Podclair

In this episode we talk with the Editor, Louis Hochman and the Sports/Community reporter, Andrew Garda from Montclair Local. They are two of the many dedicated people who make up the team that serves our community with their award-winning newspaper. Founded by Heeten Choxi, the paper operates as a non-profit and relies on this community to support their efforts to create a cohesive and informed community about local matters.    Montclair Local won 34 New Jersey Press Association awards for work done in 2020. For the third year in a row, Montclair Local has garnered the New Jersey Press Association's General Excellence award.

In this episode, Andrew Garda of the Montclair Local newspaper interviews Joanna Seltzer, Tracey Diamond and Margo Bruton of Podclair discussing how the podcast came to be, the need to share stories about our community, and the last three rewarding years producing a podcast for and about Montclair.      Andrew is an experienced journalist who is a Member of the Pro Football Writers Association of America with a decade of experience writing about the NFL and 15+ years of writing in various other formats, including blogs, screen and teleplays, short stories and standard newsprint articles.   During his time on the sports beat for the Montclair Local, he has covered things like the high school’s first African-American female basketball coaching staff, an undefeated state championship football season. In our Covid year, he's been lending his considerable talents to other stories for the paper.

In today's episode, Joanna speaks with Dr. Doris Walker-Bennett and Lisa White of the local non-profit organization Sister to Sister. The organization works with the Montclair Board of Education to provide free mentorship to girls to support them from 4th grade through high school, including the college admissions process. In town for over 20 years and serving hundreds of students in their after school programs, they have had 100% of their graduate on time and accepted to college, mostly as first generation college students - and in a testament to the cohesive community they create, many alumni of the program return to be guest speakers mentors themselves for the next generation of mentees. 

In this episode, Joanna speaks with Zina Floyd, the lively and dynamic serial entrepreneur and owner of Cafe MOSO on Orange Road. Coined MOSO, for Montclair South, Zina and her husband, Michael, a native Montclairian, sought out a chef to partner with to open the space in July 2019. Together they crafted seasonal menus with elevated comfort food and BBQ classics that has become a staple both in Montclair's South End VIllage and beyond. Zina explains what called her to the restaurant business, the surprising pivots of adapting to the pandemic, and the impact of Black Lives Matter as they approached their first year anniversary.

In today's episode, we are featuring a guest that would be helpful to the many businesses in town that are rethinking their business approach as they gear up for the post-Covid world. And if you are just starting a business, being clear about your process and goals can help your marketing strategy succeed in the new future we're facing.   Arnie Amir has helped many big and small businesses go through the process of analysing and clarifying their business plan to make the most of their opportunities. He's the owner of Growth Point Business Consulting. He has a clear and practical approach to planning and implementing clear strategies that will do the things that will be most effective in reaching your goals. We also about what it takes to get a business or organization in shape for the challenges of today's business environment.

In today's episode, Joanna speaks with John Sullivan of the advocacy group, Bike & Walk Montclair.  In town for 17 years, the non-profit organization has been dedicated to creating bikeable and walkable options in town.  Through their determined efforts, they were able to have the town agree to a "SAFE" street framework for the upcoming town master plan, which will consider ways to ensure the "streets are for everyone" when designing and planning new streets and developments starting in 2021. John discusses the work of the non-profit over the years and what keeps the organization going both before and after the pandemic.    New Jersey Bike Walk Coalition: https://njbwc.org Safe Streets Initiative: https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/business/localaid/safe.shtm

In this episode, Joanna speaks with Emilio DeLia, owner of Dream Martial Arts. Emilio details what brought him into martial arts, the inspiration behind opening his studio, and how he sustained his mental health and resiliency during the pandemic lockdown to re-envision how to continue serving the children of Montclair and neighboring communities with classes and community.

In today's episode, we speak with life counselor and therapist Jeree Wade.  Born in Atlantic City, she lived between there and Harlem for a good deal of her life.  Montclair became her home many years ago after marrying actor, singer and producer Adam Wade. Jeree has had a distinguished career herself in showbiz as a singer and actress, but her training as a life coach started calling to her in mid-life.  So she got her Masters Degree and switched gears to inspire others to manage their lives in the best way possible to achieve their goals and dreams. 

In today's episode, Joanna speaks with Roger and Julia Wood about the inspiration behind their bean to bar chocolate boutique, Vesta Chocolate, on Valley Road in Upper Montclair. Roger, an accomplished chocolatier and chef at top restaurants like Jean George and Gramercy Tavern, and Julia, a food stylist at the Food Network and many Major Brands, have joined forces in both marriage and entrepreneurship to open a stylish cafe that required redesigning a former bank entrance, complete with original vault, and adding a chocolate kitchen. They explain the story of how Covid shut them down only a few months after they opened, but inspired a whole new level of creativity that helped make it to their one year anniversary, on January 22, 2021  

In today's episode, Joanna speaks with Ahava Felicidad, the Holistic Hair Healer. A true native of Montclair, born right at Mountainside Hospital, Ahava's first hair studio, opened in 1987, was located on Bellevue Ave and her current studio is located on Midland Ave near our previous podcast guest, Fleet Feet. Ahava tells Joanna what started her journey in hair as a young girl, the benefits of a natural, chemical-free approach for curly hair, and how making her own soaps and scrubs led her to develop her own locally-made hair care product line. 

We couldn't get enough of Jonathan Escheverry, much as we can't get enough of his coffee. Joanna,our interviewer, is married to Uber---a native Spanish speaker, who had a few more questions to ask so we kept recording as they talked and tapped his talents to get an additional interview in Spanish. Have a listen...

In today’s show we’re talking with Jason Milleisen, the creator of Montclair Meal Kits, a full food delivery service devoted to local restaurants in the Montclair area serving the people who live there. An entrepreneur at heart, Jason continues to run a pizza truck and has a true appreciation for the men and women in the food service industry. With the pandemic expected to ramp up, this winter restaurants need our help more than ever. Jason’s vision is for our great Montclair eateries to be easily accessible to the residents via delivery without all the punishing surcharges from third party delivery providers. So what will it take to make this all work? Listen and find out! 

In today's show we're talking with Lucienne Coppedge and Renau Daniels, owners of the Artisans Gallery Pop-up Store.  They started this business as a side project to their day jobs but it is a labor of love for them both and it shows in the careful selection of items they offer to their customers. They've made it their mission to bring quality Fair Trade and sustainable jewelry, clothing, home goods and artwork, made by local and international artisans. Many of their items are handcrafted and the majority of them are made by women artisans and designers. They also encourage products and businesses that participate in zero waste and sustainability. Lucienne and Renau have been creating this pop-up since 2015 and recently relocated and reopened Montclair's South End after recovering from the business closures during COVID.

In this week's episode, our 90th!, we're talking to a business that focuses on taking care of our pets for us when we're too busy to walk, feed or pamper them ourselves. We're talking to Janine Ruela of Montclair Pet Girl about her love of animals and how she made a quick pivot from being a teacher to pet walking and cat tending. She speaks about how her business, opened in 2011, expanded as her reputation grew and also leaves us with some advice from what she's learned over the years.

In this week's episode we speak with someone who has been, almost, an institution in Montclair for more than 25 years.  Sharron Miller is the Founder/Director of Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts (SMAPA) located on Park Street.  Sharron was always passionate about dance from a young age and attended The Juilliard School and soon after, found a position with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater as a soloist. She is also the veteran of seven Broadway shows and has appeared on television, film, and hundreds of radio and television commercials. As she settled into family life here in Montclair, she found commuting to be a burden and looked to practice her art closer to home. Sharron became committed to enriching the lives of young people, through teaching dance and performance arts right here in Montclair.  SMAPA’s holistic philosophy inspires students to believe they can achieve, nurturing the potential within each student by encouraging creativity, building skills, fostering self-discipline, and bolstering self-esteem She previously served on the faculty of Renaissance Middle School for 13 years where SMAPA provided the dance and drama program for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students during the school day. Ms. Miller has also served on the faculty of Montclair Kimberley Academy, Far Brook School, and has been affiliated with the New Jersey Performing Arts Center as an arts-in-education consultant/partner. At SMAPA, she not only continues to train hundreds of students yearly, but also continues to develop her arts enrichment programs and community outreach. Ms. Miller resides in Montclair, New Jersey with her daughter, Jaimie.

In this week's episode we speak with Jonathan Escheverry of Paper Plane Coffee Co. Jonathan spent his summers as a boy in his grandfather's coffee fields in Colombia where he learned how coffee's grown and processed but he was raised in the US the rest of the year. He had an early interest in food and cuisine and went for culinary training, but found himself looking for another outlet for his passion for taste. He decided to learn more formally about producing and roasting excellent gourmet coffee and opened a coffee outlet in Brooklyn. After meeting and marrying a native Montclarion, he tired of the daily commute to his shop in Brooklyn and shifted his store to Montclair. We learn of his journey from Brooklyn, back to Colombia for training and eventually here to Montclair where he offers the very best in South American blended coffee.

In today's show, I'm speaking with a local Montclair resident, Janice Gobert. She is an entrepreneur and Rutgers’ Graduate School of Education professor and she has earned a PhD in Cognitive Science. She's a leader in her field and has studied with some of the top experts in Cognitive Science.  Since 2012, she has also been CEO of a company she developed called Apprendis and their flagship product, Inq-ITS, a science platform that has been a growing resource for middle schoolers, high school students, and their teachers. The platform incorporates virtual science labs that assess and support students while they work using AI. I've known Janice for a few years here in our community and have been fascinated with her creation of this learning program.

In this episode, we're talking with two of the leaders of the North Essex Chamber of Commerce. Amiee Idan is its executive director and Denny Klein is a long time member who has years of experience supporting and helping to lead local businesses in successful business networking and partnerships. As the threat of COVID, hopefully, recedes, our stores and businesses are beginning the process of rebuilding and reaching out to their customers to welcome them back. Our town and it's hard-working business owners need all the help they can get. Have a listen to our speakers as they talk about the wealth of knowledge and ideas that their organization has for those in need of community and guidance while reopening and repositioning their businesses to succeed as we all move forward to re-establish our vibrant downtown areas here in Essex County. And they talk about their upcoming event on July 15th - Meet the Mayors, which they have sponsored every year to let the public hear from the leaders of their towns and get to hear directly from them. This year it's online and we're giving you links to join the event here:https://business.northessexchamber.com/events/details/2020-meet-the-mayors-virtual-event-3161 And we also want to thank the corporate supporters of the Chamber of Commerce for supporting this important local organization: BCB BankRWJ BarnabasPSE&GAstorino Financial GroupJordan BarisGreenbaum, Rowe, Smith & DavisRand, Fewer & KlineSmolin AccountingWindmill Products

In this episode, we're talking with Jessica Kline of Macaroni Kid. Jess is an experienced marketing professional and a seriously busy Mom. She has three kids of her own and through that experience, she developed an appreciation for the value of local connections and information for creating a holistic and social community for raising your kids in. She found the Macaroni Kid website which brings you news and info that's great for moms and families featuring advice, entertainment, product reviews, holiday fun, and parenting tips and she decided to sign on as a local publisher for our area. She launched in December, before the quarantine, and has realized that her company has new-found relevance in our new locked-down world.  If you're a Mom or Dad and have busy kids who need to GET OUT, you'll love her story.

In this episode, we speak with a wide range of people who own businesses here in town supporting their efforts to open successfully.  We talk with many business owners to see what their thoughts are as we move into this phase and how they plan to manage the re-openings, or in a few cases, delaying or not re-opening, just yet.   We begin with introducing you to some of our area's black owned businesses and encourage you  to frequent their shops and services as well. These businesses are just a small sampling of the inclusive culture Montclair has to offer and how we value everyone as great citizens. Please join us in helping them all thrive and grow in this difficult time.  Black Lives Matter --- Now, more than ever...   Light of Gold PR Artisan Gallery Cafe Moso Velvet Lush Boutique Johari Montclair   We also hear from some other Montclair businesses that are eager and ready to reopen and looking forward to your business once again. We'll speak to some who feel they need to reorganize online first to rebuild their brand before reopening in brick and mortar. We encourage you to give these and all Montclair businesses your support in whatever way you can.   DeNovo Gelati by Mike Powerhouse Tattoo Fleet Feet   Here are the links to their websites: https://lightofgoldpr.com/   https://www.artisansgallery.com/   https://www.cafemoso.com/   https://www.velvetlushboutique.com/   https://www.yelp.com/biz/johari-montclair   www.denovomontclair.com   https://www.gelati2go.com/   https://www.fleetfeet.com/s/montclair   https://powerhousetattoo.com/home.html

Part 2: In this episode, we take a look at the effect that the shutdown has had on our teens, graduation celebrations and how it will alter the way seniors and their families are making college decisions for the fall. We'll get some guidance on the outlook for making preparations for college this year from College Admissions Consultant and Counselor Scott White. He has counseled and led teams at various schools in the New York and New Jersey area and was the former Montclair High School Director of Guidance. We'll also talk to Erika Insana and Shannon Gibson, who are leading the volunteer team for the yearly Project Graduation festivities for Montclair High School. Plus we'll have an added mini-segment on what seniors are thinking of distance learning and the disruption to their college plans.

In this episode, we take a look at the effect that the shutdown has had on our teens, graduation celebrations and how it will alter the way seniors and their families are making college decisions for the fall. We'll get some guidance on the outlook for making preparations for college this year from College Admissions Consultant and Counselor Scott White. He has counseled and led teams at various schools in the New York and New Jersey area and was the former Montclair High School Director of Guidance. We'll also talk to Erika Insana and Shannon Gibson, who are leading the volunteer team for the yearly Project Graduation festivities for Montclair High School. Plus we'll have an added mini-segment on what seniors are thinking of distance learning and the disruption to their college plans.

In this episode, we'll be looking at the strategies and marketing ideas for reopening our local businesses as we continue to recover from COVID19. We'll talk with two of our local business people who are known for their marketing expertise and creativity. Barbara Lemley is the principal at the Montclair-based branding studio, Identity In Design in Upper Montclair. She's also the founder of Montclair Design Perspectives and has been an active member of the Montclair community for over 15 years. Her experience has been proved in sales and marketing programs at places like Estee Lauder, Donna Karan Beauty and Bloomingdales. Barbara has used her strategic voice in both the retail and wholesale sectors and has developed customer engagement through shop design, digital content, and social platforms. She's been involved with many Montclair-area organizations such as the Montclair Center BID, the Upper Montclair Business Association, and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. She's currently a member of the Board of Management at The Van Vleck House & Gardens. We'll also be speaking with Paul Giordano. He is the owner of White Rabbit, Black Heart. His first store, Paul Michael Designs, was in Whippany and had a greater focus on floral arrangements and event preparations. But he discovered Montclair and decided to open Sweet Home Montclair on Glenridge Avenue. It carried homemade sweets, cards and stationary as well as unique, thoughtful gifts. He rebranded as White Rabbit, Black Heart about a year ago and he now carries all sorts of beautiful, snarky, spunky, and lovely gifts for all occasions and he still sells those candies he's made famous. We talk with him about these challenging times along with how he has been using his store windows to communicate with his customers through posting sentiments there.

In this episode of Podclair, we're focusing on the business aspect of our town's recovery.  Today we'll talk with three people who are deeply involved with this question.   First, we'll be talking to Carley Graham Garcia. Carley became executive director of the Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Montclair State University in September 2019. Previously, she served as Head of External Affairs at Google where she was responsible for public policy, government relations, and community engagement for the New York City region. Carley lives with her husband, son, and daughter in Montclair. She's working with Jason Gleason of the Montclair BID and Petia Morozov owner of DesignShed and founder of Montclair Design Week to direct attention at recovery strategies through an online group of local business owners. We'll also speak with Jason Gleason, a long-time resident of Montclair, NJ, formerly associated with The Pig & Prince Restaurant, who has served on the board at the Montclair BID and has recently taken the helm as Executive Director. And lastly, we'll wrap up this episode with a short interview with Luck Sarabhayavanija of Ani Ramen. Luck closed his business due to the Covid19 emergency but opened up again recently with a revamped business plan that includes making his business a non-profit, #BeAwesomeFeedSomebody, that provides support and food for first responders and victims of Covid19 using a new restaurant,  Rock City Pizza and Bang Bang Chicken where they'll offer take-out for our residents and raise funds for those in need. He's on the leading edge of figuring out how businesses can survive in the new economic and social reality.   https://www.montclair.edu/entrepreneur/ https://www.montclair.edu/entrepreneur/innovation-3d-printing/mix-lab/ https://www.montclair.edu/entrepreneur/featured-programs/2020-pitch-contest/   https://montclaircenter.com/montclair-mondays/ https://montclaircenter.com/covid-19-resources-for-small-businesses/

In this episode of Podclair, we're focusing on the business aspect of our town's recovery.  Today we'll talk with three people who are deeply involved with this question.   First, we'll be talking to Carley Graham Garcia. Carley became executive director of the Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Montclair State University in September 2019. Previously, she served as Head of External Affairs at Google where she was responsible for public policy, government relations and community engagement for the New York City region. Carley lives with her husband, son, and daughter in Montclair. She's working with Jason Gleason of the Montclair BID and Petia Morozov owner of DesignShed and founder of Montclair Design Week to direct attention at recovery strategies through an online group of local business owners. We'll also speak with Jason Gleason, a long-time resident of Montclair, NJ, formerly associated with The Pig & Prince Restaurant, who has served on the board at the Montclair BID and has recently taken the helm as Executive Director. And lastly, we'll wrap up this episode with a short interview with Luck Sarabhayavanija of Ani Ramen. Luck closed his business due to the Covid19 emergency but opened up again recently with a revamped business plan that includes making his business a non-profit, #BeAwesomeFeedSomebody, that provides support and food for first responders and victims of Covid19 using a new restaurant,  Rock City Pizza and Bang Bang Chicken where they'll offer take-out for our residents and raise funds for those in need. He's on the leading edge of figuring out how businesses can survive in the new economic and social reality.   https://www.montclair.edu/entrepreneur/ https://www.montclair.edu/entrepreneur/innovation-3d-printing/mix-lab/ https://www.montclair.edu/entrepreneur/featured-programs/2020-pitch-contest/   https://montclaircenter.com/montclair-mondays/ https://montclaircenter.com/covid-19-resources-for-small-businesses/  

We speak with three local professionals whose businesses are part of a support system for Montclair families. They help manage our households full of busy, active teens, toddlers, and their overworked parents. In America today, in 2020, an average of 57% of households have two working parents. That means this pandemic has severely complicated the lives of most of our residents here in Montclair.   In Part 2, we speak with Howard Weinrib who handles the Education Technology for Montclair School System and who also owns an educational company called TEKI that provides experiences that build self-confidence and leadership qualities in young people while integrating 21st-century technology into learning. And finally, we'll talk with Jay Shah who owns The Education Station Day Care Center in Bloomfield. We'll hear about the problems that arise for the families who have had to forego daycare while still working from home and we'll hear about the daunting position our local businesses are facing as they look forward to the end of the quarantine.   (In Part 1, we'll speak with Paula Ochs from the Family Service League. They provide support and strengthen families in need in Essex County through counseling, education, and social services.)   Financing website resources for small businesses: US Small Business Administrationhttps://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Developmenthttps://www.nj.gov/labor/employer-services/business/covid.shtml US Chamber of Commercehttps://www.uschamber.com/co/start/strategy/small-business-resources-for-surviving-coronavirus Essex County Community Foundationhttps://www.essexcountycreates.org/covid-19-resources-and-information  

We speak with three local professionals whose businesses are part of a support system for Montclair families. They help manage our households full of busy, active teens, toddlers, and their overworked parents. In America today, in 2020, an average of 57% of households have two working parents. That means this pandemic has severely complicated the lives of most of our residents here in Montclair.   In Part 1, we'll speak with Paula Ochs from the Family Service League. They provide support and strengthen families in need in Essex County through counseling, education, and social services.    (In Part 2, we speak with Howard Weinrib who handles the Education Technology for Montclair School System and who also owns an educational company called TEKI that provides experiences that build self-confidence and leadership qualities in young people while integrating 21st-century technology into learning. And finally, we'll talk with Jay Shah who owns The Education Station Day Care Center in Bloomfield. We'll hear about the problems that arise for the families who have had to forego daycare while still working from home and we'll hear about the daunting position our local businesses are facing as they look forward to the end of the quarantine.)       Financing website resources for small businesses: US Small Business Administrationhttps://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Developmenthttps://www.nj.gov/labor/employer-services/business/covid.shtml US Chamber of Commercehttps://www.uschamber.com/co/start/strategy/small-business-resources-for-surviving-coronavirus Essex County Community Foundationhttps://www.essexcountycreates.org/covid-19-resources-and-information  

In this episode, we’ll continue to showcase some of the people and organizations that are helping our community get through this terrible time. stay home so we all need the patience to get through this. We’ll talk to some of the people and organizations in our community that are helping those who need it most, victims of the pandemic. John Fromhold, Tim O’Brien and Valerie Allusson of Mountainside Hospital spoke with me about what we should know about their program to help us get through this, what we can do to help our health workers and how they’re doing at the hospital. Then we’ll take a look at the efforts of the Office of Emergency Management here in town. This is a job that most of us never think of or may not know we have here in town. We don’t think of it until we need it. Chief John Herrmann leads this team and speaks with us about what they’re doing behind the scenes, working to protect our citizens. We’ll also speak with Buddy Evans who heads up the YMCA’s here in town. He’ll tell us about services and programs they have to help health workers and our community. And we’ll speak with the Mary Murdoch, owner of Murdoch’s Shoes, a long-standing business in Bloomfield that is pitching in to help the tireless workers at the hospital be a little more comfortable on the job.   http://jtmurdoch.com/ marketing@mountainsidehosp.com www.montclairymca.org https://montclairnjusa.org/corona_virus_COVID-19_information

Right now, we're all living through a remarkable time in the history of our world---and of our country. We're a diverse and social community that thrives on the day-to-day flow of business and social relationships. They're the bedrock of our love for Montclair. But that flow of energy has slowed considerably and we are struggling to find a path through all this while still taking care of each other. Today's episode is about just that---finding a path through hard times to a sunnier day. We'll be talking with members of our community who are striving to help others and find a way to stay positive while keeping in touch with each other and with the values we all cherish. We'll talk with people stepping up to help our health community like Alan Schatzberg of Schatzberg Drapery, Anne Mernin of Toni's Kitchen about the help they and others are providing for food-insecure households, Peter Coyl from Montclair Public Library about how they can help your boredom, and we'll feature a few people who are relying on self-help to survive this pandemic as well. We'll also give you a go-to list for local help and charitable causes.   Sources mentioned in this episode: Montclair Library - montclairlibrary.org Toni’s Kitchen - toniskitchen.org Stuffed Burger - stuffedgrassfedburgers.com United Way - 866-211-9966  - unitedwaynnj.org Vets4Warriors - 855-838-8255 - vets4warriors.com Mom2Mom - 877-914-6662 - mom2mom.com Care2Caregivers - 800-424-2494 - care2caregivers.com NJ Vet2Vet - 866-838-7654 - njvet2vet.com NJ Peer Recovery - 833-422-2765 - njppnj.com Aid NJEA - 866-243-6532 - njea.org/aid-njea-can-help Cop2Cop - 866-267-2267 - njcop2cop.com Umbrella - 844-402-2480 - askumbrella.com Montclair Design Week - 973-744-2544 ext. 3 - montclairdesignweek.org NJMentalHealthCares - 1-866-202-4357 - njmentalhealthcares.org Alan Schatzberg Drapery - 201-440-8855 - alanschatzberg.com Debra Dixon Anderson-Light of Gold Marketing 917-385-1079 lightofgoldpr.com GoFundMe for Mountainside - https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-feed-our-healthcare-heroes

We speak with Nina Nsilo Swai creator of the potty training solution Pee-kaboo Potty Stickers.  As a young woman, Nina Nsilo Swai had plans to follow her diplomat father into a job focused on international business in some way or another. But life has a way of taking you in directions you never planned! She grew up between Tanzania, the United Kingdom, and New York City. But after earning her degree in urban planning, the first place she found a need for her talents was in the local New York area, working with some of the poorest of the cities inhabitants. Soon, she met and married her husband and they became a multicultural family with a special needs child. Eventually, they moved to New Jersey to access special schooling for their, now, two children and Nina began to plan for a different kind of personal success. She tells us the story of her journey to integrate her ambitions for herself with the needs of her children and family. She tells us of waiting in a coffee shop in Verona while they were in school, researching how to start her own business and creating some ideas. Fast forward - today she has a flourishing company that markets her product all over the US.

We speak with Andy, one of the stylists at Bangz Salon here in town. You probably noticed the award-winning renovation of the former 19th Century Masonic Temple on Fullerton Street several years ago that transformed that building into a world-class salon that offers hair color and cut as well as salon services like hair treatments, balayage, and extensions. They have a full range of other treatments like nail, skin and spa services, as well. And best of all, this takes place inside a truly breathtaking building that streams with sun and color through the stained glass windows.   Andy tells us the story of how he found his way to this career and we speak about the important emphasis that Bangz puts on using sustainable, earth-friendly dyes, treatments and chemicals so that customers not only look fabulous but the process is environmentally safer, to help keep our environment healthy as well.   Here's the link to the site he mentions in his interview: https://greencirclesalons.com/about/

We speak with Angie McCaffrey and discuss her life and career in film making and media. She tells us about the rewards of a creative lifestyle on film and video production, and also about the life challenges and personal uncertainties that life can bring. We talk about what she's learned and finally about her decision to open a photography studio, Entwined Studio, with her husband, Matt's help and support.

We speak with Michelle Ward, PCC, the When I Grow Up Coach, guiding creative women to bridge the gap between an unfulfilling career and their dream business since 2008.  If you're finally ready to listen to the quiet voice in the back of your head that says "I want to be a successful entrepreneur," Michelle Ward is the person to talk to...and we did.  Michelle has an online news list about creating the work-life you dream of and has blogged about careers "for wherever you are at in your dream business timeline".  She has been interviewed by leading news sources like Newsweek, NY Magazine, Huffington Post, USA Today and Forbes Top 100.   If you need the energy to restart your career, Michelle has more than needed to share that Ooomph! to get you going!

We speak with Gokhan Bars, the owner of the new eatery Tostchu (toast-chew) on North Willow.  Gohkan grew up in Istanbul, went to college, and then went into the textile business, manufacturing high quality fabrics for the garment industry. He made a great success of his business in Turkey and Europe, but after many years of hard work and wise investing, he found himself living a life that left him no time for anything but work. His inspiring story it reminds us that though we think we're in charge, sometimes life has other plans for us. We talk to Gokhan about what it's taken for him and his family to build a life on two continents, through resilience, paying attention to what's important in life and remembering to listen to the call of destiny.

We speak with Amy Owens of The Amy Owens Team at Keller Williams NJ Metro Group. Since 2005, Amy has been the local go-to for all things real estate, specializing in NJ commuter towns. Formerly a Garment Center Executive and Upper West Side Resident.  There, she learned how to be a meticulous facilitator and negotiator, which translated well to her thriving career in real estate. Amy and her family moved to Glen Ridge in 2002 and is now the team leader of The Amy Owens Team at Keller Williams NJ Metro Group.  Her team of 6, includes Buyers’ Agents, Staging and Administrative Staff who service transactions from contract to closing ensuring that her clients receive the utmost care.  Building a sense of community for her clients is something Amy and her team is highly passionate about.   Amy is the recipient of the Circle of Excellence Platinum Level Award, the top honor presented to agents based on their production. In her career, she has closed 400+ transactions totaling over $200 million in sales.  

We speak with Christopher Francois and Alexander Aronoff of Heratij, an apparel business in Montclair known for being all about Slope Street Style.  When Christopher and Alex worked together over a decade ago in a small ski/snowboard shop, they never imagined they would eventually end up as business partners. Through many commonalities, they took a chance on a venture they felt so strongly about. They started dreaming about a shop that reflected their passion for skateboarding and snowboarding. That dream would blossom into a lifestyle store on Fullerton Avenue featuring products that reflect their passion and also, a line of denim with their own brand.

We speak with longtime Montclair residents, Daren and Brandon Rogers, who along with their father Glenn, founded Wyanoke Builders in 2009.  The Rogers Men, as they are affectionately known, were able to create a successful business together despite their extremely diverse backgrounds.  Together they have had the unique responsibility of restoring and renovating the town they’ve called home for over 30 years. As their business approaches its 10-year anniversary, we laugh about the slippery slope that is working with family, we discuss what it takes to make and keep clients happy, and we chat about the demands and thrills of staking your lawn sign throughout our town. 

We speak with Lou Narvaez, the Beverage Supervisor and Head Bartender at the new MC Hotel. Guest Producer Rashaun Hall discusses with Lou his role as manager of the Allegory Restaurant and Bar and his overseeing the Alto Rooftop Lounge for the hotel. Lou has managed bars and created imaginative and elegant cocktails for many premier lounges in our area. He has also worked throughout the region in some of the most exciting and noted restaurants in northern Jersey including The Ashford in Jersey City and Montclair's own Social Club. And now he's excited to bring top-notch service to the two great "libation stations" at the MC!

We speak with Montclair native, Mary Connolly who has several ongoing creative passions in her life. She has made a busy but rewarding lifestyle of song, cheese, and travel that any of us would be jealous of. Also, she has brought her alter ego, Marie Fromage, the expert cheese master, affineur and turophile with her to share her vast knowledge of cheese and taste pairings. We'll also hear her story about her other love, the Sausage Kings.

We speak with Marcello and Patricia Rodio, owners of Moline Kronberg Drycleaners of Distinction. If you have treasured keepsakes or vintage clothes and costumes Moline Kronberg is the place to bring them.  Something special is always going on at their shop. They run one of the most exacting and meticulous cleaning services available. Marcello Rodio was born into the business as a boy on Staten Island, and Patricia's family was also involved in the biz and then she married into it as well!  They're originally from South America but they've been here for quite a few decades. Their business is a treasured institution in town. 

We speak with Denise Ford Sawadogo and her husband Leo Sawadogo. In the last year, they launched Montclair Brewery on Walnut Street here in Montclair. Leo has a lifetime of experience brewing beer with his family in his home in the West of Africa. Leo’s background also includes being a creator and owner of a small, trendy bar and restaurant for 8 years, in his hometown of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in West Africa. Leo’s background also includes being a radio personality and journalist at one of the first FM stations in his hometown.    His wife, Denise, has degrees in fashion, merchandising and marketing so she keeps busy in both her day job as a marketing pro and then gets out the word on brewing and runs the business side of the brewery on nights and weekends and every other moment that she isn't mothering her active, sports-loving son. Their business on Walnut Street has quickly become a sort of living room to many Montclairons, who bring their laptop and a sandwich to eat while sipping a brew, working remotely or just talking to neighbors.

We speak with Jazz House Kids board member Susan Gifford and her husband Chris.  These Montclair residents have been extremely active with Jazz House Kids and the Montclair Jazz Festival,  which is celebrating 10 years this year! If you like music and you love to move to the groove, there’s nowhere else you want to be this week and next than right here in town. The Festival runs through August 10th featuring over 250 incredible musicians like the six-time Grammy Award winner Christian McBride, the spouse of Melissa Walker who founded of Jazz House Kids. Together they’ve built the Montclair Jazz Festival which this year will feature artists like Bettye Lavette, Eddie Palmieri, Mark Whitfield and Quincy Phillips, and of course, the amazing Jazz House Kids, just to name a few.  The festival is being held in venues throughout the town - with the grand finale concert happening on Sunday August 10th from noon until 9pm at Nishuane Park.

We speak with Mike Guerriero of Gelati by Mike, formerly Gelotti on Bloomfield Avenue, who tells us how he came to build several gelato shops in our area. He takes us through the dramatic story of his highs and lows as he navigated his way from an arrogant kid working a summer job to a seasoned shop manager and finally, to a successful partnership in a thriving chain of local businesses centered around the delicious award-winning gelato that he has learned to craft. 

We speak with Dr. Michelle Aristizabal, an obstetrician and gynecologist who founded Wombkeepers, a maternity wellness center on Valley Road. She shares why she wanted to build her own OB-GYN practice, how she ended up working alongside her mother, the role your partner plays in your health, and how centering a women's autonomy in her own birth choices has resulted in a c-section rate that is 20% below the national average. As a solo practitioner, she has single-handedly delivered 2,000 of our local babies! Check out the show notes for curated resources from Dr. Aristizabal on birth control, childbirth, menopause, and local dad's groups. For those looking for more insights, we posted a recent in-depth podcast interview she gave about her book.  

We speak with Meny Vaknin, chef and owner of MishMish on Glenridge Ave, Marcel on Valley Rd, and Luisa on Walnut St (opening this summer). He shares how his love of food was inspired by growing up in a small, Israeli desert town and how his wife introduced him to the Montclair area. He discusses his role on Food Network's Chopped, his chance to work alongside famed chef Daniel Boulud, and what inspired each of his Montclair cafes and restaurants.  Check out the show notes to see the New York Time restaurant review that put him on the map, his Chopped appearance, and links to his menus.

We speak with Sue Seidenfeld of COPE Center, Inc. COPE Center is a non-profit agency that strengthens communities by helping people overcome challenges with drugs, alcohol, family issues, and HIV/AIDS. Its four tenets — Counseling, Outreach, Prevention, and Education — spell out COPE. Since 1971, they have provided adolescent counseling, alcohol & substance abuse counseling and programs for adolescents and adults as well as family counseling and parenting workshops and many other services for people with HIV/AIDS, mental health issues and Veterans. They serve all sectors of the Montclair population from youth at risk & the working poor to families dealing with stress, loss of a family member or mental issues that call for outside help or resources.

We speak with Ken DePoto of Cool Cat Music Company, a business in town that is all about making music every day.  As we celebrate Make Music Day here in Montclair, we talk with Ken about opening his new shop and how he and his Dad came to the business. We'll also drop into the music sessions going on at the store on Make Music Day to talk with a few of the talented folks and their listeners who are making music all over town.

We speak with Craig Dubitsky, the founder of the fastest growing oral care brand, Hello, born right here in town. In this deep dive interview, Craig shares how a string of coincidences inspired him and his family to move to Montclair and how saying yes to meeting new people led to his involvement with industry-changing companies Method and EOS. Craig drops many colorful puns as he explains his plans to nudge the toothpaste and oral care industry towards a friendlier future.

We speak with Andrew Myszkowski, the market manager of the Montclair Farmers' Market, as well as tours the tents, speaking with some of the farmers and artisans who supply our town with their delicious food. In 1993, there were only three farmers’ markets in all of northern New Jersey. But that year, Montclair resident Grey Russell organized a support coalition and a committed group of residents got together and founded the Montclair Farmers’ Market, which is now in its 27th season.  Today, there are over one hundred farmer's markets around the state but the Montclair Farmers’ Market is one of the busiest, most exciting, and most successful markets in the state. Most all of the familiar farmers have returned again this season, with produce usually picked within 24 hours; most of which are grown or prepared right here in the Garden State. This year’s market boasts more than a dozen delicious food artisans as well. 

This week we speak with Melissa Adler (owner of Dirt & Noise) and Brittany DeMaio (owner of Little Nest), the co-founders of the Family Jam festival, previously known as Kidchella. They share how they became friends inspired to create a local festival, what's behind their festival's name change, and what they have both learned as downtown business owners.

We speak with Saveur Creole restaurant owner Ron Mompoint. Ron emigrated to this country from Haiti with his parents when he was young. He found a good life in America, going to college and finding a great job, having children and settling in New Jersey.  But he always had a passion for the food of his homeland and longed for a place to show off Haitian hospitality and give New Jersey residents a taste of Haitian cuisine. So 14 years ago he opened Saveur Creole, which celebrates the vibrant Creole cooking of his homeland. His restaurant has been an elegant outpost of Creole cooking ever since.