Hustle & Grind

Hustle and Grind is a storytelling‑driven business podcast highlighting the entrepreneurs, innovators, and small‑business leaders shaping the future of London, Ontario’s local business ecosystem . Hosts Ryan Beliveau and Scott Wain sit down with founders, creators, trades professionals, and community builders who have turned ideas into impact and hard work into thriving enterprises across Southwestern Ontario. Each conversation dives deep into the realities of entrepreneurship—starting from scratch, navigating uncertainty, managing growth, building resilient teams, and staying motivated through the grind. Ryan and Scott explore the lessons learned on the shop floor, in the boardroom, behind the camera, and on the front lines of local business. Guests share candid stories about risk, failure, breakthrough moments, and the mindset shifts that helped them push forward when the path wasn’t easy.

Hustle & Grind is a business podcast hosted by Ryan Beliveau and Scott Wain, with 48 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Ryan Beliveau and Scott Wain hosts Hustle & Grind, a business show with 48 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #45

  Ep. 45 - Katie Dortmans - Why Katie Dortmans Burned the Ships and Built a Niche Business Nobody Saw Coming

  Aug 17, 20261h 8m

  You don’t stumble into a skull‑cleaning business… unless you’re Katie Dortmans. What started as watching her brother boil deer heads in the backyard turned into one of the most fascinating niche businesses we’ve ever featured — and one of the most unexpectedly inspiring entrepreneurial journeys you’ll hear this year. Katie went from a secure corporate job with a pension to running a full‑time skull‑cleaning operation powered by dermestid beetles — the same beetles used by museums like the ROM. She built her first colony in a 10×11 shed, took drop‑offs in a wheelie bin beside her house, and slowly grew a reputation for immaculate work that hunters across Ontario now swear by. But the real story isn’t the skulls — it’s the leap. Katie talks openly about the slow burn of passion, the moment she realized she couldn’t keep one foot in the corporate world, and the mindset shift that pushed her to “burn the ships” and bet on herself. No leave of absence. No safety net. Just full commitment. And then there’s the art. The part she hid for years. The part she never showed her face for on Instagram. The part that eventually pulled her into her first art show and forced her to admit: she’s not just an entrepreneur… she’s an artist. This episode is weird, wonderful, and wildly motivating — proof that the most unconventional paths often lead to the most fulfilling work.

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  Episode #43

  Glenn Mowat | The Hustle and Grind Podcast | Ep. 43

  Jul 20, 20261 hourS3

  Most entrepreneurs think their biggest problem is sales. Glenn Mowat says that’s dead wrong — the bottleneck is always the owner. Every. Single. Time. “Every single time, every single time, every single time.” This episode is a masterclass in pattern recognition, personal blind spots, and the uncomfortable truth that your habits — not your market — determine your growth ceiling. Glenn’s been doing this for 40 years, from early EDI sales at GE to being one of Cisco Canada’s first 11 employees. He’s seen founders burn out, scale fast, stall hard, and reinvent themselves… and he can spot the root cause in minutes. The wild part? His entire philosophy started with one moment: two exhausted sales reps drowning in purchase orders who realized they could flip the model and make customers come to them. “We invited 30 or 33 people and 25 or 26 signed that night.” Glenn breaks down why entrepreneurs stay stuck, why time and money are the only real investments, and why tracking your day in 15‑minute increments can expose the patterns that quietly run your life — and your business. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, under‑leveraged, or suspicious that you might be the reason your business isn’t growing… this conversation will hit hard. It’s raw, tactical, and full of “oh damn” moments that make you rethink how you operate.

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  Episode #42

  Rokhsana Sarvian | The Hustle and Grind Podcast | Ep. 42

  Jul 13, 20261h 2mS3

  The wildest part of this episode? Rokhsana didn’t set out to build a natural‑skincare empire… she just got pissed off. She saw an industry full of toxic ingredients, fake “natural” labels, and giant corporations greenwashing their way into consumers’ wallets — and decided she wasn’t having it. What started as a few homemade products in her basement turned into a full‑blown movement. No funding. No roadmap. Just obsession, grit, and a community that showed up even when her shop was hidden in a sketchy warehouse with zero signage. This conversation is a masterclass in how real businesses are built: not from perfect plans, but from frustration, curiosity, and a refusal to accept the status quo. Rokhsana breaks down the early days, the grind, the festivals, the collaborations, the accidental virality, and the moment she realized she had created something people were hungry for. If you’ve ever wondered how a tiny idea becomes a city‑wide brand — or how to turn passion into something people line up for — this episode hits hard. It’s raw, honest, and full of the kind of entrepreneurial chaos that never makes it into business textbooks.

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  Episode #41

  Jake VanDamme | The Hustle and Grind Podcast - Ep. 41

  Jul 6, 202651 min

  The wildest part of this episode isn’t that a 23‑year‑old built a landscaping business from a Ford Ranger and a borrowed trailer. It’s that he did it with zero fluff, zero ego, and a mindset most entrepreneurs don’t figure out until their 40s. Jake Van Damme didn’t wait for permission. He didn’t wait for a “perfect plan.” He didn’t wait for capital. He went broke‑as‑hell, bought mulch he could barely afford, and bet on himself. And it worked—because he understood something most people miss: trust is the real currency. Grass‑cutting is just the foot in the door. This conversation goes deep into the stuff entrepreneurs pretend they’ve mastered: fear of failure, balance, burnout, working with friends, managing growth without blowing up your life, and the difference between running a business and running yourself into the ground. Jake’s honesty about the grind—missing cottage weekends, learning to say no, realizing he doesn’t want a 5‑crew empire—is the kind of clarity founders spend decades chasing. And then there’s the content game. Jake straps on Meta glasses, films raw day‑in‑the‑life clips, and accidentally creates the most addictive landscaping content you’ve ever seen. No scripts. No strategy decks. Just documenting the grind. It’s the perfect example of how authenticity beats “marketing” every single time. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re too young, too late, too inexperienced, or too scared to start—this episode will punch you in the chest. Because Jake proves the only real requirement is deciding to go.

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  Episode #40

  Cameron Usher | Hustle and Grind - Ep. 40

  Jun 22, 20261h 3m

  On this episode of the Hustle & Grind Podcast, we're joined by one of our youngest guests ever, but don't let his age fool you. At just 20 years old, Cameron Usher has already built an impressive business with Crushers Demolition, proving that entrepreneurship isn't about age—it's about mindset, work ethic, and execution. Cameron's story is one of taking opportunities, earning trust, and delivering results. Early on, people took a chance on him, and through hard work, reliability, and a willingness to outwork the competition, he absolutely crushed it. What stands out most isn't just the growth of his company, but his ability to build relationships. He understands something many business owners take years to learn: people do business with people they know, like, and trust. What's fascinating is that the signs were there long before Crushers Demolition existed. From buying chicken burgers at school and selling them for a profit, to spending more time talking to people than his teachers probably would have preferred, Cameron was developing entrepreneurial instincts and communication skills from an early age. Looking back, those conversations helped shape a young man who can connect with almost anyone—a skill that has become a major driver of his success. In this episode, we dive into the realities of building a business at such a young age. We talk about the wins, the lessons, the pressure of making payroll, the responsibility that comes with leading a team, and the challenges that most people never see behind the scenes. Cameron shares some hilarious stories, valuable insights, and a refreshingly honest look at what it takes to grow a business when most people your age are still trying to figure out what they want to do. This is an inspiring conversation about entrepreneurship, communication, relationship-building, and the power of betting on yourself. Whether you're a young entrepreneur, a seasoned business owner, or someone with a dream you're thinking about pursuing, you're going to get a lot out of this one. Please welcome Cameron Usher of Crushers Demolition.

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