From the shadows of the auto plants in Pontiac, Michigan to Madison Ave to the studios of Motown Records.  Valerie Graves has left her creative excellence on some of the biggest brands in the world.

Her memoir “Pressure Makes Diamonds: Becoming the women I pretended to be” captures her unique journey in an industry she was destined to be a part of. In this episode we visit some of the stories of her life from creating ads for former President Bill Clinton to putting legendary investigative reporter Bob Woodard on the hotseat in the academic halls of Stanford University. Valerie also shares how moving from general market agency life to multicultural agencies impacted her career. Now this self-described Auntie is focusing her talents on her passion project, The AfroGames Johannesburg — South Africa’s first large-scale basketball, music, entertainment and cultural festival.

Danny gives a brilliant and refreshingly honest take on his journey from a challenging start as a brand manager to co-founding his own agency and ultimately rising to lead one of the most celebrated creative agencies in the business.He shares why his role as CEO of The Martin Agency is deeply personal and what it means to him beyond the title. Danny also dishes out some unforgettable behind-the-scenes moments including hanging with Snoop Dogg while filming Solo Stove’s “Giving Up Smoke” campaign and setting the record straight on the real story behind Oprah Winfrey’s iconic car giveaway.A passionate believer in the power of culture, Danny talks about why building and protecting a strong agency culture has never mattered more. And, as for his second act? He hints at what might be next — and no, it’s not DJing or stand-up comedy. He’s already been there, done that.

In this episode, Cheryl Berman — Chief Creative of Unbundled and former Chairman & Chief Creative Officer of Leo Burnett — shares her remarkable journey from young copywriter and coffee runner to leading one of the most iconic creative agencies in the world.

She breaks down the power of the Big Idea, the start of emotional storytelling, and why music remains one of the most powerful tools for brands to connect with culture.

Plus, Cheryl spills the tea on collaborating with Steven Spielberg, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Justin Timberlake, and Christina Aguilera — and reveals why she may have been the original Swiftie.

From his roots as a Jersey boy artist to becoming one of the most prolific and successful commercial directors in advertising history, Bob Giraldi has shaped culture through storytelling on screen. In this conversation, he shares behind-the-scenes stories from the iconic Miller Lite All-Star campaign to directing Michael Jackson’s groundbreaking “Beat It” music video.

Giraldi also reflects on his decades in the industry, offering advice to young directors navigating a new world shaped by AI — and reminding us why the world could benefit from filming more sunsets. Host: Lewis Williams