Creative Juicy

It's fitting for this episode to be released on Valentine's Day because one of my favorite people, Maggie Sause, is on the podcast today! As I look back on my career, there is a short list of people who I am so grateful to have shared a 9-5 with because I have A) learned a ton from them and also B) completely adored them on a personal level, and Maggie is certainly at the top of that list.

Maggie is Head of Marketing at Red Antler, which is probably the most well known and esteemed agency for brands out there. Red Antler partners with businesses at all stages from prelaunch to growth and established brands, but you may have heard of them, like I first did, from their brand work with the likes of AllBirds or Casper. Or maybe you’ve seen their ‘Designed to be deleted’ campaign they dreamed up for Hinge or perhaps the book Obsessed which Red Antler's co-founder, Emily Heyward, published in 2020. If you’re at all interested in what beloved brand is and how to create one, I highly recommend reading it!

Maggie and I talk about brand worlds - what they are and how to build them, what it means to dimensionalize your audience, how to create value beyond just your product, platform, or experience you’re selling, why the marketing funnel is way more complex than it used to be, and what Maggie considers to be the 3 most important aspects of a brand today. If you’re building a brand yourself or perhaps want to understand more of what it takes to make it at an agency or maybe you just love CPG, this is the episode for you. 

OK, enjoy!

I’m doing something a little different with the podcast today - a quick mini episode of just me since I’ve alluded to, but haven’t shared exactly what went on last year when I had a pretty big hiatus from the podcast, and from my life quite frankly. So here goes..

The episodes I reference are:

And if you want to learn more about me:

Sending a lot of love!

x Mich

Meet Adele Tetangco! Adele is the co-founder behind Garmentory and has championed small businesses throughout her storied career in the fashion industry. In today's conversation, Adele walks us through her trajectory as we discuss the importance of community, listening to your body, and how she both scaled a team and scaled herself as a leader. I loved talking with Adele about where she’s been and what she’s been building with her latest business, Snack Size, which is really awesome. Her hustle and heart are truly inspiring.

Be sure to check out Snack Size's Smorgasbord (linked below!) which is a marketplace for talent whether you need help with retail operations, content strategy, product design, PR, a career coach - you name it, Snack Size has it for you!

x M

Snack Size: https://www.snack-size.com/

Snack Size Smorgasbord: https://www.snack-size.com/smorgasbord

In Todo BIPOC Craft Fair: https://intodo.us/

Shop Et Tigre: https://ettigre.co/

Find Adele on IG: https://www.instagram.com/buddy_lembeck/

Plus, more about me and my recent health journey here: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mich_wainwright/

I am so excited to introduce you all to my friend, Jane Kate Wong. She is a multi-faceted Creative Director and designer and, with her latest venture NOON, Jane is designing wellness tools for your mind and for your mood through the combination of eastern plant wisdom and neuroscience.

Originally a trained architect, Jane is no stranger to exploring the world and how we interact with it. So it was super fun for me to discuss her business, what drives her to create, and also how she is pivoting Noon in the ever-changing consumer landscape.

This episode is part of a series of chats I recorded earlier in 2023 that I am so excited to put out in the world now. Be sure to stick around until the end of the episode, where I caught up with Jane just last week to see how things have gone for Noon since launch and where she is looking to take the brand in 2024.

Shop NOON: ⁠https://www.noonlife.co/

Find Jane on IG: https://www.instagram.com/janekatewong/

Plus, more about me and my recent health journey here: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/p/C1e7JnoryG8/?img_index=1⁠

Hi world! I'm so excited to share my conversation with Anna Gray, the founder of resale platform Club Vintage and writer behind the newsletter, Things I Would Buy If I Didn't Pay Rent.

In today's episode, we talk about all the various hats Anna wore when starting out in NYC after going to the New School, from modeling, to working in PR, being an executive assistant, writing for interior design startup, Home Polish, and eventually becoming the co-founder for Object Limited, ALL before she founded Club Vintage.

I really enjoyed learning about what Anna loves so much about working in vintage retail, (it isn’t what you would suspect!), and her vision for Club Vintage being THE department store destination for all things vintage shopping.

She’s smart, and funny, and just a pleasure to speak with. Have a listen and if you find yourself in NY or LA, go check out Club Vintage IRL.

Shop Club Vintage: https://clubvintage.org/

Read Things I Would Buy If I Didn't Pay Rent

Find Anna on IG: https://www.instagram.com/annazgray/

Plus, more about me and my recent health journey here: https://www.instagram.com/p/C1e7JnoryG8/?img_index=1

Mark Leibowitz is a director and photographer whose work is commissioned by advertisers, brands, studios and media outlets worldwide.

On today’s podcast, Mark talks about the deadline he set for himself to transition from Assistant Photographer to Photographer, why self-motivation is critical for those looking to pursue a career in this field, the difference in photo and video shoots and how they inspire different sensations, and why looking inward and being true to yourself is the only way to produce meaningful work.

He also shares tangible tools he used to help find his voice as a creative, which include: 

Mark is a true artist, a dear friend, and someone I am so honored to have on the podcast. I hope you enjoy it!

Katrina is the Founder, Creative Director, and wearer of all hats for Goods Gang, a stationery and design studio that specializes in wedding paper and other printed goods. When I came across Goods Gang circa 2015, I remember feeling like I had just been witness to a breath of fresh air for the wedding industry - not an easy feat! Katrina’s designs are elegant, clean, yet playful with a bit of edge. Truly, they are one of a kind and also communicate the personality of the couples so beautifully.  

On today’s episode we talk about how Katrina’s work in tech, specifically working in systems for Microsoft, helped pave the way for the systems she utilizes in her business today, the turning point she experienced when she decided to make her side hustle a full time gig, and why creating something tangible is so important to her. 

You don’t want to miss this episode!

Find Goods Gang at goodsgang.com and @goodsgang on Instagram.

For more Creative Juicy, visit CreativeJuicyPodcast.com and follow Michelle at @mich_wainwright. Podcast guest and advertising inquiries may be sent to [email protected].

PUNO IS HERE! I could not be more excited to share this episode with you. Puno is the founder of I Love Creatives, an incredible community where you can find creative job postings, freelance tools, and the coolest online courses available on the internet today.

Puno had her own path to founding I Love Creatives, which included being the UX Director for Call of Duty and getting laid off in 2008 during the financial crisis, of which she shares some really helpful advice for anyone going through that today. I loved learning about the gap Puno saw in the market when it came to online education, how she measures the success of a course, what she looks for in a course instructor, and so much more.

There are so many incredible nuggets of info in here if you work in a creative field yourself, are looking for a creative outlet, interested in online courses, or just navigating the work force and the crazy market today.

Puno is so smart and funny and kind. ENJOY! 

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Find I Love Creatives at ilovecreatives.com and @ilovecreatives, and keep up with Puno on Instagram @punodostres.

For more Creative Juicy, visit CreativeJuicyPodcast.com and follow Michelle at @mich_wainwright. Podcast guest and advertising inquiries may be sent to [email protected].

Molly Ford is the florist and business owner of Flowers by Ford, which she runs together with her husband out of Bushwick, Brooklyn. What began as an Instagram which Molly started in 2019, quickly grew in the pandemic (and out of their railroad style apartment no less!), and has since flourished into a full-fledged floral business of which clients include the New York Botanical Garden, La Mer, AnnaSophia Robb, Charles Kieth, and so many others. 

In this episode, we discuss how Molly’s imaginative childhood shaped her love for art and nature from an early age, the role Instagram played in the growth of her business, what it’s like at the NY flower market before sunrise, and how she approaches client work across a range of projects including fashion shows, editorial, home deliveries, and weddings. It was inspiring to chat with Molly and learn about her journey. My main takeaway - pursue what you love!

For more on Molly and her incredible creations, find her on Instagram at @flowersbyford.

For more Creative Juicy, visit CreativeJuicyPodcast.com and follow Michelle at @mich_wainwright. Podcast guest and advertising inquiries may be sent to [email protected].

x M

Jordan Rondel is the creative and entrepreneurial genius behind the brand, The Caker. What started out as a bakery in New Zealand where Jordan began redefining how one marks a special occasion, has since grown into an international cake brand with 2 bakeries, 5 published recipe books, a line of luxury cake kits and a cult following for Jordan’s unique recipes and signature baking style.