Camera Ready & Abel

Evan Shapiro, an expert in media and author of the insightful newsletter Media War & Peace, shares his wisdom on future-proofing your career. He emphasizes thinking like a CEO of your own brand and treating your talents as superpowers. Shapiro discusses the importance of continuous learning and adaptability, especially with emerging technologies like Web 3. He also highlights the shift towards a sustainable creator economy, where niche markets can thrive through dedicated communities. Discover how to harness your unique strengths for career success!

Audrey Hepburn reminded us to look at impossible in a new way: Im Possible. Dan Austin, founder of the 88bikes Foundation asks every day: could it be possible? Spoiler alert: The answer is an enthusiastic YES! as Dan joins me on this optimistic episode of Camera Ready & Abel to discuss how a simple idea blooms into impactful execution and joy-based philanthropy. The 88bikes Foundation was born in 2007, when Dan was on a cycling holiday in Cambodia with his brother, and they looked to donate their bicycles to a local orphanage at the end of their trip. They quickly realized there would be 2 happy kids and 86 not so happy kids so Dan and his brother launched a fundraiser - could it be possible? - and within a few weeks were able to donate 88 bikes to the orphanage. It was a moment of such unbridled joy they knew they had to do it again. 15 years later, 88bikes endows bicycles in 20 countries, providing a simple and direct way to make a difference for a heroic girl, especially the survivors of human trafficking. Because, buy a girl a bike and she can go anywhere! Learn how you can buy a bike and change a life for $88 + learn more about how Dan turned his passion for pedaling into his life's work www.88bikes.org, www.TrueFans.com and @88bikes.

If you are a regular listener of Camera Ready & Abel - and I hope you are! - you know that getting unstuck and stepping out of the messy middle are recurring themes. This often requires audacity, the willingness to take bold risks. My guest for this episode, Zahra Rasool, is a two-time Emmy nominated director, writer, producer and media entrepreneur working at the intersection of storytelling and innovation. Zahra bravely and boldly move from Mumbai to the United States at the age of 19 - where she had no family and knew no one - to pursue her dreams. Her natural curiosity and strong sense of self have guided her ever since. In May 2017, Zahra created and launched a media innovation and storytelling studio, AJ Contrast, part of Al Jazeera Media Network. Still Here, her documentary about incarceration and gentrification in Harlem premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.  Zahra was awarded a Gracie for Best National Online Producer by the Alliance of Women in Media Foundation (2021) and her films have been screened at over 40 international film festivals including at Sundance, Sheffield DocFest and Berlinale. Follow Zarha on instagram at @xaara @ajcontrast and on twitter @RXahra @ajcontrast

On this episode of Camera Ready & Abel, my dear friend, producer, content strategist and co-founder of Cogorno Golf, Mary Lengle poses a question that has been a game changer for me in how I approach my business and life: IS IT NICE or IS IT NECESSARY? Marinate on this for a moment. At any stage of your business, and certainly in the beginning, it is easy to get distracted and stuck in the Shoulds spending a lot of resources on things that are nice but really not necessary. This is a simple question with high impact that you want to get in the habit of asking yourself to save you money and time - and keep you in the long game. Key takeaways in addition to asking is it nice or is it necessary: Be consistent - and let that commitment to consistency keep you going through the hard parts Learn to detach from what you create so you can listen to your audience Don't be afraid to change strategy In 2016, Mary combined her expertise in media and brand building with her passion for golf to work side-by-side with golf pro, Eric Cogorno, and one NECESSARY decision after another they slowly built the biggest and best online golf instruction community in the world: Cogorno Golf! Mary Lengle is an accomplished producer and communications strategist with 25+ years of experience conceiving, developing, and launching large-scale promotional initiatives to raise brand awareness, increase recognition, and drive profitability for a variety of clients. She’s coordinated and managed publicity programs for 100+ book titles and high-profile clients including numerous New York Times Bestselling titles. Throughout her career she’s represented major clients such as Denise Austin, Gary Player, LL Cool J, Morgan Freeman, and renowned chef, Jacques Pepin. Mary co-produced and developed stories in collaboration with various high-profile media entities such as USA Today, The New York Times, Parade, NBC’s Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Early Show, CNN, FOX, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The View, The Montel Williams Show, Martha, and The Discovery Channel. Visit Cogorno Golf + follow Mary on IG at @marylengle and Eric Cogorno Golf on YouTube.

Fact: Everyone can be creative. And yet...somewhere along the line many of us buy into the idea that we are not creative. This episode of Camera Ready & Abel is dedicated to debunking that myth and our guide to reclaiming our creativity is Maria Brito, an award-winning New York City-based contemporary art advisor, author, host, creator, recovering corporate attorney and force of nature. Maria's latest book, “How Creativity Rules The World: The art and business of turning your ideas into gold is released March 15th everywhere books are sold. Maria shares why creativity is language that applies to everyone, in all walks of life, because after all, creativity is born of ideas and we all have ideas. Key takeaways from our conversation include: Create more than you consume. Embrace failure and release control. The fast way to be uncreative is to only listen to one voice. In addition to being selected by Complex Magazine as one of the 20 Power Players in the Art World, Maria was named by ARTNEWS as one of the visionaries who gets to shape the art world. Her clients include Oscar-winning actors, hip-hop moguls, CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, Broadway producers and many more. For several years, Maria has taught her creativity course in companies and, in 2019, she launched “Jumpstart”, an online program on creativity for entrepreneurs based on years of research and observation in both the areas of business and art. In 2019 she created and hosted "The "C" Files with Maria Brito", a TV and streaming series for PBS's new station "ALL ARTS." Maria’s Instagram @mariabrito_ny is a MUST FOLLOW! Pre-order “How Creativity Rules The World,” and gain free access to Maria's creativity online course plus bonuses at www.mariabrito.com/book.

One of the best parts of having my podcast is reconnecting with people I haven't spoken to in too long and on this episode of Camera Ready & Abel I enjoy a long overdue chat about directing talent, building trust, leadership, communication, imposter syndrome and the unique thrill of directing live television with one of my favorite former colleagues from my VH1 days, Michael A. Simon. Throughout his 25-year career, Michael has directed some of the most iconic moments in television. His shows have attracted over a 1.5 Billion views in combined audiences across all broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Michael's VH1 credits include directing VH1 Divas, creating, producing and directing Storytellers, working with a staggering list of music legends including Miles Davis, Prince, David Bowie, REM, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston...and producing and directing New Visions where over 300 artists across multiple genres were shot in performance. After leaving MTV Networks Michael went on to direct numerous series and specials including 25 live Survivor finales, 22 years of the Emmy-winning A Home For The Holidays and the memorable Priceline.com commercial series, featuring William Shatner along with 26 seasons of the worldwide sensation Ridiculousness. Michael is currently in pre-production on his first feature film “Prisoners of Time”, based on the documentary “Town Bloody Hall, which weaves a story about a Father and his daughter,  Norman Mailer, Marilyn Monroe and the #MeTooMovement. He is also developing several scripted TV series and podcasts, all of which you can learn more at www.michaelasimon.com.

The ability to persevere has come up in most of the conversations I’ve had on Camera Ready & Abel. Things take time and few things go as planned.  Life takes GRIT and my good friend Babette Perry joins me to dig deeper into the world of resilience and long term goals. In this episode we look at faith’s relationship to grit, believing in success when others don’t see it, and the importance of down right hard work.   Babette Perry is a partner at Innovative Artists Talent & Literary Agency where she runs the Broadcast/Hosting division. She was the head of Broadcasting at ICM for many years before leaving to run the west coast Broadcasting division at IMG. She specializes in representing entertainment hosts, news and sports personalities, social media talent, and alternative producers.  Babette represents Phil Keoghan (The Amazing Race and Tough as Nails), Rachel Smith (Entertainment Tonight), Lauren Lake (Paternity Court), Ollie Pettigrew and Charity Bailey (Right This Minute), Michaela Pereira (Good Day LA), Garcelle Beauvais (The Real and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills), Jon Fortt (CNBC), Maureen McCormick (Frozen in Time), along with other celebrities such as David Alan Grier, Scott Wolf, and Bill Bellamy. Keep up with Babette on IG at @babettelperry.

I used to think anxiety was people hyperventilating into paper bags in the movies. Now I realize healthy anxiety keeps me from getting hit by cars when I cross the street and unhealthy anxiety keeps me from trying things that help me grow as a person and develop in my career.   My guest on this episode of Camera Ready & Abel is Heather Hans who has taught me so much about managing anxiety in contemporary life and she gives several, actionable tips for how you can too.   One of the biggest things I learned from Heather is that anxiety is our body’s way of talking to us and that we need to listen! It's often pointing us to a needed change.   Heather is a licensed clinical social worker & psychotherapist, Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional, Certified Intuitive Coach & Holistic Healer, and recovering CPA. She empowers individuals and organizations to perform at their highest  potential.   A trusted thought leader in the self-empowerment space, Heather is a regular television guest on 9News Denver, Fox5 New York, Channel 2 News Denver, Denver7 News, and iHeart Radio. An Amazon International #1 Bestselling Author, she is currently working on her doctorate in Ethical & Creative Leadership to help people of all backgrounds & cultures make their dreams come true.    Learn more about overcoming anxiety naturally in Heather's online course, Create Profitable Relationships by Mastering Anxiety and other great resources via her website www.heatherhans.com and instagram.

Looking and feeling your best are core principles of being camera-ready and on this episode, I get schooled in the psychology of getting dressed, enclosed cognition and how it can make or break your audition, job interview or first date with mother-daughter duo Alison Bruhn and Delia Folk, co-founders of The Style That Binds Us.   Delia and Alison have built a global lifestyle brand and community for women who want to live a stylish and fearless life.   Delia Folk is a former Barneys New York buyer and a national wardrobe consultant. She is enthralled with the history of fashion and how the past affects the present. Having kick-started her career at world- renowned fashion institutions, Delia is committed to sharing the knowledge she’s learned with others.   Alison is a national style and image consultant with clients across the country. The purpose of her work is to empower women through creating a visual brand and transforming their style to ignite a new path of confidence and independence.   Together we share the belief that it is never one size fits all.   Here are the emerging brands Delia and Alison are loving right now: Mestiza: Use code THESTYLE15 for 15% off on their website ALIVIA: Use code TSTBU10 for 10% off on the Alivia site Marie Laffont: Use code THESTYLE10 for 10% off on her website LOVA: Use code THESTYLE15 for 15% off on LOVA's website Li Organics: Use code TSTBU20 for 20% off on her website Sarah Flint: Use code ALISON50 for $50 off your first pair on her website Michelle Waugh: Use code thestyle for 15% off on her website The Laundress: Use code STYLE for 25% off on their website Mon Coeur Schutz Dose & Co. Esker Beauty Laiik: Use code TSTBU15 for 15% off on their website ClassicSix: Use code THESTYLEXCLASSICSIX10 for 10% off on their website SUPEREGG: Use code THESTYLE for 15% off on their website OJOOK: *Use code: THESTYLE for a free toothbrush with your purchase on their website Asutra Short & Suite: *Use code THESTYLE for 15% off on their website Dirty Labs Learn more at www.thestylethatbindsus.com. You can also find them on YouTube as well as on their The Style That Binds Us podcast.

Beauty is an inside job, not something you put on.   Sir John shares so many stop-what-you're-doing-and-listen insights in this episode including:   Love your body from the inside out. Look at aging as Glowing Up Beauty is an action Beauty is finding and sharing your voice Beauty is being an accomplice, not only an ally   Sir John is a dynamic force in the beauty and fashion industry, creating iconic looks with his signature use of color, luminance, and inclusive style. His magnetic presence and unique creative approach have allowed him to work with some of the world’s most iconic women, including Beyoncé, Serena Williams, Mary J. Blige and Celine Dion to name but a few.   He is a social activist and Global Artist for L'Oréal Paris who began his career working with industry giants Pat McGrath and Charlotte Tilbury being the best assistant on the planet (something Elizabeth Wagmeister also noted as a key to success in our episode on being resilient). Now, over two decades into his career, Sir John’s visionary leadership is expanding beyond the beauty space to encompass total wellness.   Sir John lives his core value that beauty is an inside job. You can get your daily fix of Sir John on instagram @sirjohn and learn more about the L'Oréal Paris initiatives he highlighted in this episode by checking out Women of Worth and L'Oréal Paris Stands Up Against Street Harassment.