Proprietors of Pittsburgh Podcast

Whether it was rearranging furniture in her bedroom to create a new look or starting an American Girl doll seamstress business, Marah Frank’s sense of style and creativity was evident at a young age. Today, she expresses herself through her popular blog, A Gypsy in the City, and her mobile flower cart business, Botanical Gypsy. Within a short time, Marah’s floral designs and pop-ups have gained in...

After her wedding, Aja Maria Bencsics wanted to preserve her bridal bouquet in a way that expressed her sense of style and flair. Little did she know it at the time, but her creation would ultimately inspire a business idea centered around a medium that she treasured. Aja is passionate about flowers. She loves the way they look, how they make her feel, and the unique ways in which we use them to m...

If you’ve been paying attention to the flower scene in Pittsburgh, you know that there’s a constant buzz surrounding The Farmer’s Daughter Flowers in Deutschtown. After working a number of gigs in New York City, including a stint at the popular ZuZu’s Petals in Brooklyn, Lauren Work Phillips decided to return to her roots in Western Pennsylvania. In 2013, she started her event flower business out...

Victoria’s weekend hobby quickly became her passion when she started Pittsburgh’s first mobile flower business. Her vision was to bring beautiful, fresh flowers to all of our unique neighborhoods, especially the places that typically never get a visit from a business like hers. And after purchasing a 1992 Daihatsu Hijet and getting it fixed up and painted, she was able to bring that vision to life...

This season was recorded before the pandemic, and I want to share it with you because it features four amazing entrepreneurs in the floral design space. Their stories deserve to be told, and we are incredibly proud of the work they have done and continue to do here in our region. You’ll hear directly from the owners of Victoria’s Mobile Flower Shop, The Farmer’s Daughter Flowers, Aja Maria Floral,...

With their creation of Reginald’s Coffee, owners Julie and Matt Koczko have brought specialty coffee and a cozy café to the South Hills of Pittsburgh. Their warm and inviting coffee shop, which also doubles as a roasting room, is named after one of their furry kids; a lovable rescue dog named Reginald. One of the things that makes their space especially unique is its location in a renovated school...

Ask anyone in the Pittsburgh coffee scene about TJ Fairchild and the words “local coffee legend” quickly follow. In the early 2000s, TJ’s company, Commonplace Coffee, was an early pioneer in the third wave coffee movement here in western Pennsylvania. As he described the origins of his business and the roots of his love for coffee, I was struck by his sincerity, modesty, and introspective nature....

It’s clear from his brand and business approach that Matt Parmelee is bringing something unique to the Pittsburgh coffee roasting landscape. His company, Redstart Roasters, is the only fully dedicated bird-friendly coffee roastery in our region and only one of a small handful in the entire country. His partnerships with local organizations, such as Pearl Parrot Rescue and the National Aviary, as w...

During their time living abroad, Matt and Vanessa Marietti fell in love with European café culture. Inspired by a desire to combine good food and drink with a welcoming gathering space, they launched Atelier de Fer at the end of 2017. Matt knew that roasting his own coffee was going to be central to his concept, so he began learning and perfecting his roasting technique in the year leading up to o...

If you’re a fan of locally roasted coffee and neighborhood cafés, then you know that specialty coffee has exploded here in Pittsburgh in recent years. In this this season, I feature four important establishments that provide unique perspectives on local coffee culture. You’ll hear directly from the owners of Redstart Roasters, Atelier de Fer, Commonplace Coffee, and Reginald’s Coffee. These wonder...

I had a great time visiting with Neil Blazin and Justin Vetter, owners of Driftwood Oven, in their Lawrenceville location. It’s easy to see why our city has been pulling for these guys ever since they started selling pizza under a food tent five years ago. They welcomed me into their restaurant with open arms (we literally ended the podcast with a big hug), and our conversation covered everything...

Pete Tolman, owner of Iron Born Pizza, first encountered Detroit-style pizza on a trip to Colorado. In this episode, he recounts his surprising reaction after discovering it in such an unlikely place and how he instantly knew that he had to bring it to Pittsburgh. Pete’s journey from Smallman Galley to Millvale and now back to the Strip District in his very own full-scale restaurant is an inspirin...

Rico Lunardi’s journey from Philadelphia back to Pittsburgh and from working in management information systems to running his own pizzeria is both insightful and inspiring. We talked about the dynamics of running a family business, the thought process behind location expansion, and the challenges of staffing and retention. He also discusses his reasons for bringing New York-style pizza to our belo...

Nick Bogacz’s journey to becoming a successful owner and operator of five Caliente Pizza and Draft House locations started with working multiple jobs and putting in ninety-hour work weeks. He and his wife scrimped and saved enough to buy an existing local pizzeria, and the vision became reality. In this episode, Nick talks about creating a culture of growth and recognition for his employees, the c...

In each season of the podcast, I cover a different business category. Season one featured four accomplished and unique voices in the personal fitness training industry. Now, in season two, we’re going to cover a fan favorite – pizza! Get ready to hear from some impressive pizza shop owners as we discuss a wide variety of small business topics and, of course, all things pizza. Whether you’re a loca...

Holly Gatto's many years of health and fitness experience shine through in this episode. Her training as a nurse, physical therapy aide, gym manager, and personal trainer contribute greatly to the depth and richness of her expertise. I enjoyed our discussion, and we covered many important topics, such as the role a coach plays in accountability and perspective when working with clients. Her focus...

In our conversation, Keem Robinson opens up the playbook and shares incredible insights into his business and journey. Today, Coach Keem runs a personal training business and gym just blocks from where he grew up in the Larimer neighborhood. Through this business that he built from scratch, he is able to give back to his community in a positive and healthy way. It’s clear from our discussion that...

It was a pleasure having James Lederach on the show. He takes us on a heartfelt journey as he talks about his search for making an impact in the world. He didn’t know it at the time, but the place where he spent much of his youth and early adulthood would become the place where he would teach others and realize his true calling. James’s attentiveness with clients, pursuit of science-backed evidenc...

I loved having Garrett Davis on the show, because he is a great example of someone who has both a full-time job and a side hustle that he’s growing into a bigger business. If you’re in that same position, or if you are working for someone else and have an idea for a business that you want to start, this is a great episode to check out. Over the years, I’ve met and worked with many entrepreneurs wh...

The Proprietors of Pittsburgh Podcast is about sharing stories and making connections. In this new podcast from Darin Vilano, you’re going to hear from local entrepreneurs and small business owners of all types – everything from people who are just starting out to those with well-established companies. And the best part? These are local people that you can actually reach out to and connect with. W...