Shows / The Human Connection Podcast
The Human Connection Podcast
Is your business’s growth stalled? Employee churn eating into your profits? Struggling with customer retention?
You need stronger connections.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, connect with an expert who’s sharing actionable advice for building stronger relationships with your customers, clients, and stakeholders. Hosted by Karl Pontau, a storytelling super-connector, content system strategist, and survivor of two childhood brain tumors, this podcast’s mission is to fix the underlying cause of…
Episodes
The Human Connection PodcastWhy Smart Leaders Are Rushing Back to In-Person Meetings | Jason Michael Perry
"When things are equalized, when everything suddenly can be good, there's something that makes it feel a little bit different, that makes it feel great. And…
The Human Connection PodcastHow Heritage Reconnection Improves Client Relationships and Team Retention | Tami Garcia
"Your heritage is already yours, and it only takes one small piece to connect." Tami Garcia knows something most executives miss: you can't build authentic…
The Human Connection PodcastStop Treating Employees as Labor: Seung Paik on Humanizing Business Relationships
"If you're going to get to know your people better, just get to know them better. The minute you transactionalize it, you start losing the relational aspect…
The Human Connection PodcastColin Hirdman on Building Authentic B2B Relationships That Actually Convert
"Nobody wants to be sold on LinkedIn. But most people are willing to be educated on LinkedIn, especially around pain points that they have." – Colin Hirdman…
The Human Connection PodcastAlex Bowden on Reducing Client Churn Through Human-First Hiring Strategies
"When you connect the right person with the right skillset, with the right environment, everybody wins." – Alex Bowden Most scaling companies are bleeding…
The Human Connection PodcastThe Warmth and Competence Balance Women Need to Advance | Lori Potts
"Focusing on the things that are within your control—how you communicate, your tonality, getting your voice heard in meetings—that's what creates real change."…
The Human Connection PodcastStop Setting Goals—Start Building Processes | Rick Cram on Resilience
"Listen so much that you're paying attention to what's not being said, what's not being heard—those wells of energy and wisdom guide the path forward." Rick…
The Human Connection PodcastPromoted Into Chaos: Why New Leaders Fail Without Support | Tim Smith
"The less confident I feel in my ability, the more time I'm reacting out of defensiveness and self-criticism—all of those things take me away from being an…
The Human Connection PodcastHuman-Centered Leadership in the Age of AI: Leading Yourself First with Jennifer Nash
"They're disconnected from other people. They're disconnected from themselves. So how do you lead yourself first? How do you get reconnected with yourself in a…
The Human Connection PodcastBuilding Authentic Client Connections: The Three C's of Persuasive Communication with Danny Bobrow
"People really make decisions on emotion, and then they justify it with logic." Ever wonder why your expertise isn't translating into closed deals? Danny…
The Human Connection PodcastWhy Communication Beats Competition in Service-Based Business with Jimmy Lai
"When people call us, we don't go straight into 'What's your name? What county?' We say thank you for calling us today. We understand what you're going…
The Human Connection PodcastBeyond Automation: Using AI to Amplify Human Connection with Rick DeLisi
"When AI is applied correctly, it allows your human beings, your frontline people, arguably the most important people in your company because they're the ones…
The Human Connection PodcastBeyond Execution: What Real Leadership Actually Means with Greg Stewart
"Every mission statement, purpose, destiny, vision, calling comes from our life experiences." Ever wake up "successful" but feeling like something's missing?…
The Human Connection PodcastStop Guessing: How to Actually Know What Your Customers Want with Ryan Rael
"Step one is actually focusing and actually considering the customer for the first time." Ever wonder why your customers seem confused by your "improvements"?…
The Human Connection PodcastTalk to Your Employees: The Radical Solution to High Turnover with Danielle Suprick
"Production workers don't just need to know how they do something—they need to know WHY they're doing it." Ever wonder why some companies can't keep employees…
The Human Connection PodcastThe Energy Money Moves Toward (Hint: It's Not Hustle) with Amy Kemp
"Money moves toward a certain kind of energy. It does not move toward energy that is victim energy or energy that doesn't have agency or choice." – Amy Kemp…
The Human Connection PodcastStop the Story Toppers: A Guide to Real Conversations with Steve Fales
"Everybody has a story. You just never know who needs that connection at that moment." - Steve Fales In this heartwarming episode, host Karl Pontau sits down…
The Human Connection PodcastHow Do You Pass Down a 30-Year Legacy Without Losing Everything? With Kevin Juza
"How can you buy a company that's been around for 70 years, and you're selling one day and you're closing the door the next day? That means you're a business…
The Human Connection PodcastBusiness on Purpose, Not on Accident with Jake Wells
"I want to ask all the questions that people are generally scared of asking. And it's not that scary, honestly, when people ask to step up and say the answer."…
The Human Connection PodcastTransforming Chaos into Clarity: A Healthcare Operations Story with Sulay Thompson
"It's the humans driving the process, not the processes driving the humans." - Sulay Thompson Join host Karl Pontau for an energizing conversation with…
The Human Connection PodcastWhen Climbing the Ladder Leaves You Empty with Kyle McDowell
"In so many organizations, there's this 'for one to win, someone else must lose' mentality. And it creates this conflict where we should be kind of…
The Human Connection PodcastBeyond Fake Perky: Building Real Connection in a Hybrid World with Morag Barrett
"It's not personal, it's just business? Well, my experience working with leaders around the world in all sorts of industries is that that is B.S." In this…
The Human Connection PodcastBreaking Down Walls: Leadership Through Adversity with Carl H Sharperson
"Once you're in a position where you're not smart enough, you don't have enough money in the bank... you have to humble yourself and rely on others and realize…
The Human Connection PodcastBeyond FOMO: Building Brands Through Positive Connection with Kevin Perlmutter
"People care about their own motivations, not what you have to sell, not what you want to say, not your brand's why." Kevin Perlmutter gets straight to the…
The Human Connection PodcastThe Secret to Content That Builds Loyalty (Hint: It's Human) with Brian Kurian
"I've gotten to the point now where I can listen and understand what you explicitly have shared with me. But I've also gotten to a point where I can pick up on…
The Human Connection PodcastWhat Your Employees Are Trying to Tell You (If You'd Just Listen) with James Warren
"The act of asking my team was an act of engagement, and I never thought of that before." This week, Karl sits down with James Warren, founder and CEO of Share…
The Human Connection PodcastThe Private Jet Problem: What Authentic Leadership Really Costs with Brandon Edwards
"Authenticity is increasingly the center of almost all trust. We talk about trust in organizations, but what we're really talking about is trust in the people…
The Human Connection PodcastYour Team Doesn't Need Grand Gestures—They Need This with Nicholas Howe
"It's those moments of reflection... once you can get to a space where you can capitalize on those moments that are happening, the ability to shift your…
The Human Connection PodcastFrom Widgets to Humans: Restoring Empathy in Healthcare with Tracy Cobb
"We're not building a widget. We're dealing with somebody's loved one, their family member. We're dealing with really hard topics, and I want to make sure that…
The Human Connection PodcastWhy Your Company's Ethics Are Your Best Marketing Tool with Ken Ziegler
"We look at the original theory of sandbox ethics... it is literally the development of your ethical building in a controlled environment. So if we apply that…
The Human Connection PodcastBeyond the Fruit Basket: Building Client Relationships That Last with Deborah Myers
"If Deborah really knew me, she would know I can't eat nuts." When it comes to business gifting, good intentions aren't enough—and sometimes those generic…
The Human Connection PodcastYour Customers Don't Want More AI—They Want to Be Understood with Donna Weber
"Just throwing more AI at people doesn't solve anything. You really need to know what your customers really want and need and what is meaningful to them." —…
The Human Connection PodcastBuild Stronger Customer Relationships Through Smarter Data with Borja Cuan
"You can't manage what you can't measure." In this episode, Karl Pontau sits down with Borja Cuan, a performance marketing veteran with 26 years of experience…
The Human Connection PodcastStop Sounding Like a Robot: Authentic Leadership Communication with Helen Jonsen
"A stat is like a hot dog. Pretty plain, pretty straightforward. But when you take that stat and put a little sauce and stuff on top, there you have a meal…
The Human Connection PodcastStop Replacing Humans, Start Augmenting Teams with Samantha Anderson
"This idea of melding both AI and humans together is really where I think we're starting to settle out and we're starting to see this promise of augmented…
The Human Connection PodcastBeyond Busy: Creating Conditions for Flow and Meaningful Work with Steven Puri
"When you run together, you run further, you run faster, and you're more accountable." Ever wonder why your best ideas don't come from staring at a screen…
The Human Connection PodcastThe 99% Rule: How Great Ideas Are Built on Other Ideas with Alan Gregerman
"Throughout the course of human history, 99% of all new ideas have been based on someone else's thinking or something someone's found in nature." - Alan…
The Human Connection PodcastSafe Wins the Meeting, Creative Risk Wins the Audience with Tim Bradley
"Safe wins the meeting. Creative risk wins the audience." – Tim Bradley In this episode, Karl Pontau sits down with Tim Bradley, co-founder of Tenant Video, to…
The Human Connection PodcastWe Met the Enemy and the Enemy Is Us: Transforming Through Culture with Ron Crabtree
"We met the enemy and the enemy is us." That's what Ron Crabtree discovered when he surveyed employees at a struggling 600-person unionized organization facing…
The Human Connection PodcastQuality Over Quantity: Why 10 Right Views Beat a Million Wrong Ones with Jake Isham
"Not all views are created equal. If you had a million views but none of them are going to ever become clients, what's the point? But if you have ten views and…
The Human Connection PodcastConnectors Get Paid: Turning Relationships Into Revenue with Joe Mindak
What if every employee in your company could become a revenue generator—without making a single cold call? In this energizing episode, host Karl Pontau sits…
The Human Connection PodcastStop the Profit Leak: Why the Right People in the Right Seats Changes Everything with Marika Ponton
What if your biggest financial drain isn't your overhead costs, but having the wrong people in the wrong roles? In this eye-opening conversation, CPA and…
The Human Connection PodcastFinding Balance & Building Success: One Mom's Agency Revolution with Stefanie Beach
What happens when the corporate world won't give you the flexibility you need? You build your own company—and transform an entire industry along the way. In…
The Human Connection PodcastBuilding Global Teams That Actually Work with Adam O’Connor
Join host Karl Pontau as he sits down with Adam O'Connor, Chief Commercial Officer at Gear Inc., for a refreshingly honest conversation about what it really…
The Human Connection PodcastHuman Stupidity vs. Human Ingenuity: Guess Which One Hackers Exploit with Natalie Berthe
Guest: Natalie Berthe - Business Growth Strategist & Cybersecurity Expert Think cybersecurity is too complicated and expensive for your growing business? Think…
The Human Connection PodcastThe Enron Effect: How Values Became Corporate Theater with Nicole Eisdorfer
Ever wonder why some companies inspire fierce loyalty while others struggle with quiet quitting and constant turnover? This week, host Karl Pontau sits down…
The Human Connection PodcastCulture Over Skills - Building Teams That Actually Work Together with Laura Lorenz
Ever feel like you're chasing every shiny object instead of growing your business? You're not alone! Join host Karl Pontau for an inspiring chat with Laura…
The Human Connection PodcastHow a College Student's Costume Hobby Became a Disney Career with Cupid Hayes
Ready to fall in love with your business again? This week, host Karl Pontau sits down with Cupid Hayes, the "Guardian Angel of Brand," who's spent 30+ years…
The Human Connection PodcastFrom LinkedIn Comment to Million-Dollar Partnership with Steven Schneider
Ever wonder how a casual LinkedIn comment can turn into a million-dollar business partnership? Steven Schneider, co-founder and CEO of Trio SEO, shares his…
The Human Connection PodcastBuilding Authentic Relationships Through Strategic Networking with Robert Butwin
Ready to transform your networking game? Join host Karl Pontau as he sits down with Robert Butwin, MLM Hall of Fame inductee and master networker who's been…
The Human Connection PodcastStop Stepping on the Same Leadership Rake with Brady Young
Join host Karl Pontau as he sits down with Brady Young, a visionary leader and catalyst for organizational transformation who's cracked the code on developing…
The Human Connection PodcastBeyond Skills: Hiring for Values That Drive Long-Term Success with Lou Carter
Ready to transform your hiring game? 🎯 This week, host Karl Pontau sits down with organizational psychologist and culture guru Lou Carter to decode the secret…
The Human Connection PodcastWhy Lead Gen Is Never Really the Problem with Thomas Helfrich
Guest: Thomas Helfrich - Growth Strategist & Host of "Cut The Tie" Struggling with lead generation? Here's a plot twist: it's probably not your lead gen that's…
The Human Connection PodcastBeyond the Bot: Building Relationships That Actually Convert with Corinna Owens
Guest: Corrina Owens - Go-to-market strategist and ABM expert behind award-winning programs at Gong In a world where AI is making marketing feel more robotic…
The Human Connection PodcastStop Blending In: The Art of Authentic Business Storytelling with Victoria Carrington Chavez
Ready to make your business unforgettable? This week, Karl sits down with storytelling powerhouse Victoria Carrington Chavez to uncover why your unique story…
The Human Connection PodcastSlow Down to Speed Up: The Power of Including People in Your Process with Kate McRoberts
Guest: Kate McRoberts, CEO & Managing Principal of Fathom Consulting When the data you've always relied on becomes unreliable, how do you make confident…
The Human Connection PodcastFrom Nanny to Fortune 500: The Power of Leading with Purpose with Kellee Johnson
Guest: Kellee Johnson - Advisor, Investor, Mentor & Founder of The Balance Group Ever wonder how helping others can actually accelerate your own career goals?…
The Human Connection PodcastThe $9 FedEx Secret That Beats Million-Dollar Marketing with Vance Morris
Ever wonder why some businesses have customers who stick around forever while others struggle with constant churn? This week, Karl sits down with Vance Morris…
The Human Connection PodcastWork Should NOT Suck: How to Break Free from Soul-Crushing Workplace Culture with Ryan Steil
Ever catch yourself frowning during your morning commute? You're not alone! 😤 This week, host Karl Pontau sits down with Ryan Steil, the refreshingly honest…
The Human Connection PodcastWhy Your Customers Don't Want to Be Hunted (And What to Do Instead)
Ready to ditch the "pitch slap" and start building relationships that actually grow your business? In this episode, host Karl Pontau sits down with Nora…