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The Inclusion Bites Podcast

Dreams Into Action

JT

Speaker

Janet Tanguay

JL

Speaker

Joanne Lockwood

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Joanne Lockwood hosts Janet Tanguay, a business strategist and inclusive ecosystem creator, exploring how to turn dreams into actionable success. They discuss entrepreneurship, cultural heritage, and overcoming fears to live authentically and build fulfilling careers while fostering community and connection.

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Featured moments

Highlights

“Creating a World of Inclusion "Remember, everyone not only belongs, but thrives.”
— Janet Tanguay
“Creating Inclusive Spaces in Business "I really wanted to create an inclusive, safe place where my job was just to hold space for people to be their authentic selves.”
— Janet Tanguay
“Well, my dream is to be in a hammock more often.”
— Janet Tanguay
“And even though you are slave to a slave to your company, you are, you still have that ultimate power to decide whether I'm going to get up today or whether I'm going to stay at home today.”
— Joanne Lockwood
“The Reality of Self-Employment "being self employed or working for yourself is you can work when you want, but the flip side of that is you have to work when you don't want.”
— Joanne Lockwood

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Full transcript

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Janet Tanguay

Foreign.

Joanne Lockwood

Welcome to Inclusion Bites, your sanctuary for bold conversations that spark change. I'm Joanne Lockwood, your guide on this journey of exploration into the heart of inclusion, belonging and societal transformation. Ever wondered what it truly takes to create a world without? Remember, everyone not only belongs, but thrives. You're not alone. Join me as we uncover the unseen, challenge the status quo and share storeys that resonate deep within. Ready to dive in? Whether you're sipping your morning coffee or winding down after a long day, let's connect, reflect and inspire action together. Don't forget, you can be part of the conversation too. Reach out to jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk to share your insights or to join me on the show.

Joanne Lockwood

So adjust your earbuds and settle in. It's time to ignite the spark of inclusion with Inclusion Bites. And today is episode 202 with the title Dreams into Action. I have the absolute honour and privilege to welcome Janet Tanguay. Janet is a powerhouse business strategist and creative catalyst who helps people turn sparks of inspiration to tangible success through visioning, connection and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems. When I asked Janet to describe her superpower, she said that it is being a super connector and joy filled cheerleader who helps others manifest their dreams. Hello, Janet. Welcome to the show.

Janet Tanguay

I'm delighted to be here, Jo. Thanks for having me.

Joanne Lockwood

Pleasure. I guessing from the accent you're not in the uk. Whereabouts in the world are you?

Janet Tanguay

I'm in upstate New York, which is about two and a half hours north of New York City in a town called Schenectady.

Joanne Lockwood

Well, I think, as we discussed in the Green Room, my knowledge of the US is it's largely north, south, east and west. There's not a lot of granular in there. So is that rural city, is it?

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, it's sort of, I would say suburban. So we are about three hours from Montreal and three hours from Boston and so it's, it's not as busy as those cities, but it's nice to be able to travel to all of them.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah. Nip across the Canadian border for a bit of.

Janet Tanguay

Absolutely, yeah. I have some Canadian roots, actually. I'm part Abenaki Indian and so I have a tribal card and so I visit the reservation and.

Joanne Lockwood

Wow. Okay, now we didn't talk about that. In agreement.

Janet Tanguay

Sure. Yeah, absolutely, yeah.

Joanne Lockwood

So you are a. A descendant of First Nation, are you?

Janet Tanguay

Yes, Abnaki. The Abnaki tribe.

Joanne Lockwood

And they're presumably east coast based. They're not all over the.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, mostly Canada based, but A few are in New York and Vermont, so. And that's where I grew up, in Vermont, which is a state over from New York.

Joanne Lockwood

Wow. So you have a lot of tribal heritage and culture that you have there, is it?

Janet Tanguay

I do. My great grandmother was 100% Abnaki, and so, yeah, and it's a lovely heritage. So I've been, like you said, to the reservation, to the sweat lodges, and apparently I have access to an acre of land in Canada should I ever decide to move to the reservation.

Joanne Lockwood

Wow, that's fascinating. That's fast. Wow, that's beautiful. Beautiful. I don't think I've ever met anybody with First Nation heritage before. That's great.

Janet Tanguay

Okay, cool.

Joanne Lockwood

So we're chatting away in the green room about the fact you're a super connector and the fact you help others manifest their dreams. What first drew you to that? Where does this spark of inspiration came from? What drew you into that? This world?

Janet Tanguay

Yeah. So for about 13 years, I helped people start new businesses. We had a chamber of commerce, and so there were lots of different people in the room, from GEDs to PhDs. And so I learned about all different kinds of cultures and ethnicities and really brought together people all have the same dream of starting a business. And so we really all worked together and it was about the business and people had similar dreams. I realised that people. People's dreams are mostly around the same things, you know, and so I just became intrigued by it all. And I really wanted to create an inclusive, safe place where my job was just to hold space for people to be their authentic selves.

Janet Tanguay

And so that's where my love of this started. And then being in that classroom, every once in a while, we'd have a speaker come in and I would be sitting at the table and they would say, what's your dream? Where do you want to be in five years and in your business? And I've always had a side hustle. For a while I had an art business and. And I helped people get into galleries and private collections and things like that. But the more I was in the class, the more I thought I really should leap off full time into something full time. And what would my dream be? And so I started saying, well, my dream is to be in a hammock more often. And so it became a running joke. And so when I decided to start my business, the class said, you should call it the Hammock Way of Life.

Janet Tanguay

And so that's what I did. My business is called the Hammock Way of life because I Want to be in a hammock more often. And whatever people's dreams are, I try to help them live theirs as well.

Joanne Lockwood

Beautiful, beautiful. I'm a great believer in the icky guy, which is the Japanese secret of a happy life, isn't it? And most people don't ever fill the fourth quadrant in which is do something you enjoy. You get stuck into this earning a living and you never actually step out of that, do you?

Janet Tanguay

I know the patterns and I was sort of in that space, right. I'm tied into. I have to have health insurance. Health insurance is expensive here. And so, and so I kept getting locked into. I have to have a job. Leaving my job was the best thing that I ever did. I control my own destiny now and help others live their dreams.

Janet Tanguay

And so it really was, it's, you know, set that fear aside and get out of patterns and routines and all that was important. And now I can help. I other people do that as well.

Joanne Lockwood

I don't think I've worked for anybody else properly and since the late 90s and I'm self confessed unemployable now, you know, I have run business, my own businesses. But that's different. When you are running your own business with people working for you, you're still working for yourself. And even though you are slave to a slave to your company, you are, you still have that ultimate power to decide whether I'm going to get up today or whether I'm going to stay at home today. You can, you can decide that no one's going to come and knock on your door other than your customers.

Janet Tanguay

Right? Yeah. An important piece of that puzzle and the other sort of lesson that I learned is that when you're a business owner to work on your business, not in it. When I first started working, I was really working in my business as an employee to the customer, right. And so now it's more working on the business than in it. So trying to help, you know, make good connections and help other people. You know, I have some VAs that help me out. I have all independent contractors working with me who are so talented designers and things like that. So I'm not as in the business as on it now.

Joanne Lockwood

It takes, it can take a while though to break the relationship between the harder I work, the more I make. Sometimes you have to, as you say, have to invest your time into thinking, you invest your time into development, invest your time into marketing or networking, whatever. Then when you're building your break even, you're building your cost model, you can't build a hundred percent cost model into working all the time. You can only really work 30, 40% if you're lucky.

Janet Tanguay

Yes, absolutely. Two of my favourite books are the Four Hour Workweek. Tim Ferriss, I think wrote that book. And then Orbiting the Giant Hairball and that's a. Do you know that book?

Joanne Lockwood

No. It's a great title though.

Janet Tanguay

It's very. I love it so much. So it's about this gentleman who was at a job and he realised that a lot of people were unhappy in their jobs and people kept coming into his office and talking about their problems and the work that they were doing and all that. And so he kind of self titled, he created a title for himself around creativity. I'm forgetting the title right now but so they would. He put up a little plaque on his door and people would come in and. And he created this beautifully creative space for them to come and talk about their problems. He created his own kind of job for himself around creativity.

Janet Tanguay

He'd give them creative solutions and all of that. And so the giant hairball is the corporation and he made his own path in that corporation.

Joanne Lockwood

So.

Janet Tanguay

But, but you're right, once you sort of embrace entrepreneurship, it is hard to go back to work for anyone else.

Joanne Lockwood

It's also quite scary that leap out though, isn't it? As you say, you are kind of handcuffed by your organisation for health care, bonuses and mortgage payments, all these sort of things. And family commitments. You think, can I risk everything on black and spin the wheel and see what happens?

Janet Tanguay

It takes, right? It takes self belief. And I think the other thing that people forget about is that you can, you know, the first few years anyway, treat it like a job. You wake up in the morning and you sort of, you know, go to work. It's not like you have your own business. You can just sit back and do nothing. You still have to network, you still have to do the accounting work or hire someone to do that. So I think it's just, you know, you have to figure things out initially and if you believe in yourself and whatever it is your dream is and they're passionate about it and you're not doing it for someone else. Right.

Janet Tanguay

I've seen people do it for someone else and not themselves and that's when it usually fails.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah, that's the key thing, isn't it? You've got to find that spark. If it feels like work, it's not going to succeed, is it? It's got to, it's really got to feel vocational, it's got You've got a passion for it. It's got to. Because one of the things I've got is being self employed or working for yourself is you can work when you want, but the flip side of that is you have to work when you don't want. So you have to take those opportunities when you can. And sometimes you go, actually, I've got to do this, I don't want to, I gotta do this.

Janet Tanguay

Right. But, and I, I'm at a point where my work feels like play. So I would do this even if I weren't getting paid for it. So I love what I do. I help other people live their dreams and so that to me is really fulfilling. I love being a cheerleader and watching other people, you know, attain their dreams and it always comes full circle. Somehow my dreams come true by helping other people. Right.

Janet Tanguay

It's really kind of cool.

Joanne Lockwood

I'm with you on that. I would do a lot of what I do even if I didn't need the money, but I would do it differently. I'd be sitting here, I'd be in Malibu or something recording this podcast. Not, not in, not in the south of England, you know, I'd be in the south of France. I'd have a villa somewhere. So yeah, if I had unlimited money, I might still do the podcast, but it would be on my different terms.

Janet Tanguay

Different terms. Right, right, right, sure, yeah, I hear you on that one. So, yeah, and, and the way I've had, I've worked with clients who, who make those things happen. Right. So I, I have a, one of the coaches and my network. So, so that's what I, I do, I, I, I do vision, I use vision boarding as a tool to help people's dreams come true. And so I get so busy with it that I, I have 50 right now trained and certified vision board coaches throughout the world. And so one of them decided that she wanted to travel.

Janet Tanguay

And so she is a photographer and she approaches resorts and says, can I do some vision boarding and I will photograph the grounds of your property for free. And I think she has a family member who works for an airline and so she gets some free tickets and so she travels all around the world. She was in Costa Rica recently and I think she's in Tulum now. So yeah, it's really kind of cool.

Joanne Lockwood

I know some people who do this. Some of the influencers out there, they, they do a similar thing. They go to hotels and say, look, I'm an, I'm an influencer. I've got all these instagram followers. I'd like to come and spend some time at your resort, film it, do a little mini documentary. Would you give me free, free accommodation for a week? And they get, most times they go, yeah. And then you, they just travel around the world being an influencer.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And a lot of the hotels need to fill, you know, they need to fill rooms. Right. So they, yeah, so they're, they're open to it for the most part.

Joanne Lockwood

It's kind of that symbiotic relationship and the influencer gets a great venue somewhere to live and stay and have fun with and the venue gets some great marketing material and some authority to, I don't know, fifty hundred thousand followers or something that's going to absolutely showcase their product.

Janet Tanguay

And that's the whole point of visioning, right, that it doesn't have to be expensive. You know, if you want a, a new car, go test drive the car. It costs nothing to test drive a car. Or if you want a new home, go to some open houses and start really dreaming of what it would be like for you to, to be there and, and feel into it and journal about it and, and all of that. So. But there can be low cost things that you can do that, you know, towards your dreams.

Joanne Lockwood

So it's a bit like if you want to win the lottery, you have to buy a ticket, don't you?

Janet Tanguay

Absolutely. Right, yes. Yeah.

Joanne Lockwood

In other words, you've got all the hopes and dreams, but they're any of the potential.

Janet Tanguay

Exactly. Right, yeah, yeah, that's true.

Joanne Lockwood

So what is vision boarding? You've mentioned it a couple of times and I've got a mental picture, but I'm not 100% sure what is it exactly.

Janet Tanguay

Sure, sure. Well, it's sort of the way we do vision boarding is a little bit different because we bring in so many different tools around it now. So basically it's taking either if you do it tangibly with a poster, you have poster boards and magazines and glue sticks and you sort of sort through them and see what images appeal to you and around the things that you desire in life. And, and if you do it digitally, you can use things like Canva or Pinterest or Mural or things like that. And so we're taking vision boards boarding now and using AI tools in them. We also bring in sound healers and improv actors and business, business model canvas. And it just depends on what the client wants. And they're really great for team building, for staff appreciation, volunteer appreciation.

Janet Tanguay

People really want to focus people in jobs and People that maybe desire to be in their own business and have certain dreams don't take the time to really focus on them. And I think that's part of. The important part of what we do is that we. We allow people to take the time to really focus on what they want instead of just going through the grind every day.

Joanne Lockwood

So it's creating a visual metaphor for an aspiration, a dream, a milestone or whatever you want to achieve. Bit like the coaching model. Where are we now? We're at 5. How do we get to 10? This is actually putting a picture against 10 or against 5, so we can say, ah, when I have 5, my house looks like this. When I have 10, my house looks like this.

Janet Tanguay

Right.

Joanne Lockwood

That's what I'm aiming for. So it's helping people crystallise their vision.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, yeah. And there's a lot of neuroscience that backs it now, too. So when we have sceptics, and sometimes not everyone, but, you know, we've been in large engineering groups and insurance companies and things like that, they come in sceptically. Bankers, right. They maybe have seen people's dreams fall apart or something, but they come in a little bit sceptical. And so what happens is we show them that by looking at these pictures and words on a daily basis, it somehow wires your brain to be able to say, oh, this is coming to me. It's like, when. When have you ever, you know, purchased a new car and then you see it on the road everywhere.

Janet Tanguay

You never saw it before you wanted it, Right? So it's similar to that. So if you see it every day, somehow it manifests in your world. So. So keeping it at the forefront. And sometimes I forget I've had some things manifest in very different ways. One year I put a picture of a Buddha in the middle of my board. To me, that meant slow down, do some yoga, relax more. And I was sent to China on a trip and was at the.

Janet Tanguay

Found myself at the biggest Buddha temple in China. Be careful what you wish for on these boards. Another time, I put a picture of a car. I couldn't find the car that I wanted, so I put a picture of a different car. And I'm driving that car now. So it's funny how. How things manifest in. In very different ways.

Joanne Lockwood

So it's not just social media listening to your conversations on your phone when you're chatting in the living room, and then suddenly you go onto Facebook and everything's got an advert for everything you've just talked about.

Janet Tanguay

That's a whole other. Yeah. That's a whole other thing.

Joanne Lockwood

That's a whole other spooky thing.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, yeah. It's funny, though.

Joanne Lockwood

And it does happen, though, doesn't it? Seems to, yeah, it does, yeah. I mean, it could just be this. A similar sort of brain phenomenon where you've. Cause you just talked about it, suddenly you notice it everywhere, as you said, right?

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, yeah. And maybe you didn't notice it, Right. Maybe you just were saying it a lot and you didn't notice that. Right. It was going to. And then showing up in your feed. Yeah. Makes it.

Janet Tanguay

Makes it a reality. Right.

Joanne Lockwood

A few years ago I noticed that we. I was going. I was driving around and I was driving down this road and then I saw this street name that it was. I. I don't know, I can't remember what it was. It was like David Close or something and I'd just been talking about a David and then suddenly I'm driving somewhere else and suddenly David there and then there's David there and then there's David there and I'm thinking, is there a glitch in the matrix or something? Is something sort of. Have I. Have I hit this deja vu moment where the matrix is glitched and suddenly now I'm seeing everything and.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, yeah. So I would say that's fine. That's a. That definitely follow the. You know, follow the signs. I always say, you know, that there's. There's some. I follow the signs all the.

Janet Tanguay

All the time and I actually get literal signs. So. So some people get them on licence plates or they might see a penny or a feather or something like that and I actually get literal signs that. That appear so. When I was. When I was younger, I was in the middle of transitioning from one job to another and I wasn't sure whether to take this job. And every day on the way to the gym, there was this fish fry place and it said, new sign coming soon. And it was up for two years, so the anticipation was really killing me.

Janet Tanguay

Right. So I finally. On the day that I kind of put out the request, you know, send me a sign if I'm supposed to take this job, the new sign came up and it was a big sign of a. It was a picture of a fish and. And the head of the. The new organisation that I was anticipating going to was named Fish. And so I thought that was my sign to leave. Leave the job.

Janet Tanguay

It was actually a. You'll laugh at this one. It was a job in banking and I lasted four days in banking after I Took that job because. So the first day on the job, the trainer was out, so some out sick or something, and they had a different trainer come in and told us all the ways that a bank could be robbed. And so that was my first day, so. And then my second day was training with somebody who'd been in banking their whole life. And so I was supposed to be the manager and she came in and was outshining me and. But really what put me over the edge was they were going to make me wear a sweater vest with a white shirt for the rest of my life.

Janet Tanguay

And I was in the parking lot crying, saying, I can't wear. I don't look good in sweater vests. I can't wear a sweater vest for the rest of my life. And so that's why I ended up leaving the job, because of the sweater vest.

Joanne Lockwood

Well, that was a sign, wasn't it? It was.

Janet Tanguay

It was a sign. Yeah.

Joanne Lockwood

You look in the mirror, you're in a sweater vest going, that's not my vision.

Janet Tanguay

Exactly. And it led me to this wonderful career as a, you know, a business strategist and dream maker and creative catalyst. So. Yeah, yeah.

Joanne Lockwood

So in the show notes, and we're talking about in the green room, you've worked with people from all demographics and backgrounds, some people from marginalised communities. I guess, given your. Your heritage of your family heritage, you work with communities that aren't in the majority. Often people's visions must be different. You know, not everybody wants to be a millionaire, do they? Some people want health or happiness. What do they look like?

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, that's such an important point. So, you know, I've learned lots of lessons over the years and I think the one that for me was the most just telling and that I really became sensitive to was we were working in an organisation with the staff of an organisation that helped the unhoused. And so we went into it and I always bring lots of travel magazines into these workshops and glorious houses and, you know, all sorts of things. Architectural Digest and, you know, Conde Nast travel magazines. And so what happened at the end of it was that when they shared their vision boards, they were showing pictures of food and pictures of chairs and couches and things from the furniture magazines, but there was no travel anywhere on any of the boards. The travel magazine sat untouched. And so from that point forward, I really made an effort to know my audience and dive deeper into who are these people and what are their dreams and goals before I enter the room, just like we did. You talked to me before.

Janet Tanguay

I Came on the podcast. Right. Sort of take a deeper dive and always know who am I audience is. So we've worked with neurodiverse communities, we've worked with LGBTQ communities, we've worked. One of the things that I bring into some of the places that I work with, instead of post award, I bring in cake boxes because not everyone wants to share their dreams with people so that people can show what they want to show through the clear top of the cake box and then not show whatever else. It's also three dimensional, so they can put different, different things in there. And we've worked with, you know, the formerly incarcerated, currently incarcerated and then high, high net worth women. So it's really across the board.

Janet Tanguay

Again, everyone has some sort of genes but their dream. You're absolutely right. The dreams are, are different for different, different. The messages that came through on one of the boards, we worked with a group of teens during the pandemic and they were in the foster care system and they put lots of pictures of fashion and fast cars and, you know, it was, it was mostly boys. And when it came time for them to share their boards in very, very, very tiny print, it said, I survived my childhood. And I don't think his peers saw it, but certainly the leaders in the group. And I saw it again, it was virtual, so it was. I had a chance to see it up close where maybe other people didn't.

Janet Tanguay

And so again, really impactful work. When you see messaging coming through like.

Joanne Lockwood

That as you're speaking now and thinking this is like a very visual representation of Basso's hierarchy of needs, isn't it? This is when you're, when you're actually doing holidays and aspirational type dreams, you're right at the top of that self actualisation, whereas if you're, you've got pictures of food safety, you're right there. And that's a real indication of where these people are in their lives.

Janet Tanguay

Absolutely.

Joanne Lockwood

Really gives you an insight as to how you can motivate them, how you can talk to, how to communicate. Because you're right, you've got to read the room. And this vision board allows you to really see where people are at and then you can meet them there. That's really powerful.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, yeah, it really, yeah. Like I said, we've got all sorts of, you know, opportunity to work with people and people with an ability difference. Right. You have to make sure that they can access whatever it is you're bringing, poster board that they can reach if it, you know, and all of that so we, like I said, we've learned lots of lessons and also to bring in. I really want people to see themselves in. In the magazines that I bring. So to find magazines so that people can see themselves in all ways is. Is.

Janet Tanguay

Can be challenging. Right. So sometimes I have them bring their own photos but I. I chase magazines far and wide to try to make sure that I get them from. From all places. And now I'm seeing a little bit on, you know, Amazon has. Has books to. Specifically for, you know, people of colour and certain, you know, demographics.

Janet Tanguay

You can find specific vision boarding books just for. For other people.

Joanne Lockwood

So yeah, of course you've got tools like Canva and other platforms where you could probably generate imagery.

Janet Tanguay

Absolutely.

Joanne Lockwood

And virtually.

Janet Tanguay

It's easy.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah, it is. AI can generate some stuff as well for you now.

Janet Tanguay

Yes, yeah, yeah. So sometimes I bring loose. Sometimes I create those in advance and I'll print them out just from, you know, so. So that I bring loose images. It doesn't always have to come from a magazine. Magazines are hard to find these days. They're expensive on the newsstand. I got lucky because my nephew works for a magazine company, so sometimes I get them from him.

Joanne Lockwood

But yeah, yeah, I suppose things like dentists and doctors, they create all the coffee tables away during COVID and never put them back. They did.

Janet Tanguay

It's really true. Yeah. Libraries sometimes give them away at the end and there's a few places out there. And again, we make an effort to go into certain groups, associations sometimes have magazines for their members and so we make a wide effort to reach out.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah, we went digital quite quickly, didn't we?

Janet Tanguay

We did.

Joanne Lockwood

As soon as we couldn't give a magazine out, we stopped doing them. Yeah. So again, going back to the way you're engaging with some of the, I hate the word marginalised communities, that sounds so. So crass, doesn't it? It's not, it's not what I'm trying to say. You know, people who are voiceless, unheard, people who maybe don't have the same opportunities as others. What is it, what is it about. I was going to say them. I mean that again is stereotyping, is creating a group.

Joanne Lockwood

What are common paths that come out? You talked about that. Their needs and their visions are more day to day, more immediate. But what are the common themes in terms of their hopes and aspirations then? Is there a common theme that comes out?

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, I think family is really important to them, whatever family means to them. And different kinds of families. Right. And I will say money usually makes the board. Because most of us need a little bit of that to survive. No matter what what it is. The amounts are different. I sometimes have them put amounts.

Janet Tanguay

Everyone when I say them all the, you know, all of my clients put amounts of money. So I get specific with them and it is. It is very different for. For different groups. Some people are putting millions and some people are putting thousands and hundreds. Right. So. So that.

Janet Tanguay

That stands out sometimes health is. Is also something that I think is. Is pretty common for. For everyone. It's a common. Common. So those three things would be similar.

Joanne Lockwood

Glancing through your show notes and what you wrote earlier and a little bit at the bottom just snuck in there. You own a record label?

Janet Tanguay

I do, I do, yeah. I just started one. It's Tangway Productions and I produced my first record called Smell the Rain with Jay Ariel and Robert Frederick. Bob knew I had a dream of I write lyrics and he knew that that was one of my dreams. And he's a musician and he said, you want play around and see what we come up with. And so he helped me write the first version of it and then I wanted it to be a little more. More R and B and. And so we brought in Jaya Rael and she beautifully put something together and.

Janet Tanguay

And we have this beautiful record now called Smell the Rain. And my second record is in the works and if I could describe it to you, it is almost duelling instruments, so starting out chaotic and then becoming something beautiful at the end, which is kind of, I'm hoping where our world is going right now. I don't love that we're in chaos, but I'm hoping it anyway. So that's sort of the theory of it. And so we're bringing together lots of different musicians to do that.

Joanne Lockwood

Is that a bit like Devil Came Down To Georgia? Sort of like you got the violin and sort of like giving it a bit of a duel sort of thing. Yeah, bit of a violin going on. Bit of a. Bit of a drum.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah. A call and response sort of thing. Right. That starts out maybe as an argument and you know, not nice and then. But the. What we're trying to work out right now is will people even list if we start out in chaos? Right. So we're not quite sure about it, but it's evolving.

Joanne Lockwood

So yeah, I listen to. Indirectly. I listen to a lot of puppy music. So we've got a young puppy and we found all these playlists on Apple Music. So we create all these. This playlist of puppy music, you know, with fireworks in it and all These Anxiety Anti Anxiety tracks. And I've listened to some really kind of. It's actually more like spa music.

Joanne Lockwood

It's really nice. We even play it at night now. It's great. So I can imagine some of this sort of. Some of the things you're talking about there would fit well into this sort of puppy music. So, yeah, maybe. Maybe you don't need humans to listen to this. Maybe you could just.

Joanne Lockwood

You could find it. Find an outlet.

Janet Tanguay

I love that. I'm gonna. Right after this, I'm gonna go listen to puppy music. That's great. I love that. Thank you.

Joanne Lockwood

You wouldn't believe how many albums there are about puppy music. Anti Anxiety this, Anti Anxiety that. I mean, there's one artist that has like, I don't know, 40 albums and playlists and things, and it's like. It's fascinating.

Janet Tanguay

It doesn't work the same way for cats. I'm more of a cat person. So is it. Does it work the same way for cats?

Joanne Lockwood

But as a puppy owner and not a cat owner, I've never searched for cats. You might find this one for budgery guards and cockatoos and fish.

Janet Tanguay

That's great. I love it. Inclusive music for all animals.

Joanne Lockwood

You talk about owning a record label. Tell me a bit more about this. Because I've just seen the Bruce Springsteen movie and he's in a recording studio. So I've got this image of an eight track or him, you know, him ideating his hotel room. Was it his hotel room? He's got his little echo machine on and then they're in the studio and they've got these people in this traditional. Is that. Is that what you've got? You've got one of those studios?

Janet Tanguay

Exactly right. In fact, I had to look really closely to see is that the studio that we. That we, you know, produced the music. And it was that similar. So, yeah, you basically, the engineers are who puts it together in the end. So you have this vision and it's a lot of iterations. It just. It was a creative process which I loved.

Janet Tanguay

Again, I wear lots of creative hats. I'm a mixed media artist and an author. But this music for me was so fun to put put together because I play a little bit of piano and I understand a little bit of music, but I really needed a lot of musicians to help me. It was so collaborative and I didn't know all the players. So sometimes the engineer would recommend somebody in their network and we'd bring in a saxophonist and they weren't quite understanding what I was Trying to do. And so the second one just got it right. And so, yeah, so it was really a creative process to get everybody on board to understand the. The vision of.

Janet Tanguay

Of what I wanted it to be in. In the end. So it was, you know, and it's always one of these things when you're an artist. When is it ready? Is it ever finished? Right. So there's always one more thing that you could do. But so. But when it's. When it's ready and you can.

Janet Tanguay

You can ask, you know, Amazon Music or Spotify to play it. It's pretty cool.

Joanne Lockwood

I love that. I love that if I've put some things on my vision board, I would have a saxophone on there somewhere, because that's always been an instrument. I thought it'd be really cool to play something, you know, don't play a lot. Just maybe the riff out of Baker street or something like that. Just something out of that. Just so you can. You're at a party, you're with a load of friends and there's a sax in the corner. You go, do you mind? Can I.

Joanne Lockwood

They go, yeah, sure, whatever. And you blast out a bit of that and go, thanks. And just put it down and walk away and just leave everybody in silence.

Janet Tanguay

It's really true. So that's funny that you say that, because I started out playing piano and so it was pretty easily easy to translate the notes to the saxophone. The hard part when you don't play a wind instrument is the mouthpiece. Right. To learn all of that was more difficult for me. So I. Yeah, so I loved playing and I could play. I could.

Janet Tanguay

I knew I was playing the correct notes. But getting the breath work right and all that is the biggest challenge. Do you play any other?

Joanne Lockwood

No, I don't. No. I learned. My granddad taught me Three Blind Mice on the piano and bar. Bar Black Sheep only. Only about. So I'm being very visual here. This is an audio podcast.

Joanne Lockwood

I only learned about 10 or 15 notes, you know, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. And if ever I see a piano in a shopping centre or something like that, I go and do Three Blow Mice. Or I do Ba Ba Black Sheep. That's it. That's me. Yeah. I'm not musical at all. It didn't trigger my brain as something that I could learn.

Joanne Lockwood

I tried the recorder and like everybody does at school.

Janet Tanguay

Recorder, right.

Joanne Lockwood

Never progressed past London's Burning. I don't know if you did that in the States, right?

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, Yeah. I live with musical instruments. I have a Xylophone and drums and Tibetan bowls and so they're always here when I need sound, just to play a little bit of it. So I don't know that you absolutely need to be a musician to do that stuff. It just. I love music. Yeah, it's nice to have it.

Joanne Lockwood

I think you said earlier, what would you do if you, you know, would you carry on doing what you do if you had it didn't need to work? And I think I'd love the opportunity to explore my, my lack of musicality and become a bit more musical, you know.

Janet Tanguay

That's great.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah. I heard, I heard once someone say that everybody can learn to sing and I'd like to prove them wrong. I can't. Or prove myself wrong. I can.

Janet Tanguay

I agree. Everyone has a creative, creative bone, right. Everyone has creativity in them. It's just a matter of drawing it out. I trained as an express art expressive artist at Glass Lake Studio, which is affiliated with a European graduate school in South Bay, Switzerland, and just learned all sorts of things about myself and how we're all really creative, you know, and we get stuck in that, oh, I have to do things a certain way. And so you really don't. You can close your eyes and draw with your non dominant hand and you're going to make something and then, you know, can evolve into something wonderful. So.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, yeah.

Joanne Lockwood

Again we mentioned Dicky Guy earlier and finding what you love. And I suppose what, what I found was that I had this inner. I wanted to be a rock star, Susie Quattro or something like that. But you know, back in my youth I wanted to be on there, tight leathers, guitar, really strumming it out. I was a big fan of people like David Coverdale and the Deep Purple and those sort of rock bands of the 70s and 80s. I think I always wanted to be that person, but I didn't play the instrument, didn't sing. I wasn't really musical. I was probably more too into computers and logic than I was creativity.

Joanne Lockwood

But then I found professional speaking and standing on stage and it suddenly really tweaked on me. I've got a microphone in my hand or kit to my lapel. I've now got an audience, I've now wooing people and they're leaning in and they're excited. I've got fan girls out there and fanboys out there and this. I thought, wow. I found my stage in a different way and it's. That's great. Yeah.

Janet Tanguay

So next time you're there, maybe, maybe sing a tune, right. Just Test the waters. Right now.

Joanne Lockwood

I do karaoke. And yeah, it's, I'm one of these people that doesn't mind singing. I don't, I've got no problem singing. It's just whether you've got a problem listening is the issue.

Janet Tanguay

That's funny. Well, that's what I mean. I think that's the message in this. I'm in the same boat. I can't even sing the Happy Birthday song correctly and on a record label. Right. So I don't think it matters. It's whatever you hear and whatever you want to build and create and so you don't have to be the one to do the actual work sometimes.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah. So tell me more about the work you do. Let's dive a bit deeper into the end, into what brings you joy and happiness. The super connector stuff and the way you've built your business up and getting funding for everybody. Dive a bit deeper in that.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah. So I love building bridges between people, between all sorts of people. Right. I just see sometimes when I meet with people, I'm like, oh, they could benefit from that. Some people don't like to do that. Some people, when I sometimes ask for connections, some people just like, no, they're in my world and you can't have them.

Joanne Lockwood

Right.

Janet Tanguay

Whatever. And so I, yeah, right. They're all mine. I'm not like that. I like to share my ideas, my thoughts, my friends. You know, if, if I can help somebody else in some way connect with someone who, who might benefit them, we're all better for it. So that's what I, that's what I love to do. And I, I, I'm a visionary.

Janet Tanguay

I'm not so good at the details. Sometimes I will say I need to surround myself with people that are really good with details because I can see the big picture. And sometimes I, I need, I need help with those, those details. So I do something called circle of influence or mind mapping or treasure mapping, they call it. And that helps me visually figure out where my networks are and how I can connect different people. They say sometimes. Do you know who Kevin Bacon is? Do you know that actor?

Joanne Lockwood

Well, the actor, yeah. The guy that went bust and ended up doing TV adverts, maybe.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah. Six degrees of Kevin Bacon, they say. So sometimes in my networks they say six degrees of Janet Tangway. So, so I'd like to be able to connect people, and I like to play that game, how many people till I can connect with this, this other person. Right. So, but that's what I love to do. And I think it helps people. Like I said, it somehow always comes back to me whether.

Janet Tanguay

I mean, that's not my intention. But lately, the older I get, I noticed that that happens more often when.

Joanne Lockwood

You talk about the six degrees of separation and those sort of things. I mean, I knew someone really well who knew Boris Johnson. If you know Boris Johnson, then Boris Johnson knows Barack Obama, knows this person, knows that. So it's quite tenuous to say I'm three removed from Barack Obama because there's no way I could get a message from person B to person C to person D. Even though I'm at six degrees of separation, I've got no influence in that sphere. So it's trying to work out. It's not just your connection or potential connections, it's your actual credibility of connections. And it's the hard bit.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah. And it's also not. I mean, I think one of the things that's really important is to not use those connection for personal gain. Right. Like it's genuine. Like nobody wants to connect me because they know I'm going to take care of that relationship and not take advantage of it. Right. So my hair stylist won an Oscar for the movie the Whale, and so she knows a lot of actors, but I'm not going to take advantage of that, you know, because our relationship is more important to me than whatever it is this other relationship is.

Janet Tanguay

Right.

Joanne Lockwood

So it's nurturing, talking makeup artists. I did a. A TV documentary in the UK and documentary. We had a photo shoot towards the end and they hired an mua, and it later transpired the. My MUA on the day is this personal stylist for Joan Collins and he often posts pictures of himself with Joan Collins on his Instagram and everything else. And I thought, wow, you know, my stylist does Joan Collins as well. You know, it's kind of a. Yeah, yeah.

Joanne Lockwood

So, yeah, it's hard to find what's important to you.

Janet Tanguay

Sometimes people, I mean, network, they don't care. Like if they're not into the movies, they don't really care. Right. About that stuff. So. But if people, you know, like film and video and all that, then they. Then they care about it. So it really depends on, you know, what's important.

Janet Tanguay

Maybe a sports figure would be more important. Right.

Joanne Lockwood

So, yeah, I think it's nice to know people who. Who know people as well. It's because they. They have storeys, they have. They have depth in their life. I mean, I was. I'm always fascinated to meet people and hear what's going on in their life. And I'm one of the people that will go to a conference and I'll spend all the time talking to people who are doing the waiting or the serving the food or clearing up.

Joanne Lockwood

And so, yes, and have chats with them and they're going to be. Why are you talking to me for? I said, well, because you're probably more interested than half the people in the room.

Janet Tanguay

Absolutely, yeah, yeah. Get to know people. Those are the people with, yeah, interesting storeys and. Yeah, a hundred percent.

Joanne Lockwood

There's one conference I went to and they hired some graffiti artists and they created a graffiti wall. And it wasn't just random words or anything like that, it was basically spraying. They had a, a plan and you, what they do is you can go out there and grab your spray can and fill in some segments or some gaps. And I just spent hours talking to these graffiti artists about their life and how they, they are proper London graffiti artists who spray walls and do all these sort of things and really get to know about their tags and their networks and all this. And they're showing me their Instagram and all their work they're doing.

Janet Tanguay

Have you had them on the box?

Joanne Lockwood

I came away from that conference, I was fascinated with all this stuff. Yeah, it was brilliant.

Janet Tanguay

That's great.

Joanne Lockwood

I think my talk in the day was later on and I was on stage and I referred to. I think I talked to people. So how many people in this room talk to people they don't know? How many people talk to people who are different to them? I said, how many people have had a conversation with a graffiti artist? Everyone's like, no, I said, I did. They're fascinating. Absolutely fascinating people.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah. That's how you learn, that's how you evolve, is by learning from other people and other. Right, yeah, I agree.

Joanne Lockwood

We get stuck in our little bubbles, don't we? And that's. This is the issue now. You're talking about being a super connector, linking people from different cultures and generations. And you can only do that if you, if you're interested in people.

Janet Tanguay

Absolutely, yeah. Sitting, sitting at a conference with people that might not look like you.

Joanne Lockwood

Right.

Janet Tanguay

Or again, just even in your day to day routine, going to a different coffee shop every day, going to a different part of town and, you know, parking somewhere different and, you know, exercising in a different gym or whatever. Just getting to know people from a different perspective. To me it's enlightening, it's refreshing. It makes me a better person just by understanding who's around me.

Joanne Lockwood

I Like to play with my own biases sometimes. And if I walk into a coffee shop or I walk into a restaurant or setting on a bus or a train, something goes into my head saying, I don't want to sit next to that person. I want to sit next to this person. I almost test myself. I go, why don't I want to sit next to them? What is wrong? Or what have I decided isn't right about that person? And I play with myself and go, okay, I've got a bias. I've clearly decided in my head where right and wrong is. I play with it. I don't necessarily change my mind, but I want to challenge myself as to why I did that.

Janet Tanguay

I love that. Yeah, because we all have implicit bias, no matter if we think we don't. Right. So I love that. I'm going to play with that now, too, if you don't mind. I'm going to say if it happens next time in that situation.

Joanne Lockwood

And I found myself making different choices, you know, sitting in a restaurant, you know, at a conference, you know, I will seek out someone who's sat on their own, or I'll see out some random person who. And I just go, I would never have a conversation with you. Just, hi, how are you? Just, I often start the same way. Which part of the world are you from? How has it taken you far to travel today? It's a really easy question that anyone can answer.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah.

Joanne Lockwood

And then to see what happens.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah. It's interesting that, that you bring that up, because I've been doing a lot of virtual work lately because I'm connecting with people internationally and, and I'm attending these networking groups, and they, they put you into little smaller groups. And I keep finding with many of them that I'm ending up with women my age who wear glasses. Right.

Joanne Lockwood

And so here we are again.

Janet Tanguay

I know, right? It's true. It's true. And so, and, and I'm delighted to be here, but in those groups, I'm wondering, the more I'm in them, if. If they're putting us together on purpose, because I would love to meet other people that don't necessarily look like me. Right. And so I'm fine with the way I look. I just would like to meet a lot of different people. And so it's curious to me about whether it is really random and they're just pushing a button and we're ending in the rooms together or they're putting demographics together.

Janet Tanguay

So as I explore that further, I'm going to dive deeper and talk to the leaders to find out how that's done.

Joanne Lockwood

You need a pink wig or something. You can sort of.

Janet Tanguay

There you go. Show up in disguise next time. That's great. Oh, yeah, I love that.

Joanne Lockwood

A Groucho mask. Marks with glasses and moustache and something. Just.

Janet Tanguay

Why I do these things. So this is good. This is good.

Joanne Lockwood

Suggestions and Crazy lady in room three, right?

Janet Tanguay

Yeah. I love that. It's wonderful.

Joanne Lockwood

But, I mean, since I. Yeah. I did transition, what, 10, 12 years ago, and I've made far more real people than I've ever met in my life before. I don't know if it's me or if it's them, but I just attract people who are different these days, and that's great. Fantastic world.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah. The first job I ever had was working for a transgender woman. And it was wonderful. And this was in the 80s.

Joanne Lockwood

Wow.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah.

Joanne Lockwood

Wow.

Janet Tanguay

Really, really great experience.

Joanne Lockwood

A real. A real elder of the community out and.

Janet Tanguay

Yes, absolutely. Yes. Yeah. And taught me so much. I was in. I was working in film and video at the time and learned a tremendous amount about it. I'm not technical at all, by the way, so we could be collaborative because I'm techn. Technically challenged, but I.

Janet Tanguay

I did learn a lot and it was a great experience. And so.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah, awesome, awesome. Yeah, it's. Yeah, it's wild. Sometimes I think in my old life, I just went safe, I just went easy. I just. Did you say that affinity bias, that kind of visit bias we have about people who are different to us? Oh, it's like. And I think maybe it's the marginalisation that you experience yourself. You become kindred spirits with other people who are.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, yeah.

Joanne Lockwood

That could be rejected by society, for want of a better phrase.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, yeah. And it's just not listening to other people. You know, I always give the example of, you know, my. My mom, when I was growing up, loved country music. And so every time Barbra Streisand came on the radio, she'd say, she's screechy.

Joanne Lockwood

Whoop.

Janet Tanguay

And she would change the. Change the radio. Right. Change the station. And so makes beautiful music. Which I learned as an adult. Right. Somebody said, no, you need to sit down and listen.

Janet Tanguay

She's beautiful. It's beautiful. And so listen to every single album. And so just, you know, not believing what other people say and. And not. And just getting to know people is so important because if you take the time. It's really taking the time to get to know people. You learn so much.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah. It's strange, isn't it? When. When you live to our age, our white old age was 60ish. A lot of our childhood artists are now passing away. And there was. I can't remember the cheque yesterday. Pass away. The.

Joanne Lockwood

The black singer. An actor, can't remember his name.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Joanne Lockwood

But you suddenly. You suddenly become re. Rekindling their relationship with these singers the day they pass away. I wish I got into them. I should have been into them earlier and really enjoyed their music. But it takes their passing for you.

Janet Tanguay

To be reminded of it, right? Yeah. Because we're just all so busy and I think that's part of it too. People are just busy in their own again routines and patterns that they're not getting out of their comfort zone to go meet other people and.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah, well. And Taylor Swift's knocking out music every day, so you got to keep up with her, her catalogue.

Janet Tanguay

It's not easy.

Joanne Lockwood

It's not easy to chuck out 20 tracks on a Sunday night or something. You think? Gotta absorb those. Yeah. I can't keep up with the. The seventies anymore, but I was. I discovered Barry Manilow probably about five or six years ago. I was going through this, I would say melancholy phase, but just a real deep sort of, kind of. Yeah.

Joanne Lockwood

And I just started listening to Barry Manilow and I thought, wow, there's some really great stuff in here. 20 years ago I would have gone Barry Manilow near that.

Janet Tanguay

Lived very. My whole teen angst period was all about Barry Manilow. So I think I know every song that he ever wrote.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah, some of them are really, really deep and some of the vocals and some of the words. I think it's incredibly powerful words. I think we lose a lot of that sometimes. You know, it's too busy dancing to it or doing whatever we're doing. Not enough to just put your headphones in and on and just to listen to the words.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, yeah. The lyrics are so important sometimes, but you write it. Other things, you know, shine brighter.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah, yeah. I suppose having it. Having a new puppy. I've got an opportunity now just to put. Generally just go for random playlists on Apple and I just say the mix that today's mix or whatever it is. And some of it's modern, some of it's old, but yeah, it's really nice to just get hit with something different because I think that's the difference between music you pick and then radio. Radio, you get what they give you. And that's very eclectic sometimes.

Joanne Lockwood

Obviously the DJ is going to put their eclectic mix on whatever their genre is, but Sometimes you hear songs you haven't heard for years and I think listen to a popular music that covers our age group, whatever that may be. You get a broad range from the 60s all the way through to the current. And yeah, I think it's lovely. Again, that randomness. So what's the top of your vision board right now then? What's the thing that.

Janet Tanguay

What's at the top? Yeah, for mine it's global influencer. So. And it's funny because I don't like to be on stages like you. I don't have a podcast and I don't, I don't speak in front of people. And so, but I, but I do write and I do things in my. My own way and, and I really, I feel like I have some messaging, so I am writing my memoir and, and it has some funny storeys in there about my childhood and, and lessons learned and it's about business and dreams and all of that. So. So I really, I want to learn about other cultures in a much deeper way.

Janet Tanguay

So that's my, my next iteration.

Joanne Lockwood

That's the what and the why is the joy is.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And actually, joy, you asked what was at the top of my board? The word joy is at the top of my board also. So I want to always have that around me. Yeah.

Joanne Lockwood

And what's the picture of?

Janet Tanguay

Oh, it's the word. The word. The joy is a word.

Joanne Lockwood

Just the word joy.

Janet Tanguay

The joy is the word. Yeah, I'm a word. I'm trying to think if I have. Pictures are typically travel. That's what I have on the board for pictures of places. But for other things I have mostly words and affirmations and things like that.

Joanne Lockwood

It's strange, as I was asking you that question and saying, what's your picture at the top? I was thinking, what's my picture at the top of my board? I've no idea. No idea. I've often used the word freedom as a goal. And what I mean by freedom is freedom, a choice to choose about whatever I want. So enough, sufficient money, sufficient wealth, sufficient family, sufficient whatever it may be, so that I have freedom of choice to do whatever I want to do. I think that's probably the word I'm looking for. And that's not gluttony, that's efficiency based.

Janet Tanguay

Absolutely. So I'd be curious to see what image you could find to represent that. I mean, words are fine. You can do words or images. But I would be curious to know what images you could find around that word.

Joanne Lockwood

I always used to talk about. And this is a part of my life, I suppose I used three zones. One was a cage, one was a safari park and one was the Serengeti in Africa. And it was about not living in a cage, living by someone else's permission, doing as you're told. You have no agency, no nothing. And I didn't want to be in the wild where I was under threat from having to find my own food and alligators and being eaten, all this kind of stuff. I wanted to find a safari park where I was living with other creatures within the bounds of a rule set, fences. But there's no dangerous animals in there.

Joanne Lockwood

People would come and feed me, I had sufficient this and I would never be dragged off into the cage or never be thrown out into the dark. So the safari part was my model of how I wanted to exist in the world. Know the rules, know the limits, know the boundaries, but never find the fence. But you know, they're there somewhere. So that, that's my definition of freedom really is not living in a cage by someone else's permission or not being anarchic and living in a wild.

Janet Tanguay

Right, right, right. But interesting that there is a fence there at all. So you're not living.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah, fences make, you know, good fences make good neighbours, you know.

Janet Tanguay

Absolutely. Yeah.

Joanne Lockwood

But you live in a society that has rules and rule sets. So which are the fences? But if the rules don't impact me, because I. I'm quite happy to stay with. As long as I stay within six feet inside the fence, I never notice the fence. It's when I want to push them, they don't work for me. So if I can find a safari part where I don't notice the fences, that. That's got to be freedom, hasn't it?

Janet Tanguay

Yeah. That's beautiful. I love that. Thank you for sharing that.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah, I think so, I think so. That's a memory I had going through difficult times in my life where I was, I suppose, living by other people's permission, other people's rule sets, other people's control and being told what I could and couldn't do. And I think that's why I was always. I've written a blog about it, finding my safari park. And that's what it's about, finding that place where I can live without being answerable on a day by day basis. Just understand the rules.

Janet Tanguay

I would love to see a vision board around this. Yeah, yeah, just, just having that vision, see it, seeing it visually, you know.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah. Well, who knows? Who knows? Maybe. Maybe I've got lots of blogs. Lots of blogs. So. Okay, maybe what I'll do is I'll. I'll feed them into AI and say, make sense of that, please.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, absolutely. Copy the images there. I love that.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah, yeah. I've never, I've never really got into the vision board thing, but now, now we have this great conversation. I'm going to definitely. Yeah. Well, I think I'll do it with my business first because my wife is my business partner and we've actually got planning sessions scheduled in for Friday to talk about our marketing goals and where we're going to take things. So that's. That's probably a good idea to.

Janet Tanguay

So I'm going to give you another. Another little secret tool that I use in my vision boarding that I think you would have fun with since you like music, is that I use an app called Suno. There's another one called Create. And when you're finished with your vision or you're bored in some way, you ask Suno to pick a genre and then put your dream in there, whatever it is, and it creates a beautiful song about your vision and it's really fun.

Joanne Lockwood

Oh, okay. That's beautiful. Yeah, I like that.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah.

Joanne Lockwood

All right. Suno.

Janet Tanguay

S U N O S u N O. Yeah. Yeah. And again, there may be other apps, but that's the one I really like a lot. And people are blown away when it, when they. At the end of my vision board sessions, when they. They have this song created for them around their vision. So there's other AI tools that we're using now too, so that are really, really fun putting your own images and into the vision board and all sorts of things.

Joanne Lockwood

I just keyed it into Google and someone cheated and inserted a paid out of top cool, which wasn't suno. So. Yeah. Suno.com.

Janet Tanguay

Okay. Suno.

Joanne Lockwood

Make a house song about quitting your job.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, right. Exactly. Anything you want. Yeah, yeah. It's really, really fun. I do that. Do it for friends for their birthdays and things like that. And so you can create.

Janet Tanguay

The more you put, the better language you put in, the better the song is coming out. So take some time with it and you can really create some fun things.

Joanne Lockwood

Oh, I just found something really cool in it. You can separate the stems as well. I often go to Epidemic Sounds and find these tunes and then just strip out the drum track. So I really love just the tribalism of drums going away.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah.

Joanne Lockwood

So, yeah, I could, I could definitely come up with something and then just strip out the drums.

Janet Tanguay

You're so technical. You go right to the technology. That's great.

Joanne Lockwood

Yeah, beautiful, right? Hey, I've got something to play with now. I'm going to feed my blog into that later.

Janet Tanguay

Yeah, I can't wait.

Joanne Lockwood

Janet, it's been amazing. We could yak on for hours. I'm sure. And it's a good job I'm not too close to you. Otherwise I'd be driving up and spending an afternoon.

Janet Tanguay

Anytime you're here, feel free to stop by. So it's been a pleasure.

Joanne Lockwood

So how can. How can our listener get hold of you?

Janet Tanguay

Sure. So My website is hammockwayoflife.com and I'm on Amazon under my name, Janet Tanguay. You can find all my books there. I just created a new journal there about visioning. I'm on LinkedIn as Jazzy Jan. And on Facebook and Instagram is Hammock Wave Life as well. Watch for my books, Unstoppable Women in Business. There's an anthology.

Janet Tanguay

I have a chapter in that book. I have a chapter in Inspiration to Success. Excuse me. And my. The new book is going to be called Hammock Way of Life. That's my memoir, Love that.

Joanne Lockwood

I'm going to. I'm going to look that up now. And Tanguay is spelled T A N G U A Y for anyone who is looking to find you or Jazzy Jan sounds easier.

Janet Tanguay

Jazzy Jan is easier. Yes. Yes. Janetanguay is on Amazon and I have some children's books, too. One of them is about being who you want to be when you grow up. It's called Be Be. That one might also be relevant, too. The other one is called Dust Bunnies Don't Eat Carrots.

Janet Tanguay

But you have to order that one from my website. I love that it's about big names.

Joanne Lockwood

I love that. Maybe I need to read that children's book because I still haven't figured out who I want to be when I grow up. I'm still working. Right?

Janet Tanguay

We all haven't. I think sometimes we all haven't. Right. You're still. We're all in growth mode.

Joanne Lockwood

Janet, it's been absolutely fantastic. Thank you so much.

Janet Tanguay

I agree. This is fun.

Joanne Lockwood

As we bring this conversation to a close, I want to express my deepest gratitude to you, our listener, for lending your ear and heart to the cause of inclusion. Today's discussion struck a chord. Consider subscribing to Inclusion Bites and become part of our ever growing community, driving real change. Share this journey with friends, family and colleagues. Let's amplify the voices that matter? Got thoughts, storeys or a vision to share? I'm all ears. Reach out to jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk and let's make your voice heard. Until next time, this is Joanne Lockwood signing off with a promise to return with more enriching narratives that challenge, inspire and unite us all. Here's to fostering a more inclusive world, one episode at a time.

Joanne Lockwood

Catch you on the next bite.

Also generated

More from this recording

Episode Category

Primary Category: Female Empowerment
Secondary Category: Wellbeing

🔖 Titles
  1. From Dreams to Action: Vision Boarding, Creativity, and Inclusive Empowerment

  2. Manifesting Goals: Vision Boards and Inclusive Success with Janet Tanguay

  3. The Art of Visioning: Bringing Inclusive Dreams into Reality

  4. Building Bridges: Harnessing Joy and Connection for Personal and Collective Growth

  5. Unleashing Creativity: Janet Tanguay on Vision Boards and Her Path to Business Joy

  6. From Fear to Freedom: How Visioning Powers Inclusive Entrepreneurship

  7. Crystallising Aspirations: Vision Boards, Overcoming Barriers, and Inclusive Communities

  8. Real Talk: Inclusion, Vision Boarding, and Empowerment through Connections

  9. Finding Your Spark: Turning Personal and Marginalised Dreams into Action

  10. Dare to Dream: Inclusion, Joy, and Vision Boards for All

{Subtitle} - A Single Sentence describing this episode

Janet Tanguay explores the journey of transforming dreams into action, weaving together vision boarding, inclusion, and the profound impact of authentic connection to inspire self-belief and meaningful change.

{Episode Tags}

Vision Boarding, Inclusive Leadership, Entrepreneurial Journeys, Creative Strategy, Empowering Dreams, Marginalised Voices, Personal Transformation, Cultural Heritage, Authentic Networking, Super Connector

{Episode Summary} with Intro, Key Points and a Takeaway

In this energising episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood welcomes Janet Tanguay for an enlightening conversation on turning ‘Dreams Into Action.’ Joanne explores her own journey of self-employment and the shift from working in her business to working on it, whilst Janet explains how she helps clients clarify, visualise, and manifest their aspirations using inclusive visioning practices. The discussion traverses the emotional realities of leaving the safety of employment, breaking routine, and building entrepreneurial purpose through authenticity and resilience. They also consider the significance of vision boards and how powerful it is to crystallise hopes and dreams into visual, tangible representations, making the dream-building process accessible and inclusive to all, regardless of background or means.

Janet is a business strategist, creative catalyst, and self-described ‘super connector’ who takes pride in her Abenaki First Nation heritage. Based in upstate New York, she draws on her ancestral roots and wide-ranging experience in community building, entrepreneurship, and expressive arts to support others in manifesting their dreams. Her work spans diverse groups—from marginalised communities to high-net-worth individuals—focusing on inclusivity, cultural relevance, and creating spaces where authentic aspirations can take shape. Janet’s approach features vision board workshops that integrate everything from traditional collage making to AI technology, sound healing, and even music composition through platforms such as Suno, ensuring clients can see themselves in their dreams and express them in ways that feel meaningful and achievable.

Throughout their conversation, Joanne and Janet challenge listeners to recognise common blocks to pursuing dreams, such as cultural conditioning, self-doubt, and practical constraints, and offer practical strategies to move beyond them. The episode highlights the deep human need for belonging, purpose, and joy, and showcases how intentional inclusivity, creativity, and connection can help individuals and communities to thrive. A key takeaway from this episode is the invitation to actively visualise, articulate, and nurture your dreams—proving that real change begins with having the courage to imagine and the commitment to act. Listeners will be inspired to build their own vision boards and harness the power of community and creativity to turn dreams into reality.

📚 Timestamped overview

00:00 Inclusion Bites invites bold conversations on inclusion and belonging, hosted by Joanne Lockwood. Connect, reflect, and inspire change together.

04:43 A classroom inspired the speaker's full-time business, named "The Hammock Way of Life," reflecting their dream for a relaxed lifestyle.

09:12 Success requires self-belief, treating your dream like a job, consistent effort, and genuine passion.

11:05 Certified vision board coach helps clients achieve dreams; oversees global network of 50 coaches, one of whom pursued travel.

13:27 Modern vision boarding integrates AI, digital tools, sound healing, and creative activities for personal and team development.

18:22 Quit banking job after four days due to odd training, outshined by an experienced colleague, and dislike of sweater vest dress code.

19:54 Know your audience; tailor approach to their dreams and needs.

22:58 Inclusive opportunities and representation in accessible projects and media.

26:15 Started Tangway Productions, produced debut record Smell the Rain with Jay Ariel and Robert Frederick, blending dreams of lyric writing with R&B.

29:31 Creative mixed media artist and author collaborated with musicians to realise her musical vision.

33:32 The speaker dreamt of being a rock star despite lacking musical talent, leaning more towards computers and logic than creativity.

36:42 Connections lack influence without credibility.

40:57 The author tests and introspects about their biases in social settings.

42:26 Questioning if group assignments are random or intentionally based on demographics.

47:57 Aspiring global influencer writing a memoir about childhood, business, dreams, and cultural exploration.

49:54 Preferred living metaphor: a safari park, balanced between restrictive cages and unsafe wilderness.

52:47 Use apps like Suno or Create to generate songs about your vision for fun and creativity.

56:13 Joanne Lockwood thanks listeners, encourages subscribing to "Inclusion Bites," sharing the journey, and reaching out to foster inclusivity.

📚 Timestamped overview

00:00 "Inclusion Bites: Spark Change"

04:43 The Hammock Way of Life

09:12 Self-Belief Drives Success

11:05 Global Vision Board Coaching Network

13:27 Innovative Vision Boarding Methods

18:22 "Bank Job Gone Wrong"

19:54 Understanding Audience Drives Connection

22:58 Inclusive Opportunities and Representation

26:15 "Tangway Productions' First Record"

29:31 Creative Collaboration in Music Making

33:32 Rock Star Dreams Unfulfilled

36:42 "Credibility Beyond Connections"

40:57 Challenging Personal Biases

42:26 Curious About Group Formation

47:57 Global Influencer and Cultural Exploration

49:54 "Life's Three Zones Analogy"

52:47 "Vision Board Music Tool"

56:13 "Fostering Inclusion Together"

ℹ️ Introduction

Welcome to Inclusion Bites, where transformative conversations ignite change and challenge conventions in the pursuit of true belonging. In this episode, "Dreams Into Action," host Joanne Lockwood sits down with powerhouse business strategist and creative catalyst Janet Tanguay to explore the art of turning inspiration into tangible success.

Together, they journey through Janet Tanguay's experience as a super connector, her deep-rooted First Nation heritage, and her passion for creating inclusive spaces where dreams are not just imagined but made reality. Hear how vision boarding, deep cultural understanding, and embracing creativity open the door for individuals from all backgrounds—including those from marginalised communities—to define and achieve their aspirations.

From lessons in entrepreneurship and stories of making bold career leaps, to the neuroscience behind visualising success, this episode dives beneath the surface, unveiling the common threads that unite us all in the search for meaning, happiness, and a life lived authentically. Whether you’re seeking practical insight or fresh inspiration, "Dreams Into Action" will encourage you to challenge the status quo, embrace joy, and make your wildest dreams a reality.

Tune in, connect, and be inspired to take your own next step towards inclusion and self-actualisation.

💬 Keywords

inclusion, belonging, societal transformation, vision boarding, entrepreneurship, business strategy, creative catalyst, First Nation heritage, diversity, inclusive ecosystems, super connector, joy, self-employment, mindset shift, health insurance, business ownership, teamwork, vision board coaching, influencer marketing, travel dreams, aspiration, marginalised communities, family, money, health, neurodiversity, ability difference, networking, creative process, memoir writing, implicit bias

About this Episode

About The Episode:
In this enlightening episode, Janet Tanguay joins the conversation to share her powerful approach to turning inspiration into tangible results, exploring the alchemy of visioning, connection, and inclusive entrepreneurship. With a background as a business strategist and creative catalyst, Janet offers insight into how people can move beyond fear, create meaningful networks, and design their lives with intention—especially for those from diverse backgrounds. Expect actionable ideas on harnessing creativity, building community, and making dreams achievable for everyone.

Today, we'll cover:

  • The process of using vision boards with neuroscience-backed techniques to clarify goals and manifest outcomes.

  • Strategies for overcoming limiting routines and creating space for authentic dreams and ambitions.

  • Methods for fostering inclusive environments, considering the diverse aspirations and lived experiences across communities.

  • Practical pathways for entrepreneurship, including the importance of working on your business rather than solely in it.

  • The role of meaningful connections and super connecting in building supportive ecosystems and personal fulfilment.

  • Creative ways to personalise visioning—using digital and physical tools, and integrating music, AI, and expressive arts.

  • Insights on bridging differences, reading the room, and challenging biases to enable genuine belonging and empowerment.

💡 Speaker bios

Joanne Lockwood has been her own boss since the late 1990s, proudly describing herself as "unemployable" in any conventional sense. Having run her own businesses for decades, Joanne relishes the autonomy that comes with entrepreneurship. While leading teams and managing staff, she acknowledges the occasional feeling of being a "slave to the company", yet she values the freedom to make her own choices—whether to get up for work or stay at home. Ultimately, Joanne answers only to herself and her customers, enjoying a career defined by independence and self-determination.

💡 Speaker bios

Janet Tanguay – Short Bio (In Summarised Story Format)

Janet Tanguay is an inspiring voice for inclusion and societal change, known for challenging the status quo and uncovering untold stories. Her journey began with a passion for creating spaces where everyone not only belongs, but truly thrives. Through bold conversations and deep exploration, Janet guides others towards greater understanding and action, connecting people from all walks of life. Whether over a morning coffee or at the end of a long day, Janet invites everyone to reflect, share their insights, and be part of this transformative journey. Her unwavering commitment to fostering belonging continues to inspire new perspectives and drive change wherever her story is shared.

❇️ Key topics and bullets

Certainly! Here’s a comprehensive sequence of topics covered in the episode, organised with main themes and supporting sub-topics:


1. Introduction to Inclusion Bites and Guest Welcome

  • Overview of Inclusion Bites Podcast and its mission

  • Introduction of guest, Janet Tanguay, and her expertise as a business strategist and creative catalyst

  • Explanation of episode title: “Dreams Into Action”

  • Janet Tanguay’s self-description as a “super connector” and “joy filled cheerleader”

2. Janet Tanguay’s Background and Heritage

  • Janet Tanguay’s roots in upstate New York and her First Nation (Abenaki) heritage

  • Personal anecdotes about family history and growing up in Vermont

  • Connection to the reservation and the sense of belonging

3. Journey into Supporting Others’ Dreams

  • Early work helping people start businesses through organisations like the Chamber of Commerce

  • Observing universal themes in personal and business dreams across diverse cultures and backgrounds

  • Creating inclusive and psychologically safe spaces for authenticity

  • Genesis of Janet Tanguay’s business: “The Hammock Way of Life,” inspired by her own life goals

4. Transitioning from Employment to Entrepreneurship

  • Challenges and motivations in leaving traditional employment

  • Discussion of financial and psychological barriers (e.g., healthcare, stability)

  • The importance of overcoming patterns and routines to pursue one’s authentic dreams

5. Working On vs. In Your Business

  • Differentiation between working in your business versus on your business for growth and sustainability

  • The importance of delegation, contracting, and focusing on strategy

6. Life Design, Fulfilment and Ikigai

  • Integrating personal fulfilment into life and career (“Ikigai”)

  • The tendency for people to neglect their enjoyment in their professional lives

  • Overcoming fear and restrictive patterns to live chosen dreams

7. Vision Boarding: Practice and Purpose

  • What vision boarding is and how it operates

  • Tools, formats (physical and digital), and the integration of creativity and AI

  • Vision boards as tools for staff appreciation, team building, and focus on individual aspirations

  • Connections to neuroscience and the manifestation of goals

8. Real-World Examples of Vision Board Impact

  • Scepticism among participants (e.g., in engineering and banking) and evidence of mindset shift

  • Anecdotes about unexpected manifestations from personal vision boards

9. Diversity and Inclusion in Vision Board Practice

  • Customising vision board materials for marginalised or diverse communities (unhoused, neurodiverse, LGBTQ, incarcerated, high net worth, etc.)

  • Importance of cultural and personal relevance in images and methods

  • Using three-dimensional and discreet methods (e.g., cake boxes) for privacy or sensitivity

10. Insights from Different Client Groups

  • Patterns and contrasts in aspirations (e.g., health, family, money) across diverse groups

  • Reference to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a lens for interpreting vision boards

11. Creativity across Mediums: Launching a Record Label

  • The foundation and creative process surrounding Janet Tanguay’s record label, Tanguay Productions

  • Collaborative story behind her first and forthcoming music productions

  • The role of music and creative expression in Janet Tanguay’s journey

12. The Power of Social Connection

  • Janet Tanguay’s ethos of “super connecting” and building bridges

  • Mind mapping and the “Six Degrees of Separation”

  • Insights into genuine relationship-building versus transactional networking

13. Engaging with Difference, Bias, and Personal Growth

  • Practical techniques for combating bias (e.g., proactively engaging with those different from oneself)

  • Personal reflections and anecdotes from networking, events, and public transport

  • Serendipity and value in meeting people outside one’s comfort zone

14. Learning from Others and Embracing Change

  • The importance of active listening and time investment in diverse communities

  • Reflection on music as a metaphor for life’s diversity and personal transformation

15. The Role of Joy and Meaning in Long-Term Vision

  • The significance of joy, fulfilment, and giving back as enduring themes

  • Visualising and manifesting personal and professional freedom and contentment

16. Practical Tools and Recommendations

  • Use of AI and apps (e.g., Suno) to generate music aligned to vision boarding

  • Practicalities of sourcing images and overcoming logistical challenges (digital vs. physical)

17. Closing and Contact Information

  • Janet Tanguay’s upcoming memoir and other published works

  • Ways for listeners to connect with the guest and host

  • Final reflections on growth, inclusion, and finding one’s path in life


This structure captures the depth and breadth of topics, showcasing both the narrative arc and the interplay between inclusion, entrepreneurship, vision, and practical strategies for change.

{Questions this episode helps answer}
  1. Ever felt trapped by routines—wondering what it would take to break free and actually LIVE your dream? Spoiler: It’s not magic. It’s bold vision + unapologetic self-belief. Read on if you’re ready to ditch the grind and step INTO the life you keep putting on your “one day” list…

  2. Who says you can’t design your own reality? (Yes, even if you’re tangled in commitments and old mindsets). If you crave more joy, more meaning, or just a bit more YOU in your every day—this is your permission slip to rip up the rulebook…

  3. What if your dream life isn’t out of reach… just out of focus? Discover the simple mindset shift that turns wishful thinking into real-world action (and why the “impossible” only exists until someone proves otherwise).

  4. Up for challenging the status quo? Forget “settling”—what if you could trade security for authentic success AND still sleep at night? Dive in to find the practical, creative tools to make your next bold move less risky—and a lot more YOU.

  5. Craving a world where you thrive (not just survive)? This isn’t about dream-chasing—it’s about dream-DOING. Because fulfilment, freedom, and belonging aren’t just buzzwords—they could be YOUR reality. Ready to see how?

Questions Asked that were insightful

Absolutely—several questions posed in this episode led to thought-provoking and insightful responses that would work excellently as FAQs for listeners seeking both practical and reflective takeaways. Here are some standout examples:


1. What first sparked your desire to help others manifest their dreams and become a 'super connector'?

This question prompted Janet Tanguay to discuss her 13 years of experience supporting entrepreneurs from all walks of life, highlighting how universal the theme of aspiration is across diverse backgrounds. Her focus on creating safe, inclusive environments for people to express their authentic selves set a powerful foundation for the discussion.


2. What exactly is vision boarding, and how does it contribute to transforming dreams into actionable outcomes?

An explicit query about vision boarding revealed Janet Tanguay’s unique methodology, merging traditional cut-and-paste techniques with digital tools and even AI. She described how vision boards serve as practical tools for neurodiverse groups, team building, and fostering clarity of purpose—grounding the approach in neuroscience and evidence-based practice.


3. Are the dreams and aspirations you encounter similar across different communities, or are there notable differences?

When Joanne Lockwood explored how visions differ according to life circumstance, Janet Tanguay shared powerful stories from working with marginalised groups—including those in foster care and experiencing homelessness. She revealed that dreams often focus on health, stability, and family rather than purely material success, underscoring the importance of cultural awareness and empathy in this work.


4. How does your work adapt for people who may be marginalised or whose needs are not always visible?

This line of questioning led to a practical discussion of adapting workshops for accessibility—bringing cake boxes as 3D dream containers for those who may not wish to share openly, and always sourcing diverse images so participants can ‘see themselves’ in the process. There was clear consideration for neurodiversity and intersectionality throughout.


5. What common themes do you see appearing in people’s vision boards, especially for those with less traditional access to power and opportunity?

Janet Tanguay observed that family (in all its diverse forms), health, and money frequently surface as aspirations across communities, but the specifics—such as the amounts of money considered “enough”—vary widely depending on lived experience.


6. What gave you the courage to transition from conventional work to following your own path and enabling others to do the same?

Here, Janet Tanguay gave an honest account of leaving the security of a traditional job, overcoming the “fear” of stepping into uncertainty, and how she designed a business rooted in personal wellbeing and the desire to ‘be in a hammock more often’—a metaphor at the centre of her current business model.


7. How do you nurture authentic networking and connection, particularly across lines of difference?

The discussion around the “six degrees of Kevin Bacon” analogy explored genuinely connecting people for mutual benefit, rather than personal gain, and emphasised the importance of intent and integrity in building relationships.


8. What creative tools and innovations are emerging in your practice, particularly with AI?

Janet Tanguay described using AI tools, such as Suno, to creatively enhance vision-boarding exercises, allowing participants to generate original songs based on their dreams—a fusion of technology, art, and empowerment.


Each of these questions and the resulting conversations would make for engaging, reflective FAQ content—grounded in lived experience, intersectional understanding, and practical tips. Ideal for framing deeper audience engagement around inclusion, personal development, and the actionable transformation of dreams.

The standout line from this episode

A standout line from this episode is:

"I love being a cheerleader and watching other people, you know, attain their dreams and it always comes full circle. Somehow my dreams come true by helping other people."

❓ Questions

Certainly! Here are 10 discussion questions inspired by this episode of the Inclusion Bites Podcast, “Dreams Into Action,” featuring Janet Tanguay and Joanne Lockwood:

  1. How does Janet Tanguay's approach to vision boarding differ from traditional methods, and why does she believe it is a powerful tool for personal and professional development?

  2. In what ways do Janet Tanguay and Joanne Lockwood highlight the importance of understanding the unique aspirations of individuals from diverse or marginalised backgrounds?

  3. What are some of the practical steps Janet Tanguay recommends for manifesting dreams, especially for people whose starting points may be basic needs rather than luxury or travel?

  4. How does the concept of being a “super connector” support inclusion, and what traits make for an effective connector or networker?

  5. Janet Tanguay discusses the neuroscience behind vision boards. How might visual reminders reshape behaviours or focus, especially for sceptics?

  6. The episode touches on the challenges and liberation of leaving stable employment to pursue entrepreneurship. What internal and external factors need to be considered before making such a leap?

  7. Why is it crucial for facilitators and leaders to adapt their activities and materials (such as magazines or visual resources) when working with diverse audiences?

  8. What does Janet Tanguay's experience reveal about the universality and variance of people’s dreams, and how might these insights inform organisational wellbeing programmes?

  9. How do Janet Tanguay's and Joanne Lockwood’s personal stories of change illustrate the link between authenticity, creativity, and success?

  10. In the context of inclusion and belonging, what lessons can organisations take from the use of vision boarding, expressive arts, and personal storytelling to foster a sense of agency and hope?

These questions should stimulate rich conversations about inclusion, vision, and personal transformation, grounded in the themes and examples shared throughout the episode.

{FAQs from the episode}

FAQ: Dreams Into Action – The Inclusion Bites Podcast

Episode Title: Dreams Into Action
Host: Joanne Lockwood
Guest: Janet Tanguay


1. What is vision boarding, and how does it support achieving one’s dreams?

Vision boarding is a creative process where individuals assemble images, words, and symbols—either physically or digitally—to represent their aspirations, goals, and desired experiences. Janet Tanguay describes her approach as holistic, incorporating tools like AI, sound healing, and even business frameworks, tailored to the audience. The process helps individuals crystallise their ambitions, keeps goals present in daily life, and leverages neuroscience to “wire” the brain for achievement.


2. How does vision boarding adapt to different backgrounds and needs?

According to Janet Tanguay, understanding the audience is essential. She modifies her workshops to be inclusive, using methods such as cake boxes instead of poster boards for privacy, sourcing a diverse range of magazines and images to ensure representation, and adapting materials for people with different abilities and needs. Vision boards reflect Maslow’s hierarchy of needs—some focus on basic necessities while others dwell on aspirational goals.


3. Is vision boarding only for artists or creative people?

No, vision boarding is for everyone. Janet Tanguay insists that every person carries creativity within them—whether expressed through art, writing, or other mediums. The process can be adapted using digital tools like Canva, Pinterest, or AI-generated imagery, making it accessible regardless of traditional artistic skills.


4. How does Janet Tanguay define her role as a ‘super connector’?

Janet Tanguay describes herself as someone who builds bridges, linking people across backgrounds, professions, and experiences. She thrives on facilitating connections that foster growth and opportunity, using mind mapping and the “circle of influence” to nurture her network. It’s about sharing, genuine relationship-building, and allowing collaboration to create a mutually beneficial environment.


5. What challenges do people face when transitioning to entrepreneurship?

Both Janet Tanguay and Joanne Lockwood discuss the “leap” into entrepreneurship as daunting, with hurdles like losing job security and benefits, especially in places with expensive healthcare. Self-belief, overcoming fear, and adjusting habits are key. The initial years require disciplined effort, “working on the business, not just in it”, and finding the right support. Both recommend focusing on passion and purpose—if it feels too much like a ‘job', it’s less likely to succeed.


6. How do dreams differ across marginalised or underrepresented communities?

Janet Tanguay shares that vision boards from staff working with unhoused individuals, or young people in foster care, often emphasise basic needs—food, safety, belonging—rather than travel or luxury. The aspirations of each group reflect their current realities, illustrating the importance of meeting individuals “where they are”, recognising their varying definitions of success and happiness.


7. How have AI and technology furthered the vision boarding process?

Technology allows broader access and flexibility. Digital vision boards can be created with platforms like Canva or mural tools. Janet Tanguay also uses AI apps like Suno, which generate songs from the themes of your board or dream, adding an audio dimension to the visual one. AI involvement also ensures people can generate inclusive and bespoke imagery, enhancing personal resonance and accessibility.


8. What are the most common themes on people’s vision boards?

Across backgrounds, Janet Tanguay highlights family, health, and money (the amounts varying depending on circumstances) as recurring elements. The specific content and focus shift with individuals’ situations and life stages, but the underlying desire for security, happiness, and belonging is universal.


9. Can vision boarding be used for business or team development?

Yes. Vision boarding effectively supports team building, staff and volunteer appreciation, and collective goal-setting. Janet Tanguay has worked with engineers, insurance teams, and companies seeking to refresh their approach to staff engagement, fostering belonging and self-reflection in professional settings.


10. How can listeners connect with Janet Tanguay or learn more?

Listeners can visit hammockwayoflife.com or find Janet Tanguay on Amazon, LinkedIn (“Jazzy Jan”), Facebook, and Instagram. Her books, including “Unstoppable Women in Business” (contributor), her memoir, and children’s books are all avenues to explore her work further.


Find more episodes or join the conversation: Inclusion Bites Podcast
Contact Joanne Lockwood: jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk


#InclusionBites #DreamsIntoAction

Tell me more about the guest and their views

The guest on this episode is Janet Tanguay, a business strategist and creative catalyst with a reputation for being a “super connector” and a “joy filled cheerleader” dedicated to helping others manifest their dreams. Based in upstate New York, Janet Tanguay draws from a rich personal heritage, including Abenaki First Nation roots, which informs her perspective on inclusion and diverse community engagement.

Her approach centres around empowering individuals by holding space for them to be authentic and supporting them in realising their visions—professionally, personally, or creatively. Notably, Janet Tanguay champions “vision boarding” as a powerful tool for self-reflection and forward planning. For her, a vision board isn’t just a collage but a neuroscience-backed method to direct focus, articulate aspirations, and maintain clarity of purpose in both business and life. She’s trained and certified vision board coaches globally and has adapted the approach to be inclusive, taking into account neurodiversity, different abilities, and the varied lived experiences of her clients.

Janet Tanguay is sensitive to the fact that not everyone’s dreams are the same or come from a place of security and privilege. She’s worked with people across the entire spectrum—from those in marginalised and underrepresented groups to high-net-worth individuals. She recounts, for example, that when facilitating vision boarding for staff supporting the unhoused, image choices pivoted towards basics like food and shelter rather than travel, emphasising Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in action. This highlighted her belief in the necessity of “knowing the room”—understanding context and background before guiding others in visualising their future.

Connection is fundamental to Janet Tanguay’s ethos. She specialises in building bridges, seeing the latent potential in networks, and facilitating introductions that are mutually beneficial—eschewing exclusivity for genuine, values-based relationship-building.

Creativity also runs through her work and life, whether it’s writing, art, or her recent venture into owning a record label. Janet Tanguay believes everyone has an inner creative spark, and her facilitation is about drawing that out, enabling people to explore talent and passion that may have been left dormant due to circumstance or self-doubt.

At her core, Janet Tanguay is motivated by joy, connection, and the desire to foster more inclusive and supportive ecosystems—her own vision is to become a global influencer in spreading these values.

Ideas for Future Training and Workshops based on this Episode

Certainly! Drawing upon the rich conversation between Janet Tanguay and Joanne Lockwood, here are dynamic ideas for future training and workshops inspired by the "Dreams Into Action" episode:


1. Vision Boarding for Inclusion & Belonging

  • Overview: A highly practical session introducing the powerful, neuroscience-backed practice of vision boarding, adapted for diverse audiences.

  • Features:

    • Participants create vision boards (physical or digital, e.g., using Canva or Mural).

    • Discussion on cultural sensitivity when selecting images and themes, ensuring representation and belonging for all demographics.

    • Exploration of “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” visualised via vision boards to identify and support individuals’ starting points.

  • Outcome: Attendees learn to crystallise aspirations, address barriers, and envision tangible, inclusive futures.

2. Super-Connector Skills for Inclusive Leaders

  • Overview: Cultivating the art of building bridges and creating inclusive networks, inspired by Janet Tanguay’s own approach.

  • Features:

    • Mind mapping and circle of influence techniques to identify and expand helpful, diverse connections.

    • Role-play and simulation activities breaking down barriers to cross-cultural and cross-sector networking.

  • Outcome: Leaders are empowered with strategic, generous networking habits to serve diverse teams and communities.

3. Courageous Transitions: Overcoming Fear to Unlock Purpose

  • Overview: Guided activities on making major life or career changes—particularly relevant for those from marginalised or underrepresented backgrounds.

  • Features:

    • Reflective exercises on limiting beliefs and “handcuffs” (e.g., job security, societal expectations).

    • Group discussions and panels with individuals who transitioned into fulfilling self-employment or new careers.

    • Introduction to Ikigai as a practical model.

  • Outcome: Provides confidence, self-belief, and actionable steps towards authentic purpose and joy at work and in life.

4. Inclusive Storytelling: Finding and Sharing Your Voice

  • Overview: Storytelling workshops embracing intersectional identities, amplifying voices that are often unheard.

  • Features:

    • Individual and group exercises in narrative-building.

    • Safe spaces to share stories—consider using creative mediums (art, sound, AI-generated music, etc.).

    • Tools to respectfully facilitate participation from those who may not wish to be “front and centre”.

  • Outcome: Builds confidence, expands empathy, and normalises different lived experiences in your organisation or community.

5. Bias Awareness & Discomfort Zone Challenges

  • Overview: Practical explorations of unconscious/implicit bias and the power of stepping outside comfort zones, echoing Joanne Lockwood’s methods.

  • Features:

    • Guided self-reflection exercises on seating/interaction choices, illustrated with real-life scenarios.

    • Mini “inclusion experiments” for everyday environments—choosing to interact with those who differ from you.

    • Facilitated debriefs to turn awareness into action.

  • Outcome: Enhances self-awareness and supports the formation of more open, diverse teams.

6. AI and Creativity in Inclusion Work

  • Overview: Harnessing technology for a personalised, creative inclusion journey.

  • Features:

    • Hands-on with AI tools (e.g., Suno for personalised music; AI visual generators for vision boards).

    • Ethical considerations and best practices for responsible use in D&I spaces.

  • Outcome: Equips participants with tech-savvy strategies to make inclusion engaging, contemporary, and scalable.

7. Accessible Dreaming: Visioning for ALL Abilities and Backgrounds

  • Overview: Inclusion best practice for facilitating workshops with neurodiverse individuals, physically disabled people, those from foster care, the formerly incarcerated, etc.

  • Features:

    • Adaptive materials (e.g., cake box vision boards, tactile tools, participant-supplied imagery, digital alternatives).

    • Guidance for trauma-aware facilitation and supporting those with non-traditional aspirations.

  • Outcome: Forms a toolkit for genuinely inclusive facilitation, ensuring all can participate and thrive.


These workshop and training outlines are directly rooted in the methods, stories and values discussed in this episode. They offer meaningful, actionable steps towards embedding inclusion, belonging, and joy into organisational and individual practice.

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  3. Discover the Science Behind Vision Boarding and Inclusion: Transformative Results Explained | Janet @ Hammock Way of Life

Highlight the Importance of this topic on LinkedIn

💡 Powerful conversations like the latest Inclusion Bites Podcast episode, “Dreams Into Action,” are essential listening for any Senior Leader, HR professional, or EDI specialist committed to driving workplace transformation.

In this dialogue, Janet Tanguay and Joanne Lockwood dive deep into the practicalities of belonging, visioning, and creating spaces where everyone’s aspirations are valid—regardless of starting point or personal circumstance.

Why does this matter for our profession?

  • It’s a reminder that inclusion isn’t an abstract value—it’s embodied in everyday actions: holding space, knowing your audience, and making every voice count.

  • Real inclusion means understanding the individual dream—sometimes it’s health, sometimes wealth, sometimes the chance just to belong.

  • Vision boarding as a team tool or for personal reflection can help surface different needs, amplify unheard voices, and inspire genuine change.

So, how might we champion a culture where people dare to dream, and have the support to take action?

👂 Start by listening to these conversations.
💬 Facilitate space for diverse aspirations in your teams.
🔗 Embrace tools and rituals that foster real connection and personal agency.

Let’s move beyond slogans to real action. Our industry needs it—and so do our people.

#InclusionBites #EDI #Belonging #Leadership #HR #Inclusion #Diversity #InspireChange

L&D Insights

Certainly! Here are the distilled, actionable insights from the episode “Dreams Into Action” on The Inclusion Bites Podcast, specifically for Senior Leaders, HR, and EDI professionals.


Key Insights & “Aha Moments” 🎙️

1. Inclusion Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
Janet Tanguay highlights, through her work with vision boards, that people's aspirations and definitions of success are deeply influenced by their lived experience and current situation. For example, those experiencing housing insecurity were not inspired by luxury travel magazines but were motivated by images of basic needs being met, such as food and furniture. True inclusion means meeting people where they are, not where you think they should be.

2. The Power of Visualisation and Storytelling
The episode demonstrates the power of vision boarding as a practical tool for enabling marginalised and underrepresented voices to articulate hopes that may otherwise remain unspoken. Janet Tanguay uses fresh, creative approaches—like digital vision boards and music apps—that enable participation across ability levels and backgrounds, underlining the importance of accessible and adaptable engagement.

3. The Importance of Representation
Bringing in diverse magazines or using AI-generated, bespoke imagery for vision boards was flagged as a must—people need to see themselves reflected in contextually relevant materials to feel truly included and inspired.

4. Building Psychological Safety
Creating a safe space where dreams, ambitions, and vulnerabilities can be voiced without judgement is essential. Adaptations like “cake box” vision boards (allowing for privateness) showed that safeguarding psychological safety enables deeper engagement.

5. Move Beyond “Affinity Bias”
Joanne Lockwood illustrates how everyday decisions—like whom we choose to sit with—expose our implicit biases. Proactively seeking out different perspectives at work and in everyday life can disrupt affinity bias and lead to richer, more innovative solutions.


Practical Actions to Take 🚦

⬇️ What Should Senior Leaders, HR, and EDI Pros Do Differently?

  • Tailor Engagement: Assess your team’s true “starting point”. Move beyond aspirational clichés to address practical needs, especially for marginalised colleagues. Design interventions and engagement that respect Maslow’s hierarchy—don’t assume everyone is focused on the top of the pyramid.

  • Widen Representation: Audit your comms, resources, workshops, and engagement tools—if people don’t see themselves reflected in materials or examples, innovation and trust will be stifled.

  • Normalise Visioning as Development: Offer creative, safe opportunities (like vision boarding or expressive arts) for employees to express ambitions, fostering a culture of possibility and belonging.

  • Challenge and Diversify Networks: Use “six degrees of separation” thinking to forge unexpected connections. Champion cross-functional, cross-community collaborations.

  • Double Down on Psychological Safety: Consider easy wins like anonymous participation tools and “private” self-expression options to draw out quieter or minoritised voices.

  • Embed Inclusive Language and Practices: Audit for subtle exclusions in policies and everyday language; make “inclusion” more than policy—make it practice.


Aha Moments For Reflection 💡

  • Inclusion must be actively created and sustained; it is not an assumption.

  • The most powerful team motivators may be invisible unless you enable people to express them.

  • Small tweaks in toolkits—like varied imagery or flexible participation—can radically shift participation, equity, and outcomes.


In Summary

This episode is a masterclass in translating inclusive values into day-to-day business practices. The most innovative EDI interventions are human, bespoke, and flexible—because the workforce is, too.


#InclusionMatters #VisionToAction #BelongingAtWork #CultureChange #LifelongLearning

Glossary of Terms and Phrases
- **Vision Boarding**  
  Creating a physical or digital collage of images, words, or objects that represent a person’s goals, dreams, or aspirations. Used as a tool to focus intentions, clarify ambitions, and encourage action towards making those visions a reality.

- **Super Connector**  
  An individual exceptionally skilled at creating and nurturing meaningful relationships between people, often facilitating opportunities, collaborations, or mutual support.

- **Entrepreneurial Ecosystem**  
  A network or environment that fosters and supports entrepreneurial activity, including resources, connections, mentorship, and inclusive practices to encourage innovation and business creation.

- **Ikigai**  
  Borrowed from Japanese culture, it means ‘reason for being’. It represents a concept where one’s passion, mission, profession, and vocation intersect, leading to fulfilment and happiness.

- **Circle of Influence / Mind Mapping / Treasure Mapping**  
  Visual tools for mapping relationships, networks, ideas, or resources to identify connections, opportunities, or paths of progress. Here, used by Janet Tanguay for expanding business connections and goal setting.

- **Inclusive Cultures**  
  Workplace or community environments that not only accept but celebrate diverse backgrounds, experiences, and identities, ensuring everyone is valued and able to contribute meaningfully.

- **Marginalised Communities**  
  Groups excluded or disadvantaged socially, economically or politically, whose voices and needs are often overlooked or suppressed.

- **Neurodiverse Communities**  
  Groups—including individuals with neurological differences (such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia)—who benefit from inclusive practices acknowledging a broad spectrum of cognitive functioning.

- **First Nation Heritage**  
  Refers to Indigenous ancestry, particularly in the context of North American tribes, and the associated cultural heritage and rights.

- **Sweat Lodges**  
  Traditional communal spaces used in Indigenous cultures for ceremonies involving steam and ritual, often associated with purification or spiritual gatherings.

- **Business Model Canvas**  
  A strategic tool that allows for the visual representation and design of a business’s key elements (such as value proposition, infrastructure, customers, finances) often used in workshops for planning.

- **Symbiotic Relationship**  
  A mutually beneficial relationship between two different groups or individuals—here, applied to influencer marketing and partnerships between guests and venues.

- **Self-Actualisation (referenced through Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs)**  
  The process of realising and fulfilling one’s talents and potential, considered the highest personal need in Maslow’s framework; visualised through the diversity of dreams presented by participants.

- **Six Degrees of Separation / Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon**  
  The idea that everyone in the world is connected by six or fewer social connections. In business, it highlights the power of networks.

- **Ability Difference**  
  A term recognising variations in physical or intellectual abilities, promoting inclusivity rather than focusing on disabilities.

- **Sound Healers / Improv Actors (in workshops)**  
  Facilitators who use sound therapy or improvisational acting techniques as part of the creative and visioning process to unlock new ways of thinking.

- **Unhoused**  
  A respectful, modern term referring to individuals without stable or permanent housing, used in the context of inclusive workshops.

- **Stems (in music production)**  
  The separated parts of a music track (e.g., drum, vocals, bass) that can be individually manipulated in audio production; discussed in relation to AI-assisted song creation for vision boarding.
SEO Optimised YouTube Content

Focus Keyword: Turning Dreams Into Action


Title

Turning Dreams Into Action: Creating Positive People Experiences through Culture Change | #InclusionBitesPodcast


Tags

Tags: turning dreams into action, positive people experiences, culture change, inclusion, belonging, super connector, vision boarding, diversity, entrepreneurship, creativity, personal transformation, organisational culture, empowerment, inclusive leadership, authentic self, team building, business strategy, inclusive workplaces, podcast, Joanne Lockwood, Janet Tanguay, SEE Change Happen, hammock way of life, inspiration, change makers,


Killer Quote

Killer Quote: "I really wanted to create an inclusive, safe place where my job was just to hold space for people to be their authentic selves." – Janet Tanguay


Hashtags

Hashtags: #TurningDreamsIntoAction, #PositivePeopleExperiences, #CultureChange, #InclusionBites, #Diversity, #Belonging, #SuperConnector, #VisionBoarding, #InclusionPodcast, #JoanneLockwood, #SEEChangeHappen, #BusinessStrategy, #Creativity, #Empowerment, #TeamBuilding, #PersonalGrowth, #Inclusion, #Authenticity, #InspiringChange, #Leadership


Why Listen

If you’re searching for an inspiring pathway to real culture change within organisations and communities, this episode of Inclusion Bites is your go-to resource. In “Turning Dreams Into Action: Creating Positive People Experiences through Culture Change,” I, Joanne Lockwood, am joined by the extraordinary Janet Tanguay—a powerhouse business strategist, super connector, and creative catalyst—who shares her lived experience and practical toolkit for unblocking potential in yourself and others.

This conversation is not just an abstract discussion about inclusion; it’s a blueprint for taking concrete steps that turn aspirations into reality while uplifting everyone in your ecosystem. The episode is packed full of personal storeys and candid insights, drawing deeply from Janet’s blend of indigenous heritage, entrepreneurial craft, and unwavering commitment to Positive People Experiences. We deep-dive into the power of vision boarding in both individuals and teams, breaking down how this practice can transform clarity of purpose into tangible results—no matter your background or starting point.

What makes this a stand-out episode? It’s the relentless focus on inclusion as a practice, not a buzzword. We challenge the conventions of what it means to ‘belong’—be it in a business setting, marginalised community, or even amongst creative collaborators. Janet peels back the layers on her approach to business: making connections, empowering dreams, and building cultures where difference is celebrated and potential is unlocked.

Are you ready to stretch your mindset? We don’t shy away from how daunting it can be to step outside established routines—whether that be quitting a traditional job, starting your own business, or simply daring to ask ‘what is it that brings me joy?’ This episode explores the steps to overcome fears and those ‘invisible handcuffs’ of modern work, sharing how aligning your work with your purpose leads to happier, more fulfilled teams and individuals.

We talk about the “Hammock Way of Life”—Janet’s philosophy and business, born from her own drive to live authentically and help others do the same. Together, we explore actionable steps to spark culture change by:

  • Harnessing the neuroscience behind vision boarding and how visual metaphors help wire the brain for success,

  • Creating inclusive, psychologically safe environments for people from all walks of life,

  • Navigating the “ikigai” sweet spot where what you love meets what you do,

  • Drawing upon joy, family, health, and financial stability as universal motivators—which apply just as much to the unhoused, to neurodivergent and LGBTQ communities, as they do to high-flying entrepreneurs,

  • Leveraging simple, cost-effective approaches for realising dreams—by test-driving possibilities and making them vivid before taking the leap,

  • The responsibility of leaders and organisations to create cultures where every voice is heard and each dream is valid.

Expect humour, authenticity, and even a few musical interludes, as Janet shares her journey setting up a record label—proving that creativity and culture change go hand in hand.

Are you looking for practical strategies to foster culture change in your organisation, or do you simply crave Positive People Experiences that fuel long-term engagement and innovation? This episode delivers. By listening, you’ll learn how to:

  • Build bridges as a super connector, not a gatekeeper,

  • Apply vision boarding for individual and collective goal-setting, drawing on real-life examples,

  • Tailor inclusion strategies to fit the true needs of your audience—never making assumptions but empowering everyone to articulate and pursue their unique dreams,

  • Recognise the beauty and necessity of learning from different life journeys, and how these insights drive authentic culture change.

Janet gives us a behind-the-scenes look into her workshops with marginalised communities, the transformative outcomes from creative practices like cake box vision boards, and how leaders can genuinely Motivate, Communicate, and Connect on a level that ensures no one is left behind.

Most of all, “Turning Dreams Into Action” is a clarion call for anyone in HR, leadership, or social change spaces who wants to move from talk to transformation—championing Positive People Experiences as the baseline of real culture change. You’ll walk away with the confidence to read the room, adapt your approach, and foster genuine inclusion that transcends surface-level diversity initiatives.


Closing Summary and Call to Action

Let me recap the key takeaways and actionable insights from this episode—your toolkit for making dreams actionable and driving true culture change through Positive People Experiences:

  1. Vision Boarding as a Tool for Change:
    Adopt vision boarding not just as a hopeful gesture but a structured, neuroscientifically-backed practice. Encourage teams and individuals to visualise and articulate their goals. This isn’t just about ‘dreaming big’; it’s about making the abstract tangible and actionable, whether for career, wellbeing, or life aspirations.

  2. Prioritise Psychological Safety:
    Cultivate environments where every individual feels safe to express themselves fully. Like Janet said, success comes when “my job was just to hold space for people to be their authentic selves.” Inclusion is a practice—hold space, don’t dictate.

  3. Culture Change Must Be Intentional:
    Recognise that real culture change is a long-term investment, not a tick-box exercise. Leaders must commit to knowing their people, understanding backgrounds, and tailoring approaches—one size does not fit all.

  4. Harness the Power of Connection:
    Be a super connector, not a gatekeeper. Build bridges between people, ideas, and communities. Don’t hoard your networks—cultures thrive when knowledge and opportunities flow freely. This creates compounding Positive People Experiences across the board.

  5. Empower Authenticity Over Conformity:
    Move away from force-fitting people into boxes. Support others in defining and pursuing dreams on their terms. This unleashes hidden talents, creativity, and engagement that fuel cultural transformation.

  6. Inclusivity Means Meeting People Where They Are:
    Always “read the room.” Tailor your approach for neurodiverse, LGBTQ, or marginalised communities by getting to know the lived experience and aspirations of your audience. This honours individual and collective needs—inspiring everyone to participate in culture change.

  7. Celebrate Universal Drivers while Honouring Difference:
    We learned that family, health, and basic needs are universal motivators. Don’t default to material or status-driven aspirations—ensure your strategies for inclusion and engagement recognise and respect this diversity of ambition.

  8. Overcoming the Fear Barrier:
    Step out of comfort zones—be it challenging traditional working patterns, leaving a ‘secure’ job, or admitting what really brings you joy. Model vulnerability and risk-taking; this gives permission for others to do the same, accelerating culture change.

  9. Positive People Experiences Drive Productivity and Innovation:
    When employees feel safe, valued, and included, they’re more likely to contribute, innovate, and stay. Make employee experience a central plank of your organisational strategy—not just an HR add-on.

  10. Leverage Simple, Low-Cost Interventions:
    Implement changes that don’t require massive investments. Let people experience possibilities—even a test drive or a visioning session—can be a catalyst for mindset and cultural shifts.

  11. Tap Into Creative Modalities:
    Use music, art, writing, or sound healing. These break down barriers and open new channels of communication, enhancing the spirit of inclusion and belonging in teams.

  12. Make Feedback Continuous and Iterative:
    Just as vision boards evolve, revisit your culture strategies regularly. Seek feedback, measure impact, and be willing to adapt—real transformation is iterative.

  13. Word and Picture Power:
    Harness both language and imagery. Sometimes a single word on a vision board (like ‘joy’ or ‘freedom’) is enough to focus intention; other times, a picture paints the path.

  14. Encourage Cross-Pollination:
    Invite voices from all corners—organisational or otherwise. Dialogue with those you would not normally engage with; design systems that nudge people out of echo chambers and into real exchange.

  15. Lead by Example:
    Step forward as someone willing to live their dream, embrace difference, and model the behaviour you seek from others.

Action Steps:

  • Schedule a vision boarding session for your team or community group.

  • Review current organisational norms and identify steps for more inclusive culture change.

  • Start conversations with people outside your usual circles.

  • Bring creativity into strategic planning—ask, how can we make our culture more experiential and less transactional?

  • Make space for all stories, not just the loudest voices.

  • Reach out and collaborate—let’s champion Positive People Experiences everywhere.

This episode is an invitation as much as a playbook: will you stay comfortable, or will you turn dreams into action?


Outro

Thank you for tuning in to the Inclusion Bites Podcast. If you found value in our conversation about turning dreams into action, Positive People Experiences, and driving authentic culture change, please do like, subscribe, and share this video with others who care about inclusion. For more insights, resources, and episodes, visit:

  • SEE Change Happen website: https://seechangehappen.co.uk

  • The Inclusion Bites Podcast: https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen

Stay curious, stay kind, and stay inclusive - Joanne Lockwood

Root Cause Analyst - Why!

Certainly. Applying root cause analysis to the themes raised in this episode of Inclusion Bites Podcast, here are several key problems surfaced by Joanne Lockwood and Janet Tanguay:

Key Problem 1:
Marginalised individuals and communities do not always envision or pursue aspirations beyond meeting their basic needs.

Why does this problem exist?

  1. Because their immediate focus is on meeting essential requirements such as food, shelter, health, and family stability, as highlighted by Janet Tanguay when working with the unhoused and those from disadvantage ([19:54]).

  2. Why is their focus so immediate?
    Because their lived experience is marked by instability, uncertainty, and lack of resources.

  3. Why do they lack resources or experience instability?
    Due to systemic barriers such as poverty, discrimination, and limited access to enabling social structures (e.g., education, employment).

  4. Why do these systemic barriers persist?
    Because existing support mechanisms and social policies are either insufficient or not adequately tailored to address the root causes of marginalisation.

  5. Why aren’t social policies or interventions adequate?
    There is often a lack of representation, voice, and agency for marginalised groups in decision-making spaces, meaning interventions are not shaped by genuine understanding of their needs.

Summary:
The root cause is a lack of representation, agency, and tailored support for marginalised communities, which perpetuates a cycle where immediate survival supersedes long-term visioning or aspiration.

Potential Solutions:

  • Involve individuals from marginalised backgrounds in programme design and policy-making.

  • Provide targeted interventions that meet both immediate needs and longer-term empowerment (such as leadership development, vision board sessions tailored to context, and access to culturally relevant aspirational materials).

  • Foster communities of support to build resourcefulness, self-belief, and agency.


Key Problem 2:
Entrepreneurs and employees struggle to break free from the mindset of working in their business, rather than on their business, leading to burn-out, lack of vision, and limited creativity ([06:45] onwards).

Why does this problem exist?

  1. Many people hold onto the belief that business success relies purely on direct work, rather than strategic thinking, as discussed by Janet Tanguay.

  2. Why do they hold this belief?
    Because societal and organisational norms disproportionately value visible busyness over reflection, planning, and strategic risk.

  3. Why are such norms strong in business culture?
    Historically, work has been measured through tangible outputs and hours, rather than outcomes, impact or employee well-being.

  4. Why is this old measurement model so persistent?
    Businesses fear loss of control and productivity, lacking trust systems or frameworks to support alternative modes of working.

  5. Why aren’t those trust systems and frameworks adopted?
    There’s limited exposure to case studies, training, or peer-led evidence of alternative approaches, and change can unsettle leadership.

Summary:
The root cause is a deep-seated adherence to “busyness culture”, underpinned by outdated metrics, lack of trust structures, and inadequate exposure to modern, empowering business models.

Potential Solutions:

  • Embed strategic thinking, creativity, and well-being in leadership training.

  • Provide platforms and case studies to demonstrate long-term benefits of working “on”, not just “in” the business.

  • Establish systems that encourage and reward innovation, vision creation, and autonomy.

  • Pair entrepreneurs with experienced mentors who can model these behaviours.


Key Problem 3:
People from all backgrounds struggle to envision a life authentically aligned with their passions, often defaulting to societal or familial expectations.

Why does this problem exist?

  1. Because as Janet Tanguay notes, people “settle into patterns and routines” due to fear, lack of role models, or exposure to alternative ways of living ([06:05]).

  2. Why does fear dominate?
    Because failure is stigmatised and risk seldom feels safe, especially in environments with limited safety nets.

  3. Why does the environment feel unsafe for personal reinvention?
    Society often rewards conformity and punishes difference, reinforced by peer, family or cultural pressure.

  4. Why are these social pressures so successful in shaping choices?
    Many educational and professional systems do not encourage experimentation, reflection, or visioning as a skill.

  5. Why don’t those systems promote individualisation?
    The curriculum and workforce structures were built for efficiency during the industrial age, not for creativity or authentic self-expression.

Summary:
The root cause is an education-to-employment pipeline that prizes conformity and efficiency over personal vision, reflection, and creative experimentation.

Potential Solutions:

  • Integrate visioning, creativity, and reflective practices (such as vision boards or ikigai frameworks) from early education onwards.

  • Publicly champion stories of reinvention, diverse success, and creative pathways.

  • Establish networks and safe spaces for people to experiment, explore, and support each other’s authentic journeys.


Conclusion:
The challenges uncovered in this episode reflect overlapping systems—social, educational, economic—that curtail vision, reinforce survival mindsets, and reward conformity. Real inclusion and transformative change lies in providing agency, representation, and explicit permission for all to aspire, imagine, and action their authentic dreams. Solutions involve re-thinking who shapes support, what is celebrated, and how safe, accessible, and inspiring we make the journey for everyone.

{Major topics}

Turning Dreams Into Action: Six Essential Themes from My Conversation with Janet Tanguay

Meta Description:
Ready to move your dreams into action? In this deep-dive, I explore visionary team building, inclusion, creative entrepreneurship, vision boarding, connecting across communities, and the quest for joy with Janet Tanguay. Discover how to manifest your goals and create inclusive cultures that nurture belonging.


When I sat down with Janet Tanguay, described herself as a super-connector and creative catalyst, I had the distinct pleasure of exploring what it truly means to turn dreams into action. This was not a superficial chat; we delved into the neuroscience of visioning, the fabric of inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems, and how one’s own journey – from breaking free of conventional employment to creative expression – can stimulate real, collective progress. Throughout, my guiding theme was simple yet complex: how do we, as individuals and communities, cross the chasm from aspiration to actuality, especially in a world that can feel constraining or inaccessible?

Visioning Tools: From Lofty Aspirations to Attainable Goals

Right from the outset, Janet and I explored the practical magic of vision boarding as a central tool for moving dreams into action. Janet’s approach is refreshingly hands-on: a vision board is not merely a collage of images, but a neurological catalyst. She explained how rooting our ambitions with tangible imagery—be it through digital means like Canva and Pinterest, or old-school magazine cutouts—rewires our brains to start recognising and grabbing hold of the opportunities we seek. There was even a bit of neuroscience thrown in: when you keep your vision board present and visible, your mind responds, nudging you closer to those hidden opportunities. It creates a sense of inevitability around your dreams.

Curiously, Janet also shared that not all vision boards are built from luxury travel and glass-fronted homes. For some, particularly those facing adversity, a board might feature essential needs: a warm meal, a safe home, a supportive friend. The true power of the tool, she insisted, lies in the process of taking time to focus on what you want—opening a path from hope to plan, from plan to action.

Inclusion and Belonging: Understanding the Real Hierarchy of Needs

Janet’s work with people from all walks of life powerfully shaped our discussion about inclusion and belonging. When she described hosting vision board workshops with individuals from marginalised communities, I was struck by her humility: “Travel magazines are left untouched, but chairs and meals are chosen,” she recounted. This, for me, was a deep lesson in recognising the diversity of dreams. For some, aspiration is not yachts and private islands—it’s safety, health, and family.

Together, we reframed inclusion not as a corporate tick box, but as a constant re-evaluation of what motivates people at a core level. If you ask a group their dreams and notice which images never leave the table, you get an instant, visual hierarchy of needs. Inclusion, then, is not about inviting people to your table—it’s building a table where all needs and ambitions are not just expected, but respected.

Creative Entrepreneurship: Escaping the ‘Cage’ and Building a Safari Park

Janet’s own decision to step fully into entrepreneurship was a stirring narrative on the episode, especially her metaphor: instead of living in a ‘cage’ under someone else’s rules or the ‘wild’ of total uncertainty, she imagines a safari park—freedom within structure. Our debate circled on the empowerment found in breaking from prescribed corporate routines, whether to launch a new business or explore artistic passions.

The curiosity here lies in the challenge: if you could design your own habitat for thriving, what would it look like? For Janet, it was “The Hammock Way of Life”—a playful and powerful call to control one’s destiny and help others manifest a life of meaning. We reflected on how shifting from compliance to autonomy can be daunting, yet when fuelled by inclusion and connection, this leap is not only possible, but contagious.

Super-Connecting and Ecosystem Building: Creating Networks That Give Back

Janet’s superpower is being a “super-connector”—like a business Kevin Bacon, she’s often just six degrees (or fewer) from almost anyone. She emphasised the symbiotic value of connection, explaining her commitment to linking individuals with opportunities, not only within but across communities.

This raised a curiosity: in an era obsessed with personal networking for gain, what if we saw connection as community building, not currency accumulation? Our interactions, when not predatory, but rooted in genuine support, come back in unexpected ways. Sometimes, the person you connect today becomes tomorrow’s collaborator, mentor, or even a life-changing friend.

Joy as a Metric for Success: The Real Bottom Line

Janet’s approach to work and life orbits a single, radiant star: joy. We discussed why so many people, even entrepreneurs, forget to inject joy and values into their work. Instead of relentlessly pursuing status or wealth, Janet encouraged us to keep joy and personal fulfilment at the very top of our vision boards.

Here’s a point of curiosity: What would career progression look like if ‘joy’ was the main metric in your annual review? Imagine redefining success as waking up content, enthusiastic, and eager to contribute—not just meeting targets, but living purposefully.

Harnessing Creativity: From Music to Expressive Art in Everyday Life

Our conversation wound through Janet’s myriad creative outlets, from vision boarding to founding a record label, and even experimenting with AI-powered song generation using tools like Suno. Creativity, she argued, is not a luxury to be reserved for artists; it’s a vital part of human experience, accessible and essential for all.

Try this: what if you approached a business strategy or a life challenge as a painter approaches a canvas or a jazz musician approaches a riff? The curiosity here is endless—how might reframing problem-solving as a creative act unlock doors you didn’t even know existed?


Conclusion: Inclusion Is the Heartbeat of Dreams Into Action

Reflections with Janet taught me that moving dreams into action isn’t about grand gestures or overnight transformations. It’s about constructing inclusive cultures and intentional networks, visioning with both heart and mind, and keeping joy front and centre, always. If you’re ready to discover your own version of The Hammock Way of Life—or global influencer, or quiet connector—start with the fundamentals: know yourself, know your aspirations, and create a community where everyone’s actions, big or small, matter.

Join the conversation with me at Inclusion Bites as we continue exploring how inclusion fuels the journey from dreams into action. And if this resonated, perhaps it’s time to revisit your own vision board, and ask: Is joy still at the top?

Slogans and Image Prompts

Certainly! Here are memorable slogans, soundbites, and quotes sourced directly from this episode of Inclusion Bites: “Dreams Into Action”. Each comes with a suggested AI image generation prompt to create inspiring, visually engaging merchandise, as well as handy hashtags.


Slogans, Soundbites & Quotes with AI Image Prompts


1. “Ignite the Spark of Inclusion”

AI Prompt:
A vivid illustration of diverse hands holding a glowing spark or flame, with vibrant, energetic colours symbolising unity and inspiration. Include abstract patterns in the background to suggest creativity and transformative change.

Possible Hashtag:
#IgniteInclusion


2. “Turn Dreams Into Action”

AI Prompt:
A bold graphic featuring a dream cloud morphing into a stepping stone path leading into the distance, with footprints of different shapes and sizes. The landscape should be bright and optimistic, evoking growth and momentum.

Possible Hashtag:
#DreamsIntoAction


3. “Hold Space for Authentic Selves”

AI Prompt:
A warm, abstract scene with open hands forming a gentle cradle, and within the hands are silhouettes representing people of varied identities. Soft light and a pastel palette convey safety, care, and freedom.

Possible Hashtag:
#HoldSpace


4. “Be a Joyful Cheerleader for Others’ Dreams”

AI Prompt:
A dynamic image of a person leaping joyfully with a bright pom-pom, the pom-pom sparking into radiant stars. The stars turn into supportive hands reaching up, symbolising collective encouragement and community.

Possible Hashtag:
#JoyfulCheerleader


5. “When Work Feels Like Play”

AI Prompt:
Cartoonish figures juggling briefcases, paintbrushes, and musical instruments, all laughing together on a grassy hill beneath a blue sky. The mood should be light, fun, and expressive.

Possible Hashtag:
#WorkFeelsLikePlay


6. “Crystallise Your Vision”

AI Prompt:
A crystalline prism with light beams emerging, casting vivid imagery of houses, hearts, globes, and more – all floating around the prism to represent one’s aspirations vividly taking shape.

Possible Hashtag:
#CrystalliseYourVision


7. “Dreams Manifest in the Most Unexpected Ways”

AI Prompt:
An enchanting path where illustrated dreams (cars, travel, musical notes) float by like bubbles or balloons, with some popping to reveal surprising new images inside. The colours are whimsical and playful.

Possible Hashtag:
#UnexpectedDreams


8. “Read the Room, See the Vision”

AI Prompt:
A diverse group of people in a meeting, each thinking in colourful speech bubbles with images representing their unique goals. Overhead, a subtle eye motif links all thoughts together, representing perception and insight.

Possible Hashtag:
#ReadTheRoom


9. “Freedom is Finding Your Safari Park”

AI Prompt:
An uplifting, metaphorical safari scene with happy people of all kinds exploring freely within a beautiful, protected park; no cages but gentle paths and playful animals. Joy, calm, and wonder are paramount.

Possible Hashtag:
#MySafariPark


10. “Everyone Has a Creative Bone”

AI Prompt:
A radiographic, playful image of a skeleton smiling, holding a paintbrush and a saxophone, with colourful swirls and doodles radiating from the bones, symbolising inner creativity ready to burst out.

Possible Hashtag:
#CreativeBone


11. “Building Bridges, Not Walls”

AI Prompt:
Bridge imagery connecting lively, distinct neighbourhoods, with people on both sides waving or walking to meet in the centre. Bright flags flutter, and walls in the distance are dissolving into butterflies.

Possible Hashtag:
#BuildBridges


12. “Celebrate Every Step of the Journey”

AI Prompt:
A vibrant, winding road through scenic hills, dotted with milestone markers and cheerful signs, people dancing and celebrating at each stop. Symbols of achievement hang in the sky like stars.

Possible Hashtag:
#CelebrateEveryStep


You can mix and match these quotes and images depending on the theme of merchandise or campaign you are running. Every phrase draws on authentic moments and language from the episode, celebrating the energy and inclusiveness of the “Dreams Into Action” conversation.

Inclusion Bites Spotlight

Janet Tanguay steps onto this month’s Inclusion Bits Spotlight as the featured guest on our “Dreams Into Action” episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast. A powerhouse business strategist and creative catalyst, Janet Tanguay is renowned for transforming sparks of inspiration into tangible success, not just for herself but for countless others seeking an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.

As a super connector and “joy-filled cheerleader,” Janet Tanguay draws from an eclectic heritage and a personal career journey that began with supporting aspiring business owners from every walk of life. Her ethos is rooted in creating spaces of authenticity, where dreams and ambitions are elevated—be they personal, professional, or community-centred. Her commitment to visioning is more than motivational; it’s deeply practical, empowering those from marginalised and underrepresented backgrounds to visualise and claim their futures.

Through vision boarding—a process she champions with neuroscience-backed insight—Janet Tanguay demonstrates how crafting one’s dreams is more than an act of hope, but a structured practice for personal and collective empowerment. Whether facilitating teams, coaching aspiring entrepreneurs, or collaborating with neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, and First Nation communities, her work adapts to the aspirations that matter most to each person and group.

Janet Tanguay also embodies the principle that creativity knows no bounds. From running her own record label and authoring children’s books to pioneering expressive arts workshops, she navigates the intersection of culture, connection, and business with infectious enthusiasm.

This episode spotlights not only Janet Tanguay’s own journey, but also the universal need to make space for joy, connection, and authentic expression in pursuit of inclusive success. Her story is a compelling reminder that the spark of possibility lives within each of us—and that with the right support, dreams really can move into action.

Tune in to discover how vision, inclusion, and courageous curiosity can shape not just businesses, but lives and communities for the better.

10 Question Quiz

Inclusion Bites Podcast: “Dreams Into Action”
Quiz Based on Host Insights


1. What core concept does Joanne Lockwood introduce as the primary aim of Inclusion Bites?
A. Technical innovations
B. Surface-level conversation
C. Disrupting norms through real conversations that drive change
D. Promoting musical expertise

2. According to Joanne Lockwood, what is a key benefit of working for oneself?
A. Always having guaranteed income
B. Being free from health insurance concerns
C. Having the ultimate power to decide daily actions
D. Avoiding networking entirely

3. Which Japanese concept does Joanne Lockwood reference to discuss living a fulfilling life?
A. Kaizen
B. Bushido
C. Ikigai
D. Zen

4. What does Joanne Lockwood identify as a challenge many people face when pursuing their dreams?
A. Having too much support
B. Remaining stuck earning a living without enjoyment
C. Lack of business models
D. Overabundance of free time

5. While discussing the entrepreneurial journey, what routine does Joanne Lockwood state is hard to break?
A. The habit of vision boarding
B. The fear of letting go of control
C. Equating harder work with higher income
D. Always working on business strategy

6. What analogy does Joanne Lockwood use to describe the freedom she seeks in life?
A. Running a marathon without stopping
B. Wildlife living on the Serengeti, a safari park, and a cage
C. The branches of a tree
D. Staring at the stars

7. In group visioning exercises, what does Joanne Lockwood stress about in terms of aspirations from marginalised groups?
A. Everyone aspires to travel the world
B. Aspirations often centre on immediate needs, such as food and security
C. Most people only want fame
D. All vision boards include travel magazines

8. According to Joanne Lockwood, what is an effective way to overcome biases and connect with diverse individuals?
A. Avoiding conversation with new people
B. Testing personal biases by choosing to engage with those who seem different
C. Only networking online
D. Restricting interactions to one’s peer group

9. What practical approach does Joanne Lockwood suggest for those struggling to crystallise their vision?
A. Focusing exclusively on words
B. Creating a vision board with images representing aspirations
C. Only setting generic goals
D. Avoiding visual planning methods

10. How does Joanne Lockwood describe the overall aim of the Inclusion Bites Podcast?
A. To entertain listeners with celebrity stories
B. To provide actionable, inspiring discussions that foster a more inclusive world
C. To present unrelated business tips
D. To promote personal branding


Answer Key and Rationale

1. C — Joanne Lockwood positions Inclusion Bites as a platform for “bold conversations that spark change,” aiming to challenge and disrupt the status quo through real, meaningful talks about inclusion.
2. C — She speaks about the freedom of choosing whether to work or rest each day, highlighting decision-making power as a benefit of self-employment.
3. C — Joanne Lockwood directly mentions “ikigai” as the Japanese inspiration for finding fulfilment in life.
4. B — She points out that many are stuck “earning a living” and never align their work with what they enjoy, thus missing out on fulfilment.
5. C — She reflects on the challenge of breaking the link between “the harder I work, the more I make,” a common mindset among small business owners.
6. B — The analogy refers to not living in a cage (restriction), or being wild (chaos), but existing in a safari park (freedom with boundaries).
7. B — When discussing visioning with staff supporting the unhoused, Joanne Lockwood notes that their dreams centred on food and security rather than aspirational travel, illustrating the focus on meeting basic needs.
8. B — She admits to self-challenging her own implicit bias by deliberately engaging with people she initially feels hesitant about, encouraging meaningful inclusive interaction.
9. B — Joanne Lockwood explains the value of creating vision boards—using images to clarify aspirations—as a tool for realising one’s dreams.
10. B — The podcast aims to “challenge, inspire and unite us all” through actionable and enriching narratives that motivate real inclusion.


Summary Paragraph

The Inclusion Bites Podcast, guided by Joanne Lockwood, is dedicated to nurturing change through conversations that challenge established norms and ignite inclusion. With self-employment, she emphasises the empowerment that comes from personal agency and the ability to shape one’s own journey. Drawing inspiration from concepts like ikigai, Joanne Lockwood recognises the importance of aligning work and passion, addressing the persistent challenge of breaking out of routines that prioritise survival over fulfilment. Her safari park analogy reflects her nuanced take on practical freedom—valuing boundaries that support, rather than restrict, one’s well-being. When working with marginalised communities, she draws attention to the immediacy of their aspirations, often rooted in securing basic needs. Advocating for the proactive dismantling of personal biases, Joanne Lockwood highlights the power of connecting across differences. She encourages the crafting of vision boards as a means to make aspirations tangible, reinforcing that the Inclusion Bites Podcast exists to motivate, inspire, and shape a more inclusive and understanding world through actionable insights.

Rhyme Scheme and Rhythm Podcast Poetry

Dreams Beyond the Hammock

In quiet folds of morning light,
Where dreams and fears are born,
A spark ignites the will to fight
And shape new paths from worn.
Through heritage and tapestry,
From village, street, and tribe,
We learn that hope’s capacity
Depends on those beside.

Not all aspire for gold or fame,
But health and love and rest;
A sofa soft, a simple name,
To know we’ve done our best.
For visions grow on paper trees—
In sketches, glue, and sound—
Where roots of neurodiversity
Beneath our boards are found.

Release the cage, design the park,
Reveal a freer view,
Embrace the joyful, kindred spark
That thrives in all we do.
From subtle sign to silent wish,
A Buddha on the wall;
Manifest in tunes or cherished dish—
Our story, told in all.

So dance your dreams and share your tales—
Unite both near and far;
Creation sails where courage prevails,
We see how strong you are.
Let vision board and music blend
Where every voice belongs,
And journeys start from journey’s end,
With hope sung out in songs.

For richer chats and mindful themes,
Subscribe and let friends know—
Together we’re composing dreams
Where seeds of change will grow.

with thanks to Janet Tanguay for a fascinating podcast episode

Key Learnings

Key Learning & Takeaway

The central takeaway from this episode of Inclusion Bites is the transformative power of visioning and authentic connection in manifesting individual and collective dreams, particularly within diverse and often marginalised communities. Janet Tanguay demonstrates that with inclusive tools like vision boarding and an emphasis on super-connecting, people from all backgrounds can clarify their aspirations, overcome systemic barriers, and translate intention into meaningful action. The episode underscores the significance of meeting people where they are, harnessing creativity, and building ecosystems that support everyone’s journey—reminding us that inclusion starts with seeing, hearing, and empowering each unique story.


Point #1: Vision Boarding as a Catalyst for Change
Vision boarding, as detailed by Janet Tanguay, is much more than a craft activity—it’s a neuroscience-backed methodology that helps individuals crystallise and pursue their goals. By making dreams visible and tangible, people are more likely to identify opportunities and take practical steps towards achieving them.

Point #2: The Importance of Meeting People Where They Are
The conversation revealed that dreams differ vastly based on people’s lived experiences and current realities. Janet Tanguay shared powerful stories of facilitating vision board sessions for groups such as the unhoused, neurodiverse, and foster care communities—demonstrating the necessity of tailoring approaches to individual needs and backgrounds.

Point #3: Super-Connection Fosters Community and Opportunity
As a “super-connector,” Janet Tanguay builds bridges across sectors, helping others unlock resources, mentorship, and support networks. Genuine connection—free from personal agenda—was shown to catalyse innovation, uplift marginalised voices, and create ripple effects far beyond initial introductions.

Point #4: Creativity and Play for Personal and Professional Growth
The episode champions leaning into creativity—whether through music production, expressive arts, or unconventional business strategy. Janet Tanguay’s experiences highlight that when work feels like play, and when people are empowered to tap into their authentic selves, both joy and productivity flourish.


Listeners are left with the recognition that inclusion is both an outcome and an ongoing practice: by intentionally visualising what we want, making space for authentic dialogue, and reaching beyond our own bubbles, we enable ourselves and others to move dreams into action.

Maxims to live by…

Maxims to Live By: Dreams Into Action

  1. Embrace authenticity and invite others to do the same.

  2. Honour and celebrate your heritage as a source of strength.

  3. Construct safe, inclusive spaces where all voices matter.

  4. Recognise that dreams are universal, even if their shape differs.

  5. Visualise your aspirations clearly—what you see, you are more likely to reach.

  6. Step beyond routine and dare to disrupt unhelpful patterns.

  7. Let passion drive your work—when work feels like play, fulfilment follows.

  8. Value connections; being a ‘super connector’ enriches you and others.

  9. Share successes and help others manifest their ambitions—your joy is amplified in community.

  10. Read the room; truly know your audience before you begin to lead or help.

  11. Appreciate Maslow’s hierarchy—dreams change according to one’s stage and circumstance.

  12. Allow for difference in every group; true inclusion means seeing and celebrating diversity.

  13. Resist being ‘locked in’—leap for what you love, even when it brings risk.

  14. Invest in your growth, both professional and personal; work on your life, not just in it.

  15. Understand that breaking the mould requires intention—growth rarely happens by accident.

  16. Collaboration beats isolation; together, individuals multiply potential.

  17. Be open to serendipity—follow the unexpected signs and synchronicities.

  18. Nurture curiosity: seek out strangers, converse with those outside your usual circles.

  19. Everyone holds creative potential: artistry is not the reserve of the traditionally talented.

  20. Don’t be bound by others’ limitations or views; think, experience, and learn for yourself.

  21. Practice gratitude—recognise those who help you, and offer your support freely in return.

  22. Make space for reflection—slow down and savour your journey, not just the outcome.

  23. Admit and confront your biases; challenge your assumptions regularly.

  24. Treasure joy as both the path and the goal—put it at the top of your vision.

  25. Practice the art of visioning: create, articulate, and revisit what you seek.

  26. Choose freedom defined by self-direction and self-respect, not the absence of all limits.

  27. Family, health, and joy—never undervalue these perennial essentials.

  28. Continue to grow; it’s fine not to have all the answers about ‘who you want to be’ yet.

  29. Remember: it’s not just about getting there, but about being transformed along the way.

  30. Inclusion, curiosity, and joy—let these be the pillars for all your actions.

Extended YouTube Description

Inclusion Bites Podcast: Dreams Into Action — Turn Your Vision Into Reality!

Welcome to another transformative episode of the Inclusion Bites Podcast, where host Joanne Lockwood sits down with powerhouse business strategist and creative catalyst Janet Tanguay. Discover expert insights on inclusive entrepreneurship, vision boarding, and actionable strategies for manifesting your dreams—whether you're a DEI leader, HR professional, or passionate changemaker.

⏰ Timestamps for Easy Navigation:

  • [00:00] Introduction to Inclusion Bites & Host Joanne Lockwood

  • [01:14] Meet Janet Tanguay: Business Strategist & Creative Catalyst

  • [02:01] Janet’s Abenaki First Nation Heritage

  • [04:03] Becoming a Super Connector: Janet's Journey

  • [06:05] Breaking Free from Patterns: Building Your Own Path

  • [08:07] The Power of Vision Boarding in Business & Life

  • [12:42] Visioning Without Limits: Making Big Dreams Accessible

  • [19:25] Building Inclusive Spaces in Marginalised Communities

  • [22:22] Vision Boards & Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

  • [26:15] Creative Pursuits: From Record Label Owner to Collaboration

  • [35:01] The Art of Super Connecting: Building Real Networks

  • [40:57] Challenging Unconscious Bias & Meeting New People

  • [48:00] What's at the Top of Your Vision Board?

  • [52:47] Tools & AI for Visioning Success

  • [54:53] How to Connect with Janet Tanguay

  • [56:13] Closing Reflections on Inclusive Change


✨ About This Episode:

In “Dreams Into Action,” Joanne Lockwood welcomes Janet Tanguay for an inspiring discussion packed with real-world advice for anyone seeking to ignite positive change. Dive in as Janet shares her journey as a super connector—helping people across backgrounds turn aspirations into achievable goals through visioning, creative collaboration, and inclusivity.

Key Takeaways:

  • Vision Boarding Unveiled: Learn how vision boarding, when paired with neuroscience and AI tools, can help crystallise objectives and make success tangible—even on a budget.

  • Inclusion in Action: Explore how to tailor motivation and support for diverse teams, including marginalised and neurodiverse communities, ensuring everyone’s dreams are heard and realised.

  • Building True Networks: Gain practical tips on meaningful networking, such as mind mapping, embracing serendipity, and the ethics of connections—essentials for emerging and established leaders.

  • Adaptive Art & Music: Discover how creativity fuels resilience and growth, including how Janet’s foray into music production and expressive arts enhances her coaching and strategy work.

  • Personal Empowerment: Be inspired by stories of overcoming career ruts, self-doubt, and the constraints of traditional roles—and how making bold leaps can unlock fulfilment and freedom.

Benefits for Listeners:
This episode is essential listening for HR professionals, DEI advocates, entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking to nurture authentic leadership and build inclusive cultures. The conversational, expert-led approach offers not only inspiration but hands-on prompts—like leveraging digital tools for visioning and reflecting on personal biases—to elevate both daily practice and long-term strategy.


🔔 Ready to spark change in your work and life?

  • Subscribe for weekly episodes with actionable DEI insights: Inclusion Bites Podcast

  • Visit our website for resources, guest information, and to share your inclusion journey.

  • Share this episode with peers who believe in driving real, positive transformation.

💬 We want your voice! Comment below: What’s at the top of your vision board? How do you foster inclusion in your world?


Suggested Hashtags:
#InclusionBites #DiversityAndInclusion #VisionBoarding #InclusiveLeadership #HRPodcast #BusinessStrategy #ManifestYourDreams #DEI #PersonalDevelopment #SuperConnector #Entrepreneurship #JoanneLockwood


Experience the journey from dreams to action—one powerful conversation at a time.
For direct questions or to appear on a future episode, email Joanne at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk.


Strap in for bold, actionable insights that go beyond the basics. Listen, reflect, and put your dreams into motion with the Inclusion Bites Podcast!

Substack Post

Turning Dreams Into Action—Building Belonging from Vision to Reality

Have you ever noticed how often we talk about inclusion and belonging, yet when it comes to turning these ideas into lived reality, many of us (and our organisations) get stuck in a loop of theory and good intentions? We celebrate "diversity" and "innovation" in the boardroom, but do we make space for our authentic dreams—and those of the people around us?

On this episode of Inclusion Bites, I explore how we can turn our daydreams, aspirations, and deeply held hopes into real steps towards equity and profound belonging. Episode 202, "Dreams Into Action," features the unstoppable Janet Tanguay: business strategist, creative catalyst, and self-proclaimed “super connector,” who has helped thousands unlock what’s possible—one vision at a time.


Making Space for Dreams: Where Inclusion Gets Practical

Inclusion isn’t just a buzzword—it’s about shaping cultures where everyone is seen, heard, and enabled to thrive. But what does this look like for people at different rungs of the ladder, with divergent backgrounds, hopes, and lived experiences?

In my conversation with Janet Tanguay, we get right to the heart of these questions. We discuss the barriers that keep people from dreaming big (and often, from dreaming at all), the invisible pressure to fit in, and how we can nurture genuinely inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems. This episode will ring true for:

  • HR professionals looking to ignite staff engagement by shifting from tick-box to transformational inclusion;

  • D&I leaders hungry for tools that bridge aspiration into access and tangible impact;

  • Talent and Recruitment specialists charged with attracting—and retaining—diverse potential;

  • Organisation and L&D leads seeking practical strategies to foster belonging and learning for all.

Janet Tanguay’s career spans start-up support, vision boarding, and championing those whose dreams are routinely minimised or overlooked. She brings a First Nation (Abenaki) heritage to the conversation, sharing how her background shaped her approach to holding inclusive and psychologically safe spaces. Whether talking about serving communities facing marginalisation or supporting high-flyers to find deeper fulfilment, she cuts through the jargon and gets to what really unlocks growth: authenticity and connection.


A Feast of Insights for Culture-Driven Leaders

Let’s pick out some of the actionable nuggets from my chat with Janet Tanguay—takeaways you can use right now, whether you lead a team or want to shake up your own professional purpose:

  1. Dreams Are Not One-Size-Fits-All—Meet People Where They Are
    Too often, we assume ambition should fit a set pattern: career progression, more money, or power. What happens when the dream is simply having a home, a safe meal, or the ability to take a breath and slow down? Janet Tanguay shared how, when leading vision board sessions with staff supporting the unhoused, travel magazines went untouched—while images of food and safety took centre stage. The message? Equity starts with understanding and honouring what truly matters to each person.

  2. Connection Is Contagious: The Power of Super Connecting
    I call myself 'unemployable' (in the best way!), but it’s the power of choice and connection I value. Janet Tanguay links people not just for transactional gain, but to spark joy, collaboration, and support. By mind-mapping her circles of influence and embracing the “six degrees of Janet,” she demonstrates how expanding networks with generosity can uplift everybody, not just the well-connected.

  3. Vision Boards as Inclusive Tools for Growth, Not Just Manifestation
    Vision boarding isn't about sticking up images of sports cars and mansions. Done well, it’s a powerful, accessible tool—helping individuals and teams state their goals, visualise what they want, and take concrete steps towards them. Whether digital or hands-on, these visual metaphors help move people from “getting by” to “what’s possible”, whatever their starting point.

  4. Harness Neuroscience: See It, Be It
    We spoke about the brain’s “reticular activating system”—how regularly seeing an image or word primes your mind to notice opportunities. Janet Tanguay shared anecdotes of dreams taking shape in unexpected ways (putting a Buddha on her board manifested as a trip to a temple in China—proof dreams aren’t always literal, but powerful all the same).

  5. Genuine Inclusion Means Creating Tools Everyone Can Access
    From using cake boxes (so participants can privately tuck away goals they don’t wish to share) to printing diverse cultural images, Janet Tanguay reminds us it’s our responsibility to make visioning exercises truly available to all—whatever their ability, neurotype, or background.


A Taste of the Conversation—Watch the Audiogram

Curious to see what this looks like in practice? I’m excited to share a short video snippet from the episode—a chance to witness a powerful moment where we discuss the nuance of dreams and inclusion. Take one minute out of your day to watch and reflect on how small actions can have a ripple effect in shaping equitable cultures. Watch the audiogram now.


Join the Full Journey—Listen, Reflect, Share

This conversation was never about fluffy inspiration or empty "you can do it" platitudes. If you’re serious about igniting equitable, inclusive cultures—where dreams are named, claimed, and supported—this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here: https://url.seech.uk/ibs202

I’d love for you to share this episode with your HR leaders, Talent Managers, and anyone in your network hungry for authentic inclusion. Nurture these crucial conversations in your next team meeting, learning session, or even over a coffee with a colleague who’s feeling overlooked.

Your shares help fuel this movement—let’s ensure everyone gets the chance to put their dreams into action.


Pausing for Thought

As you mull over our discussion, ask yourself: When was the last time you made space—truly made space—for someone else’s dream at work, however modest or audacious it might have sounded? What practical step could you take this week to move your team, or your organisation, towards a place where every person is able to dream out loud—knowing their vision will be held and heard?

Until next time, let’s keep redefining the world of work: not as it is, but as it could be—one bold, inclusive action at a time.

Warm regards,

Joanne Lockwood
Host of the Inclusion Bites Podcast
The Inclusive Culture Expert at SEE Change Happen


Stay Connected

  • Learn more at seechangehappen.co.uk

  • Let’s connect on LinkedIn for ongoing insights and discussions

  • Follow me on YouTube and TikTok for bitesize inclusion content

Have a story about dreams, belonging, or inclusion? Drop me a line at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk—I always want to hear from you.


What structures or rituals can you create in your team to ensure no dream—big or small—gets left behind?

Song Lyrics from Episode

[Title
Dreams in the Frame]

[Synopsis
Episode 202 — Inspired by “Dreams Into Action”: Through the lens of vision boarding, this track explores the leap from longing to living, safety to self-belief. Real conversations on inclusion, fear, and hope meet in acoustic light — honest, driven, and generous. Set to gentle indie pop and grounded by unwavering female vocals, it’s a song about turning communal yearning into movement, and holding space for each person’s story.]

[Vibe
Acoustic indie pop with retro traces of country. Fingerpicked guitar and ambient pads for verses; warm, steady percussion builds in the choruses. Think heartfelt yet quietly bold female vocals. Instruments drop in and out for dynamics; bridge introduces piano and soft stacked harmonies. Slow fade with electric guitar echoes and brushed drums.]

Lyrics
[Verse 1]
I put my dream on a paper sky,
Waiting for daylight to call me alive.
Chasing belonging from townlines to tribes,
It’s food and a chair, not money or flight.
All these faces, wanting one thing —
A safe place to try.

[Verse 2]
Sometimes a sweater vest makes you run
From all the cages you’re told to become.
Traded my fears for a voice in the sun,
Carved out a corner with laughter and drums.
Maybe the journey is just
Learning how to jump.

[Pre-Chorus]
If the road looks lonely,
If you’re tucked behind your hope,
Look again — the light’s not only
Where the finished people go.

[Chorus]
Hold your dream in the frame,
Give the grit, give the grace.
Every story needs a witness,
Every vision needs a place.
If you’re reaching for the line
Between surviving and alive,
Hold your dream — let it shine,
Dreams in the frame tonight.

[Instrumental break]
[Soft guitar solo shadowed by synth pads. Percussion drops to handclaps; humming motif beneath.]

[Verse 3]
So bring your laughter, or your scars,
All you need is who you are.
It’s family, health, a little cash,
It’s being seen — not coming last.
We’re drawing futures out of heartbeats,
Every moment, a brand new start.

[Pre-Chorus]
If the fear feels final,
If you’re folding up your spark,
Come and build another spiral
With the tenders in the dark.

[Chorus]
Hold your dream in the frame,
Give the grit, give the grace.
Every story needs a witness,
Every vision needs a place.
If you’re reaching for the line
Between surviving and alive,
Hold your dream — let it shine,
Dreams in the frame tonight.

[Bridge]
[Stripped back; piano and layered harmony]
Turn the page, put your hands on the glass;
Paint your hope, let the judgement pass.
If you see a sign, let it lead you home —
You don’t have to leap alone.

[Final Chorus — Elevated, all instruments in]
Hold your dream in the frame,
Give the grit, give the grace.
Every heartbreak needs forgiveness,
Every journey finds its place.
If you’re dancing with the edge
Or just learning how to try,
Let your story light the sky —
Dreams in the frame tonight.

[Outro/Instrumental fade]
[Guitar and pad textures linger; soft harmonies repeat “Dreams in the frame tonight” as all fade out. Drums ebb, last chord sustained.]

Hubspot Import format

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202,Dreams Into Action,,,,,,,,Joanne Lockwood,Janet Tanguay,"Discover practical strategies for turning vision into reality, focusing on inclusion, connection, and authentic aspiration.","Joanne Lockwood welcomes Janet Tanguay, a business strategist and creative catalyst, to explore how visioning and connection shape inclusive, flourishing lives and careers. Janet shares her journey, including her First Nation heritage, and discusses techniques like vision boarding and creating bespoke, low-barrier tools that centre the lived experience of all communities—including those sometimes marginalised by circumstance or identity. The conversation delves into mindsets for self-belief, the power of sharing ambitions, and the realities of entrepreneurship, reflecting on how aspirations can be shaped by one’s background and sense of belonging. Lessons around the importance of understanding your audience, making space for authenticity, and designing for genuine inclusion feature prominently, alongside lighter conversations on music, creativity, and personal growth.",,,,,Careers, Growth & Confidence,"Belonging,Authenticity,Community & Connection,Confidence & Self-worth,Change & Transformation,Psychological Safety,Resilience",Race & Ethnicity,Mental Health & Wellbeing,Culture Change & Belonging,Wellbeing & Resilience,Lived Experience Stories,"E202 – Dreams Into Action","",'E202 – Dreams Into Action | Discover practical strategies for turning vision into reality, focusing on inclusion, connection, and authentic aspiration. | Joanne Lockwood welcomes Janet Tanguay, a business strategist and creative catalyst, to explore how visioning and connection shape inclusive, flourishing lives and careers. Janet shares her journey, including her First Nation heritage, and discusses techniques like vision boarding and creating bespoke, low-barrier tools that centre the lived experience of all communities—including those sometimes marginalised by circumstance or identity. The conversation delves into mindsets for self-belief, the power of sharing ambitions, and the realities of entrepreneurship, reflecting on how aspirations can be shaped by one’s background and sense of belonging. Lessons around the importance of understanding your audience, making space for authenticity, and designing for genuine inclusion feature prominently, alongside lighter conversations on music, creativity, and personal growth.',

Listicle with Image Recommendations

10 Ways to Turn Dreams Into Action: Insights From Inclusion Bites

  1. Embracing Your Heritage for Empowerment

    • Recommendations:

      • A photograph of tribal or cultural artefacts

      • A close-up of a person holding their ancestral map

      • Portraits of diverse people standing proudly in traditional attire

  2. The Power of Vision Boarding

    • Recommendations:

      • A collage of cut-out magazine images and inspirational words

      • Hands arranging pictures on a colourful vision board

      • Digital screenshots of a vision board created in Canva or Pinterest

  3. Letting Go of the Conventional Path

    • Recommendations:

      • A silhouette of someone gazing towards a sunrise, symbolising new beginnings

      • A pair of empty business shoes on a sandy beach

      • An open gate leading to a wide, unexplored landscape

  4. Creating Inclusive Spaces for All Dreams

    • Recommendations:

      • A group of people from diverse backgrounds sitting in a circle, brainstorming

      • An accessible venue with signs for inclusion (ramps, interpreters)

      • Smiling faces participating in a team visioning session

  5. Harnessing Neuroscience to Realise Aspirations

    • Recommendations:

      • Brain scan imagery or stylised illustrations of neural pathways

      • A person pinning a specific goal to a vision board

      • An individual journaling while looking thoughtful and inspired

  6. Expanding Your Network as a Super Connector

    • Recommendations:

      • Interlinked hands in a web, showcasing unity through connection

      • A mind map on a whiteboard with names and lines connecting them

      • Networking event with joyful participants exchanging information

  7. Navigating Socioeconomic Realities in Dreambuilding

    • Recommendations:

      • Vision boards with images of basic needs (food, shelter) beside luxury aspirations

      • A person holding a paper house and a paper car

      • Hands exchanging different denominations of currency above a vision board

  8. Creativity Beyond the Arts—Finding Your Medium

    • Recommendations:

      • Various art tools (paint, instruments, digital tablets) laid out on a table

      • Children and adults freely expressing themselves through different creative forms

      • Close-up of hands sculpting clay, drawing, or playing a musical instrument

  9. Challenging Implicit Bias by Seeking Difference

    • Recommendations:

      • Diverse individuals engaging in one-on-one conversation at a café

      • A bus or train with passengers of various ages, styles, and backgrounds

      • Two people from contrasting generations laughing together over coffee

  10. Using Technology & AI to Fuel the Dream Journey

    • Recommendations:

      • Someone using a laptop to create a digital vision board with AI-generated imagery

      • An AI app interface generating lyrics or music about a dream

      • A futuristic image of human and robot hands collaboratively sketching out an idea


For more inspiration and practical stories, listen to the full episode at Inclusion Bites: Dreams Into Action.

Big Ideas from the Episode

The Big Idea: "Dreams Into Action" — Empowerment Through Inclusive Visioning

This episode of the Inclusion Bites Podcast explores how individuals from all walks of life can turn their dreams into reality by harnessing the power of visioning and inclusive connection. Joanne Lockwood welcomes Janet Tanguay, a business strategist and creative catalyst, to unpack how vision boarding—a process of visualising aspirations using physical or digital boards—can help people of diverse backgrounds, including those from marginalised communities, to identify, articulate, and pursue their goals.

Key themes include:

  • Universal Nature of Aspiration: No matter someone’s background, everyone harbours aspirations—yet these dreams reflect different needs depending on lived experience and context. For some, it might mean financial security; for others, belonging or joy.

  • Visioning as a Practical Tool: Vision boards are positioned as more than just creative exercises; they're validated by neuroscience as methods for focusing intent, fostering self-belief, and unlocking new pathways for personal and professional progress.

  • Inclusive Practice: Janet Tanguay highlights the importance of tailoring visioning exercises—using relevant images, language, and opportunities for privacy—to resonate with diverse participants, ensuring everyone sees themselves represented and valued.

  • Networking and Connection: The concept of the “super connector” is celebrated; facilitating bridges between people isn’t about personal gain but about mutual uplift and expanding collective opportunity.

  • Moving Beyond Limiting Patterns: Both speakers discuss the necessity of breaking out of prescribed routines, whether that's employment patterns or comfort zones, to claim agency and freedom.

At its heart, the episode champions the idea that fostering imagination within inclusive, psychologically safe environments is a catalyst for real, actionable change. The evolving use of digital tools and AI in these visioning practices demonstrates how technology can further this work while maintaining a human-centred approach.

For L&D leaders and practitioners, this conversation is a call to create spaces (both physical and virtual) where dreaming and doing are accessible to all—backed by research, empathy, and a refusal to settle for exclusion.

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