What Connects Us

It's the season finale of the What Connects Us Podcast and we're featuring our new CEO who made HERstory when she signed on with Conexus.

We're chatting with Celina Philpot about her journey to becoming our first female CEO. Celina chats about her origin story as a first generation immigrant, the experience she gained in the credit union system, what it meant to her to become Conexus' CEO, what her first few months have been like and what we can expect from her in the future. Celina also talks about why family and community means so much to her and she gives some valuable insight into how we can help support new Canadians as they establish themselves in their new home.

Today's guest on the What Connects Us Podcast is a country music star who is making a big impact in Nashville by reaching number one on the country music charts, performing at the Grand Ole Opry and just finished touring with Lady A.

Tenille Arts joins the What Connects Us Podcast to break down the highs and lows that come with establishing yourself in the very competitive country music industry, how musicians make money, how her appearances performing on the Bachelor catapulted her career, the pressures of being in the public eye and the impact it's had on her mental health, and how she is continually defying the odds to gain momentum and solidify herself as one of country music's top new artists.

On a new episode of the What Connects Us Podcast, we're featuring someone who is a fighter in every sense of the word.

Not only is Janna Pratt the first Indigenous woman to obtain a black belt in Canada, but she is a survivor of the residential school system, a trailblazer for Indigenous people in Saskatchewan and a resilient mother of a child with complex medial needs. Janna shares her experience navigating forced cultural assimilation, what she remembers about the residential school experience, how she's helped change Saskatchewan law, what it's like to be a mother of a child with complex medical needs, how she navigates the roller coaster of emotions, and the impact her entire experience has had on her and her family. She also talks about the importance of the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital and how it's been a game-changer for her and her daughter.

On a brand new episode of the What Connects Us Podcast, we're welcoming back our first returning and most listened to guests who has another incredibly compelling, heartbreaking and insightful story to share.

Back in March 2021, Tahnee Smerchynski joined the podcast to share how her brother's sudden and tragic passing impacted her life and the perspective she gained through her grief journey. If losing one immediate family member wasn't enough, Tahnee has just recently lost her father after he became critically ill while vacationing in Costa Rica. Tahnee is going to share what she learned as she navigated the complex process of racing against time to get her father home to Canada, what travel insurance looked like and how it saved her family thousands of dollars, how her second round with losing an immediate family member impacted her grief journey, and the similarities and differences from losing her brother.

Tahnee's impactful self-reflection, wisdom and authenticity really resonated with listeners during her first episode and she's showing up with the same transparent and engaging story telling style. This episode aims to educate others on the complicated process of returning to Canada when becoming ill overseas and to help anyone taking on their second round of grief.

It's the season finale of season six of the podcast and today's guest has made history by breaking the ice ceiling in an Olympic way. 

Alex Clarke grew up playing hockey and it eventually took her across the border to play at an NCAA level. However, the conclusion of her playing career was only the beginning of the impact she would make on the ice. Alex became a hockey official in 2015 and after years of hard work and sacrifices, she made history as the first female linesperson in the Western Hockey League. She didn't stop there though, because only months later she was selected to officiate at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. 

Sounds pretty incredible, right? Alex joins us to share both the highs and lows of the journey that includes the thick skin she's had to develop as a female in a highly genderized and intense industry, the sacrifices that come with becoming an official at the highest level and how she balances it as a new mother, what it's like to be thrown into the spotlight as a trailblazer and how COVID-19 impacted her Olympic dream. 

This week's guest on the What Connects Us Podcast is no stranger to Saskatchewan's agricultural eco-system and is known for cultivating his own definition of a "family farm".

After a brief stint in pre-med school, Kristjan Hebert recognized he was in the wrong swim lane and made the decision to pivot and re-invest in his roots. Kristjan became an accountant and returned to his family farm to instantly disrupt and evolve the farming operation.

Now the managing partner of Hebert Grain Ventures - a 30,000+ acre grain and oilseed operation, Kristjan has embraced what he originally didn't want to be classified as - "just a farmer". Kristjan shares with us the unique grid road he took to leading one of the most progressive family farms in Saskatchewan, how he was able to quickly scale his business, some invaluable perspective he's gained along, what keeps him up at night and how he re-invests back into the province.

Saskatchewan welcomes ~15,000 immigrants into the province every year and today's guest on the What Connects Us Podcast shares how being a second generation immigrant impacted his upbringing and his journey to becoming one of Regina's most beloved barbers.

Andy Chung's parents moved to Regina shortly before he was born so Andy grew up in the intersection of cultural and westernized values. Andy joins the podcast to chat about how he balances both traditions while sharing the unique perspective he's drawn from it that he's been able to pass on as a father, barber and small business owner. Plus, Andy tells his story about how dropping out of university allowed him to follow his passion of haircutting and eventually led him to opening his own business - Canvas Hair Studio - that is disrupting a highly genderized industry.

Today's episode features a story of how losing your sight can positively change your point of view.

From an early age, Ashley Nemeth navigated a vision impairment that impacted the quality of her eyesight. If that wasn't difficult enough for Ashley, an undiagnosed issue caused her to permanently lose her vision as an early adult. Ashley joins the What Connects Us Podcast to discuss what it was like to overcome the emotional impact of losing her eyesight and embrace her new reality.

Ashley chats about the perspective she's gained since losing her vision, how she's been able to adapt throughout her life, the impact her blindness has had on her career and her family, the challenges she faces on a daily basis, how she's been able to regain her independence and she debunks some misconceptions along the way.

Like so many Saskatchewan kids - Brock Weston grew up in a small town playing hockey. This eventually landed him at an NCAA level college in Wisconsin lacing up his skates for the Marian Sabres. However, Brock's biggest battle wasn't taking place in the face-off circle, it was understanding and accepting his sexuality while navigating the impacts of homophobic language in his own team's locker room.

Brock joins the What Connects Us Podcast to share how he worked up the courage to come out to his team after he could no longer take the homophobic slurs and rumours of his sexuality. He chats about his journey to self-acceptance, the surprising reaction his team had to his news, the power of representation, and how damaging non-inclusive language can be. Brock also describes the rollercoaster of what it was like to have something he kept secret for so long broadcast internationally when a piece he wrote for OutSports went viral at the beginning of 2020.

It's a revealing and vulnerable story of self-discovery and one that kept Brock asking himself "Will hockey keep me?"

Weeeee're back! Let's kick off season 6 with a conversation that aims to diffuse some stigmas while showcasing a story of bouncing back in a big way.

During Mental Health Awareness Month in May, we sat down with Kayla Kozan who shared her experience navigating a nervous breakdown that eventually led to her being diagnosed with a mental health disorder that changed the trajectory of her life.

Kayla takes us through the signs of her nervous breakdown, how things culminated in a scary medical emergency, how she battled depression during her year off work, how she was able to recover and recalibrate, how it inspired her to make mindfulness meditation and corporate wellness more accessible for others, and how it brought her back to Saskatchewan to become a founder of her own startup.

Today's guest is a fitting end to close out the fifth season of the podcast as he recently closed a monumental chapter of his own. Eric Dillon is joining the podcast to reflect back on his 10 year run as Conexus' CEO and discuss how he knew it was time to begin a new adventure.

On February 15, Eric sent one of the most difficult emails he's ever had to write as he let the organization know that he would be departing from his role as the CEO of Conexus. With Eric being such an authentic ambassador for Conexus and a beloved community leader in Saskatchewan - this created shockwaves of questions inside and outside of Conexus' walls with people wondering if Eric was retiring, where he was going, and why he was moving on from a place that he is so passionate about.

Eric answers all of these questions and discusses how he came to the difficult decision to depart, how hard it was delivering the news that he was leaving and he reflects on some of the highs and lows of being a first-time CEO at Conexus. We'll also hear about Eric's origin story, what has shaped the authentic and progressive leadership style that he is known for, and how he's learned that the little things are often the big things.

We're celebrating our 30th episode of the What Connects Us Podcast by featuring a story of risk and what happens when you follow your passion. This past Tuesday we celebrated International Women's Day and we sat down with Jessica McNaughton who is a female founder of a company that emotionally connects with people of all ages. Jessica is the founder of memoryKPR and she is joining us to chat about how about how her startup was sparked through tragedy and how Jessica has found the courage to leap at her passion in an industry where women only make up 37% of self-employed Canadians.

You may know Mark Johnston as the friendly co-host of the Play92 morning radio show or the current in-game host of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. But did you know Mark just celebrated his sixth anniversary of being sober from an alcohol and cocaine addiction?

On this episode of the What Connects Us Podcast, Mark gets vulnerable and gives us a glimpse into what life was like while battling substance abuse, how addiction almost cost him everything, how he was able to get sober and re-invent himself, and finally, the lessons he's learned along the way while maintaining his sobriety. Plus, in a very touching moment - we surprise Mark with a message from a loved one. It's an impactful episode that reminds us that each of us has a powerful origin story that has shaped who we are and that we always have the power to change our lives.

Breaking news - a new episode of the What Connects Us podcast is now live and we're chatting with someone who is no stranger to being on the air.

Alex Brown is a morning show host on CTV Morning Live in Saskatoon and is known for her incredible likeability and 100% authenticity both on and off the air. Alex talks about her journey into broadcasting and how she navigates the pressure cooker of live television while balancing the unorthodox lifestyle that comes with being a morning live host. She also chats about how she handles the constant stream of criticism, especially negative comments about her appearance, and why representation on the air is so important.

Organ donation has been a hot topic in Saskatchewan recently but it hasn't always been that way. Our first guest for Season 5 of the What Connects Us Podcast was a two time survivor of organ failure before she even blew out the candles on her 37th birthday.

Brandy Hehn has had her life saved on two separate occasions via a liver transplant in 2009 and a kidney in 2020. Brandy sheds a light on what it is like to go through organ failure, what that process looks like, how being the recipient of an organ donation has saved and impacted her life and how the Logan Boulet effect has changed the game for her and so many people.

The ups and downs of Brandy's story and her sense of story makes this an episode you cannot miss!

Travelling is typically against the rules in basketball, but in Justin's case, it inspired him to make a difference in the community.

For the season four finale of the What Connects Us Podcast, we're talking with Justin Lee who teamed up with his twin brother to start Buckets & Borders - a non-profit organization that utilizes basketball to bring people together and make game changing impacts in the community. Justin talks about how the initiative was sparked by combining his passion for connecting with different cultures with his love for sport and how this has translated into the highs and lows of starting a non-profit organization. We go deep into their first big impact in the community, the Lakeview Project, where his team didn't just revitalize a basketball court - but engaged, united and inspired a younger generation to invest in the community. Finally, we chat about what's next for Buckets & Borders and how he handles the pressure of meeting expectations, especially after the success of their first project.

Carla has experienced every parent's worst nightmare - not once, but twice. After grieving the sudden passing of her young daughter, Carla found herself in a similar heartbreaking position when her eight-year old son, Dawson, passed away after complications from surgery to remove a brain tumor.

Through unimaginable grief, Carla found purpose in building a legacy for Dawson by helping families so they could experience a little more comfort when placed in sensitive situations comparable to what she went through. Carla and her family started Skate4Smiles, an annual skate-a-thon that started small but quickly captured the hearts of so many people and in five short years, they had raised over $500,000 to help build the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital in Saskatoon.

In this interview, Carla holds nothing back as she shares the transferable lessons she learned through immense tragedy, how she was able to transform loss into purpose and the hard earned perspective that has helped in her resilience journey.

We're taking a coffee break with Katie Shmelinski who founded The Everyday Kitchen when a $7 cookbook sparked a recipe that would help her overcome some difficult postpartum seasons and eventually change her family's life.

Katie shares with us how she became an accidental entrepreneur when her famous sourdough donut recipe took Regina by storm. While navigating anxiety to put herself in the public eye and balancing raising three young children, Katie and her husband Mark have opened the first sourdough donut shop in North America and already have a second location on the way. Katie shares her recipe for how she found success through cooperative values, investment in herself, creating her own roadmap and authentic support in the community. Finally, we he hear about how COVID-19 impacted their business operations only five months after opening and how they donated all of their profits to support local organizations at the beginning of the pandemic.

It's one that you donut want to miss. 🍩

We're going 1-on-1 with Andrew Gottselig who is in his mid-20's but has already founded two companies that specialize in making positive impacts for kids.

Andrew always envisioned that he'd follow in his family's footsteps and work in insurance, but after his youth basketball camps rapidly grew in popularity, he realized there was potential to pivot. Andrew founded HoopLife where he could match his love for basketball and helping kids with the mentorship approach his basketball coach taught him when he was in a crucial life stage. Since then, he's been passionately investing in helping kids live in to their own authenticity and confidence while developing them on and off the basketball court. He also chats about creating his newest tech startup, Citrus that aims to empower youth leaders to seamlessly facilitate their own impacts.

Andrew shares with us the successes and stresses he's encountered along the way, the key perspective he's already gained as a founder, and how he balances developing two new companies and being a new father.

For this week's episode of the What Connects Us Podcast, we are hanging out with one of Canada's newest citizens and someone who is currently travelling around Saskatchewan to help showcase why this province is so great.

This year's Saskatchewanderer, Felipe Gomez, is stopping by and is going to share with us the challenges he faced and lessons learned when he moved continents from South to North America, the perspective he's gained as he's settled into a new country and how his drive for adventure has brought him some incredible life experiences. He also talks about becoming the first immigrant to take on the highly coveted and beloved role of the Saskatchewanderer where he's spending this year touring the province and telling captivating Saskatchewan stories.

Felipe's story showcases how adventure and challenging yourself can create unimaginable opportunities - especially ones that are just outside your own backdoor.

It's the podcast's first birthday and what better way to celebrate than by kicking off a new season!

Greg Moore (aka "Wheels" on the radio) is a familiar face/voice in the province as a co-host of the Z99 morning radio show team as well as one half of the well-known content creator pair of Justin & Greg.

Greg did what a lot of people dream of doing and handed in his two-weeks notice at his stable, 9-5 job to pursue his passion. In this case, his passion was building a social media personality as part of the tandem Justin & Greg where a humble Facebook live show suddenly turned into the duo creating content resulting in millions of views and the opportunity to collaborate with brands like the Vegas Golden Knights, the Saskatchewan Roughriders and even Facebook themselves. On the surface, everything looked like success for Greg - but today we'll chat about what the struggle to monetize his passion had on his financial well-being and mental health, the successes and lessons he picked up along the way and how he somehow pivoted to becoming the morning show host on one of Saskatchewan's most listened to radio stations. This is truly a story of risk, faith and investing in yourself and is incredibly worthy of our season four premiere.

The Humboldt Broncos bus crash was a devastating moment in Saskatchewan history and something that our province will never forget. On the season three finale of the What Connects Us podcast, we are joined by Kaleb Dahlgren, one of the 13 survivors of the accident, to chat about his experience struggling and emerging through tragedy.

We discuss the perspective he's gained as a Type 1 diabetic, the figurative and literal battle scars he's learned via his resilience journey through the bus crash, what it was like to be thrust into the world's attention and deep level of care, and what the emotional process of writing his best-selling book "Crossroads" was like. We also chat about why building community wherever he goes is so important to Kaleb and how he is giving back to STARS Air Ambulance and the Pegasus Project after their services helped save his life.

Kaleb is incredibly vulnerable, reflective and insightful and there is a reason why this one is our season finale!

Today's guest is driving positive change before she even has her learner's license.

At just 13 years old, Catherine Okolita already has 8 years of philanthropy work under her belt and has raised over $150,000 for a number of different charities, causes and organizations across Saskatchewan. Catherine chats with us about starting and running her own community initiative "Catherine's Cause", the insights she has learned from fundraising and how she has learned to inspire others and ask for help along the way.

From helping babies fighting for their lives in the neonatal intensive care unit to spreading kindness and happiness to seniors spending Christmas alone - Catherine makes meaningful differences in our province. This episode will make a difference in your day and inspire you to do good things in your community - regardless of your age.

"If it wasn't going to be saving him. This is the only thing we could have hoped for." 

Alexis Losie joins us to talk about a very tough time for her and her family while shedding a light on a service that a lot of people aren't familiar with. This past year, not only was Alexis dealing with a global pandemic, but she was navigating a very private struggle in her family as her brother approached a situation that a lot of people with loved ones with addiction issues fear. As her brother Denis' body began to shut down, Alexis and her family felt hopeless in a caregiving role with no idea what to do or who to turn to next. Alexis tells us how a death doula was a ray of light during a very dark time, how the doulas were able to confirm her family's fear that Denis' health issues would be fatal, the different game changing, financially accessible services that death doulas provided so Alexis could focus on being present and how priceless they were as they moved through Denis' end of life care.

Imagine being thrown into a house with strangers for three months while your every move is filmed and broadcast to an international audience. This was Zach Oleynik's reality when he was cast on his favorite reality tv game show, Big Brother Canada.

He joins the podcast to tell us all about the intense casting process that forced him to choose between risking years of hard work of being a student athlete for a chance to even go on the show, what it was like to live in a house cut off from the outside world while navigating a cutthroat environment, the psychological impact and search for identity after it ended, navigating newfound celebrity status, and how it impacted his career trajectory as a current med student at the University of Saskatchewan.

Whether you are a Big Brother super fan or you have never even heard of the show - there are so many twists and turns to Zach's story that will truly keep you expecting the unexpected.

Imagine the feeling of hand delivering a $1 million dollar cheque to fund an initiative you knew would do great things for your community on behalf of your family owned business that you built from the ground up.

On this episode, we're sitting down with Vaughn Wyant, one of Saskatchewan's most successful and beloved entrepreneurs to chat about how special this moment was for him. Vaughn takes us through his journey from the sales room floor to the driver's seat of the Wyant Group. Vaughn shares the perspective that inspires him to lead with humility, the benefits and challenges of a family owned and operated business and the importance of investing time and money into supporting the province through initiatives like the Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan, Merlis Belsher Place and the the Pegasus Project supporting STARS Air Ambulance. Vaughn is known for his larger than life personality, quick wit and authentic care for people and that is on full display during this conversation. Enjoy the ride!

Season three of the What Connects Us Podcast is starting off with a bang as we welcome Kim Coates who has spent four decades travelling the world as a very successful actor in movies, television, Broadway and plays. We chat with Kim about how his Saskatoon upbringing and passion for acting propelled him to stardom in Blackhawk Down, Waterworld, The Last Boy Scout, Pearl Harbour, Prison Break, CSI Miami and especially his role as Tig Trager in one of televisions most well-known series - Sons of Anarchy.

We talk about what sparked his passion for acting, how he took an unconventional path to the big screen, the difficulties of establishing financial wellness as an actor, how he continues to give back to the prairies through initiatives like the Pegasus Project, and of course, the wild motorcycle ride that was Sons of Anarchy.

Join us as we hear Kim's remarkable story of how he navigated his way from Toon Town to Tinseltown.

Kira Novak secretly battled an alcohol addiction for years but has very recently taken the steps to take back her life. Kira is over a year sober after spending 60 days at a private addiction treatment center in British Columbia and she is holding nothing back to tell her story about her dark rumble with alcoholism, how it impacted her physically, mentally, emotionally and financially, and how much of a grip it had on her and her relationships. She also goes through how her family saved her, what treatment at a rehabilitation center is like and how she has navigated sobriety during a worldwide pandemic.

Kira is as educational and insightful as she is raw and vulnerable. This emotional episode is a reminder that it is never too late to take control of your life or help others change their trajectory when they need it most.

On July 14, 2009, Tahnee Smerchynski's life changed forever when she received the tragic news that her younger brother Taylor had tragically drowned. Tahnee joins the podcast to revisit how she navigated that very public trauma in her life, share the perspective she has learned over the past decade, discuss the different seasons of grief and how it is a continuous journey, and reveal how costly grief can be both mentally and financially. Now working as a Human Resources professional, Tahnee provides insights and tips for supporting yourself and others through grief while providing options and resources to help others navigating their own grief journeys. 

Trigger warning: death and grieving of a loved one

Infertility is something that 1 in 8 couples face but it isn't something you hear a lot about. Unless you know someone who is open about their own infertility, it might be hard to fully empathize with the struggle that a lot of people face in silence due to feelings of shame, embarrassment and trauma from unsuccessful attempts. Sara Strueby joins the podcast to share her and her husband's emotional and very personal journey to their daughter Reese. Sara will tell us all about how tough it was to receive the news and the pressure it places on a relationship, just how costly fertility treatments are both financially and physically, and how her fourth attempt at in-vitro fertilization finally paid off after a very touch and go pregnancy. This episode also approaches misconceptions about fertility treatments and equips you with ways to support someone you know who is going through a similar experience.

For the past year, we have all been asked to shoulder an immense amount of stress during a very traumatic year. On top of that, we all have our own jobs, relationships and responsibilities that require us to take on further worry, empathy and anxiety. Kasey Mahnic, a social worker with Creative Options Regina loans us some hard lessons she has learned about balancing emotional stress in her professional and personal life with her own self-care and mental health. Kasey chats about her very interesting journey in social work, how she maintains her empathy without sacrificing her own mental health, her experience dating and providing support to a recovering alcoholic, how she utilizes thrifting in her own self-care routine and she gives us some tips and techniques to help us compartmentalize our own stresses and triggers. I'm sure the majority of us have approached some sort of burnout or breakdown during COVID-19 and this episode aims to give you the self-permission you need to turn to yourself a little more without feeling any guilt.

Imagine going from being a fan in the stands of Mosaic Stadium to sitting in front of national media while being named the new President & CEO of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Craig Reynolds joins the podcast to chat about how he landed at the Riders via an adventurous journey that took him from Foam Lake to Arizona, Luxembourg, London, Calgary, and Fort McMurray before making his way back to Saskatchewan. Craig takes us through how he had to quickly adjust from being comfortable behind the scenes to being thrust into the public spotlight and the pressures of leading one of Canada's top 3 sports franchises that has seen so many emotional ups and downs since he began - including navigating COVID-19. You'll see a different side of Craig than you are probably used to seeing in front of a press conference and it's a great reminder that the person you see in front of a camera is typically just a small town kid living their dream.

We're diving into the world of fostering and adoption to squash some misconceptions and learn from someone who's been there. Megan Reves joins us to chat about the intense roller coaster that comes with fostering, talk about the long emotional process that came with adopting her three kids and she sets the record straight on the financial impacts that comes with both fostering and adoption. You'll leave this podcast with an appreciation for the selflessness and battle scars that foster parents earn when they open up their house to make it a home for a child in need.

Being diagnosed with cancer is a very real fear for so many of us and a lot of us have the privilege of only imagining what it is like to rumble with the disease. To kick off Season 2, Brianne Urzada joins us to tell her story of how her life was impacted when she was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin's Lymphoma when she was only 23-years old. Brianne takes us through the emotional, physical and financial impacts of her battle and how it altered her career path. Brianne also fills us in on how she is closing this narrative in her life and focusing her energy on being both a mom and an entrepreneur through Arthouse by Brianne Urzada.

Bring 'em out! This week we're joined by Dan Clark who is a homegrown star of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Dan was born and raised in Saskatchewan and declined multiple scholarship opportunities outside of the province to stay rooted in Saskatchewan and through hard work and cashing in on his opportunities, he's found his way to being a starting offensive lineman for the team he grew up cheering for. Because of COVID-19, Dan has had to trade in his cleats and game cheques to completely pivot to a brand new lifestyle in order to support his family during a vulnerable time. We chat with Dan about his journey from the stands to the tunnel of Mosaic Stadium and how tough this year has been for him. 

It’s not every day you meet a Chief of a First Nation serving his second term and they are only in their mid-thirties. Cadmus Delorme is a young and fearless Indigenous trailblazer widely known for his progressive leadership as Chief of Cowessess First Nation. Cadmus joins us to discuss how he’s disrupted tradition and sparked innovation by refusing to let his First Nation live in third-world conditions or socio-economic challenges. Cadmus also reveals his secret for how he was able to build a strong and authentic connection with his community as a young leader.

Cole Thorpe is a young entrepreneur in Saskatchewan who has been sparking true pride in the prairies. Cole founded Prairie Proud, a social enterprise where a portion of the proceeds from the clothing and apparel they sell are re-invested back into charities in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba. Originally from Spy Hill, Cole took the risky leap to start Prairie Proud right after University but in 6 years, Prairie Proud has taken off in Western Canada and they have already donated $56,000 to prairie-based organizations. Cole tells us all about how his small town roots led to his decision to start Prairie Proud, the ups and downs he’s experienced and how he has been navigating Prairie Proud through COVID-19.

Chelsea Petterson was a co-owner of Coda & Cade, a well known clothing boutique that saw a lot of success in Regina for over a decade. Very recently, Chelsea had to make the difficult decision to permanently close Coda & Cade's doors and she joins us to tell a very personal and vulnerable story about the rise and fall of the business and what it is like to rumble with bankruptcy to help shed a light on the technical and emotional process that is taboo for so many people. 

For episode #2, we sat down with Moose Jaw's own Kirk Morrison to discuss how he made the choice to leave his stable income and a role he loved to make the jump to the startup lifestyle as one of the founders of Krugo. We also talk about how COVID-19 has ravaged Krugo's industry and how Krugofest was born during a global pandemic. This is truly a story of "Should I stay or should I Krugo?"

It's our first episode! Krista Broda joins the podcast to tell us her scarily relatable story about what happened when typical paranoia about leaving her flat iron on turned into a half-year long chase to catch fraudsters who stole her identity. 

Meaningful conversation, human connection, storytelling from people in Saskatchewan and a pinch of financial literacy. The What Connects Us Podcast is coming very soon!