With Covid restricting so much of the way we work and relax, finding new ways to express our creativity can help make this time more bearable. In this episode of the Pre-Made Podcast, I talk to Meryl Draper, the CEO and co-founder of Quirk Creative, an award-winning agency that especially direct-to-consumer brands are hiring to help make their first big splash in TV advertising.

In this episode, Draper talks about how TV commercials get made, how Covid is reshaping that work, and what the rest of us can learn about how Quirk’s team keeps at peak creativity.

Some show notes:

I’ve traveled the world and enjoyed coffee in some of the world’s finest cities. None of it matches the coffee and espresso served at Antoinette’s Patisserie right here in my hometown of Hastings on Hudson, NY. Kus Beham is Antoinette’s captain of the caffeine, a flavor visionary who buys his own beans, roasts them in his own facility, and serves them in an atmosphere that blends people of every socioeconomic class as effortlessly as it does cappuccinos and lattes.

Kus likens his work to that of a musician laying down a soundtrack. Anyone who has been to Antoinette’s and sampled his Giaco Bean brand of coffee knows just how magnificent his symphony has become.

Jenelle Manzi is an elite performer who dances professionally with the New York City Ballet. She’s also an entrepreneur with big ambitions and a passionate team behind her.

I’ve been eager to share Jenelle’s story ever since I heard it for the first time. I think that’s because there are so many different ways to connect and relate to it. She touches on universal themes that include chasing down a huge dream, suffering significant setbacks, and bouncing back with everything she has.

In this episode, Jenelle talks about her passion for ballet, the importance of family and friends in the pursuit of her goals, and how she discovered a big idea for a business venture while recovering from a severe injury. Listen and you’ll learn what it’s like to commit fully to something much bigger than yourself and how to rebound when adversity throws you off-course.

Note: this was the first in-person recording I’ve ever done for my podcast. Perhaps, then, it won’t surprise anyone to discover that a few times during our conversation, the audio quality isn’t the best. I chalk that up to being a podcast rookie, but I don’t think it will detract from your enjoyment of Jenelle’s story.

The video game business yields billions of dollars annually, but generally it has lacked the mainstream acceptance and respect that film, television, and theater command. Entrepreneur and filmmaker Jeremy Snead is out to change that. He has directed and produced both an original documentary and television series that reveal how video games have shaped American culture over the last 50 years. His work celebrates the industry, the pioneers who helped build it, as well as the visionaries who are driving it forward today. His company, Mediajuice Studios, also produces TV commercials and trailers for some of the successful gaming and entertainment companies in the world.

Jeremy and I worked together from 2002-2004, and since then he has become one of my closest friends. In this episode, Jeremy describes his entrepreneurial journey, his creative process, and how leading with passion opens doors and attracts world class talent.

Following the 14th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and as we anxiously watch Hurricane Dorian looming off the southeastern coast of the United States, I speak to Kenny Bellau, who has an inspiring story to share. That’s because he rescued over 400 people in New Orleans in the chaotic aftermath of Katrina. It’s a portrait in resilience, courage, resourcefulness, with a surprisingly optimistic outlook about human nature. (Content heads-up: this podcast includes a couple of accounts of corpses that Kenny saw.) I hope you enjoy his story as much as I did.

Also, to look at photos Kenny took of New Orleans during his rescue work, click here.

In my first-ever podcast episode, I speak to Linden Griffith, a life coach who helps girls and women tame anxiety and find their best selves. In so doing, she presents a viable alternative to psychological or psychiatric care, one that is centered on our strengths, not our flaws.

Linden knows a thing or two about bouncing back from life’s obstacles. That’s because in addition to being a recovering alcoholic, she was diagnosed with a stage 3 brain tumor a few years ago. You’d never guess that, though, judging by the pure optimism and joy that emanates from her.

Here, we talk about her childhood, overcoming addiction, receiving her life-changing diagnosis, and why her approach is so different from traditional psychology. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed speaking with her.

Note: we encountered some technical hiccups that necessitated recording our interview in two sessions. As a result, you may notice a subtle change in the podcast shortly before the half hour point.