In this episode of Built to Last, Colby and Levi sit down with Martin Balcome for a thoughtful conversation on entrepreneurship, leadership, personal growth, and the work it takes to build a life that feels intentional.

Martin shares his path from growing up in a family business to becoming a multi-company operator, and reflects on the difference between being a strong operator and truly becoming an entrepreneur. The conversation explores coaching, mindset, fitness, leadership, firmware from childhood, and why learning to think clearly may be one of the most valuable skills a business owner can build.

Links & Resources:

Connect with Martin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-balcome/

Bridgewater Talent Integration: https://bridgewaterti.com/

Books Mentioned

• Swimming with the Sharks
• Good to Great
• Great by Choice
• Who Not How
• 10x Is Easier Than 2x
• The Gap and the Gain
• Double Double
• The Goal

TIMESTAMPS:

0:13 Introduction

2:41 Meet Martin Balcome

5:05 How Martin Learned Outside of School

8:06 The Ivey QuantumShift Program

9:23 Early Influences and Mindset from School

10:35 Learning to Change Leadership Style

13:08 When He Started Seeing Himself as an Entrepreneur

16:23 The Difference Between Operator and Entrepreneur

17:43 Building a Life Beyond Business

20:49 Personal Standards and Performance

21:44 Making Time for Family and Community

23:26 Taking Breaks and Avoiding Burnout

25:01 Wanting to Experience More Than Just Work

26:21 Growth Through EO (Entrepreneurs’ Organization)

28:09 Thinking Long-Term in Business and Life

29:08 Ego, Leadership, and Letting Go

30:19 Why Coaching Became Important

31:23 How He Found His First Coach

34:43 Navigating Major Business Setbacks

36:13 Investing in Personal Health and Discipline

38:03 What Good Coaching Actually Looks Like

38:35 The Impact of Short Attention Spans

40:26 Creating Space to Think Clearly

41:48 Meditation and Self-Awareness

43:37 Learning to Think More Critically

44:33 Why Preparation Makes Decisions Faster

47:22 Thinking Out Loud vs Slowing Down

49:08 The Reality of Hard Work in Business

50:46 Why He Sought New Environments to Grow

52:43 What He’s Focused on Right Now

53:23 Learning and Applying AI in Business

54:31 Buying and Growing a New Company (Bridgewater TI)

57:06 Generating Leads and Closing Long Sales Cycles

1:00:13 Ownership vs Entrepreneurship

1:01:08 Deciding Where to Invest Time and Money

1:02:36 Taking Action Before You Feel Ready

1:03:37 Books and Learning That Stick

1:08:54 Why Long-Form Reading Matters

1:10:49 Using AI as a Thinking Tool

1:13:20 Challenges of Adopting AI Across a Team

1:18:06 Why Change Takes Longer Than Expected

1:19:32 Different Types of Business Builders

1:22:09 What He’s Most Proud Of

1:23:46 Building a Home with Intentional Design

1:26:30 What’s Next

1:28:36 Community, Impact, and Perspective

1:30:55 Managing Stress and Mental Load

1:33:16 Focusing on What Actually Matters

1:37:38 Enjoying the Work

1:39:36 Long-Term Effort Behind Success

1:40:34 Closing Thoughts

Jeremy Bennett joins Colby and Levi for a wide-ranging conversation on mindset, resilience, and what it really takes to build something from nothing. From losing his speaking career overnight during lockdowns to building a full-time podcast, Jeremy shares the messy, behind-the-scenes reality of figuring it out as you go.

The conversation goes deeper into anxiety, vulnerability, and the power of consistency—along with practical insights on launching before you're ready, learning through failure, and why mindset ultimately drives everything from personal growth to business success.

Jeremy’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycbennett/?skipRedirect=true

Books / Resources mentioned

• The Power of Now — Eckhart Tolle
• Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself — Dr. Joe Dispenza
• Gaia (spirituality-focused streaming platform)

Timestamps

00:01 – Introduction
• Introducing guest Jeremy Bennett

00:53 – Jeremy’s Background
• From speaker to full-time podcaster

02:57 – Starting a Podcast During Lockdowns
• Losing income and pivoting

03:56 – The Power of Consistency
• Why he committed to 100 episodes before evaluating

05:27 – Becoming a Professional Speaker
• Early journey and learning through experience

09:38 – Sharing His Personal Story
• How vulnerability changed his career

11:06 – The Reality of Building a Speaking Business
• Financial uncertainty and learning the hard way

13:51 – Learning Through Failure
• Why messy experience builds resilience

15:01 – Building in Public
• The role of consistency and feedback

16:09 – Launching Before You're Ready
• Why waiting holds people back

17:54 – The Role of Vulnerability
• Building trust through experiences

18:24 – A Defining Moment
• The story that changed his willingness to share

23:30 – The Impact of Sharing Your Story
• Why vulnerability can help others

27:58 – Understanding Mindset
• The difference between conscious and subconscious thinking

28:08 – Thoughts and Reality
• How the brain responds to thoughts

34:52 – “Worry is a Prayer”
• The impact of negative thinking

36:02 – Mindset vs Information
• Why knowledge alone doesn’t create change

38:41 – Mental Health and Personal Growth
• Real-life examples from the hosts

45:47 – Subconscious Mind and Behavior
• Why habits are hard to change

49:08 – Books That Changed His Thinking
• Key influences on mindset and growth

52:30 – Meditation and Mental Clarity
• Practical approaches to improving focus

56:09 – Why Mindset Should Be Taught Early
• Gaps in traditional education

58:35 – The Power of Words
• How language shapes thinking

1:00:39 – Organizational Culture vs Mindset
• Applying mindset principles to business

1:09:25 – Building a Podcast System
• How Jeremy runs his show efficiently

1:13:49 – Monetization Strategy
• Partnerships and growth approach

1:16:40 – Doing Everything Solo
• Systems that reduced workload over time

1:19:08 – Short vs Long Form Content
• Trade-offs in podcast formats

1:23:25 – The Impact of Stories
• How one moment can change everything

1:24:13 – Final Advice: Just Launch
• Why action matters most

1:27:36 – Closing Thoughts
• Reflections on growth and future plans

In this episode of Built to Last, Colby Jardine and Levi Lawrence sit down with Mike LeBlanc for a wide-ranging conversation on entrepreneurship, community, family business, real estate, and the long road behind building something that lasts. Mike shares how his family built Fox Creek Golf Club, why Dieppe means so much to him, and what it’s really like to grow businesses with the people closest to you.

The conversation also dives into Mike’s work in real estate, how the industry is changing, why relationships still matter, and how he thinks about technology, AI, and marketing in a more human business. It’s an honest, thoughtful episode about legacy, adaptation, and building with pride in where you come from.

Connect with Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michel-leblanc-36123353/

Fox Creek: https://foxcreekgolfclub.ca/

Iron House Pro: https://www.ironhousepro.com/

Time stamps:

2:23 Meet Mike LeBlanc

• Mike introduces himself through family, business, and community.

4:52 Pride in Dieppe and New Brunswick

• Why place matters to Mike.
• A conversation on local pride and impact.

8:12 Entrepreneurship Starts Early

• Mike reflects on growing up in a business family.
• Why entrepreneurship always felt like an option.

14:29 School, College, and Irving

• Mike’s path through NBCC and accounting.
• What he learned working inside a large company.

18:40 The Start of the Family Building Business

• How one unpaid invoice turned into homebuilding and development.

28:15 Why Golf Was Never the Easy Option

• Golf as a passion project, not a quick-money business.

31:58 The Fox Creek Origin Story

• How a fill site became the idea for a golf course.
• The early land deals and first development steps.

41:36 Building With Family

• What it was like working with parents and brothers.
• Why the experience still means so much today.

49:58 The First Round at Fox Creek

• Mike shares the emotion of playing the course for the first time.

53:10 The Decision to Go Private

• Why Fox Creek shifted to a member-only model.
• What changed and why they stuck with it.

1:02:38 Real Estate as the Main Job

• Mike explains how real estate became a natural fit.
• From selling homes he built to full-service real estate work.

1:17:10 Real Estate, Change, and Technology

• How client expectations are shifting.
• Where tech and AI are starting to help.

1:21:00 Why Real Estate Still Needs People

• The emotional side of buying and selling homes.
• Why great agents still create real value.

1:29:05 Marketing Real Estate Today

• What better listing marketing actually looks like.
• Why storytelling and better content matter.

1:34:45 Building a Real Estate Business

• Systems, boundaries, admin support, and making space to step away.

1:44:31 Turning the Tables on Colby and Levi

• Mike asks about Iron House Pro and how the business came together.

1:58:20 Outro

• Closing thoughts and episode wrap-up.