How do we bridge the gap between untapped local talent and the businesses that need them most?

In this episode of Capital Connect, we sit down with Jennifer Lawrence, Founder and CEO of the SEAT Center (Social Enterprise and Training Center). Jennifer shares her journey of bringing opportunity to underrepresented young adults across the Capital Region, detailing how her organization equips the next generation with in-demand skills—from culinary arts in downtown Albany to green construction and healthcare.

For HR leaders, executives, and small business owners, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on workforce development. Discover actionable ways your organization can partner with community programs to build a more resilient, inclusive, and vibrant workplace without the corporate jargon.

• The SEAT Center Mission: How the organization transforms lives in Schenectady and Albany through education and sustainable wage jobs.
• Removing Barriers: Identifying and dismantling the systemic hurdles that keep talented youth out of the workforce.
• Employer Integration: Practical strategies for local businesses to connect with trained, credentialed, and ready-to-work young adults.

• Learn more about the SEAT Center and their mission: seatcenter.org
• Explore SEAT's employer partnership opportunities: seatcenter.org/about-us
• Streamline your workforce management with GTM Payroll & HR: gtm.com/business

Subscribe to Capital Connect for more thought leadership and actionable advice designed to help Capital Region employers thrive.

In this episode of the Capital Connect podcast, we sit down with Ryan M. Hungershafer, Founding Partner and Private Wealth Advisor at Spring Street Financial.

Ryan shares his expert insights on wealth management, strategic financial planning, and how business owners and professionals can navigate today’s economic landscape to secure their financial futures.

Whether you're an entrepreneur looking to optimize your company's financial health or an individual focused on long-term wealth building, this conversation is packed with actionable advice you can start applying today.

🔗 Connect with our Guest:

https://springstreetfinancial.nm.com/

🏢 About GTM Payroll & HR: Capital Connect is brought to you by GTM Payroll & HR. We help businesses streamline their operations with customizable payroll, human resources, and benefits administration solutions.

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How does a pharmacist with zero business experience end up founding a software company that gets acquired by Time Inc.? On this episode of the Capital Connect podcast, brought to you by GTM Payroll & HR, host Kito Delgado sits down with Matt Scarchilli, Franchise Owner of Sandler Training in Albany.

Matt shares the incredible 15-year story behind Sports Sign Up, a company born out of a desperate need to modernize a cumbersome paper registration process for the Latham Soccer Club. What started as a volunteer passion project turned into a massive leap of faith, requiring Matt to walk away from a stable career and rely on the unwavering support of his wife to build a tech business from the ground up.

Matt opens up about the realities of bootstrapping a startup, the critical self-awareness required to eventually hand over the reins to an outside CEO, and the surreal experience of negotiating a major acquisition. Today, Matt draws on his hard-earned entrepreneurial experience to coach Capital Region sales teams through the Sandler Selling System, emphasizing why a structured, disciplined approach is the key to long-term success.

• The ROI of Giving Back: How volunteering and following a lifelong passion for soccer unexpectedly uncovered a scalable business opportunity.
• The Power of Naivety: Why overthinking can lead to paralysis, and how sometimes taking a leap of faith is exactly what you need to seize an opportunity.
• Knowing When to Let Go: Why founders must detach from their "baby" and recognize when it’s time to bring in external leadership to push past revenue plateaus.
• Mastering the Pivot: Navigating the transition from tech founder to the corporate world, and eventually stepping into franchise ownership and sales coaching.

• Connect with Matt Scarchilli: LinkedIn
• Get Connected with GTM and Learn More About our Services