A seasonal podcast talk-show hosted by Mikey Ilagan 

Night Caps Episode #5 “How I made my Hobby a Brand” welcomes local makers Will Gelatko and Will Stallwood discuss what it takes to turn your passion into a business, whether it be hand-crafted copper lamps or beautiful video game experiences. Where do passion, craft,and business intersect with your daily life? When do you start? How do you cultivate ideas and avoid responding to fads or trends? 

Doors will open at 6:30pm, and taping runs from 7:00pm to 8:30pm. Seating is limited, so register quickly and arrive early.

Unable to attend the event? Ask questions and suggest topics through Twitter by mentioning @aigaphilly #PHLnightcaps or by emailing info@aigaphilly.org.

ABOUT OUR GUESTS 

Will Gelatko was born and raised by a blue collar family deep in the coal mines of Northeastern Pennsylvania, and understands the dedication of blood, sweat & tears to create a successful project. Always having a fascination for the combination of science, math and art, Will was working towards degrees in Architecture and Mechanical Engineering before earning a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design.

Will currently resides in Philadelphia, where he spends his weekdays as Marketing Coordinator for Keating Consulting. He then spends his evenings and weekends dedicated to Mechanical Birds, a design & print studio he started with his fiancee, Danielle, in 2014.

At Mechanical Birds, Will considers himself an experimenter as much as a designer. The company allows him the ability to bring all his passion projects to life, some of which include, handmade copper lamps, screen printing, woodworking, building guitars and tinkering with electronics. 

On a personal level, Will has an overwhelming love for owls, Modest Mouse, street art and whiskey. Will never settles and is always hunting the next great project. He lives by the motto of “Keep Moving Forward”, meaning as the world and design evolves, so must he. 

Will Stallwood is a developer, artist, collaborator, and the co-founder of Cipher Prime, an award-winning game dev with an App Store Hall of Fame Game. Will himself has received a Webby award and has had the honor of being in publications like the Inquirer, Wired Magazine, and many other news sites. He resides in beautiful Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, running the Philly Game Forge, Philly Dev Night, and acting as Creative Director of the prestigious Philly Geek Awards. He's also been known to break a heart or two.