Advertise on podcast: The Orlando Real with Ken Pozek

Today we're discussing over 500k people that've left Florida, plus some massive Disney area developments that are finally taking shape! Come hang out, ask questions, and lets dive into all things Orlando!

How does Orlando become more than a theme park town? In this episode of The Orlando Real Podcast, Ken Pozek sits back down with Cole NeSmith, one of Central Florida's most creative minds and the founder of Creative City Project, IMMERSE, and Dazzling Nights, to talk about his vision for turning Orlando into "Creative City, USA."Cole and Ken get into his Memoir Agency's new investment from Avalon Park Group, how creativity and placemaking build real community in new developments, why so much of Orlando outside the theme parks feels generic, what downtown Orlando actually needs to thrive, the tourist development tax funding behind the arts, the future of Leu Gardens and Dazzling Nights, and the upcoming Celebrate the City events planned for 2027.Cole NeSmith is the Executive Director of the Creative City Project and co-founder of The Memoir Agency, the team behind IMMERSE, Dazzling Nights, and immersive placemaking work for cities and developers. An experienced curator, writer, musician, and actor, he created IMMERSE, which platforms 1,000 artists for more than 100,000 guests in Downtown Orlando each year. Learn more about the Creative City Project at www.creativecityproject.com and follow along with Cole on Instagram at www.instagram.com/colenesmith.Whether you love Orlando, are a local creative, work in real estate or development, or just care about where the city is headed, this conversation is a blueprint for building a future Orlando with meaning.This episode is brought to you by The Pozek Group. Thinking of selling or buying a home anywhere in Greater Orlando? We’d love to help! Reach out at https://pozek.com/youtube or email [email protected] to get started.

Today we're talking about some Orlando HOT TAKES and news you can use. Come hang out and let's talk all things Orlando!

Lots of traffic/transit talk (potential good news) plus a bunch of projects getting updates and approval.

John Morgan built Morgan & Morgan into one of the largest law firms in America, all from Orlando. In this episode of The Orlando Real Podcast, Ken Pozek sits down with the billionaire founder, investor, and author to talk about his new book on luck, the businesses he's built beyond the courtroom, and his honest take on Orlando. We get into his journey from leaving Kentucky as a kid to building an empire, the three types of luck, his attractions business behind WonderWorks and Alcatraz East, his honest assessment of downtown Orlando and the Magic, the nationwide expansion of Morgan & Morgan, building his own legal AI, preparing for "black swan" events, and the mentors and family he adores and credits most. Whether you're an entrepreneur, an Orlando local, or just want a candid conversation with one of the city's most recognizable figures, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss it. John Morgan is an American attorney and political figure based in Florida, and is best known as the founder of the personal injury law firm, Morgan & Morgan. Learn more and keep up with him on Instagram at www.instagram.com/johnmorganesq This episode is brought to you by The Pozek Group. Thinking of selling or buying a home anywhere in Greater Orlando? We’d love to help! Reach out at https://pozek.com/youtube or email [email protected] to get started 0:00 Meet John Morgan 0:24 How Did John Morgan End Up in Orlando? 2:58 What Are the Three Types of Luck according to John Morgan? 4:48 Are Entrepreneurs Born or Made? 7:50 What Businesses Does John Morgan Own? 9:43 What Are WonderWorks and Alcatraz East? 11:30 How Do You Turn a Business Failure Into a Success? 14:59 Why Invest in Wine Bar George and Flavortown? 16:39 Should Baseball Come to Orlando? 17:09 Why the Magic Are So Profitable 19:19 What's Holding Downtown Orlando Back? 23:40 Can the Right Investment Turn Downtown Around? 26:34 Morgan & Morgan's Nationwide Expansion 27:33 What Is the "Grow or Die" Strategy? 31:12 Why Are Injury Cases Flooding In? 31:45 What Would Google Do as a Law Firm? 34:00 What Are John Morgan's 2026 Goals? 35:13 Litify: The Software Behind the Empire 36:03 How Do You Stay Sharp as You Get Older? 38:46 When Should You Quit a Business? 40:51 What Is a "Black Swan" Event? 44:14 What Do You Do in a Business Crisis? 46:09 How Did John Morgan Get Ahead of COVID? 47:39 The Mentor Who Shaped Him: Bill Dimitri 49:27 How Does John Morgan Want to Be Remembered? 50:03 The Purpose of Life According to John Morgan 52:00 Wrap Up

If you've ever run a race in Central Florida, you've probably crossed paths with Track Shack. In this episode of The Orlando Real Podcast, Ken Pozek sits down with second-generation owner Chris Hughes to talk about how a small Mills 50 running store, open since 1977, became the hub of Orlando's running community. Chris Hughes is the Vice President of Business Operations of Orlando’s beloved family-owned running store and event company, Track Shack. Since 1977, Track Shack has kept Central Florida’s runners and walkers fit, inspired, and connected through retail expertise, training programs, and community events. Learn more about Track Shack at www.trackshack.com and stay up to date on the latest on Instagram at www.instagram.com/orlandotrackshack In this conversation we explore the store's history, growing up in the back of the shop, how Track Shack produces around 15 local races a year plus the run management for runDisney, the rise of Orlando's run clubs, and the Track Shack Youth Foundation, which has given more than $3 million to programs that improve kids' lives through sports. They also cover how Mills 50 transformed into one of Orlando's best neighborhoods, tips for getting into running, and what's next as Track Shack heads toward its 50th anniversary in 2027. This episode is brought to you by The Pozek Group. Thinking of selling or buying a home anywhere in Greater Orlando? We’d love to help! Reach out at https://pozek.com/youtube or email [email protected] to get started. 0:00 What Is Track Shack? 1:19 Who owns Track Shack? The Hughes 3:26 How Mills 50 Transformed Over the Decades 4:26 What Makes Orlando's Community Unique? 5:37 The 15 Races Track Shack Produces Each Year 6:38 How Track Shack Got the runDisney Contract 7:58 Early Race Memories: Chip Timing & Spindles 9:54 The Original runDisney Marathon 10:22 Track Shack's Running History Museum 12:03 Producing the Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando 13:01 How does a Running Shoe Fitting Work? 14:41 The Track Shack Youth Foundation: $3M Given Back 15:49 Is Running Having Another Boom in Orlando? 16:43 Orlando's 100+ Run Clubs 17:42 How to Get Started as a New Runner? 18:47 How to Find Your First Runners High? 20:10 How to get a runDisney Bib? 20:46 Run Clubs, Events & Training Programs in Orlando 22:12 Is Track Shack a Store or Event Company? 23:36 Track Shack's 50th Anniversary: What’s Next

How did Orlando go from an Applebee's town to a real food city? In this episode of The Orlando Real Podcast, Ken Pozek sits down with Jason Chin, co-founder of Good Salt Restaurant Group, the team behind some of Central Florida's most-loved restaurants, including Seito Sushi, Reyes Mezcaleria, and Sparrow Wine Bar.

Have you heard of FLOP FEST?! We're also talking road project updates, lost Orlando landmarks, and so much more. Come hang out, ask questions, and be informed!

Today we're discussing a great mix of real estate, theme park, and things to do in Orlando! Come hang out, ask questions, on Orlando Real Live!

What does tourism actually do for the people who live in Orlando? In this episode of Orlando Real, Ken sits down with the President & CEO of Visit Orlando Cassandra Matej to go behind the scenes of one of the most visited destinations in the world and break down the massive impact tourism has on Central Florida. Ken and Cassandra talk about Orlando's 76.7 million annual visitors, the $98.7 billion economic impact of tourism, how visitor spending helps fund infrastructure and public services, and why Orlando continues to compete with destinations around the world. We also dive into the future of Orlando tourism, Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, the Orange County Convention Center, how we brought in Michelin Guide restaurants, local businesses, Magical Dining, transportation and what it will take for Orlando to reach 80 million visitors. Whether you live in Orlando, own a Central Florida business or just love seeing what's next for the city, this conversation gives you a completely different perspective on the tourism industry driving the region. Casandra Matej is president and CEO of Visit Orlando, the official marketing organization for America’s most visited destination and Theme Park Capital of the World. She leads the branding, marketing and selling of the destination on a global scale, representing 1,600 member companies across Orlando’s tourism landscape. Learn more at https://www.visitorlando.org/ This episode is brought to you by The Pozek Group. Thinking of selling or buying a home anywhere in Greater Orlando? We’d love to help! Reach out at https://pozek.com/youtube or email [email protected] to get started.

Orlando Schools Ranked, Leu Gardens Plans Shelved, and a controversial project moves forward

Did you know Orlando has two airports? Most people don't. In this episode, Ken Pozek goes behind the scenes at Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) to see how the "Orlando North" airport is growing, why travelers love flying out of it, and what makes it different from Orlando International (MCO).Airport leadership takes us on an exclusive tour sharing details on who flies out of Sanford, why airlines choose it, how the airport pays for itself without taxes, and why its private TSA screening kept lines moving during the government shutdown. Along the way we meet the airport's fire and police teams, check out the flight school training 650 pilots, and talk about the $3.5 billion economic impact this "city without a permanent population" has on Central Florida.

This week we're talking H-Mart Expansion, PopStroke SHARKS, and what's next for Disney World and your questions answered!

In this episode of The Orlando Real, Ken Pozek sits down with David Beattie, a former political pollster and current Executive Director of the Florida Research Development Alliance. They unpack the political changes in Central Florida, including the change in voter turnout, AI and data integration, as well as behavior motivations across 63 local races across Orange and Osceola counties with major shifts in open commission seats and upcoming mayoral races. David shares insights into the evolution of political data, moving away from traditional standalone polling toward modern AI-driven "social listening" and holistic data integration. They explore why local government budgets, like Orange County's massive $9 billion budget, have a far greater impact on residents' day-to-day lives than federal offices, despite suffering from chronically low voter turnout. Tune in as this episode gives a masterclass in how data, authenticity, and local engagement shape the community we live in. David Beattie is the current Executive Director of the Florida Research Development Alliance, a network of research development and research administration professionals from Florida universities, colleges, and other institutions engaged in research. Together, their goal is to help enable Florida’s research institutions to work together and lead to further investment in Florida’s growing research enterprise. Learn more at www.fl-rda.org This episode is brought to you by The Pozek Group. Thinking of selling or buying a home anywhere in Greater Orlando? We’d love to help! Reach out at https://pozek.com/youtube or email [email protected] to get started.

Major Orlando Projects, Halloween in Orlando, and your Q&A