PRGN Presents: PR News & Views from the Public Relations Global Network

Professional development is often treated as something separate from the day-to-day work: attend a conference, take a course, share what you learned, and move on. But real growth requires more than occasional training.

In this episode, Tayhlor Blackwell, Partner at REED, explains how her agency made professional development part of its operating system and everyday culture. What began as a response to rapid organizational growth evolved into a structured approach that connects individual development with the goals of the firm.

Tayhlor discusses the importance of cultivating a growth mindset, setting intentional goals, and creating regular opportunities for feedback. She also explains why feedback needs to be timely, transparent, and specific—and why approaching difficult conversations with curiosity helps both the person giving feedback and the person receiving it.

Tayhlor also explains the business case for investing in people. When professional development is tied to organizational priorities, the benefits can extend beyond employee retention to stronger client relationships, deeper expertise, and better systems that remain valuable even when employees eventually move on.

Key Takeaways

• Professional development is more effective when it is embedded in everyday agency culture rather than treated as an occasional perk.
• Individual development goals should support both the employee’s growth and the broader goals of the organization.
• A growth mindset requires being willing to acknowledge what you do not know, take risks, learn from mistakes, and keep developing at every level of the organization.
• Effective feedback should be timely, transparent, and specific, with curiosity helping turn difficult conversations into opportunities for growth.
• Investing in employees can strengthen client service, organizational knowledge, and internal systems even if those employees eventually take their experience elsewhere.

About the Guest

Tayhlor Blackwell is a partner at REED, bringing more than a decade of strategic communications experience to the agency. In addition to delivering results for clients, she leads the agency's professional development program, working closely with team members to build personalized growth paths and fostering a collaborative, high-performing culture. Her leadership also includes shaping internal initiatives that recognize team achievements and strengthen the agency's sense of community.

Tayhlor began her career in music journalism after graduating from Middle Tennessee State University, covering Nashville's entertainment scene and interviewing industry icons including Dolly Parton. That foundation gives her a strong command of media relations and a deep understanding of Nashville's entertainment and business landscape. She is based in Unionville, Tennessee, where she lives with her husband, Stetson, and their son, Ames.

About the Hosts

Abbie S. Fink is president of HMA Public Relations, a full-service marketing communications firm based in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. She also hosts the Copper State of Mind podcast for Arizona executives and directors of marketing and communications who want to increase the effectiveness of their public relations and marketing campaigns.

Dr. Adrian McIntyre is an anthropologist and communications advisor specializing in the marketing and selling of expertise. He is a founding partner at Speed of Story, where he helps entrepreneurial experts and boutique firms clarify their positioning, package their intellectual property, market their premium services, and get paid for their thinking, not their time.

Credits

PRGN Presents is brought to you by the Public Relations Global Network, the world’s local agency. Our executive producer is Adrian McIntyre. The show is produced by the team at Speed of Story and distributed by PHX.FM, the leading independent B2B podcast network in Arizona.

Follow the Podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, you'll find many more episodes on the PRGN YouTube channel. You can also follow PRGN Presents in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other podcast app. Just choose your preferred podcast player from this list, open the app, and click the button to “Follow” the show: https://prgnpodcast.com/listen

Need to hire a PR firm?

Leading a business effectively in today's fast-paced world requires expert guidance and a strong communications strategy. No matter where you do business, PRGN has a member agency in your region with the deep industry expertise, international experience, and local market knowledge you need to connect with your target audience and achieve your goals. Find a PR firm near you »

Strong communicators do more than listen to what people say. They pay attention to how it is said, what is changing, and what may be happening beneath the surface.

In this episode, Erin Vogt, Partner and COO at Peritus PR, explores what she calls the “art of sensing”—the ability to read a room, recognize patterns, and respond to subtle shifts in client, prospect, and team behavior. She explains why experienced communicators often develop this instinct intuitively, but also why the skill can be taught and strengthened over time.

Erin breaks the practice into three simple steps: listen closely, spot patterns, and act early. From new business meetings to long-term client relationships, she shares how curiosity, nonverbal cues, communication patterns, and thoughtful questions can reveal whether someone is engaged, skeptical, distracted, or quietly pulling away.

She also discusses why agencies need to create enough psychological safety for team members to raise concerns early—and why leaders should listen to understand rather than defend when a relationship feels off.

Key Takeaways

• Reading the room means paying attention to more than words, including tone, energy, body language, curiosity, and changes in communication patterns.
• The “art of sensing” can be developed by practicing three habits: listening carefully, spotting patterns, and acting early.
• Curiosity is one of the most important tools in relationship-building, especially when engagement is unclear or a conversation is not going as expected.
• Small changes in client behavior can be early warning signs. Addressing them while the stakes are still low creates more opportunity to strengthen the relationship.
• Teams need psychological safety to surface concerns without fear of blame, and leaders need to respond by listening to understand rather than becoming defensive.

About the Guest

Erin Vogt, APR serves as Chief Operating Officer and Partner at Peritus PR, where she works alongside leaders to navigate complex situations with clarity, steadiness and empathy. With nearly 20 years of communications experience, she specializes in crisis management, internal communications and executive positioning — helping organizations anticipate challenges and respond with confidence when it matters most. A big part of Erin’s work is sensing — the art and science of reading between the lines, spotting emerging risks, and understanding what clients and teams may not be saying out loud. Known for quickly identifying gaps and building alignment, she serves as both a strategist and a steady partner to leadership teams across industries. She’s an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America, a national speaker on agency operations and crisis communications, and deeply invested in strengthening both her community and the communications profession.

About the Hosts

Abbie S. Fink is president of HMA Public Relations, a full-service marketing communications firm based in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. She also hosts the Copper State of Mind podcast for Arizona executives and directors of marketing and communications who want to increase the effectiveness of their public relations and marketing campaigns.

Dr. Adrian McIntyre is an anthropologist and communications advisor specializing in the marketing and selling of expertise. He is a founding partner at Speed of Story, where he helps entrepreneurial experts and boutique firms clarify their positioning, package their intellectual property, market their premium services, and get paid for their thinking, not their time.

Credits

PRGN Presents is brought to you by the Public Relations Global Network, the world’s local agency. Our executive producer is Adrian McIntyre. The show is produced by the team at Speed of Story and distributed by PHX.FM, the leading independent B2B podcast network in Arizona.

Follow the Podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, you'll find many more episodes on the PRGN YouTube channel. You can also follow PRGN Presents in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other podcast app. Just choose your preferred podcast player from this list, open the app, and click the button to “Follow” the show: https://prgnpodcast.com/listen

Need to hire a PR firm?

Leading a business effectively in today's fast-paced world requires expert guidance and a strong communications strategy. No matter where you do business, PRGN has a member agency in your region with the deep industry expertise, international experience, and local market knowledge you need to connect with your target audience and achieve your goals. Find a PR firm near you »

Hosting a global sporting event is about much more than filling stadiums and delivering a great experience. For a host city, it is also an opportunity to shape reputation, strengthen community pride and create something that lasts long after the crowds go home.

In this episode, Aaron Blank, president and CEO of Fearey, and Peter Tomozawa, CEO of Seattle FIFA World Cup 26, take us behind the scenes of Seattle’s approach to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Peter explains why successful host-city bids must focus less on touting a city’s assets and more on understanding what the organization making the decision actually needs—and how Seattle reframed its strengths accordingly.

Aaron and Peter also discuss the importance of building local credibility before pursuing global visibility, bringing businesses and communities into the experience, and thinking beyond the matches themselves. For Seattle, the goal was not simply to host the World Cup successfully, but to use the moment to strengthen the city, expand access to soccer and create memories and infrastructure that would endure for decades.

Key Takeaways

• Major events can function as reputation campaigns, giving cities an unusual opportunity to shape how residents, visitors and global audiences perceive them.
• Winning a host-city bid requires understanding what the decision-maker needs, not simply promoting everything that makes your city impressive.
• Local credibility should come before global visibility. Community support, business participation and grassroots engagement create the foundation for a successful international moment.
• The most meaningful impact often happens beyond the event itself, through investments in infrastructure, access, community programming and shared experiences.
• Legacy should be part of the strategy from the beginning. The real measure of success is not only what happens during the event, but what people remember—and what remains—years later.

About the Guests

Peter Tomozawa is a global executive with more than 40 years of leadership experience across finance, professional sports, civic service, and education. A former Partner and Global Head of Foreign Exchange Sales at Goldman Sachs, he later served as Vice President and Executive Director of Partnerships and Board Relations for Los Angeles’ successful bid to host the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Peter is an owner of Seattle Sounders FC, where he previously served as President of Business Operations, and a minority owner of the Vegas Golden Knights. He also helped lead Seattle’s successful FIFA World Cup host-city bid and serves as CEO of the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 Local Organizing Committee. Peter has also served in public and nonprofit roles, including as Executive Director of Business Development in the Honolulu Mayor’s Office, where he advanced projects including a $5 billion light rail system, Waikiki public WiFi, and innovative public-private park partnerships. He also served as Commissioner of Charter Schools in Hawaii, helping stabilize and grow a statewide education system. A lifelong ice hockey, skiing, soccer, and racquet sports enthusiast, Peter brings an authentic passion for sport alongside extensive leadership experience in finance, global events, and civic development.

Aaron Blank is CEO, president and owner of Fearey, one of the West Coast’s leading public relations and strategic communications firms. A trusted advisor to sports organizations, athletes, venues and major brands, Aaron has helped shape high-profile moments across the sports landscape, including the launch of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and major initiatives tied to soccer, golf, baseball, football, hockey and entertainment. Aaron played a key communications role in helping Seattle announce its new arena and launch the Kraken brand and NHL franchise, supporting the team’s public relations efforts for five years. His sports experience also includes work connected to the FIFA World Cup, LPGA Tour, Minor League Baseball, Topgolf and TOCA Football, as well as athlete and celebrity partnerships involving Basketball Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens and former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse. Since joining Fearey in 2005, Aaron has helped grow the firm into a creative communications leader serving clients across sports, healthcare, civic, corporate and community sectors. He became CEO and president in 2011 and owner in 2014, leading the agency through years of double-digit annual growth. Aaron was named to the Puget Sound Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list in 2015 and recognized by PRWeek in 2020. He has also served as president of the Public Relations Global Network and sits on several civic and nonprofit boards and advisory groups. A lifelong sports fan and believer in the “never eat alone” philosophy, Aaron is known for building lasting relationships across industries, locker rooms, boardrooms and communities.

About the Hosts

Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. Her marketing communications background includes skills in media relations, digital communications, social media strategies, special event management, crisis communications, community relations, issues management, and marketing promotions for both the private and public sectors, including such industries as healthcare, financial services, professional services, government affairs and tribal affairs, as well as not-for-profit organizations.

Dr. Adrian McIntyre is a cultural anthropologist, media personality, speaker, and strategic communications consultant for PR agencies and marketing firms. He's lived in over 30 countries and spent more than a decade in the Middle East and Africa as a researcher, journalist, communications adviser, media spokesperson, and storytelling consultant. He earned a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a Fulbright scholar and National Science Foundation fellow. Adrian helps agency leaders strengthen their positioning, sharpen their messaging, boost their visibility, and win new clients by replacing impersonal, intrusive and ineffective marketing tactics with authentic human conversations.

Follow the Podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, you'll find many more episodes on the PRGN YouTube channel. You can also follow PRGN Presents in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other podcast app. Just choose your preferred podcast player from this list, open the app, and click the button to “Follow” the show: https://prgnpodcast.com/listen

Need to hire a PR firm?

Leading a business effectively in today's fast-paced world requires expert guidance and a strong communications strategy. No matter where you do business, PRGN has a member agency in your region with the deep industry expertise, international experience, and local market knowledge you need to connect with your target audience and achieve your goals. Find a PR firm near you »

Health information has never been more accessible—but that doesn’t mean people know what to believe. Patients are turning to social media, influencers, search engines and AI for answers, while trust in traditional authorities continues to decline.

Jenny Ousbey, founder and CEO of OVID Health, talks about what this shift means for healthcare communicators. She explains why effective campaigns start by understanding what patients actually think, need and value rather than making assumptions about them—and why choosing the right messenger can be just as important as choosing the right message.

Jenny also discusses the need to balance clinical evidence with emotionally resonant human stories, particularly around complex issues such as vaccination, disease awareness and public health. Whether communicating globally or at the community level, she argues that trust depends on understanding the cultural and social context in which people make decisions.

Key Takeaways

• Health communicators are competing with an unprecedented volume of information, misinformation and increasingly AI-generated answers.
• Effective campaigns begin with research and listening rather than assumptions about what patients want or how they make healthcare decisions.
• The credibility of the messenger matters. Doctors, patient advocates, partners, celebrities, influencers and other trusted voices can play very different roles depending on the audience.
• Choosing the right communications channel requires understanding where a specific audience gets information and whom they trust—not simply following the latest platform trends.
• Clinical evidence is essential, but facts alone may not change attitudes or behavior. Human stories can make complex health issues more relevant and emotionally meaningful.
• Patients can handle nuanced messages. Communicators should be willing to acknowledge uncertainty and explain what science does—and does not yet—know.

About the Guest

Jenny Ousbey is Chief Executive Officer and Founder of OVID Health, an award‑winning healthcare communications consultancy she established in 2018. A recognised industry leader in patient advocacy and health communications, she is known for driving integrated strategies across public affairs, PR, and stakeholder engagement to support pharmaceutical, biotech, and health organisations globally. She is also the creator of the Patient Partnership Index and host of the Health Change Makers podcast, and regularly speaks on topics including political influencing, patient advocacy, and women’s health.

Prior to founding OVID, Jenny held senior roles across government, policy, and communications. She led health public affairs at the NHS Confederation and served as a senior political adviser to a UK Care Services Minister during a pivotal period in national health policy. Her career reflects a consistent focus on shaping health policy, advancing the patient voice, and delivering impact through strategic communications.

About the Hosts

Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. Her marketing communications background includes skills in media relations, digital communications, social media strategies, special event management, crisis communications, community relations, issues management, and marketing promotions for both the private and public sectors, including such industries as healthcare, financial services, professional services, government affairs and tribal affairs, as well as not-for-profit organizations.

Dr. Adrian McIntyre is a cultural anthropologist, media personality, speaker, and strategic communications consultant for PR agencies and marketing firms. He's lived in over 30 countries and spent more than a decade in the Middle East and Africa as a researcher, journalist, communications adviser, media spokesperson, and storytelling consultant. He earned a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a Fulbright scholar and National Science Foundation fellow. Adrian helps agency leaders strengthen their positioning, sharpen their messaging, boost their visibility, and win new clients by replacing impersonal, intrusive and ineffective marketing tactics with authentic human conversations.

Follow the Podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, you'll find many more episodes on the PRGN YouTube channel. You can also follow PRGN Presents in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other podcast app. Just choose your preferred podcast player from this list, open the app, and click the button to “Follow” the show: https://prgnpodcast.com/listen

Need to hire a PR firm?

Leading a business effectively in today's fast-paced world requires expert guidance and a strong communications strategy. No matter where you do business, PRGN has a member agency in your region with the deep industry expertise, international experience, and local market knowledge you need to connect with your target audience and achieve your goals. Find a PR firm near you »

Nick Leighton introduces the concept of Conversation Visibility™. Buyer behavior has shifted toward seeking peer-to-peer, unfiltered opinions, making platforms like Reddit incredibly valuable.

But as Nick explains, traditional marketing and broadcasting do not work on Reddit. The community actively rejects corporate language.

Public user histories and aggressive anti-spam bots mean companies cannot simply create new accounts to shill their products without severe backlash.

Instead, brands must focus on providing genuine value, utility, and expertise to become informed participants in ongoing discussions.

Key Takeaways

• Traditional promotional marketing fails on Reddit because the user base quickly identifies and penalizes corporate language.
• Conversation Visibility™ requires brands to act as informed participants who add value and expertise rather than simply broadcasting a message.
• Global tech, AI, and SaaS companies currently see the most strategic advantage on Reddit, while highly regulated industries like healthcare face tougher compliance hurdles.
• The internet is moving toward a decentralized trust economy, meaning future visibility will rely on being contextually present in trusted conversations rather than relying on traditional advertising.

About the Guest

Nick Leighton is the owner of NettResults, an international PR and marketing agency with a strong focus on the Middle East, helping companies and organizations navigate visibility, reputation, and communications across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the wider GCC region. For more than two decades, Nick has advised brands on strategic communications, market positioning, media relations, and reputation management in rapidly evolving markets. Through NettResults’ work in the region, he has supported global companies entering the Middle East as well as regional organizations looking to strengthen credibility, visibility, and influence across international audiences.

Nick’s work increasingly focuses on how digital trust is evolving — particularly the growing role of decentralized online conversations, Reddit communities, AI-assisted search, and changing buyer behavior in shaping public perception and discovery. He is also the creator of Conversation Visibility™, a strategic Reddit visibility framework designed to help organizations become contextually visible inside the conversations influencing trust, search behavior, media narratives, and AI-generated recommendations. In addition to leading NettResults, Nick is a business coach, speaker, and author of The AI Effect and the best-selling book Exactly Where You Want To Be: A Business Owner’s Guide to Passion, Profit and Happiness. He regularly speaks on communications strategy, entrepreneurship, AI, reputation management, and the future of digital visibility.

About the Hosts

Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. Her marketing communications background includes skills in media relations, digital communications, social media strategies, special event management, crisis communications, community relations, issues management, and marketing promotions for both the private and public sectors, including such industries as healthcare, financial services, professional services, government affairs and tribal affairs, as well as not-for-profit organizations.

Dr. Adrian McIntyre is a cultural anthropologist, media personality, speaker, and strategic communications consultant for PR agencies and marketing firms. He's lived in over 30 countries and spent more than a decade in the Middle East and Africa as a researcher, journalist, communications adviser, media spokesperson, and storytelling consultant. He earned a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a Fulbright scholar and National Science Foundation fellow. Adrian helps agency leaders strengthen their positioning, sharpen their messaging, boost their visibility, and win new clients by replacing impersonal, intrusive and ineffective marketing tactics with authentic human conversations.

Follow the Podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, you'll find many more episodes on the PRGN YouTube channel. You can also follow PRGN Presents in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other podcast app. Just choose your preferred podcast player from this list, open the app, and click the button to “Follow” the show: https://prgnpodcast.com/listen

Need to hire a PR firm?

Leading a business effectively in today's fast-paced world requires expert guidance and a strong communications strategy. No matter where you do business, PRGN has a member agency in your region with the deep industry expertise, international experience, and local market knowledge you need to connect with your target audience and achieve your goals. Find a PR firm near you »

In this episode, co-host Abbie Fink steps into the guest seat to unpack the findings from the Public Relations Global Network's 2nd Influence Insights survey.

Drawing on responses from roughly 1,800 executives globally, the survey reveals a glaring "performance gap": while 90% of leaders believe influence is critical to their business, only 17% feel their organization is executing it well enough to exceed expectations.

The survey results demonstrate that true influence is a cross-cutting effort that requires empowering frontline employees and treating brand advocacy as an organization-wide mission.

Abbie and Adrian also talk about the double-edged sword of AI in modern content creation. While nearly half of the survey respondents praise AI for its efficiency, a third recognize that it threatens brand differentiation and trust, risking a plunge into a generic "sea of slop."

Abbie points out that maintaining a truly influential brand requires keeping human creativity, strategy, and authenticity at the heart of your communications.

Key Takeaways

• Brand influence is a cross-cutting organizational challenge that extends beyond the PR team, requiring active participation from HR, customer service, and leadership.
• Although 90% of executives say influence is critical and 70% believe it is growing in importance, there is a significant execution gap, with only 17% exceeding their own expectations.
• Empowering your workforce is a massive untapped opportunity; only 44% of organizations actively leverage employee advocacy, despite knowing its impact on brand promise.
• While AI increases content production efficiency, a third of leaders recognize it makes it much harder for brands to stand out and remain distinctive.
• Trust remains the fundamental driver of influence for 60% of respondents, meaning organizations must prioritize authentic, human-driven connections over algorithmically generated noise.

About the Guest

Abbie S. Fink is president of HMA Public Relations. She has been with the firm since 1993, most recently serving as vice president/general manager. Her varied marketing communications background includes skills in media relations, digital communications/social media strategies, special event management, community relations, issues management and marketing promotions for both the private and public sectors, including such industries as healthcare, financial services, professional services, education, economic development and real estate, government affairs and tribal affairs, as well as not-for-profit organizations. Under her leadership, the agency was awarded a Silver Anvil Award of Excellence for Boutique Agency of the Year from the Public Relations Society of America and was inducted as a member of the Class of 2025 and 26 Arizona State University Sun Devil 100. Abbie currently serves as board chair for Valley Youth Theatre and is a graduate of the 2025-26 cohort for the Arizona State University Leadership Institute.

About the Hosts

Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN.

Dr. Adrian McIntyre is a cultural anthropologist, media personality, speaker, and strategic communications consultant for PR agencies and marketing firms.

Follow the Podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, you'll find many more episodes on the PRGN YouTube channel. You can also follow PRGN Presents in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other podcast app. Just choose your preferred podcast player from this list, open the app, and click the button to “Follow” the show: https://prgnpodcast.com/listen

Need to hire a PR firm?

Leading a business effectively in today's fast-paced world requires expert guidance and a strong communications strategy. No matter where you do business, PRGN has a member agency in your region with the deep industry expertise, international experience, and local market knowledge you need to connect with your target audience and achieve your goals. Find a PR firm near you »

Natalie Ghidotti, owner of a Little Rock-based PR agency, discusses the unique challenges that smaller markets present to PR practitioners and the power of combining a global network with deep local expertise.

The middle of the country often gets forgotten in business. Natalie explains how her team at Ghidotti helps family-owned, B2B companies in the Heartland reach a national audience while staying true to their regional roots and Midwestern or Southern identities.

She also highlights the importance of playing the "long game" in agency business development. By investing non-billable hours into building Lithium Link, a niche newsletter about Arkansas's emerging lithium industry, her firm has successfully positioned itself at the forefront of the state's economic future—demonstrating that treating your own agency like a client can yield massive networking dividends down the road.

Natalie also talks about taking a successful Arkansas pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform campaign and scaling those strategies to other states, successfully beating a $7 million corporate advertising campaign with the power of earned media.

Ultimately, Natalie stresses that whether you are scaling a local legislative win across the country or helping an outside brand break into a new region, success hinges on genuine community relationships, boots-on-the-ground knowledge, and utilizing networks like the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN) for national and international reach.

Key Takeaways

• Understanding local markets and regional nuances is vital for developing effective public relations strategies and campaigns.
• Building deep local relationships is essential for PR agencies to offer global brands authentic regional relevance and elevate client engagement.
• Investing in content creation for emerging industries poised for future growth, such as lithium in Arkansas, can position agencies as thought leaders and open future business opportunities.
• Networks like PRGN play a crucial role in providing localized service with global reach, enhancing an agency's value proposition.

About the Guest

Natalie Ghidotti, APR, Fellow PRSA, is founder and CEO of Ghidotti, a public relations and content marketing agency she founded in 2007 that serves clients throughout the Heartland. She serves as Regional Vice President for North America for the Public Relations Global Network, where the agency represents the Southern region in this global network of 50 PR agencies. She is Immediate Past Chair for the Executive Committee for the Public Relations Society of America’s national Counselors Academy and was recently named a Class of 2025 inductee into PRSA’s College of Fellows, the highest national distinction in the public relations profession.

Beyond her agency work, Natalie is an active member of the Little Rock community, serving on the board of directors for the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts and as Vice President for the Downtown Little Rock Partnership Executive Committee. She is a past president of The Rotary Club of Little Rock and the Arkansas Women’s Leadership Forum and is a graduate of both Leadership Little Rock and Leadership Arkansas.

About the Hosts

Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. Her marketing communications background includes skills in media relations, digital communications, social media strategies, special event management, crisis communications, community relations, issues management, and marketing promotions for both the private and public sectors, including such industries as healthcare, financial services, professional services, government affairs and tribal affairs, as well as not-for-profit organizations.

Dr. Adrian McIntyre is a cultural anthropologist, media personality, speaker, and strategic communications consultant for PR agencies and marketing firms. He's lived in over 30 countries and spent more than a decade in the Middle East and Africa as a researcher, journalist, communications adviser, media spokesperson, and storytelling consultant. He earned a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a Fulbright scholar and National Science Foundation fellow. Adrian helps agency leaders strengthen their positioning, sharpen their messaging, boost their visibility, and win new clients by replacing impersonal, intrusive and ineffective marketing tactics with authentic human conversations.

Follow the Podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, you'll find many more episodes on the PRGN YouTube channel. You can also follow PRGN Presents in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other podcast app. Just choose your preferred podcast player from this list, open the app, and click the button to “Follow” the show: https://prgnpodcast.com/listen

Need to hire a PR firm?

Leading a business effectively in today's fast-paced world requires expert guidance and a strong communications strategy. No matter where you do business, PRGN has a member agency in your region with the deep industry expertise, international experience, and local market knowledge you need to connect with your target audience and achieve your goals. Find a PR firm near you »

On May 13, 2026, the Public Relations Global Network will present the key findings of the PRGN Influence Insights 2026, the second edition of its global survey on brand influence.

The 2026 PRGN Influence Insights Survey offers a closer look at how brands are managing trust, reputation, AI, audience behavior and the growing complexity of influence across channels, audiences and markets worldwide.

Join us for a live webinar presentation of the survey data, built on global findings from more than 1,800 professionals across 48 countries.

Register for one of the webinar sessions:

• May 13: EMEA and Americas
• May 13: Americas and APAC

About the Hosts

Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. Her marketing communications background includes skills in media relations, digital communications, social media strategies, special event management, crisis communications, community relations, issues management, and marketing promotions for both the private and public sectors, including such industries as healthcare, financial services, professional services, government affairs and tribal affairs, as well as not-for-profit organizations.

Dr. Adrian McIntyre is a cultural anthropologist, media personality, speaker, and strategic communications consultant for PR agencies and marketing firms. He's lived in over 30 countries and spent more than a decade in the Middle East and Africa as a researcher, journalist, communications adviser, media spokesperson, and storytelling consultant. He earned a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a Fulbright scholar and National Science Foundation fellow. Adrian helps agency leaders strengthen their positioning, sharpen their messaging, boost their visibility, and win new clients by replacing impersonal, intrusive and ineffective marketing tactics with authentic human conversations.

Follow the Podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, you'll find many more episodes on the PRGN YouTube channel. You can also follow PRGN Presents in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other podcast app. Just choose your preferred podcast player from this list, open the app, and click the button to “Follow” the show: https://prgnpodcast.com/listen

Need to hire a PR firm?

Leading a business effectively in today's fast-paced world requires expert guidance and a strong communications strategy. No matter where you do business, PRGN has a member agency in your region with the deep industry expertise, international experience, and local market knowledge you need to connect with your target audience and achieve your goals. Find a PR firm near you »

Jaime Gardner joins Abbie Fink to talk about the biggest business development challenges agency leaders face: winning the right clients, moving prospects through a long business development cycle, and growing existing accounts.

Jaime makes the case for proactive relationship-building over reactive crisis-driven engagement, arguing that agencies are better positioned when they help clients get ahead of issues before they escalate. She emphasizes that cold outreach is rarely as effective as referrals, networking, and strong relationships, and that agencies need to clearly communicate the value of PR as a business investment.

Jaime also digs into the practical side of moving prospects through the pipeline. She shares that there is no single formula: sales cycles can be long, ghosting is common, and outside factors often slow decisions. The key is to listen carefully, reduce friction, and make it easier for prospects to say yes, while avoiding the trap of giving away too much strategic thinking in the proposal stage.

Key Takeaways

• Strong relationships and referrals are more effective than cold outreach in agency business development.
• PR is easier to sell when it is framed as a strategic business investment, not just a transactional service.
• Long sales cycles are normal, so persistence, listening, and low-friction next steps matter.
• Proposals should show expertise without giving away too much detailed strategy for free.
• Existing clients often present important growth opportunities when agencies listen closely and demonstrate added value.

About the Guest

Jaime Gardner joined Novitas Communications in September of 2021 as Business Development and Communications Director, and became Executive Vice President in March of 2025. Jaime has over 25 years’ experience working in the public and private sector. She started her career supporting global operations for an international telecom company, then worked for the federal government in a variety of positions, and has run her own small business. Jaime has owned High Plains Communications, LLC since 2008, a small consulting firm based in Eastern Colorado, specializing in communications and public relations consulting, community relations/outreach, and regulatory consulting; she also manages the mom blog, Juggling Normal. She enjoys all manner of projects, especially tackling new challenges and solving problems for clients.

About the Hosts

Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. Her marketing communications background includes skills in media relations, digital communications, social media strategies, special event management, crisis communications, community relations, issues management, and marketing promotions for both the private and public sectors, including such industries as healthcare, financial services, professional services, government affairs and tribal affairs, as well as not-for-profit organizations.

Dr. Adrian McIntyre is a cultural anthropologist, media personality, speaker, and strategic communications consultant for PR agencies and marketing firms. He's lived in over 30 countries and spent more than a decade in the Middle East and Africa as a researcher, journalist, communications adviser, media spokesperson, and storytelling consultant. He earned a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a Fulbright scholar and National Science Foundation fellow. Adrian helps agency leaders strengthen their positioning, sharpen their messaging, boost their visibility, and win new clients by replacing impersonal, intrusive and ineffective marketing tactics with authentic human conversations.

Follow the Podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, you'll find many more episodes on the PRGN YouTube channel. You can also follow PRGN Presents in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other podcast app. Just choose your preferred podcast player from this list, open the app, and click the button to “Follow” the show: https://prgnpodcast.com/listen

Need to hire a PR firm?

Leading a business effectively in today's fast-paced world requires expert guidance and a strong communications strategy. No matter where you do business, PRGN has a member agency in your region with the deep industry expertise, international experience, and local market knowledge you need to connect with your target audience and achieve your goals. Find a PR firm near you »

Megan Yocum & Johnny Reynolds talk about PR for small businesses and how public relations can be a valuable asset regardless of the size of the company. They explain how PR can effectively tell a company's story and discuss issues such as strategic planning, realistic goal setting, and budget considerations. They emphasize the importance of building brand visibility, establishing consumer trust, being clear on PR objectives and collaborating with a PR partner to maximize impact.

Key Takeaways

• The Value of PR for Small Businesses: Small businesses should not feel they're too small for PR. Every organization has a valuable story to tell, and PR agencies can help strategize on effectively communicating those stories.
• Timing for PR Consultation: Megan advises that earlier is better when engaging PR agencies, allowing for strategic planning and effective execution.
• Setting Clear Goals: Understanding and outlining clear PR goals are crucial. Businesses need to articulate their objectives and expected outcomes from engaging a PR firm.
• Role of Creativity in PR Strategies: Johnny highlights the importance of creative storytelling in driving consumer engagement and articulating the unique aspects of a business.
• Maximizing Limited Budgets: For companies with limited resources, PR strategies can focus on key areas that deliver impactful results without requiring large financial investments.

About the Guests

Megan Yocum is Co-Owner & Principal at Buchanan Public Relations. She has 15 years of experience in strategic communications and public relations, with deep knowledge in the financial services, higher education, consumer goods, healthcare, nonprofit and professional services industries. Megan has worked in both agency and corporate settings, and specializes in strategic messaging, thought leadership and content marketing. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a focus in Public Relations from Albright College and is certified in Leadership Communication from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

Johnny Reynolds is Co-Owner & Principal at Buchanan Public Relations. He serves as the agency’s Director of Media Relations, where he leads the implementation of media relations programs for the firm’s clients. He regularly works with top-tier media, including Bloomberg, Business Insider and The Wall Street Journal. Under Johnny’s leadership, the firm has won numerous awards for media relations campaigns. Johnny also helps manage the agency’s digital practice, holding several digital marketing certifications, including LinkedIn Certified Marketing Insider, HubSpot Academy Email Marketing Certification, the Semrush SEO Crash Course Certification. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Villanova University and serves as the Villanova University PRSSA Chapter Professional Advisor.

About the Hosts

Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. Her marketing communications background includes skills in media relations, digital communications, social media strategies, special event management, crisis communications, community relations, issues management, and marketing promotions for both the private and public sectors, including such industries as healthcare, financial services, professional services, government affairs and tribal affairs, as well as not-for-profit organizations.

Dr. Adrian McIntyre is a cultural anthropologist, media personality, speaker, and strategic communications consultant for PR agencies and marketing firms. He's lived in over 30 countries and spent more than a decade in the Middle East and Africa as a researcher, journalist, communications adviser, media spokesperson, and storytelling consultant. He earned a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a Fulbright scholar and National Science Foundation fellow. Adrian helps agency leaders strengthen their positioning, sharpen their messaging, boost their visibility, and win new clients by replacing impersonal, intrusive and ineffective marketing tactics with authentic human conversations.

Follow the Podcast

If you enjoyed this conversation, you'll find many more episodes on the PRGN YouTube channel. You can also follow PRGN Presents in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other podcast app. Just choose your preferred podcast player from this list, open the app, and click the button to “Follow” the show: https://prgnpodcast.com/listen

Need to hire a PR firm?

Leading a business effectively in today's fast-paced world requires expert guidance and a strong communications strategy. No matter where you do business, PRGN has a member agency in your region with the deep industry expertise, international experience, and local market knowledge you need to connect with your target audience and achieve your goals. Find a PR firm near you »