Ethnic Diversity in Opera

Alison Garwood-Jones February 24, 2017

Today on Willful, it's high time we talked about:
• Not being burdened by, “But that’s the way it’s always been done”
• How naivété is the creative entrepreneur’s friend
• Pushing for ethnic diversity in opera: “That’s a really white cast. Let’s fix that!”

Guests Rachel Krehm and Aria Umezawa are the founders and directors of Opera 5 (opera5.ca), an independent opera company in Toronto that’s hooking a #diverse generation with its immersive live productions and YouTube high jinks.

Willful is the web series that tracks how artists and creative entrepreneurs work, thrive and survive. We interview one artist a week, then post five three-minute snack films from that interview on YouTube every day.

Thank you, Greg Garson, for your enthusiasm and #CanDo attitude and for allowing us to shoot at The Merchant Taps & Tavern.

Cultivate your quirky side

Alison Garwood-Jones February 17, 2017

During #BlackHistoryMonth, artist and vision activator, Ricardo McRae, closes out this week's Willful by discussing:
• Why certain apps drain you of your natural courage
• Why introspection and a strong sense of self are the next frontier
• Why cultivating your weird and quirky self can help you compete globally

McRae is a painter, TEDx speaker, and vision activator for Wedge15, the branding agency he co-founded with Gloria Roheim McRae. He is also the founder and host of The Framing Podcast.

Thank you, Greg Garson, for your hospitality at The Merchant Taps & Tavern.

#bhm #politics #Canada #BlackPACan #Canada150 #BlackInCanada #CreativeEntrepreneur #Interview #Willful #Mentors #Inspiration #Motivation #Innovation #Leadership #FindItLiveIt #LeadFromWithin #SmallBusiness #Solopreneur #Interview #Freelancer #BrandStrategist #BlackLivesMatter, #Trinidad #EmotionalIntelligence #NelsonMandela #Introspection

Black in Canada profiles

Alison Garwood-Jones February 16, 2017

During #BlackHistoryMonth, artist and vision activator, Ricardo McRae, returns to Willful to discuss:
• Individual lives that have been changed by a Black in Canada initiative
• How schools are incorporating Black excellence (and BlackInCanada.com) into the curriculum
• Inspiring students with living achievers and historical Civil Rights leaders

McRae is a painter, TEDx speaker, and vision activator for Wedge15, the branding agency he co-founded with Gloria Roheim McRae. He is also the founder and host of The Framing Podcast.

Thank you, Greg Garson, for your hospitality at The Merchant Taps & Tavern.

Normalizing Black Success

Alison Garwood-Jones February 14, 2017

During #BlackHistoryMonth, artist and vision activator, Ricardo McRae, returns to Willful to discuss:
• Shifting the collective thinking of all Canadians on the contributions of Black Canadians to our country
• Making Black success a normal expectation for everyone
• Claiming and acknowledging Black achievement every single time it happens

McRae is a painter, TEDx speaker, and vision activator for Wedge15, the branding agency he co-founded with Gloria Roheim McRae. He is also the founder and host of The Framing Podcast.

Thank you, Greg Garson, for your hospitality at The Merchant Taps & Tavern.

Black in Canada

Alison Garwood-Jones February 13, 2017

During #BlackHistoryMonth, artist and vision activator, Ricardo McRae, returns to Willful to discuss:

• Why he founded Black In Canada.

• How other people’s ideas and low expectations of you can impact your self-esteem and earning potential.

• How to motivate yourself when no one is pulling for your greatness.

McRae is a painter, TEDx speaker, and vision activator for Wedge15, the branding agency he co-founded with Gloria Roheim McRae. He is also the founder and host of The Framing Podcast.

Thank you, Greg Garson, for your hospitality at The Merchant Taps & Tavern.

When to ignore your client

Alison Garwood-Jones January 27, 2017

Today on Willful, Ricardo McRae explains why he and his partner, Gloria Roheim McRae, won’t let their clients lead a project. “We don’t do mock-ups for feedback, we don’t do surveys, and we don’t do rounds of changes. We have conversations.” He also describes:
• Promising clients things you have no idea how to deliver (to create pressure and force growth).
• Blending project management, business, and art.
• Knowing when to listen to your client, and when to ignore them.

McRae is a painter, TEDx speaker, and vision activator for Wedge15, the branding agency he co-founded with Gloria Roheim McRae. He is also the founder of Black In Canada the host of TheFramingPodcast.com.

Thanks, Greg Garson, for inviting us into your beautiful restaurant, The Merchant Taps & Tavern, and for also always believing in delivering the best you've got.

When to listen to your parents

Alison Garwood-Jones January 24, 2017

Today on Willful, Ricardo McRae describes:

• Turning down a placement in business school … for art school.
• When to listen to your parents’ advice, and when to say, “I got this!’
• Combining practical and analytical skills with emotional intelligence.

McRae is a painter, TEDx speaker, and vision activator for Wedge15, the branding agency he co-founded with Gloria Roheim McRae. He is also the founder of Black In Canada and the host of TheFramingPodcast.com.

Thanks, Greg Garson, for inviting us into your beautiful restaurant, The Merchant Taps & Tavern.

The starving artist scenario

Alison Garwood-Jones January 23, 2017

Today on Willful, Ricardo McRae (@RicardoMcRae) describes:

• Growing up in Trinidad, a hotbed of colour and creativity.
• How fear of being a starving artist pushed him into the tech sector.
• What racism feels like: “It’s like facing waves in the ocean. You can’t win against the ocean, you have to ride the waves.”

McRae is a painter, TEDx speaker, and vision activator for Wedge15, the branding agency he co-founded with Gloria Roheim McRae. He is also the founder of Black In Canada, and host of TheFramingPodcast.com.

Thank you, Greg Garson and the staff at The Merchant Tavern for your hospitality!