The Mike Method

What happens when a child’s inner voice turns harsh before they even understand what it means to feel overwhelmed or afraid? And what can we do as parents, educators, and leaders to help rewrite that voice into something supportive and grounded?In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike sits down with Monique Marcotte, founder of TRY, The Real You, a social emotional learning company that helps young people understand themselves from the inside out. With nineteen years in the classroom and powerful experience facilitating empathy based programs with Challenge Day, Monique has dedicated her work to helping kids build emotional awareness, resilience, and a healthier relationship with themselves.Together, they explore how emotions move through the body, why the vagus nerve matters more than most of us realize, and how simple frameworks like the balloon theory can give kids practical ways to calm their bodies and name what they feel. Monique also shares how effective apologies build trust, why early beliefs can shape self perception for years, and how adults can use the same tools to lead with more compassion at home, at school, and at work.This conversation is as relevant for leaders as it is for parents. It reminds us that emotional literacy is a learned skill, and that helping kids understand their inner world also teaches us how to navigate our own.And just a heads up — the first half of this episode has a few small audio glitches. Stick with it, though, because the conversation that follows is really worth it. Thanks for tuning in!Episode Resources:Monique Marcotte: WebsiteTry - The Real You WorkshopsViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedInSign up for our Newsletter: Sign Up

You can be the smartest person in the boardroom and still have zero impact. That idea sits at the heart of this conversation.In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike sits down with Elizabeth Watson, one of Canada’s most respected voices in governance. With more than three decades as a lawyer, over twenty years advising boards and CEOs, and board experience that spans Peterson, Shad, and the Institute of Corporate Directors, Elizabeth brings a clear and generous perspective on what truly defines an effective director.Together, they explore why personal competencies matter more than credentials, and how qualities like presence, curiosity, courage, and emotional intelligence can shift the entire tone of a boardroom. Elizabeth explains how impactful directors help others get unstuck, create meaningful moments of insight, and guide conversations toward clarity and action.They discuss the difference between healthy ideological debate and interpersonal tension that derails progress, along with how the chair and CEO can build a relationship rooted in trust and shared purpose. The conversation also looks at why “nice” culture can quietly limit board effectiveness and how directors can contribute more fully to strategy in a world shaped by disruption, uncertainty, and emerging technologies like AI.If you are a CEO, an aspiring director, or already serving on a board, this episode offers a grounded look at what great governance requires today and the personal attributes that set standout directors apart.Episode Resources:Elizabeth Watson: Website / LinkedInViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedInSign up for our Newsletter: Sign Up

This episode of The Mike Method dives into the emotional side of selling a business and what really happens after an entrepreneur exits. Mike Desjardins sits down with Chad Nikkel, founder and CEO of Bold Instinct and creator of the Business Builder Group, who has started, scaled, and sold 11 companies. Chad shares how one clause in a contract cost him $6.5 million and why that lesson changed his entire approach to business ownership.Together they explore what Chad calls the “return on life” philosophy, a way of building companies that serve the founder instead of consuming them.The conversation looks at how burnout quietly shapes most business exits, why a sale that looks like a win can feel like a loss, and how attachment to a business can influence life long after the deal closes.Chad breaks down the emotional roller coaster many founders are not prepared for and explains how to create a business that grows without depending on you. He also offers practical insight into the transition period after a sale, how to protect your future well-being, and the clause every entrepreneur should understand before signing a deal.If you have ever thought about selling your company, are building toward an exit, or simply want to fall back in love with your business, this episode will shift how you think about ownership, freedom, and legacy.Episode Resources:Chad Nikkel: LinkedInBold Instinct CoachingViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedInSign up for our Newsletter: Sign Up

This episode of The Mike Method explores how early conditioning shapes identity and why the mind and nervous system often keep people stuck in old patterns, even when life is going well. Mike sits down with Lynn Sumida, a master level social worker, trauma specialist, international facilitator, and founder of Expanding You.Lynn has spent decades helping people reset their nervous systems so they can move from surviving to thriving. Lynn shares a core idea: people are already whole, complete, and worthy. Many learn early in life that love and value must be earned. Those early messages form what she calls a constructed identity, a box built from family systems, formative moments, and “be good” expectations. Achieving, striving, and comparing inside that box often feels empty because the identity underneath is tied to performance.They dive into topics like..Why comparison is a thief of joy and how “me versus me” can still reinforce the same limits when worth is based on achievement.How the mind can present old information as truth because it is focused on protection.Why the nervous system often overrides rational thinking and continues to react to past experiences even when current circumstances are positive. Mike shares a personal example of this pattern during a period of business success.How early experiences can create long-lasting beliefs, such as associating self-expression with rejection, and how those beliefs influence adult choices.Lynn’s recent experience in a car accident and how she remained calm and grounded, illustrating what can shift when the system is reset.How presence becomes more accessible when old protective patterns lose their influence.This episode offers language, frameworks, and practical insight for anyone who has ever wondered why they repeat patterns they understand but have not yet changed! We know you will love it.Episode Resources:Lynn Sumida: LinkedInExpanding YouViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedInSign up for our Newsletter: Sign Up

Most people think nervous system regulation means being calm — it doesn’t; it means not getting stuck. In this episode, Mike Desjardins talks with Anna Brooks, a guide in deep transformation whose work blends somatics, nervous system regulation, and “soul truth.”They explore how your nervous system shapes every experience and how flexibility—not calm—is the real goal. Anna shares simple tools like the one-breath hum and butterfly taps, plus the ABC path: Awareness. Breathe. Choose. This conversation is a deep exhale and a practical guide to feeling steady in motion.PS Here is a wonderful resource from Anna, discussed in this episode Shift & IntegrateEpisode Resources:Anna Brooks: Website / LinkedIn / Newsletter SignupFall (6 weeks) women's circlePartnerships for 2026Power of the Pause (free resource!)A special playlist that tends to Nervous System soothingViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedInSign up for our Newsletter: Sign Up

What if the moments that knock you down are the very ones that set you up for what’s next?In this week's episode of the Mike Method, Mike sits down with Carly Moir, founder and CEO of White Canvas Design, a powerhouse design agency rooted in heart and led with purpose. A former national softball team captain turned entrepreneur, Carly shares how resilience, vision, and a triple-threat mindset helped her turn creative passion into impact.Together, Mike and Carly explore the emotional intelligence behind great branding, how misalignment can shape team culture, and why learning to use AI well might just be the next creative superpower. They dive into what it means to stay authentic in a world of change, and how lessons from sports, leadership, and life remind us that even our hardest moments can become our greatest teachers.This conversation is about creativity, authenticity, and the courage to keep showing up, both in business and in life.Episode Resources:Carly Moir: LinkedInWhite Canvas Design: Website / InstagramViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedInSign up for our Newsletter: Sign Up

“We didn’t know when our lessons would arrive, but they did. And for us, they came when everything was falling apart.”In this episode of The Mike Method, host Mike Desjardins sits down with Zach Berman, co-founder of The Juice Truck, Canada’s first cold-pressed juice bar.Zach shares how he and his co-founder, Ryan Slater, transformed a global crisis into a moment of reinvention—pivoting from brick-and-mortar shops to a thriving wholesale business now found in over 300 stores across Canada.From backpacking through Nepal and India to pioneering a movement around health, community, and conscious consumption, Zach’s story is one of heart, hustle, and perspective.Together, they explore:The mindset that nothing is good or bad until we assign it meaningHow the team at The Juice Truck reimagined their business model overnight during COVIDWhy having too many ideas can be both a gift and a challengeThe power of leading with curiosity, trust, and listening before sellingWhether you’re an entrepreneur, a creative, or someone navigating change, this conversation is a reminder that sometimes the biggest disruptions become the clearest invitations to evolve.Episode Resources:Zach Berman: LinkedIn / A Little More Good Podcast The Juice TruckViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedInSign up for our Newsletter: Sign Up

In this episode, Mike Desjardins sits down with Robert Glazer to explore the power of core values and how living in alignment with them shapes both leadership and life.Robert is the founder and chairman of Acceleration Partners, a global leader in partnership marketing, and the author of several Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling books, including Elevate and Friday Forward. He’s also the host of the Elevate Podcast, a top-ranked show on business and leadership, and a global speaker known for helping individuals and organizations elevate their performance.Together, Mike and Robert discuss how clearly defining your core values can serve as a compass for decision-making, reduce burnout, and strengthen relationships. Robert shares how identifying your triggers can reveal what truly matters, and how the “core value compass” can help navigate life’s toughest choices with clarity and confidence.They also explore how values evolve through experience, the essential role of community in reinforcing them, and why core values should be intrinsic rather than aspirational. The conversation highlights the ripple effect that occurs when leaders live authentically in alignment with their values, creating deeper fulfillment and meaningful impact in the world.Episode Resources:Robert Glazer: Website / BooksThe Compass Within by Robert GlazerViRTUS: Website / Instagram / LinkedInSign up for our Newsletter: Sign Up