Scott Borkowski has an energy that’s calm yet dynamic. Humble but no doubt powerful. Creativity pours out of him as an artist, tattoo artist, skateboarder, entrepreneur and owner of Grateful Tattoo in Squamish, Canada. Born and raised in Toronto, though his parents both worked in the corporate world, they unconditionally supported his artistry and …

Sara Gulamali is bright and brilliant, not only as a person but also as an award-winning young artist. For years, she’s created her own works, has hosted creative events through the Tate Exchange Programme and is now part of supporting artists as associate director at Howard495 Gallery, a global art advisory firm and gallery serving new and dedicat…

Adam Lewis is precisely the kind of person you want in your life: a supportive friend, conscious being, creator/entrepreneur & community builder. He’s driven and fired up, while also being open and vulnerable—an admirable balance. He was founder of flash chilled coffee brand Miura, before launching hot & cold therapy circuit The Portal Project. Now…

There’s a built-in optimism and passion to Sung Lee that’s contagious—and he is well-loved by many because of it. He was employee number one at Herschel Supply, first as a graphic designer and, over the course of a decade, became the brand’s creative director. Now, Sung leads creative at premium, contemporary dinnerware brand Fable. He was born in …

Dean Morris is a very good man. It’s a feeling you get immediately—he feels like the human version of an all-encompassing, welcoming hug. A longtime educator, he found his way to being a pastor, an athlete and lululemon ambassador and now co-host of the podcast A Little More Good & A More Good Media cofounder. He grew up in Richmond, on an acre pro…

Donnel Garcia walks with a vibe of confidence, but it’s one that’s chill and observant. For many years, he was a careworker drawn to behavioural development programs, helping figuring out what people were good at and helping them create routines to integrate them back into society. Photography was a side hobby that became a career, working with cli…

Reanna Evoy has a playful spirit and imagination that just can’t be replicated or replaced. Her life and work are beautiful reflections of being born creative and free—she cofounded Butter Magazine with friend Kris Blizzard, was art director of Enroute Magazine, creative director of Aldo Shoes and Kit and Ace, and is now cofounder of creative studi…

Maddalen Pasini is a force. Her passion for her passions is infectious, transfixing when she’s talking about the things she’s bringing into the world. A long-time publicist, she began at Joe Fresh as an intern, then went to Toronto-based boutique agency Faulhaber Communications. Over the years, her clientele grew beyond fashion into design, hospita…

Emma Devin is, quite simply, magical. Welcoming and funny, they have a gift for transmuting your energy into a more peaceful state the moment they give you a hug. The cofounder of Brood, Western Canada’s largest doula agency, Emma is trailblazing in the care industry and helping redefine familial structures and what family can mean. They were born …

Some people bring a serene energy when they come into a room—Amanda Giannakos is one of them. The cofounder of Movement by NM and head of marketing & in-house counsel for Omnifilm Entertainment began her career working in film before finding her truest calling in helping others cultivate an intrinsic joy and love for movement. A Vancouverite all he…

Powerhouse is one way to describe Andrea Mestrovic, who has had a long and accomplished career across various disciplines: sales & marketing, brand, public relations, consumer packaged goods, and journalism. She's held top positions at companies and brands like Shared Vision Magazine, International Cellars, the Kanke Group, Oak Bay Marine Group, Ol…

Instead of a full episode this week, we put together our second compilation of answers to the show's final question. As regular listeners of The Craft know, I ask the same question of my guests at the end of each episode: with what you do, what it is that you want to leave behind in the world? Here are some nuggets of life and legacy wisdom from ar…

Commercial & documentary filmmaker Marko Roth has the soul of a storyteller—there’s a depth of heart he brings to every conversation, and that depth shows itself in his canon of work. His short film Masque-19, a devastating story reflecting the increase in domestic abuse cases during the pandemic, was shortlisted at YDA Cannes Lions and won for Bes…

Martin MacPhail is a special one. His ability to immediately connect with people is a rare talent—one of many that he possesses. He's been a lifelong musician and after starting indie rock band Theset with his friends & touring cities, they landed a record deal and moved to Toronto. A record release and band changes later, the group morphed into Ju…

When Ariel Swan is in the room, you feel her presence. Her laugh is big and infectious, her speech cadence is quick and lively. A long-time professional dancer, she started her career at 18-years-old, traveling the world performing on cruise ships and doing commercial gigs. Eventually, she became a pilates & Lagree instructor and cofounded popular …

Sara Harowitz is one smart and witty woman. She’s also a wordsmith at heart, a long-time editor of publications such as the Huffington Post, SAD Mag, and MONTECRISTO Magazine. By day, she’s the director of content at vitruvi, where she led the creation of their in-house print & digital publication Our Natural Habitat. By night, she’s a literary age…

Payton Nyquvest has a way of being that makes others feel truly seen and heard. As the founder & CEO of Numinus, his company aims to empower people to heal through the development and delivery of innovative mental health care and access to safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies. And there is no doubt that Payton is genuine in his calli…

Nick Lo is an entrepreneur to his core, with an introspective nature that that is sometimes atypical of a hard-driving polymath hustler. He’s accomplished, no doubt: a physiotherapist, founder of Physio Room, part of the original Myodetox team (formerly COO and now a senior advisor), cofounder of web3 creative studio Oddfutur3, and cofounder of glo…

Anna Heyd has an animated energy that, in turn, energizes all those around her. The cofounder of luxury linen bedding company Flax Home has a million creative ideas and personal interests, and she develops deep relationships with others quickly. Prior to launching Flax with two business partners, she was in restaurants & hospitality, running the Ha…

Rachel Rivera and Claire Ouchi are as vibrant and joyful in real life as the colourful work they create together as art duo the WKDNRS. After working as applied graphic designers & colour designers at lululemon and Aritzia for a number of years, the two took a leap of faith to start the WKNDRS and also cofounded Holaday together. They both grew up …

Artist Mega McGrath has a beautiful, poetic soul. To be in her presence is to converse about the profound, and her ability to listen creates a natural sense of comfort. She grew up in a suburb outside of Vancouver in a traditional, steadfast family. Her mother consistently encouraged her instinctual creativity and musicality, from guitar lessons to…

Justin Tisdall has been many things in his life: a competitive athlete, a lyricist & musician and a veteran of the restaurant industry. He made his way from serving cocktails at Feenie’s and doing fine dining service at Lumiere to working at Boneta, Market by Jean Georges at the Shangrila, running house at Chambar and finally starting his own estab…

Hello friends, We are very excited for this week’s podcast. Not only is this conversation rich, fun, and inspiring, it is my first-ever collaborative podcast with my dear friends Zach Berman and Dean Morris of A Little More Good podcast. And the reason for this creative format was inspired by our guest, the one and only Jeff Hamada. Jeff is a Japan…

Pennylane Shen is the consummate conversationalist—to get into a discussion with her is to go deep into all topics. The artist consultant and founder of Dazed & Confucius has spent decades in the art world, particularly the fine art space, working in galleries, teaching and, now, guiding artists around the globe as they build and refine their pract…

I’m doing something a little different this week, something short and sweet. As most regular listeners of The Craft know, I ask the same question of my guests at the end of each episode: with what you do, what is it that you want to leave behind in the world? Been reflecting on the answers I've heard from season one to now—here are a few that stuck…

Clay and Cody Allmin are two of the most down-to-earth entrepreneurs around. Together, the identical twin brothers started Boxset Collective, a company that runs a number of well-loved eat & drink establishments: Published on Main, Bar Susu, Twin Sails Brewing, Thorn and Burrow Wine, Mama Said Pizza, and coming-soon Novella Coffee Bar. They were bo…

Marlon Thompson is a truly wonderful human who is building a better, more inclusive business world. His passion for bringing equity, community and education to the venture capital space led him to launch Future Capital in 2020, alongside being a partner at LOI Venture. In a former chapter, he was also a spin instructor and a lululemon ambassador. H…

Craig Stanghetta is a fascinating human—warmhearted, eclectic, and undeniably talented. The designer and founder of award-winning multidisciplinary Ste Marie Studio, he’s had a major hand in many of the beautiful restaurants and commercial, retail, mixed-use & multi-residential spaces in Vancouver and beyond. He was born in Sault Ste Marie, an indu…

Zach Bulick has a genuinely kind and open spirit, underpinned by an intuitive sharpness that unearths itself once in conversation with him. The longtime designer has forged a career in a number of industries, from institutions and nonprofits Union Gospel Mission to agencies Burnkit, Domain7 and now global firm Versett, where he is currently a desig…

Carey Hulshof is as sharp as they come. The founder of concept store Secret Location (@slocation) has a mind that operates a mile a minute, making connections and conjuring up future-forward ideas quickly and seemingly with great ease. She grew up in a close, supportive family steeped in generations of agriculture. Time was often spent with sibling…

[SPECIAL EDITION] I loved this conversation. Our second The Craft live podcast recording in partnership with Herschel Supply drops today, this time with Jamie & Lyndon Cormack, the brother cofounders of Herschel Supply Co. In 1906, their great grandparents—through a homestead program—moved across the Atlantic from Scotland to Canada. They landed on…

There’s something about the energy of Dario Phillips that makes you feel instantly comfortable, like you’re hanging out with an old friend. The cofounder of Slowtide started his career by following his interests before landing firmly in the action sports industry, leading marketing at Quiksilver and HUF. He was born in Toronto, into a big family wi…

Raymond Shoolman is a gentle, intuitive, and wise elder statesman of fashion and retail. A veteran executive and consultant in those industries, he helped grow upscale multi-brand menswear retailer Boys'Co to major success alongside the Goldman family for over a decade, before taking an offer at Hugo Boss, where he was a vice president in the Canad…

This episode is a special edition, in partnership with Herschel Supply & Herschel Vancouver. Thank you to the Herschel team for reaching out about doing a live conversation slash live podcast recording with us at their Robson Street location, bringing the community together for an fun, inspiring night—I’m super honoured. To friends and community wh…

Nat Tersigni is both an open book and an enigma, at the same time. A long-time retail veteran, she has been running Gravity Pope Tailored Goods for more than a decade, bringing her warmth & impeccable taste to the shop, to her clients, and to the community. She was born and raised in Toronto, in a family that is Italian in every sense of the word: …

Mark George possesses an original perspective, someone with the ability to look at the world and spaces in it with a nonconformist eye. The longtime designer & furniture maker recently founded August Studios, an East Vancouver building for artists, designers, and makers to work, learn, and collaborate. Born in Miami, his family moved to Seattle whe…

Amanda Lee Smith is a true visionary. An early start in journalism as a teen led her into a career in communications at various places, before landing a plum brand content role at Kit and Ace. She then took a chance on herself, launching Coterie Co., which eventually became Monday Creative, a branding & content marketing agency that counts lululemo…

CJ Swanton is in a league of his own, a man of impeccable taste. A longtime communications professional, he launched his career in Vancouver as part of the Obakki team before moving to New York for many years. There, he worked with labels such as Proenza Schouler, Jason Wu, Isaac Mizrahi, G-Star, Gola and Lars Andersson through MAO PR and, eventual…

Artist Zoë Pawlak is an incredible beam of human light. She has a way of connecting with others upon first meeting them—nothing is trite or superficial when in conversation with her. To be in her presence is to go deep into life’s mysteries, and deeply laugh while at it. She is a beloved painter and product designer who has built a successful, sust…

Cemre Demiralp is an incredible force of nature, not one to live her life without bringing meaningful change to the world. She has spent much of her art career thus far working at various museums and institutions, mainly with established blue chip artists and creatives: Kerry James Marshall, Robert Buck, Lara Favaretto, Ian Wallace, Simon Starling,…

There’s a wonderful gentleness to Richard Smart, the owner of EC Rarebooks, a subterranean shop in Gastown full of first edition books and titles. A third-generation book restorer, he—and his late grandfather and late father—are well-known and trusted in the large international antiquarian book world as the best at their craft. He grew up in London…

When Shannon Heth walks into a room, it’s hard not to be drawn in by her presence. Once you’re in conversation, it’s hard not to be captivated by her intelligence. After a stint in film & wardrobe after university, Shannon found her stride as a publicist, working at agencies and with clients in both Vancouver and New York before founding her own ag…

To know Dickson Li is to love him. A sales veteran in the skate & snowboard industries, he’s represented a variety of major brands for over a decade: OBEY Clothing, Taikan, Dragon, thirtytwo, and more. He’s also co-founder of popular dumpling brand Dicky’s Dumps, something he launched a few years ago with his life partner Pearl Lam. He grew up on t…

Sean Blishen is a bright soul, her personality and smile light up any room. After working in fashion retail and then healthcare, she turned a candle-making hobby into a full-fledged business, launching Kilig Candle Co. Her Filipino mother immigrated to Canada from Singapore in her early 30s, after working there as a nanny. She applied to move to Va…

To boil down the beautiful essence and spirit of Steve Rio down to a few adjectives is next to impossible. The musician, investor, former founder & CEO of social impact agency Briteweb and current co-founder of Enfold Institute & Nature of Work has a calm, centered inner compass that feels rare in our frenzied world. He was made in Hong Kong, born …

Vince Garcia emanates warmth and welcoming energy—he’s someone who feels immediately like an old friend upon first meeting. One of the four cofounders of award-winning Kasama Chocolate, he has spent the last six years building the bean-to-bar artisanal chocolate brand from the ground up (and with no formal chocolate-making experience) with his busi…

On a long list of women to admire, the classy, ambitious, and courageous Tiffany Soper is near the top of it. The well-respected veteran publicist began her career working for other PR professionals before landing at Hawksworth Communications, then becoming a partner at Avenue PR. She now has her own agency Nine Point Agency, with a client roster f…

There is a natural elegance and sparkle to Paris-based Danielle Barich. The former event planner and now sensory strategist has worked with the likes of Nike, Monique Lhuillier, Bioderma, Nespresso and Veuve Clicquot to help them deliver brand & consumer experiences around the five senses: taste, touch, smell, hearing, sight. Born in Toronto, Danie…

Britney Gill is someone who lives each day and moment in her truth. The longtime photographer has traveled the world shooting lifestyle, fashion, and consumer brands with the eye of an artist. She was born and raised in suburbia, the daughter of an Indian father who moved to Canada at 18-years-old from Punjab and a Caucasian mother. Her introductio…

Matt Corker and Chad Clark have a strength of bond that is undeniable—their love feels deep and true. Matt spent years in people & leadership development at lululemon and The Corker Collective, and is now the COO of global fashion & lifestyle brand Smash + Tess. Chad spent decades in retail and hospitality, getting his retail start at Banana Republ…