Make It with Mike and Kristen

Who isn’t a fan of Matt Mays’ music? We can now say we are bigger fans of Matt Mays the man. He opens up about pursuing sobriety and trading in alcohol for alpacas; his conviction for making beautiful songs, his authentic way of caring for others, and his determination to tackle life in a meaningful way has inspired us beyond words. You’ll really feel this one, folks. What an honour.  Us on the we...

Defending the artist has always been at the core of Laura Simpson’s quest for creative justice. With a background in journalism, she has made it her life’s work to share stories and create opportunities for live music and performing arts. It was during a backyard party at her own house that her lightbulb moment led to the wildly successful and supportive business, Side Door Access. The company she...

Award-winning musician, podcaster and all around creative, Christina Martin uses her platform to discuss important issues like mental illness, accessibility and human connection. Her hobbies include dialling 911, playing with her cat Mama and touring the world with her BFF/hubs Dale, playing the sweetest songs. Her sense of humour won us over and we know she’ll steal your hearts too! Us on the web...

Award-winning author (and Mike’s cousin!) Tom Ryan shares his unbelievable story of a fateful encounter that led to him collaborating on his own television series.  He’s been a panelist with R.L. Stine, gained global recognition for his young adult novels and managed to crystalize a childhood dream. Tom reflects on his creative upbringing and has a good laugh over the time that Mike’s voiceover st...

Lifelong athlete Nikole MacLellan is equipped with an abundance of knowledge when it comes to the human body. She teaches us about injury recovery, breathing, and how there are more important health metrics than body composition. We chat about the differences between alternative, naturopathic approaches and traditional medicine. Plus, Dr. Kokes has experimented with all kinds of  diets (except for...

Daniel James McFadyen felt a connection to Nova Scotia at the early age of 14. His family was on a road trip from Ontario and gave the highlight reel of all that eastern Canada had to offer! He was accepted to Acadia University a few years later and has been making history and music in the Annapolis Valley ever since. We chat about pre-show rituals, his cleverly named barn studio and how preparati...

A creative force and friend in Halifax, Estelle Thomson is known for her magical presence and ability to create community. She shares her emotional story of grief and how she has found ways to open the doors of communication for others on this topic. Estelle uses movement to express herself and is consistently offering us whimsical paintings to reflect her inner-self. BONUS: polar bear shake, desi...

We love a good inspiration story and Kristen Martell delivers! With the goal of living without regrets, this mother of two has been working hard to create a new routine of musicianship. Her new album “Every Season” brings relatable themes of overcoming challenges, new beginnings and inevitable change. We acknowledge the overlooked “behind the scenes” struggles faced by artists and how hardships ca...

Fresh off a tour with the Crash Test Dummies, Cape Breton born Carleton Stone is happy to be back on the road. We chat about the importance of warming up the audience as the opening act, co-writing in Nashville with both strangers and old friends and how the energy of a live performance stays in your body. This lifetime musician offers his inspiring journey on how he’s managed to stick it out as a...

Former CTV host, Nancy Regan taps into her vulnerability and shares how being present has led her to a life of authenticity. Her new book, “From Showing Off to Showing UP” is a universal message of courage, honesty and how our relatable fear of “being” can hold us back from our greatest life. Nancy names Mike’s studio mascot, we have a sing-a-long and talk about our favourite Autumn game: apple ba...

Creativity flows through Sarah as naturally as the breath through our bodies. She helps others tap into their subconscious to explore sexuality, guidance this same organic creative expression through intuitive art processes. Sarah was the former  host of the popular podcast “Momgasm” and now offers beautiful guided sessions, often in collaboration with spiritual leaders, to help reveal our inner c...

This adventurous duo met on a 30-hour kayak trip to Sable Island. The unique (insane) experience was only the beginning of the outdoor thrills that Chris and Jan would eventually share. For more than a decade these Nova Scotian nature enthusiasts have brought awareness to land conversation, mental health through the outdoors, and how their kid’s book “A For Adventure” led them to a life of doing w...

A powerful episode as Brenda guides our listeners through an example of what life-coaching can do for our mental health and well-being. Having overcome a serious addiction and feelings of not belonging, we can all benefit from hearing Brenda’s story of discovering her true self. We talk about the importance of perspective, reflection and give tips on how you might apply this wisdom to your own lif...

Kristine is an accomplished photographer, educator, marketer and entrepreneur. She left the creative corporate world just a few years ago and is already making multi-six figures as an artist. How’s that for taking a chance on yourself?! We talk about what inspired her to make the leap into full-time creativity, how her masterclass has grown beyond her expectations and what motivates her to take ph...

Renée Hartleib got her first library card when she was only TWO years old! Is there any doubt that she would become a writer? Her new book is great for people who want to practice their own writing, and the daily exercises ALSO help us to discover the fine details and inner wisdom about ourselves. We learn about Renée’s brave leap into full-time creativity, what helps her clear her mind and stay p...

Is there anyone more savvy in the entertainment industry than Surettes Island (Yarmouth) own, Trevor Murphy?! We could have talked with Trev for hours more given his treasure chest of knowledge. We explore his creative work with Acadian communities, how being a teenager in a small town shaped his passion for music AND he recites the entire lineup, in order, from Summersault 2000. Trevor shares ins...

A well-known leader in the entertainment industry, Steph Purcell is the Master of anticipating what we need. She shows up with confidence, decisiveness and thoughtfulness in both her work and personal life. Hear how building relationships has led to both a thriving business and a friend group that many envy. Oh, and there was that yacht party…  Us on the web: www.mikeandkristen.ca Instagram: www.i...

This powerhouse creative couple shares how the pandemic led them to sobriety, new jobs and “starting from zero” towards reinventing themselves. Zach bought Tori a sandwich on a tour in Germany and that is the key to any travelling artist’s heart! Both lifelong musicians, Zach and Tori share stories of their most memorable gigs, the impact of a live audience and how change can be the best way to ke...

We eloped over six years ago in Jamaica and are often asked, “how did you do that?” Today’s episode shares the first chapter of our audiobook, “You and Me” which tells the story of our special wedding day. A drug dealer takes our photo, Mike sprains his wrist at our wedding party trying to crack open a piñata and Kristen encourages you to do things your own way! Us on the web: www.mikeandkristen.c...

Artists need to take care of their minds and bodies to stay creative and in flow. Mental health and mindfulness are key drivers to overall health so we wanted to share some of our own successes on exercise, nutrition and mindful practices that help keep us going. Mike talks about reverse high heels and Kristen talks about coffee enemas. The rest is somewhere in between! Us on the web: www.mikeandk...

With a background in theatre, music and performance, New Brunswick born Vanessa Furlong has had a long creative life. Her former band Three Sheet brought an eclectic sound to the Halifax music scene with a hip-hop vibe and off the cuff performances. She has worked in circus performance for the past five years, notably with her artistic partner Erin Ball who together form “LEGacy Circus”. She also...

Up and coming singer-songwriter Jackson Weldon talks about going from high school graduation to playing local gigs. This 18-year-old creative shares bits of his writing process, past and present musical influences and the serendipitous nature of meeting Mike at our favourite local restaurant, the Rustic Crust. This episode will make you feel nostalgic, inspired and considerate of your relationship...

Classically trained musician Blanche Israël has recently birthed the most beautiful baby girl! She talks about parenting and how this new life adventure factors into her creativity. Her days performing with Indigenous frontman Jeremy Dutcher are still fast and furious, always offering something new and unexpected. PLUS, Blanche shares entrepreneurial tips and how the days of working a 9-5 can be r...

Accomplished musician Willie Stratton is the East Coast’s Elvis Presley! Influenced by folk, rock, country and more, his versatile style is one of a kind. Willie chats about his new album “Drugstore Dreamin” and how it feels like a brand-new style of production and sound. He shares tips on where to buy great jewelry, music history and how he survived the pandemic as an artist. Us on the web: www.m...

Duane Jones is an accomplished painter, lifestyle brand creator and podcaster. We chat about his upcoming shows, how he got into podcasting and his diverse influences. Duane candidly shares the realities of being a professional artist and how life experience - like listening to people he disagrees with - can offer inspiration. He also reflects on what “making it” looks like to him and questions wh...