Jean-Daniel Petit
JEAN-DANIEL PETIT is the Co-Founder of abitibi & co., a Canadian canoe and kayak company that inspires great adventures and protects the great outdoors. He is also the founder of Beside, a media who aims to bridge the gap between humans and nature—with high-quality editorial content and immersive experiences.
Petit is the Former Creative Director at N/A Montréal, a new kind of marketing agency with a singular goal: to connect people and brands in ways that affect positive social change. Jean-Daniel has worked on several local and international accounts such as: RISE Kombucha, McDonald's Canada & U.S, Paramount Picture and more. Previously, Petit worked at SID LEE for over three years as an Art Director for New Era, Coca-Cola, Bacardi, Square Enix, Georges St-Pierre and more.
3 words to describe Nature?
Welcoming. Interconnected. Resilient
3 things Nature taught you?
To be humble
That life is a circle
To keep using all of my senses
3 most treasured Nature spots?
The Abitibi-Témiscamingue Region, in Northern Quebec, and its 15 000 lakes and rivers.
The Bonaventure River in Gaspésie, Quebec. Probably the most beautiful river in the world.
Anticosti Island, also in Quebec.
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
Grounded
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
Small
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
Powerless
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
Alive
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
Excited like a kid
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
Fragile
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
A Lake
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
10
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
I grew up in Northern Quebec surrounded by lakes, rivers and forests. Most of my childhood was spent outside, building tree houses, exploring the woods and observing small wildlife.
That said, there’s one memory that has a lot to do with who I am now. From the moment I was 11 until my late teenage years, I spent my entire weekends on a small island with two of my best friends. We would borrow a small boat from a relative and navigate our way there every Friday after school. This unnamed island felt like it was ours, like no one else had ever been there except us.
We learned to be on our own, to make good use of simple tools and to analyze our surroundings. We learned friendship and solitude through laughter and silence. We learned to fish, to make a fire and to leave as little trace as possible. We learned to be creative, independent and brave, but also silly once in a while.
During the day, we would fish and swim. And before nightfall, we would head to the mainland on a treasure hunt, to collect enough deadwood to sustain our campfire all night.
I never realized back then how important these little getaways were… until now.
Michelle Young
MICHELLE YOUNG is the founder of Untapped Cities, a web magazine and tour company about urban discovery. She is a graduate of Harvard College in the History of Art and Architecture and holds a master’s degree in urban planning from Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, where she is an Adjunct Professor of Architecture. She is also a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music, Pre-College Division. She is the author of Secret Brooklyn: An Unusual Guide, New York: Hidden Bars & Restaurants, and Broadway. Michelle appears regularly as a guest speaker in documentaries, on television, and at conferences on urban issues. Originally from New York, she has traveled to over forty countries and is always looking for the next adventure.
3 words to describe Nature?
Calm. Colorful. Casualty
3 things Nature taught you?
No matter how wide your imagination, nature is often the most creative and stunning. As a result, once it's gone, it is easy to forget what was once there. At the same time, nature has an incredible way of adapting around human behavior, taking over in the cracks and crevices when we're still around, and completely taking over when we're not.
3 most treasured Nature spots?
L'île Marquer (in Brittany, France);
Shelter Island;
Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
At peace
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
Surrounded
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
In awe
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
In the city. New York City has some of the most amazing sunrises and sunsets!
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
Cozy
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
Wintry
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
Ocean
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
9, although as a city person I only realized in the last few years the importance of it for my own sanity!
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
Walking up through a river in Vermont with camp friends, none of us having a map but perfectly content at having no particular destination. At the end, it turned out to be a gorgeous waterfall and big swimming hole.
Eric Termuende
ERIC TERMUENDE is on a mission to change the way we talk about work. A bestselling author, speaker, and entrepreneur, Eric is co-founder of NoW Innovations and has been featured in Forbes, Inc., Thrive Global, the Huffington Post and many others. In 2015, Eric was recognized as a Top 100 Emerging Innovators under 35 globally by American Express. Eric sat as Community Integration Chair for Global Shapers Calgary, a community that functions under the World Economic Forum. He is a former Canadian G20 YEA Delegate, representing Canada in Sydney in 2014. Eric is currently signed by the National Speakers Bureau and travels the world talking about the future of work and multiple generations in the workplace. In 2016, Eric spoke at TEDxBCIT in Vancouver giving his presentation entitled ‘Bigger than Work’. Eric has worked and spoken with clients across the world. His new bestselling book, Rethink Work is now available on Amazon and in bookstores across Canada.
3 words to describe Nature?
Peaceful. Untouched. Alive
3 things Nature taught you?
Patience
Appreciation
Calmness
3 most treasured Nature spots?
Mackenzie Mountains,
Kootenay Lake
Deep Cove
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
Small
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
Refreshed
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
Insignificant
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
Relaxed
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
Exhilarated
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
Energized
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
Mountain
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
10
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
This is a photo I took in the Mackenzie Mountains, Northwest Territories. This is a perfect example of how small I felt in a part of the world that had never been seen or touched by humans. Ever.
Phil Boissiere
PHIL BOISSIERE is an accomplished executive coach, cognitive performance expert, and Silicon Valley entrepreneur. He brings his zest for life, professionalism, humor, and love of the natural world to all aspects of his work. He has dedicated himself to helping business leaders and entrepreneurs excel with purpose and passion. He believes that when motivated people are given the tools to succeed they will reach their goals and live a life that is rich with meaning. He brings education and an understanding of neurology and it’s role in optimal performance to his clients. Phil holds a certificate in functional nutrition, which allows him to provide valuable education and insights into the role of nutrition in optimal brain performance.
Phil’s lectures and trainings have been well received by many institutions, including: Northwestern University, University of San Francisco, The American Family Therapy Academy, and TEDx.
He also works with organizations, educational institutions, and businesses to create custom curriculum, trainings, and lectures.
Phil co-founded the Elite Focus Clinic in the Silicon Valley specializing in the treatment of adult ADHD, especially amongst entrepreneurs, business professionals, and attorneys connected to the tech world.
He also founded Beyond Focused a web-based video learning series providing simple and proven methods for improving focus and performance.
3 words to describe Nature?
Grounding. Powerful. Wise
3 things Nature taught you?
That the noise of the world in my head is just that, noise.
That we are inseparable from the natural world and our arrogance as humans has tricked us into thinking we can and therefore leading us to destroy it.
What living really is.
3 most treasured Nature spots?
A mushroom shaped reef on the backside of Buck Island off of St. Thomas USVI (if it still exists post hurricanes of 2017).
The “Salt Caves” in Purisima Creek Preserve, in San Mateo County.
Salmon Hole, a swimming hole in Butte Creek outside Chico, CA
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
Alive, unbelievably alive. The ocean has always had the power to make me run, jump, swim, cry, and laugh all at the same time. My little ones have the same experience. Our shoes are off rain or shine before we even hit the sand.
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
The forest makes me feel healthy and calm. I tend to have the feeling that I want to curl up under a decaying log or fern in a redwood grove and become one with the cool and damp earth.
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
I’ve only seen an active volcano in my dreams. I dreamt often of them when I was a child. Maybe I’ll call a therapist to find out what it means ;)
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
Frozen, in a good way. I tend to stop everything and look, look, look, and comment on the beauty. Doesn’t matter if I am in mid conversation. My daughter used to say “Daddy, you are always talking about how pretty the light is.” Now, she is able to identify in advance when the clouds are in just the right place for a great sunset. I do prefer sunrise though. The feeling of optimism of the new beautiful day is incredible.
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
Excited! Very excited. I love the rain that comes with thunder and lightning.
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
Anxious. Wind has always had a weird effect on my mood. Makes me cranky. Unless I am on a sailboat, then bring it on!
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
I spent most of my life as an ocean person. I still am, but have developed a deep love for the mountains. Snow or no snow, the power of a mountain top cannot be beat.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
Does the dial go to 11? If it does, turn it up.
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
One of my fondest nature memories as a kid is holding my mom’s hand as little guy on the beach as the surf buried out feet in the sand. I feel like growing up before the zombie era of technological distractions was a gift. A gift of mindful connection to nature and myself. I try to give my kids the same. No TV in our house, and we are out and about exploring the coastline and urban forests of San Francisco rain or shine.