Fireside America with Ryan Robbins

JD Wilson and Kelly Coulson are founding members of Lead U, a positive group of teaching artists who creatively engage, educate, and empower learners of all ages to find the leaders within themselves. After serving overseas in the United States Air Force from 2006-2010, JD became an elementary school teacher here in New Jersey before deciding to step back from the classroom and build Lead U in 201...

Cinzia Fabrizio Kirby is the founder and owner of La Prima Salon, based out of Brick, New Jersey. A lifelong hair stylist, Cinzia grinded her way from apprentice to shop owner at just 26 years old. Now, she is DOUBLING her capacity with the grand opening of her new location, built with the help of family and friends, including her husband Brian, owner of Bayview Mechanical Services. Cinzia is anot...

Matt Catania is a former attorney turned one of the top franchise owners for Jersey Mike's Subs. He swung by The Pit to share his philosophy on running a $40M business, managing partnerships, helping staff reach their goals and striking a "work-life presence." Tons of great nuggets from a very humble local dude succeeding on the highest level!

Pete Reilly is the Vice President of Originations at Dynasty Mortgage Network LLC and owner of Reilly Wrestling Club.  He came by The Pit to discuss the sport of wrestling, youth athletics, real estate, and an intervention from friends in his younger years that set him upon his path to success.  Enjoy!

The Mercadante Brothers are 3 of 12 siblings hailing from Toms River, New Jersey, who took over their father's home exterior business, Dura-Plex, Inc., which he started in 1972. They swung by the pit to discuss taking ownership, growing up in a massive blended family, how they delegate responsibility and ultimately what gives them purpose. Three extremely sharp entrepreneurs who have already erase...

Founders of one of the hottest up-and-coming breweries at the Jersey Shore, Nick and Bert are two surfing buddies who grew up in the sticks of south Jersey and made their way to Point Pleasant. They came by the pit to discuss the collective effort it took to open the doors of Last Wave, going into business with friends, how to achieve "flow state" and shout out a few local business owners. Pour yo...

Derek Pitera is the owner of SC Arms in Spotswood, New Jersey. SC Arms offers a suite of customization options, ranging from custom gunsmithing to Cerakote application to performance parts installation, and is a true one-stop-shop. Derek swung by the pit to discuss his entrepreneurial journey, advice for aspiring business owners the future, in which he sees himself at the helm of a brand larger th...

Mike Sclafani is a former collegiate baseball player who began his career on Wall Street with Lehman Brothers, before stepping into a kickboxing gym in Hoboken that would change the course of his life. While working his 9-5, Mike dropped 40lbs doing CKO Kickboxing and, in the CEO's own words, was the PERFECT fit for a franchise owner. He soon brought it to Monmouth County, with their first studio...

Mike Tomei is the owner of Auto Image, New Jersey's premier auto detailing, window tinting and accessory shop. Mike has been in the industry for nearly 20 years and worked at Auto Image from the time he was a teenager, before eventually buying the business from the founder and taking over the reigns. A long-time friend, Mike stopped by the pit on a 15-degree night to talk entrepreneurship, hardshi...

FINS has been bringing TropiCali flavor to the Jersey Shore since 2003, at the hands of two surfing buddies, Pat Cuozzo and Shawn Ryan. Their menu is made fresh to order, with high quality ingredients in a fast-casual, surf-inspired atmosphere, and an eco-friendly mindset. The boys stopped by the fire pit do discuss their start in entrepreneurship, balancing a partnership and franchising dreams fo...

IVs by the Seas is the New Jersey Shore’s premier mobile IV therapy service, led by board certified Family and Emergency Room Nurse Practitioner Jennifer Plescia, DNP, who received her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Rutgers University. Jenn and her husband, Derek, are rising up-and-coming entrepreneurs who are staunch advocates of taking preventative measures to stay healthy. Their menu of ove...

Dr. Greg Mazzatta, DPM is a podiatry specialist with a private practice in Manahawkin, New Jersey. He currently practices at Achilles Foot and Ankle Center and is affiliated with Hackensack Meridian Health Southern Ocean Medical Center. Greg and his wife, Grace, co-founded Port Coffee Roasters in Bay Head, New Jersey and have built a flourishing business that has become a community staple, approac...

Josh Vallario is the former director of global data center operations and construction manager at BlackRock, the worlds largest asset manager, which he joined in December 2005. Josh built and managed a global team of data-center technicians, including creating operations procedures, and helped consolidate 28 data centers into 13 over a one-year period. Prior to joining BlackRock he worked at Citig...

Pat Gagliano is the founder and owner of Finished Basement NJ, New Jersey's premier basement finishing company. With the help of his son Nino and the rest of the Gagliano family, they have amassed a portfolio of over 4,000 deluxe basements, from $30,000 to $500,000 and beyond. The Gagliano boys came by the fire pit to discuss their wrestling roots, getting started in the construction industry, and...

Mike Duncan and Joe Ahlert are the owners and operators of Duncan Defense Consultants, based out of Hazlet, New Jersey and with an outdoor course in Cream Ridge. They came by the fire pit to discuss firearms, the importance of a home defense plan to protect your family, executing the plan, and doing everything safely and legally. Enjoy! Mike Duncan is a 15-year veteran of the U. S. Air Force and r...

Matt Baldwin is the owner and operator of Belmar Plumbing & Heating, based out of Belmar, New Jersey. Not only is he a successful entrepreneur, he is also my brother-in-law and a frequent visitor around the fire pit, so it was about time to get him on camera to share his story. He moved to New Jersey from Long Island and took over his cousin’s plumbing business, scaling it to a highly reputable an...

Mike Gorman has been influential in my career for a LONG time. He holds an alphabet full of titles, and currently spends his days preparing a multitude of tax and estate plans for clients. He has the unique ability to combine his legal and accounting experience to provide solutions to personal and business issues. Mike made the trip from Madison, New Jersey to Point Pleasant to do a deep dive on a...

Joe and Maylon Torrisi are husband and wife founders of Divi Tree Coffee in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. They are Ocean County natives who took the leap into entrepreneurship and started Divi Tree in 2017, growing it into one of the area's most popular and positively reputable cafe/restaurants. Good friends and great people, they swung by the fire pit to chat about their journey as small business o...

Jamie Giovinazzo is the founder and CEO of Eat Clean Bro, a next-day-delivery meal prep service based out of New Jersey who services 17 states. He is a true hard-working American chasing his dreams, who gives back to his community and has a master plan that is poised to further disrupt the meal prep industry!