From defending Métis harvesting rights in court after shooting a duck without a license to leading housing solutions for families, Will Goodon’s journey is rooted in resilience. As Minister of Housing & Property Management with the Manitoba Métis Federation, he shares how broken promises still affect Indigenous communities, the importance of culturally grounded housing and why reconciliation must go beyond words.
In this episode, Will reflects on his landmark court case that affirmed Métis rights and his work tackling Manitoba’s housing crisis.
From pharmacist to landlord, Kris Thorkelson, Owner of Thorwin Properties, has built one of Winnipeg’s largest rental empires.
In this episode, Kris talks about his career shift from pharmacist to property management, the challenges of building in Winnipeg’s unique rental market and what it takes to create homes people want to live in.
What does the future of construction in Manitoba look like? As Executive Director of Workforce and Learning Pathways at the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology, Marnie Bickerton is helping shape the answer.
In this episode, Marnie talks about growing up in a small town, the setbacks that made her tougher, and what it takes to earn respect in a male-dominated field. She gets real about mentorship, building trust, and why collaboration matters if the industry is going to move forward.
Tom Sparrow is making history as the first-ever Chief Construction Officer for the City of Winnipeg — and in Canada. After decades of leading multi-billion-dollar projects across the country, Tom came to Winnipeg to oversee some of the city’s most critical infrastructure projects, including the North End Sewage Treatment Plant, as well as future schools, hospitals and roads.
In this episode, Tom shares what it means to hold this brand-new role, how he’s using AI and data to cut project costs and why transparency and community engagement are key to rebuilding trust in public construction. He also opens up about his career path, the major projects that shaped him and why he believes Winnipeg is about to become one of Canada’s most exciting cities to build in.
Before starting his own business, Jaret Horbatiuk got his start in structural steel shop drawings. But when drawing plans wasn’t enough, he built a company to bring them to life — a gamble that paid off and grew into Tractus Projects, now a 20-year success story.
In this episode, Jaret shares how he overcame imposter syndrome, what running a small roofing company taught him about cash flow, why he avoids relying on a single big project and how a breakfast club helped him overcome his biggest business hurdle.
Fun Fact: If you work out at a Planet Fitness in Winnipeg, there’s a good chance Jaret and his team built it. Clients like Planet Fitness trust Tractus Projects not just for the quality and speed of the work, but because they build strong relationships that keep them coming back.
David Peters went from building houses to building software. After more than a decade running his own construction company, he sold his tools, his truck — even the business itself — to solve a problem every contractor knows too well: bad timesheets.
In this episode, David shares how selling his construction business allowed him to tackle that problem head-on and how the idea evolved into Construction Clock, an app now used by thousands of crews worldwide. He talks about the risk of starting over, why he prioritizes character over skills and how he’s built a team that allows him to focus on the bigger picture.
You’ll also hear how one social media platform became his best growth channel — and why he believes the future of construction tech belongs to the small contractors driving the industry forward.
Shreeraj (Raj) Patel’s path was anything but straightforward. After failing out of university, he took a year off working retail before finding his footing, returning to school and eventually becoming Vice President at one of Canada’s largest banks.In this episode, Raj shares how mentorship and second chances changed the course of his life, what he learned leading multi-million-dollar portfolios and why he walked away from the security of corporate banking to launch Seva Capital, a national debt brokerage and advisory firm helping businesses secure smart capital, restructure with confidence and unlock transformative growth.Raj also opens up about the mental shift it takes to leave a corporate role, the importance of gratitude in everyday life and how he’s creating opportunities for the next generation of entrepreneurs.
From engineering student to COO, Janet Gauthier’s career has taken her from northern project sites to leading one of Canada’s largest real estate developers! She shares how teaching 6 a.m. spin classes shaped her leadership style, why aligning with the right company culture is a game-changer and what it’s really like to climb the ranks in a male-dominated industry.
Plus, hear Janet’s take on how AI could transform construction — from schedules to estimating.
With over 30 years in construction, Dom Costantini has seen it all—from finishing concrete at 8 years old to leading major operations across Canada. In our first episode, Dom shares what it really takes to build strong teams, why culture beats strategy every time and how he’s helping the industry evolve through his new consulting work.
Plus, hear the story behind his famous “sock collection” and how something small became a symbol of connection and giving back.
🎙️ Local voices, real stories.
Careers Under Construction isn’t just a podcast—it’s a blueprint for resilience and a playbook for building a stronger career.
Each week, Justis Pederson sits down with the builders, the leaders and the risk-takers—the ones who’ve faced the chaos and come out stronger.
Powered by The Pederson Group, we’re spotlighting the people shaping businesses and the truths behind their success.
This is Careers Under Construction.
