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Meet Jackie Goldstein of Creative Strategies

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackie Goldstein.

Jackie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
After college, I was an Assistant Art Director in a prominent ad agency in Cleveland, OH. Setting the tone for the pretzel logic of my career: I wanted to live in Toronto, but I needed another year’s work experience to get my work visa. I decided to spend that year in Atlanta. I’ve now been in Atlanta almost 40 years.

When I moved to Atlanta, I freelanced and worked for an assortment of agencies and corporations, until getting my position at WSB TV – that would alter the course of my career. I was the Asst. Art Director there for several years and later became the Art Director of Turner Broadcasting. At Turner, I was responsible for all print advertising and how it translated to on-air, for TBS, CNN, Headline News, Turner Home Entertainment, The Braves, The Hawks, The Goodwill Games, The CNN Center… all Turner Properties. I’m most proud of building a small but powerful award-winning team of creatives.

After I left Turner, I ran away and traveled through Europe for a few months. When I returned, I started a new media company with my partner, Mike Wittenstein. We called it Galileo. Galileo was the first company in Atlanta to deal in New Media marketing and advertising – we did the first website (for Holiday Inn WorldWide) that took online reservations in real time, we did the first speaker support piece for Apple computer that ran off of an Apple Computer… we really were ahead of our time, and the prototype for many of today’s new media advertising companies.

About 20 years ago, I sold Galileo and I’ve been a creative consultant ever since. I help all kinds of companies develop their brands with strategic creative – words and images that tell stories that resonate with customers.

Has it been a smooth road?
It’s been a surprising road, not always a straight one, not always a smooth one. But it’s those bumps and twists that make it exciting and lead to unexpected experiences. At Turner, it was an upper management change and politics that created the environment that made my difficult decision to leave.

With Galileo, it was the struggles of being a small business on the bleeding edge. Being a missionary for applying new (and often untested) technology to advertising and marketing initiatives, filling the pipeline with projects and, of course, cash flow. I’m really proud to have been a founder of Galileo and contributed to its growth for over 10 years.

As a consultant, I’ve really had to learn to trust the process – work doesn’t always come at a steady flow. Sometimes it’s excessive, sometimes there are lulls. The struggle is to just relax through those times.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Jackie Goldstein (I’m an independent consultant in Creative Strategies) – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
“I help my clients find the core truths of their business (their Brand) and create emotional connections with their customers in all of their materials and customer touch points.”

I can take a project from strategy to creative direction to design to production. I’m “media fearless” and have worked across the board in print, digital, video, broadcast, 3-D, POP… you name it. 

Let’s face it, your brand is critical to your business. So taking new directions can be a little scary. I’ve had clients confess that they were nervous when the project started because they didn’t know where we would end up. I confess that I don’t come into a project with the answers (just a lot of questions) so I don’t know where we’ll end up either.

However, I’ve been down this road with every successful project – and to me, that’s the exciting part. I’ve learned how to trust the process. If we commit to open communication and ethical behavior – we’ll get to the right place and get great outcomes.

Fun is a critical component when I work. I take the work very seriously and am a seasoned professional, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be really enjoyable for everyone. I’ve founded, grown and sold a business, so I know what it’s like to be on that side of the table. I’m a creative who uses both sides of their brain.

Clients come to me when they need a better way to connect with their customers. They usually have a specific project: a website, an ad campaign, a rebranding corporate ID project. Some bring me in when they’re designing and defining a new business, starting a critical initiative, or for a needed fresh update.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What I like best about Atlanta: It’s my home. I love that it’s always growing, always changing. And yet, the people (except in rush hour) are friendly and welcoming.

What I like least: The traffic of course. There have been a number of times I’ve decided not to attend an event based on what a hassle I know the traffic will be.

Contact Info:

Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

1 Comment

  1. MIMI TESTEN

    August 9, 2018 at 4:03 am

    I am so impressed by Jackie Goldstein and her OUTSTANDING and fearless creativity. I, personally, wish I had been in touch with her forty years ago in trying to develop my “brand” and put my faith into my talents. I was, truly, fearful of failure – so I did not venture into things that I SHOULD have at the time. Jackie’s talent, personality and drive are, indeed, enviable.

    BRAVA on this wonderful article about a native Clevelander – turned hometown Atlanta woman!!
    Tell us MORE about her in a future article?

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