There are fewer than seven women running pizzerias in New York City, and there’s only one who started hers as a speakeasy out of her apartment. Miriam Weiskind’s gone from creative director to pop-up pizzaiola over the last two years. In this episode, Ilir and Miriam cover the most important part of the pizza-making process, how she got her start during the pandemic, and pizza’s gender gap.

Tune in to hear the reason she puts frogs on her merch, how many pizzas she gave away to first-responders, and why this career was destined from the start.

This episode is more of a conversation between two old friends than it is an interview! Johnny Pavlik sits down with Ilir from his home in North Carolina to talk about growing his business from one Johnny’s Pizzeria to four, with a food truck pulling in soon. From his struggle with addiction to his community-focused social media presence, Johnny shares his secrets to double average orders and more…

Tune in to hear what a true Slice partnership can do for a business looking to go digital, why digital is the future, and what a strategic menu can do for your bottom line.

In an epic conversation about chasing authenticity in expression and products, Ilir sits down with LA’s pizza renaissance man: Brandon Gray of Brandoni Pepperoni. From his time cheffing in the Navy to starting his own business in 2020, Brandon is about dedication to craft, learning by trying, and the Clippers.

Listen in to hear why the details count, where Brandon’s Ratatoullie moment happens, and what makes his tomato sauce so tasty. 

Hakki Akdeniz is more than a world championship pizza acrobat — he’s independent pizza’s most inspiring person. He came to the United States from Turkey with nothing but suitcases, and now has a slew of pizzerias and extraordinary dedication to his community. Ilir and Hakki sit down in our studio to talk about business and pizza but end up covering what it means to never give up.

Listen in to hear how many times Hakki had to hit restart before making it to where he stands now: happily helping others through independent pizza.

For our first-ever episode of How You Slice It, Ilir meets with Scott Wiener, founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours and Slice Out Hunger. In our very own pizzeria booth, they discuss starting a business inside a school bus, uncover the connection between taste and location, and celebrate pizza’s power for good through programs like Slice Out Hunger. 

Have a listen to learn Scott’s vote for most homiest pizzeria and to finally settle the debate about NYC pizza’s (alleged) secret ingredient: tap water.

Ilir Sela grew up hearing stories about his Uncle Miu’s NYC pizzeria and then built America’s largest network of independent pizzerias. It might seem like pizza is the common thread there, but it’s not: It’s drive. 

Join Ilir, founder and CEO of Slice, as he unpacks the secret recipe of ambition, endurance, and good ol’ luck behind some of today’s most driven entrepreneurs. Each episode is a new conversation with someone who saw the world in a new way — expect big ideas, colossal gambles, major drive, and… some occasional pizza gossip.