Tampa Bay Developer

Hosted by Garrett Greco

Business Investing

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Episodes

197

Latest episode

Jul 2026

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About the show

The TBD POD is a weekly show featuring ambitious and interesting people influencing Tampa, Florida. New episodes every Friday! Stay tuned for more.

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60 recent

July 24, 2026Episode 1971 hr 13 min

How Cities Can Make It Easier To Start A Small Business

On TBD Podcast Episode 197, Garrett Greco and AJ DeSimone unpack how Cousin Vinny’s Sandwich Co. grew from a 100-square-foot Tampa ghost kitchen into a breakout Italian American restaurant brand, survived an 18-month storefront buildout, used social media and AI to maintain momentum, and prepared to expand across Tampa Bay.00:00:00 - Intro00:00:38 - How founders met00:03:11 - Ghost kitchen testing begins00:10:53 - Ghost kitchen not sustainable00:16:29 - City permitting delays00:35:02 - Opening day, huge lines00:39:14 - "Cousin Vinny" name origin00:48:07 - Everything made in-house00:50:55 - New equipment, scaling production00:53:00 - Two new locations announced

July 22, 202611 min

How Tampa Bay’s 3 Mayors Are Solving Regional Issues Together

Tampa, St. Pete, and Clearwater aren’t competing for growth, they’re solving Tampa Bay’s biggest regional problems together. Mayors Jane Castor, Ken Welch, and Bruce Rector break down how the three cities actually collaborate.00:00 — Intro00:21 — Rector: Not competing, we’re partners00:51 — Welch: Quarterly lunches, strong relationships01:22 — Castor: Not competing with Miami02:11 — Rector: Solving regional workforce housing02:52 — Welch: Downtown partnerships, tourism collaboration04:45 — Rector: Global Tampa Bay economic trips05:56 — Welch: Navigating the Rays stadium situation06:48 — Rector: Protecting shared water quality08:21 — Castor: Growing without losing our identity09:15 — Rector: Closing message: we’re one team

July 17, 2026Episode 19649 min

St. Pete Mayor: The Gas Plant District, The Rays, and The Future Of St. Pete

Ken Welch is the 54th Mayor of St. Petersburg, the city’s first African American mayor and a third-generation St. Pete resident who grew up in the Historic Gas Plant community before homes, churches and businesses were displaced for development; he was sworn into office in January 2022 and is seeking another term as mayor.00:00 - Intro00:36 - Growing up in Gas Plant District06:18 - Rays stadium sale and move08:14 - Trop dome damage and repair11:14 - Selecting the development partner16:14 - Green space and park design18:14 - I-175 removal debate24:13 - Central Avenue small businesses35:22 - Property tax homestead exemption44:02 - Water transportation and ferries

July 10, 2026Episode 19537 min

Why I’m Running For Tampa City Council

Garrett Greco sits down with producer David to reveal why he is running for Tampa City Council District 3 and discuss his vision for Tampa’s growth, neighborhoods, transportation, infrastructure, small businesses, and future. They talk about:◼️Why he decided to run for Tampa City Council District 3◼️What Tampa must do to manage growth without losing its identity◼️How the city can improve transportation and critical infrastructure◼️Why protecting neighborhoods and supporting small businesses are central to his campaign◼️What kind of future he wants to help build for Tampa residents00:00:00 Intro00:01:31 Consistency is the secret sauce00:04:20 Growing social media following00:08:15 Filing for City Council00:10:36 Open District 3 seat00:13:35 Launching the District Series00:18:12 Podcasting while holding office00:21:44 Comprehensive plan community backlash00:26:20 Explaining the "developer" name00:34:51 Seattle trip, closing thoughts

July 3, 2026Episode 1941 hr 55 min

Old Tampa Looked Nothing Like The City We Live In Today

hip Weiner is a Tampa photographer, creator of https://www.oldtampaphotos.com/, author of multiple before and after Tampa history books, food photographer, and mental health counselor who has spent years documenting historic buildings, researching their stories, and showing how Tampa has changed from the late 1800s through today.

June 26, 2026Episode 19355 min

Fixing Transportation And The Housing Crisis

Bemetra Simmons is the President and CEO of the Tampa Bay Partnership, a coalition of regional business and nonprofit leaders focused on improving the civic quality and economic well-being of Tampa Bay. Since taking the role in 2021, she has worked to convene CEOs, policymakers, business leaders, and community organizations around major regional issues including housing affordability, transportation, workforce development, education, and economic competitiveness.She explains:◼️Why Tampa Bay’s housing crisis is really a workforce housing crisis◼️How 400,000 households are being cost burdened by housing and transportation◼️Why Tampa Bay needs a regional strategy instead of every city solving problems alone◼️How merging transportation planning could help Tampa Bay compete for major infrastructure funding◼️Why public private partnerships may be the key to building housing, transit, and long-term regional growth0:00 Intro1:02 What the partnership does4:45 Regional housing study findings7:32 Tampa Bay Rising initiative12:24 Merging transportation planning organizations19:34 Regional Infrastructure Accelerator explained21:27 Five shortlisted transit projects33:15 Private capital and financing39:21 Workforce housing challenges49:08 Regional collaboration and identity

June 19, 2026Episode 1921 hr 28 min

The Nonprofit Tampa Cannot Afford To Lose | Crisis Center of Tampa Bay

Clara A. Reynolds is the President & CEO of Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, a Tampa native, social worker, and longtime community leader helping people through some of the most difficult moments of their lives, including mental health crises, substance abuse, financial distress, sexual assault, domestic violence, and emergency medical situations.She explains:◼️How Crisis Center of Tampa Bay answers 211 and 988 calls for people facing crisis◼️Why suicide calls, sexual assault calls, and mental health needs rise after major public events◼️How the C3 program diverts police calls by giving people immediate emotional support◼️Why TransCare ambulances respond to medical and psychiatric emergencies across Tampa◼️What funding cuts, property tax reform, and nonprofit challenges could mean for Tampa Bay’s safety net00:00 - Intro01:33 - Clara's path to CEO12:16 - Mother's death, personal motivation16:57 - Hiring and training call staff27:47 - Crisis trends and social media32:26 - How the crisis center funded36:06 - C3 program diverts police calls46:00 - Nonprofits facing funding cuts54:44 - Homelessness and housing crisis1:14:43 - Property tax reform risks

June 12, 20261 hr 6 min

Why St. Pete Is Perfect For Small Businesses

Zach Pace and Rachelle Tomushev are the co-founders of Volta Wine & Market, a new wine shop, gourmet market, and wine bar opening at 400 Central in downtown Saint Petersburg, with Zach bringing sommelier experience and a Michelin hospitality background and Rachelle helping shape the brand, operations, and customer experience.0:00 - Volta Wine & Market intro9:08 - Florida vs. California business climate11:29 - Signing the lease journey17:33 - Choosing 400 Central location26:50 - Founding partners' dynamic40:05 - Food and beverage menu43:07 - Wine sourcing philosophy54:44 - Pricing and accessibility1:01:03 - Curated water selection

June 5, 2026Episode 1901 hr 0 min

The Making of A Land Remembered

Todd Wiseman Jr. is a Florida-born filmmaker, entrepreneur, and showrunner leading the ambitious adaptation of A Land Remembered into a major television series. After building and successfully exiting a production company, he returned home to help pioneer a new model for independent filmmaking while bringing Florida’s history, culture, and natural beauty to the screen.

May 29, 2026Episode 1892 hr 0 min

Tom DeGeorge on Tampa's Transition And The Fight To Preserve Its Identity | EP.189

Tom DeGeorge is the owner of Crowbar, the independent Ybor City music venue closing this summer after 20 years, and a longtime voice in the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), the coalition behind the Save Our Stages Act. He recently testified before the House and Senate Judiciary Committee about Live Nation and Ticketmaster, just weeks after a Manhattan jury found the company guilty of running an illegal monopoly.0:00 Welcome back from Congress6:32 What Live Nation controls14:49 Why small rooms matter26:27 Venues as anchor businesses39:07 Ybor's identity crisis48:41 Aggressive parking hurts Ybor1:09:37 Reactionary policies backfire1:15:21 The Grand Oak tree fight1:30:45 Jury finds Live Nation guilty1:45:46 Pearl Jam warned us first