The Bay Builds Podcast

He was the first one through the door. His two partners hadn't arrived yet, the office was empty, and Brett Lindquist sat there alone in 1995 thinking, "I hope this works." Thirty years later, The Mortgage Firm has grown into dozens of branches across more than twenty states, more than 30,000 reviews, and a near-perfect rating. But Brett still refuses to be called boss. In this episo...

Santiago Corrada was 13 years old when his family visited Tampa from New Jersey and he told his parents they were not going back. Decades later, he runs the organization responsible for putting Tampa Bay on the map for the rest of the world -- and he will tell you plainly: the greatest days are not coming. They are already here. In this episode of The Bay Builds, Santiago Corrada, President and CE...

In 1926, 22 women sat down together in Tampa and decided to do something about the unmet needs of women and children in their community. They did not have cell phones, fax machines, or the internet. They had a mission statement that was, by any measure, ahead of its time: to foster interest in the social, economic, educational, and civic conditions of the community and to make volunteer service ef...

Before Mike Griffin knew what commercial real estate was, he was walking up and down the sun-baked stands of Tampa Stadium selling Cokes and peanuts to a crowd of strangers. That early lesson in showing up, working hard, and earning something stuck. So did Tampa. Mike Griffin is Vice Chair and Co-Head of the Florida Region of Savills, responsible for more than 13 million square feet of transaction...

There is a moment Mike DiBlasi does not forget. It is 2008, the market has collapsed, every broker around him is either making excuses or making an exit, and he is beyond broke. Not almost broke. Beyond it. His dad is telling him he should have stayed in accounting. His friends are leaving the business. And Mike is standing there thinking: at this point, I can't get any more broke. Might as we...

Mindy Murphy did not plan to run a domestic violence center. She had been out of the workforce for 13 years raising her son, was not looking for a job, and had never worked in domestic violence. Then she had a dream, called back the board member who had been quietly recruiting her, and interviewed in the back room of a Cracker Barrel. A week later she was giving a speech about an organization she...

Before she was dressing Water Street in large-scale art installations and producing seven-figure destination weddings, Anna Richardson was a project manager in real estate development with a company called Exceptional Events and no real plan. On this episode, she sits down with Tracie Domino to talk about what it actually takes to build a boutique luxury brand in a market people used to underestim...

Scott Price did not plan to start a company. He had a spreadsheet with his entire career mapped out and Arthur Andersen was part of every line of it. Then Enron happened. At 26, he signed voluntary termination papers, walked to the Hilton, had lunch, had a beer, and by Monday had delivered his first contract with his name signed as president. Twenty-four years later, A-LIGN is one of the top three...

What if removing the ask from your biggest fundraising event actually raised more money? Frann Leppla, President of the Tampa General Hospital Foundation, joins host Tracie Domino to share how TGH Foundation eliminated night-of fundraising from their signature gala and sparked one of the most productive donor engagement periods in the foundation's history. Frann breaks down the psychology behi...

In this episode of “The Bay Builds,” we sit down with Richard Gonzmart, the fourth-generation owner of the Columbia Restaurant Group, to delve into a remarkable 120-year legacy of resilience, family, and community impact.  Richard shares profound stories of how his family navigated challenges from the 1903 opening amidst the Wright Brothers' first flight to enduring World Wars, the Spanish flu...

In this inaugural episode of The Bay Builds, host Tracie Domino sits down with Nick Friedman, co-founder of College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk and Moving. Nick shares the incredible journey of how a summer gig with a beat-up cargo van transformed into a national brand with hundreds of franchisees. From unloading deer carcasses to encountering unexpected weapons, Nick recounts some of the wild experie...

The Bay Builds Podcast is a behind-the-scenes look at how real businesses are built, right here in Tampa Bay. Hosted by Tracie Domino, founder of Event Outfitters, the show features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, brand builders, and community leaders shaping the Bay. These aren’t highlight reels. They’re honest stories about growth, setbacks, leadership, culture, and the small habits tha...