Inside the Making of a College Commencement Speech

When Ithaca College's president asked Jason DeLand to give this commencement address at his alma mater, he didn't hesitate for one second. DeLand, the co-founder of a big-time advertising firm called Anomaly, has quite the inspiring, rags-to-riches story. He grew up penniless on a street called Swamp Road. But he put himself through college and established an agency known for its viral Super Bowl ads. In the episode, DeLand talks about the process of writing his commencement speech, the profound role of teachers in his life, what makes advertisements stick, how that industry is changing, and what he's learned about life and writing over the years. 

Sign up for Jon Small's online writing masterclass, The Secret Formula to Writing Nonfiction Stories. https://bit.ly/smallmasterclass

Get all the latest tips and tricks about writing on the substack newsletter Small Talk. https://bit.ly/smalltalksubstack