068: Young Voices, Big Impact – Live from PodSummit YYC 2025 with Mercedes and Anastasia Korngut

What sparks someone to create something meaningful and what happens when they follow that spark even before they feel fully ready? For me, this question has been circling for years. As a mom of three teenagers and someone who has spent much of her life in teaching and learning, I’m continually struck by how much wisdom, courage, and clarity young people carry especially when they’re given the space to explore, try, stumble, and keep going. Mercedes and Anastasia Korngut, two Calgary sisters who began their journey with business and podcasting in the midst of their childhood and teen years discovered something powerful about happiness, connection, and sharing your voice. Their story weaves together the science, art, and heart of learning - what happens when curiosity meets action and when two teenagers decide to simply begin. In this conversation, recorded live at PodSummit YYC 2025, we explore where their journey started, what they’ve learned from interviewing world-class guests, the challenges and joys of creating as sisters, and what it means to build something with purpose. I invite you to consider your own spark: What first nudged you toward creating or sharing your voice and how has it shaped the heart of what you do now?   Listen in as we talk about: 2:02 Finding happiness in hard seasons 4:45 Beginning a podcast before feeling ready 7:16 Insights from remarkable guests 9:32 Growing together as sisters  12:12 The thoughtful work behind the mic 14:19 The power of a sincere ask 17:04 The heart behind each episode 21:02 Moments and messages that stick 23:21 Seeing the impact firsthand 25:20 Growing with each episode 28:08 The road ahead   Connect with Mercedes and Anastasia: Website: https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/  LinkedIn: Small Bits of Happiness Instagram: @small.bits.of.happiness TikTok: @smallbitsofhappiness YouTube: Small Bits of Happiness Podcast: Hack Your Happiness Retail Collection: ShopBits   Connect with Tiana: Website: https://tianafech.com LinkedIn: Tiana Fech Instagram: @tianafech  Facebook: @tianafech  Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course    FINDING HAPPINESS IN HARD SEASONS When Mercedes and Anastasia began Small Bits of Happiness, they were navigating something we were all moving through together - the uncertainty, loneliness, and disrupted rhythms of the pandemic. Like many young people, they were juggling school from home, friendship changes, and the swirl of big feelings that come with growing up. What helped them most wasn’t a dramatic shift but a quiet practice: paying attention to the small, steady moments that still felt good. These included walks outside, shared meals, and funny movies with their family. Those simple touchpoints reminded them that even in a challenging season, there were still moments worth noticing. Their business grew from this idea - that small bits of happiness can make a real difference, especially when life feels uncertain.   BEGINNING A PODCAST BEFORE FEELING READY Their podcast, Hack Your Happiness, started the way many meaningful things do - with curiosity and a willingness to try. Mercedes and Anastasia didn’t wait to feel fully prepared or confident. They began with what they had: a desire to connect, questions they cared about, and an openness to learning out loud. In those early recordings, they were still finding their rhythm, but each episode taught them something new about their voice, their approach, and the kind of conversations they wanted to have. Their start is a reminder that readiness often comes after we begin, not before.   INSIGHTS FROM REMARKABLE GUESTS Talking with authors, athletes, entrepreneurs, and creators has given the sisters a front-row seat to the stories behind success. What stands out most isn’t the accomplishments, but the common threads that appear again and again: resilience, curiosity, and the willingness to keep learning. Whether it’s a magazine editor, a bestselling author