A New Yorker based in LA
After enduring one too many ‘polar vortexes,’ I stuffed a minivan with my belongings back in 2014 and headed west, telling my mom it was “just for a year.” Fast forward a decade later — I bought a Jeep, met my wife, rescued a pup, and welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world.
Current status
Dad to aforementioned couch-loving rescue pup and tiny human
Likely listening to “C is for Cookie” by Cookie Monster on repeat
Husband to impossibly charming woman who tolerates my Phish fandom
Yankee hat wearer (especially in Dodger territory)
Defender of Knicks & Jets fandom (therapy ongoing)
Searching for the best pizza in LA
A bit on my career
As a kid, I never had an answer to "What do you want to be when you grow up?" But I knew what got me excited — filling notebooks with doodles, writing short stories, coming up with elaborate April Fools’ Day pranks to pull on my siblings, and putting together homemade Halloween costumes (the life-sized CVS receipt is still my favorite).
No guidance counselor ever pulled me aside to say, "You know what you'd be great at? Getting brands to spend money on dancing hot dog filters." Yet somehow, that love for creating things that make people react evolved into an 18+ year career in creative marketing.
The journey from homemade costumes to marketing campaigns wasn't exactly linear. There were detours through a tech company (Snap, Inc.), a creative agency (VaynerMedia), music (iHeartRadio), a sports tech startup (FanFeedr), and sports (National Lacrosse League). But the common thread remained: finding creative ways to tell stories that people actually care about.
Professional superpowers
Creative Strategy & Direction - working with a team to help bring great ideas to life
Storytelling & Writing - creating things that people react to
Leading Teams - establishing environments where people feel safe to share wild ideas
Creative + Tech - connecting creativity with AR, AI, and new technology
Building From Scratch - I’ve worked at startups, helped open new offices, and launched new teams at big companies
Miscellaneous achievements
Became a dual citizen of Ireland despite embarrassing attempts at an authentic accent
Successfully scaled the American Ninja Warrior ‘Warped Wall’ (once, and there’s no video evidence)
Created a Yankees Twitter account (@RealTimeYanks09) that beat reporters and former players actually engaged with
Convinced my wife to start a wedding podcast (Gettin’ Hitched). She’s still questioning the decision (though the exclusive interview with the flower girl was a hit)
Managed to work in the penalty box at Madison Square Garden without getting hit by lacrosse equipment
Some stuff I’m reading
The Breaks of the Game - the NBA was kind of a mess in the 70s. David Halberstam was granted access today’s reporters no longer get
The Wright Brothers - how two bike store owners invented and built the first airplane
Destiny of the Republic - about the assassination of James Garfield (and how Alexander Graham Bell tried to save him). Proof I’m a dad now
Abundance - a strategy to build a better future
The Last Boy - Mickey Mantle is arguably the greatest baseball player of all time, but also was a pretty complicated guy
Let’s connect
Whether you're looking for a creative leader, someone to jump in on a project, or want to pizza recommendations, let’s chat: gschneider34@gmail.com