Podcasts about Chief creative officer

As we approach our 100th episode, I've been revisiting a few conversations that have stayed with me long after the microphones were turned off.Bill Valentine's episode was re-released because of the way he shared heart-centered, real-life wisdom while facing the end of his life. And today, I'm re-releasing my conversation with Serena Dugan for a different—but equally powerful—reason.Over the years, people have stopped me on the streets of my hometown of Bend to tell me that Serena's words gave them the courage to finally write the book that had been living inside them… or to leave a corporate job and start a small design company to help people feel more alive in their homes.These two episodes remind us that our "cracking open" moments come in many forms. Sometimes they arrive through confronting mortality, and sometimes they arrive through choosing to trust our creativity and make brave, life-altering changes.Serena is a beacon of authenticity and creative courage. She is an artist and textile designer based in Sausalito, California. With a background in both psychology and fine art, Serena has spent over 20 years shaping her voice as a painter, product designer, and the Chief Creative Officer of Serena & Lily, the home and lifestyle brand she founded in 2004.In 2020, she launched Serena Dugan Studio, her namesake collection of fabrics and wallpapers. Her art-driven textiles draw inspiration from around the world—from the breezy jet-set spirit of Capri in the '50s, to South American basket-weaving traditions, to the colorful mid-century architecture of Mexico City. Most recently, Serena collaborated with Erik Lindstrom on a line of rugs inspired by her artwork.In our conversation, we explore what it really means to trust your creative instincts, make decisions from your inner knowing, release ego, and find your way forward through grief and loss. This episode is both grounded and expansive—a reminder that creativity lives within all of us when we remain open to change and willing to listen to ourselves.Serena also speaks honestly about the value of making mistakes, starting over, and remembering that our achievements do not define who we are. As she so beautifully shares:“At the end of my days, I'm not going to look back on Serena and Lily and think that is my greatest success. I'm not going to look back on my textile collection and say that is what I'm most proud of. At the end of the day, it's the people I'm surrounded by that give life meaning. The rest of this is just our path to love.”This conversation is a gentle but powerful reminder that our creative work, our businesses, and our accomplishments are simply vehicles. The true masterpiece is how we love and connect with others along the way.If you've been waiting for permission to start that project, make that change, or trust the creative voice that's been quietly calling you forward—let this episode be your catalyst.

In this special episode, Serena dives into the biggest NEWS of the year at The Walt Disney Company:  Josh D'Amaro has been named the next CEO, effective March 18, 2026, succeeding Bob Iger. As a lifelong "parks guy" who started as a cast member and rose to Chairman of Disney Experiences, Josh's appointment has parks enthusiasts buzzing about what's next for Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and beyond.Joined by special guest Adam Bankhurst, Disney writer for IGN.com and author of the in-depth article on this transition, Serena breaks down:Why Josh D'Amaro was chosen and what his operational, guest-first background could mean for theme park magicDana Walden's promotion to President and Chief Creative Officer – and how her creative vision might supercharge park attractions and IP tie-insThe real talk on fan hopes (bolder expansions, better guest experiences) vs. concerns (rising costs, Genie+, IP over originality)Who might step into Josh's old role as Chairman of Disney Experiences – with a look at top contenders Whether you're a die-hard Annual Passholder, a once-a-year visitor, or just love debating the future of Disney parks, this episode gives you the full scoop from an insider perspective.Tune in for candid discussion, fan-focused analysis, and a peek at what the next era of Disney magic could look like.Thanks to guest Adam Bankhurst for joining today! Read Adam's article on IGN Follow Adam on Instagram Check out Adam's podcast, Talking Disney Magic 

Welcome back to Fine Tooning, where Drew Taylor and Jim Hill record on Super Bowl Sunday, dodge football talk, and instead zero in on animation news, box office bruises, and one of the biggest corporate shake-ups in Disney history. Along the way, there is chatter about Super Bowl trailers, art books you are not allowed to open yet, and why studios still love spending big bucks for 30 seconds of attention. Then the conversation turns serious as Disney's future leadership comes sharply into focus. NEWS • Super Bowl 60 trailer watch, including expected spots for Toy Story 5, Hoppers, and whether Universal should hype the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy Movie • A rough North American box office weekend, with Send Help limping to number one and Zootopia 2 still padding its already massive worldwide total • Angel Studios news, including a release date for Andy Serkis' long-awaited Animal Farm • GKIDS picks up a new original animated feature from Macross creator Shoji Kawamori • Genndy Tartakovsky reportedly circling an animated Game of Thrones spin-off, plus a look at Netflix's Stranger Things: Tales from '85 FEATURE • Disney announces its next era as Josh D'Amaro is named CEO, effective March 18, 2026 • A deep dive into D'Amaro's path through Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, and why Iger ultimately chose him • Dana Walden promoted to President and Chief Creative Officer, with oversight of Disney's vast entertainment portfolio • What this leadership pairing signals for Disney's creative direction, corporate culture, and long-term strategy HOSTS • Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com • Drew Taylor - IG: @drewtailored | X: @DrewTailored | Website: drewtaylor.work FOLLOW • Facebook: JimHillMediaNews • Instagram: JimHillMedia • TikTok: JimHillMedia SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency SPONSOR Unlocked Magic helps you save on Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando tickets, sometimes up to 12 percent off. Just pick your dates, grab your tickets, and go. Visit UnlockedMagic.com and be sure to tell them Drew and Jim sent you. If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Fine Tooning, where Drew Taylor and Jim Hill record on Super Bowl Sunday, dodge football talk, and instead zero in on animation news, box office bruises, and one of the biggest corporate shake-ups in Disney history. Along the way, there is chatter about Super Bowl trailers, art books you are not allowed to open yet, and why studios still love spending big bucks for 30 seconds of attention. Then the conversation turns serious as Disney's future leadership comes sharply into focus. NEWS • Super Bowl 60 trailer watch, including expected spots for Toy Story 5, Hoppers, and whether Universal should hype the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy Movie • A rough North American box office weekend, with Send Help limping to number one and Zootopia 2 still padding its already massive worldwide total • Angel Studios news, including a release date for Andy Serkis' long-awaited Animal Farm • GKIDS picks up a new original animated feature from Macross creator Shoji Kawamori • Genndy Tartakovsky reportedly circling an animated Game of Thrones spin-off, plus a look at Netflix's Stranger Things: Tales from '85 FEATURE • Disney announces its next era as Josh D'Amaro is named CEO, effective March 18, 2026 • A deep dive into D'Amaro's path through Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, and why Iger ultimately chose him • Dana Walden promoted to President and Chief Creative Officer, with oversight of Disney's vast entertainment portfolio • What this leadership pairing signals for Disney's creative direction, corporate culture, and long-term strategy HOSTS • Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com • Drew Taylor - IG: @drewtailored | X: @DrewTailored | Website: drewtaylor.work FOLLOW • Facebook: JimHillMediaNews • Instagram: JimHillMedia • TikTok: JimHillMedia SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency SPONSOR Unlocked Magic helps you save on Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando tickets, sometimes up to 12 percent off. Just pick your dates, grab your tickets, and go. Visit UnlockedMagic.com and be sure to tell them Drew and Jim sent you. If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After 15 years of building brands across every category, John Scheer and his partner made a bet that focus would beat breadth and it paid off. In just three years, Herman Scheer doubled their business by going all-in on healthcare, self-care, and wellness branding.In this episode, John breaks down:On Positioning & Niching:Why specialization turned prospects from comparing agencies to making a choiceHow focusing on healthcare eliminated the "comparison game" with dozens of other creative agenciesThe real reason most agencies stay generalists (and why that's a mistake)On Building Healthcare Brands:Working with brands like Ritual, Bobby, and disruptive healthcare startupsWhy "your first 500 customers talk about you more than your next 5,000"—and what that means for brand positioningThe shift in supplement marketing: from benefit-forward to science-backed transparencyOn Industry Evolution:Why AG1's recent efficacy controversy signals a major shift in wellness marketingHow consumers now understand bioavailability and demand proof of resultsBalancing science vs. feeling when selling health productsOn Agency Growth:How bringing on a third partner helped them move upmarket and double revenueThe transition from "taking any creative work" to working with sophisticated businessesMoving from Venice Beach to Cleveland while maintaining cutting-edge wellness workJohn Scheer is Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of Herman Scheer, a strategic brand consultancy specializing in healthcare, self-care, and wellness brands. They work with everyone from venture-backed startups to established CPG brands in supplements, fitness, health tech, and healthy food & beverage.ABOUT THE MARKETING FACTOR:Hosted by Austin Dandridge, Creative Director of Cobble Hill (a Pyxl company). Get tactical marketing insights from brand founders and marketing leaders driving real growth.

856 · I Just Got Off a Call With Disney's New CEO, Josh D'Amaro...Disney just named only its ninth CEO in more than 100 years, and days later, I found myself on a video call with Disney's new CEO, Josh D'Amaro.In this episode, I share what that on-the-record conversation revealed about Josh's leadership style, his Josh D'Amaro Disney CEO leadership vision, and his commitment to remaining accessible to fans and Cast Members even as his role expands. We talk about why so many people feel a personal connection to Josh, and how that authenticity shapes the way he leads.We also explore why the pairing of Josh as CEO and Dana Walden as President and Chief Creative Officer may be one of the most important structural decisions Disney has made since the Bob Iger era - and why this leadership design matters more than the title change itself.We discuss what this moment means for Disney Parks, storytelling, technology, Cast Members, and the Disney fan community, and why this doesn't feel like a simple succession, but the beginning of a more unified Disney.This is an honest, thoughtful look at the Josh D'Amaro Disney CEO leadership vision and why it could redefine how Disney shows up as one company, everywhere we experience it.

Big news from Disney. This week, Disney announced a historic leadership change: Josh D'Amaro will step into the role of CEO, taking over for Bob Iger, while Dana Walden becomes President and Chief Creative Officer. In this episode, we break down what this announcement means and take a deep dive into both of their career paths—from Josh's early days at Disney to the roles and decisions that led them to the top of one of the most well-known entertainment companies in the world. In this episode you'll hear: Josh D'Amaro's rise through Disney Parks and Experiences Dana Walden's creative leadership across Disney television and film Why this leadership pairing makes sense right now Has Disney learned their lesson with this change? How this change could impact parks, movies, and Disney fans Whether you follow Disney corporate news closely or just want to know what this means for the future of the magic, this episode gives you the full picture. Submit a question/topic for us to discuss on a future episode. Don't forget to check us out on: -Instagram -Facebook  -Youtube Missing the smell of the parks? Check out Magic Candle Company and use code ENCHANTED at checkout to save 15% off your next order. Timestamps Welcome 00:00 Bob Iger's Finally Done? 00:44 Who are Josh D'Amaro and Dana Walden? 03:09 Josh D'Amaro's Career at Disney 05:54 The Future of Disney is Theme Parks 7:48 Being Disney CEO is a Unique Position 15:21 Dana Walden is a Hit Maker 18:57 Has Disney Learned Their Lesson? 23:59 What Does Disney's New CEO Need to Change? 31:55 Bob Iger, Disney Legend? 36:49 Impacts to Star Wars and Marvel 37:57

This week on ITCAF, Dustin and Logan dive deep into the latest leadership news from the Mouse House. Josh D'Amaro is the new CEO and Dana Walden is President and Chief Creative Officer. Is D'Amaro the actual top guy or are they really co-running Disney? The guys give their thoughts on that question and whether this new power duo can actually save Disney or if it's setting up the next Hollywood trainwreck. All that plus our Top 5 list, this week it's Top 5 IPs Disney Still Doesn't Own (some obvious, some wild), the weekend box office recap and IMDb's Top Trenders everyone's buzzing about. Pop culture, insider insight, and hot takes, this episode has it all!Chapters:0:00 Opening Monologue 1:13 Opening Music1:33 Show Open2:43 Disneys Big News3:19 CEO Josh D'Amrios background7:47 ABC Live Interview 8:45 Disney Parks Revenue 9:53 Dana Walden's background13:34 Why Dana Didn't Get The Job16:14 what it came down to18:14 Dana & Josh Leading Together21:26 Disney Has Done This Before22:57 Will the films suffer?25:28 The Future Legacy33:29 Dana is Key For AI34:24 Marvel needs Disney to let loos40:52 Top 5 IP's Disney Doesn't Own Yet1:00:19 Box Office1:04:22 IMDb trending1:05:11 Show WrapFollow Us Here:Website: https://crazyantmedia.comMerchandise: https://crazyantmedia.com/crazy-ant-merchandiseOur first film, Deadlines: https://crazyantmedia.com/deadlinesPodcasts:ITCAFpodcast:Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/itcafpodcast/id1644145531Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1tf6L0e7vO9xnVtWaip67s?si=tYPrIVr_R36qpYns4qeZ8gEverything's Okay Podcast:Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everythings-okay/id1664547993Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0uMm80MW4K50f8uURgVUYp?si=9mF7mwf_Qe-ZDqKBhEovMgSocial Media:ITCAFpodcastTwitter: https://twitter.com/itcafpodcast?s=21&t=q0HdFq3CPkXBzVYHYdJW6wInstagram: https://instagram.com/itcafpodcast?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRLQ7hHn/Everything's OkayTwitter: https://twitter.com/everythingsokp?s=21&t=ckQqBvyxz3lYqKHLrI6peAInstagram: https://instagram.com/everythingsokp?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Crazy Ant MediaTwitter: https://twitter.com/crazyantmedia?s=21&t=q0HdFq3CPkXBzVYHYdJW6wInstagram: https://instagram.com/crazyantmedia?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRLQP1c1/Logan (Left)Twitter: https://twitter.com/jloganaustin?s=21&t=ckQqBvyxz3lYqKHLrI6peAInstagram: https://instagram.com/jloganaustin?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@j.loganaustin?_t=8ZMB9Hp1yxf&_r=1Dustin (Right)Twitter: https://twitter.com/crazyantceo?s=21&t=ckQqBvyxz3lYqKHLrI6peAInstagram: https://instagram.com/crazyantceo?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@crazyantceo?_t=8ZMB84k7BUM&_r=1

  'a day mid January THERE was a disturbance felt in the FORCE'    Kathleen Kennedy's control of Lucasfilm and Star Wars has come to an end. It was a COLD day in mid January at FARHQ, in the Awakens Base LOL LOL LOL January 15 'in the year of our STAR WARS' return 2026, when Lucasfilm announced that after 14 years of leading the studio, President Kathleen Kennedy was stepping down Dave Filoni, who worked closely with creator George Lucas to build the Lucasfilm animation department on Star Wars: The Clone Wars and helped launch Star Wars live-action series alongside Jon Favreau on The Mandalorian, will take on creative leadership of the company as President and Chief Creative Officer and Lynwen Brennan will serve as Co-President.  Their close collaboration and more than 30 years of combined senior executive experience will carry Lucasfilm into its next chapter of storytelling, with a strong foundation of creative vision and operational leadership guiding the studio forward. On the latest episode of Fandom Awakens Radio 'Now TWO there are ...... Filoni v Brennan a New Character Begins Days of Future Star Wars - Your hosts David Senden and Kyle Wagner discuss highlights taken from Kathy's exit interview, we discuss the 2 Co-presidents thing (very interesting to GO all in on a James Gunn / Peter Safran DC Studios esc approach) Upcoming Star Wars movie projects, heavily focused on a theatrical return in 2026-2027, include The Mandalorian & Grogu (May 22, 2026), Shawn Levy's Starfighter (May 28, 2027), and Dave Filoni's New Republic-era film. Other active projects include a Rey-centric New Jedi Order film and a new trilogy from Simon Kinberg.  Here is a breakdown of the announced Star Wars film projects:   Definite & In-Development Films Untitled Rey Skywalker Movie: Directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, focusing on rebuilding the Jedi Order. Simon Kinberg Trilogy: A new trilogy currently in development.  Projects in Limbo or Unknown Status  Rogue Squadron: Patty Jenkins' project, previously shelved but reportedly back in consideration. James Mangold's Dawn of the Jedi: A "biblical epic" exploring the origin of the Force. Taika Waititi's Star Wars Movie: Announced, but with no firm production timeline. Lando: Originally a series, now being developed as a movie with Donald Glover. Ok I am gonna say (and WE all know far too well what a LOT of SW fans today LACK, patience .............. funny when you consider everything they learned they learned from Kenobi and Yoda LOL but anyway), I'd say the odds of a LOT of these projects seeing the light of day just SHOT up, as long as Disney's new CEO (unlike Bob the Blunder halfwit), doesn't try anything STUPID. That Hunt for Ben Solo situation told us a LOT a LOT, of what has really been a problem in Star Wars ....................... and it was NOT the internet's favorite Boogywoman, cause here's some reality for you, had she NOT taken the job at the time GL asked her *sigh* I think Star Wars would have truly come to an END   HAHAHAHA to paraphase how YODA might it "Now TWO there are ...... Filoni v Brennan a New Character Begins Days of Future Star Wars" a BRAND NEW episode of Fandom Awakens Radio starts RIGHT NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our show today is being sponsored by Free Float Analytics, the only platform measuring board power, connections, and performance for FREE.Story of the Week (DR):Epstein: The tech brosReid Hoffman (2,658 Files)Bill Gates (2,592 Files)Peter Thiel (2,281 Files)Elon Musk (1,116 Files)Kimbal too (100+ files)Larry Page (314 Files)Sergey Brin (294 Files)Mark Zuckerberg (282 Files)Jeff Bezos (196 Files)Eric Schmidt (193 Files)Epstein: the lack of US-based corporate fallout MMHead of firm founded by Mandelson to quit after Epstein releasesBenjamin Wegg-Prosser, the chief executive of the lobbying firm co-founded with Peter Mandelson, has announced his resignation after information in the Jeffrey Epstein files detailed apparent links between the company and the convicted sex offender.‘Ignore It.' How the Elite Consoled Jeffrey Epstein Over His Crimes.A Revolt Inside Paul Weiss Over the Epstein Files Took Down Brad KarpOn Wednesday, an exclusive group of 10 or so Paul Weiss partners met unbeknown to their longtime chairman, Brad Karp, to discuss whether he could continue to lead the law firm.The partners, who manage the firm and refer to themselves as the “Deciding Group,” were grappling with the release of new emails suggesting Karp had a more extensive relationship with Jeffrey Epstein than they realized, including in the months before the convicted sex offender's death. Karp led one of the country's biggest law firms for 18 years and had survived a maelstrom less than a year ago when he struck a first-of-its-kind settlement with President Trump on his firm's behalf. He wouldn't survive a second controversy as the firm's leader. World Economic Forum investigates its CEO over Epstein linksCEO Borge BrendeWasserman Group CEO issues public apology after being mentioned in Epstein filesCasey WassermanPeter Attia, longevity doctor named in Epstein files, no longer listed on advisory board on sleep tech company's websiteBut still at CBS: but Bari Weiss hates cancel cultureElon Musk announces SpaceX's acquisition of AI startup xAIRecord-Breaking $1.25 Trillion ValuationGoal: Orbital AI Data CentersConsolidation of the "Muskonomy"DisneyJosh D'Amaro (Incoming CEO): Currently the Chairman of Disney Experiences (Parks and Resorts), D'Amaro will officially become CEO on March 18, 2026, following the Annual Shareholder Meeting. He is a 28-year Disney veteran credited with driving the $36 billion revenue growth in the parks segment.Disney's next CEO often dresses like Bob Iger. Is it a good idea to copy your boss's style?Dana Walden (New President & CCO): In a historic move, Walden (formerly Co-Chair of Disney Entertainment) has been named President and Chief Creative Officer. Reporting directly to D'Amaro, she will oversee the creative direction of the entire company, ensuring brand consistency across all storytelling platforms.Same Old Disney: Woke Exec Elevated to Top Position as ‘Head Storyteller'Bob Iger (Senior Advisor): Iger will step down as CEO on March 18 but will remain as a Senior Advisor and Board Member until his formal retirement on December 31, 2026, to ensure an "orderly transition."PayBase SalaryTarget BonusAnnual EquityOne-Time AwardTotal Year 1Josh D'Amaro$2.5M$6.25M$26.25M$9.7M$44.7MDana Walden$3.75M$7.5M$15.75M$5.26M$32.26MGoodliest of the Week (MM/DR):DR: Judge rules Texas anti-ESG law is unconstitutionalMM: 38% of Companies' Emissions Trajectories Are Aligned with Global Climate Goals: MSCIAssholiest Triggeringiest of the Week (MM):Nike among the first targeted by EEOC for DEI activity DRThe charge: Specifically, on May 24, 2024, EEOC Commissioner (now Chair) Andrea R. Lucas issued Charge No. 551-2024-04996, alleging that Respondent NIKE may have violated Title VII “by engaging in a pattern or practice of disparate treatment against White employees, applicants, and training program participants in hiring, promotion, demotion, or separation decisions (including selection for layoffs); internship programs; and mentoring, leadership development, and other career development programs.”This is crazy to me: EEOC counsel signatory GWENDOLYN YOUNG REAMS - a black woman who signed off on this lawsuit was the subject of an entire article on the amazing power of Title VII for the civil rights movement in July of 2024. Reams has been at EEOC since 1972, and Biden made her acting general counsel.Trump took over, appointed Andrea Lucas as chair who DEMOTED Reams to Associate General Counsel to make room for Catherine Eschbach, a Federalist Society who has SIX YEARS EXPERIENCE AT A LAW FIRM who got her Bachelor's in 2010 and her law degree in 2015 (a whole 10 years experience!), but had this to say upon her appointment: “President Trump made clear in his executive order on eliminating DEI that EO 11246 had facilitated federal contractors adopting DEI practices out of step with the requirements of our Nation's civil rights laws and that, with the rescission of EO 11246, the President mandates federal contractors wind those practices down within 90 days. As director, I'm committed to carrying out President Trump's executive orders, which will restore a merit-based system to provide all workers with equal opportunity.”All the other lawyers signing were white, and I can only guess Reams had no choice but to sign unless she decided to do MLK dirty 60 years after seeing him in collegeBut literally, the EEOC discriminated against a black lawyer who was in charge to put white lawyers in charge to bring discrimination cases against companiesNOT TO MENTION, here is Nike's workforce composition in 2024:57% white, 50% male overall65% white, 55% males for management77% white, 62% male for leadershipThe EEOC workforce demographics as of 2022, when it was WOKEST:60% white, 56% maleNIKE IS WHITER THAN THE EEOC FROM MANAGEMENT UPBlackrock and every Wall Street bank that quit Net Zero AllianceRather than sticking it out and fighting, knowing that you were correct and legally able to invest however you wanted and associate with anyone you wanted, you all cowered when Texas passed the first law saying you “discriminate against” fossil fuels and generated an arbitrary “black list”Now, this: Texas anti-ESG law declared unconstitutional by US judgeIn a decision made public on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Alan Albright said the law violated First Amendment free-speech protections because it punished businesses for speaking about fossil fuels and associating with organizations that oppose fossil fuels.First Amendment! The very first one! You didn't even have to read ALL the amendments to figure out which Stewardship whiningThe UK Investment Association stewardship working group, a group that included Aegon, BlackRock, Fidelity, M&G, Schroders, Artemis, CCLA, Legal and General, and Royal London Asset Management, put out a paper: Realigning Stewardship: Delivering sustainable value through StewardshipThe group wants you to know some things about stewardship, specifically:Stuff happening in the future is too far away for us to care now: “The need for realism over what stewardship can achieve – There are potential time horizon trade-offs between achieving real world outcomes on sustainability themes such as climate change and delivering financial returns to clients. These trade-offs need to be actively considered. Additionally, there are concerns that targeted sustainability goals may not always be realistic, and that government and other stakeholders may have developed unrealistic expectations of stewardship's capacity to deliver systemic change.”Translation: if we actually invested for climate and were stewards of climate in our portfolios given that climate change will totally fuck up everything we know and invest in, we'd have to give up on, like, AI and oil and stuff… we can't really do that because there's too much money and stonks and rockets and whatever, so we'll give up on climate, but just like, for NOW, later we'll fix it by asking nicelyDespite historically having voted 96% in favor of virtually EVERYTHING: “There is an undue focus on voting as a barometer of good stewardship, which does not reflect the role of all stewardship mechanisms.”Translation: we get no credit for talking about this for a decade and voting for everything - like, NONE. Stewardship teams are seen as cost centers, not alpha generation. But we should get credit for talking about stuff in the hopes that things change over a long period of time.We are poor: “There are different costs associated with the process of stewardship for both investors and companies, who have finite resources.”Translation: I mean, PLENTY of resources for CEO pay that outstrips inflation and massive AI investments to displace workers and stuff, but you know… poor.OMG, stop whining… the vote IS THE MECHANISM YOU'VE NEVER USED! Your owners WANT YOU TO and you vote with management at a higher rate than people in the US believe in the moon landing!Headliniest of the WeekDR: The meritocracy is officially a lie: Elon Musk's hiring advice: 'Don't look at the résumé — just believe your interaction'DR: It's official, we are right about everything: Disney's Bob Iger achieves an essential feat for outgoing CEOs: giving his successor a clean slateMM: Hillary Clinton wants testimony on Jeffrey Epstein in public: 'Let's stop the games'MM: My neighborhood is pushing back against sidewalk delivery robots. The fight's coming to your town nextPicture of the week from inside a Cracker Barrel, which is getting its mojo back:Who Won the Week?DR: The Epstein Bros (see Matt's winner)MM: White men (again) - I am already filing a lawsuit against that girl in high school who wouldn't make out with me for discriminating against white men with ugly glasses and long noses. It's racism of the highest order.PredictionsDR: The best we can hope for are shareholder derivative lawsuits against boards who failed to oversee the "reputational risk” of their Epstein tech bro directors and CEOs. MM: When I saw this: Elon Musk says it's hard to convince engineers with families to move to SpaceX's 'technology monastery' in Texas, it was clear: Elon Musk will re-reincorporate SpaceX in a really nice suburb somewhere near or around San Francisco in an effort to re-re-rehire talent (who may actually have families), after which a single white man who moved to Texas to join SpaceX will sue the company for discrimination against single white men who move to Texas, forcing Musk to re-re-reincorporate in Texas again.

On this episode Ben, Chris and Hannah are joined by their loyal friend, and Disney expert, Joel Davis from the Eye On Canon Podcast to discuss Disney's recent leadership change. With Josh D'Amaro succeeding Bob Iger as the next CEO of the Walt Disney Company, as well as Dana Walden taking on the role of President and Chief Creative Officer, a big question is hanging in the air; how will this affect Star Wars? They do their best to answer it, and speculate about what these new leaders might bring to the table. Plus, The Mandalorian And Grogu are headed to the Super Bowl, new toys were revealed for Maul - Shadow Lord, and is it time to finally explore the Unknown Regions? Tune in for all of that and so much more!   Join the Star Wars Underworld Network DiscordSubscribe on YouTube Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe and Review on Apple Podcasts Facebook: www.facebook.com/swunderworld Twitter: @TheSWU Email: swunderworld@gmail.com

In the 283rd episode of The Main Street Electrical Podcast, Jenn & Dave are ready to usher in the new leadership era of Walt Disney Company because... It's a Great Big Beautiful D'Amaro! First up, Jenn is getting ready for an upcoming cruise - but she's still at home for a while... and Dave gives his full review of the new Muppet Show episode on Disney+, also revealing his love of Sabrina Carpenter. Then, a look at the Disney Flag Retreat and a salute to 101 year old Herb Maneloveg, a veteran and American hero!  Finally... the news of the week, as Josh D'Amaro is appointed CEO of The Walt Disney Company, while Dana Walden takes on the newly created role of President and Chief Creative Officer, so we do a deep dive.  We take a look at the resumes of each, where they come from, experiences and previous roles, including Dana's "Jerry Maguire Moment" and how she had a hand in creating the modern "binge-worthy" trend, and Josh's part in Pandora in Animal Kingdom and being so Cast Member friendly. Plus, looking at the positives and how they'll possibly work together, and the challenges, including things to watch out for... also quick thoughts on previous CEOs Eisner, Bob Chapek and comparing Iger Part 1 and Iger Part 2. If you are curious about why people are excited (or not excited) for the Josh & Dana takeover, let Jenn & Dave pull and Clarissa and explain it all. Plus, make sure to check out Friend of the Show Derek Frank's new venture, Chuggerclothing! 

How to Fix Boring Brand Podcasts If we're going to be perfectly honest, many branded podcasts are either boring or they sound just like a recycled commercial. To win the hearts and minds of your B2B target audience, you must move beyond generic corporate messaging and create high-quality content that addresses your listeners' needs. So how can brands produce engaging content that will resonate with their audiences, and what strategic role does B2B storytelling play?That's why we're talking to Jen Moss (Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, JAR Podcast Solutions), who shared her expertise and strategic insights on how to fix boring brand podcasts. During our conversation, Jen discussed the importance of creating engaging brand podcasts that build trust and loyalty. She explained why B2B podcasts should go beyond product promotion and focus on deeper stories and societal issues. Jen also highlighted the need for creative courage, proper planning, rigorous pre-production, and engagement with the audience. She advised against rushing into production without proper ideation and marketing budget. Jen also underscored the power of authentic B2B storytelling and cautioned against relying too heavily on AI for content creation. https://youtu.be/sVlsvotzFEE Topics discussed in episode: [02:22] The definition of a successful brand podcast: It shouldn’t just be a CEO talking about products, but rather a way to facilitate deeper conversations on industry issues.  [05:12] Why brands need “creative courage” to stand out in a saturated market, including experimenting with fiction or narrative formats.  [08:32] How to tell a good B2B story by focusing on “beats,” high stakes, and the transparent struggle rather than just the solution.  [17:28] The top pitfalls in podcasting: Failing to budget for marketing, ignoring audience analytics, and drop-off rates.  [29:25] A real-world example of how Genome BC used human storytelling to make complex scientific topics accessible and engaging.  [37:40] Why using AI purely for speed and volume is a mistake, and why the mission of podcasting should be connection, not efficiency. Companies and links mentioned: Jen Moss on LinkedIn  JAR Podcast Solution  Genome BC Bumper Ira Glass Cory Doctorow Nice Genes! Podcast Another Round Podcast Hot Ones Podcast Transcript Christian Klepp, Jen Moss Jen Moss  00:00 Podcasting, especially audio podcasting, I will say, is a sacred space between the ears. You are literally whispering in people’s ears if they don’t like what they’re hearing, if they start to feel like you’re shilling to them, they will yank out the earbuds and it’s game over for you. Christian Klepp  00:17 If we’re going to be perfectly honest, many brand podcasts are either boring or they just sound like a commercial. To win the hearts and minds of your target audience, you need to create content that serves your listeners and is something they actually want to hear. So how can you achieve that? And what role does B2B Marketing play in producing successful brand podcasts? Welcome to this episode of the B2B Marketers in the Mission podcast, and I’m your host, Christian Klepp, today I’ll be talking to Jen Moss, who will be answering that question. She is the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of JAR Podcast Solutions, which helps create quality podcasts that earn trust. Tune in to find out more about what this B2B Marketers Mission is, okay, and I’m gonna say, Jen Moss, welcome to the show. Jen Moss  01:05 Thank you so much for having me. Christian Klepp  01:07 Great to have you on. We’ve had such a fantastic conversation before. I hit record. I probably should have recorded this earlier, but in any case, Jen Moss  01:14 Yes, if anyone needs any parenting tips, we got your back. Christian Klepp  01:18 Absolutely, absolutely that that book is coming out soon on Amazon. I’m just kidding, But Jen, really looking forward to this conversation, because, man, we are going to cover a topic which, you know, might rock the boat a little bit, but it’s all, you know, constructive, and you know, it’s all for the sake of growing in a positive way, right? Jen Moss  01:35 I think so, Christian Klepp  01:36 At least I like to think so. Jen Moss  01:38 That is the goal. Christian Klepp  01:39 Absolutely, absolutely, all right, so here it comes. So Jen, you’re on a mission to help brands craft story first, podcasts that earn trust, build loyalty and connect deeply with the audiences that matter most. So for today’s conversation, I’d like to zero in on the following topic. Here comes how to fix boring brand podcasts. I know we’ve got a ton to talk about, but let’s kick off this conversation with two questions, and I’m happy to repeat them. So what is it about brand podcasting that you wish more people understood? And number two is, where do most brand podcasts go wrong. Jen Moss  02:22 Okay, so those are both great questions, so that what is a branded podcast is probably a good place to start. A lot of people might think that it’s, you know, the CEO of a company talking about their products and services ad nauseam. And if you happen to want to buy those products and services, maybe you would listen to it, because you could get more information, like, kind of an informational, almost transactional thing. I think that’s what a lot of people imagine when they hear the words branded podcast. However, that there’s a lot more to branded podcasting than that, and a lot of the smarter sort of, I would say, savvy brands, the ones with kind of sophisticated marketing campaigns that are multifaceted, are looking at podcasting as a way to tell deeper stories, engage with conversations that are ongoing in society that really matter so, sort of a chance for the brand to show its stripes a little bit, and an opportunity to offer something to a target audience that is sort of like a kind of a gift. You know, like we’re going to give you something of value that you actually will benefit from or enjoy, learn something from, be emotionally moved by, you know, hear a good story, and it’ll be in an area that the brand cares about, that that kind of ticks the boxes in terms of, like, what are the brand’s values, but is not specifically, and this is very important, is not specifically related to the brand’s products and services, per se. So it’s more like, okay, the brand maybe exists in a certain wider industry, and there’s an issue in that industry that keeps coming up, or a new technology that’s affecting everything, something like that, something that needs to be talked about. And so they’ll, they’ll set out to kind of facilitate those kinds of conversations through their podcasts. And a branded podcast doesn’t need to be just a one on one interview. It could be, it could be a fiction podcast if you were feeling extra frisky and creative that day, you know, if you wanted to do something fun, like I had a conversation with a solar company not that long ago, and we actually pitched them a fiction podcast about a world powered by sun. And because we thought the opportunity for a solar panel company to sponsor a fiction podcast about a world powered by sun like sci-fi would be, would be exciting and different. Christian Klepp  05:11 How did that go? Jen Moss  05:12 Yeah, well, we didn’t end up getting that job because they didn’t have the creative courage to do it. And so this is, this is the kind of conversation that I’m always on with brands is like, have the creative courage to do something that’s a little out of the ordinary because there’s 500 million podcasts or whatever, so you’ve got to stand out. And so you’ve got to think about how to stand out, and one of the best ways to do that is to do something different that hasn’t been done before. For example, there is a great branded fiction podcast called Murder in HR, and it’s by an online HR platform company. And, you know, like, it’s just a scripted fiction true, true crime. It’s not really true because it’s scripted fiction podcast. But, you know, it’s kind of different and fun. So, so there’s stuff like that. There’s, you know what we would call narrative podcasting, which is a mixture of script and clip, where you’re kind of combining on scene recordings with interview tape, with narration, and kind of thoughtfully braiding all those things together, like an NPR (National Public Radio) storytelling experience or a CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) storytelling experience. So there’s all of that that can be part of branded podcasting, and so I just frankly think it’s kind of lazy when brands just decide that they’re going to talk about themselves indefinitely in a podcast. If I want to learn about a brand, I and buy something from them, I’ll go to their website. But if the brand wants to win hearts and minds and raise awareness and build trust and kind of operate on that deeper level to widen their impact. That’s where a podcast, and sponsoring a podcast, or getting behind the production of a podcast can really help. So that’s, I mean, I guess that kind of answers your second question, where do brands go wrong? And it’s usually with just doing the obvious, doing the thing that they think is the most direct route to a customer. And with podcasting, I try to remind people there is a difference between a customer and an audience. A customer is someone who already, at least wants to know more about your product and is thinking of buying maybe they’ve bought from you before. An audience may include those customers, but it may include other people as well who have a wider array of interests and are not yet, do not yet know that they need to buy a new pair of running shoes, but then the next time they need a new pair of running shoes, they may think of you because of that excellent podcast they listen to where you had all those celebrities on talking about the things that motivate them to push harder and go faster, right? So it’s just sort of, it’s a little bit of a roundabout way of winning customers by winning hearts and minds is how I would describe it. Christian Klepp  08:03 Yeah, winning hearts and minds. I like that. Now. That was a great way to open up this conversation. And thanks for sharing that I had two follow up questions for you. So let’s start with, you know, people loving to hear a good story, so let’s, let’s, let’s take a step back, because remember, the audience of this podcast. They’re mostly B2B Marketers. So from a B2B context, what would you how would you define what a good story is? Jen Moss  08:32 Yeah, that’s a great question. So I mean, a good story is told beat by beat, this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened. And here’s the lesson we took from it. Is one of the ways that it has been boiled down, I believe, by Ira Glass, you know, icon of podcasting. So I think you know thinking about even with B2B storytelling, if you’re telling a story that’s based in your industry, and you’re trying to position yourselves as thought leaders in that space. And let’s say you’re interviewing someone who is another company that sells a particular product, and you’re talking to them about a case study, instead of saying, like, what is the product and how does it work, try saying, tell us a story about a problem that someone was having. Start with the stakes, like, what would have happened if they didn’t solve that problem, what was at stake, then build to like how that problem got solved, and perhaps the product or service was involved, right, right? But build to how the problem was solved, so that there’s a bit of an arc from A to B to C to D, so that you start with a problem, work towards a solution. And and make sure to take the time to identify the stakes, like, what would have happened if it didn’t work. Where did it go wrong along the way? Where were the points where you thought, this is not going to work worse? We’re we’re hooped, you know, make sure that when you are telling stories, you’re actually telling the whole story, not just the win, not like we solved it this way, this way and this way. And aren’t we great? Nobody cares. That’s just bragging, and it comes across very badly in podcasting, podcasting, especially audio podcasting, I will say, is a sacred space between the ears. You are literally whispering in people’s ears. If they don’t like what they’re hearing, if they start to feel like you’re shilling to them, they will yank out the earbuds and it’s game over for you, right? They’ll go look at something else or go walk their dog, right? So you really have to just really focus in on the beat by beat. How are you going to hold attention throughout? You can also use sound design to support the tension arc of the story. And don’t be afraid to show the tough stuff, the hard stuff, the stuff that didn’t work, the stuff that even makes you look a bit foolish. We tried this as a brand. It didn’t work. We failed, but what we learned from that was this, right, if you can be a little bit transparent and a little bit more real, you will win hearts and minds, like I said, and if you want, if you can’t do that, people have a nose for BS, and they will smell it, and they will not take you as seriously. So it’s like a sacred duty to tell the truth, which is, which is challenging in a branded space where it’s all about spin and messaging and stuff like that. But the more you can do that, the more credible your content will be. Christian Klepp  11:56 Absolutely, absolutely. Yeah, on that topic, the ones I love the most, of the guys that say, like, you know, I, um, I lost my job and I moved to my parents basement, and now I’m making multiple six figures, all within the span of 12 months. Jen Moss  12:10 I mean, amazing, amazing. Not true, but also, at least they understand the tension arc. Christian Klepp  12:17 Yes, that’s certainly one way of looking at it, yeah, second follow up question. And I love this, like, creative courage, right? Jen Moss  12:28 Yeah. Christian Klepp  12:29 Not many people have it, if we’re going to be perfectly honest, right? Jen Moss  12:32 Yeah, I’m realizing that. I’m realizing that the older I get, the more I realize how rare it actually is creative courage. Yeah. Christian Klepp  12:40 Here’s the thing, like, Why do you think that that’s so prevalent, even in in the podcast space? Is it because it’s it because it’s it’s the unknown that people are worried about, like, what if it doesn’t work? Jen Moss  12:50 Yeah, if you think about podcasting, especially in a branded space, but really in any space, yeah, it’s a vulnerable act. You’re putting yourself out there, you’re putting your brand out there, you’re putting your stories out there, you’re putting your company out there. You’re putting, in some cases, your job on the line, right, by spending budget on this thing, right? So the so the stakes are real for the people involved, and it’s tricky, because striving for perfection right out of the gate is possibly a mistake. I think that podcasting has always been kind of an organic form where it evolves over time. You’ve got to study the audience data and see whether what you’re doing is actually resonating with your audience, and if it’s not, you’ve got to be prepared to pivot and change and adapt the storytelling, the timing, the pacing, the music, all of those things have to be a little bit up for grabs if the audience isn’t resonating. So I do think, I do think there’s that to consider, yeah. Christian Klepp  13:53 And I suppose people’s tastes very right, like, what people find is creative is very can be very subjective. Jen Moss  14:01 The creative bravery thing is tricky because of all the reasons I listed, but also because you’re right. It means different things to different people, like for a bank or some sort of finance institution or a pharma company in a very heavily regulated industry, to be like creatively brave in their storytelling is pretty difficult. It’s been, it’s been compared to putting up a tent in the rain, right? Trying to be creative in a corporate environment, putting up a tent in the rain with your spouse is one way to think about Christian Klepp  14:34 Putting up a tent in the rain with your spouse. And there’s a T-Rex sitting… Jen Moss  14:38 Graded by a bunch of Russian judges, yeah. Christian Klepp  14:42 Absolutely. Jen Moss  14:43 Yeah. It’s tricky, and so to maintain the principles of creativity within that environment is hard. So the principles of creativity include brainstorming, ideation, adaptation, experimentation, so trial and trial and error a little bit, and eventually, you through that process, that iterative process, you arrive at a really great finished work of art, hopefully. But those people who have not been through the creative process and trusted a bunch of you know flaky writers with their with their goals before, and I say that as a flaky writer, it’s it can be hard to trust the creative process if you’re not used to going through it. So if you are working in an industry where everything is about quarterly planning, everything is planned down to the minutia. List, list, list, bullet point, bullet point, bullet point, check, check, check, box. And then somebody’s coming in and saying, Well, what about if we explored this? And let’s discuss, Let’s hypothetically explore this topic. You know, there are personality types out there, and a lot of them are working in corporate jobs who are just like, No, I don’t know how to do that. I don’t trust it, and it totally freaks me out. So that kind of I would call it, like floating the creative balloon and batting it around for a while before you make a decision. Trying to create room for that process to happen before you launch your podcast is quite important, and giving proper space and time to that creative process is something that I think the more corporate and kind of button down podcasting becomes, the more I’m seeing that we have to fight that, because we have to be accountable with our timelines. We have to be accountable with our messaging. We have to be accountable with all this stuff. So that’s all very important. Brand safety matters. But if you don’t allow space for that creative ideation phase, and I would, I would argue, frankly, ongoing space within your process, then you will not rise the balloon as high as you could. You could probably still do something that is regularly released and has decent sound quality. So check, check, but is it going to win hearts and minds of audiences? Is it going to stand out 500 million other podcasts? No, it is not. Yeah. So that’s why it matters. Christian Klepp  17:17 Absolutely, absolutely. Moving on to key pitfalls to avoid. What are they and what should folks be doing instead? Jen Moss  17:28 I mean, there’s so there’s so many pitfalls. I don’t know where to start … Christian Klepp  17:32 Try to condense them into like, maybe, like the five, the top five that you’ve seen. Jen Moss  17:36 Well, let’s look at maybe, let’s look at the phases of doing a podcast, pre-production, production and post-production. So in pre-production, I think the big pitfalls are failing to allow time and space for creative ideation, rushing into it without proper consideration. I think failing to set aside budget to market your podcast can be a mistake, and I think budget for marketing is quite important because, well, we’ll get into that in post production, but one of the important ways for people to find podcasts is through ads on other podcasts, and that costs money. So there’s a little aspect of a pay to play nature that kind of creeps into podcasting. I think it’s important to be realistic about that. It’s not the only way to promote a podcast. There’s many good, organic ways, but if you can reserve some budget for marketing, I think it’s a good idea to do so. And yeah, I would say in pre-production, failure to think big and kind of have embraced blue sky thinking early on, what could this podcast be? Who is it for? Right? Those are very important questions. So at JAR, we have a system. We call the JAR system. It’s job, audience, result, and in pre production, that’s where we really focus on job and audience. What is the job of the podcast? Why are you doing it? Who is the audience? Who is it for? What do they need? Where do they hang out? Are they on audio platforms? Are they on video platforms? Are they YouTubers? Like, what you know? Who are you talking to, and why? Is very important. So job and audience, and then with production, once you get into that big phase. That’s where I think, I sort of say it’s like, point your skis and go, but also bend your knees, because things are going to come up and so, for example, I always recommend having three or four possible guests lined up to service an episode. Because if the first one that you’re going after falls through due to timing and unavailability in your production timeline, an amateur podcaster would just be like, well, that’s okay. I’ll wait till October, when you’re free, whereas I’m saying, no, no. So if you want to do a podcast on this topic, and it’s important to do it now because timeliness matters, then you need to have a couple of other options that are backup options for that guest if they’re unavailable, so things like that. So prepping backups to your backups for your guests is a really good idea so that you can keep your production moving forward and stay focused on the ideas that you’re you’ve determined to explore. So making a plan and then doing your best to stick to it, I think, but keeping your knees bent critically within that plan. Some people have said, Well, is it kind of like you write like a podcast Bible? And I’m like, No, it’s more of a pirate code, but you do need to have a code like there needs to be a plan going forward, but it can change. And then post production, I think the biggest thing is people fail to study their analytics, or fail to understand and interpret their analytics. So if you’re not looking at your audience data, then you’re not getting the most out of that those analytics platforms. So you should be looking at your Spotify data. You should be looking at your apple, podcast data, your YouTube data, the data from your hosting platform. At JAR, we use a company called Bumper. They’re a Canadian company that does a really nice job of pulling together a dashboard which shares a lot of valuable information about about how your podcast is performing. So you can actually see things like, Oh, I made a 30 minute podcast, but everyone’s dropping off at 21 minutes. I wonder why. So either make it really much more interesting at the 21 minute mark, or make a shorter podcast. That’s what the audience data is telling you, right? So being receptive and flexible, keeping your knees bent throughout is very important, and then using that data to feed back into the creative cycle, so that it becomes this circular process of testing and learning, studying the results, making changes, and you’re gradually honing your podcast into something that your audience really, really responds to. So that’s those are the pitfalls that we try to steer people through and around. Christian Klepp  22:08 That is a great list. And you probably, for those that are listening to the audio version of this, I was, I was nodding the whole time, but, um, one of the things that I would add in there, which I’ve seen happen, and it’s happened to me, and I’m not gonna say who it is, but like, you know, one of the things that they immediately did after having me as a guest on is they pushed me into a follow up call, which big surprise was a was a sales pitch. It’s like, Thank you for being on our show. By the way. Would you like to buy some advertising space in our magazine? Would you like to exhibit in our, you know, upcoming event. You know, for small business, you know, we only charge $10,000 you know, it’s not that much. It’s like, Jen Moss  22:47 For a lot of small businesses, that is a lot, right? Christian Klepp  22:50 Exactly. Jen Moss  22:50 It’s kind of like, to me, if you think of it like dating, you want to play a little bit cool, like, it’s great. You can think of a podcast as a networking tool, absolutely, but it’s you have to just not be like Johnny obvious about it, like, maybe, maybe wait a few months and then reach out and say, Hey, we’re having a special promotion, and we’re you people who have been on our show get a reduced rate or something like that. Sure. Christian Klepp  23:19 Yeah, exactly. Jen Moss  23:20 Or just trust the universe. You could also try that, which would be, I had a great you like you and I had a great connection on this podcast. We chat very well. We even talked before the recording about parenting. So, like, we kind of click. So like, if there were ever anything that we could help each other with, I’m sure we would at least be somewhat amenable to it, and maybe that’s enough. Maybe that’s enough, right? Christian Klepp  23:45 Yeah, probably, probably. Jen Moss  23:46 Yeah. So I think yes, it’s an opportunity to network, but it is also in the same way that yeah, between people’s ears is a sacred space. Also when someone comes on your show as an unpaid guest, which most podcasts? I think it’s worth pointing out that most podcast guests are unpaid, so they’re doing that out of the sort of the free desire of exchange of ideas, right? And so respecting that in and of itself is very important. And this is why podcasting has risen to such heights is because it is really grounded in that kind of authentic communication, where people are really trying to figure stuff out together, that’s it, and it’s wonderful, and it’s amazing. And so you got to respect that. You got to let that be enough sometimes Christian Klepp  24:36 Absolutely, absolutely, wow. So you’ve kind of touched on this already, but in our previous conversation, you mentioned that in podcasting, and this does this is not unique to just the B2B space alone, but like in podcasting in general, the story comes first, not the product or the promo. So please elaborate on that. Jen Moss  24:58 No one is going to listen a 30 minute ad, right? It’s just not gonna happen. As soon as they detect the fact that you’re selling, they’re gone. If you want to have some follow up product information in your show notes, or, you know, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that, but you could, I suppose, or on your website, great. But the purpose of a podcast is not necessarily that sort of bottom of funnel sales. The purpose of a podcast is, is, it’s a top of funnel engagement opportunity, right? So you’re really, you’re you can build trust, you can build awareness, you can reach new people, and the way you do that is by being relevant and authentic and telling good stories in a way that holds attention. So my own background is from, you know, years of working in radio, documentary storytelling and things like that, I really learned how every, every piece of the story matters. You really have to break down the story arc. Like I said. You got to examine the stakes. You got to think about pacing. All of these things are critical and a funny thing too that I’ve learned I also teach creative writing, and one of the things that one of the lessons that I share with my students, is that the more specific you are in your storytelling, the more it will resonate universally. So through the specific example comes the universal ‘aha' moment. Whereas if you go in with a bunch of like, I’m like, I’m doing right now, if you go in with a bunch of principles, like, here’s what you got to do, and here’s, here’s the rules, and you should follow these rules, 10 Steps to heaven. Kind of, kind of formulas that might work in a, in a sort of, like a bullet point list on the internet, but in podcasting, that doesn’t really work. It’s, it’s more of a, it’s more of a like, I mean, they say the devil is in the details, but I actually think so are the angels like you really like, if I were to tell you a story about a time I worked with a client, let me think of a real example, Like, okay, Genome, BC (Bristish Columbia) is a client of ours. They are a non-profit here in British Columbia in Canada, and they are dedicated to promoting Genomic Science, and specifically they’re promoting the ability of Genomic Science to solve big problems that the world is facing, okay, like global warming type level problems, right? So that’s great. So how do we tell that story? How do we tell that specifically, we could have a bunch of egg heads on to talk about their research, and we do, we have, it’s a science podcast. We have lots of eggheads, and they’re great, you know, but we have to balance that with like people who are impacted by the issues that the science is trying to address. So we did a piece recently about an episode about genetic testing for, you know, heart problems and things like that, and how we with the study of the human genome, we know with the study of the human genome, we now know so much more about about how to spot those problems almost before they happen, because of your genetic predisposition to certain problems. So we told that story by finding a high schooler who had had a heart attack because of a genetic problem that he didn’t know about. And we told that story beat by beat. I was on the field. This happened. My parents got a call. We talked to his parents, we interviewed everybody. They all told the story about the time the son had the heart attack. They all told it separately in their own way, and we intercut it into this really tense, like, you know, exciting, really piece of storytelling. Then we brought on the scientists to talk about the power of genomic testing and genetic testing and genetic awareness around these health issues, but we first establish why it matters, and it matters because it affects people’s lives. So if you’re doing storytelling and you can connect your ideas to something that’s real, then you’re going to you kind of, you win, you win the storytelling day. Christian Klepp  29:27 Oh, that’s an that’s an excellent example. And, and I hear you, the easier path would have been to just invite the scientists on, or whoever it was, and they go on and talk about all of their research, and Jen Moss  29:39 Which is amazing stuff. But I don’t know if you’ve interviewed any scientists. Lately. They can be a little dry, they can be a little dense and hard to listen to. Christian Klepp  29:47 I’ve interviewed I’m associate professors. Does that count? Jen Moss  29:52 Yeah, it does. Yeah. People get very granular, right when they’re studying a very specific interest, like that, and that’s what makes them so incredible at their jobs, and I have huge respect for these scientists and and for our host, who is a scientist, credibility also matters with with your core target audience. So it’s not like we de emphasize the science, we just frame the science with important storytelling that helps the wider audience understand why this matters. So if you think about your core target audience, and then you think about people who are just adjacent to that, what would it take those people, the ones who are kind of peering over the fence at your brand, you know, or at your topic? So we say that that particular show for Genome BC, it’s for scientists and for the science curious sort of thing. And so we try to remember the science curious folk when we’re doing our storytelling. It doesn’t mean that we dumb it down. It means that we open our arms and we try to write it in a way that’s inclusive to a slightly wider audience, while still delivering excellent, groundbreaking, scientific insight that is timely and relevant. It’s a hard line to walk. Actually. Christian Klepp  31:07 It is. Jen Moss  31:07 It takes a lot of skill and it takes a lot of attention, but if you get it right, you know that show, that show, is winning every award we enter. Christian Klepp  31:17 Wow, yeah, remind me what the name of the show was again. Jen Moss  31:20 Oh, it’s called Nice Genes, like G-E-N-E-S yes, yeah. And then they have a short form one called Genes Shorts. Christian Klepp  31:27 Genes shorts, okay? Because why not? All right, Jen Moss  31:30 Because why not. Trying to have a little fun. So what’s gonna stand out? Right? We thought, you know, Nice Genes!, exclamation mark. That’ll stand out. Christian Klepp  31:38 Yeah, absolutely, absolutely, Jen, you’ve given us plenty of insights already and some actionable tips, but just imagine that there’s somebody out there that’s listening to the show and they’re like, gosh, you know what we are exactly in this situation right now. What advice would you give them? Like, maybe, like, three to five things they can take action on right now that they can help launch a podcast that is not boring and that doesn’t sound like PR (Public Relations). Jen Moss  32:06 So probably the best thing you could do is do a little bit of like light competitive research. So have a look at what other podcasts are in your space, in your topic area, right? And check out this. This is going to sound mean, but check out what’s wrong with them. Like, actually go and listen to as many of them as you can. Maybe give yourself a week to do that and make make a point of listening to five a day for a week. And then you’ll start to see, okay, the vast majority of these, they don’t have good sound quality, like the host doesn’t have a proper microphone. Or the vast majority of these, the lighting is terrible, or the vast majority of these, they’re asking the same questions over and over again, and, oh, I saw that guest on three different podcasts, right? So if that’s happening, then ask yourself the next logical question, which is, how can we be different? How can we find our own kind of quadrant to step into? How can we rewrite the book here and do something unexpected that still meets our values, that still targets the right audience, but does it in a way that is going to just shake things up a little bit and challenge people’s expectations of us and and our own expectations of ourselves. So don’t take the lowest hanging fruit, at least until you’ve considered some of the other options. And it may be that you’re like, No, I actually really want to do a straight interview podcast, because I really want to have deep conversations with people like this, like this podcast does, and that’s great, but then you know, like you’ve chosen that for a reason, like you’ve you’ve given it due consideration. And then within that, even within a if you’re planning to do a straight ahead interview podcast, is there’s no shame in that. But even thinking about, like, what would make your interview podcast different? So it’s the it. Could you describe it at a cocktail party as, like, it’s the one where they blank, blank, blank, right? Could you describe it in one sentence, and is it going to be memorable that sentence? There was a show I used to watch years ago and listen to where, what was it called? It was called Another Round, and it was one of the first shows where they would drink and podcast, but they would do a ton of Political Research, these two journalists, and then they would interview someone, while getting increasingly sloshed, the guest and the two hosts, and they would get increasingly sloshed, and the questions would become more and more but, I mean, they were very successful. They had, they were on WNYC. They had Hillary Clinton on when she was running for president. So, like, it this, this is the kind of thing I’m saying. Like, I’m not saying everyone should drink in podcasts. Us. No, let’s be clear. That’s not my message. Yeah, my message is, what makes your podcast, what makes you distinct in the way you’re delivering your podcast? What is your framing device? What is the lens that you’re bringing to it? Christian Klepp  35:12 Yeah, right, yeah. No, no, I hear you. I hear you. Jen Moss  35:15 Yeah. So I think those would be my biggest pieces of advice. Is just to spend the time trying to, trying to position yourself differently. Christian Klepp  35:25 No, fantastic, fantastic. It reminds me of, I think the show was called in the Hot Seat, and it was by a cyber security firm, and they were, they were bringing in somebody that was, and I didn’t actually realize there was such a role, but this is the person that’s actually responsible for negotiating with cyber criminals. Jen Moss  35:45 Whoa, that’s I’m immediately interested. Christian Klepp  35:48 That’s a pretty intense job, right? So, yeah, when they have all that ransomware and what have you right? So this is the guy that negotiates like, release all our release all our data, right? So anyways, the host asks him the questions, and with every question, they’re basically eating chicken wings with a different type of hot sauce. Jen Moss  36:10 Oh, yeah, yeah. Christian Klepp  36:11 And the more intense question, yeah, Jen Moss  36:14 Hot ones, yeah, yeah, yeah. Christian Klepp  36:15 The more intense the question gets, the hotter the sauce becomes. Jen Moss  36:19 Yes. That’s a great show. It’s they have all kinds of interesting people on it, and it’s interesting to watch people’s reactions shift as they get more and more overwhelmed by heat. Yeah. So that’s another super example of a framing device. I mean, arguably, that one’s a bit of a gimmick. Christian Klepp  36:36 Sure. Jen Moss  36:37 You don’t necessarily need to do something that obvious. It might be something like, on this show, we always ask a certain question, or we’re always trying to get at sort of, I would call it like, the the underlying idea of this show is we’re always trying to expose this concept, like, maybe you’re trying to prove that work life balance is important, and that’s your overarching goal, and that’s the lens that you bring to your to your all of your conversations that you have. So every time you’re able to, you bring up that theme in some way and explore it with a new guest. So just whatever it is, whatever the lens is, or the device that you’re framing with, it’s just important to be intentional about that? Christian Klepp  37:21 Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. All right, Jen, I have a feeling that you’ve been on your soapbox this whole time, but please just stay up there a while longer, while I ask you this question. All right, and a status quo in your area of expertise that you passionately disagree with and why? Jen Moss  37:40 Okay, well, right now there’s, am I allowed to mention the AI (Artificial Intelligence) please? Christian Klepp  37:49 Absolutely. Jen Moss  37:49 Okay. Well, right now there’s a lot of discussion around AI driven content, and one of the ways that it’s being sort of sold to people in the industry is that it will allow you to put out more content quicker. And I can see lots of advantages to AI in the production pipeline. For example, it can be helpful with research if you’re as long as you double fact check it. It can be helpful with correcting certain things in editing. You know, if a host mispronounces a word, or you need to do like, you need to remove some background noise. AI tools can be really, really helpful. So I’m not knocking ai i i teach it. For example, I teach creative writing for new media, and I’m very interested. I’m currently building an AI VR (Virtual Reality) poetry machine with some students. So, you know, I spent a lot of time thinking about AI, and I like it and hate it. It’s a double edged sword. But what I don’t agree with is that we should be measuring the efficacy of a tool based on how fast and how often it allows us to put out content. I just don’t think that an onslaught of mediocre content is what people want. I think it’s killing the internet. Corey Doctorow would say he would call it the in shittification of the internet. And it is already, it is already happening, right? He got check it out. He’s got a book out. Christian Klepp  39:22 Okay. Jen Moss  39:22 And so that’s, you know, that’s what I worry about, is that it’s becoming like a big content hose. And so then I actually believe that the way forward, in order to actually have your message heard and received by your intended audience is to really hold on to that authenticity piece. I would rather see people do things less often, but do them better and remember that quality matters. And if we can’t remember that, then the internet is just going to be a bunch of bots talking to each other, and it’s just stupid. I just think it’s stupid. So that’s the that’s, that’s, if you know, not to put too fine a point on it, podcasting is, is not about efficiency. It’s about communication. It’s about connection. It’s about contact. It’s about humans talking to humans. And if it’s, if you fail to recognize that it’s sort of at your peril, you know, Christian Klepp  40:23 Absolutely, absolutely. And I mean, it goes back to the point you were making at the beginning of this conversation. I mean, if you want to create a show that stands out and that’s different, right, then you probably shouldn’t be churning out vanilla content, right? Using AI. Jen Moss  40:39 Doesn’t work. Christian Klepp  40:39 That’s not the way to do it, right? Jen Moss  40:41 Go ahead, but no one will listen to it. So you’ll be able to be like, Look, I I tick, tick, tick. I put out this many episodes, or this many social media clips, or whatever it is. But what’s what are your consumption rates like? Are the right? Are the right people finding your content? Are they engaging with you? Is it moving the needle for you in terms of your goals, the job of the podcast? Like these are all the things that people really need to consider before they sort of hop on the AI bus, I think. And again, I’m not a Luddite, yeah. I use AI daily despite its rather terrifying environmental impact, yeah, yeah, but it’s become almost a ubiquitous tool that’s difficult to avoid in our line of work. But I do think that some people are really taking it too far, and it’s because they’re misunderstood. They’re misunderstanding the mission. The mission is not volume and efficiency. The mission is connection. Christian Klepp  41:41 Absolutely, absolutely Jen, wow. What a conversation. Well, at the very least this episode is not boring, right? Jen Moss  41:50 Like, I mean, I don’t know, ask my ask my 20 something daughter. Christian Klepp  41:58 Different strokes are different folks, I’m gonna say, but thank thank you so much for coming on and for sharing your expertise and experience with the listeners. So please, a quick introduction to yourself and how folks out there can get in touch. Jen Moss  42:09 with you. Oh, so the best way to get in touch with me would probably be through the JAR podcasts website, jarpodcasts.com and I’m also just Jen@jarpodcasts.com. Christian Klepp  42:22 Fantastic, fantastic. Once again. Jen Moss, thank you for your time. Take care, stay safe and talk to you soon. Jen Moss  42:29 Awesome. Thank you. Okay. Christian Klepp  42:30 Bye, for now. Jen Moss  42:31 Bye.

Join Ric and Patrick as they unpack the big Disney announcement: Josh D'Amaro named CEO and Dana Walden appointed President & Chief Creative Officer. We share our thoughts on why this pairing feels like the best of both worlds—steady business leadership alongside true creative vision—and how it echoes the classic Disney partnerships of Walt and Roy and later Eisner and Wells. Is this the balance Disney has been searching for? We talk about what these roles mean for the parks, the studios, and the future of storytelling, while also reflecting on the lessons of the recent past and the hopes we have for the road ahead. It's a conversation about where Disney has been, where it is now, and whether a "great big beautiful tomorrow" might be just around the corner. Before you continue on your next Disney adventure, we would love to hear from you. Visit www.speakpipe.com/MonorailTales to leave us a message and share your own Disney dreams. To keep the magic alive long after the show ends, you can visit us at www.monorailtales.com, follow along on Facebook, and join our Disney-loving community where the conversation never stops. For even more stories and connections, follow us on Twitter and Instagram. If you have a show idea or would like to join as a guest, reach out to Sheila at sheila@monorailtales.com—your magical moment might be just one message away. And if you are envisioning your own Disney Vacation Club experience, be sure to visit our friends at DVC Shop for the best offers on resale contracts and rentals. From all of us at Monorail Tales—thank you for walking this path with us. May your days be filled with Disney wonder, warm memories, and just a touch of pixie dust.

Witte rook bij Sleeping Beauty Castle: we hebben een nieuwe CEO. Vanaf 18 maart 2026 neemt Josh D’Amaro het stokje van Bob Iger over en wordt de nieuwe CEO van The Walt Disney Company. Dana Walden krijgt een nieuwe rol als President en Chief Creative Officer. Wat gaat dit betekenen? Wat is de legacy van Bob Iger? En hoe ziet de toekomst van Disney eruit? Dat gaan we uitgebreid bespreken. Verder al de info over ons 10 Jaar D-Tales feestje in Breda op 1 maart. Een volle rubriek film-nieuws in Jorn+ en een rondje langs de parken wereldwijd. Dat en meer in D-Tales 451! Besproken deze uitzending: Dubbel cd van DuckTales: https://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.13319/.f?sc=13&category=-113 D-Tales steunen? Wordt Donalteur! https://petjeaf.com/d-tales 00:00 Introductie en aankondiging van Nieuwe Disney CEO

Welcome to Multiverse News, Your source for Information about all your favorite fictional universesDisney, Paramount and Universal are lining up trailers for Super Bowl LX ywith spots expected for The Mandalorian and Grogu, Pixar's Hoppers and Toy Story 5, Steven Spielberg's alien thriller - Disclosure Day, Illumination's Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Minions 3, and Paramount's Scream 7 among others. In a surprising Super Bowl anomaly, Marvel Studios is apparently sitting the Big Game out despite having Avengers: Doomsday and Spider-Man: Brand New Day releasing this year, while Sony and Warner Bros seem to be following a similar strategy with their reported absences.Sony Pictures unveiled first-look images of Sam Mendes' ambitious four-film Beatles project through postcards hidden at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, revealing Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr. The unprecedented biographical event will tell the story of the Fab Four from each member's perspective in separate films all releasing in April 2028, with production now underway in London and the cast anticipating 15 months of consecutive shooting across all four movies.Disney's board unanimously voted to name Josh D'Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, as the company's next CEO effective March 18. D'Amaro, a 28-year Disney veteran overseeing the company's largest business segment with $36 billion in annual revenue, beat out Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden, who was named to the newly created role of President and Chief Creative Officer reporting directly to D'Amaro. Iger will transition to senior advisor and board member through his retirement on December 31, 2026, having spent the past three years stabilizing the company and grooming successors after his previous handoff imploded.AppleTV has closed a deal to land the rights to the Cosmere books, the fictional literary universe by fantasy author Brandon Sanderson. The first titles being eyed for adaptation are the Mistborn series, for features, and The Stormlight Archive series, for television.Mandy Patinkin has been cast as Odin in Amazon Prime Video's live-action God of War series, joining Ryan Hurst as Kratos, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, and previously reported Max Parker as Heimdall. The series has also cast Danny Woodburn and Jeff Gulka as the dwarven blacksmith brothers Brok and Sindri, along with Alastair Duncan reprising his role from the games as Mimir.Legendary's live-action feature adaptation of Gundam looks to have found a home as sources tell Deadline that Netflix is on board to distribute the film. Sydney Sweeney and Noah Centineo are on board to star with Sweet Tooth director Jim Mickle helming.The long-awaited fourth season of Apple TV‘s hit Ted Lasso will make its global debut in summer 2026. Along with the announcement, the streamer released four first-look images from the new season of the Emmy-winning comedy starring and executive produced by Jason Sudeikis.Catherine O'Hara, the beloved, multi-award-winning actor, writer and comedian died last week at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness. She was 71.Universal announced last week that the next film in the Fast and the Furious franchise is titled Fast Forever and is set for theatrical release March 17, 2028. Netflix has unveiled the trailer and premiere date of April 23rd for “Stranger Things: Tales From '85,” the highly anticipated animated spinoff from showrunner Eric Robles and executive producers the Duffer Brothers.A24 released the official trailer for The Drama starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (“Spider-Man: No Way Home”) has joined Season 3 of the HBO drama, The Last Of Us, taking over the role from Danny Ramirez after he had to be recast due to scheduling issues.

We're discussing the hot news that Josh D'Amaro will replace Bob Iger as CEO of Disney in March, along with the appointment of Dana Walden to Chief Creative Officer, and how it could affect Lucasfilm. We also theorise on the upcoming The Mandalorian & Grogu Superbowl trailer, podracing in Star Wars: Galactic Racer, and some spicy Galaxypalooza news! We also read some podcast reviews and answer some great Patreon questions!Support the show via Patreon at patreon.com/starwarssessions from as little as £2/$2/€2 a month and get loads of BONUS EPISODES! Find Star Wars Sessions on Instagram, X, Threads, Bluesky, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Contact us at hellothere@starwarssessions.co.ukIntro background music by Kfir Ochaion - remixed by Star Wars Sessions.For everything Sessions, head to starwarssessions.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Geeks Corner, hosts Mr. Daps and Caitie discuss the recent appointment of Josh D'Amaro as the new CEO of the Walt Disney Company, exploring his journey within the company and his vision for the future. They also delve into the revival of The Muppet Show, highlighting its nostalgic elements while embracing modernity. Additionally, they celebrate the 25th anniversary of Disney California Adventure, reflecting on its evolution and significance in Disney history.THE WEEK IN GEEKDisney Announces Josh D'Amaro as New CEO with Dana Walden as President and Chief Creative Officer https://dapsmagic.com/2026/02/josh-damaro-to-be-next-disney-ceo-with-dana-walden-as-president-and-chief-creative-officer/ Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner Congratulates Incoming Disney CEO https://dapsmagic.com/2026/02/former-disney-ceo-michael-eisner-congratulates-incoming-disney-ceo/ A New Chapter of Magic: Josh D'Amaro and Dana Walden Lead the Way https://dapsmagic.com/2026/02/a-new-chapter-of-magic-josh-damaro-dana-walden-lead-the-way/ It's Time to Meet The Muppets…Again!  https://dapsmagic.com/2026/02/its-time-to-meet-the-muppets-again/ Disney California Adventure 25th Anniversary https://dapsmagic.com/tag/disney-california-adventure-25th-anniversary/ 

Michael Ellery is the Chief Creative Officer at Sparks, a creative agency known for experiential design and large-scale event marketing. With more than two decades of experience in creative strategy and execution, Michael leads creative direction and innovation, helping brands deliver immersive, memorable experiences across events, environments, and integrated campaigns. His background includes senior creative roles and a foundation in design, blending strategic thinking with hands-on creative leadership to elevate brand engagement.

This week on Beyond the Mouse, Brett, Craig, and Vanessa dive into the major leadership news coming out of The Walt Disney Company. Disney has officially named Josh D'Amaro as its next CEO, succeeding longtime leader Bob Iger in March — a monumental shift for the company and its fans alike. Alongside D'Amaro's promotion, Dana Walden steps into the newly created role of President and Chief Creative Officer, bringing her storytelling expertise to the forefront of Disney's creative strategy. The crew breaks down what this leadership change means for Disney's parks, content, and future direction, shares their well-wishes for D'Amaro as he takes the reins, and reflects on the legacy Bob Iger leaves behind after decades of shaping the Disney we know today. It's an episode full of insight, perspective, and what this turning point could mean for the House of Mouse moving forward.Featuring: Craig McFarland, Vanessa Ferguson and Brett RutherfordJOIN OUR PATREON: ⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/BeyondTheMouse⁠⁠⁠⁠__________________________________________Named one of the top 50 Disney Podcasts by Feedspot!⁠⁠blog.feedspot.com/disney_podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⏰ Early Bird Deadline: 06 February Yes, it's real. Yes, it's this Friday. All key dates and entry details are live on our site. Best of luck to everyone entering, and thank you for backing work that genuinely changes careers and lives through our Talent & Diversity Fund. Not just shiny trophies. Actual impact. 

From Pepcom at CES 2026, Andrew Green, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer for Twelve South, gives us a tour of their latest offerings that are both functional and stylish.  r visits the 12 South booth to explore new and updated accessories. Highlights include the a wall-mounted MagSafe charger, new stands for iPhone and iPad that enable flexible workstation setups at home or on the go, the AirFly Pro 2 Bluetooth transmitter for in-flight audio, and a new leather Valet tray that discreetly integrates wireless charging into a stylish home accessory.  Show Notes: Links: Twelve South PowerBug Qi2 Magnetic Wireless Charger & 35W USB-C Hubhttps://amzn.to/4t5LNmN Twelve South Curve Nano MagSafe Stand - Compact Magnetic Phone Stand for Desk - Qi2 Compatible, Fold-Flat Designhttps://amzn.to/3M0cZ5V Twelve South Curve Mini - Foldable, Adjustable Tablet Stand for Desk - Premium Aluminum iPad/Tablet Holder with Multi-Angle Hingehttps://amzn.to/4rnMgzl AirFly Pro 2 – Bluetooth Adapter, Pair 2 AirPods or Wireless Headphoneshttps://amzn.to/4bXx4Ek Support:      Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon     http://patreon.com/macvoices      Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect:      Web:     http://macvoices.com      Twitter:     http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner     http://www.twitter.com/macvoices      Mastodon:     https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner      Facebook:     http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner      MacVoices Page on Facebook:     http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/      MacVoices Group on Facebook:     http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice      LinkedIn:     https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/      Instagram:     https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe:      Audio in iTunes     Video in iTunes      Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher:      Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss      Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss

On January 15, 2026, Lucasfilm formally announced that Kathleen Kennedy is "stepping down" as president of the company. Dave Filoni will take on the role of President and Chief Creative Officer. Lynwen Brennan, who for the past two years has held the title of "President & General Manager, Lucasfilm Business" alongside Kennedy, will continue in that role as "Co-President" with Filoni. On this episode of Hyperspace Theories, recorded days later, Tricia Barr and B.J. Priester discuss the implications of this long-anticipated transition in the highest levels of Lucasfilm's leadership. We begin with a brief recap of the other Star Wars news stories in the preceding ten days, which had implicitly suggested that a major change would be imminent. We then unpack the press release from Lucasfilm, and what it represents as an official communication from a division of a publicly traded multi-national corporation. Next, we consider the additional information provided by source journalistic reporting from the major Hollywood trade publications – Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and The Wrap – as well as Matthew Belloni at Puck, who has consistently broken accurate stories about the extended leadership succession process at Lucasfilm. Then we examine the further remarks from Kennedy herself, provided in an "exit interview" she conducted with Deadline, another longstanding Hollywood publication. Finally, we end this episode of the podcast with our brief predictions about the likely future announcements from the new leadership team about the projects they have underway for the future of Star Wars. Media Coverage Links: Lucasfilm and the Walt Disney Studios Announce Leadership Transition (StarWars.com; Jan. 15, 2026) Lucasfilm Replacing Kathleen Kennedy With Dave Filoni, Lynwen Brennan as New 'Star Wars' Bosses (Brett Lang, Variety; Jan. 15, 2026) Star Wars Shake-Up: Kathleen Kennedy Steps Down as George Lucas Protégé Dave Filoni, Exec Lynwen Brennan Take Over Lucasfilm (Aaron Couch & Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter; Jan. 15, 2026) A Shift In The Force For Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy: The Exit Interview (Mike Fleming Jr., Deadline; Jan. 15, 2026) Kathleen Kennedy's Final Episode (Matthew Belloni, Puck; Jan. 16, 2026) Kathleen Kennedy's Lucasfilm Legacy: A Galaxy in Disarray | Analysis (Drew Taylor, The Wrap; Jan. 16, 2026) Star Wars Has New Hope (and Some Growing Pains) in Its Future (Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter; Jan. 16, 2026) 20 Surefire, 100 Percent Probable Hollywood Predictions for 2026 (Part One) (Matthew Belloni, Puck; Jan. 6, 2026) Kathleen Kennedy to Step Down at Lucasfilm (Matthew Belloni, Puck; Feb. 5, 2025) FANgirl Blog Links: Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025: Perspective and Takeaways (May 2025) Hyperspace Theories: The Curious Case of Kathleen Kennedy's Retirement (Mar. 2025) Ten Years of Hyperspace Theories (Oct. 2024) Lessons in Franchise Management – MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios (Jan. 2024) Hyperspace Theories: Starting 2024 with the Future of Star Wars (Jan. 2024) The Stories Told By White Men Rise to the Top at the Lucasfilm Showcase: Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022 (June 2022) The Failures of The Rise of Skywalker, Part 6 (Jan. 2020) Comparing Two Fresh Starts: Captain Marvel and Star Wars (July 2019) Star Wars Celebration 2019: The Franchise Talking Points (May 2019) We've Been Here Before: Parallels in the Public Narrative on the State of Star Wars (June 2018) Rey At Risk Revisited: The Danger Signs From The Last Jedi (Feb. 2018) Skywalker At Risk: Serial Storytelling and Brand Value (Feb. 2018) Social Media: Tricia Barr (@fangirlcantina) Instagram | Threads | Blue Sky B.J. Priester (@redpenoflex) Instagram | Threads | Blue Sky Fangirl Zone on Facebook

From Pepcom at CES 2026, Andrew Green, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer for Twelve South, gives us a tour of their latest offerings that are both functional and stylish.  r visits the 12 South booth to explore new and updated accessories. Highlights include the a wall-mounted MagSafe charger, new stands for iPhone and iPad that enable flexible workstation setups at home or on the go, the AirFly Pro 2 Bluetooth transmitter for in-flight audio, and a new leather Valet tray that discreetly integrates wireless charging into a stylish home accessory.  Show Notes: Links: Twelve South PowerBug Qi2 Magnetic Wireless Charger & 35W USB-C Hub https://amzn.to/4t5LNmN Twelve South Curve Nano MagSafe Stand - Compact Magnetic Phone Stand for Desk - Qi2 Compatible, Fold-Flat Design https://amzn.to/3M0cZ5V Twelve South Curve Mini - Foldable, Adjustable Tablet Stand for Desk - Premium Aluminum iPad/Tablet Holder with Multi-Angle Hinge https://amzn.to/4rnMgzl AirFly Pro 2 – Bluetooth Adapter, Pair 2 AirPods or Wireless Headphones https://amzn.to/4bXx4Ek Support:      Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon      http://patreon.com/macvoices      Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect:      Web:      http://macvoices.com      Twitter:      http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner      http://www.twitter.com/macvoices      Mastodon:      https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner      Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner      MacVoices Page on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/      MacVoices Group on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice      LinkedIn:      https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/      Instagram:      https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe:      Audio in iTunes      Video in iTunes      Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher:      Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss      Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss

By the end of January, most of us have realized the truth: our resolutions didn't fail—we just never needed them. Instead of trying to fix ourselves (again), this conversation invites us to do something braver: get curious about who we already are underneath all the shoulds. Artist and designer Justina Blakeney helps us tune into what she calls “the tingle”—that quiet spark of delight, curiosity, and aliveness that knows exactly where we're meant to go. When we trust what delights us, we don't just decorate our homes—we redecorate our lives. For the good of the realm. - How to stop fixing yourself and start trusting what feels alive and true- Why delight, creativity, and “the tingle” are clues—not indulgences - How following what's good for you becomes good for your family, your work, and the world About Justina:  Justina Blakeney is a multidisciplinary artist, designer, and New York Times Bestselling Author. She is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of the home décor brand, Jungalow® and the author of several design books including Jungalow; Decorate Wild! and The New Bohemians book series. Justina lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jason, their kiddo, Ida, her kitties, Juju and Nova, and 52 houseplants. Follow We Can Do Hard Things on:  Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wecandohardthings⁠TikTok — ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@wecandohardthingsshow⁠

It was four years ago that the Twitter account for legendary beer brand Pabst Blue Ribbon tweeted out: "Not drinking this January? Try eating ass!" And we're FINALLY talking to the guy who did it. Because Corey Smale—who was promptly fired for the Tweet and owned it publicly—isn't just PBR's ex-social media manager. He's now been named Ad Age's "Marketer of the Year" for his current work as Chief Creative Officer at Garage Beer, one of the fastest-growing beer brands in the world. Look, we already covered the PBR "eating ass" tweet extensively in episode 30 of this podcast. And Dusty arrived at the conclusion that it might have been a dumb thing to tweet, but it was consistent with the brand voice that management and fans had embraced. Firing Corey was just an act of scapegoating. But in this episode, we'll chart the four-year redemption ordeal that took Corey Smale from social media fall guy… to the creative force behind a growing beverage brand that counts football and podcast sensations Jason and Travis Kelce among its co-owners. Corey will tell us about the very deliberate decision-making that rebuilt his reputation, the uncertainty that comes from missing on a big swing, and the source of the work ethic that has propelled him to the top of the marketing heap. Plus, we'll talk about the creative process behind Garage Beer's deliciously deranged marketing and social media presence, including its "Brewmite" martial arts movie, its Predator parody "Thermal Buzz," and a water bed that dispenses beer to one lucky brand fan. Check out the video version if you want to see clips of the creative assets: https://youtu.be/X32LR9Q0SVs Finally, Corey will break a bit of Garage Beer merchandising news—the upcoming launch of its "Beer Hand," a reimagined Nintendo Power Glove designed to aid the wearer in making life decisions and pounding brewskies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From day one, The Narrative has been about one thing: equipping you to stand firm, rooted in truth. As believers, we cannot surrender ground by operating on the Left’s terms; we must stand on the natural rights given by our Creator. Aaron, David, and Mike highlight this call to courage as they review a recent protest that disrupted a church service in Minnesota. The guys also discuss the importance of the March for Life and remind listeners to reach out to Senators Moreno and Husted to encourage them to defend the Hyde Amendment. After the news, the hosts sit down with Daniel Harmon, the creative force behind the viral Tuttle Twins cartoon series. Daniel walked away from a high-powered advertising career to build a record-breaking, crowdfunded media empire. Why? Because the modern university system has abandoned sound economics and natural rights. So Daniel decided to teach them to our kids instead. Through the adventures of the twins and their time-traveling grandmother, Daniel explains how he simplifies complex topics like inflation, entrepreneurship, and individual liberty so even an eight-year-old can master them. Daniel underscores why it matters that parents, not institutions, remain the primary voice shaping the next generation. More About Daniel Harmon Daniel Harmon is the creator and showrunner of the Tuttle Twins TV Show, an award-winning cartoon that teaches kids about the principles of freedom and economics. Tuttle Twins is based on the book series that has sold over 5 million copies. In 2020, Tuttle Twins set a record as the #1 crowdfunded kids' show in the world! Daniel is a creative entrepreneur and co-founded Harmon Brothers, a renowned video advertising agency that has driven billions of views and over $700 million in sales. Prior to Tuttle Twins, Daniel served as Chief Creative Officer of Harmon Brothers, where he created, directed, and oversaw ad campaigns, including viral hits for Squatty Potty, Purple mattress, Poo-pourri, Chatbooks, Lume, FiberFix, Camp Chef, and more. Daniel is also a co-founder of VidAngel and Angel Studios.

We usually avoid covering breaking news to keep our shows evergreen—but holy purrgil, major changes are coming to the Star Wars and Lucasfilm, and we had to dive in. Tricia Barr (Fangirls Going Rogue / Fangirl Blog) and BJ Priester (Fangirl Blog) join us to unpack two huge developments: the evolution of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and the major Lucasfilm leadership restructuring. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in Disneyland is officially expanding beyond a single timeline, with all changes set to debut April 29th. New storylines on Batuu will span multiple eras—from the Galactic Civil War to the Age of the Resistance—adding Luke, Leia, Han, and Darth Vader into the land. Disney is also rotating new artifacts into Dok-Ondar's and transforming First Order Cargo into Black Spire Surplus. The BEST update according to Sarah? John Williams' legendary scores are finally coming to Galaxy's Edge. Music from the first six films—including the Main Title, the Force Theme, and classic motifs like "Han Solo and the Princess"—will now fill the land. Nostalgia matters, and this addition delivers the emotional Star Wars immersion we've have been craving since the land first opened in 2019. All these changes will fully take effect on April 29. And just one day after this news, another bombshell dropped: Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down as president of Lucasfilm after 14 years, returning to producing, while Dave Filoni takes over as President and Chief Creative Officer alongside Lynwen Brennan as Co-President. Kennedy also addressed long-rumored, stalled film projects in a candid Deadline interview, and we discuss in detail. Lucasfilm is entering a bold new era, both in the parks and on screen. We speculate what's to come. What do you think?? Watch the YouTube version here for the best experience. Listen to the podcast episode here. SPONSORS Small World Vacations is an official sponsor of Skywalking Through Neverland. Contact them for a no obligation price quote at www.smallworldvacations.com. Tell them Skywalking Through Neverland sent you.  Sponsor: SpiritJersey now has their own Star Wars & Disney license! Shop at spiritjersey.com and get FREE shipping with code SKYWLKNVD. SUPPORT THE SHOW Find out how you can become a part of the Skywalking Force and unlock bonus content. CONTACT US Instagram: http://instagram.com/skywalkingpod Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkywalkingPod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skywalkingthroughneverland Send emails to share@skywalkingthroughneverland.com and follow us on Facebook. If you dug this episode, click over to iTunes | Stitcher | YouTube and leave us a review!

We usually avoid covering breaking news to keep our shows evergreen—but holy purrgil, major changes are coming to the Star Wars and Lucasfilm, and we had to dive in. Tricia Barr (Fangirls Going Rogue / Fangirl Blog) and BJ Priester (Fangirl Blog) join us to unpack two huge developments: the evolution of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and the major Lucasfilm leadership restructuring. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in Disneyland is officially expanding beyond a single timeline, with all changes set to debut April 29th. New storylines on Batuu will span multiple eras—from the Galactic Civil War to the Age of the Resistance—adding Luke, Leia, Han, and Darth Vader into the land. Disney is also rotating new artifacts into Dok-Ondar's and transforming First Order Cargo into Black Spire Surplus. The BEST update according to Sarah? John Williams' legendary scores are finally coming to Galaxy's Edge. Music from the first six films—including the Main Title, the Force Theme, and classic motifs like "Han Solo and the Princess"—will now fill the land. Nostalgia matters, and this addition delivers the emotional Star Wars immersion we've have been craving since the land first opened in 2019. All these changes will fully take effect on April 29. And just one day after this news, another bombshell dropped: Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down as president of Lucasfilm after 14 years, returning to producing, while Dave Filoni takes over as President and Chief Creative Officer alongside Lynwen Brennan as Co-President. Kennedy also addressed long-rumored, stalled film projects in a candid Deadline interview, and we discuss in detail. Lucasfilm is entering a bold new era, both in the parks and on screen. We speculate what's to come. What do you think?? Watch the YouTube version here for the best experience. Listen to the podcast episode here. SPONSORS Small World Vacations is an official sponsor of Skywalking Through Neverland. Contact them for a no obligation price quote at www.smallworldvacations.com. Tell them Skywalking Through Neverland sent you.  Sponsor: SpiritJersey now has their own Star Wars & Disney license! Shop at spiritjersey.com and get FREE shipping with code SKYWLKNVD. SUPPORT THE SHOW Find out how you can become a part of the Skywalking Force and unlock bonus content. CONTACT US Instagram: http://instagram.com/skywalkingpod Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkywalkingPod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skywalkingthroughneverland Send emails to share@skywalkingthroughneverland.com and follow us on Facebook. If you dug this episode, click over to iTunes | Stitcher | YouTube and leave us a review!

Chuck Meehan is Chief Creative Officer of Pavone Group and a veteran creative leader with decades of experience shaping iconic, culture-driving campaigns. A four-time Super Bowl creative, Chuck has worked with global brands and top-tier talent to create work that breaks through noise and pressure.Chuck has led creative teams at major agencies and worked on campaigns for brands including General Motors, Hellmann's, McDonald's, Del Taco and Universal Orlando Resort. His Super Bowl work includes back-to-back GM spots featuring Will Ferrell and Mike Myers as Dr. Evil, as well as large-scale brand activations that extended far beyond the broadcast.Big ideas come from interpreting the brief in an unexpected way and connecting dots others don't see.If an idea can't be explained clearly in one sentence, it's not fully formed.Super Bowl advertising is a six-month marathon that requires protecting the idea through intense internal and external pressure.The most successful Super Bowl spots extend beyond the ad itself into brand activations and social storytelling.Celebrity-driven campaigns only work when the talent serves the product and idea, not the other way around.AI should be used to amplify creative thinking, not replace the struggle and reps required to develop great ideas.In-person collaboration plays a critical role in mentoring young creatives and building strong creative culture.Great creative leadership is about creating an environment where people feel safe to take big swings and learn from misses.   QUOTES “The Super Bowl is the coolest thing and it's the most terrifying thing. And what's hard about it is, a lot of them start in August. So if you make it to February, that's six months of your life.” (Chuck)“If you can survive that gauntlet and somehow get to the Super Bowl with a great spot, it's a Herculean feat for sure. It's an amazing thing and it's a bit of a horrible thing at the same time.” (Chuck)“That (GM Dr. Evil) brand activation actually became a bigger story than even the spot in a sense. So yeah, that was a thing where we just didn't stop at the spot.” (Chuck)“By the Monday after the Super Bowl, the whole world's moved on. Brands looked at that and thought that if I'm spending that much money, why don't I release the spot a week ahead of time and get more out of it.” (Chuck)“When it comes to a Super Bowl commercial, you've got to put three-act story in 60 seconds. That's the discipline. When I've worked with people outside advertising, they don't quite get it. It's a very specific art.” (Chuck)“It's good because over the years, as a creative director, ECD, GCD, CCO, I'm constantly critiquing work. I'm constantly critiquing ideas. And most of them don't get past me, which is kind of the drill. The ones that do interpreted the brief in a way I didn't expect.” (Chuck)“I always tell creatives, show me a different way of looking at something. And even when I've judged shows, it's always the stuff that I'm like, how did they get there? Ninety-nine percent of things I can see where they're going.” (Chuck)“If you can tell me it in one sentence, you have an idea. And if you can't explain it, you don't know it.” (Chuck)

Every reign comes to an end. After months of speculation, Lucasfilm has announced that Kathleen Kennedy will step down as President. Kathy has been President of Lucasfilm since the Disney acquisition of the company in 2012. Despite a fandom that at many times were hostile towards her, Kathy led Lucasfilm into a bright new era of Star Wars which saw so many animated shows, comics, books, live action series, and films which has expanded the mythos and helped the Galaxy reach a plethora of new fans.In her "Exit Interview" with Deadline, Kathy discusses her storied career and discuss what has happened with many cancelled projects like Steve Soderbergh and Adam Driver's The Hunt For Ben Solo, James Mangold and Beau Willimon's Dawn of The Jedi and beyond.As Kathy returns to producing (including the upcoming The Mandalorian And Grogu, and Starfighter), we salute her incredible career and wish her all the best in her future projects.While one reign ends, another begins. Kathy steps down and (as rumored) Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan rise. Dave will serve as President and Chief Creative Officer and Lynwen will serve as Co-President. Everyone knows about Dave's role within Lucasfilm as apprentice to George Lucas, but Lynwen's role within Lucasfilm has been equally as impressive. Lynwen has been at Lucasfilm since 1999, beginning her tenure at Industrial Light & Magic where she become its leader in 2009. She was General Manager of Lucasfilm in 2015 and President & General Manager of Lucasfilm Business in 2024. Her leadership has been recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Visual Effects Society and the honor of Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.With this new leadership, questions and concerns arise about what we can expect from what we've called colloquially "Phase 3" of Star Wars. Join us as we celebrate Kathy's career, toast to Dave and Lynwen's new roles, and speculate about what might be in store for Star Wars future!• • •TRIAD Of The FORCE is a STAR WARS+ podcast hosted by Gus, Nani, & Chase—Puerto Rican and queer creators sharing deep dives, and heartfelt conversations from a galaxy far, far away. Featured on the STAR WARS CELEBRATION Podcast Stage (2022 & 2023), we explore STAR WARS, fantasy, comic books, and other POP-culture media honestly. We engage in inclusive commentary across film, TV, books, comics, and beyond with humor, critical analysis, and cultural perspective (without the toxicity).Follow TRIAD Of The FORCE at:BlueSky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/triadoftheforce.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/triadoftheforce/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/TriadoftheForce/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you like us, get some merch and help the channel:TeePublic: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.teepublic.com/user/triad-of-the-force⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• • •Acknowledgement: The Intro and Outro music is the Triad of the Force Theme, composed and performed by Grushkov with full permission for use by Grushkov (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Grushkov⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠).• • •This channel is not affiliated in any way with Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC, The Walt Disney Company, or any of their affiliates or subsidiaries.

Chief Creative Officer of Bruce Mau Design, Laura Stein grew up on Nun's Island outside of Montreal, a near utopia where kids never had to cross the street. Her psychiatrist father and museum-involved mother cultivated curiosity about emotions, critical thinking, and the arts. A move to Texas in her teens resulted in quite a culture shock. Laura found an innate knack for peer reviews and analysis, which became a strength throughout the rest of her academic and professional career. Originally graduating with a degree in English, she returned to school to study art, where she found not only her community, but her band mates. From there, it was a wild ride - record signing (Sub Pop,) touring, and navigating all the ups and downs of being in a girl band in the ‘90s – the ultimate creative boot camp. Now in leadership at Bruce Mau Design, she's deploying the wisdom garnered from all these experiences to build a culture focused on keeping possibility alive. Images and more from Laura Stein on our website!Special thanks to our sponsor! Wix Studio is a platform built for all web creators to design, develop, and manage exceptional web projects at scale.Clever is hosted & produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Mark Zurawinski, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven.SUBSCRIBE - listen to Clever on any podcast app!SIGN UP - for our Substack for news, bonus content, new episode alertsVISIT - cleverpodcast.com for transcripts, images, and 200+ more episodesSAY HI! - on Instagram & LinkedIn @cleverpodcast @amydeversSpecial thanks to our sponsors!Wix Studio is a platform built for all web creators to design, develop, and manage exceptional web projects at scale.Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove's Kitchen Design Contest is a global design competition celebrating outstanding kitchen design projects. Apply now! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The galaxy far, far away just experienced a seismic shift. In a landmark announcement, Disney and Lucasfilm have confirmed that Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down, marking the end of an era that saw the return of the Skywalker Saga and the birth of live-action Star Wars television. But as one chapter closes, a fan-favorite rises. We're breaking down the promotion of Dave Filoni to President & Chief Creative Officer. From his beginnings under George Lucas to his mastery of the "Filoni-verse," what does his creative leadership mean for the future of Jedi, Sith, and Mandalorians alike? Plus, we look at the crucial strategic partnership with Lynwen Brennan, who steps in as Co-President of Business Operations. Can this "dyad" of creative vision and operational expertise stabilize the franchise?

A fantastic example of planning is the new Folk VML campaign for the Irish National Lottery. An insight, well produced, that followed three strategic pillars that actually make sense. Joining me are Enda Kelly, MD of Folk VML, Dublin and Karl Waters, Chief Creative Officer. A great conversation. Thank you both.

As Kathleen Kennedy steps down from Lucasfilm leadership to return to producing, Dave Filoni will lead the studio as President and Chief Creative Officer alongside Lynwen Brennan as Co-President. Lucasfilm announced today that after 14 years of leading the studio, President Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down from her role. Kennedy will return to full-time producing, including the studio's upcoming feature films The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter.  https://www.starwars.com/news/lucasfilm-leadership Orbitkey Disney Collection Add a sprinkle of Disney magic to your everyday carry. The Disney x Orbitkey Collection features fun, functional accessories inspired by Disney characters, designed to make staying organised feel like magic. https://www.orbitkey.com/pages/disney?srsltid=AfmBOorl0UJrj6Skr7fWecL5ZzpxJ6tt757WShCMY3XcCGsLaXPwzBUw Kirk is on YouTube: @kirkmihelakos https://www.youtube.com/designedbykirk Darian is on YouTube: @TheManDarian https://www.youtube.com/@TheManDarian ———————————————————————— Star Wars Escape Pod

Dave Filoni has been named President and Chief Creative Officer of Lucasfilm, with Lynwen Brennan running the business side as Co-President. Join Stephen and William as they break down the news, look back at Kathleen Kennedy's legacy, and share their hopes for Dave Filoni's tenure.The Ion Cannon Podcast is your source for entertainment reviews from a galaxy far, far away. Ion Cannon has covered every corner of the saga since 2008, from the films and hit series like The Mandalorian, Andor, The Clone Wars, Rebels, Ahsoka, and Skeleton Crew to books, comics, games, and more. Not affiliated with Disney or Lucasfilm.Contact usEmail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠contact@ioncannoncast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ion Cannon Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X (Twitter): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@IonCannonCast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MasterDevwi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@kal_skirata⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@srice08⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts / iTunes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Music⁠⁠⁠⁠Pocket Casts⁠⁠⁠⁠RSS feed⁠⁠Thank you for listening and may the Force be with you.

Dagger is an independent, creatively wired, strategy obsessed brand building agency based in Atlanta, Georgia. It's one of Ad Age Best Places to Work and has been named 4x to Adweek's 100 Fastest Growing Agencies. On this episode I sat down with the agency's Chief Creative officer, Al Patton, and Head of Dagger Originals, Lance Krall to talk about the state of Dagger, Advertising in Atlanta, and more. About our Guests: AL PATTON, CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER Al joined as Chief Creative Officer in February of 2019 and is responsible for driving the creative vision of the agency. He came to us from 22Squared, where for just under three years he served as Executive Creative Director and oversaw all creative output for the agency's Atlanta headquarters. Prior to that, Al spent eighteen years at top creative agencies in New York, the final ten of which at R/GA where he was Executive Creative Director on the agency's Nike and Samsung accounts. His resume also includes stints at Deutsch, FCB, Digitas and Tribal, where he led teams working on such global brands as American Express, Reebok, Kraft, Chase and AT&T. Al's work has been a mainstay at the annual creative award shows, having taken home top honors at Cannes Lions, CLIO, One Show, London International Awards, Webby Awards and the Effies. LANCE KRALL, HEAD OF DAGGER ORIGINALS Most recently known for his role as "Dad" to his two children, Lance previously worked on other less demanding projects, such as creating and starring in Spike TV's "The Lance Krall Show," and Vh1's "Free Radio," writing on "Breaking In," "Last Man Standing," and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," Co-Executive Producing TruTV's unscripted comedy, "Fameless," and penning the William H Macy helmed feature film, "The Layover." As an Executive Producer, Lance has had the pleasure of developing television alongside some of the industry's top players, including Jerry Bruckheimer, Doug Robinson, Drew Barrymore, Laurence Fishburne, and Eric Tannenbaum. Learn more about DAGGER here.

There was a time when a movie title sequence was just the moment you grabbed your popcorn and waited for the real show to start. But in the mid-90s and early 2000's, that changed forever with films like Seven and shows like Mad Men and Stranger Things. The title sequence became a prologue—a metaphor for the film itself. This is a preview of a premium episode. To listen to the full interview, head over to our Substack:https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/mikon-van-gastel Our guest today, Mikon Van Gastel, was right there in the trenches of that revolution. After a formative and intense education at the Cranbrook Academy of Art—where the only teachers were artists in residence and your toughest critics were your peers—Mikon cut his teeth at the legendary studio Imaginary Forces. Today, Mikon is the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Sibling Rivalry, a hybrid brand studio and production company he founded with his best friend, Joe Wright. They've built a reputation for work that blurs the lines between branding, storytelling, and architecture.z In this episode, we explore the sheer scale of modern experience design. Mikon takes us behind the scenes of his work for the Sphere in Las Vegas—a venue he calls the “Champions League of content creation”. We discuss how to design for shared emotion, balancing the “collective gasp” of a 20,000-person audience with moments of intimate connection. We also dig into the business of creativity. Mikon opens up about the “sleepless nights” of running an agency in a project-based economy and how he refuses to transition fully into a management role, preferring to write treatments and stay hands-on with the work on nights and weekends. Whether you are designing software interfaces or directing films, Mikon's philosophy on collaboration and stripping away the noise to serve the core idea is something we can all learn from. Bio Mikon van Gastel is Director, CEO, and Co-Founder of creative agency Sibling Rivalry, based in New York and Miami. Originally from Holland, he earned his MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art before launching his career at Imaginary Forces, where he designed award-winning title sequences for feature films and theatrical trailers. Van Gastel's work spans multiple disciplines, with notable projects in architecture and experience design including MoMA's interactive signage system, BMW World in Munich, the digital displays at Santiago Calatrava's World Trade Center Oculus, and most recently, immersive films for the world's first keynote inside The Sphere in Las Vegas. He also created a VR series with renowned curator Paola Antonelli. He continues to direct commercial campaigns and product launches for major brands including Apple TV+, Ford, Google, Target, BVLGARI, and Vogue, working with high-profile talent such as Drake, Taylor Swift, Lionel Messi, and Lewis Hamilton. Van Gastel speaks internationally about design integration and emerging industry trends at cultural and educational institutions worldwide. *** This is a premium episode on Design Better. We release two premium episodes per month, along with two free episodes for everyone. Premium subscribers also get access to the documentary Design Disruptors and our growing library of books: You'll also get access to our monthly AMAs with former guests, ad-free episodes, discounts and early access to workshops, and our monthly newsletter The Brief that compiles salient insights, quotes, readings, and creative processes uncovered in the show. And subscribers at the annual level now get access to the Design Better Toolkit, which gets you major discounts and free access to tools and courses that will help you unlock new skills, make your workflow more efficient, and take your creativity further. Upgrade to paid ***

Host of the Enrique Santos Show and President and Chief Creative Officer of iHeartLatino, Enrique Santos, explains the reaction within the Venezuelan community to Maduro's capture.

Host of the Enrique Santos Show and President and Chief Creative Officer of iHeartLatino, Enrique Santos, explains the reaction within the Venezuelan community to Maduro's capture.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever wondered how reality TV gets made? Why some shows become instant classics, while others vanish without trace? In this special edition of The Media Show, four of the UK's top creatives in unscripted television reveal their secrets. From The Traitors to Pointless, Hunted to Gogglebox, they discuss what makes a hit format, how casting decisions are made, how streamers and influencers are changing the landscape, and where the next big hit might come from. With Tim Harcourt, Chief Creative Officer, Studio Lambert; Matt Bennett, Director of Programmes, Shine Television; Tamara Gilder, Joint MD, Remarkable Entertainment; Art Sejdiu, Head of Commissioning Development, Channel Four.Presenters: Ros Atkins and Katie Razzall Producer: Dan Hardoon Content producer: Lucy Wai Researcher: Ruth Waites

Have you ever wondered how reality TV gets made? Why some shows become instant classics, while others vanish without trace?In this special edition of The Media Show, four of the UK's top creatives in unscripted television reveal their secrets. From The Traitors to Pointless, Hunted to Gogglebox, they discuss what makes a hit format, how casting decisions are made, how streamers and influencers are changing the landscape, and where the next big hit might come from.Guests:  Tim Harcourt, Chief Creative Officer, Studio Lambert; Matt Bennett, Director of Programmes, Shine Television; Tamara Gilder, Joint MD, Remarkable Entertainment; Art Sejdiu, Head of Commissioning Development, Channel Four.Presenters: Ros Atkins and Katie Razzall Producer: Dan Hardoon

Most people are settled by 40. Carrie Gross was just getting started. With four kids at home and a solid career, her decision to start a new business seemed like a risky choice. But her vision was stronger than the fear. In this replay episode of SUPERWOMEN, Carrie Gross, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, discusses her pivot from fashion to beauty. She shares how she and her dermatologist husband launched the brand with one product—their now-iconic peel pads. We talk about what it's like to pursue your passion later in life, how to stay married while running a business together, and what it means to grow without burning out. Carrie opens up about early failures, trusting her gut, and staying focused on what really matters. Episode Guide: (00:00) Meet Carrie Gross, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare (03:01) The elevator encounter that changed her life (06:23) How Dr. Dennis Gross' Peel Pads took off (11:48) Building a marriage and a business that lasts (16:14) The Sex and the City controversy (17:48) The 2008 crash that led to a brand rebirth (19:03) Selling the company and learning to let go (24:24) Innovating without chasing trends (26:24) Lessons from failure and being too early (27:59) Balancing ambition, motherhood, and slowing down Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeannette welcomes Laura Fullerton, the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Monk, a pioneering wellness tech company focused on cold water immersion.  Laura shares her entrepreneurial journey, detailing the inspiration behind Monk and the challenges she faced in bringing her innovative product to market. Together they also delve into the transformative benefits of cold water therapy, the importance of building a strong brand, and the lessons learned from her first year of trading Laura explains why: The journey into entrepreneurship can stem from a deep passion or frustration. The initial business idea often arises from a personal need that is not being met in the market. Surrounding oneself with fellow founders, mentors, and advisors is crucial.  Different types of support—peers at a similar stage, experienced mentors, and aspirational figures—can provide valuable insights and encouragement throughout the entrepreneurial journey. Building a brand that resonates with core values and is not limited to a specific product can create a broader appeal Adapting products based on customer feedback is essential for growth.  Understanding the market and being responsive to the needs of the community can lead to the development of more accessible and relevant offerings. This episode is living proof that no matter where you're starting from — or what life throws at you — it's never too late to be brave, bold, and unlock your inner brilliant. Visit ⁠https://brave-bold-brilliant.com/⁠ for free tools, guides and resources to help you take action now

Brian Scotto was the Chief Creative Officer of HOONIGAN and the Director of the Gymkhana series, amassing over 1 billion views. What's in his future? What would he have done differently?On this episode we cover a LOT, including but definitely not limited to: Directing 2025's Gymkhana: Australia; the stunt he stopped; filming with race car drivers; What he would change if he had a time machine; directing the action scenes for the upcoming film "Drifter"; what he misses about magazine life; why he has SO many project cars; building vs driving; what the next chapter of his life looks like.Patreon questions include:Would he run Hoonigan differently?Hoonigan media that never got madeRebadging US cars with their foreign badges = cool?Which car he would Safari outSongs that make us drive fastThoughts on the Czinger record? Recorded December 16, 2025 Proper Cloth: Use code TIRE for 10% off your first order bit.ly/pc-smokingtire Aura FramesFor a limited time, visit AuraFrames.com and get $45 off Aura's best-selling Carver Mat frames - named #1 by Wirecutter -  by using promo codeTIRE at checkout. That's A-U-R-A Frames.com promo code TIRE. Brooklyn BeddingGo to brooklynbedding.comand use my promo code TIRE at checkout to get 30% off sitewide. This offer is not available anywhere else.  Car GurusBuy or sell your next car today with CarGurus at cargurus.com. Go to cargurus dot com to make sure your big deal is the best deal.  Hello FreshGo to HelloFresh.com/smokingtire10fm now to Get 10 Free Meals + a Free breakfast for Life! One per box with active subscription. Free meals applied as discount on first box, new subscribers only, varies by plan.  TrueWerkGet 15% off your first order at TRUEWERK.com with code tire New merch! Grab a shirt or hoodie and support us! https://thesmokingtireshop.com/ Use Off The Record! and ALWAYS fight your tickets! For a 10% discount on your first case go to https://www.offtherecord.com/TST Want your question answered? Want to watch the live stream, get ad-free podcasts, or exclusive podcasts? Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thesmokingtirepodcast Instagram:https://www.Instagram.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Instagram.com/therealzackklapman Want your question answered? Want to watch the live stream, get ad-free podcasts, or exclusive podcasts? Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thesmokingtirepodcast Use Off The Record! and ALWAYS fight your tickets! Enter code TST10 for a 10% discount on your first case on the Off The Record app, or go to http://www.offtherecord.com/TST. Watch our car reviews: https://www.youtube.com/thesmokingtire Tweet at us!https://www.Twitter.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Twitter.com/zackklapman Instagram:https://www.Instagram.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Instagram.com/therealzackklapman

This “Best of 2025” episode highlights insights from Shannon Shae Montoya, Global Head of B2B Marketing, Sponsorships, and Events at Yahoo; Toby Espinosa, Vice President of Ads at DoorDash; Adam Kornblum, Chief Creative Officer at L'Oréal; and Merill Hollander, founder of Fiametta, as they discuss how data-driven creativity, storytelling, and bold experimentation are shaping the future of marketing, retail media, beauty, and fine jewelry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode, Kara welcomes Melinda Maria Spigel, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Melinda Maria Jewelry — the celeb-adored brand redefining accessible luxury for the modern woman.Melinda's journey is anything but ordinary. She started out selling jewelry at Starbucks and even entered game shows to fund her first production runs. What began as pure hustle has evolved into a $30M+ brand worn by icons including Michelle Obama, Julia Roberts, and Taylor Swift. Through creativity, resilience, and a deep connection with her audience, Melinda turned her handmade beginnings into one of the most recognizable digitally native jewelry brands in the world.In this episode, she shares how she built her business from scratch, what it really takes to stay relevant in a fast-changing digital landscape, and how storytelling and authenticity built a loyal following that still fuels the brand today. From her first sale to her first celebrity moment, Melinda's story is a masterclass in grit, creativity, and finding your sparkle — on your own terms. Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at karagoldin@gmail.com. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks. To learn more about Melinda Maria Spigel and Melinda Maria:https://www.melindamaria.comhttps://www.instagram.com/melindamaria_jewelry/https://www.linkedin.com/company/melinda-maria/ Sponsored By:Quo - Get started for free, plus get 20% off your first 6 months at Quo.com/KARAGOLDINDell - Get a new Dell PC at Dell.com/ai-pcMerit Beauty - Our listeners gat a FREE Signature Makeup Bag with your first order at MeritBeauty.comAuraFrames - Visit AuraFrames.com and get $45 off Aura's best-selling Carver Mat frames by using promo code KARA at checkout.Square - Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at square.com/go/karagoldin Check out our website to view this episode's show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/772

In a very special episode of the Film Stories podcast, Simon is joined by two of the team behind Disney's new animated movie, Zootropolis. There's producer Yvett Merino, an Oscar-winner for Encanto, who came to Zootropolis 2 hot off the heels of Moana 2. And then writer/director Jared Bush returns to the podcast, for what's becoming a very welcome annual check in with the chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios. The conversation covers the new Zootropolis/Zootopia film, a four minute sequence that got cut out of the film, a dog with a dodgy tummy, and a whole lot more... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices