The Social Complex Social HQ

When we think of crisis communications, we often envision the worst-case scenarios portrayed on the internet and in our news cycles. However, crises don't solely occur on digital platforms. While digital media can exacerbate them, the concept of crisis is rooted in a more scientific framework that determines what constitutes a crisis and how it can be resolved by the company or individual at its center.
In today's episode, we delve into the intricate nature of crisis communications in our digitally savvy and interconnected world with professional crisis readiness expert and leader, Melissa Agnes. Globally recognized as an expert thought leader and visionary in crisis management, Melissa Agnes has collaborated with major players including NATO, The Pentagon, ministries of foreign affairs and defense, financial firms, technology companies, healthcare organizations, cities and municipalities, law enforcement agencies, aviation organizations, and many other industries. In 2020, Melissa founded the Crisis Ready Institute, offering training and certification programs to professionals to better protect people, brands, the environment, and the economy during times of crisis, while also encouraging organizations and leaders to invest in effective crisis readiness.
Melissa is the author of Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World, a book that is taught in dozens of universities worldwide, including Harvard University. It is also ranked among the leading crisis management books of all time by Book Authority and was named one of the top 10 business books of 2018 by Forbes.

To connect with Melissa, click here.
For more information on the Crisis Ready Institute, click here and here. 
To connect with Hillary, click here. 
Read more about Digital HQ here.
For more episodes, go to SOCIALCOMPLEXPOD.COM
Produced by You Lucky Dog Productions.

We've all seen the level of impact that technology has on the way that we live our lives, do business, and communicate with one another. One of those advancements in technology that has swept the news cycle is artificial intelligence. And if you're anything like me, it has blown your mind. It's truly transformative. And as a marketer, I have seen the impact that it is having on my industry and the experts who have been working in the space.
On this episode, we talk to Zachary Lipton, Chief Technologist & Scientific Officer at Pittsburgh-based Abridge whose generative AI solutions have pioneered the automatic drafting of after-visit clinical documentation. Their technology is already deployed at hospital systems across the nation, where it is helping to combat the physician burnout crisis. Zack is also a widely published AI expert and an Assistant Professor of Machine Learning at Carnegie Mellon, where he directs the ACMI lab, whose research focuses include the theoretical and engineering foundations of robust and adaptive machine learning algorithms, applications to both prediction and decision-making problems in clinical medicine, natural language processing, and the impact of machine learning systems on society. As a subject matter expert, Zach does not hold back and is more than willing to share his knowledge with us here today. 

Read more about Zachary here and here.
To connect with Hillary, click here. 
Read more about Digital HQ here.
For more episodes, go to SOCIALCOMPLEXPOD.COM
Produced by You Lucky Dog Productions.

When's the last time that you bought something online? Was it something that you needed? Or something that you saw and you liked? Our ability to shop online has transformed drastically over the last two decades. Even the ads that we are targeted with today are vastly different than they were five years ago. And as a consumer, the way in which we shop and the access that we have at our fingertips has never been more abundant than it is today. But how has this transformation in this space happened so rapidly? And where is it going next? So to dive into this topic, we had to bring on an expert. 
Kurt Elster is a senior e-commerce consultant who helps Shopify merchants like Jay Leno's Garage uncover hidden profits in their website through his e-commerce agency, EtherCycle. With two million downloads, Kurt is best known for hosting the unofficial Shopify podcast. Today, Kurt and I talk all about e -commerce, his background in the field, and where the first integration between social and shopping actually happened.

To connect with Kurt, click here.
Read more about Kurt here.
Listen to The Unofficial SHopify Podcast here. 
To connect with Hillary, click here. 
Read more about Digital HQ here.
For more episodes, go to SOCIALCOMPLEXPOD.COM
Produced by You Lucky Dog Productions.

In this episode, we discuss employee advocacy and its significance in social media marketing, an area that many companies overlook despite its potential to support growth. Employee networks are a valuable asset, acting as advocates and promoters who can enhance a brand's presence through their interactions and online networks.
We're chatting with Brayden Cohen, who has extensive experience in developing social media, content, influencer, and employee advocacy programs. Brayden has worked with both startups and large companies, including 1Password, Hootsuite, TransLink, Duer, and Lojel. His work focuses on developing social media, content, influencer, and employee advocacy campaigns for disruptive brands to scale and level up their marketing strategies.
Our conversation covers what employee advocacy is, why it matters in the digital age, and how companies can create a culture that supports it. Brayden shares insights on the involvement needed from leadership, the tools and platforms that can help, and the risks and challenges that companies need to consider. This episode offers practical advice for anyone looking to understand or implement an employee advocacy program.

Learn more about Brayden here.
To connect with Hillary, click here. 
Read more about Digital HQ here.
For more episodes, go to SOCIALCOMPLEXPOD.COM
Produced by You Lucky Dog Productions.

Social media is all around us, and it's all-consuming. Whether you have one platform, multiple platforms, a Finsta, or you're managing it for brands, it is everywhere. Have you ever felt so inclined to take a step back or feel like you're in need of a little bit of detox? Taking time away from social media usage has become increasingly popular over the last few years, and much of this is actually stemming from younger generations. Gen Z and Millennials are really starting to lead the charge on responsible usage of social media platforms, from how many hours a day you're spending on platforms to even taking multiple days off, stepping away from the technology that we hold near and dear to us. One organization that is helping to lead the charge in growing awareness and social consciousness of how people are using these platforms is a group called the Log Off Movement, headed by our guest today, Emma Lembke.
Emma is a 20-year-old youth digital advocate seeking to spread digital consciousness and integrate youth voices in conversations regarding tech. In addition to her advocacy efforts, Lembke is a third-year rising political science major at Washington University in St. Louis. She is the founder of Log Off, a youth movement founded in 2020 to uplift and empower youth to tackle the complexities of social media and its impact on younger generations. As a youth-led movement, Log Off provides an often overlooked and critical perspective on social media by leveraging and empowering the underrepresented experts in the field: Generation Z.
Today, Emma and I talk all about the implications of social media usage, how going completely cold turkey online is not only unreasonable for a lot of people but unrealistic, and tools and tips that anyone and everyone can use to help build a safer, smarter, and more intentional relationship with social and digital media.

Check out the Log Off Movement here.
To connect with Hillary, click here. 
Read more about Digital HQ here.
For more episodes, go to SOCIALCOMPLEXPOD.COM
Produced by You Lucky Dog Productions.

The concept of harassment and bullying is not a new one. However, once the internet came into play, it completely changed the dynamic. In today's episode, I am chatting with Emily Vogels of Pew Research Center to talk about the studies that they have completed on cyberbullying, harassment, and online behaviors when it comes to interconnectivity and conflict online. 
Emily Vogels is a research associate working on internet and technology research at Pew Research Center. Much of her recent work has been focused on teens' digital lives, the tone, and tenor of online discourse, and the digital divide. Join us as we talk about the studies that have been produced around teen usage of digital media and that of adults as well. Let's get into it.


Check out Pew Research here. 
To connect with Hillary, click here. 
Read more about Digital HQ here.
For more episodes, go to SOCIALCOMPLEXPOD.COM
Produced by You Lucky Dog Productions.