CREATIV SPORTS PODCAST

Back for Season 3 with some news + updates!

She is the video & Creative manager for the San Diego Wave, and previously spent time getting Charlotte FC up and running. She is a cancer survivor going on 9 years, and has been a reporter, writer, and video producer as she bounced around the country making her dreams a reality. Being authentically herself is her policy for gaining trust and access. Soccer is a big part of her life, but more importantly, what stokes her fire is the opportunity to humanize athletes by capturing their stories. Give her a follow: TW @bavacado2 IG @bavacado Site brittanyalvarado.com

Brad Friedman is a social media lead at STN Digital. With everything that goes into managing social in sports, we talk about the value of rest, how to keep your team fresh, and why it matters that your team can bring their best selves to work each and every day. 

When time isn't on your side, you have to Build the Plane as You Fly It. That's what Meaghan Frazier and her team do as they work to build an amazing content team. And with her background and experience, they're on the right track to do so. 

This week, we are joined by Oliver Hunt, a writer for Women's sports exchange and Fansided. Oliver's path began with theater, and learning about lighting, which is what he does as a full-time gig. However, their passion has led to moonlighting and shining a light on the NWSL. Follow on social: linktr.ee/oliverrhunt

Jason Lavine is the VP of content and production for the Chargers. From Schedule Release, to Draft Hype, and selling content. We dive deep into understanding how they have built their voice, and how they make decisions when it comes to creating sellable content for their audience. 

In a world where "Influence" is at the forefront for creatives, Akshay Ram is no stranger to finding his place with it. Akshay shares his journey to becoming a product manager for Adobe and how he's using that same platform to help other creatives make life easier for themselves. 

Jared Kleinstein of Fresh Tape + Gondola is our guest today. From meme's to Vine's and analytics tracking, Jared has failed many times while creating valuable products for social media. There are stories, tangents, and deep conversation about work, life, and the pursuit of happyness!

Jesse Wu is the Creative Director for the University of Southern California. Growing up, Jesse didn't see much Asian influence in Pro American Sports, but didn't let that detour him from his aspirations of working in sports. As we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islanders Month, as well as Mental Health Awareness Month, he describes his experiences with both. 

Karen Ramming is the Sr. Director of Digital Innovation and Communications with TrackTown USA and although she ran track in high school, she never expected to get into the sports field after college career. From bartending to PR, she has a wide ranging background that has all contributed to her success and foreshadowed her next career move. She has been intentional with her decisions to take on jobs to evolve her career. We talk about content, cocktails, social, career choices, and mental health. Episode content: Road to TrackTown episodes with Allie Wilson, Anna Hall, and Ryan Crouser MagicBoost site: https://www.themagicboost.com/

Gary Paczesny grew up in South Bend, and got his start early in the live streaming era. He now oversees Creative + Communications at North Carolina. We pick his brain about what it takes to get hired, and why there are such a wide range of salaries across college athletics.

Alex Herko is the Director of Content for the reigning world series champs and a former colleague of mine from our time with the Boston Celtics. Alex's drive, and passion for the intersection of content + business has helped him thrive in his role. We'll be diving into how to make those connections and work on getting the green light for production! Follow Alex on social: IG: herko_alexander

We've all heard the old saying "It's not how you start, but how you finish." Well, just imagine going from a collegiate basketball player, to assistant coach/SID to full time SID, to content creator. It's not how you get there, but that you actually reach the destination. 

What is it like to work on the Marketing side of a product like FanDuel? Avery shares what a typical day is like in the fast-paced world of fantasty games. He also talks about how he spends his time to clear his head and focus on something other than sports design. Give him a follow:  Behance: https://www.behance.net/AveryO?locale=en_US Twitter: aveowens_

Lauren makes it her mission to hold space for others. As one of 32 Social Media Managers in the NFL, she wants to ensure that she's leaving the door open for more women to obtain those roles after her in the future. An English major by trade, and with over 10 years of experience in pro sports, Harper is constantly reminded the value of networking across with your peers and not just upwards. 

Sarina is a tenacious self-starter and driven individual. The diverse opportunities that she has experienced have shaped her into a coachable team player who enjoys taking on new challenges. She produces content in multiple languages, and makes her family proud as she represents her ancestors on the sideline for her hometown team. Site: sarinasoriano.com

Natalie's journey to content started with many other paths and explorations before she landed an opportunity with the American Junior Golf Association. From teaching a college class she had to learn on the fly, to exploring interests in sports science, she followed her curiosity. She adapted and learned how all of those experiences shaped who she is, and what she does today as the Director of Content with the Atlanta Hawks.

Tessa has seen many sides of the sports industry. She got her start with the Spurs, developed connections to expand her network, and built relationships with many teams in Texas.  She has worked behind the camera, in front of the camera, and freelanced, where she has learned the value of being a multi-disciplined content creator. She now puts all of that knowledge together to coordinate content needs as a producer with the PGA Tour. Connect with Tessa: Site: https://www.tessaandrade.com/ TW: @tessaandrade IG: @tessaandrade

Have you ever had someone stop you because they didn't believe you were? At 6'5", Brian Gray looks like an athlete, but has always been interested in the art of design. As part of the Kansas Jayhawks Basketball program, Brian talks about challenges he's faced and not taking on the burden of others expectations by believing in who you are and what you're capable of. Social: IG: @briangray.design TW: briangraydesign

Zhanee Anderson, Graphic Designer for Austin FC, found herself taking an unconventional path during the pandemic as she was graduating college. With limited experience, and limitations on being around athletes to get the job done, she maximized her opportunity by gaining a lot of experience, in a short amount of time. Although some may not recommend job hopping in a short period of time, it proved to be very beneficial for Anderson.  Follow Zhanee on Twitter @zhaneeanderson and Instagram _Zhaneeanderson

Candace Cooper, Lead Producer for Under Armour is no stranger to waiting her turn or making the most of every opportunity. Once a student athlete with Olympic aspirations, Cooper found herself in the sports creative world after retiring from swimming. Throughout her career, no matter how life forced her to pivot, she was prepared for the moment.  Her journey has not been a straight path but she's always prepared to thrive in her waiting season. Follow: @CandaceDCooper

One may think that a meteoric rise to success would send humbleness out the window. Not for Corey Easley. He has found a way to remain humble, hungry and constantly eager to learn every step of the way. Now a video producer for William Morris Endeavor, SPorts Division, working with some of the top athletes around the world, Corey still finds a way to humble himself and is never afraid to hone his craft and learn from his peers. Follow on social TW & IG: @Imcoreaz

Music licensing has been a hot button topic around the industry for a while now, so it's time we brought in some help to unpack music usage and licensing. MG from APM Music is our guest today. From needle drop to open videos, performance licensing to social media usage, we cover the bases to help you navigate music for your content needs.   *This is an educational conversation and not legal advice. If you have questions, consult your legal team.

Tom Roche has sat in many chairs over 25 years at ESPN. He's now the coordinating producer with CBS Sports. As many things have changed, we talk about what has remained constant. From how to get your foot in the door, to building a network, and making the most of your own highlight reel! Site: https://stormers15media.com/ Socials: TW: @Stormers_15 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-roche-producer/

Jaylynn has over ten years of experience being a graphic designer, photographer, social media manager, content creator, web designer, and marketer. She has designed for startups, sales, corporate, sports, healthcare (including Duke), and family companies. Along with she has almost a decade of extensive experience in covering professional sports, minor/junior leagues, college level, and youth. She has covered NBA, WNBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, MLS, Red Bull events, NASCAR, INDYCAR, NCAA (including local ACC games and ACC Championships), and my work has been featured on ESPN, Getty Images, Sports Illustrated, The Washington Post, USA Today, The New York Times, NFL, Red Bull, SB Nation, Forbes, NHL, the Canes hockey mural at the RDU Airport, billboards, Canes marketing materials, Canes socials, along with Capitals, Dallas Stars, Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Rangers, Pittsburgh Steelers, ACC, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest,Clemson, and other teams.  To add, she has also worked full-time in some of those leagues listed above in the graphics/digital marketing department, so she understands how the Creative Services department runs. Some of her clients include the NHL Carolina Hurricanes, Red Bull, Atlantic Coastal Conference, NC State Athletics, Duke Athletics, Wake Forest Athletics, NASCAR, INDYCAR, USA Today, Courage, Bauer Hockey, Brown, Notre Dame and more. Not only have she covered some of the top sports, but she also have covered for popular brands in the US as well as helped many startups with delivering them their first digital content needs. Some brands/fashion she has covered for are Bauer Hockey, LSKD, Mott and Bow, SkinCeauticals- L'oreal Group, Blue Shark Vodka, UNRL, Medlies formally Zupa Noma (sold at Whole Foods), The Mayton Inn-Hotel, byNiche (NY Brand), Team IFA, Tin Roof-Raleigh, TrueRest-Cary, and for Metta World Peace's clothing company. All of which dealt with models, influencers, commercial headshots, product shots, events, and well-known athletes, showing versatility in her work. Jaylynn is originally from Sioux Falls, South Dakota (ironically a state with no pro sports), college Mankato, Minnesota (where she was officially trained by the pro teams), currently lives in North Carolina (for over six years), and loves the beaches, hiking, HGTV, anything with water, and mountains.   You can view her work at http://www.jaylynnnash.com  Follow along with her photography IG: @photography_by_jaylynn  TikTok: @JaylynnNash

Work-Life balance. It's a term we've all heard. But, what happens when you're married and work in the same Athletic Department? Today, we have Jen + Lijah Galas of the Georgia Bulldogs. Jen  is the Assistant Athletic Director of Social Media & Digital Strategy. Lijah is the Director of Creative Services & Recruiting. Although their work lives don't always overlap, their home life does, and it's become an incubator of sorts for bringing fresh ideas to their work lives.

From former college athlete to leading the creative department at BYU, today's guest Tyson Hutchins has a strong voice in the digital space in college athletics. We talk about the WHY. Why is this content being created. Why do we need to change something. Why are we creating the teams social content in a certain voice. Creating with intention all comes back to strategy.  TW: @tysonhutchins_

Dominique Nwoko started working with the University of Georgia as a student because she was looking for something to do. You will not find her watching sports outside of work, but that has allowed her to bring a fresh voice and an outside perspective to her sports work. She designed Jalen Ramsey's signature chain, and is currently working in the agency world with VaynerSports.  Site: https://dnwoko.myportfolio.com/ TW: dominique_nwoko IG: dominiquenwoko

Nilay Shah is the SVP of Marketing and Brand Strategy for the New York Football Giants. He got his start with the team as an intern and has since helped guide the brand to becoming a digital first operation. He believes that planning, preparation, and data are essential to success on social! NY Giants YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/NewYorkGiants LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nilay-shah-623ab5188

Kaila Pettis unleashes wisdom on us today. As someone who started out drawing on shoes, she has worked her way into a leadership role with FC Cincinnati. We talk about building a team, advocating for creative, and how to establish a culture of growth.  Lckrroom: https://lckrroom.com/ Socials: @kpology1

Matt Lange is joining us today to talk about his journey from Rustin, Louisiana to becoming a full-time freelancer. You've seen his work as a graphic designer, but that's not how it started. He's seen it all after getting out of sports, reentering, and breaking out on his own...and he has stories for it all!  Site: http://www.mattlange.com/ Twitter: @mattjlange

Amanda J Cain is joining us on this episode to talk about her path to the NHL. As the first black photographer in the league, she talks about the importance of creating opportunities for women photographers, and how her mindset has shifted to building a program just as much as getting the shot!  Link to AJC's work: https://amandajcain.photoshelter.com/index

Paige Dall considers herself a multimedia designer. She brings together many skills to produce creative content. We discuss how she ended up in sports,  how her family has changed her priorities, and how she finds the balance between process and free flowing creativity.   Paige Vimeo portfolio: https://vimeo.com/paigedall Cub studio: https://www.cubstudio.com/

What up, what up! Excited to relaunch the podcast with some new wrinkles, and exciting news. Matt Desmond joins the four of us to talk about how the sports creative community will be impacted by this news, and what the community can expect going forward. Following that news, the four of us catch up about the last 6 months, and what we've been up to!

It's common to work long hours and many days without time off while working in sports. LJ is a seasoned vet who has worked her way up from pee wee community leagues to the Super Bowl. She helped open the stadium in Phoenix, worked as a freelancer with Van Wagner, and is now with the 49ers.  She takes PTO to freelance and work with other teams and venues to make new teammates and keep her skills sharp.  We dive into work-life balance, the power of speaking up, and making sure you take care of you so you can show up and create memories for fans. Links to work: 2021 Intro Video - https://twitter.com/49ers/status/1487832983495065603?s=20&t=lSMch75P2LJgXBmEgiZfLw National Anthems - https://49ers.egnyte.com/fl/nJ93fms24Y#folder-link/

From former track athlete to social media star. She spent time in the NFL and Bleacher Report and is now with ESPN working to amplify women's sports.

Darrias is joined by all 5 of the NFL's black photogs to talk about their path, and how they capture content on the sidelines and in the community. Links to work: Kam Nedd (Jaguars): https://www.instagram.com/thecomeupkam/ Callena Williams (Cowboys): https://www.callenamwphoto.com https://instagram.com/callenamwilliams?utm_medium=copy_link https://instagram.com/dallascowboysunited?utm_medium=copy_link Brevin Townsell (Rams): https://www.instagram.com/p/CY-xASpLe3j/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CXRBm_xFswn/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CVkDKqyBvjm/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CaI-EjYJQ_6/ https://www.therams.com/photos/rams-2021-third-jersey-unveiled-threaded-with-greatness#bb1c44ab-9e2f-45ee-b865-f5adae3e2723 https://www.instagram.com/p/CQBlE2Zt9sf/ Terrell Lloyd (49ers): https://www.terrelllloyd.net/ Chanelle Smith-Walker (Panthers): https://www.chanellecreative.com/ https://www.instagram.com/_nellez/

It's Black History Month, and we're continuing to spotlight black creatives. Zenobia Winbush is a Social Media Graphic Designer for the Dallas Cowboys. Pre-pandemic, Zenobia wouldn't have anticipated her current path, but as her journey unfolded and new opportunities presented themselves, this former athlete made the most of them, and found her confidence and style along the way. Links to work: Behance https://www.behance.net/zenobiawinbd10  Twitter: Zenobia1525       IG: Zenobia25

Darrias Thomas is taking the reigns this month to shine a spotlight on black creatives in the industry. Up first is Alex Grant, digital video manager with the Carolina Panthers.  This conversation spans his experience at the real USC, progress being made in the industry, and how to build your brand on social while being a team player. Links to work: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZnrNAHN5wt/?utm_medium=copy_linkhttps://www.instagram.com/tv/CXzwZQiF0Le/?utm_medium=copy_linkhttps://twitter.com/panthers/status/1454971644884226048?s=10

Mollie Wilkie has led highly effective teams creating disruptive integrated marketing campaigns for high-end brands like Whole Foods and the NFL. She is now the Senior Creative Director for Nerf and sports action with Hasbro. She likes smart design, bad puns, and sexy type.  Link to work: mswilkie.com

Be Brave. Today's episode is intended to be a creative pep talk. Simon, Aporva, and the team at DixonBaxi are a prime example that you can do great work by having a point of view, stand for something you believe in, and share your process with the community. Their "Be Brave." motto is a living breathing rallying cry for believing in yourself and the creativity you bring to the world. Tw: @DixonBaxi IG: @DixonBaxi Simon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonsdixon/ Site: https://dixonbaxi.com/ Digital Monograph: https://dixonbaxi.com/books/ The DixonBaxi Way Series: https://thedixonbaxiway.com/ 

Andrew Abrams found his way into this industry through networking. Every step of the way was because of a connection. He's currently with the Vegas Golden Knights, and we dive into what it takes to bring creativity and technology together  to deliver a Vegas worthy show on the ice! Links to content: Kraken Open https://youtu.be/lRmLax5r__s Western conference 2018 Jet Open https://youtu.be/domicsoBjjs 2021 Semifinals Open https://youtu.be/Yv6ZeW3GbEA

Changing expectations and meeting fans where they are. Overtime is making a name for themselves in the industry by catering to their audience of young fans. So, what does the future look like? Today, we have Overtime Executive Producer Benard Worrell here to help us understand the youth movement. Links to work: Views from the O: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4dmpP8vQA3C31RbxuQlhbQ Overtime Elite site: https://www.overtimeelite.com/ Overtime on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/overtime LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benard-worrell-65a49712

Screens are everywhere from Times Square to in-venue. Diane Gonzalez-Feranti recently joined Daktronics after a couple decades with the Pistons. We explore the new opportunities she see's for sports to extend beyond the current in-bowl experience and open new doors using technology.

It's been some time since the three of us have been on a recording in some time. We caught up about travel, working conditions, supporting other creatives, and how to improve feedback when both giving and receiving.

Imagine being asked to redesign a web site, or start tweeting for a brand early in your career. Jess Smith says these opportunities started her down the digital path to where she is today as the Head of Digital & Brand Strategy at Stewart-Haas racing. How would you begin to define digital strategy at a brand if you had a clean slate today?  We explore the differences between working for a team vs agency, how sponsorship differs in the racing world, and the challenges of figuring things out on the fly with a new team.

From former track athlete to gimbal runs, and college to the pros, Juwan Bush is here to share his journey. We're diving into his background as an Army kid, and how that helps him today, and what to do when you need to bet on yourself and fund your own opportunities!   Links: https://twitter.com/sportingkc?s=21

What's it like to work at a horse racing complex that is steeped in tradition and pageantry? Joining us today is Emily Shepard, Director of Design & Creative at Churchill Downs is here to share her experience in sports versus corporate, making last minute changes, and how to use race day to source fan feedback.  Links to work: Portfolio: https://emilyfshepard.myportfolio.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyfshepard/

Would you like to work in prime time with the whole world watching? Zack Millican has worked his way up to the Olympics with NBC. He builds graphics packages, and we learn how he got his foot in the door and took advantage of opportunities he was presented.   We talk process of pulling ideas out of an executives head, getting a project from Photoshop to live broadcast, and the differences between building a package from start to finish versus taking creative and building out the thousands of elements to become broadcast ready. Zack's work: https://www.leaguesandteams.com/ IG: @zackdm

What does the future of sports design look like? Today's guest is Insung Kim, Senior Creative Director with the Atlanta Braves. He's going to help us hit the road and do some wayfinding as we explore architecture, environmental design, and how we can develop ideas for fresh content.   Instagram: Instagram.com/izziro Twitter: twitter.com/izziro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/insung-kim-3698557b

From kids to sports and living coast-to-coast, photographer Zach Tarrant has captured life for a living. We learn about his art school background, how he's able to capture authentic athlete images, and the art of making a good frame.