Politely Pushy with Eric Chemi

In this episode, The Globe and Mail technology reporter Sean Silcoff discusses his fascination with the Canadian start-up scene and his decision to pursue a journalism career. Tune in as Sean recounts his origins in tech and venture capital journalism and his process for tracking down modern-day unicorns.

Keep up with Sean’s latest work: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/authors/sean-silcoff/

In this episode, ComputerWorld columnist Evan Schuman discusses his journey in tech and B2B journalism. 

Evan shares his insights on AI's over-promising in generative technology, the challenges of privacy compliance, and his prediction on the decline of cyber insurance for enterprises.

He also discusses the importance of tailoring stories to the audience, especially when targeting the chief information security, chief security, or chief risk officers at 50 billion-dollar companies.

Read Evan’s latest work: https://www.computerworld.com/profile/evan-schuman/

Award-winning freelance journalist Mary K. Pratt prefers to keep a low profile, giving her a unique opportunity to approach her work with a clean slate and unjaded by public opinion.

In this episode, Mary and Eric discuss her career in journalism, including her latest venture, launching a community newspaper. Twenty-four years of experience has shaped more than Mary’s writing style; she’s followed the growth of information technology and cybersecurity and fostered new relationships with industry leaders along the way.

Interested to learn about Mary’s approach to media relations? Tune into this episode of Politely Pushy as she shares her workflow as a freelance journalist and the importance of telling the whole story– not just the shiny, happy parts.

Keep up with Mary’s latest work:

• https://www.techtarget.com/contributor/Mary-K-Pratt
• https://www.cio.com/profile/mary-pratt/
• https://www.csoonline.com/profile/mary-pratt/

Jacob Robbins returns to Politely Pushy to share media relations wisdom as PitchBook’s venture capital reporter. Throughout the episode, Jacob shares his do's and don'ts when pitching and navigating the PR-to-journalist relationship.

On a final note, Jacob discusses the role of AI leading up to the presidential election and the future of politics and technology post-election. 

Keep up with Jacob’s work: https://pitchbook.com/news/author/jacob-robbins

In this episode, Eric Chemi chats with GOBankingRates senior writer Nicole Spector about her journey from freelance writing across entertainment and pop culture to full-time journalism in the finance industry. Tune in as Nicole shares her insights into the evolving media landscape and how the current economic climate and upcoming election influence her work. 

Keep up with Nicole’s latest work here: https://www.gobankingrates.com/author/nicoleaudrey/

Freelance technology journalist Adrian Bridgwater sits down with Eric Chemi in this episode of Politely Pushy. Tune in as Adrian shares his experience publishing work with Computer Weekly, Forbes, Techzine, Techstrong, and other digital publications.

Keep up with Adrian’s latest work here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/adrianbridgwater/

Microsoft, Apple, and Google all began as small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs), eventually growing into the mega corporations we know today. During that growth, these corporations scaled their processes while simultaneously scaling what made them unique. 

In this episode of Politely Pushy, Tom Fitzgerald, CFO at Earnest & Associates, joins Eric to pinpoint how SMBs can navigate their IT investment around AI-specific solutions to stay relevant in 2024 and beyond. However, integrating AI isn’t the cure-all solution businesses expect it to be. Tom emphasizes the effort to maintain uniqueness in a sea of sameness. 

This episode is a must-listen for every business leader who feels the pressure to adapt and pivot but fears what lies ahead.

Jacob Robbins, known as “Captain Wetblanket” by his colleagues, often covers the AI industry and VC landscape through a skeptical lens. Jacob uses his carefully trained eye to weed through the industry’s flashy headlines to share stories of action and anxiety bubbling just below the surface.

For those unfamiliar with PitchBook, it isn’t just a data company; it also produces VC and private equity data news. Jacob refers to their niche as “second-day” stories; when Microsoft invested $10 billion in OpenAI, PitchBook thoughtfully distilled that deal for a private market audience.

Tune into this episode as Jacob gives Eric his playbook to uncovering the story beneath the story and balancing journalistic integrity with what an audience demands. To read Jacob’s latest work, visit https://pitchbook.com/news/author/jacob-robbins

How does one navigate a career that began with a law degree and settled in B2B medical marketing and media? For Larry Dobrow, editorial director at MM+M, it was all in mastering the art of the pivot. 

After the pandemic, more companies, including big brands like Apple and Lululemon, became health companies. Even if these companies didn’t realize it then, Larry saw a similar pattern of pivoting. But a well-intentioned pivot hasn’t always guaranteed a media placement.

Tune into this episode to learn critical advice from a seasoned editor about successfully landing your media relations and pitching efforts. Plus, Larry discusses how marketing leaders from heavily regulated industries, such as big pharma, have and continue to stand out. 

To read Larry’s latest editorial work, visit https://www.mmm-online.com/author/larry-dobrow-1/.

So, you want to be a tech startup founder. Now what? Walter Thompson knows a thing or two about the journeys of successful–and not-so-successful– founders. As many know, securing investment is only part of the role.

In this episode, Walter chats with Eric about his experience curating and creating content for digital publications and leading interviews with founders and investors. Walter’s latest project, hosting the Fund/Build/Scale podcast, pulls back the curtain of starting an AI company from the founder’s perspective to share the authentic stories and wisdom of those in the driver’s seat.

Interested in learning the basic skills required to launch a startup, secure initial funding, and transform your idea into a sustainable business? Tune into Fund/Build/Scale wherever you listen to your podcasts or https://fundbuildscale.podbean.com/.