chase worthy: edition 001
A monthly curation of experts who are ready and willing to talk about the stories that are in the news right now.
AI & THE JOBS MARKET
Amazon and GM announced big layoffs this week – a couple weeks before we get the latest snapshot of employment data in Canada. Many economists expect the unemployment rate to tick higher for the second month in a row.
For job seekers, the story behind the numbers is one of growing frustration. And many are pointing the finger not at the economy, but at artificial intelligence.
Chase-Worthy:
Lee-Anne Geseron
CEO & Founder, Geseron Employment Consulting Ltd.
Why:
Lee-Anne’s company, Geseron Employment Consulting Ltd. , supports job seekers who have been indirectly caught in a career transition through layoff, illness, disability, or misalignment.
They work daily on return-to-work strategies, skills upgrading, transferable skills analyses/labour market reporting, and job search techniques, including how AI is reshaping hiring and where the real gaps in the job market lie.
She has a real-time pulse on both employer and employee needs and brings a warm, human perspective to deeply technical conversations.
Hooks: Return to Office • Job Market • Unemployment Rate • Layoff Support • Career Change • Gen Z Employment • Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace • AI Hiring
Location: North Bay, Ontario
REALTOR EXODUS
The Bank of Canada chose to hold steady on interest rates on Wednesday.
It’s the central bank’s first decision of 2026. And it comes amidst growing Canada–U.S. trade uncertainty.
All of it is playing out against the backdrop of a depressed real estate market.
In fact, many real estate agents have no choice but to leave the industry altogether.
Chase-Worthy:
Catharine MacIntosh
CEO, Listed
Catharine@Listed.inc
Why:
Catharine runs the hugely popular real estate app Listed, used by agents, buyers, sellers, and real-estate obsessives alike. She hears from agents all day long and has a front-row seat to real-time market data and fast-changing housing trends across Canada. She’s also natural on camera, deeply informed.
Hooks: Real Estate • Housing • Condo Crash • Market Trends • Mortgage Rates • Interest Rates • Spring/Fall Markets • Canadian Tech Companies
Location:
Toronto, Ontario
FINANCIAL WELLBEING
A new poll from RBC suggests financial stress is on the rise in Canada.
Nearly half of those surveyed say they feel anxious about their finances —
and their ability to meet financial goals this year.
That growing pressure is pushing some employers to take financial wellbeing more seriously, treating it like physical and mental health in new benefits packages.
Chase-Worthy:
Jen Scharien
CEO & Founder, Finlotus
Email: jenscharien@finlotus.com
Why:
Jen started Finlotus, a company all about looking at financial wellbeing differently. Her vision? That financial wellbeing should be a standard part of employee benefits — not a perk. When employees have access to financial guidance, budgeting tools, and debt support, it directly impacts productivity, stress levels, and overall health.
She’s informed, practical, and able to translate complex financial issues into human stories that resonate on camera.
Hooks: Cost of Living • Household Debt • Financial Anxiety • Financial Literacy • Budgeting • Interest Rates • Employee Benefits • Workplace Wellness • Burnout
Location: Vancouver, BC