May 2015 — Now
Partner / Business Operations and Marketing / J.O.A.T. · Drift Distillery
Drift Distillery is a new producer of distilled spirits based out of the idyllic beach town of San Clemente, California–and currently in preparation to produce a premium Bourbon, Rye and Young Whiskey; a Silver, Dark and Spiced Rum; as well as a Vodka and Gin. The plan includes an event venue and tasting room.
The brand will exude Southern California culture–that sandy, sun-baked, wave-soaked, laid-back feeling that those from the area know so well.
Request more information at DriftDistillery.com
Mar 2014 — Now
Founder / Principal / Marketer / J.O.A.T. · the cOOp agency
the cOOp agency is an Omni-Channel/Inbound/Outbound/Marketing Integration Agency. That comes with a knowing Jack-of-All-Trades smirk. The mission is to put the disparate and divergent tactics together in a cohesive and consistent strategy–meeting the target consumer at the touch-points they prefer, in a way that they can appreciate.
Learn more at http://thecOOpagency.com
Aug 2013 — Now
Consultant / J.O.A.T. · Concept 73 Advertising Agency
Digital and business development consultant at a quintessential Southern California boutique Advertising Agency.
Learn more at http://Concept73.com
Sep 2012 — Now
CMO / J.O.A.T. · Warm Spring Foundation
Warm Spring Foundation is a Southern California-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to identify and execute solutions to global health challenges; as well as provide a compelling method for people, companies, and charitable organizations to contribute resources to help with various causes.
Learn more at http://WarmSpringFoundation.org
Apr 2012 — Aug 2013
Tasked with replicating the highly successful program I created at TransWorld Media. Not too long after my arrival, TransWorld Media itself followed me into the fold. We became one big, awkwardly competitive family.
May 2006 — Jan 2012
Sales Development Director / J.O.A.T. · Transworld Media (GrindMedia / TEN)
My background landed me a gig at TransWorld Media for a newly created position, the Sales Development Manager. I had no idea what the job was supposed to do, and was unsure how I got myself there. But I learned quickly and proceeded to figure out how to monetize a fast antiquating print publishing model.
I used my array of divergent skills to help pull TransWorld into the digital era. I concepted, designed, quantified, presented and often activated on media programs that spanned print, video, digital and events (now called “Omni-Channel”) for endemic and non-endemic clients alike (with an emphasis on authentic–our fickle audience demanded it). Those programs generated millions of dollars of revenue for TransWorld.
Along the way I built and led a talented Sales Development department that was, by necessity, a group of Jacks and Jills that could do anything I asked of them. That included becoming initial members of an in-house design agency that provided design services to clients.
Oct 2003 — Jun 2007
Adjunct Instructor / Business · Riverside Community College
I taught aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners how to be J.O.A.T.s. Class Subjects: Entrepreneurship, Business Fundamentals, and Business Planning
Jan 2001 — Jan 2003
Art Director · Design Agency
Just pushed pixels from 8:30 to 5:30.
Jan 2001 — Jan 2002
Art Director · ASG/Powder Magazine
Pinch-hitting Art Director for Powder Magazine in mid-season. Applying my past J.O.A.T. experience raised eyebrows, though. “You’re doing that yourself? You’re not sending it out??...Can I watch?” I was on deadline and there was no time to wait for the outsourced master of one trade to fit my requests in their busy schedules.
Jan 2000 — Jan 2001
Marketing Director / J.O.A.T. · The Bike Co.com
Recruited by a bicycle E-commerce startup with big-money backing to be Marketing Director. This was a frantic race to build a brand and an E-commerce platform from scratch, and I was in full J.O.A.T. mode. The Dotcom bust saw the financial backing vanish along with the founders’ IPO dreams.
Jan 1999 — Jan 2000
Producer / J.O.A.T. · Cox Interactive Media (Cox Communications)
With endless calls from recruiters and visions of equity shares clouding my vision, I bolted my first job with a significant raise and what was perceived to be an up-and-coming internet portal network as a producer. You have to experience cubicles to fully understand them.
Created original content, often for brands, before it was known as “Content Marketing/Inbound Marketing/Native Advertising”. I had to create the written and/or video content, then code it into their websites with HTML. I never became a master (thank God), but no one noticed and I got the job done exceptionally well.
May 1995 — Nov 1999
Operations Manager / Art Director / J.O.A.T. · World Oceans Media / US Surfing / Broadband Internet Group
I found this job online, in 1995, on AOL. This was a small, bootstrapped publishing house pumping out surf magazines. Ironically, my “dream job” at the time was with Surfer Magazine, so this became an easy target. I was an early pioneer of the freemium model (this being my second successful implementation). Luckily they turned me down and paid me $5 an hour to cold-call surf shops to sell subscriptions, in a garage.
That was a job I didn’t want to master and I started looking for new tasks. The co-founding Creative Director asked me if I knew QuarkXpress. I replied with “What’s that?” He put me to work anyway and I did become a “master” before it was replaced with Indesign, also mastered. Within the first year I became the operations manager, making sure the (now, six) publications were produced on time–even if it meant I had to pull all-nighters alongside the Art Directors designing layouts. Eventually I got bored, as J.O.A.T.s can, and I “traded” jobs with a talented “Jill” of an A
