Tim Johnson

Forbes Agency Council • 2K followers

I'd like to share some exciting news: UPRAISE has been acquired by rbb Communications, a 70-person, Miami-based integrated communications agency. rbb is an award-winning agency that champions breakout brands with a full suite of services in PR, branding/creative, digital marketing, crisis and influencer management, and more. rbb also has deep expertise in sectors such as energy, professional services, travel & leisure and education. This is a great move for both agencies. UPRAISE gains access to capabilities and resources to offer clients and staff that we've never had before. rbb gains our expertise in serving B2B tech companies as they tap into the growing Florida tech community. We also bring additional experience in financial services to complement rbb’s existing expertise. I am grateful to the many clients, partners, employees (current and past) and other friends of the agency that contributed to our success. We built an agency that focused first and foremost on providing very high-quality service to clients, while at the same time respecting the needs and supporting the career development of our people. UPRAISE will continue to operate as an autonomous business within the rbb family, retaining our brand, website and social channels. We are merging functions where it makes sense, such as accounting, human resources and employee training. The team will remain intact and I will continue to be UPRAISE's president. What this means for our current and future clients is that they will continue to receive the same high-touch, strategy-based service they have received in the past, but now we will also have the ability to provide a wider array of services through internal resources, ensuring we’re able to optimize coordination and maximize results.Over the last three years, I have met with more than 20 agencies and rbb has been the best fit by far in terms of culture, "people first" focus, quality of work, outstanding creativity and more. Check rbb out here: https://hubs.la/Q03xB6850 If you have any questions or would like to learn more, I'd be delighted to hear from you.#UPRAISE #rbbcommunications #PRacquisition

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Travis Parman

Philip Morris International • 12K followers

I can’t turn my head when I see a good crisis response panel. And my favorite part of #SXSW is making new friends. Big thanks to Eleanor Hawkins, Molly McPherson and Laura Barganier for sharing their learnings with Gregory Galant moderating. #SXSW2025 My favorite advice included: 1) Beware the Streisand effect… responding to an issue and drawing more negative attention to yourself than it ever would have had on its own.2) Assess the “blast radius.” Is this a big deal to your colleagues that no one else cares about? Be careful not to respond emotionally to what most consider a neutral story. 3) Do “empathy mapping.” Even a negative story generally has some positive elements that you can use to build on. 4) Twitter has moved from the “town square for everyone” to “ideological neighborhoods.” (My buddy John Stoll is working on bringing more legit news to the X-hood.)5) If your attorney is on the line with a journalist—you’ve already put blood in the water, and JAWS is on the way. 6) AI may be even more important right now for reverse engineering: Use it to test the key takeaways from your human-written media statement. If AI can’t find your point, your target audience may not either. 7) Learn where AI bots are going to eat your sound bites—then feed them well! Industry trades may figure much more highly than you’d imagine.8) It’s better to issue no statement than a BS legal-ese statement that says nothing.

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Derek Sabori

The Underswell • 4K followers

Dear friends, colleagues, and connections,Not gonna lie, I'm a little bit nervous hitting Post on this 😊 , but here we go...As we kick off 2025, I’m thinking of those starting this year on uncertain footing—especially my LA neighbors impacted by the fires and friends from Liberated Brands facing career transitions. Seeing talented professionals in tough situations has inspired the next chapter of my journey: Using podcasting as a service to help professionals like you stand out.Podcast interviews often feature CEOs, founders, and industry experts (guilty as charged, I know). But I started asking myself, why stop there? Starting today, I’m introducing what I'm calling the Professional Podcast Profile: a personalized podcast interview showcasing YOUR story, skills, and aspirations. It’s more than a CV or LinkedIn profile—it’s your resume brought to life. Think of it as the interview before the interview—a tool to share with recruiters, peers, managers, or potential clients to get noticed for what makes you, you.Who benefits?⚫️ Professionals: Here’s a platform to authentically showcase your journey and skills.⚫️ Recruiters & Hiring Managers: Gain deeper insights into candidates before the first meeting.⚫️ Young Professionals: Learn how careers are built brick by brick—not overnight.This idea stems from my love for storytelling and career conversations. Through my revamped podcast, 🎙️ The Underswell with Derek Sabori, we’ll explore what lies beneath a professional reputation: the lessons, effort, and experiences that shape careers. Featuring Captains of Industry, Experienced Career Navigators, and Early Career Starters, the show will offer relatable stories and insights for all stages of professional growth. Sound interesting? I'm looking for early adopters!You're a good candidate if you’re:⚫️ Frustrated by job search hurdles.⚫️ Launching your entrepreneurial journey.⚫️ Ready to share your career story.If that's you, I want to hear from you! I’m giving away five interviews for FREE. Let’s experiment together and uncover your unique professional narrative. Subscribe to my newsletter and tell me why you should be featured. Stay tuned—more stories, lessons, and inspiration are coming your way soon.Here’s to growth, opportunity, and the stories that will shape us in 2025.- Derek#careertalk #advice #careerjourney #podcasting #greatconversations #getnoticed #beyondthebio

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Jennifer Risi

The Sway Effect • 5K followers

New month, new reporter Q&A.  I recently caught up with Digiday senior marketing reporter Kimeko McCoy about the #DEI paradox and how brands are responding today. On the heels of President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion, we chatted about why it feels like the noise around DEI has brands running scared and why it is distracting us from what really matters: the work. Let’s dive in!  Q1: In 2025, we are experiencing the ‘DEI Reset’ - a time where leaders can reimagine the important work tied to DEI to continue to make a measurable impact. What are you seeing across the advertising industry today? Who is doing it right? The more reporting I do in this space, the more it becomes clear that we'll need to follow the money to determine if this is an honest retooling to make space for the many that diversity, equity and inclusion accounts for, or if these companies, like Meta, McDonald's, Target, Walmart and others are retreating from the commitments they made post George-Floyd's murder out of fear of conservative influencers and potential lawsuits.  I can't say who's "doing it right," because I question if that's what landed companies here in the first place – aiming to check boxes as opposed to doing the heavy lifting. What I can say is that there are some companies who have stated they'll continue DEI policies and practices considering the so-called DEI reset (or retreat, depending on who you ask). Some of those companies include big box retailer Costco, Delta Airlines, e.l.f. Beauty cosmetics and others.  Q2: Last July, SHRM announced that it was removing the ‘e’ from DEI and in a recent article, you reported on the possibility that the ‘d’ might soon be removed from values and branding. How have you seen conversations evolve around what this acronym should and shouldn’t stand for?  Today, you're seeing the active dismantling of that acronym in everything from policies and practices to job titles. In the conversations I've had with sources, the fear is that by picking the acronym apart, the concept of DEI becomes so watered down that no one knows what to make of it anymore.  Q3: Lily Zheng, author, strategist and outspoken advocate for DEI, recently shared that they hold DEI programs to the ‘highest standard of effectiveness’ using a framework called FAIR which stands for fairness, access, inclusion, and representation. Do you think it will open more doors for brands to honor their commitments? If I'm speaking frankly, I don't know. I hope so, but this feels reminiscent of when companies committed to DEI frameworks four and five years ago. Today, the question is if brands will commit to walking through the door and remain committed to the work once they've passed through. We've asked this question in 2025, 2020 and even back to the 1960s. Only time will tell.  

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Ken Spain

Narrative Strategies DC • 4K followers

Please check out my latest in PRNEWS. As companies try to ride the Trump policy carousel, and as I note in the piece, it's important to step back and remember "the same political forces that drove the results of the 2024 presidential election will also drive critical outcomes for corporate America. Business leaders must understand that they are operating in an environment that is closely tied to voter sentiment, hyper-partisanship and rejection of those in power."

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Gretchen Reiter

Stand Together • 1K followers

Mixing Board, powered by Axios conference yesterday was a masterclass in modern communications. It was part comms therapy session, part strategy lab, and part adrenaline rush for those of us who thrive in the chaos of a breaking story.A few standout takeaways from a packed agenda that left my brain buzzing and my comms heart full:Slow down to move fast. Real-time crisis simulations reinforced that calm is a communicator’s superpower. Taking a breath before the next move often determines whether you lead or react. And turn a crisis into a campaign. The Space Comms Playbook. The “women-in-space” storytelling session was a masterclass in orchestrating a macro story while choreographing individual narratives — webcast, video, astro-comms and all. A reminder that the best launches are about the people making it possible, not just the one funding it.Lauryn & Michael Bosstick on building beyond your lane. The most successful creators don’t just sell, they explain why it matters. Attention is the new currency, but authenticity is what makes it valuable. Podcasts are the new talk shows, and founders who can connect mission to meaning on the mic win long-term loyalty. (I am an OG of The Skinny Confidential Dear Media community, so I was beyond excited to hear from them.) AI and agility. From Grammarly to Lindsay McCallum Rémy @ OpenAI, communicators are harnessing AI to streamline workflows and pressure-test messaging but never at the cost of human judgment. It should make us smarter, not smaller.Comms leaders are the “emotional shock absorbers.” Jennifer Rankin Byrne comments hit hard, comms leaders often absorb, interpret, and manage an organization’s emotional undercurrent. We’re not just messengers, we’re meaning-makers.  My POV: This the unseen work and tax of our work. We have to be strong and clear minded in chaos. Pointing the direction forward and reminding everyone it will be fine… just trust me. Community is the new commerce. Allison Ellsworth reminded us that building authentic community isn’t a campaign, it’s a calling. The best brands move at the speed of culture and stay anchored in creativity and authenticity.Cristin Culver insightfully shared that in this attention economy, you can’t afford to play it too safe — don’t be afraid to be controversial. Standing out often means having a clear, bold point of view.And a huge shout-out to Eleanor Hawkins for curating such an insightful day and for her conversation with Dan Bartlett that perfectly captured where comms is headed next: more EQ, more courage, more clarity.Whether you’re in the trenches of crisis or mapping out a long-term brand story, the message was clear: Be proactive, be human, and walk toward the open doors.

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Catherine Fisher

I am a global marketing and… • 36K followers

I recently saw the news that Leslie Odom Jr. was returning to the cast of Broadway's Hamilton. Since I love a good comeback moment, it got me thinking about what it takes to stage a successful return to a former employer.Going back to a job isn’t just a Broadway-worthy plot twist – it can also be a smart career move. But like any revival, it’s all about timing, intention and knowing your “why”.Here are a few things to keep in mind if you’re considering an encore performance with a past employer: **Get clear on your motivation. Are you running from something, or towards it? If your current role isn’t what you expected, take time to reflect: is it a short-term adjustment or a long-term misalignment? You want to be thoughtful before moving again, so spend the time here to really understand why you want to make a job move.**Tap into your network. A return move is a relationship move. Talk to people who’ve stayed, those who’ve left, and those who’ve come back. Ask what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and what they wish they’d known. Your network holds the context – and the clarity.**Talk to your current manager. Before you make a move, have an honest conversation. Think through whether there are things that would make the job be a better fit for you, and suggest them as possible solutions that could work for both you and the company.**Consider a lateral move. One recurring reason that many employees leave their jobs in the first place is because they feel like they have no room to grow. But growth doesn’t always mean up – sometimes, it means sideways. If your former company has a strong track record of internal mobility, don’t be afraid to enter back into a different, lateral role – a new department or manager could open doors you didn’t see before.**Exit gracefully. Whether you’re leaving or returning, your network is your most valuable asset. Be professional, be kind, and leave the door open – you never know when Act II might begin.So if you’re thinking about returning to a former job, take a cue from Leslie: make sure the stage is set, the script is right, and you’re ready to step back into the spotlight. ;)

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