In a way, Jeff Krakoff is an accidental entrepreneur. Early in his career, the firm he was working for fell on hard times, and he wasn’t sure what his next move would be. Then came a call with an opportunity that required him to start his own business. Thirty years and a few detours later, the rest is history. His son joined the firm a few years ago, and together they are building the next generation of Krakoff Communications.

Toni Shelaske, a self-described serial entrepreneur, purchased Healthy Pet Products in 2008. She leveraged her background in retail management to grow the business from one small storefront to four expanded locations, including one in Florida. In this episode, we cover how she got started, why pets mean so much to her, and what her future plans are for the business.

Season 12 is here! I have a great lineup of “in studio” interviews coming your way. Get ready for some inspiring stories and engaging conversations with Pittsburgh’s small business community.

Come with me as we check out Sunset Place Studio and learn more about what it’s like to work in the music industry.

It was a real pleasure to get a personal tour of Claire Landuyt’s production studio for Chez Lapin. A space like this is generally not open to the public, so I am happy to be able to share this experience with all of you for this episode.

Chi Ilochi has certainly made an impact in Pittsburgh’s budding fashion industry. Her business, Styling By Chi, aims to include a wide range of people, especially those marginalized by the traditional mainstream corporations. She has been featured in many national publications for her work, and her non-profit projects have also caught the attention of the local media. In this episode, Chi shares how she overcame the internal challenges she faced to get where she is today.

Dean Privett is a passionate and perseverant entrepreneur. Although it took 10 years and many twists and turns in his career, he eventually formed a business partnership that allowed him to open his first indoor climbing gym in 2020. Dean is a veteran in the industry, and he talks about the many jobs he held that put him in position to successfully run gyms in multiple locations. As a co-owner of Moments Climbing USA, he and his team are planning to expand nationally from their Pittsburgh headquarters.

Dr. Nikhil Asher is an entrepreneur as well as a physician and medical director. While pursuing his Executive MBA at the University of Pittsburgh, his primary project was the development of a business plan for an integrated health and wellness center. In 2022, Dr. Asher’s dream became a reality when he launched Aspirational Health, a unique facility that incorporates lifestyle, behavioral, and medical care all under one roof.

This episode takes me to the Kimpton Hotel Monaco in downtown Pittsburgh. I take a tour of some of the event rooms and meeting spaces with Jill Garcia, owner of The Hutton Group. This boutique hotel is just one example of the many venues that Jill utilizes in her event planning company. Her business takes her all around the region, the country, and abroad, as she creates inspired meetings and events for her numerous corporate clients.

I’m happy to introduce you to the first “behind-the-scenes” episode this season. If you’re interested in how products are made and what goes into running a business, then this season is definitely for you. In this episode, I take a tour of Bombash and Earley, a small-batch, botanical skin care company located in McMurray, PA. Danielle Bombash, a co-owner of the business, showed me around as we discussed their production process and product lineup. We also talked about how she and her husband, Tim, started the business and why building a family operation means so much to them.