An Inspired Chat with Brian Bianchetti of Downtown Los Angeles

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Brian Bianchetti. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Brian, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
What I’m most proud of building is something you don’t see on shelves or in headlines: trust.

Inside our business, People’s Choice Beef Jerky, we’ve been quietly rebuilding what it means to work in food manufacturing, especially in an industry that’s historically transactional and tough on people. We’ve invested in our team’s health, stability, and growth in ways that don’t show up on a P&L in the short term. We’ve slowed down decisions to do them right. We’ve chosen transparency when it would’ve been easier to protect ego. We’ve tried to prove, day after day, that you can demand excellence and lead with care.

Externally, with Made in LA, the invisible work is community-building. The coffees, calls, listening sessions, and behind-the-scenes advocacy that don’t make Instagram, but create real momentum for local makers. Lowering barriers. Connecting people who were building in isolation. Helping LA manufacturers feel seen, supported, and proud of where they produce.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Brian Bianchetti, a fourth-generation Angeleno and the CEO of People’s Choice Beef Jerky. We’ve been making jerky in Los Angeles for nearly a century, and my role has been about honoring that legacy while modernizing the business in a way that’s people-first, values-driven, and built to last.

What makes People’s Choice special isn’t just the product, it’s how we make it. We still use whole-muscle cuts and old-school techniques, but we pair that craftsmanship with thoughtful innovation, better-for-you ingredients, and a deep investment in our team. We’re growing, expanding our facilities, and proving that you can scale responsibly without losing your soul.

Alongside that, I founded Made in LA to support and advocate for local makers and manufacturers. Too many great brands are built in isolation, so we’re creating community, lowering barriers, and helping LA businesses stay and grow here.

At the core, everything I work on is about people, craft, and pride in building something meaningful, right here in Los Angeles.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
My family taught me the most about work, especially the generations before me who built and sustained our business.

I grew up seeing work as a form of responsibility, not just ambition. Show up early. Take care of your people. Do things the right way even when no one’s watching. There was pride in craftsmanship, but also humility: the understanding that the business exists because of the people in it, not the other way around.

Later in my career, I learned that how you work matters just as much as how hard you work. That lesson came from watching leaders who built trust, listened well, and empowered others instead of controlling outcomes.

Those two influences, old-school work ethic and modern, people-first leadership, are what I try to bring into everything I build today.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I’d tell him that it’s okay to take the long way.

You don’t have to have it all figured out early. You don’t need to prove yourself through constant urgency. The pressure you feel to get everything right right now will eventually turn into perspective, and that perspective will make you a better leader, partner, and builder.

Trust your values. Keep doing the work with integrity. The patience you’re learning now will become one of your greatest strengths later.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
I try to look past the hype and ask a few simple questions.

Does this solve a real problem, or just create noise? Is it rooted in human behavior that’s unlikely to change, or is it dependent on novelty and attention? And most importantly, would this still matter if no one was talking about it?

Real foundational shifts tend to show up quietly first. They take longer, feel less flashy, and require behavior change, not just adoption. Fads move fast and burn hot; durable shifts compound over time.

In our business, we’ve learned to invest in what deepens trust with our people, our customers, and our partners. Trust doesn’t trend, but it endures. And anything that strengthens that foundation usually outlasts whatever the moment is excited about.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope they say I built things that lasted and that I did it the right way.

That I took care of people, honored the generations before me, and left things better than I found them. That I didn’t chase growth at the expense of integrity, and I didn’t confuse success with shortcuts.

If there’s a story, I hope it’s that I helped create space for others to do their best work whether that was inside our company, across the LA maker community, or in the lives I had the privilege to be part of.

Being remembered for how you made people feel and what you helped them become matters more to me than any single achievement.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://peopleschoicebeefjerky.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pcbeefjerky/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-bianchetti/