Going Deep With Aaron Watson

Dr. Gina Marchando is the executive director at DreamLife Recovery, a new addiction treatment program in Donegal, PA.   Gina has been treating patients for trauma, PTSD and the full spectrum of dissociative disorders for more than a decade and came back to Pittsburgh to after losing her nephew to an overdose.   In this conversation, we talk about addiction, psychotherapy, and the small steps we can all take to care for others.   Gina is particularly excited about the wide array of evidence-based treatment options that will be available at the new facility and the impact it can make on the region.   Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   Gina’s Challenge; Go out of your way to be kind to someone today.   Connect with Gina LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Website 1-833-330-LIFE If you liked this interview, check out episode 151 with Dr. Matt Keener where we discuss psychiatric health, the impact telemedicine will have on accessing health care, and the Pittsburgh ecosystem.   Underwri

Traffic sucks. Luckily, smart people are looking into making cities smarter and reducing congestion.   Rapid Flow Technologies was spun out of Carnegie Mellon University with the goal of introducing new Intelligent Transportation Systems technologies into the marketplace. Rapid Flow was created to commercialize the Surtrac adaptive traffic signal control technology developed in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon.   I spoke with CEO Griffin Schultz, who was brought in to lead business development efforts for the young startup.   Griffin has an MBA from The Wharton School at UPenn and has previously worked with successful tech startups, as the Assistant Deputy Mayor for the City of Philadelphia, and other offices in state and federal government.   Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   Griffin’s Challenge; Read about artificial intelligence.   Books Mentioned Origin by Dan Brown Life 3.0 Being Human in the Age of AI by Max Tegmark The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fa

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Norma Nieto was the President of PIVOT, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Impellia through mid-2017, and is currently working in multiple capacities for Impellia as a consultant. She currently has her own strategy and analytics consulting company, N-Squared Strategic Consulting, which helps clients harness the power of data and analytics to develop innovative strategies.   Impellia is a sports software and sensor-based technology company co-founded by former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Charlie Batch.   We discuss transitioning from a large corporation to a scrappy startup.   Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   Norma’s Challenge; Don’t be afraid of a startup. Change can bring someone great out of you.   Book Recommendation   Lead and Disrupt: How to Solve the Innovator's Dilemma by Charles A. O'Reilly III & Michael Tushman   Connect with Norma LinkedIn Twitter Website norma.b.nieto@gmail.com   If you liked this interview, check out episode 338 with Courtney Williamson where we d

Idea Foundry has invested in over 200 companies and generated $1B in direct economic impact for the region. The Pittsburgh-based, non-profit economic development organization focsues on creating living-wage, high-opportunity jobs by investing in and working alongside entrepreneurs to grow.   Previously, Mr. Matesic was Chief Executive Officer for two start-up companies and Chief Financial Officer for MetalSite, Inc., participating in the rapid growth of the company and public registration process.   We discuss investing in businesses, where Idea Foundry gets its funding, and how Mike & his team help companies grow.   Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   Mike’s Challenge; Ask yourself “What is it enough?” If you don’t know, you’ll never stop or change. Connect with Mike LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Website   If you liked this interview, check out previous episodes with Idea Foundry portfolio companies like Ian Rosenberger, Anthony Vennare, Ryan Gayman, Josie Cellone, a

Craig Markovitz co-founded Blue Belt Technologies, a spinoff from the Robotics Institute at CMU, in 2003 and thirteen years later was a key member of the deal team that led to a $275,000,000 acquisition. During his years in business, Craig has launched companies, raised capital, and managed operations in businesses spanning from pre revenue and 18 employees to multi-million in revenue and 150 employees.   Today, he is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence in the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship and an Assistant Teaching Professor of Entrepreneurship in the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University.     We discuss his experience building a team, his thoughts on fundraising, and touch on the peculiar position of deciding what to do after your company is acquired.   If you liked this interview, check out episode 303 with Luke Skurman where we discuss building a tech company in Pittsburgh, raising a Series A, and the challenges of building a team. Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to th

Startups are always a distinct journey, but the DeCicco brothers have been on a particularly wild ride.   I trekked into Manhattan to interview Kitu Life Super Coffee CEO Jim DeCicco about founding a beverage company with his brothers, getting investment from founder of WeWork, and building a distribution system.   He left a job on Wall Street in August of 2015 and has been on a hell of a ride ever since. Jim appeared on Shark Tank with his brothers in a February 2018 episode seeking a $400,000 investment in return for a 4.5 percent stake in their business.   While they left the tank without a deal, they went home with a wealth of positive feedback, advice, exposure, and lessons learned from their once-in-a-lifetime experience.   Give their coffee a taste and get inspired by their hustle.   Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   Jim’s Challenge; Work hard, be nice to people. Practice radical transparency. Say what’s on your mind.   Connect with Jim Facebook Twitter Instagram

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The Shop Local Movement is gaining steam, while our banks have gotten even more impersonal. How do things change?   George Cook believes he may have an answer.   His company, Honeycomb Credit, is building a platform for small businesses to borrow directly from their own community and loyal customer base. This creates affordable credit lines entrepreneurs and competitive returns to community members.   In this conversation, we discuss how George’s background in community banking informs his startup and the transformational impact that community lending can have on regional economies.   Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   George’s Challenge; Buy local. Find ways to support your community’s economy   Connect with George LinkedIn Instagram Twitter Website   If you liked this interview, check out episode 301 with Rich Lunak where we discuss Innovation Works, southwestern PA investing, and how Rich got into the role. Underwritten by Piper Creative A digital agency that provid

Eight years ago, 100,000s of people died in the Haitian earthquake. Many people donated money, but Ian Rosenberger was compelled to do more.   Ian co-founded Thread International, which has shipped nearly 200,000 lbs of recycled plastic out of Haiti to be processed into fabric. This has also created jobs for Haitian families and represents a forward thinking solution to issues of poverty..   Currently, the Thread Team is busy running a kickstarter campaign for a line of backpacks and other workweek essentials made with this important social mission.   We discuss traveling to Haiti, the doubts and stress that comes along with running a company, and the value of professional persistence.   Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   Ian’s Challenge; Say Yes.   Connect with Ian LinkedIn Twitter Website   If you liked this interview, check out previous interviews with Thread investor Zach Malone, fellow sustainable fashion entrepreneur Nisha Blackwell, and handbag entrepreneur Wendy

It’s estimated that 50% of the population will be working independently by 2020. If this comes to fruition, the demand for shared space will continue to rise at a fast pace in the next year. According to some estimates, there could be up to 37,000 Coworking spaces worldwide by the end of 2018.   I sat down to discuss with Zach Ciccone, Principal & Head of Growth for the Beauty Shoppe.   Beauty Shoppe is an urban coworking company centered on a culture of service excellence and the belief that creating a richer workday for the individual directly benefits the surrounding social and professional community.   They are growing into new markets beyond Pittsburgh and transforming historic buildings into vibrant and beautiful workplaces. Let me know on Twitter where you work (@AaronWatson59).   Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   Zach’s Challenge; Take a risk. Get into a new environment.   Connect with Zach Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Website   If you liked this inter

Alison Alvarez knows a lot about a lot.   In just 30 minutes, she taught me about Charleston, West Virginia, the power of geo-tracking, and how she does market research. We didn’t even get into Japanese literature.   Alison is the CEO and co-founder of BlastPoint. She has spent years building big data tools for large companies and became convinced that more affordable and accessible solutions should exist.   She has emerged as an expert consultant regarding large geospatial data systems, lecturing around the country to teach people how to use data tools for themselves, and developing a library of free interactive coding lessons.   She currently sits on the advisory board of Y-Combinator’s Valor Water If you liked this interview, check out previous tech CEO interviews like TrackMaven CEO Allen Gannett, AlphaLab Gear alum Avi Geller, and CivicMapper founder Emily Mercurio. Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   Alison’s Challenge; Try building new skills outside of your co

Ingrid Cook is SHzoom’s CEO. The company is an insurance-tech startup with a patented technology focused on automotive repairs. SHzoom was designed to revolutionize the way the industry handles minor fender benders.  Rather than driving from shop to shop or waiting hours for a single estimate from a claims adjuster, SHzoom allows the end user to point and click for multiple repair cost estimates from nearby shops! Aaron & Ingrid discuss the arduous patent process, the importance of a strong network, and the way a single moment of inspiration can change your life.   Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   Ingrid’s Challenge; Do something that you fear doing every single day.   Connect with Ingrid LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Website   If you liked this interview, check out previous interviews with folks from Ascender like Mark DeSantis, Kenny Chen, and Lynsie Campbell. Underwritten by Piper Creative A digital agency that provides strategy, delivery, and analysis specializ

Media and marketing people are all making big deals about video and audio. Not enough people are paying attention to the impact of maps.   Emily Mercurio’s is perfectly poised to help companies utilize the modern form of this old technology.   She is an expert in geology, geospatial technology, 2D/3D mapping, and remote sensing and helps her clients through her company CivicMapper.   We discuss the entrepreneurial skillset she's developed, her time in the oil & gas industry, and how powerful maps are at conveying information.   Emily’s Challenge; To develop as a leader, you must first know how to serve. Ask someone who is struggling how you can help them, and do it.   If you liked this interview, check out the previous episode we recorded with drone company entrepreneur Brendan Carroll who is helping farmers improve their crop yields, increase efficiency, and monitor their fields.   Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   Connect with Emily CivicMapper’s Twitter Emily's Twi

Adhithi Aji is applying her strong technical skills to deliver consumer insights & data to the CPG world. Her company Adrich is a Pittsburgh-based company that connects brands and retailers through product usage data and analytics.   In this conversation, we discuss iterating on digital products, the fundraising environment in Pittsburgh, and how Adhithi’s product scales.   Every aspiring tech entrepreneur should listen to this conversation and take note of how precise Adhithi is in her thinking and strategy.   Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   Adhithi’s Challenge; Find a way to help an entrepreneur.   Connect with Adhithi LinkedIn Website   Underwritten by Piper Creative A digital agency that provides strategy, delivery, and analysis specializing in a few key service offerings. Documentary-as-a-Service (Vlogging 2.0) Instagram Content Production & Account Building Podcast Production, Strategy Consulting, and Guest Acquisition   If you aren’t creating or curating

Lou Camerlengo founded fivestar*, a custom technology design, development, and consulting firm, in 1997.  Lou leads fivestar*’s business development and client retention efforts, driving company performance while maintaining a deep involvement in higher education, workforce, and nonprofit projects.   In this podcast, we discuss starting the business, building a cohesive team, and how Lou has been forced to evolve over the life of the company.   fivestar* has been twice ranked as an INC 5000 company, been named a Top 100 Best Workplaces in Pennsylvania, was twice named as a Best Places to Work in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and has appeared on the Pittsburgh Business Times Top 100 list four times.   Through their fivestar* Cares program, fivestar* provides volunteer time, project, and financial support to charitable organizations selected by an employee committee. Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   Lou’s Challenge; Go do some form of volunteer work.   Mentioned Built to La

I went to the offices of Deeplocal, an innovation studio that boasts clients like Nike, Netflix, Spotify, Lyft, and Google, to interview Director of Business Development Josh Corcoran.   Josh Corcoran is the creator of Spare Change, a video series that connects communities and causes with music by inviting bands to busk for their favorite charities. The project began in February of 2017 when Josh & a friend were performing their music on the streets.   They soon found themselves with a guitar case full of with money, and a gentleman approached them asking for spare change. They proceeded to give him everything they had earned that night. Since that day, Josh, along with Taylor Mantick, Jared Stillman, and Allan Durand, have been documenting the journey of performing music to help those in need.   Last year, Spare Change received nearly 400,000 views and raised thousands of dollars for causes like JDRF, Acres Project, and Best of the Batch Foundation. Today, they drop their newest episode.   Watch the Vide

Chris Edwards and his siblings grew up in a chocolate factory and he is the CEO for Edward Marc Brands, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.   Upon taking the reins, Chris and his siblings transformed the 104-year-old company from regional prominence into a respected national corporation. Edward Marc Brands consists of Edward Marc Chocolatier, The Milk Shake Factory, and Snappers Crafted Snacks.   Prior to working at Edward Marc Brands, Chris worked for the United States government in the Office of the Chief of Protocol at the U.S. Department of State and at the White House in the Executive Office of the President. He served as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Press Advance. In this role, he managed public events for the President both domestically and internationally.   Don’t miss this conversation about leadership, developing new chocolate products, and the company’s transformational meeting with Costco.   Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   Chris’s Challe

Ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft aren’t ideal for long distances. They cost too much.   However, trains and airlines aren’t always practical.   Bharath Krishnamoorthy believes his company, Axle Travel, is the solution. Axle is a ride-hailing service for long-distances that's focused on providing fast and affordable transportation to the airport.   In this conversation, Aaron and B discuss the inspiration behind the company, the strategy behind launching in a new city, and why the team came to Pittsburgh.   Before he started this company, Bharath was practicing Mergers and Acquisitions at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, a global top-10 law firm.   Claim your $5 credit at axletravel.com/goingdeep   Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   Bharath’s Challenge; Bet on yourself.   Mentioned Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain by David Eagleman   Connect with Bharath Instagram Linkedin Twitter   Connect with Axle Facebook Instagram Twitter   Underwritten by Piper Creative A

The Restaurant Industry was due for a new idea, and that’s exactly what Tyler Benson and Benjamin Mantica delivered when they co-founded Smallman Galley.   Their food hall restaurant accelerator is the first of its kind in the United States. The space incubates four restaurant concepts at a time and drastically lowers the startup costs of a new culinary venture.   Tyler and Ben are Navy Veterans who were inspired by world travels to bring innovative food and beverage concepts to the United States. They started in Pittsburgh and are laying plans to expand across the country.   In this conversation, Tyler & Aaron discuss the origin of the company, who gets free meals at a restaurant, and how time spent at one of the Galleys sets a restaurant up for success.   Resources Mentioned Provision Pgh Iron Born Pizza Never miss one of our best episodes by subscribing to the newsletter.   Tyler’s Challenge; Go somewhere you haven't been before and experience a fresh perspective or culture.   Connect with Tyler Facebo