Podcasts about modern communicators

Deirdre Breakenridge, Author, PR & Marketing Strategist, CEO, Pure Performance Communications Deirdre K. Breakenridge is CEO at Pure Performance Communications. She's a career-long storyteller and media expert, strategizing with brands and professionals to ignite engagement, lead pressing conversations and grow influence in the market. Deirdre has worked with senior leaders and organizations, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, JVC, Kraft, Nasdaq, NBA Events & Attractions and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Deirdre is the author of seven business books sharing stories and advice to navigate changing consumer behavior and an evolving media landscape. Her most recent book, Answers for Ethical Marketers, will be released by Routledge in April 2021. Her book, Answers for Modern Communicators, was recognized among the Top 100 Storytelling Books of all-time by Book Authority in 2020. For 15 years, Deirdre has taught PR and social media courses, online and in the classroom for NYU, UMASS, Rutgers, and Fairleigh Dickinson University. She took her passion for teaching to LinkedIn Learning, and as one of their instructors, she has developed eight video courses on PR and marketing. Deirdre has been blogging at PR Strategies for over 10 years and she's also the host of the podcast, Women Worldwide, which is nearing two million downloads. Website: https://www.deirdrebreakenridge.com/​​​​ FEEL Academy: https://www.deirdrebreakenridge.com/d...​ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeirdreBreak​​​​... Twitter: https://twitter.com/dbreakenridge​​​​ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deirdrebr...​ Email: deirdre@pureperformancecomm.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How important is communication for an organization? Today's guest for Coffee with Closers is convinced that it's 10 out of 10. Understanding others is about empathy. It's about vulnerability and listening to the other person. As an entrepreneur and a leader, you truly can't solve anything if you don't listen. Meet Deirdre Breakenridge, an entrepreneur, an author, and an educator who taught PR and Communications in many prestigious universities. She currently runs her own consulting practice Pure Performance Communications. “In order to truly build relationships with someone else, you have to FEEL first”, says Deirdre. When you FEEL, this means you're able to Face Fears, communicate with Empathy, use Ethics and good judgment and discover how much you Love your mission. Stay tuned for a conversation with Deirdre where she shares her framework for communications. Coming up: • Why is it important to learn from the mistakes of others? • How to understand Millennials and how to make sure they are heard? • How entrepreneurs can build genuine relationships with the team? • How can you use storytelling to build strong company culture as a B2B company? Enjoy the episode! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ►Find Deirdre Breakenridge on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/deirdrebreakenridge/ ►Grab your copy of Answers for Modern Communicators at https://www.amazon.com/Answers-Modern-Communicators-Effective-Communication-ebook/dp/B075Z3F8DB ►Take the FEEL test https://www.deirdrebreakenridge.com/take-the-feel-test-first-before-you-communicate/ ►Visit Pure Performance Communications at https://www.pureperformancecomm.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This series is brought to you by OneIMS - a leading digital marketing agency helping businesses win new customers. ►Request your FREE marketing ROI audit at https://www.oneims.com/ ►Subscribe to our channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/oneims ►Listen to our podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/0rq9sO5hIdnMlsY3M7jqYf?si=fLmIEu88QMi6QFU8p6h_Gw ►Visit our website here: https://www.oneims.com/ ►Follow OneIMS online: Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/OneIMS/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oneims/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneims/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/oneims?lang=en

Deirdre Breakenridge, author of Answers for Modern Communicators: A Guide to Effective Business Communications, delves into how the definition of the modern-day communicator has changed. It used to mean that only people who were trained were the communicators, but nowadays; with the changes in media and social media, anyone can be a citizen journalist and act as a communicator. Breakenridge says that communication is at the heart of every business as it helps build relationships with customers. But as more channels or platforms emerge, attention spans across the board are fragmented with the average span being eight seconds for highly digitized individuals. She argues people don't have to be everywhere, just where your customers need and want you to be in order to be an effective communicator. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deirdre Breakenridge is an author, entrepreneur, and CEO at Pure Performance Communications. As a 30-year veteran in public relations (PR) marketing and branding, she's worked with senior leaders at Fortune 500 companies.  Deirdre is the author of seven business books, including Answers for Modern Communicators which was recently named one of the 100 best storytelling books of all time by BookAuthority. Deirdre is also the host of the podcast, Women Worldwide, which is in its sixth year and has nearly 2 million downloads.  Today, we're going to discuss modern public relations and how it works alongside marketing. Public Relations Then and Now  Bill Gates said, “If I was down to my last dollar, I would spend it on public relations.” PR is a great way to build awareness and credibility while protecting our reputation through the media, social media, and within our communities. Our goal should be to find the positive messages and stories in our organizations and share them with consumers. Since PR is such an effective way to build our businesses, we need to be aware of how the industry is changing.  When Deirdre entered the public relations industry, it looked very different than what it does today. Traditional PR was about writing press releases to hand out to news outlets, who would then share our story. However, this approach of trying to control the messages sent out to consumers doesn't work as well with modern media. Our stories, whether good or bad, can be spread on social media in seconds.  The Pew Research Center found that 86% of Americans get their news from their smartphones or computers, over radio, television, and print publications. This means consumers don't have to rely on news outlets to learn about our companies anymore. They have Google. They have Facebook. While 68% of Americans still get news from news websites and apps (traditional PR can still work), nearly just as many look to social media. According to a study, 53% of Americans say they get news from different social media platforms (Source: Pew Research Center). A news outlet may wait for a press release, but social media doesn't wait around for an email to share a story.   PR professionals need to adjust to the fact that people have a wide variety of media outlets and platforms where they can get their stories. Today, many stories don't flow out of a company's communication department. The stories are created inside communities on social media. We don't have as much control over the stories that get shared as we did before. Instead, people are citizen journalists and the power of the story lies in their hands-on social media. Modern media has become increasingly interconnected with marketing.  5 Ways to Effectively Implement Modern Public Relations  Here are five ways our companies and businesses can effectively use modern public relations.     Monitor Social Media   Often a story about our brand or company will find its way on social media before we know about it. Social media monitoring is essential to see how we're perceived by our audience. We need to watch for the negative comments so we can catch them early on and find a way to amend them, while also watching for the positive comments so we can learn what stories our customers resonate with and continue to share them.  It only takes a few negative comments or missteps for our image to be impacted and our reputation to go down the drain. If we aren't monitoring our social media channels, we won't know when a negative story about our brand is circulating the web, and we won't be able to take action to fix it. With modern PR, it's our responsibility to monitor everything affecting our brand.  There are different tools and platforms we can use to monitor how our brand is perceived on social media. Deirdre recommends the free plan of Hootsuite. It can help us see who's talking about our brand on social channels and what the conversation points are about.  Deirdre also recommends using Notified by Intrado, another platform that lets us monitor digital conversations. Notified can help us craft our stories and reach out to journalists through the platform, monitor and measure how well we're doing, and see how much engagement our brand has.  Talkwalker is another social listening tool Deirdre finds useful. Talkwalker has an AI-powered analysis that provides real-time insights into what's happening on all social channels and online media.   Be Active on Social Media   We shouldn't just monitor social media. We should be actively engaged on all platforms to share positive stories about our brand. We have to realize that many stories develop away from the media. Even major media outlets keep an eye on social media for new stories. If we aren't putting positive stories and messages about our brand out onto the world wide web, who will? One of our main goals should be to enhance our online presence.  As we become active on social media, this is where we begin to see a huge overlap in PR and marketing. With marketing, we want to create content to market our brand and with PR we want to create content to build our reputation. With both, we want to build relationships with our customers. The majority of our customers are likely active on social media platforms. We can engage with them through our content to build those relationships.    Build Relationships   We should develop good relationships with media outlets and influencers.   When it comes to getting our stories out in the media, it helps to have good contacts. When we've developed good relationships with producers, editors, or journalists at media outlets such as CNN, New York Times, or other local news sources, it is easier to reach them and get our story out. Even if a story is released on social media first, we can bring in experts who can comment on the stories. We can foster relationships by getting to know editors or journalists really well.  Once we know and understand the agenda of a journalist or outlet, it's a lot easier to creatively pitch a story to promote our expertise. It's important to remember that, when we want to be in the news or want to be covered, it's not just about our agenda. It's about their agenda as well. We have to think about what the media wants to share and why they want to share it.  Sometimes media outlets may release a negative story about our company. This is another great reason why we should be developing relationships. If a company releases a story that will reflect badly on our brand, we can get in contact with them sooner to make amends if we already have a relationship with them. I have found that recently, a lot of what PR practitioners do is repair reputations. They need to know when to make comments on stories and when to leave them alone.  Not only should our PR practitioners focus on building relationships with the media, but they should also start building relationships with influencers. According to a Global Communications Report, 60% of PR executives believe influencer marketing is becoming a vital part of PR (Source: MediaKix). We can use our PR department to help reach out to influencers to share our brand messages.  Since public relations is about credibility, public opinion, and shifting opinions, it is great to align with other influencers who have credible brands. Whoever we align with will be a brand representative.    Work with the Marketing Team   PR and marketing often overlap. Teamwork between these two critical components of our business can be the difference between success and failure.  Search engine optimization used to be separate from PR, but this has changed. PR is all about storytelling and content. In fact, “80% of PR professionals and marketers believe the future is digital storytelling.” (Source: mediakix.com) We have to understand how we are tagging our content and what descriptions we are using. We also need to be on the same page with marketing. Who is using our content? How are they optimizing? How do we optimize together? When a campaign is rolling out through marketing, the best thing the marketing department can do is have the public relations team on board and ready to gauge public perception over a campaign. We shouldn't have to guess what's going on.  We don't want to have “silo working” within our organizations. Silo working happens when different departments don't communicate with other individuals they work with. This can create a huge problem as it leads to misunderstandings and confusion, reducing efficiency.  Deirdre said we can help break down work silos by helping our PR and marketing teams understand what each other's jobs are. Deirdre said that she once had a training session with PR and marketing and found that each department didn't know what each other's day looked like. To fix this, it helps to have a buddy system where we share what we do or walk a day in someone else's shoes. This can open our eyes to what others are doing, why they're doing it, and how we can help each other.  We should have closer internal communication. Collaboration and innovation have to start with the entire team.    Be Conscious of What We Say and Do   Above all else, if we want to have a good brand reputation, we have to actually be good. We need to make sure we are staying positive, staying true to our brand, and providing value to our customers. A news outlet can't write a bad story about us if there isn't one. They also can't write a good story about us if there aren't any.  Deirdre believes that modern PR is a responsibility. What we do and say is part of this responsibility. It's essential to know what goes on around our brand. It's as if we're in a fishbowl. Everything we do is seen by everyone else, emphasizing the need to be open and transparent. Our stories must show ethics and good judgment. In the current saturated media landscape, we want to be the experts who bring helpful information.  A PR executive can help our company say and do the right things. They help us interact with the media and can provide advice on touchy subjects. For example, in 2020, the Black Lives Matter Movement became so powerful and important, that many businesses decided to come out and release a statement supporting it. With such controversial and deeply emotional topics, our brand needs to be careful about what we say and don't say. A PR specialist can help us with that.  Key Takeaways Thank you so much Deirdre for sharing your stories and knowledge with us today. Here are some of my key takeaways from this episode: PR has changed. Many stories no longer flow out of a company's communication department. The stories are created inside communities on social media. Social media monitoring is essential to see how we're perceived.  We should be actively engaged on social media to share positive stories about our brand. We should develop good relationships with media outlets and influencers. It's better to have 10 really good relationships with media professionals than to have a list of 100 connections that barely know us. PR and marketing leaders should collaborate and lead the way for their teams to collaborate.    Connect with Deirdre  If you enjoyed this interview and want to learn more about Deirdre or connect with her, you can find her on LinkedIn. You can also visit her website at  www.deirdrebreakenridge.com. Want to be a Better Digital Monetizer? Did you like today's episode? Then please follow these channels to receive free digital monetization content: Get a free Monetization Assessment of your business Subscribe to the free Monetization eMagazine. Subscribe to the Monetization Nation YouTube channel. Subscribe to the Monetization Nation podcast on Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher.  Follow Monetization Nation on Instagram and Twitter. Share Your Story  What are the most effective PR strategies you've used to share your stories and messages? Please join our private Monetization Nation Facebook group and share your insights with other digital monetizers. Read at: https://monetizationnation.com/blog/132-how-to-effectively-implement-modern-public-relations/ 

Deirdre Breakenridge is an author, entrepreneur, and CEO of Pure Performance Communications. As a 30-year veteran in PR, marketing, and branding, she has worked with senior leaders at many Fortune 500 companies. She is a career-long storyteller and strategist helping brands and professionals to ignite more energy around their communication, lead pressing media conversations, and grow influence in the market. Deirdre has been working with leaders for decades to create award-winning PR and marketing programs and building relationships based on loyalty and advocacy. Deirdre is also the author of seven business books sharing stories and advice to navigate changing consumer behavior and an evolving media landscape. Her most recent book, Answers for Ethical Marketers, was released in April 2021. Her other book, Answers for Modern Communicators, was recently named by BookAuthority as one of the “100 Best Storytelling Books of All Time.” As an international speaker, Deirdre shares her research and career journey in PR, marketing, branding, and social media communications. She has been blogging at PR Strategies for over 10 years and is also the host of the Women Worldwide podcast, which is in its sixth year with nearly two million downloads. In this episode… Finding the way to your destination is important, but so is the journey you take to get there. For matters that fall outside of simple navigation, how do you determine the best way forward? And, if you find yourself in a leadership role, how can you be sure that you’re staying true to yourself as you lead others? For Deirdre Breakenridge, leading like a woman means embracing who you are, believing in yourself, and using that as a gift to lead others. She suggests that if you take the time to listen to your inner GPS and learn to trust it, it will guide you to new opportunities. Deirdre also recommends having well-defined values so that your inner GPS can guide you on ethical matters as well.  In this episode of the Lead Like A Woman Show, Andrea Heuston interviews Deirdre Breakenridge, the CEO of Pure Performance Communications, about the need for women to trust in their inner GPS. Deirdre also talks about building her business, dealing with a family tragedy, and writing several books. Plus, Deirdre explains why the FEEL model that she created is helping leaders and brands form better relationships.

Deirdre Breakenridge, author of Answers for Modern Communicators: A Guide to Effective Business Communications, delves into how the definition of the modern day communicator has changed. It used to mean that only people who were trained were the communicators, but nowadays; with the changes in media and social media, anyone can be a citizen journalist and act as a communicator. Breakenridge says that communications is at the heart of every business as it helps build relationships with customers. But as more channels or platforms emerge, attention spans across the board are fragmented with the average span being eight seconds for highly digitized individuals. She argues people don’t have to be everywhere, just where your customers need and want you to be in order to be an effective communicator. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deirdre Breckenridge, https://lnkd.in/ew4f23p, joins Christoph Trappe on this live recording of the Business Storytelling Podcast to discuss how the two disciplines work together for maximum success.  Get her book "Answers for Modern Communicators:" https://amzn.to/3kFOaJB  Follow Deirdre on Twitter: https://lnkd.in/eTyb5rM  Christoph's blog: https://lnkd.in/bDTft_d  Christoph's content performance book: https://lnkd.in/e3dWVd5  Need help with your marketing? Contact Christoph now: https://lnkd.in/e4xpVPm  Subscribe to future podcast episodes: https://lnkd.in/eFBsw73 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ctrappe/message

Deirdre Breakenridge is the CEO of Pure Performance Communications, a company that fuses strategic communications with innovative technology to impact business communications from consumer interest to brand loyalty and advocacy. Deirdre has been in PR and marketing for over 25 years, helping senior executives in mid-and-large organizations better communicate with their stakeholders.  Deirdre also does reputation management and social media relations. She's a LinkedIn Learning instructor and was an Adjunct Professor at NYU, and she has written many books including Answers for Modern Communicators, and her latest one book, Answers for Ethical Marketers. In this episode… As humans, we want empathy, understanding, kindness, ethics, good judgment, and love. When we add these elements to how we communicate and market our products and services to people, these can positively affect people and influence consumer behavior. However, not many business leaders know how to add these attributes to their communication and marketing process. Deirdre Breakenridge, CEO of Pure Performance Communications, has created the FEEL First Test to help leaders ignite their engagement. It begs them to ask questions about facing their fears, communicating with empathy, using ethics and good judgment, their love for their mission. But how exactly can the FEEL First approach help businesses improve their outreach and how effective is it? On this episode of Inspired Insider, Dr. Jeremy Weisz talks with Pure Performance Communications CEO, Deirdre Breakenridge, about the FEEL First Test and how people can transform the way they communicate and connect with others. Deirdre shares the data and inspiration behind the FEEL First Test, the work she did with Richard Bistrong, and her insights on what communication may look like in the future. Stay tuned.

Deirdre Breakenridge, CEO of Pure Performance Communications, is the author of six books, host of the podcast Women Worldwide with nearly 2 million downloads, and a 30-year veteran in PR, marketing and branding, Deirdre has worked with senior leaders and organizations, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, JVC, Kraft, Nasdaq, NBA Events & Attractions, and the Public Relations Society of America. She is a career-long storyteller and relationship agent, helping brands and professionals to ignite their engagement, lead the conversation and grow influences. She takes a proprietary approach to communications with her FEEL First communication model that encompasses the findings of a 52+ week research project. Her most recent book, “Answers for Modern Communicators,” was published by Routledge and named by Book Authority among the Top 100 Storytelling Books in 2019. Dierdre teaches communications for NYU, UMASS at Amherst, Rutgers University, and Fairleigh Dickinson University in addition to many organizations with communication training programs. She also speaks internationally on the topics of PR, marketing, branding, and social media communications. In this episode… What does it mean to communicate effectively? Join us as host Gina Rubel goes on record with Deirdre Breakenridge to discuss what it means to really show up for conversations, how to listen better in times of passion and anger, and how to conquer fear.

Deirdre Breakenridge is Chief Executive Officer of Pure Performance Communications, a strategic communications and technology consulting firm in the New York Metro area. She’s a veteran in PR, marketing, and branding. She is the author of six books including her latest book Answers for Modern Communicators. She’s counseled senior-level executives at Fortune 500 companies, and she travels worldwide speaking to corporations and associations about the changing media landscape.  She blogs at PR Expanded. She has six video courses on LinkedIn Learning. She is the co-founder of #PRStudChat a dynamic Twitter community dedicated to educating PR students, professionals, and professors. She’s also the host of the Women Worldwide podcast where she has published over 250 episodes. Deirdre shares the importance of having mentors and being a mentor. We also talk about how social media has changed the mentor relationship and has opened up new opportunities. We dive into why she started her podcast and how she is always experimenting and trying new things. She shares how her goals for the podcast changed and how she finally realized that the podcast was about helping people and building a community.  Deirdre has taken a unique approach to forming a community around her podcast guests. They have a network where these women answer questions and help each other. She even ran a mastermind experiment with some of her guests that allowed them to celebrate what they were working on and ask for help. Deirdre is passionate about community, sharing information, and helping people. She is also passionate about how helping others leads to opportunities and connections you wouldn’t otherwise expect. She also shares a personal loss that led to a research journey with millennials and the FEEL Model. This interview is truly inspiring.  Show Notes: [03:40] Deirdre has been mentoring women for over 20 years. [04:19] Deirdre had a mentor in high school and in college. She had a close friend of the family who was a mentor who helped her get her first job. Although, she didn't actually realize they were mentors. It just kind of happened. [05:04] As Deirdre got into her career, it was natural for her to start answering questions and taking others under her wing. Now mentoring happens on social media. [07:13] It's okay to ask for help. [11:04] The fact that you can show up anywhere and speak is a sign that you could be a very good mentor.  [12:29] Find the people you want to serve and find a way to help them the most. Find out what they care about and where they are.  [15:00] Women Worldwide now has over 250 episodes. [16:01] Podcasting was a reinvention and a passion for Deirdre. [17:17] Women Worldwide is more than a podcast. They now have a network. The women are connecting and collaborating. She also tried a mastermind experiment with a handful of guests where they have a Zoom call. They meet once a month, and it's called Women Worldwide Connect. The purpose is to celebrate what they are working on and ask for help. [20:02] The listeners of the show also interact on social media. [21:39] There are a lot of goals you can have with a podcast. There are other podcasters who see the opportunities with each individual guest. They may not take it as far as forming a network and mastermind group.  [23:59] Deirdre's first goal was to be a podcast host. Then she wanted 100,000 downloads per episode to attract advertisers. She put a lot of marketing dollars into this. She achieved her goal and then realized that wasn't what the listeners wanted.  [25:31] She realized it was about the community she served and helping people. She recently noticed, it's all about the guests.  [28:07] You should learn what your listeners care about and what your guests are willing to share. Guests that engage on social media and audiograms help increase listeners.  [30:57] Deirdre has a project manager that helps with everything. They use Hootsuite, Basecamp, and Headliner.  [32:15] The value from the podcast is flowing into the business. The greatest connection is to the guests through the network. [34:33] Deirdre is a relationship connector. [36:30] Her parents definitely shaped her. Her mom is very strong and passionate. Her dad is a mediator and a negotiator. Deirdre stepped away with a very strong foundation. [37:39] The loss of Deirdre's stepdaughter caused her to take a step back and re-evaluate her life. [38:04] Deirdre went on a research journey with millennials. She learned what they needed. They built a model called FEEL. Face your fears. Engage with empathy. Use ethics and good judgment. Unleash the love. [39:26] Her stepdaughter Noelle was a huge influence on her.  [40:58] The Feel First Test evaluates where you are and gives you exercises to improve. [43:14] Darrell's takeaways: Don't be afraid to experiment and try new ideas. Deirdre was all about cultivating a culture of collaboration and support within her community. When you are serving the needs of others, you and your business will be lifted up. Deirdre's podcast is a marketing arm of Women Worldwide. It's also used to build community. The FEEL Test will give you exercises that you can do to become a better rounded person. Links and Resources: Pro Podcast Solutions Libsyn Use promo code ProPod to get your first month free Deirdre Breakenridge PR Expanded Feel First Test Pure Performance Communications Women Worldwide Deirdre Breakenridge on LinkedIn Deirdre Breakenridge on Twitter Deirdre@PurePerformancecomm.com Deirdre Breakenridge on Facebook Answers for Modern Communicators Other Books by Deirdre Breakenridge Why Social Media and Being Strategic Is Important With Dede Watson Hootsuite Basecamp Headliner

On this week’s episode of Humanize Your Workplace, we are joined by Deirdre K. Breakenridge. Deirdre K. Breakenridge is CEO at Pure Performance Communications. As a 30-year veteran in PR, marketing, and branding, she has worked with senior leaders and organizations, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, JVC, Kraft, Nasdaq, NBA Events & Attractions and the Public Relations Society of America. Deirdre is a career-long storyteller and relationship agent, helping brands and professionals to get “unstuck” and ignite their communications. She’s been working with leaders for decades to create award-winning PR and marketing programs and building relationships based on loyalty and advocacy. Deirdre takes a proprietary approach to communications with her FEEL First communication model that encompasses the findings of a 52+ Week research project. Deirdre is the author of six business books sharing stories about her communications journey. Her most recent book, “Answers for Modern Communicators,” was published by Routledge and was recently named among the Top 100 Storytelling Books in 2019 by Book Authority. For 15 years, Deirdre has taught PR and social media courses, online and in the classroom for NYU, UMASS at Amherst, Rutgers University, and Fairleigh Dickinson University. She also takes her passion for education into organizations with communication training programs and she speaks internationally on the topics of PR, marketing, branding, and social media communications. Deirdre has been blogging at PR Expanded for over 10 years and she is also the host of the podcast, Women Worldwide, which in its 5th year has nearly 2 million downloads We chat about: The FEEL Model- how it came about and how to use it in your own growth How to be more empathetic in the workplace Phrases we can use to glean more information from co-workers in the midst of disagreements You can connect with Deirdre on LinkedIn. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/alissa-carpenter/message

It’s the holiday season. Are you stressed yet? So many people walk around living in and with unnecessary stress. Dr. Jane Tornatore, a therapist and speaker in Seattle, WA, helps people convert outdated patterns and stress into more freedom, joy, and authenticity. She shares how people process stress, when many of our mindset issues form, and how we can overcome them and maintain a less stressful lifestyle. With her studies in mental health and neuroplasticity Dr. Jane has found effective ways to help others turn their bad habits into effective solutions and change the course of their lives. She says that the majority of our major mindset hurdles form when we are less than six years old, as we move into an aware consciousness. Habits however, can be broken. Learn how as we chat. Awareness, practice, and choice are the keys to changing your less than ideal habits. Our brains are naturally designed to look for problems that need to be fixed. Learn how you can overcome grim situations and how Dr. Jane’s new book, Everything is PERFECT, Just Not ME!, can help you move through your negative self-talk. Dr. Jane has been studying the brain for more than 25 years and her insights into how our brains process the world are invaluable. Listen in and learn how you can work on altering your neural pathways and be kinder to yourself. Mindset and business success go hand in hand, but only if you keep working on the blocks that hold you back. Show Notes: [01:54] Dr. Jane Tornatore discusses how to turn stress into confidence and peace of mind. [02:56] Learn about Jane’s background and why she chose to become a therapist. [05:15] What do patterns of stress look like and how do we identify them? [07:09] Are there people who push back on identifying and addressing their stress? [08:34] Hear about the mind work needed to uncover and overcome our longstanding mental blocks. [11:34] How does Dr. Jane help others keep from backsliding into bad habits?[13:05] Change is simpler than we think, it’s simply practicing… for the rest of our lives. [17:25] What does Dr. Jane do when everything looks grim?  [19:09] Dr. Jane shares what she wants people to walk away with from reading her book. [21:29] Where does the concept of perfect come from?  [23:37] How can you reassure someone that they don’t have to be perfect?[28:10] What kinds of challenges has Dr. Jane faced in her business and how does she approach them? [32:15] Learn how you can overcome the stress of the holiday by walking through an exercise. [34:54] Connect with Dr. Jane. Links and Resources: Dr. Jane’s WebsiteDr. Jane Tornatore on LinkedIn Dr. Jane Tornatore on Facebook Dr. Jane Tornatore’s Amazon Author Page Everything is PERFECT, Just Not ME! by Dr. Jane Tornatore Episode Sponsor: Routledge. Download a free chapter of my book Answers for Modern Communicators at http://bit.ly/learningtheessentials.

Do you struggle with creating deep meaningful conversations that lead to lasting connections? In this world of instant feedback and world-wide connectivity, having real conversations has become harder than ever. Dr. Karen Jacobson works with organizations to strengthen their communication practices and learn how to create lasting impressions through power conversations. Karen is the President of Aligned Leadership Academy and a former Israeli military commander. She has run her own Chiropractic practice and is a champion ballroom dancer. She has many and varied experiences that have helped her to connect with others in a sincere way.  She is now a high-performance strategist, speaker, and author who helps others realize the power of connected conversations. Her book Power Conversations, develops her ground-breaking communications framework called the High-Performance Triad. Karen helps leaders find their personality and leadership style and how they can best adapt conversations to create effective communication opportunities with their teams. The ability to communicate effectively is the key to growing a business, serving your family, and developing relationships. Listen in as Karen shares the four personality types, why we all have a bit of all four, and why being confident in your knowledge and abilities will lead to success. She’s done it all! Listen to the end to hear her top tips for developing your power conversations. Show Notes: [02:18] Welcome! Dr. Karen Jacobson here to discuss how to start power conversations. [03:41] What stands out the most throughout Karen’s career and shaped where she is today? [05:01] How has her military career impacted her later pursuits?  [06:40] Learn how to build trust within the military and in leadership. [09:10] Karen unpacks her books and what she hopes her readers take away from them. [11:14] Why you have to temper your personality with emotional intelligence in different situations. [12:22] Karen shares the four characters or personalities from her books. [18:57] What does it mean to Karen to command a presence in a room or on stage? [21:32] Learn why you need to keep a cool head under pressure to maintain your beliefs. [25:13] Which extends to all career tracks as well. [28:47] How has Karen tackled challenges throughout her career? [34:36] Karen shares her top tips for developing power conversations. [35:47] Connect with Karen. Links and Resources: Aligned Leadership Academy Dr. Karen Jacobson’s Website Dr. Karen on LinkedIn Dr. Karen on Facebook Dr. Karen on Twitter Dr. Karen on YouTube Dr. Karen on Instagram Dr Karen’s Amazon Author Profile DISC Assessment Episode Sponsor: Routledge. Download a free chapter of my book Answers for Modern Communicators at http://bit.ly/learningtheessentials.

Deirdre Breakenridge in her own words... I’ve been a career-long storyteller and Chief Relationship Agent (CRA), helping professionals to get unstuck in their communication and creating opportunities that result in business impact. As a communications consultant and CEO of Pure Performance Communications, my focus is marketing strategy and planning. I’ve launched marketing and PR programs (from Fortune 500 to startups) delivering creative, passionate and bold stories that help brands and their thought leaders to be seen and heard and to build genuine relationships with their stakeholder groups. Today, my communications consulting and training programs take a proprietary approach with a new model called FEEL First, which was developed as a part of a year-long research journey. After the tragic loss of a family member, I wanted to learn more about how millennials showed up to their conversations, what they valued and what they expected from others in their interactions. What I uncovered was a disconnect in intergenerational communication. I’m working with professionals and their organizations to FEEL, which stand for face your Fears, engage with Empathy, use Ethics and good judgment and unleash the Love of your mission, across communication channels for authentic connections and to foster stronger bonds between groups. The FEEL model took shape after conducting weekly one-one-one telephone interviews with millennials and business leaders, as well as diving into social media intelligence and text analytics. The model, with an accompanying online FEEL First Test (www.FEELFirstTest.com), helps leaders and managers to gauge if they FEEL First in order to connect authentically at different touchpoints. When you add FEEL to your communication planning and strategy you not only connect with people on a deeper level and but you also move from transactional to meaningful relationships that are based on trust, advocacy and greater loyalty. As the author of several business books, it’s through my love of writing that I share stories about my communications journey. My most recent book, “Answers for Modern Communicators” was published by Routledge in October 2017 is a response to the most pressing PR and communications questions asked by students and professionals. A couple of other well-known industry titles include “Social Media and Public Relations: Eight New Practices for the PR Professional” and “Putting the Public Back in Public Relations.” I’ve spent almost 15 years teaching on the university level, developing curriculum for PR and social media courses, both online and in the classroom at NYU, UMASS at Amherst, Rutgers University, and FDU. I speak nationally and internationally on PR, marketing, branding and social media communications, always through a FEEL First lens. I’ve also spent the last five years as a LinkedIn Learning Instructor with eight video courses on Public Relations Foundations, Media Training, Handling an Unruly Audience, Marketing Communications, Go-To-Market Planning, Competitive Analysis, Creating a Marketing Culture and Marketing Ethics. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/freeman-means-business/support

Taking the leap and changing your career or launching your own business is a seriously scary prospect. Sara Bliss knows all about changing roles, pivoting her focus, and building a brand and a business. She has done everything from ghostwriting books to building brands through words. Her most recent book, Take the Leap, is the result of 10 years of labor, love, and a drive to never quit. There is no better person to discuss what it takes to move out of a job you hate to creating a business you love than Sara. Before writing Take the Leap she interviewed over 60 entrepreneurs who made the transition from employee to CEO in various stages of their careers. The insights she gleaned from hearing their stories and taking the time to compile them into this wonderful tome are as inspirational as they are informative.  Listen in as Sara discusses the ups and downs, ins and outs of ghostwriting and writing for major publications. She also shares how taking on the voice of her customer has helped her to dial into what a brand requires to survive. Learn why taking on every project and writing for nearly every topic has helped her better realize the scope of her abilities and how that applies to building her business.  This conversation was a true adventure into the mind and world of a person born to be an entrepreneur. Sara’s vast experience and willingness to move, grow, and change is something to be admired and studied! Don’t miss out on all of her juicy business tips and listen to the end to hear her fantastic parting advice. Show Notes: [01:08] Welcome back. We just turned 5! Sending a huge thank you to all our listeners! [02:24] Sara Bliss, the author of Take the Leap, is here to chat about making huge changes. [03:32] Learn all about Sara’s career path and all of the changes she has made over the years. [05:26] What was it like becoming a ghostwriter?  [07:04] Why did Sara feel that bringing Take the Leap to life was important?  [09:27] Sara shares her process for completing and compiling her research and interviews. [10:40] Learn more about the challenges Sara faced as she wrote the book. [14:07] How do you get rid of the chatter so that you can take the leap?  [18:36] Sara discusses how you can best handle rejection. [20:24] Where did most of the people interviewed for Sara’s book fall in their career cycle before taking the leap? [24:21] Speaking with all of her interviewees inspired Sara to continue to make pivots. [25:04] Learn more about the different types of roles Sara has taken on throughout her career and how that has bolstered her business. [27:20] Is retirement an ideal prospect anymore?  [29:31] Sara gives all of us a piece of advice for everyone thinking of taking the leap. [31:34] Connect with Sara. Links and Resources: Sara on Twitter Sara on LinkedIn Sara on Instagram Sara Bliss Website Bobbi Brown Episode’s Sponsor: Routledge Download a free chapter of my book Answers for Modern Communicators at http://bit.ly/learningtheessentials 

Priya Nembhard and Joan Pelzer couldn’t have approached becoming entrepreneurs in more different ways. Priya has been a serial entrepreneur since 2003 when she and her husband created their first business. Joan, on the other hand, happened into the entrepreneurial life by chance and hasn’t lost the bug for a moment since.  It wasn’t until the two came together to create media magic, that they realized their true passion and purpose in this space. When they met and came together it was as if all of the pieces of a puzzle slid into place. They now create a radio and YouTube talk show called Follow Me Friday and have truly learned the beauty of creating a brand and following on their own terms. Listen in as Priya and Joan discuss the evolution of Follow Me Friday, why their partnership has bolstered their personal businesses, and why embracing various media has taken their show and their businesses to the next level.  They both admit that your branding is the foundation upon which your business should be built. It is the voice, the “texture,” the “feel” of your business and it is what people will remember long after you’re gone. Their biggest advice with regard to this unbelievably important business creation step? Make sure that your branding speaks to not only your business goals and your ideal client, but that it also speaks to YOU. These two make creating a social presence seem like a breeze, but it hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. Listen in as they share the ups and downs, highs and lows, and most important of all, the challenges they’ve faced and continue to face as their partnership grows.  Joan and Priya definitely understand the intricacies of having a media presence and this conversation is full of fun and laughs, but best of all they share tangible advice that you can use to start becoming more comfortable with being social! Show Notes: [01:08] Thank you for showing up every week! [02:18] Learn more about our two guests, Joan Pelzer and Priya Nembhard. [03:50] Joan shares a bit about her entrepreneurial journey. [05:14] How did Priya become a serial entrepreneur?  [06:30] Priya chats about the story of how she and Joan met.  [09:19] The two discuss the evolution of Follow Me Friday. [12:05] How does the show come together?  [13:40] What makes for having a really good guest?  [16:00] Learn more about how Follow Me Friday morphed into video from audio. [18:24] Hear Joan and Priya discuss why branding is important to creating a thriving business. [23:20] How do Joan and Priya manage Follow Me Friday with everything else that they do?  [24:50] What would the duo say to the entrepreneur who is scared to be social?  [27:57] We chat about the pros and cons of feedback from other people. [30:08] Priya and Joan provide a bit of parting advice for all of our entrepreneurs. [32:15] Connect with Joan and Priya! Links and Resources: Follow Me Friday Website Follow Me Friday on Facebook Follow Me Friday on YouTube Follow Me Friday on Twitter Follow Me Friday on Instagram Joan’s Website Joan on Facebook Joan on Twitter Joan on Instagram Joan on LinkedIn Priya’s Website Priya on Twitter Priya on LinkedIn Episode’s Sponsor: Fabian Geyrhalter and eRESONAID course Download a free chapter of my book Answers for Modern Communicators at http://bit.ly/learningtheessentials

There are no words to express the impact that Gloria Feldt has had on the world of women in leadership and women in general. As the former CEO of Planned Parenthood and the founder of Take The Lead, Gloria has spent the better part of her life fighting for the rights of women across the country to decide what to do with their bodies and their lives. She is an inspiration in the fight for women’s rights and this conversation is one you won’t want to miss.  Gloria didn’t start off with a driving passion to fight for women’s equality in society and in business. She was once a young woman with a cause no greater than being an amazing wife and mother to her family, but after having her third child she wondered what else there was.  Gloria was lucky! She grew up with a father who encouraged her to pursue her dreams in a time when women weren’t supposed to have dreams beyond nurturing a family. Having heard that she could be and do anything during her entire adolescence gave her the confidence needed to pursue a new dream.  Fast forward a few years and she was presented with the opportunity to lead Planned Parenthood.  The same organization that helped her realize that her life could be better organized, better controlled, came back around and wanted her to be their voice. She couldn’t say no. Since then she has made it her mission to help support women in leadership and women in power to maximize their impact.  She has since retired from Planned Parenthood and now owns her own business, consulting and coaching women leaders to be the best in their fields.  To say that this was an inspiring conversation would be a gross understatement. Gloria’s life and work have been full of ups and downs, but her positive attitude and her drive have kept her going and working for women everywhere.  Listen in as she discusses the role of social media in our lives, how to encourage women to take their fair share, and how you can get more involved in this wonderful cause. You won’t want to miss a second of this discussion! Show Notes:  [01:09] Welcome back and thank you for your dedication to the show, learning, and community. [02:08] Meet Gloria Feldt, the cofounder and president of Take The Lead and former CEO of Planned Parenthood. [04:02] Gloria shares a bit about her early life and what drove her to the role of CEO and teaching other women to lead.  [08:44] Did Gloria feel supported in her journey toward leadership by other women and men?  [10:42] What qualities are really important for women to have when learning to manage power and leadership?  [14:47] How are the cohorts selected for the 50 Women Can Change the World program?  [16:23] What is the importance of branding when building or launching a venture or business? [21:02] Gloria gives advice to younger women and men who are working to choose their life’s path. [25:24] What challenges has Gloria faced in her work with Planned Parenthood and in her business today?  [27:46] Learn how Gloria keeps herself sharp both mentally and physically. [30:37] Gloria shares what the oppression of other people’s opinions on social media really means! [32:56] Hear Gloria’s parting advice for women regarding power and leadership. [34:28] Connect with Gloria. Links and Resources: Gloria’s Website Gloria on LinkedIn Gloria on Twitter Gloria on Instagram Gloria on YouTube Take The Lead 50 Women Can Change the World Episode Sponsor: Fabian Geyrhalter and eRESONAID course Download a free chapter of my book Answers for Modern Communicators at http://bit.ly/learningtheessentials

I am so excited for you to meet Connie Zack. She is the co-owner and Chief Sales Officer of Sunlighten, a company founded after her brother began experiencing the after-effects of chronic fatigue syndrome because of toxic levels of heavy metals in his body. Connie shares how her brother’s healing journey led her and her husband to create Sunlighten, an infrared sauna creator and distributor.  Listen in as Connie reveals why family comes first and how her drive to impact the world in a big way pushed her to leave the security of her corporate job with Procter & Gamble and create a business that helps so many people ease the pain and stress of everyday life. Connie digs into how the journey from being a witness to the healing properties of infrared saunas to understanding how to grow and scale a fledgling business has changed her life.  From learning how to hire staff and keep them motivated to discerning how to get their product into the forefront of the public consciousness, Connie reveals why each step was a moment of learning that has brought Sunlighten to the precipice of success. Every step has had a purpose in their journey and staying positive and keeping learning has been key to their prosperity. Learn what it takes to go from starting a business in your basement to international renown.  The world is noisier than ever, but as Connie says, YOU are the one responsible for how you perceive every situation.  Focus on what you can learn from your failures and then move on to the next task or the next situation. Keep a positive attitude, be willing to learn, and take the time to better yourself with continuing your business education and focus on building strong relationships. These are the steps to succeeding in this noisy world. Show Notes: [01:05] Welcome back and thank you so much for spending your time with us! [01:38] Our topic today revolves around how today’s entrepreneurs can grow their businesses in our extremely noisy world. [02:23] Meet Connie Zack, co-owner and Chief Sales Officer of Sunlighten. [03:51] Connie shares her journey from working in corporate to business ownership. [08:00] Was entrepreneurship in Connie’s original life plan?  [09:35] What was the growth process like in the beginning?  [11:51] Were there any unexpected surprises that came with entrepreneurship?  [13:00] Connie reveals the obstacles that had to be overcome as the company grew. [14:42] Why creating a powerful team is Connie’s greatest success in creating a business.  [18:12] Connie shares what you can do to be a better role model. [21:13] Does Connie think it is harder for today’s entrepreneur to get out there?  [23:27] You will make mistakes! Learn why those missteps will propel you forward. [24:08] How important are relationships when developing your company? [25:47] Learn more about the uses of infrared saunas and infrared light therapy. [27:47] Be sure to marry your work and personal life and goals for greater levels of success. [29:03] What is it like being a husband and wife team?  [31:36] Connie shares her best advice for the woman entrepreneur. [33:15] Connect with Connie Links and Resources: Sunlighten on Facebook Sunlighten on Twitter Sunlighten on Instagram Sunlighten on LinkedIn Sunlighten Website Call Sunlighten: 877.292.0020 Episode Sponsor: Routledge. Download a free chapter of my book Answers for Modern Communicators at http://bit.ly/learningtheessentials

One of the leading experts on futuring, Dr. Connie Reimers-Hild is joining me to discuss how you can create the business vision of your dreams become a reality. The key is in creating your ideal vision and learning ways that you can bring it to life.  Dr. Connie has been helping businesses and business leaders to create personal and organizational innovation and transformation by developing their ideal visions. Her work recently has spun more towards helping women and women leaders understand their true ideal vision and how to achieve it. She has created a huge body of resources and loves to share her knowledge about how futuring impacts business. We discuss everything from what futuring is, to how it has impacted Dr. Connie’s life and work, and why the concept is supremely important for all businesses. Nobody wants to become the next Blockbuster or Kodak and Dr. Connie’s unique training in both futuring and coaching has given her a fresh perspective on how to help businesses find their best next path. We discuss so many fantastic bits of information that you can use in your life and business. Ever wonder how to involve your kids in your entrepreneurial endeavors? We chat about that too and why our kids’ involvement is so important to our businesses. If you’ve wondered how to take your business to the next level while maintaining your home life, then this is the episode you want to hear. Show Notes: [01:05] Are you facing challenges? Reach out to me! [02:38] Learn more about futurist Dr. Connie Reimers-Hild. [03:28] Welcome Dr. Connie to the show. [03:49] How does one become a futurist?  [04:35] Is the concept of a futurist prevalent in the business space or does Dr. Connie have to explain it often?  [06:06] How do futurists help companies find new roads to success?  [07:44] What goes into helping businesses find their vision for the next 5 to 50 years?  [10:37] How do leaders affect the vision and success of their company?  [13:49] Why communication is the skeleton key to success. [14:45] Trust is necessary to enact change. [17:04] What does Dr. Connie think is necessary to start a podcast?  [19:06] Dr. Connie shares the challenges she has faced while building her business. [21:57] Are professionals more hesitant to step out and create their own business dreams?  [25:10] Staying at a job, isn’t always the safe choice… [25:50] Why involving our kids is extremely important to both of us. [26:42] Are there days of stress and overwhelm or is it easier to manage business and life?  [28:29] Everything you do today, impacts the future of your family and business. What are you doing?  [30:51] Dr. Connie provides her advice for zeroing in on your ideal future. Links and Resources: Dr. Connie on Twitter Dr. Connie on LinkedIn Dr. Connie’s Website Dr. Connie’s Amazon Author Page The Bee Who Was Too Busy by Dr. Connie Future School for Women  Episode Sponsor: Routledge. Download a free chapter of my book Answers for Modern Communicators at http://bit.ly/learningtheessentials

Deirdre K. Breakenridge is Chief Executive Officer at Pure Performance Communications. A veteran in PR, marketing and branding, Breakenridge has worked with organizations including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, JVC, Kraft, Nasdaq, NBA Events & Attractions and PRSA. Breakenridge is the author of six business books. Her most recent book, “Answers for Modern Communicators” was published by Routledge in October 2017. Her other titles include “Social Media and Public Relations: Eight New Practices for the PR Professional, and “Putting the Public Back in Public Relations.” As an adjunct professor, Breakenridge teaches online PR and social media courses for the UMASS at Amherst Journalism Department She speaks nationally and internationally on the topics of PR, marketing, branding and social media communications. Breakenridge is a LinkedIn Learning Instructor with eight video courses on Public Relations Foundations, Media Training, Handling an Unruly Audience, Marketing Communications, Go-To-Market Planning, Competitive Analysis, Creating a Marketing Culture and Marketing Ethics. Breakenridge is the host of a podcast program, Women Worldwide, interviewing women who share their incredible stories, educating, imparting advice and offering insights to show listeners. Women Worldwide has joined the C-Suite Radio Network, which is the home of podcasts for top business leaders and innovators. NJBIZ named Breakenridge as one of the Best 50 Women in Business in the state of New Jersey. She also joined the ranks of the Top 250 Women Leaders published by Richtopia in from 2016 through 2018. Breakenridge blogs about PR and communications, the changing media landscape and collaborative technology at PR Expanded and is the co-founder of #PRStudChat, a dynamic Twitter community with Twitter chats for PR students, educators and PR pros. https://www.deirdrebreakenridge.com/ Download a Free Chapter of Answers for Modern Communicators: http://bit.ly/learningtheessentials To purchase a copy of the Answers for Modern Communications book with the promo code: http://bit.ly/answersformoderncommunicators Promo Code: WOW20

I am so excited to have Dr. Erin Macdonald on the show today. She is an astrophysicist and aerospace engineer. She has managed to take her childhood love of science fiction and the X-Files and turn it into an exciting career. She is a teacher and lecturer who puts as much emphasis on her language and communications skills as she does on her scientific knowledge. Erin makes science fun and inspirational for her students by explaining how science and movies intersect. She also consults for TV, movies, and video games and found a way to make math fun, because once you progress past a certain point it becomes like a new language that you can communicate in. Erin is a role model and mentor for up and coming women and girls who are interested in getting involved in STEM careers. She is an extraordinary guest and you won’t want to miss this interview. Show Notes: [03:16] Kids love space and dinosaurs. Erin loved the X-files growing up. When she looked into things she found out that she could learn how the world works. She was inspired by studying astrophysics. [04:47] She started teaching and got involved with aerospace engineering. [05:41] Math is like a language. It will come together once you get into it. Erin came to a point where she could describe stuff using math. [06:32] Stick with math, don't let poor teaching get you down. [06:53] Being able to write and having the ability to communicate your ideas effectively will get you very far in the field. [07:15] Being able to convey very complex ideas in a very succinct way will get you very far. [08:06] Public speaking is important. When you’re in an academic environment you do have to go to conferences, you have to explain your research and answer people’s questions. So, being able to talk is very important, plus you have a lot of teaching that you need to do. [10:04] Scientist need to have the ability to communicate and not make the other person feel dumb. This is crucial to society's perception of scientists. [10:56] In the fields that Erin has been working in, there has been about one woman for every seven guys. [11:45] Erin did have trouble finding other women mentors (other than Dana Scully from the X-files). The biggest surprise in her field was the lack of support from the older generation of women. [13:01] It was kind of like she had to earn the right to be there. [14:05] It would be wonderful if women would lift each other up and find and build a community. Even if you don't have mentors, you could have female peers to help and support each other. [15:57] Erin feels lucky that she was able to craft her dream job. She always wanted to be behind the scenes in the entertainment industry. [16:40] She started speaking at science fiction conventions, and she was able to share scientific information with a diverse group of people. She also started meeting actors, writers, and producers while she was there. [18:21] She started making connections, and people started reaching out for advice about the science behind the shows that they were writing. [19:16] She recently worked on a scripted live sci-fi show called Orbital Redux. [21:33] Erin answer question #35 from Answers for Modern Communicators book - “Is it better to be a Type A or Type B personality?” Her Type A personality helps her with that, but diversity is important. [24:29] If we aren't challenged, we aren't doing it right. Having to pitch herself is the most uncomfortable thing that Erin has to do. She has to convince them that she is different. [27:42] Her tough skin has helped her become more confident with whatever she is doing. [30:13] Erin had to give a speech to non-scientists. She started taking acting classes and getting out of her comfort zone. [32:41] Talking about science fiction can be an anchor to teach real science. [33:59] A day in Erin's life. Public speaking and science communication is a skill. She gets up early and works with the Air Force. Then she does doctor errand stuff at the end of the day. She also goes to the beach to decompress or takes breaks when she needs them. [36:26] Burnout warning bells put you in a negative space and not wanting to do stuff. It's being tired and irritated. Physical anxiety. We know when we are pushed too far. The difficult thing is fixing it. [38:33] I'll work better if I get the rest that I need. Self-care is so important. [39:46] Relentlessly pursuing happiness is the way to find what work is for you. It's okay to walk away and think outside the box and pursue new things. Confidence is contagious.   Links and Resources: Answers for Modern Communicators Stop Worrying and Start Learning Dr. Erin Macdonald Website Dr. Erin Macdonald on Facebook Dr. Erin Macdonald on Twitter Dr. Erin Macdonald on LinkedIn Dr. Erin Macdonald on Instagram Dr. Erin Explains the Universe

Statistically, women are underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and there are many programs encouraging girls to study STEM careers. In spite of the stats, women have made significant contributions in these fields. My guest today is one of those women. Diana L. Burley, Ph.D. is a globally recognized cybersecurity expert and Executive Director and Chair of the Institute for Information Infrastructure Protection (I3P) at George Washington University. Growing up, Diana was always interested in technology and how it affects the behavior of people involved with it. By going into cybersecurity, she found the perfect intersection of people and technology to research. She is at the forefront of the latest research in cybersecurity and the evolution of new threats like holes in the world of the Internet of Things. Diana has always been a problem solver and shares the aha moment she discovered in Graduate school along with her no-nonsense approach to everything cybersecurity. Show Notes: [03:16] Growing up, Diana was always very interested in technology and how it shapes people and their behavior around it. Her expertise is the intersection of people and Technology. She's now a cybersecurity expert. [04:39] Being a woman in cybersecurity can be lonely. Diana thinks of it in terms of the impact that she can make. [05:45] Diana suggests that young women follow their passion and be prepared for whatever field they're going into and don't let fear stop them. [07:03] Cybersecurity is a very broad field. Whatever your path make sure you are taking courses that help you solve complex problems, develop analytical abilities, and develop communication abilities. [08:21] You will need communication skills wherever you go. [08:56] Relationships are key for making introductions and seeing pathways that you wouldn't normally see. [10:27] One of the things you need to think about with cybersecurity is what are the motivators for the people involved. The issues need to be looked at holistically. [12:09] People, process, and technology takes a lot to get up to speed. There needs to be a constant state of vigilance because threats are always evolving. [14:29] Understanding and using technology as it involves is all about not being afraid to try things. [15:22] There's constant learning that has to take place in the cybersecurity field. If you have passion, it doesn't feel like work. [18:54] Even without reading the terms of service, you should assume that your data will be used online. [19:35] You can help yourself with cyber hygiene. Use strong passwords. Use different passwords for every site and change them regularly. Don't click on links from unexpected emails. [21:24] Tools like LastPass can be very helpful. [21:42] Diana runs a research institute and is developing some executive education courses for the university. [23:44] When a situation looks grim, Diana looks for solutions. Once you break the problem down into pieces, you can chip away at it. [25:59] One of the things that has surprised Diana is the impression that she has made on people. [28:32] When Diana was working on her dissertation, she focused on the individual tasks. She was actually stunned when, after completing a task, her advisor said she was done. Anything can be completed if you break things down into small doable tasks. [30:15] Diana is a researcher. Mistakes are more like options that didn't work and can be crossed off the list. [32:34] Diversity and different experiences and backgrounds help inform gut reactions. Bringing together differences of opinion and thought helps create very robust solutions. [34:31] Diana is primarily a researcher. She could be working with a client to develop a strategic solution for their cybersecurity program. She could also be working with a research team for deeper analysis. She could also be giving speeches or talking to students. She also has quiet days where she can just sit and write. [38:38] People can be a cybersecurity weak link. Changing behavior is very important. Another hot topic is cybersecurity and IoT devices. [40:44] The best advice Diana can give is to be proactive about your security in the digital space. Be an active participant. Links and Resources: Diana Burley George Washington University Institute for Information Infrastructure Protection LastPass Answers for Modern Communicators @dianaburley on Twitter Diana Burley on LinkedIn

We've reached our 200th episode. For this Women Worldwide show, the tables are turned and my coach, Dolores Hirschmann, is interviewing me. So, I'm in the "hot seat." I share who I am. What I do. And what Dolores calls getting under the script of Deirdre. Dolores is a friend and a coach who focuses on effective public speaking whether the focus is growth or improved communication. She believes in people and ideas and emphasizes clarity in communication. She has a background in academic business, and entrepreneurship. As well as being the East Coast TEDx organizer and an executive coach. Today’s Episode: Show Notes [03:04] Deirdre teaches on LinkedIn learning, and she has written multiple books. She is also the voice of reason behind many brands and has helped them articulate their message. [03:40] Deirdre is in the business of storytelling and relationship-building. [03:46] She has been helping businesses and business executives find their voice, elevate their brand, and most of all to be recognized. [04:04] Deirdre has always focused on building relationships around your passion. She is happiest when working with professionals who love to amplify their purpose. It all starts with finding your voice. [04:30] She owned an agency for 14 years. Now she has a communications consulting practice. She finds voices, raises them up, and creates impact and makes a difference. [05:08] Taking care of messaging is what helps position you. It's how you create authority and build your reputation. [07:38] It's okay for an executive not to have all of the answers. You can get the information as things unfold. It's good to stay authentic. [08:56] A lot of what Deirdre does is to help corporations think and things that we do naturally in business. [10:44] Women worldwide is about the same things but also about how you feel. Do you have fear? Do you have empathy? Are you true to your ethics? Do you have love? Breaking the gap between think and FEEL. [12:06] Bringing think and feel together could change the world. [13:35] The FEEL model starts with your employees and showing it. It comes down to balancing your emotions and EQ. [14:38] It looks like giving people credit when credit is due. And not having to be the smartest person in the room. It's opening up your own frame of reference from different perspectives. [17:09] Deirdre stepped out of her comfort zone and helped someone who came out of prison but really wanted to do the right thing. He used his voice to help people be in compliance. [17:57] They rebuilt his brand through social media and the content that he created us blogger. He actually went from prison card to MasterCard and is doing a training series with MasterCard. [19:51] Dolores shares how Deirdre is a magical woman, because she can help create new stories. [21:28] Trust your gut and get out of your comfort zone even if you are scared. [24:15] When Deirdre was young, she wanted to be a veterinarian. [25:28] Her parents were a big influence on her and she wanted to be an educator. Now she is an educator. She has courses, mentors, and writes books. [27:05] Beneath the script is an awakening after the death of her daughter. She is being very present and not taking anything for granted. Cherish the moment more. [30:54] Self-care is crucial. She can go on autopilot if she lets herself. That is a recipe for complete burnout. [32:23] We need self-care refueling and balancing. Deirdre carves time out for herself everyday. She also read The Miracle Morning. [32:18] She follows the SAVERS program which is silence, affirmations, visualization, exercise, reading, and scribing. You can do it all in 6 minutes, take however long you need, or split it up. [32:58] She does the program every morning for 30 minutes to an hour. She even gets up earlier if she has to to refocus and center. Meditation helps to handle challenges and bring yourself back to your center. [33:50] To amplify your passion, you need to know what your passion is and what you actually love. [36:13] We should make most of our money doing what we love to do and what we are born to do. It would be authentic and genuine. We would strive to do our best work. The love and passion we have would be magnetic and contagious. [37:30] Follow the path of your passion, because it builds upon each other like following your headlights on a dark freeway. [39:19] Deirdre has had so many amazing guests that a women worldwide reunion would be awesome. [40:50] If you're going to read Deirdre's books start with PR 2.0, Putting the Public Back in Public Relations, Social Media and Public Relations Practices, and then Answers for Modern Communicators.   Links and Resources: Pure Performance Communications Deirdre Breakenridge Deirdre Breakenridge on Facebook LinkedIn Courses by Deirdre Breakenridge Deirdre Breakenridge on LinkedIn @dbreakenridge on Twitter Dolores Hirschmann Dolores Hirschmann on LinkedIn @DglarH on Twitter The Miracle Morning Books by Deirdre Breakenridge

Deirdre K. Breakenridge is Chief Executive Officer at Pure Performance Communications. A veteran in PR, marketing and branding, Breakenridge has worked with organizations including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, JVC, Kraft, Nasdaq, NBA Events & Attractions and PRSA. Breakenridge is the author of six business books. Her most recent book, “Answers for Modern Communicators” was published by Routledge in October 2017. Her other titles include “Social Media and Public Relations: Eight New Practices for the PR Professional, and “Putting the Public Back in Public Relations.” As an adjunct professor, Breakenridge teaches online PR and social media courses for the UMASS at Amherst Journalism Department and for Rutgers University’s PR Certificate course. She speaks nationally and internationally on the topics of PR, marketing, branding and social media communications. Breakenridge is a LinkedIn Learning Instructor with seven video courses on Public Relations Foundations, Media Training, Handling an Unruly Audience, Marketing Communications, Go-To-Market Planning, Competitive Analysis and Creating a Marketing Culture. Breakenridge is the host of a podcast program, Women Worldwide, interviewing women who share their incredible stories, educating, imparting advice and offering insights to show listeners. Women Worldwide has joined the C-Suite Radio Network, which is the home of podcasts for top business leaders and innovators. NJBIZ named Breakenridge as one of the Best 50 Women in Business in the state of New Jersey. She also joined the ranks of the Top 250 Women Leaders published by Richtopia in from 2016 through 2018. Breakenridge blogs about communication, the changing media landscape and collaborative technology at PR Expanded and is the co-founder of #PRStudChat, a dynamic Twitter community with Twitter chats for PR students, educators and PR pros. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/freeman-means-business/support

On the pod this week: We discuss the 17th anniversary of Sept. 11 and a new campaign – Tariffs Hurt the Heartland – that hopes to influence the president on tariffs. Plus we chat with PR and communications expert Deirdre Breakenridge, author of the new book Answers for Modern Communicators.

Our Guest for this episode is Deirdre Breckinridge, CEO of Pure Performance Communications with 25+ years experience in PR and marketing. She is also the author of Answers for Modern Communicators and speaks internationally on PR, marketing and branding. She joined us to talk about how her relationship with her 4th grade teacher led to her first internship, […] The post 30- “Adjusting Your Communication to Match the Relationship” with Deirdre Breakenridge appeared first on Millennial Reboot.

Deirdre Breakenridge is an entrepreneur, professor, and the CEO of Pure Performance Communications. She has been in PR and marketing for over 25 years and is the author of six different books, including her latest title, Answers for Modern Communicators. She speaks internationally on the topics of PR, marketing, branding, and social media and is a blogger at PR Expanded. She also hosts a podcast called Women Worldwide and enjoys connecting with professionals all over the world.

Contemporary PR and communications professionals face a challenging but exciting time. The explosion of digital technology, questions over ethical practice, the data revolution and the evolution of both internal and external facing digital platforms has prompted as many questions as it has provided answers. In this episode of the Digital Download podcast, I seek to answer some of those questions with Deirdre Breakenridge, author of the unique new book 'Answers for Modern Communicators'. Described as "a reference guide for modern PR practitioners", the book is intended to provide communications professionals with solutions to their most pressing issues. Here's what you'll learn in this episode: Why technology has led to ethics having become so important in modern communications Why being adaptable is now an essential skill for today's PR professionals How data can create value for PR and how we should use it How technology can enable increased collaboration if you allow it to Why you need to understand SEO, website behaviour and data analytics How important personal branding is to today and what the benefits are to employers How important it is to 'give back' to the profession that employs you   Subscribe: Apple Podcasts I Android Podcast Apps I Email I RSS   Useful Links from Today's Show Buy Deirdre Breakenridge's books on Amazon PR Expanded Women Worldwide podcast on iTunes #PRStudChat on Twitter   What to do Next I'd love to hear from you with any comments or thoughts. I read and reply to every single email, tweet or message. If you enjoyed today's show, please email it to a friend and/or share it on your favourite social media channels. You might also want to check out Digital Download Membership, which is like having an army of expert mentors to turn to who keep you updated with the latest digital and social media developments and provide feedback and opinions on your ideas. And finally, it would also be very awesome and hugely appreciated if you'd be able to take a couple of minutes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, as this helps others discover Digital Download. Thanks for listening!  

On this episode, I Zoom in Deirdre Breakenridge and we chat about essential communication skills everyone should have, how technology has changed communication and how everything is about building relationships. The questions from this interview came from information covered in Deirdre's book "Answers for Modern Communicators". You can find "Answers for Modern Communicators on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Answers-Modern... You can connect with her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dbreakenridge Don't forget to check out Deirdre's website: http://www.deirdrebreakenridge.com/

Technology and social media has changed almost every aspect of life in the last decade. It has changed how we communicate and collaborate. It has changed how businesses share information, connect with consumers and start conversations.   Today, we chat with . She has worked and led in public relations for 25+ years. She has been at the forefront of digital technology and communication and she has truly changed the way people think about public relations.   Early in her career, Deirdre was working for an agency and was pitching to a big client. After the presentation, they asked, “Where is all the new stuff?” Deirdre realized there was so much more she could be doing within public relations. That experience launched her into what would become a lifetime of challenging the status quo.   The role of social media and technology has rocked the public relations world. Social media is a way to connect with consumers in a totally new way. People can more easily collaborate, influence is more personal and professionals are building deeper relationships and maintaining a positive online image.   Social media also allows the consumer to have a more active role in their experience with a company. This allows businesses to better understand their customers and helps them deliver a customized experience.   Deirdre has recently release a new book called Answers for Modern Communicators: A Guide to Effective Business Communication. This book is so applicable to modern, working people. It is a great resource for people looking to expand their understanding of business communication.   Key Takeaways: [:06] Deirdre Breakenridge has been at the forefront of digital technology in her industry. [:22] Deirdre is the CEO of Pure Performance Communication. [2:10] Deirdre gets a “kick in the butt” to get moving with new media and technology. [4:10] How do you know when it is time to rethink the way things are being done? [6:00] Build a tribe with experience in the world you are moving toward. [8:43] The value of having role models with common experiences. [9:45] Where Deirdre’s entrepreneurial spirit comes from, and how that inspires her to break the rules. [12:45] Deirdre experienced a pivotal moment that prompted a change. Heather shares a similar experience. [16:45] Discussion on developing good instincts. [18:17] Insight, recognizing patterns, and connecting dots can help identify a growth path and find answers. [20:06] Intuition comes based on past experience. [20:45] Deirdre’s advice for students: open your life up to opportunity, engage with and explore your passion. [23:25] Answers for Modern Communicators is available this month, October 2017. It is written to share experiences. It is for student, entrepreneurs, and can truly reach anyone who communicates. [25:50] Thank you for listening. Follow us on Twitter @prtini, and use the hashtag #rewritetherules. Please like, share, and review if you like what you heard today.     Mentioned in this Episode: Rewritetherules.co Prtini.com/about @prtini DeirdreBreakenridge.com Soundcloud.com/adamsinger     Twitter: “It was then and there that the rules were being rewritten.”   “Get out of your comfort zone; let that feeling happen. And trust your gut.”   “Why am I doing this for someone, when I could be doing it for myself?”   “If I fail or if I succeed, then, at least I can say, ‘I did it.’”   “When you are looking for answers, you gotta go beyond yourself.”