#147: How To Shine with Vinnie Potestivo
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[00:01:37] You're listening to YAP Young And Profiting Podcast, a place where you can listen, learn, and profit. Welcome to the show. I'm your host, Hala Taha. And on Young And Profiting Podcast, we investigate a new topic each week and interview some of the brightest minds in the world. My goal is to turn their wisdom into actionable advice that you can [00:02:00] use in your everyday life.

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[00:02:39] This week on YAP. We're chatting with Vinnie Potestivo. CEO of Vinnie Potestivo Entertainment, talent innovator, and podcast host. Vinnie is widely known for his inclusive and impactful approach to brand building and personal brand development. He's also the host of, I Have A Podcast, which is a collection of conversations with celebrities and creative who aim to inspire us in [00:03:00] our everyday lives.

[00:03:01] With over 25 years of experience, he and his teams have become well-trusted connectors who sell, develop, produce, launch, distribute, and amplify. Some of the most talked about original series and talent brands in modern pop culture. Through the use of original content.

[00:03:15] Vinnie has helped elevate the personal brands of Mandy Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Simpson, Ashley Simpson, Tyrese Gibson, Lauren Conrad, Diane Von Furstenberg, Rob Lowe, and so many more.

[00:03:26] In this episode, we talk about how many landed in the entertainment industry, his time at MTV and the notion of being a celebrity. We'll also discuss Vinnie's advice for standing out online, why he left TV for podcasting and the personality traits that make people naturally shine.

[00:03:42] Let's get into it. Welcome Vinnie.

[00:03:47] Vinnie Potestivo: Thank you for having me.

[00:03:49] Hala Taha: Of course, super excited for this conversation. I love having friends on the show. You are a new friend, and I'd love to hear a bit about your career journey, because I host a [00:04:00] podcast. Where a lot of young people listen to, and a big question people have is like, how do I break into the entertainment industry?

[00:04:05] And you are the guy.

[00:04:07] Vinnie Potestivo: Oh my god. I got goosebumps when you said that.

[00:04:10] Hala Taha: So everybody asks me this question, whether their upcoming podcasters or just regular people that want to work in this industry. So talk to us about your career journey. How did you get into this field? What did you end up doing? What are some highlights of your career?

[00:04:22] Vinnie Potestivo: Thank you for asking that question and getting me to talk a little bit about putting some of the chaos. That I've experienced into some real kindness in a real format for success. I worked at MTV for 10 years from 98 to 2007. And in my time there, I was able to start a talent development department. Which was an internal department, a casting department that cast the VJ's for TRL and MTV news and MTV to, I went on for MTV face and had an awesome time working at MTV and then launching my own agency.

[00:04:55] Prior to MTV. When I went to school, I thought I would be a Broadway [00:05:00] producer. I knew I wanted to work, in New York. And I knew I wanted to create content. I also knew I needed to be surrounded by talent. I've always felt up-leveled when surrounded by truly amazing talent, but none of that would have happened, if I didn't have some technical skills.

[00:05:16] When I was 15, I learned to wire two VCRs together and I literally would edit. I would make my edits on two VCRs. Which helped build my endurance, which kept my stamina high, which kept me alert. I was still able to answer phone calls and edit. At the same time, I was killer at writing one sheets. I can write decks that were beautiful solid around Adobe.

[00:05:37] I'm great at file management, none of those have anything to do with finding. You know what I mean? It's it's a weird skillset to have for a casting person, my boss, Rudy. So he was the brilliant casting mind. Like he, he didn't need extra help casting. He needed help organizing it. And I got to learn from literally, I think the best person in this industry, who created this [00:06:00] genre of storytelling and brand empowerment and allowing people to claim who they want to be.

[00:06:06] And then, and now with podcasts and now we can own it. That's crazy that was not the option.

[00:06:12] Hala Taha: It's amazing because coming from somebody who almost had a reality TV show so many times. I don't even know if we know the full, I was almost on love with hip hop. Mona Scott was begging me to drop out of school and be on love and hip hop.

[00:06:27] When I had the sorority of hip hop and shading, my, my producer boyfriend.

[00:06:32] Vinnie Potestivo: The center of all culture right there. Yeah, that makes sense. And I don't know.

[00:06:36] Hala Taha: So she was begging me to be on love with hip hop and half of then I almost had a show on MTV that they filmed me all summer and they pulled the plug.

[00:06:43] You were with MTV for 10 years. When MTV was like the coolest thing in the world. When I was getting shot from my show on MTV was right after Jersey shore. It was around 2013. They shot me in 2011 and 2013. It was after you [00:07:00] left, I did two pilots with them. But even then MTV was huge. It's not that big anymore, but at the time. It must've felt really nice to be like, I'm Vinny and I work at MTV, right?
[00:07:12] Must've felt like you were like king in New York and as he rose up the ranks and as reality TV was hotter than ever. Why did you leave MTV? And how did it feel when you left? Did, was it really hard to be Vinnie on his own without MTVs Vinnie?

[00:07:27] Vinnie Potestivo: That's some of that, some of the answers perspective. I, but I didn't know.

[00:07:31] I didn't know yet. I have to be honest MTV in 2007, by the time I had left. MTV, wasn't what it was when I started the culture wasn't coming from television, the way that it used to the same way. I flocked to working in the music industry. And I would go out every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday night in New York because culture and pop culture, and news and deals and relationships and TV shows all happened from like 11:00 PM to 2:00 AM out at night.

[00:07:59] That's where the [00:08:00] community piece was. So for a long time. My successes are predicated on the successes of a talent that I hired. And for a long time, I held onto the shows as what I was most proud of. Osbournes, newlyweds, punk, Laguna beach, the Hills run's house, Andy Mill. I can come up with like 8th & Ocean. The first show that I ever got to create, and all the shows ended up, they're in four, three ratio and they're not in HD and immediate.

[00:08:29] Gets old. There's a time on media. The people before us talked about tape and now we're talking about cards, and they're the generation next is clouds. So it's very interesting how you try to prove yourself and in this industry. Where you're only as great as your last. You're only as, as successful as the last superstar star that you launched.

[00:08:55] When I left in 2007, there were two events that happened. One is in 2006, the [00:09:00] actually Simpson show was doing great. Actually had a horrible moment on SNL. And ultimately, we ended up not moving forward with the Ashley Simpson show. And I was asked to go out. The next Ashley Simpson show. And I found this amazing singer.

[00:09:14] She was dating Trevi McCoy. She was a Christian recording artist who is about to become a pop star and she was writing her first pop album. And MTV was like, that is never going to work for. And Katie Perry had a very profitable career and successful career without in, despite the being able to get a show on MTV.

[00:09:35] I had to go out and find when Benji and Joel from a good Charlotte had graduated from MTV or moving on to projects. I went out and looked for a new host for all things rock. And I remember bringing Pete Wenson to MTV and MTV was like, he's not even like the lead singer. Like how, what are you doing then?

[00:09:51] What are you bringing in? To us and I realized in that moment. Oh, like maybe my definition of talent has [00:10:00] changed or maybe their definition of downtown has changed. And to your point, there were a lot more screens being introduced in 2007, 2006, all music, I think, had the biggest impact on TRL. And then the iPod came and then, all that stuff all of those pieces of technology.

[00:10:17] Hala Taha: So you ended up.

[00:10:18] Basically feeling like you had to leave.

[00:10:20] Vinnie Potestivo: I felt like it was time for, if I wanted to keep developing talent. And if I was going to work with the talent that I wanted to be working with, that the best way for me to work would be to leave the network.

[00:10:32] Hala Taha: So let me ask you a question. Let's move into personal branding and becoming a celebrity.

[00:10:38] Do you feel like anybody can be a celebrity or is there some sort of qualities, that make somebody a good celebrity?

[00:10:46] Vinnie Potestivo: So I think that everyone can be celebrate. And I think that we often get celebrities and people who we are celebrating, confused because of the speed of social media. And maybe people not being as [00:11:00] impeccable as I wish they could be in speech.

[00:11:02] But I also think it's wonderful, that we can refer to each other as celebrities and that we give ourselves the grace to put us on that stage. That we put some of these icons that we grew up on, that being said with the screens being smaller, larger rounder, there's, it's all about audiences.

[00:11:21] So what makes a person a celebrity is being celebrated and you need an audience for that. And there are more places for audience to congregate than ever. So how do you let your audience celebrate? I think that's that to me becomes the, an important, an interesting piece of the brands and also part of your brand ID. How will you let, are you selling them t-shirts and constantly selling them things.

[00:11:45] And you have this sort of relationship with them, that where they feel good about buying your merch and they feel rewarded. And that's because that's the ecosystem, that you built for them. So if you don't come out with merchant in the disappointed, because you're not giving them the opportunity to [00:12:00] purchaser.

[00:12:01] The way you ask them to celebrate your brand financially. Then there are what we probably would refer to as like celebrities who are really making impact. And I almost dropped my voice down when I say this, but like the people who aren't just making an impact in media, on camera, but are doing it in real life too.

[00:12:20] And I'm seeing celebrities, especially in podcasting. Where it's the first time they can own their own media. Like usually, they're celebrities. Famous and, but they're for hire, like they're getting a paycheck. They don't usually, they don't own thing that they're showing up for, unless you're at a certain caliber, so this is a different playing field and how people choose to allow their audience to celebrate them. I think is there's a secret in longevity in that. I think if it's an emotional setup, if you're rewarding them with great information, if you're rewarding them, by letting them in on your wins.

[00:12:54] And your fails and your human moments. Then you're not asking them to [00:13:00] celebrate you at any given moment. You're just giving them the opportunity to celebrate you and your wins, and also theirs at a time that works for them. And I love that. I love that about podcasting. I know people hate the algorithm, but I love that about the algorithm is that it gives people the time to be present in what they need to do so that hopefully.

[00:13:19] When the algorithm tells them it's time to move on, or when they feel like it's time to move on that the right image or video, or, messaging is there.

[00:13:28] Hala Taha: And now a quick break from our sponsor.

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[00:18:04] So we were talking offline and you were mentioning that discoverability is something that's really important to you, and you feel like you are able to help people become more searchable and visible to the people they want to be visible to.

[00:18:19] So talk to us about some things that we can do to become more visible in our industry. And how we can stand out online and your guidance there.

[00:18:27] Vinnie Potestivo: That's brilliant because I'll tell you what. Everyone's Googling. Everyone is searching. And I promise you, people are out there searching for you and you might say, no, they don't know.

[00:18:35] They don't know me. And you're right. They don't know you. That's why they're searching. And where do you think they're looking on? I don't know. Award lists is a great place. I love recommending people to win awards, some awards, to be honest, you can buy. Some of them are $200 as an application fee. And unfortunately it is what it is.

[00:18:55] But even to those, I have to say the uptick to those is [00:19:00] I know firsthand, when a network executive tells their development team to write a list of 50 podcasters. I know, I promise you. They're going to go look at award-winning. They're going to look at the w three awards, the communicator awards, the telly awards, the web, you were all of these awards that are approachable to brands on different levels. Because it shows that you care enough about your craft to submit $200 to win.

[00:19:26] So paying for awards is not anything. Yes. So you have to pay, you have to pay to play, you have to pay to distribute your content on social media now. And you certainly have to pay to be vetted to see if you're winning awards. So winning awards, I like to bring up because not only am I looking for award winning people, it's people who care about their projects, who are putting it out there.

[00:19:47] That certainly helps you be discoverable credits. The amount of people who don't update their credits, even on IMDB, IMDB allows. So you can't upload a digital series two IMDB as like, a as a [00:20:00] project, but you can upload podcasts. You can put yourself as a guest, a producer, a host, if you want these types of credits.

[00:20:09] AndIMDB and Google are like married. You want to change?

[00:20:14] Hala Taha: Bring me so many ideas.

[00:20:15] Vinnie Potestivo: Oh my I'll throw this out. You want to change? What shows up on your Google search images in the same week, upload your IMDB images, your photos, or just upload 12 of them and see how many of them, pop it almost the same week.

[00:20:29] You'll see an eye in Google image search at popup, but yeah, and I think IMDB is a great place to be. Traditionally IMDB is known as the internet movie database. And it's certainly where film and TV and actors and directors and the traditional creatives are. But now that we have this extended.

[00:20:47] Family where traditionally non-creative people get to be creative. It's exciting how many doctors and specialists are on IMDB now. And they're saying, yes, I'm a [00:21:00] doctor. I'm an orthopedist, I'm a brain surgeon, but I also make great content and I can talk about what I do and make great content.

[00:21:07] That's going to up-level the conversation. That's going to reset the vocabulary potential around that topic. That part to me. I get the most excited about that.

[00:21:16] Hala Taha: Yeah. That's really exciting. It's a great tip because you think, I'm deep it's usually actors and actresses, but you're saying anybody, if you've been on a podcast, you can upload a profile and start a profile on IMDB.

[00:21:28] Vinnie Potestivo: I want to point out Profiles. And there are some places on, Instagram, there are certain ways and places that, and certain fields that are searchable versus others on LinkedIn. Certainly, if you're watching what you're putting in these sections that you see how it populates Google, and it tells Google these words.

[00:21:47] These were, if your SEO strategy. So if your SEO strategy and your brand strategy are not in sync, and you're using words to describe yourself. That aren't being used to describe your services on your own page, you're doing a big disservice [00:22:00] by not connecting those dots. So by having a more linear approach to how you're describing yourself in social and copying that online.

[00:22:08] And allowing the verbiage to match. Allows Google to understand why your website is relevant to the certain keywords. That you're basically putting in there. And I think that profiles is probably the biggest area of improvement. I think it's the easiest place where people can come in and I can give other tips about standing out, on LinkedIn.

[00:22:31] There's the ability to let people see other accounts similar to yours. That's like an option. And I would say don't click that option. Why would you that's like someone comes in and tells you they want to watch your show, but then you go what about all these other shows? No. No. They want to watch your show, turn that off, turn that option off.

[00:22:48] They don't need to see who else is similar to you. That's a distraction. That's going to take them away from your profile. Yeah, you can. That's cool that. That stage of the game.

[00:22:58] Hala Taha: Yeah. Personal branding [00:23:00] nowadays is so important because whether you like it or not, you have a digital personal brand. It's just, is it showing up the way that you want to show up as that's the key and you have control over that.

[00:23:11] I love your tips in terms of being on these award lists and submitting your profile and, making sure your LinkedIn is all in check. I think those are all great tips. I know that you mentioned to me I was asking you before we started. Now, what are some key things that you want to come across in this interview?

[00:23:28] And you talked about planting the seed. So before you even start your personal brand, you need to know, what you want to grow into eventually. And you do that by planting the seeds. So tell us about that.

[00:23:38] Vinnie Potestivo: I love planting the seed because so often we wish that were blooms that came in overnight. And we think we want to be like this beautiful flower, and we have no vision of what that flower should look like.

[00:23:50] We have no understanding of what, how big of a pot that flower needs or how much sunlight, that flower, how much love and support and nurturing that, needs. When you start off as a seed, when you're

[00:24:00] really scaling back and showing up for yourself in the most simple way. You're removing and stripping any of those stressors that could misdirection.

[00:24:11] And I love planting seeds and personal development and brand development, because it allows people to grow into their decisions. Instead of having to wake up and suddenly change.

[00:24:25] Hala Taha: Give us an example.

[00:24:26] Vinnie Potestivo: So for example, seating here. So I so for the last two years I've been making podcasts and two years ago started making my own podcast, but knew that I wanted to have more expertise in the actual physical production of it.

[00:24:40] So for the last year and a half, I've been seeding my con my audience knows that I'm learning how to make podcast. I'm learning them to make them for other people and have now made them for dozens of people. They also know that I love talking to people. I've always had that part of my personality and casting.

[00:24:56] They understand that there's this like relationship on and off camera relationship or is it [00:25:00] producer on and off camera relationship, where I'm talking. And I tend to cut my voice off. So I've been showing up on social media, talking more about that. So I can prep people for this podcast journey that I'm about to be on and I'm giving them.

[00:25:12] The space to step into it without pressure. And the grace to do it in a way that I feel I can be called to, but also I can still show up and impress.

[00:25:23] Hala Taha: I love that. And I think the other benefit there, which you might not realize is you're holding yourself accountable. Like for example, when I first started a podcast, I announced it to everybody on LinkedIn.

[00:25:34] Like I'm starting a podcast. It's going to launch on this day. It helped, it made me. Go towards that goal because I didn't want to let everybody down because I had announced it. So I think it also gives you that accountability piece that might help you actually complete your goal.

[00:25:49] Vinnie Potestivo: Yeah. That's interesting you say that because I flubbed twice now my launch date and part of it.

[00:25:55] And I actually my clients pointed this out and I didn't realize. I say this, but [00:26:00] I tend to focus more on impact than deadline, especially if I have control over the deadline. Like I worked on too many TV shows that were rushed and. I just didn't look the message. Wasn't what we wanted the message to be, but it had a hit air.

[00:26:15] All of that time and energy spent was wasted because we had a hit time and money. And that's the business structure of television, with podcasting. That's not the structure.

[00:26:24] Hala Taha: Super interesting. So talk to us about why you decided to basically leave TV or do less of it. To work on podcasts. What opportunity do you see?

[00:26:35] How is it different than TV in your opinion?

[00:26:38] Vinnie Potestivo: So I gave MTV a lot of credit for contributing to culture the way they did, because they were creating shows that clearly were contributing to culture. What I wasn't aware of was how many eyeballs could we're being forced to watch MTV because there was no screens.

[00:26:52] So as more screens got included, the impact of the shows I was having. Was less and less. [00:27:00] It was exciting to work on a show for 10 episodes. And then suddenly have everyone in the world talking about Laguna Beach or punked or Newlyweds just, or the Ashley Simpson show. Just, it's cool to to put something out there and get that reaction back.

[00:27:17] What I was missing from my TV experience was the cultural reaction to content. If I'm going to be part of a project, I like to move the needle. I loved creating content for MTV because you're in front of the youth culture. What better way to set an impression and give words to what could potentially be happening.

[00:27:40] TV kind of lost that. And I saw it on social media. I saw one, I saw brands have a need for an executive who can come in to a non-creative company. Help them build a department, a creative department, a social media department, a copywriting department, a content team, whatever it is. And have that directly [00:28:00] impact their business infrastructure and let them have ownership of their own creativity without impeding its success.

[00:28:07] So I can help them be creative so that they don't have to worry about making the wrong decisions piece of that. And the return from social media is killer. It's just like the audience cares. They can even. A smaller audience. They care that you made it, they care that it impacts them.

[00:28:27] There's just a different relationship. And I think MTV used to have that relationship with people when you would turn it on and then leave the room. You can listen to MTV and not have to watch it. and experience it. And I feel that I get that out of podcasts and I feel that I get that out of social media.

[00:28:42] What I love most about podcasts. Fundamentally, why I'm shifting what I'm doing and focusing and podcasting is I truly believe that everyone should have a podcast. I firmly believe that. And it's not because I think they should be media companies or they should own their own narrative and have control over that because some people don't want that. [00:29:00] But there's never been a moment in the creative sort of a world.

[00:29:04] There's never been a moment in America, where we could create something, publish it and retain ownership of it. And that ownership is transferable in a way that allows us to take these podcasts and turn them into TV series and films and books and classes and e-books, and lectures and potential collaborations and fitness lines.

[00:29:26] Podcasting is literally like what I would do with a casting tape or a production sizzle. When I'm trying to sell a show, except it's so much more. It's the seed it's seeding it. Podcasting is seeding is it's me saying here's the conversations I want to have. I'm seating the audience right from my brand, my personal brand here.

[00:29:45] I'm saying this is the seed I'm planting. Let's talk about creativity. Let's talk about sustainability. Let's talk about ways to be innovative. And who are some really impactful people that I may recognize on camera and what are their, what's their sort of approach to it because if [00:30:00] they're successful, they must have something working for them.

[00:30:03] And I loved, I liked that piece of it, but I think that pocket, there's nothing more malleable. Then podcasts, like you can turn it into anything. And also there's no rules. That can be two minutes, five minutes.

[00:30:14] Hala Taha: Exactly. There's no rules and you get to own it and you have control. And as somebody who has been rejected and rejected over and over again, I've been picked.

[00:30:26] And we want you to lead the show, but you're not good enough. We want you to do this, but up, you're not good enough.

[00:30:31] Vinnie Potestivo: But didn't do enough what they want me to do.

[00:30:34] Hala Taha: That's a whole other conversation of why we think that I didn't get my reality TV show. When I was offered one, so many times.

[00:30:42] Vinnie Potestivo: Training. It was giving you this moment. Imagine if someone said to you, oh, Hala you're under contract. No, there's no Young And Profiting, that's ours.

[00:30:50] Hala Taha: Exactly. So I know, so thank God. I'm not on my own. And I own my own thing. And to your point, podcasting has so much opportunity and I agree.

[00:30:58] I think everybody should have a [00:31:00] podcast. It's such a great way to even just meet new friends, forget about the business or the fame, or just even just have great conversations and learn new things.
So I totally agree there. Okay. So my last couple of questions for you. You are somebody who finds talent, you must meet a lot of people who have a lot of charisma.

[00:31:22] What are the things that make people shine as a talent? What are the personality traits that you look for, or that we should hone. If we want to be seen as somebody who's influential or who can be a celebrity or who can be talent, what are the things that you look for in a person?

[00:31:41] Vinnie Potestivo: Decision-making, the ability to decide quickly and understand.

[00:31:47] How you feel about something. And then also knowing what you would do with that information, especially in reality TV or unscripted TV. It's like knowing that this person not only will come to a realization, but will also take action on.[00:32:00] And I think that is something that I look for, even in traditional acting, even in hosts. I look for that because like I'm hiring people who are doing.

[00:32:08] I'm hiring people who are going to make big change off-camera, and I'll let you be on camera and get the notoriety to do, because I know that there is a much bigger goal for you there.

[00:32:19] And by making content. It makes it a little bit easier to see that goal. So there are celebrities that are on social media now that are talking about mental health all the time. And if I want to be working with a celebrity that is aligned in mental health, I now know what their alignment versus before.

[00:32:38] I would have to guess, and it would be very different process. So decision making is a huge one. I think being impeccable in your speech. Being super articulate and understanding what you want to say, it's okay. If the words don't come out right. But the tone and the intonation and the direction of the conversation, I think the easiest way for me to return to you [00:33:00] week after week is if I know where you stand.

[00:33:02] And understanding your point of view, understanding where you stand on certain issues without knowing what those issues are. But knowing that those issues are going to come up. So every week I have someone like you, so having a strong point of view, a personal sense of style, it doesn't necessarily mean a good sense of style, but just your own unique way of presenting yourself.

[00:33:22] That's some good old fashioned MTV. Tricks that were certainly beat into my head because you want people who visually connects with their audience, the same way that they do internally. And to your point, that's all about communicating the idea and making sure that.

[00:33:36] Hala Taha: Well, what I'm hearing is consistency, so consistency and how you show up consistency.

[00:33:41] And how do you make decisions? Are your beliefs consistency? How you dress?

[00:33:44] Vinnie Potestivo: The consistency piece is important. You'll notice it. And I'll say this now you'll notice that as you're watching the today show or any morning show, where there's an ensemble cast and there's a good old fashion wardrobe closet, they stick to their colors.

[00:33:58] And there's a reason. [00:34:00] Why that works is that balanced even podcasting, has shifted from being able to be something that we do in our tiny little silos. We need 2, 3, 4, 5 people. We need more people working on this to make it. What it needs to be seen so that it has the impact that, that it can have.

[00:34:17] Hala Taha: Hold tight. Everyone. Let's take a quick break and hear from our sponsor.

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[00:35:07] This episode of YAP is brought to you by Notion. I launched a startup last year called yap media. It's a social media and podcast marketing agency. That's now 70 employees, strong and services over 20 clients. The journey has been really fast and high growth, but behind the scenes we're dealing with so many documents systems and tools.

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[00:36:53] This is so exciting. I'm so excited for your new podcasting journey. Tell everybody about your new network, your new show.

[00:36:59] Vinnie Potestivo: I'm so excited. [00:37:00] I have a podcast it's available anywhere where you listen to podcasts. And then I have a podcast on TV, which I'm super excited. It's a 30 minute show. It's being distributed by bespoke TV on, directed TV on Thursday nights prime time, which I'm super excited about.

[00:37:15] And I think it's turning into it's a little bit like inside the actor's studio. Creatives that have a process that we can identify. Only after we've done it. And tried to make into the 2020 piece of what we do where we love looking back, and trying to make sense of what it is so that we can be at peace with it or okay. With it, the process that it is.

[00:37:37] Hala Taha: Really cool. And the last question I ask all my guests, and this is an opportunity to give a piece of advice or gem that you never mentioned yet, is what is your secret to profiting in life?

[00:37:49] Vinnie Potestivo: Sharing. I profit the most when I share, I get, and I don't do it because of the return. But the parts where I am most profitable or [00:38:00] successful financially or emotionally in my career have always been. When I'm sharing that moment.

[00:38:07] And it's hard for me sometimes to release control and trust somebody able to create something larger, than what you could have done yourself. And in that sharing or collaborating, we can call it, but in that sharing, that's where I'm at my best. If you're sharing it with somebody that's 50 50. So if you're profiting, you're only 50% of what I make with someone.

[00:38:30] I promise you is way more than a hundred percent of what I would have made for myself.

[00:38:33] Hala Taha: I totally agree. I think collaborating is so powerful and quite honestly underrated. And I feel like every successful person that I know has a team and like prides, themselves in their team and you can scale yourself 10 X, 20 X, 30 X.

[00:38:49] When you have a team, you can do so much more when you're not just on your own. And there's people, so many different strengths to pull on that are your weaknesses. So I totally agree.

[00:39:00] Vinnie Potestivo: [00:39:00] It's a very exciting time to be creating content and media. I'm happy. I have like my TV background. So like I come from earned media, so I try to make everything great.

[00:39:10] Hala Taha: And all this experiences are going to help you now in different ways. It's really cool. I have to say, you make me feel pumped about being a podcaster in my position right now. Cause I'm like, damn, I did this on my. It's pretty powerful. When you think about now, all these people from TV are coming at it.

[00:39:28] I'm really glad that I started four years ago.

[00:39:30] Let me tell you.

[00:39:32] Vinnie Potestivo: Yeah, and I'm bummed, I, didn't my first podcast, man and wife in 2007, it's been 14, 13 years now since I've touched podcasts. Which is a bummer that I stepped away from it.

[00:39:43] Hala Taha: Not too late.

[00:39:45] Vinnie Potestivo: And that's the beauty of podcasting.

[00:39:47] When people want you, if you've prepared yourself and if you've done your job to be discoverable and they will find you.

[00:39:53] Hala Taha: Exactly. Awesome. So where can our listeners go to learn more about you and everything that you do Vinnie?

[00:39:59] Vinnie Potestivo: You're amazing. I'm [00:40:00] on all social media. I'm Vinnie Potestivo on everything.

[00:40:03] Reach out and say hi and let me know what's going on. And I do have one-on-one clients and I am opening up a development. A mastermind in November, and I'm getting ready to do my first Keynote speech in October. So I have some fun, personal things that I'm working on that I hope trigger some more opportunities to work with people, but the way I love starting off any relationship is just reach out and say, hi.

[00:40:28] Let's just chat a little bit. And I don't mind that.

[00:40:31] Hala Taha: I love that he is really nice and really open. You can find them on Instagram. I'll put all his link in the show notes. Thank you so much Vinnie is a great conversation.

[00:40:39] Vinnie Potestivo: Thank you.

[00:40:41] Hala Taha: Thanks for listening to Young And Profiting Podcast. If you enjoyed this podcast, make sure you subscribe.

[00:40:46] So you never missed an episode. I love talking to Vinnie about modern celebrity culture and discoverability. When Vinnie entered the media industry, he did not know anyone. He had to figure out how to network with other professionals. He explained that his role as a [00:41:00] casting director was like reading the stars. He's all about giving people with talent and voice a platform.

[00:41:06] Vinnie. And I talked about how important discoverability is in the entertainment industry. And when it comes to personal branding is the practice of marketing people and their careers as brands. Your personal brand is how you promote yourself. You have a personal brand, whether you like it or not, it is that unique combination of skills, experience and personality that you want your followers to see. It's telling your story.

[00:41:28] And it's the impression people gain from your online reputation. What makes a person a celebrity is being celebrated by an audience. When he talked about planting the seed and the importance of planting a seed, he worked on a podcast for two years, but he knew he wanted his content to be top-notch. So he slowly learned more and built his brand.

[00:41:46] I think that is so important to remember. Success in the media industry or any other industry doesn't happen overnight. It's all about planting that seed and developing your skillset and your network over. If you enjoyed this episode and [00:42:00] you'd like to learn more about surviving the entertainment industry, go check out episode number 101 Greenlights with Matthew McConaughey.

[00:42:07] Here's the clip from that episode.

[00:42:10] Matthew McConaughey: I've got three out of four and I'm going to get the fourth and pulled out.

[00:42:17] I said the first three words. I ever said on camera in a film 1992. And then we did the scene and then I kept getting invited back every night. The director kept inviting me back and that whole cast would involve me in the scenes. They'd ask me questions in the middle of asking my character questions in the middle of the scene, and they wrote me into the picture and all of a sudden I worked three weeks, three lines turned to three weeks work and it was awesome.

[00:42:46] And I had a great time doing it. People were telling me I was good at it. I'm getting paid $300 a day. Is this legal is so much fun and people are telling me, please, I go back. I graduate college [00:43:00] and I drive out to Hollywood with you haul 3000 bucks the next year. And here I am. 28, 29 years later, it turned into.

[00:43:09] Hala Taha: Again, if you enjoyed this episode and you'd like to learn more about the peaks and pitfalls of the entertainment industry. Go check out episode number 101 Greenlights with Matthew McConaughey.

[00:43:19] Now as always, I want to end the show, giving a shout out to one of my recent Apple Podcast review. And this week, shout out, goes to Jayden Teal.

[00:43:28] Hala is an amazing interviewer. She always finds the best experts to discuss a range of topics from social media, to mental wellness, to finance tips. I really enjoy every episode because Hala breaks down the topic and makes it really digest. Anyone to truly listen, learn and profit. This is a must listen podcast for anyone looking to improve themselves.

[00:43:48] I'll thank you so much, Jaden. And I love that you used our tagline, listen, learn and profit in the review. That was so cute. Thank you so much for taking the time and being so thoughtful to write us a review for everybody [00:44:00] tuning in right now. Leaving us a review is the number one way to thank me and the folks who work on Young And Profiting Podcast.

[00:44:06] So please take the time to drop us a review on Apple or wherever you listen to this podcast. And I also love when you guys share us on social media. One of the cool things that people have been doing lately is taking a screenshot of their app and then uploading it to their Instagram story. You guys can tag me @yapwithhala and then I'll repost it and we can then talk in the DMS.

[00:44:25] We can get to know each other. I can hear your feedback. And I love to get your feedback. Reading your reviews is my favorite thing to do. You can also find me on LinkedIn, just search for my name, Hala Taha. Big, thanks to the yapYAPteam as always. This is Hala signing off.