The Gift of Happy with Mark Kondrat

Hosted by Mark Kondrat

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Mar 2026

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About the show

Welcome to The Gift of Happy podcast, a space dedicated to empowering those on their journey to their highest selves. Founded on the three principles of health - mind, body, and soul - The Gift of Happy is committed to creating a supportive environment for personal growth and transformation. Through inspiring conversations with experts and community members, we share insights, experiences, and strategies for achieving balance in all aspects of life. Whether it’s building mental resilience, enhancing physical fitness, or fostering spiritual well-being, The Gift of Happy podcast delves into the critical intersections of these three pillars of health. Join us as we explore the paths to personal fulfillment and uncover the secrets to living a balanced, enriched life.

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60 recent

March 25, 20261 hr 0 min

Alastair Smart: Happiness Through Connection and Curiosity

My friend and mentor, Alastair Smart, is someone who truly embodies what it means to live a full and happy life. Born and raised in England, he began his career as a police officer before following a path that eventually brought him to Canada. Along the way, he embraced a wide range of experiences - from driving taxis to managing retail stores - each shaping his perspective on people, work, and community.That journey ultimately led him to Calgary, where he became the first salesperson for Big Rock Brewery, helping build one of Canada’s pioneering craft beer brands. Beyond his career, Alastair is known as a mentor and connector - someone who has helped foster a culture of generosity and collaboration across an entire industry. Alastair’s story is one of curiosity, resilience, and leading with kindness.Guest:Alastair Smart: Instagram | LinkedIn Host:Mark Kondrat: Instagram | LinkedIn The Gift of Happy: Instagram | Website

March 12, 20261 hr 4 min

Breaking Silence: Reclaiming Your Voice with Amber Nicole Hayes

Amber Nicole Hayes is an entrepreneur and author of The Obedient Daughter — a powerful memoir about breaking silence, confronting trauma, and reclaiming your voice.After leaving the corporate world to build her own design business, Amber’s greatest transformation happened internally. At 37, after carrying the secret of childhood sexual abuse for 25 years, she faced a battle with depression that ultimately became the catalyst for radical honesty and healing. Refusing to dilute her truth — even when it meant walking away from a publisher — Amber chose integrity over comfort.Today, she is an advocate for women’s empowerment, mental health awareness, and breaking generational cycles of trauma. Guided by her two daughters — her ultimate “why” — Amber lives her message daily through movement, mindfulness, therapy, and fearless authenticity.Guest:Amber Nicole Hayes: Instagram | Website Host:Mark Kondrat: Instagram | LinkedIn The Gift of Happy: Instagram | Website

March 12, 2025Episode 81 hr 6 min

10 Marathons, 10 Days, 10 Provinces: Mike Hanson’s Mission to Give Back

Meet Mike Hanson, a devoted husband, father of four, and endurance athlete with a mission. Happily married and raising a young family, Mike’s life changed in 2012 when his twin boys were diagnosed with autism. Confronted with the challenges of accessing resources, Mike turned his determination into action, launching fundraising efforts to support families in need. In 2017, he ran his first marathon, raising an impressive $61,000. Since then, running has become more than a sport—it’s a vehicle for resilience, awareness, and community impact.This May, Mike is preparing for his biggest challenge yet: running 10 marathons in 10 days across 10 provinces with his friend, Dave Morin. Their ambitious goal? To raise $1 million for charities that break down barriers to sports and social support for children in need.Balancing intense training, work, and family requires discipline. Mike starts his days at 3 AM, proving that with routine and commitment, even the biggest goals are possible. Join us as we dive into Mike’s inspiring journey—his experiences as a father, runner, and advocate for children in need. We’ll talk about his upcoming challenge, his approach to balance, and how anyone, with enough passion and effort, can make an impact.Guest: Mike Hanson: LinkedIn 10in10in10: Instagram | Website

February 25, 2025Episode 742 min

A Yoga Journey - Finding My Passion Through Teaching Others

Meet Lisa Clemens, Owner of Kootenay Yoga School, with operations in Canada, California and Mexico.Lisa is originally from Christina Lake BC - currently residing between Joshua Tree California and Isla Mujeres Mexico. Through her company, Lisa offers Yoga Teacher Training to aspiring teachers and has a blast doing it!On the podcast, we discuss how Lisa and her team built the Kootenay Yoga School. Lisa started working in wellness around 8 years ago, in Mexico, focusing on retreat coordination. Over time Lisa decided to branch off into education focused around wellness - which is where she was most passionate.When entrepreneurship, lifestyle and passion align it’s beautiful to see. I love sharing stories of people who have made this happen - and Lisa is one of these people! Guest: LISA CLEMENS - KOOTENAY YOGA SCHOOL: Instagram | Website

February 12, 2025Episode 655 min

Secrets From a Successful Entrepreneur - Build Meaningful Connections and Have Fun!

Meet Derek Hovinga, Founder of The Inbound Lab - helping founders and startups grow their companies.Derek's career spans a number of industries - construction, radio, television and film. With all of the skills he’s acquired in these industries - and a knack of storytelling - he's now enjoying a successful career as an entrepreneur.On the podcast, we discuss how Derek balances his love of work with living a healthy lifestyle. When it comes to his positive daily habits, he says it’s about “showing up for myself”. Derek is a great example of how an entrepreneur can build a successful business on their own terms - I hope you enjoy our conversation.Guest: DEREK HOVINGA: Instagram | LinkedInTHE INBOUND LAB: Website

February 4, 2025Episode 51 hr 1 min

Realizing Your Purpose Through Service To Others

Meet Brian Thiessen, practicing labour lawyer and candidate to be Calgary’s next mayor.Brian has witnessed firsthand the boom-and-bust cycles that have shaped Calgary’s economy, and worked with clean energy, agribusiness, tech and energy businesses, as they have grown and diversified the Calgary economy. In addition to his professional work, Brian is strongly committed to community service. As the former Chair of the Calgary Police Commission, he has been dedicated to ensuring public safety, accountability, and fostering trust between law enforcement and the community. For his volunteer service on the Calgary Police Commission, Brian was named Citizen of the Year by Calgary City Council in 2020.Guest: Brian Thiessen: Instagram | LinkedInThe Calgary Party: Instagram |Website

January 28, 2025Episode 41 hr 18 min

From Breakdown to Breakthrough: My Recovery Journey

Meet James MacDonald, Founder and President of the WoodridgeMTB Trail Support Foundation.WoodridgeMTB Trail Support Foundation is a registered Non-profit society in Alberta that supports Alberta Mountain Biking associations and builds positive awareness towards the importance of Mental Health and addiction Recovery. On the podcast, James talks about his own journey of recovery and why he chose to seek help. We discuss how mountain biking helped inspire him, and why he chose to use his love of biking to help others. James is on a leadership journey to inspire others to find their inner potential. He has an amazing story and I’m grateful to share it on the podcast.Guest: James MacDonaldWoodridgeMTB: Instagram |Website

January 21, 2025Episode 31 hr 7 min

Reinventing Yourself and Helping Others Along The Way

Meet Alyssa Kerbel, successful entrepreneur, mentor and community builder.Alyssa is a passionate, soul-led, entrepreneur who, over the past 20+ years, has started, grown, sold and exited two companies (Alyssa Agency, a wholesale fashion agency and mini mioche, a children’s apparel and lifestyle brand). Alyssa founded mini mioche in 2008 as a passion project and ‘side hustle’ after the birth of her first child to fill a void in the children’s apparel market for simple, gender-neutral organic cotton basics. mini mioche went on to become a multi-million dollar direct-to-consumer brand, while paving the way in sustainable and ethical fashion and values-based business practices.In 2023, Alyssa sold and exited mini mioche in order to focus on her passions in the areas of mentorship, community building, wellness, and supporting women entrepreneurs.Guest:Alyssa Kerbel: Instagram | LinkedIn

January 15, 2025Episode 255 min

Overcoming Personal Challenges as an Entrepreneur

Meet Quan Ly, Founder of Evil Corporation Brewing.By day, Quan Ly is a Chartered Professional Accountant and founder of McRally, a boutique fractional CFO services firm helping small businesses across Canada. By night, he’s the co-owner of Evil Corporation Brewing, a playful yet passionate brand dedicated to “world domination through quality craft beer.” Named one of Avenue Magazine's Top 40 Under 40 for 2024, Quan is a true entrepreneur whose passion for craft beer and creativity led to the birth of Evil Corp Brewing in 2018.Outside of his brewing ventures, Quan keeps himself motivated through working out, reading, golfing, and sharing motivational content on his Instagram. Join us as Quan shares his journey from CPA to brewery co-owner, Evil Corporation’s unique brand story, and his perspective on balancing a professional career with a growing craft beer empire.Guest:Quan Ly: Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTokEvil Corp Brewing: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Website

January 8, 2025Episode 11 hr 15 min

Round 2: Getting Back In The Ring with Rebekah Goedbloed

I first met Rebekah in 2023 after her first amateur boxing match. We discussed her amazing journey from being bedridden and almost having her leg amputated to competing as a boxerThat first boxing match was supposed to be a one-and-done - just ask her daughter! But Rebekah called me recently to tell me that she was making plans to get back in the ring - and I needed to know why.In this episode, Rebekah shares her WHY behind the decision to get back in the ring. She has some unfinished business and wants one more fight to help close this chapter of her life. Rebekah is such an inspiration - her journey shows us all what is possible in life if we are willing to fight for it!Guest:Rebekah Goedbloed: Instagram