Baked-In with Josh Allen

On this week’s episode presented by Busey Bank, our guest is Lia Weber, founder and head pastry chef behind Made. by Lia — a beloved bakery that’s captured the heart of North County and beyond. Lia’s journey is a story of passion, persistence, and deep community roots. From launching her business out of a small apartment kitchen to opening a bright, welcoming storefront, she’s built more than just a bak...

On this episode presented by Busey Bank, I’m thrilled to be joined by Tom and Shelley N, co-founders of Space Architects—a full-service architecture and design firm that’s redefining the way we think about space, community, and the built environment. Based in St. Louis, Space Architects is known for their collaborative, people-first approach to design. From revitalizing historic buildings to creating mo...

On this week’s episode presented by Busey Bank, I’m thrilled to be joined by Ben Poremba, the visionary chef and restaurateur behind the Bengelina Restaurant Group in St. Louis. Ben has made a name for himself not only as a culinary innovator but also as a community builder, transforming unproven neighborhoods into thriving dining destinations. With a portfolio of diverse concepts, he’s now taking on the ambitious challenge of open...

On this week’s episode presented by Busey Bank, I’m thrilled to be joined by Susan Trautman, the retiring CEO of Great Rivers Greenway, an organization that has transformed the St. Louis region over the past 25 years. During her 15 years as CEO, Susan has been a driving force in connecting communities, fostering collaboration, and creating lasting green spaces that have reshaped the region’s landscape. ...

In this week’s episode presented by Busey Bank, Josh is joined by Marc Connor, the visionary co-founder of rootberry, a brand that’s redefining the frozen food space with its vegan-friendly meals, snacks, and energy bites. Over the years, Marc has navigated multiple business model pivots—starting with direct home delivery and now evolving into a CPG frozen item in traditional and specialty grocery across the country. Along the way,...

This week, we’re diving into a fascinating conversation that bridges the worlds of high school sports and business leadership. I’m thrilled to welcome St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame 2024 Jimmy Dunn High School Soccer Coach of the Year David Aronberg of Ladue High School to the podcast. Coach Aronberg’s boys team just clinched the State Class 3 championship in November 2024—a incredible achievement that speaks volumes about his leade...

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Jeff Stevens, the visionary founder of Wellbeing Brewing. If you’ve ever wondered how to build a mission-driven company that not only thrives in a competitive market but also challenges industry norms, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Jeff has taken the craft beer world by storm with a bold idea: creating non-alcoholic beers that don’t just taste great but also align with a lifestyl...

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Matt LaMartina, owner of Tony LaMartina Plumbing Co., a family business serving St. Louis since 1982. When Matt’s father, a beloved and larger-than-life plumber, passed away in 2023, Matt found himself stepping into a role he had never planned for. Despite having worked in the company for a decade, Matt is not a licensed plumber and initially came from a career in pharmaceutical sales, armed...

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Sarah Schlafly, the founder of *Mighty Cricket*, a company that’s revolutionizing the food industry with products made from—you guessed it—cricket protein. Sarah is not only building a brand in an emerging industry but also tackling some of the biggest challenges in food sustainability and consumer perception.  Sarah found herself this week in the middle of President Trump’s political agenda ...

On this week’s episode presented by Busey Bank, I’m joined by Rachel Burns, founder of Bold Spoon Creamery, a St. Louis-based company known for its experimental, adult-focused ice cream flavors like Goat Cheese with Fig Jam and Vanilla Crème Brûlée. Burns, who has an MBA with an emphasis in finance, brings 20-plus years of institutional investment experience, client management and a lifelong love of ice cream to running Bold Spoon....

On this week’s episode presented by Busey Bank, we’re celebrating episode  number 75. Two years of talking to some amazing folks about growth and leadership and failure and values. We’re taking a look back at some of my favorite moments. I’ll be sharing highlights from conversations that resonated with me—moments that made me think, laugh, or see things in a new light. It’s a chance to reflect on the journey so far and revisit the ...

On this week’s episode presented by Busey Bank, I’m joined by my wonderful wife and best friend, Melissa Allen. Over the course of a 30+ year career, she has worn many hats—literally and figuratively. She’s been a Ringling Bros. circus performer, a touring Broadway chorus girl, a Las Vegas showgirl, a Sacramento Kings NBA cheerleader, a burlesque dancer, an aerial artist, a Pilates instructor, a dance teacher, and, perhaps her most...

On this week’s episode present by Busey Bank, we’re diving into the world of hospitality, leadership, and creative business models with Matt Longueville, founder of STL Barkeep and the owner of two standout St. Louis bars—The Vandy and the newly opened Off Elm. Matt’s journey is a fascinating one. Back in 2018, he was thriving as a consultant in the beverage industry, convinced that owning physical locations wasn’t for him. Fast fo...

On this week’s episode presented by Busey Bank, I’m joined by good friend Rick Oleshak, the Global Strategic Marketing Director at AB Biotek, a division of AB Mauri. Rick is at the helm of crafting global strategies and driving innovation for a company that leads in fermentation solutions across industries like consumer alcohol, bioethanol, and nutrition. But Rick’s expertise doesn’t stop there.

With a career that spans nearly thre...

On this episode presented by Busey Bank, I’m sitting with Brittany Dwyer, the visionary behind DISCO! DISCO! is not your typical event planning company. It’s an innovative organization that merges traditional event strategy with cutting-edge software solutions, helping businesses connect with their audiences in ways that truly resonate. Brittany and her team have been transforming how companies approach events, not just as one-off ...

On this episode presented by Busey Bank, I have the chance to sit with David Stine and Stephanie Abbajay of David Stine Furniture. David is a master craftsman whose journey began with sustainably sourced wood from his family farm, transforming it into heirloom-quality furniture. Stephanie, with her background in communications, joined the business to help it grow and reach a wider audience. Together, they’ve navigated the challenge...

Today I got to talk with Andy Karandzieff of the iconic Crown Candy Kitchen, St. Louis' oldest ice cream and soda fountain. Opened in 1913 by Andy's grandfather Harry, who brought his confectionary skills from Greece, along with a dream to provide a family-friendly environment to enjoy the delicious creations. Andy Candy as he's affectionately known, is the third generation keeping this legacy alive in North St. Louis. He's a huge ...