BusinessWest & Healthcare News: Business & Health Talk Podcast

At a time when behavioral-health issues, substance misuse, and family and workplace stressors are all on people’s minds, the need for responsive services is higher than ever. MiraVista Behavioral Health Center in Holyoke has been meeting those needs since 2021 with an array of inpatient psychiatric services, outpatient substance recovery programs, and community outreach to educate people about mental wellness and the resources available to achieve it. On the next BusinessTalk episode, BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar talks with Joel Doolin, MiraVista’s executive vice president, about these services, his passion for behavioral health, and why there’s still progress to be made when it comes to talking openly about mental health and overcoming the stigma too often associated with it.It’smustlistening,so tune in to BusinessTalk, apodcastpresented byBusinessWestand sponsored by PeoplesBank.

Many people vividly remember their excitement when MGM Springfield opened its doors five years ago — as well as the early returns, which didn’t meet the lofty expectations casino proponents had laid out, followed by the pandemic shutdown and, later, a halting return to activity. What people might not realize is that the casino’s last three quarters have been its best, while legal sports betting and an impressive recent slate of music and comedy shows bode well for an even stronger future. On the next installment of BusinessTalk,BusinessWestEditor Joe Bednar sits down with Chris Kelley, MGM Springfield’s president and COO, about rising expectations, how to continually improve the customer experience, the challenge of maintaining a large workforce, and much more. It’smustlistening,so tune in to BusinessTalk, apodcastpresented byBusinessWestand sponsored by PeoplesBank.

Dr. Andrew Lam has forged an intriguing dual career. The first is in medicine, as a retinal surgeon with New England Retina Consultants, an attending surgeon at Baystate Medical Center, and an assistant professor of Ophthalmology at UMass Medical School. But he’s also turned his lifelong passion for history into four acclaimed books: two in the realm of historical fiction, and two nonfiction works about the often-surprising lives behind modern medical advances. On the next installment of BusinessTalk, Dr. Lam talks with BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar about his latest work, The Masters of Medicine, and how he goes about bringing history to life on the page — when he’s not helping patients salvage and improve their sight, that is. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

These are interesting and challenging times for commercial real estate and property management, and an equally intriguing chapter in the career of Matt Flink, who took the reins as president of Appleton Corp. last year and seeks to steer the firm, one of the venerable O’Connell Companies, into continued growth. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, Matt joins BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar for an energetic, wide-ranging conversation about what goes into effective property management, the leadership skills he’s honed from both his past roles and coaching youth sports, the ways in which the post-pandemic world is changing the way people work … and much more. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

Even with a strong background in marketing, Meghan Rothschild had reservations about launching her own business. But once she took the leap in 2013, she had plenty of confidence in her vision for the company: one of fierceness, attitude, and constant learning in the service of helping clients — many of them women business owners as well — reach the next level through better branding and messaging. As Chikmedia celebrates its 10th anniversary, Meghan joins BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar on the next installment of BusinessTalk for a wide-ranging conversation about the challenges of entrpreneurship, the evolving world of marketing, and her important work in the realm of skin-cancer awareness. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

It’s not easy building a sports franchise that wins on the field while consistently growing its attendance and presence in the community. But the Valley Blue Sox, which has brought collegiate summer baseball to Holyoke since 2008, has certainly done both. On the next installment of BusinessTalk, as the team makes a late-season playoff push, General Manager Tyler Descheneaux joins BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar for a wide-ranging discussion of what it takes to build a roster; how the team is connecting with families, businesses, and nonprofits through promotions and community outreach; how attendance has been ticking back up since the pandemic; and much more. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

This month marks the 10th anniversary of Cooley Dickinson Hospital becoming a member of the Mass General Brigham network of care. It’s been a rich and fulfilling relationship, one that has led to new initiatives and improved the overall quality of care, said CDH’s president and CEO, Dr. Lynnette Watkins. This partnership was one of many topics she discussed with BusinessWest contributing writer George O’Brien on the next installment of BusinessTalk. The two also talked about the latest phase of COVID, groundbreaking for an expansion of CDH’s Emergency Department, and ongoing workforce challenges. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

Rail trails are much more than a recreational option for pedestrians and bicyclists. They also connect communities, promote both personal wellness and a healthy travel alternative to carbon-emitting vehicles, and are increasingly being seen as an economic driver, especially in and around gateway cities. On the next installment of BusinessTalk, BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar talks with Craig Della Penna, president of the Norwottuck Network Inc. board of directors and broker at the Murphys Realtors, about his decades of work promoting progress around rail trails — most recently with efforts to complete the 104-mile Massachusetts Central Rail Trail between Northampton and Boston. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

t’s an interesting time, to say the least, in the world of employment and staffing, amid a shortage of talent in many industries and tidal changes in the way people work. Amid all of this, Nicole Polite has built a model at her staffing and recruiting firm, the MH Group, that aims to meet the needs of employers while helping job seekers effectively navigate the market. On the next installment of BusinessTalk, BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar talks with Polite about her agency, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and her new nonprofit, the MH Cares Foundation, which uses the power of mentorship to help underserved populations achieve fulfilling careers. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

At a time when so many families with young children struggle with issues of nutrition, education, mental health, and more, the services offered by the national organization known as Head Start are more critical than ever. On the next installment of BusinessTalk, BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar talks with Nicole Blais, CEO of Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start, not only about how the nonprofit delivers free, federally funded programs that not only give kids a … well, head start in life, but also how it supports and educates families in myriad ways so they can continue to move forward at home — and why that work is so gratifying. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.