
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.
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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
Dec 16, 2025
46 min

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.
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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
Jul 17, 2025
54 min

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.
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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
Dec 10, 2024
42 min

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.
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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
Oct 1, 2024
59 min

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.
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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
Jul 8, 2024
55 min

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.
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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
May 16, 2024
45 min

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.
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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
Apr 10, 2024
41 min

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.
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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
Oct 9, 2023
51 min

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.
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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
Aug 30, 2023
58 min

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
Jun 26, 2023
46 min
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