Welcome to Queen City Unleashed!
Join us as we connect with the people, businesses, and communities that make Charlotte special. Our city is full of incredible stories and we want to share those stories with you right here on our podcast. Follow us, as we go behind the scenes and get the real scoop from the creators of some of our favorite creations in the city. From restaurants and breweries, to artists and comedians, to event leaders and small businesses… We want to hear from them all.
We are here to Share The Voices of Charlotte!Make sure you check out our events where we create opportunities to connect with our amazing podcast guests and experience the services or products they offer to Charlotte!
Host and Founder
About Seyi
Seyi Olusina moved to Charlotte in 2020, right at the beginning of the pandemic and has grown to love this city more than he ever thought he would! Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Seyi went to undergrad at Virginia Tech, where he met his now wife, and then grad school at UNC Chapel Hill. His friends would absolutely describe him as an extrovert and he loves connecting with new people and learning about their interests and their stories.This podcast is a fun outlet to get to know the people of Charlotte, uncover cool stories and history, and find out the many reasons people love this city. We hope this platform is a special place where people with different experiences, passions, careers, can share their stories. This is your go to podcast to hear from your favorite shops, restaurants, breweries, festivals, and so much more.Be on the lookout for events throughout the year that connect you with the podcast guest. These will be cool small opportunities to experience their products or services in a unique way.Thank you for joining us on this journey as we work to create a platform to Share The Voices of Charlotte!
Getting Artsy with Creative Catalyst Makayla Binter | Episode 27
We are excited to share our episode with Makayla Binter, who is a Creative Catalyst for Charlotte is Creative, a talented artist, and a pillar in the Charlotte arts community. She is one of the most vibrant individuals you could ever be around and she consistently exudes joy. Makayla was often told she would not be able to make a living with art, but she has proven all those people wrong and has become a huge supporter of artists all across Charlotte. She is one the best connectors our city has!
Important Stories With Emmy Award Winner Shevaun Bryan | Episode 26
We are back after taking some time to celebrate our first 25 episodes of Queen City Unleashed with Emmy Award Winner Shevaun Bryan!! Shevaun is a news anchor on WBTV and has been in the industry, around the country, for a long time. She is passionate about telling important stories and we are lucky to get to chat with her, right off the Emmy win.
A Five Star Chat with Food Writer Kayleigh Ruller | Episode 25
For our 25th episode of Queen City Unleashed we have Kayleigh Ruller, a Food Writer who writes for national and local publications. Kayleigh loves food and writes about it in a way that gives people a better appreciation for the food around them. She has highlighted some of the biggest names in food in Charlotte but she has the same pride when it comes to the smaller names!
A Colorful Conversation with Tim Edwards from Splatter Charlotte | Episode 24
On this episode we sat down with Tim Edwards, the founder of Splatter Charlotte and co-founder of Residency Charlotte! Tim is one the most fun interviews we have had on the podcast. His humor and passion make for great stories that we know you will enjoy.
Supportive Housing Communities with Leslie Leitner | Episode 23
This episode is really special because it is about a non-profit we are a part of. We got to chat with Leslie Leitner, who is the Community Engagement Associate for Supportive Housing Communities (SHC). Supportive Housing Communities is a local non-profit on a mission to end homelessness and human suffering in the Charlotte area by providing permanent, supportive, and affordable housing to Charlotte’s most vulnerable neighbors.
From Improv to Dim Sum with Bryan Li of Open Rice | Episode 22
We had the chance to sit down with a man of many talents and interests, Bryan Li!/nBryan Li! Bryan is one of the co-owners of Open Rice, co-founder of Residency Charlotte, and a founder and producer of Shameless Improv.
Food, Farms, and Family with Chef Sam Diminich | Episode 21
We had the opportunity to talk to Chef Sam Diminish on our twenty-first episode of Queen City Unleashed. Chef Sam is the Executive Chef of Restaurant Constance and Owner of Your Farms Your Table! He has been recognized around the city multiple times and was recently a James Beard semi-finalist. He is passionate about supporting local farms and also about being a voice for the voiceless when it comes to sobriety.
Sipping Through Time with Yaz from Sip City | Episode 20
In our twentieth episode of Queen City Unleashed, we sat down and talked to Yaz Humaideh, the owner of Sip City Market and Bottle Shop! His bottle shop has become a place of community, where people from all walks of life come to hang out. From coffee, beer and sake, to ping pong and board games, Sip City has it all.
Cooking Up a Convo with Chef Alyssa from Chef Alyssa's Kitchen | Episode 19
In this episode of Queen City Unleashed, we had the chance to sit down with Chef Alyssa Wilen, owner and namesake of Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen! Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen offers cooking classes for different kinds of cuisines and skill levels. It is a great activity to do with friends, coworkers, or for a date night! You will leave educated and full from a great meal you cooked yourself.
Breaking Bread with Charlotte Legend Manolo of Manolo’s Bakery | Episode 18
In this episode of Queen City Unleashed, we got to sit down with a Charlotte legend, Manolo Betancur, who owns Manolo’s Bakery, Artisen Vegelatos, and runs We Care 4 non-profit. Manolo’s Bakery is an institution in Charlotte that serves breads, cakes, and deserts from many hispanic countries.
The Sit Down with Steven De Falco of Pizza Baby, aka Starsky | Episode 17
In this episode of Queen City Unleashed, we got to sit down with Steven De Falco, one of the co-owners of Pizza Baby and Flour Shop. His restaurant, Pizza Baby West, was recently named one of the Top 50 Pizza restaurants in America, by an independent guide in Naples Italy.
Making New Friends with Heather Siblik of DishCourse | Episode 16
Heather Siblik is the Founder of DishCourse. A company that helps to create community and new friendships for people in Charlotte with events. She is also part of a really cool dance organization that fuses dance and color guard. She may or may not have won silver at Worlds!!
Catching Up with Ian Holmes of New Age Athlete | Episode 15
In this episode of Queen City Unleashed, we got to chat with Ian Holmes. Ian is one of the Owners and Executive Director of New Age Athlete and New Age Flag Football. Ian is also a personal friend, which made shooting this episode a lot of fun.
Chopping it Up with Larry Swayne of Wingzza Mambo Sauce | Episode 14
In this episode of Queen City Unleashed, we sat down with Larry Swayne, the owner of Wingzza Mambo Sauce! He also has such a vault of knowledge about Charlotte, so we had a great time learning some history.
Diving Into The Biggest Pizza in Charlotte with Kristen and Bryan Brown | Episode 13
In the first episode of 2025 for Queen City Unleashed, we sat down with Bryan and Kristen Brown, the owners of Benny Ferrovia’s and Benny Pennello’s!
Sharing our Two Scents with Andrea Richter of Pretty Honest Candles | Episode 12
In this episode of Queen City Unleashed we sat down to chat with Andrea Richter, the owner of Pretty Honest Candles. A black woman owned soy candle company in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Small Business Talks with Jordan Dollard of Front Porch Sundays | Episode 11
In this episode of Queen City Unleashed we sat down to chat with Jordan Dollard, the owner of Esther and Elsa and the woman behind Front Porch Sundays and Nebel’s Alley Night Market.
Live From Set with Mia Atkins from The Charlotte Today Show | Episode 10
In the 10th episode of Queen City Unleashed we went to a TV set to interview Mia Atkins, Co-host of WCNC’s Charlotte Today show.
Hops and Happenings with Brandon Stirewalt of Town Brewing | Episode 9
On this episode of Queen City Unleashed we spend some time with Brandon Stirewalt, Director of Operations at Town Brewing Company.
Glowing Up with Esthetician Dani Simonetti of Skin by Danielle Rose | Episode 8
In this episode of Queen City Unleashed we spend some time with local esthetician, Dani Simonetti, who is a friend and a neighbor.
Cracking Jokes with Stand Up Comedian Jordan Centry | Episode 7
In this episode of Queen City Unleashed we get to sit down with local stand up comedian Jordan Centry!
Kicking it With Pedro Oliveria of P3 Soccer Lab | Episode 6
In this episode of Queen City Unleashed we got the chance to talk with Pedro Oliveria, the founder of P3 Soccer Lab, and private soccer coach in Charlotte.
Cutting Up with Content Creator Tomi Obebe | Episode 5
If you have ever been curious about what the life of a content creator is like then this is the episode for you. Tomi Obebe, a content creator based out of Charlotte, shares with us how she got into the field, her passion for books and her love of pop culture. She also does not hold back from sharing her hot takes!
Raising a Glass with Shawn Cosner from 3rd Rock Events | Episode 4
In this episode of Queen City Unleashed we interview Shawn Cosner who is an event planner, the founder and CEO of @3rdrockevent, and a wine connoisseur.
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QC Unleashed and Shameless Improv Present: Comedy For Neighbors
$15.00
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at 7:00 PM EDT
Town Brewing
800 Grandin Rd,
Charlotte, NC 28208
Come out and enjoy a night of improv comedy from the incredible Shameless Improv group. All proceeds from this special show will be donated to local non-profit, Supportive Housing Communities (SHC). SHC is on a mission to end homelessness and human suffering in the Charlotte area by providing permanent, supportive, and affordable housing to Charlotte most vulnerable neighbors.Voted Best Improv Troupe by Queen City Nerve 2 years in a row, Shameless Society's unscripted, fully improvised, audience interactive comedy experience is one of the best comedy shows in Charlotte! They take their shows all over Charlotte, showcasing all the wonderful businesses we have here in the Queen City.Come on out to Town Brewing to laugh and grab a drink and support our neighbors across Charlotte!! We can't wait to see you there.
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