Proprietors of Pittsburgh Podcast

In this episode, Jeff tells the story of how his company evolved over its 30-year history. It all started with a life-changing phone call when he was just a budding copywriter for an independent agency. He decided to “bet on himself” and start his own firm. In 2007, after 14 years in business, Jeff decided that he needed a change, so he took a senior position in a large PR firm. Seven years later,...

Toni Shelaske purchased Healthy Pet Products in 2008, and she has grown it to four locations. Her company stands out for its customer service and for specializing in raw pet food for dogs and cats. In our conversation, she explains the benefits of being a raw feeder and how she expanded that part of her business. By the way, this is a great episode for learning more about the reasons why someone w...

The theme for this season is “in studio” as I’m back in the studio recording with all of my guests. Check out the incredible lineup that I have for you in Season 12: Toni Shelaske, owner of Healthy Pet Products Jeff Krakoff, owner of Krakoff Communications Steve Dawson, owner of Fat Butcher Jen Worley, owner of Jen Barker Worley Photography Sidney and Terri Sokoloff, owner and founder of Specialty...

Getting to tour Destin LeCornu’s recording studio was an incredible opportunity. In this episode, he invites us behind the scenes to see everything that goes into making a state-of-the-art facility. The place has vintage vibes, and the multi-room setup gives you the sense that you walked onto a movie set. Destin is an audio engineer, producer, teacher, and accomplished musician. He plays several d...

During our conversation, Claire told the story of how she transitioned from theatre management to working for herself full time. She described how Chez Lapin evolved from a home-based Etsy shop to an established business with a full-fledged production facility. Claire’s focus on eco-friendly and cruelty-free products is clearly an important part of her mission. Over the years, she has donated her...

Chi Ilochi is a one-of-a-kind fashion stylist whose work stands out in the local scene. Although Pittsburgh isn’t generally thought of as a fashion hub, Chi has managed to build a successful brand and business right here at home. Her refreshing approach has been one of inclusiveness and accessibility. Core to her mission is reaching groups of people who traditionally have been written off by the m...

In this episode, I took a tour of Iron City Boulders in the Lawrenceville neighborhood. Dean Privett, a co-owner of the indoor bouldering gym, showed me around while we talked about his impressive facility and the growing climbing industry. His journey to entrepreneurship was 10 years in the making, and he shared his amazing story with me during our time together. You can tell from listening to De...

Dr. Nikhil Asher realized his dream of creating an integrated health and wellness center when he opened Aspirational Health in 2022. The brand new facility, which was the site of a former fast food restaurant, features a spacious on-site yoga and fitness studio. In addition to traditional medical services, patients also have access to a complete wellness program, including nutrition management, fi...

In this episode, I take a look at a beautiful local venue from a unique vantage point. My guest, Jill Garcia, owner of The Hutton Group, gives me a tour of the Kimpton Hotel Monaco in downtown Pittsburgh. This is just one example of the many event spaces that she utilizes in and around the city for her business meeting and event planning company. Jill also travels throughout the United States and...

In this exciting “behind-the-scenes” episode, Danielle Bombash, co-owner of Bombash and Earley, gives us a tour of her store and production space. She and her husband, Tim, run the business out of a charming storefront that resembles a cottage-style home in McMurray, PA. Their impressive and extensive lineup of botanical skin care products is made entirely by hand in small batches from this locati...

Season 11 consists of episodes that are all recorded “on location” at unique venues. I decided to get out of the studio and into the city in order to bring you behind the scenes of some amazing local businesses. If you’ve ever wanted to know more about the nitty-gritty of how a business operates, then this is the season for you. Each episode includes a tour of the location, and we get access to pa...

If you have any questions or if you’d like to chat, you can reach me at my contact info below. The purpose of this podcast is to share ideas, inspire action, and build a stronger small business community here in Pittsburgh. So please say hello, tell me what you think, and let me know how I’m doing. It means a ton! YOU CAN REACH ME AT: Website: https://www.proprietorsofpittsburgh.com Instagram: htt...

If you have any questions or if you’d like to chat, you can reach me at my contact info below. The purpose of this podcast is to share ideas, inspire action, and build a stronger small business community here in Pittsburgh. So please say hello, tell me what you think, and let me know how I’m doing. It means a ton! YOU CAN REACH ME AT: Website: https://www.proprietorsofpittsburgh.com Instagram: htt...

I’m pleased to welcome three incredible guests back to the show – Lauren Marts, owner of Baked True North, Duztin Watson, owner of The RiP Group, and RJ Huebert, owner of HBT Digital Consulting. In this in-depth episode, we cover a wide variety of topics, including the critical role that small businesses play in the community and how to attract and retain talented people on your team. Plus, each o...

In this all-star lineup of Pittsburgh entrepreneurs, Dr. Natalie Gentile, TJ Fairchild, and George Cook are all back on the show. We cover a wide variety of topics including the importance of investing in our local communities, when to build team, how to navigate a hybrid work environment, dealing with growth challenges, and much more. It was such a pleasure to sit down and chat with these dynamic...

Welly was born from the lasting impression that Ben Kander’s late mother had on him and from his passion for addressing the water insecurity that is prevalent in much of the developing world. In fact, the name Welly stems from the combination of the word “wells,” which is central to the company’s mission of funding clean water projects, and the word “Elly,” which was the name his mom was affection...

If you have any questions or if you’d like to chat, you can reach me at my contact info below. The purpose of this podcast is to share ideas, inspire action, and build a stronger small business community here in Pittsburgh. So please say hello, tell me what you think, and let me know how I’m doing. It means a ton! YOU CAN REACH ME AT: Website: https://www.proprietorsofpittsburgh.com Instagram: htt...

Hello Pittsburgh. It’s your host, Darin Vilano, and I’m super excited to bring you the next season of the podcast. Season 10 is truly special. I will be bringing you some very unique episodes including a “live audience” recording, two group panels with prior guests, fascinating discussions with leading Pittsburgh entrepreneurs, and a conversation with my mom, Donna Vilano. Thanks for listening and...

Samantha Story-Camp’s purchase of a homemade soap recipe book was supposed to be a creative way for her to provide gifts to fellow theatre actors after the final night of performances. One evening, she found herself at a local small business association workshop on how to start a business. Her and a friend were interested in creating a singing telegram company with a unique spin. Their idea never...

Brandon Gilbert decided to put his business and mechanical engineering background to work in his own company when he started the Pittsburgh Mobile Tire Shop. After numerous subpar experiences at traditional repair stores, he decided that there had to be a better way to provide this important service. Low startup costs and lack of competition in the region enticed Brandon to launch a mobile operati...

At the beginning of 2020, Taylor Fowler was at a crossroads in her career. She had a full-time job, but she also had a few clients in her copywriting and public relations business. Unsatisfied with the feeling of burnout that this was causing, she made a decision to go all in as an entrepreneur. Although progress took time, she started to gain momentum with attracting clients and doing the work th...

Jason DeRose was working as a strength and conditioning coach for a local high school in 2005 when it became the focus of a nationally televised reality show on ESPN. The football team, which was once the pride of its Pittsburgh-area community, was on a perennial losing streak. This all turned around once Dick Butkus and other NFL and top collegiate coaching and training talent entered the picture...

In 2019, Carolyn Keller decided that it was time to put her non-profit operational and curatorial background to work in her own firm. She launched Curio412 as consultancy designed for organizations that want to make a lasting impact with their philanthropic missions and giving strategies and programs. As a proud Pittsburgh native, Carolyn chose to put the 412 in her business name as a reminder of...

When Jordan Schulz was introduced to Zach Miller in 2019, little did they know that their collaboration would take them far beyond the performance stages of Pittsburgh. At the time, Jordan was looking for a guitarist to complement his vocals, and Zach was open to trying out a few gigs with someone new. Their musical styles, instincts, and preferences were similar, and they quickly hit it off. But...

When Elisabeth Leach met Andrea Belen-Sandhorst in late 2019, they started a conversation about what they valued most in a networking group. Both were developing their own businesses and careers, and they were interested in meeting new people. Although there were other industry-specific and leadership groups available to them, they felt that the Pittsburgh market really needed an organization that...