You’re scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, and a video pops up. How often do you press play and watch the entire clip? Do you tell yourself “I’ll watch this later when I have time?” And how often does that actually happen?
These were Jeff Gregorio’s thoughts when he set out to create an outlet specific to the vinyl wrap industry last October. “Videos are a wonderful medium to learn and talk about the industry, but how much time do you actually have to sit down and watch them?” he asked. So, after much research, he turned to podcasts. “The podcast platform works well for the working wrapper because you can be traveling, doing office work, or actively wrapping and still not miss an episode.”
In the first-ever podcast specific to wrapping, “All Wrapped Up Podcast,” Gregorio talks to leaders of wrap companies as they share their tips and tricks, how they got involved in the business, the struggles and the opportunities as wrappers, juggling personal lives with work, and more. “It’s nice to hear someone’s story and really dive deep with them.”
“All Wrapped Up Podcast” is created in his home studio with a mic, cellphone, and computer.
“My focus was building the podcast the right way from the start: creating a website, using good equipment, and making it a high priority to be accessible on all devices.”
Gregorio is passionate about the industry – and that’s due in part to his background. During an internship in college, he cut, weeded, and taped for a small local sign and lettering shop; taught himself how to use FlexiSign; and began producing graphics for local car clubs. In 2007, he launched his own shop from his kitchen table, Designflow Graphics (later Designflow Wraps), with a focus on vehicle lettering. Two years later, he had a building to call his own.
“Learning about all the wrap materials and how to properly install them gave me a real appreciation for this craft and I take pride in great quality work,” he says on his site.
Gregorio stays in the wrap game today by freelancing in vehicle wrap designing and consulting under Profile Design Studio, but with 500 subscribers (at the time of this interview), his main focus is on the podcast.
Since his launch in November, Gregorio has interviewed 31 wrappers, many of them founders of shops. “Yes, I want to talk to industry leaders, but I want to talk to the little guys, too,” he says. “The new people have a different way of doing things.”
When asked what his favorite podcast so far has been, Gregorio said he loves them all, but one especially tugged on his heartstrings. Kevin Kempf, founder of PG Nola, a custom vehicle wrap designer and installer in Louisiana, had just lost his son, who was a huge part of his business. The two spoke for two and a half hours. If you listen to the podcast, you can tell that Kempf’s phone quality wasn’t the best – the struggles of audio technology in a podcast world – but it doesn’t bother Gregorio. “It’s raw.”
Need another reason to listen to “All Wrapped Up Podcast?” Gregorio makes sure he interviews at least one woman in the wrap industry each month. “It’s a huge priority for me,” he says.
To hear new and archived “All Wrapped Up Podcast” episodes, head to allwrappeduppodcast.com or search within Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, or iHeart Radio.