On Season 2 · Episode 6 of What’s The Tea with Sarah E, I sit down with Michael Valchuk - entrepreneur, master carpenter, co-owner of Building Dreams Contracting, and a man who leads with equal parts discipline and heart.

Mike has owned nine businesses over 16 years, but success - as he defines it now - isn’t about titles or numbers. It’s about how you live, how you love, and how you show up for the people around you. At his core, Mike is a father, a son, a builder, and someone deeply committed to leading with love.

In this deeply honest episode, Mike spills the tea on:

• How learning carpentry from his father at 8 years old shaped his discipline, pride, and attention to detail
• Losing his uncle as a teenager - and how physical training became his anchor and emotional reset
• Why 5AM workouts and physical discipline create mental clarity and leadership resilience
• Competing in HYROX Toronto, and learning to rewire his mindset from “I hate this” to “I love this”
• The danger of over-consuming information and why knowledge without action is powerless
• Being his own harshest critic - and learning the necessity of silence, solitude, and journaling
• Why joy and play aren’t luxuries, but essential ingredients for long-term success (stay silly, people!)

Mike also shares powerful reflections on community service and giving back, including building homes for the working poor in Mexico, participating in toy drives, hygiene product collections, and spending time with children in orphanages - moments that reshaped his understanding of gratitude, perspective, and what really matters.

At the heart of this episode is a simple but profound belief:

This episode is for anyone who’s built success but is craving alignment, presence, and a life that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside.

🎙 Episode 6 - Leading With Love: Michael Valchuk on Discipline, Fatherhood, and Building a Life That Feels Good is streaming now on What’s The Tea with Sarah E.

👉 Connect with Michael Valchuk

• 🏗️ Learn more about Building Dreams Contracting Inc. and Mike’s work at buildingdreamsinc.ca
• 📲 Follow Mike on Instagram: @mvalchuk

That’s today’s tea! If you loved this conversation, don’t forget to rate, review, and share the show with a friend.

Join the Tea Party! New episodes drop every Tuesday, so hit that subscribe button on your favorite podcast app. And for the latest episodes, behind-the-scenes clips, and even more bold conversations, follow me on Instagram at @sara_ernest.

A Reminder - The views and opinions expressed by guests on What’s the Tea with Sarah E are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host. This podcast is a platform for diverse voices, stories, and perspectives - sometimes unpolished, always unapologetic.

Until next time, keep stirring the pot.

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