Starting Artists

Your host and podcast pal Tony Sadowski pops up with a between-season life and career update. What's been going on during the show hiatus? And, more importantly, what does "creativity" mean to you?Does art stop belonging to the creator when it is interpreted by an observer and a new story begins?We're catching up and getting philosophical in this bonus episode. Season 2 is still very much going to happen. Life got in the way, and the show needed a little fine-tuning anyway.Thanks for listening and subscribing if you do. If you don't, follow Starting Artists wherever you podcast, and catch up on the open and inspiring conversations in Season 1!Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

Cassandra M. Bailey is the Founder and CEO of Slice Communications, a marketing and communications company in Philadelphia. She is also founder and current chairwoman of Social Media Day, Inc.Entrepreneur, author, thought leader, speaker, organizer, volunteer, mom—Cass is a creative force, an attention-getter, and someone Tony greatly admires.In this season one finale, the two discuss marketing philosophy, leadership styles, work-life balance, working through difficult times, what we learned from our grandparents, the cartoon anarchy of the 1990's, and how much our jobs have changed over the past 20 years.Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

Tony gets philosophical on your brand with the challenging question of what it might sound like. Sure, we put a lot of thought into the visual elements of a brand. Brand messaging, from mission to key talking points, are hugely important and far more likely to have been given serious thought. But in an increasingly content-focused digital world, the idea of your brand's signature sound is something you may want to take into account.With easily-recognizable examples of audio shorthand and some personal anecdotes from his decades as a promo producer, Tony makes a case for sound branding on this bite-sized but (hopefully) thought-provoking episode.Give it a listen and see (or hear) what you think!Plus: The debut of the official Spec Communications brand chime and a teaser for the guest joining us next time for the season finale.Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

Calling James F. Wright a writer, while true, doesn't feel like enough words to describe what he does or the various iterations of James that got him where he is today. He has written award-winning comics. He writes video game narratives at Deck Nine Games. He was a producer at NFL Media for 14 years. His path was anything but a straight line! As you'll hear, James fought "work guilt" and struggled at times to find meaning in what he was creating. That's why it feels so good to know he's happy today.Anyone starting out in a creative field, who dreams of creating some work of art, or who has been drifting along and feeling stuck for too long...give this one a listen. It's a great, candid conversation with plenty of wisdom to be gained.The similarities between James and Tony's careers are almost eerie at times!Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

To every* show, there is a season. That's definitely the case for Starting Artists. Listen up for an announcement about what to expect for the rest of what will become Season One of this podcast, and what I'll be working on during the hiatus.Also, some stats on the most-listened and least-listened episodes, reflections on the season to this point, what I DON'T want Starting Artists to become...and, of course, those lo-fi hip hop grooves you've come to know and love.As always, I'll drop the name of the guest you'll be hearing on episode 16!*not necessarily the case at allStarting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

Nigerian-Canadian writer of books and video game narratives Louisa Onomé had a few false starts along her career journey. Nothing nightmarish, some of them quite helpful to her now. But she had it in her mind that she need a "real job," because she didn't know if she'd realistically ever become an author.With two books (Like Home, Twice as Perfect) out on shelves now and more in the works, it's safe to say she's living her dream! But how exactly did she get there?Louisa also grew up loving video games - even interning in marketing for PlayStation - so how did she end up writing narratives for them?All will be revealed in this fun and inspiring conversation.WARNING: This episode contains music from Bust A Groove for the original PlayStation! Proceed with caution and only if you're ready to dance.Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

Thinking back to my conversation with Sonya Ballantyne last episode, I'm struck by her hard-earned sense of self and ability to bring all of who she is to storytelling.Sonya is doing what she wanted to do. She's seems unstoppable, and I can't wait to see what she does next! I'm also kind of scratching my head over how and when I lost touch with the cocksure, unflappable, ready-for-anything creative I felt I was earlier in my career. I'm still good at what I do. It still comes naturally. But why did I start doubting myself?I dig into the good and bad of Me Being Me at this particular point in my career journey. As I get busier and balance freelance client work with forming longterm business goals for Spec, one thing is clear - I love working in pajama pants.I was who I was.I am who I am.What next?Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

The pop culture references are flying in this conversation with Sonya Ballantyne. From growing up on a reservation, desperately wanting better representation in the media she loved, to writing for a Walking Dead video game and creating pro wrestling-based films that marry her personal life with her undying love for the squared circle...Sonya's story is wonderful and winding.Touching on themes of the importance of representation, creating the stories you're not seeing in the world, hope, and endurance in the face of self-doubt and adversity...we also dig into everything from Star Wars to Property Brothers.Sonya sees inspiration everywhere. It's exciting to hear about her knack for turning it into something unique and personal.Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

I always want to be honest and vulnerable on this podcast, because that's where the real stuff is. The point of Starting Artists is helping other people who feel stuck, or need to make a next move, and just can’t quite make themselves do it. If I actually intend to be helpful, I have to let you know what I went through, what I worked through, and how far I've come since.That said, I think this is as close to a punctuation mark on the topic of me quitting my longtime job as I can give. I'll refer to my work, when it's necessary for a story. I may decide to dig deeper into a specific topic later, and that's fine.But I'm off and doing my own thing, working with marketing and production clients. Time has passed. I really have moved on and made progress.I don't want to whine about my ex-employer or get into territory where I'm too specific or personal. I don't hate anyone. I'm not spending my nights awake, sobbing over missed opportunities or perceived slights. My point is to analyze how and why I was stuck, what made it so hard to leave when I knew I needed to go, and how humiliated I felt for staying put for so long when I knew I was in a toxic relationship.I'm proud of this episode. I think it touches on some pretty raw, powerful stuff. I also hope digging into where I was and what I was feeling at my lowest professional point helps someone out there connect and draw inspiration from the fact that I did, finally, move onward and upward.Don’t just keep taking it.Don’t waste time blaming them.Don’t waste time blaming yourself.It won’t help.Plus, a teaser for the guest joining us on episode 12!Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

Paula Rogers, a writer, editor and illustrator whose work in print and radio has been featured by NPR, KQED in San Francisco, the Third Coast International Audio Festival and Salon.She wrote and edited the infographic guide to life, Show Me How, for which she and her cat also modeled for several illustrations! She’s a copywriter, an award-winning screenwriter, and just so happens to be the lead writer and story editor for the 2019 video game Neo Cab. She is also senior writer and narrative designer at game development company Sweet Baby, Inc. Paula recently launched a webcomic based on her experiences with online dating, Blind Data.Tony and Paula's career paths have many interesting similarities, including public media, the early days of digital communication working in traditional media, art, Kim Belair's Rolodex, and more!Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

Inspired by his chat with Kim Belair last episode, Tony talks about his (extremely basic) experience in video game design. Crude as the games were, they were very moooooving. It's a medium that combines many creative and technical skills, and it's drawing diverse, new talent from a variety of interesting backgrounds.Explore themes of self-awareness, creativity in the face of intense frustration, the magic of weird jobs that require a mish-mash of abilities, choosing your own adventure, and more!Plus, a teaser for the guest joining us on episode 10!Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

My guest for the episode is Kim Belair, video game narrative writer and CEO of Sweet Baby, Inc., a black- and queer-owned narrative development company based in Montreal, working in both AAA (that's "big-name video games" in non-gamer speak) and independent spaces. Kim has had a fascinating journey as a writer in the video game world, and you don't need to be a grizzled gamer to take a lot of important lessons away from listening! In a candid conversation, she offers insight into her experiences as a black woman in an industry famous for toxicity and hostility - and how she ended up co-creating a company that welcomes fresh creative perspectives to the craft.Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

Inspired by his conversation with Izzy Searle last episode, Tony talks about a screenplay he wrote in college that won an award. He also goes into why these "monologue" episodes exist, describes the horrific suffering endured by his interns, and plays a bit of a Moxy Früvous song. Explore themes of authenticity, confidence, curmudgeonry, how to read a room, using the word "anyway" as a storytelling device to allow for some light digressions, and more!If anything, it's a lot shorter than any story he's ever told an intern.Also, a teaser for the guest joining us on episode 8!Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

My guest for the episode is Izzy Searle, a writer whose work has been published in multiple magazines and literary journals. Izzy loves writing theater, screenplays, and poetry, and is currently writing a new short play for professional production as part of the Pentabus Young Writers program. She’s written others, of course, one of which has been included in a book and an anthology of her poems is in the works!Izzy offers insight into how she handled getting started as a freelancer, work ethic, learning to identify good opportunities, and much more. So much already going, so much to come. She's a dynamo!Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

Tony talks about some first impressions (and important realizations) from the days he spent producing the digital-first micro-series, OUTNABOUT.  Sometimes, things work beautifully; others, you have to make them work.Travel to Tony's favorite coffee and ice cream stops...and explore themes of authenticity, surprise and delight, what makes PBS cool, and taking a leap into new career waters because you just need out of what you've been doing.Also, a teaser for the guest joining us on episode 6!Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

Kae Lani Palmisano is the Emmy-winning television host of Check, Please! Philly and the digital series Delishtory, produced by Terry Gross' frequent hangout, WHYY. She has been seen on numerous daytime talk shows nationwide. She’s a food and travel writer whose work has been published in Food & Wine, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and USA Today.Kae Lani opens up about her life, obstacles she faced as a food and travel writer told she didn't "look the type," mental health, and how the difficult road that led her where she is today  prepared her for pretty much anything. She's done a lot, seen a lot, and is only just getting started!Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

Tony takes you on a journey through lessons he learned from a creative writing workshop he was part of in 2021 called Writing Your Solo Show. It focused on autobiographical writing for stage or memoir and was the beginning of a much-needed career renaissance for (at least by default) your favorite host. Explore themes of authenticity and self-improvement, and maybe even find out how it all ties into Starting Artists and Tony's freelance brand, Spec Communications.Also, a teaser for the guest joining us on episode 4!Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

Whitney Gardner is the creative force behind the books Chaotic Good, You’re Welcome Universe, Fake Blood, and Long Distance. She illustrated Becoming RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s Journey to Justice, and co-hosts the Caper Cast podcast with writer and artist, Stephanie Cooke.She offers insight into the world of publishing, working with an editor on something as intricate as a graphic novel, navigating criticism, and much more on a deep and winding episode!Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!

What’s your dream project? How do you go from aspiring writer to published author? How do you bring a video game concept to life as an independent developer? What goes into recording - and marketing - your first album? How about your second...or fifth? What changes? I’m Tony Sadowski, a marketer, media producer, and voice artist, on a mission inspired by…jealousy.Creative people fascinate me. Makers - people who get things done, who take risks, who find a way to pursue their dream projects, who weather the storms of self-doubt and rejection, who leave their day jobs behind and embark on new and fulfilling careers - they’re my heroes.In this series, I'll introduce you to people making cool stuff across a variety of media at varying stages of their careers, for interviews aimed at inspiring new and aspiring content makers to overcome the obstacles in the way of getting started.Maybe I'll even give a bit of insight into my own creative journey along the way?Let's get started!Starting Artists is hosted by Tony Sadowski, owner of marketing and media production company Spec Communications, LLC. Tweet us at @TweetsByTheTony & @SpecLLC Work with us at speccommunications.com Rate and review us on your podcatcher of choice Tell a friend or two Thank you!