Cal Talk

St. Pete native, restaurateur and advocate Pete Boland joins Cal Talk. The entrepreneur behind The Galley, Ship’s Hold, and Mary Margaret’s Olde Irish Tavern, Pete has deep roots in downtown St. Pete. We discuss Mary Margaret’s pending expansion, St. Pete nightlife, Paddy Fest, Williams Park, how to properly pour a Guinness, his favorite local spots for a drink, and much more.

Robert Croak is the entrepreneur behind one of the biggest toy crazes in American history: Silly Bandz. In this episode of Cal Talk, Robert shares the story behind Silly Bandz, how the idea exploded from a simple product into a global phenomenon, and what he learned from building a business at that scale. We also get into Robert’s journey after Silly Bandz, the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, b...

I sat down with Mike Sutton, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside, which serves Pinellas, Pasco, and Hernando counties. Mike has led the organization since 2014 and was recently named one of the Tampa Bay Business Journal's most admired CEOs. We talk about the biggest misconceptions of Habitat, how 0% interest mortgages work, and what it actually takes to qualify for a...

I sat down with entrepreneur and restaurateur Jeff Gigante; founder of Next Level Brands, whose portfolio includes Forbici and Boulon. We talk about his 25+ years in hospitality, what it takes to open a restaurant and his journey back to St Pete. We get into the opening of Forbici St. Pete, revitalizing the Sundial, the best food cities, Portnoy’s pizza reviews, his philanthropic efforts across Ta...

I sat down with St. Pete City Council Member Richie Floyd for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of St. Pete and his views of key issues shaping the city. We discuss democratic socialism, including what it means and the influence of political figures like Zohran Mamdani and Bernie Sanders. Floyd also shares his perspective on capitalism, affordability, housing, development, and public tr...

🎙️ Episode 9 | Ryan Pepiot | Rays Pitcher, St Pete Aficionado I sat down with Ryan to talk about his road to the MLB, pregame routines and all things St Pete. Ryan grew up as a 3-sport athlete in Indiana, attended Butler, before being drafted by the LA Dodgers. We cover his time at Butler, in the Cape Cod League, the minors, his first MLB start and his trade to the Rays. We discuss what life is li...

🎙️ Episode 8 | Brandi Gabbard | St. Pete City Councilmember & Mayoral CandidateIn this episode of Cal Talk, I sit down with St. Petersburg City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Brandi Gabbard. We discuss Brandi's decision to run for mayor, the priorities shaping her campaign, and her vision for the future of St. Petersburg. Our conversation covers affordability, infrastructure, hurrican...

I sat down with St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch to discuss his first term as Mayor and his reelection campaign. Our discussion covers: • A history of the Gas Plant District• His selection of Blake Investment Partners to lead the Gas Plant redevelopment • The Rays decision to leave Tropicana • The Welch Administration's response to Helene and Milton • Duke Energy and the "Dump Duke" Campaign...

🎙️ Episode 6 I sat down with Charlie Christ, candidate for St Pete Mayor and former FL Governor. We covered: • The Pillars of Charlie’s Platform: Affordability, Executive Leadership, Hurricane Preparedness, Education and Smart Economic Development • Key Issues including the Rays, Gas Plant, Duke Energy and the Kanye Concert • Stories from his time in the Governor’s Office Charlie was a little time...

🎙️🎙️ Episode 5 | Mike Harting | St Pete City Council | Founder 3 Daughters BrewingI sit down with Mike who was candid in sharing his thoughts on key St Pete issues and his path to building 3 Daughters BrewingOur discussions covered:- Duke Energy- Gas Plant- Hurricane Rebuilding- Pickleball Complaints- Founding and Building 3 Daughters- Changing Alcohol TrendsFeedback appreciated! #Caltalk #Pinella...

In this episode of Cal Talk, I sit down with Rick Baker, who served as the Mayor of St Pete from 2001-2010; helping to lead the city's transformation during a pivotal decade of growth. In our conversation, we discuss Rick's path to the Mayor's office, the St Pete Grand Prix and his vision for the future of the Gas Plant through his St. Pete Commons proposal. We also talk about what he's been worki...

Maria Scruggs joins Cal Talk to describe her platform for mayor of St. Petersburg. We discuss her plans for rebuilding the culture of the Mayor's office, Gas Plant redevelopment, economic clusters and public safety. We talk about her time as President of the St Pete NAACP and founding the Childs Park Youth Initiative. For more information about Maria Scruggs, visit www.mariaformayor.com

Kevin Batdorf joins Cal Talk to lay out his platform for mayor of St. Petersburg. We discuss his plans for the Gas Plant redevelopment, disaster preparedness, and public safety, along with his work in Shore Acres following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Kevin also shares what it was like growing up in St. Pete and how he plans to compete in a crowded mayoral race. For more information about Kevin B...

Out of the fire and into the Mayor's office? Former St Pete Fire Chief Jim Large joins Cal Talk to lay out his St Pete Mayoral campaign platform - focused on infrastructure, disaster preparedness and public safety. We dig into his background, priorities, and how he plans to compete in one of the most closely watched local races.

Introducing Cal Talk