00:24 GMT

Meet the editorial team for the new Canadian Journal of Autism Equity. Maddy Dever, Megan Krasnodembski, and Terri Robson are creating an opportunity to bring Autistic Canadian voices together. What will that look like? Listen to find out more and then watch for the official launch on April 6, 2021!

Autistic Rambler - Shine The Light

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 20:05:17 GMT

Ep 17 Sometimes navigating the world of autism can be a dark and lonely place for many people. Those diagnosed and those along for the ride to support the individual. The ever lovin' Maddy came up with the PERFECT analogy to describe what that wild ride can be like. Today's a shorty podcast but we expand on it next session. Don't miss it!

Autistic Rambler - Habits, Change, Conflict and Communication

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 21:43:01 GMT

Ep 16 Once again, Betty and I get in to a non-podcast podcast where Betty starts talking smarticles and all I did was ask a damn question. Jeepers. We talk about the anticipatory energy brought to a conversation which can either go smoothly or become a conflict depending on how we show up. Then we leap to change: who should start? More importantly, why should someone else change when you aren't willing to budge your arse a bit? I'll let Betty explain the smart stuff ;) I just come along for comic relief.

Autistic Rambler - Values, Checklists And Moving Forward

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 19:16:13 GMT

Ep 14 One thing I've always struggled with is putting value on lived experience. Not that it doesn't have value but how do you get paid for it? How do you get others to recognize it? If you think I've struggled, I've got nothing on the autism community. Tokenism is not paying someone a fair value in exchange for sharing lived experience. If it's valuable enough to ask for, it's valuable enough to pay for ;)

Autistic Rambler - Suzy's, Sherlocks And Moving Forward

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 17:17:19 GMT

Ep 13 Socrates, Suzy's, Robert's and more. We get in to the necessity of having variety on a team and particularly so when dealing with the neurodivergent community. If you're a service provider and you've hired yourself a team of Suzy's, that all meet the same hiring criteria and wouldn't know the Socratic method of teaching if the philosopher himself walked up to you and used it, you need to listen to this podcast. Your clients would LOVE you to listen to this podcast. Trust us ;)

Autistic Rambler - Getting Through Setbacks

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 01 May 2023 22:01:06 GMT

Ep 12 Adulting was hard on the day we recorded this podcast. HARD I tell you. But as usually Betty pulled up their socks and dragged me along for an insightful, vulnerable and honest to goodness learning session on setbacks. They do have value as long as you try to learn from them and don't let them keep you mired in the muck for too long. A little pity party? We all have them. Moving in to Pitytown? Well that's just no good for anybody ;)

Autistic Rambler - Pink Glittery Trees and Letting Go of Holiday Perfection

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 16:22:51 GMT

Ep 9 Have you ever been sick and then spent weeks catching up from that??? Shortly after we recorded this AMAZING episode, Elizabeth got COVID. She got it goooood. And she's been catching up ever since. So while this Holiday glitterati inspired podcast is late, it can be applied to birthday parties, summer gatherings, graduations and more. Because a party isn't a party until Uncle Jerrycan gets loud and someone has a meltdown ;)

Across the Desk: She Means Business by Carrie Green

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 19:02:39 GMT

Entrepreneurship can be challenging for anyone. For women? Sometimes you need other women to get a better understanding of what you might be going through. Carrie Green, founder of the Female Entrepreneurs Association, has developed a community that women can find business resources, emotional support and the ability to take action for your business that you might otherwise struggle with. I stumbled upon the FEA when looking for local business building groups for women. I started to learn about FEA because of my own group Ballsy and wanted to learn all I could to make it successful. Carrie Green offers workshops, webinars, online resources and community forums. It was the opportunity to take the goal setting workshop if you bought She Means Business that gave me the experience the FEA truly provides. Take a listen and learn how She Means Business might just be the book you need to kick your fears over, your business in to high gear and your life in to reality you've dreamed of.

Across the Desk: Shameless Exploitation by Paul Newman and AE Hochter

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 21:20:13 GMT

Celebrities can create some interesting opportunities for themselves but it's not all easy peasy. They fall in to some traps where they might rely on their name to push a crappy product just for the sake of pushing a product. (Kardashian's anyone?)Or they aren't taken seriously even though the product IS worthwhile because they're a celebrity. That isn't fair either. Then there are the celebrities that fall in to the 3rd group where they decide to do things their way to promote a great product and won't go for the shameless exploitation. Paul Newman was that guy. A celebrity who happened to have a great idea for a high quality salad dressing but who initially refused to use his celebrity to make it happen. He believed enough in the product to try and make it on quality alone. Reality proved to be more of a challenge than movies and he eventually had to resort to a bit of shameless exploitation in order to get his product out. The game changer? He didn't do it for himself. He didn't do it to add to his bank account. He was willing to put his face and name on a product for one reason: kids. The altruistic and philanthropic focus of helping kids dealing with life threatening illness go to camp and forget about being a sick kid for a time. If there's any good reason to go for shameless exploitation, then his Hole in the Wall Gang camps would be it. This was a great read and provided some insight in to a celebrity that has left a legacy far beyond his movie roles. For any business owner, you'll find inspiration and ideas in this book to help you stick to your vision and deliver a product worthy of your name and, if you choose, face.

Across the Desk - A Better Way to Show Your Trade

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 15:39:59 GMT

Building your business is hard. Long days. Lots of grey hair. Maybe that's just me. But what I do know is what money I do earn with my business has been because of my hard work and hustle so when I go to spend it? I want to make sure I get the most bang for my buck. Take tradeshows. If you've never done one before then I'm here to tell you something: there is NOTHING worse than putting in the time, energy and effort for a tradeshow and having it suck. And by suck I mean the producer has done one step up from squat to promote the event and the attendance is everybody you've seen before. As I've said before, I don't have guests across the desk that I don't believe in. It's my rep on the line when I bring someone on and promote them. So it's not lightly that I sat down with James Burchill last week to discuss the upcoming SFN Tradeshow. Why this guy? Why this tradeshow? Why should you listen? Because if you're in the GTA and are trying to build your business, then I'm telling you, hand on heart, you need to learn more about this event. And if you suck at networking and making the most of opportunities like this? Well, stay tuned for the next episode with James because we're going to discuss a fantastic new way to fix that. www.sfntradeshow.com

Across the Desk: Finding My Sparkle

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 21:59:29 GMT

Has it been one of those years for you? Or couple of years? When you're an entrepreneur it can feel like you've survived a year vs celebrating the beginning of another. Especially at a time of year where reflection and goal setting is forced upon us. But as an entrepreneur maybe it's worth taking another look at the value of reflection. Maybe that needs to be a goal for the whole year. Why the girly title of this podcast? It's actually not as girly as I probably think but I'll clarify anyway. When you start a business, you have NO idea of the power of the up's and down's. NO idea how hard it will be some days (or months) to dig in and keep going. And for a woman, I can honestly say it's a bit harder. Despite progress, being a woman entrepreneur is still considered an oddity so we start with an extra handicap. Boobs have their bonuses but they can still be a hindrance to more than our golf swing ;) This week on Get to Know Me, I share the importance of finding a way to recognize and remember your achievements so that when you hit the lows (and you will), you have something you can look at and say, "Well, it might suck right now but then? Then it was completely f*ing awesome and it will be again!" And that, my friends, is what finding your sparkle is all about.

Education and Opportunity

Elizabeth Plouffe — Sun, 25 Sep 2016 20:04:31 GMT

When you are a woman in business, you'd think that men would be the challenge. I've learned that this is not always the case. In fact, most of the issues I've had throughout my various careers have been with women not men. Why? Well - I think we've been trained to see other women as competition and not as comrades. That sucks. On top of that, women have also been trained to make everybody else the priority and they take the back seat. Not all women, granted, but I can honestly say that for a while I was one of those women. This is particularly challenging if you run your own business. You can't afford to take the back seat otherwise your business has no one driving. This also sucks. This week at Ballsy, our focus was on education and how women HAVE to make it a priority. Is this advice just for business owners? No. This is for anyone looking to get ahead in the business world. Feel like you've been sent to the principles office?

Across the Desk with Originals by Adam Grant

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 21:47:32 GMT

Are you an original? Do you even know what it means to be an original? I hadn't thought about it until someone called me an original. On top of that? They thought enough of helping me to understand what being an original means that they bought me the book on it. How cool is that? If you've spent your life, like me, being called unique and weird and different, then Originals by Adam Grant is the book for you. Why? Because it has helped me understand that just because I think differently, doesn't mean my thoughts aren't valid. Just because I like to improve processes and tinker with ideas doesn't mean I don't accept the status quo. Oh wait ... that's exactly what it means ;) And in case you're wondering? I use Chrome as my browser. Read the book to find out why that matters.

Across the Desk: Drive by Daniel Pink

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 21:44:52 GMT

We've all heard how we should focus on the "why" behind our business and make sure that we lead, produce and create with the why in mind. But have you ever considered what drives your why? Why sometimes, even with the best of intentions, your why gets derailed when constraints get wrapped around you like a boa constrictor? Daniel H. Pink dives in to Drive to help us understand what motivates us to succeed, why managers should stop buying so many carrots and the truth behind what creates motivation and what sends us in to the ever popular state of not being engaged with our job. Why is this important? Well if you run your own business - it's crucial to understand what makes your team tick. It means you keep paying the rent and stay in business or you keep hiring new team members until the exhaustion of training kills your business. Or if you manage teams for an organization, it can mean the difference between delivering on a project and meeting your deadline or explaining to your boss why that won't be happening. And no amount of carrots is going to make that better.

Across the Desk: Sell It

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 03:44:01 GMT

I will bet quite a bit of money that if you ask any business owner what their number one struggle is, 98% will answer the same damn thing. Sales. And if you are a solopreneur, you're not only the entire production team, communications team and admin assistant, you're also the whole sales force. That's a lot of hats and most people only have one head. Today during Ballsy Women In Business, we talked about sales. The experience you don't realize you have and the experience you don't realize the person in front of you has had. Both are very important to your bottom line. We touched on that tricky limbic brain and how the wrong messaging or rushing the sales cycle can trigger that fight or flight response faster than you can say used car salesman. If you're in a position where selling is your hairshirt, then this might be the podcast for you. Sympathy will always sit between shit and syphilis in the dictionary, but we've all been there and are happy to give a little to the fellow entrepreneurs making their way through the sales cycle. Remember: you're selling to solve a clients' problem not shiest them. So buck up and get out there!

Sneaky Shit - Congruency

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 18:31:40 GMT

Say. Act. Do. It's that simple. Congruency is our topic today in the 6 Principles of Influence. What does that mean? In the simplest of terms and the easiest of explanations is that if you want to convey and build trust, you have to be consistent in everything you do. For example - if you make an appointment with someone, taking up their valuable time, to make a pitch and you show up late or don't show up at all - what do you think that says? It says that you don't actually value the time or person that you've arranged to meet. By showing up late, you are stating that you aren't to be trusted to deliver. By not showing up at all? Heck - I wouldn't leave my dog with you. We all understand that life happens and you could run late but once it becomes a pattern of behaviour, you are acting incongruent to what you are hoping to establish. Trust. It comes down to this: do what you say and say what you do. For example, if you are faking being involved in a conversation just to get a sale, your body language will betray you. You will also give off the old "bad vibes" that the person you are hoping to sell to will pick up. They will have a prickly, uncomfortable feeling that will immediately put them on guard and that, my friend, means the trust is gone. Take a listen to Sneaky Shit and learn about principle #1, how to apply it, how to watch for it and how being your authentic self is the most congruent way to be.

Across the Desk: Network Smarter

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 01 May 2017 19:27:31 GMT

I've spent years networking. Years I tell you. At first on behalf of my employer but for the last 3 on behalf of me. That's scary for some people. It was for me. So I went to countless networking groups and events. This had its benefits in helping me craft my message, hone my offerings and getting my face in front of a lot of people. But it also wasted a lot of time. Time my business doesn't have to waste. Now I network smarter and make opportunities happen out of that. One of the things I've learned is the strength behind routinely evaluating the networking that you are doing. If you've been going to a group for a while and not got a stitch of business, that should be telling you something: either your message is off or the group isn't right for you. Regardless - it's time to make a decision. Continue going or find new opportunities. My business is important to me so I went seeking new opportunities. It was through this decision that today's podcast came to be. I hope it encourages you to make the most of your networking time, take chances on meeting people you might not otherwise get to meet and build your reputation by networking smartly. After all - your business is counting on it.

Across the Desk: Happy Melly

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 15:33:33 GMT

If, like me, you've worked for organizations for years and thought it was all in your head, I'm here to tell you that you're wrong. That vague feeling that something is off all the way down to full mental breakdowns because the boss is batshit crazy. That feeling that it's always going to be this way and nothing will ever change. The feeling that you can never be happy at work and just have to accept it. WRONG! It took me over 20 years and a chance meeting to discover how wrong I was and how many people are working to change it. Three years ago I was introduced to the world of agile and change management. I'm still learning what all that entails but what I did learn in a big way is that there are tools, experts, coaches and more to help organizations not suck. To help employees learn how to make things better. To help bosses, managers and supervisors find the way to the light that shows them communicating with their employees doesn't have to include condescension, fear and ego. How? One way is Happy Melly. You can learn more about HM during the podcast but what I also want to put out there is the first EVER face to face Happy Melly Exploration Day. A chance to meet and learn from the experts (who are some of the coolest people I've ever met) and have your come to jayzus moment where happiness at work isn't just a fantasy. Intrigued? Great! Visit www.happymelly.com to learn more about the organization and click on their subscribe to happiness to attend the event on October 19th. Why? It will change your life. It changed mine.

Across the Desk: Overcoming the Spaghetti

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 16:59:35 GMT

Today the focus was on obstacles to our goals and how we overcome them. We roundtabled and came up with quite a list of obstacles and avoidance techniques we all have used at one time or another while working on our business. 1. Cooking and domestic duties 2. Paralysis by analysis - overplanning and getting too caught up in detail to move forward. 3. Social media 4. Office chatter 5. Dabbling in a variety of goals vs picking a few goals and focusing 6. Busy brain 7. Excuses - shifting blame to outside interruptions (darn kids) 8. Fear of success / Imposter Syndrome 9. Negative influences. One of the chief ways we all agreed we overcome these obstacles is by recognizing them for what they are in the first place. If you are heading to a go-to stress reliever / time waster (such as FB ;) ) then seeing that for what it is helps to put boundaries around the time spent. That was another solution - scheduling time to plan. Scheduling time for office chatter. Scheduling time for social media. If you put it in your calendar and see it as a reward for getting work done, it might help you overcome the urge to delay the work you need to do. Biggest of all, I think, is recognizing that goal setting and the work to achieving those goals, is hard work. It might be considered another thing on your to-do list which is already long enough. Here was a suggestion I got from the Carrie Green work I've been doing: Write out ALLLLL your goals. Big. Little. Audacious. And then choose 5 to achieve over the year. Yup: 5. Why? Because once you write out the five, you're going to add action items to the goals and the people who can help you reach the goal. That, my friends, is doable vs overwhelming. In the meanwhile, as Oprah says, know that we are rooting for your rise! That Ballsy is a group to grow your business with and know that you aren't alone in the face of challenges. If Oprah can admit to being afraid and using a team to succeed, so can we! Thank you everybody for a great conversation and learning opportunity. You all inspire me to continue to rise :)

Across the Desk: The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 20:45:24 GMT

How is it possible that one book can contain so many seemingly disparate items? Happiness + business + science + motivation + action items + inspiration It's insane. Yet that's exactly what Shawn Achor manages to do in his 2010 book The Happiness Advantage. For a research geek like me, who isn't a huge fan of talking about feelings, this book was like divine intervention. Science backed recommendations on how to be happier? Jackpot! Shawn Achor provides corporate and personal narratives that allow anyone to relate to the mind blowing idea that are brains are capable of change and that change can include being happier. Why is this important? Other than the obvious (really? You don't want to be happier?), the book clearly demonstrates the impact on productivity, creativity, relationship building, health and achieving success. That last one is the biggest myth busted of all. Success will not make you happier. Happier will make you successful. Let that sink in for a minute and then give a listen. I'm about to make you VERY happy ;)

Autistic Rambler: Barbie and Pink Power

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 16:23:59 GMT

Do you deny your pink? Do you mask to fit in? We're talking embracing the things in life that make you happy vs worrying about what other dingalings think you should be. Someone wants you to fit in? That's a them issue, not a you issue. Are you getting grief about what colors you choose to wear? Also a them issue. We're chatting about our "roles" in life and how sometimes that needs to roll away ...

Autistic Rambler : Comfort Is A Hot Cup Of Whatever You Need

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 21:45:22 GMT

Ep23 Maddy and I began this podcast talking about coffee. The beans of the gods for some folks. Or is it? Is it the beans or the moment you take for yourself to do something just for you? That moment of comfort. And then I said, Should we press record. Maddy said yes and now you have whole podcast dedicated to why finding what gives you comfort and not letting others judge you out of it is so important!

Autistic Rambler - PIVOT Instead Of Change

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 17:12:40 GMT

Ep 21 What if we started looking at change as a pivot? Looking at our existing skills and building on them instead of thinking we have to learn a whole new set of skills? Pivoting isn't just a funny Friends meme - it's a tactic used in business and many other places when what we're doing just isn't working for us anymore.

Across the Desk: Experimental Mindset

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 21:46:07 GMT

What does it mean to you if someone says, "why don't you try this experiment with your business?" Does it immediately make parts of your anatomy pucker? Or does it give you a bit of freedom to try some things you wouldn't have tried if they weren't experiments? If that option to hypothesize, test and measure with minimal risk wasn't there? That's what we discussed last night at Women in Tech / Ballsy. The experimental mindset and the permission to fail. To understand that trying new things for your business is essential for moving forward and that the metrics don't have to be tied to your bottom line. Maybe the experiment builds a better team. Maybe it opens up new product ideas. Maybe the next time someone suggests an experiment you pucker just a little less and in fewer places. I'd say that's a success wouldn't you?

Across the Desk - Networking, Growing and Pitching It All Together

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 13:00:13 GMT

Sometimes networking is freaking hard. If you're an introvert (or just having a bad damn day), it doesn't matter how much your business needs it, you just don't want to. It's time for some personal growth. It's time to develop tips and tricks that turn opportunities you might not have thought of in to networking that could work for you. Today on Ballsy, we cover evaluating value of networking, where you should take some risks with developing your pitch and how building your tribe can be painless :)

Autistic Rambler - Routines and the Beans

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 20:18:11 GMT

Ep 23 Betty and I have gotten a bit off track but we're DELIGHTED to pick things up again with this episode! I'm sliding this in for Christmas because who doesn't need a bit of comfortable during the Holidays?

Across the Desk: Degroote, Deep Thoughts and Digital marketing

Elizabeth Plouffe — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 00:11:02 GMT

How often do you schedule time to learn in your business? Do you even see that as part of your business? Or do you think you know enough? Lots of questions I know. Today I had the chance to attend a great event at the DeGroote School of Business here in Burlington and get some answers. The event was a panel discussion on the advent of digital marketing and how organizations need to keep the conversation going. It was a great opportunity to reinforce what I already know but to also remind me how important learning is for your clients. Today? Today I learned the importance of creating thumb stopping moments. Curious? Have some questions? Well let's provide some answers shall we?

CASDA - Autism and the Housing Crisis

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 23:20:34 GMT

When do you start thinking about where your autistic child is going to live? When they're 8 or 18? For some folks the conversation has to start as early as 8. Why? Because the supported housing wait list can be 10 years long. Join us as we discuss different housing options for autistic Canadians and how HAL-Labs is making a difference.

CASDA - Accessibility And Equity with Brittany Finlay

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 02:11:52 GMT

When you're in a situation that involves a disability, things can get a little tricky with accessing services and equitable access to those services. This needs to change. CASDA is working with members of the autism community, policy makers and government to level the playing field and lessen the challenges when it comes to making sure that autistic Canadians have as many options as possible for they life they want to lead.

CASDA - Autism and Employment with Vanessa Tomas

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 22:35:12 GMT

We're welcoming Vanessa Tomas back to further discuss the employment aspect of the National Autism Strategy.

Across the Desk with Brene Brown - The Gifts of Imperfection

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 01:40:49 GMT

We can all have some challenges when it comes to personal development. For example - if we don't think we need to work on it at all. If we think it's too touchy feely. Or girly. Or a waste of time. Or all of the above. To be honest - that's kind of where my mind usually goes. But in the spirit of going outside my comfort zone, I went with an author that I've grown to know and respect through watching her TED talks, chats with Oprah and Chase Jarvis and the general community consensus that she's awesome. Brene Brown is a Phd and researcher in to a lot of the touchy feely stuff that most touchy feely people won't even touch: shame, vulnerability and fear. Those are topics that don't inspire a lot of warm feelings but they are also the ones we need to deal with to get ahead in our business. I jumped in to The Gifts of Imperfection and really enjoyed it. Even had some aha moments that made me glad I got over myself and my narrow views of personal development. If you want to dip your toe in to the PD world, this research backed, fact driven, personal narrative just might having you jumping in to the self help pond with both feet.

Across the Desk: Change the Way You Feel

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 00:16:51 GMT

You know that feeling right before you stand up in a meeting? Or walk in to an event? Or have to go networking? Or do anything that is outside your comfort zone? Do you normally describe it as nervous or excited? Turns out it makes a difference. That important distinction was made for me 21 years ago on the day of my wedding. I had butterflies and felt nervous. Or so I thought. The more I thought it was nervousness, the worse I felt. How could I be nervous before marrying my main man? Then my hairdresser said something that changed my life: You're not nervous honey, you're excited. The honey might be me adlibbing but you get the gist. The relief I felt was overwhelming and I've carried that lesson to this day. Turns out there is now science to back up what my wise hairdresser knew all along. So the next time you're trying something new, meeting with a different crowd or stretching beyond what's normally comfortable for you, just remember this: you're not nervous honey, you're excited :)

Across the Desk with Monica Graves and the 3 Little Wishes

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 22:46:40 GMT

I hope that all businesses try to keep their corporate social responsibility plan to of mind all year. For such a long title, I sometimes wonder if creating a CSR plan is more a tool to look good than actually do good. Cynical? Maybe. But once you chat with Monica Graves, you'll see what putting your money where your jewels are really means. Cancer is another cause where I think people can lose focus on how to actually support the families that are affected by this nefarious disease. In my case? My father had it. My grandfather, 2 uncles and grandmother in law died of it. My sister in law has battled and won. Even I've had 2 cancer scares that shows me I'm not immune. How did I cope? I was lucky and just dealt. I didn't have kids to feed or bills to pay that were going to be affected by my diagnosis. Today's podcast is about how to give back. Personally. Professionally. Entrepreneurially. Take that CSR and put it to work rather than paying it lip service. 3 Little Wishes is one of the many ways that Monica makes sure glamjulz is not only giving women a reason to show their sparkle, she's also showing a community how they can care and support families whose sparkle might need a little help.

Across the Desk: Maybe We All Need to Grow a Pair

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 23:24:07 GMT

So what do women talk about when they meet up? Kids? Work? Husbands? Expectations? Trust? Sounds like a typical meeting meeting right? Turns out it can be all of that and so much more. Tuesday night was the joint Ballsy / Women in Tech meetup that featured speaker Norine Jones. Norine was asked to speak to the group based on a conversation that we had during another meeting. Specifically, it was to discuss the role of women in business and what exactly that means. How much sacrifice should we be making for our business vs our families and how do we make those choices. What started out as a speaking gig turned in to a terrific discussion that I think generated far more helpful perspectives than a regular format would have done. I'd already had the conversation and still ended up with six pages of notes. If you're a woman in business, or a man still trying to learn about women, then this podcast might shed some light on the mental games we play with ourselves and how men factor in to all of that.

Sneaky Shit - Are You Building Someone Else's Trust Factor?

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 23:35:29 GMT

Have you ever seen an ad with a celebrity endorsement? Especially a celebrity who you admire and trust? Well, as much as you can trust someone you don't actually know. Has that influenced your decision about the product or service to buy or use and then it's turned out to be junk? Are you tired of all the questions? The reason for all the questions is to get you thinking about the social proof that the product or service has used to build trust (albeit second hand trust you didn't really have any way)and get you to buy. How's that head scratcher? Today's podcast focuses on the good and bad of legitimacy. It can be make or break for some businesses especially in this day and age of instant online reviews, commentary and condemnation. If you've decided to go the scam route (as so many do) and imply endorsement vs actually building your own legitimacy, well, you've been warned. We're here to get everybody to put their sneaky shit meter on high alert and out you!

Across the Desk with Dr. Gillian Mulvale and the My Experience App

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 22:10:46 GMT

When you are dealing with a mental health issue, trying to navigate the healthcare system can be stressful. Heck - it's stressful no matter what. Once you are in the system, one of the keys to success for your treatment is developing trust with your health care team. That can put you in a tricky position to provide honest feedback that is positive or negative. Imagine an app that can help you solve that problem. Well, it's here. Meet Dr. Gillian Mulvale who is working with her team at the DeGroote School of Business in the Health Leadership Academy to develop the MyExperience app. This app has been specifically designed to allow patients to provide feedback on their experience within the mental health field. Honest, constructive and valuable, this feedback will allow practitioners to develop and improve the services they are providing. Something they've wanted for a long time. Interested in learning more about this great breakthrough for the mental health community? I was too. Take a listen and you'll see why1

Across the Desk With Laurel Hubber

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 17:05:23 GMT

Come and sit across the desk and learn what it takes to be a family business mediator. Thought you could work with your brother, sister, father and aunt without some kind of planning? Think again. Laurel describes the benefits of developing leadership, communication and governance processes for the success of your family business. Is that all we chat about? Nope. Listen and learn about the chickpreneur journey and what it sometimes takes to pick up that basket and keep moving forward!

Across The Desk with Wayne Deadder

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 21:15:09 GMT

My guest and I go back to 1979. Yep, waaaaayyy back to the rockin' 70's which seems kind of appropriate given what Wayne Deadder does now. As a successful session and band musician, Wayne has been delighting audiences with his guitar skills for over 30 years and is a two-time Juno nominee. On top of his guitar skills, Wayne is also a very successful airbrush artist. You'd think his path in life would be pretty clear right?

Who Hits You In The Feely Places

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 18 Jul 2016 01:16:58 GMT

I look for inspiration wherever I can. A bit of an inspigroupie if you will. This morning I hit one of my usual haunts, the TED talk circuit. I have learned the weirdest and best stuff by taking chances on speakers that show up as recommendations. Why? Because I like to think I don't discriminate on where inspiration comes from but this morning, I realized I do. Why is it we can be more open to accepting wisdom about over coming challenges from someone who has a visible disability? The same wise words out of the mouth of someone who appears to be able bodied in most general sense of the term, might not move us quite so much. But is that fair? Does it matter what the challenge is or that it was overcome?

Across the Desk: Volunetworking

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 19:54:54 GMT

Have you ever wanted to attend a conference or event but the cost didn't work for you? Either what you would get out of the conference wasn't worth the price or your budget just wouldn't allow it? Consider volunetworking. Just about every large scale event you can think of depends on volunteers. Hiring staff to man all the areas of an event makes the budget near impossible to maintain and takes away from other things you could be offering. I guarantee you that event organizers are interested in getting free help. But the difference? How you treat the experience. If you decide to reach out and create an opportunity, make the most of it. Be willing to go the extra mile if needed. Somebody else cancelled? Pick up the slack. Don't have your own business cards? Make sure you collect from everyone you meet and then connect on LinkedIn with a personal message that includes how you met. Make sure that you keep your social media posts professional and to a minimum. Check in at the location, a quick "it's great to be here" and a photo. Maybe one or two during the day while on a break. Add the event to the project section of your LinkedIn profile. And follow up with the organizers after thanking them for the experience! There's a lot more ways to make an event work for you but the best is to remember to provide value to the organizers!

What If And Fear - Equally Useless

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 07 Jul 2016 19:24:37 GMT

Fear can make you its b#%ch. When you let that little voice get too loud, it can incapacitate you and leave you paralyzed from taking the next step for your business. I thought I had fear whipped. If you knew me, the last word you'd use to describe me would be fearful. I'm not a badass by any stretch but there aren't too many things or people I won't take on. It's just how I'm hard wired. But then I became an entrepreneur with no back up. And fear? Well she's laughing her ass off now ...

I've Been Everywhere Man ..

Elizabeth Plouffe — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 17:14:53 GMT

Have you ever noticed that if during a conversation you share something personal with someone, such as where you were born, that it can spark an entirely new level of conversation? You've kicked it up a notch. You've opened up. You've made it possible to make a connection. How cool is that? Such a simple thing to do but so effective. If you have a hard time sharing with others, well, your sandbox is going to stay pretty small. It doesn't have to be life altering. Doesn't have to be your fear of underpants. But it does have to be true. And what can be safer to share, or more true, than the place you were born or the places you've lived? I've been everywhere man ...

Your Poop Will Thank You

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 16:18:37 GMT

Do you ever get to the end of your work day and feel like a sack of poop? Well that could be because you are. Kind of a gross thought right? Even worse? Being that sack of poop is actually killing you. On this episode of Across the Apothecary, I share my new adventure in to the world of working with a standing desk. I've been steadily gaining weight over the past two years despite adjusting my eating habits and incorporating walking. Not a gym kind of person but I'm also not scarfing down poutine and cheesecake on a regular basis. What have I been doing? Sitting. A lot. Between having to work at a desk for my business and then feeding my documentary / movie addiction, I've probably been sitting in excess of 12 hours a day. Yikes! No wonder my insides and outsides are not working properly! Give a listen for the stats on what sitting is doing to you, ways to get up more and the first step on my journey to getting poop done while standing up. Pun intended ;)

Across the Desk with Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 01:09:54 GMT

Have you ever wondered what's really going through a prospects' mind while you're pitching away about your business? Did fear ever come to mind? Me either. Most people don't think of themselves or their service / product as scary but that's how those hearing the message can feel. While listening to you they are evaluating you as a threat! So put the spear down and pick up the book Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff. It's changed the way I talk about my business, the way I source prospects and opportunities and the way my business is going to grow. From crocodile brain to hanging the right frame in the room, Oren Klaff takes you through the steps you need to incorporate in to your business pitch from your backstory to your closing sentence.

Across the Desk with Kirstine Stewart: Our Turn

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 05 May 2017 00:04:31 GMT

I have to be honest - this isn't my best podcast for WWW. Further honesty - I had too many homemade Blondies (Think a brownie but without the chocolate. I'm allergic to chocolate. Yes, you read that right.) There's a connection to the book here but you'll have to read the book to put it together. Kirstine Stewart is the current Chief Strategy Officer for Diply. Before that she worked for Twitter, was the head of the CBC and brought us reno and decorating gurus Mike Holmes and Sarah Richardson. Her resume is awesome but not as awesome as how much she will share from her personal and professional experience to help other women become great leaders. I've tried read a few female leadership based books (Sheryl Sandberg, Arlene Dickinson) and they were awful. I know if you don't have anything nice to say, you shouldn't say anything so I'll stop there. It was refreshing and revitalizing to read from an accomplished, successful female leader who didn't hold her personal life up as the hardship story that begat her success. Kirstine Stewart focuses on the innate leadership skills and abilities that all women can tap in to as the chief building block for her success. It's that relateability that allows us to see more potential in ourselves and realize that a kick ass pair of heels might not be the reason we reach the top faster, but it can't hurt.

Love the Block. Be the Block.

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 17:27:09 GMT

An entrepreneurs life is that of a non-conformist. While for some this sounds completely invigorating and awesome, for others it poses challenges. You might even call them blocks. Some kind climb over them. Some get, well, blocked by them. Here's a suggestion: take the time to identify what your blocks might be and learn to love them. Make them your best friend. Why? Because without doing this blocks can derail your business, leave you choking in the dust of others and keep you at the starting block instead of winning the race.

Across the Desk with Norine Jones

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 18:11:02 GMT

Women in leadership roles has been a bit of a tricky development over the last 100 years. No, I'm not crying the poor me blues. No, I don't want to wear power suits and be like a man. But what I do want is for women to stop limiting themselves because they think they should. Because society is slowly coming on board with losing the judgement of women in leadership roles. And best of all? Women are slowly stopping the judgement of themselves. Why is this important? Because even the strongest women leaders, who appear to show no fear, are still battling inner demons. This is especially true for women entrepreneurs. We still believe we have to prove we're capable and fit for our role. And when strong women leaders don't admit to feeling this way, the rest of us believe something is wrong with us because we do. So today, you can meet Norine Jones, CEO/President/Leader of PowerVac Services Hamilton who successfully runs a successful business in a traditionally male dominated industry. She is also a devoted wife, fierce mother and amazing volunteer. And she too battles that inner demon that makes her question if she's strong enough, talented enough and wise enough to run her business. My answer - an enthusiastic Hell yes!

Across the Desk: Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuk

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 02:30:24 GMT

Why Now Is the Time To Crush It is a question most entrepreneurs ask themselves in various ways. I think to both talk themselves in to the adventure and when they are having complete WTF moments about why they started in the first place. Crush It - Cash in on Your Passion is a book that I will be re-reading and soon. Not only did it provide solid advice for how to engage and grow your business but it also was very realistic about the level of hustle required to make it happen. If you've got rose colored glasses on about the fancy schmancy life that entrepreneurs lead, then being brought up to speed on reality is one of the many reasons you should read this book.

Across the Desk with guest Holly Simmons

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 23:10:46 GMT

If you're an entrepreneur, and especially a solopreneur, then you know the challenge of trying to reach a goal on your own. it's easy to create the goal but achieving it? Sometimes it's easy to have it slip down the list. Meet Holly Simmons. She's a Burlington based Family Enterprise Adviser and Thinking Partner. I met Holly last year through a mutual friend and have not only gained a friend but a respected colleague. I've been fortunate to receive coaching from Holly and it was this experience that inspired me to create the Making Shift Happen program for members of my women in business group, Ballsy. Holly and I sat down today to talk about the value of building an accountability program, how you can create a beneficial partnership to achieve goals and why talking it out can create new goals you never even considered.

Autistic Rambler - Tiaras, Soap and Sensory issues

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 02:00:00 GMT

Ep. 8 We all have things we need to work on. For some it's talking to loud or too much (that's a me thing, hence the podcast) for others it's refusing to bathe and for some it's about whether they can rock a tiara. It's all about how we show up in the world and how we communicate our needs around that. Sometimes it's not about not wanting to take a shower - it's that the soap stings our skin. Sometimes it's not about thinking we're better than other people - it's that today we felt like rocking a sparkly tiara. Whatever the situation, it can usually be solved by getting curious, not furious (to quote Stephen Covey).

That Stinky Banana

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 31 May 2016 22:36:15 GMT

Are you one of those entrepreneurs who writes things down like I do? Does the creative demon take hold of your hand and force you to record all those crazy, amazing ideas? And then you just leave that shit there. On the page or in the audio file. All that creativity going to rot like a stinky banana at the bottom of your lunch bag. Yuck. So let's chat about that. How do you keep your banana from going stinky and using those ideas to make you money?

SparkTO with Katy Saulpaugh

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 23 May 2017 22:05:16 GMT

Meet Katy who is one of the fabulous speakers for Spark the Change Toronto 2017! Katy Saulpaugh is an expert agile practitioner who has implemented culture and technology change strategies at all scales for private, public, and nonprofit clients in the US and Europe. As agile practice lead at Enterprise Knowledge, LLC, she specializes in agile coaching and facilitation and has enabled clients to become more agile at the team and organization level. She has also developed solutions to drive adoption for IT and knowledge management projects using online communications, instruction design, and employee engagement approaches. Outside of her professional work, Katy is active in both the agile and change communities, and is a founding member of the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Association of Change Management Professionals.

Across the Desk with You Inc by Harry Beckwith

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 14:28:43 GMT

This weeks Wise Word Wednesday is brought to you by the letter U. As in You, Inc. by Harry and Christine Beckwith. It's one of the few business books I've read that not only has inspired some fantastic creative moments but has actually provided me with insight in to behavior, motivation and opportunity. 5/5 stars for this one!

Getting Over The @ Sign

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 02:45:51 GMT

If you've decided to shut down your business, that can suck disco balls. And if you owned a disco, well, you've got lots of shiny things to remind you about your anti-success. Me? I've got @ symbols / statues / socks / marketing material - the list goes on. Looking at it used to annoy me. Now? Now I realize the gift of being an entrepreneur is that I've learned lessons to help me be more successful next time ;) Thanks for joining me!

Across the Desk with Doug Osborne

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 20:53:23 GMT

Entrepreneurs are famous for falling in love. With stars in their eyes and wishes on their lips, they know that their idea is the best thing EVER and how could anyone argue? After all, it's their idea and they LOVE it! Now this is said with all due respect as a fellow entrepreneur because I love my ideas too. But if you can't see past the stars to the nitty gritty of getting the job done and executing the plan, well maybe you need to call Doug Osborne.

Across the Desk with Rob Duvall

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 20:02:23 GMT

I sat down with Rob Duvall last week and learned a surprising fact about this well-spoken, friendly, outgoing guy: In highschool and college, Rob was a self-professed geek. Now I could continue to say was, but quite frankly something tells me that a bit of that geek from college who built an award winning fuel efficient car, still holds a place of honor in Rob's heart. Why? Because the enthusiasm he showed for tech in the 80's still shines through today.

Across the Desk with James Burchill

Elizabeth Plouffe — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 14:58:20 GMT

Across the Desk is about small business owners and entrepreneurs. What it's like to be one. Lessons learned. Customers helped and outcomes met. Join me for a funny, informative, personal and hopefully helpful conversation with business people who are just getting started or have been in business long enough to have some wise words to share.

CASDA - Autism and Housing with Amy Lonsberry

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 19:47:29 GMT

Most parents plan for the day when their children will grow up and leave the "nest". Their kids will find their own way in the world, get an apartment or house and live independently and successfully. But what if your plan has to include finding a group home situation for your child to age in to? What if your adult child requires support for the rest of their lives in one form or another? And what if the waiting lists for spots in supported living or group homes was 20 years or more? What's the plan then? Join me as Amy Lonsberry discusses the National Autism Strategy with a focus on housing and how making a better plan for all autistic Canadians is what we should be focusing on.

SparkCafe - Meet Lean Change Management with Jason Little

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 15:31:57 GMT

Take a moment and learn more about our keynote Jason Little, author of Lean Change Management. Not only is Jason a global thought leader on change practices, he's also a tech geek that is going to join us through Kubi technology!

Across the Desk with Escaping In To The Open by Elizabeth Berg

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 21:17:10 GMT

If you are an entrepreneur who happens to write, or you are planning to be a writing entrepreneur, then this is a book for you. Elizabeth Bergs', "Escaping in to the Open - The Art of Writing True" is a fantastic resource. With creative prompts, ideas for writing groups and tips on how to write for business, this book will get your creative voice working. Elizabeth Berg is a best selling author with over 25 books to her credit. Looking forward to hearing how you got your creative voice going ;)

Across the Desk: Ballsy Does It Better

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 02 May 2018 18:14:23 GMT

Sometimes you go in a meeting with an agenda. Or at least an idea for the meeting. And sometimes something better happens. Today at Ballsy, we discussed how to manage your employees and what happens when a project causes a rift in the organization. We touched on how to take a time out and whether that should include social media (gasp!). We ended on the importance of recognizing what truly rejuvenates us and what feeds our "addictions". Mine is strategy and reading books. Not great when you also have a podcast about strategy and reading books ...

CASDA with SpectrumWorks

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 19:14:09 GMT

Are you autistic and looking for work? Finding that a bit tricky during COVID? SpectrumWorks is offering a free virtual job fair which will be happening across Canada on April 8th. Visit SpectrumWorks.ca to find out more and register! Is this just for job seekers? No! We need employers for networking and service providers to introduce themselves and their programs. Today you'll meet Neil Forester who is one of the co-coordinators for the SpectrumWorks job fair. Jon Lai will also be joining us to update on how the conversation about autism across Canada is moving forward. This involves the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and the consultation they are running for the National Autism Strategy. Want to get involved in the conversation? Visit CASDA.ca for more information!

Across the Desk with The School of Greatness by Marie Forleo

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 18:11:42 GMT

Some "experts" out there are all about the sale, the pitch, the bottom line. Yuck. When that's the place they're sharing their expertise from, you want to send them right back. At least I do. But I kept looking and I found Marie Forleo. Phew. What a relief. Marie Forleo has become my go to background "noise" when I'm working on projects. But I mean noise in the best sense. Because she is funny, authentic, intelligent and engaging, it's a pleasure to have her on in the background. I learn and get entertained at the same time which for my ADD brain is awesome! If, like me, you are building your mentor list and are struggling to find someone that inspires and educates, then I recommend giving www.marieforleo.com a visit and getting your Marie on.

Across the Desk and MentorAbility Meet: OpenText with Amanda Craig and Doug Wallbank

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 20:24:10 GMT

This is a Canadian success story across so many levels. It brings together the importance of pursuing an idea, being open to opportunity and the power of being a part of a mentorship. Meet Amanda Craig and Doug Wallbank and hear their story of how mentorship changed their lives and businesses.

SparkTO with Vikas Narula

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 28 May 2018 21:23:47 GMT

Have you ever been sitting at your desk and just known there's somewhere else you'd rather be? Something else you'd rather be doing? I don't mean at the movies or going for lunch. I mean leaving your career something else. Changing your life something else. Or is it all just as simple as learning to play the ukelele? Whispers of Your Heart, Vikas' topic for Spark helps us to find out.

CASDA National Autism Strategy with Jonathan Lai

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 17 Dec 2020 18:35:22 GMT

Join us to learn about what CASDA's been up to in 2020 and get involved in the conversation about the National Autism Strategy!

SparkTO2019 welcomes speaker Selena Delesie

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 27 May 2019 13:11:52 GMT

What is true for everybody? Good question. Our experiences, our emotions, our current situation, our past - they all come together to create what is true for us. When faced with change, sometimes this truth can make life a little challenging.

SparkCafe with Anant East

Elizabeth Plouffe — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 20:23:38 GMT

3 time zones come together for this Spark Cafe. We welcome Anant East who will be speaking at this year's Spark the Change India!

Intro to Elizabeth and Love of the Health

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 00:35:49 GMT

So you might have heard a bit about me sprinkled throughout Across the Desk or Entrepreneurial Entrails but what I haven't shared is my love of being involved in health care. For 13 years, health care was my career. As a medical office administrator and then as an instructor for the MOA program. How lucky was I? I get to teach AND teach medical curriculum? Sigh. I miss being a teacher ... But I digress. Take a listen and learn more about my life in health and my personal share on one of the highlights of my medical career that made it really clear the impact it's possible to have on someone's life.

Events Lead To More Events

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 18 Jul 2016 01:14:53 GMT

Have you ever had a little voice give you a nudge? And have you ever listened to the nudge and had something awesome happen? That was me on Friday. And all because I went to events and put on events. Those events set this event in motion which has now lead to more events! You can't get any more eventful than that ...

SparkCafe with Andrea Darabos

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 22 Dec 2017 21:46:21 GMT

Andrea Darabos joins us on the Spark Cafe to discuss her upcoming workshop and speaking gig with Spark the Change India! Build a Positive Cycle of Organisational Purpose, Strengths and Creativity Workshop: Play to your Strengths with StrongSuits: Practitioner and Facilitator

Sneaky Shit and the Win Win

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 01:43:30 GMT

Winning is about negotiation versus capitulation. You may or may not agree with that but the truth of the matter is this: at the end of the day, what are you trying to accomplish? Part of setting up a win/win in business is having a clear idea of what your goal is going in to the negotiation. If you are wishy washy, it comes across. In your ask, your body language and your spoken language. Those are the times where knowing the sneaky shit of the win/win would save you aloooooot of trouble.

Autistic Rambler - We're Talking About The C Word

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 23:51:16 GMT

Ep 19 The C word. I'm sure some of you thought cancer. Some thought something I can't type here without getting censored. And some just wondered, what the heck does this mean??? Without context, it's hard to understand ;)

No Junk Kicking A Crip. Just A Cape.

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 19:18:09 GMT

Have you ever had the chance to learn something new but thought it might make you look stupid to admit you didn't already know? Or had a REALLY freaking great idea that you let go to mold because you were too afraid to share it? It all comes down to your willingness and ability to be vulnerable.

Across the Desk: The Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 20:14:03 GMT

What's the first thing you think of when it comes to sales? For me, it's every BAD sales person I've had to deal with. From car sales to timeshares to cell phone plans - I've dealt with some doozies. The problem when you are the one selling is that everybody you meet has had the same run-ins. Snakeoil techniques. Schmoozing. Telling you what you want to hear. Blech. I think I just threw up a little in my mouth just from remembering ... But it doesn't have to be that way. If you're in business you need to remember to learn everything you can about the right way so no one is thinking of you the way you think of those other guys. Your business depends on it. Today on Wise Word Wednesdays, I'm chatting up The Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer. This is actually the first book I've EVER read on sales and (pun intended), I'm sold. It's practical. Applicable. Easy to understand and even easier to use for your business. Give it a listen. I promise no snakes were harmed in the making of this podcast ;)

Across the Desk: Where's Your Logo?

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 23:34:43 GMT

I find it REALLY hard to stick to one subject. Partly because I read like a lunatic and partly because I have undiagnosed, treated with coffee, shiny things ADD. What I do find is that I tend to pick up on the little details that most people miss. That's how 30 or more was born. 30 and counting tips and hints about opportunities to fix or try out something new in communicating about your business. I kick off talking about where your logo should be. Sounds silly but are you sure it's up to date on the millions of profiles and websites you might have set up to promote your business with? Are you taking advantage of 1 simple hint that takes minutes to set up and provides passive advertising every time you send an email? If you've got 5 minutes, I've got 30 or more ways to get you communicating better :)

Tipping Your Comms - Are You A Tag Troll

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 18:47:07 GMT

A little while ago I was searching for the hashtag #cancer on Instagram. It was that time of year and I wanted to see what conversations and images people were sharing. What came up? A lot of crap. A lot of unrelated, trivial, full on crap that should never have come up at all. And it made me angry. Why angry? Well, I take communications seriously. For many personal reasons, I take cancer seriously too. When I see someone abusing the tag purely to drive traffic to their pitiful content, my inner crankypants comes out in a big way. Why share this? Because if you are trying to drive engagement with your audience or get new followers, you might be tempted to try this nasty troll trick not realizing the damage you're doing. To your business, your reputation and your online profile. Or if you do realize it's a troll thing to do that and are doing it anyway, I'm here to tell you to stop. It sucks. It's rude. It's going to bite you in the butt. Here's a few tips and tricks for using tags the right way and some choice words for those of you choosing the troll way ;)

Across the Desk: Who the Hell is That?

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 15:57:13 GMT

A lot of people struggle with liking photos of themselves. Why? I've no idea. I know I did until a few years ago when I opened my own business. I knew I'd have to have some good shots of myself. Why? Because people buy you and your business. If you come across shifty, incompetent or unfriendly, you've just done yourself out of some business. Decisions about people through their profile photo are made in 40 milliseconds. Yep. That fast. And most people aren't even cognizant of having weighed, measured and found you wanting. They just know they aren't going to do business with you. So if your profile photo space is blank -it's the same thing. What are you hiding? Why aren't you visible for your business? Are you telling the truth about who you are and what you can do? So much pressure in this selfie laden online world. Take some of these tips, get a friend with a steady hand and for the love of all that is holy don't use a selfie and add a profile photo to your social media platforms, website and wherever else it can go. Your business will thank you for years to come.

Sneaky Shit - the 6 Principles of Influence

Elizabeth Plouffe — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 02:16:58 GMT

Has there ever been a time where you've made a decision to buy something or work with someone based on the opinion of others? Have you noticed that when someone does you a favor or provides a freebie you feel obligated to help them out next time? Maybe you've noticed that someone has a lot in common with you and when it's suggested you work on a project together, the decision is easy. All of these scenarios fall under the 6 Principles of Influence. But as we all know, influence can be used for good and for not so good intentions. Why is this important to know? Because being manipulated to our detriment can negatively impact our personal life and business while using the principles of influence in a positive way can open doors. Learn how to spot when social influence is being used to sell you that latest fad cream or how to use it to help you get a new client. Get wise to the give and take of reciprocity and how you might not be getting the best deal with that freebie. Does someone have an unusual amount of things in common with you even though you've just met? It might be more than Kismet at work. Join us for the Sneaky Shit series to learn about the good, the bad and to get smarter about the way being influential and being influenced doesn't have to be sneaky at all.

Sneaky Shit: What are they REALLY getting you to do?

Elizabeth Plouffe — Mon, 23 Jan 2017 19:59:13 GMT

Does your gut every give you a message? Run? Don't trust that person? Some signal that you sometimes ignore? Don't. Trust is something that requires honesty on both sides. Honesty for you listening to your gut and what it's telling you to do and honesty from the person trying to connect with you. If you live in a head space where being a schmuck is the only way to operate, you have a different take on trust. You use it as a means to get what you need. You build it to your advantage. You have no idea the damage that you are doing not only to yourself (in the long run) and to others in your industry. When you are a schmuck in a certain industry, you end up painting so many people with the schmuck brush that don't deserve it and they then pay the price. We focus today on the right way to build trust. Some things to look for when your gut is stamping it's foot and why you should listen. Don't be a trust schmuck!

Across the Desk: Basackwardness. It's a thing.

Elizabeth Plouffe — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 04:07:02 GMT

I loved what I wrote but did not love what I said. SO! This is new track. Why? 'Cuz it's my damn podcast and I can. I'm not a huge fan of "it" words. Start using things like empowerment and be your why and I start heading for the door. That's not to say there isn't value in any of those things. I just have to get over the nausea first. That's a bit of what todays' Entrepreneurial Entrails is about. Getting over your crap. The things that get in your way. The things that hold your business back. Me? It's because I have some inherent need to make everything harder for myself so it feels like it has value. Comes too easy? Psh. Worthless. Stay tuned. Some shit's about to go sideways.

Across the Desk: Books, Business and Bullshit.

Elizabeth Plouffe — Wed, 27 Jun 2018 15:15:18 GMT

I'm a huge believer in personal development. HUGE. (I know what you're thinking right now and my hands DO NOT look like some orange TRex experiment). It began with some things I wanted to improve about me (I'm mostly awesome but ...) and has turned in to more about my business. How do I do this? Well besides my reading addiction, I attend events. I used to be quite indiscriminate. Shiny, New. Free - off I'd go. Now? I value my time, my learning goals and the benefits to my business. Take a listen and learn how you can get the most out of events for yourself, your business and your pocketbook.