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CREATE - The Podcast

Mark Kondrat - Entrepreneur & Podcast Host

140 episodes

1 month ago

Meet Rob Swiderski – Entrepreneur, Mushroom Innovator, and Family Man Rob’s entrepreneurial path began with CRAFT Beer Market and has since evolved into purpose-driven ventures like NuCelium (formerly Mushröm) - a company that reflects his growing passion for health, healing, and holistic wellness. But behind the business journey is a deeply personal story—one shaped by love, faith, and resilience. Rob speaks openly about the strength it takes to balance ambition with vulnerability, and how h...

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Entrepreneurship

Personal Journals,

Society & Culture

All content for CREATE - The Podcast is the property of Mark Kondrat - Entrepreneur & Podcast Host and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Meet Rob Swiderski – Entrepreneur, Mushroom Innovator, and Family Man Rob’s entrepreneurial path began with CRAFT Beer Market and has since evolved into purpose-driven ventures like NuCelium (formerly Mushröm) - a company that reflects his growing passion for health, healing, and holistic wellness. But behind the business journey is a deeply personal story—one shaped by love, faith, and resilience. Rob speaks openly about the strength it takes to balance ambition with vulnerability, and how h...

Show more...

Entrepreneurship

Personal Journals,

Society & Culture

Episodes (20/140)

CREATE - The Podcast

Meet Rob Swiderski – Entrepreneur, Mushroom Innovator, and Family Man

Meet Rob Swiderski – Entrepreneur, Mushroom Innovator, and Family Man Rob’s entrepreneurial path began with CRAFT Beer Market and has since evolved into purpose-driven ventures like NuCelium (formerly Mushröm) - a company that reflects his growing passion for health, healing, and holistic wellness. But behind the business journey is a deeply personal story—one shaped by love, faith, and resilience. Rob speaks openly about the strength it takes to balance ambition with vulnerability, and how h...

1 month ago

1 hour 14 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

Meet Chelsea Tessier – Co-Founder, Head Brewer, and the Creative Force Behind Polyrhythm Brewing

Chelsea’s journey into brewing started with a science degree and a homebrew kit. After nearly a decade working in environmental labs, she shifted gears – winning national awards as a homebrewer before launching her own brewery. Today, as head brewer at Polyrhythm Brewing, Chelsea blends scientific precision with artistic flair to craft award-winning beers and create a taproom that feels like home. Her favourite sound? Laughter coming from the tables she helped build. In this episode, Chelsea ...

1 month ago

44 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

Meet Bill McKenzie – Brand Builder, Team Leader, and CEO of Foothills Creamery | CREATE - The Podcast

Bill brings over 30 years of experience in the beverage industry to his role at Foothills Creamery. From working on iconic campaigns like “I AM CANADIAN” to helping re-energize a legacy Alberta brand, he’s always been driven by people, purpose, and a good story. Since joining Foothills in 2021, Bill has tackled big challenges – culture shifts, supply issues, product revamps—but with the right team and a community-first mindset, the results have been sweet. In this episode, Bill talks about th...

1 month ago

48 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

Meet Greg Zeschuk – Physician, Video Game Trailblazer, and Craft Beer Entrepreneur | CREATE - The Podcast

As co-founder of BioWare, Greg helped create some of the most iconic story-driven games of our time, including Baldur’s Gate, Mass Effect, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. A trained medical doctor, he balanced family medicine with game development before fully committing to the studio—eventually leading it through its acquisition by Electronic Arts and serving as VP and GM of BioWare Austin. After stepping away in 2012 to pursue a more balanced life, Greg turned his attention to cr...

2 months ago

1 hour 7 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

Meet Jeff Meszaros – Artist, Storyteller, and Founder of JAM Bottle Cap Art | CREATE - The Podcast

Jeff’s creative journey began behind the bar, where he started collecting bottle caps simply because he couldn’t bring himself to throw them away. Eighteen years later, those caps have become the foundation of a thriving art career—transforming waste into bold, eye-catching mosaics. With over half a million caps repurposed, Jeff’s work now spans three continents, with clients including the Chicago Bulls, Labatt, the Blue Jays, and Joe Rogan. Before launching JAM full-time, Jeff built a ...

2 months ago

59 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

Meet Max Powers – Adventurer, Instructor, and Community-Minded Realtor | CREATE - The Podcast

Since 1994, Max has called the Columbia Valley home – a place that mirrors his passion for the outdoors, people, and possibility. His career has been anything but conventional: from building homes and launching early internet companies to founding flight schools and competing four times in the gruelling Red Bull X-Alps adventure race. Today, Max wears many hats—realtor with Re/Max Invermere, paddling guide with Columbia River Paddle, and chief instructor at flyingMax.com, where he shares his ...

2 months ago

52 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

Meet Peter Keith – Chef, Entrepreneur, and Community Builder | CREATE - The Podcast

Peter started cooking at 14 and hasn’t looked back. His work has earned him the title of Canadian Chef of the Year in 2020 and a spot on Edmonton’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2022. With experience in some of Canada’s top kitchens, international competition wins, and degrees in both culinary arts and business, his career bridges the worlds of food, entrepreneurship, and education. Today, Peter co-owns a trio of beloved Edmonton food ventures: Meuwly’s (specialty meats and charcuterie), The...

2 months ago

53 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

Kelly Mandeville – Connector, Creator, and Co-Founder of Monster Sauce | CREATE - The Podcast

Meet Kelly Mandeville – Connector, Creator, and Co-Founder of Monster Sauce. With a background in film production, marketing, and brand storytelling, Kelly has spent her career building bridges between people, products, and purpose. After nearly a decade introducing Canadians to beloved craft breweries like Phillips and Beau’s, she co-founded Hop Forward—a nonprofit promoting inclusion and equity in the beer and hospitality industries. In 2021, Kelly and her partner turned their go-to pandemi...

2 months ago

1 hour 17 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

The Best Bavarian Hefeweizen in the World - Jochen Fahr | LMFAB 126

Meet Jochen Fahr, founder of Brauerei Fahr, the award-winning brewery celebrated for its authentic German beers. Born and raised in Ebringen, Germany, Jochen’s love for brewing started early, influenced by his father’s work at the historic Fürstenberg Brewery. Years later, Jochen’s passion and appreciation for local farming converged in Alberta, where he established Brauerei Fahr in 2015. With a steadfast commitment to brewing “beer-flavoured” beer, Jochen brings the flavours of Germany...

11 months ago

1 hour 1 minute

CREATE - The Podcast

How can we influence the culture, but work within it at the same time? - Christine & Roger | LMFAB 125

Meet Christine Sandford and Roger Létourneau—seasoned chefs and founders of Lessig Ferments and Vagabond Pop-Ups. Roger founded Lessig Ferments in 2021, blending his French and German heritage with a deep passion for fermentation. Christine joined him as co-owner in 2023, and with combined experience from top restaurants in Edmonton, Belgium, Denmark, and France, the duo brings an impressive blend of creativity, sustainability, and craftsmanship to their ventures. Recently, they launched Vaga...

12 months ago

1 hour 13 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

It’s not just about making a dollar, it’s about doing good in the community. - Matt Livingstone | LMFAB 124

Meet Matt Livingstone, Sales Director at Village Brewery. Matt’s career started at McDonald's, where he learned the values of hard work, customer service, and teamwork. These experiences sparked his passion for connecting with people and led him into the fast-paced world of food & beverage. From there, he spent several years selling imported beers, gaining a deep appreciation for global brewing traditions and learning the ins and outs of the beer market. Now, with a decade at Village Brew...

1 year ago

41 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

When you can go do something you’re passionate about, it feels purposeful - Luke Butterworth | LMFAB 123

Meet Luke Butterworth, Cofounder of EPIC Market - Edmonton-based food hall, events and media company. Luke’s passion for innovation and entrepreneurship was sparked early, leading him down a diverse path in the startup world. While earning his Executive MBA from the University of Alberta, he co-founded three startups in Telehealth, Robotics, and AI/ML. His experience at the NEXT36/NextAI incubator in Toronto further solidified his commitment to entrepreneurship, shaping his vision for t...

1 year ago

58 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

You've got to be comfortable with being uncomfortable - Steve McVicker | LMFAB 122

Meet Steve McVicker, co-founder and Chief Brand Officer of the iconic Canadian Caesar brand, Matt & Steve's. Matt & Steve’s journey began with a single goal: to make the classic Caesar even better. Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, Steve’s entrepreneurial flame was ignited at a very young age. Alongside his best friend Matt, Steve set out to elevate the classic Caesar, creating a product that would soon become a staple for Caesar lovers everywhere. What started with The E...

1 year ago

43 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

Beer isn’t just a commodity - it brings people together - Eric Schrader | LMFAB 121

Meet Eric Schrader, beer captain and owner of Leduc Brewing Company. For three generations, the city of Leduc has been home to his family. Eric has always felt a deep connection to his community and a desire to give back. After the social isolation of the pandemic, Eric felt inspired to help build up the community in Leduc and bring people together through his love for beer. In 2023, Leduc Brewing Company was born. As the owner of Leduc Brewing Company, Eric aims to create a space where...

1 year ago

37 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

How do we create a sustainable food system?- Marc Wandler | LMFAB 120

Meet Marc Wandler - Co-founder and CEO of Susgrainable. An expert in the emerging circular economy, Marc has led his business from an idea to securing an offer on CBC Dragons’ Den (Season 18, Episode 14). Marc’s journey as a founder began with a class project at UBC while pursuing his MBA. Wanting to bring this project to life, Marc launched Susgrainable in 2018. Susgrainable upcycles spent grains from craft brewers to create nutritious, delicious, easy-to-make upcycled barley flour, ba...

1 year ago

1 hour 32 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

I wanted to learn everything from the ground up - Ignacio Rodriguez | LMFAB 119

Meet Ignacio Rodriguez - Manager of Brewing Operations at Big Rock Brewery. Originally from Venezuela, Ignacio moved to Canada in 2015 and has been in the brewing industry for 7 years. Now in his third year at Big Rock, he oversees beer-making processes in Calgary and operations in BC and Ontario. A Chemical Engineer with brewing studies from Siebel Institute, he graduated with honours from the Brewing program at Kwantlen Polytechnic. His achievements throughout his career include a gold meda...

1 year ago

56 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

You can't define yourself by what you sell but how you sell it - Mark Hamilton | LMFAB 118

Meet Mark Hamilton, the Director of Sales & Marketing at Origin Malting & Brewing. With a long-standing career in the beverage alcohol industry, Mark has seen it all and still loves every moment of it. His experience in the On-Premise channel is unparalleled, having worked on iconic brands like Guinness, Bacardi, Grey Goose, Crown Royal, and Jack Daniels. Mark's journey has taken him across Western Canada, beginning on Vancouver Island and eventually returning to his hometown of...

1 year ago

1 hour 7 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

Adventurous Brewing in the Barley Belt - Alex Horner | LMFAB 117

Meet Alex Horner - outdoor adventurer, craft beer enthusiast, and co-founder of Banded Peak Brewing. Located in the heart of the Barley Belt in Calgary, Banded Peak brews adventurous beer for adventurous people. Alex started the company with his two childhood friends in 2016 after experimenting with homebrewing, and was quickly acquired by Labatt in 2020. Named after the iconic summit in Kananaskis Country, Banded Peak tries to use as much Alberta barley as possible, totaling about 90% ...

1 year ago

42 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

Remembering Abi Moore | LMFAB 116

This is a special episode of the Let’s Meet For a Beer Podcast. Abi Moore, a very special part of our community, recently passed away in a tragic accident. I was fortunate to connect with Abi a few years ago to record a podcast, and I want to re-share our conversation again today. A little bit about Abi… Abi was a huge part of the Fernie Brewing Family, and an integral member of Fernie’s running community. Abi first started running while living in London. At the time she worked wi...

1 year ago

49 minutes

CREATE - The Podcast

The only thing I can do is be me - hopefully that inspires others - Wilson Wong | LMFAB 115

Meet Wilson Wong - sales professional, author, co-owner of three businesses, and passionate community builder. An expert in direct sales, Wilson began his career in 2008 selling Cutco knives, specializing in business appreciation and closing gifts. Beyond sales, Wilson is the co-owner of CRW Orient Coffee Company, Van Loc Vietnamese Sandwiches, and Boa & Hare Coffee and Cocktails - all located in Edmonton’s Chinatown. Passionate about real estate and community involvement, Wilson is a ded...

1 year ago

43 minutes