Stories and Strategies

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Channel • 11 Shows

Marketing

Marketing

Updated Weekly
Investing

Investing

Updated Biweekly
Investing

Investing

Updated Bimonthly
Mental Health

Mental Health

Updated Semiweekly
News Commentary

News Commentary

Updated Biweekly
Business

Business

Updated Monthly
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated 3d ago

FEB 3

The New LinkedIn: How Reach Actually Works now

You’re using LinkedIn wrong Not because you’re not smart… you are. It’s because you’re using yesterday’s LinkedIn. The platform is changing fast. The feed has changed, and the rules for reach have changed with it. This episode shows you what’s different now, and how to adapt without turning into a “content person.” Listen For 3:29 What happens when you hit publish on LinkedIn? 7:21 What makes a post perform well—and why does so much content flop? 10:23 Should leaders be posting at all, and if so, how? 14:49 Why did Alicia double down on LinkedIn as a career focus? 20:42 Why are professionals afraid of being visible on LinkedIn? Guest: Alicia Teltz, The Hype Department LinkedIn | Website Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Substack | Website | LinkedIn Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Request a transcript of this episode Support the show

Feb 3

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24 min
2D AGO

When Your Message is Consistent, But Your Audience Isn’t

You can be the same person across every channel. Your social media accounts. Your YouTube. Your newsletter. Your blog. The same principles. The same voice. Often even the same message. And many of the people following you on LinkedIn are the same people who see you on Instagram, hear you on a podcast, or read your newsletter. Yet those same people can understand you, trust you, and remember you very differently simply because they encounter you in a different place. Not because you changed. Because they did. They arrive with different expectations. Different attention. Different patience. The channel shapes what they notice, what they believe, and what stays with them, even when the words don’t change at all. In this episode, we explore how platforms shape perception, why fractured identities are now the norm, and what that means for communicators who already know better but are running out of time and headspace. Listen For 4:30 How do you tailor one piece of content for different platforms? 6:04 Is it better to master one channel or be on many? 7:49 Can AI help create content that still feels human? 12:21 What’s the right way to use emojis on LinkedIn? 16:35 Are we choosing content or are algorithms choosing for us? Guest: Molly Demellier, Sounds Profitable Email | Website | Sounds Profitable LinkedIn Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Substack | Website | LinkedIn Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Request a transcript of this episode Support the show

2d ago

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20 min
JAN 28

The Art of the Deal : Lessons from the Front Lines of M&A with Mario Nigro

How does a founder ensure their life's work is truly "sale-ready?" What is the differentiator that separates a great acquirer from other bidders? In this episode of Forthlane Features, Vanessa Hui sits down with Mario Nigro, a Partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions group at Stikeman Elliott and a primary architect of Canada’s search fund ecosystem. With a career built on representing both sides of the transaction—the buyer and the seller—Mario brings a unique, 360-degree perspective to the mechanics of a successful deal. Drawing on decades of experience at the center of both domestic and cross-border transactions, Mario provides his perspectives on the evolution of the Canadian deal-making landscape. Mario dives into the current dynamics of the market, 'entrepreneurship through acquisition', and where the biggest friction points lie today. Whether you are a seller or an acquirer, Mario’s insights offer a thoughtful look into the preparation and emotional intelligence required to close a deal. GUEST: Mario Nigro, Partner at Stikeman Elliott LLP LinkedIn | Stikeman Elliott Website CONNECT WITH VANESSA HUI Website | LinkedIn

Jan 28

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32 min
JAN 27

How Personal Branding is Changing… and What You Need to Do Now

Personal branding is changing in real time. The first impression is no longer a handshake or a conversation. It is a clip you did not choose, a post someone else shared, a comment you left, or a quote that gets passed around without context. What actually builds trust across today’s platforms? It’s the different channels and how they shape different versions of you. Consistency matters more than polish. Algorithms and AI search now “interpret” your reputation. Today you need to build a personal brand that holds up when you’re not in the room. Listen For :22 What if people meet your story before they meet you? 4:00 How does media reshape your message? 5:23 How do you stay consistent across platforms? 8:40 How do algorithms impact your brand? 14:34 Why does personal branding really matter? Guest: Liz Brooks, Interview Valet Website Doug Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Substack | Website | LinkedIn Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Request a transcript of this episode Support the show

Jan 27

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17 min
2025-12-09

Who Has the Rights to Your Voice on a Podcast?

Send us a text Who owns your voice once it's out there? Gavin Tighe and Stephen Thiele dive headfirst into the legal grey zone of podcasting, exposing the tangled web of copyright, guest rights, AI risks, and international enforcement. In a world where anyone with a mic and Wi-Fi can become a broadcaster, the legal framework hasn’t caught up…and that’s a problem. From defamation and moral rights to regulating cross-border content, this episode explores how the Wild West of digital media is clashing with legacy laws, and why even the simplest podcast might require a legal contract. It's a sharp, witty, and timely discussion that will leave creators, lawyers, and listeners questioning: just who owns the content we consume and create? Listen For 2:24 How has podcasting given everyone a voice compared to traditional media? 4:17 How big is the podcast industry and who’s listening in Canada and globally? 7:41 Can podcasting be regulated by agencies like the CRTC? 10:53 Do guests have copyright ownership over their podcast appearances? 19:45 What happens when AI is used to fake or manipulate a podcast guest’s voice? Leave a rating/review for this podcast with one click Contact Us Gardiner Roberts website | Gavin email | Stephen email

2025-12-09

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31 min
JAN 30

Is Silence Still Strategic When the World’s on Fire?

When the streets erupt, the headlines explode, and public pressure hits boiling point… can business leaders still afford to say nothing? In this episode tackle the growing tension between corporate responsibility and political risk. From a CEO letter in Minnesota addressing immigration-fueled violence to Keir Starmer’s high-stakes diplomacy in China, we ask: when the world demands clarity, is strategic ambiguity still a safe PR move? Listen For 2:08 What is safety in numbers for corporate protest 5:03 Is strategic ambiguity a smart way to stay neutral 7:12 What is the Business and Democracy Commission 9:48 How do leaders speak when policy moves faster than people 12:09 Can the UK and EU trade with China and India without angering the US The Week Unspun is a weekly livestream every Friday at 10am ET/3pm BT. Check it out on our YouTube Channel or via this LinkedIn channel Folgate Advisors Curzon Public Relations Website Stories and Strategies Website Request a transcript of this livestream Support the show

Jan 30

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14 min
JAN 23

The Mark Carney Mic Drop in Davos

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stood up in Davos and didn’t waste words. He gave a speech that cut through the noise. The room stood. The world noticed. He said, “If you're not at the table, you're on the menu.” People replayed that line like it was a lifeline. This episode of The Week Unspun comes straight from the snowy peaks of Davos, but the questions are sharp and wide-reaching. Can speeches still move people to action? Can we trust the Edelman Trust Barometer, or has its credibility fractured like the world it measures? And as the World Economic Forum eyes cities like Detroit and Dublin, what happens when the name “Davos” no longer fits the map? Listen For :51 What made Mark Carney’s Davos speech go viral? 6:54 Why do some PR pros hate the Edelman Trust Barometer? 9:38 Are we living in a “retreater” era of trust and communication? 12:40 Should Davos be moved to Detroit or Dublin? 18:15 Is short-form, flashy content reshaping public opinion? The Week Unspun is a weekly livestream every Friday at 10am ET/3pm BT. Check it out on our YouTube Channel or via this LinkedIn channel Folgate Advisors Curzon Public Relations Website Stories and Strategies Website Request a transcript of this livestream Support the show

Jan 23

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26 min
JAN 20

How to Compete for Attention in a Distracted World

PR teams are being asked to win attention in a world that barely gives it. The problem is not reach. The problem is what happens after the click, after the view, after the impression. If your audience does not stay, nothing sticks. Not the message, not the trust, not the reputation you are trying to build. In this episode, we unpack why depth beats scale and why time spent is one of the most overlooked drivers of influence. You will hear a fresh way to think about loyalty, attention, and what it means to create content that people actually choose to come back to, even when the feed is endless. Listen For 3:42 How do you separate scale from depth in brand storytelling? 6:57 What makes podcast audiences stay or leave? 10:20 How can stories compete for time in today’s distracted world? 12:42 Why does audio create such a deep connection with listeners? 15:28 Who really listens to podcasts today? And how is that changing? 20:03 Answer to Last Episode’s Question from Guest Jenny Manchester Guest: Roger Nairn, Jar Podcast Solutions Website | Jar LinkedIn | Roger LinkedIn | YouTube Doug Downs Substack | Website | LinkedIn Farzana Baduel Substack | Website | LinkedIn Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it. Apply to be a guest on the podcast Connect with us LinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Pinterest Request a transcript of this episode Support the show

Jan 20

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23 min
FEB 3

Can Religion Overrule the Rule of Law?

Send us a text Can a single oath determine who gets to practise law in Canada? Gavin Tighe and Stephen Thiele unpack a fascinating Alberta Court of Appeal decision that struck down a mandatory oath of allegiance for lawyers as unconstitutional. Through the case of Amarjeet Singh Dhariwal, a Canadian born Sikh lawyer who refused to swear allegiance to the Crown on religious grounds, the discussion explores how freedom of religion, the rule of law, and professional licensing collide. They examine why sincerity of belief mattered, how the Law Society of Alberta failed to justify the oath under the Charter, and what this ruling means for lawyers, regulators, and professional bodies across the country. Along the way, they raise deeper questions about tradition, citizenship, and whether symbolic rituals still have a place in modern legal practice. Listen For :01 Are religious convictions absolutely protected under the Canadian Charter? 2:32 Can a professional oath be unconstitutional? 5:30 Does being born in Canada change the obligation to swear allegiance? 9:43 How do courts assess sincerity of religious belief? 15:07 Why did Alberta lose the Charter challenge? Leave a rating/review for this podcast with one click Contact Us Gardiner Roberts website | Gavin email | Stephen email

Feb 3

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28 min
2025-12-23

Should Lawyers be Licensed without Passing the Bar Exam?

Send us a text If becoming a lawyer no longer requires proving what you know, what does the profession really stand for? Gavin Tighe and Stephen Thiele take on the Law Society of Ontario’s proposal to scrap bar exams in favor of a training course, arguing that removing substantive testing undermines both public protection and the meaning of being called to the bar. Drawing on their own experiences in law school and practice, they explore how legal education has changed, why baseline legal knowledge is essential, and how lowering standards risks public confidence in the profession. They discuss the concerns about competency, mentorship, AI misuse, and an increasingly saturated legal market, ultimately questioning whether a profession without rigorous gate-keeping can still claim legitimacy as a learned profession. Listen For :25 Should lawyers be licensed without proving substantive legal knowledge 5:41 Why is the Law Society of Ontario considering scrapping the bar exams 9:42 How does removing testing put the public at risk 14:10 Can lawyers rely on AI without strong foundational knowledge 21:01 What happens to a profession when no one is allowed to fail Leave a rating/review for this podcast with one click Contact Us Gardiner Roberts website | Gavin email | Stephen email

2025-12-23

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30 min

Whether your focus is global, or community-targeted, Stories and Strategies produces attention-grabbing podcasts. We take the time to understand your business strategy and how a podcast weaves into that. Then, we develop content that’s engaging, entertaining, and driven by measurable results. Our team is comprised of seasoned professionals in audio and video production, strategic communications and marketing planning, as well as presentation training.