What Connects Us

Conexus Credit Union

A podcast featuring people in Saskatchewan that explores human connection, meaningful conversation and the role that money plays in our hopes, dreams and fears. Powered by Conexus Credit Union.

  1. Celina Philpot: Nice to CU. Let's make HERstory.

    2022-12-15

    Celina Philpot: Nice to CU. Let's make HERstory.

    It's the season finale of the What Connects Us Podcast and we're featuring our new CEO who made HERstory when she signed on with Conexus. We're chatting with Celina Philpot about her journey to becoming our first female CEO. Celina chats about her origin story as a first generation immigrant, the experience she gained in the credit union system, what it meant to her to become Conexus' CEO, what her first few months have been like and what we can expect from her in the future. Celina also talks about why family and community means so much to her and she gives some valuable insight into how we can help support new Canadians as they establish themselves in their new home.

    1h 9m
  2. Tenille Arts: The country road I've taken to Nashville

    2022-11-24

    Tenille Arts: The country road I've taken to Nashville

    Today's guest on the What Connects Us Podcast is a country music star who is making a big impact in Nashville by reaching number one on the country music charts, performing at the Grand Ole Opry and just finished touring with Lady A. Tenille Arts joins the What Connects Us Podcast to break down the highs and lows that come with establishing yourself in the very competitive country music industry, how musicians make money, how her appearances performing on the Bachelor catapulted her career, the pressures of being in the public eye and the impact it's had on her mental health, and how she is continually defying the odds to gain momentum and solidify herself as one of country music's top new artists.

    1h 18m
  3. Janna Pratt: Surviving residential schools and a fight for my daughter's life

    2022-11-10

    Janna Pratt: Surviving residential schools and a fight for my daughter's life

    On a new episode of the What Connects Us Podcast, we're featuring someone who is a fighter in every sense of the word. Not only is Janna Pratt the first Indigenous woman to obtain a black belt in Canada, but she is a survivor of the residential school system, a trailblazer for Indigenous people in Saskatchewan and a resilient mother of a child with complex medial needs. Janna shares her experience navigating forced cultural assimilation, what she remembers about the residential school experience, how she's helped change Saskatchewan law, what it's like to be a mother of a child with complex medical needs, how she navigates the roller coaster of emotions, and the impact her entire experience has had on her and her family. She also talks about the importance of the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital and how it's been a game-changer for her and her daughter.

    1h 20m
  4. Tahnee Smerchynski: Taking on grief for a second time

    2022-10-26

    Tahnee Smerchynski: Taking on grief for a second time

    On a brand new episode of the What Connects Us Podcast, we're welcoming back our first returning and most listened to guests who has another incredibly compelling, heartbreaking and insightful story to share. Back in March 2021, Tahnee Smerchynski joined the podcast to share how her brother's sudden and tragic passing impacted her life and the perspective she gained through her grief journey. If losing one immediate family member wasn't enough, Tahnee has just recently lost her father after he became critically ill while vacationing in Costa Rica. Tahnee is going to share what she learned as she navigated the complex process of racing against time to get her father home to Canada, what travel insurance looked like and how it saved her family thousands of dollars, how her second round with losing an immediate family member impacted her grief journey, and the similarities and differences from losing her brother. Tahnee's impactful self-reflection, wisdom and authenticity really resonated with listeners during her first episode and she's showing up with the same transparent and engaging story telling style. This episode aims to educate others on the complicated process of returning to Canada when becoming ill overseas and to help anyone taking on their second round of grief.

    1h 10m
  5. Lesley Kelly: Cultivating mental health awareness in agriculture

    2022-10-13

    Lesley Kelly: Cultivating mental health awareness in agriculture

    Approximately 45% of farmers across Canada report that they live with high stress and 58% meet the threshold for anxiety. Plus, harvest brings a whole new added level of stress and pressure to farmers all across the province. We're kicking off season seven of the podcast by chatting with an ag producer that is disrupting the industry by spreading awareness about mental health. Lesley Kelly is a female ag producer from Watrous who is on a mission to connect farmers by supporting the agriculture industry by empowering conversations about the importance of mental health. Lesley joins the What Connects Us Podcast to share her story about navigating postpartum depression and other mental health challenges in her family and how it motivated her to co-found the Do More Ag Foundation and her blog High Heels and Canola Fields. She also talks how the passing of her father impacted her and her family farm operation while sharing some incredibly powerful insight passed down from her dad. Link to Lesley's blog: https://highheelsandcanolafields.com/

    1h 28m
  6. Alex Clarke: Breaking the ice and earning my stripes

    2022-08-11

    Alex Clarke: Breaking the ice and earning my stripes

    It's the season finale of season six of the podcast and today's guest has made history by breaking the ice ceiling in an Olympic way.  Alex Clarke grew up playing hockey and it eventually took her across the border to play at an NCAA level. However, the conclusion of her playing career was only the beginning of the impact she would make on the ice. Alex became a hockey official in 2015 and after years of hard work and sacrifices, she made history as the first female linesperson in the Western Hockey League. She didn't stop there though, because only months later she was selected to officiate at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing.  Sounds pretty incredible, right? Alex joins us to share both the highs and lows of the journey that includes the thick skin she's had to develop as a female in a highly genderized and intense industry, the sacrifices that come with becoming an official at the highest level and how she balances it as a new mother, what it's like to be thrown into the spotlight as a trailblazer and how COVID-19 impacted her Olympic dream.

    1h 18m
  7. Kristjan Hebert: Transforming agriculture and evolving my family farm

    2022-07-28

    Kristjan Hebert: Transforming agriculture and evolving my family farm

    This week's guest on the What Connects Us Podcast is no stranger to Saskatchewan's agricultural eco-system and is known for cultivating his own definition of a "family farm". After a brief stint in pre-med school, Kristjan Hebert recognized he was in the wrong swim lane and made the decision to pivot and re-invest in his roots. Kristjan became an accountant and returned to his family farm to instantly disrupt and evolve the farming operation. Now the managing partner of Hebert Grain Ventures - a 30,000+ acre grain and oilseed operation, Kristjan has embraced what he originally didn't want to be classified as - "just a farmer". Kristjan shares with us the unique grid road he took to leading one of the most progressive family farms in Saskatchewan, how he was able to quickly scale his business, some invaluable perspective he's gained along, what keeps him up at night and how he re-invests back into the province.

    1h 16m

  8. 2022-07-14

    Andy Chung: Embracing my roots & not cutting myself short

    Saskatchewan welcomes ~15,000 immigrants into the province every year and today's guest on the What Connects Us Podcast shares how being a second generation immigrant impacted his upbringing and his journey to becoming one of Regina's most beloved barbers. Andy Chung's parents moved to Regina shortly before he was born so Andy grew up in the intersection of cultural and westernized values. Andy joins the podcast to chat about how he balances both traditions while sharing the unique perspective he's drawn from it that he's been able to pass on as a father, barber and small business owner. Plus, Andy tells his story about how dropping out of university allowed him to follow his passion of haircutting and eventually led him to opening his own business - Canvas Hair Studio - that is disrupting a highly genderized industry.

    1h 18m
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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
34 Ratings

About

A podcast featuring people in Saskatchewan that explores human connection, meaningful conversation and the role that money plays in our hopes, dreams and fears. Powered by Conexus Credit Union.

Information

  • Creator
    Conexus Credit Union
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2022
  • Episodes
    44
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Conexus Credit Union
  • Show Website
    What Connects Us