WNY Entrepreneur

How do you take a homemade cracker recipe and turn it into an internationally recognized brand—and win one of the biggest startup competitions in the world while you’re at it? In this episode, we sit down with Rebecca Brady, Founder of Top Seedz, to unpack how she went from baking in her kitchen to winning 43North’s $1 million grant, landing major retail deals, and building a fast-growing food brand rooted in health and hustle.

Rebecca shares how she started small, leaned into the unknown, and scaled her company without losing the heart of her mission. Her journey is one every entrepreneur can relate to—and learn from.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

How to grow a CPG brand with no industry background

Why hiring before you're “ready” is part of real growth

How Rebecca handled rapid demand and national expansion

The mindset behind winning a $1 million startup competition

Why resilience, optimism, and saying yes opened major doors

If you're building something from scratch and wondering if it's possible to scale without giving up your values, this is a must-listen. Get inspired by Rebecca Brady, Founder of Top Seedz—a local entrepreneur making a global impact.

What if one of the most valuable tools for growing your business was totally free—and you weren’t using it? In this episode, we sit down with Rachel Rumbold, founder of Rumbold Consulting and certified business mentor with SCORE Buffalo Niagara, to uncover the mentorship program too many entrepreneurs overlook.

Rachel shares how SCORE’s no-cost support is helping startups and small businesses thrive across Western New York. From guiding growth strategies to building better systems, she reveals how local business owners are using mentorship to navigate challenges and grow sustainably.

You’ll also hear how Rachel balances entrepreneurship, motherhood, and coaching softball—all while serving her community through strategic guidance and mentorship.

In this episode, business owners will learn:

What SCORE is and how to get free 1-on-1 business mentoring

How to set healthy boundaries and avoid burnout as an entrepreneur

The power of time blocking and planning with intention

How mentorship and structure can accelerate your business growth

What SCORE looks for in new mentors and how business owners can get involved

How to access free workshops, resources, and ongoing support through SCORE

Whether you're feeling stuck or ready to scale smarter, this conversation will give you tools, clarity, and a reminder that you don’t have to do it alone.

Tune in now to hear from Rachel Rumbold of Score International.

Most business owners want to take care of their team—but end up offering health benefits that are overpriced, underused, or just plain confusing. In this episode, we sit down with Brian, founder of Business Health Market, to talk about the costly health benefit mistakes small businesses are making and how to fix them without blowing up your budget.

Whether you’re a solopreneur thinking about your first hire or a seasoned business owner looking to improve retention, this conversation will open your eyes to what truly matters when offering health coverage to your employees.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why traditional health plans often don’t serve small teams well

How to design benefits that actually retain talent and save you money

What questions to ask before signing your next healthcare agreement

Creative options most owners don’t realize exist

The long-term business impact of choosing the right health partner

If you care about your team and want to stay competitive in today’s hiring market, you can’t afford to miss this one. Tune in now to hear from Brian, Founder of Business Health Market.

What does it take to grow a home organizing business from a one-woman side hustle to the largest operation of its kind in Western New York? In this episode, Tonya Cunningham, founder of Next Chapter Solutions, shares the real behind-the-scenes journey of building a 17-person team—without a business degree, startup capital, or traditional management experience.

Entrepreneurs will hear how Tonya:

• Turned her natural talent into a scalable service

• Built a flexible team culture that thrives without burnout

• Attracts the right clients by knowing when to say no

• Created systems out of chaos to streamline growth

• Used family collaboration to spin off multiple aligned businesses

Whether you're in the service industry or simply looking to grow with more intention, Tonya’s story is packed with practical lessons and fresh perspective on leadership, hiring, and growing a business that reflects your values.

Listen in and walk away with clarity, encouragement, and maybe a few ideas to clean up your own operations.

In this solo episode, I get real about the hard but necessary changes I’ve made over the past six months as a business owner, husband, and dad. From cutting my workweek down to three days, turning down “good” opportunities, to focusing only on profit-building activities and deep relationships—this episode is a reflection on what truly matters.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your own calendar, unsure if your content is landing, or burned out from saying yes to too much, this one’s for you.
We’ll cover:

• Why “family first” has to show up in your schedule, not just your words

• How to rethink your content strategy for clarity and real connection

• The deep lake vs wide lake mindset

• Delegating with trust (and consequences)

• The shift from reach to relationship in marketing

• And the freedom of not needing to be everywhere

Kelly Phillips, owner of The Lodge Auction House, shares how she turned a lifelong passion into a 22-year business rooted in transparency and trust. From navigating estate liquidations to managing a team through personal loss, Kelly breaks down what it takes to scale a service business while staying true to your values. Her story is a mix of grit, growth, and great business lessons.
What You’ll Learn:

• How to turn a passion into a long-term business

• The power of transparency and consistency in brand building

• Delegation strategies for small service teams

• How to adapt when markets shift

• Lessons from handling both high-end estates and emotional client situations

In this solo episode, David Schaub, founder of WNY Entrepreneur, pulls back the curtain on something few business owners talk about—the unexpected downsides of growth. We all want to scale, but is it actually bringing you more peace, profit, or freedom?

David shares honest insights from years of mentoring entrepreneurs, leading mastermind groups, and living the business owner life himself. You’ll be challenged to rethink what success really looks like, especially in the context of your current season of life.

If you're feeling stretched thin, constantly chasing the next milestone, or wondering if there’s a better way to grow—this episode is for you.

In this episode of The Western New York Entrepreneur Podcast, we sit down with Deacon Tasker—one of Buffalo’s top real estate agents and co-owner of Rosie’s Ice Cream, a beloved local scoop shop with two growing locations. Deacon shares how he successfully manages two very different businesses, all while raising five kids and staying deeply rooted in the Buffalo community.

You’ll learn:

How Deacon scaled both a service-based and product-based business

What systems and people he put in place to get out of the day-to-day grind

Why building a brand experience matters more than price in competitive markets

How to build something seasonal or flexible to match your lifestyle goals

What real estate taught him about running a brick-and-mortar shop (and vice versa)

Why community collaborations and grassroots marketing still win

Tips for launching a business while keeping your sanity and values intact

In this episode, we sit down with Anthony Valerio, owner of Four Winds Chimney, to talk about how he scaled his contracting business from a one-man operation to over 50 employees in just seven years—right here in Western New York.

Anthony shares how a personal injury sparked his entrepreneurial journey, how he hires and retains top talent in a tough labor market, and why focusing on people over profit has been the key to sustainable growth.

You’ll learn:

How to build systems that support scaling (even if you hate admin work)

Why delegating early—even before you're “ready”—is crucial

How to turn your first few hires into long-term team members

What culture actually means in a service business (and how to create it)

Tips for attracting and keeping talent in contracting and trades

Why branding matters even in local home services

How Anthony used marketing, mentorship, and leadership to build a trusted name in multiple cities

Whether you’re a solo operator or running a small team, Anthony’s approach will inspire you to think bigger—and grow smarter.