Why the Biggest Agency Merger in a Decade Is Happening at the Worst Possible Time
I’ve managed agencies all over the world — running PR across Asia Pacific for JPMorgan Chase, picking partners for LabMorgan spin-offs, managing comms at IBM Research. Every one of those situations had a conventional answer: go with the big name, optimize for scale and prioritize efficiency. But every instinct I’d built told me to look […]
The 4 Clocks of M&A Communications: Why Smart Acquirers Treat Comms as Deal Infrastructure
At 6 a.m., Bloomberg Media called me in Hong Kong to ask about layoffs I didn’t know were happening. I was brand new to my role leading communications for JPMorganChase across the Asia-Pacific region. The CEO and chief people officer were new. Both came from firms without a culture of early-looping the communications team into […]
The GEO Revolution in B2B Marketing
A colleague recently shared a story that stopped me cold. A mid-market bank CEO was evaluating fraud prevention solutions. Rather than Googling, he asked ChatGPT to recommend the top three providers for community banking. The AI delivered three names. My colleague’s company, despite $2M in annual content marketing and a sales team of twelve, wasn’t […]
The Listening Tour Strategy: Why Your Most Valuable Business Asset Can’t Be Automated
I spent last night at a vinyl listening party—no screens, no distractions, just Erin Ivey on stage with her producer and fellow musician in an intimate room. We listened to her new album Souvenir the way it was meant to be heard: eyes closed, fully present, absorbing not just the songs but the stories behind […]
Why Hiring a PR Firm Like You’re Buying Software Will Fail You in a Crisis
Most B2B tech CEOs hire PR firms by comparing proposals and picking whoever sounds good on paper—then wonder why their crisis comms team feels like outsourced customer service when a journalist calls at 2am about a board member scandal. In this candid conversation on the Inspiring Leadership podcast, Red Fan Communications CEO Kathleen Lucente talks […]
Why Your Startup Story Matters More Than Your Product
Most founders think they need press to get funding. But Red Fan Communications CEO Kathleen Lucente says you need a story. In this episode of Designing Successful Startups, Kathleen shares why storytelling is the most underused startup growth tool, why founders should define “super consumers” instead of broad ICPs, and how getting communications right early […]
The $8M Pattern in M&A Communications: Why Strategic Stakeholder Planning Prevents Customer Churn
The Pattern Behind High-Stakes Business Failures I’ve been thinking a lot about patterns lately. Not the kind you see immediately, but the ones that emerge over years of watching companies navigate their most critical moments. Here’s what keeps showing up: The companies that reach breakthrough moments—Series B funding, major customer wins, industry recognition—inevitably face high-stakes […]
Building Stronger B2B Brands: Red Fan’s Website Refresh and IREM Austin Case Study
Whether you’re a B2B tech company or a professional association, brand clarity is the foundation for meaningful growth. At Red Fan, we partner with high-growth companies to define their identity, articulate their value, and connect with the audiences that matter most. Every engagement begins with a simple premise: when your brand is clear, consistent, and […]
How Poor Communications Strategy Destroys Tech Company Value (And What B2B Leaders Can Do About It)
When your crisis response is the C-suite calling random PR firms with no strategic framework, you’ve already lost valuable market position and investor confidence. Picture this: A tech company has reported 76% revenue growth, a 300% surge in its core business segment, and positive gross margins for the first time. Wall Street analysts maintain “buy” […]