In this episode, Curtis sits down with Michael Mabry, a former college athlete, certified performance specialist, and co-founder of One Play Development, an organization that has already impacted over 4,000 student-athletes across the United States.

Michael shares how mental performance, emotional resilience, and the "Best Possible Outcome" mindset can transform not only athletic performance but also confidence in life, communication, and leadership. His insights go far beyond the field, offering valuable lessons that apply to language learners, professionals, and anyone striving to grow.

What We Talked About:

• The mental blocks that keep people from performing their best

• Coaching vs. mentorship and knowing what you need

• How to build confidence daily, even when you feel stuck

• The mindset needed to perform under pressure

• Similarities between learning a sport and learning a second language

• One powerful piece of advice for anyone struggling with confidence or growth

Whether you're training for a big game, a job interview, or your next English presentation, this conversation will give you tools to show up prepared and stay grounded in high-stakes moments.

🔗 Learn more about Michael and One Play Development:

Website -> https://www.oneplaydevelopment.com/

Facebook -> https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100078990753363

📸 Instagram -> @coachmabes44 | @oneplaydevelopment

🔥 Need to build communication confidence in English? I'm currently accepting 5 professionals for my 1-to-1 coaching program.

🗣️ We specialize in helping global professionals:

• Speak clearly and confidently at work

• Deliver strong presentations & handle follow-ups

• Reduce your accent for better understanding

• Build workplace credibility

• Navigate tough conversations & patient communication

• Master job interviews and workplace communication

📅 Book a trial with Curtis now: 👉 https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/member-plans/fluency-programs/trial-lesson/

In this episode, Curtis interviews Joe Gallagher Jr., also known as Chef Giuseppe, a man whose story takes us from addiction, prison, and near-death… to building one of the fastest-growing specialty food companies in the Southern United States.

Joe is the founder of Apastioli Specialty Foods, a faith-driven entrepreneur, and the author of From Bars to Jars: A Saucy Redemption Story. Once a rock musician in Grammy contention, Joe’s life spiraled after a traumatic accident, leading to addiction, lost family relationships, attempted murder charges, and total collapse.

But Joe’s comeback is nothing short of extraordinary. Through sobriety, faith, and a simple act of service, sharing homemade sauce at a recovery meeting, he found his purpose. Today, his business is expanding across major grocery chains, and his message of redemption is impacting lives across the country.

This conversation is about more than food or business. It’s about rebuilding your life from the inside out, turning pain into purpose, and proving that even the most broken people can become powerful healers.

📘 Grab Joe’s book on Amazon: From Bars to Jars: A Saucy Redemption Story

https://www.amazon.com.mx/Bars-Jars-Saucy-Redemption-Story/dp/B0F6MWDQV8

🌐 Follow JOE!!! & Apastioli Specialty Foods:

https://joegallagherjr.com/ https://www.apastioli.com/

https://www.facebook.com/joegallagherjr

🔥 Need to build communication confidence in English? I'm currently accepting 5 professionals for my 1-to-1 coaching program.

🗣️ We specialize in helping global professionals:

• Speak clearly and confidently at work

• Deliver strong presentations & handle follow-ups

• Reduce your accent for better understanding

• Build workplace credibility

• Navigate tough conversations & patient communication

• Master job interviews and workplace communication

📅 Book a trial with Curtis now: 👉 https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/member-plans/fluency-programs/trial-lesson/

In this episode, Curtis reconnects with his high school best friend, Matt Rauscher, for a conversation that’s packed with creativity, curiosity, and the power of lifelong learning.

Matt shares his journey from the school halls of Edmonton to living a hands-on, adventurous life filled with skills like welding, 3D printing, dual-sport motorcycling, meat curing, music production, and even keeping bees and raising livestock.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in your routine or wondered how to tap back into your creativity, this episode will spark new ideas about what’s possible when you keep learning, stay curious, and build something meaningful with your own two hands.

🔗 Want to improve your English for work and life?

Join Curtis at Real English Conversations and discover how he helps global professionals speak clearly and confidently in any situation.

🎧 Listen on your favorite platform: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/76ihNoEcjms6485Vt1ng5q Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id977345837 Website: 👉 https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/member-plans/fluency-programs/trial-lesson/

🔥 Need to build communication confidence in English?

Teacher Curtis is currently accepting 5 professionals for his 1-to-1 coaching program.

🗣️ He specializes in helping global professionals to:

• Speak clearly and confidently at work

• Deliver strong presentations & handle follow-ups

• Reduce accents and improve pronunciation for better understanding

• Build workplace credibility

• Navigate tough conversations & patient communication

• Master job interviews and workplace communication

• Deliver Business presentation with NO FEAR!

📅 Book a trial session now: 👉 https://realenglishconversations.com/memberships/member-plans/fluency-programs/trial-lesson/

🎙️ In this episode of the Real English Conversations Podcast, Curtis reconnects with longtime friend, mentor, and leadership strategist Marcus Gurske to dive deep into what it means to lead with purpose and mentor with impact.

With over 20 years of experience in professional communication and leadership development, Marcus shares real-world insights into:

• The key difference between managing and mentoring

• How to support and coach people under pressure

• Strategies to develop leadership in introverts and remote professionals

Whether you’re leading a team, stepping into a leadership role for the first time, or looking to become a more influential mentor, this conversation is packed with practical tools and thoughtful perspectives for professionals at any level.

🧠 Perfect for professionals, team leads, mentors, and those learning English for real-world business success.

🔁 Listen to Marcus’s First Episode (March 2024)

• 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4wnAu4yxXb5msJzR6AcLbT?si=511fbff2e28c48a7

• 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/an-interview-with-marcus-gurske-communication/id977345837?i=1000649053908

🌐 Connect with Marcus Gurske

• Website: marcusgurske.com

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marcusgurske

💬 Want to Accelerate Your English Communication Results?

We're currently accepting 5 new professionals into our private coaching program with Teacher Curtis.

Book a trial lesson today and start building real-world confidence in English with personalized support designed for international professionals.

👉 BOOK A TRIAL ENGLISH LESSON Now

✅ What You'll Learn With Curtis:

• Confidence Training to Communicate your ideas clearly and professionally

• Reduce your accent and speak with clarity

• Understand fast English in meetings and group calls

• Deliver presentations and answer follow-up questions with confidence

• Speak naturally in interviews and workplace conversations

• Navigate difficult or sensitive communication situations like a pro

🌍 Learn more at realenglishconversations.com

In this episode of the Real English Conversations Podcast, Curtis interviews Shweta Ramkumar, a communication coach and founder of Healthy Dynamics,  who helps healthcare professionals from non-English speaking backgrounds become confident, empathetic communicators in English.

Shweta’s passion for healthcare communication began at home, growing up with a doctor mom. Today, she uses that experience to coach international healthcare workers, blending emotional intelligence, cultural understanding, and real-life clinical scenarios with ESL strategies.

They discuss:

• The biggest English communication mistakes healthcare professionals make (and it’s not grammar)

• Why miscommunication can create emotional stress for both patients and providers

• How empathy, trust, and active listening can improve patient care

• The powerful results her clients see through one-on-one coaching

Whether you’re a doctor, nurse, medical student, or ESL professional in healthcare, this episode will help you understand how clear, compassionate English can truly change lives, starting with your own.

👩‍⚕️ Connect with Shweta & Healthy Dynamics:

• LinkedIn: Shweta Ramkumar

• YouTube: Healthy Dynamics Channel

• Business Page: Healthy Dynamics on LinkedIn

💬 Want to Speak English Clearly & Confidently at Work?

We’re currently accepting 5 new professionals into our private coaching program with Teacher Curtis.

👉 Book your trial session now and start building the communication skills you need to succeed in the workplace.

🚀 What We Help You With:

• Speak clearly and professionally in any situation

• Reduce your accent and be easily understood

• Understand fast-spoken English in meetings and calls

• Give presentations and answer tough questions with confidence

• Prepare for job interviews and real-world work situations

• Navigate sensitive conversations with clarity and emotional control

🌍 Learn more at: realenglishconversations.com

In this episode of the Real English Conversations Podcast, Curtis gets personal with a special guest, his older brother, Kevin Davies.

Kevin is a car-loving, bone-breaking, always-building kind of guy. As an electrician and lifelong project junkie, he brings stories of growing up in Canada surrounded by tools, dirt bikes, and trial-and-error learning, the kind that builds real resilience.

They Talk about:

• How fixing cars and building things teaches confidence and problem-solving

• Hilarious stories of growing up in a Canadian family with very different personalities

• What it means to learn through failure, get back up, and try again, in life and language

Whether you're learning English, building confidence, or just love good stories with heart, this episode brings real-life language, real culture, and real brotherhood.

💬 Want to Build Rock-Solid Confidence in Your English?

We’re currently accepting 5 professionals into our private coaching program with Teacher Curtis.

👉 Book your trial session now and start building the speaking confidence you need for real conversations at work and in life.

✅ What You’ll Learn With Us:

• Speak clearly and naturally in any professional or everyday situation

• Reduce your accent to be easily understood

• Understand fast-spoken English in real conversations

• Present your ideas confidently and handle tough questions

• Succeed in interviews, meetings, and workplace communication

• Build emotional control and self-trust while speaking English

🌍 Learn more at realenglishconversations.com

In this high-energy episode of the Real English Conversations Podcast, Curtis interviews Jason R. Levine, better known around the world as Fluency MC, the viral teaching sensation who helps English learners build fluency through rhythm, rap, and real fun.

Jason is the creator of Stick, Stuck, Stuck, a YouTube megahit that’s been used in classrooms across the globe. In this conversation, he shares how his love of music evolved into a powerful teaching method that blends grammar, listening, and memory into something unforgettable.

They talk about:

• How rhythm and rhyme help English learners retain grammar and vocabulary

• The story behind Stick, Stuck, Stuck going viral

• Performing in schools around the world and seeing real transformation

• His latest programs: Rhyme On Time and Speak On Beat

• Why fun, music-based learning can break language anxiety and boost confidence

If you're learning English and want to enjoy the process more — or you're a teacher looking for creative ideas — this episode will leave you motivated and ready to try something new.

🎧 Watch & Connect with Fluency MC:

• 📺 Watch Stick, Stuck, Stuck on YouTube

• 🌐 Website: fluencymc.com

• 📺 YouTube: Fluency MC

• 📸 Instagram: @fluencymc

• 📘 Facebook: Fluency MC Facebook

💬 Want to Speak English Clearly & Confidently?

We’re currently accepting 5 professionals into our private coaching program with Teacher Curtis.

👉 Book your trial session now and start building the real-world communication skills you need to succeed in English.

✅ What We Help You With:

• Speak clearly and confidently in any situation

• Reduce your accent and sound more natural

• Understand fast, real-world English in meetings and conversations

• Deliver presentations and answer tough questions with ease

• Prepare for job interviews and professional opportunities

• Communicate naturally in sensitive or high-stakes situations

🌍 Learn more at realenglishconversations.com

For the first time, Curtis takes the guest seat as he’s interviewed by radio and podcast expert Matt Cundill on the You May Also Like Podcast.

In this candid conversation, Curtis shares how his passion for radio in Edmonton eventually led to launching the Real English Conversations Podcast — and building an online coaching business that helps professionals around the world speak English clearly and confidently at work.

They talk about:

• The story behind Real English Conversations and its global impact

• What makes a podcast grow and connect with international listeners

• How Curtis helps professionals become confident English communicators using real conversations—not grammar drills

If you’ve ever wondered about the story behind the mic, or want to hear what it really takes to build a meaningful business in the ESL space, this episode delivers insights, real talk, and inspiration.

🎧 Listen to the Full Interview with Matt Cundill:

• 🔗 You May Also Like Podcast – Curtis’s Episode

• 🎙️ Explore All Episodes

• 📺 YouTube: Sound Off Media Channel

• 🌐 More from Matt: The Sound Off Podcast

💬 Want to Speak English Confidently at Work?

We’re currently accepting 5 new professionals into our private coaching program with Teacher Curtis.

👉 Book your trial lesson now and start speaking English naturally and clearly in real workplace situations.

✅ What You’ll Learn With Us:

• Communicate your ideas clearly and confidently

• Reduce your accent and be easily understood

• Understand fast-spoken English in meetings and conversations

• Deliver strong presentations and answer tough follow-up questions

• Build real confidence for interviews and career growth

• Navigate difficult or sensitive conversations with professionalism

🌍 Learn more at: realenglishconversations.com

In this episode of the Real English Conversations Podcast, Curtis interviews Nathan Lige, a game designer, writer, and co-creator of the hit storytelling game Mythwind at Open Owl Studios.

Nathan shares how his love of writing and community storytelling led him to leave the tech world and create games that bring people together. His purpose-driven journey is filled with lessons about creativity, risk-taking, and finding work that matters.

They explore:

• How storytelling skills can strengthen your communication and leadership

• What it takes to transition careers with intention and passion

• The role of language, empathy, and collaboration in creative work

• Why following your purpose builds confidence in life, and English

Whether you're learning English, dreaming of a career change, or curious about how creativity fuels connection, this episode will inspire your next step.

🎮 Check Out Nathan’s Work at Open Owl Studios:

• 🌐 openowlstudios.com

• 📘 Open Owl Studios on Facebook

💬 Want to Speak English Confidently in Your Career?

We’re currently accepting 5 professionals into our private coaching program with Teacher Curtis.

👉 Book your trial lesson now and start building the skills you need to speak confidently and naturally at work.

✅ Our Coaching Focus Includes:

• Clear, professional communication

• Accent reduction for global clarity

• Understanding fast, native English in real conversations

• Presenting and answering questions with confidence

• Interview preparation and workplace fluency

• Handling tough conversations with calm and control

🌍 Learn more at realenglishconversations.com

We’re back, and kicking things off with a very special guest: Edmonton radio legend Terry Evans.

Terry has been a longtime morning show host on K-97 and is the voice behind the Reluctantly... podcast. In this episode of the Real English Conversations Podcast, Curtis sits down with Terry for an open, honest conversation about confidence, mistakes, communication, and staying true to yourself under pressure.

You’ll hear:

• How Terry got started in radio and found his voice on-air

• The awkward, funny, and sometimes intense realities of live broadcasting

• How to speak up when you’re nervous or unsure

• What confidence looks like, even when you feel shaky inside

• How to deal with hard conversations in a professional setting

Whether you're learning English, trying to build real confidence at work, or just love a behind-the-scenes look at broadcasting and communication, this episode is packed with insight, laughter, and practical wisdom.

🎧 Where to Hear More from Terry Evans:

• 📺 YouTube: @reluctantlypodcast

• 🎙️ K-97 Radio: The Terry Evans Show

• 🌐 Website: reluctantlypodcast.com

💬 Want to Speak English Clearly & Confidently at Work?

We’re currently accepting 5 new professionals into our private coaching program with Teacher Curtis.

👉 Book your trial session now and start building the skills you need to communicate effectively and naturally in English.

✅ Our Coaching Helps You:

• Communicate ideas clearly and confidently in any situation

• Reduce your accent to be easily understood

• Understand fast, real-world English in meetings and conversations

• Present your ideas with impact and handle tough follow-up questions

• Navigate interviews, promotions, and difficult conversations with confidence

• Speak up when it matters — without fear of making mistakes

🌍 Learn more at realenglishconversations.com