40 K a t i e D u n s w o r t h - R e i a c h : C l air e G a r n e r ; C h r i s t i e B u o n o : C a n d a c e M e y e r ; E r i n I r e l a n d : F o o d P h o t o g r a p h y C o r n e r
Katie
Dunsworth-Reiach
CO-FOUNDER, TALK SHOP
"PLAY LONG-TERM
GAMES WITH
LONG-TERM PEOPLE."
Christie Buono
CHAPTER DIRECTOR, MAKE-A-WISH
CANADA, BC AND YUKON
But not just any people, the right people.
Surrounding yourself with individuals who
share your values and are better than you
in key areas is the foundation of lasting
success. Building that kind of team takes
patience, a commitment to accountabil-
ity and the courage to lead by example
every day. Great leaders don't have all the
answers; they create environments where
the best ideas can thrive, give credit where
it's due and focus on building authentic
relationships that stand the test of time.
This advice has truly shaped how I
approach leadership—from thoughtfully
building a team that plays to each other's
strengths to fostering a culture of trust,
collaboration and celebration. Whether it's
a major milestone or a small win, I believe
success happens when we empower each
other, have fun along the way and celebrate
wins together.
"THE WINNING FORMULA
ALWAYS STARTS WITH THE
PEOPLE AROUND YOU."
B E S T L E A D E R S H I P A D V I C E
Erin Ireland
FOUNDER,
TO LIVE FOR FINE FOODS
Saying "no" to things that don't
align with your mission frees
you up for the things that matter
the most. I used to believe that
saying yes to everything would
help my career. Maybe at one
point it did. But once my mis-
sion in life became clear, taking
that advice and laser focusing
on tasks and projects that sup-
ported my main goal—to raise
awareness of the importance
of plant-based eating and save
animals through our bakery—
has made a massive difference.
"PROTECT YOUR ENERGY
AND BOUNDARIES."
This speaks to me because so
much of our world feels fast and
disposable and I want to create
things that outlive me. To do
this, you need the right kind
of people. I believe long-term
people compound. Their value
grows. Their character shows.
In my almost 20 years in
business, there's been pressure
to go faster. To chase what's
shiny and trending. But the
best kind of leadership isn't
about short-term wins, it's
about building something that
lasts with genuine care for the
people you serve and those
you're creating it with.
B C B U S I N E S S . C A
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 5
