Magic Hour Podcast

Hosted by Unicorn Marketing Co.

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Curiosity, creativity, and change welcome you into The Magic Hour Podcast. Hosted by Hope Mikal, CEO and Founder of Unicorn Marketing Co. , this is a space where entrepreneurship meets imagination. Expect empowering conversations on creative marketing, inclusive design, and the real inner work of building something meaningful. Each episode brings heartfelt stories, expert insight, and fresh ideas that feel both grounding and expansive. If you are a marketer, a founder, a creative, or simply in a season of growth, you will find encouragement, clarity, and a little bit of sparkle here. This is more than a podcast. It is a place to connect, to evolve, and to come back to what lights you up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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June 10, 202632 min

38: Pop Up Interviews (Magic Minutes) from Vancouver Startup Week

This special episode of Magic Hour Podcast takes us to the floor of Vancouver Startup Week for a collection of candid conversations with women in tech, entrepreneurship, and innovation.Through short, on-the-spot interviews, we explore what it means to build a business in real time. The moments of momentum, the barriers that still exist, the lessons learned from founders and speakers, and the future women in tech are actively creating. Part recap, part reflection, part love letter to the builders in the room, this episode highlights the voices, perspectives, and ideas shaping Vancouver’s startup community.Featured guests include:Laura Fortey, Flow State FounderKristin Zerbin, Hoochie Booch KombuchaPriya Tronsgaurd, Edify Learning SpacesMikayla Stewart, Atono, ColdStart, and Athena CollectiveKim Jacob, Arvorei Communications GroupChaandani Khan, Return to LifeLindsay Johnson, The Radical ConnectorAshley Armstrong, Success MonsterLorraine Wong, Wake Collective and Cue NorthStephanie Chan, My Care BaseDanielle Ryan, Video Content Creator and Creative Strategist📖 Read the full show notes and transcript at unicornmarketingco.ca/podcast✨ Stay in the magic: Follow @itsthemagichourpodcast for behind-the-scenes content, guest updates, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 29, 20261 hr 4 min

37: What A Death Doula Taught Me About Being Alive

We don't talk about death, and we certainly don't talk about grief. And we especially don't talk about the kind that has no clear cause, no funeral, and no casserole on the doorstep. But maybe we should.In this episode of the Magic Hour Podcast, I sit down with Sarah Savoy, end-of-life doula, educator, and founder of A Good Farewell, for a conversation that is equal parts tender and quietly transformative.Sarah has dedicated her life to sitting with people in their most vulnerable moments, through caregiving, life-limiting illness, dying, and grief. But what we explore in this conversation goes far beyond death. It's about how we live. The grief we absorb without realizing it. The joy we talk ourselves out of. And the quiet but radical act of choosing meaningful work over comfortable work.We talk about what it really looks like to walk away from a successful business because something deeper is calling. Sarah shares the reality of her own midlife pivot — the gradual unravelling, the moment of clarity, and what it took to rebuild her life around work that truly reflects who she is. We also explore what it means to move through a society that is, as Sarah puts it, deeply grief illiterate. One that doesn't give us the language, the permission, or the space to grieve the things that aren't just the loss of a person — the loss of identity, of community, of the life we thought we were going to have.This conversation also holds space for the grief we inherit. The kind passed down through generations without a word ever being spoken. And the micro joys (small, deliberate, tender moments) that become the way we survive it all.🎧 In this episode, we talk about:⚡ Walking away from a successful brick and mortar business to find heart-centred work⚡ The big G and the little G, understanding grief in all its forms⚡ Why our society is grief illiterate and what it costs us⚡ Cultural and intergenerational grief and the weight we carry without knowing it⚡ How to hold space for others without losing yourself⚡ Micro joys as a daily practice and a survival strategy⚡ The invisible weight of navigating grief while keeping up appearances⚡ How to let small joys back in without feeling like you're betraying the painThis one is for anyone who has ever felt like their grief was too complicated, too quiet, or too hard to explain. Sarah has a gift for making the heaviest things feel a little more possible to hold. I hope this conversation does the same for you. ✨📖 Read the full show notes and transcript at unicornmarketingco.ca/podcast📝 This episode is sponsored by Flodesk. The beautiful, easy-to-use email marketing platform I swear by. Get a free month of Flodesk here: https://flodesk.com/c/UNICORNMARKETING 💌✨ Stay in the magic: Follow @itsthemagichourpodcast for behind-the-scenes content, guest updates, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

April 1, 202650 min

36: Jumping In Before You’re Ready (and Finding Yourself Along the Way)

What happens when you stop performing who you think you should be… and start getting honest about who you actually are?In this episode of the Magic Hour Podcast, I sit down with Emily Shimwell, founder of Dine Wilder Events and co-founder of Graze Wilder Charcuterie, for a conversation that feels both grounding and quietly confronting in the best way.Emily has built multiple businesses in a short amount of time, but what we explore in this conversation goes far beyond growth or strategy. It’s about identity. The kind that shifts as you evolve. The kind that doesn’t always have a clear answer.We talk about what it really looks like to jump before you’re ready, and how that decision can shape not just your business, but your sense of self. Emily shares the reality of building something quickly while raising young kids, and what it means to let your personal and professional worlds blur without losing yourself entirely.This conversation also holds space for the tension so many women carry. The pressure to be polished but still relatable, confident but still likeable, soft but still taken seriously. And what it costs, energetically, to keep showing up that way. We explore reinvention as something deeper than a pivot. The reframes that ask more of you than a simple no ever could. And the process of becoming someone new without abandoning who you’ve been.🎧 In this episode, we talk about:⚡ Jumping before you’re ready and what happens on the other side of that decision⚡ The identity shifts that come with building and evolving quickly⚡ Navigating motherhood and business without separating the two⚡ The pressure women feel to show up a certain way in professional spaces⚡ The energetic cost of constantly performing in business and life⚡ Reinvention as a lived experience, not just a strategy⚡ The difference between saying no and reframing what’s actually alignedAbove all, this episode is an invitation to look a little closer at yourself. To question the roles you’ve been playing. And to consider who you are when you’re not performing for the room.✨📖 Read the full show notes and transcript at unicornmarketingco.ca/podcast📝 This episode is sponsored by Flodesk. The beautiful, easy-to-use email marketing platform I swear by. Get a free month of Flodesk here: https://flodesk.com/c/UNICORNMARKETING 💌✨ Stay in the magic: Follow @itsthemagichourpodcast for behind-the-scenes content, guest updates, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

December 3, 20251 hr 12 min

35: Where Joy Leads, Community Follows

What happens when you stop wearing “busy” like a badge of honour and start building community with intention, gentleness, and real connection?In this episode of the Magic Hour Podcast, I sit down with Danielle and Laura, co-founders of She Summits Forum for a conversation that feels like a warm hug for your nervous system. Their partnership is rooted in joy, play, confidence, and the kind of connection you simply cannot fake. Together, they share how She Summits has grown into a space where women can slow down, lean into their strengths, and find community that feels safe and soul nourishing.We explore how joy and play return to adulthood when we let them, why women often lose touch with those qualities, and how simple rituals can become grounding practices when business feels heavy. Danielle and Laura talk about the bravery of letting go of the “shoulds,” trusting what feels natural, and choosing a way of working that prioritizes ease, collaboration, and clarity.Community sits at the heart of this episode. Not community as content, but community as a feeling. Danielle and Laura break down how they create experiences that spark connection from the first hello, why retail spaces are becoming modern gathering hubs, and the underrated skills that make relationships feel real rather than transactional.Above all, this episode is an invitation to slow down, choose presence over performance, and remember that joy, play, and confidence are not extras. They are your compass.🎧 In this episode, we talk about:⚡ How joy and play return when we give ourselves permission to soften⚡ The grounding rituals that support us when life or business feels heavy⚡ Why confidence grows deeper when it’s nurtured in community⚡ The art of unlearning old expectations in business and leadership⚡ Creating space for what truly fits by learning when to say no⚡ Community as something you feel, not something you perform⚡ How retail spaces are becoming modern gathering hubs for connection⚡ The message Danielle and Laura hope every woman building something could hearIf you’ve been craving softness, clarity, or community that feels real and nourishing, this conversation will land like a much needed exhale. ✨📖 Read the full show notes and transcript at unicornmarketingco.ca/podcast📝 This episode is sponsored by Shopify. Thinking about launching an e-commerce brand? Start today with a 3-day free trial and build your store with the easiest, most powerful platform out there: shopify.pxf.io/Y9eKnK✨ Stay in the magic: Follow @itsthemagichourpodcast for behind-the-scenes content, guest updates, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

November 19, 202513 min

After Hours with Danielle Wiebe: Building Belonging In Your Business

What does it take to build real community in your business, the kind where people feel seen, supported, and genuinely connected?In this After Hours episode, Danielle Wiebe shares a grounded look at how belonging is created with intention and why community becomes the most sustainable growth strategy you can invest in. With almost 11 years of hosting events, she breaks down how connection actually happens and why it begins long before anyone walks into the room.Danielle shares the small, intentional practices that shape meaningful community experiences: creating low-pressure pre-event spaces, weaving in gentle connection prompts during gatherings, and continuing momentum after the event so relationships don’t fade. She explains how hybrid touchpoints, both online and in person, deepen trust, expand visibility, and help your community feel supported at every stage.This is not about hosting perfect events. It is about presence, intention, and remembering that every business can build belonging in a way that feels natural. Danielle offers simple ideas for connection, from Instagram group chats to casual pop-up meetups, and shows how collaboration can lighten the load and expand your impact.This is a grounding invitation to slow down, bring people together in ways that feel real, and build a business where your community truly belongs.🎧 Listen to the Magic Hour Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you tune in.📖 Read the full show notes and transcript at unicornmarketingco.ca/podcast✨ Stay in the magic: Follow @itsthemagichourpodcast for behind-the-scenes content, guest updates, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

November 13, 202556 min

34: Community Over Competition, Always

What happens when you stop trying to grow alone and start building with intention, collaboration, and real community?In this episode of The Magic Hour Podcast, I sit down with Danielle Wiebe, founder of the Bloom Business Collective and host of a top 1% business podcast. Danielle has spent over a decade building community-centred spaces for women entrepreneurs, guiding leaders through collaborations, events, and intentional business building. Today, she pulls back the curtain on her own evolution — the rebrand, the reset, and the quiet inner work that came before it.We talk about the importance of taking a step back before stepping forward. Why centring yourself matters when you’re planning for the next decade. And why being in community (real community) requires presence, curiosity, and a willingness to grow alongside the people you serve. Danielle also shares the behind-the-scenes story of shifting Bloom from Business Babes Collective into the brand it is today. From hybrid events to redefining personal branding while raising kids, this conversation explores how grounding yourself in values, relationships, and abundance can shape the path ahead in powerful ways.🎧 In this episode, we talk about:⚡ The power of taking a step back before rebranding and how centring yourself creates clarity for the next chapter⚡ What it actually means to build a collaborative community and why the “community over competition” conversation still matters⚡ How Danielle engages her audience post-event and why hybrid (online and in-person) spaces are the future of meaningful connection⚡ The deeper intention behind Bloom’s rebrand and how Danielle is designing her business for the next ten years⚡ Tips for community building: doing your research, checking for values alignment, having honest conversations, and noticing how you feel in someone’s presence⚡ Abundance mindset vs. scarcity, and how shifting your inner narrative changes how you collaborate, show up, and lead⚡ Navigating personal branding as a mom, deciding what to share online, and wanting her community in a space beyond Facebook⚡ Danielle’s encouragement to check in with your people (and with your own gut) when deciding where, how, and with whom you want to growIf you’ve been craving deeper connection, more aligned collaborations, or a reminder that community is something you build slowly and intentionally, this episode is going to feel like a grounding breath. ✨📖 Read the full show notes and transcript at unicornmarketingco.ca/podcast📝 This episode is sponsored by Flodesk. The beautiful, easy-to-use email marketing platform I swear by. Their unlimited plan disappears November 28th: https://flodesk.com/c/UNICORNMARKETING 💌✨ Stay in the magic: Follow @itsthemagichourpodcast for behind-the-scenes content, guest updates, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

October 28, 202525 min

After Hours with Megan Swan: Reset Your Nervous System In A Weekend

Can you really reset your nervous system in a weekend? In this After Hours episode, Megan Swan shares 15 grounded, perspective-shifting tips to help you reconnect with your body and move out of productivity mode.Drawing from over a decade of experience in the wellness industry, Megan walks us through what it really means to rewire your nervous system in a weekend. Not through rigid routines or all-or-nothing thinking, but through small, consistent micro-practices that bring you back into your body. She shares how to recognize the signs of fight-or-flight, how to gently shift into rest and digest, and why even 90 seconds of presence can start to change your internal state. You’ll hear how to create rhythms that support your nervous system in everyday life, using tools like sensory grounding, emotional processing, and energetic awareness.This isn’t about overhauling your life. It’s about noticing what’s already there, giving yourself the structure to feel safe, and creating moments of calm you can actually return to. This is a quiet and powerful invitation to come home to yourself, where your body feels supported and your mind can finally exhale.🎧 Listen to the Magic Hour Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you tune in.📖 Read the full show notes and transcript at unicornmarketingco.ca/podcast✨ Stay in the magic: Follow @itsthemagichourpodcast for behind-the-scenes content, guest updates, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

October 21, 202552 min

33: From Fight or Flight to CEO Energy

What does it really mean to know your capacity and lead from a place that honours it?In this episode of The Magic Hour Podcast, I sit down with Megan Swan, Founder and CEO of Megan Swan Wellness and Co-Founder of Altavita Medical Wellness Tourism, for a grounded and eye-opening look at the real side of wellness, self-leadership, and the nervous system work that supports it all. We explore what it means to move beyond the illusion of being “zen all the time” and instead build awareness of your body, energy, and relationship to self.Megan shares why slowing down isn’t a weakness but a power move—a leadership advantage that creates space for clarity, boundaries, and intention. We also dive into the science and psychology of subconscious leadership. From rewiring your relationship with procrastination to integrating hypnosis in business, and debunking myths around alpha and theta brain waves. Megan unpacks how “good girl” conditioning and self-doubt keep us stuck, and how reframing those patterns can unlock genuine confidence and growth.🎧 In this episode, we talk about:⚡ Rewiring your relationship with procrastination and learning how to use that energy for creativity and clarity⚡ Integrating hypnosis into subconscious business leadership and debunking myths about alpha and theta brain waves⚡ Unpacking subconscious patterns that keep us stuck, from “good girl” conditioning to misunderstood forms of holistic biohacking⚡ Understanding that we are animals first and how to be gentler on your system through nervous system awareness⚡ How Megan’s two businesses support powerful individuals in showing up as their best selves⚡ Building a personal menu of wellness that honours your energy, cycle, and season of life⚡ Megan’s own micro wellness practices and habit stackingIf you’ve ever felt torn between productivity and presence—or wondered how to lead in a way that actually feels good—this episode is your permission slip to pause, listen inward, and lead differently.📖 Read the full show notes and transcript at unicornmarketingco.ca/podcast📝 This episode is sponsored by Flodesk. The beautiful, easy-to-use email marketing platform I swear by. Their unlimited plan disappears November 28th: https://flodesk.com/c/UNICORNMARKETING 💌✨ Stay in the magic: Follow @itsthemagichourpodcast for behind-the-scenes content, guest updates, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

September 23, 202557 min

32: What Happens After You Get Everything You Thought You Wanted

What happens when everything you worked toward no longer resonates with you? How do you build a personal brand from that place of shift, honesty, and self-redefinition?In this episode of The Magic Hour Podcast, I sit down with Abagail Pumphrey—CEO of Boss Project, host of The Strategy Hour Podcast, and soon-to-be author—for a deeply personal conversation about entrepreneurship, chronic pain, and letting go of the “shoulds” that shape our decisions.We talk about what it means to hold space for your health while building something meaningful, navigating long-term vision when you can barely see two weeks ahead, and the deeper truth behind personal brands that resonate for the right reasons. Abagail opens up about her experience with PCOS, IVF, and endometriosis, how she’s reframed success on her own terms, and the complicated relationship she has with personal branding—sharing the discomfort, fear, and resistance that comes with being seen while still choosing to show up with vulnerability.This episode is full of honesty, empowerment, and permission to slow down. If you’ve been in a season of re-evaluation, wondering what success really looks like (or who you’re building it for), this one’s for you.🎧 In this episode, we talk about:⚡ Why checking every box still left Abagail unfulfilled and what it took to redefine success⚡ Choosing boundaries over burnout and letting your business reflect your actual capacity⚡ What it looks like to shift from scaling at all costs to building a business that prioritizes wellness⚡ Navigating PCOS, IVF, endometriosis, and the reality of leading a team while living in chronic pain⚡ How much of yourself to share online and the emotional weight of being visible in a personal brand⚡ Building a business that can hold your full story, not just the polished partsThis one hit me right in the heart... because sometimes the hardest thing to do is slow down and tell the truth. Let this be your permission slip to get honest, sit with the discomfort and keep going anyway.📖 Read the full show notes and transcript at unicornmarketingco.ca/podcast📝 This episode is sponsored by Flodesk. The beautiful, easy-to-use email marketing platform I swear by. Their unlimited plan disappears November 28th: https://flodesk.com/c/UNICORNMARKETING 💌✨ Stay in the magic: Follow @itsthemagichourpodcast for behind-the-scenes content, guest updates, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

August 12, 202520 min

After Hours with Pennylane Shen: Finding Your Visual Voice

In this After Hours episode, Pennylane Shen shares a grounded, perspective-shifting approach to finding your visual voice as an artist—one that steps away from the noise of social media and back into tactile, intentional creative exploration.Drawing from her popular seminar and years of experience consulting thousands of artists, Pennylane walks us through what it actually means to develop a cohesive practice. She invites us to reflect on the visual threads that connect our work, create physical spaces that nurture inspiration, and explore the lineage of influence that shapes how we create.This isn’t about following trends or rushing to define your “style.” It’s about slowing down, observing what already exists in your work, and giving yourself the structure—and permission—to go deeper. From mood boards to people maps to the underrated power of studies, this masterclass offers a refreshing, practical, and honest look at what it really takes to show up for your art.It’s a quiet and powerful nudge back to the core of your practice, where your curiosity leads and your voice takes shape.Reference: Aimee Henny Brown on creating an artistic family tree.🎧 Listen to the Magic Hour Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you tune in.📖 Read the full show notes and transcript at unicornmarketingco.ca/podcast✨ Stay in the magic: Follow @itsthemagichourpodcast for behind-the-scenes content, guest updates, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.