The Spark Konnect

Welcome to The Spark Konnect Podcast, hosted by Kassy LaBorie — The Trainer’s Trainer and Original Virtual Training Hero. This is the place where we explore the many sparks that ignite powerful facilitation — creativity, performance, leadership, play, and beyond.Each series dives into a new lens on facilitation, revealing the unique ways people connect, inspire, and lead. From artistry to athletics (and everything in between), we uncover how different passions and disciplines fuel unforgettable learning experiences.Because facilitation isn’t just a profession — it’s a human art.

The Spark Konnect is a education podcast hosted by Kassy LaBorie, with 52 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Kassy LaBorie hosts The Spark Konnect, a education show with 52 episodes published.

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  Episode #50

  Ep. 050 | Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Doing Wrong w/ Roger Reitzel

  Sep 30, 202633 minS1

  Summary Roger Reitzel has been a lounge singer, stand-up comic, real estate trainer, sitcom writer, commercial actor, and professional hamburger catcher - which is somehow all part of the same career. In today’s episode, he explains how comedy made him a better trainer, why knowing your audience is everything, and how seven colorful tuxedos helped launch his creative journey. Roger also shares why mentors matter, why you should bring your whole self to work, and why anything worth doing is worth doing wrong. Plus: the professional secret to rehearsing until you can’t get it wrong. Roger’s Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-reitzel-830a972 Kassy’s Links: Website: https://kassylaborie.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kassylaborie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassylaborie/ Chapters 00:00 — Meet Roger Reitzel 02:35 — From comedy to real estate 03:05 — Becoming a trainer by accident 04:12 — Making training funny 04:41 — The book deal that changed everything 05:40 — Taking real estate training national 06:08 — How to answer the phone—for three hours 10:45 — The secret to making audiences laugh 11:42 — Performing for sober people 12:35 — Know your audience 14:13 — You can’t learn performance in private 15:17 — The emotional cost of bombing 19:18 — Learning by doing what you can’t do 20:15 — The mentors who pay it forward 24:44 — When producers join the performance 26:41 — Bring your whole self to work 32:24 — Why anything worth doing is worth doing wrong 32:47 — Find Roger Takeaways All careers are interconnected through core skills and passions. Practice makes perfect, and over-practicing leads to mastery. Mentorship is invaluable for growth in any field. Authenticity and self-awareness boost performance. Failure is a necessary part of learning and mastery. creativity, mastery, public speaking, training, comedy, real estate, entertainment, personal development

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  Episode #49

  Ep. 049 | Leadership Needs a Dance Floor w/ Eryc Eyl

  Sep 30, 202637 minS1

  Summary Eryc Eyl is a professional speaker, leadership expert, workplace culture champion, and longtime DJ - because apparently one career wasn’t enough. In this episode, he explains how he stopped delivering beige “lectures” and created the keynote dance party, blending music, movement, and leadership lessons. Eryc shares how DJing helps audiences learn, reconnect after breakouts, and leave energized instead of spiritually trapped in a hotel ballroom. Kassy and Eryc also explore staying human at work, embracing your weirdness, and turning your seemingly unrelated talents into something only you can do. Tune in! Eric’s Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/eryceyl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eryceyl TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eryceyl Kassy’s Links: Website: https://kassylaborie.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kassylaborie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassylaborie/ Chapters 00:00 — Introduction 00:51 — Meet Eryc Eyl: Artist, Speaker, and DJ 01:18 — Eryc’s Background and Artistic Journey 07:16 — From Lecture to Keynote Dance Party 10:55 — Turning Music Into Learning 17:38 — Life as a Mashup 22:31 — Human Dignity in the Workplace 25:08 — Communication, Complexity, and AI 27:52 — Leadership Lessons from DJing 33:20 — The Evolution of Personal Identity 34:39 — Closing and Eryc’s Origin Story Takeaways Art and music can be powerful tools for leadership development. Performance techniques like dance parties can energize and engage audiences. Legal considerations for music should be planned in advance, but can be managed. Metaphors like mashups and dance parties help internalize learning. Authenticity and artistic expression differentiate speakers and leaders. Leadership, Workplace Culture, DJing, Art in Business, Public Speaking, Innovation, Performance, Employee Engagement, Personal Branding

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  Episode #48

  Ep. 048 | Let People Enjoy Things w/ Abbey Cooke

  Sep 23, 202630 minS1

  Summary What do improv, musical theater, and surviving a disastrous teachback have in common? They all teach you to listen, pivot, commit, and stop waiting for the perfect thing to say. Abbey Cooke (aka Ms. Lizard Brain) joins Kassy to unpack “yes, and,” relationship bids, the wrong-name game, and why the first idea is often better than the most overthought one. They also discuss making your partner look good, embracing awkwardness, and using performance skills to become a more present trainer, leader, and human. Plus, there’s bird hand, puppet choreography, and a heroic attempt to make a puppet perform “Thriller.” In short: say the first thing, support the bit, and when everything goes sideways, keep going anyway. Abbey’s Links: Websites: www.abbeycooke.com & www.lizardbrainlearning.com Kassy’s Links: Website: https://kassylaborie.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kassylaborie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassylaborie/ Chapters 00:00 Meet Abbey Cooke and Ms. Lizard Brain 02:50 Improv Is More Than Comedy 03:31 The “Yes, And” Toy Phone Test 05:12 The Relationship Bids That Matter 07:23 Let People Enjoy Things 07:53 How Improv Builds Mental Agility 10:46 The Wrong Name Game 12:44 Improv Skills for Better Facilitation 13:59 The “What Are You Doing?” Game 14:45 Willingness Beats Perfect Form 16:17 Make Your Partner Look Good 17:22 When the Teachback Goes Terribly 19:40 Puppets Attempt the Thriller Dance 21:42 Musical Theater and Body Awareness 24:49 Bird Hands and Big Gestures 26:33 Performing Even When You’re Tired 27:17 The Two Core Improv Exercises 29:51 Find Abbey as Ms. Lizard Takeaways Improv is less about being funny and more about listening, accepting what’s offered, and building from there. Strong relationships grow when we acknowledge each other’s bids for connection, even when we don’t care about the same things. When perfectionism makes you freeze, choose the first thought instead of waiting for the best one. improvisation, learning agility, leadership, communication, mental models, TikTok, Abby Cook, adaptability, yes and, decision making

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  Episode #47

  Ep. 047 | AI: A Performance, Not a Movie w/ Josh Penzell

  Sep 16, 202647 minS1

  Summary Join Kassy this week as Josh Penzell brings theater, leadership, creativity, and AI together in one lively conversation about why work should feel more like a live performance than a perfectly edited film. He explains how rehearsal, flexibility, and a little messiness can help people collaborate, learn, and adapt when technology refuses to follow the script. Along the way, we explore artistic intelligence, psychological safety, and why even the best five-step framework sometimes needs a dramatic rewrite. Expect big ideas, useful metaphors, and plenty of reminders that the magic often happens when things don’t go exactly as planned. Josh’s Links: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/josh-penzell.com Websites: www.joshpenzell.com Kassy’s Links: Website: https://kassylaborie.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kassylaborie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassylaborie/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Josh Penzell and His Journey 02:48 The Intersection of Theater and Leadership 05:29 The Role of AI in Creativity and Performance 08:27 Shifting from Film to Theater in Business 11:05 Creating a Rehearsal Room for Learning and Development 14:04 The Importance of Psychological Safety in Teams 16:43 Artistic Intelligence: Embracing Creativity in the Workplace 22:55 The Intersection of Theater and AI 27:56 Observable Behaviors in Presentation 33:23 Metaphors and Creative Thinking 41:55 Navigating Change and Finding Hope Takeaways Theatre metaphors help enhance leadership communication skills Artistic over artificial intelligence Developing strategies to foster psychological safety and creativity is paramount theater metaphors, leadership, AI, communication, artistic intelligence, rehearsal, performance, creativity, learning and development

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  Episode #46

  Ep. 046 | Play Center Stage w/ Carlo D'Amore

  Sep 9, 202640 minS1

  Summary The secret to unforgettable audience engagement is not polish - it's making people feel like the story is happening to them. Carlo D'Amore reveals how he built Live in Theater, the interactive murder mystery company that turns strangers into detectives and teams into co-creators. Carlo breaks down how he transforms real New York history into participatory theater that works in the streets, in a room, and even on Zoom. If you lead teams, host virtual events, or just want people to stop passively watching and start leaning in, this conversation is packed with ideas you can use. Carlo’s Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlodamore-creator/ Websites: www.liveintheater.com www.carlodamore.com Instagram: @liveintheater @carlodamore69 Carlo’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Criminals-America-Thomas-Byrnes/dp/B0006CUA5W/ Kassy’s Links: Website: https://kassylaborie.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kassylaborie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassylaborie/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Carlo D'Amore 01:18 The Journey of an Artist 02:26 Interactive Theater: A New Approach 07:02 Creating the Ryan Case 1873 11:36 The Audience Experience in Interactive Theater 15:18 Navigating Permissions and Logistics 17:29 Expansion and Adaptation During COVID-19 20:02 Interactive Theater: The Format Unveiled 22:14 Engaging the Audience: Tools and Techniques 25:04 The Art of Writing: Crafting Compelling Narratives 28:04 Building Courage: Techniques for Audience Engagement 30:48 Authenticity in Performance: The Key to Connection 33:43 Overcoming Fear: The Path to Courage 36:13 The Power of Storytelling: Connecting Through Humanity Takeaways Authenticity and genuine engagement are key to audience involvement. Storytelling skills are crucial for creating compelling immersive experiences. Adapting to virtual formats requires leveraging existing skills and improvisation. immersive theater, murder mystery, team building, storytelling, audience engagement, virtual events, experiential entertainment

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