Founders Story
38 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 6 ratingsEvery successful business starts out with an idea and a dream. In the Founders Story Podcast, you’ll learn from local entrepreneurs as they discuss their journey from their first inspiration to their first employee and the steps they took to get there. Listen to the Founders Story to hear how these entrepreneurs gained the success they enjoy today.
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Episodes
Woo Juice: Isaiah Tatum and Noel Stemn
April 06, 2023 13:00 - 40 minutes - 27.9 MBIsaiah Tatum and Noel Stemn started their business in Tatum’s basement, with the two longtime friends juicing fruits and vegetables and coming up with new recipes for fresh, healthy and delicious juices and smoothies. Now, the pair has its own store, Woo Juice, which is located in the Midtown Mall in downtown Worcester. Tatum and Stemn met in middle school at the Nativity School of Worcester and have been friends ever since. They always knew they wanted to start a business together, but we...
DOUGHNUT SHOP: Rocco's Doughnut Company
April 15, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 41.8 MBToday we are joined by Joe Astrella and Vinny Astrella founders of Rocco's Doughnut Company. The Astrella family has always been involved with doughnuts in one way or another, whether it was with Joe's father, Rocco, being an original Dunkin franchise owner, or other family members owning doughnut shops throughout Massachusetts. Since the beginning, Joe has involved his children, Vinny, Dominic, and Kerri and now they are the future of Rocco’s. The rich family history is what inspires them t...
HOSPITALITY EMPLOYEMENT AGENCY: SNAPchef
February 15, 2022 22:00 - 36 minutes - 25.1 MBToday we are joined by Todd Snopkowski Co-Founder and CEO of SNAPchef. SNAPchef is New England’s premier on-demand hospitality training and staffing solution, connecting job seekers to job opportunities. Founded by chef Todd Snopkowski and his wife Daniela. The idea for SNAPchef is a culmination of years of experience and recognizing the gap in the availability of qualified, supplementary staff. It is because of their passion to fill this need within the industry that SNAPchef was born and h...
INSURTECH COMPANY: Combined Ratio Solutions
February 15, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 43.2 MBToday we are joined by Michael Jones, CEO and Luke Magnan, COO from Combined Ratio Solutions. They specialize in insurance technology software that allows insurance companies to better leverage their relationships with agents to increase profitability. They meet during a business trip, started a company, and had venture capital funding pulled out from under them right before they were expecting to launch; but then went on to build a business of over 100+ employees in four short years! Have...
FINANCIAL ADVISORS: The Patriot Financial Group
January 03, 2022 21:00 - 33 minutes - 22.9 MBToday we are joined by David O'Donnell, Chairman and Founder of The Patriot Financial Group. David was in the financial business for 20 years before he had the vision of what The Patriot Financial Group would become. Over the past 18 years, David has grown Patriot Financial Group to 89 representatives across 9 states and is one of the largest financial groups in the area. His vision of building teams of different expertise and independence was the innovative he saw for the financial service ...
BREWERY: Seven Saws Brewing Company
December 21, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 44.5 MBDrink Well, Do Good! Today we are joined by Troy Milliken, one of the founders of Seven Saws Brewing Company. The idea for starting the brewery happened when the founders of Seven Saws Brewing Company were talking around a fire pit about how their community needed a place to hang out. A place where people would actively engage with one another all while drinking a refreshing locally brewed beer. That is when Troy Milliken, Tom Anderson, Thomas Mulroy, Paul Mulroy, and soon after Greg Cedr...
PERSONAL TRAINING STUDIO: True North Personal Training
October 25, 2021 21:00 - 38 minutes - 26.4 MBToday we are joined by Tory Gisleson, Owner of True North Personal Training. They are formerly known as True North Performance Training. Tory started his career as an infantry Marine, after he finished his service in the Marines he worked security. While working in security he got his personal trainer certificate and started working with Mike Covino. This is what leads Mike and Tory to partner together to open True North Performance Training and eventually create a performance race team know...
TOOL MANUFACTURER: Angel-GUARD Products Inc.
September 28, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 43.2 MBToday we are joined by Casey Cormier, President of Angel-GUARD Products and US Tool and Fastener. Casey talks about growing up with Angel-GUARD and doing a little bit of everything within the company. He discusses why they originally started working with the Center of Hope as a way to give back to the community and trying to figure out ways to keep their workers employed year-round. Casey also shares how they went through the purchasing process of US Tool and Fastener and how important it wa...
RESTAURATEURS: Rail Trail Flatbread Co.
September 10, 2021 21:00 - 1 hour - 50.9 MBToday we are joined by Karim El-Gamal and Michael Kasseris founders of The Rail Trail Flatbread Co., New City Microcreamery, and Less Than Greater Than all of which are located in downtown Hudson, MA. Karim and Michael have always been in and around the restaurant business growing up, and when they met at Babson College getting their MBA's they hit it off. They were bouncing around different ideas before finally landing on the idea of opening a pizza restaurant, and the rest is history. ...
ROOFING CONTRACTOR: Golden Group Roofing
June 17, 2021 13:00 - 46 minutes - 32.3 MBHave you ever been put in a situation where you had to change all of your life's goals in an instant? Greta found herself in such a situation near the end of high school when she became pregnant, though this isn't where Greta's story ends. She hustled and worked hard to get her college degree and reimagined a new dream that would work with her new situation in life. She battled against the adversity of not only being a woman in a man dominated field but also being an immigrant that had to te...
BREWERY: Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company
June 01, 2021 16:00 - 36 minutes - 25.1 MBPaul Wengender got into the brewery business a little bit differently than the average brewer, but when you listen to him describe his founder's story his journey begins to make a lot of sense. From starting a Bio-Tech company to starting a brewery with a great culture, Paul has the experience and an accompanying story for almost everything. Did you know that their beer Pulp Daddy, Pulp is actually an acronym? Tell us what you think it is! Shoutout to our friends Mike Covino and Tory Gi...
BARBECUE RESTAURANT: B.T.'s Smokehouse
May 25, 2021 17:00 - 50 minutes - 34.5 MBAfter being trained in fine dining and working in the industry, Brian Treitman decided that he wanted to start a side hustle selling BBQ at the Brimfield Antique Show out of a handbuilt trailer, with no experience cooking brisket. Brian now has three locations for you to enjoy B.T.'s Smokehouse, from Sturbridge to Polar Park in Worcester. Please join us as Brian walks us through his founder's story and the struggles he's had to overcome throughout the years to get B.T.'s Smokehouse to where ...
EMPLOYMENT AGENCY: The Davis Companies
May 18, 2021 18:00 - 51 minutes - 35.4 MBWe talk to Bob Davis from The Davis Companies here in Marlborough, MA about how he founded his company, from leaving high school in the 10th grade to pursue a logistics career and getting into employment services early on when he saw an opportunity at a young age. Bob even shares a couple of his thoughts on Mickey Mouse. One thing you need to know about The Davis Companies is the excellent company culture they have, listen to find out what Bob's three pillars are for his company. Connect w...
MARKETING AGENCY: Vision Advertising
May 04, 2021 12:00 - 39 minutes - 27.2 MBJulia Becker Collins is our guest this week and she brings ALL of her high energy to the interview. Julia shares her history in school and her career path. If you find yourself struggling with school, you don't like school, or you're in a position where you haven't found your career yet, this episode is for you! Also, Julia recommends that you watch the movie "Office Space" before starting your own business. Connect with Julia Becker Collins and Vision Advertising https://www.linkedin.com/i...
BREWERY: Wormtown Brewery
April 27, 2021 21:00 - 1 hour - 44.5 MBJoin us as David tells the wild founding story of Wormtown Brewery when it was just Ben Roesch and Tom Oliveri and their humble beginnings at Peppercorns to one of the top Breweries in New England. Connect with David Fields and Wormtown Brewery: http://wormtownbrewery.com/ https://wormtownbrewery.myshopify.com/ https://www.facebook.com/wormtownbrewery/ https://www.instagram.com/wormtownbrewery/ Support The Show If you enjoy listening, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us ...
WEBSITE DESIGNER: Ladybugz Interactive Agency
April 20, 2021 15:00 - 26 minutes - 18 MBLysa Miller is the founder of Ladybugz Interactive Agency, located in Southboro, MA. She started doing web design the traditional way by working for a company and soon started to moonlight on the side, all while being a young mom of four kids. Lysa has had to evolve her business many times over the years and has had to build up resilience along the way. Join us as we listen to Lysa's founder's story. Her future is so bright she has to wear shades! Connect with Lysa and Ladybugz: https://ww...
THEATRE: The Hanover Theatre
April 13, 2021 10:00 - 25 minutes - 17.8 MBTroy Siebels has been the president and CEO of The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts for over 17 years! He was tasked with raising money to renovate the theatre to bring it back to its former glory. Troy originally started to raise money based on what the arts do for the community. He soon found out that the local community didn't care about that as much as they cared about increasing the value in downtown Worcester. Troy was the first and only employee for the first t...
GRANITE SUPPLIER: Discover Marble & Granite
March 30, 2021 04:00 - 38 minutes - 26.8 MBVictor DeOliveira is the founder of Discover Marble and Granite in Millbury, Massachusetts. He started out with a passion for flying and became a commercial pilot but after the events of 9/11, he lost his job, but rather than sitting idly by waiting for something he created his own fortune and founded his company. Victor saw an opportunity in the market to be a B2B wholesaler for granite and focused on that market exclusively. Victor took what he learned as a pilot and applied it to the busi...
PERSONAL BRANDING: AiVi Nguyen
March 29, 2021 00:00 - 45 minutes - 31.2 MBAiVi Nguyen is an incredibly inspirational woman and has accomplished a lot in her life by being herself and standing out from the crowd. AiVi talks about the importance of knowing who you are, knowing what you want to accomplish, and how to merge the two into something that you really enjoy doing to find joy in your life. A piece of advice Aivi had gotten that has always helped her was "Do not join a board unless you plan on chairing." We also talk about how delicious Glazy Susan doughnuts ...
NONPROFIT: Why Me & Sherry's House
March 02, 2021 18:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MBIn this episode, we talk to David Hagan the Executive Director of Why Me & Sherry's House. David talks about the origins of Why Me and its grassroots efforts to help children and their families to what it is today. Rick also has a surprise announcement at the end in support of Why Me and its mission, so listen to the end and keep an ear open for future details and announcements. Why Me is a Worcester Based non-profit organization created to help Central New England families cope with child...
Nonprofit: Why Me & Sherry's House
March 02, 2021 18:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MBIn this episode, we talk to David Hagan the Executive Director of Why Me & Sherry's House. David talks about the origins of Why Me and its grassroots efforts to help children and their families to what it is today. Rick also has a surprise announcement at the end in support of Why Me and its mission, so listen to the end and keep an ear open for future details and announcements. Why Me is a Worcester Based non-profit organization created to help Central New England families cope with child...
Museum: Worcester Historical Museum
February 23, 2021 17:00 - 22 minutes - 15.7 MBToday Rick talks to William Wallace, the Executive Director of the Worcester Historical Museum. They dive into the history of Worcester and the businesses and founders who helped build Worcester to what it is today. Worcester has a rich industrial history that is known for retooling its focus to whatever the needs of the people were. Worcester Historical Museum (WHM) is the only institution devoted to local history. It includes a research library of over 7,000 titles, an archive that house...
MUSEUM: Worcester Historical Museum
February 23, 2021 17:00 - 22 minutes - 15.7 MBToday Rick talks to William Wallace, the Executive Director of the Worcester Historical Museum. They dive into the history of Worcester and the businesses and founders who helped build Worcester to what it is today. Worcester has a rich industrial history that is known for retooling its focus to whatever the needs of the people were. Worcester Historical Museum (WHM) is the only institution devoted to local history. It includes a research library of over 7,000 titles, an archive that house...
VIDEO GAME DEVELOPMENT: Petricore Games
February 16, 2021 17:00 - 28 minutes - 19.7 MBDoes getting a game featured in Apple's App Store mean it will be an automatic success and make money? Ryan describes what it's like starting his game development studio while in college and getting their first game featured in Apple's App Store. Ryan also discusses how they have found creative ways to build revenue that keeps them independent. Petricore, Inc. is an interactive software development company located in Worcester, MA that specializes in full-service game development. Founded i...
Video Game Development: Petricore Games
February 16, 2021 17:00 - 28 minutes - 19.7 MBDoes getting a game featured in Apple's App Store mean it will be an automatic success and make money? Ryan describes what it's like starting his game development studio while in college and getting their first game featured in Apple's App Store. Ryan also discusses how they have found creative ways to build revenue that keeps them independent. Petricore, Inc. is an interactive software development company located in Worcester, MA that specializes in full-service game development. Founded i...
BAKERY: The Queen's Cups
February 09, 2021 17:00 - 41 minutes - 28.5 MBRenee Diaz is the owner and founder of The Queen’s Cups and Diazsta Designs. We talk to Renee about borrowing money from an ex-boyfriend, becoming obsessed with baking and practicing until she was great at it, and about sacrificing and working hard now to have the life that she has always dreamed of. Renee talks about the huge year she had in 2019 in both her business life and her personal life. After graduating from Worcester State, Renee’s interest in baking grew and she began learning h...
CHIROPRACTIC: Percuoco Chiropractic Neurology Center
January 07, 2021 14:00 - 29 minutes - 20.3 MBDr. Peter Percuoco graduated from Hudson High School in 1983 and studied at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and Framingham State University. He received his Doctoral Degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1989. In 1990, he opened Percuoco Chiropractic Office. After a few brief years, he became passionate about the study of Neurology. He studied post graduate clinical neurology for 6 years before taking the Neurology Boards. He received his professional degree in Neurology i...
Chiropractic - Percuoco Chiropractic Neurology Center
January 07, 2021 14:00 - 29 minutes - 20.3 MBDr. Peter Percuoco graduated from Hudson High School in 1983 and studied at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and Framingham State University. He received his Doctoral Degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1989. In 1990, he opened Percuoco Chiropractic Office. After a few brief years, he became passionate about the study of Neurology. He studied post graduate clinical neurology for 6 years before taking the Neurology Boards. He received his professional degree in Neurology i...
NONPROFIT: Project Purple
September 30, 2020 21:00 - 51 minutes - 35.7 MBToday we are joined by Dino Verrelli the Founder of Project Purple. Founder, Dino Verrelli’s father, Gionvanni, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2008. After a year of several chemotherapy treatments and a variety of other painful procedures, he seemed to be out of the woods. But in 2010, the cancer returned, only this time with a vengeance, meaning surgery was no longer an option. “He lost his battle on September 5, 2011. I promised my father before he passed that we will never gi...
COSMETIC: Allison Barbera Beauty
September 25, 2020 16:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MBToday we are joined by Allison Barbera the Founder of Allison Barbera Beauty. Allison Barbera Beauty is a team of makeup artists and hair stylists with a passion for the beauty industry. They believe that everyone has something beautiful about them, and they're here to help bring that beauty out. Listen to how Allison grew from a part time esthetician to a awarding winning company doing work for film and tv and booking over 100 wedding a year. Connect with Allison and Allison Barbera Beau...
HOME MORTGAGES: Mortgage Unity
September 19, 2020 13:00 - 49 minutes - 33.8 MBToday we are joined by Michael Flanagan the Co-Founder of Mortgage Unity. Mortgage Unity is a full service mortgage brokerage that has been specifically built for the consumer, real estate professional and mortgage professional to work together creating a better consumer experience. By taking a collaborative approach to mortgage finance, Mortgage Unity can effectively and efficiently help consumers finance their life’s largest purchase, their home. Connect with Michael and Mortgage Unity: h...
HOSPITALITY: Niche Hospitality
September 16, 2020 18:00 - 43 minutes - 30 MBToday we are joined by Mike Covino co-founder of Niche Hospitality. Niche Hospitality Group creates restaurants that have specific appeal and strong identities with signature food and beverage items. We develop food, wine, and cocktail menus that are not only specific to a concept but are unsurpassed in quality and selection. We use these menu items, our atmosphere, our commitment to service, and most importantly, enlightened hospitality to deliver a memorable experience. Mike opens up and ...
HOSPITALITY: Niche Hospitality
September 16, 2020 18:00 - 43 minutes - 30 MBToday we are joined by Mike Covino co-founder of Niche Hospitality. Niche Hospitality Group creates restaurants that have specific appeal and strong identities with signature food and beverage items. We develop food, wine, and cocktail menus that are not only specific to a concept but are unsurpassed in quality and selection. We use these menu items, our atmosphere, our commitment to service, and most importantly, enlightened hospitality to deliver a memorable experience. Mike opens up and ...
LAW FIRM: Barron Law - Title & Closing
August 20, 2020 19:00 - 22 minutes - 15.2 MBToday we are joined by John “Jay” Barron founder of Barron Law – Title and Closings. Barron Law is a boutique law firm specializing exclusively in real estate title and closings. With more than 15 years of experience in the industry, they are well known for their problem-solving abilities and personal relationships with their clients. John “Jay” Barron, Esq. Born in Uxbridge, Jay attended the Uxbridge Public Schools. He served in the U.S. Army as a combat radio operator. After an honorabl...
REAL ESTATE: Real Living Barbera Associates
July 01, 2020 13:00 - 24 minutes - 17.1 MBFormed in 1997, Real Living Barbera Associates has been recognized as the most trusted full-service residential and commercial real estate brand by the 2017 Harris Poll Equitrend Study. Affiliated with the fifth largest and one of the fastest growing real estate firms in the nation, they offer cutting-edge technology and exclusive resources and tools for their clientele. Coupled with the extensive resources of a large corporation, they are also a local family-owned business that has demon...
REAL ESTATE: Real Living Barbera Associates
July 01, 2020 13:00 - 24 minutes - 17.1 MBFormed in 1997, Real Living Barbera Associates has been recognized as the most trusted full-service residential and commercial real estate brand by the 2017 Harris Poll Equitrend Study. Affiliated with the fifth largest and one of the fastest growing real estate firms in the nation, they offer cutting-edge technology and exclusive resources and tools for their clientele. Coupled with the extensive resources of a large corporation, they are also a local family-owned business that has demon...
LANDSCAPING - Cheaper Than The Kid Next Door
June 24, 2020 19:00 - 13 minutes - 9.09 MBCheaper Than The Kid Next Door provides year-round property landscaping and maintenance, which includes lawn mowing, fertilizing, spring and fall cleanups, de-thatching, aerating, seeding, mulching, edging, and snow plowing in Worcester, West Boylston, Holden and Rutland. He started his company when he found a broken industry. Poor customer service and lack of reliability in the industry, lead him to start his own landscaping company that would be different. Years later his business is thri...
LANDSCAPING: Cheaper Than The Kid Next Door
June 24, 2020 19:00 - 13 minutes - 9.12 MBCheaper Than The Kid Next Door provides year-round property landscaping and maintenance, which includes lawn mowing, fertilizing, spring and fall cleanups, de-thatching, aerating, seeding, mulching, edging, and snow plowing in Worcester, West Boylston, Holden, and Rutland. He started his company when he found a broken industry. Poor customer service and lack of reliability in the industry, lead him to start his own landscaping company that would be different. Years later his business is thr...