In this episode we’re joined by Sean Berthiaume, a co-owner of Vinnie’s Pizzeria in Williamsburg. You may know Vinnie’s even if you’ve never grabbed a slice. It’s the pizza joint with the viral trash can that has Tom Hanks on it. While creativity was always part of their DNA, the pandemic pushed Sean and his co-owners in new directions to keep their business alive.
We also hear from Zheni, who lost her job at the start of the pandemic and became a street vendor in the neighborhood of Corona in Queens. Many with no papers or work permits turned to street vending just as she had as a way to survive.
A year in the pandemic life of a NYC pizza parlour: https://epicenter-nyc.com/a-year-in-the-pandemic-life-of-a-nyc-pizza-parlour/
Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund announces support for URL Media: https://www.lenfestinstitute.org/diverse-growing-audiences/pursing-accountability-while-recognizing-humanity-knight-lenfest-local-news-transformation-fund-announces-support-for-url-media/
Epicenter-NYC membership: https://epicenter-nyc.com/the-case-for-epicenter-membership-one-auntie-to-another/
Our intro music: http://karavikamusic.com/
This episode was brought to you by McKinsey & Company. The Shortlist is McKinsey’s weekly curated sampling of need to know stories about work, the economy, and culture: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/the-shortlist
