Creative director and writer based in Wisconsin. Currently serving up craft creative for History Factory and fresh content strategies for local clients.
How I write, think, make
My comms practice started in 2010 with a simple idea: write clearly, with urgency. That one-two punch has served clients well and taken me from the Press Room of the Colorado General Assembly to a Big 5 consulting firm to creative agencies in Boulder, Portland, and now Wisconsin. It has also helped me keep my promises along the way: to always stay on-time, on-message and on-budget.
Why I write, think make
There’s nothing more thrilling than a blank page—and helping people fill it with meaning. I’ve always asked a lot of questions. It’s probably why I get so much energy from discovery, brand positioning and brand development. I love working with folks who have a positive impact on their community, people who ask “what’s possible?” My favorite projects are those that result in enduring relationships and artful work that drive sustainability, shared prosperity, and a belief in a future worth fighting for.
01
Why Schwab
The client: Schwab Advisor Services.
The mission: Build a site to help financial advisors leave their Wall Street firms, cut their golden parachutes and find new footing as fiduciaries.
The work: An overhaul to how Schwab communicates with prospects, from business-to-business to “unstuffy” human-to-human.
My collaborators: Luke Heyerman, Brian David Smith, Brian Lanahan.
My role: Personas, journey maps, research, writing.
02
Confidence Breaks Through
The client: JPMorgan Chase.
The mission: Help Chase chart how small businesses changed from a global pandemic and where they’re headed next.
The work: An integrated campaign that turned obstacles into opportunities, through surveys, articles and infographics.
My collaborators: Nikki Rodriguez, Brian Lanahan.
My role: Research, writing.
03
Solution Revolution
The client: Deloitte.
The mission: Document the rise of social enterprises as a force for good and get the manuscript to Harvard Business School Press lickety-split.
The work: A business book that policymakers in Washington could pick up—and actually enjoy.
My collaborators: Christopher Benz, William Eggers.
My role: Research, stakeholder interviews, module writing, editing.
Spirits Awakened
The client: State Line Distillery.
The mission: Write an anthem that cuts through a crowded category and puts a Wisconsin spirits company on the top shelf.
The work: Brand positioning, bottle copy.
My collaborators: The State Line Team.
My role: Research, writing.
04
Talking Business with Daymond John
The client: Chase for Business.
The mission: Lure Shark Tank’s Daymond John into coaching small business owners through the pandemic (over Zoom).
The work: A series of videos so relatable that a restaurant owner could learn marketing hacks from a lab-grown diamond manufacturer.
My collaborators: Luke Heyerman, outside production company.
My role: Concepting, researching, writing pre-production books, post-production edits.
05
My CV
Still reading this?? I appreciate you taking the time to getting to know me and my work!
I’ve held a variety of professional writing and brand strategy positions in advertising, marketing and journalism, where I’ve been responsible for delivering everything from social copy to long-form features.
In my early twenties, I co-founded an iPad-only photojournalism magazine called Once that had two great years of publishing and one abrupt end. My latest passion project involves working with a Madison-based design studio to help turn the University Research Park into the most innovative neighborhood in the Midwest.
In addition, I’m a member of the Dane County Regional Housing Strategy (RHS) and Housing Advisory Committee (HAC), representing the Town of Vermont.
I live on 10 acres of wooded hillside, prairie and marshland with my wonderful wife and border collie, who is, indeed, a good boy. That said, I’m available for travel for longer engagements.
Just an FYI
All works on this site are the property of my clients and are featured here with their express permission.