instock | Season of Growth
This edition of instock is dedicated to our Season of Growth. Spring has officially sprung, and the busy little bees at pocstock are buzzing with excitement over the new collaborations that are budding, an international team that is growing and flourishing, and all the excitement as we branch out into new spaces.
We've planted the seeds of change, watered and nurtured fruitful relationships, and are now ready to become the world's largest and most inclusive content company. It's so great to have you come along for this next phase of our journey. So it's time to roll up your sleeves, get your hands dirty, and dig in.
There is an Easter Egg hidden somewhere in this newsletter. Be the first to find it and to post it's location here in the comments section, and win a free subscription to pocstock.com .
Welcome aboard our board!
We are incredibly proud to announce the addition of Dr. dt ogilvie , a trailblazer and pioneer in the movement towards a more diverse, entrepreneurial, and equitable landscape, to our Board of Directors. Dr. ogilvie is the published author of Creativities: The What, How, Where, Who and Why of the Creative Process and Founder of the Center for Urban Entrepreneurship, a co-working space that helps support low- to no-tech businesses that are invested in revitalizing and growing the economy in downtown Rochester, NY. The Center for Urban Entrepreneurship is reshaping the regional economy and building wealth within the urban community by being the central resource for urban entrepreneurial programs and research.
“Dr. ogilvie’s extensive experience at the highest levels of strategic leadership, as well as her academic and practical focus on entrepreneurship and economic development, make her the ideal addition to our board,” said Steve Jones, Founder & CEO of pocstock. “The company is at a crucial juncture in its growth, so I’m excited to partner with a leader of Dr. ogilvie’s caliber to provide strategic oversight as we chart our path forward.”
Our Board of Directors now includes Steve Jones (CEO & Chairman), DeSean Brown (Chief Relationship Officer & Board Member), Dr. dt ogilvie (Board Member) and Fred Toney (Lead Investor & Board Observer).
Introducing our new Board of Advisors
We're also excited to announce our first-ever advisory board comprised of creative, marketing, sales, finance, and business professionals across various industries. With some of the most brilliant minds joining us on our mission to become the largest and most diverse library of stock images in the world, we're excited to share some news. Our advisors come from very different backgrounds and careers but have a common interest in supporting pocstock through this next phase of our journey. And we're very excited!
Introducing our new advisors...
Tara J. Agen is a retired Fortune 100 Global Senior Executive. She currently serves as CEO and Managing Partner of Flavored Layers, a creative business advisory firm that helps companies create/reimagine anything, especially how they advertise, market, and operate. Agen’s 30 years of business expertise, including managing HP Inc.'s $3.5B Displays and Accessories business, has helped her pivot, scale, and accelerate growth in a number of creative ways and through incredible teams she has worked on. This experience provides strategic insights to Boards and C-level leaders that need to reimagine how their business operates to best connect with its customers, partners, and suppliers.
"The opportunity to serve on pocstock's advisory board continues my journey of promoting and elevating belonging and inclusivity. When individuals see themselves reflected in brand advertising and marketing campaigns, it further fosters that they are part of brands, products, and experiences that value them."
Adrienne Fox is a seasoned leader with expertise in Global Procurement, Legal, and Consulting roles in telecom, finance, and healthcare. She optimizes category management, sourcing, and program operations to deliver cost savings and process efficiencies. Adrienne is an advisor to stakeholders and suppliers, championing DEIB and Supplier Diversity initiatives and mentoring small businesses. With a focus on end-to-end procurement strategies, she delivers successful commercial deals that drive innovation and business excellence.
"I am happy to be joining the pocstock team to support Steve and the team to help them reach their business goals. I hope my experience and expertise will be valuable to them in their growth journey to become a leading provider of excellent stock photography!"
Walter T Geer III is a veteran of the digital advertising space. Walter is the Chief Creative Officer of Innovation North America at VML, leading work for brands like Advil, Progressive, and Coca-Cola. He holds a total of six U.S Patents for digital ad formats that have changed the landscape of the digital advertising space we know today.
"We live in a world where people want to see individuals that look like them, represented in the advertising for the products that they buy. I’m excited to sit on this board, because pocstock will play a major role in powering the creativity that people want to see and engage with."
Rahsan-Rahsan Lindsay is a media executive and the former Chief Executive Officer of MediaCo Holding, Inc., the company that owns the iconic radio stations HOT 97 and WBLS in New York City. Currently, Rahsan is consulting with Moviefone and Breakbeat Media. A graduate of Brown University, Mr. Lindsay has been recognized by CableFax Magazine as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Minorities in Cable (2016). He is also the co-vice chair of the board of directors for The Brotherhood-Sister Sol, a nonprofit youth organization in New York City.?
"I’m excited to work with Steve, a visionary entrepreneur and a true gentleman. There is great need for a company like pocstock, and I’m happy to be a part of a movement that can make a difference in the way people of color are represented and perceived."
With a career spanning diverse industries and roles, Gerard Marrone most recently served as the Chief Revenue Officer at SPAR Group, a NASDAQ-listed public company specializing in third-party retail solutions. Prior to SPAR Group, Gerry held significant positions at renowned organizations such as Bed Bath & Beyond as the Director of Strategy and as the General Manager of Sky Blue Soccer/Sky Blue FC.
Prior to that, he was the SVP of Sales & Marketing for PromoWorks, a marketing services agency that was named the Third Fastest Growing Company In America by Entrepreneur Magazine. With an established track record of propelling revenue growth, Gerry remains a highly regarded figure in the business landscape, consistently demonstrating strategic acumen and delivering tangible success.
“Upon hearing Steve's visionary idea prior to the inception of pocstock, it became evident to me that he was onto something remarkable. Witnessing the evolution of this idea into a fully-fledged company and having the privilege to contribute to its next phase is truly exhilarating. The convergence of the right idea, timing, and team members is always a moment of profound excitement and opportunity.”
As the Chief Revenue Officer at Procare Solutions, Richard Ortega is responsible for executing their revenue-generation strategy, which includes acquiring new customers and helping the company continue to grow. Richard’s career spans 20 years, with experience in sales, marketing, and partnerships.
Richard focused on scaling small business sales at Shutterstock, and prior to that, he held a variety of Sales and Business Development roles at Getty Images. His skills include data analysis, forecasting, and creating successful go-to-market strategies along with sales management. Richard studied Film and Video Production at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY.
"I am thrilled to help pocstock on their journey to serve the creative community with authentic imagery of cultures typically not represented in generic collections of imagery. A critical component of creating opportunities for diversity to shine is enabling cultures to see themselves in new contexts. When a person can visualize themself in a new unique way, the door to new opportunities can open."
Karen Q. Pisciotta is an experienced business consultant working with privately-owned companies and nonprofit organizations. She is a trusted advisor who has worked with hundreds of businesses on strategic planning, financial modeling, cash flow management, competitive analyses, marketing plan development, crisis messaging, and other business initiatives.
With over ten years of experience in financial corporate communications and more than fifteen years of experience working with entrepreneurs, she has helped executives and small business owners define themselves and articulate their business strategies. Karen’s advice has helped entrepreneurs grow their revenue, understand their financial statements, use that information to make smarter business decisions, and increase profitability. She advises clients on strategies to strengthen their relationships with partners, customers, potential investors, and other constituents to achieve their business goals.
"Even before pocstock existed, I could see Steve's vision and why the world needed pocstock. Representation matters. I am excited to join the pocstock advisory board to advise leadership on corporate strategy, support the company's growth, and help more brands, companies, and people embrace authentic inclusivity."
Perri Richman, MSOP is a chief marketing and sustainability officer for mid-market companies and serves as the fund administrator for the Black and Latino Investment Fund of NJ.?
"I’m passionate for pocstock because the team is filling a huge unmet need in the market and making marketers better and more effective."?
In his 30-year career, Justin Thomas-Copeland has been building and leading agencies and clients across the globe (most recently CEO of DDB North America) - from startups, to running networks, to leading global clients. Justin merges creativity, data-driven insights, and technology to deliver transformational brand experiences, and has partnered with brands such as Microsoft, Kroger, Nokia, Vertu luxury, and Adidas.
“pocstock’s platform enables the work we develop and celebrate, to reflect the world we live in. This simple but critical outcome is great for business, builds brands and provides opportunity to creators and makers. We must continue making this journey together. I am happy and honored to play my part with the team at pocstock.”
Free Marie W. is a multi-hyphenate artist, creator, producer, and tv radio personality as seen on BET Networks, Freesworld Radio on SiriusXM, WPGC Radio DC, Power 105.1 FM NY, Radio One L.A., and Amazon Music. Free is well known as a cultural icon and a co-host to the smash hit BET music video countdown show 106 & Park.?
The Boston native is also the founder of the nonprofit, Team Cancer Free and Pudding Stone Bath, her skin and body care product line. Free has an organic and steadily-growing following of 1.8 million followers across social networks.?
“I'm thrilled to join the advisory board of pocstock, a company focused on providing images of people of color to multiple industries. As a small business owner, I see the value of this for marketing and advertising to my audience, and I'm excited to contribute to this important initiative”.?
Milestone Alert: 400k assets in stock
Thanks to all of our content partners, creators, and contributors, we have grown from 1,500 assets in 2020 to currently over 400,000 stock photos, videos, and illustrations. And we're adding thousands of new assets each month.
Check out our latest photo collections
We've put together some collections to help you find the right images to tell your stories this Spring. Whether it's exercising outside, planting seeds, spending time with your family, or anything in between, we showcase all the ways in which we can grow and blossom in this season. Enjoy!
We are working on ensuring every diversity category has authentic representation, so please check out our library:
领英推荐
Partnering for Health Equity
It is crucial for us to prioritize getting representation right, particularly in the areas where a large portion of the population has been underserved or neglected. This is precisely why we have partnered with Nurturely , a non-profit organization that advocates for equity in perinatal wellness and reinforces cultures of support for caregivers and infants.
Together, we have worked on a special collection that aims to better represent parents and families of color, which will be made available on pocstock.com for Black Maternal Health Week and Environatal week.
"To capture the beauty, grace, and fortitude of Black and Brown families, in this time in history, speaks volumes to the necessity of supporting and uplifting Black Maternal Health initiatives everywhere, but Environatal Week is especially important- and we couldn't be more impressed with this collaboration between pocstock and Nurturely to do just that, now and into the future." Ayisha Elliott , Co-Founder of Nurturely
This initiative is just one of the many steps we are taking to demonstrate our commitment to inclusivity and promoting the voices of underrepresented communities.
Our team is growing
Without such a talented, diverse, and dedicated team, pocstock would not have been able to scale so quickly over the past several years. We are only as good as our team, and we have the best of the best working hard to move our mission forward.
We'll be looking for more talent in the future. When there are new opportunities to join our team, we will post them here on our Linkedin page. Check back soon!
LOADING... New global HQ + photo studio coming soon to Newark, NJ
Since inception, our roots have been firmly planted in the City of Newark, and we're doubling down on our commitment. Official announcements coming soon.
Calling all African Creatives!!!
THE 2024 NATIV SHORTS COMPETITION IS STILL OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS!
pocstock is proud to partner with CAROLINE KAMYA and the team at IAMNATIV in Uganda on this competition to empower and spotlight creative filmmakers all across the African continent. Get ready to take your filmmaking journey to new heights with a chance to win $3,500 USD in prizes!
Your mission (should you choose to accept): Craft a succinct 60-second video, scripted or unscripted, accompanied by 25 evocative photographs. Your creation should depict "Their Africa" and envision "The African Content Creative in 2050".
?? Applications open from February 29th to April 21st, 2024 ??
Click the link to apply now: https://lnkd.in/eRXiYBnd , and please share with any creatives in your network.
We can't wait to see what you create!
Partner with us for all of your diversity-focused content
Spring is here! Put some pep in your step and some poc in your stock!
Use promo code SPRING2024 to get 30% off your monthly plan if you sign up before April 30th.
Let us help you find the right images for your next project.
** Coupon offer good from April 1 - 30th to new customers. 30% discount on monthly fees for first 3 months. **
Creators - Earn up to 50% royalties
Are you a creator looking for passive income? Upload your photos, sit back, and be rewarded for your hard work.
We're looking for creators (photographers, videographers, illustrators) who create content featuring people of color. Sign up here whether you're a pro or just doing it for fun. If you have tons of content sitting on hard drives and SD cards, upload it to our platform. You don't need to have professional photography experience, just a really cool view of the world around you.
Sign up to upload your content https://www.pocstock.com/become-a-contributor and check out our content guidelines - https://www.pocstock.com/content-guidelines
Black by popular demand
Get your fresh pocstock tee shirt just in time for the beautiful Spring weather. Visit shop.pocstock.com to get yours today!
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We're looking to partner with corporations, agencies, businesses, marketers, impact investment companies, creators, stock content companies, generative AI platforms, media outlets, DEI professionals, and you!
Just wanted to say we truly appreciate you.
If you've made it this far down, you're truly an ally and supporter, and for that, we sincerely thank you! Please like, share, and comment to help us amplify our message and make pocstock a household name!
Thank you from our amazing team: Ailyn Robles , Nicole Richardson , Michael C. Carter , Mary J. Sansait , Derrick Larane , Nathalie Heywood Smith (she/her/us) , Nyla Christian , Chad Comiteau , Kevin Noel , Sheilla Tendero , Jennifer Comiteau , Armando "OUTthere" Diaz , Jade Andal , Glenda De Chavez , Merjohn Christian Tendero , Afotey Annum , Fred Sly, and Dominic Saraum
Small Business Owner | Podcaster & Speaker | Author
7 个月I’m sooo excited about this!!! Big Congratulations!!!
Author of Creativities: The?What,?How,?Where,?Who?and?Why?of the Creative Process. E.Elgar with C. Bilton & S. Cummings | Board Member | Strategy & Entrepreneurship Professor | Keynote Speaker | Advisor & Coach
7 个月We have an exciting year ahead of us as we grow pocstock to new heights under Steve Jones!