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Paul Cody, owner of Pie Trap Pizza in Covina, CA, joins the show for a no-filter conversation on leadership, culture, and turning passion into purpose. From sneaking a fryer into a 400 sq ft kitchen to curating a hip-hop-inspired menu with explosive pies, Paul shares how he built a loyal fanbase by keeping it real and putting quality first. We talk team dynamics, rising food costs, TikTok-fueled growth, and why systems—not vibes—set you free. If you're a pizzeria operator or future owner, you’ll want to take notes.

🎧 Topics covered:

• Naming Pie Trap and building brand culture from scratch
• Running a tight kitchen with high standards and low ego
• Square pies, scarcity, and strategy
• Handling haters, bad days, and Yelp reviews
• The importance of leadership evolution and letting go
• Real lessons in team building, hiring, and expansion

📍 Location: Covina, California

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How Pizza Magnets Took Over the Internet (with Todd from Popp’s Trophies)

What started as a small-town trophy shop turned into one of the pizza industry’s most viral success stories. In this episode, I chop it up with Todd from Popp’s Trophies—creator of the famous pizza peel magnets.

We talk about his wild leap from landscaping to laser engraving, how a Wu-Tang slice blew up on Instagram, and why investing in yourself always pays off.

Whether you're running a pizzeria, building a brand, or just love a good origin story—this one’s for you.

Want Your Own Custom Pizza Peel Magnet?

Whether you’re repping your shop, building out some cool merch, or just want to see your signature pie turned into fridge art—Todd’s your guy.

👉 Visit www.poppstrophies.com to upload your photo and customize your peel
📸 Got a perfect shot of your pizza? Use the Pizza Submission Form on the homepage
📲 Follow Todd on Instagram @poppstrophies to see the latest designs and viral videos
📦 Bulk orders? Special requests? Just hit the contact form on his site or slide into the DMs—he’s super hands-on and quick to respond.

Trust me, it’s one of the coolest and most creative ways to showcase your brand. And your customers will love it.

Thank you to our sponsors and affiliates!

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Todd's Curry Sauce - Enjoy 10% Off All Orders using code: PIZZAKING

www.toddscurrysauce.com

Bag Genie Pizza Bags - Buy and 4 bags and get a 5th bag for free using Code: PIZZAKING

www.baggenie.net

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Pizza Business Coach - Tyrell Reed
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What’s up, Pizza Fam!

This episode’s a little different—I took it all the way back to the beginning. Why? Because the question keeps coming up: “T, how’d you get started in this pizza game?” And with so many new listeners joining the family, I figured now’s the perfect time to tell the real story—my origin story.

Let me be clear: I shouldn’t be here. I should’ve been fired. I should’ve been broke for good. I should’ve quit. But I didn’t. And every mistake I made—every one of ‘em—shaped me into the leader, operator, and coach I am today.

From my first job at Little Caesars in Lansing, Michigan—where I left the safe wide open and cash on the counter (yeah, seriously)—to smoking weed in the kitchen at my first Westshore Pizza gig (what was I thinking?!), to completely burning out and losing a store I loved during COVID… it’s been a journey. But every failure taught me something that stuck.

Here are the BIGGEST lessons I shared in this episode:

1. Take what you do seriously. The Little Caesars write-ups? Man, I still keep those papers as a reminder.

2. Maturity matters. That “smoke session” could’ve ended my career before it started. Thank God for second chances.

3. Ask for help. My first store in Lakeland tanked—because I didn’t ask for support when I needed it most.

4. Build a team. You cannot do this alone. I tried. I failed. Then I learned to lead the right way.

5. Relationships will save you. Straight up—if it weren’t for mentors like Bob, I don’t know where I’d be.

Now I run a successful store with a killer team. I coach operators on how to avoid the mistakes I made. And I’m here to help YOU lead better, grow faster, and stay in the game longer.

So if you’re feeling like you’ve made too many mistakes or missed your shot—trust me, you haven’t. You can bounce back. I’m living proof.

Thanks for tuning in, Pizza Fam. Hit me up at info@tyrellreed.com or come be a guest on the show. I’d love to hear your story.

Support the show

We appreciate your support!
Subscribe to our premium content
Pizza King Podcast+

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Now Available!
Pizza King Podcast Store

Pizza Business Coach - Tyrell Reed
Shop Courses and Ebooks
https://tyrellreed.com/shop