Why boards keep passing over their best technical leaders
As seen in Forbes I’ve spent 30 years helping engineers, CTOs, and founders of tech companies step into their confident communicator selves—transformations that changed their careers. It started at EDN, where I edited technical articles written by engineers for engineers. That’s where I learned something that’s guided everything since: brilliance nobody understands is brilliance that […]
The question every CEO is asking and why most CMOs still can’t answer it.
As seen in Fast Company. Recently I was in several CMO meetings. The same stat came up each time. By the time we’d talked it through, the conversation had shifted from PR strategy to something much bigger. According to Muck Rack’s “What Is AI Reading?” report, which analyzed more than one million links cited by leading AI models, […]
Three Weeks Isn’t Enough Time For An M&A Communications Strategy
As seen in Forbes. The phone rings. “The deal closes in three weeks.” That’s the whole brief. The lawyers have had months. The bankers have had months. The communications function just learned it has a seat at the table, and the table is already being cleared. Half the time, the chief marketing officer is the […]
The Laziest Revenue And Reputation-Killing Mistake In B2B Marketing
As seen in Fast Company. Not every executive should be positioned as a thought leader. Companies want their leadership to be visible. They want a bench of voices representing the brand. But after 18 years of building executive communications programs for B2B technology companies, I’ve watched millions wasted on a fundamental confusion: the difference between […]
Red Fan Communications Wins Double Gold at 2025 Bulldog PR Awards
AUSTIN, Texas (July 21, 2025)—Red Fan Communications, a strategic B2B communications and advisory firm in Austin, Texas, was awarded gold in two categories at the 2025 Bulldog PR awards. Red Fan was named “Business to Business (B2B) Agency of the Year” and earned top honors in the “Best Technology/Software Campaign” category for its work with […]
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 […]
A Conversation With Nicole Cobler
If you’re like us, you have at least a few newsletters that you regularly follow, and if you’re in the Austin area, odds are you’ve seen the Axios Austin newsletter pop up in your inbox. Axios Austin is a part of the network of local newsletters produced by Axios, co-written by Nicole Cobler who helped […]
The Art Of Running A Great Communications Agency
As seen in Forbes I’ve owned and run my strategic communications agency for 16 years now, and I set up several things early on to establish a wonderful environment for employees as well as clients. This is a tough industry, so if you want to attract clients who value the partnership and employees who are […]
Navigating your company through an election year: Strategies for success
As seen in Fast Company Election years bring unique challenges and opportunities to business. The uncertainty around policies and regulations can affect everything from consumer confidence to market stability. It’s crucial to adopt a strategic approach to ensure your company thrives during turbulent times. During an election cycle, the socio-political narrative dominates the conversation. A […]