Podcasts about creative alliance

Shaolin Jazz co-founder DJ 2-Tone Jones—one half of the duo behind the genre-bending brand—returns to reflect on growth, alignment, and his continued love for blending film and music through Can I Kick It?Finding purpose through Shaolin Jazz: how re-scoring films with hip-hop and jazz gave his DJ career renewed meaningCan I Kick It?: building a national, live-scoring experience that fuses cult classic cinema with original DJ setsMastering live scoring: learning to let films “breathe” and why restraint can elevate storytellingCreative partnerships that last: why the right venue, audience, and mission fit matter more than numbersLessons from 160+ screenings: evolving from DIY setups to long-term residencies and curatorial refinementNiche as power: how a focused creative identity built deeper impact, loyalty, and community across citiesCheck out Shaolin Jazz's and DJ 2-Tone Jones' first appearance on the podcast — recorded in 2020 — here. Join DJ 2-Tone Jones this Saturday at Creative Alliance for Can I Kick It?, featuring Monkey Man—an adrenaline-fueled Indian revenge thriller re-scored live with hip-hop, soul, and cinematic beats.

In the ever-evolving landscape of art and technology, the fusion of creativity and artificial intelligence is opening new horizons for artists worldwide. In a recent episode of Creative Genius, host Kate Shepherd engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Troy Plota, the visionary behind Plotaverse, exploring how AI can serve as a powerful ally in the creative process.The Intersection of Art and Technology:Troy Plota's journey from a seasoned photographer to the founder of a groundbreaking digital platform exemplifies the transformative potential of embracing technological advancements. Plotaverse, his innovative app, brought motion to still images, captivating audiences and achieving remarkable success with over 10 million downloads. Democratizing Creativity:A central theme in the discussion is the democratization of art through AI. Troy emphasizes that AI tools can empower individuals with creative visions but limited resources, enabling them to bring their ideas to life without the need for substantial budgets or technical expertise.Spiritual Insights and Creative Inspiration:Beyond technology, the conversation delves into the spiritual dimensions of creativity. Troy shares a profound personal experience where he was inspired by a dream, awakening with a complete screenplay in mind. This narrative underscores the mysterious and often transcendent nature of artistic inspiration.Building Creative Communities:The episode also highlights the importance of community and service in the artistic journey. Troy discusses how platforms like Plotaverse can foster connections among artists, creating supportive environments that nurture creativity and innovation.The dialogue between Kate Shepherd and Troy Plota offers valuable insights into how embracing AI can enhance, rather than hinder, human creativity. By viewing technology as a collaborative partner, artists can unlock new realms of expression and contribute to a vibrant, inclusive creative landscape.To explore more about Troy Plota's work, visit PlotaverseKey Topics:The inception and impact of PlotaverseAI as a tool for creative empowermentBalancing technology with human artistrySpiritual insights and their influence on creativityBuilding communities through shared artistic endeavorsNotable Quotes:"Creativity is a universal calling.""AI can enhance creativity rather than replace it.""Community and service to others can help combat fear and anxiety."Resources:Plotaverse Official WebsiteTroy Plota's Personal SiteDor Brothers Video MentionedGuest Bio:Troy Plota is a seasoned photographer and digital artist with over 30 years of experience. He is the founder of Plotaverse, a platform that revolutionized digital art by animating still images, garnering over 10 million downloads and reaching #1 in the App Store. Troy's work has been featured in prominent publications like Vanity Fair, GQ, and Rolling Stone. Episode Highlights:Discussion on the role of AI in democratizing creativityInsights into the development and success of PlotaverseExploration of spiritual experiences influencing artistic endeavorsEmphasis on building supportive creative communitiesSubscribe to Creative Genius, leave a review, and support us on Patreon at patreon.com/creativegeniuspodcast.

We live in a pulpy world: lurid, sensationalistic, and super chunky orange juice.  That's right, our podders watched Pulp Fiction.  And just like dance competitions colliding with motorcycle nomenclature, we are partnering with The Creative Alliance and their Interactive Movie Night on Friday, May 16th. So listen to the pod to get the low down and then twist the night away with some amazing interactions.  Remember, don't do drugs (but if you do make sure you have a Lance), do not steal McGuffin brand briefcases under any circumstance, and buy your sporting good from Play-It-Again Sports, trust us.  

In this episode of 'The Truth in This Art,' host Rob Lee interviews Yesenia Mejia Herrera, an interdisciplinary artist, activist, and educator originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, now based in Baltimore. Yesenia shares her journey of preserving and uplifting Indigenous Latinx traditions, focusing on her work with Creative Alliance's CIELO initiative and the importance of honoring cultural heritage. They discuss the intersection of Latinx arts, cultural preservation, and community building through projects like the upcoming Tianquiztli Artisan Market and Baltimore By Baltimore. Yesenia also highlights the significance of sharing Latinx cultures with the Baltimore community and passing these traditions to younger generations, including her son. This conversation offers a rich exploration of Latinx arts, cultural traditions, and the power of community-driven initiatives.Links to events:Tianquitli Artisan MarketBaltimore By BaltimoreCIELO This program is supported in part by a grant from the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation.If you have a story about art, culture, or community in Baltimore, share it with us at rob@thetruthinthisart.com for a chance to be featured on "The Truth In This Art" podcast. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the arts and culture podcast scene and showcase your insights on "The Truth In This Art" with Rob Lee.Follow The Truth In This Art on Twitter, Threads, IG, and Facebook @truthinthisart Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard.Episode illustration by Alley Kid Art.About "The Truth In This Art"Hosted by Rob Lee, "The Truth In This Art" podcast dives into the heart of creativity and its influence on the community. This arts and culture podcast from Baltimore highlights artists discussing their ideas, sharing insights, and telling impactful stories. Through these artist interviews, listeners gain a deeper understanding of the creative economy and artistic life in Baltimore. Support the show:Merch from Redbubble | Make a Donation  ★ Support this podcast ★

This week on a special edition of the Stoop Storytelling Series, five stories that uplift LBTQ+ voices and spotlight the ongoing struggle for equality. The next live Stoop show is Thursday, June 27th at the Creative Alliance. The theme is “B-More Proud: Queer Tales of Charm City.” Storytellers: Jabari Lyles Eric Thomas Rohaizad Suaidi Katy Caldwell Eric Anderson Music: I Thought You Were Cool by HolinzaCC0 Something Elated by Broke for Free Bird by James Pants Naked Lunch by Jahzzar Prime by DJ Williams Part VI by Jahzzar Love Love Love by HolinzaCC0 The Stoop Storytelling Podcast is hosted by Laura Wexler and Jessica Henkin, produced by Maureen Harvie, and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's a Stoop story from Mike Bainum about the dramatic birth of his first daughter.  Check out the Stoop Storytelling Series archive. The next Stoop show is June 27th at 7:30 pm at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore. The theme is, "B-More Proud: Queer Tales of Charm City."Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers mharvie@wypr.org 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers mgerr@wypr.org 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his sbdawes@wypr.org 410-235-1472

Here's a Stoop Story from Angie Elliott about standing up: for herself, for love, and to family. In celebration of Pride month, Stoop Storytelling has a live show coming up and the theme is ‘B-More Proud:  Queer Tales of Charm City.' It happens Thursday, June 27 at Creative Alliance.Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers mharvie@wypr.org 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers mgerr@wypr.org 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his sbdawes@wypr.org 410-235-1472

You've heard him on WTMD. And you can hear him in an abbreviated set with WTMD at their Live Lunch series on June 13th at Rams Head On Stage--tickets are free, but you need to RSVP at WTMD . And yet another chance to see a full show at the Creative Alliance on August 17th. But before that, check out our conversation with Raul Midón. Raul's new album, "Lost and Found," released in April 2024, showcases his talent for blending folk and roots with jazz, soul, and pop. As a seasoned singer and guitarist, Raul has received multiple Grammy nominations and was honored with the distinguished alumni award from the University of Miami, where he studied before becoming a highly sought-after session singer. His impressive collaborations include work with Lizz Wright, Larry Klein, Arif Mardin, Pat Metheny, Richard Bona, Bill Withers, Marcus Miller, Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, and Alex Cuba. IMPORTANT NOTE: During our conversation, I mistakenly thought (and said) his full concert at the Creative Alliance was on June 17th, it is actually on AUGUST 17th! -JF Have a listen! LINKS: Raul Midón (Website) Raul Midón (Facebook) Raul Midón (Instagram) Raul Midón (YouTube Raul Midón (Spotify) WTMD (Free Tickets)

Nurse Vanessa Battista shares a powerful story about what she learned from Colin, a young man dying of cancer. Listen to more tales from the Stoop Storytelling Series. Search the archives or check out the podcast. The next Stoop event is June 27th at the Creative Alliance in Highlandtown. The Stoop Storytelling Series, in partnership with the Queer Jewish Arts Festival, will present, "B-more Proud: Queer Tales of Charm City!"Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers mharvie@wypr.org 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers mgerr@wypr.org 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his sbdawes@wypr.org 410-235-1472

In this episode, Rob Lee and Jason Steer explore the intersection of arts, culture, and community. Steer shares his Caribbean heritage and his path into the creative arts, detailing his time at the Apollo Theater and his work in education and workforce development. He emphasizes the importance of exposure, authenticity, and inclusivity, particularly in a project aimed at the deaf community. Steer also discusses his role at Baltimore's Creative Alliance, focusing on supporting artists from marginalized communities. The conversation touches on Steer's creative process, his excitement for the potential in Baltimore, his humorous views on English cuisine, and his interests in anime and sports. The episode wraps up with Steer inviting listeners to engage with the Creative Alliance's diverse cultural events.Episode Content:Experience at Apollo Theater (00:06:25): Jason discusses his time at the Apollo Theater, engaging the community and providing opportunities for youth.The Impact of Exposure (00:13:29): Rob and Jason emphasize the importance of exposure and representation for people of color in creative fields.Creative Process and Stages (00:17:28): Jason explains his creative process, from ideation to execution, and how he prepares new work.Engaging with the Deaf Community (00:19:28): Understanding and incorporating technology for accessibility in projects for the deaf community.Joy and Challenges in the Creative Process (00:21:58): Finding joy in creation and ensuring perfect execution amidst challenges.Strategies for Marginalized Communities (00:28:39): Allocating resources and building relationships to support marginalized artists.Community Engagement and Collaboration (00:32:22): Collaborating with arts districts and responsibly planning community support.Recognizing Creativity and Potential in Baltimore (00:34:53): Highlighting the value of creativity in Baltimore and recognizing its potential.Direction of Creativity and Community (00:37:59): Jason discusses the focus on creativity and community at the Creative Alliance.Commitment to Leadership and Passion (00:38:56): Sharing his commitment to the Creative Alliance and encounters with its passionate founders.Watching Anime and Sports (00:43:54): Jason talks about anime and his excitement for the basketball playoffs.Creative Alliance Events and Activities (00:45:38): Inviting listeners to follow Creative Alliance on Instagram and highlighting upcoming events.Key Takeaways:Exposure to diverse cultures and communities is crucial for personal and artistic growth.Authentic representation and inclusivity in the arts empower marginalized groups.Supporting local artists fosters a vibrant and diverse cultural community.Engaging with cultural institutions like the Creative Alliance enriches one's understanding of the arts.Social Media Link:LinkedIn: Jason Steer This program is supported (in part) by a grant from the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation. If you have a story about art, culture, or community, share it with us at rob@thetruthinthisart.com for a chance to be featured on 'The Truth In This Art' podcast.Follow The Truth In This Art on Twitter, Threads, IG, and Facebook @truthinthisart Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard.Episode illustration by Alley Kid Art.About "The Truth In This Art""The Truth In This Art," hosted by Rob Lee, is a podcast that explores the essence of creativity and its community impact, amplifying artists' voices and their profound stories.Connect with me:Website | Twitter | Instagram Support the show:Merch from Redbubble | Make a Donation  ★ Support this podcast ★

What's Next? welcomes CJ Banks, the Special Assistant to the President at Villa Maria College. Banks heads up community outreach and workforce development at the school, including through the recently announced Hip-Hop Creative Alliance. He's also the founder and president of the KORP Foundation, which focuses on professional advancement and skills training. Originally from The Bronx and after some time spent in the music industry, Banks came to Buffalo 20 years ago. Since then, he's kept busy in various entrepreneurial roles. He joins Jay Moran to discuss the latest of these, and future plans for workforce development in the community.

Britta von Schoeler, President of Broadway Video Enterprises (BVE) at Broadway Video, joins Susan and Ben to discuss Promising Young Woman, a 2020 thriller. Britta shares what it's like having a career leading global strategy for Lorne Michaels' Broadway Video Enterprises. She discusses reuniting the cast of Kids in the Hall, developing Kate McKinnon's audio comedy, Heads Will Roll, creating international partnerships for Saturday Night Live, and co-chairing the Creative Alliance, a coalition of creative and marketing agencies that supports nonprofit causes via Civic Nation. Britta plays our “Oh, What's Her Name?” game. Follow Britta on Instagram @brittavonschoeler, Linkedin, or IMDb. Find Heads Will Roll and Yes We Cannabis on Audible. Learn more about Civic Nation at civicnation.org. Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts to help us reach more listeners. Find out about our guests and upcoming events by following us at Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, contribute to our Patreon, or shop at lifeinthecredits.com. Life in Our Credits Hosts: Susan Swarner and Ben Blohm Executive Producer: Michelle Levin Logo Art: Melissa Durkin Music Composer and Performer: Steve Trowbridge --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lifeinthecredits/support

Today on Midday, a musical treat; three vocalists from the acclaimed gospel ensemble, the Legendary Ingramettes. They are giving a concert tonight at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore, and they've been kind enough to stop by with preview. Baltimore is one stop on a multi-city tour. In years past, they have performed at some of the most prestigious concert halls in the country, including Lincoln Center in New York and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. The Legendary Ingramettes are considered the “First Family of Gospel” in their hometown of Richmond, Virginia. They were founded by the family matriarch, Maggie Ingram in the 1960's. After Maggie's passing in 2015, her daughter Almeta Ingram-Miller took over leadership of the ensemble.Rev. Almeta Ingram-Miller, Carrie Ingram-Jackson and Cheryl Maroney Yancey join us. (Photo by Pat Jarret)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to "The Truth In This Art" podcast! Join host Rob Lee as he dives deep into the inspiring stories of creative minds. In this episode, we have the pleasure of featuring D.C. born, Hyattsville raised twins, Eleisha Faith McCorkle and Tonisha Hope McCorkle. With their BFA's from New York University in Studio Art, these talented artists bring together their unique qualities to create an impressive interdisciplinary collaboration.In this enlightening conversation, Eleisha and Tonisha share: Their origin stories and the paths that led them to their artistic journeys. The distinctive characteristics that define their work and the sources of inspiration that drive them. The fascinating transformation process of turning an idea into a physical masterpiece. The profound significance of their bond as siblings in both their individual and collaborative creative processes. An in-depth exploration of their first solo show, "OUR SKIN, OUR LOGO." A glimpse into their current projects and their exciting vision for the future. How their artistic practices have evolved over time and their aspirations for the next three years. Join us as we delve into their shared experiences, uncover the intricate narratives behind their art, and embark on their spiritual journey of creation using 2D, 3D, and 4D elements. From everyday activities to poignant memories, discover how Eleisha and Tonisha channel their inspirations into captivating works of art.

Host: Coach Guest: Julia Crocetto & Wendy Videlock 5/17/23

Here is Stoop Story from Angie about finding genuine connection and love. Next Thursday you'll have the chance to hear more Stoop Stories! The Stoop is partnering with the Queer Jewish Arts Festival and the Creative Alliance to present, “Glitter, Gefilte, Guilt and Guts: Stories by People who are Jewish, Queer, and Here!” The event is Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 7:30 pm at the Creative Alliance. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tinku Bhattacharyya of the Creative Alliance joins the Free to Bmore podcast to talk about how the organization supports local artists and their recent expansion of the new Creativity Center.

Interview with Jason Harris about careers, job interviews and aligning with company culture. Jason is the co-founder and CEO of the award-winning creative agency Mekanism and co-founder of the Creative Alliance. In 2014, Harris and Mekanism led the White House's "It's on Us" campaign to raise awareness of campus sexual assault. Harris is on the board of directors for Advertising Week, The United Nations Social Impact Leadership Council and an advising member of the Marketing 50. He is also a co-chair and founding member of Civic Nation Creative Alliance in partnership with The White House. Mekanism has been named to Ad Age's Agency A-list and twice to their Best Places to Work. Harris has been named in the Top 10 Most Influential Social Impact Leaders, as well as the 4A's list of "100 People Who Make Advertising Great." His methods are studied in cases at Harvard Business School. And Jason is the author of “The Soulful Art of Persuasion: The 11 Habits That Will Make Anyone a Master” Jason is here to share his insights on persuasion, interviews, and careers with us. https://www.thesoulfulart.com/ - Job Interview Experience Website - Contact, eBook, Videos, Socials, & More: https://www.jobinterviewexperience.com/ Candidate Club Interview Prep: https://www.candidateclub.com/pricing

Here's a Stoop Story from Jennifer Mendelsohn about the spark that ignited her work as a genetic genealogist. There's a live stoop storytelling show April 12th at Creative Alliance! It's an all audience show, so bring your most hilarious story that proves truth is the ultimate source of comedy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andre Mazelin (he/him) As Dance Place's new executive director, Mazelin will oversee the development and growth including strategic direction, operational oversight, talent acquisition and retention, and legal. Mazelin most recently served as senior manager for Prince George's Community College Center for Performing Arts and was a member of its launch team in 2019.Previously, Mazelin held several arts leadership roles in Baltimore, Maryland, as managing director of Motor House, an operations director of Creative Alliance at the Patterson and a grant panelist for the Maryland State Arts Council. Born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Mazelin immigrated to the U.S. with his family as a child. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Baltimore and an associate degree in music and video business from the Art Institute of Fort LauderdaleInterview conducted in November 2022.This season of The Truth in This Art podcast is generously supported by The Gutierrez Memorial Fund and The Robert W. Deutsch Foundation. The Robert W. Deutsch Foundation invests in innovative people, projects, and ideas that improve the quality of life in Baltimore and beyond. The Gutierrez Memorial Fund was established in the spring of 2010, to honor the life of artist, visionary and community leader, John K. Gutierrez. The Gutierrez Memorial Fund is committed to supporting arts organizations and individual artists who are residents of Maryland and whose programs or projects serve Maryland communities.  Thank you to both of these foundations for their support and making this season possible. ★ Support this podcast ★

Devin Watson, aka Eyeball Fortress, is a seasoned illustrator and designer based in Baltimore, MD. He's been in the biz for over 15 years slinging artwork for book covers, beer bottles, t-shirts, comics, posters and magazines, and he's always thirsty for more. In the rare moments when he's not designing, you'll find Devin at his Hampden home playing a myriad of musical instruments, doing yoga, running, hanging with his wife and cats, and doing literally anything else to keep his brain from overheating. His clients include Ottobar, The Sound Garden, Creative Alliance, Baltimore Magazine, Creep-O-Rama, Tröegs Independent Brewing, Threadless, Atomic Books, Ledo Pizza, Live Nation, and more. Follow him on Instagram @eyeballfortress. The Truth In This ArtThe Truth In This Art is a podcast interview series supporting vibrancy and development of Baltimore & beyond's arts and culture. To find more amazing stories from the artist and entrepreneurial scenes in & around Baltimore, check out my episode directory.SPONSORSforaged. a hyper-seasonal eatery: Farm-fresh seasonal plates, beer & wine served in a warm, casual space lined with greenery. each item on the menu is comprised of local and seasonal ingredients. the concept is true to chef Chris Amendola's ethos in the kitchen, one that is deeply rooted in the woods. foragedeatery.com  ★ Support this podcast ★

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Jason Harris, co-founder & CEO of award-winning creative advertising agency Mekanism, co-founder of the Creative Alliance and author of national bestseller, The Soulful Art of Persuasion: The 11 Habits That Will Make Anyone a Master Influencer, shares how to create tremendous growth by standing for something much bigger than just your offering. Improve your storytelling immediately with my The ABTs of Agile Communications™ quick online course to learn the agile narrative framework that all influential business communication is built.  Grab your copy of The Narrative Gym for Business, a short guide on crafting ABTs for all of your communications.  Read Brand Bewitchery: How to Wield the Story Cycle System™ to Craft Spellbinding Stories for Your Brand.  #StoryOn! ≈Park

In this episode I'm talking with best-selling author of The Soulful Art of Persuasion, Jason Harris. This episode is all about moving beyond a transactional mindset. Jason Harris is the co-founder and CEO of award-winning creative advertising agency, Mekanism. He's the co-founder of The Creative Alliance and author of the national bestseller, The Soulful Art of Persuasion. Harris works closely with brands through a blend of creativity and performance and he calls this approach Soul Plus science, working with iconic brands like Peloton, Ben and Jerry's, Jose Cuervo, Alaska Airlines, Charles Schwab and OkCupid, among others. So what we get into in this episode is really the art of storytelling and the art of persuasion, what he calls soulful persuasion, but really what it is long term brand building with your target customer. Rather than just focusing on these short-term transactional sales, which maybe you'd think would be the default in scaling a business to the size that some of his clients have, it's really about long-term thinking. How do you continue to pour in and invest in nurturing your target customer to eventually persuade them to want to work with you? So there's a hint of marketing throughout this whole thing, but really we're talking about human psyche, persuasion, storytelling. So dig in, take a listen and see how it applies to your business. Find episode show notes, podcast blog recaps, and the best SMB news & tips on The Manual! Watch video highlights on Youtube here. Follow Chris Ronzio for more business insight. Learn more about Trainual, the world's top Business Playbook™ software. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/processmakesperfect/message

Off to Hollywood...errrr, I mean the Creative Alliance in Patterson Park--where Michael Ivan serves as a moderator for a discussion following the documentary film, The Sunday Sessions directed by Richard Yeagley. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fiftyto50/support

In this episode, Rich has a conversation with Ms V The Storyteller.Valeria Elliott is better known as Ms V The Storyteller. She lost her voice at the age of six and didn't get it back until she was twenty-three. Ms V started sharing her personal stories and decided to turn them into a Podcast. Her podcast is for anyone who has lost their voice and wants to get it back. Her stories are personal, and she uses them as a tool to help others who may have gone through the same thing as she did.Ms V has been a speaker on Sparkle Talks. A Facebook Group on ladies*Winner of the Grand Slam as a Storyteller on First Person Arts*Storyteller for First Person Arts Story Slam*Performed as a storyteller for Rising Stars a virtual storytelling event for Black *History Month in the United Kingdom.*Performed as a storyteller for Mortified in Washington D.C at the Black Cat, and   Creative Alliance in Baltimore, MDCo-Author to the book Living In The Key of JoyThank you to Ms V The Storyteller for the conversation. Here are some links for Ms V:Website:Ms V The Storyteller - Storyteller/ Speaker/ Podcaster, Classes/ Book (godaddysites.com)Social Media:Msv Storyteller | FacebookValeria Elliott | LinkedInMsVStoryteller (@msvstoryteller) • Instagram photos and videosValeria (@v_storyteller) / TwitterMs. V The Storyteller - YouTubeSponsored by Harford County LivingRecommended podcast - Ms. V The Storyteller PodcastFollow the podcast on Social Media:Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett & Harford County LivingFacebook GroAfter Hours Entrepreneur: An Entrepreneurs Guide to 6-FiguresTake action. Build a business and life you love!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifyJoin us for the 30 Days of Courage - October 1st–30th 2022Join the MovementCourage 365 empowers survivors of abuse (and those who love them) to live with courage, every day. We are not just a support group. We are a movement. Together, we inspire real change and lift each other up.Join us for a powerful 30-Day event, October 1st-30th, inside of the Courage 365 Facebook group to step into the empower Dani PettreyBuzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEFreedom Federal Credit Union HELPING YOU REACH YOUR FINANCIAL DREAMSRocketbook Get the perfect companion for podcasting, school, office, or anything else.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

This week on Yes But Why, I explore the world of artist Ti Malik Coleman. Ti Malik Coleman is a Baltimore based comedian, teacher, storyteller, improviser, and writer. A Black trans performer, he is dedicated to building spaces for black queer and trans folks to come together and share stories as a mechanism of healing and celebration. Ti Malik tells stories to heal, gather and entertain. Ti Malik is an experienced and sought-after Improv teacher and coach. He has taught core and advanced classes with Baltimore Improv Group and Maryland Improv Group. He is a frequent guest instructor for Bad Dog Theater, winning Favorite Guest Instructor in 2020. He started teaching improv in 2015 with the Baltimore Improv teacher training program, and since then has taught over 50 classes and workshops. He was a founding member of an all-Black improv group, Casually Dope, and has been featured as a performer and teacher at improv festivals in Toronto, Chicago, New York, DC, and Philadelphia. As a community artist, Ti Malik teaches students and organizations how to use art to facilitate change. He has led Applied Improv workshops and series in a variety of corporate settings. Applied Improv uses the foundations, concepts and exercises used in improvisational comedy and applies them to business, relationships, healing, and life. Ti Malik's deepest love is working with young people, he has taught improv in many schools and works with organizations to bring improv to youth of all access levels. As a youth organizer and facilitator, Ti Malik created the first youth team at Baltimore Improv Group, he previously served as a site manager for Creative Alliance After School, and he is currently a teaching artist with Arts for Learning Maryland. “Coach Ti” teaches improvisational comedy and theater to all ages. As an arts integration specialist, he uses theater and improv as a vehicle to academic success, in particular ELA and math.In our conversation, Ti Malik shared with me the metaphorical branches of his creative tree: improv, storytelling, community building, teaching, connecting. First, we talked about the divinity in creativity. We laughed about the Artist's Way and how we haven't quite finished it yet! LOL. Ti Malik shared the meditative state of melting into a character. We discussed acting for a bit. Then Ti Malik explained his experience of falling in love with improv. And he mentioned that his plan B to being an artist was to become President.! Thankfully for us, his intelligence and ability to juggle many projects was instead better invested into the arts world. Ti Malik told me about the amazing arts organizations he was a part of in Baltimore: Baltimore Improv Group, Creative Alliance, Arts for Learning Maryland. These groups gave him a place to showcase his talents while helping his community. I think that it's absolutely great that the city of Baltimore has so many artistic opportunities!“Who we are is endless, you know, and I think that being able to show someone that is beautiful; And being able to show myself that is The Thing.”We mused about the never-ending process of getting to know ourselves. Ti Malik credited his artistic community and friends for helping him to become more himself. This was a really lovely, warm episode and I hope you all enjoy it!Support Ti Malik Coleman by hiring him to teach at your school or workplace! Check out ticoleman.com to get connected!Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun. #YesButWhy #Podcast #HCUniversalNetworkThis episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY. This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Go to PodcastCadet.com to connect with us so we can help you with your podcast! Save money by putting in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off the first service or workshop you buy!(production notes: recorded zoom meeting via Rodecaster on 7/13/2022; posted on 8/29/2022)

This week on Yes But Why, I explore the world of artist Ti Malik Coleman. Ti Malik Coleman is a Baltimore based comedian, teacher, storyteller, improviser, and writer. A Black trans performer, he is dedicated to building spaces for black queer and trans folks to come together and share stories as a mechanism of healing and celebration. Ti Malik tells stories to heal, gather and entertain. Ti Malik is an experienced and sought-after Improv teacher and coach. He has taught core and advanced classes with Baltimore Improv Group and Maryland Improv Group. He is a frequent guest instructor for Bad Dog Theater, winning Favorite Guest Instructor in 2020. He started teaching improv in 2015 with the Baltimore Improv teacher training program, and since then has taught over 50 classes and workshops. He was a founding member of an all-Black improv group, Casually Dope, and has been featured as a performer and teacher at improv festivals in Toronto, Chicago, New York, DC, and Philadelphia. As a community artist, Ti Malik teaches students and organizations how to use art to facilitate change. He has led Applied Improv workshops and series in a variety of corporate settings. Applied Improv uses the foundations, concepts and exercises used in improvisational comedy and applies them to business, relationships, healing, and life. Ti Malik's deepest love is working with young people, he has taught improv in many schools and works with organizations to bring improv to youth of all access levels. As a youth organizer and facilitator, Ti Malik created the first youth team at Baltimore Improv Group, he previously served as a site manager for Creative Alliance After School, and he is currently a teaching artist with Arts for Learning Maryland. “Coach Ti” teaches improvisational comedy and theater to all ages. As an arts integration specialist, he uses theater and improv as a vehicle to academic success, in particular ELA and math. In our conversation, Ti Malik shared with me the metaphorical branches of his creative tree: improv, storytelling, community building, teaching, connecting. First, we talked about the divinity in creativity. We laughed about the Artist's Way and how we haven't quite finished it yet! LOL. Ti Malik shared the meditative state of melting into a character. We discussed acting for a bit. Then Ti Malik explained his experience of falling in love with improv. And he mentioned that his plan B to being an artist was to become President.! Thankfully for us, his intelligence and ability to juggle many projects was instead better invested into the arts world. Ti Malik told me about the amazing arts organizations he was a part of in Baltimore: Baltimore Improv Group, Creative Alliance, Arts for Learning Maryland. These groups gave him a place to showcase his talents while helping his community. I think that it's absolutely great that the city of Baltimore has so many artistic opportunities! “Who we are is endless, you know, and I think that being able to show someone that is beautiful; And being able to show myself that is The Thing.” We mused about the never-ending process of getting to know ourselves. Ti Malik credited his artistic community and friends for helping him to become more himself. This was a really lovely, warm episode and I hope you all enjoy it! Support Ti Malik Coleman by hiring him to teach at your school or workplace! Check out ticoleman.com to get connected! Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun. #YesButWhy #Podcast #HCUniversalNetwork This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY. This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Go to PodcastCadet.com to connect with us so we can help you with your podcast! Save money by putting in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off the first service or workshop you buy! (production notes: recorded zoom meeting via Rodecaster on 7/13/2022; posted on 8/29/2022)

This week on Yes But Why, I explore the world of artist Ti Malik Coleman. Ti Malik Coleman is a Baltimore based comedian, teacher, storyteller, improviser, and writer. A Black trans performer, he is dedicated to building spaces for black queer and trans folks to come together and share stories as a mechanism of healing and celebration. Ti Malik tells stories to heal, gather and entertain. Ti Malik is an experienced and sought-after Improv teacher and coach. He has taught core and advanced classes with Baltimore Improv Group and Maryland Improv Group. He is a frequent guest instructor for Bad Dog Theater, winning Favorite Guest Instructor in 2020. He started teaching improv in 2015 with the Baltimore Improv teacher training program, and since then has taught over 50 classes and workshops. He was a founding member of an all-Black improv group, Casually Dope, and has been featured as a performer and teacher at improv festivals in Toronto, Chicago, New York, DC, and Philadelphia. As a community artist, Ti Malik teaches students and organizations how to use art to facilitate change. He has led Applied Improv workshops and series in a variety of corporate settings. Applied Improv uses the foundations, concepts and exercises used in improvisational comedy and applies them to business, relationships, healing, and life. Ti Malik's deepest love is working with young people, he has taught improv in many schools and works with organizations to bring improv to youth of all access levels. As a youth organizer and facilitator, Ti Malik created the first youth team at Baltimore Improv Group, he previously served as a site manager for Creative Alliance After School, and he is currently a teaching artist with Arts for Learning Maryland. “Coach Ti” teaches improvisational comedy and theater to all ages. As an arts integration specialist, he uses theater and improv as a vehicle to academic success, in particular ELA and math. In our conversation, Ti Malik shared with me the metaphorical branches of his creative tree: improv, storytelling, community building, teaching, connecting. First, we talked about the divinity in creativity. We laughed about the Artist's Way and how we haven't quite finished it yet! LOL. Ti Malik shared the meditative state of melting into a character. We discussed acting for a bit. Then Ti Malik explained his experience of falling in love with improv. And he mentioned that his plan B to being an artist was to become President.! Thankfully for us, his intelligence and ability to juggle many projects was instead better invested into the arts world. Ti Malik told me about the amazing arts organizations he is part of in Baltimore: Baltimore Improv Group, Creative Alliance, Arts for Learning Maryland. These groups gave him a place to showcase his talents while helping his community. I think that it's absolutely great that the city of Baltimore has so many artistic opportunities! “Who we are is endless, you know, and I think that being able to show someone that is beautiful; And being able to show myself that is The Thing.” We mused about the never-ending process of getting to know ourselves. Ti Malik credited his artistic community and friends for helping him to become more himself. This was a really lovely, warm episode and I hope you all enjoy it! Support Ti Malik Coleman by hiring him to teach at your school or workplace! Check out ticoleman.com to get connected! Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun. #YesButWhy #Podcast #HCUniversalNetwork This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY. This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Go to PodcastCadet.com to connect with us so we can help you with your podcast! Save money by putting i

This week on Yes But Why, I explore the world of artist Ti Malik Coleman. Ti Malik Coleman is a Baltimore based comedian, teacher, storyteller, improviser, and writer. A Black trans performer, he is dedicated to building spaces for black queer and trans folks to come together and share stories as a mechanism of healing and celebration. Ti Malik tells stories to heal, gather and entertain. Ti Malik is an experienced and sought-after Improv teacher and coach. He has taught core and advanced classes with Baltimore Improv Group and Maryland Improv Group. He is a frequent guest instructor for Bad Dog Theater, winning Favorite Guest Instructor in 2020. He started teaching improv in 2015 with the Baltimore Improv teacher training program, and since then has taught over 50 classes and workshops. He was a founding member of an all-Black improv group, Casually Dope, and has been featured as a performer and teacher at improv festivals in Toronto, Chicago, New York, DC, and Philadelphia. As a community artist, Ti Malik teaches students and organizations how to use art to facilitate change. He has led Applied Improv workshops and series in a variety of corporate settings. Applied Improv uses the foundations, concepts and exercises used in improvisational comedy and applies them to business, relationships, healing, and life. Ti Malik's deepest love is working with young people, he has taught improv in many schools and works with organizations to bring improv to youth of all access levels. As a youth organizer and facilitator, Ti Malik created the first youth team at Baltimore Improv Group, he previously served as a site manager for Creative Alliance After School, and he is currently a teaching artist with Arts for Learning Maryland. “Coach Ti” teaches improvisational comedy and theater to all ages. As an arts integration specialist, he uses theater and improv as a vehicle to academic success, in particular ELA and math. In our conversation, Ti Malik shared with me the metaphorical branches of his creative tree: improv, storytelling, community building, teaching, connecting. First, we talked about the divinity in creativity. We laughed about the Artist's Way and how we haven't quite finished it yet! LOL. Ti Malik shared the meditative state of melting into a character. We discussed acting for a bit. Then Ti Malik explained his experience of falling in love with improv. And he mentioned that his plan B to being an artist was to become President.! Thankfully for us, his intelligence and ability to juggle many projects was instead better invested into the arts world. Ti Malik told me about the amazing arts organizations he was a part of in Baltimore: Baltimore Improv Group, Creative Alliance, Arts for Learning Maryland. These groups gave him a place to showcase his talents while helping his community. I think that it's absolutely great that the city of Baltimore has so many artistic opportunities! “Who we are is endless, you know, and I think that being able to show someone that is beautiful; And being able to show myself that is The Thing.” We mused about the never-ending process of getting to know ourselves. Ti Malik credited his artistic community and friends for helping him to become more himself. This was a really lovely, warm episode and I hope you all enjoy it! Support Ti Malik Coleman by hiring him to teach at your school or workplace! Check out ticoleman.com to get connected! Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com to join in on the fun. #YesButWhy #Podcast #HCUniversalNetwork This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY. This episode of Yes But Why is also sponsored by PodcastCadet.com. Go to PodcastCadet.com to connect with us so we can help you with your podcast! Save money by putting in offer code YBY20 to get 20% off the first service or workshop you buy! (production notes: recorded zoom meeting via Rodecaster on 7/13/2022; posted on 8/29/2022)

This week I had a wonderful conversation with Jason Harris about his new book The Soulful Art of Persuasion: The 11 Habits That Will Make Anyone a Master Influencer. In this chat, Jason dispels some of the toxic chatter about influencers in the internet age and reminds listeners that the art of influence and persuasion is more about compassion, empathy, and finding common ground than Instagram fame or soulless clickbait. We cover his four principles of persuasion: original, generous, soulful, and empathetic by breaking down how each principle is applied and how their application can transform organizations and workplaces from spaces of dysfunctional conversations into communities of healthy and sincere communication. Jason Harris is the CEO of the award-winning creative agency Mekanism and the cofounder of the Creative Alliance. Under his leadership, Mekanism was named to Ad Age's Agency A-list and twice to their Best Places to Work, and to Creativity's Creativity 50. Harris has been named in the Top 10 Most Influential Social Impact Leaders, as well as the 4A's list of “100 People Who Make Advertising Great.” His methods are studied in cases at Harvard Business School. You can follow him on Instagram and Twitter @Jason_Harris. His new book is 'The Soulful Art of Persuasion: The 11 Habits That Will Make Anyone a Master Influencer (https://amzn.to/3b5vcfK)', a revolutionary guide to becoming a master influencer in an age of distrust through the cultivation of character-building habits that are essential to both personal growth and sustained business success. This isn't a book full of tips and life-hacks. Instead, The Soulful Art of Persuasion will develop the habits that others want to be influenced by. This book is based on a radical idea: Persuasion isn't about facts and argument. It's all about personal character. This episode is brought to you by: * Blinkist (http://beyondthetodolist.com/blinkist) - A shortcast is a 7-10 min version of a podcast where you get the core takeaways. Click here (http://beyondthetodolist.com/blinkist) to listen to all the shortcasts of Beyond The To-Do list for free!

Sam Sessa joins the show to discuss his music documentary “Do Whatever You Want All the Time,” which covers the scene in Baltimore from 2005-2020 – in 25 minutes!! – next showing is Sept 8th at the Creative Alliance. Speaking of the Creative Alliance, a 5th Element Interactive movie night will be featured there August […]

In today's competitive business environment, it's harder than ever to set your company apart from the competition. Product and service offerings are so similar in many cases that you've got to find an additional way to differentiate your business. Increasingly, that differentiator is user experience (UX). UX is the feeling a customer or prospective customer has when interacting with your business through your website, products, services, and other means. The ease (or difficulty) of those interactions plays a significant role in shaping their opinion of your company. When people have a positive experience with your brand, your business benefits in many ways. That includes seeing more website conversions, increased customer satisfaction, and improved customer loyalty and retention. And, of course, these and other improvements increase your revenue. Being Intentional About Improving UX Through Your UX StrategyA positive user experience doesn't happen by accident. To create it, you must have a UX strategy. That plan can address an individual product or service, a group of offerings, or your entire organization.But regardless of the focus, your strategy is a carefully developed set of steps designed to improve your UX. Your vision of the improved “future state” of customer and prospect interactions determines these steps. And the plan is laid out with milestones and a deadline for completion of the entire project.A UX strategy must also define the means for measuring improvement. Understanding the return on investment (ROI) of UX initiatives helps you determine whether and how to proceed with future UX projects. Simply “feeling like” customers and prospects are happier isn't enough. You must be able to objectively measure your results and assess how successful a project was. How UX Design Drove Positive Improvement for IBMYou might think a business icon like IBM doesn't need to worry about user experience. But you don't become a household name by ignoring what your customers want! Big Blue uses a concept called “design thinking” to help it identify user pain points and design solutions that solve them effectively. A Forrester report says the company has these goals for design thinking:Delight customers and increase profits by designing solutions that meet user needsIdentify and invest in the most impactful projects to reduce risk and improve outcomesSlash time-to-market to dramatically reduce costs and gain a competitive advantageDiscover redundant or wasteful processes to streamline efficiencyEnergize employees to be creative, collaborate, and do better workThe report includes information on a study Forrester conducted. That study found that: “IBM's Design Thinking practice has the following three-year financial impact: $48.4 million in benefits versus costs of $12 million, resulting in a net present value (NPV) of $36.3 million and an ROI of 301%.”There's no guarantee that every business will experience an ROI of 301% on their UX initiatives. But that number should spark the imagination of anyone tasked with improving their company's performance!UX Research, Strategy, and Design Benefit Companies of All SizesNot every business can invest in UX research, strategy, and design to the degree that IBM does. However, there are many budget-friendly tactics that your business can employ to improve

The Radio Boys (C.Truth, Kev Lawrence) chopped it up with entrepreneur trail blazer Carlos Parrott (@carloslexani). Carlos talked about growing up in Long Beach after moving from Chicago, having 12 NBA players signed to Dada Supreme, getting product placement in a Marvel movie without a budget, the value of cool, connection to Jo Koy, taking Dada from zero to $48 million annually, interest in music publishing, posting up at the Hollywood Roscoe's networking, doing the first tour shirts for Black Eye Peas, coming up with Lexani Wheels, starting Creative Alliance for licensing opportunities with various companies, almost signing Paul Pierce, endorsements from: (NWA, DMX, Dr Dre); building with stylist/set directors on movie sets, putting in work internationally (Japan, China, Middle East, England); signing Snoop to Dada early on and more... For additional content go to: www.thermalsoundwaves.com Tweet: @thermalsoundwav IG: @thermalsoundwaves Facebook: @thermalsoundwaves --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thermalsoundwaves/support

Ensuring that your website is accessible is important for several reasons. First and foremost, confirming that people with disabilities can use your site is simply the right thing to do. We all owe it to one another to do what's within our power to make life a little easier for other people.Website accessibility is also essential from a business perspective. If users can't navigate your website easily and find the information they're looking for or take the actions they want to take, they're very likely to leave your site, visit another, and become someone else's customer.But how do you know if your site is fully accessible? Fortunately, there are both manual and automated tests you can perform to determine whether your website can be used by people of all abilities.Simple Manual Accessibility Tests You Can PerformWhen you're in the process of creating or enhancing your website, there are several steps you can take to assess its accessibility. They include: Check keyboard navigation. Can visitors get around your site using only a keyboard? For instance, if you're at the top of a page and start tabbing, can you get to every link or button on that page? Assess highlighting. When you tab from item to item on a page, is each field, link, tab, etc. highlighted and easy to see? Evaluate color contrast. Are you using a color scheme that provides enough contrast that text and objects stand out and can be seen? Check screen reader compatibility. Screen readers render text as speech or braille output. Is your website designed to interact with them? Evaluate layout. Every website visitor relies on information being presented in a logical, orderly way. Does your website meet that requirement? For instance, are there different headers for each level of information, and are they used correctly? Ensure proper and complete labeling. Each object on your website should be identified. Does every field or other item on the page you're assessing have an appropriate label? Check multimedia operability. Visitors should be able to pause or stop videos or animations easily and intuitively. Is that the case on your site? Confirm closed captioning and transcripts are available. Any videos embedded on your site should be closed-captioned and there should be written transcripts for audio elements. Are those assistive measures in place? Check for alt text. Alt text is used by screen readers to describe items like images. Does your website have alt text for every element?These are just some of the website accessibility evaluation steps you should take. But going through this checklist can give you a general understanding of how accessible your site is and where you need to focus your attention to make it even more so.There are also several website accessibility testing tools you can use to further fine-tune your site.Automated Accessibility TestingAfter doing an initial, manual assessment of your website's accessibility, it's a good idea then to use automated testing tools to perform a comprehensive, in-depth analysis of your site. The Wave web accessibility evaluation tool is one example. Its ability to check site characteristics quickly and efficiently can be very helpful.Tools like WebAIM can also be valuable in assessing aspects of a website that are sub

Boulder, Colorado based digital marketing agency, The Creative Alliance, has a new resource on customer service KPIs and user experience design.If you've ever been on the receiving end of a frantic call from a customer, you know that it takes a great deal of patience and understanding to de-escalate the situation, address their concerns, and turn their disappointment into delight at a satisfactory resolution. It also takes a great deal of empathy, which is an important common thread between great customer service and exceptional user experience (UX) design.In growing companies that don't have UX design teams, customer service representatives often bear the burden of compensating for poor interface design by filling in the information gaps and handling tasks a user can't complete on their own. This can leave a customer service team feeling like it's drowning in a flood of calls, emails, and endless negative feedback.Leveraging Metrics to Inform UX DesignWhen you're ready to make the long-term investment in better UX in order to take some stress off your customer service team (and to increase conversions as a bonus!), where do you begin? How might you better understand the unmet needs of your customers? And if your goal is to reduce the friction customers experience when interacting with your website or apps and support higher interaction volumes, how will you gauge the success of the UX enhancements you make? The key is to gather data both before and after a UX-improvement initiative. Changes in customer service metrics can not only help you identify the areas that need attention, but they can also help you determine the effectiveness of the UX changes implemented to address those customer roadblocks.A Deeper Dive for More Helpful InsightsMany customer relationship management (CRM) systems can track key customer service metrics, like:Call and email volumeCSAT (customer satisfaction)FRT (first response time)AHT (average handle time)These are great metrics when you want a bird's eye view of your support operations. They not only indicate how your customers feel about the support they're receiving, but also the products or services you're offering. However, these figures are really just scratching the surface. Let's say you're experiencing a spike in email volume and a drop in customer satisfaction. Your natural response will likely be, “Why?”Undesirable changes in KPIs should prompt research into the cause or causes of those changes. Capturing and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative feedback can help you pinpoint the source of poor customer experiences and then develop and implement changes to correct the problem.In our example, you might begin by determining why an increasing number of customers are calling and emailing. Can you and your team identify the top five reasons for customer calls and emails? Of this list, are there any tasks a user can complete on their own, without customer service support? That might factor into the solution you implement. You may have a tool like Qualtrix to help automatically categorize customer interactions based on topics and sentiment. However, you don't necessarily need a tool of this caliber. Instead, you can devise ways to track topic and sentiment using your CRM system. For example, in Zendesk, you

If you've ever been on the receiving end of a frantic call from a customer, you know that it takes a great deal of patience and understanding to de-escalate the situation, address their concerns, and turn their disappointment into delight at a satisfactory resolution. It also takes a great deal of empathy, which is an important common thread between great customer service and exceptional user experience (UX) design.In growing companies that don't have UX design teams, customer service representatives often bear the burden of compensating for poor interface design by filling in the information gaps and handling tasks a user can't complete on their own. This can leave a customer service team feeling like it's drowning in a flood of calls, emails, and endless negative feedback.Leveraging Metrics to Inform UX DesignWhen you're ready to make the long-term investment in better UX in order to take some stress off your customer service team (and to increase conversions as a bonus!), where do you begin? How might you better understand the unmet needs of your customers? And if your goal is to reduce the friction customers experience when interacting with your website or apps and support higher interaction volumes, how will you gauge the success of the UX enhancements you make? The key is to gather data both before and after a UX-improvement initiative. Changes in customer service metrics can not only help you identify the areas that need attention, but they can also help you determine the effectiveness of the UX changes implemented to address those customer roadblocks.A Deeper Dive for More Helpful InsightsMany customer relationship management (CRM) systems can track key customer service metrics, like:Call and email volumeCSAT (customer satisfaction)FRT (first response time)AHT (average handle time)These are great metrics when you want a bird's eye view of your support operations. They not only indicate how your customers feel about the support they're receiving, but also the products or services you're offering. However, these figures are really just scratching the surface. Let's say you're experiencing a spike in email volume and a drop in customer satisfaction. Your natural response will likely be, “Why?”Undesirable changes in KPIs should prompt research into the cause or causes of those changes. Capturing and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative feedback can help you pinpoint the source of poor customer experiences and then develop and implement changes to correct the problem.In our example, you might begin by determining why an increasing number of customers are calling and emailing. Can you and your team identify the top five reasons for customer calls and emails? Of this list, are there any tasks a user can complete on their own, without customer service support? That might factor into the solution you implement. You may have a tool like Qualtrix to help automatically categorize customer interactions based on topics and sentiment. However, you don't necessarily need a tool of this caliber. Instead, you can devise ways to track topic and sentiment using your CRM system. For example, in Zendesk, you can create “macros” or canned responses with preset tags to categorize customer emails for data analysis. This helps quantify the types of requests or topics of feedback. You may also simply collect so-called “voice of the customer” information—meaning dialogue from your customers around a given area of concern—to share internally with your team.Using all of the data and insights at your disposal, you then modify your UX to address the problems you have uncovered. With the solution i

Today on Midday:  strategies to help people who are homeless. Tom's first guest is Dr. Sam Tsemberis, a clinical psychologist and the founder of Pathways Housing First Institute. He is the creator of what's come to be known as the “Housing First” model, which Tsemberis calls the “vaccine for homelessness.” Sam Tsemberis joins us on Zoom from Los Angeles, California. Then, Tom speaks with Katie Allston, the president and CEO of Marian House, a Baltimore organization that has been helping formerly incarcerated women with housing and support services since 1982. On Friday night, they will celebrate their 40th anniversary with an event at the R House Garage in Remington, hosted by the actor Rachel Hilson and Denise Koch of WJZ Television. We also hear from recent Marian House graduate Juanita “Nita” Bowie. Juanita Bowie and Katie Allston join us on Zoom from Baltimore... The United Nations estimates that more than 11 million people have been displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Roughly half of them have fled their homes to other places in Ukraine, but nearly 5 million people have fled to other countries, including the United States. Airbnb is coordinating with federal officials to provide free, temporary housing for refugees from Ukraine here and throughout Europe. Tom's next guest is Liz DeBold Fusco, the Communications Lead for North America for Airbnb. She joins us on Zoom from Colts Neck, New Jersey. BTW, local musicians are collaborating to help Ukraine. Tomorrow night, members of the Baltimore Symphony will partner with The Creative Alliance for a concert at the Meyerhoff. For more info, click here. And on Saturday night, An Die Musik in Baltimore will present pianist Lisa Weiss, hammer dulcimer virtuoso Ken Kolodner, klezmer clarinetist Seth Kibel, and mandolin master Joel-Michael-Schwartz in a concert to benefit Ukraine. For information on that concert, click here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How important is branding to you? How much in the way of time and resources are you spending on making sure that your brand represents you and your company accurately, and in a powerful way? In this episode, Nick is joined by Jason Harris, the co-founder & CEO of award-winning creative advertising agency Mekanism, co-founder of the Creative Alliance and author of national bestseller, The Soulful Art of Persuasion, to talk about the empowering ways in which you can harness the powers of science and soul in order to accelerate your marketing ambitions. KEY TAKEAWAYS Brands allow us to be a part of a hero's journey. When we see and respect sports personalities, associating ourselves with their brands allows us to feel like we are part of their story. As business owners we must sometimes come to terms with the fact that the ideas we have aren't always plausible. This can require input from an outside perspective. Companies aren't what you buy, and they're not about what they sell. Companies today are more about the idea that the consumer buys into. Around 82% of consumers don't care if a brand disappears, as they can easily find others that fill their need. Around 53% of consumers will buy products from a brand that does something positive. BEST MOMENTS 'I wouldn't just watch the ad and have it wash over me. I'd really dissect it' 'When you're not thinking about jobs, futures or careers, then what are those instant passion points you have?' 'By standing for something you're going to build long term love, equity and relevance' 'Soul has never been more important' VALUABLE RESOURCES  Scale Up with Nick Bradley: scaleup.vip/podcast Scale Up Your Business, coaching/consulting: https://suyb.global To download a free gift from Nick - The 5 Reasons Why Your Business Will Never Get To 8-Figures ... How To Fix It Fast! - https://www.scaleupmastermind.com/free-guide1 Take the SUYB Predictable Growth Assessment™, to measure your current business performance and show you where to focus next to get to where you want to be: https://scaleup.vip/PredictableGrowthAssessment      Jason Harris - https://www.thesoulfulart.com ABOUT THE HOST  Nick Bradley is a renowned entrepreneur, investor, speaker, and business growth expert. His background is growing and scaling Venture Capital and Private Equity backed businesses, across the UK, the US, and further afield. Over the last decade, he has completed 117 acquisitions and 25 business exits with a combined valuation of over $5bn dollars. His “Scale Up Your Business” podcast, which ranked #1 on iTunes' business charts, has more than 350k downloads in over 130 countries. His mission is to help business founders build valuable businesses and create life-changing exits so they can realise freedom, wealth, and impact. CONTACT METHOD Nick's Facebook page: https://scaleup.vip/FB   Nick's LinkedIn: https://scaleup.vip/LI   Nick's Instagram: https://scaleup.vip/IG   Scale Up Your Business, coaching/consulting: https://suyb.global We help business founders scale their business to a life-changing exit within 36 months. Please feel free to get in touch if we can assist. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine has driven nearly 3 million people from their homes. In response, musician Joel Michael-Schwartz organized a concert to raise funds for the aid group, the International Rescue Committee. The concert will take place at the Creative Alliance in East Baltimore on March 26th.Then, Jessica Henkin, co-founder of the Stoop Storytelling Series, and Sam Sessa, WTMD's Baltimore music coordinator, preview an upcoming Stoop show about the city's colorful music scene. "Something for Everyone: Stories about the Baltimore Music Scene" will take place at the Ottobar on March 23rd. Find more Stoop events here. Watch the trailer for the WTMD documentary, "Do Whatever You Want, All the Time." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

01:04 Baltimore Misses AEW07:24 Introduction08:50 Good Luck With the Podcast20:58 TV Talk38:27 Jon Moxley41:46 Danhausen43:12 AEW Has Ugly T-Shirts

Jason Harris is a speaker and best-selling author. He is the co-founder and CEO of the independent ad agency, Mekanism and the founder of Creative Alliance. Jason is an awesome dude. I connected with him within ten minutes after meeting him and I loved having him on the podcast. We hadn't had a drink in a while and shared some whiskey for this conversation, so things get interesting. In this episode of One Day: Comparing Gotham city and New York Talking alcohol UFC and the differences in martial arts What it was like working with Joe Biden Free speech and being offensive Fostering a relationship with money The new world of branding Follow Jason: Instagram: @jason_harris Website: jasonharris.nyc Book: The Soulful Art of Persuasion Connect with Jon: Instagram: @jonbier13 Check out @gabbyelanjewelry Head over to plutopillow.com/oneday to try out the Pluto Pillow

Here's a Stoop Story from Dr. Maneesha Ahluwalia about transforming her own loss and heartache into compassion and a second chance for someone else. Hey--that craving you're feeling?  Maybe it's not for Hallowe'en sweets. Maybe you're itching for some LIVE Stoop Stories! You can satisfy that urge next Wednesday, Nov. 3rd, at Creative Alliance! The open-mic show starts at 7:30 p.m., and the theme is ‘Night Life: Stories about wild times, unexpected encounters, and after-dark escapades.'   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Harris is the co-founder & CEO of the award-winning creative advertising agency Mekanism, co-founder of the Creative Alliance and author of the national bestseller, The Soulful Art of Persuasion. Harris works closely with brands through a blend of creativity and performance. Iconic brands he's worked with include Peloton, Ben & Jerry's, Jose Cuervo, Alaska Airlines, Charles Schwab and OkCupid, among others.

During this episode of The Community Builder Show, Travis sits down with Jason Harris, President and CEO of Mekanism Inc., a San Francisco-based creative agency and the Author The Soulful Art of Persuasion. Learn about his 4 principles for success, how he's leading his team through adversity, and even what he's doing to stay connected with his friends. This is one you won't want to miss.  Jason Harris Short Bio Jason Harris is the co-founder and CEO of the award-winning creative agency Mekanism and co-founder of the Creative Alliance. Harris works closely with brands through a blend of soul and science to create provocative campaigns that engage audiences. Iconic brands include Peloton, Ben & Jerry's, MolsonCoors, OkCupid and the United Nations. Under his leadership, Mekanism has been named the #6 Most Effective Independent Advertising Agency in the US by the Effie 2020 Index. Mekanism has also been named to Ad Age's Agency A-list and twice to their Best Places to Work. Harris has been named in the Top 10 Most Influential Social Impact Leaders, as well as the 4A's list of "100 People Who Make Advertising Great." His methods are studied in cases at Harvard Business School. Episode Highlights Principle 1: Original  Be Yourself - Everyone Else Is Taken: Don't be afraid of wearing your personal idiosyncrasies on your sleeve. Collect role models and draw inspiration from their uniqueness. And stick to your core values  Learn to Be a Great Storyteller: If you want to make your point of view real to an audience or someone else, you need to be able to transport them emotionally through narrative  Never Be Closing: Let go of short-term transactional thinking and focus on building meaningful relationships    Principle 2: Generous  Give Something Away in Every Interaction: Whenever you cross paths with someone, your goal should be to leave them just a little better off than they were. Whatever you give, make sure it's genuine as you are laying the groundwork for collaboration  Practice Positivity: Cultivate your sense of gratitude for the good things in your life, recognize that every interaction could result in something great  Take Others Seriously by Showing Respect: Keep your promises, be as present as possible, and admit your mistakes quickly and sincerely    Principle 3: Empathetic  Make It About Them: Develop a natural curiosity about others, listen and learn more than you judge, and seek to understand others more deeply  Seek Out Collaborations: Find value in joining forces with people from diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise  See Commonalities, Not Differences: Seek out the common ground and what you share with, approaching each individual as an equal    Principle 4: Soulful  Live Skillfully: Hunt out new skills and keep learning to develop passions that create a life defined by proficiency  Be an Inspiration: Strive to be inspirational in your daily life by preaching less and acting more, finding a cause to fight for, and reaching out to those who inspire you My Notes on Jason's 4 Principles Be Original  Beliefs, what you value in life Have a point of view Be yourself, everyone else is taken  Be *Generous* Give things away without expecting anything in return  Builds trust and helps keep business flowing Jason had a ball hog mentality and knew it wasn't right Over time, developed the idea of mindfully being a generous person Try to give something to everyone you come in contact with  Advice or an article to let people know you're thinking about them Be Empathetic Collaboration  Connecting with people Working on ideas together How do you become a collaborative business person Be Soulful Trying to give something back that's bigger than yourself  Examples for agency owners  Positive persuasion vs negative persuasion  b2b marketers, sales, people,

About This Episode: Jason Harris is the co-founder and CEO of Mekanism, a creative agency serving brands such as Ben & Jerry's, OK Cupid and HBO. He's also founded the Creative Alliance, a consortium of 100 ad agencies using their advertising powers for good by creating socially impactful campaigns. Under his leadership, Mekanism was named to Ad Age's Agency A-list, twice to their Best Places to Work, and to the Creativity 50. Jason has been named in the Top 10 Most Influential Social Impact Leaders as well as the 4A's list of “100 People Who Make Advertising Great.” His methods are studied in cases at Harvard Business School. Find out more about Jason at: LinkedIn Follow Jason on Twitter Jason Harris' Wikipedia page Check out Jason's Intagram TheSoulfulArt.com See the Show Notes: www.jeremyryanslate.com/751 Sponsors: Gusto: This episode is sponsored by Gusto. Run your payroll the easy way, the same way we do at Command Your Brand. You'll get a. $100 Amazon Gift Card just for running your first payroll! www.jeremyryanslate.com/gusto Audible: Get a free 30 day free trial and 1 free audiobook from thousands of available books. Right now I'm reading "The Science of Getting Rich,"by Wallace D. Wattles, about building real wealth. www.jeremyryanslate.com/book  

Jason Harris is the CEO of the award-winning creative agency Mekanism and the cofounder of the Creative Alliance. Harris works closely with brands through a blend of soul and science to create provocative cam - paigns that engage audiences. Iconic brands include Peloton, Ben & Jerry's, MillerCoors, HBO, and the United Nations. Under his leadership, Mekanism was named to Ad Age's Agency A-list and twice to their Best Places to Work, and to Creativity's Creativity 50. Harris has been named in the Top 10 Most Influential Social Impact Leaders, as well as the 4A's list of "100 People Who Make Advertising Great." His methods are studied in cases at Harvard Business School.Jason Harris, argues that genuine persuasion in the twenty-first century is about developing character rather than relying on the easy tactics of flattery, manipulation, and short-term gains. It is about engaging rather than insisting; it is about developing empathy and communicating your values. Based on his experience in and out of the boardroom, and drawing on the latest in-depth research on trust, influence, and habit formation, Harris shows that being persuasive in a culture plagued by deception means rejecting the ethos of the quick and embracing the commitment of putting your truest self forward and playing the long game.Get the Book: https://amzn.to/38BhpXZCatch my book - Screw Being Shy, March 14th on my website markmetry.comPlease do NOT hesitate to reach out to me for any reason on LinkedIn, Instagram, via email mark@vudream.com, text me 508-925-0261!LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-metry/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markmetry/Twitter - https://twitter.com/markymetryMedium - https://medium.com/@markymetryFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/Humans.2.0.PodcastMark Metry - https://www.markmetry.com/Humans 2.0 Twitter - https://twitter.com/Humans2Podcast

December 13, 2017 - A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix - Jimi Hendrix was a musical giant and genius who left this life much too early. To celebrate the life and work of Jimi Hendrix, Baltimore's own Navasha Daya, Fanon Hill, Matt Chase, and Lafayette Gilchrest produced a musical tribute to Hendrix for a performance at the Baltimore Creative Alliance.

November 6, 2017 - The Legacy of Baltimore Soul - Baltimore boasts a rich musical history, from Billie Holliday to Tupac Shakur to today's thriving music scene. Musician and producer Brooks Long who is the  Deutsch Fellow at the Creative Alliance, stopped by our studio along with  Kevin Coombe (www.DCsoulrecordings.com), who wrote the liner notes for all the re-issued Ru-Jac recordings.

July 7, 2017 - Segment 4 - We hosted a musical treat, where we heard a 2015 archive edition of the show in which we talked with members of Las Cafeteras, who were in town at the Creative Alliance.The interview also featured a cameo from Dominic "Shodekeh" Talifero, groundbreaking beatboxer & vocal percussionist.