What does it take to go from local event rentals to building experiences for brands like American Express, Nike, Amazon, and major sporting events across the country?This week, I sat down with Brandon Havrilla, founder of RedMax Events, to unpack the business decisions that made that growth possible.We talked about why confidence isn't just a mindset—it's knowing your value and standing behind it. Brandon explains why entrepreneurs accidentally train bad clients, why scaling too quickly can be one of the biggest mistakes a company makes, and why building strong systems always comes before hiring more people.We also dive into why RedMax invests heavily in content instead of a traditional sales team, how COVID completely transformed the direction of the business, and the philosophy behind one of my favorite quotes from the conversation: "Business respects business."If you're an entrepreneur, creative, or business owner looking to grow without sacrificing quality, this conversation is packed with practical lessons from someone who's built a company the right way.Full episode available now.#NewYorkBusinessPodcast #BrandonHavrilla #RedMaxEvents #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #ContentMarketing #BrandBuilding #SmallBusiness #BusinessOwner #Marketing #Systems #BusinessStrategy #CreativeBusiness #Podcast

After 13 years as a music teacher in New York City, Allison Noelle Megherian walked away from the classroom to fully step into something she had already been building for years: Motivating the Mindset.Today, Allison helps high-achieving performers, teen athletes, entrepreneurs, schools, and professionals rebuild their identity, reconnect with their purpose, and get out of their own way.In this episode, we talked about what it really means to separate who you are from what you do, why so many athletes struggle when their identity is tied only to performance, and how journaling, gratitude, self-awareness, breathwork, and mindset work can completely shift the way someone moves through life.Allison also shares her journey from burnout to full-time entrepreneurship, how her TEDx talk helped spark a bigger vision, why “redirection is protection,” and why success is not just productivity — it’s fulfillment, peace, and learning to be where your feet are.This is a powerful conversation about purpose, identity, faith, resilience, and the mindset work that helps people become who they were created to be.Watch the full interview with Allison Noelle Megherian, founder of Motivating the Mindset, on The New York Business Podcast.#NewYorkBusinessPodcast #MotivatingTheMindset #AllisonNoelleMegherian #MindsetCoach #EntrepreneurStory #LongIslandBusiness #NYBusiness #TeenAthletes #AthleteMindset #PersonalDevelopment #ProfessionalDevelopment #WomenInBusiness #FounderStory #TEDxSpeaker #Journaling #SelfAwareness #IdentityWork #PurposeDriven #MindsetMatters #BusinessPodcast

What happens when someone moves into assisted living or independent living and suddenly loses access to the everyday choices they used to make?That question is at the heart of my conversation with Matt Smith, co-founder of Speak2.Speak2 is building a marketplace for senior housing communities, helping residents access services, content, communication, meals, rides, maintenance requests, activities, and more through the tools that actually work for them — whether that’s an app, TV, tablet, Alexa, or even a remote control.What stood out to me most was Matt’s perspective that seniors don’t stop being consumers when they move into a community.They still want choices.They still want independence.They still want to know what’s available to them.They still want their families to be connected to their lives.And in an industry that has historically operated more like real estate than hospitality, Speak2 is helping communities think differently about what they actually provide.This conversation goes deep into senior living, technology adoption, the business challenges of selling into a complex industry, the importance of empathy, the risks of predatory vendor ecosystems, and even the ethical questions around AI.But at the center of it all is a simple idea:Technology should not replace care. It should help people receive better care, stay more connected, and maintain more dignity as they age.Really enjoyed this conversation with Matt Smith of Speak2.#NewYorkBusinessPodcast #SeniorLiving #AssistedLiving #HealthTech #SeniorCare #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #LongIslandBusiness #TechForGood #FounderStory

After 10+ years working inside a large marketing firm, Angela Reina saw a problem that never sat right with her:Small businesses were paying real money for marketing help, but they often weren’t getting the same level of attention, strategy, or care as the bigger clients.So she started Reina Smith Media.Her mission is simple: bring big agency experience to small businesses that actually need someone in their corner.In this conversation, Angela talks about the real purpose of social media, the difference between views and actual conversions, why organic content is like planting seeds, and how paid ads can help businesses generate leads faster.We also got into the honest side of entrepreneurship: quitting her job, living off savings, learning the hard way, building a team, working with her mom, and why networking has been such a major part of her growth.What I appreciated most about Angela is that she does not treat small businesses like they are “too small” to matter.She believes marketing can be scaled, strategy can be practical, and local businesses deserve quality content just as much as the big brands do.Full episode with Angela Reina of Reina Smith Media is out now.#NewYorkBusinessPodcast #LongIslandBusiness #SmallBusinessMarketing #SocialMediaMarketing #ContentMarketing #ReinaSmithMedia #SmallBusinessOwner #Entrepreneurship #LocalBusiness #LongIslandEntrepreneurs

What happens when a business owner watches everything he built get carried out onto the street?For Vinny Deriso, founder of Revolution Fitness, that moment could have been the end.Instead, it became the reset.After being evicted from his previous location, Vinny and his community moved fast. Members showed up. Equipment was loaded. A new lease was signed. Classes were back within weeks. And eventually, Revolution Fitness reopened just 40 feet down the street.But the bigger story is not just that the gym survived.It is that the business got sharper.Vinny used the experience to rethink everything: the membership model, the pricing, the overhead, the staff structure, the culture, and the kind of member Revolution Fitness was truly built for.Instead of trying to be everything to everyone, he leaned into a more focused vision: a serious, private gym community for people who actually want to train.Higher standards. Higher value. Stronger culture.In this episode, Vinny shares the story behind the eviction, the community that helped keep Revolution alive, and the business lessons that came from being forced to rebuild.His biggest reminder to other business owners?Don’t get complacent.Business will shift whether you are ready or not. The question is whether you can solve the puzzle when it does.#NewYorkBusinessPodcast #LongIslandBusiness #RevolutionFitness #GymOwner #SmallBusinessOwner #Entrepreneurship #BusinessLessons #FitnessBusiness #LongIslandGym #BusinessGrowth #FounderStory #LocalBusiness #SmallBusinessTips #BusinessMindset #JacobRestituto

What started at Alexandra’s kitchen table has grown into a creative wellness brand built around self-care, community, and supporting local businesses.Alexandra, the founder of So Sweet Sentimental, is a therapist by trade — but through her own experience with burnout, she rediscovered how powerful creativity could be. Crafting became more than just making something beautiful. It became a way to slow down, lower stress, connect with others, and create a sense of calm in the middle of a busy life.That idea became the foundation of So Sweet Sentimental.Today, Alexandra hosts craft workshops across Long Island, partnering with boutiques, bookstores, wineries, restaurants, and wellness spaces to create experiences that benefit everyone involved. Guests get a meaningful night out, local businesses get new people through the door, and Alexandra gets to build a brand rooted in both creativity and connection.But her story is also a real business story.She talked about the fear of leaving a traditional therapy practice, the reality that not every workshop sells out, the importance of learning to say no, and why one failure does not mean the whole business is failing.Her biggest lesson?Sometimes you have to take the risk to see what could actually happen.This conversation is a great reminder that a business does not have to fit into one neat category. It can be creative, therapeutic, local, community-driven, and profitable — all at the same time.Full conversation with Alexandra of So Sweet Sentimental is live now.#NewYorkBusinessPodcast #SoSweetSentimental #LongIslandBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #WomenInBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #WellnessBusiness #LocalBusiness #EntrepreneurStory #LongIslandEvents

At just 20 years old, Jack Reinard is already operating in two very different but connected worlds.He is the founder of Rent-A-Tent, a Long Island tent and party rental company he started as a senior in high school with the goal of doing 15 parties and breaking even. Instead, the company did 140 parties in its first year and has continued to grow into a serious operation serving events across the Island.But Jack’s story doesn’t stop with tents, tables, chairs, and logistics. Through growing Rent-A-Tent, he discovered how powerful Google Ads could be for a small business — and also how difficult they are to manage properly when you’re busy actually running the business.That problem led him to build The JSR Engine, a platform designed to help business owners automate Google Ads management, reduce wasted spend, improve targeting, and find missed opportunities without needing to hire an expensive agency.What makes Jack’s story so interesting is that he is not building theory. He is building from real experience, real problems, real overhead, real payroll, real customers, and real marketing dollars.In this episode, we talk about young entrepreneurship, scaling a service business, the importance of marketing, how AI is changing the way businesses operate, and why having a great product is not enough if nobody knows it exists.Jack’s biggest lesson is one every entrepreneur should hear:You can build the best product or service in the world, but if you do not learn how to market it, it will never reach the people it can help.🎙 Full episode out now with Jack Reinard on New York’s Business Podcast.#TheNewYorkBusinessPodcast #JacobRestituto #JackReinard #RentATent #TheJSREngine #LongIslandBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #Entrepreneurship #YoungEntrepreneur #BusinessGrowth #GoogleAds #MarketingStrategy #AIForBusiness #ServiceBusiness #LongIslandEntrepreneur

Monica Banks, founder of Mom Creators, is helping redefine what it means to be a creator in today’s economy.In our conversation, Monica breaks down one of the biggest misconceptions in content creation: that you need to be an influencer, go viral, or have a massive following to build a real opportunity online. Through Mom Creators, she supports entrepreneurial and creative moms at every stage of their journey — from those just getting started to established creators building serious businesses.What stood out most is Monica’s practical view of the creator economy. Content is not just about vanity metrics. It is about serving an audience, solving problems, creating value, and understanding how brands actually use content today.From UGC and digital products to creator management and brand partnerships, Monica explains how moms are building flexible careers, creative outlets, and new income streams without following the traditional path.This episode is a valuable conversation for creators, business owners, marketers, and anyone trying to understand where content, community, and commerce are heading next.#NewYorkBusinessPodcast #MonicaBanks #MomCreators #CreatorEconomy #ContentCreators #UGC #Entrepreneurship #WomenInBusiness #MomsInBusiness #ContentMarketing #PersonalBrand #SmallBusinessGrowth #BusinessPodcast #NYBusiness #MarketingStrategy

What does it really take to turn a passion into a profession?In this episode of the New York Business Podcast, I sit down with musician Mike Alessi — a lifelong performer who went from playing guitar in the streets of Northport as a teenager to building a full-time career in music.This conversation goes far beyond gigs and guitars. We dive into the real side of the industry — learning your value, reading the room, handling pressure, and navigating the mental and emotional side of performing night after night.Mike shares what it actually looks like to build a career in music: the hustle behind the scenes, the unpredictability of the business, and the discipline it takes to sustain it long-term.But more importantly, we talk about something most creatives struggle with — redefining success. What happens when your path doesn’t look the way you expected… and how do you find fulfillment anyway?This is an honest, raw conversation about passion, persistence, and what it really means to “make it.”#NewYorkBusinessPodcast #MusicianLife #CreativeEntrepreneur #MusicBusiness #FollowYourPassion #EntrepreneurMindset #ArtistJourney #ContentCreator #SmallBusinessOwner #BehindTheScenes

Most people think they’re doing the right thing for retirement.401(k)s, IRAs, tax deferral—it’s what we’ve all been told to do.But what if the system itself is flawed?In this episode, I sat down with Jim Capuano, Owner of Integrity Life Brokerage and creator of The Great American Retirement Myth, to break down a perspective that challenges everything most people believe about retirement planning.Jim shares how many Americans are unknowingly setting themselves up to pay more in taxes later, not less—and why blindly following traditional advice could cost you far more than you expect. From misunderstood tax strategies to hidden healthcare costs in retirement, this conversation uncovers the gaps that most advisors never talk about.Whether you’re an entrepreneur, employee, or just thinking about your financial future, this is a conversation that forces you to ask better questions—and rethink the path you’re on.Takeaway: Don’t just follow the plan… understand it.Business Insight:The most valuable professionals aren’t the ones who repeat the system—they’re the ones willing to question it. Jim built his brand by challenging industry norms and educating people directly, even when it meant going against what’s most profitable or widely accepted. In today’s market, trust is built through transparency, not conformity. If you can simplify complex ideas and empower your audience to think differently, you don’t just gain clients—you build a movement.#NewYorkBusinessPodcast #EntrepreneurMindset #FinancialEducation #RetirementPlanning #WealthBuilding #BusinessGrowth #FinancialFreedom #MoneyMindset #EntrepreneurLife #InvestSmart #TaxStrategy #PersonalFinance #BusinessPodcast #Leadership #ThinkDifferent