As AI reshapes how work gets done, leaders everywhere are focused on tools, speed, and productivity.

But there’s a more important question we’re not asking enough.

In this pre-launch episode of The Building Business Relationships Show, Matt Stone is joined by Al Dea, host of The Edge of Work podcast, for a timely conversation about leadership, trust, and the human side of AI-driven change.

Rather than debating the latest technology, this episode explores what AI exposes about organizations—and what leaders need to get right before transformation can succeed.

In this conversation, we explore:

• the real question leaders should be asking as AI accelerates
• why AI amplifies existing trust and leadership gaps
• how uncertainty impacts relationships at work
• what employees actually need during rapid change
• why trust and clarity matter more than speed

This is a thoughtful, grounded conversation for leaders navigating AI not just as a technology shift—but as a human one.

In this episode:

• The question leaders keep avoiding about AI
• Why AI acts as a mirror for culture and trust
• Employee fear vs leadership intent
• Communication breakdowns during change
• What human-centered leadership looks like now
• Why the future of work is still human

Find Al Dea on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsaldea/

For years, we’ve been told that more followers, more content, and more visibility would lead to more business.

But what if that story is backwards?

In this pre-launch episode of The Building Business Relationships Show, Matt Stone is joined by Heidi Medina, a five-time entrepreneur and conversation-first business strategist, to challenge one of the most common myths in modern marketing:

Followers don’t build businesses. Relationships do.

Heidi shares how social platforms trained us to prioritize numbers, impressions, and algorithms—while quietly pulling us away from the conversations that actually create trust, referrals, and revenue.

This episode explores:

• why follower counts rarely translate into real business
• how platforms incentivize performance over connection
• what “conversation-first” marketing actually looks like
• why intention matters more than consistency
• how small shifts can unlock meaningful momentum

This is a practical, human conversation for entrepreneurs who want growth to feel more natural—and more effective.

In this episode:

• A relationship that changed Heidi’s entrepreneurial path
• Followers vs real relationships
• How platforms trained us to chase numbers
• Content as conversation, not performance
• A real client example: small shifts, big impact
• Why intention beats algorithms

Find Heidi Medina here: https://www.talkingintoprofits.com/

Most businesses don’t fail because of bad strategy.
They fail because the real conversations never happen.

In this pre-launch episode of The Building Business Relationships Show, Matt Stone is joined by Michael Gansl, a seasoned entrepreneur and principal at Voice of Reason Consulting, for a candid conversation about the hidden relationship dynamics that quietly make—or break—companies.

Michael shares decades of experience working with founders, partners, and leadership teams, including a principle that has guided his work for years:

“The words that are not said sink the business.”

This episode explores:

• how unspoken tension erodes trust over time
• why silence is often more dangerous than conflict
• what long-lasting business partnerships actually require
• how presence, patience, and honesty outperform tactics
• why relationships—not strategy—determine outcomes

This is a reflective, experience-driven conversation for founders, partners, and leaders who know something important isn’t being said—and want to understand the cost of avoiding it.

🗂️ Concise Show Notes (Place Below Description)

In this episode:

• A chance relationship that changed a career
• Why partnerships fail even with good intentions
• “The words that are not said” and how they sink businesses
• Ego, silence, and unspoken expectations
• Creating space for real conversations
• Trust, presence, and leadership in an AI-driven world

Find more info about Michael Gansl here: https://www.voiceofreasonconsulting.com/