Paper Trails

In Episode 4 of Season 5 of the Paper Trails Podcast, Nick Kalogeromitros sits down with Charlotte FC player Brandt Bronico. Listen as Brandt talks about going the extra mile early in his development as a player, how he ended up playing for Charlotte FC, his entrepreneurial journey, and what 'grindest' means to him.

Nick Kalogeromitros sits down with Brandon Cullen, Co-founder of MADabolic. Listen as Brandon talks about his time as a semi-professional hockey player, his understanding of being a driven individual, what led him and his partner to start MADabolic and expand quickly in the market, and where the brand is heading.

In Episode 3 of Season 4 of the Paper Trails Podcast, Nick Kalogeromitros sits down with Aimee Larson, President of Conway Restaurant Group. Listen as Aimee shares the origins of the Napa brand and provides insights and strategies on how they created a successful brand.

In Episode 2 of Season 4 of the Paper Trails Podcast, Nick Kalogeromitros sits down with Chase Hazelwood, owner of Go Forth Services. Listen as Chase shares what his life was like growing up in the Triad area, the early days of his business working for his dad, and how he developed a high-performance culture at Go Forth.

In this new season of the Paper Trails Podcast, Nick Kalogeromitros sits down with David Hamme, owner of Lost Worlds. Listen as David shares his journey from the consulting world to launching Lost Worlds, the challenges of opening during COVID, and how he expanded to multiple locations in just five years.

In the 18th episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with Frank Scibelli, the owner of Mama Ricotta's. Listen as Frank shares his start in the restaurant industry in the '90s in Charlotte, the lessons he has learned from opening various types of restaurants over the years, and the importance of building a company with good people.

In the 17th episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with Karma Murillo, Executive Chef at Barcelona Wine Bar. Listen as Karma talks about his beginnings as a dishwasher, the growth process of being young in the restaurant industry, and the experience he wants people to have when they visit Barcelona Wine Bar.

In the 16th episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with Courtney Evans, Chef at 3rd and Fernwood. Listen as Courtney talks about growing up between South Carolina and New York, becoming a Chef de Cuisine at a young age and the challenges and successes that came with it, and why she chose to take on a new Chef role at 3rd and Fernwood.

In the 15th episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down again with Frank Kaltsounis, the owner of Ilios Crafted Greek, following Frank's first appearance on the podcast in Season 1. Listen as Frank talks about his background growing up in Charlotte, his perspective on the restaurant scene, the importance of culture in business, and what the future holds for Ilios Crafted Greek, along with some of his other exciting concepts.

In the 14th episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with Andres Kaifer, the owner of Custom Shop. Listen as Andres talks about attending the Culinary Institute of America, growing up in Miami and working in that food scene, and how Custom Shop was established.

In the 13th episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with Steven De Falco, co-owner of Pizza Baby. Listen as Steven talks about growing up in a family of food entrepreneurs, the influence of independent, chef-driven restaurants in his life, and how Pizza Baby came to be.

In the 12th episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with chef Rayana Radcliff. Listen as Reyana talks about how she got her culinary bug, what working in corporate catering taught her, and her dive into business ownership.

In the 11th episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with Samantha Ward, the owner of Wentworth and Fenn. Listen as Samantha talks about her early love for pastries, the importance of grinding and working hard, and how she started Wentworth & Fenn.

In the 10th episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with Michael Pruitt. Listen as Mike speaks on his early days playing collegiate baseball and moving to Monroe, NC, the success principles baseball taught him, and the life lessons he's learned from business ownership.

In the 9th episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with Jasmine Macon, the owner of Beyond Amazing Donuts. Listen as Jasmine talks about how her grandmother introduced her to cooking, what pushed her more towards breads and cakes over meats, and her love of donuts and what made her start Beyond Amazing Donuts.

In the 8th episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with Carlos Abrahams, the owner of Crav'n Caribbean. Listen as Carlos talks about how his mother influenced his passion for food, his transition from the car business to the food industry, and what Crav'n Caribbean is all about.

In the 7th episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with James Yoder, the owner of Not Just Coffee. Listen as James speaks about his upbringing in Japan, moving to North Carolina, his beginnings in business ownership, and what it means to stay in your strengths.

In the sixth episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with the Executive Chef of Community Matters Cafe Chayil Johnson .Listen as Chayil speaks about his culinary influence from growing up in New Orleans and how Community Matters Cafe is impacting Charlotte.

In the fifth episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with the owners of Tokyo Express and Yummi Banh Mi, Scott and Julie Tang. Listen as Scott and Julie take us through their beginnings in Salisbury, running a family-owned restaurant, and entrepreneurship.

In the third episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with Darius Amidi, Director of Operations/Co-owner of Improper Pig, and his son Cameron Amidi. Listen as Darius and Cameron take us through their journey and what led them into the restaurant industry, as well as the characteristics of running a successful restaurant. 

In the second episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with owner of Que Hospitality Manny Flores. Listen as Manny takes takes us through his journey to U.S. and what inspired him to get into the restaurant industry, the passion and inspiration for his two restaurants Que Onda and Que Fresa, and what the future holds for Que Hospitality.

In the first episode of Season 3 of the Paper Trails podcast, Nick sits down with the executive chef, Mike Bobb, of the Ballantyne Hotel. Listen as Mike takes us through how his passion for cooking developed, his journey through culinary school at Johnson and Wales, to becoming the executive chef at the Ballantyne Hotel.

After working for Procter and Gamble for 33 years, Bill Bigham decided he wanted to do something more with his time than hit the links.  The new goal: Chef.  He was accepted into the Inaugural Freshman Class of Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte, N.C., and at the young age of 56, he went back to school. But golf was not off the table.  While at Johnson & Wales, he was lucky to land an internship at the exclusive Pinehurst Resort during the 2005 U.S. Open. Bigham, now Chef Bill Bigham, earned an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts, graduating Summa Cum Laude and has since become a personal chef working everything from small dinner parties to grand openings.  In 2007, Bill was named “Best of the Best” Personal Chef by Charlotte Magazine. 

"I realized that I could change somebody's day because I'm the first person they're speaking to, most likely." Magnolia Coffee Co's Production Manager, Ben Alleman, got into the coffee scene because he wanted a change from the restaurant industry. He quickly fell in love with what he calls the 'counter-culture.' Magnolia's goal is to make the top 3-5% of coffee accessible to the everyday coffee drinker. While Alleman himself hasn't gone to the origin spots of the coffee, Magnolia's owner has traveled extensively to the different growing regions. But even with the best beans, it always comes back to that counter culture and the barista behind the bar. Alleman says the best response to a first sip is when someone says, 'Wow, I don't need to put anything in this!' Says Alleman, "You can really change somebody with a really good cup of coffee."   Follow Magnolia Coffee: https://www.facebook.com/MagnoliaCoffeeCo https://magnoliacoffeeco.com/ https://www.instagram.com/magnoliacoffeeco/ Follow Albemarle Paper Supply: www.albemarlepaper.com facebook.com/albemarlepapersupply instagram.com/albemarlepapersupply

Stomp, Chomp & Roll Restaurant Group owner, Will Bigham, grew up in the restaurant industry.  He describes himself as 'always learning,' which is probably why he's seen success operating a wide variety of restaurants ranging from a dessert business to fast-casual Asian cuisine, and now the popular Charlotte, NC brands Improper Pig, Flying Biscuit, and Pizza Peel.  Follow Stomp, Chomp & Roll: Facebook LinkedIn   Follow Albemarle Paper Supply: albemarlepapersupply.com Facebook Instagram

Manolo Betancur has a plan -- to bring his Latin bakery concept to the poorest towns of NC in hopes to create jobs, growth, and spark life on desolate Main Streets that can use some love.   It's this attitude that has helped his Charlotte, NC bakery, Manolo's Latin Bakery, find success. "Business is not about money, business is about people," says the former Colombian Navy vet.  A Colombian native, Betancur grew up 'under the influence of the U.S.'  He came to America and studied at King University in TN before making his way to Charlotte.   After taking over his ex-in-laws bakery, there were a few things he knew would be imperative to success.  He did not want to create a niche Colombian bakery, instead offering a broad selection of Latin cultures from Cuban pastelitos, to Mexican bread, and Argentinean empanadas.  And he believes businesses have a social responsibility to give back to the community and pay employees what they need to live in a metropolitan city.  He strives to create a culture of respect and harmony, knowing the importance of hiring people smarter than him. "I'm a very bad baker," laughs Betancur.   Through the ebbs and flows of financial crises, pandemics, and life's hardships, Betancur has continued to persist.  Failure is not an option for him.  "The American dream is still alive. What you need to do is just stand up and work hard, invest in yourself and invest in knowledge. Challenge and difficult times, they're always going to be there."

Head Brewer, Kiel Arrington, takes Nick on a mini-tour of the brewery and what goes into making your favorite beers. Owning a business was always in the back of Arrington's mind and Vaulted Oak wasn't his first attempt at starting a brewery business.  In 2015, he pitched a brewery to investors and they didn't bite.  But Arrington wasn't deterred and counts it as a good learning experience. “It took years, up to a decade, in the food and bev industry to grow into where I am today,” says Arrington. Years passed and Arrington started a family but didn't give up on the brewery idea.  He started looking at the possibility of opening a bottle shop near Lake Lure when his realtor turned him onto a former BB&T bank location that was just bought.   Arrington brought on business partner, Johnie Jones, and signed the lease in September 2019.  Next step – he had to bring on investors.  In the 11th hour, Arrington got it done.  (the space almost became a Pop-eye's!)   After breaking ground in July 2020 amidst a pandemic and dealing with delays and supply shortages, Vaulted Oak Brewing finally opened its doors on June 8, 2021. And the brewery was immediately embraced. “Overwhelming and humbling were phrases I used a lot of times.  We didn't expect that level of support, especially in a pandemic,” reflects Arrington on the community support. “Community was always a pillar of our business model. we wanted to be more than just a place to get a beer.” Arrington's advice for business owners: Never burn bridges because never know when you're going to need someone's relationship. Fail and fail often. Don't be afraid to ask for help.  Follow Vaulted Oak Brewing: https://www.instagram.com/vaultedoakbrewing http://vaultedoakbrewing.com/ https://www.facebook.com/VaultedOakBrewing/   Follow APS: www.albemarlepaper.com https://www.instagram.com/albemarlepapersupply https://www.facebook.com/albemarlepapersupply        

We may be a paper company, but this crew is makin' that paper! We get a fascinating view inside the workings of CT Commercial Paper in Oakboro, NC with Kat Palm & Mollie Guffy. Not only do they make the best paper products (Single Roll Tissue, Jumbo Roll Tissue, Hard Wound Roll Towels, Kitchen Roll Towels, Folded Towels, Napkins, Toilet Seat Covers, and more) but their products do not require the destruction and depletion of the world's precious natural resources. They utilize sustainable virgin pulp and also one hundred percent post-consumer waste substrates. As of 2021, they have six warehouses located throughout the Central and Western United States, with further expansion planned in the Southern and Eastern portions of the U.S. Y'all know when your office is skimpin on the good paper products -- have your boss hit up CT Commercial Paper for that good good. https://ctcpaper.com/ Paper Trails Podcast drops every Tuesday! Subscribe now and follow along: https://www.instagram.com/albemarlepapersupply/

After a wide and varied journey through all sides of the restaurant industry, bbq fan Lewis Donald launched his shop, Sweet Lew's, in the Belmont neighborhood of Charlotte, NC because he felt Charlotte needed a true barbecue shop and "I felt like that was my best avenue to be me, have fun and I could see myself doing it for the rest of my life." He chose the neighborhood because BBQ is all about community. His restaurant sits amongst residential houses across from a few other local eateries that people can easily walk to for family dinner. He, like most Charlotteans, is not a native. Originally from Cleveland, he's moved all over Hawaii, Tennesse, Georgia, West Virginia, and L.A. where he learned Spanish. "The Greenbrier is SWANKY" according to Nick. He's not wrong. The Greenbrier Culinary Apprenticeship Program was an invaluable deep dive into the ingredients, prep and everything that goes into cooking. He suggests apprenticeships over culinary school - but they're rare to get into. After the Greenbrier, Lew got a job at Charlotte Country Club. "They would not have called me Sweet Lew at Charlotte Country Club." It was a big, humbling change where he learned to put his ego aside. A positive experience, he grew as a leader and still uses the skills he gained there today. He moved on to Carmel Country Club which, as he puts it, "It's a blast." He had a great experience but got burnt out. So he decided to give the 9-5 a try. At Inland Seafood, Lew worked as a salesman. This position allowed him to see the other side of the industry, giving him a broader understanding of the customer service and manufacturing side. But the desk job was a hard adjustment and he missed what he truly loved about the industry. As Nick says, "To be in our industry, you have to have a heart for it." So Lew returned to the kitchen at Reid's Fine Foods. He was in charge of producing the fresh and frozen items for the deli and catering. It was, again, another different view of the food industry where he learned margins, packaging, budgets. The posh Greenbrier may not seem like a BBQ pit haven, but it was where Lew grew to love the style of cooking. Pitmaster, Ken Hess, would wheel in his trailer smoker and have the apprentices help with barbecue competitions. Lew continued to pepper in barbecue throughout his career and developed a lasting fondness for it. So in 2018, He left Reid's Fine Foods, returned to Inland Seafood to pay the bills, and set forth opening Sweet Lew's BBQ. His first rude awakening? He was told his shop would be built in 65 days. He didn't account for that being 65 BUSINESS days and while he expected an August/September opening... he didn't open until the end of November. What he learned from the opening: "I think every restauranteur in Charlotte goes through the same thing -- everything new in Charlotte is great." The first 90 days are full of free press and booming sales. "Then there comes that time in Charlotte you constantly have to reinvent yourself." Lew stays in his lane...want boiled peanuts, Brunswick stew, and brisket? He's your guy. But he's not changing up the menu and adding items for publicity. He focuses on simplicity, inspired by the different regional BBQ styles. And while he does have house-made sauces, he doesn't sauce his meat. He wants to be a master of the BBQ biz, not a jack of all trades. 'We want to be here for generations," Lew says, hopefully, he'll feed families for years to come. Fun Sauce Facts: The mustard-based sauce is an SC thing because of German settlers Big Bob Gibson is credited as the originator of white sauce in Alabama NC is regionally divided - some areas focusing on vinegar-based sauces, others tomato-based Last thoughts: Are you thinking about starting a business?  Lew's advice: "Talk to somebody before you do it - talk to many people. Do your homework, do your research, and really think about what you're getting yourself into. It's hard to translate what you're doing at home or what you've done for your family or friends -- just because you make the best pie at thanksgiving doesn't mean it's going to become a business."  Follow Sweet Lew's BBQ: Instagram & Facebook: @sweetlewsbbq www.sweetlewsbbq.com #BBQ #PitMaster #Barbecue #NCBBQ #Restaurants #FoodShow

It's the restaurant with a VW Bug sitting atop the roof that you've seen on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.  But we already knew it Pinky's Westside Grill was serving up a mean meal long before Guy Fieri and the Food Network visited.  We're chatting with owner, Greg Auten, whose long history in the restaurant scene has taken him from a hot dog cart to working with another Charlotte, NC iconic diner, the Penguin.   Video: Greg Auten - Pinky's Westside Grill

We're digging into the entrepreneurial side of Paper Trails Podcast, talking with the home loan experts, Brad Lawson and Fernando Escaffi on creating their Charlotte, NC based mortgage company, Primeline Capital.  

“And by that Tuesday we had closed down. It was f*n over man. That was a tough day.” Chef Sam Diminich has beaten Bobby Flay, and now he’s found a way to thrive AND help others amidst the massive strain COVID has placed on the restaurant industry. His story of resilience in creating Your Farms Your Table, his local meal delivery service that is championing our regional farmers. 

“If you’re not on Instagram, I don’t trust you.” Nikki Miller-Ka , aka 'Nik Snacks,' came to speak the truth! We travel to the Triad to dive into the Winston-Salem, NC area food scene with the leading lady of food blogging in their region.  Catch more of her mouth-watering write ups here.

World renown Chef Mark Allison will inspire you to grab some veggies and hit the stovetop.  Chef Allison is the Executive Chef of Culinary Innovation at the Cabarrus Health Alliance (CHA) and consulting executive chef for “Forever Oceans” a sustainable seafood company based in Virginia, with fisheries around the world.

Their açaí bowls are hella tasty, good for you and ultra instagrammable. We're joined by Rico's Açaí owners Matthew & John Williams to talk about the method behind the fruity madness:  “You’ve got to put the time an effort in to get the carrot at the end of the runway.”  How they took a simple concept and made it a one of Charlotte, NC’s most mouth-watering brands.    Video: Rico's Açaí

“I wanna work here and I’m not gonna leave until you say yes.” Chef Daniel Wheeler, now Executive Chef of Gastro Lounge, Fine and Fettle at the Canopy SouthPark talks about making his way into the Charleston, SC restaurant scene before landing in Charlotte, NC.