Capital Region Business Podcast

Michael Scaringe, owner of Skyview Landscapes Inc, joins the podcast to discuss growing his business in the Capital Region and what we can all learn from his experience. Don't miss this episode...

Episode Highlights:

Mike shares his background. (2:30)

Mike mentions what Skyview Landscapes can offer to their customers. (4:02)

Mike explains what RPI has taught him. (7:45)

Mike shares how the business has changed in the last 10 years. (9:07)

Mike mentions why a conference is a good indication of what they do. (10:18)

What's something that Mike’s seeing out there that could be the next big thing for the future? (17:06)

Mike shares how many employees they have and what the other employees are working on. (20:43)

Mike explains what field managers do at Skyview Landscapes. (22:51)

Key Quotes:

“Me, as the contractor, I know where everything's gonna go.I feel very comfortable knowing that at the end, once we put the first shovel in the ground, where the end is going to go because of design.” - Michael Scaringe

“If you're going to invest the money, invest in some sort of designer or architect. Because they know the trends, they know what works best, and how it will fit perfectly for your backyard.” - Michael Scaringe

“I wanted to be a business owner, I'm not the best guy to maybe go work in a financial firm or county firm and do that sort of thing. So, I always knew that I wanted to be a business owner, but, it just has to be landscape because I kind of had a passion for contracts.” - Michael Scaringe

Resources Mentioned:

Michael Scaringe LinkedIn

Skyview Landscapes

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Episode Highlights: 

How did Benita transition into the health and wellness industry? (6:00)

Benita shares how to have an organized mind. (10:33)

Benita shares the importance of being kind and mindful to yourself. (13:09)

Benita shares her thoughts on happiness and acceptance. (20:43)

Benita explains her health and wellness project. (24:10)

Benita shares why she’s very passionate about arts and theater. (25:34)

Key Quotes:

“You've always got to be reinventing yourself. I mean, otherwise, you get stale, you get left behind. I feel like I have always reinvented myself here at the station. And it was just time for another reinvention. And, I really fell in love with doing this.” - Benita Zahn

“Let's change the paradigm, and stop telling people what they have to do. And, stop pointing fingers when they don't do what we think they should do. What I'm working with people is to figure out what you want to do, what you need to do, why you need to do it, and how you can best achieve that for you.” - Benita Zahn

“I think the first thing we have to do is start looking at ourselves and not looking at how we think somebody should be perceiving us.” - Benita Zahn

Resources Mentioned:

Benita Zahn LinkedIn

WNYT

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Benita Zahn has been a news anchor and health and wellness reporter for WNYT News Channel 13 (and so much more). In part one of this conversation, we dive into the last 40 years of her career and what it's meant to the Capital Region. Don't miss this episode...

Episode Highlights:

Benita shares the growth of their community. (11:36)

Benita explains how technology spread has contributed to the growth of their community. (14:54)

Benita shares why their hometown pride still exists. (16:40)

Benita shares some unforgettable stories that she reported on over the course of her career. (19:48)

Benita mentions how she made an impact in the community. (22:52)

Benita gives us the next phase of her career. (24:31)

Benita shares how they set up an appointment. (29:11)

Key Quotes:

“We are finally shaking loose the bounds, the chains, really, of the fiefdoms of community...to get them to see that if we worked as a community, how much more powerful we would be, how much more engaging we could be to other businesses.” - Benita Zahn

“I think there are still lots of pockets of this is my turf and I'm not in yours. But there’s also an understanding of how much more powerful we are working shoulder to shoulder rather than apart from each other.” - Benita Zahn

“I don't think hometown pride is gone at all. I think on a greater scale for bigger projects, whether it be a big infrastructure project, we are now more willing to, and more ready to embrace working together than we had in the past.” - Benita Zahn

Resources Mentioned:

Benita Zahn LinkedIn

WNYT

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Heidi Knoblauch, Venture and Growth Relationship Manager at Pioneer and Owner of Plumb Oyster Bar in Troy, joins the show to explain the finance ecosystem in the Capital Region. This is an episode you don't want to miss...

Episode Highlights:

Heidi shares her background. (3:14)

Heidi shares how she got a Ph.D. and small business financing. (6:51)

Heidi explains what happened to the seed fund. (9:37)

Heidi shares why people should take advantage of working capital programs. (11:53)

Heidi explains why that connection between investors and entrepreneurs is significant. (17:06)

Where does Heidi find investors? (19:27)

Heidi mentions one of the exciting things about the gaming accelerators. (23:45)

What does Heidi think of established people versus new people starting businesses? (32:41)

Heidi mentions one of the good things that RPI does. (37:28)

Key Quotes:

“People say…’How do you do a bunch of stuff? How do you get it all done? What are you doing?’ And to be honest, it’s around one single thing, which is promoting the region through small business development.” - Heidi Knoblauch

“If I didn't have the ability to make that change during the pandemic, I think I would have felt really hopeless, if that makes sense. But, I got to connect with a ton of small businesses across the capital region and hear about what was going on in their lives... and, kind of scramble to get this government money.” - Heidi Knoblauch

“We are in a place where all the pieces are there. It's just about putting them together. And it's about finding the right people who can do that right now. I think if you look across the Capital Region, there are a lot of smart people who are like...Okay, how do we make this happen?” - Heidi Knoblauch

Resources Mentioned:

Heidi Knoblauch LinkedIn

Pioneer

Plumb Oyster Bar

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Katie Newcombe, Chief Economic Development Officer at the Center for Economic Growth stops by the show to break down the new regional branding project, CapNY, and the potential impact of the growth of our small business community. You don't want to miss this episode...

Episode Highlights:

Katie shares her background. (2:44)

Katie explains what the Center for Economic Growth is all about. (7:20)

Katie mentions the goal of their company. (8:06)

Katie shares how the CEG was formed. (16:15)

Katie mentions how CapNY started. (20:47)

Katie discusses the website, Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy. (29:06)

Katie shares why each city has its own four P's. (37:56)

Katie discusses the developers they have in different cities. (45:20)

Key Quotes:

“We try to really focus on those areas where we, as a region, can have a competitive advantage. Andm then we go out and try to sell those capabilities, and tell our story on a broader level.” - Katie Newcombe

“Launching this regional brand; ambitious for many reasons, geographically, and because everybody has opinions. But, it's critical. We have to talk about who we are to each other. And, we’ve got to show who we are outside of our eight counties.” - Katie Newcombe

“There's a lot that makes this area incredibly attractive. But, we continue to fight structural issues, including taxes and regulation. And so, it's even more imperative to try to set our region and what we're doing here apart.” - Katie Newcombe

Resources Mentioned:

Katie Newcombe LinkedIn

Center for Economic Growth

CapNY

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Entrepreneur, Kyle Coletti, took his father's side hustle and turned it into a reality show-winning fitness brand. This is his story...

Episode Highlights:

Kyle shares his background. (3:28)

Kyle explains the Focusmaster G-1000. (5:24)

What gave his father and the other partners confidence to let Kyle into their business? (10:05)

Kyle mentions the equipment they have. (12:57)

Kyle shares the program they have at Focusmaster Fitness. (14:51)

Has Kyle thought of franchising Focusmaster Fitness? (17:12)

Kyle shares the TV show where they were featured. (22:01)

Kyle shares the opportunities he’s received from being part of the TV show. (29:17)

How did Kyle work through problems to find opportunities? (35:32)

Key Quotes:

“It doesn't matter who's on the mic that day you walk in. You know what you're going to expect. And, we're kind of layering bricks on your foundation every time you come in. So, you learn a little more, and over time, you just get better and better before you know... you start looking like a real boxer.” - Kyle Coletti

“You’re doing it for the money or you’re doing it for the experience, and the difference you can make in the world of the brand you want to build, or how the community you want to touch. And I think the passion, the fire has not gone out in my heart, on what I think Focusmaster can be. - Kyle Coletti

“I think when you get entrepreneurs together, I think there's a slightly different breed. And there's a mutual respect that everybody's kind of in the same grind. At some point in their career, whether they go on to be a billionaire or not, they all had day one.” - Kyle Coletti

Resources Mentioned:

Kyle Coletti LinkedIn

Focusmaster Fitness

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Adam Badger, founder of Badger Strength joins the podcast to break down health and fitness in terms and tactics that fit our busy everyday lives. Adam is a strong proponent of training that fits your life and meets your goals. This is a great episode of the show...

Episode Highlights:

Adam mentions his shift from in-person workouts to virtual. (8:21)

Adam shares how to keep ourselves fit. (14:43)

Adam mentions his philosophy from a fitness industry standpoint. (17:27)

Adam shares how being healthy should be looked at. (23:19)

Adam mentions what he’s working on with his nutrition clients. (27:31)

Adam shares the value of finding something that you enjoy doing. (29:59)

Adam shares the benefits of exercise. (37:15)

Adam explains how he evaluates his clients. (44:29)

Key Quotes:

“Working out now is just such a necessary part of my life, that I didn't have the option... I had to do something during quarantine. But, once I set up like my garage studio now I actually like working out from home more.” - Adam Badger

“I think people need to start taking more control and more responsibility for their health. Don't wait for the world to rearrange itself to make it easier for you. I don't think it's any easier to get in shape than it is in 2021.” - Adam Badger

“If you find something that you enjoy doing, and you like it enough, you know, you'll get better at that thing, you know, and kind of please your behavior so that you can still do that.” - Adam Badger

Resources Mentioned:

Adam Badger LinkedIn

Badger Strength

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Third-generation owner, Rhea O'Connor, shares her experience and expertise navigating the complicated waters of COVID inside the Loudonville Assisted Living Residence. We also get a look at the mental models Rhea uses to consistently make successful decisions for her business. Don't miss this one...

Episode Highlights:

Rhea shares her background. (4:05)

Rhea mentions the three centers they have. (7:11)

Rhea shares their company’s success through generations. (8:20)

Rhea shares how they prepared during the pandemic. (11:13)

How has it been since Rhea worked with her father? (15:44)

What makes Loudonville Assisted Living Residence special? (19:03)

Rhea mentions how their workflow has been doing. (20:17)

Rhea mentions the Loudonville Assisted Living Residence Foundation. (21:56)

Rhea shares the activity programs they have. (26:51)

Key Quotes:

“This place really is about family. It's something I think a lot of people say, but when you walk in the front door, you can really feel it here.” - Rhea O'Connor

“I think that the legal training enabled me to be able to think deductively very quickly, and then obviously experience. The more experience you get, the more confident you are in what you're doing. So, it's a combination of all three.” - Rhea O'Connor

“Our caregivers, our aides, our home health aides, our medication technicians, they are such an integral part of what we do here. And I want to support them too because the more they're supported, the better care they will be able to provide to our residents.” - Rhea O'Connor

Resources Mentioned:

Rhea O'Connor LinkedIn

Loudonville Assisted Living Residence

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Mike Fiacco, owner of Bennington Furniture & Mattress and now Capital Region staple, Old Brick Furniture + Mattress Co, joins the podcast to share his story of getting into the furniture industry and how he's been able to grow his business. We also find out what comes next...

Episode Highlights:

Mike shares his background. (3:54)

Mike shares what happened when he bought the business from his mother. (5:09)

Where did Mike develop his business-driven characteristics? (7:19)

Mike mentions how many Bennington stores he has. (9:24)

Mike gives a piece of advice for the younger generation. (15:18)

Mike shares his leadership techniques. (19:08)

Mike shares the type of culture he’s looking for. (21:14)

Mike mentions one of the factors he loves about the old brick brand. (22:28)

Mike shares the significance of authenticity. (25:50)

Mike mentions the previous owner of the Old Brick. (30:20)

Key Quotes:

“I have a vision and I knew if I could get ahold of the Old Brick, and I can take what he's doing and scale it, it could be something special.” - Mike Fiacco

“I think as a leader, culture is everything in a business, and culture starts and stops at the top. So, do I get my hands in a lot? Yes.ut, I'm definitely not a micromanager. I think if you spoke to the bulk of my management, they would tell you that I let them do their thing.” - Mike Fiacco

“If you have the mindset that you're going to fight towin every day, and you're going to do whatever it takes to win...We're big on making sure we're doing what's right for our customer. If you do what's right for your customer every time, you're going to win at the end of the day.” - Mike Fiacco

Resources Mentioned:

Mike Fiacco LinkedIn

Bennington Furniture & Mattress

Old Brick Furniture + Mattress Co.

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Taylor Rao, co-founder of Two Buttons Deep and the Buttonista media brands shares her story and experience on building a media empire. We also get tactical on how non-media companies can use digital and social media to grow their business.

Episode Highlights:

Taylor talks about her interest in journalism at a young age. (3:33)

Taylor shares stories about being on-camera and connecting with her audience. (6:30)

How does Taylor feel about being called an “insurance influencer”? (12:23)

Taylor talks about making a decision early on, to grow the business. (20:20)

Taylor mentions how important consistency is in podcasting. (27:00)

What does Taylor feel her company is struggling with? (30:42)

Taylor explains the importance of promotion as a business owner. (35:22)

How does Taylor deal with varying viewpoints on social media? (42:12)

Key Quotes:

“Once we started being on camera, more people really felt like they got to know us. I'll be out to dinner, or I'll be walking through the farmers market, and someone's like, ‘I thought I heard your voice. Are you Taylor?’ They know my voice, they know my personality through just watching a video.” - Taylor Rao

“We make sure that frequency is there. Not only predictability of when things are going to come out, but, that you're going to be seeing this message, episode, whatever… multiple times. Whenever you're ready to interact and engage with it, it's there for you. You don't have to go back and find it.” - Taylor Rao

“If you're not putting out something that you don't believe in, or doesn't make you happy...It doesn't mean you can't be successful, can't make money and can't profit off of it. But, I think the way that it's delivered to people...We try to create the most authentic experience possible.” - Taylor Rao

Resources Mentioned:

Taylor Rao / Instagram

Two Buttons Deep

Buttonista

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