It's No Fluke (Shorty Awards)

Nicole Rechtszaid is a visionary livestreamer, digital marketer, and influencer management expert on a mission to enhance the human experience through the power of livestream and digital connection. With over 9 years of livestream experience across platforms such as Twitch, TikTok Live, Amazon Live, YouNow, and Instagram Live, Nicole has mastered the art of captivating audiences and forging meaningful connections in the digital realm.

She and Jenny Woo created Ghost Agency which has solidified its position as a pioneer in TikTok marketing. As one of the first US TikTok Shop Partners, it's no fluke how the agency has leveraged its deep understanding of the platform to create impactful campaigns that resonate with Gen Z and millennial audiences.

Reza Izad is the Co-CEO and Co-founder at Underscore Talent, a leading next-generation management firm that is known for its successful and diverse creative talent. The company represents a diverse list of top YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, Snapchat, gaming, culinary and podcast content creators.

He was also the co-founder and CEO of Studio71, a multi-platform media company that combines “digital-first” creators and brands. The company is the #1 YouTube partner in minutes watched.

Prior, Izad led the music department at The Collective Management Group and United Talent Agency working with artists such as Linkin Park, Kanye West, Eminem, Justin Timberlake and Prince.

Jake Hay is a Partner and the Head of Business Development at PopShorts, a leading influencer marketing agency. He also holds the role of Co-President at the American Advertising Federation Austin chapter where he actively fosters industry growth and innovation within the community.

Recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in Austin, Jake and his team have propelled PopShorts to receive more than 50+ industry awards and deliver billions of views on social media.

Amber Coleman-Mortley is the Senior Director of Community and Culture for The Female Quotient, an accomplished podcaster, champion for diversity in the workplace and an intersectional approach to gender issues. It’s true and not a flex she can figure out anything.

The Female Quotient is the largest community of women in business focused on closing the gender gap, and advancing equality in the workplace through programming, media and in-person Equality Lounge® events at global industry conferences. They will be the talk of Cannes.

Gaz Alushi is the first President of Measurement and Analytics at Whalar, a global creator agency, part of Whalar Group. 

He is responsible for building the measurement and analytics practice, designing solutions to help the company’s partners understand the impact of their marketing initiatives.

Before joining Whalar, Gaz led the Global Measurement Product Research and Development team at Snap, Inc. Prior to this, Gaz worked to help build out new measurement solutions at Meta in partnership with Datalogix (Oracle) and Nielsen to help advertisers accurately measure the ROI of their campaigns. 

Justin Wu has a story everyone should hear. The multi award-winning Toronto-based Director, Photographer, Creative Director, and Speaker began his career as a photojournalist. He worked with Vogue, Elle, GQ, and a long list of blue chip brands as an internationally recognized artist in the fashion industry, with a keen eye for visuals and storytelling. He then transitioned from photography into filmmaking, known for directing TV series such as Popularity Papers and Kim's Convenience.

We talk about his big breaks, how to make it in the film industry, WGA Strike, and the one-word response to rejections that will flip the script. He is currently working on multiple directorial projects, including Hulu and SyFy’s Reginald The Vampire.

Justin is passionate about giving back: he's a Global Citizen Champion of Change Ambassador, and if you are curious about how to break into the film industry without actor/director parents, follow his IG video series that answers all your burning questions about filmmaking.

Joanne Tombrakos has been calling herself a Storyteller before it was the trendy thing to do. A Digital-First Marketing and Business Strategist, Assistant Professor of Marketing at NYU and above all a writer she is considered a SME in personal branding, pitch-perfecting, content marketing and social media . She is the author of four books, including the newly released Crafting Your Pitch, A Storytelling Framework and the host of the podcast - Marketing, Mindfulness and Martinis.

In a previous life Joanne held senior management positions in media advertising and marketing at CBS Radio, Time Warner Cable and NY1 News. While she currently resides on the other side of the Hudson she is and always will consider herself a New Yorker.

Tiffany Springle has the rare double gift of immediately grabbing your attention and then turning that attention into positive action. Tiffany is an actor, improviser, comedian, singer, writer, and host. As the host of the Shorty Award winning Roe V Bros, Tiffany uses humor and knowledge-sharing to motivate voter turnout and a thoughtful discussion regarding bodily autonomy. Regardless of the medium, Tiffany is motivated by work that is refreshing, new, and sparks thoughtful discussion.

We chat about the many, many things men don’t know about the female body, why that matters so much always but right now in particular, how comedy changes and we have to be willing to change with it and we find some ways to laugh along the way.

David Armano doesn't miss when it comes to spotting a trend. His latest Substack is evidence. A marketing and CX leader who has worked with some of the most recognizable names in business, assisting brands as they evolve with technology, he spent a decade as the Global Strategy Director for Edelman, worked on autonomous vehicles for Cruise and now currently leads marketing at Soul Machines, an AI Avatar platform and spends his time focused on Generative AI, Enterprise LLMs, and the evolution of the customer experience.

Touré is the host and Creative Director at TheGrio. He is a TV host, a podcaster, and the author of eight books including The Ivy League Counterfeiter and the Prince oral history Nothing Compares 2 U. He is the host and writer of the podcast docuseries “Being Black: the 80s” and “Star Stories with Tourè.” He is also the host of the podcast “Toure Show” and the creator and host of “Who Was Prince?” a podcast docuseries exploring the life of Prince. He was the co-host of MSNBC’s The Cycle and a host at MTV and BET and a correspondent at CNN and a writer for Rolling Stone, the New York Times, The New Yorker, and many other publications. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two kids.

This week Vanshika Chaturvedi and I discuss...

The Roast of Tom Brady

Disney+ turns a profit, cuts back on MCU

Who slayed at the Met Gala

The Office is coming back (sort of)

Livestream shopping is about to grow

The interests of Adam Met PhD bridge music, sustainability, law, academia, policy, marketing, and technology. As the founder and Executive Director of Planet Reimagined, he leads a nonprofit that addresses climate change systems through media, academic research fellowships, and incentive-based initiatives. As the bassist for AJR, he has traveled the world on sold-out tours, achieved platinum certifications in numerous countries, and recorded a repertoire of music that has garnered more than 7 billion streams worldwide.

Josh Kampel is the CEO of Worth Media. He serves on the board of Planet Reimagined and was the CEO of Techonomy Media, which was sold to Clarim Holdings, Worth’s parent company, in 2018. At Techonomy, Josh spent 8 years driving sustainable business growth through strategic partnerships and new product development. He built Techonomy to be one of the leading media companies covering technology and its impact on business and society. 

They will be hosting Techonomy Climate on September 20th at City Winery NYC for a conversation about how tech can address climate change.

Tiffani Bova is a global growth evangelist at Salesforce and bestselling author of the new book, The Experience Mindset, Changes the Way You Think About Growth. She's one of the most sought after speakers in the world, giving over 750 keynotes in six different continents. This episode is all gas, no breaks. We dig into why employee experiences become collateral damage when improving customer experience and user convenience. And we talk about the right questions to ask to lead people to the right changes.

Deja Foxx made national headlines as a 16-year-old, standing up proudly to then senator Jeff Flake at a town hall. Now she's a reproductive rights activist, political strategist, badass and blogger known for being the youngest staffer and first Influencer and Surrogate Strategist on U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, and for her work with Planned Parenthood. Teen Vogue’s 21 Under 21, a digital creator for Ford Models and a fresh graduate of Columbia University. We talk about both creating and seizing opportunities, why representation matters (double meaning there) and why the messages we put out and the messages we take in matter so much. This chat will leave you inspired.

Shrenik Gandhi, Co-Founder and CEO of White Rivers Media, has architected the company's remarkable transformation into a thriving independent digital marketing agency with 16 top-agency recognitions in 2023 alone.

Mitesh Kothari, Co-Founder and CCO of White Rivers Media, brings 11 years of entrepreneurial expertise to the forefront. Leading a creative force of 500+, securing 250+ campaign awards in 2023.

Kacie Willis is a creator and arts advocate based out of Atlanta, Georgia. She earned a BS in music recording technology from Hampton University and an MFA in sound design from Savannah College of Art and Design. After participating in the 2019 Spotify Sound of Accelerator program, she formed the production company Could Be Pretty Cool, whose mission is to produce unique creative experiences to inspire community building through the arts. She's the creator and host of the Spotify original podcast, You Heard Me Right, and has been named one of the 40 under 40 in podcasting by Podcast Magazine.

Susan Can is the Senior Vice President of Global Marketing for Operation Smile leading the organization’s commitment to increasing high-quality health care access for 1 million patients by 2032. With a proven track record of delivering results through strategic multi-million-dollar marketing and alliance programs as the Senior Director of Marketing for Johnson & Johnson, they have already created a massively successful and visible partnership with Beast Philanthropy with one video at 28M views and counting.

Let’s Get Haunted is the reigning Shorty Award winner for Best Comedy Podcast and the 2021 winner for Podcast of the Year. It’s the only investigative journalism podcast about shit that may or may not have even happened in the first place. Hosts Aly Terry and Nat Strawn are rapidly ascending with a mix of well-timed comedy and tales about hauntings, aliens, urban legends, and unsolved mysteries. 

In this episode we share our personal hauntings, odd fears, thousand dollar ideas and more.

Lindsey Gamble is an influencer marketing and creator economy consultant/advisor.  With over seven years of experience helping enterprise consumer brands develop their influencer marketing programs and a deep understanding of the creator economy, he specializes in guiding brands and agencies through new and emerging trends within the creator economy. 

Previously, Lindsey was the Associate Director of Influencer Innovation at Later (formerly Mavrck), where he led influencer marketing innovation. His client roster included Tyson Foods, SharkNinja, HotelTonight, GoPro, Chobani, Weber Grills, Fanatics, Samsung, The Scott’s Company, Burt’s Bees, and more.

Lindsey also writes a weekly newsletter that explores key social media, creator economy, and influencer marketing news and trends, offering actionable insights for creators and marketers. Buffer named it one of the best marketing newsletters to subscribe to in 2024.

As President & CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Artis Stevens takes the helm of the organization at a critical moment for our nation’s youth. As the first Black CEO in BBBSA’s 100+ year history, Artis sees this historic announcement as fuel to break more barriers. The son and grandson of preachers, he often shares, his calling for the past 25 years has focused on empowering young people. 

He previously served as Senior Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer for National 4-H Council, and the National Vice President, Marketing, Strategy & Operations at Boys & Girls Club of America.

An award-winning non-profit marketing leader with a passion for building purpose-driven brands, boards, and teams, Artis’ experience has also led to transformational outcomes in fundraising and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. 

Kim Chappell is the Chief Brand Officer of Bobbie and a mom of three kids under seven– she likes to say her fourth baby is Bobbie! She joined the company in the CEO's San Francisco basement in 2020 and launched and built the brand into the fastest growing infant formula company in the US since the 1980’s. Bobbie serves hundreds of thousands of parents across the US with an organic, FDA-regulated infant formula and a stigma-shaking, culture changing mission to support all feeding journeys.

The Bobbie Brand has been recognized with two Webby’s, two Anthem Awards, 2x Fast Company Brands that Matter, Fast Company's World’s Most Innovative Company, and multiple Shorty Awards including Small Brand of the Year. She’s a proud UGA alum and lives in Austin, Texas.

Lia Haberman is one of the most trusted and prominent voices in the creator economy. 

Her career spans roles in entertainment, fitness and tech at brands including E!, Yahoo and Livestrong. She was CMO at Fit Body App, has provided social media and creator insights for clients such as Google, AT&T and Robert Half and has led live creator community sessions for Macy’s Style Crew, Riot Games Game Changers and Colin & Samir’s Creator Startup. 

She is currently an instructor on influencer marketing and social media at UCLA Extension and writes a weekly marketing newsletter called ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) that goes out to over 30K creators and marketers.

Brandon Groce is a designer and content creator for Adobe, LG, Disney, Hilton and more – trusted to build design products and scale design communities. He built the largest design community in the country and is also an ambassador and evangelist for Wix.

He creates content that helps designers skill up and get highly paid with his community Newform. And I know this is a podcast, not a visual medium, but one look at what Brandon can build even with a simple Zoom intro and background and it’s no fluke why he’s in high-demand.

Monique Ruff-Bell has over 20 years’ experience within brand leadership, marketing, and events.

As Head of Conferences for TED, she leads a dynamic team in the managing, planning and execution of TED’s flagship global conferences, TED Member events and virtual events. This includes product strategy, innovation of attendee experience, creative marketing techniques that draw in a diverse and curious community, as well as work with creatives and visionaries to dream up and enact revolutionary ways of gathering that push the boundaries of experiential events. She is also a member of TED’s executive leadership team.

Her former roles have included leading one the largest Fintech shows in the USA as Vice President for Money20/20 USA.

Dominic Andre has the stats: a political science, philosophy and psychology triple major turned science content creator with over 7 million followers on TikTok. But this conversation goes deep into what happens when chance meets opportunity, and hobbies lead to a lasting career. The New York Times wrote about how he made millions posting to Snapchat. We talk about how to find angles others don't see, going back to YouTube and turning content creation into a 50-year career and not 15 minutes of fame.

Today we discuss the Shorty Award winning Prepare for Misuse campaign from Brady, the Ad Council and McKinney - and why it was so important to tell the story from the perspective of a gun owner when trying to inspire change.

Susan Lavington began working with Brady in 2017 and became Brady’s Chief Operating Officer in 2021. She oversees Brady’s strategic plan and leads Brady’s transformative efforts in the media and marketing space, which have ushered in significant budget, brand, and infrastructure growth. Prior to this, she led the marketing effort that built usatoday.com into one of the top national news websites and was promoted to the first SVP of marketing for USA TODAY, overseeing the entire portfolio of products — print, online, and mobile

Ro Patrick is a Senior Vice President, Group Campaign Director for the Ad Council, the national nonprofit that mobilizes the energy and talents of the communications industry to make a measurable impact on the most critical social issues of today. She leads the development, implementation and evaluation of national public service campaigns at the Ad Council, particularly on critical efforts to reduce gun violence and address the drug overdose epidemic.

Alex Shulhafer has extensive experience in the creative field, with their most recent position being at McKinney as an Executive Creative Director since September 2023. They served as a Group Creative Director at McKinney starting from May 2019. Previously they held the same role at 360i and with Cannes Lions, Clio and Webby wins and a now a Shorty Award it's no fluke why they were named one of Adweek's Rising Stars.

Ranjana Choudhry is a VP Advertising and Social Media at Wakefern Food Corp (a $19 billion largest COOP in US), leading the development of marketing and digital content strategies. Vanshika and I dig into her current Shorty Award nominated work, her creative process, her advice for up-and-coming practitioners and more. 

With more than 25 years of experience as a global marketing and communications leader. She began her career with Grey Advertising, a global marketing communications agency. She relocated to New York while working for WPP, a multinational advertising agency where she led more than 400 team members in 220 countries across Asia, India, Africa, Eurasia, Europe, Latin America, and North America for Colgate-Palmolive’s brands. She is also an adjunct Professor at NYU SPS teaching Integrated marketing and Digital strategy to the next generation of Marketers.

Kahlil Greene, also known as the “Gen Z Historian”, is a 2x Emmy-Nominated and New York Times recognized digital educator with over 30 million views across his Tiktok, Instagram, and LinkedIn profiles. He has authored op-eds about social advocacy in the Washington Post, LA Times, and Harvard Business Review.

Kahlil also graduated from Yale with a degree in History and served as the college’s first Black student body president. Kahlil is now a full-time, self-employed speaker, influencer, and educator and is known for his TikTok series, Hidden History–which dives into stories of American injustice–and for his commentary about US politics.

Today we welcome Zahir Khoja, CEO of Wave. He’s not your average CEO having spent time in Afghanistan bringing banking and financial education to underserved communities. In this role, he is focused on enabling small business owners to manage their money management; allowing them to do what they do best; But that starts by understanding their needs as a whole. And he gets it. It’s not just getting paid faster or uncomplicating money management. His passion for giving back continues with the launch of the Wave and Shorty Awards Elevate Creatives Fund, which we’ll talk about more in this episode.

Dr. Noelle Seybert is a higher education marketing career professional. With a career spanning more than 15 years and including three different institutions ranging from religiously affiliated private to R1 public, she enjoys the rewards and challenges that comes with the ever changing landscape of social media marketing.

In her current role at the University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado's flagship institution, she is charged with managing the strategy and engagement on the main @CUBoulder social media channels. She is happiest in a spreadsheet and brainstorming new ways to communicate with various audiences. 

 

Noelle earned her doctorate in business with an emphasis in quantitative marketing from George Fox University.

We go behind-the-scenes of one of our absolute favorite documentaries this year with its Director and Executive Producer/former HQ employee. Salima Koroma is the Emmy Award winning director of Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street, Bad Rap and now Glitch: The Rise & Fall of HQ Trivia. 88% on Rotten Tomatoes. Her storytelling style is rooted in documentary journalism with work for Complex, Time Magazine and The Atlantic and she has quickly become a powerhouse in creating compelling documentaries.  Dylan Abruscato is a member of the founding team at Capital, the startup formerly known as Party Round. Previously, he led marketing and partnerships teams at Uber, Postmates, and HQ Trivia, the groundbreaking mobile platform with live, interactive shows that captured the attention of millions each day. Dylan's work has been recognized with a Primetime Emmy nomination, a Webby Award, and two Clio Awards. He is a member of the Real-Time Academy - Shorty Awards’ judging body. And most recently, he served as a co-Executive Producer on the film Glitch: The Rise & Fall of HQ Trivia.

Rani Mani is not just respected, she’s loved by the thousands of lives she has changed with an unwavering kindness. Plenty of people have contacts, Rani makes connections. She has led social influence, employee advocacy and now Digital Media Customer Communications at Adobe. And is one of this year’s judges for Wave and The Shorty Awards’ Elevate Creatives Fund. So many people view kindness as a sign of weakness but Rani – views it as the greatest strength you can possess. This is episode is different, it will change your perspective on how you interact, how you get through the day and what keeps you going. She works across Adobe teams to elevate voices and highlight customer stories, especially with her series Changemakers. 

Christen Nino De Guzman, founder of Clara for Creators, brings over a decade of experience working with top content creators at Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest.  As a creator herself, with a following of over 400,000, Christen is passionate about helping people break into the industry through her educational content. She has been featured on Insider, Wall Street Journal and was also a speaker this year at Vidcon.  

Goldie Chan is a global speaker, strategist, author and advisor. She's known as the "Oprah of LinkedIn" by Huffington Post and a LinkedIn Top Voice for Social Media. She founded Warm Robots, an award-winning social media strategy agency based in Los Angeles with global clients and partners like Adobe and Microsoft to build brand campaigns as a consultant and ambassador.

Kerry Reynolds is the VP, Marketing of Wave, an all-in-one money management solution for small businesses. Combining 20+ years of experience with data-driven decision making, Kerry oversees a marketing function dedicated to helping more small businesses start, survive and thrive

Josh Zimmerman is the CEO of Creator Coach (First-Ever Life Coach for Creators) an ICF Certified Coach (PCC), Executive Coach and Board Member. His clients are recognizable but his discretion is paramount. How he got here is an awesome story, more about that in the episode, but It’s No Fluke why highly recognizable high performing people trust Josh to help them discreetly navigate their career.

Joseph Arujo is a 19-year old Latinx LGBTQ+ mental-health activist. An undergraduate student at the University of California Berkeley, he is also 1 of 10 Community Leaders in the TikTok Diversity Collective, advising companies on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

From fashion and lifestyle, to comedy, travel, culture, and advocating for a variety of social causes, Joseph is uniting his online community of close to 1 million and making a mark on the world. He is also an Advisory Board Member to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation and committed to the foundation’s principles of building a kinder and braver world.

Emmy-nominated digital culture trailblazer, Shira Lazar, captivated audiences in 2011 with her innovative web-first news brand, 'What's Trending'. 

For over two decades, Shira has been a leading voice in the creator economy and social media trends speaking at prestigious conferences like SXSW, VeeCon, CES and C2. She was named one of Fast Company's Most Influential Women in Technology and honored on Variety's Women of Impact list.

In 2020, Shira co-founded Peace Inside Live, a wellness agency and collective, dedicated to crafting bespoke programs for forward-thinking companies and teams. This work also led to to launch Creators 4 Mental Health, an initiative focused on bringing mental health tools to the creator economy through events and community programming. 

Ryan Serhant is a real estate broker, CEO, and founder of SERHANT., a vertically-integrated mega brokerage comprising an in-house film studio, education arm, marketing division, and technology platform. He's also a bestselling author, producer, and star of Bravo's Million Dollar Listing New York and Sell It Like Serhant. His next project is coming to Netflix next year. 

But today we talk openly and candidly about leaving yourself open to luck and the wild story of how Ryan became the nation’s preeminent real estate influencer, a role he was perfect for.

Hana Cha is a trailblazing real estate advisor and has become a transformative force in the US luxury real estate market over the past decade. As the founder of HANA., she has left an indelible mark on projects exceeding $4 billion across the Americas, cementing her status as a luminary within the industry.

In this episode we talk about why content is so important in real estate, why other famous brokers never stop selling and what it takes to stand out in a crowded market.

Stephen Gay is an award-winning designer that has spent the last twenty-five years working on digital innovation around the globe, supporting teams across five continents including companies such as Google, Intuit and Motorola, as well as numerous successful startups. He wrote the graphic business novel Why Always Wins focused on empowering high performing teams. And is now the author of Night Owls, his debut science fiction series.

He is a trained facilitator and certified career and creative coach (ACC, CPCC) who believes everyone is creative, resourceful and whole with the innate ability to bring their ideas to life.

Guy Kawasaki needs very little introduction. He is the chief evangelist of Canva and previously the chief evangelist of Apple. He is an executive fellow of the Haas School of Business (UC Berkeley), and an adjunct professor of the University of New South Wales. His podcast Remarkable People is a must listen and the reason we connected here. His latest book Think Remarkable, which he wrote with producer Madisun Nuismer drops March 6th and is available for pre-order now. 

Andy Pearson is the VP of Creative at Liquid Death, one of the fastest growing non-alc beverage brands. As part of Liquid Death's evil mission, Andy helps oversee all creative output from the brand, from its viral video content to social content to merch to experiential events to CRM and more. Prior to his current attempt at global domination, Andy spent 12+ years as an award-winning creative at agencies like CP+B, Deutsch LA, and Humanaut.

Tiffany Yu is the CEO & Founder of Diversability, an award-winning entirely disabled-run and led social enterprise to elevate disability pride. She has been named a TikTok API (Asian & Pacific Islander) Trailblazer, a LinkedIn Top Voice in Disability Advocacy, and a Well+Good Changemaker. Her first book, The Anti-Ableist Manifesto, is available for pre-order now. 

Tiffany has helped to invest over $170,000 in disability initiatives through the Awesome Foundation Disability Chapter and the Disability Empowerment Endowed Fund at Georgetown University. She has been featured in Marie Claire, the Guardian, and Forbes. She started her career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and has also worked at Bloomberg and Sean Diddy Combs' REVOLT Media & TV. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a master's from the London School of Economics. At the age of 9, Tiffany became disabled as a result of a car accident that also took the life of her father. And as we talk you’ll understand why it’s no fluke why she has the credibility, vulnerability and empathy to built a network of hundreds of thousands of people to counteract ableism and empower diversability. 

Visit our sponsor: https://www.waveapps.com/nofluke

Yvette Nicole Brown is an Emmy-nominated actress, producer, writer and host and champion of kindness known to some as Shirley Bennett from Community and to many as one of the most active philanthropists in Hollywood. She proudly sits on the National Boards of Donors Choose (where she is Vice-Chair), EMILY's List, MPTF Next Gen and SAG-AFTRA.

She has two films coming soon “Code 3” starring Rainn Wilson, Lil Rel Howery and Aimee Carrero and “K-Pops” written, starring and directed by Anderson.Paak. She will also be hosting a telethon for MPTF on Saturday, December 9th on KTLA with Tom Bergeron. 

We discuss her career, her recent essay in Variety, the importance of never having a “Plan B” and why she’s motivated by things other than fame or fortune.

Karen Freberg is a Professor in Strategic Communications at the University of Louisville and is the Director of The Bird's Nest student agency. Dr. Freberg is also an award winning author and has written several books including Social media for strategic communications: Creative strategies and research based applications and Discovering Public Relations: An Introduction to Creative and Strategic Practices.

Poppy Delbridge is a mind coach and tapping expert. She has worked with major networks, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Netflix, and was named 'one of the most powerful women in TV' by Glamour. By sharing her unique Rapid Tapping® methodology, Poppy has helped chief executives of Fortune 100 companies, CBEs and CEOs upgrade their ordinary to move effortlessly into extraordinary success.

The writer of Tapping In, Poppy is redefining success and happiness as the “the go-to for public figures” (VOGUE) and “The Tapping Queen“ (ELLE). She splits her time between London and the Cotswolds.

This week national radio personality Big Joe Pesh joins to discuss what happened this week and what we might have missed.

The Perils of Endless Shrimp

Apple Crushed its Competition

Why Indianapolis is excited for Caitlin Clark

Living in a Grocery Store Sign for a Whole Year

We Are Officially Old for Wearing Ankle Socks

Ozempic Speculation Needs To Stop

Kirby Porter is an award-winning sports entrepreneur with a track record of building innovative platforms in the industry across global brands, venture capital and startups.

In her transition from Harvard Women’s Basketball to the corporate world, her contributions to the sports business landscape have garnered recognition from the likes of Sports Business Journal, Front Office Sports, LinkedIn's Top Voices in Sports, and selection as an Advisor to Meta's NIL Accelerator.

Follow Kirby on LinkedIn, and New Game Labs

Dr. Raquel Martin is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Professor, Scientist, and Podcast Host at the intersection of mental health and social justice.  Her clinical practice focuses on Black mental health, racism related stress, burnout, and Black identity development.  As a professor at Tennessee State University she teaches courses such as Psychology of the Black Experience and Mental Health, Activism, & Hip Hop Music. 

Her research focuses on anti racist and anti oppressive frameworks, health disparities, and Black identity development.  She also hosts a weekly podcast, Mind ya mental, which seeks to educate, empower, and uplift those seeking guidance through the monumental world of mental health.

Victor Potrel is the Senior Vice President of Partnerships and Creator Services for TheSoul – an award-winning digital studio that produces entertaining, positive and original content for a global audience including the popular 5-Minute Crafts and Bright Side series. Amassing one of the largest total followings in the world we discuss the future of the creator economy and what may be the secret to making content that sticks.

Lauren Kunis is the CEO and executive director of VoteRiders, a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on ensuring that all citizens can exercise their right to vote. VoteRiders provides voter ID information, helps citizens secure IDs, and supports organizations, volunteers, and communities in sustaining voter ID education and assistance efforts. With a career dedicated to strengthening democracy, Lauren has designed and managed impactful voter education, civic engagement, and government accountability programs globally.

Lauren was the National Voter Registration Day Program Director at Nonprofit VOTE, leading the holiday to a record number of voter registrations in 2020. This year Time and The Democracy Heroes have given her their top honors for her incredible work.

Daniel Mancini, co-founder of MamaMancini's, has a fascinating story to tell. He traces his culinary roots back to his grandmother Anna Mancini's kitchen in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, where he learned the art of Italian cooking from a young age. Inspired by his grandmother's timeless recipes, particularly her renowned meatballs, Daniel embarked on a journey to revive the tradition of family dinners. One day he pivoted from a successful career in apparel and showed up to the store with a pan of meatballs and a vision. In 2023 their revenue was $93.2M.

Dana Cowin is an award-winning tastemaker and innovator in media, food and branding. After 21 years as the Editor in Chief of Food & Wine magazine, she launched The Broadlies, an independent media company to promote less established voices in food, creativity and sustainability. Her current project is Feeding Broadly, the eaters guide to regenerative living.

Kevin Blazaitis is the President of Creo at Omnicom Media Group and an executive client development leader with 15+ years of experience across emerging media, digital advertising, promotions and technology-centric organizations. He's a big fan of finding and building solutions that haven't been done before and an even bigger fan of Detroit Sports and Everton.

Cyrene Quiamco, better known as CyreneQ, is a Filipino-American social media artist, influencer, author, and Augmented Reality Lens Creator. She gained recognition for her artistic creations on Snapchat, with her award-winning work being featured in notable publications such as Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, and more. 

And that’s just the beginning. CyreneQ is at the forefront of not only creating content but developing AR for platforms to make the platforms themselves better. The biggest brands in the world turn to her when they have their biggest ideas and she finds a way to make them reality.

Jason Mitchell is the co-founder and CEO of Movement Strategy and one of the most forward thinking experts in social-powered thinking – how social media technologies, platforms and communities have real world impact, reshaping everything from marketing to the larger culture. He is also an avid proponent of new tech and platforms, earning Movement acclaim from Business Insider for their innovative use of AI.

Movement's clients include Netflix, Amazon, WarnerMedia, Klarna, and more. They are known for their influencer-focused work with Intuit and Amazon Home as well as breakout executions for “Yellowjackets”, “The Boys”, “Rick and Morty”, Adult Swim, and Looney Tunes, whose debut on TikTok which was lauded by Adweek and Ad Age. Among many awards – Webbys, Clios, Digiday and more – they are a Shorty Awards Small Agency of the Year winner. 

Jason regularly writes about technology’s impact on brands and marketing at Ad Age, Inc and Adweek.

We recap the entire week in 30 minutes, trading topics back and forth until we’re exhausted because It’s Been A Week. 

Cheeseball Man

The cable bundle is making a comeback like Josh Hartnett

Google below 80% market share, Bing rises from the dead

Reid Hoffman talks to Reid Hoffman about Reid Hoffman

AI plays spoiler in a rap beef

Abhijit Bhaduri is a bestselling author of five books including Dreamers and Unicorns. His sixth comes out in November. With 800,000 LinkedIn followers he's one of the most listened to and respected voices on the platform. As a boomerang employee he has traveled from Microsoft to PepsiCo, Wipro, Colgate, his own consulting and back to Microsoft, currently leading learning and development. In our conversation we discuss how every career is unique, what careers will look like in the future and why the worst advice you can receive, even though it's well-intentioned, is to follow your passion. 

Paola Velez is an award-winning chef and author. Food And Wine’s Best New Chef in 2021, James Beard nominated and rising as one of the best new chefs and personalities in food. Velez is the owner of Dōekï Dōekï (an Afro-Latin pop-up concept), founder of Small Orchids Inc (a media and marketing company) and co-founder of Bakers Against Racism – an organization that is “baking” the world a better place. We talk about her pandemic pop-up Doña Dona that kickstarted her philanthropy, some amazing mentors like Jacques Torres and Christina Tosi and how to stand out in a crowded and competitive industry.

Ziad Ahmed is a 25-year-old social entrepreneur, speaker, and strategist – who is the Head of Next Gen @ UTA Marketing. As a teenager, in 2016, Ziad founded JUV Consulting, a Gen Z company connecting clients with the zeitgeist. JUV then worked with over 30 Fortune 500 and launched the first-ever major industry conference with only Gen Z speakers: ZCON. Because of JUV, Ziad was named to Forbes’ #30Under30 list when he was 19 years old.

In 2024, United Talent Agency acquired JUV Consulting, forming the Next Gen practice of UTA Marketing, where Ziad is continuing to lead his team’s award-winning work at the intersection of content, community, and culture. He speaks often on the power of his generation, and he seeks to use his voice to push the envelope forward wherever/however possible. He has spoken everywhere from Cannes Lions to the White House to VidCon to Advertising Week – and has been featured everywhere from CNN to Vice to the Guardian.

Tania Rahman is the Social Media Director at Fast Company, where she oversees the intersection of social strategy and business. She has worked across B2B, advertising, and editorial industries, and previously led social at Yext and IBM Watson. She is also the Director of Communications and a board member at the South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA).

Outside of her career, Tania is committed to building community and empowering underprivileged groups. She actively works with nonprofits like iMentor, Bengali Mental Health Movement, and advocates for social justice and mental health. In her free time, she loves to read, run, write, rave, and sleep.

Winnie Sun is a wealth whisperer. The founder and managing director of Sun Group Wealth Partners represents a lot of the famous creators you know and love. She’s one of the nation’s most respected financial advisors and a frequent guest on CNBC, Bloomberg and more. But there’s a specific reason why I picked now for us to chat about her career, creators and current events. In a field where cautious anonymity is valued, Winnie stands out as a creator herself with her own following, her own show and a deeper understanding than anyone on how to create the best financial pathways for creators.

Justin W. van Fleet, Ph.D is President of Theirworld and Executive Director of the Global Business Coalition for Education. Justin previously served as the Director of the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity and Chief of Staff to the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education and prior to that as a Fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Center for Universal Education.

On International Student’s Day we discuss his commitment to ending the global education crisis, the meaningful steps that can be taken to do so and their awareness campaign centered around adults throwing some very entertaining tantrums.

Lee Woodruff is a media trainer and communications coach who works with clients in all industries and walks of life, from the CEOs of Fortune 100 companies to philanthropists and authors.

What I absolutely enjoyed about this conversation, besides getting to talk about my chosen profession of comms, is the precision with which Lee gives advice. How to prepare, how to deliver an intentional pause. With that clarity and confidence it’s no fluke why some of the biggest names and business leaders trust Lee with one of the most important and vulnerable practices in life, how we present ourselves to others. But the most important takeaway, what I have learned may be a universal key for successful people, a thing Lee absolutely embodies, is the willingness to give a complete stranger their undivided attention and be locked into that moment. It’s powerful.

Two guests. No time to waste. This conversation is all about unlocking creativity, what holds us back, what can propel us forward and what we would tell our 15 year old selves if given the chance now. 

Elliot Kotek is a shockingly humble creative legend with 7 Emmy nominations, 5 Cannes Lions, 2 Clios, multiple Webby honors and the Shortys' Audience Award for Best Brand Awareness Campaign in 2023 with First Robotics. He is the producer of award-winning festival-favorites such as Queen Mimi, the NBC Peacock Original Black Boys, and the Netflix Original Little Miss Sumo. The Hidden Power of Purpose, made with AARP, is set for release in October 2023.

Sarah Hernholm is a former elementary school teacher turned entrepreneur and the creator of the international non-profit WIT — Whatever It Takes - creator of the first college credit social entrepreneur and leadership course in the country for high school teens. Their hackathons partner with big names like Google and Toyota and empower kids to launch businesses that make a national impact. Sarah is also a speaker and writer for Forbes and Today. She’s currently writing her book 11 Tips for Doing WIT.

This week we're joined by both authors of ⁠The Friction Project⁠.

Bob Sutton is a Stanford Professor, organizational researcher, and best-selling author. His seven management books include bestsellers The No A**hole Rule, Good Boss, Bad Boss, and (with Huggy Rao) Scaling Up Excellence. 

Huggy Rao is also a Stanford Professor of organizational behavior, a best-selling author and a highly accomplished researcher with more accolades than will tightly fit in this intro. 

Together they consult with some of the biggest brands and leaders in the world to eliminate friction, the mundane, the unnecessary and above all the meeting that could have been a Slack message. 

Allison Carter is the editor-in-chief of PR Daily at Ragan Communications. She spent seven years with the Indianapolis Star as a social media producer, writer, editor and digital strategist. She also has a background in agency work, specializing in content and social media marketing. 

She lives in Indianapolis.

Cathy Hackl is one of the Top 10 most influential women in tech, a trailblazer featured on 60 Minutes, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC and more as the “Godmother of The Metaverse.” Cathy is the first person in the room with her agency Journey at every big company consulting, guiding, shaping Web3 strategy, creating immersive experiences and always with an eye forward, not down at her phone like most of us. That’s a spatial computing joke you’ll get later. She’s honed her skills as a top executive for HTC VIVE, Magic Leap and AWS. She wrote this year’s bestseller Into The Metaverse, she hosts Adweek’s Metaverse Marketing podcast and she’s already thinking beyond the term and what’s next.

Fresh off a record setting NFL Draft in Detroit, I talk to Zach Hilder and Tim Ellis about their Born To Play campaign for Super Bowl LVIII. 

Zach Hilder is a 5x Emmy winning Executive Creative Director at 72andSunny in LA, where he co-leads the agency as well as key clients like the NFL and Call of Duty.

Tim Ellis has been the NFL’s Chief Marketing Officer since 2018. Previously serving in the same role at Activision Blizzard, Ellis made an immediate impact. The draft has become a must attend event, ratings keep going up and the game is expanding into new countries and new play styles.

Stephanie Roberts is Head of Global Communications for Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems, a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. As an American woman on assignment in Japan — and her company’s first expat to be sent to Japan — Stephanie brings a rare perspective to her role, leading global communications from Tokyo. With expertise spanning internal, external, executive, and crisis communications, along with content strategy and social media, she has more than a decade of hands-on experience in the field. 

Stephanie frequently shares insights on LinkedIn, reflecting on her unique expat journey and best practices in corporate communications.

Bing Chen is an impact founder, investor, and new world builder. He is Executive Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-founder of Gold House, the leading cultural ecosystem that unites, invests in, and champions Asia Pacific creators and communities to power tomorrow for all. He is also Executive Chairman of AU Holdings which incubates and invests in multicultural creators and communities; General Partner and Co-founder of Aum Group, a premier multicultural film fund; and serves as a Board Director and Advisor to several leading digital media companies. 

Previously, he was YouTube's Global Head of Creator Development and Management, where he was one of the original and principal architects of the multi-billion dollar creator and influencer ecosystem that supports 300 million creators worldwide. He is a Google Multicultural Champion; Young Presidents’ Organization Member; a Hollywood Reporter Next Gen Leader and Most Influential Agent of Change; Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and 15 others amazing achievements that are too long to list.

R “Ray” Wang is everywhere. Turn on a TV and you’ll see him regularly on CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox Business. Open an article and you’ll see him in the Wall Street Journal. He coined the term “Metaverse Economy.” He’s the most prolific analyst out there. But there’s a reason I wanted to talk to Ray today. There’s a crispness, a clarity to Ray’s outlook on anything but especially big tech. And as we navigate the economic, ethical and geopolitical waters of AI, there’s probably no one more succinct to make the complex sound more comfortable. 

The CEO of Silicon Valley based Constellation Research also co-hosts DisrupTV, a weekly enterprise tech and leadership webcast that averages 50,000 views per episode. His ground-breaking best-selling book on digital transformation, Disrupting Digital Business, was published by Harvard Business Review Press in 2015. Ray's new best selling book about Digital Giants is titled, Everybody Wants to Rule The World.

Rollie is the creator and host of Climate Town, a docu-comedy video series focused on the climate crisis. He moved to NYC to pursue comedy in 2013, and spent six years performing on every stage that would have him. Eventually, he began hosting a climate-focused talk show where he played an unhinged Al Gore on an “I-told-you-so” tour, interviewing comedians and climate scientists. Every scientist told him the same thing: we’re woefully unprepared for the coming environmental crisis.
Recognizing that climate change would be the defining issue of our time, he enrolled in Columbia University to get a Master’s degree in Climate Science and Policy so he could actually know what he was talking about. Then in 2020, he combined his degree and comedy background to start Climate Town–a YouTube channel blending comedy and exhaustive research to get people talking about climate change.
https://www.youtube.com/c/ClimateTown
https://www.climatetownproductions.com/

Eddie Ndopu was just featured on ABC News, wrote an incredible piece in Time and his debut book Sipping Dom Perignon Through A Straw is already Apple’s best book of the month and in the Top 10 on Amazon. His story is fascinating but I’ll let him tell it in his own words. He attended Oxford on a scholarship, has a masters in public policy and is one of seventeen global advocates appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Sustainable Development Goals. Eddie was commissioned by the World Economic Forum, at the behest of Professor Klaus Schwab, to produce a White Paper on the role of the private sector in addressing the global youth unemployment crisis. In short, Eddie Ndopu is a badass and he’s just getting started.

Allison Yazdian is the Senior Vice President of Creator Growth & Success at LTK. In her role, she oversees the go-to-market strategy for a community of hundreds of thousands of creators, with a focus on developing strategies and programs designed to empower creators to grow their businesses on the LTK platform.

She is responsible for managing several critical functions, including creator growth, expansion and partnerships, support, success, product and content marketing, lifecycle and CRM strategy, experiential events, and sales operations. Her strategic initiatives continue to drive substantial revenue growth and support the thriving creator ecosystem at LTK.

Meredith Goldberg-Morse is the Director of Social Impact for Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios at Paramount Global, where she develops storyline integrations and content-led impact campaigns across major brands including MTV, SHOWTIME, Comedy Central, Smithsonian Channel, and Paramount+. Meredith and MTV just won a Shorty Impact Award for Don’t Leave Me Behind: Stories of Young Ukrainian Survival.

Shefik has produced and moderated memorable events for multiple employee resource groups at NBCUniversal. We sit down to talk about the upcoming Olympics in Paris, his 30 year career in entertainment and his voluminous charitable work including as a Grand Ambassador for Anna's House Domestic Violence Shelter

He has held senior-level positions at Fortune 500 companies and celebrated brands, including IBM, NBCUniversal, MTV World, Merck, Merriam-Webster, and Wolters Kluwer. A seasoned pro in social media with a career background as a Lead Architect and Senior Web Developer, Shefik is on the cutting edge of new media, as he currently serves as a Technical Lead at NBC Sports. 

Shefik is the Executive Producer and Host of the nationally syndicated, terrestrial radio show "Shefik presents Invocation", as well as the internationally distributed video series of the same name. The radio show currently has a total of over 1 million dedicated listeners per month.

Martin Bowier is the Director of Influencer and Talent Marketing at the NFL. In his role he oversees the day-to-day strategic marketing of talent and creator partnerships, working with A-List celebrities, content creators, and industry leaders in music, tv/film, fashion, fitness/wellness, and other lifestyle categories. Martin has been instrumental in the launch and execution of the NFL x YouTube Creator of the Week program.

Ashley Stahl is a counterterrorism professional turned career coach, spokesperson, and author of the bestselling book, You Turn: Get Unstuck, Discover Your Direction, Design Your Dream Career.

Through her two viral TEDx speeches, her online courses, her email list, and her show, the You Turn Podcast, she’s been able to support clients in 31 countries in discovering their best career path, upgrading their confidence, and landing more job offers. She maintains a monthly career column in Forbes, and her work has been also featured in outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, CBS, SELF, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and more.

Jamie Gutfreund is a globally recognized leader and marketing professional with a proven track record of helping brands anticipate cultural and technological shifts and act on them—not just talk about them. Jamie has held CMO and senior roles at Hasbro, Creative Artists Agency, Microsoft, Expedia, and WPP. 

Today, Jamie is the founder of ⁠Creator Vision⁠, a consultancy that helps brands maximize their investments in the creator economy.

As Chief Growth Officer at Whalar, Jamie played a pivotal role in elevating the agency to industry prominence, earning recognition as AdWeek’s Creator Agency of the Year, one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, and a leading creator agency on AdAge’s A-List. Jamie has been named one of Forbes’ Most Entrepreneurial CMOs, Campaign’s 40 over 40, and one of Elle Magazine’s “Women to Watch.” 

Jamie is a dynamic public speaker, appearing at events ranging from Cannes Lions, Google’s Think Retail, and CES . She is also a frequent contributor to Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Fast Company. 

Jamie Feldman is a journalist, essayist and content creator known for her self-deprecating humor and quick wit. After building a byline over 7.5 years as a lifestyle editor for HuffPost, she amassed a loyal fanbase and 60k+ social media following by documenting her years-long journey paying off $20k in credit card debt.

She has published hundreds of articles and editorials which have appeared in Cosmopolitan, Betches, Nylon, Bustle, Parade, and Well+Good.  Most recently, she has been featured in Fortune, Business Insider and has appeared on The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, CBS News, and NPR's All Things Considered to discuss her debt journey.

Jeffrey Wisenbaugh is the Director, Social & Content at Meta where he oversees the social and content channels for Facebook, Instagram, Threads, WhatsApp, Messenger, Creators, MR (Meta Quest), AR (Ray-Ban Meta), and Metaverse (Meta Horizon).

Prior to joining Meta in 2019, he was Sr. Director, Development & Social Studios at Group Nine Media (NowThis, The Dodo, Thrillist, Seeker), led the Originals & Live Programming team for E! News, was a writer & reporter for Ryan Seacrest Productions, and got his digital video start on YouTube under the username "KoolJeffrey" (Yes, he knows it's lame.).

Jeffrey graduated with a BS in Psychology from Michigan State University and currently lives in San Francisco with his wife, two kids, and their pup, Bane.

Oliver Lewis is Founder and CEO of THE FIFTH, an award winning social creative agency based in London and LA. Originating in influencer marketing, they leverage this expertise to create 360° influential social thinking.

Anyone who participates in society from a fringe or “outsider” position is part of the Fifth Estate. It refers to those who use the power of instant, widespread communication to influence society. Today, that’s bloggers, vloggers, activists, artists and social media content creators and influencers.

Alyson Stoner is an actor, author, digital creator, and the founder of Movement Genius, a platform making mental wellbeing affordable, accessible and culturally relevant. Their top 10 podcast, Dear Hollywood, is dedicated to improving working conditions for young artists in the entertainment industry, and they are currently designing resources to support Creator Wellbeing.

Tejas Hullur isn’t your average 22 year old content creator. He dropped out of a top business school with one year to go to move to LA, then New York and become a full time creator. Business Insider, Fortune and others have done great profiles even calling him the next Tony Robbins. He’s attracted brand deals with Venmo, Robinhood, countless others and is now a correspondent on Nick News. But you know what was refreshing about this conversation? There’s no ego. Tejas rolled up in his skateboard, answered every hard question with earnest consideration and made this hour the most important hour of his day. It’s the same quality I’ve experienced in interviews with Mark Cuban or Gary Vaynerchuk and it’s impossible to teach. The art of being present, no matter with who, no matter the situation. Expect big things from Tejas. Follow @TejasHullur on YouTube.

Marissa Kraines is the Vice President and Head of Global Social Media at Salesforce. With over a decade of experience at the company, she has led innovation across the content and platform portfolio, crafting captivating narratives that resonate with the Salesforce audience and beyond. Marissa has established and empowered a team of 30 social media marketers, overseeing brand social, influencers, employee advocacy, operations, analytics, and the core center of excellence for all of Salesforce. Under her leadership, her team's efforts have been recognized with prestigious honors such as The Webby’s and The Content Marketing Awards.

We are also joined by Ashlyn Remillard, Director of Global Social, Influencer & Content Strategy at Salesforce. With a deep agency background she was previously VP of Social Strategy for Moxie.

Uma Iyer is the Chief External Affairs Officer for the National Women’s Law Center, with over 20 years of experience in social impact and brand strategy we turn the dial to 11 and discuss the organization’s work on big issues like reproductive rights, equal pay, TItle IX, child care – plus the unique challenges and opportunities in building campaigns and advocacy that change minds and change policy. Check out their podcast Hearsay for more.

One of the world's best interviewers becomes the interviewee. We talk about being able to read a room, where to focus, how to make people feel comfortable and all the skills needed to be a great interviewer -- which is a skill that can be used in so many places.

Josh Horowitz is a television and podcast host, writer, author, producer, and actor. He is a host for MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount+, and since 2014, the celebrity interview podcast Happy Sad Confused. He serves as a frequent moderator in New York and Los Angeles, and as a perennial presence on red carpets from the Oscars to San Diego Comic-Con.

You can follow Josh on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter

Hamnah Shahid (any/all pronouns) is an award-winning TTRPG performer, producer, and writer. From a queer, agender, Pakistani perspective, they specialize in high-emotion, character-driven narratives. Their work explores themes of the tendervicious, the complexity of morals, and what or who it is that makes life worth living.

Hamnah strives to make experimental, emotionally-driven art that not only encourages us to question what we think is possible in TTRPGs, but also uplifts marginalized voices seeking to tell their own stories. You can follow her work on X/Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok at LilithTTRPG.

Matt Edelman is the President and Chief Commercial Officer of Super League, a leader in redefining the gaming industry as a media channel.

In his role, Matt has driven 20x revenue growth over four years, spearheaded multiple M&A transactions, overseen international expansion, and supported the company’s IPO while building an dedicated team of high-performing, talented individuals. 

Prior to Super League Matt formed and led Endeavor’s digital and social media operation and helped establish Marvel Comics' entertainment studio and launch Marvel.com.

Yiying Lu is a creative force. She is one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business, an Adobe Global Creative Ambassador and the artist behind Twitter’s fail whale, some of your favorite emojis and the Shorty Award itself. Her work is seen at Disney, SXSW and more. She also serves as a commissioner for the San Francisco Arts Commission. 

How this all happened is a wild story that all started with a hopeful message from a continent away about not being able to attend a party and ended with defining an entire era of Internet culture.

As Head of Creative at Forsman & Bodenfors in New York, Emma Eriksson naturally brings a little Swedish ethos through her approach and style of leadership: unafraid to foster provocative ideas connected to culture in a collaborative egoless way.

Two partners set out to end childhood poverty through joy and creativity: $1M+ in donations, 2 hours with Stephen Colbert, a Shorty Impact Award and one incredibly good story.

Rachel Romero is the Senior Vice President of Marketing at Critical Role, the wildly popular D&D inspired web series and board member of the Critical Role Foundation. Rachel has worked in online media for almost two decades, with a special focus on fostering community. Previously, Rachel was the VP of Marketing for Legendary Digital Networks, home of Nerdist, Geek & Sundry, Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls, and LDN’s subscription platform, Alpha.

Alison Moore is a media and tech industry veteran bridging the worlds of content, storytelling, and fundraising to drive social change. She's the CEO of Comic Relief US, a nonprofit that uses the power of entertainment to break the cycles of intergenerational poverty.

Zach Overton leads the US consumer, cultural and social marketing strategy and execution for Google’s portfolio of devices and services including Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit.  He works to develop creative marketing campaigns and innovative partnerships that engage the consumer at every stage of the decision journey. 

Previously he was Vice President of Brand Experience at Samsung Electronics America & General Manager of Samsung 837 and the Chief Operating Officer of (RED), inspiring collaborations with other dynamic brands to expand awareness and fundraising for HIV/AIDS. 

Zach was named a leading voice in the Global Public Relations Industry in the 2017 Holmes Report Innovator 25 List, is a Cannes Lions winner, and was honored with a prestigious Marketers That Matter Award for Consumer Experience.

We’re dropping this episode on the United Nation's International Day of Peace. A day that actor, filmmaker, activist, Jeremy Gilley set out to create in 1999 and achieved. Big ideas are hard. How he managed to pull this off is fascinating. But now nearly 25 years later we talk about what makes us optimistic, pessimistic and motivated about the world today. And there’s one quote from Jeremy late in the episode that is sticking with me. “If greed got us into this mess then maybe greed is what gets us out.” This is a frenetic 40 minutes about how to take on big ideas, how to find your passion and how to leave the world better than you found it.  

Visit https://peaceoneday.org/Main/ for more info.

Lauren Baker is the Senior Brand Manager for Engagement and Social Impact at Dove. She is also the lead for CROWN - a coalition to help advance anti-hair discrimination legislation. Fresh off a Shorty Award win for Dove’s collaboration with LinkedIn, Black Hair Is Professional, we discuss not only the importance of representation, being seen by a brand but the next logical and needed step in social impact, which is action.   

Go to The Crown Act to learn more and sign the petition.

Jerry Won is a renowned keynote speaker and creative entrepreneur who speaks on Storytelling, Personal Branding, and Asian American Leadership. He is the Founder & CEO of Just Like Media, an innovative storytelling company home to the award winning Dear Asian Americans Podcast, whose guests include Vice President Kamala Harris, and the Asian Creator Awards, celebrating the leading creators and creator economy leaders in the Asian American community.

He is also Founder of World Class Speakers, a speaker training and coaching platform to lift up marginalized voices on stages all over the world. His speaking clients include JPMorgan, Harvard Business School, Dartmouth Tuck, Google, Pepsi, Meta, and more.

Lance Fensterman is iconic when it comes to events. The Fanatics Events CEO, is leveraging 25+ years of entrepreneurial expertise to innovate within Fanatics, Inc., focusing on creating unforgettable live events for passionate sports fans and collectors. Producer Vanshika Chaturvedi and I sat down with him to discuss sports, events and tackling (pun intended) the biggest and most exciting challenge of his career. 

Lance’s career has centered on fostering fandom, nurturing communities, and driving industry growth through innovation. Before Fanatics, he led the success of ReedPop, known for iconic events like New York Comic Con and Star Wars Celebration, showcasing his dedication to adventurous fan experiences.

Becca Chambers is an award-winning communications and brand leader with nearly two decades of experience in enterprise technology. She has worked with global tech companies, from large public corporations to startups and scale-ups, launching brands and leading campaigns that create meaningful connections between brands and their audiences.

A passionate advocate for neurodiversity, Becca draws from her own experiences as an executive with ADHD and as a mother to a neurodivergent child to shine a light on the importance of neurodiversity in the workplace and beyond. Her thought leadership on neurodiversity and communications has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Post, Fortune, Fast Company, Forbes, and more.

Becca holds a Master of Science from the London School of Economics and a Master of Arts from the University of Southern California. She regularly shares her insights with over 20,000 LinkedIn followers, garnering 1.5M+ views every month, and has been recognized with SABRE and Shorty Awards for her innovative campaigns.

Dr. Marcus Collins is the architect of some of the most famous ad campaigns of the last decade. Cliff Paul for State Farm, Nike, Apple, Google’s Real Tone Photography. Oh and digital strategy for Beyoncé. He’s a clinical professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan and was most recently the head of strategy at Wieden+Kennedy, New York. His new book For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be is different. It takes something omnipresent yet complex and makes you feel it, with examples and context and nuance and imagination and personality. This conversation is fascinating and goes in a ton of different directions but I promise by the end you’ll feel like you have a better understanding of why we do so many of the things we do. He did an amazing episode on The Bakaris Sellers Podcast recently so check that out too.

Suveer Bajaj is the co-founder of Zoo Media and FoxyMoron and the creator of a media network that houses 11 homegrown agency brands. We talk about growing global digital brands, how they became the agency for the Cricket World Cup and how to deliver for one of the biggest events in the world.