OUR TEAM

Meet the cool dudes who help make this spaceship run, baby.

FOUNDER + HOST

auGi Garred
MM CODENAME: SuperCharger

Creative madman. Coach. Comedy casualty.

auGi is author of the forthcoming book Running Naked Through the Valley of the Unemployed.
He just needs to finish writing it. At this rate, it should be ready for pre-order by 2112.
Over three decades, he’s launched four startups (with two exits), created groundbreaking campaigns for AT&T and the National MS Society, electrified audiences at The Second City (with humor, no one was injured), was called “a brilliant funnyman” by the executive producer of The Late Late Show and totally bombed his audition for Last Comic Standing.
auGi founded Molting Men to build the kind of community he couldn’t find when he needed it most — one for Gen-X creative dudes who feel like Hermie from the Island of Misfit Toys — just older now. Hopefully wiser. And finally ready to take control of their destiny.

See auGi’s LinkedIn Profile

Meet Your MoltMasters

A rotating roster of operatives helping you build what’s next with less self-doubt and more firepower. They drop in to calls, participate in community threads, and host workshops to share real-world experience, hard-won insights, and tactical wisdom to help you build the life and career you imagine.

MOLTMASTER

JOHN KIESELHORST
MM CODENAME: Iron Enthusiast

Agency veteran. Creative instigator. Chaos wrangler.

John’s a lifelong creative instigator with a knack for turning chaos into clarity. He brings a grounded presence, a philosophical lens, and firsthand insight from building his own ventures to help you shed what’s no longer working and realize fresh possibilities.
Prior to co-founding Geezer Creative he led campaigns for brands like Domino’s, Lyft, and PopSockets, and honed his craft at agencies including CP+B, Arnold, and David&Goliath.

See John’s LinkedIn Profile

MOLTMASTER

STEVE KLINETOBE
MM CODENAME: ShapeShifter

Creative trailblazer. Story catalyzer. Pivot guide.

Whether making the big leap to a new industry, pivoting to consulting, or wrestling Bigfoot from space, Steve’s electrifying molting journey from agency founder to his current role as ScalePassion’s Chief storyteller, shows seasoned creatives how to break free from the traditional path and embark on their own adventure, proving that it’s never too late to rewrite your script. He’s boosted the reach of brands including HP, Microsoft, Dreamworks, eHarmony and Leatherman.

See Steve’s LinkedIn Profile

MOLTMASTER

JOHN CRAFT
MM CODENAME: Proteus

Bullshit slayer. Strategy whisperer. Dockers kicker.

John’s path from Portland agency co-founder to AT&T executive reads like a case study in high-stakes reinvention. He’s led $5B global organizations, negotiated game-changing contracts, and helped reshape how massive companies do business.
A former president of the Oregon Creative Services Alliance, John speaks both design and enterprise fluently. These days, he brings that rare mix of systems thinking, strategic clarity, and hard-earned wisdom to the Molting Men community. Calm, razor-sharp, good-humored, and deeply grounded, John is a business mentor who can help you cut through complexity, see the real play, and take bold, focused action—especially when you're stuck in your own head. When you need a strategic kick in the pants, John’s the one you want in your corner.

See John’s LinkedIn Profile

MOLTMASTER

STUART PAAP
MM CODENAME: The Genominator

Clarity architect. Outcome advisor. Pitch coach.

Stuart has lived many lives: stand-up comedian, financial advisor, and now, as the Founder and CEO of DNATE, the guy biotech CEOs call when they need to explain something complex in laymen’s terms. He’s sharp. He’s funny. He’s honest about the chaos in the middle — when you’re not sure who you are anymore, but you do know you’re not done yet. His clients have raised hundreds of millions of dollars, scaled breakthrough science, and transformed bold ideas into real-world results.

See Stu’s LinkedIn Profile

“THE MOLTING MAN”

The Wise Advisor

If there’s anyone who knows how to molt, it’s this sweaty, maybe real (and maybe not) icon of the entertainment industry. From screenwriter to artist, to early-stage new media maven, The MM has done it all.

When he’s not taking classified meetings at the Chateau Marmont (or cranking Zeppelin on his ‘68 Garrard 401 turntable), he sheds sprinkles of wisdom (along with those of our community members) on LinkedIn.

#OWNIT