Author: MH3

What would you have imagined this year would look like if I had told you on January 1st, 2025, the following? That HBC would go bankrupt, AI would attract half of all venture capital globally, Donald Trump would declare Canada the 51st state and issue punishing tariffs for various unknown reasons, including a false narrative about fentanyl supply coming in from our borders. That the last place Toronto Blue Jays would come within a shoelace of becoming World Series champions? Oh, and that Chrystia Freeland’s December 2024 resignation as Finance Minister would trigger the end of Justin Trudeau’s political career?

Would you have imagined the Liberals winning the federal election and Trudeau winning Katy Perry’s heart? Would you have imagined a major « Buy Canadian » push that transformed brands and marketing, with slogans such as ” Elbows up ” and consumer boycotts on everything from travelling to Las Vegas to drinking Kentucky bourbon? Would you have anticipated that Canada’s unemployment rate would decline to a 16-month low of 6.5% at year-end?

I would not have imagined that compiling this list of challenges at the beginning of 2025 would unfold as it has. The emotional state of business leaders, employees, and investors at the start of the year was fragile, if not panicked, potentially comparable to the wave of concerns triggered by the pandemic in 2020. Yet somehow, as a business and society, we survived and even thrived. How come? All the data pointed to a Conservative election victory, financial doom and gloom across Canada, mass layoffs due to AI, and the Yankees pummeling the Blue Jays at every opportunity.

None of those things occurred to the extent we imagined. Like the Blue Jays, who turned the tables on the hated Yankees, Canada decided that teamwork was the way to battle back against headline-grabbing individuals, fearsomely overwhelming technologies, and the loss of the first company incorporated in Canada. We even elected a “CEO” instead of a Prime Minister.

In short, narrative defeated the numbers. When challenges arose, Canadian businesses, politicians, the government, and the media responded with patriotic messaging, reassuring mantras, and powerful storytelling. For those who study the theoretical aspects of marketing communication, this was a banner year for research. Problems once thought impossible were solved with words, not economic weapons or policy changes. Ultimately, the leaders who convinced the public they were best suited to the challenge, the brands that convinced the public they were best suited to provide a means of pushing back, and the institutions that convinced the public they had their elbows up all prevailed.

It resulted in new collaborations among businesses, new alignments among governing bodies, and a new level of confidence in our country than ever before. If ever there was a case study for the power of belief, this year was it. This was a case study in mindset, buy-in, and belonging that all leaders should study and try to implement. It is when humans face the most significant challenges that they rally around messaging that encourages them to band together, resist, and overcome.

Our resilience may be short-lived, and in the long term, the slowdown in investment may have a more significant impact on our economy than I currently realize. That much I will admit. However, you can’t argue with the thesis that 2025 was not the short-term disaster many predicted, and there is much we can learn that should provide a script for the next year and reassurance to our mindset heading into 2026.

The next chapter of this story is about to be told.

Today, in more than 90 countries around the world, it is Giving Tuesday. This is the day when individuals, companies, foundations and governments are invited to give to the charities that matter most in their lives.

Giving Tuesday began in 2012 at New York’s 92nd Street Y in partnership with the United Nations Foundation. The idea was simple. After a weekend driven by Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there should be one day dedicated to generosity rather than consumption. What started as a small project has become a global movement spanning multiple national networks.

In 2024, the scale of giving was significant. In the United States, donors contributed an estimated 3.6 billion dollars in one day. In Canada, at least $16.2 million was donated through CanadaHelps alone, with estimates ranging from $25 to $40 million through other platforms to charities participating in Giving Tuesday. Many Canadians give directly to charities through workplace campaigns, online platforms, or in response to community and cultural appeals.

The money matters, but so do the issues of visibility. Giving Tuesday is one of the best moments each year for charities to speak powerfully about the challenges they face. Food banks across the country talk about record demand. Mental health organizations describe the volume of young people in crisis. Indigenous-led charities highlight gaps in education outcomes and access. Giving Tuesday provides an incredible platform for the public to see the human side of the work. It is not only fundraising. It is storytelling about the realities Canadians live with.

At a charity board meeting last week, someone said Giving Tuesday feels too noisy. I understand the concern. The inbox fills quickly. But I also think of the retail world. During Black Friday, no television brand says it should avoid advertising because every other brand is also on sale. They join the moment. They lean in. If we believe charities are essential parts of our communities, then it makes sense for them to be part of the one day each year when attention is already focused on giving, community and impact.

Giving Tuesday should be a signal for us also to consider the economic impact of the charitable sector. In Canada, non-profit and philanthropic organizations generate more than $ 216 billion in economic activity. They represent more than 8 percent of our GDP. They employ more than 2.7 million people. That makes the sector larger than manufacturing. Larger than mining, oil, and gas. Larger than agriculture. Larger than finance and insurance. In other words, this is not a side story. This is part of the country’s economic backbone.

In the face of economic headwinds, tariffs, and low productivity, is there not a lesson here for Canadian business and government? Is there a hidden opportunity that is easy for Canada to exploit that could contribute substantially to our need fr a national economic turnaround? The idea of such a game plan does not seem far-fetched when you examine international case studies. 

Other countries have already recognized the importance of this sector. In the United Kingdom, government policy connects civil society directly to long-term economic planning. The Civil Society Strategy guides public procurement and service delivery. The Dormant Assets Scheme has released hundreds of millions of pounds into social and community projects. That capital helped build a social impact investment market that now exceeds 9 billion pounds. A Civil Society Covenant and a soon-to-be-launched Office for the Impact Economy make it clear that charities and social enterprises are partners in national renewal.

New Zealand offers a similar example. Programs such as The Impact Initiative help social enterprises build capacity, measure impact and access capital. The government’s Social Investment Fund directs money to innovative community-based programs run by non-government organizations and tracks long-term outcomes. New Zealand already relies on non-profits to deliver billions in social services. Now it is using dedicated funds to test new solutions and scale those that work.

Canada is building some of this infrastructure too. The MaRS Centre for Impact Investing helped create SVX, a regulated impact-investing platform that matches investors with charities and social-purpose enterprises seeking both financial and social returns. The federal government’s $755 million Social Finance Fund is designed to help charities and non-profits grow in areas such as affordable housing, skills development, climate solutions and community economic development. Social Capital Partners has shown that employee ownership models can build stability and community wealth, most recently by supporting the B.C.-based Taproot’s transition to a worker-owned structure, with hundreds of employee owners.

Globally, many companies invest in social purpose not only because it is the right thing to do but because it supports business outcomes. Unilever works with WaterAid to improve sanitation, which strengthens public health and the markets where it operates. The Mastercard Foundation invests heavily in youth employment and financial inclusion across Africa, building future customer bases and stronger economies. Santander’s Prospera program in Brazil has delivered more than 28 billion reais in microloans to more than 2.8 million entrepreneurs. Most are women. The program combines credit with financial coaching and neighbourhood-based support. It strengthens households, creates economic mobility, and builds long-term banking relationships.

Economists have tried to measure the impact of charitable investments. In early childhood programs, every dollar invested can yield between four and sixteen dollars in long-term savings and productivity gains. In global vaccination programs, every dollar invested can generate up to 44 dollars in economic and social benefits. Microfinance programs in Latin America and Africa often lead to increases of 8 to 12 times in community income. These ranges vary, but the principle is clear. When charities and social purpose organizations are well supported, they create economic value that multiplies far beyond the original investment.

In the United States, overall charitable giving remains high, but many nonprofits report shrinking or stagnant government funding for social programs. Pressure is rising on charities to fill gaps in food, housing and health support. It is not a full retreat by the government but a shift in responsibility. For a country like Canada, which relies heavily on charities to deliver social services, this trend is worth watching closely.

Which brings me back to Giving Tuesday. If you are a business leader, a marketer, or anyone concerned with long-term stability, consider how the charitable sector fits into your strategy. A strong philanthropic sector supports stable communities. Stable communities support stronger workforces. Stronger workforces and healthier communities create better markets, more reliable customers and less strain on public systems. Supporting charities is not only an act of goodwill. It can be part of a long-term economic and social strategy.

Giving Tuesday is a reminder that generosity and prosperity are connected. When we invest in charities, we invest in the conditions that allow our communities, our companies and our country to flourish. It is a Tuesday worth paying attention to.

PS – If you need a charity to support, check out one I co-founded to remove barriers to education – https://the-park-street-education-fund.raiselysite.com/

Bill Drayton, the man who coined the term Changemaker, also coined the expression “Everyone’s a Changemaker”.

If Drayton had attended the SponsorshipX Changemakers Summit in Toronto last week, what he would have seen is that everyone wants to be a Changemaker. Some are there, and others are on their way.

At the Summit, over 200 attendees and some four dozen panellists, speakers, and session leaders connected in small groups, plenary sessions, on the soccer pitch, in networking lounges, and even in a nightclub to assemble the energy needed to be an entrepreneur, innovator, advocate, collaborator, and Changemaker.

Our North Star was Diana Matheson, the amazing co-founder of the Northern Super League, whom we watched in The Pitch documentary, listened to at our NSL Presidents Brunch, and applauded when she presented, for the very first time, her namesake trophy to the NSL Champion Vancouver Rise.

We need more Diana Mathesons. We need more summit alumni. We need more changemakers. This era of precarity, where people feel challenged and just one stumble away from losing their security, is not going to be solved by the establishment, our governments, or profit-obsessed corporations.

It will be solved by leaders who emerge from every corner of the planet. Leaders who are driven to obsession by the challenges of today, Leaders who will take on problems as their purpose, Leaders who will passionately recruit others to their cause. Leaders who will build resilient structures to do battle.

Leaders who will ensure that their own physical, mental, emotional, relational and intellectual capacity is constantly being pushed so they can serve even more strongly.

There is a Changemaker in all of us. Whether you were at our Summit, know someone who was, or watched from afar, I invite the Changemaker in You to the battleground.

We need you.

Every NFL Team Should Play One Game a Year Overseas

The National Football League has a unique opportunity to be the global envoy that the United States surely needs right now. Evidently, American Ryder Cup fans aren’t interested in taking that mantle on. 

During my weekend trip to see the Steelers down the Vikings at Croke Park in Dublin, this shocking contrast was stronger than a freshly poured Guinness.

To clarify, if you don’t know me, I am a sharp-elbowed Canadian. During my trip, I was quick to correct every person who assumed I was from south of the border. Immediately, the conversation with whomever I was talking to went one of three ways. 

If the person I met was American, they usually jumped into a quick apology and told me how much they love Canada and Canadians. A few of them whipped out a story about visiting a festival in Montreal, underage drinking somewhere along a border town, or how clean Toronto is. Next, they grilled me on why I was a Steelers fan and were shocked when they found out how many times I have been to Pittsburgh. 

If the person I met was European, they simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief and then proceeded to grill me on why the American golf fans were so mean to their Ryder Cup team. That was usually followed by a series of comments about the red, white, and blue country that are unfit for print. 

If the person was Irish, they then told me more stories than I could count about their heritage, their education system, current economic stability and why I should return to see a Hurling or a Gaelic football match. Most of the Irish were amazing, save for the cabby who almost ran us over and then jumped out of his car to threaten us all with death by fist after we yelled at him about our near-death by bumper. Oh, and the jerks who jumped the Steelers’ backup QB and sent him briefly to the hospital weren’t so nice either. 

However, in equal proportions, the NFL pulled out all the stops to stage a Super Bowl-like spectacle (minus the outrageous ticket prices), and the Irish opened their doors to visitors from around the world, similar to hosts of a World Cup match. 

Therein lies the opportunity for the NFL. This year, the league is staging seven international games, including Madrid, Dublin, São Paulo, and Why stop at seven? Why not sixteen? Especially while the league has this odd-numbered season of seventeen games. 

Imagine if every fan base had one international game each season. The business reasons are apparent, as these events would increase international fans, sponsors, and media exposure. Yes, there is a significant cost for the fan, but these games feel special, and it would give every team its own Super Bowl to attend. 

Beyond the business benefits and the delighting of fans, these events have a diplomatic window. 

Americans tend to travel abroad less. Nearly three-quarters of Canadians hold passports; for American adults, it is less than half. Going to these countries would allow more Americans to understand new cultures and diverse perspectives. Similarly, these events enable host citizens to make lifelong connections with Americans. Perhaps at future Ryder Cups, the Americans who have been to Northern Ireland may think differently about throwing a beer at the wife of the star golfer from that country. 

I am not the first person to suggest that sport can reap international diplomacy benefits. I am also not the first to admit that sport only goes so far in creating global harmony. That said, this isn’t a sport I am suggesting here, but instead the NFL sharing one of their most excellent American products, tackle football, with a world eager to be amazed by this exciting game, its massive stardom, and its engaging experiences. 

Many startup entrepreneurs are encouraged by their investors, lawyers, partners, and customers to imagine their exit. 

In some cases, this is for legal reasons; in other cases, it is a critical data point for those who want to understand your plans around an eventual liquidity event and what that looks like. The question may be posed to you by your family, so they know how long this chapter of sacrifice will dominate your life story. As well as their own. 

Perhaps your goal, however, is to build a strong, sustainable business. One that counters the market by employing a breakthrough strategy and thinking more holistically about the ecosystem in which you will compete. Perhaps your goal is not to chase the masses and dubiously impressive user and customer acquisition statistics. Even more so, you plan to do this by charging a substantially premium price to the market, eschewing advertising, and, moreover, not only rejecting millions of potentially high-value clients, but in doing so, offering an opaque narrative as to why you are rejecting them as clients and their monthly fees that would accompany them.

If that is you, then you just have to look at Raya. The app is in its tenth year, and while still shrouded in mystery and some jealousy, it is thriving in a category: dating apps beset by burnt-out swipers who are turning off their subscriptions. 

Raya, known as the celebrity dating app, on the other hand, has a waiting list of nearly 2.5 million people who have put their best selves forward, hoping that the company will let them in the secret door into a secret club.

Photos:TikTok

You don’t have to search very far to find lovers and haters of Raya. The same can be said of any business, and when said business decides to operate in a different tier than the middle, it attracts even more lovers and haters. That won’t stop me from looking at what makes them so successful, their key drivers, and their secret sauce in building their community, which perhaps I will appropriate for a future project or venture.

The first is obvious, apparent, and very hard to do. That is to create exclusivity. The question you are probably pondering is what comes first? The wait list or the demand caused by knowing there is a wait list? Is this a bar with a lineup for nothing but show, and when you arrive inside, is it barren and bleak? However, if you can create a mystique that more customers want in than you will allow, you have succeeded with step one!

The second driver is to sell aspiration, not a service. This is achieved through storytelling, which is most successful when they are told by your customers. Michael B. Jordan going on a talk show after a romantic breakup and saying he was headed to Raya (which actually did happen) is gold. Olympian Simon Biles is meeting her future husband, NFLer Jonathan Owens, on the platform, and is double gold. Paulina Porizkova returning to the app after ditching it for years and finding her new husband fills the entire podium. These stories script themselves. They create aspiration because who doesn’t want to live at this level of fame and good fortune?

Finally, the third diamond in this jewel is taking care of your customers. Raya does this by creating a community of like-minded folks. Their team takes incredible lengths of time to vet new members. The fifteen-member screening unit utilizes referrals, recommendations, social media audits, geography, and professions, all of which are considered to ensure they are bringing people into the community who will enhance it. Existing members feel that effort and are willing to shell out $25-$50 per month to shine alongside other members. 

Raya’s future expansion plans are much horizontal, not vertical. By that, I mean they are pursuing adjacent businesses such as Places, their curated travel platform that they have launched (which requires no “audition”, just a monthly fee), and Work, a setting in the dating app that allows members to indicate their interest in meeting professional collaborators. 

When new entrepreneurs seek their founding partners, they are often advised to date before they marry. That expression carries over when they start seeing investors, and if they are a B2B company, these words resurface frequently to describe the business development process. 

For traditional dating apps, I can’t believe I called dating apps “traditional”; getting on their site is less of a relationship builder and more transactional. Raya’s growth to a profitable 115-person enterprise in a decade is clearly the success of relationship-building efforts. As you build your venture, the question becomes whether you are in it for the long haul or the quickie build and IPO?

I am savouring an excellent issue of Harvard Business Review right this moment. The September/October cover features the title “A Playbook for Creative Leadership.”

The article “Now is the Time for Courage” by Ranjay Gulati is a must-read.

His research demonstrates that the companies that emerged from the past recession in the best shape did more than cut costs. They took manageable risks and made wise investments, focusing not on protecting their market share but on growing their businesses. Gulati shares five strategies for leaders to become more lucrative. Recognizing that bravery is a choice when faced with volatile conditions, as we do today, his five strategies, as listed below, provide an inspiring and clear framework for how to be brave:

Recently, I was asked by my producer at CBC Metro Morning to do an article on Knix’s reentry to the US market with their store in the SoHo neighbourhood of New York City. As I delved deeper into the story, it became clear that this was not a business narrative, but a film about courageous leadership led by Knix’s superhero founder, Joanna Griffiths.

Knix, for those who don’t know, is a Toronto-based intimates and apparel company, founded by Griffiths in 2013. Knix has built a reputation for innovation, pioneering leakproof underwear, wireless bras, and comfort-driven apparel, while promoting body positivity and inclusivity. Over the past decade, it has grown from a small direct-to-consumer startup into one of Canada’s most successful global lifestyle brands.

Joanna is well-known for pitching period blood to investors, being rejected hundreds of times, and building a company worth $400 million, which was acquired by Essity in 2022. Grifths still holds a 20% share in the enterprise and continues to lead the charge as President.

Knix’s decision to expand in the United States was not a hasty move, but a strategic one. The opening of the New York City store in SoHo, one of New York’s most visible and competitive shopping districts, this summer, was a calculated step. This location was chosen based on data showing New York as Knix’s largest American online market, a testament to the company’s thorough market research and strategic planning.

In addition to. With a larger e-commerce footprint, the company launched a US marketing push called “You’re Good,” featuring actress Kristen Bell and extensive activations, from subway advertising to in-store events.

To combat tariffs, Knix also implemented a distribution expansion with a new fulfillment center in Ohio, designed to shorten delivery times and reduce the impact of rising US tariffs on Canadian imports. Knix is also rethinking its sourcing strategy, moving away from a reliance on China to include other countries, such as Korea.

The Ohio fulfillment center represents a strategic response to tariffs. Instead of absorbing high import costs, Knix is moving closer to its American consumers. This facility comes at a price, potentially reducing some warehousing and logistics jobs in Canada. That is true. However, it protects higher-value Canadian jobs, such as product design, innovation, marketing, and brand leadership, which remain headquartered in Toronto. In this sense, Knix is helping Canada position itself as a high-value job economy, rather than competing in low-margin logistics or manufacturing.

At the center of this story is Joanna Griffiths’ leadership. Expanding into the US during a volatile trade environment, while retail faces mounting pressures, requires conviction.

In the recent article in Harvard Business Review, I cited a study that studied how companies behaved during the 2008 recession. It was found that only 9 percent of firms acted courageously during the downturn, but those that did came ahead when the economy recovered.

Knix’s US expansion, despite the challenges of tariffs and uncertainty, is a testament to the company’s resilience. Instead of waiting for calmer markets or lower risks, Griffiths is positioning Knix to seize opportunities now, demonstrating the company’s determination and adaptability. This bold move today is a bet on a brighter tomorrow, a strategy that is both courageous and inspiring.

Knix’s expansion is about more than bras and underwear. It is a case study in how Canadian firms can compete on the world stage by protecting high-value jobs at home, investing in infrastructure abroad, and leading with courage.

As entrepreneurs globally look at how to deal with the uncertainty that comes south of the Canadian border, they can learn from Joanna: 1. Adapt to external pressures with an innovative strategy, not retreat; 2. Invest in your core strengths at home: design, innovation, branding; 3. Lead with courage.

Courage may be the difference between surviving and thriving in uncertain times.

Photograph: Connection Camp.

Have you ever wished you could go back to summer camp?

The cabins, the canoes, the campfire, the talent show. The freedom of summer, minus the homesickness and cafeteria food. Now imagine doing it as an adult. No kids, no phones, no responsibilities. Just a few days to disconnect and play.

Would you sign up? Thousands already are. Across Ontario and beyond, adult summer camps are becoming a serious business.

Would you sign up to invest? Many already are. Across Ontario and beyond, adult summer camps are becoming a serious business. (Yes, I know I just repeated myself!).

Consider the scale of traditional camps. In Ontario alone, more than 400 accredited children’s camps welcome over 350,000 kids each summer, bringing in as much as $360 million a year. Most of those camps run as nonprofits, built on mission and tradition. But here’s the twist: adult camps flip that script. They’re for-profit, niche-focused, and designed to turn cabins that sit empty in September into money-making engines.

Why are adults so eager to go? The reasons are easy to spot. Who isn’t looking for connection in a world that feels increasingly disconnected? Who doesn’t crave a digital detox from endless notifications? Who wouldn’t want a weekend to try archery again, swim in a lake, or belt out a song at a talent show without worrying about work on Monday?

The financial model also makes sense. If a child’s camp charges $700 to $1,000 for a week, an adult camp can ask $450 to $950 for a single weekend. Smaller groups, but a bigger return per person.

These weekends are nonstop content factories. Camp Social in the U.S. sold 150 tickets in 24 hours with that exact formula. Add in their sponsors, such as Dunkin’ trucks handing out iced coffee or Amazon Prime screening movies under the stars, and suddenly, camp isn’t just a getaway. Could Ontario camps pull off the same feat?

Of course, it’s not without risk. Would you pay nearly a thousand dollars for a weekend if the food was bad or the check-in was chaotic? One logistical hiccup can sour the entire experience. Niche positioning, such as women-only or LGBTQ+, can drive fierce loyalty, but does it limit the market too much? And what happens when the weather turns cold? Can ad lt camps survive on a three-month season?

This is where Ontario may have the real advantage. What cabins didn’t sit empty all winter? Envision cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, and relaxing in a frozen lake sauna. Picture Tim Hortons marshmallows by the fire or Patagonia jackets on every camper. Why should Scandinavia claim ownership of the winter wellness trend when Ontario has the same raw ingredients? The question is, who will be bold enough to try it?

Examples already exist. Camp Reset set offers a sober-friendly digital detox in September. Canadian Adventure Camp in Temagami hosts adult weeks filled with waterskiing, sauna sessions, and talent shows. Camp Tamakwa in Algonquin Park blends creativity with nature. Two Islands Weekend transforms a Haliburton camp into a wilderness escape. The Madawaska Kanu Centre teaches whitewater kayaking with lodge comfort. Each has carved a niche, but who will scale it? Who will turn nostalgia into a year-round business?

So what do adult camps really represent? A passing fad or a sustainable industry? The evidence points to both. Nostalgia gets people in the door. Wellness justifies the price. An innovative business keeps the lights on.

Which leaves one final question. If given the chance to unplug, reconnect, and play like a kid again, would you go back to camp?

Now, a bonus final question. Is this a viable, long-term business opportunity?

The journey is the reward. That’s what we are told from an early age and led to believe, and quite frankly, it is highly believable and genuine. Often, the visceral reward of the fight, the struggle, and the effort is more exhilarating than crossing the finish line and asking, now what? As you reflect on the podium, the triumph, and the promotion, and share your regaling story with the others, your language focuses on the highs and lows, the moments, and the memory steps. 

If so, why do we view milestones, holidays, and recognized calendar moments as the end state? Until last week, I knew that was how I viewed Emancipation Day in Canada. That some two hundred years ago, the slaves were freed, and off my forebearers went to deal with other kinds of injustices. However, being enslaved was not one of them. But my perception, my false beliefs, and my misguided conclusions were blown to bits by the words of Kike Ojo-Thompson, our keynote speaker at Unbounded on August 7th – A Black Talent Initiative. Ojo-Thompson educated me and everyone around me that Emancipation is an ongoing process that requires daily commitment. She spoke of advocates as tree planters who work today so that future generations can enjoy the shade the planters may never sit under. And she put language to an experience too often overlooked: misogynoir, the unique discrimination faced by Black women, making clear that equity work must be expansive enough to reach everyone. Walking into a room and knowing you’ll leave changed is a fantastic day. Kike changed my thinking about Emancipation Day forever. 

I now understand that Emancipation is a process. It requires the investment and sacrifices of those who understand that, despite what the law says, there is a particular group of people who are not free. Our people must work defiantly yet strategically to fight for the equality we have been denied and the privileges we are owed. Unbounded was designed to bring together Black leaders, allies, and community builders for an Emancipation Celebration to live up to its name. However, the echoing words of our keynote made me realize that Unbounded needs to be a verb, not a noun. That realization on an afternoon filled with insight, artistry, and conversations left this individual tirelessly energized and accountable.

Kike Ojo-Thompson, the keynote speaker at Unbounded, is a relentless fighter who has not retreated from her life’s work. As founder of the KOJO Institute, she has spent two decades guiding organizations toward equitable outcomes, working with the Toronto District School Board, Loblaw, TD Canada Trust, and World Vision. Her leadership has created tangible change, from helping to end Ontario’s carding practice to creating a groundbreaking Anti-Black Racism Practice Framework for the province’s child welfare system. A year ago, she announced that KOJO Institute has joined Deloitte Canada, and Kike took on the role of Partner in Human Capital (Workforce Transformation).

Also at Unbounded, I learned from a fantastic panel that Emancipation can mean community. On the panel, Garrison Thomas, founder of GTalks, challenged us with a powerful question: how do you connect with people you’ve never met, and may never meet? His life’s work is rooted in using personal stories to open pathways of understanding. He’s taken lessons from the basketball court, the boardroom, and the classroom to create spaces where empathy leads to change. That ability to make an impact ripple beyond our immediate circles is a skill and a responsibility.

Nadine Williams, poet, author, educator, and cultural ambassador, brought lyrical truth to the discussion. She spoke about how breaking bread with someone can lower even the highest walls. She reminded us that we all have blues in our lives; they appear in different shades. Her reframing of ambition as investment rather than sacrifice struck many chords; seeing your dreams as something you are building into, rather than giving up for, changes your relationship to the work. Host Faith-Ann Allison, a Gen Z leader who embodies hustle, talent, and purpose, brought the day to life. She showed how joy and professionalism can sit side by side, each amplifying the other. 

Our Unbounded celebration also included moving tributes and amplification through lyrics, music, song and dance. The performances by Shalom Blue and the Riddim Fit Dancers carried the cultural heartbeat of the event, reminding us that art and movement are also forms of advocacy.

I left Unbounded with three convictions sharpened. Combating racism, bigotry, and prejudice is a 365-day commitment. People find strength in community; some gain strength by being that community for others. And the seeds we plant today matter whether or not we’re the ones to sit under their shade.

Have you ever been in a meeting when lightning struck? Have you ever had that moment when you see a concept, idea, or innovation that makes you so excited that you become blind to all potential pitfalls or traps? 

This is my highly speculative guess as to what happened to the folks at American Eagle. 

American Eagle launched a denim campaign with Sydney Sweeney and set the internet on fire. The hook? A pun. The big idea I referred to before. “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.” Jeans, genes. Clever enough to make a creative director giggle, bold enough to make a CMO high‑five their CFO, and, as it turns out, risky enough to light up America’s culture wars.

The stock popped. American Eagle added nearly $400 million in market cap in 24 hours. But then came the storm. Suddenly, this wasn’t about sales or stock prices. It was about race, beauty, politics, and the new reality of marketing in 2025.

That is why I think it really happened, as I guess. Somebody pitched the idea. Everyone thought it was super clever. They ran it up the flagpole, got buy‑in, and sprinted full steam ahead. No pause. No gut check. “Hey, should we run this past a few more people?” And in the attention economy, I understand it. Everyone wants the breakthrough idea. Everyone wants the viral moment.

But that rush cost them.

I can’t imagine they intended to be racist or demeaning. According to their data, nearly 50% of their associates are non-white – https://www.aeo-inc.com/inclusion-diversity/. However, when you play with words like “genes,” you don’t just play with fashion. You play with history. Eugenics. White supremacy. The “blue blood” myth goes back centuries, where pale‑skinned aristocrats with visible veins were seen as “pure.” It is not exactly a phrase you want to echo when your model is a blonde, blue‑eyed actress.

Now, I don’t for a second believe American Eagle set out to be racist. I’ve followed Craig Brommers, their CMO, for years. His team partnered with Crisis Text Line and collaborates with BeReal to push authentic connections. That’s not the work of someone blind to the world around them. But here’s the reality: intent doesn’t matter. How people respond does. For many, that response was to be justifiably offended, if not downright scared. 

In today’s America, outrage isn’t just expected, it’s monetized. As Evan Nierman wrote in Fast Company, “outrage has become its own form of currency.” Dan Granger said it even plainer in USA Today: “There’s a clear correlation between loud, polarizing content and successful ad performance.” That’s the playbook. The “outrage industrial complex.” And AE’s stock bump proves it works at least for a while. As of August 4, 2025, their stock is around $12.45, up nearly 16% from a month ago.

But here’s the question nobody seems to be asking: what’s the long game?

Sydney Sweeney? She wins here. This is right on brand for her. Glamorous. Provocative. Polarizing. She’s registered Republican, her family’s MAGA-themed party photos are out there, and she’s not exactly shy about controversy. And, to be fair, she’s told InStyle and Marie Claire that she actually wears American Eagle jeans, swears by them, and used to shop there when she wasn’t making big Hollywood money. So for her, this isn’t a stretch. It’s just another big headline.

But for American Eagle? This feels like a missed opportunity. They could have still had their pun. They could have leaned into “blue” jeans, flag, country, all of it—and done it with multiple spokespeople. America isn’t one face. America has many faces. Their customers are diverse. Their future is diverse. If they’d shown that in the campaign, they’d still be in the news for the right reasons.

That’s the part that frustrates me, as fixing this shouldn’t be so hard. Should it? I don’t want to be cliche and suggest that more diverse leadership, diverse voices, and a little more curiosity before going all in would have made the difference. If we all just look beyond our bubbles and assumptions, we can infuse diversity in our thinking. You don’t have to be diverse to understand this; you just need to broaden your field of view. 

Over the past few years, for some reason, the C-suite has decided that Marketing is less important than product, technology, or logistics. Time to think again. The headline to remember about this situation is that CEOs and Boards should realize that these campaigns are “just ads.” They’re not. Their statements. They’re signals. And in 2025, their financial events. Which means leaders need a plan. What do you do if people love it? How do you double down? What do you do if people ignore it? How do you adjust? What do you do if people hate it? How do you respond? And what do you do when one half of the country cheers while the other half screams?

Those aren’t hypotheticals anymore. 

You may run a brand and assert you’re not marketing separately to “left” and “right” audiences. Fair enough, but there is a lesson here. Test your ideas. Get multiple perspectives. Align with your values, and more importantly, align with the values of your loyal followers. Outrage might sell a few more jeans today, but it doesn’t build loyalty tomorrow.

American Eagle wanted attention. You got it. They also got a case study on how clever can turn careless, how inheritance can reek as privilege, and how tapping into mindsets works better when all minds are considered. 

Just when you thought there was nowhere else to go with the Coldplay Kiss Cam moment, one of the unwitting victims of the situation has struck back with a move bound to keep the internet bouncing. 

Astronomer has hired Gwyneth Paltrow as their new temporary spokesperson. 

As you probably know, Paltrow married Coldplay frontman Chris Martin from 2003 until their conscious uncoupling in 2014. Over a decade later, they are well-respected, having a very amicable split and a co-parenting approach. 

The video from Astronomer (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/astronomer_thank-you-for-your-interest-in-astronomer-ugcPost-7354641783793856512-f9LM?utm_medium=ios_app&rcm=ACoAAAE9sRQBgJZdxq08JLiRKKLhXemQO3Jpd3c&utm_source=social_share_send&utm_campaign=copy_link) features Paltrow sitting at a desk and ready to answer key questions. Here is the transcript. 

“Thank you for your interest in Astronomer. Hi, I’m Gwyneth Paltrow. I’ve been hired on a very temporary basis to speak on behalf of the 300‑plus employees at Astronomer. Astronomer has gotten a lot of questions over the last few days and they wanted me to answer the most common ones. Yes, Astronomer is the best place to run Apache Airflow, unifying the experience of running data, ML and AI pipelines at scale. We’ve been thrilled so many people have a newfound interest in data workflow automation. As for the other questions we’ve received? Yes, there is still room available at our Beyond Analytics event in September. We will now be returning to what we do best, delivering game‑changing results for our customers. Thank you for your interest in Astronomer.

According to Glamour Magazine’s Emily Tannenbaum, a contributing editor who covers Hollywood, television, movies, and pretty much anything you’re obsessing over on TikTok, Paltrow has now become the clear winner in this scandal.

In the video, hilariously, Paltrow did not, in fact, answer the most common questions, including “OMG! What the actual f?” and “How is your social media team holding up?” Instead, she explained that Astronomer is “the best place to run Apache Airflow,” a data workflow automation platform.

The big question on everyone’s minds is who created this stroke of genius. It is one thing for us to attribute the ability to turn content around quickly to technology, but the reality is that someone had to come up with this idea. 

The internet is cheering for them to get a bonus, a raise, perhaps even a spontaneous Cannes Lion award for marketing genius. I know I applaud them.

I also applaud Paltrow and Martin. I suspect he was consulted to ensure alignment on her being parachuted into the situation. While the approach to the content probably made it easy to digest, I am sure that the threat of lawsuits by the former Astronomer CEO and their own famous breakup on their minds needed some consideration.

The other unwitting victims in this story are the Astronomer employees. Imagine waking up, and your company is the butt of jokes in every corner of the internet. Sports teams and the media (image below from The Guardian)are dining out on the situation by recreating the moment in their own way. Your social media searches are going through the roof, and everyone suddenly wants to chat with you about culture.

I hope they like, perhaps love, this move their company made and maybe even encouraged them to make friendly replies to questions they are being hit with. I can only imagine what will happen when interlopers decide to show up at their September business event. It’s going to happen, you know it.

Finally, to make this come full circle, when does the soon-to-be ex-wife of the now ex-CEO of Astronomer get to hang out with Gwyneth?