The City Playbook

How did Orlando become one of the most exciting food cities in America? In this episode of The City Playbook, Orlando Economic Partnership CEO Tim Giuliani sits down with Jason Chin of Good Salt Restaurant Group for an in-depth conversation about entrepreneurship, hospitality, placemaking, restaurant culture, and the future of Orlando. Jason shares the incredible journey from working in the dish p...

How do you transform a downtown into a place people actually want to spend time in? In this episode of The City Playbook, Tim Giuliani sits down with James Lima, founder of JLPD, a national urban design and planning firm, to explore how Downtown Orlando is being reimagined through people-first design and strategic placemaking. As Orlando undergoes a major shift—converting one-way streets into two-...

What is civic leadership—and why does it matter more than ever in today’s cities? In this episode of The City Playbook, Tim Giuliani sits down with Bret Perkins, Senior Vice President, Community Growth & Economic Development at Comcast, to explore how civic leadership shapes the future of cities like Orlando and communities across the United States. Drawing from decades of experience working a...

Welcome to The City Playbook, a podcast brought to you by the Orlando Economic Partnership, where we go behind the ideas, initiatives, and leadership shaping the future of Central Florida. In this episode, host Tim Giuliani, President and CEO of the Orlando Economic Partnership, sits down with Kathy Ramsberger, President & CEO of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Kathy shares th...

What makes a city truly livable, competitive, and attractive for the next generation? In this episode of The City Playbook, Tim Giuliani, President & CEO of the Orlando Economic Partnership, breaks down the strategy behind Downtown Orlando’s transformation into a more walkable, vibrant, and economically competitive urban core. This episode dives deep into: Why cities across the U.S. are redesi...

In this episode of The City Playbook Podcast, host Tim Giuliani sits down with Shawn Welcome, Poet Laureate of the City of Orlando, to explore the deeper story of Orlando beyond theme parks and tourism. With over 30 years in Central Florida, Shawn shares how the city has shaped his life as an artist, educator, and community builder, and how poetry gives voice to neighborhoods that are often overlo...

In this episode of The City Playbook Podcast, host Tim Giuliani, President & CEO of the Orlando Economic Partnership, sits down with Piero Del Risco the founder of Pana, a global neobank built for immigrants and diasporas around the world. After growing up around cameras and TV in the Dominican Republic, working in banking, insurance, and investment funds, and leading digital banking at Scotia...

In this episode of The City Playbook Podcast, host Tim Giuliani, President and CEO of the Orlando Economic Partnership, sits down with Latria Graham, founder of GLB, brand strategist, and trusted advisor to both athletes and corporations. From choosing between ESPN in Bristol and the Orlando Magic to spending 11 seasons inside the NBA organization, Latria shares how her early sports career shaped...

Curious about what is next for Orlando and how civic leadership and corporate partnership shape a thriving city? In this episode, Tim Giuliani sits down with Scott Cathcart, President of Truist in Florida, to unpack career lessons, community investment, and the power of innovation to serve real people and real businesses. Scott shares his journey from early banking roles to leading a statewide tea...

Welcome to  The City Playbook , where President and CEO Tim Giuliani takes you behind the ideas, innovation, and initiatives shaping the future of Orlando. In this episode,  Tim  sits down with architect and urban planner Dan Kirby of Jacobs to talk about what it takes to build a people-first city that attracts talent, investment, and opportunity. From converting one-way streets to designing great...

In this episode of The City Playbook, Orlando Economic Partnership President & CEO Tim Giuliani sits down with Michael Brown, President & CEO of Travel + Leisure Co. (Fortune 1000), to talk about the company’s evolving strategy, why they’re moving their headquarters into Downtown Orlando, and how civic leadership can shape neighborhoods and futures. Tune in to learn: Why Travel + Leisure C...

In this episode of The City Playbook, Orlando Economic Partnership President & CEO Tim Giuliani sits down with Steven Pedigo, renowned urban strategist and faculty at the University of Texas at Austin, to explore what truly makes a city world-class. From placemaking and destination branding to economic development, innovation ecosystems, and the bold Vision 2045 plan — discover how Orlando is...

Orlando is more than theme parks. In this episode of The City Playbook, host Tim Giuliani sits down with real estate creator and community builder Ken Pozek (The Orlando Real) to unpack Orlando’s growth story, what residents and newcomers really want, and how smart development can strengthen community. Ken shares his journey from Detroit to Central Florida, how content marketing helped him scale a...

Welcome to The City Playbook — the show that takes you behind the ideas, innovation, and initiatives shaping Orlando’s future.  In today’s episode, I sit down with Sal Rehmetullah — co-founder of Stax and now president/cofounder at Worth AI — to unpack a decade-long “overnight success,” a billion-dollar exit, and why he’s building company number two right here in Central Florida. We cover scaling...

Curious about what is next for Orlando and Central Florida’s urban core? In this episode, host Tim sits down with Brooke Myers, founder of Velocity Red, an Orlando-based urban developer instrumental in the Creative Village project. Brooke shares lessons from a decade at Disney working on land strategy and real estate, how the Great Recession sparked her entrepreneurial path, and what it really tak...

Welcome to The City Playbook. I’m Tim Giuliani, President and CEO of the Orlando Economic Partnership. Today I’m joined by Rob Starkman, founder and CEO of Rock’em, the Orlando company behind the viral MCO carpet socks, in-park Disney and Star Wars designs, and performance gear for NCAA and pro athletes. Rob shares how a dorm-room side hustle turned into a 30,000 sq. ft. design-to-delivery operati...

Hosted by Tim Giuliani, President and CEO of the Orlando Economic Partnership, The City Playbook shares the stories of leaders, innovators, and changemakers shaping Central Florida’s future. Each episode features candid conversations about the people, ideas, and industries driving Orlando’s economic growth, along with insights on the trends and opportunities transforming the region into a hub for...