Years ago, a producing project had me traveling every week to the beautiful St. Petersburg / Clearwater Beach area and I became known to the concierge at the hotel where I always stayed. At the time, this hotel was going through a major renovation – tens of thousands of dollars spent on making the hotel...
For a total of 24 years, the golden-voiced Casey Kasem gave us the scoop on what songs were trending and along the way, weaved in some classic behind-the-scenes stories and interviews on the radio show he hosted (and co-created), American Top 40. If you grew up in the 70s, 80s, or early 90s, there’s a...Continue reading
I’m excited to let you know about the launch of the HeyPorter.com YouTube channel. We’ll cover the same subjects there that we do here – Creative Leadership, Productivity, Marketing, Decoding Success – just with way less reading and way more moving pictures. Hope you’ll check it out, hit that ‘Subscribe’ button, and maybe even tell...Continue reading
What is ‘Dandelion Marketing’? How can it help my brand? What does it have to do with the #AllinChallenge? To answer those questions, let’s start by considering the dandelion itself – that fuzzy little weed that pops up in your yard, inviting you to pick it up, make a wish, and blow on it. Well,...Continue reading
Disclaimer: I do not like bragging on myself, but there’s a brag coming up anyway. Trust me that it’s a means to an end. Many years ago, I wrote and co-directed a short film starring Tony-winner John Cullum (30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) and Emmy-nominee Barry Corbin (Modern Family, Better Call Saul). Both actors also...Continue reading
They’ve seen a million faces and they’ve rocked them all. But can you imagine a Bon Jovi show with no performance of “Livin’ on a Prayer”? What if that signature song had been written and recorded, but never made it onto an album? It almost happened. When Bon Jovi Was Livin’ On A Prayer Flashback...Continue reading
I never work with companies. Ever. Yes, I’ve written and directed professionally for more than 25 years. Yes, I’ve served as a creative leader in the worlds of branding, marketing strategy, advertising, and entertainment development for 15 plus years. And yet, I never work with companies; I work with people. Now, if that strikes you...Continue reading
Because I enjoy fine dining and am very health conscious, I had dinner last night at a little place called Cracker Barrel. Judge if you want – those biscuits are amazing. As I paid, the lady at the register noticed my t-shirt featuring The Man in Black and said, “I bet a Johnny Cash fan...Continue reading
I had seen this spot on TV previously and loved its approach. Then I read the article below that provides some fascinating behind-the-scenes insights on why it was so effective (spoiler alert: just tell a good story)...Continue reading
Well, it’s happened enough times now that I have to regard it as a new Thanksgiving tradition — watching the National Dog Show on NBC after the parade ends. I happened upon it one Thanksgiving Day (and now every Thanksgiving Day) and was immediately drawn in. Fascinated even. It took me a while to figure out...Continue reading