This week, we’re joined in studio by Ryan Lazar, tech and AI executive, sales leader, former GM of Canada at Qualtrics and CareerBuilder, and proud Detroit sports fan.

Ryan’s career didn’t follow a straight line. After studying civil engineering and getting laid off during the recession, he pivoted into sales, starting at Xerox, grinding it out, building relationships, and ultimately leading high-growth teams across North America. Along the way, he’s learned that success isn’t about titles. It’s about culture, discipline, and surrounding yourself with the right people.

We talk about:

• Growing up in a small Ontario town with a schoolteacher dad

• Being taught discipline, organization, and respect at an early age

• Making the jump from engineering to sales

• What separates good leaders from great ones

• Why networking and relationships change everything

• Coaching his son’s baseball team and raising confident, resilient kids

• Showing up as a dad consistently

• The evolution of AI, customer experience, and where technology is headed next

Ryan shares powerful insights on leadership under pressure, building winning cultures, and why communication and decision-making will matter more than ever in the AI era.

Most importantly, this is a conversation about legacy. What we carry from our fathers, what we pass on to our kids, and how purpose changes when you become a parent.

Special thanks to our incredible sponsors:

This episode’s Dad Jokes sponsor: Spicer Landscaping & Snow Removal Services

The Clothing and Swag Sponsor of the show is One Bone

It’s not just highlight reels and championship rings. It’s late draft picks, getting cut, second jobs, injuries, and fighting to stay in the league every single season. Kyle Buchanan has spent 14 years in the National Lacrosse League. He was a 6th-round pick. He got released. He almost walked away. Now he’s a 3x NLL Champion with the Buffalo Bandits — chasing a fourth.

In this episode of Shit My Dad Taught Me, we talk about what life in pro lacrosse is really like: the mental grind, surviving roster cuts, playing in front of 19,000 fans in Buffalo, balancing a sales career with professional sports, and raising strong daughters while chasing titles. Most pro lacrosse players have second jobs. Most careers don’t last this long. This is the side of the NLL you don’t see — the sacrifice, the pressure, and the lessons that outlast the game.

Guest: Kyle Buchanan — 3x NLL Champion | Buffalo Bandits | Husband | Girl Dad

Special thanks to our incredible sponsors:

This Episode’s Dad Jokes sponsor: Spicer Landscaping & Snow Removal Services

The Clothing & Swag Sponsor: One Bone

What does it really take to last 15 seasons in professional football?

In this episode of Shit My Dad Taught Me, we sit down with 2x Grey Cup Champion Chris Van Zeyl, one of the most respected offensive linemen in the CFL and a true student of the game. From switching positions early in his career…To battling dark seasons, career-threatening injuries, and identity shifts…To winning championships and redefining greatness beyond the field…

Chris opens up about:

The mindset that built a 15-year career in the Canadian Football LeagueWhy learning how to lose matters more than learning how to winThe pressure of professional sports and what happens after the final gameThe discipline, intention, and leadership required to stay at the topWhat football taught him about fatherhood and legacyThis isn’t just a football story.

It’s a story about resilience, growth, and showing up — as an athlete, a leader, a husband, and a dad.If you’re chasing longevity in your career, raising kids, or trying to build something that lasts… this one’s for you.

Special thanks to our incredible sponsors:This episode’s Dad Jokes sponsor: Spicer Landscaping & Snow Removal ServicesThe Clothing and Swag Sponsor of the show is One Bone

🎙️ This week on Shit My Dad Taught Me, we sit down with Sim Bains — architect, designer, entrepreneur, and founder of All Eyes On Me.

Sim’s work lives at the intersection of space, culture, and human experience. As the driving force behind All Eyes On Me, he’s redefining what luxury eyewear and optometry can feel like — not just through product, but through emotion, environment, and intention.

Born in Windsor and raised in Tecumseh, Sim took a non-traditional path early on. He left university before completing his degree, choosing instead to bet on himself and chase a calling in the optical world — long before entrepreneurship was trendy. That decision set the foundation for a career built on instinct, discipline, and an uncompromising eye for detail.

From launching his first boutique at a young age to establishing a flagship presence in Toronto’s Yorkville district, Sim has created immersive, jewel-box-style spaces featuring curated eyewear from global icons like Cartier, alongside collaborations with art, fashion, and lifestyle brands. With private showrooms, elevated hospitality, and exclusive events, All Eyes On Me has become more than a retail experience — it’s a destination.

Today, the brand operates three locations across Yorkville, Oakville, and Milton, supported by a tight-knit team of optometrists and front-of-house staff all aligned around Sim’s vision of excellence. He’s not chasing trends — he’s setting standards.

Most importantly, Sim is also a father of two. In this conversation, we go beyond architecture and business to talk about fatherhood, legacy, balance, and how becoming a dad has reshaped how he builds, leads, and lives.

This episode is a masterclass in modern luxury, intentional leadership, and the quiet lessons that shape who we become.

Special thanks to our incredible sponsors: This episode’s Dad Jokes sponsor: Spicer Landscaping & Snow Removal Services.

The Clothing and Swag Sponsor of the show is One Bone.

In this episode of Shit My Dad Taught Me, we sit down with Robin Yates, a quiet force behind some of the most respected outerwear brands in Canada and around the world.

Robin is a seasoned brand builder and operator whose career spans performance apparel, global brand strategy, and disciplined execution. He was appointed CEO of Woods, one of Canada’s oldest outdoor brands, where he helped guide the company into a modern era by focusing on relevance, authenticity, and long-term positioning in a crowded global market.

He also served as a senior executive at Canada Goose during a critical period of growth, playing a key role as the brand scaled from a respected Canadian label into a global icon.

Following that chapter, Robin founded Nobis, a premium outerwear brand known for technical innovation, clean design, and uncompromising quality. Nobis earned its reputation not through hype, but through performance and product integrity.

Across his career, Robin has built trusted relationships with elite athletes, industry leaders, and high-profile individuals by prioritizing credibility, long-term thinking, and doing things the right way — especially when the stakes are high.

But this conversation goes beyond brands and titles.

We talk about leadership under pressure, lessons learned the hard way, building things that last, and how fatherhood and legacy shape the way you show up, in business and in life.

Performance thinking doesn’t stop at the big brands.

Robin Yates helped shape Hatty Pro Dry — applying technical apparel principles to help kids stay dry, comfortable, and focused on play.

Special thanks to our incredible sponsors:

This episode's Dad Jokes sponsor: Spicer Landscaping & Snow Removal Services

The Clothing and Swag Sponsor of the show is One Bone

In this episode of Shit My Dad Taught Me, we sit down with John Romano, the founder and owner of Nickel Brook Brewing, for an honest conversation about family, legacy, and building something from the ground up.

John opens up about growing up in a traditional Italian household, the values passed down through his family, and how those lessons shaped both the father and entrepreneur he is today. From raising his children to navigating the risks, sacrifices, and long nights that come with starting a brewery, John shares what it really takes to turn passion into a lasting business.

This episode goes beyond beer. It’s about hard work, responsibility, resilience, and the quiet moments that define success—at home and at work. Whether you’re a parent, a business owner, or someone chasing a dream, John’s story is packed with real perspective and timeless lessons.

Grab a drink and enjoy this one 🍺

Special thanks to our incredible sponsors:

This episode's opening sponsor is Circle Mortgage.

This episode's Dad Jokes Sponsor is Spicer Landscaping and Snow Removal.

The Clothing and Swag Sponsor of the show is OneBone Clothing.

This episode's closing sponsor is Lalande Personal Injury & Disability Lawyers.

Doug Gilmour is a Hall of Fame legend and Stanley Cup champion celebrated for his iconic, gritty leadership as the Toronto Maple Leafs' captain. Today, he remains an active figure through his DG93 lifestyle brand and his role as a dedicated family man.

Doug's Links:

https://www.douggilmour.com/shop

https://www.prodrysport.com

Special thanks to our incredible sponsors:

This episode's opening sponsor is Circle Mortgage

https://circlemortgage.ca/

This episode's Dad Jokes Sponsor is Spicer Landscaping and Snow Removal.

https://www.spicerlandscaping.ca/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22983886066&gbraid=0AAAAA9cNwRLb_TgsFK8xf6fGW0UAG1VB0

The Clothing and Swag Sponsor of the show is OneBone Clothing.

https://onebonebrand.com/?tw_source=google&tw_adid=704028473756&tw_campaign=21416418368&tw_kwdid=kwd-496287830148&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21416418368&gbraid=0AAAAAChk8g2Rdf0jFMynF0fTHv7OxhuTp

This episode's closing sponsor is Lalande Personal Injury & Disability Lawyers.

https://injured.ca/

Our guest today runs one of the most accessible Bitcoin entry‑points on the planet, Sat Chats, a welcome center for Bitcoin beginners. Stewart Arthur Pelto doesn’t preach crypto jargon. He simplifies it, humanizes it, and invites regular people to ask real questions about money, freedom, and the future.

Stewart is more than a podcaster: he’s a former PAC manager turned tech‑sales rep turned full‑time Bitcoin evangelist. He uses his background in communications and systems thinking to make the complex world of Bitcoin relatable. On Sat Chats, he and his guests break down what “stacking sats” means in real life, how Bitcoin intersects with justice, financial sovereignty, generational wealth and personal freedom.

Today we get to ask: who is Stewart beyond the microphone? What drove him to Bitcoin? What’s the mission behind the Welcome‑Center approach? And how does he navigate a world skeptical of crypto while trying to build something that might outlast us all.

YouTube: Sat Chats, The Bitcoin Podcast

Website: https://www.satchats.com

This episode was sponsored by Matthew Stevenson Insurance.

Website: https://matthew-stevenson.ca/#work

Instagram: @mattstevensoninsurance

This episode's Dad Jokes Sponsor is Spicer Landscaping and Snow Removal.

Website: https://www.spicerlandscaping.ca

The Clothing and Swag Sponsor of the show is OneBone Clothing.

Website: https://onebonebrand.com