Creative City Podcast

Deogracias Lerma, Polly Magazine (www.pollymagazine.com) Founder--and Editor-in-Chief/Creative Director/Chief Photographer-- talks about working with famed photographer Annie Leibovitz in New York, what it takes to start a print magazine in an increasingly digital world, and the importance of taking the initiative to create what you want to see.

For Deo (his nickname literally means God), growing up with three sisters meant there were a lot of women’s magazines around the house. He was smitten, and after years of working as a photographer for other publications, he started Polly with the intention of capturing people’s stories and showing the struggle behind the art. Producing content and securing advertisers ain’t easy, and Deo quickly learned that while wearing all the hats forces you to learn things, it’s fine to make it up as you go and learn along the way. If you’re interested in learning how this regional magazine with a national flair came to be, you’ll want to listen to this episode!

Visit CreativeCityPodcast.com to listen to previous episodes, and sign up for the Curated Creatives newsletter to keep up with Cincinnati’s amazing community of makers.

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In 2015, CityBeat Senior Editor Maija Zummo added another bullet to her resume: Cofounder of shopmadeincincinnati.com, a (very literal) online resource for Cincinnati-based makers. The site is like a hyper-local, well-curated Etsy, built to help people discover and shop locally made home goods, food, jewelry, ceramics, and more.

We talked about starting a business based on a personal need (Maija needed to find local makers for CityBeat editorials, and with a little help from a People’s Liberty Project Grant, the site was born), why it was important to offer artisans a platform for exposure as well as an additional revenue stream, how she juggles a day job and a side hustle, and the allure of breezy pants. If you’re interested in starting an online business, you’ll definitely want to listen to this episode!

Visit CreativeCityPodcast.com to listen to previous episodes, and sign up for the Curated Creatives newsletter to keep up with Cincinnati’s amazing community of makers.

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Photographer and CEO of The Lodge (thelodgeky.com) Scott Beseler talks turning a masonic lodge into a multi-use creative studio, collaborating with Walk the Moon, and the importance of combining word-of-mouth marketing with one—to-one outreach.

Scott and I talked about his vision: creating a space where his mutual friends—photographers, graphic designers, painters, screen printers, and musicians-could have a creative outlet (and stop making excuses). It took five years(!), but creative space and recording studio The Lodge, located in a former masonic temple in Dayton Kentucky, is ready to host a community of artists. We discussed starting small and expanding later, lamented about the adult conversations that have to happen in order to run a business (insurance, anyone?), and tried to pinpoint the increasingly blurred line between work and life.

Visit CreativeCityPodcast.com for previous episodes, and sign up for the #CuratedCreatives newsletter to keep up with Cincinnati’s amazing community of makers.

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Regina Russo, Director of Communication for the Contemporary Arts Center, talks about helping people find and share their cultural voice, her experience working for “the Oprah of Detroit” after college, and the importance of always being connected to the community.

As a child, Regina knew she wanted to be like Phil Donahue even before she understood what that really meant. She’d always been fascinated by conversation and the exchange of ideas, by the electrifying feeling that comes when you’re aligned with your purpose. We chatted about her progression from radio to television to communications, how life-altering events gave her permission to create the life she wanted, and why it’s imperative to use your gifts in a meaningful way.

Follow @whatshotregina on Instagram and Twitter

Visit CreativeCityPodcast.com for previous episodes, and sign up for the #CuratedCreatives newsletter to keep up with Cincinnati’s amazing community of makers.

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I’m back with a Very Special Episode (no, not the one where Jessie is addicted to caffeine pills) of the Creative City podcast. This time, I took my portable studio - aka laptop and mic - on location to MORTAR’s Life’s a Pitch event, where I talked to four of the program’s recent graduates about their businesses and future aspirations. Since the venue was a bar, I set up shop on the “quiet” back patio, only to be thwarted by a monsoon that decided to roll through anytime I hit record. Can you say background noise?

The event was great, though, and I managed to catch up with a few of the talented folks rounding out the Spring graduating class:

Rebecca Denney of Paleolicious Cincy - Catering locally produced, organic food that tastes great. paleoliciouscincy.com

Katy Dietz of Green Man Twist - Soft serve ice cream with a community focus, based in Walnut Hills. facebook.com/Greenmantwist

Stephanie Bohanon of Beaux Studios - A concept salon that’s combines a beauty salon, retail space, and events venue. instagram.com/beauxstudio.oh

Rolandis Williams of iCleanology - Specialty cleaning services for the restaurant industry (apologies--the first part of our interview got cut off). www.icleanology.com, coming soon

To learn more about MORTAR’s commitment to building communities through entrepreneurship, check out my chat with Allen Woods in episode 8 at www.creativecitypodcast.com.

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Event Stylist Christina Christian (somethingchicdesign.com) talks about how her business evolved from planning events for friends and family to working with national clients, what she does to give her work that “wow factor”, and how she balances being an attentive mom and a driven entrepreneur. And yes, that’s her real name!

As a one-woman operation with a weekly news segment under her belt (and the discipline to wake up at 4am to answer emails!), I found her desire to make educating young people part of her business strategy very admirable. If you’re a company of one looking to expand your business, you’ll love this episode.

Visit www.CreativeCityPodcast.com for more information and additional episodes!

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Interior Designer and HighStreet (www.highstreetcincinnati.com) Co-founder Leah Spurrier talks about how she launched her career with a clear vision and a solid plan, how her one-person business grew into a nationally recognized lifestyle brand, and why she intentionally chose to come to Cincinnati to pursue her dreams.

Visit www.CreativeCityPodcast.com for more information and additional episodes!

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MORTAR Co-founder and Branding Gladiator Allen Woods (justcallmeallen.com) talks about shaping a rough idea into a refined diamond, the importance of inclusion and diverse perspectives, and the initial pitch he received from his business partners (hint: “It was pretty terrible.”)

Visit www.CreativeCityPodcast.com for more information and additional episodes!

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Multi-hyphenate James Marable owns Original Thought Required (otrfresh.com), works as a Social Media Strategist/Recruitment Marketer at Macy’s, and produces events all over the city, but what is the glue holding all of those things together? In this episode, he talks about building a brand story, the importance of being able to lean on your network, and his time as the kid who ran a successful candy enterprise (every school had one!).

Visit CreativeCityPodcast.com for more information and additional episodes!

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UI/UX Designer and AIGA Cincinnati President Ryan Cayabyab talks about building his first website (hint: it was pre-GeoCities), collaborating with other passionate professionals, and the best ways to become invaluable to the creative community.

More episodes at creativecitypodcast.com. Music by The Passion HiFi.