Cristina Dennstedt sits down with restaurateur Jacopo Falleni, the owner behind Nonna in Westlake Village, CA and the recently opened Sette Sorelle in Newbury Park, CA.

Jacopo shares the story of his journey from Florence to New York and eventually California, and how those experiences shaped his approach to hospitality, leadership, and building community through restaurants.

Despite joking that his advice to entrepreneurs is “don’t open a restaurant,” Jacopo also reveals why the work becomes an addiction — and how his passion for growth, team culture, and storytelling has helped him build both successful restaurants and a strong social media presence.

In this conversation, Jacopo talks about the realities of restaurant ownership, the importance of relationships and resilience, and the drive that keeps entrepreneurs pushing forward even when the industry is challenging.

GET YOUR TICKETS: The 2nd annual Conejo Valley Visionaries LIVE Female Founders event will take place at Hub101 in Westlake Village on March 24. Get your tickets to the event here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-conejo-valley-visionaries-live-female-founders-series-tickets-1984436369601?aff=Jacapo

Connect with Conejo Valley Visionaries ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Nonna here

Connect with Sette Sorelle here⁠

If you want to share your visionary story on the podcast, send an email to conejovalleyvisionaries@gmail.com - we are always open to guest nominations!

This episode was produced by Cristina Dennstedt and Justin K. Sloan. Conejo Valley Visionaries is edited by Justin K. Sloan and ⁠J.Sloan Productions⁠.

If you’ve lived in the Conejo Valley for even a few years, chances are you’ve seen the work of today’s guest.

For nearly two decades, Kyle Jorrey helped shape local journalism as a reporter and later editor-in-chief of the Thousand Oaks Acorn, documenting the stories, challenges, and moments that define life in the Conejo Valley.

After 18 years in the newsroom, Kyle made a surprising pivot—first helping open the Boulevard location of Five07 Coffee Bar & Eatery, and more recently stepping into the nonprofit world as Executive Director of Hospice of the Conejo.

In this conversation, we explore:

• The power and responsibility of local storytelling

• What it was like covering the Conejo Valley for nearly two decades

• The courage it takes to reinvent your career

• How hospice work changes your perspective on community, service, and humanity

• Knowing when it’s time to turn the page to a new chapter

This episode is about purpose, community, and the people who quietly shape the places we call home.

GET YOUR TICKETS: The 2nd annual Conejo Valley Visionaries LIVE Female Founders event will take place at Hub101 in Westlake Village on March 24. Get your tickets to the event here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-conejo-valley-visionaries-live-female-founders-series-tickets-1984436369601?aff=KylePodcastDescription

Connect with Conejo Valley Visionaries ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you want to share your visionary story on the podcast, send an email to conejovalleyvisionaries@gmail.com - we are always open to guest nominations!

This episode was produced by Cristina Dennstedt and Justin K. Sloan. Conejo Valley Visionaries is edited by Justin K. Sloan and ⁠J.Sloan Productions⁠.

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “This is going to be awful” before you even start? Whether it’s launching a new idea, growing your business, or something as simple as blow-drying your hair — negative self-talk has a way of sneaking in.

In this episode of Conejo Valley Visionaries, Cristina sits down with Erica Spiegelman — bestselling author, licensed substance abuse counselor, wellness coach, and Westlake Village resident — to talk about how we can actually change the way we speak to ourselves. Through her method, Rewired, Erica shares practical tools for reframing self-doubt, navigating sobriety and wellness shifts, and building a more intentional life.

From entrepreneurship to recovery to prison reform, Erica’s work proves that when you change your inner dialogue, you change everything. This conversation is grounding, honest, and filled with actionable takeaways.

GET YOUR TICKETS: DM @conejovalleyvisionaries on Instagram to get first access to tickets for our 2nd annual Conejo Valley Visionaries LIVE Female Founders event that will be held at Hub101 in March.

Connect with Conejo Valley Visionaries ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Erica Spiegelman ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you want to share your visionary story on the podcast, send an email to conejovalleyvisionaries@gmail.com - we are always open to guest nominations!

This episode was produced by Cristina Dennstedt and Justin K. Sloan. Conejo Valley Visionaries is edited by Justin K. Sloan and ⁠J.Sloan Productions⁠.