Rich Nardo

I was active as a musician and show promoter on my local music scene when I was younger, and was always drawn to the marketing aspect for both. As I approached my 30s, I made the transition to the business side of the industry, and focused on the marketing that I had always enjoyed. After a few years at a bigger agency, I started my own shop (24West) with a friend. In 2018, we sold 24West to the NGAGE Group where I remain today as a partner and executive.

It's different between the two agencies. At ngagency, my role is mostly strategy based and making sure that my incredible team has everything they need to deliver successful campaigns for our clients. At Flux88, I get to play a bit more on the creative side. There is still a lot of strategy, but I get to spend more time narrative-building and coming up with ideas for videos, NFT projects, and virtual websites.

Flux88 is a creative studio that launched in April of 2021. We do a lot in the NFT space where we've worked with Trevor Noah, Death Row Records, Brett Boone, Vin Scully, and a bunch of other amazing athletes, entertainers and musicians. We've also built 360, immersive websites (through Metimmerse) for Young Thug, Death Row Records, International Stoners Association, Angry Pitbull Club and several others. Recently, we just produced our first official music video for Cypress Hill and we're developing several IP projects including the avatar musician/illustrator, MiaAF, and the Lil Thrashers universe (which we are partnering with Lazer Labs and producer Jesse Korman on).

Marketing communications is developing and implementing strategies for projects that build on the brand voice/mission statement while reaching as many people as possible.

I would describe our marketing communications style as always trying to push boundaries. When we are ideating for a campaign we always ask ourselves three questions: (1) have we seen this done before? (2) how is this unique? (3) does it fit perfectly with our client's brand.

It's very collaborative with our team. It usually starts with my partner Blake and I working with the client to develop the general overview of what their goals are and what we can do to reach them. From there, we work with our team internally to build it out and add the elements that make it special. Lots of ideation calls, revisions, and fine-tuning go into every project. Teamwork is the name of the game!

It's an absolute honor! One thing our entire team shares is a strong work ethic. As a result, we don't often take the time to think about what we've accomplished, only what's next. Being recognized by such a distinguished organization forced us to take the time to reflect on what we've done and provided extra motivation to keep building.

Just simply announcing that we had won resulted in a bunch of social media inquiries about our availability for the rest of the year. It's a badge of honor that NYX recognized our work!

Mostly living up to the high standards that Young Thug, Young Stoner Life Records and 300 Entertainment set with the record and all of the marketing around it. Everyone on the team for this project is the best in the business at what they do. We didn't want to drop the ball, so we agonized over every detail for punkalbum.com in order to make sure we delivered something that matched the quality of the rest of the team's efforts.

We are based in both Canada and the United States, and the creative communities in both countries are so strong. We take inspiration from our peers everyday and that is reflected in our ideas.

Web3 for sure. As the metaverse gains more mainstream acceptance, more and more transactions are going to take place there. Brands, Creators, and agencies are going to need to be active in the space if they want to continue reaching fans and consumers where they spend time.

(1) the amazing people I've met in the industry. (2) The chance to be creative on a day-to-day basis. (3) The incredible pace at which the industry moves. There's no chance for things to get stale or boring when what works in the industry evolves so quickly.

Your peers. Whether it's following thought leaders on social media (Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube) or IRL networking events and meet-ups, the more conversations you're a part of the better. This is where the seeds of your next great idea are going to get what they need to grow into something special!

I believe it's going to grow more and more reliant on Web3. Marketing is all about reaching people where they spend time, and Web3 spaces like the metaverse and NFT Community are going to play an increasingly larger role in most people's lives moving forward. Plus, the space is so ripe for innovation that marketers will have ample opportunities to shine and show why they're the best at what they do.

I honestly find inspiration from new people every day. To start with, my parents are amazing people who have always set a great example for what a successful personal and professional life looks like. I try to live up to that to this day. My wife is an artist, and is more talented than I could ever hope to be, so I find a ton of inspiration in trying to live up to her talents. My sister is incredibly successful and hardworking, and I've always looked at her as a role model. Her four boys are remarkable young men who inspire me with what they do as well as trying to live a life that sets a good example for them. My partner, Blake Armstrong, is super talented and hardworking, so I find myself motivated everyday to match what he contributes to our endeavors. We're surrounded by partners (TillaVision, Jesse Korman, Lazer Labs, Ben Jorgensen) and clients (the teams at 300 Entertainment, MNRK music, Rob Abelow and Dave Rosen at Dopr, Amani Martin at Peaceful Warrior, etc.) that do amazing work so its a daily challenge to earn the opportunity to collaborate with them. Even my friends. I've had the same base group of friends for 30+ years, and we always push each other to be our best selves. And that's just people I know. Every time I see someone accomplish something great, or even just pushing themselves to do so, it's another source of motivation. Inspiration is everywhere!

Hard work, diligence, trying to work on projects that are inspiring but take you out of your comfort zone, finding things that you're excited to contribute to, and surrounding yourself with people who motivate you to be your best self. In terms of parting words of wisdom, the fear of doing something is always worse than the actual act of doing so. There's always going to be challenges, some of which seem insurmountable. The difference between people that are successful and those that aren't is the will to push through them and find solutions in difficult scenarios rather than giving up. Also, you're only as strong as who you surround yourself with. Find people that push you to do your best work and treat them right. Good partners looks to help each other succeed even when there is no immediate benefit for themselves. Find something you love, put the work in, and treat people right and you'll find fulfillment and the ability to sleep well at night.

Thank you again to NYX for this award. We are truly humbled by it. Push yourself in your pursuit of personal/professional fulfillment, be kind to one another, and have a great day!