Kendra J.

The Venned Group

The Venned Group specializes in cultivating the next generation of leadership. Through high-touch, cohort-based training programs, we partner with senior leaders to develop their mid-level counterparts. Our unique approach ensures that tomorrow's leaders are equipped with the necessary skills to effectively guide their teams, influence peers, and communicate seamlessly with top-tier executives.

What sets The Venned Group apart is our laser focus on personalized cohort-based training. Unlike generic, one-size-fits-all programs, we understand that each organization has its unique DNA. Our programs and workshops are adaptable, ensuring that your leadership challenges are addressed head-on, resulting in sustainable growth and improved organizational dynamics.

Founder

Boardy

Connector

Orion's Reach

Orion’s Reach is a Not-for-Profit organization comprised of passionate volunteers dedicated to helping aspiring professionals acquire the skills and knowledge required to REACH their career goals.

At Orion’s Reach our approach to mentorship is different. Professionals are looking to learn from different perspectives in-order-to transform into someone who is ready to REACH for the stars. As a result, we match each Mentee with multiple Mentors based on desired skills they would like to learn as well as interests. With this approach, individuals can develop leadership and presenting skills at the same time from two different experts. Our approach also provides the opportunity for individuals to learn about a specific industry from multiple perspectives.

Advisory Board Member

Chase Hospitality Group

•	Started as Event Coordinator, promoted to Event Manager in March of 2016
•	Corresponded with the client on all details of event from décor to food and beverage pairing
•	Worked closely with the Executive Chef to create custom menus; includes costing and idea formation
•	Coordinated any necessary rentals with preferred suppliers
•	Accommodated client’s provided event budgets ranging from $500 to $30,000
•	Lead, grew and motivated event 'team leads'
•	Executed events from start to finish
•	Accommodated client’s provided event budgets ranging from $500 to $30,000

Event Manager

Donaleighs Irish Public House

Managing all Social Media platforms and organizing annual events such as the Annual Golf Tournament and Charity Calendar production process from start to finish.  Handle all reservations and aid with large party catering requests.

Social Media & Events Manager

I’m bringing real human connection back to the workplace.

You've likely heard this before, but I’m not just talking about it—I’m making it happen. Here’s how ⬇️:

Four ways I can help you:

-> Tailored soft skills-based workshops for global brands
-> Curated events that bring leaders together to connect on soft skills-focused topics (DM me to see if we're coming to a city near you soon!)
-> Global speaking engagements on the power of soft skills to enhance hard skills and maximize performance
-> Our S.P.A.R.K. Assessment & 1-1 coaching to optimize working styles & improve collaboration

Why do I do what I do?

I care deeply about human connection. In today's tech-saturated world, the lack of genuine interaction is destroying performance, well-being, and efficiency across teams. That’s why I’m on a mission to help organizations maximize their potential by leveraging their existing resources.

Do you think we'd have a good chat? Send me a DM!

If my dad knows I'm driving somewhere, he asks the same three questions.
Did you gas up the car?
Do you have your phone charger?
Will you text me when you get there?

In my 20s, it used to drive me nuts.
"I'm an ADULT, Dad. I know these things."
I'd answer with the exact tone that communicated...I've got this handled, you can stop now.

But he never stopped.
Gas. Charger. Text when you arrive.
Every single trip, into my 30's it's something I proactively update him on now.

It took me years to understand what he was actually saying.
He wasn't asking if I had gas in the car. 
He was saying, "I need to know you're safe."
He wasn't checking if I was competent. 
He was managing his own worry the only way he knew how.

In one of our past cohorts, a CEO and her team sat down to review their S.P.A.R.K. assessment results.

Her entire team rated her as a 'definite' collaborative style, every single person.
The assessment showed she was 100% flexible in her leadership style, meaning someone who could read her team and adjust in real time.

The room went quiet when they saw the gap between her intent and their experience.

Then she told her side of the story...

"I care so much about you. I don't want you to burn out. I'm just trying to catch things before you're drowning."

She wasn't micromanaging. 
She was adjusting constantly to make sure no one fell through the cracks.
But because she never named it, her care landed as control.

Gas. Charger. Text when you arrive.
Did you finish the report? Do you need help? Are you sure you're okay?

Care has its own language.
And when we don't translate it, people hear something else entirely.

Every week, I write about these patterns for middle managers and the senior leaders who support them, like how care gets mistranslated and what it costs when we don't name what we actually mean.

Newsletter in the comments.

P.S. Tomorrow's my dad's birthday. Gift ideas from (or for) the fathers out there?

Kendra Johnson

Canada’s leading soft skills expert | Creator of The S.P.A.R.K. Method™ | 1900+ managers upskilled | The Peak’s 2025 Emerging Leader | Get weekly tips👇

I turned 35 this week, so here are 35 reminders I've noted throughout this past year.

1. People really do want to help you. Get out of your own way and ask
2. Learning what you want and stating it gets you farther much faster
3. Highs and lows are part of business. The more people you talk to, the more normal it becomes
4. Your mindset makes or breaks your day. Choose it intentionally
5. What someone does is the most boring thing about them. Why they do it matters more
6. The world is big. Get outside your bubble often
7. Stop building for the fantasy workplace. Meet people in the actual chaos
8. Clarity about guardrails beats confidence coaching every time
9. A good mentor changes everything. Find one. Be one
10. Your worst moment probably taught you more than your best one
11. People talk a lot. Be the one that takes action
12. Burnout is a choice you make by not saying no
13. Ask for what you need. State what you want. Watch how fast things shift
14. Simple acronyms beat complex systems every single time
15. Dogs will always say hello. People won’t. Be more like dogs
16. If a situation happens more than once, that’s a lesson. It’s up to you to change the pattern
17. Sometimes you really do just need a hug from your mom
18. As much as you might not want to, getting a good sweat will fix you right up
19. Finding the right partner will change your life
20. Maintain your individuality and let your partner do the same
21. Don’t mistake ignorance for malice
22. Dress for the type of day you want to have, not the way you feel
23. Skincare is important
24. The gap between theory and reality is where actual business happens
25. One-size-fits-all anything is corporate theater
26. Transformation happens when someone takes the time to actually know you
27. Sometimes the best leadership move is stepping back
28. There is always a solution, you just have to be willing to think outside the box
29. Say thank you more often
30. Record the small moments, those are the ones you’ll hang on to
31. A day of rest doesn’t mean you’re not productive
32. Knowing where your time and energy are best spent is a superpower
33. You don't have to hang onto things that no longer serve you
34. Every day can be a fun adventure if you let it
35. Smiling can change your mood, especially when shared

And as Ricardo Ulises Hernandez Gomez added, last but not least, wear sunscreen. 

Which of these did you need to hear today?

Finding skilled talent is hard.
Integrating that talent successfully is harder.

The Toronto Region Board of Trade recognized this gap and decided to address it directly. 

They brought together 90 employers & PSI's all there with the same intention, to run strong WIL programs and develop skilled talent pipelines. 

I ran a workshop focused on what WIL actually looks like and how to create a successful process from employer onboarding through to providing feedback to students.

Here were some of the key takeaways from the room: 

1. Soft skills are the gap.
Students come in with strong technical abilities. 
What they lack is how to communicate. 
How to problem-solve. 
How to navigate a workplace. 
That's what employers actually need to train.
You're not just training on a task, you're training on a culture.
How you show up, how you handle mistakes, how you receive feedback. 
That's what gets transferred whether you know it or not.

2. Know your capacity before day one.
Who's taking the lead? 
What does success look like at the end? 
What will they actually learn?
Answer these ahead of time and the whole engagement changes.

3. Managers need to get good at feedback.
This is where most programs fall apart. 
Managers hesitate or they soften the message. 
They don't know how to be direct without discouraging. 
When you improve this skill in your full-time staff, your WIL success transforms.

This applies whether you're onboarding an intern or hiring a new manager. 
The fundamentals are the same. 
Intentionality, clarity & communication.

Thank you to my fellow presenters Derek Newton, Amanda Brown, Jason Fung Architect Inc., Peter Odle, Andrew Bieler, and everyone in that room who came ready to think differently.

A big thank you to Saad Usmani, Anahid Najafizadeh & Laura Tocker for putting on an incredibly valuable program! 

Conversations like this are what strengthen a region.

--------------------
At The Venned Group we partner with organizations to upskill managers who can set expectations clearly, give feedback that lands, and create cultures where people actually want to show up. 

If this is on your priorities list for 2026, send me a DM with the word Spark.

There's a line in Hamilton that's been stuck with me.

'Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.'

(Yes, it's a nod to Newton's third law of motion...but it's more memorable when sung)

I've seen that musical more times than I'll admit, and it's served as a constant reminder of how I'm showing up.

Over the years, I've become more and more aware of how my energy creates a response in those around me.

Ex. When I bring stress into a meeting, I feel stress reflected back.

If you're the leader, all eyes are on you.

Your team reads your energy before you even open your mouth.

I started asking myself three questions before every team meeting or client call:

1. What energy am I bringing? Clarity or chaos? Confidence or stress?

2. What do I want them to feel when we're done? Inspired? Clear? Confident? Name it, clearly.

3. Are my actions & my energy matching my words? Urgency & stress through a half-a**ed smile saying 'everything's fine' never lands well.

Many times, the reaction you're getting is information about what you're putting out there.

→ If you're facing resistance, consider how you're presenting ideas.
→ If there's confusion, check whether you're giving direction or just enthusiasm.
→ If there's disengagement, pulse check your energy first.

Self-awareness is never about being perfect OR (and let me be very clear) taking responsibility for everyone else's actions.

It's about recognizing when you're part of the dynamic, and choosing to show up differently.

This is your Monday morning reminder as you head into a fresh week to check how you're showing up. 

Your energy sets the tone. What an opportunity you have ahead of you!

This morning I was unwillingly thrust into someone else's feedback conversation.

I was at a coffee shop, noise-cancelling headphones on, minding my own business...but when you can still hear every word of a performance conversation from three tables away, you've become an involuntary witness to a trainwreck.

The recipient sat with shoulders hunched, eyes down, trapped in a public space while strangers absorbed every detail of her professional shortcomings. 

The manager had her feet crossed under her on the bench, casual and comfortable, seemingly unaware of the damage unfolding.

Sentence after sentence, the same hedging pattern, "I'm not saying YOU do this, but just so you know..." Which of course means you absolutely do this, but I'm too uncomfortable to say it directly. 

Then came the gossip about someone else on the team. The unspoken message of, I'm on your side, we both know Sarah is the real problem here.

Most managers have never been taught that feedback starts with reflection, not delivery. 
What's your intent? 
What outcome are you trying to create? 
What environment supports that outcome? 

Skip this, and you end up hedging, gossiping, and performing care while your team member walks away confused about what actually needs to change.

A few takeaways:
→ Spatial awareness & etiquette matter as much as self-awareness. 
→ Difficult conversations belong in private rooms, not public stages. 
→ And direct, specific, depersonalized feedback isn't unkind, it's the kindest thing you can do.

The leaders I work with are often shocked to discover they've been "giving feedback" for years without ever actually giving it. 

Our S.P.A.R.K. framework starts with that reflection piece because without it, you get frameworks paired with coffee shop disasters.

How much clarity & progress is your team losing to feedback that never actually lands?
-----
Ps. This conversation didn't take place at Wallace Espresso as the photo suggests, but it IS one of my favourite places in the city for coffee & their seasonal London Nog.

You hired someone, gave them a role description, walked them through their responsibilities and by three weeks in, you're already frustrated...

They're not getting it.
Except what is "it"?

You told them what to do. 
You might have even told them how. 
But did you tell them what doing it well looks like in your specific environment? 

With your pace, your culture, your unspoken rules about what matters most when everything's on fire?
Probably not...

And now you're sitting with the disappointment, you engineered yourself.

This is the gap that kills placements, tanks new hires, and makes leaders assume they have a people problem when they actually have a clarity problem.

You can't course correct something you haven't defined. 
You can't praise progress toward a standard that only exists in your head.

In our S.P.A.R.K. Leadership Program, this is where we start. 

Not with 'how to provide difficult feedback' right away.
Not with simply naming expectations (any leader can do that). 
We dig into defining what measuring those expectations actually looks like. 

Building the criteria that turn "figure it out" into "here's what success is."

It's difficult work, especially for middle managers trying to translate senior leadership's vision into measurable criteria they can actually enforce. 

When they get this clarity right, their conversations become remarkably simpler. They finally have language for what they've been trying to articulate and an objective lens for performance.

The disappointment you keep running into is fixable. 
It just requires you to clarify the target before you ask someone to hit it.

Give your team the gift of clarity, this holiday season...send me a DM to see which of our solutions best suits your teams needs!

Google

Head of Programmatic Media

Account Executive, Media Platforms

Work with media and creative agencies to plan, execute and measure rich media campaigns.

Digital Media Solutions Consultant

Captivate

Captivate helps you build your powers of persuasion, communication and storytelling by bringing academic research out of the ivory tower and making it accessible and useful in your professional life.

Captivate provides international keynote speaking and corporate training programs to groups ranging from 25 - 1000+. 

We have delivered to 5,000+  business professionals at industry events and corporate engagements.

Our most popular sessions include:
-The Elephant in the Room: How Emotions Drive Change
-The Art & Science of Persuasion
-The Science of Story
-The Psychology of Managing Change

We also publish a monthly newsletter that provides a deep dive into a research backed technique that you can put to use right away.

Founder, Speaker

Mulitple

Work with multiple startups across Canada to provide strategic guidance on sales, go-to-market strategy and leadership. Industries have included fintech, social media and community management.

Start Up Advisor

SpringTern

SpringTern connects post-secondary students with businesses and non-profits to do part-time, volunteer work projects.

Co-Founder

LEVEL5 Strategic Brand Advisors

•	Build strong and lasting relationships with key client contacts through regular communication, reporting and proactive project management, ensuring the smooth completion of projects
•	Create compelling brand strategies for client companies across multiple industries based on insights generated through detailed research and analysis; assist and support cross-functional client teams in implementing brand strategy
•	Initiated numerous projects to improve internal processes and company marketing, including introducing financial analysis tools,  managing the deployment of the LEVEL5 blog and co-authoring a whitepaper on social networking

Brand Strategy Consultant

Webb Ivory DM

Webb Ivory is a UK based direct marketing company specializing in gift catalogues under a variety of brand names
•	Managed the launch of a clearance website, including site design and functionality, online and direct mail marketing, and product selection; in the first month since launch, the success rate on email campaigns exceeded the sales target by 30% and overall revenue from the brand surpassed forecast by over 100%
•	Recognized an opportunity to increase client sales through cross-selling and up-selling in the call centre, and created an action plan to implement these new measures

Account Manager

Hewlett-Packard

•	Managed printing supplies ordering from direct retail accounts, valued at over $150 million annually; analyzed sales trends in order to reach financial growth targets while maintaining desired turnover rates for clients and provided weekly and quarterly forecasting used by senior management
•	Planned inventory levels of laser printers through accurate forecasting and communication with category and account management teams; analyzed sales requirements to reduce inventory level by $1 million while maintaining while ensuring 95% of customers orders are fulfilled within one day

Business Operations Analyst

eBay Canada

Support the business development and marketing teams in multiple initiatives including market research, seller programs and website content.

Summer Analyst

Head of Programmatic Media at Google | Speaker | Board Director | Startup Advisor

Ben Wise is a sales and marketing leader currently leading the programmatic business at Google Canada. Ben partners with the biggest agencies and brands across Canada to help build the future of media.

Ben is the co-founder of Captivate, helping you improve your skills of persuasion and communication by leveraging psychology and behavioural science. In addition to the monthly newsletter, Ben is a regular speaker at industry events, conferences and corporate trainings.

Ben is active in the community where he serves on the board of directors of the Daily Bread Food Bank, mentors young professionals in media and tech, and advises multiple early stage startups on sales and growth. 

If you are interested in working with Ben or looking to book him for a speaking or training engagement, please connect.

Ben Wise

I’m thrilled to be speaking at TechTO’ 𝑆𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑇𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑜 event this Wednesday night to talk about how you can use the psychology of communication and persuasion to close more deals! 🤝 

There are still a few tickets left on sales to grab ‘em while they last. Link in the comments 👇 

And if you are there, please come and say hello! 👋

It's time to stop calling social media ‘social’. 

This isn’t a knock on those companies, but for the most part people aren’t using these apps for social activity anymore. 

✅ Scrolling, learning, entertainment? Yup. 
❌ Actually being social with other humans? Not so much. 

(And no, clicking like on someone’s video doesn’t count as being social)

What do you think?

The Netflix 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 costs you four and a half days a year. 

Let that sink in. 

👉 You lose an entire work week of time simply because watching the next episode became the default option.

The next time you’re debating if you should just watch one more, ask yourself - what could you do with an extra week of time?

Ever start a sales call with "Let me show you our amazing product."

👉 Try this instead: "You're the expert in this space. Could I get your take on whether we're reading this industry trend correctly?"

Now they're not being sold to - they're consulting. They invest brain power, and suddenly they're mentally invested in your success.

When uncertainty hits, your messaging either spreads confidence or panic - there's no middle ground.

➡️ Remember when Airbnb faced the pandemic crisis? Instead of fake optimism, they acknowledged the reality with authentic resolve. Their messaging stayed consistent across all channels - honest about challenges but unwavering in their commitment to hosts and guests.

The result? While competitors flailed with mixed messages, Airbnb's authentic approach built deeper trust. Customers didn't just stay loyal - they became advocates.

Fake positivity spreads like anxiety. Authentic confidence creates real connection.

#brandmessaging #crisis #marketing

Thank you for having me. I always love any chance to connect with the next generation of leaders and this group did not disappoint!

Associate Professor of Marketing at Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa [I don’t check LinkedIn messages often — feel free to email].

Massive shoutout to Ben Wise, Head of Programmatic Media at Google, for lighting up the room at Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa last week. 🎉 

Ben broke down the world of programmatic media making sense of how ads chase us across the internet and what’s really happening behind every impression. From Cineplex screens to Candy Crush banners, Canadian Tires and minivans: it’s all part of a mind-blowing ad tech ecosystem.

Also, some excellent career wisdom: don’t stress the perfect linear path, double down on learning, and use AI to work smarter, allow it to chip away at busy work so you can be more productive with it. And never underestimate how much EQ matters over IQ. You have to be a fun person to work with who remains curious.

Thanks again, Ben, for such an insightful talk and for joining us again at #TelferNation! 🙏 🎉

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Kendra J.

Ben Wise

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The Battle

Kendra J.

Ben Wise

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Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Kendra J.'s LinkedIn Performance

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