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 […]
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 […]
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” […]
The Search Revolution: Why Traditional SEO Is Failing Marketing Leaders
The search landscape has fundamentally shifted, and most marketing leaders are still playing by outdated rules. While your team focuses on keyword optimization and link building, artificial intelligence has quietly become the primary intermediary between your brand and your customers. More than 50% of Google searches now end without users clicking through to any website […]
PR Isn’t Dead – It’s the Most Strategic Business Function of 2025
Modern PR has evolved far beyond press releases and media pitching. Today’s strategic communications professionals drive measurable business results through employer branding, crisis management, and integrated marketing approaches. If you think PR is just about getting on “Good Morning America,” you’re missing how this $129 billion industry is reshaping business strategy in 2025. I saw […]
How a Strong Brand Narrative Drives B2B Tech Success: Your Guide to Strategic Brand Positioning
The difference between flourishing and floundering in today’s crowded B2B tech landscape isn’t just about having a superior product—it’s about telling a compelling story that resonates with your target audience and differentiates your tech marketing strategy. From the Desk of a Former Tech Journalist: The Power of Strategic Communications As a tech journalist early […]
Why Middle Managers are Your Company’s Culture Heroes
In an era of distributed work, organizational culture has become your competitive advantage—if your managers can successfully translate it across contexts. Recently, I sat across from a fintech founder pitching for funding. With only five employees, his CTO must manage contract developers across seven countries to meet demands. “It’s the only way we can afford […]
The Illusion of Independence: Hard Truths About Corporate Acquisitions
A Personal Perspective Twenty-five years ago, Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s, creating a partnership that sparked misgivings from the outset between the London-based conglomerate and the progressive ice cream maker. Watching today’s power struggle between these two titans feels particularly poignant to me. I’ve witnessed Ben & Jerry’s remarkable transformation from a humble scoop shop […]
A Conversation With Axios Communicators Author Eleanor Hawkins
Journalists and PR pros have worked side-by-side for decades, but there are those like Eleanor Hawkins that walk the line in between, one foot in each world. Eleanor got her start in communications as a press secretary for the U.S. Senate, then helped launch a foreign policy think tank before transitioning to PBS, where she […]