Lunch with Biggie

I got to spend a quick lunch break with Hannah Hunter , the owner of Swishh Dreams ,  a basketball clothing brand whose profits go toward improving & transforming neglected public outdoor basketball courts. I spoke to Hannah about how they started Swishh Dreams. Why they love basketball and the importance of #SaveTheCourts, their mascot NetMan.  We discussed basketball and the import...

I got to spend my lunch break with Andrew Walker , one of the owners of Joybird Books , Orlando's very own used bookseller, focused on celebrating local authors & artists by fostering community connection. I spoke to Andrew about how they (he and Ollie Bird) started Joybird Books . What made them want to open up a used books store, and what they have learned along the way.  We spoke about...

I got to spend my lunch break with Lauren Rubin , the graphic designer, illustrator, and nerd behind Not Cool Co.  Not Cool Co is the home for all things strange, geeky, and, of course, not cool! I spoke to Lauren about what made her start the brand, her love for conventions, and pop culture, and what inspires her to create her products.  How she got involved with the M of 1 Podcast. &nb...

I recently shared a Lunch with Biggie podcast break with my old friend Amy Drew Thompson. A jack-of-all-trades and master of many, she is the Orlando Sentinel's Multimedia Food Reporter, for which she eats and writes things. She's also a pun tificator and XXX food pornographer. I spoke to Amy Drew about how she started in the business, how she's used her experiences as the former Orlando Loca...

I got to spend my lunch break with Chris Campbell , the head artist and baker behind Shoe Bakery.  Shoe Bakery is a mixing of Chris's lifelong passion for sweets and desserts and his love for shoes and styles and making sweet treats for your feet with cake-inspired shoes I spoke to Chris about starting such a unique brand, how long it takes him to design shoes;  working with his spouse,...

I got to spend my lunch break with Kevin and Ashlley Lemke , the couple behind Sandhill Supply Co .  Sandhill Supply Co is a small creative studio started in 2020 and based out of Orlando, FL. They create thoughtfully designed goods from Florida & Beyond that are timeless, quality, and simple.   I spoke to Kevin and Ashlley about why they started the brand.  How they came u...

I got to spend my lunch break with Bret Juliano , the creator of Dust Bunny Mafia Comics .  Dust Bunny Mafia was started by Bret Juliano a cartoonist and illustrator, and it's a comic that explores the inner workings of and events relating to the lives of several lovable but dangerous dust bunnies. The Dust Bunny Mafia was formed directly after Leo worked his way to the top of the family. Onc...

I got to spend my lunch break with Katie Fox , the owner, designer and creator of Dead Disco .  Dead Disco was created because Katie has many polar opposite interests; she wanted to smash them together into minimalistic, restrictive color palette designs while trying to make as many puns as possible.  Dead Disco is focused on designing and producing accessories and other goods for w...

I got to spend my lunch break with Matt Hinckley , the owner of Hinckley's Fancy Meats .   A Sandwich and Charcuterie shop in East End Market that offers a deli counter of pâté, cured meats and sausages and whatever other delights this snout to tail butcher can create.   Matt and I discussed his time working in these amazing kitchens and restaurants around the country and his decision to...

I got to spend my lunch break with Will Blaine, Andrew Crabtree, and Matthew Peacock , the owners and designers of A.B. Newton & Company .  A.B. Newton & Company creates unique apparel and home decor items that give a modern edge to vintage styles. Their products celebrate your hometown’s individual sense of place through an artful array of equally thoughtful apparel and merchandise,...

I got to spend my lunch break with Brittney Salter, the creator and founder of SHOP GASCO .   SHOP GASCO is a clothing and accessory online boutique shop that focuses on creating a community to uplift, inspire and encourage each other to wear what they want.  Sparked from an idea of a mental health awareness line due to personal struggles with illnesses and disorders, all products are de...

I got to spend my lunch break with Jesse Wolfe, the creator and founder of O'Dang Foods.   He's been on Shark Tank, Entrepreneur and Forbes magazine.  Jesse is now a CPG (Consumer Product Goods) Entrepreneur Founder & Investor helping businesses grow.   We discussed how he started into hummus as his business, getting into farmers markets, his time with the sharks on Shark Tank,...

I got to spend my lunch break with Josh Hammond, the owner of No Love City . Since 2007, No Love City is a streetwear brand influenced by graffiti, street art, and hip hop culture. We discussed why he started the brand.  Why the brand is called No Love City;  His love for street art;  how he collaborates with various artists with his brand. How and why he created an online art show...

I got to spend my lunch break with Migdalia Pace, the owner, designer, creator and screen printer for Migdalia . Migdalia is a clothing brand that is an intersection between feminism and independence meet- They are beautiful Muertos Mermaids (Catrinas) and female illustrations representing a women's beauty and independence.   We discussed how an art show started her brand and that same art sh...

I got to spend my lunch break with Adam Hendle, the founder of Ballsy Ballwash. Ballsy is an active lifestyle brand providing high-quality men's personal care with a bold brand. I spoke to Adam about how he came up with and where he come up with the concept of Ballsy and ballwash- a men's products for man parts. We spoke about the importance of social media ads,  how they bootstrapped even wi...

I got to go to Orlando Podcast Studio and spend my lunch break with Traviss Santos, the creator and pizza wizard behind Black Magic Pizza , a Pizza Pop Up that provide quality hand tossed New-Neapolitan pizzas in a unique space popping up around Central Florida.   I spoke to Traviss about how he started making pizzas at home with his girlfriend Elizabeth and how they started shooting pictures...

I got to spend my lunch break with Nick Ortiz, the creator and owner of Little Box Guy, a clothing brand imagined and designed in Orlando, Florida. A brand that is a state of mind influenced by the culture and positive vibes that are created under the sun, on the sand and in the chill blue water.. I spoke to Nick about how he started his brand in 2012 and how he started the brand as parody and hom...

I got to spend my lunch break with Julie and Jean Summers , the owners of Sugar Rush Marshmallows - a specialty marshmallow and s'more business. Who make everything from scratch (from their extracts to our 'mallows, grahams, puddings, cookies, and etc.) and are primarily a food truck that services the greater Orlando area, and also have an online store that offers nationwide shipping (sugarrushmar...

I got to spend my lunch break with Chelsea Preston, the illustrator and owner of Jelly Press, a Florida based illustration and paper product brand that showcases the fun, quirky & vibrant inspired products. I spoke to Chelsea about how her love of travel & collecting local art inspired the to start of Jelly Press; we discussed how she followed her own advice she would provid...

I got to spend my lunch break with Matt Verdier of Just Okay Company, a clothing brand that brings a collection of weird, potentially affirming products with a positive message of self-love to ourselves.    I spoke to Matt about his design process on how he how he creates apparel, pins, hats, stickers, and what inspires him.  We discussed how he screen prints his own merchandise and...

I got to spend my lunch break with Brent Williams of the Deli Llama, a sandwich spot with unique crafted pressed sandwiches, salads, and coffee with a great atmosphere and friendly staff in Tavares, FL.   I spoke to Brent about how he came up with the idea of the Deli Llama.  How he and his wife Michelle, never owning a restatuant have opened a fantastic sandwich spot.  The importan...

I got to spend my lunch break with Steve Lewis of Gideon's Bakehouse , A small local bakery creating big things. On a quest for the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie for himself, 15 years and thousands of tests later, his work was complete. Their cookie isn't just a product. It is a history, the sweet and the salty, the thrill of a first kiss, and the solitude of a heartbreak. In October 2016, Gideon’...

I got to spend my lunch break with Joshua and Jeanette Johnson of Wall Crawl , an indoor photo studio concept with 20+ photo walls allowing you to take photos yourself or with their professional photographers. The concept of Wall Crawl was realized when Joshua and Jeanette realized photography has changed dramatically in recent years, and yet the photo studio concept remains almost completely unch...

I got to spend my lunch break with Bess Auer a Community builder. She is the Founder of Florida Swim Network and F L Blog Con and has recently written a book about community building- Unio: The art of intentional community building . In her book Unio: The art of intentional community building. Bess Auer speaks about building your brand better, intentionally! During my lunch break, we discussed how...

I got to spend my lunch break with Lisa Wilk and Christina Thomas of Fig Digital Media , where they combine the expertise of corporate marketing executives, the savvy of active food bloggers and social influencers to help other business - big and small. Lisa runs TasteCookSip.com and Christina runs GoEpicurista.com and both have been named Orlando Taste Makers and Trendsetters. I thought it would...