Locality's Making Bank

Michael Gordon believes the cheapest way is often the most expensive way. What customers really remember is whether you showed up, solved the problem, and made them feel taken care of. On this episode of Locality’s Making Bank Podcast, Michael shares the lessons behind a South Florida entrepreneurial journey that has taken him from real estate and Pizza Fusion to Better Call Steve the Plumber. He...

Mike Fee joined Lotspeich Co. of Florida, Inc. in 1989, became president in 2003, and has helped lead the Fort Lauderdale contractor through decades of South Florida construction cycles. In this episode of Locality’s Making Bank Podcast, Mike shares why the company took low-margin work to protect jobs during the post-2008 downturn, how it is developing young talent and investing in technology, and...

Bill Walker’s path to Fort Lauderdale started far from South Florida, aboard merchant ships, competitive sailboats, and high-speed ferries. Along the way, he helped build innovative marine transportation systems before transforming Water Taxi from a five-boat operation into a 15-vessel business serving more than 1.2 million passengers a year. In this episode of Locality’s Making Bank Podcast, Bill...

Larissa Castelluber lives by a simple rule: no fear, just forward. In this episode, the Rebel Wine Bar founder shares how a family of entrepreneurs shaped her comfort with risk, why she moved to South Florida at 22, and how she pivoted from design into SEO and lead generation. She also breaks down what it really takes to run a neighborhood hospitality business in Oakland Park, Florida, plus the lo...

Mark Lachance has built, sold, and rebuilt businesses across sports, payments, digital marketing, and collision repair. In this episode, he shares a leadership truth that changed how he operates: when the business is struggling, it starts with the leader. You’ll hear his real pivots, hard-earned lessons, and how he rebuilds systems that don’t depend on him. #empiresessions

Bryan Vreeland grew up in Broward County, learned sales and leadership early, then bet on himself in 2017 by launching a recruiting and IT staffing business from scratch. In this episode, he shares the slow first year, the sudden breakthrough, and the brutal reset when COVID wiped out his headcount in weeks, plus how that pressure pushed him into a broader BPO and global operations model and a tec...

Carol Mirones, LCSW-QS, LMFT-QS, went from a 15-year stretch as a stay-at-home mom to launching a therapy practice in the middle of 2020. In this episode, she shares how Seasons Psychotherapy grew from one small office in Davie, Florida, to four locations across Florida, plus what it takes to scale in a heavily regulated industry while staying grounded in real human connection. Learn more at https...

Marc Elkman grew up in Fort Lauderdale with a competitive blueprint from his mother, a pro athlete who shaped his discipline early. After bootstrapping a meal plan business to the Inc. 500 and $18M in sales, he pivoted into luxury waterfront development and now leads Empire Development with more than $100M in active projects. In this episode, Marc shares the real lessons behind fast growth, hard l...

What do fine jewelry and barbecue have in common? For Fort Lauderdale's Luke Moorman, they represent legacy, reinvention, and a deep connection to community. In this episode of Locality's Making Bank Podcast, Luke shares his journey from swimming scholarships to stockbroker hustle to running Carroll's Jewelers and reviving the beloved Georgia Pig BBQ. A story of family business, resili...

What happens when a West Point grad and a polyglot philosopher team up to fix one of banking's biggest pain points? You get Parlay Finance , an AI-powered Loan Intelligence System reshaping small business lending. In this episode, co-founders Jay Long and Alex McLeod share how a mission to help Afghan refugees led to a startup that's giving bankers and business owners their time (and trust...

Sam Zietz , CEO of TouchSuite and GRUBBRR, joins Locality Bank's Keith Costello to share the story of how he went from law school to leading two tech companies transforming retail and restaurants. From 120-hour workweeks to a deal-a-day mindset, Sam explains how he bootstrapped his first company and embraced automation before the world caught on. Learn more: www.touchsuite.com and www.grubbrr....

Anthony Clarke’s journey started with $15 flyer gigs and a front-row seat to his parents’ work ethic. That foundation shaped how he thinks, works, and serves. And today, he leads an award-winning agency helping restaurants grow through smart, relentless marketing. In this episode, he shares how he found his calling, why "unlimited" value is non-negotiable, and the lessons he learned the hard way....

When Zeina Zein-Wolland started Mobile School Pantry with nothing but a red Jetta and a mission, she had no idea just how far it would go. In this episode, Z shares how a simple act of giving turned into a movement that now feeds thousands of families across South Florida. Her story is one of grit, purpose, and the power of showing up. Learn more at https://mobileschoolpantry.org/.

Brad Tuckman went from running global content studios to launching The Fort, South Florida's newest pickleball hub. In this episode, Brad shares how an unexpected mix of timing, tenacity, and creative reinvention led him to build the country’s first pickleball stadium. We discuss early setbacks, scaling with heart, and what it means to create a genuine third place. Learn more at ‪ @PlayTheFort...

From financial advisor to tech founder, Jason R. Hill has gone all in. In this candid episode, he shares how a pandemic idea became the Owwll app ( https://owwll.com/ ), why true connection matters more than ever, and what it really takes to build something that lasts.

Lil Roberts, Founder & CEO of Xendoo , joins the Making Bank podcast to share how she turned adversity into fuel, building a tech-forward accounting company from the ground up. In this candid conversation, she breaks down her entrepreneurial scorecard, the gut-check moments behind every business, and why helping 50,000 small businesses is her north star.

In this episode, Randy Goggans, founder of BankerBounty ( http://bankerbounty.com/ ), shares his journey from growing up on a farm in Alabama to creating a game-changing platform for community banks. Randy and Locality Bank CEO, Keith Costello, dive deep into entrepreneurship, risk-taking, and the vital role of relationships in local banking.

Javier Jorge ’s journey is anything but linear. From dropping out of college to working in pest control, spraying Publix floors to make ends meet, to launching two tech startups, one of them while leading SBA lending at Locality Bank, his story is about grit, clarity, and what happens when experience meets purpose. In this episode, Javier shares how setbacks fueled his success and why helping smal...

Basil Bernard bet $10K on a business... and nearly lost it all. But a single pivot changed everything. In this episode of Locality's Making Bank Podcast, he shares how Apricot Office Interiors rose from humble beginnings, weathered the Great Recession, and stayed grounded through it all. This story is about grit, grace, and the quiet strength it takes to start again. Learn more about Apricot Offic...

What happens when a paperboy grows up to build one of South Florida’s most respected construction firms? In this episode, father-daughter duo Tom and Traci Miller of Miller Construction share the real story behind 50+ years of business—family values, hard calls, and the kind of culture you can’t fake. From weathering recessions to redefining legacy, this is a masterclass in principled leadership....

What happens when you’ve built a thriving business, and it still doesn’t feel right? JR Lay shares his journey from web design wunderkind to bestselling author, revealing the hard resets, personal truths, and shifting perspectives that shaped his entrepreneurial evolution. From the early days of Napster-era hustle to his vision of the "Wisdom Economy," this episode is a masterclass in letting go,...

What does it take to go from humble beginnings in India to leading billion-dollar banks in the U.S.? Andrew Samuel, CEO of LINKBANK, shares his incredible story of resilience, entrepreneurship, and faith. From his first business selling cow dung as a child to taking multiple banks public, Andrew's journey is packed with valuable insights for entrepreneurs and business leaders alike. In this ep...

Success. Some inherit it. Others chase it. But the rare few create it through vision and perseverance. Meet Jim Ryan. The son of a Waldorf-Astoria professional who taught him that true character matters more than the size of your wallet. When corporate restructuring ended his AT&T career, he saw an opportunity where others saw setbacks. In a world of instant gratification and quick wins, he bu...

What does it take to turn a college side hustle into a growing brand? In this episode of Locality's Making Bank Podcast, Keith Costello sits down with Nick Wucher, the youngest entrepreneur featured on the show so far. Nick shares how he built his streetwear brand, YIFNO , while juggling college, a day job, and pop-up events across the globe. With advice on overcoming fears, taking action, and...

Norman Kravitz, founder of FulfillMe, a technology-enabled third-party logistics (3PL) company specializing in e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, shares his entrepreneurial journey from humble beginnings to building a multimillion-dollar business. From his days at the U.S. Postal Service to launching FulfillMe, Norman offers valuable insights for e-commerce entrepreneurs. Discover acti...