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

🌐 Learn more about Apastioli Specialty Foods:
https://www.apastioli.com/

🔥 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 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.

• 🎧 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

• Website: marcusgurske.com

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marcusgurske

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

• 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.

• LinkedIn: Shweta Ramkumar

• YouTube: Healthy Dynamics Channel

• Business Page: Healthy Dynamics on LinkedIn

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.

• 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.

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.

• 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 Stick, Stuck, Stuck on YouTube

• 🌐 Website: fluencymc.com

• 📺 YouTube: Fluency MC

• 📸 Instagram: @fluencymc

• 📘 Facebook: Fluency MC Facebook

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.

• 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.

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

• 🎙️ Explore All Episodes

• 📺 YouTube: Sound Off Media Channel

• 🌐 More from Matt: The Sound Off Podcast

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.

• 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.

• 🌐 openowlstudios.com

• 📘 Open Owl Studios on Facebook

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.

• 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