Always interested in new opportunities, I moved to Michigan in 2018 to explore the startup ecosystem developing around Ann Arbor and Detroit. I joined a growing force at The Really Useful Information Company, an ambitious group of developers and designers building web resources to help entrepreneurs find the basic information they needed to start a small business. There were only 20 employees at the time, and I was hired to develop apps and lead the development of a video team and create vast quantities of Youtube content.

We got to work, and started scripting and animating content, soon exceeding hundreds of uploads. We experimented with different workflows, technologies, and styles, establishing new methodologies with an almost entirely inexperienced team. In time I was tasked with hiring additional talent, and brought on board a second round of directors and editors with more experience. Together we scripted, shot, animated, edited, and published content ranging across the spectrum of small business formation and growth.

We grew a library of assets, a cabinet full of production gear, editing bays, a sound booth, and dedicated server.

Perhaps my favorite piece of work was our five-part mini documentary on how to start a coffee business. We secured 5 fantastic local masters and found ourselves in that rare situation where you are working, and learning, and developing a finer appreciation for culture and people all at the same time. Our music producer made some amazing lofi beats, our motion artist made some wonderful graphics, and our production team was lean and effective. The video has over 500k views, and the format we had developed (a how-to doc with lots of intel) opened up a endless avenue of stortytelling.

Then covid hit, and we= like all small businesses- faced an existential reckoning. We stayed as productive as possible, leaning into remote video interviews, and did our best to develop alongside each other, virtually. This was perhaps my favorite effort of those days: Coping with Crisis.

Post-pandemic we decided that I would move over as lead producer of our social media. Thus I led the production calendar for instagram, facebook, linkedin, twitter, and the weekly email newsletter, for 3 brands.

We researched, wrote, designed, edited, published, and collaborated, on thousands of posts and communications, and achieved millions of views, occasional virality, and hopefully created some helpful content for the entrepreneurs of the world.

With the dawn of generative AI we created a tech-focused feed that simultaneously used AI as part of our creative process. We generated copy passes, news summaries, and other ideations using Chat GPT and experimented with visual collages using Midjourney and other emergent generative systems: Wonderstudio, Runway, etc.

Ann Arbor, as promised, is a city of learning. I learned a few things about new tech, social media, as well as gained priceless insights into how to run a successful business and manage creative teams.