From a newlywed decision to go all-in on his dad’s pipe dream of opening a pizzeria to making practice dough in his hotel room and ranking fifth in the World Pizza Championship, Landon is a stellar example of the power of learning through action.  Tune in for an episode brimming with — to quote our guest — “the beautiful process of learning something new and being humbled by how much you don’t know.” 

When temporarily closing one of your pizzerias for renovations results in memes and palpable heartbreak, you know you’re doing something very, very right. Nikki doesn’t just run 16 beloved shops — she curates three distinct pizza brands across NYC.   Dive into this episode for an inside scoop from an entrepreneur so devoted to her craft that she graduated college on a Friday, started at the pizzeria on Monday, and hasn’t ever stopped. 

Sparking warm memories, like a standing pizza night with mom or that first-ever bite of a favorite slice, is at the core of Shins Pizza. Shin and Melissa built their beloved pizzeria on the belief that an experience isn’t just one thing — it’s a combo of all our senses.  Tune in for advice on letting people do what they do best, drawing inspiration from an autograph wall, and how cutting 50 grams of water can change everything.

In just four years, Nardo has built one of the nation’s top independent pizzerias. His secret? Being extremely true to himself and his community. With adventurous, musically named pies (and live music in the shop!), arcade games, and a secret menu, we’re not surprised that Nardo’s Pizza is an absolute hit.  Tune in for (a censored version) of Nardo’s mom’s (very solid) business advice, the definitive reason that pizza beats burgers, and how an April Fool’s goof became a signature dish. 

Manny and his brother bought their father’s pizzeria and run it together to serve multiple generations of their community. Their proven philosophy: Imagine every order is being prepared for your mom, dad, son, or daughter.  Hop in for an energetic conversation about new versus existing customers, how to know when you’re successfully staffed, and what it’s like to find out that you’re kind of a big deal. 

Artan had already navigated everything from the mafia to washing dishes in order to open pizza shops in two countries, but it was his son’s unexpected hankering for corporate pizza that lit a fire in him to open Florida’s first-ever mobile pizzeria, now a beloved brick-and-mortar destination.  Listen in for Artan’s most important element of a successful restaurant, tips on balancing international nuances with a classic recipe, and your likelihood of getting a Hawaiian pizza in Italy.

When Ronnie and Greg talk about community marketing, they don’t mean flyers — they mean donating pizzas, hosting fundraiser nights, and knowing 90% of their customers by name.  From thoughtful staff rotation to addressing the misconception that technology disconnects you from your customers, listen in as these co-owners share their playbook for turning a good shop into an extremely high-volume shop.

Luis ignored all warnings and opened up a mobile pizzeria — more vintage Italian three-wheeled mini truck than food truck — then followed his own map to success.  Tune in for the value of novelty, perks of limitation, and approaching your business as a series of “one of one” endeavors rather than a single, scalable concept. 

From helping out other pizzerias to making every customer feel at home, this shop-owning couple puts it exactly right: “It’s not only a family business: we take care of the community.” Listen in to hear how an Easter sunburn led to taking a leap, buying a franchise pizza shop, and turning it into an award-winning independent pizzeria. 

This industrious entrepreneur and owner of New Jersey’s Nino’s Pizza shares the playbook that led to him being honored for his dedication to customers, value to the local community, and commitment to using technology to help his business thrive.

What started with appetizers on the house turned into 30+ franchise locations of Nancy’s Pizza (and a brand-new kind of pizza).

Steve Jobs might have bought the first pizza online, but it was Steve Green actually running the site. Now at the helm of PMQ Pizza Magazine — the powerhouse behind the annual Pizza Power Report — Green gives us a holistic view of everything at the intersection of pizza and technology.

After 30 years in the finance world, Gary took a gamble on himself (and some used bakery equipment) to open a beloved neighborhood pizzeria.

Sal Mandreucci went from running deliveries in a ‘97 Ford Contour to building an audience of over 5M for his family’s pizzeria as TikTok star Sally Slices.

Gabriele traded chemistry for corporate life, then traded corporate life for Chipotle, but his greatest trade involves a homemade Roman-style pizza topped with potatoes.

With hard work, help from friends (one in particular), and tons of ambition, Robyn not only bought the restaurant where she waitressed — she doubled its sales and opened up a second shop.

“We pretty much opened the doors and shook the dice.” Hosie Thurmond, one half of the unstoppable team behind Minneapolis’s pizzeria Slice, tells their story of persevering through start-up challenges, arson, and store expansion, all while remaining true to their community roots.

Victoria Tiso, operator of world-famous Louie and Ernie’s Pizza, is our guest this week. It’s a family story. The pies are the same as when her dad took over, but Victoria is launching their shop to the next level.

Our guest this time is Mike Kurtz, the founder of Mike’s Hot Honey. If you haven’t heard of his chili-infused honey, you should get to eating. From his dorm room to his break room and at Paulie Gee’s counter to in your stomach, Mike’s Hot Honey just keeps growing.

Our guest is Joe Brignoni, the owner of Joe’s Rotisseria in Asbury Park and Roselle Park, New Jersey. He’s famous for blending a pizza, calzone, and garlic knots into one delicious Frankenstein. In this episode, he’ll tell you how it saved his business (and reveal the composition of a Thunder Stick).

This week’s guest is Nicole Russell, owner of Last Dragon Pizza in Rockaway, NYC, and host of First We Feast’s Pizza Wars. From shipping made-to-order pies to working nonstop on her goals: She’s carving her own path in pizza.

Our guest this time is Scott Sokoloff, the former head of analytics at Domino's. He’s a big believer in data-driven decisions, building customer relationships, and using both to succeed in food.

There are fewer than seven women running pizzerias in New York City, and there’s only one who started hers as a speakeasy out of her apartment. Miriam Weiskind’s gone from creative director to pop-up pizzaiola over the last two years. In this episode, Ilir and Miriam cover the most important part of the pizza-making process, how she got her start during the pandemic, and pizza’s gender gap.

This episode is more of a conversation between two old friends than it is an interview! Johnny Pavlik sits down with Ilir from his home in North Carolina to talk about growing his business from one Johnny’s Pizzeria to four, with a food truck pulling in soon. From his struggle with addiction to his community-focused social media presence, Johnny shares his secrets to double average orders and more…