Proprietors of Pittsburgh Podcast

Whether it was rearranging furniture in her bedroom to create a new look or starting an American Girl doll seamstress business, Marah Frank’s sense of style and creativity was evident at a young age.…

After her wedding, Aja Maria Bencsics wanted to preserve her bridal bouquet in a way that expressed her sense of style and flair. Little did she know it at the time, but her creation would ultimately…

If you’ve been paying attention to the flower scene in Pittsburgh, you know that there’s a constant buzz surrounding The Farmer’s Daughter Flowers in Deutschtown. After working a number of gigs in Ne…

Victoria’s weekend hobby quickly became her passion when she started Pittsburgh’s first mobile flower business. Her vision was to bring beautiful, fresh flowers to all of our unique neighborhoods, es…

This season was recorded before the pandemic, and I want to share it with you because it features four amazing entrepreneurs in the floral design space. Their stories deserve to be told, and we are i…

With their creation of Reginald’s Coffee, owners Julie and Matt Koczko have brought specialty coffee and a cozy café to the South Hills of Pittsburgh. Their warm and inviting coffee shop, which also …

Ask anyone in the Pittsburgh coffee scene about TJ Fairchild and the words “local coffee legend” quickly follow. In the early 2000s, TJ’s company, Commonplace Coffee, was an early pioneer in the thir…

It’s clear from his brand and business approach that Matt Parmelee is bringing something unique to the Pittsburgh coffee roasting landscape. His company, Redstart Roasters, is the only fully dedicate…

During their time living abroad, Matt and Vanessa Marietti fell in love with European café culture. Inspired by a desire to combine good food and drink with a welcoming gathering space, they launched…

If you’re a fan of locally roasted coffee and neighborhood cafés, then you know that specialty coffee has exploded here in Pittsburgh in recent years. In this this season, I feature four important es…

I had a great time visiting with Neil Blazin and Justin Vetter, owners of Driftwood Oven, in their Lawrenceville location. It’s easy to see why our city has been pulling for these guys ever since the…

Pete Tolman, owner of Iron Born Pizza, first encountered Detroit-style pizza on a trip to Colorado. In this episode, he recounts his surprising reaction after discovering it in such an unlikely place…

Rico Lunardi’s journey from Philadelphia back to Pittsburgh and from working in management information systems to running his own pizzeria is both insightful and inspiring. We talked about the dynami…

Nick Bogacz’s journey to becoming a successful owner and operator of five Caliente Pizza and Draft House locations started with working multiple jobs and putting in ninety-hour work weeks. He and his…

In each season of the podcast, I cover a different business category. Season one featured four accomplished and unique voices in the personal fitness training industry. Now, in season two, we’re goin…

Holly Gatto's many years of health and fitness experience shine through in this episode. Her training as a nurse, physical therapy aide, gym manager, and personal trainer contribute greatly to the de…

In our conversation, Keem Robinson opens up the playbook and shares incredible insights into his business and journey. Today, Coach Keem runs a personal training business and gym just blocks from whe…

It was a pleasure having James Lederach on the show. He takes us on a heartfelt journey as he talks about his search for making an impact in the world. He didn’t know it at the time, but the place wh…

I loved having Garrett Davis on the show, because he is a great example of someone who has both a full-time job and a side hustle that he’s growing into a bigger business. If you’re in that same posi…

The Proprietors of Pittsburgh Podcast is about sharing stories and making connections. In this new podcast from Darin Vilano, you’re going to hear from local entrepreneurs and small business owners o…