The Calgary Sessions

Dan Balaban stops by for episode 80 of the Calgary Sessions podcast, and he brings with him a wealth of experience and wisdom. As an entrepreneur for over 25 years, Dan has learned valuable lessons that he shares in this inspiring conversation. Growing up as a grandchild of Holocaust survivors, Dan felt a deep sense of responsibility to honor the memory of his family members and make a positive impact in the world. Drawing from his Jewish background, he discusses the concept of "tikkun olam," the belief that we are here to repair and leave the world better than we found it.

www.jeffhumphreys.ca

Dan Balaban

www.greengatepower.com

Episode 79 with Devin Cooper was a fun one! We chatted about his early music memories, falling in love with the Beatles, writing his first song about the -40 weather in Alberta, overlooking little successes and learning from his Dad about time, dedication and perseverance.

Devin's recent story caught fire at the 2023 Country Music Alberta Awards! He was the most nominated solo artist for the year, and he walked away with the Horizon Male Artist of the Year award.

Jeff Humphreys

https://www.jeffhumphreys.ca

Devin Cooper

Episode 78 had me choked up. Part of my not doing research or screening calls allows me to experience stories for the first time. Those stories can be inspirational, emotional, shocking and informative.

Peter Smed is a born a raised Calgarian with a story. We talked about his family, the business path that was laid out for him, depression, self discovery and his current business, Oasis Wellness Centre & Spa.

Jeff Humphreys

Episode 77 of The Calgary Sessions Podcast featured former CFL player and Olympic athlete Jesse Lumsden. This was another great athlete conversation that shed light on what a professional/Olympic journey looks like.

https://twitter.com/JesseLumsden28

In Episode 76, Julie Van Rosendaal shares her deep love for food and the profound impact it has on our lives. As an avid food lover and home cook, she believes that food connects people and is a way to show affection, nourish, comfort, entertain and celebrate. Julie's passion for cooking stems from her desire to make people happy, and she finds the process of cooking therapeutic, especially the aroma of food cooking and the joy of sharing it with others.

In episode 75, Salima Stanley-Bhanji shares her fascinating journey growing up in Australia as part of one of the few multiracial families in the country during the late 70s. Her parents were both travelers who met in East Africa, and her father went on to open the first South Asian restaurant on the Gold Coast.

We also chat about her optimistic outlook on life and how she trusts that if you put in the work and stay open, life will take you where you need to go. As a host, she emphasizes the importance of creating space and giving people the opportunity to share their stories and experiences, which is the focus of her work with Humainologie. The organization aims to amplify the voices and stories of people from communities that experience systemic barriers, with a focus on those with intersectional identities.

This was a thought-provoking conversation with Salima as she shares her unique perspective on life and work, and the power of storytelling to bring about change.

Jeff Humphreys

https://www.jeffhumphreys.ca

Salima Stanley-Bhanji

http://www.humainologie.com

Sitting with Peter Tertzakian for episode 74 of The Calgary Sessions was a unique experience. I had no idea where the conversation would go because he's a man of many interests and talents. Peter has devoted his career to understanding the energy story. He's written two bestsellers and launched his personal passion project called Energyphile in 2020. We talked about curiosity, mindshare, cutting through the noise, differentiating oneself, storytelling and much more.

Jeff Humphreys

https://www.jeffhumphreys.ca

Peter Tertzakian

https://energyphile.org/

Episode 73 of The Calgary Sessions with Jason Ribeiro was a spectacular conversation! I've sat across from a few extremely articulate and thoughtful speakers and each time I'm amazed at their authenticity. We chatted about growing up ethnically ambiguous, chasing trophies for recognition at home, living under a strict roof, flirting with danger, duality, addiction, community, teamwork and so much more.

Jeff Humphreys

https://www.jeffhumphreys.ca

Jason Ribeiro

Friday Sock Co. has been around for over 7 years! I've heard of the brand and seen their socks but I didn't know the story behind them. Episode 72 of The Calgary Sessions podcast sat down with the founder, Adam Thompson. We chatted about growing up in a really small town, taking a year off from high school, stand-up comedy, scaling a business, winning awards, culture and visualization.

I really connected with Adam's thoughts about visualizing. Some business owners have 5 year plans documented and others don't. Seeing where you want to be and understanding what's possible is a thought process I naturally gravitate towards.

Having grown up in Calgary, I have vivid family memories of going to Joey's Only. Episode 71 of The Calgary Sessions podcast sat down with Joe Klassen who started the brand. We chatted about being an introvert, starting to work at a young age, leaving high school early, starting a restaurant, listening and the ups and downs of an entrepreneurial career. This was an honest conversation about being an entrepreneur which really resonated with me!

Jeff Humphreys

Joey's Group of Companies