If you want a real-life example of post-traumatic growth, Ben Fanelli’s story is it. Greg has been on a mission to crack the code on how people turn the worst moments into the best chapters, and Ben might just be the blueprint. We’re talking about a hockey player who went through trauma you wouldn’t wish on anyone, and somehow turned it into something bigger, better, and more meaningful than the “top of the mountain” he was chasing in the first place.

Ben is now a registered psychotherapist, podcast host, motivational speaker and founder of a mental health platform, all rooted in the idea that everyone has the ability to be the hero of their own story. He joins us to spill the (sometimes messy, always honest) truth about his comeback after a life-changing injury, why the support of family, friends, and even the odd free Tim Hortons coffee can change everything, and how he’s working to make mental health support more normal and less clinical.

We get into why elite athletes definitely do feel anxiety, why chasing perfection is a trap, and what actually happens when you let yourself lean on your people. There’s lots of laughs, a little philosophy, and a reminder that the people who look “unbreakable” are often just really good at asking for help. Ben’s journey proves you can build something even better after everything falls apart.

Links & Resources

Heroic Minds

Heroic Minds Podcast

Ben Fanelli on LinkedIn

Ben Fanelli on Instagram

4,000 Weeks Book

Greg’s Mak(hani) & Cheese Recipe

We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us:

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Waypoint Retreat

Vienna Waits on Instagram

Greg’s LinkedIn

Whitney’s LinkedIn

It’s just us this week—Whitney and Greg—pulling back the curtain and kicking off a new kind of episode you’ll hear from time to time on the podcast. In between our guest conversations, we’ll be dropping these “core value” episodes where we dive into one of the six values at the heart of Vienna Waits.

This time, we’re talking about resilience. We share what resilience really means to us, why it’s so important, and how building Vienna Waits has tested and grown ours (sometimes in pretty ridiculous ways). We also share some entrepreneurial bloopers and ways that we have tripped up along our journey to build our business. Every one of these mistakes has taught us something and helped us bounce back stronger.

We break down why we believe resilience isn’t something you’re born with, but something you learn by getting up after a fall. Greg also shares our POSSE model we work through in our UNBLOCK Yourself program for resilience and how you can figure out where you might need a little boost.



You’ll hear more of these core value episodes here and there, sprinkled in with our usual interviews. If you ever feel like you’re the only one stumbling your way through something new, you’re definitely not alone. Come for the stories, stay for the laughs, and maybe leave feeling a little more courage to try your own thing.

Every other Thursday, we talk to people who got UNBLOCKED. You'll hear stories about finding clarity, career paths, career pivots and living with intention. Our guests tell us how they realized something had to change, made bold moves, and built lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. We’ll share some of our own stories too, because we’re right here, figuring it out like everyone else.

We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us:

Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter

Waypoint Retreat

Vienna Waits on Instagram

Greg’s LinkedIn

Whitney’s LinkedIn

What happens when the person who is supposed to hold it all together is quietly falling apart?

In this episode, Greg and Whitney talk with John Neufeld, Executive Director at House of Friendship, about what it means to lead through heartbreak, show up for others in hard times, and stay grounded in purpose when life feels anything but stable.

John shares how his early experience as an immigrant — feeling like an outsider, like he didn’t belong — shaped everything that came next. It's what led him to a life of service and to building spaces where others feel seen, valued, and supported.

He opens up about the emotional toll of leadership during times of crisis, the weight we all carry, and the buffers that make resilience possible. Along the way, he shares the metaphors and mindsets that helped him find strength — like the idea of the backpack we all carry and how to keep moving forward even when it feels impossibly heavy.

In this conversation, John shares:

• How the “backpack” metaphor helped him carry loss without letting it weigh him down
• Why some people bounce back from adversity and others don’t — and the role that buffers play
• What it really means to belong and why it’s central to the work he does
• The 3 S’s that guide his leadership: Story, Strengths, and Spirit
• Why feeding your soul is not a luxury but a leadership essential

This one’s for anyone who’s been carrying something heavy, who’s felt alone in their grief, or who just needs to hear that they’re not the only one figuring it out as they go.

Every other Thursday, we talk to people who got UNBLOCKED. You'll hear stories about finding clarity, career paths, career pivots and living with intention. Our guests tell us how they realized something had to change, made bold moves, and built lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. We’ll share some of our own stories too, because we’re right here, figuring it out like everyone else.

Links and Resources

House of Friendship

HoF - Donate Today

John’s LinkedIn

Farnam Street Blog

Seth Godin’s Blog

Chip & Dan Heath

We’d love to connect with you. Here’s where to find us:

Subscribe to Vienna Five Newsletter

Waypoint Retreat

Vienna Waits on Instagram

Greg’s LinkedIn

Whitney’s LinkedIn