Business Meets Podcastok

This is what happens when you say yes to every opportunity that presents itself. AJ Sankofa, born in Brooklyn, did exactly this as he found his way from busboy to studying under Michelin Star chefs in Italy to opening up his own restaurant back in his hometown of Morristown. You'll learn that there isn't some secret sauce to success. AJ proves that…

As we revitalize the podcast, we mix it up with Rob Acocella, a sound designer, production sound recordist, post-production dialogue editor, and re-recording mixer. Rob begins his audio journey by wandering into a record store at an early age and buying his first CD, Metallica, and his first "sound-sample" CD. He doesn't remember what drove him to …

If you're struggling to get in front of the camera and create content, this episode will certainly give you some helpful tips to be more relatable and personable on camera. Today we have an awesome opportunity to sit down with Kerry Barrett, an Emmy Award-winning journalist, with over 20 years of experience as a broadcast news anchor, reporter, and…

If you're a creative looking to take your side hustle to the next level, you're in for a value-packed episode full of tips and tricks to go out on your own. In this episode, we're joined with Joey Raymundo, owner of Media X Marketing, a video production company based out of Middlesex, NJ. We dive into how Joey got started in the industry and how he…

Gercino Soares joins the StrixMedia team for this installment of the Creative Collective Show. Gercino is a successful real estate investor/developer and entrepreneur who shares his passion for Real Estate as well as his inspiring story on this podcast. He talks about his experience coming to America in 1996 when he was just six years old. Gercino …

Helen Polise is the director of the production company "Muthership."She sits down with the StrixMedia team to discuss her career, as well as her lifelong passion for production. She begins the episode by taking us back to how she got started in the business, explaining that her first job was in advertising as the assistant to the creative director.…

In this episode, we are joined by Walt Blau, a podcaster that we met when StrixMedia was first starting off. Walt is a really down to earth guy who enjoys the creative side of podcasting and loves opportunities to speak with interesting people. We shoot the shit and talk about his podcast Walt's Kitchen Table, a podcast that focuses on the extraord…

Mindy Scheier, Founder, and CEO of Runway of Dreams and Gamut Management chat with StrixMedia about the mission of both companies, the future of inclusive/adaptive clothing, opportunities for the community of people with disabilities, and the small goal of changing the entire fashion industry. Thanks for listening! Check us out on Facebook Live, Yo…

Daniel Hill joins the Creative Collective Show via Zoom to talk about how he teaches small business owners how to use Instagram. Daniel is a social media strategist and loves teaching people how to use new technologies that will help improve their business. A few years ago, when Daniel decided to make a business out of being a social media strategi…

In this virtual episode of The Creative Collective Show, the StrixMedia team is graced with an amazing creative/production veteran, Abbey LeVine. She has worked in the content creation realm for almost thirty years and currently owns Swirl Studios; a content production company based in New York City. She started her career in production working for…

The quarantine can’t stop the content! Hopefully, you’re hungry, because today's guest sure is. For this quarantine edition of The Creative Collective Show, the StrixMedia team is joined by Randy Santel. Randy is a professional eater & Youtuber. He doesn’t go by the term competitive eater because he mainly focuses on winning food-challenges, and no…

For this episode of The Creative Collective Show (Quarantine Edition) the StrixMedia team is joined via video call by Janet Schijns. She leads a technology consulting firm called the JS Group and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to being an entrepreneur and staying on top of the tech market. Janet and her firm work with companies of all sizes…

This week Rick Martinez the owner and founder of Señor Sangria joins the StrixMedia team via Zoom. Rick kicks off the show by letting the team in on his backstory. He attended Rutgers University as an Accounting major but fell in love with web development and internet space. He had the opportunity to work for some startups, which exposed him to tha…

Stopping by the StrixMedia studio we have Sydney Prusso. She is the owner of Sydney Prusso Design; a lettering and mural business. She and the StrixMedia team discuss how she got into art at a young age as well as the pivotal point that she decided to make a living out of it. Sydney opens up about her experience running a mural business and describ…

You're about to listen to an epic story of a young man who will stop at nothing to pursue his passion to document celebrities. Skit, now signed to the label Infinite Vision, has photographed some of the biggest artists in the music industry from Cardi B, Drake, and Pharrell to Wiz Khalifa, Nipsey Hussle, Missy Elliot, and so many others. He even go…

Heather Kell is the content creator & YouTuber for her channel, KellOfAPlan. She is a lifestyle planner and teaches people how to live their best life and find peace through planning in a creative way. Heather joins the StrixMedia team to talk about how she turned her passion into a successful business that changes people's lives. She also talks ab…

It's not everyday you get to hear the origin story of a true pioneer, and on this episode... we do just that! We're joined by Rosie Mattio, a cannabis industry leader, and a pioneer in bringing pro-cannabis support to mainstream media. Her firm, Mattio Communications, one of the most influential cannabis-focused marketing companies in the world, is…

Caitlin is the founder/owner of Clover Event Co. is a Philadelphia based wedding/event planning company. Clover does wedding planning, styling, and event coordination. She enlightens the StrixMedia team on the world of wedding planning, describes how she got into the industry, started her own business, and gives helpful insight on how she grew her …

In this episode, we sit down with Sophie, the woman in charge of Chic-Fil-A Menlo Park. Sophie has been working for Chic-Fil-A since she was in high school. Her manager/mentor saw something special in Sophie and knew that her passion and skillset would map well to a manager position. She moved through the ranks, and after graduating from college en…

Jamie Lieberman is the owner of Hashtag Legal; a law firm that specializes in working with creatives and small business owners. She has been a practicing lawyer for nearly fifteen years. Jamie joins the Creative Collective Show to discuss how she partners with clients in creative fields to understand their business objectives/obstacles to help them…

For this installment of The Breakdown, we’re going to be changing it up a little due to the Coronavirus. We understand that most of the news and content coming out these days is about the Coronavirus, and frankly, it can be pretty depressing. Since this pandemic is effecting employees, business owners, and the economy as a whole, we will be talking…

Say Cheese! On the show today we have Brandon Wong. He is the co-founder and CEO of Photobooth Supply Co. Photobooths have been around for quite some time now, however, many people still imagine the large, rectangular booth that you and three of your friends tried to squeeze into for a strip of four photos at your Senior Prom. With the help of mark…

If you're a small/local business, we know this is probably a stressful time with feelings of uncertainty. All of us are feeling some sort of anxiety and stress. This is exactly why we joined up with Patty & Michelle of Social Media Sisters for this episode. We wanted to give our top tips for what small business owners can do RIGHT NOW on social med…

Marnie Nathanson is the President and Founder of The Social Status Co. based in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. She swings by StrixMedia Studios to discuss her millennial-minded 360 digital agency. Marnie has worked with prominent brands such as MTV, NBC, and Disney. She talks about how she garnered her passion for creativity and storytelling to start h…

In this episode, the StrixMedia team is joined by Greg Keefe, the micro-influencer behind the popular Instagram account @morristown.nj. Greg comes on the show to discuss how he was able to grow the Instagram account to over 40 thousand followers and what he does to keep his presence online. The group talks about everything from how Greg developed t…

In this episode, we are joined by Mike Doyle, a comic creator, podcaster, and the owner of Drive 80 Studios. Mike is a talented animator who works with businesses to simplify the explanation of their companies and produces an animated video that tells the story. Mike and the StrixMedia team talk about growing a small business, working with clients,…

In this episode, we are joined by Frank Morales, a business coach who tailors his approach to fit each business he works with. Frank discusses the importance of sales and how it affects every business, for better or for worse. The group discusses sales strategies and different ways for businesses to approach sales that could work for them. Frank re…

In this episode, we are joined by Daniel Johnson (aka Mr. J), a multimedia artist and the owner of Mr. J Gallery. Mr. J has been an artist his whole life and does not define himself by one niche, or style of art. He feels he can be more creative, open, and honest with his art by many different mediums, with the goal of inspiring others with his inv…

In this episode, we are joined by Strato Doumanis, the owner of Hurricane Productions, a company that plans, arranges, and throws events of many kinds from weddings, to corporate events, to concerts and more. Strato tells the StrixMedia team about how Hurricane Productions started as a three-person DJ company in 2003 and grew into a team of over 30…

In this episode, we are joined by Marco Rullo, the Chief Marketing Officer for Lucid Green, a company that seeks to enable the cannabis industry to communicate trust & transparency through a direct connection with the customer. With the growth of the cannabis industry over the past few years, there are more and more companies popping up that are in…

In this episode, we are joined by Schneur Landa, co-founder and head of strategic partnerships at Fello - a technology rental service that provides iPads and other hardware to businesses and events. Schneur discusses how he took a seemingly "dumb idea" and turned it into a business that partners with brands such as Square and Shopify. Tune in to th…

In this episode, the StrixMedia team talks about how to land your first client. We talk about what it's like to make the jump from creating content for fun and out of passion, to monetizing your skills and finding confidence in yourself to realize that your abilities are worth something. This episode gives great insight into how StrixMedia was able…

In this episode, the StrixMedia team is joined by fellow creator and entrepreneur, Matt Alt. The group discusses networking and why it is so important for creatives, entrepreneurs, business owners, and basically anyone to get out of their comfort zone and network with new people. The trio covers topics such as networking etiquette, Facebook groups,…

In this episode, we are joined by the creative minds behind The Vision Room, a creative collaboration space that seeks to help artists pursue their dreams and achieve their goals. The tight-knit group is made up of bloggers, photographers, editors, podcasters, influencers, and entrepreneurs who work tirelessly to create relevant content focused aro…

In this episode, Tom Pellegrino, Max Karasev and Josh Blanco from True To Life join us to talk about the awesome things CBD can do for people. This trio is incredibly passionate about CBD and has great stories to share about how it can transform lives. They also discuss their business and how their passion for helping others manifested itself into …

In this episode, we are joined by CJ Horan, a dietician at Nutrition For Longevity and a trainer at Ride + Reflect. CJ is all about healthy lifestyles and promotes them however she can. As a registered dietician, she helps people make better decisions when it comes to what they are putting into their bodies, and as a fitness consultant, she teaches…

In this episode we are joined by Josh Liberio, a talented singer/songwriter. So talented in fact that he made it on to the popular signing competition show “The Voice” and has performed alongside artists like Justin Bieber! His career as a musician has brought him all over the country and given him opportunities he wouldn’t have gotten to experienc…

In this episode of The Creative Collective Show, we are joined via phone by Bunnie Reiss, a hard-working artist living out in LA. Bunnie is a super talented artist with installations all over the place. She used to work at NPR, but after spending a good portion of time painting on the side she made the switch to be a full-time artist and hasn’t loo…

In this episode, we speak with the guys from The Original Music School located in Morristown, NJ. The Original Music School is the home of alt-rock band Lady Marmalade who played at our third Engage Collab Create event. These guys rock both instrumentally, and by being super awesome people. Every day they teach young musicians how to hone their cra…

In this episode of The Creative Collective Show we are joined by Joe Mercadante and Brittany Fortner from Unleash Marketing. Unleash Marketing is a digital agency that focuses on the medical field and creates strategically arranged websites which are designed to convert a visitor into a patient. They have over 10 years of digital media experience a…

In this episode we are joined by Eugene Onishkevich, the owner of Green Point Juicery, a juice shop with locations in Morristown, Verona and Maplewood. He and his business partner Sandy Ayesh joined us on The Creative Collective Show to tell us the story of how Green Point Juicery was born. After working long hours at a popular Italian restaurant, …

In this episode we are joined by Paul Kiesche, an awesome graphic designer from the area! He is passionate about design and has built a career teaching others his craft as a professor at the Morris County College and as the owner of the Aviate Creative Agency. He came on The Creative Collective Show to tell us about his design & branding agency, Av…

In this episode, StrixMedia owners Dan Gianfrancesco and Zack Ryan are joined by Tom Ranieri, the owner of Postcreatives, another digital media agency in the local New Jersey area. In this episode the trio discusses the world of digital media, including everything from photography, to video production, to digital advertising and everything in betwe…

In this episode, Dan Gianfrancesco, Zack Ryan and Sean Kelly from StrixMedia sit down with Natalie Duke, a dance instructor at the Fred Astaire Dance Company in Morristown. Natalie has been a dance her entire life and is incredibly passionate about her role as a dance instructor, finding comfort in teaching others something that she loves and seein…

In this episode, Dan Gianfrancesco, Zack Ryan and Sean Kelly from StrixMedia are on the phone with Jenna Martin, a not-so-local photographer who hosts ANOTHER podcast for creators called Creative Chaos. Jenna has a unique photography style that has garnered lots of attention online and made her and her podcast a go-to resource for photographers loo…

Happy Halloween 🎃👻🎃 In this episode, Dan Gianfrancesco and Zack Ryan are joined by Rocky Rinaldi, a staple in the Emo Night community. Rocky moved here from California a couple years ago to return to his home state, but left behind a community he was a big part of. Luckily, Emo Night has East Coast events as well, and the hair stylist was able to r…

In this episode, Dan Gianfrancesco, Zack Ryan and Ben Boxer from StrixMedia learn about the rise of the drone racing industry from Dwight Neptune and Keelan Gayle, who are trying to use miniature "racing" drones for other purposes. The two college students are the founders and owners of Beagle Drones, a company that produces FPV racing drones. FPV …

In this episode, the hosts of KeeptItBasement take the lead and go LIVE from Engage Collab Create III, a networking event for creators. This is our first episode in front of a live audience and it went AWESOME! Check out this episode to hear KeepItBasement talk with guests at the event and learn about their hustles, social media strategies and moti…

In this episode, Dan Gianfrancesco and Zack Ryan from StrixMedia are joined by John Hogan, the owner of Blue Nail Roofing and Siding. John tells the team about starting Blue Nail and the personal experiences that drove him to the construction business in the first place. His personal story is one that many people can relate to when it comes to work…

In this episode, Dan Gianfrancesco and Zack Ryan from StrixMedia are joined by fellow podcasters Mike Sweeney and Tom Zappia, the hosts of KeepItBasement. KeepItBasement is a local podcast that focuses on energy surrounding hip-hop, pop culture, entertainment, comedy, business, creativity, and inspiration. Mike and Tom are full-time podcasters/come…