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How prepared is UK PR for the AI revolution? PRWeek's latest Beyond the Noise podcast episode takes a look.Our guests this week have been looking at that question as part of a major study: Jo Sutherland, MD at comms agency Magenta Associates; and Dr Tanya Kant, senior lecturer in media and cultural studies (digital media) at the University of Sussex.Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or listen on your favourite platform.Sutherland and Kant discuss the survey from last year of 1,100 UK-based content writers and managers working in PR, comms or marketing.The duo explain the background to the research and choose their top lessons from the study, which looks at what proportion of comms professionals are using AI, what they think of the tools, and how many have received training. The report – ‘CheatGPT? Generative text AI use in the UK's PR and communications profession' – also asks about ethical and legal concerns.Speaking to PRWeek UK editor John Harrington, our guests discuss the biggest barriers to AI success for comms professionals, including an apparent lack of sufficient training.They talk about upcoming regulations around the technology, the dangers of ‘AI fatigue', and offer practical advice for PR professionals who want to get ahead. Sutherland also gives the lowdown on Magenta's experience with AI – including how the agency secured money from the Government's AI Upskilling fund, which covers 50 per cent of the PR firm's AI training.This week's episode is the second in a row on AI. Last week we spoke to Erin Lanuti, chief innovation officer at Omnicom PR Group, who discussed DeepSeek's dramatic entry to the AI market and what it might mean for the comms industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We're excited to share the highlights of a memorable event that took place last Friday: The Writing Community Chat Show featured an exclusive live interview with acclaimed author Cathy Hayward, streamed live for our Substack subscribers.In this engaging three-part conversation, we explored Cathy's fascinating journey as a writer, discussed her gripping release, The Girl in the Midnight Maze, and connected with our audience through an interactive Q&A session. Cathy's career is a testament to reinvention and resilience.Beginning as a journalist for niche trade magazines, she brought stories to life on topics ranging from accounting to port logistics. But it was the birth of her third child and a life-changing decision to leave London for Brighton that marked the first major shift in her path. As a freelance PR and founder of Magenta Associates, Cathy thrived, but her creativity truly blossomed when she embarked on a two-year creative writing course in 2016. In her own words, this course transformed “random thoughts and scribbles” into what would eventually become her debut novel, The Girl in the Maze. Spurred on by the 2020 lockdown, Cathy finished the novel, submitted it to the Agora Books Lost the Plot Work in Progress prize—and won.Now, with a reissued version titled The Girl in the Midnight Maze and multiple new works underway, Cathy has fully embraced a life immersed in books and storytelling.The Interview: What We CoveredPart 1 - The Road to Writing Cathy shared her path from journalist to PR agency owner, and ultimately, to author. She recounted how personal loss, a creative writing course, and a global pandemic sparked her evolution into a novelist. Part 2 - What's the Story? We delved into Cathy's latest book, The Girl in the Midnight Maze. This deeply moving tale explores three generations of women entangled in family trauma and the struggle to connect across time and tragedy. Cathy shared the inspirations behind the book and the challenges she faced in bringing Emma Bowen's story to life.Part 3 - Community Questions As always, we brought our community into the conversation. Alongside our staple questions, Cathy answered burning queries submitted during the live show. A Glimpse Into The Girl in the Midnight Maze Here's a preview of Cathy's newest release: Emma Bowen has never had a close relationship with her mother. After her mother's death, a series of letters reveals secrets spanning generations—secrets that may explain the emotional distance between them. Emma's journey to uncover her family's past is as haunting as it is enlightening. Traversing time and tragedy, The Girl in the Midnight Maze is a story of motherhood, legacy, and the search for understanding.The interview was a heartfelt and inspiring event, filled with insights from an author whose career is a masterclass in perseverance and creativity. Not a Subscriber Yet? Join now to unlock access to exclusive content like this interview and many more perks.Join our Substack to get exclusive access to live shows here: https://substack.com/@thewccs?utm_source=user-menuWatch the interview on our YouTube channel here: https://youtube.com/live/70kLE1pupHEWe have spent 3 years using StreamYard. You can see how much we love its features, and how we can make it look great for live streaming. We are huge fans and they are constantly improving their service. Check it out with our link, and we could earn from referrals!https://streamyard.com/pal/d/4835638006775808Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-writing-community-chat-show--5445493/support.
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thewccs.substack.comThis week on The Writing Community Chat Show, we had the privilege of sitting down with the remarkable Cathy Hayward—a woman whose life and career are a testament to embracing change and adapting to pursue your passions.Cathy's journey has taken her from the bustling world of journalism to the quiet, reflective art of novel writing. Along the way, she's worn many hats: PR professional, award-winning author, bookshop owner, and now director of the Creative Writing Program in Brighton. Her story is one of reinvention and resilience, and we were honored to have her share her insights with us.For those who tuned in live on Substack—thank you for being part of the conversation! You made the event dynamic and engaging, and your support means the world to us.If you missed the live show, don't worry. A free podcast clip and video snippet are now available, and the full interview will be released in two weeks on our YouTube channel and our Spreaker Prime podcast. But trust us, subscribing to Substack is the best way to access these inspiring discussions as they happen.WATCH OUR THOUGHTS ON THE INTERVIEW AND A CLIP HERE. A Journey of TransformationCathy's career began in journalism, where she wrote for niche trade magazines—covering everything from supply chains to soccer analytics. This early career honed her ability to tell compelling stories, even about the most unexpected topics. But after the birth of her third child, she felt the need for a change.Her leap into freelance PR and the founding of Magenta Associates marked the next phase of her journey. However, it was a creative writing course in 2016 that opened the door to her true passion. Over the next few years, Cathy transformed her random scribbles into a gripping manuscript that would become The Girl in the Maze.The 2020 lockdown provided the perfect opportunity to finish her novel. Winning the Agora Books Lost the Plot Work in Progress prize was a turning point, cementing her status as a rising star in the literary world. Fast forward to today, and Cathy's debut has been reissued as The Girl in the Midnight Maze, a haunting exploration of motherhood, trauma, and family secrets.But Cathy's story doesn't stop there. In 2022, she became the owner of Kemptown Bookshop in Brighton, championing local authors and fostering a love of reading in her community. Her work as director of the Creative Writing Program allows her to give back to aspiring writers, helping them find their voices just as she found hers.Behind-the-Scenes Industry InsightsIn our interview, Cathy shared a wealth of advice and tips for writers at all stages of their journey. Whether you're balancing family life, a demanding career, or struggling to finish that first draft, Cathy's insights will resonate.Highlights from the interview include:* The Importance of Adaptation: Cathy's career is a masterclass in pivoting toward your passions without fear of starting over.* Writing Advice: From developing a daily writing routine to navigating the highs and lows of the creative process, Cathy offered practical, actionable tips.* Industry Knowledge: As both an author and a bookshop owner, Cathy provided a unique perspective on what it takes to succeed in publishing today.Her stories about winning writing awards, managing creative burnout, and transitioning between careers were as inspiring as they were informative.Not a Subscriber Yet?If you enjoyed this interview or found value in Cathy's journey, consider joining our Substack community. Subscribers not only get live access to interviews like this but also help us continue to grow the show and support authors. Your subscription makes it possible for us to bring you in-depth conversations with amazing guests like Cathy.For those who aren't ready to subscribe yet, you can enjoy a free podcast clip and video snippet to get a taste of what you missed. And in just two weeks, the full interview will be available on our YouTube channel and Spreaker Prime podcast.YouTube: Q&As, Guest Chats, and More! Catch Our Live Writing Community Chat Show on YouTube!
Tim Oldman is Founder & CEO at Leesman where he directs research to measure employee experience and Jo Sutherland, MA, MCIPR, MPRCA is Managing Director at Magenta Associates where she helps workplace leaders communicate better with their employees, customers and prospects. Tim and Jo joined Mike Petrusky and his co-host Madison Dujka on a recent “Workplace Innovator Interactive Livestream” to discuss working from home experiences, leveraging survey data and workplace communication strategies to help guide your workforce during the pandemic. This highlight episode demonstrates the valuable insights delivered during our weekly live broadcasts every Wednesday at Noon ET! Connect with Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timoldman/ Connect with Jo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josuthers/ Listen to the full livestream recording: https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/1055553559470585602 Find out the latest information about the Leesman WFH research: https://www.leesmanindex.com/ Learn more about Magenta Associates: https://www.magentaassociates.co/ Register for future “Workplace Innovator Interactive” livestreams: https://www.iofficecorp.com/live-webinar-2020-weekly-livestream Discover free resources and explore past interviews at: https://www.workplaceinnovator.com/ Connect with Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikepetrusky/ Share your thoughts with Mike via email: podcast@iOFFICECORP.com
Jo Sutherland, MA, MCIPR, MPRCA is Managing Director of Magenta where she helps organizations in the built environment communicate better with their target audience. Mike Petrusky asks Jo about the lessons she has learned and trends she has seen while attending recent conferences such as IFMA’s World Workplace and the CoreNet Global Summit. Jo believes that space, leadership, and culture drive success in the workplace by creating collaborative environments where human experience is the top priority. Mike and Jo agree that mission and purpose are more important that profit when motivating today’s workforce and they share an inspirational message about the future of the built environment as we head into the year 2020 and beyond! Download the FREE “Workplace & Space Management Software” report from Verdantix: https://www.iofficecorp.com/verdantix-report-mp Connect with Jo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josuthers/ Follow Jo on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoSutherlandPR Read Jo’s article “IFMA World Workplace: Humans First”: https://t.co/IwabuZnkDu?amp=1 Learn more about Magenta Associates: https://www.magentaassociates.co/ Connect with Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikepetrusky/ Watch Mike’s Ted-style talk from Dublin: https://youtu.be/DudLzQoU1X0 Share your thoughts with Mike via email: podcast@iOFFICECORP.com Learn more about iOFFICE’s workplace experience solutions: https://www.iOFFICECORP.com/
Fresh from announcing our Top 25 SME Culture Leaders list, Jonathan interviews the business leaders of the organisations who are putting their company culture firmly at the heart of their business strategy. In this episode, Jonathan Richards interviews another one of the Breathe Culture leaders winners. David Lewis is the CEO of Lewis, a creative and digital marekting agency in Edingburgh and the winners of the 2018 Breathe Culture Leader list. References Top 25 UK SME Culture Leaders: www.breathehr.com/blog/uk-top-25-sme-culture-leaders Breathe Culture Pledge: https://www.breathehr.com/pledge Magenta Associates: https://www.lewis.co.uk
Fresh from announcing our Top 25 SME Culture Leaders list, Jonathan interviews the business leaders of the organisations who are putting their company culture firmly at the heart of their business strategy. In this episode, Jonathan Richards interviews another one of the Breathe Culture leaders winners. Cathy Hayward is the Managing Director of Magenta Associates, a successful PR, marketing and design company based in Brighton. References Top 25 UK SME Culture Leaders: www.breathehr.com/blog/uk-top-25-sme-culture-leaders Magenta Associates: https://www.magentaassociates.co.uk/
The first of two special episodes where Ian hands over the interview reins to Simon Iatrou of Magenta Associates, to explore the British Institute of Facilities Management’s intentions to change their name to embrace workplace, and seek chartered status.Simon is joined by key members of the BIFM leadership team: Chairman Steve Roots, CEO Linda Hausmanis, and Director of Insight Chris Moriarty. Ian also joins the discussion as 3edges Director and workplace insight specialist.This is essential listening if you have an interest in the future of FM, the workplace discipline, the role of professional bodies… and especially if you are a voting BIFM member - enjoy!Thanks to everyone who submitted questions for discussion, and has contributed constructively to the debate so far...Some links to take you deeper:BIFM manifesto for change informationWorkplace Insight's first news story about the changeNeil Usher's @workessence post about our co-authored Workplace Leadership ManifestoThis episode of Workplace Matters is sponsored by the Workplace Leadership Programme, our partnership initiative with BIFM. It’s time to unlock your workplace advantage.The first course in the programme, Essentials of Workplace Leadership, is now taking bookings for this July and November, and there are limited places. We can also tailor the course for in-house delivery, focussing on your own business needs. Click here for more information, or contact us directly
The second of two special episodes where Ian hands over the interview reins to Simon Iatrou of Magenta Associates, to explore the British Institute of Facilities Management’s intentions to change their name to embrace workplace, and seek chartered status.If you haven't listened to part 1 yet, go do that first!Simon is joined by key members of the BIFM leadership team: Chairman Steve Roots, CEO Linda Hausmanis, and Director of Insight Chris Moriarty. Ian also joins the discussion as 3edges Director and workplace insight specialist.This is essential listening if you have an interest in the future of FM, the workplace discipline, the role of professional bodies… and especially if you are a voting BIFM member - enjoy!Thanks to everyone who submitted questions for discussion, and has contributed constructively to the debate so far...Some links to take you deeper:BIFM manifesto for change informationWorkplace Insight's first news story about the changeNeil Usher's @workessence post about our co-authored Workplace Leadership ManifestoThis episode of Workplace Matters is sponsored by the Workplace Leadership Programme, our partnership initiative with BIFM. It’s time to unlock your workplace advantage.The first course in the programme, Essentials of Workplace Leadership, is now taking bookings for this July and November, and there are limited places. We can also tailor the course for in-house delivery, focussing on your own business needs. Click here for more information, or contact us directly