Rust Belt Startup

Fundraising expert Lara Sepanski Pimentel, founder of OSA Philanthropy and former Peace Corps volunteer, joins me to unpack what makes a nonprofit—and any mission-driven venture—truly resilient. Drawing on field lessons from community-development work in rural Central America and a decade inside U.S. nonprofits, Lara explains why “capacity” — the people, processes, and systems behind the programs — must come before the next big grant push. In this conversation you'll learn: Peace Corps principles in practice – how asset-based thinking, local ownership, and radical resourcefulness translate into stronger donor relationships and staff culture. The “capacity first, cash second” framework – diagnostic steps to spot operational gaps before chasing new money. Fast vs. slow money – a pragmatic playbook for raising six figures quickly through warm individual donors while laying groundwork for longer-cycle institutional funding. Reframing the ask – shifting from “begging for help” to “offering investment” so donors see themselves as partners, not patrons. Running a location-independent consultancy – Lara's approach to managing global contractors, Zoom-first client work, and family life across continents. Nonprofit earthquake preparedness – why diversified revenue and data-driven dashboards are the new insurance policy in a volatile funding landscape. Rust Belt Startup · A Sustainable Fundraising Playbook for Non-Profits with Lara Sepanski Pimentel (Osa Philanthropy)

In this episode, I'm in the shop at MVW Food Trucks with founders Jamie Thompson (Buddha) and Ryan McEwen. They discuss their challenging journey of starting a business in upstate New York, after being laid off from their respective jobs and building a food truck fabrication company from absolute scratch. Jamie and Ryan share their unique experiences, the dynamics of their partnership, and the obstacles they faced as a black and white business duo. Learn how they've navigated race dynamics in their business, the struggles with keeping the business afloat, and advice for anyone looking to get into the food truck industry. It's a conversation worth sharing, filled with lessons on perseverance, partnership, and passion. Learn more about MWV Trailers & Food Trucks at their website mvwtrailers.com and if you're ready to start your food truck, be sure to reach out. Rust Belt Startup · Business Resilience, Race, and Respect | MVW Food Trucks

In this episode of I sit down with Richard Young, founder of CivicLex, an innovative organization based in Lexington, Kentucky, focused on improving civic engagement and strengthening local government responsiveness. CivicLex bridges the gap between citizens and local government, offering workshops, newsletters, and tools that make local governance more accessible and transparent. They are creating a more engaged, informed, and cohesive community. We'll get into the details of some of CivicLex's projects, and their role in shaping community-wide conversations around critical issues like land use, public policy, and civic health. We'll discuss how CivicLex led hundreds of conversations around Lexington's comprehensive land use plan, gathering over 17,000 public responses, which influenced city planning decisions. We'll talk civic literacy, building trust between citizens and government, and the vital role of responsive institutions in fostering a vibrant, engaged city. If you're interested in how cities can become more inclusive, dynamic, and collaborative by building civic engagement from the ground up, this episode offers valuable insights into replicable strategies that can work in any community - even yours. Learn more about Richard's work at CivicLex.org Rust Belt Startup · Innovating Civic Health: CivicLex's Guide for Small Cities with Richard Young

Today I'm talking with Casey Massimino, the founder and executive director of Green Arrow CoLab, a non-profit that integrates mindfulness and gardening to assist individuals affected by the justice system. Broadcasting from Sicily, Italy, Casey shares her  journey in digital media, building text-based shows on Facebook Watch,  to ultimately establishing her organization, all while re-locating to Italy. We'll talk about her role in text-based media, building Green Arrow CoLab, including its partnership with Netflix, logistics of starting a non-profit, and Casey's diverse experiences across continents. Rust Belt Startup · RBS Casey Massimino

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ueg_I_pPjhM Today I'm sharing a conversation with Kristin Fahy, someone who is living an unconventional life in multiple locations. She's the founder of Impetus Health, a strategy consultant for healthcare and life science firms, the author of “Profressionaling Is Hard - 22 Lessons to Help Make It (a little) Easier”, and the Professionaling Podcast. So in this conversation we're going to talk about “Professionaling” - how you should think about exercising and developing particular skills to position you for success as a professional or position yourself for the next big opportunity. We'll also talk about the difference between being ready to and being willing to, the process of writing and publishing her book (with a little help of The Tiny Book Course), and much much more. If you want to learn more about Kristin or reach out, visit her website www.kristinfahy.com or subscribe to the Professionaling Podcast. You can also order your own copy of “Professionaling Is Hard” direct from Amazon.Kristin's Website: Subscribe to the Rust Belt Startup Newsletter: Rust Belt Startup · Kristin Fahy Full

Today on the pod I'm speaking with Mr. David Casullo - He is the CEO and founder of Denali Partners - an executive leadership development agency, that works with companies, organizations and educational institutions to build leaders, and change culture. David is the author of the book "Leading the High Energy Culture: What the Best CEOs Do to Create an Atmosphere Where Employees Flourish " and he is a relentless champion of building community and supporting many of the things that make upstate New York a great place to live and work. In this conversation, we're going to talk about what makes a great leader but we're also going to talk about how you identify the unique gifts and talents of all of the individuals that make up an organization, harnessing them to the mission and to supercharging it. We get into his time as the head of HR at Raymour and Flanigan, and how he transformed the culture to align people to create delight in a business where we typically don't think about that as as a core mission. Finally we'll talk about some of the tools that he uses when he's developing and working with Fortune 50 Leaders and Executives, and how you can use the same tools to become the best version of yourself. I can't thank David enough for spending time with me and unpacking his valuable toolkit.   Rust Belt Startup · How to Build Leaders, Unleash Talent, and Change Culture with David Casullo

https://youtu.be/GWFRxwGx_Ec?si=GBDoKBkbPIey7cnh On this episode I sit down with Katie Aiello for a long overdue conversation about local government, civic engagement, and using data to empower citizens. Katie is the founder of Character Coffee in Utica, NY, and found her calling in public service when she decided to run for Common Council. Now she's using social media and open data tools to shed light on the inner workings of her city. We talk about how she's leveraging digital platforms to educate constituents and apply pressure for transparency. Find out how Katie is mining municipal data using Instagram and TikTok to help constituents think more critically about budgets, ARPA funds, and getting involved local politics. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in innovative approaches to civic participation and government accountability. Learn more about Katie at KatieforUtica.com and @katieaiello on all the socials. Rust Belt Startup · Coffee, Councils & TikTok Civics with Katie Aiello RBS Extra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lpoLH5pmsc

I recently had the opportunity to take a 40 min demo of the Apple Vision Pro - while there are tons of tech reviews out there already about the specs, what it can and cannot do, I wanted to add my thoughts on what makes this device special, some of the most impressive experiences, the drawbacks I see - and weigh in on the AR/VR debate. Remember, I was a Google Glass user for about 18 months and I'll get into what I see as the bifurcaton of use cases rather than one device that we'll use in our daily lives. This was recorded almost immediately after my demo while it was fresh in my head. The bottom line - this is an amazing device that's the beginning of a whole new category of devices. Rust Belt Startup · Vision Pro Demo Impressions | Killer Apps and the AR/VR debate eo.

My guest today is Leon Etienne. He is a world renowned illusionist, and he's rolling through upstate New York, doing a show this Saturday at Stanley theatre. He's the creator of Magic Rocks, has been featured on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, America's Got Talent, Penn & Teller's Wizard Wars, and much more. We had a fantastic conversation about why we need a little bit more magic. In our lives. We talk about the business of magic and how he started from learning some simple tricks at home when he was 12, to building this career, where he travels all over the world, showcasing one of the kind illusions. We talk about his trajectory of making magic a career that's become a full fledged touring operation that goes all over the world. We'll talk about some of those big breaks, whether that's America's Got Talent, or working with Penn and Teller, meeting his heroes, bringing magic to the people during the pandemic and much much more. It's a really wide ranging conversation and it was awesome to catch up with Leon. I hope you guys all check out the show if you're in the region this Saturday night at the Stanley... and let's let's get right into it. Rust Belt Startup · The Business of Magic with Illusionist Leon Etienne BONUS: Card Tricks with Leon Etienne

This is a special episode of Rust Belt Startup because it was taped in front of a live audience this past July at MVCC's thINCubator. This event was a partnership with The Rising Tide Society of Utica and featured a fireside chat with the founder of Utica Coffee Roasting Company, Frank Elias. It's a conversation that focuses on not only the origin story of the company, but how they've experienced growth. We spend a lot of time talking about building a culture and cultivating talent within your network and within your region - instead of importing that talent. How do you create a culture where people want to be a part of the business and gve them opportunities for growth? We spend a lot of time here but also as UCR has expanded they now do a ton of their business online. We get into that strategy and using partners like Shopify and Amazon and the pros and cons of each as it comes to online retail and distribution. So hope you find this conversation interesting and thanks to everyone that came out to this first fireside chat. This event was also filmed and you can watch the conversation in its entirety on YouTube. Rust Belt Startup · From Beans to Brew - The Utica Coffee Roasting Co. Story with Frank Elias

Hilda M Jordan is the founder of HMJ Equity Consulting, an anti-racist social equity firm that helps organizations attract and retain more diverse talent by identifying systems that stand in the way of helping members of the team be successful. She is a graduate of Harvard University, and honestly one of the most inspiring your people I've every met. Our conversation today centers around her personal journey from upstate NY to Harvard University and back again - learning to navigate systems from colleges to courts to companies that can stand in the way of her (and YOUR) success. This is one of the most inspiring conversations you'll hear  - It's been a great privilege to get to work with Hilda in building HMJ Consulting but a greater privilege to call her a friend. Rust Belt Startup · Building Equitable Environments From Colleges to Companies to Courts with Hilda M. Jordan

Rust Belt Startup · Finding Career Superpowers, Building Online Communities, and F-Words with Scott Grates It's great to be back and welcome Scott Grates to the podcast. Scott is first and foremost in the insurance business - but this isn't a podcast about insurance. It's a conversation about how do you figure out how to reverse engineer a career that helps you live how you want to live. It's about building systems that can save you from yourself, and it's about essential advice from a dad to a son. He's created a robust online community and service called Insurance Agency Optimization, that leverages his superpower of building efficient processes for agency owners that are trying to optimize their own businesses. So we spend time discussing how you build, grow and nurture an online community.  Finally we talk about Scott's new book - Essential F-Words for Teens: The 117 Things You Need to Know Before Graduation. https://www.amazon.com/Essential-F-Words-Teens-Things-Graduation/dp/B0BW2MGVJW/ It's all of the things that he wish he knew before he graduated and a message to his son who graduates this year. Thanks for tuning in and you can learn more about Scott at the links below: Essential F-Words Insurance Agency Optimization Scott Grates | State Farm  

Rust Belt Startup · Making the Comfortable Uncomfortable - Mike Ballman Today on the podcast, Pastor Mike Ballman returns. It's a follow-up conversation 3 years after our first conversation (which was one of my favorite episodes ever - listen at the link below). Mike is the founder and chief operator of the Morrow Warming Center - a low-barrier shelter in Utica, NY.  What Mike has done has made the problem of homelessness visible - and the challenges that come with it.  We talk about the founding of the Morrow Warming Center, homelessness in small cities, potential solutions, opposition to what he's doing, being uncomfortable, and building community through connection as we come out of the pandemic.  This is a heavy conversation but an important one.  Learn more about The Morrow Warming Center via their Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/430038701543837 Donate or Support the Warming Centerhttp://morrowwarmingcenter.org Mike Ballman - Invest, Commit, Dig In (Rust Belt Startup Podcast) https://rustbeltstartup.com/2018/07/19/episode-7-mike-ballman-invest-commit-dig-in/

Rust Belt Startup · Rust Belt Toolbox - Download, Digest & Delete Today on the podcast I want to talk to you about data - specifically your data - well, specifically MY data…. but it just as well might be your data. We all know that tech giant and social networks collect TONS of our personal formation and that they have become intregral into so many parts of our lives. And they collect a LOT of data about you. But have you ever tried to take a look at just how much of your data you're sharing? Have you ever tried to take any of it back? Today I'll tell you about some of the tools I've used (and that you can use) to view, download, digest and if you so choose - DELETE some of the data that is stored via social media and other tech giants. Specifically we'll look at Google, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I'll tell you what I've found and how easy (or impossible) it is to remove your data. Resources:Scott Galloway's TED talk on The 4 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRL2vVAa47I Google Takeout: Takeout.Google.comTweetDelete: https://tweetdelete.net

Rust Belt Startup · Are NFT's stupid or is it just early? What's coming next? NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) are reaching a fever pitch with some digital artwork selling for tens of millions of dollars. The landscape changes daily and so today I want to give you a brief primer on how you might think about NFTs, what they are, and what could be next in the space.  In this podcast I reference a great interview with Kara Swisher of the New York Times and Beeple - whose recent NFT of a collection of his daily works sold at auction for over $60 million. It's a fantastic interview and you can check it out here: What do you think? Do you own any NFTs? If so, what made you decide to take the plunge?

Today I'm sharing a conversation I had with chef Tim Hardiman of The Tailor and the Cook. And we're talking about his experience over the past 12 months. What is it like to be in the restaurant business as everything collapsed around us? Tim takes us through T&C's core philosophies and what has made them successful over the years, but we also spend time talking about how he pivoted during the pandemic to create innovative virtual dining experiences, the difficult decisions he had to make as an entrepreneur and the lessons learned over 2020. We talk about the importance of service, detail, and stepping back to make better decisions. Rust Belt Startup · A Chef's Journey Through the Pandemic - Tim Hardiman

Rust Belt Startup · Building More Meaningful Relationships and Being Connected From Afar - Kat Vellos Today’s conversation is one I’ve been really looking forward to sharing. I’m talking with Kat Vellos about UX, building (and maintaining) community and connection. Kat is a UX (user experience) designer, the founder of the Bay Are Black Designers, Connection Club, a facilitator, coach, and someone who is obsessed with community and connection. She’s also the author of two books - “We Should Get Together - The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships” and “Connected From Afar - A Guide For Staying Close When You’re Far Away.” In our conversation we talk about User Experience - what makes good UX and how do you apply that to your app, business or city. We talk about building and maintaining healthy, resilient communities - and probably most important, we talk about connection. We talk about “platonic longing” which probably encapsulates a feeling that many adults are feeling in this time of isolation, and the idea of ‘familiar strangers’ who gave our daily lives dynamism and rhythm. You can learn more about Kat and her books at weshouldgettogether.com and katvellos.com

Rust Belt Startup · Venture Caplital and Leveling The Playing Field - James Shomar On today’s podcast I’m having a conversion with Mr. James Shomar. James is a partner at StartFast which is a venture accelerator program in Syracuse NY.  I reached out to James after reading one of his LinkedIn posts about how he’s re-thinking startup funding and economic development as it relates to startups.  In our wide ranging conversation he gives us a primer on angel and venture investment and the kinds of companies that this investment attracts. Ever wondered why your company isn’t attractive to angel or venture capital? We’ll talk about it.  We also talk about leveling the playing field when it comes to opportunities for entrepreneurs of color, and much more. You can learn more about James on LinkedIN. On my end - I’m a partner in a new initiative called the Mohawk Valley Micro Seed Fund that’s looking for it’s first investment. You can learn more about that venture at our website.

Hey everyone - I was going to say Happy 2021 until things all went sideways las week. Regardless this the first episode of Season 3 of the Rust Belt Startup Podcast. On today's episode I'm actually reading a blog post in it's entirety that I really enjoyed which was featured in Tim Ferriss' newsletter 'Five Bullet Friday'. It's originally by Conner Barnes over at Ideopunk.com, and while I don't agree with everything, lists like these I think are useful as we start a new year or if you're looking for a change. They prompt questions, challenges, and might make you improve in some small way this year.

Today's pod is a super-shorty episode (I'll be experimenting with more of these) where we're talking about the Trojan horse that is the Nike Run Club app. This app started as a sensor you'd put in your Nike shoes (Nike+) and evolved as smartphones entered the market to a full-fledged and full-featured digital community. And there's key feature/Trojan horse methodology that we can all learn from that can use to grow your revenue as well. Let me explain... Rust Belt Startup · The Trojan Horse of Nike Run Club

Today on the podcast it’s a little lighter and I’m chatting with a colleague of mine - Bernie Freytag. He is the Creative Director at Romanelli Communications and he has a new book called ‘Find Wonder In The Ordinary’, which is sort of a memoir mashed-up with New Yorker cartoons. So in this conversation we focus on creativity - how to harness your own creativity , how do you be creative when it’s also part of your job, how he thinks about creativity. And we also talk about the genesis of the book, how he decided to put it out into the universe and much more. You can learn more about Bernie and the book project at Find Wonder In The Ordinary and on instagram at instagram.com/findwonderintheordinary and instagram.com/medraw Rust Belt Startup · Bernie Freytag - On Creativity and Finding Wonder in The Ordinary

Today - a short reflection on the past several weeks and the role small towns and cities can have in meaningful change. Imperfect and incomplete. Rust Belt Startup · Storytellers and Story-Changers - Some (self) Reflection on Social-Justice

Rust Belt Startup · Functional Speed and the Evolution of Ice I'm in week 9 or 10 of work-from-home and quarantine at this point, and things are settling into a rhythm. At least the sun is starting to come out and working from home also includes working in with the laptop in the back yard. Today is another toolbox episode that was inspired by a Scott Galloway post on what he calls Functional Speed/Functional Acceleration. It's this idea that when everything around us is slowing down or on pause due to the COVID19 pandemic, how can you accelerate or speed up to grab market share or build what's next for your career? That doesn't necessarily mean just doing MORE. I'm combining this line of thinking with a great TED talk from Guy Kawasaki where he uses the history of ice to illustrate how to think about where innovation comes from. So this pod is very much a remix and I hope you enjoy. Stay safe.

Today we’re going a bit tactical. I’m taking with Gary Maples about chatbots - now before you tune out, we should start to understand what a chatbot is and what it isn’t and most important - how the tech is really democratized and how small businesses and organizations can build their own with minimal expertise.  We’ll get into what goes into building a chatbot, what you can do with it and where the tech is going in the future. Thanks to Gary for his time and you can learn more about what he’s up to at http://garymaples.com

Over the weekend I wanted to catch up with urbanist Arian Horbovetz in Rochester, NY. I’ve been enjoying his podcast The Urban Phoenix and wanted to dig into what cities might be like after the COVID19 pandemic. We get into urban planning, last mile transport, remote work, the changing commercial real estate market, and the impact of EVs on cities amongst other topics. If you’d like to learn more abut Arian and his work, visit him online attheurbanphoenix.com

Devin Mahoney is a Utica, NY native who spent a decade working and writing for TV and Film in LA, on shows such as Scrubs, before returning to upstate NY with the mission of taking over the Uptown Theater and turning it into a punk-rock version of a Fine Arts School. The theater is now known as the Uptown Theater for the Creative Arts (UTCA) and has become a hotbed of comedy, improv and music within the city. In our conversation we talk about working and writing for TV, why network TV has gotten so bad, the decentralization of media, and how improv can build a community. To learn more about UTCA visit their website at https://utcany.org and maybe even consider a donation.

I’m hunkered down at home on self-imposed quarantine (no symptoms, just staying safe) and have been thinking about how COVID19 is not only disrupting all of our lives, economies and governments, but what lasting change is it going to have on work culture, real estate, meetings, education and politics. Here are some of my hot takes, with the help of some recent blog posts from Seth Godin and Scott Galloway. Posts/Pods mentioned in this show: Seth Godin on Meetings/Conversations: http://seths.blog/2020/03/the-conversation/ Pivot 03.17.20: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pivot/id1073226719?i=1000468660334 Stay safe out there.

Today on the pod, I’m sitting down with Tim Giarrusso, CEO of Human Technologies to talk about empowering people with disabilities, holistic employment, building trust and how to create communities. HT is a $60M company that is powered by people with purpose, creating jobs and an inclusive environment, while still turning a profit. Tim is also the founder of Rochester Community Inclusive Rowing - which started as a way to get veterans out on the water, and has grown into something much bigger. Lots of great takeaways in this episode, whether you own a business or work in a place where the corporate culture needs some TLC. There's plenty more info at Human Technologies or Rochester Community Inclusive Rowing,

It’s been a minute - today’s podcast is a toolbox episode rather than a conversation and hope you dig it. So we’re a few months into the new year and wanted to bring you up to speed on some of things I’ve been working on, tools I’m using to create space and time, and trying to build the best year yet. Some topics I cover:  - Reading goal for 2020 and tactics to read more - New Habits (Digital Dieting, Optimizing Content Delivery, and Apps I’m using to try to Create Time) - Saying NO and creating Immovable Objects in my Schedule - More food and drinks with creative folks More conversations in the can and ready to go - coming soon!

How often do you talk to Alexa or Siri? Voice tech is quickly becoming a facet of the way we operate in our daily lives.  And while you may not have a smart speaker in your home or like to talk to a virtual assistant, it will become a primary way your kids will interact with computers.  And synthetic voice will test our views on what’s real, and our view of AI. Today I’m talking with Geraint John, host of the Voice for Voice Podcast all the way from across the pond in Brixton, UK. Geraint is neck deep in Alexa tech, developing skills for clients and is really in tune with what’s next in voice.  We talk about building Alexa skills, privacy synthetic voice and the future of voice tech. Tune in. Follow Geraint on Instagram - and check out the Voice for Voice Podcast to learn more.

This week I’m sharing a conversation I had with health/wellness blogger and influencer Georgie Morley. I first discovered her photography of Nantucket (a beautiful island off the coast of Massachusetts) on instagram and was always curious how she built her blog and turned her journey into her career. So I reached out and Georgie was incredibly generous with her time for this interview. In this conversation (which we conducted over Zoom) we talk about how she started her blog and grew a following without being in a big city, how to work with brands and run your blog like a business, getting comfortable sharing your story, the art of selfie photography and much much more. You can follow Georgie on Instagram at @georgiemorley and @greyladygirl or check out her blog at InIt4TheLongRun.com

I'm a huge fan of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and laughed my tail off at the episode about Chiitan (and Chiijohn). And I was even more surprised to hear that the costume of Chiijohn came from a little place called Geppetto Studios in Utica NY. I was lucky enough to get to hang out and have a conversation with Scott and Will of Geppetto Studios in their 'Warehouse of the Weird' where they create high-end costumes and puppets for TV, film, music videos, trade shows and much more. They're masters of their craft and we dug into how they got into this niche business, their move from Brooklyn to Utica, and some of the wins and fails they've had along the way. You can learn more about what they do at GeppettoStudios.com

I'm super excited to share this conversation I had with Big Mike Morrill. Mike is obsessed with Kaizen, or the process of continuous improvement. We talk about his journey of applying this manufacturing process to his business (Total Solutions), and even his relationships. Learn how to eliminate struggle, 1 minute at a time. Mike also has a great TEDx talk on this very topic.

I'm (finally) kicking off Season 2 of Rust Belt Startup with a shorty, or a toolbox episode. It's a recap of my recent album launch, how to 'show your work' and some tips on how I reverse engineer projects. Season 2 starts now and we've got great long-form interviews coming up. If you want to see the project referenced in this episode, visit PostcardsPoetryandProse.com

This is it! We’re sticking a fork in season 1 of Rust Belt Startup. Today is a bit of a throwback episode. It’s a conversation that I had in front of a live audience in Utica, NY with Hugette Montesinos. Hugette is the founder of Disfunkshion Magazine - which is way more than a magazine at this point and has turn into a lifestyle brand, consultancy, digital services and more. She’s an Instagram guru and has grown her following organically to over a quarter-MILLION engaged followers. In this conversation we talk about her journey as a solo-preneur through building her team and launching the first issue of a magazine. How did she get distribution? How did she get her first customers? How does the brand evolve? Then we get tactical and spend a lot of time on how you can grow your Instagram the RIGHT way. We take questions from the audience and you’ll get real-world advice that you can apply to your social media profiles.  You can learn more about Hugette at the Disfunkshion Magazine website or follow her on Instagram. Thanks for sticking with me this season - I’ll be back after the new year with Season 2 of Rust Belt Startup.

This week I'm super excited to share a conversation with one of my favorite songwriters out there- Ryan Montbleau. He has built an audience and a career through a steady stream of thoughtful songs, working with amazing bands of musicians and almost non-stop touring all over the country for more than a decade. He has a new album out called The Woodstock Sessions and you can learn much more about Ryan at RyanMontbleau.com. In this conversation we go into the guts of what it takes to build an audience, life on the road, rest, and his approach to creativity and songwriting. I hope you dig it.

I think deep down in all of us, there's been a period of time when we've wanted to sell our stuff, drop everything and go out and see the world. Today on the podcast I'm talking to Ryan & Brittany Parr who are about to embark on that very journey. They've sold the house, sold their stuff and have moved into a 5th wheel camper to travel for an indefinite period of time as they try to live the digital nomad life. I sat down with them in their almost-finished new home - a 28 foot 5th wheel camper We talk about how they built their own personal brands and businesses using social media, how they plan to make money on the road, minimalism, raising their daughter and what they think they'll find on their upcoming journey. You can follow them online via Instagram at ParrForTheCourse if you want to follow their journey, or you can follow Ryan at BearBonesStrength/Instagram, and Brittany at ParrPhotoCo/Instagram.

We’re talking citizen journalism and the media landscape with Brett Orzechowski. He’s launching a new project called Stateline NY. It’s a media site with a collection of interesting and in-depth stories covering a host of issues that are relevant across upstate NY. We talk about the role that long-form and mixed media journalism plays in today’s landscape, and some of the common issues facing upstate NY. Each story is told in a different way: documentary, data visualization, audio, and mixed media. Stories are available for $2.99 each at StatelineNY.com

It's just over a month until Election Day and the race to represent the 22nd District is in full force. Anthony Brindisi is in the middle of that congressional campaign, running as the Democratic nominee and I recently got the opportunity to have this conversation with him. I've always been curious about why someone decides to run for public office, as well as what the day-to-day experience is like. So that's what this conversation focuses on. This is not a deep dive into policy. Instead, I wanted to talk about the congressional race, his background and some of the lessons he's learned throughout his life as a member of the Utica School Board, State Assemblyman, and during this run for Congress. We also talk about: How do you come to policy decisions and make tough calls How do you talk to your kids about what’s happening in the country and what they’re seeing during the campaign Developing thick skin Managing Disagreements Stories from the Campaign Trail Routines to Decompress and much more Learn more about Anthony and his campaign at www.brindisiforcongress.com - and don’t forget to VOTE on November 6th. Thanks again to Anthony for making time in his busy schedule for this conversation.

What makes a great city? That's what we're going to dive into with my guest Arian Horbovetz who is the author of The Urban Phoenix. It's a blog that focuses on conversations surrounding our urban environments. So he's the perfect person to talk about how small cities are reinventing themselves and creating dynamic urban environments. Arian is also a person who has gone car-less... in Rochester NY. So he has a unique take on alternative and public transportation. He started his blog as a way to document his visits to cities and towns across NY State via train and foldable bike. The Urban Phoenix has evolved into deep dives into urban planning, placemaking and much much more. So in our conversation we talk about Trains, Rust Belt Cities, and examples of what small cities are doing to make themselves unique destinations to live and work. This was one of those conversations that didn't even require any editing - it was just a damn good chat. Hope you enjoy it.  

On this week's episode, I'm having a chat with Dr. Heather Malyuk of Soundcheck Audiology. She's an audiologist that focuses on working with musicians and touring musicians from her home base in rural Ohio and has worked with the tour of Jay-Z & Beyonce, Death Cab for Cutie, Journey, Kanye West, and many many more. In our conversation we talk about the science of music, what makes an artist, home schooling, and some pro tips on maintaining your hearing, especially in the age of earbuds and headphones. You can find out more about Heather at soundcheckaudiology.com or on Instagram.

Chris Hartman is a farmer, academic and founder of Headwater Food Hub in Rochester NY. In our wide-ranging conversation we try to get to the root of what makes an effective food-system. But it’s not just about food… We talk about building a team of people that believe what you believe, starting movements, and doing work that matters. Want to learn more about Chris, the Good Food Collective, and Headwater Food Hub? Check them out online at headwaterfoodhub.com or on the Instagram at @headwater_food_hub

Sometimes the standard for service in a given industry is god-awful, or terrible. Sometimes if you're just 'bad' you'll have all the work you can handle. So let's talk about how you can go from 'terrible' to 'bad' to 'mediocre' to 'amazing' using a technique from the founders of Air Bnb. In this episode we talk about the 10-star experience. What is it? How do you build one, and why should you care? It's a shorty episode designed to help you build a base of people who LOVE what you do.

Sometimes you capture a conversation that needs to be heard, and this interview with Pastor Mike Ballman is one of them. Mike is the founder of the Oneida Square Project, which is a kind of social enterprise incubator and the pastor of Cornerstone Community Church in Utica, NY. This episode is a little different from the others because we get a little heavy and while we do talk about the rise of social enterprise, we really focus on Mike's story, creating opportunities, being an advocate, deploying empathy and how to face down adversity in it's many forms. You'll find this story inspiring, moving and hopefully it will help you to think about how you can create opportunity for others, and impact your own community in your own unique way.

In this episode I have a chat with artist and photographer Janelle Bonagurio. We'll talk about how she first became a professional photographer and got her first clients before she even had a proper camera. We'll talk about pricing, finding mentors and dealing with high-stress situations (weddings). And we'll back away from the business and talk about how weddings have changed over the years as well as how having a family has changed the way she works with clients. You can find her online at http://www.janelleshootsphotos.com or on Instagram. Music is by Jordyn Edmonds - gracias.

Making a product is hard. Keeping up with demand after you're on Shark Tank is even harder. In this episode I talk with Ashley Robinson, Co-Founder of Tranquillo Mat. We taped this episode a couple of months back in front of a live audience and talked about building a product overseas, getting on Shark Tank and We had this hour In our hour-long conversation we dissect: Her first startup - which was an app that used big data to help women pinpoint when they were most fertile Raising money on an idea vs. raising money with an actual product - Working with Angel Investors Launching Tranquilo What it’s like to be on Shark tank Working with China Big Highs and Low Lows Finding Customers Building a rocking ad campaign Working with a remote team ….and more. Learn more or pick up a Tranquillo Mat for the newborn in your family at tranquillomat.com As always, music for this episode is provided by Jordyn Edmonds.

This episode is a mini-sode, a shorty, a toolbox episode. Two weeks ago, I attended VoiceCon - a conference in NYC all about the future of Voice - from Alexa to Google Home, Siri and beyond - what's coming down the pipeline and what are the opportunities and concerns that businesses (and you as an individual) should have as we jump into conversations with our computers. This episode is a collection of takeaways from that that day. - Voice and Privacy - Sonic Branding - What makes a good Voice App? - What's Next Stay tuned for Episode 5 where we'll be back to our regularly scheduled interviews!

What happens if you run 2-miles a day….every day….forever? That’s just one of the projects Rick Gloo is tackling in his quest for continuous self improvement. RIck is a guy who has one foot in software development and the other in health & wellness. So this episode is going to be light on business but heavy on hacking your habits to make them stick and maybe improve yourself in the process. Rick went from someone who was less-than-active and less-than-healthy to plants-only ultra marathoner and we’ll talk about that process as well as what it’s done for his life. In our hour-long conversation we dissect: Self-motivation Moving towards a plant-based diet Why you should find a mentor - and how Ultra-Marathoning Hacking Your Habits Maximizing Minimums ….and more. You can find Rick on Instagram and oh yeah, he’s got his own Podcast - check it. As always, music for this episode is provided by Jordyn Edmonds.

Ever wonder how you could kick-start a minor league baseball team through crowd funding? I didn't think it was possible, but my next guest Brett Orzechowski did it. He's a professor, a writer and an entrepreneur with some great ideas on how small cities can double down on what makes them unique and grow at the same time. In our hour-long conversation we touch on: How the Ecstacy boom in the Hamptons helped to fuel a local small business (and not by selling drugs) How small cities sometimes have to deal with big-city problems - and what they can do about it. Crowdfunding a Minor-League baseball team How small cities can attract and retain young talent Music for Rust Belt Startup provided by Jordyn Edmonds - he’s rad.

We're live! In this inaugural episode, I go deep with Erin Miller (no relation) of Out There Productions. Out There Productions specializes in working with startups to get their name ‘out there’ through hype, explainer and crowdfunding videos. The three co-founders also spent the last 8 months on the road in a converted school bus (‘The Cool Bus’) which served as a mobile production van as well as home as they criss-crossed the US. In our hour-long conversation we touch on: Education, college and the school of hard knocks Making your first film High school hustle: zines and popcorn A chance encounter with a hero Finding a Scenius and the birth of the ‘Cool’ Bus ‘Van’trepreneurship Getting yourself ‘out there’ and selling yourself You can connect with Erin via the web at (https://www.otpros.co/) or on Twitter at @erinthemiller Music for Rust Belt Startup provided by Jordyn Edmonds - he’s rad.

In episode 0 we'll explain what we're trying to accomplish with this new podcast, the format, the flow, and why you should care. New episodes for Rust Belt Startup will be released every other week and will contain long-form conversations with entrepreneurs, artists, educators and people who are starting movements across the country to re-make their cities and towns. All the deets are in the pod. Thanks for coming along on this journey!