Behind the Business by PSBJ

Puget Sound Business Journal
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

A vodcast series from Columbia Bank in partnership with the Puget Sound Business Journal

Episodes

  1. Oct 5

    Metropolitan Appliance president on family business, expansion and 60 successful years

    Sponsored Content by Columbia Bank: The Metropolitan Appliance of today looks very different from the company that once operated at a Fourth and Madison storefront in downtown Seattle, where a skyscraper now stands. When reflecting on the opportunity to join and eventually lead the family business, Aaron Freedman, president of Metropolitan, said his father and uncle were good to him. “They saw the hunger,” he said. “They were incredibly gracious to give the young buck plenty of space to try different things.” Join PSBJ Market President and Publisher Don Baker as he sits down with Freedman to discuss the decisions, opportunities, risks and lessons that led to 60 successful years. Metropolitan Appliance now employs about 75 people across three locations and is preparing to open a new Bellevue showroom. The company has also expanded beyond retail and fulfillment with Sir Visser Appliance Repair. Listen to the full episode to learn about: The No. 1 reason Metropolitan Appliance has seen long-term success How the locally owned company differentiates itself from national retailers and big-box stores The challenges and rewards of balancing family dynamics How the company identifies talented people and cultivates a strong culture How the business serves customers ranging from homeowners replacing a washing machine to developers outfitting large multifamily projects Growth doesn't happen by itself. It takes vision, commitment and the right financial partner. Columbia Bank brings more resources and more reach, so you can transform your workspace, expand your business or make room for your growing family. With Columbia Bank, every step forward comes with more behind it, so you can grow what matters.

  2. Sep 14

    Seattle’s Payam Music could reach millions of piano students

    Sponsored Content by Columbia Bank: Seattle-area piano school Payam Music has come a long way from its beginnings as a startup in Payam Khastkhodaei’s home. Today, the company serves more than 1,100 students, has attracted support from investors including Hans Zimmer and Mark Cuban, and has earned national attention from 60 Minutes and USA Today. Join PSBJ Market President and Publisher Don Baker for a conversation with Payam Music founder Khastkhodaei and CEO Hadi Partovi about the evolution of the school, from incubation to stealth mode, and their dream of helping millions of students fall in love with piano. Listen to the full episode to learn about: The proprietary teaching method that’s fundamentally changing the way students learn how to play the piano How the music school grew into a multi-state businessThe turning point that made it time to bring on a CEO and why Partovi was the right fitThe vision to reach millions of students Growth doesn't happen by itself. It takes vision, commitment and the right financial partner. Columbia Bank brings more resources and more reach, so you can transform your workspace, expand your business or make room for your growing family. With Columbia Bank, every step forward comes with more behind it, so you can grow what matters.

  3. Aug 31

    Molly Moon's CEO on a different approach to talent

    Sponsored Content by Columbia Bank: “Write the dream into the business plan, and then do the dream.” That's one of the lessons Molly Moon Neitzel, founder and CEO of Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream, shares in a conversation about talent and turning values into business decisions. Join PSBJ Market President and Publisher Don Baker as he sits down with Neitzel, whose company has grown from a single Seattle shop to 12 locations — and a 13th on the way — with products in roughly 150 grocery stores across Western Washington. Neitzel shares why talent has been at the heart of the company's success and discusses the results she's seen from offering benefits many employers view as added costs. Fewer call-outs. Decreased turnover. Increased productivity. Boosted morale. She explains why she set out to prove those choices could help lead to an “impressively profitable company” while changing lives. Growth doesn't happen by itself. It takes vision, commitment and the right financial partner. Columbia Bank brings more resources and more reach, so you can transform your workspace, expand your business or make room for your growing family. With Columbia Bank, every step forward comes with more behind it, so you can grow what matters.

  4. Aug 17

    Boon Boona Coffee's CEO Efrem Fesaha on success and East African coffee traditions

    Sponsored Content by Columbia Bank: “It took seven years,” says Efrem Fesaha, founder and CEO of Boon Boona Coffee, recalling what it took to launch the company. Growing up in an Eritrean family, Fesaha experienced firsthand how coffee can bring people together. The coffee ceremony, centered on roasting, grinding, brewing and conversation, helped inspire Boon Boona Coffee and its focus on East African coffee traditions and direct partnerships with African producers. Join PSBJ Market President and Publisher Don Baker for a conversation with Fesaha about pausing his finance career, the trip to Eritrea that sparked the idea for Boon Boona, the challenge of securing funding early on and the mentors, lenders and support network that helped him along the way. He also discusses growing the company's retail and wholesale businesses, opening its newest brick-and-mortar location on Seattle's waterfront and the opportunities surrounding the World Cup. Growth doesn't happen by itself. It takes vision, commitment and the right financial partner. Columbia Bank brings more resources and more reach, so you can transform your workspace, expand your business or make room for your growing family. With Columbia Bank, every step forward comes with more behind it, so you can grow what matters.

  5. Aug 5

    Seattle restaurateur John Howie on his decades-long career, from fine dining to distilling

    Sponsored Content by Columbia Bank: “People tell me I should write a book,” said John Howie, founder, chef and CEO of the John Howie Restaurant Group. Considering the career he's had, it's easy to understand why. Howie got his start in the restaurant business at age 15 and has spent decades turning ideas into businesses across the Greater Seattle area, from fine dining to customized catering, brewing and distilling. Join PSBJ Market President and Publisher Don Baker for a conversation with Howie as he discusses expanding beyond restaurants, the hospitality trends he's watching and how changing customer habits and razor-thin profit margins are creating challenges for restaurant operators. Howie reflects on life as a restaurateur, celebrity chef and Seahawks fan, and explains why giving back to the community remains a priority. He also shares why long-time employees have been critical to his success. The conversation touches on the businesses he's built, including SeaStar Restaurant & Raw Bar, John Howie Steak, Wildwood Spirits Co., Beardslee Public House and Whiskey by John Howie. Growth doesn't happen by itself. It takes vision, commitment and the right financial partner. Columbia Bank brings more resources and more reach, so you can transform your workspace, expand your business or make room for your growing family. With Columbia Bank, every step forward comes with more behind it, so you can grow what matters.

  6. Jul 24

    Lewis Rudd on building Ezell's Famous Chicken from 1 Seattle restaurant to 17 locations over 40 years

    Sponsored Content by Columbia Bank: “As it takes a village to raise a kid, it takes a community to raise a business,” says Lewis Rudd, co-founder and CEO of Ezell's Famous Chicken. In the premiere episode of Behind the Business by PSBJ, Don Baker, market president and publisher, talks with Rudd about the journey from a single Seattle restaurant in 1984 to an iconic Pacific Northwest brand with 17 locations. Listen as Rudd reflects on the challenges of securing capital, the impact of an unexpected Oprah Winfrey endorsement and the decisions behind the company's franchising strategy. He also shares how Ezell’s is navigating today’s economic uncertainty, what the company is focused on right now and what being “semi-retired” means after more than four decades in business. Along the way, Rudd shares candid insights on leadership, trusting the people around you and staying true to a company’s values during challenging times. Growth doesn't happen by itself. It takes vision, commitment and the right financial partner. Columbia Bank brings more resources and more reach, so you can transform your workspace, expand your business or make room for your growing family. With Columbia Bank, every step forward comes with more behind it, so you can grow what matters.

  • 6 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

A vodcast series from Columbia Bank in partnership with the Puget Sound Business Journal

Information

  • Creator
    Puget Sound Business Journal
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Puget Sound Business Journal
  • Show Website
    Behind the Business by PSBJ

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