Better Than Not

Do you have challenges getting the news you want? Then this episode may be for you. Even seemed appropriate to be the first episode done both on rooftop and in the rain. I had the pleasure and privilege to speak with serial entrepreneur Kira Shishkin, founder and president of informed.now and recognized on Forbes 30 Under 30. Kira shared his journey from a traumatic car accident to founding four companies, the fourth of which—infor...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I had the pleasure to speak with musician Bill Bell about his musical life--and what a journey! From his early days in Sudbury playing in garage bands and working in music stores to performing with legends like Alex Lifeson, Jason Mraz and Tom Cochran. Discover Bill’s insights into the music industry, song writing, and the importance of perseverance and “being real” in a career spanning over 45 y...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I had the pleasure and privilege to speak with historian and author Iain Provan, a retired professor from Regent College who now consults and lectures through his company The Cuckoos Consultancy. I met Iain at his lecture series on the History of Christianity, a course timed perfectly with my journey of faith. Iain shared insights into the importance of understanding history and how entrenched Ch...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I had occasion to again speak with Jon Balzer, father, entrepreneur and mover. Our first conversation was in audio format, Episode #10 of the podcast. In that episode, Jon told the story of how he and his wife adopted two boys, but he could only go so far with what he could say. In this heartfelt conversation, Jon shared the full story of his and his wife’s extraordinary journey in adopting twin ...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I had the privilege of a second conversation with investigative journalist and publisher of The Bureau, Sam Cooper. Sam revealed the deeply interconnected issues plaguing Canada—from organized crime and government corruption to land disputes and international influence. Much of what Sam shared in Episode #111 has proven to be accurate. Sam spoke on how these covert threats threaten Canada's s...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I had the pleasure to speak with Mark Winters, aerospace engineer turned touring musician. Mark shared his extraordinary story of morphing an engineering world into one of music. Mark explained how his innate curiosity, supportive family, and relentless pursuit of learning transformed his life. He gave insight into how his creativity, science, and emotional expression intertwine. If you would lik...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I again had the pleasure to speak with friend, engineer and innovator, Payman Kianpour. Payman is the founder and president of Kepstrum Inc, a design and thinking company. We explored the nature of problem solving through the idea of definition versus understanding and the importance of setting expectation throughout. Payman highlighted the profound shift from defining a problem to expanding an u...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I again had the pleasure to speak with Eric Heath pastor of Northview Community Church’s Central Abbotsford Campus. Eric guested previously in Episode #65. Eric shared more of his unique journey from lawyer to pastoral ministry. We explored the importance of biblical study and reflected on the role of faith in our changing society. Eric also spoke of the influence of potential legislation to our ...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I again had the pleasure to talk with friend, music aficionado and Atlantis lead guitarist Craig Collett. Craig shared more of his musical journey, favorite instruments, legendary concerts, and the stories behind some of his iconic gear. Craig delved into some of his extensive knowledge of rock history and guitar collecting. He spoke about how the joy of music connects a community. If you would l...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I had the pleasure to talk with resident author at Valley CrossWay Church, Pastor April Yamasaki, who is also editor of Rejoice magazine. April shared her journey from childhood dreams of writing to her calling in pastoral ministry. She discussed her new book “Hope Beyond Our Sorrows,” the importance of faith and community. She offered insight into navigating grief after her husband’s death. She ...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I had the privilege to talk with sportscaster Paul Romanuk, who many will remember as the voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He shared his journey from playing road hockey in Oshawa to announcing play-by-play for the Leafs. We discussed the evolution of hockey and music, the magic of bands like The Beatles, and the power of podcasting to explore stories in depth. Paul talked about his love for mus...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I had the pleasure to talk with Pastor Jesse Wilson who leads the Community and Care Ministry at Northview Community Church. Jesse shared his journey from a non-ministry background to becoming a pastor. He spoke on the power of prayer, community, and trusting in God's guidance. Jesse talked about the importance of staying rooted in scripture amidst cultural pressure. He described how faith, p...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I had the privilege and pleasure to talk with lo-fi popstar and recording artist Powfu (aka Isaiah Faber.) Isaiah shared his journey from creating music in his bedroom and uploading to Soundcloud to become a streaming sensation with over 3.5 billion streams of his work to date. He discussed his creative process including what was behind his hit “death bed (coffee for your head).” He talked about ...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I had the pleasure to talk with Mark Medley, Deputy Editor, Opinion at Canada's The Globe and Mail and author of the new book “Live to See the Day.” This was a very unique and special episode for me. I originally met Mark through his Globe article, “The hardest working novelist you’ve never heard of.” This time around, however, Mark was on the other side of the table to talk about his work an...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I had the distinct pleasure to talk with music composer Jeffrey Ryan. In 2025, I attended Gryphon Trio's performance of Jeff’s composition Chimera. Listening to the piece took me on a mind-expanding musical odyssey. Did the same to my wife. I reached out to Jeff and voila this episode followed. Jeff shared his journey from pop music influences to classical composition and the craft behind his...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I had the distinct privilege to talk with John Johnstone who is Stó:lō First Nations and works with Multiply and Inner Hope Youth Ministries in BC. I met John after participating in a Blanket Exercise that he hosted. I was so impacted by the event that I invited him to the podcast. We explored themes of identity, reconciliation, and the importance of relationship. John spoke on the significance o...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I had the pleasure to talk with Pastor Cameron Moore about his journey from Atlanta, Georgia, to Nanaimo, British Columbia, where he is involved in church planting. Cam talked about God's faithfulness throughout his journey and emphasized the need for open conversations about faith in today's society. He shared in his walk from musician to discovering his calling in preaching and church p...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I had the pleasure of a return visit with radio personality and political commentator Scott Thompson. Scott talked about the shifting political landscape in Canada including leadership and immigration. We talked about the shift in the housing market, the challenges facing the healthcare system, and the cultural shifts particularly in mental health awareness. Scott addressed the future outlook for...

In this episode of Better Than Not, I had the pleasure of a return visit with Tizneem Jiancaro, PhD, master coach and engineer. We explored a wide range of topics in this episode including the nature of perception, the evolution of AI, the importance of memory and beliefs, and the journey of self-discovery. Tizneem talked about the significance of mystery in the human experience and the need for purpose in life, ultimately highligh...