Mike Assad, a top-performing real estate professional with Royal LePage Team Realty, joined the podcast for a fun and informative conversation about influence & persuasion. Mike brings an experienced perspective to the table, having spent three years in the world of car sales before transitioning into real estate over two years ago. He shares captivating stories from the field, including how he outsold industry veterans early on in his career, and explains the approach he takes to achieve business success and excellent long term relationships. This episode provides a deep dive into the psychological principles that lead people to be influenced and persuaded: Authority, Likability, Social Proof, Consistency, Reciprocity, and Scarcity. Tune in to hear how Mike and Ollie have used these principles to gain influence and to avoid falling prey to manipulative tactics. Whether you are a seasoned sales professional, a first-time homebuyer, or simply someone looking to navigate daily life with more confidence, this episode provides the tools you need to succeed.

Recorded on January 3, 2026

Connect with Mike:
https://teamrealty.royallepage.ca/agents/1809749/Mike+Assad
https://www.instagram.com/mikeassad_realestate/

TIME STAMPS
(0:00) - Coming Up
(0:58) - Mastering Influence: A Toolkit for Real Life
(4:30) - Mike's Journey: Car Sales & Real Estate
(23:01) - Ollie's Mistake at Mr. Lube: How He Got "Rinsed"
(27:45) - The Six Pillars of Persuasion Explained
(30:02) - Authority: Why We Trust the "Expert"
(41:58) - Build Rapport: Why Likability Sells
(47:04) - Scarcity: How to Create Urgency in the Market
(51:42) - Tactics for Dealing with High Pressure Sales
(56:41) - Being Reciprocal: The Art of the Give and Take
(1:03:12) - Mike & Ollie's Best Persuasion Stories
(1:17:27) - How to Use Social Proof: People Follow the Crowd
(1:26:11) - Unexpected Lessons in Reciprocity
(1:28:32) - Consistency: "Yes" Today Leads to a Sale Tomorrow
(1:33:45) - Expert Tips for Your First Home Purchase

PODCAST LINKS
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ollielewispodcast
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ollielewispodcast
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ollielewispodcast145
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FYT6QkhkVlVBbzPc3B6XI
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ollielewispodcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ollie-lewis-864064315/
- X: https://x.com/OllieLewisPod

What happens when mental illness and the justice system collide with a family's future? Marge Jestin and Farhat Rehman of MOMS Ottawa pull back the curtain on the hidden reality of navigating Canadian prisons. From the overcrowding of remand to the stark contrast between a minimum-security path and a life sentence in maximum security, they share their sons' challenging journeys through a system that often "warehouses" people instead of healing them. This conversation highlights the power of a network of 160+ women replacing stigma with radical acceptance. It explores the remand crisis and the systemic conditions that degrade mental health, and why the system often prioritizes punitive isolation over therapeutic care.

This is a story of resilience for anyone who has felt the weight of stigma. It is a testament to the power of mothers who refuse to give up on their children, moving mountains - one teaspoon at a time.

If you are a woman navigating the criminal justice system with a loved one, connect with MOMS at: https://www.momsottawa.com/

Recorded on December 11, 2025

TIME STAMPS
(0:00) - Coming Up
(0:58) - MOMS Ottawa: Turning Isolation into Advocacy
(8:30) - Farhat's Son: Hockey, Learning, and Mental Struggles
(16:27) - Marge's Son: Sports, Outdoors, and Childhood Grief
(19:18) - Prison is the "New Asylum" for Mental Illness?
(23:44) - Guilty Until Proven Innocent? The Reality of Remand
(26:44) - The Tragedy Behind Farhat’s Son’s Life Sentence
(31:34) - Solitary Confinement & Schizoaffective Disorder
(39:47) - Does the System Actually Rehabilitate?
(42:12) - Marge’s Son's Arrest, Bail, and Prison Sentence
(45:51) - Boredom, Bullying & Bars: Life in Remand
(56:59) - Minimum Security: Working & Pro-Social Living
(1:06:38) - Maximum Security: Security Over Therapy
(1:14:45) - 25 Years in a Cell: Remorse, Hope, and Survival
(1:18:43) - Prison Visitation: Scanners, Glass, and Heartbreak
(1:28:01) - The "Life Sentence" Mothers Serve on the Outside
(1:31:34) - Coming Home: What Ex-Offenders Need to Succeed
(1:43:31) - Restorative Justice: A New Framework for Victims
(1:50:13) - Overcoming Stigma with Radical Acceptance

PODCAST LINKS
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ollielewispodcast
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ollielewispodcast
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ollielewispodcast145
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FYT6QkhkVlVBbzPc3B6XI
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ollielewispodcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ollie-lewis-864064315/
- X: https://x.com/OllieLewisPod

Join Ollie and designer and Studio Hot founder Nicole Cukier, for an honest conversation about the messy & exhilarating process of creating. Together, they share personal stories of hitting walls, pushing past resistance, and finding momentum while building businesses and producing podcasts. This episode dives deep into the psychology of creativity - why openness, sensitivity, and even discomfort can fuel your best work, and how resistance, self-doubt, and critics try to hold you back. Along the way, they explore ideas like Nietzsche’s Will to Power, the importance of childlike wonder and beginner’s mind, and the ongoing tension between art and commerce. Packed with practical strategies and encouraging insights, this conversation will help you overcome creative blocks, embrace vulnerability, and balance artistic passion with real-world demands - so you can bring your ideas to life.

Studio Hot: https://www.studiohotdesign.com/

Recorded on June 11, 2025

TIME STAMPS
(0:00) - Coming Up
(1:03) - Introduction
(2:14) - From Designer to Entrepreneur: Nicole’s Story
(8:55) - The Link Between Environment and Creative Ideas
(11:31) - Overcoming Internal and External Creative Blocks
(18:39) - The Truth About Creativity: Who Really Has It?
(23:32) - How to Tap Into Your Inner Drive To Create
(27:35) - How to Avoid Procrastination
(33:54) - Nicole’s Design Business: Studio Hot
(37:10) - The Creative Instinct and Nietzsche's Will To Power
(44:24) - Reclaiming Your Childlike Curiosity and Beginner Mentality
(50:21) - Why What You Consume Shapes What You Create
(54:28) - How Sensitivity Can Be a Creative Superpower
(1:00:58) - The Will to Power & Creative Journeys: Socrates + David Goggins
(1:09:49) - How to Push Through Resistance and Keep Going
(1:18:19) - How to Create Boldly Without Seeking Approval
(1:27:17) - When Creativity Meets Business: Finding Balance
(1:31:35) - How to Keep a Child’s Creativity Alive
(1:37:40) - Momentum Starts When You Begin - Start Now
(1:44:42) - Stop Overthinking, Start Making
(1:55:19) - Embrace Discomfort and Follow Your Heart

BOOKS USED TO CREATE THE EPISODE
- The Creative Act: A Way of Being: https://amzn.to/4725hzK
- The Artist's Way: https://amzn.to/4nZMeMo
- The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles: https://amzn.to/4gLwjPn

PODCAST LINKS
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ollielewispodcast
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ollielewispodcast
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ollielewispodcast145
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FYT6QkhkVlVBbzPc3B6XI
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ollielewispodcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ollie-lewis-864064315/
- X: https://x.com/OllieLewisPod