AdYack - Season 2: Recent Episodes

American Advertising Federation of the Greater Lehigh Valley

The Official Podcast of the American Advertising Federation of the Greater Lehigh Valley. Our mission is to inspire creativity and enhance the professional development of the advertising and marketing communities where we live and work. I'm your host Bill Childs. And I'll talk with artists, designers, writers, directors, photographers, along with those who work in a creative capacity. Our aim here is to serve as a creative resource to help you stay informed, entertain, and above all, inspired.

Today on the podcast, AdYack goes international and talks to Brian Wcislo from his home in Costa Rica. In 2005, Brian co-founded 401 Creative, a Lehigh Valley-based ad agency he formed with his college roommate, Curtis Johnson.

The duo found fast success with 401, and Brian was enjoying that success when he noticed that something wasn’t quite right with his body. When multiple doctor visits turned up nothing, a quick Google search indicated he had a candida imbalance that was affecting his personality and his health. It was then that he knew a change was in order.

In 2013, 401 Creative was purchased by Weidenhammer Systems, and after his two-year employment agreement expired, Wcislo left for Costa Rica to take a three-week yoga instructor class. That three-week trip ended up lasting three months.

Wcislo has found a way to live and work that many of us only dream about. He’s found his joy through his family, his location, his meditation and yoga routines, and the work he’s currently doing for a company called Green Machine. He still may have the occasional off day, but he knows it’s temporary.

We talked about what steps anyone can take to achieve a better work/life balance, how he discovered that winning wasn’t the secret to happiness that he thought it would be, and how his life has been completely transformed from the pressure-induced craziness of running an ad agency to one where his family and his health come first.

If you’ve ever felt that there has to be more to life than working 12 hours a day, six days a week, burning the candle at both ends, you will want to make some time to listen to this interview. Wcislo has found a way to live the life he’s always wanted, right down to the fact that he used to tell his friends that one day he could see himself living in Costa Rica. This was a fascinating, informative, and deeply personal conversation.

Here is my AdYack with Brian Wcislo

www.linkedin.com/in/brianwcislo

www.instagram.com/b.p.wcislo

yoga #creativity #agency #balance #manifesting #purpose

passion #life

Thank you to our sponsor, ASR media.

Alright, Ad Yackers, today, I get to talk to someone whose work I have admired for quite some time. She is not only the owner of an ad agency, but she understands the importance of giving back to the community where she lives and works. She named her agency after an antelope known for being extremely fast, agile, and able to clear tall hurdles that get in their way.

I’m talking about Sarah Clark of Kudu Creative. I first met Sarah in 2013 when she was an art director at Mosaic Interactive, a digital agency.

We yaked it up on several topics, including client pitch meetings that go sideways, her ability to play three instruments, and her involvement in the Easton Mural Project. I also learned during our conversation that Sarah played three instruments growing up, and we dive into the profound impact music can have on both the player and the listener, as well as her approach to idea generating and how she still makes time to design while running the day to day operations of her agency.

I was surprised by her insights about Artificial intelligence when I brought the topic up,

We talked about where she sees the technology going and how, if used correctly, it can be a game changer.

Before opening her agency, Sarah studied graphic design at Minnesota State University. She worked as a web designer for Flint Communications in Fargo, North Dakota, and was an art director at Mosaic Interactive. She then decided to venture out on her own and open KUDU in September 2014.

Sarah loves the many roles she gets to inhabit: agency owner, designer, marketing strategist, Entrepreneur, and, above all, mom to her two sons.

Here is my AdYack with Sarah Clark..

https://www.facebook.com/sarah.j.clark.984?mibextid=AEUHqQ

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/kuducreative

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/sarahjc

Instagram.com/kuducreative

creativity #branding #leadership #design #art #advertising

marketing #adagency #strategy

People like to say ‘never judge a book by it’s cover.’ And my next guest on the podcast is the living embodiment of that phrase. I’m talking about the one and only Cheryl Moritz.

If you ever seen her in one of the hundreds of theatrical productions she’s appeared in, you have a good idea what I’m talking about. Or perhaps you seen her dominating the stage, or body surfing the crowd while singing her lungs out in a punk band she’s fronting. I once saw her do an entire American Advertising Awards playing a Russian spy and never broke character through the entire two hours program.

Moritz is one of those people who when she commits to something, she goes all in. Trepidation or hesitation are two words that do not apply to her.

I’ve got to watch her perform as ‘Columbia’ in ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ as well Cindy Lou Who in Who’s Holiday?, and she’s an acting tour de force. Absolutely fearless.

But even with all that energy, sometimes doubt can creep in as artists are notorious for feeling like they're never good enough. We explore that very important topic along with how she stays inspired, how she stays positive how she keeps her wonderment alive.

Another of the topics we discussed is the formation of a support group that could meet periodically to share ideas, offer constructive criticism and provide a positive outlet for anyone who works in a creative capacity. This is just a small sample of what we explored during our interview.

I loved this conversation because Moritz was so open and vulnerable with her thoughts and answers. Don’t let her quite demeaned fool you. When she steps on a stage, or grabs a microphone you can be sure of thing, you’re about to witness something memorable.

Here is my Ad Yack with Cheryl Moritz

creativity #acting #passion #theatre #committed #punkrock #music #intense

Today on the podcast, I talk with Catherine Barnstone, who’s father had a tremendous impact on me during the time I studied with him at his art school in Coplay, PA. I’m referring to Mr. Myron Barnstone, a master painter before becoming an internationally respected fine arts teacher. Myron sadly passed away in 2016 at the age of 83. Since then, his daughter Cat has been working diligently with a team of art professionals and curators to help ensure Myron’s classical approach to drawing and design will live on through his former students and the instructional material produced before his passing.

After Myron put down his brushes and started teaching full-time, Cat was omnipresent and had a front-row seat to Myron’s teachings and lectures. It wasn’t until his passing that Cat took possession of all of her father’s art that, until then, was crated and packed away for over 50 years. Cat tackled the challenge of bringing Myron’s incredible work out of the warehouse and into a newly renovated gallery space that will have its grand opening in April of 2024 in Thurmond, Maryland.

I met Cat for the first time at Myron’s 80th birthday celebration. What struck me immediately about Cat was her warm, friendly demeanor and sense of humor. But what’s really impressed me about her is her tenacity and dedication to keeping her father’s legacy alive.

I was fortunate to study with Myron; his wisdom has stayed with me and continues to inspire me today. Cat and I talk about her early days helping Myron get his art classes up and running, to the real reason why all of Myron’s art was packed away, with strict instructions to not open them.

We also talked in depth about the impact that Myron had on his thousands of students and how many went on to careers in major motion pictures, animation, architecture, interior design, photography, fine art painting, sculpting, and how she’s finding new, and creative ways to showcase her father’s amazing artwork.

Cat knows all too well the challenges she has to constantly face head on, but she also refuses to let anything stand in her way of guiding the next generation of artists to find their true path through her father’s teachings. She knew it wouldn’t be easy. But then again, nothing worth doing ever is.

Here is my AdYack with Catherine Barnstone.

barnstone #artist #goldensection #abstract #painting #brush

original #genius

https://www.facebook.com/catszafran

www.instagram.com/fourthwallcat

www.instagram.com/barnstonestudios

When you think about it, Life is a collage of memories, relationships, emotions, conversations, and all the little moments cut from the experiences that make up your life.

Nobody understands that better than today's guest on the podcast. Stephen Kroninger grew up outside of Allentown in the sleepy burb of Orefield, Pennsylvania, and spent his formative years studying commercial art at Lehigh County Vo-Tech. While there, he met a charismatic teacher who was instrumental in helping him understand that an art career was something young Stephen may want to consider. After college, he headed straight for New York City and has never looked back.

Stephen is a provocative collage maker and illustrator whose work has appeared in major U.S. and international publications, and he is also the author/illustrator of three award-winning children's books. He's worked with 80's rap group Public Enemy and comedian Chris Rock and his art has graced the cover of TIME magazine on four separate occasions.

Kroninger's illustrations have appeared in nearly every major newspaper and magazine in the United States and in many publications worldwide. Kroninger's work was the subject of an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the only time the museum devoted a one-person show to an illustrator. His artwork can be found in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, The Library of Congress, and the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., among others.

We yak it up on many topics that included his unique creative process, how he allows for 'happy accidents' in his work, and the only advice his father ever gave him that turned out to be life-changing.

Here is my AdYack with the incredible Stephen Kroninger.

Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/stephen.kroninger

http://www.instagram.com/stephenkroninger

https://www.stephenkroninger.net/

I love meeting people who are super passionate about their craft and the work they do to earn a living. Today, on the podcast, I talk to two individuals who exceed that criteria. Mr. Matt Artinger and Patrick Newill. Matt owns and operates Artinger Guitars based in Emmaus, and he was gracious enough to sit down with me on a Saturday morning and talk about the art of making guitars.

Partick works right alongside Matt in his shop, putting his stamp on a line of guitars. Matt brought Patrick in because he saw so much of himself in Patrick and wanted to provide an opportunity to pass the torch to the next generation.

Matt freely admitted that Partick inspires him, and the two often collaborate on project brainstorming sessions because Matt understands the effectiveness of what can happen when an idea can leap from brain to brain.

Matt has built over 1,000 custom guitars, and he’s not stopping. We yak it up on the importance of trial and error in doing such highly custom work, how ideas can get better when you are open to collaboration, and how they try to build magic into every guitar they make.

They are part Zen masters, part scientists, part visionaries, part electrical engineers, and Alchemists. Blending complex components and materials into something that brings joy to millions in the form of music and songs.

Matt and Partick are the type of people who love to push the boundaries to go where others may resist. That’s the mark of craftsmanship. As Matt stated in a Popular Mechanics article that featured him, “When it comes to guitars, the proof is in the playing. "As pretty as a guitar looks, it has to perform five times better, "It's not a piece of furniture; it's a functional piece of art.”

It was clear from our conversation that these guys love their work. They have found a way to channel their talents and shape them into a career as two of the most sought-after builders of custom guitars of their respective generations.

Here is my ad yack with Matt Artinger and Patrick Newill

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-newill-6a7328111/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-artinger-104657/

www.facebook.com/mattartinger

www.facebook.com/patricknewill

www.instagram.com/newill_guitars

AdYack Season 4 Episode 3 Katie P. Desiderio and Michael G. Frino

One of the topics I love to discuss on AdYack is leadership. Today on the podcast, I will explore this topic in depth with best-selling authors Katie Desiderio and Michael Frino.

Frino oversees Human Capital Development for a Fortune 500 Company, a Leadership Author, a Performance Researcher, and an Adjunct Professor. Desiderio is an Assistant Vice President of corporate-educational Partnerships, a Tenured Professor of Management at Moravian University, a Partner in Learning, and now a Wall Street Journal Best Selling Author.

The duo have co-authored an excellent new book about leadership and transformational growth that looks to BEES for its inspiration. The book is called The BeeKeeper: Pollinating your organization for transformative growth. Katie and Michael sketched out the original concept behind their first book after publishing in academic journals for over a decade since earning their doctorate degrees in Organizational Learning and Leadership.

Little did they know then, but 18 days after their pizza box brainstorm, UN World Bee Day was established to protect and preserve our great pollinators who provide growth for all of us.

The book uses the story of an inspiring beekeeper and how we all can learn from how bees structure and operate their hives. We talk about organizational structure, how we can all take better care of each other at work, and how big things will happen when we all work towards a common goal. I‘ve read many business books over the years, and this one is at the top of my recommended list.

Fun fact: I was introduced to Katie for the first time in May 2017 when she gave a commencement address during my daughter’s graduation from Moravian University. It was while listening to her meaningful words about enjoying the present moment and feeling grateful that I could shift my mood. Even though I was upset about having terrible seats and being soaked from the rain that fell earlier in the day, her impactful words helped me change my mindset. She allowed me to witness and celebrate my daughter’s accomplishments with the proper attitude. To me, that’s why Katie is such a great leader.

We talk about that commencement address, the power of positive change, growth mindsets, creativity, and company culture, and how we can all learn what it means to place ourselves at the core of learning and growth for the people in your organization. Prepare to BEE inspired, entertained, and enlightened.

Here is my AdYack with Katie Desiderio and Michael Frino.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-p-desiderio-mba-phd

https://www.linkedin.com/in/miichaelgfrino

https://www.linkedin.com/school/moravian-university/

https://www.facebook.com/katiep.desiderio

https://www.facebook.com/mfrino

https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/831363/moravian-university/

S4 | E2: Martha DeFeo There are certain people you will meet throughout your life, and as soon as you meet them, you know they possess an innate ability to transcend and succeed in any environment. Martha DeFeo is one of those people. I briefly worked with Martha at Adams Outdoor Advertising, and I knew, even back then, that she was on a mission. She often encouraged and inspired people to become the best versions of themselves, in both their professional and personal life.She’s a seeker of knowledge, a coach, and a mentor to many of her clients, and she doesn’t give up when she believes in something, influencing others with her perseverence.Her search for meaning and her growth mindset has played a vital role in helping her grow into who she is today. As a Marketing Consultant, Strategist, and Business Development Leader, her background has evolved from marketing & design projects, speaking presentations, content creation, and web design to now running her own agency, MILK Marketing.Martha understands the value of authentic leadership and why you need it for sustainable growth & success. She found her purpose in helping entrepreneurs build and grow their businesses through her mentorship programs and strategic advisory work. She relies on her curiosity, creativity, and confidence every time she meets with potential clients, and we talk about how she helps those leaders embrace their courage and authenticity. Martha is proof positive that you must be willing to fail fast and learn faster if your actions aren’t delivering the desired results.Martha and I yak it up about the transformative power creativity has in changing lives, businesses and collaborative relationships, the lessons we learned working for an inspirational leader, the best piece of advice she’s ever received, and how it continues to inspire her to this day.Here is my AdYack with Martha DeFeoLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milkmarketing/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milkmarketingmuseFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/successdriventribe

Welcome to Season 4 of AdYack.

Today on the podcast, I get to interview Mr. Lee Abrams. To say that Lee Abrams is a radio legend would be an understatement. His career has spanned over five decades and shows no signs of slowing down. Lee is credited with developing the album rock radio format, first introduced in the 70s to help stations move away from playing hit singles to more album-oriented rock. While he remains passionate about his past, he's focused on reimagining the future. He consulted over 1,000 radio stations, 12 major print publications, and numerous tv stations and cable networks throughout the country.He's advised bands like Iron Maiden, Yes, The Alan Parsons Project, The Moody Blues, and Bob Seger, among others. Newsweek has listed him as one of their "Top 100 Cultural Elites,” industry publication Radio Ink cited him as one of the 75 most essential radio figures ever. Abrams, served as an internal consultant for ABC Radio and helped develop nationwide radio formats such as Z-Rock andRadio Disney. Lee also co-founded XM satellite radio. I was fortunate enough to work with Lee when he was named the Chief Innovation Officer at Tribune Publishing, which owned The Morning Call Newspaper, and led the effort to inspire change and content innovation at Tribune's print and broadcast divisions.Lee allows the people he works with to expand their comfort zones and is not afraid to support calculated risks when required. Like many visionary creative leaders, he can see past the challenges and find the opportunities that often lie hidden in the obstacles. Lee possesses that rare leadership trait that helps inspire those around him with his words and actions. He's a deep thinker and understands the importance of a growth mindset. He is humble in his approach and with an unwavering desire to help companies re-invent themselves by assisting them to say goodbye to mediocrity.Lee and I yack it up on many topics, including what inspired him to devote his life to music and radio, his love of flying his plane, and his desire never to stop working, growing, and evolving. He's the perfect guest to kick off Season 4. So here is my ad yack with Lee Abrams.

SEASON FINALE! Kate Hughes - AdYack Podcast Season 3, EPISODE 7Today on the podcast, I get to interview someone who has forged a career out of always putting herself in the best light. Someone who knows the power of the pivot and whose energy is off the charts. You could light a city with the wattage that emanates from her presence.I’m talking of course about Kate Hughes. Kate is one of those people that you only need to meet once to realize that she’s impossible to forget.Kate and I yak it up on a variety of topics that include, the double edge sword of being an over thinker, or how gratitude can be a strong catalyst for change, once you fully embrace it.This interview took place at the end of a very exhausting week for both of us. Kate was undeterred. Even though it would have been easy to reschedule, Kate felt we should forge ahead. Boy, am I glad we did.Kate’s infectious attitude provided enough energy for both of us as I got to experience some of that energy during our AdYack.Our topics ranged the power of personal re-invention to how we could all benefit from a little empathy from time to time.I learned that’s she’s proud of her ability to put an efficient team together and is always ready to engage her creative side when solving life’s challenges.She’s tenacious, passionate about her family and friends and has an intense determination when it comes to getting things done.I was grateful for the time I got to spend talking to Kate. She’s on a mission and she’s not stopping until she gets where she wants to go. And she’ll do it with style, wit and a giant smile on her face.Here is my AdYack with Kate Hughes.

Instagram: @ih8kateFacebook: @Kate HughesLinkedIn: Kate Hughes

Hashtags:

creativity #passion #marketing #advertising #art #pivot #determined

energy #smart #design #leadership #teamwork #aaf #tenacious

Today on the podcast, I get to talk to one of the mentors who helped me discover my passion for great creative. John Hayes. John was the GM of Adams Outdoor Advertising when I met him for the first time. The year was 1999 and I was ready for a new challenge. Shortly after that meeting, he offered me an art director position, and I eagerly accepted. Back then, John was restructuring Adams to go all in by using the power of creativity and great design to re-imagine Adams Outdoor as a branding tool, not merely a company that sells ad space on the side of the road. I still remember the day he shared his new vision for the company, and while I didn't know it at the time, I was about to experience a paradigm shift in how I would view advertising, design, and creativity for the rest of my life. John and I talked about the genesis of that idea and how everything started to fall into place once he found the right mix of talented people he believed could help deliver the results he was hoping for. We also talk about his creative leadership, the importance of good messaging, and what it means to be a servant leader. John also shares his approach to helping clients see the big picture by getting them to understand why not taking a risk is actually the biggest risk of all. Even though I only worked at Adams for two years under John’s leadership, his lessons and guidance have stayed with me throughout my career. These days, John is enjoying his retirement after a long career in sales, marketing and advertising. I’m grateful I met John when I did. Our lives intersected at a point where we both needed each other’s unique talents. Like any great outdoor campaign, John’s lessons were simple to comprehend, and his messages had a lasting impact. Here is my AdYack with John Hayes.

For several years now, I have been experiencing the phenomenon commonly known as serendipity with greater frequency. It's considered an unexpected fortunate discovery. But, it turns out, it happens all the time; you have to be open to experiencing it. The latest serendipitous event for me happened when I opened an email from Tina Zaremba. Her initial message was followed by a meeting over zoom, leading to an invitation to be on AdYack.Tina is a professional voice-over actor based in New York City, where she brings fifteen-plus years of experience and has lent her voice to hundreds of commercials, promos, and corporate videos that include clients such as BNY Mellon, Tide Plus Bleach, Airwick, Pantene, Blue Cross Blue Shield, the United Way, Dunkin' Donuts, and March Of Dimes.In addition to working as an in-demand voice-over talent, Tina loves coaching and mentoring artists by helping them create a blueprint for a career in entertainment/new media by helping them become a 'solo-prenuer.' Tina studied theater at Western Michigan at The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, where she received the Sidney Kingsley scholarship.One of the engaging topics we discuss is her work at the New York Film Academy in NYC, teaching artists how to 'flip the script' when it comes to knowing their worth and how to take charge of their artistic careers. We also discuss why coloring inside the lines is not always the best way to live a creative life.When Tina isn't providing her talent to various voice-over work, you can find her venturing around Harlem with her husband, son, and French Bulldog Jojo. This was an intensely personal conversation, and I hope that as you listen to it, you discover something unexpected. Here is my AdYack with Tina Zaremba.

Charles Stonewall Webster’s dictionary describes an artist as someone with the talent to create art (such as a painting, a sculpture, music, or photography) while using their conscious skill and creative imagination. So with that definition, I would say my next guest is what I would refer to as an artist’s artist. Charles Stonewall is a highly gifted and talented Lehigh valley based artist and photographer who has spent his life looking for the light and capturing it in his stunning images.

I met Charles for the first time at The Allentown Art Museum, where his work was being featured, and I felt inspired to have him as a guest here on Ad Yack after viewing one his photos that I found deeply moving. We talk about that photo during the interview. During our initial conversation at the museum, I was also captivated by his willingness to share the stories behind many of his mesmerizing images. Charles Stonewall’s journey began in Easton, PA, where his grandmother gifted him with his first camera, a Praktica, and encouraged him to use it as a source for good. Stonewall’s work has an evocative and ethereal quality to it.

His approach when creating is to use his extensive experience to see his subjects in a new light and then work diligently to create both timeless and moving work. Charles and I also discovered rather serendipitously that we both studied with Myron Barnstone. A brilliant artist and art teacher who taught a classical approach to drawing and design here in the Lehigh Valley for over 40 years. Charles explains how great art lives in our ability to be open to new experiences and to infuse those experiences into our everyday lives and work. A chance encounter at an art museum led to the interview you are about to hear. May you find it inspiring, informative, and entertaining. Here is my AdYack with Charles Stonewall.

Facebook: @charlesstonewall

Instagram: @charlesstonewallphotographer https://www.allentownartmuseum.org/charles-stonewall/

photographer #creativity #light #photos #passion #camera #artist #lens #fineartphotographer #blackandwhite #magichour #art

Today on the podcast, I have someone who I have wanted to talk to for quite some time, and thankfully our schedules finally aligned.

OutFront Studio’s National Creative Director, Eddy Herty. Eddy is highly respected in the advertising industry and is a frequent guest speaker at industry-leading events, including Outdoor Advertising Association Of America, The Infinity Film Festival, HOW Design Live, and The NY Ad Club. He’s also been a Judge for the ADDY Awards, the OAAA OBIE awards, The One Show, and The Clios.

Herty has dedicated his career to helping businesses leverage the selling power of Out of Home, dynamic creative execution, and establishing a client-first environment at Outfront. As a result, Eddy and his team are changing the perception of Out-of-Home one billboard at a time that cuts through mediocrity using the world’s oldest advertising medium. We yak it up on many topics that include best practices when presenting big ideas, hand-painted vinyl vs. digital printing. How the pandemic saw outdoor’s visibility increase, to the process, he uses to uncover a brand’s truth. He also shares how he inspires the 50-person design team at OutFront. Eddy also tells the story of how he evolved from not understanding the power of outdoor when he was a young designer to today leading Outfront studios to new creative heights.

Herty and his team are doing impressive work that’s helping clients re-invent themselves in an ever-changing media landscape through the power of great design and messaging. Herty believes outdoor is the one medium that screams to thousands and whispers to one. Here is my AdYack, with Eddy Herty.

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Thank YOU to our sponsor, ASR media.

Jason Tselentis is one of those people you only have to know for about 5 seconds before you realize that, one, he’s a very chill, down-to-earth, easy-going guy, and two, he loves his pugs, Alien & Predator. Spend a little more time with him, and you’ll realize he is also very talented, and I am thrilled to have him on the podcast.

Jason is a visual communication design and typography professor at Winthrop University’s Department of Design in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He’s written about design and visual culture for Arcade, Eye, Mental Floss, Open Manifesto, and HOW magazines, as well as Print, where he served as a contributing editor. Jason has four books on design and typography principles and design history to his credit. He contributed to The Phaidon Archive of Graphic Design and co-authored Typography Referenced, named to the 2013 Outstanding Reference Sources List by the American Library Association’s Reference & User Services Association.

His book Type, Form & Function explores type design and typography fundamentals, and The Graphic Designer’s Electronic-Media Manual covers web design principles. I met Jason for the first time when we were both judges for the American Advertising Federation’s ADDY awards in Albany, New York, and I immediately liked him. When he’s not engulfed in brand, graphic, type, and web design, he stays up late wondering what three wishes he would ask for if a genie visited him.

And let’s be honest, who doesn’t? He loves comic books, literature, film, humor, horror, sci-fi, and pugs, although not necessarily in that order. In his free time, Jason enjoys hanging out with his family while wearing comfortable and sporty clothing, which some call sweatpants. He loves comic books, literature, film, humor, horror, sci-fi, and pugs, although not necessarily in that order. We yack it up about his love of typography, graphic design, the need for kerning, and our mutual love for character actor Charles Grodin. Here is our Ad Yack with Jason Tselentis.

Welcome back to ad yack. Season 3.

It’s nice to be back because I wanted to amp things up a little with the first episode of season three, and I’m happy to say, that my first guest of the hits all the right notes.

Crystal Durant is a very talented NYC based Graphic Designer, DJ, Singer, Rock Show Producer, Sound Designer for Broadway, Podcaster, Metalsmith, Printmaker, Art Educator, Pop Culture Demolition Specialist, Storyteller, Photographer, and Activist.

As her mom used to say, she’s a “very multifaceted Crystal”!

She earned an Associates Degree in Specialized Technology/Visual Communication/Photography at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, and a BFA in Metal smithing along with her Art Ed Degree/Certification (K-12 & College) from The University of The Arts.

She taught Visual Art in the NYC Department of Education for over 20 years.

For the last 6 years, she was a featured singer in NYC’s longest running Rock and Roll tribute show called “F*BOMB”, and has her own Who tribute band called “These Kids Are Alright” and a very popular Prince tribute band called “Pills, Thrills, and Daffodils”

She has also performed in a Soundgarden tribute, and with a host of NYC legends.

For the last 7 years she’s been a Professional Muse at The Art Students League of New York where she is one of their featured models. Her face and figure have been sketched, drawn, painted, and sculpted thousands of times. There are a few portraits of her in their permanent collection! She’s currently writing an autobiography about her life as a Muse, and wants to turn it into a tv show!

Trust me; this lady’s talents know no bounds.

Crystal and I were classmates in a Commercial Art class in the early eighties at Lehigh County Vocational Technical school - and even back then, I knew she was destined for bigger things.

She’s made her life a work of art.

I was fortunate enough to be able to get her to sit down with me and talk about her early design career in Los Angeles - where she was in the Art Department at the world famous Tower Records on Sunset Boulevard (where she had crazy experiences with Prince, David Lee Roth, Tom Jones, Michael Jackson, Christopher Lee and other stars),

and what she learned about teaching art to kids in underserved schools in NYC.

Crystal also shares an embarrassingly funny story about what happened on my first visit to New York City during a high school class trip, where I had a “Larry David”/George Costanza/Seinfeld meltdown inside a restaurant over the price of orange juice. This was a fun conversation to have and one that I know you will find entertaining and inspiring.

So here’s my Ad Yak with Crystal Durant!

Tony is a marketing and innovation veteran with over 25 years of experience driving innovation at two of New York City's global ad agencies, Grey Advertising and Saatchi & Saatchi.

Tony experienced daily exactly how creativity gets used to drive everything from client pitches, brand strategies, messaging, design, and media placement. But on the other hand, he also witnessed how easy it was for anyone to kill a transformative idea, which led him to do a thought provoking TED Talk titled, 'Give Ideas a Chance.'

During his agency years, he’s worked with some incredible brands, like Pepperidge Farms, Ultra Slim Fast, and "Tough Actin'" Tinactin, along with Litchfield Distillery and Create-a-Castle, a 2020 ‘Toy Of The Year’ award winner that allows anyone to build amazing sand castles in minutes.

Continuing his creative journey, he formed Miles Finch Innovation, a marketing and innovation consultancy, where he is a sought-after advisor for marketing and strategy advice for businesses and non-profits across multiple industries.

Our conversation with Tony revealed a deep working knowledge and zen-like comprehension of how creativity works and why it matters. Tony and I yak it up on topics ranging from how business leaders must better manage their creative teams to his keen understanding of how to set up a creative culture inside a business. Tony’s a deep thinker, an explorer, and a dreamer and as you'll learn after listening to our conversation. So here is our Ad Yack with Tony Vengrove.

Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyvengrove/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tony.vengrove

Twitter: @Tony_Vengrove

milesfinchinnovation.com

Jen Borror is the owner/operator of Hoot Design Studio in York, Pennsylvania and is an award-winning illustrator and graphic designer.

She’s worked in the design and marketing industry since 2004. Before her father’s passing in 2019, she felt inspired when he told her, “Life is short, Jenny, do what you love now while you have the time.” She took her father’s advice to heart and opened Hoot Design Studio to focus on her passion and love of pen and ink illustration and graphic design.

In this episode of Ad Yack, You’ll learn why’s she’s glad she didn’t listen to the naysayers who told her to pick another line of work, and she shares her story on how she was able to make the leap from employee to entrepreneur and why if you’re going to fail at something, it better be at doing something you love.

Her beautiful illustrations can be found on stationery & cards at PAPYRUS and American Greetings, Beer can labels at Monument City Brewing, Brewing Company, moonshine labels for Bald Hills Distillery, MudHen Brewing Company, and her illustrations have been used in children’s books, fabric, wallpaper, pillows, stickers & more!

Jen is an eternal ‘hoptimist’ and I’m grateful to her for taking the time to share her insights with me. So, Here’s my AdYack…with Jen Borror.

Links: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/hootdesignstudio/

Website: https://www.hootdesignstudio.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOeV7r4TO1xzsP8HjEe8Spw

Behance: https://www.behance.net/hootdesignstudio

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Hoot_Design

This episode's guest is David Hoffeld. David is the CEO and chief sales trainer of Hoffeld group and is the author of the groundbreaking book the science of selling, and has a brand new book coming out in March. Sell More with Science, David and I yack it up on a bunch of interesting topics that include knowing the difference between persuasion and manipulation, how to get out of a sales slump, how to use social proof and your presentations, and why salespeople need to focus on the buying process, not the selling process. We also talk about why he believes your personal life and your business life are linked.

Because of the results David's insights generate, he's lectured at Harvard Business School, has been featured in Fast Company fortune, US News and World Report. The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, CBS Radio, Fox News, radio and more. This guy really knows his stuff. And he was gracious enough to take the time to share his insights and knowledge with me on ad Yak.

Thank YOU to our sponsors, ASR media, and Lehigh Valley with Love.

If the Lehigh Valley had a Hall of Fame for creatives, my next guest would absolutely be in it. We're talking about Peter Stevenson. Peter is a fine artist, Creative Director, and illustrator. His illustrations have been featured in The Washington Post The Washington book review, the Wall Street Journal, and his work has been commissioned by clients that included at&t communications Crayola, Earl Palmer-Brown, Citibank, and J. Walter Thompson. Stephenson spent decades working in advertising first as an art director than a creative director for leading agencies and corporations, such as at&t, Aramark, corporation, Mehra, advertising, and Stigler, Wells and Brunswick eventually found the Stevenson group in Easton. His work is smart, unconventional, and possesses raw, creative energy that allows it to stand out, which would explain why he's won so many awards over the years. Peter is not only an exceptional artist and marketer but also approachable and humble. His belief is that great work happens when you refuse to be mediocre. His early involvement in the Greater Lehigh Valley ad club and having a bunch of kids on a school bus inspired an award-winning campaign for Crayola.