Resiliency is an admired quality of business leaders, athletes, and entrepreneurs. The ability to bounce back and re-invent oneself makes humans extraordinary!
jjwharding.substack.com (https://jjwharding.substack.com/s/its-not-a-straight-line-podcast?utm_medium=podcast)
Moneyball for HR: Building Better Teams - Matt Hopkins
In this episode, I sat down with Matt Hopkins, Executive Director, People at the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).
We start with an interesting idea: what can business leaders learn from the movie and real-life story of Moneyball? Aside from creating winning baseball teams, how can a similar way of thinking build better teams for our organizations?
For Matt, it’s about looking beyond the traditional resume and asking a different question: How do you assemble a team of people whose strengths complement each other? Instead of trying to find ten perfect individual contributors, he looks at the collective skill set of the team, where people can excel, and how a leader can coach them to get the best outcome as a team.
We also go behind the scenes of one of the highest-pressure parts of Matt’s job: collective bargaining. In 2024, Matt was the lead negotiator with the TTC’s largest union, managing the interests of employees, union leadership, management, the TTC Board, the City and, ultimately, millions of people who rely on transit in Toronto.
One of my favourite parts of the conversation is Matt’s perspective on difficult conversations. He talks about the difference between someone’s position and their underlying interest and why creating enough trust for people to tell you what is really driving them can completely change the conversation.
If you lead people, are navigating through difficult conversations, or are thinking about what the next move in your own career should look like, I think you’ll get a lot out of this one.
For career opportunities with the TTC, check out the TTC careers board and follow the organization on LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jjwharding.substack.com (https://jjwharding.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
15 Jan 2026
Owning the Narrative: Whitney Bell (CMO, Toronto Tempo)
In Episode 50 of It’s Not a Straight Line, I sit down with a longtime friend: Whitney Bell, Chief Marketing Officer of the Toronto Tempo — Canada’s first WNBA franchise, tipping off in May 2026.
We talk about motherhood, building Canada’s first WNBA team, and why women’s sports is a movement — not just a moment.
Whitney takes us behind the scenes of launching a brand-new franchise, including the moment the Tempo name leaked early and the team had to pivot fast to truly “own the narrative.” We explore what it’s like to market a startup sports brand in a world that moves at full speed and how you build real brand love, not just awareness, while staying rooted in values and community.
Beyond the job title, Whitney opens up about her career journey through her experiences at Lyft, Unilever, and startups, and how those experiences shaped her resilience and leadership under pressure. She also shares candidly about IVF, miscarriage, postpartum, and the reality of balancing an executive role with two young children while building a “village” in Toronto without family nearby.
This conversation is a reminder that careers don’t move in straight lines and neither does life. Whitney is proof that you can chase big ambitions, lead with empathy, and still make space to give back and mentor the next generation.
https://tempo.wnba.com/
@TorontoTempo on Instagram
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jjwharding.substack.com (https://jjwharding.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
31 Jul 2025
Kendra Fisher: From Olympic Dreams to Mental Health Advocate
Kendra Fisher was on track for Olympic greatness—a standout goaltender with Team Canada’s hockey program who once heard the words every athlete dreams of: You made the Olympic team. But during those tryouts, her mental health had a different plan and her life changed directions.
In this episode of It’s Not A Straight Line, Kendra opens up about the five-year stretch that nearly broke her, and the moment she decided to take giving up off the table. From working tirelessly just to survive the day to actively choosing to participate in her mental health, Kendra’s story is about reclaiming power, rewriting identity, and learning how to move forward.
Now a professional speaker, podcaster, and mental health coach, Kendra draws from her experience as a firefighter, 3x inline hockey world champion, and her experience with her own mental health journey. She speaks candidly about the courage it takes to show up for ourselves and for each other.
If you’ve ever wondered how to keep going when it feels like everything is falling apart, this conversation is a masterclass in vulnerability and redefining success on your own terms.
Follow Kendra on Instagram @kfisher30 (https://www.instagram.com/kfisher30) and learn more at kendrafisher.com (https://www.kendrafisher.com).
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
19 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 40 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
49
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
77
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