Hustle & Grind

Jim Graham & Jessica Fernandes | The Hustle and Grind Podcast - Ep. 15

Today we have another double guest episode for you. . .Jim Graham and Jessica Fernandes
from TRY Recycling join us!
 
Jim Graham is the Chief Operating Officer and Owner of TRY Recycling.
 
Jim has played a key role in the incredible growth of TRY Recycling ever since purchasing the company from his father, Bill Graham, and two co-founders, Ralph Thompson and Tony Aarts, in 1997. And while a lot has changed since those early days, TRY Recycling continues to pursue growth through its unwavering focus on service, innovation, and industry advancement.
 
Today, TRY has two facilities and several satellite facilities and drop off depots. They work with 18 different municipalities in different forms and process an average of nearly 200,000 tonnes a year from construction waste,  80 per cent of which is diverted into new products. On top of that, they do about 40,000 tonnes a year of leaf and yard waste composting, and have the largest southwestern Ontario regional leaf and yard waste composting facility for municipalities.
 
Jim is also the man behind the London Airshow, North America's BEST airshow!  We talk about how Jim was on track to be a Top Gun pilot and how his love and passion of aviation is his driving force to continue to run the Airshow!
 
Jessica Fernandes is the People Operations Director of TRY Recycling.  She wears many hats, some of which focus on the customer experience.
Jessica has been working hard to provide an enjoyable experience at TRY facilities for people of all backgrounds and ages – not just contractors.  Jessica is a true thought-leader and entrepreneur working within a company that supports her and empowers her to move forward with her ideas to make the company better!
 
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Paul & Jarrett Spriet | The Hustle and Grind Podcast - Ep. 14

Today we have a double guest treat for you. . .Father and Son Entrepreneur team, Paul Spriet and Jarrett Spriet!
Paul is the Chief Operating Officer and owner of Grand Bend Motorplex.
He has also been a serial entrepreneur for decades in the London area, taking on many roles within many businesses of their family-owned Spriet businesses.
Jarrett is the owner of St. Thomas Dragway, Southwestern Ontario’s premiere drag racing facility and Canada’s oldest purpose built drag strip originally opened in 1962. As the youngest racetrack owner in Canada, Jarrett is bringing many dynamic new ideas and exciting events to the track.
This father/son duo work together under the Spriet Motorsports Inc. banner.
We have a great conversation about working within the family business, the challenges and rewards of working with family.
Also carrying on family legacy, as the Spriet family name is very well known throughout the London area for their philanthropy and diverse roster of businesses spanning from siding companies to automotive companies and more.
We talk about how building a positive culture and treating people with respect is an important aspect of business success! We also talk about succession planning; Paul being second generation and now Jarrett being third generation caring on the Spriet business name.
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Damian Box | The Hustle and Grind Podcast - Ep. 13

Today we have Damian Box on the podcast!
Damian Box (RGD) is a brand consultant & Registered Graphic Designer with over 20 years of experience in boutique studios and in-house creative departments, and owner of
Damian Box Branding®.
A graduate of the graphic design program at George Brown College, he has delivered creative services since the early 2000's, developing media that resonates with company's core values and packages including logo design, colour scheme, typography, brand voice, brand story, and more.
He has also been an Entrepreneur & Publicist as the Founder, Owner & Publisher at Venture Cover; London's high-end business lifestyle magazine focusing on interests, attitudes, culture & fashion.
We talk about how careful and thoughtful branding is crucial to building trust and credibility. And when well executed, the power of branding also drives customer acquisition, retention, and loyalty.
We explore how to make sure that clients are a good fit for your business and getting rid of the ones who aren’t. Damian has a cool story about growing up with an entrepreneurial mindset, having a dad who was an Entrepreneur as a DJ, and owning a DJ business.
 
Follow the Hustle & Grind Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or follow us on our socials for additional content.
 
Those interested in being a guest on the show, can apply here: https://hustleandgrindpod.com/guest-outreach/

Robert Lewkowitz & Shari Hall | The Hustle and Grind Podcast - Ep. 12

Today we have 2 great guests on the show! Robert Lewkowitz and Shari Hall of Lewkowitz Financial.
Lewkowitz Financial has been chosen by Consumer Choice Awards as London’s top Financial Planning firm. Also, the firm was recognized as the best financial boutique in Ontario by Acquisition International magazine.
Robert Lewkowitz has been in the financial industry for over 30 years. He founded Lewkowitz Financial in 1996 in a heritage London home recognized by the City of London Heritage Department as “the gateway to the historic Woodfield Estates.”
Robert completed an Honours degree from the University of Western Ontario. He has an interest in serving clients with a personal and comprehensive approach, and really taking the time to understand clients’ individual and various goals.
Shari Hall is an Associate Advisor, supporting Robert with existing clients as well as welcoming new clients to our practice. Shari’s journey into finance began in 2008. She quickly learned that she would be of value by offering holistic advice for the long term in an advisory role.
Shari is also the Vice President, and one of the founding members, of Business Network International (BNI) Cornerstone Chapter in London.
In this conversation, we talk about community, as Lewkowitz Financial is a large supporter of The Coldest Night of The Year as well as helping other charities and community organizations. We talk about how they really create a positive culture within their company and with their clients. Their team spends a great deal of time on client education and look for ways to communicate for purposes other than investing.
“We have a personality minimum, not a dollar minimum”, says Robert.
Excited to bring you this episode!
Follow the Hustle & Grind Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or follow us on our socials for additional content.

Pablo Tovar | The Hustle and Grind Podcast - Ep. 11

Today we add a little salsa to our conversation with Pablo Tovar, the mastermind behind so many incredible London, Ontario events such as London Taco Fest, the Colombian Gastronomy Festival, London Tequila Expo, Seafood Festival, Pickle Fiesta and more!
This entrepreneur definitely knows how important the right vibe is for any occasion.
It’s been close to two decades since Pablo and his family first relocated to London from their native Colombia. Since then, his company Stereo Caliente Entertainment, has continued to grow, showcasing not only the local culinary and music scenes, but helping the community, as well, through partnerships with a ton of organizations including the Canadian Mental Health Association Middlesex.
For Pablo, it’s always been about a love of music, food and a love of getting people together and making sure they have a good time, and the inspiration to create an event business all started with parties and concerts that he grew up on.
This episode is electric and full of the tangible energy that Pablo brings to any room and conversation. 
In addition to putting on some of London’s most exciting and diverse events, Pablo is also a marathon runner, a dad and advocate for all things positive to celebrate the Forest City.
We get into all of that and so much more!
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Lily Seed | The Hustle and Grind Podcast - Ep. 10

Today we have Lily Seed on the podcast! Lily Seed is an advocate for anti-aging, beauty, and wellness, as well she is a Medical Esthetics expert.
She has been in the Health and Beauty industry for over 2 decades, having owned her own spa and developed her own line of skin care products.
Her purpose in life is to help thousands of people around the world realize their own incredible potential, to live their healthiest life possible, to achieve their dreams, and to experience the happiness they hold in their heart.
From owning a Medispa to being involved in many networking groups and being a member of some of the most prestigious anti-aging organizations including the American Academy of Anri Aging Medicine.
Lily has created an entrepreneurial journey supporting thousands of clients in their goals by providing direct 1 on 1 support with her system that now allows clients to have access to custom Anti-aging and beauty programs that she personally creates for Women AND Men!
We talk about her journey from living in Taiwan where she earned a degree in Library Information Science and worked as a model and television producer to moving to Canada where she developed a passion for skin care which led her to study at Elegance Schools in London, Ontario, graduating as a Medical Esthetician.
She also completed training with Dr. Fulton, the developer of Retinol A. Lily also supports the training of Estheticians in London by offering a scholarship to graduates of Elegance Schools. An inspiring episode, exploring entrepreneurship in the health and wellness industry.
Follow the Hustle & Grind Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or follow us on our socials for additional content.
Those interested in being a guest on the show, can apply here: https://hustleandgrindpod.com/guest-outreach/

Dr. Mike Arntfield | The Hustle and Grind Podcast - Ep. 9

Today we have an incredible episode with Mike Arntfield as our guest on the podcast!
Mike is an ‘Intellectual Entrepreneur’, having appeared on several television shows, including "To Catch A Killer", produced for the Oprah Winfrey Network and the A&E Network, and CBS across Europe, Asia, and Oceania, and later syndicated internationally.
He is a Canadian academic, author, criminologist, true crime broadcaster and podcaster, a professor at Western University, and a Fulbright scholar. He is also a former police officer, and detective with the London, Ontario Police Department.
Mike is on the Board of Directors of the Murder Accountability Project, (Washington D.C.) and well as an Associate Member and Researcher with the American Society of Criminology. (Columbus, OH) and Center for Homicide Research. (Minneapolis, MN).
He is the author of ‘Murder City: The Untold History of Canada's Capital of Serial Homicide’ about eh city of . . .you guessed it. . .London, Ontario!!
This is a deep and fascinating conversation into so many areas including direct-to-consumer personalized genotyping and how that is making a huge impact on uncovering Cold Cases.
Follow the Hustle & Grind Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or follow us on our socials for additional content.
Those interested in being a guest on the show, can apply here: https://hustleandgrindpod.com/guest-outreach/

Natali Pupovac-Peters | The Hustle and Grind Podcast - Ep. 8

Natali Pupovac-Peters has a diverse range of work experience. She is currently the Head of Global Operations at Naturals2Go Healthy Vending.
From 2017, Natali has also been a Franchise Consultant, where she focused on helping individuals achieve their entrepreneurial dreams.
Earlier in her career, Natali served as a Training and Development Specialist at London Life and as a Training Coordinator at Oxford Learning Centres Inc.
We were so fortunate to have Natali on to talk about her amazing story of working for her Dads company at such a young age, and talking about how her parents immigrated to Canada to start a new life as Entrepreneurs.
This is an episode about resiliency, perseverance and reinvention as well as paying attention to how you ‘feel’ as an entrepreneur to help guide you in the right direction, and how to take control of and seize opportunities that come up.
We also talk about loyalty within a business, creating a positive culture and the importance of surrounding yourself with the right team as a business owner.
Follow the Hustle & Grind Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on Youtube or follow us on our socials for additional content.
Those interested in being a guest on the show, can apply here: https://hustleandgrindpod.com/guest-outreach/

Grant Thomas | The Hustle and Grind Podcast - Ep. 7

Grant Thomas is a local Real Estate Agent and the ultimate community connector.
He is an active member of the Byron Optimist Club, ChildCan, Ark Aid Mission Services, and the Byron Village Association. Reinforcing his strong local connections and commitment to the London, Ontario community!
A top-producing realtor, Grant Thomas brings a local's knowledge and a wealth of professional experience to every transaction. https://www.grantthomas.ca/
Grant sets himself apart in the competitive field of real estate with a unique combination of technology, advertising, and diverse combination of content which expresses his strong sense of humour, while providing valuable market info.  We talk about how he has embraced technology as a tool for his real estate business while investing heavily in professional video and social media ads.
Grant's approach is results-driven, resourceful, and infused with relentless dedication to his clients.
Grant is also a singer/songwriter for a local London 5-piece rock band, Crash Carter https://crashcarter.band/ 
Follow the Hustle & Grind Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or follow us on our socials for additional content.
Those interested in being a guest on the show, can apply here: https://hustleandgrindpod.com/guest-outreach/

Chad Stewart | The Hustle and Grind Podcast - Ep. 6

Today we have Chef Chad Stewart on the podcast!
Chef Stewart is the owner and founder of Field to Truck Mobile Eatery and Field to Fork Catering. Chef Stewart runs the full-service catering & food truck operation in London, Ontario with his team.
Recently Field to Truck was recognized by the Consumer Choice Awards as the 2025 winner in the category of Food Truck Catering in London 
We talk to Chef Stewart about how he started his culinary entrepreneurial journey by making and selling beef jerky out of his high school locker, to working at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, London Hunt & Country Club and Garlics of London.
We talk about the importance of surrounding yourself with a team you can trust, and how important it is in any business to pay attention to details.
Chef Chad Stewart was also an instrumental part of developing the Award Winning Forest City Cookbook, a 504-page tribute to the people and flavours of London, Ontario, featuring recipes from local chefs and farmers' stories to help the city rekindle its pride in its culinary community. The project was awarded Gourmand Third Best in the World under “Best Digital Book” and Canadian Winner under “Best Self-published Cookbook” in English in Canada 2019. Independent Publisher Book Awards Gold medal under “General Cookbooks,” and International Book Awards Winner under “International Cookbooks in 2019.”
Find it here: https://hamakamakes.com/forestcitycookbook
Follow the Hustle & Grind Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or follow us on our socials for additional content.
Those interested in being a guest on the show, can apply here: https://hustleandgrindpod.com/guest-outreach/