Jason Zaran is the President of Fit Kitchen and a pioneer in Calgary’s healthy, convenient food movement. After more than 20 years in the consumer packaged goods industry, Jason left corporate life at 42 to pursue entrepreneurship - launching The Main Dish and later founding Fit Kitchen, Alberta’s first meal prep company.

In this conversation, Jason shares what it takes to build and scale a food business in a tough industry, how fitness and competition shape his leadership style, and why you should never stop learning. From family-run entrepreneurship to physical challenges and long-term vision, this episode explores how discipline, purpose, and risk-taking fuel both business and life.

Guest:

• Jason Zaran: Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Website

Host:

• Mark Kondrat: Instagram | LinkedIn 

CREATE - The Podcast:  Instagram | TikTok | Website

Dillon Stecyk is the COO of APRÈS Beverage Festivals, an entrepreneur, and a consciousness coach who bridges two worlds: large-scale festivals and deep synchronistic transformation.

As the operational force behind some of Western Canada’s most iconic events - Dillon has spent over a decade creating spaces where people connect through music, food, beverage & celebration. Behind the scenes, his personal journey has been devoted to understanding alignment, synchronicity, and what it means to live authentically in a world that often pulls us out of ourselves.

After life-altering experiences traveling, lucid dreaming, and witnessing reality respond to his thoughts in uncanny ways, Dillon became fascinated with how our inner world shapes our outer world. His work now blends ancient wisdom with practical structure, offering a “progressive overload for consciousness” approach—helping people align their energy, strengthen their intuition, and design lives that feel meaningful, sovereign, and creatively powerful.

Today, Dillon helps high-achievers, founders, creatives, and curious seekers integrate spirituality without abandoning their careers, identities, or modern lives. His philosophy is simple: when you’re aligned, the world responds.

This podcast explores the intersection of:

• Synchronicity, intuition & reality design
• Authenticity and the energetic mechanics of creation
• Spiritual growth without giving up success, ambition, or joy
• The human experience—from festival floors to float tanks

If you’ve ever felt like there’s more to life than what you’ve been told, Dillon is here to help you bring that “more” into the real world.

Interviewed on the Kid Carson Podcast:

• Kid Carson: Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
• Contact: [email protected]

Featured on CREATE - The Podcast:

• Dillon Stecyk: Instagram | LinkedIn 

CREATE - The Podcast:  Instagram | TikTok | Website

Chris Schoengut has spent nearly 20 years shaping some of Western Canada’s biggest live experiences—from grassroots events to major festivals like the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival, where he served as Director of Brand & Partnerships.

Now, after two decades in the industry, Chris is stepping into a new chapter—one driven by balance, purpose, and fatherhood. A long-time community supporter and proud dad, he’s rethinking what creativity and impact look like in this next season of life.

In this episode, Chris reflects on burnout, reinvention, and the power of building moments that truly bring people together.

Guest:

• Chris Schoengut: Instagram | LinkedIn

Host:

• Mark Kondrat: Instagram | LinkedIn 

CREATE - The Podcast:  Instagram | TikTok | Website

Tom Bamford has spent his life pushing limits—both as an athlete and as a creator of unforgettable race experiences. A lifetime competitor, Tom has taken on everything from the Ironman World Championships to XTERRA off-road events and the Belgian Waffle Ride.

He started his career directing major triathlon events before moving into the tech world, working with startups, IBM, PeopleSoft, and Deloitte. In 2004 he founded TESSALink, growing it into a global software company over 20 years.

In 2018, Tom returned to his true passion and launched Platinum Racing, now a 14-race series spanning western Canada with more than 100 events produced. Known for his creativity, resilience, and problem-solver mindset, Tom has built a career around turning challenges into finish lines—and inspiring others to chase their own.

Guest:

• Tom Banford - Platinum Racing: Website

Host:

• Mark Kondrat: Instagram | LinkedIn 

CREATE - The Podcast:  Instagram | TikTok | Website

Hien Pham is a Calgary-based content creator who has built a loyal and engaged community by inviting people into her world with authenticity, humour, and a creative eye. Her content spans home projects, thrifted treasures, travel adventures, sports moments, lifestyle inspiration, and the beautifully chaotic in-between - capturing the kind of everyday stories that feel both relatable and refreshing.

Hien began creating five years ago purely for fun, never imagining that her spontaneous posts would evolve into a meaningful platform. Over time, her audience gravitated toward her honesty, her easygoing presence, and her ability to find beauty and humour in real life. Today, she collaborates with brands she genuinely loves, staying committed to the approachable, down-to-earth style that has defined her work from the start.

Beyond the content itself, Hien’s journey is rooted in creativity, curiosity, and a willingness to try new things—values that continue to guide her and inspire others. Her story is a reminder that small steps, small wins, and staying true to yourself can create something unexpectedly impactful.

We’re thrilled to welcome Hien to Create – The Podcast to dive deeper into her creative evolution, her process, and the unique perspective that makes her voice stand out.

Guest:

• Hien Pham: Instagram | TikTok
• Contact: [email protected]

Host:

• Dillon Stecyk: Instagram | LinkedIn 

CREATE - The Podcast:  Instagram | TikTok | Website

Peter Bishop never meant to become a creative leader, tech strategist, and beverage entrepreneur—but that’s exactly what happened. In this episode, we dive into Peter’s unconventional journey from bartender and illustrator to partner at ZGM and the mind behind Stickler.

We unpack the lessons learned from trial by fire, why starting new businesses fuels his creativity, the challenge of selling something you’ve built, and what it really takes to stay inspired when self-doubt kicks in. Oh - and how AI is taking over the world…

A conversation full of humour, heart, and hard-earned wisdom.

Guest:

• ZGM Modern Marketing Partners: Instagram | Website

Host:

• Mark Kondrat: Instagram | LinkedIn 

CREATE - The Podcast:  Instagram | TikTok | Website

Born and raised in Germany’s legendary Black Forest, Scott Sunderwald has lived a life deeply connected to the wild. 

From the German Forestry Service to wilderness education in BC and Saskatchewan, Scott’s passion for bushcraft, survival, and storytelling has shaped a career devoted to the outdoors.

For the past 17 years, he’s called Alberta’s rugged Northern Rockies home, working with Alberta Parks and living the lessons he teaches. 

He’s also the author of “Radically Wild – True Tales of Adventure, Wilderness Survival, and Hard Lessons,”.  His book is out now - and I can honestly say it’s one of the best books I’ve read in a long time!

Guest:

• Scott Sunderwald: Instagram | Website

Host:

• Mark Kondrat: Instagram | LinkedIn 

CREATE - The Podcast:  Instagram | TikTok | Website

Colin Patterson’s journey began on the ice — ten seasons in the NHL, eight of them with the Calgary Flames, where he helped lift the Stanley Cup in 1989. But his legacy didn’t end when the skates came off. Today, as a Director with the Calgary Flames Alumni, Colin channels the same drive and teamwork that fueled his playing days into making a difference across Alberta.

From leading the SuperHEROS program — creating space in hockey for kids with cognitive and physical challenges — to championing causes like KidSport, Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids, and the Breaking Free Foundation, Colin has become a cornerstone of the Alumni’s mission to give back.

In this episode, Colin shares the lessons he’s learned about leadership, inclusion, and the power of community — reminding us that true champions aren’t defined by trophies, but by the lives they impact long after the final whistle.

Guest:

• Flames Alumni: Instagram | Website

Host:

• Mark Kondrat: Instagram | LinkedIn 

CREATE - The Podcast:  Instagram | TikTok | Website

Born and raised in British Columbia, Robert McKay has spent a lifetime surrounded by the province’s natural beauty and creative spirit. With deep family roots in Vancouver—his mother a Kitsilano High alumna and his grandmother an artist and early mentor—Robert grew up immersed in art, language, and culture. Those formative experiences, from visits to VanDusen Gardens to exploring the Museum of Anthropology, shaped his appreciation for aesthetics, storytelling, and the artistry of everyday life.

After completing high school in the Okanagan, Robert returned to Vancouver, where a pivotal mentorship introduced him to the world of design—a journey that has now spanned nearly four decades. Today, as President of Lloyd Bruce Home Collections in Coal Harbour, he continues to lead with vision and craftsmanship, creating timeless interiors throughout Vancouver, Whistler, Alberta, and internationally.

For Robert, design is more than a profession—it’s a way of seeing. He draws inspiration from the textures, light, and landscapes of the Pacific Northwest, infusing each project with both beauty and soul. His work reflects a deep belief that the spaces we live in shape the lives we lead.

Guest:

• Robert McKay: Instagram | Contact: [email protected]
• Lloyd Bruce Home: Instagram | Website 

Host:

• Dillon Stecyk: Instagram | LinkedIn 

CREATE - The Podcast:  Instagram | TikTok | Website

Calgary-born Taras Foremsky went from chasing pucks to chasing perfection in the meat business. After an impressive hockey career that took him across North America and Europe — from the AJHL to Italy, Germany, and England — Taras traded his skates for a knife, buying out his father’s partners to build what’s now Prairie West Specialty Meats. 

A proud husband to Heather and “girl dad” to Alexis and Berkley, Taras blends the discipline of a pro athlete with the creativity of an entrepreneur. Whether it’s premium cuts or new ventures like Cellar & Cut, he’s proof that hard work always finds new ice to skate on.

Guest:

• Prairie West Specialty Meats: Instagram | Website

Host:

• Mark Kondrat: Instagram | LinkedIn 

CREATE - The Podcast:  Instagram | TikTok | Website