Going Deep with Aaron Watson

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 Downs.   Mentioned God Grew Tired of Us   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 content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business. YouTube Instagram Subscribe on

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 interview, check out our episode with Wes Shonk where we talk about whiskey, bartending, and building a specialized skill set. 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 content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business. YouTube Instagram Subscribe on iTunes |

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 core focus. Stretch yourself.   Book Mentioned Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond   Connect with Alison LinkedIn Twitter Facebook 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 content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business. YouTube Inst

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 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 content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business. YouTube Instagram Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher |

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 Twitter 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 content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business. YouTube Instagram Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay

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 content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business. YouTube Instagram   If you liked this interview, check out previous conversations with Pittsburgh tech CEOs like LegalSifter’s Kevin Miller, CivicScience’s John Dick, and Roadbotics’ Mark DeSantis. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | PodBay

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 Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by Jim Collins   Connect with Lou Facebook Twitter 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 content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business. YouTube Instagram   If you liked this interview, check out episode 273 with Ryan Gayman where we discuss Pittsburgh being the “Silicon Valley of nonprofits”. Subscribe on iTunes |

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 Video - Episode 13   Josh’s Challenge; Recognize the power you have to make a small change for a cause that’s important to you.   Connect with Josh Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube 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 content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business. YouTube Instagram   If you liked this interview, check out previous episodes like 96 with Jake Voelker, a military veteran who now runs a craft brewery, and 97 with Adam Haritan where we discuss mother nature, nutrition, and the power of digital media.   Subscribe on

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 Challenge; Surround yourself with people who won’t say “No.”   Connect with Chris Instagram Twitter Milkshake Factory Edward Marc   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 content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business. YouTube Instagram   If you liked this interview, check out all our episodes with the biggest change makers, influencers and business people of Pittsburgh. Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher |

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 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 content regularly, your clients and customers might forget you’re open for business. YouTube Instagram   If you liked this interview, check out episode 291 with Ryan Green where we discuss his transportation startup, how to make more money as a rideshare driver, and his path to starting a business.