The Bay Builds Podcast

About The Bay Builds Podcast

Every brand has a story, but great brands create moments. The Bay Builds Podcast , where Tampa Bay’s boldest founders, marketers, and makers reveal how unforgettable brands are built. Hosted by Tracie Domino, founder of Event Outfitters, each episode explores the strategy and soul behind the experiences, events, and gifting moments that make brands stick. 🎧 Guests include: Entrepreneurs, marketers, designers, and visionaries who are redefining what it means to build a brand that people remember. ✨ Make it matter. Make it memorable. Make it Tampa.

Publisher

Tracie Domino | Founder, Event Outfitters

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 Jan 2026

Latest episode

21 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

18 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Oct 2026

   The Biggest Company You’ve Never Heard Of: CJ Schmidt, CEO of Hit Promotional Products

   Before he ran a company approaching $750 million in revenue, CJ Schmidt was a kid stuffing envelopes and packing boxes in his dad’s warehouse. He was supposed to become a sports agent. Instead, between his junior and senior years of college, he told his father he wanted in. CJ is the CEO of Hit Promotional Products, a Tampa Bay company that most people in town have never heard of, and he likes it that way. His father, Bill Schmidt Sr., was a legend in the promotional products industry. CJ spent his first years making cold sales calls, getting yelled at, and bringing honest feedback home. He got to know his dad as a mentor on 15-hour flights to Hong Kong. When Bill passed in April 2016, CJ took the reins while carrying both the grief and the responsibility. In eight years, he more than doubled the company, from about $319 million to just under $750 million, through a tornado that took out a building and a pandemic that shut down the world. He talks with host Tracie Domino about the bets that made the industry stop and stare, including print-on-demand apparel, the Barstool account, and the ProFill fulfillment business. He explains why the apparel move went sideways before it became a $100 million business, and why Hit has taken zero private equity money while competitors have. He also covers the balance between his aggressive instincts and his mom’s conservative ones, what fatherhood and faith have changed in him, and why he wants to be remembered as tough but fair. Listen now and follow The Bay Builds Podcast so you never miss a conversation with the people building Tampa Bay. New episodes drop every other Wednesdays. 00:00 Loss and Resolve 00:43 Meet HIT and CJ 01:58 Growing Up in HIT 03:38 Early Sales Struggles 04:55 Taking Over After Loss 06:08 Doing It Right 06:52 Scaling Through Chaos 08:25 Big Bets on Apparel 11:02 Why Apparel Is Hard 13:10 Staying Family Owned 15:52 Fixing Industry Systems 18:11 Fatherhood and Faith 23:58 Legacy and Lightning Round 27:24 Closing Reflections

2. 

   7 Oct 2026

   Keep Getting Better: How Dr. Ron Vaughn Transformed the University of Tampa

   In 1995, the University of Tampa was, in Dr. Ron Vaughn's own words, languishing. Financially strapped, academically uncertain, and staring down a budget that barely closed. People around him asked why in the world he would take the job. He took it anyway. What followed was nearly thirty years of what Dr. Vaughn calls a rocket ride. Full-time enrollment grew from 150 to 900. The university's assets climbed from $38 million to more than $1.1 billion. Nearly 70 building projects transformed the campus. And this fall, roughly 44,000 students applied for about 3,000 spots, a level of demand almost no one could have imagined for the school he inherited. In this episode, Dr. Vaughn walks through the decisions behind that turnaround: convincing the Sykes family to make the first $10 million gift that reset an entire capital campaign, buying up land years before anyone understood why, and building a university on the belief that you are either getting better or you are getting worse. He also opens up about stepping away in 2024, the book he has just released chronicling the university's transformation, and what thirty years of leading people taught him that he could only have learned by doing it. If you have ever wondered what it takes to turn a struggling institution into one of the most competitive private universities in the country, this conversation is for you. Listen now, and subscribe to The Bay Builds Podcast for more stories of the founders, builders, and leaders shaping Tampa Bay. 00:00 Rocket Ride Numbers 00:57 Show Introduction 02:25 Early UT Vision 04:04 Taking the Risk 04:54 Speed Game Turnaround 07:06 Growth By The Numbers 09:40 Building Boom 11:14 Raising Academic Quality 13:34 Fundraising Playbook 19:45 Leadership Lessons 20:58 Life After Presidency 21:57 Alumni Impact Stories 24:22 Beyond The Title 25:39 UT And Tampa Future 27:40 Legacy And Advice 31:02 New Book Release 33:21 Lightning Round 36:21 Closing Reflections

3. 

   23 Sept 2026

   From Wall Street To Shark Tank: The Theft That Built AquaVault: Avin Samtani, Co-founder and COO of AquaVault

   Picture this: you're at your best friend's wedding, you dive in for a quick group photo swim, and sixty seconds later everything you own is gone. That's exactly what happened to Avin Samtani and his two college fraternity brothers at a five-star resort, and instead of just chalking it up to bad luck, they got obsessed with a question: why isn't there a safe by the pool when there's a safe in every room? That obsession became AquaVault, a hotel-security safe built to lock onto lounge chairs, umbrellas, and pool furniture, born from three guys with zero product experience, a filed patent, and a shared conviction that resort theft was a real, unsolved problem. They self-funded the whole thing, taught themselves manufacturing from scratch by sourcing overseas factories, and went hotel to hotel in Miami with product in hand, sitting in lobbies until a GM would talk to them. Then came Shark Tank. Avin walks us through what actually changes after you land a deal with Daymond John, why the real work starts once the cameras stop rolling, and how that credibility opened doors at places like Disney, Universal, and major cruise lines. From there, the AquaVault story became a whole travel brand: Flex Safe, the Charge Card, and their newest product, Sound Charge, a speaker and charger in one. Avin also gets candid about running a company with lifelong friends without letting money wreck the friendship, why he'd never hire an agency before proving out talent on commission, and why he believes a one-person business is more possible today than ever thanks to AI. If you've ever had an idea you were too scared to say out loud, this episode is your push to just start. Listen now on Spotify, and catch the full video episode on YouTube. 00:00 Beach Theft Shock 00:45 Meet AquaVault Founder 02:01 From Resort Theft to Idea 03:27 Patents and First Prototype 04:43 Building With Friends 05:37 Two Years of Belief 06:50 Manufacturing and Iterations 08:46 Shark Tank Breakthrough 11:03 Scaling Through Partnerships 13:00 Expanding the Product Line 13:42 Lean Founder Mindset 16:05 Theft Data and Deterrence 17:59 COO Operator Mindset 18:31 Hiring Fractional Help 19:18 Marketing Partners Not Retainers 20:07 AI Tools For Lean Teams 21:23 Working With Friends 22:23 Customer Feedback Motivation 24:14 Tampa Market Tailwinds 25:22 Expanding Travel Product Line 27:34 Why Direct To Consumer 28:13 Keeks Eyewear Side Hustle 29:13 Advice For New Founders 31:02 Legacy Lightning Round 32:19 Closing Takeaways Tracie is the founder of Event Outfitters, the gifting partner for donors, VIPs, executives, and honored guests. If you want the framework she uses with every client, grab the free Guide to Gifting That Builds Relationships: https://stan.store/EventOutfitters

4. 

   2 Sept 2026

   Don't Blow Your Temper, Blow Your Horn: Matthew Heller, Founder & CEO of HornBlasters

   Matthew Heller was tired of being invisible on the road. Stuck in South Florida traffic, cut off again and again, he did something most frustrated drivers never do. He put a train horn on his truck. Within weeks, strangers were asking where they could get one too. That small fix for a personal problem became HornBlasters, a company Matthew built while working three retail jobs at once and hiding in the racks at Home Depot to take customer calls on his cell phone. His own family thought he had lost his mind. His aunt suggested he apply for the Geek Squad instead. It took four years of side hustling before Matthew could walk away from retail and run HornBlasters full time. Twenty five years later, HornBlasters has served over a million customers worldwide from its home base right here in Tampa. Matthew walks Tracie Domino through what actually separates a real train horn from the cheap knockoffs flooding the internet, how he turned himself into the face of the brand despite calling himself an introverted extrovert, his unexpected detour into film as co-producer of Come What May, and the surprising places his horns end up, from cattle ranches in Central America to catfish farms in Arkansas. This is a conversation about following your gut when everyone around you says you are chasing a joke, and what it actually takes to stick with something for 25 years until it becomes undeniable. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts and follow The Bay Builds on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube 00:00 Pickup Truck Origins 00:50 Meet HornBlasters Founder 02:03 Road Rage to Idea 03:05 Early Hustle and Doubters 04:36 Going Full Time 05:32 What Makes the Kit 07:38 Winning on Support 08:37 Building in Tampa 09:28 Brand Personality and Clown Mom 10:28 TV Influencers and Marketing 11:17 Noise Pollution Debate 12:31 Introverted Extrovert Spotlight 15:00 Advice for Dreamers 15:45 Giving Back Locally 16:32 Future and New Markets 18:54 Lightning Round Fun 20:04 Closing Takeaways

5. 

   19 Aug 2026

   Quiet Professionals, Loud Sacrifice: Kerry Irvin, CEO of Operation Healing Forces

   Kerry Irvin married a Night Stalker. She raised two sons who joined the Army. And she grew up watching her Vietnam-veteran father's brothers in arms come home to a country that didn't know how to hold what they carried. So when Kerry says this work is personal, she means it in her bones. In this episode of The Bay Builds, host Tracie Domino sits down with Kerry Irvin, CEO of Operation Healing Forces, the Tampa-based nonprofit serving Special Operations veterans, their caregivers, and families of the fallen. Kerry traces her path from national security intelligence officer working alongside special operators in the Middle East and North Africa, to leading an organization that has grown from two therapeutic retreats a year to more than 63, and from zero emergency grants to over three million dollars in hardship funding annually. Kerry explains the signature Bonds That Cure retreat model, why healing happens faster in donated homes than in clinics, and the story of Travis Dunn, a paralyzed Army Ranger and Tampa neighbor who became one of the reasons this mission feels personal to her every single day. She speaks candidly about the veteran suicide rate, the toll of the "death gap" after transition out of service, and what it means for MacDill and USSOCOM to sit right here in Tampa Bay's backyard. This conversation is about trust, transparency, and what it actually looks like to build an organization capable of carrying other people's weight. Follow The Bay Builds and share this one with someone who needs to hear that help is closer than they think. If you or someone you know is struggling, the Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7 by calling 988 and pressing 1, or by texting 838255. To learn more about Operation Healing Forces or to donate, visit https://operationhealingforces.org/ 00:00 Early Lessons of Service 01:03 Meet Kerry Irvin 03:01 From Childhood to Motherhood 05:00 Inside Special Ops Culture 06:22 Growing Operation Healing08:29 When the Mission Hits Home 11:37 Tampa and USSOCOM Link 13:40 Why SOF Needs Different Care 17:17 Bonds That Cure Retreats 23:35 Scaling Without Losing Touch 25:22 Earning Donor Trust 27:56 Measuring Real Outcomes 28:07 Measuring Long Term Impact 30:10 Breaking Through Skepticism 32:29 Trust Built in Groups 32:59 Living With Suicide Loss 35:39 Behind the Nonprofit Curtain 36:56 Family Pride and Perspective 38:01 Why Tampa Is Home 40:39 Vision and Waitlist Challenge 42:28 Serving on Women Commission 44:42 Message to Those Struggling 47:39 Lightning Round Fun 50:13 Closing Reflection and Call

6. 

   29 Jul 2026

   When Sick Care Failed His Mother, He Built the Alternative: Jimmy Barker, Founder & CEO of BioDesign Wellness Center

   She was on the floor, vomiting from pain so severe she couldn't move. Jimmy Barker got the call from a friend who said they'd never seen his mother like this. What he found when he started digging wasn't a diagnosis her Western doctors had caught. It was mold, hidden in the walls, quietly wrecking her body for years while a rotating cast of specialists treated her symptoms one at a time without ever talking to each other. That moment became the turning point for Jimmy Barker, Founder & CEO of BioDesign Wellness Center, a functional medicine and longevity practice that has grown to serve patients from Wesley Chapel to Tierra Verde and was acquired earlier this year by national longevity company Agentis Longevity. In this conversation with host Tracie Domino, Jimmy traces his path from a financial career that collapsed in 2007 and 2008, down to counting how many weeks of food he could afford, into building a practice rooted in root-cause care instead of what he calls sick care. Jimmy talks about the moment he realized the system had failed his mother, why he refuses to recommend a protocol he hasn't tested on his own body first, what happened when he tore his shoulder and skipped surgery for a peptide instead, and how BioDesign is scaling into a national platform without losing the personal, look-you-in-the-eye care that built its reputation in Tampa Bay. He also gets honest about where Western medicine still gets it right, where it falls short, and what he wants anyone to hear if they've been told their labs are normal but they know something is wrong. Follow The Bay Builds wherever you listen, and share this episode with someone who's been dismissed by a system that was never built to ask why. 00:00 When Trust Breaks 00:45 Meet Jimmy Barker 02:14 Mom’s Health Crisis 04:57 The Mold Clue 06:50 Jimmy’s Health Journey 08:59 Building BioDesign 11:28 Functional Medicine Defined 12:49 Sick Care vs Real Care 14:18 Results Need Partnership 17:13 Testing on Himself 19:26 Scaling a Wellness Business 24:19 Longevity for Real Life 26:20 Hiring and Culture 28:37 Future of Preventive Care 30:32 Acquisition and Scaling 35:34 Tampa Bay Wellness Hub 38:05 Advice for the Dismissed 39:27 Lightning Round Fun 41:04 Closing Takeaways

7. 

   24 Jun 2026

   Don't Call Me Boss: Brett Lindquist, Co-Founder & CEO of The Mortgage Firm

   He was the first one through the door. His two partners hadn't arrived yet, the office was empty, and Brett Lindquist sat there alone in 1995 thinking, "I hope this works." Thirty years later, The Mortgage Firm has grown into dozens of branches across more than twenty states, more than 30,000 reviews, and a near-perfect rating. But Brett still refuses to be called boss. In this episode of The Bay Builds, host Tracie Domino sits down with Brett Lindquist, Co-Founder & CEO of The Mortgage Firm, to trace a career that began long before the branches and the billions in loans. A scholarship swimmer and team captain at Florida State, Brett learned discipline, focus, and a high tolerance for pain doing three practices a day from the age of five. He carried that grit into residential lending, a business he describes less as paperwork and rates and more as managing fear and obsessing over communication with the people on the other end of the biggest investment of their lives. The conversation moves through the hard things that built the company: launching into the teeth of the 2008 mortgage meltdown, surviving the rate spike from three to seven percent that cut the industry by 60 to 70 percent, and running every branch like its own business. Brett talks about scaling without losing the relationships that matter, why he hires people who already have a track record, the rare 30-year partnership built on three partners and majority-rules decisions, and a leadership team that is roughly 85 to 90 percent women. He and his wife Cindy have given generously back to Florida State, and when asked what he hopes people say about him a generation from now, his answer is simple: one of the nicest guys I ever met. If you are building something in Tampa Bay or thinking about buying a home in a market Brett calls the hottest in the country, this one is worth your time. Follow The Bay Builds, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. 00:00 Mortgage Cycles and Fear 00:57 Meet Brett Lindquist 02:11 Starting The Mortgage Firm 03:54 Mentors and Athlete Mindset 05:40 Swimming Discipline Lessons 07:15 Real Craft of Lending 08:38 Scaling Through Meltdowns 13:00 Five Star Service System 14:16 Downturns and Home Values 17:29 Hiring and Branch Leaders 20:28 Tampa Bay Market Outlook 21:58 Grit and Giving Back 28:00 Partners and Future Legacy 31:57 Lightning Round and Wrap 33:31 Final Takeaways

8. 

   10 Jun 2026

   Tampa's Greatest Days Are Now: Santiago Corrada, President and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay

   Santiago Corrada was 13 years old when his family visited Tampa from New Jersey and he told his parents they were not going back. Decades later, he runs the organization responsible for putting Tampa Bay on the map for the rest of the world -- and he will tell you plainly: the greatest days are not coming. They are already here. In this episode of The Bay Builds, Santiago Corrada, President and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay, sits down with Tracie Domino to trace a career that began in fast food, moved through inner-city education, city government, and the mayor's office, and landed in one of the most visible leadership roles in the region. Santiago breaks down what destination marketing actually is, why Tampa was a blank slate when he arrived, and how Visit Tampa Bay transformed a city that people in Mumbai thought was a neighborhood in Miami into a destination that Time Magazine named one of the 50 greatest places on Earth. This conversation covers the Bollywood Academy Awards, Brentford Bees, pet influencers on the Riverwalk, the bed tax most Tampanians don't know they benefit from, and a destination development plan that is already reshaping how developers invest in Hillsborough County. Santiago also gets candid about what keeps him up at night: transportation, housing, and the very real risk that prosperity can disappear faster than it arrives. If you love Tampa Bay, work in hospitality, lead a public-private organization, or want to understand how a city builds a brand that actually sticks, this is the episode for you. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts and follow The Bay Builds on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube. 00:00 Miami Growing Pains 00:41 Meet Visit Tampa Bay CEO 02:31 Roots and Early Hustle 03:47 From Education to City Hall 05:18 Leading Visit Tampa Bay 06:52 Leadership Lessons Tested 09:16 Building Tampa's Brand 12:21 What DMOs Actually Do 15:58 Tourism Powers the Economy 17:27 Post Pandemic Marketing Shift 21:11 Big Events Without Dependence 23:16 How Bed Tax Funding Works 26:11 What Excites Him Next 26:46 Rethinking Strategy 27:30 Destination Development Roadmap 30:11 Luxury Gaps and Smart Placement 30:40 Leadership Misconceptions 32:24 Why Tampa Feels Like Home 34:08 Tampa in 10 Years 37:57 What Young Pros Need 39:25 The People Make Tampa 41:30 Legacy and Handing Off 44:36 Lightning Round Favorites 48:23 Closing Thanks and Wrap

9. 

   27 May 2026

   A Century of Women Who Built This City: Katie Crowe, President, The Junior League of Tampa

   In 1926, 22 women sat down together in Tampa and decided to do something about the unmet needs of women and children in their community. They did not have cell phones, fax machines, or the internet. They had a mission statement that was, by any measure, ahead of its time: to foster interest in the social, economic, educational, and civic conditions of the community and to make volunteer service efficient. One hundred years later, The Junior League of Tampa has 1,900 members logging 50,000 volunteer hours a year, has launched permanent nonprofit institutions into the Tampa Bay community, and is still asking the same question those 22 women asked in 1926 - where is the gap, and how do we fill it? In this episode, Tracie Domino sits down with Katie Crowe, President of The Junior League of Tampa, during the organization's centennial year. Katie pulls back the curtain on how a volunteer-led organization sustains a coherent long-term strategy through rotating leadership, what it actually takes to spin a project out into a self-sustaining nonprofit, and why a third of what has been built in Tampa Bay traces back to women who never collected a paycheck for the work. She also talks about the stereotype the League has spent decades dismantling, the hiring of the organization's first ever Chief Operating Officer, and what keeps leadership up at night as they look toward the next 100 years. This is a conversation about legacy, leadership, and what it looks like when women decide to build something that outlasts them. 00:00 League Strengths 00:53 Century Legacy 02:51 Founding Vision 05:36 How It Works 07:10 Diaper Bank Impact 10:00 Centennial Projects 13:53 Learning From Leagues 15:37 Projects That Last 17:09 Strategy With Turnover 19:28 Breaking Stereotypes 22:05 Recruiting Next Gen 24:08 Evolving The Model 25:44 Next 100 Years 28:37 Tampa Storytelling 32:14 Gala Highlights 34:10 Bicentennial Hopes 35:24 Lightning Round 37:20 Closing Call To Action

10. 

    13 May 2026

    Doubling Down Before Anyone Believed | Mike Griffin, Vice Chair and Co-Head of the Florida Region, Savills

    Before Mike Griffin knew what commercial real estate was, he was walking up and down the sun-baked stands of Tampa Stadium selling Cokes and peanuts to a crowd of strangers. That early lesson in showing up, working hard, and earning something stuck. So did Tampa. Mike Griffin is Vice Chair and Co-Head of the Florida Region of Savills, responsible for more than 13 million square feet of transactions across 18 states and 15 countries. He brokered the first Fortune 500 relocation in Tampa's history and signed the first lease in Water Street. He became the youngest chairman in the 135-year history of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce. He was appointed to the Tampa Port Authority by the governor. He serves today as Vice Chair of the USF Board of Trustees and Chair of the Finance Committee, where he has been a central architect of the new on-campus football stadium. And he did all of it from the same city where he grew up, choosing to double down on Tampa before most people believed it was worth the bet. In this conversation with host Tracie Domino, Mike talks about what it means to invest in a place before the world catches up, how his mentor Ann Duncan hired him as her first employee straight out of USF and changed the trajectory of his life, why trust is the only thing he is actually selling, and what it cost him personally to build a city-level reputation over two decades. He also gets into the global lens he brings to Tampa deals, why life sciences is the city's next North Star, and what it took to get a $400 million on-campus football stadium across the finish line at USF. This one is for the builders. The ones who stayed. The ones who are still deciding whether to stay. And the ones who just need someone to remind them that the best time to bet on something is always before everyone else figures out it's worth it. Find Mike at savillsus.com and follow what's happening at USF at usf.edu. Chapters Betting on Tampa Before Anyone Else Did Selling Cokes and Learning Everything The Publix Years and the Standard of Excellence Ann Duncan and the Job That Changed His Life What He Is Actually Selling The First Fortune 500 and the First Lease in Water Street Telling Tampa's Story to the World Why Life Sciences Is Tampa's Next North Star The $400 Million Bet on USF Football Legacy Versus Leverage What Building a City-Level Reputation Actually Costs A Message to the Next Generation What Makes Tampa Still Special Lightning Round

11. 

    29 Apr 2026

    Can't Get Any More Broke, Might As Well Keep Going: Mike DiBlasi, Senior Managing Director and North Florida Market Leader, CBRE

    There is a moment Mike DiBlasi does not forget. It is 2008, the market has collapsed, every broker around him is either making excuses or making an exit, and he is beyond broke. Not almost broke. Beyond it. His dad is telling him he should have stayed in accounting. His friends are leaving the business. And Mike is standing there thinking: at this point, I can't get any more broke. Might as well keep going. That decision to stay when everything said leave is the thread that runs through everything Mike DiBlasi has built. A former closer on the FSU baseball team that went to the College World Series three times alongside future MLB players Kevin Cash and Matt Diaz, Mike came out of school with a CPA he did not love and a plan that fell apart fast. He cold-called every major Tampa brokerage looking for a shot. Most did not call back. He found his way in anyway. What followed was nearly two decades of grinding through commercial real estate at Cushman and Wakefield, Liberty Property Trust, and Feldman Equities before landing at CBRE, where he now serves as Senior Managing Director and North Florida Market Leader overseeing Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville. Nearly 650 transactions. More than 9 million square feet. Four consecutive years on the Tampa Bay Business Journal Power 100 List. And a 125-person office he has helped build into the number one commercial real estate operation in the market. In this episode, Tracie Domino sits down with a guy she has known since the late 1990s at Florida State, and the conversation goes everywhere. How losing a lead in the College World Series semi-final taught him more than any win ever did. Why locker room culture is the non-negotiable he never compromises on. What he looks for in people that goes way beyond a GPA. How AI is reshaping demand for commercial space across North Florida. And what he tells every young professional who reaches out to him still grinding and wondering if it is ever going to turn. This one is for anyone who has ever been told to go back to the safe path and chose to keep going instead. Visit cbre.com to find Mike DiBlasi and his team across Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville. 00:00 Beyond Broke Beginnings 00:51 Podcast Intro Mike Delos 02:41 Closer Mindset Under Pressure 03:25 Pivot After Baseball Ends 04:27 CPA To Brokerage Hustle 06:23 Early CRE Lessons And 2008 08:08 From Producer To Leader 10:31 Building Team Culture 13:26 North Florida Market Trends 14:58 Failing Forward Like Sports 17:01 People Skills And Hiring 20:38 Legacy Vision And Growth 21:44 Advice For Next Generation 25:02 Lightning Round Fun 26:16 Closing Thoughts

12. 

    15 Apr 2026

    Why Doesn't She Leave Is the Wrong Question | Mindy Murphy, President & CEO of The Spring of Tampa Bay

    Mindy Murphy did not plan to run a domestic violence center. She had been out of the workforce for 13 years raising her son, was not looking for a job, and had never worked in domestic violence. Then she had a dream, called back the board member who had been quietly recruiting her, and interviewed in the back room of a Cracker Barrel. A week later she was giving a speech about an organization she barely knew. That was 2012. Since then she has grown the Spring of Tampa Bay from a three and a half million dollar organization to nearly ten million, added the largest domestic violence law firm in the state of Florida, built a licensed therapy division, launched a sleepaway camp program, opened a new survivor services center in an 85-year-old World War II building in Drew Park, and maintained the only accredited onsite school for resident children in the United States. In this conversation with host Tracie Domino, Mindy talks about what most people get completely wrong about domestic violence, why the most dangerous moment for a survivor is when they decide to leave, the societal habit of blaming victims instead of holding abusers accountable, and what it looks like to run a nearly ten million dollar organization with 90 employees across a law firm, a therapy practice, a shelter, a thrift store, transitional housing, a childcare center, and a sleepaway camp. All through one lens. All in service of one mission. She also talks about the phone call she took yesterday. And why fourteen years in, the disclosures still stop her cold. The Spring of Tampa Bay has provided sanctuary and services to more than 60,000 adults and children since 1977. If you or someone you know needs help, call the Spring at 813-247-SAFE.

13. 

    25 Mar 2026

    They Asked for a Grand Piano at Midnight. She Made It Happen: Anna Richardson, Founder of Anna Lucia Events

    Before she was dressing Water Street in large-scale art installations and producing seven-figure destination weddings, Anna Richardson was a project manager in real estate development with a company called Exceptional Events and no real plan. On this episode, she sits down with Tracie Domino to talk about what it actually takes to build a boutique luxury brand in a market people used to underestimate, why she turned down Miami, how growing up in construction taught her more about running a business than any MBA would have, and the midnight phone call that ended with a grand piano in a Ritz-Carlton presidential suite. Anna is the founder of Anna Lucia Events, a global boutique brand known for sensory-driven weddings, high-end social celebrations, and major art activations across Tampa Bay and beyond. This one is for anyone who has ever bet on themselves in a city no one was watching yet. 00:00 Guest List Magic 00:58 Podcast Intro and Guest 02:14 Naming the Brand 04:48 Grit and Early Lessons 07:03 Being Underestimated 08:27 Why Tampa Won 13:20 Raising the Local Bar 16:59 Designing Emotion 21:50 Surprise and Delight 26:26 Multi Day Wedding Flow 28:39 Art Activations Leap 32:03 Big Art Activations 34:04 Making Art Accessible 37:07 Weatherproof Event Planning 38:56 Hurricane Venue Pivot 45:35 Permits Gone Wrong 49:52 Bridezilla Stories 55:06 Red Flags and Fit 58:23 Press and Success Shift 59:16 Publications Matter Less 01:01:19 Top Planner Lists Critique 01:02:19 Referrals And Legacy Clients 01:03:14 Client First Publishing Ethics 01:04:48 Founder Stress And Cashflow 01:07:50 Sales Cycles And Budget Talks 01:11:16 Behind The Scenes Reality 01:15:46 Sacrifices And Boundaries 01:20:55 Lightning Round Fun 01:24:34 Final Thanks And Wrap

14. 

    11 Mar 2026

    The CEO Who Shows Up With a Gun or a Shovel. Every Time: Scott Price, Founder & CEO of A-LIGN

    Scott Price did not plan to start a company. He had a spreadsheet with his entire career mapped out and Arthur Andersen was part of every line of it. Then Enron happened. At 26, he signed voluntary termination papers, walked to the Hilton, had lunch, had a beer, and by Monday had delivered his first contract with his name signed as president. Twenty-four years later, A-LIGN is one of the top three cybersecurity and compliance firms in the world. Two of the top three were founded in Tampa Bay. Scott built his from a clearance speakerphone, a $29-a-night hotel room, and 10 holiday seasons in Baton Rouge that no one was watching. In this conversation he talks about the failures nobody saw, the sacrifices that shaped everything, what servant leadership actually looks like across 770 employees on multiple continents, and why success now means watching other people succeed. When someone needs him at 2 AM, Scott Price shows up. With a gun or a shovel. Every time. This is that story. 00:00 Laid Off At 2601:55 First Customer Rush03:51 Enron Changed Everything04:57 Spotting The Market Gap06:42 Scrappy Early Sacrifices09:24 Tampa And Private Equity10:15 Florida State Mindset12:03 Servant Leadership Culture15:28 Life Moments With Employees17:25 Values Hiring And Retention20:47 Staying Grounded In Growth24:01 Success Redefined26:58 Client Chaos Stories30:07 When Align Became Brand32:33 Starting Today With AI34:18 Proudest Culture Moments37:51 Legacy In 25 Years40:16 Lightning Round43:18 Final Thanks

15. 

    25 Feb 2026

    The Ask That Never Happened: Frann Leppla, President, TGH Foundation

    What if removing the ask from your biggest fundraising event actually raised more money? Frann Leppla, President of the Tampa General Hospital Foundation, joins host Tracie Domino to share how TGH Foundation eliminated night-of fundraising from their signature gala and sparked one of the most productive donor engagement periods in the foundation's history. Frann breaks down the psychology behind major gifts, the rise of the investor-donor who wants a real return on their philanthropic investment, and why the hard work of fundraising begins after the check is written, not before. She also addresses the biggest misconception in healthcare philanthropy: that donors receive better care as patients. At Tampa General, the mission is simple. Every human being deserves the best possible healthcare regardless of their ability to pay. Philanthropic dollars make that standard of excellence possible for everyone. This conversation also covers the extraordinary growth of the Tampa General system, what it truly means to be a Level 1 Trauma Center, and why the TGH Foundation has turned down significant gifts in order to protect the integrity of the mission. Whether you lead a nonprofit, work in healthcare, sit on a foundation board, or simply believe in the power of community investment, this episode will change how you think about giving, gratitude, and the brands people choose to believe in. Frann Leppla has served as President of the Tampa General Hospital Foundation for nearly eight years, growing its philanthropic impact year over year and helping position TGH as one of Florida's most trusted healthcare institutions. The Bay Builds Podcast features weekly conversations with the founders and executives behind Tampa Bay's biggest brands, businesses, and boldest ideas. 00:00 Why Events Fall Flat 01:01 Meet Fran Leppla 02:00 No Ask Gala Strategy 03:27 Psychology of Giving 04:41 Momentum After Events 06:13 TGH Growth Vision 07:35 Where TGH Operates 08:24 Donor Motivations Today 09:46 Showing Impact After Gifts 11:31 Philanthropy Misconceptions 12:47 Major Gifts Shift Works 13:57 Proof the Model Worked 16:13 Sales to Fundraising 19:23 Building Team Culture 21:12 Protecting Brand Trust 22:51 Academic Care Difference 24:18 Trauma Center and NICU 25:58 Foundation Goals Ahead 27:13 Lightning Round 28:53 Closing Reflections

16. 

    13 Feb 2026

    Legacy, Resilience, and Heart: Richard Gonzmart and The Columbia Restaurant Story

    In this episode of “The Bay Builds,” we sit down with Richard Gonzmart, the fourth-generation owner of the Columbia Restaurant Group, to delve into a remarkable 120-year legacy of resilience, family, and community impact. Richard shares profound stories of how his family navigated challenges from the 1903 opening amidst the Wright Brothers' first flight to enduring World Wars, the Spanish flu, and the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining quality, supporting staff, community commitment, and honoring Tampa's rich history. Join us for an intimate conversation that goes beyond the usual interview to explore the deeper essence of what it takes to sustain a historic family business through generations. 00:00 The Beginnings of the Columbia Saloon 00:18 Challenges Through the Generations 00:53 Introducing Richard Smar 01:33 Legacy and Resilience 01:49 Memories and Stories 02:49 The Importance of Human Connection 03:25 Family Business Realities 06:16 Overcoming Financial Hardships 08:35 Commitment to Community and Staff 12:50 Preserving History and Legacy 23:23 Inspiring Medical Breakthroughs 23:57 Personal Impact of Childhood Cancer 24:21 Commitment to Cancer Research 25:28 Legacy and Education 28:00 Family and Business Values 29:53 Memories and Lessons from the Past 33:26 Living Life to the Fullest 36:17 Advice for the Next Generation 42:19 Honoring Family and Community 44:56 Final Reflections and Legacy

17. 

    28 Jan 2026

    From Junk Truck to Juggernaut: Nick Friedman of College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk & Moving | The Bay Builds Ep 01

    In this inaugural episode of The Bay Builds, host Tracie Domino sits down with Nick Friedman, co-founder of College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk and Moving. Nick shares the incredible journey of how a summer gig with a beat-up cargo van transformed into a national brand with hundreds of franchisees. From unloading deer carcasses to encountering unexpected weapons, Nick recounts some of the wild experiences and pivotal moments that shaped the company's success. Discover how intentional micro habits, company culture, and a commitment to leadership development turned a catchy college idea into a thriving business. Tune in for insights on branding, growth, and the importance of hustle and heart in building a legacy. 00:00 From College Van to National Brand 01:11 The Birth of College Hunks 03:44 Early Challenges and Funny Stories 08:47 Building a Legendary Company Culture 11:22 Leadership and Employee Development 16:06 Crazy Hauling Experiences 19:38 Brand Recognition and Future Goals 22:28 Lightning Round and Closing Thoughts

18. 

    5 Jan 2026

    Inside Tampa Bay’s Most Inspiring Businesses

    The Bay Builds Podcast is a behind-the-scenes look at how real businesses are built, right here in Tampa Bay. Hosted by Tracie Domino, founder of Event Outfitters, the show features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, brand builders, and community leaders shaping the Bay. These aren’t highlight reels. They’re honest stories about growth, setbacks, leadership, culture, and the small habits that lead to big wins. From iconic local brands to hidden gems, each episode explores what it actually takes to build something that lasts, and why Tampa Bay builds differently. New episodes bi-weekly. 00:00 Welcome to The Bay Builds Podcast00:23 Meet Your Host: Tracie Domino00:31 Why Tampa Bay Has a Unique Business Energy00:49 Real People, Real Businesses00:56 Tampa Bay’s Inspiring Success Stories01:12 The Power of Community and Branding01:25 Spotlighting Builders and Hidden Gems01:45 Behind the Scenes of Business Success01:56 What Makes the Tampa Bay Spirit Different02:01 What to Expect Each Episode02:09 Lessons from Tampa’s Business Leaders02:25 Fun Segments and Rapid Fire Questions02:39 Progress, Purpose, and Building Something That Lasts02:57 Tracie’s Philosophy on Business and Belief03:13 What Truly Makes Businesses Successful03:28 Join Us on the Journey03:45 Subscribe and Stay Connected

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