PD PODCAST

Mission CTRL

Mission CTRL is Peralta Design’s podcast on all things branding, marketing and tech. Join our hosts Ramon Peralta and Jorge Pezo-Candelario as they share ideas with past clients, industry partners and the rest of the PD crew. Since 2008, Peralta Design has launched hundreds of brands using award-winning strategies for clients of all sizes; from start-up entrepreneurs to Fortune 500s.

Mission 24 – Black Lawyer Series with Attorney Michael L. Chambers

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by his Alpha Brother, friend and client Attorney Michael L. Chambers who recently hired Peralta Design for a full rebrand and relaunch of his Hartford-based Law practice. Michael tells his story of hard work and commitment to community in this American Dream story sure to inspire entrepreneurs from all walks of life. Running a sole practice, buying your own building and scaling up is not for the faint of heart, but being a dad and husband in the process makes life much sweeter. Listen in as these two frat brothers turned CEOs keep it real and talk law, branding and business!

Mission 23 – Let’s Talk About Fonts with Joe Treacy

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by the one and only Joe Treacy of innovative font house Treacyfaces®! Joe Treacy is a fellow Creative Director from the ‘old school’ of design and drops many gems in this episode chock full of typographical history sure to delight senior designers and novices alike. Tune in to learn about why typography is so important to great design directly from someone who has created his own fonts – Joe knows type!

Networking Effectively with Rob Thomas

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by the one and only Rob Thomas of Rob Thomas USA! Rob is an old friend of PD’s who specializes in networking and even has his own virtual (at the moment) professional networking group, Networking in Diners. Tune in to learn the secrets of forging valuable connections and making the most of your network!

Redesign Your Business (and Life!) with TJ Everhart

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by the inspiring TJ Everheart! During her illustrious career, Ms. Everheart has been able to transform low performing groups into high performance machines by using her wildly successful Emotional Intelligence strategies. Learn about how much of an impact a work environment has on its occupants, and how you can become a more effective leader through emotional intelligence!

Social Design & Education with Kelly Page

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by social designer, entrepreneur, and Director of Bennett Labs, Dr. Kelly Page! With a Ph.D in the Psychology of Web Knowledge and over 18 years of experience, Dr. Page works at the intersection of innovation and social design. She uses her passion for innovation to create truly social cultures, organizations, and leaders in everything from startups to fortune 500s. Come listen in as she discusses the differences in education around the world, and her views on the importance of social design. You’re not going to want to miss this!

Great Communication with Tom Matthews

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by the master communicator himself, Tom Matthews! Mr. Matthews got his start in the final days of the newspaper industry before jumping over to new media and broadcasting. These days, he’s Head of Communication and Marketing at Connecticut’s own Contractor Nation. Listen in as he tells us some of the secrets to being an effective communicator.

The Power of Mentorship with Steve Spiro

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by consultant, mentor, and 4th degree karate blackbelt, Steve Spiro! Driven by the belief that mentorship can completely change a person’s life, Mr. Spiro generously coaches both companies and individuals to connect more meaningfully. Come listen in to some of his hard-won advice, and learn why mentorship is so powerful.

Scaling Minority Businesses with Anita Gardyne

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon and Jorge are joined by the incredible and fearless Anita Gardyne, President and CEO of Oneva Inc. Anita is a brilliant mind and serial entrepreneur who is passionate about lifting minority businesses. She has decades of experience working with billion dollar industry titans like Microsoft, and she knows a thing or two about launching a business (to say the least). Join us today for this incredible opportunity to learn from the best.

Chasing a Dream with Mike Massimino

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by acclaimed actor Mike Massimino who has landed roles in movies including The Irishman and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Mike brings us insights into the work of an actor and emphasizes the importance of resilience and chasing your dreams. Don’t miss this passionate and enlightening episode of Mission CTRL!

Fitness and Branding with Rob Rodriguez

In this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon is joined by fitness expert and gym owner Rob Rodriguez to discuss branding and the fitness world. Rob gives us a look at how a business must adapt to a crisis, and explains the changes he has made to his business model to weather the storm.

Black Entrepreneurship (Part 3 of 3) with Shawn Rochester

In an insightful conclusion to the Black Entrepreneurship series, Ramon and Jorge greet critically acclaimed author and powerful speaker Shawn Rochester. Learn some of the key lessons Shawn has written in his books, The Black Tax: The Cost of Being Black in America and CPR for the SOuL: How to Give Yourself a 20% Raise, Eliminate Your Debt, and Leave an Inheritance for Your Children’s Children. This episode is packed to the brim with important and often overlooked aspects of race in America, and how it impacts opportunities for economic growth.

Black Entrepreneurship (Part 2 of 3) with Lawrence Ross

To continue our series on Black Entrepreneurship, Ramon is joined by Lawrence Ross, the author of Los Angeles Times bestseller, The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities. Listen in as he brings insights into his life as an author, how he broke into the industry as a person of color, and his new app dedicated to allyship.

Black Entrepreneurship (Part 1 of 3) with Dr. Maysa Akbar

Today Ramon is joined by Dr. Maysa Akbar, a brilliant authority on racism and its impact on us all, as well as the author of Beyond Ally: The Pursuit of Racial Justice and Urban Trauma: A Legacy of Racism. Listen in as she discusses her work, personal brand, and race in the US as a whole in the first part of a three-part series on Black Entrepreneurs.

Seeing Differently with Chris Jarvis

On this very special episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon speaks with esteemed guest, and long time friend, Chris Jarvis. A best selling author and successful entrepreneur, Chris Jarvis brings us insight into the world of perspective. He teaches us the importance of perspective, the difference between giraffes and zebra, and lights up the room with his infectious enthusiasm for life. How do you truly reach the upper echelon of your business goals? Chris Jarvis knows what it takes.

Client Retention with Richard Shapiro

On this episode of Mission CTRL, Ramon speaks to Richard Shapiro, founder of The Center for Client Retention. With well over 25 years of experience and two best selling books – Mr. Shapiro gives us a look at the world of client retention, and reveals the imperative steps a business must take to have repeat customers. Listen in as Ramon and Rich discuss what additional steps must be taken during the continuing Covid outbreak, and learn how to succeed even now!

Dropping the Mic with Mike Patterson

The worlds of marketing and pop culture collide in this episode of Mission CTRL! Join Jorge and Ramon as they welcome esteemed guest Mike Patterson, and pick his brain about recent brand moves in response to a changing social climate. Whether it be the NFL, Aunt Jemima, or James Cameron’s Avatar;  Mike has a lot to say that you won’t want to miss!

The Future of Travel with Brian Harniman (Pt. 2)

On this episode of Mission CTRL, 
Ramon and Brian Harniman dive even deeper into the travel industry’s response to COVID-19 and how things will never be the same after it. Did you know that LAX is using heat detection cameras to monitor body temperatures? Or that airlines have decided to fully pack their planes instead of having one seat gap between passengers? Episode 8 has all you need to know about the major changes you will encounter next time you travel!

The Future of Travel with Brian Harniman (Pt. 1)”

Continuing our series about the future of industries, Ramon is joined by long-time friend Brian Harniman to talk about how the travel industry has been impacted. In this first part, Ramon and Brian reveal the inner workings of the travel industry, and how these hidden systems are rattled by a world of cancelled trips and events.

The Future of Retail With Rob Tedesco

Welcome special guest Rob Tedesco as he and Ramon talk about the economic and commercial impact that COVID-19 has had on brick and mortar businesses. In this episode, Rob shares his insight on how businesses must make the transition to digital in order to survive. Other topics include the current reopening strategy, and retail’s evolution into a dominantly digital climate.

ReOpening Safely to a New Normal

Join our hosts Ramon and Jorge as they discuss the reopening of non-essential businesses, the strategies they are taking, and the new normal that they are opening to. Learn more about how Peralta Design is dealing with this challenge as we work to slowly get back to normal, and what precautions we are taking to ensure it is done as safely as possible.

Staying Sane While Staying Safe

Animal Crossing anyone? In this episode of MissionCTRL, the PD team members discuss how they’ve each kept themselves “from being bored in the house and in the house bored.” Find out more about what we’re watching, listening, and doing to stay sane while staying safe.

Sell and Service Your Way Through The COVID-19 Pandemic

People are on edge. What can we do to create better outcomes with our clients and employees during this unprecedented, stressful time? Join Ramon Peralta, our Founder and Creative Director, as he encourages businesses and entrepreneurs with uplifting advice and clear examples on how to navigate the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Learn to Fail Faster or Risk Failing to Launch

Learning how to fail safely, quickly and efficiently is a lesson that can surprisingly be a huge opportunity for growth in your business. Being able to rapidly prototype and try out new business models helps to determine what works and what doesn’t before you invest heavily in something that’s uncertain. Ramon and Jorge discuss experience with learning to be in “Constant Beta” and how companies both large and small can avoid the perils of failing to launch by learning to fail effectively.

Branding’s Biggest Stage – Super Bowl Ads 2020

For Mission CTRL’s first episode, Jorge, Ramon and Danny take a look into what is arguably branding’s biggest stage of the year, the Super Bowl! Nowhere else can you get the chance to market to a television audience of over 90 million and big companies shell out big bucks for the opportunity to catch the attention of the American public. We review the stand out efforts from this year’s batch of commercials both in terms of strong and memorable ads along with ones that weren’t as strong.