Episodios

  • SoccerSam | Founding Salvatore's, Losing His Memory, and Rochester's Soccer Secret

    SoccerSam | Founding Salvatore's, Losing His Memory, and Rochester's Soccer Secret
    Apr 7 2026
    SoccerSam Fantauzzo built Salvatore's Pizza from a high school home economics project into 35 Rochester locations — then lost his memory and had to learn everything over again.
    Salvatore "SoccerSam" Fantauzzo, CEO and founder of Salvatore's Pizza, joins Scott Fitzgerald at ROC Vox for the season opener of Positive Blathering. Sam tells the full story: a grandfather who never stopped loving Rochester, going to work at 12 after his father's heart attack, opening the first Salvatore's on East Main Street in 1978, surviving a near-death experience during gastric bypass surgery that erased his memory completely — and how an indoor soccer team he started to reconnect with his past accidentally became the executive team that took Salvatore's from 15 locations to 35.

    In this episode you'll hear how Fred's Meat Market built Sam's standard for quality, why he deliberately walks away the moment a new franchise opens, what it takes to build consistency across 35 locations, and why at 65 he still can't let go of the one part of the business he loves most.

    CHAPTERS
    00:00 The Perfectionist Behind Salvatore's Pizza
    01:02 Welcome to Positive Blathering — Meet SoccerSam
    02:35 Grandpa Charlie and the Love of Rochester
    03:21 A Father's Heart Attack and Working at 12
    06:57 Fred's Meat Market and the Standard of Quality
    09:41 How Fitz First Heard SoccerSam's Story
    10:43 Gastric Bypass, Memory Loss, and Coming Back
    14:00 Where Salvatore's Was When It All Happened
    15:11 How the Rochester Lancers Built His Executive Team
    19:06 The Mindset Shift After Losing Everything
    21:10 SoccerSam's Cameo in Bottom Feeders
    26:27 Building a Family Culture at Salvatore's
    28:01 Franchisee Autonomy and the Art of Letting Go
    31:29 Why He Can't Walk Away From Marketing
    33:02 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs: Find What You Love
    34:19 The Early Salvatore's — Competition and Starting From Nothing
    35:20 Delivery, Pizza Conventions, and Two Radio Accidents
    38:16 Never Stop Learning: The Pizza Convention Philosophy
    39:54 What's Next for Salvatore's
    44:28 Consistency Across 35 Locations — How It Got Built
    46:37 Proprietary Recipes Protect the Brand
    48:00 Luck Is Preparation Meeting Opportunity
    50:08 The Thin Thin Pizza and Always-On Marketing
    52:02 Wrapping Up — Thank You SoccerSam

    CONNECT
    Salvatore's Pizza → salvatores.com
    ROC Vox → rocvox.com
    Bottom Feeders → Amazon Prime - https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B091XKZJ7X/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

    New interviews every Wednesday at 10AM

    #SoccerSam #SalvatoresPizza #Rochester #RochesterNY #Entrepreneurship #PizzaBusiness #FranchiseBusiness #SmallBusiness #FounderStory #BusinessMindset #PositiveBlathering #ROCVox #Resilience #LocalBusiness #StartupStory #BusinessGrowth #Franchising #FamilyBusiness #PersonalDevelopment #Persistence #WorkEthic #MindsetMatters #RochesterFood #PizzaLovers #BusinessLeadership #SuccessStory #Pivot #GrowthMindset #CommunityFirst #ROCFood
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    53 m
  • From Broke Social Worker to Thriving Coach: Stacey Steinmiller’s Radical Transformation

    From Broke Social Worker to Thriving Coach: Stacey Steinmiller’s Radical Transformation
    Feb 28 2025
    In this episode of Positive Blatherings, Scott sits down with Stacey Steinmiller, founder of Radical Evolution, to explore the power of personal growth and self-awareness. Stacey shares her inspiring journey from running her own therapy practice to launching a thriving coaching business. Learn how embracing self-responsibility, managing reactions, and overcoming resistance can transform your business and personal life. If you’re looking to improve your mindset, achieve business success, or simply become a better version of yourself, this conversation is packed with valuable insights and practical advice.
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    46 m
  • Lights, Camera, Autovino! A candid conversation with David Autovino

    Lights, Camera, Autovino! A candid conversation with David Autovino
    Oct 1 2024
    David Autovino gave me the impression of someone who accidentally fell into performing and just kept doing it. It's because, for David, performance seems effortless, but he works as hard at his craft as any successful performer. David graces the stage, the screen and the booth but doesn't stop there - he shares his knowledge with people who want to improve their acting or voice chops. He's the real deal: talented and humble.

    He's also a husband, father and super nice chap. Drop by and listen to this Blathering with one of my favorite talents, David Autovino.

    Find him on socials and the interwebs: https://davidautovino.wixsite.com/actor
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    59 m
  • Life Done RIGHT with Scott Grates

    Life Done RIGHT with Scott Grates
    Sep 11 2024
    Scott Grates is a self made success story. I was fortunate to meet him when he was a guest on Uptown Girls podcast, a show produced at ROC Vox about marketing and success, hosted by Martina Barley.

    I immediately liked Scott's approach to business and life in general, so I asked him to Blather with me. His latest book, Referrals Done Right, is a master class in relationships. When you think of Referrals, you think of business - but it goes deeper.

    Scott and I blather about my favorite success principles, I tee up the questions and he crushes them - straight down the fairway. Join me with Scott Grates and make sure you take notes!

    Find Scott at

    ScottGrates.com
    ReferralsDoneRightBook.com
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    52 m
  • Writing Your Reality with Best-Selling Author Allen Eskens

    Writing Your Reality with Best-Selling Author Allen Eskens
    Jun 18 2024
    I'm an audiobook aficionado and sometimes I don't know what to listen to. I will scan Audible for hours just trying to decide on a book to listen to. One day I decided to take a chance on an author I had never heard of and knew nothing about. The book is called "The Life We Bury" and I loved it. It enticed me to look into the author, Allen Eskens. A former attorney from Minnesota who went from lawyer to novelist and has been quite successful at taking his knowledge of the law and his love of writing to create a new career. Visit AllenEskens.com for his entire library of books, many of which have reoccurring characters and stories that connect in some really creative and exciting ways.
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    1 h y 4 m
  • The Peter Benchley Timeline: The Book of Quint

    The Peter Benchley Timeline: The Book of Quint
    Apr 19 2024
    Episode 109 was with Ryan Dacko and we discussed the wildly popular Jaws Obsession Podcast and his quest to write The Book of Quint. It has been written, it was self-published and then was picked up by a small but visionary publisher. He found an agent with his passion for this story and now the rest will soon be history. Ryan Dacko GETS SHIT DONE. Hang out with us for an update on The Book of Quint and all things JAWS!

    Subscribe to all things, listen and order here: https://linktr.ee/bookofquint
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    1 h y 15 m
  • Act 2: Gratitude with Chris Wilmot

    Act 2: Gratitude with Chris Wilmot
    Jun 23 2023
    I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Chris Wilmot, a man with an incredible journey in both the film and sobriety communities. We shared our experiences in the film industry, our personal struggles, and the importance of gratitude in overcoming life's challenges. Chris, whose family has a rich history of political involvement and success, showed us how these experiences have shaped who he is today.

    During our conversation, Chris opened up about his 40-year journey to sobriety, which was supported by his family and the power of external support. We explored his career path, from working as an associate producer to acting in various film projects, and how his passion for film and politics intertwined. Chris's story is truly inspiring and offers hope to those facing their own sobriety challenges.

    We also delved into the ever-evolving landscape of the film industry, discussing the challenges of producing and marketing films in today's world of streaming platforms and cable TV. Our reflections on the industry, together with Chris's insights, made for a compelling conversation you won't want to miss. So, tune in and be inspired by Chris Wilmot's incredible story, his dedication to sobriety, and his passion for chasing dreams.
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    49 m