A Brief Coffee With...

In this episode of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy sits down with Yessi Bello-Perez, Senior Creator Manager at LinkedIn, to talk about what actually works on the platform—and why authenticity is becoming even more important in the age of AI.

Having started her career as a tech journalist before moving into LinkedIn's editorial and creator teams, Yessi shares practical advice on building a sustainable audience, finding something genuinely useful to say, and why executives shouldn't simply become another broadcast channel for their company.

They also get into AI slop, over-engineered thought leadership, how LinkedIn's editorial team works with experts and creators, whether a “LinkedIn exclusive” is actually a thing—and why founders need to stop making every post about their business.

00:00 – Meet Yessi Bello-Perez, Senior Creator Manager at LinkedIn

A Brief Coffee With… is the podcast from CEW Communications, where Cathy White sits down with journalists, creators and media insiders for honest, unfiltered conversations about the stories behind the stories.

If you're looking for communications support—from PR and media relations to content, social and thought leadership—get in touch with CEW Communications.

In this episode of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy White sits down with Sofia Chesnokova, Senior Editor at Tech Funding News, to find out what actually makes a startup story stand out when hundreds of pitches are competing for attention.

Having started her career in copywriting and PR, Sofia has experienced both sides of the inbox. She shares what Tech Funding News looks for beyond funding announcements, why founders shouldn’t underestimate the value of their own story, and the practical things that make a pitch easier to cover.

The conversation also explores the rise of European deep tech, why Sofia prefers data over a pre-packaged narrative, the problem with obviously AI-generated pitches and quotes, and how the Tech Funding News team is using AI behind the scenes to manage an inbox containing around 100,000 emails.

Key Moments

About A Brief Coffee With…

If you’re looking for communications support—from PR and media relations to content, social and thought leadership—get in touch with CEW Communications.

What changes when a journalist stops simply reporting the news—and starts getting paid to have an opinion about it?

In this episode of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy sits down with Dave Lee, Bloomberg Opinion's US technology columnist, to talk about his journey from the BBC in London to Silicon Valley, the Financial Times, and now Bloomberg in New York—and what he's learned from more than a decade covering the technology industry.

Dave explains what makes opinion journalism different, why he now spends more than half his day reading, and why startups may actually have more opportunity to catch his attention in the AI era than they think. They also dig into the differences between British and American tech and journalism, the rise of independent media, how PR teams can work effectively with columnists, and why good data still matters.

Plus, Dave shares how he's thinking about AI in journalism, why the US-China relationship could become the defining question of the AI era, and the role he thinks the UK could play in what comes next.

00:00 – Meet Dave Lee, Bloomberg Opinion's US technology columnist

A Brief Coffee With… is the podcast from CEW Communications, where Cathy White sits down with journalists and creators for honest, unfiltered conversations about the stories behind the stories.

If you're looking for communications support—from PR and media relations to content, social and thought leadership—get in touch with CEW Communications.

In this episode of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy White sits down with Dominic-Madori Davis, Senior Venture Capital and Startup Reporter at TechCrunch, to explore what one of the world's most influential technology publications is really looking for today.

From the future of TechCrunch's European coverage to the cultural differences between founders in the US and the UK, Dominic shares why storytelling is shaped as much by sociology as by startups.

If you've ever wondered what catches a TechCrunch reporter's attention—or why some startup stories resonate more than others—this episode is packed with practical insights for founders and communications professionals alike.

00:00 – Meet Dominic-Madori Davis, Senior Venture Capital & Startup Reporter at TechCrunch

01:40 – Dominic's journey from Business Insider to TechCrunch

02:40 – Is TechCrunch still covering European startups after its restructuring?

04:15 – The biggest cultural differences between US and UK founders

06:00 – Risk, ambition, failure and the British startup mindset

09:30 – Why Dominic became fascinated by Europe's startup ecosystem

13:10 – The startup stories that are really catching her attention right now

14:15 – Beyond AI: biotech, healthtech and the science of creating entirely new smells

16:40 – How TechCrunch journalists are actually using AI day-to-day

19:30 – AI as a research partner, brainstorming tool and search engine

20:50 – Quick fire: pitches, press releases, narratives and founder interviews

21:00 – Why your first message should be a DM, not an email

22:00 – Press releases still matter

22:30 – Data vs narrative—and why the best stories need both

23:15 – The one thing PR professionals should stop doing: cold calling Gen Z journalists

24:00 – How to connect with Dominic and the TechCrunch team

In this episode of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy is joined by Ana Metz, Founder and Editor of Future Travel, to explore how a niche travel tech newsletter has grown into one of the industry's leading media brands—and why community has become just as important as journalism.

From launching Future Travel during the pandemic to building the annual Future Travel Summit in Barcelona, Ana shares what she's seeing across travel technology, the biggest opportunities emerging around AI, and why founders need to think beyond product announcements if they want to earn attention.

The conversation also explores how specialist publications work, what makes a story stand out, the importance of understanding a publication's editorial rhythm, and why building genuine relationships is far more valuable than chasing coverage.

00:00 – Meet Ana Metz, Founder and Editor of Future Travel

01:00 – From EU-Startups to launching Future Travel during the pandemic

03:00 – What Future Travel covers and why travel tech deserves its own publication

04:00 – Inside the Future Travel Summit and bringing the industry together

05:30 – The biggest trends shaping travel technology today

06:00 – AI in travel: balancing automation with human experiences

08:30 – How the Future Travel newsletter is curated each week

09:50 – Using reader questions to demystify AI through industry experts

11:00 – How PR professionals can work with Future Travel

11:45 – Inbox zero, email pitches and managing a growing publication

12:30 – Quick fire: founder interviews, embargoes and pitching preferences

13:20 – Why understanding a publication's editorial calendar matters

16:00 – What PR professionals should do more of—not less

17:00 – Why travel tech founders need to professionalize their communications

18:30 – The AI travel startup story that's exciting Ana most

19:40 – How to get in touch with Ana and the Future Travel team

If you're looking for support with your communications, from PR and media relations to content strategy and thought leadership, get in touch with CEW Communications at cewcomms.com.

In this episode of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy is joined by Damisola Sulaiman, Fintech Reporter at Sifted, to explore what it's like joining one of Europe's busiest startup newsrooms—and what founders need to understand if they want their stories to stand out.

From covering Europe's biggest fintechs to tracking emerging trends in AI, digital assets, and financial services, Damisola shares what catches her attention, how she works through more than 200 pitches a day, and why context matters just as much as the product you're building.

00:00 – Meet Damisola Sulaiman, Fintech Reporter at Sifted

02:00 – From financial trade journalism to Europe's startup ecosystem

04:00 – Why fintech moves faster than traditional finance

05:20 – The stories shaping fintech today: neobanks, AI, digital assets, and insurtech

08:10 – Revolut, growth-stage fintechs, and spotting the next big trend

09:20 – Inside a fintech reporter's inbox: managing 200+ emails a day

11:50 – How to write a subject line that catches Damisola's attention

13:30 – Why founders should build relationships before they need coverage

14:10 – What makes a great founder interview

17:10 – Quick-fire round: exclusives, data vs narrative, experts vs founders, and press releases

19:30 – The biggest mistake PR professionals make when pitching Sifted

20:20 – Why founders need to place their company in a wider context

23:30 – AI in journalism: research assistant, not replacement

24:00 – The rise of AI-generated pitches and why they're easy to spot

26:00 – How journalists are using AI for sourcing and research

27:00 – Why media coverage increasingly influences AI discovery

28:50 – The best way to pitch Damisola and the Sifted newsroom

If you're looking for support with your communications, from PR and media relations to content strategy and thought leadership, get in touch with CEW Communications at cewcomms.com.

In this episode of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy sits down with freelance technology journalist and producer Tim Smith to explore how journalism is evolving.

Drawing on his experience covering startups and AI at Sifted, producing programs for the BBC, writing for The Infinite Loop, and creating documentary-style YouTube content, Tim shares practical advice on becoming a trusted expert source, why authentic opinions will always outperform AI-generated content, and the simple changes that make journalists far more likely to get in touch.

The conversation also explores how AI is really being used inside newsrooms and why the best stories are those that explain how technology affects real people—not just other people in tech.

00:00 – Meet Tim Smith, freelance journalist, BBC producer, and former Sifted news editor

02:20 – Why Tim returned to freelancing and the projects he's working on today

03:30 – Writing about AI for The Infinite Loop and the changing media landscape

05:20 – Producing documentary-style YouTube content about technology and work

07:15 – The difference between being a journalist and a producer

09:30 – How Tim finds expert sources for BBC programs

11:00 – The simple website mistake that stops journalists contacting startups

12:10 – How AI fits into Tim's daily workflow

15:10 – Why AI still can't write great journalism

15:50 – ChatGPT talking to Claude: the problem with AI-generated LinkedIn content

17:20 – Why authenticity is becoming more valuable in an AI-first world

18:00 – Journalists want original thinking, not average opinions

19:20 – Finding experts with genuine points of view

19:45 – Quick-fire round: pitches, exclusives, founders vs experts, and press releases

20:50 – One thing PR professionals should stop doing

21:30 – Tim's advice for founders: don't let your PR run the interview

23:10 – The AI stories Tim is most interested in covering next

24:00 – How to get in touch with Tim

If you're looking for support with your communications, from PR and media relations to content strategy and thought leadership, get in touch at CEW Communications via cewcomms.com.

In this episode of A Brief Coffee With, Cathy White sits down with veteran technology and business journalist Nick Huber to explore what more than 25 years in journalism has taught him about media, storytelling, and why so many companies still get communications wrong.

Having written for the Financial Times, The Guardian, the BBC, and The Telegraph, including many trade titles, Nick shares a unique perspective from both sides of the fence, combining his work as a freelance journalist with advising technology companies on content, thought leadership, and media strategy.

The conversation explores why founders should stop talking about their products and start becoming trusted industry experts, why strong opinions and clear storytelling matter more than ever, and whether every business really needs a "Chief Storyteller".

00:00 – Meet Nick Huber, veteran technology and business journalist

01:15 – From aspiring TV journalist to covering technology for more than 25 years

04:30 – Writing for the Financial Times and why AI dominates today's newsroom

07:20 – How technology journalism has evolved from niche to mainstream

10:00 – Why journalists increasingly work alongside companies as communications consultants

13:00 – The biggest mistake companies make: writing for themselves, not their audience

16:00 – Why founders should position themselves as industry experts, not just company spokespeople

17:20 – How to explain complex technology so journalists actually understand it

18:50 – What makes a founder memorable? Simplicity, enthusiasm, and strong opinions

21:00 – Why authentic expertise stands out in an AI-generated content world

22:00 – The surprisingly common mistake startups make that stops journalists getting in touch

26:00 – Does every business really need a Chief Storyteller?

30:00 – Why companies struggle to produce genuinely great content

33:00 – What's catching Nick's attention in technology right now

35:20 – Quick fire

41:15 – How to get in touch with Nick

If you're looking for support with your communications, from PR and media relations to content strategy and thought leadership, get in touch at cewcomms.com.

In this episode of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy sits down with Caitlin Macdonald, Social Media Editor at The Observer, to explore how one of Britain's most historic newspaper brands is reinventing itself for a digital-first future.

From helping to transform a 234-year-old publication for audiences on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to finding stories in LinkedIn comments and social media conversations, the two discuss how modern journalism is evolving — and why founders, experts, and communications professionals should pay closer attention to their online presence.

The conversation covers the role social media now plays inside newsrooms, how journalists discover sources, why authenticity is becoming more valuable in an AI-driven world, and how a single comment or post can lead to media opportunities.

Plus, Caitlin shares practical advice for founders and PR professionals looking to earn coverage, build relationships with journalists, and stand out in an increasingly crowded information landscape.

Key Moments

00:00 – Meet Caitlin Macdonald, Social Media Editor at The Observer

If you're looking for support with your communications, from PR and media relations to content and thought leadership, get in touch at CEW Communications via cewcomms.com.

In this episode of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy White sits down with Charlotte Jee, News Editor at MIT Technology Review, to explore how one of the world's most respected technology publications approaches emerging technology, innovation, and the future of AI.

From autonomous drones and world models to the realities of AI adoption and the growing influence of deep tech startups, Charlotte shares what is catching her attention right now, how MIT Technology Review decides which technologies matter, and why founders often approach the media before they're truly ready.

The conversation also dives into AI-generated content, authentic storytelling, the importance of proving that technology works in the real world, and the challenges women face in AI.

Along the way, Charlotte offers practical advice for founders and communications professionals looking to earn meaningful coverage in an increasingly noisy technology landscape.

00:00 – Meet Charlotte Jee, News Editor at MIT Technology Review

02:15 – How MIT Technology Review works and its relationship with MIT

04:20 – Why AI still dominates the technology agenda

05:15 – The technologies MIT Technology Review is watching closely

06:00 – AI, robotics, defense technology, and autonomous systems

06:45 – AI infrastructure, chip supply chains, and the next wave of innovation

07:20 – Has the AI hype cycle peaked?

08:00 – The real cost of AI and who gets access to the best tools

08:45 – What makes a startup interesting to MIT Technology Review?

09:20 – Why many founders start PR too early

10:15 – The rise of AI-generated pitches and comments

11:05 – Why journalists can usually spot AI-written content

12:00 – The "AI witch hunt" and what authentic communication looks like

13:00 – Human storytelling versus AI-generated content

13:20 – Women, power, and inequality in the age of AI

14:45 – Deepfakes, bias, and the societal impact of emerging technology

15:20 – Is AI really replacing jobs?

16:00 – The best way to pitch MIT Technology Review

17:15 – Quick fire round

18:30 – Why PR professionals should think carefully before posting

19:00 – The one thing founders should do more often when speaking to journalists

19:30 – Charlotte's "secret word" for podcast listeners

20:00 – How to connect with Charlotte and the MIT Technology Review team

If you're looking for support with your communications, from PR and media relations to content and thought leadership, get in touch at cewcomms.com.