paulsunodeuce

TMYL: A New Chapter in Teaching and Mentoring Young Leaders
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Sometimes a name tells the story. Sometimes it only tells part of it.

For more than three decades, Todd Martin Youth Leadership has been helping young people discover what they are capable of through sports, mentorship, leadership and community involvement. What began in 1993 with a simple idea has grown into an organization that reaches thousands of young people each year.

Now, TMYL is entering a new chapter.

The commitment to young people has not changed. The mission has not been abandoned. Instead, the organization is taking a thoughtful look at how it presents itself and how it can become even more connected to the community it serves.
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It Started With a Racket

The original concept was straightforward: put a racket in the hands of a young person, surround them with positive role models and mentors, and let the power of sport create opportunities for growth.

The idea worked. Sport became the entry point, but the lessons extended far beyond the court. Young people were given opportunities to develop relationships, learn responsibility and see themselves as leaders.

Over the years, that approach has continued to evolve. TMYL has reached thousands of kids annually, creating experiences designed to help young people build confidence and develop the skills they need to navigate their lives.

The organization has always been about more than tennis. It has been about people.
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A Name That Tells the Story

As the organization looked toward the future, one question became increasingly important: Does the name accurately explain what TMYL does? The answer was clear.

25 Years of Creativity: Paul Henderson and the First Employee Chapter
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Twenty-five years of UnoDeuce Multimedia is a story made up of a lot of stories. There are the clients, the projects, the big moments and the unexpected challenges. But behind all of it are the people who helped build the company along the way.

On this episode of Mission Control, we look back at one of those people: Paul Henderson, the first employee hired to help move the creative mission forward. Paul’s story is also a reminder of what can happen when someone is given an opportunity, trusted to do the work and encouraged to keep growing.
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It Started With an Internship

Paul’s path to UnoDeuce began in 2011 with an internship connected to the Speed Channel. The job posting had an obvious appeal: fast cars, video production and the opportunity to spend a summer creating content around racing. Paul was interested, and the connection was immediate.

His first assignments took him to Dixie Motor Speedway, where the pace was anything but slow. Friday nights meant shooting races. Saturdays and Sundays meant editing. Monday meant having everything ready to go. It was a crash course in production, deadlines and figuring things out as you went.

The experience also gave Paul something that would become important throughout his career: the ability to walk into different environments, meet different personalities and find the story.
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From Speedways to Full-Time Storytelling

After spending time at the Lansing State Journal, Paul returned to UnoDeuce in a full-time role.

The work quickly expanded beyond racing. There were roller derby events, nonprofit projects, foster care stories and community organizations with stories that needed to be told. Every assignment brought a new set of people, circumstances and challenges.

That variety became part of the education.

Paul remembers how working in so many different environments helped prepare him for the work he does today. After graduating from Michigan State University in 2011, he eventually found his way back to MSU, where he now leads the video and photography division for the College of Natural Science.

His work today can take him from laboratories to marshes, documenting research and telling stories about the people behind it. The tools may have changed. The environments may be different. But the foundation remains the same.

Listen. Learn. Ask questions. Find the story.
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When the Work Means Something

One of the projects that stands out from Paul’s time at UnoDeuce involved Living Water Ministries and its anti-racism camp. The project presented a different kind of storytelling challenge. It wasn’t simply about capturing an event. It was about understanding the people involved and creating something that represented the importance of the work.

The finished video received an incredible response from the client, who called it “the best video ever.” For Paul, that moment represented something bigger than a compliment. It showed what happens when talented people are placed in the right environment and given the opportunity to contribute.

That idea is central to the UnoDeuce story. The goal has never been simply to operate a camera or edit a video. The goal is to help organizations tell stories that matter to the people they serve.
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More Than a Video Agency

Over the years, UnoDeuce projects have taken the team into just about every corner of the community. There were stories involving nonprofits, environmental organizations, arts groups, sports teams and countless other community partners.

Paul experienced that firsthand. From the Lansing Derby Vixens to semi-professional football teams, from foster care organizations to camps addressing important social issues, every project provided another opportunity to connect people through storytelling.

“We were more than just a video agency; we were here to share your story, telling narratives that connect communities.”

That philosophy continues to shape the work. Video is the tool. The relationship is what makes the story possible.
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And Then There Was the Goat

Of course, twenty-five years of storytelling would not be complete without a few things going wrong. Paul remembers an SD card finding its way into a dock crevice. Then there was the goat that decided a microphone looked like something worth eating.

These are the moments that don’t necessarily make it into the finished video, but they become part of the stories people remember.

Production requires preparation, but it also requires adaptability. Things happen. Equipment fails. Animals have opinions. You learn, laugh and keep going.
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The Value of Being Trusted

Looking back, Paul identifies one of the most important parts of his experience at UnoDeuce: having a mentor who trusted him. That trust gave him room to take on responsibility, make decisions and develop his own voice as a storyteller. It also created an opportunity for leadership and growth that extended far beyond a single internship or job.

That may be one of the most important parts of the UnoDeuce story as the company celebrates 25 years. The work matters. The stories matter. But so do the people who are given an opportunity to learn how to tell them.

Paul Henderson came through the door as an intern interested in video production. Today, he leads creative work of his own, carrying forward the skills and experiences developed along the way.
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25 Years and Counting

The story of UnoDeuce is ultimately a story about people. People who trusted us with their stories. People who joined the team. People who taught us something. People who challenged us. People who gave young creatives an opportunity to find out what they could do.

Paul’s journey is one chapter in that larger story.

Twenty-five years later, the mission remains pretty simple: find good people, build relationships and tell stories that matter. And if a goat eats a microphone along the way, well, that becomes part of the story too.

On today’s podcast, host Sheri Jones sits down with Antonio Botello III of Child & Family Charities to talk more about his barbershop talks program he started. They discuss how important it is for the young men they service and how inspiration for the program came from Antonio’s own personal loss.

The barbershop talks program pairs a free, professional haircut with in depth, life changing conversations about mental health and other struggles young men face. It’s a safe space for these men to be vulnerable and share their feelings in a setting that feels familiar and comfortable. It allows for conversations that they may not be able to have anywhere else.

It’s a conversation about mental health and the importance of connection.

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Family Mental Health Fun Day 2026: Building Resilient Communities
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Mental health can be a difficult conversation to start. Family Mental Health Fun Day is built around a simple idea: it doesn’t always have to be difficult.

Now in its fifth year, Family Mental Health Fun Day brought families, community organizations, vendors and volunteers together for a festival-style day focused on connection, education and wellness. It’s an opportunity to talk about mental health in a way that feels approachable, positive and, most importantly, fun.

The goal is bigger than one day. It’s about building stronger families and a stronger community.
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Bringing the Community Together

One of the most important parts of Family Mental Health Fun Day is seeing so many organizations come together around a shared purpose.

Mental health support is not something one organization can provide on its own. Families have different needs, and those needs can change over time. Having multiple organizations in one place gives families the opportunity to discover resources, ask questions and make connections they may not have known were available.

“Not one organization can do everything alone. It’s really nice to see when the vendors and organizations come together because the community can really see how it wraps around these families.”

That idea of a community wrapping around families is at the center of this event.

Every organization has something different to offer. Every family brings a different experience. Every volunteer plays a role. When those pieces come together, the result is a support network that is stronger than any one organization could create by itself.
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Making Mental Health Approachable

Family Mental Health Fun Day intentionally looks different from a traditional mental health event. There is free parking. Families receive a complimentary zoo ticket with participation. There are activities, opportunities to interact and plenty of ways to have fun.

Mental health conversations can sometimes feel intimidating, especially for families who may already be navigating challenges. Creating an environment where people can relax, enjoy themselves and talk with community partners helps remove some of those barriers.

The event makes room for serious conversations without making the entire day feel serious. Families can learn something new, meet someone who can help and spend time together. Sometimes the first step toward finding support is simply feeling comfortable enough to walk through the door.
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Learning Together as a Family

Family involvement is an important part of building positive mental health habits.

This yearly event gives parents, caregivers and children opportunities to learn together. Workshops and interactive activities provide practical tools that families can use at home, including ways to recognize emotions, develop coping strategies and encourage open communication.

The goal isn’t to provide a one-size-fits-all answer. It’s to give families information and tools they can use in everyday life. Those conversations can start anywhere. They can happen while participating in an activity, talking with a community organization or simply spending time together.

And sometimes, creating an opportunity for a family to talk is just as important as providing information.
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Starting Emotional Learning Early

A major focus of Family Mental Health Fun Day is emotional learning. Helping children understand their emotions early gives them another tool for navigating life. Children experience frustration, sadness, anxiety, excitement and everything in between. Learning to recognize those feelings and understand what they mean can help children respond in healthier ways.

“The younger we teach a child to recognize their emotions, the more positive a life they will lead.”

These lessons don’t have to happen in a classroom or during a formal counseling session. They can happen through conversation, play and everyday experiences. Teaching children that emotions are something they can recognize, talk about and work through helps give them a greater sense of understanding and control.
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Resilient Families Build Resilient Communities

The impact extends beyond the individual child. When families have the tools to communicate, understand emotions and support one another, they become stronger. When more families have those tools, the community becomes stronger.

That is the ripple effect of resilience.

A family that feels supported is better positioned to support its children. A child who learns emotional awareness can carry those skills into school, friendships and adulthood. A community that makes mental health part of the conversation creates more opportunities for people to ask for help before challenges become overwhelming.

Family Mental Health Fun Day is one piece of that larger effort. It brings people together, makes resources easier to access and reminds families that they don’t have to figure everything out alone.
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A Day That Matters

Family Mental Health Fun Day 2026 is more than a festival. It is a reminder that mental health belongs in the community conversation. It belongs at the kitchen table. It belongs in schools, neighborhoods and family activities. It belongs in the places where people already gather.

Most importantly, it belongs to all of us.

By bringing families and organizations together, Family Mental Health Fun Day creates an environment where learning and connection can happen naturally. It gives families an opportunity to have fun while discovering resources that can make a real difference.

The message is simple: stronger families create stronger communities. And when a community comes together to support one another, everyone has a better chance to thrive.

This month on Hope in Action, host Sheri Jones celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with three men that are making a huge impact around Lansing in the Hispanic community and beyond.

First, she sits down with Antonio Botello III, who has transformed a section of the Child & Family Charities drop-in center into a barbershop, where he sits down with young men around the community and gives them a safe place to have hard conversations around mental health and anything else they may be dealing with, all over a free haircut. The conversations are impactful, the emotions are raw, and the experience is truly life changing.

Next, she talks with Geronimo Lerma from Footprints of Michigan, who has been changing lives since 2014, one pair at a time. They talk about the origin of the idea and how important something as simple as a new pair of shoes can be to one’s confidence and self-worth.

Lastly, Tamera and Alicea from LAFCU sit down with Hezekiah Trevino from Ourspace Foundation. They discuss all the great events that Ourspace Foundation puts on throughout the year celebrating different cultures, ending with a lookahead preview at the upcoming 517 Hispanic Heritage Weekend.

Also, this month’s community calendar highlights some wonderful events coming up in September.

And be sure to check out this month’s companion podcast for a deeper conversation with Antonio Botello III of Child & Family Charities about his barbershop talks program, available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

A special thank you to our visionary sponsor, LAFCU, for their continued partnership.

From Intern to Industry Leader: Alyssa Sattler Reflects on the Power of Opportunity
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Every successful career has a starting point. Sometimes it’s a classroom. Sometimes it’s a first job. And sometimes it’s an internship where someone is willing to trust you with real responsibility before you feel completely ready.

As UnoDeuce Multimedia celebrates its 25th anniversary during Season 6 of the Mission Control podcast, we’re taking time to recognize the people who have helped shape our story. Some were mentors. Some were clients. Others were team members who grew alongside the company.

Alyssa Sattler fits all three.

One of UnoDeuce’s earliest interns, Alyssa joined the company while attending Michigan State University. More than a decade later, she’s built an impressive career in digital marketing and now serves as a Lead Media Product Marketing Consultant with Kroger Precision Marketing. Her journey is a reminder that investing in people often becomes the greatest investment an organization can make.
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Taking a Chance on Potential

When Alyssa first walked through the doors of UnoDeuce, social media marketing was still finding its footing. Facebook was evolving. Digital strategy was changing almost daily. Businesses were beginning to understand that online storytelling wasn’t just an option—it was becoming essential.

Rather than assigning busy work, UnoDeuce handed Alyssa meaningful projects. She wasn’t treated like an intern. She was treated like a teammate. That trust became one of the defining moments of her professional development.

“I learned so much, and you trusted in me so much as a 21- or 22-year-old,” Alyssa shared during the conversation.

That confidence allowed her to experiment, solve problems, and discover a passion that would ultimately define her career.
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Learning by Doing

At UnoDeuce, internships have always been built around real experiences. There aren’t simulations. There aren’t hypothetical case studies. There are actual clients, actual deadlines, and actual stories that matter.

For Alyssa, that meant learning how strategy, creativity, and communication all work together. She developed organizational skills. She learned how to manage projects. She adapted as digital platforms evolved almost overnight.

Perhaps most importantly, she learned that successful marketing isn’t about algorithms or trends. It’s about understanding people. Those lessons became the foundation for everything that followed.
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Building a Career One Opportunity at a Time

Following her internship, Alyssa continued expanding her experience through shopper marketing agencies, consumer packaged goods brands, and eventually the growing world of retail media. Today, she helps lead media product launches and marketing initiatives at Kroger Precision Marketing, working at the intersection of technology, retail, and consumer engagement.

While the scale of the work has changed, the mindset hasn’t. Stay curious. Be willing to learn. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Those principles first took shape during her time at UnoDeuce and continue guiding her career today.
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The Birth of the Deucey Awards

One of Alyssa’s lasting contributions to UnoDeuce is something many clients now look forward to every year.

The Deucey Awards.

What started as a fun idea inspired by The Office and its fictional “Dundie Awards” quickly became something much more meaningful. Instead of celebrating office antics, the Deuceys celebrate organizations making a difference in their communities. The awards recognize exceptional storytelling while shining a spotlight on nonprofits, schools, healthcare organizations, and businesses using video to inspire action.

More than a decade later, what began as a creative idea has become one of UnoDeuce’s signature traditions. It’s another reminder that great ideas don’t always come from experience. Sometimes they come from someone who’s simply encouraged to share their perspective.
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Relationships That Last

One of the recurring themes throughout Mission Control’s 25th anniversary season has been relationships. Clients become friends. Mentors become lifelong influences. Interns become colleagues.

Alyssa’s story reflects all of those. Even years after moving into new roles and new industries, the relationship with UnoDeuce has remained. That’s because the best partnerships aren’t measured by how long someone works for an organization. They’re measured by how long people continue supporting one another afterward.

Those relationships have always been central to UnoDeuce’s mission. Stories matter. People matter more.
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Life Beyond the Office

While Alyssa has built an impressive marketing career, she also believes in maintaining balance. Away from work, she enjoys traveling, attending concerts, taking barre classes, and spending time with her miniature Goldendoodle, Cooper. Those experiences fuel creativity and provide perspective beyond the workplace.

Great storytellers—and great marketers—never stop observing the world around them.
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Celebrating the Next Generation

Looking back, Alyssa’s journey isn’t just about one successful career. It’s about what becomes possible when someone is trusted early.

UnoDeuce’s internship program was created with that exact goal in mind. Give young professionals meaningful opportunities. Allow them to contribute. Help them discover what they’re capable of.

Twenty-five years later, that philosophy continues shaping the company and the people who pass through its doors.

As Alyssa reflected near the end of the conversation, she expressed gratitude for the partnership that helped launch her career while congratulating UnoDeuce on its milestone anniversary. It’s a fitting reminder that success isn’t measured only by awards or years in business.

Sometimes it’s measured by watching someone you once mentored become a leader in their own industry.