Storytelling

Interested in being a guest speaker? Start early!

If you have the goal of becoming a successful guest speaker in the business world, I have some tips to share about getting started. These are based on my experiences working with some very talented people who are currently on-the-rise as star presenters, including Erin Sarofsky – and Chad Hutson and Jason White, the principals of Leviathan. Here are the preliminary tips (two more follow below):

  • Start early
  • Focus on these efforts as a key business activity
  • Set your sights strategically to target the right opportunities
  • Have a very specific vision for your proposed presentation and communicate it with the correct person before the deadline while also providing a well-organized summary of your speaking history

    Read moreInterested in being a guest speaker? Start early!

What’s the impact of winning a Cannes Lion?

Happy Friday, friends! I hope your work week is wrapping up nicely and that you’ll soon be able to enjoy some well-earned downtime, like a lot of people have been doing all week in Cannes (kidding, of course). Before ending this week, I wanted to share this video I’m embedding here from experience design agency Freestate, and a few more comments about the significance of winning a Cannes Lion award.

As you can hear first-hand from FreeState’s creative director Adam Scott in this video directed by Ilan Metev, FreeState won a Gold Design Lion at Cannes in 2013 after designing the world’s largest kinetic sculptures for Blackpool’s promenade. Under the heading of “Why Winning a Lion Matters – An Agency’s View,” Mr. Scott enlightens us while pedaling his bike around the city: “Sometimes it’s hard to find your way, and especially hard given it’s so darn crowded out here…. How do you stand out,” he asks.

And about the results of winning Cannes Lion Gold, he continues: “I would say people are far more interested in our approach, and that has to be a good thing. And well, if it can happen to us then it can certainly happen to you.”

Isn’t that lovely? Also, to me, it’s a perfect summation to what it means to win a Cannes Lion.

Meanwhile, the image I’m providing here offers a newer angle into this discussion. Taken hours ago

Read moreWhat’s the impact of winning a Cannes Lion?

Case Study: ATTIK


Last Updated April 30, 2015: Global Creative Agency ATTIK Evolved, Continued Delivering Spectacular Client Returns Into 2015

Dynamic Public Relations Campaign Effectively Positions Company and Its Key Customers, Sustains Growth
See also: ATTIK MEDIA COVERAGE

Established in the mid-1980s in northern England, ATTIK Ltd. quickly earned a worldwide reputation for sensational design, and by the late 1990s, had successfully expanded across the U.S. and into Sydney, Australia. In 2001, the company scaled back, refocused, and soon emerged with a boldly expanded approach — and an extraordinary new client: Scion. Acquired in 2007 by Dentsu, ATTIK was a highly successful global creative agency. Its doors closed in 2015.

Read moreCase Study: ATTIK

On-the-go with my hero and mentor Randy Baker

I had some very good luck in my budding career about 22 years ago, when many disparate activities started leading in some positive directions for me. One of those new avenues was my first gig as a television writer, which came about because of prolific producer, director and videographer Randy Baker. Although that project never quite made it on the air, it led to a lot of collaborations with Randy over the next several years, all of which impacted me profoundly.

Before any of that happened, back when I was still a student at the University of Central Florida and president of the film club, Randy was one of the esteemed guest speakers I’d invited in. Already well known for his career achievements and knowledge, Randy’s knack for stepping forward as a local industry leader was in many ways just getting started. So all those years later when I was concepting shows, writing business plans, grant proposals and news releases and doing audio for him on shoots, he was also teaching me what it meant to be productive, to be a leader, to earn money, and to live as a freelance business professional.

Read moreOn-the-go with my hero and mentor Randy Baker

Sharing secrets: Venture capitalist Charlie O’Donnell

I love finding people who are so successful in business that I learn great deals and become inspired just by reading their blogs and following them on social media. A few years ago when I was getting up-to-speed for a new client based in Brooklyn, I learned about venture capitalist Charlie O’Donnell, who founded the seed-stage investment firm Brooklyn Bridge Ventures in 2012. I’ve been doing my best to keep up with Charlie ever since! Here’s an introduction to his background from his personal This Is Going to be Big blog, where he’s been writing about sales, hiring, the venture business, startup communities and New York in his very straightforward, no-BS style for over 10 years.

Charlie is a partner at Brooklyn Bridge Ventures working on very early stage investments in the Greater Brooklyn area, which also includes Manhattan and the other boroughs of New York City. He was previously with First Round Capital, where he sourced the firm’s investments in GroupMe (sold to Skype), Backupify, chloe + isabel, Refinery29, Docracy, Singleplatform, and Salescrunch.

Read moreSharing secrets: Venture capitalist Charlie O’Donnell

“Off Camera” enters year three of the best conversations

It’s been a year since I last spoke with the acclaimed photographer and director Sam Jones, who is the publisher, host and editor-in-chief of the Off Camera website, magazine, TV show and podcast. Sam launched his on-camera interview series in 2013 with these words: “…as much as I have tried to create a multi-platform technologically relevant episodic blogpodzine, I am really just using new tools to do the same thing I have always done; which is follow my interests, and try to get in the room with some really interesting people.” Last February, I published a story about Off Camera’s first anniversary, and Sam surprised me with a call to touch-base. That connection with such a respected and accomplished artist inspires me every day.

Over the past 12 months, new print/iPod issues and episodes of Off Camera have appeared with these fascinating guests… all sharing insights from in-depth conversations with Sam, who is their trusted friend: Michael B. Jordan, Sarah Silverman, Matt Damon, Ed Helms, Jackson Browne, Judy Greer, Jeff Bridges, Taylor Goldsmith, Laird Hamilton and Jon Brion. Sam’s thoughtful Off Camera theme builds on his experiences working with high-profile luminaries… where they would regularly discuss various subjects, including their work. The best conversations were happening off-camera, Sam observed… and this passion project is the result.

Read more“Off Camera” enters year three of the best conversations

Great to know: Anson Williams

My relatively short career as a professional working in episodic television production took a giant leap forward in 1995, when I was hired to assist the Florida-based producers for NBC, Universal Television and Amblin Entertainment’s SeaQuest 2032. The year before, I had worked on a different series for Fox, BBK Productions and Columbia Pictures TV, where the many producers, directors and talents I met became inspirations for me. Nonetheless, I was very surprised to meet – and have lots of opportunities to work with and get to know – director Anson Williams as one of the many all-stars involved with SeaQuest.

Best known for his Golden Globe-nominated role as Potsie Weber on Happy Days – the single greatest TV series of my youth – Anson is also an award-winning television director, as well as being a writer, singer, producer and entrepreneur. By 2014, Anson has directed over 300 hours of television for scores of world-famous TV series, including Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and The Secret Life of the American Teenager, to name but a few.

Read moreGreat to know: Anson Williams

Amy Schatz, HBO and American Museum of Natural History: Thanks for the documentary

On Monday, 15 December, an important new series will debut from HBO Documentary Films, the American Museum of Natural History and producer/director Amy Schatz, starting with a two-part family special about the environment. Entitled “Saving My Tomorrow,” additional credits include executive producer Sheila Nevins, supervising producer Lisa Heller, producer Beth Aala and editor Tom Patterson. “Saving My Tomorrow” will continue in 2015 as a four-part series beginning on Earth Day, 22 April, exclusively on HBO.

From the children who will inherit the planet comes a collection of songs, activism and heartfelt tips for protecting the earth. Kids share their thoughts on subjects ranging from endangered animals to climate change, while exploring stories with the museum’s scientists about the plants and animals that are affected by a changing earth. A lyrical mix of science, animation and music, SAVING MY TOMORROW celebrates the wonders of the natural world and is a call from kids to kids to help take care of the planet.

Read moreAmy Schatz, HBO and American Museum of Natural History: Thanks for the documentary

Sharing secrets: Scion Motivate’s “Visual Identity” panel

I have written in the past about the serious 2013 campaign automotive brand Scion launched to help motivated young professionals scale their careers upward. Those multifaceted efforts included a series of brand films where they convened very bright and successful creative industry achievers to provide spot-on insights about key business imperatives. You can see for yourself that what they created packages the real, proven stuff. In the 10-minute episode embedded above, in order of appearance, you get to meet Justin Thomas Kay of Doubleday & Cartwright, Joshua Prince aka Dust La Rock of Fool’s Gold Records, Cody Hudson of Struggle Inc. and Longman & Eagle, and artist Kenton Parker… and hear their candid responses to these questions:

Read moreSharing secrets: Scion Motivate’s “Visual Identity” panel

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