CO-PRO

In this episode of the Co-Pro Podcast, we sit down with Brian Franks, founder and executive creative director of Where Eagles Dare, to talk about brand strategy, creative leadership, and building brand identities with heart, culture, and a real point of view.

Brian spent more than 20 years at American Eagle Outfitters, rising from graphic designer to VP of Creative while helping shape the brand during a major period of growth. He also helped launch 77Kids, an experience that pushed him toward entrepreneurship and eventually led him to found Where Eagles Dare in 2015.

We talk about the difference between making work that looks good and building a brand identity people actually feel connected to. Brian shares how pop culture, retail instincts, and personal experience shape his approach to brand-building, why collaboration is at the center of his creative process, and how he built an independent creative agency designed to bring the right people together around the right idea.

We also get personal. After surviving a hemorrhagic stroke, Brian returned to the work he loves and used creativity as a way to reconnect with himself. His story is a reminder that doing work that matters can be more than a career; it can be part of who you are.

A conversation about brand-building, creative risk, resilience, leadership, and finding your way back to the work that feels like it belongs to you.

Fifty episodes of good conversations, lessons learned, and figuring it out as we go. For this milestone episode, we’re looking back at a few favorite moments and guests, sharing what’s helped us keep the podcast moving, and giving you a little peek at what’s next for Co-Pro. Thanks for coming along for the ride. Hit play and celebrate 50 with us.

In this episode of the Co-Pro Podcast, we sit down with Jim Geduldick, better known as Filmbot, to trace a career built at the intersection of action sports, filmmaking, and emerging technology.

Jim started as a sponsored snowboarder before turning the camera toward the people and culture around him. What began with shooting snowboarding and skate videos with friends grew into a career spanning cinematography, editing, visual effects, virtual production, and some of Hollywood’s biggest sets. Along the way, he worked in GoPro’s professional marketing organization, helping explore how new camera technology could be used across cinema, broadcast, VR, and photography.

We talk about the early days of making films with friends, learning by doing, and how a background in action sports shaped Jim’s creative approach. We also get into the transition from rider to filmmaker, the evolution of camera technology, working on major productions including The Martian, Point Break, and Transformers: The Last Knight, and why curiosity is still the most valuable tool in a fast-changing creative industry.

From rocket airs to blockbusters, this is a conversation about following the next interesting idea and building a career where creativity, culture, and technology meet.

Selema Masekela is one of the most recognizable voices in action sports. From snowboarding and surfing to skateboarding and the X Games, he has spent decades helping bring the culture and its biggest moments to a global audience.

In this episode, Selema looks back on moving to California, discovering action sports, and working as a restaurant busboy before landing his first media job at TransWorld. He shares how stepping behind the microphone launched a career that would take him across the worlds of snowboarding, surfing, and beyond.

We also talk about music, creativity, and legacy. As the son of legendary jazz musician Hugh Masekela, Selema felt hesitant to begin making music himself. But finding his own relationship with music ultimately brought the two closer than ever.

From Alphanumeric and Burton to the X Games, the Tony Hawk 900, and the evolution of action sports culture, this is a conversation about taking chances, finding your voice, and building a life around what moves you.

Today we sit down with Ian Rogers and chat about the difference between people who are genuinely excited by technology and the people who see a way to make money from it. Ian has spent his career on the leading edge of the technologies that reshape culture, from building for the Beastie Boys in the ’90s to Yahoo Music, Topspin, Beats Music, and Apple Music.

Now at Ledger, Ian is focused on building products and experiences that give people more ownership and control in the digital world. A conversation about music, tech, culture, and staying curious about what comes next.

On this episode of the Co-Pro Podcast, we sit down with professional snowboarder Pat Moore. We trace his full journey from growing up in New Hampshire and first strapping on a board at age 3 at Waterville Valley, where his mother worked as the resort’s marketing director, to becoming a Forum Youngblood at 15 and rising through the competitive snowboarding world just two years later.

Pat talks about riding for major brands like Vans, Arbor Snowboarding, and K2 Snowboarding, and how he became known for innovative tricks and a heavy metal–inspired riding style. We dive into his 2022 attempt to break the world record for the highest air ever achieved on a quarterpipe, and what it takes to push limits both on and off the mountain.

Beyond the riding, Pat shares how he transitioned from pro athlete to the brand side of the industry, including his work with Arbor, and what it’s like to help shape products, campaigns, and culture from a different angle.

If you’re into snowboarding, brand building, or stories about making the leap from athlete to executive, this one’s for you. 

In this episode of Co-Pro, we sit down with legendary motorcycle photographer Michael Lichter. We talk about brand and what it means to him through the lens. How he’s built a visual identity around bikes, builders, and the open road while staying true to his own voice. 

From his early days shooting for Easyriders and Sturgis to working with brands like Harley-Davidson, Indian, and Nikon, Michael shares how he’s turned passion into a career and why authenticity matters more than any label.

Laurel Burton is a force. As CEO of Instrument, she’s built a career by wearing a hundred hats, pushing through late nights, and leading with the kind of creative fire that doesn’t ask permission.

In this conversation, Laurel opens up about the path that got her here, from single mom to the C-suite, and what it really means to lead as a woman in an industry that’s still evolving. We talk about resilience, ambition, collective progress, and why she’s always been drawn to building what’s next.

She’s sharp, thoughtful, and full of momentum. Laurel doesn’t just talk about progress, she embodies it.

“Danger” has always had a place in pop culture. From Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” to Rodney Dangerfield and Danger Mouse, the word has a long history of showing up wherever things get bold, wild, or unforgettable. So when Ehren became “Danger Ehren,” it didn’t just sound cool. It felt inevitable.

In this episode, Ehren shares how his early days in snowboarding shaped his mindset, how he ended up joining the Jackass crew, and the real story behind the creation of “Danger Ehren.” We dive into calculated risk, identity, and how he turned chaos into a lasting personal brand.

We also talk about the upcoming Jackass movie, The Best and Last, what fans can expect, and how the legacy of Jackass continues to evolve.

If you’re into Jackass, action sports, skate and snowboard culture, or building a brand through personality and risk-taking, this episode is a must-watch.

We sit down with Mel Strong to talk through her path through Nike’s world, from SB and ACG to Nike Running, and the culture that shaped each chapter. She shares a behind-the-scenes look at building brands that move people, with a perspective grounded in sport, style, and strategy.

Now she is bringing that experience to Next Ventures, where she is helping back health and fitness companies with purpose alongside Lance Armstrong. It is a conversation about momentum, meaning, and what happens when smart ideas meet real conviction.