Locality's Making Bank

Hosted by Locality Bank

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Host Keith Costello, CEO of Locality Bank, and South Florida visionaries take you on an entrepreneurial journey from tribulation to triumph as they share the stories that have shaped them.

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60 recent

October 15, 20261 hr 33 min

Heat Miser: The Jerry Katz Story

From a nearly empty seventh birthday party to the high-pressure world of Wall Street, Jerry Katz’s journey to becoming CEO of Premier Protection Insurance is anything but ordinary. In this episode of Locality’s Making Bank Podcast, Jerry joins host Keith Costello to reflect on his family's journey from Soviet Russia, losing everything in the dot-com crash, his complicated but formative relationship with his father, and how faith reshaped his understanding of success. It's a candid conversation about ambition, reinvention, and the surprising ways our earliest experiences continue to shape who we become. Learn more about Jerry: https://jerrykatzceo.com Jerry's book recommendation is The Science of Scaling: Grow Your Business Bigger and Faster Than You Think Possible, by Dr. Benjamin Hardy. https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Science_of_Scaling/ls0FEQAAQBAJ

September 24, 20261 hr 8 min

Build a Business People Remember: The Michael Gordon Story

Michael Gordon believes the cheapest way is often the most expensive way. What customers really remember is whether you showed up, solved the problem, and made them feel taken care of. On this episode of Locality’s Making Bank Podcast, Michael shares the lessons behind a South Florida entrepreneurial journey that has taken him from real estate and Pizza Fusion to Better Call Steve the Plumber. He gets candid about failure, hard work, building teams people want to stay on, and why creating a better experience might be the most valuable advantage a business can have. Learn more at bettercallsteveplumbing.com . Michael's book recommendation is The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle.

August 27, 202650 min

A South Florida Construction Story, with Mike Fee of Lotspeich Co. of Florida, Inc.

Mike Fee joined Lotspeich Co. of Florida, Inc. in 1989, became president in 2003, and has helped lead the Fort Lauderdale contractor through decades of South Florida construction cycles.In this episode of Locality’s Making Bank Podcast, Mike shares why the company took low-margin work to protect jobs during the post-2008 downturn, how it is developing young talent and investing in technology, and why cash flow, client relationships, and people remain at the center of his approach to leadership. Learn more: https://lcfinc.com/

July 23, 202645 min

The Long Way to Fort Lauderdale: Bill Walker and the Making of Water Taxi

Bill Walker’s path to Fort Lauderdale started far from South Florida, aboard merchant ships, competitive sailboats, and high-speed ferries. Along the way, he helped build innovative marine transportation systems before transforming Water Taxi from a five-boat operation into a 15-vessel business serving more than 1.2 million passengers a year.In this episode of Locality’s Making Bank Podcast, Bill shares what 9/11, the financial crisis, and COVID taught him about protecting cash, keeping strong financial records, building an A-player team, and turning plans into progress by learning to “execute ruthlessly.”Book a ride on Fort Lauderdale's Water Taxi by visiting https://watertaxi.com/.

June 25, 202640 min

No Fear, Just Forward | Rebel Wine Bar Founder Larissa Castelluber

Larissa Castelluber lives by a simple rule: no fear, just forward. In this episode, the Rebel Wine Bar founder shares how a family of entrepreneurs shaped her comfort with risk, why she moved to South Florida at 22, and how she pivoted from design into SEO and lead generation. She also breaks down what it really takes to run a neighborhood hospitality business in Oakland Park, Florida, plus the long game she’s building through long-term rental real estate. Learn more: https://rebelwinebar.com/

May 28, 20261 hr 5 min

It’s All About the Leader, with Mark Lachance | Entrepreneur Lessons

Mark Lachance has built, sold, and rebuilt businesses across sports, payments, digital marketing, and collision repair. In this episode, he shares a leadership truth that changed how he operates: when the business is struggling, it starts with the leader. You’ll hear his real pivots, hard-earned lessons, and how he rebuilds systems that don’t depend on him. #empiresessions

April 30, 202631 min

Bootstrapping an IT Staffing Firm, Then Reinventing Through COVID | Bryan Vreeland, LS Global Group

Bryan Vreeland grew up in Broward County, learned sales and leadership early, then bet on himself in 2017 by launching a recruiting and IT staffing business from scratch. In this episode, he shares the slow first year, the sudden breakthrough, and the brutal reset when COVID wiped out his headcount in weeks, plus how that pressure pushed him into a broader BPO and global operations model and a technology arm focused on automation.

March 26, 202640 min

Seasons of Change, with Carol Mirones, Founder and CEO of Seasons Psychotherapy Associates

Carol Mirones, LCSW-QS, LMFT-QS, went from a 15-year stretch as a stay-at-home mom to launching a therapy practice in the middle of 2020. In this episode, she shares how Seasons Psychotherapy grew from one small office in Davie, Florida, to four locations across Florida, plus what it takes to scale in a heavily regulated industry while staying grounded in real human connection. Learn more at https://seasonspsychotherapy.com/

February 12, 202635 min

The Pivot: From Meal Prep to Waterfront Homes | Marc Elkman, Empire Development

Marc Elkman grew up in Fort Lauderdale with a competitive blueprint from his mother, a pro athlete who shaped his discipline early. After bootstrapping a meal plan business to the Inc. 500 and $18M in sales, he pivoted into luxury waterfront development and now leads Empire Development with more than $100M in active projects. In this episode, Marc shares the real lessons behind fast growth, hard logistics, why community banks matter, and why “health is wealth” is not just a quote.

January 8, 202643 min

From Jewelry to BBQ: Luke Moorman on Building Legacy in South Florida

What do fine jewelry and barbecue have in common? For Fort Lauderdale's Luke Moorman, they represent legacy, reinvention, and a deep connection to community. In this episode of Locality's Making Bank Podcast, Luke shares his journey from swimming scholarships to stockbroker hustle to running Carroll's Jewelers and reviving the beloved Georgia Pig BBQ. A story of family business, resilience, and staying rooted.