The full verbatim transcript is at the end of the core information extraction

Fascinating Women with Mark Laurie

Insight: This is a full fledged insight to the conversation, with pulled insights, quotes, clipable moments.

Episode Title: Jacqueline Bylo – Serial Entrepreneur – Fearless Self-Evolver – Resilience Advocate

Description:

In this inspiring episode of Fascinating Women, host Mark Laurie sits down with Jacqueline Bylo—university professor, serial entrepreneur, former elected official, and internationally published full-figured model. Jacqueline shares her remarkable journey of continuous self-evolution, beginning as a child performer with an agent at age eight to navigating municipal politics, high-stakes business ventures, and international fashion runways. With a life philosophy anchored in "People, Possibility, and Potential," Jacqueline breaks down how true resilience stems from active optimism and rigorous self-reflection rather than the absence of hardship.

Mark and Jacqueline dive deep into overcoming imposter syndrome, learning from political defeats, and why changing your mind in light of new information is a sign of strength, not weakness. Whether discussing her midlife thrill-seeking adventures, driving stock cars, or mentoring the next generation of critical thinkers, Jacqueline demonstrates how embracing risk leads to a life without regrets. This conversation offers actionable wisdom for anyone seeking to build unshakeable self-confidence, lead with intentionality, and write their own story on their own terms.

The Authority Synthesis (3 Core Takeaways):

• Optimism is a Strategic Choice: True optimism isn't passive positivity; it's a deliberate daily strategy to find silver linings and learning opportunities in every outcome.

• Embrace Pivots Without Regret: Decision-making relies on the information available at the time; updating your perspective when new facts emerge is essential for self-evolution.

• Build Confidence Through Critical Thinking: Overcoming imposter syndrome requires moving beyond people-pleasing, trusting your inherent worth, and stepping into rooms where you challenge the status quo.

Targeted Episode Keywords:

Jacqueline Bylo interview, Female serial entrepreneurship, Women in municipal politics, Plus-size modeling empowerment, Self-reflection and resilience

Global Show Keywords:

Fascinating Women, Female Leadership, Inspirational Stories, Women's Empowerment, Personal Growth, Resilience, Transformation, Overcoming Adversity, Life Lessons, Interview, Empowerment Podcast, Self-Discovery

Semantic Summary

The Blueprint of Self-Evolution

Jacqueline Bylo explains that her trajectory is an ongoing product of personal intervention and continuous evolution. Rather than being defined strictly by external circumstances or background, she attributes her success to self-directed growth, pivoting through career disruptions, government layoffs, and changing industry landscapes.

Early Roots in Arts, Performance, and Independence

Reflecting on her childhood, Jacqueline highlights starting in arts and culture at an early age, securing an agent by age eight. This early exposure to public performance cultivated a natural gift for communication and an early comfort with being in the spotlight, establishing the foundation for her future roles in leadership and public service.

The Strategic Power of Optimism

Jacqueline breaks down her core belief system, distinguishing between short-term tactics and overarching strategy. She defines optimism as a intentional strategic framework that frames challenges as learning experiences, allowing individuals to build resilience without dwelling on past missteps.

Navigating Politics, Public Service, and Defeat

Drawing from her six years on municipal council and a federal campaign in Alberta, Jacqueline reflects on the realities of political life. She addresses the sting of election loss, the importance of civic engagement, and why staying true to one's principles matters more than guaranteed victory.

Redefining Identity through Modeling and Adventure

From walking the runway at New York Fashion Week as a full-figured model to driving stock cars and embracing thrill-seeking milestones, Jacqueline illustrates the importance of stepping outside societal boxes to claim space and live authentically at every stage of life.

Step 3: Distribution & Authority Assets

7 Compelling Teaser Clips

1.    Clip 1: Product of Self-Intervention

o   Verbatim Segment: "Of my own intervention, I would say. So, nature, hypothetically... at the end of the day, if I'm happy, then that's where and when I'm more successful."

o   Producer's Insight: Establishes internal locus of control and sets the foundational theme of personal agency.

2.    Clip 2: Strategy vs. Tactics

o   Verbatim Segment: "Tactics... some people see tactics as negative... versus a strategy is, in my thinking, a positive way that I'm going to approach something—a goal, an objective."

o   Producer's Insight: Delivers a sharp, masterclass-level distinction for business leaders and entrepreneurs.

3.    Clip 3: No Mistakes, Only Growth

o   Verbatim Segment: "I am just not willing to say anything in my life was a mistake... if it was a mistake, what have I learned from it, how can I grow and evolve?"

o   Producer's Insight: Shows raw mindset shifts regarding failure and resilience.

4.    Clip 4: Changing Your Mind with New Data

o   Verbatim Segment: "If you make a decision with the information that you had available to you yesterday, and today you get new information, there is nothing wrong with changing your position."

o   Producer's Insight: Directly addresses intellectual humility and modern critical thinking skills.

5.    Clip 5: The Grade 3 Christmas Stereo

o   Verbatim Segment: "I got a stereo system... I remember saying this to my mom often: 'I loved that year.' And almost even now, my mom will become teary-eyed."

o   Producer's Insight: A deeply human, emotional story illustrating gratitude and family bond.

6.    Clip 6: Space for Every Woman

o   Verbatim Segment: "I've been an internationally published full-figured model... I don't fit into that mold, but there is a place for me in this world."

o   Producer's Insight: Powerful authority moment challenging traditional beauty standards and industry norms.

7.    Clip 7: The Courage to Take the Hand

o   Verbatim Segment: "I can't pull you out of the depths of despair. You have to be willing to... even if I'm offering my hand for you to grab a hold of, you need to take my hand."

o   Producer's Insight: A striking takeaway on mentorship and personal responsibility.

Top Pull Quotes

• "You can choose to wake up every morning and be grumpy... or you can find a silver lining. It really is a choice."
•  
• "If you make a decision with the information available to you yesterday, and today you get new information, there is nothing wrong with changing your position."
• "Have that confidence without having the cockiness."
• "Stop scrolling and create your own life."

Strategic Authority Positioning Insight

Core Emotional Theme: Unapologetic self-agency and radical adaptability across life's chapters.

Brand Alignment for Mark Laurie:

Jacqueline Bylo’s multifaceted trajectory—spanning academic leadership, political candidacy, body-positive modeling, and serial entrepreneurship—perfectly validates Mark Laurie’s position as the master storyteller of complex, transformative women. By drawing out Jacqueline’s reflections on courage, vulnerability, and intentional self-reflection, Mark demonstrates his distinct ability to move beyond surface-level resume highlights to reveal the psychological frameworks that drive high-achieving women.

Full Verbatim Transcript 

Announcer: You're listening to Fascinating Women with Mark Laurie. And now, Mark Laurie.

Mark Laurie: Hello everyone, this is Mark Laurie from Fascinating Women and today I've got Jacqueline Bylo. And she's a university professor and she describes herself as a serial entrepreneur. And we're going to get into what makes her tick. She is a unique lady. Welcome, Jacqueline.

Jacqueline Bylo: Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Mark Laurie: It's exciting to have you here. I think you've got this big personality that I'm looking forward to explore and see where it came from. So on that actually, would you say that you're a product of your environment or of nature?

Jacqueline Bylo: Oh! Of my own intervention, I would say. So, nature, hypothetically. Yeah.

Mark Laurie: Nature? Okay. So parents didn't have an influence on you, family, friends didn't, you're just your own person?

Jacqueline Bylo: No, I think that they certainly supported everything and anything. Lots of times people don't understand what I am actually doing, but at the end of the day, if I'm happy, then that's where and when I'm more successful.

Mark Laurie: Right. So your guiding source is your happiness. If you're a pleased person, that kind of... Now, does that... Are you disciplined? Because that can kind of go, 'Ooh, I'm happy with this, ooh, I'm happy with that,' and you're suddenly all over the place. Do you have like a focus or...?

Jacqueline Bylo: Yeah, so it has evolved. I mean, even from my education, you know, many years ago, I was subjected to layoffs because of government changes. So then you pivot, you go back to school, as maybe you meet new people and they influence your life or opportunities. But I would say it's been an evolution rather than shiny new things that have taken me. So, so there is a path, but for the most part, you know, it's evolution. Evolution!

Mark Laurie: There we go, I'll have to do that now because every time my life goes, 'Oh, that's pretty!' Mark, up here. 'No, no, I'm going to go chase the pretty thing.' Go towards that. So, you mentioned that you're meeting new people. Do you have any heroes? People that you sit back and go, 'Yeah, that person guided me,' or 'That person had...' You may not have ever met them, but there's a profile that you like about them?

Jacqueline Bylo: So, it's more about mentorship for me. Again, I've been very blessed, and I think that I live my life to do that as well, is try and inspire and motivate other people. So, no, there's not like an actress or an author or, you know, a past prime minister or anything that I would say, "Oh, I want to be them." But I have very much recognized that the people—the mentors in my life—have come at points where either, you know, they have something to offer me and we just work together hopefully to make a better version of myself.

Mark Laurie: Do you find you've outgrown mentors at a time?

Jacqueline Bylo: No.

Mark Laurie: No?

Jacqueline Bylo: Not at all.

Mark Laurie: Not... not mentors as a concept, but a mentor where...

Jacqueline Bylo: No. No, not at all, because again, with me—and you'll hear I talk about evolution a lot—and so saying yes, like, you know, two years ago I pivoted in a different direction and who knows in five years I may pivot in another direction still. And so through that you get into a circle where you meet new people, and maybe all of a sudden, you know, you and I will start talking about... and maybe it's not mentorship, but whether it's a collaboration or just building the other person up, but no, I don't think I'm at any point not still learning or wanting to learn.

Mark Laurie: Oh yeah, no, I agree with that. I've had people in here and they've had mentors, but they discovered—like one girl, she went through three mentors in a year, mainly because she outgrew what they could offer her and they went on to it, so that's...

Jacqueline Bylo: No, okay, so really quickly, I mean, I've had mentors in my life that still provide value for like a decade. I can absolutely say you brought this into my life, I continue to feel safe and secure and want your expertise, and so I'll reach out to you. Maybe we haven't talked for six months, but all of a sudden something happens and I'm like, "I know the right person that knows me, that knows my temperament, and whatever they're going to say to me will be of value."

Mark Laurie: Do you find AI is fitting into that a little bit?

Jacqueline Bylo: So as a university professor...

Mark Laurie: Okay.

Jacqueline Bylo: ...when it sort of came to be, believe it or not, AI was cheating in an academic sense. But now universities themselves have said we need to embrace this. And then in my entrepreneurial life, well, it's all about innovation. Now, do I also think that AI, you know, is being fed by people in certain industries and/or is it not quite my voice? So you need to know how to use AI so that you don't look like that robot just speaking. But I do embrace AI for a lot of my just "give me an idea" or "start the conversation for me," and then, you know, I can pick it up. But yeah, it's a good tool.

Mark Laurie: So when you were a kid, when did you discover your sort of self-evolved or starting the self-evolution process?

Jacqueline Bylo: When I was eight.

Mark Laurie: When you were eight! So that's a precise date. Why is it a precise date? What happened that day?

Jacqueline Bylo: Yes, correct. Yeah, so my life started in arts and culture.

Mark Laurie: Okay.

Jacqueline Bylo: So singing, dancing, music, all of that stuff.

Mark Laurie: Okay.

Jacqueline Bylo: And at eight, I had an agent.

Mark Laurie: Oh, really? Okay.

Jacqueline Bylo: Yes. And so that's why it's easy for me to say at eight. It was my dad in particular that sort of said, "Hey," you know, my mom and dad knew that I had some potential. I was writing poetry or always giving those performances. And so we found a niche and then, you know, arts and culture continues to be part of my life. But yeah, and then without being flippant or too whatever, thinking I'm, you know, God's gift to peanut butter...

Mark Laurie: Okay.

Jacqueline Bylo: ...yeah, I know that I have a joie de vivre that people like. You know, people like. And I like the cat, just you know. Not everybody can see the cat, but...

Mark Laurie: Yeah, the cat's pretty cool. I wonder if she's a typical cat, especially if she's a calico. Anyways... But so eight o'clock is when you started with an agent—not eight o'clock, eight... eight years old. What... the moment before that? Like, because you don't just suddenly go, "Oh, I think we're going to become this." So, you know, like six and seven, there must have been some evolution.

Jacqueline Bylo: Yeah. And I don't really remember it other than the fact that, you know, I knew I liked to be the center of attention. I had the gift of the gab, right? You know, and maybe then—which I will say has kind of had its own ebbs and flows—but when I was six or seven or eight, maybe I didn't care what other people thought. But I'll tell you very quickly, by the time I was 11, 12, 13, I really did care what people thought. And, you know, so then fast forward now to my current state, is that I'm back at—it's not that you don't care what people think, but it's that self-confidence. You have to have confidence in your own ability or whatever, and people struggle with that.

Mark Laurie: Well, belief in yourself. It's... I had a coach one time and he was saying that if you... confidence is everything. He said if you start to lose your confidence, you have to retreat, build it, because if you're confident, problems become speed bumps. If you're not, they become mountains. Same problem, just only thing that's changed is you, and it kicks into it.

Jacqueline Bylo: 100%. Yeah.

Mark Laurie: That is... that is wild. That's wild. What's been your biggest adrenaline rush? What have you done that just really gave you a high? That just rushed?

Jacqueline Bylo: Oh! That's a great question for me because I would say I'm a thrill seeker.

Mark Laurie: Okay.

Jacqueline Bylo: I love doing things for the first time and the only time. Right? So even, you know, you and I, I am from a different municipality, came to join you, and yesterday I ran the Mud Run. Never done it before. And, you know, it just was that exhilaration. So previous I've done, you know, the Polar Plunge, or I've done the Woman to Warrior run. And I am not a physically fit woman, right? Like, we're talking, "Oh, I just decide today that I'm going to run 5K" or whatever.

Mark Laurie: So "run" is kind of a... an exotic word in this case!

Jacqueline Bylo: Yes! But, but I also, um... so things that I share with my son. Um, we're very much sports enthusiasts or car enthusiasts, so I went to the NASCAR training and I've driven a NASCAR, and, you know, I've run my car on the quarter mile. So that's kind of the cool stuff for me.

Mark Laurie: So which one here is your pinnacle? Which one you sit back and go, "Yeah, that... that really... that was the rush, that was the rush all rushes are measured against"?

Jacqueline Bylo: Yeah, and... and that is still a really great question because I almost just compartmentalize them. I have done some of the things a second time and not enjoyed it as much. So for me, I know it's just the thrill of the first time, right? You know, and whether as I age or because I take on a different challenge, some of them have been, "Okay, I have a fear. I have a fear of this, so can I go do something that might challenge me or have me overcome that fear?" But at the end of the day, it's just kind of, "Yay, Jacqueline! You did this!"

Mark Laurie: Yeah, you should be congratulating... Yeah.

Jacqueline Bylo: Yeah, yeah.

Mark Laurie: There's a common phrase that someone says, "If something scares you, you should do it." I've encountered people... Is that a guiding light for you?

Jacqueline Bylo: Yes. And I... I really don't think that I have a lot of fears, meaning of spiders or heights or anything. My biggest fear probably growing up was actually disappointing the people in my network. So if I said I was going to do something for you, or if you empowered me to, you know, take the lead on something and maybe there there's imposter syndrome or a lack of self-confidence, probably my biggest fear was letting somebody else down.

Mark Laurie: The imposter thing is interesting. I had a friend of mine, a psychologist, and she actually works for Inner Spirit Photography with us. Um, and she said imposter syndrome is good because if that means is you're pushing yourself, your brain says you can do this, your heart says I don't know, but you're now breaking ground. So she said if you feel like an imposter syndrome coming on, you're in the middle of an evolution.

Jacqueline Bylo: I... so I agree. I agree, but it's that mindset that people have to, "Okay, I can do this. I know I might fail, or I know I might need reinforcement or whatever." And... and so all of this becomes that confidence-building maturity sometimes. You know, am I the same person in many regards that I was when I was 20? Absolutely not. So...

Mark Laurie: That makes sense. That's really cool. What'd you say is your unique talent or skill? The one that rises to the top? You've got a lot I know.

Jacqueline Bylo: Well, okay, so on my LinkedIn profile, it says strategy and optimism are my superpowers. And what I mean by that is specifically from an optimism perspective. You can choose to wake up every morning and be grumpy and think that the world is out to get you or that nothing's going to go right, and that's a choice. It really is a choice. And so for me, can I find even in the worst situation a silver lining or an opportunity, and maybe that's just simply it. Okay, yeah, I just got in a car accident. Well that sucks, but at least I didn't injure my body or hurt somebody else, right? That's the optimism silver lining. And then with strategy, and this is a bit of, you know, university prof Jacqueline coming in, is that there are also words like tactic versus strategy. And some people see tactics as negative. So your tactic to, you know, get the upper edge or handle on something is that maybe you're going to do something underhanded or morally questionable. Versus a strategy is, in my thinking, a positive way that I'm going to approach something, a goal, an objective. And you're thinking about it and making some of those choices again from a positive perspective. So that's...

Mark Laurie: What would be the biggest mistake you've ever made?

Jacqueline Bylo: The wheels are turning. I don't have any regrets in life. Oh, I... biggest mistake. I'm not sure that anything comes to mind because even though I agree with your definition, right, regret versus mistake, I guess from the optimism perspective of Jacqueline, I kind of look like, well, if it was a mistake, what have I learned from it, how can I grow and evolve?

Mark Laurie: So let's go over to this. What is your biggest learning moment from something that didn't quite go right?

Jacqueline Bylo: Yeah, I think a lot of it has really just been, um, and I don't even like this, but it's when a relationship breaks down. Uh, so did I trust that person too much? Did I invest too much time and energy into, well, okay maybe take another person out of it, but that initiative. So is that a mistake? I don't know, but there is literally nothing that is coming to my mind because I think I define it differently. Right? I am just not willing to say anything in my life was a mistake.

Mark Laurie: Okay, that's a fair thing. Biggest learning moment then?

Jacqueline Bylo: Um, well again, I would say it's almost from as I age, right? My biggest learning moment uh when I first got married was this, you know, you're cohabitating with somebody and so you have to learn to compromise or to communicate differently. Or my first learning experience uh when I lost my first job, right, you know you're now out of school and so either what decisions do you make, so learning opportunities on how resilient are you. Um and then learning, now if I may, I have really spent a lot more time doing self-reflection. So let's say in the last 10 years any of these really big learning moments that I've had, I may have said okay well why did I learn something, how was that learning either come to be, right, was I not prepared for the moment, and or what can I learn from it to grow and evolve in the future.

Mark Laurie: That makes good sense. Yeah. What's your best childhood moment?

Jacqueline Bylo: Ah, okay so this one, I was in grade three and um it was Christmas and you know that would have been the mid 70s and money was tight. But my best memory was just the little things. Uh I got a stereo system, I got this beautiful rug that kind of brought me comfort through the years later, you know you could lie on it and listen to the sound system or whatever. And I remember uh saying this to my mom often, I loved that year, thank you so much for that gift for Christmas, and almost even now my mom will become teary eyed and say you have no idea how much that means to me because at that time they were struggling, they didn't have a lot of money and um I guess her interpretation was that I really was grateful. Um but that is a memory that I continue to and maybe the significance is because I was in arts and culture, I did sing and like music and so to have my own stereo in my room to be able to listen and sing right. Yeah that's a huge deal. So that is one of my biggest memories.

Mark Laurie: What three core beliefs guide you through life?

Jacqueline Bylo: People, possibility, and potential. That's easy, it's written on my arm, it's a tattoo. Um so I'm a former elected official, a former politician. And every politician has a slogan when they're running their campaigns, you know something that yes they can end their speeches to, okay. But um you know moving forward I think that uh my raison d'être, my purpose for being or how I guide my decisions is about the people. So even today, right. Like I'm not thinking just about myself, I'm thinking about well how does this become beneficial for the two of us. Right. Then you take obviously the potential, well what's the potential. The potential for you and I to have an amazing engagement that reaches you know a new platform of people, and then finally the possibilities. Well you know the possibility that this could happen. So yeah I truly truly live my life about people, possibility and potential.

Mark Laurie: Why'd you get into politics?

Jacqueline Bylo: Ah so women in politics maybe a little bit like women in business um they're there but they seem to reach that you know ceiling where either it's a lot harder for us to um excel or exceed. But the other is honestly women have different voices and opinions and experiences than men do, and so getting into politics wasn't something I didn't wake up one morning and go I want to be a politician because it's also a nasty world. It's really really nasty and it certainly has changed um since I was an elected official. But I was asked simply. And they do say that, if you see the potential in a leader right, or in somebody that can do something to move a movement or advocate for a cause or something you need to ask them. But you need to ask them more than once, twice, three times. Um and so for me I had already been involved in my community as a leader, you know all this other stuff, and I loved it, it was an amazing amazing part of my life.

Mark Laurie: And so why'd you step away from it?

Jacqueline Bylo: Because I didn't get elected.

Mark Laurie: Oh okay. That would make sense.

Jacqueline Bylo: And and you know if you want to say not it wasn't a regret because I same thing um I had an amazing so I was on municipal council for six years. Many people had asked me to run for mayor at the time, and I chose not to, I wanted to support the mayor at the time. Well whether that was to my detriment or not I'm not really sure why it would be, but anyways that was the election that I lost. And I was devastated. Because here's somebody that I wanted to give back to the community where I live, work, breathe, invest, play, and I was now no longer in a capacity to do that formally. Then a couple years later I actually ran um federally. And this is probably a unique story in itself because I knew I wouldn't win. So we live in Alberta, and whatever your political stripes are, I don't want to get into politics, but what I will say is that here is another example of when you truly believe in something and as long as you're attacking it from a respectful and possibly educated perspective right. Um so I ran for a party that wasn't popular in Alberta, but I had an amazing experience. You know, opened up some doors for me, uh created an opportunity for people to have a choice on the ballot. So just you know honestly from an elected perspective I could talk about it a lot um but politics are almost like a swear word right now.

Mark Laurie: I miss the old days where, you know, goes back decades, where the politicians could be in parliament and they could just politely savage each other.

Jacqueline Bylo: Yes.

Mark Laurie: And have a beer afterwards.

Jacqueline Bylo: Yes.

Mark Laurie: Like they could respect that, okay, we're not eye to eye on the same, but we both care for the country.

Jacqueline Bylo: Yes.

Mark Laurie: And our approach is different, but our intensity and love is the same.

Jacqueline Bylo: Yes.

Mark Laurie: And they were less about simply 'be this or that' and more about, okay, which platform delivers the best for the community. You know, and your perspective is.

Jacqueline Bylo: Yes.

Mark Laurie: And having everything boiled down to slogans saddens me because it means you're not really thinking, and the people then decide, I—I believe you should always vote. Even if there's a bad choice.

Jacqueline Bylo: Me too.

Mark Laurie: Which is really hard, you've still got to vote for the—let's say the least damaging one.

Jacqueline Bylo: Yes. Yes.

Mark Laurie: You know, and even if your reason is 'I like the guy's blonde hair,' I don't really care what your reason is. Get out there and vote because you can lose that. I don't think people realize how easily you can lose that in the state, so...

Jacqueline Bylo: Yay you. Yeah.

Mark Laurie: Yeah, when I was 18 I got picked up by an army captain hitchhiking. And I got a lecture about voting. And he explained at the time that Canada and Argentina were identical countries, and then they voted the wrong government—not enough people actually voted—and he says within five years we were different countries.

Jacqueline Bylo: 100%.

Mark Laurie: And you know, it's a spooky thing.

Jacqueline Bylo: 100%.

Mark Laurie: Do people understand you?

Jacqueline Bylo: Uh, not always. Yeah. Um, so whether we go back to the shiny thing or whether we go back to my drive and determination. Right. You know, like I just—my wheels are turning all the time and so sometimes my enthusiasm or because of my experience, I may not be able to articulate everything the way that I need to. Now, I do have a story about that meaning if you don't understand something though, ask for clarification.

Mark Laurie: Yep.

Jacqueline Bylo: I always say even in my university classroom, you're an adult. And yes, I might be the person at the front of the room. But one, don't believe everything that I've said, because I want you to have your own critical thinking.

Mark Laurie: Yep.

Jacqueline Bylo: Also, depending on your life experience, maybe, you know, I'm the one with blinders on, maybe I haven't considered some other options. But the other thing is that whether you're in a work team environment or whatever, if I've asked you or told you to do something. And you don't understand or there's vagueness in it, then why are you not asking for clarification?

Mark Laurie: Yeah, that's a...

Jacqueline Bylo: So no, not everybody does understand me because a lot of it is probably just I'm enthusiastic and I talk really fast and I have a million, you know, thoughts in my head, but I also put it back on you then ask for clarification.

Mark Laurie: I think that's the most important thing that could be taught in schools and in life is critical thinking. And I have clients who have got kids, and I smile because they come in and their kids are a handful. They're questioning everything, I'm going, this is what—as a parent, this is what you want. You want a child that questions, grows, demands people in power are accountable, that's what you want. Living with that process as you educate, that's really hard.

Jacqueline Bylo: Yes. Yes. Yes.

Mark Laurie: Has there been something that you've changed your mind about? That you were thinking was this, then you decided, no, that was a wrong position?

Jacqueline Bylo: Absolutely. Um, and it's probably back to my mentor—I have a mentor currently that is not only in the United States, so if we go politically there is different ideology there. But also from a legal perspective, so I'm coming at it without that legal knowledge. Right. And it's not that my decision has been wrong or my perspective isn't respected, but I have really appreciated somebody that is professional enough to say, 'Okay, Jacqueline, that might be fair what you're thinking, but have you thought of this, that, and the other thing?' Um, I don't have a specific example right now, but it is regular enough, and if you remember earlier on in this conversation I said that I do self-reflection. So does that mean that I slow down my own thinking and response? Does it mean that I acknowledge that, okay, I may have been wrong yesterday? But I also want people to understand that if you make a decision with the information that you had available to you yesterday. Yeah. And today you get new information. There is nothing wrong with changing your position.

Mark Laurie: Yeah.

Jacqueline Bylo: You know, again it goes back to communicating, 'Gee Jacqueline, I got new information, and although I was supportive of it yesterday, I'm not and here's the reason why.' So.

Mark Laurie: And that goes back to critical thinking. You know, awaring that you're not always right because information you're working from could be wrong or could be dated.

Jacqueline Bylo: Yes.

Mark Laurie: And I think that's the one thing people sort of hit this thing where like, 'I'm right.' Yes, you were right yesterday.

Jacqueline Bylo: Yes.

Mark Laurie: Okay, but the world's changed. And so what was right—and the self-reflection thing is hard because I think people are accustomed to the noise and they're not comfortable sitting with themselves, like being in their own thoughts and questioning their own motives and reasons, and that's a challenging...

Jacqueline Bylo: But see, then even go back to self-confidence, right. So if all of a sudden, you know, did you just jump on the bandwagon because everybody else said that yesterday you should do this, but today you went, 'Wait a minute.' And so is there not that element of self-confidence to be able to say, 'You know what, I slept on it, I thought about it, I did some more research, I asked 10 more people.' Why are we so afraid of either changing our thought process or walking a different path?

Mark Laurie: Especially with so much information coming out. My dad had a—sort of a relative to this degree is—he was always big on thinking things through. He was big on that. And so on occasion, his boss would do something inane and he really wanted to just go in and do this, and he says, 'No.' First thing you do—cause I was a teenager at the time watching—you should do that, like just a—and he says, 'No, first thing you do is you write down a letter, and then you send it.' Says, 'No, then you just leave it on your desk for two days. Then you reread your letter.' I said, 'Then what?' 'Then you probably will burn it because you realize how stupid you were.'

Jacqueline Bylo: Yes. You know, you gotta kinda sit on stuff, it makes a big difference.

Mark Laurie: Is there a turning point in your life? Where things... yeah, I mean there's probably several, but is there a couple things where you suddenly, 'this is a fork in the road and I took this pivot'?

Jacqueline Bylo: Yeah. So, uh, I'm 55 years old.

Mark Laurie: I'm 71, so you're a kitten.

Jacqueline Bylo: Excellent. So when I turned 50, um, during the pandemic and had some business opportunities, and all of a sudden I was in a position that I said I'm going to take care of me. Not more, not less maybe, but just more intentional. Right. And uh, so they talk about how men have like a midlife crisis. Okay. And so at 50, I very enthusiastically had my own midlife crisis and I bought a fleet of cars.

Mark Laurie: A fleet of cars.

Jacqueline Bylo: Yes, now however impressive that sounds, um, I mean I really did, I bought six vehicles in the span of a year, but it was because all of a sudden my daughter is very successful in her own right, had graduated from university, moved out of province. My son um was still finding himself and vehicles were something that he and I could share together. Now you mention the NASCAR thing.

Mark Laurie: Yes.

Jacqueline Bylo: And so the turning point for me was from many perspectives, I was changing my business focus, taking a few risks, speaking up more in areas maybe that I hadn't for a while. And having a whole lot of fun doing it. Okay. So yeah, that was the turn, and now I'm doing it again in my 55th year.

Mark Laurie: What are you doing, buying new cars or buying yachts now or?

Jacqueline Bylo: No, so I'm actually trying to sell some of those vehicles, um, but more just really the thrill—this is the thrill-seeking year. Um, like on my bucket list is I haven't skydived yet, and uh, I mean there'll be lots of other things, so you might have to have me back in a year's time and see.

Mark Laurie: Just saw a video of a girl, she's 101 I think years old, gray hair, and she tandem skydives. She loves it. Yes. It's just this hair is wild, this big old grin, sharp as a tack, so it's there. You have a bit of wonderful delight.

Jacqueline Bylo: Thank you.

Mark Laurie: Thank you so much for your time today, I really appreciate it.

Jacqueline Bylo: Thank you.

Mark Laurie: For everybody, there is as usual in the bio you'll come across a photograph of her and you'll see uh other ways you want to contact her, and thank you so much.

Announcer: This has been Fascinating Women with Mark Laurie. Join us on our website and subscribe at fascinatingwomen.ca. Fascinating Women has been sponsored by Inner Spirit Photography of Calgary, Alberta, and is produced in Calgary by Lee Ellis and My Office Media.