Sarasota Stories

After a stellar academic career, graduating Magna-cum-laud from Lafayette College and later completing the Women’s Leadership Forum at the Harvard Business School, she has worked in key leadership positions at The Guggenheim Museum, The Metropolitan Opera, and the New York Botanical Gardens.  In 2015 she came to Sarasota to spearhead the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens master plan. Upon complet...

It is not all sunshine and blue sky of course. Florida and the Sarasota Area have ugly parts that most of us don't see. I don't mean a run-down building or neighborhood but the very nasty world of sex trafficking. But thankfully one local organization is dedicated to bringing light into this darkest of worlds. TODAY, It is my pleasure to welcome Stacey Efaw of SelahFreedom.com , which is an organi...

Surprisingly I've had several requests to share a little more about myself and my journey to creating and hosting a podcast. So in today's episode, I decided to do just that - interview myself so to speak, and share not only where the idea for a local Sarasota podcast came from but also what I learned along the way from the fascinating people I've interviewed. In today's episode, you'll learn... W...

Sarasota never ceases to amaze me. It's a small city (or large town if you prefer) and yet the diversity of fascinating people is really incredible. So on our today's episode -- our 50th -- I am happy to introduce to you one of the most interesting people I've ever met -- and who just happens to be a true pioneer of the cryptocurrency craze. My guest today has accomplished much in his short life a...

Everyone knows that tourism is a major economic pillar of our community. But have you ever wondered how professionals in the travel and tourism industry learn about us? Or how all those snowbirds found Sarasota in the first place? In today's episode, you find out! I'm very pleased to have on the show today, Nate Sweetman , Communications and Public Relations Coordinator with Visit Sarasota . Nate...

He’s a mild-manner Occupational Therapist by day but a real live Ninja Warrior by night. Really! If you've never seen NBC's American Ninja Warrior competition you're missing out. Men and women compete for over $1,000,000 in prize money by jumping, swinging, and virtually flying through the air on the world's most difficult obstacle course. ...and Sarasota's own, Kyle McCreight is in the competitio...

Dynamic. Smart. Overcomer. These words could easily be used as a tagline for an upcoming Hollywood movie. But I use them today to describe a friend of mine who continues to do big things even after the untimely loss of her husband several years ago. My guest today is Charlene Creel, or "Char" as I know her. She is the co-founder of Precisllc.com . Precis is patented software that consolidates pati...

Often people fantasize about owning their own restaurant. However, given the high failure rate how do you ease into the restaurant business to test your idea without the large financial outlays? You start of Food truck of course! My guest today is Anny Scarabelli of Purplebol.com . Two years ago she and her husband, Warley realized their dream of starting a food truck business that sells the healt...

It never ceases to amaze me the creativity of some people bent on solving a big problem. And one very big problem is: "How do you help seniors dealing with significant memory issues improve their quality of life while giving caregivers a break from the daily grind of providing that care?" My guest today is Michael Finn of Town Square . Town Square is an incredibly innovative adult day care facilit...

Whenever you enter the competitive world of business at some point you're going to get "hit". It may be from a layoff as an employee, or it could as an owner when your business gets slammed after the economy takes a substantial turn for the worse. The latter is what happened to today's guest. He was forced to recreate himself after the 2008-2012 real estate debacle destroyed his business and his f...

Every once in a while you meet someone who indeed looks like a fabled character. They can be exceedingly tall and burly like a Paul Bunyan, or exceedingly powerful like the Norse god Thor. My guest today is a strength athlete, bodybuilder, and gym owner of the hard-core Asgard Training Center in Bradenton, Bryce Johnston. (And folks when you visit his Instagram/Facebook pages you'll see what I mea...

We've all seen the cop shows. They're sensationalized for a reason -- to get eyeballs on the screen. But what is it really like to be on the police force right here in Sarasota ? In today's episode, we'll find out with 28-year veteran, Captain Demetri Konstantopoulos who, just happened to be on duty on September 11, 2001. If you remember, President Bush was in Sarasota at Booker Elementary when th...

Just when you think you've heard of every type of food or drink there is, someone digs back in time to surprise us with an elixir that was used hundreds of years ago. My guest today is Tony Zook. Founder and owner of Colonialshrubs.com . "Shrubs", as Tony will share, are not the bushes and hedges we know today but an old English term for an incredibly flavorful and fermented, organic elixir used f...

Let's face it: Sarasota is holding its own in the foodie category. Seems like every month you read in SRQ or Sarasota Magazine about a new restaurant featuring cuisine from far-away places. So I was very happy to interview one local woman who brought an incredibly tasty pastry from her home in Hungary where the recipe dates back over 300 years. Today, I'm pleased to welcome Aniko Gulyas, Owner of...

Not every child who attends school fits within the traditional school model. (I've often thought I didn't and that was many years ago!) In today's episode, you'll hear about an innovative charter school - led by one of the most enthusiastic people you'll ever meet - that virtually customizes and certainly personalizes the educational experience for both students and parents. I'm very pleased to we...

Florida tourism is hitting all-time highs after Covid bottled us up for the past two years so it's no wonder the festival and events industry is coming back in full swing. Today you'll hear from one company that specializes in mostly free festivals and events and they have big plans for this Summer Season and beyond. Today, my guest is Brett Cecere Sarasota Events manager from Florida Penguin Prod...

Do we need laughter today? More than ever. So it is very gratifying to hear two good friends -- with a love for art -- having so much fun promoting other artists in their new studio over in the Sarasota Park East District. In today's episode, you'll hear from two guests: Elizabeth Goodwill & Barbera Gerdeman of Creative Liberties Studios & Gallery where they share... The one thing few peop...

A wonderful part of living in the Greater Sarasota Area is it attracts top-notch medical professionals who want to live here too. One sports doctor - with credentials from the Cleveland Clinic AND direct experiences with the two professional teams - recently opened a facility in the Bradenton area. His goal? To become THE premier sports medicine and sports rehab facility in the area. My guest toda...

It seems like every other day I read the necessity to eat fermented foods due to their health benefits. It's in our intestines or "gut" where many diseases are born so by consuming foods that feed the good bacteria there we help our bodies remain healthy. In today's episode, you'll hear how one woman turned to fermented foods to help cure her ailments. She even started a company that makes incredi...

It wasn’t too long ago that you could say the Sarasota food scene was lacking. Sure there were plenty of restaurants but variety was the problem. But not anymore. Today you can choose from a wide variety of upscale, casual, funky, and fun. But just when you thought every restaurant niche was filled, one local entrepreneur has found something new that no one is doing - in fun, casual seafood. My gu...

Every once in a while you run into a person whose record and reputation are so amazing you're a bit skeptical until you meet them face-to-face. You think to yourself is this person really as advertised? In today's episode, I interview one such individual and as you'll hear, indeed he is as advertised. Today, my guest is Philip Tavill President & CEO of Children First. Phillip will share with u...

Unfortunately, it is the tragic headlines that grab us. We read further to find out what happened. We may shake our heads in disbelief... but then, we quickly move on because after all, it's just another tragic story -- that didn't happen to us. My guest today is Melissa Wandall. She was that story 18 years ago. Newley married, in a new home, and 9-months pregnant, she got a phone call that dramat...

Electronically we are more connected than ever... Facebook... LinkedIn... Instagram... Twitter. There are no shortages of social sites for us to promote our interests. But what about true connections? The type where you're having eyeball to eyeball conversations about your future? Or where you want to take your work? What about connecting with others on a project that raises your profile as a trus...

Sunshine and beaches. That’s what we tell all our friends up north. Of course, this is a beautiful place to live, that’s why we moved here.  But there is a “soft underbelly” we don't often see — those who are most vulnerable and susceptible to attacks from domestic abuse. In today’s episode, you’ll hear from one caring woman who leads an amazing organization whose mission is to “stop domestic...

The Florida economy is built on small, family-owned businesses. The Greater Sarasota Area is no different. Drive around town and you'll see all the mom and pop stores that offer products and services from A-Z. For example, there is one amazing cake business that has been a mainstay in Sarasota for years. And now the next generation is coming on strong to put their mark on what their father started...