Sr Jr Podcast

This wraps up Season 1 of the Sr Jr Podcast! In this thank you message, Lisa gives a huge shout out to all the amazing guests who came on the show and all the listeners for tuning in each week.  Don’t forget to check out any episodes you might have missed and be sure to share your favorites with your friends, co-workers, and even your boss.   Season 1 Episodes: ·       Advertising·       Public Transportation·       Therapy·       Social Media·       Website Development  Links: Pulsar Advertising Website

Today Lisa speaks with two individuals in the web development industry. Stephen Fahlsing, founder and managing director of Bonfire, is the senior guest talking about how vastly the web development field has changed.  Our junior level guest, Zavier Lowe, on the other hand, is a freelance UX engineer talking about the importance of design.  The duo open up the conversation by comparing their work to that of an architect; both careers build products and spaces to best suit the user.  And like architecture, web development is an ever changing industry,  Given that, since the advent of the internet in the 20th century, the internet has become more complex, widely accessible, user friendly, and prominent in our daily lives. Because the internet is so widely used, we need people like Zavier, or UX designers to help improve the user experience on a particular website.  He notes that this rather new career path helps to bridge the gap between design and development.  Both Stephen and Zavier go on to talk about the future of the industry and the creation of newer, more efficient web tools.  In a world in which humans use such tools to build and kill, web developers need to be extremely conscious about how they can use these tools for good in the future.  Episode Highlights: How web developers are like architectsThe evolution of the internetWhat is UX?Tools bridging the gap between design and development“Mobile first”The future of the internet The rise of virtual realityQuotes: “Engineering as a concept is planning, right? It's almost like the scientific method where you have your hypothesis, and you test and execute”“The web has overtaken the Yellow Pages, right? So if you exist in the world, especially in the business world, and the business world is a large encompassing thing of everything from your local plumber to a large media network, to entertainment, to any number of different facets. So like, it's become this incredible repository of information.”“The user experience engineer, or UX engineer… you're understanding the customer journey, and being able to map that out.”“It's a business, and everybody needs to have a presence. And I mean, quite frankly, there's less and less brick and mortar.”“Building a website is not just about code. And the process has certainly changed over the years, because– the way we operate and the way we exist in this world has changed.”“​​It's scary, because things like this can be used for evil. And anytime you have tools in the hands of humans, humans use them the same way they've used tools since the inception - to build and to kill. And you want more building and less killing.”Links:Pulsar Advertising websiteBonfire LA: https://bonfirela.com/Zavier’s Website: https://zavierlowe.com/

In this week’s episode of the Sr Jr Podcast, Lisa Wharton welcomes two guests from the social media management industry.  Today’s junior level guest is Michelle Vazquez, Communications Assistant at the Los Angeles Conservancy who seeks to pursue social media as a full fledged career.  Our senior guest today will be Chaia Raibon who is not only a Senior Social Strategist for Lyft and a cultural/creative lead, but who also has her own brand, Shine Chaia, for which she is the digital and social strategy consultant.  The first topic the pair tackle is social media strategy where they both talk about how social media functions differently for each account, given the different sets of content, audiences, and goals. On social media, knowing your audience is everything, and Michelle’s work at the LA Conservancy might target an older crowd dedicated to protecting LA’s history, whereas Chaia’s social media might focus more on a younger audience likely to use Lyft’s scooter, bike, and car services.  Similarly, Chaia and Michelle go on to discuss the purposes of different platforms.  Like familiarity with the audience, social media managers also need a firm understanding of various social media platforms and their native content.  Considering how many brands are obsessed with virality, it makes it all the more important for the social media manager to understand the nature of each platform.  Chaia and Michelle bring the conversation to a close by talking about the ever so frustrating hate comments - while both of their socials are vastly different, they both agree that the best way to combat trolls is to just ignore them.  Episode Highlights: How the women utilize social media differently for their respective companiesThe importance of knowing your audienceWhy certain platforms have different purposesThe obsession with virality What it’s like dealing with online hate commentsDeShaun McCann’s mid level perspectiveLinks: Pulsar Advertising websiteLA Conservancy on InstagramChaia Raibon on InstagramShine Chaia HomepageDeShaun’s business - Day x Day Slay

In this week’s episode of the Sr Jr Podcast, Lisa Wharton discusses therapy with two therapists who specialize in different fields.  Today’s junior level guest, Kaela Farisse, is an online therapist for women and young girls of color or victims of trauma.  The senior level therapist is Mark Bates who has experience working in the Department of Defense and psychedelic therapy at Sunstone Therapies.  They open the conversation up by talking about their respective careers and how they got their start.  With a background in military and cancer patients, Mark is excited about the future of psychedelics in PTSD and depression treatment, whereas Kaela touts COVID’s positive impact on the telehealth industry.  When asked about the present state of therapy, Kaela remarks that therapy is becoming more accessible for everyone.  On the subject of people that object to therapy, both therapists are strongly of the opinion that it can always be helpful to have the input of an unbiased professional, and they also go on to discuss why mindfulness, breathwork, and journaling help keep their own mental health intact.  Before the episode draws to a close, Gabrielle Davenport joins the conversation briefly to highlight that therapy is a great means of ongoing support to help you interact with the world around you as well as your everyday problems.  The therapists end the podcast by expressing their affinity for group talk and mindfulness. Episode Highlights: How therapy is now more accessibleMark’s work with cancer patients and how psychedelics positively impact mental health How Kaela started her career working in a domestic violence shelterHow psilocybin and MDMA treat those with PTSD and depression in cancer patientsHow COVID transformed the telehealth industryWhy therapy is for everyone The importance of an unbiased, professional perspective How therapists take care of their own mental healthKaela and Mark’s own mental health practicesLinks: Pulsar Advertising websiteSunstone TherapiesKaela Farisse website

Public TransportationWhen you think about public transportation, buses and subways are probably the first things that come to mind. In reality, an effective public transportation system is made up of more than just planes, trains, and automobiles. Creating transportation that works for everyone starts with innovation and infrastructure. Here to discuss their work in public transportation are Senior Level guest Sharlane Bailey, Director of Capital Projects and Facilities at Foothill Transit with over 25 years of experience in the construction and engineering field, and Junior Level guest Colin Brown, Transportation Planner at Sam Schwartz Engineering who’s just a few years out of grad school.Sharlane and Colin begin with an overview of Urban Planning, Designing and Engineering. They speak with host Lisa Wharton about their respective roles and responsibilities, what inspired them to pursue careers in the field, and whether one generation uses public transportation more than the other. They explain why public transportation is so important to society, which aspects of their professions they find most rewarding and most challenging, and how new technology and innovation will help advance us toward the goal of sustainability.  Today’s fun and informative conversation wraps up as Colin and Sharlane share their best advice for the other generation in the industry. George Lewis, a Bus Operator for GTrans in Gardena, CA also joins the show for the “Mid-Level Minute,” and provides a very different perspective on the topics covered in the episode. Finally, Lisa closes by asking our guests what mode of transportation best describes their particular age group.Episode Highlights:Overview of each guest’s respective roles and responsibilitiesUrban Planning, Designing and Engineering 101Colin and Sharlane’s early experiences with public transportation and career inspirationDifferent generational use of public transportationLogistical and environmental advantages of public transportationGetting over the hurdle of using buses and subwaysWhat makes a good transportation system - frequency, reliability and legibilityMost rewarding and most challenging aspects of their careersInnovation, problem solving, and new technologies around clean energyGoal to make public transportation free and provide equityAdvice they would each give to the other generation in the industryBeing aware of trends, work/life balanceEndless opportunities in the field of public transportationLinks:Pulsar Advertising websiteFoothill Transit websiteSam Schwartz Engineering websiteGTrans website

Welcome to the Sr Jr Podcast, the show where your host, Lisa Wharton, speaks with one person who’s a seasoned veteran in their chosen field, and another who’s a fresh-faced newbie just getting a career started. On today’s episode, we’re talking about advertising. Our Senior Level guest is Alberto Gonzalez, Executive Creative Director and CEO of Pulsar Advertising, with over three decades of marketing and creative advertising experience. Our Junior Level guest is Leah Press, Junior Art Director at Pulsar Advertising.  Alberto and Leah begin with their earliest memories of advertising, and explain what inspired them to get into the field. Alberto discusses the power of creating an ad that connects with people on a visceral level, and breaks down a typical day as the founder of an advertising agency. They talk about the process of creating an ad campaign, the difference between good and bad advertising, and whether certain age demographics are more receptive to advertising than others. Alberto and Leah both share what they have learned from people in each other’s generations, and what advice they would give to them. And finally, Andy Ankowski, Creative Director at Pulsar Advertising, joins the show for the “Mid-Level Minute,” summing up why advertising agencies can benefit from having people of all ages work for them.Episode Highlights:Advertising 101Alberto’s first memory of advertising was a hairspray commercial featuring a Taekwondo MasterLeah’s first memories of advertising were Tootsie Pop commercials and Teen Vogue adsHow Alberto and Leah each got started in advertisingAlberto discovered the power of creating an ad that truly connects with people and makes an impact in their lives, and got hookedLeah enjoys working as a team and drawing inspiration from others around herThe step-by-step process of creating an ad or ad campaignA good ad campaign connects with its intended audience in an emotional and intellectual way, and shows them how a product enhances their lifeDirecting advertising toward different demographics, like Baby Boomers, Millennials and Gen X, Y and ZAdvertising taps into your emotions, which can include nostalgiaThe importance of learning about your audience and connecting with what is most important to them, regardless of age, ethnicity, backgroundAlberto has learned that younger generations are not afraid to invest in quality products and experiencesLeah has learned how to remove herself from her work and not take criticism personally, because it’s all about what’s best for the campaign or target audienceMid-Level Minute with Andy Ankowski, who is in the middle of his career in advertisingLeah and Alberto’s taglines for their generationLinks:Pulsar Advertising website

This trailer episode is just a brief look into what you'll experience in our upcoming episodes! On the Sr Jr Podcast, we'll have our host, Lisa Wharton, talk to two guests. One person who has “been there, done that” in their chosen profession and another who is just figuring out where exactly “there” and “that” might be. Our hope is that by hearing the perspectives of both a seasoned vet and a fresh-faced noob, we can all learn a lot, and have some fun too...with some surprises along the way!