Lifting St. Louis Families Out of Poverty with Muriel Smith
Release Date: 12/09/2021
Innovation City
Today's guest is Tyler Kelley, co-founder of SLAM! Agency, a marketing agency based out of St. Louis that focuses on helping businesses fulfill their purpose. In this episode, Tyler sits down with Leigh-Ann to discuss his journey from DJ to marketing expert, key foundational marketing principles, and the importance of being strengthened by our failures. “I don’t think that anybody can look back on the roughest toughest parts of their lives and say that didn’t get me to where I am now.” -Tyler Kelley
info_outline Healing Spaces for Men with Jermar PerryInnovation City
Today's guest is Jermar Perry, co-founder of the Village PATH (Programs to Access Therapy and Healing), a space designed to help Black men heal in St. Louis. In this episode, Jermar sits down with the team to discuss how difficult it is for men to be vulnerable, the Village PATH programs available in St. Louis, and the interplay between Black culture, trauma, and mental health. “Men in general don’t have many spaces to not just talk about sports.” -Jermar Perry
info_outline Empowering Families with Mindfulness Tools with Suzanne TuckerInnovation City
Today's guest is Suzanne Tucker, founder and CEO of Generation Mindful, a global brand that's on a mission to raise an emotionally healthy world. In this episode, Suzanne sits down with the team to discuss the importance of teaching children about emotional health, advice for parents, and her own journey that led to focusing on mindfulness for families. “The solution comes in the way we raise children without shame.” -Suzanne Tucker
info_outline Organizing Esports Experiences With Austin SmithInnovation City
Today's guest is Austin Smith, founder and CEO of Mission Control, a community platform that organizes recreational esports. In this episode, Austin sits down with the team to discuss the tremendous growth in the esports industry, the power of human connection, and the challenges involved in the multi-player video game market.
info_outline Breaking the Barriers for Black Girls in STEM with Cynthia ChappleInnovation City
Today's guest is Cynthia Chapple, founder and CEO of Black Girls Do STEM, an organization offering exploration of STEM career pathways to middle and high school black girls in St. Louis. In this episode, Cynthia sits down with the team to discuss her journey as a black woman in STEM, what her organization is doing to close the gap between women and STEM, and what institutions should be doing to better serve our youth. “Schools need to become places of innovation, places of noise, and chaos, because that is what learning looks like.” -Cynthia Chapple
info_outline Creativity in the Gaming Industry with Matthew RaithelInnovation City
Today's guest is Matthew Raithel, founder and Studio Director of Graphite Lab, a video game development company. Matt has brought some of the most famous brands to life through video games including Transformers, My Little Pony, RollerCoaster Tycoon, Dora the Explorer, and much more. In this episode, Matt sits down with the team to discuss the creativity involved in video game development, challenges in the field, and guidance for aspiring video game developers. “Creativity is building something out of nothing or blazing a path that’s not obvious in front of you.” -Matthew Raithel...
info_outline Sparking Joy Through the Human Connection with Bea Ayala-MuñizInnovation City
Today's guest is Bea Ayala-Muñiz, founder and CEO of Musicasa, an organization that's changing the way people connect through live music in intimate gatherings. In this episode, Bea sits down with the team to discuss what she learned during a year of world travels, how she infuses music into everything she does, and the power of small gatherings for human connection. “Everything is about how we can add to each other’s lives.” -Bea Ayala-Muñiz
info_outline Miami’s Diverse Center of Innovation with Matt HaggmanInnovation City
Today's guest is Matt Haggman, Executive Vice President at The Beacon Council, where he leads Opportunity Miami, an initiative to catalyze Miami's economic future. In this episode, Matt sits down with the team to discuss what's next for Miami, how to create a diverse and inclusive economy, and his lessons learned during his recent attempt at running for Congress. “Miami can stand out by having a diverse and skilled workforce that’s unlike anything else globally.” -Matt Haggman
info_outline Building Brand Love with Arturo NuñezInnovation City
Today's guest is Arturo Nuñez, Chief Marketing Office at NuBank, the world's largest independent digital bank. Nuñez's impressive career in marketing spans decades of working for the NBA, Nike, APPLE, and other corporate giants. In this episode, Nuñez sits down with the team to discuss the art of storytelling in marketing, building emotional connections, and how to make brands accessible to all consumers. “Great advertising communication is when the customer sees themselves reflected.” -Arturo Nuñez
info_outline Living a Happy Lawyer Life with Kristen CorpionInnovation City
Today's guest is Kristen Corpion, founder of CORPLaw, an innovative firm providing a space for lawyers to focus on their happiness. Kristen is also a legal advocate, a law school professor, and a mentor. In this episode, Kristen sits down with the team to discuss the need for lawyers to work on their mental health, common challenges faced by startups in the legal realm, and her tactics for making her business stand out in a sea of law firms. “We can’t innovate when we’re unhappy with what we’re doing in our lives.” -Kristen Corpion
info_outline“I’ve learned to be resilient and to make sure I don’t let the little hiccups or the changes that come my way stop me.” -Muriel Smith
Today’s guest is Muriel Smith, Executive Director at the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank, where they work to end diaper need and period poverty through access, education, and advocacy. Muriel has nearly twenty years of nonprofit leadership experience serving the St. Louis community. In this episode, Muriel sits down with the team to discuss the tremendous need families have for essential products like diapers and period supplies, the attributes of great nonprofit leaders, the challenges to nonprofit work, and much more!