In this episode, Mark Baratto interviews Kathy Stamper and Scott Schofield to talk about the Key West Express, which takes residents and visitors to and from Key West, Fort Meyers and the Marco Island area. More on the Key West Express Key West Express to Paradise – Chill Out, Relax, Enjoy, Explore Our jet-powered catamarans…

In this guest episode, Alia Moore interviews Mark Baratto on the Blame it on Buffett Podcast. This is an exclusive “role reversal” where Alia has me on as a guest on her podcast. If you ever wanted to know who the guy was behind the Backyards of Key West podcast, this is your chance! More…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with the artists and creators of Sacred Space: Lucy Hawk, Barbara Sage, Emily Shipman and Cristina Velardi. We talk about how this group of powerhouse ladies found each other, how they support each other, and how Sacred Space was formed. More on Sacred Space Sacred Space is an…

In the episode, Mark Baratto sits down with travel blogger Michele O’Connor to talk about how she started her blogging business and how she grew her website into a full-time business. More on FunInKeyWest.com Who are we and what do we know about Key West? We are avid travelers.  Road trip is our middle name….

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Carol Hill, the owner of the Yankee Freedom III Ferry to the Dry Tortugas. This episode was recorded at the beginning of 2020 and Carol has a little cold, but don’t worry, it wasn’t COVID-19 🙂 We talk about how Carol got into the business, all the…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Tom Carbone, the owner of Carbone’s Custom Firearms. We discuss how Tom got into the business and his passion for bringing firearm safety and understanding to the Florida Keys. Whether you are a gun lover or not, this is a great episode to get the understand from…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Key West City Manager Greg Veliz (before the Covid-19 pandemic). We talked about Greg’s journey from Conch to elected official, and all the bumps in-between. I love and admire Greg’s tenacity and hope this episode teaches you that anything can happen with the right attitude. More on…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Hillary to talk about how she became a stylist, how she made her way down to Key West, and why she decided to open her own Beauty Lounge right in the middle of the Covid-19 crisis. This episode is loaded with inspiration and is worth listening to…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Analise Andrews, the owner of Key West Food Tours. We talk about how she was raised in her Cuban grandmother’s Key West kitchen and how Analise Smith pursued a career in the food industry by starting Key West Food Tours in 2014. Combining a love for food…

In this episode Mark Baratto sits down with Ben Teague of Ben Teague Design. We talk about how Ben took a leap of faith and went from working in a bank to doing what he loves. This episode has a ton of gems for those of you out there looking to escape the corporate world…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Jess Forsythe and Mike Kenna of Kenna Construction. We talk about how Mike got into the business, how he went from a classically trained chef to an expert contractor. We also learn how Jess acts as the glue to keep everything together and is the businesswoman that…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Grant Portier, the owner and chef of Poké In the Rear, an Asian-themed restaurant in its open-air backside bar in the famed Aquaplex. We talk about where he came up with the idea for the restaurant, and how he is taking a grassroots word of mouth approach…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Johnna, one of the owners of Cruisin’ Tikis, and Captain Ryan. Johnna tells her story of going from the retired life to the Tiki life while actually on one of their famed Tikis. More on Cruisin’ Tikis Key West ENJOY A TIKI CRUISE IN BEAUTIFUL KEY WEST,…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with artists Marianne van den Broek to talk about her amazing sand sculptures found around town in Key West. We talk about how Marianne began her journey as a sand sculptor, and how she turned a “summer job” into a passion project with a full-time residence at Casa…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with the owner of Salt Island Provisions, Laura Richardson. We talk about the origin story or Salt Island Provisions, how this island favorite is a hub for everything local; from salt to wine to honey to art. This spot is a MUST for every tourist and local alike!…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Chief TuTu wearer, Jenn Stefanacci. We talk about how this Jersey girl made her way down to the Conch Republic and how she created her cult-classic bar, 22&Co. This was one of my favorite episodes I did, not only because of how cool 22&Co is but how…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with Scott, the owner of Bluesail Vacation Yachts & Sailing Academy. We talk about how he made the shift from working in Chicago to running a full-time business in Key West and what happened to his business when the Corona Virus struck. More on Bluesail Vacation Yachts Website:…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sings down with musician Joal Rush to talk about his musical origin story (more than 20 years ago), the time he puts into his music, and where he is headed. We recorded this podcast for the Songwriters Podcast many months before the COVID-19 lockdown. More on Joal Rush Born &…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with the co-owner of The Green Pineapple at the Perry Hotel, Rebecca Schwab-Talpas. We talk about her career start in retail, why she decided to open up the shop at the Perry, her yoga teachings, and her cookbook club :). This episode was recorded months before COVID lockdown…

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with local artist Jasmine Jones. We talk about how she got started and how she is making a life for herself as an extremely talented artist. This interview was recorded before the March 2020 shutdown, so Jasmine’s classes are on hold for right now, but all her amazing…