The Ghidotti Podcast

When people think of an aquarium, they often imagine a place with exhibits and large tanks for guests to interact with fish, turtles, sharks and other aquatic life. While it features more than 30,000 animals in one of the country’s largest indoor aquariums, the ultimate mission for Shedd Aquarium in Chicago is to spark compassion, curiosity and conservation for the aquatic animal world.

“We know that when people look nature in the eye and they have this in-person connection to an animal that it fosters an empathetic and emotional response that triggers responsibility to motivate stewardship of local waters and waters far away,” said Andrea Rodgers, Senior Vice President of External Affairs and Marketing at Shedd Aquarium. “We’re fortunate to have this long legacy as a visitation destination, but what’s feeding that visit is the incredible work we do across the globe.”

From sea otters and penguins to whales and dolphins, Shedd Aquarium is home to animals from aquatic environments around the world. Tune into the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast as Rodgers and host Natalie Ghidotti discuss how communications strategies help Shedd Aquarium achieve its mission to inspire compassion, curiosity and conservation for the aquatic animal world.

Trends, technology and tactics are never stagnant in the ever-changing world of marketing. However, if one thing is certain in the marketing landscape, it’s that digital marketing can no longer be overlooked or ignored by businesses and organizations from industries of all shapes and sizes.

“I would argue that in this day and age, there is no such thing as marketing without digital marketing,” said Clix business strategist Mike Mueller. “I know if we go back 25 years it wasn’t always this way, but you’d be hard pressed to name any marketing channel that doesn’t have some digital component to it today.”

While digital marketing can become a valuable tool for lead generation and other business goals, it can also confuse many newcomers when it comes to what it is and how to use it properly. Tune into the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast as Mueller and host Natalie Ghidotti discuss the ins and outs of digital marketing, including emerging trends and how you can get started to accomplish your goals.

Successful marketing and communications requires more than just the occasional blog post or pretty picture on social media. A comprehensive marketing-communications strategy is the key to generating results from your time, effort and money spent.

“An effective marketing-communications strategy becomes the foundation of your company’s success,” said Ghidotti Account Supervisor Bethany Siems. “It’s a written plan that essentially creates a roadmap for your business and the specific things you need to do in order to reach your target audience.”

With the right strategy in place, marketing and communications tactics can deliver unique results to you and your business. Tune into the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast as Siems and fellow strategist Natalie Ghidotti take you through the steps of developing an effective marketing-communications strategy.

From diminishing subscriptions and profits to shrinking staffs, the last decade truly challenged many print newsrooms and traditional publications. Despite those challenges, Arkansas Business Publishing Group (ABPG) continues to thrive under owner and president Mitch Bettis, even expanding into Texas with the purchase of Fort Worth-based Scott Publishing last year.

“I really think a lot of that credit goes to our previous owner, Olivia Farrell,” Bettis said. “At a time when it wasn’t cool, she developed a niche media company. All of those who were there at the beginning built a company and philosophy around the idea that we’re going to be experts in a narrow focus, as opposed to trying to be all things to all people.”

Building on the foundation laid by Farrell, ABPG now produces more than 30 different publications for a variety of industries and topics. Tune into the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast where Bettis shares more about the secrets to his company’s success, including the value of niche content and the five-legged stool philosophy.

Including video in your content marketing strategy is no longer just a good idea. Video content is necessary today in order to reach your target audience and stand out in a crowded market. As founder and president of Content Titan, Nate Disarro has a unique insight into the power of visual communication and what it can do for your business.

“I’ve always been interested in stories, human connection and what brings people together,” Disarro said. “I often refer to it as the visual aspect of content marketing. The reason I like it so much and why it’s effective is because we can convey sight, sound, motion and emotion through video.”

Serving clients across the country, Disarro’s work as a producer, director and photographer has attracted national, state and local recognition. Tune into the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast as he shares more about the power of visual communication and how it can deliver real results for your business.

Regardless of their coverage area or focus, reporters, bloggers and other journalists will always need perspective from experts who offer unique insight into an issue. In addition to helping journalists put topics in greater context, becoming that relied upon source for your industry can also be a major boon for you and your business.

“Whether you’re pitching interviews or relying on op-eds to build that reputation, those are all strategies to be seen as a thought leader over time, but it all comes back to what you add to those conversations,” said Ghidotti Media Relations Manager Joshua Cook. “That’s at the core of every interaction with a reporter when you really want to become that source that they come back to not just once or twice, but time and time again.”

Staying available and providing valuable insight can help you develop and maintain relationships with reporters. Tune into the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast as Cook and host Natalie Ghidotti, a former journalist herself, share how you can become a source for journalists and why it can prove so valuable.

From being featured in ELLE, Touch Weekly and Cover Magazine to walking the runway during New York Fashion Week, Dani Evans has seemingly experienced it all during her 15-year modeling career. However, the Little Rock native and winner of Cycle 6 of America’s Next Top Model claims she’s just getting started with a new phase of her life on the horizon.

“Anytime that you leave your safety net or your comfort zone, you feel a lot of uncertainty and you begin to question yourself, but I know in my spirit that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be,” Evans said. “I’m just now at the very beginning of the expansive lane that I know I deserve. I feel like I just opened the door to it and I’m standing in the doorway to that long road.”

In addition to her successful and continually growing modeling career, Evans also founded Monrowe, a unisex line of ready-to-wear hats named after her grandfather, a jazz musician. Tune into the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast as she shares more about the ups and downs of her journey, the challenges of growing a business and taking control of her own path.

From the 2008 financial crisis to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, business owners have faced no shortage of obstacles in recent years. So what does it take to navigate the highs and lows of business and still succeed? Through all the uncertainty and challenges, David Harrison shares how he continually prioritized people over profit.

“I believe if you help other people get what they want, then you’ll always have what you want,” Harrison said. “Those of us that are given the ability to create wealth and opportunities have an obligation to help others to grow. The motivation has to be about helping others.”

Harrison is now the largest franchisor of RNR Tire Express with 32 locations across Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. Tune into the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast as he shares more about his journey from the first location in 2005 to more than $50 million in revenue in 2020.

Investing in leadership is critical for the success of an organization. From overcoming unprecedented challenges and finding new ways forward to making difficult decisions and empowering teams, executives need an evolving set of skills and strategies to remain high-performing leaders.

“We live in a rapidly changing world and the pace of change has never been greater,” said executive coach and leadership strategist Elise Mitchell. “It really speaks to the need for leaders to innovate. Having a growth mindset, creating a culture of try and being a future-thinking leader are all skills that we need to have.”

As we embark on a new journey for 2021, now is the time to reinvest in leadership. Tune into the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast as Mitchell and host Natalie Ghidotti discuss strategies to help you lead in a new normal.

A new year is rapidly approaching, bringing new challenges as well as opportunities. Shrinking media staffs, navigating remote work and an influx of fake news were just a few of the challenges that the public relations and communications industry faced in 2020. So, what’s in store for 2021?

“Every single challenge has truly made us stronger,” said David Landis, president and CEO of San Francisco-based public relations firm Landis Communications. “This year has made us rethink our business and there are really positive things that come out of that.”

As part of a blog post for the Public Relations Global Network, Landis interviewed several other network members from around the world to hear their expectations for the coming year. Tune into the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast as Landis shares their PR tips and trends for 2021 with host Natalie Ghidotti.