Happened
Fri, May 31st, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Fueled Collective (COCO)
400 South 4th Street #401, Minneapolis MN 55415

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In this conversation, Garrio Harrison and Michael Fanuele will be discussing how creative marketing can unleash the inspiring leader in all of us and other themes explored in Michael’s new book, Stop Making Sense.

This fireside chat series is being put together in collaboration with AIGA Minnesota and covers the often overlooked area of creative industries: the business side of creative projects.

We hope to see you there.

About Michael Fanuele

After graduating from Vassar College with an Honors Degree in Victorian Studies, Michael realized his mother was right: he had very few professional skills. That inconvenient fact, however, made him a perfect candidate for employment in American politics, and so, after traveling the country stuffing envelopes and hanging signs to help somewhat-decent people get elected to Congress, he was honored with an opportunity to work in Washington, DC for the U.S. House of Representatives.

But (surprise!) politics felt terrible, and soon enough, Michael was off to New York where he was a stand-up comic by night and an advertising executive by day. It quickly became apparent where his talent did not lie.

Michael Fanuele has been lucky to spend most of his career as a brand strategist working with some pretty awesome people at some pretty great places, including JWT, Havas, and Fallon. He is one of the most acclaimed strategic leaders in the industry, having won pitches and cracked market-moving, award-winning work for brands including Dos Equis, Arby’s, Cadillac, Charles Schwab, Cheerios, Unilever, The Cosmopolitan, The Economist, and Volvo. He has in fact sold tea in China.

Most recently, Michael was a client, serving as the Chief Creative Officer at General Mills, a role in which he tried to inspire a big food company to be a good food company. Some progress was made, and some billion-dollar brands, like Cheerios and Nature Valley, actually grew for the first time in a decade. In this role, Michael also built an internal creative agency and ran one of the largest agency pitches of 2016, a review that was noted for its demand that agencies field diverse teams.

In addition to winning a record-breaking five Account Planning Group awards, he has helped brands create communications that have garnered Effies, One Show Pencils, and Cannes Gold Lions. He has made it to the final round of every pitch he’s led this century, and his new business efforts have helped JWT and Havas win “Agency of The Year” and Fallon score “Comeback Agency of The Year.”

Michael has done politics, stand-up comedy, and written for The Harvard Business Review, Ad Age, and The Star Tribune.

Michael is currently the Founder/CEO of Talk Like Music, a consultancy that helps people, places, and brands become more inspiring. His first book Stop Making Sense: The Irrational Act of Inspiration (And How To Commit It) will hit bookstores and airport kiosks in 2019.

Although he has a native New York Spirit, Michael’s loved a life that has taken him around the world with his wife and three totally-awesome young sons. He watches a lot of little league soccer, plays far too little tennis, and loves wiling away a weekend with good friends and daunting recipes.

About The Business Conversation

A monthly fireside chat series focused on the practical business challenges and opportunities surrounding creative ventures. Topics will cover the often overlooked areas of creative industries: the business side of creative projects. Hosted by Garrio Harrison.

Our guests will cover:

  • The nuts and bolts of managing creative projects that align with business goals and available resources.
  • Insights around deciding which projects to invest in.
  • Discussions about current creative trends and how to decide which ones are right for your organization.

Who is this series for:

  • Business leaders who need to understand the business of creative execution so they can make informed decisions about when to invest their resources to drive business results.
  • Creatives who what to understand the business impact of the work they produce and ways to better operate their own business.
  • Business Builders who need to understand how marketing and creative execution can impact their growth without compromising their return on investment.

This series is made possible by AIGA Minnesota, Fueled Collective and The Content Reactor.

Our monthly recordings will take place at Fueled Collective, Minnesota’s oldest community of business builders.

Fueled Collective is a fresh concept, bringing together work life, nightlife, events, and most importantly, people. Our spaces offer a whole new way to live, whether that’s working in an entrepreneurial community, connecting at our social club or hosting events that make a real impression. fueledcollectivemn.com

Our show notes and supporting resources are made possible by the Content Reactor Team.

Turn broken content into your biggest asset. The Content Reactor helps businesses to build a content ecosystem that positively impacts marketing, sales, recruiting, client retention, and more. thecontentreactor.com