The Calgary Sessions with Jeff Humphreys

In this episode of The Calgary Sessions, I sit down with Mike Peace.Mike talks about growing up after immigrating as a kid, experiencing trauma early, and leaving school sooner than expected. He shares how restaurant work led him into tattoo shops, what it was like to learn the craft by watching rather than being taught, and how tattooing has changed over the years.We talk about opening and running a shop, the emotional weight that comes with client-facing work, and the kind of conversations that happen in a tattoo chair. Mike also speaks openly about alcohol addiction, choosing sobriety, and why cycling became a necessary replacement structure in his life. Movement, routine, and showing up consistently play a big role in how he manages his mental health.There’s also time spent on community within tattoo culture, working alongside his son, and what it looks like to build a steady life without chasing anything bigger than what’s in front of you.Connect with our guest, Mike Peace:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠InstagramConnect with Jeff Humphreys⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast Location & Production:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Off Set Studios

Some businesses grow fast and disappear. Others last through exits, downturns, and restarts.In this episode, Shawn Freeman talks about why relationships are the real structure holding a business together. Not as a value statement, but as something tested through building companies, selling one, stepping away, and starting again.The conversation moves through how trust compounds quietly over time, why repeated friction is often a warning rather than a challenge, and how founders learn to make decisions without forcing outcomes. Shawn shares how confidence, energy, and alignment show up in very practical ways, even for leaders who think analytically.Rather than focusing on tactics or growth strategies, this episode sits with how people think once they’ve seen businesses succeed and fail up close. It’s a reflection on why people follow people, why impact outlasts metrics, and why the businesses that endure are usually built on relationships long before they are built on plans.Connect with our guest, Shawn Freeman:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠Connect with Jeff Humphreys⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast Location & Production:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Off Set Studios

Fear shows up quietly. It shapes how we make decisions, how we measure progress, and how long we stay in situations that no longer feel right.In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett, an organizational psychologist, researcher, and author, to talk about what happens when logic, effort, and planning stop being enough on their own.We explore why life can start to feel like a constant gap, where the horizon keeps moving and progress never quite feels satisfying. Why comparison, noise, and fear distort how we see ourselves and our work. And why intentionally looking back at what you’ve already built is often the missing piece for clarity and fulfillment.Dr. Laura also shares how trust, intention, and timing play a role in moving forward when certainty isn’t available. Not as blind optimism, but as a grounded way of taking the next step with purpose, support, and self-awareness. We talk about fear and risk, entrepreneurship and mindset, and the difference between pushing harder and aligning your energy with work that actually adds value.The conversation also moves into leadership and systems. Why toxic workplaces often persist through avoidance and silence. What compassionate leadership actually looks like in practice. And why honest, difficult conversations are essential for healthy teams and long-term trust.This is a thoughtful, practical conversation about navigating uncertainty, making grounded decisions without guarantees, and learning how to move forward when fear tries to keep you still.Connect with our guest, Dr. Laura:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠Connect with Jeff Humphreys⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast Location & Production:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Off Set Studios

Life doesn’t usually offer clarity when you need it.In this episode, reflects on what it means to keep moving forward through uncertainty. From early responsibility and family instability to becoming a husband, father, and leader while still figuring things out, his story unfolds without clean timelines or clear answers.Michael is a Canadian speaker, author, and founder whose work has grown out of lived experience rather than strategy. This conversation explores presence without control, responsibility before readiness, and how meaning often shows up later than the moments that shape us. It’s a grounded look at continuing on, not because you’re certain, but because life keeps going.Connect with our guest, Michael Chiasson:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedInFollow Jeff Humphreys⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast Location & Production:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Off Set Studios

Cassie Hawrysh has lived most of her life in high pressure environments. She grew up around adults, learned responsibility early, and carried that into sport where effort and expectations shaped almost everything she did. When she became one of the top skeleton athletes in the world, the drive that pushed her forwardalso became the thing she had to untangle.This episode looks at what happens when hard work does not lead to the outcome you imagined, and how a person rebuilds when they have to let go of the identity they carried for years. Cassie talks about the pull of ambition, the weight of almost moments, and the slow process of figuring out who she was outside of performance.It is a grounded conversation about pressure, transition, and the reality of starting again in your thirties.Cassie’s story is shaped by effort, honesty, and the long path toward a lifethat finally feels like her own.Connect with our guest, Cassie Hawrysh:⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedInFollow Jeff Humphreys⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast Location & Production:⁠⁠⁠⁠Off Set Studios

Some people grow up fast because life demands it. Teika did. She carried responsibility early and learned to pay attention young. That awareness shaped how she understood people, how she stayed steady in difficult moments, and howshe found confidence in structure and discipline long before tattooing entered her life.This episode gets into the experiences that shaped her thinking. The pressure of growing up early. The instinct to read a room because you have to. The discipline built through martial arts. The years spent apprenticing while raising a kid. And how tattooing eventually became the place where all of those traits made sense together.Tattooing is her craft, but the story runs wider. It connects with anyone who has had to grow up early, carry more than people realized, or build their identity through steady work and honest self-understanding.Connect with our guest, Teika Hudson:⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠WebsiteFollow Jeff Humphreys⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠Podcast Location & Production:⁠⁠⁠Off Set Studios

Success rarely comes from a straight line. Nic Beique built Helcim into one of Canada’s most respected fintech companies, but the road that shaped him was full oftiming, luck, perseverance, and the kind of complicated lessons that make you who you are.In this episode, Nic talks openly about the parts of growth people don’t see. The doubt that shows up at every level. The moments where confidence fades. The long stretches where you question your path. And the unexpected breaks that only appear after you keep going longer than you thought you could.This conversation is for anyone trying to build something real.Founders, creators, young professionals, and people figuring out the next step in their careers. If you’re navigating uncertainty, wrestling with imposter thoughts, or trying to trust your path, Nic’s story gives you something to hold on to.Simple, honest insight from someone who has lived every turn of the journey.Connect with our guest, Nic Beique:⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠Follow Jeff Humphreys⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠Podcast Location & Production:⁠⁠Off Set Studios

What if you don't need a "5-year plan" to be successful?We're all pressured to find our one "passion" and follow a perfect, linear path. But what if that's not how the most interesting careers are built?Laura Naaykens is a former NCAA athlete who, after an injury, found herself in a complete identity crisis. She didn't have a grand plan; she just started... figuring it out. Her journey is a playbook for "accidental" success, showing how she pivoted from sports to "accidentally" founding a data science firm, not by following a passion, but by saying "yes" to problems she didn't know how to solve and then getting good at them.It’s a conversation about the power of self-awareness, why competence is more valuable than passion, and how to build a life on your own terms.Connect with our guest,Laura Naaykens:⁠Website⁠⁠Linkedin⁠InstagramFollow Jeff Humphreys⁠Website⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠Podcast Location & Production:⁠Off Set Studios

Manifestation isn't just "thinking positive." It can be a practical, daily tool, as simple as a specific morning routine—from a cold plunge to how you write in a journal—that you use to run your life and business.These insights come from Brent Boucher, a Calgary entrepreneur whose story is a perfect example of what I call "grey thinking". He built his business from a place of deep personal struggle and uses these tools to navigate the real-world emotional "peaks and valleys" of running a company.This is just one part of a much larger conversation. Hear Brent Boucher's full story on The Calgary Sessions podcast (Episode 178).Listen to the full episode⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠SpotifyConnect with our guest, Brent Boucher:⁠Website⁠Follow Jeff Humphreys⁠Website⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠Podcast Location & Production:⁠Off Set Studios

How do you build a life when your childhood is defined by instability?Brent Boucher is a Calgary entrepreneur who built a successful motorcycle shop and finance company from scratch. But his journey started in a place of deep trauma, navigating family mental health crises and leaving school in Grade 11 just to pay the bills.In this conversation, Brent shares the unconventional origin story of his career (which involves a stolen dirt bike) and his core philosophy: you have to seek discomfort to perform at your best. This is a raw conversation about prioritizing grit over talent and building a life by "feeling the end picture" rather than following a rigid plan.Follow The Calgary Sessions podcast for more stories like this.Connect with our guest, Brent Boucher:WebsiteFollow Jeff HumphreysWebsiteInstagramTikTokLinkedInPodcast Location & Production:Off Set Studios

Dr. Matt Brown had his entire life planned: pro football, then medical school. He details the "helmet to helmet" hit that ended his career and the "messy" mental health transition that followed.He discusses the stigma that kept him from seeking help and the pivotal moment he sat on the field and asked, "Who am I without football?"—and heard "deafening... silence."Ep177 Guest: Dr. Matt Brown, Mental Performance CoachHost: Jeff HumphreysWhere to Connect:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jeffhumphreysInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhumphreysWebsite: https://www.jeffhumphreys.ca

What happens when the one thing that defines you is gone?Dr. Matt Brown had his entire life planned: play pro football, then become a surgeon. But a single helmet-to-helmet hit ended his career, broke his neck, and shattered his identity. In the darkness that followed, he felt "gutted like a fish" and asked himself a question that would change his life: "Who is Matt Brown without football?". The answer was "nobody".That devastating moment was the genesis of his new purpose. Today, Dr. Brown is the mental performance shepherd for Calgary’s top athletes, including the Flames and Stampeders.This conversation is a masterclass in the unseen "hardware" and "software" of elite performance. We discuss:• The "Hot Take": Why he believes true competitiveness is a "hardwired" personality trait, not a learned skill . • The Proof: The childhood story that shows how his innate drive got him sent to the principal's office . • The Playbook: How to properly "wield" your competitive drive so it doesn't get you into trouble. • The Non-Negotiable: The scientific reason exercise is "every bit as effective" as antidepressants for mental health . • The Secret: What are "Energy Givers," and why is he scouting for them just as much as talent?Whether you're an athlete, a parent, or a business leader, this episode will challenge your perspective on the drive to win.How To Connect:Jeff Humphreys - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jeffhumphreys.ca⁠Matt Brown - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-brown-phdPodcast Location - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.offsetstudios.caPodcast Production - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.shortlinecreative.com

What does it take to lose the business you built from scratch and then come back to create an even bigger success? This week, we sit down with Hailey Seidel, the founder of Calgary’s luxury pet hotel, The Petropolitan, for a masterclass in resilience, branding, and grit.For 20 years, Hailey has been a force in the pet care industry, but her path was anything but straight. Her journey started by accident when she launched a simple dog walking business to solve a personal need. That small venture quickly exploded, leading her to take a massive risk at age 25: signing a lease on a 20,000-square-foot facility. But just as her business thrived, her personal life entered a period of turmoil that ultimately resulted in her being forced to sell the company she poured her life into. Instead of walking away, Hailey channeled that experience into a new vision, identifying a gap in the market for high-end pet care and building The Petropolitan from the ground up.In this episode, you will learn:• How to turn a personal problem into a viable business idea without a formal plan.• The mindset required to take massive risks, like when Hailey leased a giant warehouse as a 25-year-old entrepreneur.• The unfiltered story of navigating the sale of a business during a difficult personal separation and how to pivot from rock bottom.• Why finding and dominating a niche—like creating "The Fairmont for Dogs"—is a powerful strategy for standing out in a crowded market.• Hailey’s "Choose Your Own Adventure" philosophy for embracing wrong turns and building a career on your own terms.This is a raw and honest conversation about the un-glamorous reality of entrepreneurship and what it truly means to have "Calgary Grit".How To Connect:Jeff Humphreys - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jeffhumphreys.ca⁠Hailey Seidel - https://www.thepetropolitan.caPodcast Location - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.modelmilk.ca⁠Podcast Production - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.shortlinecreative.com

What if the key to unlocking your highest potential wasn't about pushing harder, but about becoming more authentic? My guest this week, Kayti Simonson, shares her profound journey from a high-achieving lawyer and athlete running on adrenaline to a resilient competitor guided by energy and intuition.Kayti is a Calgary-based lawyer and three-time HYROX world championship competitor who seemed to have it all figured out. But after hitting a "brick wall" of burnout , she was forced to confront the emotional suppression that had fueled her success for years. In this raw and honest conversation, Kayti opens up about the messy work of feeling your emotions, why she believes "balance is a myth" for high-performers , and how learning to stop lying to herself became the catalyst for profound change.In this episode, you will learn about:• Kayti’s foundational roots in Calgary and the mountains that ground her.• The "Pick Your Hard" philosophy and why she believes luck has nothing to do with success.• The myth of balance and the true cost of high achievement in athletics and law.• Hitting the "brick wall": The story of Kayti's burnout and the decision to finally face her emotions .• The journey from a self-described "control freak" to learning the power of surrender.• Her belief that authenticity is directly linked to the energy you put out into the world.This conversation is a powerful reminder that sometimes, the biggest breakthroughs come after the biggest breakdowns.How To Connect:Jeff Humphreys - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jeffhumphreys.ca⁠Kayti Simonson - https://www.instagram.com/kaytisimonsonPodcast Location - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.modelmilk.ca⁠Podcast Production - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.shortlinecreative.com

I've always been fascinated by the moments that change everything. Not the big goals we set, but the unexpected turns that truly define us. My guest this week, Cari Din, calls these powerful moments "interruptions".Cari is an Olympic silver medalist in artistic swimming and an award-winning Kinesiology professor. She was incredibly open about her journey, from the intense focus of being an elite athlete to the disorienting identity crisis that hit after leaving the pool for good. She described her life going from a single, straight arrow to "hundreds of tiny arrows that had no direction".In our conversation, we chatted about:• The mindset of a "quiet competitor" and the joy of outworking the competition.• What happens when your entire identity disappears overnight.• Building a "Bank of Trust" to become a more effective leader.• Why parenting is harder than winning an Olympic medal.• How to find a new purpose when you feel completely lost.This is an honest look at resilience, reinvention, and what it truly means to build a life on your own terms. It’s a conversation that will stick with you.How To Connect:Jeff Humphreys - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jeffhumphreys.ca⁠Cari Din - https://profiles.ucalgary.ca/cari-dinPodcast Location - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.modelmilk.ca⁠Podcast Production - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.shortlinecreative.com

What if the biggest risks lead to the most meaningful rewards? My guest this week, Christine Goudie, is the definition of that question. As the Co-founder and CEO of Granville Biomedical, she has forged a unique path driven by a desire to use her design skills for good, starting with a one-way ticket out of Newfoundland with just $250 in her pocket.In our chat, Christine took me through her incredible journey through multiple cities, schools, and startups, all in pursuit of a career with purpose. We explored the pivotal moments that shaped her mission to serve overlooked communities—from a bar conversation that sparked a passion for designing innovative wheelchair seating to co-founding a company that tackles taboos in women's health. Her story is a powerful lesson in the relentless, unsexy grind of building something that matters and the mental shift required to turn fear into fuel.In this episode, we cover:• Leaving home with only $250 and no safety net. • Her "pie-eating contest" analogy for the entrepreneurial grind. • The pivotal pub chat that changed her entire career path. • Tackling taboos in women’s health with Granville Biomedical. • Shifting from a fear of failure to asking, "But what if it works out?". If you're looking for a dose of real, unfiltered inspiration to chase your own thing, this episode is for you.How To Connect:Jeff Humphreys - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jeffhumphreys.ca⁠Christine Goudie - https://www.granvillebiomedical.caPodcast Location - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.modelmilk.ca⁠Podcast Production - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.shortlinecreative.com

What does it mean to shape ideas for a living?In this episode, Shelley reflects on what it takes to shape meaningful ideas, how to trust your gut in creative decisions, and what it feels like to stay curious over time. Her stories reveal how culture takes shape through consistent and thoughtful choices.A few themes that run through the episode:• Creating space for conversations that matter• Making decisions under pressure and scrutiny• Trusting instinct without needing validation• Why live storytelling still resonates• How Calgary shapes and challenges creative people• What curiosity looks like later in lifeA thoughtful look at creative leadership, culture, and staying engaged with the world around you.How To Connect:Jeff Humphreys - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jeffhumphreys.caShelley Youngblut - www.instagram.com/youngblutshelleyPodcast Location - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.modelmilk.caPodcast Production - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.shortlinecreative.com

Jamie Parker didn’t plan to become an entrepreneur. He worked a lot of jobs, spent time on wildfire crews, and started roasting coffee in a garage before anything looked like a business.That business became Canadian Heritage Roasting Company.This episode isn’t about overnight success. It’s about figuring things out by doing the work, staying committed when there’s no clear payoff, and navigating personal challenges along the way.We talked about building something from scratch, learning without a roadmap, and the quiet moments that shape what comes next.How To Connect:Jeff Humphreys - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jeffhumphreys.caJamie Parker - https://canadianheritageroastingco.comPodcast Location - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.modelmilk.caPodcast Production - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.shortlinecreative.com

Marco Carducci is still in the game, competing at a high level, leading on and off the field, and figuring it out as he goes. In this episode, Marco reflects on what it took to make it in pro soccer, what nearly pulled him away from it, and how he's found a healthier way to thrive without losing himself in the process.He opens up about growing up in Calgary, the pressures of early success, the identity trap many athletes face, and the quiet moments that helped him reset. From youth academies to the Canadian Premier League, Marco’s story is one of early sacrifice, personal growth, and learning how to play the long game in sport and in life.Whether you're an athlete, a parent, or someone navigating high-performance environments, there’s something in this story for you.We talk about:• How identity affects performance and longevity• Lessons from burnout, pressure, and purpose|• The rise of soccer in Calgary and across Canada• The balance between chasing wins and building impact• What it means to lead while still learningIt’s a grounded look at what it takes to keep showing up, stay connected, and build something that lasts.How To Connect:Jeff Humphreys - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jeffhumphreys.caMarco Carducci - https://www.instagram.com/mcarducci96Podcast Location - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.modelmilk.caPodcast Production - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.shortlinecreative.com

Trent McClellan didn’t step on stage until he was 30. No plan, no roadmap. Just a feeling he couldn’t ignore.We talked about what it took to go from a full-time day job to late-night open mics, touring small towns across Alberta, and eventually landing on 22 Minutes. Trent shared the less visible side of his career. The mental discipline. The self-doubt. The pressure to define success without tying your identity to it.This episode touches on creative risk, purpose, men’s mental health, and what it means to trust yourself when there’s nothing to prove it will work.How To Connect:Jeff Humphreys - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jeffhumphreys.caTrent McClellan - https://trentscomedy.comPodcast Location - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.modelmilk.caPodcast Production - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.shortlinecreative.com