This week on bigcitysmalltown, we bring you a special live-recorded conversation with world-renowned behavioral economist and ad executive Rory Sutherland, hosted at the Geekdom Event Center in downtown San Antonio.

Known for his provocative ideas on creativity, design, and human behavior, Rory joins host Bob Rivard for a wide-ranging and thought-provoking dialogue about how cities like San Antonio can unlock their potential—not by copying others, but by thinking differently.

They discuss:

• Why cities should lean into their uniqueness instead of competing on size

• How human psychology shapes everything from public transit to public toilets

• What San Antonio can learn from Buc-ee’s bathrooms and British roundabouts

• Why being “the third-best option” might actually be a city’s greatest strength

• The power of delight, surprise, and reverse benchmarking in economic development

This episode is for anyone interested in place-making, economic identity, and creative approaches to urban challenges. Whether you’re in public service, business, or the creative sector, Rory’s perspective will leave you seeing San Antonio—and its possibilities—in a whole new light.

-- -- 

RECOMMENDED NEXT LISTEN:

▶️ #120. Why San Antonio’s Future Starts with Early Childhood Education – If Rory Sutherland challenges how we think about cities, this episode shows how San Antonio is rethinking its future from the ground up—literally. Bob Rivard sits down with civic leaders Peter J. Holt, Mark Larson, and Dr. Sarah Baray to unpack the city’s nationally recognized investment in early education, what’s working, and where big gaps remain. 🎧 [Listen Here.]

-- -- 

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine San Antonio’s fourteen-year effort to build a more equitable early childhood education system—an undertaking rooted in the city’s fight against generational poverty. Host Bob Rivard traces the origins of Pre-K 4 SA, from its formation by a blue-ribbon task force under then-Mayor Julián Castro, to the launch of universal pre-K centers across the city, and its ongoing impact on young children and working families.

Bob is joined by Peter J. Holt (chair of Early Matters and CEO of Holt Group and Spurs Sports & Entertainment), Mark Larson (Executive Director of Early Matters), and Sarah Baray, Ph.D. (CEO of Pre-K 4 SA), for a candid discussion about the opportunities and gaps that remain.

They discuss:

• How San Antonio became a statewide and national model for early childhood investment—and where it still lags in quality and access
• The ongoing struggle to raise wages and professional standards for early childhood educators
• The systemic challenges of scaling up early education, including the limits of state funding and the realities facing working families
• The role of employers, business leaders, and city policy in expanding access to high-quality child care
• What it will take—in partnerships, policy changes, and private investment—to meet San Antonio’s ambitious goals for its youngest residents

For those concerned with the future of education, workforce development, and social mobility in San Antonio, this episode offers an in-depth look at the city’s approach, its tough trade-offs, and the prospects for true progress.

-- -- 

RECOMMENDED NEXT LISTEN:

▶️ #98. Public School Funding in Texas: What San Antonio’s Business Leaders Want Lawmakers to Fix – School funding and early childhood education are deeply connected in shaping San Antonio’s future. In this episode, Bob Rivard sits down with civic leaders Mario Barrera and Luis Rodriguez to unpack the urgent funding challenges facing Texas schools—and how business leaders are pushing lawmakers to act. 🔗 Listen Here. 

-- -- 

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

We conclude our April series of conversations with San Antonio’s leading mayoral candidates as Bob sits down with Rolando Pablos—a businessman, attorney, and former republican Texas Secretary of State—to discuss his campaign, priorities, and vision for the city.

Pablos shares his personal and professional background, shaped by his experience as an immigrant and his decades of public and private sector leadership. The conversation examines key issues facing San Antonio, including the city’s persistent poverty rates, workforce development, economic competitiveness, and the challenges of attracting new businesses. Pablos addresses concerns about partisanship, his approach to relationships with state and federal officials, and his proposals for increasing transparency and accountability at City Hall.

This episode explores:

• Pablos’s views on San Antonio’s economic development and what’s needed to attract companies and jobs

• The city’s historical and systemic poverty, and the role of education and workforce training in addressing it

• Relationships with Mexico, free trade, and why maintaining strong binational partnerships is key for San Antonio’s future

• How Pablos would approach issues such as Project Marvel, affordable housing development, and infrastructure challenges

• The future of local government and the role of nonpartisanship and outside money in city elections

It’s a substantive look at where San Antonio stands, what’s at stake in the mayoral race, and how leadership could shape the city’s next chapter.

-- -- 

RECOMMENDED NEXT LISTEN:

🎧 Explore Our Mayoral Coverage – As the 2025 race for San Antonio’s next mayor heats up, don’t miss our full series of interviews with the candidates. Hear directly from those vying to lead the city on the issues that matter most—from housing and economic development to infrastructure and public safety.

🔗 Listen to all episodes here

-- -- 

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

We continue our series of interviews with leading candidates for San Antonio mayor. Bob is joined by District 8 City Councilman Manny Pelaez, an attorney with deep roots in both public service and economic development, as he seeks to become the next mayor of San Antonio.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Pelaez shares his personal story as the son of Colombian immigrants and his longstanding commitment to issues of domestic violence and community service. The discussion covers his role in bringing Toyota Manufacturing to San Antonio, his leadership in transforming Brooks City Base from a shuttered Air Force facility into a thriving mixed-use development, and what these projects mean for the broader future of the city.

Topics discussed include:

• Pelaez’s vision for San Antonio’s economic development, including the challenges and opportunities in attracting major employers and delivering high-paying jobs

• The impact of the state legislature on San Antonio’s ability to govern locally, and the necessary qualities of a “wartime mayor” in today’s political climate

• Reflections on the city’s approach to housing, climate action, public transit, and job training programs

• His views on the upcoming Spurs stadium debate, investment in downtown, and the legacy of previous city projects

• Why he believes political campaigns should focus on results and lived experience, rather than empty rhetoric or outside money

With an eye toward both San Antonio’s challenges and strengths, this episode offers an in-depth look at Manny Pelaez’s priorities and approach, and what his leadership could mean for the city at a pivotal moment in its growth.

-- -- 

RECOMMENDED NEXT LISTEN:

🎧 Explore Our Mayoral Coverage – As the 2025 race for San Antonio’s next mayor heats up, don’t miss our full series of interviews with the candidates. Hear directly from those vying to lead the city on the issues that matter most—from housing and economic development to infrastructure and public safety.

🔗 Listen to all episodes here

-- -- 

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

We continue our series of interviews with leading candidates for San Antonio mayor ahead of the May 3 election. Bob welcomes Gina Ortiz Jones, an Air Force veteran and former Undersecretary of the Air Force under the Biden administration, for a wide-ranging conversation about her bid to lead the city.

Ortiz Jones discusses her personal journey from growing up on the Far West Side to her national security work in Washington, and how those experiences have shaped her approach to local issues. The conversation covers:

• Her motivations for returning to San Antonio and seeking the mayor’s office
• Reflections on her leadership in the Pentagon—including policy reforms and obstacles for women and minorities in the military
• How her national service influences her perspective on public education, economic opportunity, and housing in San Antonio
• Views on the city’s economic competitiveness with Austin, Dallas, and Houston, and strategies for attracting job growth
• Her positions on the city’s housing bond, downtown development, airport expansion, and the need for data-driven policymaking
• Concerns about outside money in local elections and how national endorsements fit into a nonpartisan mayoral race
• The challenges posed by state and federal tensions with city government, and the impact on local policymaking
• The importance of early childhood education, affordable housing, and comprehensive climate action for San Antonio’s future

Ortiz Jones addresses questions about her connection to the city, her thoughts on critical topics like Project Marvel and Mayor Nirenberg's Ready to Work, and shares how her varied experience could inform both immediate and long-term city leadership.

-- -- 

RECOMMENDED NEXT LISTEN:

🎧 Explore Our Mayoral Coverage – As the 2025 race for San Antonio’s next mayor heats up, don’t miss our full series of interviews with the candidates. Hear directly from those vying to lead the city on the issues that matter most—from housing and economic development to infrastructure and public safety.

🔗 Listen to all episodes here

-- -- 

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

In this bigcitysmalltown episode, Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda shares her personal background growing up on the West Side, her legal and public service career, and her early influences—including time spent working under former mayors Ed Garza and Lila Cockrell. The conversation covers key challenges facing the city, from the crowded mayoral ballot and the influx of outside campaign money, to major development projects like Project Marvel. 

They discuss:

• The need for stronger candidate vetting in city elections

• Balancing growth with transparency and public input on development

• Out-of-town PAC money and its impact on local politics

• Small business struggles with city bureaucracy and public works

• Public safety reforms, mental health initiatives, and city policing

• The shortage of affordable and transitional housing, and strategy beyond the next bond

• Climate adaptation, water conservation, and the unfinished business of the city’s climate action plan

Melissa offers her perspective on the future role of the mayor as an advocate for San Antonio, both in raising the city’s national profile and ensuring equitable development across districts. The episode concludes with a candid look at the city’s most pressing issues—including housing, infrastructure, and environmental resilience—as San Antonio navigates historic growth and change.

-- -- 

RECOMMENDED NEXT LISTEN:

🎧 Explore Our Mayoral Coverage – As the 2025 race for San Antonio’s next mayor heats up, don’t miss our full series of interviews with the candidates. Hear directly from those vying to lead the city on the issues that matter most—from housing and economic development to infrastructure and public safety.

🔗 Listen to all episodes here

-- -- 

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

In this episode, Bob continues our coverage of San Antonio’s crowded mayoral race with Councilwoman Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia of District 4.

A professor of marketing at Our Lady of the Lake University and former president of the San Antonio Housing Trust, Rocha Garcia shares her journey from growing up on the city’s West and South Sides to her leadership on the city council.

They discuss her priorities as a mayoral candidate—from continuing the city’s affordable housing push and evolving the Ready to Work program to her views on Project MARVEL, climate adaptation, and economic development. Rocha Garcia also reflects on the inequities in campaign fundraising and the need for San Antonio to remain a compassionate, connected, and forward-looking city.

-- -- 

✉️ Subscribe to Bob's Newsletter

📝 Resources & Show Notes

-- -- 

RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE:

▶️ #102. The San Antonio Report at 13: Local News, Elections, & The Future of Journalism – Discover how nonprofit newsrooms like San Antonio Report are influencing the future of local journalism as Bob explores the now 13 year old organization’s mission to keep San Antonio informed amidst a rapidly changing media landscape. This episode is essential for understanding the challenges and opportunities that come with sustaining independent journalism in today’s digital age.

-- -- 

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we delve into San Antonio's dynamic political landscape as our city prepares for its first mayoral race without an incumbent in sixteen years. With Mayor Ron Nirenberg's term concluding, the upcoming election on May 3 stands as a significant moment in the city's history, marking both the end of an era and the beginning of potential change.

Our guest, Beto Altamirano, is an entrepreneur and business owner known for creating San Antonio's 311 app, now vying for the mayoral office amidst a crowded field of 27 candidates.

This episode launches a month-long series featuring various candidates, inviting them to share their visions for San Antonio's future and the challenges they plan to tackle.

Tune in to discover why Beto Alamirano is running to be our the next Mayor of San Antonio. 

-- -- 

✉️ Subscribe to Bob's Newsletter

📝 Resources & Show Notes

-- -- 

RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE:

▶️ #102. The San Antonio Report at 13: Local News, Elections, & The Future of Journalism – Discover how nonprofit newsrooms like San Antonio Report are influencing the future of local journalism as Bob explores the now 13 year old organization’s mission to keep San Antonio informed amidst a rapidly changing media landscape. This episode is essential for understanding the challenges and opportunities that come with sustaining independent journalism in today’s digital age.

-- -- 

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

This week’s Last Word delves into the ominous impact of President Trump’s tariffs on San Antonio and Texas. As the trade war with Canada and Mexico intensifies, the city braces for economic repercussions. Politicians have transformed tariffs into weapons of political retribution, overshadowing San Antonio’s success in advanced manufacturing and global trade.

Bob examines the economic fallout as San Antonio faces potentially devastating tariffs, with goods and services inflating by up to 50%. The stakes are high as voters deal with the consequences of reshaped alliances and immigration missteps in Washington.

As San Antonio stands at a pivotal moment, it’s worth considering: Will the city weather this economic storm, or will Trump's tariffs usher in a new era of uncertainty and challenge?

Join us for a penetrating commentary on trade, governance, and the future of San Antonio's economy.

-- -- 

📩 Subscribe to Bob’s Monday Newsletter

🎧 Don't miss the Last Word - You can find the full archive of Bob's commentaries on life and work in San Antonio and Texas, here. 

🎬 The Last Word is also available to watch YouTube. 

-- -- 

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we explore the vibrant culinary landscape of San Antonio, with a spotlight on one of the city's longstanding culinary institutions, Biga on the Banks. Celebrating its 25th anniversary at its iconic location on the Riverwalk, Biga on the Banks stands as a testament to culinary excellence and perseverance in a competitive industry.

Bob sits down with Bruce Auden, renowned chef and driving force behind Biga, alongside his business partner Perny Shea, to discuss the restaurant's journey, its impact on San Antonio's dining scene, and the challenges and triumphs of sustaining a high-caliber restaurant over decades.

They delve into:

• The origins and evolution of Biga on the Banks and its significance in San Antonio's culinary history

• How the restaurant has influenced the careers of many notable chefs in the region

• The impact of San Antonio's designation as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy on local culinary practices

• Insights into the upcoming anniversary celebration benefiting the San Antonio Food Bank and St Philip's Culinary and Hospitality School

Join us to uncover how Biga on the Banks has remained a beloved institution in a growing and dynamic city, shaping the palates and careers of many in the heart of Texas.

-- -- 

✉️ Subscribe to Bob's Newsletter

📝 Resources & Show Notes

-- -- 

RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE:

▶️ #83. Chris Cullum and San Antonio's Culinary Legacy – Discover the roots and future of San Antonio's culinary scene. Host Bob Rivard delves into Chris Cullum's journey from food truck challenges to culinary acclaim, reflecting on the impact of his legendary father's influence and the city's evolving food landscape. Uncover how history, jazz, and cuisine blend to enrich San Antonio's dining culture in this engaging episode.

-- -- 

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify