Don’t Get Me Started

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Hosted by Dan Balser, Advertising Department Head at The Creative Circus in Atlanta, this is a biweekly conversation about advertising. But it’s not just about the industry; it’s about the people in it.

Dan Balser


    • Nov 11, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 35m AVG DURATION
    • 340 EPISODES

    4.8 from 65 ratings Listeners of Don’t Get Me Started that love the show mention: advertising, dan's, thanks dan, creatives, attend, students, industry, field, ears, career, wisdom, school, binge, extremely, advice, valuable, insights, giving, business, interviews.



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    Latest episodes from Don’t Get Me Started

    Episode 340: Dan and Zach of The Academy at GS&P

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2021 26:38


    The Academy at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners is the brainchild of Zach Canfield, the agency's Director of Talent. Dan is now its director, and this episode marks a personally significant moment of transition.

    Episode 339: Sean Curran, VP, Creative & Marketing at Ranch Rider Spirits

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2021 30:27


    Leaving agency life in his past, Sean shares his thoughts on start-up culture, imposter syndrome, and the overemphasis put on deck perfection.

    Episode 338: Nathalie Con, VP, Strategy Director at Giant Spoon

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2021 49:03


    A natural strategist at heart, Nathalie shares her thoughts on how to best work with strategists, the genesis of insight, and moving to a new job. She also has some profound advice for young professionals (esp. women).

    Episode 337: Omid Amidi, CD at Johannes Leonardo

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2021 72:24


    This one manages to cover Wordsworth's Ode; feeling different and integrating; the value of a good strategy; the making of an epic, celebrity-laden commercial; levity; and finding a family at work. It wraps up with a generous offer from Omid.

    Episode 336: Lauren Goldsmith, ACD at Thrasio

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2021 37:23


    On finding your professional family, inner workings of e-commerce marketing, and uncovering opportunities in unlikely places

    Episode 335: Joe Baratelli, EVP and CCO at RPA

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2021 41:13


    An inside view of a great agency, from a leader's perspective

    Episode 334: Dominique Monet, ACD at GSD&M

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2021 46:52


    Advertising as a platform, the value of a good presentation, some real talk, and the power of truth well expressed

    Episode 333: Federico Diaz, ACD at The Community

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2021 37:10


    An online, mid-pandemic chat about a cookie vault, Seinfeld, sketch comedy and one copywriter’s process

    Episode 332: Yanci Wu, Senior Experience Designer at Autodesk

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2020 42:56


    The power of asking questions, being humble, and acting with intention. The value of going in-house, self-analysis, and knowing what matters to you.

    Episode 331: Gavin Lester, CCO at Zambezi

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2020 50:50


    A conversation with an award-winning, bi-cultural agency leader on creating not only great work, but also your own autonomy, your own agency within an agency, and originality within familiarity

    Episode 330: Copywriters Aaron Marshall and Brandon Kim

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2020 56:04


    Aaron, an intern with Mischief and Brandon, a freelancer with Arts & Letters Creative Co., discuss resourcefulness, resilience, mental exhaustion, and life as creatives of color.

    Episode 329: Danielle Hawley, Global ECD at Uber

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2020 37:19


    Life in the Covid-19 pandemic, burnout, the ethos of Dara Khosrowshahi, empathy, and a short commercial for Funworks

    Episode 328: Derek Walker, Owner of brown and browner

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2020 59:08


    The ongoing struggle with race in advertising, how to talk about bias, learning the craft in the Covid era, and squeezing the lemon

    Episode 327: Anna Taylor, Senior AD at BBDO Atlanta

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2020 40:12


    Making sense of this moment, a hard talk about being Black in a mostly White industry, and using your platform for good

    Episode 326: Jason Corbin, CD at Lewis Communications

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2020 39:32


    Visiting from Birmingham, Jason shares his thoughts on content creation, partnerships, career moves, asking for what you need, and the value of saying yes.

    Episode 325: Erin Stevens, ACD at Swift Agency

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2020 40:23


    Returning to The Circus after seven years, Erin covers starting over, the value of diversity, and her first big-budget TV shoot.

    Episode 324: Whitney Repole and Neil Ramanan, Creatives at Arts & Letters

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2020 59:18


    Recorded pre-COVID, this chat with two Circus alumni (replete with a gamified Q&A) covers advice for young creatives, a really bad portfolio review, acknowledging misery, and idea harvesting.

    Episode 323: Katie Riddle and Dave Bullen of MONO

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2020 34:29


    Directly off of a flight from Minneapolis, the two CDs sat down to talk about their agency, their careers, and important lessons learned.

    Episode 322: Steve Nathans, CD at DDB in SF

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2020 43:17


    Steve brings his dry wit to a conversation about embarrassment, revisions, bad work, ideas vs. executions, and career moves.

    Episode 321: Kevin Green, CD at Rapp in Dallas

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2020 35:17


    Kevin shares a sliver of his wisdom regarding personal growth, finding a place to find your strength, strategy vs. concept, and partnerships.

    Episode 320: Ben Greengrass, CD at ThoughtMatter

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2020 36:52


    The real job of a creative director, the English FA, and doing work worth doing

    Episode 319: Kameron Paries, ACD at 22squared

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2020 29:57


    From Canada to Idaho to Atlanta to Detroit to Las Vegas and back to Atlanta, Kam has picked up some knowledge and is happy to discuss.

    Episode 318: Paul Charney, CEO and Founder of Funworks in Oakland, CA

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2019 48:50


    Funworks, an AdAge Small Agency of the Year, has upended conventions of how creative work is generated and presented. And its engaging, energetic CEO is more than happy to enthusiastically discuss it.

    Episode 317: Patrick Holly, AVP Brand + Creative, USA at OYO

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2019 49:59


    The longtime listener and first-time guest discusses Steph Curry, China, YouTube and TikTok, empathy, insight and behavior, and lessons learned at Apple.

    Episode 316: Circus Student Brian Revels Interviews Dan

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2019 51:39


    Turning the proverbial tables, Brian (a copywriting student in his final quarter at The Creative Circus) asks Dan some questions.

    Episode 315: Diana Chen, ACD at EVB in SF

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2019 35:43


    A creative of and for today's ad culture, Diana shares thoughts on social as the new print, doing good, and learning new skills. Also: how a doctor's path led to art direction; art school vs. ad school; and some very real, real-world advice.

    Episode 314: Fabio Barros, ACD at Laundry Service

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2019 33:59


    Visiting from New York, Fabio discusses Corel Draw, work visas, and Dubai. He also shares some very poignant advice.

    Episode 313: Maxx Delaney, ACD at Preacher

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2019 39:44


    Lessons learned from Maxx’s first professional  half-decade include the dynamic anatomy of a creative and some real-world struggles.

    Episode 312: Erwin Federizo, Global CD at Vans

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2019 43:54


    Erwin has brought world-class creative pedigree to the skater footwear brand after years at W+K NY, Deutsch, and 180LA.

    Episode 311: Zach Canfield, Director of Talent at Goodby Silverstein & Partners

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2019 44:25


    Zach's second visit to the podcast is packed with great advice for all levels.

    Episode 310: Rich Silverstein of Goodby, Silverstein & Partners

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2019 35:55


    On his second visit to the podcast, Rich covers The Lion of St. Mark, winning, dealing with roadblocks, wit, design, and personal growth.

    Episode 309: Thomas Kemeny, Copywriter and Author

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2019 35:36


    The author of Junior: Writing Your Way Ahead In Advertising discusses craft, load-bearing ideas, partnerships, and Jeff Goodby.

    Episode 308: Prentice Howe, Principal at Door No. 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2019 34:29


    In his second visit to DGMS, Prentice covers focus groups, kids as inspiration, the value of core values, and challenger brands.

    Episode 307: Young Shits Founders Kat Kvas and Vignesh Seshadri

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2019 42:23


    Kat, an ACD at Spotify and Vig, an ACD at Fig, discuss big agencies, student competitions and adapting to new cultures.

    Episode 306: Erin Miller, Copywriter at Mission in New York

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2019 38:29


    Dan and Erin discuss New York City, typos, post-school adjustments and (yay!) mental health.

    Episode 305: Marc Lucas, Copywriter and Creative Director

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2019 53:32


    Reflecting on a career journey. Marc talks about the benefits of low expectations, the origin of the internet, and fear.

    Episode 304: Lennie Gray Mowris, Social Impact Designer

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2019 39:04


    Lennie is a facilitator, observer, designer and problem solver. Listen carefully to this one.

    Episode 303: Wally Hitchcock, CD at Avanade

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2019 30:39


    Wally and Dan talk about pica rulers, UX, mentors, tech nerdom, and cities.

    Episode 302: Kate Carter, ACD at Anomaly

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2019 35:23


    Kate, an Adweek Top-100 Creative, talks about asking for a raise, bots, having fun, working well with clients, and agency models.

    Episode 301: Laura Fegley, ECD at Colle McVoy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2019 24:45


    Visiting from Minneapolis, Laura shares perpsective on a career that has taken her from New York to the heart of the American midwest.

    Episode 300: Emily Sander, VP/CD at Momentum Worldwide

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2019 45:35


    The former Chair of Advertising at SCAD discusses podcasting, portfolios, career pivoting, progress – both personal and professional, and plenty more.

    Episode 299: Dan and Jason, as in Jason Sperling

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2019 35:32


    Jason, copywriter on the iconic “Get a Mac” campaign, is now Sr. VP, Chief, Creative Development at RPA in Los Angeles.

    Episode 298: Katy Hornaday, ECD at Barkley, Live from Mizzou

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2019 58:57


    Recorded live with the MOJO Ad Capstone group at University of Missouri, this was an insightful chat with some very intelligent questions from the audience.

    Episode 297: Tom Hamling, SVP/GCD at GSD&M

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2019 27:34


    On making the right moves, effort, and bringing more to every project

    Episode 296: Dan Cosgrove and Mike Epstein, ACDs at Digitas in Chicago

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2019 39:43


    Dan (AD) and Mike (CW) share thoughts on partnerships, juniors, and being interesting.

    Episode 295: Andy Corbett calls in from Seattle.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2019 45:01


    Making. Heebie-jeebies avoidance. Freelancing. Inspiration from peeves. Three definitions of the word "hit."

    Episode 294: Katy Hornaday, EVP/ECD and Cady Beansmith, Experience Design Director at Barkley

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2018 43:54


    Visiting from KC, Katy and Cady share thoughts on looking at books, inspriration, religion, leaps of faith, the creative process, and staying in discovery mode.  

    Episode 293: Photographer Kate T. Parker

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2018 27:23


    The creator of "Stong is the New Pretty" discusses finding your creative outlet, collaboration, soccer, the purpose of her work, and ASMR.

    Episode 292: Phil Henson, CD at Something Massive in L.A.

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2018 50:07


    The importance of mentorship, navigating agency politics, developing empathy, career navigation, the future of the industry, having a life partner who is also a creative, first-job advice

    Episode 291: Diego Pernia, Director at Zac Brown's Southern Reel

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2018 42:08


    The Argentine photographer and director discusses philosophy, finding your voice, watching 200 movies a year, self-doubt, wabi-sabi, collaboration, and Zac Brown.

    Episode 290: Marques Gartrell, Creative Director at Deutsch NY Creative Director at Deutsch NY

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2018 27:30


    On shifting and rebalancing, insight, what kind of work should be in your book, and being a minority in advertising

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