Kari Watson, Cofounder and Managing Partner at MacDougall Advisors, discusses the ways to optimize a healthcare startup’s launch. She emphasizes the need for well-thought-out communications strategies, and the importance of the preparation stage pre-launch. She further touches on mistakes to avoid and common pitfalls new firms fall into.
Rick Gould, Managing Partner at Gould+Partners, encourages business owners to run their company as if they’re going to sell it. He shares tips on selling a firm, and how both parties can capture the most value from the transaction. Rick also reveals the factors that buyers are most cognizant of such as the owners market salary, an owner’s ‘understudy’ and more.
Katya Hantel, Senior Director of Sustainability at Conagra Brands, discusses how brands can communicate environmental and social initiatives effectively as ESG becomes a business imperative. She sheds light on how businesses like Conagra can serve as sustainability translators to key stakeholders – such as investors, consumers, and employees – to champion greater development and adoption of sustainability solutions within the food industry. Katya also shares insights on navigating sustainability messaging between a master brand and sub brands.
Amy Rosenberg, Founder & President of Veracity Marketing, emphasizes the importance for brands to adapt with today’s innovations in public relations. She talks about how industry strides in SEO, email marketing and brand messaging affect business communication with their respective audiences. Amy breaks down these concepts further in her book, “A Modern Guide to Public Relations.”
Avra Lorrimer, Executive Vice President at H+K Strategies, shares her thoughts on brand behavior as we emerge from the pandemic. She talks about how brands can navigate humor and the responsibility to support those who have suffered and fallen behind over the past year.
Megan Driscoll, CEO & Founder of EvolveMKD, discusses how brands can truthfully and empathetically serve their audiences, specifically their female consumers. She discusses 5 main styles of communicators, based on the current scientific literature, and how brands can leverage on them to communicate with, not over clients. She then goes on to suggest ways that EvolveMKD has utilized authentic communication at multiple points in the value chain, all the way to the end consumer.
Tim Johnson, President of Upraise Marketing + Public Relations, provides insights on how startups can adeptly begin their brand narrative in PR. He discusses the various channels and mediums for these firms to plan for and capitalize on to ensure the receive positive consumer sentiment. He also explains the role of agencies in working with the startups and the need for ‘nimble feet’ as the new brand changes and alters their positioning frequently in the early stages.
Sabrina Macias, VP, Communications, DraftKings, addresses how communicators can reach their audiences in authentic and nuanced ways. She goes in depth on how brands can control the narrative of their portrayal in their respective markets and business environments. She emphasizes the importance of preparation for one’s public relations moves based on other contingent factors such as consumer sentiment, cultural factors, and other stakeholders of the firm.
Vanessa Wakeman, Founder & CEO, of The Wakeman Agency, a social change firm providing strategic communications support to nonprofits and socially responsible companies, discusses how brands can start integrating social justice into their messaging in an authentic way. She dives into the agency’s Louder than Words initiative, which was developed to help correct pervasive funding inequities in the social change sector, through the first ever directory of BIPOC led nonprofits. The directory will provide pathways for socially responsible companies to identify and partner with nonprofits led by people of color. Vanessa also emphasizes the power of language and the need to evaluate and adjust the use of certain phrases that do not reflect or create a sense of belonging for all.
Cathy Decker, Co-Founder & Principal, The Decker/Royal Agency, discusses how to create a welcoming environment and navigate the challenges of hospitality while staying safe. She sheds light on an agency’s role in working with hospitality brands, and how one can integrate with management to create the most customer value.