Meet Mark Maisonneuve | Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark Maisonneuve and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark, we’d love to hear about a book that’s had an impact on you.
First off, I’m what you might call an eclectic reader. I enjoy a wide variety of books from the worlds of fiction and non-fiction. For instance, right now I’m finishing off a fantasy trilogy by Brandon Sanderson called Mistborn, and before that I read Scott Hahn’s book on Revelation and the Mass called The Lamb’s Supper. With all that said, I believe I really enjoy history books and the one I read most recently that has stuck with me is 1776 by David McCullough.

1776 dives into detail about the period surrounding the first year of the American Revolution, and what George Washington faced in those early years. It was an eye-opening look at the frustrations Washington felt, the egos he had to deal with, the laissez faire attitude of many of his undertrained soldiers, and the sheer overestimation by the British army that this war would be over in a matter of months..

What struck me most was that while Washington had his doubts about his and America’s success, he never gave up. He persevered, overcoming obstacles from both the British and his own cause. For me it remains a lesson that even the greats have doubts, but pushing through is the key.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We’ve been telling stories since we first learned to talk, and probably before that. It’s an essential part of being human. In fact, noted author Phillip Pullman says this about stories: “After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.”

And helping tell stories is what we do.

Newhouse Creative Services looks to help tell the best stories out there; yours. In doing that we don’t limit ourselves to one mode or another. Rather, we fit the method to the message. That may be one way that we set ourselves apart from other great companies in this space.

I think to do that you really need a sense of curiosity. Wanting to learn about different jobs, or arts, or volunteer work or any of a host of other things is crucial to telling stories, and that is me in a nutshell. It explains my eclectic taste in books and movies and theatre. I just love to learn.

Getting to this point was a long road from a Bachelor of Arts degree from Purdue University. The journey had several stops before – McDonalds line cook, ice cream truck driver, almost door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman – but each stop added to the thirst for more, and that brought me to where I now direct crucial training scenarios for the Peace Officers in the state of California, telling stories that stand a good chance of making a difference in someone’s life.

Along the way I’ve learned several things:

that you can teach a skill, but you can’t teach an attitude.
that being on time really is important,
that laughter makes everything better.
that you are not always right so shut up!
that progress happens so get on with it.

But most of all I’ve learned that you are only as good as the people you work with, so surround yourself with those you like and respect and you’ll have a great career.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
San Diego is probably the biggest little city you’ll ever come across. We have both world-class destinations, yet we’re really just a city filled with small communities. As such, here’s the line-up for a visit:

MUST SEES;

Midway Museum – just about the best museum it’s kind in the world.
Petco Park – one of America’s premier baseball fields. If you can take in a game DO IT.
Balboa Park – So much to see right here in San Diego’s Crown Jewel. Put on your walking shoes and stroll through over 100 years of history
San Diego Zoo and/or Safari Park – Needless to say, these are mic-drop spots.
Coronado Island/Hotel Del Coronado – Coronado is as close as you’ll come to seeing a perfect city. It’s almost as if Walt Disney designed it. And the Hotel Del? another mic-drop
Trolley to Tijuana – for the adventurous, take the trolley to the border and walk into Tijuana. Just don’t forget to bring your ID!
Gaslamp Quarter – too many great restaurants to mention, but there’s suitable fare for any taste.
North Park – take in some great breweries and coffee shops here, along with the Verbatim used book store
Drive to the top of Mt. Helix – take in a 360 degree view of the county atop 1400 foot Mt. Helix.
Point Loma – visit Fort Rosecrans National Cemetary and pay respects to those that made it all possible, then see the lighthouse and the tidepools in the National Park (best view of downtown San Diego and the Naval Base
Any Beach – too many to pick from as it will depend on your beachiness, but you can’t miss at any one from IB to O’Side (just pay attention to the pollution signs, complements of our long-failing boarder sewage issue.)

MUST EAT and DRINK

At my age I don’t get out top the “scene” much, but know that San Diego is essentialy ground-zero for the craft beer scene (and now the craft distillery and meade scene.) The big ones still remain relevant – Karl Strauss, Green Flash, Ballast Point – but just about any brewery in the county will serve some mighty fine refreshments.

Plenty of great taco shops as well – Lucha Libre, Puesto, Tacos El Gordo – but be sure to pop into the one that started it all; Rubio’s. Yes, it is now a chain, but they began the fish taco craze and that is now the taste of San Digeo, so make your way to the original on East Mission Bay Drive to sample what became a world-wide phenomenon.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Wow, that’s a tough ask to limit it to one person. But if that’s the callout, then that person would have to be my wife, Diane.

We met in 1982 in the marching band for Purdue University. Since that time, she has been my lifeline, allowing me to go out into the rough seas of video production life, still being safely tethered to her shore. Without her support, I could not have done half the things I’ve done in any way, shape, or form.

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