Jennie Wedd: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities, Finding Joy, and Embracing Fear as a Friend

portrait of Jennie Wedd
Jennie Wedd is Venture for Canada's Marketing & Partnerships Manager and the guest host for this special compilation episode on building resilience. She is joined by guests Danièle Henkel, President of Les Entreprises Daniele Henkel; Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, CEO at Xero; and John Ruffolo, Founder and Managing Partner at Maverix Private Equity. Together, they explore the depths of resilience, sharing heartfelt stories and actionable strategies that illustrate how to view adversity as an ally, find joy in the darkness, and embrace fear as a friend. Whether you're facing personal or professional obstacles, this episode equips you with practical strategies, mindset shifts, and the inspiration needed to transform your greatest challenges into opportunities. Tune in to unlock your potential and tap into the resilience that lies within you.

5 Key Takeaways for Building Resilience:

  1. Follow Your North Star: Reflect on what truly matters to you. Use your values and purpose as a guide through challenging times. Don’t know your North Star? Try these 3 journal prompts: 
    • “What values are non-negotiable in my life?”
    • “When have I felt most aligned with my purpose?”
    • “When have I felt most authentically myself, and what activities was I engaged in?”‘
  2. Challenge Yourself with Micro-Risks: Small, consistent steps outside your comfort zone can significantly boost your confidence, improve your ability to handle stress, and strengthen your resilience. 
  3. Embrace Fear as Your Friend: Acknowledge fear as a natural part of growth. Use it as a signal to challenge yourself, overcome limiting beliefs, and prove to yourself that you can do hard things. 
  4. Choose Self-Compassion > Self-Criticism: Speak to yourself with the same kindness that you would a close friend. Foster resilience by training your inner voice to shift criticism into compassion, shame into love, and guilt into understanding.
  5. Reflect + Apply Lessons Learned: Get into the habit of reflecting on your experiences and lessons learned along the way. Think of each year of your life as a chapter in your story. This mindset can help you find joy in the journey and recognize how every experience, good or bad, helps shape your resilience and overall life story.

Show Notes

[0:19] Jennie Wedd discusses the day’s topic: the importance of resilience in entrepreneurship and personal growth.

[1:02] Introduction of guests Danièle Henkel, Sukhinder Singh, and John Ruffolo, highlighting their resilience stories from previous seasons.

[1:35] Jennie shares her personal journey of resilience following a year marked by personal loss and mental health challenges.

[2:41] Danièle Henkel shares her experience of growing up in North Africa under challenging circumstances and how it shaped her resilience.

[6:09] John Ruffolo recounts his recovery from an accident and the role of resilience in his recovery and professional success.

[14:03] Sukhinder Singh discusses the concept of building a risk-taking muscle and how it contributes to resilience.

[17:07] Exploration of how resilience is a choice and the impact of mindset on overcoming adversity.

[21:34] Jennie reflects on the power of proving to yourself that you can do hard things after a trip to Colombia as a solo female traveler.

[24:03] Strategies from the guests on building resilience, including embracing fear and persisting in the face of obstacles.

[28:05] Final reflections and advice from the guests on being resilient and facing productive conflicts head-on.