MIRANDA AYIM BRINGS the poise of a three-time Olympian and the purpose of a changemaker to everything she does. After spending over 15 years competing at the highest levels of professional basketball, with her career taking her across the globe, she founded Cultivate Co., a coaching and speaking firm that helps professionals achieve success without sacrificing their well-being. A compelling voice in mental fitness, she partners with leading organizations to share hard-earned insights on resilience, leadership and the pursuit of success grounded in clarity and well-being.
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What is your biggest career achievement so far, or the thing that you’re most proud of?
Being invited back into Canada Basketball as a performance and leadership consultant was a full-circle moment for me. I spent nearly two decades wearing that jersey, and returning in a different role has been both humbling and deeply meaningful. It’s exciting, challenging and incredibly rewarding to give back to an organization that shaped me so profoundly.
What about your biggest business obstacle (and how you tackled it)?
Myself! I often say the key to performance is learning how to get out of your own way. Whether it’s the harsh inner critic questioning your readiness, or the perfectionist insisting everything must be just right before you share it, there’s always some fuel for self-sabotage. Over time, I’ve built a toolbox that helps me recognize those patterns and respond differently.
“I often say the key to performance is learning how to get out of your own way”
How has technology changed your work over the past couple of years, if at all?
Zoom has expanded my reach while allowing me to stay rooted in London. After spending 15 years living outside of Canada, being able to build meaningful work without giving up a sense of home has been incredibly important to me.
What’s one book you think everyone should read?
Not just one — an entire series. I’m finishing the Inspector Gamache novels by Canadian author Louise Penny. It’s a light 20-book commitment.
What’s your favourite spot to eat in the city?
I don’t go out to eat a lot, but Backroads Brews + Shoes is my go-to coffeeshop.
What advice would you give your younger self?
“It’s never too late to be who you might have been.” — George Eliot.
And finally, what’s your guilty pleasure?
Anything sour and chewy — sour keys, cherry blasters. I don’t keep them around because they don’t last in my house!
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