Pgh Dreamer's Pod

Colleen Paulson is a career consultant and the founder of Ageless Careers. Colleen has made numerous shifts throughout her career, starting her career as an engineer, production manager, and pricing analyst for two Fortune 50 companies (Procter & Gamble and FedEx). Colleen launched her writing business in 2006 and has served a wide range of clients including The Motley Fool and Investopedia. She has written and reviewed thousands of resumes, LinkedIn profiles, executive bios, and cover letters during her work as a Certified Professional Resume Writer and specializes in helping Gen X and Baby Boomer job seekers to find great jobs faster.

Nicole Trombley is an empowerment couch, spiritual teacher, speaker, and the creator and found of Marvel Ministry.

Check out our 2025 interviews thus far with amazing local women!

We do and do and do and why? Especially when it comes to things we choose to do, instead of HAVE to do, it's important to identify our because.

Sarah McDavis is the Founder & Creator of Wonder Creek Media. She enjoys doing a lot of things, which sometimes causes problems, but most times it keeps her the right amount of busy. She is an author and illustrator of books for kids, a kids yoga instructor, and an improv cast member with the kids' comedy experience Penny Arcade. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family and books in (almost) every room!

Stephanie Samolovitch, a Pittsburgh native who earned her Master's Degree in Social work in 2010, survived leukemia at the age of 20 in 2005. Determined to close the resource gap for young adult cancer survivors, Stephanie built a local community prior to launching Young Adult Survivors United (YASU) in March 2020. Stephanie is a passionate advocate who serves on the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center community advisory board and Servier Pharmaceuticals patient expert council, she was a 40 under 40 honoree in 2019, and was recently quoted in a Time magazine article on the unique challenges faced by young adults with cancer.

Living somewhere else may seem like a dream idea. Try it out and let us know if reality is greener.

Stephanie Jurik is a mom and the owner of Organize by Nature. Located in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, Stephanie started her own organizing company after years of designing for family and friends. She has been running the business for almost 5 years, specializing in residential and concierge services.

Crystal Smith and Shelby Durbin are 2 busy moms who were looking for a fun way to workout - enter Twisted Fitness! Twisted Fitness is located in Charleroi, South of Pittsburgh on the Monongahela River. With their wide array of high-energy offerings, they strive to make fitness fun and provide an environment where everyone feels like family when they come through the doors! One of their flagship classes is Bungee Fitness. Check out their website and social media below:

Why are we perpetually wishing something on our to-do list would take care of itself? Perhaps we need to consider outsourcing the stressor.

Anastasia Barr-Whiteman is a proud entrepreneur from Washington, PA, who after being fired from her job realized it was a sign to be her own boss. She used her skills and talents to help small businesses better market themselves before embarking on her own triple-business store! Anastasis and her husband run Pretzels Plus with an Amish Touch as well as the ice cream shop inside of their 3000 square foot location in downtown Washington.

2025 is full of questions to make you think. Our first question is about rest, true rest. When's the last time you truly rested?

Luciana Brussi is a professional dancer and studio owner. She began her dance career as a young girl, training and teaching other children, and performing in Brazilian dance shows all across Europe and Asia! When she moved to Pittsburgh in 2010, her passion for dancing motivated the development of the Pittsburgh Samba Group, and eventually, the opening of her first studio. She now also owns Lua Dance Club in the North Hills, which offers a wide variety of dance styles for children through adults.

A call-to-action to figure out what 3 things make you tick...and then doing more of them this new year.

Danielle Spinola is an avid tea drinker, herbalist, and the Tea-E-O of Abeille Voyante Tea Co, formerly known as Tupelo Honey Teas. She is passionate about small business and community, doing tea in Pittsburgh since 2007. When she isn't involved with tea, you will find her being a mom, knitting, renovating her building (the future home of AV Tea Co), or hanging out with her friends.

Nina Barbuto's passion for art, new media, and social learning led her to found Assemble in 2011. Assemble envisions a world where learning and creating are transformative experiences and where all people are equipped with the tools to make a difference, together. At Assemble, learning is used as a tool to create a more equitable future for youth and learners in the Pittsburgh region and beyond. They build confidence through making; connect learners, makers, technologists, and artists; and nuture agency in learners. Assemble is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering learning and creativity. Nina holds degrees in architecture from Southern California Institute of Architecture and Carnegie Mellon University, where she is also adjunct faculty.

5 easy steps to starting the process and maintaining a clean, calm room.

Reagan Carter is a 7th generation farmer, a current student at Penn State University, and the owner of Hickory Hearth Highlands which offers Hug A Highland, a top-rated AirBnB Experience.

Learn the 4 A's and practice them often:

Erin Gatz, PhD is the founder and manager of Prototype Pgh, a 501(c)3 that aims to build gender and racial equity through workshops, tech access, and peer support. Prototype Pgh is located in North Oakland and provides a sliding scale membership, family-friendly space, a place of community, and incubator opportunities for new businesses.

Greta Falvo Cicero is the owner of Soyil Candles. While working in media and communications, Greta started a hobby from her passion of home design in 2010. She always loved candles but couldn't find the perfect candle - a clean-burning, neutral style/design, soy candle that also smelled good. She started making her own candles in her home and then opened up her studio in 2013. Greta considers herself an OG of soy candles!

Erica Parr is the founder of Closet Rehab, a Pittsburgh-based acrylic jewelry and accessories line. Inspired by color, shape, textures, and movement, Closet Rehab offers unapologetic statement accessories. Established in 2017, the brand was born when Erica left her corporate job to pursue her dreams and bring new people, places, and things into her life. Each piece is customized to help individuals find their inner badass and bring joy, authenticity, and a sense of therapy to their closets.

Kelly Sanders and Monica Grunick founded love, Pittsburgh in 2017. This women-owned business is a locally focused gift shop featuring 100+ Pittsburgh-based artists and makers. love, Pittsburgh strives to give locals and visitors a way to support the maker community of Pittsburgh by providing a curated assortment of gifts celebrating the creativity of our city.

Rebecca Harrison is the founder of Old Flame Mending, a sewing service that helps you keep your clothing out of the landfill through repair, tailoring and alterations, and custom work. She is a lifelong Pittsburgher with a drive for social and environmental justice.

Born and raised in a family of business owners, Lily Johnson has pursued pairing her passions with her business background. This Fox Chapel Alumna and UNC Charlotte graduate leads a busy life of service to others with her non-profit work, raising two businesses, and chasing after her 1-year-old daughter. Lily has led Pittsburgh's premier Doula Collective - Golden Lotus Doula Services for the last 5 years, and she owns Burgh Babies Photography, her creative outlet which specializes in luxury portrait experiences that capture motherhood, maternity, and newborns.

A quick, guided, sensory exercise to help you live in the present moment.

Melinda Colaizzi is the founder of Women Who RockTM , a leader at global companies like Live Nation/Ticketmaster, ShowClix, and a graduate of Berklee College of Music, which led to her working with Aerosmith, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central, and more. Women Who Rock has united some of the biggest stars in the music industry including Jordin Sparks, Sheila E, Rita Wilson, and many more! Melinda also developed Rock the Future of Women's Health, which hosts annual benefit concerts and pop-up events throughout the nation featuring a 100% female-fronted music lineup. Proceeds from the benefit concerts support life-saving women's health research at Magee-Women's Research Institute, our nation's first and largest research institute dedicated solely to women's health.

Melinda is also a Grammy member at the Recording Academy, part of the Gibson Gives Influencer group, and was a 2020 finalist for Ad Week's "The Future is Female" Award.

Staying true to her passion of music, Melinda is a national recording artist and lead singer of the blues/rock band Melinda and the Night Sky. The band has shared the stage with iconic acts like the legendary B.B. King Blues Band. She is also an Associate Professor of Music Business and Entertainment at Point Park University.

6 Steps to Calming Down

Dr. Natalie Gentile is a board-certified doctor of Family Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine, proud Pittsburgh native, wife, and proud mama of 2. With her belief of breaking down barriers between community members and their access to resources for a healthy lifestyle, she opened her own direct primary care practice and Rebel Wellness. Rebel Wellness, located in Shadyside, is a lifestyle medicine-oriented wellness space that offers kitchen classes, personal training sessions, group fitness classes, and educational workshops along with an on-demand library of resources. Natalie was nominated as one of City Paper's Best Changemakers in 2021 and was named to Pittsburgh Magazine's "40 Under 40" list in 2022.

Erin Cridlebaugh is a third generation artist and cartographer, who studied woodworking and worked in GIS mapping prior to starting her own business. Squirrel Hill Design and Craft, formed in 2018, offers hand-crafted wood maps and landmark accessories.

Carrie Nardini is the founder and director of both I Made It Market Pittsburgh and the Neighborhood Flea, both of which provide accessible opportunities to connect with local businesses and makers. I Made It Market can be visited in Squirrel Hill, The Waterfront, and the North Hills, with a storefront location at Robinson Mall. The Neighborhood Flea pops up in the Pittsburgh's Strip District May through October.

Holly Teegarden is the owner of Moodporium, a wellness boutique located in Sewickley, PA - just north of Pittsburgh. Moodporium specializes in aromatherapy, CBD, essential oils, and supplement products. After detailed research and a careful selection process, they curate only the finest products to support you and your family. Moodporium strives to be your primary source of self-care, education, and practical usages involving CBD, essential oils, and aromatherapy.