Joining us in our first half of the show was Mark Jeanneret, President and CEO of VisitErie. VisitErie recently partnered with Erie Apparel to launch its very first merchandise collection, called “It’s All in Erie.” In segment two, Jasmine Almeida is back with an exciting new venture — one that involves a beloved Erie institution. Jasmine is the new owner of Avanti’s Restaurant, a name that has been part of Erie’s dining scene for generations.

Joining us first in this episode was Bryan Brinkle of the Erie Shriners Cycle Corps, part of the Zem Zem Shriners organization here in Erie. The Cycle Corps has a long history of participating in parades, community events, fundraising efforts, and supporting the mission of Shriners Children's Erie. In our second half of the show, . We were joined by RJ Messenger, an Erie entrepreneur, speaker, and business leader whose journey has taken him from building Iron Empire Clothing to becoming part of the national spotlight through Discovery Channel’s Undercover Billionaire and the launch of Underdog BBQ right here in Erie. Today, RJ is adding another chapter to his story with the release of his new book, From Basement to Balcony.

On this episode Dr. Platz welcomed Jake Rouch, Vice President of Development for Passport Reality and host of The Jake Rouch Show podcast. Jake has spent more than 30 years working with businesses, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and community leaders to help Erie evolve and grow. In our second half, we were joined by Yash Kasini and Yashash Kasini, founders of StayX. StayX, Inc. is an AI software company on a mission to empower small businesses and professional services, believing that small businesses are the backbone of the economy, and they deserve the same caliber of AI tools that big enterprises have access to.

In this episode, our guest for the hour was someone who has become well known in Erie not only as a business owner—but as one of the region’s most recognizable endurance athletes. Andy Hellman is the owner of Snap Fitness Harborcreek, a gym focused on helping people improve their health, fitness, and overall quality of life through consistency, accountability, and community.

This week we got an update on the story of Serafini’s Trattoria, located in the heart of downtown Erie—a restaurant rooted deeply in family tradition, Italian heritage, and community connection. Owners Opie Hughes and Amanda Serafini joined us. Then we spoke with Brandon Soto, the owner of B. Soto Media, a photo, video, and drone production company based right here in Erie, specializing in capturing everything from weddings and live events to sports, business branding, and cinematic storytelling.

Our first guest was Jessica Hunter, the owner of Jessica Hunter Photography, a locally based business with more than a decade of experience creating portraits, commercial imagery, and storytelling visuals for individuals and organizations across our region. In the second half of the show, we were joined by Matthew Fisher, now the co-owner of Porky’s Pizzeria in downtown Erie—a well-known local spot serving pizza, wings, subs, and more to the community for years.

In this episode, we were joined by , one of the voices behind the Steelers by the Lake Podcast — a growing podcast built around a shared passion for all things Pittsburgh Steelers. Then , co-owner of Erie Ale Works returned to talk about their Benevolent Beers program, a unique initiative where a portion of sales during designated events goes directly to support local nonprofits.

Our first guest this episode was Mukti Subedi, a local entrepreneur and business owner of both the Wonderful Shop on Parade Street and the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory at the Millcreek Mall in Erie. Joining us in the second half of the show was Chelsea Oliver, owner of Ties & Toasts, a unique event services company right here in Erie.

Our first guest this week brought a little sweetness, and a whole lot of nostalgia to the Erie community. Casey Corritore joined us, owner of Casey’s Ice Cream Cart, a mobile dessert experience. In our second half, Rob Cacchione from Build Better Fields was with us, representing a local nonprofit organization dedicated to improving and upgrading athletic fields across the Erie area.

This week's episode was about protecting individuals from abuse. We were joined by Lori Palisin, Executive Director of Safe Journey, an organization serving individuals and families in our community who are impacted by domestic violence. In the second half, Nate Sitzler & Chad Zyczyk talked about the efforts of Riders Advocating Against Child Abuse (RAACA), and how their group is working with Safe Journey.