Dana Macintosh -Bold -Fearless -Kindness -Retired view -

introduction: 0:14

You're listening to fascinating women with Mark Laurie. And now, Mark Laurie.

Mark Laurie: 0:21

Hello, everyone, and welcome to another podcast fascinating women. Today I've got a delightful guest, Dana McIntosh. And she's in Canada, but she is from

Dana McIntosh: 0:30

England one time at one time.

Mark Laurie: 0:34

So normally you'd find me behind the camera, but right now I'm interviewing fascinating women. This episode is sponsored by in a spirit photography. So if you're curious about that, check with our link down below. And data. Welcome.

Dana McIntosh: 0:47

Thank you very much lovely to be here.

Mark Laurie: 0:49

It's delightful. Delightful. So how long have you been in Canada for?

Dana McIntosh: 0:54

Ah, probably better to say back in Canada. Back in Canada. Born in Winnipeg. He lived in Canada until the age of four and his dad was Canadian Air Force career Air Force and when he retired, having married and English WorldPride we moved back to England to give mum an opportunity to have some quality time with her parents and her family. So we moved back to England in 67. lived in England for about 2021 years, had all my education there worked in central London, and came back for the Winter Olympics on a vacation in 1988 to Calgary. I remember them loved them came to cheer on Eddie the Eagle and my union jack PVC apron overtop of my snow suit I have not heard that name in a long time

Mark Laurie: 1:50

. Yep. Okay. Anyway,

Dana McIntosh: 1:52

it was an amazing Olympics. I had a sister by then living in Calgary. So bless her heart, she had tickets to everything. So I got to enjoy pretty well the whole Olympics, every opportunity. Fell in love with the city, just how beautiful it was the downtown core, the architecture, the wide open spaces, the lack of strong seeing people a far cry from Central London as you could imagine. And so when I would get back to London after the vacation, I quit my job and came out with a six week return ticket headed out to Toronto initially visited with another sister who was living in the east at that time, and came to Calgary and really the rest is history. I've been here 35 years now I was glad to be back in the city. I found a job in an apartment within about three weeks of arriving here. Serendipity because otherwise I probably would have been back in London. And I have been very happy here ever since. So that's yeah,

Mark Laurie: 3:03

you see a lot of difference between societies in England and here.

Dana McIntosh: 3:08

Huge. And I'm thinking probably more specifically Calgary as a city versus London as a city. Londoners are very much more Well back in the day. This is 35 years ago. But back in the day, very gregarious, outgoing. I mean, the social life truly functioned around the local pub. Yep. I'm gonna say probably for the Average Joe, myself included three nights out of seven, at least we're in a pub, playing darts, playing checkers, dominoes, and it was sort of the social hub. I find that I'm sure that it's here in Calgary as well. But it didn't strike me that there was much of that. in Calgary and my overriding impression once I started working in downtown Calgary was come five o'clock there was a mass exodus from the core out to homes on the periphery. And of course that periphery has grown exponentially now. But they're they're very much was like your into work. You work hard. But the division to social life was was total. There was very next to no interaction with work colleagues. One set five clock button heads. Yeah, so quite different.

Mark Laurie: 4:42

That's true. Now how much did living in England shape your view of the world?

Dana McIntosh: 4:50

I had nothing. I mean, honestly, I would say because of being only five years old. I grew I'm feeling English. All of my education from age five was in convents, my whole life nuns, Sisters of Mercy Trinitarian order. So from age five to 18, that was it. I was a good Catholic girl, and no boys and Becca. And I grew up in sort of the formative years of Margaret Thatcher in power and watching her stick handle the country dealing with trade unions with the minor strikes. And then sort of latterly, in my mid to late teens, we had Britain's war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands, and that was the closest to heart and your mouth listening to the radio every day. And although it was on the other side of the world, it's amazing. The national unity that you felt come together in that instance. So those were those were amazing life experiences. I had, I feel very fortunate to have experienced that. It's a very different world politically here, of course, now and you know, their facto pick sides sit there, there are sides, but I don't pick them. I try and sort of stay neutral. But it's a different feel here entirely. And but I mean, the world has evolved and changed to from the time when I was a child at school. The values the interests, I mean, it pre obviously predates internet. And I truly value that upbringing I had where I was out on the streets with friends. You know, lots of fresh air lots of exercise as a kid not sort of stuck in a phone or stuck on a tablet. And so those were formative values, if you like. I feel very lucky. Very lucky.

Mark Laurie: 7:02

You'd mentioned Margaret Thatcher. Did you see her as like a role model for you for the good shoots. I was one of the first female prime ministers I recall. And she was very

Dana McIntosh: 7:12

strong there. I mean, they called I mean that the iron lady that was her nickname. I love that she had guts to stand her ground speak her mind. As she was an influence to a lot of young ladies I'll say growing up sort of coming into adulthood. I don't know that we all aspire to be her. But we certainly I would say generally collectively, as a rule, we were extremely proud of her proud for who she was that she could speak her mind articulately. But most importantly, hold her ground for what she felt was right, strong and best for the country. As so yeah. That's an amazing influence and amazing figurehead to have.

Mark Laurie: 8:03

So you had mentioned your values game over that timeframe. What were your three core values that drive you

Dana McIntosh: 8:10

respect of other people? I think first and foremost. Always, you know, there's always two sides to every story. It's not to believe that mine is the only way it's not the highway, you know? It's being able to listen, it's to be empathic. It's important to keep learning all the time. You know, you don't finish school and boom, that's the end of it. It's in life, you're always evolving. And you're you're never it's never too late to learn some new tricks as it were. So that would be another another one and then a third. I think I mean, basically, it's the work hard and work smart. Yeah, so I'm taking the learning into that too. Because, learn I found myself doing things I didn't dream I would I never was a great academic in school, I would say I sort of scraped under the radar. I certainly passed everything. But past is the key word. I was not a straight A student or anything like that. So I didn't know I just I brought I think I had good upbringing. Great. I was blessed in my parents. They were smart. They had great values. And I think that they sort of by osmosis impressed that onto us kids as well. So I feel very fortunate, hugely fortunate for that.

Mark Laurie: 9:50

So your what trait came out of that the disability pay I believe this I do this because of my parents would. What

Dana McIntosh: 9:57

kindness, kindenss that's the arching thing kindness with everybody. I would say maybe to my detriment, a little bit of over kindness. But it's funny as I as I hit milestones of 40-50 years old and now 60 years old. I'm smartening up. So I'm learning not to be used and taken advantage of. In other words, I'm seeing people truly I want to fundamentally help everybody, I want to fundamentally believe that I see the good in everybody right away. But very quickly, my spidey senses are coming in to me to say, Okay, this is turning into a not good situation for me, or it's a using situation. And I'm appreciate I mean, it sounds awful to say, but I'm appreciating having that. Intuition, intuition. Exactly. Exactly.

Mark Laurie: 11:01

If that gave you a lot, or is that just a sort of a new thing you're starting to listen to?

Dana McIntosh: 11:07

I think I've always had pretty good gut instincts, you'd call that or intuition. But the world is changing, and people are changing, and values are changing, and morals are changing. And I think I see I feel more perceptive to traits, or my instincts are getting harmed. I don't know quite how you'd want to put that. So I largely I like to think I'm a good person. I like to think that I will help whoever is in need. But if I sense it's a using situation. I'm very quick to recognize that and graciously extricate myself from it if I can't find

Mark Laurie: 11:55

more people like that, that they're the tolerance to go along with something that isn't healthy for you. Yeah, is not acceptable very much for people. Sourcing nuts is not good. Yeah. Moving on.

Unknown: 12:07

Yeah. That's a good thing, I think,

Mark Laurie: 12:10

what are some of your successes, sounds like to sit back and go, ah, that's the market left on the world.

Unknown: 12:16

I don't know if it's massive for a mark left on the world, but professionally, and it's gonna sound inconsequential. But I was a 22 year old secretary in an ad agency in London, working for mid management suits, we'll call them project managers really. And all of a sudden, we had this panic. We had our CEO going on an extended leave not sure why to this day. At the same time, his executive assistant Fifi, had a medical issue and was hospitalized for three, four weeks. And at the same time, we got an ad notice that the chairman of the New York head agency of this massive international, probably number one or number two ad agency law world was flying into London to step into the shoes in the interim just as a kind of cover, while these two were away, and suddenly I got called up to support this guy and I have never been so terrified. If my whole life with my rusty shorthand and everything to bear but anyway, I it through abject terror I managed, it all went swimmingly. I don't know how to this day, I have no idea how but I ended up with phenomenal letters and praise from Phil, once he was back in New York to thank me for, you know, stellar care and stepping into the fray. And so that was a great feeling

Mark Laurie: 14:03

So what part of your personality drove you to do that. A lot of people simply say, No, pick somebody else.

Unknown: 14:08

There. I don't think there was anybody else. I mean, people

Mark Laurie: 14:12

still backward, but what carried you through like, what part of your personality says I can do this?

Dana McIntosh: 14:19

Well, I just I mean, I remember the abject terror. So I would say just getting on with the job like pushing through. Keep going until high school like a few fail until you're fired actually. I have no idea. But I mean, it just I am a people pleaser, overarching. I always have been and I want to do the job well exceed expectations. While I'm astounded, that's always been sort of my working mantra. Right. And that has served me well. To sort of an More modern wanted to add that I've articulated myself is to elevate those around me. So it's not just what I'm doing, but it's how can I boost those around me to get to the top of their game, because if they're succeeding, I'm succeeding, too if they feel great, that definitely makes me feel great. And so that's a mantra that's really served me well through. Certainly the 35 years I've been in Calgary and in terms of wonderful opportunities that have opened up, it was my privilege to look after Ed McNally, who is the founder of big rock brewery for eight years, well, eight years there, certainly the last five years of his life, while he was the chairman there. And basically the only admin for the brewery in the eight years I was there. So Jill, of all trades. I mean, I was I found myself sort of touring VIPs around the brewery, sometimes at seven o'clock at night when they showed up and there wasn't a planned tour. But I didn't want these gentlemen had flown all the way from Japan to walk away with nothing. So stepping up to opportunities, and it's all about good service. Last lasting favorable impressions, customer service, all of that kind of stuff.

Mark Laurie: 16:18

Really what I hear is you your can you've conditioned yourself to step up. Yeah, use your fear. Yep. And still go through with it one step at a time. Yeah. Now you're in the ad agency in the 60s. Is that correct?

Dana McIntosh: 16:29

No, I was born in 63. I was in 80. So 81. Two, I came to Calgary in 89. So I'd say 81 to 89. I was in

Mark Laurie: 16:43

a revolutionary time for ad agencies.

Dana McIntosh: 16:45

It was at the time, it was amazing. I mean, with with working, I worked for BBDO. It sort of evolved in London. It was started with BBC UK BBDO International, and then it merged to just become BBDO limited. It was the London office of BBDO, New York, which was like the mothership. And there were successful, very successful ad agencies around Europe, as well as well as the states. But some of the accounts that we worked on were the Pepsi commercials, Gillette, all of the Gillette commercials, Wrigley's gum, so primo accounts, big budgets, back in the day, phenomenal. And that correlated and translated to amazing, spectacular offices overlooking Green Park and sort of old Nash terrace buildings that have been renovated Christmas parties that was lunch on the Orient Express. I mean, it was it was no holds barred, as far as budgets were concerned to sell it was the glory days, I'll say of advertising. And I was fortunate to be in that era, and I loved it. Loved it.

Mark Laurie: 17:59

Do you see advertising has changed from what it is, what it was, then the values the way they move things to what they are now?

Dana McIntosh: 18:07

I see. Yes, I would say yes, yes to that. I don't see the humor in advertising. Or sorry, I rephrase that. I don't see the clever humor in advertising that I saw back in the day. A lot of the great memorable ads that I recall. And in fact, I was sharing that with my sisters just this week, had phenomenal humor where I can remember my dad just doubled up in laughter at the cleverness of the advertising. And I don't see that cleverness in the advertising. It's just It appeals to now with respect, a simpler mind, you know, like it's the current advertising is most bottom line. Yeah. And then I mean, in it, you probably will be aware I was just discussing shrink inflation in terms of lesser quality. Lesser, so a bit, I'll take a Mars bar. For example, when I was a kid, it was thick, chunky chocolate on the outside. Now it's like barely woven over the over the bat of chocolate. It's really thin. So quality has diminished. Packaging is the same size. But the volume is a fraction. Case in point recently, turtles used to be 12 to a day. Now there's five or six to a tray. My son in Montreal just said mum bought a package of wafer cookies. The other day opened up the package. The package is the same as he remembers as a kid because I used to buy them for my kids. But half of the box was just a hollow cardboard package just to stop the rest of them sliding around in the same size package. That's a rip off. I'm sorry. Is

Mark Laurie: 20:02

it shocking? It's pretty clear what personality traits are the most happy about it, just sit back and go. Yeah, that's, that's me. That's the one I hold.

Dana McIntosh: 20:12

Always trying to be upbeat and happy sense of humor has saved me. Situations where I've either had to laugh at myself or laugh at the situation, or keep those around me listed. And I think I mean, in business, if it's an awkward moment or situation, I'll often resort to humor to try and defuse the situation. It was a lot. Yeah, it

Mark Laurie: 20:43

was there was a moment where I think humor gives in, you can verify this a moment for people to pause and organize your thoughts as as a room as you do it, you're uniformly laughing. Yeah. And then, then they've got time to kind of recalibrate, come back that

Dana McIntosh: 20:57

occur? Absolutely. I, in one of my roles at work recently, I unwittingly found myself in customer service. Never had any formal training. And it was a very volatile situation for the company with customers voting. The one thing I learned in that role is listening. Really important to listen. You mentioned that humor will defuse the situation. But you know what, sometimes people just need to be need to feel like they're hurt. Need an opportunity, literally where I would just like, sit back. And

Mark Laurie: 21:42

you know, how do you actively listen, I like to sell someone to tell someone you have to listen, is a direction but not a tools? How do you actively listen to somebody so they know that you're listening to the

Unknown: 21:58

I don't know that it's, I don't know that it's something I had to think about. If an irate customer is phoning you, they're like, ready to let rip on a tirade, they may have been on hold for a couple of minutes before being connected to you. So that's amped up the frustration. And then it's just like, so nothing will be served. If I'm interjecting or interrupting them, right. They just oftentimes just need to vent. And that's fine. And then it you do truly have to hoist in what it is they're saying because you're trying to actually figure out what is the nub of their issue? And you're mentally also trying to think okay, well, if the issue is this, can I can I resolve this? Or do I have to elevate it, like what is within my power to elevate and I think I mean, I can elevate the situation immediately by listening by staying calm by being empathetic. Not nine times out of 10 Often, it was just a conversation. And once they got everything off their chest, then then the dialogue could start and I don't know honestly, I mean, I don't It's an awful thing to say that my accent really has helped in business. I hate a bit of bad experience back or something or if I'm not losing my rag back. But it's it's really been a real asset in businesses and I made my accent is very soft now as it's Mid Atlantic I call we do. But it's definitely been an asset. But I think really, it's listening and trying to see if if I'm able to help regardless, caring about what is important to them, and letting them know that I do care about this and I will go out of my way to do everything I can to fix the situation for them.

Mark Laurie: 23:59

Now you have been in some pretty high octane positions, how do you work with a life balance, work life balance?

Dana McIntosh: 24:05

I was awful at it. And I will say I have a wonderful, very understanding husband and children at the time. I figured out that unwittingly and probably a poor decision possibly but I was putting work ahead of my home life and my personal life and did not have that balance. I would work certainly most evenings a certain number of hours that weekend. The weekend timing that I did do though was me just for myself trying to get ahead of the eight ball ready for the next week. So finishing trying to get bored minutes out and or packages together. I did very poorly and as a result at one place I worked I was figuring I was giving a month unpaid overtime a year. So a lot of overtime count

Mark Laurie: 25:02

on that. Is there a difference between how the life balance between say, England, Europe and Canada, Calgary?

Dana McIntosh: 25:10

No, it's exactly the same and it may be to do it may be industry centric advertising is notoriously long hours. Yeah. You know the what the client wants and needs the client wants and needs and you've got to kind of be there so it's partly the industries I was in. I mean, in the brewing industry the brewing goes around the clock in advertising, I you know, the creative types, probably would prefer to sleep till noon and work till midnight if we're shooting commercials. So, part of its the industry. But really, honestly, I mean, I too much so would say I was a people pleaser, not wanting to let anybody down, not wanting to disappoint. And I don't think honestly, it was not in my vocabulary to say, brand new day tomorrow, untouched. I'll leave this tonight. And I'll start tomorrow. I was like, Okay, I really want to get this stuff. And that's, I'm a Virgo, perfectionist, you know, all that fun stuff.

Mark Laurie: 26:17

What's the best, most memorable piece of advice you have that you've been given?

Unknown: 26:26

It's funny. I'll think of something sensible to tell you. But the first thing I've always I remember my grandmother, when I was four or five years old bath time, her sage words were always remember, pay close attention to your knees. Always dry them really thoroughly. And I you know, now that I'm 60 and arthritis is on the horizon. I'm like, Well, that's pretty good advice. But I don't know why. But every time I come out of the shower or the bath, I'm like, okay, Nana said, dry your knees really well, so unrelated, but it's all the stuff that sticks, isn't it? I mean, I can still hear my dad's voice. Don't forget to brush your teeth, wash your face and say your prayers every night. That's, you know, and put the cap back on the toothpaste

Mark Laurie: 27:16

these elevated things on the cap.

Unknown: 27:18

And the cap I know. Gosh, best piece of advice. I think with hindsight and again, it's it's it's mellowing. It's realizing what age it truly is. And I find myself telling other people that now you know what, the work still gonna be there tomorrow. So don't sacrifice your home life, your quality, downtime and your mental refreshment.

Mark Laurie: 27:47

That could probably be the mantra for a painting life work balance. That's one phrase.

Dana McIntosh: 27:53

Exactly. Exactly. And ironically, I just retired. So I pass that window.

Mark Laurie: 28:02

How are you liking retirement life.

Unknown: 28:03

love it? I love it. Um, excuse me I need to take a sip. I would say it's an enforced retirement. But I am loving every minute of it. I'm loving it. Like I said to you outside of this interview, but I'm loving not being a slave to that 615 alarm every day. Granted, I have a cat and a dog that kept me up, but I'm enjoying. Being able to suit myself, I haven't yet found my groove as to how I want to fully spend my free time. I had two things that I aspire to that I haven't gotten off the pot yet, which is I'd love to be a white Hatter at the airport always wants to do that love aviation. That's my pet passion, interest outside of everything. I've always been, you know, I guess an Air Force brat. It's in your blood. I love aviation. So I'd love to work at the airport as white Hatter and I would, you know, I love seniors too. And I still I still think I'm going to volunteer in a senior's home. I mean, I know. And today, I'm almost there. But while I'm still mobile and cognizant, maybe I can help people on the computer or do a jigsaw puzzle with them. I don't know but just to just kind of lift because there are an awful lot of people I've heard actually both in hospital and in seniors homes, who it's sad they don't have anyone to come and visit them family are either estranged or long distance or just simply so caught up in their lives, which are so busy that we've just talked about. You know, maybe I can do something in good in that way.

Mark Laurie: 29:49

In your far range of experiences. What gave you the biggest Adrenaline Rush was the most exciting thing to do.

Unknown: 29:57

Ms to Canada emigrate. Yeah, As I came with with no for sure plans or expectations or except I had quit my job. So it was a case of coming flying on a jet here with two suitcases, which is all I could carry. And figuring out and it's that gut instinct again, where am I feeling comfortable. So I flew to Toronto up note, didn't like Toronto too big of a city too much. It lacked character for me, with all due respect. It was just glass towers, faceless entity. There was no after London, there was no personality, relatively speaking. So that was a big no, no. And I just instinctively knew that i Except I, you know, in the back of my mind, I knew that my mom's favorite place to live was Toronto. But anyway, that's a different story. And then, I visited a sister in CC Ontario. That was too small town for me. So I rode the train by myself cross Canada to Calgary. Back where I had loved the Olympics love the downtown and this It spoke to me and I just serendipity. I ended up having a coffee with a sister, neighbor that was talking about block watch. But by the way, she worked for BBDO, Calgary, and in no time they created a position to keep me you can't fly back to London. We're keeping you here. And boom, the rest is history. Yeah,

Mark Laurie: 31:37

Thats an enourmous amount of courage like that. Some people make the move that everything's in place. It's safe and secure to go but to simply go to suitcases and a ticket. That's fair bit of moxy.

Unknown: 31:50

it felt like an adventure. It felt like an adventure. I mean, all of my girlfriends back home, were doing something. Many were heading to Australia for a year. Some were heading to Israel to be on a kibbutz for years, just to have that experience.

Mark Laurie: 32:05

YHour environment was was likeminded.

Dana McIntosh: 32:09

Yeah, yeah. God see that see? Lovely. We're still friends. We still communicate every week, multiple times a week, which is nice. So I still have that connectivity with them. Thank God for WhatsApp, right? What

Mark Laurie: 32:26

are you curious about right now? What piques your interest? Um,

Dana McIntosh: 32:32

I don't feel like I'm done. I definitely don't feel like I'm often age to be put out to pasture. Although the recruitment world would tell me otherwise, which I did try and find another position. But I joke and say 60 is the new 80. As far as recruiters and companies are concerned, unless you're in an established somewhere, then you're golden. So I don't feel like I'm done. And I'm excited and looking forward to see what what evolves. From this point forward, it will be something I don't know what it is. And I'm watching. I'm watching the world alongside everybody else, but I feel I feel a sense of alarm that I kind of I feel very aware of where the world could go very quickly, and I suspect it will. So it's trying to keep a balance of okay. Don't let that frighten you. There's going to be something out there for you. And I mean, honestly, I as long I think as long as I'm busy and I'm helping people and it's back to that. I derive my pleasure from elevating those around. I always have and if I can find that again, I'll be happy so I don't feel like I'm done.

Mark Laurie: 33:57

We'll see if we work out what kind of shape or take Yeah. Who's Who's a hero to somebody that you aspire to be or look up to? Or go I like what that person does. You do it right.

Dana McIntosh: 34:08

Um, you know, what can it be somebody that's deceased because I would say my mom means my mom was an Air Force. Why? So at home raising four children dad was a flying all the time he was a squadron leader in the Canadian Air Force. And I am so proud of my mum she like me she came across to a Canada she had no idea about in 46 She raised a family now mums a London girl so that the big metropolis again. Luckily, her husband was a Vancouver boy. So, you know, there were so many of the war brides that were off to middle of nowhere, Saskatchewan, into almost a Saudi kind of cultural shock. It was a huge shock, you know, and I had this Stories are fascinating to hear of, you know, ladies that were on the Aquitania with mum sailing to Pier 21 in Halifax, telegrams arriving on the ships to say, change my mind don't want to marry you see, yeah, you know, that happens a lot. And I see Yeah, there were there were you know, there were families here I mean, that didn't want their golden boys marrying Pharrell maidens. You know what I mean? They had their eye on Silvia up the street to their, their beloved son. So it was interesting ministers but my mom has a say as life evolved. Mum learn to drive well, Dad was away he returned from some mission. And suddenly mum was driving a car. She took herself off to school to learn to become a teacher of adult education of millenary. When hats went out of style, she went back to college in her mid 40s. Learned to become a leather worker and make beautiful handbags, gloves and belts. So she's very creative. And I love that she was not afraid to take life by the horns. And nevermind, I'm in a class of 1718 year olds, and I'm the sole 45 year old. And they she had the respect of those youngsters in her class. And they would come to her like she'd be off in, you know, the washroom and there'd be girls crying in the washroom, and she'd be sort of helping their personal problems. You know, I love it, because she nothing stopped her. And so she's who I would aspire to. She seemed to me fearless. She would speak up, she'd fight the good fight. A bit like Margaret Thatcher. So maybe that was an influence on her too. You know? Like, I'm very proud of my mom. I'm half the woman she is I'll be happy.

Mark Laurie: 36:56

Now thats spectacular. Have you had to give up anything to get where you were to get these to get the very success that you've had?

Unknown: 37:03

I don't feel that I have you? No, I don't I honestly, to date, I feel like I've led a charmed life to no forks in the road. No forks in the road. opportunities have always just landed in my lap. I know that's not the case for everybody. But I have felt very lucky.

Mark Laurie: 37:27

very interesting question because I believe that opportunities land in people's laps continually to flow of opportunities in person's life. You're one of the people have picked them up, though. I think a lot of people don't notice that seem fair that a lot of people will notice the opportunity they have in front of them.

Unknown: 37:44

I think I don't know that. It's they haven't noticed it might be a case of what other circumstances are in their life that may prevent them from seizing those opportunities. It may be a case of having the guts to grab on and seize those opportunities. I don't know. i Good and bad things happen. And you know, I remember, you know, the old adage of one door closes another one opens. Well, the next one that opened was like, wow, you know, whoa, this is great. You know, and I have had that good fortune. And I don't I don't believe that's unique to me. But I don't I mean, I just things have happened. Money has landed in my lap when I needed it from unexpected avenues and quarters. i That's why I say I feel like I've led a charmed life.

Mark Laurie: 38:50

It sounds like as as I've heard your story unfold that you had an optimism. Yeah, that no matter what happened, you'd land on your feet and it'd be all good. Like, yeah, and you, you you aboard a ship plane from England to here. You gotta believe something's gonna work out here. Yeah, as you keep on so it just strikes me that you sort of believe or manifest that this is gonna be good.

Dana McIntosh: 39:15

So good word manifesting is exactly a good work. And yes, I never I never had any worries or doubts. And yes, I do believe that people are able to manifest and bring about good fortune some are better at it than others. But I mean, I wouldn't I definitely wouldn't attribute any of my good fortune to I've put it out there and I've asked for it because I haven't. I truly feel like wow, this is this is presented itself and yeah, let's go. Let's do it.

Mark Laurie: 39:55

It's like you both sight when it presents itself and you expected it to present itself.

Dana McIntosh: 40:02

I don't know that I've had the foresight to say I've expected it to present itself is just showing up at the right time. Honestly, it truly just feels like good fortune.

Mark Laurie: 40:13

That is so cool. What has been the biggest challenge that you've had something that just didn't go right failure challenge how we want to phrase it?

Unknown: 40:21

I wouldn't say that it's ever been a failure. But I would say an adjustment would be there's been all sorts of challenges in my immediate family. So with my husband, with my children with health issues, I never could have foreseen what would come down the pipe. Some of them some of the challenges have been utterly heartbreaking. But yet, we seem to have thankfully come through the other side of it. The ongoing challenge or eight My husband has ongoing significant health challenges, but I think it's being flexible. You just adjust to what you have to do. So the the the scope of your of what's on you, your responsibilities changes, and you just in because you care about the people if you didn't give two hoots you're on your own. But But no, this is my husband, this is my children, right? I'm enormously proud of all of them. They all have they've all had different challenges. But you know, we muddle along. And that's life. Like I don't know any family. I don't know any family that hasn't had some challenge or another to face. And I think that's part of our journey in life. Stuff happens. How do you respond to it? How do you move forward? Do you if you need help? Do you have it in you to ask for help? And that can be key that can be key to make it not an insurmountable issue. So

Mark Laurie: 42:12

being flexible, yeah. Willow than the the oak this? Yeah, yeah, let's go. Thanks. I think the last one the question you've now one last thing. So we've got dogs. How's that? How heightened the animal pet in your house? Change your life? How does that impact your life balance your work your feelings, those kinds of things.

Dana McIntosh: 42:35

I can say that I given a choice would never be without a pet in the house now. I never had pets in the normal sense out until about 2001 in my life. So in my 40s are late 30s, mid 30s 40s. And that was not a choice sing. Dad was in the Air Force. So we were not allowed pets because obviously we're moving around and you know, travel or graddic law? Yeah, exactly. I had a goldfish, it was tough to have a deeper meaningful relationship with a goldfish. But I, I love the energy that having the pets bring. We're very lucky with all of the pets we've had. They're completely different personalities. We've had I would say, we've we've had two dogs at a time by choice. Nature in the world. And the universal suddenly found us with four dogs and a cat. And I mean, it was insane. But I'm not gonna say no. We all just adapt, adjust and flexible and really work around it and really work. So we're down to one dog now one cat. But I wouldn't be without a pet because I love the energy and the unconditional love. And the pain in the butt so that they can be but it's all part of the humor in love. Yeah, yeah.

Mark Laurie: 44:06

It's true. Yeah. Well, this has been delight. Thank you so much for sharing your time and long, long, various roles that you bid on to. It's been really, it's been really kind of cool. Thank

Unknown: 44:15

Well thank you for inviting me. I'm quite flattered. Thank you. Cheers smartbee.

Mark Laurie: 44:19

So this has been Dana. I'm Mark Laurie from Inner photography. Now fasncinating women. You can find a bit more about Dana in her bio attach to the end there. And thank you so much for coming.

Dana McIntosh: 44:29

THank you very much indeed. Best all of you.

Exit speaker: 44:35

This has been fascinating women with Mark Laurie. Join us on our website and subscribe at fascinating women does he a fascinating woman has been sponsored by inner spirit photography of Calgary, Alberta and is produced in Calgary by Lee of us and my office media.