St Pete Soul

A good sandwich shop is an essential in any great town, right? Well, St Pete has a gem in Lonni's Sandwiches, located right in the heart of Downtown St Pete! I've been eating there for quite a good bit (because they have gluten-free bread, yay!) and I've gotten to know the new owner, Phillip Ingram, the past couple years with both of our involvement in the St Pete Chamber. Phillip is passionate about good food, good community and giving back to those around him, and all that is evident in our conversation together. In this episode, you'll hear how he came to take over one of St Pete's beloved staples and how he's striving to keep that same spirit alive, while rejuvenating the small business community here in St Pete. If you haven't stopped in before or lately, be sure to go see what Lonni's is serving up! 

Lonni's Sandwiches

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In today's episode, I'm sitting down with one of my favorite people, Nicole Choate of Nicole Lynn Interiors. Nicole started her interior design business as a side hustle a couple years ago and then in 2022 she decided to take a leap of faith and leave the corporate world behind to pursue her true passion full-time. That move has definitely paid off! Not only does Nicole have a great eye for beautiful aesthetics, but she's equally skilled with the budget side of things. She prides herself on being able to watch her client's budget carefully and navigate through challenges to make sure you aren't sacrificing on quality and finding creative solutions where needed. She also has a great process for new construction and loves taking a project from the ground up, literally! In this episode, we'll peel back the curtain so you can see Nicole's mindset on business and taking those necessary steps to build her business and be financially sound all at the same time. Now she's making her design dreams a reality. 

To learn more about Nicole Lynn Interiors, visit her website:

Follow on Instagram @nicolelynninteriors

Read the full episode transcript here.

I'm excited to introduce you to the owners of Sol Bistro, Debbie & Ron O'Neil! You'd be hard-pressed to find a more passionate pair of restauranteurs in St Pete. Debbie started her health-focused food journey many years ago when she discovered her own food allergies and sensitivities that were wrecking havoc on her health. With a background as a private chef, nutritionist and health coach, it was a natural next step to open her own restaurant alongside her husband Ron. They lovingly refer to Sol as a Conscious Culinary Experience and a part of the "slow food movement." They pride themselves on using locally sourced, organic foods, all while cultivating a luxurious, yet cozy dining experience for patrons. Their entire kitchen is allergen free, catering to special diets like gluten free, vegan and much more! But even if you don't have to worry about allergens, it wouldn't matter because the food is that good!! Everything is scratch-made, thoughtful and absolutely delicious. Be sure to make your reservation today! 

Sol - A St Pete Bistro

Open Wednesdays - Saturdays

Read the full episode transcript here.

Bonus episode alert!! I've known Bill for almost as long as I've lived in St Pete Florida and I have always credited him with helping me take my first step to launching this beloved podcast of mine, St Pete Soul. Bill started his award winning podcast, The Real Estate Sessions, back in 2015 and he has had so many amazing guests on there. So when he asked me to be a guest on his podcast in June of this year, I was so honored and very excited! It was finally my turn in the hot seat! Hope you enjoy getting to learn a bit more about yours truly :) Thanks for listening! 

Who doesn't love a good rooftop bar? Well that was Gabrielle's thought when she created her lifestyle blog, Rooftop Collective. She quickly discovered St Pete is full of wonderful fun things to do and her blog and social media following has grown to cover so many other amazing things our Sunshine City has to offer! I have to say, I feel like Gabrielle and I are kindred spirits with our love for St Pete :) In our sit down together, you hear why she chose to move here from Sarasota with her husband and how she's helped make other new 'Burgers feel just as welcome! She's embraced the importance of showing up as your true self on social media and being comfortable with who you are, which I think we can all learn from. St Pete has so many cool new spots I'm sure she'll have fun things to share for a long time to come. Be sure to follow her on her journey of discovery! 

Rooftop Collective

Read the full episode transcript here.

It's Island Time! Well, BLU Luxe Island time to be specific! This soapery curates handcrafted, locally sourced, natural and delightfully scented bath and body products inside their shop along the coveted 600 block of Central Ave in Downtown St Pete. What we put in and on our bodies matters and with owners Desiree & Margaret at the helm, you're getting a product that is not only good for your skin but also looks and feels luxurious. They believe we all should take time out of our busy schedules to treat ourselves! 

When they started this business a year ago, they may not have been intending to become leaders in the community but with a recent rebranding and name change, they took that a step further. In this podcast, Desiree explains that the word "BLU" is an acronym that stands for "Brown Like Us." They strive to use their platform and success in business to encourage others that look like them to also build businesses and they hope to provide resources for them too. They are building a legacy of entrepreneurship and financial freedom within the community one sale at a time!

A cozy coffee shop in the Warehouse Arts District! Well, The Chelsea is so much more than that! It's a place to find community. A meeting spot. A place to read, write, be creative, co-work or just hang out with friends and family. If you've lived in St Pete for a while, you've seen how much the Warehouse Arts District has grown with local breweries and distilleries, alongside our art studios. When The Chelsea opened up a year ago, it was the perfect addition to the area. Teresa has such a kind heart and you can feel the love she has for her local community in every cup of coffee she makes. On top of the cozy atmosphere, there is shopping as well with fun gift items, journals, jewelry and all kinds of fun things to buy. She has also introduced a happy hour with wine and beer in the evenings, which provides a fabulous spot to go grab a drink before your night out on the town. She's also doing movie nights and other special events in the space. If you haven't stopped by, be sure to plan your next breakfast meeting, work day or happy hour at The Chelsea! 

The Chelsea St Pete

Follow them on Instagram @thechelseastpete

I scream, you scream, we all scream for....Ok, ok, you know the saying. But seriously, who isn't screaming for ice cream all the time?! Well, if you weren't before, you will be after listening to my St Pete Soul Podcast interview with the owners of Churned Ice Cream, Alyssa & Ray. It won't be a surprise to hear that when they ventured down to St Pete after their many travels, including living abroad, they fell in love with the Sunshine City and decided to start their handmade ice cream business right here for us to enjoy. Once you hear how intensive the process is to make just one batch of ice cream, you will be able to taste the passion they put into each pint. They process their ice cream in a unique way with a Swiss machine called Pacojet. This is where they coined the name "Churned Ice Cream" from to showcase this non-traditional and completely handmade process of churning their ice cream. Now go indulge yourself! 

In our second episode of 2022, I sit down with Gina DeFord, founder of Babe Crafted. Gina comes from a background of marketing and events and took her expertise to create a space where women entrepreneurs can connect, learn and be a resource to each other! In the membership, you get access to tons of in person and virtual events where you can hone your entrepreneurial skills and making lasting friendships and partnerships with other women owned businesses in the area (and the world!). Being a member of Babe Crafted myself, I can attest to the value I've gotten out of the group and I can assure you there is no shortage of passion from the founder, Gina. She truly is a "cheerleader" in your corner!

To learn about Gina and Babe Crafted, visit the website:

Welcome to Season 3 of the podcast! This first episode of the new year is a special one for me! I have both founders of Love St Pete on the mic to get an update on how their business has grown the past 2 years! One of the founders, Elizabeth, was my very first podcast episode in 2020! So it's a full circle moment! We learn all the ups and downs of starting a business and navigating the changes that came along the way, all while honing their craft. It's so exciting to hear about the brand awareness they now have in the community and their dreams for future. We all love St Pete, right? Well, if you want to fall in love a little more, go take a listen and I can promise that you'll fall in love with Elizabeth and Cillian too :)

Love St Pete

Shop online at their Esty store linked on the website or find them at lots of local markets, including Localtopia on Saturday 2/12!