Opening Soon
Opening Soon
Podcast Description
Opening Soon is the podcast where we go behind the scenes with founders of brick-and-mortar businesses — from pilates studios to coffee shops, boutiques, medspas, and more. Hosted by Alan Li, co-founder of FotoLab Studio and Signs and Mirrors, each episode explores how real entrepreneurs found their space, designed their store, hired their team, and built something from nothing.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on entrepreneurship and the journey of establishing physical retail spaces, with topics ranging from the nuances of vintage fashion retail to the intricacies of hair removal salons, fitness studios, and community-focused workspaces. For example, episodes include interviews with founders like Darbe Canady discussing the transition from tech to a vintage store and Cassie Piasecki sharing how she expanded her pilates brand to three locations in just one year.
Opening Soon is the podcast where we go behind the scenes with founders of brick-and-mortar businesses — from pilates studios to coffee shops, boutiques, medspas, and more.
Hosted by Alan Li, co-founder of FotoLab Studio and Signs and Mirrors, each episode explores how real entrepreneurs found their space, designed their store, hired their team, and built something from nothing.
Vincent Finazzo is the founder of Riverwards Produce, a neighborhood grocery market in Philadelphia that started in a 20×20 garage and has grown into a multi-location business doing nearly $16 million in annual sales.
Vincent studied art in Chicago, moved to Philly to work in museums and took a job at Whole Foods as a janitor just to pay the bills. Fifteen years later, after working his way up to produce buyer, brokering truckloads of produce across the country and waking up at 3am to deliver vegetables out of a Honda Civic, he turned a pop-up market into one of the most respected independent grocery brands in the country.
In this episode, Vincent breaks down the real economics of grocery, why he refuses to offer delivery, and how constant reinvestment fueled Riverwards’ growth.
We talk about:
- Starting a retail business with $500 and no investors
- How 200 pumpkins sparked growth
- Going from $35K in sales to millions in annual revenue
- The reality of 3-4% profit margins in grocery
- Negotiating a below-market lease that made the first store possible
- Designing a store people want to spend time in
- The logistics of managing 4,000+ SKUs
- How social media became his only marketing channel
- Why he believes physical retail if done right is the future
Vincent also shares lessons on starting before you’re ready, persistence, discipline and staying true to your core motivations.
Resources & Links
Riverwards Produce Website: https://www.riverwardsproduce.com/
Riverwards Produce Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverwardsproduce/?hl=en
Vincent Finazzo: https://www.instagram.com/vincentfinazzo/?hl=en
Sponsored by Signs and Mirrors, the leading sign and furniture shop for events and retail stores.
Opening Soon Links & Resources
→ Signs and furniture for events and retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com
→ NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio
→ Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast
→ More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com
→ Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/
Disclaimer
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