CREATING A LOGO, VENTING & ANOTHER SHOT AT A PERSONALITY TEST

Welcome to Potentially Focused and your Tuesday morning! Hope it’s off to a very solid start. Today we… Help you create quick logos for your side hustles and vent about the best ways to deal with anger.

(Hint... venting is NOT one of them)

Plus, we’ve got another great interview on tap. And, it’s our first with a talent agent.

Babette Perry is a partner at Innovative Artists Talent & Literary Agency where she runs the Broadcast/Hosting division. There, she expertly represents great hosting talents like The Amazing Race’s Phil Keoghan and Judge Greg Mathis as well as accomplished actors like David Alan Grier and even Atari's CEO. Earlier in her career she had great success as Head of Broadcasting for ICM and as SVP of IMG’s West Coast Broadcasting division. Talent of all kinds – hosts, directors, producers, athletes, coaches, and even politicians – have benefited from her wise advice, steadfast partnership, and her deep relationships throughout every facet of the unscripted TV industry.

But Babette is so much more than her impressive career, she is also someone dedicated to getting the most out of her life. She surrounds herself with friends and family she is devoted to and pursues her passions with a zeal we can all learn from. One of the passions Babette shares with her family is sports. We’ll get into that, how it informs her approach to her work and life, and much more in a little bit.

Potentially Focused is a newsletter for busy people in the TV business (or not) who are curious. People who want to keep evolving. All humans interested in new possibilities and potential. New stories, the stories we tell ourselves, and what makes all of us tick. Each edition shares at least one great piece of content on professional development and one centered on personal growth. It's practical information and it’s just a click away.

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Thanks as always for reading!

And we begin….

CREATING YOUR LOGO (QUICKLY)

In this challenging time, many people are finding side hustles to bring in some extra money.

Sometimes your side hustle calls for a logo. But, what if you have zero to no artistic ability? And, you’re at a place financially where you can’t justify a big spend on a little logo?

How can you get a logo done quickly and cheaply?

AI can help.

Here’s a link to an article that takes you through how to use Midjourney to come up with a logo for your business (or any other purpose) and costs as little as $10.

Not only can you get a logo created quickly, but you don’t need artistic ability and it can feature images and text. You just use written prompts describing what you want to create.

If nothing else, it’s a good excuse to experiment with AI if you haven’t already.

That all said, I know there are a lot of designers out there struggling as well, and don’t want to be insensitive to them. If you can afford a designer, please consider going that route.

Clearly, nothing beats the human touch.

And speaking of creativity....

WHAT’S YOUR CREATIVE TYPE – PART 2!

Last week, we shared a unique personality quiz designed to determine your creative type.

According to the test, there are eight creative types:

• The Artist
• The Thinker
• The Adventurer
• The Maker
• The Producer
• The Dreamer
• The Innovator
• The Visionary.

So far, we’ve heard from people who are visionaries, adventurers, and thinkers.

What are you?

Take the test to find out and let us know in the comments!

Here's the link!

Moving on now to....

THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH ANGER

We live in stressful times. Many people carry all kinds of anxiety and anger with them. We are often told we need to get it out. I’m in general agreement that talking about what’s bugging you can be very helpful. I’ll even go so far as to say I believe it’s necessary.

Then, there’s venting. Letting it all out. Yelling. Screaming. Going on and on….

I think venting has its place and some benefits, but I’ve also observed people who seem to linger on it. Instead of getting it ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL out and getting to a better place emotionally, their venting seems to only ratchet up their stress level.

Recently, Ohio State University researchers analyzed over 150 studies on anger and concluded that venting does very little to help reduce people’s anger. Worse than that, they confirmed what I noted above, in some cases venting will actually increase people’s anger.

Not good.

So what can we do? First, an article on the OSU study says NOT to ignore anger. The author suggests reflecting on your anger to understand why you are angry and address the underlying problems. Reflection will also aid in emotional validation, which is important.

The problem with venting, according to OSU researchers, is that venting goes way beyond reflection and into rumination. That rumination keeps you winding up. To solve that feeling of being all wound up, many people decide to do something physical to blow off steam like go for a run, a bike ride, or maybe even hit a rage room. (Personally, I’ve done two of three and excited to try my first rage room)

BUT… It turns out, those kinds of physical activities which can have other great benefits, do little to help calm down your anger. Instead, they will increase your aggressive feelings because they increase your arousal levels.

The key to calming down is the opposite – reducing your arousal levels. Effective arousal-reducing activities included slow-flow yoga, mindfulness, progressive muscle relaxation, diaphragmatic breathing, and yes even the tried-and-true parenting trick - taking a timeout.

If none of those appeal to you maybe because you really love sports, it's good to know researchers found that sports involving a ball and play reduce arousal levels. This might be because they are intrinsically more fun than more solitary forms of exercise and exertion. But whatever the case, activities like basketball are better than a quick run to help you burn off your angry feelings.

Whatever the science behind it, if you’re really angry remember something as simple as counting to ten can do wonders to help reduce your anger.?

And with that reminder, I'm happy to move on to this week's interview....

POTENTIALLY FOCUSED WITH BABETTE PERRY

Many of us struggle to get our work/life balance right. Some maintain that in order to be successful, there can be no balance.

Then, there’s Babette Perry.

She is an accomplished talent agent who is guided by her authentic desire to help people whether they happen to be clients or are her friends or family. More than that, she knows her top priorities and they inform her success in business and the close personal relationships that she treasures. Babette is the real deal.

During my time as a platform exec, whenever I’d get a pitch call from Babette, we’d end up catching up on our families during the conversation. With Babette, it wasn’t just small talk. She was excited to share the latest (of many) accomplishments of her sons and always equally happy and curious to hear about my family. Those kinds of moments of personal connection and care, when they are real and with Babette they always are, give you a window into who you’re doing business with. They also lead to a greater understanding and a deepening of your relationship.

And as you’ll soon read, Babette is a master of authentic relationships. I’m so pleased she is joining us for this conversation.

Welcome, Babette!

What's one thing you're currently excited about?

I'm working on a very important pop culture story that has not been announced yet. It will be a comeback story about someone impacted by the media, focusing on cancel culture. I'm also very excited that my oldest son Lee has a great opportunity to play professional football in Hamburg, Germany. Additionally, my younger son Shea is coaching under De Shaun Foster at UCLA and will be an intern for the Kansas City Chiefs. Watching my kids fulfill their childhood dreams has been a thrilling experience.

That said, their personal happiness has always been more important than their personal success. One of the things that will stay with me for the rest of my life is when my husband Ron left me a photograph of the boys as babies, capturing their youthful smiles with a note that said, "Being born was good enough," stressing the importance of simply existing. We've never had to put pressure on them, and I found "being born is good enough"? to be a very important concept when raising children.

As a quick sidebar, I love your calling out the “Being born was good enough” quote. In a society that pushes kids to aspire to sometimes unrealistic levels of achievement and success, I think it’s a quote that both parents and kids need to hear.

Now getting off my soapbox and to my next question…

You've been involved with great talent in all kinds of genres and markets all over the world. What's the commonality? What do you look for in the people you represent??

Authenticity, likeability, credibility.

I believe content creators are key to the success of our business. Without storytelling and an authentic voice to host the show, there is no show.

What's the best lesson you've learned from a mentor?

The best lesson I have learned from my mentors, Larry Stein, and Fred Toczek, is that in our industry, it is crucial to prioritize your character and reputation above all else. They taught me that despite the challenges and adversities that may come my way, it is important to let these difficult situations strengthen me rather than break me. A quote from John Wooden, "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are," has resonated with me throughout my life as a UCLA graduate. Larry and Fred have demonstrated the importance of believing in oneself when faced with challenges. They have also emphasized the value of family and friends, reminding me to keep my feet on the ground and prioritize personal relationships over business success. Ultimately, I have learned to make business decisions with my head and personal decisions with my heart, thanks to the guidance of my family, friends, and mentors.?

I have to ask about sports and family. Your husband played in the NFL and your sons played Division One Football and you've shared their journeys on social media. Has sports always been a big part of your life and what has it taught you & your family? Is there anything people can apply to the challenging state of the media industry right now?

Sports has always been a huge part of my life, starting with my brothers who were also avid sports lovers. I met my husband Ron at UCLA, who was drafted to the Buffalo Bills and later played for Green Bay where he became a second-generation Packer. Ron’s father, Elijah Pitts, was the starting running back for Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I. After his playing career, he went on to coach four Super Bowls for the Buffalo Bills. Elijah was recently inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame.

From being a high school cheerleader to cheering from the sidelines for my kids, sports have always been a significant part of our family dynamic.

Football has taught us about perseverance, whether it be dealing with injuries, adapting to new coaches, or navigating challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the sports world. It has taught me personally about the importance of resilience and bouncing back from setbacks, which is not unlike the business world we operate in.

In both sports and the media industry, you are only as good as your last game or project. When there are changes in leadership, such as a new coach or a new head of a network, there is a vulnerability that can impact your role and stability. It has also emphasized the importance of family and having a united front to get through tough times.

Ultimately, the lessons learned from sports can be applied to the challenging state of the media industry right now. Adapting to change, staying resilient, and maintaining a strong support system are key factors in navigating through uncertain times and coming out stronger on the other side.

You've had long and successful runs at the companies you've been at. What do you think about in those periods when you consider new opportunities???

I have never considered other opportunities while employed with another company. I believe loyalty is extremely important. Each company has had a huge impact on the evolution of my career. Each company has taught me so much and made so many great friends. The one thing they can't do when transitioning between companies is to get rid of the relationships that were built within those companies. They can take our jobs, but they can't take our relationships away.

In an alternate universe where you are happy but aren't doing any of the things you are currently doing professionally, what do you think you'd be doing professionally?

Having watched my mother go through difficult times, I feel that the elderly are not being taken care of properly. I would try to find ways to ensure that they are better cared for - whether it's through an organization, events, or anything that allows them to live their lives in a meaningful way. Additionally, having seen my own brother pass away from cancer, I believe that when families are going through such difficult times, there are doctors for the patients but no one to care for their families. I would want to do something to support family members who are dealing with the illness of a loved one. Finally, our mental health issues are impacting the world in a significant way, and I would strive to make a positive impact through advocacy and support for mental health issues. Ultimately, I would want to make a difference in the care for the elderly, support the families of caregivers, and advocate for mental health issues in society.

In a time when many are looking for new possibilities, any book, podcast or thought leader you find helpful?

Thought leaders who I have found to be helpful include Phil Keoghan from The Amazing Race and Jon Fortt, CNBC’s Host of Fortt Knox. Both of these individuals exhibit great integrity as they become more successful and give back to their communities.

Phil Keoghan once biked 3500 miles from Los Angeles to New York in just 40 days to raise over 1 million dollars for the MS Society. His journey was not only a physical and mental challenge but also a way to give back to those in need. Phil lives his life by showing grace, loyalty, and the importance of giving back, values that have resonated with me throughout my career.

Jon Fortt is another thought leader who has made a significant impact on the world through his work. As the host of Fortt Knox, Jon interviews CEOs and board chairmen who run businesses that impact our daily lives. He has earned the respect of CEOs around the world and has made a phenomenal impact on business and race relations.

In addition to his work in business, Jon Fortt has written books about the black community, focusing on empowerment through education. His book, "The Course for Black Kids," is a valuable resource for parents, teachers, and mentors who want to equip young black individuals for the future and explore the black experience in America.

As professionals in the industry, we have a responsibility to help those who have helped us. Returning phone calls and emails, having each other's backs, and being lifelong learners are crucial aspects of supporting one another and ensuring success in our careers.

Well said and I completely agree!

Thanks so much for your friendship and for taking the time to share your thoughts with us, Babette! Wishing you continued success!

AND THAT WILL DO IT FOR TODAY!

See you for our next edition on Thursday. Until then, wishing everyone a great next few days!

Please let us know what you want more or less of. Please feel free to share information you’d like me to pass along to our readers. Also, always happy to feature guest contributors.

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Thanks to you all for your support,

Marco

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