Question Everything

Romond Duval is a copywriter at Curiosity – but we prefer the title: word architect. Romond is passionate about amplifying Black creative voices in the advertising industry and making genuine work that speaks to the culture. He's worked for brands like Hennessy, Brooks Running, and Old Spice. After graduating from ONE School ATL, he spent time interning with agencies on the west and east coasts such as Wieden + Kennedy and Laundry Service before returning to his Ohio roots for his first full-time job at Curiosity.

On today's episode of Question Everything, we sit down with the architect himself to chat about his ad industry insights and what copywriting means to him. Between being a rising voice for Black creatives and setting the trends, Romond teaches us the importance of being a concept's #1 challenger - and not being afraid to reshape an idea until it resonates.

Here's some of his hot takes:

The secret to doing it all is actually being a serial quitter.

You have to always be asking for more – closed mouths don't get fed.

The key to success on social media is writing like you're talking to a friend.

As a copywriter, you don't actually have to like writing – he doesn't.

As a Black creative – creating alongside people who look like you will push your ideas further.

Being a first-generation college student has a silver lining, it's that you set the bar.

Connect with Romond on LinkedIn and Instagram.

A must-read mentioned this episode:

The future is yesterday

"Working for and with Jessica was and still is the best career decision I've made, and I thank her for that. She makes every piece of work she touches and every individual she works with better. She's that good." - Taylor Wiegert

Jessica George is a marketing superstar. Renowned for her outstanding leadership and ability to combine strategy with creativity, she brings a unique perspective to the marketing world. With a background in agency work, she made the transition to corporate three years ago and hasn't looked back since. As VP of Marketing at GSR Brands, she brings pride and attention to the Cincinnati-local chains Gold Star Chili and Tom + Chee.

On today's episode of Question Everything, I have the pleasure of chatting with Jessica George about what goes into leadership, preparation, listening, and understanding. Jessica teaches us a thing or two about what goes into managing a brand, while recalling her previous roles in agencies and outlining the secret recipe to marketing success.

During our conversation, hear her insights about:

Listening, Observing, and Absorbing, aka "LOA."

Bringing a brand into a new era with pride and attention.

Why leadership and mentorship are different, but equally important.

The meaning behind the acronym DD COI and how it inspires true behavior change.

Why thinking like an underdog keeps us hungry - and lights a fire under our ass.

Jessica's pre-game prep for major speaking events.

How the four-day work week trades in hours in the office for motivation, fulfillment, and happiness.

Setting people up for success with commitment to their career path.

Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn and Facebook.

"30 seconds in a room with Kelly will make you wiser. . . a selfless curiosity is his fuel" - Todd Manley

Needless to say, after peppering Second City's Kelly Leonard with questions for over 50 minutes, we feel like absolute geniuses.

Kelly Leonard is the VP of Creative Strategy, Innovation, and Biz Dev @ The Second City where he's hired and developed shows with Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, Steve Carell, Keegan-Michael Key, Amy Poehler, and others. On top of this, he wrote the best-selling book "Yes, And" and hosts the "Getting to Yes, And" podcast for Second City and WGN Radio in Chicago.

On today's episode, we bend an elbow with one of Chicago's comedy greats to chat how adopting an improv skillset in the workplace can change it all for your business. Between star-studded stories and thought-provoking human insights, Kelly teaches us that embracing failure is often the key to success – breeding humility, vulnerability, and creativity within a team.

Here's a preview:

You can make yourself shine by making others shine – improv is about building WITH someone.

No one is interested in your success. We want to hear your fiasco. That's what makes you "backable."

If you are well-versed in improvisation, you are well-versed in failing because you fail all the time.

See all obstacles as gifts. When someone makes a mistake on stage, it creates an opening – a way to take the story in a way we didn't think about before.

Take the fucking note - the art of accepting feedback as a gift.

Finding joy in the absolute chaos of a workplace that is barely holding it together.

Practicing gratitude – and how it's not the same as toxic positivity.

Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn and Twitter

Must-reads mentioned in this episode:

Choose Growth by Scott Berry Kaufman

Radical Candor by Tim Scott

The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul

Backable by Suneel Gupta

Ryan Meegan grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago before attending college where he earned a degree in marketing – as well as earning major respect as a basketball player. Now, he applies his sports mindset at the office as the CMO and co-founder of DUDE Wipes: a male-targeted flushable wipe company.

The coolest part? Ryan and his fellow Dudes earned a $300,000 investment from Mark Cuban on Shark Tank. After years and years of exponential growth, DUDE Wipes has officially hired its first agency ... which is why he's sitting down with us today.

On today's episode of Question Everything, I'm sitting down with Ryan Meegan as we have a conversation about authenticity and staying true to yourself and your brand. Between life lessons from Shark Tank, advice from Mark Cuban, and the perks of keeping a sports mindset, Ryan is answering questions from our QE gameboard and spilling the tea on the rise of DUDE Wipes including:

What advice Ryan has about risk-taking for other CMOs

Why walking the line of branding and speaking bluntly has been DUDE Wipes' strategy for maintaining authenticity

How Ryan and his partner shine a spotlight on the brand with confidence and how that creates buzz on social media

The importance of embracing yourself and celebrating it – knowing what you are and what you're not

Why hating to lose is better than wanting to win

DUDE Wipes' position on gender equality and how they make branding fun with no gender priority

Connect with Ryan:

Ryan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-meegan-07971859/

DUDE Wipes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dudewipes/

DUDE Wipes Website: https://dudeproducts.com/

Julia Petryk is nothing short of an inspiration. Co-Founder of the Ukrainian PR Army, Head of PR at MacPaw Inc., and mentor of various local tech startups, Julia has built her career on helping her community and her country. In 2022, we had the honor of partnering with Julia to launch Bathtub Creative – a fake agency based in the bathtub that shed light on Ukrainian working conditions while celebrating their resilience. Besides all this, we're proud to call Julia a friend. Learn more about Bathtub Creative here: https://www.bathtubcreative.com/. In this episode, we unpack why balance is important: Julia learned the hard way that you can build the perfect career and one person can take it away. Julia also reveals her secret weapon when public speaking – and spoiler alert – it's visualizing herself with a lizard tail. Finally, Julia shares firsthand why crisis leads to more creativity. This is a can't-miss episode.

Ashley Walters, Chief Development Officer at Partner at Curiosity, explores the successes and failures of the best in the biz who were daring enough to be curious.

We know a great question can build a relationship, break a system, or inspire change in culture. So, we created a podcast all about them. It's called Question Everything – and it'll have our industry's biggest names, well, questioning everything.

This podcast is part interview, part therapy, and part Price is Right. We even have our own gameboard stacked with questions that'll make even the most successful CMOs sweat.

Give this episode a listen to learn all about the show, and stay tuned for new episodes every month.

About Curiosity:

We're a Cincinnati-based independent, full-service agency that lives and breathes the power of being strategically curious. With core capabilities in strategy, creative, media, and analytics, we believe that asking the right questions is the key to unlocking the right solutions. That's why, when it comes to our client's business, no question is off-limits. Because for us, it all starts with curiosity.