The Padernacht Podcast

He spent 12 years perfecting a technique he first sketched on a whiteboard in one all-night session as a first-year PhD student — and it's now becoming the foundation for how doctors will scan brain function for the first time in medicine. On this episode, MRI physicist and neuroscientist Prantik Kundu breaks down ME-ICA, the method he invented to filter noise out of brain scans, the newly-di...

Most business owners know they should be creating content. Far fewer know how to turn that content into attention, authority, relationships, and actual business. In this episode of the Padernacht Podcast, Steven sits down with entrepreneur and business strategist Francis Volpe to break down how business owners can build a stronger brand, create content that actually fits who they are, use AI more...

What happens when you stop letting your career define who you are? Michael DeSimone is a corporate attorney and vice president at a Fortune 50 insurance company, but that is only one part of his story. He is also an actor, fitness enthusiast, father, sports memorabilia collector, and someone who has deliberately pushed himself far outside of the identity he once had. In this episode of The Paderna...

What happens when someone who spent years troubleshooting one of the largest aircraft in the world starts applying that same mindset to the human brain and nervous system? In this episode of The Padernacht Podcast: Brick by Brick, Steven sits down with Daniel Sears an Air Force veteran whose story moves from maintaining the massive C-5 Galaxy to studying human performance, meditation, neurofeedbac...

Most people think buying a franchise means stepping into an established system and letting the business run itself. Judy’s experience as the “Fruit Queen” tells a very different story. In this episode of the Padernacht Podcast, Steven sits down with entrepreneur and longtime Edible Arrangements franchise owner Judy to talk about growing up inside her family’s restaurant, building multiple franchis...

In this episode of The Padernacht Podcast: Brick by Brick, Steven sits down with Michelle Sultanaj — known professionally as Sultana Taj — a former flight attendant turned professional belly dancer of nearly 20 years, a tarot card reader, and someone currently training to become a death doula.  This one goes everywhere: from a chance encounter with a dancer on a study-abroad trip in Spain, to hust...

Anthony Raimo sold drugs as a teenager at Fordham Prep, walked in on his uncle's overdose at age 5, and watched his grandfather die of cancer at 14. Today, at 25, he runs Trident Corporate Housing — a rental arbitrage business currently working with the Houston Astros and in talks with the New York Yankees — and Raimo Renovations, a full-scale general contracting firm. Topics covered: 0:00 —...

In this episode of The Padernacht Podcast: Brick by Brick, Steven sits down with a friend of over 20 years Michael Chernick, Business Development Director in the energy industry. Before any of that, Michael ran a struggling candy bouquet franchise, coached high school basketball, and dabbled in vending machines and Amway — until a customer connection led him into inside sales at a family-owned hea...

In this episode of The Padernacht Podcast: Brick by Brick, Steven Padernacht sits down with Jessica Galeas — a Bronx-raised early childhood and special education teacher who spent 20 years carrying a story she was finally ready to tell. Her debut picture book, Tia is My Mami, is 95% autobiographical — the story of a little girl raised by her aunt after losing her mother. It's on kindergarten...

In this episode of The Padernacht Podcast: Brick by Brick, Steven Padernacht sits down with Thomas — a Brooklyn landlord and engineer who has been fighting a squatter tenant in New York City housing court for nearly a decade, losing close to $300,000 in unpaid rent along the way. Disclaimer: This show is built for open conversation. The views expressed by our guests are their own and do not necess...

 In this episode of The Padernacht Podcast: Brick by Brick, Steven Padernacht sits down with Robert Roche — author of a published trilogy and actor from Westchester — who built his writing career from emails to friends all the way to three novels available on Amazon.   Recorded on the 82nd anniversary of D-Day, this conversation weaves together Robert's love of history (both grandparents were...

Welcome back to The Padernacht Podcast: Brick by Brick. In this episode, Steven Padernacht sits down with John Zanzarella, Chief Revenue Officer at Performline. John built his career from answering phones at his dad's Westchester media business as a kid, to caddying at private golf clubs, to co-founding a digital marketing agency, navigating a company acquisition by private equity, and earnin...

Welcome back to The Padernacht Podcast: Brick by Brick. In this episode, Steven Padernacht sits down with Jeffrey Seitz — a writer, creative, and storyteller whose journey sits at the intersection of faith, discipline, brotherhood, and personal transformation. Jeffrey is currently editing his debut novel, A Dragon from Heaven — a 300+ page portal fantasy set in a world called Yondera that he began...

Welcome back to The Padernacht Podcast: Brick by Brick. In this bonus episode, Steven Padernacht sits down with Ozzy, founder of Moving Elites, for an unplanned but real conversation about growing a business in the Bronx, expanding from moving into junk removal, building a team that genuinely cares, and what real networking and community support actually looks like. This episode covers: • How Movi...

Welcome to The Padernacht Podcast: Brick by Brick. Where we explore the stories behind real people, real businesses, and real communities. In this episode join us for a deep dive into the business of professional sports with Ari Kwitkin-Close, Chief Revenue Officer of Westchester Soccer Club. In this episode, we explore the brick-by-brick process of building a new sports organization’s revenue eng...

Claudio usually sits behind the camera as the producer of Padernacht Podcast: Brick by Brick. In this episode, he steps into the guest seat to share his own story. We discuss his transition from civil service to entrepreneurship, the challenges of running Cayivision Studio, and the lessons he has learned from building a podcast studio from the ground up. Claudio opens up about the unpredictability...

Welcome to The Padernacht Podcast: Brick by Brick. In Episode 43, Steven Padernacht sits down with Tom Stufano — a Yonkers-born personal injury attorney and solo practitioner — for a conversation about the legal profession, what everyday people get completely wrong after an accident, and how legal knowledge can actually protect your future in business and in life. Tom shares his journey from wanti...

In this episode, Rita Moreno shares her journey from working 11 years as a dental assistant to stepping into real estate, entrepreneurship, and personal growth. She opens up about what it took to leave the security of healthcare behind, the mindset needed to take risks, and how faith continues to guide her decisions. Rita also talks about the importance of systems, the lessons she learned from her...

Welcome to The Padernacht Podcast: Brick by Brick. Where we explore the stories behind real people, real businesses, and real communities. In this episode with Vincent Buccieri of Today Realty Corp., we sit down for a real conversation about growing up in the Bronx, family influence, entrepreneurship, and what it takes to build a lasting name in real estate. We talk about: Bronx upbringing in Pelh...

In this episode of Padernacht Podcast: Brick by Brick , I’m joined by Sean O’Connor — a trauma-informed psychotherapist and peak performance coach — for a real conversation about the moments people don’t talk about: pressure, stress, and struggling on the inside while looking “fine” on the outside. We get into how past experiences can quietly shape how you show up in work, relationships, health, a...

In this dynamic episode of the Padernacht Podcast, Brick by Brick (Ep. 37), host Steven M. Padernacht sits down with creative director Mike Press, a creative director who has been instrumental in helping Steven take ideas out of his head and turn them into something tangible. Mike is praised as one of the hardest-working people Steven knows. Mike Press reveals the secrets to his insane work ethic,...

In this emotional and inspiring episode of the Padernact Podcast, host Steven Padernacht sits down with Christina Farrell, co-founder of Cleaning Wand, to share a deeply personal journey of survival and building a meaningful business in the face of profound loss. This conversation explores the duality of grief and responsibility—the truth that you can grieve deeply while still managing the respons...

In this episode, host Steven Padernacht talks with business growth expert and keynote speaker Dan Sakowsky, also known as Big D. Dan helps entrepreneurs tighten systems, strengthen leadership, and scale with confidence. Dan shares his incredible story of overcoming adversity:   * After facing bankruptcy at age 24 and a heart attack at 40, Dan rebuilt his life.   * He went on to build and sell thre...

On this episode of the Padernacht Podcast, "brick by brick", host Steven M. Padernacht, a third-generation Bronx native born and raised in the real estate game, welcomes guest Jimmy Riley. Jimmy Riley is a healer, body worker, and a fifth-degree black belt. Riley has dedicated his life to studying the human body, focusing not only on how it moves but also on how it remembers. From deep t...

In this insightful and wide-ranging episode of The Padernacht Podcast: Brick by Brick, Steven Padernacht sits down with Scott Kaufman, Vice President of Alternative at Buchwald and a seasoned media and entertainment executive who has spent nearly two decades helping talent build lasting, profitable careers. From growing up on Long Island to navigating the early grind of unpaid internships, cold-ca...