Smart in Public

In today's episode of the Smart in Public podcast, the Katies welcome Daniella Vallurupalli, VP and Head of Global Communications at Cloudflare, to demystify the role of communications professionals during the IPO process. 

Daniella shares the importance of preparing for an IPO well in advance (with some incredibly helpful tips on how to do that), how to get a S.E.A.T. at the table throughout the entire process, and the unique ...

In this week's episode of the Smart and Public podcast, the Katies dig into the crisis recently faced by Qantas, Australia's most well-known national airline, following a significant data breach earlier this month. 

Hot topics were the implications of the breach on customer trust and loyalty, the challenges of crisis communication in today's instant-info digital age, and the importance of CEO messaging and transparenc...

In this episode of the Smart in Public podcast, the Katies welcome friend of the pod and everyone's favorite startup journalist Alex Konrad, Founder & Editor of Upstarts Media. 

The big topic on the table was getting a better sense of the direction startup news reporting is heading -- from industry predictions all the way down to some real tactical stuff like how to pitch Substack journalists. 

The conversation also covers t...

It's Season 2 of the Smart in Public podcast! The Katies kick off the new season with something old and something new, because we can't stop trying to understand the world that is Bezos, even if it means we're talking about them for the third time since the inception of the podcast. The implications on celebrity culture and brand perception are just too good. 

We also get pretty spicy on the New York mayoral race, hig...

Moving forward, let's just assume all episodes are hot takes, ok?? 

Today, the Katies dissect the article 'You are the brand now' written by Kira Klaas in her On Brand Substack to unpack the evolving landscape of personal branding and its implications for corporate strategy and consumer behavior. 

We know that individuals are becoming brands themselves, and recognize the importance of visibility over skill, but how doe...

In Episode 36 of the Smart in Public Podcast, the Katies kick off with a shameless plug of the launch of Boysen's new business, Comms People and there was not a dry pit in the house as she talked about it for the first time publicly. 

The hot takes were really about the insights Boysen pulled from the Haymaker Media Summit, which mainly focused on the evolving role of AI in journalism and the importance (and hesitation) of go-d...

In episode 35 of Smart in Public, Fana Yohannes, Founder of Flora by Fana and Here to Help (H2H), joins the Katies on the pod to chat personal and professional branding, building a future-proof network, navigating the job market, and the importance of a consistent online presence (with tips on how to actually do it without burning out). 

The evolution of networking is ongoing in the digital age, and Fana walks us through how to effe...

This week on Smart in Public, the Katies welcome Cristin Culver, founder of Common Thread Communications, to the pod. Cristin's approach to comms is unique -- and it has to be given she works across the Fintech, Proptech, and Legaltech industries. Her highly ROI driven comms strategies remove the safety net of saying 'comms is hard to measure' from her vocabulary, and her clients love her for it.

Learn how Cristin use...

It's another Hot Take episode and The Katies are in a mood. 

Hot Take #1 (2:02): Emma Grede's statements around work-life balance were not completely out of line - she was just lacking tangible examples in her messaging. 

Hot Take #2 (25:30): X's search for a new comms lead validates that comms is a critical role at the leadership table.

Takeaways

• Work-life balance is often viewed differently by CEOs and employees.
• CE...

In episode 32 of Smart in Public, the Katies are joined by Zixin Chai, Senior Partner at RICE, a FINN Partners Company, to learn about the comms and media landscape across Asia. 

Zixin guides Boysen & Dufficy through the challenges of working with multinational clients in Asia, cultural nuances, and the current talent pool in Singapore (where she's based). We also explore the media landscape, shifts in the communications in...

In this episode of the Smart and Public Podcast, the Katies welcome Abenaa Hayes, Founder and CEO of Elysee Consulting. It won't take long in the episode for you to agree with us when we say that Abenaa AND her career are not only impressive, but incredibly interesting. Her experience in communications and brand spans across a wide range of companies - from start-ups to growth to established US and global firms in healthcare, ...

In this episode of the Smart in Public podcast, The Katies discuss the ins-and-outs of working with PR agencies, including the pros and cons of different agency types, best practices for finding the right agency, and how to build successful partnerships. We also delve into the RFP process, emphasizing the importance of communication and transparency in agency-client relationships. 

We have a tonne of experience in this space -- from...

It's a HOT TAKE BAY BEE! In this bonus episode of the Smart in Public podcast, the Katies slightly unravel talking about Blue Origin's recent space mission featuring an all-female crew. They unpacked the publicity leading up to the launch, how it aligned to Blue Origin's company mission, the media's reaction, the public backlash, and the implications of celebrity involvement in space exploration. Yes we did some...

In this episode of the Smart in Public podcast, the Katies discuss the significance of data storytelling across executive messaging, narrative creation, cross-functional campaign development, industry positioning, and public relations. They explore various types of data research, the importance of sample size, and how to effectively leverage data for storytelling and media engagement. The conversation walks comms & marketing le...

In this episode of the Smart in Public podcast, the Katies welcome Cath Anderson to the pod to talk about narrative development, messaging, her board seat on Planned Parenthood, career breaks, and A LOT MORE. For those that don't know Cath, she's a comms powerhouse with two decades of experience working in corporate communications and marketing roles. She specializes in shaping company narratives, mitigating reputation ri...

In episode 26, the Katie's welcome Roberto Munoz, CEO of Munoz Communications, to give our listeners a crash course in comms consulting. This episode comes at a time when we're seeing a flood of top communications talent leave the corporate world to become consultants, and Roberto is the perfect guest to help set anyone -- from the seasoned consultant to the consultant curious -- on the right track for building a client p...

In episode 25 of the Smart in Public Podcast, the Katies welcome Alexandra Whiting, Head of Content at The Memo, to chat through the world of content creators; brand messaging; and telling stories that will actually build a community. Of course, it wouldn't be like us to not get side tracked into the importance of other areas like the challenges of PR / media relationships and the unique approach The Memo takes in curating par...

In episode 24 of Smart in Public, the Katies deliver an in-depth analysis of corporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in today's business environment. This timely episode explores how companies are adapting their DEI strategies, the crucial role of communications teams in driving meaningful change, and strategies for maintaining authentic corporate values during shifting market dynamics.

Key Discussion Points:

• The cu...

In episode 23 of Smart in Public, the Katies sit down with Cheryl Sanclemente, Chief Communications Officer at Lattice, for ​a real-talk conversation about career development, ​mentorship, comms leaders on boards, the sentiment in HR tech​ during a time of massive layoffs across the industry, ​and ​age old question of work-life balance.

Key Discussion Highlights:

• Career Transformation: Cheryl's remarkable journey from financ...