Vinnie Potestivo, Talent Development and Brand Strategist
Vinnie Potestivo is an industry-leading media and talent innovator who is widely known for his inclusive and impactful approach to brand building and personal brand development.
Vinnie was an MTV Talent Exec from from 1998-2007. I was the guy at MTV who helped artists and celebrities claim their brands and their narrative in the original wave of unscripted television. Traditionally, I hired the VJs and scouted the MTV News Correspondents for all of our networks. Then, because of those relationships, I began developing original programming with artists like Ozzy Osbourne and Jessica Jessica Simpson on The Osbournes and Newlyweds. Then with actors like Ashton Kutcher on Punk'd, Nick Cannon on Wild 'n Out, and Wilmer Valderrama on Yo Momma! I'm the guy who put pop royalty in their first tv films when I cast Mandy Moore in 2gether and Beyoncé Knowles in Carmen: A Hip Hopera.
With over 25 years of experience, he and his teams have become well-trusted connectors who sell, develop, produce, launch, distribute, and amplify some of the most talked-about original series & talent brands in modern pop culture.
Personal brands Vinnie has helped elevate through the use of original content include Mandy Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Simpson, Ashlee Simpson, Tyrese Gibson, Lauren Conrad, Diane von Furstenberg, Rob Lowe, Danielle Fishel, Peter Thomas Roth, Kelly Osbourne, Kristin Cavallari, Nasir “Nas” Jones, Molly Sims, Vanessa Lachey, Susie Castillo, Damien Fahey, Quddus, Suchin Pak, Gideon Yago, Will.i.am, Ebro, DJ Clue, LaLa Anthony, Hilary Duff, and Leah McSweeney among others.
Corporate brands VPE: Vinnie Potestivo Entertainment, Inc. (vpetalent.com) has worked closely with include Macy’s, Samsung, Nikon, MLB, Peter Thomas Roth, June Jacobs Spa, Naturally Serious Skin, Kiehl’s, Hope Fragrances, Ciroc, Dow, Lady Foot Locker, AARP, Prudential & Allstate.
A conversation with Vinnie guides us to the fact that there is a process to being a successful recognized creative. That the notion of an overnight success is quite wrong. He shares the most insightful tips to help navigate the waters of a recognized creative.
Vinnie insists that artists have to realize that awards are so important. And they are not just handed out randomly they need to be applied for. This means that you need to believe in your work enough and want to apply for an award. Be it the Oscars, the Emmys, or whatever award given to recognize you as a creative.
Secondly, credits are equally as important. He observes that there is so much shame as a creative involved in asking for credit credits. And insists that you have to ask for an executive producer credit. Take credit for your podcast and create credit, for your podcast as well. The importance of credit sort of formalizes your production company. Second, It allows you to tag guests, which is a great way for discoverability
Third, build a team so that even when you are asking for that recognition there are people who deserve it as well in that collaborative effort. So, it made it easy for him to show up and ask for an award for himself and his team to know that they all won together. And so that we reconcile the personal creative platform vision that we have for our work with the thought that if nobody sees it, then you didn't get your message out.
Overall, Vinne gives creatives an amazing do list of valuable tips and tricks. From today's chat, we learn that as creatives we should take credit for our work, enter some awards, and find some collaborators, but also Vinne has encouraged us to tap into that inner mindset that inner creativity takes faith in our work.
"I Have A Podcast with Vinnie Potestivo," a collection of conversations with celebrities and creatives who aim to inspire us in our everyday lives, can be found on Apple Podcasts and anywhere else you listen to yours. IHAP’s companion video series I Have A Podcast on Television can be seen Thursdays on DirectTV, Distro TV, and Channel 285 on STIRR via bspoketv. For more information on viewing times, current episodes, and guest recommendations please visit ihaveapodcast.com.
Vinnie can be seen on linkedin.com/in/vinniepotestivo where he shares business and brand strategies for people looking to inspire and impact with media. You can also find him at instagram.com/vinniepotestivo where he over-shares photos of his two mini-schnauzers @BeauWellington and @DudleyGreenfield.
Vinnie Potestivo
Copyright 2025 Mark Stinson