Between 2 Bridges - Audio

Ep.81 - The Smartest Hire You’ll Ever Make Isn’t Human

Your next employee won’t take lunch breaks. Or call in sick. Or need trained! It’s artificial intelligence and if you’re not using it in your business yet, you're behind. AI isn’t the future. It’s the new hire you should’ve made yesterday. In Episode 81, Joe and Jerry pull back the curtain on how smart businesses are using artificial intelligence to automate, accelerate, and outmaneuver the competition.

Ep.80 Ray Thimons - PA Commercial Real Estate - Steel town, still standing: From rust to real estate.

Pittsburgh was built on steel, but Ray Timmons built something else from its ashes.
In this episode, we sit down with a man whose journey from scrap yards to commercial real estate is packed with hard-earned wisdom, inside stories, and unexpected lessons. Ray shares how he navigated the steel industry’s decline, learned the language of buildings and zoning codes, and carved out a second act in a city still redefining itself.

Ep.79 - Storms knocked out the lights, but the vision got clearer.

When a historic storm sweeps through Pittsburgh, knocking out power and paralyzing businesses, Joe and Jerry find themselves at the epicenter, personally and professionally. In this bridge episode, they break down how even a 10-minute weather event created weeks of chaos for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and working families.
But amidst the literal and metaphorical darkness, a bold move is made: Joe officially kills off Duro Cleaners and unveils a complete rebrand. Say hello to Wash - Laundry and Dry Cleaning, a new name, new system, and new standard for convenience-based cleaning.
This episode isn’t about weather. It’s about resilience. It’s about adapting fast. It’s about building something bigger than a name.

Ep.78 Rick Sebak - A Friendly Neighbor Narrator Program

Rick Sebak changed the way Pittsburgh sees itself. Before Yelp reviews or social media nostalgia, his voice guided generations through shuttered diners, lost landmarks, and the quirks that make a neighborhood feel like home. From WQED specials to national PBS hits, his documentaries transformed everyday lives into lasting legacies. This week, we sit down with the man who’s been narrating our neighborhoods for over 40 years to talk memory, media, and the magic of looking closer.

Ep.77 Brian Drusky - Presenting the presenter of Drusky Entertainment

Brian Drusky has spent the last 20 years putting Pittsburgh on the map as a live music destination. From rock legends to rising stars, he’s booked them all. In this episode, he breaks down how the concert game works, from locking in artists and venues to navigating the chaos of COVID-era drive-ins and weather disasters. Whether you’re a music fan or a business builder, this one hits all the right notes.

Ep.76 John Dick - Poll Vaulting into the Future With Civic Science

John Dick doesn’t just track trends, he predicts them.
As founder of CivicScience, he’s behind the real-time data engine that powers decisions for brands like Target, McDonald’s, and Apple. In this episode, John breaks down what 6 billion survey responses reveal about shifting consumer habits, brand loyalty during recessions, and how uncertainty creates a once-in-a-cycle opportunity for smart businesses to steal market share. If you want to know where the market’s going, or how to actually read the signals, this is the conversation you need.

Ep.75 Sean Truby - Burket/Truby Funeral Home - In light of recent loss: a relevant revisit

Some episodes hit different when life catches up. After the recent passing of Jerry’s mother-in-law, we found ourselves thinking back to this powerful talk with Sean Truby - funeral director, and quiet guide through grief. From sharing his journey into the family business to reflecting on the recent loss of his own father, Sean’s words now carry a deeper weight. We’re grateful for the Truby family’s support during this time, and grateful to bring you this episode again, exactly when it's needed most.

Ep.74 Josh Poponick - Blackout Tinting - 50 Shades of Growth

From tinting windows to building an empire, Josh Poponick didn’t just darken glass, he brightened his future. In this episode, the founder of Blackout Tinting peels back the layers of hard work, smart scaling, and what it takes to turn a small shop into a multi-location success story.