The Stand Up Speak Up Story:  Special Edition with Founders Karla and Zach

The Stand Up Speak Up Story: Special Edition with Founders Karla and Zach

Author: Stand Up Speak Up December 27, 2017 Duration: 1:03:10
If you’ve listened to Stand Up Speak Up before, then you’ve heard the voice of host Karla Stephens-Tolstoy. Usually, she’s helping tell the story of others, but you might not have known that Karla herself has led a pretty interesting life! She’s a Canadian-born & raised entrepreneur, businesswoman, volunteer, mom… and those are just a few of her titles! Karla overcame learning disabilities, and eventually landed the title of CEO at Vodafone, one of the biggest telecom companies in the world. She’s proven that with hard work, nothing is out of reach. Also on her journey Karla has worked many interesting jobs, hosted a community TV show called “Chit Chat”, started a dating app and website called Tokii, and more. Today, we sit down with Karla to hear her story, and later her son Zach joins to talk about the mother-son team behind Stand Up Speak Up. Host: Karla Stephens-Tolstoy Receive our newsletter, contribute show ideas and feedback by emailing: karla.tolstoy@standupspeakup.ca  Support the show: www.standupspeakup.ca/give/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Stand Up Speak Up is a space for raw, honest conversations about survival and resilience. This podcast moves beyond simple inspiration, delving into the complex realities of overcoming trauma and systemic discrimination. Each episode features firsthand accounts from individuals who have faced profound challenges, offering more than fifty distinct stories of perseverance. Listeners will hear not just about the struggle, but about the active, often difficult work of healing. The narratives explore how people rebuild their lives and identities after hardship, focusing on the practical and emotional steps taken to move forward. By centering these personal journeys, the podcast creates a collective testament to human strength. It argues that listening to others can be a powerful catalyst for recognizing our own capacity for growth. The discussions naturally unfold with empathy, avoiding sensationalism while honoring the gravity of each experience. This is a podcast for anyone interested in the deeper layers of societal and personal recovery, where true crime elements intersect with profound cultural and human stories. It asserts that understanding survival in all its forms is crucial, and that everyone deserves a path to peace.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 59

Stand Up Speak Up
Podcast Episodes
An Activist Filmmaker's Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:41
When Chris Bergoch writes a movie, he doesn’t shy away from social advocacy topics that can be seen as controversial. At Stand Up Speak Up, we try to raise awareness around important social issues, so when Karla discover…
Burst the Bubble:  Organized Crime [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:28
It’s estimated that illegal trade accounts for one-fifth of the global GDP. In his 2009 book McMafia, Misha Glenny outlined the growth of organized crime around the world, from drugs and sex trades to internet frauds and…
A Navy SEAL Team Six Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:49
Most of us have enjoyed a good action movie, but the difference between a movie and Don Mann’s life, although it may sound like something from a movie, is that his life is completely real. No written storyline. No specia…
Burst the Bubble:  Murder and Trauma Clean Up [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:29
Prepare for some raw true crime discussion, as we chat with Christian Cadieux of Crime & Trauma Scene Cleaners. What’s just another day at work for Christian, could very well be traumatizing for most of us. Christian sha…
Unwanted Entities Story:  The Halloween Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:48
When tragedy strikes, Christian Cadieux and his team at Crime & Trauma Scene Cleaners are called in to handle the cleanup. With crews across Canada, there’s nothing they haven’t seen, and nothing they’re afraid of. Some…
Burst the Bubble:  Finding and Convicting Serial Killers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:41
We trust law enforcement to do the absolute best job keeping communities safe, conducting investigations, and bringing criminals to justice. But, what about when they don’t live up to their duty? As we saw with the Shell…
Maryalice Ashbrook:  Hollywood Kids to Hollywood Hell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:38
Maryalice Ashbrook was born into a family that seemingly had it all. Her grandfather was president of a huge company that listed a movie studio among its subsidiaries. Her mother counted Joan Crawford and Jane Russell am…
Finding Shelley Desrochers: Part 9 – Honouring Shelley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:12
After a dramatic episode 8 of Finding Shelley Desrochers, we now bring the series to a close. Karla shares her final thoughts on the case and an update on police involvement. We’ll hear from Dr. Pauline Boss, an educator…
Finding Shelley Desrochers: Part 8 – New Year’s Eve 2015 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:18
We call in the London Police after making a gruesome discovery. Karla and Chris Williams P.I. enter dangerous situations while trying to uncover the truth about Shelley Desrocher’s disappearance. At this point in time, w…
Finding Shelley Desrochers: Part 7 – Uncovering the Truth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:50
Karla and private investigator Chris Williams of Canadian Private Investigation Services spent an entire day in London, Ontario in the area where Shelley was last seen. They speak with people who live in the neighbourhoo…