Curiosity Matters

I am excited to introduce Stephanie Retcho, Managing Director at TBWA/Chiat/Day. I won a lunch and industry chat with her through AWNY’s yearly silent auction hosted by their Young Executive committee and she was kind enough to share her insights and expertise.

What’s your background?

I’ve been working in advertising for more than 15 years now. I started out on Bell Canada at Leo Burnett in Toronto and then moved to New York. I’ve worked on everything from The Ford Motor Company and Jaguar to Nextel, Sprint and Verizon Wireless, and now touching many brands at TBWA\Chiat\Day in New York. I also did a stint as a client at Sirius Satellite Radio.

I graduated with an Arts degree and began work in travel and later as a copy writer for a software development company as well as an editor for a small publisher in Toronto before getting into advertising.

How would you describe the difference in culture and experiences between working for a smaller agency or medium sized versus a larger firm?

Both have strengths and weaknesses. While larger shops generally have greater resources and infrastructure, smaller shops most often allow for more innovation. Culturally, either can be entrepreneurial if you have the right drive. It’s a matter of having a vision for the agency and for your clients.

What are some important skills and ways of approaching situations to be a successful account manager? Or advice on collaborating with a group of people in a professional environment?

There are two fundamental skills at the core of everything an account person does. These were synthesized for me by a mentor and they still apply today – be a leader and know your client’s business. You need to have a genuine interest in understanding what your client does and how to sell it to others and you need to have the chops to get in front of things and try to solve them. If you don’t want to pick up the phone and address a situation that needs to be addressed, don’t be an account person.

In addition to these two base level strengths, you also need foresight to know what needs to happen next, and the ability to view situations laterally and understand what is going on around you that will impact what you are doing.

Where do you see advertising going in the next five years? Will print and television ads still be relevant?

I have to go against the common trend today and say that TV will still be a very powerful medium. I think print already has, and will continue to, transition to being the written word in alternate media, but as much as people say the :30 second spot is dead, it continues to be one of the most impactful media options that exists. I think the key to the future will be about the connection between TV and other media. There are wonderful examples of TV inspiring incredible work in other media and great business results, like the recent work from Old Spice.

And finally, you’re sitting across from a potential candidate in an interview. You’ve decided that you’re gong to hire him/her. What are the top three things they did that got them the job?

The most important quality to me in a candidate is the ability to engage in a non-rehearsed way on the spot. If I ask a question, I don’t want to hear a canned response. I want to hear what you think and see you have a new idea, in front of me. That can’t be rehearsed. Beyond that, what I don’t want to hear is that you think being an account person is a facilitation role. We don’t facilitate – we lead.
That’s not 3, but that’s what I look for.

I want to see this.. This just looks like pure eye candy.

Remember these? Yeah, I can’t believe it’s only Wednesday either. Lately I’ve been reading Daryl Lang’s well written personal blog that touches on everything from politics and religion to personal matters. Hmm.. sounds like topics I’d be likely to bring up on a first date. He works downtown and has been closely following the controversy surrounding the “Ground Zero Mosque.” Recently, he cleverly photographed establishments that are the same distance from the World Trade Center as the proposed Mosque site – a post that got picked up on Gawker, Gothamist, and the Village Voice among others. Reactions were mixed but he started a huge conversation and got us all thinking.

The photos featured New Yorkers, perhaps Muslims, Christians, Jews, etc. working together and going about their daily business. But it also featured a strip club, an Irish pub, an off beating track and other establishments that Sarah Palin would no doubt deem as immoral. And that’s just the beginning. The fast food joints and pizza deemed as “healthy” cohabit the space without opposition. See Daryl’s original post here. And reactions to his post here.

While I lived in the East Village, I used to take my camera out on a stroll about every weekend, photographing interesting scenes and people downtown. Despite not having a full time job, I haven’t had the time to do this for the last few months but realize how happy it makes me feel. Here are some shots taken in Soho and the West Village. Yeah, I forgot how great it feels to go through photos and have that “aha” moment when a great photo stands out. Even though I can see the image of the back of my camera, I can never really know that everything came together until pulling it up on my computer. And then, it will be the details that catch my eye – an interesting expression, color pattern, or lighting.. Everything comes together.

Hello! Today I’d like to pretend I’m not sitting in my New York apartment while the temperature approaches 90 degrees. So I invite you all to take a trip with me around the world as I interview Paulyn, a flight attendant for an international airlines. Good timing? This girl is calm and collected and the only exit she is inclined to make is through an actual door.I met her a few weeks ago through a good friend over copious amounts of Indian food. So please, sit back, and enjoy the ride.

Tell me a little bit about your background. How long have you worked as a flight attendant? And have you always lived in Singapore?

I love traveling. Will never get enough of it. I have been flying for almost 10 years. I have lived in Singapore all my life. I almost joined Emirates in 2004, but the thought of having to live in Dubai all by myself changed my mind. I prefer to live with my family.

What made you want to be a flight attendant and what about it has made you want to stay in the industry for all these years?

I have always wanted to travel around the world.  I didn’t come from a rich family and I never got to travel much when I was younger. I met my ex-boyfriend 10 years ago who was a flight attendant. He always showed me pictures of his travels, so I decided that upon graduation, I would like to join the airline too – to travel for free and get paid at the same time!

What’s a misconception about being a flight attendant that most people have? Is it glamorous? Does traveling to interesting places ever get boring?

The common misconception would be that they sleep around among themselves or with the pilots, which is totally NOT true. More misconceptions are that we are very materialistic. The female flight attendants only want to go for the rich guys, buy branded goods, etc. And worst of all, that we are Bimbos or Himbos – that we do not know the current affairs, except for shopping and eating!!! Some of us, including myself, are University Graduates. Some are working towards Masters degrees. I must say there are some black sheeps, but NOT everyone is like that.

The only glamorous part about the job is that you get to travel around the world every other day. But it is in fact NOT that glamorous when you have to clean the toilet, wipe the vomit, get scolded by unreasonable passengers and have to deal with jetlag ALL the time.

Traveling to the same places over and over again, without exploring newer places of interest, can get really boring. I used to be in a German speaking crew, and I flew to Frankfurt, Zurich and sometimes New York, once or twice every month. But I didn’t even bother to go out. I only went out when I was hungry or I had something to buy. And the layover at the station can be very short, so I would not be able to explore other parts of Germany.

You fly with people from all over the world. Do Americans stand out? How are they different from other nationalities?

Hmmmm… How should I answer this question? I must say the Americans are just another passengers onboard. To me, I would say the Singaporeans are the hardest to please.  Though this is NOT always true, but at least 80% accurate. I would think that this is because the airline I work for is their national carrier. They expect a lot for the price they paid to fly with us. I love the Swiss. I think they are the most polite and they do not need to be told repeatedly about the safety regulations they have to follow, like fasten seatbelt during turbulence, etc.  And they only ask for water during the lull period (in between meal services)!!

What is your favorite route to fly?

To Europe. The Europeans are usually quite well behaved and they often listen to your instructions regarding to safety issues onboard.  Also, I love the rich history in Europe.  I love the castles, the old buildings etc.

Who is the most interesting person you’ve met on your travels and why?

Hmmm… another difficult question.  The ONLY famous person I ever met was Richard Quest from CNN. He is quite a famous person, yet he is so humble. He actually allowed the set of crew to take not just one, but a few pictures with him.  As for interesting person…. I can’t think of any at this point of time.

Is there a country you haven’t been to but would like to visit?

I would love to visit South America one day. Especially Chile and Argentina. I am learning about wines, and heard so much about the perfect weather conditions for wine-growing in Chile.  I would also like to know more about their culture and history, etc.

You have to pack light when you’re traveling. What are some beauty products you never leave home without? How do you keep your skin looking fresh and moisturized during the long flights?

I will never leave home without my moisturizer, serum, eye gel, and my sun block. I’ve gone for a facial once a month, since I was 22. I also do my own mini facial at home or overseas. I bring along my facial masks, etc. It is important, no matter how tired you are, to remove your makeup before you sleep. Otherwise, that is the end of your skin in the long run.  Since I already have slightly dry-skin due to flying, I apply a moisture-sleeping mask, before I sleep.  Your skin absorbs the moisture, while you are sleeping.

The cabin is very dry, so it is important that one have proper skincare, before any makeup. I also carry along my body cream so that I can apply them as often as time permits during the flight, to keep my skin moisturized.

What country makes the best beauty products? Hair products?

I found out that many products that I used are made in California, USA, but are patented in Europe. I.e. Sothys.  I think probably the best beauty products are from Europe. As for hair products, maybe from France and the USA.

And is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers about your experiences and beauty advice?

I think most people forget about their necks. You can do a face-lift, but can’t do a neck-lift?? Don’t forget to take care of your neck as well. One can still tell your age, no matter how good your face looks, if you don’t look after your neck. Apply some moisturizer over it and mask it as well.

Never leave your house without Sunblock!! Even if your office is just across the street!!  Sunblock is one anti-aging skin care you should never forget to apply!!!

Looking beautiful is not just about looking after your skin. What about your hair? Being properly groomed like going for a manicure and pedicure, dressing well, like color co-ordination, etc, having simple makeup whenever you are leaving your house, especially if you are going to meet someone, are just as important. It is the whole package. You can have the greatest skin, but if you are dressed terribly, or your hair is in a mess or your nails are all chipped, you still looked TERRIBLE.  Agree??

The New York Times published an interesting article But Will It Make You Happy? exploring whether or not buying new things actually makes you happy. I just got a quote from moving and storage company (spending 3 months in San Francisco) and I can tell you, having less stuff would definitely make me happier right now. The article looked at various research that basically concludes experiences are more enriching than “stuff.” For example, you’re better off buying yourself a week long vacation vs. an expensive leather jacket. This confirms what I’ve known all along; that a night with good company, wine, great food and a nice setting is really all one ever needs to be happy.

“One major finding is that spending money for an experience — concert tickets, French lessons, sushi-rolling classes, a hotel room in Monaco — produces longer-lasting satisfaction than spending money on plain old stuff.”

From a sustainability standpoint, I’m glad this conclusion has been reached. There’s got to be a better way to enrich our economy than telling Americans to “buy, buy, buy!” Especially when we’re buying cheap goods, made overseas that will eventually end up in a landfill.

““A $20,000 increase in spending on leisure was roughly equivalent to the happiness boost one gets from marriage,” he said, adding that spending on leisure activities appeared to make people less lonely and increased their interactions with others.”"

Great – I’ll elope and spend money that was meant for the wedding on an extended honeymoon..

From an advertiser’s perspective, I’m not threatened by this article.

““I think there’s a real opportunity in retail to be able to romance the experience again,” says Ms. Liebmann. “Retailers are going to have to work very hard to create that emotional feeling again. And it can’t just be ‘Here’s another thing to buy.’ It has to have a real sense of experience to it.”

“Nowadays with the economic climate, customers definitely are going for a quality experience,” says Nick DeVita, a home entertainment adviser with the Geek Squad. “If they’re going to spend their money, they want to make sure it’s for the right thing, the right service.””

Go read the article while I continue to put the rest of my furniture on Craigslist and stuff on eBay.

Despite the low pay, Alison Tremblay couldn’t imagine a job without a camera in her hand.

It’s not a pretty picture out there for fine art majors, with many graduates still looking for work or squeezing by on measly pay.

Alison Tremblay, an art major with a photography concentration from Alfred University, wasn’t getting by on income from freelance photo gigs and was forced to take a job in data entry.

“[It] pays the bills but it’s not what I want to be doing at all,” she said. “But since I can’t find a full time job in my field, I’m stuck doing this until I make enough money to support myself.”

But despite the struggle, Tremblay says she wouldn’t have picked a different major.

“I guess I wish I had taken more practical courses like business, but I couldn’t imagine not majoring in art and not having a camera in my hand,” she said. “I’m just trying to take my skills and turn them into something where I can actually make money — that’s the real struggle.”

Introducing Karen Nuccio. I’ve taken a few of her classes at Crunch over the years and we’ve become friends. I’ll never forgot her funniest line in spin classes 3 years ago when she played Nine Inch Nails, “Closer” and claimed they played this at her wedding. Everyone had a look of shock on their face until she admitted she was kidding, but that her mother said if she got married, she could play whatever she wanted. She yeah, she approaches fitness instruction with humor and delights her students with her vibrant personality. Check out her new classes at SPiN NYC on 23rd and Park Avenue South. They’re in the mornings and don’t involve ping pong but do involve exercising while in a fun environment.

What initially attracted you to the fitness industry?

I have been teaching fitness-based classes for 14 years, but I can’t say I was attracted to fitness from the very start. What I mean by that is – I grew to love teaching before I grew to love fitness. The exercising was an afterthought for me. I loved connecting with people, loved getting to know them, loved watching them become more confident, become happier and healthier. I think I started to take the fitness part more seriously 7 years ago. I had found a lump on my thyroid gland and had to have it removed. To make a long story short, I now have a hypoactive thyroid gland. That’s the “slow one” and roughly what that translates to mean is that fitness is now a challenge for me. My metabolism is now slower, my energy levels not always perfect, my hair and skin are sometimes even glitchy – but keeping active and being healthy consistently helps keep my thyroid in check. So now fitness is not just a social medium to me, it’s a necessity!  It sounds cliché but you don’t know what being healthy really means until your health is in jeopardy! Getting “sick” made me have a really profound respect for what it means to be well! Teaching is still my first love, but teaching people to respect their bodies and be healthy, that is a definite focal point. Fitness is an amazing tool that helped me to be well and healthy again!

With regard to the fitness industry within itself, I think in many ways it’s lacking. I think there should be a focus within the industry on teaching people to listen to their bodies and finding their right path rather than offering up countless “answers.” I think the industry needs to teach people to ask more questions, teach people to be responsible for themselves so that they can take better care of themselves and lead healthier lives. The industry, at times, focuses too much and what is wrong with people and on what they are not doing rather than focusing on what they are doing right and on how they can build on that.

But that’s just my opinion.

You’ve worked with people who have been successful in getting in shape or losing weight and people who have yet to reach their goals. What qualities and habits have the successful people developed that has enabled them to achieve their goals? Is there a commonality or trend?

I think when it comes to success, a goal and drive is key. Some people want to be that much more fit for their wedding, some want to train for a marathon, some are actors getting ready for a part. The goal usually drives the behavior; the end point.

I think the end point will automatically fuel the success…or at least short-term success. But when it comes to long term success, long term health and fitness – I think the goal needs to be secondary to the realization that exercising and eating well are a way of life -not a path to a goal. If you maintain a regular exercise program and eat well, you reach a level of healthiness that your goals just fall into place and they become icing rather than the cake.

I think anyone can reach a goal with the right motivation, but continually being healthy and fit – that is the mark of true success to me.

Recently, you founded LITA Integrated Fitness, where you design custom fitness programs for individuals and companies – a holistic approach combining fitness expertise and physical therapy. In your experience working in the fitness industry, what did you feel was missing?

My big complaint with the fitness industry was that the industry itself many times failed to “walk the line.” A prime example of this would be having less than fit instructors teach classes, or having trainers sit behind the desk at a gym eating McDonalds!! NOT COOL!!  I mean, if your prime candidates of fitness are not setting the example, how motivated can the students be!?

My other gripe with the industry is that the industry had more performers than it has teachers. I think the fitness industry needs to focus more on teaching people to be healthy and fit and less on finding new ways to keep people entertained. The industry obsesses over the new entertaining trend but fails to effectively teach what actually works! I created LITA to bridge the gap between teaching and entertaining. Classes are meant to be fun and entertaining, but they are also meant to teach people correct form, correct alignment and teach people how to lead a more healthy balanced life – for that matter.

Can you give any sort of overall advice for achieving a more effective workout that you find most of your clients don’t initially know.

I think the best advice I can give is to do activities that you like. Just because a class is the hot new trend and because Madonna loves it does not mean it’s right for you. Fitness programs are very personal and finding the right one, the most effective one, like any relationship, takes time to figure out. But once you find the right one, it flows and if you really hit it right. It’s love! I can honestly say that my fitness routine that I do for myself is hard work, but I am absolutely in love with it! And that love is what keeps me motivated.

You’ve worked as personal trainer and group instructor for years, often going from one class to another. How do you maintain your energy? Any secrets?

You know I gave up crack years ago…just kidding. My espresso in the morning is a must! But that’s an Italian thing rather than a fitness thing.

I guess I maintain energy by eating well throughout the day, hydrating and most importantly by respecting my body’s limits. By that I mean, if I have three more classes to go and I just feel shot, I take time to regroup rather than pound a Redbull. I give my body recovery time if needed. On those tired days when I teach, those are the days I spin a little slower or use lighter weights. Your body has a “when” point and it needs to be respected otherwise when you need it to be there for you, it will cop out – I assure you!

Can you give me a short story of someone you’ve helped achieve a major goal; success story?

Years ago I had a client who I describe as my favorite “fitness addict.” I remember meeting her at Macy’s and she asked me how I got my “Madonna” arms. I told her it was part genetics, part free weights. She asked me to be her trainer, but I don’t take on strangers as clients. I only work on referral, so I declined but told her where I taught and asked her to come take a class one day. She became my stalker!  Came to every class!! Front row, did everything. And after I got to know her, she asked me again to train her personally and I did. When we met for the first time, she told me – I want to be this weight, have this percentage of body fat, be this flexible, this strong, etc. etc.

So I responded to that by saying, “so what you’re telling me is you want to be a machine?  I don’t work with machines. I work with people – so you’re shit out of luck!” She laughed and said, seriously, I want this and that…and the other thing…etc. etc.

And I said, “Seriously, I think the best service I can give you is to train you to not be so driven, to train you to have a little balance. I told her “I’m not going to be your trainer, instead, I’ll be your friend.” I took her to brunch. We had wine in the afternoon and we didn’t count calories, and laughed a lot. I told her that working out should not be your life. It adds to the quality of life and what would be the point of being super fit if all that exercise took up the whole day and left no time to enjoy the day and enjoy the body you worked so hard to get?? I have to say; it was more work getting this “client” to not feel guilty about wine or bread than it would have been to get her to look like Madonna. But ten years later, she is one of the healthiest, most balanced people I know. I consider her to be a great success story:)

And finally, is there anything else you’d like to share about fitness or your company LITA?

I created LITA because I wanted to create a fitness company that really took responsibility for its students and clients, a company that actually cared about teaching people how to be healthy. In fitness, from a business standpoint, you always want your client to need you. Then they keep buying sessions! But the goal of LITA is to teach people how to not need us, so to speak. To teach people to learn their bodies and teach people effective ways to be healthy.

For the past 14 years, I have fallen in love with what I do and fallen in love with my students. That love is what has made me want to see them succeed – made me want to see them thrive in my class and outside of it. LITA is an acronym for Love Is The Answer. And I believe that to be true. When placed in an environment where you are truly cared for, how can one not succeed at anything?

Via Newsweek by Jessica Bennett – July 19, 2010

We’ve all heard the stories about how pretty people have it easy: babies smile more around good-looking parents; handsome kids get better grades and jobs, and earn more money; the list goes on. Still, we’d probably all like to think that we’ve earned our jobs on merit alone—and that, in this economy, it’s our skill that will get us back in the game. But if you believe the results of two new NEWSWEEK Polls, you’d better think again—because in the current job market, paying attention to your looks isn’t just about vanity, it’s about economic survival. Job candidates have always been counseled to dress up for interviews. But our surveys suggest managers are looking beyond wardrobe and evaluating how “physically attractive” applicants are.

Confidence—and experience, of course—can still go a long way when it comes to succeeding at work. Remember, both ranked first and second on a list of the most important employee attributes. Beauty bias notwithstanding, there are still opportunities for people who aren’t hotties—and lots of them.

Hello! This morning I took my first official LITA Movement class at SPiN New York. I took a 45 minute class that started at 10 and included fairly simple exercises that had a big impact – proof that you don’t need fancy, expensive equipment to achieve an effective workout. But you definitely need someone to show you how to do the moves. Being slightly off with one angle or body part can render an exercise completely ineffective. I’ve known the founder, Karen Nuccio, for a few years now through Crunch. She has great energy and you can tell she genuinely cares about her clients. She also knows her shit. She let me take a class for free for a variety of reasons.

At 11, she offers a 25 minute abs and stretch class that I took as well. She has three instructors in each class (I believe) so you can get some major one on one. Karen helped me stretch instead of just instructing me what to do. So you’re getting the attention of a personal trainer for only $10 in this class! In all honesty, the classes were challenging but because they were mostly strength training, I didn’t even break a sweat. You can wear yoga clothing and go barefoot, making it the perfect quick workout before work. I know I sound like I’m selling this.. cause I am. Iz good! The 45 minute classes are only $20 each. It sounds pricey but many moves had the same impact as Core Fusion for a fraction of the price. I’m going to try not to disregard the fact that for a while, I was only going to Crunch once a week – bringing my spinning class to $20 a class. Hmm. Puts things in perspective. Anyway, check out their website for more information. This is going to be big so reserve your spot now before classes fill up.