FIR Interviews

FIR Interviews

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FIR Interviews episodes

  • #621-623: Johnson, Brick, Bosworth w/ Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility

    #621: Rene Johnson and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

    Lead from your power zone and not from your comfort zone. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Rene Johnson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/renesjohnson/), an elite authority in personal power dynamics, author, coach, keynote speaker, and CEO of Power Zone Coaching. She holds an ICF Certified Empowerment Coach degree from Institute of Professional Excellence in Coaching (IPEC).
    Rene is passionate in partnering with purpose-driven business leaders, turning leadership into their greatest profit center, while having more joy in life. She is an instructor who can inspire audiences with energy, insight, and expertise to become positive and power-filled change agents.
    If you’re a small to mid-sized company and you have “power leaks,” consider reaching out to Rene Johnson by visiting her websites https://www.linkedin.com/in/renesjohnson/ and https://powerzonecoach.com/.
    Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

    * Small and mid-size leaders but are “power leaks” should reach out to Rene Johnson. https://www.linkedin.com/in/renesjohnson/
    * My role is to turn your leadership into your greatest profit center and the vehicle to live your best life. #LeadershipWhy https://powerzonecoach.com/ @pzcoach
    * I can work with you in identifying and converting “power leaks” which are wasted time and resources that are wasting your and your team’s strengths and talents. #LeadershipWhy https://powerzonecoach.com/ @pzcoach
    * I can teach you how to activate the “magic” in your power zone, where against the odds, you can accept your true calling to reveal your greatness. #LeadershipWhy https://www.linkedin.com/in/renesjohnson/
    * I can mentor you in uncovering the “why” behind your leadership approach to increase your influence and business results to make a significant difference in people’s lives. #LeadershipWhy https://powerzonecoach.com/ @pzcoach

    To view the video interview click here.

    #622: Jared Brick and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

    How to create a strategy to solve digital confusion. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Jared Brick (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredbrick/), he is the Media Producer, Director and Founder of Brick House Media. He is also a Media Marketing Strategist, Video Director and Content Creator. He helps Thought Leaders who have digital confusion.
    Jared Brick’s vision is to become a professional photographer, and share new perspectives of this dynamic evolving world. He founded Brick House Images in 2000, to fulfill his creative passion. He’s always possessed an attraction to visual media, with talents in social marketing, skills in digital education, business strategy and a lifetime of expertise in photography and video. Jared offers an opportunity to leverage these expertise areas for emerging thought leaders and break through bold clients.
    If you’re a thought leader or small business owner and you do have #DigitalConfusion, you should consider reaching out to Jared Brick by visiting his website at
    21 min
  • FIR Interview: Phil Gomes on the NFT Craze

    You can’t visit a news site or check your feeds right now without seeing articles about NFTs — non-fungible tokens — and how they have captured imaginations. Taco Bell, the National Basketball Association, the Kings of Leon, Jack Dorsey, and artists like the one who sold a JPG for $69 million are examples of digital assets that have been purchased (or are up for grabs) with NFTs.

    There are scenarios that make NFTs exciting for brands and, by extension, for communicators. What are they and how do they work (in terms we communicators can understand)? For that, we turn to Phil Gomes, former digital executive at Edelman and current head of global communications and marketing for Bloq‘s multiple services and brands.

    About our Conversation Partner

    Phil is chief communication and marketing officer for Bloq’s multiple services and brands. Prior to joining Bloq in 2018, Phil spent 13 years at Edelman, guiding the world’s largest communications firm’s initial explorations across two generational technology shifts — social media and blockchain — and building its global blockchain center-of-excellence. In his near-decade in Silicon Valley prior to Edelman, Phil worked with startups and enterprise companies alike. His work helped guide clients to win the Technology Pioneers Programme Award at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Twice. Known for industry “firsts,” Phil is widely considered to be the first PR professional to start a blog (2001) and the first to describe and demonstrate the value of blockchain technology in communications (2015).

    Links to Resources Mentioned in the Interview

    • Mintable.app
    • TrustWallet
    • Rarible
    • Foundation
    • Imogen Heap and the Blockchain Revolution
    • The Trust Machine (documentary by Alex Winter)
    • Coinbase
    • About the Kings of Leon NFT

      • The post FIR Interview: Phil Gomes on the NFT Craze appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

      34 min
    • The Spin Sucks Podcast #76: Professional Development
      Professional development budgets are pretty common in large organizations.
      Whether you sign up for workshops, attend conferences, or take an online course, those costs are often accounted for ahead of time, and people are encouraged to take part.
      But if you work for a smaller organization, are the boss, or a solopreneur, the professional development budgets are often zilch, zero, nada, none.
      So you need to get creative on how you’ll keep up with the latest industry trends and continue to hone your skills.
      Your Professional Development Journey
      At Spin Sucks, I consider my team pretty darn lucky.
      They get to have all of the training we provide the communications industry for free.
      They can take all of the courses, attend all of the group coaching, get instant reviews of their homework, and, best of all, have access to our coaches, their content, and their brains. It’s professional development on steroids for them.
      I’ve experienced all levels of professional development throughout my career—from watching my boss read every morning and use that knowledge to help our clients through one-on-one coaching with some of the best business coaches out there.
      And there are many ways to approach it.
      That’s what we talk about in this episode of the Spin Sucks podcast.
      The Spin Sucks Podcast on Professional Development
      In this show you’ll learn:

      * The benefits of professional development for your career
      * What happens if you don’t invest in PD
      * Why you should allocate a portion of of your non-work time to learning
      * Your options for continuing your professional education through reading and other self-learning tasks
      * About the professional development options offered by the Spin Sucks team

      What’s Your Take?
      My six-year-old loves learning. I’m constantly peppered with “Did you know…” questions throughout the day, every day.
      We probably should all look to children and their curiosity about the world as a model for our continuing education and PD.
      How do you plan your professional development? Do you consider yourself a lifelong learner?
      Share your stories in the comments.
      17 min
    • Spin Sucks Podcast #75: Diversity Issues in the Comms Industry
      I once worked with a business coach who told me I had to stop smiling at men during meetings because it could be interpreted as me flirting with them.
      Yes, you read that right.
      What kind of world do we live in when a smile is misinterpreted as flirting in the business world?
      You probably don’t need to guess that coach wasn’t around for very long.
      Women get a lot of advice about how to succeed at work.
      Not only is much of it conflicting, but it’s also extraordinarily offensive.
      And, even though we’ve come pretty far—even during my career—we still have a long way to go.
      Women Have Pancakes, Men Have Waffles
      A few weeks ago, someone in our Spin Sucks Community posted this article from the Huffington Post about how women working at Ernst & Young are instructed to behave, dress, and act.
      As of 2018, Ernst & Young didn’t have very many women working for their organization.
      As a way to  “empower” the women who do work there, and possibly build morale and an inclusive culture, and attract more women, they created an internal program called: Power, Presence, Purpose.
      The purpose of the PPP program is to help women learn how to grow their networks, negotiate, and build stronger, high-performing teams.
      Unfortunately, it has done the exact opposite of what they intended because of the “advice” they provide.
      Let’s take a look at some of the quotes from the unbelievably misogynistic presentation that was obtained by the Huffington Post:
      Women’s brains absorb information like pancakes soak up syrup so it’s hard for them to focus. Men’s brains are more like waffles. They’re better able to focus because the information collects in each little waffle square.
      PANCAKES.
      That tidbit and more about how women should behave in front of their men coworkers were included in the presentation.
      Not only does it enforce outdated stereotypes and hold women to an impossible standard, but it also completely ignores other areas of privilege such as race, age, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
      That’s why we’re taking a closer look at diversity issues in the communications industry.
      The Spin Sucks Podcast on Diversity Issues
      In this episode of the Spin Sucks Podcast you’ll hear about:

      * Why equality isn’t a reality yet
      * How the communications industry struggles with diversity
      * A case study on diversity
      * How to improve diversity and inclusion at work

      Your Turn
      What’s your experience with diversity in the workplace? How did you handle it? Are there certain situations you look out for now because of your experiences?
      The comments belong to you.
      13 min
    • Spin Sucks Podcast #74: The Do’s and Don’ts of Holiday-Themed Content Campaigns
      We love creating themed content, especially around the holidays.
      One of my favorite Halloween posts features some of the worst villains in literary history.
      Then we have our 12 Days of Christmas in December, which are fun to produce.
      We use them to celebrate everyone from our clients to our community.
      If you hit the mark, holiday-themed content is an ideal way to generate lots of engagement and connect with your audience.
      However, if you do it poorly, people will be talking about it for years to come.
      Ok, it may not be that dramatic, but it will definitely start some cringe-inducing conversations.
      What Qualifies as a Holiday-Themed Campaign?
      There are many ways to present a holiday-themed campaign, including as a video series, a group of related articles, or a series of images and photos.
      It can come from your organization or be generated by your community.
      You can post it on social media, your own site, or your YouTube channel.
      Of course, the best place for it to live is somewhere on your site.
      Then you can share it on social media, in an email campaign, or on other platforms.
      Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s get into some of the do’s and don’ts.
      The Spin Sucks Podcast
      In this episode of the Spin Sucks Podcast, we talk about:

      * Examples of some really great and not-so-great holiday-themed content campaigns
      * How influencers can help give your holiday content a boost
      * Ideas on how to make your content interactive
      * How to avoid alienating your audience
      * Why your target audience plays a huge part in the tone of your campaign

      Does Your Organization Create Holiday-Themed Content?
      What are your most memorable examples of holiday-themed content? Are you and your team planning to create any this season?
      We want to hear about it. Let us know in the comments what you have planned for the upcoming holiday season.
      The comments belong to you!
      10 min
    • The Spin Sucks Podcast #73: The Art of Negotiation
      I don’t like negotiations.
      You have to talk about money, you probably feel insecure, and of course, there’s always the possibility of failure.
      For those reasons, and probably more, many of us tend to avoid business negotiations like the plague.
      But you can’t achieve what you don’t ask for, so let’s talk about how to succeed in the art of negotiation.
      Why Communication Pros Shy Away from Negotiations
      Let’s start by looking at some of the reasons PR professionals would rather do anything than a negotiation.
      Even those of those people oozing with confidence worry things won’t go as planned.
      There’s a chance you’ll walk away completely empty-handed and that in itself is scary.
      On top of that, it almost always feels like you’re going in for a fight, the topic of money is never fun and most of us think we’re terrible at playing the negotiation game.
      So what do we do?
      Avoid it.
      We become yes-people.
      We say yes to the first salary and title offer we receive.
      Or we don’t prepare to ask for raises and promotions.
      We don’t demand clients pay us what we know we’re worth.
      It doesn’t have to be that way.
      Negotiation is finding the best outcome that works for everyone involved.
      This means for your colleagues, bosses, and clients.
      You need the right skills and attitude to help you adjust your approach.
      The Spin Sucks Podcast
      In this episode of the Spin Sucks podcast, we talk about:

      * Working on your negotiation skills
      * Preparing to negotiate
      * Why negotiation doesn’t mean you’ll lose
      * How to negotiate a fair price with potential clients
      * How NOT to negotiate with your employer or boss
      * What to do when you negotiate with your employers
      * Why it isn’t always about money

      How Are Your Skills?
      Is negotiation something you struggle with?
      You’re certainly not alone and that’s OK.
      But communications professionals need to understand that negotiations are part of business and, done well, help both sides achieve their goals.
      How would you rate your negotiation skills? Any tips or stories?
      The comments are yours.
       
      12 min
    • The Spin Sucks Podcast #72: Mobile Apps for All Seasons
      Have you ever wondered how many mobile apps there are in both the Google Play and Apple app stores combined?
      It’s probably not something you think about on a regular basis but the number is staggering.
      It’s over 2.5 million.
      There’s no way you could ever weed through all of those apps to find ones that work best for you without wasting an exorbitant amount of time.
      There are apps for everything imaginable.
      So, the last thing you want is another one to download, right?
      But before you log off, hear me out.
      There many apps available that can make your life easier, help you get more done, become happier, and connect with more people.
      You Can’t Win ‘Em All
      Not every mobile app is right for you and just because all of your friends are raving about one that’s made their life easier doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to work for you.
      This is why you need to set certain criteria when you’re searching for a new app.
      So how do you decide which apps get the honor of hanging out on your phone?
      In this episode of the Spin Sucks podcast, we talk about all the apps and how to decide which ones are for you.
      The Spin Sucks Podcast
      In this episode of the podcast, we talk about:

      * Determining if a new app solves a problem for you
      * Figuring out whether an app integrates easily
      * Whether or not an app is intuitive and easy to use
      * Whittling down your favorite apps
      * Setting the criteria on whether or not a new app is for you

      Your Favorite Mobile Apps
      I’m always looking for new mobile apps I can add to my phone, but they have to make the cut based on my criteria.
      Are there certain apps you can’t live without?
      Are there ones you thought were great at first but promptly fizzled out?
      Let’s hear about all of your favorite and not-so-favorite mobile apps. The comments belong to you.
      14 min
    • The Spin Sucks Podcast #70: Pop-Ups- Love 'Em or Leave 'Em
      Raise your hand if you love clicking onto your favorite site only to be immediately bombarded by pop-ups?
      Everyone have your hands raised?
      Of course not!
      I’m willing to bet many of you think pop-ups are simply annoying.
      However, whether you love or hate them, they can be effective in converting customers.
      I know … probably not what you wanted to hear, right?
       
      It’s All About the Data
      Because we intuitively know how much everyone dislikes pop-ups, we spend a lot of time discussing whether or not we should use them in our marketing strategies.
      Well, we looked at the stats and the general conversion rate from pop-ups is around 3%, and can go as high as 9%!
      Most other online conversion rates range anywhere from 1% to 3%.
      Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that just slapping some pop-ups on your site isn’t enough to achieve that sort of success.
      Pop-ups have to be integrated into your marketing strategy, that’s already using the PESO model.
      Which is exactly the topic of this week’s Spin Sucks podcast.
      Pop-Ups: Not as Bad as You Think
      In this week’s episode, you’ll learn:

      * The different types of pop-up ads you can use
      * How each pop-up works
      * Why you should work pop-ups into your marketing strategy
      * The next steps to follow after your pop-up ads start working
      * How to create funnels from your pop-up ads

      Do You Use Pop-Up Ads?
      Do you love or hate pop-ups? Have you found an effective way to work them into your marketing strategy? We’d love to hear about it.
      Tell us how you feel about pop-ups in the comments below!
      10 min
    • The Spin Sucks Podcast #69: Digital Decluttering
      Did you know we have less than 100 days until Christmas?
      You may feel like you just celebrated New Year’s Eve last week.
      But … according to the calendar, we’re right around the corner from 2020.
      Fall is always the busiest time of the year with so many deadlines and so much work to get done.
      But what if part of the reason you’re staying so busy is because of digital clutter?
      Is Your Digital Clutter Stressing You Out?
      If you’re like most people, email subscriptions, free trials, and other digital clutter easily add up.
      We’re so crunched for time it’s easy to overlook them and think, “I’ll handle that later. It’s not urgent.”
      The problem with that line of thinking is it eventually creates a bottleneck that’s going to clog up other areas of your day.
      To top it off, it’s taking up real estate in your brain that you can use for other more important aspects of your job.
      The digital decluttering process might seem overwhelming, but when it’s broken down into manageable pieces, you’ll find it’s not so scary after all.
      Let’s take a breath and tackle digital decluttering one step at a time.
      Digital Decluttering Advice from Spin Sucks
      In this episode of the Spin Sucks podcast you’ll learn:

      * Why digital clutter can affect your business
      * How to tackle the digital decluttering process one step at a time
      * About tools to help keep your email manageable
      * What you need to do to clean up on your social media profiles
      * How to dive into your analytics and figure out what your key metrics should be
      * Tips and tricks to save a little money while you take on digital decluttering

      How often do you tackle digital decluttering? Do you have a regimented schedule that keeps you on track? We’d love to hear about your process!
      8 min
    • The Spin Sucks Podcast #68: Dealing with Unhappy Customers—Off and Online

      Nobody enjoys a negative customer experience.
      Not the unhappy customers, nor the business owner.
      But it’s something we’ll experience on one side of the fence or the other, over and over again.
      Back in the day, word of mouth was all we had to really worry about.
      Now, the internet and social media take any and all privacy out of negative customer experiences if the customer feels like venting to an audience.
      Off the top of your head can you think of an instance when a bad customer experience made the news?
      I can. 
      The amount of sites people complain on is staggering.
      Not just your basic social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
      People leave reviews on Google, Yahoo, and even job search sites like Glassdoor and Indeed.
      Social media has given everyone their own version of a megaphone. 
      A soapbox.
      A sounding horn.
      Whatever you want to call it.
      Of course, organizations would love to deal with the problems in private.
      But whether we like it or not, that isn’t how things work anymore.
      So, let’s talk about what to do with unhappy customers who make sure everyone hears about their negative experience.
      Dealing with Unhappy Customers
      When a customer is unhappy with your products or services, you probably have an ideal image in your head about how this will all play out.
      You’ll apologize, they’ll be grateful, and you’ll rectify the situation and keep a valued customer. 
      That is ONE of a whole spectrum of possibilities.
      And the chance a customer chooses this scenario is pretty darn slim.
      Because of this, you should be prepared to deal with as much as you can.
      Above all else, you want unhappy customers to come to you with their problem so you can fix it.
      You’re the expert on the subject and (hopefully) they trust you to know how to handle it.
      This is a topic you should cover during your onboarding process.
      We have a great blog post on the subject called Extraordinary Onboarding and talked about it in episode 60 of the podcast. 
      Do You Have a Customer Service Policy?
      If your organization doesn’t have a policy to handle customer complaints, it’s something you need to add. 
      It will give you a solid set of guidelines to follow in situations where you might get rattled or thrown off your game.
      Plus, you’re not the only person who handles customer complaints. 
      You can’t be everywhere at once and at some point, a complaint is going to arise when you aren’t available. 
      This will help your customer-facing team members know what to do and follow the guidelines as well.
      And it keeps your reactions consistent, which is a bonus.
      What if They Take it Public?
      That said, it’s likely unhappy customers will take their complaints online.
      Whether they’re angry and want a group of people standing behind them or they aren’t sure exactly where to go to address their complaint, there’s a pretty good chance they’re going to air their grievances publicly and loudly on social media.
      Some industries are more prone to it than others, but all organizations run the risk of it happening to them.
      And it’s important to know how to calm the emotions and solve the customer’s problem in a way that shows your community you’re listening and committed to helping.
      On This Episode of the Spin Sucks Podcast…
      We’ve packed a lot of great information into this podcast including:

      * How to make handling customer complaints easier
      * Why you should have a process for handling complaints
      14 min

    About FIR Interviews

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    Interviews with business leaders and innovators of interest to communicators