Beyond High Street

Jeff Brunka: Global Alliance Lead, Amazon Web Services

It takes a lot of courage to drop everything immediately post college and move to a foreign land without a lick of the local language. This week’s guest Jeff Brunka did just that and has been taking calculated risks ever since. His first job in Germany was helping out at a horse ranch, four hours away from Munich.  Brunka has a lot of great stories and insight, from his first months in Germany to his time down under in Australia and now in his current role as Global Alliance lead for Amazon Web Services. His story about how he learned the local language – including a brief detour into accidentally learning Polish – is a must-listen. 

Susan Canavari: Global Head of Brand Experience Development, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Susan Canavari, the Global Head of Brand Experience Development at JPMorgan Chase & Co is a rockstar. She has had an incredible business career which began on the other side of the house, the agency side. We focus much of the conversation on the differences between the two sides and how they can help each other succeed. We dig into her daily habits, from what time she wakes up to how she stays current on relevant news. We dig into her daily habits, from what time she wakes (it’s 5am), to her email tendencies and how she stays current on relevant news. Her advice is appropriate for all - "work really hard and be flexible”. 

Andy Blackburn: VP New Business, Marquee Sports & Entertainment

Andy Blackburn is the VP of New Business at Marquee Sports & Entertainment, which is the hospitality and marketing arm of the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field, and other iconic properties. Every day, he aims to improve the in-game experience for anyone who steps foot into Wrigley Field, from team sponsors to once-a-year fans, and everyone in between. He talks about the dramatic facelift Wrigley Field, and the surrounding neighborhood, has gotten over the past few years, and how that transformation has helped modernize the team’s approach to sponsorship and hospitality. His team has created a new PGA TOUR Champions event for 2020 which is so smart with MLB spring training right there. I love that his first crack into sports was a lead through a Miami professor. Power of not just who you know, but who knows you. That job, which was selling Detroit Pistons tickets via cold calls, is the only break he needed.

Jeff Berding: President & General Manager, FC Cincinnati

The MLS season is just getting underway, and we’re lucky to have on the pod this week the President and General Manager of the league’s newest team. Jeff Berding was instrumental in the awarding of FC Cincinnati, and he provides some fascinating insight on the pod about the process of getting his beloved city that franchise. You can hear in his voice the passion he has for Cincinnati. He also talks about how sports are like politics in terms of meeting deadlines and putting your product out to be judged by your consumer. I really appreciated his approach to work and life – “Be stubborn on vision, but flexible on journey.” That’s great advice for anyone, no matter which stage of their career they are in. Enjoy!

Steve Carlin: Global Brand Strategist

From a geology major to an uber-successful business leader, Steve Carlin has spanned the industries of soap and cosmetics to video games and robotics over 20+ years of work. Our conversation covers all sides of his business career and is rooted in some key themes – leadership, business creation, and networking. He has successfully weaved his way forward using key attributes and learning to propel into career-advancing jobs. He is smart, articulate and his perspective is well thought out. I can’t believe we haven’t talked live in more than two decades. It felt like we were in an IFC meeting senior year on campus. And to the students listening on the pod, his statement about school is so true – “college is about learning how to learn”. Hope you enjoy it!

David Fleming: Senior Writer, ESPN The Magazine

David Fleming is a senior writer for ESPN and has written numerous stories for The Magazine and espn.com. He has also authored two books – Noah’s Rainbow (a father’s memoir) and Breaker Boys (the stolen 1925 NFL title). The passion in his voice when talking about Miami is infectious. He uses that same passion when writing too. If you haven’t read his work, search for it. It’s worth your time. In the pod we spend time talking about the art of listening, relationships, and how to earn trust, be it with your writing subject or even family, friends or peers. When asked about Miami, he starts by saying “and when I got to campus”…what’s incredible is that everyone who went to Miami nails that sentence. There is something special driving into Oxford that keeps you there. Lastly, check out the book Noah’s Rainbow. It’s written for parents who are grieving the death of a child and is particularly geared towards fathers but it’s broad enough to appeal to anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one or who cares about someone who is grieving. It will also serve anyone searching for perspective or hope in life.

Andy Gloor: Managing Principal, Sterling Bay

Andy Gloor is a Managing Principal at Sterling Bay – an uber-successful commercial real estate and development firm. Bloomberg even named Andy – “the tech industry's go-to real estate developer”. He really stresses the importance of relationships and how handshakes are often more important than lawyers in getting a deal done. He and his wife Mara (a Miami Merger) are incredibly generous and have supported Miami, including the naming of the auditorium at the Athletic Performance Center on campus which has become the multipurpose facility centerpiece for Miami Football.

Beth Herrington: Partner, Morgan Lewis

Beth Herrington is a partner at Morgan Lewis, and has been named one of Crain’s Chicago Most Influential Women Lawyers….multiple times! It was so great to catch up and hear about all of her success. Her comments about gender-split in law, competitiveness and the power of a relationship are so well articulated. You can easily see why a client would want her to be on the front line in any dispute. Beth shares a great story about teaching people how to distill complex issues into a few sentences. This ‘elevator speech’ philosophy is so important in life yet not mastered by many. Thanks Beth….keep crushing it.

Jeff Immel: Creative Director, Weber Shandwick

As PR Week wrote when Jeff Immel was honored with a 40 under 40 Award, “a leap of faith can sometimes usher in a whole new approach to marketing….when Immel left Arc Worldwide to join Weber Shandwick’s budding creative team as its first art director, he was making a bold move.” I so appreciate his risk, and the firm’s, as the public relations discipline was evolving into something much greater – a global communications and marketing business. Since then, he has grown that business tremendously. Our conversation spans from the risks brands need to take to breakthrough in today’s climate to understanding that often business success is driven by understanding that the audience now dictates the terms. Jeff shares a great analogy from a Cannes lecture, that it is now the deer who has the gun, not the hunter (listen for the whole story). And his tips for Miami students are different than some but absolutely on point. All the resumes look great so take advantage of the human side. Stand out by being the call or meeting want to take. Be the person that helps, engages and listens. Sometimes the basics in life are forgotten. And a special shout out to one of Jeff’s Weber Shandwick Miamian colleagues who is awesome -– Executive Vice President Melanie Strah! She has welcomed Miami students each year into their office for a day of learning.

Lisa Schrader: Head of Operations & Chief of Staff, Luminary Media

Imagine waking up every day having to react to countless stories that came in overnight, and to determine how they impact your City. Well, that is what Lisa Schrader did for two years as Chief of Staff for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (and almost 15 years total working at City Hall). She shares great learnings of skillsets you acquire when working in the public sector, and how she has used that experience the jobs she has had since then. We laughed as she reminisced about times at Miami and living a ‘double life’. You will have to listen to the pod to hear that story. We close the conversation talking about her new job (I mean only a week into it…) at Luminary Media, a new podcast premium content subscription business (stay tuned for more on Luminary). I could talk with Lisa for hours, the conversation quickly reminded me (and hopefully us) of the good ‘ole days.