How I Shared the Spotlight with Mark Carney, Canada’s 24th Prime Minister

In 2011, I found myself sharing the spotlight with none other than Mark Carney—then Governor of the Bank of Canada, and now Canada’s 24th Prime Minister. It’s a story that raised a few eyebrows back then, and one that’s still worth revisiting today.

That year, Advisor.ca launched a national poll called “Name That Visionary,” inviting readers across Canada to nominate and vote for financial services professionals they believed were shaping the future of the industry. To even make the voting list, one had to receive 10 to 20 nominations from peers and supporters. Once the list was set, the public was invited to vote for the top visionaries.

I reached out to my readership through social media—LinkedIn, Facebook, and email—explaining the nomination criteria and inviting those who felt my work was making a difference to lend their support. Thanks to the incredible response from my community, I received enough nominations to make the Top 20 list.

And it wasn’t just any list. It included names like Mark Carney—yes, that Mark Carney—who would go on to become Governor of the Bank of England and, as of April 28, 2025, Canada’s newly elected Prime Minister.

To be recognized alongside such a globally respected leader was an incredible honor. And it didn’t stop there: after the voting concluded, I was announced as the second-place finalist in the national poll.

Here’s the direct quote from the Advisor.ca article:

“Closing out the top five in the reader poll were Simon Reilly (the founder of Leading Advisor Inc.), Robert Frances (the founder, president and CEO of PEAK Financial Group), Keith Brown (Daystar and president, founder of Financial Confidence Advisors Inc.) and CIBC Toronto’s director, tax & estate planning and regular Advisor.ca columnist, Jamie Golombek.”
Read the full article here: And the visionary award winner is…

This experience taught me two things that still hold true today:

1. Social Media Is a Serious Force
   Back in 2011, many professionals were still skeptical about the value of social media in a B2B or financial services context. But my placement in the Advisor.ca poll proved just how influential an engaged readership could be. This wasn’t about buying followers or flashy promotions—it was about authentic connection and delivering consistent value over time. In fact, back then, I was blogging every single day.

2. Being a Visionary Isn’t Reserved for the Big Names
   You don’t have to be a central banker to influence the financial services profession. Visionaries come in many forms: founders, coaches, strategists, educators, and yes—even those who rally support from their community to spark meaningful change. Recognition comes from impact, not just title.

I share this story because the principles behind it—vision, service, and community—still matter today. In fact, they matter more than ever.

Today, I carry that same spirit forward in my work as a Fractional Chief Operating Officer. I offer more than just systems and strategy—I provide my clients with clarity of vision, operational spaciousness, and peace of mind. I help founders step out of daily overwhelm and into their true leadership role by aligning their team, systems, and structure with the deeper purpose behind their business. My support creates the conditions for growth without burnout—where decision-making becomes clear, team energy is aligned, and the founder has space to lead with confidence rather than pressure.

When I first began coach training in the early 1990s, I remember a lighthearted take on the difference between coaching and consulting. It went something like this: in a consulting relationship, the consultant does the work and gets blamed if it doesn’t work; in a coaching relationship, the client does the work—and if the client doesn’t work, the client doesn’t get results. The challenge I found was this: while I poured my heart and soul into helping clients upgrade their inspirational operating system—so they had the inner strength to take action—they often lacked the infrastructure to execute effectively.

That’s why, today, my team and I do the work—so the work gets done. As a Fractional COO, I deliver custom projects like family succession planning, holistic marketing campaigns for buying books of business, and team building for service and sales. I also lead hiring initiatives for key roles like bilingual administrative assistants and trainee paraplanners. It’s a deeply fulfilling way to serve leaders who are ready to elevate not only their businesses—but their entire way of leading.

To revisit the original blog post from that time—when I made the Top 20 list alongside Mark Carney—click here: Advisor.ca’s Name That Visionary – Thank You!

Thank you again to everyone who supported me during that campaign. That moment stands as a lasting example of what’s possible when purpose meets participation.