internet
hall of fame
// THE WORK
Still in college, interning at a PR agency in the Valley - and actually closing new business. Represented the early internet's chaos: eBaumsworld (yes, that eBaumsworld), professional poker players, and sites like PokerShare, Bodog, and Golden Palace.....
Man vs. Machine at Binion's….
Before AI was cool.
I created and hosted the World Series of Poker Robots at Binion’s Casino alongside the official WSOP. Seven top programmers brought their poker bots to face off against pro players, including Phil Laak. It was an early experiment in “man vs. machine” storytelling — nearly two decades before AI went mainstream and long before anyone had heard of ChatGPT.
Kyle MacDonald’s red paperclip became the most successful internet trade in history, earning a Guinness World Record. I secured coverage on 20/20, TODAY, Good Morning America, BBC, CNN, CBS, and nearly every major outlet worldwide. The town of Kipling even erected the world’s largest red paperclip sculpture. Proof that story + timing + PR can turn a simple idea into a cultural phenomenon.
Before ride-sharing existed, Scott “Scotty” MacDonald and Matt “Fiddy” Fidler hitchhiked to every state capital in 50 days. MSNBC followed the adventure with weekly check-ins, joined by ABC, NPR, USA Today, and others. It was early proof that a simple idea, paired with the right story engine, could turn real-world travel into must-watch internet viewing.
I led PR for Ustream when livestreaming was brand new. We launched the Shiba Inu Puppy Cam, six puppies that drew 15 million viewers and 773 viewer-years of watch time. On November 14, 2008, Brian Williams closed NBC Nightly News by going live to the puppy pen. We won a Webby for it.
We also launched Puff Puff Pass Tuesdays with Snoop Dogg. Yes, exactly what it sounds like, one of the first celebrity livestream series. It was something else!
Before Instagram Live. Before Twitch. Before “going live” became a button everywhere… we proved livestreaming could own culture. Peak internet meets perfect PR timing.
We wore branded shirts for money. Starting at $1 on January 1 and scaling daily. From 2009 to 2013, the project generated over $1 million and worked with 1,600+ companies. It was featured on the TODAY Show (“They get paid for that?”), CBS Evening News, Forbes, and more. Mashable called it “The Future of Advertising.” Basically, we built the influencer economy out of a closet during the recession.
Fun fact: I actually tore my ACL while filming videos for the project, and people watched my knee recovery unfold online. Truly laying it all out there for the work.
January 5, 2010: Lady Gaga named Creative Director of Polaroid. CES 2010 keynote, SXSW activation. Launched Grey Label: camera sunglasses, instant mobile printer. Turned a bankrupt brand into cultural relevance. Partnership ran 2010-2014. 'Finally have a real job' - Gaga. Still the coolest business card ever.
I joined Viddy as employee #1 when we had under a million bucks and maybe 500 daily users on a good day. Eighteen months later, we were sitting at 50 million users, #1 in the App Store, and pulling 5 million daily actives. Basically, Instagram (or Twitter) for video… before Instagram remembered video existed, and before TikTok was even a thing.
We brought in Justin Bieber, Shakira, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, and partnered with MTV, Southwest Airlines, and Michael Strahan. Raised $30M. Rode the rocket.
Then Facebook changed its API. And that’s when the real MBA kicked in. Silicon Valley in one spectacular act.
We built a networking event around guacamole. No strategic framework, no 200-page deck — just vibes and avocados. And it crushed. People bonded. Deals happened. Someone asked for the recipe. Proof that when you stop treating networking like a chore, magic (and chips) appear.
Worked with the City of Los Angeles’ Neighborhood Councils to drag civic engagement into the digital era; better websites, logo contests, livestreamed meetings, the works. Because participating in your community shouldn’t require a folding chair and a three-hour meeting. Local government, but make it livable.
Empower LA Podcast, ABC 7
#1 on Netflix globally.
161M hours watched.
Peak pandemic comfort TV.
Handled PR for Netflix’s Sweet Magnolias when it took over global streaming during the 2020 lockdowns. Season 2 racked up 161.3 million hours in 30 days, spent 10 weeks in the Global Top 10, and charted in 60+ countries. Now heading into Season 5. Proof I can still make millions care, even after a decade in B2B.
Factory Made series.
Because even factories deserve a good plot line.
FactoryFix was my doorway into HR and TA tech. A referral turned into a pitch, the pitch turned into a win, and suddenly I was producing conferences, talks, and, somehow, a comedy show for a manufacturing platform. My job was to make factories interesting. Mission accomplished.
I took two decades of consumer PR and dropped it straight into HR tech. The result? Talent Tech PR, the agency for HR tech companies that give a damn about being memorable. Real media coverage, launches that matter, and messaging that doesn’t sound like a robot with a business degree.
Then came Purple Acorn Network: 20+ podcasts, including The HR Morning Show, where HR content has a pulse and occasionally a joke. TalentToke events? Proof you can network in HR without trauma.
Fractional CMO? Check.
Red Shoe Crew influencer program? That’s me.
Conference experiences people actually enjoy? Also me.
One mission: make HR marketing feel human again.
And yes, I’m the guy who made puppies go viral.You’re welcome.