The Unfiltered Brew Podcast

What does it really take to plan a picture-perfect wedding? This week on The Unfiltered Brew , we're joined by Somar Khouri, co-founder of A Charming Fête , a luxury wedding and event planning company whose work has been featured in Vogue, BRIDES, and Martha Stewart Weddings. From $100K wedding budgets and unrealistic bridal expectations to Pinterest trends, multicultural celebrations, and the...

Actor and producer Jack Baun returns to Unfiltered Brew for a special Halloween episode! 🎬🎃 From his role in Scream 2 and working with legendary director Wes Craven to navigating the realities of Hollywood, Jack takes us behind the scenes of his career, the challenges of breaking into the industry, and what it takes to reinvent yourself. We also dive into why he's betting on Cleveland for hi...

Bree Reed is a mother, entrepreneur, founder of Salon 2 You, and a two-time cancer survivor but her story is about so much more than survival. In this episode, Bree opens up about being diagnosed with a rare cancer at just 19, facing cancer again as a mother, and the pressure of always being “the strong one.” We talk motherhood, faith, entrepreneurship, boundaries, and finding purpose through ever...

Dr. Stacey Litam joins us for an unfiltered conversation about attachment styles, childhood patterns, boundaries, dating, intimacy and what healthy love actually feels like. We get into why anxiety can feel like chemistry, why peace can feel unfamiliar, navigating family expectations, communicating about sex, and what it really takes to break the patterns we inherit. As Dr. Stacey says, “ We don't...

Chef Logan Neisel spent nearly a decade working in tech before an unexpected curiosity for cooking completely changed his direction. In this episode, the self-taught chef and creator of the Prologue Dinner Series shares how he went from spreadsheets to staging in Michelin-starred kitchens and producing immersive, multi-course dining experiences. Logan opens up about leaving corporate America, taki...

Omar Kurdi joins us on Unfiltered Brew for an honest conversation about mental health, identity, vulnerability, and finding belonging. From growing up across different countries and living in 19 homes to building community in Cleveland, Omar opens up about his mental health journey, breaking the stigma around therapy for Arab men, and why vulnerability has become one of his greatest strengths. We...

In this episode, we sit down with Cidney, the founder of Herbal Ciddy, to talk about natural skincare, the ingredients we put on our bodies, and what inspired her to create her own line. We get into the truth behind skincare marketing, why every product isn’t created equal, and how being more intentional with your routine can make a difference. Cidney also shares her journey as an entrepreneur, th...

HOMAGE has become one of the country's most recognizable lifestyle apparel brands, but it all started as a small startup in Ohio. In this episode, Mark Jaworski, Director of Marketing Operations at HOMAGE, shares the company's journey, the power of nostalgia in branding, what it takes to land major licensing deals with the NFL, NBA, Disney, and more, and the lessons learned from scaling a...

This week on Unfiltered Brew, we welcome returning guests Mike Wendt and Jack Baun to kick off a “Summer Blockbuster” conversation about movies that shaped generations and changed Hollywood. They review Steven Spielberg’s new film Disclosure Day, a chase thriller about a whistleblower and a weather anchor amid government secrets about aliens, and discuss how its topical storyline affects nostalgia...

What started as a joke about a haunted toilet turned into a proof-of-concept trailer, a fundraising campaign, and a feature film in the making. This week, we sit down with filmmakers Adam White and Kara Martinelli, along with producer Bob Ruggeri of Hemlock Films, to discuss their upcoming horror-comedy Ghost Toilet . From the inspiration behind the film and the challenges of independent filmmakin...

What happened to real conversation? This week on Unfiltered Brew, we sit down with Dan Moulthrop, CEO of The City Club of Cleveland, to discuss why it feels harder than ever to communicate, disagree, and truly listen to one another. From social media and outrage culture to free speech, cancel culture, loneliness, and political division, this episode explores what happens when we stop trying to win...

This week on Unfiltered Brew, we sat down with entrepreneur and founder of Terranean Herbs & Spices, Tina Chamoun. From launching during COVID with $500 to getting her products into 1000+ stores nationwide, Tina opens up about entrepreneurship, motherhood, preserving culture through food, and the reality of building a brand from scratch. A conversation about identity, ambition, burnout, and st...

We made it to 30 episodes… and somehow, it’s already been a year! In this episode, it’s just us, no guest, no script, just the real story behind Unfiltered Brew. From recording in our apartment with no clue what we were doing, to building something that’s brought us into rooms we once dreamed about… this one’s personal. We talk about what it actually looks like to build a podcast with your best fr...

We sat down with Aimon Ali, a fashion entrepreneur and founder of Fashion Talks, to talk about what it actually looks like to build a fashion scene in Cleveland. She went from producing shows in Toronto to moving to Cleveland with no network—and starting Fashion Talks to create the kind of creative community she felt was missing. Now, she’s preparing to shut down a city street for her biggest runw...

We sat down with Ashley Carpenter from Love Is Blind to talk about the moment she said no at the altar—and why it was her biggest win. Ashley opens up about what really happened behind the scenes, the red flags she couldn’t ignore, and how she learned to trust herself and choose differently. If you’ve ever felt confused in a relationship… this one’s for you.

We sat down with Mike Gibney to talk about his experience on Love Is Blind —from the pods to the altar, and everything that didn’t make it on screen. Mike opens up about the moment he was “blindsided” at the altar, what was really going on behind the scenes, and how editing shaped the story viewers saw. We get into communication, relationships, and what it’s actually like forming a connection with...

On this episode of Unfiltered Brew , we sit down with aesthetic nurse injector Arianna Bankovich, founder of Bounce Skincare + Injectables, to break down the world of aesthetic medicine. From Botox and neurotoxins to fillers, biostimulants, and skincare, we get into what actually works, what’s overhyped, and how to approach treatments naturally and safely. We talk about when to start Botox, how di...

In this episode of Unfiltered Brew , we sat down with Sarah Bals, founder of 440 Marketing, to break down what branding really means — and why it’s so much more than just aesthetics. Sarah shares how she built her business from the ground up, the truth about social media growth, and why consistency will always beat going viral. We get into founder-led marketing, building a brand that actually conn...

We sit down with Cleveland founder, Rebecca Maxwell , the creator of She’s Company , a community helping women make friends as adults. We talk about how her love for hosting and themed events turns into a growing event platform, the lessons from rebranding after a trademark issue, and what it takes to create spaces that prioritize real connection over traditional networking. She also shares how sh...

We sit down with certified personal, strength, and lifestyle coach Stefanie Tsengas to talk about her journey from multi-sport athlete to bodybuilder, becoming a trainer in college, and launching her business full-time in Cleveland. We get honest about the realities of personal training — the long hours, entrepreneurship grind, burnout, and the importance of setting boundaries. We also unpack why...

We sit down with Abbas Mandviwala to talk about his journey from growing up in Bible Belt Kentucky to pursuing medicine — and how he dove into entrepreneurship. We explore his path through medicine, how he stepped into building ventures, and what it really takes to chase big ideas while staying true to yourself. It’s an honest conversation about mentorship, networking, business, and the stories be...

Welcome back to a new season of the Unfiltered Brew Podcast! Hosts Noura and Kat return after a brief hiatus to discuss their recent adventures, including a surprise birthday trip to Miami. They dive into the highlights of their travel, including road trips to Key West, fun times in Miami, and some unforgettable Uber experiences. Kat and Noura also get personal about life changes, the importance o...

In this episode of the Unfiltered Brew Podcast, we are joined by Cleveland's celebrated chef, Rocco Whalen. Rocco shares his culinary journey, from being inspired by his family to working with renowned chefs like Wolfgang Puck and Michael Mina. He talks about opening his iconic restaurant Fahrenheit in Cleveland, the influence of his Italian heritage, and his innovative ventures like food truc...

In this episode of Unfiltered Brew Podcast, we welcome Emma Nicholas, a talented and soulful musician. She shares her journey from being a musically inclined child and high school athlete in Michigan to pursuing a career in nursing, all while nurturing her passion for music. She discusses the transition to performing full-time, her songwriting process, and how Cleveland's vibrant music scene h...

We sit down with Ricky Smith, a multifaceted guest who is a comedian, Emmy Award winner, and the founder of Random Acts of Kindness Everywhere (RAKE). Ricky shares his story of overcoming personal struggles, from living in his car to creating a successful nonprofit and opening Cleveland's latest food spot, Something's Good. He talks about his journey in comedy, his experiences working with...