Advus After Hours

Hosted by Mitchell Lamoriello and Jeff Lee

Business Entrepreneurship Investing

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Latest episode

Dec 2025

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EN-US

About the show

Advus After Hours is a podcast focused on the intersection of innovation, finance and community in Orlando, Florida - hosted by wealth advisors Mitchell Lamoriello and Jeff Lee.

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17 recent

December 16, 202546 min

Inventing a First-of-Its-Kind Kids Water Brand – Lindsay Dykstra Kiley and Neda Khosrowzadeh of Swelly

Our guests this week are Lindsay Dykstra Kiley and Neda Khosrowzadeh, co-founders of Swelly and the creators behind a first-of-its-kind motorized water scooter designed for kids. Lindsay and Neda discuss the origin of Swelly, the challenges of launching and scaling a product in a highly regulated category, how their complementary skill sets and trust as partners drive the business forward, the role of social media and community in early traction, balancing entrepreneurship with family life, what’s next as they build Swelly into a broader family lifestyle brand, and more. Watch this Podcast Learn More: swelly.us TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Intro 01:14 – Launching Swelly: The World’s Best Water Scooter 02:44 – What is Swelly? Product Explained 04:49 – Inspiration & Origin Story 06:15 – Naming the Brand & Early Branding Decisions 08:10 – Family, Content Creation, and Teamwork 10:53 – How Their Partnership Began 12:51 – Entrepreneurial Backgrounds 15:59 – Balancing Family & Business 19:11 – Purpose, Values, and Brand Vision 21:11 – Practical Steps: Turning Ideas Into Reality 23:05 – Legal, Compliance, and Being First to Market 26:01 – Product Design: Creating Something New 28:44 – Going Viral & Social Proof 31:35 – Supply Chain, Manufacturing & Growing Pains 34:31 – The Business Playbook & Learning from Mistakes 36:22 – Holiday Sales & Managing Growth 39:00 – Expanding the Product Line: Swelly’s Sunglasses for Kids 41:46 – Vision for the Future & New Product Sneak Peeks 43:31 – Community, Location, and Why Central Florida 45:08 – Big Goals: Retail, International, and Shark Tank Dreams 46:11 – Final Thoughts This podcast is produced by Advus Financial Partners, a wealth management firm located in the Central Florida area, that focuses on wealth and investment management, and retirement management. Disclaimer: https://advuspartners.com/sm-disclaimer

July 17, 202554 min

Luxury Resort Experiences as a Lifestyle – Greg Spencer of Timbers Resorts

Mitchell and Jeff chat with Greg Spencer, CEO of Timbers Resorts, to explore the evolution of luxury resort living and fractional ownership. Greg shares how his military background shaped his leadership, the challenges of workforce housing in high-end destinations, and why Timbers Resorts moved its headquarters from Vail to Winter Park. He also breaks down the differences between fractional ownership and timeshares, the rising demand for experiential travel, and how Timbers is redefining luxury hospitality and the future of high-end travel. Watch this Podcast Learn More: timbersresorts.com TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction to Greg Spencer, CEO of Timbers Resorts 03:31 Leadership Challenges in Development Projects 06:56 The Importance of Team Synergy in Global Operations 10:12 Real Estate Strategies in Hospitality 13:19 How Timbers Reciprocity and Priority System Works 16:43 Successful Real Estate Repositioning Strategies 20:19 Launching The Andiamo Collection and Strategic Branding 23:28 Rise of the Multigenerational Traveler 27:00 The Affordable Housing Dilemma 30:13 Embracing Authentic Communication in Hospitality 33:35 Creating Authentic Luxury Experiences in Hawaii 37:21 The Sparkle and Pop Revival 40:11 Business Development in Central Florida 43:34 The Community and Charm of Winter Park 47:05 Florida’s Business-Friendly Environment and Growth Potential 50:31 Traveling Made Easy in Central Florida 54:01 Importance of Community Engagement This podcast is produced by Advus Financial Partners, a wealth management firm located in the Central Florida area, that focuses on wealth and investment management, and retirement management. Disclaimer: https://advuspartners.com/sm-disclaimer

December 10, 202442 min

Building Community Via Healthy Food – John Rivers

Recorded live at the brand new 4 Roots Education Center in Orlando, Florida – Mitchell and Jeff chat with John Rivers, CEO and founder of the legendary 4 Rivers Smokehouse and Founder/CEO of 4Roots, a non-profit focused on promoting health, sustainability, and combating food insecurity through education and sustainable farming. John describes the growth of Four Rivers, now a national brand, explaining how the new non-profit complements the success of the restaurant business, 4Roots’ new campus that employs nine growing systems and a living building powered by solar energy and built with sustainable materials, his passion to tackle systemic hunger and to help transform farming practices to restore soil health and ensure future food security, and much more. Watch this Podcast Learn More: 4rootsfarm.org TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction to John Rivers and the growth of 4 Rivers 02:47 Overview of 4Roots Operations 07:46 The Essential Role of Soil in Sustainable Food Production 10:31 Reassessing Philanthropy and Mission Focus 13:13 Importance of Food Access and Education 15:56 From College Struggles to Career Resilience 18:40 Evolution of Project Design Over Time 21:17 Innovative Energy-Efficient Building Design 23:43 Valencia College Campus Initiatives 26:14 Inspiring Change Through Local Attractions 28:31 Building Strategic Partnerships for Community Growth 31:05 Addressing Community Food Insecurity 33:38 The Hidden Costs and Inefficiencies in the U.S. Food System 36:19 National Security Risks of Food Dependency 38:57 Community Impact: Over 2.3 Million Meals Served 41:32 Excitement and Steps for Community Growth This podcast is produced by Advus Financial Partners, a wealth management firm located in the Central Florida area, that focuses on wealth and investment management, and retirement management. Disclaimer: https://advuspartners.wpenginepowered.com/sm-disclaimer

October 1, 202459 min

Growing a Pediatrics Business in Orlando – Dr. Michael Middleton

Jeff chats with Dr. Michael Middleton, owner of Middleton Pediatrics, about why he chose to locate his practice in Orlando, the challenges in growing from a small practice to a medical office that facilitates over 25,000 visits a year, how the community helped him along the way, pushing through the challenges of Covid, his thoughts on how social media and access to the internet has changed patient attitudes over time, and much more. Watch this Podcast Learn More: middletonpediatrics.com TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Intro 01:40 – Dr. Middleton’s background and early days 04:22 – Picking a medical specialty 06:22 – Choosing the expand the practice 11:47 – The people who helped along the way 14:16 – The growth of Middleton Pediatrics 15:12 – Is there a baby boom in Orlando? 17:48 – Business doubts & unexpected challenges 23:56 – Surviving Covid by being nimble 35:45 – Why Dr. Middleton chose pediatrics 37:35 – Integrating your beliefs into business 41:05 – What part of running a medical practice could be applied to most businesses? 45:10 – How parents have changed over time 49:02 – Battling medical misinformation and hesitancy 58:15 – Disarming doubt in medical advice 59:05 – Outro This podcast is produced by Advus Financial Partners, a wealth management firm located in the Central Florida area, that focuses on wealth and investment management, and retirement management. Disclaimer: https://advuspartners.wpenginepowered.com/sm-disclaimer

July 8, 202455 min

Bringing Michelin Star Sushi to Orlando – Chef Mike Collantes

Mitchell and Jeff chat with Chef Mike Collantes, owner of the legendary Soseki Modern Omakase restaurant, about his deep Orlando roots, his food journey starting as a cook at Sbarro all the way to creating a Michelin star-winning sushi experience, his thoughts on Orlando’s exploding food scene, the carefully selected team and design around his new Bar Kada sake bar concept, and much more. Watch this Podcast Learn More: mikecollantes.com This podcast is produced by Advus Financial Partners, a wealth management firm located in the Central Florida area, that focuses on wealth and investment management, and retirement management. Disclaimer: https://advuspartners.wpenginepowered.com/sm-disclaimer

May 16, 202445 min

Changing Lives Through Song – Theresa Smith-Levin of Central Florida Vocal Arts

Mitchell and Jeff are joined by Theresa Smith-Levin, Founder and Executive Director of Central Florida Vocal Arts, non-profit music advocacy organization dedicated to providing the high quality training and performance opportunities to young artists. The guys discuss Theresa’s experience at this years Victory Cup competition, the importance of singing and performance for self-expression and healing, the societal perception of vocal talent and how it affects people’s willingness to engage in singing or the arts, the future of the organization, and much more. Watch this Podcast Learn More about Central Florida Vocal Arts: https://centralfloridavocalarts.org This podcast is produced by Advus Financial Partners, a wealth management firm located in the Central Florida area, that focuses on wealth and investment management, and retirement management. Disclaimer: https://advuspartners.wpenginepowered.com/sm-disclaimer

April 10, 202441 min

The Cost of Legal Aid For All – Jeff Harvey of Community Legal Services

Mitchell and Jeff are joined by Jeff Harvey, CEO of Community Legal Services, a non-profit that provides no-cost legal services to vulnerable low-income communities in Central Florida. The guys discuss Jeff’s military service, connecting with mentors and developing a passion for leadership and service, and how those life experiences have helped CLS grow significantly, becoming one of the largest law firms in Central Florida. Watch this Podcast Learn More about Community Legal Services: https://www.clsmf.org This podcast is produced by Advus Financial Partners, a wealth management firm located in the Central Florida area, that focuses on wealth and investment management, and retirement management. Disclaimer: https://advuspartners.wpenginepowered.com/sm-disclaimer

October 9, 202351 min

The Power of Storytelling – Ashley Vann of Victory Cup Initiative

Mitchell and Jeff are joined by Ashley Vann, Founder of Victory Cup Initiative, a non-profit that hosts an annual competition to help local non-profits amplify their stories, raise funds, and build community. The discussion ranges from Ashley’s background as a Winter Park native, her roots and early success in wealth management, how the skills she learned as a financial services professional helped seed the idea for Victory Cup Initiative, the success and future of the competition-based non-profit, and much more. Watch this Podcast Learn More about Victory Cup Initiative This podcast is produced by Advus Financial Partners, a wealth management firm located in the Central Florida area, that focuses on wealth and investment management, and retirement management. Disclaimer: https://advuspartners.wpenginepowered.com/sm-disclaimer

August 30, 202358 min

The Power of Neighborhoods – Eddy Moratin of Lift Orlando

Mitchell and Jeff chat with Eddy Moratin, President of Lift Orlando, a non-profit dedicated to strengthening neighborhoods by building high quality, mixed-income housing and providing a cradle to career educational pipeline while improving community health and wellness. The conversation touches on topics such as the rich history of the black community in Orlando, how disinvestment opens the door to gentrification, the role of community partnerships in driving positive change, the success of the Lift Orlando method, and much more. Watch this Podcast Learn More about Lift Orlando This podcast is produced by Advus Financial Partners, a wealth management firm located in the Central Florida area, that focuses on wealth and investment management, and retirement management. Disclaimer: https://advuspartners.wpenginepowered.com/sm-disclaimer

June 26, 202346 min

Doing BBQ Different – Thomas Ward of Pig Floyd’s & Pigzza

Mitchell and Jeff chat with Thomas Ward, entrepreneur and local restaurateur, about his history in the restaurant business and his latest dine-in sensation Pigzza – a fusion of smoked meats and Italian food. Thomas details his path from food trucks to award-winning dining establishments, his thoughts on Orlando as a food city, embracing criticism and radical honesty with customers, lessons he’s learned over the years, why a restaurateur would want to host a podcast, and more. Watch this Podcast Learn More about Pigzza This podcast is produced by Advus Financial Partners, a wealth management firm located in the Central Florida area, that focuses on wealth and investment management, and retirement management. Disclaimer: https://advuspartners.wpenginepowered.com/sm-disclaimer