Every day, our team applies skill, experience, craft, creativity…
but quite often, it’s inspo from outside the studio that sparks magic. In this series, we look at how our lives away from work help us at the office.

Without a keyboard in front of him, Dan struggles to figure out what to do with his hands.

Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Dan Steiner and I’m a Senior Writer.

Sometimes that means telling a strategic story.

Sometimes that means helping brands find their voice.

And sometimes that means proofreading and editing a 200-page guidelines document.

What are three things you need to succeed each day?
Coffee. Strong. Often.

Oh, you said three things, not three words.

After coffee, I need the team to understand (and, thankfully, they do) that I will chew Sharpie lids and will swear when a sentence goes awry.

Finally, I need pop in my ears (here’s some Carly Rae Jepsen: you’re welcome), because when the work is intense, I need the music to be as sweet and fluffy as freshly spun fairy floss.

What’s some personal inspo that helps you get the job done?
Not sure I’d call this inspiring, or even that personal, but always having the captions on during shows and movies has helped my writing.

I like having to read while I watch stuff because I feel more focused and engaged with what’s on-screen. In terms of my work, seeing the words paired with the action gives me a better grasp of different voices, the rhythms and structure of language, even the way narratives come together.

Closed captioning opens minds!

Nice headshot, by the way.

Thanks. I was waiting for you to comment on it.