Rochester on the Mic: Podcasts Driving Business, Culture, and Conversation
- Connected Know
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester’s startup and innovation ecosystem isn’t just being built in offices and coworking spaces. It’s being broadcast.
Across Spotify feeds, FM airwaves, and independent platforms, a growing group of Rochester-based podcast hosts are shaping conversations about business, leadership, equity, food systems, crime, culture, and community. Some are hyper-local. Others are gaining national attention. All are contributing to how the region tells its story.
Here are several Rochester-based podcasts worth paying attention to in 2026.
UVC Founders & Leaders with Patrick Bosek
Launched: 2025 | Frequency: Monthly
Produced by Upstate Venture Connect (UVC), Founders & Leaders spotlights startup founders, investors, and ecosystem builders across Upstate New York.
The once-a-month format focuses on candid conversations about scaling companies outside traditional coastal tech hubs. As UVC continues to expand founder roadshows and capital access initiatives, the podcast functions as both ecosystem amplifier and archive of regional momentum.
For founders and investors tracking Upstate deal flow, it’s a signal worth monitoring.
Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/upstate-venture-connect-uvc-founders-and-leaders/id1811148620
Crush Hour with Christopher Rush
Wayo 104.3 FM | Launched: 2024 | 50+ Episodes
Hosted by Rochester native Christopher Rush, Crush Hour airs weekly on Wayo 104.3 FM and centers conversations around upward mobility, community development, and systems change.
Rush, who serves on the RMAPI backbone staff supporting economic mobility efforts in Rochester and Monroe County, brings policy, equity, and lived experience into one-hour discussions designed to elevate underrepresented voices.
In a city where economic disparity remains a defining challenge, Crush Hour positions itself at the intersection of advocacy and civic dialogue.
HealingHer Within with Maryann Rivera-Dannert
Launched: 2020 | 230+ Episodes
Hosted by certified life coach and author Maryann Rivera-Dannert, HealingHer Within is an empowerment-focused podcast for women ready to pursue personal transformation.
While not business-focused, the show has built significant traction over five years, offering consistent weekly content centered on leadership, self-development, and mindset themes that often intersect with entrepreneurship and career growth.
Its longevity and episode volume signal both audience demand and disciplined production.
Spilled Salt with Maureen Ballatori
Launched: 2023 | 7 Seasons | Season 8 Coming Soon
An award-winning podcast covering the food, beverage, and agriculture industries, Spilled Salt explores “the thrills and spills” behind brands and supply chains.
Hosted by Maureen Ballatori, the show has produced seven seasons since 2023, with Season 8 on the horizon. The podcast blends founder stories with industry insight positioning Rochester within broader national conversations around food systems and agribusiness.
For anyone tracking CPG, agriculture innovation, or regional manufacturing, Spilled Salt delivers sector-specific depth.
Jazzy on the Air & JazzCast Pros with Jazzy T
WDKX personality Jazzy T continues to spotlight business and community leaders through her on-air programming, while also expanding Rochester’s podcast infrastructure through JazzCast Pros.
As founder of JazzCast Pros, Jazzy leverages decades of broadcast experience to help corporate clients and thought leaders launch professionally produced, mission-driven podcasts. The company is building production capacity locally an often overlooked layer of the content economy.
As Rochester’s podcast ecosystem grows, infrastructure builders like JazzCast Pros will play an increasingly important role.
Crime Dawg Podcast with Johnny Fiorica and David Simpson
Launched: 2024 | 80+ Episodes | Gaining National Attention
Hosted by former Rochester Police Department detectives Johnny Fiorica and David Simpson, Crime Dawg brings real-world law enforcement perspective to crime stories and public safety issues.
With a direct tone and national traction, the show extends Rochester’s voice into broader true crime audiences. The hosts’ professional background adds credibility that differentiates it within a crowded genre.
Decision Day with Leah Leverich
Launched: 2023 | 90+ Episodes
While not exclusively business-focused, Decision Day explores leadership, life transitions, and major decision-making moments. It sits adjacent to entrepreneurship and growth conversations, particularly relevant for parents and students navigating inflection points.
Rochester’s Business-Focused Mainstays
Several established podcasts continue to center explicitly on business and entrepreneurship, here are two to tune into:
Rochester Business Connections – Interviews with local business leaders and actionable insights for entrepreneurs.
WNY Entrepreneur Podcast – Stories and strategies from founders across Western New York.
Together, these shows form a distributed media layer supporting Rochester’s founder economy.
Rochester-Based Podcasts to Pay Attention To
Podcast | Primary Focus | Host / Organization | Launched | Episodes / Seasons | Listen Link |
UVC Founders & Leaders | Founder stories, startup ecosystem, investor conversations | Upstate Venture Connect | 2025 | Monthly | |
Crush Hour (WAYO 104.3 FM) | Community development, equity, upward mobility | Christopher Rush | 2024 | 50+ episodes | |
HealingHer Within | Women’s empowerment, leadership, personal growth | Maryann Rivera-Dannert | 2020 | 230+ episodes | |
Spilled Salt | Food, beverage, agriculture industry insights | Maureen Ballatori | 2023 | 7 seasons (Season 8 coming) | |
JazzCast Pros / Jazzy T | Business features + podcast production services | Jazzy T (WDKX) | — | Ongoing | |
Crime Dawg Podcast | Crime, law enforcement commentary | Johnny Fiorica & David Simpson | 2025 | 80+ episodes | |
Decision Day | Life decisions, leadership, parent/student guidance | Leah Leverich | 2023 | 90+ episodes | |
WNY Entrepreneur Podcast | Western NY founders and business stories | Regional hosts | 2019 | 220+ episodes | |
Rochester Business Connections | Local business leaders, networking, growth strategies | Ben Albert | 2023 | 140+ episodes |
Why It Matters
Podcasts are more than content channels. They are ecosystem infrastructure.
They create visibility for founders.
They archive institutional knowledge.
They build narrative momentum.
They shape how a city is perceived internally and externally.
As Rochester continues to position itself around tech, innovation, advanced manufacturing, food systems, and creative entrepreneurship, the microphones matter.
And increasingly, they’re on.
Connected Know covers Rochester and Western New York business, tech, startups, and emerging industries.
Comments