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By liz, July 20, 2009 8:00 am

Founder of Imerman Angels

Maybe it’s because he’s named Jonny, or maybe it’s because he survived cancer, but Jonny Imerman is the most positive, people-loving person you’ll ever met. His struggle with cancer at the young age of 26 led to his life’s work: Imerman Angels, an organization uniting cancer patients and survivors in a global community that champions the power of positive thinking.  The phrase “battle with cancer” gained new meaning during the course of the conversation: cancer patients undergo an ordeal that renegotiates their place in the grand-scheme-of-things. As Jonny describes it, cancer survivors have fought the battle of/for their lives, and they usually land on the other side stronger than ever. His boundless energy and enthusiasm are apparent. Jonny Imerman’s sentences never really end: he makes connections so effortlessly that he never seems to pause.

F: Where did your very open and friendly personality come from?

Pre-cancer, I always loved connecting people. It really wasn’t a shock to realize I could use that skill for the greater good within the cancer world. After going through cancer, it just made sense. I took who was before and said, “Now I have an insider knowledge of the cancer world, and there’s a gap here.” I had wanted somebody my age – a young guy – who could tell me, “Look bro, I’ve in your shoes. Now I’m 30 and I’m back in the basketball court; I’m raising a family; I’m working full-time; I’m living my life, my hair’s growing back.” All those things that you want to see: survivors can tell you that.

I come from a very warm, loving family: I talk to my mother and my brother just about every day.  I was very lucky; I had a lot of love to help me during my fight. I was surrounded by love growing up, so I would accredit that to being an upbeat, friendly person.

F: Can you walk us through what went through your head when you were first diagnosed with cancer?

When I got first diagnosed, obviously it was the last thing I was thinking about. I had pain in my testicle. Only 10% of people feel pain, but I was lucky because it alerted me to the problem.

I couldn’t believe it: I was like, “Really, this is cancer?” I’m not a reactive guy, “So I went the doctor and said, “OK… cancer. What’s the game plan? What are we going to do to get this out?”  I never really got angry; I never said, “Why me?” As soon as I got to the clinic and went through surgeries and chemo, I looked around and said, “Why these people? What about the seventeen-year old kid two doors down from me who’s got brain cancer. Why that kid?”

Maybe, again, it was my family and the training I’ve had growing up: I was always taught to be community-minded and to think of others. Being a good person: that’s what life is about. I never got angry; that never entered my mind as a possibility, so I just didn’t do it.

F: Is there a difference between Jonny pre-cancer and Jonny post-cancer?

The biggest difference is my energy is channeled. Before cancer I had a ton of energy, but I really didn’t know what I was meant to do in this world.  Post-cancer, it is absolutely crystal-clear why I’m here and what I was looking to do: how I’m supposed to change the cancer world and create a movement. And I couldn’t be having more fun doing it, surrounded by these cancer survivors who are such compassionate people – who need no reward other than knowing they’ve helped someone overcome the biggest obstacle in their life! To put it in very direct terms, it’s like living a dream: I get to help people every day.

F: Your foundation pairs up cancer survivors with cancer patients. How effective is this tactic in fighting the battle against cancer?

Since Day One I’ve believed that collaboration in the cancer world is the key, socially and emotionally. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. We have guys who have fought and finally won at the end of 8 years – 8 years!   If you can’t keep your mind focused on the finish line – if you don’t believe it exists – then I think it’s tough. The body can fold if you believe you won’t live to see your next birthday.

I personally believe that’s not good for your body. I think the body gets the will to fight from your brain.  We survivors can motivate/empower/inspire/pump up patients that are in the clinic and make them believe, “Hey I did it – you can too.”  There’s no question in my mind: that person’s more likely to beat cancer.

I hear it all the time from oncologists: “You know what, Jonny, I can’t give you any empirical data of my own, but it just seems that the ones who walk in with their chin up – a smile on their face, ready to fight, believing that they’re going to walk out of that clinic one day a healthy man – those guys tend to do better. The people that walk in heads lowered, looking like they’ve already been defeated, they tend not to do as well.”

Lance Armstrong is your best example: the guy that every doctor wrote off, saying, “You have Stage 4 testicular cancer spreading into your lung, into your abdomen, all over your stomach, and into your brain.” He had two brain surgeries, and he still beat it. He would ride his bike during chemo: he was determined to keep fighting and keep exercising, and he believed he could win. I think he was probably the greatest athlete ever to walk the earth, in any sport. At 26, he just wouldn’t give up. We in the cancer world all believe that makes a huge difference.

F: What is your advice to people going through tough times?

My advice is to connect; I’m a huge believer in teamwork and collaboration. It’s sometimes hard for people to reach out and ask for help, to open up a conversation that is scary for a lot of people.

We have 1800 survivors in our network who all believe in one idea:that together our stories are powerful and that every survivor has something to give – that’s why they register with us. My advice is to take it. When you’re fighting cancer, you feel alone. It’s OK to reach out – I couldn’t do it on my own and I don’t know who could. Keep strong; keep motivated; connect with other people your age. Your peers simply want to help you, and it’s OK to receive help.

F: Why might it be hard for people to reach out?

Some people have an old-school mentality of “I can do this on my own.”  I understand and have sympathy for those people, because they grew up in an era when people didn’t talk about cancer. If you said your kid had cancer thirty years ago, other parents wouldn’t let their kids play with your kid because they were afraid they could catch something.

Our generation – especially the younger people, with Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and all the social networking sites – is much more open.  I’ve had people call me on their cell phone from the parking lot of the hospital, five minutes after walking out of the doctor’s meeting, just diagnosed, saying, “My doctor gave this to me, I’m in the parking lot, my head’s spinning, I have cancer and I don’t know where to go from here. Can you introduce me to someone who can help me?”

F: A lot of people have been quite inspired by you – who, in turn, inspires you?

I’m inspired by every single cancer survivor who has called me and said “I love this idea; I want to give back.” That inspires me every day: the selfless side of people who have been through cancer and simply want to make it better. These survivors are complete; they’ve got their life back; they’re rebuilding: they’re good to go. But they don’t just turn the cheek and say, “I’m going to forget everything that’s happened to me in the last two years.” They get back in it because they realize there’s other people out there still in the clinic, people who are still fighting for their lives, their families.

I’m also very inspired by a lot of our volunteers who have never had cancer.  You don’t have to get cancer to inspire me, but you have to be passionate; you’ve got to believe in something that you know helps people; and you just can’t quit.

Can you walk us through your typical day?

My typical day is all-over-the-map [literally]. I’m around people 95% of the time and at home 1% of the time: I sleep at home, that’s about it.  I travel a lot: 7 cities in the past 8 weeks.  I spend a lot of time speaking: tomorrow [Saturday] night I’m speaking at a Chicago Fire game. I spend a lot of my days talking to fighters and survivors.  I need to find the guys that are sick, and I need to get cancer survivors to register.   By 2013 we want every single American diagnosed with cancer to have free access to one of our survivors, so that no one who is diagnosed with cancer feels alone!

Next month I’ll be in Ireland for a conference. Lance Armstrong is hosting a 250-person summit in Dublin, Ireland after he finishes the race at the end of this month.  We were very flattered to be one of those two-hundred fifty groups. The goal is to globally work together to unite the cancer world. I know the guy who runs the cancer group in Scotland; I know the guy who runs the cancer group in the Philippines; I know the guy who runs the cancer group in Australia.  We’re the largest one-on-one matching cancer group in the world, so they refer patients to us when they see a need – they outsource it. That’s how we find so many people in Germany, Nigeria, and Cape Town: we help people in all those cities.

F: How do you channel your love of life living here in Chicago?

I love Chicago, I really do. Chicago has been an amazing launching pad for this idea; the city’s really embraced it. I love sports: basketball, football, frisbee on the beach, volleyball. I’m running my second marathon this year.

F: Are you a Cubs or White Sox fan? Who are your favorite Chicago athletes?

I probably like the Cubs a little bit better; I love Wrigley, I love the energy up there. When I go to games I talk to people – I don’t really end up watching the game.

I’m a Detroit Tiger’s fan at heart. Magglio Ordonez is on the Tigers, and he just cut his hair and held an auction to get the word out about Imerman Angels.

I like Jake Cutler: he’s going to be the Bears quarterback.  Everyone’s excited about him athletically, but I love that he’s done a lot of great things for diabetes since he was diagnosed himself.

F: Aside from the weather, is there anything you don’t like about Chicago?

I wouldn’t even say the weather; a lot of people complain about the weather here, but I like changing seasons – keeps it interesting. I grew up in Michigan, so it’s not that bad. I love the beach in the summer, and the people are the best part!

There’s really nothing I don’t like about this city; I want this to be home. There may be a time I live in New York or LA for a couple of years to build Imerman Angels, but I’d like to make this home.

F: We heard you guys throw some of the best parties in the city to aid in your fundraising efforts – anything coming up soon?

On August 30, we are going to do a one-hour fashion show at Galleria Marchetti with Akira. It’s our biggest event of the year, and it’s only $15.  I want cancer survivors to be able to afford our events: it’s about connecting and including, definitely not excluding. This tends to be the youngest event we do: almost all people in their late 20s, early 30s.

F: Are there questions that you wish were asked more often when you give interviews? What’s the most common question asked of you?

Do we help anyone else besides cancer fighters and survivors?

We help caregivers also! Say we have a 2-year old girl with leukemia; we’ll partner that mother and father up with another set of parents that have a 5-year old little girl who beat the same leukemia three years ago. So the other set of parents can say, “Look – our little kid did it. We know the ropes. We’ve been through this.” It’s all positive, all success stories: one family helping another. It’s really that simple: people helping people.

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By liz, July 17, 2009 8:00 am

The Zisook sisters trying out their ware

Sisters Ashley and Allison Zisook sat down to answer some questions about the vintage market: a green movement in its own right, recycling fashions, patterns, and styles. Ashley and Allison were introduced to the world of fashion early on by their mother and grandmother, and have now turned a passion into a career path. Vintage shopping can be hit-or-miss, but Sofia Vintage is all about boutique-style shopping: Ashley is ready to help you, dress you, or even find a specific vintage item for you!

F: Since you moved back to Chicago to be near family and then started a business with your sister inspired by your mother and grandmother’s dress sense, family is obviously very important to you. Tell me about growing up in your household and what led to this career path–

Ashley: My mom used to take us to our Nana’s house, and all four of us – me, my sister, Nana, and my mom – would play with her jewelry, go though her drawers, try on her clothes…

I remember Nana once took us to 900 N. Michigan Ave. Our shopping sprees weren’t focused on the materialistic aspect of fashion, more just being together and bonding.

Allison: My mom always brought us down to Chicago to get our clothes,, so we were always exposed to the city at an early age.

Ashley: Also, retail is pretty much in our blood – my mom’s father is Morrie Mages; he owned Morrie Mages Sporting Goods, which was the first sporting goods department store.

Allison: He was a big name in the retail industry at the time.

F: When did you develop your own personal style(s)?

Ashley: I went through a lot of different styles. I think I was trying to find my own style, but didn’t really get it until I grew up a bit more. So I dabbled: one day I was a hippie and the next day I was a raver and the next day I was a goth.

Allison: I think I did that too… But I came out of it more quickly than you did.

Ashley: And then it developed into a very eclectic mix of the new and the old. I always wanted to dress differently, and I knew that if I found something at a vintage store, no one else would have it.

F: How do you separate the family aspect in resolving business (or fashion) disagreements with your sister?

Ashley: We both know that we have very different fashion styles. I might love her outfit but wouldn’t wear it, or vice versa. And right from the beginning, we set our guidelines: business is business and family is family. Say we didn’t agree on what to put on the mannequin: at the family dinner, that’s not even on our minds anymore. Besides being sisters, we’re also best friends.

Allison: We had a discussion the first week about how we were going to separate business from family.

F: You two reunited recently to create Sofia Vintage. What had each of you done before this venture, and how have your individual skills combined to make this a successful business?

Allison: I was a teacher in Chicago Public Schools, so I’m more organized and more responsible with paying the bills and that kind of thing.

Ashley: She’s more business. I worked for Rockit Ranch Productions in Chicago doing all the special events and marketing; then I moved to LA and was managing DJs; and then I went to the Fashion Institute of Design.

My marketing and special events skills have helped me in this industry. I was in charge of all the VIP relations when celebrities came to town, so I’m used to dealing with important people. We had Joe Perry and Steven Tyler from Aerosmith come into the store!

F: Is vintage as popular with men as it is with women?

Ashley: It’s harder to find men’s vintage clothing. Most of the stores that do have men’s vintage clothing feature racks of Hawaiian shirts. We thought the men’s market was untapped–

We grew up in Chicago, and all of our guy friends from high school would always come to Allison and I for fashion advice. My friend would say, “Here’s some money – go buy me my wardrobe for the spring.” We both experienced that, so we thought, “Why not have cool clothing for the guys?”

Two of my friends came yesterday after work, sat on the couch, and said, “Alright, just bring us racks.” Guys like it because we are very chill, showing them what would look good on them and guiding them.  Aerosmith told us we had some of the best guys’ vintage they’ve ever seen!

F: Where do you go to collect the vintage pieces you sell in your store?

Cool stuff from the Sofia vintage store

Ashley: Flea markets, auctions, and sometimes people bring us clothing. In the past 2-3 months, I’ve been to LA, New York, and Kentucky. I take random road trips through ho-dunk towns. It’s a mixture of what I stumble upon and what stumbles upon me.

F: What did they teach you in FIDM: Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising?

Ashley: I had a color and painting class, where I learned about the colors that go together, the textures that go together, the combinations, what looks good, what doesn’t look good… We had History of Fashion, as well as Mannequin and Set Design building. I really liked that class: we had to build models of a fashion show, small models of the runway and then models of the models! We designed our own tote-bags: I made mine out of a faux chinchilla.

F: Would you consider designing in the future?

Ashley: I think I’m better at styling. I like dressing people; I like that person-to-person connection. With designing, that human interchange – “Oh, this looks good on you!” – is lost.

F: You have a beautiful photo gallery online featuring outfits of vintage clothing you put together. How easy is it to make outfits mixing and matching vintage clothing from various decades?

Ashley: It’s really easy for me. I get a feel for the person I’m working with – what they want, what they reflect, who they are on the inside. I don’t dress everyone in head-to-toe vintage; it’s mostly mixing the new with the old, like a gorgeous vintage gown with crazy new shoes, or jeans with a vintage t-shirt and a blazer. So I do like mixing the new and the old, but I decide based on the person and where they’re wearing it to. In the pictures in the online photo gallery, almost everything was vintage.

F: Have you considered putting together vintage fashion shows?

Ashley: Yeah, we actually had one at Underground last June 18. Clothes looks so much different on the rack!

F: Is vintage always in vogue, or is it a recent fad? In the 70s, for example, was vintage as popular as it is now?

Ashley: Vintage is timeless. Is an item in a runway show today vintage 30 years later? Probably not, because that item was probably inspired by an item from the 1930s or 1940s. Marc Jacobs had these cardigans [points to sequined, beaded cardigans with shoulder pads and designs] on top of every single item in his line for New York Fashion Week.

Allison: Also, we’ve met a lot of people who have been in the vintage industry for a while, and they said that a lot of the designers call them for pieces for inspiration, which I never knew before.

Ashley: We did a pop-up shop in Soho; a lot of designers are there. You could tell who was sent by the designers and who was looking to buy for themselves. The people sent by the designers knew exactly what they were looking for, and would quickly flick through a rack looking for interesting patterns.

The green movement is about recycling – vintage is just recycling fashion. And then there’s the celebrity aspect of it. “What are you wearing?” gets asked a lot on the red carpet.

“Vintage this, vintage that,” I think that’s made it really popular as well.

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By liz, July 13, 2009 8:03 am

John Brinkman is a self-proclaimed history buff. His brainchild – Chicago Film Tours – presents a fascinating take on Chicago. Littered with interesting facts, like the story behind Oz Park and the origin of those little Oscar statuettes, the Chicago Film Tour fills in the gaps for Chicago natives and gives visitors a run-down on Chicago’s place in the film industry. From the Uptown neighborhood to Lower Wacker Drive, the tour bus navigates the streets of Chicago with movie clips to supplement the scenery. John Brinkman talks about the film scene in Chicago and what inspired his popular tour.

F: On your website, it says you grew up in a community that produced recognizable names in the film industry…

Yes, I grew up in Franklin Village, Michigan with Sam Raimi –the director of the Spiderman series, as well as the recent Drag Me To Hell. Sam moved in before the 4th grade and I went all through high school with him. Another good friend is Josh Becker, who does independent movies. Actor Bruce Campbell was also a classmate.

F: What made you decide to turn your love of movies into a business? What had you previously done?

I was an executive for an auto-parts supplier, and you’ve seen what’s happened to the automotive industry! General Motors, Toyota – those were all my biggest customers. For the past year or so, I’ve been looking for something to do. I almost opened up a coffee kiosk in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I wanted to do something that was different, something fun.

My Dad and I went on the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg, Austria, years ago and had a memorable experience. While thinking about my next career, my daughter suggested moving to Chicago and starting a Ferris Bueller’s Day Off tour. So I was talking to my buddy Josh, and Josh goes, “Well, do you know anything about the Chicago film industry?” And – just off the top of his head – he starts rattling off about Colonel Selig and Broncho Billy Anderson. So I said, “OK, maybe there’s something here!” I check to see if there’s a film tour, and there isn’t. So I started putting it together with my daughter; we took her car and started mapping it out.

I liked doing all the research for the tour; I thought that part was fun. Everyone says, “Oh you’re living your dream!” Having a film tour isn’t my dream, but it’s a lot better than selling ball-bearings, the way I look at it. It’s original.

F: So what would you say sets Chicago apart in the history of the film industry?

The infancy of it as well as the longevity. The center of the film industry began with Edison in New York. Chicago had the World’s Fair and the Columbia Exposition right around the time nickelodeons were invented. In 1896 Selig did his first movie, and 1893 was the Columbia Exposition. 80 years later you had the John Hughes era and recently, Dark Knight and other blockbusters

F: Your site and the tour have a lot of fun movie facts. Where do you get all your movie facts? What are some of your favorite facts?

My director friend Josh had a lot of information, and I also used IMDB. Once I decided on the movies I wanted, I focused on the obscure facts, like the fact that Vince Vaughn’s father played Jennifer Aniston’s dad in the movie The Break-Up, or the fact that Alan Ruck was 29 years old when he played Cameron in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

I like the building facts as well. I like the weird little things like John Barleycorn’s used to be a Chinese Laundry in the back. Wrigley Field wasn’t built for the Cubs; the Cubs moved in two years later.

F: As the proprietor of Chicago Film Tours, you must have a very curated Top Ten movie list. What are some of your favorite movies?

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Stalag 17 are terrific. Groundhog Day, which was filmed up in Woodstock, is a Top 10. Great Escape is probably one of my favorites. I tend to like comedies, war movies and dramas.

F: Have you seen many movies while they’re being filmed in Chicago?

I went to the Chicago Film Office here and introduced myself to them. One of the things I try to do is to find out what’s filming here so that when people take my tour, I can be up-to-date on what’s filming in town. I went to the red carpet event for Public Enemies, and I got a picture of Johnny Depp.

The only thing filming right now is Nightmare on Elm St., and that’s mostly up in the northern suburbs.

F: It seems like the same places are repeatedly used in movies…

Those have the flavor of the era. My buddy Josh explained all this to me. Look at it from a location scout’s point of view. You want to use existing buildings that are around. If I have to change the facade, put up an awning, or if I have to take away Starbucks or Subway – fine, as long as the architecture is there.

F: The Dark Knight seems to be one of the more popular movies linked to Chicago. In your opinion, what are some of the parallels between the fictional Gotham City and the real Chicago?

I live up by Division and Clark. It’s weird to see people my age sleeping on the sidewalk, then walk four blocks over to the old Playboy Mansion. When you look at the Narrows, that’s a parallel. Gotham City is obviously a fictional city, but it’s known for skyscrapers and lots of activity. I think that’s Chicago personified: Chicago is a vibrant city.

F: If you were directing a movie set here in Chicago, what kind of movie would it be? Plot? Cast? Genre?

Actually one of the things I’ve done is outline a screenplay! It’s like Sex in the City but for guys. It would be humorous and telling; it would be a slice-of-life story. I would probably not have a lot of locations; it would be set in some guy’s backyard with the city as a backdrop.