With degrees from UPenn and the École hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland, Erin Branche had a successful marketing career working with brands like HBO, Swarovski, Evian, Per-fekt Beauty, and Four Seasons. Three years ago Erin struck out on her own and founded Lash Bash (@lashbashphilly), a beauty bar and cosmetics company in Rittenhouse Square. She went through Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program and has since been rapidly growing her business and influence in the Philly area.
Local foodie influencer Geo Darwin (@geostable) started an Instagram account and blog a few years ago to document his food adventures around the city. He's now a Who's Who of the Philly foodie scene and joins How Do I Philly to give his tips on best eats.
Conrad Benner (@streetsdept) started documenting the Philly mural scene in 2011 and has since become a household name for putting the city on the art map. Fishtown born and raised, he works with artists, activists, and influencers to tirelessly advocate for social progress. As one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Philadelphia, he now partners with local and national brands to achieve his mission of "discovering and celebrating art on the streets of Philadelphia."
Recorded in Rosa's Fresh Pizza shop (@rosasfreshpizza), How Do I Philly interviews Mason Wartman about his journey from crunching numbers on Wall Street to rolling dough in Philadelphia. Mason rocketed to public attention with his pay-it-forward pizza program that helps feed the homeless in the city. He's since been featured on CNN, NPR, and The Ellen Show and has given out over 150,000 slices of pizza.
Amberella (@AmberellaXO) has been beautifying Philly's streets since 1999. Her signature wall hearts with inspirational phrases like "Choose Love" and "You Are Powerful" have become iconic fixtures of the cityscape. Now in demand by local companies like Pizzeria Vetri and national brands like Spiritual Gangster, Amberella has steadily become a recognizable symbol of inspiration in her own right.
Lorenzo Buffa went from cleaning houses to founding Analog Watch Company (@analogwatchco), a watch and accessories brand that uses all natural materials like wood and marble. He now works with global suppliers and customers to bring his artistic pieces to life. From a collection for MOMA to a partnership with Mercedes-Benz, Analog Watch Company located in East Passyunk is rising fast.
Mark Kuhn and a few friends founded Oat Foundry (@oatfoundrybuilds), a design and engineering agency, in a Drexel University basement. They now build cool stuff for brands all around the world. From split flap displays for Wrigley Field to coffee innovations for La Colombe, the Oat Foundry team located right outside of Philadelphia is going places.
How Do I Philly kicks off with a short overview of the podcast and our first three episodes. Enjoy!