Episodes

  • EP350 – Part 2: Otis Williams, Singer, Songwriter, Producer

    EP350 – Part 2: Otis Williams, Singer, Songwriter, Producer
    Jan 20 2025
    In this final episode of Great Minds, Otis Williams, the founder and last surviving member of The Temptations, takes us on a journey through the legendary group's history. From his early days in Texarkana to the vibrant music scene of Detroit, Otis shares how the group evolved from the Distants to Motown superstars. He reflects on pivotal moments, including the addition of David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, their breakthrough with "My Girl," and the challenges of navigating fame, racial discrimination, and industry changes. With personal anecdotes, insights into their global impact, and reflections on the group's enduring legacy, this episode is a must-listen for music lovers and Motown enthusiasts alike.
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    55 mins
  • EP350 – Part 1: Shelly Berger, Manager of The Temptations

    EP350 – Part 1: Shelly Berger, Manager of The Temptations
    Nov 19 2024
    On this first episode of two, Great Minds is pleased to be joined by Shelly Berger, manager of legendary American vocal group The Temptations. Shelly discusses the early days of the group, their Detroit origins, their place in popular culture, and what made (and continues to make) their music so special. Don't miss this part one of two! It's a must-listen!
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    31 mins
  • EP349: Smokey Robinson, Singer, Songwriter, and Music Legend

    EP349: Smokey Robinson, Singer, Songwriter, and Music Legend
    Nov 11 2024
    On this very special episode of Great Minds, we're pleased to welcome the legendary Smokey Robinson to the show. Smokey walks us through his incredible career in this must-listen episode.
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    24 mins
  • EP348: Mark Eaves, Founder, Gravity Road

    EP348: Mark Eaves, Founder, Gravity Road
    Oct 31 2024
    Longtime friend of Advertising Week and Founder of creative agency Gravity Road, Mark Eaves, joins Great Minds for a lively discussion about his career, the industry, and much, much more. This is a don't miss episode of Great Minds.
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    46 mins
  • EP347: Victoria Usher, CEO and Founder, GingerMay

    EP347: Victoria Usher, CEO and Founder, GingerMay
    Oct 29 2024
    Victoria is the founder and CEO of GingerMay, a multi-award winning global B2B PR and digital marketing agency for blue-chip, technology, advertising, media, and fast-growth disruptive businesses. GingerMay works with leading global companies including Comcast, Global and Oath. Our numerous industry accolades are driven by our reputation for rigour, remarkable thinking, and strong relationships with clients and journalists.
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    46 mins
  • EP346: Rachel Shechtman, CEO, STORY

    EP346: Rachel Shechtman, CEO, STORY
    Oct 24 2024
    Rachel Shechtman is a fourth-generation retail entrepreneur and founder of STORY, a concept store known for its editorial, ever-changing approach to retail. Prior to opening STORY, Rachel built a career in consulting, founding Cube Ventures in 2002 - an independent firm known for its skill of strategically combining business models. When Rachel launched STORY in 2011 she did so with the belief that retail held the potential to be about more than the transaction - it could serve as a channel for branded, community-based storytelling – retail media. STORY offered the point of a magazine, changed like a gallery, and sold things like a store. After seven years and 44 different ‘themes’, in April 2018, Rachel sold STORY to Macy’s Inc. where she served as Brand Experience Officer until July 2020. During her time at Macy’s, Rachel successfully launched two new businesses for the brand and built a 150+ person cross-functional team specifically and strategically designed to operate, perform and generate effective results efficiently and nimbly within the larger, traditional operation. Rachel has been recognized as Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business, Fortune Magazine’s 40 Under 40, Crain’s Under 40 and Ad Age’s 50 Most Creative. The AAF inducted Rachel into its Advertising Hall of Achievement and in 2018 Shechtman was named a Henry Crown Fellow by the Aspen Institute. Rachel sits on the Board of Directors of the National Retail Federation (NRF) and CAMP, an experiential family retail concept and media company.
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    36 mins
  • EP344: Sarah Mehler, Founder & CEO, Left Field Labs

    EP344: Sarah Mehler, Founder & CEO, Left Field Labs
    Oct 1 2024
    Sarah Mehler is a creative technology executive with more than 20 years of leadership in the experience design ecosystem. After graduating from the Design and Media Arts program at UCLA, she began cultivating close partnerships with leading brands and accomplished decision makers to grow the bounds of what’s possible through human-centric technology. As the Founder and CEO of Left Field Labs, Sarah has combined industry-leading vision with an empathetic approach to deliver experiences that achieve successful business objectives and meaningful human impact for companies like Google, Amazon, Meta, Verizon, and Sony. Their areas of specialization include: experiential, immersive, and digital products and platforms. Sarah strives to bring out the best in her teams while modeling a graceful commitment to the greatest possible good in every situation.
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    31 mins