Making it in Guelph

On this episode of the podcast we sat down with Jan Douma, the landscape photographer behind the Instagram account @picturesque_vic.Jan is one of our favourite photographers in the city, always capturing amazing shots of Guelph's beauty and the surrounding area. Her work has been featured at The Albion Hotel, Atmosphere Cafe, Tomme Cheese and The Lornewood Mansion.We discuss how Jan got started in photography, growing up in Guelph, her favourite spots to take photos in the city, and her online store where she sells prints of her various images https://www.picturesquevic.com/

On this episode I had a blast chatting with head chefs Jordan Thompson & Tom Robinson of Foodies Anonymous Catering. They are both at heart true foodies and love creating amazing food experiences for people to enjoy.We talk about their childhood cooking rivalry, a blindfolded meal prep bet and their culinary experiences working all over the world.

On this episode we sat down with Nik Wever. He's the owner & operator of GAIN Music, and a co-owner of DSTRCT. Nik's also a vocalist in a band called "The Story of".We chatted all about the Guelph music scene, how he started Gain Music Festival, getting into the night club scene and what's coming up music wise in the Royal City.

On this episode I chat with Andrew & Kim Wheeler, the owners of Tomme Cheese Shop in Downtown Guelph.While working in marketing & journalism Andrew realized he was lacking passion and fulfillment in his day job.  What he did know he was passionate about was food. Through some research Kim and him realized that while downtown Guelph had lots of great things, it was missing a cheese shop and loved the idea of running their own store.Before opening, Andrew traveled across Ontario to talk with different cheesemakers and learned how they crafted their product in order to bring that knowledge back to Guelph and make that a part of the experience for their customers. Approaching the store's one year anniversary, Kim & Andrew share their story of bringing Tomme Cheese Shop to the Royal City.

On this episode we talk with Jess Hewitt of Bliss Dough, Guelph's edible cookie dough company.Like many of us Jess's favourite movie night snack was the occasional raw cookie dough. Through Pinterest recipes Jess's husband Dave learned how to make it in their very own kitchen. One day in an effort to make their lives a little easier Dave looked online to try and order some in a ready to eat format. He was shocked to find nothing to easily purchase and saw the opportunity.4 months later Bliss Dough's online store has exploded, even offering delivery service within Guelph which has been a huge hit with students. I talk to Jess to get the scoop and taste test a couple flavours.

In this episode we talk with David Gupta (Bass) & Julianna Cheung (Keys & Vocalist) of Guelph based Rock band "The Breaking English". They've been playing downtown venues over the last year and won the Ontario wide 2018 Battle of the Bands hosted by GAIN Music at DSTRCT.We talk about how they originally got the band together, their musical style, and their first recorded material "The Doyle Demo". Listen at the end the episode to hear one of their singles "Lost Time".

In this episode we talk with Jules & Dee, the owners & operators of the Pressed For Time Paninis located downtown Guelph. Focusing on breakfast and lunch, their Grilled Wrap Paninis, Salads, Soups, & Sweets are made from scratch and have the punniest menu around.We learn how they met working together in another Guelph eatery, coming up with the idea for Pressed For Time Paninis and what it's "really" like to run your own restaurant.

In this special episode we talk with Kimberly Lyons the Communication and Events Lead at Lakeside Hope House about the upcoming Coldest Night Of The Year event. The CNOY is a family friendly walk raising money for charities, like Hope House, serving the hungry, homeless and the hurting in our communities across Canada. We discuss homelessness in Guelph, what Hope House does on a daily basis to help those hurting in our community and how everyone can get involved with the Coldest Night of the Year walk and make a difference.

In this episode we talk with Dustin & Brittany, the owners of the DB Fitness Inc. in the south end of Guelph. Home of the 30 minute Bootcamp workout they specialize in group fitness classes while also providing personal training and athletic team training.Dustin & Brittany tell us what motivated them to get into business, starting small, being their own general contractor during renovations and their business journey to get where they are today.

In this episode we talk with Sandra Stephenson, the owner of the Gilded Cage Boutique. Her shop showcases handmade pieces made by local artisans using sustainable techniques. Knowing everything about who made the product, how they made it and what they made it from is huge part of the Gilded Cage experience.Sandra tells us how she got the shop started, originally in Rockwood, what types of items they look to carry, the Guelph art scene and how her store is giving back to the community every day.

In this episode we talk with our freshly elected Mayor Cam Guthrie about his family history and growing up in Guelph, to his path to politics and becoming the Mayor. It was great to get some insights on what it's like being the Mayor of a city in Canada versus the U.S.A, best and worst of the job, and what he's looking most forward to in his second term in office.

Evan Ferrari is the Executive Director of eMERGE Guelph, a not for profit organization with the mission of getting Guelph to 100% renewable energy by 2050. We chat with him about his working journey, leaving big corporate to join the not for profit sector, the world & Guelph's fight against climate change and what we can all do to make a difference.

You might remember Aggie Mylnarz as the NDP candidate from our provincial election just a few short months ago. That experience has only fuelled her passion to represent her community. After being born in the South of Germany she was raised in the Royal City and is a graduate from the University of Guelph. After seeking a career in the Film Industry in her later years of high school, Aggie pursued her passion for 10 years working on many film sets while completing her Bachelors & Master Degree in Theatre Studies. She found her political voice in the arts and after consulting with many friends, family and community members decided to make the jump to run for office. After running a spirited Provincial campaign we talk to her as she enters her second this year, running to be  Mayor of the city she grew up in. 

Tim Campbell is the Owner and Chief Strategist of Relation Media, a digital marketing agency in downtown Guelph. He's a born and raised Guelphite, stand-up comic and as energetic as they come. In this episode we hear his story about finding himself, leaving the Royal City to live in Los Angeles and returning back to Guelph to start his entrepreneurial journey.