Entrepreneurs You Should Know in the Pittsburgh Region

~Hi Ray,
Impressive background! I had the opportunity to review your profile today and am impressed with your skills.  ~Babita Bassi

~I visited Refucilo Winery last weekend, and let me tell you, I am 110% coming back! As soon as I walked in the door, I was greeted with warm smiles and friendliness. The owners took the time to explain to me and show me pictures of the history of their wine and what each wine is made of and the employees there showed me tips on how to taste wine. On top of all that, the wine was absolutely amazing (especially the Torrontes, I had to take a bottle home, and I will definitely be coming back for more)! Not only do they have wine, they serve delicious tapas. I would recommend the cheese empanadas, they are homemade and so incredible!!! Can’t wait to go back!!

~Cozy, beautiful gem not too far from Heinz Field. Love the authentic Argentina wine and delicious tapas. Try the flight of wine (red or white) with the corresponding food suggestions… absolutely a great experience!!

~The wine here is amazing! We tried both the red and the white flights and thought they were all excellent. So happy to have a place like this in the North Side!

~”Michael Ocilka has been our Long Term Care insurance representative since March of 2007. From day one he has been readily available to answer any and all of our questions, and is very knowledgeable concerning Long Term Care. He has been very accommodating to us when setting up home appointments to review our policies. He has also been both up front and honest with us regarding the benefits and cost of our policies, and has always handled himself in a professional manner.” ~Tom & Linnette

~”My wife and I just purchased a long-term care policy though Mike Ocilka. The process took a while for various reasons, but Mike was very patient throughout the process. He listened to what we wanted and presented various options for our long-term care policy. Mike was very professional in his work. He met with us numerous times to make sure that we were purchasing the policy that worked best for us. He did not push any one policy but presented different policies for us based on our request. I would recommend Mike for anyone looking for a long-term care policy or any other types of insurance one may need.” ~ Joe & Debra

~”I’m a business coach and I want my clients to have the best website that is available to them within their budget. I want them to have a website that will drive traffic by being at the top of the Google food chain and help my clients grow their business. Recently, several of my clients who thought they already had excellent websites, had a free analysis of their sites conducted by DDS. I knew for a fact that their old websites were not getting them enough business. After meeting with Dave and Denise they were convinced they needed new websites. Bottom line; DDS created custom websites for them at a price that they could afford and have already received their return on investment! DDS has my highest recommendation.” ~Bob Gambone

~”Our company has been in business for ten years. During that 10 year period, we have had 3 other websites (all created by different designers). DDS was able to grasp the function and design concept we were looking for in an eye-pleasing presentation, which none of our previous designers/sites could do. As a small business, we have to wear many hats. Having DDS manage the SEO & provide a monthly website traffic analysis will be invaluable to us, so that our time can be better spent managing our day to day business. We don’t have the time to try to learn/master all of the tasks it takes to have a functional & business-building website. We are excited that DDS will fulfill that role for us. We are a part of a network within our industry which includes 280 other stores. We will happily be passing on the DDS company to them.” ~Sandy Burkett, Vital Signs Pittsburgh

~”It has been an absolute pleasure working with the DDS team. They are extremely attentive to the client’s requests and vision for a website, and their turn-around time for correspondence and changes is the fastest I’ve ever seen! I highly recommend DDS Web Design to anyone looking for “one-stop shopping” in their graphic design needs.” ~Emily Kasky, Lithodora Translation & Interpretation, LLC

~“I felt much more prepared for the commitment and responsibility of owning chickens after we rented for a season. In fact, we waited a few years to buy until we were ready. I also learned what would work for me in a coop, run, and breed of chicken. This is a vital service for anyone thinking of keeping backyard chickens. I think everyone should rent for a season before buying to see if chicken keeping is for them! It’s also a super fun summer project to do with your kids even if you aren’t considering ever buying!” ~Sarah, Mount Lebanon, PA

~“The interaction between the hens is amazing. They are very curious and can be gentle. Excellent experience all around. Superb support system. It was amazing to have repair people come into the yard and ask about the chickens. I told so many people about Rent The Chicken. I love that you guys exist!” ~Nicole, Niagara Falls, Ontario

~As a small business owner working from home, computer performance is extremely important to me. Having Kevin available for repairs at a very competitive price and the option for “at home” service, makes it very desirable to do business with him. He is extremely knowledgeable and can explain what needs to be done. I highly recommend Kevin. Great service at a great price! ~ Tammy Gary, Ad Specialties of Pittsburgh

~ I met Kevin at a networking group and I couldn’t be happier that I went to that meeting. It’s very reassuring to know that I have him in my corner. I have 5 computers and I have no doubt that Kevin is the reason they stay running and backed up. ~ Tom Pollard, Positively Pittsburgh

~ I am creative…I’m not organized! That’s where Gail Bayer and Innovative Bookkeeping comes in. I don’t know how I would run my business without her thoroughness, professionalism and flexibility. ~ Jeff Tobe, Primary Colorer, Coloring Outside The Lines

~ For my small business, Innovative Bookkeeping helped to educate me as well as to set up my accounting program. Gail is professional, reliable and easing to work with. I would highly recommend her. ~ Kathy Lipsitz, President, HealthCheck

~ As a small business owner, the last thing I need is complications at tax time. Gail’s services allow me to keep track of my income and expenses, and seamlessly communicate with my accountant. ~ Edward Kress, Esquire

~“In a sentence: Joseph is a superstar. He was fast to deliver new ideas and always helpful with our questions. His work was impressive, detail-oriented and creative. He truly is a designer with attention to detail, and very understanding of your needs. Joseph helped us design pieces that we can be proud of. He is outstanding to work with, from start to finish. Overall, his work impressed me on multiple levels. He had an uncanny sense for what I was pondering but hadn’t yet said aloud, really listened effectively to what I was seeking, brought forward beautiful design ideas for my consideration, and did it all in a timely manner and with excellent communication skills. How could so many terrific characteristics and abilities find their way into one graphic designer? I recommend Joseph unequivocally and would hire him again in a heartbeat.” ~Danielle J. Cuomo~Owner~Virtual Assistant Company.

~ “I knew starting a media company that I needed a logo that stood out and was top notch. I needed to seek a professional and sought the services of Joseph Gardonis. I knew the work would be excellent given his professional nature but when I saw the final product I was left speechless. The logo was perfect; it popped on social media pages and is extremely recognizable and unique. To not work with Mr. Gardonis is to put yourself at a disadvantage, he is an artist and a visionary.” ~Brian Crawford ~Station Manager~“The River’s Edge” Pittsburgh Radio Network.

~ “I was starting up my own life insurance agency and I needed someone to give it a very spot-on visual identity. Joseph came along and designed an amazing logo that really conveys what my business is all about. He also designed fill-in forms that I’m able to use for print and digital. He really knows how to think creatively and deliver precisely what I want. I would strongly recommend him not just for his creative abilities, but also his willingness to not stop until the job is done right.” ~Phil White~Life Insurance Agent~“Love & Life Insurance”.

~”3R WEAR shirts are the best shirts I own. They are great quality, and each shirt I own of his has been worn too many times to count. Joseph put his heart and soul into each design, using the Pittsburgh cityscape beautifully with clever and inspirational captions. The pride in Pittsburgh is strong on the shirts, and makes me proud to be wearing one.”~Cody Thompkins~Frequent 3R WEAR shopper

~I have suffered with incapacitating migraines for 20 years until I found Shaklee and Linda’s expertise. Vital-mag has eliminated them. ~ Maureen Romutis

~ Linda’s expertise and support in building a nutritional home business is invaluable. Thank you for helping me on my healthy journey. ~ Veronica Mundis

~ Legally blind at age 5 from Macular Degeneration. With Linda’s help and Shaklee Nutrition regained my eyesight at age 7. Now, at age 22 have great eyesight and great health. ~ Miranda Eichelberger.

~It was a pleasure working with George during the process of buying our new home. He was very courteous, professional and knowledgable from beginning to closing. We would recommend him to anyone. ~ Joel and Arlea
~ George, Just wanted to say thank you for the smooth and professional closing last evening, and the seamless experience throughout the refinance process. Jess and I thoroughly enjoy working with you, and will happily refer you to anyone in need of loan assistance. Thanks again, and talk with you soon. ~ Matt and Jessica
~ Working with George Payne is seamless and a pleasure. He is informative and main concern is the client. ~ Kristen
~ In an industry that often is viewed as transactional with minimal differentiation between providers, George clearly stands out. His integrity, knowledge, experience and genuine interest in his clients make him extremely valuable to those with whom he works. George takes the time to drill down and understand the needs of his clients to provide appropriate options and solutions. His service is exceptional. I would even recommend him to my brother, which I gladly did! ~ Smitty

~ Love you guys at CME, and I spread the word about you when I have the opportunity! ~ Teresa Baughman, Westmoreland Cultural Trust

~ I can’t tell you how much our site has helped us grow over the past year. ~ Dan Zenisek, ZEN Industries

~ We have been working with CME for 6 years, and their expertise has truly made an immense impact. ~ Christina Yerep, Jeannette Specialty Glass.

~ Every project Alyson completes exceeds my expectations ~ Tom Pollard

~I always appreciate your diligence and respect for deadlines. Great work (as always)! ~ Daniel Imwalle, St. Anthony Messenger Magazine

~Tom is a visionary and is always thinking ahead at how to spread his love of Pittsburgh to others. ~ Bethany Kane