Real Business Connections - Self-Discovery For Entrepreneurs

Learn Speak Teach Episode #173 with Mary Lemmer on the Real Business Connections Podcast. What if the secret to talking to anyone about anything has less to do with what you say and more to do with how well you listen? In this episode, Ben Albert sits down with Mary Lemmer to explore how improv can make us better communicators, better listeners, and more comfortable in conversations that do not go exactly as planned. Mary shares how learning to let go of control, stay curious, make simple observations, and trust yourself can completely change the way you connect with people. They also break down practical ways to keep a conversation moving, what to do when you do not know what to say, how to handle awkward moments, and why trying too hard to make a great impression can actually work against you. They also explore the idea that every conversation does not need to be perfect. Sometimes the best thing you can do is be present, listen deeply, respond to what is actually happening, and trust that you will figure it out as you go. If you have ever overthought what to say, worried about being awkward, struggled with small talk, or wanted to feel more confident talking to just about anyone, this conversation is for you. Timestamps: [00:00] People Like You More Than You Think [02:23] Improv and Conversation [06:39] Listening Is the Real Superpower [12:38] What to Say When You’re Stuck [18:50] Using Observations to Connect [23:25] Honesty Creates Connection [26:30] Call Out the Awkwardness [30:32] Oversharing Can Help [34:14] The Greatest Gift in Conversation [37:11] Vulnerability, Empathy & Wonder [44:50] How to Handle Anything [50:00] Everything Is Made Up [57:40] Stop Chasing the Perfect Conversation Key Takeaways: • “The perfect thing to say doesn't exist. The best thing to say is in response to what's happening in that moment.” ~ Mary Lemmer • “Listening is maybe a silent superpower.” ~ Mary Lemmer • “The greatest gift to any conversation is presence and curiosity and listening.” ~ Mary Lemmer • “The honesty in conversation, the honesty about thoughts, is such a gift to a conversation.” ~ Mary Lemmer • “Every conversation is different, every connection is different.” ~ Mary Lemmer • “Just do the best you can and listen and respond and be yourself. And what if that's good enough?” ~ Mary Lemmer • “We're all figuring this out as we go.” ~ Mary Lemmer • The best way to handle a conversation is to stop needing it to be perfect. ~ Ben Albert Keep In Touch with Mary Lemmer: How to Handle Anything: https://howtohandleanything.com/ Website: https://www.marylemmer.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melemmer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryimproves YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MaryLemmer — Follow Balbert… Facebook: www.facebook.com/realbusinessconnections Instagram: www.instagram.com/realbenalbert/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realbenalbert/ Website: https://www.realbusinessconnections.com/ – LST is made possible by www://balbertmarketing.com/

Rochester Business Connections Episode #153 with Chris Sirianni of IT Insights of Rochester. What actually happens when your computer suddenly says you’ve been hacked? How can you tell whether an email is legitimate or phishing? And with AI changing everything, are scams about to get even harder to spot? Chris launched IT Insights of Rochester in 2019 and has grown the company to support more than 90 businesses, earning recognition as #68 on the Greater Rochester Chamber’s 2025 Top 100 list. In this episode, Chris breaks down cybersecurity without the technical jargon. Ben and Chris talk browser hijacking, phishing emails, how scammers actually gain access to accounts and devices, multi-factor authentication, password managers, and the simple precautions both individuals and businesses can take to better protect themselves. They also explore the rapidly changing role of AI. Chris shares how IT Insights uses AI as a workforce multiplier, how businesses can use emerging technology to become more efficient, and why the human side of customer service is one area he does not want AI to replace. Whether you’re a business owner trying to protect your company or simply someone who has wondered, “Should I click this?”, this conversation offers practical ways to become smarter, safer, and more intentional with the technology you use every day. Timestamps: [00:00] Ben’s Computer Gets “Hacked” [01:58] Meet Chris Sirianni [03:43] What IT Companies Actually Do [05:20] AI as a Workforce Multiplier [09:20] Can Scammers Control Your Computer? [10:44] What Happens When You Click a Sketchy Link? [11:36] Protecting Yourself From Phishing [13:48] Passwords, Firewalls & Antivirus [15:07] Is AI Making Things Better or Worse? [16:08] Building With AI [19:23] What AI Should Never Replace [21:07] Using Technology to Scale [22:35] Growing Beyond Rochester [26:11] Cybersecurity Essentials [28:20] Cybersecurity Tips for Everyone Key Takeaways: • “I view AI as purely a workforce multiplier.” ~ Chris Sirianni • If you’re not expecting something from somebody, it’s probably not real. ~ Chris Sirianni • “Multifactor authentication isn't a silver bullet, but it's going to take away 98% of those threats.” ~ Chris Sirianni • “If you're trying to grow, technology becomes absolutely essential.” ~ Chris Sirianni • “I would never replace the customer service side with any kind of AI service.” ~ Chris Sirianni • “Security is not just a one and done thing. It's a culture you have to build.” ~ Chris Sirianni Keep In Touch with Chris Sirianni: Website: https://itinsightsroc.com/ Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/it-insights-of-rochester/ — Follow Balbert… Facebook: www.facebook.com/realbusinessconnections Instagram: www.instagram.com/realbenalbert/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realbenalbert/ Website: https://www.realbusinessconnections.com/ – RBC is made possible by www://balbertmarketing.com/

Learn Speak Teach Episode #172 with Kenneth Kollasch on the Real Business Connections Podcast. Are you building a real business, or are you still winging it? Kenneth Kollasch helps small business owners professionalize their businesses with better systems, clearer goals, stronger planning, and practical guardrails. In this episode, Kenneth shares how getting cocky led him to build a business nobody wanted, why doing everything alone can become dangerous, and how relationships, mentorship, and generosity have shaped the way he grows businesses today. Ben and Kenneth also get into 90-day goals, decision-making boundaries, avoiding shiny objects, and why Kenneth would rather invest in generosity than Google and Meta ads. Along the way, Kenneth shares business lessons from soccer, ballroom dance, pastoring, and becoming an author. If you want to stop winging it, professionalize your small business, and grow without burning yourself out, this conversation will give you a better way to think about systems, relationships, and sustainable growth. Timestamps: [00:00] Trailer + Intro [04:05] Kenneth’s Failed Business [09:58] Friendship as a Business Advantage [12:50] The Growth Mindset [16:08] Generosity as a Business Strategy [20:16] Time, Resources, and Energy [24:33] Ballroom Dance and Business [28:35] Soccer and Business [32:52] What Pastoring Taught Kenneth [38:36] Storytelling and Becoming an Author [43:20] How to Build a 90-Day Plan [47:25] Stop Winging It [48:16] Business Guardrails for Better Decisions Key Takeaways: * “I basically created a business that nobody wanted with messaging that was great for me, but didn't really make sense to anybody else.” ~Kenneth Kollasch * “The thing that's always worked is staying in that context of I'm not there yet.” ~Kenneth Kollasch * “For me generosity is worth the investment. I'd rather invest in generosity than I would Google and Meta ads.” ~Kenneth Kollasch * “That's your time, that's your resources, and that's your energy.” ~Kenneth Kollasch * “Setting up a 90 day plan is absolutely essential to really, I think, garnering momentum without burnout.” ~Kenneth Kollasch * Creativity does not need to disappear when you professionalize your business. Build guardrails that let you test ideas without letting every new idea take over. ~Kenneth Kollasch Keep In Touch with Kenneth Kollasch Website: https://kennethcoaches.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennethkollasch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kennethkollasch/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kennethkollasch/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kenneth.coaches/videos — Follow Balbert… Facebook: www.facebook.com/realbusinessconnections Instagram: www.instagram.com/realbenalbert/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realbenalbert/ Website: https://www.realbusinessconnections.com/ – LST is made possible by www://balbertmarketing.com/

Learn Speak Teach Episode #171 with Dr. Courtney Conley and co-host Cal Fussman on the Real Business Connections Podcast. Last time Cal Fussman was on the show, he and Ben somehow went on a 45-minute tangent about feet. Yes, feet. That conversation sparked a bigger question: why do we ignore the thing that carries us through life until it starts hurting? So this time, Cal came back to co-host as Ben and Cal sit down with Dr. Courtney Conley, founder of Gait Happens, to talk about foot health, walking, shoes, toe strength, mobility, balance, and how your feet affect the way your whole body moves. Dr. Courtney explains why your shoes may be making your feet weaker, why a wide toe box matters, how your big toe changes the function of your foot, and why toe weakness can become a warning sign as we age. They also get into walking and mental health, barefoot movement, arch support, toe spacers, plantar fasciitis, falls, foot strength, and simple ways to start taking care of your feet before pain forces you to pay attention. This conversation is practical, surprising, and way more interesting than most of us expected a conversation about feet to be. If you have foot pain, tight shoes, weak toes, balance issues, or you simply want to move better and age stronger, this episode will help you see your feet differently. - Cal and Ben’s Recent episode: https://realbusinessconnections.com/podcast/calfussman4 - Timestamps: [00:00] Trailer + Intro [03:39] Why We Ignore Our Feet [05:39] Toe Strength and Fall Risk [07:39] Feet as Sensory Organs [09:00] How Modern Shoes Changed Our Feet [10:52] Your Big Toe Matters [11:41] Wide Toe Box vs. Wide Shoe [14:08] Why Feet Need Arch Support [19:14] How Feet Affect the Whole Body [24:18] Walking Is Not Optional [25:41] The 7,000 Step Sweet Spot [30:24] Realizing You Neglected Your Feet [49:11] Dr. Courtney’s Calling [50:17] Cal’s Foot Health Breakthrough Key Takeaways: • “It’s like my passion in life for people to start paying attention to their feet.” ~Dr. Courtney Conley • “If you don’t use it, you’re gonna lose it.” ~Dr. Courtney Conley • “My non-negotiable for footwear with my patients is having a wide toe box.” ~Dr. Courtney Conley • Walking is not optional. Dr. Courtney wants people to think of walking like breathing and sleeping: a basic foundation for health. ~Dr. Courtney Conley • Toe weakness can be a major predictor of falls as we age. ~Dr. Courtney Conley • “It’s wild to live your whole life and not know a very important part of yourself and basically kind of neglect it.” ~Cal Fussman Keep In Touch with Dr. Courtney Conley: Website: https://www.drcourtneyconley.com/ Gait Happens: https://gaithappens.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcourtneyconley/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcourtneyconley/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@gait_happens Keep In Touch with Cal Fussman: Cal and Ben’s Recent episode: https://realbusinessconnections.com/podcast/calfussman4 AI Cal: https://app.uare.ai/p/calfussman Website: https://www.calfussman.com/ Big Questions Podcast: https://www.calfussman.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calfussman/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/calfussman/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CalFussmanOfficial Past RBC Episode with Cal: https://realbusinessconnections.com/podcast/calfussman/ Past RBC Episode with Cal #2: https://realbusinessconnections.com/podcast/calfussman2 Past RBC Episode with Cal #3: https://realbusinessconnections.com/podcast/calfussman3/ — Follow Balbert… Facebook: www.facebook.com/realbusinessconnections Instagram: www.instagram.com/realbenalbert/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realbenalbert/ Website: https://www.realbusinessconnections.com/ – LST is made possible by www://balbertmarketing.com/

Learn Speak Teach Episode #170 with Cal Fussman on the Real Business Connections Podcast. Can AI help us ask better questions without losing the heart of real conversation? In this episode, Ben Albert sits down with legendary interviewer Cal Fussman to explore AI Cal, an AI version of Cal built to help people think deeper, ask better questions, and prepare for more meaningful conversations. Ben and Cal test AI Cal live on the show, turning the episode into a real-time experiment about curiosity, storytelling, podcasting, human connection, and the future of AI. They talk about the power of one great question, why silence matters, how AI can support creativity, and what still makes human conversations irreplaceable. If you are a podcaster, creator, entrepreneur, speaker, or curious human trying to use AI without losing your humanity, this episode will help you think differently about questions, connection, and the art of conversation. Timestamps: [00:00] Trailer + Intro [04:05] AI Cal Is Officially Here [07:15] Asking Better Love Questions [08:32] The Right Questions for Podcasters [10:11] Testing AI Cal Live [10:42] The Heart and Art of Being Human [11:49] Ben’s Interviewing Weakness [15:39] One Question, Then Silence [17:54] Taking Cal Somewhere New [21:39] Training AI Cal to Follow the Heart [26:10] Can AI Help Us Feel More Human? [37:15] Using AI Cal for Real Interviews [53:12] AI Can Structure, But Humans Connect [01:31:42] Adapting to Something New [01:34:02] Helping Podcasters Ask Better Questions Key Takeaways: • “AI’s now got all the answers. The value is in the quality of the questions.” ~Cal Fussman • “One question, then silence. That’s the whole game.” ~AI Cal • AI Cal is not meant to replace real conversation. It can help people prepare for better, deeper, more human conversations. ~Cal Fussman • “Everything about my own sense of humanity is about being able to adapt.” ~Cal Fussman • Ben felt more curious, connected, and invigorated using AI Cal than he often feels after being on social media. ~Ben Albert • “The human connection that robot helped us bridge a gap, but the human connection was still, I think, in every piece of this conversation.” ~Ben Albert Keep In Touch with Cal Fussman: AI Cal: https://app.uare.ai/p/calfussman Website: https://www.calfussman.com/ Big Questions Podcast: https://www.calfussman.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calfussman/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/calfussman/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CalFussmanOfficial Past RBC Episode with Cal: https://realbusinessconnections.com/podcast/calfussman/ Past RBC Episode with Cal #2: https://realbusinessconnections.com/podcast/calfussman2 Past RBC Episode with Cal #3: https://realbusinessconnections.com/podcast/calfussman3/ - Follow Balbert… Facebook www.facebook.com/realbusinessconnections Instagram: www.instagram.com/realbenalbert/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/realbenalbert Website: https://www.realbusinessconnections.com/ – Real Business Connections is made possible by www://balbertmarketing.com/