MBA in Entertainment, University of Southern California | Ex: Disney, JPMorganChase, KPMG, PwC

Fun fact: My LinkedIn isn't my resume. 

So don't come here looking to evaluate hiring me based on my LinkedIn. 

Or maybe you should look at my LinkedIn to realize I beautifully blend data and analytics with entertaining and educational storytelling. 

I always dreamed of being a television programmer. It never happened, so instead I live out my dream programming LinkedIn like my own TV channel. 

Over the past 5 years, I’ve logged 10,000+ hours on this platform. I’ve built a following of 100,000+ by programming my LinkedIn like my own TV channel. My content isn’t random. It’s strategic. Story-driven. Designed to drive real outcomes.

And it’s worked, generating $10M+ in deals for the companies I've worked. Read that one again. Not me, but my companies. The power of companies leveraging LinkedIn is the future of LinkedIn. 

In 2021, I launched a global  events company while working with a Mark Cuban and Ashton Kutcher startup, producing 40+ events in LA, NYC, Dubai, Paris, and London that drove millions of dollars in  revenue. I understand how to leverage LinkedIn so companies can drive real results. 

A few highlights:

-Closed a strategic partnership with CAA
-Raised $7M in funding for a Mark Cuban venture-backed startup
-Secured $4.13M in brand deals for one of the world’s top celebrities

My background spans banking (JPMorganChase), global advisory (PwC, KPMG), and a decade as CFO/COO in the luxury design world, managing 50+ people and overseeing $40M+ in ARR and $1B+ in real estate projects for icons like President Obama, George Clooney, and Cindy Crawford.

I’ve lived and worked in LA, NYC, and Dubai. I’ve built communities in tech, luxury, and now the creator economy. I’m obsessed with solving complex business problems through storytelling, partnerships, and scalable brand strategy.

Always open to meeting new and interesting people that love life, love to win, and love to make the world a better place.

John Kraski

Want to win on LinkedIn?

Talk about someone other than yourself.

My first post of 2026 is a shoutout.

To Nila Makhfi, M.S.

We both went to University of Southern California.
Same school. Same campus. Same Trojan pride. 
Never crossed paths.

Then LinkedIn happened.

We connected here.
Finally talked this past week.
And now we're teaming up.

We're putting together an event at USC. 
To teach students the power of LinkedIn.

Because in this job market?
A personal brand isn't a nice-to-have.
It's a necessity.

And Nila Makhfi, M.S. gets it.

She graduated with a 4.0 in her master's.
Consulted for Snap, LinkedIn, and Dunkin'.
Founded LinkedUp to bring creators together IRL.

The woman is a force.

That's the magic of LinkedIn.

It connects people who should've met years ago.
And turns strangers into collaborators.

So here's to 2026.
Here's to Nila Makhfi, M.S.
And here's to talking about someone other than yourself.

Trust me and Nila Makhfi, M.S. on this one.

Creator, Celebrity, and Brand Partnerships Executive I MBA in Entertainment, University of Southern California

I showed up to a conference with no friends.

Then Monica Khan saved my life.

Creator Economy Live in Las Vegas.
Hosted by my good friend Justin Johnson

Hundreds of creators.
Everyone already knew each other.
I knew no one.

I started having flashbacks of high school.

Was I going to be walking around like a lost little puppy dog?

With no friends that wanted to hang out with me. 

Then Monica Khan came to the rescue. 

I landed in Vegas around the same time as her.

She said, "Don't worry. Stick with me. I'll introduce you to everyone."

And she did.

I met so many amazing people including: 

David Neyman, Joe Sousa, Val Guerrera, Kimia Kalbasi, Gary Zucker, Garin Fons, Adrienne Fleming, MS, Erica Fieldman, Kenny Layton, Colin Duethorn, Meredith McLuckie, Grace Niu, Lisa Zlotnick, Courtney Buckhanon, Brendan Gahan, Keith Bendes, France Tantiado, Dylan Huey, Nila Makhfi, M.S., Oksana Kravchenko, Morgan Swinford, and so many more. 

Monica Khan took me under her wing.
Introduced me to her friends.
Invited me to her events.

She even got me into an amazing dinner hosted by Later.
Special shoutout to Tim Clarke, Scott Sutton, and Lyle Stevens. 

Think about that.

Most people at conferences network for themselves.
The best ones open doors for others.

That's the difference between a connector and a collector.

Collectors hoard relationships.
Connectors share them.

Make sure to follow Monica Khan.

Trust me and every person with no friends at a conference on this one.

Your degree won't get you hired.

Your network will.

21% of Duke MBAs were still job hunting 3 months after graduation.

15% at Michigan.

That's according to The Wall Street Journal.

These are elite programs.

And the job market is still brutal.

Here's the uncomfortable truth most students learn too late:

A degree gets you educated.
A network gets you employed.

That's why I'm heading back to the University of Southern California.

I got my MBA there.
Now I want to give something back.

I'll be on a panel about personal branding on LinkedIn.

With Nila Makhfi, M.S., Jessica Lam, and Dylan Huey.

We're breaking down how to actually build relationships that lead to jobs.

Because the students who crack this?

They're not sending 300 applications.

They're getting warm intros.
Recruiter DMs.
Offers before graduation.

LinkedIn isn't a resume database.

It's a relationship engine.

And right now, relationships beat résumés.

Register here: https://lnkd.in/gbzJREK4

Trust me and every student struggling to find a job on this one.

The best kept secret on LinkedIn?

Azzy Maizer✨.

Not going to lie.

I thought she was AI at first.

Her posts are seriously next level.

The pacing.
The energy.
The intelligence.

Then we got on a call.

Two hours later, I realized I was wrong.

AI has nothing on her.

She's just operating on a different level.

Goldman Sachs.
Now part of Deloitte's stealth venture arm.
Building relationships with Anthropic, OpenAI, and Neo4j.

She creates playbooks before the market even exists.

Her banner says it all: "Together makes progress."

She's not here to chase followers.

She's here to make the world a better place.

That's why I follow her.

I love connecting with people who don't think like me.

People who open my mind to new ways of thinking.

Azzy is one of those people.

Do yourself a favor.

Follow Azzy Maizer✨.

Trust me and the future of AI on this one.

taplio