Visual WOW, the Podcast logo

The Visual WOW Story

Visual WOW has been part of my world since March 1995 — when my then-partner, now wife, Monica and I launched one of the very first e-commerce photo sites on the internet, three months before Kodak launched theirs. The name meant "Cool Photos" — VisualWOW. It later became an industry newsletter, and in 2020, as the world locked down, it found new life as a podcast: conversations recorded during the strangest two years most of us have lived through. Here's a look back at where it all started, and a few of the guests who made it worth doing.

A Few Favorites from the Archive

E1 — Welcome (Aug 2020)

E2 — How We Got Here: An Evening with Monica Vidal & Jack Hartzman (Aug 2020)

E3 — Jaclyn Bernstein, Then and Now (Aug 2020)

Browse the Full Archive (77 Episodes)

Full Episode Archive (77 Episodes)

Episode 1 artwork E1 WelcomeAugust 11th, 2020 Episode 2 artwork E2 How We Got Here: An Evening with Monica Vidal & Jack HartzmanAugust 18th, 2020 Episode 3 artwork E3 Jaclyn Bernstein, Then and NowAugust 18th, 2020 Episode 4 artwork E4 Sunflower photographers meet-up with Michael Kress, Shmulik Almany and Sean O'GradyAugust 21st, 2020 Episode 5 artwork E5 Sunflower photographers meet-up with Michael Kress & Shmulik Almany (in Hebrew)August 21st, 2020 Episode 6 artwork E6 "PARKS PARTY CENTRAL" - The Good that Comes from Sheltering in Place with Craig ParksAugust 25th, 2020 Episode 7 artwork E7 Albums to Outsourcing with Mark ZuckerAugust 21st, 2020 Episode 8 artwork E8 Zach Dalin: A Very Clear Picture in St. LouisAugust 28th, 2020 Episode 9 artwork E9 Moving & Rescheduling Events: A tough discussion about today's event world.August 26th, 2020 Episode 10 artwork E10 Rescheduling & Refunding: BTS with Robert Sherman & Shana LangSeptember 1st, 2020 Episode 11 artwork E11 Chet Fortune: COVID-19 is Affecting Events Everywhere, Even in Japan.September 3rd, 2020 Episode 12 artwork E12 John Harrington - Best Business Practices for PhotographersSeptember 4th, 2020 Episode 13 artwork E13 Steve Ornstein & Elise Kolle: "The Blooming Bus" A Covid-19 Pivot ConversationSeptember 8th, 2020 Episode 14 artwork E14 "I'm On The List!" Concert Photographers and Their Tales with Seannie Cameras & David HartzmanSeptember 11th, 2020 Episode 15 artwork E15 Reflection on the First 30 Days - What's Next? Jack Hartzman and Monica Vidal ExplainSeptember 15th, 2020 Episode 16 artwork E16 A Rosh Hashanah Message from Jack HartzmanSeptember 18th, 2020 Episode 17 artwork E17 Gary Bordman, CIO of AE&ES: "Las Vegas is Dark - Try a Virtual Game Room"September 22nd, 2020 Episode 18 artwork E18 Yaneck Wasiek: Portfolios to Head Shots, YouTube Videos to Master PrintsSeptember 25th, 2020 Episode 19 artwork E19 More Than Just Hot Air (balloons) with Mark ZettlerSeptember 29th, 2020 Episode 20 artwork E20 Samara Schwartz Hurley: "We're All Struggling, but Things Are Still Happening"October 1st, 2020 Episode 21 artwork E21 Lindsay Gill: "Planning a Walk-a-Thon, Running a Non-Profit during a Global Pandemic"October 6th, 2020 Episode 22 artwork E22 Nathan Holritz, Host of the BOKEH Podcast: "Creating Freedom and Flexibility as Business Owners"October 2nd, 2020 Episode 23 artwork E23 Nancy Shaffer, BRAVO! Events and Jaclyn Bernstein: "Virtual is NOT a Zoom Call, Virtual is NOT Easy"October 7th, 2020 Episode 24 artwork E24 Debbie Katz Holt: "Make Someone Else's Dream Come True, but Make Sure it's Done Right!"October 9th, 2020 Episode 25 artwork E25 David Adler & Jaclyn Bernstein: "Keep Confidence Up, Stay Authentic, Real and Transformational"October 13th, 2020 Episode 26 artwork E26 Ari Jones: "Putting Someone's Visions into Reality, Keep Communication Lines Open"October 20th, 2020 Episode 27 artwork E27 Alex Bourquin: "The Name Visual WOW is Why I Got into and Love Photography." with Co-Host Seannie CamerasOctober 16th, 2020 Episode 28 artwork E28 Jake Sherman: "From the Second I Pull-Up, I Do NOT Take My Mask Off..."October 22nd, 2020 Episode 29 artwork E29 Happy Birthday Dad, Love You Mom!October 20th, 2020 Episode 30 artwork E30 Rabbi Deborah Reichmann: "It's Different, but No Less Than an In-Person Event"October 27th, 2020 Episode 31 artwork E31 Ben Hartley: "Don't Add Time to Your Decisions!"October 24th, 2020 Episode 32 artwork E32 Senator Cheryl Kagan: The Coronavirus has devastated so many IndustriesOctober 26th, 2020 Episode 33 artwork E33 David Phillips: "Put it in Writing, Create the Plan, Put a Timeline to it, Do Something..."November 3rd, 2020 Episode 34 artwork E34 Anna Tu: "I had 93 Events Reschedule in 1 Week, but They Kept Their Service Dates"October 30th, 2020 Episode 35 artwork E35 Glynis Keith: "Ultimately for Us, We want to Ensure that All of Our Staff and Your Guests Remain Safe!"November 6th, 2020 Episode 36 artwork E36 Heidi Hiller: "What Can We Do to Make that Re-Envisioned Event Happen?"November 10th, 2020 Episode 37 artwork E37 Monica Vidal: EVENT COCKTAILS with Jaclyn Bernstein and Samara Schwartz HurleyNovember 11th, 2020 Episode 38 artwork E38 Cara Weiss: "I Think the World has Started to Realize that there is a More Important Aspect to This..."November 15th, 2020 Episode 39 artwork E39 Monica Vidal Hosts: Planners & Photographers a Roundtable of Creatives from Every AngleNovember 25th, 2020 Episode 40 artwork E40 Danny Weiss: "This Pandemic has been very different. What do these Clients need to Survive?"November 19th, 2020 Episode 41 artwork E41 JJ Flizanes and Doug Sandler: "Podcasting, Coaching & Making Money doing what You Love to do."November 24th, 2020 Episode 42 artwork E42 Rick Recht: "Even in this Crazy Environment, You can have a Tremendous Amount of Success..."December 1st, 2020 Episode 43 artwork E43 Liese Gardner: "When We are Creating Something, You are Putting something out in the World..."December 8th, 2020 Episode 44 artwork E44 Ryan Jacobs: SPOTMYPHOTOS - A Deep Dive Roundtable with Peter Hurley, Kelsey Harrison and Ivan PiedraDecember 11th, 2020 Episode 45 artwork E45 Chad Ricardo, NBC Sports Washington: "When You Love what You do, You want to do it."December 15th, 2020 Episode 46 artwork E46 Michael Bennett Kress: "You have to be able to make sure the client is being treated fairly."December 18th, 2020 Episode 47 artwork E47 Samara Schwartz Hurley: "Integrating Individuals into the Events while they're Happening"December 22nd, 2020 Episode 48 artwork E48 LIVE from TIMES SQUARE, NEW YEARS EVE with Jaclyn Bernstein, Empire Force EventsJanuary 1st, 2021 Episode 49 artwork E49 Roman Guzman - Radio Personality - The RIVER, 105.5 FM & Comedian Too!January 5th, 2021 Episode 50 artwork E50 Ritz Carlton Pentagon City: "Newly Renovated and Ready for Business in 2021!"January 8th, 2021 Episode 51 artwork E51 Adam Bultz: "Everyone said, If you build it, They will come!"January 12th, 2021 Episode 52 artwork E52 Aisha Khan & Federico Alessandro Galli: "TOGETHER with BIG News!"January 15th, 2021 Episode 53 artwork E53 Mark Zucker: "We've become a Boutique Outsourcing Company..."January 19th, 2021 Episode 54 artwork E54 Kellie Mendoza - President, NACE Phoenix, AZ: "It's All About Diversifying Yourself"January 26th, 2021 Episode 55 artwork E55 Mina Habibi: "I can talk with somebody and get a feel for their vibe..."January 29th, 2021 Episode 56 artwork E56 Hope Katz Gibbs: "This is a fantastic time to embrace your essential self..."February 2nd, 2021 Episode 57 artwork E57 Hunter Kieserman: "The Man Behind Our Podcast"February 5th, 2021 Episode 58 artwork E58 Marvelless Mark: "I don't think anyone thought this would be going on a year later..."February 19th, 2021 Episode 59 artwork E59 Purnell Thurman: "Stepping-up, it's all I know how to do..."February 23rd, 2021 Episode 60 artwork E60 Brett Guterman: "The Man Behind the Bag"February 26th, 2021 Episode 61 artwork E61 John Harrington: "No Picture is worth Life or Limb"March 22nd, 2021 Episode 62 artwork E62 Gabrielle Bosche: "You only have one light to live and one light to give..."April 6th, 2021 Episode 63 artwork E63 Purnell Thurman: "I committed that I will deliver the best experience possible..."July 2nd, 2021 Episode 64 artwork E64 Robert Hulsmeyer: "Since January, I've been setting up vaccination sites..."July 10th, 2021 Episode 65 artwork E65 Meryl Snow: "We're all start-ups again, just with a lot more experience now..."July 14th, 2021 Episode 66 artwork E66 Karen Gordon: "How to be a helper, not a hustler..."July 15th, 2021 Episode 67 artwork E67 Marvelless Mark: "His name says it all... Say it loud and say it MARVELOUS!"July 17th, 2021 Episode 68 artwork E68 Michael Cerbelli: "The man who made the hot list!"July 19th, 2021 Episode 69 artwork E69 Chad Everett: "Ignite the light!"July 21st, 2021 Episode 70 artwork E70 Tye-Ler Jae: Actress Model and InfluencerAugust 3rd, 2021 Episode 71 artwork E71 Wally Carnes: Darkroom SoftwareAugust 10th, 2021 Episode 72 artwork E72 David Hercenberg: Documented VideoAugust 17th, 2021 Episode 73 artwork E73 Trish Simitakos: President NACE Washington, D.C.August 25th, 2021 Episode 74 artwork E74 Jeff Kay: My Digital MemoriesSeptember 7th, 2021 Episode 75 artwork E75 Haily Fadden: ASU, Event Professional of the FutureSeptember 14th, 2021 Episode 76 artwork E76 Holly Verbeck: Make Your Business CookSeptember 21st, 2021 Episode 77 artwork E77 LA Photo Party: Vivi, Director Software SalesOctober 5th, 2021
Watch Episodes on YouTube

In Their Words

Gabrielle Bosche quote: You only have one life to live and one life to give Purnell Thurman quote: I committed that I will deliver the best experience possible