I didn't start out in advertising. After acting in college I banged around New York City as part of an improv comedy group called The Fresh Air Cab Company.* Being onstage in some dingy nightclub, armed with nothing but our bare wits and passion for play, was amazingly fun. When it worked it was magic. There was (pretty much) nothing better!

After awhile, I looked for a way to use my gift for making stuff up for a slightly more regular paycheck. Advertising fit the bill. Banging around in a conference room with other fringe human beings, making up s&^@, throwing pencils into the ceiling tiles like Tom Hanks in "Nothing In Common," well it was like improv theatre all over again, only with health insurance.

I haven't looked back. And what's kind of cool about this era of consumer-driven social marketing we're living in, is that it's becoming more and more like doing improv. You put a message out there, and messages come back from the audience! What's more, the brands that are willing to improvise — "play along and play nice" with consumers — are winning in the marketplace.

That's my story, and I'm sticking with it.  If you'd like to look deeper, my resume is on LinkedIn.

What's your story? I can help you uncover it, and share it with customers and potential fans. Let's have a conversation!

*NYC, back in the day. Peter Freedman, Betsy Beers, Michael Berliner, Winnie Boone.