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YCC Spotlight: Gregory George Moore & Adam Fitzgerald, Iron & Air Media

Gregory George Moore: Co-Founder & Director of Marketing | Editor-in-Chief, Bike EXIF

Gregory is the co-founder of Iron & Air Media, a creative media company that specializes in automotive and motorcycle enthusiast culture. He also serves as the editor-in-chief of Bike EXIF, the premier destination on the internet for custom motorcycling. With decades of experience in the creative industry, Gregory has used his deep understanding of automotive and motorcycle enthusiast culture to build and manage social media audiences in the millions. Gregory is a formally educated designer and self-taught illustrator, photographer, and writer. He has managed creative projects with brands such as Toyota, Suzuki and Converse.

Adam Fitzgerald: Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief

Adam serves as the editor-in-chief of Iron & Air Magazine and ironandair.com. A passionate automotive and motorcycle enthusiast with a formal education in design and over 20 years’ experience in the field, Adam’s discerning content creation skill focuses on fuel culture and the enthusiast mindset. Self-taught as a writer, photographer, and illustrator, he has also creative directed branded editorial projects with clients such as Indian Motorcycle, Converse, Rebel Bourbon and more.

Q: Iron & Air began as social-first and quickly grew sizable followings on Instagram and Facebook prior to producing the print magazine. Now you’ve added an engaging online platform to the mix — can you tell us about what that transition has been like, evolving into a multichannel media platform, and what this says about your audience?

Gregory: Iron & Air has always taken a technology and new media-first approach. When the print magazine was still new to us, it represented a challenge in the digital age — building a desirable print product in the time of dwindling attention spans and ephemeral content feeds. But it quickly found a loyal core audience. The print magazine served as a “full meal” companion to the bite-sized content happening on social. Seeking growth, the next logical step for Iron & Air was to build a true digital destination for the brand to explore its unique type of storytelling online. While we’re in the beginning stages of this new journey with ironandair.com, we’re proud to be delivering on our mission to bring engaging storytelling to motorcycle and automobile enthusiasts, no matter the medium. The audience we’ve built seems more than willing to take this next adventure with us and we’re looking forward to all that’s ahead. 

Adam: When we started out, we were simply trying to attract an audience of people who were into the same things we were and then give them something we couldn’t find ourselves. The result was a unique point of view on the culture of motorcycling (and later automotive) — packaged and delivered in our own way, no matter the medium the message was being delivered through. When we really had the chance to rethink the web experience for Iron & Air, we took that same approach trying to create something fresh that we’d want to experience ourselves. So far, the response has been great — so we must be doing something right. 

Q: In today’s media landscape, audiences have so many options at their disposal, how does Iron & Air and Bike EXIF differentiate themselves and stand out?

Gregory: Our instincts. This isn’t the most technical answer, but I believe it to be true. They say you can’t teach or buy taste, yet we see ourselves as tastemakers and stewards of the cultures we’re part of and cover. Providing a bit of context and performance data to back this up, for Bike EXIF, it’s all about exclusivity and quality — Bike EXIF is the headquarters of the custom motorcycle community. To be featured is a badge of honor for hundreds of small boutique motorcycle shops and businesses pouring their hearts and creativity into these machines. And the audience shows up for it nearly every day

Adam: With so many things in our lives vying for just a sliver of our time, we don’t take for granted when a member of our audience chooses to give us some of that irreplaceable commodity. I’ve always believed that Iron & Air should deliver the same experience one would get if they were to take a road trip — there will always be the expected and familiar parts but there could also be unexpected discoveries and learnings to be gained from it all. Inevitably, you’d come out the other side of that journey a different person. We want the experience of engaging with Iron & Air to provide something similar. Knowing our readers engage with Iron & Air because they’re cut from a similar cloth to our own, our goal is to give them a lot to discover and explore within the content experience we’ve created and ultimately add value to their lives. If you are looking to see what an Iron & Air road trip really looks like, check out Sea to Sky where we ride across NH to explore some of the best routes, roadside attractions, and cuisine the Granite State has to offer.

Q: As Editors-In-Chief, what experiences — whether professional or personal — before Iron & Air would you say have been most helpful in fueling your success in your current roles?

Gregory: For me, it was skate culture, writing music and being in bands. In many ways being in a band is like running a small business. You’ve got to motivate the other band members, convince them of your ideas, make a product and sell it. Skate culture is an ever-evolving organism of what’s cool and what’s not. There’s a lot of gatekeeping but it taught me to be incredibly discerning about my taste.

Adam: Similar to Gregory, skate culture was a huge influence in my life. It was less of a leisure activity and more of a way of living and viewing the world through a new lens that encompassed all the things I loved — art, music and design. It taught me a lot and exposed me to many cultures I may not have otherwise been privy to. I always had a passion for automobiles; my affinity for motorcycling came later in life. Even so, I instantly saw similarities in the culture of motorcycling and cars that were present in skateboarding. It only seemed logical to apply what we gleaned from skate culture to what we wanted to create with Iron & Air.

Q: It’s not every day someone gets to truly blend their personal passion or hobby with a career. What has it been like for you translating your love for machines into a business?

Gregory: It’s amazing and frustrating all at once. As they say, everything becomes work eventually but at the end of the day, I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done, the work we continue to do, the audience we’ve built and the tiny little dent that Iron & Air has made on the universe.

Adam: I have to agree with Gregory. When your passion becomes your profession, you ride a fine line between that thing being cathartic or driving you catatonic. Ten years in, I’m still constantly inspired by the subject matter so I like to think I’ve found some form of balance. It’s also important to remember that at the end of the day, this is a business and there are particular business functions that need to happen for it to be successful. Developing a pragmatic side toward the thing we’re passionate about has been critical to making good decisions that influence the future of the business.

Q: Looking back to when you co-founded Iron & Air Media, what do you wish you knew then that you know now and what advice would you give to your younger selves?

Gregory: Always start before you’re ready. Information and education can become an advanced form of procrastination. Be bold and confident in your decision making — a bad decision is better than no decision.

Adam: Surround yourself with the people you want to be more like. When something (or someone) feels wrong — personally or professionally — it probably is.

Q: What are your aspirations for the Iron & Air and Bike EXIF brands over the next few years?

Gregory: To keep Bike EXIF as the global voice of custom motorcycling and also develop authentic yet effective ways to monetize the brand better while continuing to serve the needs of our dedicated and loyal audience. 

Adam: To grow Iron & Air Media into a multivertical media brand serving motorcycling and automobile enthusiast audiences around the world through passion-driven content. And to make some money while doing it, if I’m being completely honest.

Q: How do you see York Creative Collective playing a role in achieving those objectives?

Gregory: Whether that be investment or talent, YCC brings decades of experience to the table — we hope that can play an instrumental role in our future success.

Adam: In every phase of a business, there are unique challenges to overcome and opportunities to capitalize on — having a team of industry experts at our disposal gives us an edge we otherwise wouldn’t have as we enter this next phase of growth. Essentially, YCC is like having a pit crew for your business — ready to tackle any of the things you’ll routinely or unexpectedly encounter along the way.

York Creative Collective Featured in Business Insider

YCC’s innovative business and operating model was built around the belief that creativity is the ultimate brand and business advantage. Learn how YCC and 11 other “advertising upstarts” are challenging the ad giants and traditional holding companies in this Business Insider article featuring Founder and CEO Travis York.

Pam Hamlin Discusses “Capital-C Creativity” in Muse by Clio

We believe creativity is the ultimate business advantage. Our President, Pam Hamlin, shares her thoughts with Muse by Clio on the difference between “Capital-C Creativity” and “Little-C Creativity” and why this combination creates a competitive advantage. She dives into what makes these two types of creativity unique, shares examples of companies and ideas that have perfectly embodied Capital-C Creativity, and provides insights into how brands can foster both types of creativity for sustained success. 

GYK’s Continued Momentum Featured in Little Black Book

A collective is only as strong as the engine powering it – which is why we’re so proud to have GYK Antler’s marketing services at the center of our creative ecosystem to drive growth. Take a look at this feature in Little Black Book breaking down GYK’s exciting growth amid all the challenges of the past year and what it’s doing to keep the momentum going. The article dives into their pre-pandemic initiatives, how those initiatives set them up for their most successful year yet, why new business pitch approaches are shifting, how being headquartered in New Hampshire influences them as a business, their plans for a future of hybrid working and more.

Kompany39 Rebrands as Sports Media Company “TorchCo”

March 16, 2021 / TorchCo, a sports media company, today announced the launch of a new digital platform, TorchPro.com, that provides fans and young athletes unprecedented access to elite figures in the sports world. TorchCo, rebranded from Kompany39, is also announcing the acquisition of NYC-based daily sports newsletter startup Morning Blitz.

The newly formed company further announced the strategic addition of Drizly veteran and go-to-market executive Bryan Goodwin as a co-founder of the new entity and the company’s President & CRO to lead this next phase of growth. The company is backed by the teams from York Creative Collective and York IE, as well as other prominent angel investors, raising a total of $1.5M USD to date.

“The vision of TorchCo is a big one: to Inspire Greatness by providing a place to access information, knowledge, and inspiration for anyone looking to gain an edge in sports and life”

said Matt Fornataro, CEO, and Co-Founder, TorchCo. “Today’s announcements of the launch of the platform, growth of the team behind what we’re building, the athletes involved, and our future roadmap are all big steps forward in pursuit of that vision.” Fornataro founded Kompany39 alongside Joe Diamond and NHL all-star Joe Pavelski in 2017.

Digital Platform – TorchPro.com

TorchPro is TorchCo’s Athlete Services business that helps athletes build and grow their digital brand, tell their authentic stories, and open up new doors during and long after their playing careers are over. This includes brand-building services, content strategy, and content creation for business-savvy athletes. TorchPro.com is the platform that is the safe place where those stories are brought to life and can be accessed by fans, Inspiring Greatness in future generations through the transfer of knowledge and information from the best in the world. It also will provide an ever-growing collection of elite athletes and their stories, offering a unique place for brands to interact with these players and their engaged audiences. Join TorchPro.com today.

The platform launches with featured content from:

  • TorchCo Co-Founder and NHL All-Star Joe Pavelski (Current Dallas Star, Former SJ Shark Captain, former captain of Team USA)
  • Charlie McAvoy (Boston Bruins Defenseman)
  • Kacey Bellamy (Team USA, Olympic Gold Medalist)
  • Brandon Yip (Former NHLer & 2022 Chinese Olympic hopeful)
  • Mike Green (Former Washington Capital, Detroit Red Wing NHL defensemen)
  • Riley Sheahan (Buffalo Sabres forward)

TorchCo will be expanding the platform through the addition of new athletes and other sports, as well as creating and distributing more authentic content created with those players.

“We wanted to create a place for both athletes and fans to engage and fuel the next generation,” said Pavelski, co-founder, TorchCo. “Today, we’re seeing the evolution of that vision with the launch of TorchPro.com, something I would have benefited from greatly as a young athlete and well into my career. Additionally, the company can provide athletes with guidance and a safe space to understand the best way to tell and share our stories with consumers,” Pavelski added.

Morning Blitz powered by TorchCo

In addition to the platform expansion, TorchCo will now power the Morning Blitz, one of the hottest daily sports newsletters enjoyed by pro athletes, sports reporters, die-hard and casual fans alike. The newsletter, which was founded by Danny Healey and Noah Cartwright, will continue to cover the “need-to-know” information across all major sports, delivered every morning at 5:30 a.m. EST. Sign up for the newsletter at MorningBlitz.com.

“Today marks a huge step forward for the Morning Blitz as TorchCo will accelerate our ability to expand our loyal subscriber base at an increased rate,” said Healey. “Looking ahead, we are excited to share the stories of TorchPro athletes with our readers.”

Bryan Goodwin as Co-founder President & CRO

Goodwin was most recently a senior executive at Drizly, the leading on-demand alcohol marketplace in the US, which was acquired by Uber for $1.1 billion, and will be responsible for aligning the team around the company’s strategic vision and execution, as well as revenue generation.

“I’m truly energized at the opportunities in front of TorchCo to reinvent the way athletes, fans and brands interact digitally. In my 20 year career, I’ve been on the front lines as the internet has changed entire industries – from travel to beverage alcohol – and the same is happening in sports. TorchCo has the vision, foundational team, passion, and ambition to create the world’s most accessible, engaging, and largest sports media marketplace to Inspire Greatness. TorchPro Athlete Services, the TorchPro.com platform, and the Morning Blitz daily newsletter come together as the first step to building the foundation of a complete offering. We look forward to giving athletes the space to build and grow their digital brands, providing access and great content with those athletes for consumers, and offering brands of all sizes a new medium to showcase their products and reach global audiences,” said Goodwin.

Find your edge and sign up for free at TorchPro.com

Read coverage in The Boston Globe, ESPN, NHLPA, or SI

YORK Athletics’ CEO Shares His Career Journey with Thrive Global

Mark McGarry, CEO of YORK Athletics Mfg., has had a unique journey to entrepreneurship. He was introduced to the footwear industry at 23, getting his foot in the door through a new skateboarding division at Nike. He worked his way up through the sneaker industry, later traveling the globe as a senior executive for brand strategy at PUMA. In 2016, Mark pursued his dream of entrepreneurship by relaunching a legacy brand into the e-commerce space with YORK Athletics Mfg. Read this Thrive Global feature to learn more about Mark’s professional path, advice he’d give to budding entrepreneurs and the latest innovations he’s working on for YORK. 

Travis York in Entrepreneur: 3 Ways to Assess Business Ventures

Assessing a business venture’s potential is about so much more than its balance sheet. An op-ed written by our Founder & CEO, Travis York,  is featured in Entrepreneur, discussing why “get rich quick” is not in his playbook, the three key qualities he looks for in a venture — creativity, craft & quality, and authenticity —  and why evaluating investments through these criteria has worked for him.

Here’s how three York Creative Collective creative ventures and their leaders embody these traits:

Creativity: The two co-founders of Iron & Air Media — whose entrepreneurial venture rests squarely on the shoulders of their personal passion — are the perfect example of this concept. Iron & Air Media produces Iron & Air Magazine, a quarterly, heavy-stock magazine celebrating motorcycles and all the places they take us. As true motorcycle enthusiasts, the creative entrepreneurs behind Iron & Air create the types of content they want to consume. They dive deep into the wide range of individuals who find freedom in motorcycling using custom photography, illustrations and emotive storytelling to fill each of its 114 pages. Every edition is truly a collectible piece of art. Whether it’s documenting the journey of female riders who became fast friends while exploring New Mexico on their Indian Motorcycles, or commissioning an artist to design mid-century-meets-modern covers inspired by the timeless designs of the iconic Triumph motorcycle, you can feel the creative passion behind every page of Iron & Air’s product and its makers’ painstaking effort to create something that’s one-of-a-kind for fellow enthusiasts. 

Craft & QualityNoble & Cooley is a seventh-generation drum company that’s transcended generations from the Civil War through the Industrial Revolution and into the modern age. With a firm reputation rooted in its history, it took that foundation of drum manufacturing and tinkered with the way it markets. Today, Noble & Cooley still handmakes everything, ensuring it’s only making quality items, even if that means selling less. It takes its time on its craft to ensure nothing about its product is compromised.

Authenticity: For a digital sports management company like TorchCo, I was drawn to the Founder & CEO’s passion and personal story behind the idea. As a former professional hockey player, he knew the opportunity and impact for athletes at any level to make the most of their personal brand. His proficiency in understanding the nuances of how athletes operate is an unmatched skill that can’t be manifested without living it first. Moreover, his self-awareness was unmistakable. He consciously stays vigilant expanding on what he knows and fine-tuning his room for growth. There’s a credibility to their service with the ability to relate to their target audience on the one thing they’ve shared — the game. That connection is invaluable.

YORK Athletics Mfg. Partners with Aly Raisman to Outfit Those in Need

Aly Raisman is continuing her long-running collaboration with YORK Athletics and launching a pair of signature sneakers for a good cause. For every pair of “The Gail by Aly Raisman” purchased in October, YORK Athletics will donate a pair to an individual experiencing homelessness with help from the Boston homeless-serving agency Heading Home. The nonprofit helps people find housing and fulfill their needs. 

Read coverage in Boston Magazine, Boston.com or NBC Boston.

Luke Garro Named General Manager of Noble & Cooley

October 21, 2020 / Noble & Cooley, a family-owned premium drum manufacturer specializing in handcrafted snare drums and drum kits for some of the world’s leading professional drummers, announced today that Luke Garro has been appointed to the newly created position of General Manager.

At an exciting time in the 160-year-old drum company’s history, Garro is contributing to the development of the strategic vision and business plan for Noble & Cooley, charting the course for the brand’s next chapter of growth. He is responsible for guiding sales, marketing and partnership strategies, and evaluating opportunities to accelerate growth. In addition, Garro is overseeing day-to-day operations for Noble & Cooley, driving operational efficiencies and evaluating key investments in equipment, infrastructure and talent. Garro, who joined Noble & Cooley in September 2020, reports to CEO John Keane and is based out of the company’s headquarters in Granville, Massachusetts.

Garro brings to Noble & Cooley a truly complementary set of skills, passion and experience, including nearly three decades of drumming. Luke has played the drums for bands such as Fast Break and In My Eyes, and for the past 19 years has been the lead drummer for an alternative rock band, Piebald, touring internationally. A true creative entrepreneur, Garro began his 20-year business and marketing career by co-founding a company called Street Attack, which was a pioneer in guerilla, grassroots, experiential and social marketing just as social platforms came on the scene. The company rebranded as Antler in 2009 to better reflect its strategic shift to digital and social-focused offerings. In 2013, Antler was acquired by GYK Marketing to become integrated marketing company GYK Antler. As EVP, Content Director, Garro played a significant role in helping to build GYK Antler’s social and content production capabilities, leading modern marketing initiatives for both established and emerging CPG and lifestyle brands, and fueling company growth through new business efforts.

Garro is also joined on the company’s management team by Noble & Cooley Production Manager Lou Scalzo, a musician, carpenter and drum builder. As part of the company’s efforts to continually enhance its world-renowned products, Scalzo has been hired to improve manufacturing processes and create efficiencies on the shop floor. He will also guide production techniques, from innovating new shell concepts to woodworking to custom paints and finishes. A skilled craftsman, Scalzo began working in carpentry in the late 1990s, honing his creativity over time to become a fine finish carpenter and furniture builder. Prior to that, he worked in the music sales and recording industry, becoming a well-rounded recording and live sound engineer.

Scalzo had the opportunity to bring his skills to the drum manufacturing business when he first joined Noble & Cooley in 2003. There, he learned the craft of steam bending drums and handmaking components from solid brass to sculpting fine boutique drums. Years later, Scalzo joined drum company SJC, where he increased his knowledge in manufacturing drums and created new ideas for innovative drum designs. An accomplished stage musician, Scalzo has been a drummer for nearly 40 years and played the drums in bands for audiences across the United States and beyond.

“Noble & Cooley is all about craft, innovation and family. The company has been shepherded by generations of people passionate about bringing the highest quality drums and experiences to customers across the globe. I’m excited to bring some fresh perspectives to the table and to help chart the course for the company’s next chapter,” said Luke Garro. “Lou and I both have drumming in our blood, and I’m very much looking forward to partnering with him and this great team to advance Noble & Cooley’s goal of becoming the world’s foremost premium drum boutique.”

No other drum company in the world shares Noble & Cooley’s history of innovation and production. The company can trace its lineage back to 1854, to humble beginnings with Silas Noble and James P. Cooley making drums by hand in the Noble farmhouse kitchen. The duo would later move to a factory that would craft more than 100,000 drums each year, including those used by the Northern Regiments in the Civil War. From designing the first modern steam bent drums to creating the largest drum on record to being on the forefront of the custom drum movement and premium drum era, Noble & Cooley has been an innovator in the drum making industry since it began.

Noble & Cooley is part of York Creative Collective (YCC), a privately-owned ecosystem of creative ventures working together to maximize their growth potential. YCC was founded in October 2019 by GYK Antler CEO Travis York with the mission of building brands and businesses that are connected by a shared focus on quality, craft and authenticity. GYK Antler’s creative marketing services serve as the growth engine powering the collective.

Of Garro’s appointment, Travis York said: “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Luke since 2013. As the YCC and Noble & Cooley leadership team began mapping out a strategic plan for the brand’s next chapter, it was undeniable that Luke had the perfect blend of talent to bring to the company. His experience building businesses for the future and passion for the world of music and drumming is exactly what they need to propel this iconic brand forward. I’m excited to see Luke’s vision brought to life, and how Noble & Cooley shares its legacy of craft and innovation in a way that inspires the next generation of drummers.”

About Noble & Cooley
Noble & Cooley is a family-owned premium drum manufacturer specializing in handcrafted snare drums and drum kits for some of the world’s leading professional drummers. No other drum company in the world shares Noble & Cooley’s history of innovation and production. The company can trace its lineage back seven generations to Silas Noble and James P. Cooley’s humble beginnings manufacturing drums in 1854. A true industry pioneer, Noble & Cooley was at the forefront of the custom drum movement and has raised the bar for drum manufacturers everywhere, almost single-handedly creating the boutique drum market. The company continues to innovate to this day by regularly introducing new designs and always seeking to push the envelope of drum quality. http://www.noblecooley.com

About York Creative Collective
York Creative Collective (YCC) is a privately-owned ecosystem of creative ventures working together to maximize their growth potential. YCC believes creativity is the ultimate brand and business advantage — it challenges ways of thinking, fuels big ideas, opens the door to new business opportunities and propels an entrepreneurial spirit. Ventures that are part of YCC are given access to a comprehensive suite of resources to help them grow and thrive while they prioritize and focus on what drives their business forward. This is why YCC has put marketing services at the center of its creative ecosystem to drive growth. Whether they need strategic counsel, business operations support or supplementary capital through its partnership with York IE, ventures can create efficiencies through YCC’s shared services offering. https://ycc.gykdev.com

Noble & Cooley and GYK Antler Launch the “Set the Tone” Campaign

On September 24, Noble & Cooley celebrated its rich history by launching the Union Series Drum kit, a unique product line made out of tulipwood. To channel the company’s heritage and bring it to the current day, GYK Antler developed a creative marketing campaign called “Set the Tone.” 

Set the Tone evokes passion for high-quality premium drums and sets out to marry together the old and the new — tapping into history and highlighting the product’s lightweight functionality on the battlefield, while also underlining the distinct sonic characteristics that entice musicians today. The rich storytelling aims to reach beyond Noble & Cooley’s diehard enthusiasts by capturing how their drums have set the tone from the battlefield to band practice for more than 150 years.

The campaign comes to life across digital channels, including Facebook and Instagram and paid social. Check out the hero video below and view the work in Ads of the World to learn more.