Everything Speaks

Lee McEnany Caraher is the founder and CEO of Double Forte, a 20-year-old national public relations and communication agency headquartered in San Francisco that works with beloved consumer, technology, and wine brands. Lee is a highly sought-after communications expert known for her business-building acumen and insights. She's a straight shooter with a big laugh that keeps her out of more trouble than it gets her into.

Lee is also an acclaimed author and speaker and a recognized expert on creating high-performing, positive, intergenerational workplaces. Through her work, she shows companies and nonprofits how to embrace the qualities of different generations, reduce negative interactions between people, and see the big benefits of changing the definition of loyalty from a long tenure of employment to a lifetime of loyalty regardless of employment status.

Lee is active in her community, having served on the Board of Governors of Public Advocates and the Executive Board of Wisconsin Farm Technology Days. She recently served as Secretary on the Board of Directors of the PR Council, the national trade association for Public Relations agencies. She previously served on the boards of KQED Public Media, San Francisco's Grace Cathedral, The Marine Mammal Center, Community Gatepath, and St. Paul's Choir School, among others. A graduate of Carleton College, Lee has a degree in medieval history, which she finds useful every day—especially during a pandemic. She splits her time between San Francisco, Eau Claire, and New York.

What you will learn in this episode:

• How PR has risen in credibility and importance in the last 20 years.
• What has and has not changed in the world of PR over the last 20 years
• How social media has pushed communications to continuously adapt
• Why journalism is more important than ever, and what is getting in the way of their stories
• Why it is crucial for your business to have a plan in place for every worst-case scenario
• How the role of the Chief Communications Officer has evolved over time

Resources:

• Website: https://leecaraher.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher

Over a 40-year career, James Hipkin has worked in marketing and advertising at a high level. Since 2010, he has built his clients' businesses with digital marketing.

James is an accomplished, forward-thinking marketing professional. His clients included Sprint, Apple, Wells Fargo online bank, Nestlé, and Toyota. They appreciate his practical, no-nonsense approach. He has the scars and many stories to share.

His stories are always valuable and entertaining. His humor and infectious good-natured approach to marketing are fun and practical. But he never loses track of what's important. Marketing, done well, creates value for customers and the business.

What you will learn in this episode:

• What inside-out marketing is, and why it is ruining your website
• Why you should switch from a call to action on your website to pathways instead
• What your pathways tell you about your customers
• Why your "sales calls" should be treated as enrollment conversations
• What steps your website should follow in order to effectively guide your customer to your solution to their problem
• How you can optimize your website to get someone to take action in the six seconds they take to make a decision
• James's one tip for 2023 to have a better website

Resources:

• Website: https://inn8ly.com/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameshipkin/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inn8ly/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jhipkin
• Website Audit: https://inn8ly.com/six-second-website-audit/

Lee McEnany Caraher is the founder and CEO of Double Forte, a national public relations and communication agency, based in San Francisco, that works with beloved consumer, technology, and wine brands. Lee is a highly sought-after communications expert known for her business building acumen and insights. She's a straight talker with a big laugh that gets her out of more trouble than it creates.

Lee is also an acclaimed author and speaker and a recognized expert on creating high performing, positive, intergenerational workplaces. Through her work, she shows companies and non-profit organizations how to embrace the qualities of different generations, reduce negative dynamics between people, and how to recognize the significant benefits of shifting the definition of loyalty from a long tenure of employment to a lifetime of allegiance regardless of employment status.

Lee is active in her community and sits on the Board of Governors of Public Advocates and the Executive Board of Wisconsin Farm Technology Days, 2021. She recently served as Secretary on the Board of Directors of the PR Council, the national trade association for Public Relations agencies. She previously served on the boards of KQED Public Media, San Francisco's Grace Cathedral, Community Gatepath, and St. Paul's Choir School, among others. A graduate of Carleton College, Lee has a degree in medieval history which she finds useful every day – especially during a pandemic. She splits her time between San Francisco, Eau Claire, and New York.

What you will learn in this episode:

• What is thought leadership and why does it matter
• What makes a person a thought leader
• Why a servant leadership mindset is essential for thought leaders
• How relevancy, longevity, and context make thought leaders stand out
• How to become a thought leader
• Where do you need to show up to be a respected thought leader

Resources:

• Website: https://leecaraher.com/
• Website: https://double-forte.com/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/double-forte/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecaraher/

Patti P. Phillips, Ph.D., is the CEO of the ROI Institute, a researcher, and the author of Show the Value of What You Do. Her workshops and conference presentations inspire audiences to align their work with outcomes that matter. When she is not consulting with clients, researching, or writing books, Patti supports the work of other organizations through board service. She serves on the UN Institute for Training and Research board of trustees, International Federation of Training and Development Organizations board, The Conference Board Human Capital Advisory Council, and the Institute for Corporate Productivity People Analytics Board. Patti has been recognized for her thought-leadership by organizations such as the Association for Talent Development, Center for Talent Reporting, and the Thinkers50 Marshall Goldsmith Achievement for Coaching. She has written or contributed to over 50 books describing how individuals can demonstrate the value of their work.

Jack J. Phillips, Ph.D., Chairman of the ROI Institute and author of Show the Value of What You Do isan award-winning thought leader in the field of talent development. As a teacher, consultant, and coach, he helps individuals show the value of their work in all types of organizations. Dr. Phillips has taught his proprietary methodology to over 50,000 professionals and managers in over 70 countries. He is a global keynote speaker and has written over 100 hundred books, all focused on the importance of showing the value of the work. He has been recognized for his thought leadership by the Association for Talent Development, Thinkers50 Top Coaches, the International Society for Performance Improvement, the Society for Human Resource Management, and Meeting Professionals International. Dr. Phillips has served as an engineer, trainer, learning manager, HR executive, general manager, president, and college professor. He serves as chair of ROI Institute, a globally recognized consulting firm.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why measuring your business ROI is so important for any team
• How to build a successful PR and communications strategy by focusing on ROI
• Why you should focus on the intended impact of your message and plan your campaigns around that
• Why you need to understand your business objectives
• The steps to building a strong and effective communications campaign by focusing on ROI
• Jack and Patti's rallying cries for 2023

Resources:

• Website: http://roiinstitute.net/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattipphillips/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-phillips-phd/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roi-institute-inc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ROIInstitute/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/roi_institute
• Book: https://www.amazon.com/Show-Value-What-You-Measuring/dp/1523002271/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1AN8AC50E6O6C&keywords=show+the+value+of+what+you+do&qid=1655389630&s=books&sprefix=show+the+value+o%2Cstripbooks%2C93&sr=1-1

Heather Hawkins is a seasoned brand messaging and communications team leader with a passion for the brands that help improve lives– from wearables, biohacking and transformative tech through gear, nutrition and healthtech. If it helps people perform better at home, at work or at play, she creates strategic programs proven to amplify smart messaging internally and externally by leveraging all the tools in the earned and owned toolbox.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why your business plan needs to include a consistent repetition to establish a reputation that sticks
• How to utilize repetition properly without muddying your message
• How everything speaks for you, including your packaging, swag, and company-branded clothing
• Why your employees are your most important ambassadors and how your culture is vital to your reputation
• What radical authenticity is and why it matters to your brand

Resources:

• Website: https://elevation-strategy.com/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherhawkins/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elevation-strategy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElevationStrategy/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/elevation_strat

Del Esparza is the CEO of Esparza Advertising. Founded in 2000, Esparza is a New Mexico based business that provides strategic marketing, advertising, and business solutions to a broad range of national public and private clients, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Oppenheimer Funds, PNM, BMW, Mini, and many other fine organizations.

Author of "The Next Dinosaur,"a book published in 2021 as a guide for small to mid-sized businesses to transition from bricks and mortar models to e-commerce, Esparza has always been committed to giving back to small to midsize companies and supporting them in the ever-changing advertising industry.

Brandale Mills Cox, Ph.D., principal and founder of Inclusive Market Research Group, has over 12 years of marketing and public relations experience, with nearly 7 years of research experience. Her research specialization include Black consumer insights, media audience insight and focus group facilitation. She is also a skilled branding and public relations consultant with evidence of multicultural marketing strategies. She has also been recognized as Albuquerque Business First's "40 under 40."

What you will learn in this episode:

• How social and political unrest during the 2020 pandemic led to a shift in buyer behavior
• Why values and how companies express them matter to today's consumers
• How companies can build successful DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) initiatives that do not feel performative or patronizing
• Why a solid online presence is an absolute necessity for any company
• What "cancel culture" really means and how to recover from a misstep as a brand
• Why it is critical to connect with your consumers and ask them questions instead of assuming you know everything about them

Resources:

• Website: https://esparza.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delesparza/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/esparza-advertising/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/delesparza
• Website: https://www.inclusivemarketresearchgroup.com/

As the Chief Content Officer for Double Forte, Liz combines her PR, marketing and writing skills to counsel clients on their content and social media strategies and to maintain the editorial calendar and voice for the agency. Over the years she has worked as the Vice President of Marketing for an international flooring company and led media and communications programs for a range of clients from Fortune 100 companies to early-stage startups in the technology, consumer and professional services industries.

An award-winning writer, Liz is the author of two books about the challenges of working women balancing career and caregiving. She is also active in the influencer community: Liz runs an online community with thousands of members, and her first blog was named one of the Best Blogs for Women by Fortune Magazine several years in a row.

Liz is active in her community and serves on her town's Finance and Warrant Committee. She is also committed to supporting other women and co-founded both SheStarts, an organization for women entrepreneurs, as well as Women In Democracy-Dedham, a non-partisan group that seeks to engage more women in local politics.

What you will learn in this episode:

• How the decentralized newsroom has added challenges to media relations
• What new KPIs (key performance indicators) PR firms have added this year
• How strategies have adjusted due to the influx of freelance journalists
• Why helpful, positive news is in demand now more than ever
• How focusing on your own backyard can increase engagement and lead to national coverage
• Liz's 4 tips for a solid media relations strategy for 2023

Sara Goldvine is Vice-President of Communications with BC Housing (British Columbia). Sara brings broad experience from the public, non-profit, and private sectors to her role. She has a track record of effecting meaningful change in purpose-driven organizations through leadership roles with Coast Capital Savings, TVO, Toronto Community Housing, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and the B.C. Legislature.

Outside of work, Sara serves on the Board of Governors for the Business Council of B.C. and the Board of Directors for the Cedar Cottage Food Network. She holds an Accredited in Public Relations (APR) designation from the Canadian Public Relations Society, has a Master of Communications Management from McMaster University, and a Bachelor of Arts, Political Science from the University of British Columbia (Honours)

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why Sara believes staying curious is the best thing someone in PR can do
• Why listening is the best way to make your company relevant
• Why it's important to listen to and amplify the voices of those who do not have a seat at the decision-making table
• How two-way communication can make us better advocates
• Sara's critical rules for ethical, impactful storytelling

Resources:

• Website: https://www.bchousing.org/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saragoldvine/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/saragoldvine

Courtney Lukitsch is the Founder and Chief Communications Officer of 20-year consultancy Gotham PR, with offices in NYC, Miami and London. Gotham PR has clients in the US and 30 countries globally.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why companies need to focus on being significant, not just successful
• Courtney's crucial steps for putting together a significant business
• Why you should always surround yourself with experts
• Ways your effectiveness may be diluted if you aren't working where you're most valuable
• The significance of understanding your mission and values in order to establish goals
• Why the function of public relations is so critical for businesses, and how it has evolved over time

Resources:

• Website: https://gothampr.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneylukitsch/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Gothamist1

Lee McEnany Caraher is the founder and CEO of Double Forte, a national public relations and communication agency, based in San Francisco, that works with beloved consumer, technology, and wine brands. Lee is a highly sought-after communications expert known for her business-building acumen and insights. She's a straight talker with a big laugh that gets her out of more trouble than it creates.

Lee is also an acclaimed author and speaker and a recognized expert on creating high-performing, positive, intergenerational workplaces. Through her work, she shows companies and non-profit organizations how to embrace the qualities of different generations, reduce negative dynamics between people, and how to recognize the significant benefits of shifting the definition of loyalty from a long tenure of employment to a lifetime of allegiance regardless of employment status.

Lee is active in her community and sits on the Board of Governors of Public Advocates and the Executive Board of Wisconsin Farm Technology Days, 2021. She recently served as Secretary on the Board of Directors of the PR Council, the national trade association for Public Relations agencies. She previously served on the boards of KQED Public Media, San Francisco's Grace Cathedral, Community Gatepath, and St. Paul's Choir School, among others. A graduate of Carleton College, Lee has a degree in medieval history which she finds useful every day – especially during a pandemic. She splits her time between San Francisco, Eau Claire, and New York.

What you will learn in this episode:

• The importance of backing up your verbal support for social causes and movements as a company with real proof of action
• What it means to be a slacktivist, and why your company should avoid it at all costs
• Why programs and monetary support are essential for backing up your claims
• What "cancel culture" really means, and how it can be used as a tool to connect with your audience more transparently
• The steps you can take as a company to begin establishing your values and behaviors and what issues you will and will not align with
• Why it's expensive to be a slacker

Resources:

• Website: https://leecaraher.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecaraher
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/leecaraher