Nancy Corcoran has never been afraid to chase an adventure.
Years ago, she and her husband John sold their dream home, bought a sailboat, and spent the next twelve years splitting their time between the Bahamas and a 200-acre property in rural Ontario. That property would eventually become Whispering Springs Wilderness Retreat, one of Canada's most unique glamping destinations and the place where we now host our annual Waypoint Retreat.
But this conversation is about much more than building a beautiful business.
Nancy shares the heartbreaking story of her granddaughter, Ayla, who suffered a severe brain injury at birth, forever changing the course of their family's life. Rather than allowing tragedy to define them, Nancy and their family have dedicated themselves to creating hope for other families through Camp Moonlight, the We Love Joy Foundation, and Ask Ayla—the world's first AI companion built from the lived experience of raising a child with cerebral palsy.
It's a conversation about adventure, entrepreneurship, grief, resilience, advocacy, and the incredible things that can happen when you choose to turn pain into purpose.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why Nancy and John sold everything to buy a sailboat and chase adventure
- The story behind building Whispering Springs Wilderness Retreat
- Creating spaces that help people disconnect, reconnect, and slow down
- Why entrepreneurs often need to trust intuition more than certainty
- The life-changing birth of Nancy's granddaughter, Ayla
- What it's really like for families navigating a birth injury and cerebral palsy diagnosis
- How Camp Moonlight is creating community for families raising children with disabilities
- The We Love Joy Foundation and its mission to spread kindness, empathy, and inclusion
- The creation of Ask Ayla, the world's first AI companion built from lived experience
- How AI can transform caregiving and support families around the world
- Why Nancy believes our greatest pain can become our greatest purpose
- The importance of creating a more compassionate and inclusive world for children with disabilities
Enjoy this conversation with Nancy Corcoran.
EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES
Whispering Springs Glamping Resort
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On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED.
You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey.
We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.
