Elite Business Connector Podcast

In this episode, Bryan Buckley sits down with Suzy Kolber, who spent nearly 30 years at ESPN as an anchor, sideline reporter, and one of the most trusted interviewers in sports. From prepping NFL Draft prospects to saving a live broadcast when the No. 1 pick wasn't in his seat, Suzy shows how preparation creates the freedom to listen, connect, and pivot under pressure. It's a masterclass...

In this episode, Bryan Buckley does another Book Breakdown, this time on Humor, Seriously by Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas. Most professionals think being serious shows competence, but the research says the opposite: humor works as a Click Accelerator that makes you seem more confident, competent and trustworthy in the 1st 5 Minutes™. You don't need to be a comedian: you just need to find...

In this episode, we've mashed up the best moments from four powerhouse conversations — Alan Stein Jr. on mastering the basics and navigating life's "next plays," Andrea Waltz on reframing rejection and following up without fear, J.R. Briggs on asking better questions, and Joshua Bandoch on the real mechanics of persuasion. Together they reveal a common thread: real influence st...

 How many times have you heard someone say "read the room" without ever being told how to actually do it? In this episode, Bryan Buckley breaks down OQ (Observational Intelligence), the second core skill inside the Think Personal pillar of his 1st 5 Minutes Framework. You'll learn why every conversation runs through a frame (Mirror or Window), the real difference between being there...

What if the "Gen Z can't connect in person" stereotype is just plain wrong? In this episode, Bryan Buckley sits down with two 20-something sales professionals, his son Kole Buckley and longtime family friend Jackson Hannah, for a candid multi-generational conversation on trust, communication, and closing deals. Kole works in student housing leasing, where prospects come to him. Jack...

Most people think they're listening, but Bryan Buckley breaks down Kate Murphy's book You're Not Listening to show why hearing and listening aren't the same thing. Using six research-backed insights, from brainwave synchrony to improv comedy, Bryan connects each one to his 1st 5 Minutes framework. Listeners walk away with practical, science-backed ways to build real connection...

In this episode, TED speaker and persuasion expert Josh Bandoch joins Bryan Buckley to unpack why most of what we think we know about persuasion is wrong. Drawing on his TED Talk and new book, How to Get What You Want , Josh explains that true persuasion isn't about winning arguments or getting others to think like you — it's "shared action" built on putting the other person fi...

Most business conversations get stuck in what Bryan Buckley calls the small talk triangle: three corners that feel like connection but guarantee none happens. In this episode, Bryan breaks down why small talk fails, the three traps to watch for, and the one simple exit that turns surface level chat into real business connection. If you want your 1st 5 minutes to actually count, this episode shows...

Most people think they ask enough questions. They don't. In this episode, Bryan sits down with J.R. Briggs, author of The Art of Asking Better Questions , to unpack why curiosity, not information, builds real trust. Listeners walk away with a practical framework for turning small talk into meaningful connection, in business and in life. Why people ask far fewer real questions than they think,...

Most people worry about oversharing, but Harvard Business School professor Leslie John's research says the real danger is saying too little. In this episode, Bryan breaks down her book, "Revealing," and shows how too little information (TLI) quietly stalls conversations, weakens trust, and keeps relationships shallow. You'll walk away with five practical insights for turning su...

In this episode, Bryan Buckley sits down with Andrea Waltz, co-creator of "Go for No," to unpack why the word "no" terrifies most people in business — and why top connectors chase it instead of avoiding it. Andrea shares the mindset shifts, personal stories, and practical habits that turn rejection into momentum. Listeners walk away with a fresh, fear-free approach to conversat...

Most business conversations fall apart in the final minute, right when connection turns into a pitch. In this episode, Bryan Buckley breaks down "the last minute" of his 1st 5 Minutes framework, showing why diagnosing the real problem matters more than rushing to a solution. Listeners walk away with practical questions and a two-step approach to build trust and close with confidence, not...

In this episode, Bryan Buckley sits down with elite performance coach Alan Stein Jr., who trained NBA legends like Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry, to unpack what separates the best from the rest. Alan shares why mastering the fundamentals — not chasing flash — is the real secret to sustained success, and how the habits built in "unseen hours" translate directly into business and life. A mus...

How many questions do you actually ask in the 1st 5 minutes of a business conversation? In this episode, Bryan Buckley breaks down Jeff Wetzler's book ASK and maps its five-step method directly onto the 1st 5 Minutes framework, revealing why most professionals ask just one throwaway question — and how to fix it. If you want people to trust you faster and open up sooner, this episode gives you...

In this special mashup episode, Bryan curates the best moments from five recent expert guests into one high-impact conversation on business communication and connection. You will hear twice from each guest, covering everything from name memory and pre-meeting prep to authentic curiosity and trust-building in the first five minutes. Perfect for newcomers and returning listeners alike. Topics Covere...

Bryan Buckley answers the most common — and most skeptical — questions he gets about the 1st 5 Minutes Framework, straight from keynote audiences, DMs, and corporate workshops. From introverts to 15-year sales veterans, this episode tackles the real doubts people have about whether intentional connection actually works. Whether you're brand new to the framework or already using it, you'l...

What separates a good communicator from a truly great connector? In this episode, Bryan sits down with Dr. Brenda Buckley-Hughes — his sister, a PhD in Communication, and a lifelong student of how people truly connect — to unpack the science and art behind meaningful conversation. From the power of pitch, pause, and pace to why the first five minutes of any interaction can make or break a relation...

In this episode, Bryan Buckley breaks down Riaz Meghji's bestselling book Every Conversation Counts , revealing how its five core habits map directly onto the 1st 5 Minutes framework. Backed by seventeen years of television experience and thousands of real-world interviews, Meghji's insights confirm what Bryan has been teaching: the first five minutes of any business conversation are whe...

What does being a mascot for a team on the longest losing streak in Division I college football history have to do with leadership, connection, and the first five minutes? Everything. In this episode, Bryan Buckley sits down with Keith Lewis — executive coach, keynote speaker, and former Northwestern Wildcat mascot — for one of the most unexpected and insightful conversations the podcast has produ...

The most successful people in business aren't winning because they work harder — they're winning because of what they do before 8 a.m. In this episode, Bryan Buckley breaks down ten specific, research-backed elements of an elite morning routine, plus a bonus element that high-level athletes and executives use that almost no one in the business world thinks to apply. This isn't about...

What happens when one of AT&T's top sales leaders — an Area Vice President, Double Diamond Club winner, and leader of a massive B2B organization across the East Region — reads your books, applies the principles, and comes back to tell you exactly what changed? You get this episode. Bryan Buckley sits down with Ashley Siller for a candid, high-energy conversation about what it looks like t...

Charles Duhigg spent three years interviewing FBI negotiators, neuroscientists, and CIA operatives to decode why some conversations click — and what he found maps almost perfectly to Bryan's 1st 5 Minutes framework. In this episode, Bryan breaks down Duhigg's Supercommunicators and shows how the science behind great conversations lines up with the system he's been teaching for years...

What's really holding leaders back from their greatest impact? In this episode, Bryan Buckley sits down with Dr. Garland Vance and his wife and co-author Dorothy Vance for a candid, high-energy conversation about the seven leadership issues that keep even the most talented professionals stuck. Drawing from 25 years of research and their book Unleashed Leadership , Garland and Dorothy bring bo...

You're not losing deals in the pitch. You're losing them in the first five minutes. In this episode, we break down the 10 specific, identifiable, and fixable mistakes business professionals make before a conversation ever gains traction and why most people don't even realize they're making them. We unpack two critical categories: Setup Failures — skipping pre-meeting research,...

What happens after the 1st 5 Minutes — after you finish the last minute in the framework? How do you handle the very first minute of that next conversation? I found the answer in a great book that unpacks this exact issue. I reached out to the author, asked him to break it down, and he agreed to my master evil demands. Lucky you — because he's today's guest. Chris Fenning helps professio...