Our Tribe-cheering, green-thumbed ECD gets our trumpet-playing Web Developer/IT maestro to open up.
I know you are quite the accomplished trumpeter and, more recently, a burgeoning developer. Can you find similarities in the two endeavors? Notation? Discipline? Do they fill similar creative outlets in your life or rather different ones?
For me, both of these—playing music and coding—are opportunities to create something. It’s a great feeling to take what seems like nonsense—whether it’s lines of code or musical notes on a page—and turn it into something special.
You and I share the common trait of living in households where the animals at times outnumber the humans. Can you tell me a little bit about that dynamic in the home? And how might that dynamic reflect or counter the one you experience at work?
The dynamics are actually similar. At 88, different personalities get along quite well. At home, different animals (a dog and a cat) actually get along.
You are the Yoda of 88 Brand Partners. No one knows more secrets, legends, up and downs than you do. When you first came on board at 88BP, then known as Pratt Marketing Group, was your hope to be with the organization as long as you have? What’s changed the most in that time? What’s stayed the same?
I certainly anticipated a long history with PMG. But I had no idea that I would be here this long. The agency has gotten a bit larger, but the atmosphere is still fun and productive. It’s still fun coming to work.
What’s the best advice you ever got from a mentor, be it musically, digitally or other? And what advice would you think best to pass on to anyone wandering through a journey similar to yours?
My mentoring came in high school from my band director. He encouraged me to continue playing trumpet and always do my best at anything I set out to do.
The archetypes of this industry are that all copywriters dream of ditching it to write the Great American Novel and all art directors daydream themselves as future Cezannes. What does our resident trumpet-playing, website-building wise man dream of running off to accomplish?
Honestly, I’m not sure. But, whatever it is, I hope that I’ll be creating something great that also helps others in some way.
For our final question, I’d like to go old school. Not only are your specific skills diverse, I know your musical tastes are as well. You can hold court on classical composition as well as rare Prince tracks. Can you share with us the track list on the ultimate Deon Taylor mixtape?
Prince and electronica/dance/house music. Pretty much anything with an awesome brass section.