For me, it was a city council meeting in Knoxville, Tennessee. I was a 25-year-old rookie TV reporter doing reporter stuff.

The council was raising property taxes, and nobody wanted that. My assignment was to cover the meeting, write a story, and have it ready for the 11p news. I don’t remember what I wrote, but that’s not important right now. What mattered was why it mattered.

I didn’t realize it then, but I was learning the power of messaging – specifically, why the audience’s “so what?” matters.

This wasn’t about the facts. Heck, I couldn’t let the facts get in the way of a good story. How could I convey to the viewers this story had value to them? How would it affect their bank account? Protect their family? Help them feel better, look younger, lose weight? What was in it for them?

Then The Tennessee Traveler arrived and with it, I found a new road—why humor matters. My news director thought my sense of humor was a perfect fit for this segment that celebrated the artisans, characters, and regular folks who made East Tennessee special. Humor was a tool helped put guests at ease and gave stories impact. I realized how much I loved telling meaningful stories.

Then I came to a fork in the road—so I took it.

The station’s promotion manager asked me to write and produce a promo for the Traveler segment, and that’s where I discovered the real magic of marketing – where business strategy meets creative storytelling. That moment changed everything, including my ZIP code. The Traveler hit the road to Phoenix. In July because that’s how you do it.

Smart ideas aren’t just clever; they’re connected. I was learning why creativity with purpose matters. I was using market research to uncover opportunities, shape strategy, and develop creative that actually moved the ratings. The TV station became my classroom, filled with brilliant people and where I learned how to
collaborate, concept, and build a team that clicked.

Then came a new opportunity: Creative Director for an advertising and marketing company. This chapter was all about why listening first matters. We launched a philosophy called Lead with the Idea which leveraged the power of creative to engage clients early and helped them focus on creative to differentiate their brand, and led to smarter, long-term relationships. Lead with the Idea was strategic, effective, and looked good on the side of a coffee cup!

Which brings me to Bright Orange Ideas.

Listen, I like orange. It’s the color of my favorite college team (Go Vols!). It’s both a color and a fruit, and it matches my hair. That aside, I launched Bright Orange to bring the “bright” kind of energy and personality to creative strategy, advertising and marketing services, and digital content. It’s Why Telling a Good Story Matters. It’s been a minute since that city council meeting, but the story’s the same: create content that grabs attention, makes a statement, and leaves a lasting impression.