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Grey Matter: A Podcast About Ideas

Grey Matter: A Podcast About Ideas

By Grey Group

Grey Matter: A Podcast About Ideas is for people who love talking about creativity and exploring, simply, where the best ideas in the world come from and how dreams become reality.

Host John Patroulis, Grey Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, is joined by agency colleagues in discussions of the challenges that sparked innovative and effective solutions. Hear first-hand stories from the founders, creators, and inventors who are shaping the world.
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How Did Aaron Kinnari Invent the Meal Bar to Replace Coffee?

Grey Matter: A Podcast About IdeasSep 24, 2019

00:00
24:16
Six Feet Over: Shared Perspectives From The Time We Went Away

Six Feet Over: Shared Perspectives From The Time We Went Away

This week, we're sharing a special episode of Grey Matter, featuring an idea from within the walls of Grey, a project called Six Feet Over.

Six Feet Over is a collection of almost 400 artifacts, images, objects and stories submitted by the folks of Grey NY. It was designed to introduce and reintroduce us to each other by spotlighting our individual journeys and the strange moment in history: the Covid pandemic through the lens of humanity and creativity. Together it creates a work of art that captures our lives since March of 2020 and shares perspectives of the time we went away.

To see more of this project, go to the @grey Instagram feed and Six Feet Over highlights.

Host: John Patroulis, Global Creative Chairman and President, Creative Business

Special thanks to Denise O’Bleness, Justine Armour, Joey Scarillo, Danielle Hunt

Dec 14, 202129:40
How did Christie Horvath unleash Wagmo?

How did Christie Horvath unleash Wagmo?

Wagmo is a pet insurance brand founded by serious dog-lover Christie Horvath. She learned just how important pet insurance could be after her dog was sadly diagnosed with a brain tumor.

On this episode, we will discover how Christie went from business student to business owner with the support of her friends, family, and of course, her dogs!

Grey Interviewer: Carly Quellman, Associate Creative Director

Sep 21, 202132:20
Who inspires Alyse Nelson of Vital Voices?

Who inspires Alyse Nelson of Vital Voices?

Alyse Nelson has spent her entire career empowering women worldwide. Her non-profit, The Vital Voices Global Partnership, has served more than 18,000 women leaders across 182 countries.

On this episode, Alyse speaks with Grey New York Chief Creative Officer Justine Armour about how women lead and what they've learned from women leaders around the world.

Grey Interviewer: Justine Armour, Chief Creative Officer of Grey New York

Sep 07, 202145:28
Where did Dennis Crowley pioneer FourSquare?

Where did Dennis Crowley pioneer FourSquare?

Dennis Crowley created the first community that integrated social media with the real world when he invented Foursquare, the location-based technology company.

On this episode of Grey Matter, we will pinpoint how this idea was crafted, track down its origins, and hear exactly where the mayor-badge was cooked up.

Interviewer: Kenny Gold

Aug 24, 202142:39
Why is connection key for Susan McPherson? 

Why is connection key for Susan McPherson? 

Susan McPherson was not expecting to spend a year in isolation when she sat down to write the book, The Lost Art of Connecting. Susan leads McPherson Strategies, is an angel investor and corporate responsibility expert, but is truly a connector at her core.

On this episode, you'll hear about the foundations of Susan's book, how she learned to deepen connections with others at a young age, and how that translated into a life and career in connecting others.

Grey Interviewer: Holly Williams, Global Planning Director

Aug 10, 202132:42
How did Jim McKelvey capitalize with Square?

How did Jim McKelvey capitalize with Square?

When Jim McKelvey invented the Square card reader with Twitter Founder Jack Dorsey, he had no idea he was headed into a David vs. Goliath battle with Amazon that he would ultimately win!

On this episode, you will hear what drove Jim to make payment simpler, how he and the team conquered competition, and what he's up to next. After listening to the podcast, you can read more in Jim’s new book, The Innovation Stack.

Grey Interviewer: Kenny Gold, Executive Director, Social

Jul 27, 202132:35
How is Tiana Epps-Johnson modernizing U.S. elections?

How is Tiana Epps-Johnson modernizing U.S. elections?

Tiana Epps-Johnson and her co-founders had an ambitious and critical goal; to simplify and modernize U.S. elections.

To reach this goal, they established The Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), whose data has been accessed over 250 million times by U.S. voters through partnerships with local election committees, Google, and Facebook.

On this podcast, you'll hear from Tiana, the co-founder and Executive Director of CTCL, about the organizations' humble beginnings, how its work became crucial to fight election misinformation, and how Tiana's courage for this work has been passed down through generations.

Grey Interviewer: Joey Scarillo, Senior Project Manager & Podcast Producer

Jul 13, 202135:31
How did Sadie Kurzban kick start 305 Fitness?
Jun 29, 202131:20
How did April Walker refashion Walker Wear?

How did April Walker refashion Walker Wear?

April Walker became a legend in the hip-hop fashion scene, as the first woman to break into the industry when she opened her store, Fashion in Effect in the late 80’s. Over the decades, she dressed icons like Biggie, Tupac, Jay Z, and Mike Tyson in her Walker Wear brand. In the process, she herself became an icon.

For our season 3 premiere we’ll hear April’s story, from her inspirations growing up in Brooklyn to the next generation she is inspiring now.

Grey Interviewer: John Patroulis, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer

Jun 15, 202148:19
Grey Matter Season 3 Coming Soon!

Grey Matter Season 3 Coming Soon!

New episodes of Grey Matter: A Podcast About Ideas are launching on Tuesday June 15th and release every other Tuesday.

Follow to hear firsthand, how the best ideas were thought up from some of the most innovative creators, founder, and inventors.

Jun 09, 202100:53
The Pillars of Creativity: Audacity

The Pillars of Creativity: Audacity

This episode wraps up our deep dive into the question “What makes a good idea a great one?”

We’re deep-diving into the creative criteria we hold our work to at Grey. This week is “Audacity.”

On this episode host John Patroulis, the creative mind behind the criteria, and Grey New York’s Chief Creative Officer, Justine Amour, articulate a definition for what audacity means in creativity as they share personal stories from their journey to creative leaders.

Apr 27, 202141:06
The Pillars of Creativity: Craft

The Pillars of Creativity: Craft

We are continuing to investigate “What makes a good idea a great one?” through the creative criteria we hold our work to at Grey. This week is “Craft.”

On this episode host of the show, John Patroulis chats with season two guest Keith Cartwright, the co-founder of the creative collective Saturday Morning , and founder/CCO of Cartwright, a West-coast agency recently launched in partnership with Grey, about how craft has played a huge part in his work. John and Keith also reminisce about their time together as creative partners early in their careers.

Apr 20, 202133:30
The Pillars of Creativity: Simplicity

The Pillars of Creativity: Simplicity

“What makes a good idea a great one?” is the question we will continue to explore on this bonus series.

We’re discussing the creative criteria we hold our work to at Grey. This week is “Simplicity.”

On this episode, producer Joey Scarillo chats with season two guest Greg Marsh, founder and CEO of Keyme, about how simplicity has factored into his work. He also tells us how the company has adapted during the pandemic.

Apr 13, 202119:48
The Pillars of Creativity: Surprising but Feels Inevitable

The Pillars of Creativity: Surprising but Feels Inevitable

Welcome to Grey Matter’s first bonus series, exploring the question: “What makes a good idea a great one?”

We’re diving into some of the ideas we’ve featured in the podcast, through the lens of the creative criteria we hold our work to at Grey. First is “Surprising but Feels Inevitable.”

On this episode, producer Joey Scarillo chats with former Grey Matter co-producer Graham Nolan about the inevitability of starting this very podcast in 2019. Think of it as Grey Matter’s origin story.

Apr 06, 202131:10
Listen now to #5Things
Nov 09, 202001:30
Why did George Dawes Green start The Moth?
Sep 22, 202053:20
What moved Jackie Carter to invent the Not Reaching! pouch?
Sep 08, 202051:24
How did Unsplash change the creative process?
Aug 25, 202032:18
What motivated VC Chickering to write her first book?

What motivated VC Chickering to write her first book?

After navigating a painful divorce, VC Chickering used her personal experience to write her first novel, the humorous and racy, Nookietown. We’ll learn how she landed her first book deal, insight into her writing process, and the struggles between the creation of her first and second books.

Grey Interviewer: Holly Williams

Content Warning: This episode discussed adult themes and may not be suitable for children.  

Aug 11, 202046:49
Why did Keith Cartwright redefine Saturday Morning?

Why did Keith Cartwright redefine Saturday Morning?

In 2016, motivated by the deaths of Philando Castile and Eric Garner and many others, Keith Cartwright, and his collaborators, started the creative coalition, Saturday Morning.  In this episode, you’ll hear what led Keith, one of Saturday Morning’s co-founders, to the many partnerships and creative endeavors that Saturday Morning takes on as an organization. We’ll also hear exclusively from Keith, Saturday Morning’s goals for the future.

Grey Interviewer: Jhanell Biggs

Jul 28, 202033:29
How does Tal Zvi Nathanel keep things interesting at Showfields?

How does Tal Zvi Nathanel keep things interesting at Showfields?

As a child, Tal Zvi Nathanel would look through the department store windows in New York City and be transported to a magical place. This passion for wonder and imagination led him to create Showfields, often called the Most Interesting Store in the World. Tal, the co-founder and CEO of Showfields, talks about how he and his team reimagined the shopping experience through the eyes of the customer using immersive experiences, great service, and discovery.

Grey Interviewer: Kenny Gold

Jul 14, 202033:08
Has 2020 been what Great Good Fine Ok frontman Jon Sandler expected?

Has 2020 been what Great Good Fine Ok frontman Jon Sandler expected?

When Jon Sandler started collaborating with his bandmate Luke Moellman, there was an instant musical chemistry that led them to start the band, Great Good Fine Ok. On this episode of Grey Matter, you'll hear from Jon, the band's lyricist and lead vocalist, learn the secrets of their success, and find out how Jon was feeling when he wrote the song "2020."

Grey Interviewer: Holly Williams

Jun 30, 202032:58
Where did Claudia Edelman find the inspiration for We Are All Human?

Where did Claudia Edelman find the inspiration for We Are All Human?

For Claudia Edelman, advancing an agenda of diversity, equity, and inclusion for the Hispanic community can be traced back to her most-formative childhood experiences. In this episode, Claudia speaks about her vision for We Are All Human, the non-profit she founded; and discusses how important it is to talk about failure openly.

Grey Interviewer: Karol Chang

Jun 02, 202030:45
What motivated Greg Marsh to open KeyMe?

What motivated Greg Marsh to open KeyMe?

When Greg Marsh's wife was locked out of their apartment, the experience of calling a locksmith was so negative that it inspired Greg to innovate. In this episode, you'll hear the story that led him to KeyMe, a security technology company famous for its digital key printing kiosks in retail locations.

Grey Interviewer: Dan Bennett

May 19, 202027:57
How did Dr. Shantanu Gaur blow up weight loss?

How did Dr. Shantanu Gaur blow up weight loss?

The challenge for Allurion Technologies co-founder, Dr Shantanu Gaur and his team was to invent a safe and inexpensive way for a gastric balloon to enter and exit the stomach. The solution was a true innovation in weight loss, the Elipse. You’ll hear how Dr. Gaur’s passion and perseverance led him to drop out of Harvard Medical School for a path of entrepreneurship.

Grey Interviewer: Joey Scarillo

May 05, 202031:17
How does J. Ivy catch an idea?

How does J. Ivy catch an idea?

J. Ivy is a poet, rapper, and spoken word artist whose creative journey began when a teacher assigned him to speak in front of a crowd. His love of language has led him down many paths, including Kanye West’s 2004 hit album, The College Dropout. You’ll learn what inspires J, what famous singer got their name from J, and you’ll get to hear him recite his own poetry live in the studio.

Grey Interviewer: John Patroulis

Apr 21, 202055:03
How did Wesley Kang and Tanya Zhang find the right fit with Nimble Made?

How did Wesley Kang and Tanya Zhang find the right fit with Nimble Made?

Tanya Zhang and Wesley Kang are the co-founders of the men's fashion brand Nimble Made. They created a clothing brand focused on size inclusion for men needing a truly slim shirt. Hear how they launched from their apartment and what they learned on their road to entrepreneurship.

Grey Interviewer: Karol Chang

Apr 07, 202028:40
What drove Sean McKenzie to the idea for Steereo?

What drove Sean McKenzie to the idea for Steereo?

Steereo Co-Founder Sean McKenzie is driven by music. It’s a drive that’s led him to a one-of-a-kind business solution for ride-share app drivers. The Steereo app is a music discovery platform used by drivers and compensates them for streaming music to their passengers.

Find out how Sean came up with ONE solution for problems spanning across multiple industries and how that dovetailed perfectly into a win/win for everyone.

Grey Interviewer: Kenny Gold

Mar 24, 202027:10
Was Bracketology a layup for Joe Lunardi?

Was Bracketology a layup for Joe Lunardi?

Joe Lunardi has had a lifelong passion for basketball. A passion that has led him to his career in Bracketology at ESPN. Each year, he projects the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament field. His work is a culmination of sports, stats analysis, and a deep understanding of the game.

In this episode, we’ll hear all about what inspired and led to Joe’s position within the world of college basketball, as a bracketologist.

Grey Interviewer: Joey Scarillo

Mar 10, 202039:31
What inspired Melody Henderson to start The Curly Girl Collective?

What inspired Melody Henderson to start The Curly Girl Collective?

Melody Henderson is a Brooklyn native, and the Creative Director, and co-founder of Curly Girl Collective. As the Creators of CURLFEST® – the largest natural beauty festival in the world, she and her co-founders are building a global community where women and girls of every shade, shape, and size can celebrate and be celebrated for who they are. In this episode, we’ll discover what inspired Melody Henderson to dream up such a powerful movement. 

Grey Interviewer: Holly Williams

Feb 25, 202028:01
Where did Loren Hammonds find the inspiration for Tribeca Immersive?

Where did Loren Hammonds find the inspiration for Tribeca Immersive?

Loren Hammonds is the Programmer of Feature Films and Immersive at Tribeca Film Festival. With over 15 years of experience in the film and entertainment industry, Loren oversees the curation of Virtual Arcade, a collection of incredible VR art, installations, and narratives. He’s made way for a world of virtual visually immersive art and experiences and created a space for artists to showcase this ever-evolving art form.

In this episode, we’ll hear how Loren curated one of the greatest VR experiences in the world.

Grey Interviewer: Dan Bennett, Worldwide Chief Innovation Officer

Feb 11, 202027:19
What made Diamond Dallas Page create the DDP Yoga program?

What made Diamond Dallas Page create the DDP Yoga program?

Diamond Dallas Page aka DDP began his legendary wrestling career at age 35. He was met with skepticism upon entering the wrestling world at his age but proved everyone wrong and triumphed within the sport. That is, until a spinal injury brought his career to a screeching halt.

But just like he did before, he didn’t let this stop him. What began as an attempt to heal turned into the creation a one-of-a-kind yoga work out for people of all levels of fitness experience. In our season 2 premiere we’ll hear how DDP turned lemons to lemonade and created one of the most effective fitness plans today.

Grey Interviewer, John Patroulis, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer

Jan 28, 202029:52
Announcing New Episodes!

Announcing New Episodes!

Announcing new episodes of Grey Matter launching on Tuesday January 28th 2020 and will release every other Tuesday.
Jan 16, 202001:12
Bonus: Matt Rivitz and the future of Sleeping Giants.

Bonus: Matt Rivitz and the future of Sleeping Giants.

In Grey Matter’s first-ever bonus episode, our conversation with Sleeping Giants co-founder, Matt Rivitz, continues. The discussion ranges from free speech, to technology’s unintended consequences for media companies, to updating the terms of service for advertisers to meet their needs. Listen to learn more about Matt Rivitz and his journey in co-creating Sleeping Giants. 

Grey Interviewer: Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, John Patroulis

Nov 19, 201918:24
Grey Matter: A Podcast About Ideas TRAILER

Grey Matter: A Podcast About Ideas TRAILER

Season 1 of Grey Matter: A Podcast About Ideas is live, look out for Season 2 coming Winter 2020

Nov 19, 201901:37
How Did Matt Rivitz Create Sleeping Giants?

How Did Matt Rivitz Create Sleeping Giants?

Matt Rivitz is the co-founder of Sleeping Giants, a social media activism organization that combats racism, sexism, and all hate speech in advertising and media. In our season one finale, we’ll hear how Matt has harnessed the power of creativity to make real-world change. Listen to learn more about Matt Rivitz and his journey in co-creating Sleeping Giants.   

Grey Interviewer: Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, John Patroulis

Oct 22, 201933:06
How Did Mary Pryor Think of a Minority-Driven Cannabis Movement?

How Did Mary Pryor Think of a Minority-Driven Cannabis Movement?

For Mary Pryor, a personal health focus drove an idea that’s become a national discussion. Amid the legitimization and growth of the cannabis industry, and all the positive potential for financial and medical health that comes with it, the co-founder of Cannaclusive shares her concept about how to elevate the discussion of why diversity is essential to the future of the business.   

Grey interviewer: Graham Nolan

Oct 15, 201926:29
How Did Charlie Engle Think of Water.org?

How Did Charlie Engle Think of Water.org?

Some of the world’s best ideas come from physical activities: as you hone the machine that is your body, your mind is freed to make new connections. So it makes sense that during his run across the entirety of the Sahara Desert, Charlie Engle’s transcendent thoughts and global exploration led to the idea of water.org. Hear about his extraordinary trip, and the idea for a movement born of his journey.  

Grey interviewer: Worldwide Chief Innovation Officer Dan Bennett

Oct 08, 201927:03
How Did Morgan Givens Think of the Flyest Fables Podcast?

How Did Morgan Givens Think of the Flyest Fables Podcast?

Morgan Givens is someone who truly understands the transformative power of storytelling. Through the fiction podcast Flyest Fables, Morgan tells "hopepunk" stories with rich imagery. These audio adventures are tailored to children but enjoyed by just about everyone. Listen to learn more about Morgan and the inspiration behind building Flyest Fables. 

Grey Interviewer: Joey Scarillo 

**Program note: To celebrate International Podcast Day 2019 we are releasing this conversation a day early, on Monday Sept 30, we will return to Tuesday releases next week.**




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Sep 30, 201929:10
How Did Aaron Kinnari Invent the Meal Bar to Replace Coffee?

How Did Aaron Kinnari Invent the Meal Bar to Replace Coffee?

Faced with a daily routine of costly meal bars plus coffee, Aaron Kinnari – founder of FLT Bars – thought to combine them both into one clean energy recipe for improved health. We discuss how a simple idea, a willingness to expand skills, and the need to fuel change led to Aaron’s delicious, vegan entrepreneurial venture.
Grey interviewer: Global Strategy Director Holly Williams
Sep 24, 201924:16
How Did Tiffany R. Warren Think of a Forum for Diversity in Advertising?

How Did Tiffany R. Warren Think of a Forum for Diversity in Advertising?

Tiffany R. Warren had a moment of emotional epiphany that motivated her to unite an industry around diversity through ADCOLOR – which challenges creative industries to connect in stronger, more honest ways to create meaningful progress. Find out here how the emotion led to the idea, which led to seeking out support, which led to meaningful change. 

Grey interviewer: Strategy Director Karol Chang

Sep 17, 201925:49
How Did Patrick Moberg Think of the Mobile Game Dots?

How Did Patrick Moberg Think of the Mobile Game Dots?

The idea behind the hit mobile game Dots might appear to be simple fun, but the concept that led to the phenomenon was rooted in artistic ambitions. Here, Grey talks to game creator Patrick Moberg about the aesthetic inspiration and the innovation environment that took the idea from a visual notion to an expanding game ecosystem.  

Grey interviewer: SVP, Director/Social Media Kenny Gold

Sep 10, 201925:02
How Did Charlie Melcher Create a Community to Reinvent Storytelling?

How Did Charlie Melcher Create a Community to Reinvent Storytelling?

Given the changing role of published stories in our modern world, Charlie Melcher had a great idea: what if a new community could elevate the way we tell stories, across any medium? Here, we talk to the Future of Storytelling founder about how his idea embraced collaboration, tech and innovation to create a new chapter for an established industry.

Grey interviewer: Global Strategy Director Holly Williams

Sep 03, 201926:09
How Did Michelle Poler Think of 100 Days Without Fear?

How Did Michelle Poler Think of 100 Days Without Fear?

The idea was: defy 100 fears in 100 days. The result was inspiration for a lot of people who didn’t realize how fear was a barrier to their happiness. How did this idea go from scary whim to a full movement? Michelle Poler – Keynote Speaker, Fear Facer and founder of Hello Fears – shares the genesis of her triumphant, life-changing concept.
Grey interviewer: Strategy Director Karol Chang
Aug 27, 201924:04
How Did Toby Daniels Create Social Media Week?

How Did Toby Daniels Create Social Media Week?

Was the idea for the world’s premiere social media community and discussion forum conceived… at Burning Man? Toby Daniels – co-founder and CEO of Crowdcentric Media and Executive Director and Founder of Social Media Week – talks about how he thought up and then developed the idea for the industry’s foremost social media insights platform.

Grey interviewer: Worldwide Chief Innovation Officer Dan Bennett

Aug 06, 201926:37
How Did Jess Davis Think of a Way to Help People Unplug?

How Did Jess Davis Think of a Way to Help People Unplug?

In a world that is so wired, how does someone disconnect long enough to think up a platform for a more unplugged, conscious society? For Jess Davis, the founder of Folk Rebellion, the idea sparked during a vacation – and grew into a movement where she promotes slower-living and the more mindful use of technology (which we could all use these days).

Grey interviewer: Worldwide Chief Innovation Officer Dan Bennett

Aug 06, 201919:57
How Does Cecily Strong Think of Her Funniest Ideas?

How Does Cecily Strong Think of Her Funniest Ideas?

Week in and week out, actor and comedian Cecily Strong (SNL, Ghostbusters, the 2015 White House Correspondents’ Assn. dinner) thinks of hilarious ideas for characters and scenes… but how? We hear from Cecily about how the world and people around her inspire her writing and characters, and how the simplest, most obvious ideas can be the best ones when well executed.

Interviewed by Grey Worldwide Chief Creative Officer John Patroulis


Aug 06, 201925:43