Bill Walker’s path to Fort Lauderdale started far from South Florida, aboard merchant ships, competitive sailboats, and high-speed ferries. Along the way, he helped build innovative marine transportation systems before transforming Water Taxi from a five-boat operation into a 15-vessel business serving more than 1.2 million passengers a year.In this episode of Locality’s Making Bank Podcast, Bill shares what 9/11, the financial crisis, and COVID taught him about protecting cash, keeping strong financial records, building an A-player team, and turning plans into progress by learning to “execute ruthlessly.”Book a ride on Fort Lauderdale's Water Taxi by visiting https://watertaxi.com/.

Larissa Castelluber lives by a simple rule: no fear, just forward. In this episode, the Rebel Wine Bar founder shares how a family of entrepreneurs shaped her comfort with risk, why she moved to South Florida at 22, and how she pivoted from design into SEO and lead generation. She also breaks down what it really takes to run a neighborhood hospitality business in Oakland Park, Florida, plus the long game she’s building through long-term rental real estate. Learn more: https://rebelwinebar.com/

Mark Lachance has built, sold, and rebuilt businesses across sports, payments, digital marketing, and collision repair. In this episode, he shares a leadership truth that changed how he operates: when the business is struggling, it starts with the leader. You’ll hear his real pivots, hard-earned lessons, and how he rebuilds systems that don’t depend on him. #empiresessions

Bryan Vreeland grew up in Broward County, learned sales and leadership early, then bet on himself in 2017 by launching a recruiting and IT staffing business from scratch. In this episode, he shares the slow first year, the sudden breakthrough, and the brutal reset when COVID wiped out his headcount in weeks, plus how that pressure pushed him into a broader BPO and global operations model and a technology arm focused on automation.

Carol Mirones, LCSW-QS, LMFT-QS, went from a 15-year stretch as a stay-at-home mom to launching a therapy practice in the middle of 2020. In this episode, she shares how Seasons Psychotherapy grew from one small office in Davie, Florida, to four locations across Florida, plus what it takes to scale in a heavily regulated industry while staying grounded in real human connection. Learn more at https://seasonspsychotherapy.com/

Marc Elkman grew up in Fort Lauderdale with a competitive blueprint from his mother, a pro athlete who shaped his discipline early. After bootstrapping a meal plan business to the Inc. 500 and $18M in sales, he pivoted into luxury waterfront development and now leads Empire Development with more than $100M in active projects. In this episode, Marc shares the real lessons behind fast growth, hard logistics, why community banks matter, and why “health is wealth” is not just a quote.

What do fine jewelry and barbecue have in common? For Fort Lauderdale's Luke Moorman, they represent legacy, reinvention, and a deep connection to community. In this episode of Locality's Making Bank Podcast, Luke shares his journey from swimming scholarships to stockbroker hustle to running Carroll's Jewelers and reviving the beloved Georgia Pig BBQ. A story of family business, resilience, and staying rooted.

What happens when a West Point grad and a polyglot philosopher team up to fix one of banking's biggest pain points? You get Parlay Finance, an AI-powered Loan Intelligence System reshaping small business lending. In this episode, co-founders Jay Long and Alex McLeod share how a mission to help Afghan refugees led to a startup that's giving bankers and business owners their time (and trust) back.

Sam Zietz, CEO of TouchSuite and GRUBBRR, joins Locality Bank's Keith Costello to share the story of how he went from law school to leading two tech companies transforming retail and restaurants. From 120-hour workweeks to a deal-a-day mindset, Sam explains how he bootstrapped his first company and embraced automation before the world caught on. Learn more: www.touchsuite.com and www.grubbrr.com.

PS: It would be a giant oversight if we failed to mention that Sam’s a diehard Michigan Wolverines fan. #GoBlue.

Anthony Clarke’s journey started with $15 flyer gigs and a front-row seat to his parents’ work ethic. That foundation shaped how he thinks, works, and serves. And today, he leads an award-winning agency helping restaurants grow through smart, relentless marketing. In this episode, he shares how he found his calling, why "unlimited" value is non-negotiable, and the lessons he learned the hard way. If you're thinking about taking the leap from side hustle to full-time founder, this episode is for you. More: http://localitybank.com/resources/podcast-anthony-clarke-acc-unlimited/