What happens when you follow your passion, take a few risks, and refuse to let setbacks define your story?

In this episode of Simply Says: Pivoting with Purpose, Nancy sits down with Connie DeSousa and John Jackson, co-founders of Char Hospitality Group and competitors on Food Network’s BBQ Pit Masters, to talk about their culinary journey, building a business together, and the pivots that shaped their careers.

From Connie growing up in a Portuguese kitchen to John cooking as a young kid out of necessity.

They share how mentorship and international experiences shaped their approach to food, why they took a chance on Calgary, and how they built a restaurant group rooted in local ingredients and community.

When the pandemic threatened their business, they pivoted and launched Connie and John's Pizza to keep things moving and support their team. They also get candid about the importance of resilience, mental health, partnership, and staying positive when things don't go to plan.

Connie tells us how she entered food competitions to Top Chef Canada. John opens up about losing weight and discovering endurance cycling and fitness in a personal transformation he says saved his life. Plus, they take us behind the scenes of competing as Team Canada on BBQ Pit Masters, where intense 24-hour cooking challenges pushed them to their physical and mental limits.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Following your passion when the path isn't always clear
• The mentors and experiences that shape a career
• Taking a chance on Calgary and building a business together
• What true business partnership looks like
• Pivoting through the pandemic and finding new opportunities
• Resilience, teamwork, and why happy chefs make good food
• John's wellness journey and transformation, the power of prioritizing your health
• Competing under pressure on BBQ Pit Masters

Sometimes the biggest pivots aren't planned. They're the moments that challenge you to adapt, rethink your path, and discover what you're capable of.

Find Connie and John:

Instagram:
@conniedesousa
@chefjohnjackson

For Simply Says, find Nancy on:

Instagram: @simplystyledinspo

TikTok: @simplystyled.inspo

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@simplystyledinspo

What happens when you build the business, achieve the milestones and become successful on paper - only to realize the way you're building that success is costing you too much?

In this episode of Simply Says: Pivoting with Purpose, Nancy sits down with Mandy Balak, entrepreneur, leadership coach, author and President of The Gathering, to talk about ambition, burnout, boundaries and the courage to rebuild success on your own terms.

Mandy eventually walked away from the way she had been operating and began rebuilding around her energy, boundaries and well-being. But she also discovered another side of the same pattern: knowing exactly what she wanted to create, yet holding herself back by waiting until she felt ready.

In this honest conversation, Mandy shares what it takes to recognize the patterns keeping us stuck, why ambition isn't the problem but depletion can be, and how leaders can build meaningful success without sacrificing themselves in the process.

Because sometimes the biggest pivot isn't changing what you're building. It's changing the way you build it.

In this episode:

• The personal experience that challenged Mandy's definition of success
• How her father's imprisonment became a defining chapter in her life
• Recognizing burnout, overworking and the hidden cost of constant achievement
• The pandemic pivot that forced her to stop and rebuild
• Why we sometimes keep ourselves stuck by waiting until we feel ready
• The difference between overworking and holding ourselves back
• Creating sustainable success through boundaries, energy and capacity
• Rethinking ambition, leadership and what it means to have enough
• Why your calendar may reveal who is really designing your life
• Learning to pursue success without sacrificing your well-being
• Finding a new way forward when the life you've built no longer works for you

Find Mandy:

Instagram: @Mandybalak
Website: mandybalak.com

For Simply Says, find Nancy on:

Instagram: @simplystyledinspo

TikTok: @simplystyled.inspo

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@simplystyledinspo

What happens when a love of food, family and creativity grows into a career and then evolves into something much bigger?

In this episode of Simply Says: Pivoting with Purpose, Nancy sits down with Tori Wesszer, founder of Fraîche Living and cookbook author, to talk about the unexpected turns, risks and opportunities that have shaped her life and career.

Tori built Fraîche Living into a beloved lifestyle brand that blends food, family, entertaining and everyday living. Along the way, she became a cookbook author, entrepreneur, content creator and mom - constantly navigating the question so many of us know well: what's for dinner?

But Tori's story isn't simply about food. It's about building a business around what you love, evolving as life changes, finding balance while raising a family, and allowing your definition of success to change along the way.

In this conversation, Tori shares how Fraîche came to be, the unexpected turns that shaped her career, what motherhood taught her about priorities, and how she continues to evolve both personally and professionally.

Because sometimes a pivot doesn't mean starting over. Sometimes it means taking what you've already built and allowing it to grow into something new.

In this episode:

• Tori's journey to creating Fraîche Living
• How a passion for food evolved into a career and business
• Building a lifestyle brand around food, family and everyday living
• Becoming a cookbook author and entrepreneur
• The realities of motherhood, business and finding balance
• How her definition of success has evolved over the years
• The pressure of answering the eternal question: "What's for dinner?"
• Knowing when to embrace change and evolve
• The lessons Tori has learned through the different pivots in her life
• Finding purpose in the things we create, share and build

Find Tori:
Instagram: @fraicheliving @fraicheliving
Website: fraicheliving.com

For Simply Says, find Nancy on:
Instagram @SimplyStyledinspo
http://instagram.com/simplystyledinspo
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/
@simplystyled.inspo
Youtube:
https://youtube.com/@simplystyledinspo

What happens when a lifelong love of film turns into a career - and then takes you from Nashville to Calgary?

In this episode of Simply Says: Pivoting with Purpose, Nancy sits down with Brian Owens, Artistic Director & Documentary Programmer of the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF), to talk about the unexpected turns, risks and opportunities that shaped his career in film.

Brian began his festival career after a decade as an online film critic, founding the Indianapolis International Film Festival in 2004 before spending a decade as Artistic Director of the Nashville Film Festival. In 2018, another major pivot brought him to Calgary, where he has helped shape CIFF’s artistic vision and grow its profile as a destination for Canadian, international and independent cinema.

But Brian's story isn't simply about film festivals. It's about following a passion, taking chances, building something from the ground up, and knowing when it's time to take the next step.

In this conversation, Brian shares what drew him to film in the first place, what he learned from building festivals in two different cities, why he made the move to Calgary, and what he believes makes the shared experience of cinema so powerful.

Because sometimes the biggest pivots aren't about leaving your passion behind - they're about finding a new place to take it.

In this episode:

• Brian's journey from film critic to festival founder
• Founding the Indianapolis International Film Festival
• His decade with the Nashville Film Festival
• The decision to make the move from Nashville to Calgary
• His role shaping the artistic vision of CIFF
• The importance of independent and Canadian cinema
• Why film festivals are about more than just watching movies
• Taking risks, embracing change and following your passion
• What Brian has learned from a life and career in film

Find Brian:
Instagram @CIFFcalgary
Instagram @filmfestguy
ciffcalgary.ca

For Simply Says, find Nancy on:
Instagram @SimplyStyledInspo
http://instagram.com/simplystyledinspo
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@simplystyled.inspo
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@simplystyledinspo

Welcome to Simply Says: Pivoting with Purpose.

In this official trailer, Nancy Adie sits down with her husband, Marcio, for a conversation about the idea behind the podcast - and the personal journey that inspired it.

Why “pivoting with purpose”? What does it really mean to change direction, start again, take a leap of faith, or find yourself somewhere you never expected to be?

Marcio asks Nancy the questions, giving listeners a glimpse into the person behind the podcast, the experiences that have shaped her, and why she believes our pivots can become some of the most defining moments of our lives.

And this is just the beginning.

Throughout the season, Nancy will sit down with inspiring people from different walks of life to uncover the stories behind their pivots: the career changes, setbacks, risks, reinventions and unexpected opportunities that changed their paths.

Because sometimes the path changes for a reason.

In this season, expect conversations about:

• Career changes and new beginnings
• Taking risks and following your instincts
• Reinventing yourself
• Navigating unexpected setbacks
• Finding purpose in change
• Turning uncertainty into opportunity
• The lessons behind life's biggest pivots

Subscribe to Simply Says: Pivoting with Purpose and join Nancy for honest conversations about change, reinvention and finding purpose in the unexpected.

Instagram: @SimplyStyledInspo