Inspiration for 2025

As we step into a new year, it's the perfect time to refocus, recharge, and reignite your entrepreneurial spirit. Whether you're setting big business goals, exploring new ideas, or looking for fresh perspectives, the right resources can make all the difference.

To help you get started, our team at the Innovation Centre has curated a list of their favorite books, podcasts, and shows that inspire creativity, spark innovation, and offer valuable business insights. These recommendations are more than just entertainment — they're tools to help you think differently, grow as a leader, and take your entrepreneurial journey to the next level.

 

Jeff's recommendation:

Podcast: This Week in Startups

I'm a big podcast guy. Sports, news, business, money, tv, movies, a little comedy, give me all of the pods. One that I listen to a couple times a month is This Week in Startups, hosted by Jason Calacanis. Yes, I'm also a long-time listener of TWiT as well, if you know, you know. Jason covers startups, tech, markets, media, and all the hottest topics in business and technology. He also interviews the world's greatest founders, operators, investors, and innovators, and runs his own pre-accelerator fund, investing in many different startups via Founder University. If you want to know about tech news from an early-stage investor's perspective, this is the pod for you.

 

Amanda's recommendations:

Reading: "Good to Great" by Jim Collins recommended to me by past business leaders-it highlights:

• 5 Leadership styles and levels
• The Hedgehog Concept
• Creating a team culture of results
• Technology Accelerators: How good-to-great companies think differently about technology.
• The Flywheel and the Doom Loop: Why those who do frequent restructuring fail to make the leap.

Reading: "Girl, Wash Your Face" by Rachel Hollis

• Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be.
• The prevailing message of her tone is one largely of female self-reliance, best summed up by Hollis in the book as "You, and only you, are ultimately responsible for how happy you are in life and your career. "The book has been wildly successful, described as a "publishing phenomenon.

Watching: Ted Talks-"The likeability Dilemma for Women Leaders" by Robin Hauser

• Robin Hauser dives into the dilemma between competence and likability faced by women in leadership roles, detangling the unconscious beliefs and gendered thinking that distort what it means to be a good leader.

Podcast: "The Art of Speaking Up" by Jessica Guzik

• Empowers professional women to achieve their career goals by helping them strengthen their voices and find their inner power.
• The show curates practical career advice on topics like career advancement, goal setting, job searching, stress management, salary negotiation and more.

Jeremy's Recommendations:

Terry O'Reilly, a seasoned Canadian advertising executive, first caught my attention in the summer of 2005 when he hosted a CBC radio summer series called The Age of Persuasion, focused on marketing. This show eventually evolved into Under the Influence, now a popular podcast. Through these platforms, he shares the stories behind some of the most iconic advertising campaigns, offering valuable insights into marketing theory and practice. One example I found particularly fascinating was the story of the 1960s Alka-Seltzer jingle, “Plop plop, fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is,” and how it cleverly boosted sales among existing customers. More recently, he discussed the surge in advertisements for weight loss drugs, explaining the strategies and rules behind pharmaceutical advertising and the concept of “reminder ads.”

 

Abby's Recommendations;

Reading: Idea Flow by Jeremy Utley

For the new year, I want to recommend a book that really got me thinking differently: Idea Flow by Jeremy Utley. It's all about how to come up with better ideas and test them out in real-life situations.

What I liked most about the book is how practical it is. It's not just about big, abstract concepts — it's full of examples that show how creative thinking can make a big difference in things like product development, marketing, and business strategy.

If you're looking for fresh ways to approach challenges or just want to get inspired, this book is definitely worth a read.

 

Carole's Recommendations:

I have a deep fascination with documentaries and podcasts that explore the choices humans make, particularly in the realm of business. Recently, I watched Biggest Heist Ever on Netflix, which captivated me with its portrayal of individuals using their talents for crime. It made me wonder about the incredible contributions they could have made if those same skills were applied positively.

In the podcast realm, I thoroughly enjoy Business Wars. The episodes are detailed and immersive, and one that stands out is Season 32, Episode 1, “The North Face vs. Patagonia.” The story of Patagonia's origins — rooted in the founder's desire to earn enough to fund their climbing passion — is riveting. It's fascinating how businesses often lose sight of their original purpose in favor of corporate gains. Patagonia's unconventional and genius marketing strategies are particularly inspiring.

I'm also drawn to business pitch shows like Dragon's Den and Shark Tank. These shows inspire me by showcasing the journeys of startups and the varying strategies entrepreneurs use to reach success. The judges' conflicting opinions remind me that there's no single path to triumph in business.

Additionally, I've stumbled upon a YouTube pitch series by Entrepreneur Magazine. The U.S.-based series highlights the stark differences in entrepreneurial mindsets between Americans and Canadians. Americans seem far more willing to take risks on startups — investing $50,000 in just an idea is mind-blowing to me!

Watching and listening to these documentaries and podcasts fuels my inspiration and passion for business. They evoke a feeling of triumph and possibility, much like the exhilaration of seeing a character survive in a gripping horror movie.