Living Your Legacy by Confluence Financial Partners

Dan Adamski has become one of the most recognizable and influential voices in Pittsburgh's business community, but his impact extends far beyond commercial real estate.

Greg Weimer sits down with Dan, Executive Managing Director at JLL, for a conversation about leadership, consistency, service, and his deep commitment to helping Pittsburgh and the people who call it home thrive.

CHAPTERS
00:39 Welcome to Living Your Legacy
01:10 Meet Dan Adamski
02:09 Marines, Grad School, and Getting Hooked on Real Estate
03:47 A Small-Town Kid's Canvas
05:01 Consistency, Reliability, and Being a Professional
07:04 Complexity Is Our Friend
08:42 Pittsburgh's Pulse: A City on the Rise
10:55 Data Centers and Power, Power, Power
12:20 Routines: A Thousand Small Decisions
13:49 A Legacy for Western Pennsylvania
14:39 The Goldilocks City
16:31 What His Kids Will Say
17:43 Live, Love, Learn, Leave a Legacy
19:22 Lessons: No Shortcuts
21:04 Pittsburgh's Secret Sauce
21:47 Closing

GUEST
Dan Adamski — Executive Managing Director, JLL

HOST
Greg Weimer — Founder and CEO, Confluence Financial Partners

TOPICS
Community & Impact

Success doesn't always follow a straight path, and sometimes the most meaningful opportunities are the ones you never planned for.

Greg Weimer sits down with Dr. Ashley Birtwell, Head of School at Sewickley Academy, for a conversation about leadership, fulfillment, resilience, and
what it takes to prepare the next generation for a rapidly changing world.

CHAPTERS
00:50 Welcome to Living Your Legacy
01:18 Meet Dr. Ashley Birtwell
02:39 Too Much Pressure on Kids
03:50 Saying Yes to India
04:30 Middlebury, MIT, and the Psychology of Negotiation
07:10 The Four C's: Commitment, Courage, Capability, Confidence
08:27 The Second Mountain: Achievement vs. Fulfillment
10:27 Teachers Who Love What They Do
12:37 What's Going On with the Next Generation
13:08 AI and the Future of Education
14:53 Doubling Down on Essential Skills
16:56 Phones, Social Media, and Relationships
21:19 Loving What You Do
21:56 Grit Jobs and the Perfect Portfolio
24:09 The Dean Model: Finding the Right-Fit School
27:32 Let Them Struggle
30:12 Am I Really Fulfilled?
34:03 Advice for Parents, Coaches, and Mentors
35:07 Relationships Are the Greatest Value
36:08 Leading with Empathy
37:19 Closing

GUEST
Dr. Ashley Birtwell — Head of School, Sewickley Academy

HOST
Greg Weimer — Founder and CEO, Confluence Financial Partners

TOPICS
Community & Impact

Success rarely happens overnight. It is built one decision, one habit, and one "brick" at a time.

Greg Weimer sits down with Andrew DiDonato, Head Football Coach at Grove City College, for a conversation about leadership, faith, intentionality, and the power of staying focused on a vision bigger than yourself.

CHAPTERS
00:25 Welcome to Living Your Legacy
00:58 Meet Andrew DiDonato
02:09 What Brought Andrew to Grove City
04:57 Brick by Brick: Vision, Process, Love
07:18 Every Position Gets a Vision
08:31 Mentors: Coach Smith and Dad
09:44 Bring Fulfillment to Your Job
11:05 Core Values at Work and at Home
12:50 Playing the Infinite Game
14:15 From 0-10 to a PAC Championship
16:32 Recruiting and Hiring to the Vision
18:16 The Biggest Challenge: Eyes on the Vision
19:02 Live in the Why, Not the What
20:54 If You're Not Intentional
22:15 Keeping 135 Players Motivated
25:18 Where to Start: Know Your Story
27:01 Faith Is Contagious
29:30 440 Forever
30:58 Closing

GUEST
Andrew DiDonato — Head Football Coach, Grove City College

HOST
Greg Weimer — Founder and CEO, Confluence Financial Partners

TOPICS
Community & Impact, Health & Wellness

Success isn't measured only by professional achievements. It's shaped by the culture we build, the people we invest in, and the legacy we leave
behind.

Greg Weimer sits down with Sabrina Saunders Mosby, President & CEO of Vibrant Pittsburgh, for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, workplace
culture, burnout, and what it truly means to live with intention.

CHAPTERS
00:53 Welcome to Living Your Legacy
01:21 Meet Sabrina Saunders Mosby
01:39 Inside Vibrant Pittsburgh
03:30 Culture Is Built by Your People
04:53 A New Role in a Pandemic
06:31 The Common Goal: Talent
07:25 Why People Leave — and Come Back
09:26 The Vibrant Index
10:05 Pittsburgh's Momentum and the NFL Draft
13:25 The TEDx Story: Say It Out Loud
15:34 Navigating Burnout
16:18 The Joy of Missing Out
18:19 Growing Up with Grit
22:43 Community, Volunteering, and First Jobs
25:34 Lessons from the Family Funeral Business
27:03 The Empty Chair
29:02 Presence Over Drive
33:51 Raising Kids Around Work

GUEST
Sabrina Saunders Mosby — President & CEO, Vibrant Pittsburgh

HOST
Greg Weimer — Founder and CEO, Confluence Financial Partners

TOPICS
Leadership, Resilience, Giving Back

Success in the hospitality industry isn't just about serving great food. It's about creating an experience that keeps people coming back.

Greg Weimer sits down with Yianni Bourbakis, co-owner of Elia Mediterranean Grille, to discuss the principles that have helped turn his vision into one
of Pittsburgh's most talked-about dining destinations.

CHAPTERS

00:33 Welcome to Living Your Legacy
01:26 Meet Yianni Bourbakis of Elia
02:32 From Corporate America to Entrepreneur
04:33 The All-Night Gyro Shop That Started It All
05:59 Vision and the Right Partners
08:19 Treating Your Team Like Family
09:52 Creating the Buzz: Consistency and Persistency
10:59 Knowing Your Customers by Heart
12:16 Getting 1% Better Every Day
14:33 Keeping Everyone Through COVID
16:16 Building a Team That Stays
18:12 Betting on Downtown Pittsburgh
20:03 One Do-Over? Nothing
20:42 Present Moments vs. Ten-Year Plans
22:49 A Legacy Built for His Kids
26:06 The One Lesson: Be Consistent, Be Persistent

GUEST
Yianni Bourbakis — Co-Owner, Elia Mediterranean Grille

HOST
Greg Weimer — Founder and CEO, Confluence Financial Partners

TOPICS
Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Family & Legacy

What do you do when the career you spent years chasing disappears overnight, and the detour turns out to be the opportunity of a lifetime?

What began as a dream of becoming a sports broadcaster took an unexpected turn when an NHL lockout changed Bethany Vietmeier's career path. Greg Weimer sits down with Bethany, founder of Valiant 3 Communications, to discuss the power of relationships, the importance of saying "yes" before you have all the answers, and how a willingness to adapt can open doors you never expected.

CHAPTERS

00:30 Welcome to Living Your Legacy
01:03 Meet Beth Vietmeier
01:23 Inside Valiant 3 Communications
03:05 The Nevillewood Lesson: Learning to Communicate
05:31 Broadcast Dreams and the Penguins
06:02 The NHL Lockout and a Career Setback
07:37 Saying Yes Before You're Ready
08:49 How Jerome Bettis Hired Her
10:16 The Kindness Lesson From Jerome
11:06 Why You Should Always Communicate
13:52 Leaving an Impact
14:47 The Bus Stops Here Foundation
17:41 How She Thinks About Planning
21:13 Advice to an 18-Year-Old
22:00 What You Do With Fear
25:05 Lessons From Mom and Dad
26:08 Balancing Work and Family
29:56 Impact on the People You Love

GUEST
Bethany Vietmeier — Founder, Valiant 3 Communications

HOST
Greg Weimer — Founder and CEO, Confluence Financial Partners

TOPICS
Entrepreneurship, Resilience, Leadership

What if the key to getting technology right has less to do with the software and more to do with how you lead the people behind it?

Technology is often viewed as a tool, but for Jason Esch, it's a vehicle for solving meaningful business challenges and creating lasting impact. Greg Weimer sits down with Jason, entrepreneur, technology executive, and owner of TeamLogic IT Pittsburgh, to discuss his unconventional path into the technology industry, why he considers himself a business leader first and a technologist second, and how empathy has become a defining force in both his professional and personal life.

CHAPTERS

00:56 Welcome to Living Your Legacy
01:27 Meet Jason Esch
02:07 Business Leader First, Technologist Second
06:14 Making Technology Purpose-Driven
07:20 Cybersecurity and AI: Where to Start
08:03 Passwords, Vaults, and Two-Factor
08:52 Using AI Without Giving Away Your Data
11:00 The Consultant Approach to IT
12:49 Core Values as a Differentiator
14:38 Leading With Empathy
16:42 Leadership Washington County
17:40 Investing in Your Network
19:11 Vulnerability and Authentic Leadership
20:22 Legacy Is Built While You're Alive
22:05 Three Lessons for the Next Generation
26:03 Family, Balance, and Priorities
26:42 What His Son Has Taught Him
30:02 The Title He's Most Proud Of

GUEST
Jason Esch — President & Owner, TeamLogic IT (Pittsburgh)

HOST
Greg Weimer — Founder and CEO, Confluence Financial Partners

TOPICS
Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Technology & Innovation

What happens when a deeply personal experience leads to a 22-year career raising hundreds of millions of dollars for children's health and philanthropy?

In this episode, Greg Weimer sits down with Rachel Petrucelli, President of the UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation, to reflect on her 22-year career,
her unexpected path into nonprofit leadership, and how deeply personal experiences shaped her commitment to children's health and philanthropy.
From navigating leadership transitions to helping raise hundreds of millions of dollars, Rachel shares how her work is grounded in relationships and a
mission that extends far beyond fundraising.

CHAPTERS

01:00 Welcome to Living Your Legacy
01:30 Meet Rachel Petrucelli
02:00 Finding Her Calling in Nonprofit Work
04:00 Growing Up in Erie with a Single Mom
05:30 The Pivot to Children's Hospital
07:00 The Joy of Working with Donors
09:00 Philanthropy as Community
10:00 Building an Extraordinary Team
12:00 Why Longevity Matters in Fundraising
13:00 Navigating Leadership Change
15:00 Building the New Children's Hospital
17:00 The UPMC Partnership
18:30 The Margin of Excellence
20:00 Behavioral Health and What's Next
22:00 Expanding Care Closer to Home
24:00 Looking Back and Looking Forward
26:00 Legacy and Purpose

GUEST
Rachel Petrucelli -- President, UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation

HOST
Greg Weimer -- Founder and CEO, Confluence Financial Partners

TOPICS
Philanthropy and Impact

What does it take to turn a basement candy operation into one of Pittsburgh's most iconic brands and keep it thriving across three generations?

In this episode, Greg Weimer sits down with Bill Sarris to discuss how his father transformed a simple idea into a multi-generational business built on craftsmanship, relationships, and relentless hard work. From making chocolate bunnies six at a time in the family basement in the 1960s to running five
production lines that turn out hundreds of thousands of bunnies each Easter, Bill shares the defining moments that built Sarris Candies into a brand woven into the fabric of the Pittsburgh community.

CHAPTERS

01:00 Welcome to Living Your Legacy
01:30 Meet Bill Sarris
02:00 How It All Started in a Basement
04:10 Six Bunnies at a Time
05:20 Going to W&J and Joining the Business
06:30 Fundraising and Building the Brand
07:30 $75,000 in Cash to Europe
09:30 Why Sarris Became the Iconic Brand
11:00 The Giant Eagle Phone Call
13:00 Expanding and Building in Sections
14:00 The New Facility at Fort Pitt Bridgeworks
14:40 Delegating and Growing the Team
16:30 A Workforce That Stayed for Decades
18:00 Family Culture and Relationships
19:30 What Drives You When It's Not About Money
21:30 Passing It to the Next Generation
23:30 Learning Every Part of the Business
24:30 What Are You Most Proud Of
25:30 What Would Your Dad Think
26:30 Legacy and One Piece of Advice

GUEST
Bill Sarris -- Owner, Sarris Candies

HOST
Greg Weimer -- Founder and CEO, Confluence Financial Partners

TOPICS
Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Family & Legacy

What does it take to walk away from a successful career because you know it is not the life you want to build?

In this episode, Greg Weimer sits down with Chef Ezra Shapiro, a private chef based in Western Pennsylvania who traded a career in commercial real estate and finance for restaurant kitchens. After graduating from Penn State with an economics degree and spending four years managing a commercial real estate investment fund, Ezra took a solo trip to South America that changed the direction of his life. What started as three months of thinking and food tours through Lima and Buenos Aires became the foundation for an entirely new career path.

CHAPTERS

01:10 Welcome to Living Your Legacy
01:48 Meet Chef Ezra Shapiro
03:30 Growing Up Around Food
05:15 Penn State and Economics
06:40 The Mentor in Commercial Real Estate
10:15 Leaving the Office Behind
12:30 The Wine Company and Getting Laid Off
16:20 Three Months in South America
20:45 Discovering the Culinary World
24:30 The Risk Analysis That Changed Everything
27:00 First Kitchen Job in Philadelphia
29:30 The Sourdough Story
33:15 Falling in Love with the Kitchen
35:40 Working Your Way Up Through Stages
38:00 Single Thread: A Three Michelin Star Restaurant
42:00 Leaving Single Thread for Family
46:20 Building a Private Chef Business in Pittsburgh
49:30 The Connection Between Food and Relationships
52:00 Three Defining Moments
54:20 Closing

GUEST
Ezra Shapiro -- Private Chef

HOST
Greg Weimer -- Founder and CEO, Confluence Financial Partners

TOPICS
Passion & Creativity, Entrepreneurship, Leadership