Edward Bosco didn't move 700 miles from Chicago to Baltimore just to serve pizza. He moved to introduce authentic Neapolitan pies that cook in 90 seconds flat.
Bosco opened his restaurant, Verde, in 2012, and co-owns it with his wife and son. The restaurant's commitment to authenticity sets it apart. Verde makes its own cheese, dough, sauce and sausage. The menu features 50 different pizzas, each cooked in a wood-burning oven, a stark contrast to traditional American pizza styles.
"We don't use pepperoni at Verde. Pepperoni is Italian American. We use Italian sopressata. It has less nitrates. It doesn't have all that extra fat," Bosco explained. "We couldn't find a sausage in Baltimore that we liked. So we make our own sausage now with ground pork, fresh herbs, salt and pepper and a little bit of red wine."
After 13 years of building the restaurant into a neighborhood staple, Bosco discovered the biggest challenge wasn't perfecting his craft; it was everything else pulling his attention away from it.
"I think as a small business owner, you have challenges from the city, you have challenges from the community. You have some challenges with supply lines," Bosco said.
Peace of mind through partnership
Security concerns add another layer of complexity to running a small business. That's why Bosco decided to partner with ADT for both his home and restaurant security needs.
"Taking one thing off the table, which is security for our business, is a help for sure,” he said. "Everything's a help."
The decision wasn't just about protecting against break-ins or theft. For Bosco, ADT provides something invaluable: mental bandwidth.
"Anything that you can take off a small business plate is very, very important," he said. "At the end of the day, we want to serve you food and make you forget about life for a while. And ADT allows me to forget about life for a while."
With security handled by ADT, Bosco can focus on what he does best, creating exceptional dining experiences.
A recipe for success
Verde's story illustrates a common challenge facing small business owners: balancing operational concerns with core business activities. By partnering with trusted service providers like ADT, entrepreneurs can redirect their energy toward growth and customer satisfaction.
"It's important to protect your investment," Bosco said. "We do that with lights, and we do that with our security system from ADT. And we do that from just being in the community."
Verde continues to serve Baltimore's growing appetite for authentic Neapolitan pizza, and Bosco has plans to open another restaurant nearby.
"We're still in business," he said with quiet satisfaction, a testament to the power of staying focused on your passion while trusting others to handle what they do best.