From Chobani to Pop-Up Grocer: How Emily Schildt Built a New Kind of Grocery Store

How Franco Noriega Built 15-sq-ft Fellini Coffee Into One of NYC’s Most Viral Brands

Franco Noriega is the founder of Fellini Coffee, one of New York City’s most popular coffee brands, with more than six locations opened in under three years. Before launching Fellini, Franco had an unconventional career path that included competing as a professional swimmer, qualifying for the Olympics, modeling for brands like Dolce & Gabbana, studying acting in New York and opening restaurants across the city. After years in the restaurant industry building Baby Brasa, Franco discovered an overlooked corner space that had been used as a trash room for decades. That tiny 15 square foot space eventually became the first Fellini Coffee location in the West Village. What started as a small luxury coffee window quickly turned into one of the city’s most recognizable and fastest-growing coffee brands. Today, Fellini has expanded across Manhattan with locations in Soho, Chelsea, Meatpacking, the Upper West Side and Upper East Side with even more growth planned. In this episode, we talk about:  • Qualifying for the Olympics as a teenager  • Going from professional swimming to modeling and acting  • Becoming the face of Dolce & Gabbana with no modeling experience  • Opening Baby Brasa and nearly going bankrupt  • How the pandemic unexpectedly transformed the business  • Turning a former trash room into the first Fellini Coffee  • Building a luxury coffee brand in one of the most competitive markets in the world  • Scaling Fellini to multiple NYC locations without investors  • Using AI to streamline operations and growth Resources & Links Franco Noriega Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/franconorhal/ Fellini Coffee Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fellinicoffee/ Made possible by Signs and Mirrors [https://signsandmirrors.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=footer&utm_campaign=episode], the leading sign, fixture, and furniture shop for events and retail stores. Opening Soon Links & Resources → Signs and furniture for events and retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com [https://signsandmirrors.com/] → NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio [https://fotolab.studio/] → Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/openingsoonpodcast] → More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com [https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com/] → Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/]

Building a $10M Brewery starting in high school: The 30 Year Journey of Ska Brewing

Dave Thibodeau is the founder of Ska Brewing, one of the early pioneers of the American craft beer movement.  He started brewing beer in high school after discovering his dad’s old homebrewing logbook, which eventually led to launching Ska Brewing in the mid-90s. Over the next 30 years, Dave and his partners grew the company from a small warehouse operation into a regional craft brewery producing tens of thousands of barrels annually and generating millions in revenue. Along the way, they built their own manufacturing facility, launched a distribution company, opened a taproom and restaurant and experimented with new concepts.  Including a brewstillery that famously opened and shut down the same day COVID hit. Today, after decades of building the business, Dave has sold Ska Brewing and continues to help lead the company through its next chapter. In this episode, we talk about:  • Starting a brewery from a homebrewing hobby  • Scaling from 78 barrels to 30,000 barrels per year  • The realities of distribution and shrinking margins  • Opening a brewstillery and shutting down in 71 minutes  • How COVID impacted the craft beer and hospitality industry  • Managing multiple revenue streams in one business  • Why Dave decided to sell after 30 years Dave also shares the lessons he’s learned building a company over three decades, the biggest mistakes he made with contracts and scaling and why running a brewery is far more complex than most people think. Resources & Links Dave Thibodeau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skabrewdave/ [https://www.instagram.com/skabrewdave/] Dave Thibodeau: Dave@skabrewing.com/ [https://www.instagram.com/threecities.social/] Made possible by Signs and Mirrors [https://signsandmirrors.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=footer&utm_campaign=episode], the leading sign, fixture, and furniture shop for events and retail stores. Opening Soon Links & Resources → Signs and furniture for events and retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com [https://signsandmirrors.com/] → NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio [https://fotolab.studio/] → Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/openingsoonpodcast] → More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com [https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com/] → Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/]

Building a $1 million Social Club with Draymond Washington (Three Cities Social Club)

Draymond Washington is the founder of Three Cities Social Club, a Chicago-based membership club designed to help adults make real friends and build a meaningful community. Before launching the business, Draymond played professional soccer and later worked as a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch. After moving to Chicago without knowing anyone, he struggled to find connection through traditional social clubs and networking events. He started hosting small gatherings, book clubs and game nights to bring people together. Draymond hosted more than 90 events in a single year while still working full time, slowly building a community that proved people were hungry for genuine connection. Today, Three Cities Social Club has hundreds of members, multiple locations in Chicago and dozens of monthly events designed to help people meet and build lasting relationships. In this episode, we talk about: * Why it’s harder than ever for adults to make friends * Hosting 90+ events while working a full-time job * Turning community building into a profitable business * Opening physical locations for the business * Why social clubs are becoming a major trend in modern cities * The future of businesses focused on building community Draymond also shares the lessons he’s learned building a company from scratch, the challenges of running a membership-based business and why real-world community may be one of the most valuable things people have today. Resources & Links Three Cities Social Club Website: https://www.threecitiessocial.com/ [https://www.threecitiessocial.com/] Three Cities Social Club Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/threecities.social/ [https://www.instagram.com/threecities.social/] Made possible by Signs and Mirrors [https://signsandmirrors.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=footer&utm_campaign=episode], the leading sign, fixture, and furniture shop for events and retail stores. Opening Soon Links & Resources → Signs and furniture for events and retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com [https://signsandmirrors.com/] → NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio [https://fotolab.studio/] → Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/openingsoonpodcast] → More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com [https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com/] → Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/]

Building Ziggy’s Roman Cafe: A Family-Friendly Restaurant Born From Parenting Reality

Helen Zhang is the co-founder of Ziggy’s Roman Cafe, a new restaurant in Dumbo, Brooklyn designed to solve a problem many parents have.  How do you go out to eat with kids and still enjoy a great meal? Before opening Ziggy’s, Helen spent more than 15 years in hospitality PR and brand marketing. She also worked at Tend, helping the company scale from just a few locations to dozens across the East Coast. But after becoming a parent, Helen and her husband, co-founder of the iconic cocktail bar Employees Only, realized something was missing in the restaurant.  A restaurant that combined serious food, great drinks and a  family-friendly environment. Ziggy’s Roman Cafe was created out of that idea.  A neighborhood restaurant serving Roman-inspired pizzas and pastas with craft cocktails, community events and even a small play space upstairs so parents can enjoy dinner while kids stay entertained. In this episode, Helen shares the story behind launching Ziggy’s and what it’s really like opening a restaurant in New York City. In this episode, we talk about: * Leaving a 15-year career in PR and marketing to start a restaurant * Building a restaurant inspired by parenthood * Why community building was the core of Ziggy’s marketing strategy * Hosting local events and pop-ups before the restaurant even opened * Using storefront signage, social media and email lists to build buzz * The unexpected challenges of opening a restaurant  * Why starting with a simple menu helped the team operate more efficiently * Working with your spouse as a co-founder * Balancing entrepreneurship, family life and risk If you’re looking to open a restaurant, especially with a concept not yet around, this episode has an honest look at what it takes. Resources & Links Ziggy’s Roman Cafe Website: https://www.ziggysromancafe.com/ [https://www.ziggysromancafe.com/] Ziggy’s Roman Cafe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ziggysromancafe/ [https://www.instagram.com/ziggysromancafe/] Helen Zhang LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenzhangnyc [https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenzhangnyc] Made possible by Signs and Mirrors [https://signsandmirrors.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=footer&utm_campaign=episode], the leading sign, fixture, and furniture shop for events and retail stores. Opening Soon Links & Resources → Signs and furniture for events and retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com [https://signsandmirrors.com/] → NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio [https://fotolab.studio/] → Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/openingsoonpodcast] → More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com [https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com/] → Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/]

From Garage Pop-Up to $16M Grocery Store: The Riverwards Produce Story with Vincent Finazzo

Vincent Finazzo is the founder of Riverwards Produce, a neighborhood grocery market in Philadelphia that started in a 20x20 garage and has grown into a multi-location business doing nearly $16 million in annual sales. Vincent studied art in Chicago, moved to Philly to work in museums and took a job at Whole Foods as a janitor just to pay the bills.  Fifteen years later, after working his way up to produce buyer, brokering truckloads of produce across the country and waking up at 3am to deliver vegetables out of a Honda Civic, he turned a pop-up market into one of the most respected independent grocery brands in the country. In this episode, Vincent breaks down the real economics of grocery, why he refuses to offer delivery, and how constant reinvestment fueled Riverwards’ growth. We talk about: * Starting a retail business with $500 and no investors * How 200 pumpkins sparked growth * Going from $35K in sales to millions in annual revenue * The reality of 3-4% profit margins in grocery * Negotiating a below-market lease that made the first store possible * Designing a store people want to spend time in * The logistics of managing 4,000+ SKUs * How social media became his only marketing channel * Why he believes physical retail if done right is the future Vincent also shares lessons on starting before you’re ready, persistence, discipline and staying true to your core motivations. Resources & Links Riverwards Produce Website: https://www.riverwardsproduce.com/ [https://www.riverwardsproduce.com/] Riverwards Produce Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverwardsproduce/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/riverwardsproduce/?hl=en] Vincent Finazzo: https://www.instagram.com/vincentfinazzo/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/vincentfinazzo/?hl=en] Made possible by Signs and Mirrors [https://signsandmirrors.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=footer&utm_campaign=episode], the leading sign, fixture, and furniture shop for events and retail stores. Opening Soon Links & Resources → Signs and furniture for events and retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com [https://signsandmirrors.com/] → NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio [https://fotolab.studio/] → Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast [https://www.instagram.com/openingsoonpodcast] → More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com [https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com/] → Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/]