WitzEnd

Maribel Lopez is the founder and principal analyst at Lopez Research, a market research and strategy consulting firm specializing in technology. Before founding Lopez Research, Maribel began her career working in finance at Motorola and eventually moving into marketing. She joins ConnectThe2 to discuss the intricacies of marketing, the pros and pitfalls of startups, and the wonders of technology. If you like what you're reading, be sure to listen to the entire episode linked at the bottom of this page. Starting an analyst firm… Maribel did not intend to start her own analyst firm. At first she looked into joining pre-existing startups. However, she did not feel like was a good fit for them. Her clients requested that she go into strategy and research work and Lopez Research was born. Thanks to Maribel's career with Motorola, she had access to technology education and developed a passion for technology and the growing world of artificial intelligence. Lopez Research provides analysis on a wide range of technology topics for both startups and global firms. Marketing is a lot harder than people realize… People often assume marketing is simple. They mistakenly believe that if they write a press release, they will gain tons of business overnight. Marketing is a lot more nuanced than that, because it requires precision to target the right audience through the noise. Success is gained by using marketing to stand out in your specific category, not by trying to create a whole new category. Startups often have a lot of enthusiasm and great ideas, but don't have the experience and technical expertise required to really take that idea all the way. There is a difference between being enamored with technology and actually analyzing it and understanding the necessary steps to reach success. More than analysis… In addition to researching the latest innovations in technology and artificial intelligence, Maribel hosts three podcasts. Since moving to Charleston during the pandemic, Maribel has found many opportunities to network with people in technology and similar industries. After the interview, we played two games with Maribel to get to know her better. We played the techie edition This or That, where we learned that Maribel cannot choose between Samsung and Apple, and then we played Never Have I Ever. Hear more... If you've enjoyed these takeaways be sure to listen to our full interview linked below. Also, be sure to listen to, rate and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, iHeartRadio or Soundcloud. Quotes • “Once I learned more about the power of technology, so to speak, I was really intrigued and hooked.” (3:07-3:13) • “When I think of running a business, it's a combination of anxiety and power to choose what you would like to do. And both of those are wonderful, but they're both difficult.” (5:38-5:51) • “I think every individual, regardless if they are business owners or not, should have a personal board of advisors that they can go to and ask questions of and somebody that will help them walk through some of the challenges they might have. And it's important to have that be somebody that is outside of your home, outside of your workplace that can provide perspective.” (7:37-7:58) Links https://www.lopezresearch.com/ Learn more about Connect2 Communications: Website: https://www.connect2comm.com/ Podcast home page: https://www.connect2comm.com/podcast Twitter handle: @Connect2_Comm Instagram handle: @connect2_comm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connect2-communications Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/connect2comm/

How does a business' website tell a story? On today's episode of Storyology, hosts Richard Williams and Taylor O'Brien are joined by special guest Lars Dabney, Founder and Anti-CEO of Lightning Fruit, a web design company. Lars joins ConnectThe2 to talk about how to create an impactful website and get the most out of your digital presence. If you like what you are reading, be sure to listen to the entire episode linked at the bottom of this page. What's In A Name… Lars tells us two stories about how Lightning Fruit got its name. The first story is a fantastical tale of a retired pirate hunter in Madagascar who has a lemon tree growing on the roof of his house. The second story, the actual truth behind the name, involves positive word associations about the ‘fruit' of their labor. The Narrative Structure… Crafting a website is a lot like crafting a story. There must be clear goals and a chronological structure that leads site visitors to the answers they are looking for. Each web page contributes to another part of the story. Any ads and follow-up emails should reflect back on the same narrative to maintain consistency. A Living Organism… Once the website is up and running, it's not just over and done with. To truly maximize the impact of your investment into your company's digital presence, your website needs to grow and change alongside your business. It requires constant effort to track the flow of traffic and continually tweak the design to ensure it's working as efficiently as possible for your users. Hear more… If you've enjoyed these takeaways, be sure to listen to the full Storyology episode linked below. Also, be sure to listen to, rate, and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, iHeartRadio, or Soundcloud. Quotes • “The name Lightning Fruit. There is a story version of why Lightning Fruit is called Lightning Fruit and it's fairly elaborate. It involves a grandfather of mine who was a pirate hunter who retired to Madagascar and a lemon tree that grew on the roof of his house. That story is not true. But I get asked a lot about why Lightning Fruit is called Lightning Fruit and the real answer is boring. So, I often make something up like that just to entertain people.” (7:44-8:17) • “When we start to think about the objectives for the site, we always want to start with the objectives for the organization. What is your mission? As a business, as a nonprofit, as a social entrepreneurship, whatever it might be, the objectives are always going to vary. ” (13:19-14:03) • “Consistency is critical. Without it, you're going to have a fraction of the impact or the success that you would otherwise have.” (16:47-16:56) • “We want to be able to show the numbers going up in the data and that only happens if you're constantly working on the messaging and constantly working on the process. In that sense, it's getting clients to understand that a website is a living organism. It is a living part of your marketing ecosystem and requires constant effort if you really want it to be effective. If you're going to invest in your digital presence and make it work, we need to be analyzing all the traffic that's coming in from LinkedIn and from social, and from emails, from external publicity work and looking at where that traffic is landing, looking at what's happening to it, tweaking the user flows. It's that constant sharpening of the site that you're just continuously refining it and refining it and looking at all the different inputs and adjusting it so that it's making the most of all of them.” (23:03-24:34) Links https://lightningfruit.com/ Learn more about Connect2 Communications: Website: https://www.connect2comm.com/ Podcast home page: https://www.connect2comm.com/podcast Twitter handle: @Connect2_Comm Instagram handle: @connect2_comm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connect2-communications Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/connect2comm/

Welcome to Taylor O'Brien, the newest co-host of ConnectThe2 Podcast! Taylor started out as the Manager of Media Relations and Social Media with Connect2 Communications and looks forward to bringing her expertise and experience to our podcast! She joins ConnectThe2 to introduce herself and talk about what got her interested in joining the podcast team. Quotes • “It's really interesting using social media to reach different target audiences. I think it depends on what your message is, where you want to reach somebody, and what your outcome and your goals are at the end of it. I would say social media is something to consider if you're not on it already, but also a part of your communications strategy.” (03:00-03:23) • “I think social media…is interesting because when we're talking to reporters and thinking about news and things that are coming out, social media has turned into the news source for some of the younger generations. It's easy, they can click on it, they can see a headline. Sometimes they go off on that headline without clicking on a story, so I think how things are framed in a social media setting for a reporter specifically, how you label an article, how you draw that attention to say, ‘Hey there's more to the story, and you should read it' is going to be interesting. It's definitely been a challenge for media I've worked for in the past to take this new setting of social media…and how do you convey the same information in what used to be 140 characters on Twitter? With the podcast…I want to make sure we're sharing this to a group of followers or people who might be interested, but how do I use the right hashtags to say, ‘Hey, here's why you should actually click and listen to this entire podcast'…How do I know that you're actually going to find value in what we're talking about? I need to convey that when we post that to social.” (4:42-6:15) • “I think about a company and let's look at the key stakeholders at any organization. Because it's not just your customers. It could be your employees, your community that you're in, your surrounding area, investors, clients. There's a whole list of your key stakeholders. So when it comes to Storyology, you're absolutely right in saying that there is more to the story than what I sell or what I do. There are so many opportunities that can go missed because sometimes you're looking at it from the side of marketing or PR. Integrating those two is also very important, because there are so many sides to each company and business that should be showcased. It just depends on ‘is it the right time?' which is what storyology is about. Is it the time and place to tell this story and what makes it important? What makes it valuable?” (10:08-11:06) Learn more about Connect2 Communications: Website: https://www.connect2comm.com/ Podcast home page: https://www.connect2comm.com/podcast Twitter handle: @Connect2_Comm Instagram handle: @connect2_comm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connect2-communications Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/connect2comm/

Lisa Rhodes is the Former VP of Sales and Marketing for Verne Global and has known host Rich Williams for 22 years! On today's ConnectThe2 Storyology episode, Rich and Lisa discuss Mind the Gap, a program they collaborated on to try and change the conversation about risk as companies decide where to place new high compute applications in a data center. The two talk in detail about the complexities of setting up a data center from scratch, gaps between power consumption and data storage, and the continued impact of their report on green energy efforts. Quotes • “A story is full of chapters and each chapter builds on the previous one. So many companies write a chapter, but they don't write a story.” (05:54-06:05) • “We need a report that talks about power resourcing, the reliability of power grids in the U.S. and in Europe and what are any latency, resiliency issues around the current power grids because those lead to the risk factors that our customers would take interest in.” (13:41-14:06) • “The early adopters were Bitcoin miners to come to Iceland, because they were having power issues. They were having issues finding data centers that could do dense enough racks for the miners that they wanted to put in those racks, because they were using the highest grade CPUs and they were going all over the globe looking for resilient, low cost and green power frankly.” (14:43-15:16) • “It was like we took the top off a question everybody didn't know they needed to ask themselves but once they asked themselves it they realized, ‘This is exactly what I've been trying to figure out.'” (22:04-22:13) • “I'm proud to say that you and I created the long lasting message that is still being carried forward.” (28:01-28:07) Links https://www.dropbox.com/s/glaulkxbk4g695e/C2C%20Case%20Study_Mind%20The%20Gap.pdf?dl=0 Learn more about Connect2 Communications: Website: https://www.connect2comm.com/ Podcast home page: https://www.connect2comm.com/podcast Twitter handle: @Connect2_Comm Instagram handle: @connect2_comm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connect2-communications Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Connect2-Communications

Teresa Mastrangelo is the founder and principal analyst for Broadband Trends, an independent market analysis firm specializing in telecommunications. Teresa has 31 years of experience and is one of the leading analysts in her field on Broadband infrastructure and services. She joins ConnectThe2 to discuss what she looks for in a pitch meeting, what she wishes PR firms would do differently, and what she likes best about working as an independent analyst rather than for a large firm. Quotes • “The main thing that I'm looking for in a briefing is why should I care? What am I talking to you about? What is it that you're offering that nobody else is doing? What's the wow factor? If you have a new product, what's different about it? What problems is it going to solve? … For me to care lets me explain this to everybody else and promote it. I'm looking for that opening to something unique and different that I believe is going to solve a problem and is something that the industry needs.” (06:04-06:55) • “There's always that company that's ahead of its time, and it sounds really great, but nothing really happens with them.” (30:04-30:09) • "[My proudest moment was] without a doubt it was being on NPR's All Things Considered, when I got to go to a studio and be interviewed about the emerging voiceover IP market. It was quite exciting because I had people I had not heard from in years – coworkers, friends from high school – who said, ‘Hey I heard you on my commute home on All Things Considered.' So, that was really cool to have people who honestly didn't know anything about what I do for my career hearing me on the show. That was one of my highlights for sure.” (33:36-34:20) Links https://www.broadbandtrends.com/blog-1 Learn more about Connect2 Communications: Website: https://www.connect2comm.com/ Podcast home page: https://www.connect2comm.com/podcast Twitter handle: @Connect2_Comm Instagram handle: @connect2_comm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connect2-communications Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Connect2-Communications

Gary Bolton is the President and CEO of Fiber Broadband Association, an organization that prides itself on being the largest trade association in the Americas dedicated to all-fiber-optic broadband. Gary and co-host Rich have been on and off colleagues at various companies. On today's episode, these two men recount the cash cow product that led them to create a completely new market category. Quotes • “We've got to create a market category. If we can create this market category, we can define and own that space, and then everybody else in the industry will be basically competing on our terms.” (08:01-08:13) • “So now, this category is being tracked, based on our definition, our terms. We've basically created the haul of all the roles in the playing fields.” (11:26-11:38) • “You get the analyst, you start to introduce this term. So, now when they're interviewing service providers, you're interviewing other competitors in the vendor market. But what it did is it allowed us to change the narrative with our sales team. So, rather than coming in and saying 802.3AH, they can come in and talk about Mid-Band Ethernet.” (13:10-13:32) • “I think by saying it was the new cash cow, it really provided an opening, so we had some sex appeal.” (21:10-21:16) Links Hatteras Network Cash Cow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvXDFEKVdD8 Learn more about Connect2 Communications: Website: https://www.connect2comm.com/ Podcast home page: https://www.connect2comm.com/podcast Twitter handle: @Connect2_Comm Instagram handle: @connect2_comm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connect2-communications Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Connect2-Communications

Kaite Smith is an Account Executive at Connect2 Communications, with a focus in Analyst Relations (AR). The first Connect2 colleague featured as a guest on our Storyology series, Katie shares her insights on what an analyst relations program can do for your business. Katie owns and operates the Analyst Relations program at Connect2, and she specializes in working to build relationships with industry analysts, track their reports, and better understand her clients' goals. Quotes • “I would say overall analyst relations is acting as a link, a key link between the industry analysts and your client.” (03:04-03:13) • “Analysts really have a pulse on everything happening in the market. Having a supporting quote or even an analyst for others in the community to tap as they're reading your service or product release, having a highly engaged person with the market that sees value in what you're doing, tells your audience that your product or service is important. And it really helps you stand out in what today is such a noisy marketplace.” (05:48-06:14) • “And while an analyst is not alluding to any confidential material ever, in any way, they know what the common trends are in the market, that maybe as a vendor with your head down and doing what your company is doing day to day, or working on the next product release that you may not think of. So, having that outside voice really acting as a partner to you is another key value to having a relationship with the analysts and nurturing those.” (07:24-07:53) • “Without recognition from analysts, firms, customers or prospects, you're risking to them your ability to be viewed as a serious player. So overall, visibility is so essential. If your client isn't focused on building analyst relationships, or having an AR program as a part of its PR stack, they're not only missing the opportunity to engage with analysts and be included in the reports, but missing the whole opportunity to have their opinions on the market.” (08:28-09:02) Learn more about Connect2 Communications: Website: https://www.connect2comm.com/ Podcast home page: https://www.connect2comm.com/podcast Twitter handle: @Connect2_Comm Instagram handle: @connect2_comm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connect2-communications Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Connect2-Communications

So, what are the most important elements of an effective PR plan? Hosts Millie and Rich would argue that intent ranks high on that list. On today's episode of Storyology, Millie and Rich describe the core factors that go into any successful PR campaign. Spoiler alert: most of them involve intent! Intent is Crucial... Rich explains that intent starts with identifying the “why.” In order to define the “why,” you must be able to ask the right questions to your clients. To curate the best questions, understanding the goal of the piece is imperative. Rich tells listeners that they must determine who it is that they ultimately WANT to influence. The Importance of Intentional Questions... Throughout the Storyology series, Millie and Rich have highlighted the importance of questions. In this Storyology segment, they point to the connections between intent and questions. Millie offers some helpful tips for getting intentional answers from your clients, masterfully shaping the client's story with questions, and approaching a story from multiple angles to glean new insights. Not All Press Is Good Press… Rich is a staunch believer that not all press is good press. At most companies, the spokespeople have several other larger responsibilities. So, if they're taking time away from their main role to write an article or communicate something with the press, was it worth it? Did this communication tangibly work towards company goals? If not, then a company may want to reconsider its PR approach. Hear more… If you've enjoyed these takeaways, be sure to listen to the full Storyology episode linked below. Also, be sure to listen to, rate and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, iHeartRadio or Soundcloud. Quotes • “A lot of companies and people think of PR as a means to put information out there. And they believe that the market will just understand. But PR doesn't operate in a vacuum. It's a partnership.” (00:17-00:25 | Millie) • “It's really understanding what the goal is not just of the piece of writing, but how that piece fits within the overall story that the company is trying to tell. Because everything they do from a product to a partnership, customer to new hire, to new program, all should be a part of a bigger story that is bigger than what they're doing in the moment.” (03:56-04:16 | Rich) •“You just have to understand what are the assets you have to bring and then how you use those to help the market understand the impact you're having.” (05:15-05:26 | Rich) •“​​It doesn't happen without work. It doesn't happen without communicating the right things at the right time.” (14:50-14:58 | Rich) Learn more about Connect2 Communications: Website: https://www.connect2comm.com/ Podcast home page: https://www.connect2comm.com/podcast Twitter handle: @Connect2_Comm Instagram handle: @connect2_comm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connect2-communications Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Connect2-Communications

Do you ever wonder how to keep reporters interested and engaged during a briefing? On today's episode of ConnectThe2, co-hosts Millie and Rich speak with editors, analysts, and journalists about the importance of capturing and holding a reporters' attention during an interview. Connect2's approach… At Connect2 Communications, Millie and Rich encourage their clients to be the best storytellers they can be and to put these storytelling skills to use when interviewing with reporters. Throughout the years, Millie and Rich have asked their fair share of reporters, “What makes an interview stand out to you?” and on today's episode, they reveal their favorite answers. Stick around for an inside scoop on how to pique a reporter's interest. Clint Boulton's take on the importance of narrative... Clint Boulton, Senior Writer at CIO.com, explains how a narrative can make or break an interview. If the interviewee (i.e. CIO, CTO, etc.) tells a compelling narrative in an interview or briefing, it will immediately capture an editor's attention. Tara Seals dives into her biggest pet peeves… Tara Seals, Editor at Threatpost, describes her annoyance with vendor specific messaging. Tara uses the example of tech companies that are often so “hellbent” on selling their product, they completely ignore the actual story that reporters and editors are interested in writing. Eric Savitz speaks on compelling stories... Eric Savitz, Editor for Barrons, illustrates what a compelling story can do to spark a reporter's interest. Eric explains how most interviews are repetitive and lack a key message. He reveals that the best way to leave an impression in an interview is to add an engaging storytelling element. Julie Kunstler raves about two-way conversations… Julie Kunstler, Analyst with Omdia, reveals her main frustration with briefings: ignoring the analyst. Julie explains how important it is to converse with the analyst you are briefing. Both parties can benefit from getting a well-rounded view of the issue or story at hand. Dean Takahashi shares a memorable interview… Dean Takahashi, journalist for Venturebeat, shares a memorable interview with his old professor about the ethics of video games. Dean explains that an interview where there is back and forth between both parties keeps the journalist interested and creates a story the writer is excited to tell. Quotes • “Part of marketing and publicizing your company's products and ultimately receiving earned media coverage, involves conducting interviews or briefings with reporters.” (0:18-0:28 | Millie) • “And this goes all the way back to anthropology. We, as humans, relate to stories more than anything else in terms of a communication perspective.” (02:29-02:40 | Clint Boulton) • “My biggest pet peeve is when people insist on being vendor-specific when you are actually trying to talk to them about general trends and you just want general insight to things.” (04:18-04:27 | Tara Seals) • “You are just looking for some element to latch on to that gets through the clutter.” (07:12-07:17 | Eric Savitz) • “Rather than focusing on the technology, I try to understand how they are defining the problem.” (08:50-08:55 | Julie Kunstler) • “The reason why I wish they would ask me what I think or how I look at it is I think they could get more out of the briefing and the conversation. It becomes more interactive, which leads to deeper involvement.” (09:52- 10:07 | Julie Kunstler) Learn more about Connect2 Communications: Website: https://www.connect2comm.com/ Podcast home page: https://www.connect2comm.com/podcast Twitter handle: @Connect2_Comm Instagram handle: @connect2_comm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connect2-communications Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Connect2-Communications

Introducing Storyology... Storyology is a new series on the ConnectThe2 Podcast! On this series, co-hosts Millie and Rich talk about their process at Connect2 Communications and how they shape stories at the right place and time to appeal to storytellers. The storytellers in question are reporters and the companies themselves. Co-host Rich explains that, “A lot of times, PR people consider themselves storytellers. The storytellers really are the companies or the reporters because ultimately the reporter has the pen and ink, or keyboard and URL.” The importance of a Storyology mindset... Co-hosts Rich and Mille fully believe “that the right story can move markets and ultimately change everything for a company.” In each episode of this series, they will do a deep dive on a company that was positively affected by Storyology and explore how this process changed the market around them. Quotes • “Storyology is the art and science of mixing a complete story.” (00:53-00:57) • “It's really about listening to the market and understanding what's happening.” (02:20-02:24) • “A martini is great with a steak dinner on a cold night or a hot toddy by the fire, but you wouldn't serve that at the beach. The beach is for daiquiris and margaritas. Well you mix different things based on what you are serving and when.” (02:50-03:04) Learn more about Connect2 Communications: Website: https://www.connect2comm.com/ Podcast home page: https://www.connect2comm.com/podcast Twitter handle: @Connect2_Comm Instagram handle: @connect2_comm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connect2-communications Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Connect2-Communications

Lauren Horwtiz is a Senior Content Director for Informa, writing primarily for IoT World Today. Prior to her role at Informa, Lauren was Managing Editor of Cisco.com and Senior Executive Editor in the Business Applications and Architecture group at TechTarget. With over 20 years of experience in the digital publishing industry under her belt, Lauren has an extensive knowledge of digital trends. She joins ConnectThe2 to discuss her favorite aspects of covering IoT, the upsides and downsides of PR pitches, the future of smart environments and more. Quotes • “I spent many years of my career trying to really cultivate that roster of smart, tech-savvy freelancers who either really understand technology or they're good writers. And certainly the technologists, the IT pros that we use for stories are also sometimes our sources for comments.” (11:20-11:52) • “I like to think of IoT Today as always offering in some of our longer stories still that opportunity to cover the waterfront and really hear from different sources on a topic and do a state of the nation. It's very labor-intensive….in media, we're moving at a faster pace now, so investing resources in one story gets harder and harder, but I still think it's the best way to do a story.” (16:15-16:43) • “I think PR people spend a lot of time writing really lengthy pitches, but actually they'd be better served not spending so much time on the prose and really distilling the information down, so that it's really efficiently presented for people who are getting 50, 60, 100 pitches a day.” (21:28-21:48) • “When you look at some of the smart environments that are being built right now, they're often for residential and corporate use combined, there's a lot of mixed use stuff happening, and we're just looking at a whole different way of living and working, often in tandem.” (23:01-23:25) Links https://www.iotworldtoday.com/2021/03/11/digital-twins-in-health-already-helping-in-disease-treatment/ https://tmt.knect365.com/iot-world/ https://www.iotworldtoday.com/event/iot-world-2021/ Learn more about Connect2 Communications Website: https://www.connect2comm.com/ Podcast home page: https://www.connect2comm.com/podcast Twitter handle: @Connect2_Comm Instagram handle: @connect2_comm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connect2-communications Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Connect2-Communications

Advice from professionals can go a long way. Today's retrospective episode of ConnectThe2 features accounts from six of the reporters that hosts Rich and Millie have interviewed on past episodes. Each reporter answers one of the age-old questions in the PR world: what makes an effective and persuasive pitch? Tune in to hear these seasoned professionals give their unique takes on how PR people should approach contacting, pitching, and hooking reporters and analysts. Quotes • “Telling the right story at the right time can change everything.” - Millie (1:40-1:44) • “Never call me. Let me repeat that. Never use the phone.” (5:08-5:14) - Lydia Dishman • “An essay is not required to introduce a press release.” (6:36-6:38) - Ray Le Maistre • “The other thing I would say these days is there is definitely an outreach from the industry to journalists, whenever there is a fuel element included, that is a lot more attractive to the journalist community.” (8:15-8:24) - Ray Le Maistre • “I think the most frustration comes when people aren't doing their homework and they don't know why they are pitching to somebody.” (9:28-9:33) - Scott Raynovich • “You know, we were joking before about, as you said, kind of that idea of, I guess online stalking. But that is very much something that does go in line with some of these pitches to a point that it gets a little uncomfortable when people like are reading your twitter feed and trying to find out personal information about you. It's something that is absolutely the wrong direction.” (10:56-11:17) - Brian Heater Learn more about Connect2 Communications: Website: https://www.connect2comm.com/ Podcast home page: https://www.connect2comm.com/podcast Twitter handle: @Connect2_Comm Instagram handle: @connect2_comm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connect2-communications Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Connect2-Communications

Sky Lebron is a Morning News Anchor and Multimedia Producer for WUFT News in Gainesville, FL. Sky is also a regular contributor to NPR's Morning Edition. Over the years, Sky has worked with just about every medium, from radio to newspaper to TV. He joins ConnectThe2 to discuss his diverse experiences in journalism, how to find a reliable expert source, what makes a quality interview, and more. Quotes • “Throughout my college career, I really developed a love for radio and audio...I just always found that medium more intimate than the other experiences. With the newspaper side of things, you can't really get the punch, the emotion from a specific soundbite.” (2:25-2:55) • “The other thing I always wish I could add to more stories is more perspectives, specifically with minority communities. There are different facets of stories that we don't really think about until we can get in there critically and really dissect it.” (9:46-10:05) • “When you want to get an expert source, and you really want to establish relationships with expert sources, not every single phone call has to be an interview.” (11:55-12:05) • “I think PR is extremely pivotal to journalists in terms of connecting with people, hearing about stories we wouldn't otherwise know about. That happens on a daily basis.” (23:03-23:16) • “I think the most important side [of a pitch] for a journalist is the news hook. The news hook makes everything. Am I hearing something that will leave a lasting impact on people? Are people going to be interested in this specific story? These are all the questions that run through your head every single time you have a story that you're planning on pitching or that you're going to pursue.” (32:27-32:51) Links https://news.wjct.org/post/proposed-nassau-beach-ordinance-could-hurt-decades-long-american-beach-tradition Learn more about Connect2 Communications: Website: https://www.connect2comm.com/ Podcast home page: https://www.connect2comm.com/podcast Twitter handle: @Connect2_Comm Instagram handle: @connect2_comm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connect2-communications Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Connect2-Communications

We are thrilled to have Tobias Mann, Editor at SDxCentral join us on the podcast this week. Tobias covers the SD-WAN, SASE, optical networking and semiconductor industries. ConnectThe2 gets the inside scoop on Tobias's early days working as a reporter in the newspaper industry and what it was like reporting on local crime in Winona, Minnesota. We also learn what stories Tobias is interested in writing the most right now; spoiler alert, it involves silicon. Stick around for the games section of the podcast, as we play a new game customized entirely for Tobias.

Sean Buckley is the Executive Editor at Broadband Communities. His journey in tech journalism began 20 years ago and his writing has since appeared in popular industry publications like Telecoms Magazine and Fierce Markets. He joins ConnectThe2 to discuss his new podcast for Broadband Communities, how he got his start in journalism and the various tradeshows he looks forward to attending this year.

Clint Boulton, Senior Writer at CIO.com joins us as our special guest this week on the ConnectThe2 podcast. Clint has been writing about enterprise CIOs and digital transformation for over nine years and was previously a Staff Reporter for The Wall Street Journal covering big data, cloud computing and other areas germane to CIOs. During our conversation with Clint, we discuss the pros and cons of social media, how to pitch him and the importance of telling engaging narratives.

Brian Heater is a journalist and hardware reviews editor at TechCrunch. His writing has appeared in popular publications like Engadget, PCMag, Playboy, Wired and Entertainment Weekly. He joins ConnectThe2 to discuss his podcast RIYL, how he got his start in journalism and why he started a weekly newsletter in the middle of a pandemic.

Our guest on this week’s podcast joins us from San Jose, California – Julie Kunstler, Senior Principal Analyst at Omdia. Julie is responsible for Omdia’s coverage of the broadband access industry, which we learn more about throughout the episode. We cover a wide range of topics, including Julie’s previous experience working with startups, her travels in Japan, the importance of broadband connectivity for all and which conferences she hopes to attend later this year.

Our special guest this week on the ConnectThe2 podcast is New York-based writer Monica Chin. Monica is a reporter covering computers and education at the Verge. Prior to the Verge, she was a staff writer for several consumer technology publications like Business Insider, Tom’s Guide and Mashable. In our conversation with Monica, we discuss her appreciation for laptops, telling human stories and her love for ice cream. We also learn new details on some of the stories she’s written.

On this week’s episode of the ConnectThe2 podcast, we are joined by Rich Miller, Editor and Founder of Data Center Frontier. Rich has more than 19 years of experience reporting on the data center sector. Prior to covering data centers, he worked in print media directing coverage of investigative journalism and enterprise reporting projects at daily newspapers in New Jersey. He joins the ConnectThe2 podcast to discuss trends in the data center industry, his love for storytelling and his passion for podcasting.

James Barton, UK-based Editor at Developing Telecoms joins us as our special guest this week on the ConnectThe2 podcast. James has more than ten years of experience covering telecom in emerging markets. He started his journalism career at a local newspaper in Cambodia, which influenced his writing style greatly. In our discussion with James, we learn about his appreciation for music, the Italian language and sustainability in 5G technology.

Dean Takahashi is a renowned gaming journalist and author of two books, “Opening the Xbox” and the “The Xbox 360 Uncloaked.” He is the lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat, and prior to that he wrote for the San Jose Mercury News, the Red Herring, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times and the Dallas Times-Herald. Dean joins the ConnectThe2 podcast to discuss the gaming industry, journalism and what makes a good pitch.

For our first episode of season 6 of the ConnectThe2 podcast, we are joined by Joe O’Halloran. Joe is the Editor in Chief of Rapid TV News and Networking Editor at Computer Weekly. He has been a writer and business analyst for over twenty years with additional experience working as an automotive systems engineer for Shell UK. We discuss his career in journalism, tips for PR specialists and his experience lecturing at the Academy of Contemporary Music.

Eric Krapf is the Publisher of No Jitter and General Manager for Enterprise Connect. Eric joins the ConnectThe2 podcast to discuss his extensive career in tech journalism, how the pandemic is shaping enterprise technology and collaboration, and his favorite holiday recipes (potato latkes, yum!). Here are the biggest takeaways from our conversation. If you like what you’re reading, be sure to listen to the whole episode, linked at the bottom of this page.

Phil Harvey, Editor in Chief at Light Reading joins us as our special guest this week on the ConnectThe2 podcast. Phil has more than 20 years of experience covering telecom companies and internet startups. He began his journalism career as a freelancer, writing and pitching to community newspapers in Texas. In our discussion with Phil, we learn about his love for photography, his appreciation for the PR process, and some of his most memorable conversations on the Light Reading podcast. If you like what you’re reading be sure to listen to the whole episode linked at the bottom of this page. Seeing the big picture… Phil’s favorite part about being Editor in Chief at Light Reading is getting to see the bigger picture. Because he no longer covers a specific beat, he enjoys getting the perspective of the folks who are miles deep into a topic and then connecting those links to what else is going on in the industry. While this may be a daunting task at times, Phil is always up for the challenge. Every company has a story to tell… Phil was the Director of Corporate Communications for Metaswitch Networks between 2013-2015, so we were curious to find out what he appreciated about the PR process during his time there. Phil observed that there are so many great stories inside of companies that do not get told because it doesn’t line up with that business's strategy at the moment. He appreciates that this can be frustrating for PR practitioners because no matter how compelling the story may be, if it does not match with what the company is pushing at the time, it often won’t be shared. At Connect2 Communications, we believe that every company has a story to tell and it is our job as PR specialists to connect that story to what is happening in the world. While it may be easier to focus solely on the story about the product, it is important to remember that people care just as much about who the company's partners are, who they sell to and the value they get from that, and who makes up the company leadership. All of these things work to build trust with prospective customers. Phil and photography… Phil doesn’t just use words to story tell, he uses photos too. He is a member of Shutter Hub International Ltd and the Texas Photographic Society, which are curated photography collectives that help amateur photographers connect with exhibitions and gallery shows and steer them towards projects that involve particular photographic skills. You can find his portfolio here. In the game portion of our interview, we test Phil’s knowledge of photography (spoiler: he does pretty well).

On this week’s episode of the ConnectThe2 podcast, we are joined by the delightful Erin Dunne, Director of Research Services at Vertical Systems Group. Erin manages the delivery and support of Vertical Systems Group’s syndicated Emerging Networks Service Research Program offerings for clients worldwide. She is an expert on SD-WAN, Ethernet and Cloud technologies, to name a few. In our interview with Erin, we discuss her experience working on submarines, her interest in networking and 5G technology and her passion for triathlons.

Tiernan Ray, leading tech editor and journalist joins us as our special guest this week on the ConnectThe2 Podcast. Tiernan has been covering tech stocks and the financial markets since 1994. He was the resident technology blogger and columnist for Barron’s magazine, and his work has been featured in Fortune, Forbes, ZDnet, Capital Market Labs and The New York Times. In this episode, we learn about his take on artificial intelligence, debunking myths and social media.   Here are the biggest takeaways from our conversation. If you like what you’re reading be sure to listen to the whole episode linked at the bottom of this page.  The Technology Newsletter…  Tiernan recently launched The Technology Newsletter because he realized there was a dearth of content covering the trends and investments of smaller tech companies–usually with a market value below $100 billion. Tiernan explains that most financial tech sites cover names in the business that are guarantee draws, so publications often look at stocks that are the most widely held like Tesla, Apple, Microsoft, Google, etc. Tiernan’s goal is to provide journalism that is interesting and useful for those individual stock investors that love the smaller companies and want an updated view into technology trends.   Reporting style…  We learn from Tiernan that his approach to journalism involves letting go of his own ideas about what the story is. He finds that his best interviews occur when he is focused on finding out what the interviewee is interested in. This may sound obvious, but it can be a challenge to listen to what people have to say rather than bringing up our own preconceived notions. Tiernan provides a great example of this when he interviewed Don Valentine, venture capitalist and founder of Sequoia Capital. You can listen to the full story at minute 28.   Email is best…  Tiernan appreciates an organized inbox. His preferred method of correspondence with other business professionals is through email so that he can find any important work-related emails right away and in one location. So, PR folks – if you’re contacting Tiernan for a story, skip the instant messaging, texting, and tweeting and send him a good old-fashioned email. His anxiety thanks you.

On this week of the ConnectThe2 podcast, we are joined by Emily McPhie, Assistant Editor at Broadband Breakfast. We discuss her role as an editor and journalist, the non-profit she started in high school and what tech stories are capturing her attention right now.

Our guest on this week’s podcast joins us from New Delhi, India – Zia Askari, editor at TelecomDrive. This is the farthest podcast interview we’ve done with more than 7,000 miles between us, and we could not be more thrilled to have Zia join us. We cover a wide range of topics from Zia’s background in telecom to fast charging phones, virtual events and more. Here are the biggest takeaways from our conversation. If you like what you’re reading be sure to listen to the whole episode linked at the bottom of this page.

On this week’s ConnectThe2 podcast, we spoke with Ray Le Maistre, Editorial Director of TelecomTV. We discuss his recent switch from Light Reading to TelecomTV, his thoughts on working from home, his passion for movies and love for all things coffee. Here are the biggest takeaways from our conversation. If you like what you’re reading be sure to listen to the whole episode linked at the bottom of this page.

On this week’s episode of the ConnectThe2 podcast we spoke with Scott Raynovich, founder and principal analyst at Futuriom. We discuss his favorite video conferencing platform, how his role as a magazine editor prepared him to be an analyst and the most effective ways to pitch him. Here are the biggest takeaways from our conversation. If you like what you’re reading be sure to listen to the whole episode linked at the bottom of this page.

PR is a tricky business where one comment can make you the hero or the goat depending on how it’s said, phrased, or heard. What does it take to connect with reporters in this 24/7 multi-media world you ask? We asked too! Join us as we interview Eric Savitz, tech editor for Barron’s. We learn all about his career in journalism, his favorite tech events to attend, and his go-to TV shows for 2020.

On this episode of the WitzEnd podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing Lydia Dishman, journalist and editor for Fast Company. Lydia reports on the intersection of tech, leadership, commerce and innovation. She began her writing career at a very early age, starting her own neighborhood newspaper at the age of 13. Ever since then she has been fascinated with the art form of writing, and she was kind of enough to share an hour with us, discussing her passion for journalism, reading and dance. We also get the insider scoop on how to best pitch Lydia for story ideas. Here are the biggest takeaways from our conversation. If you like what you’re reading, be sure to listen to the whole episode, linked at the bottom of this page.

Jon Arnold is an independent research analyst (J Arnold & Associates) in the communications technologies space. He joins the WitzEnd podcast to discuss his career in technology, starting his own podcast, and playing keyboard for the SIPtones. We play a fun trivia game at the end, and learn some fascinating facts about Canada. If you like what you’re reading, be sure to listen to the whole episode, linked at the bottom of this page.

Thinking about how much we enjoyed interviewing Mike Vizard of the Channel Happy Hour podcast! Mike joins the WitzEnd team to discuss his journey with podcasting, how he manages his time as a freelancer, and what technology he is looking forward to seeing develop in the future.

On the last WitzEnd podcast for 2019, we had the pleasure of interviewing Catherine Sbeglia, reporter for RCR Wireless. Based in Wisconsin, Catherine covers technology in the B2B publishing industry. We learn all about her entry to tech journalism, her advice on how to approach interviews with journalists, and what life is like in “America’s Dairyland.”

Joining us on the last WitzEnd podcast episode of the year, is Sascha Segan, lead analyst of mobile coverage at PCMag.com. We talk about his experience being on a popular game show as a kid in the 1980’s, his idea of the perfect phone, and what stories are fascinating him the most right now.

Flip to the channel where we interviewed Gina Narcisi – senior editor of the Channel Company (CRN). Gina covers the networking and telecommunications market for CRN. She’s also a self-proclaimed foodie with an enthusiasm for craft beer and travel. Gina joins us to discuss her recent move to Los Angeles, how she got her start as a tech reporter, and what advice she would offer to new journalists starting out in their career.

On this episode of the WitzEnd Podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing Alison Diana, editor at Light Reading’s Broadband World News. We learn about her first job as a journalist for the Rolling Stone Magazine, her love for the Yankees, and what not to do when pitching story ideas.

On our 10th episode for 2019, the WitzEnd Podcast had the pleasure of interviewing a fellow word nerd, Sarah Needleman, of the Wall Street Journal! We cover her experience as a videogame reporter, her favorite part of being a journalist and the best way to reach her for breaking news.

Guten Tag from Raleigh, NC! This week we had our very first in-person interview at the “WitzEnd Studio” (i.e. Rich’s office) with Dello’Oro Group’s Senior Research Director, Jeff Heynen. In this episode, we learn that Jeff is well versed in German and Dutch, he was a contributing author on a PBS documentary series, and he’s a major history buff. If you want all the juicy details, be sure to click the Sound Cloud link below!

This week, we begin our conversation with the reason behind the inception of the Witz End Podcast. It was created to prevent ‘PR fails.’ In other words, the podcast was a great opportunity to share the insights we gained from top reporters with PR professionals, so that everyone can have a better understanding of how to engage the media. Who better to interview than the legendary Tim Greene -executive editor of Network World!

This week on the Witz End Podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing the Executive Editor of Telecompetitor, Joan Engebretson. We discussed the ever-evolving media industry, where it’s headed, and some of the challenges that come with being an editor. Also, be sure to read below for some quick tips on brushing up your PR game.

On this episode of the WitzEnd Podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing Rich Tehrani, Editor and Founder of TMC. We learn about his early days at TMC, what stories interest him the most currently, and his advice for young professionals starting out in journalism. We play a new game called "Trippin' Tweets" so stay tuned for some hilarious content!

This week we teleport through time and space to interview our very own tech superhero and senior editor of Threatpost, Tara Seals! She shared with us her experience working as a journalist in the cybersecurity industry, what she’s learned about hosting her own podcast, and how tech companies can do better in interviews. Stay tuned after the interview round for an exciting new game we play called “Four Ridiculous Questions.”

On this week’s episode of the Witz End podcast, we are coming at you fierce! We interview the Editor of FierceTelecom, Mike Robuck. We’ve got the insider scoop on his favorite telecom events to attend, his go-to topics to write about, and he even provides some industry wisdom to new startups. To spice things up a little after the interview round, we are playing a brand-new game called “Yay or Nay.”

WitzEnd podcast episode #12 is diving deep into telecom with Editor in Chief of Telecom Review North America, Jeff Seal. Jeff has been covering the telecom industry for several years now, traveling all around the world (24,900 miles to be exact), and interviewing some of the biggest names in the industry. We discuss his experience working abroad, trends in the industry, and tips on how to be a more effective communicator.

We are back with a new episode of the WitzEnd podcast. This week we speak with Chris Preimesberger, the Editor-in-Chief of eWEEK. His work spans over three decades, covering the IT industry in a variety of sectors making himself a household name in his own right. He is also the creator of eWEEK Innovation site and of #eWEEKchat – a real-time chat room where people can tune into and talk all things IT. Chris joins us to talk about his career, the rise of the internet, his first gig as a “copy boy,” and how Apple was almost not the Apple we know today.

For our first WitzEnd podcast of 2019, we reached across the pond to speak with James Pearce, deputy editor of Capacity Media. Based in London, James has been covering telecom for the past five years and regularly travels around the globe for his publication’s events. James joins us to talk about his career, a recent trip to Hollywood, how his first job at a call center that gave him the experience to get his first reporting job and share some interesting insights from the life a global telecom’s reporter.

WitzEnd Episode #8: Reading Press Releases by the Phone with Executive Editor at TMC Paula Bernier We are back with a (slightly silly) new episode of the WitzEnd podcast. This week we are very excited to be joined by Executive Editor at TMC, Paula Bernier. We spoke with Bernier about the changing journalism landscape, why it pays to be prepared, and why you should never read a press release over the phone.

TechTarget Associate Site Editor - Jennifer English by Connect2 Communications