Welcome to Kicking the Seat!

Ian Simmons launched Kicking the Seat in 2009, one week after seeing Nora Ephron’s Julie & Julia. His wife proposed blogging as a healthier outlet for his anger than red-faced, twenty-minute tirades (Ian is no longer allowed to drive home from the movies).

The Kicking the Seat Podcast followed three years later and, despite its “undiscovered gem” status, Ian thoroughly enjoys hosting film critic discussions, creating themed shows, and interviewing such luminaries as Gaspar Noé, Rachel Brosnahan, Amy Seimetz, and Richard Dreyfuss.

Ian is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association. He also has a family, a day job, and conflicted feelings about referring to himself in the third person.

Ala Melissa Set -

The "Ala Melissa set" can refer to a curated grouping of items, techniques, or content themed around a persona or concept named Melissa (e.g., a product bundle, a styling set, a study kit, or a musical/programming collection). Below I present a clear, actionable framework you can adapt to create, market, or use an "Ala Melissa set" for three common goals: product bundle, personal brand content series, and learning kit. Pick the goal that matches your intent. 1) Product bundle (e.g., fashion, beauty, home) Goal: Create a cohesive, sellable set that feels like "Ala Melissa."