If you identify as a creative, this conversation will resonate with you.
I went to the offices of Deeplocal, an innovation studio that boasts clients like Nike, Netflix, Spotify, Lyft, and Google, to interview Director of Business Development Josh Corcoran. Josh Corcoran is the creator of Spare Change, a video series that connects communities and causes with music by inviting bands to busk for their favorite charities. The project began in February of 2017 when Josh & a friend were performing their music on the streets. They soon found themselves with a guitar case full of with money, and a gentleman approached them asking for spare change. They proceeded to give him everything they had earned that night. Since that day, Josh, along with Taylor Mantick, Jared Stillman, and Allan Durand, have been documenting the journey of performing music to help those in need. Last year, Spare Change received nearly 400,000 views and raised thousands of dollars for causes like JDRF, Acres Project, and Best of the Batch Foundation. Today, they drop their newest episode. 
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Josh’s Challenge; Recognize the power you have to make a small change for a cause that’s important to you. Connect with Josh YouTube Website 
Underwritten by Piper Creative
A digital agency that provides strategy, delivery, and analysis specializing in a few key service offerings. Documentary-as-a-Service (Vlogging 2.0) Instagram Content Production & Account Building Podcast Production, Strategy Consulting, and Guest Acquisition If you aren’t creating or curating content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business. YouTube If you liked this interview, check out previous episodes like 96 with Jake Voelker, a military veteran who now runs a craft brewery, and 97 with Adam Haritan where we discuss mother nature, nutrition, and the power of digital media. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay
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Can you imagine running a chocolate factory?
Chris Edwards and his siblings grew up in a chocolate factory and he is the CEO for Edward Marc Brands, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Upon taking the reins, Chris and his siblings transformed the 104-year-old company from regional prominence into a respected national corporation. Edward Marc Brands consists of Edward Marc Chocolatier, The Milk Shake Factory, and Snappers Crafted Snacks. Prior to working at Edward Marc Brands, Chris worked for the United States government in the Office of the Chief of Protocol at the U.S. Department of State and at the White House in the Executive Office of the President. He served as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Press Advance. In this role, he managed public events for the President both domestically and internationally. Don’t miss this conversation about leadership, developing new chocolate products, and the company’s transformational meeting with Costco.
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Chris’s Challenge; Surround yourself with people who won’t say “No.” Connect with Chris Milkshake Factory Edward Marc 
Underwritten by Piper Creative
A digital agency that provides strategy, delivery, and analysis specializing in a few key service offerings. Documentary-as-a-Service (Vlogging 2.0) Instagram Content Production & Account Building Podcast Production, Strategy Consulting, and Guest Acquisition If you aren’t creating or curating content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business. YouTube If you liked this interview, check out all our episodes with the biggest change makers, influencers and business people of Pittsburgh. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay 
Halima Tammy Thompson's moved to Pittsburgh as a child and was faced with homelessness, loss and countless obstacles. Years later, she has fused 20+ years of experience in the Real Estate Industry and 8 years of working in the nonprofit sector as a Credit Counselor.
Tammy is a Poverty Expert, Nationally Sought After Speaker, Executive Producer of We Wear The Mask, a documentary released in 2017 highlighting the stigma associated with women in poverty. She provides counseling services with integrity, inspiration, compassion and confidentiality. In the episode, we discuss cycles of poverty, the impact of trauma over a lifetime, and the victims of the 2008 Financial Recession. Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter. Tammy’s Challenge; Step outside your comfort zone. 
Connect with Tammy
Website Circlespgh.org Underwritten by Piper Creative A digital agency that provides strategy, delivery, and analysis specializing in a few key service offerings. Documentary-as-a-Service (Vlogging 2.0) Instagram Content Production & Account Building Podcast Production, Strategy Consulting, and Guest Acquisition If you aren’t creating or curating content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business. YouTube If you liked this interview, check out episode 187 with Grant Oliphant where we discuss the Heinz Endowment, how to strengthen communities, and Grant’s personal career path. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay 
When you think of a polling company, you probably think of Nielsen or Gallup. John Dick is going to change that.
As the Founder and CEO of CivicScience, John is building a modern consumer and media analytics company based in Pittsburgh. He and his team are reinventing consumer polling for a digital and mobile-first environment. We discuss how polling has gotten more difficult as media and telecommunications have become more fragmented, the challenges of hiring technical and marketing talent, and how looking at the data has made John more empathetic. Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter. John’s Challenge; Get out of your tribe. Your surroundings are too curated. Connect with John Website Mentioned Episode 303 with Luke Skurman of Niche.com Episode 248 with Seth Stephens-Davidowitz 
Underwritten by Piper Creative
A digital agency that provides strategy, delivery, and analysis specializing in a few key service offerings. Documentary-as-a-Service (Vlogging 2.0) Instagram Content Production & Account Building Podcast Production, Strategy Consulting, and Guest Acquisition If you aren’t creating or curating content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business. YouTube If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, check out interviews with Mark Leslie about building Veritas to $1 billion in value and Darrin Grove about servant leadership and reinvention. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay 303 Generating 50,000,000 Unique Visitors & Raising a $6.6 Million Series B w/ Luke Skurman4/18/2018 
Niche.com generated 50,000,000 unique visitors last year. They announced a $6.6M Series B round of fundraising in February 2018. They’ve come a long way from their humble beginnings in 2002.
In my interview with Luke Skurman, the Founder & CEO of Niche.com, we discuss the challenges of raising venture capital as an established company, the marketing & business development talent in Pittsburgh, and importance of aiming at a big target. Luke is also a Co-Founder of Ascender, a non-profit, 501(c)(3), focusing on bolstering innovation and entrepreneurship in the Pittsburgh region. They host the annual Thrival Innovation + Music Festival every year in Pittsburgh. Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter. Luke’s Challenge; The more you give, the more you get back. Have an impact in a meaningful way through service. 
Connect with Luke
Website Underwritten by Piper Creative A digital agency that provides strategy, delivery, and analysis specializing in a few key service offerings. Documentary-as-a-Service (Vlogging 2.0) Instagram Content Production & Account Building Podcast Production, Strategy Consulting, and Guest Acquisition If you aren’t creating or curating content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business. YouTube If you liked this interview, check out a bunch of previous interviews with Pittsburgh entrepreneurs like David Cristello, Jorgen Pederson, and Darrin Grove. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay 
Rich, President & CEO of Innovation Works, leads one of the nation’s most active early-stage investors. In this conversation, we discuss a recent report IW authored with Ernst & Young that detailed the last decade of venture investing in the region.
Some highlights of recent activity include the $225 million acquisition of security awareness trainer Wombat Security by California-based Proofpoint and the $1 billion round of funding recently raised by self-driving car intelligence provider ArgoAI from Ford. Further, Pittsburgh tech companies have attracted over $3.5 billion in funding over the past 10 years, including $2.1 billion in the past five years. What will this mean for the future of the region? Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter. Rich’s Challenge; Advocate for the startup community in your region to elected officials. Connect with Rich Website Connect with Piper Creative YouTube Website If you liked this interview, check out our dozens of interviews with Pittsburgh influencers and business leaders including entrepreneurs than Innovation Works has invested Henry Thorne, Hahna Alexander, and Ryan Green. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay 
David Cristello had no background in accounting. He’s not a coder. Yet, he is the founder of a fast-growing accounting software startup called Jetpack Workflow.
How’d that happen? David diligently interviewed business owners until he found an untapped opportunity, then struck with full force. He’s driven to solve painful problems with smart, passionate, and empathetic people and is building his company in Pittsburgh. Jetpack Workflow is used by thousands of accountants in 12+ countries to help them better manage their client work. Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter. David’s Challenge; Go sell something in the next 24 hours. An old item around the house, a service you want to offer, or anything you can think of. 
Mentioned
Dan Kennedy John Carlton Gary Halpert Connect with David Website david@jetpackworkflow.com Connect with Piper Creative YouTube Website If you liked this interview, check out our interviews with other software entrepreneurs like Andy Rachleff, Dennis Mortensen, and Mark Leslie. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay 
Beth Caldwell is an author, speaker, business success strategist and a host for Pittsburgh BizTV Shows. Since 2014, she has been a global instructor with the Steve Harvey Success Institute. She is also a columnist for the Pittsburgh Business Times newspaper and Smart Business magazine, but is best known as the founder of Pittsburgh Professional Women and Leadership Academy for Women.
Recognized by Pittsburgh Magazine as an influential and innovative leader, Beth was named a “40 Under 40″ winner the day before her 40th birthday. In October she was recognized with the Pennsylvania Woman of Courage Award. Beth teaches workshops on leadership, business, and inspiration to audiences worldwide. Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here. Beth’s Challenges; Stop trying to do everything at once and Stop making decisions based on what other people might think. Beth’s Eight Easy Ways to Enjoy an Effective 2018 Connect with Beth From Frantic to Focused: How to Shift Your Life from Out-of-Control to Streamlined and Successful Website If you liked this interview, check out these interviews with social broadcaster Sunny Lenarduzzi and Super Connector Larry Gioia. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay 263 Audrey Russo, Lessons from Leading the Oldest & Largest Technology Trade Association on Earth11/22/2017 
Since 2007, Audrey Russo has served the technology business sector for southwestern PA as President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Technology Council, the oldest and largest technology trade association in North America.
With a background in information technology, operations and finance, Audrey facilitates interaction across all sectors of the regional economy, which she believes will only succeed and grow through technology innovation and commercialized disruptions across every platform and experience. She previously worked for large multinational Fortune 500 companies (Alcoa, Reynolds Metals), as well as at MAYA Design. Russo earned her Bachelor of Science from Ohio State University. She also has a Masters in Public Administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Public Affairs. Russo also co-hosts TechVibe Radio on KDKA 1020 AM Friday nights at 7 to explore technology companies and entrepreneurial issues. Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Audrey’s Challenge; Open the door for someone else to get a customer. Use your contacts, influence, and buying power to make a meaningful difference for someone’s business. Books Mentioned Nudge by Richard Thaler & Cass Sunstein The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown Ayn Rand Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne 1984 by George Orwell Remaking Post-Industrial Cities: Lessons from North America and Europe by Donald K. Carter Connect with Audrey PGH Tech Coucil Twitter Audrey's Twitter Website If you liked this interview, check out episode 187 with Grant Oliphant where we discuss reshaping the future of Pittsburgh to be more just. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay 
I love meeting people who beat the odds. Anthony Vennare was supposed to be a “dumb jock”. He wasn’t supposed to open a gym and find profitability within 2 months. He wasn’t supposed to raise millions of dollars to get more people working out. He wasn’t supposed to sign deals with massive healthcare companies and turn the world of digital content writing on its head.
Luckily, no one told him. Today, Anthony is the co-founder and CEO of Fitt – a media and technology company that connects people to local health and fitness activities. They’ve got big plans for the future and anyone in the content & branding game needs to study what they’re doing. I got him for 40 minutes over the weekend and hustled to get this episode out ASAP because it got me so fired up. Hope you enjoy it. Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here. Anthony’s Challenge; Leave behind everything in your life that is stuck in the status quo. Write down a plan and execute on one step every month in the new direction. Resources Voice Dream Connect with Anthony Website If you liked this interview, check out the rest of the movers and shakers in Pittsburgh that I’ve interviewed. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay 
Joe Calloway has no time for BS real estate gurus standing in front of Ferraris.
Instead, he’d prefer to offer his perspective. He’s built a $40,000,000 real estate portfolio through hard work, persistence, and patience. Being raised by a single parent in a two bedroom, low income apartment in Mt. Oliver doesn’t usually breed success, but Joe Calloway’s story is anything but usual. Joe went from those unfortunate circumstances to being the largest single family home buyer in Pittsburgh. With little direction in life and few marketable skills, Joe enlisted in the US Navy in 1997. Using his military reenlistment bonus, Joe bought his first property in 2004. For his early projects he served as investor, contractor, designer, and property manager, giving him first-hand experience which proved to be invaluable. Joe formed RE360 in 2009 and has grown the company’s rental portfolio to 270 units with a monthly gross rental income of $229,000. 2014 alone saw the rags-to-riches Calloway invest $5 million and purchase 72 homes, making him the largest housing buyer in Pittsburgh for the second year in a row. Not bad for the poor kid from Mt. Oliver. Attend my one-day conference January 27th in Pittsburgh. Learn more here. Joe’s Challenge; Don’t rely on traditional sources if you are unhappy with your current position. If you want something great, you have to make it yourself and get creative. Connect with Joe Website If you liked this interview, check out my other interviews with people making moves in the city of Pittsburgh, like Bill Peduto and Grant Oliphant. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay 
Darrin Grove, Truefit’s Founder and CEO, is a native Pittsburgher with a passion for innovation, technology, and values-based leadership.
Since its bootstrap beginnings in 1997, Truefit’s experience with new, disruptive technologies has positioned the company as a leader in helping entrepreneurs and organizations bring new software products to market quickly. Using their proprietary Idea Launch™ process, Darrin and the Truefit team guide clients through a proven path to create new and next generation software products. By involving a broad cross-section of company stakeholders, end users, and subject matter experts, Truefit helps product teams reduce risk and build confidence. Their principled approach and “start-up” mentality have proven to be an invaluable asset to companies looking for an entrepreneurial approach to software product development. In addition to his work at Truefit, Darrin is dedicated to sharing his insight in innovation and entrepreneurship with the Pittsburgh community. He leads the Deal Flow Team for Software and Technology at BlueTree Allied Angels and advises start-up companies at the AlphaLab tech accelerator. He is also active on several non-profit boards to promote leadership, education, and urban renewal, and is a regular panelist and judge at events related to innovation. Darrin’s Challenge; Think small. Focus on the small executions, pivots, and iterations that will move your work forward. Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter. Resources Mentioned Lean Startup by Eric Reis Prospect The Sandler Way by John Rosso Good to Great by Jim Collins Agile Manifesto Connect with Darrin Website If you liked this interview, check out my other interviews with Pittsburgh entrepreneurs. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay 
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William Generett has been working to connect the Pittsburgh region’s innovation economy to underserved communities as the first president and CEO of Urban Innovation21. Urban Innovation21 is a unique public-private partnership that is supporting the growth of the Pittsburgh region's innovation economy while simultaneously connecting that growth to underserved communities, the residents that live in those communities and diverse populations that have not traditionally been connected to the innovation economy. Urban Innovation21 is one of the first US based organizations to work under the "Inclusive Innovation" model. William’s Challenge; Meet 10 new people outside your existing network and visit 5 neighborhoods you don’t usually visit. http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast Connect with William Website If you liked this interview, check out episode 125 with Dan Gilman where we discuss how to make cities more attractive to younger generations and leadership. 
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Dr. Rasu Shrestha is the Chief Innovation Officer at UPMC and Executive Vice President of UPMC Enterprises. As chief innovation officer for UPMC, Dr. Shrestha plays a leading role in driving UPMC’s innovation strategy, serving as a catalyst for transforming the organization into a more patient-focused and economically sustainable system. As the leader of a team of over 200 technology professionals, Dr. Shrestha works to facilitate new health care intelligence, technology expertise and entrepreneurial drive to solve complex healthcare challenges. Through strategic partnerships, joint development agreements and investments in promising healthcare startups, Dr. Shrestha champions the development, implementation and commercialization of these innovations. Dr. Shrestha has been recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the 26 “Smartest People in Health IT,” and InformationWeek named him one of the “Top 20 Health IT Leaders Driving Change” and a “Top Healthcare Innovator.” He is a frequent speaker at national and international health care, innovation and technology conferences. Rasu’s Challenge; Practice empathy by turning off your smartphone and focus on connecting. It’s important not just to listen, but to hear. Not just to look, but to see. http://www.goingdeepwithaaron.com/podcast Connect with Rasu Website If you liked this interview, check out episode 151 with Dr. Matt Keener where we discuss mental health, telemedicine, and the future of accessible care. 
Bill Peduto was elected to the office of Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh in November 2013. Prior, he worked for 19 years on Pittsburgh City Council. A self described “Reform Democrat”, Bill Peduto wrote the most comprehensive package of government reform legislation in Pittsburgh’s history.
During Pittsburgh’s ongoing financial crisis, Bill Peduto has been the consistent voice of fiscal discipline. Decades of financial mismanagement and antiquated policies have left Pittsburgh with the highest debt ratio and lowest pension funding in the nation. He helped to write a new budget, lobbied to get others on board and after a year of hard work he was able to lead the city into a new five year plan. He wasn’t afraid to make the tough votes to secure Pittsburgh’s future. Adding his own charity fund-raising activities, such as Executive Producer of a documentary about the Allegheny Observatory and the only politician who laces his skates as a member of Pittsburgh’s Celebrity Hockey Team and it is pretty easy to see — Bill Peduto is not your typical Mayor. Connect with Bill Website If you liked this interview, check out episode 83 with Kristi Woolsey where we discuss the future of work and how technology will change the workplace. |
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