“Stapes”
BIOGRAPHY
John Stapleton “Stapes” has helped make the kind of work people don’t skip.
He’s spent his career in advertising chasing a simple idea: if you’re going to show up in someone’s life, you better be worth it. Not louder. Not bigger. Better.
As a creative leader, he’s helped build brands that people actually pay attention to. The kind that get shared, talked about, and remembered. Not because they forced their way in, but because they earned it.
He’s a builder by nature. A tinkerer and designer. Equal parts storyteller and problem solver. The guy who looks at a brief and immediately starts pulling it apart to find the interesting angle everyone else missed.
Along the way, he’s led teams, mentored creatives, and pushed for work that doesn’t just fill space, it takes hold.
Welcome Intruder is a reflection of that philosophy. A field guide for anyone tired of making wallpaper and ready to make something people actually welcome.
John is part of Chalkboard Ventures, an independent portfolio of agencies including 22squared and Trade School, built for what’s next.
He lives in Atlanta with his wife and two daughters. When he’s not working, he’s usually outside, chasing water, mountains, or the next idea that won’t leave him alone.
