Everything Speaks

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your culture, and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: When it is appropriate to use “I don't know” as a valid answer What to communicate after saying “I don't know” to provide clarity and expectations Why it is important to focus on what you do know in times of uncertainty What to say in a situation where you should know the answer, but need more time What it says about you when you try to “fake it ‘til you make it” Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your culture, and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: Why you need to reinforce roles and expectations, even if they haven't changed How to set expectations early through effective recruiting and onboarding Why it is important to communicate roles, goals, and expectations at the beginning and throughout every project How to ask for clarification during changing times if you are not in a leadership position Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your culture, and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: How to replace common phrases to foster better communication and collaboration in the workplace Why you should replace “but” with “and” in your responses How “I told you so” is wasting your time and energy How your communications may be impacting your efficiency Why the word “should” is so disruptive when addressing an issue Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your culture, and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: How authenticity builds trust and makes you a more effective leader Why authenticity makes people happier and more productive How to show up authentically online through responsiveness and transparent communication Why self-reflection and consistency are so crucial to presenting yourself authentically How to be adaptable to various scenarios while staying authentic to yourself Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your culture, and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: How consistency in your language, message, and behavior makes you a better communicator Why consistency is more than repetition of your message How to create a pattern people can rely on to boost your credibility What you can do to identify ways to be more consistent in your communications Why feedback loops are so important for consistency and clarity Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher Why Communication Consistency Is Vital To Your Business

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your culture, and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: What is getting in the way of your ability to communicate clearly Why it is important to use clear language How to edit your communications to drive more clarity How active language makes your message clearer and more engaging Why you should define your main point before speaking or writing Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your culture, and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: What makes empathy a fundamental skill for great communicators How empathy can build trust and enhance influence What you can do to improve empathy in your communications How empathy can be used across the business for better results How reading and observing interactions can improve your emotional intelligence Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your culture, and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: How to strike the balance of coming across as confident, but not arrogant What research says about the influence confidence has on how your message is perceived How to portray confidence in communications with a few small adjustments How your inflection and word choice can undermine your authority What steps to take to balance your assertiveness with humility Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: https://faculty.wharton.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Voice-Persuades.pdf

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your culture, and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: Why it is so important to deliver the message you want by matching your nonverbal communications to your verbal communications What falls under nonverbal communications and how they act as cues to underscore our words What it says about you when your nonverbal communications are misaligned with what you are saying How to practice your nonverbal cues to ensure your message is properly understood and acted upon Why it is crucial to be aware of our nonverbal communications not just when we are speaking, but also as listeners Resources: Albert Mehrabian's Studies in Nonverbal Communication Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your culture, and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: Why you need to turn off your “knowing mode” to become a more active listener and a better leader How our desire to immediately resolve familiar situations is inhibiting our communication and collaboration How “knowing mode” can lead to bad decisions and alienate team members What skills to practice to put yourself in “not-knowing mode” to become a better active listener How asking open-ended questions and holding back the solution to a problem can help your team gain new skills Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your culture, and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: How strong communication skills can help you become a top performer Why active listening is one of the most important communication skills you can possess What differentiates active listening from simply listening How you can demonstrate to your colleagues that you are actively listening What impact active listening will have on your team, company, and culture Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your culture, and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: What research says about the ROI when employees feel appreciated in the workplace How a lack of appreciation in the workplace can impact retention and productivity Why it is important to learn how people like to receive appreciation What showing appreciation says about you and the person receiving it How appreciation can support the longevity of your business Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your culture, and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: Why it is necessary to repeat yourself to ensure your message is understood and acted upon How the constant media cycle impacts our ability to remember messages How repetition can build credibility and improve memory Why it is helpful to rephrase your message and deliver it in different methods to help clarify it and give new context How to use the 1-5-10 rule in your company to ensure your message is understood and remembered Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher Zig Ziglar Books

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, and your culture and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: What questions you need to answer to develop a successful social media strategy Why it is important to understand each platform and who is on them Why organic growth is such a vital piece of any good social media strategy How to use your organic growth to build community and use the algorithm to your favor How to use paid social to test strategies and get your content seen by more of your audience What types of strategies you can deploy with influencers to build your social presence Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher https://double-forte.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Double-Forte_POV_Paid-or-Organic-Social-Media.pdf

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your culture, and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: Why it is vital to explain the “why” before the “what” How not understanding the “why” behind our work and our roles can result in frustration, inefficiency, and higher turnover What it says about you as a leader when you take the time to explain the “why” behind an ask How putting the “why” before the “what” opens up conversations and can lead to new ideas How explaining the “why” will drive up understanding, drive down frustration, and increase efficiency Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher  

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, and your culture and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: Why you should never respond to an email if you're angry How to calm yourself down to respond with calmness and clarity What to respond when you want to de-escalate a tense email What your response to a heated email says about you Why your commitment to a relationship should be top of mind when responding to an angry email Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher Calm App Ron Weasley gets a howler  

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. Lee Caraher talks all things communications – from language to format to medium, from employee engagement to great leadership, from PR to social media, and Reputation management to personal branding, bringing you key insights from her experience and expertise that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, and your culture and your potential WORK. What you will learn in this episode: Communications is the key to great inter-generational workforce dynamics Why the “problem” with Gen Z employees is not a new problem How organizations and managers can help Gen Z employees with workplace readiness Why it is so important to communicate expectations explicitly from day 0 with all new employees What an onboarding process for a new Gen Z employee could look like to help them succeed Action steps to take to build a culture that evolves and lets everyone shine, regardless of generation Resources: Fortune Story: https://fortune.com/2024/09/26/bosses-firing-gen-z-grads-months-after-hiring/  

Dr. Akilah Cadet is the Founder and CEO of Change Cadet, an organizational development consulting firm that offers services that support embedding belonging into overall company culture, identity and strategy. As a Forbes Next 1000 Entrepreneur her work is behind some of the biggest brands you use everyday. Dismantling white supremacy through storytelling is at the core of her work as a leader, speaker, creative director, producer, writer, editor, co-owner of the Oakland Roots and Soul soccer teams, and author of White Supremacy is All Around: Notes From a Black Disabled Woman in a White World. She literally has all the degrees, lives in and loves Oakland, CA, celebrates her disability, is a proud Beyoncé advocate, and has an incredible shoe game. Karen Catlin is a highly acclaimed author and speaker on inclusive workplaces. She has published four books: Better Allies®: Everyday Actions to Create Inclusive, Engaging Workplaces (2019), The Better Allies Approach to Hiring (2020), Belonging in Healthcare (2022), and The Better Allies Way: A Workbook for Being More Inclusive at Work (2024). She also emails a roundup of “5 Ally Actions” to over 60,000 newsletter subscribers every week. Previously, Karen spent 25 years building software products and serving as a vice president of engineering at Adobe. During that time, she witnessed a sharp decline in the number of women working in tech. Frustrated but galvanized, she knew it was time to switch gears and focus on creating more inclusive workplaces where everyone could do their best work and thrive. A self-professed public speaking geek, Karen is a highly sought-after and engaging presenter who has delivered talks at hundreds of conferences and corporate events. What you will learn in this episode: What it means to be an “accomplice,” and how it differs from being an “ally” Why allyship can feel performative, and what it actually means to be an ally How to use your voice and platform to do the work as an accomplice Why we must become comfortable with being uncomfortable to be better accomplices How we can become role models for the behaviors involved in making a meaningful difference Resources: Website: https://www.changecadet.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/company/changecadet/ Facebook Business: https://www.facebook.com/changecadet Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changecadet/ Twitter: https://x.com/changecadet? Website: https://betterallies.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kecatlin/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/betterallies  

Dr. Gena Cox, an organizational psychologist, leadership coach, and keynote speaker, is deeply knowledgeable about the human experience at work. In her work, she equips leaders with people-centered, psychology-backed techniques to drive employee retention and performance in the face of volatility. Gena spent decades advising corporate leaders on enhancing organizational culture using insights from applied research. This taught her that Respect is a potent yet overlooked antidote to employee discontent. Simultaneously, she coached executives on how to enhance their influence and impact. She noticed that familiar leadership models were too convoluted for volatile times. Leaders need simple, repeatable models they can learn quickly and easily implement. These insights prompted Gena to create her transformative “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” and “Yes … And” frameworks and write her award-winning Amazon best-selling book Leading Inclusion. Her forthcoming 2025 book examines how small behavior changes can build connections at work. Gena's work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Fortune, Forbes, and Market Watch/Barrons, among others. What you will learn in this episode: How the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor impacted diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace How an inclusive culture impacts company performance and retention Why it is important to focus on fixing culture instead of thinking of DEI as a fix What respect accomplishes that other terms fail to capture in company culture Why companies should institute a respect ethos to hold employees accountable for behaviors Resources: Website: https://genacox.com/ Book: Leading Inclusion LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genacox/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/feelshuman/ Freebies for your audience: https://genacox.com/inclusionresources/

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. On the pod, Lee interviews interesting communications pros, CEOs, branding experts, and authors to bring key insights that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your marketing WORK. Occasionally, she goes it alone to share her thoughts and insights on key topics of the day in solo shows. Today is a Solo Show with your host, Lee Caraher. What you will learn in this episode: Why momentum is crucial to building and maintaining relationships in media relations How to leverage small successes to create bigger opportunities How to start building momentum for your brand to build a solid foundation Why smaller publications are critical to the flywheel approach How your continuous efforts will pay off in the long run for your brand Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher  

Linda Yates The Image Energizer is a highly sought international Keynote Speaker, Leadership Consultant, Executive Coach, Corporate Trainer, Author, Stylist, and Voice-Over Talent. Linda has produced over 300 educational seminars on helping individuals and businesses uncover, realize and accomplish their goals. She has motivated over 12,000 individuals representing Fortune 500 companies throughout North America including CVS/Aetna, Delta, Wells Fargo, Fannie Mae, Microsoft, Johnson Controls, and Office Depot on their internal processes and corporate initiatives. She is also an adjunct instructor at Florida Atlantic University. Her focus in working with individuals and organizations is to teach them how to become profitable in communicating their image. Author of: 6 Steps to ENERGIZE Your Personal Brand Beyond the Clothes Image & Presence Uncover the Possible 12 Steps to Success And Host of the IntHERrupt podcast which focuses on Empowering Women Leaders Linda believes that Nothing Is Impossible! Married to her best friend and mother to three amazing individuals. Linda has run in all 50 states, and grew up barrel racing! What you will learn in this episode: How your face is speaking for you, whether you want it to or not How to align your body to match what you want to communicate Why body language and facial expressions are so important over video How to demonstrate interest and participation during communications What to do to become more aware of your body language Resources: Website: https://lhyatesconsulting.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhyates/ Facebook Business: https://www.facebook.com/lindahyatesconsulting/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/lhyates Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lhyatescoach/

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. On the pod, Lee interviews interesting communications pros, CEOs, branding experts, and authors to bring key insights that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your marketing WORK. Occasionally, she goes it alone to share her thoughts and insights on key topics of the day in solo shows. Today is a Solo Show with your host, Lee Caraher. What you will learn in this episode: Lee's six summer reading recommendations to become a better communicator by fall How to become a better leader through Leadership and the Art of Conversation How to create a repeatable message that carries impact through Talk Triggers How to present with confidence and be compelling through Better Presentations How to emulate super communicators to become one yourself through Supercommunicators How to connect with your audience through representation and new points of view through Speaking While Female Resources: Book Recommendations: Leadership & The Art of Conversation by Kim Krisco: https://a.co/d/37iHpQJ Talk Triggers by Jay Baer & Daniel Lemin: https://a.co/d/2mQzGzO Breaking Through: Communicating to Open Minds, Move Hearts, and Change the World by Sally Susman: https://a.co/d/aVWEJFn The Non-Obvious Guide to Better Presentations: How to Present Like a Pro (Virtually or in Person) by Jacqueline Farrington: https://a.co/d/ds5tAOK Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg: https://a.co/d/dv3JzuC Speaking While Female: 75 Extraordinary Speeches by American Women by Dana Rubin: https://a.co/d/3pjmWhL Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher  

Maggie Zeman is the REAL DEAL and brings her energy, expertise and optimism to the table every single day. She is SVP at Double Forte, and GM of the New York practice and the wine and spirits group, a practice she built from the ground up. Prior to Double Forte, Maggie founded a digital marketing and communications agency, growing the business to profitability before merging with Double Forte in 2011. She continues to drive corporate and brand communications leadership strategies while advising wine and spirits executives on strategic industry thought leadership, crisis management and elevated storytelling designed to build awareness and momentum for their businesses and brands. Maggie serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors for the Alzheimer's Association New York Chapter serving also as chair of the annual Walk to End Alzheimer's and contributing to a 30% fundraising growth YOY from 2021 to 2022. Maggie is a sought-after speaker on wine and spirit industry trends, media training, and digital marketing. What you will learn in this episode: How the pandemic impacted media relations Why it is detrimental to think of media relations as transactional Why it is crucial to build personal connections in PR Why you need to be of service to your media connections to maintain relationships How to get started building media relations in today's environment Resources: Website: http://www.double-forte.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiezeman/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/double-forte/  

Dr. Akilah Cadet is the Founder and CEO of Change Cadet, an organizational development consulting firm that offers services that support embedding belonging into overall company culture, identity and strategy. As a Forbes Next 1000 Entrepreneur her work is behind some of the biggest brands you use everyday. Dismantling white supremacy through storytelling is at the core of her work as a leader, speaker, creative director, producer, writer, editor, co-owner of the Oakland Roots and Soul soccer teams, and author of White Supremacy is All Around: Notes From a Black Disabled Woman in a White World. She literally has all the degrees, lives in and loves Oakland, CA, celebrates her disability, is a proud Beyoncé advocate, and has an incredible shoe game. What you will learn in this episode: How to be an accomplice instead of an ally How public entities have entitled private entities to backpedal their approach to DEI How hiring great people still requires a DEI approach Why diversity is a numbers game that favors diversity How we can work to dismantle build equality every day Resources: Website: https://www.changecadet.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/company/changecadet/ Facebook Business: https://www.facebook.com/changecadet Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changecadet/ Twitter: https://x.com/changecadet?  

Over his career, Brent Hafele has led in either a CEO or C-Suite role in multiple businesses and nonprofits on the local, national, and international levels. As a consultant and coach, he's walked with hundreds of CEOs and other executives all over North America. Brent knows the joy and the stress, the excitement and the loneliness, the blessing and the curse of leading organizations. Brent is currently the President of Vibrancy Unlocked. He helps leaders and teams release resistance, achieve goals, and live vibrantly. What you will learn in this episode: What common misconceptions people have about listening effectively in a professional setting The 3 levels of listening and how they impact communications How to overcome all of the “noise” to become good listeners Practical exercises that can be done daily to improve your listening ability How to know what questions to ask in a conversation Resources: Website: https://www.vibrancyunlocked.com/ Linkedin Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenthafele/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vibrancy-unlocked/  

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. On the pod, Lee interviews interesting communications pros, CEOs, branding experts, and authors to bring key insights that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your marketing WORK. Occasionally, she goes it alone to share her thoughts and insights on key topics of the day in solo shows. Today is a Solo Show with your host, Lee Caraher. What you will learn in this episode: How conflict obscures clarity How to clear the air when conflict arises When the best time is to resolve conflict How to use the communication wheel to address conflict with clarity Why it is best not to wait to bring up concerns Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher Communications Wheel: https://www.leecaraher.com/blog/the-tough-conversation-resolving-conflict-clearing-the-air-amp-moving-forward-together  

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. On the pod, Lee interviews interesting communications pros, CEOs, branding experts, and authors to bring key insights that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your marketing WORK. Occasionally, she goes it alone to share her thoughts and insights on key topics of the day in solo shows. Today is a Solo Show with your host, Lee Caraher. What you will learn in this episode: How a company's values guide its culture, decisions, and goals Why it is critical to define each value and describe the behaviors associated with them to create clarity and understanding How to divide your values into core, aspirational, accidental, and permission to play based on The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni A detailed examples of Double Forte's values and how they are defined How articulating your values sets you up for success when employees are underperforming or not in alignment Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni  

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. On the pod, Lee interviews interesting communications pros, CEOs, branding experts, and authors to bring key insights that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your marketing WORK. Occasionally, she goes it alone to share her thoughts and insights on key topics of the day in solo shows. Today is a Solo Show with your host, Lee Caraher. What you will learn in this episode: What ghosting says about you as a person and as a business Why it is so important to protect your reputation and credibility How ghosting can impact opportunities years down the line Steps to avoid ghosting and how to deliver bad news while maintaining a relationship Why it is vital to close the loop on any communication Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher  

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. On the pod, Lee interviews interesting communications pros, CEOs, branding experts, and authors to bring key insights that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your marketing WORK. Occasionally, she goes it alone to share her thoughts and insights on key topics of the day in solo shows. Today is a Solo Show with your host, Lee Caraher. What you will learn in this episode: How small changes in your communications can have a monumental impact Why the word “but” is a barrier to collaboration How to replace the word “but” with “and” to have more productive conversations How to use the improv “yes, and” in your communications to collaborate better What you can do to identify “buts” in your own conversations and rectify the problem Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher  

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. On the pod, Lee interviews interesting communications pros, CEOs, branding experts, and authors to bring key insights that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your marketing WORK. Occasionally, she goes it alone to share her thoughts and insights on key topics of the day in solo shows. Today is a Solo Show with your host, Lee Caraher. What you will learn in this episode: How to drive clarity with shared definitions of key terms Why companies need a clear vision, mission, values, goals, and strategy Why acronyms are so detrimental to clear communication How to define vision, mission, and values to ensure clarity within your company Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher  

Maggie Zeman is the REAL DEAL and brings her energy, expertise and optimism to the table every single day. She is SVP at Double Forte, and GM of the New York practice and the wine and spirits group, a practice she built from the ground up. Prior to Double Forte, Maggie founded a digital marketing and communications agency, growing the business to profitability before merging with Double Forte in 2011. She continues to drive corporate and brand communications leadership strategies while advising wine and spirits executives on strategic industry thought leadership, crisis management and elevated storytelling designed to build awareness and momentum for their businesses and brands. Maggie serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors for the Alzheimer's Association New York Chapter serving also as chair of the annual Walk to End Alzheimer's and contributing to a 30% fundraising growth YOY from 2021 to 2022. Maggie is a sought-after speaker on wine and spirit industry trends, media training, and digital marketing. What you will learn in this episode: What a Chief Communications Officer does and how the role has changed over time How social media has changed the “public” in PR The difference between the CCO and the CMO How a company's handling of layoffs can impact involuntary churn and productivity Why some companies choose to utilize a fractional CCO or CMO Resources: Website: http://www.double-forte.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiezeman/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/double-forte/  

Maggie Zeman is the REAL DEAL and brings her energy, expertise and optimism to the table every single day. She is SVP at Double Forte, and GM of the New York practice and the wine and spirits group, a practice she built from the ground up. Prior to Double Forte, Maggie founded a digital marketing and communications agency, growing the business to profitability before merging with Double Forte in 2011. She continues to drive corporate and brand communications leadership strategies while advising wine and spirits executives on strategic industry thought leadership, crisis management and elevated storytelling designed to build awareness and momentum for their businesses and brands. Maggie serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors for the Alzheimer's Association New York Chapter serving also as chair of the annual Walk to End Alzheimer's and contributing to a 30% fundraising growth YOY from 2021 to 2022. Maggie is a sought-after speaker on wine and spirit industry trends, media training, and digital marketing. What you will learn in this episode: What constitutes an effective press release What challenges communications professionals are facing today How to determine if something is newsworthy Why distribution is so important when running a press release How to use your press release to extend a conversation with your audience Why you should never use AI to write your press release Resources: Website: http://www.double-forte.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiezeman/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/double-forte/

Maggie Zeman is the REAL DEAL and brings her energy, expertise and optimism to the table every single day. She is SVP at Double Forte and GM of the New York practice and the wine and spirits group, a practice she built from the ground up. Prior to joining Double Forte, Maggie founded a digital marketing and communications agency, before merging with Double Forte in 2011. She continues to drive corporate and brand communications leadership strategies while advising wine and spirits executives on strategic industry thought leadership, crisis management and elevated storytelling designed to build awareness and momentum for their businesses and brands. Maggie serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors for the Alzheimer's Association New York Chapter, serving also as chair of the annual Walk to End Alzheimer's and contributing to a 30% fundraising growth YOY from 2021 to 2022. Maggie is a sought-after speaker on wine and spirit industry trends, media training, and digital marketing. What you will learn in this episode: Why you must assume the person you are speaking to does not understand your acronyms and lingo How to use more inclusive language to make everyone feel welcomed and included How complex language makes consumers feel like outsiders and loses business Why inclusive language should start from the inside of your company How to identify and eliminate exclusive language in your communications Resources: Website: http://www.double-forte.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiezeman/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/double-forte/ 3 Simple Things That Could Save the Wine Industry in 2024, with Maggie Zeman

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. On the pod, Lee interviews interesting communications pros, CEOs, branding experts, and authors to bring key insights that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your marketing WORK. Occasionally, she goes it alone to share her thoughts and insights on key topics of the day in solo shows. Today is a Solo Show with your host, Lee Caraher. What you will learn in this episode: Why PR takes so long The role of Public Relations How PR is different from advertising and marketing What the timeline looks like to see results with PR and media relations How PR and strategic communications can create lasting results for your business if done correctly Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher  

Maggie Zeman is the REAL DEAL and brings her energy, expertise and optimism to the table every single day. She is SVP at Double Forte, and GM of the New York practice and the wine and spirits group, a practice she built from the ground up. Prior to Double Forte, Maggie founded a digital marketing and communications agency, growing the business to profitability before merging with Double Forte in 2011. She continues to drive corporate and brand communications leadership strategies while advising wine and spirits executives on strategic industry thought leadership, crisis management and elevated storytelling designed to build awareness and momentum for their businesses and brands. Maggie serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors for the Alzheimer's Association New York Chapter serving also as chair of the annual Walk to End Alzheimer's and contributing to a 30% fundraising growth YOY from 2021 to 2022. Maggie is a sought-after speaker on wine and spirit industry trends, media training, and digital marketing. What you will learn in this episode: What makes wine PR different from PR work in other industries How to get a job in wine PR Why education is absolutely crucial for working in the wine industry How wines are scored and what that means for distribution Why you need to be deeply interested in wine if you want to get into the industry Resources: Website: http://www.double-forte.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiezeman/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/double-forte/ WSET Resources: https://www.wsetglobal.com/

Maggie Zeman is the REAL DEAL and brings her energy, expertise and optimism to the table every single day. She is SVP at Double Forte, and GM of the New York practice and the wine and spirits group, a practice she built from the ground up. Prior to Double Forte, Maggie founded a digital marketing and communications agency, growing the business to profitability before merging with Double Forte in 2011. She continues to drive corporate and brand communications leadership strategies while advising wine and spirits executives on strategic industry thought leadership, crisis management and elevated storytelling designed to build awareness and momentum for their businesses and brands. Maggie serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors for the Alzheimer's Association New York Chapter serving also as chair of the annual Walk to End Alzheimer's and contributing to a 30% fundraising growth YOY from 2021 to 2022. Maggie is a sought-after speaker on wine and spirit industry trends, media training, and digital marketing. What you will learn in this episode: Why the State of the US Wine Industry Report from SVB is a wakeup call to wine businesses and the industry as a whole Where opportunities exist for wine companies to gain traction and turn around a stagnant market Why education, communication, and innovation should be at the forefront of the wine industry to shift demand How shifting demographics are impacting the wine industry, and Maggie's expertise on how businesses can attract younger audiences to improve the current 0% growth the industry is facing Why internal communication should be at the forefront of all business plans before taking the message public Resources: Website: http://www.double-forte.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiezeman/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/double-forte/  

Alex McKinnon is a visionary leader in inspiring teams to build brand value through strategic innovation in design and marketing across products and services globally at start-ups to billion-dollar companies. Over the past 30+ years Alex has leveraged his innovation expertise to solve increasingly complex problems. His BA at Duke and MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School were a solid foundation. His formative years in Design and Marketing in Spain were at Sara Lee and then Braun. Ten more years at Braun included roles of increasing global responsibility in Germany, Scandinavia, and USA, achieving record growth in the health and oral care businesses. Running Gillette's toiletries business broadened his consumable products expertise. His subsequent leadership roles at Bell Sports, Sylvan Learning, and Hampton Products gave him invaluable middle market and private equity exposure and success. The last ten years have been exceptionally rewarding as Alex conceived, founded, and launched the award winning Kinn brand of pet care products across B2B and B2C channels. What you will learn in this episode: What alarming research results led to the design and creation of the Kleanbowl from Alex's company, Kinn Inc. How the Kinn Kleanbowl offers a quadruple bottom line value proposition for pets, people, planet, and profit What inspired Alex to write the article for Private Directors Association The Five Cs for Storytelling as a Communications Strategy Building brand value through strategic innovation Why great storytelling can become a cornerstone of company culture Resources: Website: https://kinninc.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amckinnon/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kinn-inc-/ Private Directors Association: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/private-directors-association%C2%AE-charlotte-chapter_shareyourstory-privatedirectorsassociation-activity-7147994980546969600-0JXX?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop        

  Lisen Stromberg is CEO of PrismWork, a culture innovation and leadership transformation consultancy providing C-suite executives, start-up entrepreneurs, and leaders across the globe with the data-driven insights and tools they need to achieve breakthrough success and impact. Lisen is also a best-selling author, award-winning writer, and in-demand speaker who has been on stage at numerous high-profile conferences around the globe including SXSW, Cannes Lions, and at companies including Microsoft, Twitter, and many others. Her latest best-selling book, Intentional Power: The 6 Essential Leadership Skills for Triple Bottom Line Impact, provides leaders at every level with the tools and insights they need to drive better business results for the benefit of all stakeholders. Lisen has served on numerous non-profit and start-up boards. When she isn't working with clients or speaking on stage, Lisen co-teaches a class at Stanford University on leadership in the new world of work. She earned her BA at Dartmouth College, has an MBA from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, and an MFA from Mills College. What you will learn in this episode: The conflict between what people think leadership is vs. what it actually needs to be What attributes are at the core essence of modern leadership Why communication is not just the words you use, and other components of communicating intentionally Why the idea of transparency in communication is challenging for some employers How you can uplevel your power skills Resources: Website: https://www.lisenstromberg.com/ Website: https://www.prismwork.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisenstromberg/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/prismwork/ Intentional Power:The 6 Essential Skills for Triple Bottom Line Impact  

Sharon Toerek is Founder of Toerek Law, where she leads her national law practice on helping advertising, marketing and creative services professionals protect and monetize their intellectual capital and manage the legal implications of their marketing and advertising work. Sharon provides proactive, strategic counsel to communications, marketing, advertising and creative agencies on legal and business issues they face continually in their work, including: -agency-client relationships, including agency service contracts -agency-freelancer relationship management -trademark and brand protection matters -influence marketing, social media and content marketing legal compliance -copyright protection, licensing and transfer of creative content -advertising law Sharon is an approved participant on the 4A's Legal Consultants Panel, and a Past President of the American Ad Federation (AAF) Cleveland. Sharon is also the Publisher of the marketing industry legal blog Legal + Creative. Sharon created the Legal + Creative Agency Protection System, a comprehensive legal education resource and toolkit for marketing, ad and creative services agencies. She is also the creator and host of The Innovative Agency, a podcast about innovation and trends in the marketing agency world. What you will learn in this episode: Why you need professional legal (and accounting) support so you can put your full focus on running a good service business What you can learn about a potential client during the negotiation process The 3Ds – creating a strong statement of work around your Dollars, Deadlines, and Deliverables How to approach the topic of AI in your contracts and discussions Why clarity at the beginning of a relationship is so vital to success Resources: Website: legalandcreative.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharontoerek/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SharonToerek The Innovative Agency Podcast www.agencylegalprotection.com kayla@legalandcreative.com sharon@legalandcreative.com  

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. On the pod, Lee interviews interesting communications pros, CEOs, branding experts, and authors to bring key insights that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your marketing WORK. Occasionally, she goes it alone to share her thoughts and insights on key topics of the day in solo shows. Today is a Solo Show with your host, Lee Caraher. What you will learn in this episode: What it means to be positively predictable How predictability drives clarity, which leads to effective leadership The benefits of repeating yourself How predictability creates stability, and how that can help you attract and retain talent Why you need to be predictable about how you signal change How clarity impacts every part of the organization, both internally and externally Resources: Why being predictable is actually a great thing according to science: https://www.fastcompany.com/90444591/why-being-predictable-is-actually-a-great-thing-according-to-science Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. On the pod, Lee interviews interesting communications pros, CEOs, branding experts, and authors to bring key insights that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your marketing WORK. Occasionally, she goes it alone to share her thoughts and insights on key topics of the day in solo shows. Today is a Solo Show with your host, Lee Caraher. What you will learn in this episode: Why clarity should be on your list of words to live by in 2024 (and beyond) How becoming clear about YOU helps you be a better communicator How you can use assessment tools to better understand yourself and your colleagues Why your company's values should be tied to associated behaviors What active communication looks like, and why your job as a communicator is never complete Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher Assessment Resources: Myers Briggs: https://www.mbtionline.com/ Enneagram: https://www.integrative9.com/ DISC: https://www.everythingdisc.com/ Strength Finders: https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/253868/popular-cliftonstrengths-assessment-products.aspx

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. On the pod, Lee interviews interesting communications pros, CEOs, branding experts, and authors to bring key insights that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your marketing WORK. Occasionally, she goes it alone to share her thoughts and insights on key topics of the day in solo shows. Today is a Solo Show with your host, Lee Caraher. What you will learn in this episode: 5 trends you should be staying on top of to be relevant in 2024 How to explore generative AI with curiosity while prioritizing quality and human connection Why continued education should be on your list for 2024 – and how it can help you upscale personally and professionally How workplaces are evolving and what they need to do to stay successful Why sustainability is critical for any company looking to attract a younger audience How all of these things, along with your effectiveness, integrity, social responsibility, and more, define your brand value Resources: Double Forte 2024 Trend Report Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher

Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. On the pod, Lee interviews interesting communications pros, CEOs, branding experts, and authors to bring key insights that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your marketing WORK. Occasionally, she goes it alone to share her thoughts and insights on key topics of the day in solo shows. Today is a Solo Show with your host, Lee Caraher. What you will learn in this episode: Why every company should be starting (if they haven't) and continuing (if they have) their diversity, equity, and inclusion journey How diversity and inclusion in the workplace makes us stronger and generates better results How language plays a crucial role in operationalizing inclusion and transforming our understanding What it truly means to use inclusive language in the workplace How our culture and upbringing impacts the language we use Why it is important to understand the origin of the phrases we use and adapt accordingly Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher Additional Resources: CNN – Everyday words and phrases that have racist connotations Entrepreneur – Why Businesses Need to Take Inclusive Language Seriously Inc. – 4 Words You Should Stop Using at Work – and What to Say Instead Stanford University – Elimination of Harmful Language Initiative Witty.Works – Inclusive Language: Handbook To Make it Work at Your Organization

Justin's been in marketing since he was a kid when his mom asked him to design the invitations to her tea party. That was the gateway drug. In middle school, he dabbled in logo design with his friends. In high school, his art teacher said, “You should try a career in graphic design.” So he went to the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, where he got a BA in graphic design. He went to work full time growing a non-profit with new marketing methods, in many cases doubling their income from various events or campaigns. Then he moved to a B2B manufacturer, where his award-winning work enabled them to grow from $70M to $90M ARR. Realizing he was an entrepreneur, he made the leap to business ownership in 2018. Today, he helps executive coaches and solopreneurs attract ideal clients with click-worthy videos for social media. What you will learn in this episode: Why now is the best time to get into short-form videos Why you should be spending your time where you are most valuable How to provide value, insight, and entertainment through your videos What it says for you when you produce consistent, valuable content Resources: Website: https://www.dialogwith.us/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinvajko/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dialog-design-co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jvajko

Specializing in public relations spanning lifestyle, healthcare, life sciences and financial industries, Rebecca Eisenberg brings ten plus years of experience and numerous media relationships. Though garnering press coverage for clients is her main focus, Rebecca has extensive experience with branding, events and marketing strategy. Her passion for storytelling combined with her love of building and nurturing relationships make her a valuable addition to any team, successfully garnering top-tier press placements for clients across the board. What you will learn in this episode: How the right data can help you stand out in today's media landscape How to use data to validate your story and gain credibility What types of data you can use to effectively tell your story How adding data to your pieces can help gain trust with reporters and editors Why it matters how you present your data How to play the long game with reporters by giving them valuable content over time Resources: Website: https://network.ex.plo.re/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becca-eisenberg/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ex-plo-re/ LinkedIn Double Forte: https://www.linkedin.com/company/double-forte/ The Report: The Irrefutable Power of Data in Media Relations chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://double-forte.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/POV_PowerOfData_DoubleForte.pdf

Heather Kernahan is a global business leader who has been featured in Fast Company, Fortune, Thrive Global, Biz Women, and Ad Week. She currently serves as the CEO of Hotwire Global, an award-winning global tech communications and marketing consultancy who have worked with companies such as Meta, Adobe, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Honeywell. She was named one of the San Francisco Business Times 100 Most Influential Women and North America Innovator of the Year by Provoke Media. She serves on the board of ICCO, is a Trustee of IPR, and is past Board Chair of the PR Council. Kernahan is a sought-after speaker on business-leadership topics and has taken the stage at Fortune Global Forum discussing Innovation on the Fast Track, at the NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Center as a keynote and workshop facilitator on unlocking authentic leadership, and at Chief discussing High Stakes Leadership. She is a strategic adviser and has been a mentor to leaders, entrepreneurs, and start-ups through work with NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Center, Company VenturesNYCs foremost venture community, Scotians Global Advisors, Cleantech Open, Womens Startup Lab and the LAGRANT Foundation. She is a venture capitalist and LP with Women Who Invest and Portfolia. Taking action in the areas of inclusion, belonging, and education is important to her. She has been part of the launch team of the Say Gap, a program developed by the PRCouncil to train women and other underrepresented leaders to speak on stage and be interviewed by the press. She co-founded The 10, a group of women in leadership who are working to have more women leaders write and publish their first business books, as well, she serves on the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee for the College of Marin. Heather grew up in Canada and has since held senior marketing and leadership roles at start-up, mid-size, and global tech companies in Canada and the US, where she has been part of teams building the future. She received her masters in Business Administration in Sustainable Enterprise from Dominican University of California. She lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband and children. What you will learn in this episode: What inspired Heather to write her book, Unstuckable Why it is vital for women to write more business books How becoming an author can give you credibility and access to the media Why you will get nothing in business if you can't communicate How Heather and “The Ten” can help women who want to become authors learn the ropes Resources: Website: https://www.hotwireglobal.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherkernahan/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hotwireglobal/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/hkernahan Unstuckable

Rachel Huff, President and Founder of Victoire & Co, sits at the intersection of great companies and great agencies. Her passion lies in building brand-agency partnerships that drive long-term success. With a keen understanding of clients communications and business needs and a network of trusted agency connections, she specializes in guiding companies toward their best agency fit. Her work doesn't end with the initial matchmaking. Through strategic guidance and ongoing support, Rachel helps companies maximize their agency relationships to unlock their full brand potential. She also helps agencies grow their top line by sharpening their marketing and new business approach. Before founding Victoire & Co, Rachel led business development and agency marketing at Weber Shandwick and 360PR+, drawing from a decade on the account side developing integrated communications campaigns for brands including John Hancock, Verizon, Ocean Spray, DraftKings, CVS, Life is Good, and Boston Scientific. What you will learn in this episode: Why professionals with agency experience aren't always the best at finding new clients that are a good fit Double Forte's 4 rules for working with a new client What it means when a customer asks for more dynamic teams How your approach to presenting results can make you more adaptable and transparent Why it is our job to make our clients easier What kind of questions agencies should be asking Resources: Website: https://www.victoireco.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelmhuff/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/victoireco/

As the Chief Content Officer for Double Forte, Liz combines her PR, marketing and writing skills to counsel clients on their content and social media strategies and to maintain the editorial calendar and voice for the agency. Over the years she has worked as the Vice President of Marketing for an international flooring company and led media and communications programs for a range of clients from Fortune 100 companies to early-stage startups in the technology, consumer and professional services industries. An award-winning writer, Liz is the author of two books about the challenges of working women balancing career and caregiving. She is also active in the influencer community: Liz runs an online community with thousands of members, and her first blog was named one of the Best Blogs for Women by Fortune Magazine several years in a row. Liz is active in her community and serves on her town's Finance and Warrant Committee. She is also committed to supporting other women and co-founded both SheStarts, an organization for women entrepreneurs, as well as Women In Democracy-Dedham, a non-partisan group that seeks to engage more women in local politics. What you will learn in this episode: How the need and desire for companies to comment on social topics has impacted brand communication What questions to ask yourself as a company to determine what to communicate and whether or not to take a stance Why companies need to live their values, not just post them on a wall How not communicating anything can result in a bigger backlash Why conviction is vital when taking a stance Resources: Read Liz's article “Profit, People and Purpose: How CEOs and Companies Can Be Their Most Authentic Self in the Transparent Age”: https://double-forte.com/profits-people-

Lee's the host of Everything Speaks, the founder and CEO of Double Forte, a 20-year old awesome independent national PR and strategic communications firm, and the author of two pragmatically optimistic books about creating valuable, high producing and positive workplaces and teams. She's been there and done that. Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. On the pod, Lee interviews interesting communications pros, CEOs, branding experts, and authors to bring key insights that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your marketing WORK. Occasionally, she shares her thoughts and insights on key topics of the day. What you will learn in this episode: Why the word “like” should not be used as a filler or to indicate inclusion What you are actually saying when you use “like” in written speech Why using “like” as a filler in spoken word undermines your authority and makes you seem uncertain Tips you can use to break out of the habit of using “like” in your everyday vocabulary Why precision language is so important for conveying your thoughts and being understood Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher Apps Mentioned: Speeko Orai Astound

Lee's the host of Everything Speaks, the founder and CEO of Double Forte, a 20-year old awesome independent national PR and strategic communications firm, and the author of two pragmatically optimistic books about creating valuable, high producing and positive workplaces and teams. She's been there and done that. Communications is the CENTER OF ALL THINGS. On the pod, Lee interviews interesting communications pros, CEOs, branding experts, and authors to bring key insights that can be used in the day to day to make your work, your PR, your marketing WORK. Occasionally, she shares her thoughts and insights on key topics of the day. What you will learn in this episode: How intention is at the heart of being understood when communicating The 9 steps for breaking down intention to be a more effective communicator Why you need to give as many cues as possible to be heard and understood Why it's important to reinforce your message in different modalities at different times How your words, tone, energy, and body language work together (or against each other) to convey a message Why it's essential to determine the when, where, and how of the message you are sending Resources: Website: https://leecaraher.com/ Website: www.double-forte.com Double Forte Resources: https://double-forte.com/resources/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher Books mentioned: Breaking Through: https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Through-Communicating-Hearts-Change/dp/1647823951/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?keywords=breaking+through&qid=1692816930&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1: Communicating to Open Minds, Move Hearts, and Change the World by Sally Susman The Nonobvious Guide to Better Presentations by Jacqueline Farrington

Jacqueline Farrington has over 20 years experience as a change maker, empowering leaders and their teams to spark transformation and innovation through communications. Known for her refreshingly direct yet supportive and science-backed approach, Jacqueline works with senior and board-level leaders as the founder and president of Farrington Partners, Inc. She blends her experience in the performing arts, vocal pedagogy, communications, psychology, and organizational and executive coaching to help her clients find unique communication solutions around challenges such as digital transformations, organizational cultural change, the Great Resignation, or engaging in conversations on social justice. Her clients include multinationals such as Amazon and Microsoft, as well as startups and nonprofits. She proudly served for many years as TEDxSeattles Senior Speaker Coach, where she sourced, vetted, and prepared speakers for yearly sold-out audiences of 3,000. She was thrilled to see several speakers from that event move on to the global TED stage. In addition to teaching at Yale, she has lectured and taught at the London Business School, Rutgers University, Imperial College, and other institutions. Her book, “The Non-Obvious Guide to Better Presentations: Presenting Like a Pro (Virtually or In-Person)” is the winner of the International Book Awards Best Business Book in Communications/PR and the Axiom Book Awards Gold Medal Best Business Books of 2023 in Networking. What you will learn in this episode: How to prioritize awareness and intention to make better presentations What vocal pedagogy is, and how it incorporates curiosity into communication How you can become more aware of the way you speak Why you should be thinking of your presentations as performances How rehearsal can keep your brain free to focus on connecting with your audience What strategic presence is, and how it can help us adapt to deliver our message in any situation Resources: Website: https://farringtonpartners.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelinefarrington/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/farringtoninc