The Craft with May Globus (with May Globus)

Pearl Lam has an enviable depth of smarts about the world around her. The entrepreneur & creative is co-founder of a number of businesses and projects, from popular food brand Dicky’s Dumps to Vancouver guide District Local to community event series Sanbo Worldwide. 

She was born in Hong Kong, the youngest of two daughters. Her family immigrated to Canada when she was three and was encouraged by her parents to quickly assimilate into North American culture. A shy child, she spent much of her time alone and creating, whether it was drawing, making art, or spending hours at the library reading solo. Despite her natural introvertedness, her love of writing, production, curiosity, and having fun eventually overrode this, and Pearl found herself working as a publicist, marketer in various industries, and also living in New York for a time.

In this conversation, we examine her childhood and the push & pull of straddling two cultures, her desire to reconnect with her roots in her adult years, what her chapter in New York brought to her life, the genesis story of Dicky’s Dumps and what it’s like working with your life partner, a traumatic accident that changed her world, and more.

Pennylane Shen is the consummate conversationalist—to get into a discussion with her is to go deep into all topics. The artist consultant and founder of Dazed & Confucius has spent decades in the art world, particularly the fine art space, working in galleries, teaching and, now, guiding artists around the globe as they build and refine their practices. 

She grew up mostly in Vancouver, the precocious daughter of Chinese immigrant parents. From a young age, she was strong-headed and a rule-breaker, at times to the chagrin of her traditional father and mother. Born from a wild imagination, Pennylane had the ability to draw and make when she was a child, practicing her art over and over. This artist leaning took her to the University of Toronto to get her Fine Arts degree, and then to NYU to do a masters degree. A visa expiration brought her back to Vancouver, among other reasons, where she continued to work at galleries, while doing private artist consultations on the side. In 2016, she finally fully pivoted into her consulting work with Dazed & Confucius.

In this conversation, we explore the dynamic between her and her parents during her early years; the ways her chapter living in New York opened her and challenged her; what to keep in mind when building a budding art collection and what makes a meaningful collection; the emerging, new wave of POC collectors; how artists can build a strong careers & what traits they should embrace in order to succeed; why intention, practice & context are essential when critiquing art; an examination of curation; what’s exciting her and disheartening her about the art world; one question every artist should ask themselves; and much more.          

TIMESTAMPS:

5:02 - Growing up

8:04  - Parents

10:09  - What she was like as a kid/teen

15:04 - Her chapter in New York

27:31 - How she got her career going in Vancouver

33:45 - Does she feel the same excitement expanding her company

35:06 - Skills that art consultant should have

37:25 - Can someone be built into a great artist

39:54 -  The three pillars of how she works

42:28 - How she would nurture young clients

45:58 - Things to keep in mind while collecting art/What makes for a meaningful, intentional collection

57:37 - New POC art collectors

01:04:21 - Whats exciting/disheartening in the art world now

01:08:43 - What are the things that we can actionably do to support artists other than buying 

01:12:29 - What would she say to her younger self

01:14:17 - Final question 

01:16:52 - Where to find her

Marcy Bulkeley has infinite layers to her: powerful, creative, mystical, gentle, bold, and nurturing all at once. With over 25+ years in the music industry, she’s a respected music supervisor, having scored trailers and created original music for films like Dawn of the Dead, Inception, Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse & Looper. 

In 2019, she joined Universal Music Group as VP of Music Curation + Sync A&R. During the pandemic, she led an initiative to create music for meditation apps, collaborating with Kacey Musgravdes, Jhene Aiko, and Katy Perry.

After recently leaving UMG, Marcy launched her creative baby: Subtle Mother, where she guides musicians, producers & songwriters from across the globe in creating music as healing across all platforms. 

She grew up in West Hartford, Connecticut, where generations of her family were raised. Nature was woven into her early life, from the town’s gardens to lakes and rivers in upstate New York. Music was a constant companion—her mother had her listening to Michael Jackson and film scores, and her father would play her The Beatles and Cat Stevens. When she was 11-years-old, Marcy got the chance to go to a recording studio with her father and, after, told him she wanted to put music to picture. 

At 12, she picked up her first drink and her long journey to sobriety began. Through darker times, music was always grounding. After Emerson College, Marcy did stints with record labels, publishing companies, and music producers, leading to a coveted internship with the legendary G. Marq Rosswell. She discovered kundalini yoga, meditation, and breathwork during this era and got sober by age of 29. 

In this conversation, we explore how playlists are time capsules in one’s life; intentionality of film scoring & music supervision and the importance of lyrics; what she learned at UMG; birthing Subtle Mother into the world; what music as medicine means; creating with her husband Danny; and much more.

[TIMESTAMPS]

7:57 - Growing up

12:25 - Why sound tracks and film scores are important for her

23:21 - Did the way she listen to music change on her journey to sobriety

27:13 - Her creative process

33:47 - Her time with Universal Music Group 

57:45 - What to expect from Subtle Mother

01:00:53 - Where to find her

01:02:00 - Final question

[TODAY'S SPONSORS]

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Mauvey is someone whose spirit just cannot be denied. The musician, songwriter, artist and creator - who recently signed a major deal with 604 Records - is on the precipice of the world getting to know and hear his music.

He was born in Ghana as Ransford Laryea (pronounced “Lah-ee”) and raised in South Hampton in the UK, the son of a pastor and hardworking mother. His parents had two or three jobs to give their children the best lives possible, and he and sisters grew up in a household that still upheld the Ghanian (gah-nay-ehn) culture. As a teenager, adversity turned on Mauvey’s resilience to full blast: working hard, he became a star basketball player, leading to him playing in Europe professionally for a number of years, including in Denmark and for England’s national team.

A tragedy struck during his time in Europe, causing him to hang up his basketball shoes. As solace, he turned to his longtime love for creative writing, churning out poems, essays, novels, and songs. Eventually, Mauvey started going to open mics and then, with no experience, organized himself a world tour and played a slew of shows and festivals, gaining the attention of stations like BBC Radio One. 

In this conversation, we go deep into his childhood, how the bullying he experienced growing up pushed him to pick up new skills, why coachability is an important trait to have, his journey to becoming a pro basketball player, signing his major deal with 604 Records, new music coming out, why spreading love is essential to him, and much more.   

Sara Gulamali is bright and brilliant, not only as a person but also as an award-winning young artist. For years, she’s created her own works, has hosted creative events through the Tate Exchange Programme and is now part of supporting artists as associate director at Howard495 Gallery, a global art advisory firm and gallery serving new and dedicated collectors in both the private and commercial spaces. 

As a British-Pakistani, she is proud of her Muslim heritage and in 2017 with two close friends, founded Muslim Sisterhood, a collective and creative agency working across campaign production, research, consultancy, and community-focused initiatives with clients such as Nike, Crocs, Disney, the NHS, and more. Their aim is to spotlight, unite and uplift Muslim women across the world, and they’ve been featured in British Vogue, DAZED and Marie Claire Arabia.

Born and raised in London, she came from a close-knit family and had a wonderful bond with her late grandmother, who taught Sara the basis of the Muslim faith. She was also very close with her mother, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2011-2012 and passed two months later. Creativity was intrinsic to Sara as a young person, and she was always practicing art in various methods. After high school, she attended @KingstonUniversity for a Foundation degree, followed by Central Saint Martins for a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Sara also co-curated the first student show at the Lethaby Gallery, within the university. In 2019, she relocated to Vancouver from London to be with her now-husband and eventually connected with Krista Howard, founder of HOWARD495.

In this conversation, we go deep into the circumstances of life that forced her to grow up quickly; what faith looks like to Sara; the role art plays in her life; how art university experiences & friendships taught her to question the nature of things; the genesis story of Muslim Sisterhood; navigating the culture shock moving from London to Vancouver; how she chooses to navigate spaces as a Muslim woman; and much more.   

[TIMESTAMPS]

6:34 - Growing up

9:21 - Life circumstances, grief & growing up quickly 

11:16 - What faith looks like to her

14:11 - The role art plays in her life

19:08 - Her time at art universities and what it taught her

22:18 - How Muslim Sisterhood came to be

30:55- Navigating her life transition to Canada

43:26 - How to build an art collection

45:06 - Vancouver and its art scene

51:00 - A reflection on her ancestors

53:13 - Final question

54:55 - Where to find her

[TODAY'S SPONSORS]

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Gelareh Darabi is a fascinating human and storyteller. This eloquent multi-platform journalist, documentary filmmaker, and international correspondent has worked with National Geographic’s Explorer series, Al Jazeera English, and other media outlets, focusing on science and the environment.

She grew up a lover of nature, thanks to frequent outdoor walks with her family when she was a child. Her natural curiosity and love for oration led her into investigative journalism, taking her to six continents and over 20 countries. She’s covered the Iran water crisis, the Australian bushfires, indigenous resistance in the Amazon, and more. 

In this conversation, we explore her familial dynamics, her deep interest in the mystical and spiritual (a compass that's guided her in life), what makes a good journalist, one universal truth she's learned about people from different cultures, and more. 

Hello friends,

We are very excited for this week’s podcast. Not only is this conversation rich, fun, and inspiring, it is my first-ever collaborative podcast with my dear friends Zach Berman and Dean Morris of A Little More Good podcast. And the reason for this creative format was inspired by our guest, the one and only Jeff Hamada.

Jeff is a Japanese-Canadian artist who hails from right here in Vancouver, or Richmond to be specific. Jeff is perhaps best known for his website Booooooom, which he launched in 2008. The website was wonderfully curated and deeply interactive with guest submissions, collaborative projects and the ever present invitation to poke around and be inspired to create something yourself. Booooooom quickly became Canada's largest online art publication, giving thousands of artists and creatives exposure on a huge level.

Jeff is many things: an artist, a film maker, games master, tenacious hockey player, and great pal to be stuck in a waiting room with. But, above all, he is very humble and approachable, and is always wanting to create community and connection. We were thrilled to sit down and chat with him about his upbringing, his sense of wonder and creativity, the future of the internet and how web personalization is a threat to our creativity, aliens, and more.

We KNOW you're going to enjoy this episode.

As always, thank you for tuning in!

May, Zach & Dean

Cemre Demiralp is an incredible force of nature, not one to live her life without bringing meaningful change to the world. She has spent much of her art career thus far working at various museums and institutions, mainly with established blue chip artists and creatives: Kerry James Marshall, Robert Buck, Lara Favaretto, Ian Wallace, Simon Starling, Oliver Stone, Yoko Ono, and Solange Knowles. 

Currently, she operates the Shumka Centre for Creative Entrepreneurship at Emily Carr University, helping to create programs, mentorship, and resources for supporting emerging artists and creative practitioners in sustainable, real world ways. Cemre is also heading up and organizing Emily Carr’s grad art show, which opens this May.

She was born in Istanbul, Turkey, the only daughter of a spiritual mother and atheist father. Curious and independent, and usually surrounded by elders & adults, Cemre was encouraged by her parents to have opinions—and to express them. At 17, she moved to France for schooling and at 19, she left her home country for Canada, where she double majored in Art History and Political Science at the University of British Columbia. Cemre’s career in art kick-started during university, as she reached out to galleries and centres to offer her help.           

In this conversation, we talk about her childhood in Istanbul; her journey into the art world and the existing systems within it that she hopes to improve; the importance of respecting another’s journey in life; how feeling like a migrant is an untangling for her; how she brings what she learned working with blue chip artists to her current role at Emily Carr with emerging artists; interfacing creativity with running a viable business; the way she would approach curating an art show; what she wants others to know about the people & culture of Turkey; and more.

Clay and Cody Allmin are two of the most down-to-earth entrepreneurs around. Together, the identical twin brothers started Boxset Collective, a company that runs a number of well-loved eat & drink establishments: Published on Main, Bar Susu, Twin Sails Brewing, Thorn and Burrow Wine, Mama Said Pizza, and coming-soon Novella Coffee Bar.

They were born and raised in Maple Ridge, BC, to hippie parents that split when they were still young. Their father found himself a career in tech and worked long hours, often leaving them in their older sister’s care or to fend for themselves. In the last year of their high school, a major decision was made to move the family to a tiny town in California, closer to Silicon Valley. It upended their lives, but Cody and Clay were resilient enough to find their way. With Cody returning first, the brothers moved back to Vancouver and began their respective careers. 

After separate winding paths in the hospitality and corporate worlds, they came together to found Twin Sails Brewing, with the manual labour and search for much-needed last minute financing handled by them. The brewery has since won accolades for their craft beer, and their Mount Pleasant restaurant Published on Main won #1 on Canada’s Top 100 restaurants list for 2022.

In this conversation, we explore the resilience and resourcefulness they’ve built up since childhood; their entertaining recount of chapters in the hospitality and corporate industries; what they learned building Twin Sails Brewing & what advice they’d give to aspiring restauranteurs; their creative process when ideating a new establishment; the long-term vision for Boxset Collective to support & fund emerging entrepreneurs; how to maintain team culture & be a great leader; hospitality and restaurants being a people-first industry; what they’ve learned from one another; and more.

TIMESTAMPS:

4:00 - Last name history 
2:14 - Growing up
5:47 - Parents
16:57 - What they were like individually 
19:27 - Career trajectories
41:13 - Advice for potential restaurateurs
45:29 - Creative process to founding an establishment
57:46 - How do they maintain the box set collective culture across their businesses
01:04:39 - What they have learned from their employees
01:07:28 - Who their guest lists would consist of and what would be on the menu for that dinner
01:11:51 - What have they observed about one another and what they want the other to know
01:14:25 - Final question 

Co-founder of Street Dreams Magazine, Eric Veloso always had the hustle (and photographer’s eye) in him. From learning how to frame shots while working in film to learning the ropes of distribution at Aritzia, Eric followed his natural instincts, growing Street Dreams with his business partners from a print publication to also a creative studio.

Born in Calgary and raised in Vancouver, he was taught the virtue of hard work by watching his single mother go from a hotel maid to director of entertainment services. His passion for photography came in his teens, after a skateboard injury sidelined him. To pass time at the skatepark while recovering, he picked up a camera, shooting everything urban. While in New York in 2014, a fated run-in with a photographer that he followed on Instagram named Steve Irby led him, Steve and Mike Cobarubbia to found Street Dreams Magazine, which grew quickly in the following years to include a creative studio, a clothing line available in Tokyo, and a loyal global community. 

In this conversation, we dive deep into the origins of his hustle and growing up in a Latino household; the combination of hard work and right timing when it came to the birth of Street Dreams; the magazine’s guest-edited issue with Jeff Staple and the issue launch party that shut down a New York city block; what it’s been like creating campaigns & activations for the likes of Nike, New Balance, Tribeca Film Festival, Coach, HBO & more; a hilarious interaction with comedian George Lopez and actor Don Cheadle at a panel talk in Soho’s Apple Store; how a 2015 New York Times article catapulted the Street Dreams brand; what’s next on the horizon, and much more.

Entrepreneur Ashley Freeborn is magnetic in every sense of the word. The Los Angeles-based founder and CEO of popular fashion brand Smash + Tess has a powerful, energizing presence you feel as soon as you’re in her orbit.

She grew up in Tsawwassen, the daughter of hardworking, type A parents. Her stylish, pioneering mother is the CEO and president of a financial institution, and her father was the fire chief of Delta. Goal-setting was ingrained in her at a young age, and Ashley set about to become an educator, receiving her Masters in Education before moving into corporate training and culture for a number of years. In 2014, she did the summer program at Conde Nast in London and, from there, Smash + Tess came to be.

In this conversation, we explore growing up with a mother that truly loved what she did and continually works to advance opportunities for women, what it was like launching a brand with both her best friend and mother, where the name Smash + Tess comes from and its recent collaboration with Hilary Duff, her journey with Crohn’s Disease and the importance of self-advocacy & asking questions when it comes to your health, her lens on raising two inquisitive daughters in this world, and more.

Cultivate Tea co-founder Jude Wang is a man who is not only interesting, but interested. Sitting at his tea bar and diving into a bottomless conversation will lead to some profound thoughts, ideas and philosophies of living.

He was born in Northern China and spent all his childhood there, before moving to Canada at the age of 12. His initial school years here at Queen Alexandra School were surprisingly supportive and open as a newcomer immigrant kid, with the student body being diverse and multicultural. After high school, Jude went to the University of British Columbia for biology and finance, before moving to Beijing for four years, answering an inner call to experience a bigger city and work at a local Chinese company. It was here that he discovered tea—specifically pu’erh tea— at a small, nondescript shop with no signage. And it was here, his journey to founding Cultivate Tea really began.

In this conversation, we examine his childhood in both China and Vancouver; his mischievous personality as a kid; his experience as an immigrant; the pull back to Beijing and the reason he felt the need to live there for a time in his life; how working in China differs from working in other places in the world and the subtleties built into it; the fateful way he discovered tea while living there; building deep & trusting relationships with small-scale tea farmers in Yunnan Province; the process of building his original shop on Main Street and then his current one; the ceremony of tea and why the same tea leaves will taste different, depending on who is pouring it for you; and much more.

Matt Corker and Chad Clark have a strength of bond that is undeniable—their love feels deep and true. Matt spent years in people & leadership development at lululemon and The Corker Collective, and is now the COO of global fashion & lifestyle brand Smash + Tess. Chad spent decades in retail and hospitality, getting his retail start at Banana Republic & Holt Renfrew before transitioning into restaurants as a maitre’d and, eventually, director of operations at The Hawksworth Restaurant Group. He’s now a director at L’Abattoir. 

Chad was born in Michigan and raised in Montreal—his mother is Filipino and his father is Caucasian, and both were educators. He was a resilient teen who taught himself to deal with difficult situations at a young age, and that ability to handle hard situations with grace is a talent he brought to his career. 

Matt grew up on the east coast in Aurora, Ontario. His parents divorced when he was 10 and, around the same time, he was deep into musical theatre as a child, indulging in his love for singing and performing. He also got involved in leadership development at 13, a passion that transformed into what became his work down the line. 

In this conversation, we explore their different upbringings and stories of coming out to family and friends; the way their respective careers unfolded; what made Chad successful at running a restaurant floor; the future of the restaurant industry; Matt’s experience in people development and what it taught him about humans & company culture; what it means to be courageously creative; how they became fathers to their son and the surrogacy journey; and more.  

Reanna Evoy has a playful spirit and imagination that just can’t be replicated or replaced. Her life and work are beautiful reflections of being born creative and free—she cofounded Butter Magazine with friend Kris Blizzard, was art director of Enroute Magazine, creative director of Aldo Shoes and Kit and Ace, and is now cofounder of creative studio Super Bonjour.

She was born in Ontario, but the family moved shortly after to Vancouver—her young, fun parents were fans of The Beachcombers and wanted to go west as a result. Reanna flew back to Ontario to spend summers with her Ukrainian grandparents on an organic farm outside of a small town, wearing babushkas and clogs to churn butter, farm, bee keep, build sheds, climb trees, be with animals & break bread with neighbours.

As a shy and quiet teen, art was her expression—she painted fruits purple, drew complete fashion collections, and was obsessed with print magazines. Despite artistic leanings, she went into science at university and floundered. She made a switch after a conversation with her mother, who asked Reanna what brought her joy, pointing out that she was an artist at heart. She then went into art history, with a minor in fine art—her goal, at the time, was to become a curator. It was discovering Starbucks that ignited her interest in design—and she soon fell in love with branding.     

In this conversation, we explore her culturally rich childhood; what she loves about curation and world-building; the things she learned creating a print magazine; her chapter as Aldo's creative director and working with top photographers like Cass Blackbird and Tim Barber; how major shoots for brands are orchestrated; the way spirituality, meditation & breathwork helps Reanna channel creativity; how Super Bonjour finds what makes clients shine through ‘brand therapy’; living joyously as connected humans in a capitalist world; and much more.

[TIMESTAMPS]

6:56 - Growing up

15:58 - Her parents

17:03 - Where she thinks she got her artistic side from

27:03 - How she got into design

30:30 - Butter Magazine

33:14 - Her chapter in Montreal

37:14 - Her time in Australia and what happened after

39:20 - How professional shoots operate

46:46 - What made her grow the most during her career

49:19 - Genesis of Super Bonjour

51:39 - Brand therapy

56:58 - How has her passion for spirituality made her a better person in her own life

57:13 - How do we live more joyfully in today’s society

01:03:17 - Does she feel like an artist

01:03:37 - What in culture is fascinating her right now

01:05:41 - What does a rejuvenating space look like to her

01:14:41 - Does her work ethic come from her grandfather paying for school

01:16:46 - What does it feel like when she is aligned with her truest form

01:19:55 - Final question 

01:19:55 - Where to find her and Super Bonjour

[Today's Sponsors]

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Maurice Li is one of the most widely respected content creators out there, with a soul and eye unlike any other. He’s also co-founder and creative services director for Stay & Wander, a powerhouse content studio and creator network. 

He grew up in a home with parents who encouraged him to follow his own path, one that found him in venture capitalism with photography as a side hobby. Maurice left the VC world to pursue his passion full time, before starting Stay & Wander with co-founder Alex Strohl. The studio has worked across automotive, travel, food & beverage, and gear and technology, with clients such as Lexus, Marriott International, Nespresso, Google, and The North Face.

In this layered discussion, we explore where he got his passion for photography, his beautiful relationship with his parents, his insights on the landscape of content creation and platforms moving forward, and more. 

Interior designer and co-host of Netflix show Restaurants on the Edge, Karin Bohn is one of those people you can’t take your eyes off, her presence and energy is that magnetic. 

Her design studio House of Bohn has won numerous awards since opening in 2009, with her team working on residential and commercial projects across North America. She’s also built a legion of global followers who view her Youtube and Instagram content on entrepreneurship, travel, and design. 

She also happens to be one of the most intentional and reflective humans you’ll come across. 

In this conversation, we explore her idyllic childhood in Dawson Creek, the greatest lesson her late father passed onto her and the strength of her mother, the long tenacious path to landing her Netflix show, what it takes to be an entrepreneur, the arrival fallacy, and more.

Elisa Kosonen's empathetic, intuitive nature is a gift. It's why she is an incredible storyteller, having spent the last few decades in various senior level roles—editor, writer, publicist, marketing & communications—at magazines (NUVO and Flare), start-ups (Garmentory), and global brands (Aritzia and Mindful Collective). Now a registered holistic nutritionist, she recently launched her practice 14 Carrots. Her offerings include 1:1 coaching focused on reconnecting to your physiology and discovering your unique nutritional needs, reconnecting with your body/mind, and creating a lasting foundation for a full and energetic life.

Raised in the suburbs surrounding Vancouver, her childhood was idyllic—her father was an educator, her mother launched a career counseling business, and the home was filled with fun. Elisa was both creative and athletic, fascinated with the body from a young age. Though excelling in English, she always wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon—so, at university, she began a major in kinesiology. But it didn't feel aligned at the time and she explored other avenues, finding her lane in journalism. After graduating, she landed an editor role at NUVO Magazine, then had life chapters in London and New York. When her late mother was diagnosed with cancer, she returned to Vancouver and settled into her career. During the pandemic, her true calling came knocking—and she went back to school to become a registered holistic nutritionist & certified health coach. 

In this episode, we discuss her creativity and penchant for storytelling; what she's learned about the beautiful interconnectivity of our bodily systems; understanding the crucial role of digestion & being present with our meals; how trying different foods can help us discover what makes us feel our best; rituals and mindfulness in eating; and much more.

[TIMESTAMPS]

00:00 - Introduction and Childhood in Coquitlam

06:03 - Exploring Creativity and Storytelling in the Fashion Industry

13:09 - Transitioning from Fashion to Nutrition

31:13 - Personalized Nutrition and Unique Nutritional Needs

36:22 - Tuning Into Our Bodies and Exploring Different Foods

39:24 - Honoring Cultural and Ethnic Influences on Food Preferences

41:06 - Rituals and Mindfulness in Eating

45:14 - The Power of Holistic Nutrition for Well-being

50:13 - Finding Joy and Adventure in Our Meals

[TODAY'S SPONSORS]

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There’s a lot to admire about Paul Grunberg. The long-time restauranteur has been at the helm of some the city’s best award-winning establishments for years, and people return to them over and over again.

He began his career as a dishwasher, working his way up from restaurant consultant for Bao Bei, general manager for Market `at the Shangrila Hotel, before finally getting into restaurant ownership with L’Abattoir. Today, he runs the much beloved Savio Volpe, Pepino’s Spaghetti House, and Caffe La Tana.

In this conversation, we talk about his close relationship with his late father, what it was like for him and his industry this last year, the traits he looks for when hiring for his team, the greatest joy his young sons have given him, and more.

I’m doing something a little different this week, something short and sweet. As most regular listeners of The Craft know, I ask the same question of my guests at the end of each episode: with what you do, what is it that you want to leave behind in the world? 

Been reflecting on the answers I've heard from season one to now—here are a few that stuck with me from Caroline Boquist, Bob Rennie, Mark Brand, Jackie Kai Ellis & Joe Chan, Malania Dela Cruz, Garret Louie, Maurice Li, Paul Grunberg, Scott Sueme, Tyler Quarles, Tony Ferguson, Craig Stanghetta, Jamie & Lyndon Cormack, and Dickson Li. 

I hope you enjoy this compilation of priceless life lessons and perspectives on love, legacy, generosity, acceptance, community, permission, inclusivity, connection & more. 

Much love,
May

Tony Ferguson is one of the greats of skateboarding. Discovered by legend Tommy Guerrero at 16-years-old, this defining moment led him to becoming a pro skateboarder at 18, riding for Plan B, Real Skateboards & Girl Skateboards, moving to California to continue pursuing this path, and travelling the globe for years doing it.

He was born in Edmonton, but grew up in both Ottawa and eventually Vancouver. As a kid, he was full of energy and always moving, playing soccer & basketball among other sports. In 1986, Tony picked up his first skateboard after watching Back to the Future, mastered his craft through repetition & progression, found his place in the sport, and the rest is history.   

In this conversation, we explore the origins of his skateboarding career; the freedom and creativity of the sport; his retirement and eventual shift into learning building and maintaining a business as a partner at Alife; launching his own footwear brand RONE in 2015 and the craftsmanship that goes into it; a recent slides collaboration with Ace Hotel; the importance of leaving the genetic codes for the next generation of emerging skateboarders; a dive into a recent podcast episode with The Nine Club and Dr. Andrew Huberman on brain science & skateboarding; what the sport has taught him about people and the world; what he wants his two sons to remember about him; and much more.

Anna Heyd has an animated energy that, in turn, energizes all those around her. The cofounder of luxury linen bedding company Flax Home has a million creative ideas and personal interests, and she develops deep relationships with others quickly. Prior to launching Flax with two business partners, she was in restaurants & hospitality, running the Hawksworth Group’s Bel Cafe for seven years. 

She was born outside of Toronto in a town called Newmarket, before her parents bought a piece of five-acre land where her civil servant father built their family home with friends over a summer. Her mother homeschooled Anna and her sister, wanting them to have broader experiences through the amount of time spent at the library, going to plays, and doing extra curricular activities. Each year, her mother always asked them if they wanted to go to ‘regular’ school, and when Anna was 12-years-old, she made her choice to go to high school. There, she played field hockey and immersed herself in theatre. 

After high school, she went to the University of Guelph, where she got her Bachelor of Commerce. She was hired by longtime hospitality veteran Chad Clark to manage Bel Cafe—the cafe side of Hawksworth Restaurant—after a role at the Fairmont’s Empress Hotel and a stint in wine sales. He gave her the task of getting to know everyone in the downtown core and treating them as if she was welcoming them into her own home. It was there that she met her friends and future business partners, who were regular customers with whom she often brainstormed ideas. In 2017, they launched direct-to-consumer Flax Sleep, now known as Flax Home, which has quickly grown since coming to market and has a showroom & warehouse in East Vancouver. 

In this conversation, we talked about the nature of homeschooling and how it allowed her to love learning; how growing up doing theatre and performance dovetailed nicely into her hospitality career; the way she developed friendships with her Bel Cafe customers; Anna’s natural journey into entrepreneurship; exercising her love for arts and creativity in business; the process of growing quality linen; how her business partners are mirrors for her; the things that bring Anna joy; and much more.

TIMESTAMPS
9:26 - Growing up

16:19 - What her parents are like

24:13 - Is she the same as she was as a when she was younger

28:27 - What she learned most about running an establishment 

31:32 - How does one make others feel at home in a hospitality environment

37:35 - Genesis of Flax Sleep

40:35 - What makes flax expensive

44:53 - The dynamic of the business partners

53:45 - Next project

56:33 - Flax Home return procedure

58:56 - What can we expect from Flax Home

1:02:54 - How have Viv and Oana been mirrors for Anna reflecting things for herself that she hasn’t seen before

1:06:09- What brings her joy in life

1:09:46 - Final question 

Maddalen Pasini is a force. Her passion for her passions is infectious, transfixing when she’s talking about the things she’s bringing into the world. A long-time publicist, she began at Joe Fresh as an intern, then went to Toronto-based boutique agency Faulhaber Communications. Over the years, her clientele grew beyond fashion into design, hospitality, art & cannabis with Tokyo Smoke. Just before the pandemic in 2020, she and best friend Sam Brophy launched their psychedelic wellness movement brand Yawn. 

She grew up just outside of Toronto, the only child of hardworking, loving parents. Her father was in the police force for over 30 years and Staff Sergeant of Homicide for a decade. Her mother, an immigrant from Hungary, was in the dental industry. Hungarian was Maddalen’s first language, something she learned young from spending time with her grandparents. Growing up was sticky, with her navigating bullying. As a teen, she took the train to the city and began going to metal shows, where she found her community. Her network began to grow through pockets of the underground music scene.

She graduated from university with a double major in cultural studies & film—and she began questioning what she really wanted to do. The answer lay in her network, and she began a PR career. Transitioning into psychedelics was organic & something that had been brewing for a while—today, the brand donates a portion of profits to organizations conducting research & trials and offering support, such as the Heffter Institute & the @firesideproject, North America’s first psychedelic peer support hotline.

In this conversation, we dive deep into the importance of finding her metal community in her teens; how ‘outsiders’ often become culture makers; the way psychedelics helped changed her over the last 15 years; why education around harm reduction and psychedelics is essential; current psilocybin regulations; equity in the space; and much more.      

[TIMESTAMPS]

6:02 - Growing up

9:14 - High school and life after

16:27 - When she got into psychedelics and her first experience

18:49 - The transition from PR to Yawn

21:38 - Yawn and the ‘psychedelic wellness movement’

25:39 - Why harm reduction is essential

29:52 - Regulations and setbacks in the industry 

33:54 - Hero dose vs. microdose 

43:15 - How Yawn began

45:47 - Equity and what she wants to see change in this industry

49:48 - Change our view on these medicines and avoiding exploitation of them

53:03 - Major shifts in herself as a human 

55:47 - Yawn x Secular Sabbath collaboration

01:01:01 - Upcoming projects

01:04:15 - Tips for microdosing 

01:05:46 - What psilocybin has brought to her life 

01:07:10 - What she loves most about herself and humanity

01:09:30 - Final question

01:10:18 - Where to find Yawn

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Mark George possesses an original perspective, someone with the ability to look at the world and spaces in it with a nonconformist eye. The longtime designer & furniture maker recently founded August Studios, an East Vancouver building for artists, designers, and makers to work, learn, and collaborate.

Born in Miami, his family moved to Seattle when he was 10-years-old. His bank consultant father was battling leukemia, and the city had a cancer research hospital with the necessary treatment. His father’s search for new bone marrow became a national story on Oprah, Geraldo, and Sixty Minutes—at the time only blood relative bone marrow transplants were allowed, and he had been adopted. With the help of a voice analyst consultant for the FBI, an extended search and a subsequent lost court case, eventually a donor from Sweden was found a decade later. For cancer recovery, the family relocated to Vermont, where they lived a simple and idyllic life in the middle of the woods.   

Mark went to school in New York for fine arts, sculpting, and painting. He then spent some time in Philadelphia, before winding up in Vancouver for his Masters in Architecture at UBC. During his career, he has focused on modern, architectural design and worked on projects with a number of architects, artists, and institutions: Mcleod Bovell Modern Houses, the Patkaus, Scott & Scott, Tony Robbins, Ken Lum, Elspeth Pratt, Vito Acconci, Rebecca Bayer, Vancouver Art Gallery, and Burnaby Art Gallery.

In this conversation, we examine being a witness to his father’s cancer journey growing up and recently learning about his father’s autism; how he learned to deconstruct systems and how it’s influenced his work; how he constantly see shapes in everything and relates them to places on his body; his experience-based approach to designing spaces and objects; winning first-place in association with Haeccity Studio Architecture for Urbanarium’s 2018 ‘The Missing Middle’ competition; his woodworking classes based on the late Enzo Mari’s open furniture design concept; what fascinates him about how his daughter operates in the world; and much more.

Martin MacPhail is a special one. His ability to immediately connect with people is a rare talent—one of many that he possesses. He's been a lifelong musician and after starting indie rock band Theset with his friends & touring cities, they landed a record deal and moved to Toronto. A record release and band changes later, the group morphed into Juno award-winning Blitz Berlin with Martin, Dean Rode & Tristan Tarr. Together, they now compose music for film, television shows, and trailers, including Top Gun Maverick, House of the Dragon, Bird Box, The Girl on the Train, Blade Runner 2036, and more.

He was born and raised in Victoria, a place that instilled a profound love for nature in him. His mother worked at the Institute of Ocean Sciences, before becoming a stay-at-home mom—she was also instrumental in Martin’s love for sound, enrolling him in a ‘Music for Wee Folk’ program as a toddler. His father has a passion for astronomy & paleontology, often taking the family on fossil bed trips. Martin and his brother also grew up practicing a martial art called aikido (which, wonderfully, is how his parents once met). After high school, he studied physics & astronomy, before leaving it behind to dedicate himself to music.

A lucky break led Martin, Dean and Tristan to scoring their first film as Blitz Berlin. The trio moved to Los Angeles in 2018 to be closer to the film & TV industry, finding a clever way to connect with the right people. Martin now splits his time between Vancouver & LA. 

In this conversation, we explore aikido philosophy & how it helped develop his moral structure; nature informing his perspective & his preference for mystery; the process of creating a score; how the industry works these days & finding success as a musician; the connection between his love for astronomy & his work as a composer; his love letter to music; and much more. 

[TIMESTAMPS]

8:21 - Growing up

24:02 - How music got into his life

40:52 - What makes it hard for artists to get a major break in music

47:39 - What his thoughts are on experimental music

50:59 - Their method of landing meetings with big industry names in LA

58:14 - Their creative process to film scoring

1:03:29 - Scoring films vs. Scoring trailers

1:06:00- The experience of winning a Juno

01:09:22 - Is there a connection between being a composer and the way he feels about astronomy 

01:12:00 - What would he tell Dean and Tristan about the way he has seen them evolve throughout the years

01:14:35 - What the greatest thing that music has taught him/his love letter to music

01:16:44 - Final question

01:18:21 - Where to find him

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Behmann Gustasvp (pronounced “Goos-tas) is a beam of light, energy, and wit in the world. The head of community and partnerships at Vessi Shoes began his career in journalism, before pivoting into retail and brands at L’Oreal, lululemon, and Native Shoes.

Born in Pakistan, Behmann grew up there until he was 10, one of three siblings in a happy, spiritual home environment. His father was a civil engineer in their mother country but moved his family to Canada for a better life with only $10,000. He went to BCIT for journalism, moving into radio working on the street team for The Beat. Eventually, he found himself working in retail at lululemon, sparking his career journey into working at global brands crafting community and experience. 

In this conversation, we explore growing up in Pakistan as a competitive, athletic youngster and how sports was also a mask for him; his experience coming out to his family; why creating communities and experiences with the brands his works with feeds his soul; the importance of being the first to say hello; what working at global companies has taught him the most in his career; what he misses most about Pakistan; and more.    

Instead of a full episode this week, we put together our second compilation of answers to the show's final question. As regular listeners of The Craft know, I ask the same question of my guests at the end of each episode: with what you do, what it is that you want to leave behind in the world?

Here are some nuggets of life and legacy wisdom from artists, musicians,  restauranteurs, designers, photographers, entrepreneurs, arbiters of culture & thought leaders in their field: Zoë Pawlak, Justin Tisdall, Beth Richards, Zach Berman & Ryan Slater, Courtney Chew, Payton Nyquvest, Brit Gill, Mauvey, Steve Rio, Pennylane Shen, and Jeff Hamada

Enjoy this short and sweet round up—link in bio to listen on @spotify @applepodcasts @google @amazon. 

We'll be back next week with a conversation with the indomitable @andreamestrovic of @verypoliteagency.

Much love,
May

Dallas Sauer and Savannah Fox embody the term ‘beautiful souls’. Before their current endeavor Dome Home, Savannah worked in wellness marketing and Dallas is a sought-after commercial & narrative director/producer, working with Nike, Amazon Canada, Remy Martin, and Pepsi.

Savannah was born in Ottawa, Canada, then moved to the Kootenays as a toddler. Her parents met in a communal house, though they eventually separated. Her father is an artist who lives a nomadic, spiritual life—she often travelled with him when young, embuing her with a sense of adventure. When Sav graduated, she visited India and met travel nurses who inspired her to apply to nursing. But she lost her passion after practicum and headed to Nicaragua, where she had a jarring near-death experience while surfing.

Dallas grew up in a small town, only 25 minutes away from Savannah. His parents also split when he was young, so he shuttled between Castlegar and Nelson, BC. He was an athlete—though always felt like a storyteller and harbored an artistic side, participating in community theater and writing. An eventual move to Vancouver kickstarted his successful journey as a creative.

A beautiful love story, they reconnected years after high school and now are partners in life and purpose. Their venture is Dome Home, a stunning property in Baja, Mexico, that’s a 20-minute walk from a freshwater source and lined with fruit trees planted in the 1960s. Its surreal structure, built by Sav's father, is the only domed earth bag home in existence. This year, they opened its doors for stays, collaborations, and retreats.

In this episode, we talk about quality time & presence; Dallas’ passion for authentic storytelling; cultivating harmony between relationships & land; how Dome Home came to be; their vision for creating a healing space & community; and more.

[TIMESTAMPS]

5:32 - Savannah growing up

14:10 - How communal living shaped Sav’s views on living

25:05 - Dallas growing up

36:23 - How they ‘re-met’ one another 

43:21 - Dome Home

57:55 - Final question 

01:01:06 - Where to find them

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Childhood friends & co-founders of The Juice Truck, Ryan Slater and Zach Berman have been in each other's lives since they were eleven. Their friendship has taken them from school days and high school days to a year-long trip around the world, before starting their successful Juice Truck brand together.

Both Zach and Ryan grew up in Steveston - their meet cute was on a soccer field, and their bond was instantaneous. Hustlers at a young age, they got their first taste of entrepreneurship selling skateboard stickers to their classmates. After university, they worked and saved money for a year-long trip around the world, starting their journey in Kathmandu. It was in Nepal where they discovered seabuckthorn and the genesis of the Juice Truck came to be.    

In this conversation, we explore their growing up and what they were like as kids and teens, the shenanigans they got up to together, their soul-changing adventures and experiences in Nepal, India & Sri Lanka, what they appreciate the most about each other, new things to expect from the Juice Truck, and much more. 

There is no one quite like Kenny MacIntyre. The former national culture manager for Red Bull Canada and founder of Red Bull Thre3Style, the world’s largest DJ competition, he is a mine of creative ideas, and always in perpetual motion.

Kenny grew up out east in Sudbury, Ontario, with his mom, dad, and brother. His love for music and sound came at a young age, listening to records with his dad and discovering new music during his teenage years - something he continues to do now. Having watched his father battle mental illness, he’s as compassionate and empathetic as he is brilliant.

In this conversation, we deep dive into music that influenced him, how Red Bull Thre3Style was an experiment that turned into something much bigger, his pivot toward more self-care and alternative healing this past year, a coming-soon project called Play the 19th, and much more.

Steve Thorp has an energy about him that lifts everyone up. The serial entrepreneur has accomplished much in his young life, from a long career in action sports to a rewarding chapter in the hospitality industry.

He grew up in Alberta, a lover of the great outdoors since a young child. Annual fishing trips with his dad to BC eventually led to his move to Vancouver at 18-years-old, where his entrepreneurial path truly began. Over the years, he’s launched FreshTAP, Vancouver Urban Winery, and Postmark Brewing to great success.

In this episode, we deep dive into what he learned from his parents, his deeply personal learnings over the past year, a new wellness brand Before that he’s launching later in 2021, and more.

Darya Kosilova has an allure about her that you can’t quite put your finger on, but it makes you want to hear more of what she has to say. The model (for Aritzia, Reigning Champ, Kit and Ace, Mavi), artist, creative director & founder of rapidly-growing ecomm vintage retailer Cherish has lived many, many lives in her life. 

Born in eastern Russia, her family left the country at a dark time when she was just five years old, immigrating to Seattle and starting their life in North America. During high school, she was the brainiac goth, spending a lot of her time in the art room, playing the guitar, and modelling. After high school, an offer came to model in Milan for fashion week. From there, the journey of her life began to really unfold in organic, unexpected ways.

In this conversation, we talk about her early years growing up in a small studio with her family in Russia, her sweet connection with her resourceful grandmother Valentina, how modelling allowed her to live in various cities around the world for six years and how it taught her how to quickly adapt, what it was like running cult print magazine The Lab, her thoughts on being an artist, what she’s learned about herself now that she’s an entrepreneur, and much more. 

Michael Leckie is a renaissance man - this thoughtful architect has a vast range of talents and passions. Everything that he does is intentional, with great care for detail and with his curious nature. 

The principal of award-winning Leckie Studio, he’s also the co-founder of The Backcountry Hut Company, which designs stunning minimalist prefab cabins. Michael also spent years playing semi-pro squash and once spent five months surfing the Baja, living on a beach in a van. 

He’s also a partner in an innovative new project (and movement) called arcana, where one can book a stay in reflective polished stainless steel, design-forward architectural cabins in the wild. Bridging wellbeing and nature through design, experience & self-directed / science-based wellness rituals, arcana is launching first in Ontario, while preparing to launch a number of sites across the US and Canada. Its founding team includes Tokyo Smoke’s Alan Gertner and Felicia Snyder, and Michael’s Leckie Studio collaborates with New York-based Aruliden on the design.

In this conversation, we explore his life-long love of nature and creating with his hands, the values of his architecture practice and his approach to design, what about his daughter that he’s most proud of, and more. 

Malania Dela Cruz is the kind of human everyone hopes to have in their life. The long-time publicist began her career in television production before transitioning into the PR world, running her agency Dela Cruz PR for a decade, before going in-house as west coast director for Toronto-based Faulhaber Communications and, now, as VP for Nine Point Agency.

A lover of singing and dancing from a young age, she spent her childhood in Edmonton and St. Albert, the daughter of a Filipino father and caucasian mother. At 17-years-old, Malania left small community life for the big city, working jobs in nightlife and hospitality in Vancouver before following her soul to Australia, finally ending up back in the Pacific Northwest.

In this close conversation, we discuss her layered relationship with her biological father, her healing journey from personal trauma, how essential inclusion & diversity is in organizations and how leaders can do the work, education about the cannabis industry, and much more. 

Britney Gill is someone who lives each day and moment in her truth. The longtime photographer has traveled the world shooting lifestyle, fashion, and consumer brands with the eye of an artist. 

She was born and raised in suburbia, the daughter of an Indian father who moved to Canada at 18-years-old from Punjab and a Caucasian mother. Her introduction to photography & cameras came from her father, who took photos as a hobby and for memory collection. Brit loved science & the body  and went to school to become a dietician, eventually shifting to a different program and moving into global nutrition. She spent a life-changing seven months in Africa under international directed studies, and her vibrant career in photography followed after she began posting images from her trip on Facebook.

In this conversation, we explore the story of how her parents met and her father’s love for western culture; how she found her way to photography; her journey into global nutrition and food policy, security & distribution; her observations of the entrepreneurial and community spirit of the African people; what ethical capitalism and the free market mean to her; things she’s learned about herself and the world in the last two years; how she finds beauty; her new workspace Studio Kou and a new creative project Nowhere; and more. 

My very first podcast guest, Garret Louie (aka. GMAN), has a sharp mind and instinct for culture, and what’s relevant within it. It’s a rare talent, making him one that many have followed and emulated throughout the years. 

He paved the way for street culture growth in Vancouver since the 90s, from bringing Freshjive to the city, running his sales agency and distribution company NL&A and Timebomb Trading, founding sneaker retailer Livestock with industry vet Garry Bone, to opening Fortune Sound Club with long-time business partner Rob Rizk. 

In this conversation, we explore what he’s learned about himself over this last year, how his various businesses had to quickly shift in that time, mental health, a recent major Livestock announcement, what he’s learned from his sons Raiden and Nevin during the pandemic, and more. 

There is a deep kindness that emanates from Craig Pearce that you feel the moment you meet him. The founder of beloved custom furniture company Union Wood Co. also recently launched a new product brand Goodland, which are objects for a slow, considered life. 

His family moved from Toronto to Vancouver when he was five-years-old - his father was in banking and was relocated. As a kid, Craig grew up in West Vancouver skateboarding and snowboarding - and he was creative even back then, a trait he inherited from his mom. Craig began his road to becoming a firefighter after a pivotal moment on a trip to New Zealand in his early 20s - something he still does full-time. Founding Union Wood Co. in 2009 came by organically, after a stint living in Big White, Kelowna, as a volunteer firefighter, while doing carpentry on the side.       

In this conversation, we discuss how he expressed his creativity through drawing as a kid; his journey to becoming a firefighter for the past 16-plus years and his love for his second family at the firehall; why he loves building things with his hands and how he’s entirely self-taught; the ins and outs of scaling his businesses; the immersive design & production process of his team at Union Wood Co.; how the slow down of the pandemic sparked the idea for Goodland and the product launching soon (a wood fired hot tub); what he loves about his wife Kendra; why moving half as fast means you notice twice as much; and more.

Priscilla Jimenez has a sharp intelligence and curious gaze, and to call her talented is an understatement. She’s the founder of Push More Buttons—a multidisciplinary creative studio merging music, tech, and design—as well as a music producer and DJ. An established creative & art director, Priscilla has designed work for Madonna, Eric Clapton, and My Chemical Romance, as well art directed for clients Pinkberry, TNT, TBS & more.

Born to parents who immigrated to Los Angeles from Mexico, her upbringing was shaped by a vibrant East LA culture. Her mother was a seamstress and her father an upholsterer, working hard to build a life for Priscilla and her brothers. She spent childhood summers in Ensenada, Mexico, where her parents are from, a memory she recalls in detail to this day. 

Priscilla spent solo time as a kid watching films and playing with photography, media & computers. Her music love began with her siblings and an uncle, who influenced her through the genres they listened to and instruments they played—when she was 14, one of her brothers got into DJ-ing and opened her up to a new world of music-making.    

In her early 20s, a mentor encouraged her to apply for a @warnerrecords internship—the creative director there hired her full-time, before she left for the ArtCenter College of Design. She began posting DJ routines on her YouTube channel, racking up millions of views, and eventually created her own agency after landing scholarships from Kit Hinrichs of Pentagram and working at other agencies.

In this episode, we get deep into why cooking for others is so important to her, how music & creativity wove into her life as a kid, and what’s currently emerging at the intersection of music and technology. We explore her approach to blending systematic thinking with free-flowing creativity and love letters to her family & East LA.

[TIMESTAMPS]

3:40 - Growing up

17:11 - Where her love for music came from

21:37 - The origins of Push More Buttons

31:15 - Her creative process and if she feels that its the same with music production 

37:23 - What she is seeing in music and technology that is piquing her interest 

42:04 - How she has seen the music industry has evolved

45:32 - Love letters to her family and East LA

47:19 - Final Question

48:47 - Where to find her

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When Ariel Swan is in the room, you feel her presence. Her laugh is big and infectious, her speech cadence is quick and lively. A long-time professional dancer, she started her career at 18-years-old, traveling the world performing on cruise ships and doing commercial gigs. Eventually, she became a pilates & Lagree instructor and cofounded popular long weekend R&B dance party Slow Jam Sundays. Then, in June 2019, Ariel opened Jaybird, an infrared yoga & pilates studio, with her business partner Barbie Bent.

Ariel was born & raised in North Vancouver, a fearless and adventurous child in perpetual motion. She was a rhythmic gymnast, until an injury sidelined her. She found her way back to movement through dance and began to pursue a career, landing her first professional gig as a BC Lions cheerleader and creating a modern burlesque dance movement with friends. Another injury ended her dance path, a challenging identity crisis for her. But she, again, found her way back to movement through pilates and teaching at Lagree West. A call from her sister, an actor, prompted Ariel to move to LA to dog sit; there, she went to a few infrared movement classes. She and Barbie began to talk about bringing the concept to Vancouver, but Ariel hesitated—then pushed through her fear to make it happen. Jaybird now has studios in Vancouver and Toronto (with a second one coming) and plans to expand into the US.

In this conversation, we talk about the responsibility she took on at a young age; where her love for dance comes from; how picking up choreography is a matter of letting go & trusting; what she learned about herself traveling the world as a cruise ship dancer; her relationship with her body as someone who practices embodiment as a career; the story of Jaybird; her love from Peru and the retreats she’s hosted there; how her relationship to fear has evolved over time; and much more.   

I loved talking life with this free spirited, hard-working, and kinetic human.

Much love,
May 

[TIMESTAMPS]

5:53 - What she was like as a child and teen

9:39 - Where her love of dance came from

14:39 - Her professional dance career was like

21:44 - What a successful transition out of professional dance look like

30:36 - How would she describe her relationship with her body

40:03 - The genesis story of Jaybird

45:43 - How has her relationship with fear evolved over time  

48:51 - What she appreciates most about Barbie and their dynamic as friends & cofounders 

51:35 - Why Peru has a special place in her heart

01:07:20 - Life expansion

01:11:13 - The biggest ways she feels she has evolved in her life

01:13:15 - Final question

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Dean Morris is a very good man. It’s a feeling you get immediately—he feels like the human version of an all-encompassing, welcoming hug. A longtime educator, he found his way to being a pastor, an athlete and lululemon ambassador and now co-host of the podcast A Little More Good & A More Good Media cofounder. 

He grew up in Richmond, on an acre property in the middle of the city. It was a quintessential childhood, running free and exploring the outdoors—he was always curious about how things worked and wanted to understand the world around him. In high school, his class was tasked to research their heroes, leading him to find leaders like Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., both of whom looked up to Jesus as a guiding light. Religion was not a foundation of his household, but Dean had friends who were part of a church and, in his curiosity and despite some skepticism, met with a pastor to ask about Jesus. He started to go to church, with some wise words from his father: keep your brain turned on. 

When his parents divorced after his high school graduation, Dean went through a huge transformation within and began to truly understand the spiritual nature of who he was. He began working at church, where he did some music and teaching and eventually went to seminary and got his masters in ministry leadership and culture.       

In this conversation, we explore topics from ownership versus belonging; his desire for social justice; reconciling with his ability to carry the weight and hold space for many others; the tools he uses to regulate his nervous system and triggers; religious doctrine & Christianity and how it's moved away from the original values of pure love and acceptance; the advent of ‘new religions’; how his relationship with running and his physical body has changed recently; and more.

[TIMESTAMPS]

5:46 - His childhood

19:29 - The thing in his life that changed his perspective 

26:52 - How he deals with dis-regulation in the body

31:59 - His spiritual path

1:05:36 - What religion means to people nowadays

1:17:05 - His university path

1:19:59 - What is he unlearning

1:29:29 - What holding space means to him

1:31:31 - Final question 

1:35:17 - Where to find him

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Christina Culver is dynamite - there’s nothing this woman can’t do. A clothing designer, nail artist, self-taught vegan chef, stick & poke tattooist, and athlete, she’s always followed her natural talents and turned them into business ventures. 

After launching her fashion brand Christina Darling in 2005, she also found herself doing nail art for runway and magazines, too. Then in 2012, she launched Culver City Salads, a vegan food truck that quickly gained a loyal following, before trying her hand at stick & poke tattooing.

In this conversation, we talk about her growing up in a family of athletes, grief around the death of her beloved uncle Dan to a mountaineering accident on K2, what she learned about herself and others during this trying year, and more.

SSENSE art director and former Hypebeast editor Ashleigh Kim has a brilliant spirit and inherent instinct for what looks good and is emerging in culture, fashion, and beyond.

Her deeply layered family history is rooted in her grandparents’ incredible Korean immigrant story to Canada, one built upon love, sacrifice, tenacity, and the grit to build a good life and business empire from nothing but sheer hard work. 

That drive to follow one’s own path lives in Ashleigh, too, from her days as an editor at Hypebeast in Hong Kong, vessel operator at NYK’s European headquarters in London to art director at SSENSE in Montreal (now a $5 billion dollar company after recently receiving an investment from Sequoia Capital with plans to expand into Asia).

In this open and honest conversation, we dive into her family’s story and the Korean values instilled in her from a young age, her introverted childhood, the ins and outs of being an art director, what it means when someone takes a chance on your talents, having patience with and compassion for oneself & others right now, and much more. 

[A NOTE FROM MAY GLOBUS] I wanted to give a heartfelt thank you to all of you, many of whom have turned into regular listeners over the last six months since I launched The Craft. 

I’ve been touched and overwhelmed with the messages I consistently receive from guests, friends, and strangers about the show and how they’re enjoying these deep intimate conversations and explorations of life and humanity. 

The Craft wouldn’t be what it is without Luis and Sarah Valdizon of When They Find Us, who co-create the show’s visuals with me - it’s been important for me since day one that the photography you see of my guests, the little intentional details of their worlds, also tells the story of how they curate their lives and who they are as humans. Thank you, Luis and Sarah. You’re as much the heart and soul of this podcast alongside me, and I love you both dearly.

Another massive thank you to my incredible sound editing team Jay and Andro Bagasbas. They make me sound good with their technical magic and talents every episode. Love you guys, too.

And finally, thank you to my first set of guests, many of whom are dear friends, who didn’t hesitate to say yes and sit down with me to tell their beautiful life stories: Garret Louie, Nate Sabine, Christina Culver, Tyler Quarles, Ben Smith, Courtney Chew, Paul Grunberg, Emily Leung, Scott Sueme, DJ Big Jacks (Jay Isaac), Gelareh Darabi, Steve Thorp, Kenny MacIntyre, Maurice Li, Michael Leckie, Beth Richards, Mark Brand, Juno Kim, Malania Dela Cruz, Karin Bohn, Jamie Collins, Jackie Kai Ellis and Joe Chan, Apolla Echino, Caroline Boquist, Zach Berman and Ryan Slater, Mauvey, Darya Kosilova, Pearl Lam, Mikey Scott, and Ashleigh Kim.   

We’ll be going on a short hiatus to prepare The Craft’s next collection of conversations and will return on air again sometime this September. 

Until then, please enjoy the 30 existing conversations with some amazing, truly good humans who are creating beautiful things out there, who are always uncovering more about themselves and doing better, and are generous enough to share their stories and wisdom with others. 

The world needs to know and listen to more wonderful people like them because many, many more of them do exist out there, in every corner of this home we call earth.

See you sometime this September and as always, thank you for being here, and for listening.

There’s something about the energy of Dario Phillips that makes you feel instantly comfortable, like you’re hanging out with an old friend. The cofounder of Slowtide started his career by following his interests before landing firmly in the action sports industry, leading marketing at Quiksilver and HUF.

He was born in Toronto, into a big family with five kids. His father was successful in the development industry for a time, while his mother was a wonderful spirit. After the family spent some time in Los Angeles, Dario did most of his growing up in Vancouver, where he found himself deep into sports, skating, and snowboarding. For the first part of adulthood, he followed his own path: working retail at @boardroomshop, being a sous chef in Whistler, surfing in Australia, working in bars for his uncle, and doing a DJ stint in Barcelona. 

After launching a maps company during the 2010 Olympics and landing a position at Colour Magazine, he eventually found himself in marketing at Quiksilver and then HUF, cutting his teeth in the corporate world. Then, in 2016, he launched Slowtide with his friends and business partners Kyle Spencer and Wylie Von Tempsky.
.         
In this conversation, we explore his unconventional childhood; how unconditional support from his parents shaped him; learning the art of negotiation from his father and how he’s applied that to business & personal life; his chapter at Quiksilver; what one should understand about an athlete’s psychology when developing brand relationships with them; how Slowtide came to be; what he hopes for his children, and much more.

[SPECIAL EDITION] I loved this conversation. Our second The Craft live podcast recording in partnership with Herschel Supply drops today, this time with Jamie & Lyndon Cormack, the brother cofounders of Herschel Supply Co.  

In 1906, their great grandparents—through a homestead program—moved across the Atlantic from Scotland to Canada. They landed on the east coast and made their way across the country, settling on property just outside the little hamlet of Herschel, Saskatchewan. It was here where their father grew up and married his high school sweetheart, their mother. 

They grew up mainly in Calgary, Alberta but spent time running free outdoors in Herschel during visits to their grandparents . Team sports and being active were major parts of their upbringing, so it was no surprise they found themselves in sales within the action sports industry as adults —Jamie at KT Sports and Lyndon at Vans. From a young age, both were passionate about design, art, music & culture, something that has only grown stronger since then. 

In 2009, they identified a gap in the market for stylish, functional, design-forward bags and founded Herschel Supply. They left their full-time jobs in 2011 to focus solely on building the company—now a widely known, successful brand across the world.       

In this conversation, we explore:

• Where they grew up and what they were like as kids
• Things they’ve learned about being better leaders & business minds from their CEO Jon Hoerauf
• The importance of curiosity, passion and asking yourself ‘why not?’
• The art & science of entrepreneurship
• Staying relevant & progressive in a fast-moving world and breaking your own rules
• If curation is innate or something that can be learned
• Why they’re passionate about supporting creatives & emerging artists
• Questioning the status quo
• How they teach their kids to navigate the world and their futures
• What they’d say to their team throughout the years and to the team today
• Working with family & what they mean to one other 
• And much more

I learned a ton during this exchange, not only about Jamie & Lyndon as business leaders and founders but as people, too. And, as they each said separately during our conversation: ask yourself, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if…?” and, mostly, dream big.

Much love,
May

______________
TIMESTAMPS
6:37 - Growing up in Herschel

9:27 - As kids and teens  

11:22 - Where design comes from

14:13 - How they got into what they were doing prior to Herschel

19:45 - Biggest challenges of scaling of the brand

24:39 - What they have learned from John

27:31 - Being an entrepreneur 

32:40 - How companies stay relevant

35:21 - Is the art of curation innate or learned

38:21 - Why its important to support creatives and emerging artists

45:36 - What is something that’s generally obvious that should be obvious

48:06 - What they teach their children about how to navigate life

52:22 - Reflecting on the last 12-13 years

56:07 - What they would say to their team, past and present 

59:38 - What they mean to each other

01:03 - Final Question

Lee Knaz leads with love. His aura feels like warm light and, once you’re in conversation, his words are wise. For many years, he was in the culinary world—as a sought-after private chef, a finalist on season one of Master Chef, and founder of his own company Mission Olive, which focused on good food as wellbeing. After leaving his chef life behind, he’s now a successful life & relationship coach.

Born in a small agricultural town in Israel, Lee is the youngest of his family and the only boy among three sisters. His parents were peace activists, each in their own way—his mom was part of Women in Black, a peace activist group of Jewish-Israeli and Arab women coming together every Friday and gathering at one another’s homes. His father was an artist whose work focused on co-existence and who did work as an illustrator for various newspapers. 

He completed his military service from 18 to 21-years-old and was drafted in a war at 24-years-old. In 2006, Lee made a major move to California. He enrolled into business school at USC, but eventually joined culinary school during a summer off. Cooking had always come easy to him and though a gastronomy career hadn’t originally been at the top of his mind, it found him—and he began to truly set out his path in that world after landing on Master Chef. 

In this beautiful conversation, we explore the sights and smell of his hometown; his quiet observations as a child; why he decided to move to the United States; how culinary school felt like learning a language he already knew; cooking as meditation, reciprocity & healing; his career transition from cooking to coaching; how his daughter Vida is teaching him to be a child again; and much more.

[TIMESTAMPS]

3:27 - Growing up

11:03 - What made him leave Israel

13:14 - How he found his way into a culinary career 

17:55 - What does cooking feel like

21:29 - Can he tell when someone needs to be nourished

25:04 - How the spotlight was for him after MasterChef

31:23 - How he was able to stay composed while his dishes were being judged

39:50 - What drew him to self-leadership 

49:22 - How he thinks his daughter sees him

56:55 - Final question

58:31 - Where to find him

[TODAY'S SPONSORS]

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Nat Tersigni is both an open book and an enigma, at the same time. A long-time retail veteran, she has been running Gravity Pope Tailored Goods for more than a decade, bringing her warmth & impeccable taste to the shop, to her clients, and to the community.

She was born and raised in Toronto, in a family that is Italian in every sense of the word: tight-knit and led by strong females. Both her grandmothers (or ‘nonnas’) lived long lives and were the matriarchs of the roost—Nat, shy in nature and the only girl in the whole family, spent a lot of time with them as a child. As a teen, she would buy vintage clothing by the pound at Value Village because it was an affordable way to be experimental. Her dream was to one day open her own shop, so she pursued her retail management degree in university after trying to study photography at Humber College and finding it didn’t suit her. 

During school, she also worked in retail—juggling it with stints at night clubs—marking the start of her long career in fashion. A (short-lived) job at Aritzia’s head office brought her out west, before she headed to Gravity Pope in the summer of 2016.

In this conversation, we explore the genesis of her work ethic in relation to parental pride & approval; memories of watching her nonnas cook meals in their basement kitchens; how working high-level retail and in nightclubs during university helped her come out of her shell; how asking questions allowed Nat to develop real relationships with her loyal clientele; how she leads her young shop team with openness and what she’s learned from this next generation; teaching her young son about women, emotions, empathy & compassion; what she hopes for herself; and more.      

The natural ability to build a strong community is deep within Courtney Chew’s bones - her compassion and empathy are unparalleled. 

She was born into an entrepreneurial and creative family, all of which led her into the first leg of her career: marketing and branding at places like Aritzia, wings + horns, and kit & ace. In 2018, she took a leap of faith and launched her own swimwear / lifestyle brand, Ocin.

In this conversation, we examine entrepreneurship in the pandemic, getting comfortable with vulnerability, and why building a better, more connected world is important to her.

Beth Richards is one powerful female force. The designer has a long list of accomplishments, cutting her fashion teeth at brands like Roots, Aritzia, John Fluevog, Sugoi, and Kit and Ace before launching her namesake swimwear label in 2011.

She grew up just outside of Toronto, inspired heavily by skate, street, music, and rave culture throughout her rebel teenage years. Chloe Sevigny, Sofia Coppola, Kim Gordon, and the Riot Grrrl feminist punk movement influenced the person she was becoming - honest and always unapologetically herself, Beth took a page from these independent, fierce women and carved a path all her own.

In this conversation, we explore what it’s like to be a female voice in a very male world, her ethical, sustainable & fair wage approach to design, a bright new swimwear collaboration with Indian designer Roopa Pemmaraju, what she’d tell teenage Beth that was bullied, and more.

Scott Sueme has a quiet energy and demeanour about him, something calming you can feel right from the moment you meet the artist. 

The start of his artist journey came from a deep interest in skateboard and graffiti art culture, which eventually led him to Emily Carr University, where he studied fine arts before taking off to travel for inspiration outside of what he knew. Today, he’s done commissioned work for The City of Vancouver, a project with the NBA, Nike, lululemon, and more.

In this conversation, we explore his creative process, how he’s built community among other artists, what he learned most about himself during this last year, what he would tell his younger self, and more.

On a long list of women to admire, the classy, ambitious, and courageous Tiffany Soper is near the top of it. The well-respected veteran publicist began her career working for other PR professionals before landing at Hawksworth Communications, then becoming a partner at Avenue PR. She now has her own agency Nine Point Agency, with a client roster focused on lifestyle, cannabis, and wellbeing. 

She was born and raised on the north shore, the second eldest daughter of four children whose parents had been world-class competitive ice dance figure skaters. Her home environment growing up was very loving but unpredictable at times, as one of her parents battled alcoholism. Tiffany left home at 18-years-old to expand her worldview and spent time in Australia and Japan, before coming back to go to @capilanou and then @royalroadsu in Victoria. She eventually found herself in PR after observing the publicist at a restaurant she worked at, and began steadily building a career and name for herself. More recently, she became a mother to a beautiful daughter, deciding a few years ago to have a baby on her own.

In this conversation, we dive deep into her parent’s love story and the ups and downs of her childhood; her chapter in abroad after high school and what she learned most about herself in that time; the qualities she and her team look for when vetting potential PR clients; her profound healing journey with the help of ayahuasca and spirituality over the last few years; the decision to become a single mother by choice and what it’s brought to her life; what she wants her daughter to know most; and more. 

Rachel Rivera and Claire Ouchi are as vibrant and joyful in real life as the colourful work they create together as art duo the WKDNRS. After working as applied graphic designers & colour designers at lululemon and Aritzia for a number of years, the two took a leap of faith to start the WKNDRS and also cofounded Holaday together.  

They both grew up in Calgary, Alberta, with two very different origin stories. Claire was born into a creative family with a contemporary artist father and a mother who managed a design group. That environment encouraged the creativity within her, and she spent a lot of time making ceramics. Rachel was born four months pre-mature in Cebu, Philippines, and came to Canada after her mother met her Canadian stepfather there, where they fell in love—a meet-cute romance story for the ages. She, too, was artistic as a child and teen, always drawing nature while hanging out with her snowboard crew.   

Rachel and Claire had their own meet-cute at Alberta University of the Arts, where they both took visual communications and eventually met in their fourth year, quickly becoming life-long best friends and collaborators. During that time in their lives, they hosted art shows together and started a vintage shop, among other things. A job offer from Aritzia brought Rachel to Vancouver, with Claire arriving shortly after also landing a position at the brand. Eventually, it felt like time to follow their own path with the WKNDRS. Since then, they’ve created large-scale murals in urban spaces and collaborated with brands like Spy Optic, Audible, Veuve Clicquot & more.

In this conversation, we talk about their childhoods; their individual art practices; visual communications when it comes to design; learning concept-to-execution in their corporate chapter and how they apply it to their combined art practice now; why Claire and Rachel love vintage & thrifting; what WKNDRS means to them out in the world; why it’s important to the soul to take leaps of faith and believe in yourself; how they evolve their art while staying true to who they are as artists; advice they’d give to emerging artists about life; and more. 

TIMESTAMPS:

6:11 - growing up (Claire)

14:57 - growing up (Rachel)

28:51 - How they met in AU Arts

33:26 - Visual communications and what it is

36:05 - What they did and learned from fashion 

40:06 - What the learned from a corporate structure 

43:44 - Individual art practices 

47:56  - The meaning behind WKNDRS

49:59 - Their vintage shop

51:09 - Their takes on thrifting

53:05 - Going for it and trying 

01:00:55 - How do they keep creating in their style while staying true to their core values

01:05:13 - Advice to emerging artists about life

01:07:38 - What they have learned from each other 

01:09:52  - What they want to say to their parents

01:11:43 - Final question 

01:12:51 - Where to find them

Mark Brand is a human always in service to others. The restauranteur has been behind Boneta, Sea Monstr Sushi, The Diamond, Persephone Brewing, and iconic downtown eastside diner Save on Meats but is well-known for his global work as a social entrepreneur. 

Born in Scotland, his childhood was an intensely nomadic one, moving from country to country. At 14-years-old, he got his first job making pizza and never looked back, moving to Australia with his dad when he was 19. There, Mark found happiness in the restaurant industry and as a hiphop, rap, and funk DJ - and it was also where he was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. He then moved to Vancouver on a feeling and, for the last 15 years, rebuilt his life around restaurants and worldwide social impact: establishing A Better Life Foundation, cooking at the Vatican as executive chef for Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ Challenge, teaching innovation at USC, and working with on the United Nations Catalyst Team focusing on food waste, poverty, and the impacts of current systemic structures on the most marginalized. 

Resilience is a recurring theme in Mark’s life, and his story is a reflection of that. 

In this conversation, we dig deep into the idea of creating safety and boundaries in a chaotic environment, why his parents are his heroes, sobriety and the dark days he’s had to go through, why we shouldn’t look away from discomfort, projects he’s currently working on around the world, and more.

Carey Hulshof is as sharp as they come. The founder of concept store Secret Location (@slocation) has a mind that operates a mile a minute, making connections and conjuring up future-forward ideas quickly and seemingly with great ease.

She grew up in a close, supportive family steeped in generations of agriculture. Time was often spent with siblings and cousins playing outside, surrounded by animals. Even then, Carey was entrepreneurial, who didn’t particularly enjoy being told she couldn’t do something.  

As a young adult, she moved to Milan, where she did her masters degree in design, eventually working in trend forecasting & fashion design. In 2012, she founded Secret Location, the first concept store in Canada. It was originally a pet project plan while she was living in Italy—until it eventually became a true reality. 

A lesser known fact about Carey: she's been deeply involved in her family’s agriculture business, as often the only female and the youngest person in the room with a seat at the industry table. She had a big hand in moving the family operations into a holistic management system to lessen negative impact on the land and on climate, and continues to cultivate her relationship with the land and with farmers who’ve been around for decades.

In this episode, we explore where her eye for beauty and fashion comes from; how living in Milan challenged her mindset; trend forecasting, the traits one must have to do this well & what she sees coming; her process when it comes to working with interior design clients; the secret to her store’s longevity; her long-term sustainable vision in farming, food production & how we treat and understand the land; what we can do to improve agriculture across the world; and much more.

TIMESTAMPS

4:42 - Growing up

7:06 - What Carey was like as a child

7:30 - Where the rebellious nature comes from

8:07 - Was she entrepreneurial too

9:19 - Was Carey the same as a teenager

9:48 - Travelling

12:36 - Where the eye for design came from

17:33 - What led to her founding Secret Location

19:24 - Trend forecasting

23:07 - Interior design service offering

26:16 - Her favourite space to design

27:39 - Reason for Secret Location’s longevity

28:24 - What she learned the most from owning a restaurant

30:21 - Ranching

32:53 - What it’s like to be a woman and a younger individual in the agricultural business

34:36 - How Carey would evolve the agricultural industry

36:09 - How we can get more people to care about agriculture and food production

37:13 - How much is produced locally

39:53 - What interesting things around the world can be implemented here 

42:11 - How She cultivates her relationship with the land

46:02 - Farming against nature and farming with nature

56:41 - When life forces you to slow down

1:01:00 -  What kind of mother she hopes to be

1:03:02 - Final Question

Most people who know his name, know Bob Rennie as a real estate success story—and, perhaps, they know he’s a prolific and well-respected art collector, too. Those that know him more deeply also know how charismatic, smart, quick-witted, supportive, and generous he truly is.

He grew up in East Vancouver, the son of lower middle class parents. His homemaker mother spent many years raising him and his sister - at the age of 40, she entered the workforce as a waitress. A truck driver for Carling Brewery, his father also ran the press box for the Vancouver Canucks and BC Lions. At 19-years-old, Bob picked his own path and started his long storied career in real estate, first as a realtor, and began steadily building the backbone of his business empire from the simple values imparted on him by his father.

His biggest passion, however, is collecting art, something that sparked on a trip to San Francisco in 1974 when he was 18-years-old. During a gallery visit, he saw a Norman Rockwell limited edition print, On Top of the World (1934). He bought it for $375, and marked the start of the extensive and renowned Rennie Collection, one the largest contemporary private art collections in North America. Works in the collection are regularly shown at rennie museum in the historic Wing Sang Building in Vancouver’s Chinatown and are also loaned to museums across the world. Bob is also currently president of the Tate Americas Foundation and on the board of trustees for the Art Institute of Chicago. 

In this conversation, we discuss what he learned from his parents growing up; the importance of creating trustworthy relationships in work, art & life; why he collects art in the threads of diversity, inclusion & social injustice and the role of a collector to elevate an artist; the story of how he acquired Kerry James Marshall’s Garden Party (2003-2014) over the course of nine years and his long-standing friendship with the artist; how the art world has evolved from when he began collecting to now; advice he’d give to those wanting to build their own collections; what he learned about himself over the last two years during the pandemic; why it’s essential to show people your vulnerability; what he would tell his three children right now; and much more.

Everyone needs a little Sean Daly in their life. This artist, creative director, set & production designer, and go-to character architect in Hollywood has a long list of accomplishments, but his humility never lets you know it. 

From set designing with legendary photographers like Annie Leibovitz, to the interior design of Lulu Restaurant at the Hammer Museum and creative direction on Phaidon books, to advising Robert Downey Jr. on Sherlock Holmes, Jamie Foxx on The Soloist, and others with getting deep into character in some of their most well-known roles, Sean has done it all. 

His grandparents immigrated from Ireland and Italy to Boston, Massachusetts, to start anew, where Sean was eventually born and bred. The youngest of seven children, his household was a lively place—no two kids were alike, no cable at home, and his creativity was nurtured by his artistic mother. To her, the world was a field trip to be observed. His dad taught Sean structure and how to ask himself the right questions, a great balance to his artist soul.

A summer acting program ushered young Sean to a new world: acting. After high school, he went to a small liberal arts university in New Jersey across the river from Manhattan, a place that gave him a sense of freedom. He fell into the indie film scene, leading him to the Sundance Film Festival, then a move to LA. It was being an actor on set—and an industry strike—that sparked his curiosity in set/production design, and the rest is history.          

In this episode, we talk about how imaginative play as a kid led to acting; the things one has to consider when world-building on shoots; finding the balance between character detail ideas he has, with ideas that actors may have; adventure of creative challenges he’s given; and much more.                            

[TIMESTAMPS]

4:01 - Growing up

22:33 - Where his love for acting originated from 

25:13 - Could he tell which kids wanted to be actors/actresses for a career 

30:34 - How he felt his New York chapter changed him

37:46 - How he got to LA

44:44 - What drew him to set production 

54:55 - What it was like to work on set and his creative process 

58:40 - The transition of building sets to building characters and how he balances his ideas and an actor’s ideas of a character

1:05:17 - What he loves about world building and what makes him great at it

1:09:50 - Final question 

1:10:31 - Where to find him

[TODAY'S SPONSORS]

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Terry McBride is a trailblazer and veteran in both the music and wellness industries, someone who has an uncanny prescience. He is also thoughtful, kind, and—in speaking to his team during the coordination of this conversation—very beloved.

As the co-founder and CEO of Nettwork Music Group, Terry helped shape the careers of some of the most iconic artists of our time, including Sarah McLachlan, Coldplay, and the Barenaked Ladies. Under his visionary leadership, Nettwerk became a global powerhouse (with teams in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto and more), selling over 150 million albums, and revolutionizing how artists navigate the digital era.

But Terry’s influence doesn’t stop at music. In 2007—after discovering yoga and experiencing it across the world—he turned his passion for mindfulness into YYOGA, a wellness company that has redefined the yoga studio experience across Canada. Terry’s commitment to innovation, whether in artistry or holistic well-being, is deeply inspiring.

In this episode, we explore Terry’s incredible journey—his youth as a national level field hockey player and budding civil engineer; the monetization of emotions in music & wellbeing; YYOGA and Nettwerk safe spaces for community; hyperlocal reasons why YYOGA has expanded into franchising; how he knows if a music artist or yoga instructor has that ‘it’ factor’; the future of music; his hope for the next generations; and much more. 

[TIMESTAMPS]

3:57 - Growing up

6:58 - How his mind works and how it made him different in the music industry

22:23 - Discovering yoga and founding YYOGA 

29:53 - How he can tell someone has the 'it' factor and what contributes to their success

35:19 - What his other passions are looking like

36:02 - What he feels with where he is at in his life

39:56 - Truths that he lives by

55:33 - Final question

[TODAY'S SPONSORS]

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Zeke Reed is pure energy in motion. Whether reporting compelling stories for KCRW or producing music in his Topanga Sessions sound studio, he’s constantly contemplating, creating, and doing.

During his early childhood, his father worked as an NAACP defense attorney while his mother pursued her PhD in Theatre at UCLA. Seeking a closer connection to nature, the family relocated from Venice Beach to Topanga Canyon, where Zeke spent much of his childhood exploring the hillsides. Although both parents were accomplished academics and professionals, they also nurtured his deep passion for creativity and music—his father had been a violinist in the University of Virginia orchestra. In fifth grade, Zeke joined a gifted school program in The Valley, broadening his horizons beyond the tight-knit Topanga community.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Zeke also attended UVA, where he pursued neuroscience. This path was inspired by a neighbor who worked in the field and led Los Angeles County’s Department of Mental Health. His college thesis on Detroit earned him a spot in the CORO Fellows Program, giving him hands-on experience in public affairs across multiple sectors. Yet, despite this academic trajectory, Zeke felt an enduring pull toward music. He formed a band with a friend, performing at college parties, and continued to develop his creative identity.

Today, Zeke bridges his academic and creative pursuits with an interdisciplinary approach. By day, he’s a values-driven journalist; by night (and any other available hour), he’s a musician/producer who recently released his first EP Mushroom Disco.

In this episode, we explore his mother’s time with a troupe of gypsy actors in Eastern Europe during the Cold War; his self-designed course of study in college that sparked an interest in urban politics and cities; and music as a lifelong thread—from playing the cello in the LA Junior Philharmonic to performing at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. We also delve into his growing role in the global music community, the intersection of journalism and sustainable business models, and much more.

[TIMESTAMPS]

4:03 - Growing up

11:34 - If he ever felt pressure to lean into academics

12:58 - Why he chose neuroscience at the University of Virginia

17:46 - Music as a thread and starting his college band 

20:10 - The music versus academic path

25:38 - His creative process 

30:05 - His values as a journalist 

42:06 - His philosophy of “tastes beginning to match your abilities” 

48:48 - How he feels about his life  

51:57 - Final question

54:49 - Where to connect with Zeke

[TODAY'S SPONSORS]

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Formation Studio co-founders Roman Magbanua and Saschie Maclean-Magbanua are a couple completely in-synch with one another, in work and in life. Before opening their dance & movement space, Roman spent years in visual design for film, television, and videos, while Saschie paved her PR career path at Tourism Vancouver and agencies Yulu and Popcorn.

Roman was born in Winnipeg and raised in Vancouver, growing up in an intense home environment. His tough & independent yet observant spirit led him to follow his creative pursuits in visual arts & motion graphics, working for companies such as Microsoft, Black Rhino Creative, and Loud Crow Interactive. Saschie grew up in Cloverdale, a competitive cheerleader through her high school years. A serious injury sidelined her, causing her to rethink her identity beyond the sport she was dedicated to for so long. Eleven years ago, it was a mutual love for dance that brought them together at a class and, after a short stint as just friends at first, they became partners in life and, eventually, business. 

In this conversation, we explore the delicate balance of Roman’s childhood growing up with an addict father; how they do MDMA together once a year as a home date night in order to reconnect with one other; the loss of Saschie’s younger sister in a car accident in 2014, the grief that came with it & healing through dance; Formation Studio’s thoughtful approach to dance & movement as both a therapeutic activity and philosophy; what it means as a couple to put each other first, while taking care of oneself at the same time; and much more.

When Shannon Heth walks into a room, it’s hard not to be drawn in by her presence. Once you’re in conversation, it’s hard not to be captivated by her intelligence. After a stint in film & wardrobe after university, Shannon found her stride as a publicist, working at agencies and with clients in both Vancouver and New York before founding her own agency, Milk Communications.  

She grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, the only child of academic parents—her mother was a gallery curator at the University of Alberta and her father was a psychology professor. The family traveled extensively during her childhood, allowing Shannon to experience global culture & expand her perspective at a young age. She was also an equestrian—horses were a passion for her then, and still are today. In her 10-plus years in publicity and living between Vancouver and New York, she’s found her PR niche in the art, restaurant, and fashion & lifestyle worlds. More recently, Shannon co-wrote and launched her first book with celebrity makeup artist Beau Nelson, a longtime friend of hers.

In this conversation, we go deep into how travel was an essential part of her upbringing and what she learned about the world, religion & spirituality at a young age; the natural unfolding of her journey into PR; why she’s been drawn to horses since childhood; the healing journey she’s been on with plant medicine and psychedelics for the last few years; the things she has learned about her ego, love & happiness since doing the world’s most powerful psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT; what she misses about New York and why it calls to her; the process of writing her first book and how it went co-authoring with a close friend; the one thing she wants her sons to know most about who she is; and more.

There is a natural elegance and sparkle to Paris-based Danielle Barich. The former event planner and now sensory strategist has worked with the likes of Nike, Monique Lhuillier, Bioderma, Nespresso and Veuve Clicquot to help them deliver brand & consumer experiences around the five senses: taste, touch, smell, hearing, sight.

Born in Toronto, Danielle comes from a close-knit hockey family and has a mother & father with strong independent streaks and passions. An artistic child and teen, she was also deeply involved in sports, playing hockey and competitive sprint canoe. After high school, she went down the path of fashion and event planning, eventually working to create experiences in the luxury wedding industry. A major life change a few years ago brought her a new chapter in Paris, a place she had always felt drawn to. 

In this conversation, we examine her tight relationship with her parents and what she’s learned from both of them; balancing art and sports growing up; the long journey to her dream life in Paris; what a sensory strategist does and how she works with brands; the art & science of smell; how people can enhance their five senses; the ways our senses can play into future technology and the metaverse; and more.

Raymond Shoolman is a gentle, intuitive, and wise elder statesman of fashion and retail. A veteran executive and consultant in those industries, he helped grow upscale multi-brand menswear retailer Boys'Co to major success alongside the Goldman family for over a decade, before taking an offer at Hugo Boss, where he was a vice president in the Canadian division for 14 years. He’s now a sought-after consultant alongside the team at DIG360, as well as a longtime mentor at Futurpreneur.

He was born and raised in South Africa to hardworking parents—his father was an immigrant from Belgium who found a career in sales and his mother worked retail at a department store. It was a tenuous time during the apartheid movement of the 1950s, but Raymond and his family managed to live a loving, peaceful life. In the late 1970s, he was offered a job with Sealy and relocated his family to Canada, living in Edmonton before settling in Vancouver. After his chapter in Toronto with Hugo Boss came to a close, he returned to the west coast. 

In this conversation, we explore the values he learned from his parents that are still very much with him today; what is was like working for a family business versus a major global brand; his people-first approach as a business leader and people manager; if entrepreneurs are born or made; the things he’s witnessing in the fashion & retail landscapes right now; the importance of truth when mentoring and consulting; his advice to all entrepreneurs on their journey; what he’s most proud of in his decades of living; and much more.

Holistic integrative practitioner Kate Horsman has an aura of warmth and inner beauty that orbits around her. The former professional ballet dancer works with a wide variety of private and corporate clients, supporting them on their healing journeys.

She was born and raised in Vancouver, and started dancing at the age of three. Both naturally gifted coupled with a deep passion for ballet, she quickly excelled—by nine years old, she was already at the Canada's National Ballet School. Kate then moved to New York, after being accepted into the School of American Ballet, but her hard took a devastating turn. Kate eventually left ballet as a result, realizing dance was no longer her happy place. This started a journey of coming back home to herself, and shifting into a deep calling to support others in their lives.

In this conversation, we explore growing up in a household with two chronically ill parents; her experience in ballet and how it taught her about embodiment; the difficult shift in identity when she left that world; taking her counselling degree and finding herself pulled toward nutrition and merging that with other energy modalities in her work; her chapter as a stylist and what that showed her; the concepts of achievement and perfection; what she’d tell people suffering from eating disorders quietly; learning to trust oneself and body; and much more.

Amanda Lee Smith is a true visionary. An early start in journalism as a teen led her into a career in communications at various places, before landing a plum brand content role at Kit and Ace. She then took a chance on herself, launching Coterie Co., which eventually became Monday Creative, a branding & content marketing agency that counts lululemon, Arc'teryx, HerschelSupply, Smash & Tess, EA Sports, and more as clients. 

She grew up with two sisters (one her twin) in the suburbs, in a supportive home that regularly practiced Evangelical Christianity, with loving parents who have been married for 52 years. Ambitious and unafraid from a young age, she was into everything under the sun: school, books, writing, sports, student council, punk rock. After her marriage ended, Amanda went through a reckoning with her faith, a process that shifted her identity and broke her open to all kinds of nuances & groups that exist in life and in the world. 

Since then, Amanda has continued to forge her path ahead, evolving Monday Creative into its new strategic partnership with RANGE, teaching digital storytelling at UBC and, more recently, entering the world of angel investing with Futuretense Capital. 

In this conversation, we explore how her religion & faith shaped her identity and how it has evolved over the years; the book trilogy she wrote in the first grade and a teen punk rock phase; where her love for storytelling came from; working at Kit and Ace & the talented team from that chapter; how Monday’s strategic partnership with RANGE serendipitously came to be; her passion for apparel circularity & emerging fabric technology; getting into angel investing and the Futuretense values; her relationship with the concept of grace in daily life; and much more.  

Juno Kim is a man with a deep, deep soul. He became a household name among the food and creative worlds after launching Juno Kim Catering, marking his successful run in the culinary space, despite any formal training.

The son of immigrants from South Korea, he spent much of his childhood moving from city to city, school to school. After graduating from university, he found himself becoming a chef, reimagining people’s sensory experiences with food with his intricate seasonal dishes to great acclaim, before a major burn out in 2017 led to a period of self-exploration.

In this layered conversation, we dive into his childhood, his reintroduction to meditation, a passion for matcha and the ceremony of tea, what it means to thrive in the world, and more.

A conversation with Blueprint Entertainment’s Nate Sabine always leaves you with a deep perspective that hadn’t crossed your mind before.

Growing up in Terrace, BC, as a skate kid, he left his small hometown in the mid-90s for the bigger city - but not without bringing his interest for skate culture, music, style and hospitality along with him. For the last 25 years, Nate’s been a leader in the entertainment and music industry, heading up brand and marketing for the Donnelly Group before becoming the director of business development for Blueprint Entertainment.

In this conversation, we explore his younger years growing up biracial and a trip to the UK that changed him, navigating changes in his industry caused by the pandemic, mental health, being a father, and much more. 

Sara Harowitz is one smart and witty woman. She’s also a wordsmith at heart, a long-time editor of publications such as the Huffington Post, SAD Mag, and MONTECRISTO Magazine. By day, she’s the director of content at vitruvi, where she led the creation of their in-house print & digital publication Our Natural Habitat. By night, she’s a literary agent at Westwood Creative Artists—it’s a recent side gig she landed, specializing in narrative nonfiction authors and helping bring their ideas to life.

She grew up in the suburbs of Richmond, a quiet and bookish young girl with two older brothers. Her father is an intellectual and a businessman, her mother a primary school teacher. During her teens, in addition to her love for books, dance was her main extra curricular: ballet, contemporary, jazz, and hip hop. Sara applied to Toronto Metropolitan University for their journalism program, where she found her groove in magazines and editing. After Toronto, she returned to home as a freelancer until landing her first job at the Huffington Post, officially launching her career as an editor. In 2022, Sara spent some of the summer in London, taking her certificate in Publishing through Columbia at Oxford University.         

In this conversation, we talk about the natural way she found herself in journalism; what viral content was like when she first started as an editor and how she’s seen it evolve over the years; the HuffPo being at the frontline for how news was produced for a younger audience; what makes a good journalist; the process of creating Our Natural Habitat and vitruvi’s refreshed branding; the state of publishing right now and #booktok; what a literary agent does; traditional publishing vs. self-publishing; and much more.

Please enjoy this exploration of life, journalism and many other things with the incredible Sara Harowitz.

Much love,
May

TIMESTAMPS

5:45 - Growing up

13:45 - Her as a teen and her passions then

15:40 - Knowing she wanted to be a writer 

20:33 - Viral content when she started and how she’s seen it change over the years

24:20 - What makes a good journalist and her core values

28:46 - Her heroes in journalism 

31:35 - Creative process for making a magazine 

36:34 - Vitruvi rebrand 

38:28 - Surprising facts about the publishing industry she hadn’t known before

40:53 - What a literary agent is and does

41:59 - Self publishing vs. traditional publishing

45:14 - How advances work and what it means for the author & publishers

47:22 - A book that she often gifts to others

48:47 - Is there a literary character that she most identifies with?

48:47 -  How she feels about the written word and what it has brought to her life

54:35 - Final question

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There isn’t anything Mikey Scott can’t do. The marketing and branding powerhouse has had a successful career in action sports and fashion & lifestyle brands, from being a professional snowboarder to running the global marketing at Herschel Supply for over six years. 

He grew up in Markham, Ontario, with a love for skateboarding, soccer and his close-knit family. Eventually, he discovered snowboarding and ended up travelling the world as a pro boarder at sixteen with sponsorship from Ride, Oakley, Globe and Endeavour. After action sports, Mikey pivoted quickly into marketing, working his way up to global marketing director at Herschel Supply, VP of Global Marketing for an iconic VF Corporation brand in Antwerp (VF also has Supreme, The North Face, Vans & more). 

Now, he’s innovating in a different industry from his usual repertoire as the VP of Digital Marketing at @freshtrackscanada, a travel company that’s been around for more than two decades. 

Always thinking ahead, he also more recently launched the well-crafted accessories brand, he also launched accessories brand Issues Objects with his wife Shawna Olsten and several creative partners.

In this raw and real conversation, we explore what it was like making a discovery about his father when he was nine, not letting trauma define you, the importance of quality vs. quantity in life, the five pillars he always operates from, his journey in the marketing world and getting after it, what fatherhood means to him, and much more.

This episode is a special edition, in partnership with Herschel Supply & Herschel Vancouver. 

Thank you to the Herschel team for reaching out about doing a live conversation slash live podcast recording with us at their Robson Street location, bringing the community together for an fun, inspiring night—I’m super honoured. 

To friends and community who came out last Tuesday evening, thank you from the bottom of my heart for being warm, open, and eager to listen to our conversation. Here’s to a second round sometime in the near future and many more The Craft live conversations to come in this city and others around the world.

For me, this one is also special because it brings back my very first podcast guest and dear friend, Garret Louie. A legend and pioneer in the fashion, arts, culture, music & entertainment scenes for over 30 years, he’s an inspiration and leader to all generations.

In this conversation, we dive a little deeper into his growing up; big milestones he’s had over the last two years selling Livestock to JD Sports, launching his brand, and getting healthy in the mind and body; the most important thing he learned during the process of selling Livestock; his relationship with connection & community; the things he’s strong at in brand building and what he delegates to others who are stronger at other skills; how his personal evolution has affected the way he approaches creativity & business; the genetic codes he’s leaving behind for the next generation to build upon; emerging trends he’s seeing; what he’d like to express to the people & friends he’s worked and collaborated with along the way; and more.

There’s a wonderful gentleness to Richard Smart, the owner of EC Rarebooks, a subterranean shop in Gastown full of first edition books and titles. A third-generation book restorer, he—and his late grandfather and late father—are well-known and trusted in the large international antiquarian book world as the best at their craft. 

He grew up in London, England, the grandson of Charles Smart, who became a book binder in the 1930s, mostly out of necessity. His father John joined the family business as a young man, taking it over after Charles became ill. Richard, who loved motorcycles and building things with his hands growing up, also eventually learned the art of restoring books, coming into the company and relocating with it from the city to a smaller, more affordable town outside of London. With a desire to carve his own path, Richard attempted to move his family to Melbourne, Australia, but when that fell through, he found himself in Canada instead.

In this conversation, we discuss how joining the family business wasn’t his initial dream and what he had really wanted to do; how he came to enjoy his craft in more recent years, now that he added a bookshop to the restoration studio; the things he must consider from a material and chemical standpoint when restoring a book; the joy it brings him when the younger generation wander into his shop and marvel at what’s in there; the life lessons he learned from his late father; what he wants for his daughter, a talented ballerina currently dancing abroad; and much more.

DJ Big Jacks is not only one of most talented musicians and DJs in Canada, he’s also one of the most humble, kind humans you’ll ever meet.

He discovered his love for music at a young age, going to record stores with his father, and quickly carved himself a career in Toronto’s music scene before expanding his reach from coast to coast. Jay is the official DJ for Aritzia and co-founder of GGBR Records with music producer Bozack Morris. 

In this conversation, we talk about his perspective around the Black Lives Matter movement over this last year, creativity and connection, the origins of his nickname Yung Snack Lord, and more. 

New York-based Apolla Echino is a natural storyteller. It’s hard not to be enthralled, listening to this filmmaker speak and watching her videos for clients like lululemon, CIBC, Samsung, 23andme, and The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada.

She grew up in Alberta, Canada, and spent much of her childhood moving around with her young mother. An avid surfer, sports & activity have always been in her blood, from competitive gymnastics to professional dancing. Apolla eventually settled in New York in 2007 to pursue her dancing career, before finding herself a filmmaker instead. 

In this episode, we discuss her childhood and parents at length, the reality of being an independent filmmaker, her solo female documentary travel series ‘A Woman’s Guide to the World’ where she sailed to Antarctica in a 100-year-old sail boat & winter surfed in New Zealand, a new film project centred on a transgender woman working in the Alberta oil fields, and more.

Thara Vayali is a naturopathic doctor, public speaker and educator blazing new trails when it comes to women’s wellbeing and improving a broken healthcare system. And she’s paving it not only with innovation but with intuition and compassion, too.

She is profoundly connected to herself, her body, and elements of nature—foundational as cofounder & chief medical officer at Hey Freya, a brand with a mission to reimagine women’s wellness by radically shifting how women show up in the world and care for themselves. Her decades-long work focuses on the intersectionality of women’s health, society, medical research, and the environment.

She grew up in a small, predominantly Irish-Catholic town in Newfoundland, Canada, as a first-generation North American in her family. It was an intense navigation of her personal identity in the world, feeling disconnected from South India where her father and mother had come from. Becoming a naturopathic doctor was a winding path, but also a calling—she was always interested in the human body and moved toward a nutrition degree. Thara worked in the community, educating kids (through play) about nutrition throughout Vancouver. 

But there was a systemic approach missing for her, and so she decided to pursue a master’s degree in environmental education to draw the connection between what we eat and where it comes from. Her thesis on how embodied yoga practice can teach connection to land—much better than words and didactic learning—won the Governor General’s Gold Medal award. She eventually applied to naturopathic medical school, and her purpose solidified even further. 

A number of years later, the stars and shared purpose aligned at a femtech conference, where she met Cecilia Tse and Helkin Berg, who became her cofounders in Hey Freya a few months later. 

In this episode, we explore how her connection to nature and the elements impact her approach to healthcare; what collective liberation means to her; shifting the broader healthcare system by creating spaces and resources to care for women; the life force of adrenals and their importance to women’s health; how her cofounders Cecilia & Helkin have been mirrors for her; what she would say to her teenage self; and much more.

[TIMESTAMPS]

00:00 Introduction and childhood in Newfoundland
03:09 Navigating identity as a first-generation immigrant
06:01 The influence of parents and cultural background
10:07 The deep connection to nature and the elements
32:15 Co-founder alignment
34:19 Hay Freya's mission: Reimagining women's wellness
45:40 The shift in the medical establishment
50:30 Exploring the concept of life force
59:39 Empowering women for societal change
01:01:24 Thara's legacy: Patience and determination

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It’s always a good day when you’re in the presence of Tyler Quarles, a man of many many talents. 

The longtime art director and co-founder of Baro Drywear grew up in an equally athletic and creative household, spending much of his youth in snowboard shops while honing his passion for design. 

In this conversation, we dive into his upbringing, the story of how he created the Herschel Supply logo, getting the latest Baro collection to market during the pandemic, the key ingredients to a good partnership, and more. 

Please enjoy this episode with the incredible human that is Tyler Quarles. 

There’s a built-in optimism and passion to Sung Lee that’s contagious—and he is well-loved by many because of it. He was employee number one at Herschel Supply, first as a graphic designer and, over the course of a decade, became the brand’s creative director. Now, Sung leads creative at premium, contemporary dinnerware brand Fable. 

He was born in Korea and spent his childhood there. An architect, his father was the definition of a stoic, emotionally closed Asian father. His mother, an art teacher, continuously nurtured his creative side, encouraging him to draw, paint, and go to art school. Their upper middle class life ended when the IMF economic crisis hit Korea and, one day, Sung was suddenly told they had to live with an aunt. It turned out his father had borrowed money to keep his business afloat, and the Korean equivalent of the yakuza had come around to settle and his father wanted to keep the family safe. 

Eventually, the family moved to Canada, with Sung applying to an ESL school—he struggled until his mother enrolled him in a Korean art school, where he made some friends. This brought him to Emily Carr, where he learned to present his work in English phonetically. On a trip back to Korea, his father expressed he was sick—his parents returned to Canada, leaving 23-year-old Sung to sell their house in Korea. As he drove home from the airport, his mother told him his father had cancer and, two weeks later, Sung’s father passed. To move through grief, Sung took on a physical warehouse job. After a few months, his creative spirit came back. He started by launching a fashion show and landed a job at a small design agency that had an office beside Vans, where Lyndon Cormack worked prior to launching Herschel Supply with his brother Jamie. It was an instant meeting of like design minds, leading to a deep bond with the Cormacks and launching his long career as a creative director.  

In this conversation, we examine the effects on not sharing emotions with his family members; how Sung found skateboarding as a teen and its influence on him; his chapter at art school; navigating his father’s passing, surviving in Canada and processing his grief; the story of how he landed the job as employee number one at Herschel Supply, where he spent a decade; the roles of a graphic designer versus creative director at a company; his current interest in AI and its impact on design; Korea’s cultural dominance; the love for “han” or sorrow amongst Koreans; and much more.     

[TIMESTAMPS]

6:41 - Growing up and family history

16:36 - His transition to Canada

25:16 - Reflection on processing his father’s death 

39:48 - Skills he learned from being a graphic designer to being a creative director 

41:56 - His creative process 

45:32 - What's fascinating him right now

47:20 - His transition from Herschel to Fable  

53:10 - What a good feeling feels like for him

54:16 - One thing that can change someone’s perspective 

56:20 - Missing Korea

57:32 - How he met his wife

01:06:41 - Korean cultural dominance

01:14:53 - Expressing his emotions now

01:15:36 - Looking back at his life's journey

01:20:01 - What he would say to his dad right now

01:21:08 - The kind of life he hopes for his daughter

01:23:32  - What 'han' means to Koreans

01:26:27 - Final question 

01:28:29 - Where to find him

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Powerhouse is one way to describe Andrea Mestrovic, who has had a long and accomplished career across various disciplines: sales & marketing, brand, public relations, consumer packaged goods, and journalism. She's held top positions at companies and brands like Shared Vision Magazine, International Cellars, the Kanke Group, Oak Bay Marine Group, Olivia Palermo, Kit and Ace, and the Mark Anthony Group, before striking out with business partners to launch Very Polite Agency. 

To date, the agency has worked on Hootsuite’s rebrand and with clients Amazon Canada, Mackage, La Mer, Bosa Properties, Fairmont Pacific Rim, Canada Goods. They recently launched two of their own brands, a carbonated sake drink called Billion Trillion and Maater Cosmetics. For many years, she has also closely worked with @lululemon founder Chip Wilson, running his personal public relations.

Andrea was born in Dubrovnik, Croatia, and also spent time living in Bosnia, Serbia, and Macedonia—her father had been a soccer coach and a well known one back then. She spent much of her childhood in Sarajevo, but because of the Bosnian war, became a child of war and fled with her family to Canada—eventually settling in Vancouver. Becoming a dentist was an idea drilled into her, but she found herself drawn to liberal arts, too, ending up with biochem & communications degrees. 

After university, she landed her first job at a conscious consumer magazine group, kickstarting an admirable career in multiple industries. 

In this conversation, we explore being a child of war and how it shaped her perspective & her approach to opportunities; her experience integrating into life in Canada as a pre-teen; why sales is the basis of good marketing; her first crack at starting a PR agency in her mid-twenties; what she learned about successful negotiation while at the Kanke Group; what her agency partners have brought to her life; things things she learned from Chip Wilson on being a better leader & human; what she wants her daughters to know about her; and much more.

[TIMESTAMPS]

5:46 - Her childhood 

8:16 - Her parents 

9:57 - What she was like as a child/teen

19:51 - What life skills her parents have taught her

21:21 - Her early career 

28:11 - PR side hustle

34:15 - What she's learned about successful negotiation 

40:18 - Her side hustle in fashion journalism

44:32 - Her experience at Kit & Ace

51:35 - What has Chip Wilson taught her about being a better business person, leader, and human

56:01 - The perfect amount of transparency as a public figure/brand

59:56 - What Very Polite Agency stands for

01:07:47- What have her business partners brought to her life

01:09:54 - Their two new brands

01:17:00 - What she misses most about the cultures lived in as a child

01:21:48 - Having a courageous spirit

01:23:22 - What would she like people to truly know about her

01:26:17 - What she wants her daughters to know about her

01:28:33 - Final question 

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Payton Nyquvest has a way of being that makes others feel truly seen and heard. As the founder & CEO of Numinus, his company aims to empower people to heal through the development and delivery of innovative mental health care and access to safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies. And there is no doubt that Payton is genuine in his calling to help others find healing and wellbeing in their lives. 

His parents made their way from Manitoba to the west and settled in Deep Cove in North Vancouver. Growing up there was culturally formative for him—living on the border of a First Nations reservation, he was exposed to indigenous culture at a young age. Severe chronic gut pain, however, was a constant companion from the day he was born, and his mother suffered from substance use disorder, eventually becoming sober when Payton was 12.

His father was in finance, and Payton found himself in the industry right out of high school. At 30-years-old, he was managing the Vancouver office of one of the biggest independent brokerage firms in the country—yet, he kept on getting more ill, in and out of the hospital several times a week. Feeling exhausted of options, Payton decided to do something different: he booked a flight to Costa Rica and did his first ayahuasca ceremony. After that, he never had a chronic pain symptom again.

Coming back home, he wanted to give back to what saved his life and reached out to nonprofits to see what he could do. Soon, he was talking to Health Canada, MAPS and members of Vancouver’s psychedelic community. At the second ayahuasca retreat, he met the renowned Gabor Mate’s daughter and soon after was connected to Gabor, who became a mentor and supporter. All this finally led to starting Numinus, which now has multiple locations in Canada and across the US. It offers traditional mental health services, ketamine-assisted therapy, works with MAPS on their MDMA work, supports a number of psilocybin trials, organizes community experiences such as their recent concert tour with musician East Forest, and more.       

In this conversation, we explore how his mother grew up as a Mennonite and left the religion, but never lost her faith; her instrumental role in supporting Payton’s own spirituality & his healing; society’s unhealthy compartmentalization between our doing and our being; healing our relationship with plant medicine and nature; psychedelics not being a silver bullet; the genesis story of Numinus; psychedelic accessibility and integration; the ways his team inspires him; the huge cultural shift in the psychedelic landscape right now; being in charge of one’s consciousness; how sound creates a safe space during a psychedelic experience; and much more.

Please enjoy this very open conversation with the kind, wise and humble seeker, culture changer and wayshower, Payton Nyquvest.

Much love,
May

TIMESTAMPS
6:18 - Growing up

15:33 -  What he was like as a kid

19:48 - His chapter in finance

26:51 - His first experience with ayahuasca

43:39 - Genesis of Numinus

51:36 - Is it Important to  have a psychedelic experience before working at Numinus

56:58 - What his team at Numinus has taught him

01:00:13 - What is exciting him in this space

01:06:08 - Where sound fits in the use of psychedelics

01:14:04- What would he want to say to his mother about what she means to him

01:15:28 - What he would tell his younger self about life from his perspective now

01:16:30 - Final question

01:17:33 - Where to find him

Scott Borkowski has an energy that’s calm yet dynamic. Humble but no doubt powerful. Creativity pours out of him as an artist, tattoo artist, skateboarder, entrepreneur and owner of Grateful Tattoo in Squamish, Canada.

Born and raised in Toronto, though his parents both worked in the corporate world, they unconditionally supported his artistry and right-brain inclinations. As a teen, he often took the train downtown, eventually moving there when he was 18-years-old. Skateboarding brought much into his life, a medium for getting more deeply into art, culture and music. Scott was fascinated by tattoos from a young age, getting his first one at 15. After a chance apprenticeship and doing temporary tattoos at music festivals, this fascination ended up becoming a booming career, with him inking some of the biggest names in music, including Rüfüs Du Sol, LANY, Lil Yachty, and 6lack.

When the pandemic hit, he and his wife took a leap and moved west. There, he’s been steadily building community through his tattoo shop, giving back to the skateboarding community and mother nature, percolating on additional ventures, and working with brands like Levi’s, Panasonic, Environmental Defense, and more.

In this episode, we explore Scott’s childhood, how he feels about art, what skateboarding has brought to his life, his philosophy when it comes to tattooing, what’s on the horizon, and much more.

[TIMESTAMPS]

3:31 - Growing Up

7:41 - How art and creativity came to hime at a young age

9:35 - What drew him to skateboarding 

10:29 - How has he seen the scene change

11:34 - What he hopes to carve in the industry for himself 

12:40 - What led him to be a tattoo artist

17:06 - Philosophies of work and business 

19:00 - What brought him to Squamish and how it has been

23:39 - Leaps of faith

26:17 - Would he move back to Toronto

27:42 - The next 5 years of his life

28:41 - Giving back

30:35 - What would he say to his younger self

31:07 - Upcoming projects

32:14 - How he pushes through imposter syndrome 

34:12 - Final question 

34:42 - Where to find him

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Artist Mega McGrath has a beautiful, poetic soul. To be in her presence is to converse about the profound, and her ability to listen creates a natural sense of comfort.  

She grew up in a suburb outside of Vancouver in a traditional, steadfast family. Her mother consistently encouraged her instinctual creativity and musicality, from guitar lessons to drawing and painting. There was no specific structure to how she expressed her artistic inclinations. In high school, art became more prominent—Mega was encouraged and supported by an incredible teacher who allowed her a lot of creative license. Despite being raised Christian, she was drawn to Buddhism at a young age and began to foster her own relationship with spirituality outside what she was taught.  

After high school, she went to Emily Carr for a few years. It was an experience that was necessary, but she truly thrived once she dove headfirst into carving out her professional art career during third year. Since then, Mega's practice has continued to evolve from text art to ornamentation & abstraction—she’s worked with the likes of Nike, Red Bull Music, Hypebeast Inc., Dripped Coffee in New York, The Diamond, Tiffany & Co., Reigning Champ, Ivanhoe Cambridge, Wesgroup, and Lagree West Pilates Studio.

In this conversation, we explore where her artistic nature came from and if she was acutely aware of her abilities as a child; navigating feelings and emotions through art; her deep passion for astrology, the planets and time; how Mega practices spirituality at this stage in her life and connecting to something greater than yourself; what language and words means to her; loving liminal spaces; her visual process as a seasonal cycle of death & rebirth; what she feels her future self would say to her current self; and much more.

TIMESTAMPS

5:23 - Growing up

6:55 - What her parents were like

8:27 - How she saw art growing up

13:38 - Observations about the world

16:56 - How she goes through spirituality know

19:18 - What school was like after high school 

21:37 - What language means to her

24:47 - What quotes are resonating with her right now

26:58 - How she feels about art in her life right now

29:46 - How do you say the most with saying the least? 

33:40 - Does she fear death

35:05 - How she views time

39:28 - Is it easier to let go because of how she views time

42:30 - Does she feel connected to all things

43:45 - What she feels like when she is the most empowered 

46:47 - What colour is she drawn to this year

50:10 - What her future self would say to present self

51:40 - Exciting things she is doing

53:00 - What she would say to her high school art teacher now

54:55 - Final question 

56:35 - Where to find her

Ben Smith has been a sought-after creative mind for over two decades. His brilliant marketing instinct and eloquence is balanced with a philosopher’s soul - Ben has a moral compass that few possess, but many respect. 

He grew up in Hamilton, Ontario, skateboarding and trying to find his lane in the world. Then he found himself the corporate world in his 20s - all while becoming a father at the age of 23. After a long stint as an executive in the real estate world, Ben struck out on his own in 2016, starting his own firm, Kinsman Marketing Partners. 

In this intimate conversation, we explore his winding career journey, what it’s like being a father to two girls and two boys, the places where he’s still a work in progress, and more. 

Ben Smith is a rare human, and worth everyone getting to know.

Some people bring a serene energy when they come into a room—Amanda Giannakos is one of them. The cofounder of Movement by NM and head of marketing & in-house counsel for Omnifilm Entertainment began her career working in film before finding her truest calling in helping others cultivate an intrinsic joy and love for movement.   

A Vancouverite all her life, she was raised an only child—her father worked in government, and her mother is a longtime television producer. Like her swimmer parents, she was athletic, doing gymnastics and eventually found her stride playing competitive tennis. She also wanted to be seen as an adult from a young age and spent time with her mother at the office, absorbing the ins and outs of the film industry. 

After high school, she worked as a distribution assistant at Omnifilm, answering fan mail for wellness shows. It was at this time that her own interest in yoga, movement, and strength training began to really grow—and she knew she could lead in this space. From this, Movement by NM was born, bringing to the market a more cinemagraphic, storytelling lens to digital fitness in a wide range of disciplines.

In this conversation, we explore growing up as an only child; the right way to breathe from the diaphragm; the grace and flow of sports; her mother being a trailblazer in bringing health & wellness to television and her influence on Amanda; vulnerability in creating for others; training new mothers to feel at home with their bodies again; current & emerging fitness trends fitness; how to be a steward for your body; and much more.

[TIMESTAMPS]

6:16 - The proper way to diaphragmatically breathe
7:33 - Growing up
16:10 - What her mom did in film & how it shaped her
25:09 - Her feelings about the artistic side of movement
29:41 - How Movement by NM started
32:40 - Her experience recovering from pregnancy 
37:27 - Current landscape of digital fitness
39:46 - What people want for their bodies right now
41:55 - Body flexibility
46:51 - What wellbeing and being fit means to her
49:34 - Final question
51:20 - Where to find her and Movement by NM

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Designer Jamie Collins is an old soul, through and through. Co-founder of Analog Design and co-founder & Chief Marketing Officer of self-care brand Before, he’s been creating beautiful visual languages for more than two decades and looks at the world with a reflectiveness that’s rare these days.

Jamie grew up in the tiny town of Labrador City in Newfoundland, spending his childhood contemplating nature when he wasn’t skating, snowboarding, or drawing cartoons. His chapter on the west coast started with landing his dream job, designing for Option Snowboards, and continued to unfold from there, from joining creative agencies to eventually starting his own. 

In this conversation, we explore diversity in design and the creatives inspiring him lately, what he’s reflected upon about himself this last year, his take on what spirituality looks like for him, the creative process his agency team goes through, what it means to live a good life, and much more. 

Craig Stanghetta is a fascinating human—warmhearted, eclectic, and undeniably talented. The designer and founder of award-winning multidisciplinary Ste Marie Studio, he’s had a major hand in many of the beautiful restaurants and commercial, retail, mixed-use & multi-residential spaces in Vancouver and beyond.

He was born in Sault Ste Marie, an industrial city in Ontario with a large Italian population—his father was Italian, his mother is French Scottish. Hospitality has been in his blood since he was born: one of the oldest hotels in town had been owned by his family for several generations. Craig was athletic, but also drawn to theatre and was deeply involved in it growing up. It was something that ended up nurturing his affinity for world-building. 

After a stint as an actor—landing a role in what was supposed to be a dream job—he found himself turning to design again, convincing his friends to let him create their spaces. In 2010, Bao Bei was his first project, and he eventually founded Ste Marie Studio in 2013. Since then, the studio has designed Savio Volpe, Florist, Como Taperia, Ask For Luigi, Botanist Dining, Onni Group’s HQ, and Jaybird, among an impressive collection of others. 

In this conversation, we explore his childhood & how his passion for design showed up even then; his small chapter as a television actor and a major turning point; what the theatre taught him and how he applies it to his work now; how Craig brings in hidden elements of surprise & delight to spaces; the pandemic shifting the way people experience spaces & shifting design approaches as a result; preserving the ‘language’ of neighbourhoods; balancing creativity, excellence, scalability and culture at Ste Marie Studio; and much more.

TIME STAMPS:

00:45 - Growing up

13:51 - His love for theatre

24:06 - His chapter in Toronto

37:20 - What brought Craig to Vancouver

43:03 - His transition into design

1:00 - How we can protect the language of neighbourhoods

1:12 - Where one of the cornerstones of his business comes from

1:17 - What got him thinking about conserving one's energy & going back to the well

1:25 - How does doing what he does now makes him feel

1:30 - Final question

Jackie Kai Ellis and Joe Chan have a gentle, beautiful cadence together as a couple. An author, entrepreneur, advice columnist & creator, Jackie founded the much-loved Beaucoup Bakery, The Paris Tours, APT La Fayette and penned a national best-selling memoir. A partner at Vancouver’s oldest law firm, Joe co-founded the late food blog Vancouver Slop and serves on the board of directors for the Dr Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden.

Joe and Jackie both grew up in close-knit families, where Chinese culture, food, and creativity were essential in their childhoods and into their teens. Jackie found a way to pursue her love for art after university, and Joe spent 13 years working at a radio station in Calgary, while writing about music and culture.

In this conversation, we do deep exploring their respective childhoods, Jackie’s reflections on her Beaucoup Bakery and Paris life chapter, Joe’s passionate activism for Hong Kong, how they first met, how they found each other again after a five-year separation and what they learned about themselves and each other during that time, what they want to leave behind in the world together, and much more.

Donnel Garcia walks with a vibe of confidence, but it’s one that’s chill and observant. For many years, he was a careworker drawn to behavioural development programs, helping figuring out what people were good at and helping them create routines to integrate them back into society. Photography was a side hobby that became a career, working with clients like lululemon, Half Moon, Livestock, Vans Vault, and more. His work has also been widely shown in print and digital publications like Street Dreams Magazine. 

Sharing A Living Taste studio with a few other creatives and makers, he also launched an incredible community library of art, fashion, photography, and design books and magazines called Book Section, where they can be signed out for two weeks (returns are by an honour system).

He was born in the Philippines, immigrating with his parents to Canada when he was five. An only child, Donnel was often left to his own devices, catching the train downtown to explore solo and also playing sports, mainly basketball. After observing a careworker friend of his parents, he started to look into nursing programs and worked as a nurse for more than five years. It was meeting twin brothers, who quickly became his friends, that opened his world to photography, art, fashion, and music. When they eventually founded an agency, Donnel became their photographer, marking his transition into a new career and purpose.  

In this conversation, we wander through a wide range of topics: what people want from those who are caretaking for them; how his work as a nurse has translated into his career as an artist & photographer; observing patterns in the world, conversation & your interactions; Donnel’s approach to mentoring emerging photographers; why he’s taken a break from photography at the moment and recalibrating his vision; the honesty in his artistic point of view; and much more. 

[TIMESTAMPS]

6:02 - Growing up

7:29 -  How his parents navigated their transition to Canada

21:58 - Life after high school

27:40 - What people want from those taking care of them

33:20 - Patterns in culture that he is paying attention to in today’s world

47:11 - His process of mentorship

01:05:52- Being an artist versus a photographer

01:11:23 - Defining his point of view

01:21:31 - How his friends the Garcia twins contributed to his life’s journey

01:26:42 - What he wanted to say in the world with his last project

01:36:44 - Final wuestion

01:38:54 - Where to find him and Book Section

[Today's Sponsors]

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Emma Devin is, quite simply, magical. Welcoming and funny, they have a gift for transmuting your energy into a more peaceful state the moment they give you a hug. The cofounder of Brood, Western Canada’s largest doula agency, Emma is trailblazing in the care industry and helping redefine familial structures and what family can mean.

They were born in Paris, France, to parents that—as they say—have “itchy feet”. Before high school, they had transferred to 10 different schools and lived in France, the UK, and the east coast of North America. Eventually, they went to high school in Vancouver but a week before graduation, their parents moved onto a boat with a plan of sailing the world. Emma took a gap year with them, sailing down the coast of Mexico, to Hawaii and more, before coming back to be in Victoria and go to university. It didn’t agree with them, however, and they ended up going to Pacific Rim College instead, becoming a certified doula and caregiver. This time of life wove together all the innate parts of themself: a deep love and care for—and creating and welcoming—new families.

After this, they worked at a local doula agency providing birth and postpartum care, before buying the business in 2019 and rebranding it to Brood Care Inc. with co-founders Gillian Damborg and Lizzy Karp, who had formerly been two of their clients. In 2021, first year out of the gates, Emma doubled the team size and the company was profitable. Inspired by LGBTQIA2S+ families in their community, Brood has emerged at the forefront of family caregiving, a tech-enabled learning platform and in-person care service for pregnancy, birth, postpartum care and new parenthood with a focus on millennial/Gen-Z families.

In this conversation, we explore their nomadic childhood; the difference between a doula and midwife; what the concept of family means to them and how the different systems can look like; how they built their own incredible chosen family; the effects on the pandemic on birth & postpartum care; what emotions they feel when witnessing a baby’s arrival into the world; how a “yes” decision feels in their body; reconciling with their life journey through this work; and much more.

[TIMESTAMPS]

6:39 - Growing up

10:04 - Having a nomadic childhood

12:12 - Where their interest in family structure originated

13:22 - What living on a ship taught them

15:33 - Why they chose to be a doula

18:25 - The difference between a doula and a midwife

20:49 - What being a doula taught them about themselves and others

26:02 - The genesis of Brood

35:21 - Care of expecting & postpartum mothers and what needs improvement in the healthcare system

43:19 - What family means

50:14 - The most important first question to ask clients starting a family

52:53 - What brings them joy

55:09 - How they feel when a baby is born 

57:16 - What a ‘yes’ feel like in their body

1:00:18 - A reconciliation journey through being a doula 

1:01:19 - What they want their chosen family to know 

1:02:40 - Final question

1:03:46 - Where to find them

[Today's Sponsors]

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To know Dickson Li is to love him. A sales veteran in the skate & snowboard industries, he’s represented a variety of major brands for over a decade: OBEY Clothing, Taikan, Dragon, thirtytwo, and more. He’s also co-founder of popular dumpling brand Dicky’s Dumps, something he launched a few years ago with his life partner Pearl Lam.

He grew up on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong, until he was eight. His parents did well for themselves—his dad was higher up in the insurance division of HSBC, his mom worked at a shipping company. In 1990, they decided to move to Canada in order to give their sons the best education, and Dickson spent the first two years here in ESL school. As he assimilated into North American life and culture, he discovered roller hockey and then skateboarding, after a group of older boys noticed him with a board one day and offered to teach him to skate.

When he found snowboarding, his career took off. A work placement as a tech at Sportchek and volunteering for events on the local mountains allowed him to meet and make friends in the industry, landing himself jobs small and big at The Boardroom, Endeavour, and finally at NLA, where he’s been for the past 12 years. 

In this conversation, we go into his life as a kid in Hong Kong; what it was like adjusting to a foreign culture in the 90s; his engaging story of how he became part of the skate & snow worlds; seeing people of colour in the industry and what meant it to him; his passions for cooking and continually sharing & supporting Chinese culture; a dive into our shared love for space, aliens, astral projection & other unexplainable phenomena; what he’d say to his friends & homies that gave him a chance along the way; and more.

Zach Bulick has a genuinely kind and open spirit, underpinned by an intuitive sharpness that unearths itself once in conversation with him. The longtime designer has forged a career in a number of industries, from institutions and nonprofits Union Gospel Mission to agencies Burnkit, Domain7 and now global firm Versett, where he is currently a designer, facilitator & strategy lead.   

Born in Dallas, Texas, he is the only child of an academic father and a fun, nurturing mother. His family soon moved to British Columbia, settling in Langley where his father was the vice president of student life at Trinity Western University. Surrounded by university students and essentially growing up on campus and in dorms, Zach spent his childhood here until he was 13-year-old, when the family went back to the States. He returned to Vancouver for university, and because it somehow always felt like home.

Once back in the Pacific Northwest, he began to immerse himself deeper into the world of human-centered design, building a thriving career within it and continuing to expand his passion for design thinking.

In this conversation, we explore his childhood in both the States and Canada; his pursuit of design in university and why he felt drawn to it; a short chapter living in Wales, UK; how his mentors have touched his life in different ways; what design thinking means and putting humans back at the center of design experiences; things he’s been pondering around purpose & impact since a recent birthday; emerging trends & hot topics in design; learning to create space for oneself; and more.

TIMESTAMPS:

4:00 - Growing up

7:17 - What Zach’s parents were like

11:40 - Zach as a kid/teen

13:35 - Transition from Langley to Texas

18:16 - What brought him back to B.C.

20:37 - Being the “Canadian”

22:56 - The journey to design

27:52 - Zach’s life in Wales

29:22 - Freelancing and internship at Burnkit

32:53 - Zach’s mentors

38:12 - What Design Thinking is

41:18 - What his feelings are around his internal shift and reflections

48:14 - Emerging design

51:24 - Recent insights in accessibility design

54:45 - Good boundaries and protecting your energy

01:02 - Is Zach proud of where he is at

01:04 - Final question

Commercial & documentary filmmaker Marko Roth has the soul of a storyteller—there’s a depth of heart he brings to every conversation, and that depth shows itself in his canon of work. His short film Masque-19, a devastating story reflecting the increase in domestic abuse cases during the pandemic, was shortlisted at YDA Cannes Lions and won for Best International Short at the Sedona International Film Festival. He is also one-third of experimental audio visual group Touring, which will be doing its first installation at a major museum in Munich this coming summer.

Born and raised in the suburbs of Frankfurt (where he still is today), Marko was a quiet and shy child who had many passions: all the sports, diving, and James Bond movies. His father was an engineer who frequently traveled, and his mother was a pharmacist—they met at 15-years-old and are still married to this day. Preparing him and his brother for the world was something his father took seriously, and instilling an entrepreneurial sense in them was what his mother taught them young. He first discovered filmmaking at 16-years-old, while on a high school exchange in Montreal. Buying his first camera once back in Germany, he began freelancing for a local radio station and the nightlife scene, before taking on an internship at a commercial film company in Hamburg where he learned the technical, while working on projects with Google, NGOs, and more.

Freelance, though, called him back. In his early 20s, he was hired by a German travel agency to document his adventures around the world, from South Africa and Nepal to Greece and Morocco. Marko is now in the next phase of his creative path, with both his filmmaking and his foray into music with Touring.

In this conversation, we explore growing up with career-driven parents; the different expressions of love in a family; how to stay humane in the commercial filmmaking industry grind; his creative process and blending the commercial & documentary worlds in his film style; the three years he spent traveling the world and what he learned for himself; how his new project Touring blends music and storytelling; advice for budding film directors; what he’s most proud of about his own journey; and much more.

[TIMESTAMPS]

6:10 - Growing up

9:43 - What his parents are like

19:42 - Observing the world as a child

24:25 - His chapter in Canada

27:09 - Creating his own directing style

37:18 - What traveling and filming abroad taught him 

39:47 - His creative process for commercial vs. scripted work

40:21 - How he forms stories 
43:43 - His advice for those wanting to become a film director 

51:08 - How he started Touring with his friends

52:22 - The filmmaker's flow  

58:05 - What is exciting him in the film industry right now

01:00:19 - What is he most proud of about his own evolution 

01:02:04 - Final question

[TODAY'S SPONSORS]

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Vince Garcia emanates warmth and welcoming energy—he’s someone who feels immediately like an old friend upon first meeting. One of the four cofounders of award-winning Kasama Chocolate, he has spent the last six years building the bean-to-bar artisanal chocolate brand from the ground up (and with no formal chocolate-making experience) with his business partners.

He grew up on the north shore, the son of Filipino parents who immigrated to Canada in the 1970s. Roller hockey, soccer, and basketball were a big part of his childhood—it was in roller hockey where he met his long-time friends Stefan, Oliver, and Dom, who eventually became his future business partners, too. Working at a creative agency like DDB or Rethink had been Vince’s ultimate career goal as a young adult, until life presented another option after he inherited a family property in the Philippines that grew cacao beans. 

In this conversation, we discuss how cultural identity and being a bit of an outsider shaped his view of himself and the world; the genesis story of Kasama and its growth since launching in 2016; what the word ‘kasama’ means in Tagalog and the political charge it represents back in the Philippines; working with cacao bean farmers and the importance of building trust with them; the creative process for coming up with a new bar flavour; the difference between a chocolatier and a chocolate maker; why he and his business partners have been called ‘chocolate punks’; emerging trends in the industry; what he appreciates about his three business partners and his friendship with each of them; and more.

Nick Lo is an entrepreneur to his core, with an introspective nature that that is sometimes atypical of a hard-driving polymath hustler. He’s accomplished, no doubt: a physiotherapist, founder of Physio Room, part of the original Myodetox team (formerly COO and now a senior advisor), cofounder of web3 creative studio Oddfutur3, and cofounder of global running community & platform Run As You Are (RAYA).

He was born and raised in East Vancouver, the younger of two sons to immigrant Chinese parents. His father and uncles owned and operated a grocery store in the West End, where Nick spent weekends and summers working there. It’s easy to see where his entrepreneurial spirit comes from—his hardworking father never took vacation and spent any time-off taking him to other grocery stores to look at pricing and packaging. Nick did his Bachelor of Science at the University of British Columbia, then completed a Master in Physiotherapy in 2006. Five years later, he founded Physio Room and began blazing his path in the health & well-being space.

In this conversation, we explore how love was expressed in his family; what the time he spent as a child with his father meant to him; his introverted nature; how entrepreneurship & selling your vision can be a lonely road; one’s personal brand in a performative culture; his human-centred approach to physiotherapy; why he entered web3 and what he’s observing about the space; the things he loves about running and the global community around it; the one things he loves about watching his son develop into a little human; loving words for his father; and much more. 

Please enjoy this very personal conversation with the genuinely kind, forward-thinking, and self-reflective Nick Lo.

Much love,
May

TIMESTAMPS
4:11 - Growing up

10:36 - His father's personality

18:01 - What he was like as a kid

26:44 - How he translates his vision for others to understand 

33:53 - What is physiotherapy 

57:25 - What brought him to Web3 and the metaverse

01:07:29 - What is happening in Web3 that he feels excited about and what people should know

01:15:10 - What is immersive running through tech like

01:23:11 - Why he picked up running

01:26:06 - What excites Nick as he watches his son grow into his own being

01:30:43 - What he wants to say to his father and uncles about what he has observed growing up and what he hopes for the rest of their lives

01:34:44 - Final question

The ever-effervescent Bridget Reichert is a ball of walking human light. The long-time sales & marketing rep and exec for Vans is many things: an athlete, yoga teacher, breathwork practitioner, co-founder of women’s retreat The Drawout, and co-owner of the quaint and cozy Shoreline Tofino.

She grew up in Saskatoon, despite her very natural west coast leanings. A water baby, she swam competitively for many years before discovering snowboarding, which quickly became her primary sports love. Bridget went into kinesiology after high school before shifting into finance, then finally marketing. A dream job at Burton Snowboards got her slowly moving west, first to Calgary, then to Vancouver—it was after a year of being in the city that she joined Vans and has been there ever since. 

In this conversation, we explore growing up as a competitive swimmer; her long-time career in action sports and her tight-knit community within the industry; how she found her way to yoga & breathwork and how they’ve essential to her being; the way The Shoreline Tofino came to be for her and her business partners; what embodiment and self-honouring mean to her personal journey; and much more.

Adele Tetangco dances to the beat of her own drum - always has, always will. She’s been in the fashion industry for years, from writing and sales & marketing at clothing brand Dace to co-founder & VP of Merchandising at retail start up Garmentory. Now, Adele is the co-creator at contemporary womenswear label Et Tigre, co-founder of BIPOC market In Todo, and founder of Snack Size, a creative collective. 

She grew up in Coquitlam and has lived there for most of her life. The youngest of three daughters, her childhood was spent in Filipino neighbhourhoods that threw block parties and her family took regular trips to the Philippines. Her love for fashion came from her father, who worked in fashion at Fields—part of Hudson’s Bay at the time—starting in the warehouse, then working his way up to being a buyer. At 19, she had her first child, a daughter.   

In this conversation, we explore how she never felt the need to conform to cultures other than her own; being a young mother and often mistaken for her daughter’s nanny in the early days; what the next gen is wearing right now; the way she forged & pivoted her career by following her instinct without question; her psychic abilities & listening to your body; major lessons she learned as a co-founder of a venture-backed company; her late mentor & powerhouse fashion exec Ginny Hershey-Lambert and the impact she left on Adele; why its essential to allow space for creativity & therefore business success; and much more.  

CJ Swanton is in a league of his own, a man of impeccable taste. A longtime communications professional, he launched his career in Vancouver as part of the Obakki team before moving to New York for many years. 

There, he worked with labels such as Proenza Schouler, Jason Wu, Isaac Mizrahi, G-Star, Gola and Lars Andersson through MAO PR and, eventually, his own agency Omen PR, doing press for emerging brands and producing shows for New York Fashion Week. Now back in Vancouver, CJ returned to his roots at Obakki as their director of communications.

Though born in Edmonton, Alberta, he was raised in Victoria, moving between the homes of his parents, who had divorced when he was young. His upbringing was complicated at times, as he navigated family dynamics and being in the closet. It was when he found the local punk rock scene that he began to come into his own. Eventually, CJ left Victoria for the mainland, beginning life chapters in Vancouver to New York and back again.

In this conversation, we explore his relationship with his parents and siblings & the things he’s reflected upon as adult; how the punk rock scene supported him at a pivotal time in his teenage years; his journey to living in New York for nearly a decade and starting his own fashion PR agency; the creative thought process behind producing a New York Fashion Week show; a major burnout that led him to change his entire life; what he loves most about his husband Joey; and much more.

Sean Blishen is a bright soul, her personality and smile light up any room. After working in fashion retail and then healthcare, she turned a candle-making hobby into a full-fledged business, launching Kilig Candle Co. 

Her Filipino mother immigrated to Canada from Singapore in her early 30s, after working there as a nanny. She applied to move to Vancouver and Los Angeles—the approval from Vancouver came first, giving her a new life in a new country. She met Sean’s father at a dance and, nine months later, they were married with Sean coming later, an only child. 

She grew up in Surrey, where her friend group was mostly Caucasian and Indian. She had a massive shift in cultural pride during a Vegas trip, while joining her mom to watch the Miss Universe contest that year, where one of the finalists was Filipino. After stints working retail at Aritzia and in luxury retail in the UK, she came back to Vancouver and found herself in healthcare at St. Paul’s Hospital and residential homes. A major car accident forced her physically to slow down, and she began making candles in the kitchen to stay busy—and soy and vegan-based Kilig Candle Co. came to be.    

In this conversation, we discuss her mother, grandmother and uncle’s immigrant story and her deep connection with each of them; the unconditional support her father gave her during the start of Kilig Candle Co., making deliveries together every Saturday; what the word ‘kilig’ means in Tagalog; what she loved about working in healthcare and the consistent life lesson she learned when connecting with the elderly; her relationship with her body and mental health after the car accident; the process of candle-making and why people choose a certain brand in a saturated market; how sense of smell evolves throughout life; founding the Girl Gang pop-up & exciting horizons for Kilig; and much more.

Justin Tisdall has been many things in his life: a competitive athlete, a lyricist & musician and a veteran of the restaurant industry. He made his way from serving cocktails at Feenie’s and doing fine dining service at Lumiere to working at Boneta, Market by Jean Georges at the Shangrila, running house at Chambar and finally starting his own establishment Juke Fried Chicken in Chinatown.

He was born and raised in Toronto, adopted by a caucasian family. Though his parents were supportive of all he did, it wasn’t always easy growing up biracial in a white neighbourhood. Curious about his birth parents, when he was of age, he began searching for his biological family—and found them.

Justin was quiet as a kid, both bookish and naturally athletic—he excelled at a number of sports before focusing on swimming. It brought him to Vancouver at 16-years-old and led him to being on UBC’s swim team and competing nationally. There wasn’t much funding for athletes at the time, so restaurant jobs were the only ones that fit in his schedule. Injuries and personal reflection on what he wanted in life were catalysts to his retirement from swimming in 2005, and restaurants truly became his calling. 

In this conversation, we talk about the environment he grew up in and his close relationship with his adoptive father; the incredible story of finding his birth family; his long career in the restaurant industry and how he leads his team; the way key roles in establishments contribute to the overall feeling of a restaurant; what he learned as a competitive athlete and how he applies that to his current work; Justin’s time as a musician and what performing gave him; what he wants to say to his teammates and friends from his swimming years; advice he’d give to those who are also adopted; and much more.

TIMESTAMPS:

5:45 - Music’s mathematical challenge

8:26 - Growing up

13:42 - What his parents are like

16:26 - Did he ever want to meet his biological parents 

23:02 - His sports chapter

30:54 - How he got into hospitality

32:27 - His restaurant career journey 

37:16 - Where the idea of Juke came from

41:12 - What does a bartender contribute to a restaurant aesthetic 

42:37 - What makes an exceptional establishment

43:50 - What he learned as an athlete that is applicable now

46:29 - How he chooses to lead

49:09 - How he distributes his energy now

50:29 - His favourite lyric that made him feel powerful

51:17 - What he wants his kids to know about him

51:48 - What he wants his swim team to know

53:40 - Final question

54:23 - Advice for those who are adopted 

To boil down the beautiful essence and spirit of Steve Rio down to a few adjectives is next to impossible. 

The musician, investor, former founder & CEO of social impact agency Briteweb and current co-founder of Enfold Institute & Nature of Work has a calm, centered inner compass that feels rare in our frenzied world.

He was made in Hong Kong, born and raised in Vancouver. His entrepreneurial parents gave him space to do the things he wanted to do—this made him resourceful and independent, but that parental support was not always emotional in nature. A longtime musician, he spent many years in a band before moving fully into the digital, branding & communications agency space, splitting his time between Vancouver and New York. After a transformative experience with 5-MeO-DMT (often called the world’s strongest psychedelic or the ‘god molecule’), he began the next chapter of his life’s work in the psychedelic space.  

In this vast conversation, we explore his dynamic with his parents; how music saved him; the major chapter of his life in a band and his current reflections on that time; starting Briteweb and what it taught him about himself; how to create spaciousness for yourself and for others; the adolescent hunt for spiritual transcendence and how psychedelics opened him up to that early in life; the natural path that led him and his wife Austin to co-founding Enfold Institute and facilitating 5-MeO medicine ceremonies; my recent and deeply profound ceremony experience with them and some personal insights since then; their continued involvement in psychedelics and what’s coming next within the year; his mini love letter to Austin; and much more.

Emily Leung is the founder of cannabis lifestyle brand Ohai, a collection of cannabis goods that are curated with the same beautiful, careful intention that as you observe her operate from. 

To say she’s smart is an understatement. Emily is a brilliant marketing mind in every sense of the word, having cut her teeth at brands like Vega and the Vancouver Canucks - all while teaching digital marketing at Brainstation (she still does). Building the Ohai brand was to answer her own desire for well-designed tools to administer the benefits of cannabis, for her own self-care. 

In this conversation, we explore Emily’s experience with being a female entrepreneur, living with anxiety, growing up in an immigrant family, and tending one’s own figurative garden. 

Emily is a powerhouse with a whole lot of soul - and she champions a future that is female.   

Walrus co-founder Caroline Boquist has a warm, intuitive way of connecting with everyone she meets. Her entrepreneurial journey to opening the beloved retail shop in 2009 with business partner Daniel Kozlowski is an unconventional, tenacious one. 

Caroline grew up in Vancouver, one of four daughters of a Filipino mother and a South Asian father, who was born in Goa and raised in Hong Kong. Her family, to this day, is a close-knit one. She became a young mother herself at the age of 22, at the crux of much transition and devastating heartbreak in her life. 

In this conversation, we uncover Caroline’s childhood story, losing her father when she was pregnant with her son Noah, the chronicle of how Walrus came to be and where the name comes from, what she’s discovered about herself over the last 15 months, and more.

Adam Lewis is precisely the kind of person you want in your life: a supportive friend, conscious being, creator/entrepreneur & community builder. He’s driven and fired up, while also being open and vulnerable—an admirable balance. He was founder of flash chilled coffee brand Miura, before launching hot & cold therapy circuit The Portal Project. 

Now, as head of partnerships for Othership, Adam has a big hand in growing the popular Toronto-based social bathhouse—focused on wellness through sauna, ice bath & breathwork experiences—and helping cultivate its dedicated community.

Born in Toronto, he spent his childhood growing up just outside of the city. He comes from two lineages: Jewish on his father’s side, Japanese on his mother’s. His father grew up in South Africa, during the intensity of the apartheid. His mother’s grandparents immigrated to Canada from Japan to plant roots abroad. A wild & free kid, Adam found solace in nature (still does). As a teen, he was captain of the track & field team, representing Canada at high level competitions. Entrepreneurship was his main focus at Dalhousie University, and Miura was his first solo business. As Miura wound down, Adam went through a life shake-up and found healing in cold plunging in lakes & building a portable sauna with his own hands. This became the Portal Project, and served as a bridge to connecting with Othership, where he is today.     

In this conversation, we go in many heartful directions: his family lineages & the cultural impact of his Jewish & Japanese roots; how being a top athlete encouraged him to push his body & mind limits; the transition unwinding Miura into discovering hot & cold therapy; understanding masculine & feminine energies within; what he’s learned being on the Othership team; being loving witnesses to each other’s life journey; and more.   

[TIMESTAMPS]

5:36 - Growing up

7:21 - His parents as people

8:47 - Reflecting on his Jewish and Japanese lineages

22:42 - What being a competitive athlete taught him

28:55 - Pivoting from his business to the Portal Project

31:48 - How he found hot & cold therapy

37:24 - The Portal Project

40:17 - Balancing masculine and feminine energies

46:53 - How he found his way to Othership

59:12 - Profound revelations that have come up for him recently

01:05:22 - Honouring his lineage moving forward

01:06:53 - How he wants to honour himself

01:07:47 - Final question

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Marlon Thompson is a truly wonderful human who is building a better, more inclusive business world. His passion for bringing equity, community and education to the venture capital space led him to launch Future Capital in 2020, alongside being a partner at LOI Venture. In a former chapter, he was also a spin instructor and a lululemon ambassador. 

He was born in Scarborough, Ontario, raised by a single mother in the Malvern neighbourhood. It was an area with a range of diversity, with many ethnicities, cultures, and cuisines in one place. Precocious and mischievous, he was a rule breaker as a young child—something he eventually grew out of as a teen but being an entrepreneur today, being a bit of a rule breaker still rings true. 

Marlon began his career journey in retail as a manager at Abercrombie & Fitch, before making his way to Vancouver after accepting a retail operations role at Indochino. He found himself in venture capital after a natural conclusion to his retail career, landing a role at The Next Big Thing (now called LOI Ventures) running an accelerator program for a new generation of entrepreneurs. Particularly interested in the financial side, he began to see a pattern of funding and capital lack that became a barrier to entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses. 

In this conversation, we talked about the challenges he observed his single black single mother go through; what working in retail taught him about managing complexity; the current landscape of venture capital and how diversity leads to better businesses; extra pressures of being “the first” POC in a room & at the table; what “code switching” means and its roots in survival; understanding angel, LP & syndicate levels in the investment space; the importance of financial literacy & actionable steps; what to look for in an investor for your business; how he’s taking care of himself in the wake of recently losing of his mother; and much more. 

TIMESTAMPS:

6:45 - Growing up
18:57 - Retail
23:52 - How he got to Vancouver
25:32  - What he learned from a tech startup
28:16 - What his mom thought about his career choices
34:01 - Code switching
41:19 - How he got into VC and angel investing 
45:03  - About his company Future Capital
50:23 - Levels of angel investing
56:39 - Equity
01:06:59 - Marlon’s finance advice
01:10:45 - What to look for in an investor
01:14:28 - How he is taking care of himself through the grief process
01:18:57 - Where to find Marlon 
01:19:37 - Final question