Rewiring The Game

In this episode of Rewiring the Game, host Jade flips the script to sit down with their OG mentor, creative powerhouse, and longtime friend, Tina Reynolds. Tina is the founder of Uptown Studios, a Sacramento-based design and marketing firm she built from scratch in 1992 with nothing but a single computer and sheer determination. From a chance meeting over a "queer pour" of red wine at a restaurant counter to co-founding activist movements, Jade and Tina trace a 20-year arc of mentorship, role reversal, and unfiltered life lessons. At 77 years young, Tina is proof that staying open to the world is a lifetime gig.Together, they dive deep into the philosophy of saying "yes" first and figuring out the mechanics later. Tina shares the raw reality of navigating major life pivots: coming out in her 40s, learning how to date women, and building an agency focused entirely on social change. From creating a wildly successful drowning-prevention campaign to launching Equality Action Now overnight in response to Prop 8, this conversation explores what happens when you refuse to let complacency win. Whether you are trying to break out of your own "bubble," looking for the discipline to tackle the unglamorous side of business, or figuring out how to pass the mantle of activism to the next generation, Tina’s fierce focus and "livable Bible" provide an authentic roadmap for a rich, full life.Timestamps:00:00 Welcome to Rewiring the Game: Meeting the OG Mentor01:05 The Queer Pour: How Jade and Tina Met at Cafe Bernardo02:21 The Philosophy of "Yes": Saying Yes and Figuring It Out Later03:50 Rocking the Boat: Why People Quit Relationships and Business Too Early07:32 The Freedom to Discover: Navigating the Things You Don't Know You Don't Know08:09 Pivoting at 40: Bankruptcy, Coming Out, and Rebuilding Uptown Studios11:16 The Rule of No Assholes: Creating a Value-Driven Agency culture12:25 Pick Up the Phone: The Lost Art of Tribal Communication16:02 Breaking Down Silos: Seeing Outside the Client's Bubble21:01 Behavior Change vs. Billboards: Shifting Perspectives in Modern Marketing22:16 Life Looks Good on You: Turning 15 Drownings into Zero23:50 Tina's Rewire: Focus Like a Motherfucker on the Unglamorous Admin Work29:03 The Mechanics of Maintenance: Why the Boring Stuff Keeps You Afloat29:33 Living Through the AIDS Crisis: Grief, Loss, and the "Condom Lady" Era33:01 The Prop 8 Heartbreak: Launching Equality Action Now from the Office36:48 Resisting Complacency: Hateful Rhetoric and Passing the Mantle to the Next Generation39:18 Tina's Livable Bible: Act with Loving Kindness and Check YourselfEpisode Resources:Agency Website: Uptown StudiosFollow us:Jade Baranski: Instagram, Tiktok, LinkedInTina Reynolds: Instagram, LinkedInRewiring the Game: Website, Tiktok, LinkedInDon't forget: What is your aim, and how are you rewiring your game? If this episode landed for you, send it to someone who needs a reminder to show up, say yes, and have the ovaries to take action. See you in the next one.

Jade returns for Episode 3 of Rewiring the Game to explore the "cognitive dissonance" of navigating disparate worlds - from staging anti-war protests as a teenager to briefing generals at the Pentagon. Following the purchase of their first tech company at the start of COVID-19, Jade shares how a digital communication platform was transformed into a critical infrastructure for food banks struggling with paper-based social services. This experience served as a bridge into the world of enterprise tech and multi-million dollar government grants.This episode is a deep dive into maintaining authenticity in traditional domains and the power of "holding two truths". Jade discusses their journey as a queer, non-binary leader in the Department of Defense space and how their background in competitive debate taught them to see beyond binary belief systems. Whether you are navigating a massive career shift or seeking to align your personal values with high-level business strategy, this episode provides a blueprint for playing "in the gray" and leveraging human connection to solve broken systems.Timestamps00:00 Welcome to Rewiring the Game: Playing in the Gray01:33 Purchasing the First Tech Company During COVID-1902:31 Solving the Social Services Gap: Digital Food Bank Infrastructure04:01 Transitioning to Software as a Service (SaaS) and Selling04:31 Entering Enterprise Tech: Working with the Department of Defense05:50 Authenticity and Pronouns in the Business World06:40 Briefing the Pentagon: Navigating Cognitive Dissonance08:50 From Anti-War Protestor to Military Innovation Partner10:30 Fixing Broken Systems: Streamlining Government Innovation11:32 Early Life: Bullying, Books, and the Struggle to Fit In12:30 The Power of Debate: Learning to Argue Both Sides13:15 College "Subpar Attempt" and the First Marketing Mentor13:58 Traveling Southeast Asia: Finding a Different Path14:59 The Thread of Connection: People and Collective Consciousness16:09 What Humans Truly Want: Relationships, Freedom, and Security17:34 Embracing the Gray: Moving Beyond Personal AttachmentsEpisode Resources:TiktokLinkedInWebpageDon't forget: What is your aim, and how are you rewiring your game? If this episode landed for you, send it to someone who is tired of the "traditional" way of doing things. See you in the next one.

Jade introduces the debut episode of Rewiring the Game, a podcast designed for those who thrive in the "gray" and are ready to challenge traditional binaries of right and wrong. This inaugural episode explores Jade’s personal evolution from a "righteous" activist in her 20s to a serial entrepreneur who has successfully built and sold three companies. She shares a profound somatic breakthrough that shifted her perception of reality from intellectual theory to a deep, physical sense of universal connectedness.Jade delves into the intersection of existential growth and business strategy, arguing that because businesses are built by people, they inherit all the bias, insecurity, and need for love that humans carry. She discusses her "playbook" approach to coaching, moving past surface-level sales tactics to address the deep-seated mindset issues - like the belief that one doesn't deserve money or authority - that create success ceilings. Whether you are a high-performer hitting a wall or a seeker looking for "plays" to navigate a newly regulated industry, this episode sets the stage for a journey of intentional transformation.Timestamps00:00 Welcome to Rewiring the Game: Playing in the Gray00:48 The "Why": Why This Podcast and Why Now?01:05 Eight Out of Ten: Why Most People Won't "Get" You01:30 Finding Your Tribe: Comfort in the Gray and Doing the Work02:20 Opening New Doors: The Lens of a New Reality03:00 Somatic vs. Intellectual: A Body-Led Breakthrough04:05 Moving Beyond Separation: Your Pain is My Pain04:45 The Breakdown and the Trampoline: Evolution Through Connection05:30 From Righteous to Related: Befriending the "Other"06:55 Why Existentialism Matters in Business: No Tech Without People07:45 The Facade: Why You Can’t Hide Who You Really Are08:25 The Ideal Client: Success, Fulfillment, and the Traditional Wall09:20 Breaking the Ceiling: Moving Beyond Mismatching Business Models10:00 Running the Plays: No Correct Playbook, Just Experiments11:00 Synchronicity in Action: The Micro Healing Center Miracle12:15 Facing the Fear: Risk and Regulation in New Industries13:10 Tactics as Band-Aids: Why Mindset is the Real Work15:00 Foundational Proof: Building, Scaling, and Selling Three Companies15:45 "Gently Shake the World": The Power of Unspoken Connection17:00 The Aim: Learning from Experts to Apply New Plays17:35 Closing: Don’t Waste the MomentEpisode Resources:Tiktok LinkedInEpisode WebpageDon't forget: What is your aim, and how are you rewiring your game? If this episode landed for you, send it to someone who is tired of the "traditional" way of doing things. See you in the next one.