Pitchin' and Sippin' with Lexie Smith Lexie Smith

Listen to quick updates and announcements as we wait for Season 7 to Launch this Summer!
Submit pitches online at theprbarinc.com/podcastsEmail topic requests to pitchinandsippin@gmail.comSign up for THEPRBAR weekly round-up at https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/Don't forget to hit subscribe wherever you watch and listen so you don't miss the first episode of Season 7!

This week’s minisode is the final episode of Season 6 of the Pitchin’ and Sippin’ Podcast. On this wrap up episode, Lexie Smith reflects on this season of the podcast and all that she’s learned and taken away from her conversations with ‘Journalistic Royalty’. She reflects particularly on the different themes from her interviews with different journalists throughout the season. From freelance journalists to higher-ups at significant outlets, Lexie breaks down 8 core takeaways about the future of the media and journalism world. 


Here’s What You’ll Learn:
Lexie’s reflections on her interviews with journalists on Season 6The effect AI has had on these journalist's careers and the media worldCore takeaways about the differing personal pitching preferences of journalists The influence of the business of media and how it differed guests based on their titleHow many more things are being put on journalist's plates in this day and ageThe influence of the rise of Substack and the decline of XAnd more!

Listener Links: 
Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/Listen to Season 6: https://theprbarinc.com/podcasts/Ways you Can Work with THEPRBAR: https://theprbarinc.com/private-workshops/Learn about Growth Mode Agency: https://www.growthmodeagency.com/Instagram: @theprbar_inc

Danielle Belton is the current editor-in-chief of HuffPost where she led the Pulitzer Prize-winning newsroom to profitability in 2021, after her first year in leadership. In her three-year tenure, she has improved overall newsroom diversity and relaunched HuffPost's legacy Voices brands, including adding a new vertical, Indigenous Voices — one of the first mainstream, digital media offerings for Indigenous people. 
Prior to joining HuffPost, she was editor-in-chief of the leading Black digital publication, The Root. Belton grew the award-winning site's traffic by 300 percent within her first year leading its newsroom. A 20-year-veteran of journalism, blogging, and writing, Belton is also known for being one of the first black women to lead a writer's room in late night when she was head writer for BET's talk show, "Don't Sleep" in 2012. She was also the creator and author of the popular, former politics and pop culture weblog, The Black Snob. 
In this episode, Lexie and Danielle Belton discuss all things journalism and the ever-changing media landscape. She breaks down what she believes is impacting the journalism landscape, both positively and negatively, and what needs to happen to save the media industry at large. Lexie wraps up the episode by asking Danielle about her personal pitching preferences. 


Here’s What You’ll Learn:
Danielle Belton’s career cliff notesHow Daniella got into journalismHer journey to becoming editor-in-chief of HuffPostWhat her average day looks like in her role as editor-in-chief at the HuffPostThe pros and cons of advertising revenue when it comes to media and journalismHer thoughts on the role journalism leadership plays in the overall state of the industryWhat she sees that is negatively impacting the industryHow she believes we can save the Journalism industryHer personal pitching preferencesAnd more!Listener Links: 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/daniellecbelton?lang=enInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/beltondanielle/?hl=enThreads: https://www.threads.net/@beltondanielle?hl=enLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellebelton/Substack Profile: https://daniellebelton.substack.com/Huff Post Profile: https://www.huffpost.com/author/danielle-belton

Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/Ways you Can Work with THEPRBAR: https://theprbarinc.com/private-workshops/Learn about Growth Mode Agency: https://www.growthmodeagency.com/Instagram: @theprbar_inc

Maria Streshinsky is the executive editor of features at WIRED. Before joining WIRED she was the editor-in-chief of Pacific Standard, a magazine she launched in 2012. In its first year Pacific Standard was nominated for a National Magazine Award for general excellence; in 2014 the publication won the National Magazine Award for public service for a story that Streshinsky edited. Streshinsky also served for many years as the managing editor of The Atlantic, where she won the Atlantic Media Company award for editing excellence. She has also worked for the Department of the Interior in Washington, DC, and a stint in New York as a freelance editor and writer. 
In this episode, Lexie and Maria discuss all things feature. They discuss what makes a great feature and how it’s different from other types of stories, how to pitch features as both a freelancer and publicist, and what a coveted publication—such as WIRED—looks for when selecting their next feature topic. They also review Maria’s personal pitching preferences, the best title to pitch at WIRED if you’re hoping for coverage, and much more. 

Here’s What You’ll Learn:
Maria Streshinsky’s career journey and how she developed her love for feature writingHow Maria ended up as WIRED’s executive editor of features, and what her role entailsWhat differentiates a feature from other storiesThe difference elements that make a great feature articleTips on how to pitch a feature as a freelance writerHow to pitch a feature as a publicistWhat she is specifically looking for as an executive editorCurrent stories and ideas she’s working onTips on pitching feature stories with WIREDAnd more!Listener Links: 
Wired Profile: https://www.wired.com/author/maria-streshinsky/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-streshinsky-b44aaa211Twitter: https://twitter.com/mstreshinsky?lang=enMuck Rack Profile: https://muckrack.com/maria-streshinsky

Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/Ways you Can Work with THEPRBAR: https://theprbarinc.com/private-workshops/Learn about Growth Mode Agency: https://www.growthmodeagency.com/Instagram: @theprbar_inc

Shana Clarke is a wine, sake, and travel writer and author. Her work has appeared in Decanter, Saveur, Fortune, NPR, Wine Enthusiast, Vinepair, Conde Nast Traveler, and Hemispheres. She was shortlisted for the Louis Roederer 2020 International Wine Writers’ Awards and ranked one of the “Top 20 U.S. Wine Writers That Wineries Can Work With” by Beverage Trade Network. She holds a Level 3-Advanced Certificate from Wine & Spirit Education Trust and is a Certified Sake Sommelier. In addition, she is the author of 150 Vineyards You Need To Visit Before You Die and the contributing author to the North America section of The Wine Lover’s Bucket List. 


In this episode, Lexie and Shana discuss how she got into wine journalism and career cliff notes. Shana walks listeners through how she got into wine journalism and what it took to succeed in such a niche category. Shana talks about her process as a wine journalist and how she curates her stories. She discusses the importance of reading and events that help pique her interest in stories on specific brands, vineyards, and more. She advises aspiring journalists specializing in niche topics and how to get hyper-focused in that niche. 


Here’s What You’ll Learn:
Examples of how Shana Clarke finds/curates different storiesWhat wine journalism looks like todayTips on how to become focused as a writer in a certain nicheShana’s career cliff notes and other types of writing she’s done beforeTips for aspiring journalists wanting to enter in a more niche type of journalismWhat niche reporting is good forWhat themes and stories Shana is working on this SpringHer story ideas on why the wine industry might be struggling in this day and age and other big and broad topics she is interested in writing aboutShana’s pitching preferences And more!Listener Links: 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shanaspeakswine/Threads: https://twitter.com/shanaspeakswine?lang=enLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanaclarke/Website: www.shanaspeakswine.comFor book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/150-vineyards-you-need-to-visit-before-you-die-shana-clarke/18477518?ean=9789401485463Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/Ways you Can Work with THEPRBAR: https://theprbarinc.com/private-workshops/Learn about Growth Mode Agency Here: https://www.growthmodeagency.com/Instagram: @theprbar_inc

This week’s episode holds a very special announcement for the next chapter with THEPRBAR Agency. And for Lexie. This minisode walks listeners through Lexie’s brand new rebrand for her agency, now GROWTH MODE PR & Communications agency. She talks about the inception of this rebrand, the process of how she did it, and what GROWTH MODE Agency is going to offer and more!
Here’s What You’ll Learn:
Why Lexie decided to rebrand THEPRBAR Agency to GROWTH MODE PR & Communications AgencyWhat the new rebrand means for THEPRBAR brand overallWhat makes the agency differentThe steps Lexie took to create and roll out the rebrandHow Lexie enlisted branding expert Hilary Hartling to help her establish the new brandAnd more!
Listener Links: 
Visit the New Agency Website: http://growthmodeagency.com/Sign up For Lexie's Weekly Insider to Receive Insider Tips, Invites, & More at: https://theprbarinc.com/newsworthy/Ways you Can Work with THEPRBAR: https://theprbarinc.com/private-workshops/Instagram: @theprbar_incGrowth Mode Agency Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmodeagency/?hl=en