Mission CTRL

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by long-time friend Matt McGuire, who is an account executive at MNI Targeted Media Inc. where customer-centric, brand agnostic campaigns start. Matt is a big sports fan, a husband, a great dad, and a lover of all things media-related. He discusses what it’s like working at an agency like MNI, what Targeted Media is, and how it can help business own...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by Olivier Kpognon, the founder of O & Co. Media Group, a full-service photography, film, and design studio launched in 2003. He’s one of PD’s strategic partners and is known in these creative streets as a self-described international lifestyle "documenteur”, a world traveler, and a jetsetter. Olivier or “O” as many call him is a master with the len...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined once again by Bryan Tamburrino, the Founder of Tangible Analytics.  Listen in as Bryan describes how his business found an entirely new vertical due to Covid that has now since become a main focus of his business.  Communicating value is getting increasingly more important as businesses struggle to differentiate themselves when the proof is all in t...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by a very special guest, the Founder and Director of Technique Tigers Baseball Academy… Manny Torres. He’s a PD client and a former professional baseball player - The Texas Rangers selected him in the 28th round of the 1995 Amateur Baseball Draft but he chose to attend the University of Alabama on a baseball scholarship and he played in the 1996, 19...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by a Dominican Republic-born, New York City-raised mother of two who set out to start her own company with almost a decade of bookkeeping management behind her. She focuses on small businesses because she strongly believes in serving her local community and beyond. Businesswoman Karla G. Checo, founded KGC Consulting in 2020 and is quickly becoming...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by a very special guest,  he’s a fellow Networking in Diners member, one of PD’s strategic partners. He’s an entrepreneur, small business owner and a master with the lens - he’s a video storyteller, an auto enthusiast… he loves cars and we share a passion for speed. In this candid and inspiring video, David walks us through what drives him as a busi...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by a very special guest,  he’s a long time PD client and supporter, he’s a published author, an entrepreneur, a former break-dancer (yes, he’s old school Hip-Hop!) a passionate educator, a fellow podcaster, and most importantly, he helps people discover their multi-potentiality… As a personal coach for life and business, Tom inspires and is a positi...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by a very special guest, an entrepreneur, small business owner, PD client, and fellow Networking in Diner’s member Ryan Elblein of Elblein CPA - Ryan’s been a Certified Public Accountant in Connecticut since 2019 and has worked at two different national accounting firms before recently launching his own practice.  Ryan chats with Ramon about his ded...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by a very special guest entrepreneur, Malcolm Wilson, a local community hero.  Malcolm is a fitness and nutritional expert, a dad, a husband and someone who has quickly risen to the level of community leader because of his sheer passion to uplift all of those around him through healthy eating and fitness habits. In this episode Malcolm shares his hu...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by the Maestro himself, Conductor Christopher James Hisey who serves as the Music Director and Founder of the American Chamber Orchestra, Music Director and Founder of the Connecticut Philharmonic, and Music Director of the Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras. Chris has also served as the Music Director of the Civic Orchestra of New Haven, Connecti...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by Jorge Luis Jimenez Rivas, who serves as Junior Partner at Tampa, Florida-based Deltacore Capital - PD’s first Crypto Client!  Tune in for this energetic and informative conversation covering all aspects of crypto as an investment opportunity. Jorge is a super-driven, young entrepreneur with high energy levels - he is also a dad, a husband and fam...

In this special episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon gets the incredible opportunity to interview a US Senator Richard Blumenthal who visited PDHQ on Tuesday, October 12th, to announce the $2 million dollar grant awarded to the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council (GNEMSDC) for the launch of the Connecticut Satellite office of the Massachusetts MBDA Business Center. Peralta Design a...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by Ms. Loni Richards, a highly decorated Naval Officer Veteran and a United States Naval Academy Graduate. She selflessly served in Virginia, Hawaii, Djibouti, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut to include time at the Pentagon and Seal Team EIGHTEEN. She is also a Top 10 Finalist in the 2019 Ms. Veteran America competition. She’s also the co-founder of S...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by serial entrepreneur and local business advocate, John Lim, who is the Founder and CEO at WinLocal, a Stamford-based startup that is committed to empowering local businesses. Listen as John talks about his latest product, the ShareCard, and how it’s not only a smart business card of the future, but it’s also a powerful CRM - right in the palm of y...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by a legendary Ad Man Hector Bauza, who serves as Head of Business Development for 180 Agency / CIENTOCHENTA, a full-service strategic agency that focuses on connecting major brands with the US Hispanic and Multicultural market. Having been at the helm of several agencies, including opening his own at the young age of 24,  Hector shares his career i...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by a dynamic, driven young businesswoman who started her career in journalism, worked in communications, and is currently at the helm of The Narrative Project, Connecticut’s only Anti-Racist Public Relations firm. In just two short years, Mercy has grown her New Haven, CT-based firm into a content-creating powerhouse championing the marginalized and...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by a very inspiring and driven, community-minded entrepreneur and local celebrity Fabian Durango who has bootstrapped his insurance empire Durango Insurance into a multi-office enterprise throughout the state of Connecticut. Fabian tells his story of humble beginnings and how he got started in the insurance business as a teenager. Listen to how his...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by Gus Trent aka Harlan Ware, an Alpha Brother Ramon has known for almost 30 years who has completely reinvented himself after serving in three wars including Iraq, Afghanistan, and The Persian Gulf War. Listen in to this amazing story of a retired Army Colonel turned Black Cowboy, living his dream and running his own horseback riding business on hi...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by a long-time elected official and public servant Ron Pugliese, who is President of the Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation (NEDC). Ron, a Waterbury native, lived in Naugatuck for 30 years and shares his story of being active in the community, including local government and volunteerism. From educator, to businessman, to being on the boards...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by his dear friend, colleague, and Alpha Brother, Dr. Imo Nse Imeh, an amazingly gifted Visual Artist and Scholar of the African Diaspora who received his Doctorate in Art History from Yale University. Imo is also an Associate Professor of Art History at Westfield College in Massachusetts, and shares his story, his passions and his mission in this e...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by a dear friend and colleague, Sean Cogdell who was appointed to the role of CEO of The Panther Group, a Global IT Staffing company in May of 2016 after acquiring the company he worked at for many years. Tune in as Sean, a Certified Public Accountant, shares his 30+ career insights in building, leading and growing a company and his passion for serv...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by a very special guest with a long, colorful career in radio, none other than the Founder and CEO at Multimedia National Agency, Jose Villafañe who has built an agency servicing global clients targeting the ever-growing US Hispanic market with nationwide spanish-language broadcast advertising. In this episode we follow Jose’s journey through corpor...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by his dear friend and fellow Alpha Man, Bruce Dixon, an award winning innovator, social entrepreneur, adventurer, storyteller, and human performance geek. Bruce’s insatiable curiosity and zest for life has led him to trekking around the globe and to engaging in an eclectic array of vocations including professional football, financial services manag...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by the awe-inspiring Ari Santiago, who not only hosts his own podcast “Made in America” but Ari is also the President, CEO and Founder of IT Direct, a Technology Managed Service Provider in Hartford, CT that was recently acquired by Florida-based Compass IT. He has a passion for the manufacturing industry and the incredible impact it is making on ou...

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by Nicole Heriot-Mikula a mom, community activist and entrepreneur with enough energy to light up a city block for a month. Nicole’s positive energy is infectious and you will hear her share her passions over motherhood, music and her incredibly fun business: Bring the Hoopla which brings the fun back into fitness with an after school program unlike...