Explore every episode of the podcast Trading Time

Dave Mai is a Pentictonite who has made a complex career of adventure filmmaking, audio engineering, and music production. Join our host, John Rousseau, in his creative space in Summerland BC, as he speaks with Dave about being the child of immigrants, finding small-town opportunities through networking, and how the overtones of life have coloured Dave's journey toward becoming the South Okanagan's premier multimedia producer.

Lyra Lurtz is a business owner and entrepreneur with roots in the culinary arts, stemming back to her experience growing up on a farm and helping her stepfather with oyster farming, and working as a child in a family friend's bakery in Lund, BC. Join Lyra and our host, John Rousseau, in Summerland BC, as they explore the meandering career path that Lyra took to find the ultimate work-life balance.

Join John Rousseau in Summerland, BC, as he speaks in depth with custom furniture creator, Sam Hunt. Listen to Sam as he discusses his journey from business school to the hands-on world of furniture design, and discover why he found greater success in small-town Penticton, BC than he ever hoped to find in the Lower Mainland.

Join our host, Summerland's John Rousseau, as he speaks with Nick Hill, owner of the Penticton businesses, Ritchie Custom Homes, and Ethic Millwork. Nick shares his philosophy of "building a better home," and his commitment to building relationships, both of which have helped to instil trust and value in his residential construction firm and custom cabinetry shop.

John Rousseau and former high school career counselor Rod Kitt explore the huge potential in trades careers for young people. Rod shares why trades offer financial and personal rewards while filling vital community roles. Produced in Penticton, this episode highlights the trades as a valuable path for the next generation.

John Rousseau sits down with Okanagan College's Sara Cousins and Tanya Tarlit to discuss innovative programs that introduce youth and women to the trades. They cover hands-on courses for kids and programs like "Jill of All Trades" that spark career interest across the Okanagan. Produced in Penticton, this episode showcases how OC is meeting the region’s need for skilled tradespeople.

In this episode of Trading Time, host John Rousseau talks with Geoff Orr about his challenges and achievements in the trades industry. They discuss Geoff's journey from launching an innovative product in the '90s to mastering award-winning glazing projects. Recorded in Summerland and produced in Penticton, BC, they also cover issues like the skilled labour shortage, outsourcing's impact, and the importance of community-driven creative projects. Tune in for industry insights!

Join John Rousseau in Summerland as he chats with building official Vern Sopow about the decline in trade professions, the importance of performance-based building codes, and the consequences of outsourcing on the local economy.

Paul Rousseau, my favourite uncle, is our guest today on Trading Time. He is a master mechanical engineer working for one of the largest companies on Earth, Caterpillar Machinery. He's a pump and motor specialist, top ten in the world. He's traveled all over the world, solving problems, big, heavy, expensive problems for people. He's got an incredible insight into a lot of different systems that are in play in the human machine. I really look forward to our discussion today and sharing that with you.

I just love Thomas Born. He's such a great guy to run into in a coffee shop. He's a great guy on a job site. He's got an amazing story from Switzerland and Europe to the Caribou in British Columbia down to the Okanagan. We're going to catalog and outline his journey as a craftsman and as an artist. I'm really excited to share with you my conversation with Thomas Bourne today. Enjoy.

Mike Pellegrino and I are about to go on a review of the last year that we got to enjoy together and our families. We're also going to dig into a series of philosophical discussions that we've been riffing on for some time. We're going to talk about hunting season, schooling for our children, and the ability to admit when you're wrong and the virtue in that. Enjoy my conversation with Master Mike Pellegrino.

Tyler Harlton is a visionary entrepreneur with one thing on his mind, doing things the most difficult way possible by hand.

Him and I have that motto and that practice in our businesses and we've watched our businesses grow over the years.

The level of quality that he delivers in his products is unparalleled in the industry and I'm really excited to have him on to discuss his latest venture which is an alcohol free product in a time where we need to focus more on our families and our communities and the health of both of those.

I don't think his product could be any better timed. Enjoy my conversation with Tyler Harlton.

Mike Pellegrino, this is the tip of the iceberg. This is the tip of Mike Pellegrino.

Mike is going to be a guest with me, hopefully on a regular basis. He is a master craftsman. He's also a master philosopher. The more time I spend with him, the more I feel as though that he's picked the wrong career path.

I also describe him to people as the Donald Trump of Summerland. He's gonna make Summerland great again through hard work and dedication to his family.

Enjoy my discussion with Master Mike Pellegrino.

Chris Dobbin is a visionary. He's an investor, developer, philanthropist.He's just got such a kind nature to him and he's full of insight and has a really progressive attitude which I appreciate. I've had several amazing discussions with Chris over the years about the future of our communities and the direction that we're heading and I look forward to sharing this dialogue with with you now. Enjoy Chris Dobbin.

Dr. Roger Harrington, what an amazing human being. Him and I have worked together for a very long time since 2007.

He's commissioned me to build some of my best work.

We've had a really nice relationship over the years, business, personal, and he's got a lot of really great insights. He is a huge mentor of mine, a really hard working guy in our community, and is a good example of a good example. Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Roger Harrington.

Luke Riemer is really good with his hands. Whether he's building a house or a tool belt, he's the best. I've worked on houses that he's framed over the years. I've never worked on a more square building and his new venture is just awesome. To see that many people working in the same building producing tool belts is phenomenal. I'm really happy to have him on the program today to discuss his life, the way he works, the way he thinks, and just to get some insight into his process. Enjoy my conversation with Luke Reamer.

Well, what can I say about John Park? He is the Einstein of Summerland. That's how I would describe John. There isn't a subject that I've questioned him on that he doesn't have immediate answers for.

He's 24-7 engineering something in his head, taking something apart, putting it back together, making it better.

He has been an influential force in my career as an industrial designer. Anytime I have a question, I'm always putting it to him first to get his feedback.

I really hope that you enjoy the interview with him today. There's a lot of information in it and it's not going to be the last time that I'll interview him.

John Fennell is a hydrogeologist. He has spent the last 30 years mapping groundwater in both British Columbia and Alberta.

He has so much amazing insight into the way groundwater moves throughout our province and I am fascinated by the subject.

The main focus of our discussion today is the Meadow Valley Aquifer, Aquifer 299 in our area, and we're also going to touch on Aquifer 300, which is the aquifer that we're in right now.

I think that there has been a lot of scare put into the hearts and minds of the local residents which we hope to dispel with this dialogue. There's a lot of water and there's more where that came from and I hope to shed some light on that with my conversation with Master John Fennell.