Entrepreneur and festival producer Billie-Jo Aasen joins Brandon to unpack the real story behind building global music festivals—and using that platform for good. From growing up in small-town BC to producing major events across Canada and Abu Dhabi, Billie-Jo shares the grit, risk, and resilience behind her success. This episode dives deep into mentorship, bold action, mental health advocacy, and how small businesses can create massive impact through initiatives like the Lifted Foundation.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• Take the first step before you feel ready and build momentum through action.

• Turn bold asks into real opportunities by being specific and showing you’ve done the work.

• Develop thick skin as an entrepreneur and ignore critics who’ve never stepped in the arena.

• Build powerful mentorship relationships that accelerate your growth.

• Lead with small-town values while scaling big, high-risk ventures.

• Navigate high-stakes business models like festivals that require resilience and risk tolerance.

• Use your platform as a megaphone for good and create real community impact.

• Transform personal hardship into purpose-driven leadership.

  
  

🔑 Key Topics Covered:

✅ Festival production and risk management

✅ Mentorship and entrepreneurial growth

✅ Small-town leadership values

✅ Building strategic relationships

✅ Mental health advocacy

✅ The Lifted Foundation mission

👤 Featured Guest:
Billie-Jo Aasen – Festival Producer & Founder | The Festival Company

Instagram: @billiejoaasen

@liftedorganization

✅ To Donate for the Tumblr Ridge Relief Cause:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/lifting-tumbler-ridge

🎙️ About The Open Concept:Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

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Architect and author Talor (Taylor) Stewart, founder of Conscious Home Design in Vermont, joins Brandon to unpack how the built environment quietly shapes our habits, health, and happiness. This episode reframes home design as more than “style”—it’s about creating spaces that reduce friction, support relationships, and help you live in flow. You’ll hear practical ways to apply this thinking even if you rent or don’t plan a major renovation.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• Design your home to support your goals so willpower isn’t doing all the heavy lifting.

• Avoid decision fatigue in renovations by using a clear framework before construction starts.

• Translate personal values into real spaces that actually fit the way you live (not just what looks good online).

• Create dedicated zones that trigger the right mindset—focus, rest, creativity, connection—on autopilot.

• Build better relationships at home by shaping spaces that encourage giving, receiving, and reciprocity.

• Stop chasing “shiny object” inspiration and make choices that tie back to what matters most.

• Use small, low-cost changes in any home to elevate how you feel and function day-to-day.

• Make your home an asset—not an obstacle course for the life you’re trying to build.

🔑 Key Topics Covered:

✅ Mind-body-environment connection

✅ Values-based home design

✅ Decision fatigue in construction

✅ Dedicated space and habit formation

✅ Maslow’s hierarchy applied to housing

✅ Relationship-centered living spaces

👤 Featured Guest:
Talor (Taylor) Stewart – Architect | Founder, Conscious Home Design

Instagram: @conscioushomedesign

🎙️ About The Open Concept:Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

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Teresa Vozza (a “recovering executive” and former Chief HR Officer at Allianz) joins Brandon from Toronto to break down why most leadership training doesn’t stick—and what to do instead. This episode gets real about the human side of leadership: triggers, conflict, feedback, and regulating yourself under pressure. You’ll hear practical ways to ask better questions, read the room, and lead with clarity—without corporate buzzwords.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• Spot the real issue under the “business problem” and coach yourself to the root cause

• Regulate your nervous system in high-stakes moments so you don’t freeze, overtalk, or blow up

• Ask specific, disarming questions that make people feel seen (and actually open up)

• Build trust faster by noticing details and following up like you genuinely care

• De-escalate conflict without saying “calm down” (and keep the room from catching fire)

• Communicate with fewer, sharper words to boost executive presence and influence

• Use stories and emotion to move people to action instead of “spray and pray” training

• Lead through bids, boardrooms, and tough conversations with steadier confidence

🔑 Key Topics Covered:

✅ Trauma-informed executive coaching

✅ Triggers, somatics, and nervous system regulation

✅ Conflict de-escalation and validation

✅ Executive presence and concise communication

✅ Asking better questions (and pausing)

✅ Perspective-taking and perceptual positions

✅ Trust-building through intentional connection

👤 Featured Guest:
Teresa Vozza – Executive Coach | Crucible Leader (Former CHRO, Allianz)

Instagram: @teresavozzaoffcial

🎙️ About The Open Concept:Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

📱 Connect With Us:

🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes

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🔄 Share with someone who needs this