In this episode of Unicorn Campaigns, host Dave Valentine chats with Talya Pessolano, the founder of The Dirty Italian — a South Boston deli that’s anything but ordinary. From importing rare cheeses to crafting custom grazing tables for baby showers, Talya’s brand blends bold flavor, hospitality, and high-performing marketing that turns everyday customers into raving fans.

🔥 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How The Dirty Italian scaled from Instagram charcuterie boards to a brick-and-mortar deli with classes, catering, and a cult following.

• The email marketing playbook Talya used to drive $15,000+ in holiday catering revenue with one simple campaign.

• Why she refuses to sell gas station-looking cookies — and how visual brand experience impacts everything from Instagram Reels to in-store design.

• Her grassroots approach to social media, including trending audio hacks, scheduled weekly content, and strategic collabs with Boston chefs and influencers.

• The origin story of her unforgettable brand name and the mindset shift that helped her transition from software sales to full-time food entrepreneur.

🎯 Whether you're running a local food business or a national eCommerce brand, Talya’s journey highlights the power of personal branding, community collaboration, and keeping your marketing both simple and stunning.

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📲 Follow Talya at @taliasdirtyitalian on Instagram or visit thedirtyitalian.com to learn more.

🎧 Subscribe to Unicorn Campaigns for more behind-the-scenes stories of wildly successful marketing moves that built brands worth raving about.

In this episode of Vox & Coin, hosts Jake “The Wizard” Tlapek and Dave Valentine unpack the most mind-blowing marketing and business development tools they’ve ever used—and why choosing the right tech stack can make or break your growth.

🧰 From enterprise dashboards and AI automations to lightweight, budget-friendly solutions, this episode covers:

• The marketing dashboard that replaces 9 tools and how to know when you’re ready for it (Adriel)

• Why Zapier crushes Make and how to avoid automation fails

• The power of deep research and autonomous agents in ChatGPT

• A no-code tool that writes and deploys code for you (Lovable.dev)

• Why SearchAtlas beats SEMrush for all-in-one SEO management

• Our favorite tools for proposals, CRMs, bookkeeping, project management, content repurposing & more (think: Proposify, PipeDrive, Wave, Monday.com, Repurpose.io, Loom, Fathom, Gusto, Looker Studio)

• Our top AI + automation stack for startups, scale-ups, and 7- to 9-figure agencies

🔍 Plus:

• Why engagement, not expense, defines a great tool

• The one mistake even billion-dollar companies make when choosing software

• How to evaluate whether a tool will actually make you money or save you time

🎯 Whether you're a solo founder or leading a marketing team, this episode is your no-fluff, all-playbook breakdown of the software stack we use and recommend to real businesses every day.

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💥 This is your toolkit. No sponsorships. No fluff. Just the software that’s actually working for real businesses in 2025. Want to talk tools for your brand? Hit us up at voxandcoin.com or find Jake @wizardmarketing and Dave @realdeval.

🎙️ Subscribe and leave a review to help other marketers and founders discover the show!

Sharon Kuriakose, the CEO and Co-founder of Plates Full, an innovative online personal chef marketplace discusses the motivations behind creating Plates Full, the company's rapid growth across Texas, and their unique marketing strategies.

He shares insights on the importance of trust, quality, and customer obsession. Sharan emphasizes the significance of networking, partnerships, and a multi-faceted marketing approach to building a successful business.

Tune in to learn more about Plates Full's mission to become the go-to brand for in-home dining experiences and their future expansion plans.