The What's Happening Delco Podcast

Episode 188 features Paul Hewes and Zach Beaver of the Delaware County Historical Society. The Delaware County Historical Society, celebrating its 130th anniversary, engages in preserving and promoting local history through various programs. Paul and Zach discussed their lecture series, which offers free, outdoor, BYOB-style events twice monthly from April to June and September to October, featuri...

Episode 187 features Mona Malik of Cracked Bell Construction. Mona explained that Cracked Belt Construction is a full-service design-build firm located in Delaware and Chester Counties, specializing in kitchen and bath remodels, as well as additions. She described her background, including her work on the Liberty on the River development project, and emphasized her commitment to transparency and a...

Episode 186 features Kevin Crane of Vertex Business Solutions . Kevin Crane, co-owner of Vertex Business Solutions with his wife Phyllis, discussed how the company helps business owners increase profits through AI services, including credit card machine setups, POS systems, and AI receptionists. Kevin explained that Vertex provides free consultations to identify business pain points and offers sol...

Episode 185 features Amani Jackson of Royal Blush Bar . Rich interviews Amani Jackson, owner of Royal Blush Bar, a luxury mobile bar company that provides handcrafted bar experiences for weddings and corporate events. Amani explains that Royal Blush Bar's philosophy of true luxury is the absence of worry, aiming to relieve hosts of event planning stress. Amani shares her background as a barten...

Episode 184 features Lakeata Camara and Ruthie Panakkal of Home Away From Home Adult Day Center. Rich Shane welcomed Lakeata Camara and Ruthie Panakkal from Home Away From Home Adult Day Center to discuss their dementia care services. Ruthie explained that the center provides respite care for individuals with dementia, Parkinson's, and other dementia-related conditions, offering a day center w...

Episode 183 features Kathy Parkinson of The Grange Estate . Rich and Kathy discussed the Grange Estate, its history, and its current role as a house museum and vintage shop. Kathy shared details about the estate's Revolutionary War significance and its preservation by local efforts in the 1970s. They discussed the Grange's holiday decorations and events, including a Christmas train display...

Episode 182 features Trung Nguyen of WSI and Joey Mazza of The Pennyworth Group . Rich, Joey, and Trung discussed the evolution and applications of artificial intelligence (AI), with Trung explaining that AI has become more accessible and advanced, particularly with platforms like ChatGPT, Microsoft's Copilot, Google's Gemini, Grok, Perplexity, and Claude. They highlighted the importance o...

Episode 181 features Brandon Wyche of Wyche Studios . Brandon discussed his career transition from real estate investing to photography, specializing in commercial, product, figure, and advertising work. He highlighted his experience working with major clients like Deloitte, Temple, Cube Smart, and L'Oreal, while also assisting smaller businesses with branding and e-commerce photography. Brand...

Episode 180 features Mike Gaydos and Jared Loss of The Mill at Rockdale. Jared and Mike discussed their new music venue, The Mill at Rockdale, located in Aston's Rockdale Arts District. Opening in November with a grand opening in December, the venue will host a mix of student performances, regional touring acts, and comedy shows. Their first indoor event, "Share the Stage" on Novembe...

Episode 179 features Anthony SanFilippo of PCS Theater . Anthony SanFilippo, the producing director at PCS Theater, discussed the theater's history and current operations. He explained that PCS Theater, located in Springfield near Swarthmore, is celebrating its 114th season and offers a variety of productions including main stage plays, children's shows, and cabarets. Anthony highlighted t...

Episode 178 features M.R. Joseph which is the pen name that Melissa Redkar writes under. Melissa Redcar, who writes under the pen name M.R. Joseph, discussed her journey into writing, which began with reading independent authors like E.L. James and her desire to create a comforting personal space through writing. She explained how she developed her pen name, combining her first initial with her fa...

Episode 177 Features Delco Spiderman . Rich interviews Delco Spiderman, who started his volunteer work in 2017 after losing his job and being inspired by a West Coast Spiderman. Delco Spiderman, created a Facebook page to offer his services and has since brought joy to countless children and adults through hospital visits and community events. He shares a moving story about a child with cancer who...

Episode 176 features Kristine Mascione of Vondern . Kristine Macione, founder of Vondern, explained how the app connects users with local experiences and events within a 90-minute radius of Philadelphia. She shared her inspiration for creating the app, which started as a travel-focused platform but evolved into a local discovery tool after realizing the potential of exploring her own backyard. Kri...

Episode 175 features Nichole Birmingham of Nichole Birmingham Coaching . Nichole described her coaching service, which helps high-achieving career-focused women gain clarity and overcome blocks in their personal and professional lives. She explained that her one-on-one virtual coaching sessions involve focused conversations and exercises to help clients discover their true selves and create a life...

Episode 174 features James Glen Pratt of Marketing For Gold . James explained Marketing for Gold, a fractional CMO consultancy that focuses on providing executive leadership teams with a financial view of marketing performance through dashboards, documented strategies, and resourcing plans. He described his target clients as companies with $2-35 million in annual revenue, typically in product or t...

Episode 173 features Julievette Jefferson. Julievette, is a wellness coach and yoga teacher in Delco. She transitioned from focusing on physical fitness to emphasizing overall wellness. In 2024, she completed yoga teacher training, which helped her integrate stress management techniques and discover the benefits of moving meditation. Julievette now combines her coaching and yoga certifications to...

Episode 172 features Cindy Robertson of Amethyst Cleaning . Cindy Robertson discussed her residential and commercial cleaning services. She explained how she started the business with a focus on providing professional, high-quality cleaning services, and shared the significance behind the company's name, Amethyst. Cindy also offered cleaning tips for listeners, emphasizing the importance of mo...

Episode 171 features Ryan Harbinson of LinkedIn Growth Academy. Ryan discussed his background in business development and marketing, emphasizing his expertise in creating engaging content across different social media platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. He explained his approach to training, which involves making sessions interactive and practical by demonstrating strategies live and...

Episode 170 features Dolores Fickenscher of Quill Notary . Dolores explained her role as a notary, specializing in both in-person and virtual notarizations, which allows signers to be anywhere in the world. She shared her journey into entrepreneurship, becoming a notary during the COVID-19 pandemic after her previous industry shut down. Dolores outlined various reasons people need notarizations, i...

Episode 169 features Craig Nolan of Nolan's Pour House Coffee Company . Craig shared the story of how Nolan's Poorhouse Coffee Company began, starting with his quest to find better quality, small-batch roasted coffee while intermittent fasting. He explained his selection process, which involves trusting his roasters who are scientists, and his philosophy of encouraging customers to try cof...

Episode 168 features Robyn Van Dusen of Oil and Soul . Robyn is a bran d partner with Young Living Essential Oils. She created Oil and Soul out of her passion on educating people on health and wellness through plant based naturally sourced products and essential oils. www. OilAndSoul25.com - Instagram Honorable Mentions: Young Living Wyld Notes Radiant Heart Delco Steaks Italian Delight Wawa Barna...

Episode 167 features Alex Becker of Delco Unplugged . Rich and Alex discussed Delco Unplugged, a parent-led organization focused on delaying children's access to technology, and discussed the growing concerns about children's early exposure to smartphones and social media. The conversation concluded with a discussion about the broader societal impacts of technology on children, including e...

Episode 166 features Maria Pacenza of Plant Station Pasta . Maria Pacenza, owner of Plantation Pasta, joined Rich for her first podcast interview. Maria started Plantation Pasta, a gluten-free pasta company located in Havertown, after being diagnosed with celiac disease and finding limited options in the market. She spent years experimenting with different flours and ingredients to create a nutrit...

Episode 165 features Chef Reeky of the Cheezy Vegan Chef Reekydiscussed his vegan restaurant, Cheezy Vegan, which is currently rebranding but maintaining its vegan menu. He explained that the restaurant focuses on handcrafted, allergen-friendly dishes, including vegan brunch options and seitan wings. Tarik shared his personal journey to veganism, which was driven by discipline and support from the...

Episode 164 features Chuck Campbell of Vini Buoni Imports . Chuck shared his background and experience with Vini Buoni Imports, a Delaware County-based Italian specialty food company, and discussed his role in importing and distributing wines from various regions. The conversation covered wine preferences, cheesesteak spots in Delco, and recommended pairings, while emphasizing the importance of bu...