My SGV Podcast

Kind Monster Productions

Welcome to the My SGV Podcast. A show where you will hear personal stories of triumph over failures, and how others successfully navigated the unique landscape that is the San Gabriel Valley. What makes us different? Well, just like you, we have chosen the San Gabriel Valley for our home or businesses, or both. We believe it is the people and small businesses that make this community great and we love to share their stories with you. We always encourage your questions and feedback and you can find all of our contact information at sgvmasterkey.com.

  1. 5D AGO

    Lupita & Dennis Ramirez - Marketing That Grows Small Businesses

    Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Lupita Ramirez and Dennis Ramirez, the husband and wife team behind Think, Create & Connect, Inc., a family owned creative marketing agency that helps businesses strengthen their online presence through brand strategy, social media management, and creative campaigns. We talk about what it takes to elevate a brand when you are busy running the day to day of your business. Dennis shares how he thinks about brand identity, marketing strategy, and consistent messaging so businesses can show up clearly and build trust over time. Lupita breaks down the connection side of marketing and why community relationships still matter, especially for local entrepreneurs. We also get into the community work she’s involved in, including supporting local business networks and hosting events that help organizations build awareness. If you run a small business and you want practical insight on marketing, branding, and relationship building that leads to real growth, this conversation will give you a clear next step and a better way to think about your business online. __________ Music Credits Intro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG Stinger Scarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio Library Outro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG __________________ My SGV Podcast: Website: www.mysgv.net Newsletter: Beyond the Mic Patreon: MySGV Podcast info@sgvmasterkey.com

    1h 8m

  2. 12/23/2025

    Shaunt Der Ohannesian - Loss, Recovery, and Carrying a Family Legacy in Pasadena

    Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Shaunt Der Ohannesian, the son of Shahan Der Ohannesian and part of the family behind Lee’s Hoagie House in Pasadena. Lee’s has become a true neighborhood staple, and Shaunt now helps run day to day operations while carrying forward what makes the place feel like home.  Shaunt opens up about his journey through addiction, and how the loss of his best friend became the turning point that helped save his life. He gets vulnerable about the darkest stretch of that season and what it took to climb out, rebuild trust, and start showing up for his future with real intention. We also talk about family, legacy, and what it means to return to the business with a new mindset. If you’ve ever eaten at Lee’s, you know the magic: the way the team remembers people, the warmth in the room, and the feeling that you’re not just another order. Shaunt shares what it’s like to keep that standard alive while growing into his own role alongside his dad.  This is one of those conversations that sticks with you. You’ve got to tune into this episode. __________ Music Credits Intro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG Stinger Scarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio Library Outro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG __________________ My SGV Podcast: Website: www.mysgv.net Newsletter: Beyond the Mic Patreon: MySGV Podcast info@sgvmasterkey.com

    1h 6m

  3. 12/16/2025

    Jordan "JMKM" Maldonado - From Studio Sessions to Street Food: The Unreal Poke Story

    Send us a text Here’s the story of a producer, creative, father, and entrepreneur who blends music, storytelling, and authentic Hawaiian food. Born and raised in Pepe‘ekeo, Hawai‘i and rooted in values of aloha and community, he moved to the San Gabriel Valley in 2008 to pursue audio engineering. An internship with Doggystyle Records opened doors to collaborations with Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Jay Rock. By 2015 he began releasing instrumental music, earning over 2 million streams and a loyal following in the lofi and chillhop space. In 2022 he joined the Lone Lobos Podcast as producer and on-air contributor alongside Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña and Jacob Bertrand. The show has since amassed millions of streams and partnered with brands like Netflix, Sony, and San Diego Comic-Con. We dig into the craft behind consistent content: building audience, managing partnerships, and keeping creative energy high across music and podcasting. His love for food traces back to Hawai‘i and a family heritage that’s Hawaiian, Puerto Rican, and Japanese. Inspired by his grandmother’s pasteles and his parents’ home cooking, he worked with East Los Musubi in El Sereno starting in 2015 and launched Unreal Poke in December 2023—a Native Hawaiian-owned pop-up rooted in food activism and cultural authenticity. In its first year, Unreal Poke served at 80+ events including Smorgasburg LA, 626 Night Market, and 88Rising’s Head in the Clouds Festival. Fatherhood sits at the center of it all. Since 2011 he’s focused on raising his son with traditions passed down through food and story. This episode covers the journey from studio sessions to street food, how to build a values-driven pop-up, and what cultural integrity looks like in both music and cuisine. Keywords: Hawaiian food, Native Hawaiian-owned, poke pop-up, lofi, chillhop, Doggystyle Records, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Lone Lobos Podcast, Smorgasburg LA, 626 Night Market, Head in the Clouds, East Los Musubi, San Gabriel Valley. __________ Music Credits Intro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG Stinger Scarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio Library Outro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG __________________ My SGV Podcast: Website: www.mysgv.net Newsletter: Beyond the Mic Patreon: MySGV Podcast info@sgvmasterkey.com

    1h 10m

  4. 12/09/2025

    Dorothy Xiao - Writing, Casting, Producing: Turning Lived Experience into Cinema

    Send us a text Here’s the story of a first-generation Chinese American filmmaker whose roots in Alhambra and the San Gabriel Valley shape every frame she makes. With a psychology degree from UCLA and a name honoring her parents’ immigration lawyer, she crafts grounded family dramas with a hint of fantasy—stories of resilience, friendship, and hope drawn from the immigrant communities she grew up around. She’s directed 13 short films and contributed to more than 30 film and video projects with companies like CBS, HBO, and Disney. Along the way she earned recognition in industry pipelines and competitions, including the CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge and the 2023 CAPE Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge (presented by the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment and Janet Yang Productions). In this episode, we dig into process and pathway: moving from idea to script to screen, casting authentically, building a crew, and translating lived experience into universal cinema. We talk festivals and funding, pitching and partnerships, and how a filmmaker balances creative voice with the practical realities of producing in Los Angeles and the SGV. If you care about Asian American stories, indie filmmaking, or turning personal history into powerful narrative, this conversation is for you. Keywords: Chinese American filmmaker, San Gabriel Valley, Alhambra, UCLA, independent film, short films, women in film, Asian American stories, CAPE, CBS Leadership Pipeline, representation, immigrant family drama, Los Angeles filmmaking. __________ Music Credits Intro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG Stinger Scarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio Library Outro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG __________________ My SGV Podcast: Website: www.mysgv.net Newsletter: Beyond the Mic Patreon: MySGV Podcast info@sgvmasterkey.com

    1h 17m

  5. 12/02/2025

    Brian Cooper - Restaurant Funding Playbook: Pre-Purchased Meals for Cash Flow

    Send us a text Here’s a conversation with a restaurant growth operator who’s spent 20+ years at the intersection of dining, loyalty, and partnerships. From helping launch LivingSocial’s first outside sales footprint to expanding Square’s Caviar gourmet delivery in Downtown LA, he’s now at Rewards Network, where he runs dining programs for major brands across airlines, hotels, and wireless. The focus: predictable traffic, measurable spend, and cash flow that helps restaurants grow. We break down how these dining programs actually work—enrollment, card-linked offers, and the data that proves incremental visits—plus the funding model where Rewards Network pre-purchases members’ meals up front to inject capital into restaurants. Expect practical tactics on filling seats, lifting average check, and turning occasional diners into regulars through A/B-tested offers and localized campaigns. His path runs from Phoenix to Pasadena to North Hollywood, with stints in Carlsbad, Del Mar, and Leucadia along the way. A Northern Arizona University grad with post-grad business coursework at Pasadena City College, he moved to Pasadena in 2002 to work at Charter Media and spent eight years there. He’s a Burbank Chamber member, a longtime restaurant partner to owners across LA, and a dad to a Pasadena-born son—plus an outdoors guy who camps on his own three acres near Flagstaff. If you’re a restaurant owner or marketer, this episode is a playbook: how to evaluate dining rewards, negotiate terms, track true lift vs. cannibalization, and stack channels (delivery, loyalty, email, social) for sustainable growth. Keywords: restaurant marketing, dining rewards, card-linked offers, customer acquisition, loyalty ROI, restaurant funding, Caviar, LivingSocial, Rewards Network, Pasadena, San Gabriel Valley. __________ Music Credits Intro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG Stinger Scarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio Library Outro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG __________________ My SGV Podcast: Website: www.mysgv.net Newsletter: Beyond the Mic Patreon: MySGV Podcast info@sgvmasterkey.com

    56 min

  6. 11/25/2025

    Robert Moreno - From Tragedy to Triumph: Building Youth Programs in the SGV

    Send us a text Here’s the story of a San Gabriel Valley nonprofit turning loss into action. Based in Covina, the Man-e Moreno Foundation was created after the death of Manuel Joseph Moreno, transforming a family tragedy into a mission to serve youth and support families affected by violence. The focus is whole-person impact—meeting physical, mental, and academic needs while strengthening community ties. At the center of its work is the 212 Training Center, a program designed to develop student-athletes through fitness, mentorship, and academic support. From speed and agility to study habits and character, the model pairs training with guidance so kids can win on the field, in the classroom, and at home. The foundation also speaks to healing and prevention. Its programs extend support to families of victims of violent crime, while leadership engages local youth and partners across the SGV. It’s community work rooted in real experience—and a belief that consistent mentorship, structure, and purpose can change lives. In this episode, we dig into how a neighborhood foundation builds programs that last: fundraising, partnerships, facilities, and the day-to-day playbook that keeps kids showing up. Keywords: Man-e Moreno Foundation, 212 Training Center, Covina, San Gabriel Valley, youth mentorship, student-athlete training, victims of violent crime support, nonprofit leadership, community programs. __________ Music Credits Intro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG Stinger Scarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio Library Outro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG __________________ My SGV Podcast: Website: www.mysgv.net Newsletter: Beyond the Mic Patreon: MySGV Podcast info@sgvmasterkey.com

    1h 5m

  7. 11/18/2025

    Chris Loos - Community Media That Works: Civic Shows, Local Impact

    Send us a text Here’s a conversation with a broadcast veteran who’s spent nearly 30 years in large-market media—hosting radio, interviewing icons like Eminem, Mike Tyson, Jim Brown, and Kendrick Lamar, and now operating on the executive side with a global music brand. He helped pioneer the shift from traditional radio to YouTube, building on-air personalities into on-screen creators and translating audience habits into sustainable digital growth. We dig into the strategy behind platform transitions: how to repurpose radio segments for video, design thumbnails and titles that convert, and build a content pipeline that keeps creators consistent without burning out. Expect real talk on partnerships, rights, monetization, and measuring what matters across broadcast, YouTube, and socials. His community work runs just as deep. Through Monrovia’s public access network KGEM-TV, he developed civic programming—City Council and School Board recaps, How to Run for Office, Digital Dialogues—and produced events like House Party at the Park to bring neighbors together. He’s launching commUNITY reIMAGINED and hopes to expand DREAM CHASERS career day in the SGV, connecting students with creative-industry pros. Recognition followed: a national honor from the Alliance for Community Media (Jewell Ryan White award for cultural diversity) and a role as city delegate in bringing the All-America City award home to Monrovia. If you care about radio-to-digital evolution, music business strategy, community media, and youth mentorship, this episode is a playbook. Keywords: radio to YouTube, music industry, content strategy, community media, KGEM-TV, civic engagement, creator economy, live events, career day, San Gabriel Valley. __________ Music Credits Intro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG Stinger Scarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio Library Outro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG __________________ My SGV Podcast: Website: www.mysgv.net Newsletter: Beyond the Mic Patreon: MySGV Podcast info@sgvmasterkey.com

    1h 7m

  8. 11/11/2025

    Michelle Shimohara - How Community Leadership Shapes a Real Estate Career

    Send us a text Here’s the story of a San Gabriel Valley daughter who turned community roots into a career of service. Raised in Monterey Park and Montebello, she grew up at Robert Hill Lane, Macy Intermediate, and Schurr High—so the SGV isn’t just a place, it’s her identity. After a brief move to Chino Hills, she came home so her three kids could grow up in the same tight-knit neighborhoods, splitting time between Brightwood Elementary, Schurr, and Mark Keppel. Community leadership shows up everywhere in her life. Her family was immersed in the Japanese American basketball scene, and she served as president of the Jetts/Jets program through Plymouth Church in Montebello—helping it grow from eight teams to more than twenty in just two years. That same “show up and build” mentality comes from her parents’ entrepreneurial hustle: a well-known local carpet-cleaning business on one side and a scrappy jewelry side hustle on the other. Professionally, she helped launch a dental lab in Monterey Park and then pivoted to real estate in 2014. Her specialty is guiding families through emotionally complex transactions—selling inherited homes and buying first homes—with a step-by-step approach that keeps clients informed, protected, and confident. Think neighborhood expertise, clear communication, and fierce advocacy from offer to close. This episode traces how SGV roots, youth sports leadership, and small-business grit shaped a real estate career centered on trust and community. We talk first-time buyer roadmaps, inherited-property checklists, negotiation style, and what makes SGV neighborhoods special. Keywords: San Gabriel Valley, Monterey Park, Montebello, Mark Keppel, Schurr High, Japanese American basketball, youth sports, first-time homebuyer, inherited property, real estate agent, SGV real estate, East LA, community leadership. __________ Music Credits Intro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG Stinger Scarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio Library Outro Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG __________________ My SGV Podcast: Website: www.mysgv.net Newsletter: Beyond the Mic Patreon: MySGV Podcast info@sgvmasterkey.com

    1h 8m
See All (241)

4.9
out of 5
27 Ratings

About

Welcome to the My SGV Podcast. A show where you will hear personal stories of triumph over failures, and how others successfully navigated the unique landscape that is the San Gabriel Valley. What makes us different? Well, just like you, we have chosen the San Gabriel Valley for our home or businesses, or both. We believe it is the people and small businesses that make this community great and we love to share their stories with you. We always encourage your questions and feedback and you can find all of our contact information at sgvmasterkey.com.

Information

  • Creator
    Kind Monster Productions
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    241
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 My SGV Podcast
  • Show Website
    My SGV Podcast

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