Branch Out - A Podcast from Connection Builders

Investing in Your Growth and Development with Lenny Dacanay . The link between business development and leadership may not be evident straight away, but it’s one today’s guest, Lenny Dacanay , has paid a great deal of attention to. In this episode, Lenny talks about how his idea of business development has evolved from a sales-focused one to a problem-solving one, and why this shift showed him tha...

Communication is Key with Christopher Letts Being able to communicate effectively is perhaps the most important of all life skills. Today’s guest is Christopher Letts , Chairman and past President of ACG Detroit . In this episode, we discuss the importance of communication as a professional. Chris shares some thoughts on how to improve this critical skill set, firstly from the perspective of publi...

Getting Comfortable in Uncomfortable Situations with Rich Grant . In an ever-changing world, where we are all increasingly confronted with difficult conversations, it would be easy to retreat and go back to our comfort zones. But growth does not happen here; it happens when you are uncomfortable, and you are pushed to find a way through. Being in uncomfortable situations has contributed enormously...

Serve on a Board, Grow Your Network, Follow-Up is Critical & Identify Good Mentors with Karin Kovacic .  When you are in the process of business development there are several key factors to remember including the importance of being authentic, being reliable, focusing on genuine connections to build your network, and seeking advice from the right mentors. These can be daunting if you find your...

Build Your Community and Pay It Forward with Eric Fischer . We know that a successful career begins with meaningful connections. Everyone you connect with intentionally will have something of value to give and offer a different angle to the same problem. The reality is that doing things by yourself is tough! We need to focus on becoming the best for our community, to learn to truly listen to what’...

We’re no longer in the era where bosses say, “You work for me.” People want to own their careers and personal growth. To thrive in the modern workplace, where collaboration is the new norm, team leaders need to sharpen their leadership abilities. Our conversation with today’s guest, RSM Audit Partner Howie Siegal , reveals what qualities excellent leaders need along with the tools that can help yo...

As rising professionals, it’s important to learn that both building relationships and serving your clients are major parts of growing your business. On the show today we welcome James Reid , a partner with Dinsmore & Shohl , a national law firm based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. James is based out of metro Detroit, and his practice focuses on labor law and dispute. Throughout his career, James has...

The business world has both personal and professional aspects; it’s not binary, it’s both. Being kind in a competitive world is important because you are not just looking for a contact, you are looking to broaden your world. You need to adopt the mindset that every person you encounter is of value and has something of substance to share, whether it’s business-related or everyday life. Today on the...

In this episode, we dive into a conversation with David Swatosh , a senior manager at BDO—one of the world’s largest accounting firms—to discuss some of the challenges involved in moving from a small regional firm to a large multinational one. David was able to leverage the power of internal networking to overcome some of the weaknesses in his existing network as well as to lean into some of his p...

Our guest today is Grant Marcks , the principal and head of business development for Atlantic Street Capital , here to discuss the idea of your relationship equity and keeping it in the black as well as having a data-driven process while remaining authentic in your networking and business development efforts. Grant talks about paying it forward in a real way, showing that you have taken genuine in...

Tom Boniface is the Vice President of Business Development at Hilco Global and someone who lives out the practices of intentionality, awareness, and a positive mental attitude in his daily life and career. We chat with Tom today about what these concepts mean to him and how he approaches them in a purposeful and specific manner each day. Tom is a firm believer in focussing on the smaller, controll...

Welcome to the Branch Out Podcast, where we focus on the vital professional skills of building connections and networking! Joining us for our first episode is Gary Lewis , founder and managing partner at Aquila Equity Partners in Detroit. We are so excited to share this great conversation with all of our new listeners, as Gary unpacks the foundational nature of this part of his work and why it sho...