At just 29 years old, Karla Meza opened her first store front offering furniture and home goods at affordable prices. She created Casa Lola at 5th Street and Camelback to give everyone an opportunity to furnish their home with fashion. The design lover started sourcing great products at huge markdowns then filling her store. She loves seeing people smile when they look at the price tags and realize they can afford to have luxurious couches, rugs, fluffy chairs, etc. in their homes. Hear the design tips to add finishing touches to your home and what Karla hopes to do next. https://www.instagram.com/casalolaphx/?hl=en

In this episode, we meet Lisa Banish, Executive Director of Community Food Connections, dba Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market.  The market started 19 years ago to connect the community to clean, healthy, locally grown food. They have 100 + local vendors, around 80% food and 20% artisan. The Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market is part of the Farmers Market Nutrition Program, providing extra SNAP/EBT benefits to customers through the Double Up Program and WIC. They have small businesses and micro businesses specializing in fresh farmed food, meat, plant starts, skin care, herbal tea and so much more! Their holiday fundraiser for CFC, Phoestivus, is in its 15th year on December 12th, 13th, and 14th. Visit our website Phoestius.com for more information. The market is open every Saturday rain or shine (or extra shine) 8 am – 1 pm located at 5th Street and McKinley.  DowntownPhoenixFarmersMarket.org

If you're looking for something to do with the family, this is it. We meet Monica and Kirk Nicodemus of JoyridesAZ. They love Scottsdale so much, they created a luxury golf cart experience to show off their hometown. They are always learning, reading and exploring on their own, so they are chock full of Scottsdale knowledge for your tour. They promise you will learn something new about the architecture, public art, or Scottsdale history—even if you're a local. JoyridesAZ has tours for everything- wine tasting, native culture and art, Instagram murals, margaritas and tacos and a holiday lights tour. Or you can customize your tour to get a little taste of everything!  https://joyridesaz.com/

We meet Wendell Crow of Crow's Dairy.  Wendell grew up in Buckeye in the dairy farming industry. He raises goats and makes cheese to sell to big name chefs and clients all over Arizona. He delivers the cheese himself. Wendell says the key to success is to keep his goats happy. The animals are his life. If you're a cheese lover, you must try the Crow's Dairy chevre: It is so good! You can find it at places like Shea Cheese and Arcadia Meat Market. Instagram: @crowsdairy 

You’d think the name ATL Wings stood for Atlanta, but this time it means all the love and that’s what this family pours into their delicious chicken wing recipes. We meet the Valley couple behind the creative sauces at ATL Wings, sauces so good, they’ve garnered a cult following! Mike and Cianna Kirksey grew their one business into 18 franchised stores. They have 18 to 22 wing sauces. For first timers, they recommend the honey jalapeno, the chef’s special, and the ATL dry rub. While the Kirkseys success story is inspiring, so is their love story—Meeting in a Las Vegas club. https://www.atlwings.com/

We meet Sharon Cunningham of CC's on Central. She already owns a Creole restaurant in California, but with her two grown children living here, she decided to move to Phoenix and open a Southern comfort restaurant here—offering all the favorites like jambalaya, wings, and po'boys—so she could be close to her kids CC's on Central is a great space to host an event and they cater too, and can make anything from deli sandwiches to a lasagna dinner.  https://ccsoncentral.com/

Kimberly Pak has a heart for the local maker. She throws some of the biggest markets in the Valley, bringing together hundreds of makers in one location for a celebration of everything local. She opened a storefront to provide a fulltime space for her makers to sell, then she opened another, and another. Now with two Scottsdale locations and one Phoenix location, Kimberly says she’s learning to trust her gut as a business owner. She also shares with us a very personal struggle and how she says her faith showed her the way out. www.themerchantileofscottsdale.com/  

Valley natives, Geri Hormel and Hunter Rodgers, are passionate about animals. At home, they have dogs, chickens, and goats. At work, Geri rescues pregnant mom dogs and puppies at Almost There Rescue. ATR has 19 kennels, offers a Puppy Preschool Program, and daily enrichment for the dogs in their care. Next door, Hunter is manning the 10,000 pound homemade Italian pizza oven at Pizza To The Rescue. He's cooking up scratch made fresh pizzas with 25% of the proceeds going to Almost There Rescue. PTTR offers a "Yappy Hour" from 3-6 with $10 pizzas and subs, plus opportunities to play with puppies on the patio. It's a win-win. ATR is always looking for volunteers-- you can even play with puppies for an hour to help! It's holding its Vanity Fur event November 15th at the Wrigley Mansion. www.almostthererescue.org  www.pizzatotherescuephx.com

He's long been "The Festival Guy" around the Valley, throwing food fests focused on tacos and pizza. In this episode, we meet David Tyda of Taco Fest and Phoenix Pizza Festival, and now he owns a bar too. Barcoa Agaveria in downtown Phoenix celebrates the art of creating and tasting tequila but Tyda says he never set out to be a bar owner. Find out how he says the building the bar's in "found him" and how his degree in humanities is put to work as he studies the history of tequila making to share with his customers. Taco Fest at Salt River Fields is October 19 and 20th. The 9th annual Phoenix Pizza Festival is November 16 and 17th. WWW.BARCOAPHX.COM  WWW.TACOFESTAZ.COM WWW.PHOENIX.PIZZA

A former truck driver and a singer find romance online and go into business together. We talk to the owners of Old School Grub Cafe in Mesa. Frank and Carlotta Perla give you a taste of nostalgia with a restaurant filled with vintage toys and comic memorabilia, all with a huge menu of comfort food like meatloaf and homemade pie. When you visit Frank and Carlotta, they want you to feel like family. Old School Grub is kicking off a brunch and a dinner buffet so you can get a taste of everything. They offer daily specials and Carlotta, the singer, leads you through karaoke sessions on the weekends.

The Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival and Scottsdale Fashion Week are two really big events that bring big names to the Valley. In this episode, we meet the local couple doing the legwork behind the scenes. Steve and Jamie Levine own Steve Levine Entertainment and Public Relations. Steve, a former DJ, and Jamie, a master of PR, combined their passions to create events that enrich the lives of Arizona families. Hear how they make marriage work in the workplace, how they survived COVID when live entertainment stopped, and how Steve and Jamie met years ago when Steve was spinning records and Jamie was a cheerleader for the Arizona Rattlers.

If you love coffee and country music, you're going to love this episode. We talk to Aaron Lopo, the owner of Dapper and Stout Coffee and Horse and Hyde Barroom. The coffee shops came first, some eight years ago. Then a little over a year ago, Aaron opened Horse and Hyde which quickly became popular because of daily live country music. His parents owned food trucks when he was growing up, and Aaron wanted no part of the food and beverage business. He thought he'd become a neonatal ER surgeon! Now, Aaron has two brands and four locations: Two Dapper and Stouts—one in Glendale and one in downtown Phoenix—a Horse and Hyde in Arcadia, and a brand new Horse and Hyde at Uptown Plaza in Phoenix. Hear how he gets it all done. Plus, if you sing, how you could get on stage.

Luke Irvin and Eric Walters of “A Taste of AZ” love telling stories about the Arizona restauranteur, chef, bar owner, and mixologist. They travel the state to tell their stories in print, in podcasts, and at festivals, where food lovers can connect in person. The work is something Eric felt was a long time coming as he'd searched for a career that just “felt good” and celebrated others. Luke, too, wanted to help others excel and came to the table well prepared to shoot, edit, and write. Hear about their new book, how to get the magazine, and the festival—with big name chefs—you’ll want to attend.

We meet the designer behind Lucky Star Jewels. Dawn Baiden created her jewelry line to be light and easy to wear, yet made with love that could go from day to night. You’ll find her beautiful necklaces, rings, bracelets and more in spa boutiques around the valley and the nation. She tells us about where she finds inspiration for her designs, the serendipitous way her business began and the way she has to protect her brand. Hear more about how dawn’s found success for two decades and counting. https://shopluckystar.com/

Azfoodie is the OG when it comes to Arizona food content creators. She started before it was cool by taking beautiful pictures of beautiful food around the Valley. Her pages went viral and pretty soon, Diana Brandt found herself Instagram and TikTok famous. She tells us about handling a new form of fame while always keeping in focus, and why she started in the first place: her love and respect for chefs and restauranteurs. Diana lets us in on some of the downsides of her work—like internet trolls—and tells us how she's been able to monetize her creativity.   The Original Arizona Foodie ™️ (@azfoodie) • Instagram photos and videos

Shantelle and Kenny Girard want to create the next big name in hats. They say they eat, sleep and breathe Rancher Hat Bar. It's a company they started out of a vintage trailer they converted into a hat bar. On the very first day they opened, they had a line around the corner and knew they were onto something! While the Rancher Hat Bar brand is still rather new, it's already grown to three locations with more coming soon. Plus, learn the longtime valley entrepreneur who shantelle calls "Grandma"! 

That's the idea behind Jenny's Dresses in Scottsdale. Owner Jenny Weinstein has always loved fashion, and when she found a treasure trove of high-end couture, she knew she had to share the one-of-a-kind pieces. Her collection grew from there and is now expanding to a bridal collection too. Hear how Jenny attended ASU, met her husband at Manzanita, appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show...and she's a sculptor and a dancer. Plus, hear how the store features a big bold diamond runway where every woman can truly shine. https://www.instagram.com/jennysdresses/ or 602-705-4525

  In this episode of Jaime's Local Love, Jaime Cerreta chats with Chef Ron Young, the mastermind behind Foodvision. Chef Ron shares his wild journey from working at Nike and Victoria's Secret to cooking for celebs like Kyler Murray, Derrick Rose, and Odell Beckham Jr. Hear how a random encounter with a supportive customer led him to cook for a Hall of Fame linebacker and eventually build a booming business.  Chef Ron dishes on his passion for meal prep, catering, private chef gigs, and how he gives back to the community with his culinary talents. He also spills stories from his travels, cooking for athletes overseas and learning from top chefs around the globe. Tune in to hear about his exciting plans, including opening a fine dining restaurant set to be a game-changer. Don't miss this inspiring and entertaining episode! Follow Chef Ron and Foodvision: Instagram: @azsdopeshef Website: www.foodvisionmeals.com  

Celebrity chef Beau MacMillan and managing partner and co-founder Mikis Troyan of Clive Collective tell us how they came together to create the very popular restaurant Cala Scottsdale and the new speakeasy Tell Your Friends. The two industry veterans talk about the ever-changing dining culture in Arizona and why they wanted to develop restaurants that offer incredible design, decor, ambience and sounds—along with amazing food! Hear about the scramble of a quick open of Cala Scottsdale and how the mouth droppingly elegant Tell Your Friends was once a storage room, plus the men talk about the important of adding balance to their personal lives.  https://calascottsdale.com/ https://www.tellyourfriendsaz.com/

It is the question Valley Handbag designer, Jennifer Boonlorn, is always asking herself. It's one her mother asked of her years ago. To answer the question, the Valley native made a huge career pivot. The W.P. Carey School of Business graduate packed her bags and moved to New York City to learn the fashion industry. She then came back home to create her Soul Carrier bags, backpacks, clutches, and coin purses.  The name Soul Carrier—inspired by her mother's poignant question and encourages others to go WHEREVER it is that they CHOOSE—with their Soul Carrier bag in hand, of course! Jennifer has a passion for connecting, mentoring, and helping others on their journeys. Her story of positive resilience is truly inspiring. www.soulcarrier.com

An Arizona girl had dreams of opening a bakery. In this episode, we meet Lindsey Blatney of the Bakery by LMB. She was going to college when one day she came home and told her mom she was moving to New York City with $400 dollars in her pocket and a goal to work at the famed Magnolia Bakery. She made the move, got the job, and learned what she wanted to know. Then Lindsey moved back home to Arizona to open the bakery she'd been talking about since she was a little girl. Hear about the magic moment that kept her on track and the YOLO moment to build The Bakery. The Bakery by LMB offers gift boxes for you to share with your loved ones. Lindsey makes banana bread, sugar, lemon crinkle, chocolate truffle cookies, chocolate chip and more. thebakerybylmb.com Social media: Instagram account: thebakerybylmb Facebook account: thebakerybylmb

At In Good Spirits Hospitality Group, "half baked" means they're not done yet. At their restaurants—Citizen Public House, The Gladly, and Beginner's Luck—chef and owner Bernie Kantak and owner-operator Andrew Fritz are constantly tweaking and perfecting their product for the ultimate guest experience, AKA "Half baked." They believe they are in the business of making people happy and there's one menu item that's made people happy for a very long time. It's something Chef Bernie came up with very quickly and now has a cult following and the nickname "The unofficial salad of Arizona." thegladly.com | citizenpublichouse.com | beginnersluckaz.com | igshospitality.com

The 85 in 85 Local stands for the first two digits of Arizona zip codes. The store is home to 35 diverse and creative Arizona makers. Owner Misty Stachel was a vendor herself when she realized many of the maker's markets were on the east side of town. She set out to start her own in her own zip code in Peoria. Hear how Misty is creating an Arizona gift destination, plus how a throwback t-shirt from Smitty's proves love of local runs in the family. https://85localaz.com/

Two Arizona sisters are serving up western style apparel adorned in sequins, feathers and fringe. Their first concept, Norde Scottsdale, quickly became an online hit and Old Town Scottsdale destination. Then the space opened up next door, and Faith and Julia Ballor jumped at the chance to open Turquoise Candy Hat Bar. The two sisters were studying at ASU to be lawyers when the pandemic happened and goals changed. Hear how Faith and Julia took a risk and leaned bigtime into their western roots and entrepreneurial spirits. https://www.nordescottsdale.com/ https://www.turquoisecandyhatbar.com/

Handcrafted jewelry for your wardrobe. Artwork carved in silver adorned with beautiful stones. At Saddlebags in Scottsdale,  you can find silver buckle sets with leather belts. The business is  celebrating 32 years in the Valley. Owner Todd Joseph tells us how it all began with his father and why Hanny's is such a special place to his family. Instagram: @saddlebagsaz www.Saddlebagsaz.com

Haley Balzano of Hale Collective is changing the look of our city. She’s the architect behind renovations at State Farm Stadium, the new restaurants at Sky Harbor Airport, and the new build at the BetMGM Sportsbook. She built a business she calls a collective because she realized to create a beautiful space, you need all your creatives in one place. Hear how Haley went out on her own and brought in other elements at Hale Collective to include design, branding, and graphics. Plus, she tells us the iconic Phoenix building she'd love to take on next! https://hale-collective.com/

One woman makes the ice cream, the other serves it in her store. Linda Moran-Whittley worked in accounting before deciding to pursue a passion project after her husband passed away. Karen Gagne of Karen’s Kreamery also worked in accounting before she decided she wanted to start a business in which she could involve the family. Karen’s responsible for the creative flavors like blueberry cardamon and lemongrass poppyseed you’ll find at Papa Ed’s in historic downtown Glendale’s Catlin Court. Linda’s busy making fresh waffle cones that send wafts of sweetness into the air luring in Arizona families for a locally made ice cream cone.  https://www.Papaedsicecream.com/

Afi Maita comes to the Valley by way of England and West Africa. While in England, Afi graduated in media studies, but it was in Africa as a little girl that the woman who created her fashion styling company—Afi Like Taffy—learned a love of wardrobe from her father. Hear how she fell in love with an American man and moved to across the sea to start a life in Arizona. We find out how Afi started her own styling business and we get some fashion tips too. https://afiliketaffy.com/

For decades, one Arizona family's been feeding Arizona families. The Miracle Mile Deli is celebrating 75 years in the Valley. Famous for their pastrami sandwiches, the deli serves up big portions at reasonable prices. The restaurant has long given back to the community through work like its reading program with Southwest Human Development. We talk to owner Josh Garcia about the Miracle Mile legacy and even finding love at the deli—it's happened a lot! Plus, Josh tells us the three things Miracle Mile Deli has determined are the keys to long standing success. Https://miraclemiledeli.com/

The plants of Arizona hold the keys to withstand the harsh elements of our dry desert. So Earth Based Body skincare turns to nature to moisturize. We meet owner, Nancy Rimbergas. She and her business partner, a skincare scientist, started their business three years ago. They call it succulent skincare using ingredients like desert aloe, prickly pear cactus, and Sonoran lemons in their products. Hear how this dream started during a trip to the spa and by the time the ladies left, they had a name for their business and a plan. https://earthbasedbody.com/

We meet the women behind Frosted Bakehouse in Ahwatukee. Kristina and Celeste met nearly a decade ago while working for a fine grocery store bakery. Each went on to have their own home bakery, then right before Valentine's Day in 2024, they opened a storefront together. Hear the incredible story of how they found their space just two weeks before they were to lose their funding. Frosted Bakehouse offers coffee, brownies, cupcakes, cakes, and so much more. Plus, they have some events and instagrammable specials coming up. https://www.frostedbakehouseaz.com/

We talk to the founder of The Sparkle Bar in Old Town Scottsdale. It's a makeup studio where you can have a professional do your make up for headshots, weddings, or just a night out. Alex Bradberry says The Sparkle Bar was born out of necessity. Unless you had a friend who's a makeup artist or wanted to make a purchase at the makeup counter, your options were limited. That was, before she opened her business. Alex credits much of their success on her team, their location and their vision for the company. But before Alex could even open Arizona's first makeup studio, she also learned she would first have to change Arizona law. So she did that too. https://thesparklebar.com/

It all started with a cookie and grew into a full-size brick and mortar that really rocks at brunch. We are talking dancing in the aisles at this Scottsdale restaurant! We talk to Dana Dumas, the founder and CEO of SugarJam The Southern Kitchen, about how her corporate background trained her to be a savvy businesswoman and how her family's influence taught her a true love of food. SugarJam is named for Dana's sugar jam cookie that she started baking with her mom out of her home. Hear how Dana grew her business, knew when to shift, and took some leaps of faith backed by hard numbers. SugarJam The Southern Kitchen | Lunch & Brunch in Scottsdale, AZ Scottsdale - Mother's Day Brunch (sjsouthernkitchen.com)

We meet the woman behind C2 Interiors, who went from a career in pharmaceutical sales to interior design. Connie Lamoreaux's love of design started young—as a kid, she'd rearrange furniture with her mom at home, in college, she started designing her friends' dorm rooms, and as a professional, they call her "The Material Muse." Connie has a degree in industrial organizational psychology.  We talk about how this unique degree served her well many times over. Plus, we get some advice on simple ways to elevate our homes. C2 Interiors | Connie Lamoreaux | Scottsdale Interior Designer (c2interiordesign.com)

In this episode of Jaime's Local Love: The Podcast, we meet the man behind Crust Restaurant Group. It serves up authentic New York Style Pizza with generous portions at a really good price. The owner, Michael Merendino, says he wants to keep his customers coming in two or three times a week, and not just when they're celebrating. Merendino came to the Valley from New York after September 11th and worked in restaurants before going out on his own. Now 17 years later, he has three Italian restaurants, two pizzerias, two cocktail bars and more coming soon. www.crustpizzaplace.com

Two Valley teachers loved working together so much they often created projects to combine their math and science classes. Now Lindsay and Emily are tackling their passion project together: Leaving teaching behind to create a neighborhood wine bar on Roosevelt Row called Genuwine Arizona. It was inspired by a self-serve wine machine they discovered in Europe and the two call themselves business soulmates. We talk Arizona wines—March is Arizona wine month after all—locally-curated snacks, cheese boards, and what these two teachers learned about building a business from scratch. https://genuwinearizona.com/

You've likely seen Chris Powell on his frequent appearances on Good Morning Arizona talking about healthy food and fitness. Powell's been a regular on GMAZ for some 20 years and tells us how he garnered that coveted spot and keeps getting booked today. He has a passion for helping others invest in their fitness journey and made a promise to himself to help 1 million people and even tattooed that number on his body during one of his lowest points.  Chris shares his story of vulnerability, strength, passion, and promises, and he gives us the family discount on his new fitness app. Plus, we got his good buddy, Scott Pasmore, to join in the conversation to spill the tea on both some funny stories and meaningful friendship.  

"If we don't make it, we don't serve it." That's the motto at Persepshen in Phoenix. The restaurant's owners Katherine and Jason Dwight met in culinary school at Scottsdale Community College. Now Katherine creates the pastries and Jason is on meats and veggies at their restaurant off Central and Highland. They started at the farmer's markets with a focus on local ingredients and  everything is really special to the Dwights at Persepshen, from the branch chandelier Jason cut down himself to the silverware their family polished for their wedding. Https://www.Persepshenarizona.Com/

Word of Mouth Grill began with the concept of bringing people together with food. The family-owned and operated barbeque restaurant in Tempe boasts shredded pork like you've never had, a wing flight that takes your taste buds through a myriad of flavors, and heat and elevated collaborative dinners. Hear the incredible story of how the owner Demetrious Makel was left with his brother to raise themselves as teenagers, how he met the love of his life at a Halloween party, and how a mentor helped steer his life toward entrepreneurship.

Stephanie Vasquez is a proud Arizona native. She grew up Maryvale, went to ASU and was a middle school teacher in the West Valley. She loved it! Then she went on vacation to Costa Rica and learned how tough the coffee industry can be on the people it employs and on Mother Earth herself.  She had to do something.  Vasquez opened Fair Trade Coffee in 2007 on Roosevelt Row-- carefully sourcing fair trade coffee and creating a space for community.  In her new role as an entrepreneur, she was still very much a teacher-- often mentoring others coming up in business.  To help lift up small business owners, Vasquez opened Amor Collective in August of 2023 featuring Latina business owners. Hear more about Vasquez's journey from teacher to business owner and why she loves Arizona so much. 

We meet Joey Lucidi of Westside Concepts. He grew up in the restaurant business and loves creating a welcoming dining experience, a neighborhood place where you can come to hang. Lucidi started with the original Haymaker restaurant in 2013 and now has nine locations, with more coming this year. Joey tells us what it takes to be an restauranteur with multiple locations and concepts. https://westsideconcepts.us/

A husband-and-wife team with three kids and two businesses. That's what you'll find behind the brand of Naked Rebellion. Owners Jessica Wenger McPhaul and Jay McPhaul started the clothing brand after Jessica was fired from her costume job in L.A. because she couldn't find inclusive bras. So she and Jay started their own underwear line and now the two want to help other people—and other couples—start their own businesses too. https://nakedrebellion.com/

In this week's Jaime's Local Love, we mixed it up a little. Instead of interviewing a local business owner, we invited Ian Schwartz on, calling him the Arizona Insider. It's a name he gave himself around the Super Bowl last year as he highlighted events happening around the big game. Ian grew up in Mesa, and when not working at Arizona's Family, he's often exploring new attractions. Ian tells us where to have fun in the Valley in 2024.

We talk to the founder of Local First Arizona, Kimber Lanning. The Arizona native started her own record store as a teenager. That's when she realized small businesses had minimal support in our state. She would spend the following decades working to change that through her foundation, Local First Arizona, which provides businesses with education, grants, an incubator kitchen and so more. https://localfirstaz.com/

A former banker turned BBQ pitmaster joins us in the podcast studio. Sterling Smith—AKA Smitty—is Jaime's brother-in-law. Smitty and Jaime's sister Molly met when Molly was in high school and Smitty was in the Navy. We talk about building a business and a family while smoking meat, creating rubs and sauces, and winning a lot of trophies and checks.

A New York style deli where freshness comes first That's what you'll get at Rinaldi's in north Scottsdale. Owner John Sayegh is celebrating 30 years in the Valley where you can always count on—breakfast burritos filled with just-cracked eggs topped with his wife Bolivia's homemade salsa, amazing deli sandwiches, and Italian dishes like chicken parmesan and baked ziti. John talks about his longevity in the Arizona restaurant business and in love, as he's been happily married for decades.

A Phoenix native bears the nickname "The Fry Guy". In this episode, we learn how Flip Isard of Frites Street—a graduate of Shadow Mountain High School—launched a potato company, making the fries you'll find in Phoenix's fine restaurants. His journey took him around the world as a roadie for Jared Leto's band, eating from late night frites shop in Europe. When he came back to Arizona, his dad told him to bet on himself. He bet on the power of the potato.

Wally's American Pub 'n Grille is a neighborhood bar and grille where you can take the family or meet a friend for a drink. It has a cozy environment offering comfort food like meatloaf and pot roast. Wally's has been family owned for 22 years and much of the staff has been there for decades too. We talk to owner/operator Matt Collins about running an institution as the neighborhood around him changes immensely.