“This podcast is an exercise in not being perfect” says recovering perfectionist Ken Calcaterra. Amen brother. Fresh off his documentary Emmy, video storyteller, podcast host and my buddy Ken Calcaterra and I interviewed each other just for kicks. We determine: Larry deserves as much as Bono – Old guys still want to rock – Creative’s wouldn’t be hurt by taking some basic business classes - Never give up and try new s**t – Which metal track works for a beer commercial - recovering...

McAnallen and Son. When you meet Ray McAnallen, he’s one of those guys you don’t forget. Cigar, beard, Hawaiian shirt, that certain swagger – is he a private eye in a Carl Hiasson book? A Lost Jimmy Buffet keyboardist who missed the tour bus? Nope, Ray is a St. Louis Ad man. And what you see is what you get with Ray - he’s been part of the St. Louis ad scene for 30 plus years. From his days as an art director at the height of D’Arcy to his current run with Ad Savants, Ray possesses that...

Content, motion, sound and swagger. Antidote is the remedy to rock. Michael Francis and Ryan Bury started their production studio 8 years ago. It was small and scrappy and defined by a peculiar little space and very good work. They’ve since grown up and grown out. With a vast and beautiful new space, new look and feel and a fresh sensibility they’ve made their bones and are now comfortably occupying the “Heavy Hitter” category in town. Simply put, they’ve arrived. I caught up with the duo...

Fathers Day Special – Cbabi Bayoc takes on the art of being a dad. Cbabi Bayoc's artistic work mixes caricature, realism, portraiture, and compassionate observation to create an important and remarkable narrative of the African American family experience. In fact, a few years ago he painted a finished work every day for a year on the subject of fatherhood. Throw in the fact that he and his wife run an incredibly successful and delicious bakery, café and studio called Sweet Art, and Cbabi is...

Recovering Creative Director. Chris Aguirre leads the Recovery Revolution. After nearly 20 years of sobriety and a few years out of the ad business, Chris Aguirre found himself at the point in his life where something had to give. His own battle with depression and social anxiety mixed with a creative’s dark cynicism had pushed him out of the ad business. Worse, it kept him out of ‘the rooms’ as it were, so there was no where to take this sudden desire to give back to those still battling...

Check out the Schwinn Varsity Trailer here. NSFW. https://vimeo.com/213769266 Summer, 1977. Two teenage boys set out on a bicycle journey in an epic search for freedom, America, and a dumpster full of discarded Porno mags. A little "Stand By Me", a little "Dazed and Confused" and a Whole Lotta Love, writer/producer Richard Eschenroeder has had "Schwinn Varsity" in some stage of development for 15 years. Jen and I caught up with him and got the story behind the project and the passion it...

“There’s these two knuckleheads on the couch telling the editors what to do, that’s when I realized I wanted to be one of those guys," says Joe Bishop on the moment he realized he wanted to be an agency creative. Since then he and his compadres have been creating some of the more famous and infamous (Quadracorn!) work to come out of the St. Louis agency scene. Joe talks to Jeff and Jen about getting his start doing memorial videos for the recently deceased, being asked to find his own way...

Talent Plus turns 40. “I still love doing this,” says Sharon Tucci, which is not at all surprising if you've spent any time around her. Her daily enthusiasm, real generosity and natural ability to listen and connect have made her one of the true cultural icons of our city. In every era since she opened her doors in 1977, Sharon has been on trend and totally relevant across the creative and artistic scene in St. Louis. Jen and I have been trying to get her to agree to an interview for over...

Keep Fast Company. Jon Maurice has the Need for Speed. With the new show, Speed is the New Black, coming to Velocity in May and Fast N’ Loud roaring into it’s 10th season, Jon Maurice and his No Coast cohorts have made plenty of noise in reality TV. Now they’ve turned their sights into using this model to creates hits and build audiences for brands. As part of our Badass series, Jon drops by to talk with Jeff and Jen about having success from learning to fail, making commerce with your...

This podcast sponsored by Creative Circle! Kicking off our Badass series, Jen and I wanted to interview creative types who are in their prime and knocking it out of the park. Leslie Bogosian fits that bill. Sharp, fearless, the consummate idea driven art director, we talk to Leslie about the workings of the modern creative team, badass women in the creative department and her recent dive into motherhood. Check her out: https://www.schadbogo.com/ https://www.instagram.com/schadbogo/ Music...

Meet Michael Weiss, VP Marketing of Creative Circle and lifelong story teller. From being a Musician, Script Reader, PA to Roseanne and Tom, Author, Digital Agency Owner, and then to Creative Circle, Michael brings a unique perspective and eclectic mix of experience to the creative talent agency game. Jen and Jeff talk to Michael about the new paradigm of the gig economy, the power of Eruption and the energy of ideas that move you. Here's a link to his book on Presentation Skills:...

This episode sponsored by Creative Circle! Tom Townsend is a Creative Director's Creative Director. Constantly curious, he is interested in everything and has built a career based on the integrity of great work. Yet, he has done arguably done most meaningful work since he left the agency he co-founded. Tom has brought to life his dream of giving Pianos to People who can't afford them. The idea: a passion for music can be a great equalizer. Get involved at http://pianosforpeople.org/ He...

Getting a truly meaningful insight to create from is often more valuable than the idea that comes from it. Bob Cuneo figured that out 15 some odd years ago as a Creative Director watching his work get murdered in the graveyard of a poorly run focus group. So he decided to start his own insight driven strategic agency. And over time, they've become one of the best in the world at helping clients find that ever valuable insight into the human condition. Jen and Jeff talk to Bob about his...

"The people that got into the marijuana business are the same kinds of people that own bars. Risk takers, storied personalities and extremely fun to hang out with," notes this week's guest Jack Thorwegen in what could easily be a description of himself. As the kick-off to our Legends series, our new co-host Jennifer Oertli and I sit down and talk to Jack about Proof, Pot, Beer, Spirits, Zip and the importance of your agency's first hire. Enjoy. This Stickup is brought to you by Creative...

Everybody’s Angel Investor. Laura Burkemper knows the start-up hustle. In fact, she might be the busiest woman in the St. Louis Start up game. She’s a lead mentor in Stadia Ventures, a big part of the Billiken Angel Network, teaches entrepreneurship at SLU and has helped create an impressive portfolio of investments, strategic vision and bottom line results. Over time, she’s learned how to pick ‘em. She and Jeff talk about the St. Louis Start up community, why it’s better than other...

How's your novel coming? If you are one of the half million or so crazy would be writers out there who are trying to finish your novel in 30 days as part of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) you've got one day left to finish off your 50,000 word masterpiece! Or in my case, a 50,000 car pile up. But it's done and I have Kelly Jones to thank for the experience. She got caught up in NaNo some 10 years ago and has participated in it ever since. She also did her thesis on it's power to...

Daniel Wiseman, Creative Director, is one of the founders of Pixel Press. With the recent Mattel Toy deal, this startup looks like it's really taking off. Daniel tells Jeff about the founding of the company, getting to design a game for Cartoon Network, and the ups and downs of doing a start up in St. Louis. Check out Daniels amazing work here. http://www.danieldraws.com/ http://www.projectpixelpress.com/ http://www.bloxelsbuilder.com/ https://vimeo.com/114086604 - Adventure Time...

Jeremy Corray, Defender of the St. Lunaverse! Jeremy talks! He and Jeff chat about his brave new world with Coolfire Studios, his being able to live a childhood dream and work on Voltron, the early funny stuff and how he sees the future of content studios. And a whole lot more! Every Thirty Seconds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2PRsoyLnaU Music by Flaming Death Trap

We say all politics is local and I believe it. As much as the always-on-eleven-reality show the current presidential campaign has become, it’s the decisions of the city and the neighborhoods we live in that will actually have far greater effects on our daily existence. Kacey works for US Bancorp in the Community Development Corporation and co-chairs a coalition led by Urban Land Institute in partnership with Forward Through Ferguson, aimed at community development goals in the Ferguson...

The Real Mad Man. Jon Hamm is figuring out exactly how to change your mind. WPP decided the world needed another global activation shop. So it cobbled together three or four of its agency chains with offices and staffs and cultures from all over the world and named the new entity Geometry. Then they went out and got somebody crazy enough to pull it all together. Jon Hamm, mentor and friend, has made a career of being able to see and articulate where the business needs to move in order to...

In the creative business you always hear about hiring people that are better than you. Or more appropriately, hire those who scare the bejesus out of you. I had no idea what that meant until I met Ben Little some 12 plus years ago. I met Ben my first month in London, he was in his mid 20’s and already a charismatic force that both attracted and created game changing ideas and talented people who wanted to work on them. His company, Fearlessly Frank that he runs with his partner Wayne...

Write Way Round. Tom Hodgson has a story to tell. I’m in London this week and was lucky enough to cast some pod with various creative types and gangsters that I’ve worked with over the years. There was no one better to catch up with then the screenwriter Tom Hodgson. Giving him that title has a long time coming, as Tom has wound his way through film development, copywriting, strategy, digital content directing and finally and most fittingly, to becoming a writer. Tom’s second feature film,...

Punk Rock Post If DIY is the Punk Rock ethos, then rukus is the kind of production house that breaks out and builds a t-shirt wearing cult following by making great music and working their asses off. Celebrating their sixth year in business, Michael Hurst talks about being thrown in the deep end and surviving, evolving into an Executive Producer and his observations on the state of the St. Louis Ad Scene as he wraps up his Ad Club Presidency. Look out for their Anniversary Party coming...

The Ministers of Sound - Mark Bartels of 90dw and Mike Radentz of Antidote. Sound, I would argue, might be the most overlooked, vitally important, and very mysterious aspect of any production. Yet, when it's done well, it can take something good and make it a thing of beauty. Mark and Mike talk to Jeff about their craft, their tricks, favorite movies and go to sound effects. Enjoy the finest sounding podcast of all time! Music by John Williams as played by Mark Bartels, Mike Radentz and...