Creative Frequencies: Conversations with Creative Pros

Carey Balogh (Founder & CEO) and Lauren Genest (Partner & President) of Brand Groupies join Chris for a high-energy conversation about the power of branding, PR, and storytelling. Celebrating 10 years in business, the duo shares how they’ve grown their agency, what they’ve learned about building strong teams, and how their passion for music (including Carey’s band Mama Drama) influences their approach to business and life.

You’ll hear how they’ve embraced change in a fast-moving industry, why podcasts and PR tours are game changers, and why “Sally in accounting” should never run your company’s social media.

Brand Groupies: https://www.brandgroupies.com 

Follow Brand Groupies on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandgroupies 

Connect with Carey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/careybalogh

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-genest-11437982/

Mama Drama (Band): https://mamadramaband.com 

Topics we covered:

• Carey and Lauren’s origin stories and how Brand Groupies was born
• The meaning behind the name “Brand Groupies” and celebrating 10 years in business
• Lessons from music and Carey’s band Mama Drama that shape how they run their agency
• Navigating massive industry changes in PR, social media, and marketing
• The evolution of podcasts as a PR and business growth tool
• Finding the right team members and maintaining strong company culture
• Why social media strategy deserves more than just a “recent grad” or “Sally from accounting”
• The power of energy, clear roles, and collaboration in running a successful business
• Carey and Lauren’s favorite Mama Drama songs and the band’s recent trip to Nashville
• What they wish more clients understood about branding and social media

Chris welcomes producer and iRonick Media owner, Marc Ronick to the show. They talk about the evolving landscape of podcasting and its broader implications in the digital age.

Also discussed is the shift from traditional podcasting to broader content creation, the impact of technology on media production, and the future of digital broadcasting.

Key Discussion Points:

Marc's Links:

Connect with Chris:

Chris welcomes back, Mike Ham, host of Greeting from the Garden State podcast for a chat about podcasting, event organizing, and celebrating New Jersey culture.

They dive into the evolution of Mike's podcasting journey, the inception of Jersey Fest, and tips for aspiring podcasters on growing their platforms and securing sponsorships.

Key Highlights from this episode

Mike's Links

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Chris sits down with Paula Sima, the dynamic force behind the "Talk Shit with P" podcast. They dive deep into the transformative power of podcasting, exploring both personal growth and the evolution of content creation.

Paula shares candid insights into the early days of her podcast, its impact on her life, and how it has morphed into a platform for creative expression and mental health advocacy.

Join us for a lively conversation that covers everything from managing creative output during the pandemic to rebranding and the importance of authenticity in podcasting.

Paula's Links:

Connect with Chris:

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:02:22

Speaker 1

So I'm here. I'm ready to talk some shit with Paula,

00:00:02:22 - 00:00:04:21

Speaker 1

and you really talk some shit. Paula.

00:00:04:23 - 00:00:09:27

Speaker 2

Let's talk some shit on looking live on Duck. So. Shit. Why Rockingham?

00:00:10:00 - 00:00:15:13

Speaker 1

That's right. That's right. We're going to rock it and we're going to talk some shit off to save time.

00:00:15:13 - 00:00:17:03

Speaker 1

I got to know a little bit about

00:00:17:03 - 00:00:21:20

Speaker 1

talk shit with pig. Because I'm listening. I listen. I listen. I listen.

00:00:21:20 - 00:00:26:08

Speaker 1

I know you started the show back at the basically at the start of the pandemic. So

00:00:26:08 - 00:00:38:05

Speaker 1

what would Paul of 2024 tell Paul of podcasting your podcasting self from 2020 when you started your first episode Was the coronavirus Cardi B

00:00:38:05 - 00:00:39:20

Speaker 1

Talking coronavirus.

00:00:39:20 - 00:00:44:03

Speaker 1

What would you what would you say to yourself now.

00:00:44:05 - 00:01:05:05

Speaker 2

It's funny you brought up COVID because you know that was a SEAL, but that was the first time I actually use kind of like a snippet of how she there's certain sayings that B says that, yes, and it was going viral and they used it. And then later on, I find that, oh, I could be sued. So I said I was like, at this point, nobody knows me.

00:01:05:05 - 00:01:17:13

Speaker 1

So you know what? Yeah, you do it and ask her forgiveness, You know what I'm saying? I mean, you know, I got a feeling Cardi B as much bigger fish to fry. But you know what? Say, you know what? If she goes after, you could turn it into content.

00:01:17:20 - 00:01:20:24

Speaker 2

And that's what I was going to say. There would be some good content.

00:01:20:29 - 00:01:26:02

Speaker 1

That would be something that would be some awesome content. Yeah. Then you'd have some real shit to talk about.

00:01:26:05 - 00:01:37:23

Speaker 2

With a mixed race on Twitter because I'd make it into right now and turn it into all from receiving the letter to battling it. Yeah, yeah.

00:01:37:23 - 00:02:00:13

Speaker 2

Well, back to your question. So literally, I would tell pull out of 2022 was stressing about doing this podcast is no don't worry about that little stuff right I was I was editing to perfection like the calls the everything which took me like 3 hours.

00:02:00:13 - 00:02:14:23

Speaker 2

And this is when they call for me after they're like, it's in there because we're humans, right? We cause this is how we talk when applied for. So why, why would somebody assume, because I'm on a podcast, I should speak proper that now I know talk So

00:02:14:23 - 00:02:24:20

Speaker 2

that and also I was so worried if I'd ever have guests on my show, I was like, Who's going to want to come to to talk shit?

00:02:24:20 - 00:02:52:20

Speaker 2

Well, it's funny when people realize you have a podcast and again, everybody's experience is different. My podcast is called Talk. You would be. So when I tell people I have a podcast called Talks, you would be the first thing you hear is I want to talk. So I share with you. Yeah. So it has become that I have so many people want to come to my podcast when I'm like, Do you even know what this podcast is about?

00:02:52:26 - 00:03:26:06

Speaker 2

What do you want to come talk about that I don't know. As long as I'm talking shit with you. I'm like, You know, it's not literally like we're not really just talking hula hoops. So I went from being in 2020 worried about if I ever have enough guests or people want to come to a show to now receiving emails and people are just filling out the form, finding their form and sending their pitches, and then media keeps like I'm happy anyway, So I want send them to say, Oh no.

00:03:26:08 - 00:03:28:11

Speaker 1

No, now see that now.

00:03:28:17 - 00:03:29:20

Speaker 2

And I was 83.

00:03:29:20 - 00:03:47:19

Speaker 1

Right now you're gatekeeping, now you're gatekeeping. Before you're like, anybody could be on my show. Just I just need yeah, I just need content. People come on the show now. I'm like, wait a second. You're not past, say, in four years. You're now, you know, velvet rope, right? VIP.

00:03:47:22 - 00:04:18:23

Speaker 2

Lester, Is shit ever close? I remember it says a lot. And again, I ended up rebranding my podcast two years ago. In 2022, I rebranded. But when I said to those just taking any guesses about your mental health story, you and I talk about your mental health. Whatever it is, bring it on. Come. I was just accepting a variety of mental health and then you start taking it serious and getting in these rooms and people are telling you constantly.

00:04:19:00 - 00:04:32:09

Speaker 2

The first thing I had in that first two years of my podcasting was niche down meeting mission. You got a niche that I hated is I was like, I don't even fucking know what I'm doing. Why are you going to make me niche now?

00:04:32:12 - 00:04:41:08

Speaker 1

You know, who the hell am I even niching down to? I don't even know what I'm doing. I just want. I just want. I just want a podcast. What I learned.

00:04:41:08 - 00:05:01:18

Speaker 2

They're asking me about who is your persona? Who is this? I'm like, I don't care. What does that have to do? A book. I just want to share stories and have these conversations. Yeah, but eventually, eventually you realize that you do need to somehow niche down or realize what your purpose is or who your persona is.

00:05:01:18 - 00:05:07:26

Speaker 2

So in a niche down into and turn it into, say, Sue on the sheer mental health stories and journeys.

00:05:07:26 - 00:05:25:03

Speaker 2

But I want to focus on creativity because now I'm in this world of the eighties. I'm building a brand. I, I am more aware of what I'm doing and what I wanted to be. And I've gotten a little cocky, you know, because now that is rule is like, Oh yeah, doing this shit, you know?

00:05:25:06 - 00:05:26:11

Speaker 1

Oh yeah.

00:05:26:14 - 00:05:43:18

Speaker 2

So I became that person where when now people reach out, I'm like, Is this on brand with me? Are you really right? Yes. You might have a mental health story, but does it go with what my show is? Because there's a lot of mental stories now. I've become more aware and

00:05:43:18 - 00:05:47:08

Speaker 2

the madness is saying it's keeping weight. I got to protect your brand.

00:05:47:14 - 00:06:00:08

Speaker 2

Yeah, Yeah. Maybe you can just just have. So we talk about sponsorship and everything. You can't have a sponsorship. You are you're promoting something that you don't agree with, but you're promoting it on your podcast. Say.

00:06:00:11 - 00:06:30:18

Speaker 1

Yeah, I mean, I those are all very well said actually. I mean, and I know we can laugh about it and it is, it's funny, right, because you think back where you started, right? Like I went back and I listened to your first three episodes just to prepare because I listen and I would say if anybody was going to interview me, like go back and listen to my episodes of, you know, whether it's song, So I've show it on or when this show used to be called Rockit Live, like go back and listen to those episodes because it's like I'm like all over the place and like even a mishmash of guests.

00:06:30:18 - 00:06:45:20

Speaker 1

But like, because I just wanted the podcast, I just wanted to talk with people. But, you know, you make a really great point as you grow and as you learn and you said a few key things in there, your personal brand, you want to be protective about it and on top of that, right as you begin to grow an audience, right.

00:06:45:20 - 00:07:04:22

Speaker 1

What are the things, what are the stories? What are the people your audience wants to hear from? And plus, what fits in with you, Right? So, exactly like when you start out, you're like, Hey, I'm going to do anything. It's like being in a band. Like when you first play about I don't care, I'm going to play birthday parties back your bar mitzvahs, legion halls.

00:07:04:26 - 00:07:21:11

Speaker 1

Yeah, Burger King parking lots, like whatever. But eventually now you're going, well, okay, You start to grow, you learn. Are you all right? We're not going to do that anymore now. We're going to you know, we're going to play proper shows. We're going to get paid for what we're doing, like you begin to build up. And that's over the course of the years that you've been doing it.

00:07:21:11 - 00:07:31:05

Speaker 1

That's what you figured out. Like any creator, right? Anybody that starts a project, you start here and where you wind up because you've learned and you've grown. So I would love to know from you, Paula.

00:07:31:08 - 00:07:54:10

Speaker 2

But before we move on, I just want to add something on that. And there's a knowing that I think sometimes some people end up getting so confused or lost is because they just start shooting. They're already quick into the branding and all of that. Right. So when I started it, they just wanted to to do something during the pandemic, right?

00:07:54:12 - 00:08:17:04

Speaker 2

We were all closed. I needed something that to get me out of my my, my mental struggles. And once the world started opening up, I did not invest in any shit. I was recording from my sworn on the anchor app before I became Spotify for podcasters or whatever it is right now, but I was recording through there. I was self editing everything.

00:08:17:09 - 00:08:42:18

Speaker 2

I was like, I'm not going to invest until I see it's something I actually want to keep doing. So why was the why opened up? And I was still back to my night of 9 to 5? Joe Actually, I walked retail, so I had slept the hours, you know, morning nights, evenings, whatever, and then still wanting to record and edit and put it out on time and attend events and conferences.

00:08:42:18 - 00:08:59:07

Speaker 2

That's when I knew, okay, now I really love this. I'm interested in it. Now listen, this, this when, when they suggested for me to rebrand, if I was doing it for fun, I wasn't going, was I rebranding? Like why the fuck would I rebrand if I'm just doing it for fun and, you know, like, that's a waste of money.

00:08:59:07 - 00:09:16:07

Speaker 2

So take your time with fast knowing if you actually love something before you actually put so much strength into that. That's about this. I tell my, my, my 2020 self like all these little things that we have to wait for them for us to.

00:09:16:09 - 00:09:38:22

Speaker 1

Yeah, I agree with that. I think those are all great statements to make because I mean, it is it's what you learn along the journey, right. And you know, the things you do, the the sacrifices you make, the time you put into it, but it pays off at the end of the day. So basically, for anybody listening to us right now, if you are kind of in the in the very beginning stages of starting a podcast, are still debating like, should I do it?

00:09:38:22 - 00:09:54:16

Speaker 1

Should I not? I mean, I can tell you from from both of us and if you've already listened to what Paul has been saying is just start it, just do it. Don't overthink it, just frickin do it. Like you don't need a ton of fancy equipment, as Paul just said. Do it on your phone, man. Like, that's that's all you really need.

00:09:54:16 - 00:10:12:11

Speaker 1

At the end of the day, if you've got something to say, stories to tell, questi

Hey everybody, Chris Vaglio here

host of what was formally known as Rock It Live

you may have seen some changes here

as I have been busy updating this podcast feed

and I've recently changed the name from Rock It Live

to Creative Frequencies: Conversations with Creative Pros

the show is pretty much staying the same

as far as being an interview-based show

but I'm really going to be focusing on interviewing

folks from the creative services industry

and that's really anybody from YouTubers,to podcasters, content creators, chief marketing officers, agency owners,

really anybody involved in the creative services space

and the whole idea here is to just uncover

those behind-the-scenes insights and inspirations that drive people to do what they do and also learn a bit about what motivates them and sort of get their origin stories

so if that's something of interest to you that.

I hope that you continue to follow and listen to this channel and if you are a creator out there if you're involved in creative services at all hit me up and let me know; I'd love to have you on the show.

Alright, I look forward to seeing everybody and thank you all again for your support and make sure you follow the show wherever you get podcasts or you can always watch the video versions over on YouTube and you can subscribe to my channel over there as

I also drop other content on there as well as these interviews so looking forward to seeing everybody soon. ROCK IT!

In this episode of the Rock It LIVE Podcast, Chris interviews Jason Ellinger, co-founder of Beard and Bowler Productions, a company specializing in storytelling through video production.

Part 1: The Power of Storytelling

Part 2: The Art of Video Production

Part 3: Snackable Content and Favorite Stories

For more information, check out Beard and Bowler's website or connect with Jason on LinkedIn.

Watch the VIDEO VERSION of this episode -⁠https://youtu.be/JTDk7_NT9ew

Connect with Chris Vaglio - ⁠https://campsite.bio/chrisvaglio⁠

⁠Book a FREE 45 Min Consultation with me⁠

On this episode of Rock It LIVE, Chris interviews Erica Lasan, a joy strategist and founder of JOYrney™ to Purpose. Erica shares her personal journey of discovering joy and how it led her to start her business.

Watch the VIDEO VERSION of this episode - https://youtu.be/A2eBKDKu2gM

Connect with Chris Vaglio - https://campsite.bio/chrisvaglio

Book a FREE 45 Min Consultation with me

"Making the world a better place, one creative story at a time."   Welcome to another episode of Rock It LIVE: Real Business Talk Podcast. On this episode, show host Chris Vaglio sits down with friend and colleague, David Jasse of DMJ Studios. Chris and David dive into David's origin story, discussing how his passion for photography in college led him to a career in media and video production. 

Fast forward over 25 years and GM J Studios has evolved from a video production company to a full-fledged agency, offering clients, not just video production but also branding and marketing services.  Join Chris and David as they discuss their experiences and the trade secrets of creative professionals in the world of media and video production. 

Here's what we cover with David Jasse in this episode:   

1. How to Transition from Engineering to Television and Video Production  

2. The Art of Storytelling in Communications and Marketing  

3. Balancing Dreams and Practicality in Business and Creative Ventures.   

David Jasse is a broadcast television expert and creative director of DMJ Studios, a turnkey solution for clients' marketing needs. He has over 25 years of experience in the industry and specializes in helping nonprofits tell their stories in an emotional and impactful way.   

If you'd like to set up a free consultation with Chris Vaglio and Rock It Growth Agency just use this link - ⁠https://calendly.com/chrisvaglio/45-minute-consultation-meeting

On this episode of ROCK IT LIVE I had a conversation with John Renz, VP and Creative Director at Prudential and together we discussed his background and career. He talks about his love for writing and how he initially wanted to be an investigative journalist in college and eventually realized that advertising was the perfect blend of storytelling and creativity for him. He shares his experience working at Prudential and how it has evolved over the years.  

Here are some highlights from our conversation: 

Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-renz-8204a5/  

John Renz leads the copywriting, messaging, positioning, advertising, and social media efforts for Prudential’s U.S. Businesses. Before joining Prudential, John led creative efforts for some of the world’s most respected brands, including MetLife, Dow Jones, The Wall Street Journal, New York Life, Lionel Leisure, and Johnson & Johnson.  

John’s work, or work created under his direction, has earned numerous awards for creative excellence including Webby, Telly, PIMA, APEX, FCS, and the Ad Club.

Outside of great creative, his passions include useless trivia, relevant history, and bad jokes.   He lives in New Jersey with his tolerant wife and two exceptional sons. 

🔴 Subscribe to this channel:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOUkLpKDUPP0TiLgYkog94A

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 🙌🏻 Let's connect: https://campsite.bio/chrisvaglio  

✅ Need help building your brand or getting new clients?  📧 [email protected] or

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