The Just Drew Podcast
by Drew Walmsley
Welcome to The Just Drew Podcast, where conversations flow as freely as the cocktails we craft. Join Drew and Drew on an unscripted journey through the lives and stories of fascinating individuals from all walks of life. Our guests span a diverse spectrum of backgrounds and experiences. There's no agenda here, no pre-planned questions—just genuine curiosity and a desire to connect with others on a human level.Explore the stories behind the people who inspire us and the paths that led them to where they are today.
Episodes
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#54 - Spiritual Mediumship, Life After Death & Dealing with Skepticism
What happens after we die? Can loved ones still communicate with us? And where do skepticism, faith, and personal experience collide? In this episode, Drew sits down with spiritual medium Lillian Porter for an open-minded conversation about mediumship, spirit communication, grief, dreams, haunted...
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#53 - How Ryan Szucs Turned Design Into a Career (And Created a Norfolk Icon)
Ryan Szucs has been immersed in the world of design, signage, and custom graphics for more than two decades. From creating custom muscle car graphics and racing stripes at Stripe Art to building a unique artistic style using steel, rust, paint, and dark humour, Ryan has carved out a creative path...
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#52 - What 40 Years in Nursing Teaches You About People - w/ Shirley Kennedy
What is it really like working inside a prison? Shirley Kennedy spent nearly 40 years as a nurse… with 29 of those years inside correctional facilities, a world most people will never see. From navigating healthcare in prisons to shaping policy across Ontario, Shirley shares the realities,...
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#51 - Built From Nothing: The Reality of Entrepreneurship w/ Jonathan Jagt
What happens when you lose everything as a kid… and decide to build it all back? In this episode, Drew sits down with Jonathan Jagt an entrepreneur from Norfolk County who turned early instability into fuel. From starting a business at 19 with no backing, to building something rooted in…
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#50 - Red Venture: Resilience, rebuilding a tongue, and refusing to fold
Life can deal some brutal hands. The question is whether you fold or play them. On this episode of The Just Drew Podcast, Drew sits down with Red Venture - a Canadian born creative whose life has taken some extraordinary turns. After working in Los Angeles for one of the biggest media…
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#49 - Is The Superhero Era Over? DC , Marvel & The Future of Film with Tyrell Myers
Superheroes were our generation’s mythology. But something’s changed. In this episode, Tyrell returns to the podcast to break down the rise of Marvel, DC’s struggles, Christopher Nolan’s legacy, the future of superhero films… and whether the genre is quietly dying. We get into: • Why the MCU…
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#48 - Nick Kokkoros - The Business of Food, Family, and Community
What does it take to keep a family restaurant thriving for nearly 40 years? In this episode of The Just Drew Podcast, I sit down with Nick Kokkoros, partner at The Barrel, one of Norfolk County’s most iconic restaurants. Nick grew up in the restaurant world, walked away from it for a career in...
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#47- James Williams (Canuck Time Pieces) - Building a Watch Brand From Scratch
James Williams grew up in Stoney Creek obsessed with cars, design, and the outdoors — but never expected to build a watch brand. After moving to Simcoe and raising a family, James rediscovered creativity through horology. What began as tinkering with budget parts eventually became Canuck...
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#46 - Chad Steele on Turning a Backyard Passion for BBQ into a 80+ Store Brand
What started as a backyard obsession turned into one of Ontario’s fastest-growing local food brands. This week, I’m joined by Chad Steele, founder of Norfolk Barbecue, to talk about how a 14-year passion for barbecue became a full-time business now carried in 80+ stores across Ontario, using...
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Zach Hiebert on Filmmaking, Faith, and Building a Wedding Business from Rural Norfolk
What does it really take to build a creative career when you’re starting in a small town and staying true to your values? In this episode of The Just Drew Podcast, filmmaker Zach Hiebert joins the show to talk about growing up on a farm in Port Rowan, breaking into wedding filmmaking, and…
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Welcome to Derry, Bootleggers, and Theatre Mayhem with Hannah Dolson
Hannah Dolson returns to the podcast — singer, performer, barista, theatre kid at heart, and one of the most versatile artists in Norfolk County. This time she’s here to talk about her role in Nice Work If You Can Get It, the prohibition-era comedy musical now running at the Simcoe Little Theatre...
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#43 - From Punk to Jazz: Glenn Paul's Wild Musical Journey
From punk bands and cruise ships to jazz education and a full Charlie Brown Christmas tour — Hamilton musician Glenn Paul has lived one of the wildest music journeys you’ll ever hear.In this episode, Glenn breaks down how he went from high-school punk shows to studying jazz, touring the world by...
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From Sous Chef to Sourdough with Jessica Farrell : The Story of The Bread Shed
Jess didn’t plan to become Norfolk County’s most talked about baker...it just kind of happened. From her days as a sous chef at The Combine to waking up at 4 AM to bake bread, Jess shares how The Bread Shed became a small-town phenomenon built on passion, persistence, and connection. In this...
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Keeping Norfolk Norfolk -— Jason Mayo on Food, Community & Tradition
This week, Top Chef Canada contestant and Food and Drink Ambassador of Norfolk County Jason Mayo joins Drew for a deep dive into what makes Norfolk County so special — the pride, the people, and the local traditions that keep small-town culture alive. We talk about: 🎡 The wild energy of Young...
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#40 - Dean Rainey on "Why Can’t We Talk About This?", The Realities of Filmmaking, and Growing Creative Roots in Norfolk
From renting VHS camcorders in small-town Ontario to directing documentaries for CNN, Discovery Channel, and National Geographic, Dean Rainey has lived the filmmaker’s grind on a global scale. In this episode, Dean sits down with Drew to share his journey through Hong Kong’s TV scene, building a...
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#39 - Nick Baeta on Storytelling, Survival, and The Atlantean Chronicles
Author Nick Baeta joins the podcast to share the story behind his debut novel, The Atlantean Chronicles: A Fight for Survival. After a battle with chronic illness left him isolated and searching for purpose, Nick turned to writing as therapy—transforming pain into creativity. We dive into his...
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#38 -Mac Buchwald on Teaching, Theatre, and Why Stories Still Matter
I’m joined by Mac Buchwald — a teacher, musician, actor, and lifelong lover of stories. We dive into his journey from local theatre stages to the classroom, and how literature shaped his outlook on life. Mac shares his thoughts on Mary Shelley and why the poets of the past were the rockstars of...
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#37 - Formula 1, Montreal Grand Prix, Airbnb Scams, and Sibling Real Talk with Hayden Walmsley
What’s it really like seeing Formula 1 in person? In this episode, I sit down with my brother Hayden Walmsley. We get into the wild world of F1 fan culture, Max Verstappen’s insane driving style, the Red Bull double team controversy, and what it’s like being surrounded by 300,000 diehard fans....
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#36 - How Jonah Atkins Went from Small-Town Photographer to Touring with Dan Mangan
What happens when a film-obsessed photographer from Norfolk County DMs a Juno-winning musician...with nothing but passion and a camera? In this episode, Jonah Atkins shares how a single message led to touring with Dan Mangan, why film photography still hits harder than digital, and what actually...
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#35 - From Wine Media to Front Road Cellars:Amanda Vranckx’s Creative Life in Wine & Distilling
After cutting her teeth in wine media with editorial roles at Vines and Wine Access magazines, Amanda Vranckx pivoted from writing about wine to building a winery from the ground up. Now the co-owner of Front Road Cellars in Norfolk County, she oversees retail, marketing, and sales. And designs...
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Butter, Baguettes & Building a Bakery: How Brad & Mel Built a Bakery Empire in Port Dover
Brad & Melanie – Founders of The Urban Parisian, in Port Dover, Ontario. Over two decades ago, fate brought Melanie and Brad together when Melanie accepted Brad’s resume at the Beach House in Port Dover. Their shared passion for food and hospitality led them to work side by side in various local...
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#33 - 🌿 Rooted in Nature with Cynthia Brink: Conservation, Long Point Biosphere, sustainability, community
Todays guest is Cynthia Brink. She is a dedicated environmental educator and conservation advocate based in Norfolk County. She serves as the NatureHood and Priority Place Program Coordinator for the Long Point Biosphere Region, a UNESCO-designated area renowned for its rich biodiversity. In this...
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#32 -Funk, Velvet Frogs & Fatherhood: Jesse Murphy on Music, David Lynch & Life
From Port Dover stages to touring with Canadian legend Fred Eaglesmith, Jesse Murphy brings the soul, swagger, and stories in this jam-packed episode. We talk funk about his career with the Jesse Murphy Trio, dive into life on the road with the New Velvet Frogs, and geek out over the surreal…
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#31 - Neuro Spicy with Josh Ducharme: Loud Minds 🧠 and Full Hearts ❤️
Just two friends speaking from the heart about what it means to be wired differently and why that’s something worth celebrating. This week we sit down with one of my closest friends, Josh — someone who’s been through it, grown through it, and isn’t afraid to talk about the messiness of mental...
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#30 - 🌱 Dirt to Dinner: The Realities of Small-Scale Farming with Adam Mohammed🌱
What does it take to grow high-quality produce using organic practices? Adam, a dedicated market gardener in Norfolk County, shares his journey to building a thriving, small-scale farm called Branching Path Farm alongside his partner Nica. Selling directly to customers at farmers’ markets, Adam…
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#29 - Embracing Vulnerability: How Alex Franklin Captures Raw Emotion Through Photography
In this episode, we sit down with Alex Franklin, a neurodivergent portrait photographer from Norfolk County, now based in Hamilton. Known for her authentic, thought-provoking images, Alex blends her emotions with those of her subjects to create powerful visual stories. She shares how photography...
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#28 - Out On The Hard Water - A Glimpse Into The World Of Ice Fishing
We took the podcast to the frozen bay of Long Point on Lake Erie and recorded straight from an ice fishing hut with Bayside Ice Fishing! Our official sponsor of this Episode. Joining us are fishing experts Bobby Maerz and Travis Hemsley to share their wildest ice fishing stories, pro tips for...
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#27 - Jeff Bunton: Concession Road Brewing, Beer, Liquor Laws, Entrepreneurship, Brewing, Beer History
Today's guest is Jeff Bunton. Born in Burlington, Ontario and raised in Hamilton. Eventually leaving to live in Haldimand when he was 29. Jeff has worked in many industries from commercial kitchens, property maintenance, welding, fabrication and lastly brewing and entrepreneurship. Making good...
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#26 - Marie Walmsley - Cape Breton, Coal Mining, 911 Dispatching, 1950's Women's basketball, Raising a Family
Todays guest is Marie Walmsley. She was born and raised on Cape Breton Island in a coastal coal mining town in the 1940's and 50's. She later moved to Hamilton, Ontario where she worked as a phone operator for Bell Canada, raised a family of 5 and later worked and retired as a 911 dispatcher. She...
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#25 - Martin Gaudet: Oysters, East Coast, Shucking, Handling & Best Practices
Today's guest is Martin Gaudet. Originally from Shediac NB, home of the Giant Lobster! Martin grew up a 2 minute walk from a fishing wharf and the beach on the North Humber land straight. He lived between a smoke fish factory and a crab factory. He was raised eating all things seafood, including...
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#24 - Paul Meiklejohn: Mountain Biking, Turkey Point, Downhill Racing, A Perfect Season, TPMBC
Paul is a BMX, cross country and downhill mountain bike racer. Over his career he has won 16 Ontario Cups for down hill mountain biking, two Canada Cup wins and a silver at the Canadian National Championships. In 2002 Paul raced a perfect season going six for six in Ontario wins. He was the first...
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#23 - Shelli Bosgoed : The Chef Life, Cooking Techniques, Running a Restaurant, Wood Burning Hot Tub
Shelli is the Executive Chef and General Manager of the Marsh view Patio, a popular dining destination in Norfolk County. Shelli is a dedicated mother to a 10 year old son. She has built a dynamic career rooted in culinary expertise and an entrepreneurial spirit. While growing up on a farm, she...
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#22 - Hannah Dolson : The Little Shop of Horror's, Ghosts, Cannabis, Anime
Hannah Dolson is a 26 year old singer, born and raised in Simcoe, Ontario. You can find her dabbling in several areas of local entertainment; whether it’s playing at local music festivals and events with her band “The Echelon”, taking part in local short films and modelling projects, or strutting...
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#21 - David & Megan Rusling : Ryerse Garden Gallery, Business, Fires & Insurance, Albino Moose
David was born and raised in Norfolk County. A father of 4 kids with his wife Cathy. David has been an entrepreneur for over 50 years. The first business he purchased was a gas station in Waterford at age 27. He later purchased Ryerse's in 1989 from the Ryerse family which is now known as the...
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#20 - Brendan Barnard & Ryan Cowan: Directing/Producing, Music Videos, Documentary, Film School, Toronto International Music Video Festival
Brendan Barnard is a Toronto-based filmmaker that also spends a lot of time living in a van. His career started by making music videos varying in scale and genres. He’s recently found a love for documentary filmmaking with his first film, One Man’s Trash, earning a spot on the shortlist a the 1.4...
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#19 - Jordan Gawley : Business, DJ & Wedding Industry, Mar-a-Lago, Deadmau5 & Tim Hicks
Jordan moved to Norfolk County back in 2010 with a degree in psychology where he worked at the sprucedale Youth Centre. Over the past 10yrs Jordan has since left to pursue and develop his DJ company Black Creek Music, a real estate company, and his most recent project Capitol and Lounge 33.…
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#18 - Amanda Dooney : Managing an Orchard, Apples, New vs Old ways, Seasonal Workers
Amanda is a Norfolk County native and lover of all things Norfolk. She is the Co-owner along with Susan Judd with Ride The Bine, a craft beverage tour company, . Ride the Bine was started in 2017 - with the launch of many new wineries and breweries in Norfolk, as a way to ‘connect the dots’ and…
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#17 - Gaston Fernando Lacy Valenzuela: Moving to Canada, Mexican Cuisine, Norfolk County, Cows Eyes
Todays guest is Gaston Fernando Lacy Valenzuela. He was born in Sonora Mexico where he earned a Bachelors degree on “International Businesses” before moving to Canada in 2010. In 2011 he started Beach Burrito in Port Dover. In 2014 he went mobile with a food truck and finally in 2021 he opened…
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#16 - Dusty Zamecnik: Farming Industry, EZ Grow, Working for Labatt Brewing, Opening a brewery, Large Scale Green Houses
Dusty Zamecnik is a 4th generation Farmer currently managing one of North America’s leading strawberry plant propagators. Continuing his family business of EZ Grow Dusty has been a pioneer in his industry bringing him both provincial and national recognition for his work. Not to mention In…
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#15 - Mayor Amy Martin: Haldimand-Norfolk, Government Funding, Housing, Growth Plan, New Hospital
Amy is a community activist turned elected official and the current Mayor of Norfolk County. Previous to this she was Ward 6 councillor for Port Dover and the first female and youngest elected councillor in Ward 6. Elected with 50.8% of the vote and the largest voter turn out county wide. Amy is...
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#14 - Graeme Bachiu: Documentary, Cable Television, Directing & Producing, Camera Equipment
Graeme is character driven documentary style film maker with a long history in the industry starting as young as 15 years old. He went to Niagara college for broadcasting, had worked in news with CHCH, camera operating and editing for over a decade. Graeme is now a fully independent film maker,...
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#13 - Dan Eynon : Starting & Operating Businesses, Entrepreneurial Hardships, Government Regulations, Family businesses
Dan Eynon is a young Entrepreneur. Owner and Operator of Forkin Perogy and The Barnyard Patio and Pub. He was born and raised in Norfolk County and grew up in an entrepreneurial environment helping run his parents family business at a young age.
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#12 - Aaron Ettinger : International Politics, American Politics, Paris Climate Agreement, Trumpism, Sports Washing
Aaron Ettinger specializes in International Relations and US foreign policy. His research focuses on US foreign policy in the post-Cold War era and its implications for world order. His current SSHRC IDG funded project explores Canada-US relations during the Trump presidency. Recent published…
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#11 - Aaron Bailey : ADHD, Types of ADHD, Best Practices, Going Undiagnosed, Developmental Delay, Time Blindness
Aaron Bailey is an ADHD Life Coach who just moved his family and business from the Yukon Territory to Simcoe Ontario. As a person who has ADHD (combination type), a learning disability (LD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and mental health struggles, he not only understands the difficulty and...
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#10 - Tyler Ferguson : Craft beer, Ontario regulations, Opening a brewery, Trivia Nights
Todays guest is Tyler Ferguson. He is the creator and owner of the Wishbone Brewing Company in Waterford, Ontario. Tyler grew up in the rural Brant and Norfolk County area. Before the beer scene he managed a sales department at an automotive dealership. Always having a passion for craft beer he...
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#9 - Tyrell Myers : Batman, DC Comics, Super Heroes, Halo, LOTR, what is Canon?
Tyrell Myers is an expert in all things DC Comics, movies, television and video games. Particularly with his favourite character Batman. You can also find Tyrell on his youtube channel Tyrell Multi Media or"T.M.M." where he dives in depth into the DC Universe, Cinema, Television and of course...
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#8 - Vanessa & Rachel : Nursing, Pandemic, Healthcare System, Mental Health, Appendix Surgery, Rhabdomyolysis,
Vanessa is a Registered Nurse with 9 years of experience, specializing in the NICU alongside her sister Rachel. Vanessa is also a clinical instructor for nursing students. Outside of the hospital you can find Vanessa playing Ice Hockey, Ultimate Frisbee, Painting or at nearby coffee shop.Rachel…
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#7 - Sarah Lawrence : Yoga, Opening Sayza, Yoga History, Team Sports and Golf Cart DUI's.
Sarah Lawrence is a yoga instructor and owner of Sayza, a hot yoga studio in Simcoe, Ontario. She is also a musician and Flautist which is the initial reason behind her yoga journey. I've been practicing hot yoga myself at Sayza for almost 2 years now and have had the privilege of being in…
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#6 - Kyle Pellerin & Melissa McLay: Wedding Industry, Digital vs Film, Nature Photography
Kyle & Melissa are both veteran wedding photographers which I've had the pleasure of working with them both throughout my wedding videography days. We also chat about Melissa's love of shooting with film and Kyle's love for nature photography. Ps. If you ever seen the beautiful polaroid photos…
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#5 - Sarita Free
Sarita Free is a Mortgage Agent, a mother, a proud Norfolk County Local and most of all, a close friend of mine. Sarita is a huge reason behind why I own a house today. She sheds light onto not only the housing market and advice for first time home buyers but also for her love of Norfolk County.
About this show
Welcome to The Just Drew Podcast, where conversations flow as freely as the cocktails we craft. Join Drew and Drew on an unscripted journey through the lives and stories of fascinating individuals from all walks of life. Our guests span a diverse spectrum of backgrounds and experiences. There's no agenda here, no pre-planned questions—just genuine curiosity and a desire to connect with others on a human level.Explore the stories behind the people who inspire us and the paths that led them to where they are today.
Hosted by
Drew Walmsley
Categories