Dialogue with Dylan

Cory Hunter is a freelance brand designer based in Lancaster, PA. He shares how growing up as a missionary kid in Slovakia, pivoting from engineering to graphic design, and eventually leaping into freelance branding work have shaped his approach to creativity, family, and resilience. From church creative teams to Nashville music projects and community run clubs, Cory unpacks why relationships, curiosity, and choosing hard things matter more than chasing prestige.Hunter Creative Co:www.huntercreative.coFollow Cory:https://www.instagram.com/huntercreative.co/Connect with me:https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-delaney-9b8889a5/My Website:delaneyvideo.com00:00:00 – Childhood as a missionary in Slovakia00:03:00 – From engineering drawings to design 00:04:40 – Liberty graphic design, early jobs00:06:00 – Growing up overseas, school shift00:07:40 – Language, bilingual Slovak-English life00:11:50 – Liberty experience, making school count00:16:50 – Choosing college for character growth00:18:25 – Church creative career and freelancing leap 00:22:55 – Relationships, faith, and taking the risk00:28:00 – Finding a niche: branding, apparel, church 00:31:30 – Standing out through relationships, not skill 00:34:25 – Music work, Nashville agency, lyric video 00:36:20 – Dream clients two connections away00:37:05 – Common Run Club, community connections00:38:10 – Starting running, asthma, first marathon

Tim Medina is the founder of Stump & Root Co., a marketing agency that serves local businesses in Lancaster, PA. In this episode, we talk about his background, his journey from corporate to founding his company, the 3 pillars of his work (branding, video, and photo), content systems, niches, marketing yourself as a creative, his role as a husband and father, and faith.Follow Tim:https://www.instagram.com/thecreativetim/https://www.linkedin.com/in/timbmedina/Stump & Root:https://www.stumpandroot.co/https://www.instagram.com/stumpandroot.co/Connect with me:https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-delaney-9b8889a5/My Website:delaneyvideo.com0:00 - Introduction2:08 - Early creative background and family artistic influence3:38 - Movie "Signs" inspiration and career awakening4:35 - Discovering graphic design6:52 - Corporate roles vs. founding Stump & Root Co.7:53 - Importance of marketing education for creatives22:52 - Working outside your niche and flexibility24:49 - Pivoting niches and spec ad strategy27:36 - Three pillars: video, photo, branding foundation28:41 - Story/brand framework and holistic approach38:25 - Personal branding and authenticity in work40:33 - Family motivation and life priorities46:44 - Collaborative mindset vs competition47:14 - Abundance of local business opportunities50:47 - Faith journey and background52:00 - Trials, testing, and God's consistency57:20 - Faith through difficult seasons and divine timing1:01:31 - God's steadfast love and pursuit1:06:19 - Website and LinkedIn for connectingRecorded on February 17th, 2026 in Lancaster, PA.

Joshua West is a documentary filmmaker based in Lancaster, PA. In our conversation, we talk about what storytelling actually means, his production process, niches, competition, marketing, AI, and how he runs his business along with his wife.Follow Josh:https://www.instagram.com/jbawproductions/https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-west-0803a0181/JBAW Productions:www.jbawproductions.comConnect with me:https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-delaney-9b8889a5/My Website:delaneyvideo.com0:00 Introduction & Background1:36 Growing Up in Texas & Moving to Pennsylvania2:07 Meeting His Wife Through Music & COVID5:50 Getting Started in Photography & Concert Work6:32 Transition from Photography to Video Production7:04 The Importance of Storytelling in Film8:07 Defining Real Storytelling vs Marketing Buzzwords9:25 Finding Conflict & Contrast in Corporate Films12:03 Making Films That Create Emotional Impact12:54 Pre-Production Process & Client Consultation14:28 Being a Strategic Partner vs Button Presser17:08 Maintaining Creative Control with Clients19:44 Working with Legacy Brands & Real Human Stakes21:09 Balancing Artistry with Business Needs23:23 Self-Education & Learning Technical Skills24:06 Trial and Error Approach to Skill Development29:33 Marketing Strategies for Video Professionals32:08 The Challenge of Marketing Yourself as a Video Creator34:18 Generalist vs Specialist Debate35:23 Niching Down to Documentary Approach38:05 Opportunities in Smaller Markets40:42 Benefits of Central PA Market42:41 Adapting to AI & Industry Changes45:14 Community Over Competition Mindset47:22 Different Restaurants Analogy48:43 Knowing When to Say No to Projects50:55 Running a Business with His Wife55:54 Where to Find & Hire JoshRecorded on February 10, 2026 in Lancaster, PA.

Tim Lebo is a creator at heart - a videographer, musician, songwriter, podcaster, and author.Follow Tim:https://www.instagram.com/timothylebofilms/Tim's website:https://timothylebofilms.com/Tim's book, Earth to Abram:https://www.amazon.com/Earth-Abram-Timothy-Lebo-ebook/dp/B00XT6KQJW/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3H5GSHZ6MZEO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.M1CVo8aRaAW3idClhCCJp3osEo25UPStnP6M_vFcES0D5SddX94Wiph8D06R2QyFetzwmYMIguQNAuDv13TBxqF6VdYU24fBvF6Id2vsisSUmmwYxZKd27zmLSWXP6hbAWISp0o09BEEqGShpIGDFw.9uhO54EEENGRaVUxAEzkWSSPEadsMvI66J-CPx2r5wY&dib_tag=se&keywords=earth+to+abrams+book&qid=1772601250&sprefix=earth+to+abram+book%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-2Connect with me:https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-delaney-9b8889a5/My Website:delaneyvideo.com0:00 - Introduction & Creative Philosophy0:17 - Tim's Multifaceted Creative Background2:35 - Childhood Inspirations & Rejecting Traditional Education7:38 - Overcoming Fear of Rejection & Taking Risks9:23 - Preparation Meets Opportunity & Creative Standards17:42 - Building Community Through Direct Outreach18:37 - Helping Other Creatives & Sharing the Blueprint20:27 - Writing Sci-Fi Novels & Finishing What You Start25:40 - Freelance Career Sustainability & Real Estate Diversification40:16 - Gratitude & Perspective in Creative Work41:20 - Riding the Wave of Uncertainty43:17 - Where to Find Tim's Work

Dan Scott Forreal is a music producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, sound designer, painter/muralist, tattooer, and graphic artist. In our conversation, we talk about his time living in Los Angeles and Colorado, manifestation, collaboration with band members, crafting an album, painting a mural, getting through difficult times, success, and more.Find Dan's work here:https://danscottforreal.com/Kewl Haze:https://kewlhaze.com/Connect with me:https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-delaney-9b8889a5/My Website:delaneyvideo.com0:00 - Introduction & Family Connections2:43 - Early School Memories & Critical Thinking5:07 - Finding Identity Through Skateboarding & Music6:20 - Art Development & Family Influence31:01 - Learning Music Production Rules32:34 - Collaboration vs. Solo Control34:15 - Multi-Instrument Skills & Band Dynamics36:08 - Musical Influences & Breaking Rules39:17 - Developing Kewl Haze's Sound41:16 - Managing Ego in Creative Partnerships43:02 - Natural vs. Intentional Sound Development45:25 - Dealing with Unused Creative Work50:07 - Connecting Different Art Mediums53:43 - Layered Art & Thought-Provoking Content55:24 - Finding Hope in Difficult Times61:03 - Meaningful Tattoo Story62:25 - Defining Success & Happiness67:33 - Life Perspective & Learning from Hardship69:44 - Art as Universal Connection71:00 - Music as Shared Experience71:48 - Where to Find Dan Scott & Kewl Haze

Drew B Darby is a documentary filmmaker specializing in endurance sports, traveling all around the world to capture the most impressive race performances. Drew is one of my oldest film industry colleagues and friends.In this conversation, we take a trip down memory lane to the early film projects that got us started, ways to break into the film industry in today's day and age, how running changed his life, his process for crafting a film from start to finish, marketing yourself as a creative business owner, freelancing lessons learned, and more.Follow Drew:https://www.instagram.com/drewbdarby/https://www.drewbdarby.com/Connect with me:https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-delaney-9b8889a5/My Website:delaneyvideo.com00:00 - Introduction & Background02:34 - How Drew & Dylan Connected Through Film06:26 - First Collaboration: "Angels Among Us" Short Film08:56 - "Delivery" One-Shot Film Project13:23 - Technical Challenges & Equipment Reviews18:14 - Overcoming Imperfection in Early Work22:21 - College Education vs. Self-Learning Debate25:41 - Building Skills Through Experience31:24 - College Experience at William & Mary46:32 - Discovery of Running During Pandemic53:31 - Career Pivot: Moving to Austin & BPN55:32 - Reinventing Portfolio for Endurance Sports01:00:00 - Going Freelance: The Two-Film Decision01:05:09 - Why Athletes Need Documentary Films01:17:07 - Art & Tactics: Balancing Creativity with Strategy01:20:53 - Production Process: Pre-Production to Post01:34:49 - Unpredictability of Race Day Filming01:44:47 - Breaking the Mold in Ultra Running Content01:47:57 - Lead Generation & Social Media Strategy01:54:28 - Building Recognition in the Industry02:02:18 - Sustainable Freelancing Without Ads02:09:17 - Referring Work & Building Networks02:17:10 - Contractor Relations & Fair Payment02:26:54 - Defining Success in Freelance Career02:35:48 - Reflections on Creative Partnership02:37:25 - Where to Find Drew's Work

Why is it important to share your journey? Because others are watching… even if it’s one person. Your voice can be that one instance of inspiration that someone needs to make positive change in their life/career.Victoria Pappas shares what the keys to success have been almost one year into full time freelancing. She also talks about the role of setting an example for others who are looking to pursue their dream of chasing their creative passions professionally.Follow Victoria:https://www.instagram.com/creatively.vp/Recorded at Leaf and Loft Studio:https://www.instagram.com/leafandloftstudio/Connect with me:https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-delaney-9b8889a5/My Website:delaneyvideo.com

Mark Yang is a cinematographer and video marketer based in Lancaster, PA. In our discussion, we talk about what it takes to be a full time freelancer, video marketing, his experience running Instagram ads for local businesses, and personal branding. Follow Mark:https://www.instagram.com/bambooshootsmedia/Recorded at Leaf and Loft Studio:https://www.instagram.com/leafandloftstudio/Connect with me:https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-delaney-9b8889a5/My Website:delaneyvideo.com

Austin Gingerich is a brand strategist who co-founded the creative community Silo, which is based out of York and Lancaster, PA. His mission is to help creatives find their purpose.In this episode, we dive into the importance of being a part of a community for both your personal and professional life, the story of how Silo was co-founded, tactical tips for improving your personal brand, and more.Follow Austin:https://www.instagram.com/austingingerich/https://www.linkedin.com/in/austingingerich/https://www.austingingerich.com/home/Silo:https://www.instagram.com/silo.us/youtube.com/@silocreativeConnect with me:https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-delaney-9b8889a5/My Website:delaneyvideo.com

In this episode, I speak with Amanda Collins about her journey as a freelance brand designer. Amanda and I met at a networking event a few years ago and I hired her to design a PDF for me last year. We cover topics like networking, education, having organization and processes in your business, the important of branding, and more.Amanda's Website:www.acollins.designFollow Amanda on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/acollins.design/Connect with me:https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-delaney-9b8889a5/My Website:delaneyvideo.com

In this episode, I speak with Sam Interrante. Sam is a talented photographer who has a lot of great insights to share about pursuing photography as a full time career.Sam's Website:https://www.saminterrante.com/Sam's Mentorship Program, The Portrait Lab:https://www.skool.com/the-portrait-lab/aboutSam's Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sam_interrante/Connect with me:https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-delaney-9b8889a5/My Website:delaneyvideo.com

How willing are you to bet on yourself? I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Pete Rodriguez. Pete is a super talented brand designer, entrepreneur, and creative business coach. We dive into his background in design, educating yourself for a creative career, transitioning from a corporate position to freelancing full time, the difference between a service and an offer, mentorship, and more. Follow Pete:https://www.instagram.com/impeterodriguez/The Brand Dept:https://www.thebranddept.co/Recorded on 10/15/25 in Lancaster, PA

On this episode, I'm joined by Christopher Davis, a video business owner based out of Atlanta, GA. Christopher and I went to the same college for some time and I've been following along with his journey. His production company, Merrill Film Group, focuses on creating story-driven brand films that help service-based businesses connect with their customers.We talk about what inspired him to pursue video early on, our time in college, the place that film programs have in today's industry, adjusting to the workforce, moving to a new city without knowing anyone, networking, building up connections, storytelling, video strategy, and the current state of the video industry/where it's going.Follow Christopher:https://www.instagram.com/filmedbychristopher/https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophermerrilldavis/Merrill Film Group:https://www.instagram.com/merrillfilmgroup/https://www.merrillfilmgroup.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAafYRPDeylyYOIB-ieuxqKmHzkNKs7f6QIWNhmFpSLNlaR0a72Qad82USyM1vQ_aem_Sw9604QAd2rzGJAdfQQBYQFollow me:https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-delaney-9b8889a5/delaneyvideo.comRecorded on 10/7/25

In this episode, I interview my friend, Isaac. We cover several topics like in-person networking, getting clarity with your marketing, using cold outreach to get leads in your business, overcoming rejection, product-market fit, and entrepreneurship. Isaac is a specialist in B2B outbound marketing with over three years of experience helping companies build predictable client acquisition systems and scalable sales processes. He’s currently building his second venture, ID Axis, a security and access control distribution company. At ID Axis, Isaac applies his marketing and sales expertise to bridge the gap between businesses and manufacturers—delivering RFID badging solutions to hospitals, airports, schools, and enterprises across the country.Follow Isaac on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/isaac_kauffeldt22/Recorded in Lancaster, PA on 8/22/25

With the increase of loneliness and self isolation in today's world, I wanted to talk about these topics and practical ways that I've made improvements to my social life. I struggled with confidence for many years but think I've gone in the right direction recently.I don't want sympathy. I want to talk about SOLUTIONS!I cover topics like letting go of limiting identities that you may have developed during childhood, being proactive by creating opportunities to meet people, avoiding comparisons, getting used to rejection, and being content with the season of life that you're in.Hopefully this podcast can serve as a small contribution towards normalizing the conversation around this prevalent topic. Remember: you have the opportunity to be confident... if you want to!0:00 Introduction and Background10:37 Recognize Limiting Identities12:40 Be the Person Who is Proactive and Initiates16:47 Celebrate Small Wins21:52 Avoid Comparisons23:48 Control What You Can Control27:23 Get Used to Rejection29:07 Be Content With the Season of Life You're In40:59 Don't Hold These Thoughts In

For the next episode of Dialogue with Dylan, I had a great conversation with my friend Brian Cruz. Brian is the founder of Evolved Frame, a media agency that serves health and wellness professionals. We cover several topics that range from networking, self awareness, work/life integration, embodying your service offer, creating systems in your business, delegating work/building a team, and why video content is essential in today's market.Follow Brian:https://www.instagram.com/_briancruz/Check out Evolved Frame:https://www.evolvedframe.com/Follow me:https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/My website: https://delaneyvideo.com/

I had a great conversation with my friend, Reggie Gonzales. Reggie is a videographer and sports broadcaster who has experience in a variety of media endeavors. We talked about his journey getting started in sports broadcasting, his media work in the health and wellness industry with Evolved Frame, how he manages an editing team, and mindset tips for full time video professionals.Follow Reggie:https://www.instagram.com/_reggiegonzales/Check out Evolved Frame:https://www.instagram.com/evolvedframe/Follow me:https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/My website:delaneyvideo.comRecorded on 12/30/24

For this episode of Dialogue with Dylan, I sat down with my friend and colleague, Andre Frueh. Andre is an extremely talented filmmaker, cinematographer, and entrepreneur. We talked about studying digital media in college, taking on 50 wedding projects per year, setting boundaries when saying yes to projects, what sets his wedding film business apart from the rest, and more. Check out Andre's wedding film business:https://www.storytellers.video/Follow Andre:https://www.instagram.com/andre.frueh/Follow me:https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/delaneyvideo.com

For the next episode of Dialogue with Dylan, I sat down with Domenick Cucinotta. I’ve been working with Dom for a few years and he’s been one of the most influential people in my career. We talked about his journey getting into the film industry, education, co-founding his soccer apparel brand LBF, B2B vs. B2C business models, what traits he looks for in hiring people, mentorship, and more. Tune in on Youtube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Welcome to the revival of my podcast! After posting a dozen episodes, primarily in 2021, I have officially started it up again. For this first episode back, I sat down with my friend and colleague, Sam Eisenhower. Sam is an extremely talented filmmaker, entrepreneur, and visual effects artist. We talked about finding inspiration, starting a career in the film industry, education, storytelling, freelancing, and more.Follow Sam here:https://www.instagram.com/_boundlessentertainment/Check out Sam's courses on storytelling and Unreal Engine:https://boundless-resource.com/Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dylangdelaney/Check out my website: delaneyvideo.comMy email: [email protected]

Some lessons learned from dealing with severe acne a few years ago.

Some thoughts on addressing hateful people and evaluating your own hate.In summary: I believe there is abundant irony and hypocrisy around this conversation of addressing hate. Don't misunderstand me: hate is terrible, particularly groups with the intent of being violent and judging people based on immutable characteristics. But if we want to progress towards a society where we all don't hate each other (which is probably impossible, but at least alleviate the amount of hate), then we must practice what we preach. We can't be hateful to hateful people, then turn around and condemn hate in the same breath. If we treat this selectively, and our own hate is acceptable and justified because it's in pursuit of ending other hate, then we're not being morally consistent. I think there are many examples and wise words from historical figures that suggest we should be defeating hate with the opposite of hate: love. We must include intolerant people if peace is to be achieved in any way. And even if you are feeling vindictive, this approach makes you the more mature person who has their morals in alignment. I could be wrong about this, and certainly don't have all the answers, but it seems like our current practices aren't effective at all. This is just food for thought. Ask yourself, "am I a hateful person?" At first you might impeccably deny that, but upon further consideration, you might be surprised. I would enjoy hearing your thoughts on this. Be well everyone. 

A message of gratitude and constructive criticism. I'm incredibly thankful for everyone who has dedicated their lives and careers to public health, but I feel as though these conversations we're having about important scientific issues could be more productive.In summary, I'm frustrated by the sanctimony and reluctance to expose ourselves to new ideas, which I would argue is unscientific. The entire basis of science itself is asking questions. While there are definitely conspiracy theories and misinformation out there, I think the line is being blurred to the point where offering remotely dissenting opinions or alternatives solutions is belittled to the point where those ideas get lumped in with actual conspiracies. Unfortunately, whether we acknowledge it or not, politics and ideology influence science. So it is quite difficult to be objective though many scientists claim to be. We are all biased and must be open minded enough to consider every study out there and leave the door open to the mere possibility that we could be incorrect or proven wrong in the future. Science might be better seen as an ongoing process rather than a goal. I could be completely wrong about this, but at a least I'll admit that. I hope you find this interesting and I wish everyone well.

Henry Brechter is the managing editor at AllSides: a news website dedicated to addressing media bias and polarization by curating balanced news and promoting civil conversation. We talked about the mission of AllSides and ways that we can all be responsible news consumers.   Check out AllSides here: https://www.allsides.com/unbiased-balanced-news 

Stephanie McCullough is a financial planner at Sofia Financial. We talked about behavioral finance, the purpose and strategies of debt, student loans, independent responsibility vs. government policies, and more. Hope you enjoy it! (Recorded 6/9/21) 

I've been thinking a lot about impartiality, or the lack of it in our discourse. So I thought I'd share my observations and what I believe will help us improve our communication. 

Katie Koestner is an activist against sexual violence and an advocate for student safety and healthy relationships. She appeared on the cover of Time magazine at age 18, has given more than 16,000 speeches at more than 5,000 organizations around the world, has written more than 1,000 publications, and is one of the nation’s most sought-after experts regarding these topics. Hear about her story, her thoughts on the Me Too movement, and more. (Recorded 3/27/21) 

Dr. Ned Ketyer is a retired pediatrician and a member/President-Elect of Phsyicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania (PSRPA) which is a non-profit organization dedicated to public health, environmental, and climate advocacy. In our conversation, we talked about renewable energy, the Green New Deal, how to have an impact, the eventual displacement of workers, and more. (Recorded 3/11/21) 

Dr. John Fea is a Distinguished Professor of American History at Messiah University. In our conversation, we talked about historical parallels, populism, the 1776 Commission vs. the 1619 Project, the removal of statues, the second amendment, religious liberty vs. eliminating discrimination, the electoral college, and more. 

I spoke with my friend James and we talked about his experience being a Christian, skepticism, the difference between atheists & agnostics, controversial Biblical teachings, and more. Though slightly less formal than usual, I hope you enjoy our conversation. (Recorded 3/3/21) 

I spoke with Mike Guaglione, who taught an amazing series on the book "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis, about morality, philosophy, Christian apologetics, materialism, the literal vs. metaphorical interpretation of the Bible, social constructionism, and more. (Recorded 2/26/21) 

Dr. Johnson is a professor of psychology at Temple University. In our conversation, we talked about social psychology, polarization, stereotypes, extremism, censorship, ideological possession, and more. (Recorded 2/13/21)