The Calgary Sessions

What happens when the one thing that defines you is gone? Dr. Matt Brown had his entire life planned: play pro football, then become a surgeon. But a single helmet-to-helmet hit ended his career, broke his neck, and shattered his identity. In the darkness that followed, he felt "gutted like a fish" and asked himself a question that would change his life: "Who is Matt Brown without f...

What does it take to lose the business you built from scratch and then come back to create an even bigger success? This week, we sit down with Hailey Seidel, the founder of Calgary’s luxury pet hotel, The Petropolitan, for a masterclass in resilience, branding, and grit. For 20 years, Hailey has been a force in the pet care industry, but her path was anything but straight. Her journey started by a...

What if the key to unlocking your highest potential wasn't about pushing harder, but about becoming more authentic? My guest this week, Kayti Simonson, shares her profound journey from a high-achieving lawyer and athlete running on adrenaline to a resilient competitor guided by energy and intuition. Kayti is a Calgary-based lawyer and three-time HYROX world championship competitor who seemed t...

I've always been fascinated by the moments that change everything. Not the big goals we set, but the unexpected turns that truly define us. My guest this week, Cari Din, calls these powerful moments "interruptions". Cari is an Olympic silver medalist in artistic swimming and an award-winning Kinesiology professor. She was incredibly open about her journey, from the intense focus of b...

What if the biggest risks lead to the most meaningful rewards? My guest this week, Christine Goudie, is the definition of that question. As the Co-founder and CEO of Granville Biomedical, she has forged a unique path driven by a desire to use her design skills for good, starting with a one-way ticket out of Newfoundland with just $250 in her pocket. In our chat, Christine took me through her incre...

What does it mean to shape ideas for a living? In this episode, Shelley reflects on what it takes to shape meaningful ideas, how to trust your gut in creative decisions, and what it feels like to stay curious over time. Her stories reveal how culture takes shape through consistent and thoughtful choices. A few themes that run through the episode: • Creating space for conversations that matter • Ma...

Jamie Parker didn’t plan to become an entrepreneur. He worked a lot of jobs, spent time on wildfire crews, and started roasting coffee in a garage before anything looked like a business. That business became Canadian Heritage Roasting Company. This episode isn’t about overnight success. It’s about figuring things out by doing the work, staying committed when there’s no clear payoff, and navigating...

Marco Carducci is still in the game, competing at a high level, leading on and off the field, and figuring it out as he goes. In this episode, Marco reflects on what it took to make it in pro soccer, what nearly pulled him away from it, and how he's found a healthier way to thrive without losing himself in the process. He opens up about growing up in Calgary, the pressures of early success, the id...

Trent McClellan didn’t step on stage until he was 30. No plan, no roadmap. Just a feeling he couldn’t ignore. We talked about what it took to go from a full-time day job to late-night open mics, touring small towns across Alberta, and eventually landing on 22 Minutes. Trent shared the less visible side of his career. The mental discipline. The self-doubt. The pressure to define success without tyi...

Crystal was chasing the Olympics when she was diagnosed with MS. What came next was unexpected, but the way she handled it shaped everything that followed. In this episode, we talked about competing at a high level, what it’s like to face a sudden diagnosis, and why Crystal started rethinking the healthcare system from the inside. We also got into the early days of the Branch Out Foundation and th...

Dr. Karen MacNeill and I talk about what it really takes to perform under pressure. Whether you’re an athlete, leader, or just someone trying to keep it together in tough moments. She shares honest stories about setbacks, the mindset shift from fear to freedom, and how mental fitness makes the difference when it counts. We talk about resilience, finding balance, and why clarity and purpose matter...

Ross has done a lot in his life: firefighter, nurse, musician, speaker, and now the host of a TV show. What really stood out was how all those parts of his story came together. We talked about service, identity, and the tension between being who you are and who you're expected to be. Ross shared what it’s like to discover his Métis roots later in life, the lessons that come from frontline work...

I sat down with Nicole Robertson, a journalist and founder of Muskwa Productions, to talk about where her voice comes from and how she’s used it to tell hard stories for nearly 30 years. With Cree and Scottish roots, she spoke about growing up between cultures and the early experiences that shaped her sense of identity. We talked about the loss of her childhood friend Neil Stonechild, her early re...

In this episode, I sit down with Emma Harding, a voice coach and artist development expert who grew up backstage in the British rock scene and later built a creative life in Calgary. We get into what it really means to unlock your true voice, how healing your past can change your performance, and why community matters more than chasing perfection. We also talk about ADHD, imposter syndrome, and th...

Daniel Plenzik built a steady career as an electrical engineer before deciding to leave it behind. What started as a personal passion for winemaking turned into a full-on commitment to craft spirits, leading to a Calgary distillery that quietly produced the best brandy in the world. We talked about what it really takes to step away from security, how long-term thinking shapes every decision, and w...

Tom has built a life around work ethic, stability, and solving big problems. But in recent years, he started asking harder questions about what he actually wanted—and whether the safe path was still the right one. In this episode, we talk about what it means to walk away from structure, how creativity shows up in business, and why being second-in-command can be a strength. Tom opens up about the c...

Dan Allard helped start Cold Garden, one of Calgary’s most recognizable breweries. In this episode, we talk about how it came together, what drove the decisions behind it, and why building something a little different felt important. It’s a look at business, identity, and what it means to create something that reflects your values. How To Connect: Jeff Humphreys - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jeffhumphreys.ca...

I didn’t know Scott before this episode, but his story left a mark. He built Crescent Point from scratch, led for 18 years, and eventually stepped away. We talked about the pressure of being a young CEO, the impact of government policy on Calgary’s energy sector, and the moments where everything could’ve gone sideways. What stood out most was how much of his leadership style came from unlikely pla...

Most careers follow a straight path. Kathy Macdonald’s didn’t. She started as a fitness instructor, then became a police officer, then a cybercrime expert and keynote speaker. At every turn, she faced setbacks—like failing the police fitness test twice—but kept pushing forward. We talk about reinvention, resilience, and how small decisions lead to unexpected careers. Kathy shares how policing shap...

Kate Ryan’s path wasn’t typical. Growing up in a turbulent home, she learned early how to adapt and figure things out on her own. At 16, she left, chasing something bigger than the life she knew. That decision took her across the world, where she discovered circus arts, built a career, and eventually founded her own entertainment company. We get into what it takes to carve out a creative career fr...

In Episode 157 of The Calgary Sessions, I sit down with Calgary-based artist Amy Dryer for a real conversation about the creative process, self-doubt, and building a career in art. We talk about the early experiences that shaped her, the discipline she carried over from sports, and the persistence needed to carve out space in a competitive industry. Amy shares what it’s like to balance creativity...

In this episode of The Calgary Sessions, I sit down with Alex Kingcott, a prominent figure in Calgary's arts and public relations scene. Alex shares her journey from a theatre enthusiast to the founder of a leading PR agency, offering insights into the unexpected paths that passion can lead us down. We chat about her experiences transitioning from corporate life to entrepreneurship, the challenges...

In this episode, I sat down with Musap 'Moose' Abde to talk about the realities of struggle, resilience, and finding purpose when life doesn’t go as planned. His story isn’t a straight line—it’s filled with setbacks, tough decisions, and moments that could’ve gone either way. We talked about what it’s like growing up between cultures, facing failure head-on, and why the hardest experiences...

Tim Hunter spent 16 seasons in the NHL, most of them with the Calgary Flames, where he made his mark as an enforcer. In this episode, we talk about what it takes to play that role, the shift from player to coach, and the lessons that stick long after the game ends. Tim shares stories from his time protecting teammates like Theo Fleury, what he learned about leadership in the locker room, and how d...

Duff Gibson shares his unique journey to Olympic gold—one built on lessons learned from failure, persistence, and self-awareness. We talk about how his path through multiple sports shaped his mindset, the importance of finding the right fit, and the powerful role of mental fitness. We also dive into his thoughts on youth sports today—why early specialization is a problem, how fun drives true growt...