Five Good Ideas podcast

Welcome to the Five Good Ideas podcast where we rebroadcast some of the best sessions of Maytree’s popular lunch-and-learn program. For each session of Five Good Ideas, we invite an expert from the non-profit or corporate sector to share five practical ideas on a key management issue facing non-profit organizations today.

Subscribe to the Five Good Ideas podcast on APPLE PODCASTS, GOOGLE PODCASTS, SPOTIFY, and STITCHER. Or you can listen on this page.

New to podcasting? Click here for some frequently asked questions.

Season 20

Session 5 – Five Good Ideas for building effective relationships between community organizations, governments, and businesses

In this session, recorded live on February 23, Agapi Gessesse, Executive Director, CEE Centre for Black Young Professionals, shared her five good ideas on how community organizations, governments, and corporations can create ecosystems where everyone benefits from each other’s work, and advances the social change that we all want to see.

Session 4 – Five Good Ideas for values-driven digital transformation

How can you advance your non-profit’s values through the use of technology? In this session, originally recorded on January 23, Amy Sample Ward, CEO of NTEN and author of The Tech That Comes Next¸ and Katie Gibson, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience, presented their answers to this question.

Session 3 – Five Good Ideas for non-profits to manage their office space

In this session, originally recorded on November 25, 2022, George Georghiades, Principal and CEO of Lexington Park Real Estate Incorporated, presents his advice on who to hire for help, what to look out for, and how to minimize risk in what is often an organization’s second largest expense.

Session 2 – Five Good Ideas on bringing your financial story to the board

In this session, originally recorded on October 24, 2022, Michael Herrera, Chief Financial Officer at George Brown College, shares lessons from his wealth of experience as a staff member and a director.

Session 1 – Five Good Ideas for evolving your non-profit’s impact in periods of transformation

In this session, originally recorded on September 28, 2022, Sabreena Delhon, Executive Director of the Samara Centre for Democracy, presents her five good ideas for how non-profits can evolve their impact in this period of transformation.

2021-2022 Season

Session 8 – Five Good ideas on creating a psychologically healthy and safe workplace

In this session, originally recorded on June 1, 2022, we asked Katherine Coons, National Senior Manager, Workplace Mental Health at Canadian Mental Health Association, to share her five good ideas on how create a psychologically healthy and safe workplace.

Session 7 – Five Good Ideas for building thriving partnerships within the charitable and non-profit sector

In this session, originally recorded on April 26, 2022, we asked Teresa Marques, president and CEO of the Rideau Hall Foundation, to share her five good ideas on how to navigate effective development within the non-profit and charitable sector.

Session 6 – Five Good Ideas about using human-centred design for social change

In this session, originally recorded on March 29, 2022, we asked Nandita Bijur and Galen MacLusky to share the mindsets and principles that have helped their organization, Prosper Canada, introduce and integrate human-centred design into their projects.

Session 5 – Five Good Ideas to get your communications fundamentals in order

In this Five Good Ideas session, originally recorded on February 24, 2022, Marlene Oliveira, a communications advisor and copywriter, considers the importance of specific frameworks, tools and tactics, including your non-profit’s strategic plan, brand, website and storytelling.

Session 4 – Five Good Ideas to influence public policy

What are the best ways to influence governments and change public policy? In this Five Good Ideas session, originally recorded on January 26, 2022, Matthew Mendelsohn, a public policy entrepreneur, researcher, strategic advisor and public sector executive, provides an overview of lessons he has learned during his time in government, advocacy, consulting and policy think tanks on the best ways to influence the decisions governments make.

Session 3 – Five Good Ideas for building community-labour relations

In this session, originally recorded on November 25, 2021, Rosemarie Powell, Executive Director of the Toronto Community Benefits Network (TCBN), shared the lessons she has learned as the leader of a community-labour coalition charged with implementing community benefits agreements.

Session 2 – Five Good Ideas for greater governance – making bad boards better

In this session, originally recorded on October 25, 2021, we asked Owen Charters, CEO of BGC Canada (formerly Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada), to share five good ideas about making your board better.

Session 1 – Five Good Ideas about creating a successful hybrid workplace

In this session, originally recorded on September 28, 2021, we asked P.A. Neena Gupta, partner at Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP, to share five good ideas about creating a successful hybrid workplace.

2020-2021 Season

Session 8 – Five Good Ideas to build your finance toolkit

In this session, originally recorded on June 15, 2021, we asked Jeff Szeto, Chief Financial Officer at Avana Capital Corporation and Maytree, to share five good ideas to build your finance toolkit.

Session 7 – Five Good Ideas for demystifying digital transformation

In this session, originally recorded on April 22, 2021, we asked Marina Glogovac, President & CEO of CanadaHelps, to share five good ideas for demystifying digital transformation.

Session 6 – Five Good Ideas for racial justice change-making

In this session, originally recorded on March 25, 2021, we asked Lesa Francis, Avvy Go, Samya Hasan and Shalini Konanur to share five good ideas for racial justice change-making.

Session 5 – Five Good Ideas about cultivating lasting relationships with media and journalists

In this session, originally recorded on February 25, 2021, we asked Royson James to share five good ideas about cultivating lasting relationships with media and journalists.

Session 4 – Five good ideas about workplace harassment

In this session, originally recorded on January 26, 2021, we asked Kristen Pennington to discuss meaningful ways an organization can prevent workplace harassment, as well as minimize disruption in the event that a complaint is received.

Session 3 – Five good ideas to build a city

In this session, originally recorded on December 3, 2020, we asked Mary W. Rowe to share her five good ideas for the non-profit sector to build a city, now and in the wake of a global pandemic.

Session 2 – Five good ideas for building financial health through the workplace

In this session, originally recorded on October 28, 2020, Alex Mazer and Nora Beatty of workplace retirement plan provider Common Wealth shared their five good ideas to help build financial security in the short and longer term.

Session 1 – Five good ideas about advocating for change

In this session, originally recorded on September 28, 2020, Paul Taylor, Executive Director of FoodShare Toronto, talks about his own experience in advocating for change and presents his five good ideas for you to use in your own work.

2019-2020 Season

Session 8 – Five good ideas about fundraising in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic

In this session, originally recorded on June 30, 2020, we asked Lindsay Groves and Susan Vardon to share five good Ideas about fundraising in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Session 7 – Five good ideas about re-opening your workplace post COVID-19

In this session, originally recorded on May 26, 2020, Robyn Osgood and Dave McKechnie share their five good ideas about re-opening your workplace post COVID-19.

Session 6 – Five good ideas maintaining morale while managing a remote team

In this session, originally recorded on May 6, 2020, Christine Yip shares her five good ideas about maintaining morale while managing a remote team.

Session 5 – Five Good Ideas about building power for change

In this session, originally recorded on February 26, 2020, we look at how to build democratic power for change. Our speaker for this session is Michal Hay, the Founding Executive Director of Progress Toronto.

Session 4 – Five Good Ideas about creating a psychologically safe workplace culture 

In this session, originally recorded on January 28, 2020, we look at how individuals, managers, and organizations can create psychologically safe workplaces with Christine Yip.

Session 3 – Five Good Ideas about staying on the right side of the CRA 

In this session, originally recorded on November 26, 2019, Susan Manwaring explored ways to minimize the risk of a CRA audit and be in a good position if and when the CRA auditor gives your organization a call.

Session 2 – Five Good Ideas about podcasting with a purpose

In this session, originally recorded on October 29, 2019, Ausma Malik shared her experience as the host-producer of Atkinson’s Just Work It podcast. She offered five good ideas for getting your purpose into people’s heads, hearts, and action plans through a podcasting strategy.

Session 1 – Five Good Ideas about reflexive leadership

In this session, originally recorded on September 30, 2019, Paulette Senior provided key insights on reflexive leadership as a lifelong effort to do the hard work of changemaking, starting with yourself and moving outward to your organization and the broader society itself.

2018-2019 Season

Session 6 – Five Good Ideas for building strong teams

In this session, originally recorded on April 30, 2019, we tackle team-building with Naki Osutei. For the five good ideas, resources, and full transcript, visit the session page.

Session 5 – Five Good Ideas about bridging the age and culture gap for the new workplace

In this session, originally recorded on March 28, 2019, we look at how to bridge the age and culture gap for the new workplace with our speakers Agapi Gessesse and Nation Cheong. For the five good ideas, resources, and full transcript, visit the session page.

Session 4 – Five Good Ideas about running effective meetings

In this session, originally recorded on January 22, 2019, we look at how to run effective meetings with Dr. Rebecca Sutherns. For the five good ideas, resources, and full transcript, visit the session page.

Session 3 – Five Good Ideas addressing diversity in grassroots non-profit organizations

In this session, originally recorded on November 27, 2018, we look at how to address diversity in grassroots non-profit organizations with Maya Roy. For the five good ideas, resources, and full transcript, visit the session page.

Session 2 – Five Good Ideas about taking networking to the next level

In this session, originally recorded on October 25, 2018, we look at taking networking to the next level with our speaker Emily Mills. For the five good ideas, resources, and full transcript, visit the session page.

Session 1 – Five good ideas about the power of local solutions for stronger communities

In this session, originally recorded on September 18, 2018, we look at the power of local solutions for stronger communities with Karen Pitre. For the five good ideas, resources, and full transcript, visit the session page.

Subscribe to the Five Good Ideas podcast on your favourite platform: